Guyana Chronicle supplement E-paper 8-9-2020 by Guyana Chronicle

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

Where does the PPP/C go from here?

Into Gov’t!

-Devastated in 2015, but quitting was never an option

I C TO RY a t t h e March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections was within reach, but what seemed to be a clear-cut finish for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) was hindered by alleged interference by “rogue” elements of an autonomous electoral body, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). In the blink of an eye, the tables were turning in favour of the governing A Partnership for National Uni-

ty and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) by what some called “unfair” means, but, like any good story, the battle was far from over. Amidst a gloomy setting created not just by the overcast conditions on March 5, but the atmosphere on the ground, members of the PPP/C and other contesting parties, many unfamiliar faces, stood their ground as they demanded a transparent count of the ballots at the Office of the Returning Officer (RO) of Region Four

(Demerara-Mahaica). The embattled politicians and other stakeholders were unwavering in their attempts to stop what was dubbed as an attempt to “steal” an election. But, through the “heat” and “flare,” a cool customer, as many would describe him at that time, General Secretary of the PPP/C, Bharrat Jagdeo, faced the media and said something that meshed perfectly with any high school teacher’s popular line, TURN TO PAGE

Then PPP/C leader Mr. Donald Ramotar and current President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, leading a protest line outside GECOM, calling out its Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally, on claims of rigged elections, in 2015 (Samuel Maughn photo)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

Into Gov’t!

FROM PAGE

Hundreds of supporters turned out for the PPP/C’s first major public meeting after the May 11, 2015 elections (Vanessa Narine photo)

“if you can believe it, you can achieve it.” “Where does the PPP/C go from here?” was the question pitched to Jagdeo by a

reporter on March 5, 2020; his response, “into government.” And, as the popular saying goes, “so said, so done.”

Despite claims of irregularities by the APNU+AFC and numerous delays due to legal challenges, the Presidential Candidate of the PPP/C, Dr.

Irfaan Ali, was sworn in as Guyana’s ninth Executive President, on August 2, 2020. The road to victory was, however, long and bumpy, as the struggle to unseat the governing party started since 2015. The PPP/C after being the governing party for 23 years, since 1992, was ousted by the APNU+AFC, which scored a close victory in the General and Regional Elections held on May 11, 2015. The coalition had amassed 207,200 while the PPP/C secured the support of 202,694 Guyanese. The results, as declared by former Chairman of GECOM, Dr. Steve Surujbally, were immediately discredited by the PPP/C, with “cheated, not defeated” becoming the mantra of supporters and members of the Party. The PPP/C’s had flagged several irregularities in the electoral process, something which they sought to vindicate by way of an elections petition. The elections petition, which to this day has not been heard in the court, was filed on behalf of PPP/C member, Ganga Persaud, on June 23. And, according to the document, Persaud

and members of the PPP/C are questioning the validity of the May 11 polls which declared the APNU+AFC winners. Their legal challenge was compounded by “strong” but “peaceful” protests and rallies, which came both before and after the petition was filed. For many days after the declaration of the May 11, 2011 results, the PPP/C would take their apprehensions to the streets, especially in front of GECOM’s Kingston Office. And, though peaceful, their messages were “loud,” Placards borne by scores of PPP/C supporters portrayed a number of objections, including: ‘These elections were not free and fair’; ‘Where did the fake SoPs (Statements of Poll) come from’; ‘Recount the votes, this is no joke’; ‘We need impartiality from GECOM’, among other things. Then PPP/C leader Mr. Donald Ramotar speaking to the media on the sidelines of one protest, had stressed that the protest actions will continue “for as long as it takes” to ensure that the wrong of the 2015 General and Regional Elections are righted. Protest actions quickly

turned to rallies and “bottom house” meetings, as the PPP/C, an experienced campaigner, regrouped and started their “march” to victory. At the party’s first public meeting since the party’s defeat, Ramotar had told supporters of the party: “We have a proud history of fighting for freedom…our freedoms were taken away in 1968 when elections were rigged and we had to struggle then, as we have to struggle now…we have to struggle once more for democracy in our country.” PPP/C member and current Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, also added his voice at the first meeting, saying: “History and time are on our side. Win we must, because our cause is just… we will battle them in every street, every community, and every town, in the Parliament and in the courts of our country… This is what we promise you.” His promise proved to be far from empty, as the PPP/C continued to be unwavering in their “march” to victory; a victory which was achieved five years after that promise was made. Though it was no easy task, it was indeed a “sweet victory.”

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

A game of numbers played out in the courts - The legal engagements which prefaced the PPP/C’s journey into government IN November, 2018, Former President and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, filed a motion of No-Confidence against the coalition government, citing massive corruption and an unemployment crisis. Despite being the minority in the National Assembly, the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) seemed emboldened after the massive support it received from the Local Government Elections (LGE) held a few weeks earlier. The APNU+AFC coalition government had 33 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly, a majority. Yet, there was a thin fog of uncertainty and perhaps even anxiety. On November 26, 2018, when the 2019 National budget was presented to the National Assembly by the then Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, there was another contention: a tied vote on the budget Appropriation Bill would cause the government to fall. After rounds of debates though,

Members of the media engaging PPP/C Executive Member, Anil Nandlall following one of the numerous court hearings (Adrian Narine photo)

Guyana’s largest budget to date- a massive $300.7B figure- was passed successfully on December 15. But that victory was short-lived, as less than a week later it was time for the Parliamentary showdown which manifested through the No-Confidence vote. As expected, the opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) all voted “Yes”. Then, the names of the Government

MPs were called, beginning with the ‘backbenchers’. The room, though filled to capacity, was silent. The only sound expected to pierce the thick silence was the name called and the “No” said in response. Once each MP voted on party lines, the government had nothing to fear because of their majority status, but that was not the case. TURN TO PAGE

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020 FROM PAGE

The first two Government MPs firmly stated “No” but it was the third that changed the course of Guyanese history. “Mr. C. Persaud,” was called out. His clear response, “Yes.” The room went from silent to a cacophony of confusion, frantic exchanges and scores of persons attempting to convince the man, dressed in his yellow and green tie like many of his AFC colleagues, to change his vote. The coaxing was met by his resounding affirmation, “YES, YES, YES.” He was the one vote which took away the government’s majority; Charrandass heralded in the first successful No-Confidence vote in Guyana making himself a hero to some, and a villain to others The negative responses which followed were irrelevant. On December 21, 2018, the PPP/C secured the support it needed to allow for fresh elections to be called- within three months. Little did Guyana know that she was in for a long ‘ride’. Before long, on Christmas Eve, an interpretation for what constituted an “Absolute Majority” was floated and later adopted by the coalition. It was opined that the PPP/C needed not one, but two extra votes for the motion to be successfully passed. Half of

65 was 32.5, but since there could be no half vote, the figure would be rounded to 33. And an absolute majority could only be garnered from 34 votes or more. This was the just first issue which needed to be ventilated by the judicial system. However, the issues of dual citizenship, the ability of a MP to vote against his party (a conscience vote) and the constitutional provision for a “Confidence” vote and not a “No-Confidence” vote were also brought to the fore. From this point forward, every Guyanese would become better acquainted with the judicial system. It begins at the High Court, where a ruling from the Acting Chief Justice, Roxanne George is handed down. It would appear that regardless of what the CJ ruled, the dissatisfied party would engage the Court of Appeal. Following the ruling of the Appeal Court, the dissatisfied party would then make a final appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Guyana’s apex court. And so time went by. It was only until July 18, when the CCJ ruled, was it accepted that the No-Confidence motion was successfully passed (yes, 33 was indeed the majority of 65). The other issues were ventilated adequately and spotlight the illegalities of

Former APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, Charrandass Persaud speaking to the media moments after toppling his government (Adrian Narine photo)

dual citizen MPs, but did not affect the passage of the vote. Elections should be held at the earliest, but a deadlock over the selection for the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) stalled that process. A resolution allowed for the swearing in of Justice (retired) Claudette Singh as

the Chairperson, but GECOM then had to deal with the cleansing of the voters’ list and house-to-house registration. Probes into fake certificates and concerns were had and the issues addressed; GECOM of itself had to prepare to hold the elections. By the end of September, March 2 was fixed as the date

for Regional and General elections. This meant that the Regional and General Elections would be held more than a year after the No-Confidence motion was passed, and just a few months shy of when elections were initially, constitutionally due. On December 30, Parliament was finally dissolved.

The months ahead encompassed fervent political campaigns and the emergence of several new political parties. What raised the stakes was that in December, on the eve of the anniversary of the famous (or infamous) No-Confidence vote, Guyana officially became an oil-producer. TURN TO PAGE

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

A game of numbers played out ...

FROM PAGE

Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo speaking in Parliament (Stabroek News photo)

Then, the stage was set for the Mother of all Elections, as it was fondly referred to. On March 2, just about a week after Guyana commemorated its 50th Republic Anniversary, citizens went to the polls. At the end of the day (literally), the elections were hailed as “free, fair and transparent”. Before the next morning, the PPP/C completed their internal tabulations using their Statements of Polls (SOPs) from 2,339 polling stations. They seemed to have won. Throughout the official tabulation, the figures matched the SOPs and the party was poised to win the elections after the tabulation of the last regionRegion Four. It seemed as though it would take a miracle for the APNU+AFC coalition to return to government. A miracle, or maybe, a Mingo. Clairmont Mingo, the Returning Officer for Region Four fell ill, stalling the tabulation of the region. His replacement also fell ill, and before long it was night and the tabulation was stalled until the next morning. When tabulation resumed, figures that did not match the SOPs secured by the PPP/C were called; these inflated the votes garnered by the coalition and showed them coming back from certain defeat. After a thinly-veiled threat to revoke accreditation and one bomb scare later, Mingo read out the figures which indicated a coalition victory, and another one-seat majority in the National Assembly. I m m e d i a t e l y, a n i n junction- supported by the

PPP/C- was filed, blocking the swearing in of President Granger for his second term. This began the second round of court action. It wasn’t long before CJ George annulled the results of Region Four and ruled that a partial recount should take place, verifying the results of the contentious Region Four. This recount, dubbed the Spreadsheet edition, saw tabulation resumed in the presence of party agents and observers. The twist was that the RO read results directly from a spreadsheet, which did not match the SOPs gathered by the other parties by this time. Something seemed amiss. The International Community made it clear the Mingo’s results were not credible and would not be accepted. And Chairperson of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley came to Guyana with a team of CARICOM Ministers in an attempt to mitigate the crisis. That team arrived almost two weeks after the elections, and around the same time a full recount of the ballots cast in all 10 regions was expected to begin. Oh, and Guyana started to record cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. This recount, though demanding patience from all parties, was seen as a credible solution to the entire process, as claims of irregularities emerged in other regions. A private citizen, Ulita Grace Moore, was not pleased though; she filed for an injunction (yes, another injunction) blocking the national recount. As this matter engaged the judicial system,

time passed by. And while the rest of the world battled COVID-19 Guyana was dealing with an electoral epidemic within the pandemic. About two months later, on May 6, the national recount finally got underway, with COVID-19 precautions in place and all- and was observed by a CARICOM team. As the recount went on and day by day, claims of dead voters, migrant voters and electoral fraud were highlighted, but there was nothing substantial to invalidate the elections. A month later, the recount was finished and yes, the recount showed a PPP/C victory. Real concerns were raised, no doubt, but the appropriate avenue of recourse was to allow for the swearing in of Irfaan Ali, and file an election petition. The Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, however, argued that the voting process was fraudulent. He later invalidated thousands of votes, again resulting in an APNU+AFC victory. Another private citizen, Eslyn David challenged the credibility of the recount. It was back into the courts, COVID-19 style while “fresh elections” became the new clamour. Sentiments of exasperation proliferated social media, regardless of political affiliation. It was high time the process came to an end. The saving grace came on June 22, when the CCJ invalidated Lowenfield’s move to discard votes, and elucidated what constituted a “valid” vote. There was no other conceivable avenue that could be pursued to stall the

swearing in of the PPP/C Presidential candidate yet, the CEO found one. He ei-

ther submitted the incorrect report (that is, not based on the national recount) or just

outright did not submit a report. Somewhere in between visa sanctions, growing tensions and ever-increasing COVID-19 cases, Misenga Jones approached the courts aiming to deter the swearing in of a PPP/C government. The phrase “Res Judicata” was introduced; it meant that matters that were already adjudicated may not be pursued further by the same parties. The Court of Appeals ruled on Jones’ petition and determined the recount was legitimate and should be used to declare the winner of the elections. Furthermore, it was highlighted that the CEO’s actions should not stall the declaration any longer as he was not a “lone ranger”. It was hard to believe, but the end was near. Contrary to what had characterised the entire electoral process, the submission of the elections report with the recount figures, the declaration of Irfaan Ali as the ninth Executive President of Guyana and his swearing in happened in one swift motion on August 2. Following more than a year of patience, it all ended in an anticlimactic fashion. If you took a Sunday afternoon nap, you might have missed everything.

Road to elections!

By Vishani Ragobeer

HE Kitty Market square is not your average, busy Guyanese market setting. In fact, save for the handful of vendors lining the streets, plying their trade and the minibuses frequenting the roadway, the square is usually empty. On January 5 though, the setting was entirely different. A sea of red flooded the square and overflowed into nearby streets. A grand stage was seen protruding above that red sea. This was the launch of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) 2020 elections campaign. The PPP/C’ theme was “Stronger together for a better Guyana”

- a plug of inclusivity, which guided the party’s efforts on the campaign trail. But this launch was not what began the PPP/C’s bid for re-election after losing the seat of government in 2015. No, it was not even close. More than a year before the 2020 Campaign Launch, in December 2018, the PPP/C’s successfully led a motion of No-Confidence against the incumbent APNU+AFC government. Even then, some may argue that the PPP/C, Guyana’s oldest political party, had already spent a substantial amount of time canvassing citizens. The results of the Local Government Elections in November 2018, evidenced that. The PPP/C’s journey to

the March 2 ‘Mother of all Elections’ was indeed multifaceted. Almost a month after the No-confidence Motion (NCM), in January 2019, Former Minister of Housing and Water, under the last PPP/C government, Irfaan Ali, emerged as the Presidential Candidate of the PPP/C. He edged past Former Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall. Former President and General Secretary of the PPP/C Bharrat Jagdeo was at the forefront of the party’s efforts, too. Elections were to be held in March, 2019, initially. The provisions of a successful NCM provided for this. But they were not, as the country witnessed what would be a protracted engagement of the legal system. Months went by

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

Thumbs up! From left: General Secretary of the PPP/C, Bharrat Jagdeo; Presidential Candidate of the PPP/C, Dr. Irfaan Ali; and Prime Ministerial Candidate, Brigadier (ret’d), Mark Phillips (Adrian Narine photo)

‘The love for my country!’ Presidential Candidate of the PPP/C, Dr. Irfaan Ali, waves the Golden Arrowhead, amidst loud chants from the party’s supporters at a rally (Adrian Narine photo)

and Nandlall’s legal mind was consistently spotlighted as he led the PPP/C’s engagements with the courts.

MANIFESTO

Before long, it was September, and the March 2020 date for elections was finally set. The political parties contesting the elections were hyper-focused on securing a victory; the PPP/C was eager to manage the affairs of Guyana once more. By November 2019, the PPP/C launched an ambitious manifesto which would guide its efforts for the next five years once it was elected to

office. The promise to create 50,000 jobs was the first and perhaps most outstanding component of the party’s plan. Ali articulated that the aim wasn’t just to create jobs, but to create higher paid jobs for citizens and foster an economic environment for citizens to flourish. He said the development of the education sector played a critical role in that. The manifesto indicated that the PPP/C would seek to renegotiate the oil contractsthe deficiencies of which have been highly ventilated in the public domain. There was even a signal that the PPP/C outright supported direct cash transfers from the ‘oil money’

for children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups- even as the subject of cash transfers was subjected to much debate, and ultimately was not being considered by the APNU+AFC coalition. And finally, one last outstanding component of the party’s manifesto was that it had a keen focus on reviving the pre-2015 PPP/C projects and goals; this included supporting the sugar industry (and reopening estates) and resuscitating the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project. The party aimed to reverse several tax measures implemented since 2015 also. TURN TO PAGE

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

FROM PAGE

The PPP/C submitting its lists of Candidates to Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield (Adrian Narine photo)

In December, as the anniversary of the NCM was observed, Guyana became an oil-producing nation. Days after, Parliament was finally dissolved to make way for the elections. The campaign launch and subsequent rallies followed soon after. The stakes were officially raised. Ali needed a running mate as the poll date drew closer. Would it be the Former Junior Finance Minister, the lecturer of the University of Guyana (UG) or the former army boss? Almost one year after Ali’s selection, the party unanimously endorsed former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips. Together, he and the presidential candidate marched side by side to the Umana Yana on Nomination Day, to submit the PPP/C’s list of candidates. And along with the rest of the party, he

lobbied Guyanese to elect the party again. Then, on February 29the extra day in this year, one final appeal was made to Guyanese citizens as the party held its final elections rally at the Lusignan tarmac. Ali promised to “make things right again” - citing the developmental goals in the manifesto but also emphasising unity and inclusivity. He pledged to restore dignity and build trust and national unity among Guyanese. And, Phillips? Well, he made it clear that he was no “rubber stamp” and that he would be an active PM who would support the vision of Ali and the PPP/C for all Guyanese. The ‘red sea’ of PPP/C supporters cheered for Phillips, they cheered for Ali and they cheered for the PPP/C. By the time the crowd went home, some only making it back into their

homes in the wee hours of the morning after travelling long and far, it was left

up to the will of the Guyanese people to elect their new leaders.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE Sunday, August 9, 2020

A QUIET DAY AT THE POLLS ENDS WITH A FIVE-MONTH IMPASSE

-The end result, anticlimactic?

No, ‘sweet victory’

AT the crack of dawn, Guyanese were up and out of their houses, not for a morning jog, but to cast their votes for a political party of their choice, at the much anticipated March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. Polling stations across the country were scheduled to commence operations at 06:00hrs, and, as customary, in some cases, the line to the station started from the gate of the polling place. But, unlike the long lines in some cases, the process in the station was fairly quick and simple, so persons made their choice and then gathered at a “corner shop” for a conversation or simply made their way home. It was reported that there were 2,339 polling stations across the country, which were operated by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and some 660,998 persons were listed on the Official List of Electors (OLE). And, as reported in various sections of the media, and as urged by the various political leaders, peace was the order of the day. Presidential Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Irfaan Ali, had told reporters that the process was smooth and had encouraged

By Navendra Seoraj

Presidential Candidate of the PPP/C, Irfaan Ali, and his wife after voting at the Leonora Technical and Vocational Institute [News Room photo] Guyanese to remain calm and peaceful throughout the day.

Former President, David Granger and First Lady, Sandra Granger shortly after voting at the Pearl Nursery School on the East Bank of Demerara.

Former President, David Granger also urged the same,

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Prime Ministerial Candidate Brigadier Mark Phillips just after he voted. (Adrian Narine Photo)

efficient and they are briefing the voters on procedure so there is no reason for me not to believe that the process would be smooth.” The “smoothness” and the “success” of the “E-Day” were validated by international observers and even the chairperson of GECOM, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh who said: “Guyana’s General and Regional Elections were free, fair and a major success,” adding: “We had a very well-run election, despite all of the naysayers.” But while the elections were executed with minor hitches, GECOM was reported to be “extremely slow” in delivering the results, much to the dissatisfaction of the masses. Cognizant of this fact, Justice Singh called on the nation to have patience. “I will ask you to be very patient; the results are trickling in, and the process of verification is being conducted,” she said. Little did she know, her call for patience would be stretched for exactly five months, as the country witnessed, what was called a “rollercoaster ride” from March to August, 2020. It had seemed like Justice Singh’s call for patience would be short-lived, as tabulation of ballots for almost every region was complete, but everything changed on March 5, 2020, when Returning Officer for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Clairmont Mingo, sought to “stray” from the “normal” method of tabulation, and started to utilise a spreadsheet. This method was later used to “complete” the process and the results of this tabulation showed a victory for the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), something which would spark the first set of court actions in the five-month process. The case, Reeaz Holladar vs the Returning Officer; the Chief Elections of-

Tensions flared outside the Office of the Returning Officer of Region Four as he said: “The turnout is heavy to moderate but I would say the

emphasis on heavy…people know what to do and polling agents are

SEE PAGE ficer and GECOM, was 13 ini-

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

SUNDAY CHRONICLE Sunday, August 9, 2020

THE PRESIDENT’S PROFILE MOHAMED IRFAAN ALI was sworn in as the tenth President and ninth Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on August 2, 2020. He contested the March 2 Regional and General Elections as the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which has been the Parliamentary Opposition for the past five years.

President Irfaan Ali

President Ali, who is just 40 years of age, became a member of the National Assembly in 2006 under the Bharrat Jagdeo-led PPP/C government. He later served as Minister of Housing and Water, and the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, and represented Region Three, Essequibo Islands- West Demerara, the region where he was born and bred. When the PPP/C held the position of the Parliamentary opposition from 2015, Ali took a prominent role in the National Assembly, often distinguishing himself during the annual National Budget debates. He also chaired the Public Accounts Committee and co-chaired the Economic Services Committee of Guyana’s Parliament during that period. In January 2019, he was selected as the PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate. Given his experience and the portfolios he held, it came as no surprise when the party’s manifesto for the 2020 Elections, under his leadership, focused heavily on economic growth and development. Later in the year, he was awarded a Doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the West Indies (UWI)- St. Augustine campus. In his years before becoming actively involved in politics, he completed his secondary education at the St. Stanislaus College in Georgetown. President Ali married Aryan Ali, now First Lady, in 2017. The First Couple has a young son, Zayd. Importantly, too, President Ali is the first Muslim Head-of-State in South America.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE , August 9, 2020

THE PRIME MINISTER’S PROFILE ON January 4, 2020, news broke that, after much deliberation, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips had been unanimously endorsed by the party’s central committee as the Prime Ministerial Candidate of the PPP/C and running mate of Presidential candidate Irfaan Ali. After a long and brutal election campaign, the PPP/C finally claimed victory, and, on August 2, 2020, Phillips was sworn in as the 9th Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The position for Prime Minister which Phillips claimed saw several persons nominated, including Juan Edghill and Priya Manikchand, both MPs; University of Guyana (UG) Lecturer, Hugh Todd; and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues. Prior to being selected to fill the prestigious position of Prime Ministerial Candidate, Phillips had a long and distinguished career in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), spanning nearly four decades. His journey in the military culminated with him being appointment as Chief of Staff of the GDF, a capacity which he functioned in from September 2013, until he retired in October 2016. Brigadier Phillips is the father of four adult children and is married to Mignon Bowen-Phillips and was born on October 5, 1961. He spent the first five years of his life in Georgetown, and, subsequently, with his parents, relocated to Linden where he resided for most of his teen and adult years. Phillips is the holder of a Master of Science degree in Public Sector Management from La Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Management from the University of Guyana. He also received vast military training, certification, military decorations, medals, awards and honours, both locally, as well as in the Caribbean, South America, Central America, the United States of America (USA), Canada and the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom (UK). In addition, Guyana’s newly-appointed Prime Minster holds several post-graduate diplomas in Defence Planning and various areas of management. As a member of the army, Mr. Phillips held a number of crucial leadership positions at various levels and ranks, and his consistent upward mobility clearly demonstrated that he served with distinction in every position held. This helped to secure Phillips’ platform as a candidate worthy to serve the Guyanese people in the capacity of Prime Minister.

A QUIET DAY AT THE POLLS ENDS.... tiated and heard in the High Court by the Chief Justice (ag), Roxanne George-Wiltshire. Holladar, through the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic, sought to have the Statements of Poll (SOPs) recounted in the presence of agents from the various political parties and observers. Chief Justice George later ruled that that declaration of results for District Four of the regional and general elections was unlawful. In her ruling, the Chief Justice stated that the declaration by Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo was in breach of Section 84:1 of the Representation of the Peoples Act. The Chief Justice in her ruling ordered that the SOPs used by the GECOM were the official documents to be used in the process, and she also declared that the method of tabulation of the SOPs lies within the discretion of the Returning Officer. She ordered that only the Returning Officer could determine what method should be used in the tabulation of the SOPs. One would believe that the electoral process was closer to an end, but although the process restarted, there were still issues with the figures being presented by Mingo, as they did not match with those in the possession of party agents and other stakeholders. Despite objections, Mingo again declared the results which showed a victory for the

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

coalition, but rebellion by parties and an intervention by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as requested by Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo and former President Granger, saw GECOM agreeing to a recount of the votes cast at the elections. The national recount, which commenced on May 6, 2020, was executed under Article 162 of the Constitution, and Section 22 of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act under the supervision of the elections commission, based on an agreement reached between Former President Granger and Jagdeo, following the intervention of CARICOM. Throughout the recount process, which was conducted

at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), the APNU+AFC had made claims of irregularities. The process, however, continued and at the end, it showed that the PPP/C amassed 233,336, while the coalition secured 217,920 votes. Although the recount exercise ended in June, there were two more months of “wrangling” over the results and a slew of court cases. But, a long wait and a strong fight and perseverance from political and other stakeholders, bore fruit on August 2, 2020. Though some said it was an “anticlimactic” end because it ended on a quiet Sunday, it was a “sweet victory” for the PPP/C.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

SUNDAY CHRONICLE , August 9, 2020

THE FIGHT FOR

Democracy From the commencement of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections to present, members of the international community, and the new parties in Guyana, have gone, above and beyond, in support of the fight for democracy in Guyana. , On different instances, their fight took on different themes, but their collective efforts have led to the successful conclusion of the elections which were prolonged for a period of 153 days. Leading up to the elections, set in motion by the December 2018 no-confidence motion against the APNU+AFC Administration, a number of new parties announced that they would be taking up the challenge to contest in what had been rightfully dubbed the “mother of all elections”. They included The Citizenship Initiative (TCI), The New Movement (TNM), A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Change Guyana (CG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), the Federal United Party (FedUP), the People’s Republic Party (PRP), Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP), National Independent Party (NIP) and the Guyana National Service Party (GNSP) amongst others. The United Republic Party (URP) had contested in previous elections. When the breakdown in tabulation of Region Four’s statements of poll (SOPs) took place at the Elections Commission’s High and Hadfield Streets Office, six political parties – primarily new parties --- joined their voices in the call for a recount of the Region Four results. “We believe that all of the results that have been declared should not be validated, and should not be carried, and the process should go back from where it starts, and then we should continue with a true presentation of the results,” Raul Aaron of the LJP had told the press. Fighting for a transparent process as well was the international community of American, British, Canadian and European (ABCE) diplomats who walked out of the election tabulation process for Region Four, after expressing their concerns with the transparency of the process. They included Ambassador of the United States of America, Sarah-Ann Lynch, British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, Canadian High Commissioner, Lilian Chatterjee, and the Ambassador of the European Union, Fernando Ponz-Canto. On March 5, the day that the total results as declared by Returning Officers (ROs) for all 10 Administrative Regions were declared, Chair of The Carter Center Mission to Guyana, Jason Carter, stated: “The fact that there was no transparency of the results that were ultimately announced today means that those results lack credibility.” Days later, when five Prime Ministers from the Region visited Guyana, team leader, then CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley said: “There is no doubt in our minds that there

Then Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo (second from left) with then Chairperson of CARICOM, Mia Mottley (first from fright) and her Prime Ministerial colleagues Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica; Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada; Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Dr Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago, and CARICOM SecretaryGeneral, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque (Adrian Narine photo)

From left are Mark Phillips of the PPP/C, Timothy Jonas of ANUG, Asha Kissoon of The New Movement, Irfaan Ali of the PPP/C, Nigel Hinds of Change Guyana, Rawle Aaron of the United Republican Party, Lenox Shuman of the Liberty and Justice Party (Stabroek News photo) is at stake far more than who will be the President of Guyana. What is at stake is also the lives and the stability of the people of Guyana.” She was accompanied by Prime Ministers Dr. Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago; Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Keith Mitchell of Grenada and Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Thereafter, an agreement was signed by then President David Granger and then Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, as well as CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque, for a recount of the ballots cast at the polls. When the matter of the Order was ironed out, the National Recount commenced. During the recount, the new parties pushed for a smooth process and against the deduction of votes cast in the elections by Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield. Meanwhile, the international community, in the Caribbean and further, pushed for Guyana’s results to be declared in a timely manner and based on the recount results. “The OAS General Secretariat expects that anyone who wishes to challenge the validity of any of these votes should do so through an elections petition filed in the High Court, after GECOM declares the election result, based on the recount data,” the OAS stated in June. Based on its position, the APNU+AFC also fought for the irregularities and anomalies coming out of the elections to be recognized by the Elections Commission but was urged by the aforementioned stakeholders to pursue such via an Elections Petition. On August 2, 2020, after over 150 days of legal battles and political and national debates, Dr. Irfaan Ali was sworn in as the 9th Executive President of Guyana.

THE PRESIDENT SPEAKS!

SUNDAY CHRONICLE Sunday, August 9, 2020

By Navendra Seoraj

-Promises to be a leader for all A

V I C T O R Y a t a n a t i o n a l e l e c t i o n i s a v i ctory like no other, as this is no feat for an individual or a political party alone, but one for the people, as it is their will that is reflected in the results. Guyana’s polarized social construct, however, makes it difficult for such a victory to represent the will of every individual, but it does not change the ability of the successful party to be a government for all. A government for all is what a people of any nation wishes for, and it was no surprise that this was among the first set of promises made by newly-elected President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, in his first speech after taking the Oath of Office. “There is no need for fear, there is no need for distinction based on political persuasion; no need for distinction based on religious belief or ethnicity. This is a government for all of Guyana and that is how the government will operate,” said an enthusiastic Dr. Ali, on Sunday. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had, earlier, on Sunday, declared that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won the March 2, General and Regional Elections after amassing 233,336 votes. The political opposition with that victory, unseated the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), which received 217,920 votes. As a result, President Ali was declared the ninth Executive President of Guyana and was immediately sworn in by the Chancellor (ag) of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings- Edwards. Dr. Ali ushered in a new era with a promise of bold action to lift the country out of its present economic state, and help unite its citizens, badly bruised during a divisive elections campaign. In his first remarks as President, Dr. Ali said that he is humbled by the opportunity to serve Guyana and assured that he would work daily in the best interest of the people. He said that there is only one future for Guyana and that is one in which all Guyanese are united and work towards the development of the country.

He thanked Guyana’s international and regional partners for their fight to uphold democracy in Guyana even as he assured them that Guyana was better off because of their efforts. President Ali thanked, further, those who voted in favour of his party noting that they have elected a government which will serve all of Guyana, despite political affiliation. “This is a moment for all of Guyana to reflect. This is a moment for us to charter a way forward that is built on unity; to charter a way forward in which the development and aspirations of all our people can be realised in a respectful manner moving Guyana forward,” he said to media operatives. Dr. Ali, 40, is a Guyanese politician and a former housing minister of Guyana. He was selected as the presidential candidate for the PPP/C on January 19, 2019. Ali was born in Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD), and has one son. He holds a doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the West Indies (UWI). “Guyana requires the skills of all of us to work in a collective manner if we are to build a strong and sustainable country, a country that all of us can be proud of,” the President said in his first address to staff of the Office of the President. He called on the staff to remain professional even as they deliver quality services to the Guyanese people. He also advised against operating in a way that will fuel distrust as this will not bode well for Guyana. “I am here to assure you that we are going to work in a unified manner in a way that will see every Guyanese benefit from the resources of this country…This office is the highest office in Guyana and therefore the workers are expected to deliver the highest level of service at the higher standards…I expect all to reignite that we have to operate at a high standard and set the bar for the rest of the public servants,” he stated. President Ali also noted that, as the PPP/C Administration transitions, there will be changes of ap-

President: Dr. Irfaan Ali makes his first speech as the ninth Executive President of Guyana (PPP/C photo)

proach, new and emerging areas of responsibility, and a shift in the plans and programmes of the Government. In an interview with News Room, Dr. Ali had said Guyanese can look forward to the fulfillment of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C’s) Manifesto and a comprehensive overview of the governance structure which has been criticised by the international community for its “winner-take-all” approach. The President said that, immediately, his government will get down to fulfilling the promises within its Manifesto which will guarantee Guyanese a better life. “ We’re very committed to the Manifesto we presented to the people of Guyana. We were elected based on that Manifesto, CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

SUNDAY CHRONICLE , August 9, 2020

Congratulations The President... pour in for victorious PPPP/C CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

HE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) welcomed the conclusion of the Guyana General and Regional Elections of March 2, 2020 with the declaration of the final results. The Community congratulated His Excellency, Mohammed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on their victory at the polls. The Chairman of CARICOM, Dr. the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, called the President to extend his best wishes, while Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, personally conveyed his congratulations to the President at yesterday’s Swearing-in Ceremony. “CARICOM commends the people of Guyana for their patience and maturity during this protracted process, and will continue to support the country in its development efforts under its new Government.” The Ambassador of the United States of America, H.E. Sarah-Ann Lynch, the British High Commissioner, H.E. Greg Quinn, the Canadian High Commissioner, H.E. Lilian Chatterjee, and the Ambassador of the European Union, H.E. Fernando Ponz-Canto, also congratulated the people of Guyana and the Guyana Elections Commission for bringing, to a peaceful and orderly conclusion, the 2020 elections. “We congratulate the PPP/C on its electoral success and Mohamed Irfaan Ali on his swearing in as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. We thank President David Granger for accepting the results as befits the dignity of his office. We thank all the political parties, technical advisors and all observers – international and domestic – who participated in the electoral process. We thank GECOM Chairwoman Claudette Singh for having the courage of her convictions to uphold Guyana’s Constitution,” said the ABC-E countries. The diplomatic partners said they look forward to working with President Ali and his government as it con-

fronts many immediate challenges, including the need to address the social and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the development needs of Guyana’s people. “We also look forward to seeing this government, at its outset, reach across political divisions to unite Guyanese of all ethnicities and religions, around meaningful progress on constitutional reform and reconciliation. As friends of Guyana, we look forward to working with all to continue to support Guyana’s development for the benefit of its people.” The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) also congratulated Dr. Ali on his appointment as the 9th Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The GCCI also extended congratulatory greetings to the PPP/C on its success at the March 2, 2020 polls. The Chamber would like to thank all parties and entities which participated in the electoral process. “We would also like to thank the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh for executing her office and duties as Chairperson in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana,” said the chamber. “The GCCI looks forward to working with H.E. Dr. Ali and the Government of Guyana on the task of nation-building and, in particular, private sector development. However, a number of immediate challenges confront Guyana, foremost of which is the devastating public health and economic impact of the novel coronavirus. The Chamber anticipates a now fully functional Government to comprehensively address this pandemic which has had deleterious effects on the welfare of Guyanese. As said previously, the GCCI remains supportive of any government brought to power by the democratic process and will continue to act as a partner in nation-building as we all seek to develop this nation of ours.”

and, of course, we are committed to a comprehensive overview of the governance structure to have a greater level of inclusiveness,” President Ali said, adding: “We are committed to building a Guyana in which all Guyanese can see themselves as part of the future and that requires a national development pathway.” The PPP/C’s 2020-2025 Manifesto has promised development across sectors in Guyana. One of the key areas include the creation of 50,000 jobs in the next five years through initiatives such as increasing the ease in doing business; providing incentives for small businesses and young entrepreneurs; reversing Value Added Tax (VAT) on exports, building materials, land rents, data and more; promoting skills training; improving access to financing for investments; and incentivising employers to promote youth empowerment among other measures. The Party has also pledged to provide free education at the University of Guyana (UG) within five years; to create 10,000 house lots annually; to fight crime with greater investment; to represent society’s vulnerable, and to approach the management of the oil-and-gas sector in a non-partisan manner. Added to this are plans for the modernising and expansion of Guyana’s infrastructure in the areas of transport; utilities; sea and river defence as well as improvements to drainage; garbage collection and sanitation; health and education. Speaking on his government’s immedi ate plans, the President told the Newsroom: “It is about implementation of the Manifesto; it’s about ensuring the promises; that contract made with the people; that we fulfill that contract.” However, even as the PPP/C hopes to turn Guyana’s tide as an oil-producing nation towards greater development, the Head of State said that the government must also give ample attention to the COVID-19 pandemic which has changed the country over the last six months.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE Sunday, August 9, 2020

Swift passage of budget needed -local economist warns

UYANA is at a defining moment in its history, as the country enters a new era under the leadership of its ninth Executive President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, who is expected to immediately lead the charge against the deadly Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and simultaneously maintain economic stability. The task ahead will not be easy, but Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Guyana, Sydney Armstrong, believes that the swift passage of a national budget would create some traction and stability for the economy, which has been burdened not just by the pandemic, but also by a protracted electoral process which ended only on Sunday. “There is the need for President Ali and his team to swiftly pass a budget for 2020 so as to create some traction for this economy in this difficult time, and at the same time think about Budget 2021,” the economist told the Guyana Chronicle during an exclusive interview on Monday. The country’s last budget, Budget 2019, was passed in December 2018 to the tune $300.7B. And, with the country already eight months into 2020, it is important for a budget to be passed soon. Armstrong strongly advises that the proposed budget be “people-focused”, and especially give

priority to vulnerable groups. He feels that essentially, it should focus on such key sectors as health, education, agriculture, infrastructure and industries, all of which should be inextricably linked to the new Oil-and-Gas Sector, which should be its central feature. “As a nation, we are at a defining moment, given the development of our Oil-and-Gas Sector,” Armstrong said, “but it is also important to note that the road up ahead is still going to be challenging, given that we are still in a global pandemic.” Considering the economic situation and the instability caused by COVID-19, the economist said there is need for a “stimulus package”, as this would ease the “economic hardship” faced by vulnerable groups in society. His advice to the government also is to reassess the COVID-19 control measures, because there has been a consistent rise in cases over the past few weeks. STRICTER COVID-19 MEASURES “There is a need for a decision to re-lockdown the hotspot areas and have strict travelling arrangements to and from those areas, most of which are border areas, except for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica),” Armstrong said. Guyana has so far recorded over 490 cases of COVID-19, with 22 deaths. And, while 186 persons have

recovered thus far, there are still over 280 active cases being monitored. In this time of distress, Armstrong said, President Ali will have to reassure the nation that he will be a leader for all its peoples, as there is still a divisiveness amongst them. This, he believes, is an opportunity to bring them together. Dr. Ali in his first address as President reassured the nation that he will uphold the oath he’s taken, and will work in the best interest of the people of Guyana. “There is only one future, and that requires a united, strong Guyana,” the President said, adding: “That future requires every Guyanese to play a part in building our country, and ensuring we leave a better Guyana for the next generation.” Noting that there’s strength in unity, he said: “We are in this together; we are not separated by class, by ethnicity, religion or political persuasion. We are united in the true Guyanese spirit.” President Ali later told the media that the new administration will focus on a development agenda that will reflect the priorities of every Guyanese. “We are building a country for every Guyanese. There is no need for fear; there is no need for distinction based on political persuasion, religious belief or ethnicity. This is a government for all of Guyana,” said the President. THE FULL VISION

The full vision of the government will be outlined later this week at the official inauguration ceremony. That vision will project where the government hopes to see Guyana at the end of its five-year reign. In April, the World Bank, in a semi-annual report on the Latin America and Caribbean Region titled: “The Economy in the Time of COVID-19”, said: “Guyana’s economy expanded by 4.7 per cent in 2019, with anticipated oil revenues spurring an expansion in non-trade sectors. Oil production is projected to boost Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to unprecedented levels in 2020.” Coming off of a good run in 2019, with recorded economic growth of 4.7 per cent, Guyana’s continued progression and transformation was inevitably halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The necessary restrictions in place to curtail the spread if the disease, as seen in countries across the world, had “slowed down” the economy because businesses either reduced their productive hours or are closed indefinitely. The public sector has also scaled down its operations for the time being. And, unlike other countries, Guyana was also faced with the effects of a protracted electoral process. There is, however, still hope for Guyana, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in a report last year,

Head of the Department of Economics, Sydney Armstrong

said Guyana’s $4B annual GDP is expected to expand to about $15B by 2024. The financial institution had said the commencement of oil production will substantially improve Guyana’s medium and longterm outlook. Guyana is projected to be among the world’s largest per-capita oil producers by 2025. The oil sector is projected to grow rapidly, accounting for around 40 per cent of GDP by 2024 and supporting additional fiscal spending annually of 6.5 per cent of non-oil GDP on average over the medium term, which will help meet critical social and infrastructure needs. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) had also said that the Guyana Government will receive approximately 14.5 per

SUNDAY CHRONICLE , August 9, 2020

Youth, experience and dynamism

-A look at the new Cabinet P

RESIDENT Irfaan Ali swore in 19 Cabinet Members on Wednesday, a mixture of youthful and well-experienced individuals who have all expressed that they are eager to bring about positive change in Guyana. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) and saw the attendance of Prime Minister, Mark Phillips; Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo; Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Government, Gail Teixeira, who had all been previously appointed. In attendance, too, were former Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds; Chief of Staff, Brigadier Patrick West; members of the diplomatic corps and family and friends of the newly-appointed Ministers. Appointed to the post of Minister of Health is Dr. Frank Anthony. Under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), he was the

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport from 2006 to 2015. As Minister, he will now lead the fight against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic which has challenged Guyana with over 500 cases since March 2020. He has a Master degree in Public Health from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel and Medical Degree from the Russian Friendship University in Moscow, Russia. Dr. Anthony served in various high-level positions, previously, in the Ministry of Health, including the post of Executive Director of the Health Sector Development Unit. His involvement in politics dates back to 1979, starting as a pioneer, in the Progressive Organization of Pioneers, and the Progressive Youth Organization. Reappointed as Minister of Education is Priya Manickchand. Manickchand is also an Attorney-at-law and a former Minister of Human Services. She will now tackle

Priya Manickchand, no stranger to Government, receives her letter of appointment from President Irfaan Ali (Adrian Narine photo)

President Irfaan Ali presents Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd with his letter of appointment (Adrian Narine photo)

Oneidge Waldron, an attorney-at-law, takes the Oath of Office for her position as Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (Adrian Narine photo)

Guyana’s education system which, like most countries around the world, has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In her efforts moving forward, she plans to ensure that the safety of Guyana’s children and educators is top priority. Sworn in as Minister of Natural Resources was 40-year-old Vickram Bharrat who formerly served as a parliamentarian under the PPP/C. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Guyana (UG) and is married with two children. He once worked as a Technical Officer at the Ministry of Local Government and Ministry of Health and as a Project Manager with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Bharrat was also the Chairman of the Grove/Diamond Neighbourhood Democratic Council. He will now oversee the management of Guyana’s multiple natural resources such as gold and bauxite. Medical doctor and humanitarian, Dr. Vindhya Persaud has been appointed as Minister of Human Services and Social Security. Dr. Persaud has been a medical doctor since 2001 and worked at the Georgetown Public Hospital and Mercy Hospital. She is known for her humanitarian, cultural and religious activities, serving as President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha. She comes from a long history of association with the PPP/C with her father,

Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, being Guyana’s longest-serving Parliamentarian. Appointed as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport is Charles Ramson. He is 36 years old and recently graduated from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland with a Master of Science Degree in Oil and Gas engineering. He previously graduated with a Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School, University of the West Indies (UWI), Trinidad and Tobago and LL.B (Hons.) Law from the University of Buckingham, Buckingham, England, United Kingdom (UK). Meanwhile, former Junior Minister of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill, has now been appointed as Minister of Public Works. Edghill is also the former Chair of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) and a former advisor to former President Jagdeo. Former President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI), Deodat Indar was also sworn in on Monday as Minister within the Ministry of Public Works. He completed his first degree at the University of Oxford Brookes in England and received his Bachelor’s Degree with honours. He has also completed his Certified General Accounting Examinations of Canada, and received his SEE Master of Business AdminisPAGE tration Degree at the Univer23 sity of East London. He then

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020

SUNDAY CHRONICLE , August 9, 2020

Youth, experience... proceeded to do the US (United States) Certified Internal Audit Examination. He has also worked with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through the Government of Guyana and served as Chairman of Board of Governors, at the Institute of Internal Auditors PPP/C's former MP and Executive Secretary, Zulfikar Mustapha, has been appointed as the new Minister of Agriculture. He is 50 years old and also the former Chairman of Region Six where he served for five years. Mustapha has previously worked with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union (GAWU) as assistant General Secretary and, over the years, has visited and interacted with farmers from across the country. He holds a Management Degree from the University of the West Indies and has been with the PPP/C from a young age as a member of the Progressive Youth Organisation. The Minister of Local Government and Regional Development is Nigel Dharamlall. The 46-year-old previously served as an MP under the PPP/C. He also served as Permanent Secretary at the Ministries of Local Government and Amerindian Affairs; Chief Fisheries Officer and Chair of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB). Appointed as Minster within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is Anand Persaud, owner of National Television Network (NTN). He has been an active member of the PPP/C. Since his return to Guyana in the 1980s, he has been involved in communication and media, starting with the continuation of a legacy left by his grand-parents and older generation. Meanwhile, University of Guyana lecturer, Hugh Todd has been appointed as Min-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

ister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Todd has published and presented at academic conferences in Guyana, within the Region and beyond. His strengths include new regionalism, small state issues, Latin American and Caribbean politics, strategic planning and policy formulation, international business and competitiveness, marketing strategy. Appointed as Minister of Home Affairs is Robeson Benn. He is the former Minister of Public Works; a former Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and a former Commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Colin Croal, a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, has been appointed as Minister of Housing and Water. He is 41 years old and possesses a Master in Business Administration (MBA), majoring in International Business at University Malayu, Malaysia in 2007. His first degree was in Business Management at the University of Guyana in 2000. Croal has been with the PPP/C for over two decades. He has previously served as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Ministry of Legal Affairs. In Parliament, he served as the Geographical Representative for Region One (Barima-Waini) and he also had parliamentary responsibility for L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t and Housing and Water. Working along with him will be Susan Rodrigues as Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water. The 33-year-old mother of two is an entrepreneur, eager

President Irfaan Ali (centre) stands along with the 19 newly-appointed Ministers of Cabinet (Adrian Narine photo

to set her mark in the political arena. She also has a Degree in Law from UG and a Master in Business Administration. Former PPP/C MP, Joseph Hamilton, has been appointed as Minister of Labour. Hamilton is an Information Technology Specialist and Building Contractor. He was also a Good and Green Guyana (GGG) Councilor of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council from 1994-1997. Added to this he is a former People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) Region 4 Councilor; a former Parliamentarian from 1998-2001 and a former Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health. Re-instated as Minister of Amerindian Affairs is Pauline Campbell-Sukhai. She is an Economist and Amerindian and Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affairs activist. Campbell-Sukhai has served the National Assembly since 1992. New Minister of Public Service is 37-yearold Sonia Parag. She has been an attorney since 2007. In 2019, she began offering legal services at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and eventually became a candi-

date for the party for the March elections. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Kwame McCoy has been appointed as Minister within the Office of Prime Minister. McCoy started his career as a reporter with the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation and later served at the Ministry of Information and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He also worked as Head of the Press and Publicity Unit at the Office of the President under the Bharrat Jagdeo presidency. He is currently finalising his masters in political marketing. Oneidge Waldron, an attorney-at-law, has been appointed as Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce. The 22-year-old has served as an advisor to former Minister of Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes and was a nominee of the then Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo for the position of GECOM Chair. Then 19 Cabinet Ministers will now serve as top leaders of the executive branch. They all took their individual Oaths of Office prior to being appointed.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 09, 2020