Weekend Mirror September 29-30

Complaints of electoral fraud in 42 of 80 Local Authority Areas – Jagdeo 29-30 September, 2018 / Vol. 10 No. 40 / Price: $100

Internet: http: //www.mirrornewsgy.com / e-mail: weekendmirror@gmail.com

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SEE INSIDE

PPP-nominated GECOM Commissioners decry ‘GECOM-assisted’ fraud PAGE 25

Sugar workers reject new demands being made by GuySuCo PAGE 22

Residents of Georgetown are now PAGE 20 looking at the introduction of a garbage collection fee PPP/C contesting LGE in all 80 areas….

‘Selection of LGE candidates’ was done in inclusive manner – over 3,000 candidates and 20,000 backers fielded

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Judge grants WCB farmers injunction against Region 5 REO PAGE 9

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Holding the APNU+AFC Coalition to account – a review of local happenings

Reflecting on how far we have come

By Dr. Bheri Ramsaran (GUEST CONTRIBUTOR)

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he observances of Amerindian Heritage Month have been held since 1995, when the late President Cheddi Jagan designated September as ‘Amerindian Heritage Month’ and singled out September 10th as ‘Amerindian Heritage Day’.

The latter date was chosen for special in recognition in honour of the achievement of Mr. Steven Joseph Campbell, an Amerindian born in the Amerindian village of Moruca, who on September 10, 1957 entered the Legislative Council of British Guiana. He was the first Amerindian to do so; prior to that he was a Teacher at the Moruca School for years. Steven Joseph Campbell is widely regarded as a hero by Amerindian communities in Guyana. His achievements are celebrated on September 10th every year as a part of Amerindian Heritage Month. President Cheddi Jagan who firmly believed that the contributions of Mr. Campbell needed national recognition designated 10th September as "Heritage Day".

Dr. Jagan, on becoming President at the end of 1992, quickly recognized that depths of neglect, poverty and underdevelopment visited upon the Amerindian communities and which his Government had inherited from the outgoing Hoyte Administration. He recognized that the vast majority of Amerindians existed in appalling conditions with little or no access to resource needed to remedy their plight.

President Jagan set about fixing this mess his Administration had inherited.

He created at the level of his Office — Office of the President of the Republic — a special “Amerindian Unit” mandated to correct the more pressing issues affecting Amerindian communities while efforts to setup more permanent interventions and structures were taking shape. He took a personal interest in its supervision. This “Unit” was the predecessor of the fullfledged Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. That Ministry had grown in stature under

the PPP/C over the years.

It had continuously sought resources to make the lives of Amerindians better.

The policies and Programmes of the People’s Progressive Party and successive PPP/C Governments aimed at alleviating Amerindian poverty and facilitating their integration into mainstream national life and economy have been extremely impactful and successful. These successes were readily visible especial in the “Social Sector” where the timely and enlightened interventions of successive PPP/C Administrations headed by Presidents Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Sam Hinds, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar. But they are also visible in other sectors — such as improved infrastructure.

Education Sector interventions were specially crafted by the PPP/C have quietly brought immense positive changes in Amerindian communities. Establishing Secondary level schools in areas where such facilities never existed, and complementing them with secure dormitory facilities has gone a far way towards empowering Amerindians through education. The graduates of such remote institutions can now compare and compete on a more favourable footing with their coastland contemporaries.

And deliver comparable services.

The PPP from its close association with and constant presence in hinterland communities recognized that such “live-in” facilities were simultaneously needed since the pupils and students lived considerable distances away and would have been forced to travel over difficult terrain to and from school.

Examples of such integrated “school and dormitory” complexes are those at Saint Ignatius and Mabaruma.

The modern, comfortable Dormitory at Liliendaal, ECD, for hinterland Amerindian students attending secondary schools in the City is another example of people-friendly policy and planning. Without access to this facility, hundreds of Amerindian students over the past few years would have to find and pay for private accommodation.

This cost would have been prohibitive forcing many to abandon education opportunities and their dreams.

These are the seemingly small interventions of a people-centered PPP/C Government which have sustained transformational impact.

The PPP/C invested heavily in creating conditions for an educated Amerindian population. Teacher Steven Campbell would be pleased, indeed. We should take time out as Heritage Month closes to reflect on this.

The successes in creating a pool of educated Amerindian youth have had ripple effects on other sectors needing to create Sector-specific cadre. In this regard the Health Sector has been a major beneficiary.

Health Sector inter ventions in Amerindian communities, although not dependent on Amerindian personnel, does welcome the infusion in recent years of large numbers of qualified Amerindian healthcare providers; such as Doctors, Nurses, Medex and Community Health Workers (CHW). In recent years there has been a notable increase in the number of Amerindians in these professions. This increase has been especially noticeable in the number of Amerindian Doctors who benefited from PPP/C Government sponsored scholarships to Cuba.

Some of these are currently pursuing further post-graduate studies to become Medical Specialists in select areas. The PPP/C Administration opened doors for bright, young Amerindians to join their coastland counterparts in realizing their dreams.

Barriers of inequality and exclusion were dismantled by the PPP/C. Training health care providers was

a strong point of the PPP/C Administration. The PPP/C provided these trained professionals with state-of-theart physical infrastructure (Hospitals, Health Centers, Health Posts) in which to work and provide healthcare services. Amerindian communities were specifically targeted for such upgrade of physical infrastructure.

I recall with special satisfaction declaring open the brand new Lethem Hospital and the brand new Mabaruma Hospital; both in located in areas heavily populated

by Amerindians. The PPP/C Ministry of Health further assisted these two ‘Amerindian Hospitals’ by frequently dispatching high level national and international surgical/medical teams to deliver top-notch care. Some of these teams came from international centers of excellence. Major surgeries were performed with the use of equipment located at these hospitals — Cesarean Operations, Gall bladder removal, hysterectomies (surgical removal of enlarged wombs). And Orthopedic surgical operations were frequently done.

This approach of periodically dispatching multiskilled Medical/surgical teams to Mabaruma and Lethem afforded Amerindian patients to enjoy the same level of surgery and after-care as they would have received at the GPHC without the hassle and extreme expense and family or farm disruptions going to the GPHC would have caused.

In Mabaruma I recall with similar satisfaction joining Mr. Norman Whitaker in declaring open the Wanaina water treatment plant meant to supply the central Mabaruma Settlement and surroundings villages with wholesome water. This was a valuable investment in Public Health as previously residents of these communities were forced to use water from suspect sources of fetch it over long distances.

The Moruca Hospital — located in one of our main Amerindian settlements — had been in existence for many years and benefited from significant maintenance works. The Ministry dispatched frequently specialized medical/surgical

teams to complement the work of the resident medical team.

At ALL three “Amerindian Hospitals” patients with medical/surgical conditions which the visiting GPHC Team could not manage were expeditiously dispatched to the City for further management.

We should take time out as Heritage Month closes to reflect on this.

These are only two “sectors” I have briefly touched on.

These are very noteworthy improvements that the PPP/C Administration specifically and calculatedly brought to large Amerindian communities. This approach ensured inclusivity and broke barriers to access and rolled back inequity.

There were also the intangible things which the PPP/C Administration secured for our First Peoples.

The PPP/C will continue to work closely with the Amerindian communities as partners in development.

It will continue to seek out and to create more and more opportunities for training and employment for more and more Amerindian youth.

CHANGE On the other hand the Coalition Government is bent on dismantling impactful interventions, Programmes and policies introduced by the PPP/C. The Coalition seems to be acting on the notion that any happy, employed Amerindian is a supporter or member of the PPP who must be fired or in some other way harmed. The first victims of this vindictive and short-sighted policy were the 1,972 Amerindian Community Service Officers (CSOs) who were fired by the Coalition Government in the very first few days following its ascent to high Office. Their job was to facilitate smooth communication between the far-flung Amerindian communities and the central Ministry aimed at improved rollout and implementation of policy and Programmes.

This group of young people had enjoyed secure, gainful employment. This status evaporated immediately following the controversial electoral “victory” of

the Granger/Nagamootoo Coalition. Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Dawn Hastings and Dr. George Norton — all Coalition Members of Parliament (MP) are all Amerindians but never uttered a word of support or sympathy to this group of Amerindian youths.

Note that this action exposed Coalition hypocrisy in two ways — firstly it flies in the face of their campaign pledge to create jobs and secondly to treat youths specially.

We should take time out as Heritage Month closes to reflect on this.

The anti-poor policies, practices and traditions of the urban upper middle-class elite now calling the shots in the Coalition leadership circles are affecting Guyanese of other ethnic backgrounds. The impoverishment is across the board; it’s nationwide. All are involved all are consumed.

Admittedly, Amerindians and their communities are affected disproportionately more adversely. However, there are sufficient similarities of the Coalition assault on all poor people to foster unity of a popular response to claw back some of our gains achieved during the PPP/C era and removed or reduced by the APNU+AFC cabal.

The Coalition Ministers and Presidential Advisors and the President himself stealthily increased their own salaries by 50 per cent within a mere three weeks of gaining Office in 2015. On the other hand, the working class has been left out in the cold. Recall that Granger and Nagamootoo had committed in their Elections Manifesto to significantly increase Public Sector and cane-cutters salaries if the Coalition won. The Coalition did win. And all of Guyana has witnessed its action over the past three years.

I posit that the huge sums wasted on expenditures that brought no benefit to the Guyanese people could have instead been better spent on improving the quality of life of our Amerindian communities; especially in the area of Health and Education We should take time out as Heritage Month closes to reflect on this.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Patterson still to brief Cabinet on ‘illegal’ contract for new Demerara River bridge feasibility study C

abinet has still not been briefed by Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson on the findings made by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) about violations in the award of the contract to Dutch firm LievenseCSO for a feasibility study for a new bridge over the Demerara River.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has confirmed this.

“Patterson is abroad and when he gets back he is prepared to address the matter,” he said.

In mid-August 2018, Patterson has attempted to publicly defend his actions by saying he was facing time constraints. However, this excuse was rubbished by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

In a statement, Patterson said, “MPI reiterates that lengthy procurement

procedures were faithfully followed which did not yield suitable results.”

Jagdeo questioned what “lengthy procurement procedures” Patterson was referring to, since the laws of Guyana are clear on what procedures needs to be followed in the expenditure of taxpayers’ monies.

Patterson also said, “Having thereafter received a proposal which satisfied the government’s requirements for this project of national importance and given the relevant time constraints, it was felt that it was in Guyana’s interest to take advantage of the proposal. It is for this and other stated reasons that Cabinet’s approval was sought.”

In response, Jagdeo said, “Who put a time constraint on them…this is an excuse to bypass our laws?”

The Opposition Leader

noted that in addition to Patterson’s breaching of Guyana’s financial laws, the Cabinet also became involved in approving a contract – which there is a law against. “Cabinet cannot approve contracts now, it can only offer a no-objection.” He added, “In all of this, and still they are trying to say that this was not a corrupt act.”

PPC REPORT The Public Procurement Commission, after a complaint letter penned by Opposition Chief whip, Gail Teixeira, completed its investigation into the award of the contract for a feasibility study on a new Demerara River and handed its report over on August 7, 2018.

The report noted that several companies bid for the project – to do the feasibility study and design for

the new Demerara River bridge – and 12 companies were shortlisted. The report added that only two of the 12 companies made proposals.

As such the bidding process was annulled. It added that on November 12, 2016, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) approved the move for the project to be re-tendered.

The project was not re-tendered. Instead, a Dutch Company, LivenseCSO, was engaged by Patterson’s Ministry.

The report, on page 7, noted that the bid from LivenseCSO was “unsolicited” and added that Patterson then took the company’s proposal to Cabinet for approval. Cabinet granted its approval for the company to be engaged.

The report, on page 7,

stated that monies to be spent on the project were taken from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (Asphalt Plant Accounts).

The report said, “The PPC noted that the Minster of Public Infrastructure, by memorandum dated November 18 2016, made a request to the Cabinet for Government seeking consideration and approval to use funds from the Demerara Harbor Bridge Corporation to fund the feasibility study and to commence a contractual engagement with LievenseCSO as of the 1 Jan 2017. The PPC noted that this request to Cabinet was not forwarded through the NPTA but submitted directly by the Minister of Public Infrastructure. The PPC also noted that Cabinet considered the memorandum submitted by the Minister of Public Infra-

structure and in November 2016 approved a total sum of $161, 514, 420 to be used from the Demerara Harbor Bridge Corporation to cover cost for the feasibility study for a new bridge across the Demerara river.”

Notably, the General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, according to the PPC report, disclosed that the Board of the Corporation was not involved in the decision to spend its monies.

The report said, “He (Mr. Adams) stated that he had not signed the contract on behalf of the DHBC, but only because he was requested to do so by the Minister of Public Infrastructure.

The Parliamentary Opposition’s position is that the findings of the report evidence a flagrant breach of Guyana’s financial rules.

Another loan taken by No word from APNU+AFC gov’t on call for APNU+AFC gov’t – over US$56M borrowed in less than a week

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n the same week that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government borrowed US$20M from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), another loan agreement for US$36.46M was signed with China.

Greenidge and China’s State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi signed the loan

agreement at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, at Liliendaal, earlier this week.

Two months ago, Guyana and China signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation within the framework of Beijing’s global ‘Belt and Road Initiative’.

Notably, the Inter-

national Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that Guyana’s debt levels to rise in 2018-19 due to the expansionary fiscal policy. The IMF stated this in its most recent staff report. The IMF said that total public and publicly-guaranteed debt increases to 61 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by end-2018.

comprehensive crime CoI

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ven as the APNU+AFC Coalition Government insists that action will be taken relative to the recommendations made by the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI), it remains silent on the Parliamentary Opposition’s call for a comprehensive CoI into the crime wave of the 2000’s.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has decried Granger’s decision to “cherry pick” incidents for investigation, as was done with the Lindo Creek CoI. Jagdeo said the comprehensive Commission of Inquiry into the crime wave should start with the escape of prisoners in 2002 and also seeks to inquire about the political players in incidents subsequent to the jailbreak, as well as seek to ascertain how army weapons ended up in the hands of criminals.

“They can also look at the role of drug dealers and whether the drug dealers had links to the government,” he had said, referring to the criticism repeated by members of the PNC-led Coali-

tion Government, regarding Roger Khan.

Jagdeo added, “…it (a comprehensive CoI) is not going to happen because some of the players are now huge in the current Government.”

The Opposition Leader added that if there was a “real” CoI – a comprehensive review of the crime wave – several persons in the Coalition government, including Government Ministers, would be “really” uncomfortable.

Additionally, Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, Justice (Ret’d) Justice Trotman, handed over the report to President David Granger in August 2018, following a six-month investigation into the killing of eight miners at Lindo Creek in the Upper Berbice River, Region 10, back in June 2008.

After the June 2008 deaths of eight miners - Dax Arokium, Cedric Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres – the se-

curity forces were accused of the killings by Leonard Arokium, who discovered the burnt remains were discovered on June 21, 2008, at the Lindo Creek mining camp. The security forces denied those charges. Rondell Rawlins, called Fine Man, and his gang were identified as the parties responsible for the murders. Also, a witness in another case, Dwane Williams, implicated the ‘Fine Man gang’ and made clear that it was responsible for not only the killings at Lindo Creek, but also for the 2008 massacres at Bartica and Lusignan. Rawlins was killed in a shootout on August 28, 2008, during an almost seven-hour-long police operation, which started at Timehri.

Chairman of the Lindo Creek CoI, however, charged, in his findings, among other things, that the security forces were responsible for the deaths. Notably, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has rejected the findings as an attack on the security forces.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Guest

EDITORIAL

NOMINATION DAY: A web of deception and electoral artifices By: Mohabir Anil Nandlall, PPP/C MP

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rom the inception, we said that the Local Government Elections 2018, would be a rehearsal for the 2020 Regional and National Elections. When we made this projection, we really had in mind, largely, our preparations, including, the structures, mechanisms and strategies that would be utilized as a political party. We did not take into account the conduct of the other contesting political parties.

Well, what transpired on Nomination Day have certainly opened our eyes to a new vista: the skullduggery of the APNU and the AFC. We always knew, having regard to its notorious history of rigging and trickery at elections, that the PNC will try its execrable best to engage in all manner of dishonest acts and artifices, at any and every elections. However, and upon hindsight, I naively, thought that they would confine their wickedness to elections day and days immediately thereafter.

I did not contemplate that they would have descended to the level and magnitude of skullduggery that was witnessed on Nomination Day. As for the AFC, having regard to Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan’s genuine PPP groundings, I did not expect that party to engage in the vulgar irregularities and blatant illegalities in which they have been rampantly implicated on Nomination Day. Nomination Day provided hundreds of documented and irrefutable incidents of electoral irregularities, illegalities and manipulations of varying and various manifestations. Dozens of lists of names and signatures, purporting to be backers of candidates, were palpably defective because of forgeries.

These lists contained the names of deceased persons, persons who never existed and persons whose names were placed there without their knowledge and authority or through some fraudulent means or methods. Many of the lists, containing candidates contesting the elections, were similarly afflicted.

Both the APNU and the AFC are implicated and these incidents occurred by the dozens in almost every Region.

All manner of stories were conjured up and concocted by the intellectual authors of these wicked electoral designs to get persons names on these lists. The stories varied from community to community. In some communities, persons were told that they are signing a petition to get new roads and street lamps in their villages. In others, persons were informed that they are signing application forms to become members of Community Policing Groups (CPG). While in others, signatures were extracted under the pretext that they are application forms for house lots, farmlands, applications for Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths to Affidavits. Some of these persons, who are known supporters of the PPP, were told that it is the PPP lists of candidates that they are endorsing. In one locality in lower Corentyne, a public officer was dismissed one day and promised his job back the next, if he is able to get names to fill up a backers list in the pre-dominant PPP area of Crabwood Creek.

Of course, each of these transactions are being documented and drawn to the attention of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), via both the Returning Officers, throughout the country, and the Chief Elections Officer. Additionally, our Commissioners have apprised the Commission, itself. We are currently pursuing rectification. When this process is completed, we intend to emphatically press the Chief Elections Officer to ensure that these matters are reported to the Police for thorough investigations and the institution of criminal charges, where necessary. In some cases, staff of GECOM, including, some Returning Officers, are implicated

GECOM Chairman’s decision to cancel meeting with UN team incomprehensible Dear Editor,

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here should be a full-fledged enquiry into Justice (r’td) James Patterson’s decision to cancel an August 7, 2018 meeting that was supposed to address a review of the report of the United Nations’ (UN) Needs Assessment Team. The rejection conflicts with any genuine intent to update the accountability mechanism of the GECOM and, certainly, the organisation’s image of acceptance locally and internationally.

This development is certainly disappointing and regressive; and is an enigma, since the likely outcomes of this negative poise will neither engender assurance of reliance in the organisation nor affirm credence of its policies and decisions. Rather, it conveys significant uncertainty about Chairman Patterson’s intent to remedy the problems, and this has become more pervasive with his increasingly negative signals.

The Chairman’s decision belies the rationality of scrutiny, and flies in the face of respected global recognition and partnership.

It also certainly undermines effective counter-check verification that would result from the establishment of the automated data system to treat electoral matters.

In February of this year, GECOM sent a letter to the United Nations Res-

ident Coordinator in Guyana requesting electoral assistance. The purpose indicated was for the UN to provide the Information Technology expertise to aid the Commission in voter registration and the 2018 Local Government and 2020 General Elections.

It is rational for one to envisage that GECOM’s intent in engaging the UN was to purposefully improve the organisation’s regulatory and validation capacity. This is particularly relevant given that the questionable results of the 2015 National and Regional Elections were also tarnished by significant gaps between GECOM’s IT systems’ tally and the actual counts, among other glaring issues.

Naturally, the response and undertakings by the UN to GECOM’s request would have been initiated by a Needs Assessment Mission, in accordance with the standard UN procedures concerning electoral assistance.

Significantly, an impressive high level Mission was led by the Electoral Assistance Division within the Department of Political Affairs at the UN Secretariat (EAD/DPA), and was joined by representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

I was reliably informed that the GECOM Chairman and all six Commissioners participated in the early May assessment led by UN Mission team. It is understood that they conducted a thorough investigation and re-

in these wrong doings. They are to be included in the investigations, as well.

GECOM is constitutionally empowered to administer and manage elections fairly, impartially and professionally in Guyana. Any officer of GECOM who acted or acts unfairly, partially and unprofessionally will be reported to GECOM with a recommendation that the complaints against them be investigated and if found guilty, these staff members must be charged, if possible, but most importantly, must be banned from working at GECOM for life.

At the end of this process, a dossier needs to be prepared documenting each of these electoral irregularities and circulated widely, locally, in the diplomatic community, regionally and internationally. This is one sure way of informing the world that the PPP is pitted against electoral contestants, who are either incapable, or simply not prepared to go to elections fairly and in accordance with the established laws and democratic practices.

If persons implicated in these skullduggeries are placed before the criminal courts it would be a great deterrent to others, who may be encouraged to commit similar acts in the future.

The banishment of staff by GECOM of those whose conducts have been impugned will have a similar effect.

search which targeted several sensitive issues and resulted in findings related thereto. These include: the results’ tabulation process; design of the necessary software to expedite the process; the biometric instrument use at polling stations; verifications of electoral listings; and approach to ensure security at the polling stations. Along with these substantive and sensitive issues, it is noted that the UNDP will be willing to give relevant assistance.

Following the assessment, the Chairman, Justice (ret’d) James Patterson, said the recent visit by the UN team was a success, and was highly confident that his request for an internationally recruited Information Technology specialist would be provided by the UN. So why the turn around?

It is incomprehensible that, following the submission of the UN Report, GECOM Chairman James Patterson cancelled the scheduled meeting with the UN Team to review the report.

Worse is the fact that the necessary review meeting with the UN is now “indefinite”. The organisation desperately needs to set the record straight!

It is time to demand a ‘fit and proper’ performance from the GECOM Chairman. The entire nation deserves better!

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

The above, notwithstanding, the PPP and its supporters cannot afford to become complacent. We must accept the fortunate or unfortunate reality that we have to bear the burden of ensuring that there are free and fair elections in Guyana; we have to bear the burden of ensuring that there is democracy in Guyana; we have to bear the burden of ensuring that there is justice and freedom according to law, in Guyana.

It is a burden nay a legacy that we have inherited from our Political Father, Dr. Cheddi Jagan. It is a duty that we have to continue to discharge in his name and glory. The day we relinquish this responsibility, it will mark the end of freedom and democracy in Guyana. 2020, will present us with our sternest test. The following words scribed by Dr. Jagan over 50 years ago, have lost neither their context, nor their accuracy, with the passage of time: “What I am certain about is that if elections were held tomorrow, we would win an overall majority. However, I must state my fears about future prospects for democracy and freedom. As the government loses more support from its rank and file disillusioned supporters, it will resort to force and fraud to remain in power…” (Dr. Cheddi Jagan, 1967) These words were as relevant then, as they are now, and they certainly will be come, 2020!

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

AFC employing deceitful ploys ahead of LGE 2018

T Electoral skullduggery no small incident, cases must be internationalized Dear Editor,

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wo incidents involving GECOM staffers operating in the Plegt Anker/ Kortberaadt Local Authority Area (LAA) on the East Bank of Berbice involving alleged electoral illegalities by the APNU were highlighted in the local media, as reported upon by Member of Parliament Adrian Anamayah.

Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul from the PNCR also highlighted another case in Wakenaam on Facebook where he alleged cases of similar illegalities by the PPP and Mr. Jai Ambedkar has highlighted similar incidents involving alleged identical illegalities by the AFC. It is imperative that the respective political parties write to GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, on these issues and that he investigates, corrects and sanctions the wrongdoers including his own GECOM staff members if culpable.

After all, the buck stops at his desk if there is evidence to support these claims.

Plegt Anker/Kortberaadt is a district on the Berbice River that is about 10-15 miles upriver from New Amsterdam. The Guyana Times reported on September 22 (https:// guyanatimesgy.com/controversy-over-listalleged-biased-behaviour-by-gecom-staff-reported/) and again on September 23 (https:// guyanatimesgy. com/7-ppp-supporters-saythey-were-tricked-to-sign-apnu-lge-forms/) that “7 PPP supporters were tricked into signing APNU nomination forms as supporters”.

Two of these supporters – Omesh Kumar and Tulapersaud Heeman Kumar have declared such themselves and stand by this claim.

The right thing for GECOM to do is secure sworn statements from those making the allegations and take action to delete their names from one of the lists. I was advised they thought they were signing for social

assistance.

But what was even more concerning in this far corner of Guyana, the security guard and GECOM staff are accused of exercising bias by denying the PPP the No.1 slot when the system was designed as first come, first served. The PPP was first in line some 12 hours before opening hours at the GECOM office. The APNU Team arrived about 3 hours before the opening hours and took the No. 2 place in the line. However, upon the opening of the office, the GECOM Officer allegedly instructed the guard to distribute the No. 1 tag to the APNU team and the No. 2 tag to the PPP. In normal circumstance this would have been a simple act of discrimination and preferential treatment, but in this case with the names Omesh Kumar and Tulapersaud Heeman Kumar among 5 others sitting on both lists, this incident can support the conclusion that it was just plain old electoral skullduggery to pad the APNU list.

This is not a small incident, and thus I will be joining a charge to internationalize these acts of apparent electoral skullduggery by bringing them to the attention of the Diplomatic Corps especially the US Embassy, the Carter Center, IFES and others because these signs of fraudulent activities must be snuffed out in the bud. GECOM is the last line of defence in protecting free and fair elections and elections free from fear and irrespective of which party did the act, they must be exposed.

I now call on Mr. Mahipaul and Mr. Ambedkar to publish their facts on the PPP and AFC respectively so that the public can be made aware of any act of electoral skullduggery.

Yours faithfully, Sasenarine Singh

Kopinang students’ right to education being undermined Dear Editor,

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wish to inform your readership of an issue affecting Kopinang Village (Region 8) that has at this point become intolerable.

The students of Kopinang Primary School have for the longest while been faced with a shortage of textbooks in the key subject areas of Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Integrated Science.

It has come to the point where students and residents cannot continue to accept this situation. As a former student of the primary school I am greatly concerned about this matter and cannot stand idly by as it continues.

My village is located on the south western reaches of our country, nestled in the beautiful of valley of Kopinang Mountain and close to the Guyana-Brazil border. As pristine as my village is, travel there has always been a difficult task even within the Region. Flights must be chartered from the Eugene F. Correia Airport in order to travel to Georgetown.

This route is expensive and many persons

in and out of the village cannot afford this journey. Therefore, accessing textbooks, especially those that serve as the foundation to our education is not an easy task.

Without enough textbooks, the children of my village are unable to firmly establish their understanding the core subject areas before embarking on their secondary schooling.

This, without a doubt, puts them at an unfair disadvantage when writing their Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC) exams.

There are instances whereby four students are asked to share a single textbook. This is unfair and underserves Kopinang students’ right to education.

By investing in Kopinang’s education it will give our young minds a chance at passing their CSEC exams with good grades while securing paths for our future leaders to shine in world.

Yours Faithfully, M. Nazio

he Alliance for Change (AFC) has now invented an innovative and creative campaign strategy, which reproduces the inherent lies and deceit, but in another form.

It was claimed by Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, on the ‘Alliance on the Move’ television programme, that PPP supporters are intimidating people from putting their names on the AFC candidates’ list. He further said the Guyana Police Force will be called in to deal with these PPP supporters. This is hard to believe.

However, this is just a prefabricated excuse, or more like something of a defence, when the AFC fails at the LGE polls, which they are bound to!

It must be recalled that, not so long ago, Mr Ramjattan lambasted and insulted the residents of the Upper Corentyne, accusing them of sitting down and drinking rum, and only waiting for the ‘lawyer boy’ to come and buy rum for them. Now he wants them to vote for him! He should apologise, and then ask for their support. Mr Ramjattan has always opined that Berbicians are illiterate and stupid, but he needs to understand that they have excellent long-term memories, and can recall insults verbatim.

Moreover, the AFC is now promising roads, land, street lights, gun licences, and other favours once residents support them by signing on the LGE backers form. This

is not only deceitful, but illegal. No political party can promise state resources in return for support and votes.

Another ploy is their going into NDC areas where work was done by the Regional Democratic Council and taking credit for the work. This was done in the Kilcoy/Hampshire NDC, where I am the Chairman. This was raised at the last RDC statutory meeting.

Furthermore, someone (named) told the viewers on the Alliance on the Move programme that only if the residents put their names on the AFC’s List can they gain access to the AFC Ministers, such as Mr Ramjattan and Mr Patterson, to ventilate their issues.

This is a new form of corruption, holding the people at ransom to vote for the AFC. This is what should be investigated by SOCU and the GPF, not legal Cabinet decisions that were taken under the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government.

Never in the history of this country has a political party been so barefaced and corrupted. Our State resources are being used to openly bargain for votes.

Let the people beware of these illegal and nasty maneuverings of the AFC! The AFC’s ghost is now on the haunting!

Regards, Haseef Yusuf

APNU+AFC gov’t has a responsibility to treat our people in a humane manner Dear Editor,

W

hile in Guyana the jobless and beleaguered sugar workers are forced to protest for their lawful entitlements and are told by the Prime Minister, through his representative, that their concerns would be raised at Cabinet, our Union’s attention is drawn to the situation regarding the workers of Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago (Petrotrin). While the GAWU disagrees with reasons being advanced for the closure of the Company’s refining operations and recognizes that the closure will take a heavy toll on the workers, their families and their communities, we saw considered attempts by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to at least dampen the serious consequences of closure.

The September 19, Stabroek News reported that Energy Minister, Franklin Khan said that Petrotrin and the Oilfeld Workers Trade Union (OWTU) were engaged in discussions regarding severance and said that “…the state, board and Government is willing to sit with the union…and possibly offer some enhancement to that package”. But in addition to a possible enhanced severance package, that country’s Social Development Minister, Cherrie Ann Crichlow-Cockburn, according to the report, shared that the Government had devised a plan which would offer the retrenched workers assistance to purchase food, to access public assistance and general assistance; would see vulnerable workers benefiting from an electricity subsidy; the workers would have access to health/wellness centres; they would receive advice on financial

security; the Government would assist NGOs who in turn would set up soup kitchens and temporary shelters; and tollfree call centres for workers who require information on government assistance. We also saw the Energy Minister in a report which appeared in the August 31, Stabroek News that those workers above 55 saying “…for people over 55, pay them off, and they’ll have their full pension”. From the Minister’s statement, he seems to say that workers beyond 55 will get both their severance and their pension.

Indeed while we know firsthand the serious difficulties of closure, we recognise that, from all indications, some serious attempts are being made to cushion the fall by our Caribbean counterpart. We sincerely hope all that is promised to the Petrotrin workers materializes, recognizing our sad past with promises. Now for the 7,000 sugar workers who have been put out onto the cold breadline, our caring Government is pushing workers to the brink; forcing them on the picket line to demand their lawful entitlements; engaging in all sort of legal gymnastics to further deny them their just payments, and then rubbing salt in the wound by saying their payments are hemorrhaging the country. It seems to us that it is the Government which is hemorrhaging the thousands of retrenched sugar workers.

We urge our Government to take a page out of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s book and considerately treat our people in a humane manner at this difficult period in their lives.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine GAWU General Secretary

6

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Good For Bauxite Workers, Good for Sugar Workers Dear Editor,

P

lease grant me the opportunity to flag for the attention and consideration of all my fellow Guyanese, the article in the Guyana Chronicle of Wednesday, September 10th, 2018, entitled, “Task Force Works Out Severance Pact for RUSAL Workers”.

In these times of rapid evolution in technologies and capabilities, taste and fashions, and in the relationships across a world trending to be more and more interdependent and more and more one, and at the same time activating and encountering social and political forces aiming at resisting and reversing such trends, we must all be concerned that there might be great

and rapid changes in the work we do and by which we earn our living. These do seem to be turbulent times and for more of us than ever before, the job we now have may leave us and for some time we may be seeking another.

Workers in our traditional bauxite and sugar sectors have been facing such turbulence, more or less intensely from time to time, at least since the 1970s, starting with the nationalization of those sectors at that time. It’s been a rough ride since then for most of our citizens working in bauxite and sugar, and every one of us would be aware of what is ongoing presently.

We cannot but be sympathetic with the workers of RUSAL’s bauxite operations

in the Berbice River, whose jobs seem to be about to be ended through events in the world at large. And, therefore, I am supportive of and urge support to those workers: in particular what has been revealed in the article of the Recommendations of the Task Force headed by the Honourable Minister Simona Broomes and including the General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union, Lincoln Lewis (also formerly President and General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Council, and my bauxite colleague of five decades).

The Chronicle article states that the Task Force recommends that these RUSAL Bauxite Workers facing termination be paid “a similar package that was applied in the case of LINMINE in 1993 and onwards, BERMINE in 2002 and onwards and OMAI Gold Mines in 2004, which means that the minimum (severance) pay for each year of service shall be equivalent to six weeks for each year of service to the maximum of two years’ pay in benefits”.

Allow me to say that this is roughly twice what is required in the “Termination of Employment” Law which we the PPP/C Administration enacted in about 1997 as the consensus between Unions, Employers and the Government.

PPP/C person that I am, allow me the indulgence to flag that the recommendation quoted above acknowledge how favourably the PPP/C Administration treated with bauxite workers from 1993 onwards, through 2004 onwards: from 1993 when there was no law, and twice as well in 2004

Doctors deserve better Dear Editor,

T

he public health system has been plagued with a plethora of problems, ranging from shortages of drugs and medical supplies to prolonged waiting time for patients at outpatient and even emergency departments. Very often, patients’ frustration, disappointment and anger are usually directed at the doctors and nursing staff, many of whom are not responsible for the mismanagement that occurs on a daily basis.

The doctors themselves are frustrated with the system, and have made known their concerns about drug shortages, equipment failure, and inadequate and untimely laboratory results — all of which have a severe impact on clinical management of patients.

At some departments in the GPHC, it is the norm for doctors to work 96 hours per week. This happens when doctors work “on call” every three days. In extreme instances, some departments require doctors to work from Saturday morning at 8 am to Monday at 4 pm, a total of 56 hours continuously, in addition to the average work week.

It should be noted that GPHC is regarded as the best staffed public hospital; one can only imagine how many more hours doctors at the regional and district hospitals across Guyana have to work.

Many of the doctors believe they would be able to provide a better quality of service if the public health system adopts the European Standards of Work for Physicians in Guyana.

When physicians are “on call,” they are required to be physically present in the hospital compound. This is to ensure that, if needed, they would be immediately available. The public hospitals would usually designate an area wherein these “on call” doctors can be found, if needed. The basic requirements are a secure room, with toilet and bath, a cot, table and chair. These basic requirements are not met by most of the institutions, forcing doctors to sleep on the corridors or in their cars.

At the GPHC, for example, both male and female doctors are required to share the same room, with few beds and limited toilet facilities being available.

Many Government Medical Officers are unhappy with their remuneration, especially the younger doctors. A first-year GMO at GPHC receives a salary of $181,808. A second year GMO at GPHC gets a salary of $218,169. A third-year GMO at GPHC gets a salary of $261,802. Many of these doctors have complained that these salaries are wholly inadequate, especially with the increased cost of living.

The allowances that a doctor receives across the public health system vary. The doctors at GPHC would get a monthly housing allowance of $20,000, but most of them complain that they are unable to rent a house in or around Georgetown for this sum of money. They also receive a meal allowance of $500 per call, which is far less than what an actual meal would cost. If a doctor decides to buy a real meal while “on call”, s/ he would often end up spending more than $1000.

Doctors are given a $3000-per-month cell phone allowance, to be used when on call to get in contact with their registrars or consultants. Most young doctors complain that this sum is inadequate, and they are seeking an increase in this allowance.

Doctors are required to work ‘’on call” — that is, for extended periods after their regular 8-hour shift — during the work week, from 4 pm to 8 am Monday to Friday, and on weekends from 8 am to 8 pm Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

For each on-call session, the doctor is paid $2500 as an “On Call” allowance, which the PPP/C Government had agreed

and onward as the consensus law required.

I call on all my fellow Guyanese to at least question the impression which was so often given and which they may have entertained, that we PPP/C have been heartless when it came to Bauxite, bauxite workers and bauxite communities. Further, join the demand for similar, equitable treatment for all sugar workers, who are no more nor no less Guyanese than bauxite workers and whose communities are just as much Guyanese Communities. Prompt payment of severance is not hemorrhaging of our nation but our law and the humane and fair thing to do.

The PPP/C in much more difficult times, empathizing with bauxite workers losing their jobs paid promptly twice what the law required. So, today we support the call for RUSAL workers to be treated similarly and with no question, no hesitation, we call for similar equitable treatment for sugar workers and sugar communities.

We appreciate the acknowledgement of Mr Lincoln Lewis of the generous severance payment of the PPP/C administration to bauxite workers. We expect the support of Mr Lincoln Lewis in our struggle for similar treatment for sugar workers what is good for bauxite workers must be good for sugar workers also.

Yours sincerely, Samuel A.A. Hinds, Former Minister Responsible For Mines and Minerals including Bauxite, Former Prime Minister

would not be taxed. The APNU/AFC has now imposed a tax on this “On Call” allowance.

Many doctors in the public health sector are contending that the Granger Administration is rewarding party loyalty over medical competence and meritocracy. Many young doctors are complaining that scholarships for further training have not been properly advertised, panels are not balanced, and results are often skewed. They feel efforts must be made to have an open and transparent system wherein persons are promoted based on their assessed competence, or sent for postgraduate training based on merit.

Our medical doctors deserve better. They should earn better salaries and allowances, have reduced working hours to improve patient outcomes, experience better working conditions in the hospitals, and be subjected to a fair and equitable system that would allow for promotion based on merit, rather than a party card.

As the Government prepares to lay the next budget in Parliament, I hope the many concerns that doctors and other medical staff have raised about their remuneration and conditions of work would be considered.

Sincerely, Dr Frank Anthony, MP

APNU+AFC Coalition gov’t continues in its failure to deliver to the Guyanese people Dear Editor,

G

overnments are not judged on what they promised they will do, they are not evaluated or assessed on what they intend to do; they are judged on what they have done.

Therefore, the question is asked, what are the achievements of this coalition Government since there three plus years in office? And the answer comes back, very little if anything at all. When it comes to judging them by the index of people development and the raising of their standard of living, this vital factor is woefully lacking.

So, for convenience, let us forget the people factor for a while and let us take a close look at some of the projects earmarked for completion,

there are quite a few of them. These are the East Coast, West Coast and the East Bank (Georgetown to Timehri) road projects, as well as the Cheddi Jagan International Airport project. However, what we see at the present moment is the patching of the roads in question and a “watered down version” of a modern airport project. Not one of these is close to completion though budgetary allocations were made by the previous Administration. These projects were already earmarked for implementation, so when the coalition came into office their only option was to complete these.

Other projects range from the new access road from Ogle to the East Bank of Demerara, the Amaila Falls

Hydropower Project and the new Demerara Harbour Bridge among others.

So, if one is to make a true assessment of this PNC-led coalition based on the project implementation alone, many in this present Government would be languishing in prison.

What a horrible way to deceive and mislead the people who you claim voted for you?

Oh, lest I forget, there is one substantial achievement visible and lasting that is the construction of a roundabout on the Rupert Craig Highway. I am tempted to re-caption my article to now read “A roundabout Government.” Interesting!

Respectfully, Neil Adams

7

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

APNU+AFC gov’t made no attempt to plead the case of at-risk bauxite workers Dear Editor,

I

t is with much dismay I read our Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman’s, response to possible closure of RUSAL operations in Guyana.

Editor, our government’s first response to this crisis was to activate a task force to deal with the future of workers attached to RUSAL BCGI and Olendorff Carriers in April 2018; they were worried about severance benefits.

The APNU+AFC administration did not think to make representation to the United States government on behalf of the 700 workers and those precious jobs; I believe that this

action is part of a pattern of behavior based on low self-esteem.

It is the same behavior exhibited when our President signs an MOU with Trinidad & Tobago for hydrocarbon development, the APNU+AFC administration bungled badly during those negotiations when, for the first time in our nation’s history we held the upper hand.

We, for the first time had the opportunity to force our CARICOM neighbor with whom we have a massive trade deficit due to their protective machinations of their market, and we blew it completely. To add insult to the injury, the Twin-island republic’s Prime

Minister boldly declared that the ExxonMobil PSA could be renegotiated.

This he did whilst seated next to our President who has publicly declared the contract as sacrosanct. This inexplicable act seemed calculated to further damage H.E Granger’s self-esteem.

The second response to the RUSAL crisis is encapsulated in a statement by Minister Trotman, “The Government of Guyana would wish to have a normalisation of operations ASAP, and so if RUSAL is unable to continue, then a new partner will have to be found to develop the resource.”

I know of no new partner or major project investor so far under the APNU+AFC administration. All of the Foreign Direct Investment projects in Guyana began under the previous PPP administration. Oil our newest pillar of the economy was made possible by President Janet Jagan in 1999.

Since assuming office in 2015, APNU+AFC have created a hostile and uncertain atmosphere for investors. They have done so by bringing frivolous, politically motivated court cases against the former head of NICIL , Winston Brassington and Finance Minister Ashni Singh.

These legal challenges to incentives given to foreign companies have not gone unnoticed

by potential investors, whom have now adopted a wait-and-see attitude. It was a case of cutting your nose to spoil your face.

RUSAL has been badly treated whilst providing high paying stable jobs for hundreds of employees. I do not foresee a long line of companies seeking to partner in the Bauxite industry in the near future under the current APNU+AFC administration.

Editor, Guyana could have petitioned the US State Department for an exemption to sanctions. We could have pleaded the plight of the workers. The APNU+AFC administration did not even make an attempt.

We (Guyana) are now of significance to the American economy with our ever growing Oil reserves coupled with our hefty Diaspora vote in American elections.

Serious consideration would have been given to a petition for easement, but sadly our government is trapped in its begging bowl syndrome as evidenced by the presence of two ministers of Government for the signing of a paltry US$20 Million loan from the IsDB. General Elections are due in 2020, until then it seems we are doomed to suffer many indignities as a nation led by insecure men.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

The treatment of sugar workers is criminal, more need to speak out against injustice Dear Editor,

I

t is awful to see on a daily basis the vicious assault on sugar workers. This assault started almost immediately after the May 2015 elections. APNU+AFC promised "CHANGE" and among the changes they promised was that greater security and respect would be extended to sugar workers, including an annual 20% increase in wages and benefits.

Some sugar workers, though skeptical, placed their destiny in Moses Nagamootoo, Ramjattan and others in Region 6 and 5 and provided some of the critical votes that APNU+AFC needed to take over government. They exercised their democratic right and opted for "CHANGE'. They have been betrayed and, today, sugar workers are the poster child for betrayal. The thing is that as the assault continues unabated since May 2015, their champions, like Nagamootoo and Ramjattan, are AWOL, missing in action.

The latest assault on sugar workers is the now frequent late payment of their wages.

Last week, sugar workers were paid four

days late, without an apology and without an explanation. The vast majority of these workers live from paycheck to paycheck.

Any delay in receiving their paychecks places unconscionable difficulties for their families.

The media continue to expose this egregious violation of the labor laws of Guyana.

Every time wage payments have been delayed, senior officials of GUYSUCO have confirmed the late payments, but only off-therecord and unofficially.

GUYSUCO refuses formally to communicate with workers or with anyone. GAWU has confirmed that late payment of wages to sugar workers has become a norm these days.

Late payment of wages to the sugar workers is not just unacceptable, it is illegal.

The President who recently declared that paying severance to sugar workers whose jobs were ripped from them is hemorrhaging the treasury is silent about late payment of wages to workers.

The Prime Minister who bombastically deemed himself the champion of sugar workers is silent, even though he went to his home-village in Whim to launch the AFC's

LGE campaign. The Minister of Agriculture is, as usual, not just silent, but nowhere to be found. He continues to behave as if he has no role to play.

The Minister of Finance may still be out of the country, having found it necessary to be carnival-ling in Brooklyn earlier this month.

The Minister of Social Protection and her junior minister responsible for labor appear not to know or not to care.

Khemraj Ramjattan simply do not want to talk to sugar workers anymore and MPs, such as Charandass, no longer find sugar workers relevant.

More than 7,000 sugar workers have lost their jobs and most of them have either received none or only part of their severance. It is more than nine months since that severance was due for many and some have been owed now for almost two years.

Severance is due to an employee at the time his job is taken away because of closure or down-sizing. This is Guyana's law and it is also international law. There is no room for prevarication on this matter.

The only word from the President is that the severance is a drain on the national treasury. No word whether GUYSUCO, a government's public entity, will pay soon and whether the workers will be paid with

interest.

Those who are lucky to still be working are now subjected to late and deferred payments for wages earned. They have worked without a pay increase for three years (2015, 2016 and 2017) and it is unlikely that there will be an increase in 2018, making it an unprecedented four straight years. Their annual production incentives have essentially been dumped. In 2015, it was reduced and since then none has been negotiated. Land which was promised to them is being taken up by the government or being offered for sale to private investors and friends and families of the government.

Guyana made the list of shameful countries because of how we treat prisoners. Guyana deserves being on the list because of how we treat sugar workers.

The silence of this government is shameful, a disgrace and make them complicit in another illegal assault on sugar workers.

GAWU has spoken up. Will FITUG and the GTUC speak up? Will the Guyana Human Rights advocates stand up and speak out?

Who is willing to stand up and speak out against this injustice?

Sincerely, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

The GTU should realize that they are up against a bully Dear Editor,

T

he Guyana Teachers have been made a fool yet again and there is nothing they can do about it. The Teachers through their union has been corralled into a corner by an uncaring bully of a government yet again and their is nothing they can do about it.

They are in a poor and pathetic situation right now with no redress, because this government is going to have its way and the teachers at the end of the day would have been devastated.

I would, in common local parlance say “good for them” that is the teachers but my gut instinct as a teacher myself precludes me from doing so, however, I shall give you my reasons for making that curt remark. The union should have seen this coming that they were about to be bullied, you cannot tell me that as a union coming into the end of their bargaining period

with all their benefits having that removed by the incoming administration could not see that they were in for troubled times; I say very troubled times.

I am talking about coming into the new triennium with a 5% salary increase plus the double payment of salaries at the end of December. In addition to that, vehicle and housing allowances for teachers, all of these beneficial aspects that would make for a decent living were taken away and the union said nothing. What went wrong with the union, were they blind to these glaring anomalies?

Further warning signs was the fact that this government disbanded the labour union, meaning that they saw no need for one which is a clear sign of its anti-labour, anti-worker orientation.

So, there was enough to go on where the union should have held the government accountable for its actions.

But they did absolutely nothing only playing the dance in eddying rounds of bare talk.

But the real reason behind the union’s seemingly bouts of dementia is the political factor. Said by a staunch member of the union and I repeat that statement, “We Boy Granger goin gee we more than wuh Jagdeo gee we.” Well, that wait and see turned out to be their grave undoing, Granger nor any of his subordinates saw teachers as deserved of any pay rise far less benefits. What a pathetic place to be! A terse and severe lesson the union has to suck up. Do not play politics with your workers’ benefits!

So, where are we today; we are at the government has said from the beginning a $7M G ball of payments for teachers and nothing else. The arbitrator who was arbitrarily placed there would assent to this. This dollar amount in real terms would amount to

about $5,000 – $7,000 more to their salaries. What a horrible way to end this impasse.

Well, the unions is sensing that it was made a fool is threatening strike action again. please note, this cannot happen because that move is considered illegal. Once the matter reaches arbitration stage that settles it, like the 1983 agreement pellucidly states the aggrieved party cannot engage in industrial action.

Now, if Lyte wants to test the metal of The PNC he can try, but let me warn him that there will be serious repercussions on the part of his members and he is all to be blamed for it.

The PNC is most brutal when it comes to workers’ rights. Firstly, they would not pay the teachers who go on strike. something they are good at, history has proven them on this one. Other options are, surgically going after the weak and most vulnerable and take

them to court; they have the means, they have the time. The teachers on the other hand do not have the means nor the time to endure such torture.

So, at the end of the day David the shepherd slaughter king, would have prevailed Teachers should realize that no PNC Government has ever been sympathetic to public servants and that’s a fact. They should be very aware of that fact. No amount of talk would change the course of action of this uncaring abuser, government. I am suggesting that the only way out of this impasse is for the teachers to open their eyes, wake up and smell the coffee you have been made fools by “your own King David Granger” please make a change when election 2020 comes around.

Regards, N. Adams

STRAIGHT TALK 8

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

(These views were made public during an address to the United Nations by Dr Cheddi Jagan on December 18, 1961. Its re-printing is among several activities being undertaken during 2018 to mark the 100th birth anniversary – March 22, 2018 – of the founder of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Cheddi Jagan.)

On liquidating the vestiges of colonialism

By Dr. Cheddi Jagan

I

have come to address you in the name of the people of British Guiana. As you know, my party, the People’s Progressive Party, won the elections in August 1961 and I was appointed Premier. I have come in the hope that you will be able in some way to assist in bringing about the immediate political independence of that colony. The right of peoples and nations to self-determination and independence is an inalienable right, a right that must be enjoyed by all if mankind is to fulfill its humanity and all the peoples of the world are to truly reap the benefits of this great scientific era in peace.

Only independence, I humbly submit can give the necessary dynamism for rapid economic growth and development. Countries like Ghana, India, Israel, etc., have demonstrated how rapid progress can be after independence.

Did not the distinguished Indian delegate, Mr. Sahni, recently tell the United Nations of India's rapid rate of progress in the decade after independence as compared with the fifty years before independence?

I have myself seen the rapid strides being made in Israel. Incidentally, the Mayor of Jerusalem told me that prior to independence, one high-ranking British adviser declared that so hopeless and bleak was the outlook of that country that it could not accommodate one additional cat! That country then had a population of about half a million, the same as ours; today it has over two million.

I had hoped that my recent trip to the United Kingdom to discuss this vital issue of my country's independence would have denied me this unique privilege of addressing this august Assembly. I am aware that I am speaking to those who have perhaps walked this very road beset with barriers and pitfalls, and because of your bitter experience, I feel confident that you will lend your invaluable aid to the cause of freedom and democracy for the Guianese people.

In no other civilization has there been greater extremes between the rich and those who have been condemned to poverty and backwardness. We live in a period unsurpassed in all human history for its abundance and scientific achievement. Yet the gap between the rich and poor countries is widening. The colonial-imperialist Powers, who have in the past repressed and still continue now to repress the legitimate aspirations of millions of people, are primarily responsible for this disgraceful injustice that threatens to rock the fabric of our civilization asunder. Consequently, it behooves all peace-loving nations to declare total war against any system which enslaves the colonial peoples. It is indeed the duty of colonial Powers to examine their consciences, to stop making excuses and grant immediate independence to the many peoples whom they now hold subject throughout the world.

I know that Africa has been a main preoccupation recently. Please permit me to bring to your attention the fact that in the Western Hemisphere there are yet colonial territories where over three million people still yearn for freedom.

Some people are obsessed with the fear of intervention by external Powers in the affairs of the American Republics. But they ignore

the three European countries which still subject people in this hemisphere to the degrading status of colonials.

The colonial Powers in their retreat boast about the number of persons to whom they have granted independence as if these people did not fight and suffer imprisonment and other rigorous treatment. Lord Dundee, speaking to the sixteenth plenary meeting of the General Assembly spoke of the "well-known" record of his country in following the principle of self-determination for the countries for which it was responsible. He further stated that it was proud that it had been able to help so many people in such a short time to enjoy self-government.

I say to Lord Dundee in all seriousness, what then of British Guiana?

We have repeatedly been told that it is the declared policy of Her Majesty's Government to lead the colonial people to freedom and independence as soon as possible. The past decade has taught us that we cannot rely on those pious declarations, that British policy takes a zigzag course based not on altruism, not on high floral principles, but on self-interest and the protection of privileged positions of vested interests.

In 1953, British Guiana was granted what was then regarded as one of the most advanced constitutions in the British colonial empire. The major assumption by the constitution makers was that the democratic popular forces were too weak to be able to gain control of the Executive.

This constitution was thus short-lived. After four and a half months in office, it was suspended. The strong, popularly elected government based on a united people was forcibly removed from office. We were victims of imperialism and the cold war, like the Gallegos Government of Venezuela, the Mossadegh Government of Iran and the Arbenz Government of Guatemala which were overthrown by force in 1948, 1951 and 1954, respectively. The usual campaign of slander and witch-hunt was unleashed against us. Incidentally, Madam Chairman, as Delegate to the last Conference of the Economic Commission for Latin America, I was pleased to see that the main recommendations for the economic well-being of Latin America recited the necessity of economic planning, for rapid industrialization, efficient agricultural development and land reform. These were deemed communist ten years ago when I advocated them.

Following the suspension of our constitution in 1953, there was imposed a Colonial Office dictatorial regime. Imprisonment, detention, restriction of the leaders of the national movement, victimization and terror became the order of the day. In 1957, elections were again held. But this was based on a constitution more retrograde than the one suspended in 1953. And constituencies were grossly gerrymandered.

The Guianese people know all too bitterly that Britain's most precious commodity, democracy and democratic practices, are not for export.

Today British Guiana has internal self-government. But it is still a Crown colony. Britain can legislate by Order-in-Council and can at any time suspend the constitution. In many respects, we were better off constitutionally up to 1927. Under the then constitution handed over from the Dutch no such powers were conferred as are now in the hands of the British

Government.

On Wednesday last, I spoke to Mr. Maulding, Secretary of State for the Colonies He categorically refused to fix 31 May 1962 or any other date for my country's independence.

I may add, in parenthesis, that the 31 May 1962 date, the date fixed for the independence of the West Indies, was proposed by the main opposition party, the People's National Congress, during the election campaign. This date was supported by my party which, together with the People's National Congress, polled 83 per cent of the votes at the recent elections.

Some may ask: Is British Guiana ready for independence? As far as we are concerned the only criterion is the passion of people to be free to pursue the way of life it feels will lead to its fulfilment of peace and contentment. We share the view of the United Nations that low standards and insufficient development should never serve as a pretext for the delay in granting independence.

At one time, the British Government referred to such yardsticks as size, population, literacy, economic viability, and the ability to stand on one's own feet and defend oneself.

British Guiana is about ten times as large as Israel., twice as big as Cuba and bigger than several other independent sovereign States.

Its population of 560,000 is as large as that of Cyprus, larger than Iceland, and not too small compared with other independent nations. Its literacy rate is 82 percent. Political consciousness is laudably very high At the recent election almost 90 percent of the electorate cast their ballots without disorder.

What about economic viability? Though largely under-developed, British Guiana achieved over the lasts decade an economic growth rate of 6 per cent per annum. The latest estimate for 1960 is 6 percent. Its budget, though small, is balanced. Indeed, a small surplus is ear marked each year for our development plan.

The national income per capita is about US$240, relatively higher than many under-developed countries.

As regards defence, we do not think it is sound or prudent to fritter away a large part of our limited financial resources in defence in these days of mass weapons of destruction like nuclear bombs and intercontinental missiles.

We do not believe that the arms race is the way to international peace and security. We look to friendship with other countries and our membership in the United Nations offers us the collective security required to protect our national sovereignty.

These figures I have cited may be used to justify and to sing the praises of colonialism.

Permit me to say that British Guiana, a country rich in natural resources is largely under-developed and there is wide-spread poverty. In addition, hunger and unemployment are prevalent or a wide scale.

What then is the reason for the United Kingdom Government's unrealistic and unprogressive attitude towards the wishes of the people whose wishes were freely expressed in three elections since 1953?

It is clear that the metropolitan Power does not agree with the openly demonstrated cause which the people have proclaimed on

their banner the cause of freedom and the ending of colonialist-imperialist domination and exploitation. The response of the British Government to socialism at the ballot box in 1953 was force. Little wonder that the late Aneurin Bevan charged the British Government of giving the right to vote and then dishonouring the verdict of the electorate. Now the answer of colonialism seems to be to delay the granting of independence if the popular democratic forces with socialism as their ideology continue to win successive elections.

Madam Chairman, distinguished delegates, I must readily admit that I find great difficulty in reconciling the Colonial Office's action with the British Government's declarations and even more recently with the liberal sentiments expressed by President Kennedy in his interview with the editor of Izvestia. You will recall that President Kennedy stated that the United States Government would respect and have friendly relations with any government, even communist, which had been elected at free and fair elections. Did not President Kennedy signify his pleasure when he said that even though Marxist, I had won my position at fair elections.

Why then. I ask, the procrastination about our independence?

Our patience is at the point of exhaustion.

Only the armed might of the British Government is acting as a deterrent to my people from declaring themselves an independent State with its full obligations and responsibilities to the world community.

But I am not without hope in this honourable struggle to free my people from the chains of colonial bondage. My hope now largely resides in General Assembly resolutions 1514 (xv) of 14 December 1960, and in resolution 1654 (xvi) of 27 November 1961, which clearly establishes a seventeen-man committee to make recommendations on implementing the 1960 Declaration on colonialism. I am also heartened by the authorization of this committee to meet outside of the United Nations Headquarters whenever and wherever such meetings may be requested for the effective discharge of its functions in consultation with the appropriate authorities. I take this opportunity now, Madam Chairman, in requesting through your Committee, the Special Committee of the seventeen, to visit British Guiana as soon as possible to examine the situation there. I shall also call upon the United Kingdom Government to give full support and co-operation in the Committee's task to bring about an early settlement for a date for British Guiana’s independence.

The Fourth Committee has rendered invaluable services to dependent and non-self-governing territories in the past. I am told that not too long ago the United Kingdom Government had opposed in the Trusteeship Council, the setting of a target date for Tanganyika's independence as unrealistic. Now, Tanganyika is a fully independent and sovereign State. This is due no doubt to the valiant efforts of the Fourth Committee's consistent work in liquidating the vestiges of colonialism.

I would wish that in n the near future this Committee's work will come to an end and it will disappear as such and release its energies to other tasks that await solutions in the United Nations Organisation.

9

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Panama rejects 20 containers of rice shipped from Guyana

S

ome 20 containers of rice shipped to Panama under a Government to Government arrangement with Guyana have reportedly been rejected.

According to reports, the containers of what was ex-

pected to be packaged white rice were rejected over the last six weeks as a result of substandard quality.

It is being understood that the Panamanian authorities are complaining that the samples sent were not in

keeping with the contractual agreement with Guyana.

That agreement saw Guyana through the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) packaging quality rice for better than normal prices which is reportedly

some 30 percent more.

Some 50,000 tonnes of rice was shipped to the Panamanian market for the year 2018 thus far.

GRDB Managing Director, Nizam Hassan is being reported as claiming to be

currently looking into the issue as it is unclear what actually transpired.

However, GRBD came in for some harsh criticism by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alesie Group of Companies, Tur-

hane Doerga who questioned rationale for shipping the rice to Guyana’s most lucrative market without an inspection being done.

This rejection by Panama will have an heavy impact on the rice industry.

Judge grants WCB farmers injunction against Region 5 REO

O

ne week after Statement of Claim proceedings were filed at the High Court, Justice Navindra Singh, has granted three of 30 farmers in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) an injunction against the district’s Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison preventing the bulldozing of their farmlands.

The three claimants – Krishna Sewlall, Kristopher Sewnarine and Kaleel Jameer – are seeking over $10 million in damages for what they contend was the unlawful destruction of their property: cash crops and farm houses.

According to their lawyer, Anil Nandlall, Justice Singh’s injunction which was granted on Monday (September 24, 2018) will remain in force for the duration of the court matter in which the farmers are seeking over $10 million in damages.

The farmers are occupying land in Tract 3 ‘X’ of Block ‘1A’ and Tract

‘Y’ portions of Plantation Naarstigheid, part of Bath, West Coast Berbice (WCB).

The court’s order restrains Morrison, his servants, representatives, officers and or agents from continuing entering upon, remaining, occupying, farming, bulldozing or occupying in any manner whatsoever interfering with the applicants’ quiet and peaceful

use, occupation and enjoyment of the portion of land. Morrison was told that should he violate the Court’s order, he would be in contempt of court and may be liable to imprisonment or his assets could be confiscated.

The Court will soon determine a date for the matter to be heard.

Court documents showed that many of the farmers

have been occupying the land since 1989 and were granted a two-year lease for 1.4 acres in March 2000 under the Social Impact Amelioration Project (SIMAP) for large-scale farming. They had claimed that since the expiration of their lease they developed the said property, cured the soil and prepared it for farming.

It was in October 2016

that REO Morrison requested that some 50 farmers, including the three claimants, vacate their WCB farmland and even threatened to bulldoze the crops and forcibly eject them from the land. Though the farmers retained Nandlall and had written to the REO, he was said to have moved ahead with the action to remove the farmers. In April 2018,

agents linked to Morrison “unilaterally decided” to enter the said farmland the three claimants occupied and cleared a portion of the land, cutting down several cash crops, including sweet peppers, lettuce, eschalot, plantain, calaloo and banana plants. Thereafter on August 6, 2018, two excavators entered the land and flattened another portion.

The claimants allege that on August 7, 2018, the REO’s agents entered again and destroyed Sewlall’s wooden farmhouse valued $300,000. Sewnarine’s farmhouse was also destroyed and that building was valued $800,000. Sewlall is seeking special damages of $3,254,000 for his destroyed crops and farmhouse, while Sewnarine wants Morrison to pay him $950,000 for his losses. Meanwhile, Jameer is seeking $1,170,000 from the REO. The special damages claim amounts to $5,374,000 while the general damages claim requests in excess of $5,000,000 for trespass.

Keith Scott’s actions do little to inspire confidence in Department of Labour - FITUG T he Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has condemned the “clear intention of the Ministry of Social Protection to railroad the composition of the Arbitration Tribunal,” which will address pay rise and working conditions of our nation’s teachers.

In a statement, FITUG said, “The attempts led, from all appearances, by Junior Social Protection Min-

ister, Keith Scott to impose a Chairman of the Tribunal is yet another manifestation of the Ministry’s and Administration’s attempt to undermine the teachers and union struggle.

“For us it is completely dismaying and utterly reprehensible that the Ministry which is charged with upholding workers’ rights and conditions has shed all pretenses and exposed, glaringly, its partiality in this

matter. The Minister, from our point of view, is far removed from his boundary and has gotten himself in uncharted waters from which he has, in our view, no justification to enter. It seems clearly that he has misunderstood his role and is causing serious damage in its wake.

“From the FITUG’s point of view, the actions of the Ministry, and more particular the Minister, does

very little, if anything, to repose workers confidence in the Department of Labour and more so the Administration’s concern for the plight of our country’s working-class. Indeed, it seems, the workers can no longer count on the Labour Department as an ally. For the Department, this is a disappointing turn of events especially when we take into account its proud past of standing with workers to

ensure that they are respected. The reversal of sorts is yet another clear demonstration of the Administration’s dim regard for the country’s working-people.”

The Federation made clear that it strongly contends that the Government should urgently engage in damage control and seek to correct the several missteps it has made. “The Granger Administration should also really give serious consider-

ation as to whether it wants to continue to have Minister Scott as its front man on this issue recognizing the serious damage his actions have done to the credibility of the Department of which he is the political head. The entire episode had undoubtedly left a bitter taste in the mouths of the teachers, in fact all workers, and this is not in the interest of our country at this critical time,” FITUG sad.

10

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

From the desk of Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo...

Guyana Under Review

Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 27, 2018), ranging from worrisome developments with staff hired by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the government failure to deal in “good faith” with Guyana’s public school teachers, to the welfare of at-risk bauxite workers and the latest ploy being used by the APNU+AFC Coalition government to engage youths.

PPP/C awaiting word from GECOM on actions against clear cases of electoral fraud

T

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has noticed a pattern of action – actions that belie the desperation of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – in the lead up to November’s Local Government Elections.

And Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, during a news conference on Thursday (September 27, 2018), noted that the PPP/C is not as trusting and will continue to monitor worrying developments, including the role of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Pointing to the developments that followed last Friday’s (September 21, 2018) Nomination Day – particularly as it relates to the fraudulent inclusion of persons’ names on AFC, APNU and United Republic Party (URP) Lists of Nominators (backers’ lists) – he charged that it is expected that GECOM acts on the matter.

“If GECOM does not ad-

ed that GECOM was asked to dispatch a letter to both the PPP/C and instructions to their Returning Officers (ROs) regarding an allowance for persons wanting to have their names removed from fraudulently composed lists. This was never done.

“If GECOM does not address this, I foresee serious legal challenges.”

– Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo dress this, I foresee serious legal challenges,” he said, adding that no Guyanese can be told that the fraudulent inclusion of their names as supporters of a political party must stand, while they do not support the said political party and want their name removed.

He added, “How could it be fair or legal to force people to support someone they don’t.”

PARTISAN GECOM STAFF Jagdeo explained that after the fraudulent inclusion of names on AFC, APNU and URP lists became public, there were two meetings between GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, and the PPP-nominated GECOM Commissioners on Tuesday (September 25, 2018) and Wednesday (September 26, 2018).

At the last meeting, he not-

“Imagine GECOM is saying that you, as an individual protected by the Constitution and Laws of Guyana, if someone fraudulently uses your name, you cannot remove it….this is encouraging politicians to act fraudulently…. there must be some electoral penalty for this act.”

– Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo As such, he explained that persons armed with sworn affidavits were not all accommodated

by Returning Officers (ROs) on the ground. At the Number 52/74 Neighbourhood Democratic Council, 31 affidavits were refused. In Black Bush Polder, another 13 were returned.

“Some of these ROs were openly partisan,” he lamented.

Among the affidavits that affected persons

APNU+AFC gov’t underestimating intelligence of Guyanese youths

G

immickry was the term used by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, to describe the Inaugural Youth Conference hosted by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government.

During his news conference on Thursday (September 27, 2018), he quipped that the David Granger-led government seems to once again be “in love” with Guyanese youth.

Noting that the theme of the conference is ‘Youth Perspective for Empowerment and Development for a Better Guyana’, Jagdeo questioned the government’s timing in engaging youths

from across Guyana. “Now that we have Local Government Elections, they are moving again to engage youth…this is transparent.

It is an election gimmick… why are they only now soliciting youth perspective on empowerment and development?” he asked.

According to him, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government should start fulfilling the promises made to youths in Guyana, prior to the May 2015 General and Regional Elections – promises about free education, not increased fees at the University of Guyana; and promises about jobs, not lectures,

were able to submit were: • Region 6, Crab wood Creek - 36 • Region 6, Corriverton - 39 • Region 6, 51/Good Hope - 43 • Region 6, Whim/Bloomfield- 51 • Region 3, Tuschen/Uitvlugt – 39 • Region 3, Best/ Klein Pouderoyen – 6 • Region 3, La Grange/ Nimes – 13 • Region 3, Canals Polder – 10

as was done by President Granger in Beterverwagting.

“This is all gimmickry,” Jagdeo declared. He added, “Look at what is happening right now…look at what the job market is like for youths…with all the challenges there has been no attempt to address this….in fact the Granger government has an elitist approach to everything, they are not connected to the issues affecting ordinary Guyanese.

He added that the APNU+AFC Coalition government has clearly adopted and approach of underestimating the intelligence of Guyanese youths.

• Region 3, La Jalousie/ Nouvelle Flander- 13 • Region 3, Toevlugt/ Patentia - 4 Jagdeo noted that these are only some of the cases. “We had a nightmare on the ground dealing with some ROs… imagine GECOM is saying that you, as an individual protected by the Constitution and Laws of Guyana, if someone fraudulently uses your name, you cannot remove it…. this is encouraging politicians to act fraudulently…. there must be some electoral penalty for this act.”

He disclosed too that some ROs refused to issue receipts for the documents they collected. “We still have to see how GECOM will deal with this issue…we are waiting on word from GECOM on how they will treat with this situation,” he said.

MISSING CEO The Opposition Leader noted that to deal with issues on the ground, attempts were made to contact Lowenfield. He said, “We sought to make contact with GECOM through our Chief Elections Scrutineer, also the Executive of the PPP (Zulfikar Mustapha)…we could not find him…he went missing all afternoon (Wednesday) “…this is very concerning to us….this is precisely what happened in 2015 when the PPP asked for a recount and we were told that we were premature in our request, that the declaration had not been made by the Returning Officer in Region 4… we said fine….the declaration was made….when we sought to request a recount of some boxes the Returning Officer for Region 4 had shut her office…she disappeared and request for a recount could not be submitted.”

Jagdeo reiterated that the issue at hand is a serious one and must be addressed by GECOM.

Lofty speeches will not solve problems facing Guyanese

P

lans, programmes and policies that translate into wealth and job creation for all Guyanese must be the order of the day, not an increasing number of “lofty” speeches from President David Granger and his government, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

However, during his news conference on Thursday (September 27, 2018), he charged that day by day, the APNU+AFC Coalition

Government is proving itself increasingly incompetent.

Referring to the recently held Guyana Trade and Investment Exhibition (GuyTIE), he noted that there were no major outcomes from Guyana from that event; rather it was just another opportunity for Granger to make a lofty speech.

“Things like these will not solve the problem of Guyana,” he said.

11

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

From the desk of Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo...

Guyana Under Review

Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 27, 2018), ranging from worrisome developments with staff hired by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the government failure to deal in “good faith” with Guyana’s public school teachers, to the welfare of at-risk bauxite workers and the latest ploy being used by the APNU+AFC Coalition government to engage youths.

Holder adopts PPP/C narrative on racking up unnecessary debt with $30B bond A

griculture Minister Noel Holder seems to have woken up, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who noted that Holder has adopted the Parliamentary Opposition’s narrative on the nonsensical decision to borrow $30B, not use the monies and rack up interest payments.

Holder had said, “I don’t understand, I am like you, I can’t understand why you got $30B, pay 4 per cent interest, sit on it and don’t hand it over to who supposed to use it.”

Jagdeo noted that it is unfortunate that President David Granger is still “sleeping” on an issue that has widespread implications.

Speaking on Thursday (September 27, 2018) at a news conference, he explained that he raised concerns that Guyana will end up paying $2.2B in interest on the $30B bond in 18 months. However, he noted that these concerns seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Jagdeo also acknowledged Holder’s comments about not knowing about the

details of the $30B bond.

Holder had said, “They have now apparently secured some $30B bond, which GuySuCo management has not seen, which the Minister of Agriculture has not seen, and frankly speaking don’t really want to see.”

Jagdeo in response said, “Imagine the Minister of Agriculture is saying this.”

He added that there is confusion in a major sector, all the while there has been no move

by Government to address serious issues of concern.

In the latter part of June

2018, a leaked document - ‘The Private Placement Memorandum’ – details the arrangements of the $30B fixed rate bond.

The document shows that NICIL plans to sell off assets of GuySuCo, including land, to help pay off the $30B, plus interest, that it has borrowed.

The document shows that NICIL expects to start selling of GuySuCo lands in 2018 and expects to collect $14B in 2018 and another $22B in 2019. “The cash generated from operations appears sufficient to service the coupon

and repayment of the principal for the bond facility,” the document said on page 14.

Notably, before now it was unclear if the $30B was a bond or a loan. The document makes clear that it is a bond.

The document also explains that the move to issue the Bonds, at a 4.75 per cent interest rate, is a five-year agreement. Interest is payable semi-annually, starting October 2018. The Bonds will mature in April 2023.

Also, the bonds have been issued “free and clear”

of all corporate taxes. It has also been issued 355 basis points above one-year Bank of Guyana Treasury Bills.

Additionally, the bonds have been secured by a government guarantee.

The 17-page document said the $30B bond facility is being arranged by Republic Bank, raising questions as to the amount of fees that are being paid to the bank.

Republic Bank has since halted disbursements of the bond monies over concerns related to spending mismanagement.

No clarity on which direction sugar sector is heading in G overnment’s 8-page state paper on the sugar sector has not been debated in the National Assembly, due to government’s refusal, and cannot be used the guide for operations of a multi-billion dollar industry.

This is according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who addressed the issue of confusion n the sugar sector on Thursday (September 27, 2018) during his news conference. There he also said, “The paper is short on details and long on rhetoric….there is no clear direction…you cannot use that to plan.”

He decried the fact that

the APNU+AFC Coalition Government seems to think that it can be guided by such a document.

“They are so confused on direction,” Jagdeo said, noting that comments about plans for the sugar sector that are coming from the Agriculture Ministry contradict those coming from the Special Purposes Unit (SPU), which was set up to oversee the divestment (selloff) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) assets.

Presented in 2017, more than half of the eight-page document deals with the challenges facing GuySuCo

and include historical references that date back to 1829.

On the actual future of the sugar industry, the State Paper states that: 1. The future of the industry is considered to lie in a smaller sugar sector, with reduced losses and cash deficits, but coupled with a separate and profitable diversified enterprise; 2. Focus on poorly performing estates should shift from sugar to diversification – although there is no mention of diversification in what area, not reference to specific estates that are performing poorly; 3. GuySuCo will divest it-

self of the Skeldon Estate and the funds from the sale of Skeldon will go towards reducing GuySuCo’s debts and to support its capital programmes; 4. Operations at the Rose Hall estate will be amalgamated with those at Albion; 5. The Rose Hall factory is to be closed; 6. Only Blairmont, Albion and Uitvlugt sugar estates will remain open; 7. The Enmore Factory will be closed at the end of 2017; 8. The East Demerara Estates – La Bonne Intention and Enmore – are earmarked for diversification.

9. Charges for drainage and irrigation that are provided to communities by GuySuCo will now be borne by the remaining sugar estates.

GuySuCo has supported drainage and irrigation of surrounding communities since its inception.

10. Charges for health services that are provided to communities by GuySuCo will now be borne by the remaining sugar estates. Also, the Health Centres manned

by GuySuCo are likely to be transferred to government.

11. Sugar lands will be leased for agricultural production; 12. GuySuCo will only re-

tain workers “needed for its operations” moving forward.

13. The remaining parts of the sugar industry will be sold off (divested).

Notably, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned about decisions taken in the sugar sector. On the issue of the sugar sector, the IMF has reiterated our call for careful decisions to be made about the future of the industry. . The IMF has warned the government to be “mindful of the large social impact’ and the need ‘to protect those affected’ by the process of change in the industry.

APNU+AFC toying with fate of at-risk bauxite workers C onfusion seems to be the order of the day in the APNU+AFC Coalition Government camp, relative to developments in the bauxite sector and the welfare of at-risk workers, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

At his Thursday (September 27, 2018) news con-

ference, Jagdeo questioned the confusion coming from Government. He said, “We have 1000 workers who may be on the breadline…they are toying around and the fate of 1,000 people hang on decisions clarity from government.”

In mid-April, the United States Treasury Department

announced the sanctions against RUSAL which would effectively ban the company from conducting business in American currency.

The sanctions were to take effect in June, but week the Treasury Department announced it is pushing back the deadline to October 23, 2018, to give American com-

panies time to wind down business with RUSAL. Notably, the last public comments on the issue from Government came in April 2018. The Coalition government had announced the establishment a task force, to ensure workers of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) are not

adversely affected by recent sanctions affecting parent company Russia Aluminium (RUSAL).

However, the Union representative for the bauxite worker, Lincoln Lewis, has said that the task force is non-existent.

Lewis’ comment came even as Natural Resources

Minister, Raphael Trotman, has said that there is an interim report from the Task Force; and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, saying that Cabinet will consider the recommendations of the task force, including those about severance payments to the bauxite workers who are likely to be on the breadline.

12

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

From the desk of Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo...

Guyana Under Review

Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 27, 2018), ranging from worrisome developments with staff hired by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the government failure to deal in “good faith” with Guyana’s public school teachers, to the welfare of at-risk bauxite workers and the latest ploy being used by the APNU+AFC Coalition government to engage youths.

Granger allowing deterioration Granger has still not written to indicate timings of industrial climate in Guyana for Gov’t/ Opposition talks T T he Parliamentary Opposition is still waiting on a letter from President David Granger, that will indicate timings for talks between the Government and Opposition, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 27, 2018).

Notably, Jagdeo has stated that once he has the letter he will respond and detail issues that the PPP/C would like to be added to the list.

Jagdeo had said that internal Party discussions will inform the agenda proposed by the PPP/C. Earlier this month, it was made clear by Jagdeo that the three issues – crime, environmental issues and the oil and gas sector – which were proposed by President David Granger were not mutually agreed to. “He put them on the table…I still have issues I would like to add,” he said.

Granger had said, “The points that were raised with the Leader of the Opposition were mutually agreed. The agenda could be extended. It

is meant to be a continuous engagement…I hope that we can initiate the series of meetings in September.”

The move to have government-opposition talks came after the intervention of former US President, Jimmy Carter.

At a prior news conference, Jagdeo said, “I received a call from President Carter, Jimmy Carter [former US President James Earl Carter Jr.], and after talking a bit about Guyana, he said to me he had spoken to President Granger, and somehow, (what) he got from that conversation is that the Government wanted to engage with us and we are unwilling to engage because we don’t like Nagamootoo.

So I said to him that that’s absolutely not true….it is not the individual, it is his ability to make commitments that we cannot accept; because — and I pointed this out to President Carter; I said, ‘The AFC can’t even secure a meeting with APNU. They have written APNU since

February of this year, and now it’s July, and I do not think they can secure a meeting with APNU to discuss the Cummingsburg Accord.

Secondly, Nagamootoo has absolutely no substantive portfolio. GINA and Chronicle…is not a serious portfolio; and therefore, that is the reason why.”

Jagdeo said that, as a former President, he decided to raise the matter with President Granger in an attempt to seek clarity about Government being interested in discussing with the PPP, so that he could engage his party’s Executive. “I said I’ll raise it with President Granger, and that we will be seeking two things from the President. First of all, clarity on what precisely they wanted to discuss; and two: whether Nagamootoo has the weight to make commitments on behalf of the PNC and APNU; which I did today.”

After raising the issue with Granger, the President offered to lead the talks himself.

Goolsarran should answer for seven years of un-audited accounts for all of Guyana T he former Auditor-General, Anand Goolsarran, has questioned the current Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, on presenting audited accounts for the Public Service Ministry (PSM) and has called on him to provide to an explanation.

And Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has underscored the double standard in Goolsarran’s call, nothing

that as Auditor General he failed to present audited accounts for all of Guyana, not one agency, for seven years.

“For seven years we had no audited accounts for the entire Guyana… he did zero… it pains me that people masquerade a lot and the throw figures out there., pass themselves off as persons with a ton of integrity…. if you are a

transparency advocate, you should be transparent too,” he said.

Additionally, Goolsarran has failed to respond to the Parliamentary Opposition’s calls for him to justify his claim that some $28B was lost in procurement fraud annually under successive People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administrations.

he David Granger-led APNU+AFC Coalition Government is allowing a deterioration of the industrial climate in Guyana, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, referring to the deadlock between the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) and the Government, relative to the establishment of the arbitration panel.

His comments came during his Thursday (September 27, 2018) news conference, where he added that the teachers returned to the negotiating table in good faith and are not being similarly engaged by the Government.

Jagdeo added that the Coalition Government’s actions are also heightening suspicion that the teachers will be treated unfairly.

“Why doesn’t he (Granger) step in?” Jagdeo questioned.

He added, “This (the current state of affairs) calls for leadership from this government.”

In the first week of September 2018, thousands of teachers across the country proceeded on strike. The strike action followed a series of failures on the part of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government to respond to the concerns of teachers.

In December 2015, the Guyana Teachers Union submitted its multi-year proposal to the Ministry of Education.

After almost two years of in-action by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, the Union threatened strike action on October 26, 2017.

President David Granger only met with Union officials after strike action was threatened.

Meanwhile, on October 29, 2017, a high-level task force was established to in-

vestigate and present a report with recommendations on the education sector. On April 6, 2018, the report from that Task Force was handed to the Ministry of Education.

No action was taken based on the report. One of the recommendations of the Task Force was a 40 per cent increase on 2015 salaries and a five percent increase for the years 2016, 2017, 2018 – a recommendation that the GTU supports.

With no action taken on the Task Force’s report, there were more talks between the Union and the Ministry of Education. However, when these broke down, the Union informed the Ministry of Labour that it was proceeding on strike action.

When the strike action ended, it was agreed that there would be moves to set up an arbitration panel – a move that is now stalled.

the hike in public debt at US$19 million. The report divides this debt into external and domestic. External debt increased by 1.5 per cent from a December position of US$1.241 billion to US$1.265 billion.

“The rise in the stock of external debt was on account of higher disbursements by multilateral creditors, specifically, IADB and CDB, for financing of social and economic infrastructural projects,” the report states.

Domestic debt, on the other hand, increased to $89.5 million, from a December position of $88.8 million. Domestic debt, the report notes, increased because of a hike in treasury bills by 1.3 per cent.

“(This) resulted mainly from a 1.5 per cent growth in the stock of the 364-day treasury bills during the first quarter,” the report adds.

The Public Debt Annual Report released by the Finance Ministry in 2016 had highlighted that, since 2015, there has been a 4.1 per cent rise in Guyana’s indebtedness to creditors.

The report details that Guyana’s total debt, inclusive of external and domestic, increased to $330 billion as at December 2016.

A breakdown of the figures shows that total external debt amounted to $240 billion, a 72.6 per cent bite out of the total public debt.

On the other hand, domestic debt stood at $90.6 billion, or 27.4 per cent of the total.

APNU+AFC debt management a major issue of concern

T

he APNU+AFC Coalition Government’s management of Guyana’s debt is cause for concern, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Asked about the recent US$36M loan taken from China at his Thursday (September 27, 2018) news conference, he noted that while he is not opposed to engagements with China, the focus must be on transparent management of the loan monies.

“My concern is how they manage out debt,” he said.

Public debt is on the rise, and it has been revealed that external debt repayments are also on the rise. This is according to the recently released Bank of Guyana Quarterly Report and Statistical Bulletin, which pegged

13

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

MEET THE PPP/C CANDIDATES LGE 2018...

TOWN OF MABARUMA

BENJAMIN BERNICE LORRIANE (HOSORORO HILL)

EMANUEL VILBERT (BARABINAKOBERIMO HILL)

PERSAUD MARK CHRISTENDAT (KUMAKA)

TOWN OF ANNA REGINA

PHANG CHRIS MARK (MABARUMA SETTLEMENTBARIMANOBO)

PRABHULALL RAJENDRA LALL CONSTITUENCY #1

WILLIAMS RUDOLPH COMPTON CONSTITUENCY #2

PERSAUD DEONARINE CONSTITUENCY #3

RAFEEQ MUHAMMAD CONSTITUENCY #6

PERSAUD HERMAN AMRIT CONSTITUENCY #7

FITZALLEN LORNA CONSTITUENCY #8

ROBINSON CAROLYN ADELVA (THOMAS HILL-SMITH CREEK)

ALLY MOHAMED KHALEEM CONSTITUENCY #4

SINGH BORRIS RANDY (MABURUMA TOWNSHIP-MABARUMA COMPOUND-BROOMES ESTATE)

HUSMAN-ALLY BIBI NAZMOON CONSTITUENCY #5

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

LGE 2018...

MEET THE PPP/C CANDIDATES CITY OF GEORGETOWN

Isfehani Mohamed Shazam CONSTITUENCY #1

Ferguson Nalissa Patricia CONSTITUENCY #2

Ali Dimitri Karmal CONSTITUENCY #3

De Santos Patrick Neville CONSTITUENCY #4

Younge Dion CONSTITUENCY #5

Persaud Param CONSTITUENCY #6

Kuppen Bishram Salamaya CONSTITUENCY #7

James Lurlene CONSTITUENCY #8

Galloway Adio Malika CONSTITUENCY #9

Amos Ron Jason CONSTITUENCY #10

Persaud Mark Anthony CONSTITUENCY #11

Padmore Maxine Donnetta CONSTITUENCY #12

Persaud Alana CONSTITUENCY #13

Edwards Sixtus Patrick CONSTITUENCY #14

Moonsammy Michael Sahadeo CONSTITUENCY #15

TOWN OF NEW AMSTERDAM

Daniel Nathaniel Singh CONSTITUENCY #1

Zabarally Armogan CONSTITUENCY #2

Phillip Rose CONSTITUENCY #3

Bebi Shaziela Alli CONSTITUENCY #4

Nadira Fung Foot CONSTITUENCY #5

Gloria Patricia Beharry CONSTITUENCY #6

Nalini Tahal CONSTITUENCY #7

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

LGE 2018...

MEET THE PPP/C CANDIDATES TOWN OF ROSE HALL

RIKHRAMSRIKISHEN CONSTITUENCY #1

BOYBERT BISRAM CONSTITUENCY #2

DEONAUTH HARRINARINE CONSTITUENCY #3

DAVE BUDHU CONSTITUENCY #6

DEOKARRAN PURAN CONSTITUENCY #7

CHATTERGOON RAMNAUTH CONSTITUENCY #8

GAITREE SHEONARAIN CONSTITUENCY #4

ELVIS FITZGERALD PUNCH CONSTITUENCY #5

TOWN OF CORRIVERTON

DHAN PERSAUD RAMDASS CONSTITUENCY #1

INDERJIT PERSAUD ARJOON CONSTITUENCY #2

MARLENE ELISHA MANGAL CONSTITUENCY #3

SHAKUNTALA RICKNAUTH CONSTITUENCY #6

BEBI RAZIA LATIFAN RAMBARRAN CONSTITUENCY #7

WINSTON ROBERTS CONSTITUENCY #8

DEONARAIN SINGH CONSTITUENCY #4

NAZIMUL GHANI CONSTITUENCY #5

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

LGE 2018...

MEET THE PPP/C CANDIDATES TOWN OF BARTICA

NIRANJAN ROOPNARINE CONSTITUENCY #1

ANTHONY MURRAY CONSTITUENCY #2

DEVI PERSAUD CONSTITUENCY #3

ERWIN WARD CONSTITUENCY #4

ERROL JULIAN CONSTITUENCY #6

JOSEPH BHARRAT CONSTITUENCY #7

SOOKDEO SINGH CONSTITUENCY #8

SHELLAN JOHN CONSTITUENCY #9

BLAIR AKANNI AKINTUNDE ADEDEJI

FYFFE JAMES SHERRY CASSANDRA

HINDS PATRICA GWENETTE

LUTHER HAZLEN

RAZACK MONA VANESSA

SMARTT MICHEAL AMOS

CAITLIN POLLARD CONSTITUENCY #5

TOWN OF MAHDIA

MILLER ORIN JAMAL

17

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Another protest rocks the sugar belt…

Ovid Morrison in hot water AGAIN…

Farmer assaulted by APNU+AFC Sugar workers reject appointed official in Region 5 new demands being P

olice in West Berbice, Region 5, have been called in to investigate an alleged assault on a Region Five farmer by the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ovid Morrison.

The assault allegedly took place on a farm at Naarstigheid on a plot of land which Krishna Sewlall had been occupying for decades. Only recently, he was forced to remove when the REO ordered an excavator to destroy his crops.

Sections of the media have reported that that REO wanted to develop a model farm there.

The victim, Sewlall, has disclosed that he had gone to his farm on Wednesday (September 19, 2018) and was about to leave when he was attacked by the REO. He explained that a man who works with the REO, and who was carrying a cutlass at the time approached him, as the REO followed. According to Sewlall, the REO blocked him from exiting the farm and as he attempted to walk around him, the official held onto his waist and told him that he was carrying out a citizen’s arrest. He said as he fell to the ground, he rolled into a drain and the

REO put his arms around his neck and began to chock him. During that time the worker with the cutlass stood over the farmer and the REO kept him on the ground while searching him. According to Sewlall, while on the ground, he begged Morrison to stop since he was bleeding from the nostrils.

The ordeal ended after a Police Officer arrived on the scene. Sewelall said he was taken to the Police station and then sent to the Fort Wellington Hospital.

Sewlall and two other farmers whose farms were bulldozed went to the High

Court seeking an injunction against the REO, preventing him from occupying the land.

Meanwhile, the Police have since been furnished with a copy of the writ which was filed in the High Court which claims that the farmers have been occupying the land since 1989 and were granted a two-year lease for 1.4 acres in the March 2000 under the Social Impact Amelioration Project (SIMAP) for largescale farming. They claimed that since the expiration of their leases, they have developed the said property, cured the soil and prepared it for farming.

made by GuySuCo

S

everal workers of Blairmont Estate took part in a picketing exercise outside the Blairmont Estate’s order-line to demonstrate their strong disagreement with demands made by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), relative to new conditions under which wages will be paid.

The placards held by the sugar workers read: ‘Pay us at Pay Offices’; ‘GuySuCo must stop coercing us to use the bank system’; ‘End coercing us to use the Banking System’; ‘Law requires payment of wages in money only’; ‘No CONSULTATION is Big Stick Methodology’; ‘Consult us – No Dictating to us’; ‘Blairmont Estate must respect workers’ rights’; and ‘Down with big stick methodology – Consult us – Don’t compel us’.

The demonstrators used the opportunity to call on the Corporation for the timely payment of their wages every week as they are literally living pay day to pay day and delays, as have been occurring so regularly, add to workers’ frustration.

The protesting workers shared, at this time, they are being threatened and coerced into agreeing to have their wages sent to the bank. They pointed out that should they request a job letter or seek the estate’s assistance with regard to NIS claims, for instance, they are told such assistance would be withheld until they agree to have their wages payable through the bank. This is most disturbing and can be seen as tantamount to blackmail while adding to hardships they today face.

The protestors also charged that in utilizing the

banking system, they will incur bank charges, taxi fares apart from the significant loss of time every week to transact withdrawals from their bank accounts.

Notably, the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), representing the sugar workers, has said these additional costs also must be viewed against the backdrop of the present wage freeze imposed in the sugar industry since 2015.

“During that time, workers are now made to pay VAT on electricity and water, taxes have been imposed on previously exempt goods, etc, these are all adding up to making life a nightmare,” GAWU said.

The Union added, “… apart from the very compelling reasons advanced, the Corporation’s thrust runs contrary to the Labour Act which requires at Section 19(1) that wages be paid in money. But apart from that, the Act goes on, at Section 19(4) to mandate employers to pay wages at convenient places near to the workplace. This is noteworthy and the Corporation, we believe, should not ignore this fact nor the workers reasonable positions.

“The GAWU stands with the workers and the pensioners and calls on the Corporation to do what is right and decent and to pay the workers at their regular pay offices as they have been doing for a long time now. The compulsion and threatening attitude of the GuySuCo will not augur well to improve relations between the workers and the management which has been badly beaten over the last three years.”

GuySuCo is yet to respond to the concerns raised.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Scenes from Nomination Day – PPP/ C fields over 3,000 candidates

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

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Scenes from Nomination Day – PPP/ C fields over 3,000 candidates

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

The Bottom Line – A look at issues affecting cost of living in Guyana

Residents of Georgetown are now looking at the introduction of new garbage collection fee

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ity Hall is currently compiling its recommendations on how much residents should pay, ahead of the presentation of Budget 2019.

In January, Town Clerk, Royston King, had announced that the Council was contemplating whether or not to attach a fee to the free garbage collection that is being done presently. The Town Clerk had stated that garbage collection required a hefty sum of money to carry out operations and in some cases; the Council is unequipped with some of the other resources.

This revelation came at the peak of negotiations between solid waste contractors – Cevons Waste Management and Puran Brothers – who had once again pulled their services, even though Central Government had cleared the over $300M debt owed by the City Council.

Since then, City Hall spent some $75M on equipment for the Solid Waste Management Department.

The equipment is expected to arrive soon to boost operations. Solid Waste Director, Walter Narine had informed that the contract for the supply and delivery of a garbage

truck, as well as a tractor and two trailers went to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). The bid was awarded to Industrial Supplies of Guyana (ISG) which won the bid for the supply of the garbage truck and should be in a position to deliver same in October.

He revealed that City Hall initially intended to purchase two garbage trucks, but was unable to do so, since it would have exceeded its $75 million budget.

It is unclear how much the garbage collection fee will be increased by.

Mahaicony Branch Road posing challenges for farmers F armers and residents along the Mahaicony Branch Road are appealing for authorities to make an effort to fix the road.

According to residents, some parts are almost impas-

sible with tractors and other farm equipment required to access the thousands of acres of lands.

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarian and Head of the

Rice Producers Association (RPA), Dharamkumar Seeraj, has noted that rice farmers, as well as cash crop farmers, are already facing difficulties and stressed the urgency for the repairs to be done.

Two years later…

Vendors unable to ply their trade at Kitty Market S

everal vendors who were removed from the Kitty Market in 2016 are seeking answers regarding when rehabilitation works on the market would be completed and they would be able to return.

The Kitty Market has been undergoing rehabilitation works since 2016.

The affected vendors have expressed their dissatisfaction with the pace at which the works at the market are moving. The vendors also spoke about how unhappy they were after hearing of the proposed stall rental fees.

At a recent press conference, city officials stated that the first phase of rehabilitation of the Kitty Market was completed.

Meanwhile, vendors who are expected to take up stalls at the rehabilitated Kitty Market have also called on the Mayor and City Council to reconsider a proposed rate of $20,000 per month for the rental of stalls along the exterior of the building.

Town Clerk Royston King has said that City Hall is moving ahead with the rate structure, which would see vendors paying approximately $20,000 per month per stall.

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Councilor, Khame Sharma, has also called for a reduction of the fee on behalf of the stall holder and suggested that they be subsidized. In response to this suggestion,

King told the council that the fee was fixed based on the operational cost of the market. King said, “We have to cover our operational cost.

They are going to use council space and would have to pay the increase because it is a new facility. The money collected goes back into the city. We will not be able to manage if we don’t recover the cost.”

The vendors, who have been occupying spots along the parapets surrounding the market, are expected to begin occupying the stalls within two weeks.

Meanwhile, works on the market have still not been completed – the entire ground floor of the market is still to be competed.

City Constabulary ranks accused of shaking down vendors, damaging property

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anks of the City Constabulary have been implicated in allegations of a ‘shakedown’ by vendors.

Street vendors have complained that they are subjected to a regular shakedown the ranks.

According to the complaint lodged by several vendors, ranks of City Constables attached to the Georgetown Mayor and City Coun-

cil have continually engaged in harassment by demanding money from street vendors who conduct business in several sections of the city.

Ranks from the City Constabulary, allegedly, regularly target vendors along Alexander Street, Regent Street, Robb Street, Bourda Street and the downtown Stabroek Market area.

During the shakedown op-

eration, constables would put pressure on vendors and threaten to remove them or dismantle their stalls to get their money.

Some vendors have also complained about losses they incurred after refusing to hand monies over the ranks of the City Constabulary.

It is still unclear what action will be taken in the matter.

Another business closes its door

H

aving been in business for decades, the Ashmins’ building on Hadfield and High Streets has been put on sale.

The store, which has been at the site since 1990 and renovated and expanded over seven years ago, has now been decorated with a large ‘Property for Sale by the Owner’ sign.

This is the latest popular establishment to close its door.

In the meantime, Guyana’s economy continues to

perform poorly.

The performance of major sectors according to final 2017 figures, which were revised in February 2018, show that: the agriculture sector only grew by 0.4% (projected to grow by 5.2%); the sugar sector contracted by 25.2% (projected to grow by 13.7%); other crops sector only grew by 2.4% (projected to grow by 4.4%); and that the mining and quarrying sector contracted by 8.8% (projected to grow by 0.7%).

Initially, Government had projected that Guyana’s economy would have grown by a 3.8 per cent growth rate for 2017. This projection was reduced to 3.1 per cent.

It was then revised downwards again to 2.9 per cent.

The actual performance, 2.1 per cent, was recently disclosed.

NO FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS Additionally, foreign Direct Investments (FDI) (Turn to page 21)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

APNU+AFC Months later...

APNU+AFC gov’t still ‘kick-back silent on ‘government schemes’ – gov’t silent in the face of criticisms corruption’ highlighted C in US report orruption has been made an “institutional endeavour” under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, with a “mad scramble” by government ministers to accumulate “as much as they can” before the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

This was the view proffered

by Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.

Notably, the 2017 and 2018 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), produced by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department, are markedly different, in that “government corruption” is cited as a major source of money laundering in Volume 2 of the latest report.

THE ‘KICKBACK SCHEMES’ INCLUDE: 1. Work permits being sold for as much as US$1,000; and Guyanese documents being sold for as much as US$6,000.

2. Gun licences being sold at exorbitant costs, $1.2M for shotgun licences and $600,000 for 6MM pistols.

Licenses for security com-

panies are going for millions more.

3. Ministers are involved in a rental scam, where properties are rented at inflated prices and part of which goes back to the minister in question.

4. The establishment of front companies, with government officials using names of friends or family members to set up companies, which then benefit from massive government contracts – all in breach of Guyana’s procurement laws.

5. Prime gold mining lands being given to parties linked to government ministers, who guarantee APNU+AFC officials a return on the operations.

6. Dozens of cases settled out of court, for a price, with no disclosure on why there was a decision to settle.

7. Misuse of taxpayers’ monies, with massive properties being constructed for Government ministers.

8. The loss of billions in revenue because of Government supported fuel smuggling rackets. In April 2018, several individuals were impli-

cated in massive fuel smuggling, but managed to get off with a fine of $36M, which was paid to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). The boat was released and no charged were filed, whereas usual procedure would have seen a different course of action being taken. Following reports that authorities, on April 19, 2018, took control of a vessel – the Jubilee – because it was suspected to have been involved in fuel smuggling, documents linking the vessel’s operations to prominent local figures were released. Company documents for entity, SBF International Inc., names Attorney-at-Law, Roysdale Forde, Anand Sanasie and Dorwain Bess as Directors.

Another document, a leaked agreement, names SBF International as the company that engaged the services of Sia Regulus, which owns the Jubilee. That agreement was signed by Forde in May 24, 2016 and one, Captain Alexander Kilmanskiy.

Despite the criticisms government has remained silent.

structure has acted in a corrupt and illegal manner… and he got the approval of Cabinet for that contract….

Cabinet has no authority to do this…I could have refused this (SOCU’s request for an interview), but I came here so that there will be no exceptions when this matter comes up…so we will be looking for the double standard…once they established this precedent, they will be obligated to pursue it (the same course of action) in the same manner,” he said.

He added that SOCU Head, when pressed, indicated that the complaint filed

by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), in relation to the illegally approved contract for the feasibility study on a new Demerara River, is being investigated. “I asked whether SOCU was proceeding with the case against Patterson and the answer was yes,” Jagdeo said.

According to him, James disclosed that Minister David Patterson has sent a statement to SOCU and will be called into the SOCU office next week for questioning. Jagdeo added that James assured that Cabinet (Turn to page 26)

T

he 2018 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), produced by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department, cites “government corruption” as a major source of money laundering – marking the first time in contemporary history that this has happened.

However, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government continues to remain silent on this matter. Not one government minister or official has addressed this matter.

Commenting on the report, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, stressed that the Government has been curiously silent on the US State Department’s report.

Jagdeo added too that many of the personalities and groups that took such reports as “gospel” during

the PPP/C tenure in office, but have now, also, gone silent. “Where is Goolsarran?” he questioned, noting that former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran, was outspoken about what he believed was corruption under the former PPP/C government.

Goolsarran had been one of the persons hired by the Coalition government to conduct forensic audits, which were supposed to prove corruption. A massive $133M of taxpayers’ money was spent on about 45 audits. The Coalition government has been criticised for the manner in which the audits were commissioned, since many supporters of APNU+AFC were given contracts – including Goolsarran. Goolsarran received four contracts totaling over $6M, with the largest contract sum being $2.3M. Another $8M was paid to

Christopher Ram’s company, Ram and McRae, for the audit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). In total Ram’s company was tasked with eight contracts totaling over $37M. How much remaining five audits cost – a total of 50 having been cited by government as intended pursuits – remains unknown.

According to Jagdeo, the US officials “clearly saw something” that made it necessary for the words “government corruption” to be included in the 2018 report.

The Opposition Leader made clear that given the numerous breaches of financial laws, the Procurement Act, etc. – and the many underhand dealings that have been exposed, the APNU+AFC Coalition government is one of “the most corrupt” Guyana has seen.

business closes... (From page 20) SOCU still to call in APNU+AFC Another in Guyana, according to a on securing investments. participation of a 16-memfrom the Department To date there has been no ber delegation, including Cabinet members over ‘illegally’ report of Public Information, in- details on the outcomes of four ministers and ‘honcreased from US$58M in those trips. orific’ advisors. Here too, approved contract 2016 to US$212M in 2017.

In October 2015, a high- there has been no work of

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pecial Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), has still not called in Cabinet Ministers over the illegally approved, for which it has a complaint.

In an effort to set a precedent, Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, voluntarily appeared at the office on Monday, September 17, 2018.

In speaking to members of the media, he said, “My purpose is to establish a precedent. As I pointed out to you, we have filed a matter with SOCU where the Minister of Public Infra-

The increase was credited to activities in the oil and gas sector.

However, even with activities in the oil and gas sector, the 2017 numbers are still lower than the 2014 numbers (US$255M).

Concerns have been expressed about government’s ability to attract foreign direct investments by the Parliamentary Opposition.

In three years, among several other trips made, there were three massive excursions between 2015 and 2017 – excursions that Guyanese were told focused

level ministerial delegation to Canada included, First Vice President and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson and Minister of Business and Investment Dominic Gaskin. The intention was to address investment possibilities. Despite multiple queries, to date there has been no update on what materialised from this trip.

In June 2016, there was a New York investment conference, which saw the

what investments proposals materialised from the two trips – if any.

In May 2017, a 12-member Guyanese team, including Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin, were on a Trade and Investment Explanatory Mission in Brazil, and were slated to participate in several rounds of discussions with investors in Boa Vista. As with the first no, no outcome statement detailed progress of the undertaking.

There have been no tangible results from theses trips.

22

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

2018 Local Government Elections Goings-on PPP/C contesting LGE in all 80 areas...

‘Selection of LGE candidates’ was done in – over 3,000 candidates and inclusive manner – Jagdeo 20,000 backers fielded

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ast Friday (September 21, 2018) was Nomination Day and the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) submitted lists of candidates for all 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs).

PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, at a news conference on Monday (September 22, 2018) held at Freedom House, Robb Street, disclosed that over 3,000 candidates in the various constituencies in the LAAs have been fielded, as well as 20,000 backers for the candidates. Several of the candidates were also present for the news conference.

Addressing the process used to select candidates, he said, “We sought to be as inclusive as possible in the selection of candidates. The leadership of the Party, after consulting with its structures, decided to give guidance across the country to each of the Local Government Areas that are contesting the 2018 Local Government Elections.

“We insisted first of all that in each area, each of the 80 areas, that we would set up a Local Government Elec-

“We insisted that the candidates much reflect the inclusivity of Guyana. We sought as far as possible to do this… we wanted more women on our lists.

We wanted religious and class balance.

We didn’t want all intellectuals and no farmers or fishermen because they have a role too and vice versa. We wanted a balanced list that reflected class, gender, race and religion.” – PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo tions Coordinating Teams comprised of members from each area, including members of the People’s Progressive Party, prominent members of civil society, some of our Members of Parliament so they can guide the process from the ground. “…the first thing we insisted on, the instructions to our structures on the ground, was that we said we wanted the list to reflect a balance between PPP members and members of civil society – retired teachers, retired policemen and other prominent individuals – who are committed to doing social

work. We have many of them who are active in local government bodies, but are not members of our party and they may be sympathizers who agree with our programme, but are not members of the party and we want them included on our list because they have a great contribution to make in the development of their villages, NDC [Neighbourhood Democratic Council] or municipalities,” “…secondly, we insisted that the candidates much reflect the inclusivity of Guyana. We sought as far as possible to do this…we wanted

more women on our lists. We wanted religious and class balance. We didn’t want all intellectuals and no farmers or fishermen because they have a role too and vice versa. We wanted a balanced list that reflected class, gender, race and religion.”

On the issue of the qual-

dates was followed. “…we want them (the candidates) to have an attitude and a way of communicating with people that made them feel that their representatives have their interests in hand… and then we also said that people must be willing to represent issues

Jagdeo made clear that a process was followed. “We insisted that a process must be followed – that they consult as widely as possible…. it’s not just about sitting in a room with the list of criteria and handpicking people by a small group. We wanted our local elections teams to go

“We wanted the list to reflect a balance between PPP members and members of civil society – retired teachers, retired policemen and other prominent individuals – who are committed to doing social work. We have many of them who are active in local government bodies but are not members of our party and they may be sympathisers who agree with our programme, but are not members of the party and we want them included on our list because they have a great contribution to make in the development of their villages, NDC [Neighbourhood Democratic Council] or municipalities.” – PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo ities of the candidates, he said, “I want to say to you that the qualities of the persons we wanted were outlined (to our Local Government Elections Coordinating Teams on the ground) and a process to select the candi-

in their community and [have a] willingness to give time for volunteerism because these positions, those who become councilors, are not going to get large sums of money. The major part of the work is voluntary.”

out as widely as possible and solicit names from people who live in the communities and the 80 lists reflect lots of that work.”

Local Government Elections are scheduled for November 12, 2018.

LGE 2018 commitment…

No increase in property rates in PPP/C controlled Local Authority Areas

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he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) had made it clear that no Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) or Regional Democratic Council (RDC) where it has majority representation will support an increase in rates and taxes.

This commitment was reiterated by PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo,

during a news conference held at Freedom House, Robb Street, on Monday (September 22, 2018). His comment was made in the presence of dozens of candidates contesting the 2018 Local Government Elections, who were present for the news conference.

Jagdeo said, “We have been in opposition to in-

creasing the rates and taxes across the country. We believe this government has increased too many taxes. So, we are opposed to any new burden on people’s backs.

There is a surreptitious move on the part of this government to increase valuations.”

Despite the calls for ‘no more taxes’, the APNU+AFC Coalition Gov-

ernment is pushing ahead with the planned countrywide property valuation, as a means to increase collection of rates and taxes.

The exercise is set to commence next month in the town of New Amsterdam, before moving farther afield.

A contract to the value of approximately $330M has been awarded to a Canadian

company, Municipal Property Assessment of Ontario, an entity that does property evaluation for the province of Ontario.

Jagdeo said, “They’ve hired a company from abroad to do this countrywide evaluation…there can be only one purpose to this; to increase valuation of property means your taxes are going up. Any

area the PPP wins, we will not increase rates and taxes, because that’s a local issue.

So people who vote APNU will be voting to increase their taxes.”

Notably, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has increased taxation by some $60B, when compared to the 2014 taxation levels.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

2018 Local Government Elections Goings-on

Multiple cases of electoral fraud committed

by AFC reported in Region 6

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esidents of Good Hope/ Number 51 Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Region 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne) are claiming they did not put their names on forms submitted to the Returning Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by the Alliance For Change (AFC) on Nomination Day, last Friday (September 21, 2018).

The controversial names on the AFC list included the names of: • One dead person; • Six Guyanese living overseas; and • 18 Guyanese who claim they did not sign the forms, including a man – Dhanraj Deonat – who cannot read or write.

The daughter of Deonat — Babita Davie — has publicly said that it was impossible for her father to have signed the AFC list, because he can neither read nor write.

She explained that Deonat

Dhanraj Deonat contends that he can neither read nor write. His ID card has a thumb print representing his signature

uses his thumb print whenever he is required to sign something. The woman also presented her father’s National Identification Card (ID Card) to show that the number corresponds with the number affixed next to Deonat’s name on the AFC list submitted to GECOM. On the identification card there is a thumb print in place of a signature.

Davie added that her

name and identification number also appear on the AFC list with a signature next to it. She stressed that she had never signed a form for the AFC, and that the signature which appeared next to her name is not hers.

Another resident, Bebi Khatija Isahak, said she also has never signed any form, but her name and a signature purporting to be hers appear on the AFC list.

The list on which Dhanraj Deonat’s name was included

Meanwhile, relatives of Radha Jugroo said she died in the USA on June 26, 2018, but her name and a

Complaints of electoral fraud in 42 of 80 Local Authority Areas – Jagdeo I

n the past few weeks, reports of actions by the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which have been dubbed as actions ‘tantamount to electoral fraud’, have been highlighted by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C).

And on Monday (September 22, 2018), during a news conference held at Freedom House, Robb Street, the PPP General Secretary disclosed that on Nomination Day, last Friday (September 21, 2018), complaints were reported in 42 of the 80 Local Authority Areas, where Local Government Elections are scheduled to be held later this year. He explained that false information was found on the lists for 42 out of the 80 Local Authority Areas submitted by the AFC, APNU and the United Republican Party (URP).

He said, “We have observed that from our internal information over the last sev-

“We will be pushing for a greater definition of the offences and stiffer penalties because it’s a massive set of fraudulent actions. In 42 of the 80 local authority areas they have submitted false information.” – PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo eral days that in 42 of the 80 areas either APNU, AFC or the URP have forged signatures or have misled people into signing the backers’ list. We are finding, now, people who said ‘I never signed a document’ or they were saying that they signed [they] believed it was for something else. “…we will be pushing for a greater definition of the offences and stiffer penalties because it’s a massive set of fraudulent actions. In 42 of the 80 local authority areas they have submitted false information and we are getting the people now, large numbers of them, and you will see them coming forward over the next few days.

In fact, many of them will be going into the ROs’ offices to say they don’t want to be on that list.”

Jagdeo made clear that an investigation by the PPP is being done.

The PPP General Secretary stressed the need for the Guyana Elections Commission to put in place stiffer penalties for election related offences by offending political parties.

GECOM STAFF COMPLAINTS These penalties, according to him, should also apply to offending GECOM officials, given that there have been reports of partisan actions by some of the Re-

turning Officers (ROs) hired

by GECOM. Jagdeo explained that while the ROs have performed “generally well” across the country, his party did find a few exceptions where the officers acted in an “illegal and partisan manner” and the party intends to bring it to the attention of GECOM for disciplinary actions.

“We will be pressing ahead to urge GECOM [Guyana Elections Commission] now for the national elections to look at areas where we will strengthen penalties for transgressions of the law. Not just for ROs (Returning Officers) and election officials, but also for parties contesting elections when they act fraudulently,” he said.

The PPP General Secretary added, “…we have been asking for this even in the past elections… we’ve been requesting this but GECOM has to initiate it. GECOM is a constitutional body and they have to initiate a lot of changes and it can’t be done by the executive alone.”

signature purporting to be hers have appeared on the AFC list.

The AFC list was sub-

mitted to the Returning Officer (RO) in the areas by Kumar Bridgelall, who represents the AFC.

PPP supporters say they were tricked to sign APNU LGE forms

S

upporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) are claiming that they were tricked into signing forms which put them as candidates for the A Partnership for National Unity team to contest the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).

At least seven persons have reported this to the party’s regional office in New Amsterdam.

A declaration signed by one of the persons whose names appears on both the PPP and APNU list Omesh Kumar is one such person. According to him, he did sign a form to indicate that he will be a candidate for the PPP but on Nomination Day, his name also appeared on the A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) list of candidates.

A second person, Tu-

lapersaud Heeman Kumar, claims that he was tricked into signing a second form. He said that following a consultation meeting which the PPP held last week, he was nominated to be one of its representatives. However, the following day, a prominent villager who once supported the PPP, and whom he later learnt now supports APNU, went to his home and gave him a similar form to sign. According to him, the man told him that there was a mistake on the form he had signed for the PPP and he had to sign it again. Heeman Kumar said he was unaware that the second form he was signing was going to be taken to APNU. The affected persons have since signed affidavits indicating their choice of party they wish to support.

24

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

2018 Local Government Elections Goings-on

PPP-nominated GECOM Commissioners decry ‘GECOM-assisted’ fraud – over 150 persons not allowed to remove their names controversial lists

P

ersons whose names appeared on various voters’ lists for the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE), but had no knowledge of it were given the op-

such as: Crabwood Creek, Corriverton, Fifty One Good Hope, Whim, Bloomfield, Number 63, Berbice; and La Grange, La Jalousie and Canal Polder, West Bank Demerara.

changes they were told by the respective Returning Officers (RO) at the various polling stations that this could only be done if the head of a list could visit the polling station with a signed affidavit or the

aggrieved person appeared in person, not one individual submitting for a group.

it goes against the wishes of persons who have listed themselves as nominators for particular parties or groups or persons who they want to support.”

Further, Benn said that in some cases, persons have reported being called and threatened not to make any changes if their names appear on the list. He is of the opinion that this is allowing for a situation where persons who never wanted their names on a list or a certain list having no avenue in which their names could be withdrawn.

GECOM STAFF UNREACHABLE He said, “All the staff of GECOM are reportedly unreachable at this point in time while, the ROs are refusing to have persons correct the ‘fraudulent’ inclusion of their name. We have tried to contact the CEO for … hours, but we haven’t managed to get him. “…for us, it’s a problem, because it goes against an agreement and secondly,

UNABLE TO REMOVE NAMES By the end of Wednesday (September 26, 2018), some 151 persons from Crabwood Creek, Corriverton and Number 63, Berbice were unable to have their names removed from both the AFC and APNU lists since the ROs claimed that they received no instructions from Lowenfield.

Meanwhile, PPP GECOM Commissioner Bibi

“My discussions with the CEO, yesterday and up to this morning, were that affidavits by person objecting would be accepted by the different RO by midnight tonight and those affidavits can be submitted by the Leader or Deputy leader of a list, and the person objecting. However, apparently the DCEO (Deputy Chief Elections Officer) had issued instructions to the RO that the persons should bring the affidavits in person, contrary to what was discussed.” – PPP-nominated GECOM Commissioner, Bibi Shaddick portunity to have it corrected on Wednesday (September 26, 2018) by 23:59 hours.

This decision was made at the statutory meeting held at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Tuesday (September 25, 2018), when all Commissioners, including those nominated by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) were present.

Reports have surfaced about fraudulent inclusion of persons names on Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) lists in areas

However, on Wednesday when some of these persons turned up to have the issue rectified at the various GECOM facilities in their communities, they were blocked from doing so.

PPP-nominated GECOM Commissioner, Robeson Benn, explained that assurances were given by GECOM Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield that once affidavits for each individual were produced, it would be corrected.

However, he disclosed that when these persons showed up to make the necessary

“All the staff of GECOM are reportedly unreachable at this point in time while, the ROs are refusing to have persons correct the ‘fraudulent’ inclusion of their name. We have tried to contact the CEO for … hours, but we haven’t managed to get him.”

– PPP-nominated GECOM Commissioner, Robeson Benn Shaddick claimed that the Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers had issued instructions to the ROs that the persons should bring the affidavits in person, contrary to what was discussed.

She said, “My discussions with the CEO, yesterday and up to this morning, was that affidavits by person objecting would be accepted by the different RO by midnight tonight and those affidavits can be submitted by the Leader or Deputy leader of a list, and the person objecting. However, apparently the DCEO (Deputy Chief Elections Officer) had issued instructions to the RO that the persons should bring the affidavits in person, contrary to what was discussed.

“Today (WednesdaySeptember 26, 2018) in La Grange an RO was refusing to accept an affidavit from a Leader of a list and the CEO intervened, when he was contacted by her, and instructed that once the Leader or Deputy Leader of

the list brings in an affidavit they have to accept…the CEO never wrote to the RO, informing them of the procedure and it was the DCEO who is conveying the wrong message to the ROs. “The CEO was gone, and I tried calling him and he is not answering and I called the DCEO and she informed me that they are only collecting documents which are defective and that the persons must bring it themselves. I informed her that that was not the decision taken and that she should email all the ROs informing them of the decision. The DCEO said she will consult with the CEO and then she will send the email.”

According to Shaddick, an attorney, the DCEO was also asked to copy the PPP nominated Commissioners in the email. “This is GECOM-assisted fraud,” Shaddick argued.

Legal options, according to the two PPP-nominated GECOM Commissioners, are being considered.

‘Partisan’ actions of ROsss reported at Plegtanker/Kortberaadt NDC

R

eports have been made about partisan action of the Returning Officer (RO) hired by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) at the Plegtanker/Kortberaadt NDC in Region 6 (East Bank/ Corentyne.

The People’s Progressive

Party/ Civic (PPP/C) representative in the area, Adrian Anamayah, has said that the Party arrived at the NDC with its list of candidates on Thursday (September 20, 2018) – the day before Nomination Day, Friday (September 21, 2018) at about 20:00 hours. Despite this, he

explained that the PPP/C was prevented from presenting its list first.

According to him, a security guard at the NDC office reserved a place for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which arrived sometime after 05:30 hours on Nomination

Day. He stated that the Returning Officer allegedly allowed APNU to submit its list first.

According to Anamayah, APNU members had fooled persons in Region 6 and had caused them to sign documents and presented the names of

those persons on their lists of candidates.

He said that had his party been allowed to be the first to submit its documents, as should rightly have been the case, some of ‘falsified’ submissions made by APNU would not have been allowed.

Anamayah is contending the PPP/C was denied its right to be the first to submit its list and he is alleging that GECOM already is acting in a seemingly biased manner. According to him, the PPP/C will be challenging the actions of the Returning Officer in court.

25

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

2018 Local Government Elections Goings-on

PPP puts AFC on blast for ‘spins’ about people trying to withdraw names from AFC lists F

acts regarding fraudulent inclusion of persons’ names on the Lists of Nominators (Backers lists) for the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) are a matter of public record, according to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which waded into the AFC for unsubstantiated claims.

The AFC in a statement claimed that its ‘supporters’ were being intimidated by the PPP into removing their names from the AFC lists.

However, the PPP fired back, in a statement of its own, and said, “The AFC, interestingly enough, has accused the PPP of intimidating local government candidates into removing their names from the AFC lists. However, the facts are a matter of public record, including reports by the local media corps over the past two weeks, which speak to persons being ‘tricked’ and ‘pressured’ into signing AFC List of Nominators. “…the PPP and its General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, for the past two weeks have spoken out about acts by the AFC, as well as the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which are tantamount to electoral fraud.

“The Party rejects the unsubstantiated claims being made by the AFC. The PPP has been involved in a process of documenting the acts of electoral fraud committed by both AFC and APNU and will be pursuing the matter with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The Party doubts that the AFC can do the same, given that their claims are unfounded.”

NAGAMOOTOO’S RELATIVE The Party cited the involvement of Mavis Nag-

Some of the 51 persons at Whim/ Bloomfield NDC waiting to have their names removed from the AFC list

Sister-in-law of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Mavis Nagamoooto

Sister-in-law of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, \Mavis Nagamoooto, appeared before the Returning Officer at Whim/ Bloomfield NDC with a special constable in tow

amootoo, sister-in-law of Prime Minister and AFC Executive, Moses Nagamootoo.

The PPP said, “Presently, in Region 6, at the Whim/ Bloomfield Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC),

where Mavis Nagamootoo, the sister-in-law of AFC Executive and Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, is the Leader of the List, a total of 51 persons have submitted sworn affidavits to have their

names removed.

“Despite the fact that the 51 persons are in possession of sworn affidavits, some of them are being subjected to a confrontation with Mavis Nagamootoo, by the Returning Officer (RO) to have their names removed from the AFC List of Nominators.

“The persons are afraid of confrontation due to their worries that the Prime Minister’s office will be used by his sister-in-law to target them and take away benefits that they currently access, such as pension and public assistance.”

Additionally, Nagamootoo’s sister was seen at the Whim/ Bloomfield NDC in the company of a police escort.

BELOW IS THE FULL PRESS RELEASE The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has noted the ‘spins’ emanating from the Alliance For Change (AFC), in a statement released earlier today (September 26,

2018), regarding the moves by several persons to remove their names, which were included on the AFC List of Nominators (backers list) fraudulently.

The AFC, interestingly enough, has accused the PPP of intimidating local government candidates into removing their names from the AFC lists. However, the facts are a matter of public record, including reports by the local media corps over the past two weeks, which speak to persons being ‘tricked’ and ‘pressured’ into signing AFC List of Nominators.

Presently, in Region 6, at the Whim/ Bloomfield Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), where Mavis Nagamootoo, the sisterin-law of AFC Executive and Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, is the Leader of the List, a total of 51 persons have submitted sworn affidavits to have their names removed.

Despite the fact that the 51 persons are in possession

of sworn affidavits, some of them are being subjected to a confrontation with Mavis Nagamootoo, by the Returning Officer (RO) to have their names removed from the AFC List of Nominators.

The persons are afraid of confrontation due to their worries that the Prime Minister’s office will be used by his sister-in-law to target them and take away benefits that they currently access, such as pension and public assistance.

Some of the 51 persons are also being subjected to questioning by the Returning Officer, an act that can be described as intimidation, given the line of questioning. The 51 persons have been made to answer questions such as: “Which political party do you support?”, “Why did you not object to your name being included on the AFC list earlier?”. The PPP is of the view that the 51 persons with their sworn affidavits should not be subjected to such treatment.

The PPP and its General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, for the past two weeks have spoken out about acts by the AFC, as well as the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which are tantamount to electoral fraud.

The Party rejects the unsubstantiated claims being made by the AFC. The PPP has been involved in a process of documenting the acts of electoral fraud committed by both AFC and APNU and will be pursuing the matter with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The Party doubts that the AFC can do the same, given that their claims are unfounded.

It would appear that the GECOM is complicit in this entire affair. The Party will address this matter further.

26

SOCU still to call in APNU+AFC Cabinet...

Ministers will also be questioned, given their involvement. “I was told that he (Patterson) will be called here (to SOCU’s office).

And that other members of the Cabinet will be invited to SOCU, so we are very pleased about that; that the same standard will be used. So hopefully from next week, you will start seeing members of the Government coming here to answer for the contract that was awarded illegally, with the complicity of Cabinet,” he said.

Jagdeo added that once the issue of the illegal contract for the feasibility study

on a new Demerara River is addressed by SOCU, another 5 cases will be forwarded to SOCU. PPC REPORT The PPC completed its investigation into the award of the contract for a feasibility study on a new Demerara River and handed its report over on August 7, 2018.

The report noted that several companies bid for the project – to do the feasibility study and design for the new Demerara River bridge – and 12 companies were shortlisted. The report added that only two of the 12

companies made proposals.

As such the bidding process was annulled. It added that on November 12, 2016, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) approved the move for the project to be re-tendered.

The project was not re-tendered. Instead, a Dutch Company, LivenseCSO, was engaged by Patterson’s Ministry.

The report, on page 7, noted that the bid from LivenseCSO was “unsolicited” and added that Patterson then took the company’s proposal to Cabinet for ap-

Canada issues crime warning about Guyana

M

onths after a similar advisory was released by the United States of America (USA), Canada has followed suit and issued a crime warning about Guyana to its citizens.

The Government of Canada cited Guyana for “high crime rates” and urged citizens travelling to Guyana to “exercise a high degree of caution.”

The North American country warned that, “Crime is prevalent across Guy-

ana. Assaults, break-ins, armed robberies, pickpocketing, purse snatching, theft from cars and carjacking are common….Canadians have been assaulted and robbed in daylight in other parts of Georgetown, including the city centre. Many crimes are committed along and around the sea wall, from east of the Pegasus Hotel Guyana to Sheriff Street. “…foreigners have been injured while being robbed at gunpoint, and some have

been attacked after withdrawing money at financial institutions, in shopping districts and in hotels. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Do not change money in the street with street changers; do so at banks, exchange offices and hotels.

Robberies and assaults also occur in taxis.”

The APNU+AFC Coalition Government has not responded to or commented on the warning issued by the Canadian government.

wo motorcycle bandits robbed a man of almost $80,000 in cash and jewelry on Saturday (September 22, 2018) after they held him at gunpoint in Lamaha Springs.

The victim, Olsen Koala, 36, a contractor of D’Urban Street, was walking with a friend in Lamaha Springs at around 22:10

hours, when they noticed two males on a motorcycle riding behind them.

The pillion rider dismounted and drew a handgun that was tucked in his pants’ waist and pointed it at Koala. The bandit then demanded that he hand over his valuables.

He handed over a phone valued at $40 000, a gold

chain worth $20 000 and $18 000 in cash.

After grabbing the items, the bandit pointed the gun in the air and discharged a round before escaping on the motorcycle with his accomplice.

The scene was subsequently visited by police ranks and a .32 spent shell was recovered.

(From page 21)

proval. Cabinet granted its approval for the company to be engaged.

The report, on page 7, stated that monies to be spent on the project were taken from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (Asphalt Plant Accounts).

The report said, “The PPC noted that the Minster of Public Infrastructure, by memorandum dated November 18 2016, made a request to the Cabinet for Government seeking consideration and approval to use funds from the Demerara Harbor Bridge Corporation to fund the feasibility study and to

commence a contractual engagement with LievenseCSO as of the 1 Jan 2017. The PPC noted that this request to Cabinet was not forwarded through the NPTA but submitted directly by the Minister of Public Infrastructure. The PPC also noted that Cabinet considered the memorandum submitted by the Minister of Public Infrastructure and in November 2016 approved a total sum of $161, 514, 420 to be used from the Demerara Harbor Bridge Corporation to cover cost for the feasibility study for a new bridge across the Demerara river.”

Notably, the General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, according to the PPC report, disclosed that the Board of the Corporation was not involved in the decision to spend its monies.

The report said, “He (Mr. Adams) stated that he had not signed the contract on behalf of the DHBC, but only because he was requested to do so by the Minister of Public Infrastructure.

The Parliamentary Opposition’s position is that the findings of the report evidence a flagrant breach of Guyana’s financial rules.

Sophia man busted with illegal gun, three others arrested A plain clothes policeman, on Monday (September 24, 2018), at about 23:00 hours, single-handedly managed to arrest three of four males whom he observed in Queenstown, Georgetown on bicycles, acting suspiciously.

The four men from Sophia, Greater Georgetown, are currently being questioned in relation to several armed robberies.

One of the suspects was found in possession of an unlicensed Magnum pistol with seven live rounds.

Vendor shot twice, women robbed by armed bandit

A

dog food vendor was shot twice and two women were robbed of cellphones and valuables on Monday (September 24, 2018).

The incident occurred about 20:40 hours at the corner of Aubrey Barker and Stevedore, North Ruimveldt; the suspect fled the scene in a waiting motor car.

The injured victim Shane Cooper, 26 of Jackson Ville, North Ruimveldt, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for gunshot wounds to the abdomen and left leg.

Investigations are in progress.

Another week, more contraband found at Lusignan Prison

Contractor latest victim of A

motorcycle bandits T

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

joint search by law officials of the Holding Bay areas of the Lusignan Prison around 12:02h and 14:50h on Monday (September 24, 2018_ unearthed various contraband items, including improvised weapons, drugs, tattoo machines and cellphones.

According to the Police, in Holding Bay One, they confiscated 3 improvised weapons, 4 lighters, 1 cell phone and 1 earpiece.

In Holding Bay Two, 14 cellphones, 15 sim cards, 1 tattoo machine, 5 scissors, 48 improvised weapons, 85 grams of cannabis, $3,040

cash, a quantity of chargers, 1 knife,1 chopper and a quantity of razor blades were found.

In Holding Bay Three, the joint services operatives confiscated 3 cell phones,9 improvised weapons ,1 tattoo machine,1 scissors,1 cable, 1 earpiece.

27

WEEKEND MIRROR 29-30 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Real Time Economic Insights Subsidy to GUYSUCO and Level of Export $100.00 $80.00

$80.00

USD$ M

• Accumulated value of sugar export declined by US$125 million , since 2014, when adjusted for inflation, which is equivalent to 36% of our average annual fuel import bill.

$88.00

$90.00

$67.00

$70.00 $57.14

$60.00

$52.38

$46.50 $42.86

$50.00 $40.00

$30.00

$28.91

$30.00

$39.00

$20.00 $10.00 $2014

2015

Subsidy (USD$ M)

2016

2017

2018

Export (USD$ M)

Key Observation:

• Had the government continued with GUYSUCO, there would be no need for the US$52 million loan from China, nor the US$20 million loan from IsDB. • Based on subsidy to export level , in monetary terms, GUYSUCO brought in foreign exchange in 2014 at a rate of GYD $69 per US$1 . In 2017, that cost increased to GYD$195 for US$1.

GUYSUCO was clearly a critical economic pillar of our economy. Though the entity recorded an accounting loss, there is still economic profit.

Projected State of Our Current Account Deficit 0.00 2015

2016

2017

Had the Government continued with GUYSUCO:

2018

(50.00)

US$ M

$(79.00) (100.00)

$(136.00)

(100.00)

If GUYSUCO was 100% operational

(150.00) (144.00)

$(193.50)

(200.00)

(235.00)

(250.00)

$(243.00) (292.00)

(300.00)

• External debt service would have reduced from US$61 as of 2017, to US$12 million or by 80.3%; • External debt would have reduced from US$1,241 million as of 2017 to US$1,116 million or by 10%.

(350.00)

Current Account (Actual)

• Current account deficit in 2017 would have improved from a deficit of US$235 million to US$193 million.

Current Account (Projected)

Key Observation: The improved current account deficit, had the government continued with GUYSUCO, would have increased our international reserve.

Projected State of Our International Reserve 700.00

652.00

602.00

500.00

652.00

Had the government continued with GUYSUCO:

654.50

625.00

600.00

567.60 594.00

596.00

584.00

473.00

US$ M

400.00 300.00 200.00 100.00 0.00 2014

2015

2016

2017

BoG International Reserves (Actual) BoG International Reserves (Projected)

Key Observation:

Mid- 2018

• International reserve held at BoG would have been US$94 million more when compared to the actual amount as of Mid -2018.

• Total international reserve as of December 2017 would have been 12% more when compared to actual.

• Import cover would have improved to 3.3 months instead of a current 2.6 months.

Our international reserve continues to drop, and is now US$179 less when compared to 2014.

T

he Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is a key component of our economy. Though the company recorded a significant decline is export, the company still brings in foreign exchange at a cheaper rate (GYD$195 to USD$1).

When compared to 2014, it took the company GYD$69 to earn USD$1. In other words, though the company relied heavily on subsidies from central government, huge economic profit were earned.

Given the accumulated loss in foreign exchange due to the contraction of the sugar industry, had the government continued to invest in the industry, today, there would have been no need for the US$52 million from China nor US$20 million from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). (Analyses done by Irfaan Ali, PPP/C MP)

Questions raised about ‘special procedure’ used by Felix’s department to document persons fleeing Venezuela

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cores of Guyanese living in Venezuela have been returning home. There has also been a high influx of Venezuelan nationals fleeing to Guyana because of the current state of affairs in the neighbouring country. To date, according to the Immigration Department, from April to September 20, 2018, a total of 2,220 Venezuelans have entered Guyana.

Meanwhile, the Immigration Department, headed by Winston Felix, has “documented through a special procedure identified for migrants” those who have entered Guyana.

It is unclear what the “special procedure” being used is.

Meanwhile, in addition to its call for more to be done from a humanitarian perspective, the Parliamentary Opposition has also called for a coordinated response to deal with persons entering Guyana from Venezuela.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, at one of his news conferences, said: “Sometime back I spoke about this larger threat to Guyana and that the Government was reticent to give us information and to share with the people of Guyana information on the exact nature of this threat. After I had been mentioning this for several months, almost two months, President Granger then announced that the

Army will give a briefing to some of our members of Parliament…that took place…I was briefed about the briefing….when I met President Granger, just recently, I raised the matter again and said that we are concerned about the approach to this matter. It is not purely a military matter….we believe that the government has been approaching this from the perspective of a military threat; that is why they got the Army to do a briefing, rather than have [Ministry of] Foreign Affairs to do a briefing of the MPs. “We pointed out [to the APNU+AFC Government] that the PPP won Regions 1 and 9, the two bordering

regions through which most of the refugees are coming and that we would like to see a differentiated policy.

There are three types of refugees, well not refugees, but individuals who will come through the borders into Guyana.

“First of all, Guyanese who live in Venezuela.

When I say Guyanese, if they have a tiny drop of Guyanese blood, they are our own people; so whether they have documents or not, once they can prove that their parents or grandparents or anyone else, a member of the family, are Guyanese, then they should be welcomed and allowed to be integrated and supporting documents

should be given to them.

“Secondly, you have the Amerindians who tend to move across borders seamlessly without passports.

These are the Warraus and others. I saw them in the villages and in the rivers, travelling from Mabaruma to Port Kaituma. These persons must be helped from a humanitarian basis immediately. They tend to not have documents. From time immemorial, they have travelled across the border. So that is the second category.

“The third category is the Venezuelans who are leaving the country. We have an obligation to treat them fairly and in a humanitarian way, but in the long term they will

be repatriated to Venezuela, given the nature of the threat on the border and what a settlement on the border, with permanent residents from Venezuela – a settlement of that nature can pose a threat to our territorial integrity and arguments in the future.

“So these are the three categories of people, we believe, will come across the border and we want a different approach to each.

I spoke with the President about this…we have to pay greater attention to these things.”

There has been no response from the APNU+AFC Coalition Government on the issues raised by the Opposition Leader.

was about to present their nominee for the arbitration panel.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has threatened legal action should teachers return to the streets.

The General Secretary of the Union, Coretta McDonald, spoke with media operatives after boycotting Wednesday’s meeting where she said, “The Union has indicated that we are giving a seven days’ notice for us to regularise this situation, if not we will be forced to resume industrial action “…we were told ‘I would have to interrupt this meeting (by Minister Keith Scott) but I must do it at this stage because I have to introduce to you the chairperson for

the arbitration panel… it was not the meeting for us to be introduced to any person.

As a matter of fact, when we would have identified the three persons I think it would have been official then to introduce to the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union our panel for the arbitration tribunal.”

McDonald went on to say that she believes Minister Keith Scott, who functions in the Labour Department under the Social Protection Ministry is “confused” about the laws as the GTU will not fall prey to anything but voluntary arbitration.

“I am wondering why is this Administration, why is the Department of Labour,

why is the Ministry of Education, why are they so fearful about having somebody independent?” she questioned.

The General Secretary nonetheless pointed out that the GTU will not issue the name of its nominee for the chairman, until Minister Scott comes to the realisation that it is not his place to appoint, but nominate a chairman for the arbitration panel, since this decision mutually lies in the hands of the Education Ministry and the GTU. In the first week of September 2018, thousands of teachers across the country proceeded on strike. The strike action followed a series of failures on the part of

the APNU+AFC Coalition Government to respond to the concerns of teachers.

In December 2015, the Guyana Teachers Union submitted its multi-year proposal to the Ministry of Education. After almost two years of in-action by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, the Union threatened strike action on October 26, 2017. President David Granger only met with Union officials after strike action was threatened.

Meanwhile, on October 29, 2017, a high-level task force was established to investigate and present a report with recommendations on the education sector. On April 6, 2018, the report from that Task Force was handed to the Min-

istry of Education. No action was taken based on the report.

One of the recommendations of the Task Force was a 40 per cent increase on 2015 salaries and a five percent increase for the years 2016, 2017, 2018 – a recommendation that the GTU supports.

With no action taken on the Task Force’s report, there were more talks between the Union and the M inis try of Education.

However, when these broke down, the Union informed the Ministry of Labour that it was proceeding on strike action.

When the strike action ended, it was agreed that there would be moves to set up an arbitration panel – a move that is now stalled.

GTU threatens second teachers’ strike over ‘imposed’ chairman of arbitration panel

T

he Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) on Wednesday (September 26, 2018) did not turn up at a meeting with the Education Ministry, as the teachers’ saga continued for a fourth week, with the Union now threatening to resume strike action in seven days’ time should the matter regarding the arbitration chairman not resolved.

Government has proposed University Professor, Leyland Lucas, as the Chairman of the arbitration panel.

During the previous meeting between the two parties on Tuesday (September 25, 2018), the GTU executives were introduced to the chairman for the arbitration panel – at a time when the Union

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