Weekend Mirror 23-24 January, 2021 by Weekend Mirror

Budget 2021 to be presented soon – President Ali 23-24 January, 2021 / Vol. 11 No. 56 / Price: $100

Internet: http: //www.mirrornewsgy.com / e-mail: mirror2018.gy@gmail.com

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Agriculture has key role in govt’s diversification plan PAGE 3

PPP/C gov’t unsupportive of rates and taxes increase Chief Justice dismisses one election petition, second to proceed PAGE 2

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SEE INSIDE Case management hearing PAGE 7 postponed to January 25

Renovations started on vaccination centres PAGE 23

‒ in preparation for COVID-19 vaccine roll out

SEE INSIDE

Lessons for Grades 1-3 a. Interactive Radio b. Instruction (IRI) Worksheets c. Follow the Radio and Keep Learning [PAGE 20-21]

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

PPP/C gov’t Gov’t officials address unsupportive of rates health, livelihood and taxes increase issues at Mabura Hill,

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government has no intention to increase rates and taxes, according to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall. Instead, he explained that the Ministry will have to find innovative ways to boost the collection of rates and taxes. “This is not about the amount that they collect but it is the way that is collected, I think that we have fallen into the trap of thinking about increasing rates and taxes when in fact, the collection rate in most

Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), and most municipalities, is not beyond 50 per cent, so it is about getting closer to the 100 per cent, rather than increasing rates and taxes,” he said in a recent interview. He added that a revaluation of rates and taxes would only bring financial burden on citizens, which the PPP/C had campaigned against. “We would like to assure our citizens, that there will be no increases in rates and taxes. It is one of our commitments that we made in our manifesto, and we intend to uphold that…since

what happens by increasing rates and taxes of just a few people or less than half of those who are assessed will have to carry the burden of debt,” Dharamlall said. Management is one of the many issues which plagued the operation of Local Democratic Organs (LDOs), which the Minister said will need to be addressed for the benefit of all Guyanese. For some years, various LDOs such as municipalities and NDCs have been seeking the Government’s intervention to revaluate rates and taxes on properties.

Additional fuel provision for Jacklow Village teachers

eachers attached to Jacklow Primary School, Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region Two) are to be given adequate fuel provision to make home visits to teach and distribute worksheets to their students, who were un-

able to retrieve them amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative will be undertaken by the Regional Administration. The school had designated dates for parents and students to visit the school

and discuss the material in the worksheets with teachers. However, some parents were noticeably absent. This led to teachers making home visits to close the gap but due to limited resources, it has been inconsistent.

Region Ten to get agro-processing facility – farmers urged to expand agri practices

he Government will soon be establishing an agro-processing facility in Upper Demerara – Berbice (Region Ten) to increase the production of value-added commodities there. This is among several major agricultural opportunities that would be made available to farmers and residents. Minister of Agriculture,. Zulfikar Mustapha announced this initiative and said, “We are now trying to secure a building in Linden to have agro-processors store and package their produce, so that they can have more valued-added product and to ensure they sell overseas and also out of Linden.” He said the initiative would create employment and provide training opportunities for persons within the Region. The New Guyana Marketing Corporation would also be engaged to provide assistance, even as the Government moves to revamp operations at the entity. “We also have an initiative at NAREI where we have secured almost $15

million in shade house materials, which we are now selling at a minimal cost,” Minister Mustapha added. Already, Government has awarded a $150 million contract to create a conservancy at West Watooka to provide adequate irrigation to cultivated lands. Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall urged residents and farmers of Coomacka and its environs to expand and get involved in livestock and cattle rearing. “I want to encourage you to do animal farming; duck rearing, fowl, sheep, goats, cows, and also have pigs. You have all the resources here. Where we live on the East Coast and in Georgetown you can’t get a blade of grass, that’s the biggest challenge for farmers on the coastland. And here, you have so much lands and so much grass and so much greenery,” the AG said. The Attorney General committed to making representation at Cabinet to seek ways in which assistance

could be rendered to farmers in the community, even as he stressed the importance of being self-empowered. “We also want to see an agriculture that is market-driven where we have investment coming to rural area to create job opportunity and food security, those are the long term and medium-term objectives of our Government. What we have done over the last few months since we have assumed office, some of the commitment that we have made in our manifesto we started to deliver. For example, we have reduced land rentals and D and I charges where no farmers are receiving disposable income, saving almost $210,000 annually,” AG Nandlall said. Since taking office in August 2020, the PPP/C Administration has, among other supportive measures, reduced value-added tax on agricultural equipment, machinery, pesticides and fertiliser. It has also restarted several programmes, which were discontinued under the APNU+AFC Coalition.

nearby areas

esidents of Mabura Hill, Mile 47 and Mile 58 communities of Upper Demerara-Berbice (Region Ten) have been able to engage the authorities on a wide range of issues plaguing them for years. They aired their concerns during a meeting with Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar and Member of Parliament and Presidential Advisor, Hon. Dr. Jennifer Westford on Thursday. The officials were part of a Cabinet outreach to the Region. At Mabura Hill, residents said the lack of an ambulance service was a major concern. In response, Minister Indar assured them that the need for an ambulance would be relayed to his Cabinet colleague, Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony. Issues affecting the health centre were also discussed, particularly as it relates to the lack of a medex. “We are going to make representation as early as possible to get someone to come on a visitation and if the needs are greater, we are going to get a person [to remain longer],” Minister

Indar said. Residents also pointed out that the police station only had an all-terrain vehicle for transportation. Minister Indar said when the PPP/C entered office, it discovered that over 60 per cent of vehicles within the Guyana Police Force that were donated by the Chinese Government were not operational. He noted that while after sales servicing and replacement parts are a challenge for those vehicle brands, the Ministry of Home Affairs would be briefed on the shortage. Concerning agriculture, Minister Indar urged residents who desire land for subsistence farming to submit their applications so they could ensure food security for their community. Meanwhile, at Mile 58, resident Mr. Sydney Allicock said his neighbourhood received its Amerindian land title in 2006, but the demarcation process was not finalised and the land needs extending. To this end, Minister Indar said he will verify those facts through the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and provide the community with an update

within two weeks. Another resident brought the education sector into the spotlight with a request for a secondary school and dormitory to be constructed in the community. While noting that the construction of the two buildings with subsequent staffing would be a capital project and could not be done immediately, Minister Indar said the Minister of Education would be engaged to ascertain whether those two projects could be included in upcoming budgets. Both Mile 47 and 48, like many communities along the Linden-Mabura road, depend upon the logging industry for their livelihoods. Residents said the logging concession that they operate has been depleted of the species of wood that is most economical. As such, both Minister Indar and Dr. Westford were asked for lands to be made available for residents to make a living. In response, Minister Indar advised residents to form a group and submit an application for a logging concession that they have identified. He also assured them that the Ministry of Natural Resources would be informed of their plight.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Agriculture has key role in govt’s diversification plan ‒ transforming energy grid to support sector

he current administration is moving towards transforming Guyana into a highly diversified economy, and agriculture is one of the key areas of focus in meeting this goal. This is according to Dr. Ashni Singh, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance within the Office of the President. During a recent interview, the Finance Minister said many investors have signalled their interest in doing business here and he is confident that some of

these ventures would benefit farmers. He cited the establishment of hotels, which would need fresh meats and produce, supplied on a large scale. Singh said, “Here again you have this vast amount of economic activity that is multiplying itself over and over in the economy. So, it’s not just that you are building a hotel and a thousand people staying there, you are literally creating jobs for the Guyanese people and by doing this, they are going

to be spending that money, the visitors themselves will be spending money in the economy.” Dr. Singh said it is important to look at the wider, longer-term benefits from investments like hotels as they create employment across several sectors. “Do not make the mistake to think the construction of a hotel only means job in tourism. These people have to eat, the food comes from the farmers and so the more international visitors

we have in Guyana, the better our market vendors will do, the better our agricultural wholesalers will do, the better the transport sector will do, the people who load up the trucks to sell their fruits and vegetables. The more demand there is for foods in restaurants, the more these people do business,” he said. Further, the Minister said Government has found that the cost of energy is the single biggest hurdle to competitive agro-processing and the manufacturing sector. As such, it would continue to take steps to

expand and transform the energy grid to provide cheap and reliable electricity. Dr. Singh noted that prior to 2015, the then PPP/C Government had taken a robust approach to this matter and it had taken steps to start harnessing hydroelectricity through the Amaila Falls. However, the Coalition Government blocked this project, stymieing development. “We intent to move swiftly to bring down the cost of energy and so you would have been hearing about the gas-to-shore project which is being aggres-

sively pursued. Once the gas-to-shore project happens, you are going to see first of all, our capacity to generate electricity more affordably significantly ramped up; we will be investing heavily in electricity generation as well to ensure that current and future demand of the country will be met through an affordable source,” the Minister said. Once this is achieved, the Finance Minister said, the agro-processing sector would take off as it would become more affordable, profitable and competitive internationally.

Housing Ministry earmarks $100M in road upgrades for EBD communities − Herstelling, Farm, Covent Garden among those to benefit – $40M well for Providence

ome $100 million would be spent on road works in several communities along the East Bank Demerara, accoridn gto Minister of Housing and Water, Colin Croal. Croal said the project will come under the Ministry’s Community Road Repair and Enhancement programme in the 2021 National Budget. “Some of these roads will be from Herstelling all the way to Mocha and where you have that Providence main road. That will include Covent Garden and Farm so you can see improvement immediately in this year,” he said. The Minister was at the time conducting a community outreach in the Little Diamond/Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). He was accompanied by CEO of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Mr. Sherwyn Greaves, and a team of technical officers. Residents raised concerns about dilapidated roads, water and the need for street lights in the communities. Several persons had issues regarding their lands addressed.

Minister Croal used the opportunity to highlight some of the projects that would be executed in the new and existing communities along the East Bank corridor, under the Ministry’s 2021 work programme. Meanwhile, some $40 million will be spent to construct a new well at Providence as part of efforts to address the water woes along the East Bank. Minister Croal said the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) would start work on the new structure shortly. “The resources have been made available to GWI. They are currently working at Farm; when they complete that project then they will move to put in that new well at Providence. The intention is to have a complete interconnectivity so that everyone will be receiving the same pressure,” he said. Minister Croal said the GWI would also be procuring water filter media for the water treatment plants along the East Bank. He added that residents would benefit from an improved quality of water

through their taps by May. He explained that as part of the Government’s holistic community enhancement programme, infrastructure such as roads, bridges, drainage and water channels and electricity and street lights would also be built in housing schemes. To this end, the CH&PA would be installing solar lights in Farm, Covent Garden and Providence by the end of February. The CH&PA is also reviewing several proposals to establish markets in Farm and other neighbouring communities. While a location has been proposed by the NDC, the Ministry will be engaging the Guyana Sugar Corporation on the availability of the area identified. “All our schemes will cater for a market so you can have cluster. There is one model that will see tarmacs and you have multi-use of those tarmacs, similarly like what is happening in Diamond. And the other model is for a specific identified market building so you can have the necessary sections depending on what you are selling,” Minister Croal said. Meanwhile, the Guyana

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal interacts with this resident during an outreach to the Little Diamond/Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council

Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) addressed the issue of animals being left to graze in communities. GLDA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Dwight Walrond convened a separate meeting with cattle farmers who indicated their willingness to relocate their cattle from residential areas once they have access to lands. REGION 6 Further, the Ministry of Housing and Water is investing over $2 billion in infrastructural works in East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six) under this 2021 work programme. Croal announced this during an engagement with Region Six residents in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council office. He said, “Last year you saw us announcing a number of works to commence here in Region Six to the tune of $54 million. I can tell you, in our 2021 programme, we intend to invest in infrastructure works a minimum of $2 billion in the initial phase. These are for works in Hampshire, Williamsburg, No. 75 Village, No. 79 village, Ordinance and Fortlands.

“We will also have coming on stream the construction of 200 houses. One hundred intended for Williamsburg and another 100 for Fortlands catering for low-income.” The infrastructural works also cover the development of road networks and access to water, he said. The initiative would also provide and create, much-needed jobs in the Region. Minister Croal said the President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali-led Government aims to enhance citizens lives. Through the ‘Dream Realised’ initiative, 300 Berbicians received house lots in December. To date, over 3,600 house lots have been delivered over the span of four months in three regions, through the same initiative. Also, Minister Croal said the Ministry is working to address the backlog in the issuance of transports in the Region. He said, “I am advised we have currently over 500 transports that are being processed for Region Six as part of our backlog, so we intend to have that completed in the shortest possible time.” REGION 5 A similar exercise would

be conducted on a larger scale in Region Five to address the backlog there. Croal said, “In March we will have a massive and when I say massive, the entire team [will be in] Region Five during March. The reason being is that we are currently working on fast-tracking the processing of a number of transports from the backlog. So, we are working with the legal team and then to put it through the necessary process with the Land Court.” The PPP/C Government is committed to allocating 50,000 house lots over five years as outlined in its manifesto. In the 2020 Emergency Budget, the Government implemented several measures to make homeownership affordable for all. This includes the reversal of the value-added tax on building materials to make building homes more affordable. Government also increased the mortgage interest relief ceiling for loans/mortgages to $30 million. The Government is hosting outreaches to ensure that it has continuous engagement with residents and communities countrywide.

Central Housing and Planning Authority CEO, Mr. Sherwyn Greaves addresses this resident’s concerns during an outreach to the Little Diamond/Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council

EDITORIAL Facts First as we look to the challenges before us

n Wednesday (January 20, 2021), the United States of America (USA) saw the swearing in of its 46th President in the person of Joseph R. Biden. And, despite leading a country whose democracy is over 240 years old, two poignant statements that were accepted were: one, the Union is not perfect; and two there is still much to be done to build, heal and progress. The inauguration came two weeks, to the day, since the violent insurrection at Capitol Hill, where five persons lost their lives. The reason, a campaign of lies. CONSEQUENCES OF UNTRUTHS What is clear is that there are consequences to peddling a campaign founded in misinformation. This is a message the APNU+AFC Coalition would do well to learn and one that Guyanese must take heed of. At times it seems that we live in a post-truth era. We must constantly be vigilant of this. Of note is that the APNU+AFC Coalition persists in its claims that the results of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections were ‘fraudulent’, despite the fact that the national recount, which lasted over 30 days, was done in the presence of hundreds, including international observers, and the Coalition’s claims of irregularities have not been substantiated. The June 15, 2020 report of the CARICOM Observer Team, invited by Coalition leader, former president David Granger, concluded that “nothing we witnessed warrants a challenge to the inescapable conclusion that the recount results are acceptable and should constitute the basis of the declaration of the results of the March 2, 2020, elections”. Based on the national recount, which ended on June 9, 2020, there were a total of 460,352 valid votes. The national recount results, at the General Elections, based on the Certificates of Recount for all 10 Regions, show that: • The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won the March 2 General Election with 233,336 votes; • The APNU+AFC Coalition secured 217,920 votes; • A New and United Guyana secured 2.313 votes; • Change Guyana secured 1,953 votes; • The Liberty and Justice Party secured 2,657; • The People’s Republic Party secured 889 votes; • The Citizen’s Initiative secured 680 votes; • The New Movement secured 244 votes; and • The United Republican Party secured 360 votes. The national results, at the Regional Elections, based on the Certificates of Recount for all 10 Regions, show that: • The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won the March 2 Regional Election with 233,661 votes; • The APNU+AFC Coalition secured 217,055 votes; • Change Guyana secured 2,607 votes; • The Liberty and Justice Party secured 2,935; • The People’s Republic Party secured 927 votes; • The United Republican Party secured 1,369 votes; • The FUP secured 153 votes; and • The OVP secured 448 votes. The results of the national recount give the PPP/C a lead of over 15,000 votes over the Coalition. A review in 145 cases, when comparing Statements of Poll, Statements of Recount and the declarations made by Mingo, showed that the votes for APNU+AFC was inflated by over 7,000 votes. On the other hand, the votes for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) were reduced. To date, two elections petitions have been filed. One, Petition 88, argues that the Recount Order was illegal and unconstitutional and therefore the declaration of results based on the recount is illegal and unconstitutional. The second, Petition 99, argues that fraud was committed in the March 2020 Elections and over 115,000 votes were affected, benefiting the PPP/C. So far, Petition 99 has been thrown out. Petition 88 will move forward. Notably, the Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire on Monday (January 18, 2021) has ordered the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to hand over its Statements of Poll and Statements of Recount to the High Court

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Had David Patterson been in office Guyanese would have continued paying more for less Dear Editor,

he recently signed contract between the Transport and Harbours Department and Garden Reach Shipbuilders Engineers Ltd (GRSEL) to design, build and supply an ocean-going passenger and cargo vessel will ensure that future travels to the northwest district and others parts of Guyana are faster, safer and more efficient. Moreover, the vessel will be modern and built according to the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Classification Society and will meet every single operational requirement of SOLAS, IMO, ILO and MARAD. The Ministry strongly denounces the assumptions made by the former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson in his statement dated January 15, 2021. What Mr. Patterson needs to recognize is that the Irfaan Ali’s Administration will not accept and/ or tolerate mediocracy. That is, the proposed contract Patterson left when he omitted office in 2020 was not the same contract the Government of Guyana penned. Therefore, the statement issued by Patterson is rendered null and void, Patterson clearly is looking for political popularity at this time. Further Editor, because of Patterson’s lack of knowledge on the newly penned contract, we wish to enlighten the former minister with the facts in the coming paragraphs. After almost two (2) years of being stalled for failing to receive the India Exim Bank’s no objection to the award of the contract for the design, build and supply the new ferry vessel, the people of Guyana will be happy to know that over the past four months and subsequent to the intervention of the new Government of Guyana has negotiated a contract with GRSEL that meets every single specification of the second round of Tender that commenced on May 8, 2018. The award of contract to GRSEL in the sum of 12.7M USD has saved the people of Guyana 2.8M USD as the only other bidder Shoft Shipyard Private Ltd (SSPL) priced tender was 15.3M USD. The savings of 2.8M USD

will be invested in the construction of new stellings at Morawhanna, Kumaka and Port Kaituma in the Region No 1. Had Patterson been in government today, the people of Guyana would have been paying 2.8M USD MORE FOR LESS. Yes! You read correctly. But, “Not under my watch.” Editor, I assure the people of Guyana that they will be getting MORE FOR LESS. There is no scandal here, no need for grief or sorrow, only the comforting assurance that after several months of intense negotiation across two continents that are 9 ½ hours apart, the Ministry was able to sign a contract to design, build and supply a modern vessel that will drastically improve the life of citizens of Region 1 and cut travel time by almost 50% (from 22 hours to 12 hours). The design-build nature of the contract will provide the Ministry with the opportunity to review and approve every plan or drawing submitted by GRSEL before construction of the vessel commences. The contract also provides for the Transport and Harbours Department directly and/or through its agents travel to India periodically to carry out inspections of the vessel at critical milestone in the life of the vessel’s construction before payments are disbursed to the Shipbuilder. Training of Pilots, Engineers and other Crew members on the navigational, safety and other aspects of the new vessel is also an important component of the project that will be carried during the construction life of the vessel. The final negotiated contract allows Guyanese to get value for money. Editor, please allow me to explain to Mr. Patterson what the Guyanese people will be receiving for 12.7M USD. • The design build nature of the contract means the Ministry gets to review and approve every single plan or drawing during the finalization of the General Arrangement Plan (GAP). • The basic function of the vessel with the length overall will be 66.0m, breadth 13.2m, depth 4.0m and draft 3.0m. • Damage stability criteria is a function

for safe-keeping pending the hearing and determination of Petition 88. This should also prove interesting, given that the Statements of Recount closely matched the Statements of Poll that were released to the public by the PPP/C after the Coalition’s shenanigans in Region 4, aided by some GECOM staffers, were set into motion. These hand over of these SOPs will aid in exposing the Coalition’s fictions of tampered ballots, undoubtedly. A MATTER OF PRIDE In the face of a campaign of misinformation and false claims – including those that the Coalition currently persists with – we must be all proud of the fact that majority

of the design and will re-evaluated on finalization of the General Arrangement Plan (GAP). • A low ramp will be provided. • A Crane will be located on the starboard side. According to the contract a crane shall be placed at an optimum location based on cargo handling requirements. • For refrigerated cargo there will be non-standard refrigerated containers to cater for 30-35 tonnes of refrigerated cargo”, will be provided as per specifications. • Vehicles stowing on the vessel will be stowed in fore and aft directions in keeping with classification society and international regulations. • For hulling, the design caters for side shell plate – 6mm; bottom – 12mm and keel 14mm and double barrier as required by international regulations for ocean vessels. • Cargo hatch with coaming is standard practice in order to meet SOLAS/ Class requirements. The size and location of the hatch will be decided based on cargo handling requirements as well as space required for movement of vehicles. • All crew members will be accommodated in individual cabins with individual sanitary facilities in the superstructure. • For safety and navigation, the field of view from Bridge complies with requirements of SOLAS, Chapter V “safety of navigation”, Regulation 22: Navigational Bridge Visibility. The 360 degrees view from bridge is not a requirement as per SOLAS. From the technical specifications outlined above, I am sure by now that Mr. Patterson would recognize that what we are getting from GRSEL is a much more superior vessel than what he was negotiating for when he was in government. Finally, the Government of Guyana worked conscientiously to receive a contract that will be beneficial for the peoples of Guyana, especially the citizens in the Northwest District. Sincerely, Bishop Juan A. Edghill Minister of Public Works

of Guyanese stood up to face the crucible that was the 2020 General and Regional Elections saga; even as we recognize that there is much more work to be done to bolster our nascent democracy. In looking at the work that needs to be done, we are reminded that even in a democracy over 240 years old, in the USA, the state of affairs is not perfect and there is work to be done to build, heal and progress. We are reminded that democracy is a perennial work in progress, but a task we can succeed at if we move forward together. As Guyanese we have to step up and meet the challenges before us as one people of one nation with one destiny. We must do so for one simple reason – we are stronger together.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Afro-Guyanese benefited significantly under the PPP/C from 1992 to 2015 Dear Editor,

refer to two letters recently: `Let Sam Hinds show this nation what he has done for the African community”, in Stabroek News of January 7th, 2021 by Mr. Lincoln Lewis, and `Mr Hinds should say what he really did to lift up Afro-Guyanese’ in Stabroek News of January 9th, 2021 by Mr Hamilton Green. This letter responds to those topical questions. Firstly, I refer (as Dr Vishnu Bisram has also) to the tremendous material improvement our PPP/C Administration, with myself as a valued and valuable member, brought to our people and country over 1992 to 2015. Through our sequence of thoughtful budgets and programmes, we Guyanese of all races, of all religions and from all regions of our country, were enabled to increase our average GDP tenfold; from an average of US$300 per person in 1992 to about US$3,000 in 2015, even in the presence of a long period of persistent attempts aimed at fomenting ethnic strife amongst us. All our peoples and communities were much better off in 2015 than they were in 1992. Household vehicle ownership is often taken as a rough indicator of improvements in the general material standard of living and uplift. There were large increases in vehicle ownership all across our Guyana in which communities with majority Afro-Guyanese shared – South Georgetown, all of Georgetown, Linden and wherever else. Recall the extensive squatting that was ongoing around and within Georgetown, by families that were overwhelmingly Afro-Guyanese and on whom that outgoing PNC regime had set policemen with their dogs (the PNC leadership had had in mind high level housing developments for better off persons, for those “Sophia” areas). We PPP/C got our “Sophia” squatters (largely Afro-Guyanese) going quickly, granting them their house lots, bringing them within the law quickly – motivating them to make savings, to utilize their free time gainfully, to gain experience in choosing and contracting with those amongst them who were carpenters, masons, plumbers, furniture makers – everyone gaining and learning from some new experience: this was/is the substance of growing/developing/ empowering people, largely Afro-Guyanese. I led in improving our country’s electricity supply from about 75,000 households receiving electricity on an uncontrolled average of about 40% of the time to 175,000 households in 2015 receiving electricity about 95% of the time. About 70,000 Afro-Guyanese households would have benefitted. And similarly, I led in the arrangements that saw the tremendous growth in our telephone services, in which Afro-Guyanese benefitted. Our minibus runs to Mahdia and Lethem emerged on

our completion of nearly all-weather roads, to the benefit of many Afro-Guyanese and Guyanese of all ancestries: lifting the spirits of all Guyanese in seeing long held aspirations realized. We, Guyanese, could and were getting things done. 24×7 electricity services were established in Lethem, Mahdia and Port Kaituma which had hitherto, more than likely given more votes to the PNCR – that did not deter us. Secondly I have heard at times in those questionings– What would you Sam Hinds as an African have demanded and gotten for Afro-Guyanese, exclusively? Afro-Guyanese and all other Guyanese of our various ancestries should guard against the view that they should not count as boons, any benefits and opportunities that were available to others also. Thirdly, notwithstanding (2) above, a very large area of our work and attention which could have, did attract some comment as particularly, if not exclusively, benefitting Afro-Guyanese. I refer to our collapsed bauxite industry, almost synonymous with Region 10 and Linden. According to the Covenant which the outgoing PNC Administration had entered into with the financing Institutions and Governments supporting the Economic Recovery Programme, when in 1994 Minproc proclaimed that they could not see any way to make Linmine profitable, we, PPP/C, ought to have shut down Linmine forthwith. But, we did not. We kept Linmine going, finding monies from wherever to resume subsidizing Linmine and also to fund the liabilities – outstanding amounts for the ‘workers saving scheme’, the company’s pension scheme, NIS and PAYE/GRA, prompt payment of employment termination benefits and also the steadily increasing costs of the ongoing 90% subsidization of the electricity consumed by the whole of the growing Linden community. Billions of dollars for workers and a community that for us were firstly Guyanese and only secondly, Afro. We blew no trumpets. Recall that when about 2005 the then privatized Bauxite Company, suddenly announced a two- month suspension, our PPP/C Administration with Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo then President, without any hesitation offered to provide a minimum 40-hour per week pay for all employees, on the condition that everyone spend one day a week attending some computer class. We could not escape the obvious criticism that whilst we were pointing bauxite workers (overwhelmingly Afro-Guyanese) to the modern, digital future we seemed to be bent on trying to keep the largely Indo-Guyanese sugar workers tied to a dying industry. We let that ride – our collective conscience was clear. It is with such a clear conscience that, we proposed in 2012, a reform of integrating the electricity supply of Region 10, into the

National Electricity Company, GPL. (Then Prime Minister Burnham had stated that that integration was to be implemented, since 1976) The tariff subsidy would have been phased out over about five years and the reductions in subsidies would have been available for special development projects in Linden/Region 10. It would have been obvious from the context of our Administration’s budget review with the then main Opposition Party, APNU, my public review in Parliament of my draft announcement with the then Leader of The Opposition, David Granger MP together with Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine MP sitting beside him, and there being no dissent when I read the announcement, that there was concurrence. The leadership of APNU should have found more responsible ways to withdraw their initial concurrence and avoid the regretted events which followed. Fourthly the question, “What has Sam Hinds done for Afro-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese communities” is purposely put to propagate and perpetuate the view that Afro-Guyanese must put “proppa” Afro-Guyanese in Office for Afro-Guyanese to be protected and to receive things from the Government largesse – a mindset which has disposed too many of us, Afro-Guyanese, to live with exploitation and abuse from a number of our Afro-Guyanese leaders. Such leaders find every excuse to harp continually about the dehumanizing and brutal horror that was the slavery of Africans, to keep present-day Africans enslaved to them. African slavery in all its brutal horror certainly happened. However, that slavery ended over 150 years ago. We must turn the page and go forward taking our place alongside all the peoples of our country and of the World. Fifthly, allow me to address the related, frequent referrals to me and other Afro-Guyanese leaders in the PPP and PPP/C as “window dressing”, “can’t do nothing”. We, Guya-nese people and country, Guyana, are a work in early progress; emerging from fragments of the six populations from around the world – Europeans, Portuguese islanders, Chinese, Amerindians, Africans and Indians – thrown together by fate in this land. Cheddi, early recognized us as a microcosm of the world. The task of growing, developing and knitting together our people of our various ancestries is a challenging task which demands a long-haul commitment. When one recalls the individuals of the

founding members and soon emerging leadership of the PAC (1946) and subsequently the PPP (1950) one can see conscious and conscientious striving and contriving to have a broad representation and involvement of Guyanese of all races and religions and from all parts of Guyana. The then young lawyer, recently returned from England, an Afro-Guyanese, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, was brought into the founding membership of the PPP as Chair-man, the even younger Afro-Guyanese, Ashton Chase, standing aside. And after the split of 1955, our troubled period of the early 60s, the unfair treatment of Cheddi and the PPP on the outcome of our 1964 elections; and our insulting, rigged referendum and elections over 68 to 85; and when it appeared in the late 1980s that a fair and free elections was likely, and that the hitherto abandoned and spurned PPP could win on its own, Cheddi nonetheless persisting in his commitment to the knitting of our people together reached out once again, inviting any, who was not at the time hostile to the PPP, to join the PPP’s Civic Group, in an embrace of which I have been the greatest beneficiary. Don’t think window-dressing, but think necessary and essential affirmative action. Sixthly, allow me to address directly the concomitant insinuation that the PPP together with its PPP/C is not the political party that Afro-Guyanese should join, not a party that wants them in. Since about ten years ago, our then President and now General Secretary and Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has been regularly asserting that we must attract more Afro-Guyanese to our party. Furthermore, in every election, at every level, since 1992 we have called on our party members to reach out and find citizens of worth, many of them Afro-Guyanese, with whom we could work, to fill one-third to one-half of our slate. Words of assurance. We, PPP and PPP/C, remain hopeful in spite of our troubles over the last century (inclusive of the recent events of Dec 2018 to Aug 2020), and the evident remaining gaps between our peoples. We are heartened by the progress we have made closing the distances between us and developing our land. Yours faithfully, Samuel A. A. Hinds Former President and former Prime Minister

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Outreaches to regions demonstrate commitment to welfare of Guyanese

GECOM must move much faster on bringing about tangible changes O

Dear Editor,

he international standards for elections’ oversight bodies in democratic states bear a distinct variance from the disastrous performance of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in March 2020. There is much evidence that the barely-survived institution mirrored COVID-like symptoms under the weight of PNC-led infiltration and bullyism. The groundings were obvious at the Commission level, where meetings were often volatile, less than transparent, and accountable; feeding unacceptable behaviours at the Secretariat level. In the aftermath of the disappointing, vulgar, public behaviour displayed by the Chief Elections Officer and staff over which he has responsibility and influence, the consequences informed widespread criticisms and convincing arguments for the overhaul of the organisation at various levels. The result was a growing vitriolic environment, in which the current formula at the Commission level – and particularly the lead role of the Chairwoman – struggled. Balanced, prudent and decisive actions are now necessitated to ensure the outgrown approaches stifling the organisation’s effectiveness are permanently removed. The pace of action towards the foregoing has been a source of nationwide concern. Perhaps it is understandable and permissive that a total overhaul cannot be undertaken at once. It must, however, be systemic and priority-driven, particularly because of GECOM’s legal obligation to schedule Local Government Elections. Notwithstanding, decisive and purposeful actions to address GECOM’s image and to rebuild nationwide confidence in the organisation MUST be the immediate focus of the Commission. It is recognisably a task more difficult than mere arguments or propositions, given the presence of antagonistic strategies related to unreal legal interpretations, and abuse of our courts (if allowed) is among the foreseeable immediate hurdles. Therefore, I commend the GECOM Chairperson for her stance of not holding secret meetings with political parties under the circumstances, and Commissioners are expected to understand this principle. In this respect, our Constitution supports a non-partisan role for Commissioners, although in reality representations have varied from this ideal. One must therefore view the Chairwoman’s response to the nature of the recent request by Peoples National Congress Reform General Secretary Amna Ally as being in the interest of improving transparency. Justice Claudette Singh is indeed correct in letting the PNC Commissioners know that her preference is to have meetings with the political parties and the full Commission. The reactions of the three APNU/AFC GECOM Commissioners have brought no surprises. Those reactions reinforce their typically irrational behaviour to anything that advocates fairness, and are consistent with the innate character displayed by the PNC for decades. Their decision to walk out of a meeting of the Commission because the Chairperson refused to hold secret meetings is not only wicked, but vindictive.

These are the same three Commissioners who were fully behind the postponing of Elections during 2019, and who had, for five months, done everything in their reach to frustrate the announcement of the results of the National and Regional Elections that were held on March 02, 2020. These three musketeers were quiet for some time, perhaps ashamed to face the public after the futile outcome of their regional efforts to CARICOM Heads, and distasteful interventions to delay the true results of the elections. Their roles and influence within and over the process effectively realised the unpredicted havoc that not only threatened the acceptability of GECOM itself, but the nation at large. Suddenly, out of the darkness, they have appeared to recommence their objective of disruption. They walked out of a meeting of the Commission, sarcastically claiming that the ‘Good Lady Chairwoman’ was discourteous because of action she took to improve transparency. These pretentious lunatics have now staked a claim for major stakeholdership of GECOM; albeit, a malignant, cancerous one. The obvious question is: Who makes them the major stakeholders? Perhaps because they wielded overwhelming influence over the Chief Elections Officer, and were successful in passing on their poisonous spew over the organisation’s operations. By their admission, the public is seeing and hearing why they held this Nation at ‘ransom’ for five months. Can one imagine why this prejudicial secret meeting with the eminent Justice Claudette Singh is being requested by part of the Commission? Of note, her reactions to the singular engagement approach of PNC General Secretary Amna Ally, to proffer PNC proposals to the matters at hand, must be eking out another path. Valuable information I have received suggests that the PNC want to backdoor influence the postponement of the scheduled Local Government Elections, thereby giving the APNU/AFC/PNC an opportunity to blame the PPP/C. The divided PNC, at one of their split caucuses, accepted that they cannot win at the Local Government Elections to be held this year, hence they have moved to resuscitate surreptitious manoeuvres to use as an attempt to influence the GECOM Chairperson to see off or effect delays. The PNC are leading their cabal followers to come back with a claim to have ‘house-to-house registration and proposing several opinions they believe would enable them to benefit from the postponement of elections. I therefore propose that the Chairwoman and GECOM must adopt a swifter approach to cleanse itself of all threats to free and fair elections, and ready itself to deliver the scheduled Local Government Elections. The PPP/C Government MUST provide the supporting framework to help GECOM ensure timely delivery. A firm grip over transparent and accountable meetings of the Commission is a precursor; and to this end, Chairwoman Justice (retired) Madam Claudette Singh is expected to be assertive. Sincerely, Neil Kumar

n Thursday January 14, 2021, President Irfaan Ali, with members of his Cabinet, did the first Presidential Cabinet outreach in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and this has given a clear indication to every Guyanese that the PPP/C Government cares about the welfare and development of each and every region of Guyana. Region 10 Chairman Deron Adams, in welcoming the President and his delegation, assured that the region would work handin-hand with the Government to realise the aspirations of the communities in terms of development. He also highlighted several immediate needs of the region, including access to housing, financing for small businesses, improved access to primary healthcare, and the formulation of an Economic Implementation Plan, among other things. After listening to issues raised by representatives of various groups in the region, at the Watooka House in Linden, the President engaged members of the public and representatives of various groups, including the Women’s Group, Farmers Group and Forestry Group, youth groups, the mining sector, Private Sector, business community and the general public. President Ali acknowledged the needs of the community, particularly in relation to access to housing. On this note, he said that, over the years, there has been a sloth in the development of the housing sector, as the investment was not there to satisfy the demand in the region. He also announced plans to develop an online portal to allow young people who have specific training needs in all areas, including the hospitality sector, to register their interest. This would allow youths to benefit from opportunities that would arise in all sectors. The President indicated that he would instruct Ministers Charles Ramson and Joe Hamilton to launch an online portal, and encourage young people who are interested in hospitality training to register themselves thereon. Provision would be made for 200 youths from Linden who want to be trained in the hospitality sector to so do. President Ali informed residents of Region 10 that his Government would also be moving to establish a National Tourism Hospitality Institute. The online portal would therefore support that initiative. The President assured all that Government would place heavy emphasis on strengthening the human resource capacity across the country, including in communities in Region 10. He informed his audience of the many opportunities to come in housing, training, investment and entrepreneurship, and encouraged young people to form themselves into consortiums and to work together. He declared that Government is ready to work with the groups to prepare them to take advantage of all of the opportunities on the horizon, and announced that Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, would be visiting every youth group in Region 10 with intention to craft a master plan before the 2021 Budget is presented. He assured Lindeners that Government

remains committed to ensuring that all of Guyana, including Region 10, benefit from development plans underway, and he promised to revitalise the housing and agriculture sectors in the region. President Ali also pointed to the importance of involving the Ministers of Government in formulation of a collective response to the needs of the communities. He said his Government is not concerned about the politics, but is concerned about the people’s welfare. President Irfaan Ali promised that by this October, his administration would build 1,000 houses in Region Ten, 50 of which would be for young professionals. He said those homes would be for doctors who are working in the region. President Ali told the doctors that officials from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) would return to the region on Monday with representatives from the banking institutions to fast-track the prequalification process. Already, the APNU+AFC has said that announcement is in response to its call, and that it would ensure Government keeps its promise this time. The APNU/AFC must be ashamed to make any such comment. At no point in his five-year term did former President David Granger take the time to visit the residents of Region 10 to see what they need and ensure that it is delivered. President Ali, on January 14, 2021, demonstrated to Guyana and the world why he has been elected President of Guyana. His Government and Cabinet have made it very clear that their only intention is to serve the people of this country, and serve all the people of this country. The people of Region 10 do not only have their Government’s commitment, but can rest assured that they have a President and Cabinet and Government that are ready to fulfill their mandate and commitment to uplifting the people’s lives and making them better. I assure you that this Government is ready to work with every single Guyanese. Our President is unconcerned with the politics of any community, but cares about the welfare of the people of all the communities. President Ali has said his Government’s intention is to work with farmers to develop a master plan through which they can increase their respective productive capacities in agriculture. This master plan would also touch on the other sectors of the economy. President Ali has also assured that creation of employment within Region 10 communities is high on his Government’s agenda, and will be supported by developments in ICT, particularly with the establishment of a call centre in the region. The plan, he said, includes training youths and women to construct the houses, and sourcing construction materials from the region. The President also encouraged Region 10 health workers to work collaboratively in delivering optimal healthcare services to the residents of the region. It was indeed a day to rejoice in Region 10. Sincerely, David Adams

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Case management hearing postponed to January 25 T

he case management conference before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is now set for January 25, 2020. The matter was initially set for January 15, 2020. It is unclear if the change had anything to do with last week’s decree issued by the Nicolás Maduro Government, which has renewed claims to Guyana’s maritime border west of the Essequibo Coast, it would appear as though the postponement was made upon the request of Venezuela. President Maduro has also claimed that Venezuela is being shortchanged by the ICJ. The ICJ on December 18, 2020 delivered its Judgment in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) – relative to the question

of the Court’s jurisdiction. The court ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear Guyana’s case seeking the validation of the 1899 arbitral award establishing the boundary with Venezuela. Venezuela did not take part in the proceedings. The judgment found that both Guyana and Venezuela had conferred authority on the UN Secretary General under Article 4, paragraph two of the February 17th 1966 Geneva Agreement. That agreement allowed the Secretary General to choose a means of settlement under Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations which included judicial settlement. A press statement from the ICJ said, “In its Judgment, which is final, without appeal and binding on the Parties, the Court, by twelve votes to four, finds that it

has jurisdiction to entertain the Application filed by the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on 29 March 2018 in so far as it concerns the validity of the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 and the related question of the definitive settlement of the land boundary dispute between the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela… (the Court) unanimously, Finds that it does not have jurisdiction to entertain the claims of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana arising from events that occurred after the signature of the Geneva Agreement.” PRIORITY In September 2020, President Dr. Irfaan Ali made clear that a resolution of the Guyana-Venezuela border

controversy case, which is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is a priority of the PPP/C government

He reminded that it was the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government in 2014 that had put an end to the interminable

‘good offices’ dialogue with Venezuela, after “it had become, for them, a strategy of prolonging contention rather (Turn to page 8)

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Case management hearing postponed... than of seeking solution.” The Guyanese Head of State contended that there is no policy more sacred than those relating to the country’s border for his Administration. “As Guyanese, all of us stood with the previous Administration in defence of Guyana’s patrimony. For us, Guyana’s territorial integrity is never a matter for domestic division; it is always a matter for national cohesion,” he said. Ali added that Guyana must be loyal to the enduring vision of the country being truly “One Nation” and indivisible. “Therefore, the PPP/C gave full support to the former Administration when, as initiated by us, they submitted the Venezuela contention to the International Court of Justice. We shall not descend. The sovereignty

of our State, the integrity of our territory – both land and sea – is a sacred trust. We must defend, and we will do so in collaboration with our partners and allies,” he noted. ICJ CASE The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) held public hearings on the question of the Court’s jurisdiction in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) on June 30, 2020. The ICJ had postponed the long-anticipated hearing of the Guyana/Venezuela border dispute case that was scheduled to begin on March 23, 2020, citing the coronavirus pandemic. Guyana is seeking to obtain from the Court a final and binding judgment that the 1899 Arbitral Award,

which established the location of the land boundary between then-British Guiana and Venezuela, remains valid and binding, and that Guyana’s Essequibo region belongs to Guyana, and not Venezuela. Guyana took its case to the Court following the decision by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in January 2018, that the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela should be decided by the International Court of Justice. In taking his decision, the Secretary-General was exercising the power vested in him in the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Guyana, Venezuela and the United Kingdom to decide how the controversy should be settled. Venezuela has claimed, in a letter to the Court, that

the Secretary-General exceeded his authority under the Geneva Agreement, and that the Court therefore lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate Guyana’s lawsuit. On this basis, Venezuela has indicated that it will not participate in the proceedings. On November 19, 2018, Guyana submitted its Memorial to the Court refuting Venezuela’s arguments and demonstrating that the Court has jurisdiction. However, under well-established judicial precedent, the Court will proceed to decide if it has jurisdiction over Guyana’s claims, irrespective of whether or not Venezuela participates in the proceedings. MOVE TO COURT Under the United Nations Charter and the Court’s own rules, its final

(From page 7)

judgments both on jurisdiction and the merits will be legally binding on Guyana and Venezuela, whether or not Venezuela participates in the proceedings. Efforts over more than half-a-century, including a four-year Mixed Commission (1966-1970), a twelve-year moratorium (1970-1982), a seven-year process of consultations on a means of settlement (1983-1990), and a twenty-seven-year Good Offices Process under the UN Secretary-General’s authority (1990-2017), all failed to end the border controversy. The move to the ICJ was advanced there was no success with a further attempt, using the United Nations’ Good Offices process, to resolve the matter of Venezuela’s renewed

claim to Guyana’s territory, the Essequibo County. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in 2015, charged that the signing of the 1966 Geneva Agreement rendered the 1899 Arbitral Award null and void. On 30 January 2018, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, acting under the authority bestowed upon him by the Geneva Agreement, chose adjudication by the Court as the means for resolving the controversy with finality. Guyana commenced proceedings before the Court on 29 March 2018 in accordance with the Secretary-General’s decision. Guyana’s legal representatives before the Court includes the efforts of Sir Shridath Ramphal.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Biden signs orders to end ‘Muslim ban’, rejoin climate deal, WHO (ALJAZEERA) United States President Joe Biden has signed a string of executive orders, memorandums and directives that will reverse some of his predecessor Donald Trump’s most divisive policies, including rescinding the so-called “Muslim ban”, rejoining the Paris climate accord, and ending the process to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). Just hours after his inauguration at the US Capitol on Wednesday, Biden signed 15 executive actions that his team earlier said aimed to “reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration”. Biden told reporters in the Oval Office that there was “no time to waste”. “Some of the executive actions I’m going to be signing today are going to help change the course of the COVID crisis, we’re going to combat climate change in a way that we haven’t done so far and advance racial equity and support other underserved communities,” he said, as reported by the Reuters news agency. Biden’s first big challenge as he enters the White House will be tackling the surging COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 400,000 people across the country to date. To that effect, Biden signed an order on Wednesday afternoon to institute a 100-day mask mandate across the US and appoint a COVID-19 coordinator to manage a national response to the pandemic. He has also announced that the US would remain a member of the WHO, and that Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, would attend the ongoing WHO Executive Board meeting at the head of the US delegation. Rescinding the ‘Muslim ban’ Biden rescinded the socalled “Muslim ban”, an executive order Trump signed in 2017 that banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the US. The ban was changed several times amid legal challenges and ultimately upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018. “The president put an end to the Muslim ban – a policy rooted in religious animus and xenophobia,” Biden’s White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said

during a Wednesday evening briefing. The Council on American-Islamic Relations welcomed the decision as “an important first step toward undoing the anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant policies of the previous administration”. “It is an important fulfilment of a campaign pledge to the Muslim community and its allies,” the group’s executive director, Nihad Awad, said in a statement. REJOINING PARIS AGREEMENT The US will once again become a party to the Paris Agreement, Biden also announced. The move to rejoin the international treaty on climate change is expected to take effect 30 days after it is deposited with the UN, Biden’s team said earlier on Wednesday. In November, the US became the first country in the world to withdraw from the treaty – a move that fuelled tensions between Washington and its allies in Europe and drew a widespread rebuke from environmental and human rights groups. LAUNCHING MASK MANDATE Biden launched his “100 Days Masking Challenge”, ordering a mandatory mask mandate in all US federal buildings for the first 100 days of his administration to try and curb the spread of COVID-19. The order asks Americans to do their “patriotic duty and mask up for 100 days” and also creates the position of COVID-19 response coordinator, who will report directly to the president and help coordinate a unified national response to the surging pandemic. “This will strengthen our own efforts to get the pandemic under control by improving global health,” Psaki said during the briefing, adding that Dr Fauci, one of the top US infectious disease experts, would participate in a WHO meeting this week “as the US head of delegation”. The Infectious Disease Society of America immediately welcomed the mandatory mask order. “The president’s order comes at a critical point, when vaccines, as well as a plan to accelerate their roll out, offer new hope, but also when more easily transmitted variants of the virus present new challenges,” the

group said. RE-ENGAGING WITH WHO Biden is halting Trump’s planned withdrawal from the World Health Organization

(WHO). The Trump administration in July of last year notified Congress and the United Nations that the US was formally withdrawing from the WHO. The decision would have gone

into effect in July. Trump justified the decision by saying the WHO “failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms” and accusing the group of helping China cover up the or-

igins of the novel coronavirus. The Biden-Harris administration is expected to participate in a WHO executive board meeting that is continuing this week, Biden’s team (Turn to page 11)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

PPP/C gov’t focused on welfare Single window approval system for of the people, not politics R

esidents of Region 10 were assured by President Dr. Irfaan Ali that his Government remains committed to ensuring that all of Guyana, including their region, benefit from development plans underway. The Head of State was at the time addressing the gathering at the opening of the Regional outreach at the Watooka House in Linden where he engaged with members of the public and representatives of various groups including the Women's Group, Farmers Group and Forestry Group. "My government has made it very clear that our only intention is to serve the people of this country and serve all the people of this country. You not only have our commitment, but the people of Region 10 can rest assured that you have a President and a Cabinet and a Government who are ready to fulfill its mandate and commitment to uplifting your lives and making your lives better. I assure you that this government is ready to work with every single Guyanese ... I do not concern myself with the politics of any com-

munity, I concern myself with the welfare of the people of the communities,” he said. Members of the Cabinet present at today's outreach included: Ashni Singh – Minister of Finance; Juan Edghill – Minister of Public Works; Vickram Bharrat – Minister of Natural Resources; Collin Croal – Minister of Housing and Water; Oneidge Waldrond – Ministry of Tourism; Nigel Dharamlall - Minister of Local Government; and Hon Dr Vindhya Persaud— Minister of Human Services and Social Security, among others. The President said communication among the various agencies is vital along with a strengthened link to central government. This he said will result in the development of the communities. Ali said, "We are fixing a system that was broken; to fix that system requires all of us to work together. The Regional Democratic Council identifying where the broken bones are, working with the central government and the central government will work with the RDC...that is what will lead to development.

The first thing that is essential is communication. That is why we are here today to communicate directly to the stakeholders, to listen directly to the stakeholders and to formulate a plan and a programme that all of us will be proud to be associated with." President Ali acknowledged the needs of the community, particularly as it relates to access to housing. On this note he said over the years there has been a sloth in the development of the sector as the investment was not there to satisfy the demand in the region. "I want to assure you that we are going to put back resources to put back the energy, the vibrancy into housing and to create the opportunities that housing once created in the region,” he said. According to him, the issue is not just access to land or access to agricultural land, but to work with the people of the community to transform the land to asset. This the President said, will bring economic wealth to the communities. President Ali also an-

nounced Government's intention to work with farmers to develop a master plan through which they can increase their productive capacity in agriculture. This master plan will also touch on the other sectors of the economy. The President also assured the residents that the creation of employment within the communities is high on his Government's agenda and will be supported by developments in ICT, particularly with the establishment of a call Centre in the region. "We now have to get the telecommunications sector to up the bandwidth to make investment here so that we can redirect traffic here to establish call centres, create jobs, increase the disposable incomes of families, giving them greater ability and capacity to participate in the economy; those are the types of things we are targeting,” he said. President Ali then pointed to the importance of the presence of the Ministers of Government in formulating a collective response to the needs of the communities.

takeholders in the Forestry Sector, gathered at the Region 10 Presidential Outreach, were assured by President Dr. Irfaan Ali that his Government will work with them to fix the broken system hampering their growth and development. The Head of State was at the time addressing the breakout session with farmers, loggers, foresters and miners gathered at Wa-

tooka House to engage with him and members of his cabinet. Several of the pressing concerns raised were infrastructure development; access to roads, rehabilitation of bridges, drainage, access to agricultural assistance and access to financing. Addressing the plethora of issues raised by the forestry operators, the President said, "It’s not only financial ...we have to be frank

sometimes, it is not only the financial situation, the policies over the last five years killed the sector. Do you know that? Loggers all over the country, the policies over the last five years messed the sector up, messed forestry up. We’re fixing it! We will fix it with you." President Ali added that he will directly address the issues and bring them to the fore. He added, "You have a President who will lay it

straight on the table. The Minister of Finance will fix the mess they left you, the loggers, in." With regards to the issues raised by the farmers, the Head of State noted that there needs to be improved management of services offered by the Agriculture Sector in the region. He added that this will also be urgently addressed by the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha.

construction permits P resident Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali said that Central Government will soon engage the municipalities to bring the laws, regulations and building codes “up to speed” with the international best practices. “At the level of Central Government, we understand the changes that are taking place, the capital city Georgetown is not the same capital city. The level of commerce, sophistication of investment have changed tremendously; the type of office buildings have changed. But the laws have really remained constant, the regulations have remained constant. The building codes have remained constant. And these are some of the things that Central Government will be working on,” Ali said. The President pointed to the importance of this

process given the country’s transformative agenda. He said that studies have pointed to a major deficiency in the length of time for approval of building permits. He said, “In some instances, it [the permit] stays at some town councils or city council for some time, two years, three years. So, what we have to do now is to work collectively on creating a single window approval system in keeping with international best practices.” As such, he stated that Central Government will be engaging the regional bodies on the modernisation of the institutional and legislative infrastructure to establish the single window approval system for building permits and construction permits. This he emphasised will greatly enhance competitiveness and improve productivity.

Gov’t, Region 10 Private Sector to Government will fix broken forestry sector identify and develop S Investment Zone

Congratulations offered to US President Biden, VP Harris

resident Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday (January 20, 2021) extended congratulations to the 46th President of the United States of America, Joseph R. Biden Jr., and Vice President Kamala Harris following their inauguration earlier in the day. In a Facebook post, the Guyanese leader said President Biden’s call for unity and democracy are critical

components of good governance which he says Guyana completely shares. President Ali went on to say that Guyana stands together with the Biden-led administration in defence of unity, democracy and peace. He said, “Your call for unity and democracy are critical components of good governance which we share completely with you. We

pray that God continues to bless the Government and people of the United States. We stand together with you in defence of unity, democracy and peace.” The Head of State had previously said he is looking forward to working with the new US President to confront critical and strategic matters of interest to the international community, including the

COVID-19 pandemic, and to further strengthen elations between Guyana and the US. President Biden defeated Donald Trump to clinch the White House following a cliff-hanger vote count at the November 2020 election. The 78-year-old Democrat is the oldest U.S. President to take office; and after taking his oath of office, (Turn to page 11)

resident Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that the Government will work in tandem with the private sector in Linden to identify potential areas of investment for the development of an Investment Zone. This he believes will bolster economic growth opportunities in the region and ensure private sector involvement in the process. President Ali made this announcement during discussions with various private sector groups at today’s Presidential Outreach in Linden. During the discussions the business representatives raised several issues, including a lack of access to land to further develop and grow their enterprises. "What we need to do is sit with you, look at the potential area that investors

and business people think is an ideal area and create an investment zone there and then to make those land available in a way that it can be asset value and can be prioritised. That is something that we should look at,” he stressed. The President added that when this area is identified it can be developed with the necessary infrastructure which will benefit all stakeholders. He therefore assured that his Government will take a more collaborative approach in working with the private sector. "We are going to put investment in, we are going to put opportunities here for wealth creation, job creation, and we are going to involve all of you in the private sector here,” the President assured.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Budget 2021 to be Qatar supports Guyana with COVID field hospital presented soon W

ork on Budget 2021 commenced last month and the national estimates are being fine-tuned for presentation to the National Assembly soon, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali. He said, “We’re working presently. We haven’t fixed a date as yet but we’re working presently on Budget 2021 and it’s not a long wait.” The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government took office in August 2020 and was able to produce a budget by September 2020. Additionally, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance in the Office of the President, Dr Ashni Singh assured of the tremendous benefit Guyanese will receive from Budget 2021. “The Budget will outline the medium and long-term vision for the country; vision of our Government in the long-term for the coun-

try, and then the Budget will initiate a lot of these programmes and policies and projects. A lot of the big projects that we have been speaking about, you will see them being initiated in Budget 2021, setting the stage for the realisation of the medium-term vision that we have for the country,” Singh said. This year’s budget will be the first full-year national economic plan presented by the PPP/C Government since taking office in August 2020. The $329.5 billion budget that the Government presented in September of 2020 was a much-needed emergency budget that covered the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year. Prior to that, the last budget the country had under the former APNU+AFC Coalition government was in November 2018 for the fiscal year 2019. Over one trillion was spent by the former Coa-

lition government in five years, with Guyanese realizing little benefit from the spending or relief from issues that range from increased cost of living to crime. The five budgets saw consistent yearly increases in the sums that were spent. Budget 2015 – $221B – was themed ‘A Fresh Approach to the Good Life in a Green Economy’. Budget 2016 - $230B – was presented under the theme ‘Stimulating Growth, Restoring Confidence – The Good Life Beckons’. Budget 2017 - $250B – was presented under the theme ‘Building a Diversified Economy: Delivering the Good Life to all Guyanese’. Budget 2018, was a whopping $267.1B estimate presented under the theme ‘The Journey to the Good Life Continues’. Budget 2019 - $300.7B – was presented under the theme ‘Transforming the Economy, Empowering People, Building Sustainable Communities for the good life’.

resident Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, this evening, expressed his gratitude to Government and People of Qatar for their generosity and support in donating a COVID field hospital to Guyana. The field hospital arrived Tuesday evening (January 19, 2021) at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). President Ali, in a Facebook post, recalled that it was soon after his inauguration in August that he held discussions with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani via telephone, where he pledged to provide the facility to aid Guyana’s

COVID fight. “I thank the Emir and people of Qatar for their love and support. Weeks after my inauguration the Emir and I spoke and he promised to fly in a field hospital and accessories. Today, he delivered on that promise. Soon, we will be establishing our embassy in Qatar, and together we will accomplish lots more for the people of our two countries,” President Ali said. Meanwhile, Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony travelled to the CJIA to receive the mobile hospital which arrived on a Boeing

C-17 Globemaster jet from Qatar. The field hospital will be set up in the compound of the West Demerara Regional Hospital at Best village to treat critical Covid patients. Altogether it comprises 60 beds, 60 mattresses, 12 air-conditioners, 60 pillows, 60 blankets, eight carpets, one generator, 20 respirators, 20,000 types of small and large medical equipment and one diesel tank. Presidential Advisor on National Security, Captain Gerry Gouveia also formed part of the delegation which received the mobile hospital.

Biden signs orders to end ‘Muslim ban’... (From page 9)

said earlier on Wednesday. Bob Goodfellow, the interim executive director of Amnesty International USA, welcomed Biden’s WHO decision as “a much-needed first step” in restoring Washington’s cooperation with the international community. He also urged Biden to support the WHO’s COVAX programme, which aims to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are evenly distributed between countries. “It is of the utmost importance that the Biden administration lead multilateral efforts to fight the pandemic and to support and fund global vaccine efforts,” Goodfellow said. HALTING BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION Biden also rescinded the national emergency declaration that was used to justify some of Trump’s funding diversions to build the wall on the US-Mexico border. The order, Biden’s team said earlier on Wednesday, will direct “an immediate

pause” in construction to allow for a review of the funding and contracting methods used. Building a “big” and “beautiful” wall between the US and Mexico to block undocumented immigrants from entering the country was one of Trump’s key 2016 election campaign promises. REVOKING KEYSTONE PIPELINE APPROVAL Biden also revoked the presidential permit granted to the multibillion-dollar Keystone XL pipeline, a contentious energy project that was slated to ship 830,000 barrels of oil per day between the Canadian province of Alberta and the US state of Nebraska. Canada, which this week said it remained committed to the project, expressed its “disappointment” at the decision on Wednesday. But Matthew Campbell,a staff lawyer at the Native American Rights Fund, which has represented Indigenous nations in legal challenges against Keystone XL, told

Al Jazeera Biden’s decision is “vindication” for Native communities opposed to the pipeline. FORTIFYING DACA In 2012, while serving as vice president to President Barack Obama, the US adopted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to provide temporary relief from deportation to “Dreamers”, young people who were brought to the US as children. The Trump administration has tried to terminate the programme, through which 700,000 young people have applied for relief. In a presidential memorandum signed on Wednesday, Biden directed the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the US attorney general, to make sure that DACA is preserved and fortified. The memorandum also calls on Congress to enact legislation that would provide “permanent status and a pathway to citizenship” to the Dreamers.

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony and a delegation including Presidential Advisor on National Security, Captain Gerry Gouveia and Army Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, received the field hospital at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport

Congratulations offered... administered by Chief Justice John Roberts at the Capitol Building under heavy security and in the presence of a scant gathering of dignitaries, including three former US presidents, Biden vowed to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States in his inaugural address to the nation. He also pleaded for unity in what has been described as a “divided nation”, and promised to be a president for all Americans, urging that they give him a chance. “Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: Bringing America together; uniting our people and uniting our nation. I ask every American to join me in this cause. Uniting to fight

the common foes we face: anger, resentment, hatred, extremism, lawlessness, violence. disease, joblessness, hopelessness. With unity we can do great things. Important things. We can right wrongs. We can put people to work in good jobs. We can teach our children in safe schools. We can overcome this deadly virus. We can reward work, rebuild the middle class, and make health care secure for all. We can deliver racial justice. To all those who supported our campaign, I am humbled by the faith you have placed in us. To all those who did not support us, let me say this: Hear me out as we move forward. Take a measure of

(From page 10)

me and my heart, and if you still disagree, so be it. That’s democracy. That’s America. The right to dissent peaceably within the guardrails of our republic is perhaps our nation’s greatest strength. Yet, hear me clearly: Disagreement must not lead to disunion. And I pledge this to you: I will be a president for all Americans. I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did,” President Biden reassured. Wednesday’s inauguration has gone down in history, as Vice President Harris is the first female, and first Black and South Asian person to become Vice President.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Inv es t ment s cont inue t o be made in D& I t o r educe r is k of los s es NEW DRAINAGE PUMPS FROM INDIA TO BE FULLY OPERABLE BY FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY – 2 additional engineers from India arrive in Guyana

Thhe status of the drainage pumps being installed in several flood prone areas along the coast was discussed between Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, and the Indian High Commissioner, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa/ The mobile and fixed heavy-duty drainage pumps, which were procured under a Line of Credit financing of US$4 million from India in 2020, are currently in the final stages of installation. Minister Mustapha informed the delegation that he recently met the contractor from India and was given an update on the installation of the pumps. “I met with the contractor about a week ago. There were some issues that were brought to my attention. I raised them with him and he assured me that by the first week in February we can have all these pumps fixed and working. When that happens, we will be able to move ahead with commissioning the pumps,” Minister Mustapha said. Minister Mustapha also said that with Government working on developing a comprehensive plan for a complete upgrading to the country’s drainage system, this year’s budget should see allocations being made to acquire additional drainage pumps. “I’m optimistic that, with the new budget, more funds will be made available to acquire additional pumps because, around the country, there is a need for more pumps. Quite frankly, if we are to properly upgrade the country’s drainage capacity, we have to make these types of investments now,” Minister Mustapha said. Minister Mustapha also informed the delegation that his Ministry is working towards increasing and improving Guyana’s agricultural production over the next few years. This, he said, would be done through the development of new areas earmarked for agriculture.

LOWLAND TO BENEFIT FROM D&I UPGRADE Residents from Lowland Village on t he East Coast Demerara will soon benefit from a complete upgrade to their community’s drainage system following an immediate intervention by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, during a recent community meeting. During the meeting, residents raised a number of issues with the Minister and his team, which included the need for works to be done on a number drains and canals, rehabilitations works to the main roads and land allocations, as many persons are currently squatting. Responding to issues raised during the meeting, Minister Mustapha informed the residents that he had instructed the NDIA to send an excavator to the community to complete all the drainage works in the area. “I want to assure you that from next week, a machine will be coming to the area to do works on all the internal drains so that you will have proper drainage here.

The machine will work until the entire system has been done. We’ll redo the entire drainage system for this community. I’ll also ask the head of the NDIA to do a report for me to ensure we know the extent of the works to be done in the entire area. We have to get cooperation from the residents because there are residents who have bottlenecks when they make their bridges or culverts. If we have to put in tubes to help with the drainage, we’ll do so,” Minister Mustapha said. He also informed the residents that he will inform his colleague Ministers about the road and housing issues raised so that they can visit the community and work along with the residents to bring some amount of relief. He said, “I’ve seen some of the roads while we were driving in. They are indeed in a deplorable state. I’ll ask the Minister of Public Works to come into the community with his engineers to look at it. That main road has to have a proper engineering study because the canals on both ends are very deep and it’s causing the road to sink.” The subject Minister also informed those in attendance that a team from the NDIA will be meeting with them shortly to do an assessment of the works to be executed in the area so that representation can be made for those projects to be included in the Ministry’s 2021 work programme.

DRAINAGE WORKS CONDUCTED AT BEE HIVE AND GREENFIELD Farmers from Bee Hive and Greenfield have expressed thanks to Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, for a timely intervention that saw several of the main canals being cleared for the first time in years. Minister Mustapha recently visited the area and met with several farmers who said they usually experience flooding because of the conditions of the canals. He immediately instructed the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority to put systems in place to have the canals cleaned. Farmers and residents from the villages thanked the Minister for the timely intervention, noting that the works would provide much-needed relief to them during the heavy rainy season.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Chief Justice dismisses one election petition, second to proceed T

wo elections petitions have been filed by the APNU+AFC Coalition, to protest their loss at the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. One, Petition 88, argues that the Recount Order was illegal and unconstitutional and therefore the declaration of results based on the recount is illegal and unconstitutional. The second, Petition 99, argues that fraud was committed in the March 2020 Elections and over 115,000 votes were affected, benefiting the PPP/C. PETITION 99 So far, Petition 99 has been thrown out and the other will move forward. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, is comments on the ruling noted that the decision handed down by Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire is testimony to the rigidity of the law regarding service of an elections petition to a respondent. Petition 99, which challenged the final elections results declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on August 2, 2020, was nullified on the grounds of non-compliance of service on the second named respondent, former President Mr. David Granger. Those results showed that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) won

the March 2 elections with 233,336 votes, while the APNU+AFC secured 217,920 votes. The petitioners in the matter had argued that Mr. Granger was not a proper and necessary party to the petition and therefore, his late service was of little to no consequence to the matter. The petition documents seen by the Court showed that Mr. Granger, who is also head of the APNU+AFC List, was served on September 25, 2020, outside of the stipulated timeframe. Section 8 of the National Assembly (Validity of Elections) Act (1998) states “within the prescribed time, not exceeding five days after the presentation of an election petition, the petitioner shall in the prescribed manner serve on the respondent a notice of the presentation of the petition…” Justice George also rejected a Supplementary Affidavit filed by the petitioners without the Court’s permission. That Affidavit showed that Mr. Granger was served on September 18, but reportedly signed a later date by mistake. Meanwhile, the Attorney General said the petition is supported by 100 years of case law authorities. He said, “The law is very clear. When election petition documents or the election petitions are not served within the time

stipulated, the law is very strict, the law is very rigid and the law says the petition is a nullity and must be dismissed, that the Court has no jurisdiction to deal with a petition affected to non-service or late service in relation to any of the documents.” Nandall added that Granger was a necessary respondent in the petition and must be named and was required to be served. He said, “Mr. Granger represented a list of candidates who won seats in the National Assembly and it would have been wrong against the principles of natural justice and fairness, not to have named him a party.” The Attorney General said it was quite ironic, that the APNU+AFC’s petition was dismissed for late service on its own leader. That by itself tells a very tragic tale of incompetence, he said. The Attorney General and lawyers representing respondent, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had filed summons for the petition to be struck out since the requisite documents were not served within the prescribed time by law. The Attorney General said the long, reasoned, comprehensive judgement by the Chief Justice, examined all the legal issues and case law and dealt with “every argument in an admirable way.” “I believe it was a very

good judgement and a judgment that will guide us in the future,” he said. PETITION 88 The second elections petition, Petition 88 will move forward. And the Chief Justice on Monday (January 18, 2021) has ordered the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to hand over its Statements of Poll and Statements of Recount to the High Court for safe-keeping pending the hearing and determination of Petition 88. This order came after arguments were made on the matter. The order was issued at the request of Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes for the PPP/C, and Attorney-at-Law Kashir Khan for Change Guyana. “I am asking that at this stage an order be made that the Chief Election Officer produces all of the election documents and put them into the custody of the Registrar of the Court so that if at a later date you make an order that they be inspected that they will be there available for such inspection,” Mendes said. Notably, there is a timeframe for the destruction of documents. However, after arguments the Chief Justice ordered the Chief Election Officer hand over the 2, 400 Statements of Poll. Additionally, Justice George said petitioners and the respondents will proceed

to file their arguments, noting that there were some “factual issues” that would have to be advanced by GECOM regarding the origin of Order 60. Petitioners have until February 12, 2021 to file their submissions and March 5, 2021 for the respondents to reply. Submissions in reply are due on or before March 19. Parties will return to Court on April 5, 2021. The AG said his party would be submitting as evidence the Statements of Poll (SOPs) and Statements of Recount (SORs) which determined how the electorate voted. He said permission was sought that they be afforded the opportunity to lead them into evidence at the appropriate time. Justice George also made a preservatory order for all elections documents. INFIGHTING Meanwhile, in the wake of the High Court’s dismissal of the People’s National Congress’s (PNC) second election petition, party member James Bond has blasted party leaders who botched the petition and gave the court grounds for throwing it out due to its late service. Bond, who once represented the PNC as a Member of Parliament and party executive, wasted little time in taking to social media, where he released a statement urging the party leaders who

played a role in organising the election petition to resign. He labelled the errors that led to the petition being thrown out as “gross incompetence.” Taking to social media, he said, “The entire leadership of APNU/AFC who had anything to do with the planning and execution of the election petition should resign immediately. This is gross incompetence. This is madness! This is what we slaved for.” Bond noted that the botching of the election petition is symptomatic of a clique or cabal who want to “control everything.” He further told his thousands of followers on social media that when PNC party leaders “come for your vote at congress, ask them what part they played in the election petition.” Further, he made another, even more personal appeal to his supporters and recalled the sacrifices he personally made during the election campaign leading up to the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. “We deserve better leadership than this. Imagine campaigning for months, close down my office, spend my money, give of my time, sleepless nights… then (PNC/APNU+AFC) go and mess it up just so,” Bond said, going on to lambast the PNC leadership as “incompetent.”

Mode of trial in GECOM officials matter still to be decided – Attorney

he court proceedings involving Chief Election Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield, Region Four District Returning Officer, Mr. Clairmont Mingo and PNCR Executive, Ms. Volda Lawrence for their alleged criminal conduct during the elections period, may take some time. Attorney, Mr. Glen Hanoman, in a recent interview, explained that while the parties await a ruling on the type of trial that may be required, the defence is seeking to have the trial by judge and jury, which may take longer. “The law is that the Magistrate is the person who ultimately makes that ruling about where the trial should take place and be concluded. So, the defence, in this case, has taken the unusual stand that they are more interested in the matter being tried by

a jury. That procedure will most likely take more than five years and it will cause substantial delays in the trial of the matter. “So, the prosecutors are pressing very hard for the matters because it is more convenient, it is more efficient, for the matters to be done purely in the Magistrates Court. We are pressing for that to be done,” Mr. Hanoman said. Charges against the three accused were first filed by private individuals following which, the matter was taken over by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms. Shalimar Ali-Hack resulting in over 20 charges being laid against them. Defence Attorney, Mr. Nigel Hughes then wrote to the DPP requesting her intervention to determine whether

those matters should advance or be withdrawn. The DPP then requested all the pertinent information from Mr. Hanoman and after those were reviewed, she ordered the Guyana Police Force to conduct additional investigations. At the close of those investigations, the private matters were overtaken by the filing of police criminal complaints, which were instituted instead. “We are at a stage where the Magistrate Court has not decided as yet formally, whether these matters will be proceeding summarily, meaning purely in the Magistrates Court or whether she will just be taking evidence in the form of depositions in the Magistrates Court to determine whether it is sufficient evidence for judge and jury

to try these matters perhaps more than five years from now,” Mr. Hanoman said. Meanwhile, the Attorney noted that it is unusual that the defence is exposing the clients to possible life sentences based on the preferred mode of trial. “The Magistrates Court has a limit to the amount of imprisonment that they can

sentence someone to, five years is usually the upper limit, but if as a defence lawyer you are asking for, in these matters in particular, these accused can get life imprisonment and the defence is saying that they would prefer these matters to be tried before judge and jury. I’m hoping that they have discussed this with their

clients, and that the clients understand that by taking that stand they are now going to be exposed to a lot higher sentence,” he said. Mr. Hanoman is urging the public to exercise patience as “the wheels of justice turn very slowly for a lot of different reasons.” “We have thousands of witnesses that we have to go through so regardless of what mode of trial we adopt these matters will be before the court for a long time to come,” he said. Apart from Mr. Hanoman there are five other prosecuting attorneys; Mr. Ganesh Hera, Mr. George Thomas, Ms. Danielle Anthony, Mr. Donavon Rangiah and Mr. Mark Conway. The cases were divided in three with two Attorneys for each group.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

State sues Courtney Benn Contracting Audit of COVID-19 cash grant ‘pink forms’ over St Rose’s High School project A almost complete ‒ Minister Dharamlall

he audit of the query forms (pink slips) for the Government’s $25,000 COVID-19 relief cash grant is almost complete. The form allows for secondary households to also benefit from the grant, according to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall He said the Government made provisions for this benefit to reach every household. “Those households who are the secondary or non-primary households, they will have to fill out a pink form. The Government is in the process of having those forms audited and as soon as that process

is complete then resources will be made available to be paid to the secondary households,” the Minister stressed. Minister Dharamlall said efforts are being made to ensure primary householders who missed the grant distribution in their neighbourhoods, benefit. He said, “People have reached out to me where that is concerned and we have tried to get our teams on the ground to go back to those households and get them resolved, but if that is an issue that continues, we will have to get our teams to revisit as much as possible.” The Minister also noted that there have been other

challenges faced by distribution clerks and the Police, especially on the East Coast Demerara. He said some persons have been harassed and accosted. To this end, he is urging the public to desist from these behaviours and to allow the process to flow smoothly. On September 7, President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced that provisions would be made for every household to benefit from the grant to help cushion the effects of the pandemic. Citizens across the country have lauded the President for this measure and have hailed the initiative as timely and necessary.

lawsuit, for more than $400 million, has been brought against Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited (CBCSL) for what he says is its failure to complete construction work on the St. Rose’s High School. The legal action was advanced by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall. The AG is seeking from the defendants jointly and severally damages in excess of $100 million dollars for alleged breach of contract on the part of CBCSL for the reconstruction of the St. Rose’s High School. Nandlall is also suing, for over $41M in liquidated damages, from CBCSL which Nandlall says has to be calculated at 10% pursuant to provisions of the contract dated August 18, 2018 and its addendum dated December 23, 2019.

Further, the Attorney General is suing for $105,812,929, which according to him is owed by CBCSL under the performance bond issued by CARICOM Insurance. Aggravated damages to the tune of $100,000,000 for the construction company’s alleged breach of the contract is also being sought by Nandlall in addition to an order for restitution from CBCSL which he pegs at $67,337,538. This sum he says constitutes an advance payment made by the government to CBCSL for which no works were done. In the alternative, he is seeking an order of restitution against CARICOM Insurance for all monies owing on the advance guarantee and performance bond. In total, the AG is suing for $414,380,902 but is ad-

ditionally seeking interest, court costs and any other order the court deems just to grant. Under the former government, the company entered into a contract for the reconstruction of the St. Rose’s High School, at a cost of $352,709,745. The contract was later increased by $59,594,612 - increasing the original contract sum to $412,304,357. CBCSL received from government an advance payment of $118,711, 657 under the terms of the contract and as a consequence of the addendum, the contract was extended for a period 20 months and as such, the completion of the contract was set for no later than the August 23, 2021. However, the company stands in breach of its obligations.

State sues BK over Yarrowkabra school project New asphalt plant to be lawsuit has filed a more to its contract. es of $50 million for what was disbursed by the gov- audited ‒ Edghill A than $700 million lawIn addition to the $100 Nandlall said was trespass ernment in three parts to the suit against NAFICO and million being sought for committed by BK from No- company. inister of Public Works, the old asphalt plant, the DeBK International by Attor- breach of contract, the Attor- vember 2nd, 2020. On March 12, 2020 ney General, Anil Nandlall, ney General is also seeking Aggravated damages are the Ministry of Education MBishop Juan Edghill said merara Harbour Bridge Corthat the Office of the Auditor Gen- poration’s (DHBC) Board of for failure to complete construction of the Yarrowkabra Secondary School. In his statement of claim, the AG is seeking from defendants BK and the North American Fire and General Insurance Company (NAFICO) jointly and severally general damages in excess of $100 million dollars for alleged breach of contract on the part of BK International. Nandlall said that pursuant to a contract dated December 31, 2019 the construction company was contracted to build the Yarrowkabra Secondary School located on the Linden- Soesdyke Highway but failed to complete the job according

liquidated damages from BK in the sum of $82,675,774 and to also recoup a matching sum which he says the contractor owes under a performance bond issued by the insurance company for the construction of the school. Further, the AG is seeking from BK the sum of $165,351,547 which he says it owes on an advance payment guarantee issued by the insurance company for the school’s construction. An order of restitution is also being sought by Nandlall against BK which he said was paid $137,184,782 for works not done. The Claimant (AG) is also being sued for damag-

also being sought against BK and was pegged at an additional $100 million. In total, Nandlall is suing for $717,887,877. In addition, however, he is seeking interest, court costs and any other order the court deems just to grant. Under the former government, BK International entered a contract to construct the secondary school at Yarrowkabra at a cost of $826,757,737. BK submitted to the Ministry a performance bond in the sum of $82,675,774 for a one-year period—from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020. An advance payment of $165,351,547

through the Permanent Secretary issued a revised commencement order stating that the expected period for the completion of all works would be 12 months from date of the order, and as such, the completion of the contract was thereof scheduled for the 11th March, 2021. Nandlall said BK has received a total of $220,243,312 as payment for works under the contract, but failed comply with the work schedule constitutes a fundamental breach of the terms of the agreement. That said, the company stands in breach of the contract.

Auditor General to probe into EBD overpasses, lifts – non-functional since installation

he procurement, construction and operation of the overpasses and lifts along the East Bank Demerara corridor will be subject to review by the Office of the Auditor General. Minister of Public Works,. Bishop Juan Edghill made this statement during a recent inspection of one the lifts at the Peters Hall overpass. He said, “Ten elevators were bought for these five overpasses and none of the elevator systems on these overpasses are functioning.

As a matter of fact, the technical people have advised me [that] since installation, they have not really worked. All that we have here is a scandal. Monies spent and there is no benefit for the people because you have 10 elevators became non-functional and people still struggling to get up and down these stairs.” Minister Edghill said he is displeased that persons with disabilities and senior citizens have not benefitted from the lift system which was intended to safely assist them to cross the EBD public

road. He said, “We have had situations where people got stuck in these elevators. The doors are not functioning properly and they are not available…significant sums have been spent on these five overpasses and these elevators.” Minister Edghill further chided his predecessor, former Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr. David Patterson, and the former APNU/AFC Administration, for wasting taxpayers’ money on a project that is yet to be fully realised. He said, “This is a project that was 2018. We are now in 2021, maybe the warranty period is already

dead and we do not have the benefit.” The overpasses at Diamond, Providence, Peters Hall, Eccles and Houston were procured at a cost of $488.5 million. Installation of the lifts at these locations cost $12.2 million each. The elevators for the overpasses were manufactured by Swedish company Cibes Lift Group AB and supplied by RBP Lift Limited of Trinidad and Tobago. S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies built the overpasses at Diamond and Providence while B&J Civil Works constructed those at Peters Hall, Eccles and Houston.

eral will investigate the Demerara Harbour Bridge Asphalt Plant, which remains inoperable two years after being installed. He made this announcement during an inspection of the plant, recently. The probe will seek to “find out how it was procured, if it was the best deal we got, why it is not functioning, what needs to be done to make sure it functions and how could we start using it to get greater efficiency and to get value for money in Guyana.” Minister Edghill said he was displeased the former Government spent $488 million on an asphalt plant that is yet to start production. He said, “Since we got into Government, we discovered that parts were not in place to make it functional and that is why I can’t understand the level of dishonesty of [former Minister] David Patterson… No amount of propaganda and spinning things in the public will make a non-functional asphalt plant function.” The Minister said he is awaiting an assessment by technical officials to determine the necessary steps to be taken to remedy what he described as a “white elephant” since taxpayers’ money was invested in the new plant. He said, “We have a very robust developmental agenda. This plant and its capacity to put out asphalt on a daily basis is required and needed, but up until now it can’t be operational and functional.” Making matters worse, the Minister said the Plant has not been properly handed over to the Government from the manufacturers. DHBC BOARD MET ON PROBE INTO OLD PLANT Concerning the probe into

Directors recently examined the findings. Minister Edghill said the Board has determined that its human resources sub-committee will interview persons attached to DHBC who have been deemed culpable with respect to the allegations and outcomes of the probe. “As far as I am aware, the Chairman of the Board is arranging for those interviews early next week and then from there we will be able to make public pronouncements,” he said. The Minister said it is the Board’s decision to hold staffers accountable for any wrongdoing, according to the probe. At every Board installation under the Ministry of Public Works since August, Minister Edghill has charged the directors to ensure the apparatuses of Government confirm to the tenets of accountability and transparency. On December 30, Chief Executive Officer of Chateram Ramdihal Chartered Accountants, Mr. Chateram Ramdihal, handed over the report, which investigated the financial and operational management of the old asphalt plant during the years 2013-2020. Among the findings, the probe found that the management of DHBC was at fault for not ensuring the plant was controlled and operated efficiently. The probe also revealed over $12 million in debt being accrued by Courtney Benn Construction Incorporated, and the loan of bitumen to Suresh Jagmohan and China Railways, all without the Board’s approval, among other damning findings.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Registration Act to be amended â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nandlall

teps will be taken, according to Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C, to amend the Registration Act to address gaps in the legislative framework. He explained that the gap which currently exists allows Magistrates to make alterations to birth and death certificates, without allowing the General

Registrar to first verify the authenticity of the information. He added that the upcoming amendments will help safeguard against person giving erroneous or invalid information for the purpose of changing the records. The current Act allows for a correction of clerical errors on a Birth or Death certificate based on an order by a Magistrate. The Magis-

trate in granting this Order is required to hear from the complainant and those responsible for making the entry. Once amended, the General Registrar will be allowed the opportunity to be heard on the records before any Court order is made. This is among a raft of other measures that are part of the current Administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legislative agenda.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

APNU+AFC Coalition’s misconduct exposed in 2019 Auditor General’s Report [The 2019 Auditor General’s Report was handed to House Speaker, Manzoor Nadir, on December 10, 2020. At the sitting of the National Assembly on December 23, 2020, the Report was laid in the House and made public.]

Under Granger’s watch $1.37B was paid to contract staff in 2019 alone

ust about half the staffers employed at the then called Ministry of the Presidency, some 471 persons, were paid $1.37B in 2019 alone – as per the conditions of contracts. Of the 471 persons, a whopping 172 were over 55-years-old, while another 110 were between 45-yearsold and 55-years-old. A total of 45 of the 471

contract staff were paid amounts over $400,000 per month, while 101 were paid amounts between $200,001 and $400,000. The remaining 453 staffers, on the pensionable establishment as required by the Public Service Commission, were paid just over $550M. This means that Granger’s contract employees took up 75 per cent of the monies that

were budgeted to pay staff. “The Public Service Commission Circular №. 1/2017 dated 7 February 2017, required Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Departments and Regional Executive Officers to submit a list of all Officers on Contract/ Gratuity for them to be appointed on the Pensionable Establishment,” the AG’s 2019 report said.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Millions spent cannot be verified, processed without approvals ‒ over $1B not returned to Consol Fund T

he 2019 Auditor General’s report exposed the fact that spending of over $123M by the Ministry of the Presidency could not be verified. “A perusal of 6,706 transactions, revealed that 234 Payment Vouchers totalling $123.280M were not submitted for audit. In the circumstances, we could not ascertain the correctness, accuracy and validity of these 234 transactions,” the report said on page 151. “Payment Vouchers and other supporting documentation were not seen for ninety cheques valued $95.525M, which purportedly paid. As such, we could not deter-

A summary of the missing vouchers

mine whether the goods/ services were received,” the AG’s 2019 report added. The Audit Office has since recommended that the Head of Budget Agency submit the documents relating to the

cheques paid, for audit. Further, a total of 88 transactions totalling $799.027M received the requisite approvals from the Head of Budget Agency, Ministry of the Presiden-

cy after the transactions were processed for payment.

“This constituted a breach of Section 31 (1) of the FMA Act. More specifically, this Section stipulates that “No charge shall be made against an appropriation except on the requisition of the Head of the budget agency for which the appropriation was made or of an official authorised in writing by the Head of the budget agency for the purpose”. This situation posed a risk, as it sets a precedence whereby transactions are processed without the necessary approvals. As

such, opportunities for the perpetration of wrongdoing are present, and may be perpetrated without prompt detection,” the AG’s report said. The report added that the Ministry failed to refund to the Consolidated Fund, the sum of $1.394B drawn via 831 cheques, which were still on hand after the close of the fiscal year, in breach of Guyana’s financial laws. Multiple other breaches were recorded in the 2019 Auditor General’s Report.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Guyana pushes SDGs, equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines ‒ as it hands over Chairmanship of Group 77 and China

call was made for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, as developing countries continue their battle against the pandemic, by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd. Minister Todd made these statements during a virtual ceremony to officially hand over the chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China to the Republic of Guinea. Guyana’s chairmanship of the Group came to an end last month, having had a successful year. “We must stay optimistic and do our part at the national, regional and international levels to halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus and to ensure equitable access to vaccines leaving no Region or country behind. It is pertinent that we retain a common voice as a group to negotiate for urgent support in combatting COVID -19,” he said. Minister Todd urged the Group to continue working towards the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He reminded the meeting to use the Decade of Action to mobilise financing and strengthen institutions to reach the Goals by the target date. During Guyana’s tenure, the country sought to bring to the forefront, and to mobilise support, for developing countries battling the pandemic whilst trying to attain the SDGs. Since taking office in August, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has been advocating for access to more funding for developing countries. To this end, Guyana hosted the flagship G77 and China

event themed: “Maintaining a Low Carbon Development Path towards the 2030 Agenda in the Era of COVID-19.” Guyana led 134 developing countries in conversations on awareness, partnership building, knowledge sharing and lesson learning on climate action amid Covid, while recovering toward the 2030 Agenda. Guyana was also able to maintain the Group’s solidarity and cooperation and together with negotiating partners, provided a framework to address challenges facing developing countries. “Our Chairmanship reflects His Excellency’s vision for the continued success and longevity of the Group of 77 and China, carefully aligned with the core principles that aligned the group. Core principles of solidarity, unity and cooperation. Our role as Chair began with many objectives to be fulfilled, including the third South Summit and other UN events,” Minister Todd told members. The Minister said while the pandemic tested Guyana’s ability as Chair, the country was able to adapt, successfully negotiating and agreeing on multilateral outcomes that will guide economic, social and environmental development for the next few years. Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres commended Guyana for its “expert guidance of the Group during 2020, an unprecedented year for the world and the organisation.” Guinea’s candidacy was endorsed during the 44th Ministerial meeting of the Group in November.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

COMMENTARY

PNCR leaders and a tainted legacy

s. Amna Ally, the current General Secretary of the PNCR, requested a meeting with the GECOM chair, alone. The GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh responded to the request informing them that the policy is that the Commission meets with political parties. Justice Singh clarified that as Chair she has avoided formal meetings with political parties by herself. At no point did Justice Singh refused to meet with the PNCR, just that she will meet them as the Commission. The PNCR is insisting they want a meeting with Justice Singh alone. Why would they want a meeting with Justice Singh alone? What are they up to? Knowing their history, including the most recent

five-month siege to thief the March 2020 elections, an attempt that was conducted in full view of the whole world, with the consequence that leading members of the PNCR and senior members of the GECOM management staff have been charged by the police for electoral fraud, it is only logical to conclude that the PNCR is up to no good. Something is rotten with this request. The stench is enough to suffocate us in Guyana, in CARICOM and around the world. The PNCR (APNU) members on the Commission has decided they will not attend GECOM meeting because of their claim that Justice Singh is denying the PNCR their right to meet with her. Why is it that the

three commissioners from the PNCR(APNU) would want the GECOM chair to be meeting the PNCR alone? The history of rigged elections in Guyana are all linked to the PNCR. The PNCR is bound to rigged elections with a steel cord. The rigged elections between 1968 and 1985 are all irrefutably documented. The PNCR's founder leader's legacy is rigged elections. Mr. Desmond Hoyte's legacy is rigged elections. Now David Granger's legacy is rigged elections. But apart from their pre1992 history of rigged elections, of thieving elections, the PNCR (using the disguise of APNU+AFC) showed their stripes again in the period 2015 to 2020. There are innumerable examples of the

PNCR's dishonesty and overt efforts to thief the March 2, 2020 elections. While the five month siege between March 3 and August 2, 2020 is the most visible components of the thieving strategy, the theft scheme started from the moment David Granger became President in May 2015. The following examples, outside of the five month-siege between March 3 and August 2, 2020 are examples of dishonesty that would make any decent person wary of meeting the PNCR alone. January 10th was the anniversary of Nomination Day 2020. I was a part of Nomination Day 2020, as I have been for nomination days since 1992. Nomination Day 2020, last January, reflected a vigorous and determined

response from the PPP and all the new political parties, signaling to APNU+AFC the people of Guyana were eager to end the disastrous David Granger/APNU+AFC tenure in Government. Nomination Day 2020, unfortunately, also provided more evidence that the Granger-led APNU+AFC had no intention to play by the rules. Significantly, Nomination Day 2020 exposed the unholy alliance between APNU+AFC and the GECOM Secretariat. The new political parties and the PPP decided to camp out in front of the Umana Yana days before nomination day to reserve their places for presentation of their candidate lists. At least two parties, TNM and the URP, were in line as #1 and #2 as early as Wednes-

day evening. The PPP and Change Guyana joined in on Thursday evening. But on Friday, Nomination Day itself, APNU+AFC showed up and proceeded to the head of the line, permitted by GECOM. While some argue we make too much of "jumping the line", in this case, the line-jumping provided another early signal of the collusion, between APNU+AFC and the GECOM staff. With such collusion, why would Justice Singh want to meet the PNCR alone? In an earlier column, I highlighted the absolute hypocrisy, dishonesty and, frankly, delusional attempt by David Granger to sugar-coat APNU+AFC's egregious failed strategy to thief the (Turn to page 21)

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

PNCR leaders and a... 2020 elections. Mr. Granger, during a New Year's message, dishonestly rewrote the entire history of events between June 2018 and August 2, 2020, equating election rigging to constitutional and democratic strengthening. That period saw overt actions by APNU+AFC to violate the constitution, take control of GECOM and thief the 2020 elections, even going as far as openly changing the numbers of votes each party secured during the March 2, 2020 elections. Their actions were not done in secret; their actions were visible for the whole world to see. It was a plain, old-fashion theft and rigging of an election. It happened in front of former Prime Ministers from CARICOM and Africa. It happened during live-streaming to the world. The attempted theft has been captured in videos and by the media and are preserved for posterity. In fact, several GECOM staff and senior members of APNU+AFC have been charged by the police for fraud and are before the courts today. Every single local and international observer group has reported on the thievery attempt. Yet Granger, in his most delusional self, concluded that what we saw and what the world witnessed since the appointment of James Patterson in June 2018 as GECOM's Chair, was no ill-conceived rigging scheme, but a strategy to strengthen our democracy. How could printing of an unusually large number

of birth certificates, without accountability by the Citizens Ministry be strengthening democracy, especially when persons who legitimately required and applied for birth certificates could not obtain any? During that period thousands of Haitians, for example, arrived in Guyana. To this day, the whereabouts of more than 30,000 Haitians are unknown. Our sisters and brothers from Haiti deserve to live in a country, including in Guyana, where they can earn a decent living. But our suspicion was that the Citizen ministry intended to use innocent people as phantom voters. Worse, we suspect the Haitians were victims of human trafficking. How could breaching the constitution, arbitrarily appointing the GECOM Chair, strengthen democracy? On the contrary, the violation of the constitution, as the CCJ affirmed, weakened democracy. Clearly, James Patterson was appointed to do the bidding of APNU+AFC. The first thing Patterson did as Chairman of GECOM was refusing to renew the contract of Vishnu Persaud who was the Deputy Chief Elections Officer. He never met Persaud; he could not have read anything negative about Persaud's work since the only appraisals available at GECOM were laudatory of Persaud. Persaud was replaced by Roxanne Myers, a lady with no experience in election matters. The Ethnic Relations Commission, refusing to call a spade a spade,

(From page 19)

declared the appointment of Myers non-transparent. Clearly Myers' appointment represented a conspiracy to create a rigging machinery within GECOM. Persaud was sent packing because he was going to be a roadblock to the rigging conspiracy. Today Myers is in front of the courts, together with other colleagues in GECOM, charged by the police with electoral fraud. Only Granger's warp mind could argue Persaud's removal strengthened democracy. When the Constitution was breached again after the December 21st, 2018 No-Confidence Motion, with APNU+AFC refusing to dissolve parliament and schedule election, how could such action be necessary for a stronger democracy? It is either a warped, wicked or delusional mind that will sell such baloney. Only a hypocritical or delusional mind up to nothing good could conceive that 33 is not more than 32 and go all the way to the CCJ to determine the answer. But Granger brazenly want Guyanese to forget what they experience and accept that APNU+AFC was just trying to make our democracy stronger. The truth is that a steel cord binds Granger, like Burnham before him, to rigged elections. Like Burnham before him, Granger's legacy is rigged elections. Justice Claudette Singh is right meeting the PNCR in secret is a calamity.

Coalition perpetuating delusion about election win Dear Editor

he APNU+AFC are of the ludicrous belief that with the installment of the Biden Administration, this means that there will be an ouster of the PPP/C Government from office. It is a widely circulated nonsense that has gripped the opposition forces by storm that they are literally praying for that day to come when they will be put back into office. This latest fantasy of theirs took a hold on them after they would have realised that their attempt at regaining power through the rigging route shamefully failed, even though there is a pending election petition. However, a fictitious imagery still exists that somehow, somewhere, things can work out for them. Now, that being said, there are few questions, which I would like to ask before that dream world of theirs dissipates. In the first place, if America is to barely consider their request then it logically means that they would have to overturn all election results and endorse rigging as a solution to the electoral process. It means that the number of votes cast in favour of

the winner – in this case Biden – would have to be thrown out and victory be ascribed to Trump, exactly the theory the PNC has embarked on here in Guyana. David Granger, like his compatriot Donald Trump, is living in a delusional dream that he has won the election when clearly he has lost. So, in that dream world he is looking every which way he can eke out a win for himself. Sorry, but that is not going to happen! Trump was even more dramatic about it, when he demanded of the Georgia Governor to find 11,400 votes so that he could rig his way through. When that didn’t work, he violently stormed Capitol Hill. The situation in Guyana was a carbon copy of Trump’s insanity, where Clairmont Mingo began his assault on the figures followed by Keith Lowenfield, if this is not living in a delusional world of rigging then tell me what is? This is the PNC’s logic that has energised them up until now and a strategy they want us to accept. It is nothing more than the perpetuation of delusions. Yours truly, Neil Adams

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JANUARY, 2021

Renovations started on vaccination centres ‒ in preparation for COVID-19 vaccine roll out

nfrastructural work has begun on several vaccination centres in preparation for the rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony. A vaccine is expected to become available to Guyana soon. The renovations follow closely on the heels of the convening of a National COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force. “In terms of our readiness, we have looked at our existing vaccination centres to upgrade them, so, last year’s budget we have been able to pass monies to do that. We have started to expand some of the existing vaccination centres,” Dr. Anthony said. In addition to expanding the physical space, the Ministry has also ordered new refrigerators for the storage of the vaccines, and gener-

ators, which are already on the way. Minister Anthony said the next step is for more training of experienced health workers in the area of immunization. He said, “These people have experience with rolling out vaccines so, we’re taking staff that would have worked with vaccinations programme before, both at the national level and at a regional level. We are also training staff specifically to deal with the types of vaccines as each one of the vaccines would have different types of requirements.” Meanwhile, he noted that one of the ongoing challenges curbing Covid is that some people still believe the disease to be an elaborate prank, and continue to put themselves and others at risk. “Some people think it’s a hoax. Well, it’s not a hoax because as you know,

there are billions of people around the globe that have been infected. More than a million and a half people would have died from disease so it’s a very serious thing. It’s something that we have to really pay attention to. It’s not a hoax,” he said. Guyana will access the COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX mechanism, which has been set up by the World Health Organization to ensure equal access to vaccines by all countries.

Guyana’s land borders with Brazil remain closed G

uyana’s land borders with Brazil have been closed for a while now and remain closed, according to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony. Responding to questions about more easily transmissible COVID-19 variant recently discovered in Brazil, Minister Anthony said Government is taking every precaution on the matter. “They’re actually named variants of concern because

of the types of mutation. We are very concerned because of its proximity to us, we must pay close attention to our land border which have been closed for some time now, we haven’t really opened our land border, the bridge over the Takutu River has been closed,” Minister Anthony said. However, because the two countries are so closely linked economically allowances have been granted

for monitored interactions. Anthony said, “We do allow on Thursdays, very limited amount of interaction where goods come over from Brazil and goods from Guyana go across to Brazil, so there’s a very limited interaction, and that is properly supervised by the health authorities of both countries.” On reports of illegal crossing, Minister Anthony said the authorities on both sides have patrols along the

National Vaccine Preparedness Plan developed for COVID vaccine roll out

he Ministry of Health has developed a National Vaccine Preparedness Plan for the local roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine under the guidance of the World Health Organization. This is according to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, who added that much work has been done to ensure Guyana has the capacity to administer the vaccine. He said, “We have completed a training manual

and have started training the trainers. Now the trainers would be going out to the different regions and rolling out training to persons who would be involved in the immunisation process at a regional level. The difference in the training would be explaining to people the types of vaccines that are available for COVID-19. You know the difference between the different types of vaccines, Pfizer or Moderna, how they can be used,

what temperature.” Individuals will also be trained to fill in the necessary paperwork when administering the vaccine. Additionally, Minister Anthony said the process is still ongoing to ensure the country’s facilities are properly equipped to store the vaccines once they have been received. The physical space is being expanded for storage while the required refrigerators are being shipped.

borders. He said, “We have had a problem with a lot of people crossing over the Takutu [River] illegally, and while it’s a very long border and very difficult to patrol, on our side we have the Joint Services working very hard to be able to cover that area. On the Brazilian side,

they have also increased patrols, so for some time now movement between the two countries have been severely restricted along the land border.” Minister Anthony said security and border patrols will continue to be vigilant, while the health authori-

ties in Region Nine have been placed on alert for any changes in the epidemiological pattern. Reports from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) state that this particular variant may already be several South American states.

Financial, procurement transgressions likely to be exposed in audit report on several municipalities T

he Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is currently awaiting the Auditor General’s report on the operations of all municipalities, including Georgetown. This is according to subject Minister, Nigel Dharamlall. The Minister noted that since taking office, he has tried to engage the councillors of the Georgetown

Mayor and City Council to discuss the works they have undertaken. However, he said, his attempts were rebuffed, forcing the Government to go ahead with and conduct works to enhance the city. He said, “I am aware of a lot of transgressions like financial transgressions, procurement transgressions that has happen in the City

Hall over the last year. So, I have spoken to the Mayor on numerous occasions about the conduct of the Council who gets into administration, which it does not have any authority to do. This includes hiring and firing and determining administrative issues of the city.” Minister Dharamlall also said discussions with the City Treasurer, Mr. John Douglas

revealed some alarming findings, including that the Council spent about $120 million on staffing. The Council employed 707 persons, including over 250 pensioners. Further, between 2016 and 2019, the Council raised over $12.7 billion, but it remains unclear where those funds are kept. He said, “The Government from our end, we have

a responsibility to ensure that city, one, as the capital of the country and also as the centre of business, and the residents of that… we cannot wait on City Council to enhance Georgetown,” he said. To this end, the Ministry has partnered with various Ministries to conduct infrastructural works which target roads, bridges, canals, markets and other infrastructure. This led to commencement of rehabilitation works at the East La Penitence, East Ruimveldt and Mon Repos markets during the last quarter of 2020. The Government also started clean-up exercises during the Christmas

season, in Georgetown. Minister Dharamlall said $75 million was allocated to this initiative and of this sum, $25 million was expended to conduct the cleaning exercise. “We have provided resources to various, different Neighbourhood Democratic Councils areas and some of the areas got $5million, $6 million in different regions. We also spend resources on Corriverton, Rose Hall, Anna Regina among other agencies,” the Minister said. He added that the works done to date have been very satisfactory and the Ministry intends to continue and expand this initiative.

Jordan the latest Coalition official to be questioned by SOCU about EBD land deals

ormer finance minister, Winston Jordan, was questioned by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on Tuesday (January 19, 2021), in relation to the ongoing probe into the award of state lands at Peters Hall, East Bank of Demerara (EBD). Jordan tried to play down his being called in to SOCU. In comments published in the media, he charged that SOCU merely wanted clarifications from him. He said, “It was nothing out of the ordinary… It’s just that I was asked to clarify certain things and I did….I helped clarify things for them… in terms of procedures and so on and so forth…the land deal at Peters Hall is a lease and it has nothing to do with me…no allegation was put to me in respect of any matter. What they put to me was (what) were my duties as Minister in the context of NICIL? Whether I was the person in charge of NICIL and what was my role essentially and then I think they asked whether my role included anything to do with Peters Hall and I said ‘not really’ because my role is limited to what is under the Public Corporations Act.” “…the truth of the matter is I don’t even know why I am being asked. I can’t put myself in their shoes really

so there is nothing to ask me really. Everything that I would have done in the context of being a Minister is gazetted…I don’t know that they have a difficulty with that. I think they probably looking for some other stuff.” SOCU has been proving the sale of several acres of prime state lands at Peters Hall, EBD, which were done without any valuation, public advertisement or Cabinet decisions. A prominent member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), attorney James Bond is alleged to have been a key financial beneficiary of the deals. Last week, Some $200M was deposited, to an account held in Bond’s name for NICIL-owned lands at Peter Hall, East Bank Demerara. During investigations, Bond was arrested and placed on $200,000 bail after being detained for 72 hours. SOCU investigations revealed that bank transactions showed that monies were transferred from Bond’s account to an account held in the name of PNCR Chairperson, Volda Lawrence, who has also been hauled in for questioning. A number of other persons, including former acting Chief Executive Officer of NICIL Colvin Heath-London, have been questioned as part of the investigation.

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