Weekend Mirror 6-7 November, 2021

6-7 November, 2021 / Vol. 11 ‒ No. 97 / Price: $100

Email: mirror2018.gy@gmail.com

Aubrey Norton discredits Coalition MPs Leadership contest heats up…

…Massive infighting in the PNCR

Lack of documentation for billion dollar settlement by Coalition in question by PAC PAGE 17

PAGE 15

SEE INSIDE

Ali makes case for PAGE 12 carbon market at global climate conference

Former SOCU Head wanted for questioning UN called on to urge about fraud, more Venezuela

43 youths receive ICT training PAGE 8

PAGE 20

Gov’t to move into negotiations on Amaila Falls Hydropower project soon PAGE 10

to ‘fully participate’ in ICJ process PAGE 2

2

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

UN called on to urge Venezuela to ‘fully participate’ in ICJ process G

uyana has called on the United Nations (UN) Secretary General to urge Venezuela to participate, fully, in the case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) pertaining to the border

controversy between the two countries.

“At the bilateral level, we held discussions with the UN Secretary-General reiterating our commitment to the ICJ process on the

Venezuelan controversy and requested his office to encourage Venezuela to participate fully in the case before the court,” he said, during his October 29, 2021 news conference.

In September 2021, the Venezuelan Government and its opposition coalition – the Unity Platform of Venezuela – agreed to hold a united position on Venezuela’s territorial claim to Essequi-

We Fry it, You Try it!

PICKUP AND DELIVERY ALSO AVAILABLE! Opening Hours: 7:00hrs - 21:00hrs

We do Chicken Better STABROEK

CAMP ST

SHERIFF ST

MAIN ST

226-3935 227-7070 223-5236 225-4387

NEW AMSTERDAM

333-3477

bo has been met by staunch rejection by Guyana. This was rejected staunchly by the Government of Guyana.

JURISDICTION 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 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

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.

(Turn to page 18 )

3

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

Energy mix to be 67 per cent renewable by 2035 – LCDS draft T

he People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government intends for Guyana’s energy mix to be 67 per cent renewable by 2035, according to the recently launched draft expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

The first largescale energy project is the 250-megawatt (MW) gas-to-energy project, which is fossil fuel, but the government does not intend for gas to dominate Guyana’s energy mix for a very long time. It will only act as a transition fuel while Guyana gathers renewable energy projects.

When gas comes to shore

in 2024, it will make up 94 per cent of the energy mix, according to LCDS projections.

“While natural gas provides a short to medium-term solution, over the medium and long- term, the most sustainable and resilient energy mix in Guyana would be formed by solar, wind, hydro and biomass power plants,” the draft document states.

The government sees hydro power as important to provide firm capacity and short-term energy storage to make up for daily and weekly fluctuations from solar and wind sources. It also expects hydro to provide a cheaper

GUYANA’S LOW-CARBON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2030 Create New Incentives for a Low-Carbon Economy

Protect against Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss Climate Adaptation and Resilience

Sustainability Planning • • • •

Forestry Biodiversity Water Resources Ocean/Marine Resources

• •

Stimulate Future Growth: Clean Energy and Low-carbon Development Green Jobs and Sustainable Livelihoods • • • •

10

Clean and Renewable Energy Ocean Economy Opportunities Digital Infrastructure Low-carbon Transportation

Graph showing the projected energy mix in the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) up to 2040

• Climate Resilient Agriculture Climate Risk Assessment & Insurance • Coastal Infrastructure Mangroves Restoration and Expansion • Drought and Flood Management

Align with Global Climate and Biodiversity Goals •

UN Sustainable Development Goals • Nationally Determined Contributions • Aichi Targets on Protected Areas • Leaders Pledge for Nature • UN: Net Zero by 2050

GUYANA’S LOW CARBON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2030

solution in the long- term than any other technology due to its lifespan.

Comparing sources, the draft document states that the average lifespan of a hydropower project is 100 years, while solar, wind and gas plants all have an average lifespan of 25 years.

Hence, the 165 MW Amaila Falls Hydropower Project is the largescale energy project, which will immediately follow the Gas-to-En-

ergy project. By 2027, when Amaila is commissioned, the renewable share of the mix is projected to move from four per cent in the previous year, to 31 per cent.

The projected natural gas share would be 62 per cent.

It is projected to steadily decrease in its share, in the following years, as more renewable energy projects are implemented.

The government has many off-grid solar projects which

are already in the implementation stage, and are designated for areas across the coast. The government will also be supplying 30,000 solar photovoltaic units to hinterland homes.

As for wind, plans are in place to conduct wind measurements along the coast and at Leguan. The coast, the document states, is exposed to the steady northeast trade winds.

So far, private developer, Hope Energy Development, plans to construct a 25 MW

wind plant on the East Coast of Demerara.

The draft document projects that gas and renewable sources will make up 24 per cent and 74 per cent of the energy mixes respectively by 2040, while heavy fuel oil remains negligible.

The public has four months to provide comments and ask questions on the current LCDS draft. Government intends to finalise the document by March 2022.

4

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

EDITORIAL

Bravado in the absence of truth, facts

S

everal issues in the public domain – from the nuanced approach Guyana is taking to respond to climate change, as an oil producing nation, to major development initiatives – have been the subject of discussion by the APNU+AFC Coalition. And the trend seen in all the conversations underscores the Coalition’s willful misleading of Guyanese, the peddling of misinformation, the absence of technical knowledge and the play of the race card.

On the climate change front, former President David Granger, in his weekly one-on-one sessions with an in-house staffer, claimed that the PPP/C government will present its Draft Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 and a Draft of Guyana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United National Climate Change Conference (COP 26).

In fact, this is untrue. These Draft documents are currently the subject of public consultations and will not be finalised until after March 2022. Yet, Granger had no problem boldly misleading Guyanese.

Secondly, Guyanese continue to be subject to a varied selection of so called ‘experts’ who are calling for Guyana to basically shut down the oil and gas sector. Environmental Activist, Janet Bulkan, has asked the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to order the halt of oil and gas exploration because fossil fuels were damaging the environment and causing a loss of livelihoods. This followed a similar call from International Lawyer, Melinda Janki.

The fact is that the nuances of the Guyana experience is ignored by these persons, who seem comfortable in following the line of developed countries. Do Guyanese not have a right to benefit from its resources? It must be made clear that Guyana is a net carbon sink, meaning even with oil and gas operations, our contribution to climate change is netted off by national efforts to decarbonise our economy – a development pathway that is captured in the expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030. It is estimated that the global oil used stands at about 100 million barrels a day. By 2050 – the drop dead date for major changes to global economies, in terms of decarburization, to avoid the irreversible increases in temperatures – the global demand is projected to be 24 million barrels of oil a day, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). So is Guyana not supposed to produce its oil and leave a monopoly for the developed nations, why we deny Guyanese improved services, infrastructure, etc.? It bears repeating that Guyana is already making progress with decarbonizing our economy. At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), President Dr. Irfaan Ali said: “My country, Guyana, is already playing its part in addressing climate change and will continue to do so. We will maintain our forests, which is almost the size of England and Scotland combined, storing 20 gigatonnes of carbon as a global asset. We will work with local communities on conserving, protecting and sustainably managing our forests, biodiversity and freshwater supplies. We will decouple economic growth and emissions through a progressively cleaner energy mix with the aim of reducing our carbon emissions by 70 per cent by 2030.”

Thirdly, in the political arena, the bravado that accompanies false and misleading statements is the same. Irresponsible members of the Parliamentary Opposition continue to make claims about an installed PPP/C regime, about discriminatory access to government services, such as house lots and repetitions of past lies. The most repeated lie by the PNC/ APNU/AFC is that 400 young Afro-Guyanese men having died as a result of extra-judicial killings under the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government prior to May 2015.

This is despite the fact that in November 2019, a Stabroek News investigative report was published and said: “For more than 15 years, the number of persons who died in the violence that followed the February 23, 2002 Camp Street jailbreak and the circumstances of their deaths have been the sources of heated disputation….according to Stabroek News’ record some 420 persons were killed between February 2002 and September 2006 – 30 security officers, 151 persons murdered by bandits and another 239 persons killed during confrontations with members of the joint services.”

PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, has said that working with a groupings that are “convenient” in their

Staffers in top GECOM positions must be women, men of integrity Dear Editor,

W

hile it cannot be denied that the Guyana Elections Commission is a tough place to be, it is clear that the Chairperson will have to be objective and ensure that we get free and fair elections.

The torture and depression, along with the tremendous cost that this nation had to bear during those terrible five months, must never occur again. Further, the quality of persons employed at GECOM must be men and women of integrity, persons who would be honest and, above all, bold and courageous.

For example, Rudy Collins was a man of substance, and he will forever be remembered as the first Chairman of GECOM who was prepared to bite the bullet and deliver free and fair elections in Guyana. The task then was not easy, but after all the threats and pressure, and with the support of the Carter Center, Guyana witnessed the return of free and fair elections.

After the 1992 Regional and National Elections, Collins triumphantly give way to Edward Hopkinson, who did

a fair job in overseeing the Local Government Elections in 1994. At those LGEs, which were held after two decades, the PPP/C dominated the polls. Enter Senior Council Doodnauth Singh as Chairman of the Commission, and highly successful National and Regional Elections were held in 1997. Then the powerful former head of the Army, the eminent Joseph Singh, was the Chairman of the Commission for the 2001 highly successful National and Regional Elections.

For the 2006, 2011, and 2015 National and Regional Elections, Guyana had the rough period under the Chairmanship of Steve Surujbally.

In 2006, the National and Regional Elections went pretty smooth. However, by 2011, the performance of the Commission deteriorated, as the staffing of the workers was taken over by the Secretariat, and the Commission members allowed things to slide.

There were serious allegations against the employment of Election Day staff.

Worst was the role of the Chief Election Officer and the Administration in respect to accountability. As

a result, the Guyana Elections Commission was not audited for the 2015 National and Regional Elections. The 2016 and 2018 Local Government Elections and the 2020 National and Regional Elections are yet to be audited.

With the dismissal of the famous ‘trio’, we are witnessing a galore of advertisements to fill vacancies at the Commission. It is most interesting to see the expression of interest from a wide cross section of persons. There are foreigners along with some very experienced individuals who have applied for positions in GECOM. Guyana must put an end to ‘rigged’ elections. GECOM Chairperson will have to be fair and prepare to never do the things that the unfit and improper James Patterson did, by joining with the ‘rogue’ elements and employing and keeping in the employment ‘rogue’ elements that held the nation to ransom for five long months. Guyanese must be loud in their call for urgent LGEs. Sincerely, Neil Kumar

PPP/C gov’t works for all Guyanese, Opposition spewing lies Dear Editor,

L

et me first say that I am not a fan of this government but recently they gave me a house lot that I had applied for since 2016 during the tenure of the APNU+AFC Coalition. I was shocked that this PPP Government was so professional and non-discriminatory with how they handled my application because of how I would campaign against them.

Now I have to say publicly, that I was wrong and stand corrected about the PPP Government’s house lot policy.

I was led to believe that the PPP was inherently discriminatory to Afro-Guyanese and would only give their own

supporters the house lots. I fed into the lies spoken by Annette Ferguson and the rest of the folks about the PPP. It is not true!

Not everything is perfect with this government but I am saying today that the opposition is wrong and must stop dissuading Guyanese who are their supporters and mostly Africans from having faith in the process. I must say that receiving a house lot changed my viewpoint on life and politics in general.

I was able to own something of value for the first time in my life.

As a young professional, I was able to break the chain of poverty and proudly show my family who are all

comments and positions is difficult since the government of day will never be able to find a true partner for development in the interest of Guyana and the Guyanese people. No right-minded Guyanese could disagree here. How does one work with those who jump on any popular position, without regard for truth or recognition of Guyana’s unique situation and experiences? On this point, the PPP/C leaders have made

Afro-Guyanese that they can too. If you know me, you know it was a big deal.

I must say that I am ashamed of the APNU+AFC Opposition for seeking to hold back the development and progress generally in the area of house lot distribution, land ownership, and other special schemes that the Government wants to pursue.

Specifically, for Afro-Guyanese, go down to the Ministry of Housing and apply for a house lot or check on the process. I have not been discriminated against.

Sincerely, Adron Pires

clear that the incumbent Administration will work with anyone committed to the advancement of the Guyanese people and our nation. In recognition of this, all stakeholders need to recognise their role in our collective progress and prosperity.

There can be no more operating with the bravado seem lately, in the absence of technical knowledge, truth and facts or understanding.

5

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

New international economic order needed Granger’s GSDS was all B sloganeering as Guyana did not earn a cent from it

Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

P

resident Irfaan Ali launched the consultations for the LCDS 2030 plan which his government intends to pursue. The plan will see Guyana benefitting in several critical areas which need no explanation. However, I wish to point out that Guyana has been focused on its carbon emission for years now.

In fact, the PPP/C government had a vision to create a new global ecosystem economy around 2009. This led to the government seeking out international partners with similar visions. It is as a result of such that Guyana and Norway partnered to create a model for economic incentives for making forests worth more alive than dead.

Editor, it is important for people to know that for the period 2009 to 2015, Guyana received approximately US$212 million in payments to be invested in the LCDS. I am not sure how many of your readers can remember that during this period under the PPP/C government, benefits reached every single corner of the country. As far as I can recall, jobs were created, villages received titles, businesses were supported and other initiatives took shape. However, a lot of the measures outlined in the LCDS were stymied by the APNU+AFC Coalition when they took office in 2015. Take for instance the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP). I heard

the President talk about this during the launch of the LCDS 2030 consultations saying that the AFHP was the flagship of the LCDS and would have seen Guyanese and businesses enjoying affordable, non-polluting electricity by now. I do agree that should that project have moved along as intended, Guyana would be in a much better place.

Unfortunately, what we saw happen when the APNU+AFC coalition took office in 2015 was that they introduced the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). However, if one was to examine that strategy in details, it would be very clear that it was basically all sloganeering. I say this because there was no realistic path towards achieving low carbon emission outlined in the strategy for Guyana.

As far as I am concerned, it was all rhetoric accompanied by the painting of buildings the color green. For all those who may disagree with me, I ask this question: if the GSDS was truly a solid plan for Guyana, why didn’t Guyana earn a cent from it? The LCDS vision of the PPP/C government has always been the one that would lead Guyana down the right path. I applaud the government for their efforts with this new LCDS 2030 initiative as I believe that it will benefit Guyana tremendously.

Truly Yours, Erin Northe

Gov’t taking welcomes steps to return nation to level of global leader on climate change Dear Editor,

I

write to you with much enthusiasm regarding the recent launch of the four-month consultation on Guyana's new Low Carbon Development Strategy by the PPP/C government.

Without a doubt, it is important for countries to place more emphasis on reducing their carbon footprints and becoming carbon neutral. Given the fact that we are facing climate challenges which threaten our livelihoods, I must commend the PPP/C government for launching this new LCDS initiative which will propel Guyana towards carbon neutrality and added prosperity.

After reading through the LCDS 2030 plan that was released to the public so that consultations can commence, I must say that the strategy is a well thought out one. It is very important for Guyanese to recognize that the aim of this initiative is to protect and maintain Guyana’s forests in an effort to reduce global carbon emissions while at the same time, attract payments from developed countries for the climate services which will be provided through the said forests.

Providing that Guyana continues down this path with regard to the LCDS 2030 strategy, it is guaranteed that the country will benefit significantly in a number of different ways. I wish to point out that not only will we be able to benefit from low carbon emissions, but also from investments. Building on the latter, Guy-

ana will be able to receive funds from countries that will in turn be used to build infrastructure, develop communities, promote businesses and more. Ultimately, this will lead to improvements in the standard of living which will benefit every single Guyanese. This, when coupled with the booming oil and gas sector will propel Guyana to higher heights as far as I can see.

President Irfaan Ali said in his address when launching the LCDS 2030 consultations that the interest in Guyana during his recent visit to Dubai is unprecedented. With this in mind, I can only imagine the prospects that are going to meet our country in the very near future. As much as we focus on building our country in terms of infrastructure, it is equally important for us to focus on the environment as without it, we would not be able to reap the benefits of our hard work.

On this note, I want to commend the PPP/C Government for seeing the need to launch this consultation for the LCDS 2030 initiative.

It not only shows that they are committed to serving in the best interest of the people and achieving One-Guyana, but also to improve and preserve our beloved country for the benefit of our future generations. Kudos to the President and Vice President for their foresight in this regard.

Yours Truly, Alvin Hamilton

eginning from October 29, world leaders assembled in Scotland to discuss one of the most important global problems that face every person: the question of Climate Change. This issue is so important that it can spell the end of life as we know it on earth, and therefore demands more than talk, but immediate action.

This is a real tragedy. I say this because we have been warned about this situation for decades. Since the late 1960s and early 1970s, scientists have been warning us about the terrible dangers that can befall us if we do not change our relations with nature.

The world leaders have met on many occasions. Since 1995, the UN has convened 25 such conferences, this is the 26th. At all of these conferences, commitments were made but not kept, or only partially kept. Despite the many convincing speeches that were made in the past, despite a full understanding of the cause and cure of the problem, the situation is getting worse.

This is manifested in the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters. It breaks the heart to see how much suffering is caused by these phenomena. The cause is fundamentally due to human economic activities – a drive for wealth that has become unsustainable. This has resulted in serious damage to the world ecology. Carbon stored in forests, the oceans and in the earth is being released as we overexploit the resources of the world.

Added to this is the industrialisation that has pumped millions of tons of toxic gases into the environment of our planet.

The cure is also clear. We have to preserve and protect nature, so that the earth can sustain our activities. We must live more harmoniously with nature. We cannot behave as conquering heroes over nature. We have to understand nature’s laws, and co-exist with them.

We may well ask why has mankind failed to arrest the situation, seeing that we know the causes and the cure.

In my view, we have been putting forward only technical solutions so far to deal with the problem. We have heard talk and we have seen the implementation of new technologies; solar power; wind power; thermal power; nuclear power, and much more to generate energy. That is indispensable to our existence, for we do need clean, non-polluting energy generation.

Scientists have also built cars and other motor vehicles that are not polluting the atmosphere. These are all very positive steps, and scientists should be complimented for their achievements and their continuing efforts.

Despite all of these marvellous technological advances, the situation is deteriorating at a rapid pace. Indeed, this conference that would be held in Scotland would call for bringing forward the time frame for countries to arrive at zero pollution emission.

What is abundantly clear is that the technical approach, important as it is, is not the solution. Never before in our history have we had so much fantastic technology at our disposal; yet, our world is in a worse condition environmentally than it has ever been.

That is not to downplay the importance of technical solutions. They are vital, but are not the solution to the main problem. The main issue is the socio-economic relations

that dominate our world. It is fundamentally a system controlled by very powerful corporations, whose main objective is the maximisation of profits. They would always pay lip service to environmental issues, but as soon as they think that it would affect their bottom-line, environmental issues are promptly ignored. This is the nature of the system that dominates and controls the world.

More than one hundred years ago, J.P Dunning wrote the following “…Capital is said to fly turbulence and strife and to be timid, which is very true; but this is very incompletely stating the question. Capital eschews no profit, or very small profit, just as nature was formerly said to abhor a vacuum. With adequate profit, capital is very bold. A certain 10 per cent will ensure its employment anywhere; 20 percent certain will produce eagerness; 50 per cent, positive audacity; 100 per cent will make it ready to trample on all human laws; 300 per cent, and there is not a crime at which it will scruple, nor a risk it will not run, even to the chance of its owner being hanged. If turbulence and strife will bring a profit, it will freely encourage both.”

We also know from our own experience that this is true. For instance, we can recall the case of the US vs Reynolds Tobacco, Lorillard and Philip Morris. The tobacco companies knew that cigarettes were the main cause of some types of cancers, lung and stomach, yet they lied about it, and aggressively marketed it, including to children. The profit they were making was so huge that they hired the best lawyers to be their lobbyists. No lives mattered to them.

We also know that the oil companies were aware of the danger to the earth that their extracting oil was creating. It is among the main reasons for climate change. They knew this more than forty years ago. Instead of trying to correct it and to look for solutions, they spent billions to discredit the findings of the scientists who have first raised the alarm.

They spend billions more on lobbyists, and have invested heavily in political parties by financing elections campaigns. Even now, they are investing heavily in more extensive exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon resources. This means that they have no intention to observe any restraint.

Clearly, therefore, for these huge profit-making organisations, nothing is more important than making plenty money. Human lives mean nothing to them. The Mighty Sparrow’s 1970s Calypso “Capitalism Gone Mad” is playing out before our very eyes.

Therefore, we have a fundamental contradiction. The drive for profits is pushing the corporations to disregard the environment; to overexploit the world’s resources. On the other hand, to slow down and reverse climate change, we have to think and act more on conserving, preserving, and enlarging nature.

This environmental crisis is telling us that the international economic system that we have being operating under has outlived its usefulness, and, for the sake of life on earth, must be changed.

This calls for mass action and a demand to change the international economic order.

We need, as Cheddi Jagan said, a New Global Human Order.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar, Former President

6

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

P P P /C D E L I V E R I N G O N ‘ P L A N F O R P R O S P E R I T Y ’

Flood-relief cash grant distribution begins in Region One ‒ $17.3M distributed to Sebai, Canal Bank farmers

H

undreds of farmers in the Matarkai Sub-district benefitted from the government’s flood-relief cash grant on Wednesday (November 3, 2021).

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, led the distribution exercise, along with Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Orlando Thorne and a team of officers from the Ministry of Agriculture.

The team distributed a total of $17.3 million to 173 farmers in Canal Bank and Sebai.

Minister Croal said the initiative is part of the PPP/C Government’s support package for farmers

and households that were severely affected by the floods. He explained that the grant is not a compensation, but rather a support to help persons get back to some degree of normalcy.

He therefore urged them to utilise the funds for the purpose intended. “Please ensure that you get the necessary guidance from the agriculture team. This assistance that is given you today is geared towards helping you to return to the farmland…invest it back wisely because the returns you will get from your investment will go a long way,’ Croal said.

The initiative is one

of many measures implemented by the government to bring relief to citizens who have been affected by the floods and COVID-19 pandemic. Among those initiatives are; $25,000 COVID-19 cash grant per household; the COVID-19 village relief grant for hinterland communities, and the one-off cash grant for pensioners.

Additionally, Canal Bank and satellite communities including Surprise Hill, Anabise and Ireanna received farming tools, chain saws, brush cutters, boats and engines, and water tanks for community development projects.

GWI Establishing Permanent Offices Regionally

– Lethem staff to occupy new building by December

A

s the Guyana Water Incorporated moves towards 100 percent access to potable water in Hinterland Regions, work has commenced for the construction of permanent offices in these locations.

One such location is Tabatinga; Region 9, which Honourable Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal; Chief Executive Officer of GWI Mr. Shaik Baksh and a team visited recently.

Both GWI and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) are renting spaces in Lethem to serve the people of the Region.

However, with their work plan being expanded, government has seen the need for a new building and therefore

catered for it in this year’s budgetary allocations.

After assessing the progress of works, Mr. Baksh said “I’m very happy to see this structure going up for the greater benefit of the staff and their comfort.” He noted that it is being constructed at a prime location, which will ensure convenient access to residents. The Minister and CEO are hopeful that the staff can transition to the new Region 9 office by December, this year.

Meanwhile, Minister Croal noted that this move is part of a bigger plan to consolidate the offices that fall under the purview of the Ministry. “As you’re aware, GWI has a number of Regional offices for which

we’re renting… so in the long term it is intended for us to have permanent Regional offices and so we’ll have savings in our operational cost but more importantly, the staff will be comfortable”, the Minister posited.

He therefore explained that the office being established in Tabatinga will not only serve as the commercial office and warehouse for GWI, but it will also house CH&PA staff.

The GWI office in Tabatinga Region 9 is being constructed at the tune of GYD $23.6 M; $18M of which is being financed by GWI and the remainder by CH&PA. It is being built with clay and concrete blocks that were purchased from right within the Region.

5,000 more homes to benefit from Govt’s electricity relief initiative

C

ommitted to providing vulnerable citizens with financial support, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has extended the government’s 75 kilowatts per hour (kWh) campaign to an additional 5,000 households.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, noted that the PPP/C government is committed to delivered on its promises. She said, “It is envisaged that before the end of November everybody would have benefited from that measure which I think will go a long way to alleviat-

ing expenses that they would have experienced through GPL and light usage or electricity usage. You know this is a commitment that would have been made and we have definitely delivered on that.”

The electricity relief initiative is the brainchild of President Dr. Irfaan Ali, which he announced in August, along with the $25,000 one- off cash grant that targets old age pensioners, public assistance recipients and persons living with disabilities. In his address, President Ali declared that the electricity credit will

be paid to the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL), on behalf of households consuming 75 Kilowatts per hour (KWH) or less per month.

The one-month free electricity programme thus far assisted 49,966 households to the tune of $187.4 Million of which 42,724 post-paid and 7,242 pre-paid paid customers saw an automatic reduction on their October, 2021 bill.

Meanwhile, the Human Services Ministry is currently contacting the additional 5,000 households to benefit from the project.

Gov’t to re-fashion Eccles Industrial Estate to conducive business zone

G

overnment will soon undertake a proactive approach to regularise and upgrade the Eccles Industrial Estate, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

This week PPP/C government officials engaged occupants within the commercial zone, who were informed that the Administration’s

intention is for all industrial estates nationwide to be conducive for business.

It is expected that assessments will be done to ensure properties are gainfully occupied and are used for the purposes stated in the leased.

Also, there are plans to resuscitate the Eccles Industrial Estate Committee, to proper-

ly maintain the area.

Further follow-ups will be made and government will engage the estate committee and business operators to advance developmental plans.

Similar outreaches to identify an up-and-coming estate in Lethem (Region Nine) as one of the future ventures is also on the cards.

COVID-19 testing, vaccination among services to be offered at new Festival City Polyclinic T he newly commissioned state-of-the art polyclinic in Festival City, Georgetown, will facilitate COVID-19 testing and vaccination services to residents of North Ruimveldt and surrounding communities.

The $300 million health facility was declared opened on Monday (November 1, 2021), by Minister of Health; Dr. Frank Anthony to provide efficient health care to citizens.

The clinic, which was once a health centre managed by the Regional Health Services, is now under the control of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

(GPHC) and now provides premier health care on par with the hospital.

Dr. Anthony said a number of health care services will be accessible at the polyclinic. He said, “At the Festival City polyclinic, you would now have MCH services, general clinics for medical conditions. In addition, we will have laboratory services, imaging services, meaning X-rays and ultrasounds. We would also have at the facility a dentist to provide dental care and a section of the facility is dedicated to rehabilitation.

We also provide VCT and HIV counselling and we

are also going to introduce COVID-19 testing, and to create a vaccination site at the polyclinic. So, this range of services, I think will better suit the community that is there.”

With the addition of these new services, the clinic will see an influx of doctors and nurses stationed at the facility, providing improved health care to residents.

So far the polyclinic has three general medical doctors, six nurses, one counsellor and two pharmacists to provide basic health care.

The clinic records over 50 to 60 persons receiving services at the facility daily.

7

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

P P P /C D E L I V E R I N G O N ‘ P L A N F O R P R O S P E R I T Y ’

Teixeira engages Region 7 stakeholders M

inister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, on Tuesday (November 2, 2021), engaged stakeholders of Region Seven, on various issues affecting residents there.

Among those who participated in the event were Toshaos and other village leaders, business persons and representatives from religious organisations, along with minibus, taxi and speed boat unions.

During her interaction, Minister Teixeira said that government is committed to the development of Region Seven and to providing equal opportunities for people in every sector.

In the area of education, four new schools are currently under construction in Waramadong, Dagg Point, Kurutuku and St Martain’s to ensure a better delivery of education to students in those areas.

Minister Teixeira said Region Seven has a history of persons not moving on to secondary and tertiary institutions after completing their primary education.

This is worrying, she said, since Guyana is developing rapidly and there will be need for locally skilled persons.

To this end, the government will be constructing and expanding more secondary institutions. Already, for this year, she said the awarding of scholarships to the University of Guyana has moved from two to nine in Region Seven. Two hundred persons have also enrolled into the GOAL scholarship programme.

“We need to, as a developing country within five to ten years, produce a number of skilled people to be able to manage the new industries that are emerging… and so, we are looking to have more persons getting those scholarships to study both locally and overseas,” Teixeira said.

In terms of security within the region, Minister Teixeira said the government will be establishing regional support teams which will comprise ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), and

representatives of organisations, Amerindian Village Councils and civil society, to deal with transnational crime and to ensure a more equipped and professional security force.

The Bartica District Hospital will also be modernised to provide quality health to the residents of the region, while the government will expand its housing programmes in Bartica.

The minister also updated stakeholders on some of the national issues that will benefit the people of the region, including the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 launched

by President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. She reminded that Guyana is unique in that, despite mining and forestry, the country is able to record .06 percent deforestation. This is accredited to its people, the Amerindians in particular, who have been the custodians of the environment for thousands of years. However, the new oil and gas industry poses a number of challenges but has enormous opportunities, and so, the focus will be on

US $118M plan streamlined to upgrade water quality along the Coast

G

overnment will soon implement a US $118 million plan which will see the delivery of treated water to more than 90 per cent of residents along Guyana’s coast over the next five years.

Once the project gets underway through the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), approximately 11 water treatment plants will be established with 13 inline improvement facilities and transmission mains to develop the water process in those communities.

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo made the announcement during a media conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, on Monday (November 1, 2021). “We are not just working at the broad strategic level; we are already working at the detailed planning process,” he said.

Dr. Jagdeo said there is also a US$25 million from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) that will be pumped into the water sec-

tor, which will also fill financing gaps. “I am telling you this because we are not just planning, we are running parallel to the planning process by implementing,” the Vice President added.

The PPP/C Government has always been keen on ensuring that every Guyanese get a taste of safe water for consumption.

Noting that 80 per cent of the world is already water stressed, the Vice President said that the Administration recognises the critical role of water resources management in agricultural, among other things.

To create an enabling environment to improve the quality and distribution of water and other related services to citizens, the government will ensure that the development of the country’s hydropower potential is an integral part of the multipurpose uses of water, and that hydropower development is affordable.

As outlined in Guyana’s Low Carbon Development

Strategy (LCDS) 2030, the government wants to promote technical capacity building for local professionals, consultants and contractors involved in hydropower development to ensure sustainability of operations.

With regards to water and agriculture, greater consideration will be given to the role of drainage and irrigation in the context of Guyana’s entire hydraulic system and its impact on the water balance of the country.

Consideration will also be given to the establishment of surface water storage facilities for agricultural, domestic and other uses, to inform efficient allocation during times of scarcity.

Further, deliberations will be made for the strengthening of the Hydrometeorological Service, both in terms of institutional infrastructure and personnel capacity building.

The Vice President said there will be similar water strategies for the hinterland district.

how to regulate the industry, while protecting the environment and benefitting from it.

The tourism industry is also expanding with a number of international hotels expressing interest in Guyana. Guyana and Barbados will be collaborating to provide the necessary training to prepare Guyanese for the industry.

Meanwhile, participants were given the opportunity

to raise issues and concerns, the most common being drainage and irrigation, roads, lands, tourism, waste disposal security and labour.

Minister Teixeira said there needs to be a multi-agency approach to deal with the land issue in Dagg Point. On the issue of the road, Regional Executive Officer (REO), Kerwin Ward said the road will be included in the 2022 budget as a

priority project.

The drainage and irrigation matter is engaging the region and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.

The meeting formed part of the PPP/C Government’s policy of engaging citizens at the community level, to identify and track the needs and expectations of the people, as well as seek recommendations on issues affecting them.

Local Gov’t Ministry warns City Council against disposing of city’s assets T

he Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and other relevant governance bodies continue to monitor very closely, actions by some members of the Georgetown City Council, in what appears to be a nefarious scheme to undervalue and rapidly dispose of certain city properties, notwithstanding their significance in the historical and other structural aspects of the city’s landscape, some of which form part and parcel of its recorded cultural heritage inventory.

Despite previous expressions of concern from the Government over these attempts, new reports indicate that the City Council is continuing these clandestine pursuits unabated.

The Ministry of Local Government therefore wishes to reiterate its position with clear unambiguous warnings to the City Council, that it will not condone nor stand idly by while they continue to pursue actions for negotiated disposal of the city’s assets in a manner that contravenes the high standards of accountability, transparency and adherence to the rule of law that have been established within the national governance frameworks for Guyana.

Consequentially, these reports are being taken with the utmost levels of seriousness, with the relevant authorities being placed on high alert to prevent these actions from being carried out.

Members of the City

Council must understand that Georgetown and its assets, though within the management ambit of the council, do not constitute personal property in part or whole and therefore cannot be sold off based on personal interests nor based on the whims and fancies of its members, and that these plans must cease forthwith.

The City Council would be well advised to take careful note of the resolve of the Government on this crucial matter and avoid the swift and decisive consequences that would be accorded to all parties to any of these nefarious and dubious deals being contemplated, should they chose to follow through on them, despite the many warnings.

8

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

Amerindian Development…

FOCUS ON GUYANA’ S FIRST PEOPLE Quiko to have ICT hub soon 43 youths receive ICT training T T he construction process of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Hub facility has commenced in the Satellite Village of Quiko.

Quiko is a Satellite of Shulinab Village, located in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo).

Over 200 Amerindian Communities will benefit from the Government's ICT Hub Initiative, as it aims to end the disparities of communication, internet access, and other opportunities within our hinterland and riverine villages across Guyana.

Water services continue to be delivered in hinterland communities

A

soon-to-be-commissioned water supply system is providing some 500 villagers of Central Parikwarinau with an improved quality and level of service.

It will be completed in its entirety shortly.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, and Guyana Water Incorporated representatives, among others, recently visited the community to assess the progress of work on the system and update community members.

Toshao Brian James expressed gratitude on behalf of the community.

Further, Croal also engaged residents at Shulinab.

There he expressed great disappointment at the status of works on the water supply system there.

A contract was awarded for the construction of a trestle equipped with storage tanks, installation of a photovoltaic (PV) system and distribution pipelines. After failing to meet his initial

completion timeline, to date, only the PV system has been erected, as well as the trestle.

Minister Croal told the Village Toshao that the Contractor's work ethic would not be condoned, as he has been given enough grace period.

He assured him that the contractor will be given warning and dealt with accordingly so that they can complete the project in a timely manner.

This is some of the work being done in hinterland communities.

he Industry and Innovation Unit in its effort to create a digitally inclined society, one that bridges the digital divide has completed Basic Information Technology training in Lethem Region 9.

This is the first of many Hinterland training to be conducted by the Office of the Prime Minister and is aimed at ensuring universal access to ICT education and ultimately the facilitation of an ICT driven society. The project falls under the ICT Access and eServices for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities Project.

A total of 43 young people received ICT training.

In recent comments, Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai, has said that the government is making significant progress in the execution of the recently resuscitated Information and Communications Technology programme in the hinterland and riverine communities.

She said, “Our task as the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs is to pursue the village

council in executing the project in the shortest possible time, so that they will be prepared. It will make it easy for the project to roll out in a region, so that you do not have to skip villages to return to complete works, so if we have a series of villages in one area ready to do so, it will be easy for us to transport equipment. This is why we are looking at the facilities in every community we visit to ensure that they are working on their ICT hub.”

Earlier this year, the government distributed $1.73 billion to Amerindian communities as a one-off COVID-19 relief investment fund geared at creating job opportunities, generating incomes and implementing infrastructural development projects. It was then revealed that at least $2 million of the monies given from this fund can be utilised to either refurbish or rebuild ICT hubs in communities. In addition to this, the minister said additional funding will be provided via the ICT Access and eServices for

Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities Project, if the stipulated amount is insufficient to complete the facility.

Sukhai said that the PPP/C Government hopes to simply provide the opportunity for those within the hinterland and riverine communities to become computer literate, to prepare them for the modernised development of the country. “It is the government’s drive to ensure that every community becomes computer literate and that they learn how to use the Internet for various reasons, like economic enhancing, their ability to advertise, students to research and study.

This includes teachers and nurses allowed to enhance their professional academic objectives by doing courses, getting engaged in admission to the various universities, whether local or international universities,” Minister Sukhai said.

About 200 hinterland and riverine communities are expected to benefit from this programme.

9

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

In Focus : Adv ances in t he Agr icult ur e Sect or PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT EXPANSION, DIVERSIFICATION, FOOD SECURITY

A g r e e m e n t in k e d f o r u t iliz a t io n s o f t h e A g r o -p r o c e s s in g F a c ilit y at Hope Estate Compound

A

five-year agreement has inked between the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), and AMJ Agro-Processing Inc. for the utilisation of NAREI’s agro-processing facility at Hope Estate Compound.

The agreement which will cater for the processing and packaging of condiments by AMJ was signed by NAREI’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jagnarine Singh and Mr. Anand James, Chairman of AMJ in the Boardroom of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Regent Street Office.

The promotion of agro-processing has been a priority of the Ministry of Agriculture and over the years, NAREI has been advocating maximum use of agricultural produce for domestic and export purpose. In the bid to advance this cause, this is one such area the Ministry of Agriculture has been advancing.

The MOU was inked in the presence of Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Madanlall Ramraj and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NAREI, Major General Ret’d Joseph Singh, who lauded the efforts of the two entities in taking agro-processing and value-added to a next level in an effort to improve the viability of the local agro-pro-

cessing industry.

Ramraj said, “In excess of $800 million have been earmarked for the establishment of six agro-processing facilities across the country, as the development of the industry remains a top priority of the Government of Guyana and by extension the Ministry of Agriculture.” The Director General noted that while efforts are being made to ensure that all the necessary infrastructure and opportunities are made available to farmers and agro-processors, it is imperative that the condiments produced remain at a high standard and to the satisfaction of the household.

Earlier this year, Agriculture Minister, Hon Zulfikar Mustapha announced the development of a robust market strategy which will cater for farmers and agro-processors to be linked to lucrative markets both locally and internationally. He added that for this to be realized, it would require the completion of market research and the use of e-marketing/e-commerce platforms through public-private partnerships.

The Government of Guyana’s investment in agro-processing is aligned with the global agenda to ensure sustainability of the world food system.

S o d t u r n e d f o r G Y $ 15 0 M A m a y a M ilk P la n t a t O n v e r w a g t

S

everal senior government officials joined the owner of the Amaya Milk Company for a sod-turning exercise to signify the commencement of the construction of a multi-million dollar state-of-the-art milk processing facility.

The facility, which is being constructed at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice by Canadian-based investor Omkarr Sharma, saw an initial investment of $150 million.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, said, “It signals the development, expansion, and stabilization of the dairy industry and a potential reduction in our imports of milk and milk products which continue to be extremely high. This investment is very timely, as imports of milk and milk products continue to be extremely high. Guyana’s import bill on milk and milk products (milk and cream, cheese and curd, and buttermilk) in 2020 was recorded at approximately US$38 Million or about G$8 Billion. Which represents about 25% of Guyana’s food import bill. Further, milk and milk products represent approximately 90% of the total value of all the livestock products imported. Therefore, such as investment as this will have a significant impact on reducing our dependency on milk and milk products and by extension creating food security and jobs opportunities. And there exists potential to expand this to CARICOM region

markets which import about US$378 Million in dairy products.”

In March of this year, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Amaya Milk Company, the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), and the Ministry of Agriculture for the construction of the facility.

The project is expected to be rolled out in two phases, the first phase focusing specifically on the production of pasteurized milk. Phase two, which is expected to commence within two years, will see the company producing other milk-based products such as yogurt and flavoured milk, specifically strawberry and chocolate, among other unique flavours.

Initially, the plant will be able to produce 100 gallons per day. This amount could later increase to 800 gallons a day depending on the supply from farmers. At capacity, the facility is expected to make in excess of $75 million per month in direct payment to dairy farmers in Regions Five and Six. It is expected that the construction will be completed making way for Amaya’s products to be on the shelves of local supermarkets by April 2022. With the introduction of Amaya’s products to the local market, it is expected that Guyana’s milk import bill, which is currently estimated to be US$35 million per annum, will see a significant reduction.

A g r i. M in is t r y s ig n s o v e r $ 6 . 6 M in c o n t r a c t s t o im p r o v e D & I , a g r o -p r o c e s s in g c a p a b ilit ie s in R e g io n 9

T

he Ministry of Agriculture has signed seven contracts totaling $665,706,092 for a number of works to be carried out aimed at improving the agriculture sector.

The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) signed a contract with Roopan Ramoutar Investments for the construction of a pump station at Greenwich Park/Barnwell area on the East Bank of Essequibo to the tune of $597,851,578. This project which is expected to be completed in twelve months will see the construction of two 100 cusec module pump station units inclusive of an R.C. sump, a structural steel pump house, the supply and installation of pump units as well as all ancillary works. The project also entails the construction of a steel sheet pile revetment and the rehabilitation of the drainage system.

As part of the Rural Agricultural Infrastructure Development (RAID) project, the ministry signed a contract with R Persid Construction for the construction of a processing facility at the President’s College totaling $14,917,414. This project aims to provide a facility in which there is an enhanced capability to provide higher volumes and quality of chicken and vegetable products in accordance with international safety

standards.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, said, “We are approaching the end of our project cycle and I want to encourage contractors to ensure you follow all the guidelines and abide by all the clauses in your contracts so that at the end of the project, we can have quality work and complete them on time. Some of these contracts that will be signed this afternoon are multi-year contracts, meaning that they will roll over to next year. Our officers will be monitoring these works closely.” He disclosed that for 2021, the ministry through the NDIA signed contracts for the construction of four pump stations in critical areas across the country. This, he added, shows the emphasis that the government is placing on the drainage system.

Contracts were signed for the construction of an asphaltic drying floor at Lesbeholden to the tune of $15,329,475, the construction of an access road, bridge, and fence at Garden of Eden to the tune of $22,316,418, the supply and delivery of agro-processing equipment for Region Nine to the tune of $6,508,505, and the procurement of 40 cassava mills for agro-processors in Region Nine to the tune of $2,800,000.

10

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

POSITIONS FROM VICE PRESIDENT

BHARRAT JAGDEO

[Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo addressed several issues during a recent engagement with the private sector]

Critical strategic documents to be finalised after March 2022

C

ontrary to misleading ramblings from the APNU+AFC Coalition camp, as well as former President David Granger, the PPP/C government did not submit a revised National Determined Contributions (NDCs) document, not the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) being held in Glasgow, Scotland.

This is according to Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, during a news conference on Monday (November 1, 2021), where he added that both documents are currently in the draft stage and will not be finalised until after March 2022. He explained that the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 will be finalised after a fourmonth consultation (November 2021-Feburary 2022) and the NDCs will be finalised thereafter.

He said, “Two weeks ago the Government of Guyana presented the draft NCDS for consultation and a few days

ago the President launched the expanded LCDS for consultation. These are two very important documents that will define the strategy of the government and the future of Guyana…. they are very important documents and we have to be very careful that they are developed in a manner that takes into account all the views of Guyanese and have a rigorous theoretical and practical foundation for implementation.”

Jagdeo further explained that the documents are important and the misleading comments from the Parliamentary Opposition expose their lack of understanding about the process at COP26.

“There is no room for presentation of national strategies in Glasgow. I have seen similar comments echoed in sections of society. I want to assure that all will have four months to comment on the LCDS and all comments will be taken into consideration when we finalise the document sometime in March 2022. I hope everyone, civil society, Oppo-

sions in the energy sector. If we achieve those numbers, we will be foremost in the world. We intend to achieve these targets – projects are in process of being awarded and are being advanced,” Jagdeo stressed.

sition and Guyanese abroad will take time to share their views on this document….we have gone through the reason why we are in the process of preparing a revised NDC. In 2016, the former government made a commitment under the Paris agreement. Clearly every Guyanese, every sane Guyanese, would understand that if you make a pledge, you have to fulfill it – put in place the projects that would accomplish it….yet under APNU nothing was done,” he said.

He rapped Granger for trying to talk up consultation, when there was done when he

committed Guyana to a 100 per cent renewable pathway in 2016. “Not a single other country has pledged even 50 per cent by 2025. Yet we in Guyana pledge 100 per cent.

Granger and his minions talk about consultation, but what consultation did they have in 2016, when they made such an unrealistic pledge….so we have now to revise that pledge downwards because we cannot achieve 100 per cent renewable by 2025….we have pointed out that we will achieve 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2025, and by 2027-2028 we might go up to 70 per cent reduction in emis-

FULL BENEFITS TO AMERINDIAN COMMUNITIES Additionally, amidst concerns surrounding the benefits indigenous communities will access under the LCDS 2030, Jagdeo expressed his government’s full commitment to ensuring that the indigenous people of Guyana benefit directly from the strategy.

He said, “In the LCDS, the money earned, we set aside a huge sum of money from that earned through the Norway Agreement to spend in the Amerindian communities of Guyana,” he announced.

The Vice President said a total of US $17 million has already been set aside for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) de-

velopment in the hinterland, along with US$10 million for land titling activities.

Jagdeo note too that the government has already pledged to use a portion of all money earned from the project to development Amerindian communities. “We have pledged that in any future sale of forest carbon, that at least 15 per cent will go directly to these communities, and if we can earn $500 million over the period, just imagine what 15 per cent of $500 million would be,” he detailed.

Earlier this year, the government allocated a total of $630 million towards the resuscitation of the Amerindian Land Titling Project (ALT) alone, while another $58 million was expended for the expansive development of Amerindian communities.

The investments in the indigenous communities of Guyana serve as yet another promise fulfilled by the PPP/C Administration to resume the LCDS and fund community development plans in the hinterland.

Gov’t to move into negotiations on Amaila Falls Hydropower project soon

T

he Ministry of Finance announced on Monday (November 1, 2021) that Cabinet recently granted its ‘no-objection’ for the Office of the Prime Minister to engage China Railway Group Limited to construct AFHP. The arrangement, according to the ministry’s release, is the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model, where the company will supply electricity to GPL at a cost not exceeding US$0.07737 per KWH. The company will provide the entire equity required by the project and undertake all associated risks.

The deal so far is consistent with the PPP/C Government’s plan to bring the cost of power down to US$0.15

per KWH, or lower.

ENERGY TRANSITION Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, at a news conference on Monday (November 1, 2021) disclosed that with the contract awarded, negotiations will commence soon.

He said, “We are hoping to move into negotiations soon.”

According to him, the Amaila Falls Hydropower project is a vital element in the national effort to decarbonise the economy, making Guyana less reliant on Heavy Fuel Oil, which is polluting.

He explained that natural gas, which is not renewable, will be used to bridge the transition from Heavy

Fuel Oil to renewable energy. Jagdeo said, “We have mapped our demand. We believe demand will double, but we need to have out energy installing triple the installed capacity, largely because a lot of the demand now is met by private generation…Amaila is the best option to meet baseload renewable energy for Guyana.”

The Vice President noted that the cost of power is expected to be reduced significantly once hydropower comes on stream. “We are buying power. All the risk is with the investor. Of course will have oversight. So no government debt. We are not borrowing to do this project,” he stressed.

BEST OPTION FOR GUYANA Additionally, the best option to begin Guyana’s energy transition to renewable sources was adjudged in 2016 to be the Amaila Falls hydropower project, according to a study commissioned by the Government of Norway.

It was the David Granger led administration that agreed to this objective and facts-based assessment of AFHP. The report, compiled

by Norconsult, on behalf of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), identified AFHP as critical for Guyana’s energy transition.

“The only realistic path for Guyana towards an emis-

sion free electricity sector is by developing its hydropower potential. The fastest way forward is to maintain AFHP as the first major step for substituting its current oilfired generation,” Norconsult stated in its report, Review of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project in Guyana.

This guidance, though unequivocal, was not heeded by the previous administration. Up to now, most of Guyana’s electricity generation is from the severely polluting heavy fuel oil (HFO).

Upon assuming office in 2020, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali affirmed that what the PPP/C Government was campaigning on in the lead up to the elections was a cleaner and diversified

energy mix.

AFHP, projected to deliver 165 MW of new power to the grid by 2027, will supply a significant share of power needed for Guyana’s economic expansion in the decade up to 2030, building on emissions reduction gains from the 250 MW gas-to-energy project, expected by 2024.

While the government’s endgame is an energy mix dominated by renewable energy, and 100 per cent renewable sometime down the line, the PPP/C administration has decided that it is necessary to bring natural gas from ExxonMobil’s Liza operation to shore for electricity generation purposes, in the interim.

11

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

POSITIONS FROM VICE PRESIDENT

BHARRAT JAGDEO

[Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo addressed several issues during a recent engagement with the private sector]

Oil blocks will be auctioned Ghanaian officials in Guyana offering support by third quarter 2022 on key legislation, more D elivering on a commitment made Guyanese, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, announced that Guyana’s remaining oil blocks, as well as those returned to the State under relinquishment agreements with companies, will be auctioned by the third quarter of 2022.

As it is now, ExxonMobil is the primary operator of the Stabroek, Canje and Kaieteur blocks offshore Guyana. Further, CGX, together with Frontera Energy Corporation, operates the Corentyne and

T

he cooperation between Guyana and Ghana, according to Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, continues to be a fruitful engagement.

At a news conference on Monday (November 1, 2021) he explained that a team from Ghana will be in Guyana to assist in finalizing Guyana’s Local Content Policy and the Natural Resources Fund and amendments to operationalise the Fund. He noted too that advise on the gas-to-shore energy project will also be addressed.

The delegation from Ghana includes: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Gas Company, Benjamin Asante; Director of Local Content on Ghana’s Petroleum Commission, Kwaku Boateng; and Senior Technical Manager at the Ghana National Gas Company, Abraham Mensah.

Jagdeo said, We are going to utilise the skills of people from Ghana to assist us in creating the architecture for management of the sector. It is time for us to work with a country that has had to build these institutions from scratch…we need their…they will work with our local technical personnel.”

The visit from Ghana follows a visit to the African country by Jagdeo last month. Over the course of his three-day working visit

to Ghana, Jagdeo engaged the state officials, as well as technical staff of the Petroleum Commission, National Oil Company, National Gas Company and a number of others during several meetings.

The Ghanaian officials have commenced local engagements.

During a meeting with representatives from the Minsitry of Natural Resources, including Minister Vickram Bharrat, and the Attorney General’s Chamber, stakeholders evaluated Guyana’s draft Local Content Bill and compared it with Ghana’s legislation, as well as legislation in Nigeria, Uganda and Norway.

The visiting delegation offered practical guidance as well as insightful recommendations. Various components of the bill were discussed

and critically examined with segments from the various legislations extracted and made part of the local bill.

A local legal committee was established by the Attorney-General comprising lawyers and drafters from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, persons from the Environmental Protection Agency and officials of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

This team will spearhead Guyana’s pursuit of legislative changes in the oil and gas sector. It was agreed that this team and the visiting delegation will continue to collaborate and work closely in helping to develop a modern and effective Local Content Bill, and will continue to collaborate on other matters relating to the legislative infrastructure of the oil and gas sector.

SOCU labelled ‘a disappointment’

T

he Special Organised Crimes Unit (SOCU) and its operations have been dubbed a “disappointment”

by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during his Monday (November 1, 2021).

“SOCU has just been a disappointment, because had it been the PPP [People’s Progressive Party], they would have probably been running us down,” he said.

According to him, there

has been a failure in investigating and bringing charges against former government officials who have linked to major breaches of financial and other laws in Guyana.

“Winston Jordan has been in breach of our financial regulations, and also his fiduciary responsibility when he transferred large tracts of land worth billions of Guyana dollars to individuals without them paying a cent, although the agreement said

they had to pay for these properties,” Jagdeo said.

While noting that he would have to seek an update on this matter from Attorney- General Anil Nandlall, he added, “You can go to jail for that; that’s a breach of the financial laws. I don’t see him even charged by now, and I wonder what’s going on.”

Several major investigations have been turned over to SOCU in the past year.

Demerara blocks, and also has a share in the Berbice block.

The Vice President assured that the relinquishment clause will be enforced in the coming months. “We have been busy putting the architecture in place to management….to go to an auction, we would have to make several policy decision,” he said, adding that this would include securing technical capacity to move forward and deciding if the blocks will be auctioned

with seismic data – meaning an investment that gathering that data – or without the data.

Jagdeo said, “There are several issues to be addressed. Its gives us almost a year to do all this….if there are laws to be amended, we will look at the framework for auction.”

In the past, Jagdeo had called attention to the confusion regarding former APNU+AFC Coalition Government’s positions on the remaining oil blocks.

Budget 2022 preparations underway

W

ork to ready Guyana’s Budget 2021 is underway, according to Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who made the disclosure during a news conference on Monday (November 1, 2021).

This will be the third budget crafted and presented by the PPP/C government.

Budget 2020, an emergency budget, given that most of the year had already passed, due to the protracted delay in finalizing the

result of the March 2020 Elections, was presented on September 9, 2021 by Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill. The reversed onerous taxes and fees implemented during the past five years. The size of the Budget 2020 is $329.5 billion. It was presented under the theme ‘ ‘Our Plan for Prosperity: Protecting our People in a COVID-19 Environment; Strengthening Democracy and the Rule of Law; Incentivising Econom-

ic Growth and Job Creation; and, Enhancing Welfare.’

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, presented the Guyana 2021 National Budget on 12 February 2021. The $383.1 billion national budget was delivered under the theme ‘A path to recovery: Economic dynamism and resilience’.

The presentation date for Budget 2022 is expected to be named as preparations are finalised.

12

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

UNITED NATIONS CLI

Ali makes case for carbon market at global climate conference G

uyana joined global leaders in signing a pact to stop the destruction of forests and invest US$12 billion in public funds to protect and restore forests, among other things.

President Ali, during an interview on Britain’s Channel 4 News, noted that Guyana already has one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world and local forests store more 20 gigatons of the harmful greenhouse gas carbon dioxide that contributes to global climate change.

“For us in Guyana, it is not about deforestation; we’re already there…our forest is still there and we have been pursuing compensation, or payments...it (carbon) must be a tradeable commodity,” he said.

World leaders are attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) being held in Glasgow, Scotland.

As per the agreement, over 100 leaders, accounting for more than 86% of the world’s forests, committed to work together to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 in the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. Further, 12 donor countries have committed £8.75 billion ($12 billion) of public funds to protection and resto-

ration, alongside £5.3 billion ($7.2 billion) of private investment. CEOs from more than dozens of financial institutions, including Aviva, Schroders and Axa, are also committing to ending investment in activities that lead to deforestation.

The full Glasgow leaders’ declaration on forests and land use is as follows: We, the leaders of the countries identified below: • Emphasise the critical and interdependent roles of forests of all types, biodiversity and sustainable land use in enabling the world to meet its sustainable development goals; to help achieve a balance between anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and removal by sinks; to adapt to climate change; and to maintain other ecosystem services.

• Reaffirm our respective commitments, collective and individual, to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the Sustainable Development Goals; and other relevant initiatives.

• Reaffirm our respective commitments to sustainable land use, and to the conservation, protection,

sustainable management and restoration of forests, and other terrestrial ecosystems.

• Recognise that to meet our land use, climate, biodiversity and sustainable development goals, both globally and nationally, will require transformative further action in the interconnected areas of sustainable production and consumption; infrastructure development; trade; finance and investment; and support for smallholders, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities, who depend on forests for their livelihoods and have a key role in their stewardship.

• Highlight the areas of strong progress in recent years and the opportunities before us to accelerate action.

• We therefore commit to working collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation.

We will strengthen our shared efforts to: • Conserve forests and other terrestrial ecosystems and accelerate their restoration; • Facilitate trade and devel-

opment policies, internationally and domestically, that promote sustainable development, and sustainable commodity production and consumption, that work to countries’ mutual benefit, and that do not drive deforestation and land degradation; • Reduce vulnerability, build resilience and enhance rural livelihoods, including through empowering communities, the development of profitable, sustainable agriculture, and recognition of the multiple values of forests, while recognising the rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as local communities, in accordance with relevant national legislation and international instruments, as appropriate; • Implement and, if neces-

sary, redesign agricultural policies and programmes to incentivise sustainable agriculture, promote food security, and benefit the environment; • Reaffirm international financial commitments and significantly increase finance and investment from a wide variety of public and private sources, while also improving its effectiveness and accessibility, to enable sustainable agriculture, sustainable forest management, forest conservation and restoration, and support for Indigenous Peoples and local communities; • Facilitate the alignment of financial flows with international goals to reverse forest loss and degradation, while ensuring robust policies and systems are

in place to accelerate the transition to an economy that is resilient and advances forest, sustainable land use, biodiversity and climate goals.

We urge all leaders to join forces in a sustainable land use transition. This is essential to meeting the Paris Agreement goals, including reducing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C, noting that the science shows further acceleration of efforts is needed if we are to collectively keep 1.5°C within reach. Together we can succeed in fighting climate change, delivering resilient and inclusive growth, and halting and reversing forest loss and land degradation.

Deliver on promises, developing A

crucial U.N. conference heard calls on its first day for the world's major economies to keep their promises of financial help to address the climate crisis, while big polluters India and Brazil made new commitments to cut emissions.

World leaders, environmental experts and activists all pleaded for decisive action to halt the global warming which threatens the future of the planet at the start of the two-week COP26 summit in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Monday.

The task facing negotiators was made even more daunting by the failure of the Group of 20 major industrial nations to agree

ambitious new commitments at the weekend.

The G20 is responsible for around 80% of global greenhouse gases and a similar proportion of carbon dioxide, the gas produced by burning fossil fuels that is the main cause of the rise in global temperatures which are triggering an increasing intensity of heatwaves, droughts, floods and storms.

"The animals are disappearing, the rivers are dying and our plants don't flower like they did before. The Earth is speaking. She tells us that we have no more time," Txai Surui, a 24-year-old indigenous youth leader from the Amazon rain forest, told the opening ceremony in Glasgow.

Delayed by a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, COP26 aims to keep alive a target of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. To do that, it needs to secure more ambitious pledges to reduce emissions, lock in billions in climate financing for developing countries, and finish the rules for implementing the 2015 Paris Agreement, which was signed by nearly 200 countries.

The pledges made so far would allow the planet's average surface temperature to rise 2.7C this century, which the United Nations says would supercharge the destruction that

climate change is already causing.

More than 100 global leaders late on Monday pledged to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation by the end of the decade, underpinned by $19 billion in public and private funds to invest in protecting and restoring forests. read more U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reminded delegates that the six hottest years on record have occurred since 2015.

Other speakers, including activists from the poorer countries hardest hit by climate change, had a defiant message.

In 2009, the developed countries most responsible for global warming pledged to

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

IMATE CONFERENCE

13

Decisive action needed, climate change is a question of survival [Statement of His Excellency Dr Mohammed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, to the 26th Session of the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Glasgow, Scotland]

T

he fate of civilization resides in the decisions we make here in Glasgow. The climate crisis has issued us an ultimatum: either we take immediate and drastic action or subject ourselves to an infernal global disaster.

Indifference and inaction will be costly. Already, we are far behind in limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The coming decade therefore must be the decade of decisive action.

Climate change affects us all – rich, poor, developed and developing States – but its effects are more severe on the poorest and most vulnerable – especially Small-island Developing States (SIDS) and low-lying coastal States.

For us it is a question of survival.

We can use this Summit to change the present trajectory. Immediate action is needed on three fronts: • First, we must set more ambitious goals to reduce

emissions, and we must honour, to the letter, those ambitions. All countries have an obligation to act but the world’s foremost polluters have a greater duty to institute steeper emission cuts.

• Second, the pledge of US$100B per annum, made one decade ago, to support climate action must be met.

Dishonoured pledges are a recipe for disaster.

• Third, forests constitute a powerful arsenal in the fight against climate change. Forest-rich countries must be provided with the incentives necessary to keep their forests intact and to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Mindful that deforestation contributes 16% to annual global emissions and in recognition of the ecosystem and climate services provided by forests, it is imperative that we finalise the rules for carbon markets and

REDD+ so as to properly value tropical forests and the climate services which they provide.

GUYANA’S WORK My country, Guyana is already playing its part in addressing climate change and will continue to do so: • We will maintain our forests – almost the size of England and Scotland

combined, storing 20 gigatons of carbon – as a global asset.

• We will work with local communities in conserving, protecting and sustainably managing our forests, biodiversity and freshwater supplies.

• We will decouple economic growth and emissions through a progressively cleaner energy mix, with

the aim of reducing our carbon emissions by 70% by 2030.

• We will invest in low carbon opportunities for jobs, ecosystem services and social inclusion through an expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy.

ACTION We are at a historic moment in our civilization. His-

tory must not judge us as having only counted our losses. It must instead herald our efforts to confront one of our Planet’s greatest threats – climate change.

In this regard, Guyana is prepared to work with international community for collective action. We support the position of CARICOM and are aligned with the Alliance for Small Island States (AOSIS), the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States [CELAC], the Leticia Pact, the DHAKA-Glasgow Declaration and the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use, among others.

Though we recently became an oil producer we support the removal of subsidies from fossil fuel production and advocate a strong global carbon price.

Let future generations say - when it mattered the most we made a difference.

I thank you.

g world tells rich at climate talks provide $100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing nations deal with its consequences. The commitment has still not been met, generating mistrust and a reluctance among some developing nations to accelerate their emissions reductions.

Leaders of countries such as Kenya, Bangladesh, Barbados and Malawi called rich nations to task for failing to deliver. "The money pledge to least developed nations by developed nations ... is not a donation, but a cleaning fee," Malawi's President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera said. He added, "Neither Africa in general, nor Malawi in particular, will take 'no' for an answer.

Not any more."

BIG HITTERS STAY HOME President Xi Jinping of China, by far the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, said in a written statement that developed countries should not only do more but also support developing countries to do better.

Xi's absence, along with that of Russia's Vladimir Putin, president of one of the world's top three oil producers together with the United States and Saudi Arabia, may hinder progress.

Meanwhile, India and Brazil, two of the largest polluters, both used the platform

to provide new emission cutting pledges.

Brazil said it would cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, compared with a previous pledge of 43% in that period.

However, the cuts are calculated against emissions levels in 2005, a baseline which was retroactively revised last year, making it easier for Brazil's targets to be met.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi set 2070 as a target for India to reach net-zero carbon emissions, much later than those set by other polluters and twenty years beyond the U.N.'s global recommendation. read more The G20 failed to commit to the 2050 target to halt net carbon emissions, under-

mining one of COP26's main aims, at a weekend meeting in Rome. Instead, they only recognised "the key relevance" of doing so "by or around mid-century", and set no timetable for phasing out domestic coal power, a major cause of carbon emissions.

The commitment to phase out fossil fuel subsidies "over the medium term" echoed wording they used as long ago as 2009.

World leaders wrapped up the first day of COP26 at a reception hosted by Prince Charles and other members of the British royal family. Queen Elizabeth, who has been advised by her doctors to rest, sent a video message. (Adapted from Reuters)

14

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Guyana’s bilateral engagements yield major initiatives B

ilateral engagements with several international organisations and countries

by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, representing Guyana, yielded several major initiatives that will go towards improvements for Guyana and the Guyanese people.

Ali participated in activities at the Sixth Summit of the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States; the United Nations; the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Barbados and the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

In addition to a confirmed list of potential investors scheduled to visit Guyana to explore available opportunities in Guyana, some groups have already committed to specific projects, such as a state-of-the-art deep-water harbour.

He said, “While in Dubai we had an extensive discussion with Khalifa Port or the Abu Dhabi Ports. As you’re aware they had two technical teams in Guyana working and looking at the possibility of the establishment of a deep-water harbour link to Brazil. And at that meeting, we had indepth discussions on this possibility. The interest is great in this project and in two to three weeks, they will have a second team coming with a follow-up on the evaluation. And they are looking at a modern state-of-the-art Port facility operated with cutting-edge technology, focusing on efficiency, safety and security.”

The President added that the deep-water harbour is expected to be a critical port, linking Guyana to Suriname, Brazil, and French Guiana,

and according to President Ali, the prospects are promising. He said, “This is a project that is viable; they are now working on the financial details of it.”

The Head of State also stated that other potential investors have a wide range of interests from cement production to housing development, tourism and mining.

Other issues were addressed including: food security; equitable distribution and access to COVID-19 vaccines; climate change, disaster risk management, access to concessional financing high levels of indebtedness, natural disaster funds and graduated transition; the establishment of a voluntary fund to facilitate Regional Disaster Response; and the normalisation of relationships between the U.S. and Cuba.

Public servants assured of salary increases in 2021

P

ublic servants in Guyana have been assured of salary increases at the end of this year, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali reaffirmed his government’s commitment to increased salary this year.

The comment was made during a recent press conference, where he said, “As I said earlier this year, we are committed to increases for the public servants, and that commitment will be fulfilled before the end of the year.”

Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said as early as January that $10 billion has been set aside in Budget 2021 for the revision of wages and salaries for public servants.

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) subsequently wrote to the government requesting talks on this matter. Regarding talks with the GPSU, the President said the matter will be addressed by the Ministries of Finance and Public Service. Ali had first made the commitment to public servants during his August 2 press conference, commemorating the culmination of his first year in office. He had said, “The public servants will receive salary increases before the end of the year, and it will be retroactive. Let me be clear on that.”

The Head of State had noted that it is not his government’s vision for the

discourse to be only about salary increases, but rather, mechanisms that would allow all public servants to live improved lives.

In December last year, President Ali announced a $25,000 one-off grant for public servants. Some $2 billion was budgeted for the initiative, which benefitted over 60,000 workers. Beneficiaries included workers within the Central Government, statutory bodies, subvention agencies, public corporations, teachers, medical workers, Members of the Joint Services, Government pensioners and staff of the University of Guyana, to assist them with the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rare British Guiana 1c Magenta unveiled for viewing

P

resident Dr Irfaan Ali, this week, benefited from an opportunity to privately view of the world's most expensive stamp, the British Guiana 1c magenta, in London, England.

The Head of State was captivated by the stamp which was printed in 1856 in the then British Guiana and sold for over G$1.7B in June this year.

The British Guiana 1c Magenta was bought by rare stamp dealer Stanley Gibbons last month. The dealer said that, gram for gram, the stamp is thought to be the most valuable man-made item in the world. Gibbons, called it "the Holy Grail of philately". "It's truly one of a kind, and we're delighted to be welcoming it back on to British soil where

we hope it will remain," he said. The dealer intends to make the stamp available to collectors through a shared-ownership scheme.

"This isn't just for wealthy collectors. We are developing a pricing model that will allow anyone to join the club," he added.

It is the only survivor of a small batch printed on the former British colony British Guiana, now Guyana. The stamp, printed on magenta paper and measuring 29 x 26mm, bears a three-masted ship and the colony's motto, "We give and expect in return".

It went into circulation in 1856, when a shipment of stamps was delayed from London and the colony's postmaster asked printers to make three types of tem-

porary stamp until the shipment arrived.

Once it arrived, the postmaster ordered them to be taken out of circulation - but one of the one cent stamps survived. It was discovered around 20 years later and returned to Britain for a short time, but was then sent to a collection abroad.

The stamp has been on display at the Smithsonian National Stamp Museum in Washington DC, on loan from its former owner, the US shoe designer Stuart Weitzman. It has marks from all of its previous owners, including the government of France and John du Pont, who was convicted in 1997 of murdering Olympic Gold Medallist David Schultz and died in prison in 2010.

15

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

Leadership contest heats up…

Aubrey Norton discredits …Massive infighting in Coalition MPs the PNCR

W

hile political parties’ leadership races are usually democratic and peaceful, the leadership contest by those seeking to head up the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is exposing massive infighting.

To date five candidates have publicly declared that they are in the running leadership posts within the PNCR – Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton, Richard Van-West Charles, Amanza Walton-Desir and Roysdale Forde.

Forde only recently threw his hat in the ring for a leadership position. Prior to doing so, he also came up swinging at the launch of Harmon’s campaign for PNCR leader and strongly endorsed up. Currently, he has been whipping up support of his own, receiving the backing of the PNCR Canada central Toronto Chapter. Notably, leaders of two other PNCR groups - John O’Dell, the Chairperson of the Toronto PNCR, West End Group; and Kelvin Alleyne, the Chairperson

of the Toronto PNCR, East End Group – recently disavowed claims made that they supported Harmon.

Meanwhile, Walton-Desir had thrown shade at long-standing PNCR members, stressing that the PNCR can only survive if new and fresh leaders are allowed to step in.

Further, Van WestCharles has moved to discredit the PNCR, General Secretary, Amna Ally. He accused Ally of misusing and abusing the office of the General Secretary by immersing herself in the election campaign, openly taking sides and supporting one candidate, when she should be professional and desist from compromising her office. In a letter, he said, “Ms. Ally’s behaviour is not only untoward, unethical and unacceptable but it also goes against the principles of the party. This approach was never taken by any previous GS…the role of the GS, as head of the party’s secretariat, in the instance of an election,

is to ensure the process is free, fair and transparent and represents the true and legitimate will of its members…it must be said at all times members, particularly the leadership -incumbent and aspiring- should embrace ethical behaviour and hold in esteem the values of the Party. Ms. Ally’s continued presence as GS threatens and undermines these values.” Notably, Van West-Charles, son-in-law of the Party’s founder Forbes Burnham and PNRC Executive, challenged Granger for leadership of the Party.

His most recent appointment was as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the former Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) under the former APNU+AFC Coalition Government. He has been criticized for spending over $85M in parties over a two-year period, among other issues.

Notably, Van West-Charles joined that Alliance For Change (AFC) in 2018, but moved back to the PNCR sometime afterwards.

The other candidate,

Norton, has recently, discredited the APNU+AFC Coalition Members of Parliament, claiming they were forced to support Opposition Leader, Harmon. This has led to a public spat between the two, with Harmon calling for an apology. Harmon used the incident to insinuate that Norton will not be the kind of leader that makes space for youths.

Harmon said, “The statement in my view is obnoxious. It is disrespectful of young, intelligent Members of Parliament…that you can actually say that the only reason these people acted a certain way is because they were coerced. What nonsense is that? This is the kind of disrespect that the candidate has for young people. And I am sure that those young people will be able to answer him because certainly if you treat people – young people – who are at that level with that level of contempt and the way in which you have no regard for their opinion, then what would you do with the rest

of the Party, of people who you consider to be not qualified as they are.” Norton is also battling the perception that he is stridently pro Afro-Guyanese and will not be an inclusive leader.

Harmon, himself, is at odds with other competitors, not only Norton. He only recently joined the PNCR leadership. In August 2020, at a meeting, led

by Granger, the PNCR’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) co-opted him to serve on the committee.

However, in a year, Harmon has been already been accused by PNCR members of undermining “democracy in the PNC” and collaborating with Granger on this issue. Further, Harmon also admitted that the party – the majority partner in the APNU+AFC Coalition – is losing support. “Our party is hemorrhaging,’ he admitted. Proffering a reason why the PNCR is losing support, Harmon said some persons may be aggrieved over issues that are “not real” at all. “If we harm you, if you

felt aggrieved, it may not be real but we are going to apologise.”

LEADERSHIP QUESTIONED While there are now several persons who have confirmed that they will be running for the top post, current Leader David Granger continues to dodge the question, as to whether he would run for re-election.

Granger, in August 2021, announced that he has taken a leave of absence from the Party effective September 1, 2020. However, he did not indicate for how long.

In the meantime, his leadership continues to be questioned.

The PNCR’s last biennial congress was in 2018.

The latest update is that the overdue 22nd Biennial Congress is set for December 11, 2021. PNCR Chairperson and acting Party Leader, Volda Lawrence, had previously said that the congress would be held by the end of November 2021, but no later than December 13, 2021.

16

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

PARLIAMENT HAPPENINGS UNDER REVIEW THE PPP/C’ S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, MORE

New Clerk identified to work with Public Accounts Committee A

new Clerk to work with the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been identified, following Parliament staffers’ complaints about heightened “stress levels” and “unprofessional conduct” certain members.

The move follows the cancellation of meetings scheduled for Friday, October 22, 2021, and Monday, October 25, 2021.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, in comments on the issue, had explained that the presiding Clerk of the PAC requested to be removed, during a meeting, where he was in a visibly distressed state. He said, “After the last meeting, the Clerk of the Committee came to my office in tears. She broke down, she asked to be removed. She told me she was

sick. I observed that she was thin, she is sick and has lost weight. I have never seen her that thin, she has lost weight, she is fed up and I observed that for myself.”

According to Isaacs, following the clerk’s request to be removed, he sought a replacement for the upcoming meetings; however, all of his staff were reluctant to work with the committee.

“I had a meeting with the

Head of Committee Divisions and others, and they are all refusing. The most senior clerk, I asked her and she said no. She said she troubles with her pressure.

I spoke with the second most senior clerk, who also refused,” he said.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira has since welcomed the move to get on with the work of the

Committee.

In previous comments on this matter, she underscored the fact that the Clerk of the House was clear that that complaint was about the behaviour of “some” MPs not all. “I have seen the Clerk’s comments. He said some members, not all members of the PAC have demonstrated unfortunate behaviour. Mr. Figueira has tried to turn that around to

say all members,” she noted.

According to the Standing Order 6(8) of Parliament, the Clerk of the Assembly is responsible for providing every Select Committee of the Assembly with a clerk.

The PAC comprises nine members, five from the government side and four from the opposition. The Committee is chaired by a Member of Parliament (MP) from the main opposition.

Coalition motion to amend meeting schedule of PAC defeated

A

motion backed by the A P N U + A F C C o a l ition Parliamentarians on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to make changes to the statutory meetings of the Committee was defeated by a majority vote by the PPP/C Parliamentarians on the Committee.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, explained that there was no need for the committee to designate any other days to meet. The committee, she said, has mechanisms to address any additional work of the committee. She said, “Throughout all the Public Accounts Committees…we have from time to time met specially, with consensus, because of a particular task to do. What the opposition has been trying to do is statutorise other meetings. We are saying there’s no need for that. What has worked from 1966 to now can continue to work. We agree to meet when it’s necessary to get our work done,” Minister Teixeira explained.

The minister made ref-

erence to a previous PAC meeting, where a consensus was arrived at among members of the committee to determine an appropriate time for another meeting, should it become necessary.

She said, “Under Mr. Irfaan Ali’s chairmanship in the last PAC, they tried to get around some of the regional presentations and met several days in a row, to try to move the issues of the regional reports.

That was their solution and it was worked out between the chairman Mr. Irfaan Ali, now President, and Volda Lawrence, Minister of Public Health at the time.”

Minister Teixeira noted that after a lengthy discussion on the issue, the request was out-voted by PAC members.

The motion was dealt with during a session closed to the public, prior to the PAC’s regular session that addressed matters relating to the 2016 Audit Report – a session that ran until 22:00hours (10:00PM) on Monday (November 1, 2021).

ERC first up for consideration

by Committee of Appointments

T

he Committee of Appointments is currently working to address the reappointment of several Constitutional Commissions, which have recently expired, according to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira.

She noted that first up for consideration is the Eth-

nic Relations Commission.

She explained that the process includes consultation and the recommendation of nominees.

When asked about a timeline, she noted that without consensus, the process could be delayed. “We have to get a two-thirds majority…I had hoped we (Turn to page 19)

17

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

PARLIAMENT HAPPENINGS UNDER REVIEW THE PPP/C’ S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, MORE

Millions spent on vaccines Lack of documentation for billion dollar settlement by Coalition in question by PAC that cannot be accounted

T

he lack of documentation to properly account for spending by the former APNU+AFC Coalition government continues to be a sore point at the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is currently in the process of examining the 2016 Auditor General’s report.

At Monday’s meeting (November 1, 2021), Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, lamented the lack of documentation to detail a $1.88 billion transaction between the former govern-

ment and local contractor, BK International.

The monies were paid to the company as settlement in a 2015 lawsuit where the company claimed to have had its services on the Haags Bosch Landfill project “wrongfully terminated” by the Government of Guyana.

It was the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s Donald Ramotar-led administration that terminated BK International’s contract in February 2015 based on what it said were several breaches to the project

contract, including missed deadlines. By June 2015, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) which funded the bulk of the Haags Bosch project, threatened to pull funding if the contractor, BK International was not removed.

Notwithstanding this, the company denied the allegations and filed a lawsuit against the government for wrongful termination, and the then Chief Justice, Ian Chang ruled in favour of the company. The former APNU+AFC government then

moved to an out-of-court settlement, and in 2017, following negotiations with the Ministry of Legal Affairs, under the Coalition Government, payments to the company were made via three Inter-Departmental Warrants (IDWs).

On Monday, Permanent Secretary (PS) for the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (LGRD), Prema Roopnarine, was asked to provide documentations chronicling the transaction, but she could (Turn to page 19)

for – PAC hears

M

ember of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, on Monday (November 1, 2021) roasted the former heads of the Ministry of Public Health, for failing to account for yellow fever vaccines, under the previous APNU+AFC Government.

Over 9,000 yellow fever vaccines were bought in 2016 by the Ministry of Health. However, when these were distributed, there was no accountability, as they

were moved by the ministry’s Materials Management Unit (MMU) without documentation.

He said, “Revenues-procured items, they left a bond in which they were to be stored and controlled by the storage regulations. I believe those regulations were not in place, vaccines left, they were not adequately recorded. As such, you can’t say exactly where they went, who collected them and what happened. These things have (Turn to page 19)

18

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

UN called on to urge... (From page 2) 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 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 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

Lack of documentation for... (From page 17)

Millions spent on vaccines...

not do so. She disclosed that she could not locate any documents relating to the settlement within the Ministry.

The former Permanent Secretary, Emil McGarrell, who joined the meeting virtually, explained that the settlement payments were not handled by what was known then as the Ministry of Communities. Rather, the monies were disbursed by the Legal Affairs Ministry, which was, at that time,

to be monitored meticulously. How are vaccines leaving cold storage and they aren’t signed for, that’s the issue.”

According to the Auditor General’s annual report of 2016, 9,890 yellow fever vaccines were issued to vaccination centres under the

headed by Basil Williams of the APNU+AFC Coalition. McGarrell indicated that he too never saw the transaction documents but believes that they can be sourced from the Legal Affairs Ministry.

Minister Edghill requested submission of the initial application filed in the court, along with evidence of not only the court hearing but the negotiated settlement as well. Minister of Parlia-

mentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira added her voice to the argument, asking that the report explaining the IDB’s concerns be provided as well. She added too that a copy of the Cabinet decision which greenlighted supplementary funds to compensate the contractor should also be provided to the PAC. The matter is expected to be revisited at the PAC in two weeks.

Ministry of Public Health.

However, the records reflected 5,730 vaccines received.

A total 4,160 vaccines could not be accounted for.

The AG report further noted that $6.1 million were received from the sale of 7,729 yellow fever vac-

19 (From page 17)

cines in 2016, but the MMU Kingston, vaccination centre and the accounts department reflected variances. The AG could not verify whether the vaccines sold were from the 2016 acquisitions, as the batch numbers were not recorded on the invoices.

ERC first up for consideration... (From page 16) would have finished it [the list of entities] before but some organisations haven’t responded and we have been lenient offering some time to respond but there are some

delays in that area,” the Minister said.

Teixeira heads the Committee of Appointments and its members include Government and Opposition Parliamentarians.

20

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

Former SOCU Head wanted for questioning about fraud, more T

he Guyana Police Force this week issued a wanted bulletin for the former head of the Special Organised Crime Unit

(SOCU), Sydney James.

According to the Force, James is wanted for questioning in relation to fraud and obtaining money by

false pretences.

James, of Lot 28 George Avenue Lamaha Springs, North Ruimveldt, had been sent on admin-

istrative leave in July of 2019 and his contract was not renewed after damning findings were uncovered by an audit.

The audit that was ordered by the Police Commissioner in February 2019 and was triggered after the former British adviser, Dr Sam Sittlington, had made a number of allegations against the Unit.

Based on the information provided, the GPF’s Audit Department, which conducted the investigated, looked into 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. From which it was shown that $52 million was collected from the Ministry of Public Security by SOCU for its operational fund. Monies from the fund are used to pay SOCU informants, rent surveillance vehicles, maintain the building housing the unit, day-to-day administrative expenses, and other expenditures.

The audit revealed that several staff members collected monies totally millions of dollars, with claims that it was being used to gather intelligence, without providing any corroborating evidence. The examination of some payments more than half a million dollars each to a few of the ranking officers in one 2016 month, showed the receipts to have been backdated, to give an air of legitimacy to the payments.

It was reported that the auditors were hindered when attempting to conduct the audit by the absence of receipts and monies not being detailed as to the purposed it was spent. Evidence surfaced of unsigned entries in the financial records. In another case, there was evidence of forgery of an official signature.

Further evidence showed that some of the listed expenditures were fabricated. Reports of purchases from well-established vendors were indicated, when they auditors attempted to verify, it was clear that the officials at SOCU only collected quotation but never purchased the recorded items. Evi-

dence on some of the invoices showed duplication, tampering, fraudulent double entries and fake entries.

Monies seized by SOCU should be in an account bearing interest, however in clear violation of the anti-money laundering laws, seized cash was being kept at the unit and some at the Guyana Police Force’s Finance Department. Concerns were raised over this matter, on several occasion, no actions was taken to correct the illegality.

SOCU, under James, had also been involved in a number of controversial operations, including the high-profile car chase of the wife of a People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), which resulted in the death of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Robert Pyle and his wife Stacy, along with another civilian in a smash-up on Carifesta Avenue in December 2015 – an incident that remains the subject of many unanswered questions.

SOCU’s establishment – under the Guyana Police Force – was part of Guyana's international obligations to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework. Despite the intent of the Unit, under the APNU+AFC Coalition, the Unit was criticised as being used to target the PPP/C.

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

21

22

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

COM M ENTARY

Under the PPP/C gov’t oil and gas will add to the economy, not be the economy Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

V

ice President Bharat Jagdeo has made it very clear Guyana is not willing to leave our Oil Resources untapped while the global market still requires 100 million barrels per day presently and will still require 24 million barrels per day by 2050. This is in spite of the fact that the world is working towards a zero fossil fuel-based energy platform.

There are some who everyday moan and groan that Guyana should leave the Oil in the ground and remain a poor country.

The President, Dr. Irfaan Ali rejects this notion. The Vice-President, Dr. Bharat Jagdeo, rejects this craziness.

The PPP/C government resoundingly rejects this asinine position.

Guyana has decided that our days of being a poor country are numbered and that we want to take our place in the world as an economic power, small as we are. Our people have been in the doldrums for too

long. The time has come for Guyana’s natural resources to realize better lives for our people. The Oil remaining in the ground can only sustain Guyana being a poor country for generations to come. Utilizing our Oil resources now means Guyana can graduate into a first-world country for the present generation.

Guyana can be prepared to leave our Oil and Gas resources in the ground. But somebody must pay us to leave it there. Who is willing to pay Guyana to simply park our oil and gas in the ground? The big countries and big corporation want to pay Guyana for its oil and gas, not to pay us to leave it in the ground.

For those Guyanese screaming everyday about leaving the oil and gas where it is unless ExxonMobil is willing to renegotiate the deal, will they pay us for leaving oil and gas in the ground? These are the same people who did not say much when the former David Granger-led APNU+AFC Coalition government signed away the

resources. When Raphael Trotman went to the Paris Climate Change Meeting, when the Paris Climate Agreement was signed and made a big deal of zero use of fossil fuel by 2025, none of these naysayers uttered even a squeak. Still again, they said nothing about the fact that he immediately went to Houston to sign the now infamous ExxonMobil deal. Guyana got a paltry $18M as a bonus. At least, that is what we know. But no one was interested then in just carrying on with our poorness and leave the oil and gas in the ground.

Then these were the same people who began to talk about handouts for every Guyanese family.

Oil and Gas is very different from our forestry.

Our forestry is now part of the “lung” of the earth. It sequesters a hefty amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). Guyana volunteered to save the forest so that it could help save the earth. For that we are asking the world to pay us so that we could leave the forest where it is.

Norway came out-front and bought carbon credit.

Guyana is presently negotiating a new carbon credit arrangement with Norway.

We hope the rest of the world also come forward.

It is unfair for many of the developed countries to have deforested their country, with deforestation causing a bulky 16 per cent of the greenhouse gas emission, now asking us to forego making money from our forest. It should be a fair deal for Guyana to make our rain forest a global asset for an income stream. Pay us to save the world. President Irfaan Ali, therefore, is right when he insisted at the Glasgow, Scotland Climate Meeting that the time has come for a fair carbon credit mechanism where countries can forego cutting down its forest, but is compensated fairly.

Under the Irfaan Ali-led PPP government, with the new LCDS, Guyana expects the world to pay us more than USD$500 million annually. The PPP/C government has already indicated

that 15 per cent of Guyana’s rain forest carbon credit payments will be allocated specifically for promoting the welfare of the Amerindian people.

The developed countries have been developing carbon capture and storage technology to capture some of the carbon dioxide produced in their countries and in the process have been paying themselves for new technology. But clearly, such technology will not be able to stop the over-heating of the world in time, without carbon sequestration by rain forests around the world, with Guyana having one of the largest rain forests still in pristine state. The time has long past for the world to stop treating us unfairly and give Guyana what we deserve.

No one is running around with a similar arrangement for oil and gas. Oil and gas remain a sought-after commodity, needed for energy generation to meet the global demand. Since there is no one in Guyana who is willing to pay Guyana to leave our oil and gas in the ground and since no international player, country or corporation or individual, has come forward to pay us to leave oil and gas alone, Guyana cannot be stupid not to pursue our black gold. It is time we build our infrastructure, time we build our schools and hospitals, time we create high-paying jobs, time we transform the salary structure for public servants.

We can only do so by taking full advantage of oil and gas.

This does not mean we got a fair oil deal. We got a raw, stinking deal. But Guyana did sign that deal. At the time, none of the naysayers objected.

Today, with the PPP/C in government, all of them want to renegotiate the deal.

The PPP/C government is trying its best to extract all the country can from the oil corporations, but we will not

betray the trust of investors.

Way back, in 1992, the PNC had given away some of the most important Guyanese businesses, such as Demerara Woods and the telephone company. The PPP/C wanted to attract investors into Guyana. The then Cheddi Jagan-led PPP government honored those bad deals, demonstrating Guyana lives by the rule of law. Thus, from an average of less than $US3M in annual investment, Guyana progressed to more than $US100M by 1997.

While oil and gas is important, Guyana is interested in attracting other investments. We must, therefore, create an investor-friendly environment. How we deal with ExxonMobil and other oil corporations will portray a message to other investors.

The one thing we must ensure is that investors know that whatever government is in place, contracts are honored. The PPP/C government knows we had a bad deal because the APNU/ AFC government sold out our country.

But we cannot simply withdraw the contract. But we can try our best to ensure we extract as much out of this terrible deal and ensure all future contracts bring maximum benefits for our people.

The majority of Guyanese want to ensure we move on. Moving on must not be without the wealth oil and gas brings to this nation.

But Guyana must not make the same mistakes as some other oil-rich countries. We must continue to build our traditional economy, such as sugar and rice, cash crops and add new mega farms for other crops, such as soya and corn. We must build a robust manufacturing base.

For all of this, the investors must come.

Thus, oil and gas will add to Guyana’s economy, not be the Guyanese economy.

23

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 NOVEMBER, 2021

Trend shows decrease in COVID-19 cases, hospitalisation, deaths ‒ Health Minister

R

ecent trends have shown a general decrease in Covid-19 cases in Guyana, according to Minister of Health, Dr. Frank.

He said the decreased number of cases are reflected in the hospitalisation rates across the country. “Because we are getting less cases, we have also noticed that in our hospitalisation rates right now, we have 60 persons in hospitals across the country, 35 of them are at Ocean View with 14 of them in the ICU. So, this is a drastic change from what we had a couple weeks ago when we were seeing about 100-120 cases at Ocean View, that is now down to 35. We’ve also had up to 38 persons in the ICU and that has come down to about 14,” the Minister said.

Of those hospitalised, three are pregnant mothers at the GPHC. The minister noted that they have to be monitored as there can be challenges around the time of delivery.

The downward trend con-

tinues with less Covid deaths also being recorded. “With a decrease in hospitalisation for severe cases, we are also noticing that the death rates are going down and that also is a very important sign. The mortality rate right now is 12.2 per cent, or 12 persons to every 10 000 persons in the population, hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will see this number go down further and that’s what we are working on right now,” the minister noted.

He said however, that there are still some ‘hot spot areas’ countrywide. “We have noticed a trend where there has been a decline in cases across the country, so right now we have 2,673 active cases and the cases vary by regions, so the regions where I really would consider hot spots are in Region Three and Region Four. We also have in Region Eight and Region Ten,” the minister said.

He noted that in Region Three, areas like Pouderoyen, Tuschen, Partfaite Harmonie,

Parika, Crane, Zeelugt, Cornelia Ida, Vreed-en-Hoop and Hague, have a higher number of cases.

In Region Four, communities like Diamond, Grove Herstelling, Kitty, Sophia, Campbellville, Cummings lodge, and the East Coast communities of Enterprise, Mon Repos and Triumph, are also considered hot spots.

Mahdia in Region Eight and Wismar, Amelia’s Ward and McKenzie in Region 10 have a higher number of cases that other parts of those regions.

Meanwhile, in terms of vaccination 383,013 persons have taken the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, representing 74.7 per cent of the adult population, and 245.932 have taken the second dose, amounting to 47.9 of the adult population.

The minister is hopeful that persons who are yet to take the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine do so before they expire at the end of November 2021.

Pfizer vaccine now available No exemption for persons who haven’t taken COVID-19 vaccine to all Guyanese second dose – Health Minister Pfizer vac- time has come, he hopes the also gain the approval of the ThecineUSis made now available to rest of the unvaccinated pop- US Center for Disease Con-

M

inister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, has made clear that there will be no exception for persons awaiting their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to enter public buildings as there is no shortage of vaccines in Guyana.

In the latest COVID-19 emergency measures covering the month of November, only fully vaccinated persons will be allowed to enter public buildings. If someone is not fully vaccinated and wishes to enter a public building, he or she must make an appointment and present a negative molecular biological test result taken within seven days of

the appointment.

The policy states that a person is only considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving the second dose of a Covid vaccine. With this new measure, persons who took one dose and are awaiting their second dose will be barred from entering a public building without an appointment and negative test result.

Minister Anthony noted that there is no shortage of vaccines in Guyana and persons are free to visit any of the Ministry of Health’s vaccination sites and get protection from the COVID virus.

He said, “I think people had a long time to get themselves in order and what we

have noticed from the data that a lot of people came, they took the first dose, and they didn’t come back for a second dose. And a lot of time has elapsed between the first and second doses.

If you only have one dose of the vaccine, it’s not going to be adequate to get full protection and that is why this measure is necessary, so that people get both doses of a two-dose vaccine.”

Persons are being encouraged to take the vaccine that will not prevent contracting the virus, but will prevent an individual from contracting the severe form of the disease which oftentimes leads to death.

all members of the public.

Health Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, made the announcement on Monday (November 1, 2021). He explained that the vaccine is now available to anyone, age 12 years and older in Guyana. Before the announcement, the vaccine was only available to adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women. “As of this week, we are going to open up the use of the Pfizer to anyone who would like to get the Pfizer vaccine.”

Minister Anthony said many persons have been asking when the vaccine would be available to the general population and now that the

ulation would come forward and take the jab.

Meanwhile, he noted that Guyana is already making preparations for the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine to children 5-11 years. “We have started some amount of training of our staff, because this particular age group requires a vaccine that is 1/3 of the current dose that we are giving. We have started that training, we are expecting that during this week, we will complete that training,” Dr Anthony said.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already greenlighted the emergency use of the vaccine in that category of children.

However, the vaccine must

trol and Prevention (CDC), before it can start being administered.

Minister Anthony assured that as soon as the US CDC paves the way for the use of the vaccine in children 5-11 years, the local Government Analyst Food and Drug Department will approve its usage in Guyana.

So far in the trial, the immune response of the Pfizer vaccine in children 5-11 years is comparable to persons 12 to 25 years.

Minister Anthony is once again appealing to adults to take the COVID vaccine and also to grant approval for their children to be protected against the virus.

Draft amendments to ROPA will be circulated from today A

mendments to the Representation of the People’s Act (ROPA), both the substantive act and the regulations, will be circulated from today (Friday, November 5, 2021), according to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira.

In a comment to the Weekend Mirror, she said, “As promised by the Presi-

dent at his last press conference, the draft amendments to the Representation of the People’s Act, including the regulations, will be posted from Friday. Hard copies of the draft amendments will be sent to all political parties as well.”

According to her, once the draft amendments are made public, all stakeholders will

have about six weeks to respond, after which work will be done to finalise the documents before they are taken to the National Assembly.

Teixeira added that the next step in strengthening Guyana’s electoral laws will include amendments to the National Registration Act. President Dr. Irfaan Ali last Friday (October 29, 2021)

noted that the long-awaited legislation to improve Guyana’s electoral system is a priority for the PPP/C administration. He also assured that there be an efficient timeframe for the processing of the legislation. Ali had committed, since his first day of assuming office that the five-month-long elections process that Guyanese

painfully endured, will never again occur.

takes place it will Guyanese who finally decide.”

FOCUS OF REFORM People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, speaking at a news conference recently, had said, “The idea is to make more transparent and to define responsibilities in the Act that are unambiguous and… to put in place a set of penalties for people who may try to steal the elections… any right-thinking person will support that. That’s the objective. “...we will look at issues right from registration to declaration of the results, so everything that is not unambiguous, not transparent etcetera. We made it clear that we want SoPs [Statements of Poll] in the public domain before the tabulation starts, that sort of thing. “…this is an open process…every person will have a chance to have an input.

So, we are soliciting these views…APNU will get a chance to give their input there and several civil society organisations. And then when that’s done, a draft bill would be had, taking into account the input made and it will be presented to the parliament, where the Parliamentary Opposition will once again have an input…. when the debate

FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS Also, in prior comments, the Vice President had said that the electoral reform process is necessary to ensure Local Government and other elections are conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.

He had said, “In that Act, which requires a simple majority to pass, there will be some key reforms, so there is no ambiguity in how things are conducted. So, the areas which we have issues in are recruitment of staff… We have to build into the legislation a clear process for recruitment and placement of staff that is fair, open, transparent, random placement, so it favours none of the parties.”

Jagdeo added this should include substantial penalties, a clear definition of how recounts are to be conducted and publication of the Statements of Poll (SOPs) before tabulation begins. “A lot of changes along these lines will have to take place,” he said.

Guyanese were subject to a five-month wait for the final results from the March 2020 General and Regional Elections because of the actions of several persons involved in the process at GECOM.

PUBLISHED BY NEW GUYANA Co. Ltd., Freedom House, Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown, Guyana. Tel: [592] 226-2042 / 227-2095 / 655-0459 / 627-7432