Weekend Mirror 4-5 December, 2021

Winston Jordan 4-5 December, 2021 / Vol. 12 ‒ No. 1 / Price: $100

Email: mirror2018.gy@gmail.com

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ARRESTED

‒ Expected to be charged for misconduct in public office

Former APNU+AFC gov't sold $8B property to BK Tiwari for $20M ‒ purchase price reduced, only 10% paid

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Resignations, motion to suspend Amna Ally rock PNCR ahead of Congress Decision on Election Petition 99 set for December 21st

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SEE INSIDE

Land titles, extension for eight Amerindian communities PAGE 9

Education Ministry eyes implementation of TVET PAGE 6 programme at St. Ignatius Secondary Workers PAGE 14 Unions’ urged to ‘take off political hats’

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

Decision on Election Petition 99 set for December 21st

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he Appeal Court on Friday (November 26, 2021) set December 21, 2021 as the date when it will hand down its decision related to

the appeal filed in the case of the APNU+AFC Coalition’s elections petition – Petition 99. The court is expected to hand down its decision

in an appeal filed to have a dismissed election petition reinstated.

Petition was dismissed on procedural grounds at the

High Court.

While this is being challenged in the Appeal Court, it is being argued by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, and

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Senior Counsel, Douglas Mendes, that there can only be an appeal after a determination is made in manner and this was not done in the case of Election Petition 99.

Both of the Coalition’s election petitions, Petition 88 and Petition 99, were taken to the Appeal Court. The two election petitions are challenging the results on different grounds.

PETITION 99 The appeal was filed by the APNU+AFC Coalition, challenging the Acting Chief Justice Roxane George’s dismissal of Petition 99 on June 14, 2021.

Petition No.99, which challenged the final election results, was nullified by the Acting Chief Justice on the grounds of non-compliance of service on the second named respondent, former President Mr. David Granger.

Petition 99, argued that fraud was committed in the March 2020 Elections and over 115,000 votes were affected, benefiting the PPP/C. So far, Petition 99 has been thrown out and the other will move forward.

Petition 99 of 2020 was filed on September 15, 2020,

by APNU+AFC Coalition agents Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse. Thomas and Nurse named Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; David Granger – APNU+AFC Coalition; Horatio Edmonson – Federal United Party; Bharrat Jagdeo – People’s Progressive Party/ Civic; John Flores – Liberty and Justice Party; Asha Kissoon – The New Movement; Vishnu Bandhu – United Republican Party; Adebin Kindi Ali – Change Guyana; Patrick Bourne – People’s Republic Party, Jonathan Yearwood – A New and United Guyana; Shazam Ally – The Citizenship Initiative; and Gerald Perreira of Organ-

isation for the Victory of the People as respondents. The Attorney General Chambers also joined the proceedings.

PETITION 88 Meanwhile, Petition 88 is still before the Appeal Court.

The Coalition, on June 3, 2020, filed an appeal in the case of Petition 88, arguing that the ruling judge erred in the decision that was handed down.

Petition 88 was dismissed in the High Court by Acting Chief Justice, Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire. Delivering her almost two-hour long virtual ruling yesterday morning, she underscored the fact that the petitioners had presented not a single piece of evidence to substantiate purported irregularities they sought to advance.

Petition 88, argued that the Recount Order was illegal and unconstitutional and therefore the declaration of results based on the recount is illegal and unconstitutional.

The petitioners, Ms. Claudette Throne and Mr. Heston Bostwick were asking the Court to declare the election results null and void. In further seeking to do so, the petitioners are challenging the national vote recount process, Section 22 of the Elections Laws Act and Order 60 of 2020, which governed the recount.

Notably, GECOM, on August 2, 2020, finalised results of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections process. Those results showed that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) won the Election with 233,336 votes, while the APNU+AFC secured 217,920 votes.

The appeals are being heard by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

APNU+AFC Coalition’s Jordan arrested ‒ Expected to be charged for misconduct in public office

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ormer Minister of Finance Winston Jordan was arrested by ranks of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on Thursday (December 2, 2021) for alleged misconduct in public office.

In October 2021, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, announced that an investigation into the dealings of the former APNU+AFC government is actively being pursued.

During a press briefing at the Office of the President on October 14, 2021, Nandlall said, “There were a number of transactions that were done under the previous government that will be subjected to investigations and charges may flow if those investigations yield those charges based on the advice, of course, of the Director of Public Prosecutions. That is an ongoing process…many people believe that we may not have been pursuing this with the desired speed. That is not

so. There are so many other things that have happened since that have diverted the attention of the Police Force in other directors. But we remain committed to that promise to investigate these transactions.”

According to the Attorney General, Jordan has been implicated in a number of nefarious transactions.

“The former Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, has been implicated in a number of nefarious and questionable transactions, which we intend to send to the Police Force and to other authorities for investigations.”

These include: • Hiding receipt of the US$18 million signing paid

by ExxonMobil for over a year; • The alleged sale of a number of prime pieces of land, many “far below market value” and “without the requisite public procurement process”, after the December 2018 No-Confidence Motion, as

well as after the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections; and • The alleged sale of several vehicles from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to close associates of the then administration with observing proper procedures.

Commenting on the investigations, Nandlall had said, “This is what we owe, as a government, to the people of this country. After all, we have a duty, a fiduciary duty, to the people of Guyana to protect public property and public funds – public funds that are owned by the people, public property that are owned by the people. We have a duty to protect them and to call in the State’s investigative apparatus, where the circumstances require investigations to take place.

We have certainly identified certain areas.”

Further, while in Opposition, the PPP/C had identified several questionable deals and promised to have these investigated – includ-

“Officers of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Guyana Police Force, made contact with Mr. Winston Jordan and invited him to attend the office of the unit at Camp Road, Georgetown for questioning in relation to a series of alleged fraudulent transactions in which he is implicated, involving public funds and state properties, estimated to value billions of Guyana dollars.” ing the alleged sale of vehicles to Jordan’s children for under $300,000.

Jordan’s arrest followed the move to send the file into his conduct in office to authorities for a criminal investigation.

A statement by the Guyana Police Force said, “Officers of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Guyana Police Force, made contact with Mr. Winston Jordan and invited him to

attend the office of the unit at Camp Road, Georgetown for questioning in relation to a series of alleged fraudulent transactions in which he is implicated, involving public funds and state properties, estimated to value billions of Guyana dollars. Today (December 2, 2021), at or about 10:30 hrs, Mr. Jordan, in the company of two Attorneys-at-Law, attended the SOCU office at Camp Road and was interviewed….this

is only one of several investigations that implicate former Minister Jordan.”

The embattled former Coalition minister has since been released on his own recognisance and is expected to return to SOCU on Friday, December 3, 2021.

The investigations are continuing.

Jordan’s lawyers are APNU+AFC Coalition Parliamentarian, Roysdale Forde, and Darren Wade.

Former APNU+AFC gov't sold $8B property to BK Tiwari for $20M ‒ purchase price reduced, only 10% paid

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etails of the investigations by the Special Organised Crimes Unit (SOCU) on Thursday (December 2, 2021) into ‘shady’ deals engaged in by the APNU+AFC Coalition, while in office from 2015 to 2020, have been released by the Guyana Police Force.

And one of the cases confirmed the extent to which shocking land giveaways were given the greenlight by the Coalition.

In one case, relating to the sale and vesting of the state’s largest wharf facilities located at Kingston, Georgetown, Jordan issued a vesting order, which passes

Title to the purchaser, for prime waterfront properties in Kingston to BK Marine Inc. without full payment.

The company is owned by Brian Tiwari.

The property is reportedly worth a whopping $8B. The purchase price, however, was set at $400M. In a strange turn of events, Tiwari only paid $20M – not the full price for the land. The Transport was subsequently issued for this property. “Minister Jordan issued a vesting order passing Title to the purchaser, without the payment of any further sum of monies,” the Force said.

Notably, the agreement of sale stated that Title must only pass upon full payment of purchase price. The vesting order stated that the property is being sold free from encumbrance and liabilities and no further sum of money is owed by the purchaser.

The Police Force said, “Investigators have evidence to establish that a facility that is a mere fraction of the size of the state property under investigation, located some seven miles upriver was sold by a private company for US $17 million.”

The Force has made clear that this is one of several investigations that implicate the former APNU+AFC Coalition government.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

EDITORIAL Guyanese must be discerning when it comes to mischievous machinations

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he PPP/C government, under the leadership of President Dr. Irfaan Ali, has made clear that the vision for Guyana is to ensure that the country is stable, progressive and prosperous – an objective that sees the ability of all Guyanese to generate wealth – from owning their own home or vehicle to being able to start a business or invest – being improved; thereby raising the standard of living.

Only recently, Britain’s Deputy Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Spencer Mahoney, acknowledged that “Guyana, it is one of the fastest growing places on the planet.” Notably, the 2021 mid-year report which shows a growth of 14.5 per cent in real gross domestic product (GDP), is testimony that the country is under good management. The half-year fiscal report says the country has seen economic development despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the devastating floods experienced in May/June. Due to the unprecedented floods, which impacted particularly the agriculture, forestry and mining sectors, along with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will spill over into the last half of this year and even beyond, the revised full-year forecast for real GDP growth in 2021 is now 19.5 per cent overall, and 3.7 per cent for the non-oil economy.

President Ali has made it clear that the PPP/C government will deliver on its manifesto – will fulfill the promises made to the Guyanese people – and will not hide from the decisions made, since every decision made can withstand scrutiny.

One of these decisions, which has been criticized by organisations – most all of which were silent during the perpetuation of offensive excesses by the former APNU+AFC Coalition government – is the 7 per cent increase in salaries for public servants. The critics have ignored that the 7 per cent increase must be viewed in context of welfare measures intended to increase the earning power of Guyanese – not dismantle it, as was seen under the APNU+AFC Coalition with the imposition of over 200 taxes, among other hardship measures.

The 7 per cent increase has been accompanied by: the reversal of a range of taxes – Value Added Tax (VAT) of water, electricity, data, health care, educational services and materials; direct cash transfers, such as the $25,000 COVID relief cash grant; the return of welfare measures, such as the Because We Care cash grant for not only public school students, but those in private school as well; among other initiatives. Bolstering these efforts are the policy measures aimed at improving lives of all Guyanese. For example, in the 2020 Emergency Budget, the Government increased the ceiling for low-income housing loans from $8 million to $10 million.

This was further increased in the recently approved Budget 2021 from $10 million to $12 million, to make housing loans more affordable to borrowers within that range.

Notable is the salary increases that were offered by the former APNU+AFC Coalition government. President Dr. Irfaan Ali on November 26, 2021 said: “If you look at the increase that the APNU+AFC would have given, the total value of that increase paid in 2015 was $917.3 million. In 2015, the total value of the increase was $917.3 million. When you take out the PAYE that the APNU+AFC government took back from the salary increase, it was approximately $222.1 million being taken back. So, the net gained for the workers was $696.2 million, which is far less than a five percent in a net sense.”

These are the facts. Unfortunately, the commentary being seen in recent weeks is just that – it is only talk. There has been no proffering of constructive criticisms. What Guyanese are being exposed to is the use of the race-card to spew vile comments, stir division and issue threats to the stability of our nation.

Curiously, much of the mischief is being perpetrated from outside Guyana’s borders. The statement from Guyana’s private sector on this matter is instructive. The private sector said: “The Commission has noted that well-known political spokespersons, taking comfort by the fact that they live in the USA, have sought to encourage and publicly promote terrorist activity in Guyana.”

Moving forward, as our nascent democracy develops and our progressive nation advances towards greater prosperity, our people must be more discerning and ensure that mischievous machinations being advanced – at the Guyanese people’s expense – is not given space to fester. We owe ourselves the chance to move forward together.

Nation must be wary of misinformation, fallacies about GECOM Dear Editor,

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he PNC’s glaring manipulation of our electoral system for almost thirty years before 1992 remains indelible on the minds of many citizens alive today from that period. March 2020 frightening, abuse of the process at the hands of many of their leaders and agents has certainly tainted the crafted intent of decency and fairness in our democratic framework.

Without a doubt, the foregoing highlights strong justifications and a necessity for the immediate strengthening of our applicable electoral laws. In particular, urgent changes to Chapter 1:03 Representation of the People Act (RoPA) are critical. The amendments must target ensuring that clandestine operatives and their agents who are hell-bent in their pursuit to suppress the will of our great nation are sufficiently deterred, or be adequately punished in cases where they breach the applicable legal protocols.

In context, the Attorney General’s Chamber and the Ministry of Governance must be commended for their efforts in proposing influencing recommendations in the draft amendments to the Electoral laws. Further, their demonstrated genuine interest in involving the widest cross-section of our population in the scrutiny of the proposed amendments in draft electoral Laws must be commended.

Some of the observed responses to the requests from the associated consultations point to the overwhelming harness of penalties being draconian; while others particularly from the main Opposition representatives are centered on the need for a complete overhaul of the laws through electoral reforms. It is a long-known fact that the applied strategy by this group was and still is premised on inflicting delays where they believe that the system affords options for manipulation.

It should be recalled that the National Task Force set up after the 1994 Local Government elections to review related electoral reform matters, achieved

nothing after almost two decades of interactions. This was largely due to the delaying and antagonistic strategy of involved PNC operatives to changing legislation that would have been subjectively interpreted and or represented.

In this case, however, Local Government Elections are due and all systems must be put in place for the holding of free and fair elections. While Electoral Reforms are necessary and important this nation, cannot wait out another ten years of frustrating delays for the necessary legal assurance and framework to be fortified. Systems must be put in place to hold duly constituted Local Government Elections now. The Guyana Elections Commission being fully prepared to hold free and fair Elections within an effective and legal framework is imperative.

Adequate preparations mean that the relevant staff must be in place. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), is at present without a Chief Election Officer (CEO), Deputy CEO, Assistant CEO, Chief Account, Legal Officer, Logistics Manager, Civic and Voter Education manager along with other vacancies to be filled. As a consequence, the Chairperson of GECOM Justice ret’d Madam Claudette Singh must uphold her responsibility for the functioning of the Commission, get her act together, and quickly put a system in place for filling all the appointments and have the full staff complement in place.

The PPP/C Government is fully behind the holding of Local Government Elections and supports this position by ensuring the allocation of over $1.1 billion in the 2021 budget for the holding of LGE this year. The budgetary breakdown categories confirm allocations approximating $237.7 million towards the printing of 500,000 ballots and other relevant publications; $285.7 million for voters’ education; $135.7 million for the training of election day staff; $81.6 million for rental of buildings to conduct the elections, while a whopping $75.6 million was allocated for meals. Further, it must be fresh in the population's mind

that a substantial amount of roll-over funds are in the GECOM coffers.

Guyanese must never forget that the likes of the PNC Riggers assigned to the Special Task Force caused the postponement of Local Government Elections for two decades in this country. It is also not surprising that Vincent Alexander is talking of the pulling of GECOM purse strings. What is utter nonsense relates to Alexander’s aberration about the National Procurement & Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) refusing to release required appropriations to GECOM. Where is the evidence to show that NPTAB refused to approve projects or releases of money related to GECOM? Further, NPTAB is not responsible for the release of funds. I, therefore, call on Mr. Alexander to provide the evidence for national scrutiny that GECOM specifically made requests to NPTAB. In respect to the renting of buildings, the Commission in directing GECOM’s CEO needs to make sure that re-tendering must be completed well in advance, before the expiration of an existing contract. Did GECOM apply for a multi-year agreement? What is stated in the Rent agreement (clause)? Was this issue ever flagged at the GECOM Commission? Where are the minutes of Meetings?

Vincent Alexander in questioning the autonomy of GECOM after 2020 is wicked and deceitful. He cannot be real in the representations bent on misguided perceptions and must stop attempting to influence with his falsified opinions.

There is a need to separate and be clear about what is the true meaning of Autonomy and Accountability.

The GECOM Commission together with its Secretariat together makes up a Constitutional Agency funded by taxpayers and must be accountable.

This nation must not be misled by the fallacies of Alexander and understand the role of the GECOM Secretariat and the powerful Commission.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Dishonesty is all the Coalition knows Dear Editor,

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ollowing the announcement of salary increase for public servants by the Minister of Finance, we saw the Parliamentary Opposition lashing out on social media criticizing the 7% that was announced. However, it was shocking to see that after more than a year, many of them continue to spread lies on their social media platforms regarding the prom-

ises made by the PPP/C government.

The fact of the matter is that the PPP/C never campaigned on the promise that public servants will receive 50% salary increase. In fact, the PPP/C’s manifesto which is easily accessible to everyone will prove that such increase was never promised by the government.

This is all public knowledge and it is shameful that the opposition would try to use such a false narrative for political

gains. However, I believe such should be expected from people of their caliber.

Dishonesty is all they know.

Editor, even though we know that the APNU+AFC has been focused heavily on derailing the government in every possible way, it is surprising to me that the Deputy Speaker, Lennox Shuman, would also play into this false narrative to paint the government in a bad light.

(Turn to page 5)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

PPP/C government’s approach sees targeted focus on the well-being of every Guyanese Dear Editor,

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hortly After Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh announced a seven per cent salary increase for public servants, the Opposition – the APNU+AFC Coalition – followers and unions took offence to the announcement and immediately began to bambang the PPP/C Across the board salary increases were the first granted to public servants since the PPP/C came to Government in August 2020 and at no point was a 50 per cent increase promised by the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in the run-up to the March 2020 elections.

At no point in time, was there a 50 per cent increase in salaries promised to the public sector Our PPP/C Government is committed to this nation and will continue to honour every promise made to the Guyanese people in its

party’s manifesto between 2020 and 2025.

The APNU/AFC has maliciously continued to spread propaganda in an effort to derail the commitments made by the PPP/C Government to improve the lives of every Guyanese and there is enough evidence that our Government is implementing initiatives to achieve those goals.

It is time for the Opposition coalition leaders, followers, supporters and our unions to open their eyes and see Guyana is on the right path to sustainable development There are facts to show, the 50,000 target for house lots is progressing; 50,000 target for jobs is moving apace.

The vision of the PPP/C Government is not only about salaries. This is a Government that is looking at the mechanism that would allow every public servant to own their home.

Just as we all benefitted from the help with the COVID-19 cash grant.

Dishonesty is all the... (From page 4) I say this because I always thought of him as a man of integrity and one that is for the people. As a member of the opposition, one would expect him to be critical of the government whenever necessary. But, how can he criticize the government for something that they did not do? It makes no sense. Shuman was one of the first persons to use the photo-shopped image of a supposed “PPP/C campaign poster” promising 50% increase to public servants questioning how come only 7% was announced. When the dishonesty was challenged by supporters of the government he quickly deleted the Facebook post.

As I pen this letter, I take note of the fact that Kaieteur News also repeated the same lie with the 50% salary increase “promise” in their November 19, 2021 publication. I wish to make it clear to all those who may be unaware that the image that is circulating on social media with the PPP/C’s campaign poster is photo-shopped. In fact, people should

question how come there is only that one image of the poster being shared everywhere.

If the PPP/C did campaign on such a promise using posters as the opposition claims, why is there not a second image anywhere of the very poster? The image being circulated is the only one that was doctored by the APNU+AFC in another attempt to discredit the governing party by creating false expectations that are unable to be met. Any right-thinking individual would see that the only image being shared is one with a very specific background and from a very specific angle.

I challenge anyone, even the fiercest PPP/C critic, to dispute this by providing a second image of the very poster. It is not possible because the poster never existed in the first place.

Thank You, Thomas Cole

As public servants, our Government’s intention for the future is to empower us, so that our children, too, can benefit from the scholarship programme… so let us not limit the discourse to tax waivers and tax breaks and referrals. It is a holistic approach to the improvement of our lives and livelihoods. It is not a narrow window of only salaries.

Let us all trust our Government as they try to transform our lives for the better, the Government is only in its first year and we have already seen what they are doing for the people, one imagines by the end of these five years, how transformed our lives would be.

The approach our Government has taken since taking office on August 2, 2020, is an approach that focuses on the well-being of every Guyanese and I encourage every individual to join these efforts for a better Guyana, with the understanding that our Government has taken the correct path where opportunities are there for everyone to improve their lives and to integrate our lives into a new Guyana where there are opportunities and improvement for every family and personal welfare.

Every Guyanese will remember that the country’s financial situation when President Irfaan Ali was sworn into office on August 2, 2020, was found to be in a disastrous state, with excessive taxation placed on the backs of the Private Sector and citizens, the previous APNU/AFC Government collected revenues totalling $992 billion between the period 2015-2019. Despite this huge revenue collection, the then Government utilised these funds in an unproductive manner through wasteful and inefficient Government expenditure with

total Government spending amounting to $1.2 trillion Guyana dollars. After accounting for grants received, the aggregate fiscal deficit of the Central Government amounted to $130 billion over the five-year period. The previous Government had contracted a new external debt of US$400 million during their five years in office.

One must not forget when the PPP/C demitted office in 2015, the Government had left a net deposit at the Central Bank of $16 billion. After five years of economic mismanagement by the previous APNU/AFC Government, this was severely depleted.

Our PPP/C Government was burdened with a net overdraft of $93 billion at the Central Bank. Our Government had to also saddle a $30 billion NICIL bond of which $17 billion has been drawn down, with a staggering $12 billion owed to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) by Government entities, including $7 billion owed to the utility company by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI).

Concluding the details of the disastrous situation which had attended to by the PPP/C Administration.

Today I stand a proud Guyanese for the accomplishments of our People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government. 7 per cent salary increase is no comparison to what the Government has done for our nation in such a short period of time Sincerely, David Adams

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 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 ’

Upgraded Moco Moco Hydropower plant will add 700kw to grid

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esidents of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are set to benefit from cheaper, reliable energy as the Government of Guyana looks to rehabilitate the defunct 500Kw Moco Moco Hydropower Plant.

Not only will this upgraded plant add an installed capacity of 700 kw to the grid, but the energy will be cleaner since it will not generate significant greenhouse gas emissions.

Additionally, the Hydro-Power Plant (HPP) will increase the share of renewable energy sources within the country’s electrical generation system, in the context of sustainable energy development.

The Moco Moco Hydropower project is a high head run-of-the-river diversion type system which is technically and economically feasible, and will generate approximately 4,565 MWh/

yr. of energy annually. The structures that were initially installed in the project included a diversion system, headrace, forebay, penstock, powerhouse, tail water canal, step-up substation, administration buildings and a transmission line. The new project will seek to maintain the current location of the existing hydraulic structure (weir), headrace, forebay, powerhouse, step up substation and tailwater canal.

The penstock alignment will be determined when the geotechnical and topographical surveys are completed, and as such, water will be extracted from the left bank of the Moco Moco creek.

Electricity supply in the Lethem area is currently provided by the Lethem Power Company (LMPC) on a 24-hour basis, generated from the company’s six diesel units with a total installed capacity of 3.825

MVA fuel. This accounts for an estimated 65 per cent operational costs. The fuel is transported by bulk transportation carriers- 450 km from Georgetown to Lethem on unpaved roads, which becomes very challenging during the rainy seasons, resulting in delays in delivery.

Though generation cost is about US$0.49 kwh, consumers currently pay an average rate of US$0.33 -0.40 per kwh, thus requiring government subsidies in the range of US$500,000 per annum. With income at subsistence level, the high cost of electricity supply remains a major burden on households and businesses, which is expected to intensify considering the expansion of businesses and government’s housing programmes in the area.

Therefore, while the area’s peak demand is 800 kW, it is expected to in-

crease in the short to medium-term, particularly since Government has recently completed infrastructural works for an industrial estate in the town, which will add to the demand for a more affordable electricity supply.

The estimated capital cost of the 700 kW Moco Moco Hydropower plant is

US$2.2 million.

Notably, the Government of Guyana has also applied to the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) for financial support for the Hinterland Electrification Programme, and intends to use some of the proceeds to fund the construction and rehabilitation of the 1.5-Megawatt (MW) plant at Kumu.

In addition to the operationalisation of the largescale gas-to-energy and Amaila Falls Hydropower projects for the main grid, the government intends to expand the Hinterland Electrification Programme by implementing several small, renewable energy projects for urban and off-grid communities.

$7M Water Supply System commissioned at River’s View R esidents of River’s View, a village located on the border of Region 10, now have first time and improved access to potable water, following the completion of a water supply improvement project to a tune of approximately $7 million.

Funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme, the project was executed by a Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) in-house team in close collaboration with the River’s View Village Council.

Work done included the installation of almost four kilometers of pipelines, the upgrading of two wells and

the installation of new Photovoltaic systems in the community of approximately 1100 residents As a result, 70 per cent of the community is now benefitting from improved or first time access to potable water.

Of these beneficiaries, 334 residents now have access to potable water for the first time. The water produced by the wells have been tested and results show that it is safe for consumption.

This achievement is in keeping with a promise made by the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Shaik Baksh during a visit to the community earlier this year, upon an invitation from Toshao, Melena Pollard.

On Sunday (November

28, 2021) the system was commissioned by Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal, who stressed that the immediate focus is to ensure Guyanese without access to potable water gain such. He expressed confidence that GWI will achieve 100 percent access to potable water in Guyana by 2025, five years earlier than the target set under Sustainable Development Goal number 6. Further, he outlined that by the end of its 2021 programme, GWI would increase water access coverage by five percent along the coastland.

With regard to the hinterland, Minister Croal noted that GWI has been working to stop the pumping of water (Turn to page 17)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 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 ’ $60M Region Two agro-processing facility completed ‒ Gov’t awaiting equipment for official opening

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he $60 million agro-processing facility in Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region Two) is complete and will soon be outfitted with high-end equipment ahead of

its official opening.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, MP, on Sunday, said the machines are

being procured and should arrive within the next two months.

The state-of-the-art food processing factory is located adjacent to the Guy-

Technical training centre, regional labour office for Bartica

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inister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton on Saturday (November 27, 2021) visited two sites in Mongrippa Hill, Bartica, Region Seven, for the possible establishment of a technical training centre in the township.

Once established, the centre will be the hub for technical and vocational training for residents of Bartica and surrounding communities.

One of the sites visited already has a building which was previously used as a training centre, while the other is a piece of land under the management of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC).

Minister Hamilton said he will formally engage the relevant agencies to explore the best option for the new

training facility.

He explained that the intention is to have a space that communities could utilise for training programmes.

Currently, there is no such facility in the region which is hampering the rolling out of many of the programmes offered by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT). “We have had some difficulties doing the mechanic training programmes because we don’t have a facility. Cosmetology, we couldn’t do that also, so we want to get this facility up and running,” the minister noted.

Minister Hamilton explained that the building will also house the regional labour office. Technical officers for the Board of Industrial Training, Labour, Occupational Safety and Health, Central Recruitment

and Manpower and Cooperatives Department will also be stationed there.

In the meantime, the officers will occupy an office space at the Bartica Community Centre Ground. Minister Hamilton also visited that office which is currently being furnished.

Already, the ministry has established labour offices in Linden, and Regions Two, Six and Ten with the aim of increasing its presence throughout the country so that citizens could have access to services provided by the agency. Officers of the ministry are also stationed in every region.

Accompanying the minister was Land Administrative Officer of the GL&SC, Michael Peltier and Prime Ministerial Representative, Ewring Ward.

ana School of Agriculture’s (GSA), Region Two campus.

It has vast potential to provide a broad range of training opportunities for residents there.

Dr. Singh said he anticipates a major economic boost to the district’s agricultural industry. He explained that while GSA students in Essequibo benefitted from theoretical lectures, they faced challenges gaining practical experience. “The construction of the facility serves multiple purposes.

Firstly, it would allow students of the GSA based in Essequibo, to be able to complete their practical training in a live environment. There are going to be dry and wet processing lines. Dry line for the purposes of processing

things like flours; cassava flour etcetera and on the wet line things like pepper sauce, jams, and spices,” he said.

The facility will also provide opportunities for local entrepreneurs to process and package their produce for marketing. “It will also serve as a facilitator for the development of an agro-processing business or sector in Essequibo, which of course is very important because Essequibo as you know is famous for its fresh, good quality and large quantity of agriculture produce,” the minister added.

Government has been investing heavily in the food sector to ensure it moves from a producer of primary farming, to one of equitable value-added products.

The establishment of the food processing hub is part of government’s wider strategic plan to provide massive resources for the nation’s agriculturists to produce and export value- added products.

It is also part of the matrix of training opportunities for Guyanese in all aspect of economic activity.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha said two additional agro-processing facilities will be established in the Region come 2022. The minister said government is receiving signals of interest from many countries.

Works are underway to construct a similar facility at Black Bush Polder, Region Six.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 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 ’ 61 new Community Health Workers Toka gets ICT hub for Region Nine T he Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Nine, trained 61 persons to serve as Community Health Workers (CHW) in the region.

The initiative is part of government’s plan to improve primary health care services in the hinterland regions.

At the graduation ceremony held this week at the Indigenous People’s Conference Hall, Lethem, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said there has always been a challenge

in getting health workers to serve in the interior regions. As such, government made the decision to ensure the regions are adequately staffed with health officers. “One of the biggest challenges that we have had was to find people to work at these levels. And even after all these years, we still find it challenging… we have a health hut there, we have a health post there, but we don’t have anybody working there and that’s unacceptable…so, we have taken a decision that we are going to try especially in the interior of our country,

to make sure that we have adequate personnel to start staffing the facilities that we have built,” he said.

Dr. Anthony urged the graduating class to use the knowledge they gained to better serve their communities. He said in order to promote primary health care, they will be required to recognise health conditions in the early stages and be able to treat those conditions or make referrals for patients to receive higher health care services. The Minister said, “So, when you return to your community, the expectation is that

you will serve that community well. You are going to provide what we have trained you- to detect some of these conditions, health conditions and then if you cannot manage them there, then you at least would be able to recognise the health conditions and refer that person upwards so that they will be able to get the care.”

While congratulating the 2021 batch, the minister said they must be constantly learning to improve and grow in the health profession, as there will always be something new to discover.

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s part of the government’s plans to promote connectivity across the country, a number of Information Communication Technology (ICT) hubs have already been constructed under the Office of the Prime Minister’s Project Management Unit.

Toka, an Amerindian village in Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) is one such community to benefit from this project.

The ICT hub in the vil-

lage is now completed. The village received $5 million COVID-19 relief cash grant.

Of that sum, $1 million was expended towards rehabilitation and furnishing of a building for the initiative.

The community is also heading into developing its agriculture sector, by adding aquaculture to their farming practices. Other projects approved for the village include cattle rearing, the construction of a bakery and a multi-purpose building.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

Amerindian Development…

FOCUS ON GUYANA’ S FIRST PEOPLE Land titles, extension for eight Amerindian communities T

hree Amerindian communities will receive land titles for the first time, while extensions will be granted to five other communities, including the tourism-driven Lake Capoey, Region Two. Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai, made the announcement while providing additional validation for the extension applications, during a ministerial consultation with village members on Tuesday.

The minister said the village applied for its extension in 2004 and by 2014 a full investigation was conducted to ensure all legal matters were covered during that period. She said, “In those investigations all the agencies and commissions that were required to be part and parcel of the investigation were in attendance,

and at that time everything was in order. I know that we have established the Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) Unit once again as we are back in office, mid of this year they have an approved work programme for eight communities to be titled- three for the first time and five for extension and Capoey forms part of the extension.”

A team from the ALT unit visited the community last October to validate the investigation report provided earlier. “From their subsequent report, they explained that there is no major significant encumbrance.

The position of the village remains the same and the area required or applied for remains the same,” Minister Sukhai underscored.

She said the matter will be examined for a third time before the ministry takes

another step. “Land titling is one of the commitments that we campaigned on.

We have in the past, in our previous tenure in office, significantly moved forward on titling of lands for Amerindians and in this period in our first term, we intend to address land titling again,” the minister said.

The Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali-led Administration has made good on its promise to resuscitate the ALT project with a proposed 2021 budgetary allocation of $630 million.

Minister Sukhai had said the functioning unit of the project which began in 2013 was disbanded by her predecessor.

The ALT project allows Amerindians to secure their lands and natural resources with a view towards sustainable, social and economic development.

Region 1 Community Service Officers receive training E ighteen (18) Community Services Officers (CSOs) from Region 1 (Barima/Waini) are now better equipped to operate and maintain Water and Sanitation facilities in their communities.

This is as a result of a two day training seminar facilitated by Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) in Mabaruma, Region 1 from November 19-20. It was funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The training included both theoretical and practical components and was done as a part of Phase 2 of the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) programme. Phase one was launched in Hinterland communities in 2019.

Focus areas of the capacity building training exercise were photovoltaic systems, the Operation & maintenance of pumping systems, maintenance of water distri-

bution systems, sampling and analysis of water parameters and the construction of basic sanitation systems.

The participants were from the villages of White Water, Kamwatta, Baramita, Arakaka, Falls Top, Canal Bank, Sebai and Koberimo.

Training in hand washing and Menstrual Hygiene was also done with Venezuelan Migrants in White Water.

WASH is an initiative aimed at improving Sanitation, Hygiene and access to potable water and is being rolled out among residents and Venezuelan migrants who have settled in villages in Regions 1, 2 and 7.

Phase one of the programme saw a number of WASH interventions that included the drilling of a potable water well at Whitewater, Region 1 and the construction of rainwater harvesting facilities in several villages within the Region, namely: Khan’s Hill, Imbetero,

Smith Creek, Yarakita and Whitewater.

On the Sanitation side, more than 30 Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines (VIPs) were constructed, while in the area of hygiene promotion, several sessions were held with the migrants and residents of the host communities. The programme also entailed the distribution of water purification units to Kurutuku, Region 7, and the distribution of hygiene and food packages to Regions 1, 2 and 7.

The success of Phase one birthed further funding through a collaboration with the UNDP for the implementation of phase 2.

This funding is geared towards providing greater access to sustainable potable water supply and safe sanitation, whilst strengthening capacity both with GWI and the hinterland communities for the operation and maintenance of the newly established facilities.

Toka village supported to expand its agri sector T

he community of Toka, located in the North Rupununi, Region Nine, is refocusing its attention on agriculture, as part of its holistic community economic development plan.

The community, which has a population of about 300 Makushi people, is involved in small-scale farming of corn, peanuts, cattle, poultry and bees.

Apart from those crops, most of the households are involved in planting cassava to make cassava products including farine and cassava bread. The village is also pushing its honey bee project, where villagers rear and harvest honey to sell. Further, Toka is one of the main suppliers of meat including beef and poultry in the North

Rupununi. A slaughter facility is earmarked for the village in the 2022 national budget and this will allow the village to produce meat on a larger scale.

Aquaculture is one of the new areas that the village will also be exploring.

Through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), two ponds were dug in the village under the water harvesting project.

The ponds will be utilised to rear fish.

Additionally, under the Hinterland Sustainable Agriculture programme, the village has a Bakery project onstream, and is improving it cattle livestock and constructing a multipurpose building.

Even as the community

is developing its agriculture produce, the village council is working simultaneously with the agriculture ministry to secure markets.

Davis explained that the intention is to develop a sustainable agriculture programme within the community that will lead to sustainable community development through the creation of jobs, building capacity and creating linkages, locally and internationally.

Meanwhile, 64 farmers and households affected by the May/June floods received flood relief cash grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000. That distribution exercise was led by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, MP, during a recent outreach.

Imbaimadai residents in need of further medical care will be supported at GPHC I n keeping with President, Dr. Irfaan Ali’s mandate of providing specialist health care services in the hinterland regions, the Ministry of Health recently hosted a two-day medical outreach at Imbaimadai, Region Seven (Cuyuni- Mazaruni).

Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, led the medical team of dentists, eye specialists, and diagnostic medical sonographers, among others, to the community.

He said persons needing further medical attention will be brought to the coast to ensure they receive adequate care. “So, somebody might

get cataract in the eye. Such a person we will not be able to do surgery here, but what we are doing, we’re also compiling a list of persons who will need to have interventions on the coast, and we will take the residents out, we will take care of them out there, make sure they get their surgery and bring them back home,” he said.

The doctor told the residents that the medical outreach is not a one-off event, but will continue over time.

He said additional training will be provided to doctors working in the community to improve services. “In addition, we will be taking the doctor

out and providing him with additional training so that when he’s here, he will also be able to provide a variety of services that weren’t being provided before,” he said.

Dr. Mahadeo said while the ministry is seeking to expand medical services in hinterland communities, there is also a need for community involvement. He urged residents to form a “managing committee”, to assist in the overall management of health facilities in the village. “We believe in partnerships…we want the community to take ownership, this is your facility, this is your doctor, be a part of the facility,” he urged.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

In Focus : Adv ances in t he Agr icult ur e Sect or

CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMENT, SUPPORT FOR STAKEHOLDERS R ic e m ille r s e n g a g e d o n c o n c e r n s

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resident Dr Irfaan Ali met with five rice millers at State House recently.

The millers, who are from Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region Two) and Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five), raised concerns about issues that they are currently facing in the rice industry.

Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Zulfikar Mustapha was also at the meeting.

President Ali has been promoting Guyana’s agricultural potential at the regional and global levels and has even described food production and agriculture as the country’s sustainable future.

A g r i. M in is t e r , f is h e r f o lk m e e t t o d is c u s s is s u e s p la g u in g f is h e r ie s s e c t o r

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griculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Wednesday, met with stakeholders within the fisheries sector to discuss some of the issues faced and ways in which government could assist in finding a resolution.

During the meeting, fishermen raised concerns about the decline in catches they are experiencing and its effect on their ability to provide for their families.

After listening to the fishermen, Minister Mustapha concluded that indeed there has been a noticeable decline in catches over the years and that the government was in full support of having the necessary analyses done to determine the root cause. He said, “Let me make it clear, this government will not let the fisheries industry die. We agree that there have been low catches but we have to shy away from making assumptions without proper first conducting a proper analysis. Guyana is not the only country that is being affected by low catches. This is a

global phenomenon and the factors will vary from country to country.

The reason behind low catches in one country may not be the reasons behind low catches in another. A number of factors can be causing the low catches and, as a government, we are prepared to work with you to do the work so that we can have a solution to this issue.”

Minister Mustapha informed the fishermen that the government has since engaged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to assist with an analysis to determine the reason behind the low catches.

He told the fisherfolk also, that a collective effort between the government and players in the fisheries sector is needed to address the issue of low catches in Guyana.

The FAO, which focuses on issues relating to food around the world, has assisted governments with conducting similar analyses in other countries.

S m a ll f a r m e r s in R e g io n 9 s o m e s u p p o r t e d w it h $ 6 . 5 m illio n in r e lie f

M

inister of Local Government Kwatamang. Flood relief was also and Regional Development, given to farmers of Surama and Nigel Dharamlall, has assured that Aranaputa. the PPP/C Government will continMeanwhile, to promote and ue to provide financial support to boost the agriculture sector, the farmers across the country, to en- agriculture ministry, is finding sure they return to their farmlands. new ways and avenues to provide The minister was part of a min- support to farmers. isterial team that recently distributThese include the provision of ed millions of dollars in flood re- seed, seedlings, planting materials lief grants to farmers in the Upper and chemical supplies for food Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region production.

Nine).

Addressing farmers in North Rupununi, Minister Dharamlall noted the importance of agriculture and the efforts being made by government to boost the sector. “Our commitment as government is to make sure agriculture remains one of our priority sectors, if not the important sector of A farmer of Surama, North Rupununi, Region Nine, receives flood relief grant our country, because this is the sector that employs the most people, this is Thousands of farmers suffered the sector that grows food for us tremendous losses following the and naturally as a food producing heavy May/June rain this year, sector then you become the most causing a dent in the agricultural important,” he said. sector.

During his meetings in the Farmers from Regions One, region, some $6.5 million was Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine, distributed to 87 farmers from and Ten, have so far benefitted Wowetta and another $8.7 mil- from government’s over $7 billion lion was given to 124 farmers in flood relief cash grant.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

Guyanese, Jamaican to No decision taken to be interviewed on Monday merge audit reports – PAC Government Members for CEO post

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he shortlist of candidates for the post of Chief Elections Officer (CEO) at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has been narrowed down to two persons – Vishnu Persaud and Jamaican national, Leslie Harrow.

GECOM met on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, at the end of which GECOM Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh, suggested that the Commission interview Harrow and Persaud.

GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, explained that the Commission determined that Persaud and Harrow were the most qualified candidates “academically and experience-wise”.

GECOM Commissioner, Bibi Shadick, explained that the interviews for the

two men will be conducted on December 6, 2021.

She added that the Commission was in process of notifying the duo. “It was a majority. When the commission makes a decision, our operating procedure and the laws also say how the decision was arrived at should not be enquired into even by a court of law so I would prefer not to say how we arrived at the decision but yes the decision was a majority,” she said.

According to her, GECOM is continuing to meet to fill other vacant posts.

In addition to considerations of persons to fill the post of Chief Elections Officer (CEO), GECOM is currently shortlisting applicants to fill the posts of Deputy Chief Elections Officer

(DCEO), Assistant Chief Elections Officer (ACEO), Chief Accountant, Legal Officer, Logistics Manager, Civic and Voter Education Manager.

To date, four persons have been shortlisted for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer – Deodat Persaud, Neil Bacchus,

Melanie Marshall and Mohammed Arjoon, while applications for the five other critical posts are being considered.

The Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh, has not publicly commented on the recruitment process to date.

The Government Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the 12th Parliament have taken note of an article published online

by Newsroom under the caption, “PAC to merge 2017, 2018 & 2019 audit reports”, particularly statements attributed to Chairman of the PAC, Mr. Jermaine Figueira suggesting that the PAC has somehow agreed to merge the Auditor General’s reports for several years.

We wish to categorically state that no decision has been taken to merge any audit reports as is being suggested by Mr Figueira. The matter was raised by Mr Figueira at the last meeting of the PAC where he attempted to rule on the matter unilaterally, but was rebuffed by the Government members of the Committee.

The matter was placed on the agenda by the Chairman and is expected to be fiercely debated at the next meeting of the PAC on Monday, December 6, 2021. We therefore call on Mr. Figueira to withdraw his inaccurate assertions forthwith.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill Dharamkumar Seeraj Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

Afro-Guyanese private sector reps V

ice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, led a delegation on Thursday (December 2, 2021) that engaged a delegation of over 35 Afro-Guyanese private sector representatives. At the meeting he addressed opportunities in Guyana, the framework of development being pursued by the

PPP/C Administration, the government’s plans for growth and development and incentive regimes. Jagdeo reiterated the PPP/C Government’s commitment to work with all Guyanese companies to ensure that they are positioned to take advantage of the emerging opportunities

as Guyana progresses.

The meeting also comes ahead of a visit from a Ghanaian private sector delegation and discussed opportunities that can be capitalised on by Guyanese businesses.

Joining Vice President Jagdeo at the

meeting were Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Hugh Todd, Minister of Tourism, Oneidge Waldron, and head of the Guyana Office for Investment, Peter Ramsaroop.

The meeting was held at the Arthur Chung Convention Center.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

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s engaged on opportunities, more

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Guyanese called on to get vaccinated amid new COVID variant G

uyanese and foreign nationals living in the country have been urged by President Dr. Irfaan Ali to be vaccinated, in the face of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, which scientists say may be highly transmissible.

While the infection rate of the new strain of the virus increases, Dr. Ali affirmed that the only way Guyana’s population could be protected is through vaccination.

“Our only tool to be ahead of all these variants, all the changes, the mutations that we are seeing is vaccination.

If it is that this variant is far more infectious, the only thing that will save us is vaccination. The only thing that will slow hospitalisation is vaccination. The only thing that will slow death rate successfully is vaccination,” Ali said on Monday (November 29, 2021).

President Ali assured there is no shortage of COVID vaccines in Guyana, as the government has been working around-the-clock to ensure vaccines are available for the country to reach herd immunity.

He reiterated the state-

ment of Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, that booster shots are available.

Those eligible for booster shots are persons 50 years and above and those from 18 years and older who have comorbidities as listed by the World Health Organisation. “Those who are qualified for the booster, make that decision, take the booster. This is our only chance of fighting off and being aggressively ahead of the impact of any variant on our country. Once you are in the category for booster, get your booster,” Dr. Ali encouraged.

The Omicron variant has been detected in a number of countries including South Africa, Netherlands, Canada, Hong Kong and Australia.

The World Health Organisation, (WHO) says it is unclear whether it is more transmissible than the other variants such as Delta, or if it was first detected in Southern Africa. The WHO said in a statement, “preliminary data suggests that there are increasing rates of hospitalisations in South Africa, but this may be due to increasing overall num-

bers of people becoming infected, rather than a result of specific infection.” The WHO also urged countries to enhance surveillance and sequencing of cases and to report initial cases or clusters to its office. It also advised individuals to continue observing the WHO approved COVID safety measures.

Ali said, “The most effective steps individuals can take to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus is to keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others; wear a well-fitting mask; open windows to improve ventilation; avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces; keep hands clean; cough or sneeze into a bent elbow or tissue; and get vaccinated when it’s their turn.”

As of this week, over 399,000 adults took the first dose of a COVID vaccine, while over 276,000 returned for the second dose. For adolescents, over 29,000 have been inoculated with the first dose, and over 20,000 with the second vaccine.

Persons have also been responding positively to the rollout of the booster shots.

Workers Unions’ urged to ‘take off political hats’ L ocal workers’ unions have been urged by President Dr. Irfaan Ali to “take off their political hats” and approach the Government’s announcement of a seven per cent increase to public servants’ salaries with reality.

Dr. Ali made the statement on Friday (November 26, 2021), during an address to the nation. He said, “I appeal to the unions to take of their political hats and put on the hat of reality, the hat of fairness, and in a comprehensive way, they too should applaud the government. I have spoken to many public servants who are fully onboard.”

His comments come on the heels of criticisms from bodies including the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) that have been demanding an increase higher than the across-the-board increase announced last week by government. The President emphasised that the disapproval displayed by the unions is grounded in nothing more than gaining political points.

Against this backdrop he said, “Today, I am seeing a lot of so-called trade union leaders, who are more po-

litical operatives, I would consider them political operatives. If you look at their attitude and behaviour and their level of activism now, compared to when the APNU+AFC was in government, you would see that they are driven by an agenda and this country sometimes, we do not want to call a spade, a spade. When you have persons driven by an agenda, they try to distort the facts, they try to distort the truth and they try to manipulate information… I say to all of those in the public service, and all of the workers in this country, do not be distracted.”

Between 2015 and 2020 under which the APNU+AFC governed Guyana, President Ali highlighted that there was a “broken relationship” between that government and public servants.

He pointed out it is his government’s aim to deliver the truth and facts to Guyanese so that the population could determine which government has done more and is more committed to the holistic development of the public service.

Further, the President recalled too, that the former Government committed to an annual 10 per cent increase for public servants. Not only

did the APNU+AFC fail to deliver on its promise, but the party also increased the salaries of Ministers by 50 per cent, while giving public servants five per cent that year.

“If you look at the increase that the APNU+AFC would have given, the total value of that increase paid in 2015 was $917.3 million. In 2015, the total value of the increase was $917.3 million. When you take out the PAYE that the APNU+AFC government took back from the salary increase, it was approximately $222.1 million being taken back. So, the net gained for the workers was $696.2 million, which is far less than a five percent in a net sense,” Ali explained Going forward, Dr. Ali gave his unreserved pledge to continue to positively develop Guyana. “Your President would ensure that all of you, all of us are part of the strengthening, deepening, widening of democracy, freedom, prosperity and the ability to live a life that is full here in Guyana,” he assured.

Last week, Senior Minister in the Office of the President announced that the Government has already put measures in place so that public servants could receive their increases in time for the Christmas season.

Region Two earmarked to become special zone – President outlines development plans for region

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comprehensive development plan for the Pomeroon/Supenaam Region, with focus on areas such as tourism, security, health, technology, services, education, agriculture, energy and sports, was detailed by President Dr. Irfaan Ali. The plan was outlined by President Ali, as he delivered the feature address at the official opening of the new $200 million Jaigobin Hotel in Anna Regina.

He said that government will soon table legislation that will see Region Two becoming a special development zone.

The Head of State noted that government is investing heavily in fibre optic, and highlighted those negotia-

tions are ongoing to establish call centres in several regions, including Region Two. This will create 500 jobs in that region. “ICT is going to be an integral part of the investment platform… We will be creating learning hubs for the GOAL Scholarship so right here you can complete your degree programmes.

Before the end of the first term, we promise to deliver free UG education and the ICT will allow us to do that even faster,” President Ali asserted.

In the area of infrastructure, President Ali said government will be opening up 10,000 acres of new land with the construction of more farm- to- market roads in the region. “We are going to

upgrade what we have here…

We intend to have every single street in this country lit up so you can live in a more secure environment,” he said.

The President assured residents that government will spend every single cent to bring first class primary health care to all Guyanese.

He said in the next budget, they can anticipate major developments in the health sector, which includes a state -of- the- art hospital.

Creating safe communities countrywide is a manifesto promise the government is working to realise. With that, residents of Region Two were informed by the President that government will be expanding its safe city programme to a safe country

programme. “Soon you will see CCTV cameras… The command centre will be located right here in Region Two. It is part of the decentralisation of the security sector. This means at least 50 young people will have to be trained to man that command centre,” he said.

President Ali also announced that a full-fledged stadium will be constructed in the region that will be able to host both regional and international cricket. The structure, he noted, will also have an indoor facility to accommodate other sports such as badminton.

The Pomeroon/Supenaam region, President Ali said, has tremendous tourism potential. He said government is developing a package that will allow the region to sell

its green tourism product.

Sport fishing in the region can also become a major activity provided it is properly packaged. The President called on persons to stop underselling the tourism potential of the region and assured that once they come with ideas, government will provide support to develop them.

Farmers in the region, the president said, can rest assure that the government will continue to work on their best interests. He said that negotiations are ongoing on a bilateral level to secure fertilisers which are scarce expensive.

Residents can also expect a solar farm very soon, which will produce eight megawatts of energy. Added to that, President Ali reiterated that government is committed to

reducing energy cost by 50 per cent.

Additionally, the President said government will continue to invest heavily in education. He said with all the development slated for the region, the human resources to develop it must come from within.

The hotel boasts 35 rooms and has provided employment for 15 full time staff, in addition to the 72 already employed by the hotel’s proprietor, Ganesh Jaigobin.

Also present at the ceremony were Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance Dr. Ashni Singh, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha and National Security Advisor to the President, Jerry Gouveia among other officials of Government.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

Proposed amendments to electoral laws not intended for constitutional reform – Attorney General T

he “misplaced” criticisms of the proposed amendments to the Representation of the People Act (ROPA) were addressed by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who noted that the proposals are not intended to see constitutional reform.

Nandlall dubbed the series of criticisms made by organisations as comments intended be “fashionable” by criticising the government without reading the “preambulatory basis upon which the amendments are predicated”.

Article 13, a civil society group claimed that the proposed amendments failed to “address the fundamental issues affecting elections in Guyana”. The group in their missive, said there were several “key issues” with the

laws governing elections, ranging from the composition of the commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to the introduction of independent individuals in the National Assembly.

Further, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) called for the reformation of GECOM, while asking the PPP/C Government to implement single-seat constituencies as part of the amendment proposal.

But Minister Nandlall said what the civil groupings fail to realise, is that many of the concerns raised by them are constitutional matters and cannot be addressed by the amendments currently being proposed. “Their criticism is misplaced and has no basis

in this equation. They call for a different political system. The political system we have in Guyana is one that is provided for in our constitution, the supreme law.

We cannot change that as a singular political party or as a government. We do not have a sufficient number of votes in the National Assembly to do so, and we said that from the commencement of this exercise…they are misguided in [their] call because this exercise…does not intend to deliver that,” he explained.

The Attorney General lambasted the Guyana Human Rights Association for only becoming vocal when it seems appropriate to bash the government, as he said it has become the fashionable thing to do. AG Nandlall expressed

concerns over the apparent silence of the body during the chaos that ensued after the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections. “For five long months when the constitutional right of the majority of the citizens of this country was under siege after the 2020 elections until August 2 when the government was sworn in, I can’t recall hear-

ing a single word of condemnation or criticism coming from this organisation…the human rights of Guyanese were being trampled upon… but this organisation was conspicuously silent,” he asserted.

In response to the organisations’ call for the modification of the registration of voters law, the minister

reminded that the government has already expressed commitment to amending and making these proposals public. “As I said, we are going to do that, but we are going to do that in a second instalment of changes that will be proposed. We have made this clear over and over again, but these people (Turn to page 17)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

Resignations, motion to suspend Amna Ally rock PNCR ahead of Congress A

head of the already controversial 21st Biennial Congress of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), where a new leadership team will be elected, resignations from their accreditation team and more unfolded at a meeting of their Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting.

At the meeting, held on Wednesday (December 1, 2021), one of the four contenders for PNCR Leader, Aubrey Norton, moved a

motion to have Amna Ally removed as General Secretary of the PNCR. Norton reportedly move to present an “on the spot motion” for Ally’s suspension. The PNCR has not commented on this matter.

However, it was quick to comment on the resignations by members of its 21st Biennial Delegates Congress Accreditation Committee – namely: Carol Smith-Joseph, Anette Ferguson and Ganesh Mahipaul. “The Central Ex-

ecutive Committee (CEC) of the People’s National Congress Reform at a meeting held on Wednesday 1st December 2021, to discuss progress with the holding the Party’s 21st Biennial Delegates Congress which will be held on 11th December 2021, deliberated on a conflict of interest that arose within the Accreditation Congress Committee. The CEC, while recognizing the right of Delegates to support candidates of their choice,

reasoned that a conflict of interest arose where members of the Accreditation Committee, which is responsible for selecting the Delegates who would be voting for candidates, are at the same time openly campaigning for candidates of their choice.

Cdes Carol Smith-Joseph, Anette Ferguson and Ganesh Mahipaul accepted the position of the CEC and withdrew from the Accreditation Congress Committee,” the PNCR said.

Notably, reports are that there are claims about problems with the accreditation process – or registration of persons to vote – including that it is a one-man show being run by Mortimer Mingo.

These were not addressed by the PNCR. The PNCR’s last biennial congress was in 2018. The latest update is that the overdue 21st Biennial Congress is set for December 11, 2021.

Four in the race to officially replace Granger as PNCR leader ‒ Leadership race continues to expose major infighting

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hile, incumbent leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), David Granger, has essentially been booted from his post – having received not a single nomination to return to the post – four persons are now in the race to officially replace him as PNCR leader.

Basil Williams has joined Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton and Richard VanWest Charles in launching campaign for the top leadership post in the PNCR. Norton has reportedly received the most nominations.

To date, the contest between the Norton and Harmon, in particular, have exposed major infighting in the PNCR. Further, the incumbent PNCR Chairperson, Volda Lawrence, Carl Greenidge, and Sharma Solomon have also received nominations to run for PNCR leader.

However, up to press time, confirmations on the trio accepting the nomination was not forthcoming.

Notably, Granger, in Au-

gust 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.

Additionally, for the position of Party Chairman, nominations were made for incumbent PNCR Chair, Volda Lawrence, as well as Gary Best, Shurwayne Holder, Amanza Walton-Desir, Roysdale Ford, Annette Ferguson, Aubrey Norton, Sharma Solomon, Ronald Bulkan, Christopher Jones, Richard Van-West Charles, Simona Broomes, Geeta Chandan, Dawn Hastings, Joseph Harmon, and Mervyn Williams.

There are also some 30 group nominations for the Vice-Chairmanship and 18 for the post of Treasurer.

The meeting 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.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

Gov’t announces fifth oil lift

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he Ministry of Natural Resources on Monday (November 29, 2021) announced that it has completed the fifth lift of crude oil from the Liza Destiny Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the prolific Stabroek Block.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat said the most recent lift also represents Guyana’s final lift for 2021 from this development. The lift of 1,043,289.542 barrels of oil now brings Guyana’s total oil lifts for year 2021 to approximately 5.1 million barrels of high-quality Liza crude. This now brings the total oil lifts since first oil in 2019 to nine.

The Ministry of Natural Resources on Monday lauded the invaluable efforts of its own internal petroleum team and regulatory agencies such as the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Guyana

Revenue Authority (GRA), the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in safeguarding Guyana’s interest in coordinating the sales of its share of crude 0il throughout 2021.

“The Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Natural Resources will continue to build technical capacity and jointly work with all relevant stakeholders to sustainably manage the petroleum sector for the benefit of all Guyanese,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it will ensure that it refines the skillsets of Guyanese as it prepares to commission the Liza Unity FPSO in the first quarter of 2022. To this end, the Ministry of Public Service, through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) has been

$7M Water Supply System...

(From page 6)

from waterways and continues the drilling of wells. He assured that two Community Service Officers from each community will be trained to maintain the water supply systems.

The Minister congratulated the residents of River’s View on their new water supply, while informing that partnership will be explored to provide water access to the Satellite community of Fall Mouth by the end of 2022. He also expressed gratitude to UNICEF for its

support in the execution of the WASH project, under which the River’s View system was funded.

This was evident in River’s View, which now has an improved distribution network and hundreds of residents could now access water on their premises for the first time.

Prior to the execution of the water supply improvement project, only a section of River’s View was served by one well.

Proposed amendments to electoral... (From page 15) don’t listen. They want to see themselves, I suppose, in the newspapers saying something…apparently, it is fashionable to be attacking the government of the day.

So that is what they’re doing,” the legal affairs minister articulated.

Notably, the consultation process for the proposed amendments to the Representation of the Peoples Act continues across the country.

The proposal includes amendments to laws which speak to the tabulation and publishing of elections re-

sults, the criteria for selecting an appropriate section, and the subdivision of District Four into four parts, among other things.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance has been tasked by the President with executing and supervising the six-week consultation process. The government is also expected to release two other proposals relating to amendments of the laws governing the electoral process for consultation with members of civil society.

offering technical oil and gas related courses to prepare Guyanese for this lucrative sector. The programme will begin this year and targets about 150 students. Prior to the initiation of the technical programme, GOAL introduced multiple Masters level degree programmes which

will position Guyanese for careers in the oil and gas industry. The government also intends to train locals through other means.

Meanwhile, Some US$534 million was the last reported balance in Guyana’s Natural Resources

Fund (NRF) according to the Ministry of Finance’s October 2021 report of the fund.

The statement shows that the net balance as of October 31, 2021 stood at GY$111 billion with no outflows from the fund into the Consolidated Fund.

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government will amend the laws governing the NRF to safeguard and insulate it from political manipulation.

Guyana’s first lift for the new year, 2022, is expected to be done in January.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

COM M ENTARY

Harmon continues his COVID-19 recklessness

By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

J

oseph Harmon is desperately trying to gain some recognition as the Leader of the Opposition, but the PPP/C Government and President Irfaan Ali have been so dominant in moving Guyana so rapidly forward that Joe Harmon is dizzy, cannot find any traction in opposing any of the policies or programs the PPP/C government has implemented.

Among his own comrades and staunch supporters of the PNC, Harmon is seen as weak and not able to oppose the PPP/C government in any meaningful way. The Leader of the Opposition has become such as desperate job for Harmon, particularly coming after the sterling job Bharrat Jagdeo did as the Leader of the Opposition. While Jagdeo’s term as Leader of the Opposition between 2015 and 2020 stands out in Guyana and CARICOM as a lesson for how to serve as an effective opposition leader, Harmon’s term so far is a lesson on how not to be an opposition leader.

In an effort to prove to the PNC supporters that he can hold the PPP/C government to high scrutiny, Harmon is

playing darts. Every time he opens his mouth to criticize the PPP/C, President Irfaan Ali, VP Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP/C Cabinet make him look more and more foolish. Every country has their Don Quixote, at one time or another. Harmon is Guyana’s best ever candidate for the title of Guyana’s Don Quixote.

When Charles Ramson, the youthful Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports said that the PNC should celebrate the achievements of young black entrepreneurs and provide their supporters with more role models, Harmon decided to pick on Ramson, insisting Ramson said there were no black role models in Guyana. Ramson never did. But Harmon is desperate to find something that would resonate with the supporters of the PNC. Playing the race card is natural for Harmon because the PNC live and die with the race card. But even that did not work for Harmon.

His party called for a protest against Ramson. Nine persons, including six of Harmon’s and Granger’s hand-picked MPs, showed up.

On Tuesday, Harmon decided to pick on Dr. Frank Anthony, the Minister of Health,

claiming Minister Anthony and the PPP/C has no real strategy to deal with COVID-19. In his eyes, the PPP/C strategy is vaccination, vaccination, vaccination. This is the same Harmon who almost right away when President Ali and Minister Anthony successfully negotiated the most successful vaccination procurement in CARICOM begged to have his vaccine for himself, family and friends. But Harmon forgot that, when the PPP/C took office on August 2, 2020, there was no strategy to fight COVID-19, other than a total lockdown.

They locked-down all stores and job places, schools, churches, markets, the airports and borders, there was a curfew, and the struggling economy was shattered. But the lockdown was not so much to stop COVID-19, as it was to prevent the recount. Families who lived from paycheck to paycheck could not buy food and pay their bills. Yet, APNU/ AFC provided no relief for people.

There was no testing strategy, with Guyana barely testing anyone during that time.

Guyana had only one working PCR equipment and that

was never running more than 5% its capacity by August, 2020. There was no dedicated COVID-19 ICU, no increase in oxygen therapy capability were in place in our hospitals.

There were no efforts to increase PPE supplies, such as population-level masking. In fact, frontline health workers had to reuse scarce supplies of gloves, masks and gowns.

They spent more than $1.6B in reconstructing Ocean View Hotel into the COVID-19 hospital, but when the PPP/C took over in August 2020, the building was only a shell. NO beds, equipment, water, electricity, but Granger commissioned it an Infectious Disease Hospital.

All that changed in August 2020 and from the CARICOM country with almost nothing in place to stop COVID-19, Guyana quickly moved to having one of the most comprehensive COVID-19 responses in CARICOM. In his criticism on Tuesday, Harmon’s main focus was on the lockdown. He wants to see another lockdown.

Maybe this is because he wants to have a reason for postponing his party’s congress because he knows he has a good chance of losing the contest to be the party’s leader. While the PPP/C

understands the public health imperative for lockdowns, the PPP/C also understands that a sustained lockdown is not a viable option to stop COVID-19. The country with the most stringent lockdown since March 2020 to now in CARICOM was Trinidad and Tobago. Today Trinidad and Tobago has per 100,000 population, the worst COVID-19 situation. Trinidad routinely detects hundreds of positive cases per day and routinely record more than twenty deaths per day.

COVID-19 is a dangerous pandemic and too many persons in Guyana have had to survive it. Too many people have died. But a large part of the price we pay today is because of the neglect we experienced between March and August 2020. Frank Anthony and the PPP/C Government have done an effective job in preventing a worst catastrophe.

In part, it is because of the aggressive vaccination program, a program that has gained international admiration.

Harmon is desperately seeking relevance. After all, in just over a year, he has already earned the distinction of being perhaps the weakest Opposition Leader ever. If there is a competition for the title of worst opposition leader ever in Guyana and CARICOM, ironically, that competition is between Harmon himself and the man who single-handedly appointed him as Leader of the Opposition, David Granger.

Granger was Leader of the Opposition between 2012 and 2015 and, during that time, he showed his laziness and disinterest.

But Harmon is also facing a stiff opposition from PNC light-weights in the race to become the Leader of the PNC. That he is in real danger of losing the race tells volume about how lowly supporters of the PNC feel about him. He is facing, first of all, a man who twice was fired from senior party positions because his leaders openly described him as their personal “creature” and, therefore, they can hire and fire him at will. Aubrey Norton was never good enough to be appointed Minister when the PNC (APNU/AFC) was in power. But the man who was only good enough to be the party leader’s “creature, going into the nomination a few weeks ago, appear to have taken a decisive lead in the race.

In addition to Norton, “Baby Doc” Van West Charles

is in competition for the PNC leadership race. Van West Charles is the son-in-law of the PNC Founding Leader, Forbes Burnham. Van West Charles was also not good enough to be appointed to a cabinet position when the PNC took power in 2015. It must have been an affront to him when George Norton, Karen Cummings and Volda Lawrence were given the nod to serve as Minister of Health. Van West Charles nomination resulted from poor support for Harmon in the PNC. Ask anyone who might be the worst ever Attorney General of Guyana and they will almost immediately tell you Basil Williams. This is the same Williams that once left the PNC and joined Hamilton Greene in the GGG, the same Williams that did not win a single case when he was the Attorney General, that brought shame to PNC supporters when he tried to argue the notion that 33 is not more than 32, not only in the Guyanese courts, but also all the way to the CCJ. Volda Lawrence was also nominated for the leadership position. One would recall that the last time these two – Lawrence and Harmon – went head-to-head in a competition, it was for the Party’s position of Chairman. Harmon, seen as the right hand of David Granger when Granger was riding high as the party leader, was the out-front favorite to win the position of Chair. But Lawrence easily beat him.

Lawrence knows that if she runs, she will take votes away from one of the other weak candidates and allow Harmon to win through the backdoor.

She does not feel she can work alongside Harmon in the leadership and she cannot visualize herself playing second fiddle to Norton, Van West Charles and Williams.

Joseph Harmon once championed the expertise of certain contractors, today he dismisses them as Indo-Guyanese who according to Harmon’s shadow Foreign Affairs Minister are too mentally lazy. He once championed the Chinese government’s role in Guyana. Today he cries that the Chinese are taking over Guyana. He once was a powerful man when the strategy against COIVD-19 was to ignore it enough that it will disappear, but today he feels we must do more than everything the rest of the world is doing.

Wrong and strong Joe has gone cuckoo and reckless.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 DECEMBER, 2021

Administration of booster doses picking up T

he Ministry of Health is seeing a favourable increase in the administration of the COVID-19 booster shots to the adult population here following its roll-out last week.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said over 1,900 persons have thus far received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. He said, “I think it’s now picking, up; a lot of people are coming forward now. Initially, it started out very slow. A couple of regions didn’t start their booster campaign on time, but I think that’s getting much better now.”

Since the roll out of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign earlier this year, the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sputnik V, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have been

used. For persons who took the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, a booster shot of the Sinopharm vaccine is recommended 52 days after the dose. Those who took the Sinopharm vaccine, can take the same vaccine as their booster shot three to six months after the second jab.

It is advised that persons who have been immunised using the AstraZeneca vaccine, can receive an MRNA vaccine, which should be taken six months after the second dose. A shot of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine can be used as a booster shot for the Sputnik V vaccine.

Currently, only a select group of persons are eligible for the jabs. However, in light of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, Dr. Anthony stated this is being reexamined. Anthony said,

“We’re right now considering various options but as of now the requirements are that if you’re 50 years older, and you would have gotten your second dose about six months ago, then you’re eligible for a booster shot. If you are 18 years and older and you have a comorbidity or several comorbidities then you can get a booster shot once you have the time interval. If you are a frontline worker, and you’re 18 years and older, then you can get a booster shot.”

Previously, the health minister said several studies were used to guide the decision to begin the administration of booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Booster doses are currently available at all of the Ministry of Health’s vaccination sites countrywide.

More than 400,000 adults have taken a COVID-19 vaccine first dose

G National decline in COVID-19 cases

M

inister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said the country is now experiencing a national decline in COVID-19 cases.

This development, he explained is a result of government’s aggressive vaccination campaign which began earlier this year.

Dr Anthony noted that Regions Three and Four are leading the campaign.

There are currently over 1,500 active cases, which the minister said, reflects an overall national decline in cases across the country.

“Region Four now has the highest vaccination rates in the country. So perhaps that is contributing to a reduction in the cases that we’re seeing. But, while we have this overall decline in the

country, in Region Six, for example, we are seeing a worrying trend where there are increases in cases,” he said.

The health minister said he believes the situation in Region Six exists because persons are not abiding by the outlined COVID-19 protective measures. Anthony said, “In August, we had 174 cases, then by September that went up to 222 cases in October that increased to 363 cases. And then in November, we are now at 512 cases…all of these cases are now not active, but it shows a worrying trend that we are getting more cases in the region.”

For November, the region recorded 12 deaths to date.

Since the confirmation

of the first COVID case in Guyana, the Region Six Administration has implemented the measures outlined by the health ministry to stop the spread of the disease.

As such, some six testing sites were established at New Amsterdam and Skeldon hospitals, along with Rose Hall, Port Mourant, Orealla and Siparuta, to inrease testing in the region.

With these systems in place, the region had reported that more than half of its adult population had received the first dose of the Covid vaccine in June.

However, this progress in the region began to regress after persons refused to abide by the measures outlined by the government.

overnment has hit another major milestone in its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, with more than 400,000 adults receiving their first dose.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, announced Tuesday (November 30, 2021) that over 78 per cent of the adult population has taken the first dose of a COVID vaccine, bringing Guyana closer to herd immunity. He said, “So, with vaccination for adults we now have been able, for first dose, to get to 400,561. So, that’s 78.1 per cent of our adult population.

So, I think this is really a milestone, getting at least 400,000 persons receiving the first dose.”

He said this demonstrates the willingness of persons across the country to protect themselves against the viral infection. Region Ten is still lagging behind. Due to vaccine hesitancy, a mere 35 per cent of the adult population there has received a covid vaccine.

A total of over 278,000 adults across the country have returned for the second dose of the vaccine, accounting for some 54.2 per cent.

For children 12 to 17 years, over 29,000 have taken the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, while 20, 385 have been fully vaccinated.

While persons are taking the vaccines, some are still flouting the public health

measures, resulting in the spread of the virus. “The areas where we continue to have a cluster of cases will be in Region Four, where we currently have 671 active cases; in Region Three, where we have 276 active cases and in Region Six with 207 cases,” Minister Anthony noted.

As the virus continues to spread, albeit slower, 70 persons are currently hospitalised, with 50 of them housed at the Infectious Diseases Hospital and 18 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

As such, the Minister of Health is calling on all Guyanese to take the vaccine to reduce the transmission of the virus.

Attempts to misguide Guyanese using ‘race card’ continue ‒ PSC says threats to stability, progress must be arrested T

he recent spate of fires, seemingly directed at critical institutions, demand urgent action, according to the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

The Commission in a noholds barred statement made clear that these fires represent an obvious threat to the maintenance of law and good order.

“Most concerning is the fact that these fires are being directed against institutions which form part of the ar-

chitecture of civility and law and order; firstly, at the Police Headquarters at Brickdam and now, most recently, in the Eve Leary Police Compound,” the Commission said.

Well-known political spokespersons and their advocacy for efforts to be advanced to undermined the incumbent Dr. Irfaan-Ali led government were also called out by the Commission.

The PSC said, “The Commission has noted that wellknown political spokesper-

sons, taking comfort by the fact that they live in the USA, have sought to encourage and publicly promote terrorist activity in Guyana.

“These calls, notably, have included the deliberate setting of fires to create instability in an attempt to make the country ungovernable. These public calls must be condemned by every right-minded citizen.”

SWIFT ACTION NEEDED Notably, the United

States-based David Hinds has been one of the more vocal personalities aligned to the APNU+AFC Coalition calling for persons to do everything possible to undermine the government.

His comments were premised on the claim that Afro-Guyanese have to respond to the “provocation of violence” by the PPP/C government via its economic policies – a claim for which there is no substantial evidence to support.

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David Hinds, said: “I think the time has come to defend ourselves…it is time for action…I am also repeating my call to undermine the government. I said that in August and I am saying it again. A leader does not have to tell you how to undermine the government. There are many ways…undermine the government and continue to do so.” At the same forum, Hinds went further to call for Indian-owned businesses to be boycotted. He said, “They were enablers and they are enablers….it is your money that is spending on Regent Street that they does take and give to the PPP as contributions for elections so they can get into government…undermine the economic partners of the PPP.” Further, while addressing a small group of protestors at Victoria, East Coast Demerara in August 2021, Hinds said: “In whatever way you can undermine this (PPP/C) government. Undermine this government in whatever way you can. I can’t tell you how to do it, but ‘hint to Baniba mek Quashiba tek notice’ (Old African-Guyanese proverb meaning actions to hint something will result in awareness). Undermine this government!”

The PSC has made clear that swift action to arrest the threats must be made.

“In these circumstances, we urge our government to act swiftly and condignly to utilize all the facilities at its disposal, to protect against this threat to the country’s safety and well-being. The prosperous future of Guyana, which is anticipated by all of us, requires a stable national environment, free from those who are intent on inciting fear and terror to destabilize our country and bring down the government by criminal means,” the Commission stressed.

RACE CARD Notably, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Government, Gail Teixeira, in prior comments had blasted the APNU+AFC Coalition, as well as members of the former Coalition government, for its persistent play of the race card.

She said, “At a time when we are taking the trajectory of our country forward; when we are seeing transformation… all of this is taking place and all you can do is drag it down to race. That is the only flag you have. The only flag you wave is race….the Coalition has stuck loyally to your history from 1954 and onwards - of divide and rule in Guyana. That is unfortunate. I don’t accept that

the youth don’t know about these things. They are not obtuse…whether the PNC/ RIG/ APNU/ AFC comes to term with past and steps on the road to national unity, you will be found, if you don’t join, left alone….you have a choice.”

Teixeira charged that the PPP/C will push forward with President Ali’s announced One Guyana initiative, despite the naysayers in the Coalition camp. She said, “The attempt to weaken any embryonic efforts at building a One Guyana will not succeed…efforts at building a ‘One Guyana’- a ‘One Guyana’ for all of us as a people where we will work towards equitable distribution of goods and services; where we will work for the development of the regions of our country…that is our goal and if you don’t agree with it, I’m sorry. You’re lost.”

ONE GUYANA Recognizing that historical divisions continue to negatively impact on Guyanese society, in February 2021, President Ali announced the establishment of a ‘One Guyana Commission’, which will be spearheaded by Prime Minister, (rtd) Brigadier, Mark Phillips.

Ali had said, “An essential part of my Government is inclusion. Stop being defined by race; stop being defined by politics. Start being defined by our one nationality and by our common love for our one country, let us lift it up together and by doing so, let us lift each other and ourselves, one people, one nation, one destiny…I propose to give meaning to my call for one Guyana by requesting the leader of Government business in the National Assembly, Prime Minister Brigadier, Hon. Mark Phillips to introduce the adoption of an Act of Parliament establishing a One Guyana Commission which he will head….we must move our nation building from abstraction to action and lose not one more moment in doing it.

Let us stand up for our one nation, our one Guyana, let us stand up for what we know in our hearts and in our minds to be right. Let us stand up for one identity, the Guyanese identity.”

President Ali said the work of the Commission will be undertaken countrywide to encapsulate the free expressions of all voices, respecting the diversity “from which our oneness springs.”

The Commission will also address education concerning Guyana’s history, religion, ensuring equal opportunity, employment and entrepreneurship and institutional strengthening of the Ethnic Relations Commission.

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