Weekend Mirror 26-27 February 2022 by Weekend Mirror

Partisan politics must not get in the way of development – Teixeira 26-27 February, 2022 / Vol. 12 ‒ No. 11 / Price: $100

Email: mirror2018.gy@gmail.com

PAGE 24

GECOM to decide on timelines for key LGE activities, working to fill vacancies PAGE 2

The time is ‘now’ to take Guyana forward PAGE 3

SEE INSIDE

Farmers, agro-processors to benefit from lucrative markets this year PAGE 8 GOAL scholarship application PAGE 2 deadline extended First Lady secures 100 maritime training scholarships for PAGE 9 Indigenous women

Guyana commemorates 52nd Republic Anniversary

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

GECOM to decide on timelines for key LGE activities, working to fill vacancies

he Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) is expected to consider a timeline for a period of continuous registration, which was presented by the Chief Elections Officer, Vishnu Persaud, as part of plans for the antic-

ipated Local Government Elections. This is according to GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, who, after Tuesday’s (February 22, 2022) statutory meeting, said, “The CEO gave us some dates that

we now have to work into a timeframe for continuous registration to compile the list for Local Government Elections. That we have to make a decision on.” He added that work also continues on filling vacancies

at the GECOM Secretariat. “We have also set up some interviews…we are hoping to get that done soon,” he said. The vacant positions include Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Assistant Chief Elections Officer, Chief

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Accountant, Legal Officer, Logistics Manager, and Civic and Voter Education Manager. These positions were advertised in October 2021. 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. For the post of Assistant Chief Elections Officer those shortlisted include: Delon Clarke, Noland Jervis, Melanie Marshall, Paul Jaisingh, Mohamed Arjoon, Neil Bacchus, Deolall Ramlall, Natasha Grenion Dipchand, Andrea Sparman, Duarte Hetsberger and Colin April. Shortlisted for Chief Accountant are: Jaiwattie Singh, Abeossa Simon, Orlando Small, Victor Arjune and Roland Charles. For Legal Officer those shortlisted include: Shareefa Parks, Kurt DaSilva, Kimberly Yearwood and Felicia

Toby. For Logistics Manager, those shortlisted include: Paul Sookdeo, Colin April, Duarte Hetsberger, Lawrence Duncan, Terrence Stuart, Preston Paul, Alborn Carbon, Avinash Bookmohan, Shivnand Ramnanand, Dwarka Bhadur, Kenneth White, Nandran Persaud, David Cole, Bodhan Nipan, Winston Harlequin, Adrian Gangaram, Sharon Harry-Munroe, Noland Jervis, Quintyn Patrick, Mohamed Arjoon, Mellone Frank, Neil Bacchus, Anil Roberts and Yuvindra Rampersaud. Those shortlisted for Civic and Voter Education Manager are: Nardeo Persaud, Tyrone Singh, Marcey Parker, Imran Mohamed Ally, Natoya De Santos, Paul Jaisingh, Yolanda Ward, Ronelle Arokium, Thalisa Grant-Moore, Abiva Cort, Prem Khanhai, Andre Sparman, Gordon Baker, Lauretta Smith-Gray, Telitta Franklin, Pamela Nauth and Jacob Corbin.

GOAL scholarship application deadline extended

he Ministry of Public Service has extended the deadline for the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship applications to Saturday, March 5, 2022. The extension will allow for additional persons to join the already 7, 000 applications so far for this year. Last year, the government awarded 6,000 GOAL scholarships to Guyanese to pursue courses at international universities online. Further, to continue this initiative a total of $1.3 billion was allocated by the government to ensure thousands more can have access to these opportunities. Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, M.P, while defending the sum allocated for this programme in the National Assembly said, “I believe [GOAL] has been one of the best programmes ever implemented by any government in this part of the world, and perhaps even beyond. I don’t see how any sane person would be against something that represents positivity to this magnitude.” Additionally, the GOAL scholarships are geared at equipping citizens from across the country with the knowledge and qualification for self and economic development. Persons who wish to apply are reminded of the following: • Carefully select three programmes options that are aligned with your current academic qualifications. • Copies of all academic certificates are required to be certified by a Justice of Peace or Commissioner of Oaths. • A recent Curriculum Vitae or Job letter (if employed) should be uploaded to the online application portal. • Applicants should have successfully completed their respective qualifications before applying for a GOAL scholarship. • An official letter from the institutions confirming completion of studies will be accepted in lieu of certificates for students who have recently graduated. • Official and unofficial transcripts should also be uploaded to the online application portal. For further guidance on the GOAL scholarships visit www.goal.edu.gy or contact GOAL’s representatives on 222-5391 and 222-5395.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

The time is ‘now’ to take Guyana forward [Address of His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, on the occasion of Guyana’s 52nd Republic Anniversary February 23, 2022]

ifty-two years ago, our journey as a Republic began. Along the way, there have been many successes, challenges and threats. Notwithstanding this – and importantly, as a people, we were resilient, focused and resolute – in our desire for a democratic, free, peaceful and prosperous Guyana. As a people, we have endured many challenges, some self-inflicted; some imported and some manufactured for a “self-agenda”. Tonight, I have decided to directly address what is required from each of us as Guyanese to advance this country and create the ‘One Guyana’. By now, we are all aware of the potential that exists. We all recognise what is needed to ensure that that potential is transferred into results that would bring a better life for every Guyanese. From the inception, let me be clear, I and my Government are supportive of constructive criticism. To advance our ‘One Guyana’, as a society, we must have healthy debate, exchange of views and critical examination of policies, programmes, initiatives and plans.

However, these discussions must not be based on selfish agenda, biasness, perception, propaganda, and feelings. Instead, they must be firmly rooted in facts and a pragmatic understanding of what is required in this rapidly changing Guyana. In this, our 52nd year of our Republic, I wish to humbly examine 10 areas in which we, as a people, must understand our role, responsibility, and function. We must address these 10 things at a personal level and ultimately at a country level if we are to pursue the right blend of character and traits that will make us successful people. 1. ATTITUDE – What is the attitude required to be successful? – Is it a complaining, negative one? – Where does such an attitude take us? And – What do we hope to achieve with such attitude? If, as ‘One Guyana’, we believe in the potential that exists, then we need to exhibit a positive attitude and a positive outlook. The chronic naysayers will find fault in everything we do. With a positive mind-

set, however, we will work to strengthen every decision and policy to deliver the best possible outcome for all. Attitude set in misrepresentation, political mischief and destruction—will not take us forward. The rapid advancement of Guyana requires us to change the way we think, act, and behave. The scale of development dictates that our thought process must now address more complex and dynamic issues. For instance, we have not only just begun thinking of how to become energy secure. The advances we made have now positioned Guyana in a place where we can contribute to the energy security of an entire corridor. Not only should we be thinking about how to catalyse development in Guyana—we should be thinking about how to advance new growth poles and centres, ensuring that every region benefits from the prosperity that is coming. To accomplish this requires a completely different attitude. The way we view safety, standards and work ethics must all be addressed in creating the right attitude for a

successful future. 2. CHARACTER – What makes us Guyanese? – How are we viewed as Guyanese workers? Or As a Guyanese Businessperson? Our culture is only one component of who we are as Guyanese. If I am to ask every individual present – “what makes them Guyanese”, I assure you we will have varying responses from each of you. We must therefore settle on what makes us uniquely Guyanese. This ultimately determines the character of Guyana. We, the people, are the ones who give life to this country Guyana. If we want the character of Guyana to be positive, then we must examine our character as a people. We must be known as people with fundamental principles, and defenders of universal values like freedom, democracy and rule of law, equity and fairness. Our resilience taught us

many lessons. We must learn from those experiences in ensuring we charter a course that will bring prosperity to all in our ‘One Guyana’. Our character as a people must never allow our country to be among those where democracy and freedom are illusions. These attributes, which we fought so strongly for – must be protected by the people. You, the people of Guyana, are the shield against injustice, disharmony, bitterness and mischievous chaos. Each of us as individuals must pledge that regardless of our religious and political persuasions, these principles and character that make us Guyanese WILL NEVER be sacrificed. 3. NARRATIVE As a country and as a people, we must write our own narrative for the future. However, that future must be

mindful of the experiences of others and be flexible enough, although homegrown, to be globally acceptable. For this – the support of the regional and global communities is essential. What do the habitual naysayers gain by portraying a continuously negative narrative? On the one hand: we want sustainability and cheaper energy and on the other hand: the naysayers throw every obstacle at achieving this. On the one hand: we want a profitable and diversified sugar sector, where our workers are transformed into skilled and semi-skilled functionaries – and on the other hand: the naysayers “gripe” at every attempt at partnership. Your Government has outlined a clear and ambitious vision for our country -that I need not repeat. This vision has been clearly articulated in our manifesto, and in our free (Turn to page 14)

EDITORIAL PPP/C demonstrates commitment to transformational development agenda

he PPP/C Administration continues to demonstrate its commitment to delivering on its manifesto promises – from major infrastructure projects already underway to advances with long-term transformation for sustainable development. Budget 2022, totally a whopping $552.9B, is testimony to this, given the plethora of transformative initiatives that are expected to be advanced this year. That said, the nexus between delivering critical goods and services to a nation’s people in a sustainable manner and development has been recognised globally. It is also aptly captured by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as detailed in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the Guyana context, our development trajectory is captured by the draft Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, which addresses: one, the building blocks for a new low carbon economy – including forest climate services, biodiversity, water management and the ocean economy; two, how these building blocks can be used as revenue earners for Guyana; and three, how the revenues earned are channeled through the LCDS Investment Programme to develop Guyana’s human, financial and physical capital, with special emphasis on Amerindian communities. The LCDS 2030, undoubtedly, bolsters other national programmes of development, as funded by tax collection and through bilateral and multilateral partnerships. In all the global threats, including climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are addressed, as is sustainable management of Guyana’s burgeoning oil and gas economy. It is recognised that transformation requires addressing the root causes of economic, social, environmental and political problems and inequity. At the political level, work continues to be done to bolster an inclusionary approach to democracy. Further, electoral reforms seek to close the gaps in existing legislation, as well as remove ambiguities and opportunities for mischief. At the environmental level, work is being done to balance Guyana’s capabilities as an oil and gas producer and the maintenance of Guyana’s green credentials, being a nation that is a net carbon sink. PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, has said that Guyana will develop its oil and gas sector in a manner that is environmentally safe and not remain locked into a cycle of “low emission and low income” – a cycle that ignores the fact that Guyana is a net carbon sink, among other facts. He had said: “We have been called to leave our oil in the ground…we believe it’s totally unfair…we’ll develop our oil industry putting in place regulations for safe, low carbon operations…many have been saying that to get to a de-carbonized future to get to a net zero by 2050 there should be no further investment in oil and gas assets….we believe that is totally unfair…the people who are calling for us to not develop the industry in a small country like Guyana have to understand that we cannot remain locked into a cycle of low emission and low income…our people have a legitimate expectation of prosperity. We have a legitimate expectation to grow the per capita income….if we freeze all new investments…there is still a four trillion oil and gas industry that is producing for global demand. What those activists are doing is advocating that this investment be locked in for the incumbent. Why should we not want to displace some of the highest cost producers? We want a share in that market too….if there is no investment in countries like Guyana where the prospects are cleaner because it is light sweet crude and production costs are less then you are lobbying for a monopoly for the existing producers. So we believe that we can develop the industry in our country…we can do so by continuing to invest in a de-carbonized future consistent with the LCDS.” Further, billions spent on education, healthcare, care for vulnerable groups and children, workers’ welfare and access to improved services continue to be made give the importance of interventions are the social level. At the economic level, much emphasis is being placed on improving the environment for doing business and improving stability – all of which are critical to attract more foreign direct investments. The productive sector – sugar, rice and other crops, as well as non-traditional agricultural areas – also continue to receive focus. The Administration’s ‘Plan for Prosperity’, the 2020-2025 manifesto, and its comprehensive range of policies and programmes are being actioned in the interest of all Guyanese and our people can continue to expect improvements in standard of living.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

Guyana is on the rise! Dear Editor,

arch 06, 2022 will mark the Twenty-Fifth death anniversary of the father of our great Nation, Dr. Cheddi Jagan. As expected, his works, qualities, and teaching are recognisably endowed in many of our current leaders cultured by the PPP party, who are advancing the transformative agenda and rise of Guyana today. This year, we also celebrate thirty years since the dawn of a New Era, emerging from the re-establishment of democracy in 1992. It is therefore appropriate and useful to take time out to recognise, support, and applaud the continued contribution of another special and justifiably revered son of our soil, given that he unrelentingly continues to provide invaluable unselfish support and guidance. Please permit me to recognise our Honourable Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, a man of unquestionable character, who emerged from humble beginnings to serve with distinction as one of our country’s iconic presidents from 1999 to 2011. As a backdrop, it is useful to note that under the admirable stewardship of the PPPC officials in Government, the take-off is witnessed, observed, and set for inclusive participation and benefit by hundreds of thousands of Guyanese at home and in the diaspora, coupled with the millions of global followings of the augmentation of our potential to realise a thematic fulfillment of tremendous nationwide development. Evidencing this dynamic movement, world leaders, along with myriad technical personalities, are currently in Guyana, participating in the highly successful International Energy Conference and Exposition, promoting engagements towards “Chartering a Sustainable Energy Future.” The PPP/C Government is focused on a Sustainable Development Charter, guided by men and women of substance. Following more than 28 years as the main Opposition, due to fraudulent electoral practices by the then PNC party, the PPP/C won power in 1992, and immediately commenced the transformation of this country into a better place to live. However, it was within the vision of Dr. Cheddi Jagan that the Golden Boy Bharrat Jagdeo was identified as a potential Leader who would be capable and ready to take the reins of continuance to make Guyana a better place. Young Jagdeo was appointed Finance Minister, and then he was groomed in the PPP leadership to give

quality guidance to our Government. Following party-based elevation due to his demonstrated potential and nurture, Bharrat Jagdeo, at age 35, was subsequently elected as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana in August 1999. He swiftly demonstrated his valuable quality as a leader, evidenced by a wide plethora of achieved and measured achievements and international accreditations, a few of which this column is pleased to highlight. In 2005, President Jagdeo was elected as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. It was no surprise when, in 2006, The World Economic Forum (WEF) identified Jagdeo as one of their inaugural Young Global Leaders. The prestigious Times Magazine named Jagdeo as one of their “Heroes of the Environment” in 2008, and he was awarded the United Nations “Champion of the Earth” in 2010. Also in 2010, the Secretary-General of the United Nations asked Jagdeo to serve on the Secretary General’s High-level Advisory Group on Climate Financing. Jagdeo is a Patron of the Delhi-based World Sustainable Development Forum. In 2011, Heads of State and other leaders from the World’s rainforest countries asked him to be the “Roving Ambassador for the Three Basins” (Amazon, Congo Basin, South East Asia). In March 2012, the world’s largest environmental organisation, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), announced that President Jagdeo would become the ICUN High-Level Envoy for Sustainable Development in Forest Countries, and Patron of Nature. In addition, he is also the President of the assembly of the Korea-based Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), having been a Founding Board Member of GGGI since 2010. GGGI is the world’s newest international organisation that currently has a complement of twenty member states. In 2013, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma announced that former President Jagdeo would lead a high-level team of experts to identify solutions for unlocking resources to enable small, poor, and climate-vulnerable Commonwealth countries to combat climate change. The former President, whose related works in the field are second to none, was joined by eight others to create a set of recommendations for the international community to help identify practical solutions for those countries most vulnerable to climate change. Jagdeo presented the report to 53 heads

of Government and other leaders of the Commonwealth, representing about the fifth of the World’s population at the 2014 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is recalled that Jagdeo travelled from the 2015 CHOGM to participate in the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change summit in Warsaw, where he spoke of the outcomes of CHOGM and the need for continued leadership from Prime Ministers and Presidents. In a major speech in Warsaw, he stated: “In the next 24 months, much progress needs to be made if we are going to have a climate agreement. We can still stop the absolute worst extremes of climate change, and start the massive shift towards global low carbon development. The world tried to do this in 2009 in Copenhagen and failed. As a consequence, more people will die, more livelihoods will be destroyed, more economies will suffer, and the cost of action has gone up steadily. If we fail again in 2015, the damage and the costs will become truly unmanageable. Future generations will ask: how could we be so selfish, not once, but twice?” As a testimony to his broadened international repertoire, it is factual that, in March 2013, the ACP Council of Ministers inaugurated a 14-member Eminent Persons Group (EPG) whose mission was to provide guidance and concrete recommendations for the future of the ACP Group. The 14 members of this group, who met in Brussels, designated the former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as their chairperson, with Jagdeo designated as one of two vice-chairs. Jagdeo has also been a Guest Lecturer at Columbia University (New York City, USA), York University (Toronto, Canada), Trent University (Peterborough, Canada), the University of Toronto, United Nations University (Tokyo, Japan), and the University of the West Indies. He has also taken part in Trent University’s Carbon Conversation, focusing on the need to sustainably decarbonise the global economy. President Irfaan Ali is also doing extremely well in guiding our brilliant young Cabinet members to provide the Guyanese population with exemplary leadership and unflinching support that will certainly make Guyana a paradise with the continued support of our leaders. Sincerely, Neil Kumar

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

Populist arguments that ignore the facts cannot be allowed to stand Dear Editor,

oney walks! Investors leave! These are the lessons Guyanese should have learned from the previous attempt to build the Amaila Hydroelectric power plant; facing a barrage of criticism, Blackstone (an American company) withdrew from the International Development Bank-funded project, which then became dormant throughout the APNU+AFC years. No major power source was added to the grid during those Granger years, and the men of Article 13 made no criticism then, because nothing planned equals zero to criticise. A win-win for Granger-Article 13, no doubt. Fast forward to the present, and there are still objections to the project, despite a public tender process – in which it is clearly stated that the Government of Guyana will not in-

vest any money, and that the project would be implemented strictly by the Private Sector using Private Sector funding, and the GoG would simply buy any/all power produced by the plant. Given that Christopher Ram is listed as a member of Article 13, I would deem it highly unlikely that he is ignorant of these conditions, even if others in the organisation are incapable of accessing public information. Why then would Article 13 make an issue about the cost of anything but what the GoG will pay for that power? Winston Brassington made a presentation at the 2022 Energy Conference (which can be viewed for free online), in which he stated the winning bidders submitted a cost of USD 0.0773 per kWh. Any Guyanese knows we pay USD 0.30 per KWh presently, and our power demand has long since outstripped the

supply. The criticisms of Article 13 are a smokescreen at best, comparing costs to a hydro plant in Ethiopia. Why do we care what it costs to build, if we are not footing the bill and are satisfied we are going to get power at less than a quarter of the price we pay for electricity now? Article 13 speaks about costs GPL would incur to deliver electricity to the consumers; are they suggesting that we explore wireless power options? Or are they waiting on someone to offer to foot that small bill for us in true ‘beggar-bowl’ mentality mode? Editor, Article 13 also attempted to make a populist argument that it was too costly to attend the Energy Conference, thereby depriv-

ing Guyanese of access to vital information. However, Christopher Ram was in attendance as a delegate, and Yog Mahadeo joined those protesting for an end to oil production outside; all presentations were/are available for free via online video links. The Energy Conference claim by Article 13 is either based on willful ignorance or agenda-driven disingenuousness, or a combination; but whichever, Article 13 has detracted much from the value valid civil society criticisms would offer a nation seeking to build for her future. Sincerely, Robin Singh

High time that this confused lot get their act together Dear Editor,

n every democratic country there must be an Opposition, in the present scenario Guyana is bereft of that democratic head. The main Opposition just cannot come to some agreement as to who should lead them in and out of Parliament. It is a sordid affair that has been going on for some months now, with no end in sight; a pretty messy situation to say the least. Well, a quick suggestion to the holders of the balances of power in that party, I would say if you cannot agree on a candidate then “install” one. It is pretty simple process

for a party that is well versed in the art of installing its leaders. The PNC/PNCR/APNU – by whatever the metamorphosis you would like to call them – carried out an election in which Aubrey Norton was elected leader of that conglomeration. The rest of the exercise should have been an automatic accession to leadership and the taking up of his seat in Parliament. However, that smooth transition to office is the question that we cannot get a clear answer to, because from that time of Norton’s election in December to the present date, we (Turn to page 18)

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

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 ’ Guyanese welders, technical National Ophthalmology hospital getting back on track professionals for international

ye care in Guyana will be boosted with the restoration of the Port Mourant Ophthalmology Hospital, which was practically abandoned over the five years of the former administration. During a recent visit to Region Six, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony said since taking office, government has made significant strides in getting the hospital back in operation to cater to the needs of the people. He said, “All the theatres were in a very poor shape. The microscope that people have to use to operate with they were in bad conditions. So, last year we spent in excess of $100 million to start, not just refurbishing the theaters, but buying the equipment.” By the first quarter of this year, most of the equipment will be in, along with the

additional resources catered for in this year’s national budget. He said, “A lot of the ophthalmological things that people would have to go out of the region for we will be able to do it here and people from other regions would come to this region because this would be like the referral site for ophthalmology.” Speaking of the transplant legislation which was recently passed in the National Assembly, he said while Guyana has been doing corneal transplants, the corneas were sourced from abroad, but once the hospital is fully refurbished, most of these surgeries will be done at the facility. The government is working to set up an eye bank in Guyana, to allow persons who want to donate corneas to do so. “We will be able

to harvest those corneas and transplant it right here, so that process is going to start this year with the establishment of our own eye bank and that is going to bring a lot of relief to people who need corneal transplants, and I’m hoping that we would be able to do quite a lot of it up here,” Dr. Anthony said. The operations at the National Ophthalmology hospital took a hiatus from cataract surgery for more than five years. However, surgeries restarted on February 13, and the hospital is now fully booked until March 10, with specialists expecting to do at least 10 surgeries per day. The hospital was commissioned in July 2009 by then President Bharrat Jagdeo, as one of the projects under the Guyana/Cuba collaboration programme.

certified training G uyanese welders and other technical professionals are set to undergo high level courses that will allow their expertise to mirror international standards. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) providing international training in these fields was signed on Friday at the Marriot hotel, Georgetown, on the sidelines of the International Energy Conference and Expo. The agreement was inked between the Ministry of Labour’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT) GAICO and Myer group of companies. Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton, said the move is commendable, as it exposes

Guyanese to higher skills to meet the demands in the local producing oil and gas industry. “The technical people will continue this conversation at the level of policy. I know what the government is seeking to do and therefore every opportunity that we have that we could expose our people to the highest type of training to participate in the industry, I as Minister of Labour and BIT, we will take that opportunity and together develop this country of ours,” Minister Hamilton underscored. He said government is open to accept investors and expects them to make a profit on their investments. Nonetheless, he added that Guyanese should also be

able to reap remarkable benefits from the various endeavors. “I have had some preliminary conversations with many companies, some working in Africa in oil and gas and we will continue to have the discussions and see how far we can ensure that it bears fruit,” Hamilton added. Meanwhile, Myers Company’s Vice President of Business Development, Bradley Myers said the agreement is the beginning of a wider plan to raise the local welding and metal fabrication skillset. He said while other future details need to be ironed out, the collaboration with GAICO could see the establishment of local facilities to accommodate training.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

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 ’

55 Hope Estate residents to soon get land titles/transport after long wait R

esidents of Plantation Hope Estate SchemeCum Annexes, East Coast Demerara, will soon be receiving their titles or transport documents for lands they have been occupying for decades. Recently, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, M.P, led an outreach at the Hope Estate Compound, to begin the land verification process. A team of technical personnel from the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) was at the location, assisting with the verification of residents’ documents. Minister Croal said that the issue was brought to his attention during a recent visit to the area, where a number of residents vent-

ed their frustration of not having legal documents for their lands. Minister Croal explained that based on the information he received, the matter dates back since in the 1970s, and the lands are now being occupied by children and grandchildren of the first sets of occupants. He told the residents that the PPP/C Government is committed to addressing the issue by ensuring that the occupants of those lands are given their legal documents so that they can move forward with plans they have to upgrade or construct their homes. “Immediately once we can verify all the information provided in terms of the persons who are occupying the lands, and once there are no contention of the house,

we will process your certificate of title, and as I said, we have about 55 houses in our system for which no title has been processed for the lands,’ the minister said. The housing minister noted the land titling process will commence within the new week for those properties with no challenges or dispute. Additionally, back then, the former President Janet Jagan had promised some of the residents who were relocated to the area they will only be charged 1$ for the processing of the titles. Minister Croal said that commitment will be honoured for those persons, while the others will have to pay the usual fee of $92,000. Additionally, there are a number of residents who received house lots from the

CHPA within the area and are still awaiting titles. Minister Croal also committed to having those titles processed and completed in a timely manner. Further, he announced that CHPA is in the final stages of acquiring lands for allocation within the area this year. The Hope Estate Scheme was originally a Sugar Plan-

tation which was bought by Mr. Walcott, a British investor who started coconut cultivation. In 1955, the Sankars bought the area from Mr. Walcott and continued coconut cultivation. The Late Prime Minister, Forbs Burnham then bought the area from the Sankars in the early 1970s and formed the Hope Coconut Industry

Ltd. The estate was managed by a Board until his death in 1985. NEOCOL (National Edible Oil Company Ltd) then took over its management during the period 19871992. The PPP/C government took over the area in 1992 and eventually phased out the coconut cultivation. Portions of land were rented to private farmers for cultivation of cash crops. After the flooding in 2005, some 40 affected residents from Mahaica were relocated to a portion of the area developed into a scheme with 88 lots. The Government & Food For the Poor built houses for the affected persons. In 2009, the scheme was extended with a further 270 lots.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

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 ’

Farmers, agro-processors to benefit from lucrative markets this year G overnment is taking a more proactive approach

to ensure farmers, agro-processors and exporters are

linked to the most lucrative markets, locally, regionally

and internationally. The move will see the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) developing strategies through extensive market research this year, to promote Guyana’s agricultural products here, across the region and internationally. The sum of $340 million has been allocated to fast track the initiative through the participation of trade fairs and exhibition, and the use of e-marketing/e-commerce platforms. E-commerce marketing is a method used to attract sales by creating and increasing awareness about an online store’s product offerings and brand.

Government plans to establish Guyana shop corners and create long-term linkages with private and public institutions. Since the passage of the national budget less than a month ago, the PPP/C Administration has been successful in hosting a massive farmers’ market at the Lusignan market tarmac, East Coast Demerara. The event which received support from scores of consumers in and out of Region Four, provided an avenue for agriculturists to display and sell their fresh produce on a larger scale. “Since our government took office, we have been

meeting with various stakeholders, farmers, middlemen, agro-processors, sellers and exporters to discuss the issues facing their particular value chain and how to support the improvement of the chain with support from the agriculture agencies,” Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, had pointed out. It is against this backdrop, the minister noted that value chain studies and implementation plan for cherries, black shrimp, dairy, honey, cattle and poultry among others, will be conducted in 2022, to guide investments and to facilitate and support efforts to link farmers to markets. (Turn to page 18)

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

Amerindian Development…

FOCUS ON GUYANA’ S FIRST PEOPLE First Lady secures 100 maritime training scholarships for Indigenous women A total of 100 scholarships were secured by First Lady Arya Ali for Indigenous women in the hinterland to be trained in the maritime and offshore industry through a local maritime training school. Atlantic Alliance (AA) Maritime & Offshore Training School is a 100% owed Guyanese company which the First Lady had been in talks with ahead of the recently-concluded International Energy Conference and Expo. The 100 scholarships will be awarded through the Office of the First Lady over a four year period and will benefit Indigenous women from regions one, two, seven, eight and nine. It is intended to provide technical training to support Guyana’s rapidly expanding oil and gas sector. On Thursday, Mrs Ali cemented the historic deal by signing an agreement with Mrs Miranda Thakur-Deen and Asif Hamid, Executive Directors of the School, in the presence of a number of other stakeholders including the Centre for Local Business Development and Lloyd’s Register. This agreement follows

plans by the government, which has been moving aggressively, to equip Guyanese to benefit from the opportunities being made available in the oil and gas sector. “We are talking about one Guyana and this is a demonstration of us, the Government, creating that one Guyana that we speak of. We are aware of the many issues that affect the Indigenous people of Guyana, including access to tertiary education and tertiary level training. So this is a major step towards creating opportunities for them in the oil and gas sector and ensuring that they are part of the success story of our country,” Mrs Ali said. She also lauded the School’s commitment to ensuring that it gives back to the people of Guyana. “I am beyond happy to share this moment with a local company because it not only highlights the importance of local content, but it shows in a tangible way how committed this company is to giving back to our people,” she added. Mrs Thakur-Deen said the decision to partner with

Hubu Hill gets equipment, vehicle

ore than 280 residents of Hubu Hill, Mabaruma sub-district, Region One, will benefit from a $2.5 million canter handed over to the Hubu Hill Community Development Council (CDC) today. The village also received a chainsaw and brush cutter to aid in the community clean up

initiative. Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal officially handed over the keys of the vehicle to CDC Chairman, John Anthonio, on behalf of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. This is the latest support effort to Amerindian communities across Guyana.

the Office of the First Lady was an easy one for the school’s board because of the work Mrs Ali has been involved in. “We noticed the First Lady is a leading advocate for women and has been championing women’s rights since she took office. Her period poverty project shows her commitment to women and advancing their rights, and we wanted to be able to support the work that she is doing,” ThakurDeen said. The Maritime Institution

will provide unique training programmes which focus on teaching practical skills to both local and international students through a blended approach. The School’s courses are accredited by Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) and the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ). It is currently awaiting accreditation from the National Accreditation Council of Guyana, while plans are underway for it to become a TVET Certified

Institution. “Our mission is to prepare and provide competent, top quality and experienced marine professionals. Our curriculum empowers students to take on leadership roles, encourage rigorous self-discipline, promote curiosity and provide graduates with skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the Global Maritime & Offshore Industry,” the School’s other Executive Director, Mr Hamid noted. AA Maritime & Offshore

Training School currently has lecturers that are internationally certified industry experts with backgrounds in the oil and gas industry. The Institution comprises 20 classrooms with Digital and In-House Libraries, Augmented Reality Simulators and technical workshop facilities. It also intends to begin issuing certification for TVET Welding & Fabrication courses which will be certified by the American Welding Society (AWS).

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

The time is ‘now’ to take... and democratic society, it is open for constructive debate. Recall that it is on this vision, that the Government was given the mandate to advance the cause of every Guyanese. As your President, this is the narrative on which we are building our prosperous Guyana. There is absolutely no need to presuppose or guess. The vision is clearly articulated. 4. VALUES AND BELIEFS SYSTEM While we are a multicultural and multi-religious society, there are some common values in our belief system that we must inculcate if we are to build a stronger Guyana that will bring prosperity for all. i. We must celebrate each other’s accomplishments, ii. We must be open and transparent in the way we

relate to each other, iii. We cannot love God and hate each other, iv. We cannot love Guyana or be part of the ‘One Guyana’ family by sowing seeds of division and divisiveness, We must value education, health, justice, freedom, equality and respect by ensuring equitable access, fairness and investment that will allow all our people to benefit. v. AND our love for each other must be built on a foundation of respect, real decency, and dignity. Those who do not share these values would see racism, divisiveness, and hate as tools to be used for their own selfish gains. We must not fall prey to those pursuing this path. We have had 52 years of experience as a Republic to understand the consequences of such a visionless and destructive path.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022 (From page 3)

5. OBJECTIVITY Being objective is being responsible! Objectivity cannot be based on unfounded perceptions, wild accusations, personal vendetta, social or political alignment. It must be based on clarity of thought. Objectivity requires critical analysis and not simplistic propagandist theorising to achieve a self-serving outcome. Objectivity cannot be blindfolding yourself to reality. Objectivity is a key ingredient of a functional democracy. It requires honesty, integrity, fairness and frankness. Anything short of these can be classified as self-opinionated, self-righteous and plain selfish. This cannot be part of the equation in taking our country forward.

6. REALISTIC We must be realistic about what we can and cannot do. We must also be realistic in our expectations. We must understand the environment in which we operate. Our continued experiences with Covid, the recent floods, and supply chain issues are fresh examples of how expectations must be tamed against realities. In being realistic, we must be humble to accept help in areas where we require help. Being realistic is being humble enough to say- “I do not know” and reach for answers where they do exist. It is for this reason – our local content legislation was developed with a realistic understanding of where we are as a country. Being realistic is also understanding that the commitments we made in the manifesto are to be achieved

within five years, and I assure every Guyanese those commitments we made will be honoured and delivered. 7. ACHIEVABLE TARGETS Achievable targets cannot be US$750m divided by 750,000 citizens being equal to US$1m per citizen. Not only is this mathematically incorrect – it is not realistic or achievable, much less sustainable. We have therefore set ourselves targets that are not only achievable but are transformative in nature – namely: cutting cost of electricity by 50%, 50,000 house lots, 50,000 new jobs, $40,000 old-age pensions, $50,000 “Because We Care” grant; 20,000 online scholarships. These are all achievable targets! We are on track! For these targets to be realised, we must invest in the social and economic transformation of our country. These investments include: • Energy sustainability, through the Gas to Energy and hydropower projects, • New Shore base facilities, • New Demerara Harbour Bridge • Major new highways • New farm to market access roads, • Support to the private sector in hotel and other tourism investments, • Expanded mining, • Forestry, • Food production, • Building the knowledge industry and • Investments in education, and health care with the maternal/children speciality hospital and six regional hospitals. The targets we set ourselves must position Guyana as a strong global and regional player. Our strengths must be diversified and not be dependent on our natural resources. We are therefore building an economy that will boast, world-class eco-tourism, world-class urban centres, world-class agriculture and food production using technology, world-class health and educational services, and world-class environmental diversity and ecological services Whilst transitioning into new manufacturing, agro-processing and industrial opportunities, along with the development of a hemp industry and its numerous spinoffs. 8. GOVERNANCE SYSTEM To support all of this, our governance system must be efficient, reliable, trustworthy, accountable, simple, responsive and flexible to the global environment in which we operate. These elements must be built on a modern constitution that must be developed from the people—a process that is

ongoing. Our laws being reflective of the direction and development trajectory of the country. The legislative and judicial arms of Government are modernising and organising to meet the new demands of the future. 9. COUNTRY POSITIONING We, as a people, must understand what our country has to offer and where it will be positioned in the future. We have: • 19.5 gigatons of carbon worth conservatively US$195b • Our forestry sector has an estimated value of US$500b • The potential value of our Gold Reserves, at the current rate, is approximately US$35b • Our total bauxite reserves has a potential value close to US$1b. • Our quarrying reserves are valued at approximately US$1b. • Our silica sand reserves are estimated at 1.5 billion tonnes, valued conservatively at G$37.5b. • Our freshwater capacity is estimated at G$4b per annum. These characteristics of our country position us to be among the best in food production, aquaculture, eco-tourism, environmental services, forestry mining, and energy among many others. The world has now started to realise this. It is our collective effort that will position us among the best globally in these and other sectors. 10. OUR PEOPLE You, the people – are our greatest asset. This is the asset that must be harnessed efficiently to enhance productivity, stimulate creativity, and overcome mediocrity. It is, for this reason, we are investing heavily in education, training and development and institutional strengthening. It is, we as a people, who must change our attitude, culture and values towards the environment, society and towards each other—that will ultimately determine our collective successful Guyana. This is not the time in our history to sit back and watch the journey unfold. This is our time to embrace the train of progress, this is our time to embrace the demand our country make of us, this is our time to be positive. This is our time to remove negativity. This is our time to advance the future of ‘One Guyana’. As we celebrate our 52nd anniversary, we must ponder on these points. And as your humble servant, I contend to do the same as together we build the One Guyana we desire. Happy Republic Day. God bless you all. Thank you.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Presidents Ali and Díaz-Canel commit to strengthening bilateral ties ‒ Cuban leader invited to visit Guyana

is Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali reiterat ed Guyana’s support and solidarity for Cuba and spoke about strengthening cooperation in key areas, during a telephone conversation today with the Spanish-speaking Caribbean island’s President, H.E Miguel Díaz-Canel. President Ali also acknowledged the longstanding relationship between the two countries and their 50 years of diplomatic relations. Guyana and Cuba established diplomatic relations on December 8, 1972. Given this milestone, he expressed optimism

about a renewed sense of cooperation. “Guyana has benefited tremendously from the goodwill of Cuba and its people.” The President also extended an invitation to the Cuban leader to visit Guyana to further bilateral talks towards enhancing collaboration that will benefit citizens of both countries. President Díaz-Canel welcomed the invite and also expressed the need to strengthen the bonds between the two nations. To this end, the discussion centred on several areas including tourism and hos-

pitality, health, housing, and food production. President Ali also spoke of the need to enhance Guyana’s social sector and pointed to his quest of providing quality health care. In this regard, he noted that Guyana will be constructing a new maternal and child health hospital and six new regional hospitals. The leaders spoke about Guyana’s development path and President Ali outlined some of his Government’s plans to diversify the local economy, including through agriculture. He also highlighted Guyana’s leading role in CARICOM in reducing food importation by 25% by 2025. “We are working on a

massive diversification and food security plan.”

The leaders agreed that discussions will advance

through their respective technical teams.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

By Norton’s logic ‘legitimacy’ of PPP/C gov’t has been determined twice – Nandlall L

eader of the People’s National Congress

Reform (PNCR) Aubrey Norton was taken to task

by Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, over his com-

ments about the legitimacy of the PPP/C Government.

Norton, in recent comments charged that: “The question of the legitimacy of the Government has to be determined by an election petition. It is not a case of the Leader of the Opposition or the Leader of the Party just deciding the Government is legitimate. Legitimacy comes from elections in this regard…if perchance, it (the election petition) comes out saying that the Government was elected properly, then they will be legitimate.” Nandlall rubbished Norton’s ramblings and made clear that, “Mr. Norton contends that the legitimacy of the Government has to be determined by an elections petition. No Mr. Norton, you are reasoning in the reverse. The election petition may determine that the Government is illegitimate. There is a fundamental principle of law expressed in the Latin maxim, ‘’omnia praesumuntur rite esse acta [all things are presumed to be done in due form].’’ This principle applies to the March 2nd, 2020, General and Regional elections. It is buttressed by several incontrovertible processes, including that those elections were observed and certified to be free, fair and credible by every local, regional and international agency invited and accredited to do so. “Concomitantly, for five long months thereafter, several aspects of the tabulation of the results of those elections were thoroughly interrogated by every tier of our judicial hierarchy and eventually pronounced upon as legitimate. “Significantly, every single ballot was recounted, an unprecedented occurrence in modern electoral history. That recount was observed by a team described by Mr. Norton’s predecessor, no other than the sitting President at the time, Mr. David Granger as ‘the most legitimate

interlocutor’. This team adjudged the exercise to be transparent and credible. The result of that recount materially coincided with the Statement of Polls (SoP’s) in the custody of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic and every other party (other than Mr. Norton’s) as well as those in the possession of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Strikingly, Mr. Norton’s party is yet to disclose their Statements of Poll for anyone to examine. “It is in these circumstances that the Chairperson of GECOM declared Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, to be elected President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic to be the victor at those elections.” Nandlall added that if, for argument sake, it is assumed that, as Norton contends, it must be noted that both of the APNU+AFC Coalition’s elections petitions were dismissed in the High Court. The Attorney General said, “Both were heard and dismissed by the High Court that has the jurisdiction to do so. Therefore, following Mr. Norton’s logic, the Government’s legitimacy has been determined twice by the proper constitutional forum. Admittedly, appeals have been filed against those rulings. However, Mr. Norton’s legal advisors will inform him that the filing of appeals do not, by and of themselves, operate to stay the decisions appealed against. Further, they ought to advise him that, in any event, it is juridically impossible to stay the dismissal of a case.” 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.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

COM M ENTARY

The Irfaan Ali-Led PPP/C gov’t shepherding Guyana’s Eldorado Destiny By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

here is no doubt that Guyana is on the move, and, with its boundless natural resources, our country is ready to take its position as the lead-country within CARICOM. As Guyana observed its 52nd Republic Anniversary, Guyana has much

to celebrate. After the impoverishing experience of colonialism when England was merely interested in Guyana’s sugar, totally under-estimating the natural resources that Guyana possesses, and after the almost three-decade long dictatorship, post-independence, in which the Forbes Burnham-led gov-

ernment was only interested in power, the stifling poverty among Guyanese lulled us, and the world, into thinking Guyana was simply a basket-case, condemned to be poor forever. But the leaders of the PPP never gave up on Guyana, our El Dorado. The leaders of the PPP firmly and unconditionally

believed that Guyana was a country with wealth and that our people, once we work together, will reveal that wealth. As we observed the 52nd Republic Anniversary last Wednesday, February 23, there can be no doubt that Guyana now stands on the precipice of untold wealth in the years to

come. As President Irfaan Ali declared in his Republic Day message, the worst is now to be left behind and the future is our El Dorado to behold. While Dr. President Irfaan Ali and his PPP Government are moving rapidly to ensure Guyana’s bounty is used to achieve our destiny, there are the leaders of the PNC

and a small group of naysayers who are desperate because they would want Guyana to remain in the doldrums, to remain poor forever. But President Ali is working alongside Vice President Bharat Jagdeo and the PPP Government to mobilize the confidence of the people so that (Turn to page 22)

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

Farmers, agro-processors to benefit... (From page 8) The administration also plans to focus heavily on advancing the local agro-processing sector this year, with more than $261 million to be invested to accelerate the development. “The challenges such as high cost of production, limited financing, restrictive legislation, limited access to markets, and low technology transfer have all persistently hampered the development of the agro-processing sector over the years,” Minister Mustapha underscored. He said the previous government only increased the burden to do business through heavy taxation and no substantial investment in agro-processing. A total of $63 million will go towards retrofitting and equipping three agro-processing facilities in White Water Creek, Shulinab, and Charity this year, as government continues to ensure all agro-processors have easy and affordable ac-

cess to certified processing facilities. This will benefit over 1,500 farmers. A sum of $96.5 million will be invested to ensure the operationalisation of the agro-processing and packaging facilities in Sophia, Parika, and Mabaruma. The facilities are expected to function both for commercial production and product development for small and medium agro-processors and will give domestic consumers have access to high quality, high value and innovative local products that are internationally competitive. Further, the New GMC will invest $19 million to construct the nation’s first ever fruits and vegetables dehydrating facility. A sum of $8 million will be injected into the construction of three solar dryers. These will extend shelflife and reduce post-harvest losses of perishable agricultural commodities.

High time that this... (From page 5) are nowhere closer as to who should be Opposition Leader, far less the rank or status of the guy in Parliament? If you should ask anyone with even half a brain, they would tell you that this is a clear rehash of the 5 months of waiting after General Elections. Yes, it is a disgraceful situation that this country has to be burdened with. But this is the harsh reality of a party called PNC. I know what might be going through the minds of the power brokers in that party, that is, the troubled mingling of the confused conglomeration of parties that make up this disgraceful lot. Was Norton elected leader of the PNC, PNCR and APNU, which is it? Then there is the grouping of sorts of the APNU/AFC which I assume he now heads, what is really going on? It brings us back to that starting point, for a man who got a paltry 30 per cent leadership votes and the

so-called landslide victory over his opponents, tells of a story as my uncle used to say “A confusing ticket to a wily dance.” So, The PNC, PNCR, APNU plus AFC power struggle goes on unabated. This also tells every onlooker that there was bound to be infighting right from the very start. A victory like this shows clearly that he was not the chosen one, there are 70 per cent who loathe him; a percentage he cannot easily ignore. But such is the situation with this motley group and their crazy behaviour; it knows no bounds! Every democracy must have a Leader of The Opposition, and in the present circumstances, the crazy antics of this “coalition of confusion” is of little help. It is high time that this confused lot get their act together and let this country move on. Sincerely, Neil Adams

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

The Irfaan Ali-Led PPP/C gov’t shepherding... Guyana stands proudly as South America’s and Latin America’s true El Dorado. El Dorado is a City of Gold in a mythical tale. As early as 500 BC, stories were circulating of a mythical City of Gold in the Northern South American continent. In the 1500s AD, Sir Walter Raleigh led two expeditions to find this City of Gold. He believed that El Dorado, the City of Gold, was located in what is today known as Guyana. Sir Walter Raleigh

and expeditioners before him and after him believed that El Dorado was a country of huge wealth. Not only were individual expeditioners looking for this City of Gold, but countries, like England, supported these expeditioners. Sir Walter Raleigh, like his fellow expeditioners who looked for this mythical city, never found their El Dorado. But recent happenings within this last decade are leading people to think that Sir Walter Raleigh might

have gotten the location of El Dorado right. It is just that the City of Gold’s wealth was not just gold, but that it was a country with boundless natural resources, such as fertile land that can feed millions in and outside its borders, rick biodiversity with a rainforest that can help stabilize the global climate, gold, diamond, oil, gas, silica sand, stones. While the naysayers relentlessly gripe and while they show their pettiness and ignorance,

the world’s attention was glued last week to Guyana. Given that China was hosting the Winter Olympics and that there was and still continue to be genuine concern that Russia might be invading Ukraine, the fact that Guyana was able to garner as much attention last week as it hosted an important international Oil and Gas Conference is simply remarkable. Four Heads of State were in attendance and dozens of big corporations were represented by CEOs and senior

(From page 17) officers. TV stations and news reporters from around the world converged on Guyana. The excitement generated by the first ever Oil and Gas Conference in Guyana and in the Region is proof that Guyana has emerged as one of the global focal areas for economic development. It is not just that one of the most significant oil discoveries in recent times have been found in Guyana, but it is how the Guyanese Government and its leaders have responded that have created the excitement among international investors and among the Guyanese people. Never has there been more optimism that our fortunes are about to be transformed for the better. Never has there been as much confidence among the people of CARICOM that its traditional basket case has truly emerged as the one to drag CARICOM into a more progressive economic and social space. Never has the world been so persuaded that Guyana stands as one of the most visible examples of economic, social and physical transformation. Guyana’ PPP Government, led by leaders such as President Irfaan Ali and VP Bharat Jagdeo, instead of transforming Guyana’s economy in to an oil economy, as most oil countries have done, is ensuring that Oil and Gas is just one of the industries in a diversified economic platform. Guyana’s leaders, with President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharat Jagdeo leading the advocacy and the implementation, have been wowing the world with a visionary physical, social and economic transformation program. They are ensuring that Guyana does not fall into the trap of depending on Oil and Gas, they are ensuring that Guyana expands and strengthen its tradition economic base, ensuring that Guyana use resources to translate its natural resources to benefit the Guyanese people and the regional economy. Guyana is showing that a major oil and gas industry can exist in a country alongside a low carbon development trajectory. More than 500 years after Raleigh and other expeditioners failed to find their El Dorado, the world is being introduced to the genuine thing today, with natural resources, such as 19.5 gigatons of carbon worth conservatively $US195B, a forestry sector with an estimated value of $US500B, a gold reserve worth approximately $US35B, a total bauxite reserve valued close to $US1B, a quarrying reserve valued at approximately $US1B, a silica sand reserve estimated at 1.5 B tons, valued conservatively at $G37.5B, freshwater capacity estimated at $G4B per annum. Added to this, the richness of Guyana’s agriculture sector which has already made Guyana a food-secured country, can be the main

exporter of food to CARICOM countries. With our natural resources now firmly on the radar, local and international investments have reached unprecedented levels for any country in this Region. Whereas, previously Guyana reveled in foreign direct investment in the tens of millions of US dollars, today FDI has reached into the billions of US dollars. The opportunities keep growing. Our leaders no longer are shy of talking about Guyana reaching developed country status in our lifetime. Our people have begun to believe we can. For this to materialize, Guyana’s energy requirement will be met from a mixed menu of energy projects, including the almost $US1B investment to produce a gas and steam energy project in the Wales area, the Amaila and other hydro projects and the wind farm at Hope. But while President Ali and the PPP government are leading the transformation drive, the naysayers have become more desperate with their message of gloom and doom. That they sound like sour grapes is not discouraging them. As the gas pipelines are being constructed to establish a rich gas industry to go along with the oil industry and to bring clean, cheap energy for our people, the PNC leaders have gone stark mad in demanding that we give up the plan to pipe gas to the coast. As the government updated people on the progress being made in rolling out the gas project, the PNC leaders demand we put a stop to it. They want us to send ships to bring the gas to shore and then transport with trucks. As that message failed to gain traction, the new PNC leader, trying his best to find relevance, is now promising people a new PNC government will eliminate all income taxes. This is the same political party that is known as a tax and spend government when they were in government between 1964 and 1992 and between 2015 and 2020. They never once apologize to the people of Guyana for always increasing the tax burden on people. Not even their most ardent supporters believe them when they say they will eliminate income tax. While a small group of naysayers are obsessed with the Oil Contract, the government is moving swiftly to realize a One Guyana where every citizen benefits. No doubt, Guyana could have signed a better deal. But the oil contract has led to an explosion of opportunities with incomes and earnings that together can dwarf the direct Oil earnings. President Ali, VP Bharat Jagdeo and their government have refused to be bogged down by the angst of a bad oil contract. They have had the vision to turn a sour deal into sweet reward for Guyana and the Guyanese people.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 FEBRUARY, 2022

COVID-19 effects on persons’ mental health depend on stage of pandemic – Health Minister

s positive cases of the coronavirus continue to decrease and restrictions are being lifted, persons are no longer confined to their homes. As such, citizens are no longer facing the challenges of anxiety and depression. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, explained that the level of effects that COVID-19 has on a person’s mental wellbeing depends on the stage of the pandemic. “It depends on what stage of the pandemic we’re looking at. I think at the beginning, when people were locked away because of the curfew and there were a lot of restrictions of movement, I think at that point in time people found it more challenging,” Minister Anthony said. He said there is now

a better understanding of the disease and the ministry has been able to give advice to reduce the anxiety among the population. According to him, persons who recovered from COVID-19, but developed long-term effects – long COVID have shown symptoms including fatigue and brain fog. This is something that we have to pay attention to, and that’s why the unit that we have set up for long COVID would be assessing these types of patients,” Dr. Anthony noted. He is advising persons dealing with anxiety or longCOVID to visit the multidisciplinary team at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to get examined and treated in a timely manner.

Meanwhile, the ministry continues its vaccination across the country. To date, over 430,000 adults took the first dose of a vaccine while over 325,000 people have been fully inoculated, while over 49,000 took their booster shot. Regarding the 12 to 17 age group, over 33,000 children took the first dose, with over 24,000 taking both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Dr. Anthony said the Ministry of Health will be collaborating with the Ministry of Education to visit schools and encourage children to take the jab. “We are going to have, with the Ministry of Education, some dedicated campaigns starting in March, where we’re going to be going out to schools to encourage vaccination,” he said.

MoH urges education to stop spread of COVID misinformation M ore persons are being urged to take their COVID-19 vaccine booster doses as the number is way below expectation. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has said there is a challenge in administering the booster shots across the country. Regions One, Seven, Eight and 10 all recorded less than 1000 persons taking the booster dose. “I think there is a lot of room for im-

provement in these regions. Certainly, they can get past that thousand, but we have to encourage more and more people to come in, generally the booster doses, the rates have been quite low,” Dr. Anthony said. He reiterated that with the Omicron variant, two doses of a vaccine are not enough to protect against the effects of this variant, especially older persons. “…we are seeing in the hospitals now, persons

who are older coming in the hospital, especially those with comorbidities, but if you are fully protected, meaning first, second and booster dose, we are not seeing many of those persons coming into the hospital,” he said. The issue, he noted, lies with antivaxxers in some parts of the regions where persons peddle misinformation which can have a detrimental effect on the health of persons. “Some of these re-

gions they are very problematic, there is a lot of hesitancy and unfortunately there are persons within these regions who are actively working against vaccines, these are antivaxxers, they don’t believe in the benefits of vaccines and they have been constantly undermining the message from the Ministry of Health and other important health authorities,” the health minister stated. These antivaxxers, Dr.

Anthony explained, are sometimes community leaders who are not competent to speak on such matters. “It might be a mixture of the Toshao or sometimes in other cases you might have religious leaders who are peddling this type of misinformation, they are not doing their community a good service, they are actually putting their community at risk,” Minister Anthony noted. He is urging these individuals to desist from spread-

ing misinformation. “We are trying to identify people like this, work with them, explain to them but some of them they are very obstinate in their views, but nevertheless we still have to try.” He is encouraging community leaders, business people or other influential people in the various communities to encourage persons to get vaccinated and boosted once five months have passed since taking a second dose.

Partisan politics must not get in the way of development – Teixeira W

ith Guyana now in its 52nd year as a Republic and on a path to major advancement, Guyanese must not let partisan politics get in the way of its transformational development, according to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira. The political stalwart’s comments were made in Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region

Seven), where she said that while political and other rights must remain sacrosanct, Guyanese must not allow politicians to divide the country with anti-development agenda. She stressed that the country is on the edge of progress and that it is imperative that all benefit. “We must find a way as a people to talk about the development of our town-

ships, of our region and of our nation, in a way that brings progress, jobs and training for our people.” Additionally, she said that the Government has outlined a development path for the country that will protect and develop its natural and human resources. She said, “The Low Carbon Development Strategy will offer development programmes in every

sector of our country. It will look at reducing poverty and improving the quality of lives of people.” ONE GUYANA Teixeira added that, “This is an opportune time for us in all parts of the country to look at ‘One Guyana’…are we on the side of progress? Are we on the side of wanting to sit and watch people fail? Or,

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do we want to watch people succeed?” Notably, President Dr. Irfaan had made clear that the PPP/C Government’s ‘One Guyana’ vision is about promoting greater inclusion at the legislative, political and social levels. Recently, he reiterated that the ‘One Guyana’ vision is about creating a more equal society, guaranteeing that everyone is afforded the opportunity to lead productive and happy lives as well as reducing inequality in access to education, health, employment, income and justice. ‘One Guyana’ vision, in this regard, aims to ensure that every citizen is accorded a dignified existence and with due respect for their rights and with equality before the law.” Further, Budget 2022 caters for the establishment of the One Guyana Commission. Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, in his presentation to the House on January 26, 2022, said, “The governance architecture of this Government is based firmly on inclusivity, participation, transparency and accountability, and the rule of law. It is grounded in the concept and policy thrust of a One Guyana….Budget 2022 anticipates the establishment of the One Guyana Commission in 2022.” The establishment of the One Guyana Commission is a critical pillar of the emerging, new Guyana, Singh declared. The One Guyana Commission, which will be established, seeks to give voice and recognition to all social groups in our society regardless of political affiliation, race, religion, or gender. Under the ‘One Guyana’ vision, all will benefit from Guyana’s resources and that social groups including women, indigenous peoples and young people will be empowered. In February 2021, President Ali had 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 had 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. The President appealed to Guyanese to continue supporting the effort to advance the transformation that has begun – recognizing that “we are stronger together” as a people. “Each of us must resolve to be stronger, better, and more committed to individual, family, community, and country development,” Ali declared.

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