Weekend Mirror 7-8 May 2022

Jagdeo rubbishes Coalition’s ‘campaign of lies’ 7-8 May, 2022 / Vol. 12 ‒ No. 21 / Price: $100

Email: mirror2018.gy@gmail.com

PAGE 12

Volda Lawrence still to explain her role in fraudulent Region 4 declaration PAGE 13

Norton persists in peddling ‘patently false’ claims about bloated Voters’ List PAGE 14

Proposal to remove names of deceased persons from Voters’ Register under consideration PAGE 2

SEE INSIDE Hydromet office PAGE 16 predicts May-July rains to be above normal

Call made for enhanced trust in CARICOM policies by the US PAGE 11 – President Ali discusses climate change, fossil fuels and taxation policies with VP Harris

Gov’t pushing ahead with procurement of FDA-approved COVID-19 treatment for children PAGE 23

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

Proposal to remove names of deceased persons from Voters’ Register under consideration A

new methodology to remove the names of persons who died from the National Register of Registrants (NRR) and, consequently from the Voters’ List, which is extracted from the NRR, is being

reviewed for inclusion into Guyana’s laws.

Vice President Jagdeo, during his most recent news conference, made this disclosure and explained that under the proposal the Chief Election Officer (CEO)

would have to secure a list of all the dead people, to date, from the General Register Office and compare it to the list of registrants, on an annual basis with the intent of removing the names.

He said, “GECOM (the

Guyana Elections Commission) has the right now to remove people from the list based on maybe a death certificate. So we want to make the process transparent so GECOM should do that on a large scale and then by law

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they must share the list with all the political parties and publicise the list of dead people in the newspapers.

“We want to put that into the law so every time they remove dead people, they must share this with all the parties in Guyana and publish it in the newspaper.

It’s not just GECOM (doing this) on their own. “…we want to put that into the law. So, every time they remove dead people, they must share this with all

the parties in Guyana and publish it in the newspapers not just do it in GECOM on their own.”

In August 2019, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, in a ruling, made it clear that GECOM cannot deregister persons from the National Register of Registrants (NRR) – from which the Voters’ List is compiled – unless they are dead or otherwise disqualified under Article 159 (2), (3) and (4) of the Constitution.

GECOM cross-matching fingerprints, verifying residency before producing ID cards

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he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is currently working to ensure that no person is listed on the National Register of Registrants (NRR) more than once.

Accordingly, the Commission is conducting due diligence checks for double registrations by cross-matching the fingerprints of all applicants for registration against those of the registrants who are listed in the NRR. “It follows that fingerprints taken from applicants for registration during any given registration exercise can be dispatched for cross-matching only after the close of the exercise. Fingerprint cross-matching is currently outsourced to an overseas contractor. It is

only after the applicants for registration have been cleared as new applicants for registration, through this methodology, that they are committed to the NRR and ID Cards would be produced for them accordingly. It is not unusual for this to take place until about two months after the closure of the particular registration exercise,” GECOM said.

Further, GECOM in its statement made clear that it is “committed to provide accurate information to all Stakeholders in a timely manner. It is in this regard that this opportunity is taken to provide clarity on (i) the responsibility for the filling of the Registration Forms, (ii) signature of applicants for reg(Turn to page 19)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

PNCR-led Coalition cannot be trusted on financial matters – Jagdeo

W

hen it comes to financial issues, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, contends that the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition cannot be trusted, as demonstrated only recently when the Coalition’s Volda Lawrence attempted a financial analysis of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

At his most recent news conference he said, “On financial matters you can’t trust APNU much….I heard Volda read a statement, but somebody must have prepared it for her… by the way, she is Ashni Singh’s counterpart in the National Assembly. She reports on financial matters. God helps this country if we have to deal with that. She is the chief spokesperson on financial matters now. I don’t want to even

talk about what happened in the drug purchases and tender border under her tenure at the ministry.”

Addressing the issue of NIS, Jagdeo made clear that the NIS investment in the Berbice Bridge Company has seen the Scheme earning some $3.3 billion so far from its $2.5 billion investment.

He said, “First of all, what I was saying about NIS is bankrupt…a question came up at the outreach whether we will increase the benefits from the NIS and let me say first of all, whatever is mandated by law that will be done. So the law mandates an increase in benefits, then that has to be done. But the gentleman was asking about an increase in benefits. So what I said to them, the NIS is practically bankrupt if

you look at the long run, its ability to meet all of its future claims and liabilities. So, I said that the government will intervene to ensure the government has to intervene through various provisions either from the consolidated fund or other sources to ensure that the contributors the past and present contributors can continue 100 years into the future to receive their benefits. That therefore, we need to cure this issue here.

That’s what we have to fix it for that purpose to make sure that it can continue to pay benefit. “…I thought it was important to be honest with people to say fund is in difficult times. And we need to cure it, but we cure it right now for the existing beneficiaries or the existing contributors.

“…under APNU the fund went into deficit bankruptcy basically, formally into bankruptcy, although even before APNU, we had issues with the benefits – not in a long-term way…we have here the accounts for the National Insurance Scheme in 2015, it was had an operating surplus of $968 million, in 2016 $161 million that is an operating surplus. So, it was still had more money in $2017 $175 million in deficit, in 2018 $1.6 billion in deficit, in 2019 $1 billion in deficit, in 2020 $1.7 billion in deficit, so this is what has happened.

You see, it has moved from an operating surplus into now a huge operating deficit. That is what I mean. It was factual.

I can substantiate this. “…she says that we, in the same press release that

I caused $2.5 billion to be invested in the common shares she said common shares of the bridge. So the bridge total common shares is about $400 million total, but we invested $2.5 billion in the common shares. She doesn’t understand financial structuring. So let me let me go through with you a little bit about what NIS investment has been in the bridge.

They invested $300 million in bond one, which is at 9%.

Bond two is $760 million, and that’s at a 10% rate.

Then the subordinated debt is $500 million at 11%. Preference shares $950 million and common shares $80 million. So what has NIS so far received as a result of this investment. So on the bonds, the $300 million was paid back, and they received $276

million in interest. So on that investment of $300 million, they receive back their $300 million and $276 million in interest, so they got $576 million. On the $760 million dollars, they receive $995 million in interest. So they will receive more in interest than the principal investment. So, when you put the two combined, that’s close to over $1.8 billion they got back. On the subordinated debt that’s ongoing $65 million has been redeemed so far and the they receive $517 million in interest and on the preference shares $268 million on common shares which is only $80 million they have not received any return.”

NIS will continue to reap the rewards of its investment, according to him.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

EDITORIAL

On the PNCR’s attempt to have Guyanese join the ranks of the informationally adrift

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he five months following the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections exposed, widely, the penchant of the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition for peddling barefaced untruths to the Guyanese people.

Since the August 2, 2020 swearing in the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government, led by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, the Coalition has not changed tracks, but instead have persisted with its misinformation – demonstrating its commitment to this misguided agenda.

Most recently, Guyanese saw the attempt by the Coalition’s Volda Lawrence to proffer an analysis about the financial position of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

The uninformed comments were exposed by former Finance Minister, former President and current Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, who said: “On financial matters you can’t trust APNU much….under APNU, the fund went into deficit bankruptcy basically, formally into bankruptcy, although even before APNU we had issues with the benefits not in a long-term way…we have here the accounts for the National Insurance Scheme in 2015, it was had an operating surplus of $968 million, in 2016 $161 million that is an operating surplus. So, it was still had more money in $2017 $175 million in deficit, in 2018 $1.6 billion in deficit, in 2019 $1 billion in deficit, in 2020 $1.7 billion in deficit, so this is what has happened.

You see, it has moved from an operating surplus into now a huge operating deficit. That is what I mean. It was factual. I can substantiate this….She (Volda Lawrence) reports on financial matters God helps this country if we have to deal with that. She is the chief spokesperson on financial matters now.

I don’t want to even talk about what happened in the drug purchases and tender border under her tenure at the ministry.

But this is the point I was making, then numbers. You can go and check it.”

Secondly, this week, we saw the transparent attempt by Norton to seemingly seek to advocate for the interests of Indo-Guyanese, by calling for the designation of Arrival Day as Indian Arrival Day. Norton fails to recognise that it was the National Assembly in 2004, via a Special Select Committee, that designated May 5th and May 26th as national holidays, using a resolution. To change this, a motion can be brought to the House. Instead of acting, Norton, seemingly, prefers to just lip service to the cause he claims to be advocating for in an attempted effort to make the PPP/C administration look bad.

Important to note is that these forays do no national good; rather they create distractions from the quintessentially important task of nation building – to have our country and people experience development and advancement.

Recall, the one death certificate that was produced by the APNU+AFC Coalition to support its claim that scores of dead persons voted at the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. The claim was initially made in a Guyana Chronicle article on May 20, 2020 – headlined ‘’Coalition provides proof of dead persons voting’ – and the report included the death certificate of Chitnandani Ramdass. The report cited comments from a APNU+AFC Coalition counting agent, Ganesh Mahipaul, who said, “From ballot box 210, serial number 257 was registered as 81-year-old Chitnandani Ramdass, but the party has a death certificate confirming that Ramdass died on June 6, 2015.” The Coalition essentially claimed that Ramdass’ name was ticked off on the Official List of Electors use by the Polling Clerk at the polling station and claimed that this meant that a dead person voted. However, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) candidate, Deodat Indar, has sine made public the Observation Report for the station recounting ballots from Ballot Box 2107 from polling station, 221223A, at Mariah’s Hall Nursery School.

The Official List of Electors use by the Polling Clerk showed clearly that Ramdass’ name was not ticked off. Expectedly, in a new twist, the Coalition’s Aubrey Norton, said none of the dead persons they claimed voted did so in any of the APNU+AFC Coalition strongholds. Norton on May 27, 2020 had said: “When you call the names of the dead, they didn’t vote in APNU+AFC strongholds.”

This was one of the many wild allegations made by the PNCR-led Coalition.

Thankfully, most Guyanese are discerning and are able to detect what is real amid the cacophony of mininformation.

At the same time, Guyanese must hold accountable those declaring themselves leaders and demand a commitment to truth. Our people deserve leaders that they can trust and leaders must recognise their duty to the Guyanese people – to be truthful, not to attempt to have them informationally marooned for the purpose of cheap political points and gain.

PNCR-led Coalition’s antics must not prevent move toward ensuring new and dynamic leadership in the various LAAs Dear Editor,

T

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), is rolling out several concurrent activities that indicate the hastening of preparations for LGEs expected to be held later this year. The GECOM website and widely circulated newspapers and media provide evidence of efforts to fill lower levels of vacancies alongside the ongoing nationwide Continuous Registration exercise scheduled to end on May 29, 2022.

These activities along with reactions from the leading political forces are worthy of observation and interrogation in the evolving framework.

Elements of the Opposition have recently subscribed to much banal ‘bruhaha,’ seeking to influence or delay GECOM’s decisions regarding the conduct of the current Continuous Registration exercise. GECOM did not succumb! The Opposition representatives in the legally supported and necessary undertakings are now seemingly exercising a reposed focus of participation, targeted at ensuring the accuracy of the process which is certainly progressing very well. This fact is evidenced by reports of approximately fifty thousand completed transactions conducted as of April 29, 2022.

Our youths must be commended for their genuine interest in the process. The related available statistics are indeed most encouraging since it reveals that more than twenty thousand new eligible voters were registered.

Further, over sixteen thousand new registrants between the ages of 14 and 17 years were recorded by the registration offices of GECOM. Currently, the records based on the tally received from participating Party Scrutineers are showing about three thousand transfers and are likely to increase. This position is reflective of and recognizes the massive housing drive by the PPP/C. The process is also showing that our people are doing the relevant name changes and National Identification cards are also in demand.

As the Mobile Registration process gains momentum, we are witnessing a total togetherness between the functioning parties Scrutineers, and the GECOM officials. With the completion of this continuous registration process, the Guyana Election Commission Registration Officials should be undertaking verification visits to the homes of applicants and it is anticipated that GECOM will follow up the cross-referencing process by considering fingerprints to remove possible duplications.

Consequently, the target result is the realization of an updated Register of Registrants for the nation to peruse during a Claims and Objection period so that the nation could have an updated Voters’ List. The united action with the scrutineers and the public is highly appreciated since it is an acceptable mechanism that leads GECOM to produce an acceptable Voters List that is reflective of accountable areas of residential accuracy needed for the LGEs. In this regard, GECOM must be commended providing that all efforts are taken to ensure the acceptable credentials of those persons employed.

Editor, as a backdrop to the emerging environment characterized by Aubrey Norton as Opposition Leader, the nation notes President Ali’s full-cycle ‘energizer type’ work ethic, which keeps on going and going and going in a distinctly admirable way. Along with the PPPC leadership team, his flexible multi-tasking undertakings and endeavors; signal the strongest determination to exceed and deliver Manifesto promises together with widespread resulting benefits for all Guyanese via the implementation of a strategic charter through the well-oiled PPPC machinery.

President Ali’s excellent leadership of a cadre of astute professionals exemplifies the Governments' purposeful forward push! This team is not expected to await the indeterminate results of the PNCR internal problem-solving in a setting and environment imbued with conflict now led by Norton as Opposition Leader. Importantly, the selection

of Opposition Leader was delayed for months, despite becoming the Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) last December, Norton was only sworn in as a Parliamentarian within the past two weeks. Notably, the President had since February indicated his intention to meet with the selected leader when appointed, to address the constitutional perfunctory obligations.

Meanwhile, Aubrey Norton has signaled a demand for a broader agenda of discussions including issues that are of concern to both the government and parliamentary opposition. Along the way, however, his constant bruhaha has been tempered with the implied indication of threats if he does not have his way. He has no authority to dictate, given the incessant hold-ups and delays resulting from PNCR internal party ramblings to now makeup time for inefficacies in the expected meeting with President Ali. Therefore, Norton must get his house in order!

To move Guyana forward with fluency, there is a need for objectivity in the relevant and immediate discussion between the Leader of the Opposition and President Dr. Irfaan Ali, and these must take place in an acceptable and peaceful environment. The infighting in the PNC/R exemplified by the recent Van West-Charles fiasco and the like, must not manifest itself in public. More so, we must have mature discussions at the national level. The outcome of this initial engagement may set the tone for future consistent meetings and meaningful fluency toward joint decisions and the realization of broad-based Guyanese interests with alacrity.

Let us all continue the encouragement of all eligible citizens in the embrace of the GECOM process, towards the enhancement of new and dynamic leadership in the various Local Authority Areas; without further undue delays in the anticipated upcoming Local Government Elections.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

There is no alternative to a free and independent media Dear Editor,

G

uyana has come a long way in terms of freedom of the press. Today the press is free to cover events or to comment on issues of national importance as they see fit, which is quite unlike what transpired under the Forbes Burnham regime when the opposition media were starved of newsprint and other inputs.

Both the Mirror and the Catholic Standard, which were considered ‘opposition’ media, were forced to close down for varying periods due to failure by the then PNC regime to grant licences to important newsprint.

As we observe World Press Freedom Day we need to reflect on those dark days when there were restrictions on press freedom and freedom of expression on the whole. Today, there is complete freedom of expression in Guyana, even though the same cannot be said for several other countries where journalists are being harassed, tortured and in some cases killed for having dared to publish the truth.

Only recently a journalist was killed while covering the war in Ukraine. We have to be grateful for those journalists who are putting their lives at risk for covering stories, at times under difficult conditions. Over two dozen journalists have so far died in their line of duty while covering the war in Ukraine.

It is said that the pen is mightier than the

sword. There is a lot of truth in that saying.

Indeed, the world is a richer and better place, thanks to our journalists. The media have an important ‘watchdog’ role to play in terms of holding governments in check but it must do so in a balanced and objective manner. Too often there is a ‘man bite dog’ approach to news coverage with the main objective of focusing on the sensational rather than what is in the best national interest.

Be that as it may, there is no alternative to a free and independent media. This is good for the health of the society and an integral component of our evolving information society.

The media landscape in Guyana and the world as a whole has changed significantly with the emergence of social media which has now created a unique platform for people from all walks of life to have their say. It is no longer possible to suppress the truth and people today are much more knowledgeable of what is taking place in the world.

I wish to take this opportunity to salute all our media professionals on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day. I always believe that in the market place of ideas, no individual has a monopoly. Let a thousand ideas bloom!

Yours faithfully, Hydar Ally

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 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 ’ $600M to be spent on roads in Linden $32.7M Water System Commissioned in Monkey T Mountain ‒ 800 persons to now benefit S ome 800 residents in the remote community of Monkey Mountain, Potaro – Sipuruni (Region Eight) can now boast of improved water supply.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, recently commissioned the $32.7 million Water Supply Improvement Project in the village. “This signals the fulfillment of our People’s Progressive Party/Civic government to develop all communities. When we speak of development, we also refer to your social upliftment and so the delivery of water to villages such as yours is a necessity,” the Minister stated.

The new well was drilled through rocks at a depth of

100 meters in central Monkey Mountain, where the schools and health centre operate. It now provides access to 95 percent of residents.

Previously, the community utilized an existing gravity-fed system, which is deteriorated and could not supply adequate water.

This system supplied water to the central area, while Section Two, which is approximately 2 kilometers away, has a separate system that pumps water from a nearby creek. Expansion of the new system is currently being explored.

“This system belongs to all of you, it is important to the village and as such I ask that you care for it as best

as you can,” Minister Croal urged residents in his closing remarks.

Community Service Officers will also be trained in water system operation and maintenance to assist in management of the project.

Director of Hinterland Services at the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Mr. Ramchand Jailal, further explained that the new well is equipped with a photovoltaic pumping system, with a submersible pump, controller, solar panels and accessories.

The project was completed by R. Kissoon Contracting Services. Other works included installation of 3000 meters of 50mm (2″) polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes (Turn to page 20)

he Ministry of Public Works will soon be rolling out a massive infrastructural development programme in Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice), that will see a number of roads being upgraded Linden at an estimated cost of over $600 million.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, conducted an inspection of the roads to be done in Industrial Area, Kara Kara, Amelia’s Ward, Silver City and Block 22.

He was accompanied by Regional Executive Officer (REO), Dwight John and a team of engineers from the ministry.

Minister Edghill explained that the interventions are as a result of representations made by residents during Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s outreach in Linden last month. “…

So, I’ve have gone myself to see the state of the roads and the fact of the matter is the state of the roads in Region 10 is horrible because it’s clear no proper maintenance and rehabilitation was done over the last period, so things have gotten worse,” he noted.

The minister said the tendering process for the projects will commence shortly, after which works will commence.

Additionally, Minister Edghill said the ministry is finalising the programme for sub-district two – Kwakwani, Hururu and Landersville and sub-district oneWismar and Mackenzie, as well as the road to Muritaro, and Malali, among others.

In the case of the internal roads in Kwakwani, the minister noted that the minimum that has to be spent on that is $200 million. Those works will be done as part of the ministry’s 2022 hinterland work programme.

This year, the sum of $76.7 billion was budgeted in the national budget to improve roads and bridges countrywide.

Over $30B to address flooding in several regions

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he government has embarked on a transformational plan to provide a long-term solution to flooding countrywide, which will see an expen-

diture of some $32 billion.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo made the disclosure during a recent meeting. The discussion comes on the heels of a

recent consultation held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, to discuss strategic flooding interventions in Regions Two, (Turn to page 21)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 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 ’

Region 7 gets maternal, child health centre

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n keeping with government’s commitment to provide quality healthcare services and improved infrastructure in all 10 administrative regions, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, M.P. recently commissioned a newly constructed Maternal and Child Health Centre in Bartica, Region Seven.

“This is one of many things that would be happening in this region. We are looking at 16 other health centres, health posts in the region where we’ll be doing some work, we’ll be spending $100 million on those institutions and hopefully we can make some upgrades,”

Dr. Anthony said.

He said such institutions are important to ensuring a healthy population. Without proper care, the minister said, many complications could occur that could impact the life of a child. “The care that you give to the mother who is pregnant, it is that care, once we do that well, that child will be born a healthy child,” the minister noted.

Further, while speaking to health workers, Dr. Anthony said “we will work with you to enhance your skills so that we can improve the quality of service that we are offering.”

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer, Region Seven, Dr. Edward Sagala said the health of mothers and children is not one ‘to play with.’ He urged healthcare workers in the region to continue their hard work and commitment to provide the best services to citizens.

“This is a dream come true, it’s a beautiful building, but infrastructure alone cannot function in a vacuum. It takes people and not just people, it takes people who are committed, dedicated and passionate,” Dr. Sagala said.

The centre was constructed at a cost of $26.3M.

Over $240M in contracts inked for infrastructural works in Regions Two, Three

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he Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development signed 12 contracts worth over $240 million to commence the construction of several roads, bridges and other infrastructural works in Regions Two and Three. Six contracts each were awarded to local contractors in the respective regions.

Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, witnessed the signings held at the respective boardrooms of the Regional Democratic Councils, and told the contractors that the exercise forms part of government’s effort to push community infrastructure development thus, enhancing the lives

of citizens. He said, “We expect that these contracts are going to be completed within the specified contract period. It is usually a policy of the government that we do not engage in variation even before contracts or the first phase is being implemented.”

With this in mind, the minister advised the regional engineers to monitor these projects to ensure contractors provide quality work in every community. As such, the bill of quantity for these projects will be published.

“These investments are crucial where thousands of people will benefit and being a partner of the government

in this development process, we look forward to working with you,” he stated.

Minister Dharamlall encouraged the contractors to not only work together with the locals, but employ them to ensure money is circulating in the region.

The Minister also handed over two tractors to the Region Two administration to boost the region’s agriculture programme. The machines will be used to support maintenance work for farmers.

The contracts signed in Region Two represent 16 percent of the region’s capital programme, which accounts for over $860 million.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 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 ’

$650M pump station to be built ‘Silica City’ will be progressive model at Canal No.1 Polder for similar developments

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overnment has inked a $650 million contract with Well Built Construction Service to establish a pump station at the Canal Number One sluice, West Bank Demerara.

The multi-million-dollar investment is expected to benefit approximately 3, 000 acres of residential and farmlands for cash and permanent crops in the West Demerara community.

The contract was among a host of agreements signed through the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), in the ministry’s boardroom recently.

Another $46.4 million contract was awarded to

BDE Recycling for the rehabilitation of drainage culverts in Bartica, Region Seven.

The restoration of the culverts will benefit the entire township, with approximately 250 acres of farmlands and about 17,000 residents.

Similarly, BDE Recycling will also be conducting drainage and irrigation works at Good Intent, West Bank Demerara, at the cost of some $34.2 million.

Avinash Constructing and Scrap Metal Inc. also received a $34.4 million to repair the steel sheet pile revetment at the Hubu sluice, on the East Bank of Essequibo.

At Mahaica Region Five, several concrete bridges will

be constructed to the tune of $81.6 million. The projects will be completed by N&S General Engineering and Contracting and I&R Construction.

“I want to urge contractors that we will not extend the time. Last year we would have had some problems with contracts, let us hope that we correct those problems and get these works finished on time,” Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, emphasised during the signing ceremony.

The minister iterated that the agriculture sector is critical, and as such, the government is making budgetary allocations available to ensure the country is food secure.

– Minister Croal tells UN General Assembly

A

ddressing the United Nations’ (UN) High Level Meeting of the General Assembly in New York, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, highlighted Guyana’s aggressive housing programme and plans for the development of the new ‘Silica City.’

The high-level meeting was convened to assess the progress of the implementation of the UN’s New Urban Agenda.

Minister Croal said Guyana has seen a continuous reduction in the ratio of the urban population to the total population; and a reduction in rural-urban migration as

development in rural areas has accelerated over the last two decades. “This is due in part to the implementation of an ambitious country-wide housing programme, premised on a number of key actions, including countrywide distribution of house lots, the development of new housing schemes and improving access to finance for low-income earners,” he stated.

Minister Croal said government is focused on further transforming Guyana, through the application of globally established principles of sustainable development.

With Georgetown being below sea level, Minister Croal

said government is moving ahead with plans to establish the new city, ‘Silica City’ along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

The establishment of this new urban centre is a brainchild of His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. The projected population over the next 20 years will be approximately 50,000 or 12,500 households.

Therefore, within the first five years, it is expected that the city would be developed to cater for at least 3,125 households.

Minister Croal asserted that this will serve as a progressive model for similar developments. To this end, he said Guyana has underscored the (Turn to page 20)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

$162M to improve water distribution in Region Eight T

he government through the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) will be investing $162 million to improve access to potable water in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), according to Minister of Housing and Water.

The minister made the announcement during a recent outreach to the region.

He said new water supply systems will be established in Itabac at the cost of $48 million; Kamana, $38 million; Maikwak, $38.2 million; and Sandhill, $38.2 million.

The minister said these investments are as a result of the PPP/C Administration’s commitment to ensuring 100 percent access to potable water in the hinterland regions

and riverine communities by 2025. He said, “As a government we have committed that we will spend more money into the hinterland to ensure that we bridge the gap of potable water to all of the villages and to the households.

Already, in just 18 months, we have invested over $150 million in Region Eight for new water distribution networks in various villages.”

Among the communities benefiting from new and improved water distribution systems are Monkey Mountain, $32.6 million; Kaibarupai ; $34.6 million; Taruka , $26.5 million; Kato, $20 million, and El Paso, $5.1 million.

Additionally, Minister Croal said works are ongo-

ing in the Mahdia township to extend the distribution network to Danju Hill and Pepper Hill to provide first time access to 25 households.

Meanwhile, during the outreach, Minister Croal handed over the $47 million contract to the community of Itabac for the construction of the new water distribution system. The community, which has a population of close to 300 persons, has an existing water supply system which became dilapidated several years ago.

The scope of the Itabac project includes the drilling of a new potable water well, installation of 3,000 metres of 50mm (2″) PVC pipes and 1,500 metres of 19mm (3/4″) pipes with 60 service

connections, as well as elevated storage tanks, solar panels and accessories and a photovoltaic system.

Minister Croal said the project will provide access to potable water for 95 per cent of the residents of Itabac.

The contract was awarded to R. Kissoon Contracting Services. “It signals once again that this Irfaan Ali – led government will ensure that our people, no matter where you live, no matter which mountain separates you, you are part of the development process in Guyana,” Minister Croal reiterated.

Community Service Officers will also be trained in water systems operation and maintenance to assist in management of the systems.

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$29M Dagg Point Nursery School completed S

ome 64 young children of Dagg Point, Region Seven will finally be able to access nursery education within their community for the first-time.

This follows the completion of a $29 million nursery school by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

Minister Nigel Dharamlall, stated the initiative fulfills a promise made to residents during a previous meeting there. It is also in keeping with government’s commitment to provide equal education opportunities to all. “So, in the next two weeks, we’re going to put furniture in the school and hopefully, in the near future, all the children of Dagg Point are going to be coming to school right here, rather than going into Bartica, or to Agatash,” he stated.

The minister reiterated that education is an essential tool in the country’s development and as such, government will do what it can to ensure the nation’s youths become well-rounded individuals.

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Kerwin Ward, expressed gratitude to government for its intervention, noting that transportation issues will no longer affect parents. “The children from Dagg Point have to travel all the way to Bartica or Agatash to attend school, which can be a constraint for parents to

find transportation cost. They … have to get up early in the morning to get to Agatash, hence a decision was taken to build a school in this area to assist the people here,” he explained.

Ward noted that the children there will be exposed to similar amenities as those residing on the coastland.

In addition, the minister also expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the electricity extension programme in the community.

For years, residents were required to use kerosene lamps and/or generators to power their respective households.

He said, “I am happy to see that our power company is pushing poles into the village, and very soon residents will benefit from the upcoming road project.”

Dagg Point residents are expected to benefit from the $600 million, 1.5-megawatt solar farm being constructed in Bartica. It is set to be completed by June 1, which aids in the overall development of the town.

The solar farm will reduce fuel costs, and aid the transition from fossil fuel to greater use of renewable energy, thus reducing Guyana’s carbon footprint. It also is in keeping with government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.

The project is being constructed by Farfan & Mendes Limited and SOVENTIX Caribbean S.R.L.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

EXHIBITION & SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES & BENEFITS

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Call made for enhanced trust in CARICOM – President Ali discusses climate change, fossil fuels and policies by the US taxation policies with VP Harris A

call was made for a better working relationship between the United States of America and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), especially in understanding and respecting the policies of the Region, by President Dr. Irfaan Ali. In a virtual discussion with the Vice President of the USA, Kamala Harris, the Guyanese Head of State spoke about the “strong and strengthened relationship” between the US and Guyana, but he also called for more trust and better coordination at both the country-to-country level and between the US and CARICOM. He said,

“There is an absolute need for the building of trust—trust in our policy formulation, and trust and predictability in what we do; trust in the partnership that we seek to endeavour and this trust, I think, must lead to an institutional arrangement, outside of the annual meeting that will allow us to address some very key issues—energy and climate change being two of them.”

The President joined the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Mottley in Bridgetown for the virtual meeting, where he also called for the need to address international taxation policies,

the future direction of those policies and the possibility of their severe impact on the Region’s economies. He said, “Many of our countries are facing a disproportionate application of international regulation and laws.”

CARICOM AND FOSSIL FUELS President Ali also spoke extensively on climate change and fossil fuels. He said that while the world is heading in the direction of reducing its dependence on fossil fuels, locking out new suppliers can create a monopoly for those who are currently involved in the oil

industry. He said, “The question is, if you’re locking out new suppliers, it is to whose advantage? We can be very well creating a monopoly for those who are already in the business, who have already extracted this natural resource and developed their own jurisdiction.”

He said that this is an issue that requires an “in-depth conversation” and that the region “must be part of that conversation in defining this policy going forward”.

The President also spoke about Guyana’s standing forest, which stores 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon and is worth US$500b. He said that the

Gov’t accessibility reaffirmed at World Press Freedom Day T

he belief in the full freedom of the press was stressed by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, during his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the World Press Freedom Day 2022 National Conference and Symposium, held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Tuesday (May 3, 2022).

He also made it clear that he is open to constructive criticism and is very accessible to the media. Ali said, “…I would reposition this message that this Government that I lead, and this President that sits here has been the most accessible Government; unprecedented in the media anytime in the history and that will continue that way.”

Freedom of the press, he explained, is not without responsibility and must be practiced within the confines of rules, laws and the constitution that exists in democratic societies. He said, “What constitutes laws and construct of constitutional frame in some other societies that are not democratic has limitations that are not necessarily part of the collective goal of freedom.”

The President expressed the hope that the partici-

pants in the two-day symposium will “spend some time understanding, fundamentally, these concepts and how they’re changing”.

He pointed to the importance of adhering to the basic principles of journalism, including fairness, responsibility, objectivity, balance, knowledge and understanding, truthfulness, accuracy, respecting the rule of law and impartiality.

ABSOLUTE NEED FOR ACCURACY The President also underscored the need for shedding preconceived notions and biases when crafting and relaying messages.

He used the pandemic as an example of how information flow can create severe hardship on a fundamental matter like public health.

He said, “What is information versus sensationalisation? What is news versus marketing…what is speed versus responsibility?”

GOOD GOVERNANCE President Ali said that another important aspect the conversations should address is good governance; this he said is not only applicable to the executive of a country.

Good governance, he noted, can only occur when institutions and systems in the country, whether at the very local level, the regional level, the private sector level, institutions, organisations, all agree to conduct themselves within a framework that promotes good governance- which includes accountability and fairness.

He also acknowledged the Government’s responsibility in protecting the media and the importance of partnerships, particularly since the state needs the media to disseminate information. He said, “The Government in a democracy must be able to protect those who operate with the objectivity, impartiality, and the responsibility and decency in which they carry out their trade. The Government has to ensure that they (media workers) are protected and ensure that they are able to practice their profession, that they are respected even when the views are different.”

PARTNERSHIPS President Ali said too that it was “absolutely necessary” to have information sharing, which is in turn linked with education and

educating journalists about the development path of the country.

The President said he was also pleased to see “young faces” at the event since it is this younger generation who will be tasked with manoeuvring through a rapidly changing environment and promised them that Government would ensure that they are able to practice their craft with impartiality. He said, “My hope is for us to begin a movement in which every citizen understands the true nature of freedom, the importance of freedom within the construct of a democratic society.”

Scores of media representatives, members of the Diplomatic Community and Government officials were also at the opening of the two-day event hosted by the Department of Public Affairs under the theme, ‘Journalism under Surveillance- Partnerships in Communication for Development –C4D’.

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for Public Affairs, the Honourable Kwame McCoy and the UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana Yesim Oruc also delivered remarks.

annual revenue the country should receive from carbon credits stands at US$200m.

On the matter of climate change, adaptation and mitigation, the President explained that forested countries, such as Guyana, are not prioritised.

He said that Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson assured him this week that “he is spearheading an effort” to ensure that standing forests become a priority. He said, “I think this need also to be on the [US] agenda.”

The issue of climate change, according to President Ali, requires stronger

conversations, especially when it comes to financial pledges from developed nations.

The President also spoke about energy sustainability, food security and regional security and about the bolstered relationship between Guyana and the US. He said, “The US is playing a major role in the development of our energy sector from the private sector’s perspective and I must say, at the diplomatic level, the representation locally has also helped us.”

President Ali stopped in Barbados while returning to Guyana from a four-day visit to the United Kingdo.

Guyana ready to collaborate with the Czech Republic and Nigeria in food security G

uyana is ready to collaborate with the Czech Republic and the Federal Republic of Nigeria in agriculture and food security among other areas, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali. President Ali made this statement after accepting the letters of accreditation from the two countries’ diplomats - Nigerian Ambassador, H.E Abubakar Danlami Ibrahim and Czech Republic’s High Commissioner H.E Sandra Lang Linkensederova – at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive on Thursday (May 4, 2022).

He said that since agriculture is a traditional sector of the Czech Republic’s economy, the two countries should seek cooperation in the area. The President further noted that Guyana is also on a path to improving its health facilities and would welcome the Czech Republic’s assistance in the area. He said, “It is my hope that we could embark upon a practical programme of bilateral cooperation in these and other areas for the mutual benefit of our peoples.

President Ali also told the Nigerian Ambassador that he is looking forward to the continued exchanges between the two countries’ defence forces, as well as the possible signature of the negotiated bilateral air services agreement. He said, “Such an agreement will aid in the expansion of our trade relationships with Nigeria—an area which our two nations have already begun to embark upon, and it will also help to create vital connections on a regional and international scale.”

The President also told the Ambassador that since both Nigeria and Guyana are oil-producing nations, they can share experiences and explore avenues for economic security. He also reminded him that Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy aims to support economic transformation through cleaner and cheaper energy, and the provision of climate and ecosystem services while allowing the country to invest in climate change adaptation and mitigation.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

Positions from Vice Pre

[Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo addressed several issu

Outreaches are essential ‘feedback mechanism’ as PPP/C works to deliver for Guyanese D

uring the many outreaches, many discussion have emerged based on the issues raised by Guyanese who were engaged.

And Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, made clear that the outreaches are an essential feedback mechanism.

“This is an essential part of our ethos as the PPP, which is keeping in touch with people on the ground… the best form of that engagement is to gather your information directly from the people, without that information being sterilized… the only way you can get a feedback on how your policies are affecting people is go to the ground and listen to them….it is essential for a country like ours to give people that sort of forum,” he said, during his most recent news conference.

Jagdeo added that a country’s democratic credentials are thought to be bolstered by more formal engagements, such as conferences, etc., but the biggest test of a participatory democracy is how much a government can give people a voice at every level in rural and urban areas.

“This is the ultimate test of a participatory democracy… the NGOs may not like that, some of that, because many of them will never do what we do….to allow free expression without censorship or fear…it is an important thing when people can stand up and fearless speak…that is good for a democracy…. we see that all as positive, even the criticisms about government services….it gives us an opportunity to fix the issues,” he said.

The Vice President noted

that the PPP/C government’s approach to engaging Guyanese has been long-awaited, given that the former APNU+AFC Coalition government operated in a manner that railroaded ordinary Guyanese. He added that between 2011 and 2015, the former PPP/C government was engaged in a Parliamentary struggle to get is programmes advanced, given that national budgets were cut, etc. “You have had almost 10 years without engagement….we are talking about 10 or 11 years of accumulated issues at the personal level and people have waited patiently and I admire that…people waited 10 years to see their policy makers back on the ground,” he said.

While the last few years have been spent on iden-

tification, planning, feasibility studies and getting transformative projects to the stage of execution, the PPP/C government is fully cognisant of the other issues that must be addressed. “For a person who has to travel on a bad street every day, that is more important to them than a highway, despite that in the long term, the bigger projects are critical….the PPP has to balance these interests…. we have been conscious to balance the two interests, improvement in the daily lives of people and the transformative agenda,” Jagdeo said.

Consequently, he reiterated that the PPP/C government is committed to delivering for all Guyanese.

Additionally, he charged that work was also done to dismantle misguided notions that have been peddled, in-

cluding views about the use of oil and gas resources, views that may be popular, but in reality are unsustainable. “We spent time to address what we promised in the manifesto, in terms of the transparency and accountability concerns…. the more people on the ground understand that, they will see that we will grow wealthy, but we have to manage carefully,” he said.

The development plan for each Region, according to him, is another area that regional outreaches have addressed, including by demonstrating recognition of the unique challenges faced by each Region. “We have looked at all of that and we have crafted regional plans to boost the economies in the Regions and to create more employment, in the

short term using government resources while we can help people transition to employment in the private sector…we have plans to do co-investment to de-risk attracting private capital to the Regions….we have structural shifts that we are focusing on to move some of the momentum in Region 3 and 4 and move that into Regions 5 and 6. We wanted people to know about this… our focus is to ensure we can help ordinary people,” he said.

To date outreaches, led

by Jagdeo, have been held in Regions 2, 5, 6, and 10. This is in addition to outreaches done by President Dr. Irfaan Ali. Also, senior PPP/C government officials, including Ministers and technical staff, also remain engaged with communities.

Jagdeo rubbishes Coalition’s Guyana will not ‘slavishly’ accept pr T ‘campaign of lies’ T he PPP/C government’s outreach in Region 10 seems to have engendered upset among the ranks of the APNU+AFC Coalition, according to Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

And he contends that the PPP/C’s objective in Region 10 is the same as in the other Regions – to ensure opportunities for all Guyanese, specifically in the area of education for youths. “The PNC has controlled Region 10, the same way they have controlled the (Georgetown) City Council since independence,” he said, noting that little has been done in areas controlled by the PNCR-led Coalition.

He said, “Norton ran down there (to Region 10) after our visit to make promises…he just had to say something…they could have done what they are promising now in the last five years…suddenly because we said anyone who wants a scholarship will be supported, he runs down there to say they will build a campus there when they get back to government. “…Norton also ran down to Linden to claim that the PPP/C will remove the elec-

tricity subsidy, knowing it was an emotive issue…nothing of the sort….knowing it is not true, he was preying on people’s concerns….knowing it was a lie….he was there lying to people….it is because they are fearful that what we promise, we will deliver. “…I see them talking about land….(Jermaine) Figueira said, through NICIL, we are allocating land….if any land grabbing took place it was Figueira and others like himself and many of it happened after 2020 Elections.”

Jagdeo reminded that in June 2019, sacked Chief Elections Officer (CEO) at the Guyana Elections Commission, Keith Lowenfield.

Lowenfield received: 216

acres at Millie’s Hideout, Region 10; and 2 acres at Mocha, Region 4. He added that Figueira and his brother were part of the many who were given land after the March 2020 Elections – as reflected in a publication of the Official Gazette dated March 21, 2020, a document that was 180 pages of giveaways of land by the Coalition when, at the time, the former government has lost the General and Regional Elections.

Jagdeo surmised that the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition is likely to advance its “campaign of lies” to attempt to mislead Guyanese. However, he made clear that the “campaign of lies” will not be allowed to stand.

he PPP/C government, even in working with local and international organisations, will not be made to slavishly accept, without question, pronouncements made these entities, according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Commenting on the recently released National Poll of Guyana, which was conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI), he underscored the fact that the findings and conclusions of the report are in question because of the fact that only 300 persons responded to the survey. He said, “With a 20 per cent response, so that is 300…that is why we argued that with a response so low, it makes the findings of the poll horribly inaccurate…they use 300 persons to extrapolate on all sorts of issues…it doesn’t make sense.”

Of a sample of 1,500, the IRI admitted a 20 per cent response rate, meaning only 300 persons responded.

He said, “The IRI played a huge role in ensuring democracy around the world and in Guyana too…we will work with the IRI to advance our democracy….if they needed a poll to justify funding to do this work, this was not the premise of which they should have worked.

The Vice President added

that Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, has comprehensively responded to this matter.

COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE In comments on the survey done between January 4, 2022 and January 24, 2022, Teixeira stated that unlike other surveys done concerning humans and human development in Guyana, no approach was made by the IRI to the Health Ministry’s Ethics Review Board; the rate of response was far below the standard, average a mere 20 per cent; and the convenient sampling of 1,500 persons cannot realistically be extended as a representation of Guyana. Further, she argued that the skewed survey, with its convenient sampling, is already being used opportunistically by critics of the Government.

Teixeira said, “Any poll done in Guyana requires that it goes before the Ministry of Health Ethical Review Board…there are others entities that one has to go to if you're doing a poll on scientific aspects of Guyana, biodiversity, etc. But in regard to any poll being done on humans, it must go through the Ethical Review Board, which has technical people on it. We're not aware that such a request

was made, nor approval given for this survey being done by the IRI. And because of the length of the survey and the detail in the survey, it certainly should have gone. To bolster this is the fact that MICS, which was a Multi-Indicator Cluster Survey, which was done, as well as the UNDP socio-economic impact of COVID; these are all went through the Ethical Review Board. So, this is one concern about the ethical issues to do with the survey.”

She added that the rate of response raises concerns about the validity of the survey, a concerns that the IRI has seemingly turned a blind eye to. “The document itself admits that the response rate was only 20 per cent. Now, that if that is so, as it stated in the survey, then this raises serious issues of validity regarding the data generated by the survey. Typically, in social sciences, a minimum acceptable rate ranges from 60 and 70 per cent. And anything below 40 per cent is not reasonably acceptable, and would generate validity issues, and this is according to Fairfield University's Office of International Institutional Research,” the Minister said.

She added that in contrast, other surveys done in Guyana, such as the Guyana, Women's

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

esident, Bharrat Jagdeo

ues during a recent engagement with the private sector]

Volda Lawrence still to explain her role in fraudulent Region 4 declaration

S

till before the courts two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud, as well as private criminal charges, the APNU+AFC Coalition’s Volda Lawrence still has to answer to the Guyanese people about her signature on the March 5th 2020 declaration of results for Region 4, which was one of two fraudulent declarations that was thrown out in favour of the results from the national recount.

“Ask her to tell you how this happened…she had to be in the room when the figures were concocted,” said Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who commented on the issue during his most recent news conference.

Lawrence signed off on the March 5, 2022 declaration by the now sacked Region 4 Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo. Mingo also signed off the fraudu-

Lawrence’s signature on the manipulated March 5, 2020 declaration by Mingo

lent declaration of results of

Region 4 from the March 2,

2020 Elections, which was

ronouncements from entities without question Health and Life Experiences done in 2019 had a 78 per cent response, while the MICS survey that was done with 6,000 households being sampled achieved an average response of above 80 per cent. “More recently, COVID surveys that were done utilizing computer assisted telephone interviews, also had a good response of 67.1 per cent and this was in 2020. So, in my estimation, having such a low response rate changes the sampling method altogether from around random sample to what is called a convenient sample, because it appears that they pretty much only surveyed people they could find; rather than serving the people that were on the random sample.

The problem therefore, with a convenient sample is because it is not, it is not non-random, the results cannot and should not be generalized to the entire population, because it is likely to be biased and therefore not representative. And therefore number of questions from an ethical point of view and from a methodological point of view are being questioned in relation to the IRI survey,” she said.

Teixeira also queried whether IRI tested its methodology before commencing the survey. She said, “There are other issues to do with wheth-

er there were any, in terms of methodology, were there any testing of the survey before, which is a requirement, to see if the questions are understood by the persons who would be asked to answer them? And the question is, whether that was done or not. And let me give you an example where language is important. There were questions to do with whether persons felt that there was voter discrimination. This is very ambiguous voter discrimination and voters feeling that someone may have discriminated against them by making comments of an ethnic basis are not the same thing. Voter discrimination is very specific in it, meaning where they don't have access to the ballot, they don't have access to the polling station, because they'd be prevented from doing that, based on the functions of the Guyana Elections Commission and the way the polling stations were managed on Election Day. And we all know that there has been no such claim whatsoever in the March 2020 elections, none. In fact, all the comments of the observers and the political party observers and scrutineers were that in the polling agents were that the not only was the de peaceful but also people voted quietly in line, people were not turned away, etc. And so this when

one does testing one then discovers whether the words you're using are ambiguous or not. So question that asked about voter discrimination is a very loaded question in which obviously that the respondents may have been uncertain how to answer the question.”

Referring to another example, the Minister said, “Clearly also, when one looks at the questions where they ask about whether people felt that, in your opinion, do the declared official results reflect the will of the people? In fact, unlike what one of the political leaders of the opposition party have claimed? When one looks at the data, it makes it very clear that 38 per cent of the population said yes and 30 per cent said no; and probably 13 per cent said probably not; and 11 per cent refused to answer.

So again, you cannot, on the basis of this survey, come to conclusion, as one of the political leaders, said, Mr. Norton, that this was a reflection of the problem with the elections; that people in Guyana did not accept the will; that the election results did not reflect the will of the people.

“Now we're very sure that in the March 2020 elections, the fact that the APNU/AFC/ PNC delayed the elections for five months, the Guyanese people went through trauma

regarding these elections, that clearly there's a body of people out there mostly those who support the APNU/AFC/PNC, who felt that that was not the case; that was the reason for the five months delay in order to ensure that the elected government was not installed, and that is the people's Progressive Party/ Civic. When one looks at that same question, how it is answered. There's a large percentage of people who refuse to answer the question between 11 and 13 per cent refuse to answer the question.

And when one goes to the ethnic composition of those who asked the question, the numbers change, in that a higher number of Indo-Guyanese and a higher number of mixed-Guyanese refused to answer the question of whether you felt the declared official results reflected the will of the people. “ Notably, IRI stated that 1,500 persons were part of the sample used for the survey.

This included: 4 per cent from Region One; 6 per cent from Region Two; 14 per cent from Region Three; 2 per cent from Region Four; 7 per cent from Region Five; 15 per cent from Region Six; 2 per cent from Region; 7 per cent Region Eight; 3 per cent from Region Nine; and 5 per cent from Region 10.

The Coalition’s Carol Joseph signed the manipulated March 5, 2020 declaration by Mingo as a witness

vitiated by the Chief Justice (ag) Roxanne George-Wiltshire, who said it was illegal.

Also, the signature Coalition activist, Carol Joseph, was on manipulated declarations for Region 4, issued on March 13, 2020 and prepared

by Mingo.

In both cases, the manipulated declarations increased votes for the APNU+AFC and decreased the votes for the PPP/C. By the end of the recount for Region 4, the declarations were exposed as having been manipulated.

On all the Form 24 declarations, for nine Regions, there is only one signature, that of the Returning Officers.

Jagdeo noted that no political party is required to sign on to the declaration made by the Returning Officers in the 10 Regions.

“Parties don’t have to sign on RO’s declaration….all of the other nine Regions had no signature, but in Region 4, her signature appeared,” he said.

Lawrence has never publicly addressed this matter.

Extended consultations before electoral reform bill tabled in Parliament

F

urther consultations are being engaged in before the issue of electoral reform is taken to the National Assembly, according to Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Among the groups being further consulted are the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and groups like the Electoral Reform Group. “The final draft of the proposed changes will be ready once we have completed the consultations,” he said

during his most recent news conference.

Amendments to the Representation of the People’s Act (ROPA), both the substantive act and the regulations, have been in public circulation since November 2021.

Notably, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on October 2021 made clear that the long-awaited legislation to improve Guyana’s electoral (Turn to page 17)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

Norton persists in peddling ‘patently false’ claims about bloated Voters’ List

T

he fallacy about a bloated Voters’ List continues to be peddled by the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition. And Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said, “The numbers are clear…they think if they keep talking about this, it will stick.”

Jagdeo referred to the robust mechanisms at the polling stations to ensure accuracy and added that the APNU+AFC Coalition’s polling agents signed off on the Statements of Poll. “So to claim today that they lost, or somehow impute that they lost, because of a bloated Voters’ List is patently false,” Jagdeo said.

Notably, the list of Guyanese registered for the 2015 General and Regional Elections – a number that was not much varied at the November 2018 Local Government Elections – was 570,708. If the list was reduced from 570,708 by 200,000 – a number that the Coalition claimed the Voters; List was bloated by – the final number would be 370,708 voters. This 370,708 is less than the number of people who actually voted at the 2015 General and Regional Elections. A total of 412,012 Guyanese voted at the 2015 Elections. “They did not complain at that time (2015) that the Voters’ List was bloated,” Jagdeo said, given that the Coalition won the 2015 Elections.

Further, a total of 464,465 voted in the 2020 Elections, according to the Certificates of Recount for all 10 Regions – of which 460,352 were deemed valid.

In the face of renewed

claims of a bloated Voters’ List, data from the Sweden-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) make clear the false nature of the claims. International IDEA develops, shares and enables the use of comparative knowledge in our key impact areas of expertise: electoral processes, constitution-building, political participation and representation.

A review of the IDEA’s numbers on Voters’ Registration Lists from seven countries in the Caribbean make it clear that Guyana’s situation is not new. International IDEA numbers show that Guyana’s total population is 750,204and there is a 72.58 per cent representation of Guyanese on the Registration List. In other countries the number is higher: St. Lucia – 98.43 per cent; Dominica – 96.04 per cent; Trinidad and Tobago – 89.93 per cent; and in St. Vincent and the Grenadines – 87.24 per cent.

automatically translate to the Registration List being flawed.

Article 59 of the Constitution states: “Subject to the provisions of article 159, every person may vote at an election if he is of the age of

eighteen years or upwards and is either a citizen of Guyana or a Commonwealth citizen domiciled and resident in Guyana.”

He said, “(Like Guyana), in some of the Caribbean countries, the number of

people on the Voters’ List equates to the number of the population. It doesn’t mean that people are going to vote…years ago, they themselves (PNCR) know that we changed the system from house to house registration to continuous registration and that countries that have continuous registration, they tend to have large numbers on their Voters’ List. Take for example Barbados, or many of the Islands.”

Further, paragraph 129 of a ruling by the Acting Chief Justice, Roxanne George-Wiltshire, in the case challenging the constitutionally of the scrapped house-to-house registration attempted in 2019, states

that: “The right to be registered to vote and the right to vote are sacrosanct and fundamental. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Guyana has acceded and which is incorporated into our Constitution, (see art 154A (1) and the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution) establishes the right to vote as a matter of international human rights law and provides that every citizen has a right to vote.”

Guyanese, Jagdeo stressed, are firm in their desire for Guyana to advance as a progressive, democratic nation – a desire that the PPP/C government is also committed to.

SMOKESCREEN Jagdeo explained that Guyana has a system of Continuous Registration; a feature of this process to allow Guyana to be ready for General and Regional Elections at any time. With a continuous registration system in operation, GECOM is able to update the register every six months, rather than producing one in the immediate run-up to the Elections. That Continuous Registration ensures regular registration does not

WSP Caribbean contracted for feasibility study of Corentyne River Bridge

G

uyana and Suriname are set to benefit from major economic developments with the construction of the bridge across the Corentyne River which will connect the two countries.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, joined his Surinamese counterpart Minister Riad Nurmohamed on Wednesday, for the signing of a US$ 2 million contract with WSP Caribbean.

The Trinidad-based consultancy firm, will conduct a seven-month study to determine the best design, build, finance and model for the bridge through a Public Private Partnership.

Minister Edghill said the bridge is one of the highest priority infrastructure projects to be accomplished by

both countries’ presidents in their first term in office. He said, “This bridge is more than just an infrastructure project; it is a vision for the further development of two nations being realised.

Development practitioners have agreed that bridges are key drivers of economic activity, ensuring the increased efficiency of trade, rapid exchange of ideas and quick access to services for those who need them most.

Cooperation at this level means less delays, and more progress for both of our populations. The Corentyne River bridge is both a physical connection between two landmasses, as well as a social connection between two peoples. When completed, it will forge stronger cultural bonds and encourage more

knowledge sharing activities across our common border.”

The bridge will remove the constraints of current schedules and carrying capacity when travelling with the Canawaima Ferry to a five-hour drive from Georgetown to Paramaribo, resulting in increased efficiency and safety.

Apart from reduced travel time, the bridge will play an impacting role in development for both nations in various sectors.

TOURISM A landing in Guyana or Suriname will afford tourists the opportunity to seamlessly travel the neighbouring borders, boosting tourism growth in both nations as the bridge will be strategically designed to pass through the

untouched lands of Lange Island, in the Corentyne River with enormous potential for commercialisation and development of a free trade zone with hotels, resorts and all the forms of entertainment that will attract tourists.

OIL AND GAS The Corentyne Bridge will provide easy access to deep-water facilities in Guyana and Suriname, enabling easy movement of goods and services to support offshore activities.

AGRICULTURE With the new bridge and the opening of fertile agricultural lands, Guyana and Suriname will be positioned as major food suppliers to CARICOM, achieving the goal of reducing the food

import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

Additionally, Minister Edghill noted the bridge will aid in enhancing South American connections. He said, “The construction of the Corentyne Bridge will link Suriname and Guyana to Brazil as we have heard already moving from the North-East to the North West of Brazil and this will be done via other major river crossings such as the Berbice Bridge, the Wismar Bridge, the Takutu Bridge that joins Lethem and Brazil and provide access to a market in excess of 20 million people in just northern Brazil, as well as access to the rest of the vast south American continent.”

Minister Nurmohamed said as the Surinamese Gov-

ernment enters this new stage, the road from Paramaribo will be upgraded.

“We have decided that it should be upgraded so that we have a very good road for tourists so that we can boost the development especially in Nickerie and overall, in both countries,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Suriname’s Technical Assistant for capital infrastructure projects, Kees Boender said the bridge is expected to have a lifespan of 100 years and will require little maintenance.

The bridge which will link Moleson Creek in Guyana to South Drain through Lange Island can anticipate ships of 47,000 dead weight tonnes, a horizontal clearance of 100 metres and a vertical clearance of 43 metres.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

Jordan back in court for selling state lands at massively underpriced value F

ormer Minister of Finance Winston Jordan is set to appear before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus and is fixed for May 12, 2022.

Jordan is facing charges of misconduct in public office.

The case to which the charge is related is the sale and vesting of the state’s largest wharf facilities located at Kingston, Georgetown.

The charge stated that the property, Mudlots 1 & 2, F of Mudlot 3, A, B & D, situated at North Cummingsburg, Georgetown, was valued at billions, but was sold at an undervalued sum.

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. 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.

This was among nine

transfers of state lands were signed off by the APNU+AFC Coalition’s Jordan and exposed via the March 28, 2020 edition of the Official Gazette.

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

INVESTIGATION 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 Attor-

ney 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 (Turn to page 17)

16

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

Hydromet office predicts May-July rains to be above normal

T

he Hydrometeorological Service of the Ministry of Agriculture has predicted that there will be wet as usual to above normal rainfall conditions over most of Guyana for the months May to July 2022. The highest rainfall totals and the possibility of flash floods during this season is expected to peak in May and June.

According to the seasonal forecast issued, rainfall amounts, and frequency are expected to increase as the season progresses.

It was noted that as the season progresses, water levels in the conservancies, reservoirs and rivers across all Regions are likely to increase. The potential of flooding because of rain during this period is

also expected to increase throughout May and June 2022.

The highest amount of rainfall can be expected in Regions 3, 7, 8 and 10. However, all other Regions can still expect higher than normal rainfall values.

The temperature outlook suggests that except for some areas in Regions

1 and 10, all other areas can expect cool as usual to cooler (below-normal) night-time temperatures. Warmer than usual (above-normal) day-time temperatures can be expected in northern Regions while cooler than usual in the south.

The bulletin also noted that an increasing number of wet days and wet spells coupled with high tides could lead to water accumulation in Coastal Regions and disruption to transport and possibility of landslides in hinter-

land areas. Flooding can lead to loss of crops and livestock, contamination of surface water, breeding grounds for mosquitos and the proliferation of waterborne diseases.

The Hydrometeorological Service has recommended the continued maintenance of drainage infrastructure as the country transitions into the wet season and has urged farmers to take all necessary precautions to secure their crops and livestock.

The Hydrometeorological Service will provide

updates to its seasonal forecast as new information becomes available and recommends that special attention be paid to shortrange forecasts provided to plan daily farm activities.

For short-range forecasts and weather analyses, stakeholders are advised to follow the daily weather briefs, outlooks and advisories produced by the National Weather Watch Centre or visit www.hydromet.gov.gy.

The forecast desk could also be reached at 2612284 or 261-2216.

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

Extended consultations before... (From page 13) system is a priority for the PPP/C administration. He also assured that there be an efficient timeframe for the processing of the legislation.

Ali had committed, since his first day of assuming office that the five-monthlong elections process that Guyanese painfully endured, will never again occur.

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

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

once again have an input…. when the debate takes place it will Guyanese who finally decide.”

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

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

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

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

Jordan back in court for selling... (From page 15) 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.”

QUESTIONABLE DEALS Further, while in Opposition, the PPP/C had identified several questionable deals and promised to have these investigated – including 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 was released on his own recognizance. When charged, he was not required to plead to the charge, was released on $3M bail. Jordan’s lawyers are APNU+AFC Coalition Parliamentarian, Roysdale Forde, and Darren Wade.

17

18

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

GECOM cross-matching fingerprints, verifying residency... (From page 2) istration, residency verification, and (iv) production and distribution of National Identification Cards.”

The Commission added, “There are a variety of Statutory Forms that must be filled when applying for any of the various registration transactions, as a

matter of Commission policy,

by GECOM Registration Staff – a task that they are trained extensively to perform. Accordingly, applicants for registration are not permitted to fill any of the Forms.

“GECOM recognizes that individual persons have their

respective signatures which they have been using customarily. Accordingly, there is no prescribed signature requirement which must be met by applicants for registration, save and except for placing their signature in the space provided for this purpose.”

Further, residency verification is a statutory component process which must be completed relative to the processing of an application for registration.

In this regard, the Commission – as a matter of policy – decided that Registration Staff must visit the residential address provided

by an applicant no sooner than 48 hours after the application was made. The justification for this is to discourage persons applying for registration from using addresses where they do not reside. Further, this measure is pivotal to the correct placement of eligible persons

19 in any List of Electors to ensure that they are correctly listed to vote at polling stations for the catchment area that is pertinent to their residential addresses.

National Identification Cards are produced and issued to persons whose applications for registration are successful.

20

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

$32.7M Water System... (From page 6)

‘Silica City’ will be progressive...

& 1000 meters of 19mm (3/4″) pipes with 80 service connections. A reinforced concrete base was also constructed to accommodate four No. 450-gallon storage tanks and galvanized chainlink fence around the well

need for adequate financing for the full implementation of the New Urban Agenda, including international partnerships. “We affirm our commitment to the objectives of the New Urban Agenda and to maintaining a constructive and innovative approach to issues of urbanisation,” he told the assembly.

and photovoltaic system.

Overall, Region Eight is slated to benefit from major investment in the water sector, as the Minister noted that the government aims to increase coverage from 60 percent to 80 percent over

the next few years. Regional Chairman, Mr. Headley Pio, Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Louis Kilkenny and representative of the contracting service, Mr. Rudranauth Roopdeo were also at the commissioning.

Moreover, Minister Croal noted that the government is focused on further transforming Guyana, through the application of globally established principles of sustainable development.

To this end, the new and expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS)

(From page 8)

2030 elaborates priorities to stimulate growth in a sustainable manner. This includes implementing Sustainable Planning and Urban Development policies that address some of the challenges in urban areas, including improper solid waste disposal, flooding and inefficient modes of transit.

21

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

Over $30B to address flooding in...

Three, Five and Six. In this regard, Chairman of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth highlighted proposals intended to improve the drainage system to tackle

flooding in Region Five.

He said when there is rainfall to the magnitude the country experienced midlast year, the rivers are swollen and the water overflows the embankments, resulting in flooding.

Government, through the NDIA, proposes to rehabilitate the Mahaica creek embankment and upgrade existing channels to take water directly into the Atlantic Ocean. Also, with the creation of new

(From page 6)

outlets, improved pump and drainage capacity, the decades-old situation could be resolved. “We propose a new outlet to be added at Dantzig, this would entail cutting across the road, upgrading channels, con-

structing a [pump] station, new sluice and pump, like what we are currently doing at Cottage,” Wordsworth said.

Dr. Jagdeo said apart from the proposed works, government will dredge

the mouths of the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary rivers.

Government is also examining several proposals made by residents to address flooding, the VP told the gathering.

22

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

COM M ENTARY

Can the naysayers dispute the facts of a justified move to accelerate to hydroelectricity?

By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

T

he naysayers and political obstructionists have done everything possible to delay and stop Amaila. Unfortunately, they did succeed in delaying the Amaila Hydropower Project between 2012 and 2015. It is incumbent on us to ensure they do not delay it further and they do not stop it.

Guyana needs hydroelectric power and the Amaila Project is a sure way to bring hydroelectric power to our country. Make no mistake, Guyana cannot attain our goal of being a high-middle income country with the possibility of becoming the first developed country in CARICOM unless we have reliable and affordable electricity. Only Guyana at the moment has the potential to rapidly move up and become a developed country in CARICOM. Under the PPP Government, with leadership from President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharat Jagdeo, Guyana has a real opportunity of rapidly becoming a developed country. But without affordable and reliable energy supply from non-fossil fuel sources,

Guyana’s journey to developed-country status is not possible.

For a brief moment, between 2015 and 2020, under David Granger and the PNC (APNU/AFC), the naysayers and political obstructionists believed they had stopped Amaila. They knew they had delayed the project between 2012 and 2015. In 2015, however, they were gleeful because they thought they had wiped away Amaila.

They did not know that the people of Guyana, the voters, had another thought.

When the people decided they had enough of Granger and the PNC and voted for the PPP to return to government, the people did so because they believed in the PPP’s vision for prosperity. They believed in the program that included the Amaila Hydroelectric Project. The PPP government, therefore, has a mandate and an obligation to make Amaila a reality now before the 2025 elections.

Inevitably, the naysayers and the political obstructionists have again begun their wicked campaign to stop Amaila. But enough is enough. Let us not allow the

naysayers and the anti-hydroelectricity charlatans in Guyana to dictate the future of this critical development project. The naysayers, including the PNC, the AFC and the bunch calling themselves APNU and sections of the media will continue to find one reason or another to object. At first, it was the impact on the environment, then the design, then the cost. With none of these contrived objections gaining traction among the citizens, the naysayers keep on inventing more absurd reasons to object. The latest absurd argument against Amaila is that solar energy is a preferred option to hydroelectricity.

Right away, this columnist asks the question: can these naysayers tell us which country has made solar energy its main energy source? The truth is that less than 3% of the global energy comes from solar energy and in the last twenty years less than 10% growth in solar energy has occurred.

In Africa, just 1% of its total energy presently comes from solar energy. It is just 3.28% in Asia, 0.71% in Canada, 3.91% in China, 5.6% in European Union, 4% in G20 countries, 4.7% in G7 countries, 4.5% in India, 2.9% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 3.9% in the USA and 4% in the UK. Only a handful of countries exceed 5%. Except for tiny Cook Islands where solar energy accounts for over 20% of their energy, no country in the world has reached 15% of their energy coming from solar sources.

The “experts” must tell us why after almost 100 years of solar energy technology more of the global energy is not coming from solar sources.

On the other hand, almost 20% of global energy is today coming from hydroelectricity and, in the last 20 years, hydroelectricity has grown more than 70% globally. By 2020, hydropower generated more than 4,500 tera-watt (TW) energy, compared to about 700 TW from

solar. There must be some explanation why countries and the real energy experts have chosen hydroelectricity as a potent source of energy to replace fossil fuel. In this regard, the PPP government’s trajectory with solar and hydroelectricity is more aligned with the experts than the naysayers in Guyana.

Guyana has made solar energy a part of its menu of energy-source. Presently, about 1.8% of Guyana’s energy comes from solar energy. Guyana, Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda are the leading countries in CARICOM utilizing solar energy. Solar panels to provide energy to hard-toreach communities have been a strategy for more than 25 years now. Solar farms have now become a budgeted item in Guyana’s energy development. The Irfaan Ali-led government has aggressively pursued the expansion of solar energy, following the footsteps of the Bharat Jagdeo-led PPP government between 2001 and 2011.

But the PPP government understands that solar energy cannot be the major option for replacing fossil fuel; the PPP has proclaimed a policy where solar energy is part of the energy-mix for Guyana. The PPP government knows that just 1% of the potential solar energy can replace fossil fuel in the world, but there must be a reason why this potential is so slowly being weaned into the global energy mix.

Can Guyana gamble by abandoning our pursuit of hydropower for solar energy when every country everywhere on earth has yet to take that chance?

Without Amaila or hydroelectricity, the dependence on fossil fuel will grow, not be reduced. With the proposed energy-mix of hydroelectricity, solar electricity, gas-to-shore energy, Guyana has a good chance of reducing fossil fuel use by more than 75% by 2030. We cannot come close to this if we discard

the hydroelectricity option.

The real experts, whether they come from the IDB, the World Bank or other energy-related institutions, tell us so. The problem is that other energy “experts” have been sprouting here, there and everywhere in Guyana, even more than pests and weeds. Every day, these experts give us another weird and absurd reason why the Amaila Project must be discarded.

This country has talked about hydroelectricity for more than 50 years now. In fact, every country that has the potential for hydroelectricity has chosen this pathway to be, at least, a part of its energy-needs solution.

Guyana is a country with remarkable hydroelectricity potential. In 1974, the PNC government, with the then Prime Minister Forbes Burnham playing a lead role, requested the UNDP to conduct a survey of this potential. That survey revealed that Guyana has the potential for more than 7,000 MW of energy from hydroelectricity. Similar studies have been done since then.

One of those early studies identified Amaila Falls as having the best opportunity for Guyana to begin benefiting from hydroelectricity.

Concrete movement towards implementing the Amaila project began and now more than twenty years later, we are still awaiting the start of this project.

The PNC is the last who should oppose hydroelectricity. In a May Day speech in 1981, President Burnham regaled the audience with the absolute need for hydroelectricity. In that famous speech defending freezing wages and benefits for workers, Burnham asked which is more important – wage increases or hydro-power. And he upbraided the Amerindian community also for objecting to hydropower in the Upper Mazaruni hydro-project that the PNC had embarked on in 1974. Seven years after the start, the PNC had already expended more than

$US50M on the project.

In 1974, the PNC under Forbes Burnham, using the study by the UNDP, began preparation for the Upper Mazaruni Hydro Power project. That year, importation cost for fossil fuel consumed more than 25% of Guyana’s total GDP, an unsustainable cost. In addition, the objective of building an aluminum smelter in Linden depended on the availability of cheap hydroelectricity.

The project as designed then involved the flooding of Amerindian settlements.

The Akawaio Amerindian settlement sternly objected, but they were ignored. In a dictatorship, the voices of the people were brazenly discarded. But the project failed to garner financial support from the lending institutions, such as the IDB and WB because of the growing concerns relating to the dictatorship and Guyana’s growing debt. In addition, Venezuela which had good relations with America and the banks, used its influence to bar support from the banks. By 1985, the project was abandoned.

While Burnham has long died, his successors have committed themselves to obstruct as much as they could the realization of hydropower in our country.

Burnham’s dream of hydropower has been delayed because his own disciples have decided that Guyana does not deserve affordable, reliable electricity. But real, genuine experts have given their support to the Amaila Project in Guyana. Government must pursue this project with greater urgency.

Allowing the naysayers to dictate the trajectory of this project is working against the interest of Guyana and the Guyanese citizens. Let there be no more delays.

Jagan said hydropower is good for Guyana. Burnham agreed with him and tried his best for it to happen.

Bharat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar brought it to almost reality. Now President Irfaan Ali will make it happen.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 MAY, 2022

Gov’t pushing ahead COVID's new Omicron with procurement of sub-lineages can dodge immunity FDA-approved COVID-19 from past infection, study says treatment for children N

ow that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the COVID-19 treatment called Paxlovid, to treat children with the severe form of the disease, the government through the Ministry of Health is pushing ahead with procurement.

The treatment is an oral antiviral medication and is manufactured and produced by the Pfizer Company. “We have been in communication with Pfizer to be able to procure Paxlovid and hopefully we’ll be able to have those arrangements in place so that we can have Paxlovid in Guyana,” Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, M.P., announced during Thursday’s COVID-19 update.

The minister added that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected many children across the world and treating them was never simple. He noted that although children have

shown milder symptoms of the disease, there are others with comorbidities who are presented with the more severe form of the infection.

“We would have seen that throughout this pandemic it was difficult for us to be able to treat children, although generally children do have a milder form of the illness.

There are cases when sometimes they do present with severe illnesses and it has been challenging in managing those patients,” he said.

Additionally, the health minister said Guyana has been using Remdesivir and Molnupiravir to treat COVID-19 patients, however these medications are mostly used in the adult population.

He noted that the Remdesivir treatment is also effective in treating children infected with the coronavirus.

The Minister said, “More recently the company making Remdesivir would have

presented the data showing that they have done clinical trials among children and that Remdesivir has been very effective so this is a good development.”

In terms of the Molnupiravir treatment, minister Anthony said approval has also been granted to treat severe cases. This medication is now available locally and produced by a licensed company here.

Dr. Anthony also noted that the ministry is prepared to treat children with severe COVID-19 if any case is to be recorded.

Meanwhile, he continues to urge citizens to get vaccinated as it is important for the population to become immunised against the disease. Minister Anthony said three COVID-19 vaccines namely; Sinopharm, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson are currently available in the country.

Gov’t working to increase adolescent COVID-19 vaccination as schools reopen M

inister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said government is still pursuing the full vaccination of its adolescent population, more so, with the reopening of school.

Since the roll out of the intense immunisation programme for the 12-17 age group, the ministry has seen over 47 per cent of this age cohort taking the first dose of the vaccine, and over 34 per cent are fully vaccinated.

“We have seen a slowdown in the 12 to 17 age

group, and we think it can be attributed to a number of factors which include parents not giving permission, not having ready access to children and so forth. There is an opportunity with school now opened that we’ll be able to reach a lot more children. We’ll be able to provide them with letters that they can take to their parents to get permission, and hopefully that permission will be granted and we’ll be able to administer the vaccine to these children,” the Health

Minister said.

The minister further reiterated the importance of getting children vaccinated against the deadly disease.

He said he is hopeful that parents will allow their children to get vaccinated as it is essential to keeping them safe. He said, “I think it’s important that they get their vaccination, it protects them and hopefully we’ll get more compliance over the next couple of weeks.”

Additionally, Dr. Anthony noted that there has been emergence of two new variants of Omicron called BA4 and BA5. These variants, he said, are being monitored closely as it is suspected to cause surges in South Africa.

“They’re seeing more cases, and they think it’s more infectious than the previous sub-variants and people are going into the hospitals…so we have to monitor and see what will be the outcome,” the minister said.

He is urging more persons to get vaccinated as it is the only way to protect against the stronger variants of COVID-19.

(Reuters) Two new sublineages of the Omicron coronavirus variant can dodge antibodies from earlier infection well enough to trigger a new wave, but are far less able to thrive in the blood of people vaccinated against COVID-19, South African scientists have found.

The scientists from multiple institutions were examining Omicron's BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages - which the World Health Organization last month added to its monitoring list. They took blood samples from 39 participants previously infected by Omi-

cron when it first showed up at the end of last year.

Fifteen were vaccinated eight with Pfizer's shot; seven with J&J's -- while the other 24 were not.

"The vaccinated group showed about a 5-fold higher neutralisation capacity ... and should be better protected," said the study, a pre-print of which was released over the weekend.

In the unvaccinated samples, there was an almost eightfold decrease in antibody production when exposed to BA.4 and BA.5, compared with the origi-

nal BA.1 Omicron lineage.

Blood from the vaccinated people showed a threefold decrease.

South Africa may be entering a fifth COVID wave earlier than expected, officials and scientists said on Friday, blaming a sustained rise in infections that seems to be driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants.

Only about 30% of South Africa's population of 60 million is fully vaccinated.

"Based on neutralisation escape, BA.4 and BA.5 have potential to result in a new infection wave," the study said.

PPP/C will not accept lectures about democracy from PNCR

L

ectures about democracy from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) are barefaced, given the PNCR’s history of 28 years of rigged elections and five-months of trying to undermine the will of the Guyanese people at the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.

“How could a person with clear mental faculty make a statement like that – that there is an escalating crisis of democracy?” Jagdeo queries.

The Vice President was responding to comments by Leader of the PNCR and the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, made at a news conference on April 26, 2022. Norton claimed that work has to be done to “to save the country from its headlong fall into the escalating crisis in democracy and governance” under the PPP/C Government.

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

Since the declaration of results on August 2, 2020, several persons have been charged for electoral fraud.

Already several boxes containing certified copies of Statements of Polls (SOPs) and Statements of Recount

(SORs) from the March 2020 elections have been handed over to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The documents will be used as evidence against those before the court. The SOPs and SORS were accompanied by statements and video evidence, which included copies of video-recorded interviews the accused had with the Police.

The seven facing court are: Sacked Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo; the People’s National Congress Reform’s, Volda Lawrence; APNU+AFC activist, Carol Smith-Joseph; GECOM Registration Clerk, Shefern February; GECOM Registration Clerk, Michelle Miller; GECOM Registration Clerk, Denise Babb– Cummings; and GECOM Information Technology Officer, Enrique Livan. Attorneys-at-Law Nigel Hughes, Ronald Daniels, and Konyo Sandiford are representing Mingo, Joseph, and Lawrence; while Senior Counsel John Jeremie, and Attorneys-at-Law Eusi Anderson and Latoya Roberts are appearing for the other four defendants.

Mingo, Lawrence and Joseph are facing several electoral fraud charges. The signatures of Lawrence and Joseph were on manipulated declarations for Region 4– issued on March 5, 2020 and March 13, 2020 – that

were prepared by Mingo. In both cases, the manipulated declarations increased votes for the APNU+AFC and decreased the votes for the PPP/C. By the end of the recount for Region 4, the declarations were exposed as having been manipulated.

Mingo and Lawrence are facing a joint charge, which alleges that on March 5, 2020, in Georgetown, with intent to defraud the public, they uttered a certain forged document, that is to say, a report purporting to be a true declaration of all votes cast in District Four for the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections, knowing said report to be forged. Mingo and Joseph are facing a charge alleges that on March 13, 2020, they uttered a forged document purporting to be a true report of all votes cast in the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections, while knowing that the report was forged. Joseph faces two individual charges, which state that on March 13, 2020, at High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, she conspired with Mingo and others to declare a fraudulent count of votes for District Four for both the general and regional elections. Lawrence, Mingo, and Joseph have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trio is represented by Attorney-at-Law, Nigel Hughes.

Having appeared in court the trio was granted bail. Mingo was placed on $60,000 bail for the two charges he faced. Lawrence was placed on $30,000 bail for the joint charge. Joseph was placed on a total of $90,000 bail for the three charges she faces.

The completed recount of votes from Region 4, which were cast in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, exposed the fact that the Returning Officer, did, in fact, manipulate the results he presented on March 13, 2020. Mingo manipulated over 22,000 votes in Region 4 – inflating the APNU+AFC Coalition voted by over 19,000 and decreasing the PPP/C votes by over 3,000.

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