Weekend Mirror 6-7 August 2022

PNCR-led public rally morphs into platform for racist, divisive rhetoric 6-7 August, 2022 / Vol. 12 ‒ No. 34 / Price: $100

Email: mirror2018.gy@gmail.com

PAGE 24

PPP/C committed to upliftment of all Guyanese – President Ali PAGE 3

PAGE 18

Coalition doubles down on denying attempt to rig March 2020 Elections

Cases against Lowenfield, Mingo, Volda Lawrence, others for Court on October 6th PAGE 2

SEE INSIDE

Unit established to handle monkeypox cases PAGE 6

Every hinterland, riverain household to benefit from economic relief grant PAGE 8

Persons with flu-like symptoms urged to get tested for COVID-19 PAGE 23

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WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 AUGUST, 2022

Cases against Lowenfield, Mingo, Volda Lawrence, others for Court on October 6th T

he case against the seven person charged for electoral fraud was called again in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on July 15, 2022 and two new applications were made by the state’s prosecutors.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court heard one applications for the 30-plus charges to be tried before one Magistrate, rather that different judges. Initially, the cases were scheduled to be called by

the Chief Magistrate, Principal Magistrate Sherdel Issacs, and Senior Magistrate Leron Daly.

The second application heard by the Chief Magistrate related to an amendment to the charges, a change that prosecutors contend allow

for the case to be made that all the defendants played a significant role in the conspiracy to undermine the will of the Guyanese electorate at the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.

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journed to October 6, 2022, at which point the applications would be heard and possible decided on.

Those facing court are: 1. Sacked former Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield; 2. Sacked former Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers; 3. Sacked Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo; 4. Chairperson for the People’s National Congress, Volda Lawrence; 5. APNU+AFC activist, Carol Smith-Joseph; 6. GECOM Registration Clerk, Shefern February; 7. GECOM Registration Clerk, Michelle Miller; 8. GECOM Registration Clerk, Denise Babb– Cummings; and 9. GECOM Information Technology Officer, Enrique Livan.

Lowenfield was slapped with six new charges relating to forgery and misconduct in public office.

The charges against Myers allege that between March 4 and March 14, 2020, in Georgetown, while being a public officer, she willfully misconducted herself together with Mingo, and others, to declare a fraudulent account of votes for the March 2020 General and Regional Elections, which amounted to a breach of the public’s trust in the office of the DCEO of GECOM. 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. After being charged, 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.

There are also electoral fraud charges against GECOM clerks Bob-Cummings, Miller, February and Livan. They, too, have been released on bail.

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 Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) DPP and Acting Police Commissioner had initiated legal proceedings in the High Court, seeking orders to obtain certified copies of the SOPs and SORs from the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, which are currently lodged with the Registrar of the High Court. The decision to move to the High Court came after the Police Commissioner wrote the Registrar of the High Court, Sueanna Lovell, to obtain the certified copies of the documents, but was informed, by way of a letter, this could not be done without an order from the Court.

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. Hughes is also representing Lowenfield and Myers.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has hired a team of lawyers to prosecute these cases on the State’s behalf.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 AUGUST, 2022

PPP/C committed to upliftment of all Guyanese – President Ali O

n the second anniversary of the PPP/C Administration’s return to office, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has issued a call for Guyanese to band together under the ‘One Guyana’ umbrella to further advance the transformational agenda that will lead to the betterment of all Guyanese.

In an address to the nation on Tuesday (August 2, 2022), the Head of State while reflecting on the fight for democracy, said he remains humbled by the confidence placed in his administration by the people to lead Guyana.

“Together we have a lot to

do, together we have already accomplished a lot, together we have overcome many challenges, the mere fact that I sit before you today is as a result of the collective will of the Guyanese people not to allow a few to derail democracy, rob you of your rights, rob you of your fundamental right of placing that vote,” President Ali stated.

He noted that the administration has been delivering on all fronts, surpassing many of the targets in the manifesto.

President Ali highlighted the transformation ongoing in

the agriculture, energy, education, health and housing and water sectors, as well as strides in human resource development and job creation, among a plethora of other initiatives, which have all led to the shift in the country’s economic and social outlook.

However, the Head of State pointed to a bigger task ahead, which requires the involvement of all Guyanese. He said, “We have to change ourselves inside, we can’t only be beautiful as a country outside, we the people, we the citizens of this country, must change

ourselves from the inside so that we can develop the best possible character that can take our country forward, that could build each other as brothers and sisters, that can allow us to have respect for the environment in which we live, that would allow us to do what is right and good for our country, that would allow us to be true patriots.”

The President made reference to the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant, increase in pension, efforts to provide better healthcare and his administration’s commitment to

ensuring that public servants have the best possible package that will see improvements in their quality of life.

Further, the Head of State assured that there are more benefits to come as government continues on its upward trajectory.

He pointed out that all these developments are taking place, while the country was tackling a threat to its democracy, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the national flooding disaster, among other challenges.

The President Ali-led government was sworn into

office on August 2, 2020 after months of legal battles following attempts by the former APNU+AFC coalition government to steal the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Civil society groups, international organisations and other ordinary Guyanese came together to ensure that democracy prevailed. The PPP/C government has promised to ensure those responsible for the illegal acts are brought to justice. A Commission of Inquiry has since been established to determine those culpable.

GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA

STATEMENT ON 2ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE

‘ TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY’

T

he official swearing-in of the newly elected Government of Guyana on August 2, 2020, led by His Excellency, Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali, was without question a watershed moment for the preservation of the democratic credentials of Guyana.

The PPP/C Administration is already two years into the economic and social transformation of Guyana which will see the empowerment of every citizen in every part of the country.

The government has been keeping true to the elections manifesto of the ruling party to build a multi-dimensional economy that is robust for national transformation and

resilient to global shocks.

The housing transformation programme which commenced prior to 2015 has been expanded and intensified to meet the needs of a considerable number of Guyanese seeking to become homeowners.

Land allocation, affordable turn-key housing, more accessible mortgage facilities with lower interest rates, construction material assistance and a government home construction assistance facility are among the initiatives already available across the country.

This government-led drive is being augmented by significant private sec-

tor developments in gated communities and villages, condominiums, and high-rise residential complexes.

Diversification of the traditional agriculture sector has been prioritised for transition to more large-scale and scientific approaches to crop production and animal husbandry, while the value-added aspects of the industry rooted in agro-processing have already begun blossoming in several areas, including fresh milk production.

The expanded and integrated tourism sector across the areas of hospitality, wellness, sports, and ecological tourism are undergoing rapid transformation.

Several internationally branded hotels are already under construction, while international grade eco resorts will begin taking shape shortly. These will generate jobs for Guyanese.

Construction of a specialty paediatric and maternity hospital will commence shortly, and the facility will be furnished with European equipment and managed with Mount Sinai health systems and protocols while supported by a wider health sector complex featuring other specialty services and institutions of learning and research.

The sports arena will see several new stadia and sup-

porting facilities in Linden, Berbice and elsewhere.

With regards to infrastructure, new interconnecting highways across the east coast and west coast, east and west banks, the Corentyne and the Linden-Soesdyke highway and the Pan-American route to Brazil are all under some phase of development or construction.

New bridges across the Demerara and the Corentyne rivers will fully connect the Guyana Shield and the new modern city earmarked for the Timehri-Soesdyke area.

Meanwhile, new industrial estates are planned for the east and west coasts and Linden.

Natural gas being piped to shore from the offshore oil and gas basin, along with wind, solar and hydroelectric power will comprise a sustainable energy mix to power the country’s economic transformation at lower costs.

Since returning to office, the government has made interventions to remove more than one hundred burdensome taxes that were levied by the APNU-AFC Administration, while restoring many social benefits which the Coalition scrapped.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, cash grants were issued to all Guyanese, while farmers, en(Turn to page 19)

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EDITORIAL Guyanese must be wary of the attempts to divide us

“T

ruth has to be made by the rough process of a struggle between combatants,” according to John Stuart Mill.

And it is a statement that rings true in the face of the incessant peddling of unsubstantiated claims and brazen lies – all geared to appeal to an emotive sentiment that has been deliberately misinformed over years of the PNC, now the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition, playing the race card.

The danger in the peddling of these unsubstantiated claims and brazen lies must be called out, since it has the potential to divide our people. As a people, at each turn, we must call out those who would mislead us and ensure that the truth prevails.

The race card being played by the PCNR-led Coalition, at the expense of truth, and at the expense of our collective prosperity must not be allowed success.

PPP Executive Member and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Government, Gail Teixeira, in commenting on this state of play recently called out the Coalition and, said: “At a time when we are taking the trajectory of our country forward; when we are seeing transformation; when the government has given COVID relief; help in the hampers; flood relief; the removal of taxes; the purchase of vaccines for our people; the PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment)…drugs that were not there; the opening up of housing; and the fixing of roads and bridges. All of this is taking place and all you can do is drag it down to race. That is the only flag you have. The only flag you wave is race…you have stuck loyally to your history from 1954 and onwards - of divide and rule in Guyana.

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

Recognizing that historical divisions continue to negatively impact on Guyanese society, in February 2021, President Ali announced the establishment of a ‘One Guyana Commission’, which will be spearheaded by Prime Minister, (rtd) Brigadier, Mark Phillips. Ali had said, “An essential part of my Government is inclusion. Stop being defined by race; stop being defined by politics. Start being defined by our one nationality and by our common love for our one country, let us lift it up together and by doing so, let us lift each other and ourselves, one people, one nation, one destiny…I propose to give meaning to my call for one Guyana by requesting the leader of Government business in the National Assembly, Prime Minister Brigadier, Hon. Mark Phillips to introduce the adoption of an Act of Parliament establishing a One Guyana Commission which he will head….we must move our nation building from abstraction to action and lose not one more moment in doing it. Let us stand up for our one nation, our one Guyana, let us stand up for what we know in our hearts and in our minds to be right. Let us stand up for one identity, the Guyanese identity.” President Ali said the work of the Commission will be undertaken countrywide to encapsulate the free expressions of all voices, respecting the diversity “from which our oneness springs.” The Commission will also address education concerning Guyana’s history, religion, ensuring equal opportunity, employment and entrepreneurship and institutional strengthening of the Ethnic Relations Commission.

It is hoped that Guyanese continue to be wary of the attempts to divide us and remain vigilant as the PPP/C pursues efforts to advance the development of all our people, because at the end of the day we are ‘Stronger Together’.

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 AUGUST, 2022

PNC has always sought to divide Guyana along racial lines Dear Editor,

T

he PNC and its affiliates have always sought to divide this nation along racial lines using all kinds of strategies – appealing to ‘kith and kin’ sentiments; every incident that happens they convert into racial configurations; misrepresenting facts; skewing situations to fit their divisive narratives, and even resorting to spewing groundless allegations and telling outright lies to mischaracterise PPP/C leaders and their actions and pronouncements.

Those who refuse to remain in mental bondage to the PNC’s pretentious charlatans; refusing to buy into their destructive, anti-national gerrymandering and divisive, ruinous politics; and embarking on self-improvement / empowering pathways, are viciously attacked and branded ‘house-slaves’, etc.

But those who eschewed the divisive politics practised by the PNC and its cohorts and opened their minds to seek a better life for themselves and their descendants have discovered that PPP/C administrations govern even-handedly and create self-improvement opportunities through job and wealth-creation facilitation and diversity of programmes that target everyone, especially the vulnerable, voiceless and dispossessed.

After the catastrophic PNC-endorsed “Buxton Uprising”, one enterprising and progressive young Buxtonian – MBoya Wood – organised a meeting between diasporic Buxtonians, accompanied by village leaders who were sickened by the events that had stigmatised their village and its residents as criminals and terrorists, and then President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo. That trust engendered a multiplicity of benefits to that community that had previously spurned developmental initiatives proffered by the PPP/C Administration.

Among the various areas of assistance were infrastructural construction and repairs; D&I interventions; farmlands cleared, and farming implements and other assistance availed; the Tipperary Hall rebuilt and furbished with various mod-cons, including a computer centre among other things; a steel band was provided instruments; women were given small-business grants through the Priya Manickchand Women of Worth (WOW) initiative; etcetera.

Recently, when the PNC/APNU+AFC and their cohorts again tried to encourage an uprising among their supporters in their various political enclaves, they were rejected, except for a few hardliners. Instead, Guyanese rejected their destructive, divisive po-

litical manoeuvrings for the pursuit of a One Guyana, as is being promulgated by the PPP/C Administration.

Through countrywide Cabinet outreaches, where concerns of individuals and communities were advanced, the Government, in graduated deliverables, has addressed, as a continual process and through prioritising developmental exigencies, the concerns expressed by Guyanese across every divide in equal measure, including Buxtonians and more recently at Melanie Damishana.

Thus, major infrastructural works are scheduled for the Buxton/Foulis area, among which include the rehabilitation of 16 bridges and the construction of a farm-to-market road to provide access to farmers. This was a commitment made by Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill at a meeting with residents at Tipperary Hall, Buxton last Thursday.

Similar announcements were made during the outreach at Melanie Damishana as well.

I urge Guyanese to continue to reject the divisive politics of the PNC/ APNU+AFC and elements of its lunatic fringe.

Yours truly, Alvin Hamilton

Aubrey Norton’s allegations of discrimination are not substantiated Dear Editor,

O

pposition Leader Aubrey Norton made an absurd new highlight, calling for an “…end to `discrimination’ by PPP/C.” In fact, so absurd is this empty utterance that the news reported that he still “…won’t be shaking (President) Ali’s hand until issues (be) addressed.”

In this little missive, I will forget the puerile ‘handshake’ issue. It is just too childish, and therefore a non-issue. Instead, I will address his ‘discrimination’ accusation, as I see that he did not substantiate it. So, my purpose is to prove him otherwise.

First, I invite Mr Norton to reflect on recent happenings in Linden. Back in April of this year, contrary to claims from Norton, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had to reassure residents of Linden, Region 10, that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government never had intentions to remove their electricity subsidy (which I think should have been incrementally removed). This clarification was necessary because of ‘ill-will and manufactured’ comments made by the unpopular Aubrey Norton, who actually lied when he stated that the electricity rates in Linden would be increased.

Jagdeo aptly summarised the situa-

tion, explaining that Norton, “Reeling from his rejection by the people of Linden, as evidenced by the poor turnout at his meeting, has embarked on his familiar acts of deception and desperation.”

So, I repeat the VP’s call that “Guyanese should therefore not fall prey to Norton’s attempt to mislead and cause panic.”

Still with Linden, at the onset of 2022, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government did set out to achieve transformative development in every community, and Linden was highlighted. I ask that Norton resist how Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Dr Peter Ramsaroop, detailed then that “tens of millions of dollars” in investment were earmarked for the mining town of Linden, Region 10. He went into the finer points, explaining that Go-Invest had signed investment packages with a few big companies that are seeking to expand and develop the township. In his exact words, he noted, “We recently signed an investment package with a large cement plant in Linden that is doing quite a bit of construction work in building houses in Linden…

We are about to sign another investment package with a medical supply company to do oxygen bottling and other types of packaging. In the region, we recently

had some large mega farms in soya bean and corn, and we are about to do some more in that…We have another investor who came to put up a steel factory right outside of Linden.”

So, it is quite galling that this Opposition Leader is ‘chanting race’ when the Government is going the ‘extra-mile’ to reach out to traditional strongholds of People’s National Congress, and to pour inputs into Afro-Guyanese villages.

Let me go to Sophia as another example. Just last month, some 100 residents of Sophia, Greater Georgetown, benefited from the Government’s $250,000 business-grant initiative. As we all know, this was a part of the Government’s manifesto promise to ensure that Guyanese from across the country, irrespective of race or region, have access to business opportunities. This money is right now enabling residents to either start or enhance their businesses.

Then, still with Sophia, in October 2021, the Guyana Government, through the Housing and Water Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), did ink approximately $136 million in contracts for the construction of core homes in Sophia and the installation of street lights.

Before that time, I remind Norton (Turn to page 5)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 AUGUST, 2022

The future prospects for Guyana are looking good Dear Editor,

Dangerous rhetoric from A PNC/APNU/AFC/WPA must be exposed for what it is Dear Editor,

I

t has now been two days since the APNU+AFC Coalition public rally at Parade Ground on August 2nd and the reports by Guyana’s media have been curiously silent on the brazen divisive and racist rhetoric that was peddled at that event.

There were eleven speakers that the event: Christopher Jones; Coretta McDonald; Kidackie Amsterdam (WPA representative); Juretha Fernandes (AFC representative); Vincent Henry (Guyana Action Party representative); Amanza Walton-Desir (PNCR representative); Ganesh Mahipaul (PNCR representative); Mervyn Williams; Sherod Duncan (AFC representative); David Hinds (WPA representative); and Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton.

Surprisingly, the ringmaster, Sherod Duncan, was not even among the contentious speakers. The other speakers attempted to insult the intelligence of Guyanese – for example, Juretha Fernandes with her fuzzy mathematics and her asinine talk about the national budget sum being divided by the number of Guyanese each citizen could get $236,000. The majority of the statements by other speakers were not substantiated; rather were clearly intended to rile up emotive sentiments.

The worst of the lot was undoubtedly David Hinds and his “What we want is power” declarations, as well as comments that underscored a ‘bruk-up’ mentality that was a terrifying call-back to the ‘Slow Fyah, Moh Fyah’ times.

David Hinds, the penultimate speaker before Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, took the stage, was quoted by Demerara Waves, in an article headlined ‘No clean voters list, no election- Norton’, as saying: “We are going to be at the table for our share of the oil money.”

What that article failed to add was the next part of that comment. Hinds’ full comment was: “I’m saying we gotta be at the table. And if you don’t want us at the table, we gonna kick down the feet of the table.”

Other offensive comments from Hinds,

included: “We are saying your boots get too big for your foot and we will cut you down to size”; and “This present fake plantation we are going to kick them down,” etc. These comments come from a personality whose primary contention, by his own admission, is that: “We live in a land that is racialized.

When you say sugar workers, you mean Indian Guyanese. When you say Public Servants you mean African Guyanese. When you say Police and Army you mean African Guyanese.”

Looking at the big picture, David Hinds’ posture can only be described as that of a bitter personality, who has no reservations about spewing divisive rhetoric and unsubstantiated comments.

Thankfully, Demerara Waves, highlighted that some of the rally’s attendees “travelled aboard at least 20 buses including three 30-seaters from Linden, Berbice and East Coast Demerara” – a fact that underscores that there is little genuine interest being generated, particularly amongst its Georgetown supporters, by the PNC, APNU/AFC and WPA. Interestingly enough, David Hinds’ objectionable speech at the rally was the only video that was not singularly posted on the Coalition’s social media pages, along with those of the other main speakers.

Still, news outlets, on which the public depends, did not call attention to this dangerous rhetoric.

How do we create space for our people to work together if those who seek to divide us for political gains are not held accountable?

If we do not call out this attempt to divide our people, how will we hold those who would parade themselves as leaders accountable?

How will we move forward together as a people?

What is clear is that true interest in working together continues to be an avenue that the PNCR, APNU/AFC and WPA ignore, opting instead for the current lame-horse they are riding to 2025.

Respectfully yours, Brian Azore

ugust 2 marks two years since the PPP/C was elected to office in the March 2, General and Regional elections. For the first time in our electoral history the results of an election took such a long time to be officially declared. Be that as it may, Guyana, under President Irfaan Ali, has been making great strides and is today an important player on the regional and international stage. Indeed, Guyana is now regarded as one of the fasted growing economies in the world, thanks to oil and gas and economic and fiscal management.

The prospects for Guyana’s medium to long term development looks good as the administration is investing heavily on infrastructural development while placing much emphasis on the development of its human and social capital. This convergence, at an accelerated pace, has the potential to transform Guyana’s economy to one of the strongest in the region. The biggest challenge is to find ways to get the main opposition party to play its role within the framework of the constitution and the norms of democracy and responsible conduct. Regrettably, the APNU+AFC

continue to peddle a false narrative of being ‘cheated’ out of office and unashamedly refer to the PPP/C as an ‘installed’ regime despite the results of the elections were verified as free, fair and transparent by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and local and international observers.

Such a stance is misleading and counter-productive from the standpoint of our image as a democratic and rules-based society.

President Ali recently corrected a number of false perceptions regarding governance in Guyana by some misguided persons in the United States. It is sad that some individuals base their conclusions on false and unsubstantiated premises and apparently not on the basis of facts and objective reality. The PPP/C administration, meanwhile, continues to press ahead with its people-centered development agenda based on the ‘One Guyana’ vision as articulated by President Ali. The achievements of the government are there and much more is expected as its modernization program picks up momentum in the years ahead.

Sincerely, Hydar Ally

Avoiding to call out PNC/APNU/AFC on lies, division Dear Editor,

T

imothy Jonas of ANUG appeared as a guest on a local talk show, and in expressing his views on the need for constitutional change and inclusive governance – which for some reason is only promulgated when the PNC (now APNU+AFC) finds itself in the Opposition – Jonas hypothesised that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board should have 3 persons from the Opposition, 3 from the Government, and one neutral as a means of ensuring inclusivity and preventing cries of corruption and discrimination.

This he posited that, once replicated across the board, including in the awarding of contracts in the oil and gas sector, would ensure a role in the governance structure for the Opposition, and their supporters will not be shut out from benefitting from contracts.

This is all nice-sounding, but when looked at from a logical and real-politick perspective, not only is it foolish and impractical, but when Mr Jonas was asked to provide an example of this model at work anywhere in the US, UK, Canada, India, or anywhere else in the world, he was unable to.

Why? First off, what would be the purpose of holding an election if the losing party still gets to shape policies and even disrupt the developmental agenda of the party whose plans and promises won it the election?

And I mention disrupting because, under Mr. Jonas’s model, the losing party can stymie the awarding of contracts for major developmental projects at NPTAB using their 3 nominees.

Another point to note is the contradiction

in the positions of Mr. Jonas and his party. On one hand, they are calling for the scrapping of the 3,3+1 Carter/Price Formula at GECOM, which worked as it was intended to for decades, until the PNC/APNU+AFC got into office. On the other hand, they are pushing the very 3, 3+1 formula for NPTAB and the oil and gas sector as the panacea for perceived corruption and discrimination.

But what the behaviour of the David Granger Administration and the PNC/APNU+AFC has shown over time is that we can have the most well-intentioned formula or laws, they will simply do as they please when it suits them. One only has to look at their rejection of 18 names put forward by the then PPP/C Opposition for the Chairmanship of GECOM, or their sudden inability to calculate the majority of 65 after losing the no-confidence vote, to see how impracticable Mr. Jonas is being.

But what I believe Mr. Jonas is doing is avoiding calling out the PNC/APNU+AFC on their politics of outright lies and division.

I believe that, in the case of Mr. Jonas, fear is the driving factor. He is afraid of the attacks from the PNC/APNU+AFC US-based lunatic fringe. So, in order to circle around having to call them out, he has resorted to the familiar ‘inclusivity’ mantra, which was in a comatose state between 2015 and 2020.

The difficulty came about when he was challenged to explain how this inclusivity would work.

Guyanese are not fools, though.

Sincerely, Thomas Cole

Aubrey Norton’s allegations... (From page 4) that, in the past year, more than $600 million was already invested in Sophia for infrastructure upgrades, the construction of a multipurpose facility, and the disbursement of home improvement subsidies.

Editor, I can go on and on. I can even invoke Buxton and Agricola, but I think that my point is well-made. Aubrey Norton is fanning the waning flame of racism. He is seeking to invigorate a dying ‘race’ sentiment. I am

happy that numbers are not on his side, and his puerile quest is becoming overtly known.

In fact, his crusade is being rejected bit by bit.

He cannot corroborate his denouncement of the Government. He also cannot sustain his propaganda that the PPP/C is practising both ‘political and ethnic discrimination.’

Yours truly, H. Singh

6

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 AUGUST, 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 ’

Unit established to handle monkeypox cases A

special unit has been established at the Guyana’s Infectious Disease Hospital, Liliendaal, to accommodate anyone who might be subdued to the global monkeypox virus locally.

The medical post will be outfitted with the necessary reagents and equipment, and full medical staff complement.

The approach is another massive step undertaken by the PPP/C Government, as it continues to be on high alert for any possible cases in Guyana.

Government has already trained a number of regional health officials at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory, to be better able to detect the infectious disease.

"Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, said, “If they do have a case, they would have the right techniques of how to take the sample, how to store the sample, and transport the sample to the laboratory so that we can do the confirmatory testing at the National Public Health Reference Lab.” He added that Guyana

must be prepared to guard against the health emergency. “This is something that we have to pay a lot of attention to, and try to make sure it is contained,” the health minister asserted.

Additionally, the administration has established a steering committee as part of efforts to prepare for the monkeypox virus reaching here.

The Health Ministry is also looking to do a continuing medical education course for medical practitioners. This course will help participants with accessing updates on the latest statistics, information, and clinical presentation of the disease.

Minister Anthony said the course will help the doctors to know the correct procedure to make reports to the ministry, and how to properly detect any such case.

“That how you deal with those types of emergencies you have to prepare. So, we have all the medical people trained, know what to look for and once we detect a case they’ll follow the protocol, Dr Anthony added.

Additionally, Guyana is working with the inter-

national community using a coordinated approach to tackle the infectious monkey pox disease in light of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recent announcement that it is now considered a global ‘public health emergency’.

The monkeypox is a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans. Globally, there are some 19,306 cases recorded.

The typical symptoms included a characteristic rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, muscle aches, headache and sore throat.

Dr Anthony stated that it is relatively easy to clinically diagnose someone who presents with a rash.

There has been over 2,096 new cases in the Americas, which reflects a 63.2 per cent increase from the prior week.

Brazil has reported some 690 cases of monkeypox, with 312 new cases last week Venezuela also recorded one case.

In the Caribbean, there are two cases in Jamaica, one in Barbados, one in Barbuda, one in the Bahamas, and another one in Martinique.

$30B to be spent on home construction for 4,500 families

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overnment will be utilising some $30 billion to construct 4,500 housing units for families in the lower to moderate income, and young professional brackets.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal announced that 1,500 housing units will be constructed at La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara, Region Four, 1,000 at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, and 1000 at Wales, West Bank Demerara in Region Three.

Additionally, 1000 houses will be constructed at the new Silica City, to be established along Soesdyke-Timehri.

The initiative forms part of the PPP/C Government’s thrust of providing afford-

able housing to Guyanese through its turn-key initiatives, distribution of house lots, and other support in the form of access to financing and construction materials.

“Since the return of the PPP/C to government, we have re-energised the housing and construction sectors through the introduction of bold and aggressive home ownership initiatives at the policy level,” he said.

With the establishment of new housing developments, and the upgrading of existing areas, Minister Croal said over the past two years, over 12,000 Guyanese received house lots through allocation exercises, as well as the turn-key initiatives.

Under the turn-key programme, some 1,200 low,

moderate and young professional units and core homes for the vulnerable group are being built in Regions, Three, Four, Six and Ten, 300 of which have been handed over to the beneficiaries.

The project to construct houses was conceptualised

by His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan who had initiated the ‘turn key’ homes initiative when he served as housing minister prior to 2015.

Minister Croal said the intention is to distribute 22,000 lots to Guyanese by the end of 2022.

In keeping with its manifesto, the PPP/C Government is committed to delivering 50,000 house lots to Guyanese within its first term in office.

Eccles-Great Diamond highway progressing smoothly – Min Croal

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orks on the Eccles to Great Diamond Four-Lane Highway on the East Bank of Demerara are progressing smoothly, according to Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal.

The contract for the $13.3 billion project was awarded to 12 contractors in December last year.

Minister Croal said notwithstanding the inclement weather, contractors are pushing to complete the first lot-Eccles to Providence, in time for the cricket finals slated for September at the Providence National Stadium. “We are hoping to be able to use that [Eccles to Providence Road] sometime in September when we have the carnival because one can expect the increased traffic during that period,” he said.

The project has been divided into 12 lots and

includes the construction of more than 30 reinforced concrete bridges, 8.6 kilometers of reinforced concrete highway road and, two roundabouts.

The throughfare will connect to the already completed Mandela to Eccles Four lane road.

The minister explained that works are ongoing to complete the roundabout and the concrete drains of the Eccles Landfill Road which connects the highway.

Further, the dumpsite road, which leads to the industrial area, Providence and other housing developments, is part of one of the main connectivity for the Ogle, East Coast Demerara to Eccles, EBD roads and other major infrastructural projects.

Croal said, “That project is a very costly road… it is one of our main con-

nectivity for our major infrastructure transformation and highway…that means that road will take on major importance.”

Minister Croal has announced that $20 billion will be spent on the expansions of major highways such as the extension of Aubrey Barker Road to Enmore, the extension of the Eccles Landfill and Schoonord to Crane roads.

These major infrastructural projects will be complemented by the $52 billion new Demerara River Bridge and the widening and expansion of the ECD Railway Embankment Road.

Once completed, the roads are expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion on the coast.

It will also make way for the establishments of new housing developments and commercial zones.

Gov’t assisting No.5 Village pig farmers to improve production

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armers rearing pigs at Number Five Village, Region Five, will soon receive major assistance from government to improve their production.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, made the commitment when he met with a number of farmers in the community. He said about 40 pigs were distributed to farmers to develop their drove just two months ago.

According to him, the investment in the swine sector can have a major influence on the productivity and profitability of the local pig enterprise. “We can give you one or two pigs so that you can develop your hers and get better breed. We can do the help you with artificial insemination free of cost, so that you can get better breeds. I will ask Dr. Walrond to put together a programme for me to look at all the pig farmers in this community,” Minister Mustapha said.

The minister’s response followed several comments made by farmers, who pleaded for aid to improve their small-scale farming.

Artificial Insemination (AI) is the insertion and delivery of semen into the reproductive canal of a female pig. The minor animal surgery enables the accelerations of breeding, thereby allowing pork production costs to be reduced. According to research, AI is efficient in preventing the spread of both non-sexually transmitted diseases and other infectious diseases.

Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha commended the effort of the farmers, noting that the years-long culture of pig rearing in the Mahaica-Berbice district, will not be overlooked by the PPP/C Administration. “Rest assure we will work with you. We will help you as I said, we have a philosophy in our government that we will work and ensure that we ease the burden on the ordinary Guyanese,” he stated.

Moving forward, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) will assess the number of pig farmers in the area, so that assistance could be equally distributed.

In a continued effort to

expand the pig industry, government commenced work in 2021 to establish a swine abattoir.

And in collaboration with the private sector this year, the administration is also moving ahead with the establishment of a swine facility with the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) for breeding pigs.

Government is also working to establish a modern bio-secure swine facility to increase production to supply the swine facility.

This will advance the value chain of pork and contribute substantially to food security, and will see a massive per cent increase in pork production to replace imports.

Meanwhile, farmers from the village will also receive additional assistance from the ministry to improve the drainage and irrigation network in the area. “I will send our technical people back in the area. Within a week, I will make available a machine to clear the dam and those areas that need drainage we will work with you to get those areas drained,” the Minister assured.

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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 ’

30,000 acres of savannah lands to become accessible

─ $251.4 M contract signed to extend Tacama, Region 10 Road

A

pproximately 30,000 acres of savannah lands will become accessible for corn, soya, and sorghum cultivation, with a $251.4 million contract being awarded to Associated Construction Services, to extend the Tacama Road, Region 10.

The 25-kilometer expansion will allow the area to benefit from reduced production cost, through the reduction of transportation fees.

The two parties inked the agreement on Wednesday, during a ceremony held at the ministry’s boardroom.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha said, “That road will help us to have better access to the corn and soya project. Last year, we cultivated 125 acres of the corn and soya, however, this year we will increase from that amount to 3,500 acres.”

Apart from the massive

road expansion, contracts were also signed for significant drainage and irrigation enhancement in Regions Two, Three, and Four.

United Contracting and Supplies has received a $30.7 million contract to build the head regulator at Reliance, along the Essequibo Coast. The project is expected to improve the regulation of water in the irrigation channels there.

Another $158.5 million will be injected into con-

16 bridges, farm to market road for Buxton/Foulis area ‒ local contractors to execute works

M

ajor infrastructural works will soon commence in the Buxton/Foulis area which will bring significant relief to residents of the two communities.

Works to be executed include the rehabilitation of 16 bridges and the construction of a farm-to-market road to provide access to farmers.

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill made the announcement when he met with residents at Tipperary Hall, Buxton, on July 28, 2022.

Minister Edghill said an engineer from his ministry will return to the villages on Friday to inspect the

bridges. The inspection will give the ministry a full understanding of works needed after which, a bill of quantity will be compiled.

“If we have 16 bridges at $1.5 million, $1.3 million, we will do all 16. Sixteen contractors from Buxton will get work… so, you will be invited to bid and one lot person,” Minister Edghill stated.

The farm-to-market road will give farmers easy access to their farms.

During the meeting, residents suggested two locations where the road should be constructed. Minister Edghill said three engineers will return to inspect the

two locations.

The minister said they are going to “walk both areas and see firsthand the conditions and then we make a decision within a two-week period because we cannot sit down and talk about this forever.”

Government’s intervention to construct the farm-to-market road was welcomed by farmers.

The meeting in the community stemmed from a ministerial outreach which was led by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips on July 4, 2022.

Minister Edghill was accompanied by Permanent Secretary to the Ministry Vladim Persaud and senior engineers.

structing the head regulator, and tail wall at C1-C6 Area, Region Two. This will also improve the regulation of water in and out of the irrigation channels, reducing wastage and improving the drainage of rice lands.

Additionally, M. Sukhai Contracting Services is tasked with rehabilitating the drainage structure at Dartmouth, Region Two, to the tune of $13.8 million.

Meanwhile, through the New Guyana Market-

ing Corporation (GMC), a $14.3 million contract has been awarded to Triple A Construction Supplies and Service, to construct a dehydration facility at Hope.

The facility will be used to convert fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables into dehydrated products.

Further, the Pomeroon Women’s Association Building in Region Two will be retrofitted to encourage more agro-processing and contribute to food

security.

To this end, a sum of $8.7 million will be spent to the appropriate equipment to the agro–processing factory. The contract was awarded to NK Engineering Services in this regard.

Altogether, the total contracts awarded amounted to over $605 million, and Minister Mustapha made it clear that the works must be done on time, and in accordance with the specifications.

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Amerindian Development…

FOCUS ON GUYANA’ S FIRST PEOPLE Every hinterland, riverain household to benefit from economic relief grant A

merindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai has reassured that every household in riverain and hinterland villages will receive a $25,000 cash grant.

The Minister was adamant that multiple households can live under one roof as she responded to the numerous concerns of residents while recently in Campbelltown, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

There are 3,525 households in Region Eight, according to the list produced by the Ministry of Finance, which means a mammoth $88,225,000 will be circulating in the Region when the distribution concludes.

Minister Sukhai said the economic relief, which government is giving, will reach

all of the intended beneficiaries. “I assure that every household living under one roof will get the grant. Once you are a different family you must be cooking your own pot. If you are cooking your own pot and living under the same roof, you will get separate grants because you are not the same household,” she stated.

Meanwhile, residents are pleased with this initiative of Government that seeks to cushion the effects of the rising cost of living to some of the most vulnerable sections of the population.

The distribution of the cash grant is currently underway in hinterland communities.

This is just one initiative of Government that seeks to

financially relieve citizens.

The distribution of the cash grant for school children commenced on Tuesday (August 2, 2022). This means every parent and guardian will receive for every child registered in a school, a total of $30,000.

This is an increased from the $19,000 received last year. The ‘Because We Care’ cash grant has been increased by over 50 per cent, from $15,000 to $25,000 while the school uniform grant moved from $4,000 to $5,000.

These grants that seek to relieve the burden from citizens, exemplifies the caring nature of Government and concretises its narrative of bettering the lives of all Guyanese.

Campbelltown Village Council receives tractor to bolster agriculture production R esidents of Campbelltown, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) now have the use of a brand-new tractor to advance their economic development.

Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai travelled to the village and handed over the keys to Toshao, Jillian Williams.

This is part of the Government’s drive to increase agricultural production countrywide and assist Amerindi-

an communities to prosper.

Minister Sukhai highlighted that the vehicle will aid in the economic upliftment of the village. She said, “It is for agriculture use to fetch your produce but you can use it for hire to fetch logs and for transportation so that the village can earn money.” Sukhai also urged the village council, which will be tasked with managing the use of the tractor, to ensure that it is frequently maintained.

The Ministry has trained a tractor driver in the village to operate the vehicle. This is part of a larger tractor distribution initiative launched

by Government to increase agricultural production in the hinterland.

So far, a total of 113 tractors have been distributed across Amerindian communities.

A brush cutter and other items were also handed over to the community.

Another 65 ICT hubs to be completed soon R

esidents across the hinterland will soon be able to be educated right in their villages, as the PPP/C Government is sparing no effort to complete the construction and operationalisation of Information Communications Technology (ICT) hubs in 200 communities.

In the PPP/C’s manifesto, government committed to developing the infrastructure, and providing

the enabling environment to promote the use of ICT across Guyana.

ICT HUBS Since returning to office, Government allocated millions of dollars to revive the programme and to date, has outfitted 25 Hubs that are fully functional. By the end of August, almost 100 are expected to be functional.

Training is also being

provided for persons in the various communities in ICT so that they can render assistance should there be any issues arising at the various hubs. That training is expected to commence in August.

Additionally, efforts are also being made to improve the quality and strength of the internet bandwidth hinterland residents receive.

DIGITAL DIVIDE The PPP/C, on the campaign trail, committed to bridging the digital divide between hinterland and the coast, including the resuscitation of the ICT hub programme started by a previous PPP/C Government.

Bridging the divide would see some 215 hinterland and riverine com-

munities benefitting from internet connectivity, as well as reliable energy.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, who has responsibility for energy and Information and Communications Technology (ICT), has assured hinterland communities of government’s commitment to bridging the energy and digital divide. “We have earmarked and expended huge amounts of money between the period August 2, 2020 to present, to bridge the energy divide and bridge the digital divide. We have committed, we will remain committed towards seeing all the projects and programmes to its conclusion so that collectively all of Guyana, including you, and your communities will benefit

from these programmes and projects,” the Prime Minister said as he addressed the National Toshaos Conference.

ENERGY Regarding electricity, the Prime Minister said the hinterland communities are located in off-grid areas as such are not connected to the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System. However, he informed them that government is working on a number of solar and hydro energy solutions.

Government is constructing a 1.5 MW hydropower plant at Kumu, Region Nine and is working to upgrade the 700-kw capacity of the defunct Moco Moco hydropower plant also in that region. Over $600 million

was earmarked in budget 2022 for the construction of both projects. The 150-kw hydropower scheme at Kat, Region Eight, is also expected to be completed soon.

The Prime Minister pointed out that government will be expanding the Hinterland Electrification Programme. In Budget 2022, some $450 million was budgeted to expand and upgrade the hinterland electrification and power generation capacity through the purchase of generators, and the expansion of distribution lines.

Additionally, the installation of 30,000 solar energy panels in hinterland and riverine communities is expected to commence early 2023 that will benefit over 136,000 residents.

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POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Funds will be made available to complete Berbice, Linden synthetic track A

dditional funds will be made available to complete the construction of the synthetic track and field

facilities at Burnham Park, New Amsterdam, Region Six and Bayroc Community Centre Ground, Wismar, Linden,

Region Ten. This is according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, in comments on Monday (August

Oil and Gas blocks to be auctioned – President Ali

G

uyana's government expects that an upcoming auction for oil and gas blocks, in the third quarter of 2022, will attract new companies to its energy industry, President Irfaan Ali said on July 25, 2022, following years of domination by U.S. giant Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) and its partners.

Though oil was not the focus of the visit, the President said he was taking advantage of being in the United States to call on energy companies to participate in the bidding round, scheduled for the third quarter.

Speaking to the international news agency, Reuters, Ali said, “We are hoping that the participants in the auction... will add diversification…we have been clear to the United States that we

are going to continue an aggressive bid to ... capitalize on our hydrocarbon sector.”

Guyana is expected to reach 1.2 million barrels per day of crude production by 2027 - surpassing Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador - is not currently considering joining the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). President Ali said, "We are a new player in the oil and gas sector...

That conversation will have its time.”

Guyana’s revenue from the oil and gas sector is expected to accelerate to $7.5 billion annually in 2030, according to consultancy Rystad Energy.

OIL FINDS ExxonMobil has been the primary operator in Guyana’s

oil and gas sector – working in the Stabroek Block.

Currently, two floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels operating offshore Guyana — Liza Destiny and Liza Unity — have exceeded their initial combined production target of 340,000 barrels of oil per day.

A third project, Payara, is expected to produce 220,000 barrels per day. Construction on its production vessel, the Prosperity FPSO, is approximately five months ahead of schedule with start-up likely before year-end 2023.

The fourth project, Yellowtail, is expected to produce 250,000 barrels per day when the ONE GUYANA FPSO comes online in 2025.

The Stabroek Block is es(Turn to page 20)

1, 2022), and he added that his government intends to complete the long-awaited facilities in a timely manner to benefit athletes within the East Berbice Corentyne and the Upper Demerara-Berbice.

Responding to a query

by New Amsterdam youths as to the completion of the facility in that area, President Ali has committed that, “… before the end of this year, we already went for supplementary, you will see in both tracks, work commencing to give you a final product that

you deserve.”

Further to this, the President reminded that the government is working to give Berbice its first international stadium at the Palmyra, Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne).

The President went on to explain that when the government got into office in August 2020, it met two incomplete synthetic track facilities with no funds released to complete them.

Inspections were done by the Youth, Sport and Culture

Ministry and the contractors were engaged to have both facilities completed.

Subsequently, the ministry procured synthetic materials for the facilities from a German company.

Once completed, the facilities will boast an eightlane synthetic track, a football pitch, security fencing, drainage, and a restroom among other features.

Guyana’s first synthetic track and field facility was constructed by the PPP/C Government in 2014.

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Coalition doubles down on denying attempt to rig March 2020 Elections T

he APNU+AFC Coalition’s role in the attempt to rig the March 2020 General and Regional Elections was ignored, as speakers doubled down on the claim that they did nothing wrong and were “cheated” by the PPP/C. This was evidenced at the public rally hosted by the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition, in partnership with the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), on August 2, 2022.

The speakers included Members of Parliament

(MPs) Christopher Jones; Amanza Walton-Desir; Coretta McDonald; Juretha Fernandes; Vincent Henry; Ganesh Mahipaul; Mervyn Williams; and Sherod Duncan. The WPA’s Kidackie Amsterdam, David Hinds, and Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, also took the stage.

Norton, in his remarks at the rally, cited the reports by the Election Observer Missions (EOMS) to back up his calls for a “clean Voters’ List” and the removal

of retired Justice Claudette Singh as the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), who was appointed by his predecessor, David Granger, but ignored the EOMs findings on the mischief that was exposed.

The integrity of the entire electoral process was seriously compromised by the non-transparent and non-credible tabulation of results in the largest and decisive Region 4 by senior GECOM officials, acting in blatant violation of the law

and High Court orders issued in this regard, according to the European Union (EU) Election Observer Mission in its final report on the March 2020 elections. The EU was one of five international Election Observer Missions (EOMs) that were in Guyana for the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. The other four included the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Carter Center, the Commonwealth and the Organisation of American States (OAS).

The harshest condemnation came on May 13, 2020 from the then Chief of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission (EOM), Bruce Golding, was no holds barred, when he addressed the OAS Permanent Council.

He stressed that the declaration of election results for Region Four was based on fictitious documents. “I have never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an Election. More than a dozen copies of the Statements of Poll are prepared

at each polling station after the ballots are counted on election night. One copy is posted on the wall outside the polling station and each party representative – and there were nine in all – each party representative is entitled to receive a copy. It takes an extraordinarily courageous mind to present documents with fictitious numbers when there is such a sturdy paper trail exists. And this is being illustrated now as the recount proceeds,” he said.

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Statement on 2nd Anniversary of... (From page 3) trepreneurs, persons with permanent disabilities and those receiving dialysis treatment benefited from larger grants.

Similarly, interventions have been undertaken to stabilise the cost of basic food items and fuel as Guyana and the rest of the world grapples with inflation driven by external factors of COVID-19 and the Ukraine war. The Government is committed to monitoring prices and is prepared to undertake more interventions to cushion the effects on citizens.

Amerindian Community Service Officers were rehired, the land titling project for hinterland communities has recommenced and develop-

ment programmes of villages will soon be re-incorporated into the economic model of the Expanded Low Carbon Development strategy 2030.

The president’s ‘One-Guyana’ vision, intended to involve and include every citizen at home and abroad in the transformation process, has begun in earnest and is gaining momentum.

Government is fully engaging with all Guyanese in communities across Guyana through Cabinet outreaches with feedback from these meetings helping to define policies, prioritise projects and shape a new approach on how Government responds to citizens.

Today, as we mark two years since the ‘triumph of democracy’ in Guyana, let there be no mistake nor ambiguity about our resolve as a Government to prevent and address any actions or activities that would threaten the foundations and pillars of our democratic society.

Those who are focused on drumming up racial hostilities at every opportunity in their unpatriotic quest to divide our country and torpedo our development agenda through incitement, instigation, and outright acts of terrorism, will not succeed and will be held accountable.

The Government would not be distracted by those

who have embraced obstructionism to the detriment of Guyanese achieving their full potential.

When Dr. Ali was sworn in as Guyana’s nineth, democratically elected executive President, along with senior Cabinet appointees on August 2, 2020, it marked the ‘Triumph of democracy’.

Scores of journalists, social media reporters and influencers with smart phones and ‘live stream’ access were present with the observers at every polling station across the country and later converged at the command-and-control Centre of the Guyana Elections Commission to witness the

results tabulation process.

None of that mattered as when the APNU-AFC Coalition government realised it had lost, a plan was orchestrated to steal the elections which plunged the country into one of the darkest episodes in our history that would last five long months.

Those who perpetrated the acts, meant to steal the elections, now face prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.

President Ali and the PPP/C Administration have worked tirelessly to commence the process of re-examining our institutional frameworks and constitutional architecture needed

to safeguard the integrity of our electoral process and democracy itself.

The Government is well advanced with electoral reforms and will transition to broader constitutional reforms in the coming months.

Guyana’s transformation will succeed, while the ballot box and the revised provisions of the ‘Representation of the People Act’ will continue to be the basis of our democratic system for elections, and the integrity of the electoral process which produces a government that reflects the will of the people, will remain sacrosanctly protected.

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Oil and Gas blocks to be... (From page 17) timated to contain resources of about 11 billion oil-equivalent barrels. ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is operator and holds 45% interest. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30% interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25% interest. The Stabroek block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometers).

The discoveries to date include at the Stabroek Block

by Exxon Mobil, include: 1. Liza-1 (May 9, 2015) 2. Liza Deep (January 9, 2017) 3. Payara-1 (January 9, 2017) 4. Snoek-1 (March 30, 2017) 5. Turbot-1 (October 11, 2017) 6. Ranger-1 (January 5, 2018) 7. Pacora (March 5, 2018) 8. Longtail-1 (June 20, 2018) 9. Hammerhead-1 (August 30, 2018)

10. Pluma -1 (December 3, 2018) 11. Tilapia-1 (February 4, 2019) 12. Haimara-1 (February 4, 2019) 13. Yellowtail-1 (April 16, 2019) 14. Tripletail-1 (September 16, 2019) 15. Mako-1 (December 20, 2019) 16. Uaru-1 (January 23, 2020) 17. Yellowtail-2 (July 29, 2020)

18. Redtail-1 (September 7, 2020) 19. Hassa-1 (March 23, 2021) 20. Uaru-2 (April 28, 2021) 21. Longtail-3 (June 8, 2021) 22. Whiptail-1 (July 26, 2021) 23. Whiptail-2 (July 26, 2021) 24. Turbot-2 (September 9, 2021) 25. Pinktail-1 (September 9, 2021) 26. Cataback-1 (October

6, 2021) 27. Fangtooth-1 (January 5, 2022) 28. Lau Lau-1 (January 5, 2022) 29. Barreleye-1 (April 25, 2022) 30. Lukanani-1 (April 25, 2022) 31. Patwa-1 (April 25, 2022) 32. Seabob-1 (July 26, 2022) 33. Kiru Kiru-1 (July 26, 2022) So far, these 33 wells in the Stabroek Block have yielded positive results for

oil extraction, which takes the total to 38 oil discoveries offshore Guyana.

Of the 38 finds: 33 were made by ExxonMobil in the Stabroek Block; One at the Kaieteur Block – Tanager-1 (November 16, 2020); Two at the Orinduik block – Jethro-1 (August 28, 2019) and Joe-1 (September 23, 2019); One at the Kanuku block – Carapa-1 (January 1, 2020); and One at the Corentyne block – Kawa-1 (March 16, 2022).

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COM M ENTARY

Remarkable developments in two short years have positioned Guyana on transformative trajectory

By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

T

he dream of national unity, of a country in which our people live in solidarity with each other, where we celebrate each other and see our diversity as national pride and as an asset, has been elusive, ever since we flirted with it in 1953 under Cheddi Jagan.

By 2020, many of those who never gave up on the dream, many who held on to the hope that the dream was still possible had begun to drift away from the dream, giving up. In two short years under a new PPP government, under President Irfaan Ali, the dream has been reignited and for the very first time since 1953, we have arrived at a place where there have never been so many people who believe that ONE GUYANA is possible, in our lifetime.

The development achievements since August 2, 2020, in just two short years, have been most remarkable. There has never been a two-year period at any time in Guyana’s history when there have been so many development projects, physical, social and cultural.

But the most noteworthy development that has taken place in this first two-years under President Irfaan Ali is that the vast majority of Guyanese people, including a significant number of persons who voted for APNU/ AFC, the PNC in disguise, believe that ONE GUYANA is desirable and possible.

President Ali has been persistent and tenacious in pushing a ONE GUYANA agenda. He is passionate

about the ONE GUYANA platform, refusing to accept that it cannot be achieved.

There was never any doubt that the PPP supporters would support him in the pursuit of the ONE GUYANA agenda. But very few persons would have envisaged that a significant number of those who voted against the PPP and President Ali would have supported him. The fact is that President Ali has succeeded in building a support-base, a coalition, beyond the PPPbase, for the ONE GUYANA platform.

To be fair, while President Ali has been the architect of the ONE GUYANA platform, without the indispensable role of the Vice President, Bharat Jagdeo, the ONE GUYANA platform might not have been able to gather the steam it has garnered so far. Guyana has found itself in a place where two visionary leaders are together working to transform Guyana, in many myriad ways.

The PPP is a fortunate political party in that these two leaders are piloting Guyana on this fabulous journey at the same time.

They have crafted a development strategy that have lifted from the positive aspects of previous development platforms, such as Jagan’s New Human Order and Bharrat Jagdeo’s Expansion and Modernization and LCDS, and have added new twists. Every region of Guyana, every group of citizens in our country and even people in the diaspora and from other countries believe that Guyana is the

country of the 21st century.

It is why, Guyana today leads the whole CARICOM combined in direct foreign investment. It is why Guyana’s GDP growth is many miles ahead of any other country in the world.

These are just phenomenal achievements in just two years.

The past two weeks have provided vivid examples of the ONE GUYANA takeoff.

Emancipation 2022 has been an eye-opener. President Ali was leading the celebration in Guyana. Never before has our people celebrated Emancipation as we did in 2022. Across Guyana, citizens took time to celebrate a Guyanese holiday, remembering that the slaves who fought against the inhumanity of enslavement made the first inroads in the struggle for freedom and dignity, for freedom from colonialism. Emancipation Day is one of the most auspicious days in our history.

Many fought for ending slavery. It, however, were the various rebellion by the slaves themselves that hastened the end of slavery.

The slaves in Guyana played one of the most crucial roles in the ending of slavery. It is for this reason that the Father of the Nation, Cheddi Jagan chose August 1 as the proposed date for Guyana’s independence. Burnham betrayed the Afro-Guyanese when he rejected the August 1 proposal in favour of May 26. I have no understanding why Burnham chose May 26. What I know is that May 26 marks one of the most shameful dates in our

Coalition doubles down... (From page 18) While Guyanese went to the polls on March 2, 2020, the final election results were not announced until August 2, 2020 – five months after.

During the protracted delay: there was manipulation of election results in Region 4 – as confirmed by the national

recount – by the then Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, who increased votes for the APNU+AFC Coalition by over 19,000 and decreased the votes for the PPP/C by over 3,000; there were several court challenges, one of which ended up at Guyana’s

apex court, the Caribbean Court of Justice; a national recount that lasted 34 days; and multiple attempts by the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, to present results that did not reflect the outcome of the national recount.

history, the day when many Indo-Guyanese women were raped, many of them beaten and killed and all their homes burnt to the ground.

While Irfaan Ali, VP Bharat Jagdeo and the Cabinet were out engaging the Guyanese people, not just in celebrating Emancipation Day, but in community outreach bringing development to the communities across Guyana, over the last few days, the Leader of the Opposition was out with his colleagues spreading hate and venom and insisting that the only way for ONE GUYANA is if he and his party have political power.

Nothing short of political power is good enough for them.

This is not my conclusion; this is what Norton and his colleagues have been preaching. They brazenly held a rally on August 2 making it clear that in their books there is only one solution and that solution is political power for the PNC. They did not even try hiding their threat -power by any means is their end goal.

President Ali, VP Jagdeo, PM Phillips and the PPP/C ministers have not relaxed even for a single day since August 2, 2020.

They have been everywhere in Guyana, in every community, bar none, bringing development everywhere.

President Ali and the PPP government ministers have been in communities that did not vote for them, such as in Linden, Kwakwani, Buxton, Melanie, Bartica, Mahdia, New Amsterdam, Queenstown. They have been in communities that have been steadfast in support for the PPP, such as in Chesney, Leonora, Wakenaam, Reliance etc.

Roads, bridges, schools, hospitals have been built and continue to being built.

Water systems are bringing better water or water for the first time. Electricity is now reaching more people.

In just two years, more than

12,000 house lots have already been provided, more than 20,000 jobs already created and many more slated to come on board.

More than 10,000 scholarships have been provided to Guyanese young people in all regions of Guyana.

While the government’s Because We Care cash-grant and school uniform voucher programs were being rolled out for 2022 on August 2 across every region of Guyana, hoping to reach more than 202,000 children in less than a month, with a distribution of more than $6.1B, with ministers leading the distribution everywhere, Norton and his sorry group have been spreading hate and racism.

On a day when they ought to have been out giving support to the government’s cash-transfer program and assisting people, especially their own supporters, to easily access the distribution sites, they were out threatening mayhem unless they are handed back political power.

Fortunately, the people continue to reject them.

People were too busy looking to build on the platform for prosperity that President Irfaan Ali’s ONE GUYANA platform beckons.

Imagine, they mobilized across Guyana for a rally at Parade Ground, the buses came from east, west, south, north. They fetched from Berbice, Regions 3 and 5 and 10 just to preach hate.

Yet they were not able to even fill the small Burnham Basketball Tarmac at Parade Ground. It was a sad story that in Georgetown where the vast majority of their supporters live, they could not fill a small basketball court. Burnham and Hoyte used to full more people for small community political meetings in Georgetown than Norton could mobilized for a rally, even after bringing dozens of busloads of people from across Guyana.

Even as they continue to push the narrative of racial discrimination, President Ali’s government published the list of the 2022 GOAL scholarship awardees. Several well-known PNC members were awarded GOAL places. But a quick perusal of the more than 4,200 awardees so far for 2022 show that no single group dominated. In fact, the percentage of Afro-Guyanese awardees out-numbered the percentage Afro-Guyanese in the country’s population.

No doubt Aubrey Norton and his band of losers will denounce the Afro-Guyanese awardees of house lots, scholarships, jobs, small loans, infrastructure contracts as “house slaves”. The PNC problem, therefore, is that only a small group of persons is left as their support base.

As the government spread-out across Guyana every single day, Norton and the PNC/AFC beg their supporters not to cooperate with the PPP, demanding that their supporters boycott PPP events. They even threaten their supporters who refuse to listen to them.

Threat or no threat, no matter how much they beat their chest, their own supporters ignore them and come out to see, engage with and benefit from the government outreaches. Norton continues to show that he has no answers, that he is clueless and that he is not ready for the big stage.

Every single day, as more development takes place, as the government rolls out more social programmes to benefit every community in Guyana, people are becoming believers that the ONE GUYANA platform is genuine and no mirage.

It is real and the Guyanese people are believers in ONE GUYANA. President Irfaan Ali in just two years has already sealed his legacy as the architect of ONE GUYANA.

23

WEEKEND MIRROR 6-7 AUGUST, 2022

Persons with flu-like symptoms urged to get tested for COVID-19

H

ealth Minister, Dr Frank Anthony is encouraging citizens experiencing flu-like symptoms to get tested for COVID-19.

The minister explained that signs and symptoms of the BA5 variant can resemble the flu as such it is important to be tested to verify whether or not a person is infected with the coronavirus. “If persons have flu like symptoms, they shouldn’t assume it’s a flu they should go and get tested to verify whether or not it’s COVID and if its COVID then they’ll need to isolate at least for five days,” he said.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the health ministry has established a number of testing sites across the country. The sites are still available to the pub-

lic.

Minister Anthony said getting tested will reduce the spread of the virus and allow for better management of active cases. “We have testing facilities available across the country and we’ll like to encourage more people to be tested, the unfortunate thing is that a lot of people now might have COVID, but they don’t come forward to be tested and that’s unfortunate because they can continue to spread it to other persons and that can be more challenging to manage,” he said.

Additionally, he noted that there continues to be a very low rate of testing in hinterland regions, especially in Region Eight. That region has not recorded any COVID-19 cases for the past weeks, because of the limit-

ed tests conducted. “I would encourage people, especially in Region’s Eight that again if they have flu-like symptoms they should be tested,” Dr. Anthony said.

Government, as well as public healthcare facilities, have been offering Antigen and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing across Guyana.

However, PCR testing in the public system is only conducted on persons who have been hospitalised, and those who have been in environments susceptible to COVID-19 infection.

Also, Guyana has introduced its COVID-19 home testing. Many persons have opted to this method, however, if found to be COVID-19 positive they should report it to the Ministry of Health.

Long-COVID symptoms can last longer than a year ‒ Health Ministry still monitoring, and treating patients

C Region Nine leading hinterland in Covid 19 vaccination for 5-11 years

R

egion Nine (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) is leading the way in the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 vaccination of children ages 5-11 years.

The region is ahead of Regions One, Seven and Eight with 39.9 percent first dose vaccination.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony stated that since vaccination for this age group began in June, some hinterland regions areas are doing better than others. “First dose coverage in Region Nine is about, so when you consider that the average across the country is 3.7%, Region Nine first dose us 39.9 percent, that’s very good, when you look at their second dose, they haven’t done any second dose as yet,” Dr. Anthony said.

He said some time needs to elapse before the second dose is rolled out in this

region.

Region Eight (Potaro / Sipuruni) follows closely with a 36 percent coverage, with 2.8 per cent taking a second dose.

Region Seven has a 4.7 per cent coverage for the first dose, while the second dose is 3.7 per cent.

Region One currently has three per cent coverage with a second dose coverage of 0.3 per cent.

Vaccination for children ages 5-11 in Guyana was first introduced in June 11, 2022 and so far, over 6,800 children have taken a first dose of the vaccine, while over 1,960 have taken a second dose.

Meanwhile, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on the population, Minister Anthony believes that the current number does not represent the reality of the situation

as persons are not tested frequently.

“So, the numbers remain artificially low, so that’s something that we have to bear in mind, so the numbers that we see and that we report, we think are an underestimate, and it’s not a phenomenon that is only happening in Guyana but is happening across the globe,” Dr. Anthony said.

The current first dose vaccination rate for adults is at over 86 per cent with over 67 per cent second dose. While over 48 per cent of the 12-17 population has had a first dose, over 35 per cent took the second dose.

The Health Minister is also urging persons who have had both first and second doses to take their booster shots as so far, only about 71,000 booster doses have been administered.

OVID-19 continues to affect many persons not just in its acute phase or period of infection, but also after infection, a condition termed longCOVID. Studies have shown that about one-fifth of persons infected or re-infected with COVID-19 can develop prolonged symptoms that last for more than a year in some patients.

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, who made the disclosure, said, “After someone would’ve had the acute phase of the infection, let’s say they were hospitalised and discharged, some persons would continue to experience symptoms for long periods of time, in some cases as much as a year

and in other cases probably longer.”

Minister Anthony explained that having prolonged symptoms does not mean a person is infectious but is experiencing lingering health problems caused by the infection.

He noted that according to the British Medical Journal, about five per cent of persons who were infected or re-infected continues to have problems with their smell and taste.

The latest symptoms of long-COVID include problems with sex drive and hair loss. Dr. Anthony noted that studies are ongoing to determine all the symptoms of long-COVID. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has established a multidisciplinary

team to monitor and provide care for long-COVID patients. “In Guyana, we have set up teams of people who would normally see these patients depending on what symptoms we’re seeing or what symptoms they’re presenting with and we continue to treat them symptomatically,” the Minister said.

In addition, 400 local physicians have been trained by top experts from the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York to help them better detect and treat patients affected by these prolonged symptoms. The health minister added that the medical team at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) will work with patients to ensure they receive treatment.

PNCR-led public rally morphs into platform for racist, divisive rhetoric

D

emonstrating a commitment to stirring division in Guyanese society, the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition, in partnership with the increasingly discredited Working People’s Alliance (WPA), hosted a public rally on August 2, 2022.

And the engagement morphed into a platform for racist and divisive rhetoric before the end of the event.

The speakers included

Members of Parliament (MPs) Christopher Jones; Amanza Walton-Desir; Coretta McDonald; Juretha Fernandes; Vincent Henry; Ganesh Mahipaul; Mervyn Williams; and Sherod Duncan. The WPA’s Kidackie Amsterdam, David Hinds, and Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, also took the stage.

Norton and Hinds were billed as the main speakers.

Hinds in comments

made clear that the group wanted power. “What we want is power; political and economic power.”

In a call back to the PNCR-inspired ‘Slow Fyah, Moh Fyah’ campaign, Hinds added, “I’m saying we gotta be at the table. And if you don’t want us at the table, we gonna kick down the feet of the table.”

Hinds also attempted to segregate the working class

into race groups saying, “When you say sugar workers, you mean Indian Guyanese. When you say Public Servants you mean African Guyanese. When you say Police and Army you mean African Guyanese.” This is unsubstantiated, as persons of all races are employed in these three areas.

This is not the first time that Hinds’ comments have created controversy.

On July 8, 2022, Hinds

claimed that the PPP/C government “wants to use East Indian people, in order to put their knees on the rest of Guyana and we must not allow them” among other reckless statements. Hinds used this claim to call for “action” from Afro-Guyanese.

Hinds said, “We have to organise ourselves into a big movement…a movement to clean this country…. it is our time and we are beginning to push back…. the fight has begun.”

On November 22, 2021, Hinds had said: “I think the time has come to defend ourselves…it is time for action…I am also repeating my call to undermine the government. I said that in August and I am saying it again. A leader does not have to tell you how to undermine the government.

There are many ways… undermine the government and continue to do so.”

At the same forum, Hinds went further to call for Indian-owned businesses to be boycotted. He said, “They were enablers and they are enablers….it is your money that is spending on Regent Street that they does take and give to the PPP as contributions for elections so they can get into government… undermine the economic partners of the PPP.” Prior to that, while addressing a small group of protestors at Victoria, East Coast Demerara in August 2021, Hinds said: “In whatever way you can undermine this (PPP/C) government.

Undermine this government in whatever way you can. I can’t tell you how to do it, but ‘hint to Baniba mek Quashiba tek notice’ (Old African-Guyanese proverb meaning actions to hint something will result in awareness). Undermine this government!”

In recent weeks the Coalition’s use of racist rhetoric has been heightened.

Leader of the PNCR and the Parliamentary Opposition, Aubrey Norton, on June 4, 2022, made irresponsible allegations. “I wouldn’t rule out that they (the PPP/C) gave the instruction to kill this young man so they get something to distract people with…

I’ve been in politics long enough to know that when they bring these things to side-track us, we will stay focused…this struggle has to continue,” Norton said, without any evidence, referring to the matter where

three Guyana Police Officers were charged over the death of Quindon Bacchus on June 5, 2022. Norton also mounted comments about not trusting the PPP. “We do not trust them…we will continue the political pressure,” he charged.

On June 4, 2022, Coalition Parliamentarian, Christopher Jones, speaking to a handful of protestors at Buxton, said, “Black youngsters go to a commercial bank for a loan and they are denied. An East Indian person, the same age, got the same thing like the young black man, go to the same commercial bank, but he getting the loan….that is the reality of this country….you go to predominantly East Indian villages in this country and you would see rapid development, nice roads, nice street lights…but you go predominantly the African villages – bad roads, poor drainage, no street lights, no recreational facilities for them… that is the reality of this country.”

The PNC-led APNU+AFC Coalition’s expressed intentions to “undermine” the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Administration, according to PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, in prior comments, has not gone unnoticed.

Jagdeo said, “People like David Hinds, who for decades misled people into thinking they represent Afro-Guyanese, had no interest in development for Guyana, much less development in the interest of Afro-Guyanese…they are parasitic…when they came into office, they had no intention of supporting Afro-Guyanese…he is smarting from the person loss of privileges that he and his family enjoyed… the bitterness stems from there.”

Moving forward, Jagdeo noted that the APNU+AFC Coalition must drop racism as a tool and get on board with a national development agenda – all in the interest of all Guyanese across the entire country. “It is a dead end if they don’t drop the racism…there is room for inclusion, providing that you work for the people… you can’t bully people and you can’t lie to people…. currently, we have an ineffective Opposition Leader…more often than not, he has a shallow understanding of crucial sectors,” he stressed.

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