Weekend Mirror 19-20 November 2022

PNCR-led efforts to block parliamentary scrutiny of spending in 2019, 2020 persists

Chairman of the Parlia mentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Jermaine Figueira, has attempted to block a motion to ensure that government spending during

2019 and 2020, under the former APNU+AFC Coali tion Government, is properly scrutinized.

Citing the absence of par liamentary oversight or ap

proval of government spend ing during 2019 and 2020, PPP/C Member of Parliament Sanjeev Datadin, tabled a motion in the Public Ac counts Committee (PAC) for

the Auditor General’s reports to be scrutinized individually.

Datadin’s motion was tabled during the PAC’s stat utory meeting on Monday (November 14, 2022) and

seconded by fellow PPP/C Member of Parliament and Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill. The simple motion said, “I hereby move a motion that the Annual Auditor General Reports for the years 2019 and 2020 be examined and scrutinized separately and sequentially by the Public Accounts Com mittee.” Datadin contends that the motion is integral to the work of the PAC. He stressed that given the fact that there was no oversight during the 20-month period between 2019 and 2020, given that the no-confidence motion was passed on De cember 2018.

However, PAC Chair man, Figueira, in his effort to block the motion charged that it rescind a previous motion that was put and accepted by the committee for the merg ing of the years 2019 and 2020 reports.

The motion is set to be debated at the next PAC meeting. A date for that meeting has not yet been announced.

2019 REPORT

For 2019, the Auditor General’s Office noted that several actions involving mil lions of taxpayer dollars by the former David Granger-led APNU+AFC Coalition gov ernment were under special investigation by the Auditor General’s Office, according to the 2019 Auditor General’s Report.

These included the pro curement of Birth Certifi cates. The 2019 report, on page V, said: “The Ministry of the Presidency entered into two contracts totalling $18.599M for the supply of 100,000 birth certificates, af ter it sought and was granted approval by NPTAB to use the single source method of procurement. At the time of this report, a special inves tigation was being conduct ed into the said acquisition of birth certificates.” The 100,000 birth certificates that were acquired through close ally of the APNU/AFC coalition Larry London, via a Florida-based company.

Further, a special in vestigation was also being done with regards to the Sustainable Livelihood En trepreneurial Development (SLED) initiative. The 2019 Auditor General’s Re port said: “Amounts totalling $249.997M were expended under the SLED Programme as at 31 December 2019, of which $169.555M were issued to Region 9. Audit examination of a sample of Beneficiaries’ Files revealed

that application forms were not completed despite it be ing a requirement. In addi tion, no criteria or checklist was seen as utilised for the appraisal and approval of grants. As a result, it was difficult to ascertain the rea son(s) for granting approval to the Beneficiaries. At the time of this report, a spe cial investigation was being conducted into the SLED Programme. Audit exam ination of a sample of ben eficiary’s files revealed that no application forms were completed despite it being a requirement as stated in the notice inviting applications published in the newspa pers. In addition, there was no criteria or checklist seen as utilised for the appraisal and approval of this grant. As a result, it was difficult to ascertain the reason(s) for granting approval to the respective beneficiaries. As such, a Special Audit into the SLED Programme has com menced and a separate report will be issued.” SLED was launched by the APNU+AFC Coalition after it took office in 2015. There has been no comment from the Coalition on the $249.997M that has not been accounted for.

Also, regarding the AP NU+AFC Coalition-con trolled Georgetown Mayor and City Council, the 2019 Auditor General’s Report stated that the following three special investigations were at various stages and address: Failure to remit workers National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions; Fail ure to remit workers Credit Union contributions due to the Credit Union; and Fail ure to remit workers Guyana Revenue Authority Pay as You Earn (P.A.Y.E) deduc tions from workers. “Issues surrounding the number of contracts in keeping with financial regulations, trans parency, and accountability,” the Report said are also being investigated.

The expenditure of al most $100M by the former Attorney General, Basil Wil liams, was also under special investigation. The 2019 Au ditor General’s Report, on page VI, said: “Despite hav ing a Solicitor General, one Deputy Solicitor General, two Assistant Solicitors Gen eral and six State Counsels in its employ, the Ministry of Legal Affairs paid amounts totalling $99.650M on Legal Fees/Retainer Agreements to three Law Firms and seven external Attorneys-at-Law. At the time of this report, a special investigation was be

formal motion tabled by PPP/C to have reports reviewed separately

‘Do not fall prey to propaganda of small self-serving group’ – President appeals to Guyanese

The small group that con tinues to peddle rac ism and discrimination, in self-service, must not be allowed to trump the desire of Guyanese who want to live in peace, harmony and to come together to enhance growth and development, declared President Dr. Irfaan Ali. And he committed the PPP/C Ad ministration to working on dismantling this effort.

“What there is, is a great yearning to come together, great enthusiasm and energy to come together, there is a great opportunity for us to fuse ourselves together, that is what the ordinary people want. There are however a select few out there who drive a narrative that is far different from reality,” Ali said.

During a meeting with dozens of Christian lead ers (both locally based and members of the diaspora) he highlighted that the Church is an important partner in achieving national unity and dismantling the narrative of division. The President noted that under the banner of ‘One Guyana’, the country can tru ly be transformed. He noted that the Government and the Church have interconnecting roles to play in the develop ment of Guyana. “I see the Church as fundamental to the development and advance

ment of our country.”

The ‘One Guyana’ initia tive, according to President Ali, extends beyond healing and unity to ensuring that the well-being of every single individual is taken care of. This, he explained, will allow all Guyanese to lead mean ingful lives. “Today, I am very pleased to be here and to say to you that this should be the beginning of a system of interaction and communi cation to create a pathway.”

This is not the first time or the first effort Ali and the PPP/C Government has made to address the use of the race card to divide Guyanese for partisan interests.

Last week, Ali made it clear that the PPP/C Admin istration will put an end to the opposition’s race narrative by working with every citizen in the country’s development process. The President on November 10, 2022, stood in solidarity with Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag, after a recent incident in Bel ladrum, West Coast Berbice, where she was denied access to a Community Develop ment Council building. The President is adamant that there is a group that is polit ically directed to block the development of their com munity. “Your political nar rative of using race as your mobilising tool has come to

an end, it is over, game over. We are going to destroy it and bury it in the ground. As President, I’m going to work on every single community, so this directive that you have given to block ministers and to block villages it’s not go ing to work because the peo ple are coming along. “We are ready to embrace every single citizen, our agenda is to embrace all of you in the development process…let me be very clear, this gov ernment is going to work in every single community, but what is bothering me is that it seems like some political operatives at the behest of a central command, have been directed to obstruct the work of the government in different communities, have been di rected to create barriers in the different communities for the government,” Ali said.

He is urging Guyanese to reject such behaviour and not fall prey to the propaganda of the selective group.

STIRRING TENSIONS

Unsubstantiated and wildly irresponsible claims –all worded along lines to stir tensions among Guyanese – continued to be uttered by leaders of the PNCR-led AP NU+AFC Coalition.

Coalition Parliamen tarian, Christopher Jones, speaking to some of the pro

testors, in June 2022, 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 de velopment, 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.”

Also in June 2022, leader of the PNCR and the Coali tion, Aubrey Norton, made irresponsible allegations. “I wouldn’t rule out that they (the PPP/C) gave the instruc tion to kill this young man so they get something to distract

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EDITORIAL

Hate speech versus free speech

The right to speak without censorship from governments or private corporations, seeking to preserve their own interests, was at the center at the free speech movement – a concept that has seemingly been lost on the proponents of what can only be dubbed as hate speech.

Where do we draw the line on hate speech?

For many, hate speech includes disapproving of remarks that incite violence against, directly insult, or threaten someone due to their race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity, as well as their age, handicap, or serious illness.

Because there is such a strong conflict between hate speech and freedom of expression, hate speech is mainly undefined in legal terms. There is no international legal defi nition of hate speech, and what constitutes "hateful" speech is debatable and contentious, according to the United Nations' (UN) own plan of action against hate speech from May 2019.

In Guyana, hate speeches or other expressions capable of exciting hostility or ill-will against any person or class of persons constitute grievous criminal offences under the Racial Hostility Act and Cybercrime Act.

That said, the UN is clear that hate speech "must be tack led" at all times since it "threatens democratic values, social stability, and peace."

And here is where action must be inspired. Speech that threatens Guyana’s democratic values, social and stability and peace – in particular the playing of the race card by the APNU+AFC Coalition and its cohorts – must be condemned by every right-thinking Guyanese.

The role of misinformation in peddling hate speech is another major challenge.

For example, Guyanese, over the weekend, saw United States (US) Representative of Brooklyn 9th District, Ms. Yvette Clarke, talked up confronting the Government of Guyana on matters of governance and racial justice. She said: “We will continue to advocate in Washington DC until we see a change in direction, a change in activity of what has become a hallmark of behaviour in Guyana against the Afro-Guyanese community in Guyana, and so this is work that must continue because in order for Guyana to flourish, all of its people must be treated with humanity, dignity and respect.”

As a second example, in November 2019, the 32-page findings of an investigate report by the independently–run Stabroek News, exposed the falsehoods peddled by the AP NU+AFC Coalition about the crime wave and dismantled the notion that young Afro-Guyanese men were killed indis criminately. While, the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition had claimed that -some 400 young Afro-Guyanese died as a result of extra-judicial killings during the crime wave. However, the Stabroek News investigative report pointed out that some 420 persons were killed between February 2002 and September 2006 – 151 murdered by bandits, 30 security officers were killed and 239 were killed during confrontations with the po lice and in unexplained circumstances. It added that the drug trade was a major part of the period in question. After the report was published, comments along this line subsidised, but has returned and are now greatly exaggerated with the claim being almost 2,000 young Afro-Guyanese died under the former PPP/C government.

The PPP/C government, both the incumbent and prior administrations, have repeatedly challenged the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition to a fact-based debate that would set tle, once and for all, the ill-informed claims about discrimina tion against Afro-Guyanese. In fact, PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, has repeatedly stressed that Afro-Guyanese have done better under successive PPP/C administrations than they did under the PNCR.

One does not have to look too far back for an example of this. On November 8, 2022, Coalition Parliamentarian, Vinceroy Jordan, has gained some notoriety for rejecting the PPP/C government’s effort to support youths in Belladrum, Region 5 – a response following requests from support that were made by the community to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali. Shutting the door, after efforts on two occasions, to the roll out of skills training plans for Belladrum’s young people, Jordan declared: “We don’t want development here and we certainly do not need it from you and your government.”

Election CoI is exposing the blatant riggers

Dear Editor,

Thank you for the opportunity to ex press my voice for the hearing and consideration of your wide audience. The support this media outlet contin uously provides and encapsulates the rational acceptance and wisdom en dowed in the words of Martin Luther King who contends that “Our Lives begin to end, the day we become silent about things that matter!”

Less we desire to diminish our selves individually and collectively as a people among nations, we must not remain silent when the very serious matters associated with the blatant at tempts to steal power, derail our dem ocratic principles and throw Guyana off a precipice at the whims and fancy of those who played key roles. It is anticipated, therefore, that many will continue to come forward and provide testimony of the willful actions within and from behind the scenes, coupled with the glaring abuse of laws and procedures that many involved in the attempted coup orchestrated.

President Ali’s move to ensure the commencement of a highly accredited State Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the antecedents of the flagrant and contrived, thieving, rigging, and denial of the truth is on point and in keeping with the spirit and intent of the Commissions of Inquiries Act Cap 19.03. Indeed, Guyana and the world deserve to know the truth and these ongoing inquiries are instrumental to ensuring an environment in which people can provide the facts without fear of suppression that would have otherwise been a significant threat if the thieving cohorts had succeeded.

It is accepted that the findings and recommendations of the COI are not enforceable for the imposition of pen alties and cannot bind courts consider ing the subject matter. Notwithstand ing, it is anticipated that the impartial fact-finding undertaking will provide the scope for informed rational con

clusions. These will also provide ex posure to the truth regarding the roles played by those known and various others in the abhorrent and unholy suppression attempt on the Guyanese people who must continue to unite in our struggle for free and fair elections. Further, the world would know the truth and our citizens would be more aware of the existing monsters among them when their silken covers are stripped away in this process.

Editor, the testimonies provid ed since the commencement of the ongoing COI have already exposed elements of the clandestine concoction in play at the tabulation process at the Ashmin’s Building which housed the command center of region # 4. The then GECOM head security Officer Ronald Stewart conveyed that he de fied instructions from Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO) Roxanne Myers, concerning evacuating people from the building due to an alleged bomb threat which in his view had no truthful basis. He also informed the Commission that all the accredited eminent personalities refused to leave the building as the assigned operatives made a genuine effort to avoid using the legitimate Statement of Polls and tried desperately to read from a false spreadsheet to which there were strong and voluminous objections by the attending representatives of Political Parties. Ronald Stewart resigned in fear of being dismissed because his honesty and integrity were at stake.

Assistant Police Commissioner Edgar Thomas who was at the time in charge of the Police Division, was brutally humiliated and sent packing from his post at the tabulation center because he did not get the support of the genuine persons who were at the Ashmin’s building to evacuate and allow the “riggers’ to manipulate the results of the Elections. Thomas’s explanation of what took place at the tabulation center in the presence of the local and International Observers was

The plan was simple, assess an unused Community Center to determine if it can be used to install a library and ICT Hub or host skills training programmes for young people. The task was assigned to Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag. However, on her arrival, on both occasions, on November 2nd and November 8th, she was blocked from accessing the Community Center.

In 2020, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, engaged several of the country’s former presidents to discuss mechanisms to strengthen national unit. Key among the mechanisms dis cussed to bolster national unity was the existing Racial Hos tility Act. President Ali, at the time, said: “The whole issue of national unity, how do we achieve national unity were dis cussed? What are some of the targeted things we can do? How do we look for example at the Racial Hostility Act to make it stronger with greater penalties for those who are bent on creating mischief and dividing our people?” Since assuming

indeed an insult to Guyana. Notably, the role of key players in the Guyana Police Force comes up for a keener interrogation and it is hoped that this commission allows the full picture to be defined.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Lennox Shuman narrated his experience and serious concerns about the safety of the GECOM Chair Claudette Singh. According to his testimony, from all appearances, she was held captive, and attempts to communicate with her were futile. The account of what took place is indeed alarming as doors were bro ken and heavily armed police were around. Lennox Shuman’s account of the involvement of GECOM staff in skullduggery was very touching.

Guyanese are always suspicious of the fact that they are attempts to derail the Elections. Hence, the Commission must be cognizant of all attempts to obstruct, frustrate, subvert and in terfere with the proper counting and tabulation of the results. Further, there were several attempts by the PNC/ APNU+AFC to postpone the National and Regional Elections and it was the relentless struggle of the people of this country that forced the Granger Gov ernment to hold the elections.

The missing Statements of Polls and the events that took place under the instructions of the DCEO must be dealt with fully. Our democracy was under severe threat and we must be fully aware that GECOM staff was heavily compromised. The extent to which these inefficacies brought our citizens face to face with hell, must therefore be fully interrogated and those responsible exposed.

The COI must serve its purpose of stripping the cover of those dirty rig gers still in hiding, and providing apt recommendations to be acted upon to prevent the recurrence.

Neil Kumar

office, President Ali has been vocal on the prevalence of race baiting as well as the increase of racial hatred and hostility particularly on social media. During an address to the nation in September 2020, the President issued a stern warning that perpetrators and instigators of race baiting will be persecuted to the fullest. He had said then: “It deeply grieves me, there fore, when I see almost every day on social media, the degree of race baiting, racial hate and racial hostility which pervades the social media platforms. I want you to know that it is my determination to do everything within my power and to use all the laws at my disposal to put an end to this behaviour, which can only result in dividing our country and our people.”

The proponents of hate speech need to be reminded that while freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitu tion, as a fundamental right, it does not relate nor extend to hate speeches or other expressions capable of exciting hostil ity or ill-will against any person or class of persons.

Sincerely,

When misused notions like ‘apartheid’ are peddled, the harm caused can be extreme

Dear Editor,

Those who cry ‘apartheid’ in Guyana have failed to make a scientific analysis of the political situation obtaining in Guyana at this time as well as a study of the current alignment of class forces in the country.

They have mistakenly and mechanically characterized the liberal democratic establish ment in Guyana as ‘apartheid’ without taking into account the specific features of a system they claim exists in Guyana. As a result, they have foolishly and erroneously caricatured those government policies and measures they disagree with as a manifestation of ‘apartheid’. This narrative suits a self-serving and divisive agenda of a Afro-centric petit-bourgeois elite who have set themselves up arbitrarily, up as spokespersons of a section of Guyanese society.

The premise upon which the ‘ole talk’ about ‘apartheid’ in Guyana is based, is com pletely false, misconceived and non-evidential.

Described in some circles as quasi- intellec tuals, the small elitist group have latched on to the label ‘apartheid’ hoping it will secure them a place in the orbit of relevancy.

Recognizing that everything they tried in the past failed, and refusing to make any con structive contribution towards the social and economic advancement of ALL Guyanese, the grouping find it convenient to cough up an improvised theory, which in effect is the same old wine but in a different bottle.

One is left to wonder why, during the Burnham, Hoyte and Granger presidencies, this peculiar characterization of Guyanese society never surfaced but that it only did just one year after the PPP/C was elected to office.

In other words, between 1964-1992 and from 2015-2020 there was no ‘apartheid’ in Guyana but in a matter of just two years, be ginning with the assumption of the PPP/C to office in August 2020, BOOOM! ‘apartheid’- a political system based on racial segregation and discrimination is suddenly part of the Guyanese reality!

Apartheid is not just a metaphor to be used loosely. An apartheid regime is sustained by three key sets of laws. ‘The first of these divides the country's population into distinct racial groups, and grants superior rights and privi leges and services to one group over another.

The second is reflected in laws that segre gate the population into distinct geographical areas that are allotted to different racial groups

The third is reflected in a matrix of draconi an security laws that legalize unlimited admin istrative detention, torture, censorship, banning and assassination of opponents of the regime.’

No such policies nor laws can be found in the statute books nor the Constitution of Guyana.

But the objective of the proponents of the apartheid narrative is plain and simple; to whip up emotional ethnic sentiments and foment discord within Guyanese society.

Like modern-day shamans, the grouping pushes the ‘apartheid’ narrative, seeking pri marily, to exploit human gullibility by taking advantage of prevailing ethno-psychological biases and to organize the unsuspecting and gullible around a common belief in a non-or dinary reality.

But this group is not alone. There were proponents of different ideological hues in the recent past who sought to impose false and sim plistic notions upon us as a nation. Depending on their ideological orientation, but knowingly anti- PPP/C, these individuals would charac terize Guyana a ‘cooperative socialist state,’ a ‘PNC dictatorship,’ a ‘full blown fascist state,’ a ‘narco-state’ a ‘failed state’ now an ‘apartheid state,’

The logical question is; what next?

In order to demolish this notion about Guy ana being an ‘apartheid state,’ it is necessary to highlight some of the concrete initiatives implemented by the PPP/C administration in pursuit of its manifesto promises and contrary to the distractive gaffe about ‘apartheid’ being practiced by the Ali administration:

REGION 1

1. MABARUMA: July, 2021: $9M subven tion for Town Council

2. WHITEWATER: June, 2022: New vehi cles costing a total of $7.3 million provided to boost transportation; May 2021, Electricity provided;

3. CHINESE LANDING: September, 2022: Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System installed at Primary School;

4. KUMAKA: May, 2021: $70M in invest ments for Kumaka hospital

REGION 2

5. ONDERNEEMING: September, 2021: 650 persons commenced home construction; 6. QUEENSTOWN: June, 2021: sports ground upgraded; September, 2021: Con tract signed for a new sluice; February,2022 : upgrading of Bridgemohan Street and Masjid Street to asphaltic concrete surface 7. AFFIANCE: June, 2021: upgrading of sports ground; March, 2022: upgrading of North Dam streets

REGION 3

8. HUBU: Hubu: September 2022; Distri bution of $150,000 grant to fisherfolk; June, 2022 wharf constructed to facilitate greater market access for farmers; March, 2022: Close to $600M spent to rehabilitate Naam ryck, Hubu access roads;

9. MORA: September: 2022; $150,000 grant distributed to fisherfolk; August, 2022; Damaged Mora Bridge repaired 10. DE WIILEM: September, 2022 Distri bution of $150,000 grant to fisherfolk

11. EDINBURGH: April, 2022; 2,000 house lot allottees in Region 3 begin constructing homes

REGION 4

12. BUXTON: September, 2022; 25 Buxto nians sign $56M in contracts to rehabilitate bridges July, 2022; Small business training for Buxtonians; assured of employment through community projects; And in Oc tober, 2020; Buxton, Friendship farmers receive news about jobs and plans for drainage;

13. MELANIE DHAMINSHAN: Melanie Dhaminshan: July 2022; US$8M treat ment plant to improve quality of water commissioned; July, 2022; Regularisation of untitled East Coast lands commenced in

mid-August; July, 2022: Melanie to benefit from community improvement projects; July, 2021; Fire station, ambulance service commissioned at Melanie;

14. SOPHIA: Sophia July, 2022: 100 So phia residents benefit from gov’t’s business grant; September, 2021: $59 Million in Home Improvement Subsidies Distributed to 118 Sophia Families; June, 2021: $51M modern recreational facility for Sophia, May, 2021: Sophia cattle farmers granted assistance with pasture lands;

15. ECCLES: March, 2021: New play ground to be developed at Eccles New Scheme; June: 2022: $640M contract signed for consultancy service for Ogle to Eccles Road: June, 2022: New $37.8M Eccles fire station commissioned;

REGION 5

16. FORT WELLINGTON: May 28, 2021 Over 4,800 acres of land identified to ad dress Region Five housing needs; Five Co-op societies to be revitalised

17. SHIELDSTOWN: May, 2021: Over 4,800 acres of land identified to address Region Five housing needs; 18. HOPETOWN: June, 2021: Contracts signed for expansion and rehabilitation of Hopetown practical instruction Centre’s; 19. ONVERWAGT: September, 2022: $150,000 cash grant distributed to fisher folk;

REGION 6

20. NEW AMSTERDAM: February, 2022: $41 million Infectious Unit commis

sioned at New Amsterdam Hospital; April, 2021:Smart Classrooms commissioned at Secondary Schools;

21. WILLIAMBURG: June, 2022: 59 more homes slated for housing development; 22. FYRISH: March, 2022: Fyrish Main Access roads slated for rehabilitation 23. HAMPSHIRE: March, 2022: Hampshire roads slated for rehabilitation

REGION 7

24. DAAG POINT: August, 2022: $166M for road upgrades at Daag Point; 25. BARTICA: June, 202: 500 homes among major development plans for Bartica; April, 2021: 1.5MW solar farm to boost business development; November, 2021: residents receive land titles after years of waiting; May, 2021: $177M modern Magistrate’s Court commissioned;

REGION 8

26. POTARO/SIPARUNI: May, 021: $94M invested to improve delivery of potable wa ter; June, 2022: Residents welcomed $290M road development for the Region; April, 2022 : $162M to improve water distribution; 27. KATO: July, 2022: CSOS trained to maintain Water Systems;

REGION 9

28. LETHEM: November, 2020:Land Titles granted to residents after lengthy wait; March, 2021: $185 million aerodrome runway commissioned; May, 2021: $27.7M Maternity Waiting Home commissioned;

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Guyana making recognized strides to ‘maintain financial stability and promote financial inclusion

Dear Editor,

As Guyana’s economy continues to show positive growth and lead as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh on November 7, 2022 presented the country’s 2022 Mid-Year Report published by the Ministry of Finance. The Report shows Guyana recording an overall real Gross Do

mestic Product (GDP) growth of 36.4 percent in the first half of the year, while the non-oil economy grew by 8.3 percent, reflecting Government’s supportive policy stance. The outlook for the second half continues to be favourable and for the full year, real GDP growth in 2022 is projected at 56 percent overall, and non-oil GDP growth at 9.6 per cent, maintaining Guyana’s position of global leader in economic growth.

However, on a positive note, the Inter

national Monetary Fund (IMF) in its recent Report in September indicated that overall real GDP growth rate is projected to be 57.8 percent in 2022.

Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh had noted that upon the assumption to office by the President Irfaan Ali-led Government, the administration recognised the importance of a strong, diversified economic base and, as such, even in the early days of oil production, placed the highest level of importance on a resilient non-oil economy. The aim, therefore, was to modernise the economy’s traditional pillars and catalyze ‘a rapidly growing and highly competitive non-oil economy’. This is evident in the nation’s non-oil economic growth at the end of the first half. The contin ued growth projected for 2022 builds on the 4.6 percent growth recorded last year.

In its September 2022 Article IV Report, the IMF noted that following the pandem ic-induced recession in 2020, and protracted political transition, non-oil economic growth recovered in 2021, despite being negatively impacted by floods.

As such, the IMF ‘welcomed the broadbased economic recovery in 2021, follow ing a protracted political transition and the pandemic-induced recession in 2020, and

the unprecedented high real GDP growth, supported by a steep rise in oil production and accommodative policies’.

In the IMF Report the significant decline in public debt and favorable debt dynamics were noted. “Staff welcomed the recent amendments to the NRF Act. The recent Amendments to the NRF Act set clear ceilings on withdrawals from the Fund for Budgetary spending and promote transparency in the management and use of oil resources. Staff praised the Authorities’ thorough review of the NRF Act before making amendments and the restraint in using any oil revenues before the passage of the Amendments”, the IMF Report stated.

The IMF further encouraged Government to continue improving the targeting of social spending while it ‘commended the authori ties’ efforts to ‘maintain financial stability and promote financial inclusion as well its ‘prog ress in strengthening Guyana’s anti-corrup tion framework and fiscal transparency’ and for its ‘efforts to build resilience to climate change’ as put forward in its Low Carbon Development Strategy.

Sincerely, Ministry of Finance

Ruling set for December 8th in case challenging suspension of Coalition MPs

H igh Court Judge Da mone Younge, on Thursday, December 8, 2022, is expected to hand down her ruling on whether or not she has the jurisdic tion to hear the case filed by APNU+AFC Members of Parliament (MPs) who are challenging their suspension from the National Assembly.

Arguments have been ad vanced by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, S.C., and AN PU+AFC lawyer, Roysdale Forde, S.C., on the prelim inary issue of jurisdiction.

Nandlall submitted that the court does not have ju risdiction to hear the matter, given that Parliament is em powered by the Constitution

to function independently.

“There’s a whole body of law, supported by case law authorities which say that when Parliament exercises its function, it should not be inquired into by the Court of Law. It is not that Parliament is supreme; the Constitution is supreme, but Parliament must function within the Constitution. So, the only wrongdoing that Parliament can commit is a violation of the Constitution. So, this case raises all those issues,” he argued. Nandlall said that consistent with the doctrine of privileges conferred upon parliamentarians for their own protection, the Speaker of the National Assembly is

empowered to preside over breaches of privileges and impose sanctions.

Meanwhile, Forde contended that the Attor ney-General, the Speaker and the Clerk of the National Assembly have failed to establish that the court does not have jurisdiction to hear and determine the matter.

According to Forde, the application was filed under Article 153 (1) of the Con stitution for constitutional relief on the ground that this clients constitutional rights have been contravened.

Last month, the Full Court denied an application by Forde, challenging Justice Young refusal to grant an

interim conservatory order to allow the eight suspended MPs to attend sittings of the National Assembly, and to receive their salaries. The Full Court ruled that the “ap peal was ‘premature’, given that no decision was made by the High Court below that can properly be made the subject of an appeal.”

The Coalition Parlia mentarians facing sanctions are: Christopher Jones, the Opposition Chief Whip; Ganesh Mahipaul; Sherod Duncan; Natasha SinghLewis; Annette Ferguson; Vinceroy Jordan; Tabitha Saraboo-Halley; and Mau reen Philadelphia.

COMMITTEE REPORT

The 78-page report of the Parliamentary Privileg es Committee found that eight APNU+AFC Coali tion’s Members of Parlia ment “were in violation of the Standing Orders, estab lished Customs and Practices regarding acceptable be haviour” of Members in the Assembly. “The Com mittee determined that an appropriate sanction avail able that the National Assembly can apply would be suspension from service in the House,” the report said page five.

The committee recom mended the suspension of Ferguson and Jordan, Sara

boo-Halley, Philadelphia for six consecutive sittings. It also recommended the sus pension of Jones, Mahipaul, Duncan and Singh-Lewis for four consecutive sittings.

Notably, each Member, according to the report, was written to and asked to "show cause" why sanctions should not be meted out to them. Their responses were received and considered by the Committee. Each of the eight embattled officials claimed that they were “un aware” that their behaviour in the National Assembly was different from other MPs and therefore should not amount to grounds for

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PPP Executive maintains stance against threat of action by Coalition-aligned Burke

Athreat of a $500M def amation claim from the APNU+AFC Coali tion-aligned, overseas-based Guyanese, Rickford Burke, who is wanted locally by po lice for his alleged involve ment in a massive extortion plot, saw People’s Progres sive Party (PPP) Executive and Minister of Parliamenta ry Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, unmoved.

Describing the claim as “decidedly flimsy”, Teixeira, through her lawyer, Sanjeev Datadin, stated that they will “firmly defend” any claim

filed by Burke’s attorney, Eusi Anderson.

On November 7, 2022, Anderson, with instructions from his client, wrote to the minister demanding $500M. Burke claimed that the min ister had defamed him in an article published by two media houses. He had also asked the minster to retract the defamatory statement and issue an apology.

Datadin in his letter of reply said that he is unable to comment on the “defam atory” article claims made by Burke since none of the

mentioned publications were attached to the letter. “We are instructed to inform you that our client has not li beled or defamed Mr. Burke whether by a press statement or otherwise. Further, our instructions are to firmly defend a possible claim you may choose to pursue…we have been shown various posts by your client on his Facebook account which are characterised by outlandish claims, ad hominem attacks on public officials, wild and unsubstantiated allegations of racism and anti-social

opinions,” the letter said.

Datadin made clear that the “preposterous” demand for a $500M is outlandish and has no comparison to any award made for defa mation in Guyana. In fact, it exceeds any award by at least 95 per cent and is clearly a demand with no bearing to reality.

Teixeira’s Attorney stated that the minister will not issue an apology. Addi tionally, the lawyer pointed out that there were several irregularities found in the letter including not listing

Burke’s address, any form of professional employment, and reference to any edu cation. The letter of reply stated that this omission “is most unusual” and that “no assessment of character or reputation can be reasonably made in the absence of such information.”

Datadin also reminded Anderson that on Septem ber 29, 2021 police issued a wanted bulletin for Burke in relation to a criminal con spiracy. He further said that from public information, there are several claims of

defamation against Burke before the courts in Guyana.

On this basis, Datadin asked Anderson if he is prepared to accept service of those claims on behalf of Burke since the other litigants are finding it difficult to find a fixed place of abode for him. “We are obliged to note and to bring to your attention that the criminal conspiracy mat ter for which the police have issued a wanted bulletin ap parently involves an element of extortion, that is, payment to persons associated with

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PNCR-led Coalition’s call for Mocha squatters not to move ‘reckless’ − Croal

The government through the Ministry of Housing and Water has served the final notice to five squatters in Cane view/Herstelling (Mocha) who have refused to move from the area ear marked for the new Eccles to Great Diamond Highway.

Minister Collin Croal said extensive work was done to ensure the residents were re located to developed housing schemes and were compen sated based on the market value of their structures.

However, Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton recently visited the area and urged the five remaining squatters on the reserve, to remain, stating that the area is ‘ancestral lands.’

Minister Croal described

the opposition’s statement as ‘reckless’, noting that the APNU+AFC is not interested in the development and up liftment of the very people it claims to represent. “There is nothing new about the thoughtless messaging from the opposition leader… they are not interested in giving the best possible advice so that we can work and build this nation,” the minister said in a recent interview.

He explained that the government reserve being referred to is between Mocha and Herstelling and has al ways been earmarked for in frastructural expansion. Croal said, “So, those persons [ the squatters] would have never been able to be regularised or have a document for own

ership, as well as to [be able to] apply for utility in terms of electricity and water …”

Minister Croal further noted that the process to remove the squatters was done in a way to minimise living disruption of the fam ilies while making sure that homeownership is legally achieved as a means of build ing generational wealth. “We have served notices, we have gone to those persons repeat edly and that is why we have moved it to the level of pub licising all the steps we have taken so far, so the people of this country can understand where we are at now, so it is not a case where we woke up overnight and we just said tomorrow you must move, its months now and we are going

APNU+AFC’s constituencies not adequately represented – PPP/C MP

PPP/C Member of Par liament (MP) and At torney-at-law, Sanjeev Datadin has called out the APNU+AFC for failing to adequately represent its con stituencies in the National Assembly.

This follows the oppo sition’s exit from the 50th sitting of the National As sembly on November 7, 2022, with important pieces of legislation to be debated.

Among the legislation was the Constitutional Re form Commission Bill which greenlights the process for constitutional reform to be gin in Guyana, a commit ment made by the govern ment in its manifesto.

Before its passage, a Constitutional Reform Com mittee comprising members of the government and the opposition was in existence. According to Datadin, who was also a member of that committee, the APNU+AFC representatives were often absent.

“They (APNU+AFC) made no, they didn’t provide contributions, recommenda tions. In the end, they simply went along with what the government side had recom mended and said ‘well they will go with that, they were given umpteen opportuni ties,” Datadin said.

The Parliamentary Op position was again given the chance to contribute during the debates on the bill during the November 7, 2022 sitting; however, they walked out, laying blame on the Speaker’s decision

to disallow two motions put forward by Opposition Lead er, Aubrey Norton.

This, the Attorney-at-law says caused their constitu encies to be left voiceless in the highest law-making institution and the constitu tional reform process. “The target is the constitution must represent the will of the people and that’s how it’s done, but having said that or not having gotten his way like a spoilt child, you know that when you’re a child, you play in cricket, you you’re out and you don’t want to give up, you pick up your batting ball and you leave. That’s what Norton effec tively did, no engagement. So, all of the supporters of APNU-AFC are left without a voice,” Datadin expressed.

Bills including the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, Intox icating Liquor Licensing (Amendment) Bill, Suicide Prevention Bill, Restorative Justice Bill, Bail Bill, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psy chotropic Substances (Con trol) (Amendment) Bill were also passed without contri bution from the opposition.

Notably, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira on the sidelines of the sit ting had also called out the opposition for abdicating its responsibilities as elected leaders in the National As sembly. Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill also lambasted the APNU+AFC for having no sort of con tribution towards any of the

bills.

Meanwhile, Datadin de scribed the recent actions of Opposition Member of Parliament, Vinceroy Jordan towards Minister of Pub lic Service, Sonia Parag as ‘cowardly and foolish’. The Opposition Parliamentarian and several other supporters barred Minister Parag from entering a CDC building to meet with youths in the Belladrum, West Coast Ber bice community, to discuss training and other oppor tunities available to them. The meeting was in keeping with a commitment made by President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali during an outreach to the region.

“It doesn’t matter why or which side of the polit ical divide you are, […] your constituents you must always help. You see you adopt that foolish attitude when you have a leader who walks around this country thinking, shaking hands with the president is somehow a thing that he wouldn’t do. He feels as if he is being interfered with if he shakes your hand and or he’s being oppressed and saying all kinds of nonsense that you wouldn’t shake hands of his oppressor. Your job is to put your silly ego aside, to put your foolish concepts away and serve the people that have voted for you,” MP Datadin said.

Several other ministers of government and groups have since called out MP Jordan for his action, deem ing it anti-development.

to over a year…. in trying to remedy this situation while improving the lives of our citizens,” he stated.

Some of the residents who were relocated to the Farm-Herstelling housing ar eas have begun construction of their new homes, while others have already complet ed their structures.

Updating on the progress of the new Eccles to Great Diamond Highway, Minis ter Croal said that “the lots are moving well, it is only this one lot that must be ad dressed. He said, “Work has started on both ends of the highway, but the squatters are in the middle of the lots, which is impeding comple tion of the new four-lane highway alignment.”

Additionally, Croal re minded that the housing sec tor was not prioritised under the APNU+AFC’s tenure, in fact, the sector was reduced to a department with little funding and no real plans for housing development. “His tory will show that [with] all PNC administration little has been done in the housing sector. In fact, little was done during their [last] five-year tenure that they have had [2015-2020] …making peo ple’s lives better, putting peo ple in a better environment and a much more comfortable environment has never been a priority of theirs.” the minis ter added.

Pointing out the contin uous reckless behaviour of the opposition in stymieing

the development of commu nities, Minister Croal said the PPP/C Administration will continue to work with every community to improve the living standard of citi zens. “We are building a One Guyana – so it means that it does not matter your political persuasion, it does not matter your race, your creed; we will come in your community and work with everyone, and sim ilarly when you look at what we are doing at housing, it is for everybody and this is what you will get from every PPP/C government…” the Housing Minister said.

The PPP/C government is committed to fulfilling its manifesto promise of deliver ing 50, 000 house lots within five years.

APNU+AFC is anti-development, anti-progressive − Rodrigues

The APNU+AFC Coa lition has proven itself ‘anti-development’ and ‘an ti-progressive’ by attempting to obstruct development within communities, ac cording to Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues.

Rodrigues called out the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Co alition for putting its politi cal interest above that of the development of the people and the country. “How can you look at their actions and think they have the people’s best interest at heart, they don’t even care about their own supporters, how would they care about anybody else,” the minister ques tioned.

She added, “They can’t match us…they have just descended to this thuggish kind of behaviour,” noting that Guyana’s development is moving at a rapid pace and

the people do not deserve this kind of leadership.

Minister Rodrigues cited the recent incident in which an opposition Member of Parliament sought to block Public Service Minister, So nia Parag from meeting with the residents of Belladrum, Region Five, on youth de velopment.

Reference was also made to another recent incident involving the Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, where he told the residents of Mocha, EBD not to re move from an area where the government is build ing the Eccles to Diamond Highway, insisting that the lands are ‘ancestral lands’.

Minister Rodrigues said to facilitate the continuation of the highway, the government had engaged the squatters in relocating to a more de veloped housing scheme equipped with utilities and

other amenities. They were offered land and compensa tion for their structures. The majority of the residents relocated and have complet ed the construction of their new homes, while a few of them are refusing to move from the area. The minister has therefore warned the residents not to take ‘set up’ from the APNU+AFC opposition and miss a golden opportunity to improve their standard of living. “All of the developments you see in Mocha now it was done by the PPP/C, all the roads, and the communities and the houses and all those things in therem” she said.

Minister Rodrigues made clear the Dr Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Administration will continue to engage all the people in the community in a bid to improve their liveli hoods and will not be bullied by Norton and his cabal.

Norton, Fernandes continue to blatantly misrepresent facts − Finance Minister

In light of recent events surrounding the intentional misrepresentation of Guy ana’s poverty statistics on the World Bank Fact Sheet by Opposition Members of Parliament, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Fi nance, Dr Ashni Singh, on Wednesday issued a state ment addressing the falsifi cations.

The fact sheet displays Guyana’s poverty line at 48 per cent, one of the highest in the Latin America and Ca ribbean (LAC) region.

During a recent press conference, Opposition Lead er Aubrey Norton used this report to make allegations that the PPP/C Government is doing little to address pov erty in the country. However, in his haste to soil the repu tation of the administration, Norton had neglected to in quire as to the manner and period in which the statistics were computed.

An update to the fact sheet by the World Bank later clarified that the poverty sta tistics for Guyana were taken from research conducted

in the year 2019, while the current opposition was still in government.

Singh said, “It’s not very difficult it’s quite normal to be writing something in 2022, and to include in it, 2021 and 2020, and 2019 material. The reality is, the World Bank made it very clear in their updated fact sheet, which Mr Norton has, that the poverty statistics related to 2019. Mr Norton’s logic that because the fact sheet included a reference to COVID-19 in 2020 and

By Anil Nandlall, PPP Ex ecutive, Attorney General

On November 8, 2022, at his press conference, Mr. Aubrey Norton final ly exposed the folly of his bloated list complaint. Since his assumption of Office as Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Norton has made the voters list one of the focal points of his political advocacy. He has called for its retirement on the ground that it is ’’bloat ed” and for it to be replaced after a house-to-house regis tration process.

In so doing, he complete ly ignored the constitutional and legal principles which are inextricably attendant to

the voters list and how it is populated. That is, by virtue of Articles 59 and 159 of the Constitution, Guyanese are qualified to be registered on that list once they are 18 years and over; and that upon registration, are qualified to vote. Likewise, Guyanese can only be removed from the list if they become disqualified and that the grounds of dis qualification are explicitly set out in Article 159 of the Constitution. Mr. Norton ob durately refuses to recognize that the identical course of action for which he espouses was attempted by the Guy ana Elections Commission (GECOM) under the steward ship of the unconstitutionally

appointed James Patterson in 2019.

It would be recalled that this process launched by GECOM was challenged in the High Court which culmi nated in a written judgement delivered by Chief Justice Roxanne George, CCH, SC, who admonished thus: ‘‘In order for the names of per sons already registered to be removed from the list of electors, they would have to be deceased or otherwise become disqualified but fail ure of registered persons to be present or resident during the house-to-house exercise would not be such a disquali fier and such a person’s name can only be deleted if they no

longer meet the qualifying criteria under Article 152 (9) or become disqualified under Article 159 (3) and (4).’’

Although these legal au thorities have been proffered to Mr. Norton and the APNU/ AFC with painful regularity by GECOM, the Government and the Press, Mr. Norton clings to his blinkered po sition. However last Tues day at his press conference, presumably, reeling from a rebuke from the local press association, Mr. Norton made certain crucial disclosures.

For the first time he offered to the public an insight to enable an understanding of what he considers to be ‘bloat’ on the list. He disclosed that the bloat to which he refers consists of Guyanese who were granted immigrant and non-immigrant visas. He alleged that statistics from the United States of Ameri ca, Homeland Security De partment suggests that two hundred and fifty thousand Guyanese were issued with non-immigrant visas and two hundred thousand Guyanese were issued with immigrant visas. It appears that Mr. Nor ton’s contention is that these persons and every other Guy anese who are either residing overseas or are travelling abroad and who are on the

list, constitute bloat on that list and should be removed – a notoriously flawed propo sition from every conceivable perspective!

The legal truth is that these persons, once Guyanese and are eighteen years and over, are lawfully on that list and cannot be removed therefrom unless they be come disqualified. Neither their travelling overseas, nor their residency in another ju risdiction, either temporarily or permanently, constitute a disqualification under the Constitution. In fact, the Chief Justice in her ruling, stated that if they were to be removed because of their non-residency in Guyana such a removal would be un lawful and unconstitutional. So last Tuesday, Mr. Norton finally conceded, either wit tingly or unwittingly, that what he is considering as ‘bloat’ on the list are Guya nese who names are on that list in accordance with and by virtue of the supreme law of Guyana, the Constitution. His bloated list argument therefore, is completely with out merit.

Perhaps recognizing the folly of his own argument, when braced with questions from a reporter that he could not intelligently answer, he

then disclosed that he is pre pared to work with the PPP to amend the ‘’Constitution and the law.’’ This disclosure raises its own peculiar prob lems. Firstly, it is clear that Mr. Norton would like to dis enfranchise tens of thousands of Guyanese. These persons may not be permanent res idents overseas, they may be vacationing, working, be overseas for medical or busi ness reasons, or may simply be awaiting to have their im migration status regularized; some may be enjoying dual residence both in Guyana and overseas or they may be permanently overseas. To determine this ‘residence’ issue alone will become a legal nightmare.

However, that apart, is denying any segment of the citizenry of Guyana, their most cherished democratic right, the right to vote, a measure for which we should advocate? It must be em phasized that these persons may only qualify to vote in Guyana and no other juris diction as they are Guyanese and may not necessarily have acquired another nationality. Should they be denied that crucial democratic right to vote, in the land of their birth? No doubt these persons

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GECOM makes available Statutory Forms to contest Local Government Elections

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), on Tuesday (November 15, 2022), announced the avail ability of statutory forms for the submission of lists of candidates for Local Govern ment Elections (LGE) via its website.

In a statement on Tues day (November 15, 2022), GECOM noted that political parties, voluntary groups, and individuals that are desirous of contesting in Local Gov ernment Elections 2023 can access the requisite statutory forms for the submission of their respective lists of candidates on its website. It added that the forms can also be uplifted at any GECOM Registration Office respon sible for the Local Authority Area (LAA) to be contested.

The Commission said, “Pursuant to Section 41(1) of the Local Authorities Act, Cap. 28:03, the Guyana Elections Commission has appointed 12th December 2022 as Nomination Day for the Local Government Elections to be held on 13th March 2023. In this regard, all Political Parties, Vol

untary Groups, and Indi viduals that are desirous of contesting the said Local Government Elections are required to submit their re spective Lists of Candidates, and pre-approved Symbols, on Nomination Day.”

Additionally, GECOM said that political parties and voluntary groups con testing the proportional representation component of LGE must complete and submit their lists of candidates using Form 12 accompanied by Form 13, which is the statutory dec laration to be made on Nomination Day. In the case of political parties, voluntary groups, and in dividuals contesting the first-past-the-post or con stituency component of the election, they must complete Form 2A accom panied by Form 13A, which is the statutory declaration.

Pursuant to section 41(1) of the Local Authorities Elec tions Act, Cap 28:03, the Guyana Elections Commis sion has given notice that December 12, 2022, has been appointed Nomination Day

for the Local Government Elections, which is set to be held on March 13, 2023.

In accordance with sec tion 48(1) of the Local Au thorities (Elections) Act, Cap. 28:03, all Political Par ties, Voluntary Groups, and Individuals who are desirous of contesting the upcoming Local Government Elections are required to submit to the Guyana Elections Commis sion (GECOM) a symbol for approval no later than the 21st day before Nomination Day, meaning by November 22, 2022.

To date, the People’s Pro gressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has confirmed that it will con test LGE on March 13, 2023. The Alliance For Change (AFC) has dropped out of the contest. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has not confirmed its position. Broadcaster, Bobby Vieira, on Wednesday (November 16, 2022), announced that he and his new political group, the Independent Citizens for Progress, will contest LGE in Georgetown, in a bid to take control of the Georgetown City Council.

AFC drops out of contesting Local Government Elections

Despite having won a Parliamentary majority in 2011, as well as the 2015 General and Regional Elec tions, on the existing Voters’ List, the Alliance for Change (AFC) is using this as its excuse for dropping out of contesting the Local Govern

ment Elections.

The AFC in a statement on Sunday (November 13, 2022) said, “The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Alliance For Change (AFC), after much debate, has arrived at a consensus that the party will not contest

the upcoming local govern ment elections (LGE) without changes to the list of electors. The AFC has concluded that no election should be held on the existing list of elec tors because it is bloated, illegitimate and a source of

Guyanese from voting

The APNU+AFC Coali tion has been pushing back against the holding of Local Government Elec tions, citing: the need for a new Voters’ List – which they contend includes the names of persons who have deceased and persons who have migrated – and the introduction of biometrics at the place of the poll.

DECEASED PERSONS

On the first issue, de ceased persons on the Voters’ List, the National Registration (Amendment Bill), tabled in the National Assembly on November 7, 2022, provides for the Registrar General of Births and Deaths to the Commis sion to, once every month, produce a list of all per sons 14-year-old or more whose deaths have been registered to facilitate the removal of that person from the National Register after verification.

The Bill also created several offences for pro viding false registration information.

A debate and passage of the Bill is expected soon.

PERSONS WHO MIGRATED

On the second issue, persons who have migrated, as per Guyana’s consti tution and a ruling of the High Court, Guyanese who were registered to vote, but have since migrated cannot be removed from the Vot ers’ List.

Further, the final reports from Elections Observer Missions (EOMs) in 2020

recognized that this con tributed to the total number on the Voters’ List.

The final report from the 2020 Election Observer Mission fielded by the Car ter Center, on page 10, said, “The number of registered voters seems disproportion ate to Guyana’s estimated population, in part because Guyana allows Guyanese living overseas to remain on the voters list.”

Also, the European Union Election Observer Mission in their final re port, on page 16, said: "... Guyana’s high emigration rate may be the most sig nificant factor accounting for an ‘inflated’ list.”

INTRODUCTION OF BIOMETRICS

On the third issue, the introduction of biomet rics to be used at the place of poll, this cannot done, without a change in the Constitution.

Notably, the 2020 inter national Election Observer Missions lauded the mech anisms in place to ensure that no person who is not eligible to vote does so.

The European Union Elec tion Observer Mission in their final report, on page 16, also said: “Overall, ex isting safeguards – notably the use of voter lists with ID pictures by polling staff and party agents – were ro bust enough to prevent the risk of voter impersonation on election day.”

Meanwhile, Vice Pres ident, Bharrat Jagdeo, has said that “We (the PPP/C) are not going to fall into

that trap again.” He was referring to the success ful court challenge to an amendment that saw the use of identification cards for voting – an amendment that the PNCR agreed to, but later challenged in court after it lost the 1997 Gener al and Regional Elections.

PNC/R supporter, Es ther Perreira, in 1998, brought an elections peti tion challenging the out come of the 1997 elections.

In a ruling on the matter in 2001, Justice Singh de clared that the elections law amendment act No. 22 of 1997 is ultra vires Articles 59 and 159 of the Guyana Constitution and as a con sequence the said act was null and void. Hence, the judge ruled that the 1997 elections were not con ducted in accordance with the provisions of the Rep resentation of the People Act (ROPA) and articles 59 and 159 of the Constitution of Guyana. New elections were held that year, which the PPP/C once again won. With the 1997 Elections vi tiated, the PPP/C lost over a year of its term and had to move to new General and Regional Elections.

Jagdeo had said, “I think this is precisely the trap that they are hoping to set once again—that should we go into the parliament, we pass a law on biomet rics to prevent people from voting and only on the basis of these biometrics and then they lose the elections, they go back to court again, using the same challenge

PPP/C will not be complicit in Coalition’s effort to disenfranchise

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Enforcement is the next step of national clean-up exercise – President Ali

F ollowing the national clean-up exercise, heavy focus will be placed on enforcement to ensure that the country remains clean, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

The Head of State made this statement as he joined in the continuation of the national clean-up Exercise along Vlissengen Road in the vicinity of St. Sidwell’s Primary School on Sunday (November 13, 2022).

The President pointed to some improvement in the state of cleanliness in the area since the last exercise, this he said is a step in the right direction. He however called for intensified efforts to curb the dumping of gar bage. He said, “We have given enough time, enough education programmes; en forcement is going to be come a major aspect of what

we are doing.”

The President said that following the national clean-up effort, work will begin on improving the secondary drainage run-off across the country, in a phased manner. He reiterat ed that the cleanliness and the upkeep of the environ ment is a shared responsi bility.

President Ali was joined this morning by the Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips; Minister of Housing and Water, Colin Croal, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, the Army Chief of Staff, Brig adier Godfrey Bess, as well as the Head of the Private Sector Commission, Paul Chung among others.

Dr Ali lauded the partic ipation of the youths from Albouystown and members of the football communi

ty who came out in their numbers to join in the exer cise. He also pointed to the massive mobilisation of the Men on Mission (M.O.M) team. He said, “Today, they are part of the national effort to make a positive change, and this is the type of be havioural influence we want all across the country.”

The President and his team visited several loca tions in the city, including Durban Park, the Seawalls, and the Stabroek Market.

The country-wide cleanup exercise is being spear headed by the Ministry of Public Works’ National Enhancement Committee and saw the involvement of various stakeholders, including government agen cies, the diplomatic corps, the private sector, NGO’s the joint services and mem bers of civil society.

$12B to improve Region Two, $200M for Charity – President Ali announces

The government has al located in excess of $12 billion towards the regular isation and development of a number of communities across Region Two.

Of that amount, some $200 million will be allocat ed towards the regularisation of the Charity squatting area.

Speaking at the land al location exercise in Charity, on the Essequibo Coast, President, Dr Irfaan Ali not ed that these developments cover not only infrastructure, but job creation and financial assistance as well.

This includes the con struction of a 40-foot-long concrete bridge linking Charity to an adjoining com munity, valued at some $35 million.

Some $120 million will be spent on 2.5 kilometres of concrete roads between these two communities.

An additional $20 mil lion will be expended to bring water to the communi ty, and another $20 million will be utilised to expand the electricity supply to the com munity’s ‘Red Rice’ area.

“This is how government delivers to you. We pave the way for progress to be made in the community. And I know the relief that this will bring for the farmers, the

teachers, the children for the entire community,” the President said.

He noted the interest rates at banks of 3.9 per cent, which will allow persons within the Charity area to qualify for home improve ment. “We want you to im prove your homes. We want to work with all of you,” the President expressed.

He highlighted the gov ernment’s mandate to bring jobs to the community and its surrounding areas, to enhance disposable income for families.

To this end, two call centres will be constructed; one in Charity, and one in Suddie. This, President Ali said, will bring 300 jobs to the communities. He said, “We expect that you will become trained, you will enroll in the programme, so that you can help to improve the disposable income of your families, with those call centres.”

Further, $4 billion is also earmarked for the construc tion of a brand-new water treatment plant. “Outside of all of that we have identified 251 roads that have to be done in Region Two. We did an analysis of the entire region, every single commu nity. Regardless of how you

look, feel or voted, all the roads in this region, in every single community, has been placed on a list, and we have 251 roads to be done,” the President emphasised.

Through supplementary provision, the government has earmarked resources to commence the construction of 123 of these roads by the end of the year. Ali said, “The narrative that some people push at the national level is as far away from the reality and you know this. We have to reject that. I’ve already said that we are not going to be divided by race or anything in this country. You must bury it and those who continue to push it and use it as a mobilisation tool.”

The 251 roads total some 55 kilometres in length.

Excluding the call cen tres, the total monetary injection for Region Two stands at approximately $12 billion.

Other projects slated for the region include the con struction of a $700 million pump station to help allevi ate flooding during the rainy season.

Dredges and pumps will also be placed at the mouth of the Pomeroon River to wards this cause.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali has called on local pri vate sector to capitalise on numerous opportunities fa cilitated by the Government of Guyana.

The Head of State gave this charge during the key note address at the opening ceremony of the Business Development Forum 2022 hosted by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) at the Pega sus Corporate Centre.

He said that the private sector members need to be optimistic in their endeavours and reassess if they see the glass half empty or half full and call on those gathered to evaluate the opportunities presented and the percentage of those opportunities seized.

Ali added that unless private sector members are ready for the “tough conver sation” and to face the reality “then they are not assuming their roles and responsibili ties or “holding up” their end. “If I asked the private banks now, how many of that 400 plus businesses that are ready for financing, have a business plan and a feasibility plan ready to be financed, I guar antee you it is less than 15 per cent or 20 per cent. Am I right? You are in this busi ness, and you’re a member of the Chambers, it is true…? Is the glass half full or half empty?…we brought a Sau di business investor group

ready to form partnerships. We were not ready with one single feasibility study or business plan to present…the Korean group came, we were not ready with one business plan or feasibility study to present,” Ali said.

The President assured of his continued support in helping to put together a team to write proposals and feasi bility studies for those who are interested in seizing the opportunities before them.

He told the gathering of entrepreneurs that they are “pushing at open doors”.

President Ali also chal lenged the organisers to take a step back from their theo retical approach and focus on the tangible outcomes of the 2022 event. Ali said, “Let’s walk this walk now…What have we set as the outcome of the summit? I can tell you as I speak to you now, in the last two years we have more than 420 new small contractors working in this Government, working in this country, get ting projects every day. I am together with every group and every individual and every organisation in moving this country forward.”

MEETING THE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

He assured that his Gov ernment is working to meet the development needs of the country, particularly in building the human resource

capacity. Ali said, “So, we’re working now on a human resource plan that is not only looking at training our skill base for today but training our skill base for 2030 and beyond.”

This, he said, is why the Government is signing an agreement for 150,000 Guyanese to have access to train in coding online and software development. The President said, “In the new Silica City, we’ll have an entire module in the city that focuses on innovation, research and development technology…Mark my words today; we are setting the stage, we’re building in frastructure, we are putting the systems in place.”

President Ali pointed to the importance of such an event that allows for “meaningful conversations that are grounded in prac ticality”.

He expressed gratitude to the GCCI for the invi tation to speak and wished them fruitful outcomes for the two-day event.

Present at the opening ceremony were members of Cabinet, including the Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, the Honourable Dr Ashni Singh, members of the Dip lomatic Corps and members of the private sector among other invitees.

The launch of the Phar maceutical Equity for Global Public Health is a manifestation of actionable South-South cooperation, according to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali.

He said that it is a model through which “the countries of the South can assume greater responsibility for re sponding to health and other challenges”.

The Head of State made this assertion earlier this week at State House as he delivered remarks virtually on the margins of COP 27 to discuss the furthering of pharmaceutical equity for global public health with President of the European

Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Chair of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, and Direc tor-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghe breyesus. The panel also included the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mot tley, and the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame.

President Ali said that if it is truly believed that public health is a global pub lic good, then all should be compelled to accept that suitable healthcare should be available to all people, regardless of which part of the world they reside or the

social classes to which they belong.

Realising the ideal of public health as a global public good, he continued, requires greater equality in access to health facilities, technologies, treatments, preventions, and medicines.

UNEVEN GLOBAL HEALTH LANDSCAPE

“Unfortunately, the glob al health landscape is far from even. Health disparities between developed and de veloping and high-income and low-income countries are striking.”

He outlined striking sta tistics that point to the dis

Ali tells private sector to seize opportunities, fulfill responsibilities

– Calls for focus to be placed on tangible outcomes of GCCI Business Development Forum

Pharmaceutical equity initiative will allow for greater response to health – Ali

– Calls it a manifestation of actionable South-South cooperation

Guyana mounting strong defense of territorial integrity at ICJ Venezuela wants ICJ to dismiss border controversy case

During the first day of pub lic hearings on the Guyana/ Venezuela border contro versy, Venezuela, in oral pleadings, called on judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to dismiss the case filed by Guyana. Venezuela’s call was tied to a determination of which country has rights to Guy ana’s offshore oil and gas fields.

Guyana is asking the Court to confirm the border was established by a 1899 arbitration process between Venezuela and the then-col ony of British Guiana.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) the principal judicial organ of the Unit ed Nations, started public hearings in the case concern ing the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy case on Thursday (November 17, 2022). The hearings run until Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

The hearings are being done at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court.

According to the ICJ, “The hearings will be devot ed to the preliminary objec tions raised by Venezuela.”

PLEADINGS

As per the agenda for Thursday’s (November 17, 2022) hearings, Venezuela presented its oral pleadings, prior to Guyana’s pleadings.

Venezuelan Vice Presi dent Delcy Rodríguez told the court, “We will demon strate Guyana's claim is in admissible.”

The ICJ is set to hear Guyana’s oral pleadings on Friday, November 18, 2022.

Guyana is fiercely de fending its territorial rights. In additional to a strong legal team, Guyana will be represented at the hearings by: Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C, M.P, Attorney Gen eral and Minister of Legal Affairs; Gail Teixeira, M.P, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance; Carl Greenidge, Agent of Guyana in the case concern ing the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899; Ambassador Elisabeth Harper, Co-Agent and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Af fairs & International Cooper ation; Ms. Donnette Streete, Director of the Frontiers Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Inter national Cooperation; and Ambassador Ronald Austin,

Advisor to the Leader of the Opposition on Frontier matters.

123 YEARS

Guyana commemorated the 123rd anniversary of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which settled a land boundary dis pute which had existed be tween British Guiana (now Guyana) and Venezuela, on October 4, 2022.

A statement from the Government of Guyana said, “123 years ago today an Ar bitral Tribunal comprising some of the most eminent judges of their time, pre sided over by the venera ble Russian jurist Frédéric Frommhold de Martens, and appointed by Britain, Venezuela and the United States -Venezuela’s patron, delivered an Award which defined the land boundary between Venezuela and the then British Guiana.

“The Tribunal was cre ated by the Treaty of Wash ington of 1897 under which the parties – both Britain and Venezuela – agreed to accept the Tribunal’s Award as ‘a full, perfect and final settle ment’ of the boundary issue. 123 years later, Guyana still accepts and celebrates the Award as such.

“Venezuela had applaud ed the Award. In the words of the law firm handling Venezuela’s case, written in the American Journal of International Law as late as 1949: “The Award secured to Venezuela the mouth of the Orinoco and control of the Orinoco basin, these being the most important questions at issue.”

“On 7th May 1905, an official boundary map was drawn up by Commissioners of Britain and Venezuela delineating the boundary as awarded by the Tribunal. For almost sixty years, Ven ezuela recognised, respected – and even protected – that boundary.

“In 1962 however, as Guyana’s independence drew closer and the neigh bour would no longer be Britain but a fledgling State, Venezuela abandoned the path of propriety and with it the rule of law and cast eyes on Guiana’s Essequibo territory.

“As Guyana celebrates this anniversary date of the Arbitral Award of Paris of 3rd October 1899, we cele brate the rule of international law and the sanctity of Trea

ties. We celebrate that our quest for justice has led us to the hallowed halls of the In ternational Court of Justice.”

MOVE TO COURT

Under the United Na tions Charter and the Court’s own rules, final judgments from the ICJ both on juris diction and the merits will be legally binding on Guyana and Venezuela, whether or not Venezuela participates in the proceedings.

Efforts over more than half-a-century, including a four-year Mixed Commis sion (1966-1970), a twelveyear moratorium (19701982), a seven-year process of consultations on a means of settlement (1983-1990), and a twenty-seven-year Good Offices Process under the UN Secretary-General’s authority (1990-2017), all failed to end the border con troversy.

The move to the ICJ was advanced there was no suc cess with a further attempt, using the United Nations’ Good Offices process, to resolve the matter of Ven ezuela’s renewed claim to Guyana’s territory, the Esse quibo County. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in 2015, charged that the signing of the 1966 Geneva Agreement rendered the 1899 Arbitral Award null and void.

On 30 January 2018, United Nations Secre tary-General António Gu terres, acting under the authority bestowed upon him by the Geneva Agree ment, chose adjudication by the Court as the means for resolving the controversy with finality. Guyana com menced proceedings before the Court on 29 March 2018 in accordance with the Sec retary-General’s decision.

ICJ CASE

The Hague-based In ternational Court of Justice last held public hearings on the question of the Court’s jurisdiction in the case con cerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) on June 30, 2020. The ICJ had post poned the long-anticipated hearing of the Guyana/Ven ezuela border dispute case that was scheduled to begin on March 23, 2020, citing the coronavirus pandemic.

Guyana is seeking to obtain from the Court a fi nal and binding judgment

that confirms that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which es tablished the location of the land boundary between then-British Guiana and Venezuela, remains val id and binding, and that Guyana’s Essequibo region belongs to Guyana, and not Venezuela.

Guyana took its case to the Court following the de cision by the Secretary-Gen eral of the United Nations, in January 2018, that the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela should be decided by the International Court of Justice. In tak ing his decision, the Secre tary-General was exercising the power vested in him in the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Guyana, Venezuela and the United Kingdom to decide how the controversy should be settled.

In a shift in position, Venezuela has since opted to advance oral pleadings before the ICJ, with the first pleadings presented to the court on November 17, 2022.

Previously, Venezuela has claimed, in a letter to the Court, that the Secre tary-General exceeded his authority under the Geneva Agreement, and that the Court therefore lacks juris diction to adjudicate Guy ana’s lawsuit. On this basis, Venezuela has indicated that it will not participate in the proceedings. On No vember 19, 2018, Guyana submitted its Memorial to the Court refuting Venezu ela’s arguments and demon strating that the Court has jurisdiction. However, under well-established judicial precedent, the Court pro ceeded to address whether or not or had jurisdiction over Guyana’s claims, irre spective of whether or not Venezuela participates in the proceedings.

JURISDICTION

The ICJ on December 18, 2020 delivered its Judg ment in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) – relative to the question of the Court’s jurisdiction. The court ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear Guyana’s case seeking the validation of the 1899 arbitral award establishing the boundary with Vene zuela. Venezuela did not take part in the proceedings. The judgment found that

both Guyana and Venezuela had conferred authority on the UN Secretary General under Article 4, paragraph two of the February 17th 1966 Geneva Agreement. That agreement allowed the Secretary General to choose a means of settlement under Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations which included judicial settlement.

A press statement from the ICJ said, “In its Judg ment, which is final, without appeal and binding on the Parties, the Court, by twelve votes to four, finds that it has jurisdiction to entertain the Application filed by the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on 29 March 2018 in so far as it concerns the va lidity of the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 and the related question of the defin itive settlement of the land boundary dispute between the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela… (the Court) unanimously, Finds that it does not have jurisdiction to entertain the claims of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana arising from events that occurred after the signature of the Geneva Agreement.”

Guyana is represent ed in the case before the Court by: Sir Shridath Ramphal, OE, OCC, KC, Co-Agent and Counsel; Mr. Paul S. Reichler, Attorney-at-Law, Foley Hoag LLP, member of the Bars of the United

States Supreme Court and the District of Columbia; Mr. Alain Pellet, Professor Emeritus of the University Paris Nanterre, former Chairman of the Interna tional Law Commission, member of the Institut de droit international; Pro fessor Philippe Sands KC, Professor of International Law at University College London, 11 King’s Bench Walk, London; Mr. Payam Akhavan, LLM, SJD (Har vard University), Professor of International Law, Se nior Fellow, Massey Col lege, University, of Toron to, member of the Bar of New York and the Law So ciety of Ontario, member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration; Professor Pierre d’Argent, Profes sor ordinaire, Université Catholique de Louvain, member of the Institut de Droit International, Foley Hoag LLP, member of the Bar of Brussels; Ms. Chris tina L. Beharry, Foley Hoag LLP, member of the Bars of the District of Co lumbia, the State of New York, England and Wales, and the Law Society of On tario; Mr. Edward Craven, Barrister, Matrix Cham bers, London; Mr. Juan Pablo Hugues Arthur, Fo ley Hoag LLP, member of the Bar of the State of New York; and Ms. Isabella F. Uria, Attorney –at-Law, Foley Hoag LLP, member of the Bar of the District of Columbia.

COMMENTARY

The development and exploitation of our natural resources

By Samuel AA Hinds (Ambassador of Guyana to the United States of Amer ica and the Organisation of American States)

Ihave taken notice of the headlines in the local me dia titled “Guyanese Still in the Dark—: As another Foreign Company boasts of gold fever in Guyana.” A host of strong emotions and feelings are reflected in, and generated as intended, as we read the headlines and article.

The subject at issue is, as it has been for a century or more, the topic of devel opment and “exploitation” of our “potential” natural resources and the actual dis tribution of the direct and indirect benefits. One can

sense from this and other current articles in our formal and social media, a number of intense contradictions amongst us Guyanese about those foreign companies and their shareholders; and at times some contradictions between us Guyanese, no doubt depending on our par ticular position and intent.

For our success in life and living, we need to be alert to, aware of and keep in focus evident contradictions and potential for conflicts; not just to dwell on them but to ascertain how true and ac curate they are and to move on to resolve and reconcile them. I write this letter to present some helpful expe rience to aid understanding and improve the milieu for

resolving and reconciling the contradictions between the many parties and stakehold ers in the development and exploitation of our natural resources.

I write this letter to tem per the suspicions, the mixed feelings, the arguments that Guyana and Guyanese are be ing kept in the dark. Far from it. Intentions to grant, and the actual grants of any rights for exploring and prospecting are published and reported in our Official Gazette, stage by stage. Few persons have the cause and the time, at the time of publication to notice them. We tend to miss or ignore the first bell when it rings, we have no time. Un derstandably, everyone gets excited and “never heard of

Pharmaceutical equity initiative...

parity, including the fact that 61 babies die for every 1,000 live births in developing countries, compared to eight per every 1,000 live births in developed countries. He add ed that more than one-third of all child deaths under the age of five occur in develop ing countries; less than 25% of persons in developing countries live to the age of 70. Additionally, he noted that in 2021, 69% of all new tuberculosis cases occurred in South East Asia and Af rica; 70% of the 10 million cancer deaths in 2020 were in low- and middle-income countries and that most of the world’s leading pharmaceu tical companies originate in the developed world. “With prevention and the right treat ment, most of the deaths in developing countries can be avoided. Yet, access by these countries to life-saving med icines is being constrained by patent monopolies and overpriced medicines.”

The fault lines of global health disparities, President

Ali stressed, were “exem plified starkly” during the height of the Covid-19 pan demic, when “the rich devel oped countries placed orders for and stockpiled vaccines in excess of their needs while millions in poor developing countries remained unpro tected.”

According to the World Health Organization, in March of this year, 74% of the population in high-in come countries had been vaccinated, as compared to a mere 12% in low-income countries.

“As I have said before, the developing world must never again find itself waiting in line for life-saving treat ments, including vaccines. We must never again, in the midst of any future global health crisis, be forced into extreme reliance on the rich countries for life-saving vac cines and medicines.”

On this note, Dr Ali emphasised that the global South is far from helpless. In fact, the region has the

(From page 12)

knowledge and the capabil ities to develop medicines to prevent and treat health threats. “The Republic of Cuba has developed its own Covid-19 vaccines. I have called before for South-South cooperation to allow us to combine our experience and expertise and mobilise the necessary financial resources to address our health threats,” he said.

The President assured of Guyana’s support for the Pharmaceutical Equity for Global Public Health initia tive and to improve global public health equity.

This meeting marks the initiation of open-ended pre-contractual proceedings – initially between Barbados, Guyana, and Rwanda with an invitation to interested countries in the LAC Region and in Africa to join with the common aim to boost phar maceutical equity in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

$12B to improve Region Two...

A brand-new hospital of international standard will also be constructed opposite the Lima pump station.

The President committed as well to assisting farmers

with 10 acres of land and the raising of their planting beds to avoid them being water-logged. “This is what is going on in every sin gle region. Investing in the

lives of people, investing in communities, investing in infrastructure, investing in improving the lives of people. That is what we are about,” the Ali stated.

it before” when something is discovered or reported as discovered.

Everyone heard of the petroleum find of the consor tium led by Exxon in mid2015, but who took notice when about 1998 Exxon first obtained the very first Exploration License in the very deep, very far offshore, where no one had ventured before; and the five or so years of marking time as the boundary line at sea between us and Suriname was deter mined?

In many ways, unless we are involved, we hardly ever take notice at the beginning. Exploration is a walk in the dark. In prospecting, you are looking in a hay stack for a needle that may or may not be there. From experi ence, only one in ten to one in a hundred such ventures find something sufficiently worthwhile. Further, many discoveries come after three or more significant efforts at exploring/prospecting in that location. The knowledge obtained in previous “unsuc cessful” prospecting/explo ration provides a larger base upon which the next round of exploration/prospecting proceeds.

Turning specifically to the places of gold mentioned in the article – Tassawini and Puruni – have been known places of gold for more than a hundred years and the lo cation Harpy, I would bet, would have been known by an earlier name. Most of us would recall that most successful gold operation yet, at the Omai river in our Guyana, from about 1993 to 2005, with construction initiated and led by CAM BIOR in about 1988. Many would recall the pictures of old equipment from the earlier not very successful attempts to profitably extract gold from that location – a German group in the 1890s and Anaconda in the 1930s. And one may wonder how

well CAMBIOR really did – they collapsed and were bought over by IAMGOLD by about 2008.

Lots of risk-taking, cap ital, shares acquiring money must be raised for explora tion and prospecting. This in many ways may be likened to money spent buying lot tery tickets. Companies are allowed to “talk up” the good prospects of their location as long as they include the advisory that their presenta tions contain “a number of forward-looking statements,” that is, “hoping to win the jackpot” statements. If you bear in mind that only one out of ten to a hundred “for ward-looking statements” come to something, you may understand that everyone is in a haze, no one is yet seeing clearly. It might be time to take notice and wonder about joining others in investing any savings you may have. You never know, you may hit the jackpot, and maybe not.

Some may recall the On-Energy petroleum ex plorations, on-shore of the Corentyne coast.

It was advertised to Guy anese; it looked very likely but it only added to our infor mation base. It was said that a number of Guyanese had in vested a total of about G$800 million in that venture.

Allow me to end saying one thing, which many of us Guyanese may dislike, but is true. We are still young and learning and questioning many of the arrangements that have become common place in exploration and pros pecting circles (as I have questioned and learnt in my time). It is this, our learning situation that drives insis tence on the strongest “sta bility clauses” (no changes to the agreement unless both parties voluntarily and free ly agree). Also, whilst we may all like it to be so, we wouldn’t get everything – we need to put ourselves in the other persons’ shoes.

Towards the end of our negotiations with the utility from Saskatchewan for the privatisation of our electric utility, about 1997, the Sas katchewan media and our Guyanese media seemed to be arm in arm. When the arrangements to settle the key remaining major break ing points were released, the Saskatchewan media seemed to be screaming to Saskatch ewans “see what our people are giving away to those Guyanese” and our media seemed to be screaming to us, “See what our Guyanese leaders are giving away to those people from Saskatch ewan.” I found myself filled with the contradictory feel ings of amusement and anger. Those negotiations had to be dropped. About two years lat er when we had to conclude an agreement with another core partner, many were then saying that the Saskatchewan arrangement was better! We have been learning.

Yes, the difficult ques tions always are: How much to give? Where to draw the line? How are we to know what is reasonable? I have found that we have a good guide, when we think real istically and earnestly about:

(i) Throwing all foreign partners aside and doing it ourselves;

(ii) Who are the other potential partners who may give us a better deal; aware that we all go to the same schools and have learnt to do our sums the same way.

We have a job in learning to find our way in this world of seven and a half billion fellow humans, in about 190 foreign countries.

There are lots of people out there who are looking to enrich themselves any way they could, many in nocent and not-so-innocent carpetbaggers trying their hands; and there are, I think, many more with whom we could partner for our mutual benefit.

FOCUS ON GUYANA’S FIRST PEOPLE

Paramakatoi, Mabaruma smart hospitals to be officially reopened soon

Residents of Paramakatoi and surrounding com munities will soon benefit from an upgraded smart health facility, in Region Eight, under the Smart Hos pitals Initiative.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, on Novem ber 11, 2022, disclosed that the health facilities at Para

makatoi and Mabaruma will be officially reopened soon.

Despite encountering some setbacks including the challenges to transport building materials to the site, work is moving apace to complete the Paramakatoi facility.

Dr Anthony said the con struction to the tune of $44.4

million was undertaken by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). He said, “So, they have assured me that they have, maybe about a month, month and a half more for completion. So, once that is completed, then, all the fa cilities that we have worked on, over the last, maybe, year and a half would be

completed. So, we look for ward to opening Paramaka toi very soon as well.”

Meanwhile, Dr Anthony added that the smart hospi tal at Mabaruma has been completed and a date will be set for the official reopening shortly.

The smart hospital was among five hospitals slated

for an upgrade through the Smart Health Care Facilities in the Caribbean Project, a collaboration between the Government of Guyana and the United Kingdom (UK).

The Pan American Health Organisation and the World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) supervised the project’s construction

phase.

The Diamond, Lethem, and Leonora hospitals have already undergone renova tions.

The ‘Smart Hospital’ concept refers to a medical institution that offers effi cient and up-to-date medical services while also being climate resilient.

Rupununi to become a training hub for hinterland youths

55 CSOs complete capacity building programme in Annai

Some 55 Community Sup port Officers (CSOs) from Region Nine on Novem ber 9, 2022 graduated from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs’ capacity building programme in garment con struction and small engine repairs.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai who was accompanied by Region Nine Chairman Brian Alli cock attended the graduation ceremony at the Bina Hill Institute Research Centre, in Annai, North Rupununi.

The CSOs underwent an extensive two-week training and are now certified and able to directly contribute mean ingfully to their communities.

Minister Sukhai urged the officers to take advantage of the skill sets learnt and ven ture into their businesses so they can have an additional source of income to pro

vide for themselves and their families, even while being employed as CSOs. She said, “It’s additional training that will help you to earn some more and to help you also to contribute to the village because the village continues to receive capital items in the form of chainsaws, brush cutters…. now that you have the skill to service, you have the skill to repair to a certain level, you can be of assis tance to your village council and we will continue to train in the area that the village requires. We can’t train you in something that the village is not involved in, because right now, you’re still within your village.”

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai pres ents a certificate to newly trained CSO

The Amerindian affairs minister told CSOs to fur

ther their skill sets by util ising the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), Government Technical Institute, and oth er tertiary institutions. She said, “You can seek out BIT, or GTI if you have certain levels of qualification. You can make the application for entry. There are scholarships available for those […] And, for those who are 18 years and over, you can apply to the PSM (Ministry of Public Service) which handles the scholarship programme for this country.”

The capacity training pro gramme is continuous and will see CSOs from Regions One, Seven and Eight be ing trained in programmes at the Bina Hill Institute Research Centre. “The Ru pununi is unfolding to be the hub of training, it is an ideal, a dream of the people of the Rupununi, that the Rupununi

is going to be this hub and the starting of bringing our students from all across the hinterland here, and not only from Region Eight and Re gion Nine, as the Bina Hill Institute was offering, but wider participation of hinter land youths could come here

to this hinterland hub to be trained,” Sukhai said.

Meanwhile, CSOs were encouraged to act responsibly and become role models for the younger generation of their communities. “I want to also urge you to make sure that you aim for the skies, so

take that away with you, aim for the skies. We don’t want to limit you to being a CSO. As the opportunity comes, you take it, you grab it, and you make somebody signifi cant for yourselves and your country,” Minister Sukhai encouraged.

ON ‘PLAN FOR PROSPERITY’

Vice President engages senior government officials, investors in UAE

Engagements in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with senior Government Of ficials and investors were led by Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, this week.

General matters of co operation and investments were discussed during his meeting with His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum.

Jagdeo also met with

H.E. Reem Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation where a number of issues were discussed including strengthening the role and interest of the South in the Global Multilateral System and Climate Change nego tiations. A bilateral Agree ment on Cyber Security was formalized between Guyana and the UAE.

Other high-level meet ings were held with Dubai Ports (DP) World and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) on areas of mutual interest and cooperation.

The Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo was accom panied by Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Minister Deodat Indar, and National ICT Advisor Mr. Daryl Akeung.

41 women receive training in Solar Photovoltaic technology

F orty-one Women in Bar tica, Region Seven grad uated from the Board of Industrial Training’s (BIT) Women’s Economic Em powerment Programme.

The graduates were trained in Solar Photovolta ic Technology, Installation, Repair, and Maintenance over three weeks.

Minister of Labour, Jo seph Hamilton, emphasised the importance of creat ing opportunities for the advancement of women across Guyana, which were not available before 2020. He said, “We cannot talk about nation building, while we exclude more than half of the population from a certain type of training be cause any job a man can

do a woman can do- all she needs is the exposure, and the competence, and the training to succeed because there is nothing to fear. Before 2020, you did not have a resident Board of Industrial Training officer… [going] into areas it has nev er gone before [to conduct training].”

Meanwhile, graduates expressed excitement at their accomplishments. They said the programme has empowered them to be part of the growing work force.

Minister Hamilton reit erated that the government, through the Ministry of La bour’s Board of Industrial Training remains dedicated to delivering training and

opportunities in all admin istrative regions. This is needed, he said, as the coun try prepares to embrace the new and emerging work force.

In addition, as Guyana strives to sustain its econom ic growth, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimated the country will need at least 160,000 ad ditional workers.

IOM also said that even if the country is to harness all unemployed, underemployed, and discouraged Guyanese workers, domestic supply would only amount to 63,500 workers.

As a result, the IOM esti mates that Guyana will need to attract, at a minimum, 100,000 workers to meet the demands.

Longstanding land issues to be addressed in Ituni, Region 10

Land titles will be pro cessed by the first quarter of 2023 for residents of Ituni, Region 10.

Housing and Water Min ister, Collin Croal, on No vember 11, 2022, assured the residents that the ministry is working to resolve the out standing land issues within the community.

Notwithstanding this, Minister Croal has commit ted to addressing these issues promptly as steps will be taken to regularise the area. The minister noted that the first attempt to regularise the area commenced in 2004 where some 70 land titles were processed.

Minister Croal explained that the processing of titles was placed on hold, “because what is on the plan does not match the reality on the ground…we have to fix this. We could not further process any more documentation for you to get ownership because we ran into problems. We will have to rectify this by starting from scratch.”

Moreover, a follow-up visit was done in December 2021 for the area to be sur veyed.

Minister Croal said that through the Central Hous ing and Planning Authority (CHPA), some persons were given allocations for particu lar areas in Ituni.

Some persons started occupying the government

reserve, he stated.

To this end, he informed the residents that a new plan will be done, since additional persons are occupying the area. Croal said, “This is my commitment to you… the first exercise to be done is to do a re-occupational survey. When that is finished, the plan will be drawn up in accordance with what is occurring on the ground. So, they have to widen the cur rent plan. We have to check mapping against what is on the plan.”

The new plan will be funneled through the legal system and will be recorded.

Minister Croal has there fore committed that once that phase is competed, titles will be processed. “We will come here and sign up all of those who did not get their titles and process your titles,” Minister Croal assured.

He noted that the team will revisit the area early next month to complete the occu pational survey and plan. To this end, Minister Croal said “I am, therefore, committing to you with all of that time line that they must fix those of you living in Ituni now, must fix this situation and this area by the end of the first quarter of next year.”

He implored the residents to cooperate for the process to be completed promptly.

For Region 10, Minister Croal highlighted that the

ministry will be working on three clusters simultaneously.

The infrastructure work is ongoing for some 400 house lots which were allocated in Amelia’s Ward.

He related that when homes are built haphazard ly, it is challenging to build a road network and other vital infrastructure, “when it comes to regularising an area, we must have an align ment where the road has to go.”

The minister noted that, shortly, a new area will be cleared to commence con struction, in keeping with a commitment of His Excel lency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali. This forms part of the 1,000-homes initiative in the region. He reiterated the government’s commitment to improving the standard of living of all Guyanese.

Residents raised concerns related to the pumping hours for water, cement and steel programme, land titles, and affordable housing. Minister Croal said, “we’re trying to source a new engine that will allow you to have more pumping hours. That is in the immediate term.”

This is to provide addi tional service hours for water in the community.

Regional Executive Of ficer (REO) of Region 10, Dwight John and technical officers of the ministry also attended the event.

Farmers from villages in the lower Pomeroon area in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supe naam) will soon benefit from a series of projects intended to significantly improve drainage and agricultural productivity within the farming commu nities.

During an outreach to Wakapoa, Hackney, and Marl borough, on November 11, 2022, Agriculture Minister, Honourable Zulfikar Musta pha disclosed that the ministry through the National Drain age and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will soon commence a massive blocked drainage programme in four areas in the lower Pomeroon.

The Minister’s visit came just days after His Excellen cy, President Dr. Irfaan Ali visited the area and met with flood-affected farmers. Min ister Mustapha had accom panied the Head of State and

promised farmers to return to the villages. During the visit, farmers were again allowed to raise issues that were affecting them. Many farmers said that the main issue was the flood ing due to heavy and constant rainfall.

MINISTER ZULFIKAR MUSTAPHA WHILE ENGAGING A SENIOR CITIZEN FROM HACKNEY

While responding to the farmers’ concerns, Minister Mustapha said the NDIA will commence the blocked drain age programme in the lower Pomeroon area to assist with minimising flooding. “The burning issue here is drainage. This area is very vulnerable to flooding, more so, now with climate change which has resulted in extended rainy periods. When the President visited you made several re

quests and it was decided that we will do the block drainage. We need you to identify the four areas where you want us to do it and we’ll do it. In addition to that, farmers with small plots; five and ten acres; we’ll develop a database after which work will be done to lift the level of your farmlands. In the long term, we’ll be build ing two large pump stations; one at Charity and the other at Cozier. The primary dredging works have already started in the Pomeroon River. The preparation is being done now. As soon as that is completed, the contractor will bring the larger dredge to dredge the riv er so that you can have better drainage,” Minister Mustapha said.

During the President’s visit on November 8, 2022, a farm ers’ group from the area also sought assistance with repair ing two machines that are used

to assist farmers in the area.

Minister Mustapha said that the ministry will assist with re pairing the two machines that are currently inoperable so that the farmers can benefit. These machines, he added, will also be used to assist with the farm enhancement project targeting small-scale farmers.

While addressing concerns raised by cash crop farmers, Minister Mustapha said that farmers from the lower Pomer oon will soon benefit from an introductory training exercise on best practices and farming techniques. This, he added, will see extension staff from NAREI and the GLDA hosting seminars to educate farmers on budding, apiculture, and other agriculture-related areas. This exercise is expected to commence within the next two weeks.

Farmers were also assured that planting materials such as

seeds and seedlings, as well as Acoushi Ants bait, will be made available to them free of cost from the ministry. Min ister Mustapha also informed that NAREI will set up a small plant nursery at Wakapoa so that farmers can also benefit from better access to planting materials.

He disclosed that farming tools such as spray cans, tillers, and a fogging machine among other items will be given to farmers from the area.

As it relates to livestock, Minister Mustapha said farm ers from each of the three villages will receive Black Giant chicks to assist with developing their poultry pro duction. He further disclosed that, through the GLDA, the agricultural science depart ment at the Wakapoa Second ary will benefit from Black Giant chicks and other inputs to assist students who are

writing Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, to do the practical aspect of their School Based Assignments (SBAs).

With the government look ing to expand on the cultiva tion of non-traditional prod ucts, Minister Mustapha told farmers that the ministry will soon begin a pilot project for the cultivation of coffee and cocoa in the area. “We rec ognise the importance of the Pomeroon in terms of agricul ture. This is why we’ve part nered with IICA to restart the cultivation of coffee and cocoa in the Pomeroon. We’ll make those plants available for free, and we’ll work with the farm ers to develop the plots so that farmers in the Pomeroon can once again be the producers of coffee and cocoa in Guyana. This programme should com mence within another month,” the Minister said.

Clearing of drains, farm upgrades, agri. seminars among interventions planned for lower Pomeroon – pilot project for coffee, cocoa also announced

ON

Buxton youths benefit from ICT training

Some 35 residents from the community of Buxton are benefiting from Basic ICT Literacy Training conducted by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Industry and Inno vation Unit.

Conducted over a oneweek period, participants were exposed to training in the areas of Office Productivity, Internet Literacy and Introduction to Basic Information Technology.

The recent beneficiaries on Saturday (November 12, 2022), completed the Basic ICT Training Programme.

For one week at the Buxton Secondary School, participants were taught; Introduction to In formation Technology, Intro duction to Office Productivity and Introduction to Internet Literacy. Each module was crafted to develop and rein force persons’ ICT capability and literacy.

Delivering brief remarks at the graduation ceremony earlier today, November 12th, the Director of the Industry and Innovation Unit, Mr Shahrukh Hussain, underscored the im portance of basic ICT skillsets. At the same time, he noted that ICT would continue to be a significant part of our ev eryday life and for the future. He stressed that the Unit is committed to engaging persons and visiting communities to encourage personal growth and creativity through ICT.

The Director also emphasised that his Unit would continue to engage the populace in every region; and urged the participants to evolve with technology.

Meanwhile, the Headmis tress of Buxton Secondary, Ms. Francis Dawnette, who was also a participant in the training, indicated ICT would

act as a tool for lifelong learn ing. She noted that knowledge and skills gained can be inte grated into everyday life. She

also expressed her satisfaction with the ICT Literacy training. Recognizing the need to have the populace digitally

BIT, GYSBI to develop pilot apprenticeship programme

Guyanese interested in the oil and gas indus try could soon contribute to the sector as government mulls the development of an apprenticeship programme with the Guyana Shore Base Incorporated (GYSBI).

This was revealed on No vember 11, 2022 by Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamil ton during a meeting with Deputy General Manager of GYSBI Rabin Chandrapal and management of the shore base facility on Friday.

The minister was accom panied by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) Richard Maughn.

Apprenticeship is a sys tem for training a new gen eration of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often

some accompanying study.

BIT and GYSBI will en gage in further development of the programme to advance the skill sets of Guyanese.

Hamilton said, “We take men who are green so to speak, and we take them through a welding pro gramme…. that programme last for four months and so we have to take them beyond that. And, so, we look for partners who can have them gain that experience within the work environment to take them to develop themselves to that place, to participate in oil and gas and so that is something we can explore and see how it can be done together with you.”

He added that Guyana, in preparation for the booming economy and development, is seeking collaboration with

private companies involved in the oil and gas industry to have persons trained on the job. The Minister said, “I said to the BIT CEO and the Permanent Secretary, bring a list of companies in the oil and gas industry and let me make some selections and write a letter outlining what we’ve been doing and seek collaboration on how they can subscribe, how they can complement and supplement what you’re doing. Of the companies we sent letters to, you [GYSBI] would be the first company that is offer ing the type of support we sought.”

This move is in keeping with the government’s com mitment to advance the skill sets of Guyanese to meet the labour demand in the boom ing oil and gas sector.

20 international specialists for four-day mental health, well-being conference

Guyanese will benefit from the expertise of some 20 specialists from the Caribbean, Australia, South Africa, Europe, the United States, and Asia, via a four-day mental health and well-being conference, which got underway at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Tuesday (November 15, 2022).

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, said the conference will be a great opportunity for people to interact with the prestigious professors in mental health.

This will be the second edition of the conference.

Child Psychiatric Epide miologist, Professor Chris tina Hoven of Columbia University and some of her colleagues will lead the effort

Industrial

connected, the Prime Minister Officer’s Industry and Innova tion Unit has continuously en gaged residents throughout the country with several training courses, including the Basic ICT Training Programme. Under the theme of Creat ing a Brighter future through ICT, the Unit has engaged the populace in several regions, including one, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, with the basic skillsets of ICT.

To date, The Office of the Prime Minister- Industry and Innovation Unit has trained over 2,500 persons In ICT Literacy.

The Ministry of Agri culture is working to change the perception of Linden, Region 10 from just a mining community to an agriculture destination, as the government commits to advancing the diversi fication of the agriculture sector.

The government passed the Industrial Hemp Act in August 2022, paving the way for the decriminali sation of industrial hemp in Guyana and opening up

for the academic conference in Guyana. “In addition to her, they have been working with us very closely, and we have at least three studies; longitudinal studies that they are doing in Guyana. One is the Guyana suicide study and the others have to do with trauma at the Accident and Emergency. Recently, we’ve had another study looking at factors relating to suicide for persons between the ages of 12 to 20.” Dr Anthony laud ed the relationship between Guyana and Columbia since these studies are being con ducted in Guyana. He said one of the spin-offs from the relationship is ensuring the conference is hosted an nually.

Professor Judit Balazs of the Eötvös Loránd Univer

sity, Hungary; Psychiatrist, Professor Prabha Chandra; German-Croatian Psychia trist and University Profes sor Norman Sartorius, and Swedish Professor Danuta Wasserman, are among the experts who will attend the conference.

Presentations included epidemiology, child psychi atry, suicidology, perinatal psychiatry, and issues relat ing to psychiatry and sexual and reproductive health.

The PPP/C Administra tion has begun several initia tives to address mental health issues since assuming office.

The event was a collab orative effort between the Ministry of Health, the Uni versity of Guyana, Columbia University, and other local partners.

additional economic and agricultural opportunities for farmers.

Region Six and 10 have been earmarked for the de velopment of the new in dustry and Minister of Ag riculture Zulfikar Mustapha assured small-scale farmers in Linden that they will be given priority.

Mustapha said, “If a small-scale farmer plants an acre of hemp, that can sus tain farmers for the entire year and ensure that he has

enough money to take care of his family and other nec essary basic things…. we already decided, we already looking at it, that we will not give large scale farmers to take hundreds and thou sands of acres, we will look at the small holding farmers to give them one and two acres so that we can get several persons involved in this lucrative crop.”

The Ministry of Agricul ture is currently establishing

When misused notions like ‘apartheid’ are...

October, 2021: Regional Hospital commissioned a SMART facility. Further enhancement in the pipeline; November, 2021: 500 house lots distributed to residents; March, 2022: $23M Housing Office to be launched; April, 2022 : New Senior Citizens’

Centre commissioned; August, 2022: $472M one megawatt solar farm com missioned; August, 2022: 600 residents to receive $1M each for home construction; 29. September, 2022: 200 residents receive house lots; 30. SANDCREEK: Septem

ber, 2022: New wells to be drilled;

31. PARABARA: Septem ber, 2022: Primary school and health post commis sioned;

REGION 10

32. WISMAR: August,

2022: Major road rehabilita tion works to be carried out; May, 2022: New Wismar/ Mackenzie Bridge among major infrastructural works in the pipeline; July, 2021: $30M awarded to commence Wismar/Mackenzie water front enhancement projects; 33. KWAKAWNI: July 20, 2022: Over 200 Region 10 residents to benefit from ‘skills-for-job’ training; June, 2022: $300M road upgrade for priority areas; April, 2022 : $37.8M Mag istrate’s Court, living quar ters commissioned; August, 2021: sport and recreational facilities to be assessed for upgrades.

34. LINDEN/WATOOKA:

May, 2022: 200 residents benefit from small busi ness grant; February, 2021: Contracts signed for con struction of $174M conser vancy in West Watooka; 35. May, 2022: $800M for housing development in Linden; October, 2021: $5.4B spent in first six months of 2021 for drain age and irrigation upgrades at Amelia’s Ward; January, 2021: Construction of 50 young professional homes in Region 10 by end of Octo ber 2022; November, 2021: $346 million primary school for Amelia’s Ward/Bamia; July, 2021: $300M to con struct 40 houses at Amelia’s Ward, Linden; April, 2022 :

Over $600M to be spent on roads in Linden.

These are only a few ac tions by government makes the claim about ‘apartheid’ not only bizarre but mean ingless in a Guyanese con text. But the more important lesson to be learnt is that when notions like ‘apart heid’, inapplicable to Guyana are peddled by persons who have a political axe to grind and is amplified by sections of the media, as well as so cial media, the harm caused can be extreme. It promotes ethnic insecurity and hurts democracy.

Sincerely, Clement Rohee

PNCR-led efforts to block parliamentary scrutiny...

ing conducted on Legal Fees expended.”

These are only a few of the issues highlighted in the 2019 Auditor General’s Of fice.

2020 REPORT

The 2020 Auditor Gen eral’s report revealed several damning findings.

For example, a perfor mance audit into the procure ment, storage and distribution of COVID-19 supplies by the former APNU+AFC Coali tion government, during the period March 2020 to Au gust 2020, turned up several breaches.

The Ministry of Public Health and the Civil Defence Commission spent over $1 billion to buy equipment, food, drugs, and medical sup plies to fight the coronavirus disease or COVID-19. As well, donations were received from organizations to help in the fight. An audit conducted by the Auditor General’s office focused on how both

agencies procured, stored, and distributed the items.

The Auditor General’s office, in its report, found that contracts were lacking key details. “The Ministry had no protection against late suppliers because the contracts did not have start and end dates and penalty clauses. Suppliers delivered close to $400M in supplies a month late, but the Ministry could not act against them.

The Ministry lost money by not inserting penalty clauses in contracts, and vulnerable persons waited for supplies.”

The report, on page 2, said, “A penalty clause serves as a deterrent to prevent parties from breaching the terms and conditions of a contract…. we found that the Ministry had no protection against late suppliers because many of the contracts did not have penalty clauses… in one in stance where the clause was included, the Ministry did not deduct penalty fees of close to $5M. This saving could

have been used to purchase additional supplies to help fight the disease.”

Additionally, the report ed noted that over $400M in contracts was handed out without the necessary ap provals. Page 3 of the report said, “A total of eighteen (18) contracts valued at over $424M were awarded before approval was received from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board.” The report on page 6 added that, “There was no monitoring of the perfor mance of contracts, which resulted in millions of dollars of supplies being delivered close to a month after the delivery dates had expired. In addition, the entities pre pared Purchase Orders after receiving supplies. These findings made us conclude that the entities did not pro cure COVID-19 supplies in an efficient manner.”

Hampers, according to the report, were not reach ing intended recipients.

“The Civil Defence Com mission did not explain how it chose the recipients for more than 6,000 food ham pers, valued at over $124M. The hampers may have gone to ineligible persons and organizations. Further, the hampers were left at the entrance of homes, risking theft. Hampers were stored for months. More than 100 food hampers were in the Civil Defence Commission stores for over three months awaiting distribution. This delay denied citizens much needed assistance during the pandemic.” The report on page 12 said, “We con cluded that the hampers may have gone to ineligible persons and organisations there was a lack of account ability for the more than 6,000 hampers distributed. There was no evidence of acknowledgement from the recipients of the hampers…. as it relates to Government Ministries and Regions, the hampers were delivered to

Ruling set for December 8th in case challenging...

disciplinary action.

The Committee's find ings were based on video re cordings, statements by staff of the Parliament Office and the Arthur Chung Confer ence Centre, eyewitness ac counts by other Members of the House, media reporters and the public, both locally and internationally.

The Committee met five times, on: Friday, 18th Feb ruary, 2022; Tuesday, 1st March, 2022; Tuesday, 8th March, 2022; Friday, 3rd June, 2022; and Thursday, 9th June, 2022.

The Parliamentary Ses sional Select Committee of Privileges is one of four Sessional Select Committees that the National Assem bly establishes at the com mencement of each Session

of the National Assembly. Standing Order 88 expressly provides for the establish ment of this Committee and all of the Sessional Select Committees. Standing Order 91 states ''There shall be re ferred to this Committee any matter which appears to af fect the powers and privileg es of the Assembly. It shall be the duty of the Committee to consider any matter so referred, and to report there on to the Assembly." The Committee, in keeping with its mandate, met to consider the following: “(i) Whether the named Members com mitted to the Committee of Privileges, have violated any of the Standing Orders, Customs, Practices, and or Conventions of the National Assembly,· and (ii) To deter

mine the sanctions available that the National Assembly of Guyana can apply and make recommendations on the application thereof.”

senior officials. We were unable to determine wheth er the distribution process was transparent and only eligible persons received the hampers.”

Notably too, the report pointed out that donations were not always tracked.

“The agencies did not al ways keep track of donations received in kind. Such poor practice could have resulted in the misuse of the items and citizens not receiving needed items.” The report on page 7 added that, “We noted that donations were received by the Ministry at its main office, the Materials Manage ment Unit and the Kingston Bond. The Ministry’s main office was the only non-com pliant unit that did not keep a gift register. Rather, bin cards were used to account for the items received. At the Kings ton Bond, we found that there were delays in updating the gift register. We noted that the register at the Materials Management Unit was last

(From page 7)

updated on 2 January 2019.” The Audit Office charged that these poor practices could have resulted in the misuse of items and resulted in citi zens not receiving the needed items. The donations were also not valued by the receiv ing agencies.

The Audit office noted that in conducting Perfor mance and Value-for-Money Audits, the Auditor General examines the extent to which a public entity is applying its resources and carrying out its activities economically, efficiently and effectively with due regard to ensuring effective internal manage ment control.

This report was prepared in accordance with Part V Section 24 (1) (b) of the Au dit Act 2004.

Meanwhile, the Auditor General Deodat Sharma has handed over the 2021 Audit Report to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, on Monday (Septem ber 19, 2022).

INCIDENT

ON DECEMBER 29, 2021

In an effort derail the debating and passing of the Natural Resources Fund Bill, the Parliamentary Opposi tion hijacked the sitting –blowing whistles and chant ing – while its MPs, Fergu son and Jordan, attempted to seize this ceremonial sym bol. Other Opposition MPs attempted to do the same too, in the presence of the entire National Assembly.

Also, Opposition MPs ambushed the control room of the Arthur Chung Con ference Centre (ACCC) and

wildly unplugged the con nections in the electrical sys tems room, which led to an internet disconnection and audio failures. Members of Parliament who had joined processions virtually were even disconnected from the feed as a consequence of this. The Coalition’s Sara boo-Halley was named as responsible for this.

Further, a parliament staffer, Ean McPherson, was assaulted. He has since moved to the Ethnic Rela tions Commission (ERC) with a complaint. McPher son, in prior interview, ex plained that in his attempts to protect the mace, not only was he verbally abused by members of the Opposition, but he was also physically assaulted. “I held on to the

mace and it was fling to the floor… and I overheard people screaming. “Kick he! Lash He! Drag He! Let’s Throw he over the rail. All I said, was throw me over the rails because I know when I’m going over the rail, I am going with the mace,” he said. “They throw me on the ground, they kicked me, they dragged me outside and then Ms. Philidelphia, Member of Parliament start to abuse me with a series of words like ‘House Salve’, but the one that caught me and I don’t know how I become a ‘House Negro’. So, I pre pared a letter and I dropped it upstairs and I showed my concern about how I was treated,” McPherson added.

In addition to Philadelphia, the Coalition’s Singh-Lewis

was also named as being responsible.

The Minister of Parlia mentary Affairs and Gover nance, on January 24, 2022, had moved the motion in the House, which also called for the Privileges Commit tee to act with “alacrity” on the matter and report to the House within one month. Minister Teixeira’s in her motion had made clear that the actions represented “gross disorderly conduct” and “contempt and breaches of privilege” by Opposition Parliamentarians, and such abhorrent actions cannot be condoned.

The APNU+AFC Coa lition has consistently been cited for disruptions and behaviour that is not con structive.

your client in return for a matter not being published in the press,” the letter said.

The Guyana Police Force has issued a wanted bulletin for overseas-based Guyanese political activist, Rickford Burke, in relation to a case of extortion in which two reporters have already been charged.

Burke is wanted for “conspiracy to commit a felony to wit publication of defamatory libel in order to

extort money.” Burke was implicated by two reporters – Gary Eleazar and Alex Wayne – who were charged and released on bail.

Minister Teixeira’s law yer contended too that given Burke’s record, pursuing this course of action wouldn’t be “hard-pressed to devalue” his reputation any further.

Datadin invited Anderson to provide answers to the “ir regularities” in his letter. He said that any response given

Op-Ed: Norton’s bloated list...

in constitutional reforms by way of public consultation, Mr. Norton is prepared to amend the Constitution by an agreement with the PPP, without public consultation. The Constitution as we all know is a pact between the State and the citizenry. This opposition leader wishes to alter that pact without con sulting the other side, the people. But no one should be surprised. This is how the authoritarian operates.

page 8)

will be shown to the judge hearing any claim filed in re lation to the matters contained.

The Coalition-aligned Burke is also wanted for the excitement of hostility or illwill on the grounds of race in violation of the Racial Hostili ty Act; sedition, use of a com puter system to intimidate in violation of the Cyber Crime Act; seditious libel, inciting the provocation of the breach of peace, and inciting public terror.

(From page 10)

Norton, Fernandes continue to...

2021 and his argument that because of that inclusion, the poverty statistics could not be from 2019, and it must have been 2022, shows either the absurdity of his logic or the blatant nature of his dishon esty,” Dr Singh said, in his statement on Wednesday.

on the people of Guyana,” Dr Singh said.

Worse yet, Mr. Norton by his own disclosures, is pre pared to deny these Guyanese of their right to vote without even consulting them. For he says that he is prepared to work with the PPP to achieve this objective. Having regard to the fact that he wants to achieve this objective before local government elections, it is clear that public con sultation is not within his contemplation. So in breach of all of his party’s mani festo promises of engaging

Yesterday, the Alliance for Change (AFC) has in dicated that it will not con test the Local Government Elections. No one should be surprised by this disclosure.

In a press statement they re hashed the selfsame frivolous and vexatious contentions ad vanced by APNU in respect of the voters list. What I have stated above applies to these arguments, mutatis mutandis. They also resorted to the repetition of their irrational and ridiculous allegations of electoral irregularities in respect of the 2020 Regional

and General elections. It is apposite that I remind that the CARICOM Team of Ob servers which was appointed to oversee the recount, found those very allegations to be fanciful, incredible, and incredulous. In similar vein, the coalition was unable to lead evidence to prove these allegations in two elections petition which they filed in the High Court. One recently suffered a natural death at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and the other one is on its way.

In conclusion, I must re iterate like every country that has implemented the system of continuous registration, our system provides mecha nisms to remove disqualified persons from the list at pe riodic intervals. The Claims and Objections mechanism is just one. The new amend ments to the Representation of the People’s Act and the National Registration Act, will not only improve the existing mechanisms but will add new ones.

PPP/C will not be complicit...

that they had in 1997 that the use of biometrics was unconstitutional.”

NOT COMPLICIT

Additionally, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, has accused Leader of the Op position, Aubrey Norton, of wanting to unilaterally change the Constitution to disenfranchise voters. “If they are qualified electors how can they be considered a bloat? He [Norton] says in his statement that the list is bloated by 200,000 persons. The people who got this visa permanent or temporary, in accordance with the Constitution or

the law can vote if they are registered. The people that he’s speaking about are qualified to vote in Guyana or be registered. If they are lawfully on the list, how the list can be bloated?”

Nandlall questioned.

He stressed that the PPP/C would not be complicity with the AP NU+AFC to change voting requirements in the Consti tution without first going through a consultative pro cess, which gives Guyanese people a chance for their voices to be heard.

“We are committed to a constitutional reform pro cess. And we have passed

(From page 11)

a Bill outlining how that constitutional process will take place. If during that process the people of the country want a different type of requirement for reg istration and voting, then the process will determine that. We will not unilat erally impose that on the people of our country. That is our promise and that is the promise upon which we will deliver,” the Attorney General stressed.

In order for Constitu tion to be changed, it would require the acquiescence of at least two-thirds majority of the 65-member National Assembly.

Industrial Hemp Regulatory...

the Guyana Industrial Hemp Regulatory Authority. The regulatory body will accept applications for licenses to cultivate industrial hemp.

“We are now in the process of setting up the regulatory authority when that comes into being, you, the small

farmers, will have the kind of benefit to start planting an acre, two acres of hemp, which is a very lucrative crop. “Coming out of hemp, you can have raw materials for anything, soap, rope, clothes, you name it, and we are looking to build a re

finery in the country so that you can have a ready market for this crop. So, that is a plus for you,” he said.

The Minister also urged farmers to work collabora tively to make Region 10 an important player in the agriculture sector.

It is this persistence in presenting falsities to Guy anese, Dr Singh contended, that dissuaded even former President, David Granger, from appointing Norton to any substantive post of gov ernment. “It is my consid ered opinion that Mr Norton would do himself well to remain silent on these matters because apparently every time he opens his mouth, he either has to misrepresent the facts, or he has to display his complete lack of logic. But let me say it goes far deeper than that. Because what Mr Norton is trying to do, is he is trying to misrep resent the reality that beset Guyana during the five years that the APNU+AFC was in government. And I can list hundreds of things that were done by the APNU+AFC Government deliberately to impose and cause hardship

He highlighted, among other things, the closure of sugar estates and firing of sugar workers, the firing of Amerindian Community Support Officers (CSOs), the imposition of hundreds of taxes on Guyanese citizens, the inclusion of VAT on educational and medical sup plies, as well as food items.

Over the five years of misrule under the AP NU+AFC, the people of Guyana went through a period of unprecedented hardships. However, the minister contended that this was typical of the party’s leadership. Singh said, “If you go further back to the PNC’s legacy, by 1992 when the PNC final ly conceded and accepted the result of a democratic election… after 28 years in government, every single Guyanese person had been impoverished. Guyana had moved from a point where, at the time that we got in dependence, we had gotten almost to the same level of development as Singapore. That’s a widely cited ob

servation…. That was the PNC’s legacy before 1992, and it was their legacy from 2015 to 2020.”

This, he said, was a his torical fact that the PNC, and by extension, the AP NU+AFC, are incapable of denying or distorting.

The problem, however, runs much deeper than Nor ton’s allegations. Following the issuance of the corrected fact sheet on November 2, the AFC MP Juretha Fer nandes, continued to make statements about the old ver sion of the sheet, despite the corrections being available in the public domain.

“But that is nothing new, she is notorious for misrep resenting facts. There have been several incidents in the public record that we could go back to. The rest of her statement just puts on display either her complete lack of understanding on these issues or her deliberate intent to misrepresent,” Dr Singh said.

The recent efforts by the opposition to misrepresent information are the latest in several attempts to soil the reputation of the PPP/C ad ministration.

AFC drops out of contesting Local...

electoral fraud, as demon strated during the publicized national recount. On the face of it, the current list contains the names of the deceased, migrated and duplicates.

“…the AFC has already called on the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) to produce a credible voters’ list by conducting a certifiable house-to-house verification and registration process. Ac cordingly, we would go as far as supporting the postpone ment of the LGE as was done in 1992 to present a “clean” voters’ list to the electorate.”

The Alliance for Change, for its part, has previously been inconsistent with its positions on LGE 2023, with different positions in less than a week. AFC’s Cathy Hughes on October 20, 2022 declared that the AFC will be boycotting the March 2023 Local Government Elections and cited concerns about the Voters’ List as its reason. In publicly reported comments, Hughes said, “If we are going to have any elections, if we are going to talk about de mocracy, we must have a sys tem that everybody has con fidence in. If not, you’ll have half the population unhappy and what kind of actions would you have as a result of that.” In less than 24 hours, leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, on October 21, 2022, announced a different position. He charged that the Party’s National Execu tive Committee will reveal

position on the LGE after consultations. “We have not yet decided whether we’re running together or not with APNU. We will make that determination and reveal our position later,” Ramjattan said.

MOVING FORWARD

Preparations for the elec tions, which are set for March 13, 2022, have been moving apace.

Last month, Minister of Local Government and Re gional Development Nigel Dharamlall, wrote GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, announc ing March 13, 2023, as the date for LGE. According to Dharamlall, Government is committed to upholding de mocracy and believes that the holding of local polls is an important pillar in Guyana’s democratic political system. It was against this backdrop that the date for hosting the LGE was decided. “Please be informed that pursuant to Section 35 (1) of the Lo cal Authorities (Elections) Act, Chapter 28:03, I appoint March 13, 2023, as the day on which elections of Coun cillors for Local Authori ties shall be held,” Minister Dharamlall wrote to Justice Singh.

LGE is constitutionally due every two years in Guy ana and was last held in 2018.

While the polls were due in 2020, the elections fiasco that played out following the

(From page 11)

March 2 General and Region al Elections that year resulted in LGE being deferred.

More than $750 million has been set aside in Budget 2022 for the preparations to be undertaken by GECOM for the hosting of LGE this year. This money is part of an overall $4.1 billion allocation to GECOM’s in Budget 2022 and was ex amined and approved by the National Assembly during its consideration of the 2022 Budget Estimates. Included in the $783 million for LGE is a more-than-$300 million increase in “other goods and services purchased”, which jumped from $250.8 million in 2021 to $575.9 million in the 2022 budget.

Local Government Elec tions were deferred, among other challenges, because of the absence of key senior GECOM staffers, including a Chief Elections Officer, given that the former CEO, Keith Lowenfield, was fired and placed before the courts on changes related to public mis conduct and electoral fraud.

LGE, which are usually due every two years, was last held in 2018. At the last LGE in November 2018, the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Oppo sition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, during which the PPP/C also claimed the majority of the LAAs.

APNU+AFC exposes its own rhetoric on advancement of youths - Ramson

The APNU+AFC Coali tion continues to expose its own rhetoric on the ad vancement of youths, accord ing to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson.

He said “With the recent appointment of the Member of Parliament, Ms Beverley Alert, by the APNU+AFC, they have once again proven just as they did in govern ment, that there is no place for young people in the AP NU+AFC….so if the person doesn’t have a constituency

and any executive govern ment experience then why not give a young person an opportunity? The answer is clear – there is no future for young people with the AP NU+AFC – and Guyanese, especially young Guyanese, must judge them not by their words but by their actions.”

According to the minis ter, Alert is just one exam ple of the Coalition’s lack of consideration for young people.

Notably, earlier this year, Opposition Leader Aubrey

Norton and Volda Lawrence replaced Joseph Harmon and Nicolette Henry in Par liament.

Ramson said, “It is im portant for the public to know that the choice to be come Members of Parlia ment rests squarely with the political party which contested in the General and Regional election. Guyanese, especially young Guyanese, must see the choice of ap pointment as MPs by the APNU+AFC for what it re ally is; that there is no future

for young people with the APNU+AFC…imagine three APNU+AFC MPs resign from Parliament – which, on its own, is an obvious omen for the APNU+AFC camp –and they did not see it fit to have at least one seat filled by one young person.”

The Coalition’s rhetoric on advancing the develop ment of young people and young leaders in Guyana, according to Ramson, has been expose. “Norton and other members of the AP NU+AFC will profess their

love for young people while in Opposition, but when it comes to promoting young people to positions of power, responsibility, and authority they prove time and time again that their love is just a trick to get their support… APNU-AFC destroyed the political careers of all their young leaders who will now never experience government and that is the fact that they will have to live with. There is no future for young people with the APNU+AFC.”

In contrast, the PPP/C government has a Cabinet that includes several young Ministers of Government. Also, at the Regional and Community levels, young people have been afforded an opportunity to lead and serve their country. Addi tionally, in August 2020, the President’s Youth Ad visory Council (PYAC) was launched to give Guyana’s youth an opportunity to be part of governance and na tion building.

‘Do not fall prey to propaganda...

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 strug gle 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. Also, despite the fact that the recommenda tion for charges to be laid was made on June 4, 2022, by the Police Complaints Authority, which was inde pendently investigating the matter, Norton claimed that there seems to be a plot to cover the “Indo-Guyanese” ranks – a claim made without evidence. “If they say that this was something carried out by a particular (Police) Unit, then the head of that Unit should know…you are not charging the Head of the Unit…we are seeing, within this, an attempt to cover some Indo-Guyanese who were involved…they are go ing to protect them because they are Indo-Guyanese and I say that without fear of contradiction,” Norton said.

The most Coalition’s re peated claim is about young Afro-Guyanese men being killed. However, in No vember 2019, the 32-page findings of an investigate report by the independently–run Stabroek News, exposed the falsehoods peddled by the APNU+AFC Coalition about the crime wave and disman tled the notion that young Af ro-Guyanese men were killed indiscriminately. While, the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coa lition had claimed that -some 400 young Afro-Guyanese died as a result of extra-judi cial killings during the crime wave. However, the Stabroek News investigative report pointed out that some 420 persons were killed between February 2002 and Septem ber 2006 – 151 murdered by bandits, 30 security officers were killed and 239 were

killed during confrontations with the police and in un explained circumstances. It added that the drug trade was a major part of the period in question. After the report was published, comments along this line subsidised, but has returned and are now greatly exaggerated with the claim being almost 2,000 young Afro-Guyanese died under the former PPP/C gov ernment.

Further, in November 2021, the Coalition-aligned, David Hinds had said: “I think the time has come to defend ourselves…it is time for action…I am also repeat ing 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 un dermine the government. There are many ways…un dermine the government and continue to do so.” At the same forum, Hinds went fur ther 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 govern ment…undermine the eco nomic partners of the PPP.”

Prior to that, while ad dressing a small group of protestors at Victoria, East Coast Demerara in August 2021, Hinds said: “In what ever 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 prov erb meaning actions to hint something will result in awareness). Undermine this government!”

The past several months have seen incidents where persons have spewed un founded claims of racism by the current Administration.