Weekend Mirror 26-27 March 2022 by Weekend Mirror

Gov’t working to cushion effects of rising cost of living – Jagdeo 26-27 March, 2022 / Vol. 12 ‒ No. 15 / Price: $100

Email: mirror2018.gy@gmail.com

PAGE 24

PPP/C engagement with Guyanese stakeholders reflective of results-based approach, not a ‘talk-shop’ – Teixeira PAGE 3

Gov’t looking to subsidise internet cost for GOAL scholars PAGE 12

Almost 17,000 transactions completed in ongoing Claims and Objections exercise PAGE 2

SEE INSIDE Guyana’s PAGE 7 laws being reviewed, consolidated

3,000 Region One residents to benefit from ICT training PAGE 9

Experts say…

New ‘Deltacron’ variant is rare and similar to Omicron PAGE 23

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

Almost 17,000 transactions completed in ongoing Claims and Objections exercise T

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has reported that Guyanese continue to respond to the Claims and Objections exercise, with about 17,000 transactions being recorded.

Of these, GECOM has indicated that: • 6,620 persons, who are 18 years and older and are therefore eligible to vote, have been registered; • 6,276 persons between

the ages of 14 and 17 years have been registered and will be issued national identification cards; • 683 persons have applied for transfers to new addresses;

• 1,997 persons made changes and/or corrections to their particulars; • 1,194 persons sought to have replacements for their national identification cards.

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ate from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am to 6pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, persons can visit the offices between 10am and 2pm. According to the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08 stipulates that registration is a must and therefore it is expected that persons participate in the process. Some $4.1 billion has been approved for GECOM this year, to carry out its work programme. From this amount, over $700 million has been earmarked to host this year’s LGE. The continuous registration exercise is expected to conclude on May 29, 2022.

GECOM is not visiting homes to conduct registration

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Meanwhile, GECOM Commissioner, Bibi Shadick, in comments on the ongoing exercise, explained that the process has been progressing well so far. She said, “We get a progress report every week… so far, it’s going well. But I do know people. They don’t go right at the beginning. They know they’ve got 12 weeks, so they’ll wait until 12 weeks are done. But I do know, too, because I have a law office and people come in to notarise (documents) and so, that people are getting their names in order so that they can go get registered.” Registration offices oper-

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has disclosed that it is in receipt of a report that persons have been visiting homes seeking information on the pretext of being employees of this Commission and has made clear that it is not conducting home visits. In a statement on Thursday (March 24, 2022), GECOM said, “In this regard it is imperative that we make it abundantly clear that GECOM is not currently engaged in any such exercise, nor has the Commission authorized anyone – employee or otherwise – to collect information from any person for any reason whatsoever through house -to-house visits. “GECOM takes this opportunity to state categorically that, as an integral component of the ongoing registration exercise, Registration Staff and Scrutineers are required to visit the given residential addresses of applicants for registration

to verify that the concerned persons actually live at the addresses they would have provided. “Such visits are made only after agreement between the applicant and the concerned GECOM staff would have agreed on a date and time. GECOM Staff and Scrutineers are required to display their respective identification and accreditation badges throughout all such visits.” The general public has been cautioned not to recognize any person(s) without GECOM identification as being representatives of this Commission. “Citizens are urged to be extremely cautious and not to provide any information to those persons purporting to be GECOM representatives, as their motive is unknown,” GECOM said. Persons are asked to contact GECOM on telephone numbers 223-9653, 2255808, or 225-5868 to report or clarify any concerns.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

PPP/C engagement with Guyanese stakeholders reflective of results-based approach, not a ‘talk shop’ – Teixeira T

he second Virtual Conversation for 2022 with stakeholders from all sectors across Guyana was held on Wednesday (March 23, 2022), hosted by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira. The conversations are intended to create spaces for stakeholders to share opinions and raise concerns, and have them addressed through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance. The forum is also used to share information about Government initiatives to keep constituents informed and to encourage broadbased participation. Teixeira in comments on the event to the Weekend Mirror said, “The Minis-

try of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, last year, recommenced meetings of what was, between 2008 and 2014, the National Stakeholder Forum, last year. We restarted last year with meetings of the religious community and other civil society groups, focusing on COVID-19 and the national response, as well as other issues of concern. “Currently, we meet every two months on various issues and this is part of the PPP/C government’s effort to engage and include civil society groups. What we work hard to ensure is that these meetings are not talk shops, so at every meeting there is a follow up session from the previous meeting

where we provide responses to issues raised and report on what was done to address concerns. Stakeholders, at the end of the day, are able to walk away with the view that their concerns, issues and comments are being taken seriously.” According to Teixeira, engagement with a view of securing resolutions for stakeholders is what the PPP/C practiced between 2008 and 2014 and this continues, albeit in a “slightly different” format. She said, “At the meeting on Wednesday (March 21, 2022), part of what we focused on was on informing stakeholders on the ongoing consultations on the draft 2030 Low Carbon Develop-

ment Strategy (LCDS) and they were encouraged to submit feedback to the LCDS team. This is a conversation and at the end of the day the focus is on how we work together for the interest of all our people.”

The Minister explained that the Virtual Conversation is a “major plank” for the PPP/C government, but does not take away from outreaches and engagements done by subject ministers and government agencies. “Our Virtual

Conversation is an additionality. It does not take away from the work being done by individual minister and government agencies that engage with stakeholders. It is important to remember (Turn to page 18)

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

EDITORIAL

Engagement to deliver for the Guyanese people S

ervice to the Guyanese people continues to guide the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government. And this is evidenced by the commitment to engagement with the Guyanese people. With other community outreaches planned, this week saw two events that underscore the approach of the PPP/C government to civil society engagement – a two-day outreach by PPP General Secretary and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, in Region 2, where a plethora of issues ranging from employment to education were addressed; and the continuance of the Virtual Conversations, a civil society engagement forum being led by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance. The message from these two events is clear – engagement to deliver for the Guyanese people is being done via a broad based approach. Government officials, unlike what obtained under the previous APNU+AFC Coalition government, are not hidden away behind office doors; rather they are accessible on a continuous basis. The track record of the PPP/C government on engagement with Guyanese, in order to effectively respond to issues affecting them is being bolstered continuously. The PPP/C government’s approach has been, and continues to be, the conduct of community oriented meetings, bottom house meetings, town hall meetings, as well as meeting organised civil society, whether it is the regional business community or religious bodies, as well as the national bodies. This way the PPP/C ensures that it is tuned into the issues that Guyanese are most concerned about and, also, to hear what their suggestions are. In the first two national budgets the PPP/C government commitment to Guyanese was proven with the effort to not only rebalance the economy, but also make efforts at enormous cost to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and improving social support networks. Budget 2022 has seen spending on capital works more than doubles, as efforts continue to improve the quality of life for Guyanese. In comparison, the track record of the APNU+AFC Coalition is dismal, given that communities did not see any official for years. Importantly, facts about track record – whether or not the political party in power delivered on their promises made in its manifesto – matter. Facts about performance – how well the political party served the Guyanese people – matter. Facts related to whether the Guyanese people can trust the political party in power matters. Prior to the March 2020 General and Regional Elections, Guyanese were asked to consider five questions in judging the performance of their government: 1. Are the policies and programmes making a difference in the lives of people? 2. Are the policies and programmes creating jobs? 3. Are the policies and programmes generating more income and advancing welfare for our people? 4. Are the policies and programmes expanding social and economic goods and improving services? 5. How are the policies and programmes impacting the pockets and bank accounts of our people? These questions remain pertinent and on all counts, the PPP/C government continues to deliver for all Guyanese, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or any other differentiating factor. What is clear is that the PPP/C is actively moving to deliver for the Guyanese people by actively working to fix broken systems and ensuring efficiency in the service to our nation. Dialogue is quintessential to not only good governance, but effective governance and the PPP/C government continues to demonstrate its commitment in this area.

GECOM must be wary of PNCR-led Coalition’s agenda Dear Editor,

he just-concluded meeting held between the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the representatives of the APNU/AFC, leave many questions and suspicion about the real motive and agenda of the latter. The APNU/AFC’s urgings to GECOM against holding Elections without major reforms is merely one aspect of their hidden political agenda that must not be overlooked. In respect to the meeting held, reliable sources reported that the APNU/ AFC representatives had nothing substantial to offer, or rather, nothing new came out from the meeting. It is crystal clear that the old PNC line to procrastinate and avoid LGEs is what the PNCR has up its sleeves. The PNCR issue with the deceased names on the list is noted. However, there is a legal system in place for removals. As regards the ‘migrants’, the court has ruled concerning this matter. The clandestine strategy is nothing but the old trick of under-cutting Community Development by advocating for the delay of Local Government Elections (LGEs) and then complaining about it on the political platform during the campaign period. The PNCR as the controlling Party in the Coalition is fully aware of the need for adequate and renewed leadership at the Municipal, Neighbourhood Democratic, and Village Councils levels; but is willing to sacrifice this for fear of facing the electorate. They are also cognizant of the necessity for delivery of services to Citizens at these levels, and that the mechanism of LGEs will deliver new energetic leaders to take advantage of the national development push at these levels, to appease the livelihood of our citizenry. Naturally, the APNU/AFC wants our citizens to start complaining and this, the PPP/C must not allow by agreeing to any further delays in GECOM holding of the LGEs. All of the monster tears about the

bloated list go against acceptable controls that are in place for the conduct of elections of E-Day, to prevent egregious voting practices. The complainants are forgetting that they have representative Polling Agents in each Polling Station who are there to verify the authenticity of each voter and to count and sign the ‘Statements of Polls’. APNU/AFC cannot deny that on the evening of March 03rd, 2020, their representatives including then-President Granger pronounce and announced that the 2020 Elections were free and fair. Our Nation will recall that Election Day 3rd March 2020 was a peaceful day and all Local and International Observers also confirmed that Election Day activities were without hiccups, peaceful and successful. The March 2020 Elections fiasco started when the APNU/AFC Riggers along with the GECOM riggers introduced the (broadsheet and the duty bed sheet) in the verification process in Region#4. The blatant attempt to rig the Elections was prevented by the strong Leadership of the PPP/C and the unflinching support of the Guardian of Democracy along with the significant support from the ABC and E countries along with the imminent International Observers and CARICOM. That total togetherness must never be forgotten. It was only when they could not get through with the rigging efforts, complaints about the list intensified. The call for an internal review of all that took place before, during, and after the 2020 Elections is most welcome. However, the APNU/AFC must bring their Statements of Polls for the Nation to see. Further, GECOM must examine the backup storage for computerized data, to recover all the necessary information that was wiped out and taken out of its computers. For a proper and normal assessment, a thorough review of all that took place in preparation and for conducting the 2020 Elections is important and necessary. Why, therefore, is the APNU/AFC not joining the call for those who are responsible for

the removal of the SOPs and all other information to be charged and placed before the courts? APNU/AFC calls on GECOM not to hold LGEs before major reforms are wicked and cowardly. As the Government in 2016 and 2018, they approved and supported, and held LGEs while largely being able to influence critical changes that were intended to off-balance contesting Political Parties. Before these changes were revealed, neither GECOM nor the APNU/AFC had the simple courtesy to hold discussions with the PPP/C or any other Political Party when they introduced New NDCs along with New Towns and made changes to several boundaries in their Gerrymandering efforts to win votes or take control of some NDCs based on the concentration of party support The PPP/C Government must, therefore, involve GECOM in discussions to carefully re-look at some of the New NDCs that the APNU introduced that cannot function on their own. Some of them are not collecting a single cent from Rates and Taxes. Regularization of local Government areas must be meaningful and related to the delivery of service to the people dwelling within. The PPP/C Government must be applauded for the inclusive approach they adopted before proposing amendments to the Representation of the People Act (RoPA), in effort to hold elections officials accountable. The procedure included invited submissions from all Political Parties and valuable stakeholders. The PNC and small and defunct ‘afc’ failed to make any proposals to the Government on the proposed amendments. This Nation must not be held at ransom while the PNC is having its internal battles for mere survival. GECOM must be cautious about the looseness or lack of serious agenda intended by the PNC and put all systems in place to hold LGEs as early as possible. Sincerely, Neil Kumar

The phenomenon of deliberately shifting blame is trending and not confined to the social butterflies of 'civil society' Dear Editor,

eith Lowenfield remained at GECOM for 527 days after the General and Regional elections of 2020, political parties are supposed to submit campaign expense statements at least 35 days after elections; Yog Mahadeo and Article 13 had 192 days to raise the question with Lowenfield but did not. Lowenfield was fired and is facing charges of electoral fraud; however, Article 13 saw it fit to upbraid Lowenfield’s successor,

Vishnu Persaud, for failing to find those submissions (if any exist). The tone of Article 13’s criticism of Persaud seems to suggest that Persaud is somehow responsible for Lowenfield’s failures. I find this opportunistic, asinine and cowardly, and would suggest that Article 13 find a legal mechanism to force answers from where they should be found, namely Mr. Lowenfield. The phenomenon of deliberately shifting blame is trending and not confined to the social butterflies of ‘civil society.

In 2017, under David Granger’s APNU+AFC coalition administration, two ‘stale-dated’ checks were accepted as Bonds by the Staff of the Ministry of National Security (now Home Affairs) however, the newly appointed Permanent Secretary was somehow expected to explain how this occurred over three years before she took the job. It was reported “After PS Thomas as the Chief Accounting Officer shifting almost every question to her subordinate officers, M P Vish(Turn to page 19)

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

The fair and right thing to do is to allow Guyanese to benefit from oil resources in a preferential manner Dear Editor,

he Guyana Local Content Act 2021 (LCA) received Presidential assent on December 31, 2021. The LCA was the delivery of a campaign promise made vigorously by now Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, whilst in Opposition. The Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Government has repeated that promise since taking office in August 2020 and the LCA represents a delivery on that promise. The introduction of the LCA brought with it whispers of resistance, mainly from Trinidadian businesses it seems, as to its legality and compliance with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC). No one seemed interested in investing in Guyana before the discovery of oil in 2015; Guyana’s treatment as a “poor-distant-relative” was well entrenched. However, the whispers in the shadows made bold its entrance into the light, yesterday, in an article portrayed as a legal opinion of sorts, published in a Trinidadian newspaper about the legality of the LCA; with detailed focus on its compliance with treaty law. The sense of entitlement was un-surprising in the article. The implied portrayal of Guyana’s oil resources as CARICOM’s oil resource (as opposed to Guyana’s) was most significant and interesting. The attitude in some quarters seems to be that Trinidad’s involvement in Guyana’s oil sector, as a historical oil producer, was somehow pre-ordained and unstoppable. However, the writer of that article ignored, entirely, the resolve of the Government of Guyana on

this issue. It was ignored that the people of Guyana must benefit more than tangentially or on the fringes; their benefit must be real and substantial. This involvement is seen as the path to lift an entire nation from a poor developing nation to a prosperous nation. It ignores totally, the determination of the present Government to deliver on its promises. Know this, the resolve of the Government of Guyana in implementing and supporting the LCA is unshakable and any challenge will be met with a determined resolve. In this regard, it is useful to note that the arguments made in the shadows about CARICOM, and posited in the open yesterday, ignores the reality of treaty law. The Government of Guyana in an effort to achieve its objective has at its disposal established principles of treaty law. Every Member State can issue a reservation and/or opt out of treaty obligations at its discretion. The Caribbean Court of Justice in an Advisory Opinion (AOOJ2019/001) in an examination of opt-out powers as set out in Article 27(4) of the RTC, made clear that a reservation to any treaty obligation can be unilaterally done whilst to opt-out of treaty obligation it required consent of the other Member States. The reality is that Guyana can enter a reservation to the relevant part of the RTC and/or opt out, depending on the prevailing circumstances. This may be sought for a period of years deemed sufficient for the Guyanese sector to mature and be able to compete with foreign businesses. It is well known that Bahamas

has taken itself out of the CSME and does not allow free movement of CARICOM Nationals, and, Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis have opted out of the free movement of skilled labour (security guards and agricultural workers) in 2019. Additionally, most of the signatories to the RTC have still not accepted the Caribbean Court of Justice as their final Appellate Court, preferring the Privy Council instead. It is inescapable, that it

is the fair and right thing to do to allow Guyanese to benefit from her oil resources in a preferential manner. This is not to say that our CARICOM neighbours are not welcome; everyone is, but respect must be had to the LCA in this regard. The benefit to our CARICOM brothers can’t be at the expense or marginalization of Guyanese nationals and com-

panies. Those who seek to challenge the LCA in Court do so at their own peril. They would be underestimating or not understanding the sentiment across Guyana on this issue; across all ethnic, cultural, class and political lines. In my interactions, “on the ground”, and with those in Government there is a quiet but firm resolve on the issue. A resolve so strong

that a treaty reservation/opt out or even a withdrawal are all possible. Make no mistake, Guyana will assert her sovereignty and right to choose in coming days and, likely, if necessary, adjust her treaty obligations to remove any possible conflict, real or perceived. Sincerely, Sanjeev Datadin, MP

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

P P P /C D E L I V E R I N G O N ‘ P L A N F O R P R O S P E R I T Y ’

Anna Regina to get modern hospital

inister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, recently visited the site for the construction of a new hospital in Anna Regina, Region Two. The modern hospital is part of a series to be constructed by the government this year at Anna Regina, Tuschen, Diamond, Enmore, Bath and No. 75 Village, Corentyne. Minister Anthony said the hospital will provide inpatient and outpatient services to boost healthcare in the Pomeroon-Supenaam region. “The new hospital will have about 75 inpatient beds. It will have a modern accident and emergency, it will have modern laboratories, it will also have an imaging suite and that will include not just digital

x-rays, but CT scans. It will have two modern operating theatres and a small minor theatre,” Dr. Anthony said, when he visited the construction site. He said the site was chosen based on the ‘population centre,’ as citizens in the area will have easy access to the facility. Dr. Anthony said, “in the next couple of months, hopefully, we’ll be able to start work here and I think it will be a good development for the coast.” According to him, the health facilities across the country will be retrofitted to provide better accommodation for patients. The government will also be working to ensure adequate medical equipment are available and a new electronic medical

record system is in place to provide better service to citizens. Meanwhile, speaking at the opening ceremony of the new Infectious Diseases Chest Clinic at the Suddie Public Hospital, the health minister said construction will begin this year for the new state-of-the-art paediatric and maternal hospital in the region. “We are also going to be building a modern paediatric, a women and children hospital, and again this is going to be a sub-specialty hospital where if you have children with oncological issues, they would be able to go there and get care,” Anthony said. This hospital will provide a number of services such as paediatric cardiac surgery.

Phase one of $147M Lima Sands access road almost completed ‒ $1B earmarked for road works in Region Two

hase one of the Lima Sands access road, Region Two should be wrapped up in a couple of weeks said Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill. The $147 million project which spans 900 metres began last November and has a May 2022 deadline. Minister Edghill recently inspected the project which was awarded to S. Jagmohan Construction and General Supplies Inc. and was pleased to announced that the concrete drains have been completed. He said, “We are at the stage where they are testing the sand and loam to be able to get it approved to go to the next stage of getting the aggregates placed and them putting on the asphal-

tic concrete. This should be wrapped up in a couple of weeks and across the region there will be several projects and many have already been advertised and there are many more to come on stream. So, the people of Region Two can expect significant improvements in terms of roads.” Minister Edghill said phase two of the project will commence this year and will see 1,000 metres of roads being upgraded. Additionally, the region can expect massive infrastructural development with the upgrading of miscellaneous and urban roads. Edghill said, “We have earmarked to spend in Region Two about $1 billion in ur-

ban and miscellaneous roads and that is a part and separate from what the Regional Democratic Council, through their regional works programme will be executing. This is what the Ministry of Public Works will be undertaking.” Minister Edghill also reiterated government’s determination to serve the people of Guyana. Budget 2022 has allocated $90 million to improve accessibility with the construction of several roads. Some of the roads to be upgraded include David James Street in Charity, Damon Street in Dartmouth, Second Cross Street in Anna Regina Housing Scheme and Market Street in Suddie Housing Scheme.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

P P P /C D E L I V E R I N G O N ‘ P L A N F O R P R O S P E R I T Y ’ Guyana’s laws being reviewed, 35 welfare officers certified to provide psychosocial support to students consolidated

he Government of Guyana has begun the process of consolidating and revising all the country’s laws, in keeping with its promise of overhauling and modernising the legislative landscape. A press release from the Attorney General’s Chambers stated that the exercise is a collaboration between the ‘Law Revision Commission’ unit of the AG’s Chambers, the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Improved access to Justice in the Caribbean (IMPACT Justice) Project and will be executed by the Regional Revision Centre Inc., an Anguillan company. “Honourable Mohabir Anil Nandlall SC, MP, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, is of the view that this consolidation and revision process, taken together with several other transformative

initiatives currently underway, will deliver on a manifesto promise to modernise legislative landscape,” the release said. The last such exercise was done in 2012 and according to the release, “That process took place nearly 12 years ago, and a plethora of new laws have been promulgated since.” Therefore, incorporating them into legislation, and consolidating them have become necessary, the release added as the “time is ripe for a “new volume of the Laws of Guyana which is current, comprehensive, and accurate.” Importantly, the process will also rectify ‘several deficiencies’ which ‘afflicted’ the last revision exercise, the release stated further. To help facilitate the process, electronic and printed copies of the last revised

Laws of Guyana (2012), a copy of the Consolidated Index of the Laws of Guyana for the revision periods 2009, 2010 and 2021, and the Gazette publications of the Laws of Guyana for the revision period December 31,2010 to December 31,2021 will be supplied to the Regional Law Revision Centre. “Access to justice requires access by the people of Guyana to the laws which affect their daily lives. As such, in keeping with current policy, the 2022 Revised Edition of the Laws of Guyana will be made available on the website of the Attorney General’s Chambers, and physical copies will be made available to key stakeholders,” the release said. The exercise commenced on February 21, 2022 and is expected to conclude on February 20, 2023.

ome 35 Schools Welfare Officers are now certified to provide psychosocial support to children in schools. During a small ceremony at the Pegasus Hotel Thursday morning, the Welfare Officers graduated from a European Union (EU)

funded Gender Responsive Programme for Psychosocial Support to Children in Schools. Education Specialist at the Ministry of Education, Dr Olato Sam, stated that the programme aids in paving the way to ensure students

are supported. He noted that the last few years has not only highlighted the need to address the academic development of children, but also devise strategies for addressing physical, mental, emotional and psychosocial (Turn to page 20)

Gov’t to facilitate training of mining sector stakeholders

inister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, has said that the Government will be facilitating training for individuals in the mining sector which will be piloted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), in collaboration with the private sector.

The minister spoke of this development during a recent meeting with goldsmiths and jewellers at Duke Lodge. “We have been losing a lot of skilled people, but at the same time I don’t think we have been doing much to retrain or to train new people. We have to start that… So that is something I think we

should look at both parties, meaning government and the jewellers,” he noted. The natural resources minister said businesses can recruit persons to be trained, as well as skilled persons in the businesses can opt to become trainers. Minister Bharrat also (Turn to page 20)

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

P P P /C D E L I V E R I N G O N ‘ P L A N F O R P R O S P E R I T Y ’ to Mabura Hill Road, other projects Gov’t pushing value-added Linden to drive Region 10 economy products in Guyana’s gold T industry T he Ministry of Natural Resources recently hosted a meeting with jewelers and goldsmiths to explore ways to further develop Guyana’s mining sector. During the meeting, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, called for more collaboration, noting that everyone needs to get on board to enhance the sector. “[This is] to look at possible ways in which we can collaborate, possible ways in which we can have more coordination and cooperation and also possible ways in which we

can play a role in enhancing your services that you offer.…especially at a time when Guyana is moving forward and moving forward at a fast pace, the minister said. Minister Bharrat said even as Guyana’s oil and gas sector continues to expand, the government’s priority is also to ensure that other sectors do not fall behind. He said the mining sector is important to the country’s development, as it is the second highest contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP). “We know too that

the jewelry sector is especially linked to tourism and you would have seen too, the emphasis and the focus that our government…has been placing on tourism.” The Natural Resources Minister told participants that they will be playing a meaningful role in showcasing Guyana and ensuring its reputation is intact, by providing quality, affordable items for local and international customers. The PPP/C government has made clear its commitment to providing opportunities for Guyanese.

he new US$190 million Linden to Mabura Hill Road which will soon get underway, will offset countless economic opportunities for Region 10. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, has encouraged residents to position themselves to tap into those opportunities. The Minister, along with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, met with residents of the Numbers 47 and 58 Miles and Mabura Hill communities last week. Minister Todd said the Linden-Mabura Hill Road will greatly benefit the communities and urged persons to organise

themselves to take advantage of all that is anticipated. Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh announced last week that the contract for the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) funded project will take place within the next month. The road construction is one of the largest transport infrastructure projects government will be undertaking over the next three to four years. It is also the largest project the CDB has ever undertaken. The road also represents the first phase of a link that will eventually lead to Lethem, Region Nine, and neighbouring Brazil. In his discussion with resi-

dents, the Foreign Minister also spoke of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali’s leadership in the area of agriculture which will see increased production from farmers to meet the market demands of the Caribbean. He added that the government is expanding the agriculture sector, to realise its goal of becoming the bread basket of the Caribbean. He also noted the initiatives implemented by government to meet the needs of residents, including the GOAL scholarship programme, enhanced social services, health care and the school cash grant. The team which included several officials from Region 10, also handed over sports gear to the primary schools in the communities.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

Amerindian Development…

FOCUS ON GUYANA’ S FIRST PEOPLE Ophthalmology programme to target remote communities T

he Ministry of Health will be targeting patients in remote areas with the launch of the pilot ‘Community Ophthalmology Programme.’ This was disclosed by Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Monday (March 21, 2022). He noted that the programme is one of several interventions to improve eye care services across the country. “We are also starting this year, a community ophthalmology programme, meaning that we have been working with a group out of John Hopkin’s University. They have piloted a “snap on” lens, and this is a very simple technology to use but it will have a great impact. “You go into a community, you are able to test everyone’s eyes very quickly and based on the results of those tests you could give them spectacles, and that’s done in less than ten minutes,” Minister Anthony said. The pilot project will be assessed and once effective, it will continue in other areas. “We have ordered at least 3,500 spectacles and

the programme is going to be started in very remote areas because in a lot of instances, these persons do not have the opportunity of getting such service,” Dr. Anthony said. Meanwhile, government has also embarked on several other initiatives to improve eye care services in Guyana, including expanding access to services to check the retina of diabetic patients. “With diabetic patients, it is a requirement as part of the management protocol to check the retina of the eye periodically and this has been a challenge, because there are very few places that would have offered those checks, so we are now expanding that service. We have bought a number of these types of equipment and we have located them strategically, not just at regional hospitals, but at other centres where people would visit very often,” the Minister said. This is now being done at the Enmore Poly Clinic and will be established at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre. The referral eye care ser-

vices continue at the Georgetown Public Hospital, while work has also been done on restoring the infrastructure and restarting surgical procedures at the Port Mourant Ophthalmology Centre. “Over the last two years or so, we have been investing in rehabilitating the theatres, putting in new microscopes and other forms of equipment that is necessary for eye surgery and we have a number of Cuban consultants who are working at the facility, so we have been able to restart surgical procedures at that hospital and we are hoping that with the increased investment and storing of some of the equipment and so forth that we will be able to offer a wider range of services at Port Mourant,” the Minister said. The ministry is also working to improve ophthalmology services at the regional level, to ensure that at the principal regional hospitals, there is some level of ophthalmology service, Dr. Anthony said.

Batavia residents engaged on issues affecting community

recent community outreach, by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, to Batavia, Cuyuni, Region 7, saw several issues of concern being addressed. Teixeira, the geographic Parliamentarian for Region 7, used the opportunity to engage the residents with a view of providing support to the community. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance's team also provided residents with information on Budget

2022, the WIIN programme, the 914 hotline

and other informational materials, along with application forms for various programmes, including GOAL and the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA). This was the second engagement with Batavia village over the past few months by a PPP/C representative. The budgetary allocation for Region Seven is $3.6 billion.

Community Health Workers training to improve maternal, child health services in Region One

he Regional Administration of the Barima-Waini (Region One), is offering a two- year maternal and child health training programme to Community Health Workers (CHWs), to provide quality health care to pregnant women in the region. Chairman, Brentnol Ashley said the administration is answering the pleas of pregnant mothers, who had to go out of the region for the specialised care. The service will also form part of government’s efforts to achieve zero maternal deaths, in keeping with the goals set out by the United Nations. It will also improve primary health care services in that hinterland region. “We have heard as a region, the cry of the com-

munities, not only at Santa Rosa, but across Moruca of what our mothers face when they go to Region Two at Suddie or Charity, and so our government, being a visionary government, has put sufficient resources in place to have the infrastructure and also the human resource in place to deal with this particular issue,” Ashley explained. The regional chairman said the administration will soon be churning out more qualified medical staff from several training programmes. In 2021, the region received its very first training centre at Central Mabaruma for persons interested in becoming CHWs. The facility has two furnished classrooms, one smart classroom,

administrative office space, air conditioning, as well as a furnished sitting area. “We are hoping that training programmes will move on from us training our nurses or what we call registered nurses. We would also be training midwives right in the region in the forthcoming future. Also we will be training laboratory technicians, environment health assistants and other career paths in health right here in the region,” Ashley said. The region’s health sector has seen significant improvement. The chairman said this was due to the holistic approach and determination to provide equal access to government services.

3,000 Region One residents to benefit from ICT training T hirty newly-graduated persons hailing from several communities in Region One, are set to train over 3,000 residents in Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The participants graduated from the Office of the Prime Minister’s Industry and Innovation Unit’s ‘Train the Trainers’ workshop, which was conceptualised to promote computer literacy and prepare youths for the modern workforce, while bridging existing digital gaps. The ICT workshop was conducted at the Region Democratic Council (RDC) administrative building in Moruca and Kumaka, Sub-district, Region One. The hinterland communities that participated include:

• Kumuka-7 participants • Santa Rosa and Islands – 5 participants • Rincon- 5 participants • Huradiah- 6 participants • Mora- 4 participants • Cabora- 3 participants Trainers will fully utilise their newly learnt skill by conducting training within their communities and outlying ones within the Moruca sub-district. Data obtained by the department indicate that over 3,000 people reside within the six communities highlighted, who would benefit from the initiative. The ICT capacity building workshop covered topics in Introduction to computers and fundamentals of ICT, Word Processing in the varying components such as Word, Excel and Power

Point, Internet Computing, Cyber Security and Online Safety and Teaching Methodologies for ICT Education. With an evolving world and a growing Guyana, government continues to ensure the country’s human resource are enhanced and equipped with the tools to transition into the information age. Meanwhile, to ensure this is brought to fruition, the Industry and Innovation Unit recently conducted training along the East Coast Corridor and Region Six. Similar training is expected to commence in Region Eight soon. Persons interested in participating in the workshop can so indicate on the Office of the Prime Minister’s website or https://innovation. gov.gy/.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Caribbean Region has all the components for a modern economy – Ali outlines vast economic potential at CIF2022 in Dubai

he Caribbean Region is a stable platform with all of the components for a modern and emerging economy, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali. The Head of State made this assertion during his keynote address this week, at the Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF2022), hosted by the Caribbean Export Development Agency, in association with the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) in Dubai. President Ali highlighted the Region’s economic potential and spoke extensively about opportunities in environmental services, the blue economy, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism and other areas of potential and predicted growth. He said, “Once you have the capital, the foresight, access to technology, then the Caribbean Region is a destination you should be looking at. It is a destination that offers you an opportunity to build a complex, multifaceted investment platform. And it’s

a Region that is looking at being self-sufficient in many areas.” MARKET ACCESS AND LOCATION The President explained that although the Region’s population is small, the market access it provides through its booming tourism industry, allows investments to thrive. Coupled with this, he said that the Caribbean is not only a zone of peace but an “exclusive zone of tolerance and inclusiveness”, built on resilience and diversity. The location of the Region and its direct access to South, Central and North America were also highlighted. He said, “In almost each of these areas, we have specific investment agreements and trade arrangements that will give you a distinct advantage in pursuing your business interests.” INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS OPPORTUNITIES The Head of State ex-

plained that “a complete rebuild of our logistics and transportation model” is a priority of the Region. “We could create all the goods, but if you don’t have the means to move the goods and the services, then you have a serious problem.” Specific to Guyana, the President said his Government is in talks with the Emirates on developing a logistics hub, while the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Mottley, will be in the UAE to work on a project called the ‘Sea Bridge’. These projects, the President said, will move people, goods and services throughout the Region. He assured that every country in the Region is “committed to providing an incentive mechanism to support this logistics and transportation model”. He said, “Unless we fix this problem, in terms of logistics and transportation, we will not be able to capture the results we want to capture. So this, by itself, presents an opportunity, a

major opportunity for investors.” President Ali also added that every country in the Region is on a transformative infrastructural drive. Ali said, “We are now talking about building a bridge between Guyana and Suriname. Suriname is looking to build a bridge between Suriname and French Guiana. We are looking at building an infrastructure that will support the development within the Region… So, there is the opportunity, and that is why today, as leaders in the Region, we are more outward-looking.” FINANCIAL NEEDS The Head of State explained that CARICOM was never able to benefit from all of the agreements it has forged around the world since it lacked the means to infiltrate the larger markets. This is why, he stated, the Caribbean is showcasing its investment potential to the Middle East. He said, “You have the capital, we have the environment, and we have

the enabling infrastructure to get you into those markets based on existing agreement.” GUYANA’S POTENTIAL President Ali also spoke extensively on Guyana’s current position, its ongoing development, and the country’s future. In addition to the infrastructural and logistics expansion and development, the President spoke of Guyana’s 18.3 million hectares of standing forests covering over 87% of the country’s land. He also highlighted Guyana’s 92.5 gigatonnes of carbon that is conserved (forest stored), which represents a US$195b in the carbon market. He also spoke of the country’s non-oil natural resources and about Guyana’s potential in agriculture, especially as it relates to CARICOM’s reduction of its food import bill by 25% by 2025 through local agriculture expansion in member states. Guyana, like other CARICOM nations, the President

added, is moving forward through the use of renewable energy and through solid, long-term, investments. CIF2022 is a high-level event that offers a range of investment opportunities in AgTech, Hotel and Resort Development, Fintech, Logistics and Transportation. President Ali also participated in the Global Business Forum LATAM, which will be attended by several regional leaders, including the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E Jair Bolsonaro and President of the Republic of Colombia, H.E Ivan Marquez. The Global Business Forum LATAM is being held under the Patronage of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The forum is expected to explore how the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) can bolster each other’s economies post-pandemic.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

Schools to be fully reopened on April 25th – curriculum reform to address two years learning loss

inister of Education, Priya Manickchand announced Monday (March 21, 2022) that schools will be fully reopened on April 25. On the side lines of the newly launched artificial intelligence leadership programme, ‘Spark’, the educa-

tion minister said all systems are being put in place to reopen schools to address the two years of learning loss. She said, “Some skills that were acquired will be lost and forgotten and you might even have the phenomena of drop outs presenting itself

in larger numbers than we have ever seen before and we are seeing indications of all of those things so are we ready… We are making sure of course that schools are ready to be reopened fully from April 25th after the Easter holiday.”

To ensure teachers and students are prepared for the new term, the ministry has implemented a staggered system which will see students revisiting studies from their previous grade within a 20- week period, before moving on to the new term’s curriculum. Additionally, the ministry is working to ensure that every school is equipped with the necessary tools and equipment to be fully functional before the new term commences.

The minister also announced a new programme that will be rolled out nationally to target literacy loss in the four core subjects. Manickchand said, “You’re going to see an assault on illiteracy, you will see an entire national programme rolled out to recover from the literacy loss we would have had and all the gains we would have made that went down the drain in two years. Every single student is going to be diagnosed, we are issuing a diagnostic for Mathematics,

English, Social Studies and Science – the four cores. Every student will be diagnosed and each student will be attended to individually to make sure that we recover from the covid loss.” Minister Manickchand said the pandemic provided the ministry with the opportunity to review its literacy programme. The education ministry announced the closure of schools back in March 2020, following the onset of the deadly Coronavirus.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

PPP/C COMMUNI

FINDING SOLUTIONS 800 part-time jobs, major road enhancements for Region Two V

ice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Tuesday (March 22, 2022), announced government’s aggressive move to create some 800 new part-time jobs for persons living along the Essequibo coast, Region Two. The Vice President said the strategic plan will significantly supplement the income of a number of households across the region. He was at the time engaging several rice farmers in the auditorium of the Anna Regina Secondary School. “Before I leave here you will see an ad come about for about 800 new jobs for people to get part-time work to supplement their family income. We want to co-in-

vest, that is, we will build the factory for people who would like to set up businesses in this region. Already we are working with some people in ICT, we are hoping to generate about 1,000 jobs,” the Vice President said. The Vice President announced too, that government is seeking to establish two major water treatment plants in the region, in keeping with the administration’s promise to provide potable water to Guyanese nationwide. Further, citizens in Essequibo will benefit from a US $30 million state of the art hospital. He said, “Most of the service that you are getting from Georgetown hospital you will get right

here.” The region will also see the establishment of major community thoroughfares. “This region alone we are going to put $1 billion alone on community roads in this year’s budget,” VP Jagdeo added. Late last year, President Dr. Irfaan Ali turned the sod for a new $2 billion multispecialty hospital at Suddie. The medical facility is also part of the government’s wider agenda of revolutionising the quality of healthcare in Guyana. Jagdeo said, “We have set aside money for job programmes in the rural areas because we don’t have many jobs in Berbice, here

or in Region Ten. We have a lot of jobs in Region Three and Four because everybody wants to invest in these areas.” Meanwhile, some 250

grants will also be distributed to small business owners. Accordingly, the government also plans to invest some $600 million to dredge the mouth of the Pomeroon

river. Hundreds of farmers are also set to benefit from farm to market roads, which will open up acres of farm lands in the region.

Rice farmers Region 2 business community engaged by Vice President, team engaged

s part of a two-day outreach to Region Two, Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo met with members of the business community this week. The Vice President was joined by Educa-

tion Minister, Priya Manickchand; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, and Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues and other officials.

ice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday (March 22, 2022) with rice farmers as part of his twoday outreach to Region Two. Several issues of concern were addressed, as part of the PPP/C government’s commitment to engagement.

Gov’t looking to subsidise internet cost for GOAL scholars

ice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday (March 22, 2022), said the government is looking to subsidise internet cost for recipients of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships. The Vice President made the announcement while engaging a number of GOAL scholars in the auditorium of the Anna Regina Secondary School, Region Two.

“We can assist all of the GOAL scholarship students with paying for the cost, not the full cost, part of it for bandwidth. We are trying to improve access to the internet across the country, so that when you have an instrument, you can have interactive programmes and its reliable,” Dr. Jagdeo asserted. He stated that Guyana’s education system continues

to evolve and it is important for internet providers to upgrade their services to match the online operations. Government is currently in talks with an internet provider to provide quality internet services at affordable rates along the Essequibo coast. “So, today I just wanted to have this opportunity to listen to you more to get a feed back from you whether (Turn to page 18)

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

ITY OUTREACH…

S, RESOLVING ISSUES Gov’t committed to ensuring sustainability of agri sector amid rising costs G

overnment has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the sustainability of the agriculture sector, despite of the prevailing global economic environment that has led to fluctuating commodity prices. This reassurance was given by Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Tuesday (March 22, 2022) as he addressed rice farmers at the Anna Regina Secondary School. The Vice President said the government continues to implement and examine

measures that will buffer the effects of rising prices which cuts across various sectors. Pointing to the increased fertilizer costs, he explained that “fertilizer is made from gas and crude oil, so if the price for the crude oil goes up so too will the fertilizer prices, so although we removed all of the taxes, the price went up because the price of oil went up nearly 400 per cent. He said, “Secondly that pushed up all the prices, transportation cost etc., then with the pandemic many countries in the world

stopped producing because they were shut down, so the factories that they’re supplying building materials, food etc., they stopped producing, so now we have a global shortage of goods, then the cost of freight went up that pushed the cost of living sky high.” These and other factors related to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine have exacerbated the situation locally. However, the Vice President assured that, “This is a government that is sym-

pathetic, there are things we can do and there are things we can’t do, we have removed the taxes and we are pumping monies into some sectors.” In addition to the removal of a slew of taxes, the increase in old age pension, the increase in the school uniform and Because We Care cash grants, among other measures, the government recently announced that there will be no increases in taxes on electricity and water. Dr. Jagdeo also reiterated

plans to invest in value added production in the agriculture sector, noting that contrary to opposition claims, funds from the oil and gas sector have not been spent. He said prudent management of the oil funds is necessary to avoid the resource curse which has affected many oil producing countries around the world. Further, the Vice President explained the necessity of investing in the development of other sectors to keep the economy on a growth trajectory. Meanwhile, Dr. Jagdeo,

after listening to various concerns ventilated by the farmers, called on them to work along with the government through the regional administration and the various heads of agencies, so that their issues can be resolved amicably. He noted that while the government may not be able to control the market prices, it continues to constantly examine ways to offset the financial burden on citizens. Government officials, he ensured, remain accessible to all Guyanese.

PPP/C government via its initiatives has vindicated the trust reposed in it Dear Editor,

he scholarship initiative being administered via the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) will

hopefully be fully exploited by all of us, as it caters for just about everyone, irrespective of education level. I see that in pushing this initiative, Minister Sonia

Parag took time to encourage residents to take full advantage of the Government’s landmark 20,000 online scholarships initiative being administered via

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022 the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), which is headed by Professor Jacob Opadeyi, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana. Her efforts bring back images of Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, who last year noted that “investment in education is the surest path to personal upliftment.” At the time, he “…urged residents…to take full advantage of the 20,000 Online Scholarship Programme being offered by the Government.” I am in strong support of this thrust in education, and I hope that these precious opportunities that are be-

ing offered would be fully grasped. This is year number two of this drive, and it is gathering momentum. Last year, when the programme was first introduced, a total of 6,000 persons were awarded scholarships, and these are now entrenched in their studies in various fields. What is commendable is that Guyanese from all walks of life now have the opportunity to study online, and to be able to earn qualifications ranging from certificates all the way to PhDs. “…and you don’t have to take a cent out of your pocket for it,” Minister Parag emphasised. Concerning connectivity, as we know, this can be challenging. She clarified that “…although constant connectivity is an issue in some areas, it should not be a deterrent to those who want to apply, since this would not have any major implications on a person’s studies.” She pointed out that, “We understand the challenges, and we are working to eliminate those challenges for you; but in the meantime, all you need is some Internet to download the teaching materials to study, and then connectivity again to upload your work. You don’t always have to be online.” Well, there can be no excuse now regarding being a well-qualified Guyanese and being in full-readiness for jobs. However, I want to point out a few things. First, education is a key factor to reducing and preventing global poverty. This is a universal axiom. Many countries around the world are beginning to realise the importance of education, and are investing in it significantly. Making education available to 100 percent of people around the world is one way to ensure that poverty declines. It is no mystery to conceptualise that by educating an entire pop-

ulation, economic growth is a natural effect. Studies show that each extra year of schooling can increase a person’s salary by 10 percent later in life. Secondly, we keep talking about empowering women and girls. Well, education has proven to benefit women and girls at a higher rate than boys. The empowerment that girls receive from an education, both personally and economically, is unmatched by any other factor. Women who are educated are usually better decision-makers, and have higher self-confidence. Educated women are also more likely to delay marriage, and have children when they are truly ready. This can ensure that the family would be well taken care of, because the mother is prepared for the responsibilities of being a parent. Educated women have a higher likelihood of preventing their children from dying from preventable causes. My final take is that the Government, on most fronts, has vindicated the trust reposed in it. But when it comes to this GOAL phenomenon, it has really outdone itself. The word from the Ministry is that “…the aim is to ensure that GOAL benefit from a healthy balance across all spectrums, including ethnic and geographic.” The Minister detailed that, “Our people in every nook and cranny of this nation must be properly educated and qualified to benefit from the opportunities that will soon begin to unfold.” Please do not miss out. In 2021, when GOAL was first launched, a total of 6,000 online scholarships were offered. In 2022, another 4,500 scholarships will be provided, while some 2,726 continuing students will be catered for. Yours truly, H Singh

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

Kamarang, Waramadong gets support for agricultural sector

wo tractors and trailers were presented to the villages of Kamarang and Waramadong, Region Seven, by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal on behalf of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. The equipment will be used to further agriculture development, transport goods and aid in the provision of other key ser-

vices. The Minister urged the respective Toshaos and village councilors to implement systems for the equipments' sustainable management. The tractor and accompanying trailer are valued at GYD5.8 million. Additionally, the communities each received a plough and harrow worth approximately GYD1 million.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

COM M ENTARY

The PPP continues to champion agriculture as Guyana’s economic backbone By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

his week Guyanese celebrated the 104th birth anniversary of Cheddi Jagan. All his political life, Cheddi Jagan promised that Guyana will attain its destiny of being the Caribbean bread-basket. All his life, Cheddi

promised that agriculture will always be Guyana’s economic pillar. COVID-19 is still impacting the global economy. The Russia-Ukraine war has made the global economy even worse. Guyana, like countries around the world, is feeling the impact of three years of

continuous global stress on the economies of every country. While Guyanese are experiencing increase in cost-of-living, every country in the world is also experiencing debilitating increases in cost-of-living. But Guyanese are also seeing our country rise above the many challenges

and our country is proving we are more resilient than most countries in the world right now. A great deal of the credit goes to the PPP government led by President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharat Jagdeo. While the Oil and Gas industry is driving economic development in Guyana, the Irfaan Ali-led PPP government is not willing to make Guyana an OIL Economy. While treating OIL as an important addition to the economy, the PPP government

is also strengthening and expanding traditional economic platforms. In this regard, the PPP Government is ensuring that agriculture remains the backbone of the economy. During a visit to Region 2, Essequibo, this past week, Vice President Bharat Jagdeo informed the nation, particularly, the rice farmers and other farmers that a fertilizer factory will be built in Guyana within the next five years. This is a major development for Guyana and

demonstrates that while the PPP government is ensuring the Oil and Gas industry is part of the economic platform of Guyana, the country is determined to keep agriculture front and center of our socio-economic trajectory. Last year, more than $US2B in foreign investments were made in Guyana. This year, it is likely that even more will be invested in Guyana. The economy in the last two years has doubled and (Turn to page 22)

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

Resilient communities needed to battle contemporary challenges G

uyanese have been called on by President Dr. Irfaan Ali to adopt a resilient mindset, even as the nation continues to battle the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. The Head of State also believes that strong and unified communities are essential in Guyana’s journey towards herd immunity. “As we still are learning to live with COVID-19 and we still are learning the long-term consequences, let us reassure ourselves the fact that we are still here. Reassure ourselves that we are resilient as a community in one of the most difficult periods in our lifetime,” he said. While the government has made a strategic effort to remove COVID-19 restrictions, it remains adamant at ensuring continuous vaccination and regular sanitisation practices remain enforced. The Guyanese leader wants every citizen to safeguard themselves and families from the disease, though

a number of adjustments were made to the regulations under the Public Health Ordinance by the Central Board of Health. “Let us also spare a moment to reflect on our brothers and sisters who did not make it, and in so doing, understand the short nature of life,” the President urged. As part of the first step towards Guyana regaining normalcy, the amended guidelines encourage Guyanese to wear a mask in public to prevent the spread of the disease, although the practice is no longer mandatory. The new rules encourage citizens to take their vaccines, including booster shots. Employers and business operators should ensure handwashing and sanitisation systems are in place at the entrance of the business premises, for staff and other persons to utilise. Similarly, religious leaders are urged to have the sanitisation facilities placed at visible locations within the worshipping space. All operators and pas-

sengers of any land, water or air transport shall comply with port health measures issued by the board or the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority or any other competent authority. Among other things, the new COVID-19 rules clearly specify that before anyone enters Guyana, they must present a negative biological PCR test or an approved antigen test taken within 72 hours of the date of their arrival in the country. Accordingly, tests for the disease will continue at locations certified by the Ministry of Health under Section Seven of the Health Facilities Licensing Act.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

Gov’t looking to subsidise... (From page 12) we are doing the right thing and how we can improve on these programmes, so that when we get to the other batches, how we can make the way smoother,” he added. Meanwhile, the Vice

President has instructed for a permanent telephone number to be established and readily available to provide information to students when necessary. Additionally, he clarified that the main purpose of the

training is not to have persons confined to Guyana, but for citizens to be equipped with adequate knowledge and skills, that allow them to earn for themselves and family. Government’s delivery

of the 20,000 online scholarships is the fulfilment of a manifesto commitment, to ensure quality education is distributed equally nationwide. The initiative also ensures persons without a Ca-

ribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) certificate benefit from higher education. Also present at the meeting were Minister of Edu-

cation, Priya Manickchand; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues; and other officials.

PPP/C engagement with Guyanese... (From page 3) as well that community outreaches, in addition to engagements in a more formal setting, are essential. This is all part of civil society engagement because the people who are engaged at community outreaches are farmers, women and leaders of communities. Listening to them and responding to them are important aspects of governance,” she charged. On that note, Teixeira rubbished the view held

by some in civil society that stakeholder engagement should reflect a “static kind of approach” done in a formal setting. “This is not how we work. The PPP/C government places importance on broad based engagement, reaching as many people as possible,” she said. Notably, in additional to planned community outreached, the next Virtual Conversation is set to take place in May 2022.

New ‘Deltacron’ variant is rare... (From page 23) Dr. Nguyen said he and his colleagues were taking a fresh look at some database sequences from the United States in an effort to find more cases. IS IT DANGEROUS? The thought of a hybrid between Delta and Omicron might sound worrisome. But there are a number of reasons not to panic. “This is not a novel concern,” Dr. Simon-Loriere said. For one thing, the recombinant is extremely rare. Although it has existed since at least January, it has not yet shown the ability to grow exponentially. Dr. Simon-Loriere said that the genome of the recombinant variant also suggested that it wouldn’t represent a new phase of the pandemic. The gene that encodes the virus’s surface protein — known as spike — comes almost entirely from Omicron. The rest of the genome is Delta. The spike protein is the most important part of the virus when it comes to invading cells. It is also the main target of antibodies produced through infections and vaccines. So the defenses that people have acquired against Omicron — through infections, vaccines or both — should work just as well against the new recombinant. “The surface of the viruses is super-similar to Omicron, so the body will recognize it as well as it recognizes Omicron,” Dr. Simon-Loriere said. Scientists suspect that Omicron’s distinctive spike

is also partly responsible for its lower odds of causing severe disease. The variant uses it to successfully invade cells in the nose and the upper airway, but it doesn’t do so well deep in the lungs. The new recombinant may display the same penchant. Dr. Simon-Loriere and other researchers are conducting experiments to see how the new recombinant performs in dishes of cells. Experiments on hamsters and mice will provide more clues. But those experiments won’t yield insights for several weeks. “It’s so fresh that we don’t have any results,” Dr. Simon-Loriere said. WHERE DO RECOMBINANT VIRUSES COME FROM? People are sometimes infected with two versions of the coronavirus at once. For example, if you go to a crowded bar where several people are infected, you might breathe in viruses from more than one of them. It’s possible for two viruses to invade the same cell at the same time. When that cell starts producing new viruses, the new genetic material may be mixed up, potentially producing a new, hybrid virus. It’s probably not uncommon for coronaviruses to recombine. But most of these genetic shuffles will be evolutionary dead ends. Viruses with mixtures of genes may not fare as well as their ancestors did. For now, some scientists are referring to the new hybrid as the AY.4/ BA.1 recombinant.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

The phenomenon of deliberately shifting... wa Mahadeo introduced a verbal motion to have the agency “go, sort themselves out, and come again.” Seemingly placing the blame on PS Thomas for the failures of her predecessor. There must have been a surfeit of ignorance in the Mahadeo household during the siblings' formative years as a clear deficit of common sense and ability to discern where the blame lies. However, these incidents pale in comparison to the transgressions against logic and fact contained in the USAID report, which was prepared by three Guyanese women. Consider this statement “National elections were held on March 2, 2020, and won by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) led by Irfaan Ali; although the election results were delayed due to the litigation of numerous fraud allegations and other legal challenges.” One would be

hard-pressed to discern that David Granger and APNU+AFC blatantly attempted to steal the elections via the Mingo Bedsheet method. An ambiguity of language wherever APNU+AFC transgressed is the theme throughout the report and a cherry-picking from news and agency reports to cast doubts on the PPPC administrations (past and present). Despite the abundance of verified corruption in the Granger administration, the report is oblivious to the Drug Bond, Demerara Harbor Bridge Feasibility Study, Energy contracts to Cathy Hughes, Bangles, Beds, et al, the USAID report shockingly states as fact “The (PPPC) administration’s goal is to shed its party’s previous reputation for corruption and influence by its relationship with China” Having read the PPPC manifesto which

includes promises of house lots, schoolchildren cash grants and reversal of over two hundred onerous taxes imposed by APNU+AFC among others, I have failed to find any assertion similar to the one made in the report; it renders the entire report fraudulent. USAID must be cognizant of the flaws in its report (presented with a disclaimer) and may find it prudent to broaden the ethnicity and gender of future consultant teams to ensure the credibility of the organization is maintained; problematic areas are correctly identified and

(From page 4)

solutions proposed are pragmatic. Questioning and criticism of those in the administration of our country remain an important part of the democracy we enjoy, but those questions must also come from a clean and honest place. Seeking to muddy waters and blame Peter for Paul is the work of those seeking to conflate and dissipate the dishonest deeds of the APNU+AFC for partisan purposes. Sincerely, Robin Singh

Gov’t to facilitate training... noted that training is a necessary aspect in Guyana’s expansion as there will be significant demand for products produced by this industry. He said, “It’s something that we’re willing to facilitate because if we don’t, there will definitely be a shortage of

skilled people down the line, especially at a time when Guyana is moving forward and expanding.” Minister Bharrat reiterated the many investments and tourism opportunities that are created by persons coming to Guyana. “When

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022 (From page 7)

they come it creates business opportunities in every line of business in Guyana.” The ministry has committed to work with jewellers and goldsmiths to formulate ways of ensuring customers remain interested and satisfied with their products.

35 welfare officers certified... dimensions of students. As such, Dr. Sam deemed the programme timely as it addresses these needs of children. He said, “Initiatives such as these underscored the importance of a collaborative approach to meeting their educational needs.” Highlighting the fact that teachers are also often faced with challenges, he said that a collective approach

is needed to create a learning focused culture needed to ensure all students and teachers receive the support they need to optimize their full potential. Meanwhile, the representative of the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to Guyana, Irfan Akhtar reiterated that it will improve children’s participation in the classrooms.

(From page 7)

He said UNICEF remains committed to providing the necessary support needed to ensure the needs of children are met. This training programme was conducted through the Spotlight Initiative and implemented by UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Institute of Gender Studies, University of Guyana.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

The PPP continues to champion agriculture... it is likely that by 2025, Guyana’s economy will be more than three times what it was in 2020. It is not just the growth of the economy that matters, it is that because of foreign direct investment, Guyana is creating more and better jobs for our people. The fertilizer factory, once it comes on stream in five years, will be a significant development because it means that Guyana will be able to accelerate development in agriculture. For one, one of the important agriculture needs will be satisfied locally at considerably lower cost. At the same time, the fertilizer project will create much needed jobs. Already, Guyana is making significant moves

to achieve President Irfaan Ali’s initiative of 25 X 25 agriculture revolution. This initiative is one that seeks to reduce CARICOM’s food import bill by 25% by 2025. The rice industry is exporting more than 500,000 tons of rice annually and this is likely to increase to more than 600,000 tons by 2025. But with the mega-farms in the hinterland regions already beginning to produce soya and corn, Guyana is likely to become CARICOM’s main supplier of these protein-rich components for the CARICOM stockfeed and poultry market. This market presently is far in excess of $US200M. In addition, with our own corn and soya, stockfeed cost in Guyana will plummet and

Guyana’s poultry industry will be competitive with those in America, providing an alternative for countries that import more than $US100M poultry meat from America. This past week, President Irfaan Ali spoke of the possibility of Guy ana producing wheat for flour production. Some of the naysayers immediately screamed that President Ali is dreaming. But it is more than a dream. In fact, during the time I was minister of agriculture, we had started to experiment with wheat production. NARIE had started the feasibility study of wheat production and had made enough progress to establish that wheat production is not only possible, but that Guyana can

become a major supplier for either wheat or flour in the CARICOM market. Whether it is wheat or flour, CARICOM imports more than $US150M annually. Local production of wheat will not only reduce cost of food in Guyana and in CARICOM, but will lessen Guyana’s dependence on international market and the concern that international events like the Russia-Ukraine war can create disruption of local supplies and distortion of price, leading to increase cost of food. Positioning Guyana as CARICOM’s agri-food and agri-commodities supplier guarantees that agriculture will remain the backbone of Guyana’s economic platform and also

ensures Guyana achieve the potential of being the Caribbean food-basket. In order to position Guyana to achieve this status, the PPP Government is building an infrastructure that will reduce the uncertainties of climate change. For example, Guyana is already investing in three major drainage structures to move water into the sea. These structures are being constructed in Regions 3, 5 and 6. These structures will be similar to the drainage structure built in Region 4 at Hope. The Hope Canal connects the East Demerara Conservancy to the Atlantic Ocean. When the conservancy is threatened by an accumulation of too much water, drainage into the Atlantic Ocean reduces the threat to the conservancy dam. But the Canal also reduces flooding on the East Coast by draining accumulated water into the ocean. Similar structures that would eventually cost about $G20B or $US100M are now planned for Regions 3,5 and 6. The naysayers will soon be denouncing the plans. Mark my word, just as soon as these plans become reality and construction begins, the naysayers will be out in their pitiful small numbers claiming that the PPP is recklessly squandering our financial resources. They said the same thing when President Bharat Jagdeo first an nounced plans for the construction of the Hope Canal in 2006. By the time the design and financing were arranged in 2011, the naysayers claimed that the canal will pose a danger to the people living on the East Coast, that the canal cannot safely be built and that the canal will not bring flood relief. Today, none of these naysayers say anything, none of them acknowledge that Bharat Jagdeo and the PPP were right. I expect, soon, that the naysayers, ignoring they were wrong with the Hope Canal, are going to use the same old desperate failed arguments to denounce the plans for three similar structures like the Hope Canal. These drainage canals in Regions 3, 5 and 6 will enhance agriculture in these Regions and contribute significantly towards strengthening the agriculture backbone of Guyana’s economy. At the same time, the PPP government is investing in farmto-market roads in Regions

(From page 16)

2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10. These investments represent clear signals that the Irfaan Aliled PPP government is determined to keep agriculture as the backbone, the spiritual leader and the inspiration for an economy that is poised to take over as CARICOM’s biggest economy by 2030. As the economy grows and as agriculture refuses to fade away, the naysayers’ eyes are glued to SUGAR. They have parroted the disgraced argument that the PPP lied about SUGAR and that the PPP never intended to reopen sugar factories. The PPP promised in its manifesto that SUGAR will remain an important part of Guyana’s agriculture architecture and it did promise to reopen the closed sugar estates that APNU/AFC (PNC) wickedly closed. None of these promises are being ignored. The PPP has already invested significantly in SUGAR. The Rose Hall, Canje sugar estate is already on the way to full restoration. The abandoned fields are being recovered for sugar cane cultivation. Work is being done on the factory at Rose Hall even now. More than 500 workers are already on the job. Work continues at Skeldon to prepare the Sheldon Sugar Estate and Factory for a potential private sector investment in SUGAR. Several weeks ago, one private sector company with a large foreign direct investment announced its plans to establish a fabrication factory at the Enmore Sugar Packaging Factory. The naysayers used this announcement to “prove” their point that the PPP has broken its promise to reopen sugar factories. They ignored that far from abandoning sugar, the PPP is expanding opportunities for sugar. The Enmore packaging Plant has not closed. Instead, it has shifted location to Albion, allowing yet another economic opportunity to blossom at Enmore. Now the Albion Sugar Estate and Factory has an opportunity to further establish itself as the Caribbean’s premiere sugar factory and sugar estate. In fact, the PPP government is expanding and modernizing sugar packaging at Albion. As we continue the celebration of the life of a Guyanese icon and hero, Cheddi Jagan, the Guyanese people are reminded by the PPP government that agriculture remains the unbent backbone of Guyana’s economy.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MARCH, 2022

Workplaces could choose to keep mask, vaccination policies – Minister Anthony W

hile government has announced the removal of the COVID-19 restrictions, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony said employers could choose whether or not to keep their mask and vaccination policies. The health minister said the decline in coronavirus cases globally is one of the reasons government has lifted the public health measures. He said however, that the health ministry will continue to monitor Guyana’s active cases. “If people want to continue wearing their masks they should, if work places want to keep masking, if work places would want to have a vaccination policy in place, they should. So, we’re not telling people

don’t have these things… but every institution would have to decide what are the procedures it would like to embrace,” the minister said. He reiterated the importance of getting inoculated with both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as well as a booster shot, as it is necessary to prevent the severe form of the disease and the emergence of new variants. “We don’t have zero cases in Guyana, we still have cases…however one of the good things has been that we’re not seeing as many cases as we were let’s say in January,” he said. Minister Anthony noted that if there is a future spike in cases, the relevant pre-

cautions would be reinstituted to keep citizens safe. “If we notice that things [positive cases] are going up then obviously we’ll have to take the relevant precautions so this would take the form of both public health measures and other measures that are necessary,” the health minister noted. Meanwhile, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, said Monday that the amended guidelines of the public health measures were the first step towards Guyana regaining normalcy. A number of countries, including those in North America and Europe have already made drastic moves to reopen their countries.

Dr. Anthony urges vaccination of adolescents before school reopens

Experts say…

New ‘Deltacron’ variant is rare and similar to Omicron (New York Times) Scientists have found a handful of cases of a new, hybrid variant – dubbed Deltacron – in Europe and the United States. It’s unlikely to cause trouble, they say. In recent days, scientists have reported that a hybrid of the Omicron and Delta coronavirus variants has been popping up in several countries in Europe. Here’s what is known so far about the hybrid, which has picked up the Frankensteinian nicknames of Deltamicron or Deltacron. HOW WAS IT FOUND? In February, Scott Nguyen, a scientist with the Washington, D.C., Public Health Laboratory, was inspecting GISAID, an international database of coronavirus genomes, when he noticed something odd. He found samples collected in France in January that researchers had identified as a mix of Delta and Omicron variants. In rare cases, people can be infected by two coronavirus variants at once. But when Dr. Nguy-

en looked closely at the data, he found hints that this conclusion was wrong. Instead, it looked to Dr. Nguyen as though each virus in the sample actually carried a combination of genes from the two variants. Scientists call such viruses recombinants. When Dr. Nguyen looked for the same pattern of mutations, he found more possible recombinants in the Netherlands and Denmark. “That led me to suspect that these might be real,” he said in an interview. Dr. Nguyen shared his findings in an online forum called cov-lineages, where scientists help one another track new variants. These collaborations are essential to double-check possible new variants: A supposed Delta-Omicron recombinant found in January in Cyprus turned out to be a mirage resulting from faulty laboratory work. “There’s a lot of proof that’s needed to show that it is real,” Dr. Nguyen said. It turned out that Dr. Nguyen had been right. “That day, we rushed to dou-

ble-check what he suspected,” Etienne Simon-Loriere, a virologist at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, said in an interview. “And, yeah, we quickly confirmed that it was the case.” Since then, Dr. Simon-Loriere and his colleagues have found more samples of the recombinant virus. They eventually obtained a frozen sample from which they successfully grew new recombinants in the laboratory, which they are now studying. On March 8, the researchers posted the first genome of the recombinant on GISAID. WHERE HAS THE NEW HYBRID BEEN FOUND? In a March 10, 2022 update, an international database of viral sequences reported 33 samples of the new variant in France, eight in Denmark, one in Germany and one in the Netherlands. As first reported by Reuters, the genetic sequencing company Helix found two cases in the United States. (Turn to page 18)

ith plans by the Ministry of Education to fully reopen schools after the Easter holiday, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, M.P., has reiterated the importance of adolescent vaccination. He said while it is important for children to return to school, there are still a number of active cases in the country. As such, getting vaccinated is one way for them to be protected while at school. “Vaccines are available and it is astonishing that you have something that can help reduce the severity of COVID and we still have hesitancy where parents are not allowing their children to come forward and get vaccinated. So again, one

way of returning safety to school is for children to be vaccinated and maybe, before the reopening, it would be a good time for parents to make sure that their children get vaccinated,” the Minister said. Dr. Anthony added that the ministry will continue to put measures in place to monitor the pandemic here. Regarding the five to eleven age group, the health minister is encouraging parents to ensure their child/ children continue to observe the COVID-19 measures that were instituted before they were eased, to better protect them against the disease. “We are working to access those vaccines and once

children return to school the idea is that they should wear a mask and do sanitising and so forth…so we’ll encourage parents to adopt those measures,” the minister said. According to him, low vaccination rate for adolescents is not “encouraging” as such he is urging parents to get their children vaccinated. Additionally, the health minister noted that approximately 15 per cent of the total number of cases recorded in Guyana were children under 19-years-old. As of today, the ministry has administered over 34,100 or 46.9 per cent first dose vaccination to the 12 to 17 age cohort, while over 24,800 or 34 per cent are now fully vaccinated.

PPP/C gov’t working to cushion effects of rising cost of living – Jagdeo T

he Government is paying attention to the increase in the cost of living and is working assiduously to address its impact on Guyanese, according to PPP General Secretary and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo. The latest effort was the reduction in excise tax on diesel and gasoline to zero per cent. When the government assumed office in

2020, the excise tax stood at 50 percent; however, it was reduced to 35 percent in February 2021, then to 20 percent in October that same year. A further reduction was made to 10 percent in the 2022 budget and now zero. He said the PPP/C government is caring and sympathetic and is constantly examining ways to improve the lives of the citizens.

CONTINUED SUPPORT Meanwhile, Vice President Jagdeo explained that while the cost of fuel remains high due to external factors, the administration continues to subsidise costs by offering incentives, tax breaks, and other measures to supplement household income. This has been a feature

of the government since August 2020. To buffer the rising cost of living, a series of one-off cash grants were distributed to citizens. This included $7.5 billion in aid to households, $1.73 billion in economic grants to 220 Amerindian communities, $1.3 billion in cash payments to nearly 5,300 severed sugar workers, and $2.2 billion to 90,000 people benefitting from old age pension and public assistance. The return of the ‘Because we care’ cash grant and its subsequent increase and extension to children in private schools, as well as the increase in the school uniform grant placed $3.3 billion in the pockets of parents of children attending public schools, and $284.8 million to those in private schools. Old age pensioners also got more monies in their pockets with increases in their pensions from $20,500 to $25,000, then from $25,000 to $28,000. Some 27,436 pensioners also benefitted from water subsidies, while credits to electricity charges were extended to 49,966 vulnerable households. All these measures, along with the removal of a number of taxes, the Vice President highlighted, have assisted in easing the burdens brought on by the pandemic and now the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. $5B TO ADDRESS COST OF LIVING Notably, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, during the presentation of Budget 2022, had said, “Our Government regards the issue of cost of living as a matter of pressing concern. As already discussed, it is

the direct result of global factors such as COVID-19 and the attendant disruption to the supply chain, as well as domestic factors such as the flood which caused a temporary disruption to production. We have already implemented a number of measures to try to mitigate the effects of these shocks.” The Minister noted that the PPP/C government intends engage in further consultations with the communities most affected both on the coast and in the hinterland on possible interventions to help ease the impact on the most vulnerable in our society. “Given the complexity of the factors driving price increases and the limited policy instruments available to mitigate these increases, we intend to engage in further consultations,” he said. The Minister noted that this effort builds of previous work to cushion the impact of global changes on cost of living. In August 2021, the PPP/C advanced an adjustment to the freight cost component, rolling back freight costs to pre-pandemic levels. “This had the effect of reducing the import duties, excise taxes, and VAT charged on imported item,” Singh said. This measure was initially due to expire on January 31, 2022 but the application of this adjustment has been extended until December 31, 2022 – costing some $6B.

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