Weekend Mirror 27-28 May 2023

OAS gives gov’t high score for its democratic pursuits

Guyana has received high commendation from the Organisation of American States (OAS) for its remarkable efforts in fighting for the rights of its people.

OAS’ Secretary General, His Excellency, Luis Almagro gave the compliment Thursday (May 25, 2023), during an engagement with Guyana’s Civil Society at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston.

The Secretary General said Guyana has always been making headway for its people, which often aids in the further unification of the country. “Guyana has proven itself to be a great defender of democracy. Equally as important, Guyana continues to be a defender of human rights, especially Indigenous People’s rights, and Afro descendant’s rights, recognising to build

a nation of unity, all people must be given equitable access to opportunities,” Almagro underscored.

He noted that Guyana has been one of the countries to instill crucial principles to always protect its people. “Its government has continued to reaffirm the principles set out on the US charter, which emphasises the protection and fundamental rights of an

individual without distinction, to race, nationality, creed or sex,” the Secretary General said.

Acknowledging that the government has been going above and beyond for its people, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira said the achievement was only with the OAS’ support. “We are deeply appreciative of the Organisation

American States, the electoral observer mission heads, former Bruce Golding, and for the very force-right principal position of the OAS permanent councillor and yourself, in defending, protecting, the democracy of Guyana,” Minister Teixeira emphasised.

The government has committed to electoral and legislative reforms, contributing to the drive for democracy.

As such, efforts to promote transparency and accountability have seen the passage of the Representation of the People Act (ROPA) and the tabling of the National Registration (Amendment) Act. Additionally, the establishment of the Constitutional Reform Commission is representative of the government’s pledge to the maintenance of local democracy.

Rejection of APA’s complaint to ART-TREES

The Government of Guyana welcomes the conclusion of the independent ART-TREES grievance process and the rejection of the complaint made by the Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA), including the associated call by the APA for the suspension of Guyana’s ART-TREES carbon credits.

As has been confirmed by the independent grievance process, the APA’s claims that it had not been appropriately consulted on Guyana’s ART-TREES issuance process were verifiably false.

The APA’s complaint had been made without the knowledge or support of any Indigenous communities in Guyana, and without even the knowledge or support of any of their elected leaders. Once the existence of the complaint was made public (by other parties, not by the APA), not a single Indigenous community supported it.

It is to their credit that the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC) spoke up on behalf of Indigenous communities to ensure that their voices would be heard. The NTC is comprised of leaders from every Indigenous community in Guyana. Those leaders are elected by their own communities, unlike those of the APA. The NTC continues to speak up on behalf of communities across the country, including raising issues with the Government to ensure that communities receive the benefits from the sale of carbon credits that they rightly expected.

Now that the APA’s complaint has been rejected, we hope that individuals and families who live in our indigenous villages and communities will be freed from the worry that their expected benefits will be jeopardised.

Guyana has earned US$150 million in payments from the sale of ART-TREES credits for the year 2023. Some 85% of this money is being invested in multi-community and national priorities identified by stakeholders during the seven-month con-

sultation on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, while 15% - or GYD 4.7 Billion – has been directly transferred to village bank accounts for investment in village plans, put together by villages themselves. This Programme will see continuous financing flows to villages. A total of 242 communities are putting those plans together, and over 80 have already been completed to the standards required by village-led processes. In all cases, the village processes must culminate with a vote of approval from at least twothirds of all adult villagers present at village meetings (in many villages, support has been unanimous). All 242 communities have their own carbon credit bank accounts and finance committees chosen by villagers and community members.

On Thursday 18th May, the first 13 villages received a total of GYD187 million as they mobilise to invest in areas identified by community members. These include priorities as varied as building shade houses, improving local guesthouses for tourism, supporting cassava farming, providing craft classes and purchasing village tractors. Now that the call for their revenues to be suspended has clearly been rejected, communities can rest assured that their plans for unprecedented levels of financing will be realised.

This ends an unnecessary and negative attempt to override the freely expressed desire of communities to continue to participate in a process started in 2009 with the world’s first Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) from a developing country.

The process continues and the Government of Guyana hopes that all stakeholders who wish to do so will continue to engage with the LCDS 2030 as it continually evolves, and the country plots a development pathway to 2030 that values all Guyanese. [SEE

APNU+AFC unaccountable ‘in and out’ of government – Jagdeo

In and out of government, the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition has proven itself at committed to unaccountability, according to General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo.

His comment came in response to questions at his Thursday (May 25, 2023) news conference at Freedom House, Robb Stret, about the non-compliance of 17 Parliamentarians with the Integrity Commission rules for submissions of declarations.

Disclosing that he is current with his declarations, he added that all PPP/C Parliamentarians have submitted and reasoned, therefore, that the 17 Parliamentarians are from the Parliamentary Opposition. “In and out of government they are unaccountable,” Jagdeo stressed.

Asked about the matter last week, the PPP General Secretary said, “I called Gail Teixeira… she said to me that all of the PPP members of parliament had submitted…that would mean that the 17 are from the other side.”

He has also addressed the publication of default -

ers and said, “We support the publication of all of the names of the people who are in default.”

Earlier this month, the Integrity Commission issued a warning this week to public officials who have yet to file their 2022 statements.

The Commission, in an advertisement in a publication of the Sunday Chronicle, stated that just 663 people have applied for the 1,491 designated public officers for the year 2022. It added that 828 declarations are still pending. According to Commission estimates, this equates to delinquencies of 55.5% versus 48% for 2021. In addition to the 17 Members of Parliament, delinquent are 108 in ministries, 208 in the regions and 493 in agencies and departments.

The Commission said it is now preparing to take the next step in accordance with the Integrity Commission Act. As of February 2023, the Commission has sent out notices to several specified public officers for failure to file their declarations. “The next step is, defaulters will see their names published in the local press and the

Official Gazette. The final step, if declarations are still not received, would be to seek prosecution of the defaulters,” the Commission warned.

Statutory declarations for 2022 were initially due on August 31, 2022, but an extension until December 31, 2022 was granted. Declarations for the year 2023 (1st July 2022 to 30th June 2023) are due on or before June 30 this year.

The reconstituted Integrity Commission was composed on May 31, 2022 with the appointment of chairperson, Chandra Gajraj, and four commissioners: Dr Joycelin Kim Kyte-Thomas; Hardesh Tewari; Mohamed Ispahani, and Reverend Wayne Bowman.

Under the law, passed in 2000, certain categories of public officials are required to declare their assets to the Integrity Commission or face criminal charges for not doing so.

UNDERMINED

Notably, in 2017, request for information on compliance with the Integrity Commission rules were

denied. A letter written to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Abeena Moore, dated June 21, 2017, requested the names of the delinquent PNCR Parliamentarians, of the 8th and 9th Parliament, who failed to submit declaration for the years 2001-2006 and 2006-2011. The same was requested for APNU Parliamentarians who served in the 10th Parliament for the years 2011-2015. The letter was submitted by People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentar-

ian, Juan Edghill, on behalf of the Party. The request was made under provisions of the Access to Information Act of 2011. The letter stated that, “The above requested information is intended to be used in the pursuit of private criminal charges against the identified delinquents in accordance with section 22 of the Integrity Commission Act 1997.”

Notably, it was Moore who, at a meeting of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), admitted that the Secretariat of the

Integrity Commission was dismantled under the former Coalition government between 2015 and 2018. According to her, there is only one staffer remaining at the Integrity Commission Secretariat.

In 2018, when former president David Granger finally swore in the Commissioners of the Integrity Commission, the new Chairman was a self-proclaimed ‘friend’ of the Government, who said that he will not ask for declarations to be made for 2017, 2016 and 2017 –rather he will only deal with 2018. This is despite the fact that the Chairman has to power to call for back-dated declarations to be made to the Integrity Commission. Further, it was PPP/C that made a move to in the National Assembly address the issue of greater accountability for persons in public life, via a motion, during the 2015-2020 period. The motion by the PPP/C called for all MPs make their tax returns, as well as their asset declarations, public. The former APNU+AFC Coalition Government voted against this.

Continued demonstration of a lack of political maturity by PNCR-led Coalition

Political maturity in democratic societies is characterized by the related attitudes, resonating and action by players in the political arena.

In Guyana, the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition had demonstrated a lack of political maturity that continues to hurt our society, including the very constituents the Parliamentary Opposition purports to represent.

In the wake of a national tragedy, the loss of 19 young Guyanese in a horrific fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory, early signals form the PNCR-led Coalition of a measured approach, evident in the initial statement on the incident, vanished within hours.

In an unconscionable move, leader of the PNCR and the APNU+AFC Coalition, Aubrey Norton, took to Trinidad and Tobago’s TV6 to peddle rants in a transparent bid to score cheap political point at the expense of those grieving. Norton opted to position a national tragedy next to the spending of oil money and criticising the PPP/C government for spending on infrastructure. On May 23, 2023, Norton said: “At a time when Guyana has oil resources – and you know we’ve been very critical of the government putting a lot of the resources into big infrastructure, in terms of building buildings etc.”

Soon enough his party members followed suit. The worst of all was probably the ramblings of the Coalition Parliamentarian and General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Coretta McDonald, who attempted to equate the tragedy to issues that are beyond the control of government –issues that include accidents on the roadways. McDonald who opted to focus on money, on May 22, 20223, said: “Billions upon billions of dollars are being doled out at every budget. Plus, we’re having supplementary budgets, more billions of dollars, many more. And this is what we as a people have to go through. You go to bed at nights, in the middle of your sleep, you’re hearing something.”

This type of behaviour is not new to Guyanese. The Norton-led APNU+AFC Coalition was engaged in the same shameful display of irresponsibility as they manipulated a straight-forward situation and seven Guyanese families in a politically opportunistic play. This was evidenced by the Coalition’s actions at Caneview, Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, where seven persons squatting on state lands refused to relocate, despite government’s offer of housing, farm lands and support, in one case, to complete construction of a home. Notably, a total of 28 families were relocated with new homes built, though a government compensation programme. Norton and Coalition Parliamentarians were on the ground with commentary that exacerbated tensions. At one point, the excavator doing the demolition was set on fire. There is no place in Guyana, according to Ali, for the divisions that the PNCR-led Coalition would encourage in society.

In each of these cases, the words of President Ali has made it clear that: “The PNC-led APNU+AFC has demonstrated time and time again that it is incapable of offering meaningful leadership to their constituents or anyone for that matter, and is therefore in its familiar obstructionist mode with racism being its tool of choice” – rings true.

If the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition is interested in representing Guyanese and serving the national interests – not the so far demonstrated interest in power – it must develop some level of political maturity.

Importantly, at each turn: one, there must be recognition that the PNCR-led Coalition’s mask of political hypocrisy is used for sinister, self-interested purposes; two, every effort has to be made to expose and condemn these instances of hypocritical posturing; and three, the associated, inherent, risk of misinformation must be underscored, given the societal disruptions this can potentially cause, if left unchecked.

Use of a national tragedy to score political points is unconscionable

Dear Editor,

The reprehensible behaviour and statements of members of the People’s National Congress-led Opposition have been atrocious.

These political jesters who masquerade as leaders are regularly out of place and exhibit gross political immaturity.

The dormitory fire in Mahdia has traumatised many Guyanese. The sympathies of this letter writer go out to all those who suffered or have lost a loved one or friend. In this tragic moment in our history, we stand as One Guyana as our country has lost. There is no winner in these tragic situations.

This day, May 22nd, ought to be dedicated as an annual day of mourning

for the lives of those lost at the peak of their educational zeal and youthfulness.

Ministers of the Government flew to Mahdia to assess the situation and offer condolences and other services to the region. Mobilisation of various Government agencies and assistance from the private sector were all lauded efforts in this tragic time.

The tragedy that took the lives of twenty young Guyanese and injured many others has saddened the nation. Guyanese have expressed their sympathies and condolences whilst unfortunately, some members of the political Opposition wasted no time in politicising this tragedy. They clearly have an embedded intent to politicise and contextualise everything along the line of race as well.

The absurdities of the statements of Opposition-aligned members have left much to be desired. I was appalled at these utterances.

This stupendous posturing is unimpressive and further exemplifies the petty and uncaring nature of the PNC-led Opposition and its politics of division. Their intent to sow discord among Guyanese, irrespective of the circumstance is as clear as day.

Those Opposition members who sought to score points; political or otherwise, have no place in our country and displayed no leadership quality or consideration for the affected and their loved ones.

Yours truly, A. Humphrey

Pleased with Government’s response to Mahdia tragedy

Dear Editor,

I am appalled at the tragedy that took place in Mahdia yesterday. The sadness that engulfed the country and the grief felt was immense. The President declared three days of national mourning for the loss of 19 young lives in a fire. The nation mourns and all of Guyana has lost.

As a parent of two girls; aged 15 and 13; I felt the pain of those parents who have lost their young children. My heartfelt sympathies go out to the parents, relatives and friends of those lost in the fire. I had lost a child before and can say words cannot express that feeling of despair and sadness at such a permanent loss.

Editor, the unfortunate loss of those young lives has awakened the empathy of the people of Guyana. Unfortunately, I have seen some reckless and senseless

statements from many individuals that are worthy of condemnation. There can be no profit from a tragedy. Disasters can occur at any time.

It cannot be understated that in the face of this tragedy, politicians need to demonstrate some sense of responsibility and empathy and consideration for the grief of others. It cannot be okay for elected officials to make this into anything other than a national loss.

As parents and citizens alike, we ought to resist these efforts to politicise the grief of others. There is nothing that can be gained from this tragedy. I urge that political personalities display compassion and respect for the lives that were lost and the survivors. This is a moment of national sadness.

I call on my fellow Guyanese to support the parents and people of Mahdia and the surrounding communities in this unfortunate chapter of our history.

I pray for a speedy recovery for the survivors, as I express my profound sympathy and prayer as we all experience profound loss and pain.

I am pleased with the efforts of the Government, which has been active since the tragedy. They have pledged assistance to all those affected in various forms. The efforts of the private sector and other agencies must be lauded.

The many Guyanese that expressed sentiments of regret, disbelief and grief, let’s pray for our country during this period of sadness. Every effort should be made to ensure such incidents never recur. The 22nd May annually should be commemorated in memory of those young girls whose lives were lost.

Sincerely, Attiya Baksh

GECOME is in full readiness for 2023 LGE

Are naysayers in pursuit of ulterior motives?

Dear Editor,

With the incessant attack on our sovereign wealth, one wonders if those attackers are interested in the well-being of our country. I ask this question in light of the fact that some of the attacks lack intelligence and merit, which tells anyone with even half a brain that there is a campaign, or an ulterior motive, behind these unwarranted attacks.

From a blatantly negative Opposition to the numerous fly-by-night consultants who have come out of the woodwork to challenge our right to earn a comfortable living from what God has blessed us with, we see them coming forward to make life unbearable for the oil giant ExxonMobil. They are coming forward under the guise that “they care” for us more than we care for ourselves.

The “sympathetic Judases” are here lecturing us as to what we should and should not do with our oil wealth. If this is not the hidden agenda behind their actions, then what is?

Let’s visit one of these. I am talking about the use of natural gas, which comes with the extraction of crude oil. Natural gas, like crude oil itself, is an exhaustible resource, or a non-renewable resource. If not utilized immediately, it is lost forever. In the Guyana experience, gas, being not harvested, is flared. The so-called green experts have complained that this is injurious to the environment, and, as such, should be reinjected into the earth. In either scenario, the natural gas is wasted.

Now, our Government, in its wisdom, has devised a mechanism by which it is planned to bring that gas to shore in a massive project that would see the natural gas as well as its components being used. The naysayers immediately went into action, saying that this project is not economically feasible because it is too expensive.

What asininity! Are you telling me that it is better for this valuable resource to go to

waste than be utilised for our economic benefit? But this is the mentality of the “experts.”

What is even more revealing is that one of the so-called experts has approached the international lending agency to block any funding to Guyana for the gas-to-shore project. If this is not a clear case of a group of individuals being out to cripple the Government by stymieing our development, then what is?

The point is that no Third World state can, or will, develop on negatives; it just does not happen that way. True and lasting development comes from determined, visionary, and futuristic thinking. We must utilise our oil resources while there is time, unfettered from the ingrown “ghetto fabulous” mentality of those who seek to hinder our progress. Nothing ventured nothing gained is the watchword!

Try telling a businessman in the central business district of Georgetown that setting up a business there would attract thieves, so he should not set up the business. This is not how the developed world operates, and neither should it be for the developing world either. Or, may I add, try telling the Government of Qatar that venturing out on a dry, barren desert and building a habitable place in the ocean is not a viable venture to engage in.

Today, this country has utilised its oil resources to build one of the most stunning man-made architectural designs of the century, and it is still building! Guyana is at a juncture of huge developmental changes that would necessitate taking risks that are not uncommon when navigating an upward trajectory. I call on our Government to go full speed ahead on this developmental path, and let nothing hinder you. We, the people of this great nation, have given you the mandate to carry out these plans; please do so quickly!

Respectfully,

Neil Adams

Evidence of a visionary transformative economic agenda

Dear Editor,

The Marriot Hotel Guyana when it was conceived prior to 2011 was a bold vision of the Jagdeo Administration as he understood the development his administration was working towards and that in the new and developed Guyana he envisioned at the time, it would need world class quality facilities to attract and accommodate investors and the tourist and to enhance the image of our country. Such a vision was beyond any of the gambits of financial feasibility studies as this was part of a transformative economic agenda. Feasibility studies have tremendous limitations on transformative economic agendas as many of the underlying assumptions are unknown.

This Marriott project was written off by Glen Lall as was highlighted in the below article of Peeping Tom Published in the Kaiteur News of March 09, 2012. “Do we need the proposed Marriott-branded hotel that the former government had in mind? Is such a project feasible given the many existing hotels and the poor occupancy that they enjoy at present? One person who feels most definitely that Guyana does not need this multi- billion dollar facility that was supposed to be one of the major economic initiatives of the Jagdeo administration, is the former president’s fiercest critic, Mr. Glenn Lall, the publisher of Kaieteur News. He is adamant that there is much

wrong about this project. He insists that it is not viable and is willing to put his assets where his mouth is. Glenn Lall made it known in no uncertain manner that he was willing to give away Kaieteur News if anyone could convince him that this hotel will be viable.”

It is now May 2023, and the visionary transformative economic agenda of the Jagdeo Administration has proven that the Marriott was a feasible venture and a good economic investment. Glen Lall with the benefit of hindsight has now switched position from arguing how bad of an investment Marriot was in 2012 to how good it is now in 2023 and that the Government should not dispose of their shares. If Jagdeo administration had listened to the poor advice of Glen Lall in 2012, there would have been no Marriott Hotel today.

The government is doing the right thing to dispose of Marriott Hotel at this time so they can redirect capital and capabilities to other transformative projects. Government’s role is not to run businesses but instead to facilitate them. The government intervened at the right time to make an investment in an area of development that was not attractive to private investors and now that the objective of the investment has been achieved it is the right time to dispose of the entity.

Yours Sincerely, Alvin Hamilton

Dear Editor, One should have no problems providing the deserving plaudits and commendations to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for seamlessly rolling out its comprehensive plans for hosting the June 12 Local Government Elections (LGEs).

In arriving at the demonstrated whole level of preparedness, the GECOM’s implementing team has ensured consistency with the legally- time-bound, verifiable activities, while providing transparent guidelines and decisions for fairness and to inform acceptable results.

At this point, the nomination of candidates competing for election to the Councils of the various 70 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) and 10 Municipalities is completed, and potential candidates have already received the confirmations from GECOM. Consequently, the transformation of the mood and spirit of the entire country to the competitive fever we experience at election time is very much on track.

Some vital scheduled activities are ongoing, including the Joint Services’ preparation for the Elections, which is also welcome. While the Joint Services staff will cast their votes on June 06, 2023 (D-Day), the Joint Services Training Committee is conducting intensive training in preparation for all possible scenarios on and before Election Day. In addition, GECOM has invited the application of interested persons and groups for their consideration and approval as Observers, which is most welcome. It is applaudable that Local Observer Groups will be accredited to observe the Elections.

GECOM’s Chief Executive Officer, Vishnu Persaud, and his efficient team produced a carefully prepared Work Plan through which the Preliminary List of Voters (PLV) was updated thoroughly, and the Registers of Voters for each of the 80 Local Authority Areas. Further, through these controlled procedures, its Secretariat has more robust command and control with the appointment of Electoral Registrars and Assistant Electoral Registrars. In addition, GECOM has already completed the management and polling day staff training

for all the Local Authority Areas.

Seeing the two main political parties on the ground campaigning is heartening. While the main Opposition has failed to put up candidates to contest the Elections in many constituencies, they are visibly trying to be active in a few areas. However, the PPP/C is very proactive, and is aggressively campaigning in all corners of the country. Even in Constituencies where the PPP/C has no opposition, they are going house to house to bring about political awareness and enlighten the masses of their good intention to make all the Comminutes a better place.

These LGEs will be an Election with a difference, since the strategic and objective approach of the Governing PPP/C presents a solid contrast to the system of the Opposition, which in the recent past has been more focused on offering cases to disrupt or further delay the elections. Notably, the PPPC demonstrates a committed and firmly focused agenda on strengthening the people’s inclusiveness and togetherness at the grassroots level, which will unite this nation in all its diversity. In contrast, the Opposition clan seemed to jump on board at the last moment, following their failed and futile excuses-laden approach premised on ethnic division.

There is intense anticipation that the PNC will pay dearly for the roles of some of their senior administrators in their failed attempt to steal power at the March 2020 General and Regional Elections. This position is evident in their failure to propose representative contesting candidates in several constituencies.

Notwithstanding, they could no longer present futile excuses, as GECOM has presented a transparent and verified Preliminary List of Voters, and notified procedures as a platform for free and fair elections.

The PNC must now face the electorate, and it is pleasing to know and see that the campaigning in the various constituencies has taken on a very peaceful posture. As Guyana moves towards LGEs on June 12 this year, let us help GECOM to produce the best free and fair elections.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

IDPADA-G has made no attempt to submit report backing discrimination claims to ERC – Commissioner

Addressing what he described as a “tirade” by the Vincent Alexander, Ethic Relations Commissioner (ERC), Ras Khafra, charged that Alexander’s group, International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly - Guyana (IDPADA-G) seems solely focused on efforts to “make the government look bad” as opposed to actual work.

In a letter to the media this week, he said, “Mr. Alexander asserts that their accusations of ethnic inequality and government discrimination at the UN last year ‘was not an act of protestation’, but that IDPADA-G merely ‘reports to these UN mechanisms as is provided for in their modus operandi’.

“However, it can be construed as an act to make the government look bad

and not as any real attempt to have the issues reported or addressed, since IDPADA-G has failed to exhaust all available national or local avenues to seek redress.

“IDPADA-G should know that the UN is an international body that deals with protocol and though it may be inclined to listen, would be hard pressed to do more since they have failed to follow protocol.

“To date, IDPADA-G has not made any attempt to submit to the ERC a report of the perceived inequalities and discrimination that people of African descent in Guyana face. If the ERC fails in its mandate to address those concerns then IDPADA-G would be justified and validated in its recourse to the UN.”

A no-holds barred Khafra

made clear that the African Guyanese community does not deserve to be held at ransom and used by any political party as a shield in their war against their political opponent.

The ERC Commissioner added that Alexander failed in his attempt to refute my claim that the PPP/C Government’s intervention into the affairs of IDPADA-G was at the request of many of the organisations within IDPADA-G. He said, “This is another attempt to mislead. The truth is that those organisations, inclusive of the Guyana Rastafari Council, took a step back after major irregularities were observed and it was perceived that the entity was being hijacked by political operatives to be used in the battle between the major political parties.

Subsequent to that, almost 30 of the 50+ organisations of IDPADA-G, at that time, drafted, signed and submitted a letter of grievances and irregularities to Mr. Alexander requesting a meeting to address their concerns. He failed to address their demands and a subset of that larger group decided to send the letter to the Minister of Culture for his intervention. The minister’s response was to stop the subvention and the rest is as they say, history.”

Khafra noted too that the ERC has been working to involve stakeholders, in fulfilment of its mandate. He said, “When I was sworn in by H.E President Irfaan Ali on March 21, 2023, I immediately called a first meeting of the cluster and requested of them to begin

work on a comprehensive document of perceived areas of inequality and discrimination that would be submitted to the ERC and which would serve as the standard to measure the effectiveness of my tenure. The cluster met in the ERC’s boardroom about five times between March 21 and May 21, 2023. Though Mr. Alexander has not come to any meetings, representatives of the coordinating council of IDPADA-G, whether to help or to subvert, have been in attendance.”

He added, “African Guyanese cannot continue to be collateral damage. I, as Rastafari, will not squander the opportunity that has been given to me by the officially recognised representatives of the African Guyanese community to ensure that

the members of our community are not discriminated against, and that they are provided with an equal share of the rich resources that we have been blessed with as a country.”

The ERC Commissioner lauded the Government’s efforts and said the PPP/C Administration, led by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, has “..shown a willingness to engage with the official representatives of the African Guyanese community within a context of mutual respect, trust and confidence” and to begin a process to address the perceived needs of the community. “I will continue to utilise the office of commissioner of African Guyanese to ensure that the community is effectively represented within the context of my mandate,” the official said.

Ferguson confirms moves afoot to remove Norton as ‘leader’

In a leaked recording, member of the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition, Annette Ferguson, confirmed that moves are afoot to remove the increasingly embattled leader of the PNCR and Parliamentary Opposition, Aubrey Norton.

On recording, which has already been widely circulated on social media, Ferguson said, "Let me tell you something, I am PNC. I am APNU. I will remain just there because I know Norton will not be the leader all the time...Norton not gonna be the leader, so we got to look forward...we have to get a new leader before Congress, before the Elections.”

Ferguson was speaking to a businessman from Plaisance, Region 4, at the time the recording was made.

This year alone Norton has been made to respond to a blank cheque scandal.

PNCR treasurer, Fiaaz Mursaline, had made damning revelations about being made to sign blank cheques must be looked into. He had said, “I am the treasurer and I was elected but all I was used for is to sign cheques and that was merely my duties there with Norton’s leadership… from the time I took office as the elected treasurer of this great party, I was signing blank cheques with no supporting documents. I am always called to sign cheques and whenever I share an opinion of dislike towards this, I am met with hostility. In the month of November it got worst…in that month I signed about 20 blank cheques…I do not

know what are the amounts of money written on any of those cheques and I don’t know for what reasons the money, if any were spent on…I requested of the Leader for us to do a financial audit of the finances of Congress Place for our own benefit and for us to ensure proper accountability and transparency. I even suggested that because Cde. Volda Lawrence has the skills in that area we use her to be our guidance. The intention was solely to do what is right for our party and to build trust among our membership. The Leader told me that is a conflict of interest and that he will take care of it. To date nothing has been done.” Further, citing “weak and ineffective” leadership, United States Chapter PNCR

member, Egland Gomes, has threatened that an investigation into allegations of financial impropriety must be done, or “recorded information” about PNCR leader, Aubrey Norton, might be put into play. Gomes, in a broadcast on social media under the title ‘Voices of the Diaspora’, said, “An investigation should be done about these blank cheques, and I want Aubrey Norton to know I have recorded information that he would not want to go into the public domain.” the PNCR member also accused Norton of “prosecuting his own public

policy”, creating a “perception of weak and ineffective leadership”, and having abandoned his constituency as soon as he became leader. He said, “Aubrey Norton seems to be prosecuting his own public policy. Aubrey Norton is accountable to a party and the CEC of the party. And I hope that the CE now would stand up, do its job and hold the party leader accountable, because he is not above accountability.”

Also, PNCR members have accused Norton of “prosecuting his own public policy”, creating a “percep-

tion of weak and ineffective leadership”, and having abandoned his constituency as soon as he became leader. Mursaline, in commenting on this, said, “Aubrey Norton seems to be prosecuting his own public policy. Aubrey Norton is accountable to a party and the CEC of the party. And I hope that the CE now would stand up, do its job and hold the party leader accountable, because he is not above accountability.”

This is the latest of the PNCR infighting that has spilled into the public domain.

PPP General Secretary urges Guyanese to ‘zealously guard’ hard-won freedoms

Guyana’s 57th Independence anniversary celebrations will be subdued across the country, due to the national tragedy in Mahdia, Region 8, and as the occasion offers and opportunity for reflection, the lessons of Guyana’s independence struggle must never be forgotten.

This is according to General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, who said, “We must never forget the lessons of our independence struggle. We had to walk a very difficult road and we overcame many odds and obstacles on the path to freedom….today we are a free country largely because of the struggles of our ancestors who fought against slavery, indentureship and British colonial rule and brought our country to the stage where we became free people and became independent and where there was dignity in being Guyanese. We must never forget that struggle.”

He urged personal reflections among Guyanese and a commitment to ensuring that Guyana’s freedom, which came close to being lost during the March 2020 General and Regional Elections debacle, is zealously guarded. “We have to zealously guard our freedom….the threat is

near and very near to us. Regardless how you vote, you must zealously guard your right.”

Jagdeo also urged commitment to rejecting efforts to divide Guyanese. “We have been plagued by attempts to divide our people. When our people are trying to forge a unity that existed in the early 50’s, we saw the division… today we still see people who actively divided through rumors and lies and who are continuing to do that….efforts to divide our people has no place in a free society. We must commit to banish that sort of behaviour and commit to fighting racism in all it manifestations and against people who benefited from that type of behaviour,” he said.

STRONGER THAT DIVISIVE FORCES

The face of colonialism was division – division of the people in countries under the control of colonial masters – a contention that is maintained by General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, given that it rings as true today, as it did decades go.

He maintains that if Guyana is to move forward as a progressive nation, together, the move must be made from the basis of recognizing that

Guyana is stronger that the things that divide the Guyanese people. Jagdeo in the past has said that, “We believe that, as Guyanese, we have more in common than those things that divide us – regardless of the robust debates that we have, regardless of the numerous encounters that we have….we are all children of the soil. We all share this history and our history, regardless of our race, did not start when we came to this land – it is the entire history of Guyana….that common history binds us. The pride we share when we travel abroad to talk of our country, regardless of who is in power, is common to all of us. We believe that this blood tie that binds us is stronger that the heated political divisions we have that may find very robust expressions.”

He expressed confidence in the fact that Guyana “will do better” in the coming decades.

STRUGGLE Independence and the reflection around independence must take account of the struggles of all those who fought for it, according to him. He said, “If we look at struggles for independence across the world, we will find that in every instance, they had to sacrifice to at-

tain independence. It was not handed to them on a platter… colonialism was not a benign thing….independence was only granted because of the struggle of people. Here too in Guyana, we must disabuse our minds that somehow the British handed this to us…from the organised trade union movement to the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) in 1946…and the formations of the first political party in Guyana, the People’s Progressive Party….they were all important milestones in our march to freedom.”

According to him, it was the progressive policies that the 1950 group (the PPP and its leaders) started to enact – because they wanted to change the lives of the Guyanese people for the better – that led to external pressure and interference. “We all have an obligation to look at the source documents, as Members of Parliament and as ordinary Guyanese….to see how the troubles of the 60’s were externally fermented because they did not want freedom to be extended to our people,” he urged.

VISIBLE SCARS

Jagdeo has acknowledged

that the scars of colonialism are still visible in Guyanese society. He said, “Because of the trouble, the race riots, etc., we have had to overcome or to struggle with the suspicion of period and it has harmed us, because it has lived in the minds of that generation….from then to now.…when we talk of social cohesion today, the primary task, I think, is to go back and restore – almost have to remove the suspicions from that period.”

“…our history, good or bad, it is our history and many of the lessons of that history should help us in the future – examination of our economic history, our political history, and our institutional history,” Jagdeo declared.

According to him, Guyana did have local leaders “who might have been used” by external forces, but he stressed that the plots, which ignored the will and interest of the Guyanese, were external. “The plot to divide our people was purely external and we lived with the consequences,” he said.

He added, “…if we are going to make progress in the future, as a cohesive na-

tion, we have to ensure that the policies, which we enact today, are for all Guyanese and that people perceive them to be for our entire country.”

PLANS

The PPP and its members will always work in the nation's interest, Jagdeo assured. He said, “Our patriotism must never be questioned….our members love this country as much as anyone else…we will work as hard as anyone else. We are patriots…I have listened carefully to the two speeches made by the President….and we in the PPP share many of the sentiments of the President. We believe that we have to work together, regardless of our political affiliation, to move our country forward.

“We too share a vision for this country…we would like our people to progressively have a better live. We want a green economy….we want out people to live together in harmony and not be divided by history and current circumstances.”

Jagdeo noted that the PPP is looking forward to the future. The Guyanese Leader extended wishes on behalf of all the members of the PPP.

Positions from PPP General Secretary

BHARRAT JAGDEO

Norton adopts ‘bravado’ to make himself look more weighty – PPP GS

Ramblings about a “physical confrontation” from leader of the PNCR and Parliamentary Opposition, APNU+AFC Coalition, Aubrey Norton, were dismissed by General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo.

Norton on May 18, 2023, said, “I think also it needs to be noted that the government, I spoke with one Government Minister yesterday, whose name I wouldn’t call, and I told him, that government seems to be pushing for a physical confrontation. And to let him know that we are not short on people that could deal with them in a physical confrontation. But we don’t believe it is in the best interests of the people at this time. And therefore, we have said to them, ‘they need to back off’.”

When asked about Nor-

ton’s comments during his Thursday (May 25, 2023) news conference, Jagdeo said, “Sometimes I believe that he adopts a certain posture and pursues a certain bravado to make himself look more weighty than he actually is. So, that’s how I dismiss that threat, that it was typically Norton saying ‘We’re ready to fight’, etcetera.”

According to Jagdeo, Norton has never been involved centrally is high-level issues, including policy making, and his move from the “periphery” to “leadership” is evident in the many missteps he makes. “It is hard to move from that level of ignorance due to lack of exposure to dealing with complex matters of state. And it shows every day,” he said.

Pressed further by the media on possible connec-

tions between the Norton-led group and unsavoury elements, Jagdeo stressed that he will not speculate on such issue. However he disclosed that all “scenarios” were examined, including a “political” one. He said, “It doesn’t mean that it is real, but as an analyst, particularly in a government, knowing the history of APNU and what happened at Buxton and the close collaboration with the escapees, that would have been one of the scenarios explored by our intelligence operatives. But I’m not accusing him of anything, so I don’t want the headline to say I accused Norton of planning the escape,” he said.

Norton has been battling challenges with questions about his leadership since taking the post in December 2021.

‘Positive, frank’ discussions held with EU team – Jagdeo

The European Union (EU) played an important role in the effort to stave off the attempt of the former APNU+AFC Coalition to steal the March 2020 General and Regional Elections and undermine the will of the Guyanese people, according to General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo.

And at his news conference on Thursday (May 25, 2023), held at Freedom House, Robb Street, he charged that a recent meeting with the European Union (EU) Election Observer Mission (EOM) Follow-up Mission to Guyana saw “open, positive and frank” discussions.

Javier Nart, Member of the European Parliament, led the visiting delegation from the European Union (EU) Election Observer Mission (EOM) Follow-up Mission to Guyana. Also part of the EU team were: Alexander Matus, Electoral Expert; Anne Marlborough, Legal Expert; and Evelina Melbarzde, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU in Guyana.

Vice President, Hon. Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Wednesday (May 24, 2023), engaged Mr Javier Nart, Member of the European Parliament, who led the visiting delegation from the European Union (EU) Election Observer Mission (EOM) Follow-up Mission to Guyana. Also part of the meeting were: Mr. Alexander Matus, Electoral Expert; Ms. Anne Marlborough, Legal Expert; and Ms. Evelina Melbarzde, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU in Guyana

Jagdeo explained that while there is still work to do, much has been accomplished. “There were about 50 things that could be abused, which were things that a Chief Elections Officer of a Return Officer could exercise discretion on, and we closed these gaps…we went further that the EU recommended,” he said.

Notably, the European

Describing the horrific fire that led to the tragic end of 19 lives as “one of the worst tragedies in Guyana’s history”, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, expressed condolences to the families and friends of the victims and condemned the politicisation of tragedy.

During his Thursday (May 25, 2023) news conference at Freedom House, Robb Street, he said, “I express heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the fire at Mahdia…this devastating loss has taken away the joy from so many families and I want them to know that they can count on our unconditional support now and in the future.”

Urging the public condemnation of opportunistic use of personal tragedy for cheap political points, Jagdeo added, “I want to repeat what the President said that there is a time and place for everything….I want to urge those who have been so disrespectful to politi -

cize or try to politicize this national tragedy [and] to capitalize on people’s grief is unconscionable and any attempt to do so should be condemned,” Jagdeo said.

According to him, the politicization of this national tragedy has been both veiled and open, Jagdeo said, “The first statement from the Leader of the Opposition [Aubrey Norton] was measured and I applaud him or that… and before I knew it, he was on television in Trinidad and Tobago politicizing the issue… today, he has cancelled his press conference to go to Mahdia and attempt once again to politicize the issue.”

The PPP General Secretary noted that leader of the PNCR and Parliamentary Opposition, Aubrey Norton, was in the township on Wednesday (May 24, 2023) during a national flower-laying ceremony and chose not to attend. He said there may not have been a formal invitation to Norton but that should not have kept him away since other people

did not receive same. “If [you’re] really concerned then just show up. I don’t think formal invites were sent,” Jagdeo said.

He also called out other members of the Parliamentary Opposition who he said have made vile statements following the tragic incident.

Responding to questions about a possible special inquiry into the fire, Jagdeo said that is a decision for the President to make. He said, “The matter was discussed and the President will speak on it at the appropriate time. We committed to giving people all the answers. So far, we know what took place but much more needs to be done and people will have the answers.”

The PPP General Secretary noted that as Guyana mourn the national tragedy, Guyanese can take comfort in the fact that as a people “we will” overcome. “We will overcome this and there will be all the answers in the future…it is going to be a long period before we can overcome this,” he said.

Union’s team of experts has commended the government’s implementation of several recommendations in the final report by the European Observation Mission based on its observation of Guyana’s 2020 General and Regional Elections.

In 2020, the EU deployed an observation team to Guyana to witness the March 2, 2020 elections. The mission made 26 recommendations to stakeholders.

‘Worst tragedy’ in Guyana’s history must not be used to score political points – Jagdeo

FACTSHEET: Know your Local Authority Areas ELECTION WATCH: LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

Eligible voters in Guyana’s 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) will be heading to the polls for the 20203 Local Government Elections. Unlike, the General and Regional Elections, only voters in these 80 areas will be participating in the 2023 LGE.

REGION 1

1. Port Kaituma Matthews Ridge/Arakaka (Region 1)

2. Municipality Of Mabaruma (Region 1)

REGION 2

3. Moruka/Providence (Region 2)

4. The Nile/Cozier (Region 2)

5. Charity/Urasara (Region 2)

6. Evergreen/Paradise (Region 2)

7. Municipality Of Anna Regina (Region 2) 8. Aberdeen/Zorgen-Vlygt (Region 2) 9. Annadale/Riverstown (Region 2)

10. Good Hope/Pomona (Region 2)

REGION 3

11. Canals Polder (Region 3)

12. La Grange/Nismes (Region 3)

13. Toevlugt/Free & Easy (Region 3)

14. Malgre Tout/Meer Zorgen (Region 3)

15. Wakenaam (Region 3)

16. Leguan (Region 3)

17. Mora/Parika (Region 3) 18. Hydronie/Good Hope (Region 3) 19. Greenwich Park/Vergenoegen (Region 3)

Joint Services to vote on Friday, June 2nd

REGION 5

43. Joe Hook / Farm (Region 5)

44. Hamlet/Chance (Region 5)

45. Mahaicony / Abary (Region 5)

46. Profit/Rising Sun (Region 5)

47. Seafield/Tempe (Region 5)

48. Union/Naarstigheid (Region 5)

49. Bath/Woodley Park (Region 5)

50. Woodlands/Bel Air (Region 5)

51. Zeelust-Rosignol (Region 5)

52. Blairmont/Gelderland (Region 5)

REGION 6

53. Plegt Anker/Kortberaad (Region 6)

54. Wyburg/Caracas (Region 6)

55. Enfield/New Doe Park (Region 6)

56. Municipality Of New Amsterdam (Region 6)

57. Gibraltar/Fyrish (Region 6)

58. Ordnance Fort Lands/No. 38 (Region 6)

59. Canefield/Enterprise (Region 6)

60. Kintyre/Borlam (Region 6)

61. Kilcoy/Hampshire (Region 6)

62. Municipality Of Rose Hall (Region 6)

63. Port Mourant/Johns (Region 6)

64. Bloomfield/Whim (Region 6)

65. Lancaster/Hogstye (Region 6)

66. Adventure/No. 28 (Bush Lot) (Region 6)

67. Maida/Tarlogie (Region 6)

68. Black Bush Polder (Region 6)

69. Macedonia/Joppa (Region 6)

70. Good Hope/No. 51 (Region 6)

71. No. 52/No. 63 (Region 6)

72. No. 64/No. 74 (Region 6)

73. Crabwood Creek/Moleson Creek (Region 6)

74. Municipality Of Corriverton (Region 6)

REGION 7

75. Municipality of Bartica (Region 7)

REGION 8

76. Municipality of Mahdia

REGION 9

77. Municipality Of Lethem (Region 9)

78. Aranaputa/Upper Burro Burro (Region 9)

REGION 10

79. Municipality of Linden

80. Kwakwani

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has announced that members of the Joint Services will be voting on June 2, 2023, as part of the Local Government Elections (LGEs).

According to a GECOM advertisement, persons would have from 6:00 hours to 18:00 hours to cast their votes.

In February, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall wrote to GECOM Chairperson Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh,

appointing June 12, 2023 as the date for conduct of the polls. The date was chosen based on the work plan that was submitted by GECOM to the minister.

GECOM has confirmed that there will be no contest in 291 of the 610 constituencies being contested for the 2023 Local Government Elections (LGE). According to the Commission, 98 of the constituencies where there is no contest – meaning only one political party submitted list of candidates – are found in 13 Local Authority Areas

in Regions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9. GECOM explained that the other 193 of the constituencies are from other Local Authority Areas (LAAs). The PPP/C is contesting all 610 constituencies in the 80 Local Authority Areas, as it did successfully in 2016 and 2018, while out of government office, according to the Party’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo. While the Joint Services cast their ballots on June 2nd, the rest of the eligible voters will do so on June 12, 2023.

Region Three police officers participate in LGE sensitisation sessions

TheJune 12 Local Government Elections (LGE) is fast approaching and members of the disciplined services are preparing for the anticipated elections to handle possible situations that may arise.

Police ranks attached to Regional Police Division Number Three (Region Three) on Tuesday participated in a three-hour sensitisation session that was led by Assistant Superintendent Delon Fraser who is attached to

the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) chambers.

The ranks were apprised on various topics including misconduct in polling places, possible offences in the polling place on election day, forging, and proxy.

Police officers were reminded of their roles, functions, and responsibilities on elections day to ensure that citizens can cast their ballots in an orderly manner and to ensure the maintenance of law and order.

Last week, ranks attached to Regional Police Division Number Four (Region Four) also participated in a training session, where possible scenarios were discussed and tested in Regional Police Division 4 A (Georgetown), B (East Coast Demerara), and C(East Bank Demerara). Members of the public have been advised to not be alarmed by increased joint services presence in the various regions.

Meanwhile, members of the disciplined services will cast their votes for the 2023 LGE on June 2, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has announced. According to the Commission, members will be casting their votes from 6 am to 6pm.

On June 12, eligible voters will exercise their constitutional right to cast their ballot for representatives within the nation’s 10 municipalities and 70 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.

LGEs are necessary for the appointment of persons in charge of local democratic organs. Local democratic organs which include NDCs and municipalities provide a link between the central government and communities; they are responsible for assessing the needs of residents and ensuring development at the community level.

The last LGE was held in 2018.

ELECTION WATCH: LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

PPP/C continues to make moves across country ahead of 2023 LGE

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips took part in a walkabout exercise to engage residents of Profit/Rising Sun NDC, specifically in Belladrum, on the West Coast of Berbice this afternoon. The Prime Minister, who was joined by Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag and PPP/C candidates for the NDC, engaged the residents on issues affecting them and on the general well-being of the community

The PPP/C team engaged in a walkabout at Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast, Region 2

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha let the PPP/C in engaging residents and farmers from Manchester Village on the Corentyne Coast to discuss some of the issues faced in the area

The PPP/C Georgetown, Constituency Three team engaged residents at Campbellville

The PPP/C team engaged in a steet corner meeting in Constituency Five, New Amsterdam

The PPP/C Mabaruma, Region One team engaged residents at Hosororo and Wanaina

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Discussions continue with Brazil on advancing road linkage in Lethem

Ali calls for global prioritisation in promotion of social justice

Discussions

for the further expansion of the Guyana to Brazil road link will be advanced at the upcoming meeting between President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Brazil’s President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva May month end.

President Ali announced this recently, where he noted that this will make a huge difference for the local tourism industry. Last year, the head of state held talks with former Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro on the proposed road link. “At the end of this month, I am meeting with President Lula (Brazil’s President) to continue discussions

on the further expansion of this road,” he stated.

Speaking on the tourism industry, he said the government has an integral role to play in the industry’s development, which is why the administration has taken a deliberate approach to advance local infrastructure.

Government is spending US$190 million to construct the Linden to Mabura Hill Road, which will eventually expand to the township of Lethem, providing a 24-hour road link to commuters and the business community. That same thoroughfare is expected to link with neighbouring

Brazil.

The road link between the two countries is expected to bring major economic benefits to the township of Lethem and Guyana, opening up markets and expanding Guyana’s tourism product.

“We have taken a very deliberate approach to this, that is why we’re building out the infrastructure of this country in such a way,” Ali stressed.

Additionally, the administration is developing a model that will see the Lethem airport being transformed into a major municipal transport hub, unlocking massive opportunities for the region and the country.

As the Caribbean navigates the path to socioeconomic development, President, Dr Irfaan Ali has called for the global prioritisation of issues affecting the Caribbean, in the interest of promoting social justice.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the Twelfth Subregional ILO Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday (May 23, 2023), the head of state stressed the need for social justice to permeate every fibre of the global tapestry. “For social justice to exist, there must be some guiding principles that will allow us at the global level to understand that global social justice is not a theory, but a set of principles and values that we are all going to bound ourselves by,” he said.

able targets that we aim to achieve. Social justice must be a culture through which societies, nations and policies are built,” the head of state asserted.

He identified three major crises affecting the world- energy, food and climate security, highlighting that these issues heavily impact the Caribbean nations.

Guyana’s tourism sector has seen rapid growth and expansion over the past few years. It has captured the attention of the global community, and Guyanese in the diaspora, who continue to travel to experience all Guyana has to offer.

With the surge of migrants into the country to experience the vast range of services and benefit from opportunities, the need for diverse and unique tourism products has become increasingly obvious.

It is against this backdrop that President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, on May 20, 2023 emphasised the need for Guyana to build a strong and resilient structure for its tourism model.

Speaking at the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Annual President’s Award Dinner and Auction, President Ali said Guyana’s tourism sector has gained a lot of traction owing to local tourists uploading their adventures onto their social media pages.

Owing to the pervasiveness of social media, persons outside of Guyana became interested in its tourism products and travelled to take part in the experience.

The head of state expressed a lot remains to be done in Guyana, to successfully take advantage of the tremendous potential offered by the sector. “We see tourism as a centre part of the growth story for our country. Tourism is going to be one of the main components of the structure of our economy, now and in the future. Tourism has an important place in the country…We have to now work on building a structure around this model because it has to be an economic model. For tourism to be successful, it has to fall into an economic model that allows it to grow, prosper, and expand itself. For that to happen, we have to have seamless coordination between government policy, tourism developers, and financial institutions,” Dr Ali underscored.

He pointed out that years ago, tourism did not have much impact as it does now. However, the understanding of the sector is changing, and more opportunities are now available. “For a very long time, tourism was approached in a haphazard way…The model must bring a structure that brings along all the stakeholders, and this

is what is key. The policy is important, but the policy is not the model. The model is what we want to implement, and what the core attributes of what we’re going to sell to the world will be. And the policy is what is going to support that model,” the president explained.

He highlighted that before the pandemic, tourism was one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, accounting for 10.3 per cent of the global gross domestic product; with a market estimated at some US $9 trillion and employing more than 300 million persons worldwide.

Tourism, therefore, has a massive ecosystem that surrounds it, the president added, while highlighting aspects of the tourism model in which Guyana can work to develop unique tourism products.

These include the addition of Guyana’s natural ecosystem into an urbanised tourism hub, integration of local production and stories with tourism products, partnership with other countries, emphasis on health and safety, infrastructure, improved standards, and better marketing.

Lamenting on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, President Ali said this crisis saw an erasure of social justice. “It became a selfish enclave of protectionism. We must not forget that those who could not have afforded the vaccines are still waiting for them, and those who could were told that they were not a priority in the line. We understand that every nation must protect its citizens. But, if social justice is a global concept, then there should be global responsibilities. Social justice cannot be an event, or it cannot be targeted, and that is what we have allowed it to be, a set of measur -

Against this backdrop, it is crucial to build out systems that allow for people to be at the centre of the policies, and in so doing, recognise those regions that are particularly vulnerable to these challenges. “How are we going to calculate the disparity that exists and the proportionate responsibility of what is required? Would the system allow us to have that conversation, or would we ensure that the system allows that conversation? We may be too small individually, but collectively, we have enough to question the system. We cannot continue in a world where we know that these three crises will affect us the worst without having answers now. It is time for us to use these forums to advance our cause as a people of this region,” Dr Ali told the regional officials.

Further, President Ali noted that in promoting social justice, the Caribbean region should seek to develop a framework that highlights the value of work, and one that promotes continuous

upskilling and education to match the global technological transformation that is currently underway. He explained, “Social justice for workers is accessibility to financing to ensure that the future generations of workers have access to education, healthcare and equal opportunities. It is not about creating the framework for existing workers alone. It is about how, globally, we are taking collective responsibility for the workforce now and in the future,”

The president noted that the strengthening of democratic institutions and the crafting of innovative technological platforms to train and upskill persons are important to building out a sustainable labour framework. “We have to create this understanding in the global system of our own circumstances and challenges. Today, in Guyana, we are building a system for the future; 20, 000 online scholarships, working towards making university education free, expansion of technical and vocational training…we are building out a framework of benefits and salary that will allow us to retain our workers,” Ali outlined.

The meeting was hosted by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO), Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, under the theme ‘Social justice – the foundation for sustainable Caribbean transformation’.

The cocoa industry is currently being reengineered as the government aims to cultivate this crop locally and subsequently, market it as a tourism product to the world.

Speaking a recent event, President Irfaan Ali revealed that the government is receiving assistance from an advisor, who has immense knowledge of the industry.

The administration is also in talks with international scientists to aid in the establishment of cocoa nurseries here. “We’re speaking with scientists out of Brazil (and) India to come in and to establish the nurseries here so we can go on massive largescale production because that must be part of a model,” the head of state conveyed.

This forms part of a

health and wellness tourism product that President Ali has charged tourism stakeholders to explore locally, noting that the story of the products is integral to its competitiveness. “Only two per cent of the world market comprise of Liberica coffee …So, we are now on a journey to rebuild the coffee industry,” Dr Ali pointed out.

Meanwhile, Dr Ali noted that persons in Amerindian communities will have to be trained as brand ambassadors for products.

Earlier this month, he held a meeting with farmers of Region Two, where they were informed that the Pomeroon has the potential to establish a large-scale coffee industry. Additionally, Agriculture Minister,

Zulfikar Mustapha during an outreach in Region Two last year said the government will be testing cocoa and coffee production in the lower Pomeroon.

The Ministry of Agriculture has partnered with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to restart the cultivation of coffee and cocoa there. “We’ll make those plants available for free, and we’ll work with the farmers to develop the plots so that farmers in the Pomeroon can once again be the producers of coffee and cocoa in Guyana. This programme should commence within another month,” the minister was quoted as saying in a Ministry of Agriculture press release.

Gov’t aiming to boost cocoa production by establishing nurseries – President Ali

President Ali stresses need for stronger tourism model to be established

FOCUS ON GUYANA’S FIRST PEOPLE

First 13 Amerindian villages receive $187M from sale of carbon credits

Thefirst 13 Amerindian villages have received monies totalling $187 million earned from the sale of carbon credits on May 18, which is intended to boost economic sustainability in these remote areas.

Guyana signed a contract with Hess Corporation which will see the nation earning US$750 million for 30 per cent of its forest within a tenyear period. The country has earned US$150 million for the year 2023.

While 85 per cent is being invested in multi-community and national priorities identified by stakeholders during the seven-month consultation on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, 15 per cent ($4.7 billion) is allocated towards Amerindian development.

This was revealed by the Office of the Vice President in a press release that wel-

comed the conclusion of the independent ART-TREES grievance process, which rejected the complaint made by the Amerindian People’s Association (APA), including the associated call by the APA for the suspension of Guyana’s ART-TREES carbon credits.

Monies were disbursed after the villages completed their development plans that highlighted areas in need of investment. “These include priorities as varied as building shade houses, improving local guesthouses for tourism, supporting cassava farming, providing craft classes, and purchasing village tractors,” the press release pointed out.

Some 242 Amerindian communities are tasked with developing village plans and already 80 have completed this requirement in keeping with the standards required

Gov’t takes VNR of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to hinterland areas

– Consultation conducted in Lethem, Region Nine

Senior Finance Minister

by the village-led process. “In all cases, the village processes must culminate with a vote of approval from at least two-thirds of all adult villagers present at village meetings. All 242 communities have their own carbon credit bank accounts and finance committees chosen by villagers and community members,” the missive further explained.

The release noted that now that the APA’s complaint has been rejected, the government hopes that Amerindian families will be freed from worry that their expected benefits will be jeopardised.

The APA’s complaint was made without the proper knowledge or support of any Amerindian communities in Guyana and even without the knowledge and support of any elected leader.

Over 3000 Region Nine residents benefit from Human Services three-day outreach

As the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security continues to bring it’s services to the people, subject Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud led a delegation to Region Nine where over 3000 people benefitted from the threeday engagement.

Aside from the central hub of Lethem, satellite villages such as Parikwarinau, Potarinau, Sand Creek, Tiger Pond and Karasabai were all visited by Minister Persaud for the first time.

Residents benefitted from both an educational and interactive experience on topical issues such as sexual offenses and domestic violence, assistance through the Difficult Circumstances Unit, help from the Childcare and Protection Agency as well as queries on public assistance and old age pension.

Notably, most of the communities touched were given a commitment to have persons trained through the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute’s Women’s Investment and Innovative Network (WIIN), particularly in garment construction.

Minister Persaud said,

“Where government is concerned, we don’t think anything is too much to bring to any region and to bring to every person across the length and breadth of Guyana. When the President, His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali says One Guyana, he means everyone in this one Guyana and when I came, I am looking at the development that is happening here and the pace in which it is happening. This is what our government is all about, ensuring everyone of you, irrespective of age or gender have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

“Never before in the history of this country we have seen so many pensioners or beneficiaries of Public Assistance and Permanent Disability. From 2020 when we got into government to now we moved from 60,000-odd pensioners to 73,000 pensioners this year. We started the six-month payment period and now we are working to see between six months and quarterly how often we can have the direct payment come in more regularly and what we have been doing is to improve the system centrally,” Minister Persaud added.

Dr. Ashni K. Singh and the Ministry of Finance, in conjunction with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, hosted a Hinterland Stakeholder Consultation on the Presentation of Guyana’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in St. Ignatius Village, Lethem, Region Nine. There, 24 Village Leaders and approximately 150 persons were able to meet and review Guyana’s progress in effecting its Sustainable Development Agenda.

Infrastructure Industry and Innovation, Goal 11 – Cities and Municipalities, Housing, Disaster Risk Management and Preparedness and Goal 17-Means and Implementation of the SDGs.

Residents on the sidelines of the visit, complimented Minister Persaud for the drastic change that resulted in the prompt delivery of their old age pension and public assistance since assuming office.

Regional Chairman, Bryan Allicock related, “What you are seeing here is what was promised, and you see this minister here, when she commits to something, she does it and we go all out to satisfy our people. What I want to see is my people happy and they live a comfortable life… that is why Minister took the time to be here with us…”

In the beautiful mountain top village of Potarinau, Toshao Peter Stanislaus related that Minister Persaud was the sixth Minister to come to the community in the past three years and exemplified the Government’s commitment to development in far-flung communities.

Sand Creek Village Toshao, Eugene Andrews highlighted that development is happening gradually, especially in Region Nine and we see this because of the commitment by the government.

The VNR allows for the input of all stakeholders including persons in riverain and hinterland communities and today’s consultation saw presentations made by various sectors. It allowed for discussion on the current position in terms of objectives and perspectives looking ahead while also presenting an opportunity for interaction with the wide cross section of stakeholder groups in attendance as they examined mainly five of the SDGs, namely Goal 6 – Potable Water, Water Sanitation and Harvesting Water, Goal 7 – Renewable Energy and Access to Energy, Goal 9 –

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlines a transformative vision for economic, social and environmental development. Government has continuously reaffirmed its commitment to advancing implementation the Agenda, aimed at achieving the SDGs, despite the challenging global economic context. Under the leadership of His Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the current administration has been, as mandated preparing its review with focus placed on five of the SDGs in preparation for the upcoming SDG Summit to be held in September 2023. At that Summit many more countries from around the world currently conducting reviews of their implementation as well, will also be reporting on their progress in keeping with the United Nations resolution.

Addressing those gathered today for discussion, Singh said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government led by President Ali, is people-centered and people-driven as he noted that the engagement is not to

be seen as an isolated activity but one in which Government prides itself in terms of its consultative approach to governance. Minister Singh also highlighted the key interventions made by Government in various sectors in pursuit of the achievement of the SDG goals.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai who also addressed the gathering said Guyana is the only country in the world where whenever there are new issues on the table that Government brings the people together to sit down, inform and discuss as well as garner their contributions and have them participate in the process.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill told participants that the presence of the Government Ministers was not due to the absence of other engagements at this time but is a clear symbol of the priorities of the Irfaan-Ali led Administration and how it engages the Indigenous people.

During the engagement, persons in attendance were able to seek answers while the forum also sought to provide an opportunity for active discussion on longstanding challenges and the country’s vulnerability in terms of fighting climate change as well as external shocks.

Ministerial task force established to tackle social ills in Baramita

TheOne Guyana mantra of President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is much more than equitable access to opportunities, improvement of infrastructure, healthcare, and education. It extends far beyond, including the improvement of social welfare and the eradication of social issues. And the government has heightened its efforts in evaluating social ills nationwide and has made significant moves to address them.

As monitoring of livelihoods continues, specifically in remote areas, the administration has now formulated a high-level task force to address the multiplicity of social issues in Baramita, Region One (Barima-Waini).

The announcement was made by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, during a visit with Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, to the community, recently. “The community of Baramita, some of the burning

issues on the social front, the livelihoods, and the existence of the people is of concern to the Government of Guyana. This community has one of the highest suicidal rates in Guyana and it is of concern to us, so the President [Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali] has set up a ministerial task force, that will pay special attention to this community,” Minister Croal stated.

The committee will comprise the Amerindian affairs minister; Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud; Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag; Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand; Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha; Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat and the housing and water minister.

The team will be discussing the implementation of educational programmes and agriculture production, as an immediate solution to provide

opportunities to the villagers. Healthcare will also be prioritised.

Minister Croal said, “There will be a consolidated area for medical services after school in one cluster, so there will be easier access. So, even when you bring your child to school you can get medical attention right in the area.”

Meanwhile, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, since 2020 a welfare officer has been employed specifically for Baramita, while a Community Development Officer (CDO) in the sub-region has been designated to keenly monitor vulnerable communities, including Baramita.

Minister Sukhai noted that the government will be relentless in its efforts to ensure social ills are removed from all corners of the country.

“We are prepared to continue providing the level of support to allow Baramita to grow with the rest of the country,” Minister Sukhai said.

DELIVERING ON ‘PLAN FOR PROSPERITY’

$507M infrastructure works for Tract CHPA housing scheme

The new Tract CHPA (Poke Bridge) Housing Scheme in Lethem, Region Nine, is set to receive an additional injection of $507 million for further development.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, made the announcement during an activity at the Regional Housing Office on May 19, 2023, where over 200 individuals who have been allocated lands in the area signed their Agreements of Sale, commencing the processing of their Certificates of Title.

The infrastructure development works, which include the construction of a road network, will be executed by R. Kissoon Contracting Service.

Minister Croal highlighted that an initial investment of $570 million has already been made for the first phase of infrastructure works in the new housing development, over the past two years. “As it is right now, we have over 306 allottees identified to

see their lands and to take up their space,” he informed the residents.

Additionally, as part of the upcoming development, a new well will be drilled in the housing scheme, and electrical networks will be installed to improve the overall infrastructure and utilities in the housing scheme.

Approximately 575 persons have been allocated lands at Tract CHPA. Early last month, a number of allottees also signed up for their Agreements of Sale and titles during a similar exercise.

“This is a space that you can be able to identify and not go through the hassle that you may have with continuing to rent,” he stated. Meanwhile, Minister Croal highlighted some of the other initiatives being executed by the housing ministry within the region including the Lethem Housing Support Programme.

Through that initiative,

Works on new US$260M Demerara River Bridge progressing

some 100 homes will be constructed at Tract CHPA, Tabatinga, and Culvert City. This initiative is the brainchild of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

The first 48 homes are currently under construction at Tabatinga and Culvert City.

Minister Croal announced that the contract will be signed shortly, for an additional 52 homes, of which 35 will be constructed in Culvert City and the remaining in Tract CHPA.

Each home will be constructed at a cost of $3 million, of which $1 million in support for the building cost will be provided by the ministry.

The housing ministry is also partnering with the New Building Society, Republic Bank Guyana Ltd, and the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry, as they will be offering loans to the tune of $2 million, at a rate of 3.5 per cent to the prospective homeowners.

Independence Boulevard 75 per cent complete

The multi-million-dollar enhancement works along the Albouystown, Independence Boulevard is now 75 per cent completed.

This update was provided by Project Engineer, Ministry of Public Works, Nickesh Pargoo during a recent visit led by Minister within the Ministry, Deodat Indar. “The only thing remaining overall in the project is the asphaltic concrete road. The weather right now is giving us some challenges, but we are trying to get it done in time with the

deadline,” Pargoo said.

The enhancement project is divided into three lots being executed by three contractors, RIM Construction, IB Contracting and Machinery Rental and C&L Construction Inc.

The 1.8 kilometres (km) project, which starts from Saffon Street to Cemetery Road, entails the construction of a three-lane carriageway with concrete drains and culverts, along with a three metres wide paved walkway, with lights, a garden and

has commenced and is moving apace on the highly-anticipated US$260 million Demerara River Bridge, which will replace the current bridge that has outlived its span by some 40 plus years.

With a timeline of two years set by the government, this landmark infrastructure when completed, will alleviate traffic congestion on both sides of the river.

The project is being conducted by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, and is currently at the pile driving stage.

The announcement was made by Minister of Public Works, Bishop Edghill. “We are going to actually see a ramping up of pile driving in the actual river because the contractor is right now creating an area where you will have to cordon off to be able to start doing actual physical construction,” he updated.

ConstructionMinister Edghill said the construction team has already completed the driving of piles to establish four concrete batching plants, two on the eastern side and two on the western side.

These plants will play a vital role in providing a consistent supply of concrete, a crucial component in the construction process.

The process will advance further with the arrival of 250 containers of steel, which will be used to construct a temporary bridge along the alignment where the permanent bridge will eventually be located. This temporary structure will serve as a base for the construction of the main bridge, enabling the project to move forward smoothly.

Minister Edghill emphasised that the government is holding the contractor accountable for delivering the project within the stipulated time. “So work is progressing

and we are holding them to the deadline so that engagement is continuing,” the minister stated.

This commitment ensures that progress remains steady, and any potential obstacles are promptly addressed. With such an approach, the new Demerara River Bridge is on track to becoming a significant addition to Guyana’s infrastructural landscape.

The new crossing will have a positive impact on economic activity allowing for improved movement of goods.

It will also create new opportunities for further urbanisation and development, attracting investment and stimulating growth.

The new hybrid designed bridge will feature a modern four-lane structure (two carriageways), cycle lane, with a 2.65 kilometres length, driving surface of about 23.6 metres or 77.8 feet, with a lifespan of some 100 years.

New drainage structures for Walton Hall, Western Hogg Island

seats.

Meanwhile, Minister Indar, during the walkabout, said that the project aims to ease traffic congestion. “The government has embarked on a massive project here to widen this corridor to make it a main artery for traffic coming in and traffic going out. It also serves as a catalyst for growth,” he emphasised.

This major project serves as another reminder of the government’s investment in the country and its people.

Consultation for the revision of the Local Content Act to begin soon – Attorney General

Consultation on the revision of the Local Content Act 2021 will commence shortly, as the government seeks to strengthen the legislation to ensure Guyanese adequately reap the benefits of the booming oil and gas industry. This disclosure was made by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, in recement comments.

Minister Nandlall stated

that the government continues to receive numerous complaints of Guyanese not being afforded fair opportunities to participate in the new industry.

Recognising this as an issue, law revision has begun and consultations with the relevant stakeholders will begin shortly. “I want to ensure our viewers that this is an undertaking that is ongoing and the review will

include consultations, which we will embark upon shortly,” the Attorney General assured.

The historic Local Content Legislation was passed in the National Assembly on December 29, 2021, and was subsequently assented to by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on December 31, 2021. It was designed to en -

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Persons residing in Regions Two and Three will benefit from better drainage and irrigation services as government plans to undertake major projects, including the construction of drainage structures.

The village of Walton Hall along the Essequibo Coast has been identified to receive a functional drainage structure, through the intervention of the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).

The project is being undertaken in the village, as a result of it frequently being affected by flooding during the rainy season and high tides.

With proper drainage, there will be a reduction of soil and nutrient loss from runoff, which will also help in advancing agriculture in Walton Hall.

Similarly, the chances of soil erosion will be reduced, bringing great ease to the villagers of Coffee Grove, as there are plans to establish an irrigation structure there.

Another drainage structure will be constructed at

Salt Area, Western Hogg Island, along the Essequibo River in Region Three.

Meanwhile, persons living in Clay Brick at Canal No.2, West Bank Demerara (WBD), will see the construction of a bridge at the access road.

When the project is completed, it will give way for a better flow of traffic and the exportation of produce from farmlands to the market, among other benefits.

NDIA will also be rehabilitating the Spillweir Farm to Market Road at Canal No.2 WBD, while the area will also see the construction of a timber revetment.

Construction for these projects will commence as soon as the tendering process is finished.

As such, bids are currently opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

The engineer’s estimates for Region Two’s drainage and irrigation structures are $29,797,722 and $30,097,722, respectively.

While the estimate for Salt Area drainage struc -

ture is $66,079,100 and the construction of the Access Bridge at Clay Brick is $25,396,750.

Engineer’s estimate for the rehabilitation of the Spillweir Farm to Market Road and the construction of a timber revetment there are $90,680,700 and $20,915,000, respectively.

Bidding is being conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB) procedure, specified in the Procurement Act 2003.

Bid documents will be available from May 10 and can be uplifted from NDIA’s cashiers’ booth Finance Building at the Ministry of Agriculture, Regent Street, and Vlissengen Road, Georgetown.

Interested bidders can inspect the bidding documents and obtain further information from the NDIA procurement office during working hours. The bids can be submitted in a plain sealed envelope bearing no identification, to the chairman of the NPTAB, Ministry of Finance, at Main and Urquhart Streets, Georgetown no later than 9:00hrs on June 1st, 2023.

Wakenaam Hospital to undergo major rehabilitation

Residents of Wakenaam Island, Region Three, will soon be provided with an advanced medical facility, as the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital will undergo major rehabilitation works.

With rehabilitation, residents can expect a more comfortable environment, along with adequate supplies to enhance service delivery.

The hospital will also see the presence of additional health workers, which will majorly improve its efficiency.

Rehabilitation works will

commence following the tendering process.

As such, the Ministry of Health has since opened bids at the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) for the project.

As per normal, bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding procedure, specified in the Procurement Act 2003.

Persons can uplift the bidding documents at the Accounts Department of

Health ministry launches national mental health website

the Ministry of Health compound, at Brickdam, Georgetown, between Monday to Thursday from 09:00hrs to 16:30hrs, and on Friday from 09:00hrs to 15:30hrs.

Bids are required to be submitted at the NPTAB at lot 49 Main and Urquhart Streets, Georgetown, no later than Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

The rehabilitation and construction of hospitals and health facilities are just one of the many ways in which the government is modernising the health sector.

Gov’t approves Local Content Annual Plans for ExxonMobil, Halliburton, TechnipFMC, Saipem and Baker Hughes

Inkeeping with provisions set out under the Local Content Act, the Ministry of Natural Resources, on Monday approved the Local Content Annual Plans of five major oil companies operating in Guyana. These plans were approved for the reporting year, 2023.

At the simple ceremony, held in the ministry’s boardroom, Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Vickram Bharrat M.P. was joined by key representatives of the signing companies — President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Mr. Alistair Routledge; Area Director for Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad of TechnipFMC, Mr. Nicolas Siccard; Country Lead of Halliburton Guyana, Mr. Vahman Jurai; Country Manager of Bakers Hughes Guyana Mr. Jon Charles Rhodes and the Country Manager of Saipem Guyana, Mr. Gianluigi Della Rosa. The team comprised, too, the Director of the Local Content Secretariat, Dr. Martin Pertab, and the ministry’s Legal Officer, Mr. Michael Munroe.

As stated in the Local Content Act, contractors, sub-contractors and licensees operating in Guyana’s petroleum sector must submit a Local Content Annual Plan, outlining in detail their procurement, employment and capacity development

plans for the reporting year. Minister Bharrat noted that these plans reaffirm the Government of Guyana’s goal of ensuring that companies invest heavily in the development of local content. With an enhanced value chain, the minister stated that Guyanese suppliers are given a fair opportunity to not only tap directly into the nation’s burgeoning petroleum sector, but to also build, strengthen and expand their business’ capacity and services.

He went on to say, “We are pleased to see the commitment of these companies to local content, and we look forward to working with them to ensure that the goals of the Local Content Act are achieved. This is a crucial step towards building a sustainable oil and gas industry that benefits all Guyanese.”

Meanwhile, Halliburton’s Country Lead commented that the company is proud of its commitment to local talent and vendor development in Guyana. He added, “Through the Secretariat’s guidance and our management team’s dedication, our expectation is to continue not just meeting, but exceeding, our local content and sustainable development targets.”

Technip’s TechnipFMC’s Area Director echoed similar sentiments. “Growing local content is not an obligation,

TheMinistry of Health-Mental Health Unit launched its mental health website, which now serves as a platform for Guyanese to access basic information about mental illness and other related ailments. The website will also provide those persons with private and secure mental health support.

During the launching ceremony at the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC), Quamina Street, Georgetown, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony stated that this is a project that President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is personally involved in, as he recognises the importance of mental health in the country.

suicide. That’s really the ideal to aspire for,” Dr Anthony noted.

The comprehensive Suicide Prevention Act 2022 is one of numerous legal changes in the health sector that will improve service delivery to reduce suicide, as part of the government’s nationwide commitment to address mental health. The act aims to offer countermeasures to the high rate of suicides.

Minister Anthony said the website now complements a section of the Act. “We will get people coming in and people interacting. As the calls come in and as we work on this, we will see how to change it to make sure that we’re constantly very responsive.”

only facilities that provided mental health services.

Dr Anthony noted that expert psychiatric services are now available in Regions Two, Three, Five, Six, and along the East Bank of Demerara. He added that the Mental Health Unit is training primary healthcare physicians on this methodology to provide counselling sessions relating to mental illnesses.

this is how we do things from a TechnipFMC standpoint. Since the commencement of our activities in Guyana in 2017, we have indeed endeavoured to gradually develop our local content: through developing a Guyanese workforce… through growing a pool of passionate local subcontractors, and through investing into TechnipFMC’s very own support asset in Guyana – our worldclass service base.

The combination of those three pillars enabled the complete repatriation of our activities in the country at the end of 2021, and has been the foundation on which we built our successes today.”

Importantly too, the five companies were also awarded their Certificates of Compliance from the Local Content Secretariat.

These certificates confirm that the respective companies have delivered on commitments and targets set out in their annual plans. Since the establishment of the local content legislation, this will be the first occasion on which these Certificates of Compliance have been issued. The secretariat is currently in the process of awarding certificates to other companies, as it makes good on its legislative commitment of ensuring that the spirit of local content in Guyana is upheld.

The government also acknowledged that one of the challenges that continue to plague the nation in relation to mental health is the number of persons committing suicide.

“We want to change that. We want to make sure that we are able to reduce those numbers and if we can get to a place where nobody in the country is going to commit

Survivors of suicide, people who are contemplating suicide, and people who have lost loved ones to suicide will all receive support as well as benefit from programmes aimed at preventing self-destruction.

In the past, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the National Psychiatric Hospital in Canje, Region Six were the

“The hope is that all of our primary healthcare centres would have people who are skilled in working with the persons who would have mental health vulnerabilities. So, this is a work in progress. We have trained a number of doctors but we still have a lot more people to train. This is something we will continue to do,” the health minister asserted.

It was developed by the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the President Youth Advisory Council (PYAC).

The website is now live and can be accessed at https://mentalhealth.gov.gy/

Corentyne youths to join President Ali’s agri-entrepreneurship programme

Several youths residing in Manchester and surrounding villages along the Corentyne Coast will soon benefit from President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme (AEIP), providing them with the opportunity to cultivate high-value crops.

The announcement was made by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, during his engagement with several residents of the community on May 20, 2023. “I will be back shortly because a young lady raised with

me that a number of young people want to get involved in agriculture, especially the high-value crops,” Minister Mustapha told the residents.

“You know that the president would have set up that company where young people are shareholders. We said that we will replicate that in various parts of the country. I will be back in that area to launch that programme with the young people in Manchester, Lancaster, and Liverpool areas,” the minister announced.

Since the President

Consultation for the revision...

sure the oil and gas industry supports an economy where small and medium-sized businesses can grow and benefit from the industry.

It also ensures that companies operating in the country hire a certain percentage of local workers and use a certain percentage of local goods and services.

However, since its passage, there have been numerous issues raised by business entities and the private sector. “We did say that when that bill was being promulgated, that it is the first legislation of its type in the Caribbean and that we will have to go back to the drawing board very quickly

launched the initiative in January 2020, a number of high-value crops including lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots were cultivated and harvested, raking in over $10 million. To further expand the programme this year, the government has set aside some $200 million in its 2023 budget. This will help to expand the production of high-value crops, where about 300 shade houses will be built as part of this project. In 2022 alone, some 120 shade houses were built to aid with production.

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to adjust it as we become acclimatise to this new and emerging sector,” Minister Nandlall pointed out. Already, the local content raked in some US $700 million in businesses, which essentially translated into many job opportunities and a significant spill-off effect in several other sectors.

National good must be the focus of legislators – Teixeira

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira has stressed the need for parliamentarians to cooperate in order to reach consensus on issues of national importance.

Minister Teixeira was at the time addressing several present and former Members of Parliament at a reception held at Parliament Buildings, Georgetown, on May 18, 2023, to celebrate the body’s 70th anniversary. “We want to get back to the days of this Parliament…that as parliamentarians, we could reach consensus on national issues. That is what we have to work

towards now.”

The Minister noted that over the years of Guyana’s development, the country’s parliamentary and constitutional reforms have been ranked among the most progressive in the region. However, she said Guyanese are often guilty of looking at the circumstances of their own country with ‘jaundiced eyes’, taking for granted the many opportunities and benefits that exist and allowing political turmoil to ‘muddy’ their perception of the country. “I believe, as we leave the 70 years and look back at the history of this country, and look back at the leaders

that we have come from and the leaders whose shoulders we stand on now…we are indeed a very special country, a very unique country. A country that produces charismatic and visionary leaders of the past, who have produced young, revolutionary, visionary, radical, progressive leaders in between, and who now have young leaders in government…that are leading this country forward,” Minister Teixeira said.

She emphasised the role of women in building Guyana, referencing historic women like the late Janet Jagan, who became the first female deputy speaker in the

world when she was appointed to the position.

Minister Teixeira also noted that Mrs. Jagan and others like Jane Phillips-Gay and Jessie Burnham paved the way for women in Guyana to make a difference and have the impact that they do now. “We haven’t done badly and the fact that 36 per cent of the members of

our parliament are female, and we rank in the first 25 in the IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union) for women in parliament…we must be happy with that. And it may not have come about unless we as parliamentarians agreed that we needed to have women in parliament and brought in electoral laws that required parties in order

to contest, that they must have 1/3 women on their list of candidates,” the minister said.

She maintained that once the Parliament continues to uphold constitutional democracy, as well as defend, protect, and promote human rights in Guyana, then Guyanese can develop and achieve the ‘golden era’.

“As parliamentarians, we could reach consensus on national issues. That is what we have to work towards now.” – Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira

PM calls for international climate financing commitments to be fulfilled

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), the Honourable Mark Phillips on May 18, 2023 called for international commitments on climate financing to be fulfilled to address disaster risk reduction and resilience building.

The Senior Government Official made the call during a High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Midterm Review of the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (HLM) in New York.

Prime Minister Phillips emphasised that the meeting

is taking place at a critical time for Latin America and the Caribbean, noting that it is the second most disaster-prone region in the world.

Climate change, he noted, is exacerbating the impacts of natural hazards, with rising sea levels and more frequent and intense weather events. To this end, he called for international financing commitments to be fulfilled, including the US$100b promised to developing countries to address the impacts of climate change.

The Prime Minister re -

iterated the importance of increased international cooperation and support to reduce vulnerability to disasters. This includes going beyond GDP in determining access to concessional financing, which is critical for overall development, including resilience building.

He underscored Guyana’s call for the early completion of the United Nations Multidimensional Vulnerability Index and the speedy establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, which will be critical for objectively determining vulnerability and resilience and

the provision of resources to those most vulnerable and impacted by the effects of climate change.

In highlighting efforts being made to implement the Sendai Framework, the Prime Minister spoke about Guyana’s policies to build resilience against disaster risk that forms part of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030.

He also highlighted the importance of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to further enhance advanced disaster risk management and resilience across the

region.

In attendance at the High-Level Meeting are several CARICOM Ministers, who met in a CARICOM breakfast strategic meeting to discuss among other things, the region’s main

positions and messages. The meeting was coordinated by the Permanent Mission of Barbados in collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

Eight of these recommendations were highlighted as priority, and so far, two of these have been fully implemented, through provisions contained in the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2022. More than three years

after the elections, the union deployed an election follow-up mission to assess the progress of the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the final report.

The mission hosted a press conference at the Pegasus Hotel on Wednesday

(May 24, 2023), which comprised Chief of Mission and Member of the European Parliament, Javier Nart, and his team.

Noting that the tabling of the Data Protection Bill of 2023 marks a commendable step towards adopting data

protection, Matus said several other recommendations have seen implementation.

“There are two priority recommendations that have been implemented in full. One deals with clear tabulation; written procedures are implemented. That has been taken care of by one of the provisions in the Representation of the People Amendment Act. There are now clear written procedures on how to tabulate the results of the elections from step one to the final announcement,” he said.

The Act also requires that the Statements of Poll (SoPs), among other certified forms be distributed to

the Chief Election Officer, and the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) while imposing on the returning officer, the responsibility of posting an electronic copy of the SoP on the commission’s website to be publicly viewed. This directly addresses the second priority recommendation, which called for increased transparency in the results process.

Additionally, the National Registration (Amendment) Act provides for continuous registration to be done by the GECOM, addressing a recommendation to increase the continuous voter registration aspect. It

also attaches stricter penalties for breaches in its provisions and provides for additional offenses related to identification cards.

The mission has met a wide range of Guyanese electoral stakeholders, including members of the government, and GECOM, and has facilitated a roundtable discussion with stakeholders on the current status of electoral reform.

The mission will publish a final report, which will offer a detailed analysis of the existing arrangements for elections in Guyana, as well as of the extent to which the EU mission recommendations have been addressed.

MOH emergency response to fire victims and their families

The Ministry of Health (MOH) became aware at about midnight Sunday, May 21 into Monday, May 22 morning that a catastrophic event was taking place in Mahdia (Pataro-Siparuni), Region Eight with a fire that had engulfed the whole Female Dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary School.

The Health Emergency Protocols were activated immediately. A team of doctors and other public health officials from both Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), headed by a Burns Specialist and Plastic Surgeon, Dr Shilindra Rajkumar, together with necessary medical supplies were assembled and departed the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at about 1.45 am, May 22. Earlier departure was impeded by inclement weather resulting in the team arriving at 2:50 am.

By that time, the local health team, led by Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Johnaton Dudhnath at the Mahdia District Hospital had already been responding to the crisis and had already prepared three patients for a medivac to the GPHC, with one person’s condition listed as critical. They arrived at Ogle and were immediately transferred to GPHC at around 4.15 am. Subsequently, two other medivacs brought in six additional patients. By the afternoon of Monday, May 22 five of those patients were stabilised and admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Another underwent surgery and was admitted into the Burns Care Unit (BCU) and three others were admitted into the Pediatric High Dependency Unit (PHDU).

On Tuesday, May 23, 10 more patients were medivac to the GPHC. Their condition was listed as stable. Only three of these ten children were still patients at the Mahdia District Hospital at the time of Medivac. The other seven were housed at the hospital because it was the most convenient accommodation at the time.

The MOH, out of an abundance of caution, decided

to medivac the ten children for further general, medical and psychiatric examination at GPHC. Upon arrival in Georgetown, during the afternoon of Tuesday, May 23rd, the three children who were hospitalised at Mahdia Hospital were assessed and admitted into the PHDU, while the other seven were admitted for further observation and subsequently discharged into the care of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Human and Social Services and Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

UPDATE AS OF THURSDAY, MAY 25 AT 10:00 AM

Currently, there is no child from the dorm still admitted to the Mahdia District Hospital. Twelve girls, however, remained patients at the GPHC. There are three (out of twelve children) admitted to the ICU at GPHC, and nine in the PHDU. While two are still critical in the ICU, the others are listed as stable. Their conditions are improving and discharges for some are possible in the shortest possible time.

In addition, after arriving in Mahdia, the President requested that 11 children who had gone home without seeing a doctor be medically assessed. These children arrived in Georgetown at about 3.00 pm on Wednesday, May 24th. They are presently being assessed by the special team in the ER of GPHC assigned to see all the children from Mahdia.

Presently, there is an enhanced medical team present in Mahdia. The Ministry’s Director of Primary and Family Health Care, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton is on the ground coordinating the medical response in Mahdia and the Region 8 villages affected. She is being supported in the coordination by Mr Michael Gouveia, the Hinterland Health Coordinator from the Regional Health Services Department of the MOH. Dr Veronica Griffith, the Deputy Director of Regional Health Services is coordinating interventions from the Ministry of Health while Dr Vishwa Mahadeo, the Director General, is providing overall oversight

of the medical response in Mahdia and the Region. Dr Mahadeo is ensuring that the enhanced medical team present since the early morning of May 22nd remain in place at Mahdia for follow-up in the next three months. At the end of the three months, a review will be conducted to ensure an enhanced capacity continues in Mahdia.

The GPHC Emergency Team and Specialist Departments, including the Emergency Room (ER), the ICU, the BCU, the PHDU, etc. are fully on alert, emergency and heightened mode. All the senior administrative and medical management teams, including Mr Robbie Rambarran, the Chief Executive Officer (ag), Dr David Samaroo, the Director of Medical and Professional Services (ag), Nr Leslyn Holder, Director of Nursing, Dr Zulfikar Bux, Director of Emergency Medical Services, and Dr Shilindra Rajkumar, Head of the Burns and Plastic Surgery Department, were fully mobilised and has been on the ground at GPHC on 24-hours alert.

The GPHC teams have assessed and treated twenty -nine (29) children and are presently still caring for nine (9) admitted children. Of the nine (9) hospitalised, two remain patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The GPHC Teams will continue on the alert and emergency mode as long as the medical emergency persists. The GPHC is on standby for further inputs from its medical staff should the need arise for the team to be dispatched to Mahdia.

Of the twenty (20) discharged patients, there are currently in private accommodation in Georgetown while in Mahdia there are medical teams that are on call to visit.

From early Monday morning (May 22), mental health teams were assembled. Dr Triston Griffith, a Psychiatrist at the GPHC, headed the teams working with children, parents and others who arrived in Georgetown. Dr Hamilton coordinated the teams that were sent out to Mahdia to work. The dedicated teams have been working at GPHC

with children and parents and at the facilities (hotels) where parents and children have been housed. Four teams have been active in Mahdia and Region 8 communities, working with children, families, teachers, and other staff.

MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE

Under the coordination of the Director of Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Lachmie Lall, mental health teams were dispatched to Mahdia comprising one child psychiatrist, one child psychologist, three adult psychiatrists, two general psychologists, six social workers, mental health assistants, and two mental health trained family physicians. This team from day one prioritized all children that were in the dorms at the time of the fire, including parents, guardians and teachers. They were all evaluated and offered psychosocial support. On day two, the fourteen children who were hospitalized in Madhia and their parents were evaluated, including the parents of the children who died in the fire. Auxiliary staff in direct contact with the fire, and first responders, which were inclusive of teachers, police officers and other support staff were also assessed and given psychosocial support. Students who were not hospitalized but were in direct contact with the incident and students that were not in direct contact with the incident but were affected were also assessed and provided psychosocial support.

Thus far, in Mahdia and Region 8 villages, the Ministry’s Mental Health Teams have worked with 260 persons, including 126 children. The teams will continue to work in Mahdia and Region 8 villages continuously over the next three months. We will review the response at the end of three months and maintain a strong mental health team in the region permanently.

All the parents and children are under continuous support from the Mental Health Team including the psychiatrist, psychologist, counsellors and social workers.

PATHOLOGY UPDATE

A pathology team led by Dr Nehaul Singh was part of the initial medical team that flew into Mahdia. The pathology team completed six post-mortems in Mahdia. Thirteen bodies which could not be positively identified were transported to Georgetown and stored at a private mortuary. The police services arranged for an RSS specialist pathologist to come into the country to assist with DNA identification. The Pathologist from Barbados arrived in the country by noon on Tuesday, May 23. He completed the post-mortem on the remaining bodies and DNA samples were collected.

The DNA samples were transported through a charter aircraft jointly organised by Mount Sinai and Hess Corporation. The samples arrived before midnight on Wednesday, May 24. We expect rapid results for identification purposes between 48 and 72 hours.

We are grateful for the significant support the Government of Guyana (GoG) and the Ministry of Health have received from international partners. Already on Monday, the MOH received medications for critically-ill patients from Mount Sinai. Both Mount Sinai and

PAHO/WHO provided kits for burn patients. We received some of these kits today and more will be arriving tomorrow. Also, the world-famous Cornell Burns Department has been consulting with the Ministry of Health and the GPHC and is providing both guidance and supplies.

We are grateful for the support the Ministry of Health has received from the GDF, and the Police Force in their coordinating role to obtain the support of the RSS. Through this collaboration, the Ministry of Health obtained the services of a forensic specialist pathologist from Barbados who completed the sampling from the deceased for DNA analyses.

The Ministry’s Emergency Protocol has been effectively mobilized under the leadership of Minister Frank Anthony who has been working feverishly with the international communities to ensure the medical response is of the highest international standard.

The Ministry of Health is grateful to the many health care providers at different levels that have ensured that the highest quality health care has been and will be delivered to all the affected children and their families.

Ministry of Health

Comprehensive response in face of ‘national tragedy’

The fire that claimed the lives of 18 females and a five-year-old boy in the township of Mahdia, on Sunday (May 21, 2023) night, was maliciously set, the Guyana Fire Service confirmed during an update on May 22, 2023.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer (ag), Dwayne Scotland revealed that the fire was lit in the south-western end of the building, which rapidly consumed the building killing 19 children residing in the dormitory. “After we would have completed our initial investigation, the same was handed over to the police force,” Scotland revealed.

He said the Mahdia Fire Station received a call about the fire at 23:15 hours on Sunday; it took the firefighters four minutes to arrive at the scene; however, the building was completely engulfed in flames. “Immediately, firefighting and rescue operation initiated. These operations would have rescued not less than 20 students. The operation continued for approximately three and a half hours after which, the fire was brought under control and subsequently extinguished,” he noted.

The Guyana Fire Service has also confirmed that the building had 26 windows and five doors and explained that the escape of the 56 students was curtailed because the windows were heavily

this investigation swiftly,” the commissioner expressed.

The Government of Guyana has already sought the needed support from regional and international partners and is optimistic that by the end of the day, that support will be received to bring closure to the families. Already, the collected samples will be sent to the prestigious Mount Sinai laboratory in New York for analysis and the matching results are anticipated to be available by Friday, May 26, 2023. Additionally, Barbadian Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul arrived in Guyana early Tuesday (May 23, 2023) to assist in the process. Also, the Government of Cuba has offered to provide Guyana with any further surgical help needed for the survivors. That assistance includes flying any of them to Cuba, if needed.

TASK FORCES

Further, Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Omar Khan, who is also heading the Technical Task Force to coordinate the national response, explained that at about 23:15 hours, they received a call for a medevac operation. Subsequently, a national mobilisation effort was organised involving assets from the Ministry of Health, the joint services, as well as the private sector. These include five aircraft, six ambulances, and over 80 emergency, medical, and security personnel.

“As you know, last night was bad weather and because of this, we had some concerns about flying into this area; however, despite this, our pilots were determined to execute this medical evacuation operations,” Brigadier Khan stated. This resulted in the successful extraction of nine of the female students who received injuries. The Chief of Staff also expressed his heartfelt sympathy on behalf of the defence force to all those who lost their loved ones and to the ones who survived the incident.

to help them traverse this difficult moment. Guyanese are assured that the Government continues to hold dialogue with survivors and the bereaved families to provide dedicated support wherever needed. We are sparing no effort to provide the required assistance to help our country navigate these difficult and testing times for all of us as Guyanese. A multi-prong plan that involves several Government ministries, agencies and departments has been activated to adequately cover the initial wave of assistance… the Government will continue to spearhead assistance and is committed to expending all resources necessary to prioritise the

is a pain we must carry as a nation and as a family. It is a pain we must share together and support in our prayers,” he said.

According to the President, in his interaction with the family members, their im-

consisting of psychiatrists, counselors, and social workers have been assembled to offer counselling services to the students, their families, teachers, and members of their respective communities.

The Ministry of Education is working on the reprogramming of all educational requirements, which includes the CXC examination, which some of the students at the dorm were taking at this

18. Sherana Daniels

19. Tracil Thomas

Of the 56 students at the dorm, while 18 girls died, a total of 38 were rescued. As of Thursday (May 25, 2023), the Ministry of Health said, “There is no child from the dorm still admitted to the Mahdia District Hospital. Twelve girls, however, remained patients at the GPHC. There are three (out of twelve children) admitted to the ICU at GPHC, and nine in the PHDU. While two are still critical in the ICU, the others are listed as stable. Their conditions are improving and discharges for some are possible in the shortest possible time. In addition, after arriving in Mahdia, the President requested that 11 children who had gone home without seeing a doctor be medically assessed. These children arrived in Georgetown at about 3.00 pm on Wednesday, May 24th. They are presently being assessed by the special team in the ER of GPHC

grilled and the five doors were locked with keys.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken has assured that the force’s investigation will be concluded swiftly and will bemade public as soon as the investigation is completed. Hicken further stated that DNA testing will be conducted expeditiously to identify 13 bodies that were charred, while post-mortem has been completed on six of the bodies. “I want to reiterate on behalf of the force, my condolences going out to the families, we will conclude

Prime Minister, Brigadier (rtd) Mark Phillips, has also been tasked with heading up the Cabinet Task Force to provide support. In a statement he said, “The Government of Guyana is fully committed to ensuring all of the needs are met for the victims and relatives affected by the fire that destroyed the girls dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary School and claimed the lives of 19 children. We are truly saddened by the tragic loss of life encountered by the fire. Our Government’s deepest sympathies go out to the families who lost loved ones in the inferno. May the relatives find the peace that they seek

full recovery of the students currently hospitalised and to ensure that relatives receive the help they require to cope with the loss of lives. The Government is providing assistance with counselling for relatives of the 19 persons who died, and the wider student population and faculty of the Mahdia Secondary School. We have also started the process of evacuating residents from the hinterland so that they can be with their loved ones who are receiving treatment in Georgetown. Additionally, food, clothing and other supplies are being provided to the community through the Civil Defence Commission, the lead agency tasked with spearheading the direct provision of critical supplies.”

NATIONAL MOURNING

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has announced an official three days of mourning for those who lost their lives, which commenced at 16:00hours on Monday (May 22, 2023) and the national flag must be flown at halfstaff at all public buildings in honour of the children who lost their lives.

President Ali described Sunday (May 21, 2023) as one of the “saddest days” in his life as president and said that Guyana is in pain.

“There are no words that can describe this magnitude of pain that our brothers and sisters are going through today…We wish this day had never occurred… This

mediate goal is to have peace by seeing their loved ones.

The President disclosed that the Government has mobilised full counselling services for the children, their families and community members. He said, “I’m committing, as I have done to the family members already, our full unconditional, unhindered support for the families and these children; whether it be medical, social, counselling, financial, transportation, accommodation- whatever the form of support required, the state will provide that support to the families, to the children.”

NEXT STEPS

The Head of State has assigned a government minister to each of the families affected by the horrific Mahdia Secondary School Female dormitory fire as the government looks to provide comprehensive support in their time of need. The Cabinet members are tasked with directly engaging the families who lost their children or have their children receiving treatment.

Currently, four teams are operating daily from Mahdia, and these teams are expected to continue their support for the next three months.

Further, President Ali said, “We have offered to bring all the remaining girls to Georgetown even those who were discharged so that we can have a second review and make sure everything is okay,” he explained.

A comprehensive team

time.

In terms of action, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) is expected to review the file on the investigations into the devastating fire and provide advice.

AFFECTED

A total of 59 girls were staying in the dorms, but only 56 were in the rooms when the fire started, since three went home for the weekend.

Thirteen of the girls and a little boy died at the dorms, while five died at the Mahdia Hospital –totalling 19. The victims have been identified as follows:

1. Adonijah Jerome (Male, 5)

2. Andrea Roberts (13 – Micobe Village)

3. Ariana Edwards (13 – Micobe Village)

4. Belnisa Evans (13 – Karisparu Village)

5. Bibi Rita Jeffrey (13)

6. Cleoma Simon

7. Delicia Edwards (15 – Micobe Village)

8. Eulanda Carter

9. Lisa Roberts

10. Loreen Evans (14 – Karisparu Village)

11. Lorita Williams

12. Martha Dandrade (15 –Chenapau)

13. Mary Dandrade (15 –Chenapau)

14. Natalie Bellarmine

15. Nickleen Robinson

16. Omefia Edwin

17. Sabrina John (16 – Karisparu Village)

assigned to see all the children from Mahdia. Presently, there is an enhanced medical team present in Mahdia.”The students hailed from the communities of Mahdia, Campbelltown, Micobie, El Paso and several other villages in the North Pakaraimas in Region Eight.

FUNERALS

The first funeral, that of Sabrina John, was held on Wednesday (May 24, 2023). She was laid to rest in her home village of Karisparu, Region Eight.

OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT

Since Sunday (May 21, 2023), there has been an outpouring of support across the country, as well as regionally and internationally.

A flower laying ceremony was held the Mahdia hostel on Wednesday (May 24, 2023). The ceremony, Dr Ali said, will be attended by diplomats stationed in Guyana, as well as other officials.

Further, vigils were held across the country and schools, from nursery to tertiary levels, participated in memorial activities.

Guyana’s Independence celebration, which took place on Thursday (May 25, 2025), was converted into a night of prayer and remembrance for the children who perished in the fire.

POSITIONS FROM FREEDOM HOUSE

Reflect on the valiant efforts of those who made untold sacrifices for Guyana’s freedom

[A MESSAGE FROM THE PPP ON THE OCCASION OF GUYANA’S 57th INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY]

ThePeople’s Progressive Party (PPP) extends greetings to all Guyanese, both here and in the Diaspora on the occasion of Guyana’s 57th independence anniversary.

The 57 years since the Golden Arrowhead was first hoisted in May 1966, was not without its challenges. Our nation and its people were tested at various points, but on every occasion, despite the severity of what confronted us, our resilience and indomitable will to rise to those challenges and forge ahead, prevailed.

Once again, we are challenged as a people to be brave in the face of tragedy following the death of 19 innocent souls in the devastating fire at Mahdia. We join all of Guyana and the rest of the world in mourning this tragic loss and express our condolences to the affected families. We also pray for a speedy recovery for all those who remain hospitalised and pledge our full support at ensuring no ef-

WPO marks 70th anniversary

fort is spared towards this end. As our nation struggles to come to grips with the enormity of the moment, it is especially important that as Guyanese we uplift each other, and offer hope and support.

In observing another milestone in our independence, our Party urges reflection on the valiant efforts of those who made untold sacrifices during the struggles for self-rule. Those sacrifices must continue to be valued and remain a source to imbue us all with pride and patriotism.

We must also remain cognizant of our nation’s vast potential which, through prudent management, can create the brighter future we all desire.

Let us continue to remain hopeful so that our challenges can be overcome. Happy Independence to all Guyanese!

People’s Progressive Party

Seventy years ago, on the 27th May, 1953 the Women’s Progressive Organization (WPO) was formed, catering to the socio-economic and political needs of women while Guyana was still under colonial rule. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was successful in its struggle for Universal Adult Suffrage, where Guyanese were allowed to vote for the government of their choice on the 27th April, 1953 withstanding their educational or economic status.

According to veteran Trade Unionist and one of the four founding members of the PPP, Ashton Chase in his publication, entitled “133 Days towards Freedom in Guyana, he said, “This day will remain evergreen in the memory of many of us. On this day, several thousands of Guianese quietly, but resolutely, struck a fierce blow at the forces of imperialism. In a clear and decisive manner, the people expressed confidence in the People’s Progressive Party. They elected us, because of the militant stand which our Party has taken on matters affecting the working class. Our Party was strong and its unity unshakeable. We had brought together for the first time politically, the two major racial groups in this country, the people of Indian and African origin. Above all, we presented a dynamic programme.”

Another important factor is that in August 1944, Mrs. Janet Jagan had taken up issues of women in a letter to the Daily Argosy in which she called on women to come forward and participate in the affairs of the country, which led to the formation of the Women’s Political and Economic

Organisation in 1946, the precursor of WPO.

It was no surprise that three women were elected to the Legislative Council in 1953 when the PPP won 18 out of 24 seats. Even more significant was that one of the three women, Mrs. Janet Jagan, was elected Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Council, the first women in the world to hold such a position at that time.

One month after that decisive electoral victory in 1953, the WPO was formed on the 27th May by Jessica Huntley, Jane Philips Gay, Janet Jagan and Ms. Auckland. Its mission statement was “The WPO stands for a better educated woman who can bring up her children in surroundings of security; it stands for the raising of our living standards and it stands for peace and friendship among the peoples of the world and for the ultimate liberation of our women from colonialism and poverty.”

The journey of the WPO has been fraught with many challenges, in which our leaders had to endure imprisonment, their civil liberties taken away, they faced persecution and harassment but that did not deter them from the mission they undertook.

70 years ago, three women were elected to the Legislative Council and 70 years later, 38% women are members of the National Assembly of Guyana. We have come a far way and we remain hopeful that the commitment taken in the Sustainable Development Goal #7 will be attained by 2030 where 50/50 will become a reality.

In this regard, WPO wishes to acknowledge our leaders, both present and

past from the two major parties, who have recognized the necessity of involving women as partners in the development trajectory of our country. Moreso, the 2001 revised constitution, included one third women on the list of candidates of any party contesting elections in Guyana.

We wish to thank our past and present leaders and membership of the WPO for their sterling contributions and volunteerism in undertaking tasks without expecting rewards.

As we observe the 70th anniversary of WPO, we do so against a backdrop of Guyana having once been described as one of the most highly indebted and poorest country in the region, now at the cusp of unprecedented growth and development with the finding of oil and gas.

The hopes and aspiration of our young and dynamic nationalist leaders in the past were not in vain. Our nation will rise even higher, where all Guyanese will be able to say with pride that we are “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”

The “One Guyana” vision as coined by our President, His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfan Ali, will become a reality and as Guyanese, we must all work harder to make this a reality. There is enough space to accommodate the tapestry of colours.

Let us accelerate the journey of peace, progress and prosperity for all the people of our beautiful motherland. May WPO continue to grow and provide leadership to the next generation of girls and women who aspires to reach the sky.

WPO expresses sadness following Mahdia tragedy

TheWomen’s Progressive Organisation expresses its profound sadness at the loss of nineteen lives in the fire that engulfed Mahdia Secondary School on Sunday night May 21, 2023 and left many hurt and traumatized.

The WPO further expresses sincere condolences to the people of Mahdia and the families of the children who are mourning the loss of their loved ones.

The massive fire at Mahdia is one of the most traumatic experiences that immersed every Guyanese here and overseas in sorrow, especially the immediate families who

are grieving for their loved ones. We join in praying for the speedy recovery of those who are traumatized and hospitalized.

We would like to commend the Guyana Fire Service, the staff of the hospital, teachers, caregivers, and all involved, for the assistance rendered that resulted in saving the lives of so many others.

We would like to thank the government for its timely intervention and for providing support and guidance to our people and country at a time when we are plunged in grief for the loss of our loved ones. (May 23, 2023)

PNCR-led Coalition bypassing

ERC for fear that investigation will expose racist rhetoric

The PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition’s efforts to push an agenda of division among Guyanese people along racial lines has been exposed, according to Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo.

He pointed to the Coalition’s recent moves to externalise its agenda of division, by appearing at events abroad, and bypassing Guyana’s Ethic Relations Commission (ERC), whose Commissioners are appointed based on a bipartisan parliamentary process and which has wide powers, including that of sanction over the Executive.

Jagdeo said, “They know they can't push the discrimination line in Guyana much because people see them for what they are and it's not getting the traction or the waistline here. So, they go abroad.”

COALITION AVOIDING FACT-BASED APPROACH

At a recent news conference, he added that, “They would love to bypass the constitutional body and go abroad, although this is a bipartisan constitutional body that was designed in that manner to investigate acts of discrimination but they know if the investigation were to take place, their allegations would be disproved and therefore, they would have no grounds on which to make these allegations internationally. So, that's why they go abroad to excite attention there, bypassing this body.”

Notably, the ERC has acted in this way before. On April 11, 2007 the Ethnic Relations Commission formally initiated research to determine the equity with which academic scholarships had been awarded. The 188-page report, completed in July 2007, a copy of which was tabled in the National Assembly, found that "the perceptions of inequality" was unfounded when the facts of awards between 1997 and 2003 were examined. The report also found that "it was clear that there was no bias in favour of geographic location."

In contrast, within a year of taking office, the former APNU+AFC Coalition government spent millions of tax dollars on scholarships for former Ministers Nicolette Henry and Annette Ferguson. Henry was doing her PHD in Public Health at a cost of $3.39M, while Ferguson is benefited from a $3.38M scholarship in the area of Public Policy Management. Henry was studying in the United States of America, while Ferguson was studying in the United Kingdom. Also benefiting from scholarships

were the children of former Government Members of Parliament: Alicia Roopnarine – first year Psychology in the United Kingdom – at a cost of $2.57M; and Stephen Rutherford – first year Petroleum and Gas in the United States – at a cost of $5.88M. Further, Tabitha Saraboo Halley, was also on a scholarship – second year Public Policy Management in the United Kingdom – at a cost of $3.43M. These persons are included on a list of “fully funded sponsored students on overseas scholarships presently” and the details were only released after pressure from the PPP/C.

TRANSPARENT ATTEMPTS TO EXTERNALISE DIVISIVE AGENDA

In recent months, the Coalition and elements aligned to it have written to the Vice President of the United States of America (USA), Kamala Harris, on allegations of discrimination against Afro-Guyanese. Jagdeo said, “You remember the letter they wrote Vice President Harris, but they will never go to the ERC, the constitutional body.”

Also, in April 2023, the Coalition’s Amanza Walton-Desir appeared at a New York forum organised by the USA-based group, National Action Network (NAN), which comprises of international leaders representing Africans globally. The APNU+AFC Coalition’s Amanza Walton-Desir appeared to speak at that event. At that forum, Walton-Desir said, “I am here to strip back the carefully curated veneer of economic success. To say, that this is not happening. Contrary to what you read, contrary to what you hear, this is not happening. Guyanese are not experiencing a good life. Predominantly, the Afro-Guyanese population has been made to suffer the brunt of what is emerging to be a totalitarian regime….we’ve had a security woman who was on duty being spat upon and called a monkey. And so when you sit and you listen, you realise that the commonality of our condition requires that we come together in this struggle….we have a shared tragedy called slavery. We’ve gone through 400 years of shared trauma and I firmly believe, as a people, we can share triumph.” In response, Jagdeo had said, “I saw some Amanza Walton speaking at some someplace the US National Action Network and saying that the PPP is totalitarian. This comes from a person and a party that actively sought to steal the last elections. I remember Amanza Walton, who left her cushy job at the Civil Aviation Authority, didn't go to work there because she was at the Con-

vention Centre in the recount, trying to thwart the recount, trying to mislead people. She was there a person who tried to steal an election from a party that is known for stealing elections and was true to form in the last one, again tried to steal the last one, telling the people in the US that we are a totalitarian government and including the US that helped to expose the machination here and also help threaten sanctions against the APNU and some of them were sanction because they were trying to steal elections. Imagine that. But you know what? She will say this to a group of people who don't know of the APNU's history and do not know about their attempts, their historical proclivity towards stealing elections, you can't change that. So that is she takes that message there, because she can tell a sane Guyanese that in Guyana and not have them laugh at her. The next thing she says oh the government is racist because of an incident with a female officer and that a private attorney spat on a female police officer. But the government of Guyana is racist because of that. Now that that has to take its full course in the courts and everywhere else.” Communications have also been sent to the United Nations (UN) on similar claims. Jagdeo expressed hope that the United Nations organisations do not aid in undermining the authority of the constitutional body.

ACTION NEEDED

The Vice President and PPP General Secretary urged Guyanese, at home and abroad, to be wary of the PNCR-led Coalition’s actions. Referring to a recent meeting with the ERC, which has been engaging stakeholders in the political arena over the past few weeks, Jagdeo said, “We talk a lot about their mandate and I said to them they would have the full support of the People's Progressive Party in the discharge of their mandate. I urge them to be firm on anyone, on anyone who try to divide our people. I reminded them of the enormous powers that they have and that they must not be timid in exercising those powers, both investigatory powers and powers of sanction.”

The PPP General Secretary stressed that the PNCRled Coalition cannot speak about institutionalised racism because the track record of successive PPP/C Administration and its efforts to work for and deliver to all Guyanese is clear. However, he has reasoned that the PNCR-led cabal will persist with their untruths, but made clear that the PPP/C will not allow these to go unchallenged.