Weekend Mirror 23-24 June 2018

Massive effort to gerrymander boundaries ahead of 2018 LGE exposed 23-24 June, 2018 / Vol. 10 No. 27 / Price: $100

Internet: http: //www.mirrornewsgy.com / e-mail: weekendmirror@gmail.com

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SEE INSIDE SARA did not legally exist until May 2014 PAGE 3

Turn GECOM procurement report over to the police Mass show of support at Enmore public meeting

- PPP/C GECOM Commisisoner PAGE 17

Gov’t cuts funding to MMA Venezuela says it will not participate at ICJ PAGE 25

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MIRROR 9-10 JUNE, 2018 2WEEKEND

Minister Bulkan’s brother APNU+AFC ‘sweetened nominated as Guyana’s pot’ for ExxonMobil candidate Human after the for factUN – Jagdeo Rights Committee G T

Jagdeo has repeatedly hearing convened by the overnment’s new line to defend the renegotiated said that Guyana was not Parliamentary Sectoral Comhe brother of Communifrom Tunisia, France, Committee examines the best served in the renegotimittee on Natural Resources.

ExxonMobil contract – by dates ties that Minister, Dr. ChrisGreece, by all ations, a clear failureJapan, on the reports At that submitted meeting, Trotman saying Guyana’s policy Slovenia, topher Arif Bulkan, Albania and Chile. and part of the Coalition Gov- States sought parties to explain theissues thinkto “sweeten the pot will with Uganda, ing behind the renegotiated favourable terms”Nahas ernment. now serve onfiscal the United T h e H u m a n R i g h t s recommendations to address contract signed Exxonworked in kick starting an Committee Two weeks the Options Human Rights Comis ago, a body of concerns in thewith reports of Mobil.

All of Guyana was industry – was questioned by position Leader noted that mittee for a term of four eighteen person who mon- the State party. that the Minister Opposition Leader, Bharrat itor responses from Minister Ra- hoping years from 2019 – 2022. implementation of the The Government has Jagdeo. phael Trotman to questions would explain some of the Dr. Bulkan, nominated International Covenant on said that Dr. Bulkan was Referring to the report raised during a meeting of very contentions clauses and by thethe Government and Political Sectoral Rights elected in managed his personal cahow they to find from DepartmentofofGuyPub- Civil the Parliamentary ana, will serve with candiits Stateonparties. themselves in the contract. lic Information (DPI) on by Committee NaturalThe Re- pacity.

May 29, 2018, he pointed out sources indicate that the I must say I was disappointthat ExxonMobil was already renegotiation of the Exxon- ed,” he had said.

Jagdeo stated that the operating in Guyana and had Mobil contract was not based already found oil, before the on national considerations or circumstances surrounding renegotiations took place. what is good for Guyana and the signing of a renegotiated contract with ExxonMobil “They sweetened the pot af- the Guyanese people.

“I think all of Guyana remain very murky based on terwards…the company was paid careful attention to the the Minister’s explanations. already here,” he said. mandatory non-disclosure agreement has the Company, use for myself or others, or been forced on all staffers of the Guyana disclose or divulge to others including future Oil Company (GuyOil). The move comes employees, any trade secrets, confidential as questionable practices at the state-owned information including personnel/personal company have come under the spotlight. employee data/information, or any other proThe non-disclosure document that em- prietary data of the Company in violation of ployees signed made it clear that information this agreement. about employment should not be leaked.

3. That upon the termination of my emhe Regional make itTHE more effective. should be; a more and BELOW IS AN Stakeholder EXTRACT FROM ployment from sures the Company: DOCUMENT (a) I shall return to the Company all docConsultation for the CaCARICOM Secretary effective CSME; the Free “FOR GOOD CONSIDERATION, uments and property of the Company, includribbean Single Market and General Ambassador Irwin Movement of Persons, Puband in consideration of being employed by ing but not necessarily limited to: drawings, Economy (CSME) opened LaRocque. Prime Minister lic Awareness, and Labour The Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL), the blueprints, reports, manuals, correspondence, in Guyana on Friday (June St Vincent the Grenand the Private Sector. undersigned employee hereby of agrees and and customer lists, computer programs, and all 8, 2018) at the Ramada Prinadines Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.

The first session will be acknowledges: other materials and all copies thereof relating in any way to the Company’s business, or in cess hotel and will see the Former Jamaican Prime Min- facilitated by Dr. Gonsalves 1.participation That during the course of my employ any way obtained by me during the course of of Prime Min- ister Mr. Bruce Golding. and Mr. Golding who will there may be disclosed to me certain trade employ. I further agree that I shall not retain ister of St Vincent and the The findings and recom- engage in a high-level sessecrets of the Company; said trade secrets copies, notes or abstracts of the foregoing.

Grenadines Dr.not Ralph Gon- limited mendations theThe Consion focused on making the consisting but necessarily to: from (b) Company may notify any future salves and former information: Jamaican sultation are intended to be employer CSME more effective. (a) Technical Methods, or prospective or third party of the processes, formulae, systems, by existence of this agreement, and be enPrime Minister Mr.compositions, Bruce considered the Council Following theshall high-level techniques, to full injunctive relief for anyofbreach.

Holding. inventions, machines, forcomputer Trade andtitled Economic session, a series panels programs and research projects. (c) This agreement shall be binding upon The two-dayinformation: consultationCustomer Development andpersonal will discuss whether and the (b) Business lists, (COTED) me and my representatives will bedata, hosted

by CARICOM also to inform the review in of interest, CSMEand as shall currently pricing sources of supply, financial data successors inureconfigto the Secretary-General Ambasthe CSME being undertaken ured sufficiently supports and marketing, production, or merchandising benefit of the Company, its successors and systems or plans. assigns.” sador Irwin LaRocque on by the CARICOM Confer- sustainable growth and the Government, norand GuyOil, has behalf of the lead Head of ence of Heads ofNeither Governdevelopment the free 2. I agree that I shall not during, or at any time responded to the strong criticisms from secGovernment for theof CSME), ment which continue in society movement of skills after the termination my employment with will tions from civil on this issue.and pera Stakeholders consultation a Special Session at its up- sons as an integrating meaon the CSME. It will see coming meeting next month. sure among other areas. the examination of CSME The consultation will The consultation is faciland its implementation as also, through a series of pan- itated with the assistance of currently configured and els, determine what CSME the Caribbean Development identify what is necessary to objectives and priority mea- Bank (CDB).

GuyOil forces employees to sign non-disclosure agreement A

Regional Stakeholders Consultation opens in Guyana

T

Gov’t using state machinery to continue attack on top-ranked candidate for post of DCEO

TNo prospects for major... he state-owned Guyana Chronicle continues to be used to discredit Vishnu conference, which sawcanthe Persaud, the top ranked participation of ainterviewed 16-member didate who was for the post ofincluding Deputy Chief delegation, four Elections Officer (DCEO). ministers and ‘honorific’ Last week, thethere three advisors.

Here too, has Commissioners - Robeson been no work of what investBenn, Gunraj and Bibi mentsSase proposals materialised Shaddick – walked from the two trips – ifout any.of a meeting In May after 2017, aGECOM 12-memChairman, Justice (rtd) ber Guyanese team, includJames Patterson, exercised ing Business Minister, Domhis casting vote to support the inic Gaskin, were on a Trade PNCR-nominated Commisand Investment Explanatory sioners’ of Persaud.

Missionrejection in Brazil, and were As a result of his incasting slated to participate several vote, the way has been paved rounds of discussions with

for the second-ranked candidate, Roxanne Meyers, to be offered the post of DCEO. investors As Myers in hasBoa no Vista. election with the first no, no outcome management experience.

She has been linked to statement detailed progress PNRC-nominated of the undertaking.Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, In the meantime, Guysince one pointcontinues she was to a ana’sateconomy student his. She has also performofpoorly. exposed herself as anofavid The performance masupporter ofaccording the APNU+AFC jor sectors to final Coalition government, 2017 figures, which given were her socialinmedia posts.

As revised February 2018, such, haveagriculture said that show critics that: the Myers’ ability to function sector only grew by 0.4% in(projected an impartial manner is in to grow by 5.2%); question. the sugar sector contracted the move to discredit

by In 25.2% (projected to grow

Persaud, the state-owned newspaper, (From which has pagebeen 17) likened the PNC paper – New by 13.7%); other crops Leadsector Nation

by Opposition only grew by 2.4% (projected er, Bharrat Jagdeo, quoted a source who that and Persaud to grow bysaid 4.4%); that informed theand Commission the mining quarrying that he contracted held a Masters in sector by 8.8% Election Management. (projected to grow by 0.7%).

However, the same arInitially,inGovernment ticle, headlinedthat ‘Vishnu obhad projected Guyana’s tained masters from economy would havetraining grown centre’ and on June by a 3.8 perpublished cent growth rate 15, 2018,This the projection same source for 2017. was was quoted admitting thatIt reduced to as3.1 per cent.

Persaud truthful to the was thenwas revised downwards Commission. again to 2.9 The per Chronicle cent. The quoted the source as saying: actual performance, 2.1 per (Turn to pagedisclosed.

3) cent, was recently

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

PPP URGES YOU TO GET REGISTERED NOW!

● The Registration Cycle (Claims and Objections) starts on Monday May 21st 2018 and ends on Sunday July 15th 2018.

Persons can make claim /register to get onto the list during this period. (New Registrant, Transfers, change to particulars and corrections to ID cards.

NB .ID cards can be uplifted during this period and also after the cycle closes.) ● The Objections part of the Registration Cycle (Claims and Objections) starts on Monday May 21st 2018 and ends on Thursday July 19th 2018.Persons can make claims against the inclusion of persons onto the list during this period. (Persons who have died or persons who are already on another list). ● Opening hours of the GECOM offices : ► Mondays –Thursdays 08:00 hours -17:00 hours ► Fridays-08:00 hours -16:00 hours. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays 10:00 hours -16:00 hours. Offices will be opened during the lunch hour Types of transactions that can be done during this period ● New Registrant (Category A, 18years and over).

Persons should be born on or before 31st October 2000. ● New Registrant (Category B, above 14years but below 18 years).

Persons should be born on or before 31st October 2004 but not before 31st October 2000.

Source documents required to be registered: Original Birth Certificate or valid Guyana passport ● Transfers: This is for persons who would have been registered at another address (another LIST), that is persons who have moved to a new address. A transfer is needed, so that they can now be included in the division/list where they are living.

Document required for a transfer: ID card ● Corrections to particulars on your ID Cards : This is for persons who already have their ID cards and now need to make correction to their particulars such as : ► wrong spelling of name, ► wrong date of birth, ► defaced pictures Documents required for Corrections to particulars on your ID Cards: Original Birth Certificate and ID card ● Change to particulars on your ID Cards: This is for : ► Married women who now want to have her husband name (Name change).

Document required for Name change: Marriage Certificate, Deed Poll etc. ● Replacement of lost ID Cards: This is for persons who have lost their ID cards Document required for Replacement of lost ID Cards: Fill out a Statutory Form from the GECOM office and have it sign by a Commissioner of Oath. ● Uplifting of ID Cards: This is for persons who have previously been registered.

GET ON THE LIST DON’T DELAY – GET REGISTERED NOW!

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

SARA did not legally exist until May 2018 T

he State Assets Recovery Act was only assented to

by President David Granger on May 4, 2018 – over one year after it was passed in the National Assembly by a government majority, despite objections voiced by the Parliamentary Opposition.

And, in a June 15, 2018 letter to SARA Director, Clive Thomas, signed by Opposition Chief Whip, queries have been raised about SARA’s operations prior to Granger’s move to assent to the SARA Act. The letter said, “Could you say how monies were allocated to the State Assets

Recovery Agency for the year 2018 Budget to acquire an office at Lot 56 Main and New Market Streets, SARA letterhead, staff, etc., prior to that date (May 4, 2018), when the agency did not legally exist?”

Notably, after the State Assets Recovery Act was passed in the National Assembly in April 2017, the Government returned to the House in July 2017 for additional funding for the Agency.

The request for the monies for SARA was made under the budget for the Ministry of Legal Affairs –

under the heading ‘subsidies and contributions to local organisations’. The sums requested include: $89.89M for managerial, technical, supervisory and clerical staffers, as well as for services; $13M for two vehicles; and $13.42M to furnish and equip a newly rented building to house SARA, inclusive of furniture, television, refrigerator, photocopier, computer server and water dispenser – a whopping $116.31M. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) made it clear that it was and remains opposed to SARA, as currently configured.

Silence from gov’t on concerns about trafficking of Haitians, Cubans

Date for 2018 Local Gov't Elections to be announced in two weeks T

T

he 2018 Local Government Elections (LGE) is expected sometime mid-November. Guyanese, according to Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, should know the date “in two weeks” time. “The actual date itself will be known in two weeks,” he said.

Some $2.9B has been allocated for the elections, with an additional $500,000

brought over from last year.

In the 2016 LGE, one year after the APNU+AFC Coalition took office, the difference of votes between it and the PPP/C was close to 30,000 – not counting the areas where there was no contest, meaning only the PPP/C fielded candidates.

Of 1,166 seats up for grabs, the PPP/C won 754 of those, while APNU+AFC won 375 and the remaining

seats went to independent candidates and groups that contested the elections - in other words the PPP/C won 65 per cent of the seats, while 32 per cent went to APNU+AFC. The PPP/C also won 48 of Local Authority Areas (LAAs) out of the 71 areas.

The APNU+AFC won 16 and the other seven areas are tied between the PPP/C and APNU+AFC.

Gov’t using state machinery...

“Well, to be honest, he did present to us a letter signed by an organisation that does training in elections affairs saying.”

Notably, Persaud was not only the top-ranked candidate for the post of DCEO, but he served as DCEO for several years too. He was appointed as DCEO at GECOM on August 12, 2014. In 2014, when Persaud was appointed, PNCR-nominated Commis-

sioner, Vincent Alexander, made no objection, when there was a vote on whether or not he should be appointed to the post.

Persaud was forced to re-apply for the job he held because his contract ended and could not be renewed, given that there was no functioning Commission. The Commission had dissolved after the resignation of former GECOM Chairman, Dr

(From page 2)

Steve Surujbally.

Before being appointed as DCEO in 2014, Persaud was at GECOM since 2001.

This is not the first time that the state-owned Guyana Chronicle was used to attack Persaud. Critics have said that this effort is a move to justify a bad decision – one that is not based on the principles of fairness and meritocracy, but, rather, is partisan and political.

he position of the Peo- no evidence that such a large evidenced in the state-owned ple’s Progressive Party/ number of Cubans are still in Guyana Chronicle, which Civic (PPP/C) is that it will Guyana. failed to even mention the continue to pursue the issue, For Haitians, the numbers concerns that were raised in stemming from details ex- show that, from 2015 to April his report on the Parliamentaposed in stary Committee tistics on for- According to the numbers, from 2015 to o n F o r e i g n eign nationals April 30, 2018, a total of 93,374 Cubans Affairs meetentering and arrived in Guyana, but only 76,663 were ing.The stateleaving Guyana from 2015 recorded to have left. This means that owned newsto April 30, there are 16,711 Cubans still in Guyana. paper, instead, 2018. There focused on the has still been no move by 30, 2018, a total of 6,245 number of Guyanese and Government to address the arrived in Guyana, but only Venezuelans with Guyanese alarming issue exposed by the 963 were recorded to have parentage who have returned statistics. left. This means that there are to Guyana. However, accordAfter the issue first came 5,282 Haitians still in Guyana. ing to the statistics provided up, Minister Felix, on May As is the case with the Cu- by Felix, from 2015 to April 23, 2018, wrote to the Clerk bans, there is no evidence that 30, 2018, a total of 7,732 of the National Assembly there are over 5,000 Haitians persons arrived in Guyana and provided from Venezustatistics of For Haitians, the numbers show that, ela and 7,430 several main from 2015 to April 30, 2018, a total of were recorded groups of forhave left – 6,245 arrived in Guyana, but only 963 to eign nationleaving only als, with the were recorded to have left. This means 302 in Guylargest arrival that there are 5,282 Haitians still in ana. and departure Guyana.

Notably, figures, for the while the Copast five years and the first living in Guyana. alition Government has requarter of 2018.

Last week, both Felix and mained silent on this issues, A breakdown of the in- Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl several top government offiformation showed alarming Greenidge, were summoned to cials are said to be involved information for two groups the Parliamentary Committee in the trafficking of Haitians – Cubans and Haitians. on Foreign Affairs to answer and Cubans – using GuyAccording to the num- questions on the alarming sta- ana as a transshipment point. bers, from 2015 to April 30, tistics. Less than satisfactory, Reports are that the persons 2018, a total of 93,374 Cu- according to the PPP/C mem- who are trafficked through bans arrived in Guyana, but bers on that Committee, were Guyana have to pay as much only 76,663 were recorded recorded during that meeting. as US$6,000 for Guyanese to have left. This means that Notably, Government’s documents, which are used there are 16,711 Cubans still silence on human trafficking as they are moved out of the in Guyana. However, there is concerns has been purposely country.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

EDITORIAL

Government’s willful approach to quiet mischief M

uch of the happenings over the past three years, since the APNU+AFC Coalition Government took office after the May 2015 General and Regional Elections, can only be termed a quiet approach to mischief.

And at the centre of this mischief making are the violations, consistently pursued, of Article 13 of Guyana’s Constitution.

The Constitution also states clearly that: “The principle objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their wellbeing.”

This addition, Article 13, came out of the 1999 constitutional reform exercise and underscores the recognition of the fact that the Guyanese people must be involved fully in decisions that affect their lives.

The Guyanese people were witness to an example of this quiet mischief only last week, when the Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, named two new Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region 9. The facts surrounding this issue are clear. There was no announcement or even talk from government of such a move being made in Region 9. There was no consultation with the residents in Region 9. Amerindians will be affected because their titled lands are included in these NDCs. Government violated not only the Article 13 of the Constitution, but also the provisions of the Amerindian Act, which makes it clear that Titles given to Amerindians for their lands are ‘absolute and forever’ documents.

The Minister of Communities has since moved to name another seven NDCs and another Municipality – Mahdia as a Town. The names of the NDCs and Mahdia as a town were not announced by the Government. They were discovered in Order 19 of 2018 in the Official Gazette. Up to press time, these new NDCs and Town – while named – were not made official, since there was no Order in the Official Gazette to make it official. Which begs the question why?

But that aside, here again, there was no consultation with the people who will be affected by these decisions. The Parliamentary Opposition has already argued and expressed concerns about moves to gerrymander the boundaries of Local Authority Areas (LAAs) – NDCs and Municipalities. But of course, the APNU+AFC Coalition government persists in its willful approach to mischief making.

Now we cannot speak about Orders being found in the Official Gazette (the only way some of the actions taken

by APNU+AFC Coalition Government are exposed) and not speak about the confusion that has become the Official Gazette. The confusion affects the Official Gazette’s ability to be maximally useful. While before the Official Gazette acted as an accompaniment to government actions; now it is difficult to reconcile what the APNU+AFC Coalition government is saying and what is doing. It is difficult to reconcile what it is saying and not saying.

All-together, Guyanese continue to see worrying trends from this government.

It is clear that our democracy cannot remain effectively functional if the institutions and mechanisms that support democracy are undermined – if the Coalition Government continues to act as if it is above the law.

Madeleine Albright, a former U.S. Secretary Of State and author of ‘Fascism: A Warning’, in April 2018, addressed the issue of governments undermining of the rule of law. She said: “If you pluck a chicken one feather at a time you can consolidate without people paying attention.”

The Guyanese people must remain vigilant, since the quiet mischief of the APNU+AFC government is essentially ‘plucking one feather off a chicken at a time’. And in the end our country may find itself in a position where the many hard-won gains, after years of struggle to build our democracy, could be lost.

Pensioners experience hardship to collect payments Dear Editor,

S

ome form of action needs to be taken by the Ministry of Social Protection to avoid the unbearable punishment that keeps recurring when old age pensioners have to collect their monies. The pensioners are made to endure several challenges when they turn up at the Suddie Post Office to collect their monies at the beginning of every month.

From as early as 06:00h on the first day, senior citizens can be seen conveying in front of the building, scattered sitting or standing by the roadside parapets or under trees waiting on the

doors to open. However, when the gate is opened, there are limited seating accommodations in the compound.

Most seriously affected in the ugly state of affairs are many Amerindians, including women, living in the backlands having to cover long distances walking out, possibly without a meal like many others as well to be attended to.

As recent as two Fridays ago, payments did not commence until shortly after 10:30h. With the long wait, some pensioners left out of frustration in a situation where there is not even drinking water.

On the same day as would usually

happen, all the pensioners could not have been paid because the money ran out; this causing further hardship and inconvenience to return the other day.

From my own experience, the next pay day, I went to collect my pension at 07:30h and saw dozens of pensioners already there waiting, but upon enquiring, I was told that payments will be made later in the day. Eventually, they started to pay at 10:45h.

The pensioners deserve better and should be paid promptly – the only way to end the problem once and for all.

Sincerely, Balram Persaud

Issue has to do with absence of fairness in process that led to hiring of GECOM DCEO Dear Editor,

W

ith respect to the controversial appointment of Roxanne Myers as Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), I’ve noticed that the defense has shifted its argument to one of academic superiority.

This position - like the earlier one about merit – cannot hold sway as both candidates received their degrees from institutions that are not top-rated. In fact, an online search revealed that the UN mandated University for Peace which Myers obtained her Masters Degree from is ranked 3756 by Ranking Web of Universities online (See http://www.

webometrics.info/en). The same site ranks the Anglia Ruskin University which Vishnu Persaud obtained his Masters at 1178.

This brings me back to the view of Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo who was quoted as saying that the issue at hand has more to do with the absence of fairness in the entire process – a position I agree with.

Mr. Persaud met all the advertised criteria. He has a post graduate degree, qualification in elections management, experience in the management of national elections and much more. He is therefore the more ‘superior’, ‘fit and proper’ candidate. In spite of this he was sidelined in favour of Myers whose so-

cial media adumbrated, partisan political views disqualify her from holding such a sensitive position.

Further what makes the process even more questionable is the fact that Myers’ chief defender, Commissioner Vincent Alexander, neglects to disclose their teacher-student relations at the University of Guyana.

Clearly this shows that there was no fairness involved in the process and that persons in spite of their experience and qualifications are being sidestepped in preference for handpicked supporters of the APNU+AFC. Regards, Attiya Baksh

Action must be taken to ensure confidence in the electoral process Dear Editor,

T

he Indian Action Committee (IAC), having followed the recent developments at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), calls for an immediate investigation primarily through a Commission of Inquiry (CoI).

The IAC is of the firm belief that given what has been made public regarding the issue and the uncertainty which continues to prevail over what is factual, the circumstances demand that level of intervention. Further, it becomes compelling given the national sensitivities involved and the impact it could have on the credibility of GECOM and the national election machinery.

In the interest of national harmony and confidence in the electoral process, the IAC urges Head of State David

Granger, to not delay the commissioning of an independent CoI into the employment practice at GECOM. The focus must be on the revelation of facts about whether the integrity of the process has been deliberately compromised to give an unfair advantage to those perceived to be in allegiance with the Government as alleged.

The CoI, through its findings, must also thoroughly explain why Vishnu Persaud, who reportedly scored the highest in the evaluation process and who has some three years on the job experience, was deliberately overlooked for the position of Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), which he held, by someone who scored lower and believably has no related job experience.

The IAC is also mindful of information in the public domain which alleges the composition of the senior staff at GECOM reflecting only one ethnic group

and an allegation that applicants of Indo-Guyanese extraction were deliberately scored low in the evaluation process.

While the IAC believes that meritocracy must be foremost, it finds it difficult to accept that persons from other ethnicities could not have been found to be competent. If true, the impact of this on other groups, including Indo-Guyanese, would be devastating, disrespectful and clearly, a calculative ploy to not only deprive them of their rights for employment but a strong signal that they do not belong within the confines of this important national institution.

The IAC reiterates that Indo-Guyanese, like other groups, is an integral part of this nation and its proud cultural mosaic. They have and continue to make invaluable contributions to the development of Guyana and for the advancement of its all of its people.

Sincerely, Indian Action Committee

5

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Decision of GECOM Chairman is irrational, lacking in fairness and represents an injustice

The Gov’t has failed Beyoncé Ross Dear Editor,

I

t is sad that I must use this harsh description, but the unbelievable reality is that President David Granger and his Government left young cyclist, Beyoncé Ross for dead. Mine you, this is a Government I support, voted for in 2015 and will do so again in 2020, given that the other political party is not an option.

Yet, I ache to say that the change myself and other desperate Guyanese had voted for is slow and seems almost non-existent, especially when it comes to issues regarding equality to the underprivileged and less wealthy.

I was brought to tears, and am still very upset even as I pen this letter at the failure

of the Ministry and State entities responsible for the development of sport and athletes in this country. Reports said this young woman was suffering for months, but none of the agencies came to her aid.

I blame the Government for being slow to intervene in a situation which was so brilliantly highlighted by the media and still no one in authority moved to act.

Now she is dead in the very same week when we are told that Minister Ally is being flown overseas for medical treatment paid for by the State. Clearly here, all men and women are equal but some are clearly more as George Orwell said.

Sincerely, Naresh Singh

Extremely disturbing that the Minister of Education lacks elementary and basic training in primary school statistics Dear Editor,

I

refer to a Stabroek News article captioned ‘Parliament committee flags large number of Haitians, Cubans unaccounted for’ that was published on June 14, 2018. I would like to specifically address the comments attributed to the Minister of Education Ms. Nicolette Henry. She is quoted as asking, “Why emphasis was being placed on the number of Haitians not departing Guyana since if an analysis of the figures from a percentage perspective was conducted then it would show a 30% non-departure rate for persons from Bangladesh. `Why not the Bangladeshis?”

It is extremely disturbing that the Minister of Education lacks elementary and basic training in primary school statistics, which advises on the concept of absolute changes vs. relative changes.

Absolute change refers to the difference between two indicators (2016 vs. 2017, arrivals vs. departure in a particular period and so on). Relative change expresses the absolute change as a percentage of the value of the indicators in the earlier period (Absolute change between 2016 and 2017 as a percentage of the 2016 values).

If we are to use Ms. Henry’s logic that 30% of the Bangladeshis did not leave Guyana in 2017, then she must be professional enough to tell the full truth around this 30% because it translates to 11 Bangladeshis. If one compares those 11 Bangladeshis who made themselves into illegal aliens in Guyana in 2017 to the other nationalities the picture is very different from the image Ms. Henry is trying to paint. Some 7,255 Cubans and 3,224 Haitians overstayed their time in Guyana in

2017 compared to these 11 Bangladeshis, so why is her focus on these 11 persons? Of the 12,585 illegal aliens from the records who are domiciled in Guyana in 2017, 83% of them or 10,479 persons are Cubans and Haitians.

But Ms. Henry chooses to sensationalize the status of 11 Bangladeshis as she presumably plays to the gallery quite unintelligently.

For any proper analysis to be done from these flows of foreigners through our ports of entry and departures, we must understand the trend over a period of time. I chose 2 years for simplicity but it would be better to analyze a five-year flow of foreigners travelling through Guyana, which I intend to do later.

But even a two-year flow provided much pertinent information. For example, there is a net reduction of Brazilians (155), Indians (75), Dominicans (DR) (55) and Bangladeshis (30) over 2016/2017 who choose to remain in Guyana illegally. For good reasons, these people all are choosing to go some place else rather than remain in Guyana. However, between 2016 and 2017 there has been a rapid expansion in the number of Cubans (5,315), Haitians (2,953) and Chinese (1,194) who are choosing to overstay their time in Guyana. But Ms. Henry has no problem with the fact that thousands of Cubans, Haitians and Chinese broke the immigration Laws of Guyana in 2017, her obsession is with these 11 Bangladeshis. I really wonder why?

I hope my small piece will start a more productive conversation, focused on real progressive patriotic policy changes and not on irrelevant and unintelligent nitpicking by uninformed policymakers like Ms. Henry.

Yours faithfully, Sasenarine Singh

Dear Editor,

J

ustice (Ret’d) James Patterson has made my point, emphatically, about the perverse ethnic and political domination, and lack of diversity and racial exclusion in the make-up and hiring practices of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), in his considered - but irrational decision – to reject the top ranked candidate, Vishnu Persaud, for the post of Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) of GECOM. Persaud emerged as the highest-ranked candidate out of an interviewing and review process which imposed surprising double jeopardies on him. The facts are as follows: Persaud served in the position, for over three years; Persaud was in employment at a senior level, for several more years; Persaud has had ‘very good’ performance appraisals, from CEO Lowenfield; Persaud acted in the position of CEO - vice Lowenfield - on a number of occasions; and Persaud has exceeded the requirements for the job, as advertised, greatly.

In fact, the position should not have been advertised in the first place but the gentleman should have been rightfully reinstated to his post. A post which only fell vacant due to the absence of a full commission.

The hung vote across the table, however, meant that the Chairman Patterson had to cast his vote. A three (3) weeks delay for decision yielded his ‘considered’ position that Roxanne Myers, the second ranked candidate, was his choice for the DCEO position.

I repeat here my assertions that the decision is gross, irrational, lacking in fairness, and is an injustice, not only to the individual it negatively impacted but, also, to the whole Guyanese society.

The arguments of meritocracy, which were proffered by some, in defense of the ethnic dominance and skewed culture at GECOM, have been thrown out of the window by the Chairman’s action. Here we have had a candidate, who clearly merited due, fit and proper consideration, cast out in spite of having been ranked the highest of all those interviewed.

Even worse, the decision validates persistent claims that a group of Guyanese, representing, perhaps, 50 plus percent of the population, have no merit in the considerations for fair employment also at GECOM. The decision has, I have heard, left a bitter taste, also, in the mouths of Afro-Guyanese employees at GECOM who felt that the Persaud was unfairly treated.

And here, I repeat my assertion that GECOM at the top management level is dominated by up to 90 percent Afro- Guyanese.

If the same were true for similar dominance

by Indo- or any other group of Guyanese it would still be wrong, and unhealthy, and must attract similar condemnation and efforts for redress.

We have to deal with uncomfortable truths fairly.

I have referenced the Lawrence Inquiry, which deemed the British Police as being ‘institutionally racist’ as a reference point for similar situations and behavior elsewhere.

I insist that critical institutions of the state such as GECOM, become reflexively racist, sometimes without knowing it, but, also, become victims and pawns for the undertaking of sinister actions, by some, to the detriment of fairness, justice, public good and sustainability of the nation. And, this goes for whichever group dominates in any similar institution of the state.

The continuance of the denial of fair employment on the basis of race, ethnicity, and association in critical institutions of the state,

such as GECOM, is a manifest denial of the civil rights of citizens and is injurious to a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and yet fragile nation.

Some of us, therefore, should not beat the drums in support of civil rights and justice, for groups discriminated against in other countries, while we support and/or undertake discriminatory practices against groups of fellow Guyanese. Moral equivalency matters in this issue.

An urgent staff audit, of GECOM, must-be-undertaken, to answer questions of lack of diversity, ethnic suppression and exclusion, and political dominance at the institution. Such an audit has to take account of geographic imbalances and imbalances at various employment levels. Furthermore, the stakeholders have to arrive at formulations to address these matters, as they relate to the hiring of temporary staff and contractors for elections when these issues become even more exacerbated.

GECOM CEO, Lowenfield, has to have the courage to, dispassionately, map the agency for unusual employment anomalies said to be, also, existing representing family and membership of particular churches. Explanations, for any such anomalies, must be offered, to allay negative public perceptions and anxieties and to allow for redress GECOM, as a matter of urgency, has to draft, invite public comment and, thereafter, adopt a Corporate Social Responsibility Charter (CSRC), and a Governance Charter, which speak to its ethos and commitment in respect of its constitutional mandate to prepare for and conduct free, fair and transparent elections, for Guyana, which are acceptable.

These should come out of a risk assessment process using acceptable matrices, and they should be regularly monitored, and reported on, for compliance.

In the meantime, much needed ethnic sensitivity training is required to deal with complaints of disdainful treatment at all levels of engagement with the Commission.

The ongoing deliberate, open and, also, surreptitious stacking of GECOM senior staff with persons of a particular group and of a particular political preference, have been just confirmed via Facebook and Twitter posts – now being rapidly taken down. This event also supports charges that GECOM has been ‘captured’ by one political entity.

There is now the feeling that there is complete destruction of any general perception of fairness, integrity and transparency at GECOM. Commissioner Alexander should really be making better and positive use of his time and intellect rather than rushing in to the support the indefensible, both for the specific case and for the general issue here. He seems to have appointed himself both: as the wordsmith and the mouthpiece for GECOM’s Chairman.

There are no other options left, given the preferred position at the highest levels at GECOM, but to refer the current matter to the Ethnic Relations Commission and to bring the scrutiny of relevant international bodies on GECOM. He has become ‘the source’ of mis-representations and half-truths appearing in sections of the media. It is indeed regrettable that he is the main person advancing the case of the ‘deplorables’ both at GECOM and in the media And, if GECOM, as has been stated, has ‘dirty laundry’ the only place it must be washed is in the full view of the Guyanese public and the international community.

Robeson Benn Commissioner Guyana Elections Commission

6

Former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Vishnu Persaud responds to allegations Dear Editor,

K

indly permit me space in your reputable publication to respond to the article titled “Poor past…Alexander says Vishnu Persaud’s past performance sank him –Myers emerged the more qualified for top GECOM post”, which was authored by Ms. Ariana Gordon and published in the Guyana Chronicle on June 14, 2018.

Before doing so specifically, it is pertinent that I note that relative to my rejection for reappointment to the position of Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), I had taken the position that I would not comment publicly on this matter, notwithstanding the negative blogs about me by persons with pseudonyms, who do not know me or of my professional record.

However, some inferences and statements contained within the above referred article dictate that I respond in an albeit futile attempt to undo some of the defamation and stigma that have now accordingly been cast upon me.

For the sake of clarity, context and relevance, the specific issues are documented herein in a manner in which responses are attached to individual identified comments attributed to Mr. Alexander.

The article opens by informing that “FORMER Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Vishnu Persaud, was rejected for rehiring on the grounds of his past performance, his alleged history of faking his qualifications to the commission, and the fact that Roxanne Myers has “better qualifications” than him, a top commissioner at the electoral body has said”.

The article went further to attribute the following comment to Mr. Vincent Alexander, Commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission: “He [Justice Patterson] objected to Vishnu based on past performance, based on the other candidate having better qualifications, and based on the history of misrepresentation of qualifications to the commission,” longstanding commissioner Vincent Alexander told the Guyana Chronicle”.

The author acknowledged that the “newspaper has been unable to independently verify this,” and the inability to verify defamatory comments should have mitigated against publishing them.

Apart from independent verification, I further posit that there was no evidence presented to suggest the aspersions cast against me were anything more than the slanderous utterances of Mr. Alexander. Further, it is disturbing and disingenuous that the author notes the lack of verification of Alexander’s claims, but the word defamation nonetheless commands the headline of the article.

In addressing this comment, I will break down my response into three categories as follows: “He [Justice Patterson] objected to Vishnu based on past performance”.

It is important to note that while the caption of the article opens with the term “poor past”, the body of the article addresses “past performance” without specifically indicating that my “past performance” was “poor”.

However, whereas this comment suggests that my past performance was unacceptable or at the least questionable, there is absolutely nothing in the article to so substantiate.

I joined the GECOM in November of 2001 in the capacity of Public Relations Officer (PRO), and worked continuously up to August 2017 – serving in the last three years as DCEO. Throughout my tenure I was never cautioned, reprimanded, rebuked – orally or in writing – by senior management of the GECOM Secretariat or the Commission for failure to honour my responsibilities.

On the contrary, from about 2004 up to the end of my stint, I was multi-tasking by carrying the responsibilities of additional substantive offices.

In 2004, the person who was employed as Personal Assistant (PA) to the Chairman – a position on the GECOM organogram – was promoted to Logistics Manager. The then Chairman from then onwards had me function as his de facto PA, which I did up to August 2014, when I was appointed DCEO. Simultaneously, I was tasked with the responsibilities of scribe to the Commission, since this responsibility was also being carried by the Chairman’s PA. I carried out this responsibility for about eight years, with a short break when a Legal Officer was employed for a short period.

During my stint as PRO, in the run up to the 2011 General and Regional Elections, the Commission as well as political stakeholders complained severely that the Civic and Voter Education (C&VE) programmes of the Commission were severely lacking.

Notwithstanding the C&VE function being vested in a substantive manager in a designated position senior to PRO, the Chairman informed the Commission that he was tasking me with significant responsibility for the print and electronic media aspect of C&VE. There was no objection at the level of either Commission or Secretariat.

This can be substantiated from the minutes of the relevant statutory meeting of the Commission. I continued to carry this responsibility up to early 2014, when the C&VE Manager demitted office. From then up to August 2017, I carried the C&VE responsibilities in totality because no one was appointed to the vacant position of C&VE Manager. To date, the position remains vacant.

Following the 2015 General and Regional Elections, and in preparation for the 2016 Local Government Elections (LGEs), the Human Resources Manager (HRM) resigned.

This happened somewhere in the mid-2015.

The Secretariat was deeply involved in the training of approximately 12,000 temporary staff for the upcoming LGEs. Upon the resignation of the HRM, the

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018 Chief Election Officer assigned me responsibility for management of the Human Resource Division. I carried this responsibility along with that of C&VE simultaneously with my substantive duties of DCEO up to the appointment of a substantive HRM at the beginning of 2016. There was no additional pay, and none was ever sought.

While I was DCEO, I acted in the capacity of CEO once, and “held the fort” several times for the CEO when he had to leave the office for a week at a time. I was never cited nor censured for any wrongdoing whatsoever.

Naturally, I have seen all of the performance appraisals prepared for me by former Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally, under whose direct supervision I worked up to August 2014. There is nothing in any of those appraisals that would suggest I was lacking in any area of the regime of responsibilities with which I was tasked.

In view of the foregoing, I am at a loss to determine how my past performance could have led to my detriment. I challenge anyone, and specifically the Guyana Chronicle and Mr. Alexander, to dispute the provable facts I have outlined above.

ANOTHER CANDIDATE HAS BETTER QUALIFICATIONS This position was put forward without any comparison of the qualifications of the two concerned candidates, specifically in relation to the criteria delineated in the advertisement for the vacant position of DCEO. Under qualifications, the advertised criteria asked for the following: A post graduate degree – it is confirmed that both of the concerned candidates have Master’s Degrees. I have a Master’s in Business Administration from the Anglia Ruskin University, United Kingdom.

QUALIFICATION IN ELECTIONS MANAGEMENT I have a Level 5 Certificate in Management & Leadership, with specific expertise in electoral processes, which was issued by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) – UK through the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS) – UK. This is a successor qualification to the Professional Certificate in Electoral Processes which is conducted by the ICPS, and in which I participated in London, UK. The Level 5 Certificate is equivalent to a Higher National Diploma (HND) in the UK. Additionally, I attended two Commonwealth Secretariat-conducted one week training in Elections Management in New Delhi, India and Kinston, Jamaica respectively.

EXPERIENCE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL ELECTIONS I was the substantive DCEO for three years, with responsibility for Operations, during which the 2015 General and Regional Elections and 2016 LGEs were conducted.

It is important to remind here that I also carried the full responsibilities of C&VE, and Human Resources to a lesser extent during my tenure as DCEO. Also, I beg to submit that all of the responsibilities as described above speak to my knowledge/experience in electoral processes.

ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS I have a Diploma in Public Relations from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, and over 12 years’ experience as Public Relations Officer.

In view of the foregoing, I humbly request that facts be put forward to prove that

the “other candidate has better qualifications”. I gather that reading towards a PhD as documented in the article may be used as proof of a qualification not yet had?

HISTORY OF MISREPRESENTATION OF QUALIFICATIONS TO THE COMMISSION Whereas there is nothing to support this allegation, I need to make it pellucid that at no time have I ever misrepresented my qualifications to the GECOM. During Mr. Alexander’s ongoing tenure at the Commission, I submitted applications with relevant CVs twice for the position of DCEO: in 2014 and 2017 respectively. On both occasions, I presented to the Commission certificates in support of my qualifications documented in the respective CVs. Had I misrepresented myself in any manner, I submit that would have been sufficiently egregious a transgression to warrant my immediate dismissal with prejudice. Let it be known that this was not done, and I have no reprimand on my personnel file.

We all know the outcome of my application for appointment to the position in 2018.

In 2014, my appointment as DCEO flowed from a transparent recruitment process which involved (i) advertising the vacant position, (ii) receiving applications and shortlisting candidates, and (iii) the conduct of interviews by a panel comprising the GECOM Chairman, four Commissioners (two from both sides) and the Chief Election Officer.

While I expect that the entire foregoing may not serve to adequately counter a headline and front page misrepresentation accredited to Mr. Alexander, which has already led to my defamation and personal degradation, I wish nonetheless to be on record that the statements are baseless, reckless, defamatory, and malicious in their design.

Allow me to close this missive with the firm declaration that, as the DCEO or any role held, I always conducted myself professionally, without fear or favour, and without bias in any area or level of my responsibilities. This was and will always remain the definition of my core as a human being and a professional, which I will steadfastly defend.

RELATED MATTER I have noted an article in the Guyana Chronicle of today (June 15, 2018) titled “Vishnu obtained Masters from a Training Centre”. The article opens with the position that the Master’s I hold is “actually a combination of elections-related training courses which he obtained from the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS) and not an accredited University…”

This is an outrageous, malicious, and outright lie which is obviously aimed at discrediting my suitability for the position in question.

I do not have, and I never claimed to have, a Masters in Elections Management from the ICPS or any other institution. I read for, and was awarded, a Master’s of Business Administration by the Anglia Ruskin University, United Kingdom.

I will respond in a separate letter for the third and hopefully final time to the accusation of alleged corrupt practices that was made against me.

Sincerely, Vishnu Persaud, Former Deputy Chief Election Officer, GECOM

STRAIGHT TALK 7

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

This speech was first made public on April 14, 1972. Its re-printing is among several activities being undertaken during 2018 to mark the 100th birth anniversary – March 22, 2018 – of the founder of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Cheddi Jagan.

Fight to ensure decent standards for sugar workers

By Dr. Cheddi Jagan

S

ugar workers not only get low wages. Engaged mostly in task or piece work, they suffer exploitation from low rates and speed-up. And because of MPCA-company unionism, the sugar planters generally take advantage of the certain variable factors - soil conditions, moisture, etc. to change the task rates.

But the greatest hardship facing workers is the lack of work, thus the lack of income, in non-grinding periods. Two or three days work per week cannot sustain a family, especially under today's daily rise in the prices of consumer necessities.

What is needed is a minimum guaranteed wage; work or no work.

This has been instituted in several countries. The workers and their militant unions have fought and obtained this right as a condition of their employment. And this right must be fought for in Guyana. After all, it is not the role of the workers only to slave while the employers continue to make huge profits.

The sugar planters must accept blame and responsibility for the present plight of the sugar workers. At the latter's expense, the former continue to modernize and mechanize and to export raw products - rum, molasses and dark sugar to be processed and manufactured abroad.

From the days of slavery, raw sugar is still being sent abroad and sent back as refined sugar. Rum and molasses are sold overseas at dirt-cheap prices - about $2 per gallon for high-proof alcohol and about 50 cents per gallon for molasses.

The sugar industry can provide more jobs and the workers have to struggle for this. Take Cuba as an example. Before the Castro revolution, the sugar workers suffered from the usual problems affecting Guyanese workers - poor living and working conditions and high unemployment.

Today, there is no more unemployment.

Cuba has a labour shortage problem. Civil servants have to volunteer one week's labour every month to help with cane-cutting.

The unemployment problem has been licked in Cuba because a transformation has

taken place in the countryside. Ever sugar estate has become a hive of activity and the centre of a huge agro-industrial complex.

Waste and by-products of sugar are now being used to establish other industries for the enhancement of national income and employment opportunities. As much income is earned from by-products of sugar as from sugar itself.

A factory converts molasses into high-protein yeast. Molasses, yeast, bagasse (burnt in Guyana) and fish meal (produced from fish waste from an expanded fishing industry) produce a cheap stockfeed, which has revolutionized the livestock and dairy industry.

Guyana has to pay in cash for the buses bought from Leland Motors of Great Britain. Cuba pays for buses from the same company by the sale of eggs, millions of which are produced yearly by chickens feeding on cheap stockfeed.

Then there is the cattle - beef and dairy - industries. Here again cheap stockfeed has radically changed the situation.

Beef cattle not only provide beef, but the raw material for many related industries leather, medicinal, etc.

From milk, there are the dairy industries - butter, cheese, ice cream, condensed milk, etc.

Little wonder that Dr Iton, Chief Live-

stock Officer of the Trinidad delegation which visited Cuba told the press that Cuba had made more progress in ten years in the livestock industry than Trinidad had made in fifty years.

Norman Girwar, the manager of Trinidad's Cane Farmers Association, after a visit to Cuba in 1971 told newsmen that "the Cuban experience indicates that a greater measure of diversification of the economy and the dedication and commitment of its people to nation-building hold lessons for us which might be followed by profit in Trinidad and Tobago."

Mr Girwar went on to say that Cuba had more than seven million head of high grade cattle and the total area for cattle farming was greater than that for sugar cane. In addition, large acreages was under citrus, corn, tobacco, pineapple and coffee. Nickle and copper were being mined and an increasing quantity of petroleum was being won.

He observed also that there was no unemployment, no begging in the streets.

A cane farmer lived in a house a little less comfortable than that of a general manager of a factory.

In Guyana, on the other hand, there is not progress but retrogression under the PNC and the poor are getting poorer. Rene Dumont, FAO agronomist had recommended that Guyana should concentrate on the dairy industry. We have a captive market, he said. About $8 million of milk and milk products are imported into Guyana annually. But under the PNC regime, which penalize the farmers, milk production is going down.

In Guyana, the problems of the people are compounding. Apart from unemployment, there are rising prices and cut in educational and health services.

In Cuba, on the other hand, one is constantly hearing of more and more benefits and free services for the people.

In addition to previous tree-of-charge services (in housing, education, popular participation in sports), there have been added the following items to the free or nearly-free list.

1. Nursery schools, entirely free of charge

since January, 1967, including pedagogical and medical care, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and in some, bed and board for six days of the week.

2. Free admission to all types of national sporting events.

3. Reduction of urban bus fares.

4. Elimination of the tunnel fare under Havana Bay (the only installation of 800 additional public telephones).

5. Completely free funeral services (since August 1967).

6. Elimination of the tax on water on all kinds of dwellings.

7. Elimination of a series of taxes on the peasant population (which had been paid by the private peasants).

To all this, we must add free education from grade school to the university, including technological training; public medicine on a nation-wide scale; reduction of charges for electricity and private telephones (earlier achievements).

The coming years will bring the elimination of payments in Cuba's clinic or "mutualist" system, the elimination of all rents (on dwellings whose owners still pay rent) for all dwellings throughout the country, without forgetting that the Revolution had already reduced rents by 40 to 50%.

The latest praise for Cuba has come from a study by the Twentieth Century Fund. Entitled "The Alliance that lost its way," the study stated that Cuba had come closer to some goals of the Alliance for Progress than most of the Latin American countries, and in health and education, the Castro Government had carried out more ambitious and nationally comprehensive programmes than any of the other Latin American counties.

Guyana must follow the lead of Cuba.

Sugar faces a difficult future with Britain's proposed entry into the European Common Market. The sugar planters will either curtail production or go into further mechanization. In either case the workers will suffer.

While the sugar workers are fighting for reforms - increased wages, profit-sharing, better working and living conditions - they must demand revolutionary changes. This means firstly, the nationalization of the sugar industry; and secondly, transformation as has been carried out in Cuba.

8

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

APNU+AFC gov’t ignores major unions at Enmore Martyrs event O

n Saturday (June 16,2018) the APNU+AFC Government staged an event to remember the Enmore Martyrs, but ignored major unions.

Junior Minister of Labour, Keith Scott, in remarks at the event, appealed for an end to politically divided events, but he ignored concerns that one of the union confederations was not invited to the event.

On Saturday itself, a representative of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) expressed brief concern that the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) was not welcomed at the event.

“We cannot fail to express our deep dismay that the organisers of today’s programme for reasons best known to them have chosen to exclude the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG). The decision to disallow FITUG’s

participation without any the Union was given very late It noted that prior to June rhyme or reason is discon- notice of the event. As such 9, the Ministry had reached certing and obviously worry- only a few low-level repre- out to them to enquire into ing,” said Kumdat Naraine. sentatives from the Union their participation. According The GAWU official sug- were in attendance. to FITUG, they asked that the gested that FITUG’s excluMinistry send them a formal sion was a form of censure DELIBERATE ACTION invite. It is then that things against critics of the governMeanwhile, the Feder- started going downhill. “The ment. ation of Independent Trade Ministry of Social Cohesion, Naraine said, “It seems Unions of Guyana (FITUG) which is responsible for the from all apo r g a n i s apearance of the Our exclusion serves to indicate, from tion that FIactivities, TUG’s exall appearances, that our country is contacted clusion may FITUG be related quickly heading down a slippery slope and regarding to that or- heading back to an era when dissenting its particganisation’s ipation on f o r t h r i g h t views are not tolerated.” - FITUG June 9, expression 2018. At on several matters of nation- has since accused the Coali- that time, we advised that al importance. If this is the tion Government of deliber- we would require a formal case, this should heighten ately excluding it from par- invitation and never heard our concern as a people and ticipating in commemorative from the Ministry again,” the cause us to wonder whether activities for the 70th death Union. we are heading down back anniversaries of the Enmore The Union added, “In down those dark times when Martyrs. the meantime, FITUG was the voices of dissent were not In a release, the trade advancing its preparations tolerated.” union body lambasted the towards its participation and, Additionally, head of the Social Cohesion Ministry for subsequently, contacted the Guyana Trade Union’s Con- telling them “they would not Ministry about the requested gress (GTUC) disclosed that be required to participate”. invitation and arrangements

“

for the activities. It was only at that time we were informed that we would not be required to participate.”

FITUG said that it has participated, upon invitation, in consecutive Enmore Martyrs Day activities before and after the coalition Government assumed office.

The Union’s involvement has involved wreath-laying and public addresses at the Le Repentir Cemetery and the monument itself.

FITUG said, “We cannot help but wonder whether the decision to exclude our body is linked to our outspokenness on several matters of concern to the working-people and their families. The Federation, as a responsible body, cannot turn a blind eye nor a deaf ear to the steadily declining economic and social circumstances of our people. If this is indeed the case, the FITUG is not daunted but will continue to speak up, and speak out when cherished gains and

freedoms of our people are threatened…our exclusion serves to indicate, from all appearances, that our country is quickly heading down a slippery slope and heading back to an era when dissenting views are not tolerated.

“For us, this is saddening recognising that the Enmore Martyrs gave their life and our forbearers struggled to win us those very freedoms which, it seems, are being disregarded by our now-aday leaders. As FITUG said a few weeks ago, our people find themselves in dangerous times. We cannot help but be saddened by what is taking place in our Dear Land of Guyana.”

FITUG has written Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr George Norton, seeking an explanation for his Ministry’s decision and have pointed out that our exclusion runs counter to the objective of his Ministry. Norton has not responded to the Union to date.

Struggles of Enmore Martyrs remain relevant today - PPP O n the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Enmore Martyrs shooting, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) wishes to remind of the selfless sacrifices of the five slain sugar workers, Rambarran, Pooran, Lallabagee, Surajballi and Harry and the profound relevance of the incident today.

In 1948, having being strangled by social and economic hardships, the burdensome “cut and load” cane harvesting system and being deprived from having a union of choice to represent them, sugar workers were forced to mount protest actions after their fair demands were continually being ignored by the sugar producers.

Instead of their demands being met, riot police fired on the poor, simple workers killing five in the process. They died in their quest for a better life for all the workers and their struggles and horrific deaths significantly impacted Dr. Cheddi Jagan. On

that unforgettable day of their funerals, he silently pledged to dedicate his life to the cause of the Guyanese people and to free them from bondage and exploitation.

Fortified in his belief and determination, he was unrelenting in his struggles for the advancement of Guyana and Guyanese. Having founded the PPP in 1950, Dr. Jagan, despite being incarcerated and deprived of his rights during the decades of his unremitting struggles, never succumbed to the atrocities meted out to

‘Seat fillers’ bussed in by gov’t for its Enmore Martyrs event A government-organised wreath laying ceremony to remember the Enmore Martyrs was not attended by persons in the areas.

Prior to the start of the government-organised event held near the Enmore Martyrs monument, a large number of the chairs were unoccupied until the arrival of several youths in minibuses

assigned to the Ministry of Social Cohesion.

Hardly anyone from the community of Enmore attended the event at which the Cuban Ambassador, Indian High Commissioner and several ministers of the governments including Noel Holder, Ronald Bulkan, Cathy Hughes and Valerie Garrido-Lowe were present.

Low-level representatives of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and GAWU addressed the government-planned wreath-laying ceremony.

Junior Minister, Keith Scott, gave a lengthy address to those gathered and ignored several major concerns that were raised by the Unions.

him and his followers by the oppressive forces.

In this the centenary year of his birth, our Party wishes to remind that, in the end, his resoluteness prevailed and a new era of freedom and democracy was born under his leadership in October 1992.

Seventy years after the Enmore shooting, thousands of sugar workers have been coldheartedly fired and plunged into economic despair through the politically motivated closure of estates by the APNU/AFC government ravaging the sugar belt and the national economy in the process.

Tens of thousands of others, who indirectly depended upon these estates for their livelihoods, have also been severely affected as many local economies were decimated by the government’s uncaring action.

Guyanese are once again confronted by a burgeoning dictatorship under the APNU/ AFC government which, through its visionless and inept leadership, is strangling our people through harsh and unjustified economic policies.

With innumerable taxes, within the three years of its administration thus far, Guyanese have seen a derailing of progress, their standards of living plummet, continually steep rise in cost of living and opportunities for advancement dwindled.

In addition, they continue to witness encroachment on their freedoms, growing societal fears through spiraling crime and oppressive policies, massive corruption, discrimination, rising unemployment and blatant disregard for constitutional processes.

The struggle of the sugar workers seventy years ago and that of the late Dr. Jagan have not only become more relevant in the current circumstances in our country, but have intensified for a better life for all.

The PPP therefore salutes the invaluable sacrifices of the Enmore Martyrs for the influence it had and continues to have on the quest for betterment.

Our Party remains resolute in its struggle with the Guyanese people for a free, democratic and prosperous Guyana.

9

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Fight to support sugar workers continues…

‘We don’t hope blindly for change, we work’ - Jagdeo A

message of hope was left with residents of the Enmore community on the East Coast of Demerara

by General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Bharrat Jagdeo, during a public meeting on Wednesday evening (June 20, 2018).

“The message I have for you is one of hope…we in the PPP don’t hope blindly, we work,” he stressed.

Approximately 500 persons at Robert’s Square, who gather to also remember the Enmore Martyrs, were told in no uncertain terms that the PPP continues its fight for Guyanese.

Jagdeo detailed specific areas of action that are being pursued in response to the concerns of sugar workers.

Among them are plans to file a joint case, with the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), against

the government on behalf of workers over the non-payment of full severance, which is required by law.

He added that a Constitutional motion is also in the works to call for sugar workers to benefit from similar subsidies that were given to residents in Region 10, when the bauxite sector faced difficulties; and he noted that the motion will be based on the principles of equality. “Treating people preferentially is something that is abhorrent to the Constitution of Guyana,” he said, adding that a fair ruling would mean a ruling in the PPP’s favour, since the Constitutional motion would be premised on the principle that all Guyanese must be treated equally.

Addressing plans for 2020, Jagdeo assured that once in power, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic

(PPP/C) will take steps to not only reverse the harmful polices hurting Guyanese, but will also ensure that every single sugar worker who has been fired in the last three years receive support.

“These are few things we will be pushing aggressively….the fight will continue…don’t be demoralized, the struggle continues,” the PPP General Secretary assured.

From other speakers there was consensus on the need for a united Guyanese people to stand against the injustices being meted out by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government was also another resounding call.

The sacrifice of sugar workers were not made in vain according to General Secretary of GAWU, Seepaul Narine. He charged that there is a current struggle that must

be fought, given the past and current similarities relative to widespread dissatisfaction among workers in the sugar belt because of actions taken by the authorities. “History has taught us lessons we cannot afford to forget,” he said.

The promise of founder of the PPP and former president, Dr Cheddi Jagan, at the grave site of the Enmore Martyrs in 1948, to struggle for all oppressed people of Guyana and to struggle for decent standards for all sugar workers was also recalled during Wednesday evening’s activity.

June 16, 2018, marked seventy years since five sugar workers – Rambarran, Pooran, Lallabagee, Surajballi and Harry – were killed at Enmore by police while protesting with hundreds of others for better working conditions.

10

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

From the desk of Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo...

Guyana Under Review Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (June 21, 2018), ranging from government’s moves to gerrymander the boundaries of Local Authorities Areas to the latest developments in the oil and gas sector.

Foreign experts, studies must Massive effort to gerrymander boundaries be objectively assessed ahead of 2018 LGE exposed T T he APNU+AFC Coalition Government has tampered with the boundaries of Local Authority Areas (LAAs) – the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the Municipalities. And Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, put government on blast for this “insidious” act.

Order 19 of the Official Gazette, which was placed as part of a June 8, 2018 publication of an Erratum (correction) to Order 16, list Mahdia as a town – increasing the number of towns from nine to 10; and list seven new NDCs – taking the number of NDCs from 64 to 71. There were 62 NDCs, but only last week Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, named Annai and Aranaputa/ Upper Burro-Burro, in Region 9, as NDCs – moving the number from 62 to 64.

Order 19 also lists the number of seats in each Local Authority Area. However, when compared to 2016, changes were found in 14 areas.

“The Order went unnoticed, but it is a massive attempt to gerrymander boundaries,” Jagdeo said.

The Opposition Leader added that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic will continue to keep a close eye on the issue. “We are watching. We are concerned about this,” he said.

Jagdeo proffered the view the Coalition Government is attempting to create new Local Authority Areas because of the “crushing defeat” they faced in the 2016 Local Government Elections.

“They want to go to places, where they had pockets of support, and split those… they are trying to ensure that

the optics are different this time around,” he said.

In the 2016 LGE, one year after the APNU+AFC Coalition took office, the difference of votes between it and the PPP/C was close to 30,000 – not counting the areas where there was no contest, meaning only the PPP/C fielded candidates.

Of 1,166 seats up for grabs, the PPP/C won 754 of those, while APNU+AFC won 375 and the remaining seats went to independent candidates and groups that contested the elections - in other words the PPP/C won 65 per cent of the seats, while 32 per cent went to APNU+AFC. The PPP/C also won 48 of Local Authority Areas (LAAs) out of the 71 areas.

The APNU+AFC won 16 and the other seven areas are tied between the PPP/C and APNU+AFC.

A debate of race relations will help move Guyana forward, curb peddling of divisive untruths

A

public debate will separate the people who want to move country forward and the “fossils” who are harming Guyana for the sake of self-interest, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

And he has since said that he is willing to debate President Granger, publicly, on key issues affecting Guyanese, particularly as it relates to race relations. “I can debate with Granger, about several things: race relations and which party contributed to worsening race relations in Guyana; hiring practices in Guyana; the myth, the fallacy, that they done more for Afro-Guyanese, and we can match the record of PNC against PPP’s 23 years in office…I am prepared to debate this openly, using records,” he said.

Such a debate, according to him, will ensure that

‘apologists’ like Tacuma Ogunseye cannot continue to peddle falsehoods, which divide Guyanese people.

Jagdeo said, “In his (Ogunseye) letter today, he repeats the line that I am racist….I will never allow anyone to take away my right to discuss this matter. It is the only way we can move forward….a public discussion will separate the people who want to move country forward and the fossils that keep harming our country…. but they don’t want a debate.

These fossils are trotted out to defend the indefensible.”

He added, “…in his letter today, he says too that I am luring APNU supporters into complacency. This is not it.

They are fed up….look at MMA, it is taking hundreds of rice farmers to court for money….find out how many Afro Guyanese are there and how many of them will now face bankruptcy…you don’t need the PPP to lure them into complacency, they are fed up with incompetence, corruption, the sycophancy of this government, the elitism where they forgotten all the people, and broken all their promises.”

The Opposition Leader made it clear that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has a track record of representing all Guyanese, regardless of race, religion or gender, and will continue to do so.

he presentation of Dr. Michael Warner on Guyana’s local content policy, which was facilitated by DAI, the development company that is managing Exxon’s Centre for Local Business Development, needs to be examined, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, when asked about the matter.

He noted that such an examination is necessary, given the fact that it was an ExxonMobil related company that facilitated it. “We have to examine it. Once we do that, we can decide if it is objective,” Jagdeo said He added, “When they see proliferation of experts, studies, we have to do one thing; check on the links.”

According to him, the experts’ employers, who they do business with and the funding source of studies that are touted locally are factors that must be considered. “Once we can review this, we can objectively assess what is being said by these experts and what is being presented to Guyanese in these studies,” the Opposition Leader.

There has been slow progress with the development of a local content

policy for Guyana by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. In April 2017, the Ministry of Natural Resources circulated a 14-page draft local content policy.

More than a year later, a second draft has been release and numbers 32 pages.

Decrying the general levels of incompetence displayed by the Coalition Government, Jagdeo made clear that a final policy will be reviewed in a detailed manner. “I have not looked at it and I would not be looking at it until there is a final policy because this government is not sure about what it wants; today it is this, tomorrow it is that. I will look at the final policy whenever it is released,” he said.

The definition of Local Content as stated in the second draft of the policy is: “Local Content under the Guyanese narrative will be understood as the sum of inputs of local goods and services including employment across the oil and gas value chain. The primary aim and objective of the policy is ensuring the education, inclusion, and advancement of as many as possible in the value chain of the oil and gas industry.”

The Coalition Government has been criticised for failing Guyanese, following its listing of the 227 companies engaged

by ExxonMobil in the first quarter of 2017. A total of 41 individuals were listed among the 227 ‘companies’.

Other controversial listings include the landfill site and Bourda Market. Additionally, there were no details provided by government on the nature of ExxonMobil’s engagement with these companies. About the listing, Jagdeo said, “It is not ExxonMobil (that Guyanese need to be disappointed in), it is our government. The (Ministers of Government) are shameless.”

Meanwhile, Government has failed to provide the list of the 309 companies it claims were engaged by ExxonMobil in 2017.

Additionally, Opposition Leader reiterated the need for an apolitical approach to the sector’s development and stated that the Parliamentary Opposition would be willing to engage the Government on this matter.

“If they want to approach in a bipartisan manner, we will be willing to meet with them to talk about it,” he had said.

All forensic reports should be released

T

he secrecy with which the 40+ forensic audit reports are being treated with was questioned by Opposition Leader. “Release all the forensic audit reports,” he said.

Jagdeo added, “What is so secret about these audits. If you find corruption you find corruption…make them public.”

He noted that in releasing the report, Government’s move to countenance “shoddy work” passed off as audits will

also exposed.

The Coalition government has also been c r i t i c i s e d f o r t h e m a nner in which the audits were commissioned, since many supporters of APNU+AFC were given contracts – including Christopher Ram’s company and Dr. Annand Goolsarran.

The highest sum for a single audit - $8M – was paid to Christopher Ram’s company, Ram and McRae, for the audit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). In total Ram’s company was tasked with eight contracts totaling

over $37M. Dr Goolsarran received four contracts totaling over $6M, with the largest contract sum being $2.3M. In total, over $133M of taxpayers’ money was spent on about 45 audits.

How much remaining five audits costs remains unknown.

While Government claims that the audits were not done with the purpose to “witch hunt” former government officials, Jagdeo insists on the release not only the completed audit reports, but also the responses to the audit reports.

11

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Nagamootoo admits gov’t radio stations ‘played integral role in campaign process’ during Amerindian Village elections

M

inisters Sydney Allicock and Valerie Garrido-Lowe have claimed that the PPP/C interfered in the Village elections, which recently ended across Amerindian communities in Guyana. And Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has since rubbished the claim.

“I think they are coming under a lot of pressure by APNU cabal. I want to be kind to these two Ministers, they know they cannot deliver on the ground because

people shun them when they go to Amerindian communities, so this is what we get,” he said.

Jagdeo pointed out that ridiculous assertion from the two Ministers came after Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, publicly hailed the role of the government controlled radio stations in the village elections. “He was the one who said the radio stations were used,” the Opposition Leader said.

Nagamootoo, according

to the Department of Public Information, said the government controlled radio stations played an “integral role in the campaign process” that preceded the elections.

The Village Council elections were held from May 15 to June 15. Those persons elected will now represent the 215 villages at the upcoming National Toshaos Councils (NTC) conference to be held from July 16 to 20.

PPP/C is a peaceful party, but will not be a walk-over T he worry that massive support across Guyana will not translate to a victory, come 2020, because the General and Regional Elections many be rigged, has been acknowledged by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

He said, “If ever this party and supporters allow fear to govern us, we might as well give up today, not fight for our children; not fight for Guyana; not fight for our future…but if we give up today, we will be indentured to corrupt cabal…we will be treated as second class citizens to corrupt cabal…we will fail this country, ourselves and the future generation…..so giving up is not an option.”

He charged that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government will not be allowed

to rule with “impunity” if the elections are rigged.

Last week, Jagdeo said, “…I am making it clear about that and it’s not coded language because then the nature of the struggle will be different. We will be struggling against an illegal, illegitimate government that is not in power through the ballot and it will be a different form of struggle, totally different… if they don’t live by the rules, they come to power without observing by the rules, then the other side should not be bound by any rules because it’s a freedom struggle. It changes from a struggle within an established democracy to one of fighting for freedom.”

Since then, according to him, there have been “all kinds of analyses” on the matter. As such, he made it clear, that the PPP/C is not

a Party of violence.

He said, “We do not believe in violence…look at the last elections, you didn’t see us burn buildings…we are a peaceful people. “…but don’t believe that we are a walkover… the minute they think we are walkover they will rig.

When there are consequences people have to think twice about what they do… we know they will try to rig. We have to fight, that is what we come from…. don’t sit and complain…. open societies, where there is free media, do not allow dictatorships to thrive.”

Jagdeo urged Guyanese to not be despondent moving forward.

“This is not a PP struggle. It is about what type of country we want to live in,” the Opposition Leader declared.

City Hall gets $57M…

Another opportunity for misuse of public funds created

C

oncerns about the misuse of public funds were voiced by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who charged that the levels of transparency and accountability are deteriorating at City Hall.

The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was gifted with a sum of $57 mil-

lion by Central Government, for supposed works in local communities.

A special committee was appointed to spearhead these operations. The committee comprises of the Mayor, Patricia ChaseGreen; the Finance Committee Chairman, Oscar Clarke; Chairman of the

City Works Committee, Phillip Smith; City Engineer, Colvern Venture and the City Treasurer, Sharon Harry-Munroe.

While monies have been allocated, residents of the communities would be required to assist the contractors with manual labour to get the work completed.

‘Narrow inquiry’ that is the Lindo Creek CoI was unnecessary, focus should have been on comprehensive CoI

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here was no consideration of any invitation for former government officials to appear before the controversial Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) for a “closed-door” session, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

His comments follow a disclosed by the Chairman of the CoI and father of Minister Raphael Trotman, who was handpicked by President David Granger for the position, Justice Donald Trotman. Trotman said attempts are still being made to solicit interviews from members of the former administration.

“Yes we got a letter….at a public hearing, maybe, but we did not consider attending a closed door meeting,” he said, adding that the CoI has operated in a manner that

was not evidence-based. He said, “It is a charade…this narrow inquiry was unnecessary.”

After the June 2008 deaths of eight miners - Dax Arokium, Cedric Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres – the security forces were accused of the killings by Leonard Arokium, who discovered the burnt remains were discovered on June 21, 2008, at the Lindo Creek mining camp. The security forces denied those charges.

Rondell Rawlins, called Fine Man, and his gang were identified as the parties responsible for the murders.

Also, a witness in another case, Dwane Williams, implicated the ‘Fine Man

gang’ and made clear that it was responsible for not only the killings at Lindo Creek, but also for the 2008 massacres at Bartica and Lusignan. Rawlins was killed in a shootout on August 28, 2008, during an almost seven-hour-long police operation, which started at Timehri.

The Opposition Leader repeated his call for a comprehensive review of the crime wave – acknowledging that several persons in the Coalition government, including current Government Ministers, would be “really” uncomfortable, if that were to happen.

The report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Lindo Creek killings is expected to be completed within three weeks’ time.

Opposition will continue to advance equal advocacy on behalf of Guyanese

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onsistent public positions of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) make it clear that the party advocates for all Guyanese, regardless of differentiating factors, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

And he charged that detractors will not dissuade the Party from ensuring that it advances the cause

of Guyanese who feel dispossessed or who have had their rights trampled on.

“We have defended the almost 2,000 young Amerindians who were fired in 2015. We have defended the Afro-Guyanese farmers in Berbice who had their lands taken away… but the moment we try I talk about Indo-Guyanese, it becomes a race issue…

this is not our approach.

As Opposition Leader and as PPP General Secretary, I will advocate for all our people, regardless of ethnicity, gender or religion…we will defend all our people,” he said.

Jagdeo made clear that the PPP’s work continues across Guyana and all Guyanese are welcomed by the Party.

12

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

ExxonMobil announces eighth oil discovery O

n Wednesday (June 20, 2018), ExxonMobil announced that it struck oil again, this time at the Longtail-1 exploration well. This discovery will along with the Turbot find raise reserves by over 500 million barrels.

In a press release, ExxonMobil said, “(The find) creates the potential for additional resource development in the southeast area of

the Stabroek Block”.

This represents eight out of ten successful exploratory wells for the Houston based oil giant, in an industry with an average success rate of 20 to 25%.

The press release added that, “The well encountered approximately 256 feet (78 meters) of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir. The well was safely

drilled to 18,057 feet (5,504 meters) depth in 6,365 feet (1,940 meters) of water.

The Stena Carron drillship began drilling on May 25, 2018. The Longtail-1 well is located approximately 5 miles west of the Turbot-1 well and follows previous world-class discoveries on the Stabroek Block at Liza, Payara, Liza Deep, Snoek, Turbot, Ranger and Pacora.

Longtail drilling results are under evaluation; however, the combined gross recoverable resources of Turbot and Longtail are estimated to exceed 500 million barrels of oil equivalent.”

The eight discoveries to date include: 1. Liza 2. Liza deep 3. Payara 4. Snoek

5. Turbot 6. Ranger 7. Pacora 8. Longtail – 1 The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres) and located approximately 120 miles (193 kilometres) offshore Guyana. Local operator ExxonMobil’s affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)

is operator of the Stabroek Block, holding a 45 percent interest, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30 percent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 percent interest.

Oil production is planned to begin in early 2020 with revenues for the country to begin being used for development projects soon after.

RPA protest increased fuel prices

Ahead of Local Gov’t Elections, Gov’t finally engaged mining sector in substantial way

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n February 2017, local miners went as far as to give the Coalition Government a two-week ultimatum, after its calls for a meeting with President David Granger went repeatedly unanswered.

The miners wanted to discuss taxes and other issues that were affecting the mining sector, largely because of policies implemented by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government.

Now, over a year later, and months out from the Local Government Elections – expected by mid-November 2018 - several met with some of the stakeholders in the mining sector on Wednesday (June 20, 2018).

The Ministerial team included, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock and Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin along with junior Minister of Natural Resources Simona Broomes.

They met with the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), the Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA), the Small Miners Association(SMA) and mining syndicates. However, it is unclear which mining syndicates were engaged.

Trotman said one of the objectives of the consultation was for the stakeholders to “hear from us as well about what we can expect of them and we can hear from them likewise.”

Meanwhile, Government has been criticised for delaying substantive engagement with the mining sector.

The hardships facing the mining sector were reflected in its performance in 2017.

The performance of major sectors according to final 2017 figures, which were revised in February 2018, show that the mining and quarrying sector contracted by 8.8 per cent; despite being projected to grow by 0.7 per cent.

13

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Real Time Economic Insights

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uyana’s economy missed its potential target by more than GYD$20.6B from 2015 to date.

And had the Coalition Government maintained 2014 production level of some of the major sectors, additional sums would not have been lost. For example: Sugar in 2015, surpassed 2014 production level by $0.9 billion, but fell short in 2016 by $1.9 billion, in 2017 by another $4.6 billion, and 2018 is projected to decline by another $6 billion. The result is that failed policies, gross mismanagement and corruption will cause our economy to lose out on, when adjusted for inflation, approximately GYD$46.11 billion by end 2018.

These are two of the major issues focused on in this week’s ‘Real Time Economic Insights’.

The graph above demonstrates, essentially that there is a lot of slack in the economy. It also confirms the slew of failed policies and measures this government undertook since coming into office in 2015. And the weak demand is linked to low disposable income, and high economic uncertainty.

GDP Gap $12.00 $10.00

5.0%

4.4%

3.4%

3.8%

3.4%

3.4%

$8.00

3.0% 3.0%

$6.00

-$0.50 -$2.50 -$4.50 -G$3.29

-G$16.3

-G$9.59

Rice

Forestry

Bauxite

-G$16.6

-$6.50 Sugar

2015

2016

2017

$4.00 $2.00

$2.80

$5.10

$10.20

2015

2016

2017

1.0% $2.50

$0.00

0.0% GDP Gap (Loss)

2018

Projected GDP Growth

The economy is performing below its full capacity, meaning that there is spare capacity in the economy due to weak demand.

Aggregate contraction of key sectors, when compared to 2014 (adjusted for inflation): • Sugar, GYD$16.6b • Rice, GYD$3.29b • Forestry, GYD$16.3b • Bauxite , GYD$9.59b TOTAL: GYD$46.11 billion

Aggregate Performance of Key Traditional Sectors Compared to 2014 (Base Year) $1.50

-$2.50 -$4.50 -G$16.6

-G$3.29

Sugar

All four sectors are performing below 2014 level: Sign of gross incompetence by the Government

There is much discussion and speculation surrounding the impact of our ailing sugar, rice, forestry and bauxite sectors. But there is no doubt that our economy had slowed down since this administration came into office in 2015. This analysis intends to quantify the size of the aggregate contraction of these four sectors when compared to 2014.

Had the government maintained 2014 production level of the following sectors, by end 2018, the sugar industry could have brought in an aggregate $16.6 billion stimulus to the economy; rice another $3.2 billion; Forestry $16.3 billion; and Bauxite $9.59 billion.

This graph is showing how much production in GYD, each sector lost by not producing above the 2014 production level.

Impact on Balance of Payment (BoP) 12.1 13

6.5

0 -50

2016

2017

2018

-2

-100 -150 -200

-174

-250 -300

-287.4

Finance of Balance: NFA Source: Budget Estimates

Key Observations:

-G$16.3

-G$9.59

Rice

2016

Forestry

Bauxite

2017

2018

Source: Budget Estimates

The incompetence of the APNU/AFC government has cost our economy a package of approximately GYD$46.11 billion in economic stimulus;

2015

Aggregate contraction of key sectors, when compared to 2014 (adjusted for inflation): • Sugar, GYD$16.6b • Rice, GYD$3.29b • Forestry, GYD$16.3b • Bauxite , GYD$9.59b TOTAL: GYD$46.11 billion

-$0.50

-$6.50

2018

Key Observations:

55.7

Actual

Key Observations:

2015

50

Interesting Stats: • The o.4% reduction in GDP growth rate for 2018, as announced by the Hon. Minister, signifies that the economy would underperform by GYD$2.5 billion.

Source: Budget Estimates

Source: Budget Estimates

100

2.0%

2.1%

Aggregate Performance of Key Traditional Sectors Compared to 2014 (Base Year) $1.50

4.0%

3.8%

Overall, the economy missed its potential target by more than GYD$20.6 billion.

Current Account Deficit

-292.6

• Current Account deficit has increased from US$174 million in 2015 to US$287.4 or 65%, by end 2017.

Interesting Stats: • BoP in 2017 recorded a deficit of US$69.5 M, US$89.4M more than projected; • Current Account recorded a deficit of US$287M, US$52.4M more than projected.

Government continues to spend more than they earn. Form 2015-2017, the government added, with one hand, a mere US$2 million to our foreign exchange reserve, then took out with another, US$67.8 million, to help offset our Current Account deficit.

This graph shows how the government used, and planned to use, Guyana’s Net Foreign Assets (NFA) to help finance our huge current account deficit.

The current account is the amount of import we cannot offset with revenues generated from export. In other words, we spend more than we earn. Starting from 2015, the government took out US$55.7 million to help offset our current account deficit of US$174 million. In 2016, due to a surplus of our current account, the government was able to add US$2 million.

However, in 2017, the government took out another US$12.1 million, and planned to use up another US$6.5 million by end 2018. What this shows is that, the government does not plan on replenishing Guyana’s foreign reserves anytime soon, even though it now represents, as of April 2018, 2.75 of import cover. In other words, we have reserve that could last us for another 2.5 months or 10 weeks, which is below the 3 months limit set by IMF.

Key Observations: The incompetence of the APNU/AFC government has cost our economy a package of approximately GYD$46.11 billion in economic stimulus; All four sectors are performing below 2014 level: Sign of gross incompetence by the Government

Gross incompetence, and failed policies on part of the APNU/ AFC government have led to an economic contraction that has also affected exports. Starting with sugar, for e.g., in 2015, total export came in below 2014 level by US$7.1 million, in 2016 by US$14.6 million, in 2017 by US$41.50, and 2018 is projected to miss 2014 level by US$48.30 million. In total, the contraction in the sugar industry had cost our economy US$111.5 million. Now if this analysis is done for the other three sectors, in total, from 2015 to end2018, our economy is projected to suffer a loss of US$509 million in foreign exchange.

Fiscal Year 2017: Projection vs Actual PROJECTION (as outlined in Budget 2018)

ACTUAL (as confirmed by the 2017 End of Year Outcome Report)

Achieve a GDP growth rate of 3.8%

Growth rate of 2.1%

Increase Net Foreign Assets by US$20M to US$613M

Decrease Net Foreign Assets by US$13.2M to US$580

Mining and Quarrying sector to grow by 0.7%

Mining and Quarrying sector contracted by 8.8%

Record a Balance of Payment surplus of US$19.9M

Recorded a Balance of Payment deficit of US$69.5M (492% less)

Record a Current Account deficit of US$45M

Recorded a Current Account Deficit of US$287.4M (533% more)

Add US$93.2 M to Net Foreign Assets, due to favorable Balance of Trade

Withdraw US$12.1M to offset balance of payment deficit (below projection by 113%)

Gross Reserve at BoG to be 3.4 months of import cover (minimum is 3 months)

Gross Reserve represents 3.1 months of import cover. (As of April, 2018, that figure is 2.75)

Collect GYD$162.5b in taxes

Collected GYD$171.2b or GYD$8.7 billion more

Public Enterprises to bring in GYD$119.8 B in revenue

Public Enterprises brought in GYD$110.9 or 7.4% less

The APNU+AFC Coalition government fails to meet even the standards it sets for itself.

14

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Residents of Enmore speak out…

Tough times, an uncaring government and the struggle ahead A

n increasing number of Guyanese are under pressure because of policies advanced by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government and this week ‘The Mirror’ spoke to several of the residents in Enmore, East Coast Demerara. The closure of the East Demerara Estate, which employs no less than 2,200 employees in the field, factory, security, administrative and managerial sections, was at the centre of many of the stories told. Tales of tough times, worries about the future and concerns about welfare were only some of the issues affecting residents in the area.

LALL SINGH (pensioner): “The main thing is the estate close. If the government didn’t happy with how things going, all they had to do was change the management. Regular people working with instruction. Now what people gun do? These people (the government) don’t know how much people got to punish now. This whole government want throw-way.

They don’t even listen to what people going through.”

BALKISSOON LATCHMAN: “Is over 30 years I work at the Estate. I get knock off. I get half me severance money. But is seven months I done deh home already.

I eating what they pay me. After that money done, we gun have to see what happen. Because right now work ain’t deh. I done reach 55 (years old) already, people don’t really want take on people my age to do labourer work, them young boys more stand a chance. What gun happen now, we ain’t know, but it not easy. And is like this government ain’t got a care for poor people.”

T. SINGH : “Right now is everybody got to find a lil hold on. But people punishing to find even one day-work.”

MOHABIR SINGH: “The estate closing is the worst thing that coulda happen. Now I planting a lil garden.

You can’t do anything else. But you got to do something. It ain’t easy, but you got to live.”

MAHABAL RAMSARAN: “Right now everybody just trying. You have to try.

My husband had a stroke. My son and my son-in-law used to work at the Estate, but now work ain’t deh. Is only some inand-out work they might get sometimes, not everyday work. People don’t have no kind of help. And the children is who you watching. This President, I ain’t even sure he got a heart. He don’t have a heart for the children. How you can sit down and watch innocent got to punish because you decide fuh do something? If he had a heart he wouldn’t do this. Things might have been better. They come and seh better, but not true.”

RAWLSTON DAVIS: “You can’t say much. Things not really good. I used to be at the estate spraying the poison. But now, just like everybody else, we waiting and trying.”

ABDUL RASHID: “Right now I catching me hand with a lil work at the shop. But things bad.”

RAVI DUMAY: “No money circulating right now. Money just nah deh. The estate close down and this place don’t look good.”

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

V. RAMPAL: “Things tough right now. It’s hard to find work. I, right now, working as a machine operator. But pay is the problem. The jobs you getting don’t really pay.

When you done pay bills, you still got to send children to school. You still got to eat. But we trying till a next change.”

ISHACK MAJID: “This right here is punishment. We ain’t see like this in all them years. I watch some of them boys, they ain’t got money to buy ration. Them ones that get cut from in estate in a bad way.”

JAMAL HUSSAIN: “This country going backward and downward.”

RAJIN KUMAR OUTAR: “Things right now very hard. No jobs around. The school children, is a struggle to find money to send them to school. And this government want to talk about education, they killing education. I used to cut cane.

I get half me money. And nobody talking about when the next half gun get pay.

Things very rough right now.”

VICKY RAMLALL: “We trying. Only that we can do right now.”

AGATHA LUTCHMAN: “I retired as a nurse, but I do a little business to get something extra to help. But people don’t have the money they used to have. So business slow down a lot. It used to be good. Since the estate close, things gone down, down, down.”

K. MOHAMMED: “Is bare punishment.

Nothing good.”

ABDUL KADIR: “We deh pun a real struggle. Is 33 years I work at GuySuCo. I get half me severance. I waiting to hear about the rest.”

M. RAMNARAYAN: “I watching them young boy, they can’t find work. Things hard. When you eat the lil money you got.

You got to study how you will eat again.

Nothing going good and no change we get.”

DEVIKA KAISO: “Things are very hard very right now. As a housewife things hard.

Many days I don’t have money to send the children to school. Where I does cook two and three times for my children, now I have to cook one time. My husband not getting work since the estate close.”

CHANDRADAI PERSAUD: “I want to tell this President, that the stone he got in he body got to come out. He got to get a heart for the people. Things are hard. My husband out of a job. To pay bills it hard.

To meet simple expense is hard. I want to say to the president of Guyana, let him take out the rock stone in his body, and put in a heart. How can he see people suffer like this? Children can’t go to school, parents can’t give children food. You just in a bad way. Before things turn good, they turning worse and getting more worse.”

MARIA PERSAUD: “I now trying to build a life now, but things are very hard. When you don’t have things to cook and have to study about what to eat, you have trouble.”

16

Unstable water supply the reason reservoir was being built …Diamond businessman on gas eruption

E

ven as a multi-agency clean-up is underway to address the recent gas eruption that followed an un-authorised drilling by a resident of the Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, the businessman involved in the incident has broken his silence on the issue.

Businessman Soownauth ‘Water Man’ Gorakh expressed, who expressed “unreserved remorse” over the incident, explained that he moved to build the reservoir after his family continued to battle “unstable water distribution” in Diamond.

Gorakh said, “There are times when the water would go for three, four days, and

we thought that it would be easier for us to build a reservoir so that we can have water more consistently.”

Gorakh rejected claims that he is a wealthy businessman and that he is refusing to meet the other affected residents. “I met with the residents, because it is the very neighbours who have been affected (who) took me in with my wife and three children…I am affected myself, losing almost everything; and based on the advice from CDC and other persons on the ground, the house is completely damaged, owing to the fact that the slush and gas would have destroyed everything,” he said.

The drilling resulted in

an eruption of mud, water and methane gas, and damage to several homes in the area. The well was dug in the family’s backyard. The Civil Defence Commission has said that that permission must first be obtained from the Hydrometeorological Office to conduct such drillings.

Additionally, agencies such as the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC), United States-based oil giant ExxonMobil, as well as Massy Gas Products are involved in the cleanup and assessment.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

CCJ to rule on presidential term-term by early July T

he Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is set to make a ruling on the Guyana Government’s appeal of the constitutional challenge to presidential term limits, along with citizenship and residency restrictions, but early July 2018.

The decision is expected to be handed down by Sir Dennis Byron, the current President of the CCJ, who is expected to demit office on July 3, 2018. Justice Adrian Saunders will assume the presidency on July 4, 2018.

Sir Byron was on the panel of Judges who heard arguments by legal teams representing the State of Guyana, and the applicant, Cedric Richardson. The other Judges included: Jacob Wit, David Hayton, Winston Anderson, Rajnauth Lee, and Denys Barrow.

The outcome of this matter could be a deciding factor as to whether Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo will be the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate in the 2020 General Elections. Jagdeo was previously elected President in 2001 and 2006.

Jagdeo has made it clear that no decision of the PPP/C presidential candidate for the 2020 General and Regional Elections has been made by the Party. “When the right time comes, we will decide on a presidential

candidate….I’m General Secretary of the Party; I took over in January last year after the Congress, and my job as General Secretary is to work hard to transform the Party, to widen its base and prepare it to win the elections regardless of what position I serve in.”

APPEAL UPHELD The case was taken to the CCJ, after Guyana’s Appeal Court upheld the ruling of the High Court.

The former Chief Justice, Ian Chang, in 2015, ruled that the restriction of a two-term limit is unconstitutional. On August 7, 2015, the then Solicitor General Sita Ramlall and Attorney Roysdale Forde, filed the appeal on five grounds, including that fact that the Chief Justice blundered in law.

Chang’s ruling was based a constitutional challenge that was filed by Georgetown resident, Cedric Richardson, in February, 2015. His attorneys are Emily Dodson and Shawn Allicock. The applicant argued that Act 17 of 2001, which was passed by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly, unconstitutionally curtails and restricts his sovereign and democratic rights and freedom as a qualified elector to elect former President Bharrat Jagdeo as the Executive President of the Coop-

erative Republic of Guyana.

Chang ruled that notwithstanding the provisions of Article 164, Act No 17 of 2001 in so far as it ‘dilutes’ the democratic rights of the electorate to elect a president of its own choice, needed a referendum and therefore violates article 164. The Chief Justice argues that the constitution cannot be subject to amendment by addition and Act 17 of 2001 adds new provisions to Article 90 relating to the qualifications for president. The other main reason given by the Chief Justice is that a two-thirds majority cannot alter a provision of the constitution in diminution of its ‘normative’ characteristics as providing that Guyana is an indivisible, secular, democratic and sovereign state.

He identified the right of a citizen to elect a president as such a provision and held that the amendment affected such a right.

The ruling in the appeal of the third term challenge was given in February 2017 by the Court of Appeal and, by a two to one majority, the Court ruled that a person who served two terms as president can run again for a third term. Handing down the decision were Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh; Chief Justice, Yonnette Cummings-Edwards and Justice B.S. Roy. Cummings-Edward voted no.

Sections of Ruimveldt Industrial Site roads remain in deplorable state T

hough one section of the eastern half of the deplorable roads at Ruimveldt Industrial Estate has been fixed, many are left questioning why only the area from the main road up to a housing scheme in the area has been rehabilitated.

Some of the businesses in the area include Distribution Services Limited (DSL), Thriving Auto-body and Repair Shop, E-Networks Inc, Twins Manufacturing, and storage bonds belonging to Kissoons, Banks DIH Limited, and Sunfoods.

Meanwhile, several roads in the Ruimveldt wards of Georgetown have been in deplorable condition for some time now, but only some patch work has been done.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Turn GECOM procurement Appeal Court rules… report over to the police Granger’s move to revoke – PPP/C GECOM Commissioner farmers land leases unlawful T G he Auditor General’s report into allegations of over $100M in procurement fraud at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) should be turned over to the police, according to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP)– nominated GECOM Commissioner, Robeson Benn.

“My recommendation was that GECOM should turn the matter over to the police because you are not even getting documents.

You are getting different stories as to what may have happened in terms of the paper trail for documents,” Benn said.

The GECOM Secretariat has been accused of deliberately overseeing a system of procurement irregularities involving hundreds of millions of dollars in purchases – from radios, to pliers and batteries, to toners. Audits

were conducted at GECOM following the 2015 General and Regional Elections. The Auditor General’s office prepared three reports.

The audit report, according to Benn, were examined by the Admin and Finance sub-committee of the seven-member (three PPP/C-nominated Commissioners; three PNCR-nominated Commissioner; and the GECOM Chairman) Commission.

However, he noted that there was a decision to “more or less move on.”

Benn said, “My position remains that it should be turned over to police for professional detective work and whichever way it turns out, it would be a warning to the agency that the Commissioners take these allegations of fraud seriously,” Benn noted.

Auditor General Deodat Sharma has also insisted that

the Commission turn the report over to the police.

Notably, the controversial GECOM Chairman, Justice (rtd) James Patterson has insisted that he was not going to adhere to any directions from the AG on how to deal with the report.

Speaking about Patterson’s position, Benn said, “I know there was a statement in the press by the Chairman that if the Auditor general wants he can carry the matter to the police. I have to point out as I did at a recent meeting that we have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure the integrity of the accounts of GECOM and so in the first instance, it is our duty to turn the matter over to the proper authority for a thorough investigation.”

The Auditor General has since moved to prepare a file on the matter, which will be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) based on his findings.

uyana’s Court of Appeal on Friday (June 15, 2018) upheld a decision handed down by the High Court, that the decision by President David Granger and his Government to cancel the leases that were issued to farmers by the former Administration was unlawful and unconstitutional.

The Court of Appeal rejected a bid by the state to stay orders made by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George SC giving several aggrieved Seafield, West Coast Berbice rice farmers rights to their lands.

In addition to refusing the application by the Attorney-General (AG) and Mahaica- Mahaicony-Abary-Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) for a stay of the execution of the orders, Appellate Judge Dawn Gregory also awarded farmers respondents Philip Alexander Johnson, Rupert Blackman, Rawle Miller

$50,000 each.

The land leases were issued for farmers who wished to engage in the usage of the land for agricultural purposes, as outlined within the confines of the established agreement between the State and those who would be leased the land demarcated at Seafield, West Coast Berbice.

Last year Justice George ruled that the revocation of the farmers’ leases by President David Granger infringed on fundamental rights and property, which are guaranteed in Article 142(1) of the Constitution.

On December 11, 2017, she granted orders declaring that the cancellation of the lease in the name of the Applicants was contrary to Article 142 of the Constitution as such cancellation amounted to the compulsory acquisition of the Applicants’ property without adequate notice or compensation; and that

the cancellation of the said leases were void and of no effect unless compensation is paid for what is a clear breach of the terms of the lease by the said cancellation. She also issued a permanent conservatory order restraining the Respondents, their servants, agents and/or assigns from interfering with the Applicants’ possession, occupation of the state land held by the respective leases that were cancelled unless compensation is paid.

On January 3, 2018, the Attorney General and the MMA/ADA lodged appealed the decision and subsequently on March 5th they also filed an application for a stay of execution of the orders made by Justice George.

The AG and MMA/ADA were represented by attorney Saphier Hussain, while the rice farmers were represented by Anil Nandlall, Manoj Narayan, Rajendra Jaigobin and Anuradha Deodasingh.

of such international body – in no case – and much less to settle this controversy, where Venezuela shall make all efforts to defend its legitimate rights to the Guayana Esequiba.”

On March 29, 2018, Guyana filed an application with the ICJ requesting that it confirm the legal validity and binding effect of the 1899 Arbitral Award on the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

The 1899 demarcation – the 1899 Arbitral Award – of the territorial limits considered the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela settled and made clear that the Essequibo belongs to Guyana.

The Award was disputed and in 1966, Guyana and Venezuela signed the Geneva Agreement. This agreement took note of the fact that Venezuela was disputing the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award. While it did not take any position about Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo, it committed Venezuela, Britain and Guyana to ensure that “any outstanding controversy… should (be) amicably resolved in a manner acceptable to both parties.”

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

On January 30, 2018, the UN Secretary General, concluded that the Good Offices process which the two countries had engaged in for almost 30 years had failed to achieve a solution to the controversy and therefore chose the ICJ as the next means of settlement.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s position after the Monday (June 18, 2018) meeting is that it intends to proceed with the case, as provided for under Article 53 of the Statute of the Court, which states that: “Whenever one of the parties does not appear before the Court, or fails to defend its case, the other Party may call upon the Court to decide in favour of its claim.”

Another critic silenced? Contract of petroleum advisor not renewed Venezuela says it will not he APNU+AFC Coa- and has sector, something The former Petroleum T lition Government has that the People’s Progressive Advisor also complained participate in Guyana’s application failed to renew the contract Party/ Civic (PPP/C) had also about the lack of resources of its Petroleum Advisor, Dr. called for. “If politicians to build a technical team that on border controversy before ICJ Jan Mangal, which ended in are managing your industry, would support government March 2018. Mangal over the past few months has been critical of the Administration’s handling of developments in the oil and gas sector, including its failures in renegotiating the ExxonMobil contract.

Speaking about the renegotiated contract, Mangal had suggested that the two per cent royalty in the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between ExxonMobil and the Government is not the international norm.

Mangal had also called for an apolitical approach to the development of the oil

then come election time the industry is going to come to a standstill and six months after the elections, there won’t be anyone working in the industry,” he had said.

He had also criticised the government for its failure in ensuring that there is a clear management framework for the sector, before oil production starts in 2020, specifically as it related to the passage of the Petroleum Commission Bill, the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund other policies that would ensure effective management of the sector.

in the sector’s development.

“I am one person…Guyana can’t rely on one person.

Guyana needs to go and pull in a bunch of experts into Government. My intention when I started was to build a team up, but unfortunately resources were not available,” he said.

Mangal has since said that he hopes his contract will be renewed later this year, but noted that there has been no definite indication that this will happen.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Presidency has remained silent on this issue.

Market vendors to be subjected to new revenue collection system V endors from several markets will be engaged in a new system to pay their dues as the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) seeks to implement a new initiative to collect its revenues.

According to the Council, Bourda Market will be used from Monday as a pilot to identify opportunities for improvement. It would then be replicated in all other markets after the revision and rectification process.

The Accounting Manager of the Council, John Douglas, explained that a booth was established at Regent Street and Orangewalk, where the system would be modified.

Cashiers would be present at the booth while “issuers” and “verifiers” will be dispatched to the vendors.

Douglas said, “An issuer would come towards a vendor. They would assess the goods that are on the ground and they would write what

is called a ‘slip’. The vendor would be given that slip and the vendor is expected to take that slip towards the cashier booth and make his or her payments.

“The verifier comes a little while after on the ground to ensure that the vendor had paid at the cashier booth and the correct amount has been paid for.”

Also, a new database has been created to ensure that all vendors are paid up.

T

he President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), earlier this month, invited the representatives of Guyana and Venezuela to attend a meeting with him on June 18, 2018.

Both countries confirmed receipt of the invitation.

After today’s meeting, Venezuela said it will not participate in the procedure that the government of Guyana introduced ICJ, over the border controversy matter.

A press statement from Venezuela said, “The Venezuelan delegation, upon presenting its respects for such an honourable international justice body, has communicated to the President of the Court, through a letter signed by the President of the Republic, Nicolas Maduro Moros, the sovereign decision of Venezuela of not taking part in the action that has been unilaterally filed by our neighbouring country without Venezuela’s consent.

“The decision, duly informed to the International Court of Justice, is consistent with Venezuela’s historical position of not recognizing the jurisdiction

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Focus on Guyana’s First People – issues affecting Amerindian people and communities

APNU+AFC gov’t pushing to reduce Amerindian representation on Indigenous People’s Commission

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espite criticisms, the Coalition Government is maintaining its push reduce the Amerindian representation on the Indigenous People’s Commission.

The Coalition Government plans to reduce Amerindian representation on the 15-member Commission to 30 per cent. Of the 15 members, three representatives are from the National Toshaos Council and two are from local Amerindian organisations.

The other 10 members will come from the: Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs; Ministry of Public Health; Ministry of Social Protection; Private Sector Commission; Environmental Protection Agency; Bar Association of Guyana; Guyana Gold and Diamond

Miners Association; Forest Products Association; National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI); and the Inter-Religious Organisation.

The latter, the Inter-Religious Organisation, was a proposal that came from PNCR General Secretary, Amna Ally, who defended her recommendation by saying that “the majority of indigenous people” may not be Christians.

These details are according to the seventh report of the Committee of Appointments, in relation to the appointment of members of the Indigenous People’s Commission, was tabled in the House in March 2018 and is expected to come up for debate on Monday (June 25, 2018).

Meanwhile, the Coalition Government has come in for blows over the past years for cutting the budgets of the Indigenous Peoples Commission, despite arguments by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarians – Alister Charlie, Yvonne Pearson, Gail Teixeira and Nigel Dharamlall – for them not to do so. The PPP/C Parliamentarians had argued that the Indigenous Peoples Commission has a mandate to investigate and treat with the rights of Amerindians.

Minister George Norton chairs the Committee of Appointments, which made the controversial move.

Norton’s Committee report will be subject to a vote that required two-thirds approval.

122 graduate from Hinterland Scholarship programme, gov’t silent on job creation A total of 122 students have graduated from the Hinterland Scholarship Programme (HSP), pursuing a secondary, tertiary and technical education at institutions outside of their communities.

Graduating were 91 secondary level students; 23 students at the technical and tertiary level; and eight students who completed the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). The programme also recorded a 91 percent pass rate at CAPE with 59 passes with grades 1 to 4; and 90.1 percent passes at CSEC in 2017, as against an 83.3 percent pass rate in 2016. Fourth formers Reseda Hack and Canisha Primo of

Bartica, Region Seven, who attend Queens College, also secured distinctions in mathematics.

However, with an additional 122 youths having completed their studies, the next worry is about being able to secure jobs. The Coalition government remains silent on job creation initiatives for the hinterland regions.

Meanwhile, economic activity in the hinterland communities has been on the decline, while commodity prices have been on the increase.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, insists that the PPP/C and the Amerindi-

an peoples are not interested in rhetoric from the Coalition government, which continues to speak about its ‘love’ for Amerindians. According to Jagdeo, the current administration “has a lot of ministers who do very little during the day” and are not taking the necessary steps to address the hardships in the hinterland.

“Look at the callous disregard they had for the Amerindian People,” he lamented.

The Opposition Leader maintains that funding is available and the Government must, instead of dragging its feet, accelerate the process to ensure sustainable prosperity for hinterland communities.

Gov’t silent on replacement for Almost three years later: HEYS after admitting that it was Baishaidrun nursery school not properly structured still not completed T I n 2016 the National Assembly approved four capital projects for the enhancement and delivery of education in Region 9. One of those project was the construction of a nursery school in Baishaidrun in Deep South, Rupununi.

The $18M project remains incomplete to date.

The Mirror was informed that the project

was awarded to a contractor from the Coast, who then sub-contracted a Region 9 contractor to do the work. The monies have been paid in full for the project. However, there remains no clarity on when the construction of the new school will be completed.

The opening of the new Baishaidrun Nursery School was highly anticipated by teachers and residents in the area.

hree months after Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Sydney Allicock, admitted that the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) initiative failed and a replacement programme was in the works, Government has been silent on what exactly the replacement programme is.

HEYS was put in place by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government soon after May 2015 and replaced the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP), which was an initiative under the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government.

The focus of YEAP was to train young Amerindians while employing them at the same time is a medium to empower the young as partners in national development. Under YEAP, over 2,000 Community Support Officers (CSOs) were trained and participated productively in Education, Health, and Social Welfare, Community Development, Culture, ICT, Infrastructure and small

business. The CSOs received training in various, including: Management of Photovoltaic System; Management of Basic ICT hardware; Governance & Amerindian Act; Youth Voices for Climate Change; Business & Sustainable Development; and Various aspect of the Community Development Project training. Also, a group of qualified and eligible Community Service Officers were enrolled for course at the University of Guyana on line programme for a Bachelor’s Degree in Maths and Physics or Computer Science. The trained youths then collaborated on the implementation of CDPs and other socio-economic activities taking place in the villages. The inclusion of the young allowed them to participate productively in technical, mechanical, computer, and agricultural activities will definitely enhance the capacity of the villages’ human resources.

When the Coalition Government took power, the 1972 Amerindian commu-

nity service officers who were part of the YEAP programme were fired.

Government had stated that HEYS was better than YEAP. However, with the HEYS programmes, the participants received six months of classroom training and six months of practical training, but no follow-up support to ensure that they secure jobs or are supported with easy access to financing to launch entrepreneurial activities.

Over $2B was invested in the last two years of the PPP/C government in YEAP. And given the scrapping of the HEYS initiative, questions related to value for monies spent are now being asked.

In admitting that HEYS was a failed programme, Allicock stated that HEYS will be scrapped, since it was not structured to incorporate other training programmes for youths in the various sectors. The Minister and his Government have remained silent on the subject of a replacement programme.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

19

Significant progress made under successive PPP/C administrations to improve welfare of Amerindians

20

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

A year later: Request for names Second letter sent of APNU, PNCR MPs who to Procurement breached Integrity Commission Commission about laws continues to be ignored controversial new T Demerara River bridge

I

t has been nine months ties concerned to address the I been informed by the PPC since a letter was sent to concerns raised. This will be of the findings regarding the Public Procurement Com- done in keeping with the rel- my complaint. As your letmission (PPC) calling for an evant Articles of the Consti- ter refers to ‘the confines’ investigation into the moves tution and within the confines of your work programme to advance the construction of our Work programme and and “available resources”, of a new bridge across the available resources’.

I am seeking to know if the Demerara River and there “Madam Chairperson, I complaint and call for inveshas been silence from the have waited nine months, fol- tigation has been included in Commission. the PPC’s work Opposition “I have neither heard of any programme, Chief Whip, and, furtherGail Teixeira, pronouncement by the PPC, nor, have more, what is called for the I been informed by the PPC of the the status of the investigation in investigation.” a letter dated findings regarding my complaint.”

Meanwhile, September 18, - Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira Finance Min2018. Given ister, Winston the Commission’s silence, lowing my complaint to the Jordan, on Sunday (June 17, Teixeira, in a letter dated PPC and call for an immedi- 2018) disclosed that the GovJune 15, 2018 and addressed ate investigation as provided ernment has scrapped plans to the PPC Chairperson, Car- for in the Constitution Article to build a new three-lane ol Corbin, has questioned if 212 AA (1) (a)(c) (d) (g) (i) bridge across the Demerara her initial complaint and call and (j) of the blatant viola- Bridge and has instead defor investigation has been tion of the Procurement Act cided to ask for fresh proincluded in the PPC’s work in the matter I referred, and, posals to construct a fixed programme. She also queried further my call for the PPC four-lane crossing. Jordan the status of the investiga- to ‘immediately examine the stated that a fixed four-lane tion, if one has been pursued. new tender posted for the bridge connecting Regions 3 The letter seen by the Pre-Qualification of Contrac- and 4 – creating more uncerMirror newspaper says: “I am tors for the Finance, Design, tainty about how the project following up on my corre- Build and Maintain the new is being pursued, more so as spondence dated September Demerara River Bridge and it relates to whether or not 18, 2017 on the above-men- monitor the entire process all the laws in proceeding tioned subject and your cor- of bidding, evaluation and forward were followed. respondence of acknowl- selection of the contractor(s) The Parliamentary Oppoedgement dated September to ensure that the Procure- sition has called for a fixed 25, 2017. ment Act and Regulations are high-span bridge to be con“Your letter stated that strictly adhered to’. structed and has called on the ‘Commission has noted In this period, I have nei- Government to employ a the contents of your letter and ther heard of any pronounce- transparent process in the will follow up with the enti- ment by the PPC, nor, have move forward.

Silence from Integrity Commission on report given at Commonwealth conference

T

he Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies (CCAICACB) 4th Annual Conference ended on June 8, 2018, in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). It was held under the theme ‘Counting the Real Cost of Corruption – Engaging Everyone in the Fight’.

And representatives of each member country gave a presentation to provide updates on the work achieved during the previous year or from time of appointment.

Guyana’s Integrity Commission has been in place since February 2018 – which means there update of work from the time of appointment would have spanned just over

three months.

It is unclear what report was made by Guyana’s Integrity Commission, headed

by Chairman, Kumar Doraisami. The Chairman of the Integrity Commission and Attorney-at-Law, Rosemary Benjamin-Noble, represented Guyana at the Conference. Neither has publicly addressed the matter with the Guyanese media corps.

The Integrity Commission has been the source of some debate in the past months, since after taking office, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, disbanded the Integrity Commission Secretariat, which was still receiving declarations from persons in public life, regardless of the fact that a

Commission – the Chairman and two other members – had not been appointed.

Additionally, Guyana’s Integrity Commission was among several other similar bodies in the Caribbean that have called on the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to put graft and corruption on their agenda and craft Commissioner harmonised legislation to tackle the scourge.

The mission of the Commonwealth Caribbean Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies (CCAICACB) is to promote good governance in accordance with best practice and the development, sharing and promotion of strategies for fighting corruption.

he one-year mark has passed since the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) moved forward on expressed intentions to file private criminal charges against People’s National Congress Reform (PNRC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Parliamentarians, who have breached the laws of Guyana by not submitting declarations to the Integrity Commission.

To date the request for information has been ignored.

A letter was written to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Abeena Moore, dated June 21, 2017, and 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 20112015.

The letter was submitted

by PPP/C Parliamentarian, Juan Edghill, whose request was made under provisions of the Access to Information Act of 2011.

The letter states 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.”

Edghill, in an invited comment, said, “To date there has not even been an acknowledgment of the letter that was personally delivered and signed for as received at the Ministry of the Presidency.”

Moore, at 2017 meeting, of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC), admitted that

the Commission has been dismantled under the current Coalition government.

According to her, there is only one staffer remaining at the Integrity Commission Secretariat. After this move, concerns about the years of documentation – specifically the declarations officials in public life are supposed to make to the Commission by law – were expressed.

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.

Meanwhile, in February 2018, Guyana’s Integrity Commission was put in place. The three-member Commission, includes Chairman, Kumar Doraisami; Commissioner Rosemary Benjamin-Noble; and Commissioner Rahindranauth Persaud.

No by-election called five months after death of city councilor

F

ive months after the death of city councilor Junior Garrett and four months after the Council announced the vacancy for his seat the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has not directed that a by-election be called to fill the vacancy as required by law.

On January 26, Garrett, one of 15 constituency Councillors died suddenly and on February 12 Town Clerk Royston King duly announced the vacancy for his seat. According to King, a letter was dispatched to GECOM on that same date.

To date no action has been taken by GECOM. The Municipal and Dis-

trict Councils Act (Chapter 28:01) specifies what must be done in the event that a councilor dies. According to Section 43(1): “Wherever a vacancy occurs in an office of councilor the Town Clerk shall report the same at the next meeting of the council and publish notice thereof.”

The Local Authorities (Elections) Act, Section 53A (1) of the Act as amended in 2015, also addresses this matter. It states that a by-election should be held if a constituency councilor dies before the end of their term. The Act state that: “Where a vacancy for a councilor, in respect of the first past the post number of

councilors, in a Local Government Area occurs as a result of death…the clerk of the council shall after compliance with the provisions of Section 43(1) of the Municipal and District Councils Act inform the Elections Com-mission which shall instruct the Chief Election Officer to hold a by-election and the Chief Election Officer shall carry out the instructions thereof.”

Meanwhile, the residents of Constituency 3 (Bel Air Gardens, Bel Air Springs, Prashad Nagar, North East & North West Campellville) are without representation at the level of the City Council.

Region 10’s Dalliwala farmers plead for support T he riverine community of Dalliwala, situated in Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice), is a little farming community with just more than 20 farmers, who have depended on farming and selling their produce for a livelihood over the years. It is accessible by boat, with farmers utilising these very boats to dock at various points along the Demerara River, and in Linden, to sell

their produce.

But some farmers are leaving farming land because there is no support from government, in response to the challenges locals are facing.

Those farmers who have remained have scaled down their operations because of the lack of intervention, improper drainage, inability of farmers to access farmlands, and lack of a proper market facility, among other issues.

Farmer Yogeshwar Rhambarrat, who hails from this community, has said more persons can become empowered through farming, but the community has, over the years, not received the much-needed help from the authorities in order to boost farming.

According to Rhambarrat, these farmers contribute significantly to the food mar(Turn to page 21)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Gov’t silent on call for Lawrence moves to silence GRO work to be audited Health Ministry staffers

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he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has expressed major concerns over possible attempts to tamper with records at the General Registrar’s Office (GRO).

And despite a call for the ongoing work at the GRO to be reviewed, Government remains non-responsive.

In October 2016, Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, admitted that the records at the General Registrar’s Office (GRO) for the period 1987 to present are to be put in a digital format that would make search and retrieval easier and faster.

Prior to this move, a longstanding employee, Registrar of the General Register Office, Greta McDonald, was been sent off on administrative leave.

This action was taken just before the announced move to computerize the Registry and enter some two million birth records into a database The Party’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, earlier this year had said, “We have major concerns that there may be attempts to by Felix (Minister Winston Felix) to tamper with records at the GRO, using the digitization of records as a cover.”

He explained that the worry regards possible moves to include fictitious names in the GRO data base, which means that ineligible persons can access State documents, including birth certificates.

Jagdeo noted that this could not only affect the Guy-

ana Elections Commission (GECOM) data base, but can affect foreign countries, since birth certificates can be used to access passports for foreign travel.

Jagdeo also noted with concerns recent incident involving APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, Richard Allen, who was involved with issuance of birth certificates in Region 1 recently.

“If Felix says the process is totally transparent, then he should not have a problem with an audit of the digitation process.”

The PPP General Secretary stated that given the PNC’s history with padding of the voters list and manipulation of the GRO records, the current concerns are real and pressing.

Village Council elections completed

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total of 178 new Village Councils have been elected following the successful holding of elections in indigenous communities across the country.

Of the 178 village leaders elected, 78 were women. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Michael Thomas of Aishalton Village, Region Nine, is one of the youngest Toshaos to have been elected

A total of 34 were leaders, in the running, were re-elected as Toshaos. In the other cases, new leaders were choosen.

Village council elections were held from May 15 to June 15. These persons will represent the 215 villages at the upcoming National Toshaos Councils (NTC) conference.

Elections for NTC will be held during the conference.

Region 10’s Dalliwala... ket in nearby Linden, and had even supplied food to areas outside of Linden during the 2005 floods. He explained that more can be done if assistance is given.

“Let’s say (that) if Linden is producing 30 percent of the food for itself, Dalliwala alone (is) producing about 15 (percent). You can come out in the mornings and see the little engine boats providing greens, even wholesale…

imagine (what can happen if) if we get assistance; we ain’t only sending (produce) to Georgetown, we can send to the Caribbean, we can send to the interior. But we need some help; you gotta help the man who’s producing and who’s making (farming) a livelihood,” he said.

Rhambarrat added, “… this is probably the only town in Guyana that doesn’t have a farmers’ market….leaders

(From page 20)

appear to just be talking” agriculture, but not doing enough for agriculture and small farmers.”

Region 10 Chairman, Renis Morian, during a recent statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), admitted that the community’s farmers are abandoning their farmlands.

He also admitted that the farmers have repeated asked for support.

A

t a recent staff meeting at the Ministry of Public Health, the subject minister, Volda Lawrence, made a concerted effort to ensure silence from staffers. “Some workers have even been sending missives on internal MOPH matters to persons outside the Public Service Structure,” she said, adding that whistleblowers will not be tolerated.

She called the leaks to the media and civil society sabotage. “There are some sabotaging the Ministry left, right and centre,” she said.

According to her, the letter writers will shortly be forced to answer about these

issues.

Lawrence also blasted staffers for what she called insubordination. She charged that insubordination if “rife among some categories of employees” at the Ministry. She said, “Some parts of the MOPH train have been derailed (and) the madness has to stop.”

The Coalition Government has come under strong criticisms for the lack of transparency and accountability, over the past three years. Notably, however, before taking office, the Coalition promised to ensure that there was transparency and accountability.

Deep South Rupununi cut off by the water to recede to move, there is no alternative road flooding but as soon as the assess- which grants access to the

V

ice Chairman of Region Nine, Karl Singh yesterday said that the Deep South Rupununi has been cut off by the inundation of a key bridge, the Wardpao Bridge.

Over the past three days, heavy rains caused flooding in the Deep South which resulted in the Wardpao Bridge across the Rupununi River becoming inaccessible to residents and vehicles.

“The approach to the bridge is a bit low and the bridge is currently under six feet of water. As a result, the entire Deep South Rupununi is cut off. Vehicles are parked there waiting on

ment is concluded we will go ahead and make the alternative route,” Singh said.

Several vehicles have been left stranded, unable to access the Deep South, as a result of it being covered by the rising waters of the Rupununi River.

A culvert along the Lethem-Shulinab Road in the Rupununi has also been washed away, as a result of heavy rain rushing down the mountains into the area.

Toshao Nicholas Fredericks of Shulinab Village explained that the damage adds to the burden faced by those trying to manoeuvre in and out of the South Rupununi, particularly since

area. Fredericks disclosed that a small section of the road had washed away, and by the afternoon a larger portion had eroded. He explained that the erosion developed after a night of persistent rain. He added that the erosion of the said road continues with very little probability of an intervention being made any time soon. Fredericks has since expressed his dissatisfaction with authorties, saying that the maintenance of these roads is the responsibility of the Region, not the Amerindian villages.

The use of an alternate route has not yet been assessed.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

GWI given green light to increase water rates – 29 additional ancillary charges also to be introduced

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he Public Utilities Commission (PUC) via Order No 2 / 2018, dated 7th June, 2018, has approved an application by the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) for an increase in tariffs.

The decision was announced in a media release from the PUC which stated that, “After careful consideration of the views expressed by the various stakeholders namely the GWI Officials, Consumers Association and the members of the public, the Commission hereby approves the following rates to be implemented in two phases.

The first increase will be made effective from 1st October 2018 and the final increase will be made effec-

tive from 1st October 2019.

The implementation of the increases in a graduated format is an attempt to alleviate the financial burden on the consumers when compared to the last implemented charges as awarded under Order 3/2005.”

According to the Order, there will be adjustments to existing tariff bands, introduction of new tariff bands, introduction of a fixed charge, reduced tariffs for pensioners over the age of 65 years, and increases in existing ancillary charges and the introduction of new ancillary charges.

The new charges for metered residential consumers, as listed in Appendix One of the Order, as of 1st, October, 2018, will comprise of a monthly fixed charge of $250 and monthly con-

sumption charges of (1) $86 per cubic metre for consumers in the $60.90 category, while (2) all other consumers will pay $112 per cubic metre. As of 1st October, 2019, the monthly fixed charge will be $500 and the monthly consumption charge $112 per cubic metre.

The new monthly fixed charge for unmetered residential consumers, as of 1st, October, 2018, will be $250, along with a monthly consumption charge of $1,100. As of 1st, October, 2018, these charges will be increased to $500 and $1,450, respectively.

There will no fixed monthly charges for metered pensioners, but the monthly consumption charge will be $74 per cubic metre for the first ten (10) cubic me-

tres, and $86 for each cubic metre thereafter, from 1st October, 2018, with an increase to $112 for each cubic metre thereafter, from 1st October, 2019.

Unmetered pensioner consumers will incur no monthly fixed charges while their monthly consumption charge will be a flat fee of $740 per month.

There are new charges for metered non-residential and unmetered non-residential consumers, the latter group of which includes small, medium and large commercial and industrial consumers, along with new sewerage tariffs.

Among the twenty-nine listed ancillary charges with new prices as of 1st October, 2018, are non-residential connection fee ¾” or less ($16,000), residential connection fee ¾” or less ($10,000), residential reconnection non-voluntary ($7,500), and residential disconnection voluntary ($4,000).

GWI had submitted an application to the PUC on January 9, 2018 for the approval in rates.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Parliament happenings under review Taxpayers paying for Special Prosecutors, issue to be questioned I

n response to questions during the review of the last two Annual Budgets, the National Assembly was informed that millions of taxpayers’ dollars were allocated under Ministry of Legal Affairs’ budget to pay special prosecutors.

In 2017, the House was told that some $109M was budgeted for this purpose.

In 2018, undisclosed funds were also allocated for the hiring of Special Prose-

cutors, including foreign lawyers.

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarian, Anil Nandlall, is expected to question Attorney General, Basil Williams, on this matter when the National Assembly sits on Monday (June 25, 2018).

The question posed, for written reply, states: “Could the Honourable Minister provide this House with information on the number

of Special Prosecutors that have been hired, their salaries and benefits, travel and hotel costs, etc., incurred, and, the number of cases they are/have been handling for the period January, 2017 – March, 2018?”

The issue of special prosecutors has been a controversial one, given the moves made only against former government officials – an effort that has been dubbed a witch-hunting exercise.

Region 5 REO, team expelled from PAC meeting L ack of accountability for drugs warranted to Region 5 proved a contentious issue before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday (June 18, 2018).

And it led to the move by PAC Chairman, Irfaan Ali, to have the Region 5 Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison and team expelled from the PAC meeting.

Ali also instructed the Finance Secretary to consider taking appropriate action against the accounting officer, who faced the heat from the PAC after Auditor General Deodat Sharma had complained of being hindered in the execution of his duty by Morrison.

Sharma noted that Morrison had written him to state that no one from Region 5 could release information to the AG unless that information goes through him, prompting the PAC to question why Morrison was not cooperating with the AG. Responding, Morrison described his conduct as simply discharging his duty as an accounting officer.

Ali then read the Riot Act to Morrison, quoting from

Part VI of the Audit Act of Guyana, which states: “A person commits an offence who, knowingly and without lawful justification or excuse – (a) intentionally obstructs, hinders or resists the Auditor General or an officer authorized by him in the exercise of his power under this Act; (b) intentionally refuses or fails to comply with any lawful requirement of the Auditor General.”

He said, “The last time we sent this region away, we specifically asked the Finance Secretary and the Auditor General to do some specific things…we have been informed by the Accountant General that she had the meeting with the REO and team, indicating to them what must be done. It has not been done.”

Ali added, “…we have a letter sent by the Auditor General to the REO, dated the 22nd May, asking for the information to be submitted for auditing purposes. So far, the Auditor General has been denied this information!

In these circumstances, we have decided to ask the Finance Secretary to take the

necessary measures provided under the laws.”

Additionally, sums totaling $135M were transferred by two interdepartmental warrants to the Ministry of Public Health, for the procurement of drugs and medical supplies on behalf of the region. However, the Region had received $154M worth in drugs from the Ministry of Public Health.

Morrison could not have answered why Region 5 received almost $20M more.

He could not answer under what circumstances this was done. The Region 5 REO admitted that he did not ask questions about the extra $20M. When asked, the Accountant General Jennifer Chapman stressed that the REO should have done reconciliation with the Materials Management Unit (MMU) of the Public Health Ministry in order to ascertain the variance.

Several other questions were asked, but Morrison and his team seemed unable to answer many of them “At this time, the PAC remains dissatisfied with the region,” Ali declared.

Return of Labour Ministry up for debat at next House sitting

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he call for the re-establishment of a Ministry of Labour is expected to come up for debate on Monday (June 25, 2018) when the National Assembly sits again.

A motion moved by People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarian, Gillian Burton-Persaud, noted that on May 1, 2018, at the joint rally of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Federation

of Independent Trades Union of Guyana (FITUG) the call was made for a Motion to be laid in this National Assembly in relation to the re-establishment of the Ministry of Labour “Be it resolved that this National Assembly calls on the Government of Guyana to support the call of the joint trade union movement and restore the Ministry of Labour to its pre-2015 sta-

tus, as soon as possible,” the motion read.

A Ministry of Labour existed before the APNU+AFC Coalition Government took office in May 2015. After General and Regional Elections of May, 2015, the Government of Guyana established a Ministry of Social Protection and reduced the Ministry of Labour to a Department within that Ministry.

More ‘Drug Bond’ questions to be raised in National Assembly

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he contract between the Ministry of Public Health and the Linden Holdings Inc.’ – relative to the Sussex Street ‘drug bond’ – continues to be a source of controversy. And come Monday (June 25, 2018), questions on the matter will be raised, again, in the National Assembly.

Former Attorney General and Opposition Parliamentarian, Anil Nandlall, is expected to question Health Minister, Volda Lawrence on the matter.

The questions posed are: 1) What are the total sums paid to Linden Holding Inc. as rent for the property situated at lot 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown, as of March 31, 2018; and 2)What action has been taken with regards to implementing the recommendations that the contract be renegotiated to obtain a lower rate of rental, and, if not possible, that the Lease Agreement be terminated?

Lawrence is expected to submit a written reply on this issue.

The scandal surround the ‘drug storage bond’ came up after some $87.5M for the bond came up for debate and approval in the National Assembly on August 8 - $25M having already been spent as a security deposit and $12.5M earmarked for rent from August to December 2016.

The controversial ‘drug bond’ property is located at 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, and the contract is for three years. The proprietor is a prominent member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Lawrence Singh. The PNCR is the majority partner in the current Coalition Government.

Investigations turned up a private residence, unfit for the storage for pharmaceuticals and medication. On those grounds, the political

Opposition called for the contract to be scrapped.

When the contract was finally released, after pressure from the political Opposition, it showed that Government was renting a professional office, not a storage bond for pharmaceuticals.

It also showed that the $12.5M monthly cost was not the true cost; rather Government will have to pay upwards of $14.5M monthly for the property – spending with no value for money.

Former Health Minister, Dr George Norton, has since been sent to a Parliamentary Privileges Committee for misinforming and misleading the National Assembly on the controversial ‘drug bond’ when the debate initially took place. However, since being sent to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee, House Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, has taken no action to address the matter of possible sanctions for Norton.

Region 6 REO admits to contract splitting

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he Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Kim Williams-Stephen admitted that the regional administration conducted “contract splitting” to purchase $8.3 million worth of medical gloves, when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday (June 18, 2018).

The decision was taken by the previous REO, Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya and Williams-Stephen tried to defend the decision by saying that it was done to purchase

different sizes of gloves.

According to the Auditor General (AG)’s report for 2016, the gloves were purchased seven times from the same supplier on the same day in April.

“You said the region bought seven different sizes of gloves, but according to the report you submitted to the AG, most of the purchasing included 700 size 7 surgeon gloves,” said Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Irfan Ali, during a meeting on Monday.

Williams-Stephen, how-

ever, contended that different sizes such as 7.5, 7.0 and 8 were bought. When asked why the information she was giving to the Committee was grossly different from what was supplied to the PAC, the Region 6 REO was unable to answer.

“We cannot tolerate this kind of behaviour… you came back, submitted the documents and still trying to mislead us…contract splitting is a serious offence,” said the PAC chairman, adding that the matter should be investigated.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

PPP/C-nominated GECOM Commissioners pen complaint to ERC

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uestionable hiring practices were detailed in a letter, dated June 13, 2018, which has been sent to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) nominated GECOM Commissioners – Robeson Benn, Bibi Shadick and Sase Gunraj – signed the letter.

The move comes after the topranked candidate applying for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) was passed over for the post.

The Commissioners charge that the state of affairs is “clearly

indicative of a larger issue at the Guyana Elections Commission, which has an adverse effect on ethnic relations and harmony in Guyana.”

The Commissioners noted that the ERC has the mandate to conduct the inquiry as requested, pursuant to Article 212D (a) (d) and (p), of the Constitution The three Commissioners called for the inquiry to be done, at the earliest opportunity, and for the ERC’s report be made public.

BELOW IS THE FULL LETTER SENT TO THE

ERC: June 13, 2018 Rev. John Oswald Smith, C.C.H. Chairman Ethnic Relations Commission Peter Rose & Anira Streets Queenstown Guyana.

RE: REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION INTO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AT THE GUYANA ELECTIONS COMMISSION (GECOM) We, the undersigned Commissioners of the Guyana Elections

Commission (GECOM) wish to request that the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) conduct an inquiry into the unfair and discriminatory employment practices at GECOM in general, and the recent vote by the Chairman of GECOM in favour of a second ranked candidate, in particular.

A brief summary of recent occurrences on this issue is as follows: • An allegation was raised by Commissioner Robeson Benn about the lack of ethnic diversity in the composition of the workforce at GECOM, particularly senior management; • This issue was canvassed several times at Commission meetings, including at a meeting between the full Commission and an electoral needs assessment team from the United Nations (UNDP); • Commissioner Robeson Benn, in a presentation in observance of Guyana’s Independence, claimed that up to 90% of the senior management of GECOM is of Afro-Guyanese descent and that this was unhealthy. This comment was reported in the media; • At a meeting of the Commission held on 5th June, 2018, the Chairman of GECOM highlighted the issue of the Commissioner Robeson Benn’s reported comments and disputed those figures; • Commissioner Vincent Alexander, at that meeting, claimed that it was impossible to have figures regarding ethnicity of GECOM employees as no such records were kept; • This claim was publicly made by the said Commissioner Vincent Alexander in an engagement with the media later that day; • On the 6th June, 2018, the Kaieteur News published a piechart in a report purportedly showing percentages of the ethnic composition of the staff at GECOM; • These percentages along with additional numbers were published in the weekend edition of other newspapers; • At a meeting of the Commission held on 12th June, 2018, when questioned on the source and accuracy of this information, the Chairman was unable to give a proper account therefor; • Several explanations were proffered by the Chairman, including that he received the numbers from Facebook and another external source and gave same to the Human Resources Manager to verify; • It was later revealed that a report was done by the Human Resources Manager by examining photographs of the staff members

and this report was presented to the Chairman on 6th or 7th June, 2018, that is, after the numbers were published in the Kaieteur News; • On the 12th June, 2018, the Chairman opted to make a casting vote on the appointment of the Deputy Chief Elections Officer; • This was a result of deadlock that arose in the recruitment process conducted by members of a subcommittee responsible for interviewing and ranking candidates; • The subcommittee comprised Commissioners Robeson Benn, Bibi Shadick, Vincent Alexander and Desmond Trotman.

• The report of this subcommittee concluded with Mr. Vishnu Persaud, a person who served as Deputy Chief Elections Officer for three years, as the first ranked candidate and Ms. Roxanne Myers, as the second ranked candidate; • The Chairman cast his vote, aforesaid, in favour of the second ranked candidate; • In all other instances of recruitment in the recent process, all the first ranked candidates were appointed.

The foregoing is clearly indicative of a larger issue at the Guyana Elections Commission, which has an adverse effect on ethnic relations and harmony in Guyana.

Your Commission, no doubt, has the mandate to conduct the inquiry as requested, pursuant to Article 212D (a) (d) and (p), of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana, which provide as follows: (a) Provide equality of opportunity between persons of different ethnic groups and to promote harmony and good relations between such persons; (d) Foster a sense of security among all ethnic groups by encouraging and promoting the understanding, acceptance and tolerance of diversity in all aspects of national life and promoting full participation by all ethnic groups in the social, economic, cultural and political life of the people; (p) Investigate on its own accord or on request from the National Assembly or any other body any issues affecting ethnic relations.

In the circumstances, we reiterate our request for the inquiry to be done, at the earliest opportunity and that this report be made public.

We are prepared to provide any additional information that may be required in relation to this request.

All for your information and urgent attention.

Yours faithfully, Robeson Benn Bibi Shadick Sase Gunraj

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Minister says gov’t not Gov’t cuts off funding Agriculture responsible for making sure farmers get their to MMA/ADA, increased monies, GRDB owes millions to millers pressure being placed W on farmers

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he APNU+AFC Coalition Government has ceased funding capital works undertaken by the Mahaica/Mahaicony/ Abary-Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ ADA). Farmers are now under greater pressure to pay the increased land rental and other fees.

MMA/ADA General Manager, Aubrey Charles, has admitted that the agency is now dependent on rates paid by lessees to execute maintenance and other capital-related works.

The Coalition Government has been consistently decreasing support to the MMA/ADA. In 2017 and 2018, the government has only funded the authority’s recurrent expenditure to the

value of $154M and $170M respectively.

Monies to do capital works, the maintenance of the drainage and irrigation system, will now have to come from farmers.

In May 2017, the Coalition Government voted down a motion from the PPP/C calling for the reversal of new increases of fees for land, drainage and other services for the MMA/ ADA. Taking the issue to Parliament was done after farmers complained that the increased costs, together, with the recently imposed Value Added Tax (VAT) on agricultural inputs, education, and water and electricity consumption are only some of the additional burdens they are being asked

to bear.

The rates had increased from $3,500 annually to $15,000 per acre annually, while land rent costs went from $1,000 to $8,000.

Drainage and irrigation charges also increased from $2,500 to $8,000.

The MMA- a statutory agency under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture is required to provide Drainage and Irrigation services within the MMA/ ADA area; as laid out in the Authority's Act. The areas which fall under the MMA preview are: Abary/Berbice, Abary/Mahaicony and Mahaica/Mahaicony – which includes areas being used by rice farmers, cash crop farmers and stakeholders in the livestock sector.

Minister Bulkan acted unlawfully when he fired Linden Town Clerk - Chief Justice

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he Acting Chief Justice Roxane George has ruled that the Minister of Communities’ decision to terminate the employment of Linden Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen was unlawful, as she was not allowed a hearing prior to her termination, and no justification was provided for her dismissal.

However, George did not grant Bowen’s request to be reinstated as Town Clerk.

The court matter was filed by Attorneys, Mark Conway and Charles Ramson Jr. Minister Bulkan had moved to revoke the appointment of Bowen in March 2017. Prior to that, in 2016, she was subjected to an investigation, which did not find her culpable of anything when it was completed.

MOVE TO LGC On Monday (June 18, 2018), the Local Government Commission (LGC) was approached by Bowen’s Attorneys.

A letter to Commissioner Chairman, Mortimer Mingo, said, “Though no Order was made to reinstate Ms Bowen as Town Clerk, the quashing of the decision to

terminate her employment as Town Clerk by the Minister of Communities effectively returns her as the current substantive Town Clerk of Linden Mayor and Town Council, since, to date, no appointment has been made to fill that position. “…the Local Government Commission may, however, decide that it may now wish to terminate Ms Bowen’s employment as Town Clerk but should that course of action be adopted by the Commission, then Ms Bowen ought lawfully to receive a fair hearing and a reason(s) given therefore.”

TARGETED Before being fired, a total of five complaint letters from the staffers, specifically Head of Administrative Departments, of the Linden Town Council were handed to the Communities Ministry

by Bowen. In the letters, the staffers complained about verbal abuse and about being ‘publicly humiliated’ on multiple occasions by the Linden Mayor. Three of those letters were sent to the Ministry one week alone, including one letter from the Town Clerk

herself. None of the letters were responded to by Bulkan’s Ministry.

Additionally, the complaint letters were reportedly sent to the Mayor, as well as the Linden Town Councillors. Notably, the last Town Council meeting was held on Wednesday and the complaints against the Mayor were not discussed.

Bowen had noted that she felt targeted because she had taken a stand on the issues.

Meanwhile, Bulkan was quoted in the state-owned, Guyana Chronicle, as saying that Bowen was dismissed because she was “disruptive” in her functions as Town Clerk. “I have been able to satisfy myself that Miss Bowen’s actions were disruptive, divisive and disrespectful to the mayor…in addition, she lacks an understanding of her role as the Clerk of the Council which should be the servant of the Council,” the Minister said.

The Linden Town Council is controlled by Councillors representing the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition Government.

ith millions being owed to millers by the Guyana Rice Development Board’s (GRDB), following the supply of rice to Panama, GRDB General Manager, Nizam Hassan, has indicated that the Board is not in possession of the funds to make the payments.

“The Panamanian market is a government market that pays a higher price than

other markets. However, payments are sometimes delayed due to government processes,” Hassan said, attempting to offer an explanation.

The millers are owed for supplies sent in 2017 and early 2018. The last payment made by Panama to the GRDB was a sum of over US$500,000, but all these monies have not yet been paid over.

Because millers have not been paid by GRDB, many rice farmers have not been paid by the millers.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, has said that government has no responsibility in the matter.

Guyana exported some 540,000 tonnes of rice for 2017, which saw its highest numbers since 2015 when a total of 535,000 tonnes were recorded.

Gaskin denies responsibility for transportation sector amidst hike in fuel prices

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he incompetence of the APNU+AFC Government has once again reared its ugly head; this time in the Ministry of Business.

Amidst wide spread protests by minibus operators against the hike in fuel prices, the Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin is adamant that he is not responsible for setting minibus fares.

“I think you have the wrong information. Our Consumer Affairs department met with minibus association, just to hear their concerns and they have provided a proposal to me through the Department but I don’t set fuel prices and I’m not the Minister responsible for fixing minibus fares,” he said.

According to him, his Ministry just intervenes from a consumer point of view to find out what the real con-

cerns are and to engage as the transportation sector is vital.

“The transportation sector is an important sector in any case and we can’t have people out there protesting when all that is required is proper engagement” he asserted.

Notably, the United Minibus Union (UMU) delivered a proposal to the Ministry of Business, this week, calling for a 25 per cent fare increase for short drops and a $40 increase for longer routes.

The proposal to increase fare was accompanied by a call for several other things, including: the removal of the ban on used tyres, excise tax reductions and proper management of the importation of minibuses.

Asked about the proposal, Gaskin said, “They have provided a proposal, I will share it with the responsible Min-

isters and then some one of them will make a proposal to Cabinet for what we should do because there are a number of options and different options come under different Ministers’ responsibility so it’s not a done deal as yet, we have to discuss that some more.”

However, he failed to mention, which Minister is responsible for the sector and for the fixing of minibus fares.

Gaskin’s comments exacerbate the upset over the inaction of the Coalition Government, relative to calls for steps to be taken to reduce fuel prices, which have hit all-time highs.

Gas station prices for fuel have increased rapidly, from $215 per litre to prices ranging from $230 to $250 per litre.

10 major issues still to be investigated

by SARA despite call for action

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irector of the State Assets Recovery Agency, Clive Thomas, responded to correspondence from Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, on June 5, 2018. And in a third letter to Thomas, dated June 15, 2018, Teixeira called him out for ignoring major cases she called on SARA to investigate.

Among the four cases are: the treatment of the US$18M signing bonus from ExxonMobil; the acquisition of a house and land in Bel Air Gardens, then state owned, below market value at that time and with no recourse to any procurement process by the former Minister of Finance and current Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Carl Greenidge; the acquisition of five acres of prime land in Georgetown in D’Urban Backlands to the Burnham family, issued by the former PPP/C government; and the acquisition of a huge tract of land to the People’s National Congress for their party headquarters,

Congress Place, in Sophia, at no cost and where sections have been sold over the years at market value and for profit – the most recent sale took place after the 2015 general and regional elections.

Thomas was also called out on statements from SARA about Guyana losing $25B to $35B annually because of procurement fraud. “The Guyanese population is eager to see the country’s assets recovered and appropriate action taken against the perpetrators of corruption. The SARA Bill is geared toward these purposes.

Could you enlighten the Guyanese public as to how much of these billions lost in procurement fraud per annum which SARU (now SARA) claimed to have been stolen, has been found and what efforts are being made to have these assets restored to Guyana’s coffers?”

Teixeira questioned.

Teixeira had also written to Thomas about six other issues,

including: The Ministry of Health and GPHC’s 2017 purchase of $620 M in drugs and medical supplies; the Sussex Street Bond; the Construction of the Jubilee Development Park; the Pre-feasibility study for the New Demerara Harbour Bridge; the Guyana 2016 Production Sharing Agreement with Exxon and partners; and the Breaches of the FMAA identified in the Auditor General’s Report 2016. In her latest letter, further information on these issues, including their sources, was highlighted.

The Opposition Chief Whip had written to Thomas on two prior occasions, on April 16, 2018 and April 21, 2018.

It is unclear what action, if any, will be taken by SARA. The body’s refusal to investigate actions of the Coalition Government has led to increased criticisms that SARA is not impartial, rather is politically tainted– a concern voiced also by the PPP/C.

26

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

Vendor shot dead during robbery Husband beaten, wife raped during home R invasion, robbery

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andits early Tuesday morning (June 19, 20148) invaded a home at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, where they beat a man, raped his wife and threatened to kill their screaming twoyear old son.

Two prime suspects have since been arrested, after they fled to further into Zeelugt.

One of the perpetrators is still at large.

The man, 34, and his wife have since been medically examined. The man disclosed he was awoken by a lash to his forehead and explained that he was ordered to shut up and hand over his money. The victim reportedly gave the bandits

GY$12,000 and his wedding ring.

The woman said she was raped.

Held at knife-point, the man, his wife and son were placed face down and driven to a canal in their (the victims’) car.

The men fled on foot after the car broke down.

West Cost Demerara accident leaves pedestrian dead, army officer in custody

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oopchand Ramkellawan, 35, of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, was fatally struck down on the De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara, around 22:20hours on Sunday (June 17, 2018).

The vehicle that hit him was reportedly driven by a 28-year-old Guyana Defence Force (Coast Guard) Officer.

Ramkellawan, who is the younger brother of chutney singer, Mahendra Ramkellawan, had just left the Sharmilla Sports Bar in De Willem Village, on the West Coast of Demerara, when he was hit by a Red Nissan

X-Trail, PWW 5680.

The deceased was crossing from the southern side of the road to the northern side, when the vehicle, which was heading in an easterly direction on the De Willem Public Road, came into contact with him. A badly injured Ramkellawan was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, Ramkellawan was examined by medical staff of the Hospital, who discovered a .32, unlicensed pistol with four live rounds was said to have been found on him.

The GDF officer has since been taken into custody.

The Guyana Defence Force issued a statement that said: “Lieutenant (Coast Guard) Eson Trim is currently assisting the police with their investigations into an alleged fatal accident, which resulted in the death of Roopchand Ramkellowan, male, age 35, which occurred on the De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara. The Chief of Staff, Officers and Ranks of the Guyana Defence Force regret this unfortunate incident and extend our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.”

on Mansfield, 37, was shot dead on Tuesday night (June 19, 2048) by a lone gunman.

According to the man’s wife, she was watching television when she heard a gunshot. She looked outside and saw her husband’s motorcycle lying on the road. She ran outside and saw her husband lying on the parapet outside the southern neighbour’s

yard. He was unconscious .

The man was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Neighbour reported seeing one individual escape the scene of the crime. The man’s haversack, with cash and phone cards sold by Mansfield, were missing.

Investigations are ongoing.

Pensioner bound, gagged and robbed during home invasion A 61-year-old pensioner was left traumatized after three armed men broke into his Lot 55 Kuru Kururu Linden, Soesdyke Highway home at around 01:45hrs Monday (June 18, 2018).

Police said the three bandits, who were armed with a shotgun, a cutlass and a knife, placed the pensioner,

Frederick McDavid, to lie on the bedroom floor and tied his mouth, feet and hands.

McDavid’s wife was asleep during the course of the robbery.

The men escaped with McDavid’s Toyota Auris PVV 1491 valued at $3M; a 140-inch flat screen television valued at $100,000; two

gold rings value $160,000; two BLU cellphones; a Samsung Galaxy cellphone; two black Dell Laptop computers; $25,000 cash and the US passport that belongs to McDavid’s wife.

Police said that the men gained entry via the back entrance door. Investigations are ongoing.

Police officers among 7 busted with unlicensed gun T wo members of the Guyana Police Force are among seven men who were caught with a .38 revolver at Onderneeming, West Bank Demerara.

A police statement noted that police on mobile patrol intercepted the suspects at around 21:45hrs. According to the statement, the .38 revolver with a spent shell in its chamber was found in “very close proximity” to the men.

There has been no update as to what action was taken by the authorities in the matter.

Miner dies in Imbaimadai pit Berbice cop stabbed eight times cave-in while trying to search suspect A A miner at Imbaimadai, Region 7, died on Tuesday (June 19, 2018) after a mining pit caved in shortly after 10 am.

The dead man has been identified as Elmo Adams.

Divisional Command-

er of ‘F’ Division Kelvin Adonis, disclosed that at the time of the accident, Adams whose age and address is unknown, was jetting. As he was carrying out the task, one of the sides of the mining pit caved in. Adonis said he could not state if the camp was illegal or not.

When the pit caved in, Adonis said his colleagues rushed to his rescue, but he was covered by the rubble.

Adams was subsequently pulled out and rushed to the community health post where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

An investigation has been launched.

Improvised weapons among contraband found at Lusignan Prison

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ith increasing concerns being expressed about contraband items in local prisons, a search at the Lusignan Prison turned up everything from cell phones to illegal drugs.

The Guyana Police Force disclosed that ranks of the Joint Services conducted a three-hour search of the Lusignan Prison.

Among the prohibited items

found were: • Eight (8) cellphones • Ten (10) cellphone batteries • Five (5) cell phone chargers • Two (2) Sim cards • Two (2) memory cards • Thirty-one (31) improvised weapons • Eleven (11) pieces of metal pipes • Nine (9) pieces of wood • Seven (7) phone cards

• Three (3) ziplock bags with cannabis • One (1) small bottle of cannabis seeds • One (1) packet of cigarettes • One (1) tattoo machine and ink • One (1) small cannabis plant and a quantity of ziplock bags.

There has been no word on what action will be taken to further tackle this problem.

policeman in Region 6 is now a patient at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital after he was stabbed eight times on Monday (June 18, 2018), while attempting to search a man accused of being in possession of marijuana.

Randy Claxton, 32, who is stationed at the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam and attached to the Anti-Crime Motorcycle Patrol, was attacked around 18:30hours at Lad Lane, New Amsterdam.

Claxton, who is admitted in a stable condition, sustained a stab wound to the back of his neck, four stab wounds to his back, one to his left forearm and two to the left side of his hip.

Police were up to yester-

day still seeking the suspect, identified only as ‘Shaquan,’ who is said to be known to them.

Reports are that Claxton and another police constable were on motorcycle patrol in the New Amsterdam area when they reportedly observed a group of about ten men smoking what appeared to be marijuana. However, upon spotting the lawmen, the group of men made a run for it. The police constable, on the motorcycle, and Claxton, on foot, chased after a suspect wearing a black haversack, who was heading towards Lad Lain.

The suspect was arrested and while Claxton attempted to carry out a search on him, a group of “identifiable per-

sons” surrounded. However, Claxton reportedly gave his firearm to the other constable who was present and attempted to push the persons away from the suspect. According to police, at that time Claxton noticed a man known to him handing over a “silver knife” to the accused.

The armed assailant then walked over to the constable who was securing the prisoner when Claxton warned him to retreat. However, the man then turned to Claxton and stabbed him about his body before escaping.

Claxton was rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was treated.

Investigations are ongoing.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JUNE, 2018

More gaffe…

Trotman talks up 200 jobs that won’t be available until 2020

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ore criticisms have been voiced about Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, who continues to talk up expectations.

Trotman announced that 200 new jobs will be available, as a result of the move

by First Bauxite Corporation (FBX) to commence construction of the Bonasika Bauxite Project under its subsidiary Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc. However, the construction is an 18-months project.

As such, no jobs will be available until 2020.

This is not the first time that Trotman has been taking up expectations. In December 2016, Minister Raphael

Trotman announced that an onshore supply base will be erected at Crab Island, in the Berbice River, in 2017, to the tune of US$500M. Halfway into 2018 and Trotman has gone silent on the issue.

There has been no major job creation initiative since the APNU+AFC Coalition Government took office. The Coalition during the 2015 General and Regional elections campaign promised to create jobs and address a national job plan – none of which has been done.

President Granger has also admitted that under his Government, the economy has not been able to produce new jobs. In the meantime, job

creation concerns continue to grow. Guyana’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth continues to decline.

Additionally, there have been no major foreign investments in Guyana, since the APNU+AFC Coalition took office.

The efforts of First Bauxite Corporation (FBX) have been credited to the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration.

First Bauxite started feasibility work on the Bonasika Project in 2008. As a result of the work done in 2008, the company then conducted two major production trials in 2015.

Nandlall’s attorney to make no-case submissions in law reports fraud trial

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he prosecution, on Thursday (June 14, 2018) closed its case in the proceedings against former Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, in the laws books case.

Nandlall was charged on April 27, 2017, when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore, for fraudulently obtaining and taking ownership of 14 Commonwealth Law Reports valued at $2.3M He has stressed that he is not guilty of the charges facing him, which were advanced by the Special

Organised Crimes Unit (SOCU).

Both Nandlall and Former President, Donald Ramotar have explained that the law books were paid for by the State as a condition of his service as Attorney General.

The former Attorney General’s defence attorney, Glenn Hanoman, is expected to lay over no-case submissions to trial magistrate Fabayo Azore, when the matter continues on July 10th.

City Hall says it is ‘hopeful’ about return of parking meters after meeting with Cabinet T he Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) made a presentation to Cabinet last Tuesday (June 12, 2018), in relation to the controversial amended parking meter By-laws. And Town Clerk Royston King disclosed that based on that meeting, the Council is hopeful that the project will be back on stream.

“There was sympathy and understanding for the challenges we face as a municipality. I am happy that we were given an opportunity to make our presentation and know that Cabinet would need time to examine the matter,” King said.

The Government has not addressed the issue of the parking meter contract, following the M&CC presentation last week.

Based on a unanimous decision taken on April 4, 2018, the M&CC approved the amended parking meter By-laws. However, only two Councillors opposed the By-laws at the time. PPP/C Councillors, Khame Prakash Sharma and Bishram Kuppen, argued that the By-laws were in support of a contract that still remains unfair to citizens.

The amended By-laws were then presented to Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, in May 2018 for consideration. The by-laws were then taken to Cabinet.

The amendments proposed that persons pay $150 per hour and $800 for eight hours of parking in Georgetown. Meanwhile, residents of the city would be issued

with a restricted residential pass for free parking from 17:00-19:00h Monday to Friday, while parking will be free on Saturdays.

Under the modified contract, both parties had agreed to have an oversight committee set up to monitor, review, and manage the project. The committee is expected to have three representatives from M&CC, three from Smart City Solutions (SCS), and one third party also involved in the process.

During renegotiations between M&CC and SCS, the subject of shared profit and contractual obligations were discussed, and it was agreed to have it remain the same being the 20/80 for a period of 20 years. It was also disclosed that in the event of arbitration, the proceedings would be held in Miami, instead of here.

City Hall’s move to re-introduce the parking meter project continues to face opposition from civil society.

COURT CASE Meanwhile, the Metered Parking Contract remains the subject of a court dispute. Justice Brassington Reynolds is still to make a ruling in the application filed

by Mohendra Arjune to have the court quash the M&CC’s

agreement with SCS. Arjune’s application for judicial review is based on the contention that the city failed to comply with the law in entering the contract. His lawyer Kamal Ramkarran has argued that the M&CC failed to comply with mandatory prerequisites set out in Sections 230 and 231 of the Municipal and District Councils Act. Section 231 of the Act states that before entering into any contract for the execution of any work or the supply of any goods to the value of $250,000 or more, a council is required to give notice of such proposed contract and “shall by such notice invite any person willing to undertake the same to submit a sealed tender thereof to the council….”

The project was not publicly tendered, which has been one of the bases upon which it has been criticized.

Ramkarran also contends that by entering into the May 13, 2016 contract, the M&CC unlawfully and in an ultra vires manner delegated its statutorily derived power to erect and maintain parking meters under and in terms of Section 276(b) of the Act and acted contrary to Section 21 of the Civil Law Act of Guyana, which prohibits the establishment of monopolies in Guyana. He also argued that the decision by the M&CC and SCS to exempt teachers and employees of the Bank of Guyana from charges was arbitrary, discriminatory and contrary to the operation of the rule of law.

New concerns raised about small energy projects being ‘conduits for corruption’ R

ecent statements by Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, found him under fire by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who trashed his talk about renewable energy projects as more gaffe. “It is pure nonsense! Total nonsense!” he declared.

Patterson has committed to ensuring that five megawatts of renewable energy becomes a reality by the end of the year and an additional 25 by 2020. The Opposition Leader questioned how this would be possible, with only six months left in 2018.

The Public Infrastructure Minister had talked about several small renewable energy projects, including a solar farm in Mabaruma, Region One. But Jagdeo noted that this this will produce less than half a megawatt of power.

CONDUIT FOR CORRUPTION The Opposition Leader also raised concerns about the space for corruption that is being created with the move to develop the small projects.

“The small solar units that they are putting in place…that it is a conduit for corruption, as I said before.

It’s a conduit for corruption, nothing else,” Jagdeo declared.

He added that these projects will not produce free electricity for the people in the areas where the projects will developed. According to him, there is a worry also about continuity. “I’m afraid that 2-3 years down the line, those systems will go down,” he said.

Already, one of the projects among those Patterson talked about has been the cause of much controversy.

After taking office, Government confirmed plans to buy

power from a Wind Farm project that is being developed by businessman Lloyd Singh. Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, in 2016, had said that the Wind Farm project “is expected to provide an additional 25 megawatts of power” to the national grid.

Singh is also a close friend of Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan.

Ramjattan, himself admitted to this, at the opening of the Alliance For Change (AFC) office in Kitty. Ramjattan, at that forum said, “I want to single out a personal friend of mine and from a long, long time since PPP/C days, Lloyd Singh. We were looking for a building and of course Lloyd indicated that, ‘Khemraj I know yal got to get a building, I know of something’.

And of course, the advance payment on it….(Singh said) ‘hey buddy, you don’t bother with that, we gotto make this thing work’. He upped the

front up monies and today we’ve gotten that building… thank you so much Lloyd.”

Prior to that in February 2016, AFC Leader, Raphael Trotman, February, Trotman, stopped short of exactly saying that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government is ensuring that an AFC supporter, Lloyd Singh, has a return on his ‘investment’, by negotiating a wind energy purchase agreement with him. “In a sense, they are saying that we are not going to get involved, but you’ve come to us for assistance so we’ll give both (political parties), some they give more to, some they give less to and in a sense, it is their way of making an investment and that is the way it is done throughout the world,” he said.

AMAILA REMAINS BEST BET Jagdeo maintains that the Amaila Falls Hydro Power

Project (AFHP) is a lost opportunity for Guyanese to experience clean and cheap electricity. He maintains too that the project remains the best option for Guyana, and would only result in huge benefits to the people and the local economy.

The independent, factsbased assessment of the Amaila Falls Hydropower project in Guyana, which was done by an independent Norway-based engineering and design consultancy firm, Norconsult AS, found that the project is the only realistic path for Guyana to achieve greater levels of renewable energy.

“The fastest way forward is to maintain AFHP as the first major step for substituting its current oil fired generation. AFHP was prioritized as the first hydropower plant because it was the only project with a full feasibility study completed, it has a higher plant load factor than

the alternatives, a smaller reservoir and a levelised unit cost in the same range as the most attractive alternatives,” the summary of the 49-page report said. The report also highlighted that Hydro power is the only way in which we can achieve the 2025 renewable energy target; that the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project is the fastest way to get to renewable energy by 2025; that the BOOT model is the most appropriate way of structuring the project and should be maintained; and that the project should be re-tendered since the last tender was in 2008.

The Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project was initially expected to deliver a steady source of clean, affordable, reliable renewable energy to meet approximately 90 per cent of Guyana’s domestic energy needs and remove the country’s dependency on fossil fuels.

Guyana to host PPP files application with Appeal Court for expeditious hearing of elections petition five matches G for CPL 2018

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uyana will be hosting five matches at the Providence National Stadium at this year’s edition of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

This agreement was inked by the Minister of Sports and the Guyana Amazon Warriors Operation Manager, Mr. Omar Khan.

Guyana Amazon Warriors will take on the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots on August 9, the team will then take on the Barbados Tridents on August 12, then the Jamaica Tallawahs on September 8 and finally facing off against the defending champions, Trinbago Knight Riders on September 9.

Notably, Khan explained that confirmation of venues for the playoff matches will come at a later date.

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS: Sohail Tanvir, Shoaib Malik, Chadwick Walton, Cameron Delport, Rayad Emrit, Imran Tahir, Jason Mohammed, Luke Ronchi, Veerasammy Permaul, Roshon Primus, Shimron Hetmyer, Devendra Bishoo, Gajanand Singh, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Saurabh Netravalkar and Akshaya Persaud.

The tournament will run from August 8 to September 16.

uyana’s Court of Appeal has been asked to hear an election petition that has been “languishing” in the High Court since 2015. General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, made the disclosure this week.

“In our case in Guyana, we are here languishing here already three years and we are not seeing any movement forward,” he said.

Jagdeo added that the case is being advanced using a precedent set in a case in Barbados, which was heard by the Caribbean Court of Justice. “Using the precedent in Barbados, we have applied to the Court of Appeal to hear this matter expeditiously because it has impact and a bearing on the elections in the future,” he said.

The application was filed last week with the Appeal Court, but no date has been fixed for a hear-

ing.

Jagdeo charged that the delay in having the elections petition heard “nullifies” a judicial remedy in such cases, where there convention is that

constitutional remedy to rid flaws from our electoral process.”

The elections petition was filed by former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, on behalf of PPP/C

the denial of proxy holders to use their proxies, are among the irregularities the PPP has spoken out against.

These issued are addressed in the Party’s 15-page elections petition, which requests that the court order the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to conduct a forensic recount of the votes.

The petition also questions whether the election was lawfully conducted and the possibility of the officially declared results being altered.

The Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, and heads of the lists of representatives from the eight contesting political parties, which indicated their intentions of entering the elections race to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on April 7, 2015, Nomination Day, are named as respondents in the matter.

“If the judiciary tolerates this sloth then they will be violating, undermining a constitutional remedy to rid flaws from our electoral process.”

– PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo such matters are dealt with in an expeditious manner.

He said, “They (the judiciary) are causing people to lose confidence in a judicial remedy to rig the elections by keeping our elections petition languishing there…our judiciary needs to understand the signal it’s sending to Guyanese, if it does not act in an expeditious manner on these matters…we are not asking for a particular outcome, we are asking for expeditious hearing of these matters, but if the judiciary tolerates this sloth then they will be violating, undermining a

election agent, Ganga Persaud.

The discovery of falsified Statements of Polls (SoPs); the refusal of GECOM to have public vetting of polling day staffers, many of whom were discovered to be activists of the political Opposition; misdirection by some GECOM staffers who “advised” voters; damaged stamps that saw some ballots not being properly stamped; the fact that persons without identification cards were allowed to vote even though their images did not match those in the files of GECOM staff; and

PUBLISHED BY NEW GUYANA Co. Ltd., 8 Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana. Tel: 226-2473, 226-5875 Fax: 226-2472