Weekend Mirror 26-27 May, 2018

Signing bonus had no relation to quantity of oil find, could have been higher – Jagdeo 26-27 May, 2018 / Vol. 10 No. 23 / Price: $100

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

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– Govt just wanted some money to pay laywers

Consumers face higher prices – Local fuel prices spike again PAGE 12 – Cooking gas reaches $3,600 per 20-lb cylinder

SEE INSIDE

Government lacks morality and decency

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More confusion:

Amaila Hydro not off the table - Trotman PAGE 7 Charges against Singh and Brassington stayed by High Court PAGE 7 Granger warned of media PAGE 8 crackdown before Guyana Times started receiving threats

People’s Progressive Party, General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, on an evening lime with Guyanese in the Stabroek Market Square

APNU/AFC’S on-and-off Amaila Hydroelectric Project is misconduct in office PAGE 11

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

People’s Progressive Party, General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, on an evening lime with Guyanese in the Stabroek Market Square

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

My View

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he announcement by Minister Trotman that the Amaila Falls Hydro Project is still on the table is most welcome. On the other had it is another demonstration of the true nature of the persons administering in our country. It tells us of the quality of leadership that the APNU+AFC has so far provided and the example it is setting, particularly for the youths who are more impressionable.

The APNU and AFC leaders were given all the studies on the viability of the Amaila Falls project while in opposition. The benefits that our people could enjoy among other information.

Twice presentations were held at the Office of the President for the two parties to give them all the information on the project. They were also told that the PPP/C administration was prepared to answer any and all questions they may have after they

By Donald Ramotar Former President

consulted with their experts.

They asked for a visit to the falls and that was provided for them. All of that was to ensure that they had full information of the project. It was hoped that having those information they would have, in the interest of our people and country, supported it in the National Assembly.

Lo and behold they refused to support the project and forced the investor, Site Global, to walk away from it.

Had they supported it by now we would have been getting power from the Amaila and consumers would have been paying between 20% to 40% less for electricity.

Our nation lost years because of such selfishness.

Now they are in government they are saying that they may persue it. They seem to have a change of heart.

I recall also that the PPP/C government had to give the investor a guarantee

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Government lacks morality and decency that should Guyana Power and Light not take the power when available from Amaila, the Government would pay.

To provide that guarantee a bill had to be passed in Parliament to raise the debt ceiling.

It should be noted that not a single cent of debt was being incurred, it was only needed to give the necessary guarantee. They refused to support the bill.

The PPP/C then proposed that the rise in the ceiling would apply to the Amaila Falls Project alone. It was not to be a carte blanche to borrow generally.

Now their attitude is different.

At the last sitting of the National Assembly the two parties sneaked in a bill the provision to raise the debt ceiling by billions of dollars.

It is not restricted to any project. The same people now have given themselves the authority to add huge burdens on the taxpayers of Guyana for anything they wish for.

This is taking us back to the times when per capita we had the biggest debt in the world.

It is apposite to recall that this is not an isolated incident. This is a pattern of behaviour of the women and men in the Executive arm of the state.

We recall the Anti-Money Laundering Bill which they refused to pass in the hope that our financial sector would have been devastated by being blacklisted by the CFATF and FATF. They also refused to pass an amendment to our Environmental laws to give equal treatment to CARICOM soft drink companies even after the CCJ gave the PPP/C time to pass the bill to allow the companies to drop the case.

They knew that failing to support the amendment the government would have lost a case it had with RUDESIA Co of Suriname.

The government lost the case as a result of not being able to amend the laws.

Guyana lost the case and had

to pay more than one billion dollars to the company as a result. It was poetic justice that it was the APNU+AFC regime that had to pay this bill.

This may not be the end since other companies can also sue and the costs will continue to raise.

We must not forget how they ridiculed the Marriot project and made the investor into the Entertainment sector of Marriot to walk away from putting their money into it.

That cost over millions in investments, profits and jobs.

Even today, the APNU+AC can’t find an investor.

The APNU and AFC leaders, who are today esconed in government cost our country hundreds of billions of dollars due to clear vindictiveness, spite and bile.

This is money that could have gone into more infrastructural work, more money for social sector improvement and other areas.

The leaders have shown that deception, lies and slan-

der are to be used to achieve their ends. This they do without any consideration for our people’s welfare.

In fact, it was purposefully done to damage the growing improvement in our people’s quality of life.

The example that this has given to our youth is extremely dangerous.

The message is clear that lies, slander, deceit and intellectual dishonesty are justified. It gives an example of lack of scruples in governance and public life.

It is a position that lacks morality and decency.

Morality and decency are important in the development of our country and nation building People look to our leaders to provide these.

Unfortunately, the present APNU and AFC leaders in power lack these qualities totally.

Amaila Falls Hydro Project is the latest demonstration of this deficiency.

Signing bonus had no relation to quantity of oil find, could have been higher – Jagdeo – Govt just wanted some money to pay laywers

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ad a formula been applied to the determination of a signing bonus, with consideration given to the quantity of oil and future profitability, the sum paid to Guyana by ExxonMobil could have been higher than the US$18M, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

He noted, at a news conference held at his Church Street office (May 24, 2018), that Minister Raphael Trotman admitted that there was indeed no formula used to determine the signing bonus and has also cast doubt on whether the sums were, in fact, a signing bonus.

Trotman when questioned about how the US$18M fig-

ure was arrived at, during last Friday’s meeting of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, said, “It was my understanding that the figure was given as a fair figure that would cover expenses in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).”

Jagdeo said, “Trotman seems to be saying that they did not request a signing bonus…they asked for help from Exxon to pay lawyers…a signing bonus has to have some relation to the size of the find….he makes it clear what the determining factor (in arriving at the US$18M) is…he is contradicting ExxonMobil…Exxon has argued that this is a signing bonus that is related to

the contract and the oil find… what Trotman is saying implies that Exxon knew about the purpose of the money, so the public statements in Guyana by Exxon may be inaccurate…..has a formula been applied it (the signing bonus) would have been substantially higher.”

As for the treatment of the US$18M, the Opposition Leader maintains that the Coalition Government has sinister motives for keeping the monies off ‘Government’s books’, which are subject to review by State auditors.

“They could say that the lawyers’ fees are $4M…since the account will not be audited, we will never know (if that is the actual fees)….that is the

mechanism they are using to siphon off the money,” he declared.

According to him, the fact of the matter is that the Government still has to transfer the money to the Consolidated Fund and still has to come to the National Assembly for approval to spend money, as was seen at the May 11, 2018 sitting where over $700M of the US$18M was subject to Parliamentary review. “They still have to come to the House…what is the big secret about this…isn’t this asinine?

An explanation of this nature?” Jagdeo questioned.

The Opposition Leader said, “If the Consolidated Fund is not broke, if there is no shortage of foreign exchange, why not put the money in the Consolidated

Fund? There is no answer.”

Local media on December 8, 2017 referred to a leaked letter that addressed the issue of a signing bonus – months after the Coalition Government denied receiving the signing bonus. Kaieteur News on, November 23, 2017, reported Jordan as saying that: “Such a claim is ‘a figment of the imagination’ and that there is ‘no agreement for any bonus’.

Further, he noted that the Government did not request such a bonus.”

The letter, which was leaked to the media, and exposed Government’s denial that a signing bonus was paid was written by Finance Secretary, Hector Butts and sent to Bank of Guyana Governor, Gobin Ganga. The letter was

dated September 20, 2016.

The letter also said, “I shall be grateful if you would arrange for the under-mentioned Foreign Currency Account to be opened at the Bank of Guyana, in order to receive a deposit in the form of a signing bonus to be given by ExxonMobil. This account shall not be treated as part of the Bank’s foreign reserves.

Instead the proceeds should be held in the currency of the deposit, that is, United States dollars, and invested in secured interest-bearing securities.”

The letter was copied to Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, who also refused to admit that a signing bonus was paid by ExxonMobil.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

EDITORIAL

Paving the way for large-scale bribery and corruption

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he coalition’s cabinet seems to be obsessed with the US18 million signing bonus it got from ExxonMobil, the US oil company that found oil offshore Guyana.

In the first instance, the government secretly made a deal with the oil company and then hid the money in a secret bank account. When, through the media, the existence of this money was exposed, the government got confused and then said the money is to pay for legal fees in the border case with neighbouring Venezuela at the International Court of Justice.

That money is being shifted around and the last thing that was heard of it was that it is lying in foreign interest bearing accounts in foreign territories.

The government has bluntly refused to put the money, which belongs to the tax papers, into the Consolidated Fund.

This has been the demand of all Guyanese, including supporters of the coalition. But it is not budging and continues to flout the laws of Guyana and the Constitution.

Last week came another and new line by the government.

Raphael Trotman, who continues to be speaking on oil matters though the government said the Minister Harmon will be doing so, said that now that the world knows about the money, that somehow, this will have a negative effect on the outcome of the case at the International Court of Justice.

By what logic? How knowledge of this money by Venezuela will impact on the case? This is ridiculous. Of course, if a government is talking a matter to court, it is expected that it would have the money to pay legal fees. They is no need to take some money from a secret source and hide it in some dark corner so that the opponent would not know you have the money to pay legal fees. Trotman and the entire cabinet want to tell the world that they are so smart that they have a not-known-before trick that would win the case.

There is not a single Guyanese who would disapprove of the government taking the necessary monies from the consolidated fund to fight the case. So there was no need for the shenanigans.

However, most Guyanese believe that this is just another excuse for not complying with the laws and the constitution.

No matter what this government does in relation to explaining its motives for the bad handling of the signing bonus, a large number of persons in and out of Guyana, are convinced that the intent was to pocket this large sum of money.

But it is not only the US$18 million that is raising eyebrows. Almost all the financial arrangement in the contract with the oil company seems to be so outlandish that there seems to be some hidden motive. It cannot be stupidity, although some may want to think that way. Everyday there are reports of the monumental profits that the company will be making and the extremely poor benefits for the country. Even its own supporters and international organizations are critical of the bad deal the coalition made.

Recently it was revealed that even the taxes the oil company has to pay will be piad from the revenues coming to Guyana. People are at a loss to comprehend the level of incompetence being displayed by the government that in this day and age they can sign such a deal.

It is so bad that many are now telling themselves that this may all be part of a plan to make room for large scale bribery and corruption. This has happened in most third world country where oil has been found. Is this going to happen here? And ExxonMobil is not known to be angels. The signs are not encouraging.

Current SOCU investigations are “abusive and oppressive” Dear Editor

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oday, former Minister of Finance of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government, Mr. Sasenarine Kowlessar, was arrested by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and interrogated. He was subsequently released on bail and requested to return next Monday.

Mr. Kowlessar served as Minister of Finance from 1999 – 2006. Some of the transactions about which he was questioned took place over 20 years ago!

There is a principle of law which prevents investigations of certain transactions that took place several years ago, on the ground that it is unfair and against public policy to do so because of the lapse of time. The rationale is that if persons were to be charged as a result of those investigations, it would amount to an abuse of process to subject those persons to a trial because of the lapse of memory, absence of evidence and absence of witnesses, etc.

- all of which will militate against an accused person having a fair trial which is guaranteed as a constitutional right because the law recognises that such a person may be unable to adequately

defend himself in the circumstances.

Our justice system protects against such eventuality in preservation of the doctrine of presumption of innocence.

It is unfortunate that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) does not see it as part of its constitutional mandate to protect the citizenry from these types of investigations, which are widely regarded as abusive and oppressive, but rather is part of the design that is promoting it.

It is clear beyond any doubt that these investigations are driven by a political and vindictive motive. Ultimately, they are designed to get to the period when Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, was the Minister of Finance.

Constitutional immunities prevent them from charging him for acts done while he was President. Recognising this, they intend to go back to two decades to persecute him for transactions done while he was Minister of Finance.

While Mr. Jagdeo was Minister of Finance, Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan were Presidents. So in effect, the new theory is that both Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan were corrupt and presided over these corrupt transactions! It is interesting to note that this period saw the sale of National Bank

of Industry and Commerce Limited’s (NBIC) shares to Republic Bank, the sale of Stock Feeds and Neocal to Robert Badal, the sale of Guyana Stores Limited to Tony Yassin, etc. All these transactions are now labelled as corrupt transactions.

Will they stop at Jagdeo’s tenure as Minister of Finance or will they go over to Mr. Asgar Ally, as well? Only time will tell.

What I do know is that they will stop at October 5, 1992. So they will not investigate the sale of Guyana Telecommunications Corporation to ATN; they will not investigate the sale of Demerara Timbers Limited, or the sale of over 7 state-owned rice mills, or the sale of the National Paint Company or the sale to Carl Greenidge, while he was Minister of Finance, of a property at Bel-Air Gardens by NICIL – none of which was the subject of any form of tender and none of which were sold pursuant to any valuation certificates, or even at market value.

If this is not the use of the criminal legal process to persecute political opponents, then I do not know what it is.

Perhaps you can assist me.

Anil Nandlall, Attorney

COI led by Trotman is political and racially charged

The political and racially charged COI led by Justice Donald Trotman must come up with their final report, and very interesting would be that write up because all testimony so far points to the miners meeting their untimely death by a murderous horde of savages who were bent on creating mayhem in this country. However, Trotman and Henry are bent on tailoring the testimony to suit their own narrow political agenda, let’s see where that would take them. It would be extremely difficult to prove that hear-say, highly improbable theory, but, Trotman is exploring every possible airy-fairy lead he can muster to achieve that objective. It is a pretty tall order, but being a Diehard PNC himself The chairman is trying his level best to come up with some plausible excuse.

Now, going down the road of blaming the joint services would place them in a real bind, because that means they would have to come up with a wrongful death theory which means that the affected families must be compensated.

The PPP/C Government under Mr Ramotar did just that they compensated the slain rioters’ families even though “expert” forensic evidence had proven that the shots did not come from the police. But the humane and caring PPP/C Government did show the magnani-

mous and altruistic side of them and granted compensation anyway. Then it only behooves The Granger Crew to do likewise.

But I would caution them that if this route is taken then prepare for a huge lawsuit, from The Opposition – which they in all fairness would win because this is selective and racial handling of the matter. In like manner there should be compensation for The Lusignan families as well as those in Bartica. So, looking at it from either perspective I think The PNC will not want to take that risk, something that this government is not prepared to do. What I think the clear intention is, use the miners’s families in a sympathy campaign, use that to the maximum, gain all the political mileage they can muster then, simply discard them, typical PNC Style Propaganda.

In any event, The PNC have backed themselves into a corner and The Granger Led Coalition cannot look more stupid and shameful than they already are.

Our country would have been better served if Mr Granger had heeded the wise counsel of Mr Samuel Hinds who said that A COI into these killings should have taken a wider scope, investigate all the killings in and around that period. That would have meant a COI crafted after the likeness of South

Africa in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission Model where witnesses would have come forward give their honest disclosures, the truth arrived at and healing, reconciliation and closure come to this strife torn nation. We would have long since close that sordid chapter in our history.

But their backward thinking would not spare them the thought of doing such in the event that the truth and nothingbut the truth is revealed. The PNC is terrified of the truth. Ever since the slayings in the 1960’s they have embarked on a course of secrecy to all of their deadly shady dealings, hoping that no one would recognize them for who they are. Well, this time they have been caught red handed.

You see dear readers, The PNC has for years assumed the position of “victim” in all of these mass based murders, play the victim and get the desired effect of a band of supporters who would believe the lie. This is their problem right now is how can they sustain that “victimized state” when really and truly they were the horrified perpetrators.

I close with the good old Guyanese proverb “they han too dutty” that is why nothing will succeed under this government. No good can come to Guyana when we have such horrible people over us.

Neil Adams

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

The Granger Administration seems to have inherited a ‘massa’ mentality

An open letter to SARA Dear SARA,

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n incomplete house was rented from Larry Singh, a PNC supporter to be used as a drug bond. The place has been described by all commentators as being wholly unsuitable for said storage. What’s more is that during a parliamentary visit, it was discovered that no drugs were being stored there. A sub committee of the cabinet did an investigation of the circumstances of the rental and determined that the rental being paid of GYD 14 million per month was far too high for what was essentially a bottom house. It was alleged by the political opposition that the advance given to Larry Singh on the contract to rent is really what he took to buy the property.

We have also learnt in the press that Larry Singh is the tenant of the Sidewalk Cafe, which he has renamed Midtown Cafe. This

premises is owned or closely associated with Cathy Hughes, Communications Minister. So one has to assume that the state, the people of Guyana are paying their hard earned dollars to Larry Singh to rent something we aren’t using and he takes that rent and pays to rent the Cafe. Cathy Hughes, a Minister of Govt must be benefiting from that directly or indirectly.

SARA has said it is usually hard to trace where state assets went. In this case it is pretty clear. Govt pays Larry Singh - Larry Singh pays Minister or her close associates.- no value received by the people for the money they have laid out - State assets misappropriated.

We couldn’t really get clearer than that.

Can we hear from you about the investigation you will launch and it’s outcome, please?

Sincerely Baldeo Mathura

Number of out of Court settlement worrying, AG involved in some type of corruption

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have observed with keen interest the issues regarding the settlement of court cases, involving billions of taxpayers’ dollars published in the Press. I do not recall at any time in living memory such large number of cases being settled for such huge sums of money.

It is difficult not to be suspicious about these settlements. I do not rule out the possibility of some type of corruption.

What strikes me as strange, is Attorney General Basil Williams’ constant reference to “inheriting cases from the PPP Government.”

My understanding is that these cases were not filed against the PPP, but the Government of Guyana. So when there is a change in Government, the cases are bound to continue against whomsoever assume the reins of Government. Therefore, cases filed while the PPP was in Government must continue against the new Government when there was a change of Government after May 2015. I am shocked that AG Williams seemed not to be able to understand this simple principle. It is as if he expected the PPP to take away the cases to Freedom House when they left office.

While I am not a lawyer, I have been around Croal Street for over three decades.

The truth of the matter is that Mr. Williams has had a long career in the Magistrate’s Court, arguing cases against Police Prosecutors. The older lawyers will confirm that he never did any civil or constitutional case of worth. That lack of experience is now magnified on a national stage because all the cases at the AG Chambers are civil and constitutional matters. Therefore, do not expect these outpourings of blame from Mr. Williams to stop in the near future.

Since these settlements involve billions of taxpayers’ dollars, in the public’s interest, I wish to ask Mr. Williams for clarifications on the following matters:

then the CCJ would have awarded judgement against Guyana? How can Nandlall and the PPP be blamed for this?

1. RUDISA beverage case Did the CCJ not adjourn this case for Guyana to remedy the breach of the Revised Treaty of Chaguramas and when a Bill to amend the Customs Act to bring it in comfority with the Treaty of Chaguramas, was tabled in the Parliament, the APNU/AFC, one-seat majority in Opposition, voted down this Bill twice?

Mr. Williams was part of an AFC/APNU one-seat majority that voted down this Bill twice, was it not explained to him in the Parliament that if this Bill was not passed,

4. H. Sugrim v NDIA Based on what is reported in the Press, this case was filed in June 2015, that is, after the PPP left Government. It concluded in 2017. Could Mr. Williams explain how he “inherited” this case from the PPP Government?

I hope Mr. Williams will clarify the matters mentioned above as soon as possible. The public awaits with bated breath.

2. Toolsie Persaud Ltd v AG Information published in the Press suggests that this case started since 2008. Mr. Williams took Office in May 2015. Judgement was handed down in April 2018. Could Mr. Williams explain how after three years in Office, he did not know a case as big as this case, was being tried in the High Court and that the Attorney General was a party? Is he asking this nation to believe that no one in this three year period even whispered anything to him about this matter?

How come a lawyer from the AG Chambers was present when judgement was delivered? Could Mr. Williams explain how, after judgement was delivered, he said to the Press that the AG was not a party to the proceedings? So even when judgement was delivered and it was published in the newspapers, he still did not know that the AG was party.

3. BK International Mr. Williams is quoted in the Press as saying that Mr. Nandlall had agreed to pay BK 225 million for service rendered. Could Mr. Williams make public any document which supports this contention? This would go a far way in settling the public record because the PPP Government terminated the contract with BK International. As a result, BK International sued, challenging the termination.

These are facts which cannot be disputed. The court proceedings are there to verify it. In fact, Williams admits this in the Press but claims that he filed an appeal in that case. Could Mr. Williams explain why, instead of prosecuting his appeal, he withdraws it and pays BK International 5.7 million US as compensation?

Nandkumar Puran

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o other government has been more dependent on foreign advisors and consultants than this APNU+AFC Administration.

While importing expertise in various sectors was necessary to compensate for the lack of ministerial experience after the APNU+AFC took office in 2015, a troubling pattern has emerged. After three years, the Granger Administration still lacks ministerial experience, and finds it easier to rape the treasury of billions of dollars to pay foreign consultants and advisors, putting the country deeper and deeper in debt.

ExxonMobil invited a delegation of five senior government ministers to Texas, and feted them on premium Texas steaks and US$2,500 a bottle Dom Pérignon. And after giving them a US$18 million farewell present, the Granger Administration signed a lopsided contract with the folks at Exxon that will significantly reduce the revenue Guyana receives from oil production.

Soon after, government got rid of Presidential Advisor on Petroleum, Dr. Jan Mangal, for having the courage to fearlessly and publicly disclosed at a UG forum that the 2% royalty Guyana will receive from oil production was below international standards, and urge public pressure to force a renegotiation of the oil contract. But while government kicked out this brilliant Guyanese-born Dr. Mangal, they have called for more of our tax dollars to be wasted in hiring an international firm to tell the government what Jan Mangal and Bharrat Jagdeo had already advised them to do, auction off the remaining oil blocks.

And it gets even worst. Government just borrowed US$20 million to hire more foreign consultants to advise them on the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

With all the retired Police and Army personnel now employed in the upper echelon of this APNU+AFC Administration, a foreign security company was hired at great expense “to correct the errors of over two decades of mismanagement of the security sector,” according to President Granger.

Sadly, the crime rate is now worst than ever, driving fear in our homes and the business community, causing the US State Department to issue a report days ago, warning that Guyana’s crime threat is at a “critical level”.

Finance Minister Winston Jordon also has a foreign appetite. His slavish adherence to the International Monetary Fund which concludes that the Guyana economy is growing, when in reality, over 25,000 persons have lost their jobs under this uncaring APNU+AFC government and the ‘good life’ is way beyond the reach of ordinary Guyanese.

One can understand our Attorney General needing help to fight government’s cases at the CCJ, but despite the best legal brains in this country, he too has preference for foreign.

The Granger Administration seems to have inherited a ‘massa’ mentality with a growing fondness and dependency for con-

sultants from western countries.

While there is nothing wrong with seeking the professional services of foreign consultants/advisors, it is the slavish dependency on these foreigners that erodes our independence and gives me cause for concern… especially the one ‘calling the shots’ over at SOCU. In a letter written by Robin Singh (Kaieteur News, April 24) captioned, “The implications of the charges against Brassington and Ashni Singh”, he concludes, “Dr. Sam Sittlington has no idea of what Guyana’s economic position was during the post PNC years having arrived post PPP. He must have assumed that Guyana was always economically stable and attractive to investors.

Someone needs to educate the good doctor.”

Dr. Sam Sittlington is a financial crime expert and Director of ‘The Fraud Company’ which he owns. He is paid by the British Government as an Advisor to the Government of Guyana. His role is to speed-up processing of the more than 300 cases identified by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) stemming from 26 government-ordered forensic audits.

So what is the role of Sam Sittlington?

Most believe he has now exceeded his official remit and trespassed into operational matters at SOCU. According to the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, “I have information that Mr Sittlington have been on raids with SOCU; he has gone into the premises of nationals of Guyana as part of these raids – being part of operations themselves. So if the British High Commissioner is saying that he has no operational mandate as part of his job, then he will be open (to an investigation)…

We have a foreigner here who is trespassing on the rights of Guyanese citizens, tolerated by our Government.”

Indeed, Dr Sam Sittlington was seen directing activities on at least three (3) SOCU operations that I am aware of: On February 3rd of last year, he was photographed standing in the doorway as agents of SOCU executed a raid on the Guyana Rice Development Board (see photo attached) Then on March 7th of last year, he was in the same vehicle with the Head of SOCU, former GDF Lieutenant Colonel Sydney James when SOCU arrived at the Office the Leader of the Opposition in Church Street to arrest Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

It would appear that Sittlington is a willing participant, dancing to the tune of the APNU+AFC collation government with the approval of the High Commissioner, to target former PPP/C ministers and officials.

He sees this as an opportunity to pad his résumé with the arrest and conviction of former ministers of government to increase traffic to his website, making his company more marketable.

HARRY GILL, PPP/C Member of Parliament

Amerindians concerned about cybercrime bill Dear Editor,

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T IS with great concern to the Indigenous people of Guyana that I write to you today.

It is our understanding that the IT Bill (Cybercrime) is soon to be adopted by Parliament.

While we support protective measures within any law to safeguard the interest of the nation, it is the indigenous people’s view that the sedition clause in the Bill is unwarranted and stands to infringe upon our rights as guaranteed

by Article 146 of Guyana’s Constitution.

As indigenous people, we are consistently

fighting for our rights to be recognised. This fight, because of the geography of Guyana, sometimes see indigenous people networking to garner support from other international organisations, and by virtue of that support, we often become critical of governments that fail to respect our rights. By virtue of this sedition clause, it criminalises our people and further marginalises an already marginalised group of people.

Considering the many infringements on the rights of indigenous people that occur (Turn to page 6)

STRAIGHT TALK 6

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

INTELLECTUAL INDEPENDENCE

By Cheddi Jagan - 1988

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news item has spurred me to journalistic action.

It seems that Robert Goddard and another Barbados journalist had been censured by the Journalists Association: they had accepted an invitation by the South African Sports Organisation.

Incensed, the Association wanted their writings on their trip to be banned.

Goddard was first drawn

to my attention from his feature article in the Barbados Advocate on December 9 last, entitled "Intellectual Vagabondage". University of Puerto Rico professor Gordon Lewis was put on the carpet.

Apparently in an essay in 1968, Prof. Lewis had been critical of Barbados -- its fondness for the monarchy and the clubbishness of its social life. Goddard charged that the Professor sneered at

what he called the "sacred cows" of Barbados life: "the Church, the professions, the elite schools, sugar estate capitalism".

BONDAGE Goddard counterposed Lewis' idea of "intellectual bondage" with "intellectual vagabondage". He wrote that: Lewis, whom he put in the latter category was critical of Sir Grantley Adams and Errol Barrow for "not be-

Questions to Minister Patterson Dear Editor,

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t is the private business of the Patterson family on how they deal with their personal situation with regards to an allegation of trafficking of a controlled drug (cocaine) against one of their members. It is, however, a public matter for the people vs Derrick Patterson; not David Patterson. If anyone has an interest in this case, I suggest they take it up with the person who is charged and not use the occasion to personally abuse the Minister.

So the portions of the statement from David Patterson the individual giving support to his brother must be commended. We all have families and if for any reason anyone of them falls into any situational challenge, it is our duty to offer them our love irrespective of how annoyed we are at their action.

That is why I was baffled that David Patterson the person chose in his statement at the bottom half to import the voice of David Patterson the Minister of Public Infrastructure into the debate. Since David Patterson the Minister spoke, I thought it might be wise to ask the Minister these six (6) important questions since he has executive access to the machinery of the state:

1. Were the controlled drugs (cocaine) trafficked from Guyana to Grenada?

2. Did the person on remand who is a relative of the Minister have a VIP Pass for our international ports of exit (airport, etc)?

3. Which Minister is in charge of the Airport?

4. Is it common practice across the Granger Government to issue relatives of senior functionaries with VIP Passes although they may not meet the criteria as set out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

5. Which Minister is in charge of security at the Airport and are they a member of the AFC? 6. Does the security protocol allow VIP Pass holders to be checked for controlled drugs (cocaine)?

I would really appreciate full transparency and disclosure on this important matter since if this VIP Pass situation is being abused at our ports of exit, good governance would dictate that we do the “fit and proper” thing and take corrective measures immediately and hold those who are abusing it, accountable.

Regards Sasenarine Singh

Amerindians concerned... within Guyana, it is important to understand and recognise that the indigenous people will continuously be placed in a position of being disadvantaged and under this proposed new law, stands to be charged by the court.

Further, Sir, Guyana being a donor to the Inter-American Development Bank has signed on to an Indigenous People’s Policy. By virtue of being a signatory and donor to that institution, the Indigenous People’s Policy adopted by the bank was subsequently ratified by all donor countries. In the said policy it states that under a variety of Articles any decision which affects indigenous people must engage

(From page 5)

the indigenous people’s leadership. I can formally communicate that the indigenous people’s leadership — The National Toshaos Council (NTC) — was not consulted on this issue and are hereby requesting to be given that opportunity to address this proposed piece of legislation. The NTC remains disposed to progressive nation-building and we look forward to be given the opportunity to have the indigenous people’s input into this Bill.

Regards Toshao Joel Fredericks Chairman – National Toshaos Council

ing socialist enough", and for claiming that only "an outright socialist policy" could save Barbados from the tentacles of "Puerto Rico-style neo-colonial capitalism".

And here is where I came in. Lewis was also attacked because he cited "with admiration the efforts of CheddiJagan to force 'a total transfer of power' from the capitaliststo the state in Guyanaduring the fifties and early sixties."

As regards “a total transfer of power”, political independence was our goal; in economy, what we aimed at were only the "commanding heights" which were dominated by the foreign sugar and bauxite companies. They produced and exported primary products and imported manufactured goods -- a typical colonial economic structure, which bred underdevelopment and misery. Little wonder that British Guiana was called Booker's Guiana, after the British Booker Bros, McConnell & Co. Ltd. Actually, the PPP government aided the local patriotic middle capitalists in its industrialization programme, in keeping with the policy of a tri-sectoral economy -- state, cooperative and private.

CONFUSION And now to a confusion.

Goddard says: "CheddiJa-

gan's economics, which were roughly the same as Forbes Burnham's have proved themselves to be among the most unsuccessful concepts ever to be put into practice …

Barbados has attempted this without recourse to the usual shopping list of ideological accomplishments -- nationalisation, central planning, collectivisation which have burdened Guyanese society fora generation."

First of all, Goddard's assumptions and diagnosis of the crisis are wrong.

The PPP and the PNC are not the same. For more than a decade, we have been critical of lack of democracy at all levels (political, social and industrial), political and racial discrimination, favouritism, nepotism, extravagance, bribery and corruption.

DIRECTION We also attacked the implementation of foreign-imposed economic planning strategies. We were among the first to criticise the Puerto Rican model and IMF and World Bank "conditionalities", which informed the government's policies.

These are the factors responsible for the economic and financial crisis and the misery of the people, not "nationalisation, central planning, collectivisation - which

have burdened Guyanese society for a generation."

There has been central planning in name only. And under the existing hybrid system of dependent bureaucratic/state capitalism, nationalisation is serving not the people but the ruling PNC's elite and the big capitalists. And a change from the present system to the free enterprise system of dependent capitalism will not suffice. It is the latter system which is responsible for the grave crisis in the "third world" countries.

Robert Goddard has done one good thing. He has opened the way for a necessary dialogue to ascertain the way forward in the crisis-ridden Caribbean Basin.

In my view, bureaucratic/state capitalism (Burnhamism) has failed in Guyana in the same way that dependent free enterprise capitalism (Seagaim) has been found deficient in Jamaica. What is needed in Guyana, as well as in other third world countries, is a broad-based multi-class and strata (working class, peasantry, radical intelligentsia, petty-bourgeoisie, patriotic bourgeoisie) national-democratic government which will pursue an independent and non-aligned course of development.

PSC calls for high level meeting with parties

T

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) is of the view that the political climate between Parliamentary political parties is becoming increasingly hostile and confrontational.

According to the PSC “This caustic politic climate is publicly manifested in the everyday headlines of our media, both here and abroad, and can do nothing but serious harm to our country’s international image, economic stability and future well being.”

As such, the Commission said it has reached out to and invited the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and the Alliance For Change

(AFC), in their individual capacities, to meet and discuss “this unfortunate development with the Commission.”

In their letters to the General Secretaries of the PPP/C, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, PNC/R, Amna Ally and AFC, Marlon Williams, the PSC posited that “We believe this climate to be dangerously deleterious to the international image, wellbeing and good order of our country and exceedingly harmful to our business, economic and investment future should it continue unabated.

We are, therefore, requesting that you extend the courtesy of a high level meeting with our Executive Committee to urgently discuss this disturb-

ing development.”

It has since been reported in a section of the media that investors are reluctant to want to invest in Guyana, when legitimate business transactions are being “politicised” with the change of Government.

Reference was made to the transactions done by former Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and former CEO of the National Industrial & Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Winston Brassington who were charged with “misconduct in public office” for executing Cabinet’s instructions as it relates to the sale of three plots of state land, all of which were sold for investment purposes.

7

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Cheddi Jagan, PPP AND THE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE

By Hydar Ally

T

his month, May 26 to be precise, marks 52 years since Guyana attained political independence from Great Britain. It is also coincided with the birth centenary of Dr. Cheddi Jagan who is regarded as the main architect of our national liberation struggle.

I propose in this article to focus on the role played

by Dr. Jagan in the struggle for a free, democratic and independent Guyana.

It is necessary however to situate Guyana's independence struggle within a broader international context, namely the end of the Second World War and the defeat of Hitlerite fascism. The victory of the Bolshevik Revolution and the creation of the USSR in 1917 also gave fresh impetus to the decolonization struggles in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

It was however the re-

turn to the colony in 1943 of Dr. Jagan and his American born wife Janet that really set in motion the struggle for independence. As a student in the United States, Dr. Jagan had been following intensely the independence struggles in India and a few other states in Africa such as Kenya and Ghana and lent his active support both politically and morally to these national liberation struggles.

It was the support for the independence struggles offered to Ghana and Kenya under Jomo Kenyatta that was partly responsible for the overthrow of the PPP in 1953 following the suspension of the Guyana constitution. Dr. Jagan had been a strong supporter of the Kenyan struggle for independence. It was not accidental that he was invited to celebrate with the Kenyan people when independence was eventually granted to that country.

One of the first task that

Dr. Jagan set out to do on his return from the United States was to raise the level of political awareness of the Guyanese people regarding the need for internal self-government and ultimately that of political independence. He found common cause with several others including Mr. Ashton Chase, HJM Hubbard and his wife Janet who together formed the Political Affairs Committee in 1946.

This was the forerunner to the People's Progressive Party which was formed on January 1, 1950.

It was the formation of the PPP in 1950 and the eventual victory of the Party in the 1953 elections that set the stage for sustained assault on the colonial edifice and the eventual granting of political independence. Independence did not come on a platter but was done with lots of political drama and theatrics on the part of Britain and the United States. Dr.

More confusion: Amaila Hydro not off the table - Trotman

T

he government continues to exhibit a lack of cohesive energy for the country as gleaned from recent statements by Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman.

Since coming into office the government has shelved the Amaila Hydro project initiated by the PPP/government and since then has been going back and forth on the issue.

Last week Trotman said that the project is still in vogue and the government is looking to re-examine the issue.

While in opposition, the APNU and AFC stalled the project by voting against a needed lifing of the debt ceiling in parliament.

Trotman was at the time answering questions before the Natural Resources committee. Asked about the conflicting statements on hydro, he denied that the project was ever off the table.

But while he noted the project, which was a brainchild of former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, still has potential, the Minister observed

that funding is an issue.

The incumbent APNU/ AFC Administration when in Opposition was vehemently against the project, even withholding support from the National Assembly in 2013 for legislation pertaining to the project. The major investor, Sithe Global subsequently pulled out from the US$858M Project, citing a lack of national consensus on the part of the Parliamentary opposition.

Following the current energy woes and the recent request by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) for US$110 million to assist with an overhaul of their system, former Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali posited that the Government should seek to invest in building a cleaner and more efficient energy system that will trickle down to the benefit of consumers, which will have a long lasting effect instead of pumping millions of dollars in the GPL which is still facing a myriad of complex issues that have compromised the entity’s re-

liability and overall financial performance.

Ali also contended that the matter involving GPL now seeking US$110 million points to the bad decision made by Government to abandon the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.

“The Amaila Falls Hydro Project was a long-term solution to our energy requirement in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. By today we would have been enjoying power from Amaila Falls, we would have been enjoying it at much less or far less the cost that consumers are paying today,” he opined.

The Opposition had long called for the reintroduction of the Amaila Falls Hydro Project for a number of important reasons. Opposition Leader Jagdeo had said not only does the scrapping of the project threaten the forest pact agreement with the Kingdom of Norway, which could cause the country to lose out on another US$3 billion in savings, but it would hinder Guyana in its fight to combat climate change.

Jagan and the PPP became a formidable political force to reckon with and every effort was made to emasculate the PPP and it's influence on the Guyanese masses.

Dr. Jagan for his part was unrelenting in his advocacy for national independence. In fact, he was the only colonial leader that was allowed by the United Nations to mount a petition for independence after prolonged footdragging and other delaying tactics

by Britain to grant independence despite an earlier commitment to so do.

It was the embarrassment caused as a result of the petition that resulted in the fixing of a date for independence even though the British government defaulted on an undertaken to grant independence to an government that emerge victorious from the 1961 elections. Instead, independence was granted on May 1966 but only after the PPP was removed

from office in what a former British Prime Minister, Mr. Harold Wilson described as 'a fiddled constitutional arrangement.'

Despite being cheated and manipulated out of office in 1964, Dr. Jagan in a true spirit of magnanimity and patriotism attended the ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Park, which was renamed the National Park on the conferral of independent status. The emotional embrace between Dr. Jagan and Mr. Burnham as the Golden Arrowhead replaced the Union Jack would forever be etched in the memories of Guyanese but it masked a deeper narrative of treachery and betrayal

by Britain, the United States and other local reactionary forces which included the PNC and the United Force.

In his independence speech in Parliament during the handing over of the instruments of independence by the Duke of Kent repre-

senting Queen Elizabeth to Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, Dr. Jagan lauded the conferral of Independence even as he lamented the manner in which it came about and the political climate which obtained at the time.

But it was the fear and trepidation of a reversal of the democratic and economic gains expressed by Dr. Jagan during his speech that brought out his perspicacity and visionary qualities. As predicted, the true meaning of independence was negated in fundamental ways by the erosion of democracy, rigged elections, incompetence and denial of basic human rights.

For nearly three decades the country laungished under the yoke of authoritarian rule until democracy was finally restored on October 5, 1992.

Dr. Jagan, after twenty eight years in the political wilderness was elected as the duly elected Executive President of Guyana.

Charges against Singh and Brassington stayed by High Court

C

ourt proceedings against former Government officials, Dr. Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington have been paused until the High Court determines whether the charges of misconduct in public office have merit.

This comes after lawyers representing the duo successfully filed for an Application of Stay.

Former Attorney Gen-

eral, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, one of the lawyers representing the officials, informed media operatives that Justice Franklin Holder granted the Application, which prevents the Magistrate Court from proceeding with the case until the High Court makes its ruling on the substantive charges.

Lawyers representing Dr. Singh and Brassington have applied for the charges

to be quashed on the basis that the common law offence of misconduct in public office cannot be committed where the servant in question is specifically excluded from consideration as a “public officer” under the Constitution of Guyana and/or general principles.

As such any alleged misconduct by the applicants does not constitute misconduct in public office.

8

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Local Government and You! Coalition not allowing local govt system to function T

he decision or now suggestion to allow the Overseers and the involvement of a designated Magistrate to resolve issues of ‘ties’ in Local Government Elections is Lawless and wicked. In the 1994 Local Government Election there were ties and GECOM held By-Elections to resolve those issues. The Bill that Mr. Bulkan is taking to Parliament is a manifestation of the APNU/AFC intention to take away the citizens ‘rights’ to vote and elect their local representatives.

Further it is this coalition Government intention to corrupt this country more and more. The Judiciary is an independent ‘arm’ of any good Government. The Parliament

will have full debate on all the matters that goes to the National Assembly and then a decision will be taken. The Cabinet is ‘pure’ political and the APNU/AFC Cabinet can take their partisan deep seated party position but the Government must recognized that the other two arms of the Government is not and must not be allowed to be blind and pure PNC. The Judiciary must be allowed to be independent.

The failure of the Coalition Government to allow the Local Government system to function properly is certainly hurting the Government. The Ministry of Communities is trying desperately to influence the Local Authority and influence the staff politically.

The Staff at the Regional Democratic Councils and the NDCs are coerced to do the dirty work of the PNC. More serious is the fact that the staff is encouraged not to support the work programs of the various councils.

Blatantly, the hiring of staff to work in the Local Authority Areas is heavily influence by the PNC arm of the APNU. Many of these staff does not have the necessary and basic qualifications.

No CXC English and Mathematics. The Overseers cannot ‘string’ two sentences.

The minutes of the meetings are not adopted month after month because the Overseers cannot prepare the minutes.

The budget is not sent on time to the Region because

of the incompetent preparation and the lack of will to get the work done.

As for the Guyana Elections Commission readiness for the holding of Local Government Elections before the end of this year, that is highly questionable.

Recently the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission said that the Elections Body is ready for Local Government Elections and that only the date need to be announced. Well maybe an overdose of senility is affecting not only the Chairman but most of the Commission members and the entire Secretariat. How could the Guyana Elections Commission be ready for elections when they would

be embarking on another round of Continuous Registration later in the month.

Those transactions would have to be taken into account before an Official List of Electors is produced for the Election. Lots of work has to be done after the next cycle concludes in three months’ time, after the commencement.

New Registrants and those attaining the age of 18 would have to be added to the list from the National Register of Registrants and deletion would have to be done based on upheld objections and the list would have to be properly scrutinized before actually been put in use. In totality the Elections Commission would be

pushing an election with a list that would be less than a month old, which would not give enough time for proper scrutiny. Yet they are amending the Election Laws (Amendment) Act 2000 to facilitate the implementation of Continuous Registration and the availability of an electoral list which shall be in force and which shall be routinely updated every six months. Before the considered amendment the validity of the list was of three months periods.

Some analyst sees the conduct of the Local Government Election due for later in this year, as a testing ground for the planned rigging of the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

warned of media Williams’ Attacks on private lawyers Granger crackdown before Guyana Times “unbecoming” - Bar Association of Guyana started receiving threats T P he Attorney General, Basil Williams, has once again come under flags by the Bar Association of Guyana. According to a statement from the Bar Association of Guyana, they notes with much concern the comments that criminal action needs to be taken against lawyers conducting such litigation and that he “believes that [lawyers] need to start being charged now”.

The statement further said that these statements of the Attorney General, in addition to ignoring the fact that it is the Director of Public Prosecutions, a constitutional office-holder, whose duty it is to determine when and under what circumstances persons should face criminal charges, may give the incorrect impression to the public that there is something wrong, sinister or unlawful with lawyers in private practice conducting litigation for the State.

Below is the full statement from the Bar Association of Guyana: The Bar Council of the Bar Association of Guyana notes with much concern the comments made by the Attorney General, the Hon Basil Williams SC MP, reported in Kaieteur News on 18 May 2018.

The Attorney General, in referring to the conduct of litigation by lawyers in private practice for the State, is reported to have said that criminal action needs to be taken against lawyers conducting such litigation and that he “believes that [lawyers] need to start being charged now”.

These statements of the Attorney General, in addition to ignoring the fact that it is the Director of Public Prosecutions, a constitutional office-holder, whose duty it is to determine when and under what circumstances persons should face criminal charges, may give the incorrect impression to the public that there is something wrong, sinister or unlawful with lawyers in private practice conducting litigation for the State.

In reality, lawyers at the private Bar have always conducted litigation for the State in Guyana and throughout the Commonwealth, and continue to do so today. This practice is entirely proper and is used where lawyers in private practice have such skills, experience or specialist knowledge of discrete areas of law to enable them properly and successfully conduct litigation on behalf of the State.

Writing in 1973, Dr Mohammed Shahabudeen, then Attorney General, noted the practice in his book The Legal System of Guyana as follows: In 1921 the Governor made it clear that King’s Counsel were expected to undertake prosecutions for the Crown at a nominal fee so as to free the Attorney General for more important advisory work. … Senior Counsel are probably still conscious of a special obligation to accept a brief from the state, but it is rather unlikely that they consider that they have to do it at cut rates.

The fact that the Attorney General has himself retained counsel in private practice from outside of Guyana to conduct litigation indicates that the practice of the State retaining lawyers in private practice to conduct litigation is both well established and continues today.

This was done by the Attorney General in relatively recently conducted matters such as SM Jaleel & Co Ltd and Guyana Beverages Inc v The Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Zulfikar Mustapha v Attorney General and The Attorney General of Guyana v Cedric Richardson.

It is clear therefore that

lawyers who conduct litigation for the State commit no criminal conduct whatsoever by the fact of their conducting that litigation. It is also clear that it is neither improper nor unusual for lawyers in private practice to conduct litigation for the State.

The Bar Council therefore views the comments made by the Attorney General as an entirely unwarranted attack on the professionalism and the independence of the members of legal profession, unbecoming of a member of the Inner Bar. It urges the Attorney General to strengthen methods of record keeping at the Attorney General’s Chambers, if there are difficulties in that regard, and to resolve issues concerning the conduct of litigation with those lawyers appearing for the State privately, with circumspection, and in a manner becoming of the standards of the profession.

Such a course of action will avoid bringing the legal profession in Guyana into disrepute, which is entirely undesirable from an office-holder who has traditionally been recognised in the Commonwealth with the unofficial and honorific title of Leader of the Bar.

resident David Granger, the Leader of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNC/R), had signaled an intention to crackdown on media that reported critically of his three-year old Administration, days before the a local newspaper, the Guyana Times, started receiving threats from anonymous callers to stop publishing articles critical of the APNU+AFC Coalition.

Granger told his party’s General Council last weekend that he had grave concerns about certain sections of the media. According to a press release from the PNC/R, “He also highlighted the daily challenges faced by the Coalition from some sections of the media.”

Sources have indicated to Citizens’ Report that Granger is concerned that the heavy negative reporting of his Government will sully the Coalition’s international image. The three-year old Government has been severely criticised from all sections of society and the media about a myriad of matters, chief among those being the rampant corruption and failure to boost the economy.

On a broader base, sources said there was a closed door meeting where the PNC/R top brass decided to target

people and organisations that are friendly to the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP).

Opposition Parliamentarian and former Attorney General, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, during his weekly televised programme in Berbice, wondered if the PNC/R’ decisions at the forum triggered party supporters to deliver threats to the Guyana Times newspaper.

The Guyana Times announced that in recent days, it has been receiving numerous threats from anonymous callers claiming to be agents of the Government. The newspaper said the callers threatened “dire consequences” to the management and staff of the company if it continues to publish news item that are not friendly towards the APNU+AFC Coalition.

However, Nandlall has since condemned the attempts being made to muzzle the press, particularly the Guyana Times. “I condemn in the strongest possible terms any attempt by anyone in the government or anyone to prevent the Guyana Times from doing its job,” he expressed.

Notably, Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Basil Williams urged members of the party to stand up for the PNCR and defend it.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Unruly

9

The

Horse

The Handcuffing of Singh and Brassington By: Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP Attorney-at-Law

I

t is common knowledge that Dr. Ashni Singh and Mr. Winston Brassington were overseas when the charges of Misconduct in Public Office were filed against them in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

The summonses for them to appear in Court on the 8th of May 2018, at 1:30pm, were only served at their respective addresses in Guyana around mid-day of the 7th of May 2018. These summonses were obviously not served personally upon them. Notwithstanding, they both appeared with their attorneys-at-law at the Court to which they were summoned, promptly at 1:30 PM. The Prosecution did not oppose bail. These persons have impeccable personal records and reputation; they are prominent in society; they have no criminal antecedents; as soon as they were summoned, though not personally and although they were on another continent, they appeared at the place, date and time when summoned. Once the Prosecution did not oppose bail, it means that the Prosecution was satisfied that the men were not flight risks.

The courtroom was packed to capacity. In the gallery were two former Presidents, a number of Members of Parliament of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), a number of former Ministers of the PPP/C Government and an unusually large contingent from the press. During the proceedings, almost absolute silence permeated the gallery of the court. The accused persons were ushered into the dock and stood there, silently, throughout the proceedings. There was absolutely no ruckus or disorderly conduct at any time during the proceedings, either from the accused persons or anyone else. There was absolutely no evidence

that there was any likelihood of such eventuality. The entire proceedings was conducted with an aura of sobriety and in an environment of quietude, which the occasion demanded. It is against that backdrop, that I wrote the following, two weeks ago, about what transpired after the court proceedings.

“What followed next convinced the objective by-stander that extraneous influences were at work. Every day, persons of no known profile pass through the very court system without being handcuffed, and moved from the upper flat to the lower flat of the Magistrate’s Court building without resorting to the infamous schute; nor are they placed in the “holding cell” while arrangements are being made for their bail to be lodged. However, these facilities were not extended to a former Minister of Finance, who served in that capacity and in the National Assembly of Guyana for almost a decade!

Singh and Brassington, for absolutely no good reason, were handcuffed and transported through the schute, making them available for the flashing cameras of the large contingent of reporters present. It was simply done to humiliate, degrade and publicly embarrass them.”

Just one week after, I was vindicated. A young lady charged with attempted murder of a Police Officer with the use of an unlawful firearm and who was remanded by the Magistrate, was not handcuffed. This is so despite the fact that she is alleged to have committed a violent crime and was obviously viewed by the court as a flight risk, hence her remand to prison. Photographs of her being escorted by the Police to the court lock-ups showed that she was not handcuffed. I submit that the decision not to handcuff her was a correct one in law. On the contrary, the decision to handcuff Singh and Brassington was unlawful.

THE LAW Section 202 of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act Cap 10:01, Laws of Guyana provides that: “A person arrested, whether with or without warrant, shall not be handcuffed or otherwise bound except in case of necessity, or of reasonable apprehension of violence, or of attempt to escape or to rescue, or by order of the Court or a judge, or of a magistrate.” This provision appears in identical form as Section 76 of the Summary Jurisdiction Act Cap 10:02. In the pre-eminent Practitioners Manual, Blackstone’s Criminal Practice 2018, Section D, para 1.8, under the caption, “Use of handcuffs” it is stated: “Handcuffs should be used only where they are reasonably necessary to prevent an escape or to prevent a violent breach of the peace by a prisoner (Lockley (1864) 4 F & F 155). The same rule applies to the handcuffing of prisoners in court (Cambridge Justices, ex parte Peacock (1992) 156 JP 895; Horden [2009] 2 Cr App R 406). It would seem that, where handcuffs are unjustifiably resorted to, their use will constitute a trespass even though the arrest itself is lawful (Taylor (1895) 59 JP 393; Bibby v Chief Constable of Essex (2000) 164 JP 297).”

In the old English, case of R v Taylor (1895) 59 JP 393, the then Chief Justice of England, Lord Russell of Killowen posited: “Handcuffing is only justifiable where reasonable necessity exists for it, and if it is resorted to in the absence of such necessity the party so treated may bring an action to recover damages for such a grievous indignity.”

In another English case of more recent vintage, Bibby v Chief Constable of Essex Police (2000) All ER (D) 487, the Claimant was requested to leave certain private premises. He refused to do so. Both parties called the Police. The Officers thought

there would be a breach of the peace and told the Claimant to leave. He refused. They arrested him and led him away to the Police Station in handcuffs. An hour later, he was released without charge. He sued and lost in the High Court. The Court of Appeal allowed his appeal on the ground that the mere fact that the Police Officers thought that a breach of the peace was likely did not justify the arrest of the Claimant and the use of handcuffs. They stated the rationale thus: “In order to exercise the now exceptional common law power of arrest, certain conditions had to be met. There had to be the clearest of circumstances and a sufficiently real and present threat to the peace

to justify the extreme step of depriving a citizen, who was not at the time acting unlawfully, of his liberty. The threat had to come from person who was to be arrested, and his conduct had clearly to interfere with the rights of others. The natural consequence of his conduct had to be violence, which was not wholly unreasonable, from a third party, and the conduct of the person to be arrested had to be unreasonable.”

Finally, in Ramsarran v Attorney General (2001), High Court, Trinidad and Tobago, “R, a well-known businessman, who had voluntarily turned himself over to the police, was handcuffed to a rail. Moosai J pointed out that the alleged offences for which R had

been charged were summary offences, and s 109 of the Summary Courts Act, Ch 4:20 (Laws of Trinidad and Tobago) provides that a person arrested shall not be handcuffed except in cases of necessity, or of reasonable apprehension of violence, or of attempt to escape, or by order of a court or magistrate. None of these circumstances were present in this case, and the act of handcuffing amounted to oppressive, arbitrary and unconditional conduct warranting an award of exemplary damages.”

It is clear that the handcuffing of Singh and Brassington was unlawful and most likely they are entitled to exemplary damages. The lawsuit will follow soon.

Assault on workers canot be defended Dear Editor,

O

ur Union has seen a report titled “APNU+AFC gov’t has been visionless – David Hinds” which appeared in the May 21, 2018 Stabroek News.

That newspaper, among other things, reports Dr David Hinds as saying in relation to the Government’s approach to the sugar industry that the Coalition “…must be commended for confronting the problem”. The WPA Executive and newspaper columnist, is then quoted to have said “[w]hile previous governments have kicked the ball down the road, this one decided to tackle the problem…”.

In his comments, we also recognized that Dr Hinds decried the Administration’s failure to effectively communicate its approach to sugar.

The GAWU is supportive of everyone’s right to an opinion, a freedom that is now under seeming threat by the Cybercrime Bill as currently crafted.

At the same time we can-

not fail to place on record our strong disagreement with the apparent plaudits Dr Hinds is showering on the Administration for its destructive approach to the sugar industry and the well-being of thousands of Guyanese.

We wonder how one can be pleased when sugar workers are the only group of the State’s employees to have had their wages frozen since the APNU/AFC took power. Then the sugar workers have faced assault after assault with many of their hard won rights and benefits just taken away or ignored. Then after all of that, they are told that they are not needed and their jobs are taken away without any consideration about how they would survive. Certainly, in our view, it is not a situation in which one can commend, as Dr Hinds has done.

Moreover, the situation in the sugar belt need not be the way it is. There are real workable alternatives. We see GuySuCo itself borrowing $30B to make its estates viable

by moving into greater diversification, something GAWU advocated and the Sugar Commission of Inquiry (CoI) recommended. The fact that as many as 70 parties are interested in acquiring the now closed estates, described as unprofitable and inefficient, in our view, says a mouthful. The future is not bleak as it is being made out to be.

The fact that so many people are suffering and so many communities are finding themselves in difficult times is a situation that Guyanese, known for their concern for their fellow citizens, cannot take comfort nor pride in. The absence of any consideration of the implications of the decisions taken and, more so, the absence of any compassion, or even regret, by the decision-makers of the sad situation they created are beyond any reasonable words.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

10

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Another former PPP Finance Minister arrested by SOCU A

nother former senior People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government official has been arrested and questioned by officials of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).

Former Finance Minister and now religious leader, Saisnarine Kowlessar, was last week taken in for questioning at SOCU’s Kingston, Georgetown head office, and was interrogated for close to five hours before being released on bail.

Opposition Member of Parliament and PPP/C executive, Anil Nandlall, confirmed on Monday that Kowlessar was released on $200,000 station bail.

Nandall said Kowlessar, accompanied by his attorney, Mark Conway, was questioned in relation to matters pertaining to several transactions conducted by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) during his tenure as minister.

Reports are that Kowlessar was first approached by SOCU officials a few days ago, and was asked to report to the SOCU office, but the former minister never showed up, and this led to the agency deciding to arrest him.

A former Attorney General, Nandall calls Kowlessar’s arrest another indication of abuse of people’s rights, and abuse of the criminal justice system to persecute officials of the past administration. He argued that there is a principle of law which prevents such abuses, whereby transactions, especially financial ones, which require detail, you don’t pursue them after a protected period.

“Simple, because persons cannot recollect the details of those transactions. What you have here is Mr. Kowlessar was questioned about transactions that occurred 20 years ago,” he explained.

Kowlessar served as Minister of Finance under the PPP/C Administration

Former Finance Minister Saisnarine Kowlessar

between 2002 and 2006.

“If Mr Kowlessar (were) to be charged for any offence relating to those transactions, the first problem

he would have would be (his being) unable to defend those charges because of lack of memory, and witnesses who would have been present and who can aid in his defense may no longer be available,” Nandlall asserted.

The Opposition MP said the principle likewise applies to former Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and former NICIL CEO Winston Brassington, who are each facing three charges of misconduct in public office.

“The offence for which they are being charged occurred over 10 years ago. The entire prosecutorial arm of (the) state is contaminated with politics and prejudice,” Nandlall added.

Based on the outcome of Monday’s decision by the High Court’s Justice Franklin Holder to block the Magistrates’ Courts from hearing the charges of misconduct in public office against the duo, Nandall said he believes that once these matters are treated fairly, they would not stand up in court.

Many political and social commentators, even those in the legal fraternity, have argued that the charges against the two former Government officials may be unconstitutional on the basis that they are not “public officers” in accordance with the Constitution.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo has declared that all three charges against Singh and Brassington are frivolous, and all three matters were approved by the Cabinet. Former President Donald Ramotar has also come out strongly in defence of Singh and Brassington.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) is yet to respond to a written request by Nandlall to review the charges against Singh and Brassington.

Yet, similar charges instituted by the PPP against five sitting Government Ministers have, on the other hand, been thrown out by the DPP.

UN says recognition of Israe capital “null and void” U

N Jerusalem vote: General Assembly rules against US, declaring recognition of Israel capital 'null and void' Several Latin American and African nations abstain from vote after America threatened to cut aid programmes In a humiliating blow for Donald Trump on the world stage, the United Nations General Assembly has voted by 128 to nine to declare his controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “null and void”.

Just days after the US used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block a similar measure, the General Assembly resoundingly condemned the America’s unilateral action, which most observers said would hamper efforts to secure peace in the Middle East.

While the vote has little practical impact – it is not

legally binding – it is a considerable embarrassment for the US as it reflects global opinion.

As the US licked its wounds, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas’s spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah seized on what he said was a “victory for Palestine”.

“We will continue our efforts in the United Nations and at all international forums to put an end to this occupation, and to establish our Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Mr Rdainah said.

Thirty-five countries, many in Africa and Latin America, abstained from the vote.

Experts had predicted at least 150 votes in support of the motion. There was speculation that the high number of abstentions was a result of the Trump administration’s threat to “take names” of countries

and cut off humanitarian aid funding.

Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Malawi, and several Caribbean and Pacific island nations all abstained. Canada, Poland, Australia, and Mexico also joined them in sitting out the vote, in perhaps a nod to other political pressures from the US. Britain voted for the motion, as did India and Russia.

Benjamin Netanyahu calls the UN the ‘house of lies’ before Jerusalem vote Ahead of the vote, the US’s ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, had warned that the US would would be “taking names” of any countries who supported a resolution criticising Washington’s actions.

The Associated Press said Ms Haley had written to most of the 193 UN members states warning of possible retaliation. She said the President

was taking the matter personally.

Speaking to members of his cabinet on Wednesday, Mr Trump said he liked what Ms Haley had spelled out.

“For all these nations, they take our money and then vote against us. They take hundreds of millions of dollars, even billions of dollars and then they vote against us,” Mr Trump said.

“We’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”

In 2016, the US contributed approximately $13bn (£9.7bn) in economic and military assistance to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, and $1.6bn to states in East Asia and Oceania, according to the US Agency for International Development.

Ukraine was among the 21 nations that were not present for the vote.

Price hikes will be passed on to businesses, customers – MP

T

he Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has issued a notice announcing the a further dip of the Guyana currency versus the United States (US) dollar; which will see increases being borne by businesses when paying customs duties.

According to a notice taking effect from May 1, GY$208.05 is to be exchanged for US$1. In the case of the British currency, GY$287.19 is to be exchanged for £1. The changes have not gone unnoticed.

Concerns have already been expressed by some that this change will have an adverse impact on business. According to former Minister within the Finance Ministry and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill, the increase will likely be passed down to consumers.

“If the GRA put out an exchange rate that is higher than before, it means that when they’re calculating the value of an item, for instance if they’re calculating the duties and the taxes at the new rate, you will end up paying more,” he explained, during an interview on Tuesday.

“If you pay more, the business person will have to pass that cost on to the consumer. So, the consumer would end up paying more.

And that is the exchange rate that would be used for the currency in the acquisition of fuel, all other commodities. That will be official in all matters of taxation.”

According to Edghill, it was therefore important for the GRA to issue its notice, as this will be its new modus operandi. The former Minister within the Finance Ministry noted that this latest development is an indication of what is taking place on the market. “That rate is fixed and driven by what is taking place; the demand, as well as the availability.

The dollar has to be backed by some commodity, in our case its gold. The movement of the rate is determined by what is taking place in the market. And once that rate goes up, prices will go up.”

FOREIGN CURRENCY Following last year’s reported crisis regarding the availability of foreign currency in the local market, the Bank of Guyana (BoG) Governor, Dr Gobind

Ganga had stated last month that the bank now has over US$75 million in foreign currency.

“Currently, we have almost US$75 million of excess supply of foreign currency in the market with commercial banks, and we are hoping that this excess supply will drag the rates down further than where it is. So, it is not in shortage; there is excess supply of 75 million or more US dollars in the market,” Dr Ganga had asserted. While both the Central Bank and the Government had maintained that there was no foreign currency crisis, several commercial banks and cambio dealers had insisted otherwise, jacking up the exchange rate for US dollars.

In fact, business owners had also complained about the apparent foreign currency shortage, saying that they were unable to readily make overseas payments by draft or wire transfer for products and services from overseas.

Even citizens had borne the backlash of the crisis by paying high exchange rates.

Government, through the Central Bank, issued a circular to cambios and the local banking sector informing them of the regulated rates for foreign currency trade. According to the circular seen by Guyana Times, non-bank cambios must reduce the spread between the buying and selling rates on foreign currency transactions to no more than GY$3.

During his 2018 Budget presentation back in November, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had said that the Bank of Guyana’s exchange rate for the Guyana Dollar to the US Dollar is expected to remain stable at $206.5 throughout this year, while adding that the US Dollar had appreciated by 1.6 per cent against the Guyanese dollar.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

COMMENTARY

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By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

APNU/AFC’S on-and-off Amaila Hydroelectric Project is misconduct in office

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ven their staunchest supporters are disappointed with the performance of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, in office now for three years.

One of the fierce supporters of the coalition, a person that vigorously campaigned in 2015 on behalf of the coalition, Dr David Hinds, this past week expressed his unequivocal disappointment in APNU/AFC, accusing them of being painfully visionless.

Indeed, not only has APNU/ AFC been visionless, they have been utterly clueless.

They have no plans and yet they opted at the beginning to abandon major projects simply because these projects were either started by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) or planned by the PPP. The APNU/AFC’s rejection of these projects had nothing to do with the soundness of the projects, but everything to

do with the projects being too deeply-rooted in the PPP’s DNA. Minister Raphael Trotman this past week informed the Natural Resources Sector Committee in Parliament that the Amaila Hydroelectric Project is very much back on the table. This is in spite of the fact that in October 2017, Minister Joseph Harmon had announced that the Amaila was “dead”. On several occasions, Minister Jordan had announced that APNU/ AFC has totally rejected this project and that to continue it would be a “downright criminal act”. Since taking office, Amaila has been on and off. In the three years since APNU/AFC took control of the Government, they have treated one of the most transformative projects for Guyana as a game of yoyo. There is only one reason – they cannot stand the thought of yet another major

PPP project being made into reality.

The handling of Amaila

by APNU/AFC is a prime example of the character of this Government. Unfortunately, it is not just lack of vision, it is also spite and incompetency. From the start, they wanted to deny Guyana the benefits of the transformative impact that Amaila would have on the social, economic and infrastructural trajectory of our country and our people. The only reason for this vile decision was that Amaila is “too PPP” and too much rooted in Jagdeo’s footprints.

They knew that Amaila was critical, but they simply could not stomach the fact that the PPP developed the Amaila project. This is the genesis of their confusion, not wanting to complete a PPP project, but recognising the tremendous possibility of Amaila. To make matters worse, the only success this

Government genuinely can talk about are all deeply-rooted in the PPP footprints – the new CJIA, the East Coast and East bank four lane roads, the East Bank Berbice Road, rice, and oil.

The Amaila Hydroelectricity Project, one of the premier infrastructural development projects, is partly funded by the Norway Agreement. It is intended to help Guyana reduce and eliminate our dependency on fossil fuel. There is, in fact, US$80 million at stake.

If Guyana does not use it for Amaila, we lose it. Importantly, with the initial scuttling of the Amaila Hydroelectric Project, APNU/ AFC gave clear signals that its talk of a green economy is a smokescreen to weaken Guyana’s carbon footprint and carbon credit equity.

Guyana’s commitment at the Paris Climate Change Agreement in November

2015 to significantly reduced its dependence on fossil fuel and derive 90 per cent of its energy from clean fuel by 2025 cannot be achieved without Amaila. Norway has indicated that Amaila is the best way to achieve a fossil fuel-free energy architecture. APNU/AFC’s stubborn refusal to embrace Amaila, therefore, jeopardises the Norwegian Agreement and in the process has caused an interruption of carbon credit funding. In fact, not only has replenishment of the US$200 million replenishment been interrupted, but APNU/AFC’s recklessness is aborting Guyana’s chances of earning more than US$250 million annually in carbon credit.

APNU/AFC has been downright ambivalent in their approach to the Norway Carbon Credit Agreement.

APNU/AFC’s commitment to the Low Carbon Develop-

ment Strategy (LCDS) has been lukewarm, if not a posture of outright rejection. Instead of embracing the LCDS and consolidating our pathway towards a carbon credit payment of US$250 million annually, APNU/AFC seems more interested in erasing the PPP footprints from this innovative and global best practice, one that earned Bharrat Jagdeo the UN Global award of Champion of the Earth. The consequence is severe, chief among them, is we are not certain that Amaila will ever happen. Had they continued the project, Amaila would have been producing electricity right now, our cost would have been reduced by at least 50 per cent and over the next 20 years we would have saved over $400 billion.

The ambivalence shown towards Amaila, therefore, is a prime example of political malfeasance and misconduct in office.

$240M drainage pump station at Buxton a ‘failure’ - Engineer

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ngineer, Charles Ceres, has said that the recently constructed $240 million pump station at Buxton on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) is an engineering failure since too much money was spent to build it.

Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder commissioned the drainage pump station aimed at alleviating flooding in Buxton and surrounding areas. The pump station is equipped with a 70.6 cu/sec pump, which has the capacity to discharge water at a rate of 31,700 gallons per minute.

Ceres who is a Civil, Geotechnical and Groundwater Hydrology Engineer and founded Ground Structures Engineering Consultants Inc. made the statement when he addressed the opening of the University of Guyana’s School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation inaugural Entrepreneurship and Innovation Conference

The new $240 million pump station at Buxton

at the Ramada Princess Hotel.

Delivering an address on the absence of incorporating economic considerations into engineering projects in Guyana, Ceres said that engineering failure is the “failure to optimize the use

of money, failure to recognize opportunities and failure to provide values to the end user.”

To that end he explained that majority of the projects in Guyana are plagued by engineering failures that are both detrimental to the pub-

lic and to the drive to ensure that, Guyanese people have a living wage.

Turning his attention to the Buxton Pump Station, Ceres said the construction included the removal of soil to a depth of approximately 20 feet, followed by the

construction of a hollowed concrete structure built on piled foundation.

He continued “piles are used to transfer loads when the loads cannot be taken by the soil, the soil removed weighed more than the pump station. It begs the question,

why were piles used? The answer is that Engineers at the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Drainage and Irrigation Board were unaware of this ever having been done before. These individuals were informed that several such structures were built by Booker Tate as part of GuySuCo’s infrastructure.

Our Engineers at the Ministry and Agriculture and the National Drainage and Irrigation Board were more focused on precedent. Precedent is sometimes applicable in law, not engineering. The pump station construction is a failure, it did not optimize the benefits to the end user since too much money was spent to build it.”

Following intense flooding, government secured a $1.4 billion line of credit from the World Bank for the construction of three pump stations located at Lusignan, Friendship/Vigilance and Enmore.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Dangerous situation appearing - FITUG T

he Federation of Independent Trades Unions of Guyana (FITUG) taking a bird’s eye view of developments in our country has clearly determined that we are in a worrying state of affairs. In view of this, we find it necessary to express our serious concern as we see a rather dangerous situation appearing. Indeed, while the Federation sincerely hopes that this is not the case, we obviously at the same time, cannot disregard the red flags which have shown up.= Of recent, there has been, rightfully, a great deal of concern regarding the Cybercrime Bill. More specifically, several voices of condemnation have been raised against Section 18 of that Bill, which some have argued, will criminalize views that are not favourable to the Government. We find it hard to disagree with those individuals who and organisations which have expressed strong disagreement with that section of the Bill.

In our view, as has been said several times over the last few days, that questionable section of the Bill will undermine our cherished and, more so, our constitution-

ally-enshrined Freedom of Expression. While we accept that our expression/views must not incite violence or hatred, we strongly contend that the sedition section has no place in our contemporary society. It is our view that this is a retrogressive step and represents a slap in the face of those who struggled in our country to ensure that the views of all Guyanese can be expressed without fear or favour. At this time, the FITUG joins in the call for the archaic provision to be removed from the Cybercrime Bill But the inclusion of the sedition clause, we believe, should not be seen in isolation but instead regarded as representing a puzzle that is being assembled. At this time, we cannot forget that there are serious clouds of doubt hovering over the institutions charged with upholding democratic practices in our still fledgling democracy. Just a few days ago several other civil society organisations, including FITUG, in an engagement with a visiting UNDP team, expressed several concerns with the ability of the Guyana Elections Commission

(GECOM) to deliver a creditable election. This view, shared by many of the organisations present, certainly must send chills down one’s spine and raises questions about whether we are going back to the time of electoral malpractices. We certainly hope that this is not the case, but the unilateral appointment of the GECOM Chairman has not been helpful in this regard. With National and Regional elections just two (2) years away, there is much work to be done for our people to repose confidence in our electoral machinery and bodies.

Then alongside those developments, we have seen the activation of SARA. We recognise, on this score too, serious concerns are harboured about this body and its work. Certainly, the extraordinary reaches of the SARA Act which gives immense power and authority to the body should not be forgotten and the reason/s for such reach should not, in our view, go without question.

On SARA, the Federation has recognized, and at this time cannot discount, the view being expressed that the organization is pursuing

certain ends. Then just mere days ago, we saw, in the press, an agreement being inked to formalize collaboration between SARA and the FIU. Whether this is legal or not is one matter, but given the nature of the FIU’s work, we wonder, among other concerns, whether it is indeed proper to have such an arrangement in the first place.

Along these lines, the FITUG, of course, cannot fail to mention the much-vaunted SOCU, which as we understand it, was meant to be the investigative arm of the FIU and to pursue matters relating to money laundering. It seems that this body’s mandate may have changed and, seemingly, its original intent has either fallen to the very bottom of its priorities or is not a priority at all. We say this recognizing, from reports in the press, that the body is only concerned with cases involving members of the former Government. FITUG condemns corruption in

C

onsumers in soon-tobe-oil-producing Guyana are faced with higher fuel prices, especially-owner gas stations and analysts say the situation will remain uncertain since the international market place for trading is not stable.

Guyana has not made any move towards new sources of energy and even with the country producing oil, it will still demand of oil importation.

The government has stopped a major hydro power initiative started by the previous PPP/C government.

Gas prices have a rippling effect on every other sector of the economy and should oil prices remain high Guyana could be paying more for their daily needs including transportation, food, clothing, utility charges and other services.

Over the past months cooking gas has been climbing and is now in the vicinity of $3,600 per 20-lb

cylinder. Prices of fresh foods in markets have been climbing. Imported goods are also attracting higher prices.

Analysts contend that as the economy grows weaker prices will increases.

A number of service stations in Georgetown where the prices displayed were higher than the slight increase two weeks ago.

At Shell gas station, the price of gasoline increased from $230 to $234 while a litre of V-power now costs $240. Over at Rubis gas station, consumers will now have to pay close to $225 per litre for gasoline.

However, at the state owned Guyoil service stations, the price for a litre of gasoline remained at $220 per litre.

While persons have shared their displeasure with the increased prices, many public transport drivers have expressed that it will affect them if it continues to escalate.

Several minibus drivers on Saturday said that the increase in fuel will ultimately lead to the increase in transportation cost. A route 40 minibus driver told this publication that commuters usually complains when fare increases but they have to understand that the cost of fuel has increased.

“The thing is that the prices always raising and it’s crazy because we’re still working for the same fare.

Soon it will grow to a big amount with all [of] this increasing and what will happen then?” he questioned.

In September of 2017, world market prices for fuel increased due to the hurricane conditions in the southern hemisphere, which resulted in Guyoil adjusting the prices in gasoline, diesel and kerosene to a higher cost.

Again, in February of this year, Guyoil adjusted its prices upwards. The average price of gasoline around the world is US$1.15 per liter.

such tactics have been or are being pursued. It is not a situation that we as a people should face again. History has thought us the sordid lessons of the era when democracy was thrown by the wayside and the serious damage that was inflicted in our society. At this time, after nearly 52 years as an independent state, Guyana and Guyanese should not encourage or allow our country to descend into a failed state. Let us be ready to raise our voices at injustices and remember Pastor Martin Niemoller who famously said:“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.” (FITUG Press Release)

Region 2 fishermen claim coast guards demanding “best” catch

Consumers face higher prices F – Local fuel prices spike again – Cooking gas reaches $3,600 per 20-lb cylinder

all its forms and we are consistent on this stance. However, we strongly believe, that charges of corruption must be clear and meritorious and the State machinery should not be used willy-nilly for any witch-hunting or hounding of persons of a political bias. There should not be resort to technicalities or to spurious grounds. Moving along that line, gives credence to the view that an arm of the State is being used to persecute citizens. Certainly, this cannot be condoned When the situation is looked at in its totality, we recognise a less than pleasing picture is coming together. It is somewhat of a textbook approach that has been employed in other countries where unpopular Governments seeking to maintain their grip on power have adopted measures which are seen as less than conforming to the rules and norms of democracy. It has had sad outcomes for those peoples in the countries where

ishermen in Region Two are complaining about the demands of Guyana Defence Force Coast Gaurds who are demanding they hand over their “best” catch when they are stopped at sea.

The issue was raised on Tuesday last week when the Region Two fisherfolks met with the Regional Chairman Davanand Ramdatt, Chief Fisheries Officer, Denzil Roberts, G Division Commander, representatives from the Coast Guard, Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), RDC councillors

and other officials to discuss the many issues facing the fishing industry. The meeting was held in Regional office boardroom.

According to the Fishermen although MARAD have an office in Charity they are still forced to travel to Georgetown for licensing of boat captains and inspections of boats.

During the meeting the fishermen complained bitterly of alleged corruption in the system.

Some of the fisherfolks stated that although they paid

for their licenses, it takes a long time to process. They said that this has caused a lot of issue with them and the coast guards, who demand their best catch if they explain that the license are still being processed.

As a result of the allegations, a committee of six persons was formed to represent the Essequibo Coast Fishing Industry at a Government level and will meet regularly with the Region to iron out the problems facing them.

Judge orders trial for $54M in diamonds missing while in police possession J ustice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln has ordered a trial for the matter involving Ronald Khan’s $54M in missing diamonds, which vanished from police hands after it was recovered from a 1994 robbery investigation.

The State has declined to settle with the applicant, arguing that Khan waited too long to file his claim in relation to the alleged missing merchandise.

The legal team for the Attorney General Chambers’ says many persons involved in the case are now deceased.

The matter goes to trial

in August of this year.

The large quantity of uncut diamonds belonged to Khan, a businessman who had filed a civil law suit after his gemstones disappeared while in police possession.

The case was filed in 2011.

INews understands that Khan’s Ewang Creek Mining Camp was robbed of the diamonds in 1994 but the precious merchandise was recovered by Guyana Police Force ranks and taken to the Mahdia Police Station, where it was inspected and the quantity was verified.

However, the stones van-

ished somewhere in E and F Division and over time the defendants in the criminal matter either escaped or died.

Khan maintains that he wants his property returned and had even written to former Police Commissioner, Henry Greene in 2010 for his diamonds.

Khan, who is represented

by Nigel Hughes, said that he is willing to settle once the State returns his diamonds.

Nevertheless, he is seeking in excess on $100,000 in damages, interests and court costs. (Inews)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Baramita elected its first woman toshao T

he election of Sharmain Rambajue as Baramita’s village captain comes as the elections for toshaos are underway countrywide.

Baramita, in the Barima/ Waini region, has a population of about 3,500 people.

Fourteen councillors have also been elected to support Rambajue and to serve the 22 satellite communities that comprise the village.

Among her objectives, she said, is to bring all the satellite communities together toward a common development goal.

Her main focus is social development, followed by education, economic development, health care, security, cultural development and sports.

Social development is high on her agenda because of the many social ills that

plague the community, which is dependent on gold mining.

She wants more community work done by residents and non-residents to work to reduce littering and pollution and to provide guidance and counselling for mental health problems. She also wants to stage workshops, meetings and home visits to discourage the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and drug abuse are common among both young and old residents.

Rambajue also plans to build a shelter to care for the elderly who are unable to care for themselves, and to educate residents about the negative consequences of domestic violence, trafficking in persons, child abuse and sexual abuse.

Rambajue, who has had only a primary level education said, “I would like

to see a secondary school in Baramita so children do not have to go to Matthews Ridge, Port Kaituma, Mabaruma or even Georgetown, to get a secondary education.”

The transition from the community, she said, could be disruptive to a child having to settle into a new environment away from their parents and siblings.

At present, she said that the community has one school building, which houses both nursery and primary schools.

She would like all schoolage children to be registered and attending school, and she wants the schools to be adequately staffed. At present they are not.

Her health care plans include upgrading the health centre to a cottage hospital and having a doctor stationed

in the community.

She will also lobby government, she said, for a dentist to visit the community regularly. Hygiene is an issue, and she will also seek assistance to construct proper toilets for each household.

Security of the community and the country’s borders, she added, is also a matter of concern. To safeguard the village’s border with Venezuela, she is encouraging residents to report any suspicious activities to the village office so they could be reported to the police.

It is necessary to monitor the movements of foreign nationals, such as Brazilians and Venezuelans entering the village, she said. Actions have to be taken against illegal activities and exploitation of residents by foreigners, she said.

Skeldon and Rose Hall unemployed women sugar workers receive hampers

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n May 18, 2018, fifty-nine (59) of the now unemployed women workers who had been put on the breadline following the closure of Skeldon and Rose Hall Estates at the end of last year (2017) received food hampers, through donations garnered by the Guyana Solidarity Movement – New York (GSM-NY). The body is a grouping of Guyanese

mainly resident in New York who have been heart-stricken by the callous decision to close sugar estates which has made thousands of Guyanese jobless.

Through the distribution exercise held in Canje, twenty-one (21) women workers from Rose Hall Estate received hampers. While another thirty-eight (38) who were employed at Skeldon

Estate received their hampers at another exercise at #74 Village, Corentyne. Over the past week, ex-female sugar workers of Wales and East Demerara Estates have also received hampers compliments of the GSM-NY. The women expressed their sincere appreciation to the GSM-NY and the overseas-resident Guyanese, who through their kind support,

made the reality of the hampers possible. They shared that since their jobs were taken away from them, life has become extremely difficult. Many related they have searched nearly the entire length of the Corentyne Coast and in New Amsterdam for a job and have not been successful. They said jobs are most difficult to come by and they are almost no vacancies

in keeping with their skills.

They said that they have been stingily using their severance payments to live but those sums can only last for some time. After they cross that point they simply do not know what they would do.

The recipients said that life in the villages have become depressed since the estates were closed. They said crime is on the rise as

people and depression among people is also increasing too.

The women are very apprehensive about the future and worry what their lives would become in the months and years ahead.

The GSM-NY was pleased have provided the assistance recognizing the ocean of suffering that has been created by the closure of the sugar estates.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

PPP Region 4 Conference The PPP Regional Committee Region 4, held its annual conference last week at Freedom House, Georgetown, where a number of critical issues concerning the current political and economic situation were discussed. The delegates had a chance to discuss with party leaders the work needed to be done for the upcoming local government elections. Giving the main address was General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo. Pictures show different moments at the conference.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Opposition Leader interacts with Tiger Bay residents

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pposition Leader, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, yesterday, met with residents of Tiger Bay, Georgetown where he listened to their concerns and vowed to represent them at every available forum.

Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), has been on a series of outreaches across the country interacting with residents.

The aim is to get an understanding of the struggles of the ordinary man so the PPP can put pressure on the APNU+AFC Government to provide assistance.

At Tiger Bay, the residents complained about their living conditions, specifically, the limited access to water. The residents lamented that despite promises from the Coalition Administration to improve their access to water, they still experience significant levels of “dry periods� when they turn on the taps of their pipes. They said that this impacts on their standard of living.

Many of the residents also complained about no longer receiving assistance in getting their house lots.

According to them, they received significant help under

the PPP/C Administration to acquire house lots but the programme seemed to grind to a halt under the APNU+AFC Coalition.

Also, they argued that despite all the challenges faced and the constant invitation to senior Government Officials even the President, David Granger, no one has visited to listen to their concerns.

As such, the Opposition Leader promised to raise their concerns at every available forum so as to bring relief to the residence.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Sections of road to Lethem are impassable W

ith the rainy season on now, the situation is getting intolerable and hinterland resident are calling on the government to take immediate steps to ease the situation.

Road users are contending that the good parts of the Linden/Lethem road are outnumbered by bad sections. Several of these road users have taken to social media to post photos and complain about the current situation of the road.

Sections of the road — at Fairview in Region Nine and Kurupukari in Region

Eight — are completely impassible, with the greater part of the road at those sections being inundated by heavy rainfall over the past week.

“We have our buses, and we have to spend most of the money we make to maintain the bus because of the road. Right through we sticking up! The bridge them a wash away or break down, and we have to pay more money to get people to pull we out,” bus driver Ramroop (only name) said.

The angry man said Government needs to do more to maintain the road, and added that drivers are not opposed to paying an increase in toll in exchange for better roads.

He explained that because of the impassible state

of the road, vehicle owners are being forced to pay as much as $5,000 at Fairview for villagers to use the village truck to pull their vehicles out of the slush.

This payment, he contends, is in addition to tolls and maintenance costs.

“By the time we done fix the bus and pay all them money that, we not making any money at all! The Government got to do better than this! Them ah wait until the road bad-bad and nothing can’t do and then them come and will try to fix it. We are the one suffering, not them; because them can afford to fly to Lethem, but what about the poor people?” another driver added.

On Saturday, a truck driven by Ricky (only name

given) reportedly went overboard while crossing the Christmas Bridge. He was attempting to manoeuvre lorry GWW 5832 with a load of sawn lumber across the Christmas Bridge, but ended up toppling into the creek. Ricky reportedly sustained injuries in that mishap.

Operators also complained that the condition of the trail is made worse by lumber trucks operating during the wet weather.

Member of Parliament of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) – representing the Region Nine Constituency – Alister Charlie has expressed grave concerns about this situation.

He said recently that since the coalition government took office there were no major road maintainence on that stretch of road although budgetary allocations were provided every year.

“And now during the May/June rainy season it is now difficult to traverse.

What used to be a twelve hour long travelling time, is now twenty hours from Georgetown to Lethem,” he stated.

In some cases, truck owners have to endure additional expenses because the condition of the road badly damages vehicle parts.

One driver told Citizens’ Report that for almost every other trip he makes through the trail, he has to spend extra money to repair or replace a vehicle part.

First female village leader at Pakuri

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Member of Parliament, Nigel Dharamlall, recently visited Charity and held discussions with members of the local NDC where a number of issues concerning the area was discussed

istory was created last week at the village of Pakuri , formerly St Cuthbert’s Mission on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, when Beverley Clenkian was elected toshao.

Clenkian , the first female to be elected to head the popular village , gained 122 votes and she was followed

by Neil Henry (108) and Laurena Shuman (90). The primary school teacher replaces the villages’ popular former leader Lenox Shuman who did not seek re-election.

Elections at indigenous communities are ongoing this month.Each village will be voting to elect leaders between May 15 and June 15.

Economic

17

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

orner

New foreign exchange controls a symptom Guyana already contracting the ‘Granger Windfall Curse’ (Otherwise known as the Dutch Disease)

F

inance Minister Winston Jordan has been caught in his web of lies yet again.

At a press conference held recently by him he pontificated to local journalistsabout the stability of the economy.

Asked about measures to be taken by the Guyanese government namely the Ministry of Finance, his answers were half baked at best in giving some sense that there was no emergency.

Every economist knows

that a significant influx of US currency into the Guyana economy will see the Guyana dollar losing its value and competiveness. This is an early symptom of the dreaded ‘ Granger Windfall Curse’ (otherwise known as Dutch Disease) whereby companies and sectors operating locally will now have to confront the challenges associated with that influx.

First oil is in March 2020 or after at a time when there

is expected to be a influx of US currency into Guyana sometime after that.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is a creature of the State and cannot be held accountable for the recent currency exchange rates now being used across country. Bear in mind Jordan recently mandated a limit between buying and selling the US currency locally.

The eroding competitiveness of the Guyana Dollar

has already begun to take its toll on export sectors. Importers will also now be paying more for their imports.

Simply put, now that the price for buying a US dollar has increased to G$208 for US$1 it means that importers will have to increase their prices.

An Importer who previously paid US$1 dollar for an item at an exchange rate of G$200, will now have to find G$8 more to make the same purchase that is still being sold internationally at US$1.

Consider this being replicated across the other competitive sectors. When a fertilizer agent previously paid US$10 for a bag of chemicals at G$200 for US$1, he too will have to now find more Guyana currency to pay for the same item at the same price previously paid. The difference in the price increase has to do with the strength of the Guyana Dollar The Granger Windfall Curse which has already crippled the agricultural sector with the influx of US currency, as a result of oil, will no doubt bring additional pressure. Manufacturing across the country will take its toll since the price of fuel on the world market has also been steadily increasing and

PNC retracts President’s anti-media statement

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mid mounting criticism over several anti-media statements made by President David Granger during a People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) General Council meeting, the party has now withdrawn those statements made by the Guyanese Head of State.

On Wednesday, the PNCR said it retracted its previous press statement on the party’s General Council Meeting held on May 19, 2018, claiming that the quote made by President Granger regarding the media was “taken out of context”.

In the previous press statement, Granger was quoted highlighting “the daily challenges faced by the coalition from some sections of the media”. However, this did not sit well with several media entities who are known to have been critical of Government in the past. The members of the fourth estate have since expressed feelings of being

threatened by the President’s remark.

In an effort to take attention off the controversial statement made by Granger, the PNCR said that the President has long been and will continue to be a strong advocate and defender of freedom of information.

“The leaders and members of the PNCR strongly believe that free access to information is an inalienable right of every citizen.

It is an indispensable condition of democratic society,” the statement said. The party did not stop there, but went on to state that citizens’ access to information was a democratic right and information was necessary for citizens’ informed participation in society.

“The PNCR is committed also to non-interference in the independent media.

Independent media act as watchdogs of the Government. They promote transparency by ensuring that information is provided to the public on the work of

the Government,” the party also added.

Further, the PNCR said private media companies were a source of valuable feedback on the effectiveness of the efforts of the Government. Therefore, there is no good reason for the State to interfere in the work of the private media, and it has committed to ensuring that that does not ever occur.

Guyana Times threat Meanwhile, on Tuesday Guyana Times informed the country that it received a number of threats from persons who claimed to be agents of the Government to stop publishing news items which are critical of the Administration and its work.

These persons have threatened that should the newspaper continue to pursue articles which are critical of the Government, its owners, management, and affiliate companies will face dire consequences.

As an independent media house, this newspaper

pointed out that it has striven to express the views of all Guyanese irrespective of religion, race, creed, or political background.

“We are of the view that this threat is aimed at silencing us as a media house from performing our role as the fourth estate of democratic government…This media house, over the past 10 years, has stood firm as a watchdog of our democracy and against Government excesses.”

In the past, Guyana Times has been threatened

by Government officials. In particular one Government official called for the torching of Sanata Complex, Georgetown which houses, among other entities, the newspaper, Television Guyana (TVG-CH 28) and Radio Guyana Inc (RGI).

The companies have all strengthened their resolve and stood their ground since the President’s comments and the threats which pre-dated and increased after his statement.

has been holding at a three year high.

What this means is that the oil companies are poised to do well and government can look to 2020 with a smile on that front but it also means that the cost of energy will undoubtedly also skyrocket.

I predict pretty soon the Guyana Power and Light already saddled with numerous loans and capital costs will soon increase it rates for both residential and businesses.

This would obtain since the billions in surplus made by GPL and the likes of the Guyana Oil Company when oil prices were lower were instead squandered through the ad hoc arrangements employed at the order of sailor Minister Winston Jordan.

As the price of electricity and transportation increases across country, these costs will no doubt be passed on to consumers, and businesses—in business for a profit ultimately—will have no choice but to pass on the additional overhead costs to the Guyanese consumer.

The ambitiously low inflation targets set by Minister Jordan could very likely reach double digit figures by the end of the year. This since government expenditure continues to rise, revenue sources have all but

dried up and once productive sectors are now not only struggling but are now on the brink of extinction in some cases—think sugar.

To compound this escalating situation, Guyana’s Ministry of Business has in three years implemented not a single measure that has proved to be in aid of local industry, instead the administration has resorted to doling concessions above and beyond what was done by the previous administration; this, even though they complained bitterly ‘Jagdeo gave away Guyana.’

Guyana’s Private Sector is under threat and the David Granger administration has not only done nothing to mitigate the pressures but in some cases have exacerbated the situation. The David Granger’s economic tunnel vision pinned on the emerging Oil and Gas sector has already seen the contracting the Windfall Curse.

Extreme situations call for extreme measures. Guyana’s economy in recent weeks was poised to flatline in 2020 ahead of first oil as the lifeline, the new currency measures implemented by the GRA has now placed the country on an economic trajectory diagnosed only as the ‘ Granger Windfall Curse’

Trotman says Amaila Hydro not off the table M inister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has affirmed that the Amaila Falls Hydro Power project is actually not off the table.

Trotman was at the time answering questions before the Natural Resources committee. Asked about the conflicting statements on hydro, he denied that the project was ever off the table.

But while he noted the project, which was a brainchild of former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, still has potential, the Minister observed that funding is an issue.

The incumbent APNU/ AFC Administration when in Opposition was vehemently against the project, even withholding support from the National Assembly in 2013 for legislation pertaining to the project. The major investor, Sithe Global subsequently pulled out from the US$858M Project, citing a lack of national consensus on the part of the Parliamentary opposition.

Following the current energy woes and the recent request by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) for US$110 million to assist with an overhaul of their system, former Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali posited that the Government should seek to invest in building a cleaner and

more efficient energy system that will trickle down to the benefit of consumers, which will have a long lasting effect instead of pumping millions of dollars in the GPL which is still facing a myriad of complex issues that have compromised the entity’s reliability and overall financial performance.

Ali also contended that the matter involving GPL now seeking US$110 million points to the bad decision made by Government to abandon the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.

“The Amaila Falls Hydro Project was a long-term solution to our energy requirement in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. By today we would have been enjoying power from Amaila Falls, we would have been enjoying it at much less or far less the cost that consumers are paying today,” he opined.

The Opposition had long called for the reintroduction of the Amaila Falls Hydro Project for a number of important reasons. Opposition Leader Jagdeo had said not only does the scrapping of the project threaten the forest pact agreement with the Kingdom of Norway, which could cause the country to lose out on another US$3 billion in savings, but it would hinder Guyana in its fight to combat climate change.

18

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

THE HINTERLAND CONNECTION THE FIRST PEOPLE (Part 2)

By Jagnarine Somwar

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his article is a continuation from last week which deals with the mid period of the Amerindians Settlement in Guyana.

About 4,000 years ago, the riverbank areas were affected by severe droughts and, as the water levels in the rivers dropped, the salt water from the sea encroached further inland. Animals along many of the river banks migrated further inland to places with a steady fresh water supply. Human communities also moved to those areas, not only for fresh water, but also to follow the animal food supply. Dennis Williams' studies show that these droughts dried out many of the pegasse swamps in the North West District and the prolific growth of the eetay palm suffered as a result.

The subsequent decline in the supply of starch forced the early people to look for alternatives in the higher regions. One of these alternatives was the cassava, and the domestication of this root vegetable saw the gradual establishment of permanent agricultural communities. The earliest of such settlements in the North West District were established around Hosororo and later in the Aruka River about 3,000 years ago.

But archaeological research has shown that Amerindian groups actually began living in those areas, though not on a permanent basis, from about 3,400 years ago.

About 2,000 years ago, the first farming community appeared on the Corentyne River near to Wonotobo Falls. Later, other communities developed on both banks. The district around Orealla began to be settled about 1,000 years ago. From this area there was a western expansion across the intermediate savannahs up to the Demerara River.

Archaeologists have investigated a number of these settlement sites at Hitia (Berbice River), Tiger Island, Taurakuli and Doctor Ho Landing (Abary River);

Idaballi, Karabu, Kibileri, Yamora, Barabara-Shanale, St. Francis and St Cuthbert's mission (Mahaicony and Mahaica Rivers); and Seba (Demerara River). Most of the people living in these areas were Arawaks but some were Warraus. The largest Arawak settlement was Abary village in the upper Abary River which unfortunately now lies under the reservoir created by the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary (MMA) project in the 1970s.

When the Dutch came to Guyana they established plantations, forts and trading posts along the coastal rivers.

Two well-known settlements at that time were Nibbi and Ouden Amen on the Abary River. In the seventeenth century, the latter settlement was described as a village of 16 to 18 thatched houses, each large enough to accommodate four to six families.

Nibbi was a trading post at the end of the sixteenth century; today it is identified,

by Dennis Williams, as the settlement of Idaballi while Ouden Amen is now the set-

tlement of Karabu. Plantation den Berg, established by the Dutch in the seventeenth century, has been identified as the site of Hitia on the Berbice River.

Because of the swampy nature of the land, some Amerindian communities constructed huge earth mounds of over 20,000 square yards, about 2 metres above swamp level on which they built their houses. These houses, grouped together, were surrounded by wide ditches.

Their agricultural plots were also created on similar types of mounds. Dennis Williams' studies, based on the evidence of ceramic patterns, indicate that an early form of this settlement was at Joanna, in the Black Bush Polder area on the Corentyne, going back to about 1,500 years ago.

Probably because it was felt that it was too energy-consuming to maintain these mounds over a number of generations, settlements later graduated to the sand reefs which were themselves elevated over the swampy areas. The farm plots, on which

cassava was the main crop, were kept on the swamp borders and also on clearings on the sand reefs, even though the latter areas possessed relatively poor soils. A series of settlements sprang up along these reefs from the Corentyne to the North West District.

Interior settlements began about 1,000 years ago with movements from the coastal areas, even though some other groups arrived from the Amazon region in the south. The Rupununi Savannahs began to be permanently peopled only from the early eighteenth century, even though hunter-gatherers had lived in that region a few thousand years earlier.

The adoption of the bitter cassava played a major role in Amerindian subsistence.

Due to its lasting quality, it expanded the potential for travel and exploration. The cassava produced starch in the form of cassava bread, casreepand farine, all of which could last for a relatively long period.

The development of cas-

sava cultivation also helped in the growth of a technology associated with its processing. To this end, the stone grater, matapee, sifter, ceramic griddles and containers were developed.

Settlements in the rain forest areas were not permanent since soil fertility was poor and there was need to move to new locations to farm. Shifting cultivation was also associated with shifting settlements.

Work was done collectively especially in forest clearing and house building, but specialisations in stone working, pottery, basket weaving and cane making did occur. Sexual division of labour also assisted in increased productivity.

The early Amerindians who lived on the riverbanks produced a wide variety of rock engravings and rock paintings. These engravings and paintings, depicting animal and plant resources, were begun by the hunter-gatherers, but they continued through succeeding generations. Some anthropologists

suggest that these engravings and paintings represent the hunter-gatherer tradition of enumerating food items in order to ensure the replenishing of nature on which man's survival depends in marginal environments.

On the Berbice and Corentyne Rivers a different type of rock engraving can be found. This is known as the Timehri engraving. This pattern of engraving shows a solitary costumed human figure and is the type which is dominant in parts of Amazonia.

The rich culture of the Amerindians were allowed to coexist with the culture of the people who came to these shores as slaves and indentured servants, post 1992, but from all indications the freedom to express and promote the First People’s culture has been diminishing, post 2015. President Cheddi Jagan in 1995 declared the month of September as Amerindian Heritage Month to honour the contributions of the nation’s First Peoples, given its specific significance. On 10th September, 1957, Stephen Campbell was elected to the National Assembly, making him the first Amerindian to be a Member of Parliament. The yearly observance provides numerous opportunities for our diverse society to know more about the Amerindian community, and ways in which our common interests can be pursued to the collective growth and development of all the people and nation.

For it is only through understanding, appreciation and respect for the other, accompanied by requisite institutional protection, can people in a multicultural society co-exist in peace and harmony. However since the 2015 the Heritage Celebration started to feature non-Amerindian food and drinks and handicrafts etc. which is an indication of the intrusion into the First People’s Celebration.

This article includes extracts from “The Later Amerindian Settlements”

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Terrorism off the Surinamese coastal Commeevijne – A Review

By Eddi Rodney

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ccording to mainline news media reportage President David Granger has descried the April 27 2018 ‘sea piracy’ murders as “a great massacre and tragedy”.

The Guyanese head of state evidently was drawing upon his professional military as well as historian’s background and education in making hat comment.

Corentyne Suriname – the evolution of a rural village matrix Since the early 1960s and the onset of what many analysts describe as Guyana’s ‘Civil War’ (as e.g. Yvonne Davis of Guyana Review 1.) Guyanese have migrated to neighbouring Suriname seeking employment. Those who were more skilled as entrepreneurs have established small and medium businesses (e.g. sawmill, rice cultivation,non traditional agriculture as well as fishing).

Then there are family groups including (as in western Venezuela) teen and

preteen children who are practically acculturated third generation Surinamese.

This community of Guyanese included thousands who are domiciled either in Paramaribo or Nickerie.

However and this is critical to understanding the type of labour flow into the sector of ‘artesian’ and 25 to 35 feet trawler fishing, the majority of Guyanese in Suriname have established themselves in coastal as well as in certain instances interior villages-not much different from Albion, Nr 62, or even Mabaruma.

From the historian’s vantage the exploits of Captain Stedman occupy the annals in equal measure to those of the local inhabitants, and the universally publicized Bush Negroes. (Surinamese Maroons).

The folklore of these social groups (Africa, East Indian, Indonesian, Chinese and increasingly Portuguese miners) have contributed to the traditions and experiences of Sartamanca, Copperamt, Moengo, Commewijne

as well as Nickerie and Paramaribo.

It is this socio-cultural and demographic context that prevails in modern Suriname presently administered by coalition known as the ‘Neiuw Coalition’ led by former Army Commander Desi Bouterse.

Why the Joint Coast Guard Police Operations have failed Proceeding from the NOS online journal the initial coverage of the April 27 atrocity confirming that the Guyanese fishers were operating in an area within the location (or sub region) of the Commevikne (a map location described as Wia Wia. However other sources were convinced that the piracy and murders occurred in an area that is more distant, close to the apex of borders linking Cayenne, Suriname and Guyana known to fishermen as ‘Double Highbush’.

Double Highbush in fisherfolk jargon would signify a heavily forested area.

Starnieuws streaming out

of Paramaribo may or may not have confirmed the precise location of the incident.

Suriname’s Coast Guard or maritime wing of that country’s armed forces are equipped for interdiction with patrol vessels procured from countries such as Spain, Brasil and Beijing China.

However this unit’s operational value is heavily dependent upon aerial surveillance and assistance.

Apart from the line of Command through the Minister M. Ronni Benschop the contradiction was that there was no perceived threat to Suriname’s sovereignty.

To all intents and purposes whatever emergency codes and hotlines that would have had to be activated would directly involve the department of Capital crimes located at Nr. 1 Havelaan Zuid (south Havelaan) or perhaps the counterpart of Guyana’s Brickdam Police Complex.

According to one account there was also a breakdown in what has been described as

correct information specific to the identity of the vessels as well as the Guyanese fishermen who were attacked.

Suriname’s Police/Justice Minister Stuart Getrouw therefore was the point official in the chain of authority together with the Minister of agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Lekram Soerdkan.

Essentially what ensued was part PR and the activation of Suriname/Guyana Police Investigation. The results of which can be gauged by accessing of De Ware Tiijd, Starnieuws and NOS online.

Some Questions * Was there any effort to enlist assistance form satellite images that could be provided by the Brasilians? * Did Guyana’s Minister of Public security Prakash Ramjattan seek the Minister in the Presidency’s authority to communicate directly with President Desi Bouterse who apparently had been out of Suriname visiting Brasil? * Was any thought given to immediate collaboration

with the Vissersollectier van (Suriname Fishermen’s Association) in terms of fast tracking the rescue interventions? * How many Guyanese who work as ‘boathands’ on Suriname registered fishing vessels have required documentation including Identification Cards and temporary work permits? * What systems are in place to extend some form of security fishermen to fishermen based here in Guyana at Nr 66 and 43 villages fish ports? * Has the Granger Administration introduced ay alterative measure based on the (recommendations of) the PPP/C Motion approved unanimously in Parliament on May 11 2018?

References & Suggested Reading * De Waretijd dwtonline. com April 8, 2018 Paramaribo. * Statement, People’s Progressive Party, May 2, 2018, Georgetown, Guyana. * Ditto, May 6 2018

Toshaos reject sedition clause

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he National Toshaos Council (NTC) is the latest group to come out in rejection of the sedition clause in the Government’s Cybercrime Bill.

The NTC has since wirtten the subject minister Khemraj Ramjattan expressing its concerns and requesting an audience so the Government can capture the indigenous peoples’ input in this critical piece of legislation.

“While we support protective measures within any law to protect the interest of the Nation, it is the Indigenous Peoples view that the Sedition Clause in the Bill is unwarranted and stands to infringe upon our Rights as guaranteed by Article 146 of Guyana’s Constitution,” the NTC said in its letter to Ramjattan.

The Council pointed out that with Guyana being a donor to the Inter American Development Bank which has signed on to an Indigenous Peoples Policy and by virtue of being a signatory and donor to that institution,

the Indigenous Peoples Policy adopted by the bank was subsequently ratified by all donor Countries.

In the said policy it states under a variety of Articles, that any decision that affects Indigenous Peoples must engage the Indigenous Peoples’ Leadership.

“I can formally commu-

nicate that the Indigenous Leadership, the National Toshaos Council, was not consulted on this issue and are hereby requesting to be given that opportunity to address this proposed piece of legislation,” the NTC said.

The NTC is one of many bodies that have criticised

the sedition clause which makes it a criminal offence if anyone uses cyberspace to condemn the Government.

The Parliamentary Opposition and civil society groups and individuals have all called for the clause to be removed from the draft legislation.

There seems to be a

rift in Government about whether the clause should remain.

Majority of the ministers want the sedition clause to stay in the Bill.

But Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman said if the clause remains in the Bill, he will vote against it.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo said recently that the PPP will be holding Trotman to his promise when the matter comes up in the National Assembly.

Jagdeo said it will be interesting to see whether Trotman will stick to his promise or whether he will buckle.

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Nagamootoo must not hide and be silent on sedition clause

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rime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, who claims to be the champion of press freedom, must not be allowed to stay silent on the undemocratic sedition clause in the Cybercrime Bill.

This is according to former Attorney General, Mr. Mohabir Anil Nandlall who has called on the Prime Minister to come out from hiding and let the public hear his position on this clause, which blatantly tramples on press freedom and freedom of expression.

Under the sedition clause, persons can be charged hefty amounts and up to five years jail time if they use cyberspace to express opinions and views that are critical of the government. This means ordinary people and even media houses are liable to being charged if they speak badly of the Government.

So far, the entire government seems to be in support of the clause except Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Raphael Trotman who says he will vote against

the Bill if the sedition clause is not removed.

Ministers Basil Williams and Khemraj Ramjattan have already expressed their support of the sedition clause but the Prime Minister, who normally finds it necessary to respond to every issue under the sun, has remained silent on a matter that he has taken responsibility for, media.

Nandlall, during his popular television programme in Berbice, asked “Where is Moses Nagamootoo? He loves to masquerade as a champion journalist and fighting for the rights of journalism. So where is Moses Nagamootoo in relation to sedition clause?”

Already, scores of organisations both local and regional including the Guyana Press Association (GPA) have condemned the sedition clause and called on the government to remove it from the Cybercrime Bill.

However, Nandlall is wondering if Nagamootoo has lost his voice. He urged everyone, especially the

heme “Sixty five years of activism for women rights and gender equality: Responding to the challenges of an economy in downturn.”

Women’s Progressive Organization was formed 65 years ago in a period characterized by the revolutionary fervor of the nationalist movement which wanted to end colonial rule and domination.

That call for self-determination also resonated in Asia, Africa and the West Indies and found fertile ground in Guyana.

Our nationalist leaders headed by Dr. Cheddi & Janet Jagan and others seized the moment to challenge the status quo for a number of important rights. From the inception the PPP waged a struggle for Adult Suffrage and the right to govern ourselves as a nation.

The philosophy of the nationalist leaders from the beginning saw women as being an integral part of the struggle that was unfolding at that period of the late 40’s and early 50’s. A few women were given prominent positions in an effort to confront their exclusion and to shift the paradigm differently.

Our nationalist leaders while believing in the prin-

ciple of equality recognized the problemsof patriarchal behavior which dominated the country through societal and religious norms. Thatbehavior still remains intact today, despite the fact that women have made visible and impressive progress towards equality in Guyana Patriarchal norms enable men to hold on to power and to discriminate against women. The UNDP Human Development Report for 2015 – puts Guyana at 117 out of 188 countries for gender equality and at 127 overall. As long as the prevailing attitude persists in which women are being disrespected and replaced by respect for the dignity and equality of women we will continue to slide as a nation.

Guyana has shown significant leadership under the PPP/C government by introducing laws that protect women yet women are battered on a daily basis. We have crafted a number of innovative programmes to help women to improve their socio-economic situations and to help them take control of their lives.

The numerous achievements in all sectors have helped to propel women forward more than ever.

Rural and hinterland

Residents call for 52/74 NDC Chairman’s resignation

media, to put pressure on Nagamootoo to come out and publicly say whether he supports the sedition clause or not.

“I am calling on journalist to call on Moses Nagamootoo. We must not allow him to seek refuge in silence.

We must drag him out for his silenceness…Silence is not an option for Moses Nagamootoo, the Prime Minister and a longstanding journalist,” Nandlall posited.

Whatever position Nagamootoo takes on the sedition clause will tell the true story of whether indeed he cares about having a free press. Nagamootoo has already been under hot water for attempting to trample upon press freedom after he scolded a young journalist because of a headline that was published in the State-owned Guyana Chronicle.

Nagamootoo has since demanded that all headlines of the State newspaper be approved by him before publication.

The Women’s Progressive Organization celebrates its 65th anniversary

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

women who were unable to participate in various programmes previously were given the opportunities to excel and grow in their areas of expertise. Women who were historically discriminated against because of religion and ethnicity were given access to equal opportunities.

They were not asking for preferential treatment, all they wanted was equal opportunity.

Unfortunately, as we observe the 65th anniversary there is serious downward trend in the economy which is fueling crime, rampant discrimination, harassment of PPP supporters and professionals. Exclusion and favoritism is the order of the day.

The lives of thousands of people who are in the productive sectors are catching hell and it seems as if the government is not in a hurry to deal with the problem.

The WPO in keeping with its theme will be holding Conferences in all the 10 Regions where the membership and leaders will be discussing the situation.

As we observe this important anniversary we call on women to be resilient by exposing all acts that seek to disenfranchise them and take away hard won achievements.

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esidents of Number Naught Village on the Corentyne, Berbice are calling for the resignation of the Chairman and Overseer of the 52/74 Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

There are reports that the acting Regional Chairman Dennis DeRoop had to quell an intended protest by residents after they unearthed what they claimed was corruption by two NDC officials.

Following the allegations, the acting Regional Chairman met with the NDC, but only a few councillors and the Vice Chairman attended.

The NDC Chairman was absent.

There are also reports which suggest that the NDC had taken a decision to construct a culvert and had gotten estimates from prequalified contractors.

However, the son of the NDC Works Committee Chairman was given the contract, and he reportedly used Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP) workers, who were assigned to clean drains in the community and who are being paid through the Government, to carry out the private contract during regular working hours.

One of the NDC Councillors Ahmad Rajab told <<<Guyana Times>>> that

the contractor was using old zinc sheets to form a revetment and a section of the street caved in forcing him to yield to the residents and stop the project.

He said when he arrived he was shocked to see what was taking place. “There was no contractor and the workers claimed that the Works Committee Chairman’s son is the contractor. He is not a licensed contractor, and they were using CIIP workers to do the job. They broke the dam in half and the residents are suffering. They have all the stuff in the middle of the road and it is affecting traffic and pedestrians. I say it is incompetence on the part on the NDC because both the NDC Chairman and the Works Committee Chairman were standing right there when the work was going on.”

The acting Regional Chairman told this publication that the NDC may have underestimated the project and attempted to undertake it themselves.

Prime Ministerial Regional Representative Gobin Harbhajan, who resides in the NDC area, said residents went to his home and demanded that he visit the site where someone might have been trying to pocket taxpayers’ dollars.

He said he was amazed to learn that the NDC Chairman allowed something like that.

“It is not a regular culvert.”

Meanwhile, DeRoop said the project has been stopped, the regional engineer has been asked to produce an estimate for the project and the contract would be put out to tender.

DeRoop said the regional administration took note that the CIIP workers who were on the project do not have the capacity to undertake the construction of a culvert.

“Residents have gone so far as to make allegations against the Overseer and the NDC Chairman. I think that the people are very upset because it is the village next to the NDC office. This is one of the NDCs that is lacking in performance. There are many times that I have to make interventions within the 52/74 NDC. I think the Chairman is very weak and the Overseer is doing his own thing sometimes.”

DeRoop said even though the NDC is equipped to the extent that it has its own Superintendent of Works, the regional administration is forced to visit to resolve minor issues. DeRoop is of the opinion that the 52/74 NDC has not been fulfilling its obligation to residents.

Guyana Times

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Guyana’s public infrastructure below standards visitors to avoid using minibuses – US State Dept …urges …roads lack maintenance, Police sporadically enforce traffic laws G

uyana’s public infrastructure was put under a microscope in a United States (US) Department of State report, which states that road conditions in Guyana and consequential road safety, are sub-standard.

According to the 2018 Crime and Safety Report on Guyana released a few days ago, roads are hardly maintained while street lighting is sporadic at best. It also notes that faced with sporadic enforcement of traffic laws from the Police, drivers often drive recklessly.

According to the report, Police only enforce traffic laws ‘now and then’ “Road conditions and road safety standards are below US standards. Roads are rarely maintained, and street lighting is sporadic. Vehicle

accidents are very common, and accidents involving pedestrians are also very common. Traffic enforcement is rare to non-existent,” the report states.

“Traffic accidents are a major concern in Georgetown, with speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol contributing factors. Road and driving conditions are poor. Police sporadically enforce local traffic laws, and local drivers often drive recklessly,” the report added.

The report states that stop signs and traffic signals are often ignored by road users. The report urges drivers to be on the lookout for other cars and trucks, minibuses, horse-drawn carts, bicycles, scooters, motorcycles and pedestrians.

It even urges drivers to beware of stray dogs, sleeping animals and freerange livestock, since all these things “share narrow, poorly maintained roads.” In addition, the report notes the lack of sidewalks.

“A combination of very aggressive and inexperienced, timid vehicle operators makes driving especially dangerous. Speeding, reckless driving, tailgating, cutting across lanes and stopping quickly without signalling, passing at intersections, and passing on crowded streets are commonplace.”

“Driving at night poses additional concerns due to poor street lighting and road conditions, drivers not lowering high beam lights, livestock, and pedestrians

congregating by the roadside,” it states.

While the report does note that Guyana is a medium threat location for terrorism and political violence, it does warn US citizens to remain vigilant and always consider security issues when planning activities throughout Guyana.

“Guyana does not have trained medical personnel who routinely respond to accidents, and ambulances generally do not have medical personnel or equipment on board to provide adequate medical care; ambulances are only for transportation.

People injured in accidents are often transported by taxi,” the report also states.

Minibuses The report was particularly harsh on the use of

public transportation in Guyana, specifically discouraging visitors from using minibuses. This would come even as members of the public have been increasingly critical of the unchecked rampage caused by most minibuses.

This ranges from speeding and over packing these minibuses with passengers to loud and s ometimes obscene music. Speeding minibuses have also been a common factor in most road accidents, especially those that end in fatalities.

“The use of minibuses by visitors unfamiliar with the country is highly discouraged. The use of reputable taxis, (such as) those offered through the major hotels and tourist agencies, is preferable, as they are

usually safer, more reliable, and affordable.”

When it comes to visitors travelling into the Guyana’s hinterland, the report warns US citizens to only use well established tour companies in a bid to ensure their safety. Here, they pointed to reports of tourists being targeted.

“Travel to the interior requires planning and caution. Medical and law enforcement resources in many interior locations are significantly less than what is available in the capital.”

It noted that there have been reports of tourists and foreigners being robbed while travelling in the countryside, and there are occasional reports of bandits on rural roads and piracy on the local rivers.

$1.7 Trillion Global Spending on Military in Brazil to pass U.S. as world's largest soy 2017: Highest since End of Cold War

By Maged Srour between the Obama and the ropean Union and United down in 2017, by 0.5 perproducer in 2018 Trump administration. US Nations sanctions, which cent to $42.6 billion or 2.5 ccording to the latest military expenditure had brought benefits to the Irani- percent of global military

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he top ranking for the first time in history, oilseeds crusher group Abiove said A truck is loaded with soybeans at a farm in Porto Nacional, Tocantins state, Brazil March 24, 2018. REUTERS/Roberto Samora The U.S. is expected to harvest 116.48 million tonnes of soybeans later on in 2018, falling short of Brazil’s estimated collection of 117 million tonnes for its crop year that is just drawing to a close, Abiove said, citing United States Department of Agriculture figures released on Thursday.

Brazil, already the world’s largest soybean exporter, is expected to expand this lead in the coming years thanks to its unique ability to expand planted area, Abiove said.

“The Americans already are using the maximum possible (area),” said André Nassar, president of Abiove, in an interview.

Brazilian farmers have practically finished harvesting their soy for the 2017/18 crop year, which kicked off in September, as the U.S. is just beginning to plant its 2018 crop.

Private consultancy figures place Brazil even further ahead this year, drawing near to the record 2017 U.S. crop of 119.5 million tonnes.

Abiove itself revised its soybean crop estimate to 118.4 million tonnes on Friday, up 0.9 percent from its

own April forecast.

Brazil’s toppling of the United States as the world’s largest soybean producer stems from logistical improvements, gains from planting second corn as a rotation crop, all of which increase farmer yields, Abiove said.

The South American country is expected to post further gains thanks to ample area to expand planting, as it has been growing its planted area at a pace between 500,000 and 700,000 hectares (1.2 million-1.7 million acres) per year.

By growing 500,000 hectares, it can add up to 2 million tonnes of soy to the market per season.

“This is something the Americans are unable to do. The area there expands and contracts because of the competition between soy and corn” for planted area, Nassar said.

U.S. soybean farmers are expected to reduce harvested area by 1.45 percent in the current marketing year, to 88.2 million acres (35.7 million hectares), according to the USDA. Brazil’s own planted area is 35.09 million hectares, according to Brazilian government data.

Brazil could open up new land for agriculture transforming pastures into grain fields, Nassar said. Such spaces already exist and using them would not contribute to deforestation. (Reuters)

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report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in total, countries around the world spent $ 1.739 billion on arms in 2017. Although there was a marginal increase of 1.1 percent rise in real terms on 2016, the total global spending in 2017 is the highest since the end of the cold war.

This is an unprecedented amount of resources. The spending in 2017 represented 2.2 percent of global domestic product (GDP) or $ 230 per person. The ‘military burden’, which is “the military expenditure as a share of GDP” and which “assesses the proportion of national resources dedicated to military activities and the burden on the economy”, has fluctuated from a post-cold war high of 3.3 percent in 1992 to a low of 2.1 percent in 2014.

The five biggest spenders in 2017 were the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia and India, which together accounted for 60 percent of global military spending. The United States alone accounted for more than a third of the world total in 2017 ($695 billion) and it spent more than the next seven highest spenders combined, confirming the fact that the country can retain itself as the most powerful nation – in terms of military – in the world.

Looking at the US trend, there is a clear difference

fallen each year since 2010 and substantially did not change in 2017 from 2016.

However, the military budget for 2018 has been set by the Trump administration at a considerably higher level ($700 billion).

REGIONAL TRENDS Looking at the regional trends, in the Middle East, because of a lack of accurate data for Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen, SIPRI could not estimate the total military spending in this region in 2017. Between 2009 and 2015, military expenditure of countries in this region increased by 41 percent, although it then decreased by 16 percent between 2015 and 2016 because of the fall in oil prices.

The spending increased again in 2017 by 6.2 percent with Saudi Arabia being the largest military spender in the region and the third largest in the world, following the US and China. Turkey increased its military expenditure by 46 percent between 2008 and 2017 while the last available estimate for the UAE’s military spending is for 2014, when it was the second largest military spender in the Middle East ($24.4 billion). After some years of decline, Iran could increase its military spending between 2014 and 2017 by 37 percent, mainly due to the gradual lifting of Eu-

an economy. Israel’s military spending increased by 4.9 percent to $16.5 billion in 2017 (excluding about $3.1 billion in military aid from the USA). Today Israel is one of the 10 countries with the highest ‘military burden’ in the world (4.7 percent of GDP).

Military spending in Asia and Oceania reached $477 billion in 2017, a 3.6 percent higher than in 2016 and 59 percent higher than in 2008.

These high levels make the region the second largest spender after the Americas. The largest increases in military spending between 2008 and 2017 were those of Cambodia (332 percent), Bangladesh (123 percent), Indonesia (122 percent) and China (110 percent). China’s military spending in 2017 ($228 billion), accounted for 48 percent of the regional total.

Europe accounted for 20 percent of global military expenditure in 2017, at $342 billion. The spending in Europe was 2.2 percent lower than in 2016 and marginally higher (1.4 percent) than in 2008. France’s spending fell by 1.9 percent to $57.8 billion; the British military spending rose by a tiny 0.5 percent to $47.2 billion, while Germany’s spending rose by 3.5 percent to $44.3 billion, its highest level since 1999.

In Africa, military expenditure was marginally

spending. North Africa’s military spending was an estimated $21.1 billion in 2017: the first annual decrease since 2006. Algeria, Africa’s largest spender, decreased its budget by 5.2 percent between 2016 and 2017 to $10.1 billion. Nigeria’s expenditure fell for the fourth consecutive year in 2017, despite the ongoing military operations against the terrorist group Boko Haram. Its spending was $1.6 billion in 2017.

MILITARY EXPENDITURE VS AID TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A HUGE GAP These data, combined with other key information on budget spending from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), show that the portion of GDP that OECD countries spend every year for the military, is much higher than the one dedicated to the ‘Official Development Assistance’ (ODA). The latter is defined as “government aid designed to promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries”. According to OECD, “loans and credits for military purposes are excluded [from ODA]” and this aid “may be provided bilaterally, from donor to recipient, or channelled through a multilateral development agency such as the UN or the World Bank”. (IPS)

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16 alleged victims of human trafficking rescued following raid on Kitty house S ixteen females are presently providing statements to the Police Major Crimes, Trafficking in Persons Unit after they were rescued on Tuesday following a raid conducted in Kitty, Georgetown.

The females- 14 of whom

are Venezuelans, 1 Cuban and 1 Dominican Republicwere reportedly discovered in a house located in David Street, Kitty, Georgetown.

The building was reportedly guarded.

The security guard for the premises has since been

taking into custody for questioning.

This information was confirmed by a senior police source who said that the rescued females “are suspected to be victims of Human Trafficking, working at a bar … situated at Garnett Street.”

26% increase in robberies but police say crime down T here has been a 26% increase in robberies last month compared to the same period last year but the Guyana Police Force (GPF) maintains that major crime was reduced by 7%.

The statistics show that there was a 26% increase in robberies where no instruments were used; a 13% increase in robbery under arms where firearm were used; and a 17% increase in burglary.

Additionally, there were 26 recorded murders for the month. There are 11 disorderly deaths, 7 domestic issues, 6 in a robbery, and 2 in unknown circumstances.

Police say nonetheless that there was a decrease in murders.

This is despite the fact that the US State Department latest assessment says that crime is critical in Guyana.

The report says Guyana,

with a population of just 750,000, has a general crime rate that “is above the US national average.”

It said criminal activity continues to be a major issue, with serious crimes, such as murder and armed robbery, being common.

The report added that “criminals regularly use weapons, despite a rigorous licensing requirement to own firearms.”

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Bandits invade home of Craig businesswoman, escape with cash, vehicle T he 56-year-old owner of the Lalbeharry Poultry Farm is now counting her losses after three armed bandits stormed her Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home during the wee hours of Thursday morning and stole a large quantity of cash, along with her son’s motorcar.

The victim has been identified as Patsy Lalbeharry called Lalita of Buzz Bee Dam, Craig, EBD. According to the woman’s son, Deonauth Lalbeharry on Thursday, the incident occurred at approximately 04:15hrs.

INews was told that Patsy resided with Deonauth and another son- Rudra Lalbeharry- in the two storey structure where they would often conduct business transactions.

On Thursday, Deonauth explained that he was awoken by the sound of a “loud explosion.”

“I start thinking it’s some electrical problem but then I heard my mother pleading and saying ‘Oh God, don’t kill me!’” the man recalled.

At that time, he said that three men barged into his room, armed with handguns.

INews understands that the bandits initially made their way into Rudra’s room, before kicking down the middle door which leads into Patsy’s room.

The bandits began threatening the trio, while demanding that they turn over their “cash and gold.”

The frightened 56-yearold woman immediately complied (giving them money) and the men made good

their escape with Deonauth’s silver/grey Toyota Premio car, PTT 502.

Law enforcement ranks were immediately contacted and inspections at the home revealed that the bandits might have been hiding in the house for quite some time.

“We found cigarette droppings in the lower flat and it appears as though the men were in the house and waiting for someone to come downstairs,” Deonauth speculated.

INews understands that this is the first time the Lalbeharry’s have been attacked by bandits at their home.

However, in 2017, the family suffered significant losses following a burglary committed on their business located on the public road.

(Ramona Luthi)

Guyana Goldfields Manager Woman charged with attempted stabbed to death in apartment, murder refused bail suspect in custody

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aryann Daby of Lot 127 D’Aguiar Park, Houston, who is charged with attempted murder of a Police Officer, was today denied bail a second time by the Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

Magistrate Ann McLennan told the defendant that she is remanded to prison with regard to public safety.

The twenty-five year old was at GMRSC racing track and bar firing shots in the air

while partying, when she was approached by Christopher Kissoon, an off duty Officer and commanded to stop.

However, according to the Prosecutor, the irritated young woman took the said pistol and pointed it to the officer’s head and pulled the trigger. The prosecutor informed the Court that the gun jammed and did not discharge.

Daby reportedly jumped into her car and sped away

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from the scene. She was later arrested at her family’s home and charged.

Daby was ordered to return to Court on May 30 2018.

T&T housewife fakes kidnapping

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rinidad: Couva housewife has to appear in the Couva Magistrates’ Court on Thursday charged with falsely reporting to police that she and her son were kidnapped by four men.

Sapna Chinyan, 32, claimed the kidnappers had demanded a $30,000 ransom for their safe release.

According to media release from the Corporate Communications Unit of the Police Service, the woman reported that around 7.30 am last Thurs-

day the men abducted her and her six-year-old son from their Carli Bay Road home.

She said the four unarmed men took them in a Nissan Almera to a location along the Southern Main Road, Claxton Bay, where they demanded the ransom.

The police claimed Chinyan told them she was allowed to leave to collect the ransom money, but the men kept her son until she returned.

She made the report around 11.40 am at the Couva

Police Station.

However, the police obtained CCTV footage which allegedly did not corroborate her story. She was subsequently charged with wasteful employment of the police by PC Visham Ramoutar of the Couva CID. Chinyan appeared before a Justice of the Peace last Friday and was granted $5,000 own bail. The matter will next be heard on Thursday when she will appear before a magistrate.

Canadian citizen identified as Neil Whyte, a Supply Chain Manager at Guyana Goldfields Inc. was found in an apartment on Thomas Street, North Cummingsburg, Georgetown with several stab wounds to his upper body.

The incident reportedly occurred sometime between 22:22h and 23:45h on Monday.

This publication was informed that at the time of his discovery, Whyte was naked with his hands bound to the front and stab wounds were seen Murdered: Neil Whyte to his neck and other parts of his body. the apartment. The guard His laptop, cash, gold and identified the colleague as other personal valuables are Arif Alli. reportedly missing.

The security guard said as Prior to the discovery, Alli was exiting the building, the security guard for the he told him that he was going apartment told investigators to collect something with a that Whyte picked up and haversack. escorted a colleague into However, the suspect

reportedly walked to the junction of Thomas and Middle Street, where he joined a car that drove away.

The guard knowing that it is the protocol of the company that the visitor of a guest be checked out of the building by the guest, went up to the victim’s room and saw him lying lifeless in a pool of blood on the bed.

He informed his superiors, who later informed the police.

Whyte’s body was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital, where it was pronounced dead on arrival.

This publication understands that the now dead man was expected to travel to Canada with his parents on Thursday.

INews was also informed that the suspect, Alli has been arrested.

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

The Other View

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The strategic fallout of US withdrawal from the Iran deal

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ecently President Trump got the United States out of the Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

He did this despite a lack of evidence that Iran is violating the agreement. To the contrary, the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified Iran's compliance numerous times.

Whatever truth there is to Iranian misbehaviour in the past—and there is very real truth to it—it is now the United States that is in violation of an agreement that the international community believes is working.

In practical terms, the president decided not to continue the required sanctions waivers that were part of the bargain in keeping Iran's nuclear programme severely restricted with inspections required to verify compliance.

To make it worse for the European partners who had been trying to work in good faith with the administration to ensure restraints on Iran even without the United States, the president chose a “hard” exit from the deal that does not allow for exemptions for European companies doing business in Iran.

The administration is re-

quiring Europeans to immediately cease all economic activity with Iran, including the revoking of licences for companies like Airbus.

(He's killing the Boeing contract with Iran, too, so even the limited opening for US investment in Iran is now closed.)

With the president's position cemented, it is time to think ahead to the strategic consequences of a decision whose aftermath is likely to outlive this presidency.

Korea impact Let's start with what should not be the primary focus: the impact on the North Korea negotiations.

There have been a number of arguments from proponents and opponents of the Iran nuclear deal as to why its collapse matters for progress with North Korea.

Some argue the US withdrawal from the deal could undermine the negotiations if it raises doubts about US credibility and its ability to stick to international commitments.

On the other side of the spectrum, some believe the president now may have a stronger negotiating hand since he's unpredictable and has shown he is willing to walk away from agreements he doesn't like. But the link-

age to North Korea, which the administration appears keen on playing up, is a distraction.

It's likely that the North Koreans and their neighbours have motives of their own in coming to the negotiating table that have little to nothing to do with the Iran deal. It is unlikely that the success or failure of North Korea negotiations will hinge on the fate of Iran's nuclear program.

The implications of this decision could be disastrous for the Middle East under any conceivable scenario.

To be sure, Iranian leaders, particularly hardliners who never liked the JCPOA, may take notice that nuclear weapons states seem to have better leverage on the international stage. But that's a general dilemma in the Middle East, where nuclear weapons, held only by Israel, are still considered an attractive deterrent.

Regardless, the implications of this decision could be disastrous for the Middle East under any conceivable scenario.

There is a “least bad” storyline under which Europe, China, and Russia—an alliance only a decision like this could form—manage to convince Iran to stay in the

agreement.

This will require continued European economic incentives for Iran, which means protecting European firms investing in Iran, including in the oil sector, to prevent a significant drop in Iran's oil exports.

While China will no doubt pick up some of the decline in European investment given the uncertainty of the market, Iran is unlikely to continue adhering to the agreement without continued European commitment, political and economic.

Trade war This suggests that unless the Trump administration backs down from its intention to reimpose secondary sanctions, the Europeans will need to reinstate blocking sanctions that protect European companies from US penalties, which essentially means the risk of a trade war between the United States and Europe.

Moreover, by leaving the agreement, the United States loses its leverage to enforce so-called “snapback sanctions” if it believes Iran is violating the agreement, and it's unlikely Russia, China, and Europe will be as strict as the United States in their interpretation of Iranian compliance.

A worse outcome would be if Iran no longer sees reason to adhere to the agreement without the United States. This could be either because Europe does not have the will or ability to stand up to US secondary sanctions or because of domestic pressures in Iran that call into question the value of the agreement.

While the JCPOA agreement will make it difficult for Iran to resume a plutonium route to a nuclear weapon, the collapse of the agreement will allow Iran to quickly resume its enrichment capabilities to levels that were in place before the agreement.

This would put Iran dangerously close to the ability to weaponize its nuclear materials—months rather than at least a year under the agreement.

Moreover, the JCPOA inspection regime would be gone, leaving very little transparency into the Iranian civilian programme.

Iran would be unlikely to completely exit the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as that could provoke a crisis with Russia and China.

But the proliferation concerns about Iran that prevailed before the JCPOA

will return, leading to widespread concern in the region and likely increased incentives for Iran's neighbours to pursue their own nuclear programmes.

Regional escalation at the conventional level is also likely to increase, possibly putting US forces and millions of civilians in harm's way.

Under any scenario, friction between the United States and its European allies, who may no longer see the United States as a reliable partner, will likely increase while Iran moves closer to China and Russia.

The resentment of a new generation of Iranians toward the United States is likely to increase as well— they have the capacity to hate their own leaders and ours at the same time for failing to improve their lives.

Yes, a handful of Middle East countries may have welcomed President Trump's decision. The rest of the world expressed disappointment and condemnation over a decision most found puzzling from a strategic perspective.

The United States is left without good options moving forward. It is hard to see how this decision serves US interests or regional stability.

Asylum seekers have flooded into Canada - The government is putting them to work

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n a darkened room at a suburban community center last month, a representative from a Canadian meatpacking company showed a huge map on the screen. More than 30 Haitians who had recently walked across the border to file refugee claims in Canada were in the audience.

“This is Canada,” the woman said. “Here’s Quebec.” She was trying to recruit workers for her company’s pig farm, but first she needed to describe where it was.

She zoomed in: “This is Temiscamingue,” she said, explaining that it’s an eighthour drive northwest of Montreal. Two men stood up and

walked out.

Pay starts at $13.25 an hour and shifts start at 7 a.m., she said, and workers get housing and full benefits.

People started to raise their hands.

By the end of the job fair, Olymel managers said they were thrilled: With 10 jobs to fill, at least a dozen people had stayed behind to ask questions.

Tens of thousands of people have surged across the border into Canada from the United States to claim asylum in the past year as the Trump administration’s policies on migrants caused worry among asylum seekers

and anti-migrant sentiment rose. The flood of migrants has put pressure on Canada’s asylum system, accustomed to smaller numbers, and has driven up costs.

So Canadian policymakers are bolstering one tactic to ease the burden: They’re integrating refugee claimants as quickly as possible into the job market.

The deluge of “irregular” ¬border-crossers into Quebec has been a boon for companies such as Olymel during a time of low unemployment.

Olymel, for instance, has hired 250 asylum seekers at other sites.

“There was a big need, an

urgent need, for employees,” said company spokesman Richard -Vigneault. “They’re very much willing to work.

We train them; they’re very fast. . . . We’re very satisfied.”

“That’s why we’re here in Canada — so we have a job and a future,” said Jean Brize, 38, who attended the job fair. Originally from Haiti, he moved to Canada from New York City last year with his wife and daughters. “The government is also focused on people who work.”

Many of the migrants crossing into Canada know little about the distinctions between the Canadian and American asylum systems.

In Canada, and particularly Quebec, asylum seekers get shelter, food, legal aid, basic health care, language classes and help finding an apartment, and they begin to receive welfare payments at the same rate as Canadian citizens. But they’re also given work permits and asked to support themselves as soon as possible, paying taxes at normal rates.

That approach has become a crucial safety valve for Canada as the number of refugee claimants has doubled over the past year. In one report, Canadian authorities estimated that resettling Syrian refugees cost $2,650 per per-

son per year over six years.

Other research has shown that spending is much higher in the first year. Asylum seekers in Canada wait an average of 19 months for a hearing, further driving up costs.

The federal response has partly been to try to put people to work. In the fall, the government decreased the wait time for work permits from three months to three weeks, quickly issuing 12,000 permits in Quebec. This spring, it created a “triage” system, busing people from the border to regions other than Montreal, including rural parts of Quebec, with dire labor needs.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

SIMPLIFYING LIFE CAN BE VERY REWARDING

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implifying life is something I hear a lot about lately both from my students and friends and family. There is no doubt that it is a very important step that demands a concentrated effort. A while back I had an experience with a friend of mine whom I will call Mary, who needed to do just that. Mary had taken on too much and was feeling overstressed from juggling a busy schedule and too many demands. I gave her the same advice I give to students: if you want to feel more in sync with life, you need to take steps to simplify it.

First, I encouraged her to prioritize her commitments and eliminate at least one. Right away, my good readers, Mary eliminated one commitment, her Karate engagement, and then later decided to let go of two more. She said she felt a little guilty at first, but in the end freeing up valuable time was a huge relief.

Next, Mary took stock of her rather lengthy "to-do" list. Long to-do lists can make us feel like we are drowning in a sea of work that will never end. She decided which tasks she would cross off, as well as what she could delegate to someone else or simply put on hold until later. She later told me that shortening her list had made it easier for her to complete tasks, and that gave her a feeling of accomplishment.

Mary also began to de-clutter her physical environment. Clutter creates a feeling of chaos and can prevent you from being relaxed and happy. Rather than trying to tackle the whole room at once, she chose to focus on one drawer, cabinet, or closet at a time. She only kept the things she really loved and used and then sold, donated, or tossed the rest. By de-cluttering her space, even a little at a time, she soon created a more pleasant living space.

The last time Mary and I spoke, she sounded much less stressed and more peaceful and she thanked me for my suggestions. She said that her quality of life had greatly improved since her simplification overhaul. As you would imagine, I was and am very happy for her.

I hope you will find this story helpful, Comrades. Most of us can stand to simplify our lives to some degree or can help someone close to us who is in need of doing just that.

When you have a moment, I hope you will spend some time looking at your Health and Happiness related activities, and that your week is a peaceful and pleasant one.

Happy 68th Anniversary to the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Progressive Party (PPP). Remember to purchase and read your copy of the Mirror Newspaper and tune to Freedom Radio, streaming on 91.1 FM in GT and its environs, 90.7 in Essequibo and 90.5 inBerbice. Streaming online freedomradio 91.com. Follow us on Facebook at freedomradiogy.

HAPPY 52ND INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY TO ALL MY GUYANESE SISTERS & BROTHERS. MAY OUR DEMOCRATIC & TRANSPRENCY GAINS AS A NATION BE PROTECTED & RESPECTED BY THE POWERS THAT BE. G.Persaud

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corner

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Name: ............................................................................................................................................

Address: ........................................................................................................................................ ......................................................................................... Tel. No: ................................................

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WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Former U.S. Ambassador Acknowledges Interference in Panama

EPA blocks some media from Pruitt water contaminants summit

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he Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday last blocked The Associated Press and at least two other news organizations from attending a national summit on harmful water contaminants.

The meeting, convened in Washington by EPA chief Scott Pruitt, was open to invited media only, EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox said. Wilcox said there was no room at the event for an AP reporter.

Some other news outlets were allowed to cover the meeting, and a portion of it was livestreamed.

"The Environmental Protection Agency's selective barring of news organizations, including the AP, from covering today's meeting is alarming and a direct threat to the public's right to know about what is happening inside their government,"

AP Executive Editor Sally Buzbee said in a statement.

"It is particularly distressing that any journalist trying to cover an event in the public interest would be forcibly removed."

E&E News, which covers energy and environment issues, confirmed to the AP that reporter Corbin Hiar was

kept out of the meeting.

CNN said in a statement that its reporter also was turned away from covering the event "after multiple attempts to attend."

"We understand the importance of an open and free press and we hope the EPA does, too," CNN said.

The summit was on a class of chemicals present in dangerous amounts in many water systems around the country. Pruitt told about 200 people at the meeting that dealing with the contaminants is a "national priority."

An AP reporter attempted to attend the meeting but was told she was not the invitation list. When the reporter asked to speak to an EPA public-affairs person, security guards grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her out of the EPA building.

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n a preview of its May 28 edition, The New York Worker published an interview in which Feeley asserted his personal involvement in the arrest of former President Ricardo Martinelli in the U.S. city of Miami and said, 'I pushed for his arrest.

According to the former diplomat, this action has sent a signal that impunity for kleptocracy on a large scale would not be tolerated and could be overcome by stateto-state judicial cooperation', given the rumor in Panama authorities of the northern nation were protecting him, Feeley added .

In a first reaction, lawyer Eduardo Aizpurua twitted the former ambassador violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which in its article 41 obliges ‘not to interfere in the internal affairs of the receiving State'.

'But this man not only get involved in matters of state, but he confesses he interfered in the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Judicial Branch, which was even more delicate,' Aizpurua indicated .

The ex-diplomat's statements confirmed doubts that Panama negotiated relations with China behind the United States, since Feeley revealed

he had asked the country's president, Juan Carlos Varela, about the information received in 2016 and 2017, and the president denied such talks.

The former ambassador, considered by national analysts to be proconsul by denouncing the intrusion during his tenure, confessed he asked the Isthmus Ministry of Security not to admit agreements for the transfer of communications technology with China, because they could use the infrastructure for espionage. He also said he pressed hard 'to delay, divert and obtain the contract' with the Chinese communications transnational Huawei, which has its headquarters in the Caribbean Colon Free Zone, at the Atlantic entrance of the Panama Canal, and Feeley managed to have its installation executed by the U.S.-based General Dynamics.

During his tenure, the U.S. extraterritorially sanctioned Waked family of Panamanian businessmen of Lebanese origin, and Feeley went to the media to defend the measure for considering his country had 'reason to doubt', even though it threatened the employment of

Former U.S. Ambassador John Feeley

thousands of nationals.

Although Feeley considered them ''one of the world's most important money launderers and criminal conspirators', the former diplomat assured in the interview he worked in silence to achieve a solution which would save the veteran newspaper La Estrella, one of the properties of the sanctioned ones.

On the other hand, commentator Juan Carlos Tapia said indignantly in his television column: 'He failed to say he also pushed for the Waked to be put on the Clinton List. I always said he was a false and dishonest official. Feeley either used the Panamanian authorities or they used him'.

Malaysia court Trump Pulls Out of North Korea Summit sentences Australian Meeting with Kim Jong-un woman to death for P drug-trafficking A Malaysian court on last week sentenced to death by hanging an Australian mother of three, for trafficking more than a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine into the Southeast Asian nation, but her lawyer said she was appealing.

Prosecutors had sought the appeals court conviction, which overturned the earlier acquittal of Maria Exposto, 54, of charges of smuggling the drugs in a backpack in Dec. 2014, after she said she was duped in an online scam.

Tania Scivetti, a lawyer representing Exposto, who hails from Sydney, said her team had filed an appeal in a federal court.

“We are extremely disappointed,” Scivetti told Reuters by text message. “Maria is a victim of an internet

romance scam. She is not a drug trafficker.”

Exposto, arrested in Kuala Lumpur while in transit to Melbourne from Shanghai, has said she was decoyed into carrying the bag with the drugs by a friend of her online boyfriend, who claimed to be a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan.

Malaysia, like other countries in Southeast Asia, imposes harsh penalties for drug offences. Late last year, parliament voted to remove the death penalty as mandatory punishment for drug trafficking, and leave it to judges’ discretion instead.

Malaysia has executed three Australian nationals for drug trafficking in the past 30 years, leading to brief strains in diplomatic ties between the two countries.

resident Trump has notified Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, that he has canceled their much-anticipated meeting, which was set for June 12.

In a letter dated Thursday to Mr. Kim, the American president said he would not attend the summit due to “tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement.”

He was referring to recent comments from a North Korean official who described Vice President Mike Pence as “ignorant and stupid.”

In an interview on Monday with Fox News, Mr. Pence said relations with North Korea “will only end like the Libyan model ended if Kim Jong-un doesn’t make a deal.”

He was referring to the fate of the government of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the former Libyan dictator.

Colonel Qaddafi gave up his nuclear program in 2003 in the hope of negotiating with the West, but was killed by rebels in a 2011 uprising after

his government was weakened during military action from the United States and its European allies.

Image A portion of Mr. Trump’s letter canceling the meeting.

When it was noted that the comparison could be interpreted as a threat, Mr. Pence replied, “Well, I think it’s more of a fact.”

On Thursday, in a state-

ment carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui of North Korea cited “unlawful and outrageous acts” by top American officials.

Ms. Choe said that Mr. Pence had made “unbridled and impudent remarks that North Korea might end like Libya.” And she added that she would recommend to Mr.

Kim that he should reconsider what would have been a historic summit.

The decision to scrap the meeting, which was scheduled to be held in Singapore, is the latest turn in the relationship between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim. Just last fall, the two leaders had exchanged threats to launch nuclear wars against each other’s countries.

27

WEEKEND MIRROR 26-27 MAY, 2018

Sport View

by Neil Kumar I

t cannot be denied that this year 2018, Indian Premier League was the most exciting and gave rise to several young players. However, it was the level of competitiveness and keen rivalry that will stand out for years to come.

While several senior players will move to the fence of the pasture and be great spectators the new stars will blaze the trails and thrilled thousand of cricket fans.

Chennai Super Kings defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by two wickets and five balls to spare in the exciting first Qualifier at the Wankhede Stadium in India. The match was indeed exciting as Sunrisers Hyderabad batting first was only able to score 139 runs.

Sunrisers struggled to score runs as at the end of the fifthtenth over they were on 88 for six wickets. However, ‘remember the name’ Carlos Brathwaite hit a superb 43 runs to enable them to reach a challenging 139 runs.

Chennai Super Kings in reply were struggling at 62 for six wickets. However, the

South African skipper, Faf du Plessis hit a match wining 67 not-out, which was punctuated with a massive six off the first ball of the twentieth over. The match was indeed a cliffhanger but ‘remember the name’ Carlos was hammered in his final over in the match, he was hammered all over the ground and reduced the configuration in the Chennai Su-

per Kings favour. As Chennai is now waiting to play in the final on Sunday.

In the second Qualifier Kolkata Knight Riders stormed into the final Qualifier when they narrowly defeated Rajasthan Royals in another close finish. Even though the win was by 25 runs. Batting first the KKR

Former South Africa captain AB De Villiers announces retirement from international cricket

S team managed to reach 169 runs. Andre Russell sparkled with the bat as he slammed a magnificent 49 not –out. It was Skipper Denish Karthik who scored a solid half-century and batted solidly in the middle-order that kept the innings together at a crucial stage of the match.

Rajasthan Royals were looking very good with Sanju Sampson scoring a good half century and Ajinkya Rahane 46.

However, the Royals are very weak in the lower order and the middle order was not explosive as they only managed to reach 144 for four wickets.

KKR will now play Sunrisers Hydeabad and the winner will reach Chennai Super Kings in the grand final on Sunday. Sunrisers suffered four consecutive defeats as they plunged into a desperate situation and will certainly have to come good in their match against KKR. The final will be full of excitement and any team can win the prestigious trophy.

Look out for Ms Dhoni.

outh Africa's AB De Villiers, one of the most explosive and thrilling batsmen of a generation, has announced his retirement from international cricket.

The 34-year-old former Proteas skipper has been a star of the team for over a decade since a Test debut against England in 2004 and will go down in history as one of their greatest and most watchable batters, most famous for brutal-yet-beautiful innings like his 44-ball 149 against West Indies (see video below).

De Villiers retires with a batting average north of 50 in Test, ODI and List A cricket, and announced his retirement in a video on last Wednesday morning.

"Fourteen seasons ago, I arrived as a nervous youngster," De Villiers said in his statement.

"Today, I wanted you to know that I've retired from all international cricket with immediate effect. After 114 test matches, 228 one day internationals and 78 T20 internationals, it is time for others to take over. I've had my turn and to be honest, I'm tired.

"This is a tough decision, I've thought long and hard about it and I'd like to retire whilst still playing decent cricket. After the fantas-

tic test runs against India and Australia, now feels the right time to step aside. It would not be right to pick and choose where and when and what format I play for the Proteas.

"For me, in green and gold, it must be everything or nothing. I've always been grateful for my teammates, coaches and staff at cricket South Africa for their support these years. It's not about earning more some-

where else, it's about running out of gas. It's time to move on, everything comes to an end.

"To cricket fans in South Africa and everywhere else in the world, thank you for your kindness, your generosity and your understanding. i have no plans to play overseas, in fact, I hope I can continue to be available for the Titans in domestic cricket and I will remain the biggest supporter of the Proteas."

IUF writes President Granger on sugar situation T

he International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Association (IUF), an international trade union confederation, through its General Secretary Sue Longley, has written to President David Granger expressing the body’s strong concern with the situation that is playing out in the communities of the now-closed Skeldon, Rose Hall, East Demerara and Wales Estates.

In its May 10, 2018 letter to President Granger, the IUF, which speaks on behalf of 10 million workers through its 422 affiliated unions in 131 countries, said it is aware that the sugar industry “…has made substantial contributions to your country’s [Guyana] national life and development…its role as a national institution cannot be diminished…”.

The IUF went on to say “…bearing those factors in mind…we cannot help by be saddened by what has taken place…”. The international body said it appears“… that very little thought has been given to address the well-being and welfare of the thousands who have been affected”. The IUF lamented

that the Government though being advised “…did not pursue any considered study to get a better grasp of the eventualities that will flow from its reform plans”.

The IUF strongly urged the President that his Government “…actively looks at the plight that have befallen the thousands of workers of the sugar industry who have lost their livelihood…”. The trade union body said the situation “…if left unchecked, would not be in the interest of your beautiful country and hospitable people”.

A copy of the IUF’s letter to the President follows: Dear Mr President, I write on behalf of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The IUF is a global trade union federation composed of 422 affiliated trade unions in 131 countries, representing some 10 million workers. We are proud to count two important sugar workers unions – the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National

Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) amongst our membership.

They have kept us informed of the situation that is unfolding as your Government pursues reform of the centuries old Guyanese sugar industry. The industry, we are aware, has made substantial contributions to your country’s national life and development. It remains, in spite of its difficulties, remains Guyana’s largest employer and very importantly is of substantial importance to maintaining the quality of life and social well-being in

vast areas of rural Guyana.

Its role as a national institution cannot be diminished especially recognizing the absence of alternatives at this time. Indeed bearing those factors in mind and taking account of the information we have been receiving, we cannot help but be saddened by what has taken place as thousands of sugar workers, in recent months, have been made redundant.

From our vantage point, we cannot fail to express our view that very little thought has been given to address the well-being and welfare of the thousands who have

been affected. The impact, we have learnt, has been nothing short of significant and the disruption of village economies and the social fabric of communities, for us, is disturbing. Moreover, we are aware that your Government, despite being advised to, did not pursue any considered study to get a better grasp of the eventualities that will flow from its reform plans.

We must share with you, Mr President, that this was necessarily the wisest of positions. Nevertheless, we are where we are and today too many of your country’s men,

women and children have found themselves facing tough and difficulties times.

We are sure, Mr President, that you cannot be comforted by this fact. I should add Mr President, that earlier this year during a visit to Guyana, myself and colleagues had an opportunity to meet a group of these workers. For us, hearing first hand from the workers, their stories of survival and struggle as they live day in and day out, was heart rending and very moving. It is difficult for us to imagine what has taken place in the days and weeks that followed that interaction.

At this time, Mr President, the IUF wishes to strongly urge that your Government actively looks at the plight that have befallen the thousands of workers of the sugar industry who have lost their livelihoods as the restructuring of the sugar industry was pursued. The situation, we believe, if left unchecked, would not be in the interest of your beautiful country and hospitable people who like all of us are seeking better and brighter days ahead.

Yours sincerely Sue Longley General Secretary

Trotman touts almost complete two-year study on Amaila months after Harmon declared project ‘dead’

W

ith Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, having dubbed any move forward with the Amaila Falls project as “a downright criminal act,” his colleague Minister, Raphael Trotman, has now confirmed that the Coalition Government has “never taken it” off the table.

Trotman’s comments came during last Friday’s meeting of the Parliamentary Natural Resources Sectoral Committee. His comments also come months after Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, declared the Amaila Falls Hydropower project as ‘dead’.

Notably, Harmon’s (made in October 2017) comments about canning the project were made during the time that Trotman claimed a study of the project was in progress. Last

Friday, Trotman told the Committee that a two-year hydrologist study is currently ongoing and is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. Given the two-year timeline, Trotman effectively exposed Harmon’s comments – or, it is likely, that the state of affairs is vice versa.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has maintained that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has proffered insubstantial evidence and no reasoning for not proceeding with the Amaila Falls Hydro-power Project – one of the several major projects envisioned by the former PPP/C government.

Jagdeo had referred to the report from the independent consultants, Norconsult AS, to support his conten-

tions.

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, 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 Opposition leader noted that 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.

He stressed that these points included in the report exposes the arguments advanced by APNU and AFC Coalition, while in Opposition, to block the project.

Jagdeo maintains that the assessment vindicates the PPP position that Guyana should develop its hydropower ca-

pacity and that AFHP should be the first hydropower project to be developed.

According to the former Head of State, Guyana could have saved billons if the project was not killed by the Coalition government – a project that would not have incurred “a single cent” of debt for the country. “We would have bought power at half of the price that we were generating power at 2012 because of the price of oil at that time which was about 20 cents per kilowatt an hour…we would have bought power at 10 cents per kilowatt an hour,” the Opposition Leader said. The project, he stressed, could have saved the treasury at least US$2B in 20 years at 2012 prices for oil and gas which would have seen the Guyana Power and Light

buying electricity at 10 US cents per kilowatt hour.

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.

As at 2014, approximately US$70M of this had been deposited by Norway in the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) which is channeling investment into seven LCDS projects. The Norwegian Government also announced that it plans to transfer US$80M to the Inter-American Development Bank, to be used as Guyana’s equity contribution to the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.

PUBLISHED BY NEW GUYANA Co. Ltd., 8 Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana. Tel: 226-2473, 226-5875 Fax: 226-2472