Weekend Mirror 9-10 February 2019

9-10 February, 2019 / Vol. 10 No. 59 / Price: $100

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

Talks with Granger gov’t would have to be preceded by ‘show of good faith’ - Jagdeo

PAGE 10

Protestors call for GECOM to comply with Guyana’s Constitution PAGE 15

SEE INSIDE

Jordan will have to answer for his illegal actions PAGE 11 Private Sector concerned about statements that could lead Guyana ‘into a PAGE 24 situation of grave instability’

Controversial figures part of APNU’s campaign committee launch PAGE 20

2

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Nagamootoo greeted by protestors as he makes bid for support in Region 2

3

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

A month after no-confidence motion…

APNU+AFC gov’t increases threshold to allow for more money to be spent via restricted tendering M

assive increases, approved with immediate effect by the Coalition Government, in thresholds for the restricted tendering of contracts for goods and services and construction, have been exposed.

The gazetted Procurement (Amendment) Bill of 2019 signed by Finance Min-

ister, Winston Jordan, will change the previous threshold for restricted contracts for goods and services from $3M to $10M. In the case of construction contracts, the threshold catered for in Section 26 of the Procurement Act has been moved from $10M to $20M. Also, quotation methods

of procurement have been raised to $3M. A copy of the circular signed by Mark Bender, Deputy Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), exposed the increased.

In the circular, Bender advises permanent secretaries, agency and corporation heads

“It can only be concluded that this decision is to facilitate corruption, cronyism and nepotism, by way of handpicking friends and cronies and awarding them contracts. This is a blatant political scheme to buy votes and especially pilfer the public purse and to enrich officials of the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change over the few remaining days in office ahead of elections.” – Opposition Parliamentarian, Juan Edghill and regional administrations that the threshold for restricted tendering in the case of contracts for goods and services has been increased.

Opposition Parliamentarian, Juan Edghill, said, “All of this was made by Order dated 23rd Day of January 2019 more than one month after this APNU+AFC government was defeated by way of successful no confidence vote on December 21, 2018.

Article 106(6) of our constitution states that on passage of a no confidence motion by the majority of all elected members of the National Assembly, the President and his Cabinet shall resign, coupled with the CJ’s ruling of January 31, 2019 that following the passage of the motion, the President and Cabinet stand resigned. Therefore, they are merely in office in a caretaker capacity and as such, these actions are unconstitutional.

“It is therefore logical that the letter dated 4 February 2019 by Mr. Mark Bender, Deputy Chairman of the NPTAB authorizing Permanent Secretaries, Heads

of agencies and Corporations and regional Administrations, with immediate effect to implement these new thresholds are illegal and will lead to criminal proceedings being instituted against Public officials who may be tempted to act on such a directive which is illegal. “…public Officers and Heads of Budget Agencies are forewarned as stated by the Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition to keep notes, log all correspondences given and be reminded that as accounting officers, they will be held responsible for any unapproved spending of the public’s money. “…this enables award of contract without Public Advertisement, by way of Restricted Tendering and subverts the use of qualifications for this procurement process to be confined to specialized services or procurement of highly-complex items as stated in 26 (1) (a) of the Procurement Act of 2003.

The minister has increased the threshold catered for in 26(1) (b) of the Procurement

Act. “…in layman’s terms, the Minister has made it possible to give contracts to unqualified persons and companies for the procurement of Goods and Services from $3M to $10M (233%) which was already increased when this APNU+AFC came into office and for construction from $10M to $20M (100%) and the three quotation system from $1.5M to $3M (100%).”

Edghill argued that this is a “blatant political scheme to buy votes” ahead of the General and Regional Elections, which are expected to be held before the end of March 2019. “It can only be concluded that this decision is to facilitate corruption, cronyism and nepotism, by way of handpicking friends and cronies and awarding them contracts. This is a blatant political scheme to buy votes and especially pilfer the public purse and to enrich officials of the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change over the few remaining days in office ahead of elections,” he said.

Guyanese interested in volunteering asked to contact Party

T

he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is now available on WhatsApp number 592-611-PPPC (7772) and it encouraging Guyanese, who are interested in political activism and volunteering, to contact the Party.

WhatsApp allows persons to message from Guyana other countries at no cost.

Operators are manning the line on a 24-hour basis and interested Guyanese are asked to communicate this to the Party.

4

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

EDITORIAL

Guyanese are more discerning APNU+AFC Coalition ministers have suddenly grown a conscience T he APNU+AFC Coalition Government for the past three and a half years has been criticized for being disconnected from the reality of the Guyanese people – more so given its moves to impose greater hardships of the Guyanese people, via the 200+ new tax measures, etc.

However, in the last few weeks, the Ministers of the Coalition have been on the ground conducting walkabouts and engaging the public. It is the consensus that the change factors were the results of the 2018 Local Government Elections and the vote on the no-confidence motion that caused the fall of the Government.

The dilemma that the Coalition finds itself in is that the Guyanese people are more discerning. They are able to see past the promises of ‘the good life’ and recognize that most all of the promises made have a 2019-yearend timeline on them. They are also able to see through the opportunistic public engagements.

The fact is that cheap electoral tricks will not see the Guyanese people easily forgetting the hardships of the past three and a half years.

Cost of living has been increased, with VAT placed on educational services, health supplies, electricity consumption, etc.

Guyana has lost about 30,000 jobs in the last three and a half years. The closure of three sugar estates was the largest firings in contemporary history and has ripple effects, hurting the communities on a range on fronts.

Corruption is at its highest levels – so much so that Guyana, for the first time, was cited for “government corruption” in the 2018 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), produced by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department.

Incompetence has left Guyana drifting, policy wise, and the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) is one example of such failures. The GSDS was touted to be the master economic-development plan for Guyana, but almost four years into its tenure and the Strategy has not even been completed. Additionally, incompetence has left Guyana disadvantaged, for example in the negotiations with ExxonMobil.

Looking at the economy, Guyana has fallen from being one of the fastest growing economies, with over a decade of sustained growth, in the Caribbean. Instead what Guyana is left with is the promise of ‘oil’.

The opportunistic awakening of conscience in the APNU+AFC camp cannot diminish these facts. Nor will it diminish the fact that the peddling of promises and the rush to conduct grassroots engagements is happening at a time when Guyana is heading toward a constitutional crisis.

Guyanese must continue their calls for the APNU+AFC Coalition Government to uphold the Constitution and hold elections before the end of March 2019 – the consequence of the passage of the no-confidence motion.

If the Guyanese people cannot trust the Coalition Government to uphold the rule of law, how can they trust the Coalition to do anything else – more so after APNU+AFC failed to deliver on what they promised in 2015?

Dear Editor,

I

n the aftermath of December 21st, government ministers have suddenly grown a conscience and empathy for sections of the population. All of a sudden, ministers are operating on overdrive, meeting with market vendors and DJs and holding public days for members of the public to illustrate how much they love the Guyanese people.

But all this is short-lived. It is only because the government has fallen and they need to face the very people they have neglected and disappointed for almost four years, that they’re doing this.

Had it not been for the no-confidence motion that they lost, Minister Annette Ferguson would never be holding public days to meet with anyone. In any event, what can she constructively do for our citizens in just 3 hours a week?

Before December 21st, government ministers could never be seen associating with ordinary Guyanese in the Stabroek and Bourda market square.

They were too busy flying high, living the good life. But all that is now threatened. Perhaps if they had shown some consideration for others rather than throwing down barriers and bullying security guards in a private parking lot; and perhaps if they had stood by the people and terminated the corrupt parking meter contract before things got out of hand; and perhaps if they had paid the teachers a livable wage instead of forcing them to go on a nation-wide strike, they could have convinced many of their sincerity this time around. But everyone knows this is just a sham.

Too little too late. These people are shameless.

Sometime ago, when I met with residents of Ithaca on the West Bank Berbice late one night at their request,

they solicited my assistance in exposing the unscrupulous actions of a lawyer, a well-known supporter of the APNU, who was trying to rob them of their ancestral lands there. Instead of going public with a letter to the press as they wanted me to do, I suggested a non-political approach, a meeting with Attorney General, Basil Williams to help them resolve the legality of this problem which was festering for some time.

I’m not sure whether they had earlier contacted the Region 5 APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, Jennifer Wade, but the villagers of Ithaca who voted overwhelmingly for the APNU+AFC reached out to a PPP/C Member of Parliament because they needed help and were frustrated because they had no access to a government minister.

In dismissing my suggestion for a meeting with the Attorney General, they explained they had no confidence in him. Twice they travelled to Georgetown with a busload of affected landowners to meet with the AG, and twice they returned to Ithaca empty-handed having failed to get past his secretary.

The next day, I travelled to Georgetown and met with Basil Williams at the High Court. After pleading with him to visit the residents of Ithaca, he told me he had no time to do so. “I’m a busy man” he said, “I have no time to go all the way to Berbice.”

I reminded him that during the general elections in 2015, the PPP/C only secured one vote in all of Ithaca, and he owes it to the people there to address their concerns. He was unmoved. I then had to threaten to expose my conversation with him in the press, so that the people of Ithaca would know that the Attorney General, whom they put in office, had no time for them. He finally conceded and decided to meet with the delegation from Ithaca at his office a

few days later.

As a Member of Parliament and Justice of the Peace, I have listened to the cries of the people, many of them are from the APNU+AFC strongholds of Ithaca and Hopetown in the Berbice area. The lack of jobs; the additional tax burdens; the difficulties of making ends meet; and the inconvenience suffered by many ordinary Guyanese, some of them single parents, market vendors and housewives who are now forced to go to a JP to declare their source of income before they can withdraw the measly amounts they hold in the banks.

This government is insensitive to the cries of our people. They’re obsessed with the lifestyle they now enjoy and don’t want to lose it. But reality has finally stepped in and so they must return to the people they have neglected and hope their memories are all short.

Let’s not fool ourselves, they may not want to admit it, but privately, government is preparing for elections. State funds are being abused for campaign purposes: They’re sending ministers and PNC activists into the interior on several chartered aircraft to do party work; and expensive full-page coloured ads are being used daily in the Guyana Chronicle for propaganda purposes and damage-control at $107,000 per ad. Hardly a week goes by without government giving away land, money and contracts to a selected few, friends and family, in a shameless attempt to buy votes at taxpayers’ expense. But Guyanese should take all the freeness they can get now from this government. They deserve it.

Then on election day, vote them out of office for their stupidity, incompetence, arrogance and broken promises.

Yours faithfully, Harry Gill, PPP/C Member of Parliament

The only transformation APNU+AFC Coalition has delivered is more hardships for Guyanese Dear Editor,

I

t was pleasing to see President David Granger speaking at a public meeting on February 03, 2019 at Vreed-enHoop. From the media reports, it appears that the President is feeling better and his health has improved. One can assume too that the President is ready for the rigors of the elections campaign and thus expectedly himself and his colleagues will end the denial to Guyanese of their inalienable right to exercise their franchise. This denial says a lot about the sincerity of the President’s respect for the Constitution and the rights of the Guyanese people.

Important as that is, the President, according to the February 04, Stabroek News, is quoted to have said to his au-

dience, who were largely outside of the Vreed-en-Hoop area, that “you will see the transformation, the change in every community, the change in every region, the change in every village”. I wondered what change was the President speaking of.

Is it the transformation in Crabwood Creek, where scores of sugar workers who were employed at Skeldon Estate not having sufficient meals? Or was it he was speaking about the people of Canefield, Canje not being able to send their children to school? Or was he referring to the wives of Patentia having to face bare cupboards? Is this the change and transformation he was talking about?

Maybe it was about the people of Guyana opening their electricity bills and see VAT being charged? Or, it

could be having to find more monies to pay to catch a bus to work or school though fuel prices have reduced. It could well be the shock of seeing the high cost of water now-a-days. Or facing serious illness and told by the public health institutions that there are no drugs.

The transformation under President Granger’s Government has seen thousands moving from employed to unemployed. Tens of thousands having their lives plunged into misery and their dreams to yearn for a better tomorrow dashed. That transformation has seen us, the Guyanese people, paying nearly $200B in taxes last year. It has seen our Government practically giving away our oil resources. And it has seen that rallying call of a ‘Good Life’ becoming (Turn to page 5)

5

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Constitution does not vest in the Judiciary any power, or authority, to stop that three months period for the holding of elections Dear Editor,

T

he Attorney General has filed appeals against the Chief Justice’s ruling in two of the three cases filed in relation to the No-Confidence Motion: the case filed by the AG and the case filed by Christopher Ram. The attorney-at-law for Joseph Harmon has also lodged an appeal. There is no doubt that the lawyers for Campton Reid will also appeal in due course. The Leader of the Opposition will not appeal, as he is not dissatisfied with any material aspect of the Chief Justice’s decisions.

I wish to make it emphatically clear that none of the appeals filed, nor any which may be filed, has, or will have the effect of staying the rulings made by the Honourable Chief Justice. Indeed, I maintain that the Chief Justice merely granted, what in law, is called “declarations”. For example, her Honour declared that the No-Confidence Motion was validly passed; that Charrandass Persaud’s dual citizenship disqualified him from being elected to sit in Parliament; that notwithstanding that disqualification, his vote remain valid; that 33 votes were sufficient to pass the No-Confidence Motion; that the Cabinet “was resigned” upon the passing of the No-Confidence Motion and that the Government must remain in office, notwithstanding its defeat, and that elections must be held within three months of the date that the No-Confidence Motion was passed; and that the Government must resign when a new President is swornin, consequent upon those elections.

A microscopic examination of those pronouncements made by the Chief Justice will lead to the ineluctable realization that the learned Hearing Judge made no coercive or injunctive orders. In other words, no part of the rulings compelled any act to be done, or prohibited, any act from being done. Therefore, there is simply nothing to “stay”, nor conserve, nor preserve. The rulings consisted merely of declarations in respect of the status quo in accordance with interpretations placed upon the relevant constitutional provisions.

Significantly, the Constitution does not vest in the Judiciary any power, or authority, to stop that three months period for the holding of elections after a successful No-Confidence Motion, from running. In consequence, there is no Court within the hierarchical judicial structure that can lawfully make any order, which can have the impact of delaying the elections, irrespective of the circumstances.

It is not that the framers of the Constitution failed to address their minds to the eventuality of an extension of time. They certainly did so, as is reflected in Article 106 (7) of the Constitution. However, they sagaciously vested that power, not in the Judiciary, but in the Legislature, to be exercised by virtue of a two-thirds majority vote, should the circumstances warrant such an extension.

In the same mould, GECOM, the body exclusively charged by the Constitution with the holding of elections, has no discretion and is certainly not empowered to plea a lack of readiness to hold elections, when elections are due. Under the Constitution, elections are due at any time fixed by the President by way of a Proclamation, or in cases otherwise determined by the Constitution, for example, within three months after the passage of a No-Confidence Motion. When either of these circumstances manifest itself, GECOM must be ready to hold elections. The Constitution offers no alternative.

The current state of affairs, which documents the President and his Government’s refusal to comply with the Constitution and the pronouncements of the Chief Justice, coupled with GECOM’s lack of readiness to hold elections when they are constitutionally due, have the conjoint effect of catapulting the nation’s state of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana into the realm of unconstitutionality and an anarchic existence, not witnessed in the Caribbean, perhaps, since the Grenadian “revolution” in 1983.

Regards, Anil Nandlall, PPP/C MP

The only transformation APNU+AFC Coalition has delivered... (From page 4) an ignominious, hollow, slogan.

So while the President may boast about towns, boats, buses, and so on, how have they meaningfully transformed the lives of ordinary Guyanese who live whether in Lethem, Waini, Bush Lot, Georgetown or elsewhere?

Today the President, while I am happy is in good health, has failed miserably to deliver

the transformation he espoused and promised.

Today, can the Guyanese people sincerely give the President another chance to take us further down the road to nowhere? I think not!

Regards, P. Persaud

Highly suspicious and irregular procurement activity at the Small Business Bureau Dear Editor, The Small Business Bureau, which falls under the Ministry of Business, seems to be the new channel to facilitate the creaming off of taxpayers’ monies into the hands and pockets of a select few.

Recent documented information, available to me, indicated that on the 8th day of June 2018, the CEO, Dr. Lowell Porter, of the Small Business Bureau indicated that the previously advertised expression of interest (EOI) for training services was aborted.

An email from Dr. Porter to 14 companies that submitted proposals reads as follow: “Dear All, Please be advised that the captioned project with deadline June 8, 2018, has been aborted.

We, therefore, ask that you do not submit a proposal at this time.

You will be advised of the SBB email address to send training proposals to at a later date, should we send out another EOI. We apologize for any inconvenience that this might have caused and use this opportunity to thank you for your time, efforts and interest in working with the SBB. We wish you continued success in all your business endeavors.”

On the 11th day of December 2018, Dr. Porter, wrote to the Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Berkley Wickham, for approval to contract and pay Management Options Inc., Empretec and Cerulean for the supply of training services in the sum of $2,400,000 GYD. By letter dated the 21st December 2018, the Chairman of NPTAB gave to Dr. Porter approval for the contract of training of participants in Region Four. The companies who were awarded the contract are Management Options Inc., Empretec and Cerulean at a sum of $750,000, $750,000 and $900,000, respectively.

Of note is the fact that initially, a total of 14 companies submitted proposals for this contract.

This highly suspicious and irregular procurement activity is further compounded by a document from the Training and Development Officer to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Business, through Dr. Porter on the 28th November 2018, requesting the sum $7, 575, 000 for payment to Management Options Inc., the sum of $3,000,000 for payment to Empretec and the sum of $1,800,000 for payment to Cerulean for training services to be conducted in December 2018.

There are a number of issues that the Small Business Bureau must address. These are: 1. Provide proof, publicly, that after annulling the EOI based on the email adumbrated above, that the 14 companies were all approached to resubmit proposals for this contract; 2. Provide publicly, the evaluation report for the 3 contracts; 3. How is it that a request for payment was made even before the contracts were awarded by NPTAB? 4. Since we have also seen invoices for payment, which shows that training took place on the 29th and the 31st of December 2018, can the Small Business Bureau provide evidence that these training sessions were actually conducted?

Editor, I highly doubt that these training sessions were even conducted on the days mentioned since we are all aware that business owners are most busy during the end of year season. I doubt any small business owner closed their shops or businesses and attended any training.

Notably, the award of the contracts was for training in Region 4, however, the companies submitted invoices for training, which were conducted in Regions 5 and 6.

I have since learned that one of the key technical personnel of this agency has been relieved of their duties. What is going on here?

Regards, Bishop Juan A. Edghill PPP/C Member of Parliament

Timing of fuel reduction is suspect Dear Editor,

T

he Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has recognized that the Government announced that effective today (February 04, 2019), the price of fuel at the stateowned Guyoil has been reduced by 10 per cent.

In its announcement, the Government shared that the reduction was due to lower acquisition costs though we are aware that oil prices have been falling for some time now. It is not lost on us that the fuel price reduction comes just days after the major coalition partner launched its election campaign committee and there has been a heightened Ministerial outreaches. Whether it is a strange coincidence or not, we are not sure but the timing does seem suspect.

For our beleaguered and hard-pressed working-people the reduction is a most welcome reprieve at this time. While happy about this development, whatever the motivations are, we remain, at the same time, extremely concerned as to whether the savings that will accrue will be passed on to our people. Already, our workers have been made to find thousands more per month to meet the increased cost of public transportation. In view of this newest development, would the Ministry of Business be reviewing

the recently increased fares taking into account the reduction? Will there be any sort of mechanism deployed to ensure that the benefits of the timely reduction are enjoyed by especially our working-poor?

We could not fail to note that the reduction only applies gasoline and dieseline. On this score, we wonder whether the acquisition costs of kerosene and cooking gas have not declined as well.

For us it is strange that just the prices of just two (2) types of fuel have been reduced but the other remains where they are. We would hope that the Administration would provide a rational explanation regarding this clearly puzzling adjustment.

Many, including FITUG, have longed called for the Government to meaningfully address the cost of fuel recognizing its impact on the wider society. Notwithstanding the credible reasons for the Government’s intervention it remained defiant and unmoved by the calls of the Guyanese people and their organizations.

The eleventh hour entry on the eve of possibly National elections, in our view, does little to demonstrate that the Administration move in this regard was sincere and profound.

Sincerely, FITUG

6

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Refusal to resign is definitive evidence that Coalition is intoxicated with the perks, corruption

President and his Cabinet must Dear Editor, uyana is quickly approaching constitudo the right thing and answer G tional crises because of the refusal of the APNU/AFC coalition Government to the Guyanese people at the polls accept the passage of the no-confidence motion and respect the Constitution of Guyana.

Dear Editor,

I

n light of the ticking constitutional clock, the suspicious silence of the unilaterally appointed GECOM’s Chairman Justice (retired) James Patterson, puts GECOM under the radar for highest scrutiny. Whatever the reason for President David Granger’s unilateralism, no skullduggery will be accepted as we arrive at the crossroads.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mr Keith Lowenfield are bungling with the necessary preparation for Regional and National Elections which are constitutionally due not later than March 19, 2019. This lack of accountability and transparency is very awkward, invites a crisis, and will have significant consequences for all and sundry.

In the past, Chairman Patterson publically spoke about the confidence he has in the GECOM staff. Further, the GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO) reassured Guyanese that GECOM will be ready to carry out its function when called upon. This column, therefore, demands in the interest of all citizens, drastic changes to their ‘pussyfooting’ approach by the CEO and Chairman. This column definitively calls for swift decisive action in executing the business of their obli-

gated constitutional responsibilities.

We note the calls of Commissioners and Staff members at GECOM who are very worried and have asked serious questions about the inventory of the existing stocks at the GECOM head office located at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara. The fact that there ought to be tens of millions of dollars in stock there and the lack of audit over several years is of strongest concern. It sets up the pitch for limitless and the familiar fraudulent practices already exposed by the Auditor General to be repeated as an excuse for short procurement timelines.

I urge the immediate commencement of refresher updates for the thousands of staff recently trained and used at the Local Government Elections, and a strong criteria-based approach for persons who are selected to work by the Commissioners at the Secretariat. GECOM must also move to procure voter education delivery service in a fair and transparent way, towards the mandatory polls.

We call on the President and his Cabinet to do the right thing and answer the Guyanese people at the Polls.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Granger cabal looked at the possible presidential candidates and moved to have them disqualified from consideration Dear Editor,

H

ow often as a child have I lustily bellowed “Born in the land of the mighty Roraima” The song of Guyana’s Children before assembly, this being a staple of schooling in the 70’s. I remark on this as I try to comprehend GHK Lall’s missive on the ‘possible’ motives of the Government of Canada with regards to the travel advisory issued to Irfaan Ali prior to his proposed visit there for fundraising and information dissemination activities.

I have come to realize that there is a marked difference in brain wiring of Guyanese born pre and post-Independence.

It has become obvious that a ‘colonial’ mentality of looking for approval from ‘massa’ exists strongly in the psyche of those born in a time when our dear land was under the yoke of oppression. GHK and his contemporaries no doubt set great store by the honorific tea with the Queen of England, a seal of approval greatly sought and cherished thereafter.

My sociology Professor, Ken Danns, often spoke of his irrational desire to be knighted and lamented no longer being able to receive same because of our changed circumstance.

Lall casts around for explanations of Canadian action framed by his limitations, but oblivious to same. GHK Lall should stick to facts and seek same before venturing down the rabbit holes of his own warren.

It is now obvious that the Granger cabal looked carefully at the possible future Presi-

dential candidates of the People’s Progressive Party and moved to have them disqualified from consideration by way of pending criminal charges, both Anil Nandlall and Irfaan Ali were prime targets of SOCU, the agency of choice for political chicanery.

Irfaan Ali was written to by the Canadian HC based on information in an article by a previously unknown online news outfit ‘Guyana Standard’. It also made mention of a hold on his application for a residence visa when no such application was made.

Canada has clear policy of deeming anyone with a criminal charge from entering the country. This was not a law made especially for Guyana’s Irfaan Ali as suggested by GHK Lall. A simple Google search, (which I concede, may not be so simple for the aged) would have thrown up a plethora of results to guide in forming an opinion on whether this was a set policy or a sinister plot to interfere in Guyana’s internal affairs.

I believe the Chairman of Guyana’s Gold board owes the nation of Canada an apology; eagerly awaiting same.

Editor, if I have transgressed and committed the offence of ‘ageism’ I beg forgiveness as I was taught that if one wrote with an aim to edify, one must first educate oneself. I take my leave as I begun, by way of song “Onward, upward, may we ever go, Day by day in strength and beauty grow, Till at length we each of us will show, What Guyana’s sons and daughters can be.”

Respectfully Robin Singh

President David Granger, as Opposition Leader, had protested the then PPP/C Government to respect the Constitution on numerous occasions, but unfortunately, despite the Chief Justice ruling on the no-confidence motion and the interpretation of the Constitution, David Granger refused to dissolve Parliament and announce the date for the Regional and General Elections.

While some may suggest that Granger is a man of honesty, integrity, respect etc, the refusal to resign is definitive evidence to suggest that Granger and his Government are intoxicated with the perks, corruption, good life, etc and would do anything to

ensure they remain in Government legally or illegally.

GECOM as an autonomous institution and a creature of the Constitution must be prepared at all time for an election since the Constitution outlined the basis and eventuality for elections. GECOM at no time can refuse to respect the Constitution of Guyana, so the main culprit behind the deliberate delay of elections is solely David Granger.

David Granger, while addressing the staff at the Office of the Presidency, publicly stated that whatever the outcome of the courts is he would respect the decisions. Unfortunately, we can only have General Elections if there is a dissolution of Parliament by the President, in accordance with the Constitution. Besides that, we are quickly approaching a ‘constitutional crisis’.

Regards, Zamal Hussain

Ruling of Chief Justice was unambiguous Dear Editor,

I

t is becoming increasingly clear that elections will be held sooner rather than later. Both of the major political parties are already in campaign mode. The ruling coalition has finally come around to the realisation that its days are numbered and that it cannot be business as usual. Whatever doubts it may have harboured regarding its political longevity have been put to rest by the clear and unambiguous ruling by the Chief Justice The stance taken by the Judiciary on the validity of the no-confidence vote is most refreshing from the standpoint of parliamentary democracy and our emerging national democratic ethos. And even though the ruling coalition has opted to challenge the decision of the learned Chief Justice, it is clear from the actions of its leading activists and State functionaries that it is already preparing itself for early elections.

President Granger should now engage the Opposition Leader without further delay

on a date for elections and GECOM should be so informed so that all preparatory work can be done to facilitate the set date. There should be no further procrastination on the part of GECOM which has a constitutional mandate to hold elections whenever it is called. Talks advanced by some people regarding GECOM’s ‘readiness’ to conduct elections are at best frivolous, and at worst, an attempt to stand in the way of the Constitution and the democratic aspirations of the Guyanese people as expressed through their elected representatives.

I urge the authorities to honour the Constitution of Guyana. GECOM in particular should stop pussyfooting and put in place the required mechanisms to facilitate the elections when called. GECOM is constrained by the Constitution. It is a creature of the Constitution and not the other way around. It has a duty and an obligation to hold elections that are free and fair and free from fear.

Yours faithfully, Hydar Ally

Under strong leadership Guyana made significant strides in developing the tourism sector Dear Editor,

I

noted in SN a few days ago, your article concerning the value of the refurbished convention centre to the tourism sector. In the same publication I also observed that visitors’ arrivals this year was almost 285,000.

Coincidentally, an acquaintance of mine and many persons verily accuse President Jagdeo of not doing anything for Guyana.

Today’s tourism’s performance is all due to the vision of, and the foundation laid by, President Jagdeo.

The market segments identified for tourists were – Visiting Family and Friends, Nature, Sport, Conferences, Heritage and Yachting At the time of building the convention centre, eighty five percent of the market for conference tourism was for conferences of five hundred delegates or less. The CARICOM Secretariat’s location in Guyana was another factor. Another consideration was accommodation.

When I was gave given the tourism port-

folio in June 2001, H.E. President Jagdeo tasked that a sector leading hotel brand be delivered to the tourism sector. With only Le Meridien (Pegasus) there was need for additional accommodation of international standards. That was the genesis of the Marriott. The Marriott was never built to shut down anybody, but to complement the existing stock of rooms. The first visit by the Marriott team was in May (1-4) 2006.

Exactly three years later Pegasus was sold to the current owners. Buddy’s coincidentally, started for world cup 2007. Today, two internationally recognized brands (Marriott and Ramada) are here. The fruits of vision and action two decades earlier.

The improvements at the Convention Centre are upgrades which, yes, will make us access better, the conference market and complemented with sufficient rooms.

Back to the issue of reaping the fruits today after sowing seeds yesterday. The Guyana National Stadium has added immensely to sport tourism, with Guyana so far (Turn to page 7)

7

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

The AFC’s fight over the prime ministerial candidate nomination Dear Editor,

I

t is now a battle in the Alliance For Change (AFC) by the ‘anointed’ and his ‘anointer’ for the prime ministerial candidacy! Both of these men were from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and left that party to fulfil their quest for power and material gain.

Moses V Nagamootoo joined the PPP in 1964 and since the inception, his main goal was to fulfil his personal ambitions with no regard to bring good to the people of Guyana. This was recognised at an early stage by both the Jagan’s leadership of the PPP. This became openly manifested when the late Janet Jagan opted for Bharrat Jagdeo as her replacement and not Nagamootoo. She knew that in Nagamootoo’s agenda, only Nagamootoo came first!

When he resigned from the PPP on October 24, 2011, and joined the AFC, it was

a continuation of his quest to become the President of Guyana. He wasted no time and in 2014 he was among the presidential nominees but in 2015 after his ‘President or nothing’ grandstanding with the A Partnership for National Unity, he had to settle for the prime ministerial candidacy. However, after the results of the May 2015 General Elections, he was catapulted closer to realising his presidential dreams – he became the Prime Minister and the First Vice President with opportunity to fleetingly hold the presidential office when President Granger is briefly out of the country.

Talk about self-centred tenacity and guile!

Just imagine a man who doggedly fought the People’s National Congress (PNC) since 1964 was willing to sacrifice his proclaimed ideals in order to pursue his personal ambitions.

When he had ‘leadership issues’ with the PPP in 2005 he was quoted as saying that, “I

intend to walk down and go to where I have come, which is the grassroots, which is among the masses, which is among the supporters of the party, which is my people…” but when he became the Prime Minister, he suffered amnesia.

The grassroots no longer appealed to him and he began to endorse every act of corruption and mismanagement perpetrated by the PNC, especially the closing of the sugar estates and the discarding of 7000 workers resulting in untold sufferings among the ‘grassroots’ which was his ‘people’! He is now living the “Cadillac’ lifestyle which he had once spurned. He engineered, endorsed and carried out a ‘bloodless assassination’ of the poor sugar workers.

Today, he is once again fighting the leadership of his party, the AFC, to be given another chance to remain as the prime ministerial candidate. In 2011, when he defected to the AFC, that party was already a few weeks away from November 28 General Elections.

He joined a party that gained seven seats at that election and he piggybacked on the contributions made by Dr Veersammy Ramayya and others. This can be seen at the 2015 Elections when the support of the AFC in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) actually fell drastically, and the AFC actually rode on the success of the APNU. The LGE in November last year confirmed the dismal failure of the AFC, not only in Region Six but across the country! He failed to deliver and it is now clear that Nagamootoo’s future as a politician is ‘dead meat’!

His deceitful ploy in the State media that the ‘AFC backs Granger-Nagamootoo ticket’ just accentuates the cunning nature of this

self-centred hypocrite. That never happened and the prime ministerial candidacy is still to be decided on. He is now willing to fight his mentee for power. It must be recalled that Ramjattan in September 2014 had declared that the ‘rotational’ principle to choose the top elections candidates was abandoned and will be based on ‘meritocracy’. He said ‘the popular democratic vote’ at the AFC’s conference will decide on the candidate. However , he had admitted then that he endorsed Nagamootoo because of a combination of factors such as what ‘is best for the country, ability to attract campaign financing, hardworking, intellectuals, knowledge of running a government’.

It is now clear that Ramjattan no longer believes that this holds true at this time!

Moreover, apart from the power struggle, it is puzzling that even though the election of the prime ministerial candidate was supposed to be at the AFC’s conference as agreed in 2014, there was an attempt to do so at a statutory meeting of 108 members many of which are not NEC members. It would seem that a rigging process was planned to take place but was aborted after much wrangling. It was then decided that the procedure will now be carried out in March at the rescheduled biennial conference. We can expect a ‘dogfight’ between Nagamootoo who had promised that 2015 elections will be his swan song and Ramjattan the man who was deceived not by a ‘swan’ but something exceedingly slithery!

But I have a strong feeling neither of the two will ever be the next Prime Minister!

Regards, Haseef Yusuf

Isahak Basir served his party and Coalition’s rhetoric about Guyanese with great distinction social cohesion and national unity exposed AGAIN as a farce I Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

I

attended the official launch of United Nations World Inter-Faith Harmony Week 2019 at the National Cultural Centre on Friday (February 1, 2019). This annual activity which began since the passage of the UN resolution has been hosted by the Inter-Religious Organization of Guyana in collaboration with the Government of Guyana. This has been so for many years under the PPP/C and now under this coalition Government. This event has always been a forum where diversity is recognized, celebrated and respected.

There has been a significant departure over the last three years. Historically, all the faiths of Guyana are invited to participate, both in offering prayers and to bring messages from their various holy books and texts. On the program of this event, this year, the Christian community was excluded from bringing a message. I sat next to two Bishops’ from the Christian faith neither of them knew the reason why. At the end of the program, I enquired from several members of the executive committee of the IRO and none can give a plausible explanation, except that they confirmed that it was a decision by the Ministry of the Presidency.

Further every year the UN resident coordinator would bring a message from the UN Secretary-General, the President of Guyana and Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition would also be asked to bring messages.

Since this coalition government is in office the program in previous years was expanded to include messages from the PNC, APNU, AFC. I have spoken to several members of the IRO about this unhealthy development a

few years ago. This year’s program they have excluded a message from the Parliamentary Opposition while having a speaker from the Government. When I enquired why the Parliamentary Opposition was not on the program it was reported that this was a decision of the Ministry of the Presidency.

These actions have caused me to conclude the following; this action of exclusion determined by the Ministry of the Presidency Department of Social Cohesion makes the case that the Government’s rhetoric about social cohesion and national unity is a farce and purely for propaganda purposes. Secondly, the Ministry of the Presidency Department of the Social Cohesion has hijacked the functions of the IRO. Editor, not because this activity is funded by the government, they have any right to dictate the exclusion of one of Guyana’s major religions, namely the Christian faith and the further exclusion of the Parliamentary Opposition which currently holds 32 seats in the National Assembly. This action further crystallizes the lack of sincerity on the part of the political directorate, they are prepared to speak about social cohesion while at the same time locking out the voices and views of those who don’t fall into their political camp.

Silence on my part will be tantamount to condoning the hijacking of this reputable religious organization of which I am a co-founder and it will also mean that I give consent to the abuse of this intended harmony event to promote partisan behaviour.

We need to do better than this!

Respectfully, J. Edghill

t is with great sadness that I learnt of the passing of Comrade Isahak Basir of Hampton Court, Essequibo Coast. Isahak Basir was a friend, comrade and brother to countless PPP and PPP/Civic supporters. I am grateful that I have had the honour and pleasure of serving with him in the fight for freedom and democracy. I am also proud to have served with him as we worked to reconstruct our country in the post-1992 period.

Comrade Basir was highly educated by the school of life. He paid a lot of attention to studying and propagating the goals of the People’s Progressive Party. He was articulate with a deep understanding of politics, culture and religion. He could have held his own in any company.

Knowledge for him was to serve a purpose. That purpose was the welfare of the Guyanese people. He was an activist, an organizer and educator of the PPP. His work saw him serving in the National Assembly of our land. It was a difficult period in our history. The Parliament was reduced to being a mere rubber stamp of the PNC regime. Comrade Basir took his activism to

the National Assembly and had several epic confrontations with the PNC and the then puppet Speaker of the Parliament.

He felt the wrath of the PNC regime. He was shot several times in broad daylight on a busy ‘steamer day’ at Adventure on the Essequibo Coast at the instigation of a PNC activist. It was his strength, both physical and political, and his love of life that saw him pulling through a near death attack. No one was ever charged with the attempted murder.

Isahak Basir served his party and people with great distinction. Basir was one of a few comrades who educated his family in the ideology of the PPP and encouraged them to be activists and fighters for peace and social progress. His whole family, immediate and extended, stood firmly with the PPP through thick and thin. He will always be remembered by those of us who shared his life.

I extend deepest sympathy to a comrade whose work and sacrifices has helped greatly in pushing our country from dictatorship to democracy and prosperity under the PPP/C administration.

Regards, Donald Ramotar, Former President

Under strong leadership...

(From page 6)

being a host of three cricket world cups and constant inclusion in the CPL games. Vision and action laying that solid foundation.

Recognizing that modern infrastructure is also a necessity, the Jagdeo Administration embarked on the biggest local Public-Private Partnership by making the Ogle Airport available to local operators and facilitating some CAPEX funding. Complementing is the Timehri Airport expansion programme. This, along with the marketing

Yours faithfully, M. Nadir

programmes of government and the tourism stakeholders were recognized by the World Travel and Tourism which assessed Guyana most favourably on its tourism development indices.

The foundation was strong, the journey is long and credit must be given to the vision and action of the Jagdeo Administration

8

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Elections should be held in line with constitutional provisions - EU T

he Delegation of the European Union in Guyana has said that it is monitoring the developments in Guyana closely and has called for constitutional compliance.

In a statement the EU said, “The Delegation of the European Union continues to closely follow the developments after the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly on 21, December 2018.

“The Delegation of the European Union calls on all concerned bodies and stakeholders to uphold the Constitution, respecting democratic procedures and the rule of law. Procedures should be managed efficiently, with openness and transparency.

“In this regard, the Delegation of the European Union welcomes the expeditious handling of the related court cases so far and hopes that the further legal process can be expedited, for the benefit of Guyana, its people and its development, in view

of pending Foreign Direct Investments [FDI’s].

“The Delegation of the European Union looks forward to free and fair elections being held, as appropriate, and in line with all constitutional provisions.”

Following the passage of the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018, the Coalition Government fell.

Alliance For Change (AFC) Member, Charandass Persaud, voted against him government – thereby allowing the successful passage of the no-confidence motion.

He has since resigned as an AFC member and is no longer a Parliamentarian.

House Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, on January 3, 2019, was asked by the Coalition government to review his ruling that the no-confidence motion had passed and declined to do so. He maintained that the no-confidence motion was passed. Notably, after the vote on December 21, 2018,

“The Delegation of the European Union looks forward to free and fair elections being held, as appropriate, and in line with all constitutional provisions.” - EU the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, issued a resolution indicating that the no-confidence motion had successfully been passed in the House.

The government, between January 7 and 9, 2019, then moved to the High Court. The Government challenged the validity of the passage of the motion in the High Court and last Thursday (January 31, 2019), the Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, ruled against the Government.

In the first case, she ruled that Persaud’s vote on the no-confidence motion is valid, although she ruled that being a dual citizen, he occupied the seat of a Parliamentarian in violation of the Constitution. However, Article 165 (2) of the Con-

stitution states that: “The Assembly may act notwithstanding any vacancy in its membership (including any vacancy not filled when the Assembly first meets after the commencement of this Constitution or after any dissolution of Parliament) and the presence or participation of any person not entitled to be present at or to participate in the proceedings of the Assembly shall not invalidate those proceedings.” As such, she ruled the Persaud’s vote stands and a challenge to his occupation of a seat in Parliament ought to have come to the court by way of an elections petition within a specific timeframe.

In the second case, Acting Chief Justice ruled that 33 votes was required to pass the no-confidence motion. Attorney General,

Basil Williams, had argued that a majority of 34 votes was needed for the no-confidence motion to pass. After the ruling, Williams called on the ground to grant a stay of proceedings, indicating that he will be moving to the Appeal Court. The Chief Justice denied Williams’ request. “I don’t think it would be judicious of me to grant a stay,” she said, adding that the Appeal Court would be better placed to decide on the strength of the Williams’ appeal and, as such, decide whether or not the implementation of her ruling should be stayed.

The APNU+AFC Coalition has said that it will move to Guyana’s Appeal Court to challenge the ruling of the High Court.

The position of the People’s Progressive Party/

Civic (PPP/C) is that both the legislature and the judiciary have spoken and the Government should proceed towards preparations for early General and Regional Elections, expected before the end of March 2019.

Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

Meanwhile, clause (7) goes on to state that: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

rep calls for Coalition gov’t to demonstrate Political parties must respect ruling UN ‘integrity and respect’ for Constitution that passage of no-confidence motion T is ‘lawful, valid’ – PSC T he Private Sector Commission (PSC), like others in civil society, has called for the decision of the High Court – that the passage of the no-confidence motion against the APNU+AFC Coalition is lawful and valid – to be respected.

The PSC said, “The Chief Justice has ruled that the no confidence motion passed in the National Assembly on 21st December 2018, is lawful and valid.

“The Private Sector

Commission calls upon our political parties and, indeed the entire nation, to respect this decision.

“The Private Sector Commission, therefore, now calls upon the Guyana Elections Commission to fulfil its Constitutional obligation to hold itself ready to conduct General Elections as is required by the Constitution as a result of the no confidence motion, that is, within ninety days of the motion, unless otherwise extended by a two-thirds majority of

the Parliament.

“The Commission further calls upon GECOM to immediately declare its position on this question as a matter of public interest and necessity.”

While the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has said that there should be constitutional compliance and elections should be held before the end of March 2019, the Coalition Government has given no indication that it is willing to go in this direction.

he APNU+AFC Coalition Government has been called on to demonstrate its integrity and respect the Constitution by United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mikiko Tanaka.

Tanaka, who was at the time addressing an interfaith ceremony on Friday (February 1, 2019), said, “SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) 16 recognises that building a peaceful, just and inclusive society that provides equal access to justice and that are based on respect for human rights requires respect for the rule of law, good governance and transparent institutions.

“…recent political developments triggered by the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly, are a test for Guyana’s strength and integrity with regards to the effectiveness of the rule of law and governance. “…the delivery of the decisions by the Chief Justice demonstrates the independence and integrity of the Judiciary in protecting the Constitution and upholding the rule of law. The Honourable Speaker’s earlier validation of the process of the controversial voting at the National Assembly was testimony of the integrity of the legislative arm of the State.

“…it is hoped that the third arm of the State, the Executive, will demonstrate its integrity and respect for Guyana’s Constitution and the Judiciary that constitute the foundation for the rule of law. “…voting citizens, young and senior, women and men, should inform themselves of issues that affect their lives and the wider society and what they should expect and demand of political parties in shaping the future.”

She stressed that building a peaceful and just society demands respect for the rule of law and confidence in national institutions.

APNU+AFC Coalition claims ‘business as usual’ despite High Court ruling E ven after the ruling of the Acting Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government is insisting that it is ‘business as usual’.

The Acting Chief Justice ruled against the Coalition Government, which advanced a challenge to the validity of the passage of

the no-confidence motion.

The motion passed with a majority of 33 votes in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018. The primary contention of Government, in its challenge, is that 33 votes is not a majority of 65, rather it is 34.

After the ruling from the Acting Chief Justice, Government, in a statement,

said, “The ruling is not in favour of the Government’s position with regard to the vote on December 21st 2018 however due process continues and the Government will file an appeal in the Court of Appeal.

“The government continues to believe that the full adjudication of this issue is in the national inter-

est. Until the matter is concluded at the highest court of appeal the status quo remains and the business of government continues as usual. The government reassures the Guyanese people that it will continue to act in accordance with the constitution of Guyana.”

Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The

Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

Meanwhile, clause (7) goes on to state that: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold

an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

9

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

ERC called on to take stronger position in response to acts that can cause divisions in Guyanese society

A

complaint mechanism that can be utilized by the Guyanese public has been put in place by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) and it will be used, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, to counter the efforts that are being made to polarize Guyanese along the line of race.

“This is something that cannot be tolerated in Guyana,” Jagdeo stressed. His comments came after the Parliamentary Opposition engaged the ERC in a meeting on Tuesday (February 5, 2019).

Asked about the meeting, he said, “We had an excellent meeting with the ERC. “They brought quite a bit of promotional material for use and we promised to

disseminate this across our support area – it is material that will help to fulfill one of the ERC’s key functions, which is to bring greater harmony to our people. We applaud their effort. “…I pointed out to them, however, that all of this good work can be undone if they do not take a strong position against people who are using the newspapers and social media to stir up ethnic disharmony among our people and many of these people live abroad. I said to the ERC that they need to take a stronger position on these issues. These people need to understand that the ERC has enforcement powers and can take action against them. We expect the ERC to do more in this regard, to address the

issue of people spreading disharmony against our people by peddling rumors.”

According to Jagdeo, issues like the media exposure of partisan comments made by Chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence should have been immediately condemned.

Meanwhile, ERC Chairman, Rev. Dr. Oswald Smith, assured that the Commission will act on violations. “We have an investigative Unit up and running. We are adding some people to that Unit.

We also have a functioning Media Monitoring Unit also working…if there is a violation we will act,” he said.

Smith, like Jagdeo, noted that Tuesday’s meeting was productive.

Report on ERC probe into GECOM’s hiring practices to be handed in soon – Chairman

M

onths after the complaint was filed, the Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), Rev. Dr. Oswald Smith, has disclosed that the probe into the hiring practices of the Guyana Elections Commission is almost complete.

“The report is coming in soon,” he told the Mirror Newspaper when asked.

The ERC had set up a special investigative team following a complaint lodged by the three People’s Progressive Party (PPP)-nominated GECOM Commissioners appointed by the Opposition. The team is headed

by Retired Justice, Stanley Moore and includes Human Resources Consultant, Jairam

Petam and former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lloyd Smith.

The three-man team was initially given a period of three weeks, by the end of October 2018, for the completion of the investigation and submission of a report.

COMPLAINT The three PPP-nominated Commissioners, in a joint complaint letter, called for a full investigation on the hiring practices at GECOM. The Commissioners charge that the state of affairs is “clearly indicative of a larger issue at the Guyana Elections Commission, which has an adverse effect on ethnic relations and harmony in

Guyana.” The three Commissioners called for the inquiry to be done, at the earliest opportunity, and for the ERC’s report be made public.

The PPP/C nominated Commissioners noted that the ERC has the mandate to conduct the inquiry as requested, pursuant to Article 212D (a) (d) and (p), of the Constitution.

The call for an investigation came after the topranked candidate applying for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) was passed over for the post.

CONTROVERSIAL APPOINTMENT In June 2018, the three Commissioners - Robeson

Benn, Sase Gunraj and Bibi Shaddick – walked out of a meeting after GECOM Chairman, Justice (rtd) James Patterson, exercised his casting vote to support the PNCR-nominated Commissioners’ rejection of the top ranked candidate, Vishnu Persaud. As a result of his casting vote, the way has been paved for the second-ranked candidate, Roxanne Meyers, to be offered the post of DCEO. Myers has no election management experience.

She has been linked to PNRC-nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, since at one point she was a student of his. She has also exposed herself as an

avid supporter of the APNU+AFC Coalition government, given her social media posts. As such, critics have said that Myers’ ability to function in an impartial manner is in question.

Notably, Persaud was not only the top-ranked candidate for the post of DCEO, but he served as DCEO for several years too. He was appointed as DCEO at GECOM on August 12, 2014. In 2014, when Persaud was appointed, PNCR-nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, made no objection, when there was a vote on whether or not he should be appointed to the post. Persaud was forced to re-apply

for the job he held because his contract ended and could not be renewed, given that there was no functioning Commission. The Commission had dissolved after the resignation of former GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally. Before being appointed as DCEO in 2014, Persaud was at GECOM since 2001.

The ERC is a constitutional body established under the Herdmanston Accord. It works with persons and agencies to promote harmonious ethnic relations.

The Commission also deals with complaints, promotes training in racial harmony, and fosters a sense of security, among all ethnic groups.

Granger in Cuba for fifth round of cancer treatment

P

resident David Granger departed Guyana for Cuba on Tuesday (February 5, 2019), where he will undergo his fifth round of treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

A brief statement from the Ministry of the Presidency disclosed that the Cuban Medical Team as-

signed to President Granger has indicated that the President’s progress has exceeded their expectations.

In May 2018, President David Granger visited Trinidad and Tobago for an annual medical checkup, after which it was claimed that he was giv-

en a clean bill of health.

Granger was back in Trinidad and Tobago, a few months later. Granger, according to the Ministry of the Presidency, started to experience certain symptoms which were persistent – hence his decision to return to Trinidad to revisit the tests that were

done in May 2018.

Little information was released on the status of the President’s health, prior the November 14, 2018 confirmation that he was diagnosed with cancer.

The President returned to Guyana from the Republic of Cuba on November 20, 2018 after spending

approximately three weeks there, where his medical team performed a number of medical interventions, including the first round of chemotherapy treatment.

Granger’s second round of treatment was done after he left Guyana on Tuesday (December 4, 2018). The President’s third round of

chemo was done after he left Guyana on Christmas Day (December 25, 2018).

His fourth round of chemo was done after he left Guyana on January 15, 2019.

CIMEQ, according to the Ministry of the Presidency, has drafted a schedule of treatment which will run until May 2019.

10

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

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

Guyana Under Review Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (February 7, 2019), ranging from the current state of affairs and the delay by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in getting ready for General and Regional Elections to the recent actions by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, which have been dubbed illegal.

Coalition gov’t unwilling to seriously treat with the consequences of the no-confidence motion M

oves by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government to convey the impression that there are options available to the government, following the passage of the no-confidence motion, which was upheld by the High Court, were rubbished by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

During his Thursday (February 7, 2019) news conference, he noted that the 90-day timeline remains in place. He added that regardless of the appeals filed, a court cannot extends the timeline for General and Regional Elections, since the Constitution makes it clear that only the legislature can do this.

He charged that the Coalition Government remains divorced from reality and this “aloofness” has translated itself into the “most outrageous positions” taken by senior members of this administration.

Jagdeo said, “There is a lack of willingness to treat with the seriousness of the issue before us, which is that we are heading towards a Constitutional crisis that will have serious implications for domestic progress and international relations.”

According to him, the facts are clear: the Speaker of the National Assembly ruled that the no-confidence motion was validly passed and the High Court upheld this.

He said, “We have heard all sorts of spins from the government and it is delusional…they are deceptive.

They are trying to deceive our population that somehow they still have options available and that somehow the appeal removes the 90 day timeline…we believe that they are misleading people.”

The Opposition Leader made it clear that after March 19, 2019, the Coalition Government becomes illegal.

“This will have serious consequences for all Guyana… you won’t have the PPP (People’s Progressive Party) staging a coup or resorting to violence…we will be forceful in arguments and protestations,” he declared.

Granger being ‘disingenuous’ with comments, Nagamootoo peddling ‘unadulterated nonsense’

C

omments made by President David Granger at Vreed-en-Hoop on Sunday (February 3, 2019), at the opening of a PNCR office, expose the fact that the Coalition Government is unwilling to deal with the reality of the consequences of the no-confidence motion, according to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

At his Thursday (February 7, 2019) news conference he noted that Granger said: “There is no such thing as an interim government.” Jagdeo charged that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) at no time asked for an interim government to be in place. “Let me make it clear, least Guyanese think that this is what we are seeking, we are not asking for an interim government,” he said.

Granger was also taken to task for saying, “There is no such thing as caretaker government.” Jagdeo pointed out that in 2014 after Granger

supported the Alliance For Change (AFC) move to table a no-confidence motion, it was he himself who touted the notion of a caretaker government.

Jagdeo said, “We not asking for anything different from what they asked for in 2014.

The President is being disingenuous when he says this.

Granger also said, “I remain President until the next President is sworn in.” The Opposition Leader made it clear that this is not disputed.

He said, “We are not asking him to go anywhere until the next president is sworn in. We are asking him to comply with the constitution.”

Given his comments, Jagdeo underscored the fact that Granger ignored reality – the passage of the no-confidence motion and the fact that both the legislature and the judiciary upheld its validity.

“They keep making this point about ‘business as usual’ and they argue now that they

need their full five years,” he said.

Jagdeo took Granger to task too for suggesting that it is “undemocratic” for one vote in a no-confidence motion to cause the fall of a Government.

“How can it be undemocratic now? They pursued the same remedy in 2014. Suddenly, it becomes undemocratic because they are on the receiving end,” he said.

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, was also rapped for advocating for a “cooling off interval” during which the appeal in the cases that were pronounced on by the High Court – the ruling where the validity of the no-confidence motion vote was upheld – are heard. “This is unadulterated nonsense…they are saying forget the Constitution,” he said.

The position of the Parliamentary Opposition, according to him, is that General and Regional Elections must be held

by March 19, 2019.

Talks with Granger gov’t would have to be preceded by ‘show of good faith’

The last meeting between the Granger-led government and the Parliamentary Opposition

A

ny talks between the Government and the Parliamentary Opposition will have to be followed by a show of good faith on the part of President David Granger, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

He charged that since the passage of the no-confidence motion on December 21, 2018, the Coalition Government has “done everything to frustrate the constitutional” timeline.

Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

Meanwhile, clause (7)

goes on to state that: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

During his Thursday (February 7, 2019) news conference, he said, “Right now they are not treating this matter seriously…they are doing nothing to show good faith…they are doing nothing to show that they are trying to comply with the constitution.”

He added, “We have been

reasonable so far. We issued statements, had peaceful protests and we have argued for upholding of constitution… they filed court case, we went to court,” he added.

According to him, a show of good faith would mean an effort on the part of President Granger to publicly say that preparations for General and Regional Elections are supported by his administration.

“If there is a genuine effort to meet the constitutional deadline, we can accept that… they are actively breaching our Constitution,” he said.

Jagdeo stressed that when the timeline expires, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) cannot be blamed for the Constitutional crisis Guyana will find itself in.

“They will be totally responsible for this,” he stressed.

Nagamootoo rapped for his ramblings on shared governance

P

rime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, was put on blast on Thursday (February 7, 2019), by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, for peddling inaccuracies.

Nagamootoo, in his weekly column published by the state-media, said, “After the opposition tabled a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly, I told the opposition leader that whatever the outcome, it would derail any possibility of shared or inclusive governance.”

Jagdeo, in response, questioned, “How does the no-confidence motion derail something that was never on the rail…he is presupposing that something was on

track when in fact there was nothing.”

Notably, the position of Parliamentary Opposition on this subject was made clear months ago.

Jagdeo has said that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) will work with any group – in the political arena or in civil society – that shares its objective of a better Guyana where all Guyanese benefit.

On January 9, 2019, at news conference, he noted that all political parties have said that they love Guyana and they want a nation where all Guyanese, regardless of race, religion or any other differentiating factor, can benefit. “The PPP has

said we are open to talks… we will not ignore any arrangement that will bring betterment for our Guyanese people,” he said.

Jagdeo, also the PPP General Secretary, noted that as an “old” political party, the PPP has discussed governance structures in the past and every member of the Party’s leadership is committed to reaching out. “I will not speculate on specifics (of a governance structure), but with a shared objective we can work for Guyana,” he said.

NATIONAL PAPER The Opposition Leader also referred to a Paper titled (Turn to page 11)

11

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

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

Guyana Under Review Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (February 7, 2019), ranging from the current state of affairs and the delay by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in getting ready for General and Regional Elections to the recent actions by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, which have been dubbed illegal.

Jordan will have to answer Cabinet stands resigned… for his illegal actions Public servants urged to keep records,

F

inance Minister, Winston Jordan, acted illegally in advancing massive increases in thresholds for the restricted tendering of contracts for goods and services and construction, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

And during his Thursday (February 7, 2019) he urged public servants not to be complicit in such actions.

As per the changes, the previous threshold for restricted contracts for goods and services was moved from $3M to $10M. In the case of construction contracts, the threshold catered for in Section 26 of the Procurement Act has been moved from $10M to $20M. Also, quotation methods of procurement have been raised to $3M. The Opposition Leader, noted that the Procurement Act is clear on these matters.

He noted that Jordan may be relying on Section 61 of the Act. However, other sections of the law cannot be ignored.

Section 61 of the Procurement Act states that: “The Minister shall, with the advice of the National Board or the Procurement Commission, make any regulation that may be necessary for the

administration of this Act.” Jagdeo pointed out that Section 61 cannot be read on its own, rather the related sections of the Act must also be taken into consideration.

He noted that Section 17 is clear. It says: 17.(1) The National Board shall be responsible for exercising jurisdiction over tenders the value of which exceeds such an amount prescribed by regulations, appointing a pool of evaluators for such period as it may determine, and maintaining efficient record keeping and quality assurances systems. “(2) In addition, pending the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission, the National Board shall be responsible for (a) making regulations governing procurement to carry out the provisions of this Act; (b)determining the forms of documents for procurement including, but not limited to (i) standard bidding documents; (ii) prequalification documents; (iii) contracts; (iv) evaluation forms….”

The Opposition Leader pointed also to Section 54 (1) of the Act which states that: “The Cabinet shall have the right to review all procurements the value of which

exceeds fifteen million Guyana dollars. The Cabinet shall conduct its review on the basis of a streamlined tender evaluation report to be adopted by the authority mentioned in section 17 (2).

The Cabinet and, upon its establishment, the Public Procurement Commission, shall review annually the Cabinet’s threshold for review of procurements, with the objective of increasing that threshold over time so as to promote the goal of progressively phasing out Cabinet involvement and decentralising the procurement process.”

Jagdeo said, “It is clear that the Cabinet and the PPC must annually review the thresholds, not the minister….there is no Cabinet, it stood resigned after the no-confidence motion as passed…that leaves only the PPC and the Public Procurement Commission has not met on this matter. So Jordan acted illegally.”

The Public Procurement Commission, the Opposition Leader, said must investigate this matter. He added that the PPC and the Police Force will be written to on this issue.

not be complicit in any illegal act

T

he Acting Chief Justice, Roxanne George-Wiltshire, last week (January 31, 2019) ruled on the validity of the no-confidence motion vote and on the actions that should follow.

She said, “I therefore find that Cabinet is not required to resign with all convenient speed, as the resignation under Article 106(6), in my view, takes immediate effect following the defect of the Government in a vote of confidence by a majority of all elected members of the National Assembly. In this case, Cabinet must be taken

STRATEGIC EFFORTS At a prior news conference, he noted that the PPP/C has been working strategically for years on a national project, to ensure a more unified Guyanese society.

In 1999, Jagdeo, as president, had said, “I extend a hand of friendship to those who are in Opposition and invite them to sit with is and iron out differences so that we can have a common cause to serve – a cause in service of our people and nation.”

Starting with changes to the Constitution, between 1999 and 2001, he noted that there were moves to have the political Opposition more involved in at the legislative level – with changes to the composition of the parliamentary committees, with

the Chairmanship rotated between the Opposition and Government; and a hearing system where government ministers can be summoned to the Parliamentary Sectoral Committees, to name a few. “These were carefully crafted to give greater involvement at the legislative level,” he said.

The Opposition’s legislative involvement, he added, extended to the setting up of the Rights Commissions, the Public Procurement Commission and Service Commissions.

“At the level of the judiciary, we moved from just consultation to agreement of the Opposition…but we saw what happened with that,” Jagdeo said, referring to the fact that for over 10 years the Chancellor and

ing pressured into illegalities and also ensure that they are not complicit in any illegal action.

Jagdeo said, “Our accounting officers across the country…all public officers must act in compliance with the Constitution and the ruling of the Chief Justice.”

Having promised an investigation into suspect acts in several ministries, including the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, this is not the first time that the Opposition Leader has urged public servants to be on the side of the law.

APNU+AFC gov’t ministers on the ground because of no-confidence motion vote

T

he no-confidence motion vote has changed the behaviour of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government on the ground, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

During his Thursday (February 7, 2019) news conference, he noted that the ministerial outreaches have expanded and government ministers are now more available to the Guyanese public.

He also acknowledged that several promises are being made

Nagamootoo rapped for his ramblings...

‘Towards greater inclusive governance in Guyana – Building Trust To Achieve Genuine Political Cooperation’, which was made public in 2003.

He explained that the measures detailed in the Paper were cited as “vital” for political development and the “emergence of a new political culture” characterised by greater trust, civility and commitment to the national interest.

Commitment to the national interest, Jagdeo stressed, continues to be a call made by the PPP/C. He noted that with the developing oil and gas sector, he has called for an apolitical approach that would ensure long term growth and sustainability for all Guyanese to prosper.

to have resigned with immediate effect from the evening of December 21, 2018, and all functions or duties provided in any law to be performed specifically by Cabinet must have ceased from that time.”

Given the ruling, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (February 7, 2019) during a press conference, noted that any action taken by the Cabinet after the no-confidence motion vote, on December 21, 2018, would be illegal.

As such he urged public servants to maintain records in the event that they are be-

to various communities and underscored the fact that the timeline of these promises is the end of 2019.

The moves by the government include Minister Raphael Trotman promising a mining school for Region 10 by the end of 2019, while there was a sudden recognition of the importance of the agriculture sector

by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan.

The Opposition Leader noted that it was Jordan who

advanced increased land rentals for famers, imposed Value Added Tax (VAT) on agricultural inputs and increased fees/taxes for the agriculture sector after the Coalition Government took office. In mining, he pointed out that the sector has been hurt by policies of the government and multiple calls for reversals fell of deaf ears.

“Suddenly there is a newfound love for people…it is fake…nothing will change if they stay in power,” Jagdeo said.

that during his first courtesy call to President David Granger, he made it clear that the PPP/C is open to discussions and engagement whenever the APNU+AFC Coalition is ‘done playing politics’.

To date, unfortunately, such an opportunity did not present itself.

in the future….not just in oil and gas, but maybe in a governance setting….this is why I said PPP will work on compact with civil society,” he said.

He explained that the compact with civil society: will seek to solicit the ideas from persons: will make policy promises, which could include constitutional reform, campaign financing reform and policies favourable to private sector growth; and will see the development of a mechanism to ensure that the Executive is held accountable.

He stressed that the PPP/C will always support advances that are pro-poor, pro-wealth creation and inclusive of all. “Any party that wants to be part of that will have a space,” he said.

(From page 10)

Chief Justice of the judiciary could not be substantively appointed because there was no agreement from the then Opposition.

According to him, several moves were made to “build trust” at various levels. “After that (trust has been built) we can contemplate sharing at the Executive level,” the Opposition Leader said.

MORE INCLUSION In April 2018, an affirmative response was given to media queries, by Jagdeo, about the possibility of the PPP/C being open to a discussion on shared governance.

However, he called attention to the fact any discussion could only happen if there is a genuine approach to having one. Jagdeo noted

MOVING FORWARD Jagdeo, last year, had stressed too that there must be involvement of key stakeholders to ensure a truly progressive society.

“I have said that right now there are three groups of people who have constituencies – civil society members who have political view, the PNC and the PPP….the AFC has none…we have to find a model that involves everyone

12

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

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

The Amerindian Act 2006 is an embodiment of policies that cover the protection of the general welfare and rights of Indigenous Peoples. It affirms the declaration of rights of indigenous peoples in specific stipulations that include governance, land rights and preservation, and Amerindian heritage.

Passed a year before the UN-DRIP declaration, Guyana’s 2006 Amerindian Act includes key provisions relating to Amerindian people that are not dissimilar, in most instances, from those outlined in the declaration, and has thus been the legal stronghold for Amerindian development.

TOURISM SUPPORT

In 2012, the Ministry financed eco-tourism projects for 19 Villages, each receiving utmost $1.5M. In 2013, twenty villages will be receiving grants at $1.5M each to the eco-tourism industry in their respective regions.

The initial implementation of the first 27 Community Development Plans (CDPs) funded through the GRIF, 11 % account for projects that are related to ecotourism.

HEALTH

The Amerindian Hostel data on inpatients reflect access to medical services at Georgetown Public Hospital thereby reducing further aggravation of health situations of Hinterland patients and providing better access to quality health services; safe and adequate accommodation for patients and welfare cases help ensure the psychological health and general well-being of those that are affected by sickness and other social issues.

The fact that all villages have a health hut/health centre makes access to primary health care easier in villages and thus improving health conditions of villagers.

Amerindian Residence accommodated a total of 7017 patients with their accompanying relatives up to 2014.

The Residence provides a shelter for those patients who have been referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for medical attention.

Over the years, the purpose of this facility had evolved such that the most significant proportion of persons being accommodated is patients and those accompanying them.

The Residence has also expanded its services to encompass persons in difficult situations including Domestic Violence, Trafficking in Persons, labour issues, discharged prisoners or any other similar situation.

The Maternity waiting room at the Amerindian Hostel was constructed at a cost of $1.2M. The aim of the new facility is in keeping with Government’s commitment to ensure the safety of mothers and their babies and to ensure that every mother and child have access to adequate health care and provided with the best care and treatment.

SOLAR PANEL AND ENERGY ACCESS

A total of 11, 000 solar panels were installed across all the regions. A mini-hydro power plant is about to be constructed in Cheung Mouth River to supply renewable energy to Region 8 villages.

An additional 6000 solar panels are being procured for distribution to additional communities including some riverine communities CORE HOMES/HOME SUBSIDIES

A sum of $107.2M was spent on home improvement and 127 Core home were completed in the hinterlands

GOVERNANCE

Every year since the passing of the Amerindian Act, MoAA hosted the Annual National Toshaos Council Meeting (with an average budget of $50 M) to build capacity on: • Best practices in governance that includes transparency and accountability (audits); • Improved leadership for Toshaos and Village Councils in accordance to the Amerindian Act 2006; • Improved Community Management geared towards a holistic approach in Community Development; • Promoting dialog with government officials for the advancement of Amerindian welfare and total development of Amerindian villages; • Providing an opportunity for All Amerindian elected leaders to be able to have dialogue and exchanges on development priorities which challenges them; and • To provide a platform for the Amerindian Leaders have direct access to Government Ministers to dialogue on development challenges in various sectors and finding solutions ADF-GRIF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANS

A total of 187 Amerindian Villages and Communities were considered for economic projects under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) - Guyana REDD+Investment Fund (GRIF).

Some US$6.3M from GRIF is allotted for said projects under the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF).

Twenty- Seven (27) projects from across all regions have been chosen for the initial implementation of the project which has commenced early part of 2013 with a budget of US$1.8M. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of all the projects are in agriculture with the aim of securing Amerindian livelihoods.

ADF Project Management Unit were up and running to facilitate full implementation of 160 CDPs. CULTURE

The preservation and promotion of Amerindian heritage is germane to Amerindian’s identity. The cultural activities have been the media for Amerindian culture to be accepted and understood by other groups in Guyana, at the same time, an avenue for all Amerindians to celebrate their heritage and embrace their indigenous roots and identity.

By continuing to protect Amerindian culture, Amerindians are able to understand the significance of their dances, languages, practices, local knowledge, cuisine, crafts, songs, and literature to the total development of their villages. The government is cognizant of the fact that culture is one of the pillars of sustainable development, and without it, and then development is not fully achieved.

Some $25M was spent on average annually in for Amerindian Heritage Celebrations to promote traditions, values, literature , dances of Amerindians. Another $6M was spent annually for other cultural activities The Initiatives include: Arawak Revival Language Project launched in Capoey; Support to Cultural Expo (North Pakaraimas) - $5M; and Support to cultural groups of Aisalton ($1.4M) and Santa Rosa ($7M) OTHER INVESTMENTS

• Mining including gold, diamond, various metals, bauxite • Forestry • Agriculture • Information Communication and Technology- 99 hubs were completed by 2014 to accommodate the computers 20 in number to commence the computer literacy training of youths, women and residents including children.

LAND OWNERSHIP

Prior to 1992, 74 communities were titled. Since, then 24 more villages were granted titles, thereby bringing the total of titled villages to 98, seventy-seven of which had been demarcated.

Six (6) titles were to be approved prior to May 2015 and seven (7) extension were investigated and in preparation for approval While Indigenous people in many Countries have right of use of the Land only, in Guyana where the Indigenous People account for approximately 9.7% of the population, Amerindians own land, including the forests resources within their Titled Lands.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT/SUPPORT

The MoAA has launched the Youth Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) aimed to train young Amerindians while employing them at the same time and become powerful partners in development.

Some $200M was spent on YEAP in 2013. Focus was placed on developing 2,000 Community Support Officers (CSOs) participate productively in Education, Health, and Social Welfare, Community Development, Culture, ICT, Infrastructure and small business.

The CSOs received training in various areas, including: • Management of Photovoltaic System • Management of Basic ICT hardware • Governance & Amerindian Act • Youth Voices for Climate Change (Sponsored by the US Embassy/Caribbean Development Bank educate youths on the importance of Climate Change and its impact in the Caribbean) • Business & Sustainable Development • Various aspect of the Community Development Project training The Youth Apprenticeship Programme was aimed at training young Amerindians while employing them at the same time is a medium to empower the young as partners in national development. These youths will be our partners in the implementation of CDPs and other socio-economic activities that are taking place in the villages now. The inclusion of the young in gearing their villages towards progress by letting them participate productively in technical, mechanical, computer, and agricultural activities will definitely enhance the capacity of the villages’ human resources.

AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT

Tractors, farm implements, fertilizers, acoushi ant bait, irrigation systems, and other infrastructures provided for villages every year An average of $50M per year was given in agricultural support for various villages through the years COMMUNICATION

Computer Accessibility through 100 computer hubs commenced in 2013. Some $287.7M was allotted for solar systems for ICT hubs; and 57,000 person-beneficiaries.

As at 2014: 72 of these hubs are completed;9 hubs near completion and the HUBs were constructed into Regions of 1, 7, 8 and 9.

All villages now have radio sets for fast communication, each one costs $500,000 Telecommunication facilities built in Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, Red Hill, Morucca, Aishalton, Annai, Lethem, Ominaik, and Mahdia, thus improving communication in the hinterlands!

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

13

PPP/C presidential candidate leads East Bank Demerara outreach

14

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

PPP/C teams take outreach to New Amsterdam, other locations

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

15

Protestors call for GECOM to comply with Guyana’s Constitution Hundreds of protesters braved the sun, scattered showers and Police barricades on Tuesday (February 5, 2019) to protest against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), demanding that the Commission hold elections within the constitutionally stipulated timeline.

(SEE RELATED REPORTING ON PAGE 19)

16

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

PPP/C presidential candidate hosts successful engagements in New York Scores of Guyanese living in New York had an opportunity to engage the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali, who was part of serval activities as part of an outreach.

17

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

PPP/C will deliver a ‘common development strategy’ that sees all Guyanese involved and benefiting – Ali A message of strength in unity was taken to the diaspora in New York by People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali, who engaged scores of Guyanese during several engagements.

During a radio programme, on ‘Fire Fest Radio’, Ali stressed that moving Guyana forward successfully depends on ensuring the involvement of a broad cross section of the Guyanese people, including the diaspora.

“We believe in staying connected with members of the diaspora,” he said.

The PPP/C presidential candidate said, “Moving forward everyone must get involved…we must look at a common vision, a common development strategy that cuts across the political divide…as we have done in the past, we must ensure that the best interest of all our people is served.”

Ali pointed out that the PPP/C has always stood on the strength on a national platform – something that has not been evidenced as a fundamental principle embraced by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. “Our manifesto must, and will, be reflective of the aspirations

of all our people,” he said.

He decried the current state of affairs and pointed out that on all fronts the Coalition has failed the Guyanese people. Ali pointed to: the depletion of the country’s national reserves; the $463B decline in foreign exchange earnings; the halting of the housing; the scrapping of key social programmes that brought benefits to vulnerable groups; the loss of thousands of jobs, including over 7,000 jobs in the sugar sector with the closure of major sugar estates; the increased cost of doing business in Guyana; and the pressure being put, through new/increased fees and taxes, on the productive sectors as some of the existing challenges.

The PPP/C presidential candidate said, “In the last four years we have had many challenges…a sense of hopelessness has taken over… with what is happening, this is not a time to despair, this is a time to recommit to the fight to ensure that we return Guyana to the path of prosperity.”

PROMISES To this end, Ali detailed some of the PPP/C plans when it takes office after the

next General and Regional Elections, which are expected before the end of March following the fall of the Coalition Government with the passage of the no-confidence motion.

The promises, according to him, will include a move to: • Reverse tax measures that are hurting local productive sectors; • Invest more than US$500 million ($100 billion) in Guyana from year one; • Develop farms and give incentives to rice farmers so that they can expand their production, increase yield and production so that there is more to be exported on the world mar-

ket; • Create 50,000 new jobs over five years; • Create, through the use of ICT, an education platform so that people could access tertiary education via distance learning; • Advance e-governance, e-education, e-health as a means to achieve growth in Guyana; • Launch training programmes, not only in the medical field, but in others so that Guyana can develop the needed skill sets to take the country forward; • Develop a social programme that will benefit all Guyanese, particularly vulnerable groups, which

include an effort to remove Value Added Tax (VAT) from essential services and the improvement of the pension system; • Re-open sugar estates that were closed; • Restore cash grant for children in first month, as well as subsidies on electricity and water in first month; • Expand the housing programme with a focus on not only land ownership, but home ownership; • Craft specific policies and programmes to speak to the problems of people in every region; • Develop a strong crime plan; and

• Complete capital projects that were included in the 2015 manifesto – including the Deep Water Harbour and the Amalia Falls Hydropower project for cheaper energy.

Ali stressed that Guyana made significant strides without oil and gas and while the benefits from the oil and gas sector will bolster development, it cannot be seen as the only avenue for economic progress. He also assured that politicians will adopt an “arms-length” approach in the management of the oil and gas sector.

The PPP/C presidential candidate noted that the Guyanese people have had an opportunity to test the APNU+AFC Coalition against its 2015 manifesto and over the past four years, it is clear that the Coalition has failed to deliver. “Our people are more aware… they are clear on which political party has a better vision and which political party can deliver for all of our people,” he said.

Ali also acknowledged that the Party has made mistakes in the past. “We know where the gaps are…we can and we will improve,” he declared.

Ali’s challenge of SOCU’s actions…

High Court to continue hearings in mid-March T

he magisterial hearing in the matter against former Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali, has been adjourned until April 29, 2019, pending the hearing of a motion in the High Court to stop the matter from proceeding further.

Ali, also the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate, appeared in court on Wednesday (February 6, 2019) and his attorney, Devindra Kissoon, requested that the matter be adjourned, pending the outcome of the hearing at the High Court.

The Chief Magistrate agreed and adjourned the matter until April 29, 2019.

Action in the High Court was filed on January 2, 2019,

by Ali’s attorneys. Justice

Franklin Holder is presiding over the matter in the High Court. The High Court hearings are expected to continue in mid-March 2019.

Ali move to the High Court on the contention that the case, related to the sale of lands at Plantation Sparendaam (Pradoville Two), East Coast Demerara is tantamount to an abuse of the court’s process.

According to the Writ, Ali’s position is that the charges are “irrational, arbitrary, capricious, whimsical, malicious, biased, without any proper evidential basis, made in bad faith, influenced by irrelevant and improper considerations and motives, unreasonable, discriminatory, unlawful, null, void and

of no effect.”

In his application, Ali sought two orders of Certiorari – one quashing the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge him with the offence of Conspiracy to Defraud Contrary to Common Law. The second seeks to quash the oath of SOCU rank Corporal Munilall Persaud he gave at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts in respect to the 19 charges.

He also sought an order to prohibit the chief magistrate or any other Georgetown magistrate from attempting to hear the matter or take any further steps following the Corporal Persaud’s oath.

The Police Commission-

er and Chief Magistrate are represented by the Attorney General Chambers, while Prosecutor Tashanna Lake is representing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack. State Counsel Leslyn Noble is appearing for Police Detective Corporal Persaud.

Ali further sought an interim order preventing the case being heard until the determination of the High Court challenge.

He called too for the High Court to declare that the particulars of the charge do not constitute an offence known to law and contravene Section 144 (4) of the Constitution and that there is not statutory or common law that requires a valuaton prior

to the sale of property.

Ali, further, wants the court to declare that the decision to lay the charges is vague and unconstitutional.

Additionally, he is seeking costs, general damages, exemplary damages, aggravated damages all amounting to not less than $100,000 and whichever other directions the court views as just.

Ali has denied the charges levelled against him

by SOCU. He had said, “I deny selling any lands to any persons.

Moreover, assuming arguendo that the facts as alleged in the Charges are true, which is denied, I have been informed by counsel and verily believe that the particulars as contained therein do not amount

to any offence known to law, which even if proven, are impossible to yield a conviction for the offences charged. “…it is an open and notorious fact that I am being actively considered as a presidential candidate for the People’s Progressive Party…and the respondents’ failure to act swiftly and without delay in prosecuting the Charges has caused and is causing me grave and irreversible damage, prejudicing my eligibility.”

Ali is being represented

by Senior Counsel Neil Boston, Anil Nandlall, among other attorneys while the respondents in the matter are Police Commissioner, Leslie James, Chief Magistrate Ann.

18

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Positions from Freedom House this week (A look at the latest statements made by the People’s Progressive Party)

No delay in constitutionally due General and Regional Elections will be accepted T he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) deems the timelines for General and Regional Elections that were proposed by the Secretariat of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as totally unacceptable, given that these demonstrate a worrying deviation from its mandate, which is to act in compliance with the Constitution of Guyana.

The successful passage of the no-confidence motion, the validity of which has been upheld by both the legislature and the judiciary, at the level of the High Court, triggered General and Regional Elections and dictates that these must be held by March 19, 2019. The PPP will not accept any timelines that are beyond timeframe that is constitutionally stipulated for General and Regional Elections. No delays will be accepted.

The PPP notes that Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, during his meeting with the Chief Whips – as agreed on after the January 9, 2019 meeting between Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, and President David Granger – admitted that he held a meeting of key Secretariat staffers on December 22, 2018 – a day after the December 21, 2018 vote on the no-confidence motion to address a work plan in preparations for General and Regional Elections.

The Party notes too that GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Warde, on December 27, 2018, was quoted by the local media corps as saying that ‘GECOM is well prepared, will uphold its constitutional mandate, and will have to immediately put systems in

place’ for General and Regional Elections.

Since then, it would seem that the continued employment of delay tactics by the Government-nominated Commissioners at GECOM has set the tone for the GECOM Secretariat – solidifying concerns about the Coalition Government’s influence over a constitutional body.

The position of the PPP is that General and Regional Elections can be held in compliance with the Constitution of Guyana.

Additionally, the People’s Progressive Party has taken note of President Granger’s statements, where, on Sunday (February 3, 2019), he said: “According to the Constitution, I remain the President, until the next President is sworn in.” The Party does not dispute this.

However, the President, conveniently it would seem, ignores the ruling of the Chief Justice (ag), who made clear that upon the passage of the no-confidence motion against the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, the Cabinet “stood resigned”. The President, therefore, must act accordingly. The refusal of the Chief Justice (ag) to grant a stay of her decision, on the request of the Attorney General, makes it clear that the 90-day timeline remains in effect and the clock is ticking. The President, although he seems unwilling, must act accordingly to uphold our Constitution.

The PPP wishes to reiterate that after the March 19, 2019 the APNU+AFC Coalition Government becomes illegal, illegitimate and unconstitutional.

19

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

GECOM must comply New house-to-house registration with Constitution – Ali is ‘out of the question’

W

arning that Guyana stands to lose “tremendously”, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate, during Tuesday’s (February 5, 2019) protest outside the main office of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), urged the Commission to comply with the Constitution.

He said, “We are out here because of democracy and to urge respect for our Constitution. There was a no-confidence motion passed. The Parliament and the Courts have made it clear that we must have elections in 90 days.

“As far as we are concerned, GECOM has a responsibility – moral, ethical and in relation to the adherence to the Constitution – to ensure that elections are held

by March 19. What is before the Commission now is to come up with a series of actions, a work plan, which will ensure that the elections are held, in compliance with the Constitution of Guyana.”

Ali added that the PPP/C has already begun addressing the current state of affairs at different levels, via meeting with the diplomatic corps, donor agencies and other

international, as well as local, stakeholders. “These actions will be ramped up to ensure the government complies with our Constitution,” he said.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, also made comments during the protest action. He said, “I think the President and GECOM need to understand how seriously we take this matter. The legislature has spoken. The judiciary has spoken. The President, over the weekend, given the comments he made, seems to believe that none of this matters and therefore we have to show him that we are serious about having him respect our Constitution. Today you see a tiny expression of this and it will grow if the government continues to violate the Constitution.

“I saw the timeline that GECOM gave and that is out of the question. Clearly that timeline can be compressed.

We have seen that activities that they have there, which can be done continuously and simultaneously, to compress the timeline to hold elections within the constitutionally due period.

“I have noticed that the Chief Elections Officer said

that the list (Official List of Electors) is a clean one. He must know, he was worked with the list. There have been no complaints about the list which was used for Local Government Elections. This claim that the list is suddenly flawed is a spurious one.”

He added that the protest actions will continue. “We will continue the protest action as necessary and as long as possible,” Jagdeo stressed.

Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

Meanwhile, clause (7) goes on to state that: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

– PPP General Secretary

T

he proposal made by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, in response to the Coalition Government’s calls for a new house-to-house registration will see delay General and Regional Elections by more than year, according to Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo.

He said, “We made it clear, that is out of the question. He (Lowenfield) presented an option for house to house that will take us into February, March of next year. That is the implication if we go to house to house registration. We are not supporting any action that takes

us past the constitutional deadline.”

Notably, the PPP had recommended that house-tohouse registration be done in 2015, but the Commission refused and pursued two cycles of continuous registration.

Meanwhile, in April 2018, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the largest party in the coalition government, called for house-to-house registration to clean up the voters’ list – one that came mere months before the November 2018 Local Government Elections were due to be held. PNCR General Secretary Amna Ally had suggested that a registration should begin as soon as possible. The PPP,

in a statement in response to Ally, had said it did not support the PNCR’s call for new house-to-house registration, while stating that it preferred to contest the local and general elections with the existing voters’ list.

The last house-to-house registration, in which persons 14 years and older were registered, was conducted in 2008. The voter’ list has since been updated through continuous registration cycles.

As per the Constitution, following a no-confidence motion, General and Regional Elections have to be held within 90 days – meaning before the end of March 2019.

List of Electors ‘clean and valid’ – Lowenfield

M

aking clear that the final decision is up to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, has admitted that the voters’ list is clean and valid up to April 30, 2019.

His comment follows calls by the Coalition Government and the government-nominated Commissioners for new house-to-house registration to allow for a clean list.

However, the Parliamentary Opposition has argued that this would see a delay in the General and Regional Elections that are due by March 19, 2019. The early elections come as a result of the successful passage of the motion of no-confidence against the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, which was filed by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

GECOM is yet to decide on the way forward.

APNU+AFC Coalition gov’t refuses to accept High Court ruling on validity of no-confidence motion – Moves to Appeal Court T he APNU+AFC Coalition Government, on Tuesday (February 5, 2019) moved to Guyana’s Court of Appeal to challenge two of the judgments made by acting Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire, on the validity of the December 21, 2018 no-confidence vote.

In the both cases, under grounds for appeal, the Attorney General, Basil Williams, argues that the Acting Chief Justice’s ruling was “unreasonable and cannot be supported having regard to the evidence” – although the ‘evidence’ in question was not detailed.

He argues too that the Acting Chief Justice “erred and misdirected herself in law when she ruled that the motion of no-confidence upon a division vote

of 33:32 Members of the National Assembly was validly passed as the requisite majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly pursuant to article 106 (6) of the Constitution.”

34-33 ARGUMENT Williams argued that the no-confidence motion needed the support of an “absolute majority” of 34 members to be valid.

The National Assembly has 65 Parliamentarians. In the current configuration, 33 seats are held by the Government and 32 are held by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). On the day of the vote on the motion of no-confidence motion, a Government Parliamentarian, Charandass Persaud,

voted with the PPP/C. He argues that the National Assembly comprises 65 members and that, mathematically, half of all the elected members equals 32.5. Accordingly, he says that the figure should then be rounded to the next whole number, being 33, which would now represent half of the elected members and that the majority thereby being a number greater than half means that ‘1’ ought to have been added to the whole number ‘33’ to calculate an absolute majority of 34.

The Acting Chief Justice ruled that 33 votes was required to pass the no-confidence motion. She accepted that there is a simple and absolute majority contemplated in the Constitution. She

explained that an absolute majority is determined by the number of persons who voted, adding that one side would have one more vote than the other in a House where there are odd numbers of members. She ruled that in odd number houses one side of the House always have a majority, while in an even-number Houses, such as in the case of Kilman in Vanuatu, which the Attorney General relied on, where the formula of 1/2 of the House plus 1, was used. The Acting Chief Justice added too that some of the contentions expressed by the Attorney General are misguided.

VALID VOTE In the case filed by Christopher Ram, an attorney-at-law and chartered

accountant, asked the High Court on January 8, 2019 to validate the passage of the no confidence motion and have Government comply with constitutional provisions to demit office and call elections no later than March of this year.

Ram is asked to High Court to declare that the President and the Cabinet must resign in keeping with article 106 (6) of Guyana’s Constitution.

He also asked the court to declare that the December 21, 2018 vote on the no confidence motion was validly and lawfully passed.

The Chief Justice ruled that the motion was validly and lawfully passed and upon such passage the Cabinet “stood resigned.”

Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

Meanwhile, clause (7) goes on to state that: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

20

Controversial figures part of APNU’s campaign committee launch

I

n what may be an indication that the APNU+AFC Coalition is readying itself for the inevitable – elections before the end of March 2019 – its campaign committee was launched last Friday (February 1, 2019) at the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) headquarters, Congress Place, Sophia.

And at least two con-

troversial figures, involved in multi-million dollar scandals were also present for the campaign launch – Head of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), Richard Van West-Charles and Larry London.

London has been named in the debacle involving the D’Urban Park project, where millions are still unaccounted for.

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

‘There must be something undemocratic’ about the vote on the no-confidence motion – Granger tells his supporters

Van West-Charles has been involved in a questionable fuel importation operation.

Additionally, the Campaign Director is President David Granger. In attendance were Alliance For Change (AFC) reps, as well as members of the other political parties that make up A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

T

Controversial PNCR supporter, Richard Van West-Charles

Larry London, third from left, front row

Nandlall warns that Guyana could be heading towards another form of blacklist

T

he actions of the APNU+AFC Coalition government, following the passage of the no-confidence motion that has been upheld by the legislature and the High Court, has consequences for Guyana on many fronts, according to former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.

And he warns that if the Coalition Government holds on to power beyond the period prescribed in the Constitution international financial agencies will undoubtedly be hesitant in wanting to deal with Guyana.

“No country will want to trade with Guyana; diplomatic missions may withdraw their presence from Guyana and international organizations of which we are part may no longer consider us a valid member or partner….organizations such as CARICOM (the Caribbean Community), the OAS

(Organization of American States) and Commonwealth may become distant….we are heading into an area that will jeopardize Guyana and all of our people in a number of foreseen and unforeseen circumstances,” he said.

According to him, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) cannot shirk from its Constitutional responsibility, given what is at stake. “GECOM is the body constitutionally charged with the responsibility for the holding of elections in Guyana. Election is a statutory process laid out in several pieces of legislation.

The Chief Elections Officer (CEO) is the person appointed by the law at the helm of this statutory machinery.

His role and function is not political but technocratic and legal….a failure to do so (comply with the Constitution and hold elections), is not only an abdication of

that responsibility but is also a flagrant breach of statutory duties,” he said.

He decried the fact that while the Coalition Government “has signaled an intention not to resign” the High Court has already ruled that Cabinet “stood resigned on the passing of the no-confidence motion. However, they are to legally remain in office within 90 days from December, 21.”

Nandlall said, “We are faced with a situation where GECOM is not giving any signal that there will be elections within the prescribed time. The President, who has the responsibility to fix a date for elections, is not giving any signal that he is fixing such a date. So at present, we seem to be careening at a rapid pace into a crisis.”

Guyana, according to him, cannot be allowed to float on “perilous waters.”

he vote on the no-confidence motion was addressed by President David Granger on Sunday (February 3, 2019) at Vreed-enHoop, where the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) commissioned yet another spanking new Party office.

And Granger contends that it is undemocratic. He said, “(The persons who voted for us) 207,000 persons looked forward to five unbroken years of service… it takes over 6,000 persons to elect one Member of Parliament and can you believe that one person, there got to be something undemocratic about that. There got to be something cruel and callous about that. “…They (Guyanese) didn’t elect Bharrat to do the job, they didn’t elect Irfaan to do the job, give us a chance to finish the job, whatever happens…. we have to be allowed to continue our work…never again will the PPP/C be a government.”

While Granger claimed that the manner in which the vote of the no-confidence motion was undemocratic, in

2014 he has different views.

In 2014, Granger’s Party supported the Alliance For Change (AFC) and its move to table a no-confidence motion against the then People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government.

Granger, in August 2014, had said, “It is not feasible that we can continue with the government that does not respect the will of the majority in the National Assembly and is not prepared to abide by the constitution.”

Notably, after dubbing the vote on the no-confidence motion as undemocratic, Granger also admitted that the Coalition Government cannot reverse what happened on December 21, 2018 – the night the vote was taken. He said, “We can’t reverse what happened in the National Assembly on December 21 last year.

The Speaker has spoken, we respect the Speaker. And we have spoken, we have gone to the Court. Whatever happens with the court, we will flow with due process. We are going to the next stage, and the next stage, until we have exhausted, satisfactorily I hope, every element and

aspect of the law.”

In the meantime, with the opening of yet another PNCR office, Granger said “our people are very bitter about December 21” and added that there are several things that must be done.

Granger said, “We must make sure that every person on West Demerara must be registered – man, woman and child, everybody must be registered.

“We are the organization, APNU+AFC, we will support you, we will protect you, we will guarantee your rights – bring more members into our organization, let them know they have a home. “…when they (supporters) go out to campaign, know that we will support them, if they need transportation, if you need PA (public address) system, whatever it is, let them know we will support them. “…we have to mobilize people all over the country, as you are mobilized here today. This mobilization is a demonstration of strength.”

According to Granger, there is much work to be done.

Positions from Freedom House this week (A look at the latest statements made by the People’s Progressive Party)

Acts that polarize Guyanese should be reported

T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) calls on Guyanese to report acts that could incite disaffection in our society, along the lines of race, to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), which has a constitutional duty to investigate and act in such matters.

The Party has noticed,

also, a worrying development where some persons, residing abroad, employ the use of social media to spread disunity and to polarize Guyanese along lines of race. The People’s Progressive Party urges peace-loving Guyanese in the diaspora to report these matters to the relevant authorities. Legal action should

be taken against these individuals.

Such elements should not be allowed to instigate divisions among our people without being held accountable for what can only be described as vile actions.

Guyana remains one country for one people with one common future.

21

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Puruni road has been neglected Imposing fee on sacked sugar workers is for over a year – mining syndicate head unconscionable – GAWU T he operations of mining syndicates in Puruni, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) are being suspend because of nearly impassable roads in the area.

The Public Infrastructure Ministry and, by extension, the Government, has been rapped for the current state of affairs.

The Body’s President Cheryl Williams explained that the road was “neglected” for over one year and that it has deteriorated over the past several months. In some cases, she noted, persons have been injured.

R

edundant workers of the Skeldon Sugar Estate are being charged a fee of $500 to pass through a cultivation dam to catch fish.

The fee is being imposed by the Special Purpose Unit (SPU), which was set up to oversee the privatization of the sugar estates. The SPU is holding out that the jobless men and women will not be given access if they do not have the pass which cost $500. The SPU is also issuing one month passes at a cost of $15,000.

The workers who were made redundant when the estate closed are now facing major difficulties as they look for new employment.

Those who have decided to turn to fishing are now being charged a fee to travel through the cultivation dam to ply their trade. They catch fish and reap wild karela from the savannahs, which is located behind the cultivation area, but is only accessible through the Skeldon Sugar Estate’s dams.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) has condemned the move.

In a statement, the Union said, “The GAWU was extremely upset to learn that former, jobless, sugar workers and others who seek to traverse the Skeldon Estate cultivation are being asked to pay a fee….persons mainly seeking to catch fish or reap wild karela must pay a fee, which in essence, is really taxing them at a time when they are struggling to put food on their tables or to re-sell to make a dollar to possibly send their children to school, or to pay their bills, or meet some other necessity of life.

“For our Union, the additional burden being posed by the fee being demanded can be seen as further rubbing salt in the deep wound occasioned by the loss of a large number of jobs in the area and the befalling of hardships on thousands due to the closure of Skeldon

She said, “The appalling condition of the road affects miners significantly as most miners struggle to transport supplies to keep their operations afloat. Last December, a miner travelling to Puruni was forced to exit his vehicle to walk a portion of the road as the vehicle was wrecked.

During that process, the miner suffered a broken leg and was transported to Bartica and then to Georgetown for medical attention. “…the trucks that going in would charge $300,000 to $1,000,000 to get in when the road is bad and you take four

to five days just to reach Puruni…we are pleading with the Government, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to fix the Puruni road and rid miners of the trials currently faced to accessing mining areas.”

In images released to the media, some trucks were virtually buried in muddy lakes within the roads and had to be pulled out by other trucks.

The Puruni road runs from Itaballi through Papishpou and is said to be the only entrance and exit to various sections of Region Seven.

Estate. The GAWU is concerned that at a time when monies are already hard to come by, the fee being asked will bring to bear even more pressure. From the article, several persons who were interviewed confirmed the challenges they are facing since the Estate closed its gates over a year ago.

“In the meantime, the GAWU has written the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to express our concern and seek that consideration be given to a waiver of the fee in view of the circumstances that plague the people nowa-days. We hope that our request would be favourably considered to bring at least a little reprieve to the suffering that have become a sad characteristic of life in the villages that are linked to the now closed sugar estates.”

The SPU has remained silent on the matter.

Granger must account to the Guyana can ‘ill-afford’ a constitutional people for the actions of his stalemate - FITUG T gov’t – Opposition Leader

P

resident David Granger has been called out, again, by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, for his inaction in allowing a “cabal of corrupt ministers” to “to feed off of the resources of the country at the expense of the masses” – despite the fact that he was made aware of the facts.

“He (Granger) knew about the drug bond. In fact, he put together a committee that endorsed it… he knew of them (acts of corruption).

We brought it to his attention; he did nothing to re-

solve these issues…Granger knew that they received the bonus but when they hid it for over a year, he did not say a word,” said, Jagdeo, adding that there are dozens of other acts of misconduct that Granger was made aware of.

The Opposition Leader said, “Some will say that happened at another level of his government but when we were in office, the President got blamed for anything. If a policeman took a bribe, we took the heat for it.”

He noted the double

standard in treating with the missteps of President Granger. Jagdeo said, “They (critics), under the PPP/C (government), said it got to be Jagdeo or Ramotar or Janet Jagan or Cheddi Jagan. But in this case, it had to be at another level of his government. Granger has nothing to do with it; this is the double standard that we have.”

All considered, the Opposition Leader noted that Granger cannot be allowed a “free pass” since the buck stops with him.

he acting Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, in her rulings last Thursday (January 31, 2019) – relative to the challenges of the validity of passage of the no-confidence motion against the Coalition Government –addressed several weighty issues, according to The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG).

The Union said, “It seems respect for the Constitution, our nation’s supreme legislation, has gone out the window, so to speak.

“The Federation recalls, that President David Granger, in his message in the

APNU/AFC 2015 manifesto, committed: ‘…to bring an end to …constitutional abuse by the President, Cabinet and executive branch of the Government’.

“Today, the very matter the President vowed to bring an end to is distressingly taking place by a Government he leads.”

FITUG made clear that the clock is ticking and the 90-day deadline for elections looms.

The Union said, “It is now incumbent on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), which is duty bound to respect to the Constitution, to inform the pub-

lic of its state of readiness to abide by the constitutional clock. The seeming hemming and hawing by the elections body needs to be brought to an end and elections machinery needs to be kicked into high gear.

“Our country can ill-afford the constitutional stalemate that could very well emerge should the Elections Commission be unable to fulfil its responsibilities. We believe that the Government, rather than procrastinating, should abide by (the) will of the National Assembly which has been buttressed now (with) the Chief Justice’s rulings.”

22

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

High Court ruling on validity of no-confidence motion…

Acting Chief Justice makes clear that stood resigned after no-confidence motion vote (The Mirror Newspaper will be publishing the rulings of the Acting Chief Justice in the cases challenging the no-confidence motion vote over the next few weeks)

T

he ruling of the Acting Chief Justice, Roxanne George-Wiltshire in the case filed

by Christopher Ram, an attorney-at-law and chartered accountant, asked the High Court on January 8, 2019 to validate the passage of the no confidence motion and have Government comply with constitutional provisions to demit office and call elections no later than March of this year, is as follows: I’ll now proceed to the decision in Applicant 29 of 2019, Ram and the Attorney General and the Leader of the Opposition.

The Applicant filed a fixed date application on January the 8th, 2019, for the following declarations: • That on December 21st, 2018, the National Assembly of Guyana properly, validly and lawfully passed a motion on a vote of no confidence provided for by Article 106(6) of the Constitution in which the Government was defeated; • That the passage of the no confidence motion requires the resignation of the Cabinet, incluresignding the President, with all convenient speed; • That in accordance with Article 106 Sub-Article 7 of the Constitution the Government constituted and comprised of the thirty-three (33) elected members of the National Assembly coming from the coalition between a Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC), elected at the national and regional elections in 2015, shall remain in office until the President... until after the President takes the oath of office following elections to be held within ninety days of December the 21st, 2018, unless the National Assembly extends this time in accordance with Article 106(7).

• That the passage of the no confidence motion requires that that the national and regional elections in Guyana be held no later than March the 21st, 2019, that date being the 90th day from the... December 21st, 2019.

The question whether the no confidence motion was validly passed has been extensively addressed in the matters I’ve just read, Reid and the Speaker of the National Assembly et al and the Attorney General and the Speaker of the National Assembly et al, with the issue of what constitutes a majority of all elected members of the National Assembly being examined and decided upon or the questions were answered in the latter. This Court, having found in those matters that the no confidence motion was validly passed by a majority of thirty-three to thirty-two (33:32), finds it unnecessary to repeat the discussion of the issues arising from the first declaration requested above. However, for completeness, the reasoning in those judgments on the issues may be included in the perfected judgment of this one.

Also, Mr. Ramkarran for the Applicant, on being invited by this Court to consider that the declaration sought at (c) and (d) cannot be granted as worded, sought the Court’s indulgence to amend these reliefs by some addition and subtraction. In doing so, Mr. Ramkarran acknowledged that the declarations cannot be granted as stated.

The submissions of the Applicant clearly indicate that the claim in (c) – excuse me – that the Government referred to in Article 106(7) refers to the thirty-three (33) governmental members of the National Assembly was abandoned. The Applicant argued that the President and the Ministers who constitute Cabinet must resign their functions in Cabinet but retain their

offices until elections are held. This issue will be addressed in considering the declarations sought at (b).

The declaration requested at paragraph (c) also serves to highlight that the question of whether elections must be held no later than the 90th day from December 21st, 2018, that day being March 21st, 2019, is subject to an extension permitted in the Constitution in accordance with the provisions of Article 106(7). Since the National Assembly may, by resolution supported by at least two-thirds of all elected members of the Assembly, extend that timeline it would be inappropriate for this Court to make such a declaration as requested in (d) above. In any event, the amended declarations would mean that those sought at (c) and (d) would be the same and would simply amount to declaring that which the Constitution already clearly states.

In summary, for the reasons given above, the issues raised in (a), (c) and (d) above are no longer in dispute before this Court. As such, the primary issue left for determination in this application is the effect of the val... of the valid passing of a no confidence motion.

More specifically, does the passing of the no confidence motion require the resignation of the Cabinet, including the President, with all convenient speed?

The Applicant submits that Section 39 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act, Chapter 2:01, provides that where no time is prescribed or allowed in a written law within which anything shall be done, such thing shall be done with all convenient speed. The first question to be answered here, therefore, is whether no time has been prescribed or allowed for the resignation of the Cabinet, including the President... I’ll repeat that. The first question to be answered here, therefore, is whether no time has been prescribed or allowed for the resignation of the Cabinet, including the President, following the passing of a no confidence motion.

Article 106(7) provides that, notwithstanding it’s defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, unless this time is enlarged by a resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.

Whilst... While there is a timeline provided in this pa... for in this paragraph, the Applicant submits that the timeline is in reference to the offices of the President and the Ministers and not to Cabinet.

The Applicant submits that the President and the Ministers who comprise the Cabinet under the provisions of Article 106 are to resign their roles in Cabinet and that Cabinet therefore ceases to perform its functions.

The President and the Ministers, according to the Applicant, remain in office much like a caretaker body, like the Government of the United States of America between elections in November and the swearing in of a new President in January.

In terms of how this resignation is to be effected, the Applicant submits that it is to be done in accordance with Article 229 of the Constitution, which provides in paragraph 1 that anyone... that any person who’s appointed or elected to or otherwise selected for any office established by this Constitution may resign from that office and, save as otherwise provided by Articles 156(1), 157 and 178(1),

shall do so in writing under his or her hand addressed to the person or authority by whom he or she was appointed elected or selected.

The Applicant therefore submits that the Prime Minister and Ministers are to address their resignation from Cabinet to the President who appoints them under Article 106(1), while the President is to address his resignation to the Speaker. The Applicant highlights that he is only arguing that it is Cabinet and its functions as defined by the Constitution which come to an end, while the President and the Ministers remain as the President and as Ministers.

The submissions of the Applicant required an analysis of the provisions in the Constitution concerning the President and the Ministers of Government. In particular, they require an investigation into what, if any, distinction exists between the Cabinet and the Government under Article 106 and how exactly is the resignation of the persons constituting these bodies effected.

The Office of the President of Guyana is established by Article 89, which provides that the President shall be the Head of State, the supreme executive authority and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Republic. Article 111(1) provides that, in the exercise of his or her functions under the Constitution, the President shall act in accordance with his or her own deliberate judgment except in cases where, by this Constitution or by any other law, he or she is required to act in accordance with the advice or on the recommendation of any person or authority.

Article 92 provides that the President continues in office until the person elected to the Office of President in an election assumes office unless, as provided for in Article 178, he dies, resigns by writing under his or her hand addressed to the Speaker, or ceases to hold it by virtue of Article 92, 179 or 180. In respect of the resignation of the President, Article 229 acknowledges that this resignation is otherwise provided for in Article 178(1).

The Office of the Prime Minister and other ministerial offices are established by Article 100. Article 101(1) provides that the President shall appoint an elected member of the National Assembly who is eligible to be elected as President, to be Prime Minister, while Article 103(2) provides that the Vice President and other Ministers shall be appointed by the President from among persons who are elected members of the National Assembly or are qualified to be elected as such members.

The Prime Minister is the principal assistant of the President in the discharge of his or her executive functions and leader of Government business in the National Assembly as provided for in Article 101(2). The Ministers may be assigned responsibility for any business of the government of Guyana including the administration of any department of government as provided in Article 107. Resignation of a Minister is provided for in Article 183(3)(a), which indicates that he or she may resign by writing under his or her hand addressed to the President.

The Cabinet is established by Article 106(1), and consists of the President, the Prime Minister, the Vice President and other such Ministers as may be appointed to it by the President. Article 106(2) provides that Cabinet shall aid and advise the President of the general direction and control of the Government of Guyana and shall be collectively responsible, therefore, to Parliament.

There is nothing in Article 106 or other-

wise that suggest that new offices are created in the formation of Cabinet. The President is part of Cabinet by virtue of being elected to the Office of President. The Prime Minister and the Vice Presidents are Members of Cabinet by virtue of the ministerial offices to which they have been appointed by the President. The other Ministers, though appointed to Cabinet by the President, are so appointed in their ministerial offices, to which they were separately appointed by the President.

Cabinet does not appear, therefore, to create any new offices in the Government, but simply forms a subset of the government offices to carry out the functions identified in the Constitution and in other laws. Mr. Nandlall so submitted. Article 106(4) makes it clear that Cabinet may act notwithstanding any vacancy or absence of Members. Article 106(5) provides that a Minister who has not been appointed to Cabinet may be invited to Cabinet by the person presiding at a meeting, not necessarily the President or even the Prime Minister, yet that person may participate fully in the proceedings as if he or she were a member. This serves to emphasise the fact that there are no offices in Cabinet per se. Instead, it is a collection of Ministers with the Government who are brought together to carry out particular duties as the Cabinet.

As in the cases above, there is no submission before this Court that the President and the Ministers are to resign their offices upon the passage of a no confidence motion. The Applicant clearly states in his written submissions that, quote, “Nothing suggests that the President or the Ministers resign as President or Ministers.

They simply cannot be part of Cabinet which cannot perform its functions once the Government is defeated on a vote of confidence.”

End quote.

Article 229, therefore, does not appear to assist the Applicant, since it provides for persons to “resign from that office”. If the President and Ministers simply cease to function as Cabinet, but continue in the offices to which they were appointed, Article 229 does not address the resignation as a Cabinet.

The provisions in relation to the resignation of the President, in Article 178(1)(b), and of the Ministers in Article 183(3)(a), also speak to resignation from those offices and not of a particular function or role or the membership of Cabinet. The question remains, therefore, as to the effect of Article 106(6). In order to determine this it might be helpful to consider the exact words of both paragraphs 6 and 7 of Article 106, which state: (6) “The Cabinet, including the President, shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

(7) “Notwithstanding it’s defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

Article 106(6) provides that the Cabinet shall resign, while Article 106(7), which is connected to Article 106(6) by the phrase ‘Notwithstanding its defeat’, provides that the government shall remain in office, shall hold elec(Turn to page 23)

23

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Acting Chief Justice makes clear... tions within three months and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the next election. It is clear, then, that the result of the Government being defeated on a vote of confidence by a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly is twofold; firstly, the Cabinet must resign and, secondly, that the Government must resign. The issue is how are these resignations effected?

After reviewing Article 106(6) and (7), and hearing the initial submissions, I requested the parties, through their Counsel, to make further submissions on whether, if the Government is defeated by a majority of all elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence, the resignation of Cabinet takes immediate effect. The first Respondent made written submissions which were... which were elaborated on in his oral arguments while the Applicant and the second Respondent both made oral submissions.

Mr. Ramkarran submitted that, on the question being raised and on reviewing the article in question, he adopted the view that the resignation of Cabinet does take immediate effect, contrary to his initial claim that the Cabinet should resign with all convenient speed. In support of this, Counsel relied on the word ‘if’ in Article 106(6), submitting that this creates a condition which, once obtained, results in the consequence taking effect. A parallel was drawn with such situations in contract and estate law of summing... of something coming into effect upon the fulfilment of a condition.

Mr. Nandlall also sought to adopt the view that the resignation of the Cabinet takes immediate effect upon the passage of the no confidence motion. Counsel also submitted that in the event any letter of resignation or similar act is called for, this should be done with all convenient speed. He maintained, though, that this does not mean that if such an act is not done the resignation does not take effect. Counsel for the Applicant, in his reply, also said if some act should be done it should be done promptly, and pointed to Article 229 once more for the form that act should take.

The first Respondent, on the other hand, answered the question in the negative, instead contending that the resignation of Cabinet is concurrent with the resignation of the Government. The first Respondent submitted that the timeframe for the resignation of both the Cabinet and government is provided for in Article 106(7), which provides for this to be done after the President takes the oath of office following elections, which are to be held within three months unless extended by the National Assembly.

The first Respondent argued that any interpretation of Cabinet resigning before that time will result in chaos. In this regard, it was claimed that, without a Cabinet, there will be no coordination between the various Ministers of Government. It was argued that the specific identification of the President in Article 106(6) means that, upon the resignation of Cabinet, the President must also resign his office. It was submitted that this would be an absurdity created by the inconsistency between paragraph 6 and 7 of Article 106. It was asserted that the word ‘notwithstanding’ in Article 106(7) addresses this inconsistency by making Article 106(6) subject to Article 106(7). This would result in fulfilling the purpose of Article 106(1) and (2), which is that once there is a Government there must be a Cabinet and that once there is a Parliament there must be a Cabinet.

In relation the Applicant’s submissions, this Court accepts that once the condition of the Government being defeated by a no confidence motion has been met the consequence must take effect, that is, Cabinet must resign.

This Court is not convinced, however, that the use of the word ‘if’ ipso facto means that this must take immediate effect. The examples given in relation to a promise of money on marriage and the taking of a benefit under a

Will on the death of a testator are not helpful.

The use of the word ‘if’, therefore, does not conclusively indicate that the resignation of Cabinet takes immediate effect upon the passage of a no confidence motion.

On the other hand, the submissions of the first Respondent that Cabinet and the Government must be taken together, as there must be a Cabinet to control and direct the Government, cannot be sustained. Each Member of the Cabinet holds a specific office with roles and functions separate and apart from the function of Cabinet in Article 106(2). Article 106, itself, distinguishes clearly between the Cabinet and the Government.

Article 106(1) it can be... in Article 106(1) it can be seen Cabinet is a subset of the Government as not all Ministers may be a Member of Cabinet.

In Article 106(2) the Cabinet is said to, quote, “...aid and advise the President in the general direction and control of the Government of Guyana.”

End quote.

This latter paragraph indicates that, though the Cabinet aids and advises the President in the direction and control of Government, this does not mean that the President cannot act and does not direct and control the Government in the absence of the Cabinet. What it means is that if Cabinet resigns, any requirements for the Cabinet to act collectively, in any law, cannot be fulfilled. There will, therefore, be no resultant chaos as the first Respondent contended.

In relation to the use of the word ‘notwithstanding’, the case of C and J Clark Limited and I.R.C., cited by the Attorney General, does not assist as it does not discuss the word ‘notwithstanding’ in any way. Instead the Court examined the phrase ‘subject to’ and found that these words only have an effect in the case of conflicting or clashing provisions. Further, the Court found that: “Where there is no clash the phrase does nothing. If there is collision the phrase shows what is to prevail.”

Here the subject... or I should say the case at Bar the words ‘subject to’ are not used and the first Respondent has never failed to identify what specifically is the inconsistency between Article 106(6) and Article 106(7).

In the opinion of this Court, the word ‘notwithstanding’ only serves to clarify that though a defeat of the Government on a no confidence motion results in the resignation of Cabinet, the President and Ministers remain in their individual offices after that resignation and until the next President is sworn in. When read together, as the first Defendant recognises there must be, this ensures the continuity of Government that all parties agree on as being necessary.

The first Respondent also seems... seemed to equate the resignation of the government and/or the Cabinet under Article 106 with the dissolution of Parliament under Article 70. It is evident from Article 106(7) that the resignation of Cabinet does not result in the dissolution of Parliament. Parliament consists of the President and the National Assembly as provided for in Article 51. Both the President and the National Assembly, which may extend the time for elections, are clearly still in existence following the resignation of the Cabinet.

It is also clear that the Government, consisting of the President and the Ministers, remain in office until the next President is sworn in. This is so even though, as the first Respondent submitted, Parliament must be dissolved prior to the elections. Therefore, the dissolution of Parliament does not affect the offices of the Government and the resignation of the Cabinet does not affect the existence of Parliament. Hence, the submissions of the first Respondent in this regard cannot be accepted.

These submissions also fail to provide any support for the position of the first Respondent

that the passage of a no confidence motion does not result in the immediate resignation of Cabinet.

In Article 106(6), the Constitution provides that the Cabinet shall resign, while Article 106(7), which is connected to this paragraph... is connected to this paragraph by the phrase ‘Notwithstanding his defeat’. This provides that the Government shall remain in office, shall hold elections within three months and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the next election. It is clear then that the result of the Government being defeated on a vote of confidence by a majority of all elected members of the National Assembly is twofold: The Cabinet must resign and the Government must resign.

In Attorney General of Grenada and the Grenada Bar Association, Chief Justice Byron, as he then was, said at paragraph 6 that, quote, “The interpretation of every word or phrase of a Constitution provision is derived from the intention of the framers of the Constitution in regard to the meaning that word or phrase should bear. That intention is an inference drawn from the primary meaning of the word and phrase with such modifications as may be necessary to make it concordant with the context of the Constitution. In this regard the context of the Constitution comprises every other word and phrase used in the Constitution as a whole, all the implications there from and all relevant surrounding circumstances which may properly be used as indications of the intention of the framers of the Constitution.”

In examining the surrounding words of Article 106(6) and Article 106(7), the resignation of Government in Article 106(7) is said to occur after the President takes the oath of office following the election. When one looks at Article 178(1)(c), however, it is seen that the Office of the President shall become vacant if the person holding it ceases to hold it by virtue of, inter alia, Article 92, which provides that the President continues in office until the person elected to the Office of the President in the election assumes office. Likewise, Article 183(3)(c) provides that the office of any Minister shall become vacant on the election of any person to the Office of President pursuant to Article 177, by which Article a President is elected following an election. Neither in Article 178(1)(c) nor in Article 183(3)(c) is there a formal resignation by the President or a Minister which is provided for in Article 178(1)(b) and Article 183(3)(b) as the persons holding those offices automatically vacate them upon the election of a President.

In order for Article 106(7) to make sense, therefore, it must be interpreted to mean that the Government shall vacate their offices after the President takes the oath of office following an election. This would be consistent with Articles 178(1)(c) and 183(3)(b), as indicated above. No formal resignation by the President and the Ministers would, therefore, be necessary under Article 106(7) as the election of the next President would cause their resignation to take immediate effect.

If the interpretation of these provisions is to be derived from the intention of the framers as to the meaning of each word or phrase... as to the meaning each word or phrase is to bear, as said by Chief Justice Byron, Article 106(6), which was drafted and inserted together with Article 106(7) by Section 7... by Section 5 of the Constitution (Amendment) Act, No. 17 of 2000, must be interpreted similarly. That is, the words ‘shall resign’ must be interpreted as ‘shall vacate’ upon the occurrence of a particular event. While in the case of the Government in Article 106(7) that event is the election of the President, in the case of Cabinet... Let me read that over. While in the case of the Government in Article 106(7) that event is the election of the President, in the case of Cabinet in Article 106(6) that event is the defeat of the Government on a vote of confidence by a

(From page 22)

majority of all elected members of the National Assembly. Also, as in the case that the Government in Article 106(7), such resignation would require no formal act on the part of Cabinet... on the part of Cabinet but will take immediate effect upon the occurrence of the event.

I therefore find that Cabinet is not required to resign with all convenient speed, as the resignation under Article 106(6), in my view, takes immediate effect following the defect of the Government in a vote of confidence by a majority of all elected members of the National Assembly. In this case, Cabinet must be taken to have resigned with immediate effect from the evening of December 21, 2018, and all functions or duties provided in any law to be performed specifically by Cabinet must have ceased from that time.

The President and the Ministers shall nevertheless continue to perform their functions and duties of their offices, excluding those functions and duties that are expertly... explicitly the purview of the collective body identified as Cabinet, until the next President takes the oath of office following election.

Therefore, my conclusions are as follows: • The declaration sought at paragraph (a), that on December the 21st, 2018, the National Assembly of Guyana properly, validly and lawfully passed a motion on a vote of no confidence provided for by Article 106 (6) of the Constitution in which the govern... in which the Government was defeated is granted.

• The declarations at paragraph (c) and (d) cannot be granted as framed in the application. In any event, they both speak to a clear provision in Article 106 (6) of the Constitution that if there is a defeat of the Government on a no confidence motion the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determined and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.

• The declaration sought at (b), I’ve concluded, cannot be granted as framed in the application because an interpretation of Article 106(7) – excuse me – does not lend itself to permitting Cabinet to resign with all convenient speed on the occurrence of a successful no confidence motion.

In my view, the provision requires the resignation of the cab... that the resignation of the Cabinet takes immediate effect on the success of a no confidence motion.

I have just sent for my Rules of Court because as I was reading this I know Mr. Ramkarran had requested certain amendments. He didn’t request an amendment to this prayer of the fixed date application. The... I’m looking at Part 804 of the fixed date application and Part 804 (5) tends to suggest that the Court considers what is asked for in the application and if it can’t be granted the Court just does not grant it, as distinct from amending the application. So that is why I’ve concluded that some of the prayers for relief as asked for cannot be granted because of how they have been framed.

Just to say by way of conclusion that this case, though raising similar issues as those in Reid and the A.G. of Guyana, that is, Applications 19 and 22, they have brought to the fore another important constitutional issue for judicial interpretation.

This augurs well for our democracy and I want to thank all Counsels for their assistance.

So judgment accordingly, with no orders as to cost.

24

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Debt to GDP ratio increases

Private Sector concerned about statements that could public debt to lead Guyana ‘into a situation TheGrosstotalDomestic Product (GDP) recorded another increase, from 45.7 per cent of grave instability’ in 2016 to 46.2 per cent in

T

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) has said that it is increasingly concerned at the statements, which have followed the decision of the High Court to uphold the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly, that are being made by the APNU+AFC Coalition government.

Specific reference was a statement released by the Coalition Government, after the Acting Chief Justice handed down the ruling in the matter in the High Court last Thursday (January 31, 2019). The Government had said that “until the matter is concluded at the highest court of appeal the status quo remains and the business of government continues as usual”.

The PSC, on Monday (February 4, 2019), said, “The statement issued by the government’s Department of Public Information clearly and, it appears, with deliberate intent, flies in the face of the decision of the Chief Justice. The ‘status quo’, meaning that nothing has changed, simply does not remain and the business of government does not continue “as usual”.

There have since been similar misleading statements made by senior members of

the governing party which add to the Commission’s concern.

“We must underline the fact that, when the Attorney General sought a Conservatory Order from the Chief Justice to preserve the “status quo ante”, his application was rejected by the Chief Justice. Clearly, therefore, in the view of the Commission, her ruling remains in place unless successfully appealed in a superior court. The Commission, as a consequence, expects the President and his government to respect and honour the decision of the Chief Justice and to proceed to have elections held no later than March 21st as required by Article 106(7) of the Constitution.

“The Commission wishes to remind that the Chief Justice in her decision upheld Articles 106(6) and 106(7) of the Constitution that the government, while remaining in office with the President in place, does so without a functioning Cabinet which the Chief Justice deemed to have resigned since 21st December, 2018.”

The PSC also endorsed the comments by United Nations Resident Representative, Mikiko Tanaka, with

regard to the ruling of the Chief Justice, calling upon our government to “demonstrate its integrity and respect of Guyana’s Constitution and the Judiciary that constitutes the foundations of the rule of law and good governance.”

Additionally, the statement by the Delegation of the European Union in Guyana calling on “all concerned parties and stakeholders to uphold the Constitution” was also welcomed. According to the PSC, the Delegation made clear that it “looks forward to free and fair elections being held as appropriate and in line with all Constitutional provisions”.

“The Private Sector Commission speaks not only for the business community with hundreds of billions invested in the development of our economy and the employment of some 60% of our workforce. In this case, we believe that we speak for the majority of the nation when we express our concern over public statements which deny the express ruling of the Chief Justice; statements which could lead our country into a situation of grave instability and an illegal government resulting,” the PSC stressed.

APNU+AFC Coalition recklessly hurling Guyana towards constitutional crisis Dear Editor,

S

ince the successful No-Confidence Motion on December 21, 2018, Guyana was given 90 days within which the government was obligated to resign, dissolve parliament and schedule general and regional elections. The constitution is unambiguous and clearly outline the requirements in Article 106 (6) and 106 (7). While constitutions can sometimes be confusing, this Article is not confusing and this Article does not need lawyers and judges for interpretation. Ordinary citizens who can read know the meaning. Even citizens who cannot read know the meaning once it is read to them. Yet David Granger and APNU+AFC have chosen to deliberately ignore the constitution and the law, ignore parliament and the majority of MPs, ignore the High Court and the Chief Justice, ignore the pleas of citizens and civil society, ignore investors and businesses, and deliberately, knowingly,

unconscionably hurl Guyana towards a constitutional crisis.

This is how dictators behave. This is how power-hungry people behave. This is how bullies behave. This is how people who do not care for the welfare of their country and their sisters and brothers behave. President Granger and APNU+AFC are proving to all they are comfortable as dictators, totally in comfort zone as power-hungry people, bullies who simply do not care for their country or their people. All that matters is to hold on to power, at all cost. Granger is leader of the pack. But complicit in this recklessness and travesty is Nagamootoo who exults in his title as Prime Minister. Equally complicit are others who claim they are champions for the people, who claim they are patriots, who claim they stand with the working class. But all that Harmon, Volda, Trotman, Williams, Amna, Greenidge, Ramjattan, Cathy Hughes, Patterson, Bulkan and all the others represent are dictators and

2017.

In general, the debt-toGDP ratio is used to determine the health of an economy, in comparisons with

other economic indicators, such as GDP growth itself.

The total external public debt to GDP ratio was 34.3 per cent at the end of 2017 – an increase from 33.2 per cent in 2016. The rate of debt accumulation grew faster than nominal GDP – debt growing by seven per cent,

while GDP only grew by three per cent.

Final numbers on Guyana’s public debt for 2018 are still to be presented by the Finance Minister, since Budget 2019 – which would also include these numbers – was presented early and final year figures are not yet available.

Total public debt steadily increasing since 2015

A

t the end of December 2017, Guyana’s total public debt was a massive $334.9B – an increase from 2016 by $14.3B. Of the $334.5B, $256.2B was external debt, while $88.6B was domestic debt.

In 2015, Guyana’s total public debt was $317B. This is according to the Public Debt Annual Report of 2017, recently released by the Finance Ministry and presented to the National Assembly.

Notably, Guyana’s public external debt stock also saw an increase – from US$1.162B in 2016 to US$1.24B in 2017. Of the 2017 public external

debt stock, Guyana owed monies to the: Caribbean Development Bank (CDB): the Inter-American Development Bank; the International Fund for Agricultural Development; and others.

Additionally, Guyana’s public domestic debt stood at some $88B at the end of 2017.

The country’s total public domestic debt servicing has been on the rise. When the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) left office, debt servicing at the end of 2014, stood at $1.58B. Under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government that number has been steadily increasing:

bullies, power-hungry people who care not one iota for the Guyanese people.

By March 21, when the 90 days expire, Guyana has no government. Everything that Granger and APNU+AFC do will be illegal.

The Chief Justice confirmed the cabinet was resigned by the no-confidence motion on December 21st, but there is no provision in the constitution to recognize a President or a "caretaker" government, after the 90 days.

We will be in "la la" land, with an illegal government. All money spent by the "government" will be illegal expenditures. All contracts will be illegal, all agreements will be illegal, all appointments will be illegal. As of February 2, 43 of the 90 days have elapsed.

There are 47 more days, which will expire on March 21st.

The only way to prevent an expiration is for parliament to meet and pass a resolution agreeing to an extension, but that will require a mature, responsible approach where the Granger-led APNU+AFC and the Bharat Jagdeo-led PPP/C meet immediately to make such an agreement and pass that resolution with a two-thirds majority. Bharat Jagdeo and the PPP have expressed a willingness to meet to finalize arrangements for elections.

Granger and APNU+AFC seem to think they can simply carry on. The difference is that Bharat Jagdeo and the PPP are deeply rooted in freedom and democracy and act within those constraints. Granger and APNU+AFC come from deep within the belly of dictatorship, authoritarianism and bullyism.

With direct leadership from Granger, APNU+AFC has tried and continue to try all means to delay and prevent the inevitable.

They wanted their own Speaker to reverse a

2015 - $1.75B; 2016 $1.92B; and 2017 - $2.25B. Total public debt (the public domestic debt and the public external debt) servicing amounted to $14.8B in 2017 – an increase from $13B in 2016.

Total debt service-to-revenue ratio increase from 7.2 per cent in 2016 to 7.6 per cent in 2017.

Meanwhile, final numbers on Guyana’s public debt for 2018 are still to be presented by the Finance Minister, since Budget 2019 – which would also include these numbers – was presented early and final year figures are not yet available.

valid decision. He refused and they expended 13 valuable days. They went to court and another 28 days have elapsed. The court refused.

They now will go to the Appeals Court and then to the Caribbean Courts of Appeal (CCJ).

By the time the Guyana Courts of Appeal is likely to address the matter, the 90 days will be about to expire. Granger and APNU+AFC are carrying on as if it is business as usual, behaving as if their approach to the court can suspend the countdown. But the Chief Justice has unequivocally told them the constitution began the countdown since December 21st.

The President unequivocally stated just a few days ago, addressing the national media and, therefore, addressing the nation, that if the judiciary says YES, it is YES, if the judiciary says NO, it is NO. Well the judiciary has said YES the parliament validly passed the No-Confidence Motion on December 21st. The Judiciary has said YES, MP Charandass validly cast a vote on December 21st. Judiciary said YES 33 is the majority of 65. The Judiciary says YES, the Cabinet was resigned on December 21st. The Judiciary says YES, the elections must be held within 90days,

by March 21st 2019. Will David Granger now be an honorable man and stand on his word and the law? Will he live up to the DNA of his party and act as a dictator, act as a bully, as the head of a power-hungry group? Will he ignore the cries of his country, the wailing of his people? Will he allow Guyana at this pivotal moment to regress into dictatorship?

Sincerely, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

25

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

APNU+AFC gov’t forcing fictions on the Guyanese people

A

fter three years since taking office, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, published a list of 231 so called ‘achievements’ in May 2018.

However, a close look at the list, revealed Government’s desperation in trying to find ‘successes’. For example, the Government claimed “lower electricity rates” as an achievement, but listed this one point at least two times in the list of 231. A second example shows that the

1. FICTION: Four Budgets in three years FACT: All four budgets introduced policies that negatively impacted working class Guyanese and the productive sectors. Over 200 new taxes and fees were introduced. Others were increased astronomically.

4. FICTION: Youth skills training provided through BIT, HEYS FACT: The BIT is a PPP/C initiative. HEYS was introduced by the APNU+AFC Government, then the decision was made to scrap it.

Notably, HEYS had replaced the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP), which was an initiative under the former PPP/C government. When the Coalition Government took power, the 1972 Amerindian community service officers who were part of the YEAP programme were fired.

7. FICTION: Created over 5000 jobs FACT: Since May 2015, over 25,000 Guyanese have lost their jobs. Government’s claim of creating over 5,000 jobs has been challenged. To date, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has not responded and has not said where these 5,000 jobs were created.

10. FICTION: State Assets Recovery Unit set up FACT: SARA did not legally exist until May 2018.

The State Assets Recovery Act was only assented to by President David Granger on May 4, 2018 – over one year after it was passed in the National Assembly by a government majority, despite objections voiced by the Parliamentary Opposition.

As such, queries have been raised about SARA’s operations prior to Granger’s move to assent to the SARA Act – specifically as it relates to how monies were allocated to the State Assets Recovery Agency for the year 2018 Budget to acquire an office at Lot 56 Main and New Market Streets, SARA letterhead, staff, etc., prior to that date (May 4, 2018), when the agency did not legally exist?”

APNU+AFC Coalition claimed the work of private companies as their own success, when it listed “4G internet” in its list of 231. The work to bring better internet services to the Guyanese people was done by the private telecommunications companies.

This week, the Mirror, by simply looking at 30 of the Government’s claims, will expose the FICTIONS peddled by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government and will detail the actual facts.

2. FICTION: $50,000 Christmas Bonus in 2015 and $25,000 Christmas Bonus in 2016 FACT: No attention has been given to increasing the salaries of public servants – teachers, policemen, nurses, etc. since the APNU+AFC Government took office. The two bonuses were one-off payments for only two years.

5. FICTION: Sugar industry right-sized fo5r self sufficiency through diversification FACT: There have been no efforts in the direction of diversification. While government said it has “right-sized” the sugar industry, all it did was close down major sugar estates – leaving thousands of sugar workers on the breadline – in the worst mass firing in Guyana’s history.

3. FICTION: Training opportunities for GuySuCo workers FACT: No substantive support has been given to the 7000+ sugar workers who were fired by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. Government’s unwillingness to support the sacked sugar workers has been evidence in the fact that the government broke the law and did not pay the workers their full severance. It was seen again when Government refused to say if was informing the sacked sugar workers that millions were available under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme, which is supposed to provide financial support for entrepreneurial ventures and create income-generating opportunities, etc.

6. FICTION: Reduce the sugar industry dependence on the national coffers

FACT: There has been no move in this direction, not even the start of a feasibility study to assess such a plan.

FACT: The sugar industry’s dependence on the national coffers has not been reduced. In fact the national treasury is exposed with the borrowing of $30B, via bonds issued at 4.75 per cent, since the borrowing has been backed by a government-guarantee.

11. FICTION: Special organized Crime Unit operational

9. FICTION: Lower Electricity rates

FACT: Three years of being operations under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, not a single case against money launderers has been advanced. SOCU has only been involved in cases filed against former government officials, one of which has already been thrown out of the courts. Also, in the case SOCU brought against GBTI, the expert witness fielded by the Unit was also rejected by courts, which ruled that the ‘expert’ was in fact ‘no expert’.

SOCU has been involved in a number of controversial operations. These include the high-profile car chase of the wife of a People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), which resulted in the death of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Robert Pyle and his wife Stacy, along with another civilian in a smash-up on Carifesta Avenue in December 2015 – an incident that remains the subject of many unanswered questions.

The Unit’s establishment was part of Guyana's international obligations to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework and was intended to support the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The mandate of the SOCU, as acknowledged in the protocols, is to address investigations, detection and preparation of criminal investigative reports and case files for prosecutions of financial crimes, including money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Little to nothing has been done by SOCU, under the current APNU+AFC Government, which fits the reason for SOCU’s establishment.

FACT: Electricity rates were subject to Value Added Tax (VAT) in 2017, meaning that electricity costs were increased, not lowered.

8. FICTION: Plans to bridge Essequibo River

12. FICTION: Outstanding court settlement paid FACT: Court settlements have been subject to intense questioning, as it relates to the how these settlements were reached. The last big court settlement related to the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) matter. The sum owed by DDL, according to the GRA assessment, was $5.392B from 2001 to 2006. The settlement saw DDL paying only $1.5B and also writes off all possible liabilities in respect of Excise Tax up to March 9, 2016. Since then, Banks DIH has filed a case against the Coalition government, saying that DDL was given special treatment. In the meantime, several questions asked about the DDL settlement remain unanswered. The questions asked include: Was an assessment of DDL’s liabilities in respect of Excise Tax for the period 2006 to 2016 done and what was the sum of that liability?; Who negotiated the settlement?; Is it legal? Was the settlement approved by Cabinet or the Board of the GRA?; On what principles was the sum of $1.5B arrive at? And How many other deals have been concluded or are being negotiated?

26

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

Ramjattan ignores conflict of interest concerns, says he is prepared to re-hire Sittlington C

onflict of interest concerns, as well as the action of the British High Commission in Guyana, have seemingly had no sway Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan.

On Monday (February 4, 2019), Ramjattan expressed an interest in Sam Sittlington hired by the Guyana Government to continue the work he began in 2016 at the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).

Sittlington – the Advisor to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) – was been fired last week after his local business interests were exposed on Thursday (January 31, 2019 – business interests that were advanced months ago.

Sittlington’s company, the Fraud Company (Guyana) Inc was incorporated under the Companies Act of Guyana on September 25, 2018. Sittlington is listed as the Director, while the Secretary is Orisa Branche.

The company is authorised to issue one million shares at $1 each. Sittlington and Branche signed consent forms to act in the respective positions on August 26, 2018.

Sittlington, on LinkedIn profile, said his company “facilitates my role as an advisor, developing strategy, best practice and delivering bespoke training programs such as: Fraud Investigation, Fraud Risk Management, Bribery & Corruption, An-

ti-money laundering, Financial Investigation, Asset Management and Terrorist Financing to a global audience.”

The United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn, on Thursday (January 31, 2019) afternoon said, “In light of information about Dr Sam Sittlington’s private business interests his contract in Guyana has been terminated with immediate effect.”

Sittlington was hired by the British government and was assigned to SOCU in an advisory and training capacity at SOCU. His current contract was renewed on January 2018 and runs until March 2020.

Concerns about conflict

of interest with Sittlington working with SOCU, in light of the services his company offers, have been raised.

However, Ramjattan insists that the Sittlington can still find a place with SOCU. He said, “There is nothing we can do, except now, probably seek to contract him as the Government of Guyana because I was very impressed with his capacities there and guiding that unit and training them to know how to identify these money laundering issues and white collar crimes and a whole lot of other things….he is an exceptionally bright person in relation to that [money laundering and white collar crimes]

and I at a personal level would have wanted him to continue but of course that will depend on the president and people above me.

I would like to have him there, even for a further couple of months.”

Additionally, Sittlington, has been seen accompanying SOCU agents at a number of raids for documents and has been involved in cases filed against several former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) officials.

In 2017, the PPP/C argued that Sittlington may have exceeded his official remit and trespassed into operational matters at SOCU. Notably, in March 2017, British High Commission-

er denied that staff from the British High Commission were with a Government Minister at a café in Georgetown a day after the arrests and detention of top People’s Progressive Party (PPP) officials. However, days after Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, confessed to a different story, when he said, “The fact (is) that I had some wine with Sam on Wednesday evening at Oasis was because I wanted to thank him for the great work he did at SOCU.” PPP General Secretary and Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, had called for an investigation into the Sittlington’s functioning at SOCU.

Fruit vendor busted with illegal drugs Reward of $1M offered for information on threats made to A students of School of the Nations

P

arents of students attached to School of the Nations are offering a $1M reward to anyone with information which may lead to the arrest of the perpetrators who have issued threats to the students of the school.

The announcement was made via a letter handed over to media operatives as those parents gathered opposite the Public Security Ministry, on Brickdam Street, Georgetown, to protest for the fast tracking of the on-

going investigation into the recent terrorist activities.

According to the parents, they will only feel safe when the perpetrators in this crime are caught and prosecuted.

Meanwhile, the Police Force has said that it is investigating shooting and bomb threats issued by an unknown individual on social media who goes by the name ‘Nations Troll’.

The threats were also made to the students of The

Bishops High School and Queen’s College, last Friday (February 1, 2019).

“Those matters are also being investigated by the Guyana Police Force which wishes to assure members of the public that it is committed to ensuring safety and security of all students, teachers, administrators and parents of the aforementioned schools and all other private and Government schools,” the Force said in a statement.

37-year-old fruit vendor was busted on Tuesday (February 5, 2019) with 13 pounds of cannabis by police.

Fitzroy Gibson of Lot 3233 North Ruimveldt,

Georgetown, was arrested by police ranks who acted on information. They reportedly swooped down at the house and conducted a search during which the discovery was made.

Reports are that several parcels of the illegal drugs was found hidden in a microwave, while another set was discovered buried in the backyard.

Suspected bandit shot after trying to disarm police rank

A

suspected bandit was shot early Wednesday (February 6, 2019) morning after he attempted to disarm a Police rank who was arresting him.

The suspect, a Charlestown, Georgetown resident was admitted, under Police guard, as a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Reports are that the suspect along with an accomplice attempted to rob the Mandela Avenue, Georgetown house of Michelle Shurland at around 03:00 hours. However, the woman after hearing her dogs barking, saw the men fleeing her yard while her back door was left opened.

As such, she immediately

alerted the Police who gave chase to the two suspects.

When the ranks caught up with men, one of them tried to disarm one of the ranks of his service weapon, but was shot once in the right thigh. The other perpetrator however managed to escape the scene.

An investigation is currently in progress.

Police investigating ‘bow and arrow’ murder

P

olice are investigating the murder of Orlando Joseph, 26, a farmer of Koriabo Village, Barima, North West District, which occurred on Wednesday (February 6, 2019) in the said village, allegedly by a

male resident, who is being sought.

According to a Police, an initial investigation has revealed that about 15:30 hours, Joseph and the suspect had a misunderstanding and the suspect armed him-

self with a bow and arrow and shot Joseph in the upper region of his body.

Joseph was taken to the Mabaruma Public Hospital where he was treated and admitted but succumbed to his injury about 23:00 hours.

27

WEEKEND MIRROR 9-10 FEBRUARY, 2019

UG Turkeyen Campus closed after bomb threats T

wo days of bomb threats led to the closure of the University of Guyana (UG) Turkeyen Campus. Classes were suspended on Tuesday (February 5, 2019) and a second threat on Wednesday (February 6, 2019) led to the closure of the Campus.

It is expected that classes will resume as per normal on Monday (February 11, 2019).

The University in a statement said, “All members of the University of Guyana (UG) and all members of the public are advised that the Turkeyen campus will be closed to the public, students and non-essential emergency University personnel for the remainder of this week to enable a thorough assessment of the situation following a bomb threat for the second day in succession.”

It added that ranks of the

Police Force and Fire Service conducted a thorough search of the campus on Wednesday (February 6, 2019) afternoon.

“No explosive of any kind or suspicious object was found during this search. The closure of the campus will enable the Administration, staff and Student Leaders to review the situation and enhance preventive and responsive measures for such threats”, the release said.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force said, “Following the recent events where schools and the university of Guyana were receiving bomb threats, the Guyana Police Force wishes to indicate clearly to the general public and specifically to students, teachers, parents/guardians of the schools , the university and its auxiliaries that from our investigations there is no

significant threat our investigations have revealed so far that students either by themselves or with other persons decided to be mischievous and endeavour to disrupt the existing peace and calm in society and specifically in the education sectors.

“It should be noted that the Guyana Police Force through the Commissioner of Police and other dedicated Officers, has taken all the necessary actions to date as a responsible organization should, in relation to the current situation.

“To this end the Commissioner, the Deputy Crime Chief and a team of Officers last evening met with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith as well as the Deputy Vice Chancellor, and other Senior Functionaries

including the Public Relations Officer Ms. Paulette Paul, where the situation was assessed and they were advised that the situation arose from mischievous students, either by themselves or other persons; therefore there is no need for panic or any undue concern.

“However, the Police Force continues to investigate and the arrest and detention of persons is very much imminent. Any further development would be similarly communicated; as a reminder the situation is one that is purely domestic in origin as was previously mentioned.”

The Force has urged persons to desist from so disrupting the school sector and by extension the calm in society, lest they face arrest and criminal charges.

Vehicles go in flames in two Bandit accidentally shot by accomplice during armed robbery separate incidents A I n two separate incidents, two vehicles went up in flames on Wednesday (February 6, 2019) morning at High Street and Sheriff Street, Georgetown respectively.

Reports are the first fire occurred at High Street and Brickdam where passers-by saw a man stopping his vehicle and thick smoke which emanated from the bonnet transformed into an uncontrollable fire. The vehicle, bearing registration number PJJ 5656, was badly damaged. The driver could not say what may have caused the fire. He could only said that he was at the Stabroek Market and noticed smoke rapidly escaping from the car. The

bandit is now nursing a gunshot wound at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre after he was accidentally shot by his accomplice following an armed robbery.

The suspect has been identified as a 22-year-old man South Ruimveldt, Gardens.

The armed robbery occurred around 16:35 hours in the vicinity of Mandela Avenue and Plaza Bridge

Guyana Fire Service was subsequently called, and the situation was brought under control. No one was injured.

Minutes later at Sheriff Street, Georgetown, a similar scenario unfolded when a minibus contracted to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) erupted into flames. According to information received, the minibus was crossing David Street, heading in

the direction of the Rupert Craig Highway when the driver, Tameshwar Mullin, noticed smoke coming from under his seat. After parking and exiting the vehicle, he lifted the seat and saw the flames. Efforts to save the minibus proved futile, but fire-fighters from the Guyana Fire Service arrived shortly after and doused the fire.

Investigations are ongoing.

on Wednesday (February 6, 2019).

Reports are that, the suspects attacked Steve Monroe, 22, at a Superbet outlet and demanded that he hand over a gold chain he was wearing at the time. When he refused, one of the perpetrators snatched the chain and the two men attempted to escape. However, public spirited persons reportedly

gave chase.

During the chase, one of the bandits discharged a round in the direction of the persons chasing him, but his accomplice was struck.

The injured man collapsed, while his partner in crime jumped onto a white XR motorcycle and fled the scene.

Investigations are ongoing.

APNU+AFC gov’t spending Over 2,000 candidates being considered as PPP/C millions on ads…. readies its elections lists Jagdeo questions what deliverables

H

aving invited Guyanese to indicate an interest in being part of its candidates’ lists, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, disclosed that over 2,000 names have been submitted for consideration.

Jagdeo noted that the lists are being readied with the expectation that General and Regional Elections will be held before the end of March 2019, following the successful passage of the no-confidence motion, in compliance

with the provisions of the Constitution.

In accordance with the electoral system of Proportional Representation, in order to qualify for a seat in the National Assembly, contesting parties must contest a minimum of six (6) of the Geographical Constituencies — totaling at least 13 seats — for eligibility to contest and submit Geographical Constituencies Lists and National Top-up Lists.

This arrangement will provide for qualified con-

testing parties to submit, on Nomination Day, two separate Lists of Candidates.

Any political party can contest the election of members of any of the 10 Regional Democratic Councils. For this purpose, a List of Candidates must be submitted on Nomination Day. Jagdeo stated that work is ongoing to compile all three lists – the national Top Up Lists, the Geographical Constituencies List and the Regional List.

ExxonMobil announces latest oil discoveries

O

il giant, ExxonMobil, on Wednesday (February 6, 2019) announced its eleventh and twelfth discoveries offshore Guyana at the Tilapia-1 and Haimara-1 wells. The finds increase the estimate of the discovered recoverable resource for the Stabroek Block to more than 5 billion oil-equivalent barrels.

Tilapia-1 is the fourth discovery in the Turbot area that includes the Turbot, Longtail and Pluma finds. The Tilapia-1 encountered approximately 305 feet (93 meters) of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoir and was drilled to a depth of 18,786 feet (5,726 meters) in 5,850 feet (1,783 meters) of water. The well is situated approximately 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometers) west of the Longtail-1 well.

The Haimara-1 well found approximately 207 feet (63 meters) of high-quality, gas-condensate bearing sandstone reservoir. The well was drilled to a depth of 18,289 feet (5,575 meters) in 4,590 feet (1,399 meters) of water. The Haimara-1 well is situated approximately 19 miles (31 kilometers) east of

Guyanese benefited from

T

he APNU+AFC Coalition Government, over the past few weeks, has been publishing ads in most all of the daily newspapers – at a cost of over $1M per week – to boast about massive expenditures in various sectors.

And Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has questioned what deliverable Guyanese benefited from with the spending of billions. “They are saying they spent billions in different sectors…$150B in health…$3B in water and so on, but what did Guyanese benefit from with all this spending? How much of it

was spent on corrupt contracts?” he questioned.

He added, “They are boasting about how much money they spent, not how effectively they spent it.”

Jagdeo charged that at the end of the day, the Coalition Government will be judged on what it was able to deliver to the Guyanese people and how many of the promises made in the lead up to the 2015 General and Regional Elections were actually kept.

The Opposition Leader noted that the results of the 2018 Local Government

Elections already sent a clear signal.

Nationally, results show the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has almost doubled the margin of votes between our Party and APNU and AFC combined – moving from about 24,000 at the 2016 Local Government Elections to over 45,000 at this year’s Local Government Elections. The difference of votes between the PPP/C and the AFC was a whopping 113,000 votes.

Between the PPP/C and the APNU, the difference of votes was over 50,000.

Months later….

Guyanese still unclear on plans to utilize $30B bond T

the Pluma-1 discovery and is a potential new area for development.

The Noble Tom Madden drillship will next drill the Yellowtail-1 well, approximately six miles (10 kilometers) west of Tilapia-1 in the Turbot zone. The second drillship, the Stena Carron, will next return to the Longtail discovery to complete a well test.

The other 10 discoveries to date include: 1. Liza 2. Liza deep 3. Payara 4. Snoek 5. Turbot 6. Ranger 7. Pacora 8. Longtail – 1 9. Hammerhead

10. Pluma-1 The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres) and located approximately 120 miles (193 kilometres) offshore Guyana. Local operator ExxonMobil’s affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) is operator of the Stabroek Block, holding a 45 percent interest, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30 percent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 percent interest.

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

he move by government to borrow $30B continues to be criticized, more so because Guyanese people are still no clearer on what the plan is for utilization of the monies.

Last year, the Government through the National Industrial Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Special Purposes Unit (SPU) acquired the $30B bond.

In the latter part of June 2018, a leaked document - ‘The Private Placement Memorandum’ – details the arrangements of the $30B fixed rate bond.

The document shows that NICIL plans to sell off assets of GuySuCo, including land, to help pay off the $30B, plus interest, that it has bor-

rowed. The document shows that NICIL expects to start selling of GuySuCo lands in 2018 and expects to collect $14B in 2018 and another $22B in 2019. “The cash generated from operations appears sufficient to service the coupon and repayment of the principal for the bond facility,” the document said on page 14.

Notably, before now it was unclear if the $30B was a bond or a loan. The document makes clear that it is a bond.

The document also explains that the move to issue the Bonds, at a 4.75 per cent interest rate, is a five-year agreement. Interest is payable semi-annually, starting October 2018. The Bonds

will mature in April 2023.

Also, the bonds have been issued “free and clear” of all corporate taxes. It has also been issued 355 basis points above one-year Bank of Guyana Treasury Bills.

Additionally, the bonds have been secured by a government guarantee.

The 17-page document said the $30B bond facility is being arranged by Republic Bank, raising questions as to the amount of fees that are being paid to the bank.

Republic Bank has since halted disbursements of the bond monies over concerns related to spending mismanagement. It is unclear if these concerns were addressed and how much more monies were disbursed, if any.

GRA collects billions more in 2018 than budgeted for T

he boast of billions in tax collection was questioned by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who underscored the increased hardships that Guyanese have been faced with over the past three and a half years.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has collected in excess of $198 billion in tax revenue for the

year 2018.

GRA Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia, announced that the total sum collected was $198.7 billion, which is $27 billion more than the $171.1 billion collected in 2017.

It was also higher than the $181.8 billion in collections that was projected in the 2018 national budget.

The total collections in-

cluded $88.5 billion from Internal Revenue, $22.1 billion from Customs Duties, and $87.9 billion from Value-Added and Excise taxes.

Value-Added Tax (VAT) revenue, which was $42.5 billion in 2017, increased to $48.1 billion based on an additional $3 billion+ in earnings from VAT on imported goods and $2 billion+ on domestic goods.

PUBLISHED BY NEW GUYANA Co. Ltd., 8 Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana. Tel: 226-2473, 226-5875 Fax: 226-2472