Weekend Mirror 19-20 May, 2018

“F” grade for APNU/AFC after 3 years – Jagdeo 19-20 May, 2018 / Vol. 10 No. 22 / Price: $100

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

► Govt gets “flying colours” for corruption and scandals ► 25,000 jobs lost ► $56 billion more in taxes ► Incompetence and ineptitude PAGE 2 PPP General Secretary addressing party members in Mabaruma during the party’s annual district conference last week

SEE INSIDE

Kick backs – the order of the day PAGE 4

How PAGE 3 unjust and discriminatory our society has become New Demerara River Bridge project ‘totally corrupt’ PAGE 3

Govt lacks PAGE 8 of framework for oil and gas sector – Jagdeo

The national debt will ruin us PAGE 11

Govt has not idea of how to arrest the decline – Jagdeo PAGE 2

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

“F” grade for APNU/AFC after 3 years – Jagdeo T

he political opposition has given the APNU/AFC an “F” grade for its performance since it took office three years ago.

Party General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, Jagdeo, at a news conference last week, said the Government has earned a fail grade in areas of job creation, crime reduction, tax regime and economic development.

He said the Government has only achieved flying colours in the area of corruption because of several scandals and procurement breaches which have been flagged in the Auditor General’s report.

The Opposition Leader charged that since the APNU+AFC Coalition Government took office some 25,000 jobs were lost, with: almost 2,000 young Amerindians being fired from their posi-

- Govt gets “flying colours” for corruption and scandals - 25,000 jobs lost - $56 billion more in taxes - Incompetence and ineptitude tions as Community Support Officers (CSOs); over 7,000 fired from the sugar sector; and hundreds lost in the retail and trade sectors and from the operations of Barama, among others. “People are losing jobs because of this government’s incompetence and ineptitude,” he said, adding that $56B more in taxes are being raked in from the Guyanese people this year.

He pointed out too that the numbers of sums that were allegedly lost because of corruption and procurement

Cabinet must approve court matters before they are settled - AG Williams

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ttorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams SC, has rejected accusations by the Opposition leader that this Administration is receiving “kick-backs” from cases settled out-of-court or lost.

Commenting today on the allegations, the Attorney General said “there is no one who would take kick-backs, not in our government.”

AG Williams made it clear that before matters are settled they must be taken to Cabinet for approval, noting that the Coalition Administration has an accountable and transparent system.

He further noted that the matters are dealt with first by the minister, who has responsibility for the issue, before it is taken to the Cabinet.

The AG questioned, “How is it a kick back? To who? To all the members

from the Minister of Communities and his team, the Attorney General Chambers and his team, the whole Cabinet?”

Leader of the Opposition, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo during a press conference last week questioned if the Government is deliberately losing millions of dollars in matters before the court for financial benefit.

According to Williams the statement is not only false but libelous. “He is directly saying that I took kick-backs…if he said that, he has libeled me and if he is libeling me, he has no immunity.”

Williams when asked why the cases were settled out-of-court rather than fought to the end, described many of them were “incurable”. He further explained that if a case is not argued at a lower court, it cannot be taken to the Court of Appeal or the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

fraud keeps changing. “They keep making up numbers… ask him to check on what is happening now; it is a free for all,” Jagdeo said, adding that SARA continues to act on complaints about the actions of the current Government.

“Just look at Basil Williams you will get the picture and Phagwal- oh, what’s her name? [Nicolette] Henry,” Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo said as he graded the Government’s competency.

Analysing the annual performance of the APNU+AFC

coalition has become a pastime for the former president who, for the third consecutive year, gave the governing administration an ‘F’ grade for its overall effort in managing the country.

Jagdeo, at a news conference at his Church Street Office, said the Government has earned a fail grade in areas of job creation, crime reduction, tax regime and economic development.

He said the Government has only achieved flying colours in the area of corruption

because of several scandals and procurement breaches which have been flagged in the Auditor General’s report.

Earlier this month, the Government’s Department of Public Information issued a newsletter detailing over 200 achievements to mark the coalition’s third anniversary in government.

But Jagdeo discredited most of the listed achievements, saying that many of the achievements are simply routine responsibilities of the Government such as hosting

conferences.

In some cases, Jagdeo said the listed achievements are simply misleading like boasting about a reduction in Value Added Tax and making progress in Amerindian Land Titling.

But President David Granger told reporters earlier in the day that he is satisfied with the performance of his Government.

“Sometimes commentators tend to underestimate the difficulties we face in terms of our finance and international relations and crime and security but I think that sober analysts will see that we’ve made tremendous progress,” President Granger stated.

The Head of State said in the fullness of time, his Government will be able to deliver to the good life promised to Guyanese.

Govt has not idea of how to arrest the decline – Jagdeo P

PP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, has slammed government claim of ‘continued economic growth’. On the contrary, he said that as an achievement in a review of its three years in office. “The economy is on the decline and this government has no idea how to arrest that decline.

They have not outlined a plan for the future. They do not have a plan to stimulate job creation and investment flow,” he said, adding that the growth in the productive sectors have either declined or remained stagnant.

The performance of major sectors according to final 2017 figures, which were revised in February 2018, show that: the agriculture sector only grew by 0.4% (projected to grow by 5.2%); the sugar sector contracted by 25.2% (projected to grow by 13.7%); other crops sector only grew by 2.4% (projected to grow by 4.4%); and that the mining and quarrying sector contracted by 8.8% (projected to grow by 0.7%).

“The economy is in bad shape,” Jagdeo said, adding that the numbers of production by small miners evidence the negative impact of government policies on productive sector.

Small miners produced over 63,000 ounces less than they were expected to produce.

IMF REVIEW The Opposition Leader pointed out that the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) May 9, 2018 Concluding Statement, following its consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, make clear, albeit in “coded” language the dire state of affairs.

The IMF statement said, “The mission supports the authorities’ prudence towards private external borrowing. The authorities were encouraged to rely to the extent possible on Development Banks, including non-concessional financing, and to follow-up on their plans to develop the domes-

tic bond market. The mission stressed the importance of settling government balances at the Bank of Guyana (BoG), which will be achieved by the issuance of Treasury Bills.” Underscoring the latter point, Jagdeo said that the heavy borrowing from the Bank of Guyana is a clear point of concern. Notably, gold and other reserves at the Bank of Guyana have recorded a decline, according to the latest report from the Bank.

The IMF statement also said that the Fund “cautioned that scaling up public investment without addressing remaining shortcomings could undermine its effectiveness. The mission also recommended moderating spending increases and the consideration of an expenditure review which could provide opportunities for safety net reform and more effective action on inclusive growth.” Jagdeo stated that the Parliamentary Opposition had raised this concern with the IMF – that national budgets are increasing in

size, but are not delivering growth or improving the welfare of Guyanese people. He added that it is possible to reduce government expenditure or reallocate monies in the 2018 budget, without increasing the overall deficit, and ensure that there is economic growth and welfare improvement.

Other comments made by the IMF, according to him, stresses the need for more to be done to address the local state of affairs.

Initially, Government had projected that Guyana’s economy would have grown by a 3.8 per cent growth rate for 2017. This projection was reduced to 3.1 per cent. It was then revised downwards again to 2.9 per cent. The actual performance, 2.1 per cent, was recently disclosed. The Opposition Leader noted that the actual growth rate for 2017 impacts on the calculation of macro-economic variables, used to plan for the future – all of which will now have to be recalculated.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

My View

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he recent charges made against Dr. Ashni Singh and Mr. Winston Brassington have once more demonstrated that our country is deteriorating very fast. Not just the economy, but the growing fear and the obvious injustice that has come to characterize this PNC led APNU+AFC regime. It was the latest act of blatant racism on the part of this regime. The charges against these two gentlemen relate to 3 parcels of land at Turkeyen/Liliendaal. The first charge is related to the sale to National Hardware Limited (NHL) of app 100 acres of land South of the Railway Embankment road (built by the PPP Government) behind the Caricom Headquarters and Convention Center. The second relates to 4.5 acres of land, sold to Scady (a company owned by the majority shareholder of RUSAL located South of the Railway Embankment road.

The third relates to the sale of 10 acres of land north of the Railway Embankment road to Movietown.

In 2012, I released a report titled “Privatisation in Tables: Phase II (1993 to 2011)”,

How unjust and discriminatory our society has become

By Donald Ramotar Former President

produced by Winston Brassington. This comprehensive report covered all three of these transactions and hundreds more.

The land north of the Railway Embankment road was originally sold by the PNC Government. This case has its origins in 1977. At that time, the PNC regime acquired seventy acres of land owned by the James family and the Jainarinesingh family. It was taken over without any compensation. In addition to the seventy acres there was another thirty acre plot of land owned by the state. The land was never developed.

In the late 1980s, the PNC government, led by Desmond Hoyte, sold the land to Toolsie Persaud Limited (TPL) for one million, seven hundred thousand dollars ($1.7M). TPL paid a small down payment and no more.

The James and Jainarinesingh families challenged the sale. Toolsie Persaud took the matter all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice.

During these actions, the government changed in October 1992. The PPP/C

government joined the two families and pursued this case vigorously. Eventually it won the case. On that basis it began to set-up developmental projects in the area.

Part of that land was earmarked to build a state of the art Specialty Hospital. That project was identified to provide world class service to treat all major illnesses. The Guyanese population would have benefitted greatly in the first place. No one would have had to travel abroad for treatment of illnesses that they now do. The ordinary working people would have had medical services at international standards made affordable to them. It was intended to provide these services to the Guyanese Diaspora and to the people of the region. A new form of tourism was envisaged to have emerged. Unfortunately, this project was one of the first that the APNU+AFC regime jettisoned.

I will now address the 3 parcels of land that Singh and Brassington are charged with.

First the 100 acres of land sold to NHL for close to $600 M. This land was advertised widely with over 17 persons purchasing tender packages. The tenders were opened in the presence of someone from the Auditor

General’s office. The matter was approved by Cabinet.

The developer was sold the plot of land for some five million dollars ($5M) per acre. This was what the market produced. All costs to develop the land were that of the developer.

That second plot of land totaling some 4.5 acres was sold to the main shareholder of RUSAL at a premium price of almost $25 M per acre. This land sale was negotiated but represented the highest price paid for any piece of land sold south of the Railway Embankment.

The buyer again would need to put in the infrastructure at his/her cost. At the time of the sale, the sale price was considered extremely high and was above comparable pricing for similar land at the time. This sale was again approved by Cabinet.

The third plot of land totaling 10 acres, located north of the Railway Embankment road, immediately north of a line of squatters, next to the site earmarked for the Specialty Hospital, was sold to a company from Trinidad and Tobago to develop a complex similar to what it did in Trinidad and Tobago, Movie Town. The land was sold for close to twenty million dollars ($20M) per acre. Again this land sale was approved

by Cabinet. Today the company is spending close to US$40 M to develop the land and to add to our stock of assets. Hundreds of jobs would be created there too.

One can see how different the land prices are under the PPP as compared to the PNC. These were only parts of the lands that the PNC regime sold to Toolsie Persaud Limited for the pittance of one million, seven hundred thousand dollars. Just look at the difference. On a per acre basis, the PPP/C sold the land at over 100 times the price sold to TPL. It is like comparing cheese and chalk.

A comparison with the performance of the Hoyte led PNC regime which sold some one hundred acres to TPL for one million, seven hundred thousand dollars ($1.7M) and got a meager down payment of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), to NICIL getting as high as thirty million dollars ($30M) per acre and lowest of five million ($5M) per acre will confirm the whole unjust and discriminatory nature of this latest version of the PNC regime.

In 2015 the PPP/C office and the PNC led APNU+AFC took charge. The change was fortuitous for Toolsie Persaud Limited.

Using a technicality TPL

once more, went to the Courts in Guyana, that was after they lost at the Caribbean Court of Justice. Low and behold the judge ruled that TPL should be paid almost two billion dollars ($1.7B) as compensation. Moreover, he ordered that interests be paid to TPL. This must be a record amount awarded to anyone for similar cases. The whole sordid event has given rise to all kinds of speculation as to what happened here. Some think it was incompetence on the part of the Attorney-General’s office. Others believe that it could have been deliberate to give poor representation. The suggestion here is corruption and kickbacks were the motives.

However, what is clear is that the excuse to charge and handcuff Singh and Brassington and put them on exorbitant bail, have been excessively harsh. Many believe that it is political vendetta and racism that have characterized this regime’s dealings.

Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington both gave sterling service to this country. They should have been considered for national awards instead of being attacked viciously by a military-style dictatorship. The mask is off!

New Demerara River Bridge project ‘totally corrupt’

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he next phase of the new Demerara River Bridge is expected to commence, once the evaluation of bids is completed by the end of this month. On November 21 2017, a total of 11 companies submitted bids. After the evaluation of the tenders the Ministry of Public Infrastructure has said that three companies will be shortlisted to bid for the project.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, commenting on the project at a news conference held at his Church Street office, said, “It is a totally corrupt project.”

Jagdeo had made clear that once the PPP/C returns to office, it cannot be expected to honour any corrupt dealings. “Anything to do with underhand dealings with the Demerara harbour bridge…we are not obligated to honour agreements that are corrupt,” he said.

The government sole-sourced a Dutch consultancy company, LievenseCSO, conduct a feasibility study for the new Demerara River crossing. LievenseCSO had not expressed interest in the job, while 22 other companies had bid for the project. The entire process remains in question, according to the political Opposition.

Government has said that it expects the project to be be completed by 2020.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

EDITORIAL

Kick backs – the Lincoln Lewis either genuinely order of the day confused or is attempting to the skew T he country’s Attorney General, Basil Williams, made it clear last week that the cabinet discussed and approved the tens of billions paid out during the last three years as out-of-court settlements to various private sector entities.

The AG was responding to widespread belief that these transactions involved “kickbacks” to government officials as many of the players have been known to have contributed to the campaign financing of the APNU/AFC coalition.

Many persons in legal circles, including former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, have opined that these cases were “winnable” had the present government employed resources capable of doing the job.

Williams, in usual fashion, blames the previous government and Nandlall. It has already being pointed out in the media that the manner in which the settlements were made creates grounds for suspicion.

Willians’ position needs to be examined. Is he saying that since cabinet approved these out-of-court settlements, then there is no room for “kickbacks”? That cabinet is saintly? That the cabinet can be trusted?

This is like asking the cat to look after the milk.

Williams is obviously totally oblivious to the image that cabinet has carved out for itself in the minds of Guyanese.

Cabinet is not held in great esteem. It was this cabinet, just days after being formed, approved hefty salary hikes for cabinet ministers. It was this same cabinet that refused to fulfill campaign promises to give workers higher salaries.

This is the cabinet that dished out some $200 million without regard to any tender procedures for so-called forensic audits to known friends of the coalition. This is the cabinet that still cannot give the population a proper account of how it spent some $2 billion on the D’Urban Park project.

This is the cabinet that approved the drug bond deal that would see Guyanese pay hundreds of millions of dollars to a supporter of the coalition. The deal was done outside of tender procedures and laws.

This is the same cabinet that knows of and does nothing about the sneaky manner in which the US$18 million signing bonus was handled.

This is the same cabinet that has sold out our patrimony to the US oil companies by allowing huge profits to be taken out of the country from the oil business.

There are many more examples that could be cited to show that this cabinet has no respect for the laws of Guyana and treats the public purse as its private property. How then can it be argued that because cabinet had a say in the matter that there is no room for kickbacks.

Most Guyanese believe that because of this situation, kickbacks are the order of the day.

Only recently a ship with illegal fuel was seized. The owners, who have connections to government officials, simply paid the necessary taxes and sailed away. No one was charged. What are Guyanese to believe? No kickbacks?

This kind of behavior is sinking the country. The people’s interests are thrown out the window. The country is on a downward slide and despite criticisms that “government corruption” is on the rise, there seems to be no end in sight.

facts and reality about SOCU

Dear Editor,

L

incoln Lewis’ comments on the work of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) are markedly interesting, given that he wants to talk up the need to ensure good governance and accountability while he remained silent when the Secretariat of the Integrity Commission was disbanded by this APNU-AFC Coalition Government. He has said nothing about the fact that not one of the current Coalition Ministers has submitted a declaration to the Integrity Commission since taking office.

Now three years later, with dozens of corruption scandals at government’s door, there is no way to tell what assets these Coalition Ministers came into office with and what was attained at the expense of Guyanese taxpayers.

More importantly, however, Lewis in his letter published on May 10, 2018, presents himself as a champion of SOCU; but from reading the first few lines, it is clear that he gets it wrong when it comes to the intended mandate of SOCU. SOCU was established under the former PPP/C government. 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). SOCU was set up to be an arm of the Guyana Police Force.

The mandate of the Unit 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.

Lewis’ ramblings about what he ‘thinks’ is SOCU’s mandate exposes the fact that he is either genuinely confused, or is attempting to the skew facts and reality – which is that SOCU is not fulfilling its intended mandate. SOCU

is not supporting the FIU. SOCU has not pursued a single case of money laundering or one related to the financing of terrorism.

Lewis erroneous claims range from saying that SOCU is supposed to hold “the elected and appointed accountable in the execution of their duties” – which is the role of the Integrity Commission; to claiming that the former PPP/C government “established the Unit based only on the country’s association with the international bodies’ fight against crime at governmental level” – which is something that could not be further from the facts.

SOCU’s mandate is clear. What is also clear is that SOCU has been hijacked by this government and its intended functions subverted (not a strange development given the PNC’s penchant for subverting state institutions).

While Lewis is ‘crying tears’ about the “glorious opportunity” that was missed by the PPP/C to demonstrate respect for the work of the Unit, he ignored basic facts.

If Lewis wants to continue to champion the work of SOCU in a credible and independent manner, all he has to do is answer a few questions: 1. How can you respect the work of SOCU when it is functioning outside of what was its purpose and has not pursued a single REAL case of money laundering or one related to the financing of terrorism?

2. How can you respect the work of SOCU when there is a clear connection between the Coalition Government?

How can you explain that the lead SOCU prosecutor is the brother of a sitting Cabinet Minister?

3. How can you respect the work of SOCU when it was moved from under the Guyana Police Force to the Ministry of the Presidency, less than a year after APNU-AFC took office?

4. How can you explain spending of

taxpayers’ monies on what SOCU is doing? It was none other than Minister Joseph Harmon, during the Budget 2016 review, who admitted that a massive $40M under the Ministry of the Presidency’s budget was to cover a “top up” on salaries for SOCU staffers – imagine a top up for SOCU officers was paid despite the fact that the expected one month bonus that members of the security forces expect at the end of the year has not been paid for the past few years.

5. How can you respect the work of SOCU when it has been involved in a number of controversial operations, including the high-profile car chase of the wife of a former PPP/C Member of Parliament, 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?

Where are the answers to the questions on this matter?

Since Lewis is intent about pointing out ‘glorious opportunities’ that were missed, he should not miss the chance to respond to these questions.

Maybe then, he might recognise that the manner in which SOCU to functioning is neither free, nor fair – but politically tainted and geared to target political opponents with unsubstantiated charges in order to, if for no other reason, damage reputations and attempt to solidify what APNU-AFC said about campaign trail about corruption and jailing people.

To claim that the PPP/C, from the start, sought to make the work of SOCU a partisan issue is to ignore reality. Facts are facts and it is time that Mr. Lewis attempts to face them. Not doing so will only confirm what many are already saying, i.e. Lewis continues to excuse the actions of this government.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar JP, PPP/C MP

Signs of desperation evident from the Coalition Gov’t Dear Editor

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he present situation in Guyana is of much concern to Guyanese, more so to the PPP/C former government officials, the party support base, and respected persons who criticised the APNU/AFC coalition government. The disrespecting and humiliation of two distinguish gentlemen, Dr Ashni Singh and Mr Winston Brassington, who served their country with distinction, is clear evidence that the Government is losing support, and as such is showing signs of desperation by using methods to appease and cling on to its supporters, who are very much upset about its FAILURE in Government after three years.

This situation reminds me of an article in the Washington Post News by Lewis Simons, dated October 4th 1977, title, “Indira Gandhi arrested in India”. It is a true reflection of what is transpiring presently in Guyana. The arrest was described as a political one by Indira Gandhi because trips and political meetings

by Gandhi were receiving enthusiastic turnouts in various parts of India. The Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, ordered her arrest, thinking that he would have satisfied widespread plaudits.

But unfortunately, Prime Minister Desai lost the next elections to Indira Gandhi. This is actually happening presently. Cde Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP are getting favourable responses

in every corner of Guyana, and as such, can be faced with more victimisation to create fear among supporters as efforts are made to try to derail a sure victory for the PPP. These incidents are not about corruption, they are a clear sign of political discrimination against the PPP, hoping that this will enable APNU/ AFC to win the majority in the General Election in 2020.

The PPP is strong enough to withstand any amount of political pressure and fear from APNU/AFC. Don’t allow this disease of political victimisation to silence us, because democracy will surely die in this darkness.

Zamal Hussain

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Patterson’s take on barge and tug – gross distortion Dear Editor,

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refer to the article in the Kaieteur News of Saturday, 12th of May, entitled, “PPP/C ‘gifted’ $$M tug and barge to Kwakwani supporter” – “We recovered the barge and leased it to the NDC” – Patterson. That article was adorned with pictures of the Honourable Minister, David Patterson and the Honourable AFC MP Audwin Rutherford.

Editor, that article was a gross distortion.

There was no ‘gifting’: the tug which at the time was partially sunk and virtually scrapped was sold and bought via an open, advertised invitation of bids and subsequently rehabilitated sufficiently by its new owner, a river-crossing operator; the barge was leased as both the Honourable Minister and Honourable MP concede after alleging that it was ‘gifted’.

That barge-crossing operator (Mr. Edwards) was not known at that time nor even today to be a supporter of the PPP/C although I acknowledge that we of the PPP/C work with the hope of fairly earning the earnest approval of every Guyanese in the quiet of their hearts, and their precious votes in the privacy of the polling booth.

Editor, if the article is read dispassionately it would become clear how the Honourable Minister and the Honourable MP are playing with the emotions of the reader, going one way then another, and attempting to smear the PPP/C each way. Consider the following extract with my observations inserted in square brackets [ ]: “He (Patterson) said that the ‘privatiza-

tion’ happened under the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

Patterson said that he approached NICIL in an effort to get information on the barge and the privatization process ‘and I will be very frank, NICIL has no information; none whatsoever’ [there is the insinuation here that the PPP/C with the departing CEO had destroyed all the records to hide their corruption!].

The Minister said that he [none-the-less] resorted to contacting the former NICIL Director [CEO], ‘that same [accused] Winston Brassington who was overseas at the time. He [WB, who was readily contacted and under no obligation to so do] directed me to where I could have found the information on the barge [so the information was there, available, not hidden nor destroyed].

Patterson said that it was so he learnt that the barge was leased [not gifted] on a contract that would come to an end later 2015 [full disclosure – nothing hidden].”

Editor, read dispassionately, the Honourable Minister is saying that when he contacted NICIL initially he could get no information, and we know what is insinuated (lots of corruption and hiding all that gifting to a claimed supporter) but when he readily contacted the much-maligned Winston Brassington, WB directed him to where he found a full disclosure. Rather than leaving damning insinuations and innuendos hanging, the Honourable Minister and MP should be heaping praise on Mr. Brassington and the PPP/C for

a job transparently, honestly and well done and documented! And, also, they should be complimenting Mr. Edwards who took the risk, ventured forth and established a service to satisfy the needs of the community.

Editor, in the circumstances that prevailed the praise should be extended even more widely. The Honourable Minister and the Honourable MP are old enough to know the state to which the bauxite companies and communities would have deteriorated by 1992, after years of huge difficulties and losses, and the reasoning and insistence of the supporting multilateral financial agencies that special subsidies from our national treasury should be brought to an end. Services provided countrywide by the Government should be handed to and handled directly by the Government. The remaining core and non-core elements could be unbundled and private equity owners found for them or they should be shut down. The Honourable Minister and MP should have heard also about the great challenge identified in LEAP (Linden Economic Advancement Programme) of transforming the dependency mindset of people in company towns into enterprising minds looking to provide goods and services to the community and paying economic prices for services that were earlier provided at no charge or greatly subsidized by the company. It was in such circumstances that the river-crossing service (and others) provided earlier by the bauxite company and which had ground to a virtual halt, was to be reoffered.

You can imagine therefore how heartened I was when two persons, from the area and Afro-Guyanese (Mr. Edwards and Mr. Vandenburg), began barge crossing services, both of them at Kwakwani and Mr. Vandenburg additionally at Aroaima. They were worthy of commendation for their initial wooden barges each coupled with a small boat with outboard engine. In much the same vein allow me to mention the encouragement and facilitation we provided to Mr. Mendonca, another long time AfroGuyanese of Kwakwani (not a known supporter of the PPP/C though I tried so greatly to win him over) to set up the gas station in Kwakwani and our search to en-

A disgraceful decision Dear Editor,

L

ast week a despicable decision was granted by The Caribbean Court of Justice that I find particularly worrisome and in that regard I shall discuss with you the pertinent details. I make mention of The CCJ’s ruling on the fate of accused Mark “Smallie Williams” and James Hyles in The Lusignan Massacre case. In this ruling The CCJ had effectively freed two men who were accused of mass murder and sent them scotch free, back into society to continue their nefarious activities, possibly with vengeful reprisals. As such I can only place my hands on my head and cry woe! woe! what a disgraceful act to befall us here in Guyana!

Two mass murderers, acts which amounts to terrorism, mayhem and racial strife of immeasurable proportions, could walk free of any punishment whatsoever. Yes, my dear readers, it is all happening right here in The

Commonwealth Caribbean Country called Guyana. The Caribbean’s highest court should not have ruled on this matter reasons being, there were “substantial procedural errors” or put in simplified language serious breaches in the law in the so called trial of the case in the local court. In that first case, the lead defense attorney deceitfully concealed his close relationship with the jury foreman – that is, the jury foreman being a former client of the defense attorney. In this regard, the jury foreman being in the capacity that he was so directed deliberations to produce a horrendous outcome.

There is no question in anyone’s mind, that the freedom of these two men in the Lusignan Massacre marks a serious breach in the law, because the two were never tried for the crimes they were accused of, the reasons I have highlighted above. When those shocking revelations were brought to the attention of The DPP she immediately ordered a retrial which in normal circumstances would have

been allowed, but The CCJ under pressure from the authorities here overstepped its boundaries and heard the matter anyway, knowing fully well that they too were about to make another vile and despicable decision to free mass murderers even without a trial.

Let me pause here to say that in other jurisdictions that lawyer and foreman would have been incarcerated forthwith for perverting the course of justice. No where in the civilized world would that sort of practice be allowed to stand. None! But, you are talking about a place called Guyana where the corrupt and vile nature of that attorney passes for “legal supremacy.” This is enough to make one puke.

After that ruling – and most legal luminaries would concur – I believe the integrity of this court must be called in for serious questioning? Is this a Court of Appeal? Is this our Final court in The Caribbean, where “legal proceedings” should be the prime objective of the adjudicators? I am afraid, it

courage some other in Aroaima or Hururu to offer a gas station at that location, also.

It is true, much to my consternation, that the leased big steel barge was taken away from Mr. Edwards, unceremoniously, without notice and without cause. The Honourable Minister seems to be boasting about and finding glory in how “he had to pull out all stops to get the barge back”. And this from a member of a Government which is carried on the backs of many AfroGuyanese who are easily agitated about the evident low number of black-owned businesses and made to blame the PPP and the PPP/C. This is not the occasion for me to develop and argue the point that much of the problem lies, as is evident in this instance, in the historical ambiguities in AfroGuyanese society to private enterprise and the exploitation rather than the reconciliation of the evident contradictions, by many of that group who should and do know better.

I note the allegations I heard of nepotism in the contracted-out arrangements of the NDC for the operation of this big-barge crossing.

Editor, the Honourable Minister and the Honourable MP should know from our nation’s sad experience of the 1970s and 1980s that as we “tek away” we remove the drive for our people to work lawfully, save purposely, invest in the formal economy and grow themselves and our country.

Editor, in closing please allow me to set the record straight with respect to ‘other barges’ and tugs. At the time of the merger of Bermine into AMC/ABC, most of the Bermine owned barging fleet which had suffered the prevailing level of deterioration, and many of which were tied-up or sunk at various points along the river were offered by way of openly advertised tender on an as-is, where-is basis.

No offers were made for a number of sunken barges and in time they were made available on a self-help, recovery basis. Some may still be available for whomsoever so wishes.

Yours faithfully, Samuel A. A. Hinds Former Minister Responsible for Mining including Bauxite,Former Prime Minister and Former President is not, I would rather think that it a political forum where decisions are based upon ones political and racial leanings. This Afro-Centric Court has done it again.

This glaring anomaly comes into brighter focus, in the fact that The CCJ has proven itself to be a political entity and not a legal one, and jurisprudence is not of importance to them. These elements that make for a court that one can look up to is sadly lacking, justice, fair and balanced has been thrown into the dung heap and in its place horrible, insidious decisions of a political nature takes precedence over the rule of law. There is no question in anyone’s mind that The CCJ has granted political patronage to the PNC/ APNU Government in Guyana. I see further trouble down the road of another vile and obnoxious ruling coming, that is, the “term limit matter” engaging their attention right now.

Finally, The Law Lords in London would be laughing at these “Caribbean Natives” who dare walked out on them for this regional mediocrity. The Caribbean Court cannot be trusted for wholesome above board decisions.

Neil Adams

6

Setting the record straight Dear Editor,

M

inister of State, Mr Joseph Harmon, has now entered the arena in defence of his colleague, Attorney General Mr Basil Williams. The Attorney General has been the subject of repeated public onslaught in the media for the constant loss and/or settlement of cases, which are costing taxpayers billions of dollars.

In relation to the cases that have been lost, the Attorney General’s modus operandi has been to blame me, former Solicitor General Ms Sita Ramlal, former Deputy Solicitor General Ms Prithima Kissoon, lawyers at the private bar, the junior lawyers currently working with him at his Chambers; and, in some cases, even judges have not escaped his net.

Logic and common sense, without more, will militate against a conclusion that all those persons are at fault, and he is not. But, then again, common sense is not as common as we may think.

Since I am being blamed for the tragic performance of the Attorney General, I feel impelled to share some information which may enlighten the public on some of these cases which have been lost and/or settled during the tenure of Mr. Williams.

I must emphasise that every Attorney General in Guyana over the last one hundred years inherited incomplete cases from their predecessors. These cases are not the personal matters of the holders of the office, but are filed against the State, and it is the duty of the holder of the office to defend them to the best of his/her ability. This has been the long and sacrosanct tradition of the office of Attorney General.

In its history, no other Attorney General is on public record, on even a singular occasion, blaming his predecessor for cases inherited. In breach of this scared tradition, the incumbent has converted blaming yours truly into a fine art form.

Minister Harmon’s sudden entry into the

muddy waters to assist the drowning Attorney General was precipitated by a statement made the Leader of the Opposition at his last Press Conference, when he estimated that the “Treasury has lost G$85 billion (425 million USD) through the decisions of the Attorney General’s Chambers to settle ‘winnable’ court cases, some of which have been pending for several years.’’ It is this humongous burden that Minister Harmon seeks to cruelly place upon my tiny shoulders. He says that these settlements were necessary “because of the failure of the former Attorney General to prosecute.”

Firstly, I am surprised that learned Counsel Harmon fails to appreciate that when cases are filed against the Attorney General, his responsibility is to “defend”, and not to “prosecute.” That faux pas aside, let us examine the matter a little closely for some details.

The Leader of the Opposition made reference to the settlement of a case filed by DDL. This case was filed against the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Attorney General almost a decade prior to my appointment as Attorney General. Since it involves the challenge to the computation of certain taxes, naturally the GRA assumed the lead role in the case; the Attorney General was a nominal defendant. The matter has a long history in the court system, but what is relevant here is the GRA obviously felt they had a strong case, and retained eminent Senior Counsel from the private bar to represent them. The trial was ongoing before Justice Roxane George. A few months after the 2015 General Elections, the matter was suddenly settled on terms that the Leader of the Opposition estimates to have cost the Treasury 80 billion dollars. As Attorney General, I had absolutely no input in the case, and because of the nature and stage of the proceedings, there was no need for an input from me. By what process or principle am I to be blamed for this settlement which caused the Treasury to lose this 80 billion dollars?

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018 As a result of this settlement, negotiated and concluded under this administration, Banks DIH Limited, who have paid the same regime of taxes as DDL, have sued this Government, claiming a write-off of the taxes they paid which were written-off for DDL under their settlement. This case, if Banks DIH Limited succeeds, will cost the Treasury further tens of billions of dollars. How am I to be blamed for this disaster?

I, as Attorney General, terminated B.K. International Limited’s contract in respect to the Haags Bosch project for multiple breaches of the contract. B.K. International Limited challenged the termination. After I left office, a High Court Judge ruled that the termination of the contract was unlawful. The Judge made no order to pay B.K. International any compensation. Any lawyer worth his salt would have appealed the decision of that judge, because B.K. was guilty of flagrant breaches of the contract. The Attorney General refused to appeal.

B.K. International then sends a letter demanding compensation, and indicating that if he’s not paid, he will sue. Any competent lawyer, armed with the facts of this matter, would have either ignored that letter or responded by challenging the company to sue.

Instead, the Attorney General settles the case by the payment of 5.7 million US dollars!!!

How can I be blamed for such punctilious incompetence?

The case filed by HN Sugrim, which the State settled recently for 226 million dollars, is yet another of the many cases which the State should not have lost. The case was filed in June, 2015 (after I left office), and was concluded in April, 2017. In this case, the contract required that a performance bond be lodged by the contractor to the tune of 15% of the contract price within a specified time frame. The contract further provided that a failure to lodge the said performance bond shall be a basis to terminate the contract.

The contractor never lodged the performance bond within the time specified, or at all, despite being informed in writing to do so. The contract was duly and lawfully terminated on this specific ground.

This should have been an unassailable defence, yet the Attorney General lost. On two different occasions, he wrote to the Learned Trial Judge in the matter, indicating that he would personally assume conduct of the matter. He requested specific dates for the matter to be fixed, so as to be present. The Judge

accommodated him on all the dates he requested. He copied to President Granger one of his letters sent to the Judge. Only he can explain the reason for so doing. Yet he failed to appear on the dates he requested. When he lost the case, he blamed Prithima Kissoon, the former Deputy Solicitor General.

He then filed an appeal. Rather than proceed with the appeal, he settled the case. How can I be blamed for this?

In the TPL case in which 1.7 billion dollars in compensation was awarded against the State, the case was filed in 2008 against the Attorney General and NICIL (3 years before I was appointed). Eminent Senior Counsel from the private bar was retained to represent the Attorney General.

When I assumed office, the case was ongoing. Unsolicited, the Senior Counsel visited me and updated me on the matter. Knowing that gentleman, I have no doubt that he extended similar courtesies to Mr. Williams.

Staff of the Attorney General’s Chambers have informed me that Mr. Toolsie Persaud visited Mr. Williams on more than one occasion at the Chambers, while the case was pending. Yet, when the judgment was handed down, Mr. Williams is quoted in the Stabroek News as saying that not only was he unware of the case, but that the Attorney General was not a party to the proceedings.

How can I be blamed for such levels of ignorance!!!

In the case filed by Dipcon Engineering Limited, the Attorney General claimed that he became aware of the High Court decision three months after it was delivered. He took another 3 months before he filed an application to appeal out of time. He provided no good reason for the delay. The Court of Appeal dismissed his application. Again, he blamed Prithima Kissoon. He then personally drafted an appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice, which that Court threw out on the ground that it was procedurally wrong. The Attorney General’s signature appears on those documents. As a result, the State was left with a 450 million dollars’ judgment. How can I be blamed? I was long out of Government.

I can go on to list and detail many more cases, but space and time will not permit me.

I hope I have disseminated sufficient facts to set the public record straight.

Yours faithfully, Mohabir Anil Nandlall MP Former Attorney General

Govt seems content with settling scores Dear Editor,

T

he APNU+AFC administration has already gone past more than half of its elected mandate. Its performance in government so far has been less than impressive.

Many of its campaign promises have been honoured in the breach including the issue of constitutional reforms, transparency, accountability and inclusive governance.

The first major indication of a departure from its stated commitment to fiscal responsibility was its decision to increase salaries and other emoluments to Cabinet Ministers by a staggering 50-100% after having accused the previous PPP/C administration of ‘fat cat’ salaries . The very least one would have expected was for the government to put on hold any further increases to those in the decision making hierarchy or to accept similar increases given to civil servants.

Instead, it went ahead and provided hefty increases to Ministers of Government which was completely at odds with its earlier commitment to bridge the sprawling income divide in the public service.

But it is the decision to close down the four sugar estates, including the flagship Skeldon Modernization Factory that will go down as the most unpopular and ill-conceived act of the regime. As expected the closure of the sugar estates is already taking its toll on the wider economy, not to mention the devastating impact it is having on the lives and livelihoods of sugar workers and their families.

Instead of focusing on the economy and laying the foundations for sustained economic growth, the government seems to be more concerned with settling political scores while at the same time using the resources of the state to reward those

perceived to be loyal or sympathetic to the government.

It is difficult to see how actions such as these could help to foster a climate of trust or social cohesion.

The APNU+AFC coalition has just about two remaining years to demonstrate that it is serious about constitutional reforms and shared governance. The biggest challenge faced by the administration is to convince the Guyanese people and the international community that it is serious about advancing the national good in a fair and unbiased manner and within the constitutional and democratic framework of the society.

The balance sheet of the government so far is not encouraging. The economy is not doing well and a mood of pessimism regarding the future of the country is already beginning to take hold among the populace

Guyana cannot move forward until and unless there is broad national consensus by key stakeholders on fundamental issues of governance. The current model of ‘winner takes it all’, whatever its past merit has now become dysfunctional from the perspective of national reconciliation and racial unity.

Talks about social cohesion are empty and meaningless unless there are fundamental changes at the governance level which will allow for all major parties to be represented in the decision-making processes both at the Executive and at the Legislative levels.

This is why the issue of constitutional reforms is of such great importance. The current administration has a duty and responsibility to advance the process in a serious and meaningful way.

Yours faithfully, Hydar Ally

7

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

whom I recall had some harrowing experiences at the chambers of the Attorney General.

I pause to make the observation that contrary to his assertions , at the levels of the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the CCJ, our Attorney General has less than a fair record of success in his representation of cases involving the Government of Guyana.

Popular word on the street is that “Basil tekking a licking in the court from Nandlall “. So it is seen that in this matter the Attorney General does not accept blame for Government’s loss of the GUYTRAC case in the High Court.

The chambers of the Attorney General has explained that in this case Ms. Kissoon solely conducted the matter and that she prepared and filed pleadings and submissions on behalf of the state. The “AG’s Chambers” accuse Ms. Kissoon of assisting the case for the defence “ without regard to specific instructions from Attorney General Basil Williams”.

The bungling and incompetence which so frequently emerges from the chambers of the Attorney General know no bounds. Complaint is made by the “chambers of the Attorney General that Ms Kissoon was assisting the defence, but this is really such a very stupid contention. There is really no room for complaint. Ms Kissoon was duty-bound to assist the defence. She was representing the Government of Guyana, the defendant in the matter.

If indeed Miss Kissoon did in fact ignore some specific instructions from the Attorney General Basil Williams, in the matter, could it be that Miss Kissoon in her own considered view concluded that any such alleged instructions were worthless and without any merit and therefore not in the best interest of the government? I would not rule out such a possibility.

Ms Kissoon has however stated that at one stage of the legal proceedings she was removed from the case and sent on leave .

It appears that this was before the trial commenced because she said some documents had to be filed by GUYTRAC’s lawyer which she did not see because she had been removed from the case and sent on administrative leave.

The AG’s Chambers disclosed in a published statement that Ms Kissoon filed pleadings, conducted the trial, argued and filed submissions. Both accounts cannot be correct. The truth needs to be established. The statement from the AG Chambers also explain that all of the above were done by the time the Attorney General “attempted to intervene.”

This is really a very lame and pathetic excuse.

At a bare minimum the attorney general who gave the Head of State and the Judge an undertaking to appear personally and conduct the trial ,which he did not honour, should have exercised constant supervision of the case.

The explanation that by the time the attorney general “attempted to intervene” is one intended for preparatory school infant minds.

Indeed such an explanation by the chambers of the Attorney-General is an affront and an insult to the intelligence of the people of Guyana by offering them such a puerile explanation. Well knowing the pace at which cases in the High Court progress, I do not believe that pleadings, submissions and argument were done in this case overnight so that by the time the Attorney General “attempted to intervene”, the case would have been finished and lost.

I would imagine that if there was competent and effective supervision of the case Ms Kissoon would have been directed by the attorney general in writing to 1. refer all documents to be filed to him for checking before filing and 2. to include and incorporate his specific instruction in the case presented to the court.

It is clear that the lamentations of the Attorney General are coming late and after the fact. Thankfully on this occasion the public is not being told that the Attorney General was unaware of this case.

If the Attorney General was effectively supervising this case he would have noted the alleged failings of Ms. Kissoon. He would have noted that his presumably winning in-

structions had not been followed and in that case, I am sure steps would have been taken by him to correct those circumstances.

It appears that there was no such supervision which seemingly amounts to grave dereliction of duty and an explanation should be forthcoming from the Attorney General rather than a limp statement that by the time he “attempted to intervene” the case had been heard and lost. Pure and unadulterated hogwash.

And now I come to the filing of the appeal .The filing of an appeal is a serious step in legal proceedings. Flimsy appeals may be seen as a waste of the court’s time. The Attorney General, the leader of the country’s lawyers, in exemplary fashion, would not I am sure file an appeal in which he knows he has no chance of succeeding or which he knows is without substance .

I am certain that in as responsible an office in which he has been fortuitously placed, the Attorney General must have satisfied himself about the strength and chances of success of the appeal filed by him in the case with GUYTRAC .The question therefore arises, why did the Attorney General discontinue the appeal and settle the matter for such a huge sum of money when the appeal so confidently filed might have yielded nothing to GUYTRAC and Guyana would have saved nearly $300, million rather than $63 million.

The other question is if as the statement from the AG’s Chambers disclose, that the settlement provides for the much needed excavators for the NDIA, when did the AG realize that these excavators were much needed? If they were much needed, then why didn’t the AG seek a settlement when he assumed control of the case in the High Court?

Something appears rotten and stink about this settlement. A huge sum of public money has to be paid out while an appeal will be abandoned by the Attorney General to the loss and disadvantage of the people of Guyana.

Would SOCU and Sam Sittlington think that a case of misconduct in public office exists here? If they do, the occasion arises for Sam, Greg and Khem to have another celebratory drink at the Oasis, and this time, justifiably so.

words or statements?

Honourable Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan contended that the Bill allows for criticisms of the Government and its Ministers, but sedition will apply for words or actions that cause civil strife, disorder and violence. Tell me, brother Ramjattan, is it sedition if legitimate criticism or exposure of gross Government crimes or misconduct provokes public anger and civil unrest?

Also, when the sedition clause refers to “the Government established by law in Guyana” my alarm bells go off. Every election in Guyana from the 1950s up to now, even the last one in 2015, was tainted by public allegations of fraud. But whether or not there really was fraud, the winners of elections always became “the Government established by law”.

My point is: Suppose there is a rigged election and this fraud creates public outrage with citizens calling, online and elsewhere, for the vagabonds to be resisted and kicked out. What is to stop that criminal regime from

claiming to be “the Government established by law” and using the sedition clause to get rid of citizens who legitimately condemn and resist them?

I do not know if it is by design or by accident, but I can see clearly that the proposed Cyber Crimes Bill and controversial sedition clause can be abused by corrupt politicians to suppress criticism of any sitting Government.

As a long-time fighter to make Guyana a peaceful, democratic, free and open society, this is totally repugnant to me.

I noticed that Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes said persons raising concerns had two years to do so before the Parliamentary Sub-Committee submitted its proposal. This delay does not matter to me; better late than never. We were very fortunate to find out about the controversial sedition clause in time to oppose it before it became law.

I expected the sub-committee that crafted the Bill to focus on protecting the public

from serious dangers on the Internet such as terrorist recruitment, extreme violence, pornography, paedophilia, gambling and online scams aimed at stealing people’s hard-earned dollars. I did not expect to see a sedition clause to suppress persons’ right to criticise and oppose governments that they have hired and they have a right to fire and criticise.

Any Government that wants to shut down criticism and opposition on the Inter is a Government that needs to be questioned. Trying to block public discourse and journalism because of politics will only bring a backlash of international ridicule on our beloved nation from lovers of democracy worldwide.

I call on the coalition Government to scrap the entire Bill and replace it with a better plan to deal with cybercrime and promote the peaceful and democratic development of Guyana.

There are questions surrounding that GUYTRAC settlement Dear Editor,

S

omething does not appear to be right with regard to the recent settlement of the GUYTRAC case. The contention that the State saved $63 million appears to be nothing more than a calculated and contrived explanation intending to serve as a smokescreen for the real motive behind the settlement.

First, there is the undisputed, established fact that the chambers of the Attorney-General assumed control of the legal proceedings commenced by GUYTRAC in place of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) which had its own in-house arrangements for legal representation.

Secondly, the Kaieteur News reported on its possession of correspondence addressed to President Granger, the High Court Judge and the lawyer for GUYTRAC in which Attorney-General Basil Williams advised of his “decision TO APPEAR PERSONALLY “ and conduct the trial before the Judge.

The public now understands that assuming the Attorney General did give such an undertaking, which he has not denied, it was an undertaking which he appears to have knowingly and wilfully failed to honour and which may be perceived as an attempt by the Attorney General to mislead the President and the others to whom the letter was addressed.

Serious note is taken of the media report that when asked by a newspaper reporter why he did not personally appear in the matter, the Attorney General avoided the question and referred the newspaper to the Solicitor General who also avoided an answer to the newspaper’s enquiry.

The Attorney General in comments about the matter shifts the blame for the court’s ruling against the state to Ms. Prithima Kissoon,

Sincerely Selwyn Persaud

A sledgehammer blow to free speech Dear Editor,

T

he Cyber Crimes Bill with its obnoxious and evil “sedition clause” will unleash a sledgehammer blow to free speech and deny citizens their God-given right to criticise the Government of the day and demand accountability in public office.

The sedition clause criminalises statements or words “either spoken or written, a text, video, image, sign, visible representation, or other thing, that brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government established by law in Guyana.”

This looks very strange to me.

Who decides what words or statements evoke “hatred or contempt” against the Government? Who decides what words or statements “excite disaffection” against the Government? By what criteria will this be decided? Will the very same Government being criticised define what constitutes seditious

Sincerely, Roshan Khan Sr

8

A

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Local Government and You!

fter all the ‘Gaff’ about Local Government Elections, the Minister of Communities is now taking to the Parliament, the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2018.

It is widely recognized that the Minister of Communities has seriously bungled the Local Government System, following the still incomplete 2016 Local Government Elections. His highly questionable decisions regarding the ties in Local Authority Areas and also a tie in a Constituency at the Rose Hall Municipality Area have been justifiably challenged in the Courts.

Through the proposed amendments, has now after two years of glaring undemocratic and dictatorial pronouncements on how the Local Authority areas should be managed, trying to do some damaged control and shift his responsibilities to Overseers and in the extremity, Magistrates.

It is recalled the initial re-

sults of the 2016 Local Government Elections revealed six ‘ties’ in the NDC’s and one ‘tie’ at the Mabaruma Municipality. Further, there was also a Constituency ‘tie’ at the Rose Hall Town Council and these issues were never sorted out in an amicable manner. Hence there were serious incomplete issues after the 2016 Local Government Elections.

The Minister at that time took a handoff approach, even as GECOM’s disarray at the time resulted in non-pronouncements with respect to the way forward.

The Minister’s approach to resolving the issues of “ties” was to impose APNU/AFC/ PNC Councillors to manage the Local Authority Areas as Chairmen and Mayor, as is the case at Mabaruma.

The Minister’s action was completely illegal and in breach of the Local Government Act, Chapter 28:02 which states that a by-election should first be utilized in resolving any ties between

contesting parties at the Local Government Elections.

The Ministers decisions have clearly botched the legally approved mechanism for resolving ‘Ties’, and resulted in non or sub-optimal functioning the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and the Municipality of Mabaruma. This in effect sacrificed the community driven development of the Local authority areas as the consequences was evidently dire, since there was no Chairman and no-meetings were held.

Very troublesome were the instances where little or no services were provided to the communities.

Further, with the NDCs not functioning, there were no work programs. The Minister’s intervention was the vehement imposition of who he chooses to have on the Council as Chairman and Vice-Chairman, regardless of the countrywide criticisms and consequences.

In 2018, the Minister of

Communities also ran into serious criticisms as his interventions in two NDCs in Region #5 were undoubtedly unacceptable. He authorised the holding of internal elections while the matter was having the attention of the Courts. In Regions 3, 4 and 6 there were also Local Authority Areas that were tied and of which GECOM was supposed to ran off by-elections.

Since GECOM never got around to ensuring the completion of these critical activities, or rather, was seemingly pre-empted by the Minister stating it was his responsibilities to have the Overseers and Town Clerk declared the LAAs tied; and also request GECOM to conduct by-elections, contributed to the non -resolution of the issues. Widely considered, these have been the most frivolous of excuses.

These Amendments to the Municipal and District Council Act 28:01 along with the Amendment of

Govt lacks of framework for oil and gas sector – Jagdeo

W

ith no framework for a predictable oil and gas sector, more so the lack of any move on even generic issues, the APNU+AFC Coalition government continues to fail the Guyanese people, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

“Establishing the framework itself would have given great confidence,” he said on Wednesday (May 9, 2018) during a news conference held at his Church Street office. The Opposition Leader has repeatedly called for an apolitical approach to the development of the oil and gas sector.

Addressing generic issues, according to him, should see: A proposal for a Petroleum Commission that vests significant control in the hands technical personnel; defined or established principles for the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund; clarity on a process to deal with the remaining oil blocks; clarity on engagements with future investors; what sectors will primarily benefit from oil resources; and a defined local content policy. Jagdeo said, “All the issues like we saw today (local media reports) about the brokerage service given to a Trinidad company; those issues would have been

resolved in the context of strong Local Content Legislation and also what package of incentives that anyone who invests in the oil sector will get and what they will not get. We need clarity on this,” Jagdeo stated.

A CLEAR FRAMEWORK Relative to a Local Content Policy, Jagdeo maintains the view that a strong local content policy will allow Guyana to safeguard opportunities for locals and not allow locals to be crowded out in the sector.

The Petroleum Commission, he has argued, ought to be a purely technical commission, but in currently configured in a way that gives excessive powers to one Minister of Government – the Minister determines: the size of the establishment; the employment of staff and the terms and conditions of employment; the provision of equipment and use of funds; reorganization or such works of development as to involve a substantial outlay on capital account; training, education and research; the disposal of capital assets; and the application of the proceeds of such disposals.

On the Sovereign Wealth Fund, he noted that a statement of principles, such as

the Santiago Principles, on which the establishment of the Fund would be based would have sufficed. As he has done on previous occasions, he stressed the need for there to be: an apolitical approach to setting up the Fund; a clear definition of the purpose of the Fund; clearly defined rules on spending from the Fund; clarity on what share of oil proceeds will go to the Fund; and the conditions under which the government can access the Fund. Notably, government has since hinted that the Santiago Principles are being considered.

The remaining oil blocks, he added, should be subject to a competitive auction or kept for future generations.

CONTRACT On the issue of the renegotiated contract with ExxonMobil, Jagdeo noted that Government has said it will not review the contract, despite criticisms.

“We have made it clear that ExxonMobil came out of these negotiations way ahead of Guyana by billions of dollars….as a political party we have made it clear that we are unhappy with the process. We are unhappy with the contract itself that was signed. Very unhappy, but I

also have to make sure that as Leader of the Opposition and head of a political party that I don’t get accused of contributing to a climate where we repudiate contracts once a legitimate Government has signed them,” he said.

When asked about the way forward, the Opposition Leader said, “We have to put pressure on Government to approach the company.”

In the past Jagdeo had stressed the need for an amicable approach to any review of the contract. “Anything that any sovereign government negotiates with another party could be renegotiated if the other party agrees to come to the table.

It can be done amicably. If it pursues it and the other party does not agree, you end up in a dispute. In this circumstance, I believe that the amicable position is the best one,” he had said.

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

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

Section 28 of the Local Government Act 28:02, the Amendment of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act 28:03 and the Amendment of section 20 of the Local Democratic Organs Act 28:09 are not very important in the context.

However, the Minister is now trying to remove himself from making objective decision and now handing it over to the Administrative Officers of LAAs who functions as a servant under his Ministry, along with a designated Magistrate. This is very serious because this APNU/ PNC government is trying to justify their wrong doing and their partisan appointments’ with the independent judiciary involvement.

The big questions therefore are: who will appoint the Overseers and who will decide on the designated Magistrate? Who will call the meetings with the public and who will determine the time and place of the meet-

ings? All these issues are relative and knowing the PNC and their thirst for power, the people do not have any confidence in such a system which can be easily manipulated. Hence, there are more questions than answers in these proposed amendments.

The entire episodes of amending the various Acts are out of desperation to find solutions to issues of find acceptability of clearly violated areas. There have been no meaningful consultations, without which, an improved mechanism to address the issues of “Tied” Local Authority Areas, would be transparent enough to replace the current legal approach.

Notably, one has to guard against the manipulation of the system to an extent that the amendments are trampled upon to further the actions of the Coalition at the Grass Root Level. There needs to be equity and transparency!

This Article was done by Neil Kumar,Mr.S and Mr.A

Opposition Chief Whip included as resource person on CPA team

T

he Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s (CPA) post-election seminar, being held in Charleston, Nevis Islands, kicked off last Tuesday and Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, was Guyana’s sole representative included as part of the CPA’s resource team.

The two-day seminar featured, among others, sessions on: the evolution of Parliamentary Democracy; Institutional aspects of the Parliamentary system including the relationship between the legislature, the Executive and the judiciary; Parliament, democracy and civil society; Women in Parliament; Parliament and human rights; Parliament and the Media; and Ethics and Accountability of Members of Parliament.

In addition to Teixeira, the CPA resource team included the CPA Secretary-General, Akbar Khan, among others.

During the opening the seminar, Khan said, “The CPA Post-Election Seminar for the Nevis Island Assembly demonstrates the CPA’s commitment to our Small Branches and to the mutuality of learning among CPA

Members. At the CPA, we understand that whether a democracy is young or old, whether in a small or large jurisdiction, developing a democracy is a continuous exercise that requires constant nurturing and a weak Parliament will invariably have a corrosive effective on democracy. We must therefore always seek and grasp opportunities to strengthen Parliament, nurture public trust in the institution and build the capacity of its Parliamentarians through programmes like the CPA Post-Election Seminars.”

The seminar has been billed as an excellent opportunity for Parliamentarians in Nevis Assembly to learn about parliamentary practice and procedure and to gain a better understanding of the parliamentary system and democratic processes in other Commonwealth jurisdictions.

The CPA is the only Commonwealth body that works to strengthen small legislatures like the Nevis Island Assembly as well as working with larger national, state and provincial legislatures.

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Unruly The

9

Horse SARA AND ILLEGALITIES By: Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP Attorney-at-Law

T

he incompetence which permeates every sector of this Government is simply unparalleled in the English speaking Caribbean. It is as if they can get nothing right. Let us examine the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA), as an example.

The SARA, after a long hibernation, is back in the news. Earlier this week, it was disclosed that SARA would be laying charges in relation to 25 cases within the next month. This disclosure came from Mr. Aubrey Heath-Retemyer, who is described in the press as the “Deputy Director” of the Agency. Although the SARA Act came into force since the 11th day of May, 2017, SARA remains mired in deep controversy. The serious questions, which were raised even before the Bill was tabled in the National Assembly by a wide cross section of society, including, the Parliamentary Opposition, to date, remain unanswered. Rather than clarify these important issues which have been highlighted, the Govern-

ment chose to ignore them and proceeded to activate SARA. Expectedly, within one month of its enactment, legal proceedings were launched challenging the constitutionality of several of the provisions of the controversial SARA Bill (now Act). These proceedings are still pending in the Constitutional Division of the High Court. If this challenge is successful, then everything that SARA would have done would become legally questionable, including, the impending charges. It would be interesting to see how the Government will navigate these technical legal issues. If any reliance will be placed upon the Attorney General, Basil Williams, to advice, the nation can be reasonably certain of the consequences.

TRANSITIONARY PROVISION Most importantly, the persons who currently hold the position of Director and Deputy Director of the agency, Professor Clive Thomas and Mr. Aubrey Retemyer, respectively, seem to be holding those posts, unlawfully. Having

regard to the track-record of the Coalition Government, these persons are obviously enjoying handsome remuneration packages. The public is unaware of what these packages are, although public funds are being utilized to finance them. These persons may be obtaining those monies unlawfully because the Act provides for the Director and Deputy Director to be appointed by the National Assembly. Neither Thomas nor Retemyer were appointed by the National Assembly, although the Act is in force for over a year.

The terms of their office are to be determined by the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments, as provided for by the Act. Again, this has not been done.

Section 106 of the Act is a transitionary provision: it provides for the Head of the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) to continue to act as the Head of SARA, but for not more than four months after the SARA Act comes into force. The SARA Act, as I indicated, came into force over a year now. Yet, Professor Clive Thomas continues to act as the Director of SARA under this transitionary provision.

APNU activists interrupt appointment of Barabina Community Council Chairman

A

ctivists of the governing A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Sunday barged in and prevented the formal handing over of assets and records to the newly elected Barabina Community Council (CC) Chairperson, Vibert Emmanuel from the out-voted former Chairwoman, Roxanne Skeete.

The unlawful interruption was allowed to transpire in the presence of the Community Development Officer (CDO) from the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs.

Citizens’ Report under-

stands that Emmanuel won the Barabina Council with 79 votes while the other candidate received 55 votes.

The APNU activists were contending that Emmanuel, who is a Councillor on the Mabaruma Municipality, cannot simultaneously hold the Chairmanship of the Community Council.

But parliamentarian and local government affairs expert, Collin Croal argued that there is nothing in the current Local Government Laws and Amerindian Act that prevents him from doing so.

He pointed out that the irony is that Roxanne Skeete contested for Constituency 4 – Barabina – Koberimo Hill during the 2016 Local Government Elections and lost while holding the position as Chairperson of the Barabina Council.

“Where was the Coalition when that happened?” he questioned.

Citizens’ Report also understands that as a result of the APNU interruption, the Regional Executive Officer (REO) facilitated the cancellation of the formal handing over.

His continuation in office, therefore, is as illegal as that of the Deputy Director, who can only be appointed by the National Assembly under the Act and who was not. How can these two gentlemen, who are holding these offices illegally, lecture to this nation about illegality and entrusted with the responsibility of investigating and curbing illegality?

The other significant issue, which contaminate these two office holder, are their known and professed political connections. Professor Thomas is a leader of the WPA, one of the political parties in the Coalition Government. He is a renowned politician infected with political biases and prejudices. For the same reasons that I cannot be a Judge of the Supreme Court he cannot be the head of a Law Enforcement Agency. For over a year, prior to the establishment of SARA, almost every week, Thomas was quoted in the press as signalling whom he intended to charge and prosecute. At that time he was speaking for SARU, the precursor to SARA. Most of these threats were directed to PPP leaders and the business community. This was long before a single investigation had even begun.

Therefore, preconceived notions have long destroyed his objectivity. How can anyone trust this gentleman to investigate fairly or to act with integrity and professionalism? Obviously, he will be thriving to prove his public pronouncements true, regardless.

POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS Mr. Retemyer is in no better position. He is quoted in the press, earlier this week, as conceding that he has political affiliation.

Though he did not disclose to which political party he is aligned, it does not take a genius to figure out where his political allegiance lies.

It certainly is not with the Opposition. However, he maintains that despite his political affiliation, he can act fairly. What he fails to understand is that the test is not subjective but objective: it is not what he thinks, but the perception, harboured by the ordinary Guyanese, that is important. Quite frankly, a perception that he will take instructions from the Office of the President is a quite reasonable one to hold in the circumstances. After all, SARU was housed in the Ministry of the Presidency while he was a member thereof. He was appointed by the Min-

istry of the Presidency to SARU. That appointment still holds in SARA. SARA was or is possibly still being housed within the Ministry of the Presidency. Minister Harmon conceded in the National Assembly that SARU’s budget is funded from the Ministry of the Presidency. So it is quite natural to conclude that Mr. Retemyer has political connections to the Government.

These perceptions or realities will militate against Mr. Retemyer and he may never be able to convince an alert Guyanese population of his impartiality and professionalism in this office.

Messrs Tacuma Ogensey and Desmond Trotman, two longstanding leaders of the WPA were also employed

by SARU, exacerbating the political contamination. There is no indication that they have not been transitioned over to SARA like their colleagues. Mr. Trotman was appointed as a Commissioner to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). There has been no public disclosure that he has relinquished his position in SARU/SARA. He may be continuing to hold these two offices. Nothing is beyond this Government.

What I do know is that lawyers will have a field day at the appropriate time.

STRAIGHT TALK Trends – Denial of Rights 10

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

By Dr. CheddiJagan - 1969

tion Act is facing workers” defiance. In Guyana, the Essential Services Act was never enforceable.

This was why in an exhaustive study in the 1950’s the New Jersey Commission stated that “in none of the English speaking countries did anti-strike laws result in the elimination of strikes. At various times we were relative more free of strikes in the US than were the people of the countries which locally prohibited strikes.”

U

nited Nations declared 1968 as Human Rights Year. With great pomp and ceremony, the Guyana coalition government concerned about is image as a preserver of human rights, gave its blessings. On August 22, the History and Arts Council sponsored a meeting on the same theme. One of the keynote speakers was Mr. S. Ramphal, Attorney General.

However, by every act and deed the coalition government is denying the rights of the Guyanese people, and moving toward the establishment of a dictatorship.

RIGHT TO TRAVEL Every citizen is entitled to the right of free movement inside and outside the country. Yet this has been denied. Five Guyanese who were awarded scholarship for studies in socialist countries were refused passports.

This is a clear violations of the rights laid down in the Constitution and a betrayal of commitments made by both LFS Burnham and Peter d’Aguiar. When leading the opposition, they declared their beliefs in fundamental rights at a conference headed

by Sir Ralph Grey at Government House on March 16th, 1962. Both sought to put more in the teeth in the Fundamental Rights section of our 1961 Constitution, d’Aguiar cautioned particularly the fright to leave and to return to the country.

EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY There is no equality of opportunity in Guyana Discrimination is widely practiced. Many officers were hounded out of their government posts. The latest was the Deputy Principal of the Government Teachers College.

No wonder even a sup-

porter of the government, Mr. Cleveland Hamilton, speaking as the Deputy Lord Mayer in a broadcast in May 1967 cried out against a new elite, creating “a new, larger area of snobbery.”

And again bribery which “is all over the place and is fast becoming a national industry …….the harm done in any situation in which bribery , corruption, nepotism and favoritism assume national proportions and in a way of life from top down, can never be calculated.”

The Service Commissions concerned with the employment, promotion and dismissal of civil servants and others, have been subverted.

Instead of being impartial, these institutions not up under the Constitution have new become rubber stamps of the Prime Minister’s office.

Last year, the Civil Service Association, which helped to bring the coalition parties into power, accused the government of causing a breach of industrial principle and a display of gross irresponsibility and arrogance.

It expressed its grave dissatisfaction with several appointments made by the Public Service Commission (PSC),

none of which were “most questionable and seriously disrupted the Association’s confidence in the integrity of the PSC. In a letter, it appealed to the Trade Union Council to “intercede before it’s too late.”

The Police Federation giving evidence before the Collins Commission on July 27, 1968 charged that favoritism prevailed in the promotion system in the Police Force. The Federation chief spokesman and Sergeant Bras, alleged that favoritism was rampant. He declared: “The merit principle is seldom applied. Many men have belittled and degraded themselves in order to find favor with an office in the hope that they would be recommended for promotion………..

There have even been cases where men who have been before the court on charges touching on their integrity and honesty, have been favored when either characteristics could recommend them.”

RIGHT TO STRIKE From the dawn of capitalism workers have been fighting for their right to strike.

For this right, many workers paid with their lives. Some in England were shipped off into exile in Australia, thousands were jailed and fined.

Today the right to strike is enshrined in every Western capitalist society. Yet at this time the Guyana government is seeking to deny this right by enacting legislation in the form of compulsory arbitration.

Compulsory arbitration is wrong in principle. As long ago as 1917, the International Labor Organization exposed compulsory arbitration as unsound. It declared that “A free society cannot coerce any section of its population into working conditions which are not freely and generally acceptable.

Many countries which have tried compulsory arbitration have come to realize that it cannot work. Britain introduced if after World War 11, but removed it in 1961 when it proved unenforceable. Australia, despite its long standing compulsory arbitration system and with a smaller labour force than Canada had more strikes and more man-days lost through strikes than Canada. In Trinidad, the Industrial Stabiliza-

PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION The right to peaceful demonstration is part and parcel of the right to freedom of speech and freedom of Assembly. However, the government refused to grant permission to the PPP to have a countrywide demonstration in protest against the rigged registration system for the compilation of the voters list for the coming elections.

RIGHT TO VOTE As a result of the growing disillusionment, dissatisfaction and frustration, the coalition parties which together polled 52% of the votes at the 1964 elections (PNC 40% and the UF 12%) are aware that they cannot win a free and fair elections in Guyana even under Proportional Representation which the British government imposed under pressure from the USA. This is why it embarked on a fraudulent registration system.

The intention of the PNC is to win the elections even before voting day. It is hoped to achieve this by padding the voters list. With the Elections Commission bypassed and with the registration machinery under hand-picked PNC-controlled personnel a large number of PPP supporters will be either left out or put into the wrong category. The PPP has issued

statements showing where persons above age 21, who should have been put in the voter category A, have been put into the non –voter Category B. At the same time, the government will increase the number of voters from among its own supporters. His can be done in several ways, particularly with overseas voting.

REGISTERING ALL ITS SUPPORTERS Registering its own supporters in more than one place Registering persons who are not Guyanese citizens.

No provision is made overseas for photographs and finger-printing.

Registering under 21’s as over 21’s.

To maintain themselves in office, the coalition parties will not only use a fraudulent registration system. They are also likely to use extensive proxy voting and voting machines, which have been proved to be capable of being manipulated.

Proxy voting in 1964 was severely criticized by the Commonwealth Team of election observers. They declared: “The one administrative provision which seemed open to manipulation ws the proxy vote . . . we feel it is our duty to point out that the proxy system is liable to abuse.”

It is to be observed that although the PPP polled 46% of the total votes, it secured only 8.6% of the proxy votes which increased from about 3000 in the 1961 elections to over 7.000 in 1964.

Guyana is clearly heading toward a dictatorship. This time is now for the Guyanese people to stop a further erosion of their rights. They must be prepared for day-today struggles in defense of their rights enshrined in our Constitution.

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

COMMENTARY

11

By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

The national debt will ruin us

J

ust a couple of weeks ago, in this column, I called attention to the frightening and rapidly out-of-control debt orgy that APNU+AFC are engaged in. As APNU+AFC mark three years in office this week, one of the things which are certain is that APNU+AFC are an administration determined to outdo the People’s National Congress (PNC), which made Guyana one of the most indebted nations in the world in the 1980s.

Last Friday, APNU+AFC used their majority in Parliament to raise the debt ceiling, so that they do not need to seek approval for taking loans up to G$50 billion (US$250 million) per project. The motion was introduced without warning.

This is a dangerous move, one that could make the debt crisis that bankrupted Guyana in the 1980s look mild in comparison.

APNU+AFC have now giv-

en themselves parliamentary imprimatur to take larger loans — up to G$50 billion per project — without informing any of us, and without seeking parliamentary approval. This will allow them to take a loan of G$30 billion from the Republic Bank for GuySuCo, and to begin drawing down on the US$900 million (G$180 billion) from the Islamic Bank up to G$50 billion at a time.

In less than three years, they want to double the international loans that the PPP left after 23 years.

With these loans, Guyana’s international loans would increase to more than US$2.7 billion, almost 30% larger than the US$2.1 billion the PNC had left in 1992, and 145% more than Guyana’s international loans had been at the end of 2014.

There is a hypocrisy that is galling: When the PPP had sought to have parliamentary permission to increase the

loan ceiling to G$30 billion, in order to allow GPL to provide a guarantee to purchase the electricity generated by AMAILA, the APNU+AFC had cried foul, and had used their one seat majority in 2013 to reject the request.

At that time, Greenidge, Ramjattan, Trotman, Nagamootoo and others had insisted that the Government should never be given permission to take any loans as large as G$30 billion, unless they sought parliamentary permission. They killed the AMAILA Project by rejecting the PPP’s request to increase the debt ceiling for any single loan. Now they have lifted the ceiling to G$50 billion — a sum that was once considered unfathomable, and which, just a few years ago, this same APNU+AFC had deemed unacceptable.

Clearly, APNU+AFC have not learnt the lessons of the PNC in the 1980s

PPP, TGI file complaint to SARA on US$18 million signing bonus

D

r. Clive Thomas, head of the government’s State Assets Recovery Agency, is dodging requests for the entity to investigate the scandal involving the US$18 million signing bonus from Exxon.

Thomas said that the agency does investigations of wrong doings only when complaints are made.

However, when PPP/C Chief Whip Gail Teixeira and Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. (TIGI) have lodged separate complaints with the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) over government’s handling of the bonus it received from ExxonMobil Thomas said that there is a long list of complaints and does not know when these will be attended to.

There is lingering controversy about whether the signing bonus should have been deposited into a special account at the Bank of Guyana and subsequently interest-bearing accounts overseas instead of the Consolidated Account. The bonus was earned in 2016 when a largely new production sharing agreement was inked with ExxonMobil, but little had been known about the

deal until late 2017 when government eventually admitted under intense pressure.

Thomas said TIGI filed the complaint about the bonus and another matter that he could not immediately recall. However, SARA is dealing with other matters and his agency would first have to determine whether the complaint has any basis for conducting a probe.

“We have a long list of matters. It might be a question of time, a question of priority. We have to establish a priori a crime was involved. We can’t just take every reference off the street and assume that it is some guilt involved there because, if not, we lay ourselves open to pursuing vendettas.

Individuals might try to use the organisation in that way so we have to be careful that we establish procedures for the establishment that it’s worth pursuing as an investigation but the law does not preclude us from that, from undertaking that kind of thing,” said Thomas.

President of TIGI, Troy Thomas said “The route that they (government) can decide what they want to do

with this (money), whenever they want to do and while we are not accusing them of misusing the money or anything of the sort, we are saying it’s not a situation that you want because it does not close those possibilities and taking into consideration that we are saying that it’s not legal to have handled the money in that way, then we believe it’s something that SARA can get involved in,” the TIGI boss said.

The opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), private sector and other interest groups and individuals have all raised concerns about the apparent secrecy of the signing bonus. Since the disclosure by both the Guyana government and ExxonMobil, government has explained that US$16 million of the bonus would be used to finance legal fees for Guyana’s border controversy case with Venezuela at the International Court of Justice.

Government has said that as may be required, the amounts would be transferred to the Consolidated Fund and then withdrawn after approval is granted by the National Assembly.

— when the PNC took us into the quicksand of unbearable debt. The foreign debt was more than US$2.1 billion in 1992. At that time, the foreign debt was 951% of Guyana’s GDP, and the debt servicing annually was 153% of our total earnings.

Guyana’s economic and social development had suffered immeasurable damage.

Our poverty rates were an unbelievable 66% to 88%, depending on whose statistics you want to use. The 66% was what the then PNC Government had wanted us to believe, the 88% was what people like Dr Clive Thomas and the WPA had estimated. Our industries were all on death beds; our infrastructure was the worst in the Caribbean and the Americas; health, education, water and housing sectors were dreadful; and Guyana was essentially bankrupt.

This is what Carl Greenidge, Guyana’s pres-

ent Foreign Affairs Minister, and Finance Minister in the 1980s up to 1992, had said about Guyana at the time: “Guyana is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere.

In 1990, the external debt to GDP ratio was 951%.

Between 1986 and 1990, Guyana’s average annual debt service payments were 153% of fiscal revenues.

During the mid-1980s, the Government had fallen into such serious arrears with its multilateral, bilateral and other lenders that lending institutions such as the IMF, the Caribbean Development Bank, as well as bilateral lending, was cut off, and its cessation resulted in further deterioration of the economy, creating an economic crisis so severe (that), if not remedied through drastic measures, (it) would have resulted in complete collapse, from which recovery would

be impossible”.

This is what the PPP inherited in 1992, and through sound macroeconomic and astute fiscal management, avoided the collapse that Greenidge had warned about at that time.

In 2015, APNU+AFC inherited the fastest and most consistently growing economy in the Caribbean, with a debt to GDP ratio among the best in developing countries around the world. From the 953% of GDP in 1991, the PPP reduced it to about 44% by the end of 2014.

Today APNU+AFC are on a debt orgy, and Guyana’s debt is once again one of the fastest growing debacles in CARICOM. The motion to lift the loan ceiling to G$50 billion per project will simply make this debt uncontrollable again. The Guyanese people will be victimized again, and generations to come will pay the price.

Speaker stops PPP/C MP Texiera from asking oral questions in the National Assembly

O

pposition Chief Whip, Gail Tiexiera was on Friday denied the opportunity to pose questions to the National Assembly regarding the recruitment of persons to join the Guyana People’s Miltia without advertisement and the procedure it involved.

She was repudiated from asking the oral question without notice mid-way by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Bartlon Scotland.

Scotland stated that the matter is not in keeping with the Standing Order. Even after demands for a reason for the rejection, Scotland remained vague stating that her question was “not in the standing order.” Notably, Teixeira pointed out to the National Assembly if the Speaker would allow her to ask the questions, the House will be satisfied that the matter is urgent and of public importance.

However, the Speaker then opted to move the processions forward.

Nevertheless, the question by Ms. Teixeira is as follows: “On January 3, 2016, the Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips announced that the Guyana People’s

Militia had been re-activated with effect from December 1, 2015 and that it hoped to recruit an additional 1500 persons as reserves. “These are not full-time, these are part-time soldiers. The whole concept is to have a small regular army and a larger reserve that could augment the regular army,” he said.

Phillips explained the advantage of having the GPM as a separate entity rather than being part of the GDF as the 2nd Infantry Battalion since August, 1997. “They will have a separate budget and a separate organizational structure, greater involvement at the regional and community levels in defence and security activities, not to mention training and employment activities,” he is reported to have remarked. The Commander in Chief stated at the 2016 Annual Officers Conference that “The ‘reserve force’ – the Guyana People’s Militia – is being re-built in every administrative region.

The Militia is an essential arm of the Regional system.

Each regional capital town will have its own unit, eventually, to enable to respond more promptly to render assistance to residents in the event of emergencies.”

During the annual budget debate on the 2016 Budget Estimates, February 15, 2016, the Honourable Minister Harmon informed the House in response to questions that the Guyana People’s Militia was as in the past situated within the Guyana Defence Force as the 2nd Infantry Battalion Reserve and its budget was included within the GDF budget and administration.

Could the Minister provide this National Assembly with the following information:i) the criteria and methodology of recruitment of persons into the People’s Militia; ii) ii) the numbers of persons who have been recruited into the People’s Militia in the last two years? iii) by what means have these persons been recruitment via public advertisement in the media, in the social media, or any other means? iv) the numbers of persons by regions who have been recruited? v) the type of training that the recruits are being given and for how long? vi) are recruits receiving stipends, salaries or other benefits?

12

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

PPP puts motion on piracy and for setting up Labour Ministry in Parliament T

he Parliamentary Opposition in preparation for the Friday, May 11, 2018, Sitting of the National Assembly has submitted a Motion of Adjournment on a Definite Matter of Urgent Public Importance dealing with the two recent incidents of violent pirate attacks on Guyanese fishermen off the coast of Suriname.

A Private Member's Motion calling for the re-establishment of the Ministry of Labour was also submitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly for debate at the same Sitting.

The Opposition has also submitted a Question without Notice on the Guyana People's Militia.

The Motions and the Question immediately follow: 1. Motion of Adjournment on a Matter of Definite Urgent Public Importance WHEREAS four boats with 20 fishermen, most of whom were Guyanese, were attacked in a most horrific and violent manner on Friday April 27, 2018 by pirates off the coast of the Republic of Suriname leaving 12 missing, 5 survivors and three bodies found thus far; AND WHEREAS less than a week later another boat with Guyanese fishermen was also attacked by pirates in the Republic of Suriname leading to one dead and 4 survivors; AND WHEREAS families of the fishermen in Guyana met the Leader of the Opposition who subsequently travelled to Suriname to meet with families and survivors of these piracy attacks, and, the Guyanese Community, in Suriname; AND WHEREAS the families and the survivors have explained in great detail the horrors that they have endured at the hands of criminals and expressed great fears that these atrocities will be repeated unless the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice; AND WHEREAS these attacks were not merely robberies, murders and acts of piracy but by the very cruel and inhumane manner by which they were executed, these should be treated as acts of terrorism requiring the application of the full force of the law to bring the perpetrators to justice by both the Governments of Guyana and

the Republic of Suriname working collaboratively and swiftly in addressing these horrific incidents fully and comprehensively; AND WHEREAS the families and communities of the victims, and, fishermen in general, have been deeply traumatized and severely aggrieved by the lack of empathy, information, and action by government officials in the last two (2) weeks; BE IT RESOLVED that the Government of Guyana informs this National Assembly of the actions which have been taken in respect of this horrendous human tragedy, thus far, and what actions it intends to take, in relation thereto, generally, but more specifically, in respect of the following matters: (i) the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of these horrific acts and the intellectual authors, thereof; (ii) the measures put in place or to be put in place designed to create a safe environment for fishermen to continue to ply their trade at sea; (iii) what form of financial assistance, if any, is being or will be offered to the families of the victims, as well as, the owners of the fishing vessels, engines, seine and equipment which have been damaged, destroyed or lost; (iv) what form of enhanced collaboration, if any, is being pursued with the Government of the Republic of Suriname to patrol and monitor the waters, inclusive by air, and including, the installation of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) or similar technological apparatus on licensed fishing vessels; (v) what mechanisms, if any, have been put in place to ensure that when reports are made to the Law Enforcement Authorities in Surina-

me and Guyana, they are treated seriously, confidentially and with dispatch; (vi) what enhanced role is being played by the Guyana Embassy in Paramaribo, Suriname, to represent, facilitate and render assistance to these traumatized families and victims, in particular assisting with access to the Surinamese authorities with regards to law enforcement, health care,immigration and release of the bodies for burial, and further issues which affect the interest and welfare of all Guyanese either residing or working in the Republic of Suriname.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if the Government of Guyana has not yet acted upon the issues articulated above that this National Assembly urges them to do so with every convenient speed; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this National Assembly urges the Government of Guyana to utilize the provisions in the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Piracy Act to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Gail Teixeira, M.P., Harry Gill, M.P., May 10, 2018 2. Private Member’s motion AND WHEREAS there existed a Ministry of Labour before the General Elections of May, 2015; AND WHEREAS after the General Elections of May 2015, the Government of Guyana established a Ministry of Social Protection, headed by a Senior Minister; AND WHEREAS on the establishment of the Ministry of Social Protection, the Ministry was reduced to that of a department within the Ministry of Social Protection and headed by a Junior Minister

within the Ministry of Social Protection; AND WHEREAS on May 1, 2018 at the joint rally of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Federation of Independent Trades Union of Guyana (FITUG) the call was made for a Motion to be laid in this National Assembly in relation to the re-establishment of the Ministry of Labour; BE IT RESOLVED: That this National Assembly calls on the Government of Guyana to support the call of the joint trade union movement and restore the Ministry of Labour to its pre-2015 status as soon as possible.

system. Each regional capital town will have its own unit, eventually, to enable to respond more promptly to render assistance to residents in the event of emergencies.”

During the annual budget debate on the 2016 Budget Estimates,

Gillian Burton Persaud, M.P., Komal Chand, M.P., 3. Oral Question without Notice Member Asking: Gail Teixeira, M.P., Member answering: Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency, M.P., Ref:- Recruitment of persons into the Guyana People’s Militia On January 3, 2016, the Chiefof-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Mark Phillips announced that the Guyana People’s Militia had been re-activated with effect from December 1, 2015 and that it hoped to recruit an additional 1500 persons as reserves. “These are not full-time, these are parttime soldiers. The whole concept is to have a small regular army and a larger reserve that could augment the regular army,” he said. Phillips explained the advantage of having the GPM as a separate entity rather than being part of the GDF as the 2nd Infantry Battalion since August, 1997. “They will have a separate budget and a separate organizational structure, greater involvement at the regional and community levels in defence and security activities, not to mention training and employment activities,” he is reported to have remarked. The Commander in Chief stated at the 2016 Annual Officers Conference that “The ‘reserve force’ – the Guyana People’s Militia – is being re-built in every administrative region. The Militia is an essential arm of the Regional

February 15, 2016, the Honourable Minister Harmon informed the House in response to questions that the Guyana People’s Militia was as in the past situated within the Guyana Defence Force as the 2nd Infantry Battalion Reserve and its budget was included within the GDF budget and administration.

Could the Minister provide this National Assembly with the following information:i) the criteria and methodology of recruitment of persons into the People’s Militia; ii) the numbers of persons who have been recruited into the People’s Militia in the last two years? iii) by what means have these persons been recruitment via public advertisement in the media, in the social media, or any other means? iv) the numbers of persons by regions who have been recruited? v) the type of training that the recruits are being given and for how long? vi) are recruits receiving stipends, salaries or other benefits?

Gail Teixeira, M.P., Harry Gill, M.P., May 10, 2018

Lindo Creek hearings expose move to ‘prosecute’ witnesses, not find facts – Jagdeo

T

he continuing public hearing of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Lindo Creek killings seem less focused on finding the truth and more geared toward pushing witnesses, many of whom have voluntarily appeared before the Commission, towards an already reached outcome.

This was according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who addressed the issue at his Wednesday (May 9, 2018) news conference.

He explained that this view stems from the media reports on the recent hearings and the actions of the Commissioner and father of a sitting Cabinet

Minister, Donald Trotman, and the lead Attorney and brother of a sitting Cabinet Minister, Patrice Henry.

“From what I have been reading, it seems that they are not there to find out the truth… they want to act as prosecutors, when they are presented with facts not in line with what they want…the purpose of a CoI is to find the truth,” Jagdeo said, adding that Trotman and Henry seem intent on having the security forces blamed for the Lindo Creek incident.

Notably, hearings earlier this week heard that a probe by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) cleared the

joint services of the deaths at Lindo Creek. After the June 2008 deaths of eight miners – Dax Arokium, Cedric Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres – the security forces were accused of the killings by Leonard Arokium, who discovered the burnt remains were discovered on June 21, 2008, at the Lindo Creek mining camp. The contention that the security forces were involved has been pushed for the past several years by certain sections.

Additionally, the hearings also heard that miners were

targeted by the notorious ‘Fine Man’ gang because they were suspected to be informants.

This testimony is in line with testimony in a case before the High Court. As recent as January 2017, a state witness, Dwane Williams, who testified in the Bartica Massacre trial, implicated the ‘Fine Man gang’ and made clear that it was responsible for not only the 2008 massacres at Bartica and Lusignan, but also the killings at Lindo Creek. ‘Fine Man’ – Rondell Rawlins – was killed in a shootout on August 28, 2008, during an almost seven-hour-long police operation, which started at Timehri.

The hearings heard too that the ‘Fine Man’ gang was also in possession of GDF weapons, as well as camouflage clothing.

The revelation about the use of GDF weapons by criminals, according to Jagdeo, underscored the need for a comprehensive Commission of Inquiry into the crime wave – one that starts with the escape of prisoners in 2002 and also seeks to inquire about the political players in incidents subsequent to the jailbreak, as well as seeks to ascertain how army weapons ended up in the hands of criminals. “They can also look at the role of drug

dealers and whether the drug dealers had links to the government,” he said, referring to the criticism repeated by members of the PNC-led Coalition Government, regarding Roger Khan.

Jagdeo added, “It (a comprehensive CoI) is not going to happen because some of the players are now huge in the current Government.”

The Opposition Leader added that if there was a “real” CoI – a comprehensive review of the crime wave – several persons in the Coalition government, including Government Ministers, would be “really” uncomfortable.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

The PPP Regional Conference for Region No 2 Supanaam – Pomeroon H

eld on Saturday May 12th , 2018 at the Party Office in Anna Regina under the theme “Time to Unite, Strategize, Organise, and Mobilize the Masses “ The Regional report was read by the 1st Secretary Cde Samaroo , that dealt with the work of the Region over the past year. The event was chaired by Cde Davanand Ramdatt and a member of the Party Regional Committee.

A section of the Delegates at the Conference, participants came from as far as (PPP Groups) the Pomeroon River

Comrade BheriRamsaran delivering the feature address at the conference. Where he charges the delegates to remain steadfast in this struggle as we continue to oppose this APNU government and the corrupt and discriminatory practices that they are perpetrating against the people of this country.

He also challenged the new Regional committee members to stay rooted with the masses and continue to build our party structure in Region 2 as we prepare for 2020

In Picture are 2018 Regional Committee members with Central Committee members BheriRamsaran and Majeed Hussain The new members of the Regional Committee are 1. Abraham Baksh 2. Arnold Adams 3. Basil Persaud 4. Bibi Halimoon Rasheed 5. CharranSarabjeet 6. Cornel Daman 7. DarshanPersaud 8. DavanandRamdatt 9. FarazBaksh 10. HumaceOodit 11. JuiletCunja 12. Rabindranauth Mohan 13. Rudolph Williams 14. Samaroo 15. Showkat Ali 16. Sybil Courtman

Govt’s lies about CJIA expansion works in Parliament

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he decision was taken to add two new air bridges at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project was questioned

by Opposition Parliamentarian, Juan Edghill, during last Friday’s sitting of the National Assembly. And the response from subject Minister, David Patterson, exposed the fact that a blatant lie was told to the National Assembly.

While debating the Supplementary Paper no. 2 of 2018, Edghill asked Patterson when the decision was taken to add two new air bridges at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project. Patterson stated that the two additional air bridges were always in the contract, which was

amended after the Coalition Government took office in May 2015. Patterson stated, “…since we took over the contract had two and we have stated that we will always have four.”

Probing further, Edghill asked, “Could the Honorable Minister list the items that was provided for in the contract for the CJIA airport before it was amended post May 2015. Runaway, Apron, Parking, Terminal, Bridges, Sq. footage and length.”

According to Patterson the document is a public document and it was released years ago. Notably, Edghill asked for the “public” document to be laid over but was adamant for the Minister to state in the National Assembly how many air bridges

were in the original contract.

Patterson in response, quickly took the floor and stated non, zero. “In the China Harbour Contract Mr. Speaker that was zero air bridges,” he contended. The Minister next rose to the floor to request a five-minute recess do that the original contract, which was inked under the PPP/C Government to be laid in the National Assembly. Edghill acceded to the request, stating that in the interest of clarity he would like to have the five minutes request so that he and other PPP/C MPs can review the contract. However, the Speaker denied the request.

Notably, Patterson sought to deceive by providing only pages 40-70 of the contract,

which contained only the bill of quantities.

Edghill, who spoke with Citizens’ Report in an exclusive interview today, said, “After intervening to bring to the attention of the Speaker this revelation through the Clerk of the National Assembly, we received the

full contract, which clearly indicated that the Minister lied to the House.”

He went on to point out that the contract clearly indicates that the original contract had eight loading bridges. The contract, seen

by Citizens’ Report, on pages 35 (2) (d) states: “The

concourse is to house the following: Second Floor (passenger level), Departure lounges with 8 loading bridges, Space for Concessions.”

Notably, after undertaking a review of the contract, pages 18, 27, 28 and 30 contains drawings of a new Terminal Building which all clearly indicated eight boarding bridges. On page 18, the boarding bridges are all clearly labeled, the drawing contained boarding bridges A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I. Edghill pointed out that all this information is contained within pages 1-39, which was deliberately omitted by Patterson in the first instances, in a direct attempt to mislead the nation and Members of the National Assembly.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo delivered the feature address at the PPP District Conferences held in Mabaruma and Port Kaituma, Region 1, over the last weekend.

The General Secretary took time off to visit various locations in the communities and interacted with residents and discussing various issues of concern to them.

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

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16

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

PPP pickets SOCU over Singh, Brassington charges

M

embers of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), this morning, stood in solidarity through a picketing with former Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd. (NICIL), Mr. Winston Brassington who once again made their way into the Headquarters of the Special Organissed Crime Unit (SOCU) for questioning.

Though they have already been charged with crimes that many believe have no merit, both men are voluntarily visiting the SOCU Office upon the request of investigators.

One of their attorneys, Mr. Mohabir Anil Nandlall told the media that this is a clear case where innocent people are being prosecuted

and he lashed out at civil society organisations for staying silent on the matter.

“Civil society needs to condemn what is taking place. Today is Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington, tomorrow it could be you or anyone else,” he stated.

Nandlall argued that if the rights of free men are being taken away, then it means that the rights of every other free men are being threatened. As such he is calling on organisations such as the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI), the Guyana Press Association (GPA), and Red Thread, to speak out against this worrying development.

Notably, the Coalition Government continues to pursue outcomes promised during the 2015 elections

campaign, subverting state institutions, harming Guyana’s long-term interests and damaging reputations, via the charges leveled against two more former officials who served under the previous PPP/C government – all without substantial evidence – according to Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

“They are working according to plan. This was never about fighting corruption, it is about damaging reputations to say (to their supporters) look we are fulfilling promise,” Jagdeo, said today (May 9, 2018) during a news conference held at his Church Street office.

He added, “We have witnessed a circus act…what happened here might be shocking to Guyana, to people who expected decency from this government, but

for us who have been in the political arena, what played out in court yesterday is not shocking; it is not a revelation. APNU is operating according to plan.”

Three charges were filed against former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and former NICIL Head, Winston Brassington. The charges stemmed from a forensic audit done by Annand Goolsarran, who prior to the May 2015 election had claimed that there was corruption under the PPP/C government.

The first charge stated that while acting in the capacity of Former Finance Minister, and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) respectively, back in 2008 they sold Scady Business Corporation

a tract of land that is 4.7000 acres, lettered RU and XXX, being a portion of Plantation Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara which is the property of Guyana for the sum of $150M while knowing that the property was valued at $340M when valued by Rodrigues Architects’ asset valuation officer.

The second joint charge alleged that while Singh was Minister of Finance and Chairman of NICIL, on December 28, 2009 by way of agreement of sale and purchase he acted recklessly when he sold to National Hardware Guyana Limited a tract of land, plot letter LP, a portion of Area LPP of Plantation Liliendaal, Pattensen and Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara, that is 103.88 acres, property of Guyana for $598.659.398, VAT ex-

clusive without having a valuation of the property from a competent valuation officer.

The third joint charge alleged, Singh and Brassington were jointly charged for the sale of land to Multi- Cinema Guyana. The charge stated that on May 14 2011, while Singh was the Minister of Finance and Brassington was the Chairman of NICIL, they sold a tract of land of 10.002 acres, letter A-A being a portion of Plantation Turkeyen situated on the East Coast Demerara and property of Guyana for the sum of $185.037.000 without procuring a valuation of the said property from a competent valuation officer.

Both Singh and Brassington were released on $6M bail each and is expected to return to Court on June 5, 2018.

Female redundant workers receive food hampers

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he 171 female sugar workers who were employed in the fields and factories of the nowclosed Wales, East Demerara, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates are to receive food hampers compliments of the Guyana Solidarity Movement – New York (GSM-NY). The women workers, given the nature of work they undertook in the sugar industry, had relatively low earnings, and quite a few were single parents themselves making their situation doubly harsh.

The GSM-NY which comprises Guyanese resident in the New York area has been especially moved by the suffering and hardships that now grip the thousands of persons affected by the closure of the estates. Previously, the GSM-NY had provided support which saw cane cutters of Wales, the only group of redundant workers to not have received any severance payments, receiving hampers in late December, 2017.

This latest support was made possible through the support of many kind-hearted Guyanese in the New York area who have been touched by the stories of sadness in the sugar belt. Today, many of the now jobless workers have serious difficulties to put meals on their tables; to send their children to school, or to pay their bills. For them it is been nothing short of a nightmare with previously simple things now becoming a monumental challenge.

The first distribution exercise was conducted for the workers of East Demerara Estate at the Enmore Community Centre where 83 ex-workers were slated to receive hampers. The recipients were very appreciative and touched by the kind gesture and were pleased to know that they are not alone at this trying time in their lives. The hampers which comprised basic food items such as rice, flour, sugar, milk, salt, etc, the workers related will go some way to easing the burdens they have to fetch now-a-days.

Some of the ex-sugar workers shared that though they have managed to secure jobs, their rates-of-pay and conditions of work are far inferior from what they enjoyed in the sugar industry. Some others related that given their age they have great difficulties in obtaining employment. They lamented that they gave their best years to the sugar industry and GuySuCo and now they have been shoved in the cold world of the unemployed seemingly without any consideration In the coming days, similar activities will be held at Wales, Rose Hall and Skeldon Estate.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Economic

orner

Dr. Peter R. Ramsaroop, MBA, (Economic Advisor to the Leader of the Opposition)

$76B in investment lost in 2015 alone – anadditional 7,875 jobs lost by APNU-AFCin one year – projects were all negotiated under PPP

T

he David Granger Administration with Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan in charge of the nation’s financial affairs, have not only destroyed the Guyanese economy in three years but information now coming to light suggests they also lost $76.3B in investments in their first year in office alone.

Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin on Thursday made public for the first time the audited reports for the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) for 2015.

In the Chairman’s report it is documented that GO-Invest in 2015 secured Investment Agreements between government authorities and investors for the execution of 90 projects, bringing in $76.3B in much needed investment (Foreign and Local) and creating 7,875 jobs.

Investment Agreements between a government and investors which are facilitated through GO-Invest are not with ‘fly by night investors’

for the establishment of the ‘corner shop or retail store’ but rather, transformative projects. They were negotiated for months and in some cases years.

The Report for GO-Invest should be seen as yardstick by which to measure the failures of both Ministers Gaskin and Winston Jordan his Finance counterpart.

In the year when the coalition took office, GO-Invest managed to secure Investments Agreements for $76.3B for 90 projects across the country creating almost 8,000 jobs,but insteadwhat happened was a clear loss of investor confidence as these were not realized, or 8,000 additional jobs were lost by this administration.

The PPP in their final year in office managed to negotiate and secure $10.6B in investments through GO-Invest for the Agricultural Sector. This is according to the report presented to the MPs

by Minister Gaskin himself.

The President must now seriously start taking a look at the figures that are being presented to him, not just by the political opposition, but also by civil society groups and by now, his very own government agencies.

In 2015 what Guyana witnessed instead of jobs being created was a large scale ‘purge’ of perceived PPP supporters from the public service?

Thousands of Amerindian Community Support Officers (CSOs) were immediately fired, as were the thousands more in the public service.

This, as the wages bill still increased in many agencies such as the Ministry of the Presidency. A direct result in part, tothe numerous cronies enjoying contract employment with emoluments far above their public service counterparts—a situation which the unions have since called for an investiga-

tion into.

Guyana’s economic growth instead contracted in 2015.

The contraction was a direct result of the preceding three years of instability, brought about by the oneseat majority (2011-2015) A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change.

Since taking Office Minister Jordan has sought to shore up and increase the revenue base by increase taxes adhoc—some being met with reprisal and being withdrawn as was the case with VAT on education services.

Another 4,000+ thousand jobs were to be had in the services sector, bringing in $36B in investments as part of the diversification of the economic base.

What we now see instead is the country already contracting the Dutch Disease, before even drawing down on its first drop of oil.

It appears that President David Granger and his quintet of Ministers have all set sail for the Liza fields with little thought for the rest of the economy.

With 20/20 hindsight, we can now, armed with Minister Gaskin’s figures, see that instead of creating 1,000+ jobs in the agricultural sector with a $10B investment, the coalition government instead chose to lay off thousands from GuySuCo. This administration is now discovering that the costs of closing the estates are proving to be greater than keeping them open. Instead of creating 4,000 jobs in the Services sector with $36B in investments into the country—taking into account the contribution of the services sector to the GDP— this government instead dec-

imated the industry through its haphazard policies and failing infrastructure.

The tourism industry was virtually transformed by the PPP/C with the country, for the first time being recognized as a worthy destination for international travelers.

GO-Invest secured $15B in private capital for investment in a total of 21 tourism projects bringing more than 1,000 jobs directly.

What we have seen instead is the tourism industry, like labour and sport, be subsumed into larger ministries and relegated to a department in a corner office.

These were all projects that factored into a broader Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) for Guyana, developed by the then President, BharratJagdeo.

This unfortunately was abandoned by the government as soon as they took Office and with it, the $76B in transformation projects aimed at diversifying the economic base of the country—$76B that was facilitated through GO-Invest alone and inked that year.

In May 2015 when President Granger took office and put Minister Jordan in charge of the finances, he inherited a solid economy that was growing and we now see that there were 90 projects inked ready to bring in billions in investments.

The Minister inherited sustainable debt, solid foreign and local reserves, solid gold reserves and a growing economy which meant a growing revenue base.

The country is now seeing economic growth tread dangerously close to the levels to which we as a country had to run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after Forbes Burnham deci-

mated the economy through his disastrous policies.

The loss of investor confidence in Guyana as a country led to its economic decimation during the 1970s and 1980s.

With the benefit of hindsight, it is becoming increasingly clearer President David Granger and his ‘finance guru,’ Jordan is heading down the same road with the same destructive policies,now disguised as ‘updated.’

Guyanese should not see the stream of press releases coming out of the Ministry of Natural Resources that oil companies are interested in Guyana, as any indication that investors across the board want to come to Guyana.

Oil companies flourish in war torn countries such as those currently in turmoil in the Middle East. ExxonMobil has not pulled out of Iraq has it?

The Agriculture, Tourism, Light Manufacturing, Forestry, Services, ICT and Energy sectors combined in 2015—according to Minister Gaskin Figures—saw 90 investors with projects committing $76.3B and thousands of jobs.

The economy instead contracted and despite the shenanigans of the Finance Minister casting blame on his staff, growth is forecasted to be 0% for Guyana in 2020.

The nation will then be at the mercy of the oil companies and worse the vagaries of the oil market controlled as it is by its oligarchs.

Peter R. Ramsaroop, MBA, PH.D, Economic Advisor to the Political Opposition W h a t s a p p : +12029078080; Telephone #: 6150036

Minister Patterson’s brother charged with trafficking cocaine Jagdeo calls for closer look at drug connection

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he younger brother of Guyana’s Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, was on Monday remanded to Grenada’s Richmond Hill Prison when he appeared at the St George’s Court before Chief Magistrate, Tamara Gill to answer to a cocaine possession charge.

Derrick Patterson, a 47-year-old Guyanese was charged with trafficking a total of 2.325kgs of cocaine, worth approximately $232,500.

Following the news of the arrest in the local media, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, said at a press conference when asked about the matter said this is the second incident involving persons dealing with drugs who are

closely connected to government officials.

He called for an investigation into the security operations at the CJIA to see if it is compromised.

During his news conference (May 16, 2018), he said, “These are the same people who accused the PPP of being in bed with drug dealers, they have it right in their own home…what are they going to say now?”

Jagdeo also noted too that news of Patterson’s arrest did not come to light locally, until weeks after the fact.

“This came up almost three weeks after it happened…this incident happened since May 2,” he said.

According to him, this is the second high-profile incident involving a connec-

tion to the Government and persons involved drugs and illegal action. The first came after Noel Blackman was appointed as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Board Chairman.

Soon after, Blackman, owner of Channel Nine television station HBTV, was charged in New York, in a drug dealing scheme. According to New York’s Newsday, Blackman, a former Health Minister, reportedly illegally prescribed large amounts of oxycodone, over 360,000 pills last year, as part of a drug dealing enterprise in three US States.

Records show he wrote 114 prescriptions in 2014 for about 3,800 oxycodone pills and nearly 2,500 prescriptions for about 365,000 pills last year.

Derrick Patterson

Minister Patterson and the AFC have remained silent on the issue.

To this end, the Opposition Leader is calling on Government to have a full scale investigation launched in Guyana to ‘ensure that our security was not compromised.’

“This is where the Government should launch a full investigation into it since this is a clean Government that doesn’t tolerate drug dealing,” he sarcastically quipped.

Furthermore, Jagdeo went on to recount that some years ago, former Finance Minister under the PNC/R, Rashliegh Jackson had found himself in a similar rough patch as the Minister of Public Infrastructure, after his son was arrested for drug possession.

“I remember when a Former Minister, Rashliegh Jackson, whose son was found with drugs…He [Jackson] said it became untenable for him to continue and he resigned,” Jagdeo said.

Probed as to whether he was implying that a Minister should be held responsible for the actions of a relative, the Opposition Leader responded in the negative.

“This Minister, I have not called for his resignation.

He has to decide because apart from just family member there has to be a full investigation whether the VIP lounge at the other areas were used in Guyana…” he posited while noting that had the same incident occurred where a PPP member was involved “it would have been [that] it was Jagdeo who gave the man the drugs.”

Nevertheless, the former President reemphasized that the decision whether Patterson should resign for his brother’s situation is up to the Minister and the President.

“Rashliegh Jackson took the high moral ground. There was nothing to say he had to…I’m not calling for [Patterson’s] resignation [for this]….I believe he should resign for other things,” Jagdeo asserted.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

THE HINTERLAND CONNECTION

THE FIRST PEOPLE (Part 1)

By Jagnarine Somwar

“T

he first people to reach Guyana made their way from Asia, perhaps as far back as 35,000 years ago.

These first inhabitants were nomads who slowly migrated south into Central and South America. Although great civilizations later arose in the Americas, the structure of Amerindian society in the Guianas remained relatively simple. At the time of Christopher Columbus's voyages, Guyana's inhabitants were divided into two groups, the Arawak along the coast and the Carib in the interior. One of the legacies of the indigenous peoples was the word Guiana, often used to describe the region encompassing modern Guyana as well as Suriname (Dutch Guiana) and Cayenne (French Guiana). The word, which means "land of waters", is appropriate considering the area's multitude of rivers and streams.”

Historians speculate that the Arawak and Carib originated in the South American hinterland and migrated northward, first to the present-day Guianas and then to the Caribbean islands.

The Arawak, mainly cultivators, hunters, and fishermen, migrated to the Caribbean

Islands before the Carib and settled throughout the region.

The tranquility of Arawak society was disrupted by the arrival of the bellicose Carib from the South American interior. The warlike behavior of the Carib and their violent migration north made an impact. By the end of the 15th century, the Carib had displaced the Arawak throughout the islands of the Lesser Antilles. The Carib settlement of the Lesser Antilles also affected Guyana's future development. The Spanish explorers and settlers who came after Columbus found that the Arawak proved easier to conquer than the Carib, who fought hard to maintain their independence.

This fierce resistance, along with a lack of gold in the Lesser Antilles, contributed to the Spanish emphasis on conquest and settlement of the Greater Antilles and the mainland. Only a weak Spanish effort was made at consolidating Spain's authority in the Lesser Antilles (with the arguable exception of Trinidad) and the Guianas.

It is generally believed that Guyana's first inhabitants, the Amerindians, originally entered the territory of what is now known as Guyana about 11,000 years ago. Initially they lived on

the low, swampy coastland region.

“Much of the coastal plain was built up by alluvial deposits from the rising Atlantic Ocean during the period ranging from 17,000 to 6,000 years ago. Large rivers which were formed also brought huge deposits of silt from the continental interior and dumped them into the ocean. These silt deposits formed part of the alluvium which helped to create the coastal plain. There were periods when the rising waters stabilised allowing mangrove forests to develop. As the waters rose at a later time, these forests were destroyed and were covered over with silt on which new forests grew during different periods. As the coastland built up, the sea retreated but left behind a series of parallel sand and shell beaches, now known as sand reefs, up to about 10 miles inland.”

West of the Essequibo River, large pegasse (or peat) swamps were formed. Archaeological surveys in the region have unearthed evidence to show that the first people of Guyana formed settlements around some of these large pegasse swamps.

Research by the Guyanese anthropologist, Dennis Williams, shows that while

the earliest Guyanese were hunters, about 7000 years ago they graduated to become hunter-gatherers. Some of these hunter-gatherers used a variety of plants to produce oils, fibres and dyes.

These activities were the early horticultural experiments of the early inhabitants. Archaeological studies reveal that a group of these people occupied Barabina Hill near to Mabaruma around that period.

In the North-West District and the Pomeroon where they were firmly established as fish, turtle, snail and crab catchers, their settlements were more permanent, but in the interior areas they moved their campsites from time to time. Some of these settlements were in the Mazaruni basin, the Pakaraima highlands, the Rupununi and the Berbice River.

The tools of the hunter-gatherers included bedrock grinding surfaces which were used to make polished stone tools, bark beaters of chipped stone (used for extracting bark cloth), projectile points, chisels, axes, and adzes. These tools, no doubt, helped in creating the dugout canoe. Chipped quartz produced small tools such as scrapers and gouges. Bone was used for making awls,

fish hooks and personal ornaments. Basketry skills were also developed and were used in the manufacture of fish traps and food containers.

The subsistence systems varied from region to region. In the south-west Rupununi, the hunter-gatherers were fishermen, while in the New River area they were collectors. However, their livelihood was affected by seasonal short-ages of the particular food resource.

Dennis Williams' studies reveal that in the North West District and Pomeroon, the diet of the early Amerindians consisted of fish, turtles, crabs, snails, a variety of wild animals, larvae of beetles that deposited their eggs in the eetay palm, wild cashew, eetay palm flour, and wild honey. Those who later lived in the savannahs hunted water-fowl, fish, turtle, Cayman, deer, sloth and monkey.

Many of these animals were trapped in isolated pools after the rainy season. The eetay palm which also flourished in the savannahs provided a type of flour. In the rain forest area, Amerindians lived on fish and wild animals; while near to the Brazil border wild nuts/cashew nuts formed part of the diet.

This article was re searched based on revelations

from the “Guyana Story”.

Discussions would continue on the Main Groups of the First People and what transpired in the 19th Century.

Note: The two detractors of the APNU who felt that these articles are based on the “White Man” perception of the First People and that the article is been politicize, should be aware of the support that the PPP is amassing from the First People. They should be thorough enough to accept as evidence the massive turn out that the PPP General Secretary and Opposition Leader, Dr.Jagdeo had attracted at two simple meetings in Regions 9 and 1, over the last few weeks.

Not to forget the hundreds of complains against the Coalition Government, to which he and other Party Leaders are addressing for the benefit of the First People. This is Politics based on facts. It should also be noted that there are numerous Guyanese historians who would have contributed towards and researched the history of the Indigenous People and hundreds of books, documentaries, writings and videos were compiled to record the rich and valuable cultural heritage and the uniquely profound History of the First People.

Ahead of LGE: Desperation in APNU+AFC camp seen in ‘commentaries’ by divisive elements

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ith Local Government Elections (LGE) expected before the end of the year, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has emerged from its cocoon, according to Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

However, he charged that Guyanese are witnessing the old PNC tactic of polarizing Guyanese.

At a news conference held today (May 16, 2018) at his Church Street office, he noted the increased use of state resources on visits by

massive ministerial delegations to various areas across Guyana. “The Coalition has come to the realization that they will need votes…we have seen flurry of activities designed to have people support them… they have come out of their cocoon and they are not getting the type of reception from people.”

Jagdeo charged that there is a clear sense of desperation in the APNU+AFC camp.

He reasoned that this

may be the motive behind clear efforts to polarize Guyanese. “They want to make this about race…they have pulled out the big guns… the usual characters from the past are back,” the Opposition Leader said.

To support his contention, he pointed to the recent column penned by David Hinds. “He did a hatchet job on the PPP last week,” Jagdeo said, adding that Hinds’ latest publication is divisive and attempts to mis-characterise the positions of the

PPP/C. Hinds in his column, published by the Kaieteur News, noted that any movement in the area of black empowerment for Afro-Guyanese must be “launched by a Black-led government” and states that the PPP failed to support the welfare of Afro-Guyanese.

Jagdeo rubbished his comments noting that Afro-Guyanese did better under successive PPP/C governments, than under the PNC. “This is an inconve-

nient truth for them (Hinds and the like). They will try to cover that up,” he said.

On Hinds’ comments about the need for a “blackled” government, the Opposition Leader stated that Hinds does not support the cite the need for governments to be judged on merit – on their ability to respond to needs of the people, support economic and other policies that would translate to improve standard of living, wealth and job creation – rather he touts the notion

of supporting a political party based on race. “People like Hinds have spent their lives making this and industry…they cannot define the future for us….this like this (the column) is pure racism being peddled,” he said.

Jagdeo added, “…we are working hard to make sure our party is reflective of all the people in Guyana. More and more people are joining the PPP…they (Hinds and others) are realizing that this is happening….they don’t care about ordinary people.”

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Party News

Annual Conferences - District & regional East Bank Demerara Upper & Lower

By Eddi Rodney

Lindo Creek CoI seems more focused on ‘clearing Fine Man and gang’ - Jagdeo

be confirmed at another statutory

B

oth the Lower and Upper East Bank Demerara Districts of the People’s Progressive Party held annual conferences on April 29 2018.

Scores of delegates and observers including a fair amount of women participated in these events.

The Lower EBD conference was addressed by a senior PPP official, whilst the Upper EBD was similarly programmed.

Diamond Community center and the residence of a long standing PPP member were the venues chosen.

These Districts demographically have as a boundary the Demerara river and includes locations from Eccles/ Ramsburg to the Soesdyke satellite settlements.

District reports were presented as summaries.

The main topic was on preparation for Local Government Elections scheduled to be held before the end of this year.

Office Bearers As reported in Weekend Mirror (April 14-15 2018) community outreaches have been organized during the first and second weeks of April that included St. Cuthbert’s and Laluni.

For the Lower EBD district Majeed Husain was elected to serve as chairman and the deputy chair/secretary will be assigned to Reaz Subhan.

Meanwhile Cde Dwarka Nauth has been re-elected as chairperson for the Upper EBD. The other office bearers will

Georgetown District The constituent groups of Georgetown PPP commencing from Cummings Lodge/ Liliendaal to Alexander Village (Region 4A) held District on April 22 2018 under the theme Time To Unite, Strategize, Organise and Mobilise the Masses.

District Report was relayed by (a member of the District) Waheeda Saheed whilst the Address was delivered by Irfaan Ali MP. The main focus was to remind delegates that there was an urgency for group units to submit regular reports and adhere to a programme of activities, several interventions were forthcoming including observations from members of Alexander Village, Kitty and Central Georgetown groups as well as briefings from the two PPP City Councilors of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council-Kuppen and Sharma.

It was noted that the PPP was a ‘revolutionary party’, and there was a critical necessity for appropriate behavior to sustain revolutionary working class ideology and principles.

Delegates were also reminded that 2018 is the Cheddi Jagan centenary Year; the significance of which has not been lost on those who over the decades were adversaries of the Party’s founder leader.

Cde Irfaan Ali articulated the party’s positions in terms of the direction that the APNU-AFC coalition has taken over (Turn to page 23)

Chairman of the CoI, Justice Donald Trotman, with Minister Joseph Harmon

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he continuing hearings being held as part of the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) seem focused on clearing the name of a criminal, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who stressed that members of the security forces are being out on trial based on hearsay.

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

Rondell Rawlins, called

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

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

Jagdeo, commenting on the happenings at the most recent hearings, said, “What we are seeing is an assault on the security forces by this Granger government… he (Justice Donald Trotman) seem more concerned with clearing Fine Man’s name…they (the PNC) were

supporting him (Fine Man) materially…the PNC was supporting him materially… the police have the tapes, I don’t know if Felix (Minister Winston Felix) had them disappear,” Jagdeo said.

According to him, the security forces are not getting a “fair shake” and are, instead, being put on trial after they served the Guyanese people by putting their lives on the line, during the crime wave – the period during which the Fine Man gang operated.

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

AFC ignoring worsening reality of many Guyanese, failing to represent people SARA CEO parroting T APNU+AFC campaign rhetoric he Alliance For Change (AFC) continues to ignore reality, more specifically the worsening reality for many Guyanese people under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

At his last news conference, he noted that this fact is clear given the contents of the AFC’s May 3, 2018 statement about issues considered by its leadership. “I don’t know which world they are living in,” he charged.

He highlighted the fact that the statement was released days after two deadly attacks on fishermen, yet the AFC work “acclaimed by Berbicians” to address the problem of piracy.

According to him, the AFC also talked up workers being “significantly better off with higher wages and salaries and better conditions of work under the Coalition Government” – all while thousands of sugar workers have been fired and hundreds more are losing jobs as a result of poor management

of the local economy.

Comments about rice farmers also being better off and satisfied with government, Jagdeo added, demonstrates how clued our the AFC is. He pointed out that land rental fees have been increased from $3,500 to $15,000 and more taxes have been imposed on tractors and other machinery, as well on other agricultural inputs.

The Opposition Leader said, “This is what we get form a Party that still takes itself seriously, when no one else does.”

– Still claiming he is not politically biased

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he Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), Aubrey Retemyer, found himself under fire today for touting campaign rhetoric used by the Coalition Government during the May 2015 General and Regional Elections. And Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, contends that he has gone a step further to expose his political bias.

Earlier this week, Retemyer said, “I believe I

can have a preference for a political party, but I can be unbiased in a professional sense.” Jagdeo agreed that this is possible and noted that the scores of public servants hired under successive PPP/C governments were not asked about their political affiliation.

However, he charged that Retemyer was politically tainted from start, having been handpicked for his position with SARA. “Even when the law was passed

and a process was outlined through which officers of SARA would be hired, this was bypassed and both he and Clive Thomas, kept the positions they were handpicked to fill,” he said during his news conference today.

After his being handpicked by the PNC-led Coalition Government, Jagdeo noted that Retemyer made several objectionable comments that, by no standard, can be considered profes(Turn to page 21)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Ministry of Foreign Affairs granted $788M for border case …PPP questioned why the signing bonus is being kept outside of the Consolidated Fund

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he Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Development of Foreign Policy on Friday was granted permission by the National Assembly to spend $788,0049,000 from the US$15M signing bonus Government received from ExxonMobil.

This is in light of several questions by the Parliamentary Opposition, which were either vaguely answered or deferred altogether.

According to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, the amount is to meet the estimated cost in 2018, to legally represent Guyana at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with regards to the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy case.

Initiating the interrogation phase was Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Texeira who asked for confirmation that the sum requested will originate from the signing

bonus received by Guyana, discretely.

Greenidge seemed to misunderstand the question, resulting in Texiera having to probe a second time.

To this, the Minister mockingly asserted that he was not aware that questions would be posed to determine the source of money.

Further more, he went on to explain that the Ministry would normally request permission to expend the funds and the Ministry of Finance, will have that money transferred from the special account at the Central Bank to the Consolidated Fund.

He also asserted that the requested monies will be used to pay the lawyers who are defending Guyana in the border controversy case, positing that the expenses should not cost more than the requested amount, in 2018. “…in 2019, 2020, there

will be estimates of the amouts needed…when we have those figures we will request,” he told the House.

Texiera further questioned why Government has not transferred the entire US$15M into the Consolidated Fund and is only doing so partially.

To this, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan was heard shouting in the room that the matter is in the Court and should not be answered.

The Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) went on to state that back in December 2017, $300M was permitted for use as payment for legal fees even though it wasn’t confirmed that Guyana would have been taking the land fight to the ICJ. As such, she questioned what is the size of the legal team hired by Guyana and what the salaries and benefits are for the respective

individuals.

She also asked whether a consulting firm or experts had been hired to lead the team.

To this, the Foreign Affairs Minister stated that he could only say that the monies will cover the fees associated with the hours spent by the lawyers and that any additional expenses they may incur will be reimbursed.

He posited that the core team has not yet been completed but as the case goes on, lawyers and firms will be hired.

“I am not able at this stage to tell you all the lawyers that will be involved…” he said.

Texiera also asked how much of the $300M budgeted for in December was utilized, to which Greenidge said that the money was used with regards to other arrangements involving interface with the Secretary General of the

US report dubs Guyana ‘Critical threat location’ for crime – Frequent attacks on US citizens

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2018 U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory, released by the OSAC has advised Americans travelling to Guyana to exercise normal precautions but advised that the crime situation is “critical.”

“The U.S. Department of State has assessed Georgetown as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests” the report said.

According to the report, criminal activity continues to be a major issue. Highlighting that serious crimes (murder, armed robbery) are common, OSAC said “the most recent information from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime lists Guyana’s 2013 homicide rate as 20.4 per 100,000 people — the third highest murder rate in South America (behind Colombia and Brazil) and five times higher than that of the U.S.” It was outlined that armed robberies, including carjacking, occur regularly, especially in businesses and

shopping districts. Moreover, armed robberies of business/patron establishments occur frequently in Georgetown.

“While criminals regularly use weapons, despite a rigorous licensing requirement to own firearms.

Handguns, knives, machetes, or cutlasses tend to be the weapons of choice. Criminals may act brazenly, and police officers have been both victims and perpetrators of assaults and shootings.

Criminals are increasingly willing to resort to violence while committing all types of crimes. Criminals are often organized, travel in groups of two or more, and conduct surveillance on their victims.

Criminals generally will not hesitate to show multiple weapons as an intimidation tactic during a robbery.”

Addressing the Police response to the crimes, the report outlines that “the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has resource and manpower limitations that inhibit its ability to deter or respond to criminal activity. Even on

the occasions when the GPF responds to a crime scene, victims are asked to go to the nearest police station to file a report and complete other investigative formalities. Confidence in the GPF is low due to the public’s perception of heavy handedness, ineffectiveness, and corruption.”

The report says that while the fire department generally provides a timely response, the “police response, especially during the night, is less dependable. The police response to emergency calls is often slow (15+ minutes) or not at all.”

According to the 2018 report, “Corruption is widely perceived to be commonplace within many government agencies. Police officers often are reportedly paid off by criminal elements and are alleged to work with criminals by either assisting or protecting them. The judicial system is strained by limited resources and often influenced by threats/ bribes. Defendants linked to drug organization often use attorneys who are effective in getting cases dismissed

or postponed; as a result, criminals go free on a regular basis.”

Moreover, drug trafficking was outlined as a serious concern and poses the biggest challenge to law enforcement in Guyana.

“Airport security and customs officials frequently detain and arrest individuals attempting to smuggle drugs out of Guyana. Apprehensions of drug mules, often U.S. citizens due to the perceived ease to which a U.S. passport holder can travel, have increased” the report noted.

The U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory said that while Americans are not specifically targeted there are reports of robberies/attacks on American citizens and in areas frequented by expatriates.

Moreover, it was highlighted that hotel room breakins were reported to the U.S. Embassy by American citizens. As such, OSAC is advising that “travelers should use caution” and does not recommend “walking alone outside after dark, even in the immediate vicinity of these hotels.”

United Nations and his personal representative.

Meanwhile, standing to engage in questioning the Government, Leader of the Oppositon, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo asserted that they should not be misinterpreted as they stand in solidarity with the Adminsitation in pursuing the fight against Venezuela for Guyana’s land.

Nevertheless, he probed from the Minister whether he anticipate that the Consolidated Fund will go broke in 2018, or in the near future with these expenses and whether it was also anticipated that the country will run out of foreign currency. “if no then what is the compelling reason for keeping the entire sum of money outside of the Consolidated Fund in breach of the FMAA…If Government is committed to keeping in procedure…there is no justi-

fication for keeping the money out of the fund,” Jagdeo posited.

In response, the Foreign Affairs Minister deffered the question to the appropriate Minister, the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan.

Jordan quickly addressed the House requesting that the matter regarding the signing bonus, which is still before the court, not be allowed.

“We are threading dangerously on a matter that is before the court…I beseech you to not allow members to thread anywhere near matters that are before the court…”

Jagdeo then retorted that it was Government who brought the supplementary provision to the House and for the Opposition to not be allowed to question it and its source would be stifling the right to interrogate financial matters.

PPP condemns killing of Palestinian people by occupying Israeli forces

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he People’s Progressive party (PPP) is keenly following the horrific events that are unfolding along the Gaza border in Palestine which has resulted in the deaths of fifty-five persons thus far and with about two thousand seven hundred injured.

The Party forthrightly condemns the actions that led to the deaths and injuries through the indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli Army.

The situation has been described by Palestinian authorities as a massacre. This is another example of the wanton force used to inflict causalities on the people of Palestine whose basic rights continue to be violated.

The Palestinian people must not continue to be deprived of a homeland and must no longer be made to be hostages in a land that belongs to them. Their quest for freedom can no longer be denied.

The PPP wishes to remind of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 of 1967 which stipulated that the establishment of a just and lasting peace should include the withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized

boundaries free from threats or acts of force.

The Party calls for this resolution to be respected and wishes to restate its position in support for a two-state solution of the Palestinian issue; a solution which has been endorsed by the United Nations and the Global community.

The Party also calls for an immediate end to the current hostilities; for the human rights of the Palestinian people to be respected and for those with influence to assist in bringing a swift and peaceful resolution to the situation.

As a result of the violence being unleashed on the Palestinians, a humanitarian crisis will unfortunately be unavoidable. The United Nations has already alluded to hospitals reports that essential medical supplies, drugs and equipment have already been exhausted and the need for urgent humanitarian funding and improved access to meet these and other existing or emerging needs.

As the situation continues, the PPP also calls on the government of Guyana to support the cause of the Palestinian people and to lend its voice to the rallying cry for an end to the atrocities meted out to them and the illegal and inhuman occupation of their land for the voices of the oppressed must not be ignored.

(People’s Progressive Party Statement)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Ex-female Wales sugar workers assisted with hampers S

eventeen (17) female workers, who were employed at Wales Estate, last week received food hampers compliments of the Guyana Solidarity Movement – New York (GSM-NY). This exercise is a continuation of a similar activity last Friday (May 11, 2018) which saw the ex-female workers of East Demerara Estate receiving hampers.

Altogether, they were twenty-nine (29) females that were employed in the fields and factory of Wales.

However, the difference – twelve (12) – had previously received hampers. The GSMNY decided that some women shouldn’t receive hampers twice whereas others would only receive one hamper.

The recipient workers were very appreciative of the GSM-NY gesture, which is supported by the GAWU, and thanked those who made the exercise a reality. They shared that since the closure of Wales Estate, nearly a year and a half ago, life for them has been nothing short of difficult. They said their live

is completely different from what it was when they were employed at the estate. The former Wales workers shared that simple things like buying ice cream for their children, or to cook something special has simply become unaffordable. For some families, both husband and wife were employed at Wales and this has presented very grave dif-

ficulties in the home.

The recipients revealed that it is not easy to find steady employment even in Georgetown. For some who managed to find a job, they lamented the conditions of work and the wages they are receiving. They sadly shared that today the pride they felt as sugar workers is nothing more than a distant memory

now. For them going pass the closed estate is heart-breaking as they recognise what life has become for them.

Some of them said that given the situation they have found themselves in since the estate’s closure, they have had to lean on their severance payments to meet life’s expenditures. Now for some, their severance payments are

exhausted and they are either jobless or earning very little and have the real problem of deciding what next they cannot afford.

The women workers are also very worried about the youth in the communities.

They shared that some people have had to stop sending their children to school on a regular basis. They wonder

what would become of those children’s lives in the years to come. When the estate was operational, they said, it would offer such persons a chance to get a job and a real possibility of making a life.

Today, that door has been firmly shut and they see the youth having nothing at all to turn to except maybe a life of criminality. This they shared is frightening and will make the bad situation even worse.

They called on the Government, even at this eleventh hour, to see what they could do to assist them. The times, they say, are getting tougher and the situation is becoming scarier by the day. They said they need help and call on His Excellency President David Granger and his Administration to come to Wales and to meet with them and give them an opportunity to share with the Government what life is like without Wales Estate.

The distribution will next move to Skeldon and Rose Hall Estates, where aggregately fifty-nine (59) women workers are to receive hampers.

FITUG condemns massacre of Palestinians on the eve of Nakba T he Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) joins several states, reputable organisations and prominent personalities, among others, to condemn the latest act of aggression against the Palestinian people by the state of Israel. This latest attack which has been rightly and roundly condemned in all corners of the globe brings once again into focus the plight of the Palestinian people, a people who have had generations growing up in a world experiencing a life of conflict and punishment.

The heartless massacring

of some sixty (60) Palestinians, the youngest being eight (8) months old, and the injuring of an estimated 2,700 in the besieged Gaza Strip must touch humanity’s conscience and cannot be countenanced. For the FITUG, it is heart-rending to know that Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian child once every three (3) days over the last 18 years. It also cannot be forgotten that Monday’s (May 14, 2018), heavy handed attack which came on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, or Catastrophe, the day the state of Israel was established on

May 15, 1948, forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes.

In the ensuing period, Israel has colonized ever more Palestinian land. It routinely kills, maims and imprisons Palestinian, including children, as part of its brutal military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. It rules over millions of Palestinians using a system of colonial apartheid, and denies millions more refugees their right to return to their homes. And, for all of this, it has enjoyed relative impunity. Western governments have refused to take any consistent and

meaningful action to ensure that Israel desists from its criminal actions and ensure justice for the colonized Palestinians.

At this time, we express our full sympathy with the Palestinian people, who legitimately and fairly claim the right to have their own homeland, their own state, independent, and sovereign.

The recent decision of the Trump Administration to transfer the US Embassy

from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a controversial decision and one which is only adding fuel to the long standing conflict and, which will not help in finding a just solution and Peace for this troubled land.

Remaining silent, at such developments, which are taking place is not an option either for peace-loving, and civil and human-rights and democratic forces in these times.

We stand in solidarity with the resisting people of

Palestine against occupation.

The collective struggle of peoples will invalidate the plans of the obstructionist, reactionary forces and we are confident that the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians that had to spend decades as refugees will regain their motherland, the Palestinian people will gain their independent state. The just resistance of Palestinian people will win! FITUG Press Release

SARA CEO parroting... sional.

Retemyer’s latest such comment surrounds current unemployment rates in Guyana, as a means of defending the controversial work of SARA. He said, “People, for example, complain that when the drug money was here, they use to get jobs.

That’s evidence that we’ve impacted the underground economy. But by how much I can’t say. We have to find a way to quantify that.”

Jagdeo noted that not only is his talk about an ‘underground economy’ old campaign rhetoric, but the shallow nature of the reasoning used by Retemyer to

defend the work of SARA is exposed by the fact that he cannot quantify the work he claims was done by SARA. The Opposition Leader charged that since the APNU+AFC Coalition Government took office some 25,000 jobs were lost, with: almost 2,000 young Amerindians being fired from their positions as Community Support Officers (CSOs); over 7,000 fired from the sugar sector; and hundreds lost in the retail and trade sectors and from the operations of Barama, among others. “People are losing jobs because of this government’s incompetence and ineptitude,” he said, add-

(From page 19)

ing that $56B more in taxes are being raked in from the Guyanese people this year.

Jagdeo added that the state of affairs, relative to unemployment, has nothing to do with the operations of SARA. He pointed out too that the numbers of sums that were allegedly lost because of corruption and procurement fraud keeps changing.

“They keep making up numbers…ask him to check on what is happening now; it is a free for all,” Jagdeo said, adding that SARA continues to act on complaints about the actions of the current Government.

22

Doctor robbed after leaving city bank A

61-year-old medical doctor of South Ruimveldt Gardens, Georgetown was attacked last Monday in broad daylight robbed of cash and items totalling $770,000.

The woman, Dr. Holly Alexander, had visited the Republic Bank branch located at Camp & Robb Streets where she withdrew an undisclosed sum of money and proceeded to Starr Computers on Brickdam where she made a purchase and left.

It was reported that at the junction of Norton and Bishop Streets, two males on a motorcycle stopped in front

of her car, blocked her from continuing her journey.

The pillion rider dismounted the motorcycle, pointed a gun to the victim’s head and took away her handbag valued $15,000.

The handbag contained a Samsung Galaxy S6 valued at $200,000, one black purse valued at $2000, and $560,000 cash along with her National ID Card, Driver’s License, Passport and two bank cards.

The perpetrators managed to escape in the Southern direction along Norton Street.

Parfaite Harmonie family traumatized after armed robbery

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Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara family is still traumatized after two armed men invaded their home and assaulted them in the wee hours last Wednesday.

Calls to the police for help on 911 went unanswered.

The masked bandits reportedly gained access to the house by cutting the zinc on the top of the family’s grocery shop, which is connected to flat concrete house.

Naresh Persaud, a businessman said he and his wife, Samantha Thakurdeen were awakened at about 2:30hrs by a strange sound. Persaud said he then observed two men in his bedroom but before he could scream for help, one of the men strangled him and pointed a gun at his head.

This caused his wife to scream but she was struck to her face by the other bandit.

“They said to shut up and get on the ground,” a traumatised Samantha recalled Persaud was gun-butted and suffered injuries to head. The couple’s 5-yearold daughter, who was also on the bed, witnessed the entire ordeal.

One of the gunmen went into the other room where he encountered the couple’s 20-year-old son.

The visibly shaken woman said she pleaded with the suspect not to harm her children after which he told

his accomplice “do not harm anybody.”

The gunman took the son to the couple’s bedroom, where they were tied up and mouths duct taped.

The bandits ransacked the house but could not find any money; the family has been operating grocery store for some five years.

“This is stupidness, you have a big shop and you don’t have no cash at home… you got to get more money or else somebody will ‘get it’ tonight,” one of the bandits allegedly told the family.

The gunmen subsequently found some money in the son’s room, which he was saving; they also took cellphones, laptops, cigarettes, the keys to the family’s Fielder Wagon and phone cards.

Samantha estimates approximately $900,000 in losses.

The house is equipped with security cameras but the men also escaped with the tape which was kept in the

couple’s room.

Samantha told News Room that the bandits switched off the lights and used the keys to exit the house.

NO ANSWER FROM 911 The couple said they called 911 but no one answered; they then contacted the La Grange Police Station and officers who were on patrol responded.

Persaud is pleading with the Guyana Police Force to send regular patrols to the Parfaite Harmonie area which he said has seen many robberies in the past.

“Almost all the shops in this areas [have] been robbed,” the man said.”

“The police time, when you report these things, it takes too long to respond to it and as such, you put people at more risk. We need to have regular patrols to be able to do something for the small business people,” the man said.

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Former teacher to stand trial in High Court for rape

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he former Bishops’ High School teacher who is accused of being involved in a sex scandal was on Tuesday committed to stand trial at the High Court for rape, by City Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Coen Jackson is presently on $300,000 bail and the matter is expected to be called at a later date at the Demerara High Court.

The accused is being represented by Attorney Siand Dhurjon.

Jackson, who has been a teacher for the past 15 years, is being accused of abusing his position of trust as a teacher after he allegedly began grooming female students for sexual activity after they would have attained the age of 16; the legal age of consent in Guyana.

He has vehemently denied the accusations but did admit to having sexual relations with two former stu-

dents who are both in their early 20s now.

The embattled teacher recently got married to one of his former students.

The Police claimed that between December 2010 and May 2011 at D’Urban Street, Lodge, Jackson raped one of

his students. Former teacher committed to stand trial in Hi The Education Ministry had launched an investigation into the allegations and upon completion, forwarded their findings to the police who began conducting a criminal investigation.

Haslington labourer found floating was murdered, suspect to be charged P olice are expected to lay charges on one suspect as it relates to the alleged murder of a 37-year-old labourer whose body was discovered on May 8, 2018 in the Mahaicony River, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

The dead man has since been identified as Sean Waldrone of Lot 33 Haslington, ECD. According to information received, on the day in question, at about 09:15hrs, a 34-year-old labourer of St Francis Mission, Mahaicony River, ECD was in his boat, heading north- up the Mahaicony River, in the vicinity of Strath Campbell Village, when he observed Waldrone’s body floating in the water.

As a result, the man immediately visited the Mahaicony Police Station where a report was made.

INews was told that when police arrived at the scene and

examined Waldrone’s body, it was found with a large hole in the centre of his back. He was also clad in only a pair of grey Hanes brief.

“It is uncertain at this point in time what caused the hole,” the investigators said.

Further investigations revealed that the deceased was employed by a 52-year-old Cattle Farmer of Enmore Pasture, ECD. This online publication was told that on May 4, 2018, it was reported that the employer picked up Waldrone from his home and took him

to Mahaicony, to work as a labourer.

On May 5, 2018, Waldrone was seen at a wedding house in Wash Clothes, Mahaicony, clad in only his underwear while imbibing.

The man’s employer then made a report at the Mahaicony Police Station the following day, claiming that Waldrone had gone missing.

The police are investigating Waldrone’s death as murder after the post mortem examination found that he died from trauma sustained to his body and strangulation.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Commissioner Trotman Granger, Jagdeo to meet on draws conclusion before constitutional appointments P Lindo Creek COI ends F

uelling concerns that the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (COI) already has a premeditated agenda, Commissioner Donald Trotman has concluded before his investigations have ended that the police force did not properly investigate the murder of the eight miners.

In COIs, those who are tasked with conducting the probes are supposed to be impartial and not express any form of biasness or preference.

Since the one-man COI was established by President David Granger, many persons have expressed concerns about the quality of the work that will be produced since the Commissioner is the father of a government minister, Raphael Trotman.

In further making the COI seem as a government affair, the brother of another government minister, Patrice Henry was selected as the lawyer to represent the Commission.

Justice Trotman, at two separate occasions in recent days, declared that the police and government did not show an interest in finding out the truth about what happened.

“Those who had the authority, legal, administrative, executive, clearly did nothing, they went through the motions of doing something knowing that in the end, they will say that nothing really can be done,” Justice Trotman stated.

Lawyer representing the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Leslie Sobers yester-

day expressed grave concerns about an apparent biasness in the work of the Commission.

He said it seems as though the Commission Counsel is presenting facts and evidence in a certain way in order to create a certain perception – to lay blame at the Joint Services.

The Granger-administration already has a track record of attempting to demoralise the country’s security forces.

In fact, the COI it established into the alleged death threat against him was solely aimed at tarnishing the characters of senior police officers.

Commentators have since said that it seems as though the Lindo Creek COI is heading in the same direction.

Trump draws rebuke for ‘animal’ remark at immigration talk WASHINGTON, United States — While railing against California for its socalled sanctuary immigration policies, President Donald Trump referred to some people who cross the border illegally as “animals” — drawing a sharp rebuke from Democratic leaders for the harsh rhetoric.

Trump’s remark at a meeting with local leaders was in response to a complaint about gang members.

“We have people coming into the country, or trying to come in — and we’re stopping a lot of them,” Trump said during the immigration roundtable after a sheriff commented about gangs. “You wouldn’t believe how bad these people are. These aren’t people.

These are animals.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, responded on Twitter to the president, saying, “When all of our great-great-grandparents came to America they weren’t ‘animals,’ and these people aren’t either.”

Trump was joined at the Wednesday White House meeting by mayors, sheriffs and other local leaders from California who oppose the state’s immigration policies and who applauded his administration’s hard-line efforts.

“This is your Republican resistance right here against what they’re doing in California,” said Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, co-opting a term used by Democrats opposed to Trump’s presidency. She, like others, said the president and his policies were far more popular in the state than people realize.

They were criticising legislation Governor Jerry Brown signed into law last year that bars police from asking people about their immigration status or helping federal agents with immigration enforcement. Jail officials can transfer inmates to federal immigration authorities if they have been convicted of one of about 800 crimes, mostly felonies, but not for minor offenses.

Brown insists the legislation, which took effect January 1, doesn’t prevent federal immigration officials from doing their jobs. But the Trump administration has sued to reverse it, calling the policies unconstitutional and dangerous. Some counties, including San Diego and Orange, have voted to support the lawsuit or have passed their own anti-sanctuary resolutions.

Republicans see backlash to the law as a potentially galvanizing issue during the

midterm elections, especially with Trump’s anti-immigrant base. And Trump has held numerous events in recent months during which he’s drawn attention to California’s policies.

During the session, Trump thanked the officials, saying they had “bravely resisted California’s deadly and unconstitutional sanctuary state laws.” He claimed those laws are forcing “the release of illegal immigrant criminals, drug dealers, gang members and violent predators into your communities” and providing “safe harbour to some of the most vicious and violent offenders on earth.”

Brown responded on Twitter, writing that Trump “is lying on immigration, lying about crime and lying about the laws of CA.” The Democratic governor added: “Flying in a dozen Republican politicians to flatter him and praise his reckless policies changes nothing. We, the citizens of the fifth largest economy in the world, are not impressed.”

The discussion comes as the Trump administration is under fire for a new policy that is expected to increase the number of children separated from their parents when families cross the border illegally.

resident David Granger said he intends to meet with the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo “very soon” to deal with a range of constitutional appointments.

Among them are the appointments of persons to the Police Service Commission and the Public Service Commission.

The Parliamentary Committee of Appointments had recommended Retired Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Slowe to head the Commission that deals

with the promotion and disciplinary actions of police officers. The other recommended members are Clinton Conway, Vesta Adams, and Claire Jarvis.

On the sidelines of an event at State House, President Granger said he will wait on Parliament to complete its work on making recommendations for the other commissions and he will subsequently invite the Leader of the Opposition for talks.

Asked whether the issue of judicial appointments

will form part of those discussions, President Granger said he has already made his position clear on the matter.

According to President Granger, the public already knows who his nominees are for the top judicial positions: Justice Kenneth Benjamin and Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards as Chancellor and Chief Justice, respectively.

The Opposition Leader had rejected those nominees but President Granger says his mind is set on those two individuals for the post.

PPP supports CPA’s view that police presence in National Assembly should be probed T he Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s (CPA) Secretary-General, Akbar Khan, has indicated that the matter of police officers being called into the National Assembly Chambers should be pursued, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

At his weekly news conference, he supported the notion of a probe into the move that saw police ranks being called into the Chambers. “The Speaker has to answer…he is part of a cover up,” Jagdeo said.

In December 2017, ranks of the Guyana Police Force were summoned to the Chambers to remove

Opposition Parliamentarian Juan Edghill. To date, it is unclear who summoned the police officers. Notably, acting Police Commission, David Ramnarine, had stated that the ranks “ought not” to have been in the Chambers.

After that incident, there was another that raised eyebrows. Ranks of the Criminal Investigations Department, armed with camera equipment that was not put to use, were placed as the media desk in the Cambers.

Questions were posed to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, who had indicated that he is unaware about CID ranks being positioned in

Annual Conferences... the years since mid-2016.

A new District Committee was elected.

East Berbice (region 6a & 6B) All the ten (10) District Committees in the East Berbice Sub region are to have Annual Conferences programmed to be completed by the end of May 2018.

So far Districts One, Five and Two have not held 2018 conferences.

However, District Two would have convened as of Friday May 18 2018.

Previously another District event was successfully held on May 10 2018 at the Hampshire community Centre.

West Berbice Region 5A and 5B All the Annual Conferences for West Berbice have been completed.

In terms of Regional Committee Election of Office bearers, the following have been chosen by party members For Region 5A First Secretary - Lionel Wordsworth

the Chambers. He said: “Police is there? But that is the press table…no they can’t do that…police can’t get there….the press is there with the permission of the Speaker. Anyone there should be there with the permission of the Speaker.”

The Clerk of the National Assembly moved to call senior ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to have clarity on the matter. The CID ranks were eventually removed.

The presence of ranks of the Guyana Police Force in the National Assembly Chambers represented a first for the House in contemporary history.

(From page 19)

Recording Secretary - Jairi Singh Organizing Secretary - Donne Singh Membership Secretary - D Singh Two other Secretaries Greta Singh and K Wakid complete the Regional Committee.

For Region 5B the Office bearers are as follows ● First Secretary -A Singh ● Recording Secretary -L David ● Women’s Affairs -A Angus ● Organizing Secretary -T Persaud ● Membership Secretary -K Anniram These party units have been tasked with facilitating new party membership; Renewal of existing members, Sale of Mirror newspapers, House to House mobilization and Community Activities Region 4A will have its Annual Conference on Sunday May 20 2018 at Freedom House Lacytown, Georgetown.

Registration commences from 9:00am.

24

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

“People-watch” can be a rewarding and exciting pass time

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just returned from a pleasant visit to the National Park, having completed my usual walk, I then sat on a bench and people-watched. The park is a perfect place for this activity as there are so many people to see: mothers pushing prams, young mothers or nannies watching children on the playground, people strolling leisurely along the walks, and professionals taking a break from their office, enjoying the scenery, jogging, walking, attending Ballet, Dance and or Karate classes.

However, in addition to just looking at the passersby, my good Readers, I also was also studying human behavior. An elderly couple strolled past me, arm in arm, talking, giggling, and seeming to enjoy each other's company. Their giggling was a bit unexpected, but certainly pleasant. At one point, they stopped and he kissed her on her forehead before the giggling began again and they walked on.

Near the playground, a young boy and an older woman were crouched on the ground, looking at something in the grass. The woman, possibly a grandmother, seemed to be explaining something to the child. Other children joined them and, suddenly, a small group was receiving what I imagined was a nature lesson. Then, a teenage girl glided past me on a bicycle, grinning wickedly, her long brown hair flowing behind her. Behind her a young woman who was also on bicycle, but seemed to be having difficulty keeping up, called out, "Wait up!"

As you know, comrades, my profession focuses on what makes people tick and how they act with others. I have long been interested in how people behave and interact. I guess you could say that people-watching is a favourite hobby. The best thing is that you can people-watch almost anywhere -- in the park, the local bookstore, a tea or coffee shop, or even a shopping mall. It is a very inexpensive hobby, which costs no more than the price of a cup of tea or coffee.

Comrades, it can be fascinating watching our fellow human beings. If you are not already a people-watcher, I invite you to give it a try. You may find that it opens your mind to human nature. It is also a nice break from our smart phones! And you may even see aspects of yourself in others, as I sometimes do. Regardless, you will not be bored.

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

G.Persaud

WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Children’s Corner

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

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

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

CCJ clarifies right to vote in Barbados in unprecedented Sunday hearing

A Grotesque Spectacle in Jerusalem

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n Monday last, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and other leading lights of the Trumpist right gathered in Israel to celebrate the relocation of the American Embassy to Jerusalem, a gesture widely seen as a slap in the face to Palestinians who envision East Jerusalem as their future capital.

The event was grotesque.

It was a consummation of the cynical alliance between hawkish Jews and Zionist evangelicals who believe that the return of Jews to Israel will usher in the apocalypse and the return of Christ, after which Jews who don’t convert will burn forever.

Religions like “Mormonism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism” lead people “to an eternity of separation from God in Hell,” Robert Jeffress, a Dallas megachurch pastor, once said. He was chosen to give the opening prayer at the embassy ceremony. John Hagee, one of America’s most prominent end-times preachers, once said that Hitler was sent by God to drive the Jews to their ancestral homeland. He gave the closing benediction.

This spectacle, geared toward Donald Trump’s Christian American base, coincided with a massacre about 40 miles away. Since March 30, there have been mass protests at the fence separating Gaza and Israel.

Gazans, facing an escalating humanitarian crisis due in large part to an Israeli blockade, are demanding the right to return to homes in Israel that their families were forced from at Israel’s founding. The demonstrators

have been mostly but not entirely peaceful; Gazans have thrown rocks at Israeli soldiers and tried to fly flaming kites into Israel. The Israeli military has responded with live gunfire as well as rubber bullets and tear gas. In clashes on Monday, at least 58 Palestinians were killed and thousands wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The juxtaposition of images of dead and wounded Palestinians and Ivanka Trump smiling in Jerusalem like a Zionist Marie Antoinette tell us a lot about America’s relationship to Israel right now. It has never been closer, but within that closeness there are seeds of potential estrangement.

Defenders of Israel’s actions in Gaza will argue no country would allow a mob to charge its border. They will say that even if Hamas didn’t call the protests, it has thrown its support behind them. “The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas,” a White House spokesman, Raj Shah, said on Monday.

But even if you completely dismiss the Palestinian right of return — which I find harder to do now that Israel’s leadership has all but abandoned the possibility of a Palestinian state — it hardly excuses the Israeli military’s disproportionate violence. “What we’re seeing is that Israel has used, yet again, excessive and lethal force against protesters who do not pose an imminent threat,” Magdalena Mughrabi, Amnesty International’s deputy director for the Mid-

dle East and North Africa, told me by phone from Jerusalem.

Much of the world condemned the killings in Gaza.

Yet the United States, Israel’s most important patron, has given it a free hand to do with the Palestinians what it will. Indeed, by moving the embassy to Jerusalem in the first place, Trump sent the implicit message that the American government has given up any pretense of neutrality.

Reports of Israel’s gratitude to Trump abound. A square near the embassy is being renamed in his honor.

Beitar Jerusalem, a soccer team whose fans are notorious for their racism, is now calling itself Beitar “Trump” Jerusalem. But if Israelis love Trump, many Americans — and certainly most American Jews — do not. The more Trumpism and Israel are intertwined, the more left-leaning Americans will grow alienated from Zionism.

Trump has empowered what’s worst in Israel, and as long as he is president, it may be that Israel can kill Palestinians, demolish their homes and appropriate their land with impunity. But some day, Trump will be gone. With hope for a two-state solution nearly dead, current trends suggest that a Jewish minority will come to rule over a largely disenfranchised Muslim majority in all the land under Israel’s control.

A rising generation of Americans may see an apartheid state with a Trump Square in its capital and wonder why it’s supposed to be our friend.

Michelle Goldberg

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Sunday ordered that a St Lucian who has lived in Barbados for several years, Professor Eddy Ventose, is to be added to the register of voters in Barbados. The court declared that it was satisfied that the legal and regulatory conditions for his registration have been met.

The court then ordered the chief electoral officer (CEO), who participated in the hearing, to ensure that Ventose is registered before 12 noon on Monday. If this is not done, the CCJ president, Sir Dennis Byron, warned that she may face contempt of court proceedings, which could result in imprisonment and/or fines.

Ventose had stated that he was qualified and entitled

to be registered to vote but his registration was consistently refused. The Court of Appeal in Barbados had, on Tuesday, 8 May 2018 ruled that Ventose was qualified to be registered to vote but stopped short of compelling the CEO to enroll him on the register of voters. The CEO was given 24 hours to make a determination on his application.

When the CEO failed to register him, Ventose asked the CCJ to declare that he was entitled to be registered to vote and to order the CEO to enter his name on the final voters’ list ahead of its publication this week.

The application by Ventose for leave to appeal came to the CCJ on Friday afternoon and, in light of the acknowledged urgency of the matter, the court re-

sponded by scheduling the hearing for Sunday.

The order of the court was read by the CCJ president on Sunday afternoon, after the panel of judges had withdrawn to deliberate on the matter.

The CCJ president expressed the view that the court’s decision should also resolve the matter for other Commonwealth citizens, resident in Barbados for the relevant qualifying period, who are also claiming a right to be registered as voters under the Barbados laws.

Costs for the CCJ proceedings, and the hearings in the courts below, were awarded to Ventose. The appeal was determined by the president of the CCJ and Justices Saunders, Hayton, Anderson and Barrow.

Excessive force in Gaza an abhorrent violation of international law – Amnesty International

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esponding to reports that dozens of Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured by the Israeli military during protests along the fence that separates Gaza and Israel today, Philip Luther, Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, said: “This is another horrific example of the Israeli military using excessive force and live ammunition in a totally deplorable way.

This is a violation of international standards, in some instances committing what appear to be wilful killings constituting war crimes.

This is another horrific example of the Israeli military using excessive

force and live ammunition in a totally deplorable way.

This is a violation of international standards, in some instances committing what appear to be wilful killings constituting war crimes.

Philip Luther, Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa “Today’s footage from Gaza is extremely troubling, and as violence continues to spiral out of control, the Israeli authorities must immediately rein in the military to prevent the further loss of life and serious injuries.

“Only last month, Amnesty International called on the international community to stop the delivery of arms and military equipment to Israel. The rising

toll of deaths and injuries today only serves to highlight the urgent need for an arms embargo.

“While some protestors may have engaged in some form of violence, this still does not justify the use of live ammunition.

“Under international law, firearms can only be used to protect against an imminent threat of death or serious injury.”

Early medical reports from Gaza today indicate that dozens of people have been shot in the head or chest. Amnesty International last month documented research from the Gaza Strip that showed the Israeli military were killing and maiming demonstrators who pose no imminent threat to them.

India fastest growing economy at 7.4 per cent in 2018: IMF T he International Monetary Fund (IMF) reaffirmed that India will be the fastest growing major economy in 2018, with a growth rate of 7.4 per cent that rises to 7.8 per cent in 2019 with medium-term prospects remaining positive.

The IMF's Asia and Pacific Regional Economic Outlook report said that India was recovering from the effects of demonetisation and

the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax and "the recovery is expected to be underpinned by a rebound from transitory shocks as well as robust private consumption."

After India, Bangladesh is projected to be the fastest-growing economy in South Asia with growth rates of seven per cent for 2018 and 2019; Sri Lanka is projected to grow at four per cent in 2018 and 4.5 in 2019, and

Nepal five per cent in 2018 and four per cent in next.

(Pakistan, which is grouped with the Middle East, is not covered in the Asia report.)

Overall, the report said that Asia continues to be both the fastest-growing region in the world and the main engine of the world's economy.

The region contributes more than 60 per cent of global growth and three-quarters of this comes from India

and China, which is expected to grow 6.6 per cent in 2018 and 6.4 per cent in 2019, it said.

The report said that US President Donald Trump's fiscal stimulus is expected to support Asia's exports and investment.

The Asian region's growth rate was expected to be 5.6 per cent for 2018 and 2019.

However, in the medium

term the report said that "downside risks dominate" for the region and these include a tightening of global financial conditions, a shift toward protectionist policies, and an increase in geopolitical tensions.

Because of these uncertainties the IMF urged the countries in the region to follow conservative policies "aimed at building buffers and increasing resilience"

and push ahead with structural reforms.

"While mobile payments are expanding sharply in such economies as Bangladesh, India, and the Philippines, on average Asia is lagging sub-Saharan Africa," the IMF said, adding that the region should take steps to ensure it is able to reap the full benefits of increasing digitalisation in the global economy.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 19-20 MAY, 2018

Sport View T

by Neil Kumar

he champion Guyana under-19 team is ready to take on all the Regional under-19 teams and win their fifth consecutive OneDay title in the West Indies Cricket Inc. Regional Oneday tournament Defending champion Guyana won the double title in St. Kitts last year.

The Guyana batting line-up looks solid and the young Guyanese batsmen are expected to score- runs heavily and consistently.

West Indies under-19 shining star Bhaskar Yadram Is expected to lead the home team. Yadram hit a magnificent triple century in preparation for the Regional tournament. While, his teammate mates Alex Algoo and Kevlon Anderson also scored solid centuries in the tough preparation.

Guyana Under-17 skip-

per Sachin Singh is an aggressive opening batsmen and he could be the player of the tournament. Sachin is a natural stroke- player and expectations are very high that he could be a future test player.

The bowling line-up seems to be very threatening. West Indies under-16 genuine quick bowler Qumar Torrington is a speedster who must come good at the Regional under-19 level and break into the Guyana National team very early.

The other quick bowler Joshua Jones is also expected to be among the wickets.

The Guyana bowling attack will certainly be very strong in the spin department. The master Ashmead Nedd will be the bowler to destroy the opposition batsmen along with Kelvin Umroa the other spinner

to be in the final eleven.

The quicker bowlers and the spinners are capable of bowling out any batting line-up.

The selectors also will have the option to select from some very good all-rounders. It will be interesting to see the final squad that will be selected to defend the double titles.

The just concluded Under-19 matches were indeed a revelation. In Guyana we have some young players with tremendous potential and are very talented.

The inclement weather will be the only threat to the Guyana under-19 team in this year championship.

Look out for the performances from the young speedster Torrington, spinner Nedd and the powerful batters Yadram, Algoo, Anderson and Sachin Singh.

Missing Commonwealth Games athletes resurface, want asylum in Australia

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number of African athletes who went missing from the Commonwealth Games last month have resurfaced seeking advice on gaining asylum in Australia, refugee advocates said.

Among them were competitors from Rwanda, Uganda and Sierra Leone, while authorities have also been seeking to verify the whereabouts of eight athletes from conflict-hit Cameroon — one third of the central African country’s 24-strong team.

The Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS) group in Sydney said it had received enquiries from several of them but declined to

reveal the exact number or the countries of origin.

“Every person who seeks asylum in Australia should be subject to the same thorough investigation of their claims, be they students, visitors, workers or athletes,” RACS solicitor Sarah Dale said in a statement.

“The men, women and families who are recognised as needing protection in Australia are allowed to remain only after a complex and difficult process.”

The athletes’ visas were due to expire at midnight on Tuesday and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton warned anyone who overstayed would be forcibly

removed from the country.

“If people have claims to make, or they have submissions to put to the department, then we’ll consider all of that in due course,” Dutton told reporters Tuesday.

“But if people have breached their visa conditions — like anyone else, they’re expected to operate within the law, and enforcement action will take place to identify those people and to deport them if they don’t self-declare.”

Those seeking to stay in Australia can apply for bridging visas to remain in the country while their claim for asylum is being heard.

Guyana to host two WI/Bangladesh ODIs in July

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uyana will host two ODI games in the West Indies home series against Bangladesh, to be held from June 24 to August 5.

The National Stadium at Providence has been designated for the first two ODIs on July 22 and 25. The first match will be a day game starting at 09:30h, while match two will be a day/ night affair, commencing at 14:30h.

The full fixture of the series was announced by Cricket West Indies on Tuesday. Below is the full press release.

August will be a special month for Windies and Bangladesh fans in the United States.

Reigning ICC World Twenty20 champions Windies will face Bangladesh in two T20 Internationals under the lights at the Central Broward Regional Park (CBRP), Fort Lauderdale, as part of its Tour of the West Indies later this year.

The announcement of the Bangladesh Tour of West Indies, which comprises two Tests, three One-day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals between June 24 and August 5 forms part of a packed International Home Season for Windies, that also includes a tour by Sri Lanka.

“We are delighted to include the matches Fort Lauderdale on the schedule for the Bangladesh Tour,” said CWI Chief Executive Officer, Johnny Grave. The CEO added that “both matches are scheduled for the weekend and will be played under the lights, so it’s a great opportunity for Windies fans in North America to see the team play against a very competitive Bangladesh side.”

Windies have previously played four T20Is at the CBRP – the last two against India two years ago – and have won three, with the other ending in a no-result,

due to weather interruptions.

With up to 10 million Caribbean immigrants and members of the Caribbean diaspora living in the United States alone, Grave said the matches at the CBRP present a wonderful opportunity to further establish the Windies brand in North America.

“This is one of the initiatives outlined in our new Strategic Plan for the period 2018 to 2023,” said Grave.

“Our intention is to work with ICC Americas members, USA Cricket and Cricket Canada in partnership to establish cricket as a popular sport from North to South America, create opportunities for West Indian fans to watch the team live, and build support for the Windies.”

The Bangladesh tour immediately follows a threeTest series against Sri Lanka, which includes the first-ever day/night Test in the Caribbean when the final match of the Series is contested in Barbados.

Govt “surreptitiously” alters debt ceiling – Jagdeo APNU-AFC blocked similar move by PPP/C govt to accommodate Amaila falls

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pposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has accused the government of “surreptiously” amended legislation to allow for a higher debt ceiling to accommodate more borrowing and juxtaposed that to the APNU/ AFC, when in opposition, blocked the PPP/C government from doing the same to build the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.

“What they did last week in Parliament, surreptitiously, at the last hour, after the Speaker said the business for the day has been concluded…they passed an amendment to allow now the $50B [Debt Ceiling] to be applicable for any loans that they take.”

Jagdeo was at the time chastising the Government for amending the debt ceiling

which he believes will be to cover the $30B loan for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCO) and another loan for the development of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge which they intend to take.

Jagdeo outlined that in relation to the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, the PPP Government was not guaranteeing a debt but was guarantee-

ing contingent liability; that is, the Government would have only become liable if GPL refused to buy the power or pay for the power bought under a Power Purchase Agreement.

Jagdeo said that by providing a Government guarantee through the Debt Ceiling amendment, the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan has shifted the liability on to the

treasury.

His party in a press statement on the issue had said that the passage of the bill paves the way for Guyana to once again be on the road towards “financial and economic bankruptcy.”

In February, 2018, it was disclosed that the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited’s (NICILs) Special Purpose Unit (SPU) was seeking $30 billion in loans via a syndicated bond to support GuySuCo and its remaining estates.

The funding, it was outlined, would cover a fouryear period and will provide capital, support infrastructure maintenance and upgrades at Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt.

The monies are also expected to go towards developing new co-generation capacity for the estate operations and the national electric grid.

Government has since secured this loan.

Additionally, in early

April 2018, Finance Minister Jordan said that “Guyana has not received any loans from the Islamic Development Bank [IsDB],” however he noted that “the IsDB has a resource envelope of US900M that is potentially available from which the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana can borrow.”

The Opposition Lerader said that the debt accumulated from 2015 to 2018, plus the 30 billion from Republic Bank, coupled with the US$900 million which PPP predicts that Government will borrow from the Islamic Development Bank, doubles the total debt which the PPP had left after 24 years in Government.

Government had also disclosed its plans of creating a new bridge over the Demerara river that will start at Houston, East Bank Demerara and end at Versailes, West Bank Demerara.

The project is expected to cost US$150M. “There are two projects we will look at extremely careful…this one, the $30B because we heard they collected an advance…they have not defined how they plan to spend it. There is no Board [of Directors] at GuySuCo…I don’t know who is borrowing all of this money for GuySuCO ….the next one is the [new Demerara Habour] bridge, which we see as a totally corrupt project…”

PPP members at Berbice Disatrict meeting

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ast week, members of the PPP, in Region 6 held their district conference as part of the party’s ongoing arrangements to get its machinery ready for local government elections. Seen in picture is Party’s Executive Secretary, Zulficar Mustapha, addressing activists.

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