Weekend Mirror 15-16 September 2018

15-16 September, 2018 / Vol. 10 No. 39 / Price: $100

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

Illegal contract for Demerara River bridge feasibility study…

SOCU’s actions opened the doors for APNU+AFC Cabinet ministers to be charged

PAGE 10

AFC ‘does not stand a chance’ in Region 6 at 2018 LGE – former AFC member PAGE 9

Stabroek Market vendors decry lack of alternatives as wharf being repaired

SEE INSIDE

Granger’s PAGE 17 claims about sugar workers hemorrhaging treasury ‘shameful, disgraceful’

– Former Agriculture Minister

PAGE 25

Local PAGE 24 content policy still not ready, taxpayers monies now being used to pay for consultant

Guyana’s international reputation has tanked under APNU+AFC Coalition gov’t – Jagdeo PAGE 13

Multi-million dollar spending spree by AFC member at PAGE 8 state agency was done with Nagamootoo’s knowledge

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WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Holding the APNU+AFC Coalition to account – a review of local happenings

Protection of our democratic gains linked to progress and prosperity for all Guyanese

By Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo (GUEST CONTRIBUTOR)

“In 2018, we find ourselves at the point where we have to continue the struggle to preserve the hard-won democratic gains. Why? Because it is functioning democracies that deliver progress and prosperity to a nation’s peoples – to all Guyanese.” – Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo

B

erbice is the Ancient County. The entire Region 6 is in Berbice. It produced Cheddi Jagan and Rohan Kanhai. And Region 6 is where you can find the Ballot Box Martyr Monument at Number 63 Village, where they were killed by the PNC controlled GDF in 1973 whilst standing up for free and fair elections – for standing up for democracy in Guyana.

Region 6 saw unprecedented growth under successive People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administrations in every sphere of life.

Now, in 2018, we find ourselves at the point where we have to continue the struggle to preserve the hardwon democratic gains. Why? Because it is functioning democracies that deliver progress and prosperity to a nation’s peoples – to all Guyanese.

EDUCATION In Education, every school was refurbished and new ones built. Secondary education was taken to Orealla/Siparuta for the first time under the PPP/C Government. Schools were rebuilt with fully furnished computer labs and other facilities.

Teachers’ training was taken to Region Six, and this saw hundreds more teachers trained. The University of Guyana was extended and has a modern Campus at Tain, Port Mourant.

A Technical Institute was opened in Corriverton to cater for the youths in Region 6. Several Vocational training courses were held for those who needed training to be able to get jobs and be self-sufficient.

Then there was the $10,000 per student grant from the PPP/C government (which by now would have been ~$30,000 per child, since the plan was to increase yearly until it reaches a satisfactory amount).

At the present time, schools are in disrepair, teachers are demotivated (as was seen by the recent teacher’s strike), the cost of sending a child to school has sky-rocketed. The $10,000 per child grant has been taken away by the Granger Government. The cost of all school items has been increased by AT LEAST 14% with the introduction of VAT on school and educational items.

The cost of food has increased since previously zero-rated items now carry 14% VAT imposed by the Granger Government.

AGRICULTURE In Agriculture, after decades of bad and nearly impassable roads, the PPP/C government built a brand new road to and in Black Bush Polder (BBP). Farmers returned to the fields. More persons started moving back into BBP. In BBP and other areas, new lands were opened up to farmers for cultivation of rice, sugar cane, cash crops and livestock rearing.

Farmers were also encouraged by low-interest loans from the commercial banks, and duty-free concessions on farming machinery, which led to more farmers

than ever owning their own machinery.

There were several training programmes done for farmers to update them with modern farming methods so as to improve yields and reduce costs.

These factors led to several years of continuous record breaking years of production in Rice specifically due to the input of the government to get good prices and in no small way the cooperation between the Farmers Representative (the Rice Producers Association) and the PPP/C Government.

High yields continued even into the first two years of the PNC/APNU/AFC term in office.

A new sugar factory and Co-generation plant was built in Skeldon and from 2012, sugar was turning around to produce one of the biggest crops in 2015, the last year of PPP/C Government.

The $9000 per bag for paddy promised by the AFC AND APNU in their campaign was NOT DELIVERED! Instead, several thousands of acres of rice were lost due to flooding, due to neglect by the Granger government, of the canals and drains that were maintained

by GUYSUCO and that

drained the rice cultivation area. Prices for paddy are as low as $500 per bag for some farmers.

Most are indebted to the banks and, some have already lost some of their property. Others have stopped planting and, lands are lying idle. Also, agricultural machinery and equipment that were VAT free now attract 14% VAT. In addition, not only were PROMISED 20% INCREASE NOT GIVEN TO SUGAR WORKERS, but thousands of them were sent home without receiving their lawfully earned severance packages. The Rose Hall and Skeldon sugar estates were closed. No training, no alternative employment and no assistance are offered to these thousands of Ex-GuySuCo workers. The Granger government JUST DOES NOT CARE! Suicide attempts have skyrocketed in these areas since the people see no hope for the future of themselves or their families.

HOUSING Under the PPP/C government, several new housing schemes were opened in Region 6. These included the Glasgow New Housing Scheme, Fort Ordinance, Phase I and II, Belvedere, # 76 Phase I and II, # 77, phase I and II etc. Thousands of persons who never owned a home were able to access low-interest loans from the bank and build homes. Electricity, roads water and telephone services were made available in these areas.

Since 2015, not a single new house lot has been made available in Region 6 – much less anywhere else in the country.

ELECTRICITY Over the years that

PPP/C was in office, several areas received electricity for the first time.

These include Orealla and Siparuta, Crabwood Creek, Black Bush Polder, the housing scheme, the furthest parts of East Canje and West Canje, areas on the East Bank Berbice and several streets along the Coast. In addition, most areas along the main roadway had street lights installed.

With the Cogen plant in Skeldon Estate, electricity was stabilised.

Now we are back to regular periods of blackouts in several parts of the region.

The cost of electricity has gone up and in addition VAT has been added, for the first time, on our electricity bills.

HEALTH The PPP/C reformed the Health Sector in region 6.

A new hospital was built in New Amsterdam which provided better tertiary care to residents of regions 5 and 6.

An International Ophthalmology Hospital that catered to the needs of Guyanese and foreign nationals was built in Port Mourant.

This hospital used to perform thousands of surgeries per year. In 2018, nine months into the year, there were ZERO cataract surgeries done. The equipment is not working due to poor or no maintenance and, there are persistent shortages of drugs and medical supplies preventing the doctors from functioning.

Several new health centres were constructed, including at Siparuta, Angoy’s Avenue, Brothers, # 53 Village, Port Mourant, Bara Cara, Skeldon and Whim. The other facilities underwent major rehabilitation and upgrade.

The Region received over 200 new Guyanese Doctors

from Cuba which enabled the Regional Authorities to place doctors at all the health centres at least on a weekly basis. In Orealla and Siparuta, for the first time there were two doctors based at the Health Centre. Several new programs were implemented including Home Based Care and Extended Home Based Care, Care of the Elderly, Geriatric Day at each Health Centre and Home Nutrition Project among others.

Region 6 had the Best Immunisation Coverage in the country every year from 2009 to 2014 with most antigens (vaccines) achieving 100% coverage. This was accomplished due to the diligence of the staff, the availability of vaccines, availability of transportation, cooperation between the staff and administration and privates sector support.

Since 2015, Region 6 did accomplish this feat again.

Shortage and intermittent supply of vaccines contributed to this.

Since June 2015, with the new administration in place, there has been a return to pre-1992 type of health care with continuous severe shortage of drugs and medical supplies. Doctors rarely visit primary health care facilities.

In fact since June 2015, everything good has been in decline including health care, electricity supply, housing, education delivery, etc.

Everything bad on the rise – corruption, cronyism, nepotism, crime, unemployment, blackouts, taxes, VAT on zero-rated food items, VAT on water, VATon electricity and school supplies, VAT on medicines etc etc.

This has to change come the next National and Regional Elections, on or before 2020, or the future generations will pay the price!

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WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Voters warned not to sign more than one candidate list – PPP to lodge complaint with GECOM over ‘electoral fraud’

T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) plans to lodge an official complaint with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) over what it described as acts to commit electoral fraud.

Executive of the PPP, Zulfikar Mustapha, said he was reliably informed by several people that some political parties are on the ground misleading voters around the country – in sections of Region 6, 7 and 8. “It seems as though this is a national ploy to mislead people. We are saying also that GECOM has a role to play,” he said.

According to him, during his next meeting with the Chief Elections Officer of GECOM, Keith Lowenfield, the matter will be raised. He added that a letter will also be sent to Lowenfield.

Mustapha explained that before a candidate can contest a constituency of a Neighbourhood Democratic

Council (NDC) area, he or she would have to have certain amount of backers. “For the NDC you have to have 20-30 signatures of persons who live in that constituency.

The entire list for an NDC area requires 30 backers but each. In the municipality the number of backers for constituency candidate is 60 and number for entire municipality list which is proportional representation part is 110.”

The PPP Executive disclosed that the Party was informed that many persons who have signed onto the PPP list of candidates are being told that they can sign more than one list of candidates. From the complaints received, he noted that the Alliance For Change (AFC), United Republican Party of Guyana (URP) and the A partnership for National Unity (APNU) are the perpetrators. He said, “That is wrong! If you sign on more

than one list of candidates, those lists can become nullified and invalid. In Rose Hall we had people from URP who went and mislead people, telling them that they are from the PPP… so they were suspicious of their movement and URP activist and we doubled checked.”

Mustapha feels people are rejecting the coalition parties, particularly the AFC and URP. He said, “Now they using cover under the PPP to dupe people…I know there are many persons that people are willing to sign on our list, and AFC and APNU people are reluctant to sign on their list to back their list of candidates. This is a trend that might take place before Local Government Elections and we are monitoring the situation carefully.”

The PPP Executive Secretary added that the Party will be monitoring the situation.

Guyana borrows US$20M from Islamic Development Bank

D

espite Guyana’s rising public debt to external creditors, Government has drawn down US$20M from the sum allotted to them by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) from its US$900 million resource envelope.

The Finance Ministry in a statement revealed that the monies will go towards the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Utility Upgrade Programme, in a bid to bring an end to the black woes.

The Ministry said, “The loan will facilitate the rehabilitation of 153 km of GPL’s medium voltage and low voltage network and 6941 smart meters, including the associated transformers, service lines and distribution boxes. “…the rehabilitation and extension of two 69/13.8KV substations at Kingston and

Vreed-en-Hoop, including equipment switchgear, power transformers, rerouting of circuits distribution feeders and cable connections. “…it will also finance consultancy services for the preparation of designs and specifications for the sub-stations and the site supervision for the works related to the Kingston and Vreed-enHoop substations, as well as support the existing project management unit by financing additional specialized engineers and technicians to reinforce the existing team.”

The US$20M loan comes even as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in a comprehensive report it prepared on its Article IV mission to Guyana earlier this year, highlighted the GYD$600M losses incurred

by GPL last year.

The Finance Minister,

Winston Jordan, will sign the loan agreement with the bank in Saudi Arabia on September 19.

The Finance Ministry’s Public Debt Annual Report for 2016 showed that the total public debt was recorded at US$1.6 billion, exceeding the projected amount by US$8.4 million. The public debt to GDP ratio actually increased by 0.9 per cent to be recorded at 46.1 per cent.

The report also showed that since 2015, there has been a 4.1 per cent rise in Guyana’s indebtedness to International lenders. A breakdown of the figures showed that total external debt amounted to $240 billion, a 72.6 per cent bite out of the total public debt.

On the other hand, domestic debt stood at $90.6 billion, or 27.4 per cent of the total public debt.

CDC coordinates distribution of relief supplies to Venezuelan refugees in Region 1

V

enezuelan refugees in the Barima-Waini region, who fled their home country to escape worsened economic and social conditions, were recipients of a number of relief items distributed by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) over the weekend.

The move by the CDC came after the Region 1 Chairman, Brentnol Ashley, went public about the need for more support to the Region in dealing with the incoming refugees.

The CDC exercise focused on the Khan’s Hill and White-Water communities.

The mission was led

by CDC Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, and comprised representatives of the region’s Regional Democratic Council (RDC), the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.

Among the items distributed were food and other relief items. The food items were compliments of DeSinco Trading Limited, which donated 50 food hampers to the CDC last month.

The other relief items were donations from the International Organisation for Migrantion (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Over the past two years, Venezuela has been experiencing worsening economic turmoil following the decline of oil prices on the world market. The country is in its fourth consecutive year of recession.

Reports coming out of the Spanish-speak State reveal there is massive food shortages and limited access to basic healthcare and basic amenities.

COORDINATED APPROACH Scores of Guyanese living in the neighbouring country have been returning home. There has also been a high influx of Venezuelans escaping to Guyana to seek refuge. To this end, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has been calling for more to be done from a humanitarian perspective.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, at one of his news conferences, said: “Sometime back I spoke about this larger threat to Guyana and that the Government was reticent to give us information and to share with the people of Guyana information on the exact

nature of this threat. After I had been mentioning this for several months, almost two months, President Granger then announced that the Army will give a briefing to some of our members of Parliament…that took place…I was briefed about the briefing….when I met President Granger, just recently, I raised the matter again and said that we are concerned about the approach to this matter.

It is not purely a military matter….we believe that the government has been approaching this from the perspective of a military threat; that is why they got the Army to do a briefing, rather than have [Ministry of] Foreign Affairs to do a briefing of the MPs. “We pointed out [to the APNU+AFC Government] that the PPP won Regions 1 and 9, the two bordering regions through which most of the refugees are coming and that we would like to see a differentiated policy.

There are three types of refugees, well not refugees, but individuals who will come through the borders into Guyana.

“First of all, Guyanese who live in Venezuela.

When I say Guyanese, if they have a tiny drop of Guyanese blood, they are our own people; so whether they have documents or not, once they can prove that their parents or grandparents or anyone else, a member of the family, are Guyanese, then they should

be welcomed and allowed to be integrated and supporting documents should be given to them.

“Secondly, you have the Amerindians who tend to move across borders seamlessly without passports.

These are the Warraus and others. I saw them in the villages and in the rivers, travelling from Mabaruma to Port Kaituma. These persons must be helped from a humanitarian basis immediately. They tend to not have documents. From time immemorial, they have travelled across the border. So that is the second category.

“The third category is the Venezuelans who are leaving the country. We have an obligation to treat them fairly and in a humanitarian way, but in the long term they will be repatriated to Venezuela, given the nature of the threat on the border and what a settlement on the border, with permanent residents from Venezuela – a settlement of that nature can pose a threat to our territorial integrity and arguments in the future.

“So these are the three categories of people, we believe, will come across the border and we want a different approach to each.

I spoke with the President about this…we have to pay greater attention to these things.”

There has been no response from the AP NU+AFC Coalition Government on the issues raised by the Opposition Leader.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

EDITORIAL

Loss of Leadership – Guyana’s standing in the global fight against climate change

I

n December 2015, Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement charts a new course in strengthening global efforts to combat climate change.

The Agreement aims to limit the rise of global temperatures, increase the ability to adapt to climate change impacts, and making finance and other forms of support available to help developing countries move towards low emission and climate resilient development pathways.

Prior to the 2015 elections, Guyana had received plaudits for being a leader in promoting sustainable development while combating climate change. Through the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, in pioneering bilateral partnership with the Government of Norway, showed the world how strong domestic action could be catalyzed by a developing country in the fight against climate change.

The LCDS also created a working model for REDD+, whereby payments could be received for sustainable management of forests and forest conversation. Through a carefully formulated plan agreed with Norway, these REDD+ payments would have been channeled into several, diverse development projects, including climate smart agriculture, Amerindian land titling, information technology and renewable energy. Foremost amongst these was the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) which would have provided not only clean, but cheaper electricity for approximately 95 percent of our power demand.

With these initiatives, among a host of other climate friendly programmes by the PPP/C Government, Guyana would have undoubtedly been a shining example under the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement requires all Parties to inform the world of their best efforts through “Nationally Determined Contributions” (NDC). NDC commitments have been based on countries historic responsibility for climate change, their capabilities and their national circumstances. Countries are also expected to strengthen their NDCs every five years and provide regular reports on their progress towards achieving their NDC commitments. When the APNU/AFC coalition assumed office in 2015, motivated by their propaganda from the campaign trail, the LCDS and the AFHP were discarded without any serious consideration, explanation or viable plan for alternative approaches.

In a truly mind-boggling move, the APNU/AFC then proposed a series of highly ambitious commitments in Guyana’s first NDC, commitments which are not possible without LCDS and the AFHP. In the NDC, the APNU/AFC committed Guyana to achieving 100% electricity generation from renewable sources by 2025, pending the availability of financial resources.

This is a goal which no country from Europe, North America, Japan, Australia or any other country in this world for that matter, came close to committing themselves to. Unsurprisingly, we are nowhere close to achieving this target. Instead of embracing the AFHP which would bring the NDC within reach, the APNU/AFC Government has opted to pursue smaller hydropower and solar projects. Many of these are still to get off the ground and will certainly not bring us anywhere close to achieving the 2025 target of 100% renewable energy.

Recently, the Head of the Office of Climate Change admitted to the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Foreign Affairs that the 100% renewable commitment cannot be met. As a recourse, the Committee was told that there is scope for revision of the target. This is flawed advice, as the Paris Agreement clearly states that each successive NDC should be a progression beyond the current NDC, and that an adjustment can only be done if the level of ambition is to being enhanced, not degraded. In other words, countries should not scale back their commitments; any revision has to be more stringent.

The APNU/AFC coalition will soon have access to US $80M, which was earned by the PPP/C Government under the Guyana – Norway Partnership and which was earmarked

APNU+AFC gov’t has not practiced financial prudence where it counts Dear Editor,

I

read the statement from the Guyana Gold Board, which questioned the Guyana Times article ‘Lost $47B Gold Board revenues could have cushioned sugar industry – Jagdeo’, particularly the nexus that was drawn between the Gold Board and the sugar sector.

But, I wish to submit that the nexus is clear. Under this Coalition Government billions were lost due to incompetence, while the very Coalition Government was justifying its decision to close the sugar sector and put thousands of Guyanese on the breadline by saying it was acting in a

financially prudent manner.

It was claims of financial prudence that were made when the 7,000 sugar workers, over 4,000 of whom are still to receive the severance money they are owed by the Coalition Government, were fired.

It was claims of financial prudence that were made when four factories were closed, despite the fact that there was no study or even theoretical base on which such a decision was made.

Now, there have also been arguments have been made about other aspects of the sugar industry, such as the Skeldon Sugar Factory and about what it cost; it has also been said that

the factory is a white elephant. But what do the public agencies, where such large amounts of money is lost, have to show? No one has missed the fact that despite the criticisms of the Skeldon Factory, it is now being promoted as an attractive investment.

Finally, editor, the Guyana Gold Board numbers according to the National Budget Estimates, available on the Ministry of Finance’s website, reflect clearly the incompetence of the Coalition Government when it comes to practicing financial prudence where it counts.

Regards, Attiya Baksh

Closure of sugar estates nothing but the continuing vendetta against industry that was started under PNC Dear Editor,

T

he Skeldon Estate is much touted to be a dismal failure engineered by the PPP Government, and has been used ad lib by many politicians as the proverbial ‘whipping boy’. This is done until now, whenever GuySuCo is being discussed.

However, the CoI commissioned by this Government gave detailed capital expenditures, which can transform the entire GuySuCo, making it viable and profitable by 2020. This is the same argument proposed by the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Jagdeo, who has said that the $30 billion syndicated loan can be utilised to keep all the estates going.

The more I analyse the scenario, the more I am convinced that GuySuCo can be saved from the guillotine; but the political will to do so is unabashedly lacking by this Government!

Let us put this into perspective.

The vendetta against the sugar industry is historical, and was aborted in 1991 when there was a massive privatisation drive by the PNC to sell and enrich.

However, the opportunity presented itself again in 2015, and the Coalition Government lost no time in getting back on track to sound the death knell of the industry.

It is an accepted and undisputed fact that Skeldon Estate is capable of producing 75 tons per hectare, 1,000,000 tons per annum, 110,000 tons of sugar, 40,000 tons of molasses and a tc/ts of around 9 tons of cane to produce a ton of sugar. In addition, the co-generation plant has the capability of generating 40mWh of power.

In the years 2015 and 2016, even though it had not reached this potential, Skeldon Estate was producing in excess of 30,000 tons of sugar per annum. The CoI had recommended that US$5.2 million budgeted for Skeldon from 2016 to 2020 could bring the es-

for investment in the AFHP. Unless the APNU/AFC can use these funds to produce an impact similar to what would have been achieved with the AFHP, it would be a disservice to the Guyanese people.

Even more troubling, Ministers Harmon and Patterson are sending conflicting signals by indicating the efforts will be undertaken to transition electricity generation from diesel to natural gas, not renewable energy. This is entirely at odds with the commitments undertaken in the NDC. Guyana’s NDC also includes a commitment to conserve an additional two million hectares of forests as part of the National Protected Areas System by 2025. This is another poorly conceived commitment in the NDC and a number of fundamental questions remain unanswered.

Which forests will be included in the additional two million hectares being put under protection? Will it come from the State Forest Estate? Why ‘protection’ and not sustainable management? How will this affect the livelihoods of the Guy-

tate to realise its true potential.

The CoI had concluded that GYD$21 billion, or US$102 million, can restore and secure (all) the estates in satisfactory operating condition. It must be borne in mind that the SPU has now secured $30 billion, which is more than was recommended for the entire sugar industry!

The CoI has made it clear that “mechanisation is increasingly important to sugar cane production in Guyana”, and can improve cost efficiencies to such an extent as would make the industry viable and profitable.

Why did the Government fail to go this route, a recommendation for which it had paid in excess of $52 million?

The CoI had estimated that with the recommended capital injection, by the end of 2017, Skeldon would have produced 61,745 tons of sugar, Rose Hall 37,836 tons of sugar, and Wales (Turn to page 5)

anese families who depend on forestry and mining sectors?

Will this expansion affect the issuance of titles to Amerindian villages? Will this have an impact on Guyana’s partnership with Norway?

At the 20th Biennial Delegates Conference of the PNC/R, President Granger boasted that Guyana’s status as a global leader on environment has not changed. But this is clearly untrue. The reckless and ill-advised approach of the APNU/AFC to establishing the NDC commitments has left Guyana in the embarrassing position of having no option but to publicly inform the rest of the world that the commitment cannot be met.

Since May 2015, the APNU/AFC Government has lost the momentum of the LCDS and has pulled Guyana back from continuing to build on the successes of the PPP/C in moving towards sustainable, climate resilience development.

Despite the rhetoric, Guyana has lost considerable ground in both international and domestic leadership on climate change and sustainable development.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

What happens as oil and gas sector develops is important

The latest move to I sabotage government and opposition talks

Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

I

had earlier written a letter in which I pointed out a pattern that has emerged over a year or so which shows that whenever President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo meets the Pradoville issue resurfaces just after.

I pointed out then that Granger and Jagdeo met on July 19th, 2018 and ‘Pradoville’ resurfaced via a Kaieteur News article on July 22nd, 2018, under the caption ‘SOCU completes Pradoville 2 file, charges ready to be laid’.

The situation was quite similar following the January 3rd, 2018 meeting of the two.

This time INEWS, via its January 5th 2018 article under the caption ‘Sittlington to return a Mentor/Advisor to SOCU’, talked about a foreigner continuing his work to ensure that there are convictions in the cases being addressed by SOCU. Even more interesting was that the news of Sittlington’s return not only came two days after the Granger-Jagdeo meeting, but it came EIGHT MONTHS after Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, asked for him to return to SOCU. A third case was seen after the Granger-Jagdeo meeting on October 19th, 2018.

After that meeting on November 28th, 2017, there was the Kaieteur News article under the caption ‘Pradoville Two probe…Assessor moves in to value properties’.

Again we saw this pattern with the June 12th, 2017 meeting and the article that same month by the Kaieteur News under the cap-

tion ‘Suspected Pradoville ‘schemers’ closer to climbing court step’.

Not surprisingly, the two met again on August 30th of 2018 and lo and behold the Guyana Chronicle’s lead story on September 8, 2018 had a headline which screamed, ‘Charges to be laid soon – as SOCU about to wrap up ‘Pradoville 2’ probe’.

Once again, I’ve detailed these examples to demonstrate that what we are seeing is a pattern. And with that said, the question as to whether or not moves are afoot to sabotage talks between the government and opposition must be asked.

Secondly; is it the President’s office behind this move? Or is it the Prime Minister’s office?

In my view, it seems more likely that it may be the Prime Minister’s office. You only have to look at the big picture to see why.

If the PPP and APNU engage, the AFC becomes more irrelevant. Their relevance is diminished because they are not among the political players dealing with moving political dialogue forward; the AFC has no seat at the table. If the PPP and APNU engage and reach agreement on issues, what use is the AFC serving? They have no constituency.

Isn’t this reason enough to want to sabotage the government and opposition talks, to make sure that the AFC remains somewhat relevant?

Regards, A. Baksh

Poor management from APNU+AFC gov’t results in poor service from National Ophthalmology Hospital Dear Editor,

A

t last statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council of Region Six, held last Thursday, a number of important issues were highlighted, the most important being the National Ophthalmology Hospital at Port Mourant, which is being managed by the Ministry of Public Health, failing the people of Region Six. After numerous pleadings by the RDC and the media, both Ministers of Public Health and a ‘top heavy’ regional management are unable to ensure that the National Ophthalmology Hospital perform cataract surgeries. Both Ministers promised the residents of Region Six, three months ago, that the situation would be resolved.

Unfortunately, the Public Health Minis-

try failed, and as such, the Regional Health Committee is recommending that the RDC manage the National Ophthalmology Hospital to ensure that these problems are resolved, to ensure efficient delivery of health care.

The RDC is presently managing the dayto-day running of the National Psychiatric Hospital. Likewise, the Regional Democratic Council should manage the National Ophthalmology Hospital.

This situation exposes the level of incompetence that exists in the APNU/AFC Coalition Government. The People of Region Six are calling for the resignation of both ministers for failing to fix a critical issue that has been existing for the last three years.

Regards, Zamal Hussain

read the Stabroek News article, under the caption ‘Shell invests in oil sector -Mc Doom site to store equipment’, which was published on September 10, 2018. The article reported that the Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo made brief remarks at the commissioning of Mohamed’s Enterprise Laydown Facility located at Area MM McDoom, but this is not so.

Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin, was also there and what happened is that Mr. Jagdeo used the opportunity to call on him to answer questions that I, like many other Guyanese have, about what our government is doing in the oil and gas sector. There was a clear call for clarity on a number of issues.

Among the several things that were raised were: 1. Why is there no adequate response to the need for a predictable and conductive environment for investment?

2. What are the terms of agreement that other oil companies would benefit from, and what will they not get that ExxonMobil got?

3. What is the role of the Department of Energy compared to the role of Petroleum Commission for which there is a Bill in Parliament to allow the Commission to be set up?

4. What is the Coalition’s policy on developing shore-based facilities? Will it invest part-

ly? Where will these facilities be located?

5. Why is there no clarity on insulating the Sovereign Wealth Fund from political control?

6. What exactly are the plans for using oil monies to improve the local economy and for long-term progress?

7. What is the Coalition policy on taxes to ensure a settled environment for private sector development at a time when businesses see what appear to be whimsical acts by tax authorities?

8. What will happen to the remaining oil blocks?

9. What is the framework that will see ordinary Guyanese people benefiting from the oil and gas sector?

10. When will government bring the local content legislation to Parliament? How will that legislation benefit Guyanese people?

How will be the position in the legislation on investors from CARICOM? What was also unfortunate was that Mr. Gaskin did not respond to the questions. He talked about the draft local content policy, but still Guyanese people are no clearer on what is happening.

The oil and gas sector is an important one for Guyana and Guyanese people and what happens as it develops is also important.

Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh Ibrahim Bin Jabbar

Closure of sugar estates nothing... (From page 4) 29,243 tons of sugar, for a total of 128,827 tons of sugar. At the current moment, the entire industry would barely eke out 100,000 tons of sugar. With the recommendation of the CoI, the entire industry would have produced 300,386 tons of sugar!

This is again evidence that Dr Jagdeo is absolutely correct! It is still not too late to use the $30 billion syndicated loan and make the entire industry operable again.

The CoI had recommended that each estate be involved in co-generation and the processing of refined sugar, for which there is a demand of 200,000 tons within Caricom. It must be noted that the SPU is regurgitating the same recommendation. The CoI had specifically recommended: the installation of highand medium- pressure boilers, and to perform the necessary modifications to the drives and process that would reduce power requirements. A boiler and turbine alternator cost only US$11 million. The excess electricity would have been sold to the national grid.

It must further be noted that the CoI had recommended that Skeldon factory be retained and make reliable by remedying the faults and narrowing the mismatch between field and factory; and that a sugar refinery should be built at Skeldon to brand and sell molasses. However, the

CoI noted that no capital expenditure was done at Skeldon in 2015. This would seem to suggest that the factory was deliberately allowed to deteriorate, so that it can be placed under the guillotine!

It is evident that this Coalition Government conveniently followed the recommendations of the CoI, and disregarded some recommendations because that course of action suited its vindictiveness.

Government deliberately exacerbated the debilitating conditions which exist in the industry as a prelude and an excuse to sell. Furthermore, it deliberately took the ‘wrong turn’ to magnify the sufferings of the sugar workers and their families (perceived as PPP supporters), who did not get a wage increase since 2015; have had many benefits snatched from them; and are still anxiously awaiting receipt of their severance payments.

However, the Coalition contradicted itself in more ways than one; as is manifested in the fact that on one hand it says that Skeldon, Rose Hall, Wales and Enmore are not viable, but is yet claiming to the investors that those estates can be made viable and profitable. If that is so, then why are we selling those estates?

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

6

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Bartica PPP Group responds to needs of schools The need for pedestrian crossings outside the Two Mile Primary School and the Three Mile Secondary School was raised with members of the Bartica People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Group and its members responded with voluntary efforts. The Group members organised themselves and completed the painting of the pedestrian crossings this weekend.

A government of opportunists pursuing an agenda that the people of this country did not set Dear Editors,

W

hen the APNU/AFC coalition won the general elections of May 2015, the country had voted for, and had high hopes for, change. Even Guyanese who did not vote in the elections gave the new Government their support, and a chance to prove themselves. However, as events unfolded, and the new Government settled into office, slowly, the people of this country began to realise that a hoax had been played on us.

The range of condemnation and accusations that were leveled against the PPP/C turned out to be hype, and suspicion, and excessive noise.

All the AFC did to get into power was capitalize on the disenchantment of the people. The AFC has turned out to be the biggest hoax played on the people of this country.

After all the campaign promises made immediately upon getting the power the people gave to them, the AFC supported a 5 percent raise in salary for public servants and a 50 percent raise in salary for Cabinet. Rates and taxes were increased across the board, and cost of living immediately increased after the coalition went into office. A minister is quoted in sections of the media on October 7, 2015 as asking why he should work for the same salary in public office that he paid one of his attorneys when he was in private practice.

Beyond salary issues, more signs of an unjust and incompetent administration that was misusing its power to pursue its own agenda began to emerge. Carifesta Avenue is now a monument to secret military involvement in civilian Police operations. The military invasion of Kaieteur National Park and the detaining of a cameraman who wanted to verify the boundaries that were the source of contention were other acts of aggression

against the people of this nation, and an assault on the media. The parking meter fiasco and subsequent protest action in the city of Georgetown, as well as the teachers being forced into taking to the streets while the Government Ministers were on holiday have helped the People of this nation to become aware that the agenda of the political elite – a NEW Government — is not in alignment with the agenda of their campaign promises. One can only wonder as to the causes for a NEW Government to be so insensitive to the needs of the people.

Beyond insensitivity, we find contempt from no less a person than the President of the nation. If we carefully analyse the behaviour, utterances and actions of the President, we will find that a pattern has begun to emerge that can support a theory that the President is pursuing an agenda beyond the responsibilities given to him by the people of the nation when the coalition was elected into office. Firstly, the President had a candidate earmarked to be the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission. He condemned over a dozen Guyanese as not ‘fit and proper’, nor possessing the ‘integrity, impartiality and independence’ required for the role.

The only suitable person for the role was the President’s personal choice. The pattern is to attack the character of the citizens involved, arrogate to himself the higher morality, and then appoint his choice, even outside of the constitution.

This pattern was repeated once again after the GECOM fiasco, and allowed the President to interfere directly in the operations of the Guyana Police Force.

It began with “an alleged plot to assassinate the President,” and a series of activities and events followed that led to the removal of Seelall Persaud and David Ramnarine and the selection of a candidate whom the President found to be suitable and having the ‘integrity’

and being ‘intelligent and impartiality’.

Since the President is arrogating unto himself morality as the justification for his actions toward nomination of Public Officials, I find it instructive to examine the President’s actions with respect to the whole drug bond scenario.

Dr George Norton, as Hon Minister of Public Health, lied to Parliament and was involved in a corrupt negotiation, and yet he is still fit and proper, intelligent, impartial, and with the integrity to run the Ministry of Social Cohesion. Former Acting Commissioner of Police Mr David Ramnarine was heavily criticised for transferring fallen Police officers, yet it is okay to transfer a corrupt Minister of Government to a new Ministry. Worse yet, Dr. George Norton is now the Vice-Chairman of the PNCR. Contrast the actions of Kamla Persaud-Bissessar, who fired eleven Ministers in four years while she was Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago.

It has become clear that posturing by the President about ‘fit and proper’ and integrity and decency has no deep moral centre. It is all an act put on to penetrate the independence of the Guyana Public Service and to insert his choices into strategic positions.

The AFC also asked the people of this nation to lynch the corrupt PPP officials, but forgive the AFC officials.

What we have in Government is a set of opportunists pursuing an agenda that the people of this country did not set.

An alarm has been sounded throughout the nation. It has become clear to me that the citizens of this country have a problem of dictatorship on their hands, and the potential for electoral malpractice is evident. Can we, the citizens of this nation, do more than just shake our heads in disbelief at our unfortu-

nate circumstances?

As a child, I lived through the PNC dictatorship, and was at home hearing the wailing from the funeral procession of Dr Walter Rodney, who gave his life for this country. As a child, adults fought and paid with their lives for me to enjoy free and fair elections and an independent press. As an adult, I inherited a democracy that was hard earned. Now, as an adult, I am shocked to see a reversal and a callous trampling of the democratic values and practices that were so hard earned.

Adults of today have a responsibility to create a stable political future, so that our children’s tomorrow may be free of this blight of dictatorship, corruption and political instability.

Let us be clear that our struggle is not one of PPP versus PNC politics. It is a relatively young struggle for a democratic political culture, an ideal that Government should be of the people, for the people and by the people.

When we are governed by ideals, our politics can be graceful. Statesmen and women are elevated into politics by their virtues, not their greed and ambition and gerrymandering.

Politics is an act of servant leadership, not to be engaged in for personal remuneration.

While the politicians reveal to us daily who they are, we, the people of this country, must hold onto our centre and be the source of light in the darkness.

Our struggle for democracy in this country continues, and as we stay calm and press on with it, when we feel afraid to voice our opinions and we feel oppressed by legislation, we must remember that people must not be afraid of their Governments, but Governments must be afraid of their people.

Sincerely, S. Khan

Two years of silence from gov’t on missing steel Dear Editor,

I

would like to reference an unresolved matter that was raised by in the local press in July 2016, relative to an $800M issue.

At stake was steel worth some G$800M, which is the property of the people of Guyana. My understanding is that this steel has vanished and this disappearing act happened in 2016 under this APNU+AFC regime, which claimed in 2015 that they were going

to bring back good governance to the land.

Where is the evidence of such measures?

In the 2016 news report, Minister Harmon clearly promised the nation that he would report to the nation based on the outcome of the investigation. It has been two years now and the nation is yet to hear from Mr. Harmon on this matter.

Yours faithfully, Sasenarine Singh

STRAIGHT TALK 7

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

(These viewed were made public on September 14, 1975. Its re-printing is among several activities being undertaken during 2018 to mark the 100th birth anniversary – March 22, 2018 – of the founder of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Cheddi Jagan.)

Critical support was not unconditional support, it was support for progressives measures only

By Dr. Cheddi Jagan

T

here have been mixed reactions to "critical support." By and large, they fall into two broad categories -- it's nothing new, it's the old PPP line, it's only some new words; it's a sellout, Jagan has made a deal with Burnham, the PPP is merging with the PNC. The PNC's reaction is based on the proposition that the PPP's non-co-operation, civil resistance campaign had failed, and thus its proposed changed political line. Its Chairman, Cammie Ramsaroop, referred to "critical support of the PNC as a vindication of the rightness of the approach of the PNC's Party policy. ("Guyana Graphic", August 19, 1975).

The PNC General Secretary, P Reid, said that the PPP was being influenced by the seemingly progressive things the government was doing; they "were seeing the benefits that can be had from going and doing the things that are right and useful to them.

DANGER There is a dangerous smugness in these assertions.

There is a danger, but not the one mentioned by Dr Reid.

And the danger cannot be seen unless one has a broad, world perspective.

Looked at it that way, what is the position? Particularly during the past thirty years, the world has been gripped by a titanic struggle between the socio-economic systems -- capitalism and socialism. The capitalist world launched a cold war to contain national liberation, socialism and communism.

But the socialist world has been growing stronger and stronger economically, militarily, morally and politically. At the same time, the capitalist world has been growing weaker and is now in a deepening crisis.

Meanwhile, in the "third world" (Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean), the struggle intensified for national liberation -- to free the nation from political, economic, military and cultural

domination.

COUNTER REVOLUTION Some "third world" countries like Cuba have succeeded in moving, or completely breaking, away from the capitalist world.

Others have failed largely because of the machinations and manoeuvres of imperialism. Because of its counter-revolutionary moves, many "third world" governments were toppled - Dr Mossadegh of Iran, Jacobo Arbens of Guatemala, Patrice Lumumba of Congo, Joao Goulart of Brazil, Kwame Nkhrumah of Ghana, Dr Sukarno of Indonesia, Dr Milton Obote of Uganda, Salvador Allende of Chile, Mujib Rahman of Bangladesh.

The governments were overthrown largely because their policies were in the direction against imperialism and for socialism.

And the instruments for the overthrow were mainly the military, in the majority of cases backed by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Attempts were also made against the Nasser government of Egypt by the Anglo-French-Israeli military attack in 1956, and against the Castro government in 1961 by the CIA-directed Bay of Rigs invasion. Fortunately, these attacks failed.

FASCISM What were the results in the countries where imperialist counter-revolutionary blows succeeded? A rightist, neo-fascist regime was set up.

The previous anti-imperialist policies were reversed. And communist parties, where they existed, were banned, and a systematic attempt was made to exterminate all communists and revolutionaries.

After the downfall of Dr Sukarno, one of the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Suharto military dictatorship slaughtered nearly two million Indonesians, mostly communists (the Suharto regime's delegation walked out of the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the

have been tortured. And the Brazilian state has become a sub-imperialism, a gendarme of US imperialism in Latin America. It has played a reactionary role in the South African continent, and has influenced fascist trends in neighbouring Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay.

Non-Aligned states held in Guyana in August 1972, after it had seated the Provisional Revolutionary government of South Vietnam and the Cambodian government led

by Prince Sihanouk).

In Bangladesh, after the tremendous electoral success of Mujib Rahman in 1970 and his arrest, the Pakistan military forces killed nearly 500,000 among whom were communists and revolutionary democrats. There the systematic killings in the first night indicated that the fascist worked with prepared lists with names and addresses.

TORTURE In Chile, after the murder of Salvador Allende in 1973, hundreds of thousands of socialists and communists were killed and imprisoned.

The First Secretary of the Communist Party is still in a concentration camp, and his son was jailed and tortured.

In Brazil, under the fascist military regime, all political parties except one with a right-wing orientation are banned and all Constitution liberties are suspended. The Communist Party of Brazil have been forced underground and its First Secretary is forced to live in exile in Moscow. Any communist caught in Brazil is either killed or imprisoned.

And torture is an everyday occurrence. Even Catholic priests and nuns who have challenged and exposed the excesses of the fascist regime

COMMUNISM It is this possible danger that the PPP sees in the Guyana situation. Our concern is not to save the PNC but to safeguard the interests of the Guyanese nation and the lives of the PPP leaders, activists, members and supporters. Experience has shown that weakening imperialism is like an enraged tiger.

Wherever it succeeds with its counter-revolutionary blows, the first target is the Communist Party. It knows that such parties as the PPP in Guyana do not make deals with it; they are uncompromising, principled and consistent fighters against imperialism.

For that reason, when the revolutionary forces succeed with their counter-revolutionary coups they strike at the "branch and root" of socialism and communism.

INDIA It is necessary to see the enemy clearly in all forms.

The situation in Guyana is bad with violation of civil liberties, harassment, discrimination, lack of democracy, electoral fraud, etc. But it is immeasurably worse in Brazil, Indonesia, Chile and Bangladesh. While fighting for the preservation and implementation of our Constitutional Fundamental Rights, we cannot by deed or default permit the development of a fascist state in Guyana.

Consider the situation in India, where the imperialists want to turn the clock of history as they have done in Bangladesh by the removal of the Mujib Rahman government (in 1970, Rahman was arrested in East Pakistan and jailed in West Pakistan; in 1975, he was murdered).

Indira Gandhi, like Mujib Rahman, is being attacked by imperialism because her na-

tionalist government pursues a policy of active non-alignment with a socialist orientation and close relations with the Soviet Union.

BALANCE Just before India's military solution in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), the Indian government signed a twenty-year treaty of friendship with the Soviet Union, which helped to check intervention

by USA and China on the side of West Pakistan.

US imperialism, faced with the reality of Indira's and Mujib's policies were helping to change the balance of power in favour of socialism and against imperialism, is backing a rightist move to overthrow the Indira Gandhi government -- a coalition of five parties from the extreme right to extreme ultra-left headed by Jhyhprakesh Narayan's Socialist Party ("socialist" Norman Thomas of the Socialist Party of the USA admitted receiving US$1 million from the CIA which he used to set up seventeen socialist parties in Latin America to fight communism); the pro-Hindu Jan Sangh Party is fanatically anti-Muslim and reactionary (it opposes the slaughter of decrepit cows which compete against humans for survival), and harbours the same elements who were responsible for the shooting and killing of Mahatma Gandhi; the Swatantra Party is backed

by Indian big business like Tata, one of the chief executives of which was at one time chairman of the CIA-financed Congress of Cultural Freedom which published the high-brow magazine "Encounter"; a Maoist-oriented Communist Party. This CIAbacked coalition was calling not only on the Indian Prime Minister to resign (she was convicted for a minor technical electoral offence), but also on the security forces to revolt.

BRUTALITY With the experience of fascist brutality and tyranny in neighbouring Indonesia and Bangladesh, and faced

with a dilemma, a choice between the petty-bourgeois government led by the Congress Party and a rightist-fascist clique backed by the CIA, the Communist Party of India supports the Indira Gandhi government.

It has no illusions about the Congress Party which still has influential landlords and capitalists playing a big role and thus obstructing the path to socialism. But with fascist danger near, it has no alternative.

Chilean fascism should also be a lesson to middleof-the-roaders and even right-wingers who have political ambitions. The rightist Nationalist Party led by Jorge Alessandri and the reformist Christian Democratic Party led by Eduardo Frei joined with the CIA and the military to bring about the downfall of Salvador Allende. They had hoped to replace Popular Unity and to become the beneficiaries. But the CIA and the ultra-rightist had other plans; they had not forgotten that those parties at the early stage had given parliamentary support to Allende's government to nationalized the foreign copper mines. Thus, they too have become the targets of the military Pinochet clique.

SUPPORT The development of fascism in Guyana, whether from within or without, must be vigorously opposed.

This was why the Central Committee, in its Report to the 25th PPP Anniversary celebration, declared: "the situation now therefore demands a more flexible approach on the part of the PPP...our political line should be changed from non-co-operation to critical support.”

Critical support does not mean unconditional support. It means just what it says -- giving support for any progressive measure, opposing any reactionary moves and criticizing all shortcomings.

8

Basil Williams’ incompetence exposed AGAIN….

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Multi-million dollar spending spree

by AFC member at state agency was done with Nagamootoo’s knowledge

Gov’t submitted deficient feasibility study P for local law school T

he President of the Council of Legal Education (CLE), Reginald Armour, has noted that Guyana’s feasibility study is deficient, and more work has to be done.

According to Armour, the Attorney General of Guyana and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, provided the CLE with a feasibility study for the proposed law school, on July 4, 2018. The CLE’s sub-committee has since looked at the study and prepared a report.

When was asked for an update, Armour revealed that the feasibility study does not sufficiently address concerns regarding quality assurance and the curriculum.

He said, “A subcommittee has looked at that feasibility study. We’ve met with the Government of Guyana

feasibility study committee. We did that (earlier) this week. We’ve expressed certain concerns we have, to do with the fact that the feasibility study does not sufficiently address quality assurance, curriculum and the proposal of a school at the moment is not compliant with our treaty.

“And we’ve asked the Government of Guyana to do some work and come back to us. They’ve agreed to that.

I’ll be discussing that with Council this morning and out of that decision from Council, I expect the most that will happen is that we’ll fix a timetable to continue discussions with the Government of Guyana. “…there’s nothing to exclude any country from having a law school. If they then come to the Council

of Legal Education and say would you approve our law school, we then have to do a number of quality assurances and curriculum monitoring tests to ensure it reaches the standard that we adhere to.”

Armour made clear that the CLE is concerned about the fact that: 1) the feasibility was not treaty-compliant – it does not fit within the treaty that the Council for Legal Education operates under; and 2) that the feasibility study does not satisfy the quality assurance that is required – among other concerns.

Meanwhile, in response to the CLE President’s disclosures, Williams has said that the details are not a “big deal” in his view – a comment that has found him on the receiving end of criticisms.

FITUG calls for improved tax threshold, easing cost-of-living burdens and more T he Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), through an invitation from the Ministry of Finance, made suggestions for the 2019 Budget.

FITUG noted that between 2014 and 2017, tax revenues have risen from $136.5B to $171.5B with the VAT and Excise receipts growing by nearly 25 per cent and Income Tax revenues rising by just over 31 per cent. “On this score, we urged the Government to consider upping the tax threshold to $100,000 per month; introducing relief for taxpayers with dependents; removing the 1/3 income tax threshold and replacing it with a second tier at $200,000 per month; removing VAT from electricity, water and private health care; widening the income tax base through capturing those engaged in tax evasion; and re-aligning tax exemptions with employment creation and national development goals,” FITUG said.

The body added, “… we noted that as many as 12 per cent of our people were unemployed at the end of September, last year and that 1 in 5 youths were

without a job. Vexingly we pointed out that large proportions of the unemployed were jobless for more than a year indicating that jobs were difficult to come by.

On this matter, we urged the Government to urgently consider training or re-training programmes for those who are unemployed. We suggested to the Administration consider the establishment of a National Job Bank to allow employers and prospective employees a central point to meet as we felt the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) was not living up to its expectations. The unemployment situation, we urged too, should give rise to consideration regarding unemployment benefits for those who have lost their jobs. This is something long touted in Guyana and a considered study, we felt, may be appropriate at this time.

“The FITUG also spoke to the high cost-of-living situation and using statistics pointed to increase in several important commodities. We noted too the soon-to-be-increased water rates which would see an unmetered consumer having to find more than $18,000 per annum to meet the rate

increased. On this matter, the recent increase in the minibus fares was also mentioned as we noted it could very see workers having to find several thousand dollars more per month for transportation.

“We urged the Government to consider increasing the Old Aged Pension to $30,000 per month; reducing the excise tax on fuel towards reducing the public transportation costs; reintroducing electricity and water subsidies for old aged pensioners, among other things.”

Concerns about crime, public infrastructure and the delivery of health care services were also raised by the Federation.

FITUG also noted that the budget consultation exercises have has adopted a mere ritualistic tenor and are nothing more, but a public relations gimmick, since proposals made do not attract the serious consideration by the Finance Ministry. The body called on Government to take action to correct this.

FITUG and some private sector bodies are the only ones groups that have been invited to consultations on Budget 2019 to date.

rime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, has been implicated in the controversial spending spree of over $5M – in just three months – which was embarked on by AFC Member, Sherod Duncan, who was appointed as the General Manager for the state-owned Guyana Chronicle on June 1, 2018.

Since taking up the role of general manager, Duncan has spent: • $190,000 on a laptop; • $100,000 on an Apple IPad; • $159,000 to a consultant to work on the Guyana Chronicles Facebook page; • $191,000 for work on the website and front pages; $400,000 to an Information Communications Technology Company for more work on the company’s website and front pages; • $140,000 for a drone; • $93,000 for two backdrops; • $55,000 for a retractable banner; • $271,806 for a truss and tablet floor stand; • $259,000 for a computer for the Social Media coordinator; • $65,000 for headphones, a hard drive and monitor for the same Social Media coordinator; • $140,000 to live stream the National Grade Six Assessment results and the World Cup respectively; $104,000 for food; • Tickets costing $149,000 for Duncan; • $20,000 was for a prayer ceremony at the newspaper after Duncan became the General Manager; • $200,000 the Duncan for a trip to Lethem; • $586,000 for a trip to New York; • Close to $500,000 spent on servicing the

vehicle assigned to Duncan; • $275,000 on repairs to Duncan’s vehicle the very next month; and • Hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of furniture being purchased to refurnish the company’s board room, which was converted to an office for Duncan.

This was all done at the request of Duncan. However, Duncan has defended those expenses, saying that Nagamootoo and hi office has been kept abreast of the expenditures.

Notably, documents exposing the spending were leaked to the media. Days after reports on the spending hit the local news, the company’s Finance Controller, Moshamie Maraj-Ramotar, was sent a dismissal letter.

The dismissal letter sent to Maraj-Ramotar was signed by Duncan. It is believed that the letter was sent because Maraj-Ramotar was thought to have leaked the documents – something that she denies.

Nagamootoo was then forced to intervene on the same day after her lawyer, Sanjeev Datadin, sent the company a letter on her behalf. “A pre-action protocol letter was sent to them…before we introduce legal proceedings, under the new rules we have to send a letter saying what we intend to do. We sent one to say we feel the termination was unlawful, and if is not corrected, we will be entitled to damages… if they don’t, we’ll file legal proceedings,” Datadin said. Maraj-Ramotar was reinstated to her position, but has since been sent on administrative leave, pending an investigation.

Duncan has also been sent on administrative leave.

Salaries for APNU+AFC gov’t contract workers skyrocket – Ali

P

eople’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarian, Irfaan Ali, has questioned the increase in salaries being paid to contract workers hired by the APNU+AFC Coalition government – an increase of about 40 per cent.

Ali noted there are parts of the Government bureaucracy where there were excessive salary increases in contract workers. “Take for example, the Ministry of the Presidency, the Department of Project Development and Administration, from 2017 to 2018, reduced the number of contracted staff reduced by 86 to 213… yet salaries reduced by a mere $4.7 million, for the entire year. This meager decline in salaries

corresponds to an increase in average salary by more than 40 per cent or from $223,790 to $312,289, monthly.”

Another example used by the Member of Parliament was in the areas of defence and national security. Ali explained that contracted staff reduced by one, yet, inexplicable, salaries increased by $5.9 million. “When compared to 2017, average monthly salaries of contracted staff, it was found, increased from $230,798 to $256,752, or by 12 per cent,” he said.

Ali added, “Under the Public Service Management, from 2017-2018, contracted staff declined by two, while salaries increased by $39.5 million. In other words, aver-

age salaries under contracted employees, increased from $190,829 to $280,136, or 99.9 per cent.”

According to him, the Citizenship Ministry and Immigration Services reduced its number of contracted staff by 74 from 2017 to 2018.

Despite this, he pointed out that salaries increased by more than $31 million. Ali stated that when compared to 2017, average monthly salary increased from $65,860 to $251,086, or 312 per cent.

“A bit re-prioritization of resources could easily increase fiscal space by more than $6.7 billion, which is enough to address need of our people, without compromising any developmental project.”

9

Focus on Region 6

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Region 6 RDC waiting over two months for requested documents on $120M scandal involving AFC activists I

t has been more than a month since reports are that contracts totaling approximately $120M were awarded to the AFC-affiliated contractors in Region 6, without first passing through the tendering process, were made public.

And Councilor with the Regional Democratic Council, Zamal Hussain, told the Mirror that the RDC is still to receive documentation on the matter, even as it seeks to address what is increasingly looking like an act of corruption.

Hussain, in speaking to the Mirror Newspaper, said, “The RDC has no documents to show who was awarded this contract, what is the actual scope of works. What we know is that works are underway and we know who

the eight persons are who have been engaged, but we have no documentation.

“The RDC requested the documents from the REO (Regional Executive Officer), Kim Stephens Williams, two months ago and to date no document have been made available to the RDC. It is corruption and secrecy.”

Notably, the REO is a political appointee, placed in Region 6 by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government.

Hussain said,“We are looking at two breaches of the law – breach number one, the contract was supposed to be publicly advertised and then interested parties can bid; and two, the splitting of the contract.

“Also only a few people were given the documents

that would allow them to bid for the documents and this is restricted tendering, but restricted tendering with breaches because with restricted tendering there is a process where people are pre-qualified and that did not happen here.

“Any contract that is above $10M has to be publicly advertised, after which the Tender Board – irrespective of whether it is the Regional Tender Board, the Ministry Tender Board – pronounces on it.

“This particular project for $120M was divided into eight sections; this is contract splitting, which is also against the Procurement Laws. There can be no splitting of contracts.”

According to him, there has been no explanation

proffered by the REO as to why this contract was not handled by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board. “We are looking at several breaches,” he said.

Meanwhile, he added that the RDC is expected to meet and decide on its next move if the REO continues in her failure to provide the requested documents.

Notably, Alliance For Change Executive, Khemraj Ramjattan, has been pictured with one of as many as 8 Party activists who have been implicated in the procurement irregularities in Region 6. Ramjattan recently appeared on a television programme with the man, identified as Derrick Basdeo.

Basdeo is the National Executive for the AFC Diaspora,

and runs DeMoxReality Estate Construction. That company was awarded one of the eight weeding contracts.

Quad Construction, which is run by Joseph Baichu, was given another contract. Baichu is also an executive of the AFC in Berbice.

Khousal Goberton, who is an AFC Regional Councillor, has also been awarded one of the contracts. Another one has gone to Subas Orilall, who is the AFC Chairman in Region Six. There are also reports that both ministers in the Public Infrastructure Ministry, David Patterson and Annette Ferguson, are aware of the situation. A ministerial advisor’s son is also one of the contractors.

Meanwhile, Region Chairman, David Armogan,

when asked about the matter, said, “People were selected on the basis of their political affiliation, and this is cause for great worry for us in this region…when we ask the relevant agency, which is the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, for the information on how these people were selected, nobody wants to come forward with any information with regard to this particular contract… they were selected based on their affiliation to that part... this is what is worrying, because there was no public tendering process done.

These people, as far as we know, were selected, and they have never been contractors before.”

The Parliamentary Opposition has since condemned the breaches that took place.

Says Nagamootoo has no credibility to return and face people of Region 6

AFC ‘does not stand a chance’ in Region 6 at 2018 LGE – former AFC member

P

F

Another former AFC member joins PPP/C team…

rime Minister Moses Nagamootoo came in for scathing criticisms from a former Alliance For Change (AFC) Member, Erwin Abdulla. Speaking to the Mirror Newspaper, he said, “Nagamootoo cannot return to Region 6. He has no credibility to come and face the people of Region 6.”

The former AFC member, who is now part of the Civic component of the PPP/C candidates contesting the November 12, 2018, Local Government Elections, added that, “Nagamootoo has deviated from his promise. And then to say things to public servants, like the teachers, that they have to be patient, is most comical because he and his gang very rapidly, in a matter of weeks, gave themselves massive increases.

My estimation of him has lessened.

any more chance they would destroy this country to the point of no return.”

Asked about the move by some AFC members to return to Region 6 to campaign ahead of the 2018 Local Government Elections, Abdulla said, “The AFC is dead and buried a long time ago. What we have are the remnants of a few ruthless

“What Nagamootoo does now is defend the PNC and engages in comical and nonsensical diatribes….

Nagamootoo needs to stop talking from seven corners of his mouth; he needs to stop speaking with a forked tongue.”

“I couldn’t align myself with that anymore. I have been silent for years, people have said give them a chance, but if you give them

tions. “Prior to the Election in 2015, they were already scrambling, fighting and squabbling about positions and because of that I said clearly that I was not going to be on any candidates list.

I left after they raised salaries for themselves and did so unconscionably, contrary to their promises. Looking at what is happening now

“I have been silent for years, people have said give them a chance, but if you give them any more chance they would destroy this country to the point of no return.” – Former AFC member, Erwin Abdulla and barefaced individuals left who would do anything for the money.”

Abdulla left the AFC soon after the May 2015 General and Regional Elec-

I think I am vindicated in my decision to leave; I feel justified, but I did not know it would have reached such horrendous and barefaced proportions,” he said.

ormer member of the Region 6 Management Committee of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Gladwin Abdulla, has said that the junior partner in the Coalition Government is unlikely to make much headway in Region 6 ahead of the Local Government Elections set for November 12, 2018. “The AFC doesn’t stand a chance right now,” he said.

Abdulla, well known as an AFC member in Region Six, recently resigned from the party, while citing corruption by party members in the region as one of the main reasons for his sudden decision. Abdulla, whose resignation was effective from August 15, 2018, has not only resigned but has called for an investigation of the “kickback schemes” that see several AFC supporters drawing down on millions.

In a prior comment, Abdullah explained that he accompanied the official to the contractor’s house and was shocked when the official requested a 7% kickback on a contract that he [the official] would get for him.

According to Abdullah, when the contractor refused, the official claimed he came on instructions from a senior government official, but the contractor still refused. “ I was highly embarrassed by this open display of corruption,” he said.

He added, “…I believed in what they said, what they said about accountability and transparency. Is something opposite they doing; they preach that they want a change and they would do good for all the people but they mislead the people and they mislead me and I was hurt,” he said.

The former AFC member has since said that he plans to campaign for the PPP/C at the upcoming local government elections.

10

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

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

Guyana Under Review Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 13, 2018), ranging President David Granger’s latest failings to the developments with SOCU and issues related to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), among several others.

Granger fails to address ‘gerrymandering’ concerns even as he talks up local democracy P

resident David Granger’s comments continue to evidence the fact that he is either aloof or unwilling to address major issues, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

During his Thursday (September 13, 2018) news conference, he noted Granger’s comments about ensuring that Local Government Elections are held on November 12, 2018. “That is good, but he ignores the elephant in the room,” Jagdeo said, referring to the moves to gerrymander boundaries in favour of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has charged that the actions of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, with the creation of 10 new Local Authority Areas (LAAs) and changes to 14 existing LAAs point to “gerrymandering” of boundaries ahead of the November

12, 2018 Local Government Elections – all in an effort to increase its balance of votes.

The 10 new areas are: 1. Mahdia, which has been identified as that town for Region Eight 2. Moruka/Phoenix Park NDC 3. Kitty/Providence NDC 4. Nile/Cozier NDC 5. Lamaha/Yarrowkabra NDC 6. Hauraruni/Yarrowkabra NDC 7. Plegt Anker/Kortberaad NDC 8. Wyburg/Caracas NDC 9. Aranaputa/Upper Burro Burro NDC 10. Annai NDC Additionally, a review of the existing Local Authorities that have been tampered with, show that in total 16 constituencies have been removed from 14 Local Authorities Areas.

The number of seats has been reduced in: 1. Evergreen/ Paradise

2. Aberdeen/Zorge-en-vlygt 3. Malgre Tout/Meerzoergen 4. La Grange/Nismes 5. Toevlugt/Patentia 6. Caledonia/Good Success 7. Woodlands/Farm 8. Mahaicony/Abary 9. Zeelust/Rosignol 10. Blairmont/Gelberland 11. Ordnance Fortlands/No. 38 12. Adventure/Bushlot 13. No. 52-74 Village.

The 14th area that has been tampered with is the Municipality of Rose Hall, where the PPP/C won the proportional representation vote by one seat in 2016. Here the number of constituencies has been increased from seven to eight.

All of this was done without consultation.

GECOM COMPLICIT Citing examples of partisan actions from the Guyana Elections

Commission (GECOM) Jagdeo noted that: In Region 2 – in the Evergreen/ Paradise LAA, Constituencies 8 and 9 were merged and have a total of 692 voters; but Constituencies 5 and 6, with 503 voters, were not merged. The PPP/C won in Constituencies 8 and 9 and the APNU+AFC won in Constituencies 5 and 6.

In Region 3 – in the Malgre Tout/ Meer Zorgen LAA, Constituencies 5 and 6 were merged and have a total of 1,0714 voters; but Constituencies 1 and 2, with 829 voters, were not merged. The PPP/C won in Constituencies 4 and 6 and the APNU+AFC won in Constituencies 1 and 2.

In Region 6 – in the Woodland/ Farm LAA, Constituencies 1 and 2 were merged and have a total of 990 voters; but Constituencies 8 and 8, with 851 voters, were not merged.

The PPP/C won in Constituencies 1 and 2 and the APNU+AFC won in Constituencies 8 and 9.

Jagdeo explained that by merging the Constituencies where the PPP/C won, GECOM is reducing the number of seats won by the PPP/C in that particular LAA. He added by not merging the Constituencies where the APNU+AFC won – where there are less voters – GECOM is providing for an increase in the number of possible seats APNU and AFC could win, based on the results at the 2016 Local Government Elections.

“This is the fairness we are getting from GECOM,” he lamented.

The Opposition Leader noted that the PPP/C is looking at parallel lines of action – one, contesting the 2018 Local Government Elections set for November 12, 2018; and two, advancing a court challenge to GECOM actions.

Illegal contract for Demerara River bridge feasibility study…

SOCU’s actions opened the doors for APNU+AFC Cabinet ministers to be charged

T

he move by the Special Organised Crimes Unit (SOCU) to go after individual Cabinet Ministers under the former PPP/C government, on the issue of a particular contract, valued at $13M, opens the door for every APNU+AFC Cabinet Ministers involved in illegally approving the $161.5M contract for the feasibility study on a new Demerara River bridge to be held accountable.

This is according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who addressed SOCU’s move to question several former Cabinet ministers this week, during his news conference on Thursday (September 13, 2018), He said, “In a way I am happy that they are doing what they are doing…now that they have lifted the veil of collective responsibility, now each of those ministers who sat there when

the contract was approved, those ministers can now be charged, not only Patterson.

“The issue here is Cabinet has no right of approval in contracts by law. Cabinet only has a no objection role. The Cabinet acted illegally when they approved it…each of those Cabinet member will now be open to questioning.”

The details on Cabinet’s approval of the contract for the feasibility study on a new Demerara River bridge was made public in a report by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC), after it was called on by the Parliamentary Opposition to investigate the matter.

PPC REPORT The PPC completed its investigation and handed its report over on August 7, 2018.

The report noted that several companies bid for

“Now that they have lifted the veil of collective responsibility, now each of those ministers who sat there when the contract was approved, those ministers can now be charged, not only Patterson…the issue here is Cabinet has no right of approval in contracts by law. Cabinet only has a no objection role. The Cabinet acted illegally when they approved it…each of those Cabinet member will now be open to questioning.” – Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo the project – to do the feasibility study and design for the new Demerara River bridge – and 12 companies were shortlisted. The report added that only two of the 12 companies made proposals. As such the bidding process was annulled. It added that on November 12, 2016, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) approved the move for the project to be re-tendered.

The project was not re-tendered. Instead a

Dutch Company, LivenseCSO, was engaged by Patterson’s Ministry.

The report, on page 7, noted that the bid from LivenseCSO was “unsolicited” and added that Patterson then took the company’s proposal to Cabinet for approval. Cabinet granted its approval for the company to be engaged.

The report, on page 7, stated that monies to be spent on the project were taken from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corpo-

ration (Asphalt Plant Accounts). General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, according to the PPC report, disclosed that the Board of the Corporation was not involved in the decision to spend its monies. The report said, “He (Mr. Adams) stated that he had not signed the contract on behalf of the DHBC, but only because he was requested to do so by the Minister of Public Infrastructure.

The Parliamentary Op-

position’s position is that the findings of the report evidence a flagrant breach of Guyana’s financial rules.

The PPC report was sent to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for investigation and action to the taken against Patterson.

Jagdeo has since said that he expects SOCU to do as it has done with former PPP/C Cabinet Ministers and not only deal with Patterson, but question all the Cabinet Ministers involved in the illegal approval of an “unsolicited” bid for a contract. “So when SOCU investigates, they have to invite every Cabinet minister, including Granger, to answer,” he said.

Additionally, Jagdeo has charged that he expects SOCU to ensure that it does not engage in delays in addressing the issue. “This is a straight forward matter,” he said.

11

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

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

Guyana Under Review Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 13, 2018), ranging President David Granger’s latest failings to the developments with SOCU and issues related to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), among several others.

Mandate of Department of Energy still unknown P

resident David Granger has said that a Ministry of Petroleum is likely to come on stream in 2020, when oil production starts, given that the Department of Energy is now being operationalised.

He added that the Department of Energy is currently assembling a team of international experts.

On Thursday (September 13, 2018), Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, under-

scored the fact that Guyanese are still unclear about the mandate of the Department of Energy. “We have not heard a word from the President on what the Department of Energy will actually do…what are its Terms of Reference (TORs)...how do your recruit people without a TOR, since this is what must guide the skill types you are looking to recruit,” he questioned.

Jagdeo added that Guyanese are also unclear on whether the Department of Energy will overlap other bodies, such as the Petroleum Commission, for which there is a Bill before the National Assembly for consideration.

“We have no clarity… in the meantime, we are losing hundreds of millions of dollars because of incompetence…the nation is bleeding,” Jagdeo declared.

GRA is not capable of taking on audit of ExxonMobil’s pre-contract cost claims O pposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, agreed with the views expressed by Dr. Jan Mangal, the former Petroleum Advisor to the President David Granger, relative to the inability of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to undertake the audit of the pre-contract costs claimed by ExxonMobil.

Mangal in a public letter said, “It has been reported that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will review contract costs proposed by ExxonMobil for its work as a contractor to the Government in the Stabroek Block. If the Government intends to undertake a rigorous review of the contract costs, this is not the optimal route. Instead, the Government will be taking money from the people of Guyana and handing it to the foreign oil companies. “…the GRA does not have the capacity to review nor even the capacity to oversee the review of contract costs. Furthermore, the GRA should never try to develop the capacity to play such a high-level role. The

role of a tax authority is tax, and tax is only a small part of the contract costs. Do not get me wrong, the GRA has a very important role to play, but a role focused on tax issues.”

During his news conference on Thursday (September 13, 2018), Jagdeo said, “I agree with Mangal. GRA is not capable….GRA should not be doing it.”

According to him, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government is approach the issue in a manner that is ‘penny-wise, pound foolish’.

He suggested that an international firm be contracted to do the pre-contract costs audit, which could see Guyana saving hundreds of millions of dollars. “You could even negotiate with the company you hire to do the audit and say for every dollar you save you, you can get two per cent or something like that,” Jagdeo said.

He noted that the GRA is already overwhelmed. “You have good people in GRA, but they are overwhelmed on the tax side. They can’t do all

the audits that they want to do of local companies… then you have to have expertise.”

As per clauses included in Annex C of the agreement, pre-contract costs from 1999, when the original contract was inked, to December 31, 2015 were set at US$460M. Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has agreed that Guyana will pay.

Meanwhile, a second set of pre-contract costs from January 1, 2016 to October 7, 2016, the date when the Petroleum Prospecting Licence was granted, is expected to be millions more.

Notably, the deadline to ensure that an audit is done is October 7, 2018 – less than a month away.

Local civil society groups and commentators have argued that the pre-contract costs are overstated. Meanwhile, contradicting Minister Trotman, GGMC Head, Newell Dennison, has admitted that there was no audit or verification of the pre-contracts costs claimed by the oil company.

Substantive appointments of Chancellor and Chief Justice...

Granger’s double standard exposed T

he actions of President David Granger in the matter of the substantive appointments of a Chancellor and Chief Justice of Guyana’s judiciary were addressed by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 13, 2018).

And during his weekly news conference he said, “I don’t think he is serious about his own nominee because of how he is dealing with this issue.”

Jagdeo also acknowledged Granger’s comments about the need for him to justify his position. Granger had said, “He has not told me what his process was in rejecting…if he can show that he has a similar process and justify the rejection of my candidate, it is something to be considered.”

When pressed, the Opposition Leader made it clear that Granger has not requested him to justify his rejection of the persons he nominated for the top posts in the judiciary. He added that he will not conduct business of a constitutional nature based on press reports. “There is a process,

he writes me and I will respond,” Jagdeo said.

Notably, the Opposition Leader pointed to Granger’s double standard in wanting him to justify his reasons for rejecting the persons nominated for the posts of Chancellor and Chief Justice, but Granger himself failed to give reasons as to why 18 persons nominated for the post of Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) were rejected.

Meanwhile, there has been no communication from President David Granger to the office of the Leader of the Opposition on the substantive appointments of a Chancellor and a Chief Justice in Guyana.

“There has been no contact…he has not written to me,” Jagdeo said.

At a prior news conference, the Opposition Leader made is clear that he is prepared to meet with the President to “settle on a process” that will allow nominees to be named, in the interest of securing agreement on both sides.

“I made it clear that after the due diligence I

did, I could not offer my agreement as required in the Constitution,” he said of Granger’s move to nominate Antigua and Barbuda’s Justice Kenneth Benjamin as Chancellor and Justice Yonnette Cummings-Edwards as Chief Justice.

Asked about the reasons behind his decision, Jagdeo stressed that unlike Granger’s approach to dealing with the nominees for the post of GECOM Chairman, he would not publicly address these. “I am not in the business of judging people in the public domain. These are two distinguished individuals who have had long careers in the judiciary. I will not do like the President did and drag people’s names through the mud…. if I am required to give reasons for my rejection, I will do so in the future,” he said.

Relative to the issue of having members of the judiciary acting in positions, Jagdeo noted that the PNC “likes this” since for 12 years they refused to agree to substantive appointments of members of the judiciary, under the former PPP/C governments.

Fears of rigged elections not unreasonable

T

here is a fear that upcoming elections could be rigged is not “unreasonable” given the internationally and locally documented history of the People’s National Congress and the fact that some of the key players during the 1980’s are still prominent in the current Government.

This was according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 13, 2018), during his weekly news conference. He added that such fears are compounded by the fact that President David

Granger unilaterally appointed a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), in the person on 84-yaer-old, James Patterson.

“What we have said to people is that because of that fear, we have to work harder, be more vigilant and block any attempt to rig… that is what we are doing now,” he stressed.

Local Government Elections are set for November 12, 2018,while the next General and Regional Elections is expected to be held in 2020.

12

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

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

Guyana Under Review Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (September 13, 2018), ranging President David Granger’s latest failings to the developments with SOCU and issues related to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), among several others.

GECOM Chairman’s partisan nature seen in critical decisions being made A request from the Guyana Elections Commission to the United Nations (UN) for technical support saw a UN team visiting Guyana. And the UN Needs Assessment Mission’s (NAM’s) recommendations for technical aid to GECOM were made public over a month ago.

However, there has been no move by GECOM to act on those recommendations.

At the August 7 statutory meeting of GECOM, the Chairman, James Pat-

terson, had announced that he had “indefinitely” cancelled a meeting, to review the NAM report with the UNDP, scheduled for 17:00 hours that same day.

Now, sources close to the matter have indicated that Patterson is engaged in stall tactics.

The issue was addressed

by Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, at his weekly news conference on Thursday (September 13, 2018), where he said, “I suspect that he is taking instructions.”

According to him, Patterson’s actions are surprising since the request for technical support was made by GECOM itself.

“Despite his lofty talk, we can trace partial action on his part to every moment when a critical decision has to be made,” Jagdeo said.

Patterson, 84, was unilaterally and unconstitutionally appointed as the Chairman of GECOM by President David Granger and his appointment is currently being challenged in the High Court.

ExxonMobil still to respond to Opposition request for with formal briefings

A

meeting was held between Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo and ExxonMobil's Country Manager, Rod Henson, recently.

And Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, in early August 2018, disclosed that ExxonMobil has been asked to provide the Parliamentary Opposition with formal briefings, from September 2018.

However, during his news conference on Thursday (September 13, 2018), when asked for an update, he noted that ExxonMobil is still to respond to the Opposition’s request.

Jagdeo had stated that the request was made in light of the fact that Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, has peddled the false notion that the PPP/C

is receiving regular briefings from ExxonMobil.

The Opposition Leader noted that the meetings are expected to allow for a team from the Parliamentary Opposition to be briefed and to ask questions of ExxonMobil, relative to pressing issues. Environmental issues, among others, are expected to be discussed, according to him.

Granger put on blast for complaining about having to comply with the law P resident David Granger was put on blast by Opposition Leader on Thursday (September 13, 2018) for his comment relative to the payment of severance to sugar workers.

Granger on Wednesday (September 12, 2018), at an event as Sisters Village, Region 6, said, “Right now the government is hemorrhaging with the payments we have to make and that hemorrhaging has sucked funds from other services.”

Some 7,000 sugar workers were dismissed on December 29, 2017, without severance being paid “on termination” as required by the law to all of them.

Severance was paid in part to over 4,000 of the 7,000 sacked sugar workers – a violation of Guyana’s laws.

The Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act stipulates that workers who are made redundant

must be made severance upon termination. “On termination of his employment, an employee whose severance or redundancy has completed one year or more years of continuous employment with allowance, an employer shall be entitled to be paid by such employee a severance or redundancy allowance equivalent to,” the law states.

Given the state of affairs, Jagdeo charged that Granger continues to ignore the wasteful spending of his Government and ignores that financially imprudent decisions are being made at a cost of millions of dollars.

Relative to the latter, the Opposition Leader noted that the Special Purpose Unit (SPU), under the National Industrial & Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), has borrowed billons that are not being used.

“The interest on that for one

year alone can pay the severance,” Jagdeo said, adding that he brought this fact to Granger’s attention during their last meeting.

He added that over $2B in wasteful spending on food and national celebrations can also be cut, in an effort to reduce wasteful spending. “Granger ignores all of this,” the Opposition Leader said.

Jagdeo also decried the fact that Granger had no hope to offer to the sacked sugar workers, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet and find stable employment. “He doesn’t talk about jobs opportunities, he doesn’t talk about training….he says nothing to inspire some hope, but instead he complains about paying the severance, which the worker earned, it is not a handout,” he said.

Granger has been widely criticised for his comments.

Gov’t silence on welfare on at- risk bauxite workers questioned

I

n mid-April, the United States Treasury Department announced the sanctions against RUSAL which would effectively ban the company from conducting business in American currency.

The sanctions were to take effect in June, but week the Treasury Department announced it is pushing back the deadline to October 23, 2018, to give American companies time to wind down business with RUSAL. Given the approaching

deadline of October 23, 2018, the silence of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government on the matter was questioned by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, during his news conference on Thursday (September 13, 2018).

He said, “We have 1000 workers who may be on the breadline and we have heard nothing.”

According to him, it is likely that Government is hard pressed to comment on addressing the situation, given President David

Granger’s comments about the ‘finding money’ to comply with the law and pay the severance payments owed to over 4,000 sugar workers.

Notably, the last public comments on the issue from Government came in April 2018. The Coalition government had announced the establishment a task force, to ensure workers of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) are not adversely affected by recent sanctions affecting parent company Russia Aluminium (RUSAL).

13

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Guyana’s international reputation has tanked under APNU+AFC Coalition gov’t T

he United Nations (UN) listed 38 “shameful” countries, including Guyana, in an annual report from UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, which details allegations of ill treatment, surveillance, criminalization and public stigmatization campaigns targeting victims and human rights defenders.

The 38 countries included 29 countries with new cases, and 19 with ongoing or continuing cases.

Guyana was listed among the countries were new cases were reported.

The other countries with new cases are Bahrain, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo,

Djibouti, Egypt, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Mali, Myanmar, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Sudan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Venezuela – among others.

Addressing the contents of the UN report on Thursday (September 13, 2018)

during his news conference, Jagdeo noted that Guyana’s international reputation has tanked under the APNU+AFC Coalition Goverment. “Look at what is our reputation internationally is now,” he lamented.

The annual report on reprisals of the UN Secretary, the ninth of its kind, details

country by country cases in two annexes, including allegations of killing, torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests and detention, surveillance, criminalisation, and public stigmatisation campaigns targeting victims and human rights defenders.

It includes allegations of reprisals and intimidation

documented in a total of 38 countries.

The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour, who will present the report to the Human Rights Council next week, said in a statement that the cases in the report were the tip of the iceberg.

Real Time Economic Insights

An analysis of Guyana’s economic performance in 2018 based on latest statistical data

T

he huge sell-off of foreign assets by the Bank of Guyana (BoG), in the long run, could impede the ability of central government to cushion the economy of any unexpected shocks or in some cases, jolt the economy through its fiscal spending regime.

Dwindling international reserves, as confirmed by both BoG and commercial banks, could pose a serious threat to our macroeconomic structure. Shortages of key import commodities such as fuel, could precipitate.

The downsizing of our private sector through crowding-out by central government could see a huge increase in unemployment.

These are only some of the major highlights that speak to the current state of the local economy. (Analyses done by Irfaan Ali, PPP/C MP)

Foreign Assets Held By BoG: Dec 2017-July 2018 140

0%

120

-5%

100 -10%

G$ Billion

80 60

120.5

113.9

107

101.9

US$ M

0% -5% 276

307

300

319

293

289

288

218

-10% -15%

584

552

518

498

506

485

473

454

Jan-19

Feb-19

Mar-19

Apr-19

May-19

Jun-19

Jul-19

-20% -25%

Dec-18

International Reserve (Commercial Banks) International Reserve (BoG) Variation (%)

104.7

100.2

-15%

98.5

95.1

40

-20%

20 0

-25% Dec-18

Jan-19

Feb-19

Mar-19

Total Foreign Assets

Apr-19

May-19

Jun-19

Jul-19

• Foreign Assets held by BoG contracted by 21.1% or $25.5 billion. Specifically, gold reserves, foreign balances, and market securities declined by more than $900 million or 25%; $15.1 billion or 62.3%; and $9.4 billion or 10.2%, respectively Interesting Stats: • In the commercial banking sector, foreign assets also dipped by $11.5 billion

Decline in Foreign Assets (%)

Key Observation:

Foreign assets held by the bank of Guyana fell sharply during the first seven months of 2018. The government is rapidly deleveraging to satisfy its burgeoning deficit.

Latest Monetary Survey: July 2018

International Reserve: BoG & Commercial Banks 1,000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

During the First Seven Months of 2018:

Dec 2017-July 2018: • Bank of Guyana recorded a decline in International Reserve

by US$130 million to US$454 million, the lowest in 10 years;

35% 30%

29%

25% 20% 15%

• Similarly, Commercial Banks recorded a decline of US$58 million. Overall, International reserve fell for both BoG and commercial Banks fell by US$188 million or 22%.

Key Observation: The rapid decline in international reserve could pose a serious economic and financial threat to our macroeconomic structure. Import could be greatly hampered.

10% 5%

-1%

0% -5% Dec-18

Jan-19

Feb-19

Mar-19

Domestic Credit to Central Gov

Key Observation:

Apr-19

May-19

Jun-19

Jul-19

Domestic Credit to Privat Sector

• Of total domestic credit, central government usurped in excess of $22.5 billion, while private sector, relinquished $1.4 billion; Interesting Stats • Individual customers recorded a decline in borrowing by $1.9 billion or 5%, whilst, central government recorded a growth by $53.5 billion or 1,408% ; • Loans and advances to business enterprises, mining and quarrying, and household, declined by approximately $500 million, $1.4 billion, and $1.7 billion, respectively.

Outstripping and crowding out by central government continues. As confirmed, the private sector is now contracting.

14

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Jobs, cost of living, lack of gov’t support to C

ommunities across the Berbice corridor, from Region 5 to 6, are reeling from the impacts of decisions and policies advanced by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. And in addition to making clear that the new promises being made are nothing but ‘a comfort to fools’, affected residents are questioning the current Administration’s will to deliver for all Guyanese people.

The Mirror Newspaper in interviews done with residents from various communities in Regions 5 and 6 found that the lack of jobs, rising cost of living and a lack of government support for development initiatives are among the top concerns.

more depressed community.”

HAIMWATTIE PERSAUD (HOUSEWIFE): “Work, jobs hard to get right now. In my area we have to worry about regular things like fisheries being ignored for oil too. This can’t happen. It shouldn’t happen. When you look at the bills everything from the phone fixed charge gone up from $500 to 700 to groceries gone up.”

for them. Everybody cryin

RABINDRANAUTH SAYWACK (NDC COUNCILOR): “You go to some areas are drains are clogged, roads are bad. And the reality is that not enough is being done. We need to have RDCs (Regional Democratic Councils) that are not starved for funds. If what the President is saying about local democracy is true that his government must follow through.”

SUDESH PERSAUD (BUSINESSMAN): “For the past months, business is slow. And what can we do.

We just have to cope with it. The government isn’t stepping up. Cost of living is up and this is one of the biggest issues right now. It is hard to invest the money and you don’t have the money coming back in.”

AVIRON GITLALL (RICE FARMER): “People in positions of power should not think about helping themselves, that is not what they were put in office to do. They were put there to help people and that is what we expect. In my area, drainage is a major problem for farmers. Rice farmers are already under pressure.”

CHATE RAMNAUTH PURAN (PENSIONER): “Three main things are problems for people in Region 6 – unemployment, cost of living and not enough development work – the bridges, condition of streets and drainage, things like that. Right now if I wasn’t getting a pension from GuySuCo I would have been in trouble. I work with GuySuCo for 42 years and when I see what happening with people now it is sad.

I retire before the people get knock off. GuySuCo was one place where people used to have job assurance, security. They know that when they apply at GuySuCo they have a security. Now they let the people go just like that without pay them the rightful money. I look at them boys with no job and it causing a lot of problems and it takes a toll on the community.”

KRISHNA SEWLALL (NDC COUNCILOR): “We need a system where people are more of a priority. For example in the RDC, we have priority projects that still cannot get approval and it is the money from taxpayers, rate payers, which are not being used to benefit them. Under the PPP/C government we had more. What we are seeing now is a failure to deliver public services to Guyanese people.

BIBI RYHAL HARUN (HOUSEWIFE): “The crime situation is terrible. These young people are falling victims to it. There are not enough jobs and with what is happening with GuySuCo it is an even

SHEREZE RAHAMA “There is a lot of unemploy have a daughter and with n family members to assist. W job, you can’t. When you g of money you go with isn could do before, it can’t d can do something to create They should increase the s parents, the government nee like activities in training.”

SALIMA YACOB (RDC in Bush Lot and it’s is one need more work to be done the flooding when rain fall parents complaining too a they have to do to send the It is very hard. The tax mo things that will help people

JOSEPH TIRBHAWAN (SHOPKEEPER): “Business very slow. A few years ago everything was going well and now everything just come to a stop. Nothing happening. What you used to do five or six years ago, you can’t do now. You can invest the money, but it doesn’t make sense, the profit isn’t showing. But in the time when the PPP/C was in power, I feel it was better that time than this. If you go to the market the things is there, but you don’t have the money. If people come to the shop and they got a $20 or a $40 short, you have to give them because you feel sorry

15

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

op list of concerns along Berbice corridor

ng out”

AN (UNEMPLOYED): yment. People need jobs. I no job I have to depend on When you go out to find a go to the shop the amount n’t enough. What $3,000 do now. If the government e jobs that would be good. school voucher. For single ed to support us more, with

C COUNCILOR): “I live e problem to another. We e in the area, like to address l. Cost of living gone up, and they trying everything children to school at least. oney need to be spend on e.”

RAMANAND PHAGOO (PENSIONER): “Bath settlement people make a mistake last election and they vote for AFC. I used to tell them; I say plain that if you vote for AFC, you vote for PNC. Some people hard-ears and now they feeling it. The get the feelings now. So now we hope for a change back. Cost of living gone up. Work nah deh. Things tight. Things really hard with people in this country.”

RAMDOLARIE SINGH (PENSIONER): “When you go to the shop now, you have to buy accordingly because how things now. Things hard.”

SHERIANN BEHARRY (HOUSEWIFE): “If you look at what is happening in places like Canje, the Estate close and till now, no work circulating. Children who come out with 10 or 12 subjects at CSEC can’t get jobs and they writing to all the ministries.

Some of the children not going to school because of what is happening with the sugar workers. It is hard on people. This government has done nothing so far.

They haven’t heard the cry of the people. This election coming PPP will definitely win because of how bad this government doing.

KUMAR RAMNARAIN (UNEMPLOYED): “For me personally, the problem is unemployment, no job creation. I used to work at Skeldon Estate and since they close the Estate no new business moving. I tried but I can’t get a steady work. I have a family. Bills have to be paid and children have to go to school.”

BIBI RAMBARRAN (BUSINESSWOMAN): “Business is very slow. I had to lay off staff. I am just working now to pay bills and eat. That’s it. There is nothing I can invest it. I am living on a daily basis.

In Region 6, all the business places laying off people, even the restaurants laying off the waiters and you might have like only one person who working in the afternoon to help serve the food. For me, the government is not doing anything for Region 6. Right now we can almost be sure that they will not do anything.”

MARLENE MANGAL (SHOPKEEPER): “Since the sugar estates stopped working, actually businesses used to do well, but with that the business fall. It is not like before. Some customers come in and say they don’t have money and you help because they have children. Things are very bad right now. It is not good right now. We are trying. We cannot give up. What else can you do?”

WINSTON ROBERTS (BUSINESSMAN): “For me, business fall like 40 per cent. You had chance to do more before, not now. Things rough. Government can do something, but it is if they will do anything to help.”

PARVINI MOTIN (HOUSEWIFE): “People in the Region facing a lot of problems. Right now families need the support of someone else and some families depending on relatives overseas because they don’t have an income right now. Jobs are not available.

People, like me, we have the subjects, but what you going to do with it now? There is nothing. If you don’t have an opportunity, there nothing else you can do.”

MADAN DEO CHALTITAR (SELF-EMPLOYED): “First of all when the bills come, it is high. Then if you trying to do other side work, like the scrap metal business, you get blocked there too. I had some people working with me and I had to knock off people. It’s like nothing doing right now. This Government can do something, but I don’t think they will. All we getting is promises and I think promises is for fools now.”

16

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

APNU+AFC gov’t inaction this week …a snapshot of headlines making the news

Granger silent on complaints on local authority bodies being ‘starved’ of resources President David Granger has encouraged residents to participate in the upcoming Local Government Elections on November 12, this year. The Head of State was at the time speaking at a community meeting in Sisters Village on the East Bank of Berbice.

The President challenged the residents to “initiate a massive mobilisation exercise so that every adult is brought into the web of Local Government Elections” and said, “If you don’t participate, then it means ‘meh nah care’…if you participate and play the role of a citizen, then you are saying this is what I want for my community.”

However, he remains silent about the complaints that several local authority bodies are being ‘starved’ of resources. He also has been silent on widely reported actions taken

by Regional Executive Officers (REOs) appointed by his Government that contradict the will of the elected body, the Regional Democratic Council.

Lawrence maintains silence on pressing issues in health sector The Government of Guyana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Austrian Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology for enhancement of local healthcare facilities. However, at the official signing, Minister of Health, Volda Lawrence, admitted that concrete projects “may” begin in 2019.

In the meantime, Lawrence remains silent on immediate and pressing issues in the local health sector – specifically as it relates to shortages of drugs and medical supplies in areas across Guyana, including the hinterland.

Lawrence had stated revised drug procurement system which will bring resolution to the ongoing drug shortage throughout the country is expected to be implemented by the month of June 2016. This was almost a year ago.

After taking office, the APNU+AFC government scrapped the old method used to procure and deliver drugs and medical supplies across Guyana, despite the fact that it worked.

$139M from IDB to be used on improving bureaucracy, consultants The Government through the Ministry of Social Protection and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) signed a Technical Cooperation (TC) Agreement to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Guyana Social Safety Net. This is to effectively deliver social assistance programmes to vulnerable local groups.

The more than $139Milllion (US$666,700) project aims to improve the system that identifies and aids targetted groups, as well as further develop the management and administration of social assistance programmes. The Institutional Strengthening to Guyana Social Safety Net Project will apply a portion of the proceeds towards consultancy services.

Meanwhile, Government is yet to say what tangible measures are being put in place to improve support to vulnerable groups already identified.

Gov’t claims that crime crackdown continues, latest stats show worrying trends The APNU+AFC Coalition Government has claimed that the crackdown on crime is continuing and cited routine searches at local prisons as evidence of it. Meanwhile, robberies under arms, where firearms were used, totaled 405 at the end of August 2018, according to the latest statistics released by the Guyana Police Force, marking an increase when compared to August 2017.

In cases of robberies where other weapons were used, the number of reported cases totaled 163, while there was another increase in robberies with violence by five per cwent with a total of 104 reported cases.

Reported cases of robbery with aggravation numbered 38 and larceny from persons that were reported totaled 85.

These are only some of the statistics that were released.

Top twelve NGSA Linden students get $200,000 each for transportation, gov’t continues to refuse to reinstate cash grant programme Minister of State, Joseph Harmon recently presented Region Ten’s top twelve National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) students with cheques totaling $2.5M, to assist with transportation costs to attend Secondary Schools in Georgetown.

The move comes even as calls for the $10,000 cash grant to ALL public school students continues to fall on deaf ears.

The distribution of the grant started under the former PPP/C government was intended to support public school students with transportation costs. Residents in Region 9 communities, as well as in other hinterland communities, were the latest to have called for the cash grant to be restored.

After taking office in May 2015, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government scrapped the former PPP/C administration’s ‘cash grant’ initiative.

The cash grant was a $1.7B initiative.

Under the PPP/C government, injections of resources in the education sector included: investments into new schools and rehabilitation of schools, the provision of text books, the hot meals programme, the uniform assistance programme and other measures that aim to support Guyanese children – all of which went towards improving the standard of living and quality of life for all Guyanese. Prior to 1992 the investment in the social sector was a measly eight per cent of a small national budget.

17

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Granger’s claims about sugar workers hemorrhaging treasury ‘shameful, disgraceful’ – Former Agriculture Minister F

ormer Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, has come out swinging over comments made by President David Granger, relative to the payment of severance to over 4,000 sugar workers.

Some 7,000 sugar workers were dismissed on December 29, 2017, without severance being paid “on termination” as required by the law to all of them. Severance was paid in part to over 4,000 of the 7,000 sacked sugar workers – a violation of Guyana’s laws.

The Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act stipulates that workers who are made redundant must be made severance upon termination. “On termination of his employment, an employee whose severance or redundancy has completed one year or more years of continuous employment with allowance, an employer shall be entitled to be paid by such employee a severance or redundancy allowance equivalent to,” the law states.

Granger on Wednesday (September 12, 2018), said, “Right now the government is hemorrhaging with the payments we have to make and that hemorrhaging has sucked funds from other services.”

Ramsammy, in response said, “Sugar workers whose jobs were mercilessly ripped from them by APNU+AFC are legally entitled to their severance payments, having earned it by sweat and blood, none of them asking for a handout, only what they are legally entitled to. The government, through GUYSUCO, was required by law to make those payments immediately after they ripped away the jobs from sugar workers. There is no "ands, ifs, buts", no room for ambivalence, no room for excuses, pay the sugar workers their severance with interest now.

“Instead of telling the sugar workers when they will be paid their overdue severance, behind their backs, President Granger tells his supporters that paying sugar workers is "hemorrhaging" the treasury. In doing so, he abrogates his responsibility to uphold the laws of Guyana. Instead of sitting with his Finance Minister and his Cabinet to determine a way to meet this legal expense, he makes another arrogant excuse. Clearly, paying the sugar workers their legally entitled severance is too painful for President Granger. In fact, when the decision was made to close four sugar estates, he was obligated to find a way to make severance payment with immediate effect. Failure to do so then and failure to still do so now is reckless, unlawful and is

misconduct in office. As pointed out by a Canadian union leader, the ministers responsible for the non-payment would have been jailed in countries like America, Canada, Europe.

“The President did not have the decency to meet with sugar workers and tell them that they are ‘hemorrhaging’ the treasury. He has steadfastly and egregiously refused to meet the sugar workers. In more than three years, in spite of all the efforts of sugar workers, since the estates were closed, the President,

pumped close to $100B into the treasury to support government expenditures during the 1980s, including expenses to subsidize bauxite, pay public servants etc. Even now, SUGAR pays billions for non-sugar drainage and irrigation. Investments to support SUGAR are not handouts...this government wants people to believe and a lie they deliberately have promoted to their supporters. They have demonized SUGAR and the sugar workers.

The President leads in this awful charade

“Behind the backs of sugar workers, in front of his own supporters, the President constantly bemoans the fact that his government must pay sugar workers their severance. Clearly, he considers the payments unfair and undeserving. The President could think what he wants, the fact does not change - sugar workers earned severance and there is no room for prevarication. As President Granger, his prime minister, and their cabinet continuously complain of the money the government has to invest in sugar, they conveniently ignore that SUGAR pumped close to $100B into the treasury to support government expenditures…even now, SUGAR pays billions for non-sugar drainage and irrigation. Investments to support SUGAR are not handouts…this government wants people to believe and a lie they deliberately have promoted to their supporters. They have demonized SUGAR and the sugar workers. The President leads in this awful charade characterizing sugar workers as parasites.” – Former Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy his prime minister and other cabinet ministers, never once showed any inclination to meet the sugar workers. Yet behind the backs of sugar workers, in front of his own supporters, the President constantly bemoan the fact that his government must pay sugar workers their severance. Clearly, he considers the payments unfair and undeserving. The President could think what he wants, the fact does not change - sugar workers earned severance and there is no room for prevarication.

“As President Granger, his prime minister, and their cabinet continuously complain of the money the government has to invest in sugar, they conveniently ignore that SUGAR

characterizing sugar workers as parasites.”

WHAT USE IS BEING MADE OF TAXPAYERS’ MONIES According to him, since 2014, APNU+AFC has collected more than $150B in new revenues.

He said, “This year alone, they are likely to collect $70B more than they did in 2014.

In fact, the GRA boasts that in the first half of 2018, they have collected more than $8B than they did in the same period in 2017. How then is the severance that they legally owe the sugar workers a drain on the treasury?

Is the additional $1B paid to themselves in

the cabinet in bigger salaries this term also ‘hemorrhaging’ the treasury? Just two weeks ago in his press conference, he assured the nation that the significant pay increases for the APNU+AFC cabinet has no impact on the treasury. But paying sugar workers their severance is a "hemorrhage" on the treasury.

This is elitist and discriminatory.”

He added, “…this is the same government that allowed DDL to walk away with more than $1B it owed the government. They simply waved the payments away. The treasury can afford to bypass this huge amount, benefitting a large, rich corporation, but cannot afford to pay poor sugar workers money they earned.

“Since July 2016 APNU+AFC has paid at least $15M per month in rent and other charges (amounting to $405M so far) for a useless house they deem a medical warehouse in Sussex Street, used to store an outdated-CAT Scan they claimed is worth $20M, but can be purchased anytime on the used-equipment market in the USA for a fraction that cost.”

Ramsammy charged that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has illegally spent billions on medicines, but hospitals and health centers never seem to have any.

He said, “This government has wasted billions in other corrupt transactions…this is the same government that is spending over 70% of all new revenues from taxes (amounting to more than $150B between 2015 and end 2017) on themselves and on a bloated bureaucracy that they created as ‘jobs for the boys’.

“Besides, through the SPU attached to NICIL, they have taken a $30B loan guaranteed by SUGAR assets, including the SUGAR lands, that have become another slush fund because, thus far, little to none of that money is going to SUGAR and the sugar workers. Yet the President and APNU+AFC have the temerity to point fingers at sugar workers, accusing them of ‘hemorrhaging’ the treasury.

“Shameful, disgraceful are not even close in describing the President's and his government's anti-sugar workers posture. As much as the President's posture is disgraceful, the silence of Moses Nagamootoo is total betrayal of the sugar workers. Pay the sugar workers now and stop making excuses.”

Government has remained silent in the face of the criticisms voiced.

18 18

WEEKEND MIRROR AUGUST, 2018 2018 WEEKEND MIRROR 15-1611-12 SEPTEMBER,

Focus on Guyana’s First People

years later: List of promises made to Amerindians and broken by gov’t – issues affecting AmerindianThree people and communities sincreasing On August 18, 2015, President David Granger outlined a 10-point “strategic and holistic plan” for Hinterland development. He claimed that the plan would have seen Amerindian communities becoming thriving economic units, extreme poverty being eradicated, youth unemployment being addressed and increased prosperity realised.

No update on what APNU+AFC ignores Three years later: List of promises made to Amerindians work is being done to Amerindians’ rights, and broken by gov’t sincreasing title Amerindian villages includes titled villages Three years later, that plan stands as evidence of more failures of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government and increases the list of promises made by the Coalition and broken.

However, despite the failures to address the promises made in his 10-point plan, Granger and his Government ministers have gone silent on the issue.

M

onths after Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock, admitted that he failed to make progress with the ALT inister of Communiprogramme, which gave ties, Ronald Bulkan the indigenous people legal said the government is at an rights to their communities, there has been to advanced stageno in move its quest say what work is being done to have Mahdia in Region to correct this.

Eight, Potaro-Siparuni be“I have not been able to come Guyana’s tenth town. title any village,” Allicock had And said inthe MayAPNU+AFC 2018.

Notably, after taking Coalition Government in office, theofCoalition Govviolation the Amerindian ernment, sent home the enAct has included two Amertire unit dealing with the indian villagesLand – CampbellAmerindian Titling town and Micobie – in the programme.

The Project Management was ben boundaries of Unit the township. established 2014 to Bulkan in hasJune admitted to support the implementation the breach of the law. “We of the project. have arrived at the external

M

A total of US$10.7M was earned by the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government and left for the purpose completing boundaries of of what will bethe Amerindian Land Titling come the municipality of (ALT) programme.

Mahdia, it encompasses two In 2010, MoAA together with UNDP villages; and the CampOffice Amerindian of the President has initibelltown and Micobie,” he ated a Land titling Project said. that sought to process apOffering feebleand excuse plications foratitling defor the actions of Under his Governmarcation. the Guyana REDD + Investment ment, Bulkan has said that Fund (GRIF), the not former government could proPeople’s Progressive Party/ ceed and create the township Civic (PPP/C) Government and exclude thea Amerindian in 2013 signed US$10.7M villages as makes document forthe the law implementation of the Amerindian provision for the inclusion Land anditDemarcaof all.Titling However, is unclear tion project. what law he is referring to.

The ALT project seeks The two villages were

to achieve three major goals: completion of land titles issues and demarcation process for all Amerindian villages that submitted ingiven up to therequests, end of last creased use of existing and month, to decide whether alternative mechanisms to they would like to be part of resolve land titling disputes and a communication the thirdly township.

Both commustrategy including handnities rejected the agovernbook describing the process ment’s moves. of titling, demarcation and Mahdia was among social economic impacta list of of communities secured land tenure.identified Indigenous people

by While President David Granger in have right inmany 2015 Countries to be commissioned of use of the Land only, in to towns. The other three Guyana where the Indigare Bartica, enous People Lethem, account and for Mabaruma. The establishapproximately 9.7% of the population, Amerindians ment of the latter three also own including saw land criticisms aboutthea forlack ests resources within their of consultation with those Titled Lands. affected.

in new township

HEYS programme Gov’t not budging:now mired in confusion Amerindian representation

M on Indigenous People’s Commission to be reduced D inister of Indigenous Affairs, Sydney Allicock, earlier this year, admitted that the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) initiative failed. In espite admitting thatcriticisms, HEYS wasthe a Government failedCoalition programme, Allicock is maintaining its push restated that HEYS will be duce the Amerindian scrapped, since it was repnot resentation on the Indigestructured to incorporate othnous People’s Commission er training programmes for (IPC). in the various sectors. youths Minister aGeorge Norton He promised replacement. chairs thethere Committee ApNow, is someofconpointments, made the fusion as towhich the future of controversial move,from via Siits HEYS as 16 persons report which is current beparuta, East Berbice-Corenfore the National tyne region have Assembly. embarked the report on aApproval 2018/2019ofHEYS pro– and the reduction of Amgramme. erindian representation of It is unclear why after the IPC –admission requires that a twoAllicock’s the thirds vote of support in the HEYS programme needed National Assembly.it Opposito be restructured, is contion Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, tinuing. hasHEYS already that the wassaid put in place PPP/C will not support this by the APNU+AFC Coaliposition. tion Government soon after the report, MayAccording 2015 and to replaced the the Coalition Government Youth Entrepreneurship and plans to reduce AmerinApprenticeship Programme dian representation on inithe (YEAP), which was an 15-member Commission tiative under the former Peo-

ple’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government.

The focus of YEAP was to train young Amerindians while employing them at the same time is a medium to empower 30 per cent. the as 15 to the Of young members,inthree representapartners national develtives areUnder from the National opment.

YEAP, over Toshaos Council and two 2,000 Community Support are from local were Amerindian Officers (CSOs) trained organisations. and participated productively The other 10 members in Education, Health, and will come fromCommunity the: MinisSocial Welfare, try of Indigenous Peoples’ Development, Culture, ICT, Affairs; Ministry of Public Infrastructure and small busiHealth;The Ministry Social ness.

CSOs of received Protection; Private Sector training in various, including: Commission;ofEnvironmenManagement PhotovoltatalSystem; Protection Agency; Bar ic Management of Association of Guyana; Basic ICT hardware; GovGuyana & Gold and Diamond ernance Amerindian Act; MinersVoices Association; Forest Youth for Climate Products Business Association; NaChange; & Sustional Agricultural Research tainable Development; and and Extension Institute Various aspect of the Com(NAREI); and the Inter-Remunity Development Project ligious Organisation. training.

Also, a group of The latter, the Inter-Requalified and eligible ComligiousService Organisation, was munity Officers were a proposal cameatfrom enrolled forthat course the PNCR General Secretary, University of Guyana on line Amna Ally,forwho defended programme a Bachelor’s her recommendation by Degree in Maths and Physics

or Computer Science. The trained youths then collaborated on the implementation of CDPs and other socio-economic activities taking place in the villages. The inclusion saying that “the majority of of the young allowed them indigenous may not to participatepeople” productively in be Christians. technical, mechanical, comMeanwhile, the Coaliputer, and agricultural activtion will Government come ities definitelyhas enhance in for blowsofover the past the capacity the villages’ years for cutting the budgets human resources. of When the Indigenous Peoples the Coalition GovCommission, despite the arernment took power, guments by thecommunity People’s 1972 Amerindian Progressive Party/ service officers who Civic were (PPP/C) Parliamentarians part of the YEAP programme – Alister were fired. Charlie, Yvonne Pearson, Gail Teixeira and Government had stated Nigel Dharamlall – for them that HEYS was better than not to do so. Thewith PPP/C YEAP. However, the Parliamentarians hadthe argued HEYS programmes, parthat the Indigenous ticipants received six Peoples months Commission has a mandate of classroom training and six to investigate and treat with months of practical training, the no rights of Amerindians. but follow-up support to Thethat seventh reportjobs of ensure they secure theare Committee Appointor supportedofwith easy ments,to in relation to the access financing to launch appointment of members entrepreneurial activities. of Over the Indigenous People’s $2B was invested Commission, tabled in in the last twowas years of the the House in March 2018.

PPP/C government in YEAP.

O

n August 18, 2015, President David Granger outlined a 10-point “strategic and holistic plan” for Hinterland development. He claimed that the plan would have seen Amerindian communities becoming thriving economic units, extreme poverty being eradicated, youth unemployment being addressed and increased prosperity realised.

MAKE THE STAND OUT A failures BIT WHEN YOU CoaliDO Three years later, TABLE that plan stands as evidence of more of the APNU+AFC tion Government and increases the list of promises made by the Coalition and broken.

THE LAYOUT PLEASE However, despite the failures to address the promises made in his 10-point plan, Granger and his Government ministers have gone silent on the issue.

PROMISE MADE 1. Hinterland Education Support Programme

REALITY

No major initiative has been embarked on to date.

The 2017 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Guyana released by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department, on page 11 states that: “They (Amerindians) have limited access to education and health care.”

2. Hinterland Employment and Youth Service Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs,

Sydney Allicock, has gone on record to say that 40,000 persons are unemployed to date in the Hinterland communities.

3. The Hinterland Poverty Reduction Programme

No mention of any substantial work to improve the lives of Amerindians in Guyana was made in the 2017 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Guyana released by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department.

Page 11 of the 2017 report states that: “The standard of living in indigenous communities was lower than that of most citizens.”

4. Hinterland Infrastructure Extension

No major initiative has been embarked on to date.

No major Initiative has been embarked on to date. The 6,000 solar panel systems earmarked for distribution to Amerindian communities by the former PPP/C government were taken away from the communities by the APNU+AFC Coalition government.

6. Hinterland Happy Household Programme

No major initiative has been embarked on to date.

7. Hinterland and Indigenous People Lands

No new villages have received titles to lands in the last three years.

Programme 5. Hinterland Energy Development Programme

Commission

The Commission of Inquiry into Lands, which combined Amerindian and African land rights issues raised concerns that Amerindians would be dispossessed of their lands.

8. Hinterland Public Service Provision

No major initiative has been embarked on to date.

9. Hinterland Language Cultural and Sport

The Language Preservation Project started under the former PPP/C administration in 2013 is the only major effort being currently made in this are.

Scheme Service

The Project aimed to preserve the Arawak and other Amerindian languages.

10. Hinterland Tourism service

No major initiative has been embarked on to date.

19

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

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

Unique artworks on display at Castellani House as part of Heritage Month celebrations

A

merindian Heritage Month celebrations continue to highlight various aspects of the culture of Guyana’s first peoples. And the works of local artists are being featured at the Castellani House, situated on the corner of Vlissengen Road and Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.

For the next three weeks, the general public will be able to visit the gallery and

witness some of the finest artworks by talented young Guyanese artists, sculptors and craftsmen.

Hailing from Surama Village in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), the works of Lorenzo John are on display, as one of the new introductions.

Additionally, some of the sculptures were done by Oswald Hussein and paintings

by Desmond Alli. These

are two of the several artists being featured.

In the craft section, a variety of handmade hammocks, tibisiri ornaments, amethyst jewelry and customised shirts were on display.

The Indigenous Heritage Art Exhibition was declared open on Thursday (September 6, 2018) at the National Art Gallery, Castellani House.

Exhibitors at Sophia Heritage Village say ‘it is not business as usual’

‘B

usiness as usual’ it not the order of the day that the Heritage Village at Sophia this year. Turnout to the exhibit was poor and very few buyers reported expressed some interest.

Some exhibitors charged that they were not able to make a return on the rental charge they had to pay to participate in the Exhibit.

Items such as cassava bread, farine, casareep, pi-

wari, potato wine, wild meat and art and craft are on sale.

Meanwhile, some exhibitors from several far-flung areas of Guyana were notably absent from this year’s exhibition.

50% of children in hinterland do not have access secondary education – UNICEF

G

uyana celebrated the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) World Literacy Day over the weekend, under the theme ‘Literacy and Skills Development’.

Speaking at a workshop, which was held at Grand Coastal and organised by the Rights of the Child Commission (RCC), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Representative, Sylvie Fouet, gave an analysis of the education sector in Guyana, which highlighted the fact that only half of the children in the hinterland communities attend secondary school after they would’ve graduated from the primary education programme.

“Literacy is a child’s right that is very important to a right to quality education but overall, literacy also empowers and develops a young person to become an adult. In Guyana, it’s very critical to overcome the fact that there are a couple of challenges that are part of school. Data states that 75 per cent of teenagers will access secondary school in Guyana and maybe outside the coastal area, actually its 50 per cent,” said Fouet.

Notably, no mention of any substantial work to improve the lives of Amerindians in Guyana was made

in the 2017 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Guyana released by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department – underscoring a major failure of the APNU+AFC Coalition government.

Page 11 of the 207 report states that: “The standard of living in indigenous communities was lower than that of most citizens, and they had limited access to education and health care.”

In contrast, the 2015 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Guyana, on page 14, said: “All indigenous communities had primary schools, and as of 2012, there were 13 secondary schools in remote regions.

All indigenous communities had school dormitories that housed students at government’s expense. Government programmes trained health workers, who staffed health facilities in most communities.”

Despite multiple calls by the Parliamentary Opposition for work to be done to address several concerns of Amerindians in Guyana, no substantial work has been done.

One of the many areas concerns has been the 14 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on local interior flights. President David Granger’s comments about opening up the

hinterland, relative to access and development, were questioned by Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo. Jagdeo acknowledged that some of hinterland airstrips have been informed that they can apply to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to be exempted from applying the 14 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT), but stressed that more needs to be done. “The tax is driving up the cost of living in the interior,” he said, calling for the Administration to drop the tax altogether. Jagdeo added that VAT is the latest difficulty being imposed on persons in Guyana’s interior regions.

According to him, many in the hinterland are still waiting for the promised firearm licences, a promise made by the government during last year’s period of amnesty.

He explained that many in the hinterland depend on the firearms to defend their livelihoods. “Now they cannot defend their lands from wild animals,” he said.

Jagdeo noted that he has made similar calls before, but they were not received by “receptive” ears. “Government needs to act in the interest of our people,” he stressed.

In the meantime, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has not addressed this issue.

20

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11. FICTION: Special organized Crime Unit operational

9. FICTION: Lower Electricity rates

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

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

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

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

8. FICTION: Plans to bridge Essequibo River

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

21

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

APNU+AFC gov’t forcing fictions on the Guyanese people 13. FICTION: New Guyana Election Chairman appointed FACT: The 84-year-old GECOM Chairman was unilaterally and un-constitutionally appointed, in breach of 25 years of practice and common understanding of the constitutional procedures that have to be followed for such an appointment to be made.

14. FICTION: The establishment of three new towns FACT: The towns were established without consultation and in some cases encroached on titled Amerindian Lands in breach of laws --and showing that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has no qualms about breaking the laws of Guyana.

15. FICTION: Improved education attainment FACT: The 2017 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Guyana – released by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department – underscores a major failure of the APNU+AFC Coalition government. Page 11 of the 207 report states that: “The standard of living in indigenous communities was lower than that of most citizens, and they had limited access to education and health care.”

In contrast, the 2015 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Guyana, on page 14, said: “All indigenous communities had primary schools, and as of 2012, there were 13 secondary schools in remote regions. All indigenous communities had school dormitories that housed students at government’s expense. Government programmes trained health workers, who staffed health facilities in most communities.”

16. FICTION: Free transportation for school children FACT: A total of $1.7B was taken away from public schools when the $10,000 cash grant was scrapped. The APNU+AFC Coalition Government says it has provided buses, but these do not serve all public school children. The cash grant was given to every public school child.

17. FICTION: Provision of medical equipment FACT: Shortages continue to be reported. And with the dust barely settled over the $632M drugs and medical supplies procurement scandal, sole-sourcing of $366.9M of drugs and medical supplies in 2017 has once again brought into question decisions by the Ministry of Public Health – and the likely of increasing corruption at that Ministry. As was the case with the spending of $605M, the Ministry – headed by Volda Lawrence – claims that the spending of the $366.9M was to cover emergency expenditures. Documents revealed that a company, HDM Labs Inc. – owned by a supporter of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government – was handpicked over three others that went through tendering process.

18. FICTION: De-politicized the National Toshaos Council FACT: The NTC is not a political body. It is the elected body that represents Amerindians in Guyana. As such, claims of de-politicizing the NTC have been viewed as APNU+AFC rhetoric.

19. FICTION: Extended the Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) programme FACT: Not a single Amerindian village has received a land title under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock, admitted that he failed to do any work with the ALT programme, which gave the indigenous people legal rights to their communities. “I have not been able to title any village,” Allicock had said in May 2018.

Notably, after taking office, the Coalition Government, sent home the entire unit dealing with the Amerindian Land Titling programme. The Project Management Unit was ben established in June 2014 to support the implementation of the project.

A total of US$10.7M was earned by the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government and left for the purpose of completing the ALT programme.

20. FICTION: Piracy smashed FACT: Less than two months ago, a piracy attack led to several deaths of local fishermen.

The bodies of some of the fishermen have still not been found.

21. FICTION: Major criminal gangs smashed, members prosecuted FACT: There has been no such report. Also, no cases in Guyana’s court have substantiated this claim.

22. FICTION: Crime rate down FACT: As of June 2018, a whopping 304 cases of robbery under arms, where firearms were used, were recorded at the end of June 2018, marking an increase compared to last year. Another 116 cases of robbery under arms, where other instruments were used, were also recorded for that month. There were also 28 other cases of robberies, as well as 73 cases of robbery with violence. Robbery with aggravation cases numbered 30. Larceny from persons numbered 62, while burglary cases totaled 112 and break an entry with larceny totaled 498. In total these cases numbered 1,223. There were 44 murders. The APNU+AFC Coalition Government continues to come in for criticisms over its inaction to address the current crime rate.

23. FICTION: Establishment of the Department of Environment FACT: There is no Department of Environment as of July 2018.

24. FICTION: Freedom of the Press restored FACT: The Guyana Press Association has blasted Coalition gov’t over ‘unmistakable’ signals of Executive control since it took office.

The Association cited other acts that include: The continued role of the Director of Public Information as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited, publishers of the Guyana Chronicle; Direction from a senior government Minister on coverage of his office to the Editor- in-Chief; Direction being given to the Chronicle for stories sent for his approval once it has to do with his office or the PNC, the main party in the governing Coalition; and weekly meetings of the Prime Minister with senior executives of the state media.

22

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

PPP supports GECOM Commissioner’s move to challenge Bulkan T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has called on Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, to concede to the legal proceedings filed against him and swiftly correct the legal deficiencies, that have been identified, as well as hold consultations with the people before making and executing decisions in relation to their communities for the purpose of the November 12, 2018, Local Government Elections.

“If they fail to do so and proceed to those elections under the current legally fraud arrangements, they expose those elections to the risk of being declared legally flawed, null and void, which would require fresh elections at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to the taxpayers,” the Party said.

The Party’s comments were made public via a statement that was issued on Wednesday (September 12, 2018).

Following complaints that the Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan is in-

A

volved in the gerrymandering of Local Authority Areas (LLA) in Opposition strongholds, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Monday filed a legal challenge in the High Court to halt the Minister’s move.

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall filed the Fixed Date Application (FDA) on behalf of People’s Progressive Party Guyana Elections Commissioner (GECOM) Commissioner, Bibi Shadick.

The Applicant filed judicial review proceedings in the High Court against decisions of named respondents, Communities Minister Bulkan and Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield. Nandlall told reporters on Monday that the PPP’s action is not geared at delaying the entire Local Government Elections set for November 12 but rather; elections in the contested Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) could be rescheduled until the outcome of the court case.

In the writ, the Appli-

cant is seeking a several orders which seek to bring the Communities Minister’s alterations into the conformity with Local Democratic Organs Act, Chapter 28:09.

In so doing, the Applicant is petitioning the court to have Bulkan’s orders declared null and void.

The Applicant made an application for an Order or Writ of Certiorari to quash Bulkan’s order of holding elections of seven NDCs without first issuing an Order under the Local Democratic Organs Act, to identify the NDCs by name, boundaries, and number of members.

These NDCs are Moruka/ Phoenix Park; Kitty/Providence; Nile/Cozier; Lamaha/ Yarrowkabra; Hauraruni/ Yarrowkabra; Plegt Anker/ Kortberaad; and Wyburg/ Caracas.

The Applicant is also seeking two Orders of Certiorari against GECOM CEO Lowenfield. The first moves to quash the Commission CEO’s decision to fix the exterior boundaries in respect

to the said seven NDCs, adding that the move was an abuse of power, illegal and constitutes a “usurpation of the statutory functions” of Minister Bulkan. A second Certiorari order wants to quash his decision to demarcate constituency boundaries within the said seven NDCs on grounds that his actions did not first involve the consultations of electors and stakeholders which include political parties. In this regard, Shadick views Lowenfield’s actions as irregular or improper exercise of discretion, in bad faith, or having cited irregular consideration, adding that it has no legal effect since this would be a violation of Article 13 of Guyana’s Constitution.

More than that, Shadick is seeking an Order or Writ of Mandamus to compel Minister Bulkan, under the Local Democratic Organs Act, to establish the boundaries and number of members in respect to the Municipality of Mahdia and other eight other LLAs so that elections could

be held by November 12.

These would be Aranaputa/ Upper Burro-Burro; Moruka/ Phoenix Park; Kitty/Providence; Nile/Cozier; Lamaha/ Yarrowkabra; Hauraruni/ Yarrowkabra; Plegt Anker/ Kortberaad; Wyburg/Caracas. With regard to the aforementioned NDCs, the Applicant is seeking another Order of Mandamus for Lowenfield for him to hold consultations with stakeholders on the establishment of constituency boundaries within the said Local Authority Areas.

The Applicant’s final Order or Writ of Mandamus wants Lowenfield to also hold consultations in relation to the re-demarcation of constituency boundaries in Rose Hall and Rose Hall and 13 NDCs. These are Evergreen/Paradise; Aberdeen/ Zorg-en-Vlygt; Malgre Tout/ Meerzorgen; La Grange/ Nismes; Toevlugt/Patentia; Caledonia/Good Success; Woodlands/Farm; Mahaicony/Abary; Zeelust/Rosignol; Blairmont/Gelderland; Ordnance Fortlands/Number 38

Village; Adventure/Bushlot; and Numbers 52-74.

Shadick is also seeking the State to pay her court costs in addition to seeking other orders, directions or writs as the court sees fit.

Her grounds are that Bulkan failed to issue an order to identify the said boundaries under the Local Democratic Organs Act, making his actions null and void.

She meanwhile said that Lowenfield went beyond his exercise of discretion re-demarcating the existing constituency boundaries as outlined in the orders sought before the court.

The writ also outlines that the purported establishment of seven NDCs without complying with the provisions of the Local Democratic Organs Act is unlawful, ultra vires, null, void and of no effect.

She said too that Lowenfield acted with authorisation in this regard, while adding that Minister Bulkan unilaterally made changes to the number of seats in 14 Local Authority Areas.

PRESS STATEMENT

s part of its continued struggle to secure the democratic gains won in 1992, with the restoration of democracy to this land after decades of rigged elections under the PNC, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) supports legal proceedings filed to protect the democratic rights of electors voting at the November 12, Local Government Elections (LGE).

In a vulgar conspiracy to gerrymander those elections, Minister Ronald Bulkan and Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, failed to observe a number of legal procedures laid down in the law and without consulting with the electors in the communities, nor the major political parties, clandestinely, created a number of new Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) and the Municipality of Mahdia.

In so doing, they unlawfully demarcated new boundaries and established seats in these new Local Democratic Organs, without providing any reasons or stating the principles or criteria, upon which they did so. Additionally, they unlawfully altered the number of seats and internal boundaries within existing Local Democratic Organs, again, without following the requisite statutory procedure, without any consultation whatsoever with the electors and the major political parties, likely to contest the November 12 LGE. When one examines these changes, one comes to the inescapable conclusion that they were all designed to create an electoral advantage in favour of the APNU/AFC. Our public pleas for these violations of the law and unfair manipulation of the Local Government Organs and boundaries to be corrected, both to the Minister and to the Chief Elections Officer, at various platforms, have been ignored. In the circumstances, we have been forced to resort to legal proceedings.

We dismiss Minister Bulkan’s bald response that he acted lawfully and legally. We further reject his outrageous contention that the Government is interested in involving and empowering the people in the management and development of their communities. Indeed, were this so, then Bulkan would have ensured that the people had an opportunity to participate meaningfully in the process by which new Local Democratic Organs were created, their memberships altered, and boundaries modified and would have also complied with the legal procedures laid down for so doing. Instead, these decisions were made and executed surreptitiously and the people in the communities and their political parties were deliberately excluded from this process, hence, the legal proceedings.

We take this opportunity to call upon Bulkan and the Chief Elections Officer, to concede to the legal proceedings and swiftly correct the legal deficiencies, which we have identified, and to hold consultations with the people before making and executing decisions in relation to their communities for the purpose of the November 12 elections. If they fail to do so and proceed to those elections under the current legally fraud arrangements, they expose those elections to the risk of being declared legally flawed, null and void, which would require fresh elections at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to the taxpayers.

It is our sincere hope that good sense prevails.

Focus on Region 5

23

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Cash crop farmers bring legal action against Region 5 REO – seeking over $10M in damages T

hree of 30 farmers in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) have taken the district’s Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison to court after their farm lands were bulldozed and several cash crops cut down over the last few months.

The three claimants – Krishna Sewlall, Kristopher Sewnarine and Kaleel Jameer – are seeking over $10 million in damages for what they contend was the unlawful destruction of their property.

The farmers are occupying land in the Tract 3 ‘X’ of Block ‘1A’ and Tract ‘Y’, portion of Plantation of Naarstigheid, being part of Bath, West Coast Berbice (WCB). They retained the services of Attorney Anil Nandlall who filed a Statement of Claim application on behalf of his clients at the High Court on Tuesday.

According to court document obtained by this publication, many of the farmers have been occupying the land since 1989 and were granted a two-year lease for 1.4 acres in the March 2000 under the Social Impact Amelioration Project (SIMAP) for largescale farming. They claimed that since the expiration of their lease they developed the said property, cured the soil and prepared it for farming.

As part of their case, it was cited that they were the beneficiaries of grants or other financial aid from various international organisations that they used to develop new systems of farming infrastructure and farmhouses on the said land. Sewlall, Sewnarine and Jameer said they never gave anyone permission to enter, clear, farm or build on the property.

However, the Region Five REO in October 2016 requested that some 50 farmers, including the three claimants, vacate their WCB farmland. More than that, they observed that Morrison threatened to bulldoze the crops and forcibly eject them from the land.

Upon being threatened, they contacted Attorney Nandlall who wrote the REO in a letter dated November 3, 2016, which highlighted that some of his clients built

dwellings and other permanent structures on the land.

It added that the regional administration disassociated itself from Morrison’s actions and that he, Nandlall, advised his clients to use reasonable force to defend their crops and properties.

The attorney also advised the farmers to report the matter to the Fort Wellington Police Station. This letter was copied to several Government Ministers, including Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and then acting Police Commissioner, David Ramnarine.

Regional Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal, also received a copy of Nandlall’s letter and after the farmers made several complaints to him, he wrote the REO in a letter dated March 21, 2018, where he observed that crops were being destroyed by an excavator on Morrison’s orders. Ramphal urged him to desist from the practice so that the farmers could provide for their families.

He informed Morrison that the Region Five RDC never made a decision to evict farmers.

The court documents also revealed that in April 2018, agents linked to Morrison “unilaterally decided” to enter the said farmland the three claimants occupied and cleared a portion of the land, cutting down several cash crops including sweet peppers, lettuce, eschalot, plantain, calaloo and banana plants. Thereafter on August 6, 2018, two excavators entered the land and flattened another portion.

The claimants added that on August 7, 2018, the REO’s agents entered again and destroyed Krishna Sewlall’s wooden farmhouse valued $300,000. Kristopher Sewnarine’s farmhouse was also destroyed and that building was valued $800,000. Sewlall is seeking special damages of $3,254,000 for his destroyed crops and farmhouse, while Sewnarine wants Morrison to pay him $950,000 for his losses. Meanwhile, Jameer is seeking $1,170,000 from the REO. The special damages

claim amounts to $5,374,000 while the general damages claim requests in excess of $5,000,000 for trespass.

“The defendants wrongfully continue to bulldoze and flatten the land, damaging

valuable crops and depriving the claimants of their property, livelihood and only source of income,” a section of the legal document stated.

Nandlall has petitioned for an injunction to restrain

Morrison and his agents, representatives or officers from continuing to enter, occupying, bulldozing the claimants’ use of the WCB farmland. He added that Morrison is “guilty of trespass

and damage to property and [has] caused the claimants great loss, damage, great anguish and mental distress.”

The Region 5 farmers have welcomed the support in the matter.

24

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Volda Lawrence fails to provide answers on key health issues despite promise A

total of four questions directed to Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, were listed on the agenda for the August 8, 2018) sitting of the National Assembly – more than a month ago. And to date, the Minister has failed to provide answers as promised.

But before the questions, put before the House by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), could be addressed, Lawrence called for all the questions in her name to be deferred to an unspecified date.

Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, rose to object to this move and pointed out that Lawrence has had these questions for over three weeks now. “We are not supporting this,” she said.

However, Lawrence maintained her position and in attempting to explain her position, she stated that her staff has been busy with Budget 2019 preparations. Again, Teixeira called her out for the flimsy excuse.

The issue was put to a vote. The APNU+AFC Coalition Government, using its majority, voted to support Lawrence’s hiding from questioning by the PPP/C. After the vote, Teixeira pressed Lawrence on when she will answer the questions.

Lawrence did not answer. The Opposition Chief Whip pointed out that August 8, 2018 sitting was the last sitting before the National Assembly goes into recess for two months.

“This is now looking very convenient,” she said, when House Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, offered no support.

DRUG PROCUREMENT The first question related to the award of a contract to HMD Labs for the purchase of pharmaceuticals for the Ministry.

The questions listed to be asked were: 1. How many companies were invited to tender for this contract to supply pharmaceuticals for the Ministry?

2. What were the criteria used for the selection of this company for a restricted bidding process?

3. On what basis were suppliers of pharmaceuticals to the Ministry such as, Ansa McCal, International Pharmaceuticals Agency and International Healthcare disqualified?

4. Why was a company that usually supplies

laboratory equipment listed in the restrictive tender to supply pharmaceuticals?

5. What were the items procured under the contract with HDM Labs Inc., the quantity for each item and the unit cost for each item?

6. Has HDM Labs Inc. provided all the procured items? If so, when?

7. Does HDM Labs Inc. have the Manufacturer’s Authorization in the territory of Guyana for the items listed in the contract?

Have these authorizations been produced for verification?

8. Does HDM Labs Inc., have their Goods certified by WHO, or the US Food and Drug Administration, and the Guyana Food and Drug Administration?

9. Can the Minister of Public Health inform the National Assembly on the experience and technical capacity of the HDM Labs Inc.?

10. Is the Minister satisfied that the Ministry of Public Health has received value for money expended on this contract?

CHILD MORTALITY The second issue that the PPP/C expected to question Lawrence on related to the status of the Ministry of Public health’s child morbidity and mortality committee The questions include: 1. What is the date the Members of the said Committee were appointed?

2. The terms of reference of the Committee?

3. How many times has this Committee met in the last 2 years?

4. Are the Regional Health Officers and the Director of Medical Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation required to report child morbidity and mortality data on a quarterly basis to the Committee? If not, how is this information shared with/provided to the Committee?

5. How does the Committee track child morbidity and mortality cases?

6. Does it make scheduled visits to the health facilities in the regions to inspect and investigate any changes in the child morbidity and mortality patterns?

7. Does the Ministry provide adequate resources to the Committee for it to carry out its terms of reference?

8. Does the Committee prepare and submit

quarterly or half yearly reports to the Chief Medical Officer on the status of Child morbidity and mortality in the country?

9. Has the Committee made any recommendations and, if so, has any been implemented?

10. What would you say are the most urgent recommendations the Committee has made to the Ministry?

INFECTION LEVELS AT GPHC The third issue that Lawrence avoided scrutiny on related to the infection levels in the neo-natal intensive care unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

The questions include: 1. How often is scheduled testing for sterility in the NNICU done?

2. Were there sufficient culture bottles to identify infectious organisms?

3. Were any multi-drug resistant organisms identified in the cases of sepsis and, if yes, which organisms were identified?

4. Was medication to combat the identified multi-drug resistant organisms and other organisms readily available? How many occasions were the medication not readily available?

5. Was any cause of death due to iatrogenic infection?

6. What organism was identified where the cause of death was due to iatrogenic infection and what methods were used to address the sterility of the unit in instances where multidrug resistant organisms were identified?

7. In instances where contamination of the NNICU was detected, were the neonates moved to another sterilized area to allow for a complete disinfection and sterilization of the unit including all equipment?

8. In instances where the cause of death was due to iatrogenic infection and where contamination of the NNICU was detected, was any special investigation and or procedure were followed to ensure sterility of the facility and equipment before re-use?

9. What was the ratio of trained nurses to babies in the unit during the period June 2017 to June 2018?

10. How many specially-trained neonatal nurses are working in the Ministry of Public

Health and how many of these specially-trained nurses are working in the NNICU to deal with critically ill babies?

COUNTRYWIDE NEONATAL CARE The status of the neonatal intensive care units across the country was the fourth issue Lawrence was expected to be questioned on.

The questions included: 1. A list of government-run Neonatal Intensive Care Units countrywide?

2. The number of admissions from each government-run Neonatal Intensive Care for each month during the period June 2017 to June 2018?

3. The number of deaths and the causes of death at each government-run Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for each month during the period June 2017 to June 2018?

4. The number of neonates referred to the NNICU at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation during the period June 2017 to 2018?

5. Did the number of neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit NNICU at Georgetown Public Hospital exceed the capacity of 18 during this period?

6. With respect to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation could the Minister state/provide: 7. How many incubators and ventilators were available and working between January 2018 to June 2018?

8. How many incubators and ventilators have been added since May 11, 2015?

9. How many incubators and ventilators are operational as of July 1, 2018?

10. How many qualified technicians are available to repair these incubators and ventilators?

11. The average length of downtime of incubators and ventilators for each month for the period June 2017 to June 2018?

12. How many incubators and ventilators are not functioning as of June 2018 in all the government-run NNICUs? 13. What measures has the Minister put in place to ensure that all government-run NNICUs are properly equipped and functioning?

When and if Lawrence will answer these questions remain unclear.

Three years later…

Local content policy still not ready, taxpayers' monies now being used to pay for consultant

G

uyanese will have to wait until next year for Government to deliver on a promised local content policy.

A second draft of the policy was completed one year ago by Local Content Expert, Trinidadian, Anthony Paul. It has been with the Ministry of Business, which

has assumed responsibility for local content.

Son-in-law of President David Granger and Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, said, “The decision hasn’t been made as yet as to whether it requires specific local content legislation; whether it requires simply the incorporation of stronger lo-

cal content provisions in the production sharing agreement or whether it can simply be an amendment to the Petroleum Exploration Production Act; or whether it would make more sense to have a collaborative approach with contractors on local content. “…we are looking for funding to fund the consul-

tancy fees to complete the exercise. The Ministry of Finance is assisting us with that, and we are also looking at sourcing funding from another organization. “…upon examining the issue, we decided we have a plan of action which involves further consultations and also the services of another

consultant to finalise the policy….there is no sense consulting with a number of organisations if you don’t have someone with the necessary expertise to actually pull together the comments and views and incorporate them into the final policy.”

Both the Parliamentary Opposition and members of

civil society members have criticised the APNU+AFC Coalition Government for its failures to ensure that a local content policy in place. A local content policy is expected to protect the interest of Guyanese and Guyanese-owned businesses in the development of the oil and gas sector by ensuring that local benefit.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Under pressure…

Granger agrees to make T&T oil MoU public A

fter much public pressure from various sections of society, Government will move to release a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it hopes to sign with neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago (T&T).

President David Granger told media operatives on Wednesday (September 12, 2018) on the sidelines of a swearing in ceremony, that his Government has no problem in releasing the document and will seek to do so soon “It’s just a MoU… It is just an agreement to cooperate. It is not a secret document. In fact, it was

vetted by the Department of Energy and the Foreign Affairs Ministry and I will ask that the document to be released,” he said.

Notably, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley was expected to arrive in Guyana on Wednesday morning but did not. His visit has been postponed to an unconfirmed date.

Since 2016, discussions commenced between Guyana and Trinidad on a MoU under which T&T would provide various forms of support to the oil and gas sector in Guyana.

Last week, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, made clear there are benefits to shared prosperity among countries in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

He said, “I do not have a problem, as a person who is a strong advocate for CARICOM unity and us working together and enjoying shared prosperity when linking our fortunes.”

The Opposition Leader noted that Guyana as a CARICOM member state has obligations to reach out to other CARICOM countries He stated that more

needs to be done to improve regional integration via the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) initiative, among others. Jagdeo said, “When it comes to people, we have had huge problems with our people being treated with dignity and respect…they have a right to be treated with decency and respect. We have had big fights with countries over that.”

However, in fostering deeper engagements, he stressed too the need for reciprocity in any engagement.

“It can be to our mutual benefit but there has to be

reciprocity…we have to get justice for our people in regional trade,” he said.

Jagdeo made it clear that the developments in the local oil and gas sector must see the lion’s share of the benefits coming to the Guyanese people. “It is my belief that our people, Guyanese, must be the primary beneficiaries of the development of this sector…the hog share of those opportunities must go to Guyanese because it is our oil too,” he said.

Jagdeo explained that given the secrecy surrounding renegotiation of the ExxonMobil agreement and the

outcome of that undertaking by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, “It is not unreasonable for people to think the worse of an agreement that smacks of secrecy.”

He added, “…when people hear about sharing our prosperity now and we do not see the MoU or framework through which that happened, people then believe that they are going to be excluded from opportunities.”

As such he called for the full disclosure on the planned MoU with Trinidad and Tobago.

REO presented unapproved Stabroek Market vendors 2019 budget proposal to Finance decry lack of alternatives as Ministry – Region 5 Chairman wharf being repaired

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hairman of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Vickchand Ramphal, has accused his Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison and team of excluding him and his Vice Chairman, Rion Peters, on the matter of presenting 2019 Budget proposals for the Region to the Ministry of Finance.

In a letter addressed to Finance Minister Winston Jordan dated Tuesday, September 11, 2018, Ramphal called for the Minister’s intervention into the matter involving the region’s budget proposal.

According to Ramphal, the Regional Democratic Office ratified its 2019 budget proposal at a special meeting held on Monday July 23, 2018, whereby changes were made in the various line

items.

However, he said it is mandatory that copies of the ratified budget be circulated by the REO to the Office of the Regional Chairman and Regional Vice Chairman for thorough perusal before being presented to the Finance Ministry. However, this did not happen.

According to the Regional Chairman, the REO refused to make available copies of these important documents and also failed to inform the Regional Chairman and Regional Vice Chairman of the planned Budget meeting with the Finance Ministry.

Ramphal said the formulation of the region’s budget was conducted through a democratic process, whereby consultations were held

throughout the region by the RDC, placing the interest of its citizens first.

He reminded that it is imperative that the Council through the offices of the Regional Chairman and Regional Vice Chairman be fully engaged in all the budget processes so as to fully represent the interest of the people of Region Five.

As such, the Chairman said the Council does not confirm to the presentation made by the Regional Executive Officer and team, since it may not represent the decision of Council nor the needs of the people of Region Five.

He therefore called on Minister Jordan to put measures in place to correct this issue. The Ministry has not responded or commented on the matter to date.

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letter was issued by the Town Clerk, Royston King, ordering dozens of vendors plying their trade in the Stabroek Market Wharf to vacate the premises to allow for rehabilitative works.

However, the vendors are now decrying the failure on the part of City Hall to provide alternative means for them to vend.

It was previously reported that a section of the route 42 minibus park was barricaded and according to King, this was being prepared to facilitate the vendors during the rehabilitation. However, since the barricades were put up and sand was thrown into the said area, which has no covers, no other works were carried out.

As such, after being issued the letter which gave

the vendors a 14 days’ notice to vacate, the vendors were unsure as to where they were expected to go.

The letter issued on August 23, 2018 said, “The City Engineer deemed the Stabroek Market Wharf (section 6) to be inhabitable and unsuitable to continue to accommodate vending activities and pursuant to the May and City Councillors of Georgetown under section 302 (37) or the Municipal and District Councils Act , Chapter 28:01 to ‘establish , open , erect and maintain Stellings…and to control and regulate the use thereof’ and in order that the necessary repairs maybe effective thereto you hereby given notice to vacate the Stabroek Market Wharf within fourteen (14) days of the date

of issuance of this notice.”

The letter further warned the vendors that failure to adhere to the instructions outlined will result in lawful measures being taken against them.

On Wednesday (September 13, 2018), the vendors were not only unable to move to another location, as there is none, but there were also barred from entering the Wharf. According to the vendors, since there is no possible way for them to ply in the rain in the new area selected for them, their goods are being left to spoil and thousands of dollars are going to waste.

They are urging City Hall to provide shelters for them in order for them to willingly move to the new area.

to start work at 06:00 hours, but showed up at the Prison two hours before his shift was due to begin. “He was observed [by other Police and prison officers], and the ranks raised an alarm and promptly arrested him. The bag, however, got caught on the fence and was retrieved by the ranks on duty,” Samuels said.

The plastic bag, when examined, was found to contain one cellular phone,

one cellular phone charger, and seven packs of cigarettes.

The cop was detained before subsequently being handed over to an Inspector of Police who came on duty.

He was then escorted to a Police Station. Investigations are ongoing.

The issue of smuggling contraband into local prisons has been an increasing cause for concern over the last several weeks.

‘Known characters’ busted Police officer busted in with illegal weapons attempt to smuggle contraband A items into Lusignan Prison n East Coast Demerara Mobile Patrol, which was commanded by a Subordinate Officer, observed the suspicious movements of a motorcar on the Railway Embankment and subsequently intercepted same at La Bonne Intention (LBI) on Sunday evening (September 9, 2018).

The vehicle and its four male occupants inclusive of the driver were searched and an unlicensed pistol with four live rounds was found in possession of the 47-year-old driver who

resides in Prince William Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.

Two of the three others are known characters – one has a narcotics charge

pending before the court and the other is wanted in connection with several offences.

Investigations are in progress.

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rank of the Guyana Police Force was caught attempting to throw a bag containing contraband items into the Holding Bay of the Lusignan Prison on Friday (September 7, 2018).

According to Director of Prisons (ag), Gladwin Samuels, the incident occurred at about 04:18 hours on Friday, after the Police rank, who is stationed at the East Coast Demerara penitentiary, was scheduled

26

WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Granger dodges questions on oil and gas sector even as Jagdeo calls for greater clarity P

resident David Granger maintains his refusal to answer questions on local content and others questions related to the oil and gas sector. “As I said, all matters, all matters concerning oil and gas have been referred to the Department of Energy…. I pointed out that all matters concerning oil and gas, all matters concerning (it), have been referred to the Department of Energy.

And I’ve asked the Department of Energy to have an engagement with the media during the month of October, so we can respond to all the questions,” Granger said, when pressed recently on the latest concerns about the developing sector.

Granger’s position comes even as Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, repeated his calls for clarity on a number of issues in the sector.

Delivering remarks at the commissioning of Mohamed’s Enterprise Laydown Facility located at Area MM Mc Doom, on Sunday (September 9, 2018) he said, “What will be in place 10 years down the line, 20 years down the line, because these sorts of investments require a long term payback; they do not give you a return immediately.

The whole country is crying out for clarity on several issues. Since the Minister [Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin] is here – and this is a point we have been making, not to be confrontational, but the country needs it and the government has to take the lead to provide that environment that is conducive – that is predictable, that is conductive for investment.”

Notably, Gaskin, like his father-in-law of President Granger, backed down from responding to the several issues raised by Jagdeo.

NO CLARITY Jagdeo said, “We have had a ton of controversy about the ExxonMobil contract and beneficial it will be for Guyana. Assuming that is a done deal, our Government has said that future contracts will not share the

same terms or enjoy the same terms of the agreement that was concluded with ExxonMobil. So, almost two years down the road, we are yet to see a framework that will define what future contracts would look like.

What is it that ExxonMobil got that future investors are not going to get? What is it that they did not get that we may want to give? In the absence of that clarity, not only

we have heard about this (shore-based facilities) at other places. So the clarity for investors would be: one, would the government take shares or be co-owners of shore-based facilities in the future? If the government decides to do this, this might be to the exclusion of the Private Sector. Two, if it (Government) does, where it could be located? Because the worst thing that could

Wealth Fund’ in August 2018, but, in addition to objections from the Parliamentary Opposition, civil society members have also spoken out worrying political involvement (control) detailed in Green Paper.

In the past, Jagdeo had stressed that a statement of principles, such as the Santiago Principles, on which the establishment of the Fund would be based would have

“All I’m doing is making a case to plea…we have to have greater clarity in defining the framework within which we are going to develop this industry [oil and gas], because that is essential for ordinary Guyanese - they need a clear vision as to how they will benefit from this, as well as our business community.”

– Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo will it affect investments here, but people who are coming in to negotiate new deals now, they are crying out for that clarity because they are unsure about what future negotiations will look like.

“We have seen the move to establish a Department of Energy, but we also recognise that there is a Bill to establish a Petroleum Commission. What are the terms of reference for the Department versus the Petroleum Commission? Would there be an overlap? Would one just be policy making? Would the other be the functional – the executive technical arm – dealing with future oil and gas dealers? Or would The Energy Department have an operational role? We hope the Minister will bring clarity to that. This is vital for the future too.

“We have heard about the government wanting to invest in shore-based facilities and that is most important because at one time we heard that there would be an investment just north of the Bridge in Berbice – that could become the shore based facility and that it would be partly coowned by the Government.

And then, at other times,

happen is that if that is located elsewhere, and leave all these investments stranded that are being made here in the Demerara River, billions of dollars of investment could become stranded in the future of the business will flow elsewhere.”

SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND On the management framework for the oil and gas sector, the Opposition Leader said, “The debate about the Sovereign Wealth Fund that is an entirely new debate about the future, but I doubt we can resolve that issue here today. Because the issue is clarity again about the management of the fund and insulating it from political control and the use of the resources – how much we are going to save for inter-generational purposes; how much we are going to invest now in the economy and in what sectors, to give Guyanese a chance to benefit – to give ordinary Guyanese a chance to benefit from the oil and gas industry. These are vital issues.”

Government has released a Green Paper, titled ‘Managing Future Petroleum Revenues and Establishment of a Fiscal Rule and Sovereign

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.

LOCAL CONTENT The same has been done in the past as it relates to local content. 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.

At Sunday’s event, he said, “Then again, we have the issues with local content.

Will the government bring legislation? How soon? And what will be the nature of the legislation. How much premium will it give to Guyanese investments? And how will it define Guyanese investments? What position will we give, if we do, to regional investors, people

who are in CARICOM? That is important too, particularly from Government, we need clarity about the local content and we hope we get some answers.

“We need clarity about future contracts. Are we going to be bidding the remaining oil blocks Or are we going to be negotiating them on a first come, first served basis?”

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

The Opposition Leader also called for clarity from the Government on its tax policy. “Most importantly of everything else, we need clarity on taxes. We have seen, and if you talk to [members of] the business community now, every single day there seems to be some new interpretation – apart from the numerous new taxes – of what is in the book, the tax laws. And if we don’t have clarity about that then you create an unsettling environment for private sector development, very unsettling, because there is not that element of predictability – people believe that the tax authorities can act capriciously,” he said.

Jagdeo added, “All I’m doing is making a case to plea for more investments of this nature; and that we have greater clarity in defining the framework within which we are going to develop this industry, because that is essential for ordinary Guyanese - they need a clear vision as to how they will benefit from this, as well as our business community.”

A FINITE RESOURCE Jagdeo warned too of the dangers of the ‘resource curse’. He said, “We in the PPP [People’s Progressive Party] believe that the oil and gas industry is just one.

While we must all make full use of the opportunities presented by this industry now and try to get our people as wealthy as possible from the proceeds of this industry, we must never forget that it is a wasting resource.

“It has a finite life and we have to plan for the future too and we have seen the example of many countries in the world where that did not happen and the ‘resource curse’ view that most people have kicked in in those countries. Even in our neighbouring country, Trinidad and Tobago, we see the difficulty in reorienting their economy because so much investment has been made in one sector.

“We [the PPP/C) had [a plan for] six sectors that will create the wealth for the future and oil and gas was just one of them and maybe not even the most lucrative of them – and this excludes the traditional sectors, like rice, sugar and bauxite, etc.

We still need a bigger framework.”

According to him, progress has been made in Guyana under successive PPP/C government and the proceeds from the oil and gas sector ought to be used to accelerate that progress. He said, “It is not a replacement for other sectors – because we are treating it as if it is somehow the ‘only game in town’ and it cannot be.

It must be incremental to because it will not generate thousands of jobs, we will get 1,000 or 2,000 jobs from this industry and we have lost already 30,000 jobs in the past few years already. It [oil and gas] is not a labour intensive industry.”

The Opposition Leader also stressed the need for partnerships, moving forward. “I am convinced that we need more of this. We are Guyanese [working] in partnership – we are not fighting foreigners here, we are not fighting ExxonMobil, we are not fighting the others coming in. We are seeking to create partnerships where they [foreign investors] can benefit, but ensure that our people benefit most.”

Meanwhile, Jagdeo has made it clear 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.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 15-16 SEPTEMBER, 2018

Elderly pedal cyclist killed Armed robberies see increase by after accident involving drunk end of August 2018 – 13 murdered during robberies deputy superintendent of police obberies under arms, with aggravation numbered domestic; 13 committed

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olice are investigating a fatal accident which occurred about 19:20 hours on Wednesday night (September 12, 2018), on the Boerasirie Bridge, West Coast Demerara (WCD), involving motorcar and a pedal cyclist.

The motor car, PTT 992, was being driven by a Deputy Superintendent of Police who is stationed in ‘D’ Division.

The accident resulted in

the death of the pedal cyclist Conrad Alleyne, 64, of 33 Hague, WCD (deceased).

Initial enquiries from the driver revealed that as he was proceeding east along the northern side of the bridge, he suddenly felt an impact and upon investigating saw the cyclist lying on the bridge with injuries about his body.

He was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital in a

semi-conscious condition, treated and referred to the GPHC but succumbed on his way. The body is presently at the Ezekiel Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

An investigation has since been launched by a Senior Officer who visited the scene and also conducted a breathalyzer test on the Officer, who was found to be above the legal limit.

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where firearms were used, totaled 405 at the end of August 2018, according to the latest statistics released by the Guyana Police Force, marking an increase when compared to August 2017.

In cases of robberies where other weapons were used, the number of reported cases totaled 163, while there was another increase in robberies with violence by five per cwent with a total of 104 reported cases.

Reported cases of robbery

38 and larceny from persons that were reported totaled 85.

Under the classification of robbery, there was a 23 per cent increase, compared to last year.

There was a reported increase in burglary by four per cent, with 142 cases at the end of August 2018. In the area of break and entry and larceny there were 648 reported cases.

There were also 66 murders at the end of August 2018 – 28 disorderly; 19

during robberies; and six that were unconnected to a particular incident.

The GPF is also reporting that some 87 firearms have been taken off the streets so far this year – 47 pistols; 31 revolvers; 13 shotguns, 1 submachine gun and five rifles. The ‘A’ Division seized 38 of those firearms; the ‘B’ Division 13; the ‘C’ Division 9; the ‘D’ Division 6; the ‘E’ Division 4; the ‘F’ Division 15; and the ‘G’ Division recorded seizing 2 firearms.

Reported cases of rape number 170 at the end of August 2018 More contraband found in latest search of prison facility B S y the end of August 2018 a total of 170 cases of rape were reported in Guyana, according to statistics released by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Notably, at the end of June 2018 there was a nine per cent increase in the reported cases of rape in Guyana. At the end of July 2018, another increase has been recorded – a three

per cent increase. In June 2018, there were 140 cases recorded, while by the end of July 2018 that number went up to 153.

No other information, as per protocols, was disclosed.

Civil society reps have made calls for more to be done to address the scourge of rape.

Man robbed while walking home

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s he was making his way home on Thursday evening (September 6, 2018), a minibus conductor was attacked and robbed by a lone gunman in the vicinity of Front Road, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Based on reports received, the 32-yearold bus conductor was walking towards his West Ruimveldt home, when the gunman

approached him from behind and tapped him on his shoulder. As he spun around, he was confronted by a gun pointed to his face.

The gunman confiscated $45,000 from the conductor before disappearing in the community.

The conductor proceeded to the Police Station and reported the incident.

Investigations are ongoing.

even cellular phones inclusive of two ‘smart’ ones, a cutlass, improvised weapons, cigarette lighters, ear-piece, phone battery and charger were among other prohibited items found in the Mazaruni Prison.

The contraband itemswas found during a joint search of the correctional facility which lasted for over four hours on Monday (September 10, 2018).

This is the second discovery of contraband in two weeks at two major prison facilities.

PPP/C lawyers question SOCU’s latest actions T

he actions of the Special Organised Crimes Unit (SOCU) were questioned by Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall. Commenting to reporters after several former PPP/C Cabinet Ministers were questioned

by SOCU, he said, “Al of them were questioned about a particular cabinet meeting which occurred in 2010… nobody could remember.

The Cabinet meeting took place ten years ago and therefore hardly can one remember what transpired.”

He added, “Whatever is discussed at cabinet is a confidential matter and members of cabinet cannot disclose confidential matters to anyone. I find it shocking that this government is now removing the confidentiality principle which governs cabinet decisions”.

Asked if any documents were presented, he responded in the affirmative. He disclosed that his clients were shown a document which has a similar format to cabinet documents. Nandlall

pointed that the document shown is unsigned. “You don’t know whether it was a cabinet document or it was typed upstairs of SOCU,” he said.

The former Attorney General added that this latest round of questioning, it is expected, is designed to “culminate in some set of charges” that are likely to come. “So I suppose they are building a case and accumulating what they consider to be relevant evidence towards the establishment of

a case,” he said.

On Wednesday (September 12, 2018), former Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn; and former Minister of Tourism, Manzoor Nadir, were the latest to be questioned at SOCU’s Headquarters. Others questioned included former Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai; former Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali; former Health Minister, Dr Bheri Ramsaran; and former Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds.

They were not told to return or what is likely to happen next. Meanwhile on Tuesday, former Education Minister and Attorney-at-Law, Priya Manickchand, was called in for questioning.

DISTRACTION Manickchand deemed the investigation “a waste of time” noting that the questions asked were no different from what was answered before. She said, “We are not going to be intimidated by this. I think the PNC has a track record of attempting to bully and persecute persons who hold a different political view than the PNC…that is not going to work with us. It certainly is a waste of time, my time…and waste of resources.”

She added, “….this is all part of the plot of destabilize and interfere with the opposition…an effort to intimidate the political opposition. And we want to be very clear, it’s now a joke, it has always been a joke and I think the nation understands that it’s a joke. It is an attempt to distract from their

poor governance.” “…every single Minister, whether you received, or were a beneficiary or a resident of the housing area or not, every single minister is being called in. I don’t know. Do they intend to charge the entire cabinet and make this a bigger circus than it is right now?”

SOCU began investigation into ‘Pradoville 2’ in early 2017.

Last year March, former President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, and former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, were detained while several other former Government Ministers under the PPP Administration were called in for questioning by SOCU in connection to the same matter.

In the past, SOCU has detained several former prominent Government officials: including the former Prime Minister and President; Manickchand; Ali; former Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee; former Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud; and Dr Jennifer Westford.

Eco Atlantic finds 2.9B barrels of oil and gas offshore Guyana

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co Atlantic, one of several companies drilling for oil offshore Guyana, has announced a gross figure of approximately 2.9 billion barrels of oil and gas equivalents in its Orinduik block, verified by the first ever independent assessment done on the field.

According to a Competent Persons Report (CBR) done by Gustavson Associates, the oil was found in 10 prospects within the block. It is believed to include 2.505 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 2.449 trillion cubic feet of associated gas.

Those are, however, gross estimates. According to the company, the total net figure is 1.165 billion barrels. The CBR adds that the risk, or probability of success when extracting the oil, is a 16.8 to 22.4 per cent range.

Gustavson Associates, for its part, is an international oil, gas, and mining consulting firm with a staff of professional geologists, engineers, economists, and

appraisers. It is understood that a major reason for ordering CBR’s is to provide an independent technical report on oil and gas assets that investors can appraise.

It is usually prepared in the context of the London Stock Exchange and other exchange markets in Europe.

The Orinduik oil block is just a few kilometres from Exxon’s discoveries in the Liza and Payara fields. It is under the administration of Eco Guyana and Tullow, who signed a 10-year Petroleum Prospecting licence and Production Sharing Agreement with the Guyana in 2016 French firm Total E&P Activities Petrolieres entered the fray last year; partnering with Eco with the option to get a 25 per cent share in the block. A 3D seismic survey on the block is being finalised. It is understood that Total has up to 120 days to acquire its working stake through payment of US$12.5 million, after getting the survey data.

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