Weekend Mirror February 4-5, 2017 by Weekend Mirror

Taxation Spree 4-5 February, 2017 / Vol. 9 No. 56 / Price: $100

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

he government has bluntly refused to heed calls by the People’s Progressive Party to stop burdening Guyanese with more taxation. In a motion in the National Assembly last week, the PPP asked the House not to add the Value Added Tax on everyday consumer items which previously were zero rated. The APNU/AFC coalition used its one-seat majority in the House to reject the motion. The government has been on a taxation spree since taking office and has increased some 200 tax measures which the PPP said would severely affect the livelihood of Guyanese. The latest tax measure would see VAT on the following items.

► Printed books, including children’s picture books, drawing books, story books, colouring books, dictionaries, atlases and exercise books; ► School supplies that include file paper, crayons, compasses, erasers, chalk, scientific calculators, rulers, pencils, lunch packs, lunch bags and geometry sets; ► Funeral services and human remains; ► Fertilizers, fish hooks, ice for fishing purposes, machinery used for preparing animal feeding stuff; ► Medical, dental, hospital, optical or paramedical services; ► Computer accessories, notebooks, laptops and printers for personal use, among others; ► Bicycles; and ► Services of transporting passengers or good by air from one place to another in Guyana, among others. “Why would you do this to our people?” Teixeira asked, stressing that the changes will impact on consumers, producers and other stakeholders.

SEE INSIDE

More tax pressures on miners PAGE 2

PPP blasts Basil Williams for attacks on Deputy Solicitor General PAGE 2

All Guyanese must stand-up to racial and political discrimination

PAGE 3

Motorists continue to boycott the parking meter spaces allotted by the City Council and after a week of its installation most of the spaces are empty. Business owners are also up in arms against the measure as many were not given reserve parking. A new organization has been formed with the aim of abolishing parking meters. Picture shows the vehicle of proprietor of Golyn and Sons’ being booted in front of his business.

Justice Kennard unceremoniously forced out PAGE 10 of office

Taxication versus Rebuilding Guyana 2020

PAGE 15

More tax pressures on miners 2

ocal miners continue to voice concerns about the new tax measures, included in Budget 2017, and contend that these will squeeze the life out of the local mining industry. In an advertisement in today’s daily newspapers, the appeal that was sent by the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) and the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) to the President, was made public Local miners have also repeated their request for President David Granger to agree to an urgent

meeting with them. The advertisement included the text of a letter sent to Granger, which was signed by Terrence Adams, President of GGDMA and Urica Primus, the Head of the GWMO. The letter said that miners need to have consultations on several outstanding issues such including: ● The increase in the tributor’s tax from 10% to 20%; ● The payment of a 2% tax at source and the additional filing of income tax at the end of the year;

● The need to keep daily records of all transactions and punitive measures for failing to do so; and ● Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption on heavy-duty equipment among other areas. “Surely, after almost 30 years of miners operating under the established tax code it makes logical sense that the main stakeholders of the industry have some input on the changes that will affect their pocket and family’s livelihood. We cannot abide by the return of high

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

handed decisions that impose upon the industry impractical measures that will drive away more people than it will retain,” the advertisement said. It added, “…we note that several of the technocrats appointed to govern the industry and make changes to its future have little firsthand experience in what it actually takes to be a miner in Guyana.” Also, an appeal was made to the Minister of Finance and the Head of the GRA to join the miners on a trip to the interior for a firsthand under-

standing about the industry – one that “they are about to tax into oblivion” with the new tax measures. Notably, 45 of the 120 miners present at a meeting of the GGDMA at its North Road headquarters, recently, voted to have the association document their concerns in an open letter to President Granger. The Miners argued that it is time that the government, which has not properly engaged them since coming into office, understands that they are serious about having their concerns heard.

Today’s advertisement made clear that, “The GGDMA, the GWMO and all other miners stand together on this issue and we will not be divided.” Last week, President Granger was given an ultimatum by local miners – either he agrees to a meeting within a fortnight or the country will be treated to a slowdown in declarations and mass protest actions over the new tax measures and other government moves that are hurting the local mining industry. He is yet to respond.

PPP blasts Basil Williams for attacks on Deputy Solicitor General T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has blasted Attorney General, Basil Williams for his crude attacks on the Deputy Solicitor General, Prithima Kissoon, and that the attacks are a smokescreen to hide “his dereliction of duty and extravagant ineptitude.” This is part of a plan to remove Kissoon from the job. In a statement last week, the PPP stated: The PPP is appalled by the continuous onslaught of young, professional Guyanese who are using their education, skills and technical expertise in serving the State at every level and by extension, serving their fellow Guyanese. Over the last 20 months, we have witnessed a relentless, vindictive and malicious vendetta to hound these young people out of jobs. In the process, all manner of allegations have been contrived to justify this witch-hunting. These range from concocted political allegiance to the PPP,

dishonesty, negligence and incompetence. The callous publications of these unwarranted allegations, most times levelled without any basis whatsoever and without affording these persons these basic facility to be heard, have caused untold damage to these persons’ professional reputation and character. The latest assault has emanated from the Attorney General, the officer who is constitutionally responsible for ensuring that the Government does not commit these excesses. His victim is the Deputy Solicitor General of Guyana, Ms. Prithima Kissoon. Using the state-owned Chronicle as his weapon, the Attorney General has launched a malicious and vilifying tirade against this young professional, blaming her for cases which the State lost in the Court of Appeal, recently. We have seen Ms. Kissoon’s response which has

been made public. It consists of her detailed attempts to get the Attorney General to discharge his professional duties in these cases. She supports her contentions by citing dated correspondence in writing emailed to the Attorney General, carbon copied to other persons; some sent by hard copies and some even sent by registered and expressed mail. We presume that she has copies of these documents which hopefully she will make public in due course. Despite these constant reminders, contends Ms. Kissoon, the Attorney General abysmally failed to discharge his duties. Yet when the court rules in accordance with law, the Attorney General throws a fit and blames Ms. Kissoon and the court rather than admit to his unparalleled incompetence. We also note that rather than respond intelligently to the very detailed information provided by Ms. Kissoon of his dereliction of duty and

extravagant ineptitude, he proceeds to embark upon another tirade further besmirching this young professional’s competence and reputation by attributing to her a political motive contending that she compromises cases for the PPP. Ms. Kissoon is not a member of the PPP nor has any known connections to the PPP. She was hired under the PPP Government and so have thousands of other young professionals and indeed, Guyanese from all walks of life. We remain steadfastly proud of training thousands of young Guyanese in almost every field of endeavor including: medicine, engineering etc and creating jobs for thousands- something that this Government has abjectly failed to do. We condemn this latest attack by the Attorney General on Ms. Kissoon. We know that the Attorney General’s incompetence is legendary. Yesterday he blamed the

court for losing cases; today he blames Ms. Kissoon. The nation will soon witness that he will quickly run out of persons to blame and his manifest incapacities and inadequacies will be laid bare for the world to see. Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for paying BK. International US $5.7M on a mere letter threatening litigation? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for filing an appeal six months late against the judgement obtained by DIPCON against the State to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars? is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the billions of dollars in tax write offs for DDL causing Banks DIH to sue the State for $28B in tax refunds? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for Guyana being forced to pay over US $6M to RUDISA because of the APNU-AFC’s rejection to the amendments to the Customs Act? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the Attorney General lying to the Chief Justice

that the Government has possession of Red House? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the failed illegal attempts to compulsorily acquire private properties on Charmichael Street? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the Attorney General lying to the nation that he has permission from the Council of Legal Education to establish a law school in Guyana? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the Attorney General’s unwarranted attack on the Judiciary which even his own Prime Minister condemned? Or is Ms. Kissoon being singled out for her ethnicity, as so many others, were, who have been forced to leave the employ of that Ministry over the last 20 months? Needless to say we stand in solidarity with the thousands of employees who are being harassed, witch-hunted, victimized and dismissed by this administration without just cause and unlawfully.

The “disgraceful” salary increases, perks to the Cabinet

he People’s Progressive Party has noted the “publicity gimmick” by Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, in criticizing salary increases to Ministers under the PPP/C government but omitted to mention the huge increases the new cabinet gave itself above what obtained. While the PM described the increases under the PPP as disgraceful, “they were still inadequate to satisfy the leisure, lifestyle and greed of his Coalition Govern-

ment.” In a statement on the issue, the Party stated: The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) notes with some amusement the amateur publicity gimmick executed by the coalition government in the National Assembly on Monday January 30th 2017, when an APNU+AFC backbencher was given prepared questions to ask of the Minister of Finance in relation to salary increases, including those paid to Ministers of the PPP/ Civic Government and the

President. These increases were never done by the PPP/ Civic administration in any veiled or clandestine manner. They were announced prior to their implementation and when they were implemented the public was duly informed as soon as possible thereafter. The nation would recall that there was never any public hue and cry about these increases. We note the Prime Minister seizing this opportunity for cheap publicity, as is his

wont, and characteristically, without thinking, describing these increases as “disgraceful”. There is a saying that fools normally rush in where wise men dare not go. Had the Prime Minister thought the matter through, he would have remained quiet. But he has illustrated that notwithstanding, how “disgraceful” these salary increases were, they were still inadequate to satisfy the leisure, lifestyle and greed of his Coalition Government. As a result, he led a

campaign at Cabinet which resulted in an increase of these “disgraceful” salaries by over fifty percent. This came after vehement denials from Minister Raphael Trotman to the nation that there will ever be any such increases. The “disgrace” was compounded bythe fact that there was no public announcement of this over fifty percent increase but the nation learnt about it through an obscure Order hidden in the Official Gazette. The “disgrace”was also aggra-

vated by the increase being made retroactive to take effect from the beginning of the first working month that the Government took office. As if there is no limit to the shame, this over fifty percent increase in salary was followed by a fleet of brand new SUVs for Ministers, including a $25 Million duty free, custom-made Land Cruiser for the Prime Minister, along with nearly $60 Millionin taxpayer dollars being spent to repair and (Turn to page 4)

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

All Guyanese must stand-up to racial and political discrimination

By Donald Ramotar

he media has recently been dominated by the case of Ms. Prithima Kissoon, Deputy Solicitor General, and Mr. Basil Williams, Attorney General. Ms. Kissoon must be congratulated for the brave stance she has taken to defend her integrity and her professionalism. She has taken the matter up with the Public Service Commission. From all the information available in the media, it is clear that Ms. Kissoon has done nothing wrong. The problem lies with the Attorney General, who made a huge mistake, even though an elementary one, in the filing of the appeal in a case involving the Leader of the Opposition. Williams had the appeal filed in his name although he was not a party in the original case. According to Ms. Kissoon and Ms. Ramlall, Williams was advised that it was not in his place to appeal. He, how-

ever, insisted. Now having been exposed for his incompetence, he is attempting to cast blame on an obviously bright, competent professional, Ms. Kissoon. She has alleged that he abused and harassed her and is now trying to have her dismissed. She has already been sent on leave. Ms. Kissoon is not the only young professional to have been treated that way by the Attorney General and his office. Many others have been fired, harassed and forced to resign. The following is a short list of earlier victims: 1. Indira Ananjit (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Legal Affairs) 2. Seeta Ramlall (Solicitor General, Ministry of Legal Affairs) 3. Prithima Kissoon (Deputy Solicitor General) 4. Cecil Durjohn (Chief Legal Draftsman, Ministry of Legal Affairs) 5. Sasha Mahadeo (State Council) 6. Rajendra Jaigobin (State Council) 7. Fareeda Baksh 8. Dwajendra Rooplall (Personal Assistant) 9. Mark Mohabir (IT) 10. Kemraj Mangroo 11. Deborah Chan (Clerk) 12. Chandradat Mangroo (Driver) Note that the persons mentioned above are all Guyanese of Indian decent. That Ministry is a small one and the ethnic cleansing is noticeable. Four Guyanese of African descent were also forced out of their jobs - Adrian Smith, Stephen Roberts, Beulah Williams and Vonette

Atwell. Their issue is that they are suspected PPP/C supporters. This case involving Ms. Kissoon has highlighted and exposed the behavior of one Minister, Basil Williams. This has been exposed because of the arrogance of Mr Williams. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. This behavior is taking place throughout the public service. Racial and political discrimination is a policy of this regime. Hundreds of young, bright, competent and overwhelmingly Indo-Guyanese professionals have either been dismissed or harassed out of their jobs throughout the public service. Highly qualified young professionals are walking the streets, denied employment in their own country. This is not confined to the traditional public service. It extends to the Public Corporations. Guysuco is a good example. Many Indo-Guyanese managers have already been fired. Many others are being harassed with the intention of dismissing them and those still employed are nervous and afraid, looking to see who is next. It is also instructive to look at the replacement and recruitment that is going on. In the case of Guysuco, many of the young, bright Indo-Guyanese managers have been replaced by persons in their mid and late eighties. One of them is above ninety years old. Almost all are Afro-Guyanese. Sugar is an industry where managers are expected to be in the fields and factories. For those persons so

advanced in age that is not possible. At the level of the public service, just look at the photograph of those studying at the new institution at Ogle and you will see that Indian Guyanese make up a tiny minority. It appears to be more window-dressing than anything else. I am also sure that very few, if any, Indian Guyanese are being awarded scholarships by this regime. However, we see Ministers being so awarded. (That means they cannot give their full attention to their jobs as Ministers). The prejudicial policy of the regime is seen in its treatment of Guysuco. Instead of investing i in the industry to allow it to play on even more important role in the economy, the regime seems intent on running it down, and using this as an excuse to close it. The vindictive and short-sighted position of this regime will come back to haunt it. When we consider that contracting and closing the industry will lead to reduced amount of foreign exchange in the market. Consider, too, the fact that there will be a fall in income tax collection as well as a significant drop in NIS contributors. Central Government will have to spend more to maintain the drainage and irrigation on the coast; consider too that a fall in purchasing power will lead to less importation and less collection of import duties. This short-sightedness is not confined to the regime’s position on sugar, but has extended to areas where Indo-Guyanese are largely employed. The rice industry is another such case.

The regime, after clumsily destroying the high-priced markets, has not lifted a finger to assist the farmers who are struggling to stay on the land. Instead, the regime has increased the rental for lands and for drainage and irrigation services. They have also removed the duty-free concessions that the PPP/ Civic had granted on inputs like fertilizers and on machinery operating in the sector. Again, it appears that this is deliberate pressure being applied on the farmers. No matter how hard you search for the rationale behind the move, it is difficult to fathom what is going on. The explanation that seems logical, which follows a pattern, is that it is an anti-Indian policy. That is not the whole tragedy either. Indian Guyanese professionals are also finding it difficult to get jobs in the Private Sector. Private sector employers are afraid to employ them because they are convinced that should they do so, the regime would victimize them. This is based on the vindictiveness that the regime is displaying. Once again, Indo-Guyanese and non Indo-Guyanese PPP/Civic supporters are being made to feel that they are aliens in their own country. Many are being forced to migrate. That is why Ms. Prithima Kissoon must be congratulated for her courage. She has stood up to the bullism. All Guyanese need to stand-up to prevent further deterioration before it is too late.

No Attorney General has leveled such a blast before against the Judiciary Dear Editor,

ever before in the legal history of Guyana has an Attorney General leveled publicly such a blast of terror and fear upon any Head of the Judiciary or his own legal officer. The fall-out from this scurrilous blast has radiated its tremulous fear through the spinal cord of the entire body of the Judiciary in Guyana and elsewhere. This act of irresponsibility was unleashed by the Attorney General, Mr Basil Williams to the Editor of the Guyana Chronicle on the 19th January 2017, vide copy of article on pages 1 and 3. Its Editor did not make any prudent check or investi-

gation or make any enquiries of the Registrar of the Appeal Court to verify the facts as he is duty bound to do, before he plunged himself into the abyss of the dark and dastardly deeds, of contempt, vilification and degradation of an independent institution, that is, the Judiciary as guaranteed by the Constitution of Guyana. There are in court, recorded documents to show the pure stream of justice was flowing uninterruptedly concerning Mr Jagdeo’s case until the Editor of the Guyana Chronicle and the Attorney General of Guyana polluted same. Their prejudiced perception is that the Chancellor, together with applicant Bharrat Jagdeo, his Attorney

at Law, Mr M Bacchus and the Deputy Solicitor General Prithima Kissoon, all caused the Attorney General and the Editor to fall in the dark mud of partiality that Jagdeo must receive the benefit from the court unjustly. They paid no heed to how the bench was constituted and they became blinded and dethroned of all reason and forgetting their functions as journalist and the Leader of the Bar, with implicit false faith in the contemptuous utterances of Basil Williams, the Attorney General of Guyana then gleefully, gladly penned the poisonous piece of journalistic venom accusing the court of partiality and conspiracy to dethrone justice.

The Attorney General who has such legal wisdom and foresight ought to have seen the unholy conspiracy of the Bench and Bar and should have appeared in person, as Leader of the Bar, filed his Affidavit in Answer, argued his case as a legal luminary and Eminent Counsel and crushed the Applicant’s case to smithereens. Let him tell you and the nation why he did not, after he recognized and detected this wicked conspiracy of which he and the press have verbally assaulted and damnified the judiciary into contempt, disrepute and impartiality, maligned the members of the Bench by defamatory remarks who it was said were unworthy to hold

such office. The Editor has let down those who repose confidence in him to be a just, fair-minded and objective journalist who has now sinned against the predecessors who held the high, noble and splendid office of Attorney General, an office of learning and honour. Attorneys General such as Dr Fenton Ramsahoye, Sir Shridath Ramphal, Mr Fred

Wills, Dr Mohamed Shahabuddin and Mr Keith Massiah have been betrayed by the current Attorney General, Mr Basil Williams, SC through libel, slander and contempt. It will take a new generation of lawyers to restore the pristine glory of these great chambers. Jailall Kissoon, Attorney-At-Law

PPP HOTLINE

Our valuable supporters and friends please call our hotline number 225-4279 and give us all important information. Pensioners please inform us about any issues you may have in respect to you getting your well deserved pensions. Further, let us know about the issues you are having in respect to your ID cards. Do not hesitate to speak to our activists and leaders in your communities. Call 225-4279. The PPP will always represent you.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Grassroots Talk By Jagnarine Somwar

he Grassrooters would like to take this opportunity to show their appreciation and commend the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) for its relentless effort to commemorate, on a yearly basis, through memorial services, the slaying of eleven persons, including five children, at the hands of those who could only be described as mercenaries and assassins. January 26, 2017, marked the ninth anniversary of the brutal murders in one on the most peaceful villages in this country, with a residential population of exclusively East Indians. This act of violence, now referred to as the ‘Lusignan Massacre,’ would long be remembered as one of the many atrocities conducted by a centrally directed criminal gang. Evidence has been established that this criminal act was carried out by the notorious Rondell Rawlins, known as ‘Fineman’, and his gang of murderers. These criminals were labeled by authoritative figures in the PNC as Freedom Fighters. One would remember that in 2000, when another notorious bandit, Linden London aka “Blackie” was killed by the police, many persons from one section of the population deemed him to be a “Freedom

Fighter” and his coffin was draped with the National Flag. ‘Blackie’ London was honoured for banditry, in that he murdered and robbed innocent persons of particularly one ethnicity, as was members of the “Fineman” gang. Many persons from the PNC were aware of the whereabouts of the ‘Fineman Gang’ and officers in the Police Force were also cohorts of the gang. This gang was actually protected for committing the mass murders, not only in Lusignan, but a few weeks after in Bartica. Unbelievably, the supposed reason for the Lusignan Massacre was given as Fineman’s retaliation for the police having his girlfriend in custody. It is incredible, that a man would massacre twenty three persons at Lusignan and Bartica because of his girlfriend being in police custody. What did those innocent people have to do with Fineman’s girlfriend being in custody? Why not the Police? Or was it an indirect attack on the PPP/C Government? The memories of those, whose lives were prematurely taken, would not fade into oblivion. A Memorial Arch was constructed in memory of those slain on January 26,2008, namely, Clarence Thomas, 48; Vanessa Thomas, 12; Ron Thomas, 11; Mohandas

Goordat, 32; Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Seegobin Harilall, 4; Dhanwajie Ramsingh, 52; Seecharran Rooplall, 56; Raywattie Ramsingh, 11; Shazam Mohammed, 22; and Shaleem Baksh, 52. “Fineman” and many of the other suspected gang members were later killed by members of the Guyana Police Force, whereas some were criminally convicted to serve prison terms and others are presently under trial for the murders. This massacre was part of a series of murders, which began with the murder of a Prison Officer, Troy Williams, during the Mash Day Prison break on February 23, 2003 Five families from Lusignan were affected by the massacre. The gunmen armed with shotguns and AK-47s entered the village around 2:00 am and invaded the homes of these families. Several of the murdered children were found dead while still in their beds. Survivors of the attack were Arjune Bhim, 11, Roberto Thomas and Howard Thomas. Both Roberto and Howard, who sustained life-threatening gunshot wounds, have since recovered. This country experienced nationwide mourning and residents held protests along the East Coast corridor, where they burned tires and damaged state infrastructure - something that the intellectual authors were pleased about, as a start of a revolt against the PPP/

Government. But their plans did not materialized because the people saw the killing for what it was and the then PPP/C Government provided all the necessary support. Residents reported that they had made several attempts to contact the Vigilance Police Station during the siege, but the police did not respond promptly, and arrived at the crime scene long after the gunmen had escaped. Angry residents staged protests to vent their disappointment with the inaction of the Police Force. Fineman, who claimed responsibility for the massacre, was initially wanted for the April 2006 assassination of then Agriculture Minister, Satyadeow Sawh. Fineman believed that his girlfriend was kidnapped by law enforcement officials in an effort to force him to turn himself in, although the Joint Services have repeatedly denied this claim. He telephoned the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) a few days after her disappearance, and warned them to turn over his girlfriend to him or face the consequences. His voice was positively identified by the police. Following the Lusignan Massacre, Fineman contacted the Kaieteur News by phone and claimed responsibility for the Lusignan killings. Two days after the Lusignan Massacre, the Joint Services

launched Operation Restore Order, headed by the Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene. The operation was launched with the intention of capturing and disabling criminal gangs, and restoring law and order to the country. During Operation Restore Order, the Joint Services cleared a section of the backlands of Buxton to prevent the criminals from escaping into the fields. They discovered the skeletal remains of one man who had been missing since 2007. The Joint Services also recovered several AK-47 rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition for various weapons, and military fatigues, among other items, during raids in Buxton The Lusignan massacre was condemned by many factions of the Guyanese community as well as by various international bodies. The PPP and other religious bodies unreservedly condemned the massacre and called for an end to the brutal crimes. The PPP issued a statement in which they strongly condemned “the brutal and cold blooded” murder of the eleven people at Lusignan, and said the attack on the Police Headquarters, which preceded the slayings was “a well coordinated and centrally directed terrorist attack”. The atrocities against the people of Guyana would continue in our next contribution.

GAWU insists on getting The “disgraceful” salary... info from govt

he Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union is insisting that government provide it with information they had requested during the meeting with

government to discuss the future of the sugar industry. Another meeting is coming up and the union said that the discussions will be “less than meaningful” if

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the requested information is not available. In a letter to the Office of the Presidency the union’s general Secretary, Seepaul Narine, wrote: On behalf of our Union, I wish to refer your letter dated January 31, 2017 which reached our offices late in the afternoon of February 01, 2017 with respect to the captioned subject. My Union, by letters dated January 04, 12 and 16, 2017 (see attached for ease of reference), sought from the Minister of State, Joseph Harmon thirty-one (31) items including documents and other reports to allow us to be able to present our considered positions to the Government.

At the time of writing, our requests are yet to be satisfied. The GAWU, as an important stakeholder, will attend the meeting but we wish to advise that we urgently require the requested information. The absence of the information, we consider, will see our engagements being less than meaningful. This we do not believe is the Government’s intention especially given President Granger’s commitment recently to “arrive at a consensus that all Guyanese can be satisfied with”. We look forward to receiving the requested information which we are certain will go a far away to facilitate a fruitful engagement.

(From page 2)

furnish the Prime Minister’s official residence. The vulgarity did not stop there. It was followed by an increase in travelling and per diem allowances for overseas travels by several thousand percent, along with the abolition of a requirement to produce any receipts for those expenditures. The new rule which was established that now allows for Ministers to travel with their spouses at taxpayers’ expense must be added to the “disgrace”. So often times the nation witnesses through photographs published in the social media, the Prime Minister and other Ministers partying and socializing at expensive restaurants and entertainment centers in North America. To this splurge, we must add the several houses which are

being rented for Ministers to the tune of several thousand of US dollars per month, per house and the fleet on bodyguards and personal assistants who accompany Ministers, even to the washrooms in Parliament. In the face of all of these vulgarities, the Coalition Government imposes VAT on baby food, medical supplies, educational materials, domestic travels; even on the dead. And while the government refuses to pay promised increases to the Public Servants, Teachers and Sugar worker, the President and Prime Minister have been authorized to import, tax-free, VAT-free and duty-free, ‘Luxury vehicles’. This Government should be the last grouping of persons in the world to speak about “disgraceful”.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

By Dr. Bheri Sygmond Ramsaran

Getting It Right

CHALLENGES IN 2017

More peaceful protests, more blunders, scandals and confusion in the coalition

s noted last week by “Getting It Right,” Guyana entered 2017 embroiled in protests and revelations of more scandals and executive lawlessness. Among the latest issues to disquiet Guyanese of all walks of life are two new ones which emerged in the past few days. Firstly, the attack by Attorney General, Basil Williams, on the Judiciary following the dismissal by Chancellor (ag.) of the Judiciary, Mr Carl Singh, of the appeal by the Administration against the decision of the High Court last year to free Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo of “race-baiting” charges. The attack by Basil Williams took the form of a public onslaught on Justice Carl Singh carried in the Guyana Chronicle of January 19th. The decision announced by Justice Carl Singh would have benefited from the input of the other learned Judges sitting on the Bench of the Court of Appeal. Not only did Basil Williams publicly attack Justice Carl Singh following his announcement of the decision of the three-Judge Court of Appeal, but simultaneously launched a similar attack on the Deputy Solicitor General, Prithima Kissoon, who was tasked with representing the AG Office in the court proceedings. Reportedly, Ms. Kissoon had to concede that Mr. Williams, who was filed as a party, in the case was not a fit and proper party to the proceedings. This proved sufficient basis for the Judges of the Court of Appeal to dismiss the AG’s case. This decision was transmitted by Justice Carl Singh. Secondly, the Granger Administration once again, in quick succession, got itself embroiled in another arbitrary step in regards to the Judicial and Legal apparatus when it purged the sitting Chairman of Police Complaints Authority (PCA), Justice Cecil Kennard, solely on the basis of his age. Informed observers opine that this is yet another blunder originating with Basil Williams. This is of special interest, since the current PNC/APNU+AFC Administration, on assuming Office in May 2015, immediately employed

dozens of aged persons to its Cabinet, senior executive positions and foreign service. These include the Chairman of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) , Mr. Hamilton Green and the Minister of Agriculture, among others. The media took up the matter. The public outcry surrounding the revelation that Justice Kennard had been sacked led to a public outcry, which forced President Granger to make consolatory noises. The obvious contradiction of the booting out of Justice Cecil Kennard, who has performed professionally and without criticism while employing aged cronies, including an REO (Regional Executive Officer) and the ensuing disquiet and public outcry forced the President’s hand. Interestingly, his intervention came only in response to a media query following the accreditation ceremony of Switzerland’s new Ambassador to Guyana. It was not voluntary and forthcoming. Amid the criticisms over the administration’s handling of the virtual purging of Justice Cecil Kennard as chairman of the PCA, President Granger on Wednesday last, was forced into insisting that there was no “purging” of individuals. He used diversionary tactics by attempting to submerge this raging controversy into Government’s border undertaken of a general review of the state boards, agencies and commissions, with the aim of establishing an age of retirement for persons who sit on them. This intended approach was not made public before and commentators opine that this is a quickly thought-up explanation. The President was at the time responding to questions posed by media operatives in relation to Justice Kennard, after the accreditation ceremony of Switzerland’s new Ambassador to Guyana at State house. Justice Kennard, only a few days before had been asked to step down as Chairman of the PCA. The reason given was “due to his age”. The President offered an apology for the short notice, but maintained that it was a

decision that was urgently needed. These arbitrary decisions continue to disturb Guyanese. Protests are gaining in number and momentum against such arbitrary rule. And as I noted in the last two installments “protests” seem to be a defining experience of our emerging social and political landscape. The “protests” against these assaults on the Judiciary and related Services so far has been in the form of extensive social media activities and journalistic interventions. The protest over the City Parking Meter Project, on the other hand, has heated up considerably. The peaceful protest is evident and has been quiet - with Business persons and city residents, vendors and other vehicle owners opting not to park in the “paid zones”. This has led to empty commercial streets on business days. This has led to discomfort to the business class and their employees and customers. So, another “protest movement” has appeared and is gaining momentum. This time the organization and mobilization tool is social media. The “Movement Against Parking Meters” is firmly on the City landscape. Its campaign has mainly been conducted on social media. However, this emerging movement has now upped the ante. Even as this edition was going to press for the weekend, a large of peaceful protesters had gathered outside City Hall to register their opposition against the imposition of city parking meters. They had walked in small groups from “no pay” areas of the commercial area to the City Hall. They were well received by the general citizenry. This seems to be at present a small citizens’ “movement”. But it supports and reinforces my contention that this year has started off with protests and that these peaceful protests will grow and grow and grow. This peaceful protest by the Movement Against Parking Meters supports my observation in the last three installments that the protests are on very varied grouses and concerns and by very divergent and different subgroups of the population.

Teixeira calls on government to reinstate zero-rated items

he Peoples Progressive Party/Civic has condemned the APNU/AFC government for imposing further taxation on the Guyanese people by adding Value Added Tax to consumer goods that previously did not attract that tax. Parliamentarian Gail Teixeira, said the “zero rated items, moved to exempt have put more burdens on people,” Teixeira stressed, adding that Government must measure its decisions against the reality of Guyanese and whether their lives are improved, whether the state of the country is improving and whether development is being advanced. Under changes to the VAT Act, several items on the zero rated list have been removed, causing them to attract tax. These include health supplies and services, as well as educational and internet services. This was done via an Order signed by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, on December 19, 2017. She added, “We appeal to the Government, in the best interest of our people… reinstate all the items that were zero rated.” Teixeira added that the Guyanese people have been saddled with almost 200 tax measures in the 2016 Budget and another 57 in Budget 20107 – all at a time when the country and the Guyanese people are hurting. “If you are telling the people that they must choose to consume, what are you saying? Don’t eat rice? Don’t eat roti? We are dealing with essential items,” she said. Her comment was in response to the statement made by Minister Jordan, who said that taxation will apply only if persons chose to consume items, at which time they will have to pay the tax. Responding to Jordan’s comment about VAT being about fiscal policy and not social policy, Teixeira said, “Social policy has to do with how the government governs… are you governing for all the people or are you governing for something else.” She called the move reckless and senseless. “These measures will do nothing to develop or incentivize the economy…nothing to improve people’s quality of life…this will get people, not a good life, but reverse what was good…they say don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater…this undoes what was good,” the Opposition Chief Whip. When the vote was called on the motion, it was defeated by a government majority. Among the items moved from the zero rated lists are: ● Printed books, including

children’s picture books, drawing books, story books, colouring books, dictionaries, atlases and exercise books; ● School supplies that include file paper, crayons, compasses, erasers, chalk, scientific calculators, rulers, pencils, lunch packs, lunch bags and geometry sets; ● Funeral services and human remains; ● Fertilizers, fish hooks, ice for fishing purposes, machinery used for preparing animal feeding stuff; ● Medical, dental, hospital, optical or paramedical services; ● Computer accessories, notebooks, laptops and printers for personal use, among others; ● Bicycles; and ● Services of transporting passengers or good by air from one place to another in Guyana, among others. “Why would you do this to our people?” Teixeira asked, stressing that the changes will impact on consumers, producers and other stakeholders. THE MOTION IS AS FOLLOWS:

Restoration of Zero-Rated Items in the Value-Added Tax (Amendment of Schedules) Order No. 18 of 2016 WHEREAS the Value Added Tax (Amendment of Schedules) Order 2016, Order No. 18 of 2016, made under the Value Added Tax Act, Cap:82:05, and published in the Official Gazette on December 19, 2016, seeks to amend Schedules I and II to the Act and moves items, which were previously zero-rated under Sections 17 and 18 to exempted status; AND WHEREAS the Value Added Tax (Amendment of Schedules) Order 2016, Order 18 of 2016, was laid in the National Assembly on December 20, 2016; AND WHEREAS the imposition of these amendments are likely to have an unfavourable effect on the people of Guyana and the economy; BE IT RESOLVED:

That this National Assembly calls on the Government to repeal the Value-Added Tax (Amendment of Schedules) Order 2016, Order No. 18 of 2016 made under the Value Added Tax Act which comes into effect on February 1, 2017; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That this National Assembly calls on the Minister responsible to reinstate and bring back into force the Schedules I and II existing prior to Order No. 18 of 2016, Value Added Tax (Amendment of Schedules) Order 2016.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Local Government and You!

he recent GINA Press statement by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, regarding the non-attendance of Opposition-led Local Government Areas to a meeting of the recently formed National Regional Development Consultative Committee (NRDCC), is not only amusing and farcical, but also insufficient to camouflage his ineptitude. In fact, the advancement of this forum in the absence of the establishment of the Local Government Commission, must be seen for what it actually is, and in the context of its real clandestine intent. Purposefully, the Coalition Government through this Minister and his usually shallow statements, seeks to shroud undelivered promises, while attempting to usurp the functions of the Commission. The ‘Gap’ he refers to, ‘between the tiers of governance’ is one being created and widened by the government by the non-establishment of the Commission. The situation is akin to putting the cart before the horse, by virtue of his decisions. According to the Local Government Act 13/2012, The Commission’s functions, outlined at clause 13. (1) of the Act, are as follows; “The Commission shall have power to deal with all matters relating to the regulation and staffing of local government organs including employment and dismissal of staff and with dispute resolution within and between local government organs, and in particular shall – a) monitor and review the performance and implementation of policies of all local government organs, including policies of taxation and protection of the environment; b) monitor, evaluate and make recommendations on policies, procedures and practices of all local government organs in order to promote effective local governance; c) investigate any matter under its purview and propose remedial action to the Minister, whenever or wherever necessary; d) monitor and review all existing and proposed legislation, and or policies and measures relating to local government or-

gans and to make recommendations for any legislation or any amendments to any legislation and or policy to the Minister; e) examine and propose ways of enhancing the capacity of local government organs.” In addition, the Commission will oversee not only municipalities and NDCs but also Regional Democratic Councils as well as Amerindian Villages. The Act states, at Clause 13. (5): “In the discharge of its functions the Commission shall have regard to the provisions of the Municipal and District Councils Act (Cap. 28:01), the Local Government Act (Cap. 28:02), the Local Democratic Organs Act (Cap. 28:09), the Amerindian Act (Cap. 29:01), and any other provisions bearing on matters of local government.” Based on the foregoing, the Commission, once established, will take over most of the current oversight role exercised by the Ministry of Communities. The Ministry, therefore, will no longer have the ability to degrade the capacity of local government organs which will now be able to exercise executive authority in keeping with the autonomy guaranteed by the constitution. It follows therefore, and very clearly, that the representatives of the Commission who are appointed on the premise of selective balance and fairness, are the persons who should be facilitating the engagement with the representatives of the Local Government Areas, and also, the persons with whom Government should be speaking in the context highlighted by Minister Bulkan. Bulkan and central government must recognize that while consultations are always meaningful, his philosophy of meaningful pursuit in the Guyana context, lacks the demonstrated commitment to implement the constitutionally approved institutional mechanisms, that is foreseen to guide the means towards desired outcomes in an unbiased way. Further, it is highly unlikely that the one-off annual meeting of this NRDCC forum, will sufficiently inform plans regarding the

Moment in History

harmonization of the diverse developmental plans of each region and NDC, with the national strategic vision. This is a role and within the mandate of the Local Government Commission, which would be required to continuously advise Government on, as well as provide recommendations according to the requirements set out in the Act. Currently, The Local Authority Areas continue to be subjected to the wrath of the Ministry of Communities, especially those that the People’s Progressive Party has won at the March 2017, Local Government Election. Despite the Local Government(Amendment)Act, 5 of 2015, which gave the Local Authority Areas some leverage to expend more monies without the approval of the Ministry of Communities and submit their Estimates of Income and Expenditure along with request for subvention funding, in accordance with the Council’s decision, without any interference from the Ministry, yet much is left to be desired as the Regional Executive Officers, who are pro APNU/AFC are working and giving directives to the Local Authority Areas, contrary to the enacted amended legislation. In the exercised system, the Regional Democratic Councils are legitimately responsible for the Regions; thus the broad-based responsibilities extend to the Local Authority Areas within those Regions. APNU/AFC controlled Regional Democratic Councils, are biasedly discriminating against NDCs that are controlled by the People’s Progressive Party’s Chairmen or Mayors. These Councils are experiencing the brunt of the APNU/AFC Government negative decisions regarding delays in approval to execute projects within its ambit, and the approving or consenting to provide funds for projects development. In many cases, the REO in the Regions are not budgeting funds for infrastructural development works in the Local Authority Areas and even if funds are limitedly approved, then those funds are allocated the Councils that are led by APNU/ AFC Chairmen and Mayors. It is also of note that the negative strategic policy of the agents of the Government not limited to these regional manipulations. Some Local Authority Areas are not collecting enough taxes to cater for overhead expenses and employment costs, much less to provide services to the residents and community at large. At the same time, the residents in many communities are continuously burdened to pay for their own garbage removal and other necessary services that should be provided by the Local Authority Areas. This column is calling on the Ministry of Communities to provide the necessary funding and support for these cash strapped Local Authority Areas or provide additional subvention funding to support the Council’s re-current expenditures or include in their own budgetary estimates, allocations for maintenance and services projects. With the Local Government Commission in place all staffing and employment issues and concerns of indiscipline would have been addressed. But like everything else the APNU/AFC Coalition Government is showing no care for the poor services meted out to the residents ESTABLISH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION NOW! This column is prepared by Neil Kumar, Mr. S & Mr. A

East Indian indentured servants cutting a path through a forest in British Guiana. The year is circa 1900.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Party News

Annual District Conference and Congress Resolutions By Eddi Rodney

s traditional Annual District Conferences of the People’s Progressive Party are scheduled to be held in all the sub-Regions except Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice (Region 10). However, PPP basic units active in the mining or predominantly mining communities will convene as these have in the past since 2009 by means of a Special Linden/ Wismar PPP Conference. In West Berbice local issue based mobilization has sustained activist political programmes. There will be District annuals on February 5 2017 for three (3) West Berbice sections encompassing 5B and 5A The No 1 District will convene at Shieldstown, No 2 at Bath Settlement whilst No 3 will assemble at Fairfield, Mahaicony. According to the Party Political Supervisor, it is expected that based on registered members/delegates 280 participants will be involved in these meetings. The Report of the First Secretary for each District will be presented; to be followed by elections to the Committee responsible for administering political and community based programmes. It is expected that the Resolutions approved at Cotton Field, particularly those that focus on intensified political initiatives

amongst the rank and file will be a major preoccupation. Article 12 Clause 3 of the PPP Constitution is clear in definition. ‘District Committee’s officers shall be the First Secretary, the Recording Secretary, the Organizing Secretary, the Education Secretary and any other such officers as the District Committee may decide’. Ideological Work

The experience over the decades has proven that the essential criteria for a quality issue based District is sustained by Membership Induction, where all the newly recruited are introduced to basics of the Party Structure as well as the History of the PPP. Over the past three years regular Accabre course syllabus have been elaborated and several Districts have access to software ‘best practices’ installed during the PPP/C administrations as a strategy for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals- in the first instance 2015. However, with the exception of West Demerara and West Berbice Districts direct access to software networks has not developed to the degree that would have been the case had the One Laptop Per Family project proceeded to its conclusion. The curtailment of the Hinterland Solar

BANKS DIH/ BGOC AGM By Eddi Rodney

uyana’s leading corporate entity Banks DIH/ Banks Group of Companies remains confident of its strategy, of its objectives, aimed at excellence and sustainable growth. This was the general perception conveyed by the multiple reports, several with a focus on income generation, capital reinvestments as well as both fixed and liquidity asset consolidation, that emerged from the recent Annual General Meeting held at Thirst Park, Georgetown. The Kondratifficyle and Globalisation type forces

Compared with 2015, the corporation recorded a $1.788Billion after tax profit. In 2015 the same AFT profits were in excess of $2.5 Billion, whilst in the previous year the capital surplus recorded was after tax $2.265Billion. There has not been any declaration of profit declines or losses over the entire period since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic was elected as the government in October 1992. In real terms therefore, the beverage giant has experienced a Kondratifficycle (or long cycle of profitisation). The implications of which

reflects on the corporation’s quality international standardization, service and commodity best practice profile and also, what was descried by Mr. Reis as a “flexible marketing” policy. From a detached and optimistic perspective BDIH/ BGOC has evolved as a major market expeditor; where the emphasis is on (as of 2016) “on building relationships”. The achievements of this Guyanese brand entity spans decades. Over these years the beverage, malt and wine industries or sectors have diversified, so much so that internally (to Guyana) there exists a likelihood that expansion could gravitate deeper into the consumer food chain catering for value added and supermarket friendly ‘nutrient packages’. Additionally as the Trinidad based Massey has demonstrated there does exist a demand for a more expansive range of fruit and vegetable ice cream as well as yoghurt mix in the predominantly modernised outlets and distribution chains. Chairman Reis commented on the potential of the Guyanese Diaspora for consuming Banks beers. If this is a short to medium term product target community, then the offshore

innovations in services for the US market could prove challenging and even pose risks in the current Trump administration dispensation. But monopoly partnerships carry historic values. A refrain and caution – the need for change

It may have been during 2014 that shareholders at that year’s BDIH/BGoC AGM were provided with the example set by American magnate Mr. Bill Gates. Gates dreamed to achieve. He set his goals and worked to succeed. Gates for BDIH and associates it was so noted then, could only be a role model to emulate. But even at that time two years ago the change process driven and accelerated at times by globalisation, was viewed as of great significance. “We either change or adapt or the company will die.” (Reis, AGM 2014, as well as 2015). The journey of Discovery and the progress since 1995 was highlighted specific to “consumer confidence, whose stability was eroded in the run up to the last election cycle (general/regional) and the post-election events which resulted in contraction of consumer spending.” On January 28, 2017, two years on the AGM learnt that

programme also relates in a practical way to the PPP’s overall objective to reinforce political/ ideological education by innovation and the expansion of more academically proficient clusters of communities and interior neighbourhoods (See Report CC, 31st PPP Congress, section ‘the Party’, that identifies the number of Tasks to be carried out as set out in the 30th, Tain PPP Congress). Two Party Stalwarts and Front Line Activists Pass On

Over the weekend of January 28-29 it was confirmed that Ramdatt, former Records supervisor at Freedom House, and Gerald Beaton, former Party Group Leader, Special Security officer assigned to Dr Cheddi Jagan, as well as a former Central Committee member, have both died. The information reached a shocked Party rank and file. It was not known that either of these prominent comrades were ailing or in serious health situations. The transition from periphery to Freedom House Georgetown

Gerald Beaton hailed from the Essequibo Coast and apparently his family (for the most part) was PPP supporters from the Aurora area. Beaton himself would have been involved in Progressive Youth Organisation activities including ‘labour intensive’ propaganda work and the distribution/ sale of the Mirror newspaper. During the decades of the 1970s and 1980s he was trained in local political mobilization and collaborated at this level with colleagues such as Shewkat Ally, ‘Mike’ Thakur Persaud. Ali Baksh as well as Parmnand Persaud and Farukh Khan. He was selected by the Party leadership for his outstanding discipline and class awareness in terms of socialist conviction and proceeded to Moscow for Political Education studies. there had been “during 2016 a reduction in the export earnings for Sugar, Bauxite, Rice and Timber products (that) has negatively affected the domestic environment.” Yet for all these challenges production, exchange and marketing operations have yielded capital gains (as above). Legal action filed against GRA

The company has through its legal representatives filed a $29Billion lawsuit against the

Upon his return to Guyana he served on what would have been tough assignments in the Pomeroon and other North West locations. Beaton continued to sell Mirror editions at Charity market and Supenaam (then the Adventure stelling) on Mondays and Saturdays on a regular basis. Whenever Dr Jagan visited Essequibo Beaton was detailed as his personal security. There is much more that this outstanding comrade’s political value that should be recognized. The lack of space is the constraint-one that hopefully can be transcended soon. Ramdatt also emerged into PPP mainstream as a youth cadre. He was domiciled in the Industry ECD community and would have become a PYO activist during the years of the Struggle for Free and Fair Elections Influenced by Sheer Ally, Richard Bactawar. Haidar Ally and Navin Chandarpal, Ramdatt eventually transitioned through Accabre and was recruited apparently directly upon recommendation of the East Coast Region and eventually became the Party’s Recording Supervisor, responsible mainly for Membership records. His intimate knowledge of that system served to make life easier for scores of new PPP members who came to appreciate his advice Comrades Beaton and Ramdatt were part of the more advanced among this country’s working class. They have their counterparts all over the world where the proletariat has become a social force for change. On February 1 Ramdatt was cremated at the Ruimzeight crematorium whilst Gerald Beaton’s final rites was on February 3rd. Long Live Beaton and Ramdatt. Erratum

Due to a typographical error/fault the Party News item of issue 21-22 January was printed with one incorrect count of (Congress) Delegates. These SRC 1403 instead of 1203.

Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the APNU-AFC government, claiming that the company is entitled to be repaid the said amount of capital, which represents repayment of $9,094,107,699plus interest of 19 percent compounded over the same period of 2001 to 2006, citing a settlement last year between the GRA and Demerara Distilleries Ltd. (DDL). Thirst Park is also seeking or advancing other legal C taxes declarations for the said 2001 – 2006 period.

Banks DIH has awarded forty five (45) employees with citations of Service with the company. Twenty (20) of these are for the 25 year category whilst 25 are of the twenty year grouping. The other important issue addressed recently concerned the shares repurchase held by Banks Holdings Limited (BHL Barbados) in the issued of BDIH, the principal factors of share assets, Allocations, partnership and equity were spelt out in a AGM document.

EDITORIAL Cleaning the Public Service

he APNU/AFC Coalition is coming across loud and clear that the public service, the Army and the Police Force, are to be populated by Afro-Guyanese. This has been the historic position of the People’s National Congress while in office and now it is the position of APNU, which is basically the People’s National Congress/ Reform. The purging of hundreds of Indo-Guyanese from the Public Service by the Coalition government since taking office has reinforced that perception. Although the imbalance prevailed while the British were here, since Independence, there have been calls for a semblance of balance in the public service to reflect in some notional way the general ethnic make- up of the Guyanese society. The two decades of the PPP/C administration saw a number of indo-Guyanese being attracted to public service and state sector but not in numbers that had any significant effect of the ethnic make-up of the public service. Even so, it was deemed necessary by the Coalition to remove any semblance of balance or any notion of fairness in employment opportunities in the public service. The bulk of the Amerindians and Indo-Guyanese who went into the public service has been moved out in one sweep. A few remained and their removal presented the government with some obvious complexities and so they are still on the job. Some of them are high profile personalities in high profile jobs. All the Indo-Guyanese who held top positions in state entities such as Guysuco, GWI, and GPL have been removed. In practically in all instances the Indo-Guyanese who were removed from the Public Service were replaced by Afro-Guyanese. There are indications that the percentage of Indo-Guyanese in the Police Force, has been reduced within the last eighteen months. In recent weeks the government has made moves to remove the remaining few and these have attracted widespread attention. The most recent one involves former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard, a distinguished jurist who had contributed to Guyana for some five decades. The government has now, in indecent haste, forcing him out of his present position as Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority. He was given just a few hours to vacate the job. The President, David Granger, told the public that Kennard is too old for the job. Also, during the past week, efforts have been intensified by the government to remove the Deputy Solicitor General, Ms. Prithima Kissoon. The government has barefacedly suggested that this public servant has been deliberately helping the political opposition to win court cases. On the contrary, the ineptitude of the present Attorney General seems to the cause of the government’s dilemma in the courts. It is obvious that the stage is being set for Kissoon to be forced off the job. The government has been even more barefaced in its attitude toward the current Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh. Government representatives and the state-owned newspaper launched out on a vicious attack on him and his integrity as a jurist. A few weeks ago there were vague hints at getting rid of former Attorney General, Charles Ramson, who now occupies the position of Commissioner of Information. Another Indo-Guyanese, prominent jurist, Justice Prem Persaud, who heads the Public Utilities Commission, has been asked to leave. These attempts to clean the public service, when taken in the context of the coalition’s vindictiveness shown towards the sugar and rice industries, populated mainly by Indo-Guyanese, point to deliberate policy of racial discrimination. The government feels comfortable in proceeding with such policies because it feels that its main support base of Afro-Guyanese will not offer any protest. Government policies and practices that are based on discrimination in a multi-ethnic society will have negative implications. The government’s practices are hurting practically everyone, especially the working classes and farmers. These sections of the population are multi-ethnic in nature and all would be affected. It is time for all those affected to say “This is enough!”

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Political, racial and discriminatory acts being practiced in the Judiciary Dear Editor, he removal of Justice Cecil Kennard as Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority on the grounds of his age is a clear case of racial discrimination. Mr. Kennard has been in the position for a while with no complaints against his conduct. To now tell him that he is too old at a time when the regime is recruiting people as old as, or older than Justice Kennard, is a very, very lame excuse. We know for instance that Mr. Hamilton Greene, who is well into his eighties, has been recently appointed as Head of the Central Housing and

Planning Authority (CH&PA). Note that Mr. Kennard was on the job for years, but Greene was relatively recently appointed. Look also at other appointments that the regime has been making and you will see that age is really not a consideration. Professor, Clive Thomas, for instance, has been given a top position to mainly harass opponents of the regime as well as business persons who may be resisting the regime’s shakedown position. It is also instructive to see the “new” recruits at Guysuco. Earl John is in his early nineties, Joe Alfred is in his midto late- eighties, George Haynes is in his eighties.

There are many others on the various Boards. Even in the Cabinet most are in their seventies. The use of age seems only to apply to Indo-Guyanese and those non-Indians who are suspected to be PPP/C sympathizers. Many others from all race groups who display fairness and impartiality are also being hounded out of employment by a regime that is bent on total control over the lives of all our people. The use of age to purge the public service is just another rouse at ethnic and political cleansing. Donald Ramotar Fomer President

Dear Editor,

to be part of that group of persons who, to many members, are there illegally; it is grossly unfair to other members who are electable, and have the ability and ambition to serve the party in the region at that level. However, it must be made abundantly clear that I am not and will not let go of my membership of the party in which I have pride. Free and fair elections are one of the main pillars on which democracy is constructed, and failing to hold them must be criticized by all, be it election for the management of a church body, a sports organization or a business organization. It must be done in a timely manner. By way of an election, I was given the opportunity to serve the party at its

highest level, on the National Executive Committee (NFC). I was the Chairman of the RMC, a member of the Regional Elections Committee (2011) and a member of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) 2006-2013, until I resigned to take up an appointment with BK International, Quarry Division, a fast growing company at Tiperu-Itabu in the Mazaruni River. My decision to resign from the committee may not go down well with a few people in the region, but it has been done purely with good interests.

Prime Minister’s words, “unconscionable and disgraceful”. The question then needs to be asked, what adjectives will best describe the huge salary increases that the APNU/AFC government gave themselves one (1) month after being in office: indecent, reckless, hypocritical and even deceptive; especially when this was disclosed by the media, denied by the government spokespersons and subsequently discovered to be secretly done and gazetted. This matter was debated in the Parliament with the opposition calling for an annulment of the order granting the increases to the President, Prime Minister, Vice Presidents, Ministers and Junior Ministers, some 28 in number. This unpalatable situation continues to fester and haunt the David Granger led administration with even their members and supporters crying out against this betrayal of trust. Obviously this unpopular decision has resulted in the APNU/AFC Government resorting to

propaganda and in an act of desperation stage-managed the question by the Hon. Jermaine Ferrigura and the answer by the Hon. Winston Jordan, Minister of Finance was opportunistically used by the Prime Minister with speedy orchestrated response. At this stage, I will not digress into a realm outside of what was said in this carefully choreographed question and answer segment of the National Assembly, but will use the Minister’s answer to debunk what is being misconstrued to deceive a population at its boiling point of anger against this unpopular administration because of the several inhumane, anti-poor decisions by the Coalition government. In 1999 and 2000 the Armstrong tribunal recommendations were adopted and public servants received increases of 31.06% and 26.66% respectively. Minister Jordan’s answer in Parliament disclosed that the Jagdeo government did not bureaucratically grab the oppor-

Conscience cannot allow continued service to AFC I

t is indeed regrettable that I have had to inform the AFC Region 2 Regional Management Committee (RMC) that as of now, I have resigned from the body, for more than one reason. The most important is the failure to hold the RMC election, due since July of 2016, citing no reason or reasons, and while calling names may not be prudent at this time, failing to hold elections will only serve the personal interest and egos of a few. It is totally wrong and runs counter to the interest, purpose and spirit of the party’s constitution which deals extensively with the holding of elections. My conscience would not allow me

Archie W. Cordis Former AFC Councillor

APNU/AFC will be haunted by this act Dear Editor,

“H

e that bringeth his case first seemeth just until it is carefully examined”, proverbs 18:17. The above proverb is applicable to the press release purportedly coming from the office of the Prime Minister (PM) which was published in three of the daily newspapers on Tuesday 31st 2017, concerning relative increases in salaries of the Presidents, Ministers and Public servants over the years 1998 to 2014. Please allow me to make some simple observations: Firstly, if it is true that the salary increases given by the PPP/C were according to the Prime Minister “unconscionable and disgraceful” then the Prime Minister who has now positioned himself as an arbiter of fairness and holds himself out as the epitome of decency, should have refused the increase on an already high salary in 2015, granted by the Granger government to the newly elected Ministers on the

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WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Busy Minds May Be Better at Fighting Dementia (HealthDay News) -- Mentally stimulating activities can protect your brain against aging, even if you’re genetically predisposed toward dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, a new study reports. Activities that keep the brain busy -- using a computer, crafting, playing games and participating in social activities -- appear to lower the risk of age-related mental decline in people 70 and older, the Mayo Clinic study found. “These kind of commonly engaged in, stimulating activities actually reduce the risk of people developing mild cognitive impairment,” said co-author Dr. Ronald Petersen. He’s director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Rochester, Minn. The researchers found the benefits of mental stimulation even helped people who have apolipoprotein E (APOE) E4, a genetic

The researchers found that people who performed these activities at least one to two times per week had less decline in memory and thinking skills than people who did these activities only two to three times per month or less, noted senior author Dr. Yonas Geda, in a Mayo news release. Geda is a psychiatrist and behavioral neurologist at Mayo Clinic’s Arizona campus. Reading books and newspapers regularly didn’t seem to confer the same benefits for thinking and memory, the study suggested. People with the APOE E4 genetic risk factor received some protection from mental decline if they engaged in computer use or social activities, the researchers added. A good brain workout appears to require different levels of intellectual stimulation, such as thinking out problems in your mind and then manipulating objects to create the

more evidence to convince patients that brain workouts are important for healthy aging. “This way we can actually tell our patients with mild cognitive impairment that there is evidence now that if you stay mentally active, you will actually do much better than if you don’t,” Wright said. These exercises also need to involve “not just looking at something, but the interaction with your vision and your hands and movement,” he added. Doctor’s Note: The advice given by the Mirror Doctor is issued free of charge to all readers and contributors to the column. All letters are answered with the exception of those with illegible handwriting.

On a final note, Petersen warned that people shouldn’t turn these activities into daily drudge work. “You don’t want to do 10 crossword puzzles a day like going to the gym and walking around the track for an hour,” he said. “As you age, try not to withdraw, try not to slow down intellectually. Stay engaged out there. Do things you enjoy, and it will be fun. If you enjoy doing something, do it, and do it avidly because it might in fact be beneficial to you.”

Mirror

Dear Doctor, I’ve heard the phrase “boiling the vitamins out of the vegetables” many times. Does cooking vegetables really destroy the vitamins and nutrients? Is there a limit to how long you should cook your vegetables to retain the necessary vitamins? Basdeo Dear Basdeo, There is some truth to what you have heard. While boiling can have an impact on some nutrients, it does not affect all of them, and it is not the only thing that affects them. If you are looking to get the most out of your vegetables, there are things that you can do to preserve the nutrients that are available. When it comes to vitamins, the two most susceptible to damage are the water-soluble vitamins B and C. As their name implies, they are soluble in water, which means that Dear Doctor, I have severe pain and hemorrhoids. I even have trouble walking, what can I do to help the pain and get rid of my hemorrhoids? Sangeeta M Dear Sangeeta, Treatment of a hemorrhoid (a hemorrhoid is an enlarged vein in the anal canal) is not

Readers wishing to ask questions, which will be kept in full confidence, can write to: Mirror Doctor, PO Box 101088, Georgetown or 8 Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

they can be absorbed into the water when soaked or cooked in it. If you are going to be consuming the water, as with soup or sauces, you will be consuming the vitamins as well. When you are not going to consume the water, the best method of cooking vegetables would be microwaving or steaming. The next thing to do to preserve the nutrients in your vegetables is to cook them as quickly as possible. Studies have shown that a quick cooking time helps preserve the heat-sensitive nutrients, vitamins B and C being two of them. Microwave ovens use less heat than most other cooking methods, and studies have shown that nutrients are less susceptible to destruction when cooked in the microwave for this reason. The goal is to keep your vegetables from getting overcooked and soggy. Cook them quickly, with as little water as possible, and you will be getting the incredible nutrients that vegetables are so great at providing. urgent unless there is a blood clot in the hemorrhoid (thrombosis) causing inflammation. When clots and inflammation occur, the hemorrhoid becomes very painful. Sitting in a warm tub may be helpful, but the fastest and most successful therapy is evacuation of the clot. This is done by a physician with local anesthesia and a small incision over the hemorrhoid which permits the removal of the clot.

APNU/AFC will be...

risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s. For their study, Mayo researchers followed more than 1,900 mentally healthy men and women participating in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging for four years on average. Their average age when the study began was 77. During that period, more than 450 participants developed mild cognitive impairment -- a slight but noticeable decline in memory and thinking skills that may be the first step toward developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Although the study wasn’t designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship, those who regularly engaged in certain mind-stimulating activities had a lower risk of memory and thinking troubles. For example, researchers saw this risk go down by: ● 30 percent with computer use, ● 28 percent with crafting activities, ● 23 percent with social activities, ● 22 percent with playing games.

solution, Petersen said. “Think of operating a computer, especially for an older person,” he said. “It can be challenging. Things always go wrong, and you have to problem-solve to figure out why something didn’t work like it should have.” Crossword and sudoku puzzles probably are good brain exercises as well, Petersen said, although he said this research shouldn’t be read as a direct endorsement of online brain training programs such as Lumosity or BrainHQ. “I’m not saying that your brain game isn’t good for people, but I’m not endorsing it at all,” Petersen said of such online programs. “We can’t say your exercises are the same thing as what we found in this, but it’s not an unreasonable connection.” Dr. Paul Wright is chair of neurology for North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., and Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. He said the new study provides geriatric doctors with

tunity to increase their salary similar to that given to public servants. In essence neither the President nor the Ministers in the Jagdeo government were provided with similar increases enjoyed by public servants for that year. In the same answer Minister Jordan revealed that in no less than three occasions the President and or Ministers were not given any salary increases whatsoever. The Minister of Finance in his answer said that the President’s salary was indexed in 2006 to that of the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Attorney General. The Ministers salary was indexed to that of Permanent Secretaries, although the records would show that the salary of some Permanent Secretaries (OP& MOF) remains far in excess of the remuneration received by Cabinet Ministers. The clear case in point, is that the PPP/C took office in 1992 and it was not until 14 years later after we

would have developed Guyana, repaired infrastructure, achieved debt relief, stabilized the economy, fixed health and education services, improved disposable income of the ordinary man, expanded the middle class, made significant investments in the development of the rural and hinterland communities, implemented policies for the revitalisation of the private sector; making Guyana attractive for investment and the overall improvement in the standard of living of all Guyanese before correcting what can be considered an anomaly. By this time our budget recurrent expenditure reflected a commitment to pro-poor expenditure to almost 60%. It is important to note there was no public outcry, there was no public rebuke, and there was no secrecy in relation to the PPP/C salary increases. This was gazetted, publically known and not handled in an underhand and devious manner. The

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people saw a government prioritising taking care of the interests of the masses. In the interest of not occupying too much space in your publication, I just dealt with the justice of the situation and not the actual figures which can be dealt with more adequately in another instalment. I conclude by saying this, APNU/AFC Government in its misconstrued beliefs of its messianic stature or more aptly described as manifest destiny will continue to operate as if they are “anointed” to do whatever they want, whenever they want, to whomever they want and no one dares question them. To do so, is to incur the wrath of the divine. I will not, by my silence, be a sponsor peddling untruths, misinformation and distortions. Not intimidated! Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill Member of Parliament, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

THE JUDICIARY THREATENED – APNU+AFC wants a sycophant judiciary

By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

he Deputy Solicitor General has resigned citing harassment from the Attorney General. The outgoing Solicitor General has written a letter in the media informing us that the Attorney General refused her advice on the matter that caused him to publicly rebuke the Deputy Solicitor General. This is the latest assault on the judiciary. Assaults on the Judiciary have been persistent and increasingly threatening, as APNU+AFC seeks to transform the judiciary from an independent arm of government to a mindless and authoritarian sycophant. These are ominous times for Guyana - freedom and democracy are at stake. Far from an exercise of hyperbole, I am fearful that authoritarianism is rapidly descend-

ing over our beautiful Guyana, AGAIN. APNU+AFC has not yet completed two years in office, but they have moved rapidly away from democratic norms of governance to dictatorship. As part of the rapid decline of Guyana’s democracy and APNU+AFC’s iron-fisted clamp down on democratic norms, APNU+AFC has targeted the judiciary, actively transforming the judiciary from an independent arm of governance to being sycophantic and a “creature” of the executive. When APNU+AFC’s youth czar, the elderly Aubrey Norton, dared to cross Desmond Hoyte, who was the Leader of the Opposition at the time (about 1999), Hoyte dismissed him as Chairman of the PNC, pronouncing Norton was nothing but a “creature” ap-

pointed by the Leader. The present version of the PNC, APNU+AFC, appears still enamored of Hoyte’s guidance - all individuals and all statutory agencies and bodies are nothing but “CREATURES” of the executive. APNU+AFC expects a loyalty vow from the judiciary and that means always rule in favor of the government when the government is a party to any legal matter. In other instances, always rule as instructed, even in criminal matters. The law according to APNU+AFC is what Basil Williams, as Granger’s man, says. APNU+AFC has governed with an expectation that the judiciary must act and behave, not as the law dictates, but in accordance with the whims and fancies of APNU+AFC. When the DPP insists on independence

and filing charges based on the evidence and not instructions from the government, she was bypassed by appointments of special prosecutors who are linked to Joe Harmon and Bail Williams, family and friends. When former Chief Justice Chang ruled that the Presidential Term Limit in the constitution is illegal he had to face the wrath of APNU+AFC. Similarly when Carl Singh as the Chancellor and Chair of the Appeals Court (three judges) read the Appeals Court ruling in a matter which the Attorney General appealed he was castigated for not knowing his place in the new dispensation. These instances are only the more prominent ones, but similar threats to make judges and the judicial system more malleable are everyday occurrences in Guyana.

Ms. Kissoon comes from a family which strongly supports the PNC. I am not aware of Ms. Kissoon’s political leanings, but she clearly is a professional who refuses to cower to brutal political recrimination. I doubt that the former Chief Justice is afraid of the likes of Basil Williams or APNU+AFC. He was a professional that ruled against the government when Bharat Jagdeo was President, when Donald Ramotar was President and now when Granger is President. He ruled against the government when the Attorney General were strong men like Charles Ramson, Doodnauth Singh and Anil Nandalall. Carl Singh has similarly ruled against government when the PPP was in charge and now when APNU+AFC is in charge. APNU+AFC has not only used the Attorney General, but used its Goebel, Raphael Trotman and the Chronicle to tell Carl Singh

he better mind his manners. In the meantime, we are reliably informed they have already identified his successor, even though a successor can only be appointed with the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition. While there are others in the judiciary and in the statutory bodies that are part of the judicial system who will not be intimidated, APNU+AFC is determined to transform the judiciary to one that is a sycophant, one that will be loyal to the wishes of the government and not the law. In the coming months we will see an exodus as people are forced out and new ones enter. The new ones will have to pass a loyalty test. It is time for Guyanese to speak up. An independent judiciary is the bedrock of any democracy. When judges and judicial officers like the DPP and solicitor generals are asked to rock with the wind tyranny is in charge.

Justice Kennard unceremoniously VAT slapped on on forced out of office Granger, Ramjattan say he is old domestic airfares

ong-standing jurist, Justice Cecil Kennard, is being forced to leave the job as Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority. President David Granger said the former judge must leave office because he is too old and he wants to put a younger person in that position. The entire affair is being bungled and the President, while saying Kennard must go, said that he was sorry about the late notice. Kennard told Guyana Times that he was initially only given practically 36 hours’ notice via a letter sent to his office while he was on vacation to step down from his position. “On December 29, I was on a short vacation with my family in Antigua when I received a phone call from my secretary that she had received on that day a letter which was written on behalf of the President indicating that the President directed he send me this letter indicating that my services will end on December 31,” he explained. Justice Kennard said he was “shocked and upset” upon receiving that information as he had no prior indication that his service was going to be brought to an end. He also contended that the time-

frame in which Government gave him to retire was unfair, especially for a senior officer of his capacity. “On January 4, I received a telephone call indicating that I have been granted an extension and that a letter will follow. To this date, I have not received a letter, they said the letter would indicate the extension period. I then read in the press that my services will be brought to an end at the end of February,” he explained. Unfair Justice Kennard contended that the extension granted is rather unfair on a number of grounds, one being the bulk of work to be completed before he leaves. “I have a lot to do, I have to prepare my annual report, I have a lot of files to deal with and I was expecting that I would be given some reasonable time at least until the end of March to complete my work,” he explained. The former Chancellor pointed out that having been in the legal system for a number of years, he developed a policy of not leaving unfinished work for his successor. “To give me 36 hours to vacate is very shocking and even the two months extension is not fair to me because the annual report will take a lot of time to prepare… I am

very disturbed and upset that having served this country for 50 years to be given such a short notice,” he emphasised. Age discrimination Even more shocking, Justice Kennard pointed out, is that Government is yet to formally indicate to him its reasons for wanting him to retire. He highlighted that no reason has thus far been given expect from what he read in the media attributed to Minister Ramjattan. Ramjattan told the opening of the annual Police Conference that the PCA Head was asked to retire because of his age. “I think it’s age. He’s almost over 80 and the President indicated to me that he sent him a letter and he would be removing [him], at this stage, by the end of February,” Ramjattan said. But Justice Kennard believes that age is not a practical reason for asking someone to retire as age does not render someone incompetent or incapable of executing his/her duties. “Is age a criterion for getting rid of a person? There are a lot of politicians around my age and they are still serving therefore if there is an age policy, we should rid get of all the old people and let the

young people take over. I have no problem with that,” he stated. Dr David Hinds, a political commentator and Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) – one of the smaller parties in the coalition Government – had posited that an “unhealthy precedence” is being set in this matter. “In a country that is “woefully short of competent people to staff its expanding bureaucracy, we should not be in the business of firing people simply because they are getting old,” he reasoned. Challenge

But despite his grievances, Justice Kennard does not intend to challenge Government’s desire to have him vacate office. “I don’t intend to make myself a fool. I don’t want to appear that I am fighting to keep the job. That is not my policy and I wouldn’t resort to any means to remain in office,” he stated. Justice Kennard said all he is asking is that government grants him until March month-end so he can complete his work. The Public Security Minister had disclosed that the search for a new PCA Chairman would be the responsibility of the Ministry of the Presidency.

he government has slapped the 14 percent Value Added Tax on local airline tickets and as the transportaation cost for passengers increase, the businesses involved say they are going to be severely affected. “The big challenge to us is all of our customers who depend on hinterland transportation- for example our tourism clientele; our mining clientele- will be affected because the cost of interior travel will go up. We feel as well that this will have an effect on those sectors,” President of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), Annette Arjoon-Martins. She said that while interior residents are exempted from the tax, it is unclear how the airlines will know who resides in the hinterland. “Even though the hinterland residents are being exempted, finding a fool-proof mechanism to document who is a hinterland resident or not has its own challenges so we also need to look at that,” she said. The NATA said there should be a “very pragmatic phased approach” on exempting hinterland residents from paying VAT. An official of Roraima Airways told Demerara Waves Online News that domestic carriers would have to charge every passenger the VAT in the absence of criteria from GRA. “We haven’t received the criteria from GRA. We are going to have to charge the VAT on everyone because

if we don’t and they deem the person ineligible we will have to absorb the cost,” the official said. Against the background of a projected decline in passengers, she said the domestic carriers would be collecting figures about the impact to make a case for the removal of VAT from domestic airfares. “I am sort of comforted by the fact that we should be able to go back to the GRA within a couple of months to substantiate our claim to show obviously that there will obviously be some shrinkage and hopefully the door will be opened for further conversation,” said Arjoon-Martins. Administrator of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), Colin Sparman said while medium and large scale miners would not feel the impact immediately, their operational costs and cost of basic food items would increase. “If you go Imbaimadai, Ekereku and so on, these people charge for the products that they sell by weight,” he said. “They (miners) wouldn’t feel it immediately; is when they start to pay and the people start to transfer it to you. The large miners would use charter so the operational costs will go up and we are also talking about the average pork-knocker/small-miner who got a lil wash-down and he goes to the shop, cost will go up significantly for him,” he said.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Berbice Pensioners Association office robbed

he elderly citizens of the Berbice Pensioners Association (BPA) were left traumatised after bandits on Sunday night invaded the premises carting off a number of valuable items. Reports are the caretaker of the Association’s building was not on site on Sunday and thieves used the opportunity to raid the entity. This publication was told that the thieves made their way into the building via a window situated at the back of the building. BPA President Alfred Paul said that the caretaker left the premises around

21:00hrs and returned the following day. Upon her return, it was discovered that the window had been forced open. Further inspections revealed a number of items, including a gas stove, were missing. Paul is appalled that persons would commit such an act against the elderly. It is not the first time that the building which was constructed in 2011 was burglarised. Back then, louver panes were stolen which forced the Association to use vent blocks on the building. Last year, an attempt was made

to enter the building through the window, which was used in this break-in, but the caretaker who was on hand then thwarted all efforts. The association is a non-profit one and caters for pensioners, mainly those who are unemployed. It has provided computer training to both pensioners and others, as well as cookery and fabric design programmes for the community. Despite the inability of many of its members to earn, a part of the focus of the organisation is to impart knowledge to the community. Police are investigating the recent break-in.

Footballer shot and killed for gold chain in Albouystown

39-year-old footballer was on Thursday morning gunned down in front of his home in Albouystown after he sought to alert residents in the neighbourhood that he was being robbed. The dead man was identified as Paul Anthony Daniels from Albouystown, Georgetown. He reportedly lives with his fiancé of five years. According to a resident in the area, Stamond Anthony Ross, he heard the gunshot while he was in his bed at around 06:00hrs today. “I was in my bed lay down and I hear this gunshot and I fly outside. When I come outside I see my neighbour-my family friend, I see she fiancé lay down washed in blood,” the man recalled. According to reports, two men ambushed Daniels who was inside of his yard

and snatched his gold chain. However, Daniels reportedly ran out of the yard behind them and opted to alert residents but this resulted in the bandits turning around and firing several shots in his direction. One of the bullets hit the footballer who collapsed

while the perpetrators fled the scene on a bicycle. The fiancé of the dead man, who was identified only as “Chrissy” reportedly, rushed Daniels to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Albion cane harvester conned by bandits

Intervention needed to arrest spiraling gun crimes – Superbet G aming entity Superbet has called on the Government of Guyana and other stakeholders to address the spiraling rise in armed

robberies being perpetrated by bandits. According to the company’s General Manager, Ashwien Surjbalisingh, since

setting up shop in Guyana they were attacked a total of four times by bandits, two of which were attempted robberies while on the other two occasions, the bandits were successful. He noted that in all cases, the perpetrators were armed. I n a press conference hosted by the company, Surjbalisingh said that the increase in gun related crimes

cane harvester attached to the Albion Estate, Berbice is now left counting his losses after bandits on Monday conned him of his gold jewellery. According to information received, the man was at home when he received a call where the caller purported to be a representative of the GTT in New Amsterdam. He was instructed to report to the GTT office there in relation to his phone line, which the caller told him he

would lose if he failed to go to the office. The man left his home to go to the utility company and while on his way to the company, a call was then made reportedly by the same perpetrator to the 12-year-old son of the cane harvester. He was instructed to collect all of the gold jewellery in the house and take it to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Sources close to the Police confirmed that the boy gathered the jewellery belonging

to his mother and sister totalling in excess of $200,000 and took it to the hospital. When he arrived at the hospital, he was sent to the back where he was instructed to leave the jewellery on a table. Moments later, he was told to go back for the jewellery, but when he did it was not there. Information surrounding the entire incident is sketchy; however, the Police have launched an investigation.

will deter businesses from wanting to invest in the economy. Noting that the company staff were afraid and some even traumatized, the company’s General Manager said that they intend to increase the security detail at Superbet. He said, however, that there is a limit to what can be done on their part. In a recap to the media of what transpired during the robbery attack on Monday, in Pigeon Island, East Coast Demerara, Surjbalisingh said that the company’s collection employees were making their rounds to

the various Superbet locations on the day in question. He related that the money was handed over to the two collection representatives from the retail outlet, while in the presence of an armed security attached to the gaming company. The trio then made their way back to their motorcar where the driver was waiting. However, according to the company’s General Manager, a Toyota Premio pulled up alongside the Superbet employees, and six armed gunmen exited. The men reportedly had an AK47 in their possession,

and one man grabbed the bag of cash from the Superbet workers. The robbers then fled the scene. He noted that even though armed security was present, he was no match for six bandits armed with assault rifles. Surjbalisingh confirmed that the crime was captured on CCTV footage which he says is in Police custody. Meanwhile, the Management of Superbet dismissed all allegations that the most recent robbery might be an inside job. Police are yet to arrest anyone. Investigations are ongoing.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Laws, regulations, customs and practices that guide mining in Amerindian villages

By Norman Whittaker

uring my tenure of Office as Regional Chairman, Region One and Advisor attached to the Office of then Minister of Amerindian Affairs, the Hon. Pauline Sukhai, I would have dealt

with a number of mining issues; notably involving Micobie, Isseneru, Chenapau, Chinese Landing, Baramita, Kariako Villages etc. In the process, I would have engaged not only the Village Toshaos, the Village Councils, The Village General Meetings, the miners concerned, but also the Hon. Prime Minister and the Commissioner, GGMC at the time, and Legal Officers attached to the Ministry of Legal Affairs. I do recall having to frequently peruse Act No. 20 of 1989 i.e. Mining Act 1989 and Act No. 6 of 2006 i.e. Amerindian Act 2006 in my search for solutions to the issues raised by Miners and

Village Councils guided in the process by the Attorney General ‘s senior legal staff. Often, as in the case of Micobie, Kariako and Chinese Landing, there were lengthy negotiations involving the Amerindian residents and their elected representatives on the one side; the Miner and his/her Advisors on the other with myself as the intermediary. In some instances, the miners accepted the Prime Minister’s proposal that they identify claims elsewhere and relocate their operations. In this regard, the Miners were assisted by GGMC to identify the alternative claims. In other instances, the miners e.g. Narine vs

Isseneru, went to Court. It should be noted also that Minister Sukhai and I did encourage Amerindians, through their respective Councils, to organize themselves and to engage in small and medium scale mining as an additional source of employment and income for the Villagers. Village Toshaos and Villagers were also encouraged to see themselves as a source of supply of food for Miners. These initiatives supplemented other Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Projects funded by the PPP/C government and intended to improve the livelihood of our Hinterland people viz: the Hinterland Secured

Livelihood Programme, the Youth Empowerment Inclusionary and Reconciliation Programme etc. I often took Toshaos and other elected village representatives to meet with the relevant Officers of the GGMC to walk them through the regulatory and procedural requirements. We also assisted them to access hire purchase facilities. Among the villages that benefitted from the guidance received from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs at the time were Isseneru, Micobie and Baramita. Most of the miners were themselves villagers and may I add, many of those culpable of mining infringements as they relate to existing Laws and regulations were the Villagers engaged in mining. We worked with them to correct these anomalies/infringements. It was apparent that some Toshaos, Councillors and residents, moreso those involved in mining were either misled into believing or refused to accept and to appreciate that there were laws and regulations to guide the way we mined in Guyana whether such mining operations were on Village lands or not: this in spite of the effort, in some instances, of Community Mines Rangers from the Village to educate them differently. In this regard, the continuous and determined efforts of the mischievous, the recalcitrant and the inveterate among the members and supporters of the Amerindian Peoples Association must be emphasized. They had nothing to offer the villagers in terms of alternative livelihood but rather than work with the PPP/C Government through the duly authorized Commissions and agencies to regularize the mining operations of our Indigenous people; they worked to divide and to promulgate hatred of Amerindian miners for the mostly black mining population. It is my view that we should continue to (a) encourage and support our Amerindians to engage in small scale and medium scale mining where the village has the resources so that they benefit in terms of employment and earnings and (b) facilitate where possible benefit sharing between the village and mining investor which provides a fair return to the Village for the encumbrances (pollution of river water resulting from the

mining activities of Investors, skin rashes etc). Such a return must include employment opportunities for the Villagers, revenue earning where the Village is given a first opportunity to sell to the Miner/Investor farm produce, poultry, fruits etc. produced in the Village and Infrastructure and Social Services support viz: provision of roads, transport, school books, etc. Recall several miners who were encouraged to provide villages with water tanks, transportation for students, health service providers etc. Concomitantly, the Village Council and Villagers were encouraged to be mindful of the rights of the Miner, notably the right to a fair return on his Investment. Both parties have rights and responsibilities which must be respected by both sides. It may, in my humble layman’s opinion, be necessary to revisit the 1989 Mining Act and the 2006 Amerindian Act with a view to amending and/or strengthening the relevant Sections. For if Section 48(i) of the 2006 Amerindian Act deals only with persons who do not already have a licence to mine but are now seeking one; then there is perhaps need to have a Section that deals with persons who already have Mining Licences prior to the 2006 Amerindian Act. This is the one area that seems to have some contention. We could not ask an Investor who has invested time, money and effort over an extended period and often at great sacrifice to surrender his/her mining Investment without some form of compensation and adequate time to make the required adjustments Finally, I draw attention to Section 112 of the 1989 Mining Act which refers specifically to lands occupied by Amerindians. It does not distinguish between Titled and /or Untitled land. It says:”For the purposes of this Act, all land occupied or used by Amerindian communities and all land necessary for the quiet enjoyment by the Amerindians of any Amerindian settlement, shall be deemed to be lawfully occupied by them.” This suggests that some engagement and agreement between Amerindian settler and miner is a sine qua non before they can be any occupation or use of the land occupied or used by Amerindian communities.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

The Parking Meters Fiasco By Hydar Ally

he introduction of parking meters in the city of Georgetown has been severely criticized by several individuals and organizations. Despite the torrent of criticisms, the City Council went ahead with its implementation in its bid to generate revenues for the Council, which is experiencing a severe financial crisis, which many observers attribute to lack of visionary leadership and mismanagement of the Council’s affairs. Despite much talk about a Green City, the city continues to suffer from inadequate garbage collection, which is made even worse during periods of heavy rainfall. The garbage collecting firms contracted by the City Council to remove garbage have threatened multiple times to withdraw their services due to delays in payment. Municipal workers have been complaining about late payments on a regular basis. And mismanagement of the markets have resulted in a situation where market vendors now face an uncertain situation as the Council has failed to live up to their promises to provide suitable alternative vending spaces. The above scenario does not speak well of those who are tasked with the management of the affairs of the City of Georgetown. And with the introduction of the parking meters, business in the city, especially in the areas where the meters are installed, will most likely suffer as many shoppers would avoid places where meters are installed. The problem is not with the idea of revenue generation and increasing the revenue base of the Council. My own view is that the Council would require much more resources, both human and financial if there is to be any significant turnaround in the current dismal state of Georgetown. The Council needs, however, to come up with new and innovative ways of generating revenue of which the parking meter should

not be one of them. The reason for this is simple. The majority of motorists do not belong to the propertied class and many of those are ordinary people, many of whom have taken advantage of government’s duty free concessions, which along with loans from the commercial banks, are just able to keep the wheels

Union have come out strongly against parking meters being installed in front of schools! Those teachers who are fortunate enough to own cars, thanks to a duty free concession brokered between the Union and the previous PPP/C government for senior teachers. Such was the haste to raise money that not even the Ptolemy Reid Handicapped Cen-

rolling, especially given the high cost of fuel and maintenance. It is not surprising that they will utilize every means available to them to avoid paying parking meter charges. These charges attract VAT, which makes it all the more burdensome on motorists, many of whom are already struggling to find money to buy fuel and finance monthly mortgage payments. Small wonder the Guyana Teachers’

tre was spared and the decision only reversed after representation was made by the Centre to the President. The City Council needs to have a Business Plan, which should be managed by a competent and experienced Chief Executive Officer, who is answerable to the Council but should be allowed to manage within the framework of policy without interference by politicians.

A strategic plan should be developed by the Council with inputs from all the relevant stakeholders, which must include representatives from the business community, the relevant unions and other NGOs. Leaving the management of the City to the Mayor and City Councillors is a recipe for continued disaster given the fact that the key decision makers from the past are still in control. Georgetown is a beautiful city, arguably the best in the Caribbean in terms of layout and architecture. The rich blend of European colonial structures and modern buildings, which include a few high rise structures, gives the city a unique appearance that sadly is diminished somewhat by the dirty and unkempt manner in which the city is kept. One look at the City Hall building speaks volumes about the decades of neglect of this magnificent structure which is almost on the verge of structural disintegration and collapse. But with all its faults, Georgetown is still a beautiful place. It would be a great loss to our national patrimony if the degeneration of this beautiful city continues. The City Council and the Ministry of Communities along with other stakeholders have a duty and responsibility to find ways to ensure that there is a sustainable revenue stream to upgrade the city and restore it to its former glory as a Garden City. The introduction of marking meters will not help. It will make the cost of doing business in Georgetown more expensive, which could further depress an already sinking economy. Moreover, it would chase away visitors and customers who would now seek out of town shopping centers. The imposition of parking maters against the will of the citizens of Georgetown and the populace as a whole from all indication is an ill wind that blows no one any good. It is not too late to scrap the project in its entirety.

Unruly

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

The

Horse ABUSE OF AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST: Judges, Former Judges and Persons qualified to be Judges By: Mohabir Anil Nandlall Attorney-at-Law

ver the past few weeks, there have been a number of occurrences in the legal fraternity, which have excited public attention and concerns. Were we living in a normal society and in a functional democracy governed by the rule of law, these atrocities would have attracted the strong condemnation of civil -society organizations, such as those championing human rights causes, good governance, constitutionality and the rule of law. But these events have not even attracted a murmur from any of these organizations. Certain media houses even refused to carry them as news item, though in any civilized country, they would have enjoyed lead-story status. The recent unwarranted, baseless and scandalizing attack upon the Chancellor of the Judiciary by the Attorney General because of a ruling, which coincidentally was the unanimous decision of a Court, comprising of three judges, is not ordinary news. The fact that the Sstate-owned newspaper was used as the vehicle to convey the attack, attached to it an aura of governmental imprimatur which only compounded the scandal. It took no less than the Prime Minister of the country, in a desperate attempt at damage control, to distance the Government from its Attorney General’s reckless public outbursts. Law Officers of the State

In an effort to divert blame from himself, two senior Law Officers of the State, the Solicitor General and the Deputy Solicitor General, fell prey to the vicious wrath of the AG. They were accused of unprofessional, unethical and incompetent conduct. These

are damning charges against any professional which can do unquantifiable damage to their professional reputation and standing. The legal issue was a simple one. The Attorney General appealed in his own name when he was not a party in the case below. Constitution of parties to litigation is one of the first topics taught in any law school. A motion was filed to strike out the appeal filed on that very ground. Any average lawyer would know that such a motion, in those circumstances, would have been unassailable. Therefore, the Court could not have ruled in any other way but to strike out the appeal. Fortunately, both the Solicitor General and the Deputy Solicitor General responded in the Press. The public, therefore, got an opportunity to hear their side. It tells quite a tale. The Solicitor General pointed out that on two separate occasions and in the presence of others, she advised the AG that the appeal cannot be filed in his name as he was not a party in the case below. She contends that on both occasions, the AG rejected her advice and instructed her to file the appeal with the AG being the appellant. The Attorney General has not refuted these contentions. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that they are true and consequently, the AG was clearly at fault. The Deputy Solicitor General was even more detailed in her response. She wrote to the Attorney General and lodged a formal complaint with the Public Service Commission. Both letters were made public. In both correspondences, she outlined the numerous occasions that she, emailed, hand-delivered and even posted letters and memoranda to the AG reminding him of his several

professional responsibilities in various cases, including, the one that evoked the controversy and calli8ng upon him to discharge those responsibilities. She claims that these correspondences were carbon-copied to other persons and she has copies of them. Notwithstanding, she contends, the AG abysmally failed to discharge his duties in these cases. Consequently, the State lost these cases. PPP responds

The AG responded in his usually untutored fashion. Rather than attempt to answer the very serious charges of dereliction of duties leveled against him by a subordinate constitutional office holder, like the proverbial bull in a China shop, he issued another barrage of inane and infantile allegations against the DSG. This time, alleging that she compromises cases in which I am involved because of some perceived loyalty to me and political allegiance to the PPP. Speaking for myself, I have too much respect for my profession and for the professional integrity of my colleagues at the Bar, including, the DSG to dignify such nonsense with a response. However, the PPP has responded in a Press Statement. It pointed out that Ms. Kissoon is neither a member of the PPP nor has any known connections to the PPP. The Statement asks the following pertinent questions: “Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for paying BK. International US $5.7M on a mere letter threatening litigation? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for filing an appeal six months late against the judgement obtained by DIPCON against the State to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the billions of dollars in tax write offs for DDL causing Banks DIH to sue

the State for $28B in tax refunds? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for Guyana being forced to pay over US $6M to RUDISA because of the APNU-AFC's rejection to the amendments to the Customs Act? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the Attorney General lying to the Chief Justice that the Government has possession of Red House? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the failed illegal attempts to compulsorily acquire private properties on Charmichael Street? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the Attorney General lying to the nation that he has permission from the Council of Legal Education to establish a law school in Guyana? Is Ms. Kissoon to be blamed for the Attorney General's unwarranted attack on the Judiciary which even his own Prime Minister condemned? Or is Ms. Kissoon being singled out for her ethnicity, as so many others, were, who have been forced to leave the employ of that Ministry over the last 20 months?” President violates constitution

To another equally egregious matter, I now turn. During the course of this week, the public learnt that Former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Mr. Cecil Kenard, who is the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority and Former Justice of Appeal, Mr. Prem Persaud, the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission, have both been given marching orders by the President. Both of these men were originally instructed to vacate their respective offices within 48 hours. This period was subsequently extended to one month. These men have served the State in the legal system since the early 1960s, until their respective retirement. They continued to serve the public upon their retirement. Their total public

service surpasses fifty years each. They are both in their 80s but from all appearances, they suffer no infirmity of body nor mind. The reason given by the President for the sudden termination of their employment is their age. Protection from discrimination is guaranteed to every citizen as a fundamental right and freedom under the Constitution. “Age” is one of the expressed grounds upon which a person cannot be discriminated against, as per article 149 of the Constitution. Yet this is the precise ground upon which these two distinguished jurists were terminated. It is as if article 149 does not exist. So again, the President violates the Constitution. The President is not a lawyer. Is he getting no legal advice? Or, is he disregarding legal advice? A President can be removed from office if he violates the Constitution. Race & Politics

This matter is exacerbated by the fact that Mr. Hamilton Green, Dr. Clive Thomas, Mr. Earl John, just to name a few, continue to hold high offices within the governmental structure. These men are perhaps older and the latter two are physically immobile. Yet, they are not asked to vacate their offices. It is not without significance that all the victims to whom I have made reference in this article are Indo-Guyanese. They are all lawyers; two females, and two males. But the unfair, unethical and unlawful treatments meted out to them have not attracted the slightest of reaction from either the Guyana Bar Association or The Guyana Association of Women Lawyers. These two organizations that were so vibrant prior to May, 2015, have suddenly become defunct. Race and politics have contaminated everything in this country.

Corner

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Economic Dr. Peter R. Ramsaroop, MBA

Taxication versus Rebuilding Guyana 2020 – Where is Ramjattan on putting a curfew on the 200+ new taxes?? AFC non-existent? – Imagine APNU managing our economy after OIL money – disaster in the making! – With even more money than the PPP ever had, the APNU/AFC have failed us! – As a nation, we must rise up from now to ensure a one term APNU Government! Summary In 2007, I wrote a column on the topic of oil and Guyana. Ten years later, it has become a reality. I first introduced the concept that any oil reserves we find in Guyana are for the benefit of the citizens, not just for the company nor for any government to squander. We must all benefit from this discovery. I was fortunate to meet with the executives of Exxon in a briefing to the Opposition Leader and former President, Dr. Jagdeo, who was the President at the time when the deal was signed with Exxon. Guyana is on track to producing 100,000 barrels of oil daily sometime in 2020 or after, with just the few wells that have been found so far, compare to Trinidad at 70,000 barrels of oil from numerous wells. This will give us time to review the critical issues facing us as a nation, given the failure of APNU Government in managing our economy. I am very concerned that the Government has talked about advancing themselves future revenues based on 2020+ projections. This is in normal terms, mean “Borrowing Money” This is a receipe for disaster. Prior to 1992, we all knew that the PNC government borrowed so much money that it was 153% of Revenues to repay the debt after the PPP took office. There is no way, we can even allow this nation to go back to borrowing money at that level. It will defeat the entire purpose of an Oil Fund, if we are paying back debt prior to oil production post 2020. Is it APNU’s acknowledgement that they will lose power? So why not spend it and wildly and let the PPP once again bail the nation out of debts? We have to oppose any such reckless borrowing. Another issue of major concern is the hype that the industry will create new jobs and expend of monies to build a refinery at

“Rise up, study the economic forces which oppress us. It will be upon all of us to ensure that we put in place good economic governance to manage OUROil Resources.” Do not let us fall in the Trap of the 1980 PNC Government’s Failures Crab Island. They are in a dream world at this time. None of the data justifies such an investment. We have to make sure the APNU government does not take any of our taxes to deceive the nation that they are creating jobs. I am sure no private investor will partner on such dubious concept. This begs us to ask a simple question: which government is preferably and financially capable to manage our economy post-oil? To answer that, let us just use some basic numbers. During the PPP Administration, we saw constant growth of our nation with 4+% GDP for over a decade. We know that in 2015, the PPP left the new government with over US$750M in R\reserves at the Bank of Guyana, and numerous fully funded projects that are still being implemented today. Since then, zero new projects have been initiated and others that are now being talked about are were all part of the PPP Version 2.0, including paving the road to Lethem and the new Demerara Bridge. Despite the scurrulious corruption hype, mischieivously and divisevely suggesting that millions of dollars went missing during the PPP Adminstration, nothing has been proven in any of the audits. As this government has been in power for two years promising that they have the expertise and competencies to manage the economy, we need to ask: why then is our economy in such a mess? Think this one through very carefully. The

15 answer is simple, they have wasted our money on projects such as Durban Park, which brings no economic value to any of us, even its social or cultural value is debatable. The economy was booming under the PPP administration, with less taxes, less revenues than this government is making, as can be seen from not only the highest budget presented in the history of our nation in 2016, but also considered by many to be punitive and shortsighted, Why then are we insorrow so much? My answer is that it amounts to gross incompetency and neglegient governance. Back to my question., which government would you rather have managing new money? The obvious answer is the PPP, who have shown that they have the knowledge, experience and track record to manage the economy in an efficient and productive manner. We need to have that opportunity again to retake our nation’s economy and governance, to put us back on a growth trajectory, each of us across the political divide must ensure that this happens. It will be a scary movie post-2020 if we allow APNU to regain power and to continue to destroy what was painstakingly built prior to 2015. It will be incumbent on us to watch the avenues for potenttial rigging. I will do a column of all the areas of potential rigging shortly. Back to the oil money

I want to once again explore the oil formula I had proposed for the country so to keep us focused on the prize that is ahead of us and not allow ourselves to be hoodwinked by this government.

driving down the streets of the Capital City, and seeing the ghostly sites of no vehicles, no shoppers, brings about despair to many in the business community. This government has not been able to determine a sensible balance between expenditures and tax rates and the effect on our economy in getting it wrong. The fiscal policy of taxing the people to manage our economy, becomes as I indicated a scary movie post Oil 2020. How will they manage new monies? It will be incumbent upon us to ensure regime change prior to 2020, bring in an environment within which a competent government and our economy intererrelate. One of the key factors in the management of our economy is Growth. – it really matters in the long run. Our economy is on the decline, there is no growth and consequently without that we have fallen into depression. Once again, if one visits any business and ask the question, How are you doing ? The answer is slow, bad and worrysome. Long term growth has ceased. We are now in the TAXication Zone. I doubt whether the Minister of Home Affairs would put a curfew on that too. If the AFC had brought any value to the equation, we may have seen a better economic strategy. The 200 plus new taxes have taken our economy down. The fact is that we are no better off solving our energy problem with this government halting the hydro project, we will not be producing more goods from exisiting productions. Instead, we have to start cutting back. What has been most affected are

Question: Why don’t our Government Ministers see our plight? Answer: They critiize the PPP Salary increases over 10 years when our economy was growing at a significant rate, yet give themselves a huge salary increase on the same salaries they inherited. Are they so out of touch. It is evident, that because they are well off, have drivers, electricity bills paid, maid service, etc., they are unable to have empathy with the masses who are suffering. They are ABUSING Power. UK journalist, Nicholas Shaxson, says: “If citizens had the oil money in the first place, and the state had to bargain with them to get its cut, it seems likely that would change the game entirely.” We do not want to get what academics call the ‘resource curse’. When Guyana’s oil reserves are extracted and then controlled by an incompetent government, it could spell disaster for our country. 1. I propose that we the people get a portion of the royalties. “The people may get lazy,” you say. Is that worse than the government using all the money to selectively bless others with laziness? 2. “Well people may waste the money,” you say again. This government seems to have the monopoly on being wasteful. People spend according to their priorities, but APNU government spend money on what is politically expedient. We should be asking if people are more wasteful than this government. We cannot allow them to manage our oil money. Managing our economy

Last week, I concluded that for every year of failure by APNU Government, it puts our nation, three years behind. Just

our living standards. Conclusion

The present government seems intent on continuing to follow the path which is slowly but determinedly leading us to at best economic stagnation and at worst to the destruction of a healthy economy, which they had inherited from the PPP/C. Their actions to date leave us with no confidence in their ability to wisely manage the potential bonanza, which is expected to flow from oil revenues. Hell bent on denigrating the economic achievements of the PPP/C they have focused on trying to fool the population by focusing on short term financial strategies and approving questionable projects that brings little value to the citizens. No U-turn to the 1980s. There is danger

It is incumbent on all of us to shape our future by being involved to avoid the continuation of the destructionof our economy by the APNU/AFC government. We have to be strong, brave and vigilant as we work at regaining power for the benefit of all Guyanese.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Highlights

News

Glitz

Lady Gaga takes Super Karan Johar: Eid release Ghanaian Actor Majid Michel Turns Bowl spotlight, but how is owned by Salman Khan will she use it? F Marriage Counselor

ilmmaker Karan Johar, whose forthcoming film ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’ will hit the screens on Holi, says that he doesn’t want to release any of his films on Eid as the festive time is for Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s movies. Asked if he also wants to release his film on Eid, Karan said during the launch of the trailer of ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’, “No. Eid release is owned by Salman Khan. Of course, if Salman Khan and I work together on a Dharma Productions’ film, then yes we will do an Eid release, otherwise no.” “We are here not just to release a movie, but it should be in a manner to optimise the number. So, as a producer and studio (that we are partnered with) we have to keep certain things in mind,” the filmmaker added. Karan said that there are certain factors like whose film is releasing before, which one is releasing after theirs and Hollywood film release that need to be considered before blocking a date for a film’s release.

hanaian actor turned pastor Majid Michel has become a relationship experts as he counsels people on the need to avoid being a love addict. The actor, who has become irritably tired of the rate at which couples break up their marriages, gives some advice that will help their marriage stand the test of time. He stressed the need for “you” to build yourself first before venturing into marriage. You should not seek for happiness in your partner and you should not be one who is suffering from addictive dependency. Majid said that words like “ “I will die without you.” “i cannot live without you.” “if you go away, my world will crumble.” Are not romantic words .They are rather words that indicate that the person has addictive dependency on his /her partner which is not a good sign in marriage. He further stated that for you to be happy and complete in marriage, you need God and His holiness God is saying, “please get your act together as an unmarried person. Get your standards and values settled”. if you cannot control your emotions, your passions, your feelings, your attitudes, your bad habits or your behavior as you are single now, then you are not prepared for marriage. if you need to get married to be fulfilled or loved, you are not ready for marriage. Majid advised men that they should ensure they discover themselves before looking for whom to marry.

Funke Akindele voted as the 2016 Most Influential Young Nigerian

ollywood actress and producer Funke Akindele has been voted as the 2016 Most Influential Young Nigerian in a public ranking poll by a certified rating establishment, Avance Media. Funke has always been the sweetheart of many people. Her lead role in the TV series Jenifa’s Diary in 2016 made lot of waves in the entertainment industry swept more accolades as she also got voted the 2016 Most Influential Young Nigerian in the Entertainment Industry as well as the Most Influential Young Nigerian lady on the ranking. This ranking featured 100 young Nigerians between the ages of 15 to 40, and was launched by Avance Media in 2016 and drew participation from over 80 countries from across the world who voted for the 100 nominees to make up the final ranking. Earlier this year, Prophet Olagorioye Faleyimu of the Mountain of Blessing and Miracle Church of Christ has reiterated his prophecy that only intense prayers can deliver Funke from barrenness. An utterance that got the man of God under fire but, the actress is not interested in such prophesies.

s Lady Gaga prepares to take America’s biggest stage at the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, much of country is speculating whether the outspoken singer will grab the opportunity to speak out on women’s rights, immigration or U.S. President Donald Trump. In the past, Gaga’s attention-getting performances have ranged from dressing in raw meat to taking sexual assault victims to the Academy Awards. Many viewers are well aware of that history and will watch keenly on Sunday, when Gaga headlines a 15-minute set during the NFL championship game between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons in Houston. “People will take note of the lyrics and the political climate and come to their own conclusions,” said Nolan Feeney, staff writer at Entertainment Weekly. When it comes to the Super Bowl’s 100 million-plus television audience, the 30-year-old singer may find that the safest way to make a political statement could be following in the footsteps of Beyonce, who let her music do the talking at last year’s Super Bowl.

British singer Vera Lynn to release new album for 100th birthday B

ritish singer Vera Lynn will celebrate her 100th birthday by releasing an album of remastered classic songs next month, which could make the wartime singer the first centenarian to hit the UK charts. The artist known as the “Forces sweetheart” will release “Vera Lynn 100”, which will include hits such as “We’ll Meet Again” and “Sailing” set to new orchestral accompaniment, on March 17, three days ahead of her milestone birthday. “It’s truly humbling that people still enjoy these songs from so many years ago, reliving the emotions of that time,” Lynn said in a statement. “I was after all just doing my job as a singer – and it’s so wonderful for me to hear my songs again so beautifully presented in a completely new way.” Through her songs, Lynn became a symbol of hope for British and Allied soldiers fighting Nazi Germany and she was given the title of Dame in 1975 for her work. In 2009, aged 92, Lynn became the oldest living artist to land a UK No.1 album with a compilation release called “We’ll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn”. The album also made her the only recording artist to have spanned the pop charts from the 1940s to the 21st century.

Post ban, Hrithik Roshan’s ‘Kaabil’ 1st Indian film to release in Pakistan

ndian films could now return to Pakistan theaters as Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has given thumbs up to the information, broadcasting and heritage ministry to uplift the ban. According to an official handout issued by the information ministry, the government is “pleased to continue the existing open policy to display all international movies (including Indian films) in Pakistani cinemas”. The newspaper reported that the final approval for the directive was given by Pakistan’s PM Nawaz Sharif following a report by a special committee for the clearance of Indian films. The committee, formed by Sharif, was headed by the country’s information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, who said that the government had decided to lift the so-called ban on Indian films “after reviewing the benefits Pakistani cinema trade can derive from their exhibition,” according to the newspaper. If import and certification details are completed on time, ‘Kaabil’ will release in Pakistan on February 3 while ‘Raees’ will release on February 10.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Amona: Israel police clear last protesters from settler outpost

Fillon payment scandal: Investigation ‘to include two of his children’ BBC -- Prosecutors in France have widened their investigation into the financial affairs of the centre-right presidential candidate, Francois Fillon, to include payments made to two of his children. He has become mired in a scandal surrounding claims that his Welsh-born wife, Penelope, was paid large sums over a number of years for “fake jobs”.

Mr Fillon has denied any wrongdoing. He has faced mounting pressure to quit the presidential race. Putting more pressure on Mr Fillion, a 62-yearold ex-prime minister, France Televisions said it would screen extracts from an interview with his wife in 2007 in which she told British media that she had never worked as his

assistant. Penelope Fillon has been accused by satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine of being paid hundreds of thousands of euros for work she may not have done. The couple have said she was legitimately employed as his parliamentary aide, and her lawyer, Pierre Cornut-Gentille, said she handed over evidence of the work she did.

BBC -- Israeli police are reported to have removed the last protesters from an unauthorised settlement outpost being dismantled in the occupied West Bank. All 42 families living at Amona complied with a court order to leave after officers moved in on Wednesday. But dozens of supporters barricaded themselves inside the local synagogue. Meanwhile, Israel’s

prime minister has announced that he plans to establish a new settlement in the West Bank for the first time in more than two decades. A statement from Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he had set up a committee that would “begin work immediately to locate a spot and to establish the settlement” for those evicted from Amona.

More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel’s 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. There are also more than 95 outposts - settlements built without official authorisation from the Israeli government - across the West Bank.

Israeli police remove the last protesters from a synagogue in Amona

Jamaica to hold talks with USA on migratory issue

Cuba, South Africa ratify excellent level of relations (Prensa Latina) Cuba and South Africa have reaffirmed here their strong ties of friendship and the excellent level of bilateral and multilateral cooperation, at the end of the official visit on Thursday by Council of State vice president, Salvador Valdes Mesa. Valdes Mesa, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Cuban Communist Party, arrived in the African nation on Tuesday, January 31st, in his first visit to South

Africa, and held meetings at the highest level with leaders of the government, the African National Congress (ANC) and other political organizations that comprise the triple alliance. Valdes Mesa and his peer and host, South African Vice President, Cyril Ramaphosa, held official talks yesterday. In a subsequent joint statement to the press, the Cuban vice president highlighted the appreciation for the warm

welcome in this brother town and highlighted some aspects of the historical ties between both nations, as well as the course of cooperation, which is currently extended and expanded to several sectors. South Africa and Cuba enjoy a very special relationship not only in the political, because of the contribution of the Caribbean country during the anti-apartheid phase, but also in the social sphere, especially in health, Ramaphosa stressed.

(Prensa Latina) Jamaica’’s Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Ruel Reid, announced on Thursday that the Government of Jamaica will maintain a direct dialogue with his US counterpart on migration issues. Reid said authorities are aware of the concern among many Jamaicans and urged to remain calm in the face of recent executive orders signed by US President Donald Trump. ‘The government will provide timely information to citizens on the issue and will continue in direct contact with the State Department in

Washington as well as with diaspora members,’ the minister expressed. The minister said that so far the measures taken by the US administration have no direct impact on Jamaica, and therefore should not create a state of panic in the population. Earlier this week, Jamaica’s Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson urged her compatriots to calm down to the recent executive orders of the United States government, which imposed a visa ban on seven Muslim-majority countries. Jamaican minister estimated that current migra-

tion issues are technically very complex and subject to much uncertainty, even in the American nation. Opposition parliamentarians have asked authorities to clarify to what extent Trump’s orders will affect students seeking employment in the United States, Jamaica’s main trading partner. Some 3 million Jamaicans live abroad, mainly in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and other Caribbean islands, according to the independent organization, Caribbean Immigrant Services.

Children’s Corner

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Sam The Bad Boy

BOY was out one day. It was Sam. He had his new hum top. He did say to his mam-ma : “ Oh! See my top ! Can I go out and try my new hum top?” “Yes, my son, but do not go into the old hut.” “Oh ! no, mam-ma,” Sam did say; and out he ran in the air. By and by, a big boy did run up to him and say : “Sam, let me try the top ? oh ! do.” Sam let the big boy try, and, my ! how the top did go! and did hum, hum, hum so, Sam did say it was a big bee. But, oh! sad to say, the big boy did let the top fly off in-to the hut; and Sam did not do as he was bid, for he ran in to get it. He saw an ax in the hut. “Oh! see the ax,” Sam did say, “I can try it on the old log, out in the lot; yes, I can see if it can cut.” Was he not a bad boy to say so? For his mam-ma did say to him one day: “You are but a bit

of a boy; so you cannot do as a big man can do. Do not get the ax; if you do, you may cut off a leg or an arm, a n d you may

die; s o d o not go to the hut at all, and to-day, too, she did say: “ Do not go to the hut.”But the bad boy got the ax, and ran out to the old log. And now, oh! oh! I am sad to say the ax did not cut the log. No! it cut off Sam’s big toe ! How he did cry and hop! His mam-ma ran out, and saw her boy out by the log; the ax was by him, and his big toe was off.

It is no fun at all to get a big toe cut off, for Sam had to lie in bed, and cry all day; and the pig ate up his big toe. He cannot buy a new toe. He has but one big toe now. So you see how bad it is not to do as you are bid.

Dear Children,

he winner of the colouring contest The Lion King is Vishal Persaud. The picture to colour this week is entitled Thumbelina and is submitted by Jessica Brebnar. Colour and send it to Weekend Mirror, PO Box 101088, Georgetown or 8 Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown. The winners will receive the prize of a storybook.

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

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Discuss your Problem

with

PORTIA

This feature explores personal problems. We invite you to write to Portia, c/o Mirror, P.O. Box 101088, Georgetown,Guyana

What’s the Breakup Protocol With a Friend?

Dear Portia, What do you do when a friend is a user? This person’s car broke down, she demanded that I wire her a ridiculous amount of money for a tow (or drive 100 miles to pick her up!)—and when I politely refused, she threw a raging tantrum. She routinely lies and invents medical ailments to get out of doing things. What’s the breakup protocol with a friend? Nalini Dear Nalini, Nah, this is not a friend. This is a dingbat. Wish her a very happy life, and by ignoring her from now on, you will prevent her from destroying the happiness of yours.

Is it wrong that i feel entitled to some of my wealthy boyfriend’s money? Dear Portia, My boyfriend owns his own business, which is very lucrative. I, on the other hand, have a struggling business that I am working hard to grow. The problem is, my boyfriend spends tons of money on his projects, his charities, his investments, his socializing—and lots of time talking about the expensive things he wants to buy for himself. Isn’t this a bit insensitive? I’m laboring so hard! I know I’ll be successful, but I’m not able to go out and shop—never mind splurge—at this point in my life. We’ve been together three years, and he is generous in that he buys me dinners and has paid for one vacation to England. But he doesn’t otherwise offer to share his success. Heaven knows he’s worked hard for it, but am I not entitled to some of his dough, since we’ve been together three years? Something Doesn’t Feel Right Miss Something: I’m all for a girl using every weapon at her disposal to get what she wants, but to the only difference between a girlfriend who sucks money out of a chap and a prostitute is the amount of cash spent and the length of time the payments run. You’re his girl, not his call girl. Your business is “struggling” because you’re focusing on his money, not concentrating on making your own. What puzzles me is this: Why aren’t you excited about your start-up? Nothing—not sex, food, the entire nation of Britain, is more stirring than launching your own start-up. So if the monologue in your head is about your boyfriend’s projects…if paying attention to your boyfriend’s business is more stimulating than paying attention to your own business…if you’re thinking that “something doesn’t feel right,” this is the thing that not’s right. If your start-up is dead, cut your losses. If your business is unconscious, change it. If you’re not joyful doing what you’re doing, stop doing it and pivot. Once you experience the no-bullshit fire of being an entrepreneur, you’ll be too electrified, too crazed, too exhausted, too worried, and too happy making your own money to even notice your boyfriend’s successes and bank accounts.

Corner The spineless evil of gender

discrimination at the workplace

n an age where we talk about equal rights for men and women, there are still instances of people being discriminated because of their gender. Have you ever been discriminated at work just because of your gender? Have you been at the receiving end of lecherous looks or snide comments at your workplace? If yes, then you should know that gender discrimination is not an issue which you should take lightly or bear silently. People should realize that it is a serious form of employment harassment, which should not be dismissed. Gender based discrimination is defined as adverse action or differential treatment against a person, that would not have occurred if the person had been of another sex. This kind of gender bias can be showcased towards men, women, and those who switch sexes (transgender). Gender discrimination is considered as a serious form of prejudice and can be brought forward legally in many countries. Types of Gender Discrimination Harassment at Work

This type of discrimination is perhaps the worst of the lot since it not only discriminates but causes emotional as well as psychological trauma to the employee who is the subject of such acts. Sexual or verbal harassment or inferior treatment owing to his / her gender is included under this category. Men and women who are gay are put in the spot-

light for who they are, where they can face harsh treatment because of their sexual preferences. Direct Discrimination

Some workplaces have a gender preference, mostly out of one being dominant over the other like say a woman not earning as much as a man even though they both hold similar positions in the company and carry equally commendable qualifications. Sometimes bonuses are higher for men than women and there is an air of indifference towards either sex depending on the gender that is in charge. Indirect Discrimination

Instances where people are indirectly discriminated against include examples where a certain set of rules or laws are made which indirectly imply that people of a certain gender cannot qualify for certain company offerings. Victimization

Unfair or biased treatment based on the employee’s gender translates into victimization at work. This is also a form of employee discrimination based on gender. Some people take it too far by disrupting their personal life as well or setting them up for trouble at the workplace. How to Handle Gender Discrimination at Work

Gender discrimination is an issue

that you need to stand up for whether you’re the target or not. The first step that needs to be taken in tackling gender discrimination is to talk to your seniors about it and let them know how you feel. Do not hesitate to be honest enough to speak your mind. In case your senior is the miscreant encouraging gender discrimination, try to approach a higher authority to look into the matter. You can also discuss this issue with your HR (human resources) manager. If there are others in the organization like you, be it those supporting fair means or victims of the same abuse, you can encourage them to come forward with you. If there is more than one of you present it would help strengthen your argument and allow the management to take action against the offending party. If all fails, it is wise to look up ways on how to approach anyone at all from the outside to make your voice heard. There also exists several organizations like trade unions or even employment tribunals that support employee rights by looking into matters of employment discrimination. In any case talking things through fails you, you can always resort to the law to help you out. Always remember that gender discrimination be at work or anywhere for that matter should not be brushed off as unimportant. It is a breach of human rights, as well as of the law.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Natural beauty secrets and tips for beautiful, healthy skin B

eautiful skin is one of the most attractive indicators of beauty and youth. Good sleep, plenty of water and stress free life are some of the most basic and important ingredients of youthful and beautiful appearance. And yea, healthy eating is also crucial! Our face and our hands are two particularly important (and visible to everyone) areas on our body that reflect our overall health and wellbeing. So, today we will talk about three simple, yet great, secrets on how to keep the skin of our face, hands and the whole body beautiful and healthy: 1) Morning beauty ritual for your FACE

Some people love using ice cubes on their face every morning to freshen and rejuvenate the skin. This ritual is great, but it can be a little harsh, especially for sensitive and redness prone skin. So, here is an alternative way to do it: simply wipe your face in the morning with cold raw milk. You can also mix the milk with cucumber juice and wipe your face with it using a cotton ball. Rinse your face with cold water once you are done. Not only it will instantly freshen your face, but also, it will help cleanse

Here is a good beauty recipe: mix coffee grounds (from your morning coffee) with olive oil (or any other oil of your choice; avoid using petroleum based oils and give your preference to natural ingredients) and massage your hands with this homemade hand scrub for a couple of minutes, use the same circular motions as those you do while applying your hand cream. Rinse your hands with lukewarm water. Your hands will feel very soft and tender. If you do this twice a week, your hands will look wonderful! your skin and improve your skin tone, leaving your face extremely soft, glowing and fresh. 2) Use coffee for the beauty of your HANDS

Yes, simple coffee that you drink every day can be used for skin care. Why coffee? Well, coffee grounds are a natural exfoliator. Exfoliation removes dead, dry skin cells from skin surface and boosts natural skin renewal process, making your skin look healthy and glowing.

ompatibility is a heavy word for couples - its importance is monumental in deciding whether two people can work things out in the long haul. If two people find it easy to connect in the beginning but hard to sustain later, it becomes quite clear that compatibility was out of the love equation. Love fades for some, it strengthens for others. The governing factor here is of course their compatibility ratio. When it comes to life in general, we can never say just how compatible we are with someone unless we’ve spent a good amount of time with them, during moments both good and bad. Time tests relations (of all kinds) and its resistance to change, drama, pain, loss, and the like. When the balance is disturbed, compatibility can be under a ton of pressure before one of the two in the relationship cracks, and reveals his / her true colors. So how can one be absolutely sure? The sad part is, you can never be. Some people seek assurance even if something is hard to decipher or reveal, where astrology is both a comfort and a nuisance. Frankly, there is no way to use the zodiac signs to draw a conclusion about the compatibility between two people. Zodiac signs, astrology, or tarot cards mean zilch when it comes to taking important decisions. However, for the people who strongly be-

lieve in astrology-based compatibility predictions, here’s explaining to you about the intricacies of such a belief. If the predictions based on the zodiac signs were true, we could’ve had people hiring employees with sun signs that said they were hardworking and disciplined. Can you imagine asking people which zodiac sign they fell under, during a professional interview? Zodiac signs give generalized descriptions about people who belong to a particular sign. For example, people whose zodiac sign is say, Leo, are supposed to be aggressive, however I’ve come across many Leos who are anything but aggressive. It obviously takes more than one’s zodiac compatibility to get along with other people. The kind of educational and cultural background of a person, areas of interest, professional aspects, upbringing, and life experiences, influences how he / she gets along with another. Cancer and Libra are supposed to be incompatible signs. My sun sign is Cancer and my best friend is a Libra; we understand each other and get along really well. Cancer and Aquarius are an unsuitable match, but I’m married to one after years of being in a relationship. Although our zodiac compatibility is weak, the years we have spent in enriching and enjoying our beautiful relationship has convinced me that zodiac-based compatibility predictions shouldn’t

Recipes

Should Be Illegal Oven BBQ Ribs

Ingredients: 3lbs pork back ribs, 1(8 ounce) jar honey, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1?2 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons bay seasoning, 1?2 teaspoon onion powder, 1?4 teaspoon celery salt, 1?2 cup dark brown sugar, 1?4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, 1 medium onion, grated or finely chopped, 12 ounces barbecue sauce, 1?4 cup white sugar

3) Wonderful natural BODY scrub recipe

And, finally, here is a recipe of simple, wonderful, homemade body scrub: mix 2 tablespoons of used coffee grounds, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Massage your body with this scrub while in the shower, applying it in circular motions; especially concentrate on the areas with cellulite, on your legs and on dry areas of your body. You will notice an amazing difference on how this scrub will make your skin look and feel – soft, tender and velvety!

What Zodiac Signs Get Along Together? Well, You’ll Want to Read This

be taken seriously. The reason why astrology isn’t a sure-shot way to determine a couple’s compatibility is because we cannot change our fates or alter it in any way. What’s written is clearly written and if we use an alien way of determining our destinies, then it could not turn out great for everyone. Manipulating what should take its own course isn’t exactly good advice. Nonetheless, some do take things like astrology seriously or even lightly for the sake of fun. For years, astrologers have believed that the stars in some way are associated with our lives, that we are somehow woven as one. The stars decide which sun signs go well with others, since some kind of cosmic compatibility is predetermined but not known (until now, apparently). Some people strongly believe in zodiac compatibility by basing every relationship whether with a partner, friend, or family member, on what astrology has to say. What’s more important is to relate to people without astrology coming into the picture, since the signs aren’t entirely true but just what you want to believe through tentative predictions and assessments. Be open to meeting new people, but don’t shun them because they aren’t “astrologically compatible” with you. (Buzzle.com)

DIRECTIONS Place all ingredients together in large roasting pan. Cut ribs apart for easier serving. Mix together making sure to coat all ribs with this semi-dry paste. Spread ribs out evenly on bottom of pan. Cover lightly with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 1 hour. Turning or stirring occasionally. You can use broiler for these ribs, just watch more closely, and adjust cooking time. These ribs are also great finished on the grill for a few minutes on each side.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 3 cups milk, 3 cups ham, cooked, 1 large green pepper, chopped, 1 large onion, chopped, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, 5 cups potatoes, pared and sliced

DIRECTIONS Melt butter in large sauce pan over low heat; blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Remove from heat gradually stir in milk. Return to heat; cook until thickened and bubbly. Fold in ham, onion, green pepper and cheese. Pour over potatoes in a large bowl. Stir gently then move into a buttered 13X9-inch baking dish; cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Grade Six Assessment Mathematics EXERCISE A

12. 2 qt 17 oz = _______ oz

Work the following long multiplication sums

13. 7 qt 31 oz = _______ oz

1. 8873×2625

14. 143 oz = ____ gal ____ qt ____ oz

2. 9975×6340 3. 1065×4603 4. 6338×4764 5. 7498 x 624 6. 1008 x 2554 7. 2495 x 6540 8. 3500 x 1095 9. 5595 x 4650 10. 4600 x 5645

EXERCISE B Convert the following measuring uniits. 1. 1 qt 31 oz = ______ oz 2. b. 11 qt = ____ gal _____ qt 3. 21 qt = ____ gal _____ qt 4. 24 ft = _____ yd _____ ft 5. 16 ft 1 in = _______ in 6. 26 yd 2 ft = ______ ft 7. 45 yd = ______ ft 8. 23 oz = _____ C _____ oz 9. 23 qt = ____ gal _____ qt 10. 563 oz = ____ gal ____ qt ____ oz 11. 4 gal 2 qt 7 oz = ______ oz

15. 45 yd 2 ft = ______ ft

16. 115 ft = _____ yd _____ ft 17. 8 C = _____ qt ______ C

18. 2,200 lb = _____ T ________ lb 19. 5 T 963 lb = __________ lb 20. 14 lb 2 oz = ________ oz

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

The Other View

Shocks for Developing Countries from new Global realities By Martin Khor

(IPS) - His first days in office indicate that President Donald Trump intends to implement what he promised, with serious consequences for the future of the United Nations, trade, the environment and international cooperation, and developing countries will be most affected. The world and the world order have to prepare for more major shocks. It will be far from business as usual. And while other powerful countries can prepare tit-for-tat counter-moves when President Trump strikes, most developing countries won’t have the means, and may suffer the most. Even close friends are not spared. Trump signed an order fast-starting building a wall at the US border with Mexico. To add insult to injury, he asked Mexico to pay for the wall and threatened to impose a 20% tax on Mexican products to finance it. He has also discouraged US companies from moving to Mexico. The Trump order to ban the entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, even those holding a Green card or are working in the US, on the ground that they could pose a security threat, has caused not only anger in the affected countries but also uncertainty among people in other developing countries who fear they may also be targeted in future. The world and the world order have to prepare for more major shocks. It will be far from business as usual. And while other powerful countries can prepare tit-for-tat counter-moves when President Trump strikes, most developing countries won’t have the means, and may suffer the most Very troubling are the signs that the US is revamping its approach to international cooperation. Two executive orders are being prepared to reduce the US’ role in in the United Nations and other international organisations, according to a New York Times report. One of the draft orders calls for at least a 40% cut in US funding toward international organisations and terminating funds for any international body that fit certain criteria. The other order calls for a review of all current and pending treaties, and recommendations on which negotiations or treaties the US should leave. The US has been the major creator of the post-Second World War system of international relations, with the United Nations at its centre. The UN has served as a crucial universal forum for international discussion and cooperation, including on peace-keeping and economic and social issues. It convenes leaders and representatives

of almost all countries for meetings and conferences, with resolutions and declarations, on a wide range of current affairs. Its agencies have supported global and national policy making and actions on economic development, health, food, the environment, human rights, culture and education, natural disasters and refugees. The UN has been playing a critical positive role in providing a venue for developing countries to voice their opinions and take part in decision-making on global affairs. The UN agencies have provided resources and support to developing countries to build their national capacities for economic and social development, and in preventing and managing political conflicts. Another looming problem is that President Trump looks intent on doing a complete turnaround on the present US environmental

policies. This will have a grave effect on the world, both in terms of the physical environment itself and in turning back the clock on global efforts to tackle multiple environmental crises. Within a day of Trump’s inauguration, pages and references to climate change were removed from the White House website. The Environmental Protection Agency was reportedly told to remove its web section on climate change, though that order was later countered. Staff at the EPA were forbidden to issue media statements or new scientific studies and research grants were suspended. Two major projects cancelled during Obama’s presidency on environmental and social grounds, the Keystone XL pipeline and the Dakota access pipeline, are being revived. The Clean Power Act, a centrepiece of the Obama effort to address climate

change, has been under attack. This policy turnaround will negatively affect international efforts to combat the global environmental crisis. In particular, the many years of collective work to get agreed action on climate change will be seriously impeded since the US is looked up to show an example that developed countries take domestic climate actions seriously and are also committed to provide climate-related financial assistance to developing countries. At this point it is not certain whether the US will remain in the Paris Agreement or even the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; its withdrawal from either or both would be disastrous. It can however be expected that under Trump, the US will stop its funding to the Green Climate Fund, to which the Obama administration had pledged $3 billion in its initial period and delivered $1 billion. If the US withdraws, will other countries increase their funding to make up for the loss of US, or will they also reduce their share, thereby plunging the GCF into an uncertain future? Another major action was Trump’s move to withdraw the US from the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. He had pledged to do so but when he acted, on his first working day, it still came as a shock. Initially Australia and New Zealand tried to get the remaining 11 TPP countries to pledge they would continue to get the TPP to enter into force. But this has not gained traction, with Japan and Canada bluntly stating that the TPP is meaningless and cannot continue without the US.

Thus, the TPP has been killed. Even if in future Trump or his successor has a change of heart, the public mood is such that the US Congress would be unlikely to approve. More important than Trump’s action itself is what it represents in terms of the new US approach towards trade. The TPP was loaded to favour US interests in many ways. On the trade aspect, the US has lower tariffs than the developing country partners with which it did not yet have a trade agreement, and thus stood to gain in terms of trade balance. On the non-trade aspects of the TPP, which the US under Obama had insisted upon, American companies would have gained in the areas of intellectual property, investment, government procurement and state-owned enterprises. Yet the TPP was unpopular with the

American public, because it perceived that whatever gains the US would have would flow to the corporations and the elites, leaving the working and middle classes to face problems such as possible job losses from cheaper imports and relocation of factories abroad. With the demise of the TPP, developing countries which are its members regret the loss of their opportunity to gain greater access to the US market. But they are also spared from having to take on heavy obligations on investment, intellectual property and state-owned enterprises, and other issues. The Trump move on the TPP is a prelude to other trade policies to rolled out soon, in pursuance of his America First strategy, which includes the subsidiary slogans Buy American and Hire Americans. Policies being considered include higher tariffs or else “border adjusting taxes” on products from countries with which the US has trade deficits, starting with China and Mexico; tax incentives for companies that export; taxes to punish US companies located abroad that export to the US; and requirements that companies that win government infrastructure and other contracts have to make use of American-made goods. Many developing countries which depend on the US for their exports, and that presently host US companies or hope to attract new US investments, will be adversely affected by these policies, which together spell a new era of US protectionism. It will end the US-championed policies of liberalisation of trade and investment. Trump also announced he plans to initiate new one-to-one bilateral trade agreements, in place of regional or plurilateral trade agreements. If his aim is to promote the US companies’ interests even more strongly than in previous FTAs, this may mean a negotiating stance of maximising US exports to while minimising imports from the bilateral partners, and pressurising them to accept provisions on investment, services, intellectual property, procurement, stateowned enterprises and other issues that are even stronger than what the TPP had. Other developed countries like Japan and the post-Brexit United Kingdom may be interested in starting negotiations with the US with its new template, in an attempt to get mutual benefits. It remains to be seen whether there would be developing countries willing to be new partners in what for them would likely be very one-sided bilateral agreements. Even if the Trump administration fine-tunes its policy measures in an attempt to fit within the WTO’s rules, they will most likely be challenged by other WTO members. If the WTO panels rule against the US, will it comply with the decisions, or will Trump turn his fire against the WTO and its system instead? Meanwhile, the WTO members are waiting to see what positions the new US trade team will take in the on-going WTO negotiations in Geneva. Given that Trump ran on the promise to upend the establishment, and it looks as if he intends to keep to his word, leaders and people around the world, and especially in the developing countries since they are more vulnerable, should prepare themselves to respond to more and bigger shocks ahead. (Martin Khor is Executive Director of the South Centre, a think tank for developing countries, based in Geneva)

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Positive actions yield positive results

while back, one of my comrades, who happened to be going through a trying period, became convinced that she was attracting bad luck. She shared a story, which she felt exemplified that feeling. “Even when I am minding my own business, I attract bad luck. The other day while I was out shopping, a scruffy, unkempt man came up to me and shouted right in my face. I know he obviously had some kind of problem, but why did he pick me out of all the people in the supermarket?” I have heard similar complaints from others my dear Readers. I reassured her that she was not imagining it, and that she could do something about it! Are you familiar with the expression, “the smile that you send out returns to you?” I think it goes back a bit, but there is some wisdom in it just as there is in its antithesis. When we are in a good mood and can anticipate joyful encounters with those we meet, then that is usually what happens. And likewise, in those moments when we are weighted down with problems, resentment, and anger, we become a potential magnet for those who feel the same way. That said, you can protect yourself from being on the receiving end of someone else’s negative energy. You just have to change your expectations. While this answer may seem a little simplistic, I believe that simplicity is usually the best option. I want to share an effective way to keep negative energy from others at bay. Write on a piece of paper: “Everyone that I meet is joyful and full of love,” and stick it on the inside of your front door so that it is visible when you leave your home. By seeing this affirmation each time you go out (you can even repeat it out loud or just say it to yourself), you will be, my comrades, reaffirming the positive. It will be as if you are surrounding yourself with an impenetrable ring of protection. You may not actually recognize it, but you will be emanating happy and loving vibrations and, as a result, will start to attract more positive people your way! My comrade, Rosie, tried it, and not only did she avoid any more unpleasant encounters, but other aspects of her life started to improve as well! I truly believe that what we put out is what we get back. Our minds really are truly amazing when you stop and think about it, aren’t they? Happy 67th Anniversary to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)! Remember to purchase and read your copy of the Mirror Newspaper and tune to Freedom Radio, streaming on 91.1 FM in GT and its environs, 90.7 in Essequibo and 90.5 in Berbice. Streaming online freedomradio 91.com. Have an enjoyable weekend. (G. Persaud)

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

The ‘Gateway to Hell’ is CRACKING:

NASA images reveal new fissures and unexplained rise is lave levels near the 100 year old lava lakes of Ethiopia’s Etra Ale volcano

t is known as the ‘smoking mountain’ and the ‘gateway to hell’. Erta Ale, a shield volcano near the Ethiopian and Eritrean border, is famous for its long-lived lava lake that has gurgled and spattered in its caldera for decades. Now, NASA images have revealed new cracks in the area, spilling large amounts of lava, while researchers have also found at least one of the lava lakes has experienced large changes in the level of its lava that have led to overflows and intense spattering. The incredible geological phenomenon is caused by three tectonic plates tearing themselves apart in spectacular fashion in Africa’s Danakil (or Afar) Depression. As the plates separate, several active volcanoes have emerged along the seams. One of the most active is Erta Ale, a shield volcano near the Ethiopian and Eritrean border. It is known as the ‘smoking mountain’ and the ‘gateway to hell’ in the Afar language. Erta Ale has a long-lived lava lake that has gurgled and spattered in its caldera for decades, but the most recent bout of activity involves the southeast flank of the gently sloping mountain. The last major eruption occurred In September 2005, which killed a 250-strong heard of livestock and forced people in the surrounding area to flee. There were further evacuations in August 2007 caused by lava flow, after which two people went missing. The most recent eruption

Mr Santos used a drone to film his footage from above the lake, alongside four 4K resolution cameras that could handle the scorching conditions around the lake’s rim

came in November 2008. According to reports posted by Volcano Discovery, new fissures opened up on January 21, 2017, about 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the summit caldera, spilling large amounts of lava. Meanwhile, at least one of the lava lakes has experienced large changes in the level of its lava that have led to overflows and intense spattering. Plumes of volcanic gases and steam drift from the lava lakes. Earlier this year dramatic images offered a rare glimpse inside the ‘Gateway To Hell’, one of the world’s oldest continuously active lava lakes. Portuguese travel photographer Joel Santos, 38, piloted a drone over the bubbling

lake - which reaches temperatures exceeding 1,100 degrees Celsius - while he stood just a metre from the edge. The lake, situated in Afar, Ethiopia, has had a continuous flow since 1906 and lies inside the 2,011-foothigh Erta Ale volcano, otherwise known as the Smoking Mountain. Mr Santos is well-aware of the hazards posed by filming such a potentially devastating natural phenomenon at such close quarters. He tells MailOnline Travel: ‘This was one of the most dangerous projects I’ve done, since I was just 20 metres away from the lava, one metre from the edge. ‘The real problem in Erta Ale is that the crater rim is always changing as the lava

lake moves up and down, and especially when it overflows, changing any previous knowledge you might have had about the terrain. ‘You might think that the ground you’re standing is solid, but equally it might be soft and make you plunge into the lava. You must be very careful.’ Mr Santos used a drone to film his footage from above the lake, alongside four 4K resolution cameras that could handle the scorching conditions around the lake’s rim. He said: ‘I needed to be so close to monitor the drone, since the heat waves are so, so strong, they could cause it to melt or crash. I had to be very patient.’ Mr Santos added: ‘Every two or three minutes you can hear a small hiss of pressure

beneath the volcano and all of a sudden - you can’t predict when - a crack just opens wide. ‘Then it’s like fireworks - the whole volcano starts bursting with lava into the air.’ The Danakil Desert, where the volcano lies, is officially the hottest inhabited place on earth, meaning Mr Santos could only film in the early morning or late at night. Despite the challenges of filming in such intense heat, Mr Santos is proud to have visited such an epic location on two separate occasions. He said: ‘It’s a basaltic shield volcano and there’s only six in the world. ‘This is one of those that you can actually approach. It’s an unbelievable experience.

‘It still amazes me how nature works and I think it will continue to amaze me.’ Little is known about Erta Ale, as the surrounding terrain is some of the most inhospitable on Earth, and the natives are said to be hostile towards visitors. In 2012 a number of tourists were kidnapped, injured and some killed in the area. Mr Santos explains: ‘The volcano is quite close to the border with Eritrea, with whom Ethiopia has a very difficult relationship, as it is known. ‘Since then, an Ethiopian military camp site was established nearby and you must now always have a military escort with you while you climb up to the volcano. ‘But, at least to me, they were extremely friendly and helpful with finding the most secure places to set up the tripods. They have an excellent knowledge about the terrain.’ In 2009, BBC TV show The Hottest Place On Earth went there to record a world first 3D laser image of the volcano. Durham University earth scientist Dr Dougal Jerram and a team from the BBC explored the surrounding desert. He later wrote for BBC News: ‘Like a true journey to the centre of the Earth, volcanoes provide a unique window into our planet’s interior. ‘Standing at the lip of the lava lake you can see why the locals see this as ‘The Gateway to Hell’, as the incandescent bubbling lava lake hisses like some badly burned porridge cauldron, overturning and occasionally belching molten lava.’

Miserable start for Woods at Dubai Desert Classic

iger Woods felt the pain, figuratively at least, after the former world number one failed to make a single birdie in recording a miserable fiveover 77 on the opening day of the Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday. The creaking American, now ranked 666th after his long injury layoff, trailed Spain’s early leader Sergio Garcia by 12 shots and with only three players below him on the leaderboard among the morning starters. “I was just trying to hit shots and I wasn’t doing a very good job,” Woods told reporters. “At the end, I finally hit some good ones but the damage had already been done. “I could have hung in there. I could have shot something near even par if I would have made some putts but I made nothing.” Appearing for the eighth time in Dubai, where he has won twice with a 92-under par record for the 28 rounds played there since 2001, the 41-year-old Woods looked out of sorts as he continued his comeback at the European Tour event. The numbers from the opening round were not pretty, two shots higher than his

previous worst ever at the Emirates Golf Club, and nor was his swing or his putting stroke. The 14-times major winner had also looked rusty last week when he played his first full-field PGA Tour event in 17 months after being sidelined by back pain and spine surgery, and missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. His chances of avoiding another early exit looked slim on Thursday, with the American appearing to be in some discomfort as he struggled to find a rhythm and reached the turn in a three-over 40 after two bogeys in his opening

three holes. Starting on the back nine, he bogeyed the par-five opener after finding a bunker and dropped another shot at the 12th. At the par-five 18th, his approach shot fell short of the green and rolled back into the water for his third bogey of the day. The fifth turned into a three-putt bogey and he missed par from five feet on the next. While Woods struggled, Garcia fired a first round 65 to set the early target and open up a one-shot clubhouse lead over Chile’s Felipe Aguilar and South African George Coetzee.

Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk out for at least two months with ankle injury

irgil van Dijk will miss at least two months with an ankle injury, Southampton boss Claude Puel has confirmed. Van Dijk has already missed three games with the

injury he suffered against Leicester on January 22 and he is unlikely to play again until April at the earliest, meaning he will miss the EFL Cup final against Manchester United later this month.

Puel confirmed the Dutchman’s extended absence at his press conference on Thursday when he revealed a defensive addition had been his main aim during the January transfer window.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Errol Spence Jr would welcome Kell Brook world title fight in Britain, says Derrick James K ell Brook has no choice other than to defend his IBF title against mandatory challenger Errol Spence Jr, says the American’s trainer Derrick James. Promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed it is “70-80 per cent” likely that Brook will make the next defence of his IBF title against Spence Jr, after talks broke down with Amir Khan. But James says the IBF welterweight champion’s only option was to face Spence Jr, and the man behind ‘The Truth’ is confident it will happen. “That’s good to hear (about the chance of a Spence-Brook fight) but he hasn’t really got a choice,” James exclusively told Sky Sports. “We’ve heard about that fight [Khan], but we’re not concerned with that because Eddie Hearn does say a lot of different things.

“Kell Brook wanted to fight Khan and be champion, but if he wants to stay champion, he’s got to fight Errol. “We’re happy about it. We’ve worked a long time to get where we are and the outcome has made us happy. I can tell you, it’s going to be a pretty good fight. “We’re expecting it to happen in the next three or four months and fighting in the UK is not a problem at all.”

Spence Jr was part of the USA team that came to London for the 2012 Olympics, but missed out on a medal by losing in the welterweight quarter-finals. James, who also trains WBC super-welterweight champion Jermell Charlo, was in Spence’s corner for the London Games and is convinced the 27-year-old from Texas will go to the very top in the professional ranks, starting with taking the IBF title from Brook.

2017 IPL auction delayed until late February T he IPL 2017 player auction is likely to take place in the third week of February following a delay from the originally proposed date of February 4. Although the BCCI has not issued a final date yet, franchises understand it would be anywhere between February 20 and 25. Last November the IPL Governing Council decided to schedule the IPL 2017 tournament between April 5 and May 21. At that time, the player auction was slotted in tentatively for February 4 but that was ruled out as soon as the Supreme Court of India dismantled the BCCI house at the start of the year by removing its president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke and imposing various restrictions on the remaining eligible office bearers at the board. Although the BCCI management under its chief executive officer Rahul Johri was ready to stick to the timelines drawn last November, the court’s delay in appointing the committee of administrators put the IPL decisions on the backburner.

However, with a four-member committee of administrators taking charge on Monday, the IPL is back on the priority list. The committee of administrators met with the BCCI management team to discuss the immediate decisions that need to be taken concerning IPL. “The Committee of Administrators (COA) met the concerned BCCI officials today to take stock of the urgent and important matters mainly concerning the successful conduct of IPL 2017,” a BCCI media release said. “The committee of administrators assured the franchises that it was overseeing the preparations for IPL and the ‘operational timelines’ will be sent out shortly.” On their part, the franchises have remained patient throughout the delay. Officials at several franchises said the main reason behind their confidence was the court had always made sure that cricket was never affected, both domestic and international. Also, the delay in the auction, one franchise

chief executive officer said, would be an advantage because teams could scout for domestic talent in the ongoing Inter-State T20 tournament which finishes on February 18. If there is one thing the franchises are keen to get their hands on is the player roster - the final pool of players that will enter the auction. Normally the franchises get the roster two weeks ahead of the auction. “If we get the roster we can start making a shortlist of players we are after as then we come to know their availability which is always a big determining factor on which players teams pick,” one franchise CEO told ESPNcricinfo. This will be the last year of IPL before teams overhaul their rosters for the 2018 season. All existing player contracts will expire after IPL 2017 and it is expected most players will go under the hammer at the mega auction ahead of the 2018 season. There has been no decision yet on the player retention rules though.

WEEKEND MIRROR 4-5 FEBRUARY, 2017

Sport View by Neil Kumar

Jaguars make comeback with third match win

uyana suffered two humiliating defeats in their first two 2017 regional Super 50 matches. However, they came back and won their third match against the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) Marooners. While the Jaguars lost their first two matches, the Marooners went into the match with two wins. However, the Marooners taking first strike, were bundled out for 129 runs. Chasing the 130 runs to win the Jaguars went after the runs in a hurry as they were looking for the bonus point. Guyana lost Assad Fudadin for a mere 8 runs. After hitting two boundaries, he was dismissed. Raymond Reifer joined the test batsman Rajindra Chandrika and both of them consolidated the Jaguars’ innings and put them in a very strong position to win the match and take the bonus point. Chandrika had

some anxious moments, but he battled his way and was undefeated at the end of the match with a solid 43 runs, while the promoted Reifer was in good form as he scored a big half century. Guyana went into their fourth match looking for a win. Batting first, the ICC Americas made a challenging 220 runs from 45 over’s. The inclement weather created some setback for the Jaguars. However, Fudadin who is due for runs, came good with a sold half century and he was supported by skipper Johnson who also scored a valuable half- century. Again the veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul was at the end of the winning innings not-out. As Guyana look to play in the final of this tournament, they will have to improve their overall performance. The batting will have to be more solid and consistent at the top. While the middle order and lower

to a lesser extent will have to score runs. Ronsford Beaton seems to be bowling very good. However, he will have to bowl a better length and consistent line against the better batsmen. Permaul and Bishoo will have to be very effective. The fielding is very worrying. Hence, it is imperative that both the coach and management strengthen the all round performance of the team. The Jaguars made an extremely poor start to this year’s Super 50 tournament. As a consequence, they will have to improve their all – round performance to move forward in the competition. Skipper Johnson, Chanderpaul, Fudadin, Chandrika, Reifer , Barnwell and the all-rounder’s are more than capable of making enough runs for the jaguars to win matches. Let’s rally behind our Jaguars!

Grivko out of Dubai Tour after hitting Kittel Ukrainian rider Andriy Grivko of the Astana team has been disqualified from the Tour of Dubai after punching German Marcel Kittel in the face during Thursday’s third stage, organizers said. Kittel, of the Quick Step Floors team, ended up with a bloodied face after sustaining a cut to his eyebrow,

failing to contest the final sprint after winning the first two stages of the race, which he still leads. “I got punched by Andriy Grivko from Astana. That’s why I had blood on my face but I didn’t crash,” Kittel said in a statement by organizers. “There was some confusion in the race. My team

worked well for the sprint but I was not in a perfect position and maybe my head was elsewhere too.” Astana apologized to Kittel and his team, saying on Twitter: “Astana Proteam apologizes to @marcelkittel and @quickstepteam for improper behavior of its rider @andrei_007 during stage 3 of @dubaitour”.

Bolt rules out 2018 Commonwealth Games swan song

amaican sprint great Usain Bolt has no plans to extend his career beyond this year’s world championships in London and has ruled out a return to Australia for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Bolt, who completed a ‘treble treble’ of 100m, 200m and 4x100m Olympic titles at the 2016 Rio Games, had his 2008 relay gold stripped last month after team mate Nesta Carter’s re-tested sample showed traces of a banned substance. The 30-yearold Bolt also anchored the Jamaican relay team to his only Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow in 2014 and or-

ganizers had hoped that he might extend his career to the next edition on the Gold Coast in April 2018. “To come out here next season, to really train as hard as I need to get to the level I need to win, it’s not going to happen,” Bolt told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday. Bolt will lead an interna-

tional team of “All Stars” in the Nitro Athletics series in the Australian city against four other teams representing England, China, New Zealand and Japan. The first meeting is on Saturday, with a further two on Feb. 9 and 11. “It is going to be great, going to be something different. Like cricket and Twenty20, it’s going to be different,” Bolt added. “I feel it will catch on -- it’s going to bring a lot of excitement to the sport. “It is going to be something different, not going to be normal -- a lot more exciting. I feel personally it is a great idea. This is why I am a part of it.”

Nagamootoo enjoys more of the good life

he Cadillac lifestyle has gotten better for Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who can now import unlimited vehicles which will be exempted from Value Added Tax (VAT). This is in addition to the duty-free vehicle he is already entitled to as a Member of Parliament (MP), along with many other extravagant benefits he enjoys at the expense of the public purse, Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira has revealed. Teixeira, in her presentation to the National Assembly on Monday, highlighted that the list of VAT exempt vehicles were expanded to include those imported by and for the use of the Prime Teixeira said she was confused even more as to why Nagamootoo was entitled to such a benefit, since he already had duty-free concessions. Since assumption to executive office, Nagamootoo has been accused of going to extreme lengths to ensure that he would be enjoying quite a sybaritic lifestyle for the next five years. In fact, just three months after being sworn in as Prime Minister, a $22 million customised luxury Land Cruiser was added to his existing fleet of more than 20 vehicles. The Prime Minister’s salary amounts to a whopping $1.7 million monthly and if he is to retire tomorrow, he will receive a pension, calculated to be higher than the

pension enjoyed by any former President. Millions of taxpayers’ dollars have been pumped into improving the lavish lifestyle of the Prime Minister. Nagamootoo has cashed in on hefty amounts for the repairs to the bridge and road to his private residence, repairs to the official Prime Minister’s residence and the Office of the Prime Minister. Nagamootoo had refused to move into the State residence, saying that it was unfit for inhabitation, and he would only move in after it was upgraded. He exclaimed that he would not let his dogs live there and then demanded upgrades be done to the tune of millions of dollars before moving in. Cabinet had given its no-objection to the award of a contract for renovation works at the Prime Minister’s residence. The contact was approved to the value of $29,328,078. The PM is cashing in on all these benefits at the expense of taxpayers when his portfolio has been described as nothing short of what was the responsibility of a former Media Liaison attached to the Office of the President under the former Administration. Interestingly, it was Nagamootoo, who popularised local usage of the term “fat cat salaries” and condemned the living of a “Cadillac lifestyle in a donkey-cart economy” when he was sitting on the Opposition benches before May 2015.

Need for urgent energy strategy – Irfaan Ali

he Coalition Government, on taking office, inherited massive savings in costs in the energy sector, with oil prices being at one of its lowest points, according to Opposition Parliamentarian, Irfaan Ali. His comment came during his contribution to the debate on a motion related to the energy sector and problems at the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL). Ali also responded to comments made by Minister Annette Ferguson, who charged that the contentions expressed in the Opposition motion were not factual. The Opposition Parliamentarian underscored the fact that there was “tremendous underperformance” in the sector after more than a year of the Coalition in office – a fact that stands up to Ferguson’s arguments against the motion. The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), via

its motion, has also asked that the Coalition Government make public its “long term strategy for this sector through a national consultative process” without further delay. On this note, Ali noted that currently it some residents are waiting between six months and a year for a GPL. “In Guyana we experience an average of eight power outages per month, with an average of three hours…the highest in the Caribbean… how can they claim to have a plan when they don’t have the data to develop that plan. How do you come up with a plan?” he said. The motion calls for the National Assembly to “call on the government to inform the public and this House as to the causes of and measures it will be taking to ameliorate the frequent widespread and unscheduled power outages that the country is experiencing.” It also asks for the House to call on “GPL and the Government to abide by the pro-

curement laws of this country and ensure that contracts are fairly and transparently awarded so that the programmes in place for this sector can proceed with no further delays.” Also, another call, which was deleted from the original motion, was voiced by Opposition Parliamentarian, Juan Edghill, in whose name the motion was tabled. During his contribution to the motion, he challenged Government to table the Norconsult report on the feasibility fact-based assessment of the Amaila Falls Hydro-Power Project, the IDB-sponsored Energy Mix Study, and all other studies relating to Guyana’s wind, solar, hydro, ethanol, bio-fuels and any other form, of energy potentials, within two weeks and send them to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee for scrutiny – to be returned to the National Assembly with recommendations within two months. There was no positive response to this call from members of the Government.

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PUBLISHED BY NEW GUYANA Co. Ltd., 8 Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana. Tel: 226-2473, 226-5875 Fax: 226-2472 WEEKEND MIRROR, 28-29 May 2016