Weekend Mirror 7-8 July, 2018

7-8 July , 2018 / Vol. 10 No. 29 / Price: $100

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

Gov't instructions handed down…

PPP/C front runners for presidential candidate will be targeted PAGE 10

SEE INSIDE

Hinterland communities under water

Gov’t spends $49M to improve math performance, pass rate still drops PAGE 17

$10M of taxpayers’ monies paid to two Barbadian lawyers to fight presidential third term case PAGE 25 Gov’t admits…

Gov’t official wanted to engage company in corruption scandal to sell Guyana’s oil PAGE 3

Close to 40,000 unemployed in hinterland PAGE 18

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PPP URGES YOU TO GET REGISTERED NOW!

● The Registration Cycle (Claims and Objections) starts on Monday May 21st 2018 and ends on Sunday July 15th 2018.

Persons can make claim /register to get onto the list during this period. (New Registrant, Transfers, change to particulars and corrections to ID cards.

NB .ID cards can be uplifted during this period and also after the cycle closes.) ● The Objections part of the Registration Cycle (Claims and Objections) starts on Monday May 21st 2018 and ends on Thursday July 19th 2018.Persons can make claims against the inclusion of persons onto the list during this period. (Persons who have died or persons who are already on another list). ● Opening hours of the GECOM offices : ► Mondays –Thursdays 08:00 hours -17:00 hours ► Fridays-08:00 hours -16:00 hours. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays 10:00 hours -16:00 hours. Offices will be opened during the lunch hour Types of transactions that can be done during this period ● New Registrant (Category A, 18years and over).

Persons should be born on or before 31st October 2000. ● New Registrant (Category B, above 14years but below 18 years).

Persons should be born on or before 31st October 2004 but not before 31st October 2000.

Source documents required to be registered: Original Birth Certificate or valid Guyana passport ● Transfers: This is for persons who would have been registered at another address (another LIST), that is persons who have moved to a new address. A transfer is needed, so that they can now be included in the division/list where they are living.

Document required for a transfer: ID card ● Corrections to particulars on your ID Cards : This is for persons who already have their ID cards and now need to make correction to their particulars such as : ► wrong spelling of name, ► wrong date of birth, ► defaced pictures Documents required for Corrections to particulars on your ID Cards: Original Birth Certificate and ID card ● Change to particulars on your ID Cards: This is for : ► Married women who now want to have her husband name (Name change).

Document required for Name change: Marriage Certificate, Deed Poll etc. ● Replacement of lost ID Cards: This is for persons who have lost their ID cards Document required for Replacement of lost ID Cards: Fill out a Statutory Form from the GECOM office and have it sign by a Commissioner of Oath. ● Uplifting of ID Cards: This is for persons who have previously been registered.

GET ON THE LIST DON’T DELAY – GET REGISTERED NOW!

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Gov’t refusing to budge on plans to rename 10 Regions, implementation of regional flags W

ith some moves already made to impose regional flags on Guyana 10 Administrative regions, without consultation, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government is also moving ahead with plans to rename the 10 Regions.

And Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, while making it clear that Government will not change its plans has said that consultation is not the responsibility of his Ministry. “Those consultations are actually the principal responsibility of the respective regional officers,” he said.

Bulkan added, “…we would like to see the exercise completed sooner rather than later.”

The decision on regional flags and renaming the regions was made in 2016.

“In 2016, the Ministry began promoting the suggested regional flags, names and emblems. The Ministry has already engaged Regional Executive Officers (REOs) regarding the renaming of the 10 regions,” Bulkan had said then.

Meanwhile there have been concerns about the flags ‘proposed’ by APNU+AFC to the various regions, since some proposed bear the distinct colours of the Coalition – green and yellow – including the proposed flag for Region One. Government’s proposal to assign separate flags to each administrative region has been strongly objected to by the parliamentary Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which believes more time, energy and resources ought

to be spent on better governance. The PPP/C has said that most residents would prefer jobs, enhanced public security, money in their pockets, better roads, improved potable water supply, and efficient garbage collection rather than other flags. “Rather than seeking to change things that obtained under the PPP/C, and to make things look different under the APNU+AFC, the Granger coalition Administration should change their racial and political, discriminatory and witch hunting practices, as well as their wasteful spending, and focus on improving the economic and social well-being of all Guyanese,” the PPP/C had said in a statement issued when the matter first came to light.

Jordan cannot account for missing 31% of government shares in Guyana Stockfeeds G overnment’s shares in Guyana Stockfeeds have moved from 38 per cent to seven per cent and it is unclear how this happened.

The seven per cent share was listed in a leaked National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) document – ‘The Private Placement Memorandum’ – which details the arrangements of the $30B fixed rate bond, which that government said it was moving to secure for the sugar

industry.

In 2008, the NICIL won a High Court case restoring its 38 percent shareholding in Guyana Stockfeeds Despite calls for clarity on the matter, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has not come clean on the issue. As such, Guyanese are unclear as to what arrangement surrounded the reduced shares.

Notably, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, went as far as to claim that the Government’s stocks were

not sold. However, he could not explain the reduction in the share numbers. “It was not sold, because the only interested buyer was the man who owns Guyana Stockfeeds (Robert Badal) and the price he wants to pay is not good for us,” Jordan said.

The Minister also failed to even confirm what the current share holdings of government are.

Given the state of affairs, there are concerns that some sort of deal was struck to ‘give away’ state assets.

APNU+AFC making ‘no genuine effort’ to address needs of teachers – GTU President

M

ore excuses are being made and there are more delays by Government with regard to the proposal for an increase in teachers’ salaries and other benefits, according to the President of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Mark Lyte.

According to him, the Union has learnt unofficially that the work of the High-Level Task Force of Public Education has been dealt with by Cabinet. However, he said the Union was yet to hear a word from the Government on its decision.

The high-level task force was established after negotiations broke down between the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and Ministry of Education.

Two years ago, on December 16, 2015, the GTU submitted its multi-year proposal to the Ministry of Education. Afterwards, the union threatened to strike after it accused government of being disrespectful by failing to respond to the proposal.

Lyte noted that the GTU had written President David Granger about the slow pace at which the negotiations

were proceeding and not being able to get a response, among other concerns. He said that missive was dispatched on June 5, 2018.

The Government responded and said that the Finance Ministry is advising Cabinet on the matter. The GTU only received the letter last Friday, June 29, 2018.

“We are obviously very concerned because the Task Force has completed its work and we are still to hear from Cabinet on a decision…three months after, all we are told (Turn to page 3)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Gov’t official wanted Lindo Creek CoI wanted to engage company former PPP/C officials to appear at ‘secret’ hearings in corruption scandal I to sell Guyana’s oil T

he foreign company, Glencore, is an Anglo-Swiss company that was this week ordered by authorities in the United States of America (USA) to hand over documents relating to a money laundering probe.

And the former petroleum adviser to President David Granger, Dr Jan Mangal, on his Facebook Page, disclosed that the APNU+AFC Government was considering sole-sourcing the services of the very company – Glencore – to sell Guyana’s oil.

The company documents requested by law enforcement relate to its business

dealings in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Venezuela, from 2007 to the present day. In Venezuela, the company is among oil traders accused of paying bribes to get the inside track on oil deals, according to a lawsuit filed by a trust for Petróleos de Venezuela in March.

In making his comment about Glencore, Mangal cited a news report on the company’s legal troubles nd said “This company was proposed (sole source) by someone in government to sell Guyana’s oil, without any procurement process such as bidding, etc. Now

you know why”.

Mangal’s disclosure follows his declaration that in the coming weeks he will outline a number of things, including the “mechanism used by some oil companies and their local friends (in government and in the private sector) to defraud needy people in countries around the world, like in Guyana”.

The company is a multinational commodity trading and mining company with headquarters in Baar, Switzerland. It is also one of the world’s largest mining companies.

The Government has not responded to Mangal.

nvitations from the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to top former government officials to testify were actually invitations to secret hearings.

The Commission had preferred that former President, Bharrat Jagdeo; former Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds; and former Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee, give private testimony Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, and representative of the trio, has since made it clear that invitations were refused but all three individuals refused to participate in private, rather than public hearings. “None

of the persons…refused to attend the hearing…pursuant to the invitations (by the Commission) they refused to attend private hearings,” he said.

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

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

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

The report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Lindo Creek killings is expected to be completed soon.

Border controversy…

Efforts underway to ensure APNU+AFC says only limited number of scholarships that Guyanese are informed to UG will be offered T

W

ith cost of tuition increasing, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has now moved to make access to affordable education a bit more difficult – saying that only a limited scholarships will be offered to the young Guyanese wishing to attend the University of Guyana (UG) for the academic year 2018/2019.

This development was made public in a notice published in the Sunday Edition [July 1, 2018] of the local dailies.

The scholarships will only be available to persons 35 years and younger are in the areas of General Psychology [Diploma], Applied and Exploration Geology [BEng], Entrepreneurship [BSc], Finance [BSc], Geography [BA.], Geological Engineering [BEng.], Information Systems [BSc.], Mathematics [BSc], Medicine [MBBS], Physics [ BSc.] and Sociology [BSc.] Aside from being 35 years or under, those eligible to apply must be in good health to complete the programme successfully and must possess a minimum of five subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Certificate Education [CSEC] examination level inclusive of English Language and Mathematics with Grade I, II and III. Applicants must also gain admission to the University of Guyana and current students must have a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.8. Applicants must also have a valid Guyana passport.

Those desirous of applying can obtain forms from the Scholarships Department of the Ministry of Presidency, Department of Public Service. The closing date for applica-

tions is Saturday July 7, 2018.

HIGHLY PAID MINISTERS GETTING SCHOLARSHIPS Meanwhile, while access to scholarships for persons in need has been made more difficult, some of the highly paid Government Ministers and children of government associates have received multi-million dollar scholarships.

Ministers Nicolette Henry and Annette Ferguson are beneficiaries of multi-million dollar scholarships.

Henry is doing her first year PHD in Public Health at a cost of $3.39M, while Ferguson is benefiting from a $3.38M scholarship in the area of Public Policy Management, second year. Henry is studying in the United States of America, while Ferguson is studying in the United Kingdom.

Also benefiting from scholarships are the children of sitting Government Members of Parliament: Alicia Roopnarine – Psychology in the United Kingdom – at a cost of $2.57M; and Stephen Rutherford – Petroleum and Gas in the United States – at a cost of $5.88M. Tabitha Sarbo Halley, a board member of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL), is also on a scholarship – second year Public Policy Management in the United Kingdom – at a cost of $3.43M. These persons are included on a 2016 list of “fully funded sponsored students on overseas scholarships presently” – a list of 38 persons. It is unclear how many more government aligned persons have benefited since then.

he Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched two public service announcement (PSA) videos relating to the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy. The videos contain information relating to the controversy and are more attractive and interactive.

The Ministry has also been disseminating brochures and other printed materials, airing television programmes and even worked with a team of musicians to create a jingle to get the message across to the Guyanese population.

On March 29, 2018, Guyana filed an application with the ICJ requesting that it confirm the legal validity and binding effect of the 1899 Arbitral Award on the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

The 1899 demarcation – the 1899 Arbitral Award – of

the territorial limits considered the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela settled and made clear that the Essequibo belongs to Guyana.

The Award was disputed and in 1966, Guyana and Venezuela signed the Geneva Agreement. This agreement took note of the fact that Venezuela was disputing the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award. While it did not take any position about Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo, it committed Venezuela, Britain and Guyana to ensure that “any outstanding controversy…should (be) amicably resolved in a manner acceptable to both parties.”

The move to the ICJ was advanced there was no success with a further attempt, using the United Nations’ Good Offices process, to

resolve the matter of Venezuela’s renewed claim to Guyana’s territory, the Essequibo County. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in 2015, charged that the signing of the 1966 Geneva Agreement rendered the 1899 Arbitral Award null and void.

On January 30, 2018, the UN Secretary General, concluded that the Good Offices process which the two countries had engaged in for almost 30 years had failed to achieve a solution to the controversy and therefore chose the ICJ as the next means of settlement.

The PPP/C has made it clear that it will support Government’s efforts to defend Guyana’s territorial integrity and has also appealed for Government to be forthcoming with Guyanese on this matter.

APNU+AFC making ‘no genuine... is that the Finance Ministry is advising and that is not enough word for comfort… the Government has been claiming that teachers were important, yet its action seemed to differ as there was no real genuine effort being

made to address their needs,” Lyte said.

The task, which was set up, comprised of representatives of the ministries of Education, Finance, Communities, Public Service and Presidency as well as repre-

(From page 2)

sentatives of the union.

The original proposal suggested by the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) called for a 50 per cent increase for 2018 and the next two years.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

EDITORIAL

Talk about ‘The Good Life’ nothing but comic relief for most Guyanese

T

he APNU+AFC Coalition Government has completed three years in office, it is worth repeating the sentiments of most all Guyanese – ‘This government is a total failure’.

Even judging by its own manifesto and campaign promises, it has fallen down flat on its face.

Those who supported the Coalition are understandably embarrassed by the dismal performance of the David Granger- led government.

Today, their slogan – ‘The Good Life’ – is now just comic relief and denotes more the Cadillac-style living of the cabinet, the countless high-salaried advisors and hand-picked cronies in top government jobs.

Extravagance and wasteful spending is the order of the day.

Among the more fundamental failures has been the promise of jobs, especially jobs for the young people. Jobs are created by devising and executing a well-crafted and comprehensive plan aimed at developing the country over a period of time. This entails creating the right conditions for local and foreign investment and opening up opportunities for our young people. There is an absence of such thinking in the halls of power. However, none of this has happened in the last three years. The last three years have seen the government doing the opposite. Instead of creating jobs, it has put some 25,000 persons on the breadline.

After three years there has not been even a semblance of any meaningful effort to stop the slide that has gripped most economic sectors such as agriculture, sugar, forestry, mining, etc. This means there would be more economic contraction and the possibility of more job losses. The traditional productive sectors could disappear.

It is evident with the government just biding time and waiting to benefit from potential windfall from oil revenues.

This by itself is a monumental mistake. The government clearly lacks of a vision on how to utilize the oil revenues to develop the country. By now Guyanese, especially the younger generation, should have had a clear understanding of where we are heading and how they will benefit in concrete ways in the next two to three decades. A mismanaged economy under APNU/AFC will not be saved by oil.

In the meantime, there are the unending trends of corrupt practices, secret deals, lack of accountability and transparency, especially in the spending of public funds – all of which feature in weekly media exposes. The stark reality is that instead of the ‘good life’, the country is sliding into deeper under-development.

Guyana needs to think big but this government is not capable of such. It is stuck in the plantain chips and breadfruit mentality. Guyana cannot go forward with a cake-shop way of governance.

By now we should have had a modern hydro-electric facility that would transform and revolutionize production.

This would certainly open up vast possibilities for youths to use science and technology to create new areas of wealth and high paying jobs. This was the stage that was set by the PPP/C administration. Rather than continuing with the momentum created after years of preparation under the previous government, the coalition set out on a road to destruction and anti-poor policies.

The nation can never forget the massive victimization that took place and the start of the dismantling of the sugar industry just after the coalition took office, resulting in the dismissal of thousands. And close to 2, 000 young Amerindians were sent home. Still fresh in the minds of the masses were the huge salary and benefit increases the cabinet gave itself.

The incompetence of the coalition has resulted in the young people getting more and more disillusioned. The government’s promises of jobs, housing, cheaper cost of living and security have all been broken. And the unceasing lack of care for the young people and the country, exhibited by the coalition, means that there is no hope.

It is yet to dawn upon the APNU+AFC Coalition Government that no country can prosper without a caring government, which has a national vision and plan. As we approach the 2020 General and Regional Elections, Guyanese must take a stand to reverse this state of affairs.

Why are some silent about the blatant abuse of power, rights by this ‘righteous’ APNU+AFC gov’t?

Dear Editor,

P

lease allow me space in your publication to seek some clarity for my own benefit and to the benefit of those like me who find themselves being confused by the silence of some of our religious leaders in our society.

I was raised in a Christian home and attended church regularly I still do so now. I remember over the early 2000s and up to 2015 hearing many sermons by different pastors, prophets and even bishops and insertions in sermons of the perceived evils that prevailed our lands. I remember hearing that it is an obligation of these preachers to speak against perceived evil.

I also remember hearing prophecies just before both the 2011 and 2015 elections about the leaders and persons God had anoint to lead our land and that these leaders were prophesied to be righteous. We all remem-

ber that “this is the day that the lord has made” said at the inauguration.

I as a young Christian am now in a state of confusion as to silence from these very Pastors, prophets and bishops. We have seen over the past three years this “righteous government” being accused of some of the most blatant abuse of power and the rights of the people of Guyana yet not a word is being spoken for or against these acts.

Editor please let me list a few of the accusations and request a response from these prophets, pastors and bishops on their views of the actions of the Government.

I refer, Editor, to the dismissal of the 2000 Amerindians shortly after taking office; the closing down of the sugar estates and dismissal of 7000 or more workers in that industry; the arrangement with the rental of the “Drug Bond” where one of their supporters, what we were recently told, received more than a quarter billion dollars

without investing a dollar of his own money; the continual issuing of contracts to friends without adhering to the tendering process; the ignoring of the constitution with regards to the established process that was accepted by all and which they themselves subscribed to over the years.

My confusion is as a result the silent in the face of the above stated accusations which on the face of it seems founded in truth. My question to these leaders is simple. Is it okay for one government to do wrong to Guyanese and or a set of Guyanese?

Is it that we are to accept that god accepts wrong from some people and not from others?

Do we have some Guyanese who are considered ‘God’s chosen people’? What am I to understand by your silence?

Confused Christian (Name and address provided)

Will the City Council ever get it right?

Dear Editor,

L

ast Monday, Guyana observed a national day of mourning for the fishermen who were killed by pirates seven weeks ago in Suriname waters.

According to a proclamation by President David Granger, signed by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, the day was intended to serve as a solemn memorial to the victims.

As I drove around our capital on that day, I saw all state entities and most private sector entities quite appropriately flying their flags at halfmast. I felt so patriotic and proud to show respect to those fishermen, who died in an effort to put food on our tables.

Then I passed the Stabroek Market Square and observed the flag there flying lustily at full mast. I had to ask

myself the question: Will the City Council ever get it right? Could it be that City Hall believes that they are above the laws, protocols and established etiquette of our country? Or is it simply that they are just unsophisticated, unworldly, and unsuitable for positions of leadership?

Sincerely, R. Rogers

Taxpayers monies are being squandered like there is no tomorrow Dear Editor,

T

he more I read about the drugs bond at Sussex Street, Georgetown, the more I am convinced that this blatant corruption should be the subject of prosecution in the courts. But I am also equally convinced that SOCU would never do that, since its autonomy has been compromised.

The ex-Health Minister, Norton, should be charged for misconduct in public office, since it is evidenced that since commencement of the rental, the bond was only utilised to store condoms, lubricants, and now a CT scanner. It was supposed to store ‘drugs’.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had justified the rental of the bond.

He had stated that ‘the possibility of a fire and the issue of traffic congestion were just two of the many reasons

considered for embracing the contract’.

In addition, a Cabinet Committee that visited the bond had concluded that it was ‘suitable for use as provided for under the contract’.

He said the members recommended that the bond be used until the Government is able to build an alternative facility. This was in August 2016.

In December 2016, just a few months after this ‘factual statement’

by Nagamootoo, a group of MPs made a startling discovery at the bond: there were boxes of condoms and lubricants, some empty refrigerators, but no drugs!

It should be recalled that MP Irfaan Ali had, at the time, requested that even one tablet be shown, but Minister Norton could not have provided that.

Now, more than one year after that discovery, still not a tablet is being stored at the bond.

This begs the question: What has happened to the PM’s fire and congestion issues?

It is evident that the Cabinet sub-committee’s justification of the rental of the Sussex Street Drugs Bond is frivolous, as it was corrupt and was meant to deceive the public.

There was no urgent need for the bond, but there was an urgent need to reward Mr Lawrence Singh!

It is also evident that this Government could have built an alternative facility before renting the bond. They have spent $264.4 million up to March this year, and another $112 million before the proposed termination. This means that a total of $376 million would have been wasted.

The drugs bond at Kingston, which was budgeted for by the Government, (Turn to page 5)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

How much longer have teachers with degrees in public management to wait to be upgraded?

Shameful and dismal performance of gov’t T appointed officers must be dealt with

Dear Editor, eachers with degrees in public management should be recognised in the teaching system. Many teachers in the Business department who gained degrees in Public management have to utilise their degrees to help students with the business SBAs, and these teachers are currently not getting paid for their degrees.

The business SBA has changed to more like a research, and this is where teachers with public management degrees will have to utilise their knowledge gained from the degree. The Ministry of Education needs to look at the courses offered in this four-year programme.

Most of the courses are Business and Accounts. How can teachers in the Business department in Berbice promote themselves?

The training for teachers in Berbice do not offer training in Business, and the Business

Dear Editor,

T

he nation should be appalled that duly appointed Accounting Officers of the ten Administrative Regions of Guyana are seeking shelter through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities from appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly. This Committee is where these Accounting Officers are ultimately held accountable for their actions.

Notably, of recent months Regional Executive Officers (REO) and huge delegations have attended meetings of the PAC to give an account of their stewardship and to answer queries, raised by the Auditor General, in his report for the fiscal year ending 31st December 2016. It is no secret to the public that some of these officers have been found to have violated the Procurement Act, the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA), stores regulations and even policies set by the Granger Administration.

The ineptitude, incompetence accompanied by the twin sins of ignorance and arrogance have been on open display in some of these sessions. More recently, the REO of Region Five wrote the Auditor General insinuating that documents would only be made available to the Audit Office when “He” approves it. It must have been a very humbling experience for the Granger Administration where two members of the Executive branch sits as members of the PAC, namely, Minister Volda Lawerence and Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Yearwood.

Notably, the Financial Secretary, Dr. Hector Butts, under whose signature these officers are appointed by the powers vested in him by the FMAA, sits as an advisor at the PAC. Surely this is the type of incestuous relationship that occurs when cronies, party hacks and families are hired for public offices for which they are not qualified and or suited for. It is important to note that every Region before an appearance before the PAC have available to them the services of the Audit Office, the Accountant General and the Finan-

programme (Degree in Public Management) offered at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus is not recognised in the teaching system.

These teachers are very unhappy, because they have to utilise their knowledge gained from the degree programme to help students and they do not get paid for that. Teachers who gained degrees in Public Management were allowed to do the Diploma in Education (Business studies), and when they completed that programme, they got an AM status instead of a TGM status.

The Ministry of Education should consider upgrading those teachers in the Business department with degreed in Public Management, because these teachers are efficiently utilising their knowledge and they deserve to be upgraded.

Yours sincerely, N. Simpson

Gov’t paying no attention to the La Penitence Market Dear Editor, Gov’t appointed accounting officers seeking shelter under Communities Ministry’s Permanent Secretary

cial Secretary to assist with their preparation.

It was disclosed that these services have not be utilized by the officers, thus resulting in them being unprepared for their appearances before the PAC. While it is ultimately up to the majority of the members of the PAC, of which the Government enjoys, to grant this request, I’d like to put on public record my strong disagreement to this request and I further object to Public Officers stymieing the work of the PAC. This shameful and dismal performance of Public Officers must be dealt with by President Granger and the Ministry of the Presidency because the buck stops at him, they are his representatives.

Yours faithfully, Bishop Juan A. Edghill PPP/C MP, Member of the PAC.

F

or these August holidays, parents can save themselves a bundle — which they would have had to spend taking their children to fancy zoos overseas, or on a safari in some exotic foreign land, to enjoy a vast array of wildlife and nature — by just taking them to visit the La Penitence Market in Georgetown.

Certainly, the largest, most vicious and audacious rodents and other pests in Guyana call the La Penitence Market home. From their giant size and brawny appearance, one can only assume that these rodents probably sneak over to the nearby pharmacy after hours and gorge themselves on testosterone, as it is logical to assume that that are on anabolic steroids.

And they await neither the cover of darkness nor the quietude of the closed market to move about and seek out food, but can rather be seen on a daily basis nonchalantly sauntering past patrons and vendors.

But witticism aside, the La Penitence Market — if you wish to call it a market — is the grimiest, darkest, and dankest bazaar in this hemisphere. The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown should be ashamed

of themselves for subjecting stall holders and shoppers to the squalid conditions at that market while collecting substantial stall rents and property taxes from the citizens.

It is just unfathomable how the Mayor and Town Clerk — who recurrently tour South, Central and North America, Asia and Europe and see what modern shopping centres, malls, markets and bazaars are like — would be happy to subject the visitors and residents of Georgetown to such grime and insanitary conditions.

Is this a part of the plan to transform Georgetown into a ‘Green City’? Does this constitute their vision for a modern capital?

No attempt should be made to repair or rehabilitate that market. It should instead be torn down, and a completely new facility built in its place.

No sane, sensible or decent person would want to venture into that market to say they are shopping. How are those vendors expected to compete with modern supermarkets, shopping malls and grocery stores? It is just so unfair!

Sincerely, Anu Bihari

Taxpayers monies are...

Guyana is becoming too unbearable for poorer people Dear Editor,

N

ot a day passes with the poorer folks being met with bad news especially as it concerns the cost of living. It is becoming more and more unbearable to living in this country.

Recently, gas prices went up and although there is no official increase everyone is charging more. In the markets, shops, public transportation…prices are climbing.

And the government is not doing anything like in the past under the PPP government when government taxes on gas were reduced to keep prices down at the gas stations.

The power company, GPL, is charging VAT on electricity.

Everywhere you turn there are increases.

Now, there are to be increases in water.

GWI is a badly run business and the service is very poor. All over the place there are broken pipes and no one is looking after them. The elderly and the pensioners will suffer more.

Under the PPP poor people were getting some relief but today this government has taken all that away.

The government talks about benefits from oil but how would these benefits reach the poor people, especially the elderly and pensioners.

Yours Truly I. Budram

would have cost only $250 million! It was reported in the press in December 2016 that, during consideration of the 2017 Budget estimates of expenditure, Public Health Minister George Norton announced that Gy$250 million have been set aside for the drugs bond at Kingston to store drugs and medical supplies. Therefore, we could have gotten a brand-new bond and saved $126 million, which could have gone towards paying the sugar workers’ severance pay.

On that same vein, since the drugs bond was never utilised to store drugs in case of ‘fire and traffic congestion’, the entire sum could have gone towards the severance payment.

Monies are being squandered like there is no tomorrow, while 5,700 sugar workers and their families are starving, and their erstwhile ‘champion’, Moses Nagamootoo,

(From page 4)

is just focusing on yarn spinning to justify such squandermania and save his skin! This is utterly disgraceful!

The award of the contract to a PNC financier is a deliberate act of corruption, and if it can be concluded that Dr Ashni Singh and Mr Winston Brassington sold lands which were undervalued, then it should be clear that the rental of the condom bond is astronomically above what a bond of similar size and in a similar location can be rented for.

I am sure that the next PPP/C Government will ensure that these flagrant corrupt practices will get their much-deserved deliberations in our courts of law.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf RDC Councillor, Region Six

STRAIGHT TALK 6

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

(This speech was first made public on May 1, 1990. Its re-printing is among several activities being undertaken during 2018 to mark the 100th birth anniversary – March 22, 2018 – of the founder of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Cheddi Jagan.)

Guyana cannot remain as the holdout on democracy in this hemisphere

By Dr. Cheddi Jagan

O

ur trade union movement faces May Day 1990 divided. This regrettable fact nearly prevented me from being here today, especially as I was warned that I might be attacked. But neither my resolution to fight has been diminished nor my boldness has been tempered. So here I am with you as we have always stood, uncompromisingly struggling against oppression and for social and economic justice. On this May Day, we re-affirm our unconditional solidarity with the working people of Guyana and assure you that, as in the past, we will remain your solid ally and true friend and brother.

More than a decade ago, I had warned about the anti-national and anti-working class IMF road and its conditionalities - wage freeze, removal of subsidies and price controls, cuts in allocations for social services, and devaluation. I had said it would lead to disaster. And it has.

Successive devaluation have brought our nation to its knees and our people to the brink of desperation and hopelessness.

Relative to 1970, real wages by April 1990 had declined by 272 percent.

In view of this, FITUG described the abominable 7% wage increase this year as "not only ridiculous but bordering on an absurdity." And the TUC has said that the 7% pittance is grossly inadequate and can't work, that the minimum wage of less than one US dollar should be at least $100 Guyana dollars.

The quality of life has seriously deteriorated. Over the past twenty years, living standards have declined an estimated 75%. At present, over 60% of the population live below the poverty line.

Today's minimum wage cannot buy a pound of chicken. Hunger, malnutrition and infant mortality stalk our dear land. Crime, delinquency and prostitution are rampant.

Bribery and corruption are endemic. And the brain drain

trek has become a flood.

One British journalist who, in the early 1970's had high hopes, recently described Guyana as a "country that is bleeding to death."

We cannot be happy with the fact that our people are maltreated and hounded overseas, wherever they seek to better their fortunes.

These trying times calls not only for national dialogue, but also for abandonment of self-interest.

Self-interest must give way to patriotic commitment.

We must take all the appropriate steps and make the necessary sacrifices to raise the status of our nation and people at least to the No. 2 position in the Caribbean which it attained when I had the honour of being Premier.

Momentous and dramatic changes are sweeping many parts of the world with many positive effects on the lives of working people. Arbitrary rule and command methods are being challenged and are giving way to democratic solutions. In Brazil, Peru, Chile, Haiti, Nicaragua, governments have changed or are in the process of being changed democratically and peacefully. Above all, the wonderful spectacle of Nelson Mandela walking to freedom is an inspiration to all of us who are struggling against injustice.

Guyana cannot remain as the holdout on democracy in this hemisphere. An end must be put to undemocratic methods and arbitrary practices which have led to economic stagnation and a visibly crumbling society with no hope for the future.

We too must join the freedom train, without this, the Economic Recovery Programme will fail. The reason is obvious. It was designed without consultation with the people, who have lost confidence in the government. The people's perception of the ERP is more suffering. And as always, they are absolutely right.

We are frequently challenged about our alternative.

It is this. Guyana needs a

new beginning. We need a democratic opening like we need a breath of fresh air. We need a respite from stifling incompetence and pervasive corruption eating away at our society. We need to rescue our country.

Guyana needs a democratic system of election with an independent and a respected Elections Commission, an electoral register made up as in 1964 from house-tohouse visits by enumerators under the supervision of the Commission and with party scrutineers in attendance, a preliminary count of the votes at the place of poll, a guaranteed right to accompany the ballot boxes to the final counting place and to have them within vision at all times.

Already, we are told that counting of the votes at the place of poll is out of the question. We had always felt that dialogue means all sides placing their concerns on the table and satisfactory and reasonable compromises devised. If industrial unrest and political instability are to be averted these controversial issues must be placed now as the first question on the agenda for dialogue.

The question of new beginning for Guyana is no longer in dispute. It is the national consensus. It is recognized by all Guyanese, of every political persuasion, that is the only way our country can go forward is to have an administration supported by the people.

I am glad to see that the

TUC's position in 1978 that there would be no solution to the economic crisis without a political solution has been taken up by others at home and overseas.

Thirty-four prominent Guyanese, headed by the Anglican and Catholic Bishops and including other religious, trade union and business leaders, academics and professionals in an open letter to the President about a year ago, linked economic recovery and development to political and electoral reforms, including a preliminary count of ballots at the places of poll.

The McIntyre Report made it pellucidly clear that the recovery programme will not succeed without political and public support.

The same British journalist who said that the exodus was hemorrhaging Guyana to death pointed out that "decades of electoral fraud have demoralized the country to the point where society is falling apart." Senator Kennedy in the same tone said: "if Guyana is to get its economy back on track, it must first get its democracy back on track."

President George Bush expressed the hope that elections would be free and fair in keeping with the norms of democracy cherished by the American and Guyanese peoples.

And Ms Sally Cowal, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs made the clear linkage between democracy and development when she said that "economic recovery will be successful when implemented within a process which is democratic. We will continue to say that; we believe that will have an effect."

Elections are not everything, but without them, there is nothing. And they must be certified to be free and fair and free from fear.

With Guyana a member of the Commonwealth and Caricom, the Government in keeping with undertakings given to the BBC and the British Foreign Secretary,

must invite the Commonwealth and Caricom to send observers teams to monitor the forthcoming elections.

Guyana can do no less than Suriname, St Vincent and Nicaragua to attain international credibility. I urge the Government, which supports hemispheric cooperation and integration, to embrace the tradition of Latin America of a totally independent Electoral Commission, and to follow the example of Nicaragua in inviting observer teams also from the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Carter Center and the European Parliament, among others. There should be no question of interference if we issue invitations to members of our international family. After all, we are a signatory to the UN Covenant on Political and Civil Rights.

We believe that emerging from any such elections should be a government comprising the major political forces in which all races, classes and ideologies are represented. Our decade-long "winner-will-not-take-all" policy will include our PCD allies and the inclusion as well of the PNC. We feel also that there should be a place in the Cabinet for special interest-business, religion, women, Amerindians. Such a government will have an agreed programme and national appeal and its members will be able to negotiate on Guyana's behalf with heads held high as democratically elected leaders, and not as mendicants begging for aims.

With the people behind such a government, internationals would hesitate before foisting unacceptable hardships on our people.

A PPP election victory will not mean that my Party will dominate such a government. This is a time for national unity, not national discord. With this in mind we shall call on patriotic Guyanese whether in Guyana or abroad, who have special skills or experience regardless of their political views or connection, to help in formulating policies for

implementation. The theory of "enemies of the state" would have no place in a new Guyana.

There will be no witch hunting or retribution against any person who is or was in the service of the state or any of its agencies because of their political views, affiliations or past or present political activities.

Guyana needs to heal its wounds, not open them further. We have unitedly to demonstrate our intolerance for alienation and underdevelopment, and move forward to solve the pressing problems facing our nation.

My party was, throughout its history and in every major document, stated and re-stated its adherence to democratic principles and periodic free and fair elections.

We believe in a democratic system of government, a free and independent press, respect for human rights, a truly independent judiciary, can creatively functioning Parliament, Independent State Commissions and impartial disciplined forces.

In order to entrench a truly democratic environment, a considerable amount of tolerance is needed.

The creation of such a culture is intended to move Guyana forward, not to look backward and be consumed by bitterness and a portioning of blame. There would be no place for undermining of any organization and no intention of destroying anything or anyone. There will be no recrimination about the past rigging of elections. The disciplined forces will be encouraged to play its full role in support of Guyana's independence and sovereignty.

The motive force for Guyana's development will have to come basically from its own people and from policies developed in Guyana by its people in democratic and open debate. No one doubts that we have both the talent and the ingenuity. A new government would ensure minimum civilized conditions for Guyanese citizens (Turn to page 7)

7

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

GECOM Chairman challenge: Appeal Court hearing set for July 25

T

he Court of Appeal will hear the appeal against the ruling of Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George-Wiltshire, which upholds the unilateral and controversial appointment of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson, by President David Granger.

The hearing is set for July 25, 2018. The appeal has been filed by former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, in Guyana’s Appeal Court, on behalf of People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Executive Secretary, Zulfikar Mustapha COURT DOCUMENTS Nandlall, in the Notice of Appeal, advanced several grounds to support the appeal.

It is argued that the Judge erred and misdirected herself in law in construing Article 161 (2) of the Constitution; by failing to give effect to the intentions of the framers of the Article and failed to apply or failed to properly apply the purposive canon of interpre-

tation in construing Article 161 (2) of the Constitution.

It also argues that the Judge erred and misdirected herself in law when she “misconstrued and misinterpreted” the role of the Leader of the Opposition in Article 161 (2) of the Constitution; by omitting to review or properly review the exercise of the power and discretion which Article 161 (2) reside with the President in rejecting three (3) sets of names submitted to him by the Leader of the Opposition pursuant to the said Article in order to determine whether the President exercised that power and discretion lawfully and reasonably and not irrationally, capriciously, whimsically and influenced by irrelevant and extraneous considerations and not guided by relevant considerations; and by ruling that the President has the power to reject a list of six (6) names submitted to him by the Leader of the Opposition pursuant to Article 161 (2) of the Constitution.

According to the court

documents, the Judge also made an error and misdirected herself when she failed to pronounce on whether the President has the power to request more than one list of six names from the Leader of the Opposition and to take into account the first and the second list of names submitted by the Leader of the Opposition upon the request of the President.

Further, it is being argued that the Judge erred and misdirected herself in law by finding that the President is empowered to reject the list as unacceptable although one or more persons on that list is or are acceptable to the President; by ruling that the President lawfully and properly invoked the proviso to Article 161 (2) of the Constitution; by failing to correctly and properly construe and interpret the circumstances when the proviso to Article 161 (2) of the Constitution can be activated; and by failing to impugn the appointment of Mr. Justice James Patterson as Chairman of GECOM

after she ruled that reasons are required to be provided by the president for the rejection of the list submitted by the Leader of the Opposition and after having ruled that the President provided no such reasons.

It was argued that the decision of the Judge is “wrong, misconceived and erroneous in law” as it has destroyed a delicate but fundamental balance in the composition of GECOM, which the framers of the Constitution intended to repose in a Chairman appointed by a formula captured in Article 161 (2) of the Constitution to ensure that such a Chairman enjoys the confidence and acceptance of both the Leader of the Opposition and the President.

BAD FAITH In October 2017, a meeting on the selection of a GECOM Chairperson, between Jagdeo, and President David Granger only lasted five minutes. At that meeting the third list of nominees submitted by Jagdeo was

rejected by Granger.

At a previous meeting on June 12, 2017 – the meeting before Granger made a unilateral appointment – there was an agreement on what would be the way forward, if the third list was rejected. The June 12, 2017 joint statement said: “It was also agreed that a high-level team would be assembled representing the President and the Leader of the Opposition which will begin to work immediately on exploring modalities to bring a resolution to this matter in the event that the list is rejected.”

Given that there was a joint agreement, the Parliamentary Opposition argued that Granger acted in bad faith when he unilaterally appointed a GECOM Chairman.

Following the appointment and swearing-in of the then 84-year-old Patterson, Mustapha filed an application, contending among other things that the president had no power to make a

unilateral appointment once a list of six names had been submitted to him.

He made this argument while noting that the head of state had failed to give reasons for rejecting all of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s 18 nominees as unacceptable. Article 161(2) provides for the appointment of a Chairman based on a consensual process in which a list of six persons, “not unacceptable to the President,” is submitted by the Opposition Leader. The proviso allows for the appointment to be made unilaterally, where the Opposition Leader fails to submit a list “as provided for.” Jagdeo submitted three lists, which were all rejected by President David Granger.

George-Wiltshire, in June 2018, ruled that President David Granger acted correctly when he unilaterally appointed Justice (rtd) James Patterson as the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission. This led to an appeal being filed.

Still no date set by Appeal Court to hear PPP Elections Petition G uyana’s Court of Appeal has been asked to hear an election petition that has been languishing in the High

Court since 2015. The application was filed with the Appeal Court in mid-June 2018.

However, another week

has passed, but no date has been fixed for a hearing.

The elections petition was initially filed by former At-

Guyana cannot remain... (From page 6) such as ensuring an independent and representative trade union movement, the integrity of collective bargaining and decent wages and conditions of work. All efforts will have to be made to get Guyana producing again.

This can only happen with a labour movement and workers who see hope ahead and who know that the government is there to protect them and who have reasonable standards at work, at home and in their environment.

Guyana must have economic policies suited to its own needs and requirements and not imposed by any outside agency. The Guyanese people must be fully involved in formulating such policies and not be presented with plans and programmes designed in foreign countries.

We see industry as playing a prominent and major role in creating wealth. Every effort will be made to remove the numerous constraints on Guyanese industry and invite them to join in a partnership with the government and people in creating a new and developing country. We will

create balanced policies for the development of agriculture, industry, mining and forestry in which Guyanese can play a major and dynamic role by themselves or in partnership with other local and/or foreign investment.

Guyana will need a great deal of foreign assistance in relation to the massive debt burden, our decrepit infrastructure, which is causing so much havoc and losses to our agricultural community will have to be rehabilitated.

Our huge unsustainable foreign debt must be re-negotiated. As I have already said, a new government will be in a better position to re-negotiate because the people behind it will increase production and productivity.

Many people and governments are keenly and anxiously observing developments here. This is not unusual or unnatural. Human rights issues can no longer be contained within national boundaries. With the worldwide democratic sweep, it was to be expected that the cry for freedom of the Guyanese people will receive,

sooner or later, a sympathetic international ear. The concerns expressed by foreign governments, organizations and persons do not constitute meddling. They are hearing our pleas, stretching their hands out to us and showing solidarity with our national aspirations for democracy and economic development.

But only Guyanese can solve the problems of Guyana. And this is why it is necessary for all of us, whatever our views or status, to make our voices heard for face and fair elections and we must be do now.

Brothers and sisters, the time has come for change.

And it is upon us. No one can stop it. But we are not offering change for the sake of change. We are offering an advance from partisan politics to national consensus. We are offering freedom with dignity, we are offering you nothing less than the restoration of our faith in ourselves and our dignity as a fighting people. We are asking for national unity and with it we shall all blaze a trial of glory for Guyana.

Long live Guyana.

torney General, Anil Nandlall, on behalf of PPP/C election agent, Ganga Persaud.

The discovery of falsified Statements of Polls (SoPs); the refusal of GECOM to have public vetting of polling day staffers, many of whom were discovered to be activists of the political Opposition; misdirection by some GECOM staffers who “advised” voters; damaged stamps that saw some ballots not being properly stamped; the fact that persons without identification cards were al-

lowed to vote even though their images did not match those in the files of GECOM staff; and the denial of proxy holders to use their proxies, are among the irregularities the PPP has spoken out against.

These issued are addressed in the Party’s 15page elections petition, which requests that the court order the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to conduct a forensic recount of the votes.

The petition also ques-

tions whether the election was lawfully conducted and the possibility of the officially declared results being altered.

The Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, and heads of the lists of representatives from the eight contesting political parties, which indicated their intentions of entering the elections race to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on April 7, 2015, Nomination Day, are named as respondents in the matter.

8

GRA maintains increased exchange rates despite pressure on local businesses

T

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

According to a notice taking effect from May 1, GY$208.05 is to be exchanged for US$1. In the case of the British currency, GY$287.19 is to be exchanged for £1.

The changes have not gone unnoticed and businesses are under more pressure, but there has been no move to reverse the action. Concerns have already been expressed by some that this change will have an adverse impact on business.

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

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

“Currently, we have almost US$75 million of excess supply of foreign currency in the market with commercial banks, and we are hoping that this excess supply will drag the rates down further than where it is. So, it is not in shortage; there is excess supply of 75 million or more US dollars in the market,” Dr Ganga had asserted.

However, while both the Central Bank and the Government had maintained that there was no foreign currency crisis, several commercial banks and cambio dealers had insisted otherwise, jacking up the exchange rate for US dollars.

In fact, business owners had also complained about the apparent foreign currency shortage, saying that they were unable to readily make

overseas payments by draft or wire transfer for products and services from overseas.

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

Government, through the Central Bank, issued a circular to cambios and the local banking sector informing them of the regulated rates for foreign currency trade.

According to the circular, non-bank cambios must reduce the spread between the buying and selling rates on foreign currency transactions to no more than GY$3.

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

Still no move by Granger to consult on top judiciary posts W

ith another few weeks passed, since President David Granger last addressed the issue of the appointments of the Chancellor and Chief Justice of the judiciary, concerns are increased about the possibility of unilateral appointments being made.

On Wednesday (June 6, 2018), Granger said, “I took my time in making that decision and I am not prepared to throw it out of the window.”

To date, he maintains the same rigid position.

Granger’s nominees for the top posts in the judiciary are Justice Kenneth Benjamin as Chancellor and Justice Yo-

nette Cummings-Edwards as Chief Justice. Cummings-Edwards is currently the acting Chancellor.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who is constitutionally required to give his approval of the nominees before they are appointed stated that he is unable to offer his agreement to the nominees named earlier this year.

He had also made it clear that he remains “committed to continuous engagement” on the matter. “I have given my position. He is president, he needs to get back to me on mode on engagement,” Jagdeo had said.

It is not clear if there will be a meeting between the two, nor if there is a timeline within which Granger will make such a move.

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

Notably, the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) passed a motion for the acting Chancellor and Chief Justice to be confirmed in those positions.

Minister says gov’t will have input on Village Councils’ handling of its monies T

he handling of resources by the Amerindian Village Councils will be something that the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and other State entities will have an input this. This is according to Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs Sidney Allicock.

Issues like signing of agreements to allow

for exclusive rights to be given to miners are some of the issues that will see government input, according to Allicock.

He failed to addressed the concerns about instances where the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), regarding government actions, have been violated.

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

APNU+AFC ‘kick-back schemes’ – gov’t silent in the face of criticisms

C

orruption has been made an “institutional endeavour” under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, with a “mad scramble” by government ministers to accumulate “as much as they can” before the 2020 General and Regional Elections. This was the view proffered by Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.

Despite the criticisms government has remained silent.

Notably, the 2017 and 2018 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), produced by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department, are markedly different, in that “government corruption” is cited as a major source of money laundering in Volume 2 of the latest report.

THE ‘KICKBACK SCHEMES’ INCLUDE: 1. Work permits being sold for as much as US$1,000; and Guyanese documents being sold for as much as US$6,000.

2. Gun licences being sold at exorbitant costs, $1.2M for shotgun licences and $600,000 for 6MM pistols.

Licenses for security companies are going for millions more.

3. Ministers are involved in a rental scam, where properties are rented at inflated prices and part of which goes back to the minister in question.

4. The establishment of front companies, with government officials using names of friends or family members to set up companies, which then benefit from massive government contracts – all in breach of Guyana’s procurement laws.

5. Prime gold mining lands being given to parties linked to government ministers, who guarantee APNU+AFC officials a return on the operations.

6. Dozens of cases settled out of court, for a price, with no disclosure on why there was a decision to settle.

7. Misuse of taxpayers’ monies, with massive properties being constructed for Government ministers.

8. The loss of billions in revenue because of Government supported fuel smuggling rackets. In April 2018, several individuals were implicated in massive fuel smuggling, but managed to get off with a fine of $36M, which was paid to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). The boat was released and no charged were filed, whereas usual procedure would have seen a different course of action being taken. Following reports that authorities, on April 19, 2018, took control of a vessel – the Jubilee – because it was suspected to have been involved in fuel smuggling, documents linking the vessel’s operations to prominent local figures were released. Company documents for entity, SBF International Inc., names Attorney-at-Law, Roysdale Forde, Anand Sanasie and Dorwain Bess as Directors. Another document, a leaked agreement, names SBF International as the company that engaged the services of Sia Regulus, which owns the Jubilee.

That agreement was signed

by Forde in May 24, 2016 and one, Captain Alexander Kilmanskiy.

Police presence in National Assembly still not investigated

T

he Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s (CPA) Secretary-General, Akbar Khan, last month, indicated that the matter of police officers being called into the National Assembly Chambers should be investigated. This call has been backed by the Parliamentary Opposition.

However, there has been no move to act on these comments.

In December 2017, ranks of the Guyana Police Force were summoned to the Chambers to remove Opposition Parliamentarian Juan Edghill. To date, it is unclear who summoned the

police officers. Notably, acting Police Commission, David Ramnarine, had stated that the ranks “ought not” to have been in the Chambers.

After that incident, there was another that raised eyebrows, in December 2017.

Ranks of the Criminal Investigations Department, armed with camera equipment that was being used, were placed as the media desk in the Cambers. Questions were posed to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, who had indicated that he is unaware about CID ranks being positioned in the Chambers. He said: “Police is there? But

that is the press table…no they can’t do that…police can’t get there….the press is there with the permission of the Speaker. Anyone there should be there with the permission of the Speaker.”

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

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

Government has remained silent on the issue.

9

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Gov’t borrows almost $50B from Central Bank, reserves being depleted S

ince November 2015, the Central Government of Guyana borrowed some G$48.8B from the Bank of Guyana – a threat to Guyana’s economy.

A Central Bank is a lender of last resort in an economy, according to Financial Analyst Sasenarine Singh.

He noted that, when the banking system seizes up, it is the function of the Central Bank to prevent the financial system from failing. “It can only do this if its balance sheet remains stable and strong. If one is to observe the balance sheet of the Bank of Guyana, it has been losing value for a while now under this Granger administration.

This is a major economic threat and is a key indicator of an incoming economic

meltdown if not addressed promptly by the authorities,” he said.

Singh added, “…this is exactly the financial strategy used by the Burnham regime in the 1980’s and the outcome can be predicted if this strategy is continued – ‘uncreditworthiness’ and financial bankruptcy”.

He noted too that this act reveals that the authorities have already spent two years of the oil revenue before even a drop of oil is pumped.

“This is administrative recklessness. What if the oil price changes? What if the world demand flattens and another source of oil floods the market leading to a slow up in the production in Guyana? It is imperative that the authorities commence a program of repaying all of this G$48.8B borrowed from the Bank of Guyana,” he said.

Despite the concerns raise, the Coalition Government has failed to address them.

APNU+AFC gov’t silent on ‘government corruption’ highlighted in US report T

he 2018 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), produced by the United States of America’s (USA) State Department, cites “government corruption” as a major source of money laundering – marking the first time in contemporary history that this has happened.

However, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government continues to remain silent on this matter. Not one government minister or official has addressed this matter.

Commenting on the report, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, stressed that the Government has been curiously silent on the US State Department’s report.

Jagdeo added too that many of the personalities and groups that took such re-

ports as “gospel” during the PPP/C tenure in office, but have now, also, gone silent.

“Where is Goolsarran?” he questioned, noting that former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran, was outspoken about what he believed was corruption under the former PPP/C government.

Goolsarran had been one of the persons hired by the Coalition government to conduct forensic audits, which were supposed to prove corruption. A massive $133M of taxpayers’ money was spent on about 45 audits.

The Coalition government has been criticised for the manner in which the audits were commissioned, since many supporters of APNU+AFC were given contracts – including Goolsarran. Goolsarran received four contracts totaling over $6M, with the largest contract sum being $2.3M. Another

$8M was paid to Christopher Ram’s company, Ram and McRae, for the audit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). In total Ram’s company was tasked with eight contracts totaling over $37M. How much remaining five audits cost – a total of 50 having been cited by government as intended pursuits – remains unknown.

According to Jagdeo, the US officials “clearly saw something” that made it necessary for the words “government corruption” to be included in the 2018 report.

The Opposition Leader made clear that given the numerous breaches of financial laws, the Procurement Act, etc. – and the many underhand dealings that have been exposed, the APNU+AFC Coalition government is one of “the most corrupt” Guyana has seen.

Bank of Guyana gold reserves plummet to record low T he Bank of Guyana’s latest Statement of Assets and Liabilities are out and it shows the bank’s total assets are on a slide, with several indices ranging from the bank’s gold holdings to its market securities showing reductions when compared to previous years. The statement was only recently released.

According to the bank document, its total assets as of March 28, 2018, were $206.4 billion. This includes $1.9 billion in gold reserves, $82.1 billion in capital market securities and $5.6 billion in money market securities.

This is a reduction from the gold reserves the bank recorded in June 2017. According to the bank’s Half Year Report last year, it had $4.8 billion worth of gold in its foreign holdings as assets.

The gold reserves have steadily been declining with each passing year. The levels of gold reserves were: 2014 - $25B; 2015 - $14.2B; and 2016 - $7.4B. Also, in the case of total

assets, that has also seen a marked decrease. At the end of 2014, total assets were $207.9 billion. It reduced in 2015, being recorded at $188.7 billion in December of that year, before recovering by 2016 year end and being recorded at $220 billion.

At June 2017, total assets were $221.8 billion, before the drop recorded in this year’s figures.

The practice of countries selling the gold it held in reserves is not an uncommon one. Many countries hold

billions of dollars in gold as a “back up” in time of inflation or economic downturn. It is usually in these cases that the gold is then sold.

At present, gold prices are approximately US$1,350 per ounce. It has fluctuated over the years, at one point hovering around the US$1,000 per ounce mark in 2016.

In Guyana’s case, observers are likely to worry whether the State received the best price the world market could offer.

Case against Singh, Brassington adjourned T

he case filed by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) regarding the sale of the Sanata Textiles Complex was called up at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts again and has been adjourned for July 26, 2018.

When the matter was called, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NICIL, Winston Brassington was present in court but the charge was not read since his co-accused, former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh was absent. Lawyers for Singh informed the court that the former Finance Minister was unable to attend as a result of unforeseen work-related circumstances overseas.

On June 8, 2018, the charge was filed against Singh and Brassington. The charge alleges that Singh and Brassington, while performing the duties of Finance Minister and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

(CEO) of NICIL respectively, between October 26 and December 20, 2010, they acted recklessly when they agreed to the sale of the Sanata Textiles Complex to Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QAII). According to the charge, the 18.976-acre property was sold for $697.8 million but it was valued at $1.04 billion.

However, according to privatization documents published by NICIL, the property was valued at $245M by the Government’s Chief Valuation Officer, but QAII paid $809.5 million for the property, which was more than three times the Government valuation.

According to documents seen by this publication, upon Cabinet’s approval, QAII embarked on its promised programme and reclamation, cleanup and investment. On May 30, 2007 QAII had requested and received a valuation of

the property from the Government Assistant Valuation Officer, which proposed $330.375M (Land $269.200; Improvements $119.175M).

QAII was responsible at their expense for the asbestos cleanup and removal of scrap alone, which they incurred at a cost above $400 million.

SOCU had previously brought charges against the two former Government officials in April 2018.

Former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh has since expressed confidence that the charges brought against him will be disposed of in the near future because he feels they are frivolous and have no bearing. “I have no fear whatsoever about the discharge of my duties being subjected to the ultimate degree of scrutiny… I have absolutely no reservation about that and I have absolutely no fear,” he added.

Brassington expressed similar sentiments.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

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

Guyana Under Review Several issues were addressed a weekly news conference held by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (June 28, 2018), ranging from the deteriorating state of the economy and government’s borrowing to the future struggles of the PPP/C.

Crime ravaging our country, PPP/C front runners for gov’t must take urgent action presidential candidate T Gov't instructions handed down…

will be targeted A

ny move to step up the targeting of members of the PPP/C will be fought and members will be defended, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

During his news conference on Thursday (July 5, 2018), he disclosed that the PPP/C has been able to confirm that instructions were

handed down from top Government officials to certain agencies. “Several bodies have been receiving instructions to target our people… to target anyone who looks like a frontrunner to be the PPP presidential candidate,” he said.

According to him, the PPP/C will not be intimidated.

Work to prepare for 2018 LGE continues, discussion on candidates will be held after July 15 he work currently being ments of the 50/50 frame- what happened there after the T done by the People’s work we used in 2016 to 2016 LGE.” Progressive Party (PPP) ac- be used again this year,” he At the 2016 LGE, less tivists focuses heavily on the continuous registration process being done by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), which ends on July 15, 2018, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

His comments came on Thursday (July 5, 2018) during his weekly news conference when he was asked about the Party’s preparations for the Local Government Elections (LGE), which are expected to be held later this year.

Jagdeo explained that once the GECOM process ends and Party activists have completed their work, with regards to checking the lists of registers voters, etc., discussions on the way forward will be held.

“We are looking at ele-

said. The 50/50 framework say 50 per cent of the candidates fielded by the PPP/C being Party members, while the other 50 per cent were civic minded persons of good standing in communities who had an interest in representing their particular areas.

Jagdeo said, “After July 15, in about 11 days or so, we will start the process to address the candidates we will field…we will start working early on that,” he said.

The Opposition Leader added, “…we will also be determining our platform… for example, when I go to New Amsterdam (Region 6) to campaign, one of the platform issues will be that voting for APNU+AFC means voting for a 100 per cent increase in taxes, which is

than a year after his administration took office, the PPP/C also won 48 of Local Authority Areas (LAAs) out of the 71 areas. The APNU+AFC won 16 and the other seven areas are tied between the PPP/C and APNU+AFC. Of 1,166 seats up for grabs, the PPP/C won 754 of those, while Granger-led APNU+AFC Coalition government won 375. The remaining seats went to independent candidates and groups that contested the elections - in other words the PPP/C won 65 per cent of the seats, while 32 per cent went to APNU+AFC. The difference of votes was some 28,000 – not counting the areas where there was no contest, meaning only the PPP/C fielded candidates.

Did Nagamootoo tell the truth for once?

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ess than two week after his own colleague Ministers claimed that the PPP/C was involved in elections rigging during the National Amerindian Village Council Elections, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, claimed otherwise.

On June 20, 2018, Ministers of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock and Valerie Garrido-Lowe said the PPP/C blatantly disregarding the Amerindian Act 2006

and interferred with the results of the National Amerindian Village Council Elections.

Nagamootoo, on July 1, 2018, debunked the claims by his colleagues. He stated that the newly-elected Rupununi Toshaos, at the Regional Toshao’s Conference in Lethem, have all refuted allegations of “rigging” in the recently held National Amerindian Village Council Elections. According to him, the 57 Toshaos, as well as

councilors, have openly and loudly affirmed “Yes!” to the question: ‘Were your elections free and fair?’

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, said “He is basically saying to Sydney and Garrido-Lowe that they are lying.”

Jagdeo’s comments came during his press conference on Thursday (July 5, 2018), where he also quipped, “It is a race instance where we get a truthful Nagamootoo.”

he rhetoric coming from the APNU+AFC Coalition government must stop, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, during his press conference on Thursday (July 5, 2018), and he called for urgent action to be taken to address the increasing incidence of crime in Guyana.

“Criminals are ravaging our country,” he lamented.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) released its crime statistics, as at the end of April 2018. The statistics show a 13 per cent increase in robbery under arms, where firearms were used, with a total of 230 reports at the end of April 2018. Reports of robbery under arms, where other instruments were used, numbered 79 at the end of the same period.

There were 24 reports of other robberies, 52 reports of robberies with violence, 41 reports of larceny from persons, 345 reports of break and enter and larceny, as well as a 17 per cent increase in burglary reports that numbered 84 at the end of April 2018.

The statistics indicated that there were 26 murders at the end of April 2018 and 82 reports of rapes that were committed.

Also, the Force said a total of 47 illegal firearms have been taken off the streets so far this year, compared to forty-six (46) for the corresponding period last year. Among the illegal firearms are: 30 pistols; nine revolvers; six shotguns; one sub-machine gun; and one rifle.

In the area of traffic management, the Force also said there was an 11.4 per cent decrease in Fatal Accidents recorded at the end of April, 2018. Serious, Minor and Damage Accidents have also been decreased by 13.3 per cent, 44 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.

Additionally, President David Granger has revealed that the long-awaited Security Sector Reform report is currently before Cabinet, which is reviewing its findings and recommendations.

The report was compiled by British security expert Russell Combe, who presented his final report since January 2018. He also admitted to challenges in the security sector. :As you know, there are some issues with security challenges,” he said recently.

Teachers as well as other Guyanese unable to trust Granger-led gov’t

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he Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) says it is finding it difficult to trust the Granger administration, given the state of affairs with a commitment – as well as action – on salary increases and benefits for public school teachers.

And Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday (July 5, 2018) charged that teachers, as well as other ordinary Guyanese, are finding out for themselves that they cannot trust the David Granger-led APNU+AFC Coalition Government.

Consistent breaches of trust have been seen with the Coalition’s failures to live up to its 2015 campaign promises and in the actions

of the Government on major issues that affect the Guyanese people, including the unilateral appointment of a GECOM Chairman.

In October 2017, a meeting on the selection of a GECOM Chairperson, between Jagdeo, and President David Granger only lasted five minutes. At that meeting the third list of nominees submitted by Jagdeo was rejected by Granger. However, at a previous meeting on June 12, 2017 – the meeting before Granger made a unilateral appointment – there was an agreement on what would be the way forward, if the third list was rejected. The June 12, 2017 joint statement said: “It was

also agreed that a high-level team would be assembled representing the President and the Leader of the Opposition which will begin to work immediately on exploring modalities to bring a resolution to this matter in the event that the list is rejected.” Given that there was a joint agreement, the Parliamentary Opposition argued that Granger acted in bad faith when he unilaterally appointed a GECOM Chairman.

Jagdeo declared that the continued failures of the Granger-led government make it increasingly clear that the Guyanese people cannot trust the Coalition to represent their interests.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Gov’t trying to cover tracks after criticisms about $30B bond, SPU has no clear plan on how money will be spent T he second ‘The Private Placement Memorandum’ – a NICIL document relating to the $30B that government is moving to borrow – has been leaked and exposes the fact that government is trying to cover its tracks.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, addressed the issue on Thursday (July 5, 2018) and noted that whereas the first document makes it clear that the $30B will not be used for sugar; the second document states that the monies will be used for “general operations of GuySuCo.”

FIRST DOCUMENT The first leaked document had exposed the lies told the Guyanese people by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. The document - ‘The Private Placement Memorandum’ – details the arrangements of the $30B fixed rate bond, which that government said it was moving to secure for the sugar industry, and makes it clear that the money will not be used for the sugar industry.

Notably, before now it was unclear if the $30B was a bond or a loan.

The document, on page seven, says the $30B in bonds will be issued in exchange for

have paid for the bonds cannot be repaid, the government will have to use taxpayers’ monies and assets to clear the debt. Notably, the bonds have been issued “free and clear” of all corporate taxes.

It has also been issued 355 basis points above one-year Bank of Guyana Treasury Bills.

The second ‘The Private Placement Memorandum’

cash and the monies will be used “to fund long term projects and capital expenditure” in Guyana. There was no mention of investment in the sugar sector.

However, the document shows that NICIL plans to sell off assets of GuySuCo, including land, to help pay off the $30B, plus interest, that it has borrowed. The document shows that NICIL expects to start selling of GuySuCo lands in 2018 and

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

The document explains that the move to issue the Bonds, at a 4.75 per cent interest rate, in exchange for cash, is a five-year agreement. Interest is payable semi-annually, starting Oc-

tober 2018. The Bonds will mature in April 2023.

Jagdeo had noted that Government is getting itself tied to a short term debt for a whopping $30B to fund long term projects. Notably, NICIL, reportedly, did not have any major external or long-term liabilities as at the end of 2017.

Additionally, the bonds have been secured by a government guarantee. This means that if the persons who

APNU+AFC may have tried to “dupe” the Norwegian government

I

n late 2017, Director of the NU+AFC Coalition Gov- status of the negotiations for clear that this must be done Norwegian International ernment delegation visit- the new agreement.” through a public policy docClimate and Forest Initiative ed Norway and Opposition The Opposition Leader ument with formal status.”

(NICFI) Per Fredrik Pharo Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has warned that that spending of He noted that the Green stated that the “ball is in said that, “It seems that the any of the Norway monies State Development Strategy Guyana’s court” to produce only purpose of the trip was must meet the stipulations in cannot be the public policy a renewable energy transition to get the US$80M, to get the agreement with Norway. document with formal status, plan that is a prerequisite permission from Norway to On the possibility that since that has not even been for the release of US$80M spend the money….this is Norway may release the completed. “The Green – monies earned by the for- typical of govt. nothing new monies for solar projects, State Strategy is hollow,” mer PPP/C Jagdeo said. government T h e It seems that the only purpose of the trip was to get the US$80M, under the Opposition to get permission from Norway to spend the money….this is typiGuyana/ cal of govt. nothing new conceptually, only spending what the PPP Leader addNorway ed, “…we left.” – Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo agreement, don’t know in the Low what docCarbon Development Strat- conceptually, only spending Jagdeo questioned what pub- ument they gave to Noregy (LCDS) push. what the PPP left.” lic policy document that way….they have to come Pharo said, “Guyana Jagdeo added, “I expect- the APNU+AFC Coalition clean….they have to say needs to establish a credible ed that when the Government presented to Norway. He how all the safeguards in pathway to a clean and re- went to Norway, they would reminded that Pharo made the original agreement will newable energy transition in have had comprehensive it clear that Guyana needs to me met...they have to say line with its NDC [National- discussion…the visit should establish a credible pathway how the money will be spent ly Determined Contributions] have resulted in clarity on to a clean and renewable transparently.” and our original agreement… how we will receive final energy transition in line with Jagdeo expressed worry this must be done through a tranche to take us up to the its Nationally Determined that the APNU+AFC Coalipublic policy document with $250M earned in the first Contributions and the origi- tion Government may have formal status.” agreement)….there should nal Norway agreement. Jag- tried to “dupe” the NorweL a s t w e e k , a n A P - have been clarity about the deo said, “Pharo made it gian government.

“

NO CLEARER Jagdeo charged that the Government has not come clear with the Guyanese people.

He pointed out that in April, the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) met with the Special Purposes Unit, created under NICIL to oversee the sell-off of GuySuCo’s assets, and was told several things including that: 1. 70 per cent of the $30B would be spent towards improving cane production and productivity through the purchase of machines; rehabilitation of drainage and irrigation infrastructure; fixed dilapidated bridges and revetments, and improving the condition of access roads.

2. Moines will be spent on the establishment of co-generation plants at Albion and Uitvlugt Estates.

3. Monies will be spent to move into the production of plantation white sugar.

According to him, these were three things outlined, but to date, although GAWU requested a copy of the plan for the spending of the monies, no such plan has been provided.

Jagdeo said, “Clearly what we thought was light at the end of the tunnel is not that…we are not clearer, not the Opposition, not GAWU, not the sugar workers.”

He argued that if there is no clear plan on how the monies will be spent, Government made a foolish move to borrow the entire $30B now. “So you borrow now and the interest starts accruing now…if they don’t spend all of the $30B in a year and a half, you still have to pay the interest….you have to pay $2.2B in interest in a year and a half…you didn’t not have to borrow all now, you could have phase the borrowing.”

The $30B bond facility is being arranged by Republic Bank, raising questions as to the amount of fees that are being paid to the bank. The APNU+AFC Coalition Government has remained silent on the criticisms relative to this issue.

New worries about the reason behind gov’t decision to scrap proposal for new three-lane Demerara Bridge

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he decision made by the Coalition Government to scrap a previous proposal for a new three-lane bridge across the Demerara River continues to be questioned.

And new concerns have been stirred following information that the decision to scrap the proposal was made after a meeting between Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, and private companies, while he was attending the 9th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum in Macao, China, earlier this month.

At a news conference on Thursday (July 5, 2018), he said, “We heard that discussions were done with private companies who stated that they will not get funding for the model that the government had for new bridge….so what we have is Jordan having these discussions then moving to throw away $150M, which was spent on the feasibility study for the three-lane bridge.”

Jagdeo added, “…this was done for the purpose of expediency and for other purposes.”

ILL-CONCEIVED Jagdeo, at a previous news conference, had said that there is clearly no effort being made to approach such a massive project from a position of preparedness. “This is ill-conceived and will leave us with a huge burden in the future,” he said.

Being prepared, according to him, means ensuring that there are clear thought out plans on what the Government wants, plans on how to secure financing for the project, plans to ensure that the Guyanese taxpayers are not unnecessarily burdened once the project is completed and a decision on whether the project will be a Public Private Partnership (PPP) undertaking.

Jagdeo said, “I said before all of those things need to be pre-determined… I pointed out the with the Berbice Bridge, there were about 2000 pages of studies… a prospectus was developed… legislation passed to support public private partnership… and only then did the company solicit bids".

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Gov’t has still not completed its Green Strategy yet Jordan calls on public servants to push green initiatives T

he APNU+AFC Coalition Government continues to tout its Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). But what do Guyanese actually know about this?

The facts are that: • There is a Framework of the Guyana Green State Development Strategy and Financing Mechanism, which was developed with help from foreign consultants and completed in 2017.

• There is a Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) Multi-Stakeholder Expert Group

• The GSDS is still to be developed and US$1.5M of REDD+ monies funding the completion of GSDS. That said, despite the absence of a defined Green State Development Strategy, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, has said that the Green State Development Strategy offers a unique opportunity for Heads of Budget Agencies and Permanent Secretaries to transform their respective sectors. Jordan has also called on financial officers to ensure that their budget submissions demonstrate green initiatives within

the public sector.

Critics have said that Jordan is mouthing rhetoric, since there is no defined Green State Development Strategy. Observers have noted that this will only result in an ad-hoc approach to the ‘green economy’ that the APNU+AFC Government touts.

GSDS A FAILURE Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has pointed to the fact that the ‘Green Strategy’ is not an economic strategy and fails to define the creation of economic circumstances that would

result in prosperity for the Guyanese people, using non-polluting methods. “It will not deliver for our people,” he said.

The Opposition Leader added that there is no specific initiative that is defined – other than undertakings like ‘Plant a tree and support the green economy’. And on that note, he drew a comparison between the Coalition government’s ‘Green Strategy’ and the former government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which was geared to earn money for

Guyana while supporting development across a range of platforms.

According to him too, there is still to be clearly defined policies that the ‘Green Strategy’ aims to build on. “By the time they get around to drafting policies…or what they might end up doing is going back to the LCDS initiatives and renaming them…we would have missed opportunities,” he said.

Jagdeo noted that currently Guyana should have already been in its second year of a new agreement

with Norway. However, the reality is the final payment from the first agreement is yet to be released.

Notably, in March 2017, the Coalition Government published the ‘Framework for Green State Development Strategy’, which is “a guiding document for the elaboration of the Green State Development Strategy.” This was after it pledged its “devotion" to the LCDS in Decmebver 2016, according to the Norconsult Report – a report that independely assesses the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project.

Fraud proceedings against Saunders installed as new ex-GRDB members awaiting CCJ President High Court decision J

C

ity magistrate Leron Dale, this week, adjourned the fraud proceedings brought against former members of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) in order to await the outcome of challenges filed in the High Court.

Those charged are: former GRDB General Manager Jagnarine Singh; former Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine; Agricultural Consultant, Madanlall ‘Ricky’ Ramraj; Business Consultant, Badrie Persaud; General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association and current PPP/C MP, Dharamkumar Seeraj; and current PPP/C MP Nigel Dharamlall.

When the matter was called before Magistrate Daly, attorneys Glenn Hanoman and Anil Nandlall, who are representing Roopnarine, Ramraj, Singh, and Dharamlall, informed the court of High court proceedings that are underway in relation to the matters.

Nandlall told the court that he would have filed matters at the High Court

in relation to the other named defendants. These proceedings are expected to be called for a hearing on July 10th.

As a result, Magistrate Daly subsequently adjourned the proceedings until July 16th, when a report is expected to be made.

In the High Court proceedings there has been a dispute as to whether the handover by the prosecution of a heavily redacted copy of the GRDB forensic audit report, which informed the charges, satisfied an order made by Justice Navindra Singh, who had given five days for the document to be produced, failing which the charges against Ramraj would be permanent stayed. Nandlall had filed the application for the stay after contending that the prosecution failed to comply with an order made by trial Magistrate Daly to hand over the audit report to the defence.

When the six persons were initially charged, SOCU claimed that while acting as Directors on the Board of the Guyana

Rice Development Board (GRDB), they failed to enter a total of $362M in transactions into the Board’s general ledger during the years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

There was no claim that the money is missing or that it was misappropriated, only that it was not entered into the GRDB general ledger, which is the role of the Board’s accounting of ficers, not the Directors.

As one of the defence lawyers and PPP/C Parliamentarian, Anil Nandlall, had argued that, “They are charged not to defraud any sum of money. No sum of money is missing…that is a clerical function. If it is to be preferred, the omission to do so should not be placed at the feet of the Board of Directors.”

This is only one of the cases brought by the current APNU+AFC government against former PPP/C government officials – an undertaking that has been dubbed a witch-hunt of political opponents by the PPP/C.

ustice Adrian Saunders was installed on Wednesday (July 4, 2018) as the third President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in Montego Bay, Jamaica

by Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica.

The ceremony was held at the Opening of the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and was attended by

Prime Ministers, Presidents and Premiers from throughout the region.

In his remarks, a release from the CCJ noted that Saunders said: “As I take up the responsibilities of President of the CCJ, I consider myself to be exceptionally fortunate. I have been preceded in that office by two outstanding Caribbean jurists and I was privileged to have enjoyed a close collegial relationship

with both of them. Each in his own way, Mr. Justice de la Bastide and Sir Dennis Byron, have contributed to the solid platform upon which the Court now rests.”

Justice Saunders has served as a Judge of the CCJ since the Court’s inauguration in 2005 and has acted as President in the past. He will serve as President for no longer than the statutory period of seven years.

More taxes on the way – Bulkan says APNU+AFC is ‘committed’ to expanding its revenue base

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ven as many Guyanese continue to feel the squeeze of the current economic downturn, worrying comments made by Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan, are increasing concerns for the future.

Bulkan, at a recent event, stated that the APNU+AFC Government is committed to strengthening its revenue base and financial sustainability by updating the system of property valuation. “We are aware that without reliable, continuous and locally-generated sources of revenue, it is nearly impossible for local organs to perform

the task of community development,” he said of the move.

In January 2018, Bulkan announced the move to have a mass valuation of properties countrywide this year. He said the purpose is to essentially assist the municipalities to garner more finances so as to allow a ‘weaning’ of them off the government support.

“This will `wean’ them off of central government’s subventions,” he had said in January.

Once the valuations are done, Bulkan said the authorities in the various municipalities and Neighbour-

hood Democratic Councils’ (NDCs) will determine how they are used. “It is for the use and determination of individual councils as to what rates they would want to effect. That will be a determination that will be made individually and independently by the respective councils,” Bulkan said.

The move has been rejected by the Parliamentary Opposition, which has said that it will increase cost of living costs of the Guyanese population at a time when costs are already being increased because of the tax policies of the Coalition Government.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Real Time Economic Insights

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he PPP/C in its manifesto had stated explicitly that the tax system would be simplified and increase access to financing, consistent with recommendation of optimal taxation. We also state that we would review the impact of taxes and other factors on cost of living.

After taking office, the APNU+AFC government has introduced over 200 tax measures. At the household level, on average, every family in Guyana paid at least G$31,200 more in VAT in 2017.

The Government clearly doesn’t understand the dynamics of taxation and all its corollaries. The existing tax system is clearly anti-business, and anti-poor.

Low-income families continue to be affected the most; miners, farmers and loggers are all under threat of insolvency due to high tax burden.

If Government continues on the present trajectory, key traditional sectors will continue to decline and in the long run,

Impact on Ordinary Guyanese?

• • • • •

Return in excess of G$5.2 billion in disposable income to the Guyanese people, which is approximately G$31,200 fro every household; More jobs will be created; Our loggers, miners, farmers will benefit from increased production and less operating cost; Low-Income families such as single parents, could benefit from increased purchasing power; Overall, Guyanese would be better off through higher disposable income.

our current account deficit could further widen due to reduce export. Small businesses are completely exposed to high threat of failure due to burdensome taxes.

Proposed:

•

1.1 Restore the purchasing power of the people by removing the imposition of VAT on zero rated items, new fees and licenses imposed in the 2016 and 2017 Budgets

The PPP understanding the plight faced by Guyanese made 124 proposals to the Government in 2017 – all aimed at addressing policy to ensure that the cost of living in Guyana does not increase.

Proposed:

•

-

Remove VAT on essential food items: Ease financial burden on low-income families (e.g. single parent) and ensure access to adequate nutrition, quality education and heath care services.

•

Remove VAT on imported raw materials: Increased local competitiveness. Consumers, in the long run, will benefit from lower prices.

Remove VAT on imported construction materials: Reduced cost of construction (Increase affordable housing for lower income families); Reduce VAT on heavy duty equipment: Increase competition on the global market for traditional goods such as rice, due to reduced cost of production. In the long run, export will increase and more jobs will be created.

In 2017, licenses increased by G$185M (cars and donkey carts);

1.3 Remove VAT on local products in the forestry sector such as logs, shingles, piles, poles, plywood, rough and dressed wood, veneers, charcoal etc.;

Reason: - The forestry sector sustains in excess of 24,000 jobs, many of which are unskilled and semiskilled. Removal of VAT would, domestically, increase demand, and internationally, increase competitiveness.

Proposed:

•

Remove VAT on electricity and water: reduce production cost, and commodity prices ( remove).

In 2017, VAT had cost the people of this country an additional G$5.2B in disposable income, and is expected to increase by another G$2.2B to G$43.1B by end 2018;

Proposed:

1.4 Remove VAT on materials and supplies used in the fisheries sector

Reason: - Helps stimulate the fishing industry and increase competitiveness, through reduced cost.

Proposed: • 1.7 Remove VAT on purchases by government agencies, RDCs and Local Authorities Reason: - Increase multiplier effect and stimulate growth; Proposed: • 1.8 Reverse increased fees on land and drainage and irrigation fees in Administrative Region No. 5 and other applicable areas Reason: - Increase incentives of farmers to cultivate and produce; ease financial burden and reduce operational expense.

Proposed: • 2.1 Remove all taxes and duties on inputs for the agriculture industry including machinery, equipment and spares Reason: - Economic stimulus to the agriculture industry; reduce cost of production; increase global competitiveness; and increase job creation due to production expansion.

Proposed: • 2.2 Repeal increased fees for motor vehicles licenses; Reason: - Ease financial burden on vehicle owners, especially hire car owners and bus operators;

1.2 Revoke Order No. 18 of 2016 imposing VAT and reinstate Schedules I and II: Reverse VAT on essential food items; electricity and water; education goods and services; pharmaceuticals and medical supplies; importation of inputs (raw materials) for local manufacturers; construction material locally produced; heavy duty machinery and imports of household solar plants .

Reason:

Reason:

-

These proposals and the reasons they were put forward will be focused on in this week’s ‘Real Time Economic Insights’. (Analyses done by Irfaan Ali, PPP/C MP)

Proposed: • 1.5 Reverse VAT and Other Taxes on small businesses earning less than $400,000 monthly revenue Reason: - Stimulate growth of small businesses, and increase survivability rate; Proposed: • 1.6 Reduce VAT to 12% as proposed by the APNU+AFC Coalition electoral promises Reason: - Higher disposable income and increased purchasing power for low income families; increased equity and overall wellbeing.

Propose:

•

1.9 Remove burdensome taxes on mining sector- reduce tributors’ tax from 20% to original 10%, remove the 2% final tax

Reason: - Increase incentives and financial returns of miners.

Reason:

•

2.0 Immediately remove all forms of taxes and duties on fuel for the agriculture industry

Importance: - Reduce operating expenses which would stimulate investment and production. Higher production would lead to higher export and increase demand for workers. This measure is critical for the survival of key agricultural sectors such as sugar and rice.

Proposed: • 2.3 Increase the income tax threshold; Reason: - Higher income and increased purchasing power; ease financial burden for low income families.

Proposed: 2.4 Remove GRA’s burdensome administrative measures; Reason: - Increase ease of doing business and investors confidence; and reduce bureaucracy.

•

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

17 homes evacuated as flood situation in Region 9 worsens

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ising water levels in several already cut off hinterland communities. This was according to Regional Vice Chairman Carl Singh who disclosed that communities in the South Pakaraimas and Deep South, and the Rupununi are still inundated.

Singh explained that around 05:00h, the Moco-Moco and Takutu Rivers rose some six feet, adding that the Rupununi River also remains at a “very high” level. Up to late Wednesday, Singh disclosed that the water did not recede.

Based on other information received, the

water level increased by approximately 5ft between 5am to 11am today in Tabatinga, Culvert City and Lethem.

A total of 25 persons are in temporary shelters at Culvert City Primary School, Tabatinga Community Centre Ground and the Amerindian Hostel in Lethem, while additional persons have opted to board with relatives.

The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has since proposed the closure of St.Ignatius Primary and Secondary Schools, Arapaima primary, Arapaima Nursery and Culvert City

Nursery Schools tomorrow. “St Ignatius Secondary school was cut off, you have to use boats to get over the bridge; the entire Deep South is cut off; at Nasha Bridge, the water very high there. Nothing can be done in there,” Singh observed.

Singh deemed the flooding as ‘worrying’.

“It’s a worrying situation because water rise drastically since the morning and it hasn’t gone down; we’re now assessing the situation and we will let [Government] know what they can do,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the

Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, has confirmed that the flood situation in Region 9 has worsened.

Coupled with the flooding is reportedly a shortage of fuel in Region Nine which is blamed on the bad condition of Linden-Lethem trail. Only last week a truck transporting fuel toppled while crossing a bridge.

Also, part of the road between Aishalton and Wariwau has been washed away due to overtopping of the Ireng and Takutu Rivers along with continuing heavy rainfall.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Passengers luckily escape major injuries after bus overturns on Lethem Road

A

bus heading to Georgetown from Mahdia, Region 8, overturned on the deteriorating Lethem Road, after being

stuck in a flooded section of the road this week.

The passengers were left stranded for some time before the bus could be

righted.

Government is still to commit to major repairs on the road.

Meanwhile, hinterland

residents said that the state of the roads has never been this bad. Only recently, one woman, Eileen De La Cruz, said: “I am living

in the interior and yes I agree that it gets bad when it rains. However, if these roads and bridges were maintained it would

never reach this state. We the residents of Lethem, Mahdia and Mabura are the people who suffer in these situations.”

Ready access to basic goods remains a problem in hinterland communities

A

bridge was broken in South Rupunini, Region Nine – the Mile 33 Bridge – located between Mabura and Kurupukari collapsed under the weight of a truck over a week now. And Government is still to complete repair works.

A small bypass on the collapsed bridge allowed some movement on July 3, 2018 – more than a week after the collapse.

The bridge collapsed on June 24, 2018, leaving heavy vehicles stranded for days. Also stranded were passenger vehicles, forcing those on board to camp out along the side of the roads.

Some vehicles with light goods could not bear the unplanned wait and resorted to shuttling the items across what remains of the bridge to vehicles on the other side.

One driver heading to the coastland frustrated at being cut off, made a daring decision to place a few logs across the creek and attempt to cross.

Hinterland residents continue to complain about the increasing difficulties to access basic goods, as well as the increasing costs of those goods, which are transported into remote areas.

This driver made a daring decision to cross on logs placed across a creek

The small bypass on the collapsed bridge

The collapsed bridge

Stranded fuel tankers

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

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

Gov’t says new No infrastructure work at Parika, Demerara Bridge coming gov’t claims it is ‘poised’ to be a soon, yet no town decision made on the way forward In a publication, ‘Westside Diary’, by the Department of Public Information (DPI), the claim was made that the new Demerara Bridge is “coming soon,” but the fact is that the bridge is no were close to even starting.

The last update on the project was that a decision was made by the Coalition Government to scrap a previous proposal for a new three-lane bridge across the Demerara River. The decision continues to be questioned by the Parliamentary Opposition.

APNU+AFC claims it is helping job seekers, no new jobs created in over three years Claims of support for thousands of job seekers in Region 3 were made by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. However, what took place was a workplace – with no substantial promise of employment.

The aim of your new government is to create jobs, jobs and more jobs in the shortest time possible. This was the promise of the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition during the 2015 General and Regional elections campaign. And almost three years since taking office, the Government is yet to unveil a national plan to create jobs.

The manifesto also promised that public expenditure measures would be determined by related factors, which include: Stimulating productivity, investment, savings and growth of the economy; and the provision of jobs, among other moves.

“The APNU+AFC objective is an integrated employment strategy,” the manifesto added.

Under the former PPP/C government a study was commissioned on secondary towns in Guyana – in addition to what were 9 towns – and it made clear that for an area to be a town there must certain infrastructure in place.

The APNU+AFC Coalition Government, seemingly, ignoring this has moved to say that Parika, East Bank Essequibo, is “poised” to be a town.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has said with Parika becoming a new town, residents can expects greater things.

However, to date, there have been no major infrastructure works in the area, nor have there been investments in Parika to bolster economic activity there. Residents have also expressed worry that the designation of Parika as a town will mean more taxes to be paid.

Additionally, in keeping with the study that was commissioned during its term in office, in its 2015 manifesto, the PPP/C promised the: “Completing development plans for all urban areas, including secondary towns.”

Some works to be done at Wales Primary school, sacked estate workers still cannot afford to meet basic expenses Basic expenses, including the cost of sending children to school, remain a challenge for the 1,000+ sugar workers who were fired when the Wales Sugar Estate closed down. Government has made no intervention to support the sugar workers.

In the meantime, it was announced that repairs will be done at the Wales Primary School. The consensus among the sacked sugar workers is that millions will be spent on the school, when hundreds of children are not even able to attend school because of the mass firings and closure of the Wales Estate.

The PPP/C has called for support to be given to the sugar workers. Months later, this call continues to be ignored by the Government.

Granger says significant progress made in the last three years, yet every promise made was broken

Almost every major promise made prior to the May 2015 General and Regional Elections by the APNU+AFC Coalition government has been broken, yet President David Granger contends that significant progress has been made and cannot be disputed.

Meanwhile, promises on jobs, the economy and welfare, among others, have been broken.

In the meantime, the criticisms about this continue to be ignored.

Gov’t claims progress made with new Linden/Lethem road, current state worse than it has been in 20 years Substantial moves in having the construction of the new Linden/Lethem road done have been touted by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government.

However, all that has been done is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the way forward. There have been no finalised plans or even clear proposals to look at financing.

In the meantime, the state of the Linden/ Lethem road, currently, is worse than it has been in over 20 years, making access to goods, particularly fuel, in hinterland communities, increasing difficult.

No efforts have been made by the Coalition Government have been made to support those affected.

One lease for land in Region 9 touted as success, no titled given to Amerindian communities In over three years, not a single title for land has been issued to hinterland communities under the Amerindian Land titling Programme, despite the fact that US$10.7M was left by the former PPP/C government to have this done.

In 2010, MoAA together with UNDP and the Office of the President has initiated a Land titling Project that sought to process applications for titling and demarcation. Under the Guyana REDD + Investment Fund (GRIF), the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government in 2013 signed a US$10.7M document for the implementation of the Amerindian Land Titling and Demarcation project.

What the APNU+AFC Coalition Government is touting as progress is the issuance of a lease to one man, a resident in Lethem. It is unclear that the land was leased to the man, Edward DaSilva, to do.

In the meantime, there is silence form the Government on what progress can be expected with the Amerindian Land Titling programme by the end of 2018.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Gov’t spends $49M to improve math performance, pass rate still drops E nglish is the only subject in which a pass rate was recorded above 50% at the 2018 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). And only 46% of the 14,145 students who sat the exams in March earned passes in Science and Social Studies. A mere 38% passed Mathematics.

Mathematics, which has been the focus of millions of dollars in remedial interventions, saw a decrease in its pass rate by approximately

7 per cent, compared to last year. This come after $49M was spent on an Emergency Mathematical Intervention Plan.

Questions about value for money and holding the Education Minister, Nicolette Henry, accountable have gone unanswered.

Notably, Henry has since said that more money will be needed. “We have to invest…that requires us recruiting additional supporting

staff [and] developing and strengthening the existing programmes to result in the kind of results that you see today….results come out of a process. It just doesn’t appear,” she said.

The 2018 NGSA was written on the March 28 – 29, 2018. The highest attainable scores for subjects: Social Studies – 132; Science 132; Mathematics – 136; and English – 129. The total was 592.

Guyanese will pay another $75M for ‘drug bond’

– Gov’t to continue renting until year end

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he controversial drug bond will be rented for another six months, meaning that another $75M of taxpayers’ monies will be used to continue the deal.

Government has said the rental deal will end, but not until the end of 2018.

Already, from July 2016 to March 2018, the government’s rental of the drug bond has cost nearly $264.5M. The controversial ‘drug bond’ property is located at 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, and the contract is for three years. The proprietor is a prominent member of the

People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Lawrence Singh. The PNCR is the majority partner in the current Coalition Government.

Investigations turned up a private residence, unfit for the storage for pharmaceuticals and medication. On those grounds, the political Opposition called for the contract to be scrapped.

When the contract was finally released, after pressure from the political Opposition, it showed that Government was renting a professional office, not a storage bond for pharmaceuticals.

It also showed that the $12.5M monthly cost was

not the true cost; rather Government will have to pay upwards of $14.5M monthly for the property – spending with no value for money.

Former Health Minister, Dr George Norton, has since been sent to a Parliamentary Privileges Committee for misinforming and misleading the National Assembly on the controversial ‘drug bond’ when the debate initially took place. However, since being sent to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee, House Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, has taken no action to address the matter of possible sanctions for Norton.

APNU+AFC ignoring concerns about boundaries being gerrymandered

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he issue of new Local Authority Areas (LAAs) being created, as well as the Government’s efforts to gerrymander boundaries of existing LAAs, have been raised in the National Assembly and at other forums.

However, the concerns, including the impact of these changes on the pockets of average Guyanese, continue to be ignored by the APNU+AFC Coalition.

The 10 new areas are: 1. Mahdia, which has been identified as that town for Region Eight 2. Moruka/Phoenix Park NDC 3. Kitty/Providence NDC 4. Nile/Cozier NDC 5. Lamaha/Yarrowkabra NDC 6. Hauraruni/Yarrowkabra NDC 7. Plegt Anker/Kortberaad NDC 8. Wyburg/Caracas NDC 9. Aranaputa/Upper Burro Burro NDC 10. Annai NDC Notably, in addition to the creation of one new town and nine new NDCs, the existing Local Authorities Areas have been tampered with.

The Local Authorities Areas which have been restructured are those where the gov-

erning APNU+AFC either did not contest, was tied with the PPP/C for a the number of seats won or lost the proportional representation vote to the PPP/C by one seat.

In the Municipality of Rose Hall, where the PPP/C won the proportional representation vote by one seat in 2016, the number of constituencies has been increased from seven to eight.

The number of seats has been reduced in: 1. Evergreen/ Paradise 2. Aberdeen/Zorge-en-vlygt 3. Malgre Tout/Meerzoergen 4. La Grange/Nismes 5. Toevlugt/Patentia 6. Caledonia/Good Success 7. Woodlands/Farm 8. Mahaicony/Abary 9. Zeelust/Rosignol 10. Blairmont/Gelberland 11. Ordnance Fortlands/No. 38 12. Adventure/Bushlot 13. No. 52-74 Village.

In total 16 constituencies have been removed from 14 Local Authorities Areas.

Meanwhile, Local Government Elections are expected to be held before the end of 2018.

On the same day that gov’t claims no drug shortages, public servants get blamed for drug shortages

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n the same day that Pharmacy Director within the Minister of Public Health, Mr. Oneil Atkins, claimed that there was no shortages of drugs and medical supplies, the Director of Regional Health Services (RHS), Dr Kay Shako, made an altogether different claim.

Atkins claimed that there are constant “erroneous” complaints about shortages and stock-outs of drugs and medical supplies across the public health system of our country. He said that periodically there will be shortages, but not at a level to jeopardize the lives of those seeking medical help in the public healthcare sector.

On the same day his comments were made public, a press release from the

Ministry of Public Health said the low circulation of critical items for patients happens “because of pilfering” of drugs and medical supplies in the public health sector. On the issue of the theft of drugs Shako said the RHS is aware of those behind the reprehensible behaviour. “We know who you are,” she said, referring to public servants.

Shako also blasted the Regional Health Officers (RHOs) for poor planning, according to the Health Ministry press release. It stated that the piles of “expired drugs” in the healthcare system because of poor forecasting by RHOs. However, in the same breath, the Ministry press release, quoted Shako as ad-

mitting that there are delays in the delivery of drugs and medical supplies to the 10 Administrative Regions.

Meanwhile, complaints of drug shortages continue to pour in from across the country, particularly from hinterland areas.

Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, had stated revised drug procurement system which will bring resolution to the ongoing drug shortage throughout the country is expected to be implemented by the month of June 2016.

This was almost a year ago.

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

We must do more and do it more quickly – CARICOM SG A s the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) debate returns to Jamaica, its place of induction, for a review, the CARICOM Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque, said while much has been accomplished under its regimes, the Region has not achieved as much as it should have by now.

The humbugs, Ambassador LaRocque posited ,were that “major policy decisions and adoption of legal instruments take much too long to be negotiated.”

“We must do more and do it more quickly,” he told the highest decision making body of CARICOM which is gathered in Montego Bay, Jamaica for its 39th Regular Meeting from 4-6 July 2018.

“The success of the

CSME is being judged, by the public, on the basis of our implementation of the measures agreed to, that allow our citizens and businesses to benefit,” the Secretary-General said.

He noted that at the recent consultation in Georgetown, Guyana, there was wide agreement that the CSME was the most viable option and platform to enable the Community and its nationals to achieve their goals of sustainable growth and development.

Areas which needed to be improved substantially the consultation agreed, he said, included ease of doing business and the movement of skilled nationals. He told the opening ceremony that participants lamented the lack of compliance with

Washed away!

This section of the road between Aishalton and Wariwau, in the Rupununi, Region 9, was washed away during the flooding in the Deep South. Residents needing to traverse this area were forced to use an alternative road through Awarwanau.

already agreed measures, and stressed the need for an enforcement and accountability framework to encourage implementation and compliance.

The Secretary-General said that the recommendations in the Report of the Commission to Review Jamaica’s Relations within the CARICOM and CARIFORUM Frameworks, added “a voice to the conversation on the future of CARICOM and the CSME.” He noted that youth with whom he interacted last weekend in Jamaica, were also concerned about their role in advancing the CSME. “They displayed tremendous enthusiasm and eagerness to be a catalyst for improving implementation,” he stated.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

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

No new training programme in the pipeline to support Close to 40,000 unemployed in hinterland Amerindian youths M T Gov’t admits…

he APNU+AFC Coalition Government has admitted that to massive unemployment levels of unemployment among indigenous youths.

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock, has said that close to 40,000 are unemployed in the hinterland. “We still have close to 40,000 indigenous youths who are unemployed,” he said.

There has been no major job creation initiative since the APNU+AFC Coalition Government took office.

The promise made by the Coalition during the 2015 General and Regional elections campaign was that it would “create jobs, jobs and more jobs in the shortest time possible.”

Over three years later, the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, is yet to unveil a national plan to create jobs.

Instead, like President David Granger, he is now talking up the focus on persons creating jobs for themselves. “All good paying jobs, as far as I am concerned, can come from self-generation and that is

why we have to focus a lot on small and medium businesses, creating entrepreneurs rather than traders out of people,” Jordan has said.

President Granger has admitted that under his Government, the economy has not been able to produce “sufficient” new jobs. “On one hand I believe that the young people themselves have to stay in schools so they are better qualified.

On the other hand, I think investors must allow what you call microenterprise to flourish, particularly in agro-processing,” he said, adding that it is his intention to engage the private sector to create funds for microenterprise, which can serve as a lending facility to young people.

Notably, the plan for microenterprise funding was not included in the APNU+AFC manifesto. In a message from Granger, the manifesto stated that the APNU+AFC Coalition will provide: “Employment opportunities in science, technology, engineering, mining, agro-processing and the arts to provide jobs and

promote economic growth.”

The manifesto also promised that public expenditure measures would be determined by related factors, which include: Stimulating productivity, investment, savings and growth of the economy; and the provision of jobs, among other moves. “The APNU+AFC objective is an integrated employment strategy,” the manifesto added.

Notably, however, President Granger, in a May 2016 broadcast of ‘The Public Interest’ noted that the Government does not have jobs to give out. “We need to change from the mindset that government owes people employment and create in the minds of young people the desire to go out there and work and do well…people even while they are in school will be encouraged to go into business rather than to look forward to jobs in the private sector,” he said.

In the meantime, job creation concerns continue to grow and Guyana’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth continues to decline.

onths after Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Sydney Allicock, admitted that the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) initiative failed and a replacement programme was in the works, Government has been silent on what exactly the replacement programme is.

HEYS was put in place by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government soon after May 2015 and replaced the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP), which was an initiative under the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government.

The focus of YEAP was to train young Amerindians while employing them at the same time is a medium to empower the young as partners in national development. Under YEAP, over 2,000 Community Support Officers (CSOs) were trained and participated productively in Education, Health, and Social Welfare, Community Development, Culture, ICT, Infrastructure and small

received their presidential grants.

The Presidential Grant is one of the major interventions being undertaken by the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government. The Grant was aimed at boosting economic and social development for Indigenous People in the respective villages and communities.

Villages and communities receive specific sums which range from $500,000 to $2M according to population size.

Some of the projects supported under the Presidential Grant initiatives included: Transportation (Procure-

ment of boats, engines, mini buses, tractors, trailers and its implements and ATV for general transportation; Agricultural Projects (cattle farming, chicken rearing, cash crop farming); Machinery & Equipment (Chain saws, brush cutters, generators); Tourism (Guest houses, Eco Lodges, benabs); and Productive Infrastructure (Pavilions, Multi-purpose Halls, Village Offices, Village shops Roads, trails, bridges, revetments) The allocation of grants commenced in October, 2007 with an allocation of $150M for 139 villages.

nity service officers who were part of the YEAP programme were fired.

Government had stated that HEYS was better than YEAP. However, with the HEYS programmes, the participants received six months of classroom training and six months of practical training, but no follow-up support to ensure that they secure jobs or are supported with easy access to financing to launch entrepreneurial activities.

Over $2B was invested in the last two years of the PPP/C government in YEAP. And given the scrapping of the HEYS initiative, questions related to value for monies spent are now being asked.

In admitting that HEYS was a failed programme, Allicock stated that HEYS will be scrapped, since it was not structured to incorporate other training programmes for youths in the various sectors. The Minister and his Government have remained silent on the subject of a replacement programme.

Performance gap between hinterland, coastal primary students confirmed

Conditions now attached to Presidential Grants given to T Amerindian Communities S ixteen communities, in Region 9, received cheques valued at $20.8M under the Presidential Grant programme. However, this time round the monies were released with conditions. The recipients were informed that portions of the monies must be used to embark on green sustainable projects.

The cheques were handed over by Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, during the Regional Toshaos’ Conference held at the Indigenous Conference Hall at Lethem, Region Nine.

It is unclear if all the Amerindian communities

business. The CSOs received training in various, including: Management of Photovoltaic System; Management of Basic ICT hardware; Governance & Amerindian Act; Youth Voices for Climate Change; Business & Sustainable Development; and Various aspect of the Community Development Project training. Also, a group of qualified and eligible Community Service Officers were enrolled for course at the University of Guyana on line programme for a Bachelor’s Degree in Maths and Physics or Computer Science. The trained youths then collaborated on the implementation of CDPs and other socio-economic activities taking place in the villages. The inclusion of the young allowed them to participate productively in technical, mechanical, computer, and agricultural activities will definitely enhance the capacity of the villages’ human resources.

When the Coalition Government took power, the 1972 Amerindian commu-

he results of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), commonly called ‘Common Entrance exams’, were released last Thursday (June 28, 2018) and it showed that there is a major gap when comparing the performance of hinterland and coastland students.

Education Minister Nicolette Henry has admitted that there is a lower performance of the hinterland region, but failed to say exactly what is being done to correct this problem.

SOLAR PANELS TAKEN AWAY Notably, under the previous People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration, efforts were made to bolster the delivery of education in hinterland areas. The last of such measures, prior to the May 2015 General and Regional Elections, was the plan to

purchase of solar panels to ensure access to electricity in Amerindian communities.

However, the APNU+AFC Coalition took away the 6,000+ solar panels that were purchased for several Amerindian communities. The panels were said to be reserved for use at the Ministry of the Presidency and State House.

The disclosure that the solar panels will not go the Amerindian communities was made when the PPP/C, in the National Assembly, questioned the spending of $48.6M on furniture and equipment for the Ministry of the Presidency and State House in 2015. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, in response, disclosed that part of the $48.6M was spent of 6,000 solar panel systems for the Ministry of the Presidency and State House.

President David Grang-

er had admitted that students in the hinterland who are studying need “proper” light (electricity). But he has remained silent on the return of the solar panels.

NO CLEAR PLANS Additionally, while Granger charged that his Government wants to see hinterland development advanced on par with that of coastland communities, he did not expound on how this will be done.

The Education Minister and the Ministers responsible for Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs have not detailed a plan to ensure that hinterland development is further advances.

Meanwhile, at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment, the highest score obtained was 477 marks which secured a spot at Kato Secondary. The top mark was 529.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Three years later: No clarity on way forward as Amerindians told to wait Gov’t pushes ahead with making longer to have firearms returned changes to 2006 Amerindian Act

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uring the amnesty for unlicensed firearms in 2015, scores of Amerindians handed in weapons used to protect their cattle and crops and support their livelihoods, with the promise of receiving licences. The APNU+AFC Coalition Government delayed the return to April 2018 and has now delayed it again, until the end of July 2018.

The July month-end date, however, only applies to residents of Indigenous communities in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazuruni) according to Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock. It is unclear when other Amerindian communities will be served.

Notably, in April, a government team was scheduled to meet with residents of 11 indigenous communities at Chinoweng, Phillipai and Kamarang. In addition to

the firearms, they were also taking along 121 permits to distribute to the residents.

However, the visit was cancelled.

Additionally, Government, using its majority in the National Assembly, approved the Firearms (Amendment) Bill he noted that one of the criteria for being granted a licence to hold a firearm is to protect large sums of money. As such, he contends that the increased are not major increases.

Licences for shotgun will increase by $3,000 to $5,000; handguns from $5,000 to $25,000; rifles from $5,000 to $40,000; and dealers from $7,500 to $150,000.

People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), Dharamkumar Seeraj, had argued that there are categories of firearm holders who need

firearms, not to protect large sums of money, but ones that need it to support their livelihoods, specifically, farmers and Amerindians. “The timing of the increase is also something that we have to address,” he said, noting that state of the rice industry and the circumstances of local rice farmers and stressed that “every dollar counts” in the current situation. Consequently, he called for Government to reduce the increase in the licence fees and not apply the entire amount to renewals.

Guyana as just over 8,000 persons who are licenced firearm holders, according to Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan. He disclosed that currently there are about 3,000 licenced shot guns, 4,500 licenced pistols and revolvers and 347 licenced rifles.

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he Coalition GovernMeanwhile, moves ment, undeterred by are underway to advance criticisms, is pushing ahead changes. At the grassroots with its plans to make level, the efforts are being changes to the Amerindian led by a handpicked, govAct. The Parliamentary Op- ernment-connected, group. position has warned the APThe Amerindian Act WEEKEND 17-18 NU+AFC CoalitionMIRROR against 2006, passedFEBRUARY, under the foradvancing any move that mer People’s Progressive will not bring more benefits Party/ Civic (PPP/C), was to Amerindians in Guyana hailed as an embodiment – changes that will dilute of policies that covered the the rights of our Indigenous protection of the general Amerindian people. welfare and rights of IndigThe Indigenous People’s enous Peoples. It affirms Affairs Minister, Sydney the declaration of rights Allicock, to date, has unable of indigenous peoples in to say what the govern- specific stipulations that ment’s 14 intention is. All he include governance, land has said is that, “There were rights and preservation, and lots of ideas, proposals, and Amerindian heritage. suggestions that we can Passed a year before the review, to see what might UN-DRIP declaration, Guybe adequate or relevant to ana’s 2006 Amerindian Act today.” includes key provisions re-

lating to Amerindian people that are not dissimilar, in most instances, from those outlined in the declaration, and has thus been the legal stronghold for Amerindian development.

2018 Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Opposition has also called on the Coalition Government to respect the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), which is enshrined in the 2006 Amerindian Act – which means that nothing ought to be done with the involvement of the Amerindian people.

It is unclear which Amerindian communities have been consulted on changes to the Amerindian Act. The Government’s move to change the Act was announced in 2016.

e under successive PPP/C e welfare of Amerindians Leaders.

He stated that the Toshaos will have to “demonstrate what caliber they are made of” – an indication that the Amerindian leaders will have to deal with the deteriorating road and bridges on their own.

Meanwhile, hinterland residents have said that the roads and bridges are worse now, than ever in the last two decades.

Some of the roads and bridges named were those in the following areas: the Parabara- Karawdanau roads and the bridge to and from community; the roads in Deep South; the road to Tiger Pond; Potarinau; and Tosheida.

Additionally, with the flooding in some Region 9 areas, some of the roads and bridges have been washed away due to flooding.

In 2010, MoAA together with UNDP and the Office of the President initiated a Land titling Project that sought to process applications for titling and demarcation. When it started, some 13 new communities were considered for titling, 32 applications for extension of land were made; and 33 Villages were demarcated.

Some US$10.75 was been allotted for the project under the LCDS-GRIF. A Project Management Unit was established in June 2014 to facilitate the implementation of the project. Under the APNU+AFC Government, the Unit was disbanded.

Government of Guyana has also allotted $77.9M in its LEGISLATION 2013 national budget for this purpose.

The Act of 2006 is anvillages embodiment of polThisAmerindian means that 89% eligible have thus far icies that cover the protection of the general welfare and been titled, and only 11% remains to be titled by 2015.

rights of Indigenous Peoples. It affirms the declaration of rights of indigenous peoples in specific stipulations that TRANSPORTATION include governance, land rights and preservation, and The PPP/C government consistently allocated funds Amerindian heritage. for Passed Land and Transport improve transportation a Water year before the to UN-DRIP declaration, WEEKEND MIRRORand 17-18 2018 services in2006 villages, thusFEBRUARY, improving Access to hospiGuyana’s Amerindian Act includes key provisions tals and to health centers and posts. relating Amerindian people that are not dissimilar, in Boats, outboard engines, Mini-buses, Pick-ups, most instances, from those ATVs, outlined in the declaration, Motorcycles provided to almost allAmerindian the villages and has thus have beenbeen the legal stronghold for through the years; and more. development.

e under successive PPP/C Major drug shortages in veAmerindian welfare of Amerindians villages Tosahos report…

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he lack of transportation to move ill persons to the Lethem Hospital was cited as a major problem affecting Amerindian communities, during the Regional Toshaos Conference, which was held in Lethem, Region 9, which was held earlier this week.

Another problem raised was the issue of shortages of drugs and medical supplies, reported across almost all of the hinterland communities.

The Coalition Government continues to fail to address the months-long

problem of shortages of drugs and medical supplies, especially in the hinterland areas.

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

To date, reports of drug shortages continue to surface. Just weeks ago, doctors and pharmacy staff are currently engaged in a sit-

PRESIDENTIAL GRANTS

in at the Skeldon Hospital over shortage of drugs and medical supplies. Reports are that the over since last three months “chronic” shortages of drugs and medical supplies have worsened, despite multiple attempts by staffers to have the matter addressed by the Ministry of Public Health.

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

“ a G t n h s “ ( s s a

Significant p administratio AMERINDIAN LAND TITLING PROJECT (ALT)

Significant progress made Hinterland concerns about under successive PPP/C roads, bridges met with insult administrations to improve ...Allicock tells Toshaos that their ‘caliber’ will be tested welfare of Amerindians T his week at the Regional Toshaos Conference, which was held in Lethem, Region 9, concerns were raised about the state of the roads and bridges used to access dozens of hinterland communities.

Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, not only failed to address these concerns, but proffered something of an insult to the Amerindian

S

TOURISM SUPPORT From the year 2007 to 2013, the Government of Guy2012, the Ministry financed eco-tourism projects for ana In invested $1,172,000,000 to 189 Amerindian commu19 Villages, each receiving utmost $1.5M.Infrastructure, nities for Economic, Agriculture, Tourism, In 2013, twenty villages will be receiving grants at Transportation, and Social Projects. $1.5M each and to the eco-tourism industry in their respective In 2012 2013 alone $M359, 800,000 was allotted regions. for this program to 189 Amerindian Communities. In The initialisimplementation the firstand 27 Community 2014, 200M allotted for thisofproject, 28 villages Development Plans (CDPs) funded through the GRIF, have thus far received their grant.

11 % account for projects that are related to ecotourism.

AMERINDIAN LAND TITLING PROJECT (ALT) EDUCATION

In 2010, together with UNDP and the Office Access toMoAA Primary Education was advanced and 100 HEALTH of the President initiated a Land titling Project that sought % of villages have primary The Amerindian Hostel schools data on inpatients reflect acto process applications for and demarcation.

When Better access to secondary education was pushed and cess to medical services attitling Georgetown Public Hospital it started, some 13 new communities were considered for through reducing 14 secondary schools in the hinterland were set thereby further aggravation of health situations titling, 32 applications for extension of land were made; up.Hinterland patients and providing better access to qualof and 33 Villages were Under the Hinterland Programme sixty ity health services; safedemarcated. andScholarship adequate accommodation for US$10.75 was been for the project untwo Some (62)and students were awarded Hinterland Scholarships patients welfare cases helpallotted ensure the psychological der the LCDS-GRIF. A Project Management Unit was in 2014.

In 2013, 430 total students are inare theaffected roll which health and general well-being of those that by established in June 2014 to facilitate the implementation is an 18% increase from the total of 362 students in 2012. sickness and other social issues. of the project.

Under the APNU+AFC the An average 50 Hinterland students perGovernment, year for the cenpast The fact of that all villages have a health hut/health Unit was disbanded. decade is added list ofhealth grantees. tre makes accessto tothe primary care easier in villages Government ofspent Guyana has also allotted $77.9M its $94.5M for Liliendaal, East Coast in Deand Some thus improving health conditions of villagers.

2013 national budget for this purpose. merara, with state of the art facilities, was home an Amerindian Residence accommodated a total of to 7017 Thisof means thataccompanying 89% ofyear eligible villages have thus far patients with relatives up to 2014. average 90 their students per . All secondary schools been titled, and only 11% remains to be titled by 2015.

The provides a shelter for those patients who haveResidence dormitories.

have been referred to the per Georgetown Public Hospital The cost per student year in the Dormitory is

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Corruption, breach of financial laws, spending irregularities and more….

APNU+AFC gov’t has racked up over 50 scandals in less than three year

T

he Parliamentary Opposition has been monitoring the APNU+AFC government’s use of public funds and the levels of transparency and accountability.

From June 10, 2015 to date, over 50 scandals have been uncovered – an average of one scandal for each month.

1. The cost of the inauguration ceremonies at the Parliament Buildings and, more particularly, the one at the National Stadium has never been revealed.

2. The removal of 8 containers containing steel by BK International from the Ministry of Public Health’s compound worth millions of dollars - in the first week after government changed in violation of a court order.

The government did nothing to retrieve the containers and has been silent.

3. The dismissal of 1,972 Amerindian community service officers at “one stroke of the pen” with no cause by the third (3rd) Vice-President and Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Despite a promise by VP Allicock in the National Assembly, during the 2015 Budget debate that the government would create a new programme to hire Amerindian youths, they instead replaced this programme with the Hinterland Entrepreneurial Youth Skills Programme (HEYs). HEYS is a sixmonth training programme with no entrepreneurial or employment component, which is under severe duress as there are complaints that the facilitators and students have not received their stipends despite the budgetary provision of $1Billion.

4. The appointment of 33 foreign honourary advisors to assist the government and the appointment of a top heavy bureaucracy of Presidential and Ministerial advisors, which have only been partially disclosed in the National Assembly in response to questions to Ministers in 2016. The total numbers are approximated to be nearing 100 advisors

(local and foreign) at a huge cost to the taxpayers.

5. India/GoG funded Speciality Hospital – the government gave a contract to Fedders Lloyd (VP Ramjattan was its lawyer) without going to tender at a price yet unknown and in violation of the procurement laws. Despite public outcry, the government refused to terminate the contract for the Speciality Hospital. The company was delisted by the IDB and the Indian government and Eximbank withdrew the money for the loan. There has been no disclosure as to how much Fedders Lloyd was paid and what work had been done when the company was delisted and the project halted.

6. The first act of the government was to give themselves enormous salary increases between 50 -100 % of what the former government ministers received. This was quietly done in September 2015 and the parliamentary opposition had to wage a struggle in Parliament to bring a motion to reverse this. When the motion was finally heard in December, it was defeated by the government’s one-seat majority. It should be remembered that the media, having leaked the fact that the government was embarking on increasing the salaries of the President, VPs and Ministers, Minister Trotman, on behalf of the government, denied that the government was contemplating any salary increases for the Ministers. This was also denied during the debate on the 2015 Budget in August 2015. Having gone into recess mid-September, the government stealthily published Order No. 6 of 2015 in the Official Gazette, dated September 25th, 2015, increasing their salaries and making it retroactive to July 1, 2015. Contrast this act with the government’s refusal to increase the salaries of the public servants in accordance with their campaign promises.

7. Durban Park Development Project for the Jubilee

celebrations - The government has refused to provide information on the “private company,” which was in charge of the preparations of the Durban Park prior to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s “take over” of the project on the orders of the President. It is estimated that the costs, when finally exposed, will be close to $1Billion - for a one-day event.

8. The President pardoned over 100 convicted felons in 2015 and stated that this would be done annually. He promised that these would be felons with non-violent crimes and juvenile offenders. In fact, this was not true.

A number of these persons had been sentenced for violent crimes and a number of them are back in prison.

9. The Rudisa case at the CCJ and the pay out to Rudisa - The APNU and AFC, while in Opposition, twice caused the defeat in the 10th Parliament of attempts by the PPPC government to amend the Customs Act in order to pre-empt the case going to the CCJ and save the country millions of US dollars. The APNU+AFC Coalition government settled to repay the entire amount of the Rudisa USD$16M claim without any negotiations for a debt repayment schedule and despite the fact that the company owed and appears to still owe millions of dollars in taxes to Guyana. The first payment was made late last year and the second budgeted for in the 2016 Budget.

10. Hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the Government and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council on the “Clean Up Campaign” in the city with no public tendering and handpicked companies. In some cases, new companies were created with no experience to facilitate this corruption. There has been no accountability of the amount of monies spent and the Mayor and Town Clerk have rebuffed efforts to allow the Auditor General’s office to do a forensic audit.

11. The write off of debts owed to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the nation by DDL worth billions of dollars (April 2016). If DDL had not issued a press release announcing the write off, this would not have been known.

12. Other write-off of debts by the GRA for other companies who financed the APNU+AFC Coalition electoral campaign, worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Minister Trotman said these companies have to be compensated for their financial investment.

13. Following the March 18, 2016 Local Government Elections, Minister Bulkan in violation of the statutes governing the local government system, appointed the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and the 5 Chairpersons and vice chairperson of the 5 NDCs in the 6 tied LAAs. All of these persons were APNU, although there was a plurality of votes in 3 of the 6 tied LAAs for the PPP and 3 for the APNU+AFC. 14. Write-offs by the APNU+AFC dominated Georgetown Municipal Council to many companies for millions of dollars owed in rates and taxes for undisclosed amounts. This is a City Council that is now cash-strapped and cannot pay contractors for garbage collection nor timely payment of salaries of its employees. The cost to the Treasury of these write offs by the GRA, the Georgetown City Council and other Local Authority Areas alone earmarked in this list of scandals is estimated to be between 23% to 36 % of the total 2016 Budget.

15. Parking meters contract with no public tendering, no involvement of the Georgetown City Council, no consultation with the citizens – the scandal deepens, even as the APNU+AFC Georgetown Mayor is being advised to do some damage control by attempting to amend the 49-year contract and make it less embarrassing for the

government.

16. The three-year Pharmacy Bond contract between the Ministry of Public Health and the Linden Holding Company was not tendered for by Minister Dr Norton’s own admission on the floor of the National Assembly.

The PPP/C will be submitting its motion of privilege, calling for the Speaker to send the Minister of Public Health to the Privilege Committee for wilfully misleading the National Assembly and the nation.

17. The GoG/BK International settlement of $1.17 B for Haags Bosche - The Ministry of Communities’ settlement of $1.17B to BK International for the Haags Bosche project came to light as a result of a Supplementary Financial Paper on August 8th where the country learnt that this settlement was made and would be paid in three tranches, even though the court did not award costs to BK Int’l. The government paid BK Int’l the first third of the payment in January 2016, which begs the question - where did this money come from? It was not provided for in the 2015 budget, nor was there any SFP in the interim nor in the 2016 Budget or since to cover this first payment of G$500M. The August Supplementary Financial Paper covers the payment of the second tranche of $501M to BK int’l from the Consolidated Fund. The third payment the Minister stated would be reflected in the 2017 budget. This is a scandal like the RUDISA and the DDL write offs. Interesting and of note is that BK International is being paid the entire $10M USD for the contract though BK Int’l only worked for 3 of the 5 years of the contract at substandard work. The PPP/C government had terminated the contract due to substandard work and delays. Ministers Bulkan and Patterson late 2015 both publicly stated that BK Int’l had done substandard work on the project!

18. Two fuel scandals relat-

ing to the issuance of fuel licenses for the importation of fuel to companies that are made up of persons related to top officials or who are top officials themselves in the government, who have no fuel bonds, no storage facilities and no offices.

The withdrawal of the fuel importation license to the Chinese company, which has invested millions of US dollars for storage facilities, appears to have been calculated to make room for these alternative importers.

In August the second set of fuel licenses came to light regarding licenses issued to Dr. Van West Charles, CEO and other officials in GWI under a private company. It should be noted that an applicant for a fuel license has to acquire an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and 4 additional licences - provision of a bond under detailed specifications, transportation, storage, importation, and restrictions on where fuel storage can be located. It normally takes a long time for an applicant to obtain all these licenses---impossible to do so in 9 months. The licenses were issued in the month that Van West Charles became CEO GWI and, therefore, he had ample time to remove himself from the company.

At a parliamentary opposition weekly press briefing several months ago, this gentlemen’s role in soliciting donations for pipes for the wells in Region 9 was exposed. It was reported that the Brazilian contractors hired by GWI to dig 8 wells in the Rupununi region were unable to pay their workers as they allege that GWI is not paying them (the contractors).

19. Consistent and frequent violation of the Procurement Act by line ministries - e.g, the Minister of Agriculture admitted that the MOA nor the NDIA had gone out to tender for works totalling $234M due to emergency works for El Nino and flooding in regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10. In fact, these monies should have been provided for in the Supplementary Financial Paper # 2

21

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

APNU+AFC gov’t has racked up over... of 2016 for the Consolidated Fund.

20. Requests for information during questions to Ministers and questions during the debate on the two Supplementary Financial Papers on August 8th revealed that the government ministers’ will not release contracts unless they have the permission of the other person/company/ party to the contract. This is unheard of and a violation of the role of the legislature under the constitution to hold the government accountable.

21. Undermining the judicial process- the establishment of a Presidential Tribunal to inquire, investigate and recommend whether Carvil Duncan, Chairman of the Public Service Commission, should be removed from office for inability to discharge his duties. Since the charges against Mr Duncan are still pending before a Magistrate of the Georgetown Magistrate’s court, the establishment of this tribunal is premature, pre-emptive and repugnant to the very “due process” to which the President says that his Administration is committed.

22. Auditor General’s special audit of GECOM expenditure in 2015 prior to the general and regional elections—this is on-going, with the use of sole sourcing by the GECOM estimated to amount to $700M in the months prior to the May 2015 elections. However, unlike other investigations where the heads were sent on administrative leave such as the Head of NICIL, Head of the NDIA, PS of the Ministry of Legal Affairs, head of the Public Hospital Georgetown, to name a few, this CEO has not been sent off on administrative leave.

23. $240M spent on refurbishing the Kitty Market.

Photographic evidence exposes the corruption by City Hall. There are no scope of works, estimates, etc that is available and the project was not put to tender as the city has hired the workers and is implementing the works itself. This project is still not completed.

24. The awarding of the contract for boxed juices for the school feeding programme to a Surinamese beverage company owned by RUDISA that was not the lowest or even the second lowest bid. The impact on the local farmers and manufacturers will be felt. DDL has come out publicly to criticise this, so too, has another company Guyana Beverages.

25. Award of the contract for quarry stone to a Surinamese company for the CJIA will have tremendous impact on the local quarries. Toolsie Persaud, one of the stone producers, has protested. There is more to come to light on this issue and this we have earmarked an emerging scandal where government needs to provide answers.

26. The discriminatory dismissals of hundreds of employers in the public service and in the state entities on the basis of their ethnic and assumed political affiliation which started in June 2015 is continuing unabated.

27. Some $1.64B was spent regionally on health, plus an additional added $2.5B that was spent on pharmaceuticals and medical supplies at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) without tender – a massive total $4.17B that was spent by the Coalition Government in breach of the procurement rules.

28. Not satisfied with the huge increases in salary and benefits, some Ministers are greedy and the reports of paying off Ministers for licenses, contracts etc., is astounding. The government has got into the habit of putting out tenders in the press and then cancelling them repeatedly until their chosen contractor wins the tender.

29. Chicken importation licenses to non-existent/ non-registered companies as well as another company in the name of the CEO, GWI, Van West Charles.

30. The Removal of 6,000 solar panels purchased for the Hinterland Household Electrification Programme and re-allocating them for

use at the Ministry of the Presidency and State House.

31. The Wind Farm project being done by Lloyd Singh, an AFC financier. Minister Trotman has said that it is “payback time for one of their election financiers”.

32. Antinfek in drinking water purchased by GWI without tender and without warnings of the health hazard by a CEO who was employed for years by the PAHO. Only after questioning by the Opposition in the National Assembly has the government provided minimum disclosure.

33. Contract for GPL Prepaid meters, awarded after 3 re-tenders to a contractor whose bid was the highest of all bids; in fact, $ 1 B more than engineers’ estimate.

34. Contract for the Water treatment plants- tenders cancelled twice before finally being awarded to their preferred contractor, who was higher than the other tenders.

35. Tendering for the GOG/ IDB Sheriff St road project was repeatedly done and no awards made until we lost that part of the IDB loan of $20M USD while at the same time paying penalty fees.

36. Procurement of drugs and medical supplies, in breach of procurement laws.

37. Consistent and on-going violations of the Procurement Act, financial rules and the Fiscal Management and Enactment Act are pervasive. The most recent examples were exposed during the August 3, 2017 debate with regard to funds for the State Assets Recovery Agency and constitutional bodies including the Public Procurement Commission and the Public Service Appellate Tribunal.

38. The on-going saga of the Durban Jubilee Park. It is estimated that expenditure has reached $1.5 B. Auditor General Deodat Sharma aims to wrap up his special audit into the controversial Durban Park Project before the end of the year even if

(From page 20)

he does not receive certain financial records which appear to be missing. Mired in controversy, millions more are being spent in preparation for the flag raising ceremony to mark Independence.

39. Contract for CCTV cameras for the Ministry of the Presidency- not delivered and paid for since 2015. The company has been declared bankrupt. So where is the taxpayers’ money?

40. Purchase of the Prime Minister’s SUV- bullet proof, latest model, extraordinary extravagance for a poor developing country.

Noticeable is the acquisition of a fleet of new vehicles for every Minister yet many have not been budgeted for in the annual budgets.

41. Secret COI targeting constitutional rights commissions, in particular the Public Service Commission and the Ethnic Relations Commission. This is a form of intimidation. No report available.

42. President’s instruction to the Police Service Commission to halt police promotions in contravention of the constitution.

43. The COI into the Police with regard to the way it investigated the intention or plot to assassinate the President. The real plot behind this move appears to be the decapitation of the Guyana Police Force leadership. The President’s instruction to the Police Service Commission to halt these promotions appears to give credence to this theory.

44. The Georgetown Prison Camp Street Jailbreak and fire on July 9, 2017 and the Lusignan escapees coming after the March 2016 riots and fire that lead to 17 inmates being burnt to death.

The COI of the March 2016 prison disturbances and fire has been kept secret but more evidence coming to light indicate that the government did not act on those recommendations, including the establishment of a multi-agency multi-sectoral body being appointed by

the President to implement the recommendations. Budgetary allocations for the Prisons, especially capital works to increase the inmate accommodation at the Mazaruni Prison in the 2016 budget was unspent and rolled over to 2017 and as of July 2017 these works are still not complete. The new request for $753M appropriated in Parliament on August 3 2017 cannot account for $ 153 M requested.

45. The Amendments to the Broadcasting Act passed in the National Assembly by the one seat majority government are an infringement on the freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Despite public appeals to the President by reputable international organizations such as Reporters Without Borders and the International Press Institute as well as denunciations by the Guyana Press Association, private sector, broadcasters, civil society, and the Parliamentary Opposition, the President as of August 17, 2017 denied requests to defer his assent and hold consultations.

46. The Commission of Inquiry into Lands – communal, joint and individual lands and any other lands – with specific focus on Amerindian land titling and land of Freed Africans. There was no prior consultation with the National Toshaos Council (NTC) or any Amerindian communities on the establishment of this COI. The NTC, five Amerindian non-governmental organizations and the Parliamentary opposition protested the appointment of this COI as it threatened Amerindian land rights which are enshrined in the constitution and in the Amerindian Act. The Parliamentary Opposition brought a motion in parliament calling on the President to revoke the COI or at least the component which is treating with Amerindian land titling which was defeated by the government’s one seat majority. The government 4 months after it established the COI held its first consultation with the NTC. This COI is a recipe to drive rifts and strife between different ethnic groups in the

country.

47. Repossession of lease and transported lands and property - the revocation of 30 MMA farmers leases by the President, the Central Housing and Planning Authority ( CHPA) repossession of transported houses and land and its CEO’s recent renewed threats to take away land from private developers are all unconstitutional. The judiciary in early August 2017 ruled that the President’s revocation of the leases of the farmers in the MMA was unconstitutional. In another instance the court issued a conservatory order to prevent the government from seizing and taking possession of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre until case is properly heard.

48. Rental of residences for Ministers- $500,000 each to 2 junior Ministers and one Minister $ 1.5 M. This has been exposed in detail in the media and by members of civil society and the Parliamentary Opposition.

49. The appointment of the Chairman of the GECOM in violation of the constitution and the ruling of the Chief Justice.

50. The US$18M signing bonus from ExxonMobil placed outside of the Consolidated Fund.

51. Painting state properties in APNU colours.

52. Reduction of constitutional bodies budgets 2016, 2017, 2018 in violation of the 2015 amendment to FMA Act. These scandals, not limited to this list, have been uncovered and expose a level of corruption and discrimination that has not been seen since the Burnham era. The APNU+AFC government lacks transparency and accountability, and is prepared to undermine and even violate the procurement and financial laws of this country, as well as other constitutional provisions and statutory provisions.

22

The expenditure on Amaila road is not lost

Dear Editor,

I

crave your indulgence, to put the record straight and provide some insight into some questions raised by our Honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan, as presented in the report in Kaieteur News of Monday, July 02, entitled, “Guyana has to buy out Sithe Global before it can start Amaila Falls project: Jordan challenges Jagdeo to explain how ‘Fip’ Motilall won the rights to Amaila and how a US$15M road cost overUS$50M” Editor, Guyana does not have to buy out Sithe Global, not against our wishes, before we can (re)start the Amaila Falls project, but buying out Sithe Global’s proprietary (knowledge) rights can be to our advantage in both money and time.

Prior to May 2015, an agreement had been completed for Guyana to acquire (if we so wished) all the designs, studies and approvals then held

by AFHEP (Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project) including the Environmental Impact Assessment at one-quarter of the independently audited third-party costs incurred.

Acquisition of the ownership of the private company owned by Sithe Global for the development of Amaila, as well as all the intellectual property owned by Sithe, at less than a quarter of the actual sum expended, would have secured the ownership rights to all the studies and works to develop Amaila including all feasibility studies, environmental studies, technical studies, legal work including all the contracts to proceed, financial studies, etc.

Was the Government to start over without ownership of this information, it would require years of work and considerably more expense. At the time of the May 2015 elections, the PPP Government had positioned Amaila to start construction by the end of 2015, whereby by end of 2019 (next year), Amaila would have come on-line with 165 MW of power delivered to Sophia at a price

of approximately US10 cents per kWh. The IDB execution of a mandate letter in early 2015 with China Railway, along with its agreement and acceptance of the GRIF deposit from Norway of US$80M, signaled IDB’s commitment (and conditions) for the advancement of this very important transformation project for Guyana

and the world. APNU knows fully well that by the time they took office, agreements were already in place with the IDB, Norway, Sithe Global, and China Railway as successor to Blackstone, that would have seen conclusion of all the requisite details to start construction of Amaila by the end of 2015. Instead of progressing the Amaila project that would have seen power in the grid by next year, APNU, like it did with Blackstone in 2012, scuttled this most important project.

Editor, when the PPP/C entered office at the end of the PNC period, access to natural resources was by application on a ‘first come-first served’ basis. Towards the end of 1997, Mr. Motilall applied for and in time was granted permission (and rights) to conduct studies for the development of Amaila Falls, according to the Hydropower Act. There were no other known interests in the Amaila Falls at the time. Other small, initial developers applied for and were granted permission to pursue studies for the development of a number of other sites.

Ultimately, such early developers hand over to larger, more experienced firms with deep pockets which might eventually build the project. This procedure is also quite common in the mining sector. Older Guyanese would recall the Junior mining company, Golden Star, undertaking the prospecting of Omai whilst looking for a larger company to take Omai to construction and production: at first it was to be Placer Dome then Cambior. The records will show that Mr. Motilall actively pursued the development of Amaila, entering into an early partnership with Harza Engineering then Synergy and into negotiations with Scudder Latin America Power Fund which ended when agreement could not be reached on the BOOT transfer pricing. Towards the end of 2006 Sithe Global was attracted as a credible core investor and was given command of the project.

Editor, about 2011, advertisements were published inviting bids for the construction of the Amaila Falls Access Road (AFAR), in a number of lots but not including the Essequibo and Kuribrong river crossings

which were still to be determined. There were a number of bids – the one submitted

by Mr. Motilall was the lowest evaluated bid at US$15M and that contract was awarded to him at his bid prices. His overall bid price was generally considered to be low, popular opinion was that it would cost more like US$22M. I here repeat the call by our Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, for the bid evaluation report to be released into the public. And, also, I want to bring to public attention the large number of contracts which our Coalition Government is granting without going through the lawfully required bidding process; and when put to bid, a number not being awarded to the lowest evaluated bidder. There are many such infractions in this area of renewable energy, particularly for PV solar installations.

Mr. Motilall encountered difficulties from the beginning –- be assured that he received progress payments not based on his expenditures but only for measured work at the rates in his contract. Eventually,

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018 Mr. Motilall’s contract was terminated for non-performance. Payments to him totaled less than the US$15M that he had bid and various penalties were pursued including seizure of his assets which attracted media attention and approaches to the Court.

To better meet deadlines at the time, the completion of the AFAR was arranged through negotiations and entering contracts with several well positioned and interested contractors, some of whom had bid on Amaila road initially. These contractors also experienced delays and difficulties. My recall is that total payments for construction of this AF Access Road (not including charges for maintenance and for monitoring and controlling the use of this road which penetrates virgin forests) did not exceed US$30M, no way close to the US$50M claimed by our Honourable Minister. The increased cost of the road included expansion of the scope of work and bridges. For the record, whether Fip Motilall, or some other contractor undertook the work, the State received value for money. It is a fact, that there were no less than six contractors working on the road and all delivered work at a unit price higher than Motilall, yet all experienced challenges and delays. Today, the road is finished and benefits many including the the mining sector. The expenditure is not lost as the road has benefits now and will be available when a decision is taken to proceed with Amaila.

Editor, allow me to admit that I have been completely surprised at the negative attitude of the then Opposition which they have continued now in Government, to the development of the Amaila Falls, when Amaila was one of the six sites recommended for development in the hydropower studies of the 1970s to the 1980s initiated by the Burnham/PNC Government of those days. I thought that they would have claimed Amaila as their own. Amaila was a prime site recommended to supply electricity for local demand, excluding any specific large need as for an aluminium smelter. Editor one is left to wonder why our Government would have so misrepresented the recommendations of the Norconsult report – they portrayed Amaila as inadequate when the Norconsult report pointed out that for our Government to meet its offer of 100% ‘Green’ electricity by 2025, it must not only proceed to construct Amaila quickly but, additionally, immediately begin studies to construct a second similar sized hydropower site on completion of the construction of Amaila.

Editor, we Guyanese have been losing much time and money over the last three years.

Yours faithfully, Samuel A. A. Hinds

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Closure of Bartica sandpits causing ‘unbearable’ situation

W

eeks after an order was the requirements that were Meanwhile, Mayor issued for the closure demanded by the agency, Marshall also posited that of sandpits in Bartica by the that facility remains closed,” attempts were made to enNatural Resources Ministry, the Mayor stated. gage the Guyana Geolothe Town Council has been He noted that while the gy and Mines Commission facing some challenges as municipality is affected, the (GGMC) and if a positive it relates to other pending other challenges come from outcome is not generatprojects. ed, then T h i s All government projects are on hold. That the Council was related realso means that private contractors cannot would by the Maymain on the or of Barti- work. The banks are calling us and asking us sideline and ca Gifford what is happening and it’s a situation that is the decision Marshall would be w h o e x - getting unbearable to say the least.” left to the plained that – Bartica Mayor, Marshall people of the municiBartica. pality has met the require- the fact that all works have “I spoke with the comments that were demanded been stalled until the matter missioner of GGMC just to improve the working is resolved and the sandpits a few days ago and subseconditions of the sandpits. are up and running. It is a quently wrote him. It is my However, those facilities are situation that is considered belief that if they do not act yet to be reopened. as “unbearable”. appropriately, then I think “One of our agencies “Of course, that means the people of Bartica will responsible for mining came that all government projects have to decide the way forinto Bartica and close what are on hold. That also means ward and I will leave that we would refer to as one of that private contractors can- to them. Not the councilors our sandpits. To date, that not work. The banks are and the Mayor, but the peofacility remains closed and calling us and asking us ple of Bartica will have to of course, it is causing some what is happening and it’s decide the way forward.” major challenges for the a situation that is getting Government remains municipality. Despite the unbearable to say the least,” silent on the state of affairs municipality would’ve met he stated. in Bartica.

“

Gov’t continues to ‘hide’ forensic audit reports, responses T

he secrecy with which the 40+ forensic audit reports are being treated with has been questioned. And there have been multiple calls for the forensic audit reports to be released, along with the responses from the agencies that were audited.

However, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government continues to hide the documents.

The audits were commissioned soon after the May 2015 General and Regional Elections.

NO EVIDENCE Notably, in 2016, after spending hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars, President David Granger changed his tune on the purpose of the audits. In a broadcast of ‘The Public Interest’, he admitted that the audits themselves did not turn up “sufficient evidence” to bring criminal charges against former government officials.

“The main function of some of those reports is to prevent a recurrence, or to prevent any continuation of any corrupt or any improper practice,” Granger said, straying from the definition of forensic audits as explained by his Government when the audits were commissioned, as well as experts in the field of forensic auditing.

He added that, “…although the audit reports point to malpractice, sometimes the evidence is sufficient to bring prosecutions in court….we have been concerned with that evidence…. where the evidence is available we will prosecute.”

Granger did not detail what specific malpractices were uncovered.

HANDPICKED AUDITORS The Coalition government has also been criticised for the manner in which the audits were commissioned,

since many supporters of APNU+AFC were given contracts – including Anand Goolsarran.

The auditors were handpicked. There was no procurement process that was followed.

The highest sum for a single audit was $8M for the audit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Goolsarran received four contracts totaling over $6M, with the largest contract sum being $2.3M. In total, over $133M of taxpayers’ money was spent on about 45 audits. How much remaining five audits costs remains unknown. \While Government claims that the audits were not done with the purpose to “witch hunt” former government officials, the Parliamentary Opposition insists on the release the completed audit reports and the responses to the audit reports.

The Ministry of Finance has responsibility for the release of the audit reports.

World Bank pressure finds Jordan hustling to have Sovereign Wealth Fund legislation in place

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ccess to a World Bank loan of US$35M – the latest debt incurred by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government since taking office – has been made available with strings attached and one of those strings is the establishment of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF).

And now the APNU+AFC Coalition Government is hustling to have the SWF legislation in place. The draft legislation

to establish Guyana’s sovereign wealth fund will be placed before the National Assembly before December, according to Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan.

“We have committed that this legislation will be put to Parliament,” he said.

Notably, has not responded to the fact that the rush to have the SWF legislation in place is because of pressure from the World Bank.

The Fund was promised to be in place since 2016.

In 2015, Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, said, “Government envisions that before the end of 2016, model legislation will be laid in the National Assembly for scrutiny and debate. Nationwide consultations will ensue, before and during the process of finalising this policy through the necessary legislation.”

ERC has not started to investigate complaints about biased hiring practices at GECOM

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he People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) nominated Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioners Bibi Shadick, Sase Gunraj and Robeson Benn wrote a complaint letter to the ERC calling for a full investigation on the hiring practices at GECOM. The Commissioners charge that the state of affairs is “clearly indicative of a larger issue at the Guyana Elections Commission, which has an adverse effect on ethnic relations and harmony in Guyana.” The three Commissioners also called for the inquiry to be done, at the earliest opportunity, and for the ERC’s report be made public.

Asked for an update on this matter, ERC Head, Dr John Smith, said investigations have not yet commenced, owing to financial and staffing challenges. According to Smith, the commission has “to get staff. We advertised for staff and are working to get the machine in place so we can do the work.”

The PPP/C nominated

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

The complaint and call for an ERC investigation comes after the top-ranked candidate applying for the post of Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) was passed over for the post.

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

She has been linked to PNRC-nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, since at one point she was a

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

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

Persaud was forced to re-apply for the job he held because his contract ended and could not be renewed, given that there was no functioning Commission. The Commission had dissolved after the resignation of former GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally.

Before being appointed as DCEO in 2014, Persaud was at GECOM since 2001.

Another home invasion: Masked bandits beat and rob family

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embers of a Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway family, including an 11-month-old toddler, are now traumatised after three masked bandits invaded their home in an attack, assaulted two of the occupants and carted away almost cash and valuables.

The attack was launched around 1:30hours, over the weekend, while the members of the family were asleep at

their Lot 613 Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke, Linden Highway home.

The family occupied the upper flat of their two-story house, while the bottom flat is being used as a storage bond. It is suspected that the bandits gained entry into the house through a window.

During the 10-minute ordeal, two occupants, Andrew Seabra and his mother-inlaw, Jupattie Shamlall, 53,

were physically assaulted.

While Shamlall received minor injuries, Seabra sustained injuries to his left hand and upper body. He is currently hospitalised at a private city hospital. His condition is listed as stable.

The bandits, two of whom were armed with a gun and cutlass, respectively, escaped with $200,000 cash, several cellular phones and a laptop.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Silence on what action taken against AFC Executive member who forged businessman’s signature T

here has been silence on what action, if any, has been taken to respond to a clear case of fraud. An Alliance For Change executive member and contractor of Quad Constructions in Berbice, Joseph Baithu, came under scrutiny for allegedly forging a businessman’s signature on a $10M pre-qual-

ification letter that was submitted to several ministries.

The issue was brought up at the Region Six Regional Democratic Council’s monthly statutory meeting, last month. under the works committee report. Acting Chairman Dennis Deroop was sitting at the Head of the Committee.

According to reports, the contractor drafted a pre-qualification letter and affixed a signature as if the businessman, from Karran and Sons General Store of Bush Lot, signed the piece of document himself. The letter allowed the individual to pre-qualify as a contractor. The businessman in question has since

denied signing the document.

The letter says: “I wish to verify that I have known Mr. Joseph Baithu now civil contractor of Quad Construction of Lot 168 Number 45 Village Corentyne, Berbice. I am willing to assist him with a credit facility of the sum of $10M in building material for a period of not more than

thirty days”.

Reports are that the letter was not sent to the Region; rather it was sent to the Ministry of Communities to be used for all the Ministries of Public Infrastructure, Communities and Public Security.”

Prequalification is used to identify contractors who would be allowed to tender for certain contracts. Once a company is pre-qualified

for a particular contract, it is then eligible to tender for that contract. A firm applying for prequalification has no expectation to be awarded any contract on the basis of the application for prequalification. Its only expectation is that once it has been approved for prequalification, then it is free to bid for the contract. Only prequalified firms are eligible to bid on a contract.

Small business activity reduced – SBDF

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here is less entrepreneurial activity in Guyana.

The Small Business Development Finance Trust Inc. (SBDF) granted $279M in loans last year, a decrease of almost $28M, according to its 2017 Annual Report.

It was also revealed that the amount of loans granted to micro, small and medium-scale businesses in 2017, fell by almost 100, dropping to 439, from 2016’s total of 532 and 2015’s 539 According to the 2017 Annual Report, the 439 loans granted last year was the lowest that have been granted in 10 years. During this decade, the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 were the most productive when 685, 710 and 722 loans were granted, respectively.

The 439 loans granted last year carried a value of $279,317,000, as compared to 2016, when the loans carried a value of $307,307,000.

For the ten-year period of data provided in the annual report, the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 saw the largest loans, with the sums of $440,490,000, 440,204,000 and 438,790,000, respectively, being granted.

For last year, the average loan size recorded was $700,042, as compared to $577,645 in 2016 and $692,804 in 2015.

In terms of jobs created and sustained due to the granting of loans, the report showed that for last year, less jobs were created and sustained, as compared to 3,150 in 2016 and 3,456 in 2015.

For last year, 45% of the loans were granted to the agriculture sector, while 30% went towards retail trade and services. The remaining 25% were distributed between fisheries, livestock, manufacturing, consumer and other sectors/activities.

Private schools dominate top one per cent of NGSA performers

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t this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), public schools underperformed when compared to private schools – a worrying sign given that the APNU+AFC Government is boasting about the money it spends in the education sector.

Based on the results, this year’s top three students are all from private schools.

Naila Rahaman of Westfield Preparatory topped the country with a perfect score of 529. The next two students were New Guyana School’s Arthur Roberts, who scored 525, and Kaydee Ali of Success Elementary, who fin-

ished with 524 marks.

In Georgetown alone, 15 of the 17 top students are from private schools.

The results of the top one percent show that New Guyana School, a private institution, had 23 students in the top one per cent. It showed too that Mae’s Under 12, another private school, had 21 students in the top one per cent. Other private schools with students in the top one per cent are Green Acres Primary, Success Elementary and the Region 3′ Academy of Excellence.

The Ministry of Education has not said what it plans to do.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Bids for power utility upgrade annulled, Opposition monitoring developments C ontractors, who have in the first instance, a de- board may reject all tensubmitted bids for the sired or preferred outcome ders at any time prior to Power Utility Upgrade Pro- is not achieved. Guyana’s the acceptance of a tender. gramme (PUUP) - Rehabil- multi-billion dollars Power The appropriate board shall itation of the Medium and Utility Upgrade Programme upon request, communicate Low Voltage Distribution is again being jeopardized to any supplier or contractor Network, have expressed and is suffering from under that submitted a tender the concern over the annulment achievement because of in- grounds for its rejection of of the bidding process. terference in the bidding pro- all tenders…”

All the contractors who cess. Lot A that had similar As a result, Edghill has have subcalled on mitted bids The annulment and retendering (of certain t h e N a on this projtional Procontracts) seems to be the preferred ap- c u r e m e n t ect received a letter of proach, when in the first instance, a desired and Tender annulment Administraor preferred outcome is not achieved.” on the Jantion Board u a r y 2 9 , – PPP/C MP, Juan Edghill (NPTAB) 2018. Noand Ministably, this was five months experiences was eventually ter Patterson to publicly say after the bidding process awarded at a total of one bil- what the grounds for the was closed. Citizens’ Report lion dollars more than what it annulling the bidding process understands that the new date could have been implement- were for the submission of bids is ed for. Again, the Minister’s Further, Edghill is calling August 2018, thus delaying hands were in the matter.” on the Minister of Public the project from approxiThe PPP/C MP further Infrastructure and his colmately one year. expressed concern over the leagues in the APNU+AFC People’s Progressive Par- total investment in submit- Coalition Government to ty/ Civic (PPP/C) Member ting a bid. He stated that implement expeditiously and of Parliament (MP), Bishop “financial consultants are efficiently the power utility Juan Edghill, stated that “ev- usually hired, along with upgrade project – an IDB/ ery major infrastructure proj- advisors to ensure the bids EU funded project that the ect that has been handled by requirement are met. All present Government inheritMinister Patterson, since he these costs a lot of money ed from the PPP/C Adminassumed office, has suffered and when the bid is annulled istration. The project was the same fate.” all this money and effort goes intended to ensure a reducHe noted that the PPP has to waste.” tion in technical and comhighlighted these phenomena According to the Pro- mercial losses of electricity on several occasions. curement Act 2003, Section and ensure reliable supply of Edghill said, “The an- 40 (1), “Subject to approval electricity to all customers. nulment and retendering (of by the National Board, if so The Parliamentary Opcontracts) seems to be the specified in the solicitation position has said that it will preferred approach, when documents, the appropriate monitor this issue closely.

“

Over 40 per cent of students not completing secondary education

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symposium on education heard that over 40% of the 14,145 students who wrote the examinations would likely not graduate secondary school.

Education Specialist Audrey Rodrigues and Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Micheal Gillis, in a presentation titled ‘Consideration for Accelerating Attendance, Participation and Performance’, told the Symposium on Boys’ Education at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, that only 55% of Guyanese students graduate secondary school.

In fact, based on the data presented by the two UNICEF employees, only 47% of Guyanese boys and 57% of girls matriculate.

They explained that many students are finding the transition from Primary to Secondary education daunting and therefore both boys and girls are dropping

out at a much higher rate in the lower secondary than in primary.

Specifically, 5.2% of boys leave school between Grade 7 (Form One) and Grade 9 (Form Three), while 2.7% of girls leave during that period with several communities recording multiple teenage pregnancies in Grade 7.

During the 25-minute presentation the audience was provided with analysis of attendance and participation in education across various indicators such as age, gender, ethnicity and geographical location.

The presenters stressed that based on the data, while girls who identify as being of African descent record the highest rate of matriculation at 72%, Amerindian boys are matriculating at the much lower 14%.

Across all ethnic groups, boys are matriculating at

a lower rate, with 44% of boys of African descent completing secondary school compared with 72% of girls, and 52% of Amerindian girls compared to 14% of boys, and 58% of Indian girls compared to 48% of Indian boys.

Further disparities were recorded in the comparison of performance in hinterland and coastal regions.

According to the data, 23.6% of students in Region Two leave school in lower secondary, 20.5% in Region Seven and 15.6% in Region One. The reasons offered for this decision include such varied responses as poverty, teenage pregnancy, being left unsupervised by parents for long periods, parental illiteracy, substance abuse, bullying, verbal abuse from teachers, poor academic performance, the distance between home and school and a poor school environment.

Division in the PNC being exposed, Basil Williams wants to remain Party Chairman I ncumbent Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Basil Williams, is arguing that there is no need to change the current Executive of the Party – making this the latest comment to expose the divisions in the PNC. “Why would you want to change the team? You don’t change a winning team,” he said.

Williams added that anyone who wants to challenge him for the post should

engage in a public debate.

“Who wants to challenge me must show their track record of achievements for the PNC,” he said.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who is also said to be a favourite of PNCR leader, David Granger, and Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, have challenged Williams for the post of PNCR Chairman.

When pressed about his record, Williams went on the

defensive. “I have always been having victories. I know that,” he said.

Notably, a challenge to Williams is indicative that the membership is discontent with his performance as PNCR Chairman. Observers have also said that the developments indicate divisions within the PNCR membership.

The PNCR’s next biennial Congress is set for August 17, 2018.

$10M of taxpayers’ monies paid to two Barbadian lawyers to fight presidential third term case – men rehired to fight PPP/C GECOM Chairman challenge

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wo foreign lawyers Meanwhile, Nandlall in to a whopping $24M for were hired by Attorney comments, said: “Only last two cases.

General, Basil Williams, weekend, I wrote at length “The first question that and $10M of taxpayers’ about this Government’s one must ask is what work monies were used to pay squandermania. I dealt with is the Attorney General them to fight the presiden- the $300M that would be doing? He already has five tial term limits case at the paid in rent by December, advisors. He has an almost Caribbean Court of Justice 2018, in respect of a build- full complement of staff (CCJ). ing that was purchased by within the Chambers. He The two lawyers, Bar- the Landlord for $25M, already retains a battery of badian Queens Counsels, rented by this Government lawyers in private practice, were paid $5M each for as a ‘drug bond’ but never in Guyana. He is now reappearing at the CCJ only occupied. I wrote about the cruiting from foreign lands. two times.

The public The two The first question that one must ask is what n e e d s t o lawyers how work is the Attorney General doing? He al- know are Ralph much of Thorne and ready has five advisors. He has an almost full taxpayers’ Hal Gollop. complement of staff within the Chambers. He money this W i l l i a m s , already retains a battery of lawyers in private one Minishimself, ter costing a d m i t t e d practice, in Guyana. He is now recruiting from this counthat he paid foreign lands. The public needs to know how try! for help in much of taxpayers’ money this one Minister cost“ A d the case. ditionally, T h e ing this country!” – Former Attorney General w e h a v e m e n w e r e and PPP/C MP, Anil Nandlall dozens of also remore expehired by the APNU+AFC $20,000 per hour and $2M rienced and able lawyers in Coalition Government in per head, paid to Special Guyana. Who could have the case of the unilateral Prosecutors. I estimated been retained at a fraction appointment of Chairman of each case for which the of the sum paid to the Barthe Guyana Elections Com- Prosecutors are appearing badians. But this Governmission (GECOM), Retired will cost $20M. 12 have ment is unconcerned about Justice James Patterson. already been filed, totaling spending wisely. They are Chief Justice (ag), Rox- $240M. addicted to borrowing, ane George-Wiltshire, in “We now learn that an- squandermania, corruption June 2018, ruled that Pres- other $10M has been doled and nepotism. ident David Granger acted out to pay lawyers who “While they continue correctly when he unilat- appeared at the Caribbe- to spend money as if it is erally appointed Justice an Court of Justice in the going out of style, sugar (rtd) James Patterson as recently concluded “Term workers cannot be paid the Chairman of the Guy- Limit” case. It would be their severance, teachers ana Elections Commission. noted that this sum does not are being refused promised This led to an appeal being include travelling, hotel and increase in wages and the filed by former Attorney living expenses. One can little that Guyanese have General, Anil Nandlall, in add a total of $10M ($5M are being plundered away Guyana’s Appeal Court, on each). We have been told by the bandits.” behalf of People’s Progres- that they were also sepaThis issue is the latest sive Party (PPP) Executive rately hired for the GECOM one that highlights concerns Secretary, Zulfikar Musta- case. One can conclude that about value for money and pha. The matter is set for the fee structure may be the wasteful spending of hearing on July 25, 2018. similar. This would amount taxpayers’ dollars.

“

26

Millions stolen from L. Seepersaud Maraj jewelry store, vault cut open

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he security provided by the City Constabulary and a private firm is now under scrutiny, after bandits made off with millions during at L. Seepersaud Maraj and Sons’ Stabroek Market jewelry stall.

The bandits gained entry into the stall by piercing the padlock on the grillwork.

Once inside, they used a torch to burn out the combination locks to a vault.

The police recovered tools, including blow torches and other chemicals used.

The vault had three (3) doors. As such, it is estimated that the bandits spent as much as five hours in the store, once they broke into the jewelry store’s Stabroek Market stall.

A statement from the company said: “Someone from a neighbouring stall called to inform us that the stall in Stabroek Market where L. Seepersaud Maraj & Sons jewelry store is located was broken into. It is

true that the police recovered tools which included blow torches and other chemicals used. The vault had three (3) doors and each door was cut with precision. It is sufficient to say that the perpetrators of this crime aren't novices, but highly skilled thieves. We would like to assure our customers that no one was hurt or harmed. Our losses cannot be estimated at this time as we have not done a full check of inventory. We have consulted with several Security Specialists and others trained in ironwork and welding, and we have been informed that it would have taken no less than five (5) hours for the vaults to be cut open.

“We have spoken directly to two city Constables who claimed that checks were done earlier in the market but nothing was discovered.

As stall owners operating under market rules, we have no choice but to depend on the City Constabulary for security whenever the market

is closed. At the time of writing this, we have not been contacted by anyone from the Mayor and City Council's Office or the Town Clerk's Office. We are surprised at the lack of care and diligence by the City Constabulary in not observing that such an elaborate crime was being perpetuated over so many hours.

“Additionally, the stall was secured with an alarm system that was being monitored by the MMC Security Force. We contacted the MMC Security Force late this afternoon and we were informed that the alarm was indeed set off three times last night. However MMC never informed us or the police that the alarms went off. On every other occasion, whenever the alarm is set off, MMC would call us immediately and the fact that we never received any calls or reports from them is puzzling.”

Investigations are ongoing.

Body found in Better Hope drain identified

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olice on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) are probing the death of Campbellville, Georgetown resident, Ravin Fowler, whose lifeless body was found from a drain at Robert Street, Better Hope North, ECD, over the weekend.

Police, along with residents, watch as ranks retrieve Ravin Fowler’s body from a

drain in Robert Street, Better Hope North, ECD. The 32-year-old man’s body was submerged in the drain near a culvert for almost two hours before it was removed.

Undertakers transported the body to the Lyken Funeral Parlour. Fowler had no children and leaves to mourn five siblings.

Traffic ranks abandon uniforms after crashing borrowed car

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wo traffic ranks were seen running from the scene of an accident, at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara, last Friday (June 29, 2018).

Eyewitnesses reported that the motorcar, PWW 5750, was driving at a fast rate of speed around 10:45hours, when it suddenly veered off the road and toppled a few times before landing in a trench.

Reports are that the two traffic officers, who were not visibly injured seriously, discarded their uniforms and fled the scene.

There has been no work as the state of investigations, if any, into this matter.

WEEKEND MIRROR 7-8 JULY, 2018

Canal Number 2 family fights back during home invasion, bandits make off with valuables A

family from Alliance, Canal Number 2, West Bank Demerara, was terrorized by two armed bandits in a brazen attack.

The men escaped with almost $1M in cash and jewelry. However, the victims fought back during the attack.

The bandits broke into two houses. The house which they first entered is occupied by Monoogi Sumdhat, his wife, daughter and one of their sons, while the second house is occupied by

another son and his family.

Sumdhat’s 31-year-old son, who lives with him, was sleeping in a hammock under a shed in the yard when he was confronted by two men, who were armed with handguns. The men demanded that he hand over his valuables before they took him into his house and relieved him of a large sum of cash, the police added.

During the ordeal, the suspects gun-butted the victims, who retaliated and engaged the bandits in a

fight. As a result, the victims reportedly managed to disarm one of the gunmen after the magazine fell out of the other’s gun. The victims then quickly armed themselves with instruments and wounded the suspects, who fled in the waiting vehicle.

While investigations are ongoing, a third man, the suspected getaway driver, has been intercepted by the police. The car was intercepted by the police at Leonora, WCD.

Bodies of missing Mahaica boys found at Hope Beach, Kitty foreshore

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he bodies of two boys from Mosquito Hall, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), were recovered on Tuesday (July 3, 2018) afternoon, one day after they went missing. It is suspected that the boys drowned while swimming at Unity Beach, Mahaica, ECD. The deceased boys have been identified

as Timothy Robinson, 14, and Timothy Yearwood, 10, cousins, both of Mosquito Hall, Mahaica, ECD. The boys were found by members of a search team. Robinson’s body was found at Hope Beach foreshore, while Yearwood was found in the vicinity of the Kitty foreshore.

Overseas-based Guyanese man, custom broker robbed at gunpoint

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oments after returning home from transacting business in Georgetown, an overseas-based Guyanese, along with a relative, of Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was held at gunpoint and relieved of $1.2M in cash and other personal items by two men, last Friday (June 29, 2018). This is the latest incident where an overseas-based Guyanese has been robbed.

Riaz Ally, 36, a custom broker, and Ramotar Mansingh, 45, of Lot 76 Section B Nonpareil visited the Republic Bank Branch at Triumph, ECD, about 10:00hours and Mansingh reportedly with-

drew $1.5M. After the transaction, the two travelled to Georgetown and purchased building materials. However, after conducting business, the two men returned home in their motor car bearing registration number GPP 3666 and parked in the entrance to their property.

As the two men were about to exit the vehicle, two armed men confronted them and ordered them to lie on the ground in the yard, during which they committed the robbery. Ally was relieved of $100,000 in cash, two mobile phones, two gold bands and a gold chain, while Mansingh

was relieved of $600,000 in cash and a mobile phone.

In addition, one of the men went into the vehicle and collected a bag containing $500,000 and at the same time, he discharged a round into the air. The two men then boarded a silver grey Allion motor car and made good their escape.

After the men left, the Police were summoned and upon arriving at the scene, a .32 spent shell was recovered. In addition, four fingerprints were lifted from the victims’ vehicle. The Police are also in receipt of CCTV footage as they continue their investigations.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 30 1 JULY, 2018 7-8JUNE JULY, -2018

Hero CPL signs deal to have playoff games in Guyana

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n an historic move for the tournament, this year the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will have Playoff matches held in Guyana for the first time.

These matches, which will see the top four teams from the group stages battle it out, will take place at Providence Stadium on Tuesday 11 September and Wednesday 12 September.

As such, according to cplT20.com there will be seven (7) Hero CPL matches in Guyana this year, including five group games also taking place at Providence.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors have made the Playoff stages of the Hero CPL every season and will be looking to make it into the latter stages for a sixth successive season when they get underway against last year’s losing finalists, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

Speaking about the Hero CPL Playoffs coming to Guyana for the first time, Hero CPL’s COO, Pete Russell said “We have always been blessed with fantastic support in Guyana where the passion for cricket amongst the local population is second to none.

We are delighted to be able to

bring such significant matches to Guyana for the first time and are sure the fans will turn out in large numbers.”

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon commenting on the historic signing said that “Cricket is such a huge part of our culture, which you can see from the fantastic crowds and amazing support we have seen at Amazon Warriors matches over the last few years. Guyanese fans play an important role in the success of the Hero CPL and we are very pleased that we are able to reward them by hosting these play off games.”

GROUP GAMES: Thurs 9 Aug – Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Providence Stadium, 6pm Sat 11 Aug – Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Lucia Stars, Providence Stadium, 4pm Sun 12 Aug – Guyana Am-

azon Warriors v Barbados Tridents, Providence Stadium, 6pm Sat 8 Sept – Guyana Amazon Warriors v Jamaica Tallawahs, Providence Stadium, 8pm Sun 9 Sept – Guyana Amazon Warriors v Trinbago Knight Riders, Providence Stadium, 6pm PLAYOFFS: Playoff 1 – Tues 11 Sept– 1st v 2nd, Providence Stadium, 6pm Playoff 2 – Wed 12 Sept– 3rd v 4th, Providence Stadium, 6pm

LeBron James agrees to four-year, $153.3 million deal with Lakers

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eBron James' next NBA chapter will be set on the West Coast.

James will be playing for the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $153.3 million contract. He will try to bring the storied franchise another championship.

The announcement was made through his agency, Klutch Sports Group, which announced the deal as $154 million.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that the fourth year is a player option. It is the longest deal James has signed since inking a six-year contract with the Miami Heat in 2010. His previous three deals were three years or shorter.

James leaves his hometown team as a free agent for the second time in his career. Four years ago, James had stated his intention to finish his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Whether the four-time MVP and 14-time All-Star does that or not, he certainly has left his mark on his city.

James, 33, thanked his home area in an Instagram story. He wrote in text overlaying a photo from the Cavaliers' 2016 NBA title victory parade, "Thank you Northeast Ohio for an incredible 4 seasons. This will always be home."

He delivered the first championship to the

sports-obsessed city in 52 years and did so with storybook gusto, helping the Cavaliers become the first team in NBA Finals history to rally from a 3-1 series deficit to win it all. The team he took down, the Golden State Warriors, had the best regular-season record in league history, at 73-9.

"Words do not express the meaning and the feeling this accomplishment brought to the people of Northeast Ohio," Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said in a lengthy statement thanking James. "None of this would have happened if LeBron James did not agree to come back home and lead the Cavaliers to the promised land.

"LeBron is a family man, first. We wish his kids, his wife, Savannah, his mother, Gloria, and LeBron himself nothing but the best in the years and decades ahead. LeBron's connection to Akron, Cleveland and all of Northeast Ohio will most certainly endure as his commitment to the region and his support of many important causes has been impactful to so many kids and families.

"LeBron, you came home and delivered the ultimate goal. Nothing but appreciation and gratitude for everything you put into every moment you spent in a

Cavaliers uniform. We look forward to the retirement of the famous #23 Cavs jersey one day down the line ..."

James leaves the Cavaliers franchise as its leader in nearly every major statistical category: games played, points, rebounds, assists and steals.

If 2017-18 was his final act in Cleveland, what a show he put on -- playing in all 82 games for the first time in his 15-year career and capping it off with a postseason performance as dominant as any playoff run James has ever been part of.

James becomes the first player in NBA history to lead a postseason in scoring and switch teams the following offseason.

He joins the illustrious list of NBA legends to play for the Lakers, some of whom have already welcomed James to the family.

NBA players past and present reacted on Twitter too.

James' agent, Rich Paul, called Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson minutes before he sent the announcement tweet, a source told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. Paul then called Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman as soon as he got off the phone with Johnson.

Then the tweet was sent.

(ESPN)

US report calls for ‘complicit public officials’ involved in human trafficking to be prosecuted T

he United States of America’s State Department released its 2018 trafficking in Persons Report this week and noted that Guyana only met the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.

Also, the US report called for “complicit public officials” to be vigorously investigated, prosecuted and face strong jail sentences.

remained insufficient, especially in areas outside the capital and for child and male victims.”

The report pointed out too that, “There were no adequate public or private shelters for male or child trafficking victims, despite the government’s commitment, made in early 2016, to open and partially fund a shelter for male victims.

Child victims were placed into foster care, safe homes, or were reintegrated with their families while adult male victims were placed at non-specialized night shelters on an ad hoc basis.”

The report also said that the number of trafficking investigations and new prosecutions decreased, and the number of successful convictions remained low.

According to the US report, limited government presence in the country’s interior renders the full extent of trafficking unknown.

The report also recommended the: 1. Finalizing of the written identification procedures to better guide law enforcement officials; 2. Training of more law enforcement, judiciary officials, and front-line responders—especially those working outside the capital—on victim identification and referral procedures; 3. Developing of standard procedures for protecting foreign victims; 4. Provision of additional protection for victims to testify against traffickers in a RECENT CONCERNS way that minimizes re-trauThe most recent concerns matization; and about human trafficking sur5. Monitoring of the number rounding the thousands of of cases reported to the traf- Haitians and Cubans, who ficking hotline or by labor came to Guyana, but there inspectors to promote a rapid are no departure records for investigative and victim as- these persons. sistance response.

After the issue first came According to the report, up, when asked, Minister FeGuyana “did not provide ad- lix, on May 23, 2018, wrote equate protection and shelter to the Clerk of the Nationoutside the capital or for al Assembly and provided child and male victims” statistics of several main and “victim assistance groupsOF of THE foreign nationals, PUTthat THIS BOX AT THE BOTTOM STORY

WHAT WE KNOW

with the largest arrival and departure figures, for the past five years and the first quarter of 2018.

A breakdown of the information showed alarming information for two groups – Cubans and Haitians.

According to the numbers, from 2015 to April 30, 2018, a total of 93,374 Cubans arrived in Guyana, but only 76,663 were recorded to have left. This means that there are 16,711 Cubans still in Guyana. However, there is no evidence that such a large number of Cubans are still in Guyana.

For Haitians, the numbers show that, from 2015 to April 30, 2018, a total of 6,245 arrived in Guyana, but only 963 were recorded to have left. This means that there are 5,282 Haitians still in Guyana. As is the case with the Cubans, there is no evidence that there are over 5,000 Haitians living in Guyana.

Notably, while the Coalition Government has remained silent on the substantive concern of human trafficking, several top Government officials are said to be involved in the trafficking of Haitians and Cubans – using Guyana as a trans-shipment point. Reports are that the persons who are trafficked through Guyana have to pay as much as US$6,000 for Guyanese documents, which are used as they are moved out of the country.

QUESTIONS???

From 2015 to April 30, 2018, a total of 93,374 Cubans arrived in Guyana.

Where are the other 16,711 Cubans?

From 2015 to April 30, 2018, only 76,663 Cubans were recorded to have left.

Were these people trafficked out of Guyana?

From 2015 to April 30, 2018, a total of 6,245 Haitians arrived in Guyana.

Where are the other 5,282 Haitians?

From 2015 to April 30, 2018 only 963 Haitians were recorded to have left.

How involved are certain government ministers?

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