Weekend mirror 25-26 February 2017

25-26 February, 2017 / Vol. 9 No. 59 / Price: $100

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

APNU/AFC plans to close more estates

PPP warns of confrontation and civil unrest in sugarSEEbelt INSIDE

T

he People’s Progressive Party has put out a warning to the APNU/AFC Coalition that the closure or privitisation of sugar estates will plunge the country into confrontation and civil unrest.

The government has mooted the closure of Rose Hall and Enmore estates and has been secretly talking to potential investors on the sale of Skeldon estate. Last year the government closed Wales estate which has affected thousands of families.

Speaking at a Freedom House press conference last PPP Executive Member, Dr. Roger

Luncheon, said “This will cause a confrontation. If we use one current example – the parking meters- and we use a feature of this Granger government, no consultation, you see where it leads…we can assume that the same sentiment that put the protesters on the streets of Georgetown will have protesters all over the sugar belt were this course of action to be continued.”

Luncheon said the Party views the government’s plan to “exit the sugar industry” as being “arbitrary” and warned that decisions on the industry must be made in the interest

of the people.

Also, at the press conference Parliamentarian, Irfaan Ali, said the Party is shocked that such decisions are being made without any studies. He said a “social impact assessment is imperative in relation to any action regarding the industry.”

Based on how this major decision was taken, Ali charged that the Government’s reasons have been exposed. The Government is only focused on “exiting this industry” without any care or concern for the communities, workers, country and economy.

SEE INSIDE

SARU lies again exposed Jagdeo can run again - Appeal Court T Guyana: A Divided Society?

PAGE 2

he ruling in the appeal of the presidential third term challenge was given on Thursday by the Court of Appeal and, in a two to one majority, the Court ruled that a person who served two terms as president can run again for a third term.

Handing down the decision were Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh; Chief Justice, Yonnette Cummings-Edwards and Justice B.S. Roy. Cummings-Edward voted no.

Attorney General, Basil Williams, has said that State will appeal the decision to the Caribbean Court of Justice within 30 days.

The former Chief Justice, Ian Chang, in 2015, ruled that the restriction of a two-term limit is unconstitutional. On August 7, 2015, the then Solicitor General Sita Ramlall and

Attorney Roysdale Forde, filed the appeal on five grounds, including that fact that the Chief Justice blundered in law.

Chang’s ruling was based a constitutional challenge that was filed by Georgetown resident, Cedric Richardson, in February, 2015. His attorneys are Emily Dodson and Shawn Allicock. The applicant argued that Act 17 of 2001, which was passed by a twothirds majority of the National Assembly, unconstitutionally curtails and restricts his sovereign and democratic rights and freedom as a qualified elector to elect former President Bharrat Jagdeo as the Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Chang ruled that notwithstanding the provisions of Article 164, Act No 17 of 2001 in

so far as it ‘dilutes’ the democratic rights of the electorate to elect a president of its own choice, needed a referendum and therefore violates article 164. The Chief Justice argues that the constitution cannot be subject to amendment by addition and Act 17 of 2001 adds new provisions to Article 90 relating to the qualifications for president. The other main reason given by the Chief Justice is that a twothirds majority cannot alter a provision of the constitution in diminution of its ‘normative’ characteristics as providing that Guyana is an indivisible, secular, democratic and sovereign state. He identified the right of a citizen to elect a president as such a provision and held that the amendment affected such a right.

(Citizens Report)

PAGE 3

Investigate criminal Durban Park scandal – PPP

PAGE 3

Peaceful City Protests Workers and residents turn out at GAWU public meeting at Wales GAWU last week organised a road-side public meeting at Patentia to address the current developments at Wales Estate and the denial of severance pay to the cane cutters and cane transport workers. The meeting attracted many workers and residents and was addressed by the leaders of the Union, among others.

– Call for a COI Into City Hall

PAGE 5

SARU lies again exposed 2

T

he State Asset Recovery Bill, Bill No. 3 of 2017 was tabled on January 30, 2017 and the administrative State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) in the Ministry of the Presidency has been silent in defending or even answering the many criticisms made of the bill in the media.

Coincidentally on February 16, 2016, the day of the opening of the CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Guyana, today’s media ran stories emanating from the SARU in defense of the bill.

As a result of the SARU’s statement, one headline screamed “SARU says country was bleeding $313B per annum”, another shouted that “$306 B per year stolen under the PPP” whilst the third exclaimed that “Guyana was losing $300B annually through corruption under the PPP.”

In an economy of $600B, these repeated lies perpetuated ad nauseam by the 82 year old Clive Thomas, Head of SARU, are laughable. According to Thomas’s figures half of the economy was lost annually to corruption.

If $300B were lost annually due to corruption then the APNU/AFC government should have saved $600B ( USD $3 B ) in the almost 2 years in office. Could Clive Thomas advise if this is so?

We need not remind everyone that Guyana under the PPP/C government achieved eight (8) consecutive years of positive economic growth, one of only two (2) countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

These claims, repeated lies in fact, have never been substantiated. After 45 forensic audits in the last 20 months costing the taxpayers hundreds of millions of

dollars with hand-picked auditors and the sole objective of finding the state assets, money and property, that the APNU/AFC government and Clive Thomas allege were stolen by the former PPP/C government, these findings have delivered not the bonanza they have obsessed about but instead delivered a “mouse”. Two interesting little findings were uncovered---the first was the grand figure of USD $3,500 from GO-INVEST and the other $8,500USD from the New Guyana Marketing Corporation!

It is the PPP/C parliamentary opposition which brought a motion in 2016 calling for all Members of Parliament to publicly declare their income tax declarations for the past 10 years which was defeated by the APNU/AFC government.

The government even de-

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

feated an amendment calling on all MPs to comply with the Integrity Commission Act and to also make those declarations for the last 10 years public.

Their refusal to support the amended motion is no mystery – since the enactment of the Integrity Commission Act, 2000, the PNC MPs have never complied with the Act. More telling is that the APNU/AFC government has made no effort in the last 20 months to appoint the Integrity Commission and most recently have moved all the records of the Office of the Integrity Commission to the Ministry of the Presidency and sent home all the staff.

The SARU was created explicitly to target and intimidate PPP leaders and members, and, as practice has shown members of the business community; its ob-

PPP Republic Greetings

T

he Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) extends greetings and best wishes to all Guyanese on our 47th Republic anniversary.

It is common knowledge that the People’s Progressive Party was the main architect of the struggle to free our nation and its people from colonial rule and servitude.

The dream then was to build a free, united and democratic society governed by the rule of law under a system which guarantees equal opportunity, so that all of our people can realise their full potential and aspirations. That dream was short lived. We moved to in-

dependence as a fractured society. By the time we attained republican status, we were already drifting into political dictatorship. The 1968 elections were already rigged.

The 1970 Constitution was born in suspicion. The Privy Council was abolished as our final court and the process had begun to emasculate the judiciary. Discrimination had become rampant and we were quickly moving into the direction of party paramountcy.

Forty-seven years later, there is an abundance of evidence which would establish that we are in a strikingly similar position, poised once

again to travel the road to political dictatorship.

The political, economic and social gains made during the period that the PPP was in government (1992-2015) are rapidly being reversed.

The sugar, rice, forestry, mining, construction and other productive sectors are either under-preforming or in chaos. After more than three hundred (300) years Sugar is on the brink of closure.

Thousands of workers have lost their jobs. No new investments are on the horizon.

The economy is shrinking.

The US dollar is at it highest. While at the same time,

our people are being taxed to the hilt.

Politically, authoritarianism is on the rise. Independent Constitutional institutions and office holders are undermined. The judiciary is being attacked and badly needed appointments of judges are not being made. There is political censorship and a lack of freedom of speech in our Parliament. Constitutional violations are committed with impunity. The appointment of the Chairman of Gecom has been reduced to a game of political football.

Discrimination by and corruption in Government have become institutionalized.

Therefore, as we celebrate this significant national event, it is important that we take stock of, from where we have come and where we are, so that we can be focused on the direction in which we would like to move forward. The choice is becoming clearer: we either sit idly as passengers along the highway to political dictatorship or, we can stand firm in resistance against those who are threatening our democracy, our freedoms and our social and economic well-being.

As we have always done, the PPP will continue that relentless struggle to improve the lives of our people and to create a better and unified Guyana for all.

Happy 47th Republic Anniversary.

jective is vindictive and its practices violate the Guyana Constitution. The State Assets Recovery Bill before the National Assembly intends to enshrine these violations.

If the APNU/AFC government was genuine in going after corruption and protecting state assets why has the SARU taken no action on any of the 26 scandals that have taken place in the 21 months of this government’s term? If one chooses just a few of these scandals that have been publicly exposed – Durban Park Development Project, the Sussex Street Drug Bond, the multi-million settlements to the financiers of their 2015 electoral campaign using billions of dollars of tax payers money estimated modestly at over $80B, the silence and inaction of the SARU speaks volumes of its real agenda.

Unashamed, this government

is prepared to squander and raid the treasury to return the political investment of their electoral financiers.

The Parliamentary opposition continues to reiterate its demand that an international firm be hired to track down state assets held abroad by current and former government officials, as well as those managing public entities. The APNU/AFC government and its SARU “henchmen” remain silent on this matter. If there was a genuine desire to go after misappropriated assets, as is being alleged, then why has the government not acted?

SARU’s baseless unsubstantiated allegations once again expose the APNU/AFC Coalition Government’s intention of witch-hunting political opponents, destroying reputations and intimidating members of the business community.

Ditch Parking Meter contract – FITUG – Voices strong disapproval of Mayor’s arrogance

O

nce again the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), which has the largest organized workers in its ranks, feels constrained to iterate its rejection of the metered parking project as currently conceived and being implemented in the country’s capital, Georgetown.

Like numerous stakeholders and thousands of Georgetown and out-of-town commuters and motorists, FITUG’s first public statement expressed concern about the projects’ negative impact.

We were extremely upset that in the context of the Granger Administration’s boast about transparency and accountability, the contract, being foisted, with Smart City Solutions, was concluded between the Mayor and a selected cabal of councillors before the whole council and citizens got wind of them.

FITUG, in consonance with aggrieved groups which are inclusive of Civil Society, small business persons and business places, the Private Sector Commission and a range of other non-governmental groups, raised its concerns in the public domain.

Given the widespread disenchantment and justified condemnation of the meter project, we are despondent

with the Central Government’s ambivalent approach to this bread and butter/cost of living issue.

Pretending to respect City Hall’s autonomy, the government first feigned non-intervention. Then, after limited scrutiny of the shady MCC/SCS contract, both the Attorney-General’s Office and the Ministry of Finance were obliged to investigate.

Both Government entities repudiated many sections of the ‘confidential’ agreement forcing a few amendments, which, as we understand still favoured the company heavily.

After several popular people-protests involving quite significant numbers of our citizens, the President himself finally thought it prudent to intervene.

FITUG however, is not persuaded by what we perceive to be a TEMPORARY compromise with the stated reductions of charges. We see these as palliatives meant to buy time as City Hall and the Mexican Company explore other schemes in pursuit of profits and revenues squeezed from the already hard-pressured population besieged today by heavy taxation, rising consumer costs and oppressive measures (Turn to page 6)

3

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Guyana: A Divided Society?

– who promotes the division?

By Donald Ramotar

M

any writers and commentators, both locally and from abroad, always refer to Guyana as a divided society whenever they discuss the situation here.

It is well known that Guyana is a multi-racial, multi-cultural society. Our people came here from Europe, Asia and Africa, and we have a significant native population as well.

Long before political parties came into existence here, the differences were used to keep the people divided so that the maximum could have been extracted from the labour of our people. This was a deliberate policy of the colonial imperialist masters.

It was only when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) came on the scene that a truly national policy was followed. That was because the Party wanted to free the then British Guiana from its colonial shackles and to build a free, independent country.

A lot of gains were made. How-

ever, as in the past colonial days, the PNC, which benefitted from its collaboration with colonialists, divide the people.

The PPP, under Cheddi Jagan and other leaders, continued to fight for national unity. Even at the height of the colonial and imperial intrigues, Jagan doggedly pushed for national unity. His offer to give half of the government to the PNC and even to go so far as to say that the position of Premiership/Prime Minister was negotiable stands out as a monument of his conviction.

In April of 1965, just about four months after he was rigged out of office, Cheddi Jagan, obviously disappointed with his former Comrade’s (now in the PNC) choice to work with the imperial powers and to pursue a course of division, instead o joining with the PPP for unity, made a stirring call to PPP members and supporters.

He said: “…We must work to achieve unity and racial harmony.

Racism is the greater curse in our land. The imperialists have used opportunist leaders to split, divide and confuse the people. We have to win over the misguided workers in the urban areas and the Amerindian people. This is the only true and lasting solution to our problems”.

He went on to add; “Anyone who spreads racial propaganda must be severely dealt with. Such a person is an enemy to himself and his country. We have succeeded in destroying racialism before and we can do it again. Unity and struggle must be our motto”.

It was his patience and determination that led to greater unity in our population. While in Oppo-

sition, unity developed at the trade union level with the four and the six union movement, this included sugar and bauxite workers. It was also manifested in the religious movement, as demonstrated by the joint letter signed by Bishops George and Singh. The Dharmic Sabha and the CIOG played important roles in urging roles amongst the religious community.

At the political level, this was manifested with the work of the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy.

It was that unity that was principally responsible for the change in 1992. This is not to belittle the changes that took place internationally and the support for democracy that came from the US and EU. In government, the PPP/C was committed to a policy of unity amongst our people. There was no large scale dismissal of people from the public service. Many who were known to have supported the PNC for the first time had the opportunity to work professionally. Many of them did.

If one looked at the PPP/C’s budgets, one could see how resources were allocated in a very fair way.

The PPP/C spent money where it was required. New and renovated schools were constructed in every Region. So too were hospitals and other facilities.

Our housing programme was a great example of this.

Thousands of Guyanese of all races benefitted and turned their dreams of owning their own homes into a reality.

Our scholarship programme also saw the same thing, as Guyanese of every race and religion were

given the opportunity to study. The whole idea was to create a powerful human capital so that our country could develop quickly.

It is also apposite to note that the PPP/C government set up a Constitutional Reform body. It drew members from all the political parties and from civil society.

Hundreds of millions were spent by this committee to travel to every nook and cranny in our country taking evidence.

The PPP/C administration never interfered with its work.

Out of this arose the various Rights Commissions and the Ethnic Relations Commission. These bodies were appointed by the National Assembly following a process that had the consensus of all the parties in that August body.

The Ethnic Relations Commission investigated the allocation of house lots and scholarships. They found no discrimination in these areas.

Under the PPP/C administration, the tensions associated with racism had almost disappeared.

The change of government saw that policy coming to an end.

The APNU+AFC regime has practiced racial and political discrimination in almost everything they do,.

The massive dismissal of thousands of Guyanese, mainly of Indian origin, speaks volumes as to the attitude of this regime.

The Amerindian community also felt the sting of discrimination by this regime as well. One of the earliest actions of the new government was to dismiss two thousand Amerindians, mainly youths, who

were trained to serve their communities in different fields.

The solar panels that the PPP/C administration had procured for the computer hubs and for homes were not delivered to them. Instead, it was used for other purposes, including on the roofs of some Ministries.

The employment policies of the regime are also rooted in racism.

Many highly qualified Indo-Guyanese cannot get jobs in the public service.

While this writer has not seen the list of those granted government scholarship, he is willing to bet that less than ten percent of Indo-Guyanese were granted.

It would also be instructive to see how many persons have been granted citizenship by this regime using their specially established Ministry of Citizenship.

Here again, it would be interesting to examine the ethnic make of the new citizens.

Many are of the view that this new Ministry has been set-up in preparation for the rigging of elections. The logic in the thinking is that since the regime in practice has been pursuing a highly discriminating policy they are seeking to change the demographic of Guyana.

There is really no other need for such a Ministry.

We will not be able to build national unity when we see this regime drifting more and more to an autocratic and undemocratic form of rule.

National unity can be forged. It need not be an elusive dream.

To achieve this though, it is necessary to pursue a policy of inclusivity. Pursuing a discriminatory policy is a recipe for disaster.

As Cheddi Jagan said fifty years ago; “We have succeeded in destroying racialism before and we can do it again...”

Investigate criminal Durban Park scandal – PPP

T

he People’s Progressive Party has more money is being secretly funneled into the Durban Park and that there has been no accountability in carrying out the project. The Party has called for an immediate inquiry into this illegal and corrupt project.

In a statement the Party stated: The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) wishes to note that the Durban Park fiasco seemed to be a never-ending scandal. To date, the Government has persistently refused to disclose the real cost of this project. Despite all the scandals and suspicions which permeated this project from the inception,

the Government has failed to hold any form of inquiry or investigation in relation to it.

The PPP is aware that there are dozens of contractors who have not been paid for works done and for materials supplied to that project. The Party is also aware that the names of contractors which were read out

by Minister David Patterson in the National Assembly as creditors of this project were false and misleading.

It was drawn to our attention that the names of several persons, who are actually owed money, were never called by Minister Patterson and persons whose names were mentioned by him are not owed.

The nation is unaware of the current status of the private company which Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, and other cohorts of APNU incorporated, own and operated at the project site. We were subsequently told that this company spent hundreds of millions of State funds and attracted hundreds of millions of liabilities which tax-payers’ monies were used to pay off. Indeed millions are still owed by this company.

President David Granger himself admitted that he was aware of this misuse and abuse of public funds.

The PPP has observed that they are works currently

ongoing at the site. Again, no public tendering was done. The nation remains unaware as to who is executing this work, what is the value of the work being done and from where the finances have been sourced?

The PPP reiterates what it stated before; the level of unaccountability that has overwhelmed this project is criminal.

The PPP also wishes to express its deep disappointment at the omission of the Public Procurement Commission to assume its constitutional mandate and discharge its statutory functions although its members have been appointed several months now. The Party is

aware that Cabinet continues to preside over and unlawfully interfere with the award of contracts.

The Procurement Act provides that once the PPC is established, Cabinet’s no-objection role in the award of contract ceases.

The Party is aware that the said Act allows Cabinet

to conclude the consideration of contracts that were pending before the PPC was appointed. That period has long expired.

The PPC is therefore obliged to assert itself and assume its role and functions. The PPP calls upon the Commission to do so immediately.

PPP HOTLINE

Our valuable supporters and friends please call our hotline number 225-1479 and give us all important information.

Pensioners please inform us about any issues you may have in respect to you getting your well deserved pensions.

Further, let us know about the issues you are having in respect to your ID cards. Do not hesitate to speak to our activists and leaders in your communities. Call 225-1479.

The PPP will always represent you.

4

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

GECOM Chairmanship: Democracy, rule of law under

T

he following Press statement was issued by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to coincide with the presence of the Heads of States of Caricom and other dignitaries in Guyana last week for the Caricom meeting.

It is now dated news that the President has rejected the list of nominees presented to him by the Leader of the Opposition to fill the position of Chairman of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in accordance with Article 161(2) of the Constitution.

In so doing, the President has etched his name in history, as the first President to have done so, since the Carter Formula was implemented for the 1992 Elections. The President has compounded the issue by the erroneous interpretation of the said Article 161(2), which he conveyed when he spoke to the media at a function at State House.

In his remarks, the President communicated the misguided impression that only judges, former judges or persons qualified to be appointed as judges to the High Court or an Appellate Court qualify to be appointed as Chairman of the Elections Commission.

The President omitted to disclose that in addition to those possessed of legal qualifications, the Constitution also provides for… “or any other fit and proper person” to be appointed as well. Indeed, the 1980 Constitution was specifically amended to make this addition.

The Carter Formula was intended and designed to create, as far as possible, a politically consensual and balanced Elections Commission. Hence, the Commission is composed of three (3) Commissioners nominated by the Opposition parties in Parliament and three (3) commissioners nominated by the governing party, along with a Chairman who has a casting vote. This Chairman comes from a list of six (6) which emanates from the Leader of the Opposition but which must find the acceptability of the President and from which he is empowered to choose one. If the Chairman is to be chosen by the President alone, it would destroy the vital equilibrium which the Elections Commission was intended to possess.

Whatever discretionary power may lie with the President in this matter, that

discretion must be lawfully exercised, that is, the President is enjoined to exercise his discretion reasonably, rationally, taking into account relevant considerations and discounting irrelevant considerations; he must not act capriciously and whimsically.

It is unfortunate, that while he regales the nation about social cohesion and national unity at frequent intervals, the President is unprepared to meet with the Leader of the Opposition on such a crucial issue. Such a meeting would have certainly exposed the President to a different interpretation of the Constitution from the one fed to him by the Attorney General.

In the meanwhile, political tensions have risen high. Suspicions have been excited and the fear of rigged elections has returned to stalk this land. Having regard to our political history and from where the imbroglio has originated, these fears are not without foundation. After all, we have gone through the process of appointing a Chairman of the Elections Commission, on five (5) previous occasions over the

past twenty- five (25) years, using the identical Constitutional formula. On each occasion, the exercise was completed with seamless ease and was devoid of any rancor or conflict. No one ever expressed the view that the language, spirit or intendment of Article 161 (2) of the Constitution was ambiguous or obscure. Mr. Desmond Hoyte, a Senior Counsel, was shouldered with the Constitutional duty of presenting four of those five lists, as the Opposition Leader. He appeared not to have ever encountered any difficulty in construing the Constitutional requirements or compiling names for those lists. Over the years, he provided lists with names of Guyanese of diverse and disparate academic qualifications, technical skills and professional pursuits. On each occasion that he submitted such a list, the sitting President, without question, selected one person from the list submitted. Although profound legal and other controversies surrounded the 1992, 1997 and 2001 elections, all emanating from the political Opposition, none touched or concerned the process by which the Chairman of the

Elections Commission was appointed.

The first time that the table has turned and the Opposition has now become the Government, this hitherto, simple and non-contentious process has suddenly become extraordinarily complicated, complex and controversial.

It is clear that technical arguments and obscure legal interpretations are being invented to frustrate the real meaning and spirit of the Constitution. It is equally clear that the President wants to appoint his own nominee to the position of Chairman of GECOM. If this is allowed to happen, it will tilt that vital balance which the Carter formula was intended to achieve. Such a state of affairs will result in rigged elections and social unrest and violence. It will mark Guyana’s backward slide into political dictatorship and authoritarianism.

Independent constitutional officers responsible for scrutinizing the Executive under constant attacks by Government Of course, the blatant attempt to violate the Constitution by this Administration in relation to the appointment

Moment in history

Protest action against tolls at bridge crossings in the 1970s; a scene that is very similar to the present day protest actions against the policies of the current PNC-led regime.

of a Chairman is not an isolated phenomenon. We have already seen the systematic attempts by the Executive to undermine Constitutional offices and institutions whose functional responsibility is to check, oversight and scrutinize the Executive and to guard against excesses and abuse of power.

These include: the National Assembly, the Judiciary, the Judicial Service Commission, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Auditor General’s Office, the Public Service Commission, the Police Service Commission, the Public Utilities Commission and the Police Complaints Authority. In each of these organizations, there have been attempts to interfere with, undermine, or publically assault officers, as they attempt to discharge their respective mandate. Most, if not all, of these attempts have been made public. Some have resulted in litigation. In some instances, adverse rulings have already been made against the Government by the courts.

In particular, because of its special role in guarding against constitutional violations, abuse of power and protection of democratic institutions, the Judiciary has been specifically singled out for attacks designed to undermine its independence. There have been no appointments to the Judiciary in almost two years since this Government assumed Office. The Judicial Service Commission has recommended several appointments of judges to the President, to both the High Court and the Court of Appeal. The President simply refuses to make the appointments. Currently, there are three vacancies in the Court of Appeal and several in the High Court. The Court of Appeal cannot sit without a judge moving up from the High Court.

Additionally, the Attorney General openly abuses judges in the media and in the Courts. The Chairman of the Public Service Commission, who is also, ex officio, a member of the Police Service Commission and the Judicial Service Commission was invited to the Office of the President and requested to resign. When he refused, he was issued with veiled threats. This was followed by the establishment of a tribunal to remove him from office. Currently, he is suspended from performing his various Constitutional functions. The DPP’s Office is constantly being undermined; the latest incident is the hiring of(Turn Special Prosecutors to page 6)

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

By Dr. Bheri Sygmond Ramsaran

Getting It Right

Peaceful City Protests

– Call for a COI Into City Hall T he now customary but expanding peaceful protesters have been gathering outside City Hall on a once weekly basis. A significant number carry placards. At its peak, the peaceful number some 400 citizens. The characteristics of the gathering, which I noted in previous editions, continue to remain encouragingly constant.

It is pellucidly multi-ethnic, with women at times out numbering men and reflective of the generational spread of our population. However, it would be true to say that more women are participating as each week passes.

Social media, skillfully used by the Movement Against Parking Meters, continues to be the main pillar of mobilization and nurturing of the expanding group of peaceful protestors. These are the two features that stand out -- the representative nature of the participants and their effective use of social media. This is the first recorded mass event in Guyana so effectively initiated and sustained by the use of social media.

The gatherings seem to have dug in for the long haul.

This does not bode well for the small cabal running City Hall. The peaceful protesters are becoming accustomed to each other and quick successive victories over the Mayer

and City Hall.

The power of peaceful protest saw in quick succession the decision to reduce the parking fee cost, then the decision to stop “clamping” offending vehicles and shortly afterwards the abandoning

of any attempt at enforcement. The next quick victory came following the initiation of legal action against the acuity in the courts.

The Court put a conclusive end to the operating of the already installed meetings.

Mayor threatens to close shops daily in city by 4:30pm

Buoyed by these initial quick and substantial victories, the peaceful protestors surged to new heights. This is reflected in the comments heard among them while

peacefully protesting outside City Hall and over the live call-in shows on Radio and TV. There are now discussions on corruption at “City Hall”, on Municipal elections, and the obvious need for a COI into the oper-

ations of the Mayor and City Council.

This definitely doesn’t look well for the Lady Mayor!

No sir!

The Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) is growing not only quantitatively, but more significantly it is also growing qualitatively.

This last protest exercise saw open discussion of the other alleged transgressions of the Mayor and City Council, especially in the management of the financial business of the City.

There were also strident calls among some of the protestors for accountability and transparency.

This ominous turn of events (for the Mayor) is most likely prompted by the quick successes popular victories just mentioned accompanied by the continuing threats and high-handed gov-

ernance style of City Hall.

The latest one is a threat

by Mayor Chase-Green to shut the stores in the commercial areas in the City at 4:30 pm on week days and by 12:30 on Saturdays. This new threat, apparently, is in keeping with certain long forgotten archaic colonial by-laws. The business sector, especially, sees this threat as a counter attack by the Mayor in retaliation for the quick victories won by the peaceful protesters with the tacit support of the business class.

The city commercial sector is now really up in arms

5 against the Mayor, who has decided to mount her high horse. Any attempt to close the city commercial areas by 4:30 pm is madness and will be vigorously resisted by the business men and women.

In this battle, they will definitely be supported by city and other residents who conduct shopping activities after a hard day’s work in government offices or various entities of the private sector. The Mayor just put her foot into her mouth.

Commission of Inquiry into City Hall

The call for a COI (Commission of Inquiry) may be a timely popular demand.

The Auditor General (AG), Mr. Deodat Sharma, had recently called for such a review or audit of the City. It is ironical that the PNC/APNU+AFC Administration, which launched a barrage of expensive COIs immediately on acceding to Office, has not taken notice. This popular perception -- fused with that of the AG of irregularities and transgression at

City Hall -- seems to finally have taken hold. But it took the smaller victories of the MAPM to bring us to this realization of the gross mismanagement and corruption at City Hall.

Many things are not right at City Hall and the COI will no doubt delve into such matters as: 1. Which businesses and private citizens were granted generous “write offs” of outstanding rates and taxes?

2. Who are the proprietors of these businesses? And how much each was granted as “write off”

3. How much was the total sum and for what length of time were they outstanding?

4. How many regular workers are employed by the Council for cleaning and sanitation of the City are on its payroll? How many of them actually exist?? Many citizens and especially many among the weekly protesters think that the City Hall labour force is inflated.

5. How many ADDITIONAL contract workers were employed to execute the recent cleanup campaign alongside the existing M&CC regular employees?

6. What happened to the hefty donation to the City by the Chinese Government for city enhancement?

7. What happened to the large sum of money (half a billion dollars) given by the PPP/C Government to City Hall for a massive cleanup campaign?

But the Granger/Nagamootoo government seems not to have a stomach for this COI, which is begging to be done. This demand for a COI into a City Hall is gaining momentum among the members and supporters of the MAPM. It will grow, especially as the Movement gains confidence by more and more successful peaceful protests.

The use of COIs by the Granger/Nagamootoo Government as a which-hunting tool will return to haunt them.

Conclusion The peaceful protest of aggrieved citizens against the imposition of parking meters has spawned a popular Movement. This movement is growing and seems to be pushing up mature, level-headed and sustained leadership. The movement is growing in confidence. Its confidence - born of several quick significant victories has led it to a qualitatively higher level.

The movement will be a thorn in the side of the Mayor and City Council for a long time to come.

The demand for a Commission of Inquiry into the functioning of City Hall is looming.

6

T

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Local Government and You!

he issues affecting acceptable Local Governance in Guyana are on the rise and acceptable remedies to many of these issues will not be realized by the use of wishful and whimsical words of wind from the President, or any particular Administrator.

The approach of Government as the key policy maker, albeit the existing laws, is even more critical in swaying the perceptions of the hurt masses, to engender the removal of resistance and other rational hurdles.

APNU/AFC has been very disappointing on this front.

Our plural, ethnically polarized and pressure-cooker type environment also provide conditions that are amenable to, and that will easily fuel further aggravation of our nations’ many societal wounds by the simplest of scratches. Healing the bleeding under the circumstances, demands first and foremost; the recognition by the policymakers that it is unacceptable and outright abusive to trample on and restrict the rights of citizens, along with meaningful ‘inclusive’ interventions and actions to kick start the process.

Instead, the chosen path and policies the APNU/AFC Government indicate no significant intent, as they fluff and banter to provide sorry excuses of authority, instead of advancing something meaningful in this respect.

Their continued abysmal failures are foremost hinged on approaches, which are fractionalized in purpose; enriching to a few; smothering to most; self-consultative; self-opinionated, and an entangling web in the least, regarding possible

outcomes while being Grade ‘A’ self-evaluative.

It is unfortunate that the Granger-led Government seems rigidly bent in their ways, foregoing the excellent advantage of timing and opportunity to massage and mould. The impacts of existing one-sided elements in their approach will certainly cause greater or irreparable damage to our social fabric and required harmony.

Manifestly, the opportunity cost of the missed chances will herald further damages that will be even harder to correct.

Our citizens need to breathe!

The constrictions and squeeze of the many onerous policies is being felt in every sector, and it is negatively cross-cutting every local government boundary in differing ways. While it is too early to pronounce on final outcomes, the increasing number of protests from all spectrums indicates a very predictable and emerging resistance of the people. A resistance which confirms that the people will not be taken for granted; and that political committal will no longer be a core pillar on which any government should depend on.

The true colours of the PNC in the Coalition permeate and now override all others in the APNU/AFC Government. As the squeeze of these policies tightens, we the authors of this column are convinced that many common citizens, who were disgruntled with the PPP/C in 2015, are justifiably more utterly disgusted. Obviously, it becomes clearer daily that the shallow rants of APNU/ AFC then and now, are on a vacuous foundation of baseless straws. It is position is

affirmed by the heavily paid for Audits which points to a few minor anomalies, but does not offer much.

The rational reality is that unsubstantiated and spurious statements such as the recent groundless sensational headliner by SARU’s Dr. Clive Thomas (an APNU/AFC advocate), which screams that “Guyana lost G$313Billion annually under the PPP/C”, cannot withstand the pressurized environment being established by the Granger led Government and their cohorts. Rather, these statements must be seen for their real intent ‘to cocoon citizens’ thinking and perceptions about the PPP/C’, and these must be overwhelmingly rejected.

Yet still, instead of getting down to balancing work and measures that will propel our country, we see a similar attempt by the government.

It is a wicked attempt to play on citizens’ sympathy as they are whipped, and a strategy to hold them inline by the consistent feeding of sensational untruths expected to strengthen the false perceptions.

President David Granger’s recent crocodile tears about the perceived defiance of the Opposition representatives’ role in the Local Authority Areas must be discarded and laughed at. This is because he is very much aware of his government’s deliberate suppression of support on PPP/C won Local Government areas, and the flimsily excuses given for the non-appointment of the constitutionally approved Local Government Commission, which would better serve these areas. The situation could be likened to the justifiable rejections by citizens, of the burdensome

PNC driven onerous parking Meters in Georgetown.

Further, the President must know that his Minister did not invite the stakeholders to the meeting where he is accusing the Local Authority Leaders for not attending. The feedback received from the very few leaders of the Local authority Areas who attended the function, described the Minister’s activity as a circus.

Other leaders indicated that they were invited very late, while some said that they did not even receive their invitations.

It is of note that the President, in his presentation, remarked that the Opposition PPP/C is “waging civil war” at the Local Government Level. This is far from the truth. The elected officials of the Local Authority Areas are wise enough to understand what the Government is trying to impose on the Councils; especially those controlled the PPP/C. The Councils that are managed by PPP/C Chairmen and Councillors are starved of finance, while finances and machinery are consistently made available by the Minister of Communities and the Regional Executive Officers of the Regions, to selected Local Authority Areas, including Municipalities which are under the ambit of the APNU/ AFC Government.

It is the Coalition Government through its Ministry of Communities that are undermining the Local Government System and its democracy by imposing on the Councils, Chairmen and Mayor for Local Authority Areas that are tied, in absolute violation of the Local Government Act, Chapter 28:02.

The delay in the establishment of the Local Government Commission by the Government, despite repeatedly promising to do for the umpteenth time over six months ago, is another of the Coalition’s plan to stagnate local democracy. While we await the Commission, the Government is employing their supporters and filling relevant vacancies with their cronies.

In many instances, the Regional Executive Officers and some Overseers, on the directive of the Ministry of Communities, are acting in defiance of the leadership of the Councils and nothing is been done to curtail such lawlessness. As a matter of fact, the situation is being encouraged by the other branches of Government.

At the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the rule of law and due processes are been ignored as Surujbally continues to dictate the operations of that unit.

It was recently revealed that Surujbally has used his casting vote to ensure that the tainted and tarnished Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield’s employment contract be renewed for the next three years. We have had no dissenting comment from Mr. Granger but this will hit the fan at some point and the people will have their say.

It is a known public service protocol that contracted employees that are desirous of renewing their contract must do so in writing three months prior to the expiration of any contract. In the case of Lowenfield, however, he applied for renewal seven months before his contract would have expired in March. This was done on the behest of Surujbally to

GECOM Chairmanship: Democracy...

by Office of the President without the authority of the DPP. In the Parliament, the Government has installed a Speaker who unfairly censors

freedom of speech in the National Assembly in relation to Opposition Members of the House. This Speaker is, openly, partisan to the Gov-

ernment. The Auditor General was the subject of a humiliating verbal assault at the hands of the Minister of Finance simply because in his

Ditch Parking Meter... emanating from the Governmental bureaucracy. FITUG calls for the complete rescinding of this contractual agreement. If Government has to broker this exercise between the council and the company, so be it.

FITUG pledges its support for the cancellation of the current contract

and offers its full support to Councillor and Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan for his principled stand against the absence of transparency in the negotiations from the outset. Mr Duncan’s stand and protestations in public is laudable and should be encouraged.

In this regard, we con-

From page 2

sider that the Mayor’s misguided arrogance against the young Deputy Mayor does no credit to their so-called “coalition policies.”

Meanwhile, FITUG joins the many organizations and groups in saying “Down with this specific Parking Meter Project!” ( FITUG Press Statement)

Annual Report he opined that the Government was abusing the contingency funds in their public expenditures.

Constitutional rights of the citizens being trampled upon

Dozens of fifty year old agricultural leases issued under the previous Administration to farmers are being capriciously revoked by the President without any due process whatsoever. These very lands are then given to Party hacks by this Administration. This Government has confiscated properties owned

by Title and given to single

ensure that he, Surujbally, was still at the helm of the Elections Commission, so he would be able to support the contract renewal of Lowenfield.

Talk about partners in crime!!

Surujbally knowingly supported Lowenfield although he was fully aware of the negligence of Lowenfield during the General and Regional Elections of 2015 and the more recent misappropriation of funds and the malpractices during procurement where hundreds of millions of dollars are not prudently accounted for.

Surujbally also acted unilaterally by calling a special meeting at the Guyana Elections Commission, to re-employ Lowenfield when he knew that the Audit Report from the Auditor General Office would further implicate Lowenfield and his cohorts.

With mounting pressure from the PPP/C and his own guilt of assisting in the rigging of the 2015 Regional and General Elections, Surujbally would be leaving the Guyana Elections Commission on retirement, but not before he ensured that his “hench” man continues to be there to carry on with the rigging.

Good riddance Surujbally and the days of Lowenfield at GECOM are numbered too. The reformation of GECOM is urgently necessary and the International Community should lend support to ensure that democracy prevails.

We call on the Communities Minister to establish the Local Government Commission NOW! (This column is prepared by Neil Kumar along with Mr. A. And Mr. S)

From page 4

parents under the previous Administration, under a subsidized housing program and are distributing these properties to their own supporters.

Many of these constitutional excesses are currently the subject of litigation.

There have been mass dismissals of persons, including, nearly two thousand Amerindians, in the public sector on the ground of their ethnicity or perceived association with the previous Administration, although the constitution enshrines protection against discrimination and the freedom to

associate, politically and to hold political views as fundamental rights and freedoms.

These persons have not been afforded a hearing nor paid their severance or contractual benefits.

The above is by no means exhaustive and we have irrefutable evidence, in most instances, in the form of sworn Affidavits from the victims, to support every single transgression cited above.

In the circumstances, it is clear that democracy, the rule of law and the sanctity of the Constitution are under threat in Guyana.

7

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Sugar as a major foreign exchange asset, globalisation and APNU-AFC maneuvers

By Eddi Rodney

W

hilst nearly a quarter century must be considered in broad developmental terms, it is also true that two decades equates what is regarded as long term in planning and its co-efficients.

It is known that according to reliable reports emanating from the Hoyte-era Government information authority (Harewood Benn/Kit Nascimento), that the then People’s National Congress Administration, towards the end of the 1980s, had contemplated the divestment of the sugar industry. (see GAWU as well as PPP statements, ‘No More Divestments’ 1991/1992).

Historically, the PNC bureaucracy was committed to the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP). Over the course of months, the then government embarked on a strategy regulated by the Economic Structural Adjustment Facility(ESAF); and was in fact preparing to sell sugar estates, either en bloc or, by subsectors (Demerara/ Berbice), The deferred general elections due by the end of 1990, plus the need for the regime to establish ‘primary’ linkages with Consultants (Booker Tate for instance), posed constraints as the sugar workers solidarity gained broad public endorsement opposed to the divestment of sugar. (see SN February?

2017, ’30 Years Glimpses Of the Past’, for item on GAWU sponsored forum on Privatisation/Divestment that included contributions from the late Haslyn Parris as well as Guyana Trades Union Council representatives and Dr. Cheddi Jagan).

Energy Utilisation and Cost Effectiveness Recommendations urging the Hoyte administration to move more decisively towards ‘liberalisation’ and ‘denationalization’ were made part of public discourse.

PNC state capitalism had virtually destroyed the country’s infrastructure and the energy sector was particularly worrisome.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce for instance added its weight to the demand for the privatisation

of the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC).

The GCC was evidently hopeful of a more aggressive ‘fast track’ towards supporting foreign investment, and cited the “need to ensure a more reliable supply of electricity as set out in the ERP (SN, February 11, 1989 and ditte 2017).

More or less, the same reaction towards sugar divestment has surfaced recently, with at least one APNU-AFC Minister calling for Divestment.

But whilst in 1989 there was no Skeldon Go-Generation and Sugar Complex, neither was there the arrangement made with the Wartsila interest group to supply modern generators and services as was the reality as soon as the 1992 PPP/C took office, there did develop a genuine and popular social movement committed to DEMOCRACY. Democracy was regarded as a Solution to manifold problems even internal to the productive process.

Towards the end of last year, one Rudolph Singh posited that sugar has been the main source of wealth creation for centuries.

He also argued that “government should concentrate on the provision of services and not the provision of commodities….” (SN December 21 2016, - Guysuco should be divested”).

It is against the background of this kind of anti-worker “ commonsense” that senior officials, both in the government and at the level of the Guysuco board have uttered similar sentiments that support what is described as “scaling down” and “running Guysuco-as a Business with partnerships” as articulated by Guysuco’s senior Information Officer, one Andreyanna Thomas in SN, February, 15 2017, letter, “GAWI’s principles of operation should be made clear to Guysuco”).

The basic hard facts are that the industry has transitioned into one where there exists a scale of production ‘asymmetry’. The multimillion grain consuming/producer countries in political Asia, notably China and India, but also Japan, and other South East Asia territories, all have highly structured sugar producing systems.

Markets of a hemispheric character as well as globally have developed alongside of other extractive (or non renewable) resources.

These can be summarized as follows: a. The traditional large scale producers i.e. the United States, Cuba, Brazil as well as Russia and India. b. The formation of Special Arrangements determined

by Sugar Protocols that internalize ‘components’ for the implementation of Build

Operate, Own and Transfer (BOOT) Contracts. These are trade deals that are geared specifically to complement a mass demand such as People’s China, India, the United States or West Africa.

In fact, these BOOT transactions range from short to long term and have a history that predates globalisation.

The tendency developed as French and Spanish colonialism declined after Defeats in Algeria and IndoChina as well as the Victory of the Cuban and other Central American revolutions essential to the export of Southern European capital – a historical

process organic to Latifundia feudocapilism.

The Puerto Rica model of sugar and ‘Agrarian’ production that ensued during the inter-war (1918-1938) years witnessed United States hegemony over the previously existing exploitative structures. c. The other major market trend is linked to Uneven Development perspectives conceived at the level of Common Services (e.g. East/ Central African ‘mergers’ or partnerships in agricultural production of traditional coffee, tea and sugar.

These investments include special grant funding from countries in North Europe and Federal Germany designed to rehabilitate peasant farming initiatives.

British aid capitalism has also played a major role in this development strategy.

Other ‘partnerships’ include the Sudan, one of the major African producers of factorized sugar.

Additionally, there is the modernised redistributive sovereignty type of market involving “Swaps” of commodities for services such as that forged between the Bolivarian Socialists in Venezuela and Socialist Cuba (AIBA).

Social Impact and the Extra Diagnostic

Sugar market diversification and stage by stage processing therefore, is

much more complex that the APNU-AFC ‘advisers’ have recognised.

For its part the GAWU (and by extension the NAACIE) has urged the Guysuco to change and update its management platform.

The most recent exchange between the union and the Government’s representative Minister Ramjattan, would have facilitated the APNU-AFC Cabinet with GAWU’s proposals at the stake-holder level.

Other more complicated issues such as for one example, the concerns of African villages for lands that are presently utilized by Guysuco have to be taken on board, particularly in the event of the corporation option to abandon such assets.

This social issue must be resolved not only or exclusively on the ‘Ancestral’ principle, but more importantly in terms of Use Value.

What is the purpose of awarding second depth bush-land to relatively impoverished Blacks?

Then there exists those capital recycling schedules that must be resolved within the ambit of local financial and fiscal REFORMS. When you have a Minister justifying increased MNA-ADA rates to small rice farmers on the grounds of “avoiding another Guysuco” one has to anticipate almost anything.

8

EDITORIAL

The engine of growth O

ver the past few weeks there has been growing tensions between the government and the business community caused mainly by what the private sector sees as anti-business policies being implemented by the APNU/AFC Coalition.

The Private Sector Commission’s view that the country’s economy is being mis-managed saw the government labeling the body as being a political tool of the opposition.

The government’s reaction to sustained criticisms from the business community is indeed sad. The government would have only itself to blame should the images of the past when the private sector was miniaturized keep cropping up.

This government does not take the private sector seriously. It does not see the private sector as the engine of growth. By its actions the government seems to be applying economic thinking of the old days when the PNC, under the doctrine of “Paramountcy of the Party”, controlled more than 80 percent of the economy. Needless to say, the country went bankrupt.

The recent threat of the Georgetown Mayor to implement out-dated opening and closing hours for businesses in the main shopping areas in the centre of the city is a reminder of the mind-set that prevailed under past PNC regimes.

The PPP had changed those old laws and introduced more befitting best practices so as to encourage business and maker consumers more comfortable. That was good for the economy.

Since taking office, the government has taking similar out-dated practices, such as removing concessions to local and foreign investments.

It has stated that rice is none of government’s business and has left the industry to struggle for survival. It is now in a mad rush to do away with the sugar industry.

In the last year the private sector has suffered more tax burdens than the last two decades and the taxes on consumers through VAT has been suffocating to businesses all over the country.

This government has done everything to stifle the growth of the private sector. It has blamed the private sector for the shortage of foreign exchange rather than looking at its own anti-business policies.

The Private Sector Commission has stated quite clearly that it has no confidence in the government running the economy in such a way as to create wealth. As far the business sector is concerned the government intends to depend on taxes to run an ever expanding government apparatus. That is where jobs would be created.

There are no plans to attract investment to create jobs in the ten regions in Guyana as was the case under the PPP. Investment opportunities were growing at a rapid pace under the PPP. A good example of what the PPP did was to have a vision to house Guyanese. Out of that notion, a very robust housing drive was undertaken that saw billions of investment made by locals. It was a comprehensive plan that saw benefits to thousands of Guyanese.

Today, the housing drive has come to an almost screeching halt with little or no investment in the sector.

The lack of economic activities is having its negative effects throughout Guyana. The slide is sure to continue as the government is not prepared to listen to sound advice and is not prepared to have discussions with the people who can invest in the country. In fact, some feel that the government is deliberately driving away investors and killing business.

No wonder they have not been able to deal with the serious economic and other issues raised by the business community, and has shown no inclination to have any form of engagement to reverse the economic decline.

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Wartsila Contract Misrepresented

by Minister (Part 1)

By Bishop Juan Edgehill

D

uring the recent debate on our (PPP/C’s) much amended motion, GPL and Guyana’s Long Term Energy Strategy, the Honourable Minister of Public Infrastructure, in informing the House and the Nation about ending the Wartsila contract, stated that the operations and maintenance of the generating sets were done by 194 skilled Guyanese, and Wartsila received US $25000.00 per day for just “checking off” the work done. We were certain that that was a gross misrepresentation of the Wartsila contract but we wanted assurance. With no books at hand but out of subsequent contacts with the former Chairman and CEO of GPL, we can now state that the Wartsila contract was for about US $7.5million per year (about US $20,

500 per day). It paid the wages and all benefits including training of those 194 skilled Guyanese and purchased all the spares and expert services so as to meet or better the efficiency target, the lube oil consumption target and the availability of the generator sets of no less than 90%. The Chairman’s and the CEO’s estimate of the surplus on the contract beyond those direct labour and material costs was about US $0.5million per year or about 16% of the contract.

They believe that GPL received great value for that surplus, benefitting from a number of intangibles – some amount of preferential pricing and delivery of the running and all major overhaul spares; in times of tight money and late payments (crude oil prices above US $100/bbl) Wartsila maintained the contract normally.

Another important intangible is that the company in Guyana whilst it’s a member of the Wartsila group of companies, is continually in contact with others with a common purpose, common experiences and language, and thus an “esprit de corps” is attained and maintained which is unlikely to be there when the local company stands alone.

We are concerned that the above misguiding of the Hon Minister and in turn his misguiding of our Nation.

The majority of us citizens not knowing much of these things took the Honourable Minister at his word. We, the PPP/C, are fearful that this could be the first step in a scam to award a contract of say US $4million, with a seeming great saving, to a group who would just “check off” what the 194 skilled Guyanese are doing. Skill is one thing; team spirit and guidance which continually justifies itself are also essen-

tial things. We, the PPP/C, will not just wait and see how this matter evolves, but will be demanding full transparency and opportunities along the way to check on the substitution of the Wartsila contract.

The Wind Farm Project

In the matter of the wind farm at Hope Beach, the Minister was similarly misguided and similarly one could fear that the stage was being set for another scam.

Yes, it is true that we the PPP/C were ready to enter a contract to pay the US 18 cents per kWh but that: 1. Was GPL’s avoidable cost of generation at crude oil prices then greater than US $100/bbl 2. Enabled a much reduced BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) (handover period) of just 5 years.

In our calculations (the same calculations which everyone learns at school) the very attractive financing (Turn to page 9)

‘Astuteness’ and ‘Authenticity’ are lost doctrines in Dr Clive Thomas’ misguided world Dear Editor,

I

refer to a letter published in the Kaieteur News of February 21, 2017, authored by Kumar J. Persaud, under the caption “Mr. Jagdeo’s business cronies are bawling.”

I am stunned and exasperated at the fact of how gullible some people are.

They are so easily tricked into believing the most outlandish and bizarre stories fed to them by a few with their sinister objectives.

In this letter, the author said, “I read with horror the revelation by Professor Clive Thomas, the head of the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), that Guyana was losing every year up to $35B to friends and cronies via contracts and other procurement fraud; $90B from folks buying our foreign currency and taking gold out of the country; and $188B through smuggling contraband

goods, constituting what is referred to as “the underground economy”.

On what basis did Mr. Persaud believe Dr. Thomas’s disclosures?

I read the same article. Dr. Thomas did not cite a single source of this spectacular piece of data. Many have since publicly questioned Dr. Thomas’s source and indeed lambasted his revelations as being a concoction.

Thomas has said not a single word in his defense.

In my humble opinion his utterances border on senility and his attempts to mislead the nation should not go unchallenged. Rather than asking Mr. Thomas to provide some shred of evidence to back up his statements, Mr. Persaud misguidedly repeats the ramblings as if they are gospel.

For the sake of argument, let us assume that Dr. Thomas is right for a second, then by his pronouncements the

APNU+AFC Government should have been able to save approximately six hundred billion dollars ($600,000,000,000) since assuming office, but as we know no such money (as a leaked amount) is reflected in the Consolidated Fund as a recovered sum – unless of course they stole it or it is all being absorbed in the fifty percent (50 %) increase in salaries, the large number of houses being rented for Ministers at several thousand US dollars each and the numerous overseas trips, which are taken by ministers and their spouses.

So I would like to urge all Guyanese before repeating and believing in the ‘supposed authenticity’ of any such information. Please ask for the evidence first.

It is time we hold our leaders responsible for their statements and actions.

ROODI BALGOBIN

9

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Surprisingly real reasons why crying is good for your health

J

apan is one of the few countries to promote crying clubs, wherein movies and television serials that make the audience cry are shown. Quite a few people visit these clubs in the evening to relieve work-related stress.

Who says crying is detrimental to health?

So much has been said about the positive impact of laughing, that people tend to associate social stigma with crying. The sad face while crying may be an eyesore, but one cannot make any judgment simply on the basis of what appears outwardly.

Crying too can be good for health, as found out in a few studies. Although the benefits of crying do not outnumber those linked with laughing, they certainly cannot be ignored. So, if you feel like crying after an unhappy event, let those tears of sorrow flow unrestricted. Stopping these tears can actually be self-harming. The act of crying allows

Improves Mood

suppressed emotions and tensions to escape.

This may actually help to relieve stress, bust depression, and uplift mood.

bances. However, as tears contain substantial amounts of manganese, the act of crying can lead to a drop in magnesium levels, which may have a positive impact on mood.

Health Benefits of Crying Stress Buster

Crying can be helpful to release emotional stress that is considered to a major trigger in the development of heart problems, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. In a 15year study on human tears, conducted at the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Dr William Frey, it was observed that crying helps in flushing chemicals/hormones that form under stress.

Some of the major stress hormones are eliminated out of the body via tears.

Researchers, however, pointed out that tears released while cutting onions are not effective to reduce stress. The study found out that tears resulting from grief, sadness, or after feeling hurt are found to be high in protein-based hormones and adrenocorticotropic hormones. All these hormones are usually secreted as a response to stress. This is the reason people inflicted with sorrow and emotional pain tend to feel better after crying. Also, while crying, we tend to take deep breaths, which also contributes in alleviating stress.

Apart from relieving stress, crying may also help to improve mood. A study reported in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, observed the effects as well as the reasons behind crying. Happy tears after a commendable achievement were providing the maximum amount of improvement in mood. Elevation in mood was also observed when there was someone to console while crying. Crying over personal loss, be it a valuable thing or someone dear, may allow you to cope up with the situation and you may feel better afterwards.

Another theory suggested by scientists links low magnesium levels associated with crying, to elevated mood. It is observed that too much manganese in the body can cause an adverse impact on mood, that manifests in the form of nervousness and emotional distur-

Releases Feeling

It is often said that negative feelings, if allowed to accumulate, cause mental disorders such as depression. Crying helps to vent out these deep-seated emotions, making you feel better. Not letting go off these buried emotions can also trigger a wide range of chronic illnesses including diabetes and arthritis. So, releasing this emotional buildup via crying is very important for overall well-being.

Releases Endorphins

Apart from exercise and laughter, even the act of crying releases endorphin’s - chemicals that give an euphoric high. Endorphin’s also display analgesic properties, meaning they prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. This indicates that endorphin’s associated with crying may also help to alleviate physical pain. So, if your feel like crying after a traumatic experience, don’t hesitate.

Acts as an Eye Wash

Studies on human tears have revealed that they contain lysozyme, an enzyme that is well-known for its antibacterial properties.

The enzyme destroys the bacterial cell wall, essential for their survival. This antimicrobial property of human tears helps stop the bacteria from causing eye infections. Also, reflex tears that are released after exposure to smoke, dust, and onions actually help protect the eyes from harm, and prevent injuries from these irritants. These tears, that we don’t like to see, actually keep the eyes safe from the environment.

Removes Toxins

Emotional tears that arise from sadness are full of toxic chemicals, as found out in one study. The chemical buildup that accumulates when facing high stress levels is released

through tears.

Lowers Blood Pressure

It is observed that blood pressure reduces following a crying session. The release of trapped emotions after crying makes us feel better, which contributes in lowering blood pressure and heart rate. Besides lowering blood pressure, crying bouts also help in reducing pulse rate.

Although crying does have benefits, you don’t have to reduce yourself to tears every now and then. Only when you find that you are no longer able to carry the burden of emotional pain, especially from traumatic episodes, go ahead and have a good cry.

Wartsila Contract... then said to be on offer from the equipment manufacturer and a reasonable rate of return on the small portion of financing provided by the local investor equity, would have been amortised (paid off) in 5 years at US 18cents/ kWh. Essentially GPL was foregoing any benefits (lower generating charges) during the five years so as to get a rapid write-down and a quick transfer period (to GPL ownership) of five years.

We believe that similar calculations today at this period of low oil prices (US $50/ bbl) should yield an avoidable cost figure even less than US $12cents/kWh and will there be a BOOT period of no more than five years? There is a danger in presenting for comparison the two rates of US 18cents and 12cents per kWh without stating the prevailing oil prices at each period and the BOOT period. The Honourable Minister may find himself agreeing to contracts which would see customers of GPL paying more than we ought to and for a longer period, with the “investor” enjoying an intended or unintended windfall. We, the PPP/C (and we expect the PUC) would be checking all the way.

The AFHP, the Priority Project in the transition to a Green Generation Regime With Respect to Amaila, the Honourable Minister appeared to quote selectively from the NORAD/NORCONSULT, “Review of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project in Guyana”, giving the false impression that the report gave the “thumbs down” to Amaila. Indeed it is quite the opposite. The Hon Minister quoted the lines about the hydrological risk and the need for further review and fine-tuning of the design (in particular the dam). The Minister reiterated that the hydrology (rainfall and stream flow) was not well established and he spoke about the picture of a dry Amaila.

Allow us to quote, perhaps a bit extensively, the germane parts of the Summary of that Report (We the PPP/C want this report laid in the National Assembly so that it comes to the attention of and becomes available to all Guyanese).

“The only realistic path for Guyana towards an emission free electricity sector is by developing its hydropower potential. The fastest way forward is to maintain AFHP as the first major step for substituting its current oil fired generation. AFHP was prioritised as the first hydropower plant because it was the only project with a full feasibility study completed, it has a higher plant load factor

From page 8

than the alternatives, a small reservoir and a levelised unit cost in the same range as the most attractive alternative” “Amaila Falls alone cannot provide a 100% emission free power generation in Guyana. Other generating sources will have to be added in parallel like sun, wind and thermal production based on emission neutral fuel (bagasse) for back-up in the dry periods when the water flow to AFHP may be insufficient for full capacity operation. As the power demand is growing, and for reaching the goal of 100% generation by 2025, as assumed by the LCDS, a second hydropower plant of capacity comparable with AFHP will have to be commissioned by 2025. In parallel with preparations for the AFHP, therefore, pre-feasibility studies will have to be carried out for promising candidates for the second hydropower project and a full feasibility study be performed for the select candidates. ” “The first needed step for revitalising AFHP is decision by the Government to maintain AFHP as the priority project in the transition to a green generation regime, as recommended in the initial study on System Expansion of the Generation & Transmission System” of 2014 and reiterated in the “Guyana’s Power Generation System Study” of June 2016, and thereafter to resume the planning of Amaila Falls with political consensus and understanding with all stakeholders” “Our estimate is that three years will be required from a decision is taken to resume project preparation for AFHP until Financial Close and Notice to Commence to the EPC Contractor.

From this point in time, we estimate another 3.5 years for construction until start of commercial operation of Amaila Falls Hydropower Project” The report leaves no doubt that whilst AFHP is neither a “silver bullet” nor a “matter of life and death”, it is the realistic way towards a Green Guyana. Nor should the APNU have any qualms about losing face, AFHP was identified by consultants since in the mid 1970s in the PNC/Burnham era.

It should not be a difficult job for a good PR person to make AFHP as much an APNU project as a PPP/C one. The Honourable Minister would be well advised to have a serious engagement with Mr. Maurice Veecock and Mr. Joe Holder, separately and together, to discuss with him the merits and demerits of the Potaro and Mazaruni River basins.

10

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

COMMENTARY

By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

Gimmick and trickery in the employment of Doctors in the Public Service A

PNU+AFC is engaging in gimmicks and trickery in the employment of doctors. The Ministry of Health has been transferring all doctors employed as contract employees unto the pensionable establishment.

For those doctors whose contracts are ending, they are being re-employed under the pensionable establishment.

All new doctors are now also being employed under the pensionable establishment.

There might be a good reason for this but unfortunately this is being done for all the wrong reasons.

Whatever the reason, financial provisions need to be made. An examination of the Ministry of Health’s budget for 2017 reveals that

the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health have made inadequate provisions for the doctors in the Ministry of Health’s employ. An examination of the Regional Health Budgets for 2017 will also reveal that no provisions were made in those budgets to cover employment costs of GMOs. An examination of the appropriate line item for the Ministry of Health shows that the amount allocated for 2017 is not adequate for the number of GMOs in the employment of the Ministry of Health. The sum allocated in the appropriate line item will, in fact, be fully expended

by June, if the employment statistics provided in Budget 2017 is accurate.

To complicate matter for

doctors who were previously on the pensionable establishment, budgetary provisions were provided in the wrong line item, as salary provisions were made under contracted employees. But for the newly appointed doctors in 2016 and 2017, including the 79 newly appointed GMOs in 2017, no provision was made, either in the line item covering employees under the pensionable establishment or under contracted employees.

Come July, therefore, the sums allocated in both the line items for GMOs under the pensionable establishment or the contracted GMOs (which should be none) will be fully consumed and doctors in the Ministry of Health’s employment will be

faced with the possibility of late payments. I suppose the government will apply for a virement to shift resources wrongly placed under contracted employees, but as I sated before this is adequate to cover the expected needs.

The Ministry of Health will require a supplementary budget to cover the period July to December. This is a situation that should not arise and represents gross incompetency.

Earlier I suggested the move to employ GMOs under the pensionable establishment was done for all the wrong reasons. The PPP had its reasons for employing GMOs as contracted employees. APNU+AFC changed the policy and, in itself, the change is a good one. But APNU+AFC

shifted the GMOs from contracted to pensionable category as a gimmick to hide the fact they have been employing a large number of people as contracted employees throughout the public service.

Budget 2017 shows a significant increase in contracted employees at much higher salaries. In less than two years the number of contracted employees has surged by more than 2,000, in spite of them shifting GMOs and other contracted employees into the pensionable categories.

In fact, the number is much larger than this because, in addition, there are also new contracted employees who replaced those shifted into the pensionable establishment, including the GMOs. It is

gimmick, not good policy.

This is the same APNU+AFC which had been critical of the PPP for employing contracted employees. Year after year, they attacked the PPP and called the use of contracted employees as “jobs for the boys”. Now in government, not only have they not kept their promise to reduce and eliminate the category of contracted employees, but they have expanded it. The trickery is even more despicable because the salaries of the persons shifted from the contracted category were significantly less than the ones being employed as contracted employees. I challenge the government to publish the figure for the number of persons who earn more than $500,000 per month today compared to December 2015. If they dare to publish that figure it will shock everyone.

The parking meter contract - Guyanese standing together to say no

By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

T

he Movement Against the Parking Meters (MAPM) is an opportunity for Guyanese to put aside the blind-

folds of politics and stand together to say NO to a crime being perpetuated in broad daylight and without shame against the people of Guyana. This is not just a bad

deal and it is not a question of bad judgment. It is a criminal conspiracy to rob the Guyanese people and, unfortunately, with the complicity of people in authority. These vagabonds may not be listening to the VOICES OF THE PEOPLE, but ever since the implementation of the “green monsters” in January 2017, people are united in boycotting the “green monsters” and to resist. If the M&CC/SCS will not heed the VOICES of the PEOPLE, then they must listen to their pockets.

STARVE THOSE POCKETS and force them to run and cut their losses.

The MAPM must be commended for their role in providing a politically neutral opportunity for people to express their disgust and to resist. Political and civil society have coalesce in a public declaration of RESISTENCE. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), senior independent politicians like Ralph Ramkarran, Trade Unions like GAWU, the Private Sector Commission and supporters of all political parties are standing together with a simple, clear message - Guyana says NO to the Parking Meter Contract.

There comes a time to put political tribal wars aside in the national interest. This is one of those times. APNU

and AFC must come out and join the PPP now in giving unequivocal support to the MAPM and its goal to say NO to the Parking Meter Contract. There has never been a more opportune time to show political unity against something that is so clearly inimical to the national interest. In recent times, the AFC has expressed its objection to the contract. APNU is still searching for a way to exculpate themselves from this “contract from hell”, as Mr. Ramkarran puts it. Now they can also make life a little easier for themselves and the people of Guyana - give unequivocal support to the MAPM now. APNU+AFC reviewed the contract last year. The Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General’s office both issued private damning reviews. Thus, both APNU and AFC have had previous and early knowledge of the egregious sell out of our country a long time ago.

They claimed wrongly then they would not interfere with the business of the Mayor and City Council. But nothing stops them to give their unqualified support to the MAPM and stand in solidarity with the people of Guyana.

I previously on a number of occasions last year and this year called for the immediate termination of the

contract and the removal of all the “green monsters”, an independent Commission of Inquiry and relevant charges based on the findings of the COI. These must remain the goals. The President has the power to order a total withdrawal and termination of the contract, as previously recommended by his own Ministry of Finance many months ago.

He has the ability to appoint an independent COI now. It is amazing that one of the most corrupt deals ever in our history has eluded the COI treatment, given that APNU+AFC has commissioned countless COIs. There have been more COIs in less than two years of this government than have been in Guyana since Independence to May 2015. If there is an obvious circumstance that requires a COI, this one is its poster child.

The M&CC has displayed total arrogance, disrespect and stubbornness throughout this poignant struggle for decency. Objections to the contract is not a new thing that erupted because the MAPM “agitated people and fostered civil unrest” as Mayor Chase Green barked out last week. The MAPM is as a result of the stubbornness of the M&CC. It is civil resistance, not civil unrest. It is the VOICE OF THE PEOPLE in unison de-

manding to be heard.

The eruption resulted after about nine months of simmering outrage and persistent objections, all of which were disregarded by the M&CC. While citizens outrage exploded in late January 2017 after the reality of the parking meters hit home, the City Council has had an opportunity for more than nine months to do the right thing. It has responded with disrespect and authoritarianism, even disregarding the judiciary which has ordered them to stand down. Where have they gotten such pluck?

The PPP has stated that it supports the MAPM and it has made it pellucidly clear that it will rescind the contract once it returns to government. Now APNU+AFC must extricate themselves from complicity by formal rejection of the contract by Central Government and both parties must provide unequivocal support to the VOICES OF THE PEOPLE. Through the MAPM, the people have lifted their voices together and are saying NO. The PPP has said unequivocally they support the people’s voices.

APNU and AFC must now do the same by giving full, unconditional and unequivocal support to the MAPM and its mission to end the parking meter contract.

11

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

AFC Councillor, father, neighbour charged T for vigilante killing

Three men to stand trial in High Court for 2015 murder of Rubis accountant

A

n Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillor along with her father and another man were on Monday arraigned for the vigilante killing of 22-year-old Shereffudeen Nazamudeen Mohamed, called “Sheriff”, of Lot 117 Ruby, East Bank Essequibo.

Mandy Sukhdeo, 29; her 48-year-old father, Surendra Sukhdeo; and a neighbour, Rean Ghani, were all remanded to prison by Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool when they made an appearance at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that the trio on February 14, 2017, at Hope, East Bank Essequibo, murdered Mohamed. As the

hree men were on Wednesday sentenced by city Magistrate Judy Latchman to stand trial for the murder of Rubis Gas Station accountant, Jason Cort.

29-year-old Stancy Rodney, 25-year-old David Eastman, and 32-year-old Clifton Gibson heard today that a prima facie case had been established against them for the 2015 murder, and they will stand trial at the next practical date of the Demerara Criminal Assizes in the High Court.

Rodney, represented by Attorney George Thomas, decline to say anything after his committal. His lawyer said one witness will be called in the High Court in his defense.

charges were read, relatives of the dead man held a mini picketing exercise calling for justice to be served.

However, after the hearing, the AFC Councillor was whisked away to the New Amsterdam penitentiary while her father and neighbour were taken to Camp Street Prison.

The AFC Councillor reportedly claimed that she was cornered by “Sheriff”, who snatched her bag and attempted to escape. She raised an alarm and residents pursued him.

He was caught in the ruins of a house that was set alight just last year, resulting in the deaths of an elderly

couple. Upon his apprehension, he was tied and beaten by the Councillor and her father along with the neighbour who initially claimed that he only filmed the incident.

Following the beating, the man suffered severe injuries about his body and was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he succumbed. Three pieces of wood, suspected to have been used in the fatal beating, were also recovered at the scene.

The Councillor and her father were immediately arrested but the third suspect was arrested a day later after Police revisited the scene.

The trio will make their next court appearance on April 18.

Post mortem reveals Lethem woman died of fractured skull, blunt force trauma to head

T

he post mortem examination conducted earlier today on the body of 47-yearold Justil Leonard has revealed her cause of death was due to a fractured skull and blunt force trauma to her head.

This is according to Police F Division Commander, Rabindranauth Budhram who said that the woman’s husband remains in custody and advice will be sought tomorrow as to how they should proceed with the matter.

The man had previously told investi-

gators that the woman died as a result of a fall.

It was previously reported that on Sunday afternoon, police received a report that Leonard and her husband were imbibing at their Shulinab Village, Rupununi, Lethem home, when the woman slipped, fell and subsequently died.

The woman’s husband had told police that she lost consciousness and so he rushed her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Murder accused, Clifton Gibson

Eastman, represented by attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat, told the court he was beaten by the police to give a statement, for which he never provided. His attorney told the court his client and witnesses but their names will

be withheld for fear of victimisation from the police.

Gibson, represented by attorney Melville Duke, also chose to remain silent.

27-year-old Jason Cort of Jamoon Drive, Meadow Brook Gardens was gunned down in his home in June 2015. Persons in the area then reported to the police that they did see someone scaling Cort’s fence after hearing a loud explosion.

Cort’s girlfriend had reported to the police that a Nintendo game and the man’s mobile phone were missing.

The accountant is said to be a licensed firearm holder but police found no evidence to suggest that he had a chance to use his weapon, which was also stolen.

Camp Street escapee freed on original charge, gets 12 months for escaping 27 -year-old Ruco McIntyre could have returned home after a simple larceny charge was dismissed against him yesterday, but today he was sentenced to an additional 12 months for attempting to escape the Georgetown Prison two Sundays ago.

McIntyre, the father of one, told Chief Justice Ann McLennan today that he tried to escape the Camp Street prison because he wanted to go home to his child.

On the day in question, McIntyre, an inmate of the prison, was returning from church when he noticed the door of the prison’s watch tower open.

McIntyre two Sundays ago escaped the prison and was recaptured that very B-Day. Prison officials said a probe was launched into the escape. “There was an apparent breakdown in supervision after he church service ended. He slipped through to the other half of the prison yard and made his way up the tower, over the

Ruco McIntyre

fence and then to John and Bent Streets,” Prison Director Gladwin Samuels said.

After McIntyre escaped. members of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) and police patrols gave chase and apprehended him at Hadfield and Lime Streets.

Samuels said McIntyre showed signs of mental instability and he would have be sent to psychiatrist, Dr.

Bhairo Harry, during his scheduled monthly visit.

McIntyre was not an aggressive inmate, according to Samuels.

At the time of Mc Intryre’s escape the security tower was not manned due to a staff shortage. He said off-duty staff members have since been called in to increase the number of personnel at the prison.

12

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

President Granger is obviously far removed from the realities around him

By Norman Whittaker

P

resident Granger has given his Government a Grade A for good performance from May 2015 to present.

Is he serious?

Wonder what yardstick he used to measure this ‘A Grade’ performance? The Cummingsburg Accord or the 2015 Elections Manifesto?

But these documents speak of a focus on crime, transforming the economy, providing equal opportunity to all irrespective of ethnicity, political affiliation;

national unity, etc. and the APNU+AFC Government is nowhere close, after almost two years in Government, to fulfilling 20% of these commitments.

Perhaps he used the same measure the City Council used to deduce that Smart City Solutions was making the City Council a Grade A offer contained in the Parking Meter Contract. Or perhaps, some Utopian concept, measure or formula on what constitutes good and excellent performance?

Whatever it is, he is obviously far removed from the

realities around him - crime, taxes, high prices, high unemployment especially among young people, corruption, incompetence, arrogance.

Mr President, the people are fed up with you and your Government, You built their hopes and expectations and you have not even satisfied 50% of your Government’s 100-day plan.

Tell us, Mr. President, about these noteworthy achievements, which the APNU+AFC Government, under your guidance, you determined are worthy of our praise, cheers, gratitude and

a Grade A. Those of us who have eyes to see will see.

The only people heaping praises on the Coalition Government are the Coalition leaders themselves, their comrades, cronies, beneficiaries of the good life and those confidently in waiting. But believe me fellow Guyanese, these could only be few in number.

Or perhaps, the progress to which Mr Granger refers must lie within the perimeter of the walls of the homes and the boundaries of the properties of the comrades,

the partisans who have benefitted. Surely a Grade A must be a reward for performance par excellence; not a reward for mediocrity or poor performance. It has to be earned.

Those of us who have eyes to see will see.

The period May 2015 to present has been for 70% to 80% of the Guyanese populace one of disappointment and loss of confidence in the APNU+AFC government and its willingness or its ability to bring the good life to significant numbers of the Guyanese people. It’s certainly a period we would wish to quickly forget. The performance of the Government has been nothing to applaud about.

If you think otherwise, please identify the activities, events, projects other than extravagant spending on a few events which in your opinion have brought improved quality of lives for a significant number of the Guyanese people.

Tell us about the socio-economic improvements that have taken place from May 2015 to present.

Tell us about your efforts and the resultant success in bringing a better quality education and healthcare to our citizens from Regions 1 to 10.

What have you done to drive the economy at a time when it has been slowing down?

What has been your success rate in addressing the issue of increased crime and the resultant fear it drives in our people and the effects on business?

What about the sugar and rice sectors that have been a source of employment and livelihood directly and indirectly for thousands of families over several decades and the obvious lack of empathy on the part of the Government in addressing the concerns of the workers employed in these two sectors?

The livelihood of thousands of families has either been affected or will soon be affected.

Yours is definitely a no-economic policy Government obviously devoid of new initiatives on how to attract new investment, make money, create employment and take Guyana forward.

Your Government has resorted to pressurizing citizens to pay more taxes: yes, including the sick (VAT on private medical services), the pensioners, the small miner, the small vendors,to pay more taxes which the Government spends on areas that contribute little to the growth of our country’s economy. Even the donkey cart owner has to pay

more and is not guaranteed a decent standard of living because the good life was never intended for him.

There has been rapid deterioration of the economy and all have begun to feel the squeeze/the impact.

It is evident that the reasons for the present dire state of affairs in Guyana are lack of projects, lack of policy initiatives, and lack of confidence from the investment community; so the financial burden falls on the ordinary citizens - increases in over 200 licence fees/taxes. If we added all these new taxes and tax increases, the APNU+AFC Government certainly deserves nothing short of an F grade and a serious rebuke from the Guyanese people.

Are Guyanese not justified in their determination that you have been putting your interests and those of your Government supporters and their families first and above the interests of the masses of the population?

How do you account for your Government’s several blunders and slip ups?

Shouldn’t your performance grade be a function of your performance/achievements and the extent, quality and spread of these achievements?

The APNU+AFC Government has undoubtedly been focusing on putting their own self interests and those who overtly support them first.

And this at the expense of country!

Their blunders have been many, widespread and embarrassing with a resultant loss in confidence of a large percent of our voting population, even Government supporters in such a short period of time.

For the reasons adumbrated above and many other blunders too many to mention in this brief resume; I could not but give the Government an F grade for what could only be described as its poor performance from May 2015 to present.

The Guyanese people deserve far more Mr President.

And so, like the late Martin Luther King Jnr reminded downtrodden Americans over five decades ago, I wish to reiterate to my Guyanese brothers and sisters: “if you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving; you lose that courage to be; that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all.”

Three (3) years more to go for this one term Government my friends/comrades!

Let’s persevere.

The Story of Guyana 13

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

By Hydar Ally

T

he story of Guyana is essentially a story of struggle. It is a long story with several chapters and episodes of different aspects of struggle dating back to the days of slavery and indentureship when our foreparents fought some of the most epic battles for freedom against slavery and indentureship.

It is a story that cannot be adequately narrated in a short article such as this and any attempt to do so will not do justice to the role and contributions made by those who came before us and who struggled valiantly to lay the foundation for a modern day Guyana.

I thought, however, of sharing some thoughts on our political history, especially at this time when we celebrate Mashramani, which as we know is an Amerindian word which means celebration after a hard day’s work. Our Amerindians are our first people. They were to first to inhabit this country several centuries ago. Historians still differ on exactly when and how they came to this part of the world and all sort of theory abounds on how they arrive in the Americas and in our country.

Suffice it to say that we owe a high debt of gratitude to our Amerindian brothers and sisters for the contributions they have made to the development of our country more particularly to our

deep hinterland and riverain communities.

Indeed, according to our historians, they refused to be used during the period of slavery as pawns in the capture of our runaway slaves. Similar attempts to use slaves against indentured laborers and vice versa failed which speaks quite a lot about the wisdom and maturity of our foreparents to guard against a divide and rule strategy employed by our colonial masters.

Because of the transplanted nature of our early society, we now have a multicultural and diverse country, one that gives us a unique and distinctive character. We are better off and richer for our diversity.

But there are also challenges, the most significant of which is to transform our diversity to one of unity. In other words, how to achieve unity in diversity.

We are now forty seven years away since we attained Republican status, which brought an end colonial rule.

Last year, we observed fifty years as an independent country which was attained on May 26, 1966.

Most Guyanese would be too young to remember what life was like during pre-colonial times. Suffice it to say that as a country we

have move forward, thanks to the contributions made by the PPP over the decades.

Indeed, it was the PPP that led the struggle for a free and independent Guyana and the political, economic and social gains that we have today enjoy is primarily due to the visionary leadership provided by the PPP over the decades.

The contributions of the PPP in the evolution of a modern society cannot be ignored, despite attempts to do so by some. The PPP is an integral part of the narrative of this country and no attempts by any person/entity to deny, or worse denigrate the role of the PPP in the historical evolution of a democratic, peaceful and United Guyana will succeed.

There can be doubt that

we are today a much more cohesive society that we were during the 1960’s when all manner of machinations and intrigues were made by vested interests to divide us a people.

Regrettably, because of how independence was granted to us we remained a neo-colonial country during the initial years despite the trappings of a number of symbols of nationhood.

While independence put power in the hands of Guy-

anese, it did not create a politically and economically stable society due to a wide range of abuses in the electoral and governance processes by the then PNC regime.

The fact is that political developments since independence have led to a polarization in the relationship between the two major ethnic groups and to a sense of alienation of many from the nation-building process.

The challenge facing us as a nation is how to achieve unity in diversity. How can the story of diversity be integrated into the larger story of Guyana?

How can the Guyaneseness of all be demonstrated?

This is the challenge of diverse societies such as ours. It is my view that this can only be achieved by a creative application of unity and diversity in an overarching democratic and programmatic framework along the lines of a national democratic state where the interests of the Guyanese people are

primary.

Only then can we realize our goal of One People, One Nation with One Destiny.

National unity cannot be achieved by sloganeering and rhetoric. Merely setting up a Ministry of Social Cohesion cannot bring about unity until and unless there are constitutional and political reforms to create an enabling environment for that to happen.

It requires building trust and respect for our constitution and the rule of law. It requires respect for our norms of democracy.

The Constitutional reform process is vital in this regard.

Regrettably, despite campaign promises, the current APNU-AFC administration is pussy footing on this important piece of intended legislation.

The constitutional reform committee set up by Parliament to accelerate the reform process has for all practical purposes been in a state of coma for the longest while. The blame has to be put squarely on the feet of the ruling administration, who seem only to pay lip service to this critical national imperative.

Unruly

14

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

The

Horse Immunities of the President and the State By: Mohabir Anil Nandlall Attorney-at-Law

T

he legal immunities which the Executive President of Guyana enjoys, is regularly, recklessly and unwittingly invoked in political quarters whenever it is expedient and convenient to do so.

Invariably, the true nature and effect of these immunities are wantonly distorted and hopelessly misrepresented, to suit whatever may be the current political agenda. Politicians who are members of the learned profession and who are, therefore, expected to know better, unfortunately, are the ones most guilty.

Expectedly, the innocent layman latches on to these misguided pronouncements as gospel. As a result, there is now a whole body of misinformation regarding the true nature and effect of these legal immunities.

Only a few days ago, no other than the Attorney General, Mr. Basil Williams, spewed a plethora of misconceived notions in relation to presidential immunities to the press. The distortions received wide coverage.

I now feel compelled to offer what I understand the Law to be on this subject. I will treat with immunities of both the President and the State. They are, inextricably, entwined.

Article 182

The immunities of the President are contained in Article 182 of the Constitution of Guyana. The relevant portions read: 181 (1)… The holder of the office of President shall not be personally answerable to any court for the performance of the functions of his or her office or for any act done in the performance of

those functions and no proceedings, whether criminal or civil, shall be instituted against him or her in his or her personal capacity in respect thereof either during his or her term of office or thereafter.

(2) Whilst any person holds or performs the functions of the office of President no criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against him or her in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by him or her in his or her private capacity and no civil proceedings shall be instituted or continued in respect of which relief claimed against him or her or anything done or omitted to be done in his or her private capacity.

The immunities that an Executive President enjoyed under the 1980 Constitution were wider.

However, the Constitutional Reform Commission (1999-2001), reviewed these immunities, trimmed it of its excesses and modified it to bring it into conformity with the amalgam of immunities conferred upon most Heads of State in the English -speaking Commonwealth.

There is no doubt that the immunities that Heads of State enjoy in the English-speaking Commonwealth, is a relic of the Royal Prerogative and immunities attached to the Crown. In countries governed by the Rule of Law and a written Constitution that is supreme, the Judiciary has repeatedly struck down pleas of immunity whenever they collide with the letter and Spirit of the Constitution and have uniformly, bent and bowed immunities of whatever kind, to make them subservient to the glory of constitutional supremacy and the Rule of Law. A few examples may be useful.

Case law

In Levesque v Attorney-Gen-

eral of Canada (1985) 25 DLR (4th) 184, a writ of mandamus was issued to enforce the constitutional right of a serving prisoner to vote. Rouleau J said (at pp 191,192): ‘If the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is part of the Constitution of Canada, is the supreme law of the country, it applies to everyone, including the Crown or a Minister acting in his capacity as a representative of the Crown. Accordingly, … the Crown or one of its representatives cannot take refuge in any kind of declinatory exception or rule of immunity derived from the common law so as to avoid giving effect to the Charter.’

Canada is still a constitutional monarchy. Yet the court issued a writ of mandamus against the defendants at the bar, which included the Attorney-General as the State’s representative.

In N Nagendra Rao v State of Andhra Pradesh AIR 1994 SC 2663, R M Sahai J said at para [24] of his judgment: ‘No legal or political system today can place the State above the law as it is unjust and unfair for a citizen to be derived of his property illegally by the negligent act of officers of the State without a remedy… The modern social thinking of progressive societies and the judicial approach is to do away with archaic State protection and place the State or the Government at par with any other juristic legal entity.’

In Byrne v Ireland [1972] IR 241 at 281, Walsh J sitting in the Irish Supreme Court stated as follows: ‘Where the People by the Constitution create rights against the State or impose duties upon the State, a remedy to enforce

these must be deemed to be also available. It is as much the duty of the State to render justice against itself in favour of citizens as it is to administer the same between private individuals … There is nothing in the Constitution envisaging the writing into it of a theory of immunity from suit of the State (a State set up by the People to be governed in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution) stemming from or based upon the immunity of a personal sovereign which was the keystone of a feudal edifice. English common-law practices, doctrines, or immunities cannot qualify or dilute the provisions of the Constitution.’

Not above the law

The Courts have adopted a similar approach to constitutional provisions that confer immunities upon a Head of State. While skillfully giving effect to the letter of the language of these provisions, Judges have sagaciously interpreted their spirit to be, that the framers of the Constitution could have never intended the beneficiaries of these provisions to be elevated above the law, made superior to the Constitution, and placed beyond the reach of the Courts of Justice. To do so, would be an abrogation of the Rule of Law. In Karunathilka v Commissioner of Elections (1999)4 LRC 380 at 398. Fernando J, in dealing with the effect of the art 35(1) of the Sri Lanka Constitution (which is very similar to art 182 of the Guyana Constitution), said: “I hold that art 35 only prohibits the institution (or continuation) of legal proceedings against the President while in office; it imposes no bar whatsoever on proceedings(a) against him when he is no longer in office, and (b)

other persons at any time. That this is a consequence of the very nature of immunity; immunity is a shield for the doer not for the act.

Very different language is used when it is intended to exclude legal proceedings, which seeks to impugn the act. Article 35, therefore, neither transforms the unlawful act into a lawful on, nor renders it one which shall not be questioned in any court. It does not exclude judicial proceedings of the lawfulness or propriety of an impugned act or omission in appropriate proceedingsagainst someone who does not enjoy immunity from suit; as for instance, a defendant or respondent, who relies on the act done by the President to justify his own conduct.”

At home, our own Mr. Justice of Appeal, Ian Chang SC, enunciated the relevant principles with commendable clarity: “Article 9 of the 1980 Constitution expressly states ‘Sovereignty belongs to the People’ and not to the presidential Head of State.

The immunities which attach personally to the President under art 182 of the Constitution are for the limited purpose of ensuring effective performance of the functions of his high office, and not for the purpose of granting immunity to the State for any official wrongdoing. The State would still be liable for the President’s wrongdoing, even though the President himself would be immune from the curial process. It is the President, who is immune from the curial process, not his acts. [Baird v Public Service Commission (2001) 63 WIR pg 134 at 164] I hope this intervention will shed some light on this legal concept, which is deliberately being shrouded by the distortions of a few with a political agenda.

Revamp, modernization of electoral process should be a priority – Benn

C

oncerns over the lack of progress with the implementation of enhanced biometrics were expressed by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) nominated Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner, Robeson

Benn. At a recent news conference, he said, “I want to move on to noting also our grave concern with the lack of progress on the implementation of those issues in respect of enhanced biometrics. “…we have had long

discussions and even before we got to GECOM there have been discussions about the modernisation of our electoral system. Guyana has fallen way behind other Regional countries with respect to this matter.”

He specifically pointed

to electors’ registration and electronic verification of electors; electronic tabulation of the results of future elections in Guyana and the electronic transmission of those results.

Benn said, “Jamaica and others have put in place sys-

tems for proper, transparent and integral verification of electors. And making sure that verification of electors is transparent…there appears to be great doubt in GECOM itself, with regards to the role of its officers and we think that this is a

significant matter going ahead for the modernization of the electoral system in the country.”

The GECOM Commissioner charged that a revamp of the electoral system should be a priority focus.

Corner

15

Economic

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

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

APNU ECONOMIC COMEDY – Crippling our Economy

– PNC Ruining our Nation Once Again – Anti-Business Government – Destroying Investor Confidence Summary

O

ver the last week, we have had some economic comedy being played out by the PNC led APNU government, comedy that will continue to cripple our economy.

First, an academic economist who is respected for his teachings, but never in his life managed a business or money, said the PPP was stealing $300B a year, fifty billion more than the 2017 budget, which was $250B. This is the same person running SARU who said Guysuco must be closed even without a Social Economic Impact Study, putting thousands out of jobs, which has already started at Wales.

Then the PNC-led City Council signed a contract to give away our hard earned dollars in what appears to a crooked lopsided deal, and even to a convicted felon. The economic comedy continued when the APNU Government told the private sector to basically shut up.

It ended with the PNC’s Mayor telling businesses they have to close at 4.30pm in retaliation for their stand against an incompetent City Council, a leftover from the former dictatorship rule.

What a tragedy to have such arrogance at both national and local levels!

Comparing Economic Ideology

PNC: One can factually compare the political economy pre-1992, post-1992 and post -2015.

It is obvious by the numbers that the PNC-led government, from 1964 to 1992 took our nation to the gutters, from $300US per Capita in 1964 to $250US in 1992.

They chased away all the foreign investors, took bauxite, rice and sugar to its lowest production.

This week on social media, some of the PNC Diaspora commentators who left Guyana since the dictatorship days, but sit at their computers and blast out economic comedy, said that the Jagdeo government gave away the bauxite to the Chinese and Russians.

Had Dr. Jagdeo not brought in these companies into Linden, we would have had a ghost town by now.

One remembers that it was Burnham that chased the foreign companies out of Linden.

Today, we find the same approach by the new PNC -led government. The PNC-led APNU believes in a social welfare state.

Basically, redistribution of wealth, anti-business, anti-investors, spend and waste money on frivolous vanity projects such as D’Urban Park.

The cooperative socialism that Mr. Granger was trained on and he is apparently following, is old school, discredited and long gone out of the inventory.

If there was underground or drug money, as Granger claims, where did it disappear?

Just because a government changes, I do not think so.There has been no major arrest or drug bust since APNU came to power.

So it is basically incompetent management

of our economy that is crippling our nation.

PPP: Compare the PNC’s economic achievements to the PPP-led Government that took our GDP from about US300M in 1992 to over $US3 Billion in 2014. The political economic ideology was free market economics with a social conscience. The PPP government rebuilt every sector of the economy; rice, sugar and gold were at an alltime high when they demitted office.

They paid down the huge debt left over by the PNC Government. I smiled when Dr Jagdeo said at the PPP Congress that the party has to shed any “isms” because I know he never implemented any of the “isms”.

He ran a well driven growth free-market economics, capturing economic surplus, emergence of a vibrant private sector, and ensured a strong macro-economic policy that led to a modern political economy.

This was evident by not just the numbers, but by the confidence investors placed in the nation. The economy grew at an average of over 4.5% growth for over a decade.

The PPP brought in the oil companies, they brought in the gold companies, was in the process of revitalizing the sugar industry, rice was booming, housing market was at an all-time high, many were owning their own homes and car, providing education for the their children, whether private or public without worrying about VAT. These are fiscal sound policies that allow the economy to grow. Major transformation projects such as hydro, airport expansion, connections to Brazil and Suriname were in the pipeline. Social economic initiatives such as the Specialty Hospital, which would have tremendously benefited our people, were squashed by APNU. From the comparison, it is very clear to see that the healthy economic legacy left by the PPP/C has been replaced by a oneseat majority PNC led APNU government,

which to date, by their economic actions, or lack of them, is hell bent in driving us to the dark days of the 1980s. To compound matters, they are doing so with a vindictive streak that seems to be targeting sections of the community and destroying social cohesion.

Were you not better off under the PPP administration?

Summary The Opposition Leader has called for the removal of VAT on private education, water and electricity. If the government knew they needed more money, why then did they give themselves huge pay raises and spent a billion dollars on D’Urban Park just for Mr. Granger to get the Army to salute him.

The economic comedy continues to cripple our nation and gravely affect our citizens.

There was a letter in the Stabroek News 2/21/2017 referring to VAT on private education from Mr. Saieed I. Khalil, which I wanted to end here with his conclusion, as it was brilliantly articulated.

Editor, the President as well as his Minister of Finance have made a lot of utterances regarding the Brain Tax being essential to “broadening the tax base” and creating fiscal space. In any first-year macroeconomics class, they teach that if government finances are tight, a government could either cut spending or raise taxes to balance its budget. With a billion dollars for the white elephant that is the D’Urban Park project, the $170 million spent annually on storing condoms and lubes, and the hundreds of millions more yearly to cover the salary increases for members of parliament and government ministers, it is clear that the Brain Tax could be foregone if these wasteful expenditures were eliminated, and the pockets of schoolchildren need not be picked for the government to meet its expenses. In 2020, this will not be forgotten.

Parking meter saga: Callous disregard for rule of law O

n the 16th February 2017, the Honourable Chief Justice (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, granted three Orders or Rule nisi of Certiorari quashing the parking meter contract entered into between the Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown and Smart City Solutions Inc. as well as the implementation of the said contract and the Town Clerk has been Ordered to show cause to

the Court why these Orders should not be made absolute. The Town Clerk has been commanded to do so by the said Order of Court on the 27th February 2017.

Notwithstanding, the Mayor of the City of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green has signaled, publicly, that on Monday 20th February 2017, the City Council will resume the implementation of the parking meter system in

the City. This is nothing short of brazen, wanton and gross disrespect for the Chief Justice (ag) of this country and Orders of the High Court.

We are of the firm view that the Mayor would not be so bold to demonstrate such contempt for the legal process and to defy the three Orders of the High Court of this country unless she has the support of Central Government.

This is symptomatic of the callous disregard that the Government, itself, has repeatedly exhibited for the rule of law. It is apt at this juncture to remind of the vulgar abuse of the Chancellor of the Judiciary by the Attorney General, Basil Williams, in the stateowned Chronicle newspapers a few weeks ago and the numerous violations of the Constitution which are committed regularly

and with impunity by this Administration.

We take this opportunity to draw to the attention of the Diplomatic and International Community, the systematic and the institutionalised undermining of the legal system and the rule of law which are taking place in the country.

We call upon the Mayor, the Town Clerk and the City Council of Georgetown to respect the rule

of law and the Orders of the High Court and to put on hold, the implementation of the parking meter project, until the hearing and determination of the legal proceedings which are pending. Needless to say, that our call now is without prejudice to our original position to which we hold steadfast, that is, that the parking meter project should be scrapped. (PPP Statement)

16

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Highlights News Glitz Ex-teen idol David Cassidy Special screening of ‘Lion’ Big Brother Naija: TTT is a ‘Scum,’ not says he has dementia for Irrfan Khan in Rajasthan worthy of votes for ‘L denying his marriage – Actress Obaseki N ollywood actress, Maltida Obaseki has disapproved of Big Brother Naija housemate, ThinTallTony’s extra marital affairs with Bisola, saying he is not worthy of any votes.

The lead actress in Tv series ‘Tinsel’ called TTT a ‘Scum’ and accused him of desecrating institution of marriage for not owning up to the fact he is married with children.

Recall that TTT said he was single during a conversation with Bisola on Monday On her twitter page@TildaObaseki01, she wrote: “It’s sad to see how the institution of marriage is being desecrated on top 25 million that u might not even win “Na wa o!i hope u know that 25 million cannot buy you a house, furnish it and send your children to school for life.

“A man that can deny his marriage and fatherhood is the lowest of all kinds of scum and isn’t worthy of any kind of praise or votes.

“I hope you realize that all is fair in love and war…so if your wife too puts family aside to make some “cheddar” don’t cry foul.

“I’m not sure the wife is smiling and if she is then she is a fool and they deserve each other.”

Popular comedian, Seyi Law had also lambasted Port harcourt based pastor, Mike Winning for raining curses on the Big Brother Naija Reality Show and its sponsors.

I have no woman in my life but music – Olamide N

igerian rapper, Olamide, has claimed there is no woman in his life even though the Bariga-born singer has a son.

The ‘Durosoke’ rapper said this in a chat with the Punch where he also stated that his greatest fear is going back to the “bottom.”

“I’ve actually been in a relationship for about 17 years now. As a matter of fact, she’s the most important reason I am where I am today. Her name is music.”

He said his driving force over the years has been knowing he came from the bottom.

According to him, “My major motivation comes from knowing that I came from the bottom, and I don’t want to go back there. I want to live a good life, and because of that, my working life is a relentless grind. I don’t want to go broke, and I don’t want anybody to look down on me.

“I’m still on top of my game because I don’t see myself as everything. I take advice from my mum, manager, and label mates, and they always help. They’re responsible for some of my ideas. Some things that people see and think is all about Baddo is actually their brainwork. I didn’t start out to be an average artiste, I wanted to stand out. Right now, I’m living my dreams. All I can say is that my life right now is a dream come true.

ion’ which has been winning recognition on a massive scale is a story a real life story of Saroo Brierly who lost his way home in India, to be adopted by an Australian family and to then 25 years later search his way back home.

The film which has six Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor, will now be screened especially for actor Irrfan Khan in Rajasthan.

Recently, ‘Lion’ had a special screening in Mumbai which was attended by many Bollywood celebrities and dignitaries.

However, Irrfan missed the India special screening of the film and was highly disappointed as he was busy shooting in Rajasthan for his untitled film with Tanuja Chandra.

F

ormer teen idol David Cassidy said on Monday he was suffering from dementia, a day after weekend performances in California in which he forgot his words and appeared to fall off stage raised concern about his health.

The former Partridge Family singer and actor, 66, told People magazine he was fighting dementia, a disease which his mother also suffered from.

“I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming,” Cassidy told People.

Cassidy told the magazine he had decided to stop touring as a musician to concentrate on his health.

“I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I’ve been, without any distractions,” he said. ‘I want to love. I want to enjoy life.”

Cassidy’s publicist said his comments were accurate but gave no further details.

His comments followed videos taken by fans of the singer struggling to remember words to some of his old hits at small venue concerts in southern California on Saturday and Sunday. At one point, he appeared to fall off the side of a small stage before climbing back up.

Cassidy, whose hits “Cherish” and “I Think I Love You” had teenage girls swooning in the 1970s, has struggled with drinking and financial troubles in recent years.

In 2015, he had to auction his Florida home after a bankruptcy filing. He was arrested three times for drunken driving between 2010 and 2014, and was ordered to rehab as part of his sentence in 2014.

Angelina Jolie says ‘we’ll always be a family’ despite divorce

A

ngelina Jolie said on Tuesday she hoped her family would be stronger after her divorce from Brad Pitt, but that the actress still thinks of him as a wonderful father.

“We are focusing on the health of our family, and so we will be, we will be stronger when we come out of this because that’s what we’re determined to do as a family,” Jolie told ABC Television’s “Good Morning America” in an interview.

Jolie, in some of her first comments on the divorce from Pitt, was asked if she still thought of the actor as the “wonderful father” she had called him several years ago.

“Of course,” she replied. “We will always be a family, always.”

Jolie and Pitt’s surprise split last September after more than 10 years together turned bitter after fights over custody of their six children and accusations of child abuse against Pitt involving one of the children after the “Moneyball” star lost his temper.

Pitt has since been cleared of any wrongdoing but Jolie has primary custody of their children pending a final settlement of the divorce.

Akshay-Raveena’s 90’s track ‘Tu Cheez Badi Hai’ to be recreated for ‘Machine’

D

irector duo Abbas- Mustan have reportedly jumped onboard the Bollywood remake bandwagon. At a time when the industry has been going through a prolonged phase either recreating yesteryear hit films or music, the director duo, that is working on their next thriller ‘Machine’, will reportedly recreate the track ‘Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast’.

The hit dance track that originally featured Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon, will now star Abbas’ son Mustafa Burmawalla and Kiara Advani. According to reports, Udit Narayan, who crooned the original 1994 track, will record it once again with Neha Kakkar who will be stepping in, in place of Kavita Krishnamurthy.

Choreographer Bosco Martis is reportedly in talks to work up a groove while retaining a few signature steps of the song.

17

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

South Africa’s decision to leave ICC ruled ‘invalid’

Mexican man kills himself after being deported from US

BBC -- A Mexican man has apparently taken his own life just half an hour after being deported from the United States.

Guadalupe Olivas Valencia, 45, jumped from a bridge at the border after he was deported for the third time. He was found unconscious next to a plastic bag with his belongings

and died in hospital a short while later.

His death came as the Trump administration issued new guidelines to widen the net for deporting illegal immigrants from the US. Witnesses said Mr Olivas was shouting that he did not want to return to Mexico and seemed to be in severe distress.

He jumped off a bridge just yards from El Chaparral, the main border crossing point between the US city of San Diego and Tijuana in Mexico.

Local media said a plastic bag like those US Customs and Border Protection authorities put migrants’ belongings in was next to the man.

The Bolivian people continue to defend democracy, Evo Morales says (Prensa Latina) Bolivian President Evo Morales said on Thursday he was surprised by the spontaneous demonstrations that took place yesterday to defend democracy and the truth after the first anniversary of the February 21 referendum.

‘The Bolivian people, who in the past defended democracy, continue to defend it now,’ Morales said in a press conference, where he reported that more than half a million people participated in the demonstrations.

Summoned by social organizations, Bolivians took over the streets of La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Oruro, Potosí, Tarija and other cities to ratify their support for the president and condemn the campaign of lies that affected the results of the referendum.

On February 21, 2016,

Bolivians came to the polls to rule on a modification to the Constitution that would allow the president and vice-president to be re-elected twice on a continuous basis.

In spite of the support that the administration of Morales has historically

had, endorsed by the successes in its management, in that day the ‘No’ imposed by a narrow margin to the option of the ‘Yes’ (51 to 49), as a result of a dirty war orchestrated by the right-wing and the embassy of the United States, according to the authorities.

BBC -- South Africa’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been ruled “unconstitutional and invalid” by the High Court.

South Africa notified the UN of its intention to leave last October, saying the ICC pursued “regime change”.

The court ruled in favour of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), which argued that the government had to

first seek parliamentary approval.

The court ordered the government to revoke its notice of withdrawal. In his response, Justice Minister Michael Masutha said the government still intended to quit the ICC, Reuters news agency reports.

The government would consider its options, including a possible appeal, after studying the full judgement, he is quoted as saying. The

decision to pull out came after a dispute over Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s visit to the country in 2015.

South African authorities refused to arrest Mr Bashir despite him facing an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes.

Mr Bashir was attending an African Union summit in Johannesburg, when the government ignored an ICC request to arrest him.

Free expression under fire as Venezuela takes CNN en Espanol off the air CARACAS, Venezuela -The Venezuelan government and CNN’s Spanish language service, CNN en Español, clashed for a final time on February 15, when state authorities issued an official order to remove the channel from cable and satellite TV stations.

CNN says the order is a response to its story “Passports in the Shadows”, when the network presented evidence that that Venezuelan consular staff illegally sold visas and passports to Syrian and Iraqi citizens.

When issuing its order, Venezuela’s National Communications Commission (Comisión Nacional de Comunicaciones, or CONATEL) did not specify the broadcast that prompted its crackdown, but censors did accuse CNN of “distorting the truth” and inciting “external attacks”: “This decision is the result of content that CNN en Español has been systematically and repeatedly disseminating… Content that [could constitute] direct attacks that threaten the peace and dem-

ocratic stability of our Venezuelan people…

“This is due to the fact that without convincing arguments they inappropriately defame and distort the truth, leading to probable incitement of external attacks against the sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez accused the channel of cooperating with US military operations and conducting a military media campaign against Venezuela.

18

Children’s Corner

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

P

igs are extremely stench!

If there is an animal that doesn’t care about the personal hygiene, then it would be pig! There is an interesting tale why pigs always remain foul and stink.

Very long ago, a pig accidentally fell into a stench pool! They were clean and beautiful for quite a long time.

Since the pig was heavy, it was just not able to get out of the pool. While the pig was struggling, a thirsty lion came near the pool to drink the water. Unable to tolerate the unpleasant smell of the dirty pool, lion moved back.

The pig who drenched in the pool misinterpreted that the lion was afraid of him and moved back without drinking water.

The pig laughed at the lion and said, ‘Oh the brave lion, you are afraid of me.

That is so funny! Wanna fight with me?’

The lion was angry but controlled the anger as he could not tolerate the bad smell! He said, ‘May be tomorrow piggy!’

The stupid pig challenged the lion that they would meet the next day!

The lion ran away from the stink pig.

The pig rushed to his

father and narrated all incidents. The entire family was shocked that the small pig challenged the huge and powerful lion.

His father told him that the lion ran away may be because of his nasty smell! The pig was shocked to hear his stupidity. His father came up with an idea to save his son. He told him, ‘Dear son, mistakenly you have challenged the lion. The only way to save you from lion is make yourself stink and carry an unpleasant smell. If you smell horrible, the lion won’t come near!’

As suggested by his father, the pig drenched in a pond of dirty water and remained all the night in the dirty water. It carried an unpleasant smell.

The lion saw the pig at a distance and rushed towards him. As he approached the

pig, he stopped suddenly due to the unpleasant odor from the pig. He stared at the pig and simply went back as the lion was not able to tolerate the stench.

In order to save themselves from the enemies, the pigs developed the habit of drenching in dirt and remains stench forever!

Dear Children,

T

he winner of the colouring contest Peppa Pig is Tamara Jones. The picture to colour this week is entitled Heron and is submitted by Annalisa Danraj.

Colour and send it to Weekend Mirror, PO Box 101088, Georgetown or 8 Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The winners will receive the prize of a storybook.

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

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

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

19

20

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Discuss your Problem

with

PORTIA

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

Corner Conversation starters that’ll

Should I Ditch My Great but Unadventurous Boyfriend Because He Won’t Propose?

Dear Portia,

S

hould I ditch my boyfriend because he won’t get down on one knee, put a ring on it, and take me to a Parisian honeymoon?

For three years, I’ve dated this handsome, kind, feminist man, who’s secure enough to cook me dinner and play househusband while I work at my demanding job as a chemist at a nuclear plant. Our home life is perfect, but I like to travel and want someone to strip me naked in an openair hotel room in Grenada or Barbados, and he’s not the adventurous type. (But props to him for not getting jealous when I wander by myself.)

Also, he can’t commit to me or marriage. How long do I wait for him to come around? Do I jettison him for someone who will sweep me off my feet—and lose my steadfast domestic partner?

I’m normally a logical lady scientist, but this one has me stumped!

Confused Scientist Dear Confused: Tut-tut. Mr. Handsome Dinner has been cooking for you over your own Bunsen

burner for three years, and you’re asking “How long do I wait for him?” And you’re a scientist, forsooth!

You know your Darwin.

You understand that of all the mating questions posed by all the females of all the species in the world, “How long do I wait?” is the feeblest. (And the one least likely to lead to success.) Yet a fantastic future awaits you.

Because when a man tells you he “can’t commit,” a spanking new world of Queenhell possibilities opens.

Everything is permitted! All is allowed! You are free to hold the most freeing conversation you’ve ever had in your life, viz: “Darling, since we’re not committed, and you don’t want to be, I’d like to date.”

And then you may proceed to tell him what you really want—a sweet “home life” with him and a lad stripping you “naked in an open-air hotel room in Grenada.”

What about your need for passion? Wouldn’t it be better to keep him at home and take a rambunctious lover?

You are simply a bright woman who, when she has everything she wants, soon wants something else.

How Do I Overcome My Shyness When Talking to Women?

Dear Portia,

W

henever I meet a girl I don’t know, I suffer from truly spectacular social awkwardness. It’s difficult for me to function at any level, including breathing. The result: I’m 40 and I’ve never had a girlfriend.

Never even come close. I’ve gone out on three dates in my life—each one a disaster. It didn’t help that I lived at home into my mid-thirties—way too long, I now realize.

I’m trying to change my life. I’ve moved out, bought a house, and been working hard to overcome my shyness. I’ve begun having conversations with people I don’t know well. To my immense relief, I’m getting better with practice.

So the question is, now that I’m working up the courage to begin dating, how and when do I tell someone about my odd case history without throwing them for a loop or turning them off completely? Yes, I’m also worried that I’ll make every other dating faux pas in the book, but one problem at a time.

Marlon Dear Marlon, I beg your pardon. Did you

say...three? Only three disasters, sir? Hell, there are hundreds of social catastrophes for you to enjoy. Get ready. Here’s your Not for Sissies Sun-tzu Battle Plan: 1. Lay Plans: Go to your local church and sign an “abstinence pledge.” Statistics show you will lose your virginity within seconds after leaving the building.

2. Know Your Weak Points: Don’t date. It will kill your social life.

3. Wage the PR War: Your story: Single guy, a bit shy, good job, owns his own home, no baggage.

4. Allow Yourself to Be Conquered: And when you get effed up and shaky in the middle of a conversation—excellent! Most young ladies will walk over their own grandmothers to find a man who will listen to them. (Sun-tzu says the warrior who “gathers the highest intelligence” achieves the “greatest results.”) So don’t worry. Wear something handsome, look her in the eye, ask a question, listen, throw out a compliment, ask another question, and in a few weeks you’ll be poking like blazes!

Good luck!

teach your kids to be friendlier S

ome kids find it very easy to make friends in school. On the other hand a few others might be very shy, and are unable to say a simple hello to others. These children often feel that if they talk to others, they will be ignored or ridiculed.

In such cases, it is the parents’ duty to help their children overcome this shyness and social hesitation. A number of steps can be taken to improve their thinking ability and conversation skills. Below are some ideas with which parents can make their children learn the art of communication and making friends.

The first thing that parents should do is to make sure that the kids are involved in lots of extra-curricular activities such as sports, art and craft activities, reading, etc. The more they get engrossed in these, the more topics they will acquire to talk about. If the children are spending most of their time indoors watching TV, they will, pretty much, have nothing to talk about. So, set a time limit, say one hour, beyond which they are not allowed to watch TV. Everyday, give a topic to the child. It can be something as easy as, “Do you like to play soccer?” Give him time to think over it, and in the evening, during dinner, ask him casually how he feels about it. By doing this every day, parents are, in a way, giving him an opportunity to develop his thinking. As he conveys his response to his parents, he will learn how to give words to his thoughts.

This will help in overall development.

To make the job of parents easier, below is a list of questions, which parents can ask them during dinnertime.

Random Questions for Kids

i) What did you learn in school today? ii) What did you do during recess?

Did you play any game? iii) If you were made a teacher for one day, what will you do? iv) What do you love/hate most about school?

v) With whom did you have lunch today? vi) Who has a locker near yours? vii) Who is your favorite teacher?

Why is he/she your favorite? viii) Do you think your friends talk to their parents? ix) Tell me three new words that you learned this week. What do they mean? x) What homework have you got today? Is it interesting?

Hence, the way you ask questions matters. If you want specific information, ask specific questions. Negative questions are a deterrent; positive ones will encourage your child to express his views aptly.

Sometimes, it is seen that kids can talk to their parents very comfortably, but when it comes to talking to their peers, they have difficulty coming up with the right kind of questions or topics. Parents, once they have developed a good rapport, can help overcome this difficulty by suggesting certain interesting topics.

Here are some conversation starters, which may help children ease the tension and interact with others at school. i) What grade are you in? ii) What school do you go to? iii) What did you do last Sunday? iv) What are your plans for the weekend?

v) What do you do after school? vi) I take guitar lessons. Do you like music? vii) I had pizza in dinner yesterday.

Do you like pizzas? viii) I love pancakes which my mom makes. Which is your favorite food? ix) Who is your best friend? x) What will you become when you grow up? xi) Who’s your favorite teacher? xii) What is your favorite TV show? xiii) Do you play any sports? xiv) Do you like playing video games? xv) Where would you like to go on a vacation? xvi) What is your favorite book?

These will help your child to make small talk with others of his age. Kids also ought to know that an interaction is a two way process. So, they need to listen as well, and talk in turns while conversing with others.

Many times, children are scared to speak up, as they think that they are dumb and boring. So, to foster proper social development in children, it is the duty of the parents to assure them that they are still very young, and are still learning things. Hence, they should not feel inferior to anybody.

Teachers too, should try their best to help their wards focus on what they are good at, and also teach them ways to use those very things to strike conversations. (Buzzle.com)

21

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Is fasting the key to anti-ageing? Recipes

Can regular fasting delay the ageing process?

T he theory: Regular fasting helps to slow down the body’s metabolism, which slows down the ageing process while also helping to detox the body.

“I think we evolved to have some fasting days, just because we weren’t able to hunt down that animal that day,” says naturopath Mim Beim. “It does have the effect of slowing your metabolic rate and gives us a break from the free radicals that we create when we digest.

A lot of my patients do really well if they include a day of not eating.”

Dr Andrew Weil, renowned integrative medicine advocate and author of Spontaneous Healing, is also a big fan of fasting.

“I have experimented with fasting one day a week, usually on Mondays,” he says. “When I fast, I consume nothing but water or herb tea, sometimes with lemon in it, and I find this to be a useful physical and psychological discipline. It feels healthy.

“There are many secondary benefits as well, such as greatly increased appreciation of food following a fast and greater ability to eat consciously rather than unconsciously.”

“On the flipside, with a slow metab-

olism, you’re also prone to putting on weight, which doesn’t help with longevity,” says anti-ageing expert Dr Michael Elstein. “And when you slow your metabolism down, everything slows down – your brain slows down and your body slows down, which is not always conducive to an active life. It’s also very hard to stick to.”

Such a dip in your calorie intake can cause side effects in some people, and if you’re skinny and sensitive to the cold, it’s probably not for you.

“Your body can become stressed, blood sugar levels can become unbalanced and you produce higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol,” says naturopath Sarah Stevens.

“When this happens, you increase inflammation in your body, which can cause more wear and tear. So there is a fine line between fasting and putting your body under stress and limiting your overall calorie intake.”

Does Less Housework Really Cause Weight Gain in Women?

B

ibby Financia, a financial services group found that women below the age of 45 spend 15 hours on housework a week. This is quite a lot compared to two and five hours put in by men on an average.

As a working woman who has to manage the house and office simultaneously, we have all gone through those phases when the dirty laundry starts piling up and all the leftover food in the fridge needs to be cleared out. Often resolving to do it over the weekend we tend to procrastinate and push all the workload to the next week.

Well, if a recent study published in PLoS One, a scientific journal, is to be believed then all your procrastination might be causing weight gain. The researchers believed that lack of strenuous and labor-intensive household chores like food preparation, doing dishes, doing the laundry and general housework is contributing to increasing waistlines in women.

The study by the researchers of the University of South Carolina in Columbia found that, the time allocated by women in the age group of 19-64 yrs to housework decreased from 25.7 hours a week in 1965, to 13.3 hours a week in 2010. With non-employed women there was a decrease from 16.6 hours of housework in a week and for employed women by 6.7 hours a week.

In 1960s

This time was then allocated to screen-based media which includes television and computers, where the use increased from 8.3 hours a week in 1965, to 16.5 hours a week in 2010.

What this means is that women are now short-changing more active duties for a more sedentary lifestyle. It also meant a reduction in the energy expenditure, where women who stayed at home burnt around 165 calories less than women in 1965. This has led to severe health

consequences and obesity in women.

In 2010

To examine how women spent their time around the house, the study used “time-use diaries” provided to thousands of women beginning in 1965.

The research objective was to “examine 45-year trends in time-use, household management (HM) and energy expenditure in women.” The researchers then calculated the time allocation and household management energy expenditure (HMEE) using the time-use data and body weights from national surveys.

The study also highlighted women’s participation in the workforce. Compared to 34% women in 1950, the number of women in the workforce grew to around 60% in 2010. Moreover, the nature of the job changed as well, with more women moving out from factory jobs to sitting for long hours in front of the computer.

Doing Less Housework Makes Women Fat: Myth or Reality

Increasing weight and obesity is a major problem plaguing the nation with 56.6% of American women overweight or obese, as of 2011 (According to The Kaiser Foundation). Can less housework be the only reason for this? While this study does reflect how less active pursuits have led to weight gain in women, it fails to address some key issues. These include: ► The change in the type of food consumed. Unlike homemade organic food before, the food choices today, include more of processed junk food. ► Cleaning tools are better and modern like vacuum cleaners and dishwashers.

This reduces the effort put into strenuous housework. ► The amount spent in exercising and doing other activities. ► Does not take into account stories of minorities and lower-income popula-

tions. Instead focuses more on the white and/or upper class women. ► Failure to account for calorie expenditure from office and other sedentary work as compared to housework.

One of the key factors that the researchers failed to consider is, men doing a lot of chores in the house these days compared to before without significantly reducing their weight or BMI.

Breadfruit Roll

Ingredients: 1 medium-sized breadfruit,1 chopped onion,1 sweet pepper, finely chopped, 2 oz margarine, Salt and pepper to taste, Parsley, finely chopped, 1 lb fish (or meat), steamed and flaked, shallot, finely chopped, 1 beaten egg, ½ cup soft bread crumbs

Preparation Peel breadfruit and cut into cubes. Steam, crush, add hot margarine, and knead. Add finely chopped sweet pepper and parsley. Knead in fried onions and seasonings. Combine part of flaked fish or meat and bread crumbs. Add beaten eggs and mix well.

Roll out breadfruit mixture in a rectangle. Spread with fish or meat then roll or seal by pressing a knife. brush with egg yolk. Leave ends of loaf open. Bake in a flat pan, in a 325°F oven until it is lightly brown. Cut in slices and serve.

Orange Bread Ingredients: ½ oz yeast, ¼ cup lukewarm water, ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tsp grated orange rind ½ cup sugar, 1½ tsp salt, 3 oz melted margarine, 7½ cups sifted flour, 3 eggs, 1¼ cups warm water for mixing

What to Focus On

Instead of equating less housework with weight gain, the focus should be more on how a sedentary lifestyle and bad food choices have led to increasing weight. The answer to the alarming obesity trend is not as simplistic as less housework. As Edward Archer, a research fellow at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, and lead author of the study said “We’ve engineered physical activity out of our daily lives.

By no means does this mean that women should do more housework, but they’re now doing less (calorie-spending activities) than they were doing in the past, and we need to integrate more activity back in their life.”

So instead of frantically washing the pots or doing the dirty laundry in an effort to lose weight, try including a lot more of physical activity which can include simple things like chopping vegetables, playing with your kids in the park, or taking a dog for a walk.

Of course, household chores do help as well. Simple activities like dusting burns around 173.6 calories in an hour, while mopping the house burns around 193.7 calories in an hour. This means that you can lose a lot of calories while keeping your house clean.

Eating well should also be a priority.

Despite all your housework, if you are loading up on junk food and eating huge portions then weight gain is just natural.

Preparation Soften the yeast in lukewarm water. Place 2 cups sifted flour in a bowl. To 1¼ cups of water, add the orange juice, grated orange rind, sugar, salt and melted margarine. Add this to the flour in the bowl. Add the beaten egg and the yeast, and beat thoroughly.

Add the remaining 5½ cups of flour to make a moderately soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (5 to 8 minutes). Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size. Punch down, divide dough into equal portions and shape into loaves. Place in greased pans and allow to rise again. Bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees F) for about 45 minutes. When done, brush the tops with melted butter.

22

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Grade Six Assessment English Language EXERCISE A Caution! Proceed carefully at your own risk! Why? Because the directions on this puzzle are very tricky. To successfully complete it, you’ll need to read each step very carefully. Hopefully, you’ll also have some fun along the way.

1. Read all the directions before doing anything.

2. If every word in this step is spelled correctly, write your name at the top of the page. If there is a misstake, write your name at the bottom.

3. Circle every misspelled word in this list. Write it correctly in the blank. seperate knowledge finally diffrent accommodate privelege truely fortunately ____________ _________________________________________________________ 4. If you are not sure about the answers in #3, wave your hand in the air until the teacher calls on you.

5. Right the correct homophone four each won that’s wrong in this paragraph. Read the hole thing several times. Its sometimes hard to sea the errors, even when their in plane site! Make you’re corrections hear: ________________________________________ ______________ _______________________________________________________ 6. Fold your paper in half two times. Then open it up again and continue.

7. Are you skillfuly equiped so you know which words in this paragraph should have double letters? Or would you like to consult a commitee and answer this tomorow? Write all the mispelled words correctly here: __________________________________ _____________ ________________________________________________________ 8. Circle each word that is spelled correctly. Spell the other words correctly in the blank. chief believe theif receive niece weight freindship niether leisure nieghbor ___________________ ________________________________________________ 9. You are almost finished now, so drop your pencil on the floor three times to celebrate.

10. Do not do steps 4, 6, and 9.

EXERICSE B Directions: First select the keyword that is spelled correctly. Then find a word in the same row that is an antonym for one of the meanings of the keyword. Sound simple? Give it a try and find out!

23

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

The Other View

Of Arabs and Muslims and the Big Ban

By Baher Kamal (IPS) - Now that President Donald Trump’s decision to ban citizens of seven Muslim majority countries from entering the United States continues to drift into legal labyrinths about its legality–or not, it may be useful to clarify some myths that often lead to an even greater confusion regarding the over-written, under-reported issue of who are Arabs and who Muslims.

To start with, it is a common belief – too often heralded by the mainstream media – that the Middle East is formed entirely of Arab countries, and that it is about the so-wrongly called Muslim, Arab World.

This is simply not accurate.

Firstly, because such an Arab World (or Arab Nation) does not actually exist as such. There is not much in common between a Mauritanian and an Omani; a Moroccan and a Yemeni; an Egyptian and a Bahraini, just to mention some examples. They all have different ethnic roots, history, original languages, traditions and religious beliefs.

Example: The Amazighs – also known as the Berbers – are an ethnic group indigenous to the North of Africa, living in lands stretching from the Atlantic cost to the Western Desert in Egypt. Historically, they spoke Berber languages.

There are around 25-30 million Berber speakers in North Africa. The total number of ethnic Berbers (including non-Berber speakers) is estimated to be far greater. They have been “Arabised” and “Islamised” since the Muslim conquest of North of Africa in the 7th century.

Secondly, because not all Muslims are Arabs, nor all Arabs are Muslims. Not to mention the very fact that not all Arabs are even Arabs. It would be more accurate to talk about “Arabised,” “Islamised” peoples or nations rather than an Arab World or Arab Nation.

Here are seven key facts about Muslims that large media, in particular the Western information tools, often neglect or ignore: 1. Not all Muslims Are Arabs

In fact, according to the most acknowledged statistics, the number of Muslims around the world amounts to an estimated 1.56 billion people, compared to estimated 2.2 billion Christians and 1.4 million Jewish.

Of this total, Arab countries are home to

around 380 million people, that is only about 24 per cent of all Muslims.

2. Not all Arabs Are Muslims

While Islam is the religion of the majority of Arab population, not all Arabs are Muslims.

In fact, it is estimated that Christians represent between 15 per cent and 20 per cent

lims) is the second largest Muslim-majority nation, followed by India (10.9 per cent), and Bangladesh (9.2 per cent).

The Pew Research Center estimates that about 20 per cent of Muslims live in Arab countries, and that two non-Arab countries – Turkey and Iran – are the largest Muslim-majority nations in the Middle East.

In short, a large number of Muslim majority countries are not Arabs. This is the case of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey.

4. Largest Muslim Groups

It is estimated that 75 to 90 per cent of Islam followers are Sunni, while Shii represent 10 to 20 per cent of the global Muslim population.

The sometimes armed, violent conflicts between these two groups are often due to political impositions. But this is not restricted to Arab or Muslim countries, as evidenced by the decades of armed conflict between Catholic and Protestant communi-

gious beliefs, in particular in Africa.

Likewise other major monotheistic religions, a number of Muslim clerics have been using faith to increase their influence and power. This is fundamentally why so many “new traditions” have been gradually imposed on Muslims. This is the case, for example, of denying the right of women to education.

As with other major monotheistic religions, some Muslim clerics used their ever-growing powers to promote inhuman, brutal actions. This is the case of “Jihad” fundamentalists.

This has not been an exclusive case of Muslims along the history of humankind.

Just remember the Spanish-Portuguese invasion of Latin America, where indigenous populations were exterminated and Christianity imposed by the sword, for the sake of the glory of Kings, Emperors… and Popes.

7. The Unfinished Wars between the West and Islam (and Vice-Versa)

There is a growing belief among Arab and Muslim academicians that the on-going violent conflicts between Muslims and the West (and vice-versa) are due to the “unfinished” war between the Christian West and the Islamic Ottoman Empire, in spite of the fact that the latter was dismantled in the early 1920s.

This would explain the successive wars in the Balkans and the Middle East, for instance.

8. The “Religion” of Oil

of the Arab combined population. Therefore, Arab Muslims amount to just around onefifth of all the world’s Muslims.

Arab Christians are concentrated mainly in the Palestinian Territories, Lebanon and Egypt, where they represent up to 13 per cent of the total population amounting to 95 million inhabitants according to last year’s census.

It is also estimated that there are more Muslims in the United Kingdom than in Lebanon, and more Muslims in China than in Syria.

3. Major Muslim Countries Are in Asia

According to the U.S-based Pew Research Center, this would be the percentage of major religious groups in 2012: Christianity 31.5 per cent; Islam 23.2 per cent; Hinduism 15.0 per cent, and Buddhism 7.1 per cent of the world’s total population.

Meanwhile, the Pew Research Center estimated that in 2010 there were 49 Muslim-majority countries.

South and Southeast Asia would account for around 62 per cent of the world’s Muslims.

According to these estimates, the largest Muslim population in a single country lives in Indonesia, which is home to 12.7 per cent of all world’s Muslims.

Pakistan (with 11.0 per cent of all Mus-

ties in Northern Ireland.

5. Muslims Do Not Have Their Own God

In Arabic (the language in which the sacred book, the Koran, was written and diffused) the word “table” is said “tawla;” a “tree” is called “shajarah;” and a “book” is “ketab.” In Arabic “God” is “Allah”.

In addition, Islam does not at all deny the existence of Christianity or Christ. And it does fully recognise and pay due respect to the Talmud and the Bible.

Probably the main difference is that Islam considers Christ as God’s closest and most beloved “prophet,” not his son.

6. Islamic “Traditions”

Islam landed in the 7th century in the Gulf or Arab Peninsula deserts. There, both men and women used to cover their faces and heads to protect themselves from the strong heat and sand storms. It is not, therefore, about a purely Islam religious imposition.

Meanwhile, in the Arab deserts, populations used to have nomadic life, with men travelling in caravans, while women and the elderly would handle the daily life of their families. Islamic societies were therefore actually matriarchal.

Genital mutilations are common to Islam, Judaism (male) and many other reli-

It has become too common, and thus too given for certain, that oil producers are predominantly Arabs and Muslims. This is

not accurate.

To start with, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in (the under British mandate) Baghdad, Iraq, in 1960 by five countries: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. These were later joined by Qatar (1961), Indonesia (1962), Libya (1962), the United Arab Emirates (1967), Algeria (1969), Nigeria (1971), Ecuador (1973), Gabon (1975) and Angola (2007).

And here you are: OPEC full membership includes: Ecuador, Venezuela, Nigeria, Gabon and Angola. None of these is either Arab or Muslim. They are all Christian states. As for Iran and Indonesia, these are Muslim countries, but not Arab.

Then you have other major oil and gas producers and exporters outside the OPEC ranks: the United States [which produces more oil (13,973,000 barrels per day) than Saudi Arabia (11,624,000)]; Russia (10,853,000); China (4,572,000); Canada (4,383,000, more than United Arab Emirates or Iran or Iraq); Norway (1,904,000, more than Algeria) and Mexico, among others.

Again, none of these oil producers is Arab or Muslim.

In short, not all Muslims are Arabs (these are less than 20 per cent of the total); not all Arabs are Muslims, and… not all Arabs are even Arabs!

24

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Seven new species of night frogs from India including four miniature forms

S

cientists from India have discovered seven new frog species belonging to the genus Nyctibatrachus, commonly known as Night Frogs. This find is a result of five years of extensive explorations in the Western Ghats global biodiversity hotspot in India. Four out of seven of the new species are miniature-sized frogs (12.2-15.4 mm), which can comfortably sit on a coin or a thumbnail. These are among the smallest known frogs in the world.

Unlike other frogs in the genus that are predominantly stream dwelling, the new miniature frogs were found under damp forest leaf litter or marsh vegetation. Scientists were surprised by the relative abundance of these previously unknown species at their collection localities. “In fact, the miniature species are locally abundant and fairly common but they have probably been overlooked because of their extremely small size, secretive habitats and insect-like calls,” says Sonali Garg who undertook this study as part of her PhD research at University of Delhi.

In the lab, the newly sampled frogs were confirmed as new species by using an integrated taxonomic approach that included DNA studies, detailed morphological comparisons and bioacoustics. Evidence from these multiple sources confirmed that the diversity of Night frogs is higher than previously known and particularly remarkably for the miniaturized forms. Previously, the Night Frog genus composed of 28 recognized species of which only three were miniature-sized (<18 mm). Now the total number of known Nyctibatrachus species has increased to 35, of which 20 percent are diminutive in size. This frog genus is endemic to the Western Ghats of India and represents an ancient group of frogs that diversified on the Indian landmass approximately 70-80 million years ago.

The discovery of several new species of ancient origin can provide useful insights into the evolution of endemic frog lineages in the Western Ghats, which is a leading amphibian hotspot. The past decade has witnessed an exponential increase in the number of new amphibian species described from this region. Of the total new species of amphibians (1581) described globally between the years 2006-2015, the highest number were from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (approximately 182) followed by the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot (approximately 159), with 103 species described alone from the Western Ghats region.

However, the future of many of the new species may be bleak. All the newly described species are currently known only from single localities in the southern Western Ghats, and some lie outside Protected areas. Researchers found the Radcliffe’s Night frog and the Kadalar Night Frog inside private or state-owned plantation areas facing threats such as habitat disturbance, modification and fragmentation. The Athirappilly Night Frog was found in close vicinity to the Athirappilly waterfalls and the Sabarimala Night Frog near the Sabarimala pilgrimage centre, both of which are disturbed by anthropogenic activities. “Over 32 percent, that is one-third of the Western Ghats frogs are already threatened with extinction. Out of the seven new species, five are facing considerable anthropogenic threats and require immediate conservation prioritization,” says Prof SD Biju, who led the new study and has also formally described over 80 new species of amphibians from India.

25

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Poaching drives 80 percent decline in elephants in key preserve

F

orest elephant populations in one of Central Africa’s largest and most important preserves have declined between 78 percent and 81 percent because of poaching, a new Duke University-led study finds.

“Our research suggests that more than 25,000 elephants in Gabon’s Minkébé National Park may have been killed for their ivory between 2004 and 2014,” said John Poulsen, assistant professor of tropical ecology at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment.

“With nearly half of Central Africa’s estimated 100,000 forest elephants thought to live in Gabon, the loss of 25,000 elephants from this key sanctuary is a considerable setback for the preservation of the species,” he said.

While some of the poaching originated from within Gabon, findings from the new study indicate that cross-border poaching by hunters from neighboring nations -- chiefly Cameroon to the north -largely drove the precipitous decline.

They estimated the extent of the population losses by comparing data from two large-scale surveys of elephant dung in Minkébé

This is a small group of forest elephants in Gabon’s Minkébé National Park. Poaching for the illegal ivory trade has reduced their numbers by 80 percent, according to a new study

National Park from 2004 and 2014, using two different analytic methods to account for periods of heavy rainfall that might speed the dung’s decay and skew the surveys’ accuracy.

“Based on changes in the

abundance and geographic distribution of the dung, we identified two fronts of poaching pressure,” Poulsen said.

“Elephant numbers in the south of the park, which is 58 kilometers from the nearest

major Gabonese road, have been somewhat reduced,” he said. “By comparison, the central and northern parts of the park -- which, at one point, are just 6.1 kilometers from Cameroon’s national road -- have been emptied.”

The proximity of this road makes it relatively easy for Cameroonese poachers to access the park and transport their illegal haul back to their nation’s largest city, Douala, a major hub of the international ivory trade.

Since 2011, the Gabonese government has taken major steps to curb poaching in Minkébé, Poulsen noted.

Among other things, they have elevated forest elephants’ conservation status to “fully protected,” created a National Park Police force, doubled the national park agency’s budget, and become the first African nation to burn all confiscated ivory.

These efforts are laudable and may be reducing poaching from within Gabon, Poulsen said, but the new research suggests they have done little to slow the illegal cross-border traffic. “The clock is ticking,” he said.

“To save Central Africa’s forest elephants, we need to create new multinational protected areas and coordinate international law enforcement to ensure the prosecution of foreign nationals who commit or encourage wildlife crimes in other countries,” he said.

“Studies showing sharp declines in forest elephant populations are nothing new,” he said, “but a 78 to 81 percent loss in a single decade from one of the largest, most remote protected areas in Central Africa is a startling warning that no place is safe from poaching.”

Right-handed or left-handed: Why?

A

preference for the left or the right hand might be traced back to that asymmetry. “These results fundamentally change our understanding of the cause of hemispheric asymmetries,” conclude the authors. The team report about their study in the journal eLife.

Preference in the womb

To date, it had been assumed that differences in gene activity of the right and left hemisphere might be responsible for a person’s handedness. A preference for moving the left or right hand develops

in the womb from the eighth week of pregnancy, according to ultrasound scans carried out in the 1980s. From the 13th week of pregnancy, unborn children prefer to suck either their right or their left thumb.

Arm and hand movements are initiated via the motor cortex in the brain. It sends a corresponding signal to the spinal cord, which in turn translates the command into a motion. The motor cortex, however, is not connected to the spinal cord from the beginning. Even before the connection forms, precursors of handedness become appar-

ent. This is why the researchers have assumed that the cause of right respective left preference must be rooted in the spinal cord rather than in the brain.

The influence of environmental factors

Judith Schmitz and Sebastian Ocklenburg are interested in right-left differences

The researchers analysed the gene expression in the spinal cord during the eighth to twelfth week of pregnancy and detected marked right-left differences in the eighth week -- in precisely those spinal cord segments that control the movements of arms and legs.

Another study had shown

that unborn children carry out asymmetric hand movements just as early as that.

The researchers, moreover, traced the cause of asymmetric gene activity.

Epigenetic factors appear to be at the root of it, reflecting environmental influences.

Those influences might, for example, lead to enzymes bonding methyl groups to the DNA, which in turn would affect and minimise the reading of genes. As this occurs to a different extent in the left and the right spinal cord, there is a difference to the activity of genes on both sides.

26

Mallya’s Force India aim to be a top three team

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Australia seeks full inclusion in Asian Summer Games

F

orce India set their sights on breaking into Formula One’s top three at the launch of their new car on Wednesday and hit back at suggestions that they lack the budget to match the manufacturers in a spending ‘arms race’.

“If we did not dream big, we would not have finished fourth in the world championship last year,” said co-owner and principal Vijay Mallya, the embattled former billionaire whose extradition is sought by India.

“We will always dream big,” added the liquor tycoon who was charged in absentia last month by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation with conspiracy and fraud over a loan to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. He has dismissed the charges against him.

“We have never had conversations, even in private, that we cannot break into the top three. That is certainly going to be our objective.

We are going to give it our best shot.”

Force India enjoyed their best ever season last year,

Britain Formula One - F1 - British Grand Prix 2016 Silverstone, England - 8/7/16Force India team principal Vijay Mallya during the press conference

finishing behind Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.

Force India’s annual budget is estimated at less than half that of the teams above them and also some of those below, such as McLaren.

Renault Sport F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul told reporters at the launch of his team’s car on Tuesday, when he set a target of

fifth overall, that he doubted Force India had the resources to compete at the very top.

“I think this season will be an arms race, and I really feel for the teams who are under-resourced,” the Frenchman had said. “I believe that most of the car build budget of a Force India will be gone by now, just to cope with the new regulations.”

Magic named Lakers’ president of basketball operations M agic Johnson was named the president of basketball operations for the struggling Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday as one of the NBA’s most storied franchises undergoes a major shakeup to the their front office.

In addition to promoting Johnson, a Hall of Famer who won five NBA titles with Los Angeles in the 1980s, Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss fired longtime general manager Mitch Kupchak and her brother, Jim, from his role as vice president of basketball operations.

The Lakers, who last week were ranked second in Forbes’ list of most valuable NBA teams at $3 billion, are in the midst of one of the worst on-court stretches in their history.

Earlier this month the Lakers hired Johnson to advise ownership on basketball and business in a role the team said would include collaborating with coaches, mentoring players and

assessing future franchise needs.

He called his newest role a “dream come true” and pledged to work tirelessly to get the team back to the top of the NBA.

Asian Winter Games - Opening ceremony - Sapporo Dome - Sapporo, Japan - 19/02/17 - John Coates (R) takes part in the opening ceremony

A

ustralia hopes to bring a full delegation of athletes to the 2022 Asian Summer Games in China and is seeking approval from the continent’s Olympic council, Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President John Coates has said.

Australia, a member of the Oceania Olympic federation, has sent 30 athletes to the ongoing Asian Winter Games in Japan’s northern city of Sapporo as a “guest” delegation following an invitation from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Coates said it was too late for Australia to compete in next year’s Summer

Games in Indonesia but their bid for inclusion at the 2022 event in China’s eastern city of Hangzhou would be tabled at an OCA meeting in September.

“Discussions are underway and I believe there would be great interest in the Asian Games amongst our member sports,” Coates told News Ltd media.

“Particularly in sports where the Asian countries are strong (such as) gymnastics, badminton and table tennis.

“I believe participating in the Asian Games would be very good for us.”

The Asian Games, the

biggest multi-sport event after the Olympics, will have 45 OCA member countries competing in 2018.

Australia participates in the quadrennial Commonwealth Games and will host the 2018 event in the Gold Coast.

Both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are scheduled for 2022, presenting a logistical challenge should Australia hope to send athletes to both.

Australia has long sought closer sporting ties with Asia to expose their athletes to stiffer competition from the likes of China, Japan and South Korea.

County players seek security assurances ahead of PSL final A number of county cricketers named in a list of players who could be called upon to travel to Pakistan for the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) remain unsure about whether they will go. Earlier this week, the PSL decided to go ahead with staging its final in Lahore, despite a recent series of attacks across Pakistan that have claimed over 100 lives.

The five franchises were presented with a list of 54 foreign players whom the

PCB claim are willing to travel to Lahore for the final. Fifteen are contracted to counties, including former England internationals Jade Dernbach and Phil Mustard. Owais Shah, who played for Hampshire in 2015 and whose last competitive match came in February 2016 in the Masters Champions League, also features. Most of the overall list is made up of players who went unsold in the first auction held in October of last year. Only Middlesex’s

Dawid Malan is currently playing in the competition, for Peshawar Zalmi.

The PSL had previously considered holding another draft before the final, only for foreign players who are willing to travel to Lahore, in order to buffer against the absence of those who do not want to go. But that plan has been shelved as franchises first look to convince their own overseas players to make the trip, at least until closer to March 5, for when the final is scheduled.

27

WEEKEND MIRROR 25-26 FEBRUARY, 2017

Sport View

by Neil Kumar

Sports: One of the greatest tools for unity in diversity

S

ports is the best and more effective vehicle to heal wounds in communities and bring people of all walks of life together.

Whether it be recreation, competitive sport, amateur sport and relaxation, it must be encouraged.

Promoting sport for a healthy lifestyle should be a priority for all Guyanese.

A healthy nation is possible. And a healthy nation will be a people who live together play, work socialize and interact with mutual love and understanding.

However, it cannot be denied that sport is also a business.

Sports at the professional level is very competitive. It is extremely interesting to know that great athletes, before they achieve greatness, are all amateurs at the learning stage.

While very young, it is imperative that our adolescents be exposed to the various sport disciplines. With early exposure, young children develop a positive attitude towards sports and are able to show their preference and greater likeness for sport specifics.

Youths develop genuine interest in the discipline that they are skilled in and with the help of coaches develop into national athletes. Coaches and senior sportsmen are very important role models for young athletes.

Our national super stars must also be role models for the young. The young sportsmen

and sportswomen must want to emulate the great achievers in sport. However, it must be accepted that for a young athlete to become a super-star, there will have to an investment in that person.

Interesting is the fact that when talent and potential is identified, the coach at this stage prepares the athletes and/or the team for the higher levels, and the last coach enjoys all the praise for the success.

The role of the individual in sport must be clearly understood. Even in team sport, individuals’ roles and outstanding performances are pivotal to the team success. Hence, when we speak about the role of the individual in society then we must realize that there is space and a need for all stakeholders.

Sports give rise to a nation where people share good moments and cherish each other’s achievements. Nothing comes without dedication, hard work and the will for success.

The real success is achieved when all forces put their efforts together and work for the good of the nation.

Sports must be better organized at the school and in the communities. Wherever the people are, the facilities and the environment must be conducive to sports.

People must want to play and get involved in sports activities.

As such, spectators, administrators, and athletes must work for the good of the people.

Possible Mayweather-McGregor bout ‘a joke’ – Alvarez A possible bout between Floyd Mayweather and mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor is getting lots of buzz but two fighters that are getting in the ring said the crossover tilt would be a black eye on boxing.

Irishman McGregor has been challenging Mayweather to a fight for months but the two have yet to reach terms while both have been doing their part to drum up interest with plenty of back and forth in the media.

“It’s a joke for boxing if that happens,” two-time world champion Canelo Alvarez, who fights fellow Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Las Vegas in May, told Reuters on Tuesday.

Mayweather, who retired in 2015 after compiling a perfect 49-0 record, has said he would require a guaranteed $100 million to make the fight with McGregor happen.

“It is a businessman fight,” Chavez said during Tuesday’s promotion stop in New York for the Cinco de Mayo weekend bout with Alvarez on May 6. “I like to fight a serious fight.”

Famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach believes the much-hyped Mayweather-McGregor showdown will happen and that he may get involved himself.

Roach, who prepared Manny Pacquiao for the “Fight of the Century” against Mayweather, said in an appearance on The MMA Hour show on Monday that the 12-time boxing champion visited his Wild Card gym and told him that he

will fight McGregor.

“According to Mayweather, yes. He told me he would fight him. Everything is pointing in that direction right now,” said Roach, who added that he would consider training McGregor if asked.

“I think Mayweather is the favorite, yes, but I wouldn’t count anyone out. Because (McGregor) throws, he throws hard and he’s not afraid to throw.”

Asia would welcome third straight Winter Olympics: OCA chief

A

sia is ready, willing and able to host a third straight Winter Olympics if the Japanese city of Sapporo wins the bid for the 2026 Games, Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah has said.

Sapporo hosted Asia’s first Winter Olympics in 1972 and has also staged the Asian Winter Games three times, including the inaugural edition in 1986 and the ongoing Feb. 19-26 event.

City officials said in late 2014 they would be keen on a 2026 bid, though the Japanese Olympic Committee would also need to approve it proceeding.

With South Korea’s Pyeongchang staging the Winter Olympics in 2018 and Beijing hosting the event four years later, a third successive Winter Games in Asia would underline the region’s grow-

ing presence on the international sporting stage.

The Summer Olympics will also be held in Asia in 2020 in Tokyo.

Sheikh Ahmad said the way the ongoing Asiad had been organized clearly demonstrated Sapporo would take the task of hosting another Olympics in its stride.

“I am happy to hear that Sapporo is ready to host the Olympic Winter Games. Sapporo is capable and ready,” he said at a news conference on Tuesday, adding that Sapporo had “all the tools, all the facilities and all the experi-

ence” needed to stage the multi-sport event.

Beijing and the nearby city of Zhangjiakou beat Kazakhstan’s Almaty for the right to host the 2022 Games after the other competitors dropped out, citing costs and other worries, and Sheikh Ahmad said an Asian bid for 2026 would depend on the level of interest from other countries.

The costs of staging Olympics have become a hot-button issue in recent years and prompted the International Olympic Committee to take steps aimed at keeping spending under control Reforms known as “Agenda 2020”, carried out under IOC President Thomas Bach with the aim of making the Olympics more sustainable, allow hosts to use facilities in other cities or even countries if it makes financial and practical sense.

VAT on private education is discrimination – PPP

T

he People’s Progressive Party has deemed the Value Added Tax (VAT) on private education as an act of discrimination and has called on the government to “reverse the imposition of VAT on private schools.”

In a statement last week, the Party stated: Education has long proven itself to be the surest and safest vehicle to exit the vicious cycle of poverty.

The Office of the Leader of the Opposition views the unhindered right to affordable education as one of the basic human rights to which

every citizen is entitled.

Article 38 E of the Constitution of Guyana provides that “formal education is compulsory up to the age of 15 years.” Under the PPP/C Administration, it encouraged the growth and proliferation of private schools throughout the country out of a a firm belief that parents and children alike should have the freedom and option to access education from private as well as public schools and institutions. As a result, a very strong and viable private education industry has developed across

the country. Apart from the economic benefits and job-creation opportunities which it generates, for those who own, operate and work in the system, it has made an undoubted contribution in raising the standard and quality of education in the country. Today, this private education system has become a fundamental supplement to public education in the country.

The Parliamentary Opposition has already expressed its firm opposition to the imposition of VAT on healthcare and education-

West Berbice farmers seek help from PPP

al services and materials.

We take this opportunity to reiterate that position.

In this regard, we again express our strong dissent to the imposition of VAT on private schools and private educational systems. We regard this imposition as an expression of callousness and cruelty to the children and the parents of those children who are attending these private educational institutions. Some of these education providers have already come forward and made public, the devastating impact which the imposition

est Berbice rice farmers who have had their land leases revoked by the government have turned to the PPP for assistance to have their lands returned.

Several rice farmers last week met with Opposition Parliamentarian, Anil Nandlall, to voice concerns and legal representation is expected to be advanced. The farmers complained about the cancellation of their leases. Over 20 small rice farmers from Number 40 Village were at the meeting.

Nandlall, former Attorney General, said this is another example of the kind of constitutional violations taking place in the country.

In commenting on the meeting he said, “These farmers disclosed to me that

upon receipt of their leases, they expended their savings and some burrowed monies to prepare and cultivate these lands; some of these farmers also purchased equipment (tractors, motor blowers, ploughs, etc) on credit, to assist them with their ventures.

“Within a few months after this Government took office, after the May 2015 elections, these farmers content that they saw a notice published in the Kaieteur News newspaper informing them that their leases have been cancelled. These farmers insist that they were not afforded a hearing, nor were they served with any notices, nor were they in violation of any term or condition of their leases.

“You will recall that I

filed similar cases in the High Court for other rice farmers at Seafield, West Coast Berbice, whose leases were purportedly revoked in identical fashion. Those farmers won their cases. I will be filing cases for the afore-mentioned farmers shortly.”

According to him, the constitutional violations, victimization, political and racial discrimination and violations of the rule of law under the current Coalition Government continues to be exposed.

The meeting took place at Freedom House, Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice.

Former PPP Regional Chairman of Region 5, Comrade Harry Baldeo and Party Supervisor Faizal Jaffarally, were also at the meeting.

person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of the right to establish a private school which shall be under regulation by the State.”

In the circumstances, we call upon the Government to reverse the imposition of VAT on private schools.

We say to the Government that if they so badly need revenue, then cut Ministerial salaries, overseas trips by Ministers and per diem allowances of Ministers by 50%.

Our children’s education is a more worthwhile investment.

reasons. Most importantly, our Republic Day is a national commemorative event where we celebrate our nation attaining republican status; hence the imperative of our Golden Arrowhead being used and taking precedence at ceremonials and formalities for such occasions. We therefore request, as a matter of urgency, that the relevant authorities facilitate a broad-based consultation as it relates to the regional flag and the re-naming of our region, since we deem both actions unconstitutional.

It is time for us to have an input in the decision-making processes that eventuates in policies and/or actions that will impact our lives and not accept what is imposed on us.

It is the right of every citizen to have their voices heard in every decision-making process. The PYO also condemns the announcement made by the Mayor as it relates to the proposed regional flag at a re-

cent meeting held at the Vice Consul’s Office in Lethem. It now seems that the Mayor is over-stepping his boundaries to trespass on the mandates of the regional affairs.

It is incumbent upon the Mayor to familiarize himself with 28:01 of the statutes that govern a township and be guided accordingly. He must heed the laws dictating that the Regional Democratic Council, headed by the Regional Chairman and councilors are the policy-makers for the Region.

We reiterate our call for the Minister of Communities to reconsider and act in accordance with the wishes of the residents of the Region on this decision by the coalition Cabinet and recommend that he focuses more on the real issues affecting the livelihood and the quality of lives of the people of Region Nine. ( A. Charlie, MP Region 9. PYO statement)

Region 9 PYO condemns Minister’s “arbitrary decision”

T W

of VAT will have on these institutions.

More significantly, the imposition of VAT on private educational institutions would certainly amount to discrimination since, students and parents attending public schools do not bear this burden. This discriminatory treatment may amount to a violation of Article 149 of the Constitution of Guyana, which affords protection from discrimination, as a fundamental right and freedom of all of our people; and 149I of the Constitution, which provides that: “no

he Progressive Youth Organization (PYO), youth arm of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) of Region Nine, strongly condemns the arbitrary decision by the coalition government to impose on the region a re-naming of our community and a regional flag that runs counter to the sentiments of residents of our community.

We have been informed that Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, is scheduled to hoist a flag designed specifically for Region Nine and to unilaterally change the name of the Region, without prior consultations with residents, to Rupununi at the upcoming flag-raising ceremony, which will be held on Wednesday 22nd Feb, 2017 at midnight in Lethem.

The PYO urges every sober-minded and patriotic citizen of Region Nine (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) to oppose this move for several

Be a Mirror Correspondent. Send us news and letters about your area and views of people on conditions in Guyana. Be involved. Send to Freedom House c\o Mirror, e-mail – weekendmirror@gmail.com or Tel: 2265875.

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