Keeping you updated on current events... Thursday May 13 , 2021
ONLINE DAILY NEWSPAPER
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GUYANA EXPELS DIRECTORS OF CONTROVERSIAL CONCRETE COMPANY
SOUTH RUIMVELDT RESIDENTS BLOCK STREETS TO KEEP Pg3 OUT HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS DEFYING PREDICTIONS, Pg3
REMITTANCE FLOWS REMAIN STRONG DURING
COVID-19 CRISIS
Thursday May 13, 2021
GUYANA EXPELS DIRECTORS OF CONTROVERSIAL CONCRETE COMPANY
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal amd Officials
Controversial Superior Concrete Inc is now facing an uphill battle with the authorities in Guyana after yesterday’s encounter with the Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal. The directors of Supreme Concrete told Croal to remove from the property even as the Minister was in the act of serving a contravention order. Just today the Immigration Support Services revoked the work permit of Ian Jones, a Director of the Company, and gave him seven days to leave the country. Another
Director, Richard Austin Shamlin, who was seen abusing Housing officials, was told to leave the country within 24 hours after he reportedly overstayed his time of one month. Investigations have revealed that Jones’ contract was terminated by their previous employer, an oilfield company but he continued to work in Guyana and on the same permit. This issue got to the attention of authorities by residents in the area who would have complained about a number of heavy trucks
traversing the area, and damaging the road. The noise would have caused some trouble. The complaints led to an investigation in which all the details of the company came into question. Superior Concrete, according to the authorities, was operating illegally since no permission was granted for the establishment of such a facility in the area. As such a team from The Housing Ministry visited the land to deliver what was the third Contravention order. The first two attempts
were either ignored or had failed. One order was torn up and another was never acknowledged although it was placed on the property.
Mekdeci, on lands leased from the owner, Michael Vieira of Houston Estates. This has led to the Central Housing and Planning Authority
Minister Croal said, “As a government we welcome investment, but there is a proper manner in which investments are to be done. The
Just yesterday when the Minister and a team visited the area, they were asked by the Directors to remove from a property adjacent to South Ruimveldt Gardens in Georgetown. That is the site where an illegal concrete facility is being set up on a portion of land. The construction was facilitated by Guyanese, Andrew
and the Georgetown City Council to issue a cease and desist order to the owners of the illegal concrete making facility. The developers of the facility were served a third contravention notice by the Housing Authority and a Cease Order from the City Council to “cease and remove all unauthorised works immediately.”
first agency that is involved in permits for construction and commercial purposes is the Central Housing and Planning Authority… “However, no application was done and secondly when the Central Housing and Planning Authority team came to serve the first contravention notice, it was met with a hostile environment,”.
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info@guyanapostonline.com
Thursday May 13, 2021
DEFYING PREDICTIONS, REMITTANCE FLOWS REMAIN STRONG DURING COVID-19 CRISIS
Low- and MiddleIncome Countries Received $540 billion in 2020, $8 Billion Less Than in 2019 Despite COVID-19, remittance flows remained resilient in 2020, registering a smaller decline than previously projected. Officially recorded remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries reached $540 billion in 2020,
just 1.6 percent below the 2019 total of $548 billion, according to the latest Migration and Development Brief. The decline in recorded remittance flows in 2020 was smaller than the one during the 2009 global financial crisis (4.8 percent). It was also far lower than the fall in foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to low- and middleincome countries, which,
excluding flows to China, fell by over 30 percent in 2020. As a result, remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries surpassed the sum of FDI ($259 billion) and overseas development assistance ($179 billion) in 2020. The main drivers for the steady flow included fiscal stimulus that resulted in better-thanexpected economic
conditions in host countries, a shift in flows from cash to digital and from informal to formal channels, and cyclical movements in oil prices and currency exchange rates. The true size of remittances, which includes formal and informal flows, is believed to be larger than officially reported data, though the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on informal flows is unclear. “As COVID-19 still devastates families around the world, remittances continue to provide a critical lifeline for the poor and vulnerable,” said Michal Rutkowski, Global Director of the Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice at the World Bank. “Supportive policy responses, together with national social protection
systems, should continue to be inclusive of all communities, including migrants.” Remittance inflows rose in Latin America and the Caribbean (6.5 percent), South Asia (5.2 percent), and the Middle East and North Africa (2.3 percent). However, remittance flows fell for East Asia and the Pacific (7.9 percent), for Europe and Central Asia (9.7 percent), and for SubSaharan Africa (12.5 percent). The decline in inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa was almost entirely due to a 28 percent decline in remittance flows to Nigeria. Excluding flows to Nigeria, remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa increased by 2.3 percent, demonstrating resilience. The relatively strong performance of remittance flows during the COVID-19 crisis
has also highlighted the importance of timely availability of data. Given its growing significance as a source of external financing for low- and middleincome countries, there is a need for better collection of data on remittances, in terms of frequency, timely reporting, and granularity by corridor and channel. The World Bank is assisting member states in monitoring the flow of remittances through various channels, the costs and convenience of sending money, and regulations to protect financial integrity that affects remittance flows. It is working with the G20 countries and the global community to reduce remittance costs and improve financial inclusion for the poor.
SOUTH RUIMVELDT RESIDENTS BLOCK STREETS TO KEEP OUT HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS
Residents of South Ruimveldt are now venting their frustration over the use of David Rose Street by heavy-duty trucks, which have left the road in a deplorable state. Trucks would usually use the said access road to get the several ongoing construction sites of large companies and also to get to the now controversial Superior Cement Company. This frustration has led the residents to block
several access routes to the road. The police had to be called to face the already angry residents. During a media visit to the area, yesterday, residents from all parts of South Ruimveldt lined David Rose Street and placed old cars, doors, fridges, and even their own cars at the entrance, forcing all trucks to detour. One resident, Annalisa Pam, said that residents are now fed up. They are now taking alternative
measures to prevent other roads in the area from being destroyed. “This road, David Rose Street, has been used for heavy, heavy vehicles, trucks carrying extremely heavy loads down to the back where they used to have Cane Field now they have further development. As you can see the road is completely destroyed.” Ms Pam added, “Trucks cannot pass here; they are using other roads to access there
and residents are fed up. Trucks have been coming at night, all night keeping residents awake, shaking our houses, which is dangerous to our foundation and we are asking that it ceases immediately.” She added that in the past they have spoken and have got no action and that it is time for them to take action of their own to stop the continuous destruction of the street.
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With construction still ongoing in the area, Ms. Pam is of the opinion that trucks should use the East Bank Demerara route, which connects to the area. That suggestion only calls for a small connected access road. Ms. Pam said she supported the action of her community. She maintains that when you are not getting answers from the authorities, folks will take evasive action on their own.
Another resident said that a lot should have been done by authorities if they are encouraging investment. He said roads should have been built to accommodate such a flow of traffic. South Ruimveldt is a residential area in, which Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, lives. He has so far been silent on the matter. Now residents are taking actions of their own. info@guyanapostonline.com
Thursday May 13, 2021
HOSTILE RECEPTION FOR HOUSING MINISTER AT ILLEGAL CONCRETE PLANT
Concrete Plant
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, was on Tuesday met with aggression and asked to remove himself from a property adjacent to South Ruimveldt Gardens in Georgetown. That property is where an illegal concrete facility is
being set up on a portion of land. Guyanese, Andrew Mekdeci, has facilitated the concrete project on lands leased from Michael Vieira of Houston Estates. The minister accompanied by the
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Sherwyn Greaves, and other officials from the ministry had gone to the site to serve a Contravention Order after two previous failed
attempts to stop the unauthorized operation. The company which is setting up the plant – Superior Concrete Inc – had at least two of its three Directors who are all foreigners – Ian Jones, Richard Shamlin, and Maxwell
Snow – present when the Housing Ministry officials arrived. The government minister, who was accompanied by his public relations team and members of the media, was asked by Richard Shamlin, who became aggressive upon the ministry’s entry, to leave the premises. “This is private property. I’m happy to meet with you guys but we are not going to have a meeting if you don’t ask the media to leave. “It’s time to leave now… no, no, no this is private property,” Shamlin could be heard saying to Minister Croal. While the Contravention Notice was received by Shamlin, he gave neither the minister nor the officials any opportunity to speak. Shamlin jumped into his
car and drove off. Croal explained that the CH&PA intervened after it received several complaints from residents about the construction of the concrete plant. He said an initial investigation found that no application was made for approval and neither was any approval granted by the agency. Croal said when the first Order was served, the recipient discarded it. Although the Order instructed that operations cease until proof of approval can be provided, works continued at the site. A second Order was served three days later on May 8, 2021, but had to be posted at the location because no one was on site to receive it. Shamlin received the third order on Tuesday
Bicycle bandit robs Blind Institute coordinator
P r o g r a m m e Coordinator of The Guyana Council of Organisations for
Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), Ganesh Singh, was yesterday robbed a mere 10 feet from his office door. He is calling on authorities to beef up security in the area that has seen frequent robbery. In a statement on the incident, Singh said that yesterday about 11:45 AM, he was stepping out of the taxi in the compound of the Guyana
Society for the Blind. Approximately 10 feet from the door of the building, he was robbed by a young bicycle bandit. He was in St Phillip’s Green, Durban, and High Streets. The bicycle bandit reportedly approached Singh and asked if he needed assistance to get into the building. Singh said that he replied in the negative, that he was
heading out. He said that while entering the car the bandit held on to him and demanded his valuables while stating that he will kill him he does not. Singh later handed his gold bracelet and the bandit made good his escape. Singh added that the security situation in the St Phillip’s Green where the Guyana Society for the Blind is located is
getting worse. Security was always a problem in the area for blind persons. However, over the past few months, things have got worse, as bandits are more brazen. He added that sadly this is not the first incident of a blind person getting robbed in the area. “And I know it will not be the last unless the relevant authorities do something drastic and
concrete to improve the security situation in the area.” Blind persons visit the organization for training and services and should be protected, he said. Singh has requested that the Guyana Police Force have more patrols in the area and whenever calls are made to the emergency numbers for help a team should be dispatched with urgency.
Taxi driver suspected of rape
info@guyanapostonline.com
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A taxi driver has now found himself in trouble after he was suspected of raping a teenage girl. According to police reports, the incident occurred just after 11 PM last night in the Region Seven area. Just around that time the victim who later reported the matter said that the driver failed to
take her to her desired destination and instead drove some distance away from where the act was committed. Subsequently, a report was made to the police and the victim was medically examined. Despite the suspect being known, he has not yet been detained