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Friday Nov. 5, 2021

ONLINE DAILY NEWSPAPER

Achievement of CVF will create investment opportunities for climateSIDS LACKING SUPPORT, NOT AMBITION TO FIGHT prosperous CLIMATEeconomies—President CRISIS—PRESIDENT ALI Ali

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GOVT, DIGICEL DISCONTINUE LEGAL ACTIONS

FORMER PRESIDENT GRANGER CALLS ON SURINAME TO REFRAIN FROM THE THREAT OF FORCE

Achievement of CVF will create investment opportunities for climate-prosperous economies—President Al

—Says Private Sector also has an important role to play

Glasgow, Scotland— (November 5, 2021) His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali said that the achievement of a Climate Vulnerable Fund (CVF) would not only be beneficial to vulnerable countries but will also create investment opportunities for climateprosperous economies around the world.

The Guyanese Head of State made this statement while delivering feature remarks at the “We Mean Business” Pavilion at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) alongside US billionaire Marc Benioff after endorsing the DhakaGlasgow Declaration on Forests and Land Use as part of the CVF. At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP) 26 event, President Ali emphasised that there are tens of millions of people who are being unfairly hurt by climate change they did not cause. This he said is undoubtedly tragic and should not be the case.

“These people should instead be looking towards a future of resilience and climate prosperity.”

The President said that he hopes the world will recognise that achieving the vision of a CVF will not only benefit the vulnerable countries but “will also create trillions of dollars in investment opportunities for businesses who wish to invest in the building blocks of the new climateprosperous economies”.

He noted that these investments can be done in areas such as renewable energy, digital infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, and an array of other low-carbon industrial and employment opportunities that fall in line with a far-reaching and comprehensive vision.

“The CVF is doing more than just calling for this ambition to be achieved; its members are setting out practical steps to get to a future, not defined by climate vulnerability, but as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and current chair of the CVF puts it— a future of climate resilience followed by climate prosperity.”

It is against this backdrop, the President said he supports the

commitment from companies and businessmen such as Benioff who have offered support.

IMPORTANCE OF PRIVATE SECTOR The Head of State told the forum that while the Dhaka-Glasgow Declaration calls for many things, one of its pillars is a call for the world to work together with knowledge and input from the private sector.

“And yes, the private sector is a partner in this to support the development and implementation of Climate Prosperity Plans (CPPs) to realise a collective economic opportunity for countries and businesses.”

The President said that the declaration also calls for a 20202024 Climate Finance Delivery Plan, totalling US$100B annually, in support of climate action by developing countries with a 50-50 split of funds between adaptation and mitigation.

“The UK Presidency of the COP26 can, and should, ensure

that this Delivery Plan is independent – and that monitoring effort incorporated are done by expertise in the developing countries and not just donors. This is an important point – the monitoring and the transparency process must involve expertise from developing countries. We are already seeing double accounting in how we are accounting for the US$100B.” President Ali added that the Declaration also supports a major reduction in the share of climate finance provided as loans.

“These simply worsen debt burdens and lead to a perverse outcome and consequently they prevent investment in greater climate action….Together we can make climate action a story of aspiration and opportunity. We can take that step today.”

T R A N S PA R E N T PROCESS President Ali lobbied for there to be a transparent accounting process, especially as it relates to the US$100B pledge.

“I have heard various figures in relation to

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the $100 Billion pledge and how much has actually been met, but in my own assessment what we are seeing is a lot of reorganisation of existing finances, not new finances. Existing loans that were aimed at helping developing countries are now converted as being part of the $100 billion pledge.”

He explained that if this reorganisation is done, a school, for example, that might have a small solar panel to provide light for a classroom could be classified as part of the pledge.

“We have to guard against such accounting, and we have to commit to a transparent process when we talk about the financing.

This is important. What is also important for us, developing countries, and vulnerable countries is to understand that climate change is not an isolated problem. Climate change is linked to issues of food security. It is linked to issues of livelihood options and vulnerability from at-risk communities.

So, our climate plan must lead to a prosperity agenda

that is broad in nature that addresses fundamental needs of all the people of the developing world whether it is for health, education, food security, or other services.”

President Ali also updated the forum on Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and its expanded update that was launched for consultation last week.

“We are decarbonising our domestic energy mix, creating low carbon jobs and economic opportunities, and investing in protecting against climate change that has already happened.

At the core of our vision is maintaining our rainforest – which as part of the Amazon and the Guiana Shield, is almost as big as England and Scotland combined.”

He added that these forest stores many gigatonnes of carbon, “helps to provide the world with fresh water, and harbours amazing biodiversity – including four per cent of all known plant species, more bird species than the entire United States and nearly three per cent of all animal species.”

Friday Nov. 5, 2021

SIDS LACKING SUPPORT, NOT AMBITION TO FIGHT CLIMATE CRISIS—PRESIDENT ALI

… Endorses Dhaka-Glasgow declaration at the global climate conference

President Irfaan Ali endorsed the Dhaka- Glasgow Declaration this week at a high-level side event at the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) 26.

President Irfaan Ali endorsed the DhakaGlasgow Declaration this week at a highlevel side event at the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) 26.

The Guyanese President stated that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Low-lying Coastal Countries, like Guyana, lack support and not ambition in their fight against climate change.

During his address to the Climate Vulnerable Fund (CVF), he underscored that SIDS and Low-Lying Coastal Countries are victims fighting

to exist during the climate crisis.

“Many of us are already punching above our weight in response to the climate crisis. We are contributing the least to climate change, yet, we are making impactful contributions to mitigating the adverse effects of climate change through the ecosystem and climate services which our forests provide and through the decarbonization of our economies.”

The Head of State emphasised that these vulnerable countries are not lacking in

ambition but are constrained by their ability to realise those ambitions.

He said that this is even more evident by the adoption of the DhakaGlasgow Declaration, which shows SIDS and Low-lying Coastal Countries’ u n a m b i g u o u s manifestation of their commitment to realising those ambitions.

“The GlasgowDhaka Declaration is a proclamation of our commitment to being impactful in ending the climate crisis.

I welcome it and endorse it.”

The ‘Declaration’ focuses on climate mitigation strategies, adaptation plans, and financing for the world’s most vulnerable nations.

P R E S E N T BARRIERS President Ali noted, however, that given the present barriers obstructing and constraining these countries from fully achieving their commitments and ambitions, more needs to be done at the global level.

“If these barriers persist, then they will derail our actionable timeline in achieving not only ours but the

global climate change targets. This is why we have called for all the measures which are incorporated in the ‘Declaration’, including the Climate Emergency Pact and helping with climate prosperity plans to be implemented.”

G U Y A N A ’ S FORESTS: A GLOBAL ASSET The President pointed out that Guyana especially has experience of climate prosperity plans that date back to 2009 when it was among the first, as a developing country, to formulate a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

In a little over a decade, Guyana has been able to launch the consultative process aimed at expanding that strategy that will articulate the country’s vision to 2030.

In playing its part in fighting climate change, President Ali emphasised that Guyana will decarbonize its economy and will invest in a range of low carbon opportunities and jobs while maintaining its standing forest, which

is almost as big as England and Scotland combined.

On Tuesday, more than 100 countries, including Guyana, representing 85% of the globe’s forested land, pledged to end or reduce deforestation by 2030.

President Ali told the CVF that the country’s expansive forest is a global asset.

It stores more than 20 gigatonnes of carbon, preserves priceless biodiversity and provide sustainable livelihoods for its people. As a result, the Government will continue to adopt an inclusive approach to the sustainable management of its forests, biodiversity, and freshwater supplies.

“We will slash emissions further by transitioning towards cleaner sources of energy. We are vulnerable, but we are not helpless or without hope. We are taking decisive action to ramp up and realise these ambitions. But without the critical support – financial and technological – our best and noblest of ambitions will all flounder.”

FORMER PRESIDENT GRANGER CALLS ON SURINAME TO REFRAIN FROM THE THREAT OF FORCE. Welcoming the visit of the Commander of the Suriname National Army to the Guyana Defence Force last month, former President David Granger felt that despite the ‘light’ agenda confined to communicating information, conducting border surveillance and training exchanges, crossborder military relations could be improved if Suriname refrained from the threat of use of force in

its relations with Guyana.

Speaking on his weekly television program – the Public Interest – Mr. Granger also welcomed the exchange of visits by the Presidents of Guyana and Suriname over the past 14 months. He lamented, however, the lack of progress on the vexed territorial question which has impeded relations for several decades.

The Surinamese President and that

country’s Foreign Minister were pressed to respond to the media about the ‘Tigri’ question – meaning the claim to Guyana‘s New River District – at their first press conference on their return to Paramaribo in August.

Mr. Granger felt that the territorial claim had contaminated inter-state relations for over fifty years. It is no secret that the Joint Border Commission established by the two

countries in 1986 had achieved nothing and does not meet.

Suriname, over the past twenty years and in the absence of meaningful border talks, busily acquired aircraft, armored vehicles, and naval vessels and intensified its international military relations.

3 Suriname, without just cause, had expelled Guyanese citizens in the notorious January

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1985 Schoon Schip (clean sweep) operation; harassed fishermen evicted the CGX petroleum platform in June 2000, and threatened to seize the New River District by force.

Mr. Granger recalled that the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea in 2007 described Suriname’s use of force to expel the CGX platform as offensive to ‘international norms and

practices’ and Guyana’s Foreign Minister deemed the February 2010 reported threat to invade the New River District as contravening the “Charter of the United Nations.’

Mr. Granger called on the Government of Suriname to repudiate, unequivocally, the use of force against Guyana’s sovereignty of the New River District if it wished to see progress in relations between the two countries.

Wednesday Nov. 3, 2021

GOVT, DIGICEL DISCONTINUE LEGAL ACTIONS

Chief Executive Officer, Guyana, Gregory Dean

The Government has settled all court matters against Digicel weeks after filing criminal and civil proceedings against the company and the Chief Executive Officer, Guyana, Gregory Dean, according to the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.

Civil proceedings were filed against Digicel and its CEO (Guyana) threatening a

series of exercises. The government allegedly found Digicel’s unlawful use of spectrum.

Criminal charges were also filed in the Magistrates’ Court against the telecommunications provider.

However, before being heard the issue was resolved after both parties reportedly settled their difference out of court.

“The matters of controversy between the parties have been resolved. Both parties have withdrawn and discontinued all litigation instituted by and against each other,” according to the Minister of Legal Affair, Anil Nandlall.

The Government appears to the tightlipped on the details of the

settlement.

When Nandlall was asked about the issue he said that he didn’t wish to disclose details.

In early October, the Government through the AG office, filed processing’s against the company for the use of a spectrum Digicel was allegedly using. Digicel was allegedly using portions of the 700MHz and the 1800MHz bands which are licensed to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and E-Networks.

Digicel was not unauthorized to do so.

Multiple monitoring exercises were conducted in December 2020, January 2021, February 2021, April 2021, May 2021, June

2021, September 2021, and October 2021, by the Telecommunication Agency. They showed Digicel’s unlawful use of spectrum.

On the other hand, in October of last year, the telecommunication sector in Guyana was liberalised when the Telecommunications Act No. 18 of 2016, and the Public Utilities Commission Act No. 19 of 2016, were made effective; Digicel, GT&T, and E-Networks were issued their respective telecommunications licenses and frequency authorizations on the same day.

Out of that, Digicel was authorized to function within the 909914.8 MHz, 1729-1735 MHz, 1904-1910 MHz

and 836.6-841.6 MHz for transmitted signal, and 954-959.8 MHz, 18241830 MHz, 1984-1990 MHz, and 881.6-886.6 MHz for the incoming signal.

Digicel then made an application to the Telecommunications Agency seeking frequency authorizations to support the immediate upgrade of its mobile network. This request included the frequencies 772.00 – 787.00 MHz

for the transmitted signal and 717.00732.00 MHz for the incoming signal. That request was however not granted.

Digicel however still allegedly, transmitted in the frequency. A cease and desist order was sent to the company.

It was ignored according to the Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Agency.

Digicel on the other hand, moved also to the court legal action against the Prime Minister to quash a decision where the government granted E-Networks and GT&T amended frequency authorizations. Digicel filed legal proceedings against the Director of Telecommunications.

DOCTOR’S MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED, DETAILS KILLING

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin is the 25-year-old suspect who is currently in Police custody for the murder of Dr. Colin Roach.

The suspect was arrested on Friday morning in Corentyne, Berbice.

Mere hours after his capture, 25-year-old Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin has reportedly provided detectives with a chilling account of what transpired last Tuesday at Dr. Colin Roach’s Kingston clinic, and what allegedly led to the physician’s brutal murder.

While Crime Chief

Wendell Blanhum would only confirm that the suspect has ‘confessed’ and is co-operating’, we are being told by other sources that 25-yearold Hilton Oliver Junior Franklin, captured mere hours ago, has admitted to inflicting the fatal blows to Dr. Roach’s skull, allegedly after a session of

drinking turned violent.

The suspect said that in the clinic, they began to ‘drink Guinness’, and he claimed that Dr. Roach became ‘intoxicated’ and pushed him towards a cot in the area.

The youth alleged that he fell to the floor near a metal object. He allegedly picked up the ‘metal object’ and struck Dr. Roach twice to the head.

As the physician lay dead, the suspect claimed one of the doctor’s male employees assisted him and the other man to tamper with the DVR (digital video recorder) on the premises. The staffer also allegedly helped the killers to wipe fingerprints from the area.

According to sources, the suspect has also claimed that one of the male staffers helped him,

Dear editor, Permit me space in your column to correct the misgivings of one Dr. Richard Van-West Charles. The direct public attack on a senior female stalwart of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Ms.

Amna Ally, can only be seen as a cowardly display by a man who has clearly lost his depth.

Cde Editor, such a display reveals that such a man should never be allowed accommodation within the walls of any decision-making body

and more so, should disgracefully withdraw to the abyss of his miserable existence.

At a time when great women across the world are cheered upon by their countrymen, held and heralded as the vanguards of society, here we have

a man slumbering in his own fantasy in a horrible disguise to attain any sort of semblance to resuscitate a portfolio which only climaxed at being the inlaw of probably one of the greatest men that history has ever known.

It is with this disdain

and another youth, cover up the crime.

The Best Village, West Coast Demerara youth allegedly said that he drove to Dr. Roache’s office around 5.00 p.m. last Tuesday in a rented vehicle. His male accomplice, allegedly a frequent visitor to the clinic, was already there.

In the clinic, they began to ‘drink Guinness’, and he claimed that Dr. Roach became ‘intoxicated’ and pushed him towards a cot in the area.

The youth alleged that he fell to the floor near to a metal object. He allegedly picked up the ‘metal object’ and struck Dr. Roach twice to the head.

As the physician lay dead, the suspect claimed one of the doctor’s male employees assisted him

that I make a public call for Dr. Richard Van-West Charles to exit the public arena, withdraw to his lair and count the multiple blessings that have been bestowed upon him.\

Van-West Charles, a disappointment

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Hussain

and the other man to tamper with the DVR (digital video recorder) on the premises. The staffer also allegedly helped the killers to wipe off fingerprints from the area.

The killers then left.

The detained man allegedly drove off in the rented car, while the accomplice drove off with Dr. Roach’s vehicle.

Both vehicles have been recovered. Two of Dr. Roach’s employees remain in custody.

Meanwhile, Crime Chief Blanhum revealed that police are pursuing a female who assisted Franklin in travelling to Berbice.

Police are still to locate the young man who Franklin said was with him when Dr. Roach was killed.

Wednesday Nov. 3, 2021

Guyana’s CSEC, CAPE performances Former GDF sergeant jailed for robbing gold outshines region establishment

Guyana’s performance at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) Exams for 2021 have marginally outshone the rest of the region.

Guyana’s students have improved their performance in several subject areas despite the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Hit with the factor of a revised platform to host the exams due to the pandemic, Guyana reportedly earned top honors in the exams.

This was announced during a ceremony hosted

by Guyana (Ministry of Education) at the Arthur Chung Conference Center, where the Director of Operations at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), Dr. Nicole Manning, delivered the results of the 2021 results for Guyana and the Caribbean at large.

In the area of CAPE, Ms. Manning noted that Guyanese students in all 16 units subject area would have sat 100% of students received Grades One to Five which were considered acceptable.

Ms. Manning announced that in the area of Caribbean studies Guyana had a 92% pass rate, Communication Studies unit 2 at 97%, Sociology Unit 1 at 96%, Sociology Unit 2 at 96%.

Law Unit 1 at 95%, Law unit 2 at 96%, Integrated Mathematics at 80 %, Pure Mathematics Unit 1 at 59%, Pure Mathematics

2 at 75%.

It was announced that in the area of Chemistry Unit 1 at 84%, Chemistry Unit 2 at 95%, Biology Unit 1 at 90%, and Biology Unit 2 at 97% percent.

It was also announced

by Ms. Manning that Guyana outshone the rest of the Caribbean nations also in the area of the CSEC Exams.

In her presentation, she highlighted that in most subject areas Guyana performed well by having between Grades one and Three.

In the area of English, A, regional 74% of students had grades 1-2, while in Guyana 68% had the said grade. English B, the rest of the region had 61 % pass rate, as did Guyana.

In the area of integrated science regionally students had a 66% of pass rate while Guyana had a 69% pass rate. In the area of Biology, regional students had an 89% pass rate as compared to Guyana’s 93%.

Chemistry, regionally it was 63% as compared to Guyana’s 61% pass rate. Physics the region had a 66% pass rate compared to Guyana’s 62 %. Electronic Document Preparation saw a pass rate of 87% regionally compared to Guyana’s 88 % pass rate.

Human and social biology regionally had a 68 % pass rate while Guyana had a 77% pass rate.

Additionally, Principles of business had a 79 % pass rate regionally while

Guyana had a 75 % pass rate.

In the subject area of Social studies, the region had a 54% pas rate while Guyana had a 53% pass rate.

Information Technology saw a pass rate of 89% for regional students as compared to Guyana, 93%; Office administration saw a 79% for the region as compared to Guyana’s 80% pass rate.

In the area of Maths CXC announced that Guyana overall had performed better than the Caribbean, due to improvements but does not have the data available yet.

These results were set as part of the June/July Exams which were done in two parts while catering for St. Vincent and the Grenadines Students due to the Volcano Eruptions.

At this year’s exams, it was noted that there was a reduction in CAPE registration candidates and subject entry, the lowest it has ever been in the past four years.

This year saw some 27,750 Students registered to sit the exams and some 110,070 subject entries.

However, it was disclosed that 8.3 percent of students were absent. The absentee rate was the highest for the past 4 years.

For the CSEC, 103,445 registered to sit 502,859 subject entries. In this area also, there was an 11. 2 percent absenteeism.

This CXC director said sitting the exams remain

of great concern. Going ahead the technical aspect will be dealt with since it remains an important aspect of learning and sitting exam.

“As an examination body and as a big part of our 2021 –2025 strategic plan, we are trying as best as possible with and working with our ministries of education across the region to increase electronic testing.

“This is just one of seven components for the full digital transformation that the region so desperately needs to see.”

Ms. Manning said.

She explained that the CXC body plans not only to get the Governments but to get everyone in tune, from the teachers to invigilators.

“We started by training and continuing I should say for Ministry Office and Chief Invigilators.

What would have changed for the first time this year is that in the past we had a dedicated period for the training of Ministry Officials, center administrators, and chief invigilators for the management of electronic testing.

Given the increased utilization indication by the territories wanting to use electronic testing,” Ms. Manning said.

Ms. Manning said despite some challenges since it was the first year electronic testing was implemented the situation will improve.

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Former Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Sergeant, Keyon King, who served 15 years in the army before turning to a life of crime is set to spend his next three years behind bars for robbing Wallison Enterprise Gold Trading of 60 ounces of raw gold valued at $20 million, and $38 million in cash as well as other items from their employees.

King, 32, was before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus where he admitted to the offence on the previous and was today slapped with the sentence.

King admitted that on August 5, last, at Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown while being armed with guns, and in the company of others, he robbed Wallison Enterprise of $38 million in local currency, and $20 million worth of raw gold, property of Francis Santos Lumes.

He also confessed to three other charges. He allegedly relieved Fernanda Carmichael of a cellular phone worth $350,000; Francis Santos Lumes of gold jeweler and cash amounting to $224,000; and William Batista DaSilva of a cellular phone valued at $60,000, all while using a firearm to force them to comply.

He was slapped with a three-year jail sentence on each charge, all of

which are expected to run concurrently.

In an explanation to the court, King said that he only committed the robbery because he was denied a promotion, that he is the sole breadwinner for the family and that he had struggled to save a build his family home.

He further told the court that he is sorry for his crime, to his family and asked the court for forgiveness.

On the day of the incident, three men arrived at the establishment pretending that they were about to do a gold transaction.

They held one of the staff at gunpoint.

The men then proceeded to the rest of the office tied everyone up, relieved them of the items, and proceeded to a safe where cash and gold were kept.

The three men exited the building with cash, gold, and the other items and into a waiting car and escaped.

Staff was later checked on and it was then it came to the attention that the establishment was robbed.

Two of Wallison’s security officers, 36-year-old.

Delroy Jackson, called “Bug”, of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara; and 35-year-old, Peon Lee, called “Nino Brown”, of Mocha, East Bank Demerara was also charged and remain on remand.

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