Guyana Post Newpaper

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Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021

ONLINE DAILY NEWSPAPER

SBM OFFSHORE PROVIDES OVER $68 MILLION FOR MANGROVE RESTORATION PROJECT

THREE GUYANESE PUT GOVT ON NOTICE FOR UNCONSTITUTIONAL BEHAVIOR Pg2

UG INKS HISTORIC OIL AND GAS AGREEMENT

FORMER SOCU HEAD TURNS SELF OVER TO POLICE; PLACED ON $300,000 BAIL

Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021

SBM OFFSHORE PROVIDES OVER $68 MILLION FOR MANGROVE RESTORATION PROJECT

SBM Offshore on October 26, 2021, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), which will see the company funding a Mangrove Restoration Project along a section of the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) which will cost over $68 million (US$332,000).

This one-year project involves the restoration of over 1.2 kilometers of mangroves from Buxton to Strathspey, ECD. It will benefit over 500 households from the adjacent communities, while also providing employment for residents.

Geotextile groynes will be constructed

along the foreshore at the project site to aid in the development of suitable conditions for the planting and growth of mangrove forests. Further, the project will facilitate the establishment of community nurseries to propagate the seedlings and subsequent planting of 20,000 Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) seedlings along the project site.

NAREI’s Project Coordinator for the Mangrove Department, Ms. Kene Moseley, explained that residents will play a crucial role in the execution of the project, as they will form the workforce for its implementation.

“We train persons in the communities to grow the mangrove

seedlings for us and then we pay persons to plant the seedlings when they’re ready to be planted.”

She added that with the restoration of the mangrove ecosystem, nesting ground for crabs will be created and this will pave the way for the return of crab-catching, creating more income generating opportunities for residents.

Chief Executive Officer of NAREI, Mr. Jagnarine Singh, explained that the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project was initiated since 2010; however, the institute recently reached out to SBM Offshore for assistance and received a positive response.

“I am thankful to the

company for assisting.

They came along and are helping us on the coast because the coastline of Guyana is very important. This is so critical for us because we are living below sea level along the coast,” Singh stated.

M e a n w h i l e , General Manager of SBM Offshore, Mr. Francesco Prazzo, said the company is pleased to play a role in such an important project, which is also closely aligned with the company’s sustainability objectives.

According to Prazzo, “Sustainability ranks very high on our agenda, as well as making an impact in Guyana in whatever we do. I was particularly attracted by this

project on mangroves when I came to Guyana as I also realised how severely floods affect the country.”

He noted that the Mangrove Restoration Project will positively impact over 500 households from the adjacent communities by providing flood protection and will also contribute to SBM Offshore’s local content efforts as over 45 residents from the nearby communities will be employed for the duration of the project.

SBM Offshore’s Sustainability and Social Impact P r o g r a m m e Development Officer, Recardo Bovell, emphasised that the project will also contribute to increasing the biodiversity within the specified project area and offer coastal protection which is important as Guyana confronts the rising sea-level.

“We see the benefits of mangroves, not just along the lines of coastal protection but also we know mangroves will contribute towards the replenishment of our fisheries stock, which

is an additional benefit this project will have.”

He added that the company sees the project as a starting point and hopes to be able to expand the scope of such an effort in the future.

The engagement between NAREI and SBM Offshore started in early 2020 with discussions between the parties on how best the company could support the activities of the project, following which NAREI selected the project location based on its annual action plan.

This Mangrove Restoration Project is one of several SBM Offshore initiatives planned in-country that aligns with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

SBM Offshore is a trusted, global leader in floating solutions for the energy industry and has been contracted to construct, maintain and operate Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units for Guyana’s oil production activities offshore.

Three Guyanese put Govt on notice for unconstitutional behavior

Article 13 notes with deep concern the failure by the Arfaan Ali administration to constitute a long list of constitutional and statutory bodies and offices required for the proper functioning of the country.

One Civil Society Organisation is seeking confirmation from Ms. Gail Teixeira, the Minister responsible for Governance, the full list of these bodies and offices and the dates on which they expired.

The announcement

…threaten legal action

by Mr. Ani! Nandlall, Attorney General, that the President would be addressing the issue of the Constitutional Commissions on his return from the global climate change conference is welcome, but far from

satisfactory.

Without assigning a tier of importance to constitutional and statutory bodies, the failure by President Ali to establish the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) and the Public

Procurement Commission Tribunal (PPCT), even as his Government expends or announces the expending of billions of dollars of public funds, can no longer be tolerated.

Article 212W of the Guyana Constitution

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provides for the establishment of a fiveperson PPC whose duty as set out in the Procurement Act includes “the regulation of the procurement of goods, services… and to promote fairness and transparency in the procurement process”.

To buttress the work of the PPC, the Public Procurement Commission Tribunal Act requires the appointment of a three-person Tribunal to hear appeals from any decision made by the Public Procurement

Commission.

We further note that the President is conferred with the duty and responsibility for the appointment of the members of the Commission after their nomination by the Public Accounts Committee and approval by two-thirds of the National Assembly.

He is required to appoint the Chairman of the Tribunal in accordance with the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, and the two members in accordance with the advice of continued to pg3

Three Guyanese put Govt on notice for........... the Public Service Commission.

As Mr. Nandlall has admitted, the Government has failed to constitute the Judicial Service Commission while it is a public fact that there is no Public Service Commission either.

To add insult to injury, the Ali Administration, in violation of the Constitution and the

PPC Act, gets its Cabinet to issue a farcical and fictitious “no objection” to a Build-Own-OperateTransfer (BOOT) Agreement for the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), secretly negotiated by its own Government!

That the Ali administration does not know or pretends not to know, that the

Procurement Act permits a no objection by the Cabinet only if it determines that a procuring entity has failed to comply with applicable procurement procedures is frightening for the country’s governance and for the public purse and poses a real and grave threat to the rule of Jaw. These glaring

constitutional and statutory breaches indicate a reckless disregard for the Constitution and the laws of the country which were painstakingly put together to prevent corruption and autocratic actions by the Government and to promote transparency and accountability in matters of public finance.

We wish to make it clear that we hold the President, his Government, the Opposition, the Speaker as well as the National Assembly responsible for this egregious state of affairs, fifteen months into the new Administration and the Eleventh Parliament.

And we hereby put the Government on notice

Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021 continued from pg3

that unless the issue of the Public Procurement Commission and the Tribunal is resolved promptly, Article 13 will take the necessary action, legal and otherwise, to restore constitutionality and the rule of law.

Ramon Gaskin, Yog Mahadeo, and Jonathan Yearwood Spokespersons for Article 13

UG INKS HISTORIC OIL AND GAS AGREEMENT

…Energy Guyana to train more persons for the energy, oil, and gas sector

The University of Guyana on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, entered into a tripartite agreement with the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC) and CBMEX Energy Guyana.

The agreement would pave the way for more persons to be trained in the oil and gas sector, placing Guyana in a better position to take advantage of opportunities in the

budding sector.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during a simple ceremony at the GOGEC Head Office at Middle Street, North Cummingsburg, Georgetown. It was signed by the University of Guyana’s ViceChancellor, Prof.

Paloma MohamedMartin; Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber, President, Mr. Manniram

Prashad; and CBMEX, Board Member, Mr. Milton E. Chaves.

The signing was also witnessed by Mr. Antonio Cruz-Diaz, Charge’d Affairs (a.i.). Embassy of Mexico and Mr. Alex Armogan, Founding Director of UG’s Institute for Energy Diplomacy (UGIED).

Prof. Mohamed-Martin acknowledged that the University has recognised that the question for

training in oil and gas is critical to the country.

“We have local content targets that have to be met…we are behind the training curve because of how fast these oil and gas projects were developed.

There is a huge amount of training to be done, not only in oil and gas, but also in human resources, occupational health and safety, computing and data analytics, financing and accounting, and legal areas,” the VC explained.

Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber President, Mr. Manniram Prashad, noted that GOGEC is happy to collaborate with the University of Guyana and CBMEX to foster closer relations and cooperation in the training initiative.

According to Mr. Prashad, GOGEC aims to train over 1,000 students throughout the country from next year. “We will be working closely with the

University and CBMEX to have this programme on track which has proven to be very successful,” Mr. Prashad said.

CBMEX, Board Member, Mr. Milton E. Chaves, noted that this is a milestone for his organisation to partner with the University of Guyana and GOGEC in this initiative. Mr. Chaves said: “We bring the best training in international oil and gas training into countries that are entering into the energy field…our utmost goal is to enrich the lives of the Guyanese people through training in the oil and gas sector.”

UG’s Institute for Energy Diplomacy, Director, Mr. Alex Armogan, who played a pivotal role in the formation of the MoU posited: “UG’s IED is focused on capacity building geared towards

meeting local content requirements.

“We must optimise the local content framework based on what is realistically achievable, capacity building is essential to developing our local capabilities.

We welcome all public and private strategic partnerships to forward this initiative.”

Mr. Armogan, detailed that UG’s IED is offering courses in Crude Oil Trading, Energy Markets, Energy Transportation and Shipping, and Oil and Gas Value Chain.

Also, soon to come on stream are; Energy Project Investment and Finance, Oil and Gas Negotiations, Oil and Gas Law, and Oil and Gas Project Planning and Management.

The University of Guyana offers over 20 programmes in Energy including oil and gas and petroleum engineering.

FORMER SOCU HEAD TURNS SELF OVER TO POLICE; PLACED ON $300,000 BAIL

Former Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Sydney James, turned himself over to SOCU at 13:00h on Monday, accompanied by Attorneys-at-law info@guyanapostonline.com

Dexter Smartt and Jevon Cox of Dexter Todd & Associates Chambers.

Attorney Dexter Todd joined virtually.

According to Smartt, a letter was sent to the Commissioner of Police on Friday, after a wanted bulletin was issued for his client. The team indicated an intention to visit SOCU on Monday.

Mr. James was granted bail for $300,000 which he is awaiting his family

to pay. His Attorney noted that James is under investigation for some occurrences during his time in office but the details of the charge have not yet been released.

The Police issued a wanted bulletin for James on November 3, last. He is wanted for questioning in relation to obtaining money by false pretence.

James served as the Head of SOCU up to September 2019 after a

special audit unearthed several James is a former Guyana Defence Force officer who headed the G2 Branch of the GDF. This branch is tasked with intelligence gathering.

He was seconded to the Guyana Police Force during the Donald Ramotar administration

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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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