Keeping you updated on current events... ONLINE DAILY NEWSPAPER
Tuesday Sept. 28, 2021
GUYANA PRESIDENT ALI’S US TRIP A SUCCESS
EXXONMOBIL STRIKES OIL AGAIN
TWO FORMER COPS FOUND GUILTY OF RAPING WOMAN IN POLICE STATION
Tuesday Sept. 28 2021
GUYANA PRESIDENT ALI’S US TRIP A SUCCESS
Dr. Irfaan Ali’s first visits to the U.S as President and Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo
Reference is made to a news report of President’s address at the UN, “Do not divide us on type of COVID vaccine taken” (Sep 24) and Shamshun Mohamed missive’s “Holding of a media briefing would be a good start” (Sep 25). I concur with the letter writer and support the President in his critique of the West’s vaccine policy for global travel. The President also received support from the diaspora on his various public appearances. Dr. Irfaan Ali’s first visits to the U.S as President can be graded as a success. He received a warm welcome everywhere by varied hosts and the diaspora. He impressed Guyanese and others with his plans for Guyana and relations with the diaspora. The enthusiasm, coverage, hype, and critique from the opposition that Ali’s trip to the U.S generated was enormous. Regardless of the actual policy accomplishments, the trip is generally regarded as a success. The trip and its several engagements allowed the President to meet
individuals important for Guyana’s future as well as to lay down the stage for the country’s position on global issues future policies. The trip also allows the diaspora to get to know the President although there were limited exchanges because of Covid protocol restrictions. The president’s trip to America was a busy one. He had bilateral engagements with leaders of other countries and multi-lateral summits with leaders of selected nations. He also had a meeting with UN officials, addressed the UN General Assembly, paid tribute to victims at Ground Zero, interacted with spiritual leaders from the Guyanese diaspora in Queens, parleyed with Christian heads of churches from Brooklyn, held discussions with business people (including CEOs and COOs of companies) on investment in Guyana, fielded questions from the press, conversed with influential members (community leaders, politicians, police
officers, among others) of the diaspora, and hosted the Lieutenant Governor (a Guyanese American) of New York before wrapping up his public appearances. The proceedings or take away from these multiple discourses, summits, exchanges, interchanges, assemblies, conversations, confabulations, and conferences will no doubt help to shape his government, in addition to his party’s manifesto commitment, over the next year. President Ali discussed a range of issues, including counter-terrorism, vaccine apartheid (non-recognition of certain vaccines by the developed countries), trade, climate cooperation, etc. in his public appearances. In his exchange with the diaspora, he discussed election rigging, Venezuela, foreign policy, economic development, oil and gas, Exxon, local content, vaccines, investment, the role of the diaspora, technology, crime,
cooperation with police and law enforcement bodies as well as local governments (New York City and Schenectady) in New York State. His dialogue with the diaspora and the media conference were open. There was a no holds barred exchange with the diaspora including addressing the shooting incident in Essequibo, ethnic issues, and employment opportunities including retaining and hiring supporters of the political opposition. The President said as far as he and the government are concerned there is no border conflict with Venezuela. “All of Guyana’s territory belongs to us”, he declared. He also made poignantly clear that no PPP government has ever discriminated against anyone. “It is not our policy”. The President was advised by the UN not to have large diaspora events as in previous visits to the U.S by Guyanese presidents, as part of COVID-19
2
measures. But almost all of his events were broadcast live or aired delayed tape. The President’s trip has generated a lot of buzz in the Queensbased diaspora as I traveled around in the greater Richmond Hill area. His remarks were much talked about by the diaspora. As recent incidents and events have shown, Guyanese, especially government supporters and the elite in the diaspora who are most likely to influence public opinion, are prickly about their country’s honor and pride. The diaspora and the homeland like the idea of the President being proactive and an advocate of Guyana abroad. The President was heard loud and clear. Deference and respect were accorded to the President by the international community at various global parleys. The Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, also spoke at diaspora exchanges and he, like Ali, drew loud applause. The Foreign Minister (Hugh Todd)
was also present at some meetings as was the Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud. The VP and the Foreign Minister were very clear on the country’s foreign policy and foreign relations. The President laid the groundwork for closer ties with all countries. Prior to his arrival in the US, the President met with Latin American leaders in Mexico City that hosted a CELAC summit, impressing them with Guyana’s willingness to work closely with countries in the region. The President noted that would be visiting the Middle East in November and the VP will visit Ghana in October and will lead a delegation to the Climate Summit in November in Scotland. The President of Kenya is expected to visit Guyana. The VP and President were also clear on the economic and development vision. They expressed a strong belief in Guyana’s future prospects. As the VP noted, when the PPP inherited the economy in 1992, per capita was just US$300. The PPP grew it to $5000 when it was removed from office in 2015. The PPP government is looking to grow the per capita to US$30K by the end of this decade. Both the President and VP stressed the fact that the country will not depend on oil and gas to develop but resources from them will fuel other sectors for sustainable development. There will be no oil resource curse for Guyana under their watch. They both marketed the country as attractive for investment. The President related that a lot of business people approached him to invest in the country.
EXXONMOBIL STRIKES OIL AGAIN
Former President David Granger on Friday urged the Guyana Government to correct its ‘diplomatic mistake’ of removing, but not replacing, its ambassador in Brasilia. Speaking on the
theme of Brazil’s defence diplomacy during his Public Interest Programme, Mr. Granger said that Brazil had been a reliable strategic partner which supported Guyana’s sovereignty
consistently in the face of Venezuela’s relentless territorial claim. He pointed out that Brazil is the largest and most powerful country on the continent. Mr. Granger recalled
his own visits to Brasilia when, on separate occasions, he met two Brazilian Presidents – first, Dilma Rousseff and, later, Michel Temer. He said relations between the two countries
Tuesday Sept. 28, 2021
were solidified by the visits of three Brazilian Defence Ministers – Nelson Jobim, Celso Amorim, and Raul Jugmann – to Guyana. Defence cooperation continued in 2018 when the Brazilian Army’s Construction Engineer Battalion installed eight wells which, for the first time, provided year-long potable water to villagers in the South Rupununi during the long dry season. The Brazilian Army has also assisted the Guyana Defence Force by training scores of officers and providing instructors to the Officer Cadet and Jungle Warfare Schools over the years. The Former President expressed dismay that
over the past year, Guyana failed to replace its ambassador in Brasilia and relations between the two countries have cooled. He urged the Guyana Government not to lose sight of Brazil’s strategic significance to this country and the continent. Mr. Granger said that cordial relations persisted between the two countries for more than five decades and it would be a diplomatic blunder to falter through neglect at this time. He said the first step on the way forward would be to appoint a new ambassador to Brazil. He said not having a resident ambassador sends a negative message
TWO FORMER COPS FOUND GUILTY OF RAPING WOMAN IN POLICE STATION Two former policemen fingered in the raping of a woman at a Police Station while she went to report a matter were both found guilty, today, Monday. They are expected to be sentenced on October 14. The two, Delon Chapman and Leon Ashby, were both before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow. They were found guilty by a Jury.
It was alleged that on January 1, 2018, the two engaged in sexual penetration of the woman without her consent at the Turkeyen Police Station. The two had initially denied any involvement. They hand the two were on trial. Reports are that on the day in question, the woman went to the
$205.8M Japanese grant to boost COVID-19 fight
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony
Guyana’s ability to fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) will be boosted with a $205.8 million (the US $1,029,000) grant from the Government of Japan.
info@guyanapostonline.com
This was disclosed by Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, MP, during today’s COVID-19 update. Over the last six months, the Ministry of Health has been working
on securing the grant which will be used to purchase much-needed equipment for the health sector, which will assist in the COVID-19 fight. “Some of the things that
we’ll be getting through that grant include imaging equipment, an ultrasound that we can use to help with the diagnosis of COVID. We are getting at least four different ultrasound machines; we are also getting some sterilizers, ECG machines. We’ll get some pulse oximeters.” The equipment is expected to arrive in Guyana in November. In addition, four new ambulances will be purchased. Since assuming office in August 2020, the PPP/C Government has worked assiduously to boost the health sector’s ability to combat COVID-19. The country has so far received generous
3
donations of personal protective equipment (PPE), medical equipment such as ventilators, funding, and COVID-19 vaccines from several countries, non-governmental organizations, and international partners. In addition to the sensitization campaigns to educate the public on COVID-19, Government has instituted a number of gazetted measures to control the spread of the deadly disease. These include a national curfew and limitations on the operations of businesses. Much effort has also been put into procuring enough vaccines to inoculate the population.
police station to report a matter and had asked to use the washroom. She was then told that the washroom on the bottom floor was not working, so she would have to use the one located on the upper flat. It was then, the two men then took the woman to a nearby room with a mattress and committed the act.
Tuesday Sept. 28, 2021
SHUNNING PROFESSIONALISM FOR POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY
Adam’s
note book
Guyana is probably the country with an abundance of talented people. The reality is that the man in the street does not see these talented people. In fact, older people are now wondering whether it would not be long before mediocrity becomes the new norm. The government must have determined that there was more than enough talent to keep the wheels of the country turning because it quickly removed some of the talented people who were in the system. It then set about replacing them with people it feels comfortable with. Of course, some of these new employees are the beneficiaries of elections promises. I listened to the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Vincent Adams, talking about his removal from office. Undoubtedly, he has been the most qualified head of the EPA. He resurrected a dead agency at a time when Guyana is preparing to become an oil-producing nation. He spoke of the EPA is a revolving door
for staff members who simply wanted a stepping stone. The result is that precious little got done. In fact, the EPA was largely ignored by all and sundry. It was merely required to rubber-stamp certain government pronouncements. Vincent Adams changed that to the point where the EPA began to make an impact on national life. It challenged Exxon Mobil to do the right thing by paying for its indiscretions in the industry. It flared gas to the extent that the environment was threatened. The Vincent Adams-led EPA made the company pay. It even threatened to take the company to court for some other indiscretion. That has changed. I am left to wonder whether Dr. Adams’s removal was due to pressure on the government. Of course, the government claimed that Dr. Vincent Adams was a political appointee. It did not stop to consider that Dr. Adams had responded to an advertisement for the job, that he was interviewed by a panel,
and that he was the most qualified applicant. There is a new Director of the Environmental Protection Agency but the EPA is once more a toothless poodle. In fact, it has lapsed into obscurity and the government seems content. At least it does not have to pacify Exxon Mobil. It is the same in numerous other areas. In the field of communication, English has all but disappeared. There is no relationship between subject and verb, no question of tense, and of course, pronunciation is no more a sign of knowledge. There are new heads in radio, television, newspaper, and public information, all chosen by the government. The COVID-19 situation is horrible. I am not sure whether it is due to the absence of a national plan or simply a case of Guyanese bad luck. Not so long ago I complained that people were no longer dying by the twos but by the fours. I should have shut my mouth. People are dying in droves. More than 100 people will die this month. The irony is that the government is linking the deaths to the vaccination. You die if you are unvaccinated. But people also die if they are vaccinated. That is when the government talks about underlying conditions. The records will show that about 60 percent of the population is either diabetic, hypertensive, or both. Most of us have underlying conditions. So vaccination or not we are likely to die if infected. At least the Minister of Health said as much when two fully vaccinated people died from COVID-related illness.
Yet, there is the drive for everyone to be vaccinated. I am vaccinated. There is talk about herd immunity. There will be no herd immunity because the variants are different from the original virus. But we can only hope that there will be some protection against COVID. The authorities are saying that wearing a mask, washing hands, and social distancing is not enough. There is another issue that I find worrying. There was the COVID relief distribution. Some people got and many did not. Both President Irfaan Ali and the Opposition Leader called for an audit. The AuditorGeneral has come back to say that COVID has impacted his ability to audit the distribution. So as long as there is COVID-19 there can be no successful audit. Many dishonest people would be able to escape. However, this should not be the end of the audit. My belief is that even if the auditors take two years, they must complete this audit. A lot of money was voted for the relief. It is now the same thing with the flood relief. A lot of money has been set aside. Some people are complaining that they have been badly assessed. If indeed COVID is a limiting factor, how could anyone be successfully assessed? But the Agriculture Minister says that he would correct the situation. Would he go into the fields to visit every affected farmer despite COVID? He may wish to take the Auditor General with him.
4
Guyana to release CSEC, CAPE and NGSA results by Oct. 15.
The Ministry of Education announced on Saturday, that the Caribbean Examination Council has chosen Guyana as the host country to ‘release’ this year’s CAPE and CSEC results on October 14, 2021. In addition, NGSA is expected to be released on October 15; with raw exam scores coming from Barbados. The Caribbean Examination Council’s (CXC) Caribbean Secondary Education Certification (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) were written during June -July this year. The examinations were written at a later date this year due to the effects, consequences, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Caribbean and the world. The Ministry of Education announced on Saturday, that the Caribbean Examination Council has chosen Guyana as the host country to ‘release’ this year’s CAPE and CSEC results on October 14, 2021. These results will be available to candidates on the CXC’s online portal from October 15, 2021. The National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) was equally affected by the pandemic and was written on August 4-5 of this year. Since 2016, CXC was contracted by the Government of Guyana to develop, administer and mark this examination/assessment annually. This year to further
advance the transparency and integrity of the examination/assessment, CXC’s responsibilities were extended and increased to include verification of raw scores. Additionally, to conduct and manage all reviews or appeals after the results are published and further to present the data and analysis of each year’s assessment. The Ministry of Education has been informed by CXC that the raw scores will be ready and sent from Barbados to Guyana by Tuesday, September 28, 2021, after which the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) will standardize the scores and offer placements according to the scores, and print results’ slips. In addition, from this year: 1. NGSA candidates will NOT be penalized with their raw scores because they were older than 12 years 6 months at the end of March of the year, the examination was written. 2. The standardized scores per subject will be rounded up to the nearest whole number and the TOTAL score will be given as a decimal number thereby offering candidates more fairness. The Education Ministry also encourages this year’s NGSA, CSEC and CAPE candidates to return all textbooks and resource materials to their respective schools. Failure to do so may result in being unable to access results
Tuesday Sept. 28, 2021
18 Police Officers Graduated From The COPSQUAD Initiative That Targets Domestic Violence and how to write case reports.
Eighteen members of the Guyana Police Force on Saturday received their certificates and a badge for completing the COPSQUAD2000 initiative. The training program was launched last month by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud. Through COP SQUAD, at least one
officer at every police station across the country will receive specialized training on how to address issues of domestic violence. The Guyana Police force is expected to train at least 2,000 officers by the end of this year. The graduation exercise took place at the Police Officers’ Training Centre in Kingston and
saw in attendance Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie. While the COP SQUAD provides adequate training for participants, Minister Benn expects police officers to better communicate with victims of abuse, whilst eliminating the stigma surrounding domestic
violence reports. Police Commissioner Nigel Hoppie stated that this training will properly equip officers with the skills to ensure that domestic violence reports are handled accordingly. For the period September 2020September 2021, 17 persons have been killed as a result of domestic
Armed men beat, rob Corentyne couple
The police are now on the hunt for two alleged armed bandits who terrorized a 68-year-old woman and a 58-yearold, man and later carted off valuables the intruders found in the couple’s Berbice Home. According to a report, it was explained that the incident occurred just around 18:30 hours at the Warren Village # 19
info@guyanapostonline.com
Corentyne, Berbice last evening. At the particular time, the two persons were at home, when two masked men, armed with a shotgun and cutlass entered the home of the 58-year-old Ranger and a 68-year-old housewife while they were relaxing in a hammock under a shed under their home. Recalling what
transpired, the Ranger claimed that he got up and went to the gate to call out to his brother when he was suddenly confronted by the two intruders. The one that was armed with the cutlass dealt him a chop to his upper left hand. The victim said that he then held on to the cutlass which also caused him to receive a wound to the left palm of his hand. He said that he then shouted for help but the bandits quickly pulled him into the house and began cuffs him about his body. The other bandit with the gun then chucked the woman to the ground.
They then demanded cash and jewelry and proceeded to relieve the victims of their valuables before making good their escape on foot in the process discharging a gunshot. The bandits escaped with one Samsung Galaxy cellular phone valued $40,000, two gold earrings valued at $20,000, one gold bangle valued $80,000 and another Samsung cellular phone valued $50,000. Both victims were also escorted to New Amsterdam Public Hospital where they were seen treated and sent away.
5
violence. Meanwhile, domestic violence reports have sharply increased by 12% for the period January- August 2021, as compared to 2020. Nevertheless, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is playing an integral role in providing technical assistance and
training, which seeks to ensure that once a domestic violence matter is brought to a police station, it will be handled in a manner that accords with international best practices. The training deals with interrogation, assessment of safety, how to counsel and respond to people who lodge complaints,
Corentyne man stabbed
A man who had an old feud with the man who fathered his sister’s child is now left suffering from stab wounds to his chest after a fight broke out between the two. The incident reportedly occurred, just around 18:50 hours, in Bush Lot Village Corentyne, Berbice area Sunday night. At the time, the suspect went to the injured 32-years-old construction worker’s home to collect the child. Whilst the victim was opening the gate, the suspect then drew a knife from the
waist of his pants and dealt the suspect several stabs to his upper chest, and both hands. He then made good his escape. The victim was immediately rushed to the Port Mourant Public Hospital and later referred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he is a patient, in a stable condition. Efforts to arrest the suspect have to this time been proven futile.
Email or text your letters to us, we would be happy to have publish them ExxonMobil Oil Rig
lendellnurse6995@gmail.com
adameharris@yahoo.com info@guyanapostonline.com info@guyanapostonline.com
6