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AN UNIMAGINABLE LEVEL OF BRUTALITY POST MORTEM SUGGESTS Pg3

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BK International seals 500-metre sea defence breach at Mahaicony

GOVERNMENT SEEKS INTERNATIONAL HELP FOR MURDER INVESTIGATIONS

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COVID-19 figures pass 1,600

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Editorial

The makings of a one-party state There was a time when people spoke about a one-party state. Russia was one; Cuba was another. Of course those countries had opposition parties but these were relegated to the role of an enemy.

In Venezuela today, there is a democratically elected government but other global democracies suddenly want to see the opposition pitchforked into the seat of government.

There is no care for the views of the vast majority of people.

Guyana, must be heading toward a one-party state. The trend is that anyone who supports the opposition party must be terminated from his source of employment. Within the one month since the People’s Progressive Party ended up in the seat of Government, scores of people have been terminated.

One could understand the Regional Executive Officers being changed. These were considered political appointments. The new party therefore wanted its own

people in place. But there have been other cases where the new government decided to terminate the services of skilled people who were assigned positions in the various agencies and departments.

Vincent Adams headed the Environmental Protection Agency.

There is no one better qualified in this country but Irfaan Ali ordered him removed.

When asked for a reason, Irfaan Ali hinted that Adams was a member of the Alliance For Change.

Dr. Richard Van West Charles headed Guyana Water Inc. Although his contract has more than a year before it expires the government decided that he should proceed on leave.

That is alright except that the government has appointed his replacement. The end result is that GWI now has two Chief Executive Officers.

Earlier this week, the Civil Aviation Authority became the next place to be visited by the government broom. Legal officer, Amanza WaltonDesir was terminated.

The only reason had

to be the fact that she is publicly associated with the Coalition.

Not a day has gone by without there being mass firings.

And as if to slap the nation in the face, the government appoints its own people, many of whom are tainted characters. The Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Ministry was once an employee of Republic Bank.

Reports are that he was fired for irregularities.

His appointment is a form of payback for a favour by way of a mortgage he granted a very senior government official while he was still at Republic Bank.

The head of Maritime Administration is benefiting from his wife’s contribution to the PPP during the legal battles over the elections.

Even the Guyana Police Force has not been exempt from the political manipulation.

The Crime Chief is hunting political opponents of the PPP. A compilation of all those dismissed would make for interesting reading.

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AN UNIMAGINABLE LEVEL OF BRUTALITY....

Attorney at law Nigel Hughes

The post mortem findings on the bodies of Joel and Isaiah Henry were announced on Wednesday.

The post mortem was conducted at Memorial Gardens, Le Repentir Cemetery.

Attorney at law Nigel Hughes is representing the interests of the families of the dead boys who were both teenagers.

The Post mortem on both bodies was witnessed by the police after the relatives identified them.

“In the case of Joel, he had 18 wounds.

What we suspect was the fatal wound, severed his spine from the back,” Mr Hughes said.

He added that there were also several head injuries. “He had what we would call several chops to the head. The pathologist suspected that those after he got those wounds he fell to the ground and was on the ground when that wound that severed his spine was inflicted.”

Mr Hughes also reported on the further

findings of the post mortem on Joel Henry.

“There was evidence that he bit his tongue. Joel Henry also had several defensive wounds on his hands. He had about four or five wounds on his hands.

“He got several incise wounds that came from a sharp instrument. He fell and then the chop that severed his neck.”

Mr Hughes said that the findings are pretty nasty. The fatal wound on Joel Henry was 14 inches long, three inches wide and six inches deep. This one severed the spine.

Isaiah Henry had no defensive wounds on his hands.

“He had a lot more wounds to his head. In his case his spine was severed between the second and third vertebrae.

The measurements of his wounds were 14 inches by four inches and six inches in depth.”

Mr Hughes said that the absence of

defensive wounds on the hands would suggest that the number of chops he would have sustained to the head would have caused him to fall to the ground. The wound that severed the spine was inflicted while he was on the ground.

He said that the

wounds on the body have been video recorded and would be shared with pathologists in Canada for their determination.

The doctor suspected that the two boys would have died about 36 hours prior to the time they were found.

Memorial Gardens, Le Repentir Cemetery.

GOVERNMENT SEEKS INTERNATIONAL HELP FOR MURDER INVESTIGATIONS

President Dr Irfaan Ali

President Irfaan Ali announced on Wednesday that he will be seeking the help of the British Government and the Regional Security Service to assist local police in their

probe into the recent murders on West Coast Berbice.

“In consultation with the Guyana Police Force, I will be reaching out to the British Government and the RSS, which is

the Regional Security System to come to Guyana in support of the Guyana Police Force’s investigative capacity.”

The first murders were those of Isaiah and Joel Henry whose bodies were found on Sunday with their throats slit in the Cotton Tree Backdam.

On Wednesday the grandson of a suspect in the Henry murders was killed in the No. 3 Village Backdam; Later that same day a man was beaten by protesters on the Bath Public Road after

firing a shotgun three times into the crowd.

The President has said that no stone will remain unturned in the investigation and that all available tools will be used to gain a comprehensive and holistic view of the events that occurred.

President Ali also thanked the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force for their tireless work. He expressed confidence that they would be able to bring about order.

He was assured that all available resources would be utilized,

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within protocols and guidelines, to keep the situation from escalating.

Additional m e a s u r e s announced by the President included commissioning an International Commission of Inquiry (COI) to look at every aspect of this situation, to look beyond what took place on the ground, to look at the behaviours that came about as a result of statements made and create a comprehensive understanding as to what took place.

He also asked the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, to explore all means available within the United Nations system which can hold persons who spread race hate and instigate racial strife accountable for their actions.

The President stressed the importance of getting to the bottom of the situation and that these three steps will be part of bringing those involved to justice quickly.

A lot of money COVID-19 figures pass 1,600

is on offer A lot of money is being distributed. This is the promise of the emergency budget.

President Irfaan Ali made no bones about the measures to be contained in Budget 2020.

At a press conference he shared with Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday, he spoke of putting money into people’s pockets.

There are going to be many smiles as he has also kept his promise to the miners operating in Guyana’s hinterland. He has even taken steps to reverse value added tax in certain areas.

Ali said that he is increasing Old Age Pension by $4,500.

This will ensure that all old age pensioners get $25,000 per month. That is money that many old people can do with.

Roll over Winston Jordan. You did lift the pension from $7,000 per month to the present $20,500 per month. Irfaan has gone one better.

The battle for the seniors has begun.

The president has gone even further.

Pensioners would be getting free water.

This means that many older people, even if they could afford to, will not have to pay any water bill.

But the way the system works, many will have to apply to

Guyana Water Inc. to have the entity remove their names from the billing list.

There are many who will welcome this. The pensioners will also be paying a smaller electricity bill.

Then there is the $25,000 per household.

The understanding is that every household would get $25,000.

Bharrat Jagdeo, David Granger, Irfaan Ali, Anil Nandlall, Gail Teixeira, Roger Luncheon, Sam Hinds, Glenn Lall, Freddie Kissoon, the Guyanese Critic and all those people whom the PPP Government dismissed can look forward to $25,000.

The used tyre business would spring up again. Sadly, more people may die on the roads because used tyres have a way of collapsing.

The government is bringing back cars, no matter how old. Forget the expenditure on spares, many will be able town a used car.

Sadly, some of them may end up buying an old car dressed up like new at a fantastic price. Some people are going to be making a lot of money.

The miners will not have to pay a lot of the fees that they once did. They are going to be smiling because with gold at such a high price and

with the other money saving measures, they would enjoy even greater wealth.

There are other saving measures.

If the miners transport fuel with their own trucks they do not have to get police clearance. A lot of fuel would be moved but that is of no business to me.

If David Granger did something with the school buses and bicycles, Irfaan is putting money into the pockets of the parents. Every child is getting $15,000 plus $4,000 for uniform voucher.

There is no corporate tax on private education, no value added tax on hinterland flights, and no VAT on medical supplies.

The government says it is stimulating the economy. It is putting money into the system. But that will only work if people spend.

Irfaan is investing in his presidential future. Nobody is going to forget this payout at this time.

Which soldier or policeman would forget the two weeks of tax free bonus?

Add the $25,000 payable to households to this. People would be smiling for a long time.

The Ministry of Health recorded 90 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, September 9. The total number of recorded cases in Guyana is

now at 1,703.

There have been 48 deaths.

A total of 10,345 persons have been tested as of September 9 and 1,045 persons have recovered. The

number of active cases is 610. There are 543 persons in home isolation, 51 in institutional isolation and 16 persons in the COVID-19 ICU.

Bath settlement man killed by protesters

Pritipaul Hargobin

Pritipaul Hargobin, 34, was beaten by several protesters around 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday at the Bath Settlement Public Road.

Police said Mr. Hargobin was in his vehicle on the Public Road when he exited the vehicle with a shotgun and discharged one round into the air before discharging three rounds towards a crowd of protestors who were about 60 meters away.

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The police declined to identify the nature of the crowd which responded by surrounding and beating him. Police that were nearby rushed to the scene and discovered the victim lying on ground with several injuries about his body.

Hargobin was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital and was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty.

Ronita Hargobin, the sister of the

deceased, said that her brother left their Bath Settlement home on Wednesday afternoon in search of a man on a blue motorcycle.

When he asked the protesters at Bath settlement about this person they said they had not seen them and began assaulting Pritipaul.

Ronita said her brother told her he was going home but returned to the scene just before she heard gunshots. She said she was not aware that her brother had a gun and was not close enough to see who fired the shots.

Investigations into the incident are still ongoing.

BK International seals 500-metre sea defence breach at Mahaicony

BK BARGE OFFLOAD BOULDERS WORK-IN-PROGRESS AT MAHAICONY SEA DEFENCE BREECH

The 500-metre sea defence breach at Content, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, is closed. Work started on the breach on August 7, 2020.

The closing occurred

on September 8, 2020, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule.

Engineer Ganesh Sawh, who supervised the project, said that when Minister of Public Works Juan

Edghill and Minister Deodat Indar visited the project at the start, Mr Sawh promised that the breach would be closed in 41 days.

The initial contract was signed on June

16, last. Works were scheduled to begin on June 22, but the design to construct was only approved on August 6, last.

The contract cost was $352 million.

This was to seal the 500 metres. A recent Kaieteur News report stated that another contractor was awarded a contract to seal 100 metres at a cost of $168 million.

Compared to the contract awarded to BK International, which was $70 million per 100 metres, this is a far more expensive contract.

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Not Wearing Face-masks Can Result In Fines, Prison Time

Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, has said that persons found failing to wear facemasks in public are now liable to fines and can face time in prison.

In the COVID-19 measures published on August 14, it states that persons

failing to follow the orders will be liable to punishment.

According to Paragraph 17 of the order, any person who fails to comply with the order commits an offence under the Section 152 of the Public Health Ordinance and is

liable on summary conviction to the penalty provided under that section.

Section 152 of Public Health Ordinance states that “any person who contravenes any of the provisions of the Ordinance made by the government, or

who fails, neglects or refuses to execute any work or to do anything which he is required to do by virtue of any of the provisions of the ordinance shall be guilty of an offence and shall, unless some other penalty is provided therefore, (be) liable to a penalty with or without hard labour for any term exceeding two months.”

The Minister noted that it is not the government’s wish for persons to be imprisoned for not wearing facemasks but he implores citizens to follow the guidelines that are put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Attorney General unfortunately was and Legal Affairs never updated.”

Minister, Anil Nandlall, addressed Nandlall said concerns over the that the Ministry Public Health Ordinance which was passed in 1934.

He admitted that there is a need for penalties regarding violation of Covid-19 guidelines but there have been Attorney General and Legal Affairs discussions Minister Anil Nandlall within the Ministry to deliver of Health currently suitable punishments. has a proposal for a “The legislation new Public Health is very, very old, a Bill which will be relic from colonial reviewed when times and one that Parliament resumes.

Government Advisors Appointed

Capt. Gerry Gouveia

The PPP/C has appointed Gerry Gouveia as National Security Advisor to the President, Ralph Ramkarran as advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on

border matters, and Lenox Shuman as advisor to the Ministry of Public Works on civil aviation.

Shuman is the Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party.

He served as Toshao for Pakuri from 2015 to 2018 and Vice Chairman of the National Toshao Council.

Despite having his own party he was

firmly in the corner of the People’s Progressive Party.

Gouveia is a former military officer with an excess of a decade of service in the Guyana Defence Force where he served as the Chief Pilot of the Army Air corps.

He was ostensibly an observer during the March 2 elections but in effect, he was a campaign agent for the PPP. Ramkarran is a former Speaker of the National Assembly and a founding member of A New and United Guyana (ANUG). He is experienced in the Guyana/Venezuela

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territorial dispute as he was appointed Guyana’s facilitator in the UN Good Officer process in 1994.

on the General Council insulted him.

He had mounted a failed bid to become Presidential candidate

Ralph Ramkarran

He also continued to serve on the Ministerial Team for the Guyana/ Venezuela Border Dispute from 1994 to present.

He left the PPPwhen he said that members

ahead of Donald Ramotar.

All three appointees were closely aligned with the PPP during the elections and their appointments are seen as reward for the support they gave.

ExxonMobil Announces Redtail Discovery Offshore Guyana

ExxonMobil Oil Rig

ExxonMobil has made its 18th discovery offshore Guyana at the Redtail-1 well which will add to the previously announced estimated recoverable resource of more than 8 billion oilequivalent barrels on the Stabroek Block.

“Our Stabroek Block exploration programme continues to identify highquality reservoirs in

close proximity to previous discoveries, establishing efficient opportunities for new projects in Guyana,” said Mike Cousins, senior vice president of exploration and new ventures at ExxonMobil.

“Developing these projects remains an integral part of ExxonMobil and our co-venturers’ longterm growth plans and a source of significant

value for Guyana.”

R e d t a i l - 1 encountered approximately 232 feet (70 meters) of high-quality oil bearing sandstone and was drilled in 6,164 feet (1,878 meters) of water.

The well is located approximately 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) northwest of the Yellowtail discovery.

In addition to the Redtail-1 discovery,

drilling at Yellowtail-2 encountered 69 feet (21 meters) of net pay in newly identified, high quality oil bearing reservoirs among the original Yellowtail-1 discovery intervals.

This resource is currently being evaluated for development in conjunction with nearby discoveries.

Approximately 80 Guyanese employees, contractors and subcontractors took part in Redtail activities offshore, and more than 2,000 Guyanese and 600 local suppliers are supporting E x x o n M o b i l ’s activities in country.

Guyanese staff have completed more

than 350,000 hours of training in Guyana, Brazil, Canada, Singapore and the United States.

ExxonMobil made the first commercial discovery in Guyana in 2015 and started production in December 2019 from the Liza Destiny floating production and offloading vessel (FPSO), which can produce up to 120,000 barrels per day.

ExxonMobil continues to advance the Liza Phase 2 project, which is expected to startup in 2022 and produce up to 220,000 barrels per day.

Construction activities are underway in Singapore on the

Liza Unity FPSO. A third production vessel for the Payara development, with production capacity of 220,000 barrels a day, is on hold pending government approval.

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometers).

ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, is operator and holds 45 percent interest in the Stabroek Block.. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30 percent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a whollyowned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds 25 percent interest

Govt. to begin use of antiviral drug on COVID-19 patients one of the things that we have seen is it has been able to shorten the severity of the disease. People who have benefitted from this treatment, many of them have been able to recover.

Hopefully, we can get the same results here in Guyana.”

Remdesivir is an antiviral drug Minister of Health, medical professionals Remdesivir, on “As we know, with which limits the Dr. Frank Anthony, will begin using critical patients. the use of Remdesivir replication of viruses. said on Friday that the antiviral drug, The Minister said, in the United States, A federal study has

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found that it can hasten the recovery in hospitalised COVID-19 patients.

A report based on data collected from 53 patients who received Remdesivir in the United States, from January 25, 2020, to March 7, 2020 showed clinical improvement in 36 (68%).

Harmon Releases Proof of Relinquishment of Dual Citizenship

Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon, has publicly released his certificate of loss of US Citizenship, confirming that he is no longer a dual citizen.

The document shows that his application for relinquishment of his US Citizenship was approved on the 8th October 2019.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, has confirmed that he received the proof

Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon

that Harmon’s foreign citizenship was relinquished.

Members of Parliament (MPs) were required to

relinquish dual citizenship in accordance with Article 155 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana which

outlines that persons who are dual citizens will be disqualified from sitting in the National Assembly.

IN 2019 the Court

of Appeal also ruled that someone who holds dual citizenship cannot be elected to a position in the National Assembly.

Isaacs had sent out a notice instructing MPs who renounced their foreign citizenship to submit proof.

Following his public release of proof, Harmon has said that he wants to see Minister of Governance, Gail Teixeira, and Member of Parliament for the Joinder list, Lenox

Shuman, do the same.

Shuman was elected Deputy Speaker on Tuesday.

He had announced that he relinquished his Canadian citizenship. Shuman has committed to submitting proof of his foreign citizenship renunciation by this weekend.

Isaacs explained that Shuman is having difficulties accessing the relevant documents.

Post-mortem test shows MPs asked to prove they have pediatrician had COVID-19 relinquished dual citizenship

Recently deceased paediatrician, Dr. Seepersaud Chatterdeo, has tested positive for COVID-19.

“We recently learnt that a post-mortem swab was positive for COVID 19,” Chatterdeo’s family said in a statement Friday evening.

They also said that authorities have begun contact tracing.

They are urging those who would

have been in contact with him to follow the recommended guidelines and to look out for any symptoms of COVID-19.

These symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell and taste, excessive tiredness, sore throat, diarrhea, body aches and pains.

Dr. Chatterdeo died at a private hospital on August 30.

He headed the Paediatrics

Department of Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and taught many medical students.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, said Chatterdeo was “Guyana’s most respected paediatrician” and expressed profound sympathy to the family, friends, colleagues and patients of the late

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, has written to all incoming Members of Parliament (MPs) to remind them of the details of Article 155 (1) of the Constitution which states, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who – (a) is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”

The issue of MPs holding dual citizenship was raised after December 21, 2018 when Alliance For Change (AFC) MP, Charrandass Persaud, voted in

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favour of the noconfidence motion against the APNU/ AFC Coalition Government.

In 2019, the Court of Appeal ruled that someone who holds dual citizenship cannot be elected to a position in the National Assembly.

Isaacs’s letter read, “I am therefore asking those Members who held allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or State during the Eleventh Parliament, and have relinquished same, to submit proof of relinquishment to me.

“Further, I am advising all other Members to ensure that they are in conformity with Article 155 (1) (a) of

the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.”

MPs that held dual citizenship were Minister of State Joseph Harmon; Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge; Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin; and Public Service Minister, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine from the APNU/AFC Coalition. The PPP/C had Adrian Anamaya, Odinga Lamumba, and Gail Teixeira.

Gail Teixeira has submitted proof that she has relinquished her foreign citizenship. This was disclosed by Isaacs who said that he will seek guidance on how to proceed.

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