Kaieteur News
Thursday July 11, 2019
PAGE 03
Presidential Advisor, SARA Official register Pharmaceutical, other companies S
pecial Assistant of the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA), Eric Phillips and Presidential Advisor on the Environment, Gary Best, have established several companies, one of which is specifically geared to serving the pharmaceuticals industry. According to the Certificate of Incorporation, Superior Pharmaceutical Company (Guyana) Inc. was incorporated on March 8, 2019. The following persons were appointed as directors: Gary Best, Eric Phillips, Shabakie Fernandes, Philip Springer and Shaun Allicock. According to the document seen by Kaieteur News, it notes that no director has ceased to hold office. On March 8, 2019, as
well, Best and Phillips formed another company called the Equity Centre (Guyana) Inc. The other director for this firm is Shaun Allicock. The purpose of this business is to carry out financial services or any other business which may profitably and usefully be connected to its purpose. The third company formed by Phillips and his associates is Entec Capital (Guyana) Inc. It was incorporated on December 6, 2018. The directors listed on the Certificate are Gary Best, Philip Springer, Edmond Grant and Phillips. Phillips appears to also have an interest in the fisheries business. On January 23, 2017, the SARA official and five other persons formed Coastal Fishermen and Marine Services Inc. The directors
Presidential Advisor on the Environment, Gary Best
SARA Special Assistant, Eric Phillips
listed are Relrick Wilkinson, Godfrey Scott, Allison Butters-Grant (deceased), Lelon Saul, Robert Forrester and Phillips. Since being appointed to the State Asset Recovery
Agency (SARA) in 2017, Phillips has been in charge of a number of crucial projects, including being placed as the lead investigator into the award of two oil blocks offshore Guyana by former
President, Donald Ramotar just days before he lost the 2015 General and Regional elections. However, Phillips came under heavy criticism after it came to light that he is party to a pending application for an oil block that is in ultra deep waters. The offshore concession is referred to as Block C. According to documents from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Phillips, who also has no track record in oil exploration, is listed as one of the beneficial owners of a company called ABR Oil and Gas Exploration that has applied for a license to explore the block that is adjoining the Kaieteur and Canje blocks. Phillips claims, however, that he left ABR last year. He was still a member of SARA at that
time. Furthermore, the application for the licence lists two individuals as ABR's technical experts: Patrick Assad Ceres who is an environmental engineer and Aisha Jean-Baptiste, a geologist. The applicants noted that they have US$5M at present to expend on operations under the licence being applied for. These would include gathering geoscientific data, its subsequent assessment along with purchasing of additional data, identification of potential targets and drilling of prospects. They further noted that the company is Guyanese owned and they intend to utilise Guyanese petroleum engineers and Geologists in its work should the licence be granted.
Female cops from sex crime unit accused of covering up gang rapes
E
ven as it commemorates i t s 1 8 0 t h anniversary with music, parades and fireworks, the Guyana Police Force is bracing for a major scandal. A number of young women are accusing two policewomen from one of the Force's Sex Crimes Units, of protecting a policeman's son, and others, in a gang of serial rapists. The victims, all in their teens, claim that the policeman's son and two others, gang-raped and robbed them earlier this year, after they were duped into
going on dates with one gang member who drives a car. The victims said that although the matter was investigated and the suspects apprehended, only one of the alleged rapists was charged. They have suggested that policewomen who help in sex crime investigations, and who took their statements, were involved in the cover-up. Kaieteur News was told that persons close to the alleged rapists gave one victim's family some $200,000 to avoid prosecution. According to the claims received by Kaieteur News,
the gang moved around with a motorcycle and a car. The victims were allegedly contacted via WhatsApp and social media. Dates were allegedly made with the unsuspecting young women, who responded. One of the alleged rapists would pick up the intended victim in a car. Unknown to the teen, two accomplices of their 'date' would be hiding in the car trunk. The 'date' would take the teen to a secluded area, where his accomplices would emerge from the car trunk. The men would then take turns raping the teen, before relieving her of her
Dominican Republic expects to award several blocks in first oil licensing round HOUSTON (Reuters) The Dominican Republic's first oil licensing round will be a success if it awards more than two of the 14 blocks on offer this year, a government official said at an event disclosing the Caribbean nation's fiscal terms. The licensing round, which began yesterday with disclosure of contract terms, comes after Brazil, Guyana and Mexico attracted billions of dollars in oil investment. Cuba and Panama also have
taken steps to lure producers with new areas and by making seismic exploration data available. Dominican Republic offers simple terms that provide low risk and low cost of entry for operators willing to commit to minimum investment, said Alberto Reyes, Dominican Republic's vice minister of hydrocarbons. The country is providing seismic exploration data for all the areas on offer. First
awards are expected to be released by late November. The Caribbean is attracting wider interest as nearby discoveries and competitive investment terms have emerged, said energy analysts. "This is mostly a frontier area with good potential, and in some cases with good business environment," said Carlos Bellorin, an analyst at researcher IHSMarkit. About a dozen major oil (continued on page 13)
cell phone and other valuables. All the attacks are said to have occurred at secluded areas on the East Bank of Demerara. From reports reaching Kaieteur News, the gang slipped up when they contacted another teen, who is a friend of one of the victims. The young woman allegedly notified the police, who allegedly instructed the intended victim to meet her 'date' at a particular location while the ranks lay in wait. The 'date' and his accomplices were arrested when they all turned up at the location. It is alleged that the
investigation took a disturbing turn when the police ranks realised that one of the suspects was the son of a police rank. While the victims allegedly identified all of the suspects, and also provided statements, only one of the men was charged. He is at present on remand. It is alleged that a female lance corporal and another female colleague, both of whom are attached to a Sexual Offences Unit, changed the victims' statements to indicate that they had not identified the suspects. They are said to
have been aided in the coverup by a male CID rank who is also related to the policeman's son. The family of one girl was reportedly compensated, but relatives of the others have filed complaints. (See tomorrow's edition for more on this breaking and developing story. Any other victims and relatives are free to contact us at our Saffon Street office. We can also be reached on telephone numbers: 22-58465, 2258473 and 22-58491. All names and information will be treated with utmost confidentiality)