Thursday June 29, 2017
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Kaieteur News
City Council warns land lease Sugar workers have rights and the right to be responsible beyond the Town Clerk excluded from mainstream cane farmers and the Govern- ating an environment to allow DEAR EDITOR, holders to pay up and must take possession of The Guyana Sugar Corpo- society and acting as guard- ment, and to ensure further the business to continue to DEAR EDITOR, The Mayor and City Council wishes to advise all those individuals who have leased lands and other facilities from the council to ensure that they settle their accounts for those leases with its City Treasury. A look at the register of leases revealed that many individuals who are occupying Council’s lands have not paid fees for many years, while others are using those portions for purposes other than the purpose for which they were leased. In other cases, some reserves have been left to the mercies of stray animals and persons, who have veered off the normal side of society. Those who have not settled their accounts with the council for leases for which they were awarded have up to July 6, 2017 to come in and pay off all monies owing to the council on those leases. According to the law, Municipal and District Councils Act, chapter 28:01, if rents or lease fees are owed to the council for any such lands for two months
those lands and any crops or provisions thereon should be sold, the rent or fees or extracted and the surplus returned to the disposed. Also, the council is contemplating a new approach that will allow Administration to rent instead of lease lands that are within its custody to those, who are desirous of utilizing such lands for economic and related activities. It is the considered view of the council, that in these modern times, and its obligation to provide vital municipal services on an extremely limited budget that this could help garner much needed revenue to allow it to fulfill its mandate to all local communities. Inspectors from the City Engineer’s Department and officials from the Town Clerk’s Department have started to visit various areas to verify those individuals occupying council’s reserves and the purpose to which they have put such areas. Royston King Municipal Clerk Georgetown
Large sums spent on drainage yet the drains still clogged DEAR EDITOR, I saw recently in the press that the Georgetown municipality has spent some $150m for the drainage works here in the city prior to the rainy season. I can take persons on a tour of the city not quite a quarter mile away from city hall and show where there are drains so filled that we can easily walk across them. The problem with city drainage is that the people who administrate the works do not plan these activities. Years ago such activities were carefully planned and starting with the critical areas they were able to get things under control. Contractors were not used.
The Council had a diligent work force that was equipped with rudimentary tools and they did excellent work. Today we have all kinds of excavators and engineers and we spend huge sums of monies and are still heavily inundated. We cannot go back to the days of rudimentary tools but we can better use the resources that are available to us. The Council needs to take a few steps back and objectively observe what it is doing. The council needs to inculcate a new work ethic. We need to hire conscientious workers, pay them well and get out of the contractor syndrome. Cyril Walker
The post office is calling Mr. Mohamed Khan to make contact DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Post Office Corporation would be grateful for publication in your newspaper of this letter. The GPO wishes to respond to Mr. Mo h a m e d Khan’s letter published in the June 23, 2017, edition of the newspapers in which he made a complaint that his express package had not arrived.
Mr. Khan is hereby asked to make contact with our Customer Services Department on telephone number 2263127 or email pro@guypost.gy for his tracking number to be verified and an inquiry to be raised with the Royal Mail service. Telesha A. Whyte Public Relations Officer Guyana Post Office Corporation
ration Inc. (GuySuCo) would like to respond to Mr. Seepaul Narine’s letters which were published in the Kaieteur News on 24 June, 2017 – ‘GuySuCo is a wolf in sheep’s clothing’. Firstly, the Corporation is not surprised that the Union does not see its role as one that involves the provision of a service to our employees and by extension the Corporation, hence the very reason the Corporation has be indicating that GAWU has lost its way as a workers’ representative organization. GuySuCo is of the view that it is within its interest, to assist GAWU to situate itself or clearly understand its role in the partnership with the Corporation. GAWU as a civil society organization, its core function should be social development and the Union should seek to achieve this through any or all of the following: Creating opportunities for the individual growth and creativity, providing support and services for those in need or
ians of the public good. The main attribute should therefore be that it is driven by values; is responsive, vocal, inclusive and imaginative. GuySuCo on the other hand has elements of both the public and private sectors as a semi-autonomous organization. This simply means that as a public entity in the GuySuCo context, it providescertain public services to ensure basic needs and rights of its employees and residents in communities are met, such as health care, management of drainage and irrigation, emergency services, etc. Its private sector components include: Involvement in investment and trade by producing sugar and some services for which it recovers cost; it also provide employment opportunities. As a business, the focus of the re-organisation efforts are: To be innovative and reengineer to derive economic growth and seek to maximize profits for investors, such as
investment so that the Corporation can continue to innovate. By virtue of having components of the public and private sectors, its main attribute in not merely profits, even though it is expected to make a profit, be inventive and productive. Having stated the above, apart of the challenge of GuySuCo being in a partnership with GAWU, is that the Union as a non-business partner, approaches the partnership from the point of view of GuySuCo being solely a public sector entity. If GuySuCo was entirely a private sector entity essentially driven by profits, the relationship and expectations of the Union would be different. For GAWU, as a public sector entity, providing employment and public services are of primary interest or rather the only interest; the private sector aspects, such as efficient management, profits, innovation, economic growth, investment and cre-
innovate, are not concerns or considerations for the Union. Therein lies a fundamental problem which is evident in Mr. Narine’s letter. One of the critical flaws in GAWU’s current approach as a labour representative organization in the partnership with GuySuCo- a semi-autonomous entity, is that the Union educate our employees who are members of the Union about their rights as employees but fail to bring a necessary and critical balance, that rights have responsibilities attached to them. As a matter of fact, the Union’s view is that the employees have rights and the management and GuySuCo as the employer have the responsibilities. Going forward, the Corporation would like the Union to widen itsperspective to reflect a more balance approach, particularly when educating as well as in the relationship with our employees in the course of providing labour representation Continued on page 6
We remind the APNU that the CoI never recommended estate closure DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) having read the APNU column – ‘Facing reality GUYSUCO’– which appeared in the June 25, 2017 Kaieteur News, finds it necessary to offer a response to some of the assertions made therein. Our Union, at the outset, must admit that it is pleasing to see the APNU referring to the Sugar Commission of Inquiry (CoI), especially since its one of the more costly CoI’s that was established since the APNU/AFC took the reins of power. GAWU and, we are sure, many others were of the view that the Coalition forgot about the CoI as there is hardly any reference to it now-a-days and seemingly none of the recommendations it made are being adopted. At this juncture, we must remind the APNU that the CoI clearly, unambiguously and without contradiction recommended that no estate be closed yet we see one estate already closed and two (2) more slated for closure. That CoI also said that non-sugar diversification, were they to be pursued should be done on non-sugar lands recognizing the uncertainties with such ventures as well as the limited employment prospects. Moreover, the CoI recommended that the industry pursue diversification into areas such
as electricity production, refined sugar and other sugar cane by-products. Clearly, as we see from the Government plans the CoI’s report has been placed on a shelf to gather dust and its findings and conclusions may not have been the tune the Government wanted to hear. The APNU also drew to attention an important finding that despite production falling by 14 percent between 2006 and 2015, foreign exchange earnings fell only by 6 percent. This statistic serves to illustrate how important the industry is to the economy. At a time when foreign exchange is a growing concern, we ask the APNU; can the economy afford to lose sugar’s foreign exchange earnings? While APNU says the
industry will be sustaining losses of about $10B in year 2025, the Skeldon CoGeneration facility, when production at that estate was less than one-third of its potential, realized income of about $9.5B last year. We make this point to illustrate that with the Skeldon Co-Generation facility together with similar facilities at Albion, Blairmont, Enmore and Uitvlugt and other plausible ventures would see the industry not in the red, but would see indeed billions of dollars in profits. The fact that APNU continues to sell GuySuCo as only and solely a raw, bulk sugar producer is causing wrong conclusions to be drawn.
We wish to remind that the CoI even advised how the industry could move forward in a diversification programme. In its structural proposal it indicates that sugar revenue becomes part of several revenue earning streams accruing to the industry. While, APNU tells us that GuySuCo’s short-term debt stood at $37.7B at the end of 2015, the Corporation’s Chairman Professor Clive Thomas told the Parliamentary Economic Services Committee that short-term indebtedness was $11.7B at the end of 2016. If the APNU figure is indeed correct, this is a significant movement and is telling us Continued on page 6
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Thursday June 29, 2017
Kaieteur News
The Clerk of the National A trained counselor should have been at this rescue mission ances to Ministers, Members On the surface, the fact that trative, social and educational from the relevant agency acEDITOR, Assembly explains of the National Assembly and DEAR It is important to the this story was highlighted in the measures to protect the child company them on future ex-
DEAR EDITOR, I wish to refer to an article titled, “Cap on Ministers’ housing allowance was increased to $500,000 in 2015" in yesterday’ issue of one of the daily newspapers. From the onset, it should be noted that the caption is most misleading. The house allowance paid to the Ministers of the Government, in accordance with section 4(a), (b), (c) and (d) of Chapter 1:07 of the Laws of Guyana, was not increased in 2015. The accounting records of the Parliament Office have revealed that the housing allowance was increased to twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) per month with effect from January, 1994, by Order No. 36 of 1995. The law does not treat with the rental of houses for Ministers of the Government. Chapter 1:07 treats with the payment of salaries and allow-
the holders of certain other offices. The rental of a house for a Minister is done by way of an administrative decision. Depending on the cost of the rent, the approval of the National Procurement and Tender Administrative Board is also obtained. The practice of providing Ministers with rented houses commenced approximately fifteen (15) years ago when the previous Administration was required to rent houses for several Ministers of the Government. As far as I am aware, only two Ministers of the present Government are provided with rented residence. In light of the aforementioned, I take this opportunity to advise that your reporters be accurate when reporting on matters which can become sensational. Sherlock E. Issacs Clerk of the National Assembly
Clement Rohee denies the State paid rent for him DEAR EDITOR, I write referring to your ‘DEM BOYS SEH...’ edition in K/N of June 28, 2017 headlined ‘ Soulja Bai walking in Jagdeo Kakish footsteps.’ In the said story it states; “He (Jagdeo) used to rent house fuh Rohee, Robert, Paaleen and Pauline. All Guyana know under Jagdeo everything was a state secret. Nobody never knew what ee use to pay fuh dem House but dem boys know it was over $500,000 a month fuh a house.” I can only answer for myself. The other persons mentioned are quite capable of clarifying for themselves, if they wish to. Just after the May 2015 elections a similar scurrilous claim was made by the K/N and I had cause to clarify that the house in which I lived since October 1992 situated at 105, New Garden Street, Queenstown, Georgetown is state property and not private property. In the circumstances, no rent was ever paid to anyone during those 23 years. The property was previ-
ously occupied by the late Dr. Faith Harding a government functionary. Whenever repairs or painting were needed to the building, it was the then Ministry of Public Works that fulfilled that responsibility. Immediately after the official results of the 2015 elections were announced I vacated the property and sent the keys to the then Ministry of Home Affairs for onward transmission to the then Office of the President. The property has since been refurbished and refurnished with government funds and occupied for alm o s t t w o y e a r s b y D r. Rupert Roopnarine former Minister of Education now a functionary at the Ministry of the Presidency. Since according to K/N, Soulja Bai is now walking in Jagdeo’s ‘kakish’ footsteps, K/N should immediately enquire of Soulja Bai how much and to whom rental is being paid for the said property since its occupancy by Dr. Roopnarine. Clement J. Rohee
wellbeing of our society that the media highlight social issues such as child sexual exploitation and abuse. Increased awareness of this scourge may prompt those responsible to do more and possibly effectuate change for the better. However, it is equally important that those involved in the rescue, investigations and reporting of child sexual exploitation and abuse cases do the right thing in the right way. Whatever actions are taken, the best interest of the child should be paramount. On June 22, 2017, one of our prominent media houses reported the story of two teenage girls who were removed from a “sex camp” along the Amaila Falls access road, Kuribrong mining district, Region Eight. A team of officers received a tip that the two teenagers, ages 17 and 15, “were allegedly working and participating in sexual activities” at the camp. The 15 year old is below the age of consent so any adult who engaged in sexual activities with her is guilty of statutory rape. The 17 year old may be above the age of consent but the investigation could possibly reveal that she was coerced or forced into sexual activities while she was a minor. A thorough investigation may possibly confirm that these girls were being exploited for commercial purposes.
media is commendable. Additionally, the swift action by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) officers and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) ranks, rescuing the teenagers from the “sex camp” is commendable. More similar actions of this nature are needed to protect children, especially those in remote locations and should be coming from others in these communities and their leaders. Additionally, greater care is required to maintain the protection of children and providing the emotional care and support they need during these rescue missions and not being questioned by the press. It is not clear why there was a reporter at the scene, directly asking the teenagers questions. Here is where a trained counselor should have been present as clearly this was a planned rescue mission. While this matter needs to be reported to the public, the rights of these teenagers and their dignity is important and garnering details from the girls should be done in a sensitive and ethical manner and by someone who is trained to address the issues of child sexual exploitation and abuse that will bring no further harm to the children. Guyana is a signatory on the Rights of the Child Convention. According to Article 19, “State parties shall take all appropriate legislative, adminis-
from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, mal treatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s), or any other person has care of the child.” Since these teenagers are both under the age of 18, they are classified as children under the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Children should not be exposed to the questioning of a reporter in these rescue missions. What they need is the support of a counselor. We encourage the officers to ensure that a trained counselor
ercises and the press to act with greater care. The ChildLinK and our partners in the Child Rights Alliance (CRA) commend the act of removing these girls by the GGMC and the GPF ranks from an environment where they were possibly abused. We commend the media for their interest in social issues and support their right to bring these matters to the public’s attention. We do, however, encourage these important stakeholders to act with more sensitivity and in the best interest of children in the future. Hasani Tinnie Communication Officer ChildLinK Inc
We remind the APNU that the CoI... From page 5 that GuySuCo is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Moreover, we wish to advise the APNU, according to 2015 GuySuCo financial statements, the Corporation has pledged to its debtors of $1.4B in assets at that time and not $42B as APNU says. What the APNU does not question for whatever reason is the value-for-money it received for the $32B it gave GuySuCo. Despite the large investment the results are not spelt out in improved production and productivity. Certainly this should stick out in the dark to the Coalition
policymakers. The GAWU, as we outlined in our presentation to the Government on February 17, 2017, strongly holds that sugar has a very bright future if the correct decisions are made. Furthermore, as we see at Wales the planned diversification initiatives are not even close to being realized but depravity and misery is steadily growing and the situation is becoming more and more depressing. We ask APNU if this is what the ‘Good Life’ is meant to be. Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU
Sugar workers have rights and the right to be responsible From page 5 services. Its strategies and tactics have to be transformed to be more relevant also to enhance and enable GuySuCo’s operations while at the same time carrying out its role of holding the Corporation accountable. GAWU being a non-business partner that is in a partnership with a businessGuySuCo, the question is, how can the Union reform to support the enhancement of the operations of GuySuCo and still ensure accountability? Currently, in its quest to make the Corporation accountable, the Union has become a major hindrance to the
growth and development of the business of sugar. For e.g. in March, during the First Crop, the Planters at the East Demerara Estate were offered work to harvest canes since the estate’s harvesting turnout was 59%, they were advised by the Union not to take up harvesting work, even though their estate had not met its target. Then on 22 May, the Harvesters at the same estate were informed by the Estate Management that the crop was continuing, and again they were encouraged to strike on 23, 24 and 25 May; they resumed duties after being reminded at a meeting with GuySuCo, that the continuation of the crop would result in regular earnings for them for that period. The Cane Harvesters and Cane Transport Operators at Wales Estate were encouraged by the Union to refuse work at Uitvlugt Estate and to demand that their services be terminated so that they can be paid severance, even though Uitvlugt Estate needs the additional labour and it will result in sustained em-
ployment for them. On 17 May, GAWU organized a protest in Rose Hall; the employees left the factory to protest, even though there was 242 tonnes of sugar being processed at a value of G$17M. The Union later distributed a press release on the same day, proudly stating that ‘the workers militancy brought to a standstill the operations of the factory’. These are just a few examples of how the Union’s approach to workers’ representation has and still is accelerating the demise of GuySuCo. The Union could have at least encouraged a small number of employees to remain in the factory in order to complete the processing of the sugar. GuySuCo would like to inform Mr. Narine that the workers have rights but they also have responsibilities. On the point of the Corporation being a wolf in sheep’s clothing, Mr. Narine is well aware that there is no sheep that can manage GuySuCo and make it successful, as such, it is not apt
to describe the Corporation as a sheep neither is it a wolf. However, the management is cognizant of the fact that it has been given the responsibility to manage a significant part of the assets and business of the people of Guyana and it intends to be good stewards. GuySuCo would wish to see the Union engaging our employees in activities and discourses which focus on the challenges but also on the opportunities that are available and will emerge for the reorganization and to encourage them be more committed to assisting their estates to achieve targets as well as stimulating their creative and innovative ability. Finally, GAWU seems to be confused, on the one hand they are stating that the quality of management needs to improve and now that it is improving, the Union is claiming that we are wolves. We have a business to manage Mr. Narine and manage it we will! Audreyanna Thomas Senior Communications Officer
Thursday June 29, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Feasibility study next year for IMF stresses transparent UG School of Energy and Mines framework before oil - addition of a Linden Campus being considered
On July 7, 2017 a cocktail reception at Duke Lodge, Kingston, Georgetown, will see the launch of the University of Guyana [UG]’s School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation. The University is getting support from Mexico for this venture. According to Vice Chancellor Ivelaw Griffith, the realisation of that School came out of a feasibility study. But this is only one of the ventures that Professor Griffith has detailed within an elaborate renaissance plan for the national university. Yesterday during an interview with this publication he revealed that next year he will be commissioning yet another feasibility study that is likely to see another addition to UG’s scope. He was at the time making reference to the possible introduction of a School of Energy and Mines. The introduction of such a School, Professor Griffith said, comes in anticipation of a thriving oil and gas sector. But according to him, “that School will not only look at oil and gas but it will also look at energy and mining.” He continued, “We have a whole lot of mining stuff in this country, but we don’t have sufficient instruction or sufficient research. We have bauxite mining, we have gold, diamond, we have manganese, we even have uranium in this country, but we don’t have, as a national university, the kind of
intentional structured effort to teach adequately and to research and develop and to policy-advise.” According to Professor Griffith, already there have been a lot of expressions of interest of support for this programme. “Even as recent I was in Houston, Texas...the Director of International Programmes [of Louisiana State University (LSU)] drove down from Baton Rouge to meet me in Houston to talk about ways LSU can be helpful. Louisiana State University is big on energy,” related the Vice Chancellor. Among the other forthcoming potential partnerships are from South Africa and Russia which have facilities that are also big on energy, and then there is Colorado School of Mines that is also willing to lend support. As such Professor Griffith noted that “for the future I am committed to doing a feasibility study to see how we can enhance what we have here. But I also know that what we have here is not going to be enough”. Moreover, the Vice Chancellor pointed out that in order for a national university such as UG to serve the nation adequately, “we have to grow beyond this campus...we need to grow beyond Turkeyen and Tain.” He noted that “my initial thinking of the School of Energy and Mines is that it should be at Linden [Region
production starts
UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith 10]. We need to have a campus in Linden where we can have the proximity and some of the facilities already about mining.” Professor Griffith said that he will ask the feasibility team to not only look at how this could be possible, but where this could be done. “It can’t be here [Turkeyen]. We can’t keep adding stuff to Turkeyen, because we have a lot of infrastructural problems that need fixing,” the Vice Chancellor said.
With Guyana positioning itself to produce oil by 2020, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stressed the importance of having a transparent and rules based framework in place before this phase commences. On May 24, 2017, the Executive Board of the IMF concluded its Article IV consultation with Guyana. Under this article, the organisation holds bilateral discussions with members usually every year, where a staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with state officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the IMF’s Executive Board. The IMF Directors upon reviewing the report, lauded the government’s plans to establish a comprehensive framework for managing its upcoming oil wealth, and
stressed the importance of having a transparent and rules-based framework in place before production begins. The IMF’s comments will also come on the heels of the non-disclosure of the Guyana/ExxonMobil Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) as questions continue to mount over the size of the slice of the pie that Guyana will be getting. The Agreement has not been made public. The local media has been told that the Petroleum Act allows for secrecy. The government, however, has been assuring time and time again, that it would have brokered the best deal possible. Guyana is to receive a two-percent ro y a l t y o n gross earnings and 50 percent of the “profits” of the oil proceeds. As it relates to framework, the Draft Local Content Policy is currently at
the level of consultations. This policy will entail the role that the local labour force and companies will play in the sector. While this draft policy is being deliberated, ExxonMobil has advertised for several services. Meanwhile, the Petroleum Commission Bill was sent to a Parliamentary committee for further fine-tuning. There are also concerns over ExxonMobil’s dealings in other parts of the world. This publication would have carried a series of articles showing the US Company’s track-record – which from all indications – is somewhat controversial.
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Thursday June 29, 2017
Kaieteur News
NFMU acquires $100M in equipment to track illegal transmissions The country has acquired major capacity in helping to track down illegal transmissions. Yesterday, the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) commissioned specialized equipment, two of which can be deployed readily, that will help improve the management of frequencies used by telephone companies, cable television and radio station operators. Over $100M was spent in the fixed, transportable and mobile spectrum monitoring units, disclosed NFMU’s head, Valmiki Singh. The acquisition of the equipment would come at a time when the country is about to open the market to new companies in the telecoms field. With spectrum demand expected to surge, the limited availability of frequencies is something that the administration would be paying close attention to. Some countries have demanded bids for certain frequencies, including ones used by mobile phones. The equipment has the capability of not only determining signal strength of transmissions, as was demonstrated yesterday, but can also zero in on locations from where the signal is coming. NFMU has in the past been challenged with dealing with complaints of operators using the airwaves illegally The Unit has been trained to also programme the equipment to conduct
monitoring at particular times. This would be good news for operators who have been complaining of competitors illegally increasing signal strength and affecting their signals. The NFMU head noted that telecommunications and ICT sectors are among the fastest growing in the world, with call centres and wireless possibilities putting a stain on the limited spectrum. Spectrum, he stressed, has applications for social, entertainment, health, education, commerce, disaster mitigation and response purposes, with wireless solutions continuing to provide solutions for people around the world. Singh made it clear that the NFMU’s mandate to minimize interference and reduce improper use of spectrum is being taken seriously. But there are no guarantees that the operators will utilize it (spectrum) as intended, for a number of reasons. These include complexity of equipment, equipment malfunction or deliberate misuse. These, of course, impact on the country’s competitiveness. However, monitoring illegal transmissions is not by any means cheap, Singh pointed out. Guyana is also challenged by its vast terrain. With regards to the equipment, Singh said that it was handled by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) with four bids received. The winner was
California-based TCI International Inc, a leading company that deals with radio frequency solutions for monitoring, spectrum management and advanced antenna-based applications. TCI has done work in Jamaica, Trinidad and Suriname. The three sets of equipment included one fixed; one transportable and one mobile. In total they cost US$563,873 (over $100M) According to the NFMU head, already the fixed equipment has been installed on top of Takuba Lodge, which houses the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on South Road. That equipment, located across from the NFMU office on Charlotte Street, will cover the Georgetown area. The transportable equipment, located in a cabinet atop a trailer, can be deployed to any area that is accessible by a pickup. An agreement has been reached with the Ministry of Public Security for it to be housed in the compounds of police stations for security reasons, Singh disclosed. The mobile equipment has been specially fitted into a pickup and can be rapidly deployed. According to Singh, NFMU technicians and those from the supplier were involved in the setting up of the basic equipment. Six of NFMU’s staffers have been trained in the use, with TCI offering backup customer service. Meanwhile, according to Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, spectrum is important for all spheres in Guyana. The agency is not only in charge of frequencies, but overlooks the allocations of frequencies to taxis, boats and a range of different
The fixed spectrum monitoring equipment atop of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office, South Road
A demonstration of how the equipment can track where transmissions via airwaves are coming from services. It is important, she stressed, for the country to accurately determine how spectrum is being used and who uses it.
Two of the spectrum monitoring units - the mobile vehicle and the transportable one on the trailer
She said that the equipment will help bring transparency, reducing illegal use of the airwaves. Also present at the commissioning were
Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, Dela Britton and Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority, Leslie Sobers, among others.
Thursday June 29, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Wanted GRDB accountant fighting extradition Former accountant of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Peter Ramcharran, will not be coming home anytime soon from Canada to face fraud charges here, his lawyer says. According to Kaisree Chatarpaul, a former magistrate in Guyana who now practices law in Canada, the legal procedures being used to bring back his client are highly flawed and will be vigorously tested in courts there. Ramcharran is wanted in Guyana to face fraud charges for alleged breaches at GRDB, an independent state agency that regulates the rice industry. Already six former officials, including current Opposition parliamentarians who were part of the former board, have been charged and released on bail pending trial. The police’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), earlier this month, successfully moved to the local courts, asking for an arrest warrant. The Government of Guyana in turn has asked the Canadian authorities to send Ramcharran back. According to the lawyer,
- Canadian lawyer his client has been in Canada since last year on a student’s visa, attending Humber College. He left Guyana in March 2016 and not this year as authorities are claiming, his lawyer said. Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said over the weekend that from all indications the accountant left in April, a month before the six persons from GRDB were charged. Ramcharran was there at Humber College last week Tuesday, when immigration officials descended on the college and took him into custody. The lawyer said he was retained more than a month ago by the accountant after news broke of arrests and charges of the former GRDB executives in Guyana. Ramcharran was taken to the immigration enforcement office, processed, and told of allegations that he was wanted in Guyana. Chatarpaul said he was contacted the next day by the accountant, but had trouble
finding him. He managed to locate his client not in an immigration detention centre, but in a high security holding facility in Maplehurst, outside of Toronto. According to the lawyer, there were several things wrong with the process. He insisted that Canadian laws work differently from the US, and one cannot be sent back on an immigration issue to face criminal charges. Rather, extradition proceedings should have been filed. In any case, Ramcharran had a valid visa as a student and that is why the immigration judge before whom he appeared last Thursday decided to grant him bail of Cdn $13,000 $10,000 bond and $3,000 cash According to the lawyer, there was a clear abuse of process, with Ramcharran protected under the laws of Canada which guarantees life, liberty and security. Chatarpaul made it clear that extradition proceedings are not straightforward and involve several procedures with Canadian authorities
Dem boys seh...
Soulja Bai either not getting good advice, or not tekking it Donald got a problem wid de media because dem always questioning and exposing almost all ee decisions. When dem boys talk bout Donald, dem don’t mean de Dummy here in Guyana. Dem talking bout de American Donald. De media relentless behind him and his administration and dem have reasons to be. He knock off people who oppose him or who ain’t do wha he want dem to do. De way in which he went about these things is wha upset de media and a big chunk of Americans. He move away from de traditional things expected of a president and a world leader. Everything come over as bullying or secret. Dem boys want de local media to be as relentless behind Soulja Bai and he administration. Soulja Bai and all doing things outside de norm. He sign up deals with ExxonMobil without knowing who these people are. He don’t have no excuse because wha ExxonMobil do around de world in de air people breathe. It even print all over de sky. When dem boys expose a little of who ExxonMobil
really is, dem putting ads in de newspapers in fine print. Dem boys want Soulja Bai to read de ads heself. He gun see that de explanation ain’t answer no question so far that de newspaper raise. De ad telling wha ExxonMobil doing, but it ain’t talking about wha de same ExxonMobil gun do to Guyana. Dem boys and plenty other people see how dem rape other countries. Dem see de condition under which dem lef de people. Dem meet de people riding bicycle to go bout dem business. When dem lef de people country, everybody was walking to wuk. Dem boys seh in de case of Guyana, ExxonMobil meet our workers ketching
minibus to go to work. Dem boys believe when ExxonMobil lef de Guyanese workers will be ketching donkey cart to wuk. Soulja Bai and ee team better tek note. He must put Guyana interest first. Everybody telling his advisers what Guyana got to do to safeguard its wealth. Dem boys ain’t sure if de advisers briefing him correctly and honestly. Dem boys want to talk to him, because wha dem hearing is kakishness going on and footsie playing under de table. Dem boys want to believe Soulja Bai getting kak. Dem boys also want to believe that money passing somewhere. Talk half and hope dem don’t get ketch wid de bribe in dem bank account.
Ramcharran’s Attorney, Kaisree Chatarpaul who are strict, especially on people’s rights. The lawyer said that SOCU in Guyana never
In limbo? Wanted accountant, Peter Ramcharran
contacted his client to tell him he was wanted in Guyana to face charges and therefore lied to the court when one of
its officials swore before a magistrate that his (Chatarpaul’s) client had fled the jurisdiction.
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Thursday June 29, 2017
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Bail for 187 pounds of cocaine; no bail for 2 pounds I believe accused persons before the court should be granted bail, with one exception – in violent robberies or rape. The victim may be terrorized, and if such a circumstance could be proven, then bail should be denied. Even when the prevailing situation finds acceptance in the denial of bail with crimes like illegal gun possession, the specific facts of the case should result in bail. I wrote about farmers, deep in the interior, who keep illegal guns for protection. Recently, a 65-year-old Amerindian farmer was given three years for illegal possession of a firearm. His wife was in a coma in the hospital.
When she recovered, she heard the news and died. The farmer is a diabetic patient and doesn’t know his wife is dead. The fear is that when he gets the news, he may die too. After reading my column on this elderly fellow, Sase Gunraj of the PPP, told me he applied for bail in the High Court and it was denied. Funny how power destroys the mind. A PPP lawyer read that column and applied for bail. No one from the glorious APNU+AFC partnership thought of asking one of their colleagues outside of government to seek bail for the man. But that very APNU+AFC partnership is going to go to the Amerindian people in the
2018 local government elections and the 2020 general elections and ask for their votes. I like the words I read the other day from President Granger. He said the 2018 local government election results will indicate how the citizenry feel about the government’s performance. In other words, the president says his party will be running in 2018 to retain the City Council. Really, life is funny in this hell hole. Anyway, back to bail and cocaine Two race drivers were put on $5M bail each, granted by the High Court, for alleged trafficking in cocaine.
Days after, Keon Aaron was denied bail by a magistrate for alleged trafficking in 2 pounds of cocaine. Maybe even a jackass living in Guyana would conclude that this country does not make sense. If you can be charged for possession of 200 pounds of cocaine, and be bailed, then why not for 2 pounds? A lawyer, for the purpose of this column, told me the drug law does not permit the lower court the latitude of granting bail. I can’t help but be cynical and facetious about President Desmond Hoyte. Was he smoking “Congo Pump” when he approved that law? Why can’t an accused before a lower court get bail for alleged cocaine trafficking but could do so in the High Court? The official philosopher of the Holy Roman Empire, Saint Aquinas, once wrote that every action in life has a logical underpinning. There isn’t anything in Guyana that has a logical foundation. Take for example, SOCU. It applied for a warrant in open court to search the home of
Anil Nandlall. The magistrate then said in open court; “alright, come back for it later.” All of this was done in view of a full courtroom.
Frederick Kissoon Someone informed the PPP about the warrant and the search was not pursued. Another lawyer, for the purpose of this column, told me that SOCU could go to the home of a magistrate to get a search warrant. But even if SOCU erred, SOCU officials are not trained lawyers with experience in the court room. Could the magistrate have acted otherwise by clearing the court room? Just asking! The funny thing about Guyana is the juxtaposition of
opposites. Those who studied Hegel and Marx may want to call this the working out of the dialectics. The same time the bail for the accused in 187 pounds cocaine case was granted and bail refused in the 2-pound cocaine matter made the news, the SOCU arrest warrant fiasco hit the headlines too. And in the news right at that moment was the renting of houses for two ministers at the cost of $500,000 monthly. What do the juxtapositions reveal? When it comes to modernizing post-colonial Guyana, the State acts in strange ways. We have primitive laws in relation to certain crimes, we have policemen that do not know about court procedures, but we also have ruling politicians that the State ensures are treated nicely. I will end on a note that will easily be interpreted as cynicism, but I am dead serious. By way of this column, I am informing the Prime Minister and the President that my home is up for rental. Please gentlemen, I need that half a million a month.
Thursday June 29, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Grocer gun-butted in face Woman among trio confessing during mid-afternoon robbery to ‘threesome’ peeper’s murder A young woman is among three persons who reportedly confessed to murdering 49year-old Kumar Persaud on Monday at Third Avenue Beach, Bartica. The suspects are currently in the Bartica Police Station lockups. Divisional Commander Ravindradat Budhram said that charges will follow as soon as a post mortem examination is conducted. According to information, the victim called “Radika” was asked to remove from the beach sometime between
04:00 to 08:00 hrs by the suspects, who were reportedly involved in a “threesome,” but he refused and continued staring at the trio. This reportedly angered the persons who began beating Persaud. It was an eyewitness who pointed out the suspects to law enforcement officers. This individual had summoned ranks to the scene on Monday when the suspects were arrested and the victim was rushed to the hospital in an unconscious
Dead: Kumar Persaud state. He died while receiving treatment at the Bartica Hospital.
Handyman jailed for trafficking ganja
The grocery store that was robbed A High Street, Georgetown grocer was gunbutted to the face around 13:30 hrs yesterday when three armed bandits stormed his business place and escaped with a digital video recorder (DVR) after robbing the establishment. The incident happened at United General Store located at Lot 16 High Street, Georgetown. Proprietor of the grocery
store, Anthony Jackson, said that he and three staffers along with two customers were in the store when the men entered and demanded that everyone lie on the floor. Based on information received, two of the bandits entered the store pretending to be customers. “One had a cloth on his mouth to make it seemed like he was sick and the other one come and ask for Lysol,” a
UG's development hampered by serious pilfering problem From page 2 theft of equipment and misconduct of staff members of CIT. The Manager of the Centre and several employees were sent on leave as an interim measure to allow the investigation to proceed without disruption of evidence, and to preserve a safe, orderly, and professional work environment. A temporary manager was identified to oversee the operations of the Centre during
the conduct of the investigation which, Professor Griffith said yesterday, was ongoing. Additionally, there are reports coming out from UG that the Ministry of Public Telecommunications was asked to conduct a forensic audit of the CIT operations a t t h e Turkeyen and Berbice campuses and the four centres of the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education located at Anna Regina, Georgetown, Linden and New Amsterdam.
staffer said. Before they were handed the Lysol, one of the men whipped out a gun and demanded everyone to get down on the ground, at which point they were joined by a third gunman. The intruders carted off $60,000 from Jackson while they escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash and phones from the two customers and two staffers. This newspaper was informed that the men spent close to 20 minutes searching the store. “While they were inside, one customer came in not knowing what was happening and they had him lying on the ground too,” a staffer said. He added that one of the gunmen then went outside to the customer ’s car and collected his wife’s phone and purse. “She was outside not knowing what was happening inside, and the guy went out to her and collected her stuff.” The robbers escaped in a waiting motorcar. No one has been arrested as yet.
A handyman was yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts on a charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. Twenty-five-year-old Carldale Aaron, of Norton Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara, pleaded guilty to the charge which read that on June 26 at John Street, Werken-Rust, he had in his possession 102 grams of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking. Police Prosecutor Simone Payne told the court that on the day in question police observed the accused standing at a corner on John Street, Werk-en-Rust, holding a black bag and acting in a suspicious manner. The court heard that accused upon seeing a police mobile patrol dropped the bag and ran. The police gave chase and
Carldale Aaron the accused was later apprehended. A search was carried out on the bag in the presence of the accused, during which a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be narcotics was unearthed. The accused was then arrested and taken to the Alberttown Police Station where he admitted in a caution statement to ownership of the narcotics.
The accused in his address to the court stated that he recently had a surgery done and due to his condition he was unable to find a job. “I know what I did was wrong. I recently got a kidney removed and I was not feeling well. I was looking for work because my girlfriend was constantly complaining because I was not getting money to support my children. I talked to a friend about a job because I did not want to go and thief people stuff. My friend helped me out with the 'weed' and I was going to sell it and make a 'lil hussle' to support my children.” When asked by the magistrate if he was ever charged before, the accused told the court that he was charged two years back for simple larceny, but the charge was dismissed against him due to insufficient evidence. The father of two was fined $153,000 along with the three years imprisonment.
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Thursday June 29, 2017
Kaieteur News
High-level regional confab today Lethem road network to get to address tobacco smuggling estimated $242.5M upgrade The British American Tobacco Company (BAT) will be hosting a Regional Conference in Guyana in conjunction with Demerara Tobacco Company and Crime Stoppers International, to address some of the issues affecting the regional tobacco trade. The conference will be held at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown today, and is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to work with authorities regionally, a spokesperson stated yesterday. The representative told Kaieteur News, also, that the conference is intended to draw some of the major players from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname to fully understand the supply chain, loss of revenue to Governments and to see what can be “beefed up “ on the “porous borders,” “Illicit trade is a major and growing problem worldwide. Be it smuggling, counterfeit or tax evasion, governments are losing billions of dollars in tax revenues,” The spokesperson said that because of these illegal activities, legitimate businesses are being
undermined and consumers are being exposed to poorly made and unregulated products. The illicit trade, it was noted, is being fuelled by consumers looking to save money by evading taxes on tobacco products. Some suppliers the representative noted, are also fuelling the illicit trade as they seek to capitalise on easy border entry, high profit margins and the “weak repercussions” if caught. The conference comes at a time when the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) would have announced plans to start stamping liquor and cigarettes coming into Guyana. This will be done in a bid to reduce a multibillion-dollar smuggling trade in alcohol and cigarettes. The measure is expected to take effect from as early as August or September, Commissioner-General of the GRA, Godfrey Statia, had disclosed during a recent interview with this publication. In essence, GRA’s inspectors will be able to determine, during checks, whether any cigarettes and
liquor are legal – meaning that the relevant taxes have been paid up. The stamp has to be affixed on the items. According to Statia, the digital excise tax system is to strictly address the smuggling of these commodities. Already, the necessary agreements with the contractor who will be providing the stamps, have been signed and the verification devices will soon be available, Kaieteur News was informed. GRA has already made arrangements to engage the relevant stakeholders including manufacturers and importers. The issue of the stamp was first announced last year, with Statia indicating that the GRA has been paying close attention to smuggling, which is reportedly siphoning off billions of dollars annually in revenue. With indications of a huge smuggling racket involving these commodities, it was reported that Guyana loses an estimated $2B annually in taxes, the CommissionerGeneral had disclosed.
Persons who utilise the Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) road network, can now breathe a sigh of relief. Contractors submitted bids at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) last Tuesday, to carry out rehabilitative works on the system. The engineer’s estimate was announced at $242.5M and the procuring entity is the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. All the roads in the newly-declared municipality are in a deplorable state and the council has been advocating for new roads. The roads to be upgraded are Barrack Retreat Road, (the
road from the roundabout to Lethem Power Company, the Tabatinga Main Road, Tabatinga Drive (right through to school street,) Middle Street and the Airport Road. Mayor of the Township Carton Beckles, said earlier this month that Church Road, Centaur Boulevard and First and Second Streets, have also been identified to be upgraded in the event there are savings remaining from repairing the five initial streets. The municipality itself has some finances, for which it can upgrade a few more of the roundabouts, within the township. Mayor Beckles had explained that these works
will not be undertaken until those that are being executed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure are completed because the municipality does not want to disrupt the work being done by the Ministry. Permanent Secretary Geoffrey Vaughn was contacted yesterday. He was asked if job opportunities will be made available to locals. The official said that while the ministry encourages contractors to utilise the local labour force in hinterland locations, the decision is entirely up to the contractors. He noted that the ministry cannot force the contractors. Below are the names of the companies, along with their bids:
Thursday June 29, 2017
Venezuela hunts rogue helicopter attackers, Maduro foes suspicious
Oscar Perez (Reuters) The Venezuelan government hunted on Wednesday for rogue policemen who attacked key installations by helicopter, but critics of President Nicolas Maduro suspected the raid may have been staged to justify repression. In extraordinary scenes over Caracas around sunset on Tuesday, the stolen helicopter fired shots at the Interior Ministry and dropped grenades on the Supreme Court, both viewed by Venezuela’s opposition as bastions of support for a dictator. Nobody was injured. Officials said special forces were seeking Oscar Perez, 36, a police pilot named as the mastermind of the raid by the helicopter that carried a banner saying “Freedom!” In 2015, Perez co-produced and starred in “Death Suspended,” an action film in which he played the lead role as a government agent rescuing a kidnapped businessman. There was no sign on Wednesday of Perez, whom officials condemned as a “psychopath”, but the helicopter was found on Venezuela’s northern Caribbean coastline. “We ask for maximum support to find this fanatic, extremist terrorist,” vice president Tareck El Aissami said. The attack exacerbated an already full-blown political crisis in Venezuela after three months of opposition protests demanding general elections and fixes for the sinking economy. At least 76 people have died in the unrest since April, the latest a 25-year-old man shot in the head near a protest in the Petare slum of Caracas, authorities said on Wednesday. Hundreds more people have been injured and arrested in what Maduro terms an ongoing coup attempt with U.S. encouragement. The attack fed a conspiracy theory by opposition supporters that it may have been a government setup and
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Kaieteur News
overshadowed other drama on Tuesday, including the besieging of opposition legislators by gangs in the National Assembly. The helicopter raid also coincided with a judicial measure weakening the powers of dissident chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega, who has emerged as a major challenger to Maduro. “It seems like a movie,” said Julio Borges, leader of the opposition-controlled legislature, of the helicopter raid. “Some people say it is a set-up, some that it is real ... Yesterday was full of contradictions ... A thousand things are happening, but I summarize it like this: a government is decaying and rotting, while a nation is fighting for dignity.” Though Perez posted a video on social media showing himself in front of four hooded armed men and claiming to represent a coalition of security and civilian officials rising up against “tyranny,” there was no evidence of deeper support. The government, however, accused the policemen of links to the CIA and to Miguel Rodriguez, a former interior minister and intelligence chief under Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez, who recently broke with the government. “I’m not at all convinced
by the helicopter incident,” Rodriguez told Reuters on Wednesday, saying the figures behind Perez in the video looked like dummies and expressing surprise the helicopter could fly freely and also not injure anyone.
FBI questions U.S. employees of Russian cyber firm Kaspersky Lab (Reuters) The FBI interviewed several U.S. employees of Moscow-based cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab this week as part of an investigation into the company’s operations, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents visited the homes of Kaspersky employees late on Tuesday in multiple U.S. cities, although no search warrants were served, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the FBI probe. Last month, senior U.S. intelligence officials said in testimony before the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee that they were reviewing government use of software from Kaspersky Lab. Lawmakers raised con-
cerns that Moscow might use the firm’s products to attack American computer networks, a particularly sensitive issue given allegations by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia hacked and leaked emails of Democratic Party political groups to interfere in the 2016 presidential election campaign. Russia denies the allegations. It was unclear whether the probe into Kaspersky Lab was related to an investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian election meddling and possible collusion with associates of thenRepublican Party candidate Donald Trump. Kaspersky Lab confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that FBI agents have had “brief interactions” with some of its U.S. employees, discussions that the company described as “due diligence”
chats. The FBI declined to comment. NBC News, which on Wednesday first reported the interviews, said at least a dozen U.S.-based employees were paid visits, citing anonymous sources. In response to U.S. lawmakers’ concerns, Kaspersky founder and chief executive Eugene Kasp e r s k y h a d said during a questionand-answer session on R e d d i t t h a t he would be willing to appear before the Senate to dispel any concerns about his company’s products. Kaspersky’s anti-virus software is popular in the United States and around the world, though U.S. officials have long been suspicious that the company may have ties to Russian intelligence agencies.
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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyanapassport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigration Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496/ 662-6045 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:629-4946 or 225-4822 A Power ’s Repairs & Services: repairs done on fridges, washers, freezers, stove, A/C. located 114 Bruche Dam, E.C.D. Call: 6852588/669-0477
WANTED 1 Accounts Clerk, preferably from E.B.D – 5 subjects CXC minimum @ gtcareers592@gmail.com Hairdresser/Nail Technician apply at West Shore Plaza, 15 Public Road, Ruimzeight, W.C.D. Call: 269-1524/656-3561 Experienced caterpillar mechanic contact 223-5273/4 One cleaner to work at hotel contact 223-5273/4 Truck driver for TM and Model M trucks contact 2235273/74 Canter Driver; must have a lorry License contact 2235273/74 Hardworking, pleasant, physically fit, literate, team player (Plant Shop Staff) 1825 years. Tel: 646-2108, Georgetown One female domestic to work in Trinidad. ages between 25 40yrs. Free accommodation. Call or whatsap: 1868- 683-1528
Hairdressers and nail technicians to work at Modern Hair Fashion Salon. Call: 227-8613 or 226-1931
Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665
DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIAL OFFERS FOR THE SEASON. CALL: 690-6494 AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTING, CHEAPEST RATE. Call: 698-7807 TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
FOR SALE
FOR RENT
PROPERTY FOR SALE
LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754.
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461
Bully dogs mix with pit-bull puppies. Call: 684-9994/6878320 ask for Keno
Business spots to rent on Public Road, 15X15 space with A/C, PVC ceiling, 40X12 PVC Ceiling, running water. Call: 613-0448/672-8625
AT 192 Car, Price $450,000.00 negotiable. Tel: 643-4049 6 Cows for sale @ La Penitence, G/Town. Call: 6947796/231-0597/671-0614
Sawmill for rent in Linden: Ripsaw, portable mill, molder in excellent condition. Call: 673-9401
Paint Sale! Until supplies last! Coloured latex paint, 50% discount. Call: 265-3541/ 6954785/616-3411
Two bedroom at self contained @ Tuschen $50,000. Call: 688-0087/ 6338484
Sale! Laptops from -$40,000, netbooks -$29,000, Dell Desktop Computers with 19" Screen - $49,000 free games, etc. Call Futuretech: 231-2206
Rental @ Ogle, 4 Master bedrooms, luxury home $5,000US. Call: 688-0087/ 6338484
Design & Make Aluminum windows, doors, stainless rails, showcases, rolling shutters, make & install automatic doors. Call: 2336818/677-5599/659-9999 One 65KVA generator, one double head planer, one 4 head planer. Call: 222-3644/ 613-5535
Middle age couple (40-50) to live and work on farm/resort at Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke Highway. Call: 643-0333/697-8008
Water dredge operator, sailor, watchman for interior. Call: 675-0587/225-9304
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 677-7827, 6435122 ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM
Thursday June 29, 2017
Kaieteur News
GT Express wanted contract cars, dispatcher, drivers. Tel: 231-0316/ 231-0002 Buying fresh wamara logs and square. Call: 664-5150
VEHICLE FOR SALE 3.5 TON & 4 TON CANTER, OPEN BACK WITH 4D35 & 4D34 ENGINE, PRICE -$3.8M & $4.2M. CALL: 617-2891 TOYOTA FIELDER – 2009 WITH BODY KIT & RIMS $2.5M, SIENTA -$2.1M. CALL: 617-2891
Unregistered Mazda Axela 2011 -$2.7M, Corolla Fielder 2010 -$2.4M, Nissan Pickup 2000 -$2.3M. Call: 617-5536
We are buying residential house lots from $500,000.00$10M, priorities for Eccles & Providence. Call:629-2881/ 651-1969
1 Toyota Vigo, price -$2.5M, 4 wheel drive immaculate condition. Call: 225-3234
Wanted now! Female bartender $18,000 weekly live in or out, free meal & accommodation in G.T. Call: 681-1312 One part-time domestic from Diamond/Grove area. Call: 656-7329 Arc/Acetylene Welder with fabrication skills. Call: 227-1830
1 2 Bedroom house to rent at Grove, E.B.D – Call: 266-0892/ 681-1047
Oswin J’s Auto Imports, new arrivals: Premio 2009, Allion 2009/2010, X-Trail 2009, Vitz 2013, 1 Bus 05/09. Call: 6092815/696-4659
Female sales representative for fashion boutique age 1830, demonstrate passion for fashion. Call: 614-2986/email House and land available @ a p p l i c a t i o n : La Parfaite Harmonie, warren.wintz@gmail.com Providence, Etc, We also One driver that lives on assist with financing. Contact Essequibo Coast to drive Pacific Development: 223- distribution vehicle. Call: 6035/ 227-8274 623-1615 House for sale, 2 flat, no flooding, 6ft fence, price Admin officer, business $18M negotiable. Call: 233- associate/customer services, computer operator, brilliant & 5400, 218-0595 detailed oriented. Apply @ Goat Creek, Riverfront , 75 Executive office Services. Acres land -$7M, Lanaballi Call: 623-3574 River Front, 50 Acres -$9M. Diamond -$7.5M Call: 688- One experienced cook various types of vegetarian 0087, 638-8484 dishes Monday –Saturday. Riviera Island: 145 Acres - Call: 623-1615 $30M, Tuschen property - Cook/ Baker for interior. $5.8M, $6M, $15M. Call: 688- Applicants must be 0087, 638-8484 experienced. Call: 618-2020 Tuschen 2 bedroom flat houses: $10M, land $2M. Call: 688-0087,638-8484
3 Bedrooms upstairs @ 74 Independence Street, La Grange, light & water inclusive. Call: 695-9386
Versailes luxury home - $US 500,000, Hague front property - $30M, Tuschen $25M, Canal #2 (15 acres) -$9M. Call:6880087,638-8484
Hair & nails stations available for rental to experienced hairdressers & nail technicians. Call: 6283092/ 683-7033 1 House – upper flat 3 bedrooms, Pike Street Kitty. Call: 234-0733
1 Flat concrete house @ La Parfaite Harmonie, 3 bedrooms with 1 Master room, grilled PVC ceiling etc $12.5M negotiable. Call: 2533052/ 662-6818
Immediate vacancy exists for labourers t work at Ice Factory, Meadowbank. Call: 231-1408/642-9191 between 8am-1pm Receptionist/Clerk -$35,000 weekly, manager’s assistant, attractive salary. Call: 2202878 1 live in couple & 2 male assistant with driver’s license to work @ outdoor grill, weekend included. Call: 6569313/675-2550 1 General domestic, must know to cook. Call: 638-6891 Chef and assistant cook. Call: 225-7933 or visit us at 173 Sheriff St.
LAND FOR SALE TO LET Newly constructed apartments in a safe & healthy environment. Call: 698-6496/622-6512 Room in Albertown/ apartments in Eccles. Call:225-3234 2 Bedrooms apartment Middle Road La Penitence $25,000 working person only. Call: 601-4661
2004 Honda Fit for sale, price negotiable. Call Akimo: 622-6453 or Michael: 685-0088 Allion, Primo, Fielder Wagon, Spacio, Bluebird, 212 Carina, NZE, Honda CRV, Toyota IST, RZ & Pit-bull – Call: 650-7501
One three bedroom concrete house for sale Contact Mala: 917-254-2909, location: Vryheid’s Lust, North. Call: 699-4111/626-2208
Two bedroom apartment to rent @ Herstelling New Scheme. Call: 627-3882/ 6412311
1 Hilux extra cab, GVV series, 5L diesel, good condition. Call: 673-3335/233-6218
Contract cars at City Taxi Service, 8 Vlissengen Road. Call: 227-6868
Experienced dispatcher, drivers and cars needed A.S.A.P. Contact 682-6747, 615-4252, 219-2712.
Three storey 75ftX30ft building/bond, open floor, 2 offices & 2 washrooms, driveway @ 25B Princes St., Charlestown. Call: 223-0654/ 225-0605
Beautiful 2 storey concrete, 4 bedroom property for sale at Rumzeight Garden, W.C.D with AC/ Hot & Cold water. Call: 699-9666/ 269-0189
VACANCY One experienced pharmacy assistant to work in a reputable pharmacy in G/ Town (flexible hours). Call: 227-0630 Immediate vacancy for 2 females to work @ Ice Factory in Blairmont, must have Maths, English. Call: 2311408/642-9191
PEN PAL 43yrs old male looking for vegetarian wife. Call: 690-7175
Prime Gold & Diamond Mining Land for sale contact 223-5273/74 Land at 42 Coglan Dam, size: FOR SALE/FOR RENT 37X270 price -$5.5M American Pool Table. Call: negotiable. Call Mr. Howes: 277-0578 677-9938 or Mrs Clarke: +13473870537 Large 3 bedrooms house for New Hope land - $4M, rent or sale in La Parfaite Enmore- $2M, Moblissa W.B.D -$40,000 per monthly. Land - $2M per acre. Call: Call: 690-5061/667-0022 688-0087, 638-8484 One furnished liquor 2 ½ Acres riverside land, 5 Acres restaurant and bar for sale land with 5,000 sq.ft building. $20M or rent, location: E.C.DCall: 600-7228 Call: 653-2477/685-6874 Herstelling (100ftX50ft) - $3.2M, Farm (East Bank) -$2.8M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1M, $1.4M, $1.6M, Uitvlugt -$2.6M. Call: 629-2881/651-1969
Semi-furnished 5 bedrooms, 4 bathroom, camera, alarm, grill, garage. Call John: 6521504 Continued on page 23
Thursday June 29, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Two Justices of the Peace sworn in Two Justices of the Peace (JPs) were sworn in last week Wednesday by Magistrate Rhondel Weever. Ms. Renae McCalman and Ms. Patricia Lynch, in the Fort Wellington Magistrate Court, West Coast Berbice took the oath of office as Justices of Peace and Commissioners of Oaths. Magistrate Weever, addressing the two new Justices of the Peace, highlighted the extensive powers endowed upon them, as well as stressed the need for them to carry out their duty without fear or favour. She also cautioned that from time to time there would be challenges, and that the JPs should avoid operating as if they know it all. Ms. Lynch is currently employed as a community development worker in Region Six while Ms. McCalman is currently Assistant Overseer for Naarstigheid-Union Neighborhood Democratic Council in Region Five, as well as being the chairperson of the Hopetown Multipurpose Co-op Society.
Magistrate Rhondel Weever (centre) with Justices of the Peace Renae McAlman (L) and Patricia Lynch According to the laws of Guyana, every Justice of the Peace shall be ex-officio, a coroner, in and for Guyana, or in and for that portion of Guyana for which he is a
Justice of the Peace. According to the law, (Cap. 3:05) every Justice of the Peace shall have power to preserve the peace, to suppress riots and affrays,
Simone Hackett murder PI … Aunt testifies to identifying corpse
and to disperse all disorderly and tumultuous assemblages, and for any of these purposes to call in the aid and assistance of all citizens of Guyana, who shall be severally bound to obey all lawful commands Subject to the aforesaid, every Justice of the Peace shall have the same power as a Magistrate to issue warrants for the apprehension and commitment for safe custody of persons charged with indictable offences: to remand
persons charged with offences, whether punishable on summary conviction, or on indictment; to issue search warrants in respect of indictable offences, or in respect of any other offence in which a Magistrate has power to issue a search warrant, and to administer oaths in cases allowed by law. It should be noted also that according to the law, any Justice of the Peace is empowered to apprehend the offender where an indictable offence may have been committed in the presence of the JP, or where a breach of the peace would have been committed. The JP is also empowered to verbally command any other person to apprehend the offender, according to the law, and that person may follow the offender if he flees, and execute the command whether in or out of the presence of the Justice of the Peace by whom the command would have been given. The law also states that the jurisdiction of every JP shall extend throughout Guyana, or throughout that portion of Guyana for which he or she is a Justice of the Peace. The President may appoint any fit and proper person to be a Justice of the Peace, and in like manner, for sufficient cause, remove any JP from office.
18 months for simple larceny
MURDER ACCUSED: Cleavaughn Hamilton
MURDER ACCUSED: Ranachal Singh
MURDERED: Simone Hackett
Shelly Greene, the aunt of Simone Hackett - the woman who was found dead with her throat slit in a canal at Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown - testified that she identified the body of her niece at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s mortuary. Cleavaughn Hamilton, 30, of Mahaica, East Coast Demerara and taxi driver, Ranachal Singh, 31, of Lot 7 Good Hope, ECD allegedly committed the offence between April 16 and 19, 2016 at Cummings Lodge, Georgetown. They are on remand. Green was called to testify by Police Prosecutor David Goodridge when the preliminary inquiry into the matter continued on Tuesday before Magistrate Alisha
George at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts. Also testifying was Police Corporal Patrick Benjamin, a detective, who is stationed at Police ‘C’ Division Headquarters, Cove and John, East Coast Demerara. Corporal Benjamin testified to taking 14 photographs of the area where Hackett’s corpse was found. According to reports, on April 16, 2016 Hackett left to retrieve a package that was sent by Hamilton for their son, from a person named “Dexter”. It was reported that the woman went missing one day before she was supposed to play the role of maid of honour at her sister’s wedding. It was reported that Singh and the other accused
allegedly picked up Hackett at University of Guyana (UG) Access Road on the evening of April 16. The woman was taken further down the said road where she was killed. The partially decomposed body of the 25-year-old mother of one of “C” Field, Sophia, was discovered in a trench parallel to UG road, at Fourth Field, Cummings Lodge on April 19, 2016. It was reported that her throat was slit and there were what appeared to be two stab wounds to the back of her neck. Hamilton reportedly confessed to police that he killed the mother of his child. Based on reports, the taxi driver transported Hamilton to Mahdia although he knew that the man had killed Hackett and dumped her body.
Kishore Lall, 49 of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, yesterday made an appearance before Senior Magistrate Sunil Scarce in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he pleaded guilty to a simple larceny charge. The charge read that between June 9 and June 15, 2015 at Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway, he stole from the virtual complainant Wayne Barclay, one weeding machine valued $100,000, one chain saw worth $80,000, one cooking gas valued $12,000, one power car battery valued $30,000 and one goat valued $30,000 - property of Barclay. The magistrate sentenced the accused to 18 months imprisonment, citing that he pleaded guilty on his first ap-
pearance and did not waste the court’s time. Meanwhile, before the same magistrate, a construction worker was granted bail in the sum of $60,000 on an assault charge. Thirty-nine-year-old Neil Garraway denied the charge which alleged that on February 22 at Mocha, East Bank Demerara, he unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm on the virtual complainant Indra Kissoon. Police Prosecutor Preston John had no objection to bail being granted to the defendant and did not disclose the facts in the matter. The magistrate then granted bail to the defendant and instructed the father of three to make his next court appearance on July 6.
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Thursday June 29, 2017
Kaieteur News
Prosecutor wants President Desi Bouterse jailed for 20 years
President Desi Bouterse By Marvin Hockstam PA R A M A R I B O , Suriname, CMC -Suriname’s military prosecutor Wednesday demanded a 20-year jail term for President Desi Bouterse, for his alleged role in the so called “December Murders” that has given the country’s ‘trial of the century’ an unexpected historical turn. But, Irwin Kanhai, the attorney for President Bouterse said “it is not over yet” and together with the lawyers for the other defendants will address the Military Court on Thursday. Relatives of the 15 men who were murdered on December 8, 1982 expressed happiness after hearing the demand by prosecutor Roy Elgin, who based his request for 20 years on his belief that the murders had been pre-
meditated. He told the court that Bouterse, who at the time headed a military government in this Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, was responsible for the killings and that the former army leader had been in Fort Zeelandia at the time they were committed. “The murders were planned properly and there was a script. It was premeditated,” said Elgin. Several years ago, the former army commander claimed political responsibility for the murders since he was head of the government at the time of the massacre, but has denied any personal involvement in the killings. Bouterse claimed that the trial is politically motivated and has argued in the past
that the truth and a resolution regarding the “December Murders” will not be found through the court system but rather through a process as had been the case in South Africa and other countries where special commissions were established to determine the truth behind political murders. The “December Murders” trial started in 2007, at least 25 years after the murders of the prominent citizens at the historic Fort Zeelandia in Paramaribo that served as the headquarters of the then military leadership of Suriname. But in May 2012, Parliament passed an amendment to the Amnesty legislation, derailing the trial just days before Elgin was to announce his terms for punishment. In June last year, Bouterse again moved again to derail the trial by instructing his Attorney General Roy Baidjnath-Panday to end the prosecution indefinitely. The Military Court overruled the blockade of the trial in December 2016, arguing that the invocation of Article 148 did not stand. The Attorney General then filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal. On May 11, the Appellate Court ruled that the Attorney General’s request was inadmissible and the case was sent back to the Military Court.Elgin insisted that even if Bouterse was not present in Fort Zeelandia, he could still be considered the culprit, as his presence is not a prerequisite.
Thursday June 29, 2017
Kaieteur News
Trade matters likely to dominate CARICOM summit By Linda Straker ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders will discuss future trade relations with the United Kingdom as it prepares to leave the European Union when they meet here next week for their annual summit. Acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Nicholas Steele, briefing reporters on the July 4-7 summit here, said that trade relations between the 15-mrember grouping and the United Kingdom after Brexit would most likely dominate the talks here. “How we interact with a United Kingdom that is not part of the European Union is very important and as CARICOM there is need for a united approach,” he said. British Prime Minister Theresa May has started the process of pulling Britain out of the EU single market even as critics said the talks should be suspended because it could not be delivered by a Government “lacking in strength and stability, unclear on its objectives, unlikely to survive”.. Last July, the regional
leaders began their summit in Guyana in the shadows of the vote taken by Britons to exit the 43-year-old European Union. While the leaders made reference to the vote and urged Caribbean people not to harbour any such thought as it relates to the regional integration movement, the St Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, while he welcomed the opportunities that Brexit — as it is popularly known — may have for the region, also noted that it has “put the survival of our integration into focus”. Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said that the summit provided the leaders with “a wonderful opportunity to seriously consider the effect that Britain’s exit from the European Union will have on CARICOM to demonstrate real leadership by showing the way forward. Steele told reporters that there are “many treaties with the EU that will have to be renegotiated for CARICOM member states because it will not be the same common approach as exist presently. “These treaties were EU
treaties but now it we will have negotiate UK treaties,” said Steele, noting that the discussions will be led by the CARICOM Office on Trade. The summit is expected to be attended by at least 13 CARICOM leaders. Alva Browne, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that there will be a high representation from China, the World Bank and special surprise guest whose identity has to be concealed due to security reasons. The Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said that the leaders are also expected to deliberate on outstanding matters related to the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) following the comprehensive review of the CSME’s performance presented to then at the last Inter-Sessional Meeting in February. There is also expected to be an update on the preparations for CARIFESTA XIII to be staged in Barbados from August 17 to August 27under the theme “Asserting our Culture, celebrating ourselves.”
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Kaieteur News
Thursday June 29, 2017