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Thursday May 26, 2016
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Great thoughts of freedom on the 50th Independence Anniversary When I was leaving Guyana to study abroad, one of my favourite persons, my history professor, Catholic nun Dr. Mary Noel Menezes, gave me a little volume and told me to always keep it by my side. It is titled, “Great Thoughts of Freedom.” It is an item in my life that I cherish. In it she wrote the words; “To Freddie. May the spirit of freedom continue to motivate in all you do.” This tiny book sits on top of all the books of the shelf nearest to my desk - meaning it is right in front of my eyes all the time. I would like to offer readers a selection from that book mixed with extracts I have taken from other texts. Where the quote is from “Great Thoughts of Freedom” next to the person who wrote it, are the initials GTF. I begin with a philosopher who had a huge influence in the
evolution of my world belief. I think I am essentially an existentialist/anarchist and Nietzsche more that Martin Heidegger or Jean Paul Sartre had that kind of influence on me. “Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful.” Nietzsche - GTF “Simply by being compelled to keep constantly on his guard, a man may grow so weak as to be unable any longer to defend himself.” Nietzsche - GTF “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a free society in which all persons live together in harmony with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to see realized. But my lord, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to
die.” - Nelson Mandela “Don’t forget your history; know your destiny. In the abundance of water, the fool is thirty.” - Bob Marley “If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will best be attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.” Aristotle – GTF “We must consider what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons, as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of nature; without asking leave, or depending upon the will of any other man.” John Locke – GTF “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains. One thinks himself the master
of others, and still remains a greater slave than they.” John Jacques Rousseau – GTF “A man attaches himself to a woman – not to enjoy her but to enjoy himself.” – Simone de Beauvoir “Man is defined as a human being and a woman as a female – whenever she behaves as a human being she is said to imitate the male.” – Simone de Beauvoir “When we revolt, it’s not for a particular culture. We revolt simple because we cannot breathe.” – Franz Fanon “Education is the passport to the future for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” –Malcolm X “The history of the world is none other than the progress of the consciousness of freedom.” – Hegel – GTF “There should be no
discrimination against languages people speak, skin colour or religion.” – Malala “Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment, the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear of punishment” – Mahatma Gandhi “To renounce liberty is to renounce being a man, to surrender the rights of humanity and even its duties. For him who renounces everything no indemnity is possible. Such a renunciation is incompatible with man’s nature; to remove all liberty from his will is to remove all morality from his acts.” – Rousseau – GTF “Necessity is blind until it becomes conscious. Freedom is the consciousness of necessity.” – Karl Marx “But man, proud man. Dressed in a little brief authority. Most ignorant of
Frederick Kissoon what he’s most assured.” – William Shakespeare Columnist’s note: I hope you enjoy your day on this unique moment in Guyanese history, but when the day is done, I hope you always think of helping to establish greater freedoms for the Guyanese people. I would like to leave you with my own quote which is composed for this particular column. “When I look into the eyes of my two pet cats and pet dog, I see the flowers of innocence and love. If only Homo sapiens can find time to discover love and innocence, life would be worthwhile living.”
The story of three water wells, BK and GWI From page 3 querying why none of the wells was completed. “It was suggested that GWI move to the next level and terminate. It was noted that there isn't anyone else to do the work and the company is working along with the contractor to complete the wells.” According to an October 30, 2014 meeting, a well inspection report by GWI at the Mon Repos site showed that the screen collapsed possibly due to poor development of the well. “…The contractor moved from the location and proceeded to Eccles well site without GWI authorization. He was written on this matter.” For the rest of the year, records of Board meetings suggested that there were problems. The audit report then concentrated on a BoD meeting on April 30, 2015 where the subject of the Mon Repos well came up“Nothing much has been done in the last month since the contractor has been focusing on Hope…the well at Eccles is producing and is in operation– more developing has to be done.” The auditor was critical in noting that the contracts for the wells were awarded to BK International in 2011 and were to be completed in August, 2012. Bending Backwards “These contracts have
not been completed to date and the contractor has not been faced with any penalties. The problem with these contracts was that the BOD procrastinated and allowed the contractor to determine when the contracts would be finished. In addition, the delays, time spent by management and cost to resolve issues with the contractor has compromised the BOD as can be seen from the extracts of the Board minutes above.” Further, the auditors said, stakeholders who were hoping for improved water service continue to wait. The contracts have not been completed as there are still major components and works to be done to complete the wells. In response to the auditor's notes, GWI's management insisted that the contracts were awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administrative Board based on their evaluation of a contractor that had no experience in well drilling. “These contracts were consistently discussed at the level of the GWI Board and there has been consistent agreement to allow the contractor to complete the three wells.” GWI said it penalized BK the maximum liquidated damages which is 10% of the value of works for each of the contracts to the total value of $18.6 million for the
three contracts. “At present the respective status of the contracts for which one well (Hope)
is completed, the contractor has been issued an ultimatum to complete remedial and development works on
Eccles by April 30, 2016 and they are required to recommence drilling of a replacement well for Mon Repos by
April 30, 2016 or the contract will be terminated and legal actions taken against the contractor.”
Four years overdue: The state of play with the three wells.