12 News
wednesday, june 4, 2014 | guyanatimeSGY.com
GMSA calls on politicians UNDP, ONF sign pact on REDD+, Guiana Shield to stop dithering on U AML/CFT legislation
G
u y a n a Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) President Clinton Williams described the further blacklisting of Guyana by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) as a very “vexing issue”. He made yet another appeal for politicians to get their act together and address this issue once and for all. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, Williams said like the private sector entities and many other bodies, the GMSA too has long placed on record its call for the speedy passage and enactment of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill. He said: “We referred to it in the context as dithering on the part of the politicians in getting a very important legislation passed in the Parliament.” With regards to the further blacklisting, the GMSA Head said the fact that there is now going to be more substantial due-diligence on anything emanating from Guyana does not augur well for the manufacturing sector or the country at large.
GMSA President Clinton Williams
He noted too that advocacy for national interests to remain paramount at all costs should be continuous, particularly since it will take Guyana a significant amount of time to erase the damage that have already been caused. “We should not do anything else, but advocate for good sense to prevail for the legislation to be passed and implemented into law, and for the laws to be upheld. Our members are going to be tremendously affected,” Williams said. He spoke of Guyana’s presence at the upcoming competitiveness forum, which is scheduled to be held in Trinidad and
Tobago, and said the recent blacklisting will see Guyana being looked at quite differently. The competitiveness forum brings together businesses from across the entire hemisphere, which is home to some 900 million people with US$1.5 trillion in international trade. Asked what this latest development will mean for the Association, Williams said, “The short-term effect obviously is our inability to really garner what is required to really advance the private sector and more so, the manufacturing sector in terms of investment and international trade.” As a result of non-passage of the AML/CFT Bill, the CFATF at its plenary in May in Miami, Florida issued a statement calling on its members to consider implementing further countermeasures to protect their financial systems from the ongoing money laundering and terrorist financing risks emanating from Guyana. This time, however, the regional body also referred the country to its parent body, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) where it will be discussed and assessed in mid-June.
nited Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator, Khadija Musa and the French Forest Office (ONF) Guyane Regional Director, Nicolas Karr on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide a framework of cooperation and to facilitate collaboration on climate migration between the entities. The MoU will focus on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation-plus (REDD+) in the Guiana Shield. The signing took place in Cayenne, French Guiana. In a statement, the UNDP said it is enhancing its development activities in the Guiana Shield, through implementation of the Guiana Shield Facility (GSF), a multi-country funding facility dedicated to conservation and sustainable development of the Guiana Shield eco-region. The GSF is supporting multiple REDD+ and REDD+ related activities in the Guiana Shield including strengthening monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system for REDD+ in Guyana, implementation of R-PP in Suriname and development of FORESEEN (forest and remote sensing exchange network), in efforts to accelerate REDD+ readiness of the countries and to conserve forest ecosystems.
UNDP Resident Representative Khadija Musa and ONF Guyana Regional Director Nicolas Karr signing the MoU
The ONF prepares its partners to manage forests and natural areas, and to participate actively in the resolution of major issues of sustainable development. It is currently implementing a “REDD+ for the Guiana Shield” project focusing on regional cooperation for reducing emissions by preventing deforestation. As such, in order to streamline future collaboration among the Guiana Shield countries that are participating in both GSF and ONF initiatives, the MoU will provide the framework for exchange of technical and strategic information on REDD+, as well as enhance capacity at the national and community levels to sustainably manage forest ecosystems for achieving
REDD+. The MoU is also intended to contribute to data sharing and regional technical cooperation and capacity building that the two initiatives are developing, in order to increase ownership and participation, and to sustain the gains made during implementation of the GSF and the ONF REDD+ for the Guiana Shield project. The agreement clearly states that the “ONF and GSF, are keen to avoid duplication of activities, and to share experiences and data, within the limit of their own respective agreements with other partners.” The Third Steering Committee Meeting of the ONF project “REDD+ in the Guiana Shield” is being held in Cayenne from June 1 to 3.
MNRE, GPF collaborate for Region Two rice farmers still capacity-building initiative awaiting payment
A section of the gathering at the opening ceremony of the training course
T
he Natural Resources and Environment Ministry (MNRE), which is responsible for the sustainable management of the nation’s natural resources and the environment, Tuesday began a training course titled: “Legislative and Regulatory Capacity – Building for the Guyana Police Force”. This training is being collaborated with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) at their Training Centre, Camp Street, from June 3-6. In his opening remarks, Major General (ret’d) Joseph Singh noted the areas for improvement along with recommendations to instil professionalism, ethical behaviour and cooperation among the sector agencies and the security forces.
He further highlighted the need for continuous monitoring and gathering of intelligence to build the capacities of the officers. The rapid expansion in the mineral and forestry sectors have made active monitoring and enforcement a challenge for agencies under the purview of the Ministry. Hence, this training exercise with the GPF will focus on the laws and regulations within the natural resources and environmental sector, in an effort to improve compliance and to enhance the capacities of Police officers. Armed forces with deepened understanding of the laws and regulations can assist mining, environmental and forestry officers more effectively, especially when issues arise and the
knowledge is needed. The training is being facilitated by experienced training officers from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC); the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). Some of the topics to be covered include the laws governing the GGMC, EPA and GFC, Litter (Enforcement) Regulations (2013) and Wildlife Conservation and Management Regulations (2013). This training exercise is in accordance with the directions given by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud, at the agencies sector review held earlier this year. The Minister highlighted that this will be the year of active monitoring and enforcement, since monitoring has become a challenge due to a rapid expansion in the mineral and forestry sectors. Minister Persaud recognises the wider powers of enforcement and authority by the GPF, hence the directive to pursue the said capacity-building exercise, it is expected to target the officers in the hinterland region and further expand to countrywide efforts.
– Golden Fleece Rice Investment to pay $100M of outstanding debt
R
ice farmers in Region Two were on Monday given the assurance by millers that all efforts were being made to honour outstanding payments to them. One prominent rice miller, Nazmul Hakh, owner of Golden Fleece Rice Investment, said Region Two farmers will start receiving payments as of Wednesday (today) morning. Hakh, speaking at a special meeting organised by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and Rice Producers Association (RPA) to solve farmers paddy payments, said he has millions of dollars outstanding to farmers, but disclosed that $100 million has been allocated to pay farmers on Wednesday. The rice miller said he was trying his best to pay farmers and that when the $100 million is paid out, he would still owe millions. Hakh also said he is lobbying for contracts to export rice. The meeting, which was held in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council, saw General Manager of the GRDB, Jagnarine Singh, telling
farmers that the meeting was specially convened to address the delay of payments for paddy. Singh said the GRDB is trying its best to safeguard as well as negotiate to find possible markets. Attending the meeting also was General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association (RPA), Dharamkumar Seeraj, who said two millers on the Essequibo Coast owed farmers millions of dollars. Identifying the farmers as Wazeer Hussain and Nazmul Hakh, Seeraj said it is of concern to the RPA and GRDB. Hussain related that he would pay farmers as soon as he secures money from the GRDB. He said there is a situation whereby millers can take money from the bank; however, farmers will receive less money for paddy. “We collect money from the GRDB and then we pay farmers”. It was noted that approximately $900 million of paddy was purchased from farmers and $250 million was paid. Hussain said he has paddy leaving June 15 for Venezuela. Hussain noted too that
one of his challenges is still having paddy stocked in his bond. Meanwhile, scores of farmers who gathered in the RDC boardroom made it clear that they needed their money. Many farmers said they borrowed money from the bank to buy fertilisers and needed to honour their debts. The farmers also requested prompt payments from millers and called on the major rice stakeholders to step up and take necessary action against millers. Region Two Chairman Parmanand Persaud, said he is supportive of the farmers and wants them to receive their payments. He also called for an early solution to the problem. Farmers’ representative and AFC Councillor, Naithram, said there should be a special loan fund that could be accessed by farmers. Rice farmers in Region Two have been owed for paddy by millers since the last crop. Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy had disclosed that rice farmers in Region two have been owed the most, approximately $270 million.