Guyana seeks P

NEWS9 MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Guyana seeks Canada’s expertise in boosting mining, agriculture sectors

– assistance with electoral reform also on table

Canada, with its techni- noted that Canada has the cal expertise, has sev- expertise to help. eral companies either mining or preparing to mine Electoral reform gold in Guyana and as such, Another area where Government is looking to tap Canada is likely to offer assisinto Canada’s advancement tance is electoral reform, the to build local capacity in the need for which has become extractive and other sectors. even more pronounced since

This was revealed by the March 2 General and outgoing Canadian High Regional Elections. According Commissioner to Guyana, Her to Chatterjee, the help is on Excellency Lilian Chatterjee the table waiting for Guyana in an exclusive interview to tap into. with Guyana Times. She noted Canada’s mining experience in Guyana and revealed Outgoing Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana HE Lilian Chatterjee “We have talked to President Ali, Attorney General (Anil) Nandlall and that the Natural Resources Guyana Goldfields had man- pany, Chinese-owned Zijin Minister of Parliamentary Ministry has requested assis- aged the operations at Aurora Mining Group made a supe- Affairs Gail Teixeira, saying tance from Canada. Gold Mine, one of the largest rior offer to Goldfields that that we’re willing to support

“We have Canadian gold mining operations in Guyana. Silvercorp failed to match electoral reform if that’s what mines here. Some of them That was until Goldfields within the stipulated time. they want. And they’ve indiare founding members of the moved to downsize its op- As a result, Zijin was able to cated that they want that,” Chamber. And the Ministry of erations in May 2020, after clinch the deal and complete Chatterjee said. Natural Resources has asked facing constraints from the the takeover in August. “So, we’ve talked to them for Canada’s help in support- COVID-19 pandemic coupled Canada’s potential help is about what we can provide ing training in mechanisa- with other financial woes. not limited to mining, howev- for support. They need to distion of the mining industry. The decision was also linked er, as the diplomat revealed cuss it in Cabinet and come They’re looking for us to help to the company’s transition to that Canada’s assistance has up with a decision. Once they them in training of their la- underground mining. also been requested in the for- let us know what they would bour force,” Chatterjee ex- After initially selling its estry and agriculture sectors, like, we’d be happy to replained. operations to Silvercorp, an- each with their own unique spond.”

Previously, Canada-based other Canadian mining com- challenges. And Chatterjee President Ali had previously committed to establishGovt to give incentives... FROM PAGE 7 ing a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to examine and investigate the events following the March 2, 2020 elections in

“The idea of a special- geries, treatments, consulta- At least one compa- Guyana, and to make recomty hospital is still there. So, tions and do tourism also and ny, Cardiology Services we are to see whether it will then come back that’s why it Incorporated, headed be a line of credit or a pri- is called medical tourism and by renowned Guyanese vate participation. So, these people actually, you know, Cardiologist Dr Mahendra are the things which we are they go in droves from many Carpen, has publicly indicatworking with the Ministry countries across the world,” ed its interest in building a of Health at this time,” High Dr Srinivasa had said. specialty hospital in Guyana. Commissioner Srinivasa However, back in October, But, the company was unstated. Health Minister Dr Frank wittingly vested with land

The Indian diplomat ex- Anthony had revealed that under the former APNU/AFC plained that such a facility is there is significant local and Government by the National needed in Guyana because it foreign interest from the Industrial and Commercial not only provides specialised Private Sector in construct- Investments Limited care for patients but also in- ing specialty hospitals in (NICIL), while the Granger creases the possibility of the Guyana. Government was in a carecountry becoming a hub for “We are very favourable taker mode. medical tourism. to such investments [in a With the change of

“I think if Guyana gets specialty hospital] and we’re Government, the company that specialty hospital it will hoping that we can start has since said it would return be an attractive hub for med- working with those Private the land it acquired to ensure ical tourism. In fact, India Sector companies to start re- there is a fair and transparhas – people will deem it a alising them. And if there are ent land allocation process. bit humourous – we have a others who want to come in, Dr Carpen nevertheless sigvisa called medical tourism we’ll be happy to review and nalled his intention to work visa…it’s a medical tourism offer advice and see how we with the PPP/C Government visa where people actually can enable them to invest,” to bring the specialty hospigo to India for elective sur- Dr Anthony has stated. tal to fruition.

Mining is one of the sectors where Canada’s help has been sought

mendations where warranted.

Only recently, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had informed Guyana of the extensive technical support the UNDP can offer on a myriad of various governance issues, including, but not limited to strengthening of democracy, justice reform, and electoral reform.

UNDP Resident Representative Jairo Valverde had met with AG Nandlall, following which a missive was released from the Legal Affairs Ministry informing that Valverde had offered to provide technical assistance and support to implement the recommendations for improvement and change that would be made to the electoral process after the conclusion of the CoI.

Valverde had indicated that the UNDP has in excess of 8000 technical persons deployed across the world assisting various Governments in electoral reform and other key areas that require technical support in governance. He had stated that the UNDP is, as a result, willing and capable of providing any assistance that the Government of Guyana would require upon request.

10 NEWS MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM 2 more die from COVID-19, 28 new cases recorded in 24h

The Ministry of Health To date, a total of 32,011 on Sunday report- persons have been tested ed that two more for the novel coronavirus in persons who tested posi- Guyana. tive for the novel coronavi- Of the 28 new casrus (COVID-19) have died, es recorded on Sunday, thus taking the death toll eight are from Region Two in Guyana to 153. (Pomeroon-Supenaam);

The latest fatalities one from Region Three are two men, an 81-year- (Essequibo Islands-West old from Region Seven Demerara); five from (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and a Region Four (Demerara55-year-old from Region Mahaica); one from Region One (Barima-Waini). These Five (Mahaica-Berbice); persons died on Saturday while receiving care at Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony two from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); five medical facilities. from the Cuyuni-Mazaruni

The deaths of these two cases in Guyana has gone Region, and six cases men from the virus are up to 5665 comprising 2928 from Region 10 (Upper the first recorded for the males and 2737 females. Demerara-Berbice). month of December. The However, only 753 of The number of cases in last COVID-19 death was these cases are currently Regions One, Eight (Potarorecorded on November 29, active. These include four Siparuni) and Nine (Upper after a 31-year-old female patients in the COVID-19 Takutu-Upper Essequibo) from Region 10 (Upper Intensive Care Unit (ICU) remained the same. the actions of citizens. during his last COVID-19 sibly hospitalisation and Demerara-Berbice) died and the remaining 749 in With the COVID-19 out- “If the public do the update. of course, critically ill pawhile receiving care at a isolation, that is, 52 per- break in Guyana continuing right thing by masking up According to the Health tients. So, again I’m urging medical facility. sons in institutional isola- to persist into the holiday and ensuring they wear the Minister, if persons coop- everyone to help us take

Meanwhile, the Health tion and the other 697 in season, Health Minister Dr mask correctly then that erate with these and other precautions and if you do Ministry also reported on home isolation. There are Frank Anthony is warning will be very helpful. In ad- guidelines in place to curb so, we will all be safer,” Dr Sunday that 28 new coro- also 29 persons in institu- about a second wave. dition to that, as we are in the spread of the virus then Anthony asserted. navirus cases were detected tional quarantine. According to Dr the Christmas season, avoid there may not be a spike in To this end, all during a 24-hour timespan. Meanwhile, some 4759 Anthony, the most im- Guyanese are reminded

According to statistics persons have since recov- portant component of to observe the protocols of issued by the Ministry, the ered from the life-threaten- Government’s response to the COVID-19 Emergency total number of confirmed ing virus in Guyana. the COVID-19 pandemic is Measures, which are in efThe CEO is being accused of attempting to undermine the will of the people by repeatedly refusing to submit the verified results from the National Recount to Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, for a final declaration. President Dr Irfaan Ali has said publicly that a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) will be launched into GECOM, in a bid to restore confidence in the election machinery of the country and get to the bottom of the events that followed the elections. In the meantime, the President and his Government have done extensive work to repair the image of the country. This has included representing Guyana at the 75th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Virtual Island Summit 2020, the Forecast on Latin America and the Caribbean Conference 2020, organised by the United States Department of Commerce and the Association of American Chambers of Commerce. It has also included representing Guyana at the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, the Meeting of Heads of Government on Financing the 2030 Agenda fect until December 31, 2020. This order emphasises, among other things, the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of Guyanese wearing masks while shopping COVID-19. If anyone is displaying too much of these gather- cases after the holiday sea- any of the symptoms asings because people tend to son. sociated with COVID-19, increase their socialisation “But if they don’t [co- or need any additional induring the Christmas hol- operate] then we will formation, they are asked idays. We’re asking people have to ready ourselves to contact the COVID-19 that because this is a very, to see increased cases af- Hotline on 231-1166, 226very different Christmas, ter Christmas. So, we may 7480 or 624-6674 immediavoid crowds, avoid the so- be starting the new year ately or visit www.health. cialisation…,” he posited with many cases and pos- gov.gy.

Guyana’s int’l image...

FROM PAGE 3

for Sustainable Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond and meetings of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community.

Guyana has also hosted a number of high-profile figures in the few months following President Ali’s ascension to high office, including incumbent United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Head of the US Development Bank Adam Boehler, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Juma Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates, Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi and Brazil Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo.

Auditor General to launch audits into UG, EPA

— other agencies listed as tender goes out for audit contracts

The Audit Office of vests with the State,” the associated with the investiGuyana (AOG) has notice says. gation. taken steps to au- The entities being audit- The University of dit a number of agencies ed include the University Guyana Senior Staff which have not had updat- of Guyana (UG) and the Association (UGSSA) and ed audits under the former UG pension scheme, the University of Guyana A Partnership for National Environmental Protection Workers’ Union (UGWU) Unity/Alliance For Change Agency (EPA), the Guyana had alleged that UG’s ad(APNU/AFC) Government. Water Incorporated (GWI), ministration had been

According to a notice, MARDS Rice Milling spending extravagantly on the Audit Office announced Complex Limited, the hosting events, standing that chartered accountants Guyana National Co- the expenses of meals and were being invited to ap- operative Bank, Skeldon accommodation for guest ply for contracts to audit Energy Incorporated and speakers, as well as hirthe various agencies, in ac- Power Producers and ing select individuals, paycordance with Part 4 of the Distributors Incorporated. ing them super salaries, Audit Act of 2004. With the exception of the and sending large delega-

“The Auditor General UG pension scheme (2016), tions overseas, all on the invites applications from all the aforementioned en- University’s bill. Chartered Accountants in tities are having their 2020 For the year 2019, public practice to examine years of account audited. The University of Guyana will be one of the entities audited the Guyana Office for and audit on his behalf the Last year, the Audit Office That was until the then pendent auditor. Investment (GO-Invest) accounts of public corpora- was in the process of con- APNU/AFC Government The audit was first or- and the Guyana Livestock tions and other bodies in ducting a special audit into pulled the plug on pay- dered by the Education Development Authority will which controlling interest UG’s finances. ing for it, thus stalling the Ministry after a request have their accounts audited, process. This happened af- was made by the two work- and the Linden Enterprise Guyanese who excelled ter the Audit Office had already been given the goahead to conduct the audit ers’ unions at UG to have such an investigation launched. The Ministry was Network Incorporated and the Department of Public Information (DPI) will have at Hugh Wooding Law and had contracted an inde- going to stand the expense their 2018 books audited. School admitted to Bar

Meanwhile, the Atlantic Hotel Incorporated (AHI), the Government-owned special purpose company managing Guyana’s Marriott Hotel, will also have its 2017 books audited. Also having its 2017 books audited is the Protected Areas Commission.

The Linden Mining Enterprise Limited and the Mabaruma Power and Light Company Incorporated will have their 2016 books audited. The lone entity that will have its 2015 books audited is the Hinterland Electrification Company Incorporated, which is charged with expanding and upgrading electrical systems throughout the hinterland.

The only entity having its pre-2015 accounts looked at is President’s College. According to the notice, tenders close on December 21, 2020.

Deborah Barrow-Grahame posed with acting Chief Justice Roxane George after being admitted to the Bar

Deborah Barrow- raising the bar and most Grahame, the importantly, to share her Guyanese who came knowledge with others. out as best graduating stu- Barrow-Grahame said dent of 2020 at the Hugh she would have used the Wooding Law School in Chief Justice as a guidTrinidad and Tobago, was ing role model, having read official admitted to the Bar many judgements put forby acting Chief Justice ward by the learned legal Roxane George. mind. The new admittee

The outstanding ac- said she has a passion for ademic achievements of knowledge and legal chalBarrow-Grahame were lenges. highlighted in the presen- From the inception, tation of her petition. These Barrow-Grahame said that include a History Degree she was not initially interwith distinction, Master’s in ested in litigation so she International Trade Policy delayed her journey to law and Best Student on the school, in which she took the Principal’s Roll of Honour at route of pursuing post-gradHugh Wooding Law School. uate studies in related fields

Her petition was present- before attending law school. ed by Managing Partner of Barrow-Grahame has Hughes, Fields and Stoby, committed to upholding the Nigel Hughes. high traditions of the Bar

Madame Chief Justice and to always endeavour to exhorted the newest mem- increase the levels of scholber to the Bar to always as- arship in her practice at the pire for excellence, to keep Bar.

12NEWS MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Magistrate Moore to appeal dismissal of lawsuit against DPP

Attorney-at-Law Arudranauth Gosai has indicated his intention of filing an appeal against a judgment by Justice Navindra Singh in which he dismissed a $50 million lawsuit filed by Senior Magistrate Alex Moore against Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Senior Counsel Shalimar Ali-Hack.

Gosai has deemed the judgment handed down on December 2, 2020, as “patently incorrect.”

In July 2020, Magistrate Moore instituted a claim for the tort of defamation against Ali-Hack. Moore, who has been a sitting Magistrate for nine years, alleged that he was defamed in a letter authored by the DPP dated December 5, 2019.

The letter was titled “Re: Conduct of Magistrate Alex Moore in the charge of the Police vs Marcus Bisram for the offence of murder, contrary to Common Law”.

Magistrate Moore claimed that the letter was falsely and maliciously written by the DPP and sent to acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards and acting Chief Justice Roxane George. He said that the letter suggested that he was not acting impartially in the matter, and, was, therefore unfit to sit as a Magistrate in the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) proceedings at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.

Magistrate Moore, in court documents, noted that the contents of the letter have greatly injured his character, credibility, and reputation. He further not-

Senior Magistrate Alex Moore

ed that it has subjected him to public ridicule, causing him to suffer mental anguish, distress, and depression.

In August 2020, the DPP asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit on the ground that it disclosed no reasonable reason for bringing the claim. Ali-Hack, through Senior Counsel Robin Stoby, Senior Counsel Jamela Ali and former Solicitor General Kim Kyte-Thomas, argued that the case was scandalous, frivolous, vexatious, an abuse of the court process, and seeks to obstruct the just disposal of the proceedings.

In arguing for the lawsuit to be struck out, AliHack’s lawyer submitted that the letter at hand refers to her acting in her professional capacity as Director of Public Prosecutions and did not constitute or display nor intend any malice against Magistrate Moore.

The lawyers, therefore, contended that Magistrate Moore suing the DPP in her personal capacity “is, therefore, a colourable device, to seek to escape the effects substantially and procedurally suing [her personally] instead of in her office as Director of Public Prosecutions”.

“The said office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is an independent constitutional office of the State as recognised under Articles 116 and 187 of the Constitution for which [she] would be patently entitled to the protection of Sections 8 and 4 of the Justice Protection Act, and the benefits of the operation of Section 3(4) of the State Liability and Proceedings Act,” the DPP’s attorney submitted.

The lawyer is of the belief that her client’s letter was addressed to the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary in her official capacity as according to Section 12 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Magistrate) Act, requesting the removal of Magistrate Moore from the PI into the murder charge against Bisram following a report by State Prosecutor Stacy Gooding.

The lawyers further submitted that the Chancellor, who was also Chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), was entitled to investigate the allegation contained in the letter against Magistrate Moore, in his professional responsibility.

Moreover, the DPP contended that Magistrate Moore’s case is contrary to public policy by seeking through defamatory claims to intimidate or prevent the process of complaints against the conduct of Magistrates, and particularly concerning disciplinary considerations by members of the JSC of the actions of any member of the Magistracy, including him.

In his judgment, Justice Singh upheld the DPP’s argument that the claim brought by Magistrate Moore was scandalous, frivolous, vexatious, an abuse of the court process, seeks to obstruct the just disposal of the proceedings, and disclosed no reasonable reason for bringing the claim.

In dismissing the lawsuit, Justice Singh held that Magistrate Moore accepted that Ali-Hack was acting in her capacity as DPP when she penned the letter. Justice Singh noted that the provisions of Articles 116 and 232 of the Constitution establish that the DPP is a public officer.

By bringing the claim in her personal capacity, Justice Singh noted that Magistrate Moore improp-

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack

erly named Ali-Hack as a party to the proceedings since her office is protected under the State Liability and Proceeding Act and the Justice Protection Act, with respect to the execution of its functions.

According to Justice Singh, the lawsuit was in breach of Section 8 (1) of the Justice Protection Act as it was instituted more than seven months after Magistrate Moore became aware of the letter. The Judge also held that the claim was also in breach of Section 8 (2) of the Justice Protection Act since Magistrate Moore failed to give the DPP notice in writing of his intention to institute the claim.

The Judge noted that when Ali-Hack wrote the letter to the Chancellor and Chief Justice, also in their official capacity, she was acting in her official capacity as Director of Public Prosecutions, seeking to invoke Section 12 of the Summary Jurisdiction (Magistrate) Act.

The High Court Judge disagreed with Magistrate Moore’s contention that the determination of whether the letter is subject to absolute privilege is a matter of fact that can only be determined at trial. Magistrate Moore was ordered to pay the DPP $200,000 in court costs on or before December 24, 2020.

Taxi driver disappears after leaving home to make pickup at CJIA

AGeorgetown resi- of her son, she contacted his dent, who is attached mobile phone which went to Nigel’s Taxi unanswered and on the secService on Sheriff Street, ond attempt, the phone was Georgetown, has disap- turned off. peared after he left his home “When he left, he said he for work on Friday evening. was going to the airport, I

The taxi driver, Grivel don’t know if it was then or Ramnarine, also known as later in the night… he said “Benn’s family” of Leopold he wouldn’t come back earStreet, Georgetown, was not ly… he didn’t say who he heard from since. was going to pick up…first

His mother, Shellon his phone ringing out, and Benn told Guyana Times then it keep going to voiceon Sunday that she has mail,” she said. had sleepless nights since A missing person’s rethe disappearance of her port was made at Brickdam 27-year-old son. She added Police Station and a search that not knowing his where- party was established. After abouts is a traumatising ex- Missing: Grivel Ramnarine searching various locations, perience. there were no signs of the

“We [the family] is at er that he had to make a missing man. a loss we don’t know what pick up at the Cheddi Jagan “The police said that to do”, the grieving mother International Airport, they gonna send out inforsaid. Timehri, and as such, he mation to all the police sta-

On Friday at about would return late. tions, and in the meantime, 19:00h, Ramnarine left his However, after some we must contact the differhome and told his moth- time elapsed and no signs ent media places so that we can put up a missing person…” the frustrated mother stated. On the night of his disappearance, he was wearing light green three-quarter pants, slippers and a white t-shirt. He was described as a man of mixed race, heavily built, short, and brown in complexion with curly hair. The taxi driver’s mother is pleading with her son to contact his family so that they will be able to have peace of mind knowing that he is alive. Nevertheless, anyone with information about Ramnarine’s whereabouts is asked to contact his family on 619-1351, 689-5292 and 503-2070 or the nearest police station.

14NEWS MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Finance Ministry initiates process for Budget 2021

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has initiated the formal process for the commencement of preparation for Budget 2021, according to Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh.

During a recent appearance on a Department of Public Information (DPI) broadcast programme “The Progress Report”, Dr Singh disclosed that his Ministry had sent out the budget circular instructing the various Ministries to start preparing their budgets and have them submitted to the soonest.

“Of course, Ministries have been doing preliminary works and considering their strategic priorities and so on. But the formal budget circular [was sent out] and immediately after it goes out, work across Government will immediately step up to accelerate preparation of the budget… So that work will immediately start, in earnest, from [this] week,” he posited.

According to the Finance Minister, next year’s budget will be significant since it will be the first full-year budget that the current Irfaan Ali-led Administration will present.

“It’s going to be the first budget of this Government’s current term in office so it’s going to outline our

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh

medium and long-term vision. It’s going to include a number of the important initiatives that we see as critical to realising the modern Guyana that will be unfolding over the course of the next few years,” he stated.

Dr Singh further noted that given the substantial nature of Budget 2021, it is going to involve quite a lot of work. However, he pointed out that President Ali has given a clear mandate to his Cabinet that the various Ministries must do all that is necessary to ensure they prepare their budgets in a timely manner so that the budget can be completed and presented early next year to allow for implementation as early as possible.

At the level of his Ministry, the Finance Minister revealed that they are currently working out the prospects for the economy, and accessing and finetuning their estimates of growth for next year.

Within a month after taking office, the PPP/C Government prepared and presented a $329.5 billion emergency budget for the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year in September.

According to Dr Singh, Government has been moving apace to implement those initiatives, projects and policies.

“Where it’s a policy, we are ensuring that that policy is implemented and for the various projects that were included in the budget, we’ve been working very hard. I’ve been meeting with my staff, I’ve been meeting with the very large Ministries and the various sectors to ensure that they proceed with implementation as fast as possible. Quite a lot of progress was made; most of them already implemented,” he said.

The Minister noted that what remains is mainly the execution of the various projects and he has been imploring and emphasising to his Cabinet colleagues to proceed with those projects.

“The President has been very clear that he wants all the projects executed in a timely manner. With the mandate that has been given to me and the rest of my colleagues,

Office of the President

I’ve been working with the various Ministries to ensure that they proceed as quickly as possible and in the timeliest manner,” he noted.

Dr Singh, who also served as Finance Minister in the last PPP/C regime, contended that there is a lot of good and sound basis for optimism in Guyana’s future.

“President Ali has outlined a very exciting vision for Guyana and he has charged me and he has charged the rest of his Cabinet to ensure that that vision is realised, and we have gone about it with a sense of great urgency as you can see. With a fair degree of certainty, I can say to you that the Guyana of tomorrow, that is, the next five or 10 years down the road, will virtually be unrecognisable from the Guyana today in a remarkably positive way,” he posited.

The Finance Minister noted that his Government is committed to implementing a sound policy framework for Guyana’s development and to attract large foreign investors – something which has already started. In the same breath, he said the PPP/C is also committed to ensuring that the local Private Sector expands and grows, and improves its competitiveness and ability to operate in the impending new and “incredibly exciting economic landscape.”

Most important of these, however, is the Government’s commitment to ensure that the life of every single Guyanese is improved in a “tangible and demonstrable” way.

CDC honours volunteers, agencies for outstanding contribution

The Civil Defence ment,” the Prime Minister Lieutenant Colonel Kester Commission’s told the team of young peo- Craig noted that the volunVolunteer Corps on ple. teers are being “recognised Saturday presented tokens He further stated that for their commitment, disof recognition to 10 vol- over the years, they have cipline, and tireless conunteers for their dedicat- braved the elements in the tributions in advancing disaster risk management in Guyana.” He noted that despite the challenges of 2020, there was a continued desire to serve others even at great personal risks. “The Civil Defence Commission joins the rest of the world in saluting the pertinent role that volun- The awardees along with Prime Minister Mark Phillips and other officials teers, young and old, play in lending vital support to Small, Judson Bess, Julian Yolanda Edwards. ExxonMobil, Rotary Club causes that impact human- Cadogan, Micaela Reece, Partner agencies that of Central Georgetown, ity.” Quincy Scotland, Shameza were recognised for their Ruimveldt Lions Club and Those awarded were David, Tashana Legal, support of the volunteer National Coordinating Coreen Fiffee, Delisa Glendon Greenidge and arm of the CDC included Collation.

A representative of the Rotary Club of Georgetown accepting a

ed and outstanding contri- roughest of terrains and the certificate for its contribution to the CDC Local online marketplace for Wednesday launch bution to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC). Prime Minister Brigadier harshest of conditions to bring relief to those most in need during hazard impact A local online marketplace, aptly named Online Guyana overhead, replacing it with a small, flat fee. Registered businesses can list and sell (ret’d) Mark Phillips con- such as floods. (www.online.gy), is set to unlimited items. The webgratulated the awardees on This year more than be launched on Wednesday, site has inventory and order behalf of the Government. ever, he noted that the vol- December 9, 2020. It is management features to as-

“Not only have your ef- unteers have demonstrat- aimed at offering Guyanese sist the companies in managforts been a tremendous ed much enthusiasm in the companies an option to tran- ing their online shops. support, it is through your fight against COVID-19. sition to selling their prod- Business owners dileadership, initiative and “You continue to stand ucts online. rectly manage their online small and medium-sized ries, keep things they like enthusiasm that we are in the frontlines alongside As the world, and shops registered on Online businesses in various cate- in a wishlist, and ultimateable to mark success in all our healthcare workers and Guyana adjusts to the effects Guyana. They receive orders gories including electronics, ly purchase using severaspects of development for emergency response per- of the global pandemic, more placed for their products; clothing, hair/body care, and al options, including cash Guyana. Specifically, in the sonnel. You have been in- companies have been shift- package and ship to hap- gifts - customers can also on delivery (COD) or GTT's area of disaster risk man- strumental in crafting ing their businesses online. py customers. The custom- share reviews on their pur- MMG+ service. agement, volunteers have COVID-19 education and However, this is not always ers are updated automati- chases. The website is easy Online Guyana is workbeen at the forefront of risk awareness materials, pro- an easy and straightforward cally when their order status to use and is accessible via ing to implement credit card assessments, community moting and fostering good process. Business owners changes and can log into the computer and mobile phone. processing very shortly. It preparedness initiatives, in- sanitation and hygiene, and must spend a tidy sum on website at any time to check Customers can save time has opened for early busistitutional strengthening bringing aid to those hard the development and main- on their order or contact the by accessing a wide vari- ness registration and already and even at the highest lev- hit by the pandemic,” the tenance of an online store. company. ety of items from different has over 60 local businesses. els you have played import- Prime Minister posited. Online Guyana removes Online Guyana showcas- Guyanese companies. They Free business registration is ant roles in policy develop- Director General of CDC, these costs and the monthly es multiple products from can browse specific catego- offered until June 1, 2021.