GuySuCo preparing P

SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM GuySuCo preparing Sugar Terminal to capitalise on oil and gas opportunities

GuySuCo Demerara Sugar Terminal at Ruimveldt

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is now eyeing the oil and gas sector and has entered into a multi-million-dollar venture to maximise on the opportunities that will be created from the budding petroleum industry.

This new venture will see GuySuCo desilting the river channel alongside its largest berthing facility located at the Demerara Sugar Terminal (DST) in Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The multi-million-dollar project commenced on May 1, 2021, and is a collaborative initiative between the Maritime Administrative Department (MARAD), Ministry of Public Works and GuySuCo. It is expected to be completed by May 14, 2021. The last time the channel was desilted was in 2014.

The berthing facility is located on the east bank of the Demerara River. It was built with concrete and steel several decades ago and is used by ships transporting sugar for bulk storage at the Demerara Sugar Terminal to be sold on both the local and export markets

But according to the Manager of GuySuCo’s DST, Roger Bradshaw, the facility has the potential to dock large vessels once the desilting process is completed.

Further, Bradshaw lauded the initiative to desilt the river channel, noting that this is very much needed since the huge deposit of silt was affecting the operational efficiency at the Demerara Sugar Terminal. He explained that this sometimes results in an increased operational cost to offload or load a vessel.

“During low tides, we cease operations and wait until the water rises during high tide for us to complete our tasks whether its offloading or loading a vessel,” the DST Manager stated in a missive from GuySuCo on Friday.

Nevertheless, Bradshaw said there will be a significant increase in operational efficiency due to the reduced number of stoppages as a result of the built-up silt.

On completion of the desilting process, ships with a maximum length of 400 metres and a draft of 7 metres can berth at the DST facility.

This venture is integral to GuySuCo’s Strategic Plan to maximise the usage of all its facilities to become economically viable once again. As such, GuySuCo intends to extend the services offered at the Demerara Sugar Terminal in wake of the increasing demand for such services by Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector.

In keeping with its promise to revive the cashstrapped sugar industry, the PPP/C Government, since taking office, has injected some $7 billion into the sugar industry – $5 billion in the 2020 Emergency Budget and a further $2 billion in the 2021 budget – to help in the turnaround of the sector. Additionally, another $200 million was recently given to GuySuCo for a one-off retroactive payment to sugar workers.

However, even as Government continues to come to the rescue of the sugar industry, which was downsized by the APNU/AFC Administration, the current management of GuySuCo is hoping to move away from its reliance on the State.

During an interview with Guyana Times back in February, Chief Executive Officer, Sasenarine Singh said they want to make enough money so that GuySuCo is able to self-generate its revenue and pay for itself.

“The way we can navigate out of this pain is to bring more cash onto the table. And the only way we can do that – we cannot continue this model of running to the treasury and saying we want more, we want more – we have to self-generate more revenue,” the CEO said.

“And that’s why we have to be very careful how we expand operations. Operations have to be done carefully. And once it’s done carefully, we create the market at the value-added level to push off that production, rather than produce and stop… 2021 is a key year. And we’re turning this whole business to being more resilient.”

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has said that GuySuCo needs to explore several possibilities for sugar, including producing white sugar, and exporting to the Caribbean market and distilleries, among its plans to revive the industry. As such, ethanol production and agro-energy are being considered.

Diversification of the sugar industry has been one of the methods pushed by the PPP even while in opposition.

This was when the former Government had closed the Wales Estate in 2016, and subsequently shut down the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon estates, leaving only the Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion estates operating.

However, the monies allocated to GuySuCo last year in the PPP/C’s emergency budget was for the phased reopening of the latter three estates that were closed.

DST Manager Roger Bradshaw

SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM Murder accused stabbed several times by fellow prisoner

Aman who was remanded to the Lusignan Prison, East Coast of Demerara (ECD), for murder, is now hospitalised after he was reportedly stabbed about his body at the Lusignan Prison by a fellow inmate.

Allan Basdeo was stabbed by a prisoner called “Russian” at about 23:15h on Thursday.

According to the prison authorities, Basdeo had fallen asleep in Holding Bay Two and was awakened by a loud noise.

Upon opening his eyes, he saw the masked suspect armed with improvised weapons. “Russian” subsequently stabbed Basdeo twice to the left side of his head, causing him to receive injuries.

An alarm was raised and the victim was picked up and taken to the infirmary section to seek medical attention. He was later escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to seek further medical attention. His condition is considered stable.

Investigations are in progress.

More than a month ago, a brawl at the Lusignan Prison had left two inmates receiving medical attention at the GPHC.

The incident had reportedly occurred in Bays Three and Four of the penitentiary. Those injured were Kenty Bacchus and Linden Lewis.

Based on reports received, Bacchus, who was in Bay Three, was attacked by several other prisoners from Bay Two after they gained access by scaling the fence. During the attack, Bacchus was chopped several times about his body.

The other injured prisoner, Lewis, sustained chop wounds to his left hand.

The fight was quickly brought under control by prison officers who were on duty. The two injured men were escorted to the GPHC, where they were admitted, treated, and later discharged. (G9)

Drunken brawl lands businessman, tractor operator, ranger in court

Aforty-six-year-old tractor operator, Clyde Herman, along with businessman, 52-yearold Victor Edwards, were jointly charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on Karl Alpin.

Herman and Edwards made their appearance at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alex Moore.

The charge was laid under Section 50 of the Criminal Law Offences Act Chapter 8:01. It alleges that on May 3, at Orealla, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), they inflicted grievous bodily harm on Alpin, who is a forest ranger.

They were not required to plead to charges, and were both released on $75,000 bail each.

Meanwhile, Alpin, 28, was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm. Alpin was charged contrary to Section 30 of the Summary offences Act Chapter 8:01.

The charge stated that on May 3, at Orealla, he assaulted Clyde Herman, so as to cause him actual bodily harm.

Alpin denied the charge and was placed on self-recognisance.

Both matters have been adjourned to July 19.

Reports are that on May 3, Alpin was injured by two men during a drunken brawl.

The men were reportedly drinking when an argument ensued among them. However, when tensions rose, they got into a scuffle.

One of the men had at that point armed himself with a piece of wood with which he began beating Alpin. The other man then joined in the fight.

Police had indicated that all three of the men received injuries, however only Alpin was hospitalised.

Squandering...

…our tax dollars

There’s an old aphorism attributed to Tip O’Neil, the old plain-spoken Speaker of the US House of Congress: “A billion here, a billion there…pretty soon it begins to add up to real money!” He, of course, was being ironic about the profligacy of the then government in spending taxpayers’ money. But there’s nothing ironic with what’s being uncovered with the pharmaceutical purchases during the PNC’s latest 5-year stint at the tiller. This is CRIMINAL, that’s what.

Imagine, another ONE BILLION DOLLARS of expired pharma has been unearthed to add to the TEN BILLION DOLLARS’ worth than were already dumped!! ELEVEN BILLION DOLLARS - more than $2B WORTH OF PHARMA every year! - DUMPED INTO THE GARBAGE! And the worst thing was that, during those five years, most of the basic drugs, such as diabetes and hypertension medicines, weren’t available for the Guyanese poor who’re dependent on our public health system!! They were routinely told they had to purchase their own drugs.

What exactly was going on? We’re living in the age of computerised record-keeping. Purchasing drugs, storing them, retrieving and recording them isn’t rocket science. Every modern supermarket has a system for entering the purchases of the thousands of different items they stock. When some are sold, and scanned for billing at the checkout counter, the computer automatically deducts those from the inventory, and a new balance is created. Those balances are scrutinised by supervisors, and specific goods are reordered. Those same supervisors get reports on how much of all items is sold per month or week, to get an idea of what’s the recurrent usage.

Now, your Eyewitness expects that in each of the locations where drugs are stored or used - warehouses, hospitals, clinics, etc - these computerised inventory systems are present. And if they aren’t, then things are more screwed up than anyone might suppose! So, exactly where did the breakdown occur in the last five years? We know there will always be a certain amount of drugs that’ll expire, since no computer, supervisor or epidemiologist can predict to the “T” who’ll get sick to need what particular medicine. But Jeez! Eleven billion dollars? Nah!

Your Eyewitness believes that, like with fishes, the rot and the stench began right at the top. Don’t we all remember that lady who “only had PNC friends” and believed that “only PNC people should get wuk in her Health Ministry”? Well, in her first couple of months on the job, she rushed through that sole-sourced $600M pharma contract to a Trini firm! From what we are now discovering, this must’ve then become the custom and practice! A lucrative practice!

The Auditor General has his work cut out for him!

…lives to COVID-19

Your Eyewitness had spoken about the ray of hope in this Stygian COVID-19 darkness enveloping us all after Biden proposed that the patents on the vaccines be temporarily waived. Vaccine manufacturers across the world could then churn out the life-saving products. Basically, it’s the poorer countries who’re at the short end of the stick. Of the 700 million doses administered to date, just 2% were in the poor countries.

Well, the WHO and 100 nations supporting its call pretty much fell over themselves in praising Biden - as did the EU, which also went along. But, in these matters, there’s always a party pooper, isn’t there? And this time it’s Germany. The Germans are insisting that it’s the monetary rewards that push innovation - in this case with vaccines - and we can’t remove that incentive.

Well, two things we should note: firstly, we’re only talking about a TEMPORARY waiver - maybe three years max. And secondly, much of the basic research behind new techniques were government funded.

But money still makes the world go ‘round, not people.

…newspaper space

What’s with Granger and his $2.5billion libel lawsuit? Success in libel suits depends on whether the Court holds the statements made as false.

The Court didn’t throw out his petitions and rule the PPP won the elections?

SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mother’s Day 2021

FROM PAGE 12

Historians theorise that it was the return to the “mother” church that led to the tradition of children getting the day off to visit their mother and family.

In 16th-century England, this celebration became “Mothering Sunday.” Children— mainly daughters who had gone to work as domestic servants—would be given the day off on the fourth Sunday of Lent to return to their mothers and home parish. The eldest son or daughter would bring a “mothering cake,” which would be cut and shared by the entire family. Family reunions were the order of the day, with sons and daughters assuming all household duties and preparing a special dinner in honour of their mother. Sometime during the day, the mother would attend special church services with her family.

Mothering Sunday was also known as Refreshment Sunday; the fasting rules were relaxed for that day. (Often, the gospel for the day was about Jesus feeding the crowd with loaves of bread.) The traditional cake, called a Simnel cake, is a fruit cake with two layers of almond paste. The cake was made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top, representing the 11 disciples. (Judas is not included.) Traditionally, sugar violets would also be added. TURN TO PAGE 14

SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

How can we celebrate differently?

FROM PAGE 13

The past year’s been a challenge. Many of us are rethinking how to give extra recognition to moms. Some of us are apart from our moms when we’d normally be together.

Most moms simply wish to connect with their children and spend time with family in any way possible—if not in person, then with a phone call or video chat!

If your mom is at home, give her a day off from any family chores, especially during this difficult time. Someone else can take full responsibility for making or serving the food, clearing and cleaning the dishes, and doing the laundry. Volunteer!

This probably covers the big stuff, but here are five creative ways to reach out to mom to show her a little extra comfort, love, and recognition. After all, moms are always there for us!

1. Do a fun activity together

As mothers always look after the beautification of home, you should help her with that. Plant a garden together. This year, turn this classic Mother’s Day gift into a mother-daughter/son activity that she’ll cherish for years to come. Surprise her with new plant seeds and go gardening together!

2. Serve her breakfast in bed

Start her day on the right note by showing up at her door with a tray full of pancakes, eggs, or any other brunch favourites. If you are able to make her favourite meal on Mother’s Day 2021, you are sorted. Mothers always cook food for us, but we hardly make anything for them. So, pull up your socks and get ready with all the ingredients.

3. Watch a movie together

If you’re going to stay at home, you might as well cosy up on the couch and watch a movie marathon with your favourite lady. To celebrate the occasion, pick from a list of Mother’s Day favourites.

4. Pamper her to the most

Chances are that she’s in desperate need of quality TLC. While you might not be able to give her the full spa experience at home, you can check a few things off. Be it a pedicuremanicure set or a pack of skincare products or just a few products for body massage, make her relax after a hectic day of cooking and cleaning.

5. Picnic at your place

Make your yard or garden a place for a family picnic which can surely make your mother feel delighted. Make dining at home more exciting by bringing the party outdoors. Set up a blanket and cover it with plates full of picnic-ready snacks, or even take-out from her favourite local restaurants. (extracted from swirlster.ndtv. com)

Delinquent taxpayers urged to submit returns soon to avoid penalties

Despite the April 30 deadline for the submission of tax returns having passed, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is encouraging taxpayers who did not file their returns to do so at the earliest time possible to avoid paying any penalties.

“The GRA is also encouraging taxpayers who have failed to meet the April 30, 2021 deadline to make every effort to do so within the shortest possible time since while the law allows for the Commissioner-General to waive associated penalties for due cause (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic and legitimate concerns like the non-receipt of Employers’ 7B/emolument slips), such consideration may not be extended towards any interest that may have accrued for the late payment of taxes,” GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia said.

Nevertheless, he went on to laud those taxpayers who filed their tax returns before the April 30, 2021 due date for their overwhelming compliance.

“This level of compliance is extraordinary especially so in light of and the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In comparison to 2020, and previous years, the Guyana Revenue Authority has received an astounding number of tax returns filed both manually and electronically,” the GRA boss noted.

When compared to 2020, there was an increase in compliance of over 100 per cent. According to Statia, such compliance levels allowed the Agency to surpass its budget collections by over $1 billion for the month of April 2021.

As of April 30, 2021, GRA has received 94,189 tax returns at its Headquarters and Regional Integrated Tax Offices, of which some 4414 were submitted via the new Optimal RMS e-services and over 1000 payments being effected electronically thereon.

In March 2021, the GRA launched its new tax software Optimal Revenue Management System (RMS). This system will not only improve taxpayer convenience, allow for e-filing and e-payments, and improved operational efficiencies, but will allow the Agency to fast-track the processing of Mortgage Interest Relief and PAYE refunds, thereby bringing benefits to all stakeholders.

The GRA is working assiduously in utilising the information submitted in the 2021 returns to refund taxpayers for previous years by utilising direct bank transfers, and give notice of such transfers through electronic media like MMS and WhatsApp. The Agency would like to assure taxpayers that systems are being put in place to reduce the long waiting time for tax refunds and MIR payments.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the interest of maintaining public safety, the issuance of lodgment receipts was discontinued. For future submissions, taxpayers who submitted their returns via the dropbox system are encouraged to sign up for e-services to receive confirmation that their returns were lodged. They can also utilise this system to track their tax status (taxes due or refunds outstanding).

For additional information about the features and benefits of the Optimal Revenue Management System, taxpayers can visit www.gra.gov.gy/optimal. Taxpayers are also encouraged to view video presentations, which cover promotional, guidance and other useful content via social media channels: https://www. facebook.com/grapr2020 (Facebook) and https:// www.youtube.com/c/Guyan aRevenueAuthority/ (YouT ube).