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Jan. 2020 VOLUME 3 EDITION 1

www.uniteguy.com NEWS MAGAZINE FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT & UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS

THE KEOMA HAMER “MISSING TWIN BABIES” ALLEGATION IN ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

by Leon Saul

After giving birth, Keoma Hamer said that she recalls her babies crying while being taken from the room…yet a few hours later, she was told that her babies were stillborn.

She never saw her babies again, nor was she given a death certificate…

Mystery still surrounds sisters born in Antigua national – Keoma Hamer, since. According to Institute for Democracy a case of kidnapping the whereabouts of twin in 2004 to Guyanese who hasn’t seen them the Caribbean Guyana (CGID), this could be and human trafficking! continued on pg 8 “Father of African Unity” H.I.M. Haile Selassie 1 Restored to Honor by the African Union

“CHANGE GUYANA” (CG) HOPES TO GIVE ALL GUYANESE SHARES IN OIL RESOURCES!

Pg 7 9 parties to contest Guyana’s 2020 national & regional elections

Pg 8 Economic Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Guyana & Establishing the National Marijuana and Hemp Commission

Pg 5

Co-founder & Chairman of Change Guyana - Nigel Hinds and Presidential Candidate - Robert Badal (R)

Change Guyana (CG) political party on Tuesday, January 7, expressed the hope that, once it wins the national and general elections slated for March

2, 2020, its government woud create a “welfare support” scheme and ensure a “fair share ” of the country’s oil and gas resources are provided to

ordinary Guyanese, while at the same time taking back all idle oil blocks and holding annual auctions with significant signing bonuses!

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The Presidential candidate for the newlyformed Change Guyana party – Robert Badal vowed that he would activate the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) in 2023, by which time he expects more oil revenues would pour into the Guyanese economy.

A CG government would also establish other specialized funds for agriculture, poverty alleviation, infrastructural development, health care and education.

“These specialized funds will be the only funds that the Minister can have access to, and

because these have already been appropriated by Parliament, so the specific funds are to ensure that these specific needs are addressed…rather than the government vacillating and doing anything that they want to do,” he said.

The highly-qualified CG leader said “a special welfare fund” would be established to finance a safety net for depressed communities, single parents and the more vulnerable in Guyana. “Our focus is development around oil, not development by oil,” he said. continued on pg 11

EDITORIAL

9 parties to contest Guyana’s national & regional JAGDEO AND “IRFAT” ALI… 2020 elections

BOTH LIE FOR A LIVING!

By M. Jinnah Rahman Former PPPC President Bharrat Jagdeo told the Guyanese nation just after his term of office ended that he would not be involved in “active politics” anymore! But here he is dominating and directing political activities in the PPPC, like a wild animal that was locked up for decades.

Jagdeo used a surrogate – a virtual beggar - to mount a legal case to remove the “two terms limit” a President can hold office. He clearly wanted to be “President for life”. The matter went to the highest court- the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)… and Jagdeo lost.

But the General Secretary of the PPPC found a way, like the Russian President – Vladimir Putin to hold on to power and influence, by marginalizing indolent cowards in the PPPC - calling themselves “Jaganites” and “Sons of Jagan”.

Yet, Cheddi Jagan’s only son - Joey Jagan refused to endorse Jagdeo or the “Jaganites” as the legitimate inheritors of the Jagan’s “legacy” which is STALINISM! Jagdeo hijacked the PPPC and now uses his “sidekick” – “Irfat” Ali, to do his bidding. Most citizens are asking: “Who is the PPPC’s Presidential candidate - Jagdeo or “Irfat” Ali? If anyone needs any more proof - the recently held Kitty Market rally on January 5, 2020

and the 19 criminal fraud charges slapped against him; and his refusal to explain his acquisition of properties on the West Coast of Demerara and in the capital city of Georgetown!

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has not been effective in digging into the tax returns of government officials and top public servants. It has not screened them to find out how they acquired their ill-gotten assets. The GRA’s main focus was to compile tax returns for Finance Minister Winston Jordan to sustain the rotten economic State and their own existence.

The State apparatus created by the “Jagdeoite” administration has not been dismantled; and the culprits who have corrupted the system are still intact ready to carry on their mischievous and nefarious actions of theft and corruption in a new government.

The abysmal failure of the military-inclined Granger regime to catch the “Jagdeoite thieves and crooks”, who have robbed the nation and impoverished the citizens is set to continue…if the voters do not vote wisely and tactically to deny any one party gaining a majority.

The Ramotar regime has proven that Guyanese can make their elected officials accountable through a process of negotiation and consensual agreement.

The voters must act to send a clear message that they will not live on promises.

Could you imagine what would happen under an “Irfat” Ali/Bharrat Jagdeo presidency?

The GOOD LIFE MUST

exposed the bogus PPPC candidacy - Jagdeo was clearly the “front runner” with “Irfat” Ali - further exposing his “rear”. Prime Ministererial candidate – Brigadier (ret’d) “On Your Mark” Phillips was just window dressing…a la “Sam Blinds”. Jagdeo, like Donald Trump, faces very serious offences committed against the nation – for which they must both stand trial.

The wanton murder of over 400 persons of African descent, the wastage of public finance, for example …the Skeldon sugar factory, the theft of the New Building Society money to build the Berbice Bridge, the over-priced Marriott Hotel and that fiasco of the Amaila Falls hydro project - are just the tip of the iceberg!

“Irfat” Ali has proven to be also to be an inveterate liar - following in the footsteps of his master Jagdeo.

The nation was told by “Irfat” Ali that his certificates and degrees are not bogus. His story is ridiculous and infantile!

Jagdeo told “Irfat” Ali not to answer questions at a recently-held PPP central committee meeting - when quizzed by “Jaganites” about the legitimacy of his qualifications.

The lies continued as the election campaign kicked off on January 5…and the “Jagdeoite” candidate BE FOR THE MANY…NOT now officially faces the THE FEW! nation to answer charges about his qualifications

President Granger is confident of being re-elected.

Commissioners attached to the Guyana Elections Commission, (GECOM) have confirmed that nine parties out of 13 have qualified to contest the general elections slated for March 2, 2020.

These are the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the United Republican Party (URP), Change Guyana (CG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), the People’s Republic Party (PRP), The Citizenship Initiative (TCI), and The New Movement (TNM).

The Federal United Party (FED UP) and Organization of Victory of the People, (OVP) had earlier indicated that they would only be contesting the regional polls. The National Independent Party (NIP) and the Guyana National Service Party (GNSP) failed to meet the requirements for the elections. The printing of ballots overseas has started.

Presidential candidates of both the LJP - Lenox Shuman and United Republican Party (URP) – Dr. Vishnu Bandhu, have indicated that they are yet to get clearance on the matter of their citizenship in foreign countries. And,

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Change Guyana’s prime ministerial candidate – Nigel Hinds, who is chairman of CG has bowed out of the race.

Hinds still retains dual citizenship with the USA and he has indicated that owing to health complications and the need for regular treatment, he would have to travel to the USA easily. His name was not on CG’s nomination list and he had not signed any declaration form.

All candidates contesting the General elections were made aware of the articles in the Constitution of Guyana, which prohibits dual citizens from being elected a member of the National Assembly.

Shuman and Bandhu have both noted their intention to relinquish their dual citizenship but said that they have not received official word from their status.

At present, GECOM is deciding how to deal with the matter since the candidates would have signed a declaration form in the presence of a Justice of Peace (JP) declaring that they are only citizens of Guyana and are aware of the articles in the Constitution of Guyana which prohibits dual citizens from being elected a member of the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, in a historic move, A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM) have agreed to join their Lists of Candidates so that the votes they secure at the March 2 general and regional elections could be counted collectively and improve their chances of securing parliamentary and regional seats.

The parties will contest the polls separately but, in tabulating votes for the allocation of seats in the National Assembly and on the Regional Democratic Councils, their votes will be combined. “Any party getting 2,000 votes does not get a seat so that’s a waste of those votes but a combination list with 6,000 votes has won a seat and more importantly has prevented either APNU+AFC or the PPP/C from winning that seat,” a source close to the process explained.

ANUG led by Ralph Ramkarran, the LJP led by Lenox Shuman and TNM led by Asha Kissoon have informed Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield that they wish to engage in a “joinder of lists.”

In the meantime, supporters of the APNU+AFC coalition must be prepared to play continued on pg 15

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

EXXONMOBIL ANNOUNCES

“TRANSFORMATIVE” FIRST OIL IN GUYANA

By David Blackmon (Contributor) Co-founder & Chairman - Nigel Hinds addressing the audience at the Change Guyana (CG) launch in the Pegasus Hotel

CHANGE GUYANA (CG) POLITICAL PARTY WILL RENEGOTIATE OIL CONTRACTS W h i l e Local and foreign experts have expressed grave concern about the absence of legislation to govern the oil and gas sector, the newlyformed Change Guyana (CG) political party has vowed to renegotiate all existing contracts with oil companies to get higher royalties and suspend the award of new concessions pending those talks.

The Co-founder & Chairman for the Change Guyana (CG) party Nigel Hinds, a Chartered Accountant, said Guyana “urgently” needs a local content policy for all industries and investors, not only the emerging oil and gas sector. He stated that CG’s model policy would cater to the transfer of skills, knowledge, technology, policies and the use of local products

and services.

The former sportsman and now financial expert later added that he was not worried the call for a renegotiation of oil contracts would scare away investors. The CG political party said the time has come for Guyana to stop awarding more concessions until the existing production sharing agreements are renegotiated. “No new contract should be awarded at this time. We have enough oil to last for forty years. Finding more oil and incurring more pre-contract cost is not exactly in our interest in this contract that is illdefined to some extent and in many areas we have concerns about,” he said.

Addressing CG’s launch at the Pegasus Hotel, the former Prime Ministerial

candidate, revealed his party’s position on the issue at a time when there is lingering debate about the sufficiency of the two-percent royalty in the production sharing agreement between Guyana and ExxonMobil.

Concerns have been also raised about the one percent royalty that Guyana secured in the deal with Tullow Oil. “The ambiguous oil production sharing agreement that has extremely low royalties for Guyana is a major cause for concern and Change Guyana party believes that contract renegotiations for a fair share of oil benefits to Guyana are absolutely needed and we will be using reputable public international law firms for this purpose,” he pointed out to the sizable crowd at the CG launch.

Known as the “Land of Many Waters”, the 83,000 square miles South American republic that is also the headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) could also soon be recognized as the “Land of Much Oil”!

The more than 750,000 or so citizens of Guyana are about to experience a very significant change in their standard of living due to the ongoing development of their nation’s offshore mineral resources. The crucial challenge for the government there will come in properly managing the new wealth.

President Granger’s government has taken several key initial steps towards that goal, and the “mother of all national elections” on March 2, will help determine what that management will look like heading into the future.

December 20, 2019 marked a historic milestone for Guyana, the small South American country that is soon to become the fastest growing economy in the Caribbean. Late in the evening, ExxonMobil and its partners announced that it had produced the first commercial crude from the Liza field, located in Guyana’s offshore Stabroek Block.

The output from the first phase is expected to reach capacity of 120,000 gross barrels of oil per day (bdp), utilizing the Liza Destiny floating production storage and offloading (FPSO), and the first cargo is set to be sold within several weeks. Stabroek Block is expected to produce 750,000 bpd by 2025.

Guyana’s APNU+AFC coalition President David Granger declared December 20 as

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“National Petroleum Day” and said that the revenues from oil would be “transformative” for the Guyanese economy.

The international community agrees – the International Monetary Fund has predicted the country’s GDP could grow 86 percent next year. “That’s 14 times the projected pace of China,” according to Bloomberg.

The IMF further projects that the country’s current $4 billion annual gross domestic product will grow to $15 billion by 2024.

Granger took the occasion to announce the government’s “National Decade of Development” plan, which will prioritize reforming the public education system and providing free schooling for all Guyanese. “The petroleum production has brought the prospects of a higher quality of life closer to our households and neighborhoods.

It is a momentous event,” Granger said.

“Every Guyanese will benefit from petroleum production. No one will be left behind.”

Recent months have seen a flurry of activity as the government takes steps to prepare for the first oil production. As I noted in September, the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Energy has been established to manage the country’s resources and build the institutional, legislative and regulatory architecture to manage the sector effectively.

Head of the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Energy - Dr. Mark Bynoe cautioned that “Guyana’s future is bright, but we can only secure that future by strengthening legislation, conducting due diligence, emphasizing education,

following a balanced development paradigm and utilizing the best skills in the industry through partnerships.”

According to the government, local content policy is in its final stages of being reviewed by experts with the Local Content Unit to be set up by the end of the year.

The draft has received mixed reviews, and will likely be a crucial issue in the lead up to Guyana’s next general elections in March 2020. The Guyanese government is also conducting a process to find buyers for the first three cargoes of the oil it is entitled to under the contract with the consortium, which is led by ExxonMobil with Hess Corp and China’s CNOCC. But first oil was not all that December had in store for Guyana.

Just three days later, ExxonMobil announced that it had made a new oil discovery at the Mako-1 well southeast of the Liza field, marking the 15th discovery on the Stabroek Block. The successful Mako-1 adds to the previously estimated recoverable resource of more than 6 billion oilequivalent barrels in the Stabroek Block.

Amid the excitement surrounding the first oil milestone, the discovery at Mako-1 emphasizes the long-term nature of production in Guyana.

With discoveries continuing to mount, ExxonMobil and its partners have sought to maintain a steady pace of development and approvals for future phases of production. Liza Phase 2 is already well underway, and the third phase, Payara, is expected for early 2020. More oil is expected to be discovered soon.

A A RETURN RETURN TO TO CIVILIZATION CIVILIZATION FEATURE

by Leon Saul

As a “dual citizen”, when you touch down at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, after a Caribbean Airlines flight from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana…then a 14-hour stopover at Piarco Airport in Trinidad to get the connecting Air Canada flight…you breathe a sigh of relief and utter a prayer to the Almighty Creator – Amen Ra. It’s good to return to civilization! It’s the same feeling you get even when you visit lil Antigua.

After eight years in my native country – owing to health conditions and the need to spiritually convalesce, I can safely say…I LOVE GT, but I ain’t giving up my Canadian citizenship for nothing! In Canada, even though there is systemic and endemic racism, you still get a chance to be somebody and make it in life. Systems work here.

Cleanliness is next to godliness…maybe, that’s why Canada has been voted the number one country in the world to live in.

First of all, I enjoyed my 14-hours hanging around Piarco. It’s a place worth hanging around. Then you realize how shortchanged Guyana is with the “new” airport being built by the Chinese for more than US$150 million and behind schedule. Guyana is not getting value for money spent!

As a qualified publisher, producer,

writer, cultural activist (actor and drummer), journalist and community worker…I couldn’t find proper employment in the Guyana system.

Maybe, it’s because of being a Rastafarian… but I experienced immense discrimination, marginalization, denial of opportunities and general ridicule from an ignorant population because of my stance for “LEGALIZING GANJA IN GUYANA”.

I guess being the first Rastaman to openly become involved in politics in Guyana by setting up the HEALING THE NATION THEOCRACY PARTY (HTNTP) in January 2015 to contest the last General and Regional Elections, also got me “ostracized and marginalized” even by my own dreadlocked bredren. Anyway, in 2015 we got 293 votes in Region 4, despite our support for the APNU+AFC coalition and non-support by your very own dread community…but the seed

was planted! Now, there’s need for “A PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT”!

That “people’s movement” could be the coming together of the plethora of small parties under the CHANGE GUYANA’s umbrella.

At present, in Guyana there is a state of “lawlessness” (politicians were sitting in the National Assembly with dual citizenship and having committed perjury and other criminal acts), “confusion”, “uncertainty” and “a circling of the wagons”… plus the “locking down” of money runnings in the society. This is after the no confidence vote, which was endorsed by the Speaker of the National Assembly – the wise Dr. Barton Scotland and then by the erudite Chief Justice – Madam Roxanne George….berfore the CCJ put a curb on political shenanigans in Guyana.

Some misguided ones across the various ethnicities have been calling for a return of the

“bad old days of bloody drug money bidness”, which was patronized by the PPPC cartel government, instead of the steady guiding hand of the APNU+AFC coalition government being steered by the crafty and former cancer-affected Christian Anglican Head of State… who promised to allow for “no jail time for small amounts of ganja”…and no presenting of the Bill in the National Assembly.

Swar and salz! “Granger the Ranger who wasn’t born in a manger and fears no danger” and his government broke this and several other promises made to supporters and allies. Hot fire!

Indeed, when the PPPC was in power…money and blood flowed like water in the streets. Now that the APNU+AFC government has been in power for the last four and a half years…the general populace has come to appreciate what is “law and order”, leadership integrity and the fact that PPPC and APNU+AFC are two sides to the same coin…heads you lose, tails you lose. Except that, APNU+AFC is the lesser of two evils!

So, what’s the solution?

Revolution…a youth revolution that started with the premise that “NO REGISTRATION, NO ELECTIONS”!

Opposition Leader – Bharrat Jagdeo is foaming at the mouth and chomping at the bits at the thought that his carefully-

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crafted “Machiavellian” conspiracy to overthrow the legitimately-elected coalition government by a successful one-vote “NO CONFIDENCE” motion has unraveled. And Roger Khan has been released from a US prison and is lying low in GT…after no evidence and no witnesses were made available for prosecution and even persecution.

And Charrandass is nowhere to be seen in

endorsed Dr. “Irfraud” Ali as the next President for Guyana!

Don’t feel no way…

Charrandass is being hailed as a hero by many Guyanese in Toronto. He is also being vilified by others, who regard him as the ultimate traitor since “Judas” and “Jesus”. And yet there are others who insist that “Charrandass did the right thing in a wrong way”! Because of that…in Guyana it’s “on

cold Toronto after his “self-exile”. He, too, has decided to hibernate as the safer of the two options available to him – selfimposed exile or a return to the scene of his “crime” in Guyana. For him, going back to Guyana now is not an option…too many guns aiming at him – from both sides! But, he has

your marks, get set… but with elections being set for MARCH 2, 2020 it’s “heads who wins… and tails who loses! On a platform of UNITY… it’s a “win win situation.

So, let’s change Guyana for the better and for the real good life…oil or no oil, legal ganja or no legal ganja. Amen Ra.

Economic Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Guyana & Establishing the National Marijuana and Hemp Commission A Position Paper by Ras Leon Saul

Cannabis sativa – marijuana and its cousin – hemp in Guyana are illegal for all uses, but are both grown and consumed in the South American nation with Caribbean linkages. Possession of 15 grams or over can result in charges of drug trafficking. A simple “spliff” – one gram of weed can get you a threeyear jail sentence!

As in other parts of the British Caribbean, arriving indentured laborers from India brought the custom of smoking ganja with them, but this habit had fallen from fashion by the early part of the 20th century. In 1861, British Guiana passed a law entitled An Ordinance to Regulate the Sale of Opium and Bhang. British Guiana passed its Indian Hemp Ordinance in 1913.

In Guyana, the draconian Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) (Amendment) Act 1988 was passed February 19, 1988 and assented to on March 10, 1988.

Following that, the next Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Control Act 1999 was passed on March 18, 1999 and assented to on April 23, 1999.

Earlier, in the 1970s,

the Rastafari “dread” philosophy and faithbased way of life gained popularity in Guyana and, along with it, came an increased interest in the use of cannabis sativa or “ganja the holy weed” for sacramental purposes in its worship ceremony of “Nyahbinghi”.

A Rastafari-based grouping - The Healing of the Nation Theocracy Party (HTNTP) was launched in January 2015, to participate in the 2015 General and Regional Elections. The party was headed by Alfred Park and Ras Leon Saul with a primary platform to “Legalize Marijuana and Eradicate Poverty”.

Also, in 2015, Guyana Rastafarians staged a demonstration at the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs – Basil Williams’ office…calling for the decriminalization of cannabis, spurred by the arrest of former football star - Ras Vibert Butts.

The 2006 UN World Drug Report estimated that 2.6% of Guyanese age 15-64 had used marijuana that year, and as of 2009 it was reported as the most prevalent “drug” in the country.

Marijuana is generally sold within Guyana, rather

than trafficked abroad. It grows year-round, and is of a high grade, but is largely consumed locally rather than exported.

Many have been jailed for its use, simple possession and trafficking.

According to the “Report of the CARICOM Regional Commission on Marijuana 2018…

Waiting to Exhale – Safeguarding our Future through Responsible Socio-Legal Policy on Marijuana”…

“Choosing the right approach involves taking account of the national political and social circumstances as well as the institutional capacities of Member States.

In advising on “The Way Forward”, “the Commission believes that the end goal for CARICOM should be the dismantling of prohibition in its totality, to be replaced by a strictly regulated framework akin to that for alcohol and tobacco, which are harmful substances that are not criminalized.

“However, it acknowledges that law reform can take many forms and should conform to national realities. This is particularly so because the Commission is of

the view that law reform should not adopt a laissezfaire, liberalized approach, but proceed within a responsible, controlled regime that will depend on focused and adequate institutional resources to achieve the desirable objectives. Prohibition denies the CARICOM region substantial economic benefits.

“The Commission is unanimous in its view that the current classification for cannabis/ marijuana as a “dangerous drug” with “no value,” or narcotic, should be changed to a classification of cannabis as a “controlled substance.”

The Commission is unanimous in its view that, ultimately, legal policy toward marijuana should be informed, not by punitive approaches, but by public health rationales, within a human rights, social justice and developmental perspective.

“A too limited approach to law reform, including one that focuses only on medical marijuana, would be counterproductive and inimical to the goals of Caribbean development, as outlined in the SDGs and endorsed by CARICOM. Consequently, there is a consensus that all criminal penalties from marijuana laws should be removed.

“If only decriminalization is envisaged, reasonable fines and compulsory rehabilitative treatment should be substituted.

This will also immunize cannabis/ marijuana sales and profits from the current trajectory where they are treated as proceeds of crime under anti-money laundering and proceeds of crime legislation,” stated the Commission’s Report.

The most appealing argument in favor of legalization of

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marijuana in Guyana is the increased tax revenue that it would bring to the Guyanese economy.

Legalizing marijuana provides an important advantage over prohibition because it allows for the Government to collect taxes from the legalized plant.

Specifically, high demand for recreational marijuana in Guyana indicates that legalization of the plant would yield significant tax revenue.

The free market price of marijuana is estimated to be particularly low without taxation. This allows for the Government to impose higher taxes on marijuana, while keeping the price at a competitive level with other intoxicants (for example - alcohol and tobacco).

The taxation revenue

the considerable economic boost, the generated tax revenue is used for the state’s public school capital construction assistance fund, and public programs such as substance abuse and regulation of marijuana use. This is to ensure that any adverse effects caused by the legalization were paid for by its own generated tax revenue.

The legalization of recreational and medicinal marijuana in Guyana could generate substantial taxation revenue due to the presence of a significant black market for marijuana, as the second most consumed substance nationwide, behind only that of alcohol.

The legalization could result in the employment of more workers who can grow and package marijuana for sale in the

of legalized marijuana products has already been proven in Colorado, in the United States of America, where marijuana was legalized since January 1, 2014. Colorado has gained international interest as one of the first states in the United States to allow for legal buying and selling of marijuana. The results from Colorado’s first two years of legalization show significant monetary tax revenue, with recreational and medicinal sales reaching almost US$1 billion in 2015. Colorado collected more than US$135 million in taxation revenue and fees!

To ensure that positive outcomes occur alongside

Government approved grow-ops. It also could generate some other job opportunities for individuals who can work in educational sessions and health promotion initiatives to promote safe use of the herbal plant, that’s also regarded as a “drug”.

Nevertheless, due to automation and economies of scale, legalization would probably reduce the overall employment in Guyana, because the number of legal jobs generated (e.g, growers, distributors, and accountants) would probably be smaller compared to the Continued on pg 9

POLITICAL NEWS

Our major political parties failed us with the indefensible Exxonmobil deal.

By Nigel Hinds

2019 has been an unforgettable political year for Guyana, if only for the indelible and extreme breaches of our Constitution and Court Rulings following the No Confidence Vote… and the grand finale confession coming three years after the signing of a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), when the APNU+AFC administration, represented by Minister Raphael Trotman, casually stated that, “I would be the first to admit that we should have done far better than we have done.” Better late than never one contemplates.

Now, if only we could turn back time and have a new PSA that fills the Guyanese economy with billions of United States Dollars instead of the indefensible PSA. Anyway, the undoubted person of the year for 2018 was Charrandass Persaud, who voted the APNU+AFC administration into “caretaker” status, with his across-the-floor support of the No Confidence Motion.

The initial acknowledgment of APNU+AFC that the No Confidence Vote required elections by March 21, 2019 didn’t last long. The APNU+AFC advocates for adherence to the Constitution

Nigel Hinds - Co- Founder & Chairman of “Change Guyana”

under President Donald Ramotar’s administration, became the violators of the Constitution using the most illogical and confounding arguments that to this day, have facts and logic tottering and reeling from relentless attack of fake math, claims of entitlement to a full term and just plain executive lawlessness.

The Constitution was subjugated, and court orders were generally ignored, as the Executive Branch of government took full supremacy over the Constitution and the Courts.

We ended 2019 with the PPP/C and APNU+AFC (PNCR) standing or bending in solidarity as they commit to “not renegotiate or review” the oiliest of oil contracts between Exxon’s subsidiary, Hess Inc. and CNOOC/Nexen with the empowered hand and the Government of Guyana

with the submissive hand.

It seems to me that we have at the highest levels of government, the unlimited imagination and arrogance to defy the Constitution of Guyana; then we go prostrate when dealing with Exxon and gift billions of United States Dollars away from the long-suffering Guyanese people. “Bad man” style internally for political power, status and entitlements and stultifying cowardice when dealing with Exxonmobil.

With our political leaders virtually knighting Darren Woods, Exxon’s CEO, to have supreme control over the six billion plus barrels of oil in offshore Guyana, it is appropriate to have Guyana’s political and corporate overlord be gifted with the title – “Guyana’s Person of the Year for 2019”!

So, there have

been massive, immeasurable and humongous giveaways and concessions to Exxonmobil and its partner, while Guyanese receive the “doughnut middle”…verbally coated in sugar. As we quibble over first and second lift, waffle over direct oil sales and our unpreparedness for first oil, the deplorable, stark and the unprecedented terms of the Production Sharing Agreements, the aptly named Mr. Woods is, I’m sure quite enamored to have united the two largest political parties in Guyana to embrace the PSA, a unity that benefits Exxonmobil and throws Guyanese under the proverbial bus.

The 36% of Guyanese living in poverty, the 7,000 sugar workers thrown off their jobs are not material factors to our elite politicians, as the play for power, status, entitlements

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and wealth for whoever governs, take precedence over improving the quality of life for the Guyanese people.

Yet Charrandass was called a “Judas”, while Exxonmobil is hero worshipped in unison by the utterances from APNU+AFC and PPP/C. Yet Charrandass was called an “interloper”, while Exxonmobil and company rush to monetize their “cash cow” in Guyana. The “courageous vote” of Charrandass Persaud on that December night in 2018 revealed how having power and the prospects of gaining power are primarily not about providing for the welfare of the people, but more about the political hierarchy staying in power or gaining power by any means necessary!

The billions of United States dollars that have been denied the Guyanese people with the most lopsided PSA is best described by slicing the words of author Charles Dickens: “It was the worst of times…, it was the age of foolishness…, it was the epoch of incredulity…, it was the season of darkness…, it was the winter of despair.”

Indeed we have reached the breaking point of reason, since using words like pre-contract costs, royalties, renegotiate, review, ring-fencing, local content, stabilization

clause and signing bonus in the context of the Guyana Government’s PSA with Exxonmobil’s subsidiary, Hess and CNOOC/Nexen are being described as unpatriotic.

Whether it’s the response to the No Confidence Vote by the governing party or the expressed intent not to have the PSA with Exxonmobil’s subsidiary and its partners renegotiated or reviewed, our major political parties have failed us.

The two large political parties, captured or held captive since 1955, with substantial blocks of support from within ethnic demographics, seem to embrace this retrograde form of governance in a continuous and interdependent manner.

David de Caires attorney, founder and editor-in-chief of Stabroek News had often noted the symbiotic nature of the PPP and PNC in the 1990s and 2000s. This symbiotic relationship has, for the most part, resulted in the political hierarchy prospering while the Guyanese people are tragically disadvantaged.

The state of our plight and/or plunder is best expressed as a “selflicking” ice cream cone that licks to sustain a divisive system. We have to change this rotten system!

ROOTS & CULTURE

“Father of African Unity” H.I.M. Haile Selassie 1 Restored to Honor by the SCENES FROM THE NYAHBINGHI African Union WORSHIP SESSION IN ANTIGUA and for fostering Pan Africanism.” (applause), stated H.E. Prime Minister of Ethiopia - Dr. Abiy Ahmed, on February 8, 2019.

“It is only Nkrumah

“… Tonight, we celebrate a great statesman who made monumental contributions to the liberation of Africa and the establishment of African unity, the late Emperor Haile Selassie 1 (applause).

There is no need to remind those of us in this room about the monumental contributions of Emperor Haile Selassie 1. He had at the time shared that our awareness of our past is essential

who is remembered whenever we talk about pan Africanism.

It is a shame not to accept his role. The late Meles Zenawi adamantly argued that the African Union should not erect a statute for H.I.M. Haile Selassie 1 and tried to dismiss his role in Pan African unity, this was on February 12, 2012. “ T h e commemorative statue of Emperor

to the establishment of our personality and identity as Africans…I want to take this opportunity to thank the African Union for recognizing His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie’s efforts in the liberation struggle

Haile Selassie 1 is an important recognition of the Emperor’s contribution to Africa’s liberation and unity leading up to the founding of the Organization of African Unity in 1963…to later become the African

Union…

“H.I.M. Haile Selassie 1 was Regent from 1916 to 1930 and Emperor from 1930 to 1974. The ‘King of Kings’ had many faults as

The Caribbean R a s t a f a r i Organisation (CRO) will be hosting an international conference in Antigua from July 14 -19, 2020

a leader. He was an old-style absolute monarch who ruled his nation with a sense of paternalism.

He believed he knew what was best for Ethiopia. He sought to modernize a feudal system but failed to undertake land reform.

“In his old age, he seemed to be completely out of touch with the conditions in his country to the point of expressing lack of awareness of a ravaging famine that killed thousands. That famine precipitated his downfall.

“But his giant role in Ethiopia’s international diplomacy — fighting against colonialism, apartheid, in supporting selfdetermination, African liberation movements and representation of Africa in world forums – cannot be denied.

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OIL & GAS

GUYANA TOPS ENTIRE WORLD FOR 2019 CONVENTIONAL

OIL DISCOVERIES FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR

– Rystad

TORONTO – Guyana again topped the entire world for conventional oil discoveries in 2019 with a cumulative estimate of recoverable resources of around 1.8 billion barrels of oil found offshore the English-Speaking South American nation during the year, Rystad Energy said on Thursday, January 9.

ExxonMobil was also the world’s top company for 2019 also mainly because of its Guyana

discoveries.

Guyana, which commenced oil production in December 2019, is set to produce 750,000 barrels of oil in 2025 from the Stabroek Block.

According to the energy analyst, the country’s ranking was as a result of ExxonMobil’s four new discoveries in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, coupled with Tullow Oil’s Jethro and Joe exploration wells that TORONTO – Guyana

again topped the entire world for conventional oil discoveries in 2019 with a cumulative estimate of recoverable resources of around 1.8 billion barrels of oil found offshore the English-Speaking South American nation during the year, Rystad Energy said on Thursday, January 9.

ExxonMobil was also the world’s top company for 2019 also mainly because of its Guyana discoveries.

Guyana,

which commenced oil production in December 2019, is set to produce 750,000 barrels of oil in 2025 from the Stabroek Block.

According to the energy analyst, the country’s ranking was as a result of ExxonMobil’s four new discoveries in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana, coupled with Tullow Oil’s Jethro and Joe exploration wells that “established the presence of a working petroleum system to the west of the

Stabroek block”.

“ExxonMobil can be declared explorer of the year for a second year in a row thanks to its ongoing efforts and results in Guyana, along with significant investments in Cyprus… the supermajor was exceptional, both in terms of discovered volumes and value creation from exploration,” Palzor Shenga, a senior analyst on Rystad Energy’s upstream team, was quoted as saying. Rystad Energy said ExxonMobil, a US company, discovered around 1.07 billion barrels of oil in additional net resources last year and estimates the value creation from these volumes to be around US$2.7 billion, mainly driven by the continued

success in Guyana, stated a report in the “Guyana Petroleum Digest”.

The energy analyst noted that the world’s oil and gas explorers powered ahead and discovered 12.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) in 2019, the highest volume since 2015. Last year recorded 26 discoveries of more than 100 million barrels of oil, with offshore regions dominating the list of new oil and gas deposits.

“US independent Hess and Chinese state player CNOOC, which are partners with ExxonMobil in the Stabroek Block, occupy the second and the third spots on the list of top explorers of 2019 in terms of value creation from the Guyana discoveries,” Rystad said.

THE KEOMA HAMER “MISSING TWIN BABIES” ALLEGATION IN ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

From pg 1 The Guyanese Dutch St. Maarten resident Keoma Hamer has been making headlines in the USA, Guyana, Antigua

& Barbuda and St. Kitts!

While in St. Maarten, not one politician or department within the government has taken

interest in what appears to be an international cross border crime that is affecting a citizen of the island.

According to a report in a St. Maarten publication, “One would think that the Prosecutor’s Office or the RST would have contacted Keoma Hamer who went public with her life story on June 12, 2019 when she made the first Facebook post explaining what happened to her while in transiting in Antigua. Hamer then made videos that were posted on June 12, 15, 20, 22, 26, and on July 1, 2019 giving her followers almost day to day updates since then.

“Clearly, law enforcement on St. Maarten does not seem to care about this type of human trafficking or kidnapping unless it has to do with a local politician.

8

Another year is coming to an end and while Hamer is screaming for help through her posts not one person within the justice department on St. Maarten reached out to her.

“Hamer, a well-known resident on St. Maarten, has worked with several organizations including the United Nations and with at least one politician.

Her story about her daughters did not start in 2019 when she went public through social media, but it’s a story that was told since 2004 after her babies were stolen!

“The New Testament Baptist Church, where her late mother was a member, heard her cries the moment Keoma gave birth and she could not

leave St. Maarten to be at her daughter’s bedside.

Reading through the comments since Hamer became public, several persons pointed fingers at Hamer’s immediate family members but, so far, these family members that are well-known and connected to St. Maarten politicians remain silent.

“There is a saying silence is consent, therefore, one could only assume that the comments that are being made against the family members are true...unless they are willing to clear their names and come forward with answers to exactly what happened on September 4, 2004 on the island of Antigua.” continued on pg 10

GUYANA ELECTIONS HEAT UP AS APNU+AFC SEEK A MAJORITY WIN

The Guyana National and Regional Elections slated for March 2, 2020 are heating up as presidential candidates fall by the wayside and incumbent APNU+AFC coalition President Granger, who has been given a “clean bill of health seems headed for a second term, while calling for a majority win!

Three candidates, found to be dual citizens on Nominations Day, have been removed from the list of candidates elections.

Those who will be struck off the list of contenders are Guyanese-Canadian - Lenox Shuman of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP); Dr. Vishnu Bandhu of the United Republican Party (URP) and Guyanese-American Dr. Valerie Leung of the People’s Republic Party (PRP).

Dr. Bandhu provided written evidence on Monday showing that the United States issued a certificate dated January 16, 2020, that he relinquished his American citizenship. But Election Commissioner Alexander insisted that candidates

POLITICAL NEWS

could not be dual citizens at the signing of the declaration.

“If one is to apply to be on the candidates’ list and that application requires a declaration, I would assume that at the time of that declaration, you have to be in compliance and the fact of the matter is from all of the evidence, at the time of the declaration, Dr. Bandhu was not in compliance,” he said. At the same time, Alexander said the lists for the three parties were still valid as they have sufficient names.

They all signed their declarations on Nominations Day – January 10, 2020 – while being citizens of other countries. Prime Ministerial candidate for the Change Guyana party (CG) – Nigel Hinds, though a dual citizen (USA), had not signed the declaration form and his name was not on his party’s list. But, to his party’s slight detriment, he did not announce his withdrawal until after the lists were submitted to the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM).

GECOM has since referred the matters to the police, but that law enforcement agency is yet to provide any feedback.

Shuman has said that he has filed a request to relinquish his Canadian citizenship. If charged and found guilty, Shuman, Bandhu and Leung could be jailed for one year!

Meanwhile, Cuban medical specialists have confirmed that President David Granger’s medical examination shows that he has improved to their satisfaction and that he is in good health, according to a statement on January 21 from the Ministry of the Presidency.

The specialists said the President responded very well to the treatment at CIMEQ in Cuba and the Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma remains in remission.

And, as the contesting parties try to form “joinders” and “unholy alliances”, 91,000 entries on the Revised Voters List (RVL) require address changes stemming from the controversial house-tohouse (HtH) enumeration last year, posing a major headache for GECOM

with just a few more days before the final voters list has to be published.

To add “spice to the rice”, Change Guyana (CG) Presidential candidate Robert Badal is promising to double the old age pension from G$20,500 to G$41,000 on his first day in office, and to implement a US$5 royalty on every tonne of bauxite shipped from Guyana…if his party wins the upcoming election.

The CG presidential hopeful also promised to ensure that local content legislation is passed within three months of being elected to office, a component of which will be the requirement that all foreign firms operating in the oil and its satellite sectors train Guyanese who will eventually be able to operate in all of these areas.

A sorely-needed NEWS MAGAZINE FOR Meanwhile, the party’s NATIONAL secondary school along DEVELOPMENT & former Prime Ministerial UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS candidate - Nigel Hinds Publisher: Carib Feedback Productions Company said Change Guyana plans Eidtor-in-Chief: Leon Saul (592) 661-2576 rasleonsaul@gmail.com to pursue a development Associate Editor: M. Jinnah Rahman (592) 692-5672 trajectory which also mjrahman20@gmail.com considers and addresses Layout & Design: Maxwell Nurse (592) 641-2501 www. uniteguy.com the issues which have website: stifled social cohesion for decades.

the drug and the negative consequences of criminal labeling for possession of small amounts of marijuana…plus the severe overcrowding of jails.

The legalization could increase tax revenue through the taxation levied on marijuana products, and could also allow the Government to save citizens’ tax dollars currently being spent on prohibition enforcement.

Moreover, legalization could also remove the criminal element from marijuana market and reduce the size of Guyana’s black market and its consequences for the society.

Not to be left out is that industrial plant of many uses – HEMP. Hemp is defined as a ganja plant having a THC content

of less than 1%. 2 Hemp is used to make a wide variety of products from food, cloth, paper and rope to medicines, beverages and cosmetics.

As part of what I consider an important element of any “green state development strategy”, the cultivation, processing, vertical integration, sale, export and other handling of “high grade organic (naturallygrown) marijuana, and hemp are essential to a society that has to be diversified economically and insulated from the “over expectations” of oil revenues.

This new agricultural development concept will be regulated by a licensing authority administered by the National Marijuana and Hemp Commission.

This licensing authority

will be established by the government of Guyana for the purpose of enabling a lawful, regulated industry in ganja for medical, therapeutic or scientific purposes, and in hemp, to grown on defunct sugar estates such as Skeldon, Albion, Rose Hall, Enmore, LBI and Wales.

The National Marijuana and Hemp Commission will be responsible for issuing licences, permits and authorizations for the handling of hemp and ganja, and for monitoring and otherwise regulating persons who have been issued licences, permits and authorizations. It will be specifically mandated to ensure that regulations do not contravene Guyana’s international obligations.

Economic Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Guyana & Establishing the National Marijuana and Hemp Commission From pg 5

number of illegal jobs eliminated. Legalization of marijuana could lead to substantial savings in drug incarceration and enforcement costs in Guyana.

With the government, through a National Marijuana and Hemp Commission, taking control of the production and marketing/ distribution of marijuana, legalization could reduce the flourishing black market for the drug, which is the cause for a large amount of illegal activity in Guyana as indicated by the rate of police-reported marijuana offences.

Legalization can address some of the social problems associated with the black market for marijuana, such as unsafe environments created by the illegal distribution of

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The National Marijuana and Hemp Commission could be comprised of representatives and stakeholders from several Ministries (e.g.

Agriculture Ministry, Finance Ministry, Tourism & Trade) which will be engaged with issues relating to ganja, the Attorney General’s Department, the National Council on Drug Abuse, a representative from academia, the banking community and representatives from civil society groups and other non– governmental community-based and faith-based organizations, including representatives from the Rastafarian community.

It is envisaged that the Minister of Finance shall direct that a percentage

of the revenues earned from issuing licences, permits and authorizations relating to ganja and hemp be used for: • Strengthening the capacity and programmes of the National Council on Drug Abuse and programmes for rehabilitation and reform, including public education programmes to discourage the use of ganja by persons under 18 years, persons with a mental disorder, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups • Strengthening Guyana’s mental health institutions and services • Funding scientific and medical research into ganja and hemp • Supporting the regulatory arrangements of the National Marijuana and Hemp Commission.

Details on classifications Continued on pg 13

POLITICS

President Granger’s “Decade of Development” slogan criticized by Robert Badal!

Presidential candidate for the newly-formed “CHANGE GUYANA” political party – Robert Badal, in his New Year’s message indicated that, “Slogans and contradictory policies would not create jobs nor give us a better life, it certainly has not for the past few years. This requires the leadership we have never had since our independence.”

In criticizing President Granger, who had recently outlined his APNU+AFC Coalition’s plan for the next decade based on four pillars - The Green State, The Digital State, The Petroleum State and The Education Nation, Badal (who owns Pegasus Hotel) noted that, “The President has shown us yet again his party’s lack of vision and the obvious contradiction between their plan and his performance over the past four and a half years.

“The Green

Development strategy under his leadership has been little more than painting of Government buildings in green. We are still generating electricity from heavy fuel oil instead of LNG, while discouraging acquisition of new vehicles including electric vehicles by ‘extortionary’ high taxes.

His fiscal policy actually promotes used tyres and old used cars that pollute the environment,” the successful businessman pointed out.

“His emphasis on a Digital State contradicts his Government’s failure in liberalizing the telecommunications Sector, his policy of import taxes and VAT on cellphones. In fact there have been no investments under his tenure in getting us to 4G internet speeds, in some parts of Guyana we are still at 2G. “As regards his Petroleum State his

Robert Badal - Presidential Candidate, Change Guyana administration’s failure to enact legislation or even a policy on local content despite continuous calls from the Private Sector would render ‘The Petroleum State’ a mere slogan with the purpose to deceive. In addition the lack of transparency surrounding oil contracts have ignited widespread speculation that our people have been sold out to big oil companies.

“Education is a

critical component in the development of any country but no investments have been made under his tenure in extending apprenticeship and other vocational training across our country as was promised.

A youth development policy that took two years to assemble in a document is yet to be implemented.

“The hierarchy of his administration is filled with retired Army

personnel instead of bright young men and women. Like his predecessors in the PPP, his administration’s record is to tokenized our youths instead of giving them their rightful place at the table.

“No mention is made of a Green Revolution to diversify and expand agriculture, the main pillar of any sustainable development strategy, understanding that

our oil and mineral resources are finite and will run out within the next two decades.

Neither is any mention made of a program of Industrialization using our Gas resources or value added initiatives from our bauxite, forestry or agricultural resources pivotal to job creation.

“Perhaps the offer of food, drinks and soca music to attract attendance at the Coalition’s campaign launch tells the real story. Successive administrations (PPPPNC-APNU) have failed to elevate the standard of living of the masses and deliberately kept Guyanese in a survival mode. The same old dance, promises and ethnically divisive politics would get us nowhere. It is time that we say ‘No more to Granger sloganomics!’

Not again!” declared the Change Guyana Presidential candidate – Robert Badal.

THE KEOMA HAMER “MISSING TWIN BABIES” ALLEGATION IN ANTIGUA & BARBUDA From pg 8 Guyanese at home and abroad, especially those that originated from Mahaicony or Ann’s Grove on the East Coast are glued to the day to day updates through social media and have all been asking the same questions with no answer’s forthcoming. “Where are the twin babies”?

The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) Rickford Burke has gone public, pleading with the Government of Antigua to conduct a nonbiased investigation; and to solve this crime that has been taking a toll on a mother whose only dream is to find her “stolen daughters”.

Fifteen years later and with social media exploding with valuable

information, law enforcement in Antigua & Barbuda thinks this will go away without being solved. The CGID has also called on the Mayor of New York to intervene and conduct a proper investigation since the alleged perpetrator works in the school system in New York. Hopefully, Mayor Bill de Blasio takes heed sooner rather than later.

The Minister of Health of Antigua Molwyn Joseph showed some interest when he dispatched a letter to Hamer saying his Ministry launched an investigation, however, that investigation hit a dead end when it was handed over to the Police and the Ministry of Justice

in Antigua & Barbuda, again it is the hope that the Police in Antigua & Barbuda will launch an intense and non-biased investigation and bring justice to Keoma Hamer.

The New York-based CGID on January 2, 2020 announced its intention to stand up for Guyaneseborn Ms. Keoma Hamer and the case of her “missing twin babies” who, she alleges were abducted from her at birth about 17 years ago, while in transit in Antigua & Barbuda!

The CGID recently wrote the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda requesting an invitation for Ms. Hamer to travel to the CARICOM island, in order to get to “the bottom of the affair”.

“We are confident that the government Antigua and Barbuda is eager to expedite a credible inquiry that would finally bring closure to this matter,” stated the CGID. Ms. Hamer, who resides in the Dutch territory of St. Maartens, has now received an invitation from the Police Commissioner to travel to Antigua and Barbuda to assist the Police with further investigating her case. The CGID believes this is a step in the right direction. In response, Ms. Hamer thanked the Police for the invitation and indicated her willingness to do everything possible to assist the investigation.

Ms. Hamer advised the Police Commissioner that the invitation is under

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consideration by her and her attorneys who would advise her on the way forward. She assured the Police Commissioner that she would be amenable to travelling to Antigua to assist with the investigation, only if said investigation will be conducted by an independent entity; the process would be fair and transparent; the extraction of specimens for DNA testing is conducted in her presence and the chain of custody of the specimens would be supervised by an entity that is not affiliated with the government or Police Force.

CGID endorses the conditions Ms. Hamer outlined to the Police.

“They are reasonable and rational given the

unwarranted and ad hominem attacks on her from Antigua and Barbuda government officials, who have prematurely rushed to judgment and publicly announced major conclusions even before a thorough Police investigation has commenced. “ U n f o r t u n a t e l y, the preemption of the investigation has prejudiced the entire process and engendered deep mistrust that can only be assuaged by an independent inquiry. The investigation must be credible. Ms. Hamer’s participation, as well as acceptance of the outcome is, therefore, contingent on an independent investigation with transparency and integrity.

AN INTERESTING PROPOSAL ON OIL SECTOR BY CG’S ROBERT BADAL I refer to the headline article titled, “Badal proposes shares for all citizens in national oil company” (Stabroek News - January 8). It is a sweeping vision that is worthy of a headline, and several times over.

It certainly has a world of potential. I add a few related thoughts.

Finally, a political contestant has come up with the trailblazing and groundbreaking.

I think that Mr. Badal and his group should be lauded for such a sprawling, comprehensive vision of how to go about the continuously thorny, endlessly disputatious, eternally suspicious business of what to do with our national oil gifts.

More specifically of what to do about putting to rest the distrust of a great many citizens, who fear being marginalized and left out of the prosperity that is to come, who fear the machinations of his political group and that one coming with their rosy outlook and their perfumed presences.

It is certainly worth listening to, deserves some more probing, and could be representative of that which settles an enormous amount - immeasurable, to be accurate - of the fears and

anxieties of this country’s small population. It is a population that is apprehensive of where this segment or that segment will be when this oil blessing actually materializes, if their own people do not succeed at the upcoming elections and, are thus not at the helm in the driving seat of governance. That would be governance, which assures them of something from the oil riches, which is all that matters for many.

Of course, that is if the leaders of the electorally triumphant group do not parcel out and hog all that comes for themselves… as in Nigeria and other forlorn Third World places. It is a big “if” and a constantly haunting one right here in Guyana for those who expect and wait and depend.

A national oil company, in all of its most transparent and on the table openness, enables clarity and delivers comfort, since everyone is a shareholder, and everyone is entitled to peer into what goes on behind the numbers, behind the management veils, and behind the political stewardship, which is too frequently murky and unsatisfying.

The latter is the cause of much consternation that just would not go away. I

like the rights that come with being a private participant in a public entity. This would not be about talk and promises and the usual deception and shakedown, which is the equivalent of “leave this to us, we know what is best, and we are looking out for all the rest of you… trust us on this one!”

The first problem is that trust is in short supply; in fact, there is no supply at all, such is the low ebb to which Guyanese have been hurled and buried year after year, and from which they quite rightly reel and recoil and say on behalf of themselves: not again. Not this time…not on this one involving oil.

The second issue is that no right-thinking citizen, no citizen who has all of his or her wits about them, believes for a “New York minute” that anybody is looking out for them…not even their own. Things have deteriorated so badly in this society that there is legitimate fear that, should push comes to shove, the small man, the ordinary citizen, would be left out in the cold, while the political elites from both sides of the now combustible divide divvy up the riches among themselves.

The third trouble, from the perspective of

watching citizens, is that this whole oil arrangement and development - and the associated apparatus - has left much to be desired from the inception. The government itself has acknowledged some missteps, which in terms of the national oil trust (that of citizens) is almost nonexistent in some quarters. Those are not minor, inconsequential quarters, but significant portions of the population.

And these questions, concerns, and misgivings are not easily resolved, or settled satisfactorily, through the sweet, soothing carrot of “next time will be better and look at all the great plans that we have, as offered by this one or the other one”.

Very few believe, beyond the respective circles of diehards and the wellpositioned.

Now that Mr. Badal and his people have perked

By GHK Lall

interest and stirred the pot - let it be admitted, in a revolutionary manner - the proof will be in the implementation and fulfillment. The immediate challenge for the originators of this warming proposal is to manage to get past Nomination Day. If they do, then they can infuse still more life to what I welcome as different and significant.

“CHANGE GUYANA” (CG) HOPES TO GIVE ALL GUYANESE SHARES IN OIL RESOURCES! Continue from Pg 1

“All blocks for which investors’ commitments have not been delivered to date would be returned to State ownership.

There is no speculation anymore on oil blocks,” the experienced CG Presidential candidate Robert Badal declared at a news conference in his Pegasus Hotel.

He stated that those blocks and unassigned blocks would be vested in a state-owned oil company, contracts would be awarded based on royalties and investors

would have to pay local taxes like local companies.

Robert Badal is a successful self-made millionaire and a wellknown hotelier and stockfeed manufacturer.

He promised that a Change Guyana administration would set up a national oil company in which Guyanese would be shareholders “from birth”…“to give every Guyanese a stake in our oil resources and the benefits therefrom.

“Such shares would appreciate in value with every auction and every

signing bonus. Sale of these shares may only be disposed to one’s family or the national oil company; no speculation in these shares,” said Badal, who is also a brilliant chartered accountant and former Chairman of the State-

owned Guyana Power & Light (GPL) company.

Pointedly referring to the US$18 million signing bonus that the APNU+AFC coalition government received from ExxonMobil at the time the first discovery

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was made, Mr. Badal said blocks would be auctioned annually to “realize the highest price with attractive signing bonus”.

He added that some of the oil revenues would be deposited in special funds to fight poverty and invest in key infrastructure, instead of parking a significant amount in a sovereign wealth fund (SWF). The financial expert stated that income taxes would be reduced to allow Guyanese to have more money in their pockets to

spend, improved health care and the construction of a bridge across the Demerara River.

The popular and highlyrespected Presidential candidate for Change Guyana said the SWF would not be established until 2022. “Our approach is that there are so much urgent things to do right now that we just can’t put it, as APNU is saying and the PPP is saying, in a sovereign wealth fund. We have to address those immediate needs of Guyanese currently,” he said.

TOURISM & TRAVEL

CARICOM’S TOURISM PROSPECTS

ELEVATE DESPITE ALLEGED “GOUGING”

At a time Trinidad (right); and Tobago.

The- Colonel group, lobbying 2007.

Primewhen Ministermuch Moses Nagamootoo Minister of State - January, Joseph Harmon (left); CDC Director General more could beChabilall doneRamsarup to The study released study goesplans.on for a reduction in taxes (retired) (to the PM’s right) and other officials The discussing relief effort boost and promote tourism recently called, to reference American and fees on intra-regional in the CARICOM region, “Competition in Airlines as being on Caribbean travel, has which could help to International Airline its own exploitation written to several regional strengthen the Caribbean Routes: A Study of the mission, targeting prime ministers, on behalf Single Market Economy International Airline mainly employees and of 20,180 people who (CSME), Caribbean Sector in Guyana” others related to the oil have “come together in Airlines Limited (CAL) contends that “revenues exploration operations opposition to the current has denied, among other from Guyana are used, currently ongoing in cost of intra-regional claims, charging unfair in essence, to subsidize Guyana, further burdening travel and governments’ ticket prices in Guyana.

Trinidadians’ travel Guyana, given that the role in escalating airfares The response follows between Trinidad and country is responsible for allegations that CAL has Tobago”. oil exploration expenses, been “milking” Guyana “CAL kept prices in including those for travel to make up for losses on Guyana artificially high and accommodation. flights on the domestic air due to its monopoly to On a positive note, bridge. The claims from increase prices to offset the Antigua and Barbuda Guyana’s Competitions Port of Spain/Tobago air says it intends raising the and Consumer Affairs bridge that has financially issue of the high cost of Commission were hemorrhaged the airline,” intra-regional travel when Overall, theActing CTO reported in an article the report asserts.

Caribbean Community says 2019 has been a good recently published in year for regional tourism. the Guyana Chronicle Secretary General (acting) newspaper.

Neil Walters, in a New In a recent response, Year’s message said: “If CAL described the article we were to stop and reflect as “inaccurate”, adding on this year as it comes to that it has done a major a close, we would most disservice to the airline likely describe 2019 as a and Guyanese nationals varied year, which both who regularly fly with highlighted the strengths them. CAL said it has “loyally served” Guyana The study notes that, (CARICOM) leaders in Caribbean tourism and “for many decades”, even in terms of profit, CAL meet in Barbados for their its inherent weaknesses.

“The sector’s strengths when competitors pulled “milks” as much as 100 inter-sessional summit were evident in the out when times got hard. percent on a return trip and this year.

THE Competitions 150 percent on a one-way Prime Minister Gaston significant growth rates and Consumer Affairs trip for peak travelling Browne, replying to a experienced by most countries.

Commission (CCAC), in from its Guyana to JFK letter sent by Dalano R. Caribbean a recent study, highlighted route. Mistreatment of DaSouza, spokesperson Despite contraction in that Guyana continues Guyanese by state-owned for a group called Citizens some larger destinations, to be exploited as “cash Trinidadian airlines Against High Intra- such as Cuba and the cow” for Trinidad state- dates all the way back to Regional Caribbean Dominican Republic, the owned Caribbean Airlines the 1980s when it was Travel Taxes, said he Caribbean experienced Limited (CAL) so that known as British West wanted to assure “that this an overall 6.1% level the struggling airline can Indies Airlines (BWIA). topic will be raised yet of growth in visitor offset huge losses being CAL was incorporated again when the heads of arrivals during the first encountered at its internal on September, 2006, and CARICOM Governments nine months of the year.

It is noteworthy that the air bridge route between began flight operations in meet in February 2020”.

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growth rates of those countries affected by the 2017 hurricanes were substantial, in some cases up to triple-digit levels.

“This level of recovery speaks volumes about the commitment of the Caribbean to this industry which has become the lifeblood of several countries.

“In 2020 we continue with the theme of the ‘Year of Festivals’ as we recognized that it was all but impossible for us to fully embrace the rich culture of the Caribbean in one twelve-month span. This year we hope to move even further along the path of integrating our festivals and other cultural events into the tourism product in all our countries. We recognize that not only do these aspects of our individual countries distinguish us from each other, but they also hold significant potential in the quest to attract even more visitors to our shores.

“What is also becoming clearer to us is that we have not begun to fully and responsibly harness the power of our culture and heritage in defining who we are, and this is critical as we seek to offer authentic experiences which benefit both the visitor and the communities in which these experiences exist.

“Given the results recorded so far in 2019, it is our expectation that 2020 will, all things being equal, be another year of growth, likely at a rate slightly lower for both stay over arrivals and cruse visits. One way that we can arrest the reduction in growth – or even maintain

growth at current levels – is to embrace the value of speaking with one voice, ONE CARIBBEAN, to the rest of the world.

“To this end, it is our expectation that one of the outcomes of the restructuring of the CTO will be a new way of speaking with one voice to the rest of the travelling world, thereby pooling our limited resources to become a stronger force for the maintenance and growth of the market share which the Caribbean, the most tourism-dependent region, values.”

Meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda has reached its 300,000th stay-over visitor milestone! Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Officials welcomed in the New Year early at the V.C. Bird International Airport, as visitors arriving into Antigua and Barbuda on Old Year’s Eve, helped to push Antigua and Barbuda’s total stay-over arrivals in 2019 to the 300,000th milestone.

It was a festive afternoon, as cultural masqueraders, and dancers in colorful costumes, began celebrating by partying on the band stand and greeting passengers in an extravagant cultural display complete with the sounds of melodious steelpan music.

Below in the airport’s VIP Lounge, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism Charles Fernandez, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Sen. Mary-Clare Hurst, Chairman of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Lorraine Raeburn, and other airport and tourism officials awaited the announcement that the record-breaking 300,000th visitor mark had been reached.

Economic Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Guyana & Establishing the National Marijuana and Hemp Commission and qualifications will be worked out regarding who may apply, where to apply and the purposes for which licenses, permits or other authorizations may be granted under the National Marijuana and Hemp Commission.

Among those who may apply will be • A duly accredited tertiary institution. • A body approved by the National Scientific Research Council or the University of Guyana. • Third parties engaged by these bodies to cultivate or export the ganja plant or any part of the plant. Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Agriculture and Trade • Institutions which may cultivate ganja in furtherance of scientific research being conducted by the institution. • Export of the ganja plant or part of the plant in furtherance of scientific research being conducted by the institution.

• A person, 18 years or older, who is an adherent to the Rastafarian faith. • Any organization that is comprised of persons who are adherent to the Rastafarian faith will be allowed to cultivate ganja for religious purposes as a sacrament in adherence to the Rastafarian faith; sponsor or promote an event which is primarily for the purpose of celebration or observance of the Rastafarian faith.

• Any person or organization meeting the criteria set by the National Marijuana and Hemp Commission for the use, cultivation, processing, importation, exportation, transit, manufacture, sale, possession and distribution of – (a) ganja for medical, therapeutic or scientific purposes (including research, clinical trials, therapy and treatment and the manufacture of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals), and (b)

hemp.

While several Latin American countries, Jamaica and several CARICOM States have decriminalized ganja or are in the process of doing so, more than half of American States have medical marijuana laws on the books, and nine States have legalized certain quantities of marijuana for recreational use as well. Canada has totally legalized marijuana, and legal pot shops have already gone into operation. The same has happened in Uruguay.

“cannabiniol” – cannabis oil. Further, there would be ample opportunities for secondary industries which are related to legal cannabis…although not directly involved in its production and distribution.

These might include software developers, financing services, construction companies, and many others.

There will be many investment opportunities.

Legal marijuana presents the possibility of tremendous benefits to economies on a local

level, these costs would likely drop considerably. If marijuana were removed from the list of controlled substances, far fewer court cases involving the substance would go to trial, resulting in fewer incarcerations, and, in turn, more money saved.

Legalized marijuana also stands to benefit medical consumers of cannabis-based products.

As marijuana becomes legal in the country, it’s likely that the price will drop overall as a result of commoditization.

Individuals utilizing

In the U.S. the economic benefits of legalizing weed have already been apparent as the first States have moved to change their legal positions. So, what are some of the key economic benefits of legal marijuana in Guyana?

Setting up marijuana nurseries and dispensaries on abandoned sugar estates such as Skeldon, Albion, Rose Hall, Enmore, LBI and Wales would be the first step.

These would not only create jobs, but also set the ball rolling for economic activity in the “pot” industry in these areas.

More jobs would likely come from the quickly growing industry which would spring up across the nation. Workers would be needed to farm, process, distribute, and sell marijuana-based products, including the production of

and a national scale. It also could help to secure the investment portfolios of investors across the country and further afield as well. While marijuana remains illegal, it is difficult for investors to capitalize on the growth of the industry. Should the growth rates for the cannabis space continue as they have in recent years, it’s likely that investors would express a keen interest in the industry.

When considering the economic benefits of legal marijuana, it’s important to think of the money that might be saved as well as revenue that could be generated through such a process. Currently marijuana enforcement costs several billion Guyana dollars per year.

If marijuana were to be legalized on a national

marijuana-based products for medical treatment would stand to benefit considerably from lower prices for these items… thus “health and ganja tourism”.

Some are opposed to changing the regulatory status of marijuana simply because it means a change to the status quo. All of these reasons combine to decrease the likelihood that marijuana will become legal at a national level any time soon.

However, as more and more American States and other countries move to individually decriminalize “pot” use in various ways, and as the economic benefits of a legal marijuana industry take effect, there are also many compelling reasons to consider nationwide legalization in Guyana.

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It’s the “new economic paradigm”.

There’s also a steady stream of concerns regarding legalization, such as what might happen with adolescent access if there were a sudden proliferation of legal weed, or how driving-under-theinfluence laws could be impacted. Though there are numerous marijuana breathalyzer prototypes in development, there isn’t that line-in-the-sand regulation for driving under the influence with marijuana as there is with alcohol, which poses a challenge.

But there is a laundry list of economic reasons why legalization might make sense. If we were to look at marijuana from a purely dollar-based standpoint, here are five compelling reasons why legalizing cannabis is attractive.

1. It would raise a substantial amount of revenue for the government.

The government could go from collecting virtually no revenue annually from marijuana-based businesses, to generating perhaps billions of Guyana and US dollars annually!

2. Legalizing cannabis would create a lot of jobs.

It would also be a major boon to the jobs market… creating a lot of new direct and indirect jobs.

3. Investors could benefit from the longterm growth of the legal pot industry. Another reason to consider legalizing marijuana in Guyana is that it could help put investors on track to retire comfortably. To be clear, marijuana isn’t the only fast-growing industry at the moment, and I’m certain it’ll encounter its own set of growth hiccups, as any other industry does over time. The point is that as long as cannabis sativa remains illegal, investors have little ability to take advantage of its enormous growth potential.

4.

Billions of

dollars saved in lawenforcement costs.

Legalizing marijuana wouldn’t be just about the amount of dollars working their way into the system.

It would also entail saving some of the dollars that might otherwise be flowing out of the system.

Additionally, removing marijuana from the controlled-substances list would reduce the number of court cases that go to trial. Fewer court cases mean fewer incarcerations, and therefore a lot of saved money.

5.

A long-term reduction in marijuana prices. Last, but not least, legalizing marijuana in Guyana would likely lead to a commoditization of dried organic cannabis sativa over the long run, and therefore lower weed prices, and importation by countries, such as Canada, that can’t supply its demand.

While lower cannabis prices wouldn’t exactly be good news for marijuana stocks or the government, which would be collecting tax revenue based on total sales, it could be stellar news for medical patients.

Those folks who are benefiting from access to marijuana, “cannabidiol”, and other cannabis-based products would likely find that their medicines are considerably more affordable if pot is legal. And, there is that possibility of becoming a focal point for “ecotourism, health and medical ganja tourism”.

Are these economic reasons enough to convince lawmakers to consider legalizing marijuana in Guyana? Is Marijuana Legalization Economic Salvation or Hype? Will marijuana legalization bring the money – there is no doubt about it. But are we only looking at one side of the coin? Well, only time will give us that answer…as we endeavor to CHANE GUYANA! One love.

Amen Ra.

ENTERTAINMENT

“TENEMENT YARD” A 13-part TV series about two artists’ rise to the top of the music world, despite obstacles, setbacks and “bad mind”! Written & Directed by Leon Saul Produced by Carib Feedback Productions, with the support of the Department of Culture, Ministry of the Presidency.© January 6, 2020. Georgetown, Guyana “TATTOO MAN” (played by David Benjamin), is a 25-year old “gangsta rapper” from a tenement yard in the ghetto of Albouystown who is determined to make it to the top of the music world.

“ROYALTY” (Patrice Sonja Gonsalves), a 20-year old who has run away from her hill top home along the Linden/ Soesdyke highway has come to the city to seek her “musical fortunes”.

“RAS HAILE I” (Leon Saul), a 50-year old music producer and publisher of “UNITE” music label and newspaper from Toronto is in Guyana looking for singers to “bust” internationally and perform at festivals, including Caribana in Toronto. After arriving in Guyana, Ras Haile I is talent-scouting and is sent to an “exotic” tenement yard – “Raeann’s Place” on Front Road, in south Georgetown. There, he is

introduced to Tattoo Man and Royalty, who are auditioned on the spot and later offered contracts to record and perform.

For Tattoo Man and Royalty, this is a ticket out of the ghetto and to stardom! But Tattoo Man has a chequered past…and his colorful past catches up with him in an attempt to stop his career’s upward progress.

Royalty’s mother, meanwhile, is looking for her runaway daughter to take her back home.

So, what will Tattoo Man do? Fall back to his old ways of surviving on the streets, as a “tattoo artist” or take a chance by turning away from his old ways and reaching for the stars! Will Royalty go back home or take her chances at becoming an accomplished artist?

Meanwhile, with the impending advent of oil money in Guyana, other residents in the “tenement

yard” dream of a better life!

But the landlord - TARIQ IQBAL MOHAMED, 50, who also has a secret life, wants to evict the longtime residents from his property – the tenement yard left to him by his deceased father. He wants to sell the property that he has inherited to an oil company to become apartments and living quarters for oil industry workers But this will displace the families… who’ve been living there…without paying rent for years!

The remigrant landlord returns to Guyana from Canada, where he has been living for 18 years.

He is met at the Cheddi Jagan airport by two old buddies – RAJAH RAM, 40 – a “gangster” real estate man, security consultant and “enforcer”, and RAS KALI aka “BANNAZ” - a 45-year old ex-military operative now taxi driver and ganja

activist.

Meanwhile, renowned “conman” Prophet SALLAWALLA aka “SALZ”, 60, is hellbent on leaving Guyana for England in pursuit of “reparations”, to the amusement of residents of the tenement yard. The situation is compounded when the 25-year old “gangsta deportee” – CUTIE “THE GHETTO PRINCESS”, is hell bent on getting rich any which way!

But BONNY BUNDARU, 25, a transgender activist tenant of the tenement yard knows Tariq’s secrets! He allegedly raped a tenant of the yard – PEGGY SIMPSON, 18 years ago, resulting in BOBBI’s birth…and ran away to Canada! But in the tenement yard, your deepest secrets are everybody’s business… and you could lose your life, or gain new life!

Hasbro toy company now owns Death Row Records …after Suge Knight appoints Ray J to run it.

By Soraya Joseph

Marion “Suge” Knight (L) and “Dr. Dre”.

The legendary toy company - Hasbro is officially the proud owner of Death Row Records – the iconic West Coast music label once associated with artists Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and the late, great 2Pac!

Just a couple of days before the New Year, on December 30, Hasbro finalized a $3.8 billion merger that placed Canadian studio Entertainment One (eOne) under its ownership. The acquisition places Death Row under Hasbro, after One purchased the music label back in 2013.

Entertainment One scooped up Death Row Records’ extensive music catalog after the company declared bankruptcy back in 2006. Death Row

Records was originally founded by Dre and Suge Knight back in 1991.

While the famed producer has gone on to flourish in other successful business ventures, namely his “Beats By Dre,” product line, Knight, now 54, is currently serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter.

Back in October, it was announced that singer Ray J would oversee Death Row in the future. In a statement to The Blast, Knight stated, “I respect

Ray J and his business dealings, that’s why I choose him as one of the guys to deal with the music side of the future for as Death Row Records, anything to do Death Row.” He continued, “It’s great to have him ‘cause he will be putting out this incredible album and I heard it before.” It’s also been rumored that Ray J is trying to negotiate a pardon for Suge Knight with President Trump!!!

Fast forward a few months later, and in an

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official statement of its own, Hasbro announced that it would be acquiring eOne. “We are excited about what we can do together and see tremendous opportunity for shareholder value creation through this acquisition,” Brian Goldner, Hasbro Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said in the company’s press release.

Goldner continued, “Our businesses are highly complementary

with substantial synergies and a great cultural fit.

The addition of eOne accelerates our blueprint strategy by expanding our brand portfolio with eOne’s beloved global preschool brands, adding proven TV and film expertise, and creating additional opportunities for long-term profitable growth. We are pleased to welcome the incredibly talented eOne team to our Company.”

Guyana 50th Republic Celebration Cultural event on March 21, 2020 in Toronto. …Awards recommendations by February 14, 2020

The Steering Committee for Guyana’s 50th Republic Anniversary Celebrations in Toronto, Canada is calling for award recommendations and submissions to mark Guyana’s 50th

anniversary (Jubilee) as a Republic. The awards will be presented at a grand 50th Republic Celebration Cultural event on March 21, 2020 in Toronto. All awards recommendations should

be submitted by February 14, 2020, The Steering Committee was formed under the auspices of the Consulate General of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana in Toronto. The Guyana 50th Republic Awards Committee was developed to recognize achievements of excellence and leadership in the Guyanese diaspora in Canada and to recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations who contribute to the development of Guyana

and to the continuation of our Guyanese heritage, community and culture in Canada. The categories of awards are as follows: *Arts and Entertainment Distinction *Business Excellence and Leadership *Young Professional Community Catalyst *Youth Volunteer Achievement Award *Leadership in Volunteerism and Community Service *Outstanding Achievement Award – Non-Profit Organization Each awardee will receive a plaque of

distinction detailing their achievement and contribution to the Guyanese diaspora in Canada, in Guyana or worldwide.

Eligibility Requirements cover anyone of Guyanese origin (first, second or third generation) who fit the established criteria as outlined in each category.

Only one winner per household. All applicants must be Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents or a Guyanese citizen. For additional information about the Award, please contact the Guyana’s 50th Republic

Awards committee.

The application and all the pertinent documents must be submitted by February 14, 2020 to: guycanrecognition@ gmail.com All Applications must include the following: 1.

Completed application form, and 2. Two letters of reference.

Meanwhile, other activities in the GuyaneseCanadian community include: Guyana Christian Charities Canada (GCC): Valentine Dinner/ Dance in Toronto on Saturday, February 15, 2020. ART EXHIBITION curated by Sandra Brewster at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

It runs until March 2020.

9 parties to contest Guyana’s 2020 national & regional elections

A section of the crowd at the APNU+AFC campaign launch on Friday, January 3.

their part at the close of polls on elections day and be ready to guard against any interference during the counting of ballots at polling stations,” Chair of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Volda Lawrence told a gathering at Kitty Market Square on Sunday, January 19. The PNCR head told supporters that after voting for the general and regional elections is closed at 6 pm on March 2, they must be ready to work the “nightshift” and be watchful during the tabulation of ballots.

The PNCR is the largest constituent of APNU. On Friday, January 3, taking the D’Urban

Park stage to thunderous applause, His Excellency - President David Granger launched the six-party “The A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) General and Regional Elections’ Campaign.

“We are embarking on a new decade of development…What we have done over the last five years, we will do for the next five years and the next five …I’m thinking ten years ahead because I have a vision for Guyanese. Happy households, happy families, happy country.”

The President posited that Guyana was blessed with much oil and the

current trajectory will be continued, “if we keep these gifts in the hands of the people. Don’t let the gifts fall into the hands of the fakes and the frauds,” he cautioned.

The more than 18,000 assembled roared their approval when the President referenced his embattled “You know you’re dealing with honest people here. Nobody in my Cabinet ever went to the University of Uitvlugt… Nobody ever went to the University of Cumberland. We have genuine people in APNU+AFC.” Emphasizing that his government has a plan to develop and advance Guyana and protect its environment President Granger assured that Guyanese were in “good hands” with the Coalition Government which was repairing all that was broken, “That is why we need five more years to develop this country.”

Referencing the recently declared “National Petroleum

APNU + AFC Prime Ministerial Candidate - Khemraj Ramjattan (C) alongside PM Moses Nagamootoo

Day” on December 20, the Head of State proclaimed, “Guyanese will never be poor again! That oil wealth belongs to you and this government will ensure that you benefit from that oil wealth….

We are going to ensure that oil wealth goes to the people who need it most.

People like you. People from Regions One to Ten, ordinary people.”

The President recalled that the difficult period Guyanese went through and vowed never to let such bleak times return to the country “Your country is in good hands with APNU+AFC. Trust me.

Trust the Coalition,” He pleaded.

“Give us a chance

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to make this country develop, to benefit all of you, and you’ll see the transformation. What you saw over the last five years, you ain’t seen nothing yet!” But, extending an “olive branch” to potential supporters, the Head of State said “Come in the Big Benab, let us work for the common good. There is room for everybody in the Big Benab. No more winner takes all. All of us will share in the governance in this country!” In a “reality check” mode while acknowledging that the APNU+AFC coalition government has made mistakes, Working People’s Alliance (WPA) executive member -

Tacuma Ogunseye on Friday night, January 17 urged forgiveness and pleaded with supporters to vote at the March 2 general and regional elections.

“Every vote is important,” said Ogunseye, emphasizing that the coalition “cannot afford to lose” the elections. He was the main speaker at an APNU+AFC coalition rally at Back Circle, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The WPA is a member of APNU. According to Ogunseye, the coalition’s leadership recognizes that there are supporters who need “massaging” as they perhaps became disenchanted at what they may view as the failure of the APNU+AFC administration to address the areas they see as priorities. To this, he said that the coalition government is not a perfect one, it has made mistakes, and must acknowledge that all of the expectations of their supporters were not addressed.

Put Guyana FIRST

SEA DEFENCES DONE BY BK INTERNATIONAL

Sea and River Defence Resilience Project (CDB 3rd Loan) Lot 1 – Site 3 – Endeavour/Blenheim, Leguan Island, Region 3

Sea and River Defence Resilience Project (CDB 3rd Loan) Lot 2 – Crane/Harlem/Rotterdam/Mary, West Coast Demerara, Region 3

Sea and River Defence Resilience Project (CDB 3rd Loan) Lot 5 – Site 4 – Grove/Look Out, East Bank Essequibo, Region 3

Sea and River Defence Resilience Project (CDB 3rd Loan) Lot 1 – Site 1 – Johanna Cecelia/Zorg, Essequibo Coast, Region 2

Sea and River Defence Resilience Project (CDB 3rd Loan) Lot 1 – Site 1 – Johanna Cecelia/Zorg, Essequibo Coast, Region 2

Leguan Sea Defence

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