Weekend Mirror 23-24 July 2022

PPP/C gov’t work in all areas of Guyana seems to ‘threaten’ Coalition – Parag 23-24 July, 2022 / Vol. 12 ‒ No. 32 / Price: $100

Email: mirror2018.gy@gmail.com

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APNU+AFC MPs called out for ‘shameless pontificating’, ‘duplicity’ Speaker rejects Norton’s attempt to ‘debase’ House Coalition’s appeal in Elections Petition case lacks merit, likely to be dismissed – Nandlall

SEE INSIDE

Guyana now capable of Monkeypox testing PAGE 8

– Health Minister

Work on Schoonord to Crane four-lane highway to start soon

PAGE 10

– President Ali

Finalised LCDS 2030 tabled in Parliament PAGE 15

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

Michael Forde remembered

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he People’s Progressive Party (PPP), on Sunday (July 17, 2022) hosted a wreath-laying ceremony to mark the 58thdeath anniversary of Michael Forde.

Forde was killed on July 17, 1964 while removing a bomb that was planted by a

PNC agent in the bookstore at Freedom House in Robb Street.

Tributes were paid by Comrade Neil Kumar; President of GAWU, Seepaul Narine, and reps from the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) and the

Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO). In his address to this morning's gathering, Kumar said that Forde’s sacrifice saved the lives of many leaders of the PPP who were in Freedom House at the time, and for that he will always be remembered.

On the morning of Friday July 17, 1964, the then Premier of British Guiana, Dr. Cheddi Jagan and the leaders of the two main opposition parties, Mr. L.F.S Burnham and Mr. Peter D’Aguiar, were locked in a peace bid conference at the Premier’s

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office when a lethal bomb exploded at PPP headquarters, Freedom House.

Reports from the daily newspapers of the day, recorded that the explosion, which rocked the heart of Georgetown, went off at about 10:45 a.m. The force of the explosion dismembered Michael Forde, sent an old house crashing to the ground and smashed glass windows at the nearby Metropole Cinema. The eastern portion of Freedom House and furniture in the building were also damaged.

The windscreens of cars parked in the area were also shattered.

It was reported to the police that a young man went into the Progressive Bookshop, housed in the Freedom House building with a small carton. He placed the box on a bookshelf, purchased a book and without waiting for his change, hurriedly left the shop leaving his box behind.

Seconds after the man had left, Forde, an employee, called out to the manager, Miss Euna Mulzack, an American citizen residing in the country, and informed her that the young man left hurriedly without collecting his change and also left a box behind.

Becoming suspicious, she told him to throw the box out of the building. Forde

responded and was rushing through the eastern side door of the shop when there was an explosion. The lower part of Forde’s left hand was hurled some 50 yards away back of the pit entrance of the Metropole Cinema. His mutilated body was found face upward lying across the entrance of Freedom House with just strips of clothing dangling around his waist.

At the time of the explosion there were around 40 persons in Freedom House, some of whom were injured.

Among the wounded were Mrs. Mary Nunes, wife of Minister of Education Mr. Cedric Nunes, Mrs. Patricia Christian, Miss Euna Mulzack, with a damaged eye and Miss Bispat with a suspected fractured spine.

The Premier’s wife, Mrs. Janet Jagan, the then General Secretary of the PPP, escaped with slight injuries to her hands.

Forde was a 22-year-old Progressive Youth Organisation activist and was one of the leaders of the historic Freedom Marches in February of 1964. He has been hailed as having made a significant contribution to Guyana’s fight for freedom and democracy.

The bookstore at Freedom House was renamed the Michael Forde Bookstore in his honour.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

Elections CoI will not interfere with court cases – Ali

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he functioning of the recently named Elections Commission of Inquiry (CoI) will not interfere with the ongoing hearing of the elections cases before the courts. The assurance was given by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali. He said, “I came under criticism for not bringing the CoI into operation… [But] it is difficult to have the CoI running concurrently with an ongoing criminal case.

So, now you have to find that delicate balance to satisfy all of what is ongoing.

The team is now working on documents to ensure that the ToRs (Terms of Reference), while all-encompassing, does not interfere with the court case.

Notably, several high-level officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the APNU+AFC are facing

charges before the courts for issues relating to the elections. Further, Elections Petition is currently before the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Ali announced an International Commission of Inquiry into the debacle that was Guyana’s March 2020 General and Regional Elections on June 16, 2022.

He had said, “We, and particularly your President, promised an international CoI, so I say to all those who struggled and sacrificed, all those who worked in protecting the democracy, that we have, in your honour, before dawn on next Tuesday, your President will name the members of that international CoI…those who subverted democracy, those who cannot present their SOPs, and those who struggled against the will of the people, the CoI will

set the truth free from the untruth and the CoI will set those who dwell in the house of democracy and those who dwell in the fire of undemocratic rule and norms…in honour of the these martyrs too and in honour of all the Guyanese who fought for freedom and democracy, who fought relentlessly in those five months to ensure our country never ever was allowed to go down as an undemocratic nation, in honour of your sacrifices, I committed that we will have an international CoI into the last elections.”

The members are Justice Stanley John, Retired Justice of Appeal in Turks and Caicos (Chairman); Justice Godfrey P. Smith, SC, former Attorney General, High Court Judge and Acting Justice of Appeal, Eastern Caribbean Court; Justice Carl Singh, former

Chancellor, Guyana; and Dr. S.Y. Quraishi, former Chair and Chief Elections Commissioner of India. Dr. Afari Gyan and Dr. Nasim Zaidi will serve as resource personnel.

Ali stressed that the Elections CoI is a promise made by the PPP/C Administration and his Administration is pleased to be able to deliver. “I promised a CoI. So that is why there is a lot of work going on now on how that Terms of Reference is developed,” he said.

In October 2020, Ali disclosed that the Government of Guyana was in talks with the international community regarding a Commission of Inquiry into the events of the March 2020 Elections, which saw a five-month delay in the declaration of final election results. He had said, “We’ve already started conversation with various

international stakeholders on the subject matter and the international community is also very much interested… the international community was a key part in ensuring that democracy was protected…so the international community is going to play a key part in this and they are very keen and they are very interested…in relation to a timeframe in having the CoI, I would say that it is in the, not the medium-term, but the immediate-term plan for the Government as we proceed towards the end of the year.”

Prior to that the President had stated that the panel for the CoI could be drawn from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of American States (OAS), and The Commonwealth. “Between the OAS, Commonwealth and CARICOM, I think we

will have a great opportunity to determine a good panel to look at the CoI,” he had said.

The first mention of an investigation into the elections was made by Ali, during his inauguration speech on August 8, 2020.

“All of us have an obligation to the nation and to ourselves to ensure that, never again, should any generation of our people be subjected to such unlawful behaviour. Therefore, a review of events related to the electoral process over the last five months will begin shortly to determine forensically exactly what transpired and to hold accountable any person who sought to pervert and corrupt the system.” The Head of State had said too that all necessary reforms will be pursued to make democracy stronger, and the electoral process more transparent.

GECOM Chair rejects second motion calling for internal review of 2020 Elections

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second motion by the Opposition-nominated Commissioners to have the March 2020 General and Regional Elections reviewed internally was dismissed by Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) retired Justice Claudette Singh.

The first motion was put in June 2022, following utterance in May. On May 10, 2022, the Coalition-nominated GECOM Commissioners said: “We further reiterated our previous position that GECOM should conduct a review of its conduct of the 2020 elections as the precursor to making any submission on electoral reform.”

This move followed the similar calls from the APNU+AFC Coalition camp. On May 17, 2022, Leader of the Opposition and the PNCR, Aubrey Norton, called for a comprehensive review of what took place in March 2020. On May 17, 2022, Opposition Parliamentarian and General Secretary of the PNCR, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, said: “A thorough review by GECOM of its performance in managing recent elections. The plethora of faults and irregularities (intended and unintended) in the 2020 elections alone must not be brushed under the carpet to resurface again. They must be swept out for good. To achieve this, a thorough and honest review must be conducted as

a necessary first step. Here, we agree with GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander that GECOM itself must not conduct such a review but should commission it.”

At the July 2022 meeting where the second motion was rejected, the GECOM Chairperson maintained her earlier held positon. She had made clear that any review focused on investigating actual occurrences during the 2020 elections by the electoral body would be outside the scope of GECOM’s power.

In her June 2022 decision, the GECOM Chair said that it was important that a distinction be made between a review of GECOM’s processes in effectively conducting an election and an investigation into what actually transpired during a particular election.

Singh had said Article 163 (1) of the Constitution, the Supreme Law of Guyana, stipulates that the High Court has exclusive jurisdiction to determine questions relating to the validity of an election.

GECOM is not a court of law and, therefore, has no authority to determine whether an election was lawfully conducted, and no such power was conferred on it under Article 162 (1) (b). “A perusal of Articles 162 and 163 shows that the Constitution clearly and sharply separates the functions of

GECOM and the High Court respectively in matters of electoral laws. The Commission does not have, and cannot clothe itself with, the powers of a Court of Law to examine and re-examine witnesses or to procure official documents to determine the truth of the allegations contained therein.

Any such question can only be determined by way of an election petition filed in the High Court,” the GECOM Chair said.

Also, she explained that in being asked to investigate the March 2020 Elections, GECOM is being asked to answer two questions: one, whether persons who could not have voted, voted in the elections; and two, what documents were required to be present in the ballot boxes at the close of counting on election day.

“The most that GECOM can do in this regard is to examine its processes to see whether there are gaps or weaknesses in its processes that make it possible for votes to be counted for persons who could not have voted. This requires no more than an examination of the processes currently employed in light of the claims made, and a determination of whether there is potential for such to have occurred. If there is, then the Commission can consider what adjustments can be made to improve the system…GECOM

can examine and strengthen its processes if necessary, and place greater emphasis in the future on ensuring that they are fully complied with by all of its staff, so that such things cannot happen in a future election….should the intention of a

proposed review be to consider if there are, in fact, potential weaknesses in the processes employed by GECOM for the conduct of elections, and to propose improved methods or processes for future elections, then this can and should be un-

dertaken,” the GECOM Chair declared.

Notably, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, on June 16, 2022, announced the establishment of an international inquiry into the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

EDITORIAL

Development in a sustainable manner Mount Sinai partnership is a positive he leadership of the Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Administration

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has positioned Guyana to develop and evolve in a sustainable manner and recognition of this fact has resulted in bilateral partnerships, as well as public private partnerships.

Already, collaborations are underway with Suriname, Ghana and Barbados in several areas and through numerous initiatives, including the removal of barriers to enhance the movement of goods and people. More recently, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Cantó, said the EU is committed to assisting Guyana in the fight against climate change.

Guiding the approach to Guyana’s sustainable developed are four principles: 1. Rigid fiscal discipline; 2. A focus on what is good for people and their welfare – education, health; 3. Ensuring that oil revenues are not wasted, and that it goes toward stimulating the non-oil sectors; and 4. Enhancing our democratic institutions to aggressively to ensure that the prevailing condition in Guyana is democracy.

Guyanese had almost three decades of undemocratic rule and in that period and was considered one of the poorest countries the Latin America and the Caribbean Region. The trauma of 28 years of undemocratic rule, made clear the importance between democracy and development. In 1992, Guyana’s debt was over 900% of Gross Domestic Product and the country was using 153% of revenue for scheduled debt serving. Today, Guyana’s external debt is about 17% of GDP, down from 900%, and we are using about 6% of revenue to service the debt. Further, Guyana has a thriving private sector, compared to a time when more than 80 per cent of the economy was dominated by the State.

Further, the passage of Budget 2022 was historic in that it was the first budget that utilised oil revenues. However, only $126.7B of the $552.9B national budget reflects oil revenues.

Transparency guides use of oil revenues, as reflected in the provisions of the Natural Resources Fund. For example: • From receipts of funds, all proceeds from oil and gas companies must be published in the Official Gazette and notified to Parliament within three months of receipt. Failure to do so results in a penalty of ten years imprisonment.

• The formula for withdrawals from the account allows every Guyanese at the end of the year, having known the receipts for the year, to calculate in the following year’s budget, how much money will come to the fund.

• The use of the fund is appropriated via the Budget and any direct charge on the Fund has been removed, meaning any money spent can only be spent after Parliamentary process; and • A strong management team – the Board of Directors – has been put in place. This move ensures that the Minister of Finance is removed from total control, as was the case under the APNU+AFC Coalition’s version of the Natural Resources Fund legislation.

Relative to the welfare of Guyanese, investment is being made in sustainability related areas – education, healthcare, ICT and infrastructure.

The rigid fiscal discipline seen between 1992 and 2015 is being witnessed again – where the Government is working to carve a conducive macro-economic environment for private capital and also for development and invest in capital expenditures that would further the interest of Guyanese. Wasteful spending on food, travel, vehicles – current expenses – as seen under the former APNU+AFC Coalition is not the focus of the PPP/C administration.

These principles are crucial to Guyana’s ability to advance sustainable development for the benefit of all Guyanese, regardless of race, religion or any other differentiating factor.

This fact has been made by not only President Ali, but by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and leaders in the PPP/C administration.

Guyana’s road to where our nation are people are positioned has been a long journey and while there is much work ahead, we must all recognise that the task of sustainable development is a national undertaking and demands the cooperation of all of our peoples.

We are Stronger Together.

development for health sector Dear Editor,

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ost Guyanese are grateful that the Hess family used its relationship with Mount Sinai to encourage their Global Health team to include Guyana in their global work. We are grateful that Hess as a Mount Sinai donor has identified a significant sum (US$32M) of their donation to Mount Sinai to be assigned for work in Guyana.

The Ministry of Health, the GPHC and other parts of the health sector, including the private sector, have already started to work with Mount Sinai in an agreement for robust development of health in Guyana, as the GoG pursues a development trajectory to bring worldclass health to Guyana and to make Guyana a destination of high-quality health care. While Mount Sinai succeeded in securing funding through the Hess organisation, there are multiple other partners working with the GoG to lift health standards and the scope of healthcare in Guyana. President Irfaan Ali, the Minister of Health and the GoG have no reason to be apologetic for aggressively pursuing world-class partners to help Guyana accelerate development in health. President Ali and his Government have made clear that the goal is, sooner than later, every Guyanese must have access to services that meet all their healthcare needs.

As the MoH has done in the past, all potential partners are welcome to contribute to the lofty goals the GoG has established for healthcare and to meet the overall objective of increasing life expectancy to a minimum of 75 by 2030. The GoG wants to eliminate preventable maternal and infant deaths, to eliminate premature deaths from the non-communicable chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, renal failure and to stop pandemics such as COVID-19. The Ministry of Health recognises we need more, not less partners. In pursuing partners, all of them have invested resources into the partnerships for health.

In signing an agreement with Mount Sinai, the MoH was not looking for a single candidate to help “revolutionise the healthcare system”. The MOH is cognisant of our need for help and has embraced partnership as a way forward to accelerate the health development trajectory. Mount Sinai is only one of the many partners working with the MOH at this time; it was not chosen as a “best candidate”. The reason Mount Sinai has come to most people’s attention recently is because one of their donors earmarked Guyana for Mount Sinai’s global health work. The GoG is highly appreciative that this opportunity has come to Guyana. The Guyanese people will benefit enormously from this and other partnerships.

The GoG has been able to conclude an agreement with Mount Sinai for that global health leader to be in partnership

with Guyana to accelerate development in the health sector so that all Guyanese and visitors to Guyana can access worldclass high quality health care, no matter what services are needed. Mount Sinai brings to the health sector of Guyana its 170 years’ history of innovation, research and discovery, a history of exceptional care for patients, a tradition of caring patient experience and excellence in health management. The GoG and the Ministry of Health are privileged to be partnering with Mount Sinai as President Ali and his Cabinet pursue health for all.

One section of the media is the latest in a long list of entities and individuals that have acknowledged that the partnership with Mount Sinai is a positive development in Guyana. It did bring in the usual “but”. The “but” in this case is that the GoG is investing resources in an unaccountable and non-transparent way that negates the positive from this partnership. No matter what perception one might have about the financing arrangements, the importance of the partnership is not diminished and we are happy that this section of the media has acknowledged this. Mount Sinai will help the health sector of Guyana to accelerate development, including expanding the scope of services provided, improving the quality of care and patient experience, building human resources, both in management and in technical capacity, in Guyana, no matter what the financing arrangements are.

With major investments in infrastructure and procurement of new technology, Mount Sinai will provide technical expertise to ensure optimisation in these investments. The need to digitalise data and to integrate electronic medical record is now long overdue.

The major deficit in service provision for heart diseases (cardiac) and cancer which the G0G is determined to eliminate is a priority area for inputs from Mount Sinai. With partners like Mount Sinai, the integration of modern health practices is assured.

The opportunity to foster a robust partnership arose out of the interest of the President of Hess Corporation and the corporation itself. The Hess family has a close long-time relationship with Mount Sinai, long before Hess was in Guyana and encouraged Mount Sinai to enter the partnership with Guyana.

President Ali and Vice President Bharat Jagdeo were key players in catalysing the rapid movement towards concretising an agreement for Mount Sinai to commit resources to Guyana. Every Guyanese will benefit.

The partnership requires many members of Mount Sinai’s leadership team to work alongside teams in Guyana on an ongoing basis for the next three years.

For example, the whole administrative and clinical management team for Mount Sinai’s Morningside Hospital will work alongside the management

team of GPHC in counterpart arrangements. Some of the interaction will be by virtual methods, but some of the interactions will be in-person with the Mount Sinai team members in Guyana or the Guyana team members at Morningside.

For the next three years, the two teams will work daily alongside to ensure better services, including patient experience and quality of care, at GPHC. While this missive is not intended to provide a listing of all the activities, several activities merit mentioning. One area that Mount Sinai will work alongside the Ministry of Health to improve is the provision of a comprehensive set of interventions for cardiology (heart diseases) and oncology (cancer).

Mount Sinai is globally recognised for its cardiology and oncology services.

Another area that Mount Sinai will work alongside the Ministry to accomplish is the integration of a national electronic medical system so that patient data is accessible by medical personnel throughout the system. These support areas will be available to both the public and private sector.

Mount Sinai has a global health department and is presently working in many countries as they seek to improve health in developing countries.

Mount Sinai’s cost for being in the Guyana partnership will be through a direct funding arrangement with the Hess family. There is an agreed list of activities between the MoH and Mount Sinai. Hess will not have any veto rights.

Guyana has always, at least since 1992, pursued partnership to help develop the health sector. Presently, Guyana is working with partners such as Mount Sinai, Northwell, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Columbia University, McMaster University and many, many others. These institutions raise their own funds to partner with Guyana and other developing countries. To optimise the partnership, Guyana will need to invest in technology and infrastructure and training costs.

These costs, for example, personnel travelling to the US from Guyana, will be borne by Guyana.

When COVID-19 came to Guyana, Guyana was able to begin PCR testing because, as early as 2008, Guyana’s National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) was established for high-end laboratory testing. Working alongside partners facilitated by PEPFAR, Guyana was able to establish the reference lab. While its development to a world-class facility was stymied for a while, Guyana is now resuming the trajectory to have one of the top public health labs in the Region. Partners, such as Harvard which is supporting the MoH to introduce DNA sequencing testing will enable Guyana to meet its objectives. This will ensure that in future variants of infectious organisms, such (Turn to page 5)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

Judges’ decisions are not sacrosanct; their decisions can be criticised Dear Editor,

Opposition always A embroiled in actions that undermine development Dear Editor,

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he Natural Resources Fund (NRF) legislation was passed in a legal and transparent way on December 29th, 2021, however, the main Opposition PNC party think otherwise and have moved to the High Court to challenge its passage.

The claimants, Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones and his trade union lackey Norris Witter, are of the view that the NRF Law is illegal, because of (a) the absence of the authentic mace from the parliamentary chamber, and (b) Members (Opposition members) not being in their seats during the voting process that would bring the Bill into law.

Now, there are a few questions to be asked here, what prevented the Opposition from being seated? Why weren’t they seated? Why was the Mace missing? Who took the Mace?

And the accusing finger points straight at the APNU Opposition, they were the ones who orchestrated that confusion in the Parliament chamber and carried it out. On December 29, 2021, members of the main Opposition coalition APNU/AFC in a failed bid to derail the passage of the NRF Bill attempted to steal the ceremonial Mace – which is a symbol of authority in the House – from its rightful place. In a cacophony of noises and a mad rush to the Speaker’s chair, they grabbed the Mace and attempted to take it away. It was a shameful display of vulgarity never before seen in our noble House. The Opposition is always embroiled in a stealing and lying ruckus since time immemorial, that party is pickled in their own diabolical juices of fraud and violent confrontations with no end in sight. Therefore, it comes as nothing new when they stormed the Speaker’s podium, it is in their DNA. Now, cross reference this to the five-

month debacle during which time the very same Opposition were at it again. In riotous fashion they disregarded a successful no-confidence vote brought against them, snubbed their noses against it, then turned again and legally challenged the validity of the legal number for that no-confidence. Talk about their asininity and I’ll tell you take a look across at the actions of the main Opposition!

I am talking about a Government who at the time were legally constituted at number 33 to hold office as Government, could posit that 33 is not the greater half of 65, rather it should be 34. They then legally put forward the fallacy that a no-confidence could only be deemed successful only if the count was 34. This is the ridiculous nature of the party called the PNC. The problem with these folks is that they are so stupid in their whole outlook, that they are now engaging the courts to legitimise that foolishness. It is a situation that leaves all sober right-thinking persons to wonder!

So, this latest vulgar display of theirs now has a legal flair to it, no wonder a Caribbean neighbour of mine made the remark “Do educated people live in this country? Is Guyana a real place? Shocked and dumbfounded as I was, I gathered up enough courage to finally give an answer, “most certainly,” I replied, “we are an educated bunch of people in this part of the globe; however, we are embarrassed and shocked to the core when we view the actions of the main PNC”.

We have in our midst a small select group of individuals called the PNC who are entertaining the international stage with their stupidity. Like I would always say in satirical irony, goodness gracious me, that stupidity is utterly stupendous!

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Mount Sinai partnership... as COVID-19 variants, can be identified right in Guyana.

Guyana today trains its own specialist doctors in fourteen different areas. There is also training for nurse anaesthetists. There are also training in echocardiology and in ultrasound diagnostic techniques. Since 2006, Guyana has developed cardiac services, introduced radiotherapy and chemotherapy, rolled out an aggressive transplant program and is gradually making laparoscopy a routine surgical intervention. Guyana has already rolled out a teleradiology and teleophthalmology service where specialists from GPHC are providing services in other parts of Guyana virtually. These have all been made possible by partnerships, where partners invest their own resources. We need more, not less.

As the MOH continue to embrace partnership, no one is pushed aside. All partners that can make a meaningful contribution are welcome. Guyanese with skills in the diaspora are already part of the partnerships and partners like Mount Sinai and Northwell Health have brought on Guyanese and Caricom professionals in the diaspora. Where Guyanese organisations and professionals

(From page 4)

in the diaspora could contribute, the MoH is open to those discussions. Some of the programmes in place at this time is with the help of diaspora contributions. For example, through the initiative of the Vice President, Guyanese professionals from Atlanta will work alongside the Ob/Gyn Department of the GPHC to introduce a urogynaecology programme, targeting incontinence in women which is a major public health problem plaguing women in countries around the world.

The Minister of Health and the MoH will ensure that all partners work to build a healthcare system that is recognised around the world for its agility, its capacity to ensure all Guyanese receive the best healthcare possible. This will happen over time. Our hope is that with partners such as Mount Sinai that the trajectory toward this goal is not slow, but as rapidly as possible.

The Mount Sinai health partnership, like many other equally important ones, is a cause of optimism and celebration; it ought not be another reason for pessimism and division.

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

ny lingering doubt or indecisiveness as to whether Judges’ decisions should be subject to public criticism has been further eroded with the relentless barrage of criticisms and demonstrations that erupted with the overturning of the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision that had made abortion a right.

The US Supreme Court’s majority holds that abortion is not a federal constitutional right, and that abortion should properly be a matter for the state and its voters to regulate.

Demonstrators and social rights activists have categorically condemned the July 2022 ruling, claiming that it would damage the reproductive rights of women, including their right to privacy. Their revulsion has also been shared by top Democrats, who regard the US Supreme Court’s ruling as exceeding its power. US President Joe Biden blasted the decision, and referred to the Conservative Judges of the Court as “extreme”. In defiance, he has issued an Executive Order to work around the ruling, but experts doubt whether that would mitigate the problem.

And the Senate Majority Leader, Liberal Democrat Chuck Shumer, joined the picketers outside the Supreme Court to launch a trenchant critique of the Judiciary, singling out the Conservative Judges with his vitriolic onslaught. Another Liberal Democrat, Pete Buttigieg, the US Transportation Secretary, defended the right to criticise Judges’ rulings, but cautions that protests should be peaceful.

He asserts that public officials [inclusive of Judges] would “never be free of criticism or peaceful protest” from individuals exercising their right to freedom of speech.

In the land that is regarded as the bastion of democracy, the leader of the free world, and the centre of capitalism, citizens are allowed to criticise the decisions of the Judiciary, and to display their disenchantment during peaceful protests. Given that Guyana is more aligned to the US than the UK in terms of democratic norms and ideals, the logical question, then, is: “Shouldn’t Guyanese equally show their disapproval of Judges’ rulings through criticisms and demonstrations, especially in public interest cases (such as abortion, capital punishment, constitutional violations, infringement of fundamental rights, etc) that they perceive or regard as repugnant?”

The answer could be unlocked with a review of two significant constitutional cases.

Why should Guyanese citizens remain silent when someone was unilaterally appointed in October 2017 as GECOM Chair in defiance of the Carter-Price constitutional formula, that has worked well for over 22 years? Had it not been for the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which overruled the decision of the Guyana Court of Appeal in June 2019, Guyana would have fallen prey to another PNC

dictatorship.

In another glaring constitutional aberration, the Guyana Court of Appeal ruled in March 2019 that 33 is not a majority of a 65-House Chamber. That decision stunned not only legal scholars, but also mathematicians, as well as the common person. In June 2019, the CCJ overturned the Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision, indicating that 33 is a majority of 65. Again, the CCJ had to save Guyana’s fragile democracy. When Judges cannot determine that 33 is a majority of 65, don’t the public have a right to question their judgment, and demonstrate their disgust?

This is the age of reason, logic, egalitarianism, and accountability. All institutions, including the Judiciary, are required to strive towards equity and accountability. And who better than the public to demand equity and accountability from the Court? Sovereignty belongs to the people (Chapter II Article 9), and not the Judges. The impending changes in the country’s legal and constitutional architecture, which would work through the existing Law Reform Project and the Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform, are not radical, but evolutionary in nature.

The significance of legal/ constitutional change has been beautifully captured by Karl Marx at his conspiracy trial in Cologne in 1849. He captured this forcefully: “Society is not based on law, that is a legal fiction; rather, law must be based on society; it must be the expression of society’s common interests and needs, as they arise from the various material methods of production…The Code Napolean, which I have in my hand, did not produce modern bourgeois society. Bourgeois society, as it arose in eighteenth century and developed in the nineteenth, merely finds its legal expression in the Code. …you cannot make old laws the foundation of a new social development, any more than these old laws created the old social conditions.”

Hopefully, all these potential changes would lead to the development of a coherent system of judicial philosophy. Such basic questions as: “What constitutes justice?” have not been satisfactorily answered. “Is justice done, or seems to be done?” when there are so many disparities in sentencing.

No institution in the modern world is insulated from change. Criticising Judges’ rulings, or having demonstrations would not necessarily undermine the independence of the Judiciary. The Constitution (Chapter XI 122 A (1)) does not explicitly prohibit public criticism or demonstration of Judicial decisions. Indeed, criticisms would allow Judges to apply greater analytic rigour to decision-making and to arrive at good judgments. Judges’ decisions are not sacrosanct; their decisions can be criticised.

Sincerely, Dr Tara Singh

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

P P P /C D E L I V E R I N G O N ‘ P L A N F O R P R O S P E R I T Y ’

Gov’t pushing for 1.2 170 low-income houses to be built in Great Diamond million kg brackish T water shrimp annually B

rackish water shrimp production is growing by leaps and bounds along the Corentyne Coast, as the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) government continues to make heavy investment to produce some 1.2 million kilograms of shrimps annually.

Government started the pilot project in July 2021 with 75 interested farmers in the ancient county.

The intention was to ensure the income of shrimp farmers there is sustained, due to the impact on the local fisheries industry by the worldwide issue of low fish catches.

At the beginning, the farmers were producing just about 10,000 kilograms of shrimp monthly.

June 2022 has proven to be a massive success, with a production of 70,000 kilograms of shrimps.

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha said he is optimistic that the industry will improve greatly. “We have completed just around 75 percent of the project. So, by the time we would have completed the entire project, to develop all the shrimp farms across the region, I am expecting that annually, we might project like 1.2 million kilograms of brackish

water shrimp,” the minister contended. He said the flagship initiative is another aggressive move by the administration to increase food production, thereby reducing Caricom’s food import bill by 25 percent by 2025. Mustapha said, “When you look at what we (government) are doing, this is one aspect of increasing food production in our country. The brackish water shrimp, a few months ago, was just 10,000 kilograms… and we have moved that within six months…and you can see the increase, more than seven times the amount… we have seen a number of persons now working in the industry. These regional farmers who had these farms, and we developed it, they now want more workers. This is the kind of way how the benefit is extending to the rural population in those communities.”

Meanwhile, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) continues to play a major role in the different phases of the project. “We used NDIA excavators to increase the size of the ponds.

We will be doing civil works, like putting small boxes and tubes so they can have better drainage facility, and what our technical persons have been doing, working with them to

ensure they mix the water in a way, so it can be conducive to shrimp farming,” the Minister added. Minister Mustapha also explained that he wants the Berbice project to attain the highest success, before it is replicated in other parts of the country.

Since taking office on August 2, 2020, the administration has been paying significant attention to the nation’s fisheries sector, to ensure the livelihood of fisherfolk is maintained.

Apart from the shrimp production, several strategies were implemented to put more money into the rural economy.

Investments are also being made in the aquaculture sector to enhance its position, not only in marine fishing, but to help acquire new paths within the visibly burgeoning food industry.

For instance, the ministry is looking to establish about 30 to 60 shade houses for the Three-Door fishermen’s Coop at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice, to supplement their income.

Accordingly, Minister Mustapha reiterated that government will soon begin distributing the $150,000 relief grants which was recently announced by the president to all fisherfolk.

he government will soon commence construction of 170 low-income houses in Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara, as part of efforts to provide affordable housing options for Guyanese.

Seventeen contractors will be mobilised over the coming weeks, the Ministry of Housing and Water said on Sunday (July 17, 2022).

According to the ministry, the contractors were taken to the area and shown their respective lots by engineers of the projects department. Each contractor was allotted 10 units each, and they were reminded of the importance of quality and efficiency.

The single flat units will feature two-bedrooms each with a toilet and bath, the ministry said. It will add to the current housing stock at the ministry, to continue to meet the demand for affordable housing for Guyanese.

Currently, more than 1,200 housing units are being constructed across Regions Three, Four, Six and Ten, targeting low and moderate-income families, as well as young professionals. Some 300 units were completed and handed over to families.

The remaining houses are at various stages of construction and are expected to be completed this year.

More than 11,000 lots have been allocated, with an additional 14,000 to be distributed by the end of this year. Only recently, His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced the development of an additional 7,000 house lots in Region Three.

The government had promised that it will allocate 50,000 houselots to Guyanese by 2025.

The PPP/C Government since assuming office in 2020 invested some $24.1 billion to advance infrastructure works in new and existing housing schemes, and deliver serviced house lots to Guyanese.

Gov’t will continue to develop electric vehicle industry – PM Phillips

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rime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), the Honourable Mark Phillips, stated that the Government will continue to develop the electric vehicle industry to lessen the country’s carbon footprint.

He explained that with Guyana’s drive to significantly slash the price of electricity, having electric vehicles will become very viable.

“While the proliferation of electric vehicles adds a new dynamic for the utility, lower electricity costs will certainly encourage diversification in the transport sector,” Phillips said.

To this extent, he lauded the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) Electric Vehicle Maintenance and Repairs Workshop and called it a momentous occasion.

The week-long event was hosted by the GEA, with funding support from the

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and training facilitated by Mega Power Limited.

Prime Minister Phillips, during remarks at the closing ceremony at Cara Lodge, this afternoon, said that the “workshop is very timely for Guyana as the Government is pursuing low carbon transportation infrastructure to reduce the demand for imported fossil fuels for vehicular transport.”

He emphasised the importance of the training and stated that it is a step in the right direction as the country prepares for the introduction of fast-charging stations for electric vehicles in Regions Three, Four and Six this year.

“Having a cadre of trained and certified mechanics and auto-technicians in electric vehicle maintenance and repairs would give existing

and potential vehicle owners additional confidence in the reliability of this technology.

Proper maintenance will also ensure the longevity of these types of vehicles in a healthy and safe environment.”

The Prime Minister explained about the importance of adequate human resource capability and said that the Government is committed to developing its human capital.

“As a country, we need to develop our human resources to drive a sustainable energy transition through continuous capacity building, training, public awareness, and education programmes. This workshop has contributed to boosting the country’s human capital to support such a transition.”

Out of 44 persons who applied, 12 persons were selected for this initial workshop.

Gov’t’s shade house initiative expanding in schools S Home delivery of pension to start everal learning institutions across Guyana will benefit from government’s rapidly expanding shade house initiative, through the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI).

The shade house is a design which is covered by a woven material to allow sunlight, air and moisture to flow through the gaps in the material.

While farming technology is not new to Guyana, shaded cultivation is one way in which crops can be protected from the effects of climate change.

The shade house initia-

tive established in schools complements government’s Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP) that targets youths.

President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who launched the AIEP flagship programme in January, asserted that the project will stimulate and promote significant economic growth in the lives of young agriculturists.

Meanwhile, Cummings Lodge Secondary School, East Coast Demerara is one of several learning facilities already benefitting from this initiative. Head of the agriculture science department, Sharon Isurdeen

reached out to NAREI in 2020, to construct a shade house at the school.

With an affirmative response, the shade house was erected and equipped with raised beds and drip irrigation system by NAREI, along with assistance from the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF). NAREI also provided seedlings and technical support.

The shade house is managed by the students who plant crops including lettuce, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, and pak choi. The crops are sold to students, teachers and members of the community.

soon in hinterland

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he Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will by the end of this year, bring easier access to residents of hinterland and remote areas by taking old age pension directly to the villages.

Traditionally, in the hinterland regions, citizens are required to travel lengthy distances to the nearest post office to receive their payments.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud said

the ministry has already embarked on direct payments to persons who are unable to personally collect their pensions. She further noted that works are in the pipelines to allow other eligible persons to access their pension in their villages. “Direct payment comes in two forms; one, to those who are in shut-in conditions, maybe they’re bed -ridden, we take the pension to them and the second one that we’re still working on is taking the payments directly to you in

your villages,” she said.

Additionally, the minister noted that it is imperative that the ministry work in collaboration with village leaders to make this initiative a reality.

She pointed out that platforms such as the National Toshaos Council (NTC) are important to address the issues faced by residents. “I feel that this platform gives us an opportunity to make our services more efficient and effective by working (Turn to page 7)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

P P P /C D E L I V E R I N G O N ‘ P L A N F O R P R O S P E R I T Y ’ 200 Region 10 residents to Road rehabilitation, Over benefit from ‘skills-for-job’ training ICT training for T Mocha residents

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ver 4,000 people residing in the Mocha Arcadia community, East Bank Demerara (EBD), will soon benefit from major infrastructural development, as the Barnwell North access road is opened for tender.

This was disclosed by Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag, during a meeting with residents at the Mocha Arcadia Community Center, on Tuesday (July 19, 2022). Minister Parag was accompanied by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha. “The government in its commitment to helping you has placed that particular road open for tender to be able to get that road done for you. That will heavily impact your daily lives in terms of not only going to school, but also to the farming communities down at the back.”

Minister Parag, who also has parliamentary oversight for the area, noted that Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training is also in the pipeline for residents there. She also utilised the platform to encourage residents to form themselves into small groups and organisations, where they can benefit from free training initiatives being offered by government.

The minister noted that before the PPP/C Government took office in August 2022, the community hardly had the chance to interact with government officials at the ministerial level. “We

are working towards a ‘One Guyana’; we are working towards leaving no one behind.

Everyone in the community matters, and that is why we are here this afternoon to listen to you,” she emphasised.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration has ensured that the Mocha Arcadia community receives substantial support in many areas, including agriculture and education.

Approximately 153 persons who were impacted by the 2021 May/June flood, received flood assistance from government while several persons are recipients of the Guyana Online Academy for Learning (GOAL) scholarships.

Additionally, the administration, through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security has taken the Women Investment and Innovation Network (WIIN) programme to the residents.

A number of residents have since applauded the all-female initiative, noting that it will empower and render relief to the members of the community. To date, about 110 women of Mocha have registered for the WIIN programme, while 72 persons have already completed the WIIN business workshop.

Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha said like every other community across the country, Mocha is not left out of the administration’s transformational agenda. “Our job as the government is to go all

over the country…we want to ensure the entire country benefit from the resources we have,” Minister Mustapha noted. He said every community has to work in unison and join the government in its aggressive move towards ensuring food is secured for the nation. “Do not let people come and divide you,” the minister urged.

He explained that the war in Ukraine is preventing grain from leaving the country, and is causing an increase in food prices across the globe.

According to the minister, the situation is threatening to worsen shortages, hunger, and instability in developing, and even small countries.

“But as a government, we are not throwing in our towel and saying there is a shortage of wheat and other commodities…We are trying to go into new crops. As a country we are not sitting down,” Minister Mustapha noted. He also outlined the collective plans Guyana and Brazil have to develop the wheat industry in both countries.

Following the consultations with residents, the ministry instructed technical officers to revisit the community within one week to carry out several assessments.

The valuation will be done in a number of areas including livestock and drainage and irrigation.“We came to listen and help,” both ministers emphasised separately while addressing the packed auditorium.

Home delivery of pension... with you to see how we can better serve, and have better systems so that we can make all of our promises in the manifesto a reality,” she noted.

Also, as promised, to ease the cost of living on the elderly, government increased the Old Age Pension in 2021 from $20,500 to $25,000. This was later increased in 2022 from $25,000 to $28,000, placing

an additional $2.3 billion of disposable income in the pockets of 65,000 pensioners.

In terms of public assistance, Dr. Persaud said government has allocated $500 million to hinterland and riverine areas. This has benefited 3, 000 residents.

Apart from this, the ministry is providing assistive aids to persons living with disabilities. These include

(From page 6)

wheelchairs, walking canes and hearing aids.

In the area of training, a number of citizens have already been trained in professional care for the elderly, children and patients.

Further, through the Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) programme, over 500 women in hinterland regions are set to benefit from training opportunities during this year.

he Board of Industrial Training (BIT) launched its first ‘skills-for-job’ training programme in Region Ten on Tuesday (July 19, 2022), aimed at filling the demands for skilled, qualified and certified citizens to take the country forward, and boost the economy.

The four- month training programme will see 179 residents from Linden, and 50 from Kwakwani being trained in a number of skillsset including welding and fabrication, building construction, electrical installation and agro-processing, among other courses. “We have to be prepared wherever we are, whichever region or whichever section of the region we reside, because everything that will happen here, we have to have people with technical skills,” Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton said during the programme’s launch.

He explained that there are limited personnel, es-

pecially in the hinterland regions, who are certified in these hard-skills, and are readily employable in their communities.

Minister Hamilton encouraged residents to take full advantage of the ministry’s training programmes which are offered free of cost. He explained that trainees will be given a stipend while trainers will be selected directly from their area, allowing more money to be circulated in the region.

He said government will continue working to ensure persons are trained in the required skills for community development. “We have to manufacture by the hundreds, welders and fabricators, building contractors, electrical installation people, who are qualified and certified and recognised and accredited,” the minister said.

Minister Hamilton said it is necessary to train Guyanese for the construction sector as more job opportu-

nities will arise in the future.

“You cannot discuss building hundreds of houses, and we’re not discussing at the same time training plumbers by the dozens, training building contractors, and that’s what we do, we have a training called building construction,” the minister noted.

The labour minister lamented the difficulty of sourcing employees in Guyana to operate forklifts, crane, and other such machines to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry.

He said BIT will fill the gap as it will train persons to operate such equipment.

Additionally, as Guyana continues the development of the tourism industry, more programmes, such as food preparation and cake decoration are being offered

by BIT. The skills for job training programme will also be launched in Regions Two, Five, Six and Ten.

Gov’t to create safe space for children – to launch day and night care services

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he government will soon be launching a new ‘day and night’ care programme to create a safe place for the nation’s children, and avenues for women to be gainfully employed.

This is an initiative that was conceptualised by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud who said that the programme will assist women in the workforce to have a trusted facility for child care.

This is part of the PPP/ C’s manifesto (2020-2025) under ‘Empowering women and taking care of children and vulnerable groups’ where it commits to ‘encourage and assist in the establishment of daycare centres for working women in the social sector.

The Minister said, “Night care is a newer concept because I understand the dilemma of many women who

work, and they have nowhere to leave their children. So, we want to make sure that the spaces, whether day or night, are safe and that the persons who are offering these services are trained.”

This announcement was made by the minister on Monday (July 18, 2022) at a community outreach held at Marks Supermarket, Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara.

The programme is currently in its embryonic stage and is being rolled out through a collaborative effort of the ministry’s Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) training programme, and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA).

Women participating in the WIIN child care course will undergo comprehensive training that caters to all the

needs of the child.

The minister relayed that a newer concept of child care training will be implemented in early childhood development, and care for special needs children.

The CCPA’s role in the programme is geared to have trained and licenced child care providers registered with the agency. This will satisfy the standards required by the agency. By having this done, the ministry will be able to provide a list of approved ‘day and night’ care providers.

Additionally, persons interested in establishing care centres will be supported by the ministry with small financial provisions to ensure the facility is running efficiently.

Persons interested in being a part of this programme can engage CCPA’s Assistant Director, Tionna October, who will provide assistance on the application process.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

P P P /C D E L I V E R I N G O N ‘ P L A N F O R P R O S P E R I T Y ’

Guyana now capable of Monkeypox testing – Health Minister

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he Ministry of Health will continue monitoring, and be on high alert for possible cases of Monkeypox as the virus has been detected in more than 40 countries already.

Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, recently stated that the country now has the capability to test for the virus, if the need arises.

Guyana’s local health authorities, with guidance from the Ministry of

Health, are preparing to address any possible case of the virus, locally. “We have the capability if it’s necessary to do these types of tests so that’s how we have been preparing…We did not have that capability but we’ve sent persons to train and they’re now back at the Public Health Reference lab and they would be able, if it is necessary, to run these samples, they would have the competence

to do so,” he pointed out.

The minister said training was conducted by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and was rolled -out for Caribbean regions.

Symptoms of Monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches and backache, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, and rashes that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the

mouth, and on other parts of the body.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Monkeypox can be transmitted from animal-to-human (zoonotic) by direct contact with blood, bodily fluids, or cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animals.

Further, human-to-human infections occur when someone comes into close contact with an infected

person. As such, the health minister is urging persons to take precautionary measures to avoid Monkeypox infections in Guyana.

Additionally, the spread of the virus is mainly associated with infected persons traveling from endemic countries to other locations across the world.

With the recent outbreak, Minister Anthony said the virus is not easily contained, as such it

continues to spread across countries, and was recently detected in some Caribbean countries. “What is different from past outbreaks is that this one is not easily contained, and so you now have monkey pox cases in probably more than 40 countries right now,” Minister Anthony said.

Meanwhile, healthcare workers are on the lookout for any signs and symptoms of the virus.

Serious crimes down by 15 Governments must commit to ICT development per cent – Top Cop in the Caribbean – PM A cting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken today, declared that serious crimes in the country are down by 15 per cent as he reported that this development was credited to the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) recently implemented 2022-2026 strategic management plan.

The Top Cop made this disclosure during the force’s annual awards ceremony held at the Tactical Services Unit Drill Square, on Thursday.

He said this achievement calls for officers to continue to perform their duties in a professional manner as outlined in the strategic plan, noting that those who behave unprofessionally will be dealt with in accordance with the law. “Our mission is to improve our service to the public, and of course, we’re going to extend our arms to achieve as much partners that we can… and so we can work together to move in one direction of transparency, accountability and professionalism for this noble organisation, the Guyana Police Force,” the Acting Commissioner said.

In this vein, Hicken encouraged the ranks to go beyond the extra mile to execute their duties by partnering with residents to create a police-friendly environment. This, he said, will boost the number of reports made at the respective police stations. “We can take reports from those who are not coming to the station, and that is important so our data

would not be questioned up as there is a lot of talking about the accuracy of the data…this new initiative of going into communities will create transparency,” Hicken added.

This direction will complement the force’s effort to improve its service to serve and protect the Guyanese people.

Initiatives such as the establishment of the command centre, procurement of more vehicles, and training of officers in Regions Two, Four and Six to satisfy the force’s inadequate staffing are being undertaken.

This includes partnerships with several private and public agencies.

Hicken’s statement of a 15 per cent reduction in crimes follows President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s warning at the Annual Police Officers’ Conference in March this year where he said that the GPF’s work is linked to the nature of the economy, and the country’s rapid development and transformation. President Ali had said the force must adapt to future security requirements. He had said, “This is critical. The work of the force is linked to the nature of the economy and the development that is taking place, and we are seeing rapid transformation of the country not only from a physical perspective, but from an economic perspective, too. If you look at the sophistication of the investors who are coming, it demonstrates to you where

Guyana is positioned today.”

The Head of State had also emphasised that given the rapid pace of transformation, the GPF does not have the “luxury of time” to gradually climb to what is required.

The changes, he added must be made, today. “We have to make those changes today, we have to create the environment today for what is required in 2030, and we have this responsibility to ensure that we do this,” he opined. He said too, that notwithstanding many positive developments over the last year, it can no longer be business as usual when it comes to policing. He urged those present to recognise the importance of moving away from the policy of gradualism, which finds comfort in incremental improvements in crime-fighting. President Ali noted that “We cannot continue on the same trajectory. There must be more rapid improvements in the work of the force.”

Some $27.8 Billion will be used by the home affairs ministry to conduct its 2022 work programme. The sum of $5.2 B was budgeted for the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), $214 million for the General Register Office (GRO), $17.5B was earmarked to the GPF, $2.7B for Guyana Fire Service (GFS), and the Customs Anti-Narcotics was allocated $524 million. Several police stations across the country are also slated for rehabilitation and construction, through the provision of $1B.

P

rime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d), the Honourable Mark Phillips called on Caribbean leaders to commit to developing the necessary infrastructure to enable the widespread usage of ICTs in the region.

The senior government official told members of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organisations (CANTO) on Sunday (July 17, 2022) evening that the Government of Guyana is ready to play its part and is committed to developing the necessary infrastructure to bridge the digital gap and facilitate the digital evolution.

He said, “Our goal must therefore be nothing less than universal service, and here I mean universal broadband service. No country, no region, no town, no village, no community and no person should be left unconnected, for we cannot begin to speak of digital evolution without addressing the manifest injustice and inequality of the underlying digital divides.”

The senior government official made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organisations (CANTO) 37th Annual General Meeting in Miami, Florida.

“Guyana recognises the importance of CANTO and its vision of becoming the leading authority shaping the ICT industry in the Caribbean Region and the Americas.

CANTO’s role becomes even more pertinent in light

of the need to provide solutions and initiatives that will allow for the realisation of the digital evolution,” Phillips added.

ICT POST PANDEMIC The Prime Minister, who is the National Coordinator of the Covid19 Task Force locally, said that the COVID-19 pandemic amplified the importance of technological advancements, which his Government understands, especially as a catalyst for economic and social empowerment.

He also emphasised the importance of digital technology and its intricate link to the workforce, education, healthcare and e-commerce and his Government’s commitment to promoting sustainable development for investment and sector diversification.

Expounding further, the Prime Minister spoke to the needs of stakeholders and investors to build telecommunication networks and services in a sustainable manner to support economic activity such as trade and commerce as well as social development in the spheres of health, education and civic engagement. He said, “We wish for you to become invested in the sustainable development of the countries and communities within which you operate and from whence you derive value.

We would like to see patient investment prioritising long-term returns emanating from the sustainable, resil-

ient economies we hope to build rather than cashing in on short-term windfalls.”

CREATING AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT Prime Minister Phillips also used the occasion to highlight Guyana’s many advances in telecommunications and innovations to facilitate the digital evolution.

In this regard, he mentioned Guyana’s telecommunications sector’s liberalisation on October 5, 2020, which ended a 30-year monopoly on fixed landline and international long-distance services. He said that since the sector’s liberalisation, Guyana has reaped significant benefits from new and improved telecommunications services, as well as lower rates and higher service quality.

He also emphasised the installation and operation of additional submarine cables, which will result in a more resilient internet connection; while the removal of VAT from internet data for residential customers by the Government of Guyana was listed as an important drive to make more spectrum available to the industry. This, he explained, is particularly critical to the 700MHz band, in order to expand coverage and enable the deployment of LTE and next-generation networks.

The three-day conference was held under the theme “Enabling the Digital Evolution”.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

Amerindian Development…

FOCUS ON GUYANA’ S FIRST PEOPLE $3B additional funding Mashabo, Agatash, and Mainstay roads to be upgraded for Amerindian and hinterland communities T

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ome $3 billion in supplementary funds will be invested towards Amerindian development as the improved quality of life for Guyana’s first people remains a priority for the government.

The provision for the money was tabled in the National Assembly on July 21.

This was announced by President Dr. Irfaan Ali as he addressed Amerindian Leaders at the National Toshaos Conference on Thursday. He said of the $3 billion, $250 million will go towards youth empowerment projects.

On July 13, 2022 President Ali engaged the indigenous leaders and encouraged them to identify core issues and formulate plans that could be implemented to improve their lives.

Some of the main issues identified were youth development, food security, and the need for better delivery of education and healthcare

services.

President Ali said the ministers of government will be assisting the hinterland and riverine communities in streamlining their plans.

“In the coming weeks, you will see members of Cabinet coming to join you in your communities in crystalising these plans,” he stated.

The president said that the government will ensure that the monies are passed in the National Assembly, and will not allow anyone to stymie development.

It was also revealed that government will be providing training for Amerindians to deliver critical government services in their communities.

“We are going to take every single eligible candidate from the hinterland communities who can be trained to become health workers, nurses, teachers, teaching assistants; we are

going to take those persons and develop a common comprehensive programme to provide the training for all of them so that they will have the required skills to serve their communities, and more importantly they will come on government employment system to support the delivery of efficient, reliable service in every single one of these come communities,” President Ali outlined.

Ali has also established a monitoring and evaluating squad responsible for ensuring that hinterland projects are properly executed while at the same time making sure that government services are accessible.

President Ali at the opening of the NTC, disclosed that since taking office, the PPP/C government has invested over $50 billion in hinterland and riverine communities.

he Ministry of Public Works will soon execute maintenance works on the main access roads of Mashabo, Mainstay, and Agatash to provide relief to commuters within those respective areas.

Minister Juan Edghill made this disclosure during the National Toshaos Council Conference (NTC). He stated that the ministry’s engineer has already examined, and estimated the cost for these roads.

Minister Edghill indicated that an estimate of over $1B is needed for upgrading seven kilometers of the road from Tapakuma to the Mainstay high bridge, while $317 million is needed for a road at Mashabo, Region Two. In Agatash, Region Seven, over 1500 residents are set to benefit from a $30 million road upgrade.

The Minister said that while he wishes to kick-start

these road works as quickly as possible, financing the projects is proving to be a challenge. He committed to having the roads done in a phased manner. “So, what we have done is, that we have examined all of the roads.

We have designed it which means we have the bill of quantities and cost. As soon as the opportunity presents itself in terms of financing, we’ll be able to execute works,” he said.

In the interim, interventions will be made to enhance the roadways as a short-term solution.

Minister Edghill requested patience from the villagers as his ministry intends to upgrade every access road to a standard that is durable and beneficial to commuters. “We do not just want fair- weather roads, because our infrastructure must also be resilient to deal with the

issues of climate change. So, we have to put in solid bridges [with] asphaltic concrete so that these roads could last 10 to 15 years without having to do major repairs,” he added.

The minister was responding to requests made

by St Denys/ Tapakuma and Agatash toshaos to upgrade these roads, which will improve road connectivity for surrounding communities.

In 2021, the Public Works Ministry spent $2.1 billion on the construction and rehabilitation of roads in Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine and 10. Among those roads were Kaburi, Puruni, Kopinang, Monkey Mountain, Paramakatoi and Chiung Mouth.

Some $3.4 billion will be spent to construct and rehabilitate hinterland roads for 2022.

Gov’t to invest $2 billion in hinterland agriculture – food security plan to be crafted 300 families to benefit from $750M A hinterland housing programme

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ome 300 families of hinterland communities in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, are set to benefit from a $750 million hinterland housing programme, a new initiative under the Ministry of Housing and Water’s Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal during his presentation at the National Toshaos Council (NTC) conference, said that the initiative is in keeping with the administration’s vision, for all communities to enjoy a similar quality of life.

“We want to move as quickly as possible on this… the collaboration or consultation starts as early as August,” the housing minister stated.

The initial phase of the programme will see vulnerable families benefiting from the construction of homes, and home improvement subsidies.

In order to ensure transparency and accountability, he said the village councils

will have to identify the families which are most in need.

The villagers will then have to agree with the selection through a voting process.

For the home construction aspect of the project, CH&PA will employ two persons per unit, whilst the beneficiaries contribute the remainder of labour required for the completion of the home.

Minister Croal noted that local materials should be sourced and purchased from within the respective villages.

The minister further explained that the programme will mirror the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Sustainable Housing for the Hinterland Programme that was implemented previously by the CH&PA under the leadership of President Irfaan Ali when he served as Housing Minister.

Unlike the previous programme, which only catered for roof replacements, Min-

ister Croal said that the new initiative will allow beneficiaries to benefit from subsidies to renovate their homes.

“It can be for may be the completion of your wall, to modernise your home or to help for completion if you have doors, windows to change or replace. So, it will be a hybrid, and you will determine that from the consultations,” he further explained.

The housing minister said that Kokerite village, Region One, will be one of the first villages to benefit from the home construction initiative.

This village, which is located on the bank of the Barama River, is prone to flood and efforts are underway to move the residents inland.

The Minister, however, reminded the Amerindian leaders, that unlike housing programmes on the coastland, all costs are waived for beneficiaries in the hinterland. He said a special unit will be established to roll-out the programme.

dvancing agricultural production in the hinterland has been high on the government’s agenda over the past two years, and by the end of 2022, an injection of more than $2 billion will catapult the sector even further towards achieving food security.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali made this disclosure as he addressed the opening ceremony of the National Toshaos Council Conference. “In agriculture, by the end of this year, we will expend more than $2 billion and what is the goal in agriculture? We must work on making every single hinterland community food secure… and we have begun to make that investment to advance food production,” President Ali stated.

One of the many initiatives embarked on over the past two years, has been the delivery of tractors/trailers and implements to villages to boost agriculture production in hinterland areas.

Some 112 tractors, along with ploughs and harrows were handed over to communities last year by the Amerindian Affairs Ministry, with an additional 71 procured for disbursement before the end of 2022.

Additionally, through the Ministry of Agriculture, more tractors and trailers were also made available for disbursement.

Young people in the re-

spective communities were also trained to operate and maintain the equipment.

“We have listened to you; from the time we started the initiative of giving tractors years ago to communities with very limited budgets and resources… As soon as we came back into power, we embarked on a project to give every single community tractor, trailers,” President Ali stated.

Further, under the Amerindian Affairs’ presidential grant programme, and the Amerindian Investment Fund, communities received capital to embark on agriculture- related economic projects, based on the needs of the respective villages.

Some projects underway include livestock farming, and ginger, cassava, and other cash crops’ production.

Apart from training, tools, seeds and chemicals/acoushi ants’ bait were also provided to the villagers.

Hinterland food security plan Recognising that the hinterland possesses great potential for agricultural development, with vast fertile and arable lands, President Ali stated that a hinterland food security plan must be crafted to guide the development of the sector.

“We are going to invest in research, and development to see what is best for every single community, and you

have to help us here at this conference….let us identify one item that we will work with the government on. Let us identify food security and come up with a hinterland food security plan that we will invest in,” Ali said.

The President said agricultural production can be done in a sustainable manner, safeguarding the environment. It must also address how the agriculture plan could feed into the school feeding programme, processing, and identifying markets.

Once discussions are completed and projects and initiatives identified, President Ali said the government will work with the people to establish a timeframe on the way forward. he said, “At the end of it, we have to have buy-in from you the leaders, and from the people.

We have to do it [agriculture production] in a sustainable way, we can’t just say no cut and burn, we have to work with you and say what is the appropriate technology we can use to make you food secure.”

The President also spoke about the oil and gas industry, and how resources from that sector will be used to develop the hinterland’s agriculture sector. He said the overarching goal is to make the hinterland food secure, while at the same time boost economic empowerment and create jobs.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Work on Schoonord to Crane four-lane highway to start soon – President Ali W

ork is expected to commence on the construction of the much-anticipated 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometres) four-lane highway from Schoonord, to Crane, Region Three (Essequibo Island – West Demerara), by the end of August 2022.

The thoroughfare is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion along the West Bank and West Coast of Demerara upon completion.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the announcement at a ground breaking ceremony for a new Demerara Bank Limited Branch at Leonora recently. “That project, the tender process went out

and tendering is closed so, before the end of maybe August, you will see mobilisation to get this highway going,” the head-of-state said.

In April, the President announced plans for the construction of the new highway, and in June, the Ministry of Housing and Water requested bids for the project which will be divided into eight lots.

The road construction is expected to be completed ahead of the $52 billion (US$260 million) new Demerara River Bridge which has a construction time span of two years.

These massive infrastructural projects will add

to the Diamond to Mandela, East Bank Demerara (EBD) road which will be completed soon, the Eccles, EBD to Ogle East Coast Demerara (ECD) road, and the widening and expansion of the ECD Railway Embankment Road.

BERBICE HIGHWAY President Ali also spoke of plans for the expansion of the New Berbice Highway, and a new major highway road from Conversation Tree to Georgetown.

Tthe President said the thoroughfares will improve the flow of traffic along the coast, open up more areas for housing development and expansion of existing

housing schemes.

It will also see the establishment of commercial hubs. “In the process of economic growth, particularly in urbanised area, there is what you call de-urbanisation. So, in Georgetown, along the East Coast and East Bank, you are seeing a ballooning of economic activity. What comes with that ballooning of economic activity, is that an outward push of the boundaries may not be a legal push, but it’s an economic and social push of the boundaries of the concentrated areas. So, Houston started with the shore base, you see how that push has taken place there and it goes beyond Providence all the

way to Diamond,” he said.

With this major economic growth comes the demand and increase cost for construction materials, rental, as well as skilled labour.

President Ali said that these challenges are is being addressed in collaboration with the private sector.

“So, the people who will work in jobs to support the development, they are expanding further on the East Coast, because they’re looking also for better housing facilities in terms of costs and actually, it is pushing on the west coast. That is why you are seeing the bottleneck of traffic now expanding from Crane when you go in the morning, in the

evening and you will notice that there is an increase in rent on the west side and that is a consequence,” the President further explained.

The PPP/C government announced a whopping $552.9 billion national budget this year, with a large portion allocated to the Ministry of Public works for major road projects. It includes $8.3 billion for the rehabilitation of the Corentyne Main Road from Palmyra to Crabwood Creek; $2.6 billion for the rehabilitation of the entire Soesdyke-Linden Highway and $1.1 billion to complete the Sheriff Street – Mandela Road Network and Expansion Project.

Gov’t/ private sector move to sustain Gov’t pursuing investors to develop booming construction industry ‘world-class’ eco resort

T

he Government of Guyana is ramping-up its collaboration with the private sector to sustain the positive momentum of the country’s construction industry.

This announcement was made by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, on the sidelines of the sod-turning ceremony for the construction of Demerara Bank Limited’s multi-million-dollar complex at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, Region Three, on Thursday.

One of the initiatives government will soon explore is the operation of a state-managed sand mining facility to reduce the deficit created by the increasing demand for sand. It is proposed that the facility will be managed by the Central Housing and Plan-

ning Authority (CH&PA) and the Ministry of Public Works and, “It will also have to involve some partnership with the private sector because they have the equipment,” the President stated.

Noting the huge demand for sand as the country’s infrastructural development further expands, President Ali highlighted that the proposed public/private initiative “will bring some balance in terms of the prices as the boom in construction will put pressure on the supply side as demand is increasing rapidly.”

President Ali reminded that the country is currently facing shortages of plywood, sheetrock, and other materials. He said the shortages are a result of Guyana’s ag-

gressive national housing initiative, hotels, and other infrastructural development.

“The problem is even on the international market now.

There’s a shortage of plywood, sheetrock, so these are some of the challenges we were faced with,” he said.

Acknowledging the temporary challenges contractors are experiencing, the head of state explained that his administration is monitoring the situation, and working closely with major private sector operatives to reduce the delay in supply.

On the issue of plywood, the President said he was assured by Barama Company Limited, that efforts will be made to balance supply within three weeks. “They [Barama Company] have assured me that because of the rain, they had implications in the supply from both of the factories, and that they are going to redouble their efforts to get the supply of log into the factory to bring the situation to some sort of balance,” he said.

As part of its emergency budget in September 2020, the PPP/C Government had announced the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) from locally produced building and construction materials including sand, stone, concrete blocks, plywood and logs. Further, in April 2022, the administration announced the removal of VAT from cement.

T

he Ministry of Tourism Industry and Commerce is actively seeking investors to develop a ‘world-class’ eco resort to meet the demands of Guyana’s growing tourism industry.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali, made the announcement on Monday, at the ground breaking ceremony for a multi-million-dollar hotel at Lilliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

The eco resort will be linked to the ‘sun, sand and sea’ concept, where persons will experience luxurious accommodations and other world-class amenities. “So, we are out aggressively looking for a world class investor in eco resort. We have a few interests. …we have a few interests…and that is why we are building strong partnerships with Barbados.

If you have a family of 10, seven might want to go to eco resort, but three might want to go at the beach. We have to be able to have a product that delivers to us why to a wide section of the market, and that is what we are working on,” he noted.

He said the world-class facility will add to the pool of resorts, and eco lodges across the country.

WELLNESS TOURISM President Ali said the intention is to launch Guyana as a ‘powerhouse,’ and promote

the country as a premier destination for wellness tourism, which is dubbed one of the largest growing sectors in the world.

The government, he noted, is examining ways in which the country could tap into this industry through the creation of wellness centres, where persons can enhance their personal well-being by participating in spa treatment, meditation retreats, yoga, and weigh lost programmes.

“People go to Thailand on one week weight loss programmes, you go on programmes to go in a natural environment detoxification programme there. This is what we call a wellness tourism, a new area that is emerging that we have the natural capability to build a great sector out of it,” he said.

HEALTH AND EDUCATION HUB Another area of focus will be to promote Guyana as a health and education hub for the region. It is for this reason, President Ali noted, government is partnering with the Mount Sinai Health System to improve the quality of and access to health care in the country and has commenced the construction of a new maternal and children’s hospital.

“We are working with the best to make Guyana a health and education hub because

more people coming in requires more services. When there’s greater demand for services, then facilities like this these get it direct support mechanism.”

RAIN FOREST SAFARI The government is also crystalising the idea of a oneof-a- kind rainforest safari development that will offer fascinating nature adventures.

President Ali said 500 acres of land have been proposed along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway for this project. “You go to the US they have Disney World; you go to Singapore they have the night safari, you go to the Middle East, they have the day safari, what we want to create, and we already have some of the giants of the world here… is to have a one-of-a-kind rainforest safari. It will be the first in this region and that will create demand by itself,” he explained.

Further, he said government is examining its legal framework and institutional systems to make Guyana a corporate headquarter for the region. A number of multi-million-dollar companies have already indicated their interest in this regard. In preparation for these and other investment into the tourism sector, Guyana is partnering with the Government of Barbados to train 6,000 persons for the industry.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT 7,000 house lots for Region Three residents S

ome 7,000 house lots are being developed in Region Three (Essequibo Island- West Demerara), as part of the PPP/C government’s drive to provide 50,000 house lots to Guyanese by the year 2025.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali while conducting a walkthrough of the new West Central Mall under construction at Leonora, West Coast Demerara said the first phase of the project was awarded and infrastructural works have commenced. “If you look at what is known as ‘punt trench’ or where the high bridge is, all the way back and all the way to the tower all of those lands will be converted into housing… as you can see there the excavators are working,” Ali explained while pointing to the area that is being developed.

This new housing development, the head of state

said, will take place in the vicinity of the planned thoroughfare from Schoonord to Parika.

Owning to the rapid pace of development in the Essequibo Island West Demerara region, the president also spoke of the development of a commercial district in Leonora along with a professional residential area.

He said, “So that give you a bearing on what is going to occur here in the terms of development… “Every single area in the country we are developing these growth hubs, to span out development, to expand the development reach.”

The development of lands in the region will help to address the backlog of 14,000 applications for Region Three, currently sitting in the database of the Housing Ministry’s Central Housing and Planning Au-

thority (CH&PA) awaiting allocation. “In this NDC [Stewartville/Cornelia Ida] alone, we are talking about the development in this area here alone, about 1500 acres of land. 1500 acres of land would give us here and there, 7000 new house lots,” President Ali had explained during a prior engagement. The infrastructure costs on average, to develop 1500 acres of land is close to $10 billion… and this is not ten years from now, these are projects that are in the immediate pipeline, projects that have already started,” he pointed out.

He added, “In the medium term, if you have an occupancy of 50% in five to seven years, then convert 3500 [50% of 7000] by an average of $7 million and you will see the volume of transaction that we’re talking about just in this locality.”

Additionally, under the

Government’s turn-key initiative, some 200 housing units are expected to be constructed in Anna Catherina and Meten-Meer-Zorg targeting low- and moderate-income earners.

Further, under the IDB funded Authority’s Adequate Housing and Urban Accessibility Programme, 25 core homes were constructed for vulnerable families in Lusten-Rust, Onderneeming, La

Parfaite Harmonie, RechtDoor-Zee and Westminister.

These new developments, President Ali said, will be complemented by $52 billion (US$260 million) New Demerara River Bridge.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

Coalition’s appeal in Elections Petition case lacks merit, likely to be dismissed – Nandlall I

t is very likely that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will dismiss the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) elections appeal case before it again, according to Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.

On Tuesday (July 17, 2022), after more than four hours of arguments on in

the Elections Petition 99 case, Nandlall reminded that it was sheer incompetence on the part of the Opposition to not properly serve the necessary documents in the required time frame.

He highlighted that there is no intention of the government to stifle the hearing of the petition, but

they ought not to be held responsible for the mishaps of the applicants in the matter.

“There are rules if you want to go into the ballot boxes.

You have to file your petition and you have to file and serve it properly…I wish that the other side was competent enough to take their petition to trial but they were not and that’s not

my fault,” he said.

The Attorney General said the matter is now before the CCJ and a definitive ruling will be given on the matter. “The matter is all the way at the CCJ, and we will see how they rule.

[It’s unlikely], but they may order the petition to go back to the high court, I don’t know how that’s possible,

and then we can have a trial,” Minister Nandlall posited.

PETITION 99 Petition 99 of 2020 was filed on September 15, 2020, by APNU+AFC Coalition agents Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse. Thomas and Nurse named now former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; David Granger – APNU+AFC Coalition; Horatio Edmonson – Federal United Party; Bharrat Jagdeo – People’s Progressive Party/Civic; John Flores – Liberty and Justice Party; Asha Kissoon – The New Movement; Vishnu Bandhu – United Republican Party; Adebin Kindi Ali – Change Guyana; Patrick Bourne – People’s Republic Party, Jonathan Yearwood – A New and United Guyana; Shazam Ally – The Citizenship Initiative; and Gerald Perreira of Organisation for the Victory of the People as respondents. The Attorney General Chambers also joined the proceedings.

Petition No.99, which challenged the final election results, was nullified by the Acting Chief Justice on the grounds of non-compliance of service on the second named respondent, former President Mr. David Granger.

Petition 99, argued that fraud was committed in the March 2020 Elections and over 115,000 votes were affected, benefiting the PPP/C. So far, Petition 99 has been thrown out and the other will move forward.

The matter was brought to the Appeal Court by the APNU+AFC Coalition, which was challenging the Acting Chief Justice Roxane George’s dismissal of Petition 99 on June 14, 2021.

At the appeal court, in a 2-1 decision, acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Cummings and Justice of Appeal Dawn Gregory both agreed that the Court of Appeal has the jurisdiction to hear and determine the appeal that was filed.

However, Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud disagreed, and charged that the applicants in Election Petition

99, Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse, had no right to appeal, since there was no final decision by the Chief Justice.

NO JURISDICTION Having received written submissions, the CCJ heard oral arguments on Tuesday (July 19, 2022), morning.

In the consolidated appeal, the appellants, the Attorney General of Guyana and Bharrat Jagdeo are appealing the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on December 21, 2021. In this judgment, the majority held that the Court of Appeal has jurisdiction to entertain an appeal from the decision of Madame Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, who, sitting in the High Court, dismissed Election Petition 99 on the grounds of late service, non-service or improper service During the hearing on Tuesday morning, the main argument proffered was that Guyana’s Court of Appeal did not have jurisdiction to overturn the decision of the high court.

Nandlall in his arguments to the CCJ said, “If your honours are to examine the judgement of Chief Justice George, her honour quoted copious authorities that aggregate to say that when procedural requirements are not met, the impact and legal effect is that it affects the validity of the petition itself. It nullifies the petition, and that principle is inextricably linked to the jurisdiction of the court to entertain such as a defective petition and those two principles marry, to prohibit an appeal, because there is really no decision from which one can appeal.”

Meanwhile, Jagdeo, through his attorneys, led bv Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, proffered similar arguments.

The five-justice panel said parties will be notified when it is ready to deliver its ruling. Justice Jacob Wit is Chair of the proceedings at the Caribbean Court of Justice. CCJ Justices Maureen Rajnauth-Lee, Winston Anderson, Peter Jamadar and Denys Barrow are also presiding over the case.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

TRANSITIONING TO A LOW CARBON ECONOMY Guyana signs agreement with IDB, Norway to leapfrog country’s solar energy future

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ollowing the signing of an agreement among Guyana, the Kingdom of Norway and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the reality of Guyana’s goal to transition to renewable energy is now even closer. In fact, these three parties on Wednesday signed an agreement to finance Guyana’s largest solar project set to benefit thousands of Guyanese.

The project supports and fits hand-in-hand with Guyana’s low-carbon ambitions under the new and expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.

According to Norway’s International Climate and

Forest Initiative (NICIF), Guyana will use funds received for its low deforestation rates to finance eight large-scale solar energy projects. In total, the projects will provide 27,000 households with cheap, clean energy – benefiting approximately 70,000 people.

The Guyana Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Programme (GUYSOL) will invest in eight utility-scale, photovoltaic solar projects totalling 33MWp, with associated 34MWh energy storage systems distributed across three areas in Guyana. The programme will be implemented by Guyana and the IDB.

On the news of the signing, Prime Minister Mark Phillips outlined in a statement, “In 2009, Guyana launched one of the world’s first low carbon development strategies. We set out to show that it is possible to maintain forests while also creating prosperity and opportunities for our people to thrive. Norway has been a steadfast partner in our work to find international solutions that support this objective. The world needs far more collaborations like ours – so I hope that today’s announcement will motivate others to recognise that progress is possible.”

Meanwhile, Norway’s

Minister of Climate and Environment, Espen Barth Eide, expressed, “I am impressed

by Guyana’s continued leadership to protect the country’s vital rainforests, and welcome their decision to use some of the payments for maintaining low deforestation to scale up solar energy generation.”

Guyana boasts unrivalled forest conservation credentials. For context, the country’s forest is over 18 million hectares – the size of England and Scotland combined – and stores over 21 gigatons of carbon. Guyana has also successfully maintained 85% of its forest cover, with a deforestation rate that is 90% lower than other tropical countries. Its forests also store 18% of the world’s carbon, and contain 2.4% of known plant species and 4% of all known animal species.

Notably, this partnership between Guyana and Norway is nothing new. Since 2009, Guyana has received

a total of NOK $1.5 billion – about US$220 million– as results-based payments from Norway under the first phase of the LCDS. These funds have been invested in the country’s low carbon development, financing renewable energy, flood protection, green job creation, as well as land titling and development of funds for indigenous peoples.

Just in May this year, funds from the two countries’ partnership delivered a land extension in the North Rupununi village of Yupukari.

This extension, which is now three times the original size of the village, will promote further forest and biodiversity conservation, as well as foster economic activity in the community.

During a visit to the village in May, the newly-accredited Norwegian Ambassador to Guyana, His Excellency Odd Magne Ruud, had highlighted the importance of protecting the rights of

Amerindians, and how this is directly tied to the conservation of Guyana’s forests.

“Indigenous people are the best protectors of the land and the forest- sustainable use of the forest. We want to complete this project with the land titling because we think that land titling is one of the most important issues for you; being masters of your own territory having being decisions of your own territory, and we think that that is very important,” the Ambassador had related.

Importantly, solar energy generation is just one component of Guyana’s low-carbon goals under the LCDS. Under this national advancement plan, Guyana looks to complement the grid with other forms of clean and renewable energy – namely natural gas, hydropower, wind power and even biomass. It is anticipated that by 2030, 70% of Guyana’s energy mix will be supplied through green energy.

First on-grid solar farm for Berbice by 2023

G

uyana is targeting 2023 as the commissioning year for its very first on-grid solar farm.

According to the recently launched and expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, the farm will have a total capacity of 10 megawatts-peak (MWp).

“This solar PV [photovoltaic] farm will generate one percent of the total energy demand in [Demerara Berbice Interconnected System] DBIS,” LCDS 2030 states.

This farm will be financed by the Guyana-Norway partnership and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo said that fund stands at currently US$84 million.

Advertisements were already done by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc. for consulting services, for topographic surveys, flood

risk assessments and geotechnical investigations of the site earmarked for this farm, and seven others.

These farms will be built under the Guyana Utility Scale Solar Photovoltaic Programme (GUYSOL).

The PPP/C Government’s solar agenda is wide-reaching and comprehensive, as part of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s plan to deliver 500 MW of new power by the end of 2025.

In addition to the farms to be funded through Guyana’s forest preservation funds, the Government also intends to power the homes of 30,000 hinterland families using solar PV units.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh made that announcement on September

29 when he signed a US$7.2 million line of credit from the Indian Technical Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.

Further, solar farms will be built at Bartica and Lethem, using some of the proceeds of a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under the Energy Matrix Diversification and Institutional Strengthening of the Department of Energy Project. The executing agency, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has already sought bidders to supply and install transmission lines to accommodate them.

The solar farms, in addition to the other energy sources which will be implemented, will result in a cleaner energy mix that will reduce emissions and provide cheaper energy for businesses and families.

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

PARLIAMENT HAPPENINGS UNDER REVIEW THE PPP/C’ S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, MORE

Finalised LCDS 2030 tabled in Parliament G

uyana’s finalised Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 was tabled in the National Assembly on Thursday (July 21, 2022) by Dr. Ashni Singh, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance.

The 152-page document was subject to over eight months of national, countrywide, consultations.

The move to the National Assembly followed a meeting of the LCDS Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee (MSSC) on Monday (July 18, 2022), where there was unanimous support to move forward for inclusion of various points of feedback received during the national consultations.

Launched by President, Dr Irfaan Ali, in October 2021, the new and expanded programme, which is still in its draft stages, seeks to create a new-low-carbon economy in Guyana by establishing incentives which value the world’s ecosystem services, and promote these as an essential component of a new model of global development with sustainability at its core. In Guyana’s case, it is about harnessing the value of the country’s ecosystem services to build a long-term, low-carbon diversification opportunity.

The LCDS 2030 sets how – in line with the 2009 vision - Guyana will advance its payment for forest climate services model and invest new revenues in the low carbon economy, while also expanding the vision to include Guyana’s other globally significant ecosystem services. It summarises how the country aims to achieve the right balance between (i) low impact mining and forestry to enhance employment and income generation opportunities – today these sectors employ 40,000 people and contribute over a billion dollars to export earnings – while preparing for new opportunities as the world seeks more advance minerals for the global transition to renewable energy and electric mobility; (ii) continuing to provide forest climate services, maintaining Guyana’s 18 million hectare forest, and sustaining one of

the world’s lowest rates of deforestation; (iii) advancing Guyana’s next generation of ecosystem services such as water management and biodiversity protection.

It also outlines how Guyana’s Protected Areas System will be expanded (page 30), how partners will be sought for the International Centre for Biodiversity Research (page 32) and a sustainable Ocean Economy will be nurtured (page 33).

The document addresses too how Guyana has evolving from the 2009 vision for forest climate services. It provides more detail (Page 36) on the three phases first identified in 2009, and how Phase I – the Guyana-Norway Agreement – saw Guyana receive US$220 million payments for the period 2009-2015. The specific investments from the payments from Norway are summarised in Appendix III (page 134). Further, it sets out how Guyana is preparing to move to Phase 2 (pages 37-42), when payments from Norway can be replaced or augmented by payments from the voluntary carbon markets. A revenue sharing mechanism, which resulted from the national consultation, and which was endorsed by the National Toshaos’ Council as the final step in the national consultation was also detailed in the document. This revenue sharing mechanism focuses on how indigenous peoples and local communities can receive revenues through: National programmes as outlined in the LCDS 2030 (e.g. renewable energy as described in Chapter 3, land titling as described in Chapter 4, protecting against climate change as described in Chapter 5); and Community/Village-led programmes for indigenous peoples and local communities as set out tin Village Sustainability Plans (VSPs) or equivalent, put together by communities themselves in accordance with the principles of Free Prior and Informed Consent (more detail is set out on Page 43 and 44) Guyana’s plans to achieve one of the world’s most ambitious energy transitions – where energy use

can increase five-fold while costs can be dramatically decreased, and greenhouse gas emissions can stay approximately flat is also addressed. It sets out plans for Transformative Investment (page 48), including in Isolated Grids (page 56), a new section on Policies and Incentives to Encourage Consumer Choice (page 60) and more information about Energy Efficiency Measures (page 61).

The LCDS 2030 also draws attention to how Guyana had developed a comprehensive strategy for addressing the huge losses the country suffers from droughts, floods and other climate-related events. The strategy – the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy (CRSAP) was developed with revenues from the Guyana-Norway Agreement, but it was not progressed after 2015.

In 2021, work re-started to implement the strategy based on necessary work to bring it up to date. The remainder of the work to implement the strategy will be done by 2023, when the 2015 strategy will be upgraded and its priorities – including sea defences, drainage and irrigation systems, public health and emergency and extreme event management – can be re-invigorated.

Importantly, the documents sets out Guyana’ plans to align development of the oil and gas sector with global trends towards decarbonisation. It re-emphasises Government policy to (i) ensure a domestic low carbon transition, which - as set out in the LCDS 2030 is one of the most ambitious in the world; (ii) act as a responsible player in the global low carbon transition.

On the latter, Government policy continues to stress the need for a global carbon price and the removal of fossil fuel subsidies for production as agreed by the G20 and others – in recognition of the fact that even in a net-zero world, oil is needed – and that the supply of oil should be aligned with principles of fairness, economic rationality, and climate science. The document highlights that (i) Guyana

is progressively introducing strong policies on domestic production, including a tax on flaring (page 88) and (ii) Government’s plans to join the World Bank’s Xero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative (ZRF) – described by the World Bank as “a growing global coalition demonstrating strong envi-

ronmental leadership and effective natural resource management.”

The LCDS 2030 is aligned with several of Guyana’s international obligations under each.

Moving forward, an LCDS Investment Plan will now be produced to start the process of implementing the

measures outlined in LCDS 2030. Further consultations will take place on individual elements, with the first set of priorities being included in the 2023 budget cycle and in successive annual cycles after that.

The finalised document can be found at https://lcds. gov.gy/

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PARLIAMENT HAPPENINGS UNDER REVIEW THE PPP/C’ S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, MORE

Six new bills tabled in the House

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s part of the PPP/C Government’s robust legislative agenda, an additional six new bills were tabled in the National Assembly and read for the first time on Thursday (July 21, 2022).

Among the Bills tabled was the Suicide Prevention Bill, which is intended to help current suicide prevention efforts.

The bill is one of several legislative amendments in the health sector that will improve service delivery locally and will aid efforts to curb suicide.

“This is a bill that we have been working on for some time and

that is, it encompasses things we can do to prevent suicide and the bill also provides for the repeal of a section of our law, that criminalizes persons who attempt suicide, this has been something that people have been advocating for a long time, to remove that section of our law, so this bill once we pass it will help to repeal that section,” said Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony. He acknowledged that Guyana has a high rate of suicide. He added, that while the numbers have been decreasing in recent times, it still remains a problem.

According to him, more work is needed to further decrease the numbers. The ministry has been working on several strategies to understand the root causes in an effort to prevent incidents of suicide. Once the legislation is passed, the ministry will roll out a strategic plan that will address suicide and how it can be prevented. Currently, the ministry is working with international partners and non-governmental organizations such as Columbia University in trying to understand the causes, and effects of suicide on the family of victims. “We are very confi-

dent that is going to help us to find some of those drivers and once we know that then we would be able to act on those drivers to prevent suicide,” Dr. Anthony said. The ministry has also been training local primary healthcare workers to detect depression in persons who access services, so there can be early intervention to help vulnerable persons. “If people present themselves to the health centre or to the hospital then our doctors must be capable of identifying, detecting, depression and by doing that early you can effect treatment to prevent suicide from happening. We need to put an effective programme in place, so that we can detect depression, treat depression and prevent suicide, and we need more partnerships, more people in the community that can act

as a safety net for persons, who might be vulnerable to depression and things like that, so if we have stronger community relations, stronger community leadership, then it can help us to identify these persons who are vulnerable and work with us to give them the kind of support they would need during this period of vulnerability,” the Health Minister said. While suicide affects persons in all parts of Guyana Regions 2, 4 and 6 were highlighted as areas most affected. According to a 2017 report by the World Health Organisation, in Guyana, between 2010–2012, there were 667 reported suicide attempts, resulting in an average of 200 deaths per year.

Also tabled were the Restorative Justice Bill, the Bail Bill, the Anti-Money Launder-

ing and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill and Fiscal Enactments Amendment Bill.

The Restorative Justice Bill of 2022 seeks to provide for rehabilitation in the criminal justice system. The bill has as its primary objective repairing the harm caused by an offence.

The bill is an approach to resolving problems in various forms and involves the victim, offender, and community. The piece of legislation reaffirms government’s commitment to strengthening the justice system in Guyana, and reducing the prison population through alternative sentencing.

Another legal proposal introduced in the National Assembly is the Bail Bill 2022, which will make way for re(Turn to page 18)

17

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

PARLIAMENT HAPPENINGS UNDER REVIEW THE PPP/C’ S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, MORE

Speaker rejects Norton’s attempt to ‘debase’ House U

nderscoring the nature of allegations publicised by media houses, particularly given that these incidents have touched several Parliamentarians, House Speaker, Manzoor Nadir, rejected a move by leader of the PNCR and Parliamentary Opposition, Aubrey Norton, to “debase” the National Assembly.

Norton, on Wednesday (July 20, 2022) submitted a motion to the Clerk of the National Assembly calling for an international investigation into the “alleged corrupt practices” publicised by the controversial Vice News outfit. Norton accompanied by the Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, and a number of other APNU+AFC parliamentarians hand-delivered the motion to Clerk Sherlock Isaacs.

They also submitted a request for an adjournment on a definite matter of urgent public importance.

In the House on Thursday (July 21, 2022), Norton charged that Guyanese are concerned about the findings of the Vice News publication and his motion ought to be considered.

Nadir, in handing down his ruling, explained that he considered the Norton’s request and it does not meet the requirement of being “urgent” business.

“The condition of urgency in this particular motion does not exist,” he said.

Nadir added, “If we have to take every allegation in the press as a matter of public importance then we will have a Parliament that is considerably debased,” he said.

ADDRESSED The move by the international news agency, VICE News, to associate him in a corruption scandal is nonsensical, and will in no way tarnish his image, according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.

The Vice President told journalists on June 22, 2022 that all of his assets are in Guyana, and have been declared to the Integrity Commission, and therefore, every cent that he earns is recorded at the bank. “I don’t have any assets held abroad, whether in banks or in shares or in properties. All of my sources of income are known to

the bank, every bank where my money gets paid in,” he emphasised, during a media conference.

A reporter from the United States media house had conducted a two-hour long interview with the Vice President in February.

Dr. Jagdeo had released the complete documentary a few days after the official recording. Four months later, on Sunday, the interview was aired by Showtime television network and lasted approximately 16 minutes, which tried to paint a narrative that the Vice President takes part in bribe schemes with Chinese businessman, Su Zhi Rong.

“If you look at the total interview, the one that I released several months back unedited, it was nearly two hours long, and I think that with even more allegations than the final product that was actually published by Vice because it was unedited,” the Vice President pointed out.

He explained that the interview was basically designed for him to say something contrary to the discourse which occurred at his private residence. The private engagement, Dr. Jagdeo referred to, was one he had at his home with the Chinese businessman and the VICE News journalist, who at the time disguised as investors interested in Su Zhi Rong’s business.

“They were coming on a hotel and casino deal that is what they were coming to see me about. In the interview, I didn’t know they were recoding me. It was more an interview which lasted about 15 to 20 minutes. The guys were trying to get me to say whether I will be part of the hotel and casino deal, and I kept saying no, no that’s not it.

I am in government; I deal with government issues,” he noted.

Jagdeo added, “Vice came into my house with the sole purpose of catching me engaged in something illegal or taking a bribe and they couldn’t do that in my most unguarded moment.

So, that is the key issue here. As I said before, they are never going to find anything of that nature…that was the moment when this country saw me unguarded and with an international news agency trying to

implicate me in a corruption scandal, when I didn’t know I was being taped and they saw what happened.

I think it worked in my favour frankly speaking.”

Jagdeo reiterated that he has never taken a bribe, thus it is impossible for any reporter or investigation to prove such.

PRE-DETERMINED AGENDA He related too that the Vice News reporter could not see the situation for what it was, given that their judgment was clouded with a pre-determined agenda to get Guyana embroiled in the geopolitical issue between China and the US. “I made it clear that as a small country we did not want to get involved in that. As you saw the framing of the report, it was precisely about that at the beginning. China’s growing presence in this hemisphere and growing concerns about this.

From the framing of their report, one could clearly see that we’re vindicated when I spoke about us not wanting to become a geopolitical pawn. I made it clear that we are not going to participate in an anti-China hysteria. We will look out for our country and what’s best for our people.”

The Vice-President noted that notwithstanding having extensively spoken about the issue during the two-hour interview, the reporter did not use any of his very lengthy responses on the matter. He released the full two-hour long interview earlier this year prior to the Vice News documentary. “… in the almost two-hour long interview, just about a minute of it was used in the final product. This country has had a chance to see the entire two hours. She even asked extensively about the Amerindian, our approach to Indigenous people and I spoke about that. Clearly none of that mattered. They had to come up with a narrative,” he said.

The Vice-President also reminded of several inconsistencies in the reporters line of questioning and in the story. Examples of those included the reporter’s lack of knowledge about the existence of the

country’s Integrity Commission, a claim that Su has a stake in the oil and gas sector, this is despite CNOOC being the only Chinese company involved in Guyana’s oil and gas sector. CNOOC is a partner in the Stabroek Block along with ExxonMobil and Hess.

“It was my surprise when the report said that Su had

a stake in the oil and gas sector. No other Chinese company had any stake in the oil and gas sector,” the Vice-President said.

According to Jagdeo, the documentary fell way short of its aim, and while many, including the opposition, had expected the documentary to be an explosive expose, they were instead

left with a lukewarm story.

“I’ve seen some calls for resignation from APNU. They were hyping this interview as this would be the end of Jagdeo. I think they are majorly disappointed.

I think they were hoping Vice would find a long range of issues with me.

They didn’t find anything,” he declared.

18

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

PARLIAMENT HAPPENINGS UNDER REVIEW THE PPP/C’ S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, MORE

APNU+AFC MPs called out for ‘shameless pontificating’, ‘duplicity’ A

heated debate that centred on support for public servants, saw the APNU+AFC Coalition Members of Parliament (MPs) being called out by PPP/C MP, Joseph Hamilton, for

“shameless pontificating” in the National Assembly.

Hamilton underscored the fact that the Coalition’s tunnel vision prevents acknowledgement of the PPP/C Government’s commitment to all

Guyanese. He explained that support for public servants is not restricted to salary and wages, but reflects a holistic approach that addresses human development – training and education, housing sup-

port, safety and healthcare, among other forms of support, such as the cash grant for students.

The Coalition’s feigned concern for Guyanese, according to him, is brazen, when their actions in government from 2015 to 2020, expose their duplicity.

Hamilton drew specific reference to Coalition Parliamentarians Jermaine Figueira, Annette Ferguson and David Patterson. Relative to the latter, he noted that taxpayers’ money – a whopping $7.6M from various agencies – was used to fund “gifts” for the duo.

Patterson, had received from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DBHC) and the Asphalt Plant, gold jewellery valued at some $500,000 paid for by taxpayers’ dollars. Documents from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the

Transport and Harbour Department (T&HD), along with more from the Harbour Bridge paint a different picture, showed that Patterson received from those agencies under his control a total of $2.664 million in gifts and personal effects, while Ferguson received $1.4 million in gifts from the very agencies listed. The monies were spent on electronics and household materials, including televisions, printers, cocktail tables, hallway tables, rugs, safety boots, a bookshelf, a king-size bed set, a king-size mattress, a queen-size bed set and chest of drawers, Minister Edghill told media operatives.

Hamilton also referred to the salary increases taken by the Coalition, while in office.

Notably, the APNU+AFC Coalition had promised to bring Guyanese ‘a lean and mean government’ if elected.

However, in addition to appointing some 26 government ministers, the the September 25th edition of the Official

Gazette, exposed that the Prime Minister and all Government Ministers received a salary increase, way above what was offered to public servants in the 2015 Budget.

The dismantling of the Ministry of Labour, according to Hamilton, occurred under the APNU+AFC Coalition, which is now touting care for Guyanese workers. The Ministry of Labour was re-established after the PPP/C took office in August 2020.

As the PPP/C MP made his points, Ferguson and Figueira objected to his comments, claiming that he was “imputing improper motives” to the. In response, Hamilton said, “Facts are not imputations."

Hamilton charged that rather than “politicking”, the APNU+AFC Coalition would do well to recognise the work being undertaking, from a holistic point of view, and embrace a disposition that would serve the interests of the Guyanese people.

PPP/C gov’t work in all areas of Guyana seems to ‘threaten’ Coalition – Parag

T

he APNU+AFC Coalition reacted sharply when faced with the reality of the PPP/C government’s efforts across all 10 Regions of Guyana.

Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, in the House of Thursday (July 21, 2022), made clear that the PPP/C is committed to “treating all the citizens equally as they deserve.” “I suppose it becomes a threat to the Opposition when we are doing what we have to do

for the people,” Parag said, noting that the PPP/C has been working in all areas, including Region 10, Buxton and Mocha, which have traditionally been PNCR-led Coalition stronghold areas.

The APNU+AFC Coalition’s, Nima Flue-Bess, in response tried to downplay the reality of the Government’s efforts across the country. “That shouldn’t be something that you should stand here to say…if you go to Buxton, you go to

Linden and you go to Mocha-Arcadia and not Mocha to serve the people, it’s your responsibility. You are in government and you are responsible for serving all people regardless of where they are located,” she said.

The contrast between the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Administration and the Aubrey Norton-led Coalition is start – with the PPP/C reaching all areas, and the Coalition restricting itself to its stronghold areas for the most part.

Six new bills tabled... (From page 16) form in Guyana. It is a key component in remedying overcrowding in the prisons. Moreover, bail reform will ensure the efficient functioning of the nation’s criminal justice system. It reecognises that a person is innocent until proven guilty, and that every person has a right to his/her personal liberty.

To this end, the bill provides for the grant or refusal of bail in every criminal proceeding.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Mon-

ey Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Amendment Bill 2022 was also tabled in the House. The upgrade to this legislation is important as it will ensure the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) meets the necessary requirements for membership to the prestigious Egmont Group. The Egmont Group is a trusted gateway for sharing financial information domestically and internation-

ally in accordance with global AML/CFT standards. Accordingly, the amendment of the AML/CFT will see adjustments to Sections Two of the Principal Act, 9(4) and 14 (1).

The other bill tabled included the Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill.

Further, The Labour (National Minimum Wage) Order 2022, made effective from July 1, 2022, was also laid in the House.

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

Gov’t approaches National Assembly for $44.7B in supplementary funding

– $3.1B for Amerindian Development

G

overnment has approached the National Assembly for $44.7 billion supplementary funding for the period ending December 31, 2022.

The supplementary provision being requested covers both current and capital estimates.

The financial paper was presented by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh at the 48th sitting of the Assembly on Thursday (July 21, 2022).

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh Of the $44.7 billion, some $3.1 billion will go towards Amerindian development through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

The request for the funds is a commitment made by President Dr. Irfaan Ali to over 200 indigenous leaders at the recent National Toshaos Conference.

The monies will go towards improving the quality of life for Guyana’s first people which remains a priority for the PPP/C Administration.

Specific focus will be

placed on youth development, food security, and better delivery of education and healthcare services.

The Ministries of Education, Home Affairs, Public Service, Housing and Water, Public Works, Health, Legal Affairs, Finance, Agriculture, and Culture, Youth and Sport are listed to receive supplementary funding.

The Office of the Prime Minister, and the Ministries of Human Services and Social Security and Local Government and Regional Development will also be receiving supplementary funding.

The supplementary fund is critical to government providing essential services to the people of Guyana while at the same time, fulfilling the commitment laid out in its manifesto.

Minister Singh has asked the Speaker of the House Manzoor Nadir to have the request for the supplementary funding be dealt with at the next sitting of the National Assembly. “In relation to this financial paper sir, I would like to name the next sitting as the date for consideration of said paper,” Minister Singh said.

PPP/C government... (From page 22) grades planned before 2025 is a new National Psychiatric Hospital. This is a priority project and the government is mobilizing resources for a modern psychiatric hospital in Fort Canje. While previous PPP governments have invested in improving the facilities at the National Psychiatric Hospital, the neglect of this hospital between 2015 and 2020 has almost brough the physical infrastructure is for this reason that a new hospital is the only answer.

It is hard for the PNC surrogates to understand that in less than two years the beginning of a total physical infrastructure is already visible and in play. When one considers also that by the end of 2022, every single health post and healthy center would have benefited from physical infrastructure improvement, it is a massive achievement by the Irfaan Alu-led PPP government. As the PNC surrogates beat their chest and moan and groan, in less than two years a major transformation has occurred.

Indeed, after 2025, this period of five years, between 2020 and 2025, would be the five years in which the most

ever physical infrastructure changes have occurred in Guyana’s history.

While the PNC surrogates are confused and demanding more hospitals must be built and not hotels, the truth is that both new hospitals and new hotels are being built at a dizzying pace. While the hotels and some hospitals are being built by the private sector, using their own resources, the government of Guyana is building more new hospital, increasing the bed capacity by between 50 to 100% by 2025. These new hospitals and the existing ones are being outfitted with technology to support a higher-standard health service. The PNC surrogates and their leaders need to quiet down a little, take time to settle down and stop the dizziness and see that while they were asking for more hospitals, these are springing up in front of their very eyes. We will create the environment for the private sector to build hotels, hospitals and factories. But the PPP government will also build and upgrade public hospitals for the citizens across Guyana.

19

20

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

21

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022 CO-OPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA

Ministry of Public Works

The Ministry of Public Works invites sealed bids for the procurement of the following Works: MISCELLANEOUS ROADS, REGION 3 & 4 (PHASE 10)

Lot 249

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 250

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 251

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Road Network, Greenwich Park New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo Region # 3 Main Access Road, Tuschen New Housing Scheme-Phase 1, East Bank Essequibo, Region # 3 (Phase 2), Region #3 Road Network 1, West Section (Section #3), Tuschen New Housing SchemePhase 1, EBE, Region # 3 Road Network 1, Tuschen New Housing Scheme-Phase 2, EBE, Region # 3

$83,000,000

$124,000,000

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 253

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Road Network 2, Tuschen New Housing Scheme-Phase 2, EBE, Region # 3

$87,000,000

Lot 254

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Road Network 3, Tuschen New Housing Scheme-Phase 2, EBE, Region # 3

$64,000,000

Lot 255

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 256

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

$69,000,000

$76,000,000 $171,000,000

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 258

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 259

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 260

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 261

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 262

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 263

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 264

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 265

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 266

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 267

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 268

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 269

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 270

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Prospect to Little Diamond Second Street (North – South), Region # 4

$21,000,000

Lot 271

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Somerset Court 2nd Street, Herstelling / Little Diamond,Region # 4

$12,000,000

Lot 272

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Hajjie Street (East – West), Herstelling / Little Diamond, Region # 4

$12,000,000

Lot 273

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Hajjie Street to Creek Dam, Herstelling / Little Diamond, Region # 4

$25,000,000

Lot 274

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 275

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 276

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 277

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 278

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 279

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Aqueduct Corner, North to South and Internal links, Region # 4

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 281

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 282

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 283

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 284

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 285

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 286

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 287

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 288

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 289 Lot 290

Lot 257

Guysuco First Street (North – South), Herstelling / Little Diamond, Region # 4 Barnwell Road, Mocha/Arcadia, Region #4 Cemetery Road, Mocha/Arcadia, Region #4 Diamond New Scheme 6th and 7th Avenue, Region # 4 Grove New Scheme, 2nd Bridge North to South Corner, Region # 4

Lot 280

$118,000,000

Lot 252

Road Network 1, East Section, Tuschen North, EBE, Region # 3 Main Access Road (Brother Dam), Zeelugt North, East Bank Essequibo, Region # 3 Fisher Dam Last Cross Street West Section Road Network, Zeelugt North, EBE, Region # 3 Bald Head Street U-Shaped Bypass Road, Zeelugt North, East Bank Essequibo, Region # 3 Western Road Network, Zeelugt Housing Scheme-Phase 1, East Bank Essequibo, Region # 3 Eastern Road Network, Zeelugt Housing Scheme-Phase 1, East Bank Essequibo, Region # 3 Eastern Perimeter Road, Zeelugt Housing Scheme-Phase 2, East Bank Essequibo Region # 3 Northern Section Road Network, Zeelugt Housing Scheme-Phase 3, East Bank Essequibo, Region # 3 Road Network, Area K (South), LBI, ECD, Region #4 Second Cross Street (South), LBI, ECD, Region #4 Middle Street (South), LBI, ECD, Region #4 Seventh Cross Street (South), LBI, ECD, Region #4 Third Cross Street (South), LBI, ECD, Region #4 Sixth Street, Cummings Lodge, Georgetown, Region #4 Coldigen Dam, ECD, Region #4

MISCELLANEOUS ROADS, REGION 3 & 4 (PHASE 10)

Engineer's Estimate (GY$)

$89,000,000 $28,000,000 $104,000,000 $100,000,000 $42,000,000

Lot 291 Lot 292 Lot 293 Lot 294

Lot 5

Rehabilitation/Construction of:

Lot 11

Rehabilitation of:

$25,000,000

Lot 12

Rehabilitation of:

$40,000,000

Lot 13

Rehabilitation of:

$16,000,000

Lot 14 Lot 15

Rehabilitation of: Rehabilitation of:

$18,000,000

$19,000,000 $54,000,000 $58,000,000 $206,000,000 $25,000,000 $29,000,000

Kaneville Main Access Road, Region # 4 Kaneville, 3rd Field inter link corners, Region # 4 4th Field First corner and inter link corners, Diamond Place / Golden Grove, Region # 4 Third & Fourth Street, Good Success, Region # 4 GAC Old Road, Soesdyke/Huist’ Coverden, Region # 4

$7,000,000 $206,000,000 $38,000,000 $39,000,000 $24,000,000 $167,000,000

Cemetery Road Timehri, Region # 4 Farm Track, Soesdyke/Huist’ Coverden, Region # 4

First Back Road from Crosbie Road to Van Sertima Road, Region # 4 Centre Road, Soesdyke/Huist’ Coverden, Rehabilitation/Construction of: Region # 4 Thomas Road-E.P.R. D-Coverden, Rehabilitation/Construction of: Region # 4 JP Patterson Street, Lamaha / Rehabilitation/Construction of: Yarrowkabra, Region # 4 Seven Day Adventist Street, Lamaha / Rehabilitation/Construction of: Yarrowkabra, Region # 4 Ferrier's Drive, Hauraruni/ Yarrowkabra, Rehabilitation/Construction of: Region # 4 Pilot Street and Middle Street, Rehabilitation/Construction of: Hauraruni/ Yarrowkabra, Region # 4 URBAN ROADS - RETENDERED

$30,000,000

$24,000,000

Grove East Bank Demerara Post Office Street, Region # 4

Church Street, Danielstown, Reg 2

PUBLIC AND MAIN ACCESS ROADS

$74,000,000

$25,000,000

Engineer's Estimate (GY$)

Sections of Black Bush Polder (Yakusari), Region 6 Sections of Black Bush Polder (Joanna), Region 6 Sections of Burma Road, Mahaicony, Region 5 Sections of Canal No.1, Region 3 Sections of Canal No.2, Region 3

$28,000,000 $53,000,000

$67,000,000 $30,000,000 $26,000,000 $93,000,000 $69,000,000 $89,000,000 $77,000,000 Engineer's Estimate (GY$) $44,000,000 Engineer's Estimate (GY$) $200,000,000 $100,000,000 $105,000,000 $105,000,000 $105,000,000

1. Bidding will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding procedure specified in the Procurement Act 2003.

2. Interested Bidders may obtain further information from, inspect the Bidding Document, and purchase a complete set of Bidding Documents at the Ministry of Public Works (address (1) below) from Thursday, July 7, 2022. Bids can be purchased from 09:00hrs to 16:30hrs, Mondays to Thursdays, and on Fridays from 09:00 to 15:00 hours.

3. A complete set of the bidding documents, in English, may be purchased by interested Bidders at address (1) below upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Five Thousand Guyana Dollars (GY$5,000.00). The method of payment will be cash, or by manager’s cheque payable to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Works, Guyana.

4. Qualifications requirements include but are not limited to: Bidders registered in Guyana must submit valid Certificates of Compliance from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

5. Bids shall be valid during One Hundred and Twenty (120) days of the date of bid opening.

6. Bids will be opened in the presence of Bidders’ representatives and anyone who chooses to attend at the address (2) below on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, at 09:00hrs.

Address (1) - Purchase and Inspection of Document: The Accounts Department, Flat Building, Ministry of Public Works Fort Street, Kingston, Georgetown, Guyana.

Tel: (592) 223 1847 (592) 223 6070 E-mail: procurementwsg@gmail.com

Address (2) - Submission and Opening of Bids:

The Chairman, National Procurement and Board, Ministry of Finance, Main & Urquhart Streets, Georgetown, Guyana.

Tender Administration

22

WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

COM M ENTARY

PPP/C government transforming the total physical infrastructure in Guyana P

resident Irfaan Ali earlier in the week was on hand in Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara to help turned the sod for a new 350 to 500-bed hotel. The $9.5B hotel project will create more than 800 full-time jobs and 500 part

time jobs. The high-quality Pasha Global hotel is the latest one to begin construction. Next week, several other sod-turning events will be held to turn the sod for a new Sheraton Hotel on the East Bank Highway and a

new Marriot Hotel in Ogle.

Meanwhile, a Marriot Courtyard at the CJIA, a new Sleep Inn Hotel and a Best Western Hotel have also begun construction. These and other hotels will add about 3,000 high-class hotel rooms in

Guyana. Recently, it was estimated that Guyana lacks about 2,000 hotel rooms at this time and that the deficit will grow in the next several years to far than that.

We see the real shortage in stark ways. For example, the upcoming CPL is already plagued by persons from the diaspora not being able to find hotel rooms since all the available rooms are already sold out.

As the news report continue to show the surge in development and the rapid pace of new homes and hotels being constructed, the opposition is in a real quandary. They are clueless and confused. When President Ali helped turned the sod for the new Pasha Global Hotel, some of the opposition surrogates took to social media and also used the letter columns of certain newspaper to condemn the government for building hotels, instead of building hospitals. Well, the first thing that exposes the stupidity and ignorance of these PNC surrogates is that the PPP government is not building any hotels. All the hotels are being built by the private sector. Hundreds of million of US dollars are being invested because the local and foreign investors are buoyed by their confidence in the government and in Guyana. Not only are the investors confident in President Ali’s government, prestigious international hotel chains are hustling to put their names on these new hotels.

But there is a second part to the stupidity of PNC surrogates who condemn the construction of hotels.

They ignore, deliberately ignore, the repeated stories that government is building hospitals. The newspapers, the TV news, the budget debates in 2021 and 2022 are replete with stories that the government is investing hefty sums in transforming the entire health infrastructure. The President, the Vice President, the Minister of Health, the Minister in the Presidency with oversight for Finance, have all in 2021 and repeatedly in 2022 spoke of the massive investment in new and upgraded hospitals.

In fact, the government have spoken about investing about $US600M in the building and

upgrading hospitals by 2025.

The government is building hospitals, and, therefore, the opposition is recommending an activity that the government is already doing.

This is a glimpse of why the PNC and their APNU/AFC lost the elections in March 2020. They are clueless and their demand that government stop hotel building would mean that government must prevent private sector investment. President Irfaan Ali will not be tricked into abandoning the development plan for Guyana. The country needs hotel rooms. The country also needs hospitals and more hospital beds. It is simply idiotic to think that the country must do one first. We must do both simultaneously. Thus, while the government provides the socio-economic environment to promote investment and the private sector taking on hotel construction, the government is building hospitals.

But there is also a private sector investment in hospitals; not just a government investment. There are at least two private hospitals already under construction. One is at Leonora and one is along the new East Bank Mandella to Eccles Highway. There are three new private hospitals which will begin construction shortly around the East Coast area, east of Ogle. These private hospitals are targeting specialized services, such as cardiology, ophthalmology and neurology/neuro-surgery.

Next week, President Irfaan Ali will turn the sod for a spanking new public hospital near Ogle. This will be a modern, developed-country standard Pediatric and Maternal hospital will be the showpiece of the physical transformation of the health infrastructure in Guyana, one of the projects as part of a $US600M infrastructure investment. This will be a 250-bed Pediatric and Maternal Hospital that will provide all the specialist care for children and women. These services will include cardiology, oncology (cancer), nephrology, orthopedics etc.

It will be the first-ever Pediatric and Maternal Hospital in Guyana, perhaps the first one anywhere in CARICOM. This will be the single largest capital investment in health

ever in our history. Children with cancers, for example, will have access to services that are only available now in developed countries. This hospital will be built in accordance with European standard, providing a modern architecture, with the most advanced equipment, ensuring children and women receive the highest quality of care.

Also very soon, sod-turning for six new Regional (Level 4) hospitals will be constructed in Regions 2,3,4,5 and 6. Construction of these six hospitals will begin about September 2022.

These hospitals will be located in #75 Village, Corentyne (Region 6), Bath Settlement (Region 5), Enmore (Region 4), Little Diamond (Region 4), DeKendren (Region 3) and Anna Regina (Region 2).

These hospitals will provide level 4 services, including full Accident and Emergency Departments, Surgical capacity, full diagnostic imaging services, including digital x-rays and ultrasound, full laboratories and add 450 high-quality hospital beds.

The Government of Guyana is also mobilizing funds to replace the Suddie Hospital (Region 2), the West Demerara Hospital (Region 3) and the Bartica Hospital (Region 7).

Another project that is being finalized at this time is the upgrading of New Amsterdam, Linden and Georgetown Public Hospitals. These hospitals will undergo massive upgrading with new Emergency Department buildings.

All these facilities will have brand new buildings for Accident and Emergency, dialysis, chemotherapy and new operating theatres, etc. Already drawings are being prepared and work should start in early 2023. While work in 2021 and 2022 have already improved hospitals such as Mabaruma and Port Kaituma (Region 1) and Lethem Hospital (Region 9), further upgrading of these facilities are underway by 2025. Other hinterland hospitals, such as Mahdia, Kwakwani, Pakera, Kato will also be upgraded by 2025. In addition, Charity, Leguan and Wakenaam are slated for upgrading.

One of the major up(Turn to page 19)

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WEEKEND MIRROR 23-24 JULY, 2022

How COVID-19 symptoms are changing: A sore throat and hoarse voice became top symptoms with newer variant (CBS) People with Omicron often report sore throat and a hoarse voice, which were not as prevalent in Delta cases, a Zoe Health Study found.

This is true for vaccinated and unvaccinated patients.

People who contracted the Omicron variant were less likely to be hospitalized compared to those with the Delta variant, Zoe Health said in a press release about the study. Symptoms also lasted for shorter periods – an average of 6.87 days, compared to 8.89 days.

Earlier COVID-19 variants often caused people to lose their sense of smell. The study found that symptom appeared in less than 20% of cases and often days after the first symptoms began.

Other serious symptoms that used to be prevalent – like fever, headaches, brain fog and eye soreness – are less prevalent in Omicron cases. However, they can still occur.

The Zoe Health Study, which was supported by grants from the U.K. Government Department of Health and Social Care, tested people in the U.K. who

were vaccinated. They tested participants between June 1 and November 27, 2021 – when the Delta variant was dominant – and between Dec. 20, 2021 to Jan. 17, 2022 – when the Omicron variant dominated.

The study collected 62,002 positive tests and looked at those patients' symptoms. In addition to a difference in the length and types of symptoms between the two variants, researchers said Omicron is found far less frequently in the lower respiratory tract. This is where infection can cause more severe symptoms, potentially sending people to the hospital.

They also found Omicron symptoms do not last as long in vaccinated people.

Delta is better at infecting lung cells than Omicron, the study found. And while Omicron appears to be much more transmissible than previous variants, this variant affects fewer organs than Delta, other studies have found, according to Zoe Health.

The Omicron sub-variant that was prevalent at the end

of 2021 and the start of 2022 was labeled BA.1. There are now Omicron sub-variants, labeled BA.4 and BA.5 that appear to be causing a loss of sense of smell or taste again, Dr. Celine Gounder told CBS News.

A similar study from Imperial College London also found that there was lower reporting of loss of sense of smell and taste for the Omicron variant. However, the study which is yet to be peer-reviewed, found there was higher reporting of cold-like and influenza-like symptoms.

The study used data from REACT-1, a widespread survey in the U.K. that collected at-home COVID-19 tests from about 1.5 million participants between 2020 to 2022, and analyzed how symptoms differed between variants and sub-variants.

While it is perceived that newer variants like Omicron are milder, Omicron sub-variant BA.2 was associated with reporting more symptoms, with greater disruption to daily activities, than the Omicron sub-variant BA.1.

PNCR-led Coalition working to systematically stymie constitutional reform T

he PPP/C government will continue its work to have a draft Bill, which addresses the establishment of the constitutional reform commission, laid in the National Assembly before August 2022, according to Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who added that the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition has been actively working to systematically stymie the work of

the Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform.

“The government will not accept responsibility for the process grinding at a slow pace. We are ready to push the process and that is what we have been doing, or else we would not have had any progress at all. But as I said, it is of crucial importance that we have bipartisan participation,” Nandlall said.

According to him, the PPP/C, the Coalition is “not serious” about its public commitment on constitutional reform. The Attorney General said, “Consider how we are going to move forward with the recognition that we have an Opposition who is obviously not serious in their manifesto and public commitment to constitutional reform…do we do it unilaterally? Do we try to

engage the Opposition and prod them and I suppose try to appeal to them to come on board. Or we go back to the people and say, what else do you want us to do? Since it's it cannot be a process driven only by the government because of the very nature of the process?” He added, “… for now, our highest priority is at least get the bill into the National Assembly before it goes into recess in August.”

At the last meeting of the Parliamentary Committee addressing the issue of constitutional reform, only two Opposition members showed up to the meeting, which meant that no decisions could have been made on pressing issues relating to the development of a constitutional reform bill, which is to be taken before the National Assembly.

The Committee, chaired

by Nandlall, includes Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr.; Parliamentarian, Sanjeev Datadin; and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, from the government side. The Opposition representatives are Aubrey Norton, Khemraj Ramjattan, Raphael Trotman, and Amanza Walton-Desir.

Nandlall explained that Opposition members on the committee requested and were given time since April 22 to put to the committee their proposals in relation to how the committee should move forward with constitutional reform. “After this meeting, all the Government members were present, two Opposition members were present only, one on zoom and one in person. Again, I reiterated the request for proposals with the promise to submit on April 22. We are now in the month of July and three months after we are yet to receive any proposal whatsoever from the opposition,” he said.

He disclosed that at a subsequent meeting on June 17, 2022, the Opposition with just one member present did not present any proposals. A proposal was at the time put forward by the government members for the establishment of a broad-based constitutional reform commission resembling the commission that was established to do it in the 1999-2001 constitutional reform process. “I put to the committee a bill that the government is proposing to be the law that will establish the Constitutional Reform Commission. Indicating in the bill, how the commission is going to be made up and what the functions of the commission are going to be and how the commission is going to be staffed, and find out other matters incidental to or in relation to the function of the proposed consti-

tutional reform commission.

Nothing has been forthcoming from the opposition,” the Attorney-General said. Nandlall explained that the proposed commission would consist of 50 per cent membership comprising the opposition in the National Assembly and the government and 50 per cent from civil society organisations.

He noted that the committee asked the opposition members for two weeks to submit their proposals or to make counter-proposals to the bill which were put forward, but nothing was forthcoming.

The Attorney General disclosed that among the excuses at the most recent meeting was that Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton was unavailable. Another member made claims of being unaware that there was an outstanding obligation on the part of the opposition to make proposals as she was recently appointed to the committee. “I don’t know how available Mr. Norton is and what priority on Mr. Norton’s agenda is the issue of constitutional reform.

What I do know is that having regard to the public disclosures and public promise and public pronouncement and commitment on the issue of constitutional reform, it ought to be a high priority item on the agenda that is not being manifested in the output at the commission, at the committee level,” he said.

The PPP/C government has made provision for constitutional reform in the 2022 Budget.

Constitutional reform is one of the main issues outlined in the PPP/C elections manifesto. The Party has promised that it would advance constitutional reform with the input of the citizens themselves. In its manifesto, it was noted that it was important that the people participate in something as critical as revising the supreme law.

The PPP/C 2020-2025 manifesto clearly states that the Party is “aware that issues concerning constitutional reform, particularly in relation to a national, inclusive governance model” have been raised and discussed in the public domain and is “committed” to a national participatory process to addressing a new governance model.

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