Weekend Mirror 1-2 October 2022

Op-Ed: Deceptive tactics of a few lonely voices exposed

By Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips, Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic Of Guyana

In recent weeks Guyana has seen a vicious onslaught of claims from certain sections of society that have sought to malign the PPP/C Government for discriminatory poli cies against Afro-Guyanese.

Let me be clear. These accusations are baseless and unfounded as our Government has demonstrated though our policy frame work that our transformational development agenda will be achieved based upon the inclusivity of all Guyanese.

I understand race is an emotive subject for many Guyanese and that is why there are forces seeking to exploit our fears, divide us as a nation and rob us of the opportunities that are flowing as the world’s fastest grow ing economy.

We in the Government will not be distracted by false narratives peddled by certain unsavory characters which are evi dently designed to generate racial hostility and undermine our transformational agenda which is creating historic opportunities for all Guyanese.

We will continue to confront the lies, machinations and the diversionary tactics of those who want to see Guyana fail as a modern democratic state.

Most recently, my attention was drawn to a letter penned by Nigel Hinds (KN: Sep tember 19, 2022) who introduced an absurd concept by alluding to several unsubstantiat ed claims about the treatment of Afro-Guya nese under the PPP/C Government.

He starts out by explaining that racism is getting worst in Guyana, but offered no evidence to support this ridiculous claim.

Instead, he fumbles through his missive only to arrive at a conclusion using his cocktail of lies as justification for the APNU + AFC’s boldfaced attempt to rig the 2020 regional and general elections.

It is evident that desperation has set in for those peddling their racist agenda because how else does a rational person explain a chartered accountant with possible political aspirations callously justifying our democracy being undermined by cowards.

As a Government we are immovable in our position against APNU+AFC and its actors within GECOM to embark on open banditry against the will of the Guyanese people as they attempted to rig the 2020 elections.

We will continue to support all legal means to punish those responsible for bring ing shame and disgrace to our democratic processes.

Mr. Hinds is not a lone wolf.

The opposition and their confederates are busy creating mischief and drumming up racial strife within our communities. While there are doing so, the PPP/C Government is constructively engaged with Afro-Guyanese leaders, groups and communities who were neglected and used under the APNU+AFC administration.

These engagements have taken place in southern Georgetown, Mocha/Arcadia, Linden, Buxton, Golden Grove and Melanie Damishana to name a few.

In many cases, residents have confirmed that the PPP/C’s high-level ministerial visits to their communities are the first such to be undertaken by any government.

Arising from the visits are working solutions with residents to address commu nity needs such as improved roads, bridges, potable water supply, access to agricultural lands, and the resolution of long-standing land issues among others.

Contractors from within Afro-Guyanese communities are benefiting directly from the infrastructural development taking place as in the case of Buxton where 25 contracts were recently awarded to repair bridges in the community.

As an Afro-Guyanese myself from the town of Linden I am proud to be part of the PPP/C administration where all Guyanese, inclusive of Afro-Guyanese, have equal access to opportunities and where national policies and programmes are never influ enced by race.

Our policies are non-discriminatory.

I am honoured that I am part of a Gov

ernment that has reinstated and increased the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant and uniform grant, benefiting thousands of children in communities all across Guyana.

This programme was stopped by the APNU + AFC.

Benefits are across the board as our Government has removed VAT on water and electricity, basic food items and household necessities, educational and medical sup plies, certain construction materials and most recently on building cement, sheetrock and concrete board.

The application of the freight cost adjustment for the calculation of import tax es, rolling back freight cost to pre-pandemic levels from 1 August 2021 until 31 December 2022, estimated to save $10 billion for businesses and consumers.

Guyanese are taking advantage of the national part-time worker programme which was launched in May 2022 in Regions Two, Three, Five, Six and 10, with some 9,000 persons benefiting thus far.

Our Government has progressively low ered the Excise Tax on fuel from 50 percent in February 2021 to 0 percent in March 2022. This reduction has eased the burden of high fuel prices on households across the country.

We understand that homeownership is near and dear to all Guyanese. This desire is not unique to any particular group.

That is why Government is providing the steel for construction as well as a sling (fifty-six (56) 60lb. burlap bag) of cement for beneficiaries constructing houses costing $6M and less, while persons constructing houses costing above $6M and up to $25M will receive two slings.

The interest rate for houses costing up to $9M is set to be reduced to 3.8 percent while there will be no down payment requirement for house and buildings costing $6M or less.

Under our administration we have seen over 16,000 house lots allocated under the flagship ‘Dream Realised’ Housing Drive in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and 10.

We have reversed land lease fees across all sectors and water charges back to 2014 rates and reversal of Land taxes and drain age and irrigation charges back to 2014.

In just two years in office, over 5,000 Certificates of Titles and Transports were distributed and more than 1,200 affordable housing units were constructed across Re gions Three, Four, Six and 10, with some 300 completed and handed over to low and moderate-income families, and young professionals.

In excess of $15.4B has been expended to support the expansion of water distribu tion systems, drilling of new wells, and pro viding improved level and quality of service,

including first-time access to water to more than 35,000 people in over 60 communities.

Over 10,000 new service connections were provided to support the rapid expan sion in the Government’s massive housing drive and homeownership programme.

Over 50,000 residents of Georgetown, Region Four and Bartica Region Seven are benefiting from improved service delivery and quality as a direct result of interventions targeting the replacement of old transmis sion mains.

In Georgetown, work was focused on Vlissengen Road, Newtown Kitty, Mandela Avenue, and Cemetery Road.

Our social programmes are providing a safety net for all vulnerable Guyanese. We have provided a cash grant of $100,000 for each child with a disability regardless of ethnicity.

Some 1,500 persons benefited from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s EyeCare drive which included free eye tests.

We have provided $1M in grants to 30 young persons to support creative ventures in literary arts, film, fashion and music.

Government has recently announced plans to invest $9M to cover studio time costs for the next 12 months at three local studios for musicians to record their music.

New hospitals and improved healthcare delivery are once again national priorities set to benefit all Guyanese accessing public health facilities.

These are just a few of the opportunities and programmes provided by Government in the past two years that prove that no Guya nese is being denied access to opportunities from our Government.

Mr. Hinds and others peddling race are in quicksand and are therefore running out of time as more Guyanese come to grips with the deceptive tactics of a few lonely voices.

These voices go cold when confronted with the facts as I have laid out above.

Let us continue to pursue a path that will bring us all together as One Guyana as through our collective efforts we will be able to achieve our fullest potential as a nation.

IMF commends govt’s transparency, strengthening of anti-corruption framework

The International Mon etary Fund (IMF) has applauded the PPP/C Gov ernment on its progress in strengthening Guyana’s an ti-corruption framework and fiscal transparency.

At the just concluded 2022 Article IV consulta tion with the Government of Guyana, the IMF highlighted several pillars that have been fortified by the government to ensure transparency and a stand against corruption.

These pillars include the Integrity Commission, the Public Procurement Commis sion (PPC), the National Pro curement and Tender Admin istration Board (NPTAB), the Auditor General Reports, and the implementation of the Extractive Industries Trans parency Initiatives (EITI).

Each pillar plays an important role in govern ment’s transformative agen da, which makes provision for increased government expenditure in areas such as housing, healthcare, educa tion, agriculture, and other critical sectors.

ROLE OF THE INTEGRITY COMMISSION

The Integrity Commis sion requires all persons

holding public office or pub lic life to declare their assets, or make financial declaration to the commission.

The information received by the commission from public office holders, which include members of parlia ment, can be scrutinised by members of the public.

This is part of the gov ernment’s anti-corruption framework and is one of the key pillars for fiscal trans parency of public officials in government.

It was a previous PPP/C administration in 1997, which brought the Integrity Commission into existence through an Act of parliament.

The 1997 Act, forms a key element of the adminis tration’s policy on transpar ency, which is to improve public confidence in the in tegrity of persons in public life.

ROLE OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT COMMISSION

Earlier this year, as part of government’s transforma tive agenda, members of the Public Procurement Commis sion (PPC) were sworn in by His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

President Ali, at that time,

said the job of the PPC was to add the necessary insti tutional mechanisms that will ensure the oversight of public financing. “The task of building Guyana requires institutions that can withstand the diverse view of the pub lic… The principles expected of the commissioners of the commission, as they execute their mandate, must deliver better and better for the peo ple of our country,” Dr Ali had stated.

The Public Procurement Commission is an indepen dent impartial body, estab lished under article 212W (1) of the Constitution.

The PPC monitors the public procurement process, which ensures that the pro curement of goods and ser vices and the execution of works are conducted in a fair, equitable, transparent, com petitive, and in a cost-effec tive manner according to law.

NATIONAL PROCUREMENT AND TENDER ADMINISTRATION BOARD

The mission of NPTAB is to facilitate the establishment and implementation of a regulatory environment con ducive to transparency, econ

omy, efficiency, openness, fairness, and accountability in public sector procurement.

The genesis of the gov ernment’s anti-corruption framework and fiscal trans parency agenda, which established the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board was done in accordance with the Procurement Act 2003.

That act came into effect in 2004 and was another hallmark piece of legisla tion under a previous PPP/C Administration to ensure transparency under the gov ernment’s anti-corruption framework.

AUDITOR GENERAL REPORTS

The Auditor General re ports is presented annually by the Auditor General’s office, which is the supreme Audit Institution of the State.

This report forms an other layer in the progress of strengthening Guyana’s anti-corruption framework and fiscal transparency, as noted by the International Monetary fund 2022 Article IV consultation with the Government of Guyana.

These reports provide timely reporting to legisla ture and the public, which

are independent, objective, and completed with integrity on government expenditure.

This promotes good gov ernance, openness, transpar ency and improved public accountability.

EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES TRANSPARENCY

INITIATIVES (EITI)

It is pragmatic to note that the PPP/C Administra tion is the only government to have committed to work ing on a beneficial own ership register as an EITI requirement.

The government, ac cording to the IMF report, has already commenced the procurement process for consultants to achieve this objective in line with EITI requirements and civil soci ety calls.

These calls fell on deaf ears during the previous APNU/AFC administration.

Nonetheless, the IMF also noted that government made progress in implement ing the recommendations of the 2019 and 2021 EITI (Extractive Industries Trans parency Initiative) reports, notably on the reconciliation with the fiscal regime.

The IMF concluded that

it is ready to assist govern ment in its capacity devel opment needs which in cludes technical assistance on macroeconomic and fiscal management, development of financial market infra structure, and strengthening of statistical capabilities.

The IMF went on further to laud the authorities for the recent amendments to the Natural Resources Fund Act. “The recent amend ments to the 2019 Natu ral Resource Fund (NRF) Act set clear ceilings on withdrawals from the fund for budgetary spending and promote transparency in the management and use of oil resources. Staff praised the authorities’ thorough review of the 2019 NRF Act before making amendments, and the restraint in using any oil rev enues before the passage of the amendments,” the report said. The IMF also high lighted that Guyana has been removed from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and the European Commission’s Money-Laun dering Blacklists. The IMF recommended that the AML/ CFT framework be further strengthened with mutual evaluation to be done once more by the end of 2023.

IMF lauds Guyana’s economic growth despite major challenges

The International Mon etary Fund (IMF) has commended Guyana’s sig nificant economic growth, notwithstanding the numer ous challenges encountered since the PPP/C attained the governing chair in August 2020.

The financial agency, on Tuesday (September 27, 2022) said it welcomed the wide-ranging economic re covery, following the pan demic-induced recession, prolonged election impasse, the general increase in prices due to the May/June floods, and the war in Ukraine, among other things.

The PPP/C Government was successful in the im

plementation of a number of containment and miti gation measures to combat the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, while it provided additional public resources to the health system.

Apart from establishing robust restrictions, govern ment administered COVID vaccines across the popula tion, and started reopening the economy in a phased manner in 2021.

Guyana endured a fivemonth protracted political impasse orchestrated by the previous APNU+AFC Administration back in 2020. However, the PPP/C Administration was subse quently declared winner at

the March 2 polls, following the election crisis.

As a result, the 2020 budget was approved in September, affecting confi dence and forcing increased reliance on direct financing from the central bank, as external funding slowed.

The nation was also neg atively impacted by floods due to the unprecedented high-level May-June rains in 2021.

The floods affected the agricultural sector as well as economic activity in the hinterland in 2021.

During this period, gov ernment made a number of strategic interventions to support those communities

which were affected.

The war in Ukraine has also contributed to inflation increase, owing to higher food and fuel prices, and supply-side disruptions.

Meanwhile, oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow over 100 per cent in 2022, and by about 30 per cent on average per year during the period 2023 to 2026.

According to the IMF, Guyana’s commercially re coverable petroleum re serves are expected to reach over 11 billion barrels, one of the highest levels per capita in the world.

The IMF executive board highlighted that the increas

ing oil production could also address development needs, and build substantial buffers to absorb shocks.

The executive directors lauded the massive decline in public debt and favour able debt dynamics go ing forward, government’s commitment to maintain debt sustainability, and stressed the importance of anchoring fiscal policy in a medium-term framework.

IMF saw merit in gov ernment’s approach to re vise the monetary policy framework over the medium to long-term to ensure it is well suited for the econo my’s needs, allowing more flexibility in the exchange

rate to absorb shocks and help maintain competitive ness.

Accordingly, the finan cial body commended the administration’s move to amend the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act, which encouraged continued pru dent management of oil revenues.

Moreover, the directors called for moderately ramp ing up public investment by constraining the annual nonoil overall fiscal balance to not exceed the expected oil transfers.

The IMF also encour aged government to contin ue improving the targeting of social spending.

Relief measures rolled out by PPP/C gov’t commendable – IMF

The International Mon etary Fund (IMF) has commended the Govern ment of Guyana for imple menting effective policies to cushion the burden of high global commodity prices.

In a report documenting the conclusions of its Ar

ticle IV Consultation with local authorities, the IMF said: “Staff broadly sup ported the authorities’ mea sures to temporarily ease the burden of higher global commodity prices on the most vulnerable groups of society, given the absence of adequate safety nets.”

Aside from sector-spe cific measures, the govern ment, since being elected to office in 2020, has in troduced several measures to put more disposable in come into the pockets of Guyanese. From the outset, Value Added Tax (VAT) was removed from water

and electricity, a burden some measure placed on the backs of Guyanese by the former coalition admin istration.

There has also been the constant increase in oldage pension and public assistance which, as it is, in one year put $2.3 billion

and $432 million into the pockets of Guyanese.

Additionally, the PPP/C government reinstated the “Because We Care” cash grant and school uniform cash grant which stand at $30,000 per child in both public and private schools.

Every household in the

hinterland will receive a $25,000 one-off cash grant; fisherfolk have started re ceiving a one-off $150,000 grant; farmers will receive $1 billion in fertiliser sup port, and there were and are many other initiatives geared at addressing the

Opportunistic racist rhetoric

The PPP/C has reduced billions in administrative costs – costs that skyrocketed under the former PPP/C Admin istration – and this allows the fiscal space to deliver on its manifesto promises.

Importantly, the current Administration has demonstrated each time it is elected into office that it is committed to all Guyanese and their prosperity and will continue along this path.

The PNC-led APNU+AFC Coalition’s expressed inten tions to “undermine” the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C Adminis tration have not gone unnoticed. And it must be called out for what it is, opportunistic racist rhetoric.

Moving forward, the APNU+AFC Coalition must drop racism as a tool and get on board with a national development agenda – all in the interest of all Guyanese across the entire country.

PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, has, in the past, pointed out that: “It is a dead end if they don’t drop the rac ism…there is room for inclusion, providing that you work for the people…you can’t bully people and you can’t lie to peo ple….currently, we have an ineffective Opposition Leader… more often than not, he has a shallow understanding of crucial sectors…, “People like David Hinds, who for decades misled people into thinking they represent Afro-Guyanese, had no interest in development for Guyana, much less development in the interest of Afro-Guyanese…they are parasitic…when they came into office, they had no intention of supporting Afro-Guyanese…he is smarting from the person loss of priv ileges that he and his family enjoyed…the bitterness stems from there.” The PPP General Secretary has made it clear that while acknowledging the current state of affairs, the PPP/C will not be distracted by it. He had said: “We have to be vigi lant. We have to analyze the situation…the path of aggression will have devastating consequences for them because they will face the full force of the law.”

The issue of racist rhetoric by the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition to stir tensions has been condemned repeatedly over the past several months by PPP/C leaders.

Unsubstantiated and wildly irresponsible claims – all worded along lines to stir tensions among Guyanese contin ue to be peddled by leaders of the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition.

Leader of the PNCR and the Parliamentary Opposition, Aubrey Norton, on June 4, 2022, made irresponsible alle gations. “I wouldn’t rule out that they (the PPP/C) gave the instruction to kill this young man so they get something to distract people with…I’ve been in politics long enough to know that when they bring these things to side-track us, we will stay focused…this struggle has to continue,” Norton said, without any evidence, referring to the matter where three Guy ana Police Officers were charged over the death of Quindon Bacchus on June 5, 2022. Norton also mounted comments about not trusting the PPP. “We do not trust them…we will continue the political pressure,” he charged.

The controversial David Hinds claimed that the PPP/C government “wants to use East Indian people, in order to put their knees on the rest of Guyana and we must not allow them” among other reckless statements. Hinds used this claim to call for “action” from Afro-Guyanese. Hinds said, “We have to organise ourselves into a big movement…a movement to clean this country….it is our time and we are beginning to push back….the fight has begun.”

This is not the first time Hinds has made such comments. On November 22, 2021, Hinds had said: “I think the time has come to defend ourselves…it is time for action…I am also repeating my call to undermine the government. I said that in August and I am saying it again. A leader does not have to tell you how to undermine the government. There are many ways…undermine the government and continue to do so.” At the same forum, Hinds went further to call for Indian-owned businesses to be boycotted. He said, “They were enablers and they are enablers….it is your money that is spending on Regent Street that they does take and give to the PPP as contributions for elections so they can get into government…undermine the economic partners of the PPP.”

Prior to that, while addressing a small group of protestors at Victoria, East Coast Demer

GECOM of is not prepared to violate the Constitution of Guyana as Coalition has been wont to do

Dear Editor,

It would appear that some have con veniently forgotten that it is the same list that they complained so ashamedly about being ‘bloated’, which gave the APNU+AFC Coalition combined ma jorities in the National Assembly of the 9th and 10th parliament respectively. Perhaps just as 32 was erroneously deemed the greater number in a parlia ment of 65, in the same way, it seems that the 200,00 ‘impersonators’ who the APNU+AFC bellyaches about, conve niently switched their allegiance from PPP/C to APNU+AFC in the 2011 and 2015 elections.

The APNU+AFC should stop shed ding crocodile tears over their much vaunted claim about a bloated list. What is even more ridiculous is the assertion by the most senior member of the oppo sition-sponsored GECOM commission ers, who claimed that the opposition’s headache about ‘voter impersonation’ and ‘bloated lists’ started with the intro duction of cycles of continuous registra tion. It is as if they do not want persons who are qualified to be registered nor to have names to be extracted from the

NRRDB to be published in the Official List of Electors until they achieve their demand. The APNU+AFC is unsupport ive of cycles of continuous registration because in their view, that exercise albeit constitutionally correct, should be deleting, not only adding names of persons who are legally registered and included in GECOM’s National Register of Registrants Data Base (NRRDB).

Their topsy turvy reasoning is, that by doing so, the list is becoming more and more bloated thus com pounding APNU+AFC’s elections dilemma. The opposition wants GECOM to act unconstitutionally by removing from the NRRDB persons who are legally qualified to vote. They know full well that during the claims and objections period as well as through the provision of names of deceased persons recorded at the General Register Office (GRO) and sent on a regular basis to GECOM that such names can be legally delet ed from the NRRDB.

The APNU+AFC is exerting every effort to frustrate GECOM’s efforts to realize a successful Local Government Election. The parliamentary opposition

wants fresh house to house registration to be done every five years before an election, in addition, they want the NR RDB scrapped and replaced by a new data base arising from each house-tohouse exercise.

What the APNU+AFC wants GECOM to do will not happen. The GECOM of today is not prepared to violate the constitution of Guyana as the APNU+AFC did during their sojourn in government, the most blatant being the appointment of a chairman for GECOM in violation of the constitution, not to mention persistent issuing of instruc tions to and interference in constitution al bodies. Demands by the APNU+AFC for GECOM to investigate alleged ‘vot er impersonation’ is nothing but an at tempt to regain their sagging credibility, to throw a spanner in GECOM’s work plan for Local Government Election and a smokescreen to obfuscate their efforts to frustrate, once again, the democratic process which they themselves tried to derail during the March to August 2020 period.

Sincerely, Clement J. Rohee

Dear Editor,

When Mr. Aubrey Norton was elected the new leader of PNCR in December 2021 having defeated former PNCR strongman, Joseph Harmon, that moment signalled a new direction of the Party. However, subsequent develop ments indicate that it is not a new direc tion but a rendezvous with the history and strategy of the PNCR that helped to shape his leadership style. Mr. Norton drew inspiration from PNC founder Mr. LFS Burnham and em-braces President Desmond Hoyte’s street tactics. Like Mr. Burnham, Mr. Norton enjoys wielding centralized power. A Daily News report of 9/20/22 states: “Autocracy creeping up in PNC under Norton.” The story contin ues: “The Leader seems more concerned with surrounding himself with ‘yes men and women’ that he can control and tell what to do.”

Whatever strategy Mr. Norton is us ing is not working, according to Temple University LAPOP poll. This finding is also supported by PNCR members/ac tivists who point grudgingly to the inspi rational leadership style of President Ali. PNCR activist Norman Browne wrote: “President Ali is in every nook and cran ny dressed like a regular street man, sit ting on the ground with the poor, playing dominoes with our brothers and sisters and eating mangoes and drinking coconut water from the chopped-out hole of the coconut. People love that. He offers them

help but countless would be happy just to know he grounded with them while look ing like them. Meanwhile, our opposition confabulation is replete with disunity and division and unable to match the PPP’s energetic strides among the grassroots. The current Leader of the Opposition is failing miserably with regards to grass roots representation.” (SN: 8/31/22).

Is this reported failure of the PNCR leadership also connected with the marginalization of well-known PNCR members: Basil Williams, Dr. George Norton, Ronald Bulkan, Joseph Harmon, President David Granger, Winston Jor dan, Amna Ally, Dr. Van West Charles, James Bond, Simona Broomes, and Robert Corbin, many of whom played an important role in the attempted electoral heist of 2020? Like Mr. LFS Burnham, Mr. Norton views his party supporters (mostly Afro-Guyanese) as victims of a system calculated to defeat them. He therefore feels that his primary role is to carry out an aggressive campaign to not only to change the system to reduce or eliminate perceived inequity and per ceived race victimization. It is doubtful if he considers that his leading role is head of the “government in waiting.” But why does his perception of inequity and racial victimization apply only under PPPC governance?

Under the PNC administration did Mr. Norton find any evidence of ineq uity or racial victimization? Unlike Mr. Burnham, Mr. Norton does not fully

appreciate the critical importance of ‘im age’ and ‘leadership style’ in politics. Mr. Norton’s combative approach was aptly demonstrated again on Monday 9/18/22 after which the Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall had to admonish him for making several misleading statements against the PPP/C government for seizing Afro-Guyanese lands and giving them to PPP/C supporters (meaning Indo-Guyanese). The AG believes that was a racist position designed to incite inter-group tension. The Prime Minister Brigadier (r’td) Mark Phillips has also rejected false narratives. “As an Afro-Guyanese myself from the town of Linden, I am proud to be part of the PPP/C admin istration where all Guyanese, inclusive of Afro-Guyanese, have equal access to opportunities and where national policies and programmes are never influenced by race.”

Nothing is wrong with fighting to defend and protect the rights of his supporters, but Norton’s cases must be evidence-driven, and not guided by emotion or hearsay or false theory. The AG produced evidence to refute Norton’s allegations. The victimization theory has allowed Mr. Norton and his party to ap ply the concept of ‘apartheid’ to Guyana. This is most unfortunate. It is within the competence of the PNCR to create an effective political strategy, However, Mr. Norton and his party must first address some necessary pre-requisites. (1) He

Norton’s strategy not evidence-driven (Turn to page 5)

Govt’s investment yielding dividends

Dear Editor,

Let this sink in please. It is that according to a new rice market report recently published by market research firm IndexBox, “Rice consumption around the world is an ticipated to continue to grow steadily around 1.1 per cent per annum to 2025, when it is expected to reach a market volume of 570 million tonnes (Mt). And we all know that rice is a food staple for more than 3.5 billion people around the world, particularly in Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa. Thus, it’s basically impossible to overstate how important rice is to the ways people around the globe eat. Rice is actually the source of one-fifth of all the calories consumed by the world’s population.

No wonder then, and being quite ‘on the ball,’ the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is aiming to ramp up rice production from 560,000 to 870,000 tonnes metric tonnes by 2025.

What is good about rice (other crops too) is that prudent investment the from Gov ernment is paying great dividends. In fact, as mentioned in the press, the recap shows that in the rice sector, over $100 million was spent to improve rice yields. Then extra support in pest control was provided to farm ers. To top it off, the Agriculture Ministry realised the operating of the Value-Added Laboratory in March 2022.

In contrast, we can revisit what obtained between 2015 and 2020. I mean the stats can be brought up too, where they will show that APNU/AFC just mercilessly kept on reduc ing the agriculture budget every year since they got into Government (by more than $3 billion since 2015). This reduction of course affected rice significantly. As a matter of fact, the coalition Government, A Partner For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC), even got vindictive at various times. For example, in their tenure, 2000 acres of rice crops were threatened by the withhold ing of irrigation water from rice farmers (by GuySuCo); rice farmers were threatened by the National Drainage and Irrigation Author ity (NDIA) with withholding water for irriga

tion; millers were owed more than $2 billion since July 2017; and rice farmers from Hope were given notice to vacate their rice fields. Just imagine what would have happened if they had managed to steal the 2020 elections.

Editor, I will not be able, in this letter, to comment on the many other areas of agricul ture, where the Government is beginning to reap great and deserved benefits, and what all of these mean for us as Guyanese. So, let me point a few important things.

We must not ‘take for granted’ that these results are ‘matter of fact,’ or simply ‘easy to come by.’ There are many challenges to rice cultivation: high cost of inputs; low price of palay; lack of capital; labour problem; lack of postharvest facilities; pest and diseases; and irrigation system. What I mean is that to turn around rice alone is a phenomenal achievement.

I recall last year what Minister of Agri culture, Zulfikar Mustapha said. He noted that Guyana was able “… to secure addi tional markets for rice exports, and with the interventions made in the industry since August (of 2020), that plans to double pro duction and increase export over five years can be realised.” He added at that time too that “The two European destinations, Hun gary and Latvia, together received some 250 metric tonnes of white rice last year,” and “…with the recent exports to the Caribbean, there are indications that more persons are interested in Guyana’s rice.” Hence, “… Government is investing heavily to ensure there be sufficient rice for new markets.”

After all, rice is the Government’s business and the Minister and his crew are working 24/7 to make the industry flourish, as it was pre-2015.

At the global level, the UN, via the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation), is se rious about providing the means to produce rice that is better for farmers, better for the environment, and better for agri-businesses.

This is exactly how the Government is going about the now burgeoning rice sector.

Yours truly, H Singh

Norton’s fight against this Government is racist, misplaced, confrontational

Dear Editor,

Norton’s strategy not...

should apologize on behalf of his party to put the country through 5 months of post- election trauma. (2) He should have conceded that his party was wrong not to accept the findings of the COI into the sugar industry and thus prevented 7,000 workers from joining the bread line. (3) He should stop referring to the President and his government as “installed.” (4) He must strive to create a strong opposition (government in waiting). (5) He, like other leaders, must renounce racism and street vio lence as political tools. (6) He should defuse

(From page 4)

his confrontational approach and replace it with rapprochement.

Finally, if Norton wants to become a national leader, he must be able to transcend his own party boundaries and reach out to all segments of the society. If he does all or most of the above things, he would be on the path to narrow or even eliminate the gap in political support between PPP/C and PNCR.

Sincerely, Dr. Tara Singh

I

read Sherwood Lowe’s response to Dr Tara Singh, Ravi Dev, and others who have urged Aubrey Norton to reach and tran scend new boundaries, thereby reaching out to all Guyanese in his fight with the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) for a better Guyana.

He is claiming that Norton’s fight against PPP is misunderstood, and that he is a leader of all the people.

Dr Lowe then tells his readers what Nor ton is fighting for and against. Let me make it clear: I feel that Norton has been one of the Leaders of the Opposition APNU+AFC that are most confused, perplexed, divisive and crass.

While Norton seeks to take the Opposition on a new path toward the Presidency, he is opening the old wounds of black discrimina tion from the 50s to the early 90s.

Sadly, Norton does not do a good job, as he does not feel that the public is entitled to know what evidence he has to support his claims. This is the meat of the matter for Guy anese who have not experienced this ethnic discrimination for themselves.

Where is the empirical evidence? Lowe seeks to pour cold water on this by mention ing the things he believes are ignored, instead of seeking to bring instances and evidence to the fore.

Using the Black Lives Matter campaign is disingenuous, because they have evidence of every black life that is lost. They know the details of how and what led to that. They know for a fact whether it is systemic racism and discrimination, or whether it is outright racism. They can point to a whole pile of cases that occurred over the years that are documented by authorities.

Norton still does not feel that he should have evidence, and makes wild and outra geous claims against the PPP.

So, it is a shame that Lowe, someone who prides himself on being an intellectual, would stoop so low as to come to Norton’s defence when he is drowning in his cesspool of dis crimination banter. The public is informed and intelligent enough now to know when Norton is gaffing, politicking, and outrightly telling halfway truths.

Secondly, I believe Norton is a political racist. He appears to like the concept of ethnic superiority. He sees the PPP through a racist lens. After all, someone who is a racist never admits that they are racist.

I assume that every time he speaks, Norton does not believe in any multiethnic approach being an active part of opposition politics. Maybe he does on paper, but his ac tions certainly do not. For instance, bringing an Afro-Guyanese woman into his parliamen tary circle who said that she is only going to give jobs to people who are PNC supporters, and by extension black supporters, can hardly be an example of this multiethnic approach.

Going only to black communities in and

outside of Guyana again can hardly be an indication of Norton’s broad national and multiethnic approach to politics. See PNC/ APNU+AFC Facebook page for more ex amples.

Thirdly, I have not the slightest inclination to defend the PPP’s wrong of corruption in office, but surely Lowe would have proven examples again of this corruption. Do not tell me of unproven accusations that were made against Bharrat Jagdeo and others. Where are the proven examples?

What did the Police state? Who was charged? Who was imprisoned? The entire nation is made much poorer as a people if you do not know or cannot say where the system to fight corruption is failing us.

Anyway, Norton should have at least fought against corruption from 2015 to 2020, but he chose to remain silent. I would have had more appreciation for the tales he tells now if I had heard him saying that it was wrong to use excessive funds to build the deteriorating Durban Park, and the funds were being siphoned off, but he did not. The $50 million used to pay for tickets for Buju Banton is wrong, but he chose to stay quiet.

Maybe Norton would care to seek the corruption charges from peers about the fi nances of Congress Place and the Office of the Leader of the Opposition?

In dealing with corruption or allegations made, Norton cannot afford to be selective and politically neglectful. Wrong is always wrong, and right is always right. Neither should be made to wear clothes or a political façade.

Lowe’s defence of Norton is nothing short of criminal, and is an affront to all who possess the skills of discernment and com mon sense. Finally, I believe Norton has to start practising what Congress Place wants us to think: that he is for all for Guyana and is inclusive. We know differently, but that is not the issue here.

At the end of the day, Norton has fought a good fight for his political supper, but if right-thinking Guyanese were to examine his policies, actions and words, they would get the unmistakable impression that he is divi sive, perplexed, confrontational and racist.

His way of doing things and handling each political situation is misplaced from a geopolitical, ethnic and economic standpoint, but I do not expect the so-called intellectuals and schemers to tell him that to his face, much less here in the letter pages.

I am for “One Guyana”. I am supportive of strong and truthful politics, and do not pander to racial politics when it suits my aim.

Who is the real Leader of the Opposition? It can’t be Norton, from what I know at UG. Norton is too long in the game to be making these foolish and predictable mistakes again and again.

Yours truly, Michael Younge

Nigel Hinds offers no tangible explanations for the issues he raised

Dear Editor

Nigel Hinds has a lot of say about the Guyana situation and the so-called out-of-control racism that seems to be so divisive and surmises that Guyanese are at each other’s throats. The summary statement made by Hinds is that the ruling government is fixated on governing only one group. He means the government caters only for the Indian support base, while the Africans are being ignored and left out. Hinds, I believe suffers from what certain social classes term

privilege and he is thus removed from normal society since a lot of these so-called activists do not understand the working man’s plight. They situate themselves as champions of a cause, yet, they are removed entirely from the poor society.

Minister Ashni Singh commented on the rhetoric present within Hinds statements and indeed these are avenues utilised by persua sive speakers. Normally, one would see pol iticians campaigning using heavy rhetoric in their speeches, rousing substantial emotions around certain issues, spotlighting Guyana,

racism is that rousing issue. A sore point in our history for far too long. However, what one should rebel against is the utilising of the rhetoric around racism as a means to an end. The end of which is yet to be revealed, no doubt self-serving in nature. However, I offer some observations about Hind’s Hyde Park statements.

Nigel Hinds speaks about uplifting a nation and focusing on its problems. He laments Guyana’s tumultuous position of being a racially divided state spurred on by institutionalized racism stemming from two areas, the selection of Ministers based on their ethnicities and the structuring of the political parties according to race. The narrative of divisiveness is akin to a plague that has be sieged the country, yet he offers no tangible explanations or solutions in attempting to address this. Merely mentioning the issue is baseless without some working solution if one was indeed serious about uplifting a nation.

When Walter Rodney wrote about the blacks, he included East Indians and Africans in the umbrella term black. While blackness represented an ideology of people fighting against white oppression, that being imperial ism. But Rodney’s position changed from that of a cultural nationalist perspective in favour of a Marxist perspective which abandoned race and ethnic consciousness determining it to be a limiting factor in a real inclusive soci

ety. The latter brand of social consciousness did not sit well with the ruling party and his life was cut short. He represented in many ways an avenue by which Guyanese society could abandon the ethnic prefixes we often use. Ask yourself, what is an Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese? Are we always meant to stratify ourselves against this ethnic and quite racist backdrop? Why do Amerindians not use the terminology Amerindian Guya nese? Simply answered, it makes no sense. Yet, stratification is often used to markedly emphasise ethnic distinction for some ex ploitable reason.

Curiously, he describes the selection of any one particular Minister as premised around either the colour of one’s skin or ethnicity. The conclusion must be based on some quantifiable assessment, none of which was provided. Scientifically, researchers often use race or ethnicity as some measure of distinction, however culturally, skin colour is entirely a different conversation. It is unclear whether it was a deliberate distinction or it was rhetoric used to exploit more sensitive issues.

However, the continuous momentum among particular individuals to use race rhet oric to engineer a divide can only be seen for what it is; a dangerous tactic, yes, but ineffec tive thus far.

Yours Truly, Anson Paul

Is the PNC-led Coalition truly interested in national unity?

Dear Editor,

Is the PNC and by extension the Coalition serious about National Unity? The PNC in Opposition has always used one strategy and that is to incessantly grind ‘corruption, racial discrimination and marginalisation’. This game plan is outdated, outmoded and reflects the incompetence which has embodied the PNC.

There is a drastic need for an immediate metamorphosis since this strategy has been

the foundation on which racial disharmony is perpetuated. This is the very idea which is implanted in the minds of the PNC supporters which always resulted in the PPP supporters being targeted during protests engineered by the PNC. The mayhem which ensued: the burning, the looting, the damage to property, the physical violence, the rape and sexual assaults will never allow the healing and unification process among the races to take place. The PNC and its partners are guilty instigators and perpetrators of racial strife and

division among the races in Guyana and it is time they put Guyana first. We cannot afford the old PNC baggage. There are other strate gies which can be pursued, just learn from the master strategist, Dr. Jagdeo.

The Opposition is crying corruption but where is the evidence. There must be more than a perception of corruption. When the PPP/C was in Opposition, Dr. Jagdeo in his weekly press conferences would highlight the corrupt practices of the Coalition and provided evidences which are corroborated

by the yearly Auditor General’s Report. Moreover, where is the ‘racial discrimination and marginalisation’? The PPP/C Govern ment has treated every Guyanese in a fair and equitable manner. There is equal opportunity for employment, access to education, medical and health services, housing, cash grants and subsidies, flood relief, etcetera. In addition, every community across the country is bene fitting from the massive roads and infrastruc tural drive which can be seen taking place on a daily basis.

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Norton peddling ‘patent lies’ – Hamilton

The Kuru Kuru Co-oper ative Society is now in a better place as an Interim Management Committee (IMC) has been established to manage the affairs of the co-op, according to Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton, who responded to spurious claims made by Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton.

Norton was at the time addressing a press confer ence when he made the baseless allegation that the PPP/C Government acted to “take away land from the African Guyanese at Kuru Kuru Co-op to give to PPP supporters”.

This, however, was de scribed as a “patent lie” by Minister Hamilton, who has overarching responsibility for Co-op societies.

Hamilton said, “No lands were taken away from any

one, from any [Afro-Guy anese] people. And I want to make this point so that people understand…through the length and breadth of this country you have co-op so cieties that have all different ethnicities. So to make this ludicrous argument about discrimination and the PPP racism against [Afro-Guy anese] people, these people like Norton attempt to fool people.

“…the Kuru Kuru Coop Society has Indo-Guyanese, Afro Guyanese and persons who are Amerindians. So the first lie is to suggest that we have taken away [Afro-Guyanese] people’s land. The second issue is, there’s no taking away of anything. When I became minister I met this dysfunc tional co-op society managed by some people who were

close and are close to the APNU+AFC.”

FINANCIAL SHAMBLES

Hamilton, referencing documents, revealed that the society was in financial shambles before the interven tion of the labour ministry.

“The former management committee could not get dues collected from members, be cause [the members] had no confidence in them to spend their money and to manage,” the minister pointed out.

This lack of confidence, the minister said, could have been premised on the fact that the management com mittee was unable to produce any audits for several years and could not properly ac count for monies received and spent.

However, since the estab lishment of the IMC, several

developmental plans have been outlined for the com munity.

The trust of the members has also been retained by the administrative body.

“From the period when the IMC came into being, which is less than a year, they were able to get $9.4 million in dues during that period because the people now have confidence in them and what they’re doing. They are opening up lands. They are seeking to have con structed new roads…The ministry of public works has started to do a new road in there…they have reached home affairs to seek to have the police put a police station in the area. They have [also] reached out to the health ministry to seek to have the ministry put a health centre in there and they have al

ready cleared the land,” the Minister stated.

The co-op, Minister Hamilton said, can now stand on its own financially as it is no longer “in the red”. He said, “These people have moved this co-op society from a society that was limp ing. When you look at what they have done…the bank balance, as I speak to you, is $28.8 million, moving from a position of R-E-D.”

He affirmed his minis try’s commitment to ensuring the smooth and effective functioning of all co-op so cieties in Guyana. “These things were established to help ordinary people and if people are utilizing them to rob ordinary people, I will bring an end to that. I have no apologies for Norton or nobody…that is what I will continue to do,” the Labour

Minister assured.

Management of Co-op Societies in Guyana is gov erned by the Co-op Societies Act Chapter 88:01, which is enforced through the MoL, and managed by the Chief Co-op Development Officer (CCDO). The Act empowers the CCDO to intervene and remove Management Com mittees of Co-ops in cases of improper management.

A cooperative society is a self-governing institution, formed by a group of people and is owned and controlled by the members. A manage ment committee is elected by the members to oversee the operations of the co-op and report regularly to the mem bers. However, according to Hamilton, this was not what played out at KKCS under the previous management committee.

APNU+AFC taken to task over baseless racism, discrimination allegations

T he PPP/C government has had a track record of taking the welfare of all Guyanese into account at all times, and any claims of racism or discrimination, therefore, have no basis.

These statements were made by Public Service Minister, Sonia Parag, during an interview on the sidelines of a recent event.

Responding to alle gations made against the administration by the op position, Minister Parag highlighted that the work of the PPP/C spans across the length of Guyana.

Recently, the Leader of the PNC, Aubrey Norton, claimed that the PPP/C was prejudiced against Mocha Arcadia residents due to the majority being Afro-Guy anese. “We don’t discrimi

nate against any communi ty…. Every programme that has been rolled out has been for the benefit of all Guya nese across the 10 admin istrative regions,” Minister Parag stated.

She noted that pro grammes and projects im plemented by the ruling par ty, which include housing, infrastructure, scholarships and agriculture, have catered to every class of Guyanese, irrespective of race, ability or location. “All the statis tics are there to prove for themselves, so you know, the talk of discrimination is really just a narrative for people to buy into so that they can have some sort of relevance,” she said.

Further, she highlight ed ongoing works in Mo cha Arcadia as evidence of

the government’s works in the community. She said, “Thousands of persons are going to be benefitting from the new Barnwell Road that is going to be built. We have had the Burnham Boulevard that has been [commended] by many residents residing on that road…. The resi dents were quite happy, and we are quite happy with the finished product.”

The Burnham Boulevard was recently commissioned by the President Dr Irfaan Ali, during an outreach to the community with other ministers of government.

During that time, they addressed pressing issues and concerns, as well as challenges faced among residents of the community. “Likewise, we are doing the same thing across the

country. Different ministers of the cabinet as well as His Excellency, the Vice Pres ident, and our honourable Prime Minister. We have been going across the coun try to let residents know of the programmes that are being rolled out, and the ini tiatives that are being rolled out…. So, it matters not where you live, it matters not your ethnicity,” Minister Parag said.

She reiterated that the discrimination card is one constantly used by the op position to create division, but has never had any foun dation of truth. “Again, our stats are there to prove that we have been catering, and will continue to always cater for the welfare of all Guya nese,” she said.

Addressing AFC Mem

ber of Parliament, Nima Flue-Bess, who undermined the work of the PPP/C gov ernment in Mocha Arcadia, Minister Parag once again touched on additional proj ects implemented by the PPP/C Administration.

These included an In formation and Communi cations Technology (ICT) training hub and drainage works conducted by the National Drainage and Ir rigation Authority (NDIA)

under the Ministry of Ag riculture; despite it being the responsibility of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

Thirteen of the 16 per sons who partook in the ICT hub were later contacted for employment by a customer service Agency.“So, qual ity work is ongoing, and we will always commit to giving quality programmes and quality benefits to our people.”

Norton admits that AFC membership agitating to leave Coalition

W ith reports of infighting between the PNCR-led Coalition’s A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton, confirmed that he is aware that there is some agitation for the Coali tion to split.

“I know there are some issues that are under con sideration and that there are some people in the AFC who believe they should go

their way,” Norton admitted during a recent PNCR activ ity overseas.

The upcoming Lo cal Government Elections (LGE) may likely see A Part nership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) going their separate ways.

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, when pressed on the issue said is still to be made.

In 2018, APNU left the

AFC to go to the LGE alone.

Nationally, at the 2018 Local Government Elec tions, results showed that the PPP/C almost doubled the margin of votes between the Party and APNU and AFC combined – moving from about 24,000 at the 2016 Local Government Elec tions to over 45,000 at this year’s Local Government Elections.

The difference of votes between the PPP/C and

the AFC was a whopping 113,000 votes. Between the PPP/C and the APNU, the difference of votes was over 50,000.

Further, the APNU and AFC have been at logger heads about the sharing of seats and picking of key ap pointments in their majority RDCs since 2020 when the APNU members of the Re gion Four failed to support an AFC candidate for the Vice-Chairman post of that region.

Leader of the PNCR and Chairman of the APNU, Aubrey Norton, on August 23, 2022, made it clear that his party will not allow the

AFC to “dictate” the pick ing of the candidate for the Vice-Chairmanship of Re gion 10. “The issue was not whether it’s an AFC Vice-Chairman. As far as I know the APNU has been disposed to an AFC ViceChair but it must not be somebody who is dictated by the AFC who doesn’t have the confidence of the APNU,” Norton said.

His comments are in di rect contradiction to com ments by AFC’s Cathy Hughes, who said, “The AFC is an independent po litical party. We have our own systems. We have our own mechanisms for arriving

at representatives that serve in our parliamentary system and serve as councillors that serve in the RDCs and NDCs. We went through our process and selected Coret ta Braithwaite to hold that position…the AFC abso lutely has always respected APNU’s right to select the persons they see fit to repre sent them in any position any official position. Similarly, we expect that the same right lies with our party and therefore only the AFC can select who it considers the best candidate to serve in a position that is deemed to be filled by a member or a

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Allegation that Coalition’s claims were unverified false – GECOM Commissioner

Guyana Elections Com mission (GECOM) commissioner and Attor ney-at-Law, Sase Gunraj, on Wednesday dispelled claims that lists submitted by the APNU+AFC Coalition Gov ernment were not verified by the elections commission.

The lists, which alleged that the names of dead and migrated persons were used to vote in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elec tions were submitted during the national recount exercise.

A letter by APNU+AFC Chief Scrutineer, Carol Jo seph, sent to Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, alleges that the entirety of the list sup plied by the APNU+AFC to GECOM was not sent for verification.

Gunraj explained that the chairman at the time had, in fact, sent the lists to both the immigration department and the general registry office and received responses. At the time, the Commission did not have the legal authority to deal with the complaints, as they fell within the domain of Article 163 of the consti tution, giving jurisdiction of the matter to the High Court. As a consequence, no further actions were taken with the information.

Gunraj said, “Now, as a consequence of that, and what I have in my hand is a letter under the hand of Carol Smith-Joseph, the chief scrutineer of the APNUAFC,

which I have already seen in the public domain, which makes certain requests as a consequence of that.”

However, he rejected this notion, explaining that all that was received was sent by the commission to the relevant statutory agencies for verification. “It is clear that what is happening here is that the fear is palpable… the fear on the part of the persons who made that naked attempt to rig those elections; their fear is now palpable. They are trying to cover their bases because their insidious attempt is now being unrav eled and exposed. And they are attempting now to assail this process, and assail what was said,” he relayed.

Gunraj asserted, how ever, that he had received the aforementioned docu ments during his tenure as a GECOM commissioner.

Meanwhile, GECOM at its meeting on Tuesday (September 27, 2022), saw discussions on Joseph’s let ter. According to Gunraj, a decision will be made by next week.

CLAIMS THAT PERSONS NOT IN GUYANA VOTED

During the March 2020 election debacle, the AP NU+AFC Coalition had writ ten to the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Com mission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh and produced the false data to back up their unfounded

claims.

The GECOM Chair had confirmed that the immi gration authorities had con firmed that 172 of the persons she enquired about were not in the country on elections day, March 02, 2020.

CLAIMS THAT DEAD PERSONS VOTED

Claims by the AP NU+AFC Coalition that it has evidence to support the contention that dead persons voted at the March 2, 2020 Elections remain unsubstan tiated.

The Coalition’s Amna Ally had said, “We have quite a lot more [death certifi cates] in our possession, [but] I can’t give you a count right now [of] how much.

At the time, in response, GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, made clear that no evidence has been present ed to the Commission. He said, “I sat through a meeting [with the APNU+AFC] that was almost two hours long. It started just after 2pm and it ended just before 4pm and absolutely no evidence was presented at that meeting… what the delegation sought to do was to raise the same bare allegations about elec toral irregularities without proof. As I indicated to you, not a single allegation or document has been brought to the Commission level in support of any allegation; and I keep stressing on this word allegation because it is a

Commission decision as well that any insertion into the Observation Report at the in stance of a stakeholder must be out of necessity termed an allegation, because no proof is being provided from the person….I’ve been here ev ery day. I walk around every day and nothing as far as I’m aware has been presented. Nothing has been presented to the Commission level, absolutely nothing.”

Also, several persons had come forward who were on the list, to state that they were alive and did vote at the March 2, 2020 elections. Persons were even upset that they were being used in the APNU+AFC alleged she nanigans.

INVESTIGATION

Anil Nandlall, earlier this month, penned a letter

to the Chair of the Guy ana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh, requesting copies of the APNU+AFC Coalition’s so-called evi dence.

In his letter, he said, “These allegations con tinue to be peddled in the public domain by leaders and representatives of the aforesaid political entity. At the time and until now, the impression conveyed is that these documents and/ or data were generated by and obtained from the of ficial lawful repository of the specific information, for example, the immigration department, the Guyana Po lice Force and the General Registrar’s Office

“…it is important that the relevant State agency enquires into the source

of this information, upon whose directions they were sourced and, perhaps, most importantly, to officially re confirm their inaccuracy, for public record. In the circum stances, I hereby request a copy of these documents to initiate this process.”

Singh, voted in support of the release of documents presented to her by the AP NU+AFC during the re count process for the March 2020 polls on September 6, 2022.

MISTAKENLY INCLUDED

Having vociferously de fended their position that hundreds of persons who migrated and were not in Guyana, as well as persons who are deceased, voted at the March 2020 General and Regional Elections, the AP NU+AFC Coalition is now backtracking.

The new position comes days after an investigation into their claims have been launched.

The Coalition’s Roys dale Forde has said that some persons were “mis takenly” included in their alleged evidence of voter impersonation at the 2020 Elections. “We expect the PPP/C will soon crank up its propaganda machine and exhibit a few selected persons who were mistak enly included on the AP NU+AFC submissions to GECOM,” Forde said.

Coalition-nominated GECOM Commissioners being disingenuous – Gunraj

Comments from the Coa lition-nominated Com missioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), relative to the appointment of Beverly Critchlow as the Assistant Chief Elections Officer, are disingenuous, according to Commissioner Sase Gunraj.

Gunraj noted the al legations made by AP NU+AFC-appointed GECOM commissioner Vincent Alexander that the appointment process was a contrived one, despite it util ising a majority vote system.

“That is disingenuous at best. You have a process at the parties-when I say parties, all the commissioners sub scribed to-from start to end, and you had no complaints.

However, at the time—as late as last week, when com missioners were making sub missions in relation to their preference as to candidate, there were no complaints,” he said.

CLEAR PREFERENCE

He noted that the Oppo sition-nominated GECOM Commissioners expressed a clear preference to have Me lania Marshall as the Assis tant Chief Elections Officer. However, he stressed that the majority voted to appoint Critchlow due to her wealth of knowledge and experience at GECOM. “The justifica tion for that has been set out in a press release issued by the Guyana Elections Com mission,” the Commissioner said.

Notably, Marshall’s ap pointment to the post of Vot er Registration Manager in April 2022 was mired in controversy, as was her func tioning as former Returning Officer for Region Four.

Marshall – who was con tracted as Registration Offi cer at GECOM – functioned as the Region 4 Returning Officer during the 2015 Elec tions. Her office was locked

and her whereabouts un known at the time that PPP/C was attempting to request a recount of votes in Region 4.

Further, sacked Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, had bypassed the Commission to appoint Marshall as Voter Registra tion Manager. Given that the position of Voter Registration Manager is a senior position, it had to have been approved by the Commission. Marshal continues to function in this post.

DECISIONS CLEARLY JUSTIFIED

Gunraj, noting the gath ering of persons outside GECOM who had protested Critchlow’s appointment, said, “You could also see the external influence that they are trying to exert on the Elections Commission… you can see these bald at tempts that they are making to intimidate the Chairperson. Thankfully, the Chairperson,

as she has said publicly, just the other day, makes her de cisions based on the law, and even that is being challenged by commissioners from the other side.”

Critchlow was appointed as Assistant Chief Election Officer on September 20, 2022.

According to a statement from GECOM, Critchlow’s appointment emanated from

a transparent process that involved all of the Mem bers of the Commission. The Commission made clear that the process saw all Commis sioners being availed of the opportunity to interview all of the shortlisted candidates and, thereafter, indicate their respective choice to fill the position. “In this regard, having heard the submissions of all of the six the Commis

sioners relative to the candi date of their respective choice for the position of ACEO, Justice of Appeal (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, Chairperson of the Commission conclud ed that Mrs. Critchlow’s qualification and experience, as well as her institutional knowledge, placed her at an advantage above the other candidates,” the statement said.

Numerous public pro nouncements calling for the Guyana Elections Com mission (GECOM) to con duct internal investigations into allegations of electoral fraud that were reported to have occurred during the March 2020 General and Regional Elections were ad dressed by the Commission on Wednesday (September 28, 2022).

And GECOM made clear that it is not a court of law.

He said, “In this regard, it is of crucial importance to note that Article 163 (1) b (i) of the Constitution of Guyana stipulates that ‘subject to the provisions of this article, the High Court shall have exclu sive jurisdiction to determine any question whether – either generally or in any particular place, an election has been

lawfully conducted or the re sult thereof has been or might have been, affected by any unlawful act or omission.’ Accordingly, the Commis sion takes this opportunity to acknowledge that correspon dence listing the names of persons who were allegedly either deceased or out of the jurisdiction on the date of the elections were received from

Allegations of unlawful acts during an Election can only be determined by a Court of Law

ELECTION WATCH: LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

Coalition’s claims of bloated list exposed with a mere nine upheld objections recorded

The Guyana Elec tions Commission’s (GECOM) Claims and Ob jections, which commenced on August 22, 2022, ended on Sunday (September 25, 2022).

As of Tuesday (September 27, 2022):

• 1,032 requested changes and corrections;

• 1,862 requested transfers; and

• 3,009 persons used the op portunity to make a claim that they were not regis tered.

Region Four recorded the highest numbers of trans actions, with 1,819 transac tions, followed by Region Three with 1,282 transac tions and Region Six with 805 transactions. Region 8 recorded the least number of transactions, a total of 101.

Replacement of national identification cards and re takes of photographs were also addressed.

A total of 5,903 transac tions were recorded in the Claims process altogether.

MERE 18 OBJECTIONS

Meanwhile, as at Tues day (September 27, 2022), a mere 18 objections were recorded, of which nine were upheld and the other 9 were denied.

The objections included: one each in Anna Regina, Region 2; Nouvelle Flan ders; Diamond and Coldigen, Region 4; Corriverton and New Amsterdam, Region 6; and Annai, Region 9. Three objections were recorded in Mackenzie, Region 10 and eight were recorded in Soes dyke, Region 4.

This is despite the fact that the Parliamentary Op position, the PNCR-led AP NU+AFC Coalition has been claiming that the Voters’ List is bloated.

The GECOM Chair, re tired Justice Claudette Singh, had posited that the list is not

bloated. In fact, she had said in a recent interview with the media that, even if it were bloated, this process would allow for objections to those persons who should not be on the said list.

“Everyone on the list, the people were there. They weren’t bloated. They were legally there on the list. And if the list is bloated, well, we’re moving now to Claims and Objections. People will have a chance to object to who shouldn’t be there,” the Chairperson said.

GECOM has been work ing on holding Local Gov ernment Elections (LGE) by this year end. However, there is a workplan being ex amined by the Commission, that proposes holding it early next year.

LGE, which are usually due every two years, was last held in 2018. At the last LGE in November 2018, the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Oppo

sition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, during which the PPP/C also claimed the majority of the LAAs.(G3)

The Claims and Objec tions process allows persons to, among other things, ob ject to any dead persons that may be on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE).

CLEAR PROCESS

With the process is com pleted, the Preliminary List of Electors will be used to generate the Official List of Electors (OLE).

During the Claims and Objections period, any per son who will be 18 years and older by the October 31, 2022, and is a Guyanese citizen by birth, descent, or naturalisation, or is a citi zen from a Commonwealth country living in Guyana for one year or more, could have made a Claim to be included on the OLE, providing that he/she was never previously registered.

Persons desirous of mak

ing a Claim to be included in the OLE were required to visit the GECOM Reg istration Office responsible for their area of residence with the applicable source document such as original Birth Certificate, valid Pass port, Adoption Certificate, or Naturalisation Certificate or Certificate of Registration to be registered for inclusion.

Persons who were re quired to update their reg istration records such as changes or corrections to their names and occupation, or to apply for a transfer con cerning their addresses were advised that those transac tions would also be facilitat ed during this exercise.

The relevant source doc uments such as an original Marriage Certificate, Deed Poll with Birth Certificate, or a new Birth Certificate reflecting the changes were needed to be presented in the case of an application for a change or correction.

The Claims period ended on Wednesday (September 21, 2022). Meanwhile, the Objections process ended

on Sunday (September 25, 2022).

Objections against the in clusion of names in the PLE could have been tendered to the Registration Officer of the Registration Area.

Objections could have been made by an Elector who is listed in the same Division list or Sub-Division list in which the person being ob jected to is listed.

Objections could have also been made by approved Scrutineers of Political Par ties provided that any such Scrutineer has monitoring responsibilities for the Di vision or Sub-Division in which the person being ob jected to is listed.

The relevant original documents such as an orig inal Death Certificate had to have be presented at the time of the hearing to support the basis upon which the objec tion is made.

This exercise, accord ing to a GECOM press re lease, was conducted at all of GECOM’s permanent Registration Offices in the ten Administrative Regions.

Efforts ongoing to finalise LGE workplan

A meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Tuesday (Sep tember 27, 2022) saw con tinued discussions on the holding of Local Govern ment Elections, according to GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj.

He noted that the work plan for the holding of Local Government Elections is still a work in progress.

GECOM Chief Elections Officer’s Office, Vishnu Per saud, is tasked with complet ing the workplan.

First, Persaud had pro posed a date of December 12, 2022, for the polls. How ever, this date was outside of the statutory deadline of the Commission and the Chief Elections Officer was asked to review it.

In the second proposal, on August 30, 2022, Persaud said the earliest date on which the GECOM can hold Local Government Elections

(LGE) February 13, 2023.

He has now been tasked with fine turning the work plan to reflect a date before the end of January 2023.

Once the Commission approves its work plan, it would then indicate its readi ness to the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development and the pro posed date. The Minister would then, on the advice of GECOM, announce the date for Local Government Elections.

Local Government Elec tions were constitutionally due at the end of 2021. LGE are constitutionally due ev ery two years in Guyana and were last held in 2018.

GECOM is currently engaged in a Claims and Objections process, which started on August 22, 2022 and will end on September 18, 2022.

More than $750 million has been set aside in Budget

2022 for the preparations to be undertaken by GECOM for the hosting of LGE this year. This money is part of an overall $4.1 billion allocation to GECOM’s in Budget 2022 and was ex amined and approved by the National Assembly during its consideration of the 2022 Budget Estimates. Included in the $783 million for LGE is a more-than-$300 million increase in “other goods and services purchased”, which jumped from $250.8 million in 2021 to $575.9 million in the 2022 budget.

Local Government Elec tions were deferred, among other challenges, because of the absence of key senior GECOM staffers, including a Chief Elections Officer, given that the former CEO, Keith Lowenfield, was fired and placed before the courts on changes related to public misconduct and electoral fraud.

Relief measures rolled out... (From page 3)

rising cost of living induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The IMF, while support ing those measures, advised local authorities that there needs to be a gradual un winding of the general sub sidies provided through the tax system and moving to full pass-through of inter national prices to domestic prices since the shock does not appear to be temporary.

This, the international financial institution said, should be done simultane ously with measures to fur ther develop and strengthen a well-targeted social safety

net system.

“In addition, a sustain able and feasible increase in capital spending to support the transformation of the Guyanese economy is need ed, but within a framework that does not generate mac roeconomic imbalances,” the IMF advised.

It was, however, ac knowledged that the gov ernment has already been taking steps in this direc tion. Fiscal policy in 2022, according to the IMF, has been appropriately support ing growth, while consid erably reducing the fiscal deficit. The government’s

milestone $552B 2022 Bud get has reduced current expenditures by about one per cent of non-oil GDP compared to 2021, while capital spending has been ramped up to support the non-oil economy.

The year 2022 aside, the IMF also welcomed the broad-based economic recovery in 2021, following a protracted political tran sition and the pandemic-in duced recession in 2020, and the unprecedented high real GDP growth, supported by a steep rise in oil pro duction and accommodative policies.

Is the PNC-led Coalition truly...

Again, let the PNC submit the evidences of marginalisation. I will submit that it is only a lazy person who will not grab the many opportunities provided by this Government. Why blame the Government for your poverty stricken life when you are the main architec ture of that situation?

This Government has made tangible progress in its quest for One Guyana and this can be seen from the numerous visits to PNC support base areas across the country, reach ing out and resolve the issues affecting the residents of those areas, some were resolved immediately. These are not useless outreaches as was done by the Coalition when in Govern ment. This Government has delivered. Who can deny this?

The PPP has always been the bastion of democracy and the prime mover for racial unity in this country. The PNC has been the opposite. The PPP always realised that since the two major political parties commanded the support of the vast majority of Guyanese and they had to be involved together to find acceptable solutions to existing problems. Unfortunately, after failing for five months to rig the 2020 Elections, the PNC wants its supporters to believe that the PPP/C Gov ernment is ‘illegal’ and will not recognise it.

(From page 6)

More so, to add insult to injury it wants them to believe that it was the PPP which rigged the Elections! Ironically, the PNC is now seeking ‘redress’ in the Courts. The annals of this country are replete with graphic ex amples of the PNC past and recent misdeeds and atrocities in its quest for power. For the PNC, the end always justified the means. If the PNC has an iota of concern for fostering racial harmony then it is incumbent upon its leadership to change its present course and embrace the PPP/C Government and work together for the socio-economic progress of this country.

The days for lies, deceit and violence are long gone. This country needs a responsible Opposition which will work in the interest of all Guyanese and the opportunity beckons. As a Guyanese, I am not asking for an apol ogy for what the PNC did in the past, I am simply stating that Guyanese have suffered immensely and it is our fundamental right to live in peace and harmony without any contrived strife.

Guyana belongs to all Guyanese and the vision for One Guyana must be supported.

Norton admits that AFC...

representative from the Al liance For Change…they’re [APNU] not part of that decision-making process. Similarly, we have not been part of any kind of choosing on the part of APNU of any of their representatives.”

APNU and AFC have been fighting over a candi date for the position, which has been vacant since June 2021, when the then ViceChair, Douglas Gittens, died.

In the past two years,

several parties have left the Coalition, citing dictatorial behaviour by PNCR. One such group was the Working People’s Alliance (WPA). The WPA had said that the violation of the principles of Coalition politics has threatened to dismantle the APNU on several occasions, but very little have been done to address it. “In other words, we have had to live with PNC’s decisions being imposed on the rest of the

page 8)

APNU. Unfortunately, al though the Coalition is now out of power, nothing has changed for the better within the APNU,” the letter stated.

Also, several individual members of the PNC/R have also parted ways with the party citing conflicts with the Executives. Only recently, the PNCR’s newly appoint ed General Secretary, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, opted to proceed on leave after expe riencing “difficulties.”

Allegations of unlawful acts...

the APNU+AFC during the national recount and sent to the Registrar General and Chief Immigration Officer respectively for verification. However, notwithstanding this action having been taken, GECOM could not have tak en any further action in this matter, since to do so would have been in contravention of Article 163 of the Consti tution.”

GECOM added, “The fact that the national recount had established that more votes were cast in favour of the People’s Progressive Party / Civic (PPP/C), the onus was on the APNU+AFC

to file an election petition to determine the validity of the allegations of unlawful acts such as voter impersonation.”

The lists, which alleged that the names of dead and migrated persons were used to vote in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections were submitted by the APNU+AFC Coalition during the national recount exercise. Notably, GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj only recently explained that the GECOM Chair, (rtd) Justice Claudette Singh, at the time had, in fact, sent the lists to both the immi gration department and the

Opportunistic racist...

ara in August 2021, Hinds said: “In whatever way you can undermine this (PPP/C) government. Undermine this government in whatever way you can. I can’t tell you how to do it, but ‘hint to Bani ba mek Quashiba tek no tice’ (Old African-Guyanese proverb meaning actions to hint something will result in awareness). Undermine this government!”

On June 4, 2022, Co alition Parliamentarian, Christopher Jones, speak

(From page 9)

general registry office and received responses. At the time, the Commission did not have the legal author ity to deal with the com plaints, as they fell within the domain of Article 163 of the constitution, giving jurisdiction of the matter to the High Court. As a consequence, no further actions were taken with the information.

Meanwhile, GECOM has stressed that all its operations are and will continue to be guided by the Constitution and the relevant laws for the conduct of registration and elections.

(From page 4)

ing to a handful of protes tors at Buxton, said, “Black youngsters go to a commer cial bank for a loan and they are denied. An East Indian person, the same age, got the same thing like the young black man, go to the same commercial bank, but he getting the loan….that is the reality of this country….you go to predominantly East Indian villages in this country and you would see rapid devel opment, nice roads, nice

street lights…but you go predominantly the African villages – bad roads, poor drainage, no street lights, no recreational facilities for them… that is the real ity of this country.”

The PPP/C Government’s effort to advance a develop ment trajectory continues to be dragged down by the Co alition for partisan political purposes, but the Adminis tration will not be distracted. And neither should Guy anese.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

POSITIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT

Systemic changes needed to revolutionise agriculture in the Region – President Ali

P resident Dr Irfaan Ali said that systemic chang es are necessary if Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean Region are going to be food secure.

He told a Science Sum mit of the United Nations General Assembly via zoom on Monday (September 26, 2022) that for far too long, there has been a passive approach to food securi ty, which has amplified the problem at the regional level.

The Head of State, who was the keynote speaker at the food security forum, proposed an overhauling of the regional agriculture sys tem to not only make it less laborious but to encourage women and youth into the workforce.

Enhanced technological

use, he pointed out, would be imperative to develop the new system.

“How do we ensure that more women are leading farms, using science and technology as aids? We can not build an agricultural sys tem or a production system that does not have the future in mind. What we have now is a lot of young people not going into agriculture. The question is, why? Because we still promote agriculture in the traditional way.”

To change the system, President Ali noted that Gov ernments need to make larg er investments, remove the red tape hampering the flow, use individual strengths for the collective good and en hance private sector part nerships.

Gov’t eyes Linden as ‘ideal tourist destination’ − President Ali

President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, said Sunday (September 25, 2022) that government will explore every opportunity to develop Linden as an ideal tourist destination.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the grand cricket carnival Regatta held at Blue Lake, Dr Ali said Linden has all the elements to become a masterpiece high-end luxury eco-resort.

He said Blue Lake has nature, sand, water, and the space to build such a facil ity. “Our objective here is to build a tourism product here with a host of activities all around Guyana using cricket carnival, our culture, and our geographic space as advantages and making the best use of the advantages and the competitive advan tage each region has,” Ali underscored.

He noted that the gov ernment is pursuing op portunities which are not sequestered nor reliant on one sector.

Dr Ali was adamant that the intention is for sporting events to become a major factor in the tourism sector with activities such as crick

et, horse racing, squash, and football. “So, I’m very pleased by the excellent turnout here and this is just the initial stage in building the masterpiece of a product. We’re going to work with some international players also to have formula one racing,” he added.

He said the regatta event will help to showcase the different geographic spaces.

Ali said, “A lot of people don’t even know this exists.

People from overseas when they saw this, said wow, where is this? That is what we have to do in this phase to showcase the opportuni ties, to showcase the differ ent advantages we have. And in that, I think it’s a great success, a grand success.”

In additional to Prime Minister, (rtd) Brigadier, Mark Phillips, and sever al government Ministers; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Af fairs, Ryan Tulsiram, Direc tor of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Kamrul Baksh, and Captain Jerry Gouveia, also attended the event.

“If the Caribbean be lieves that we can do this singularly, we’re fooling ourselves. This requires part nership and a willingness of all stakeholders to work in a cohesive manner, utilising each other’s competitive advantage and pushing each other’s competitive advan tage to the benefit of the Region. That is what we’re doing.”

The President also spoke of the land available in Guyana and Suriname, the technological know-how of Roraima, Brazil and the unique advantages of several Caribbean islands. Overall, he explained that the Region should be investing at least 7.5% of their national bud gets in agriculture and food production in the short term

for there to be a possibility of achieving a 25% reduction in food importation by 2025.

He also highlighted gen eral cooperation and coun try-to-country partnerships, especially between Guyana and Barbados.

The urgency in food se curity, the President stated, is not only a CARICOM concern but a global issue. Reference was made to the hindering factors, including the pandemic, which have skyrocketed the global food import bill to its staggering US$1.8tn projection.

He said that as of June 2022, the number of acute food insecure persons has in creased to 345m in 82 coun tries and out of that amount, some 2.8m, or nearly 40% of the population in the En

glish-speaking Caribbean, are food insecure.

He emphasised that at all levels, there need to be short and long-term responses to boost food production and nutrition, improved food security, reduce risk and the strengthening of the food systems.

“The global, regional, and national food systems must become more respon sive to the needs of the pop ulation. The system has to be responsive to the needs of the population to give them healthy and affordable diets, inclusive of food sustainable sustenance and enforce good livelihood for all, especially small economies.”

The President said that food security was the main issue at the UN General

Assembly this year, which demonstrated its urgency.

“Did we actually realise what took place in the UN? For the first time, the macro issues for food security, cli mate change, and everything else fell under the umbrella of food security. Every sin gle address at the UN, every single side event had the issue of food security.”

With the spotlight on food security, President Ali said that it is now time for Small Island Developing States and Low-Lying Coast al Countries to push funding agencies and to work with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN to become food secure.

“If we can’t do it now, then we will be in serious problems in the long term.”

E-ticketing system becomes operational

An e-ticketing system has now become oper ational in Guyana, and will soon see the issuance of tickets to errant road users, according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

The system will use cameras and other technol ogy to accurately monitor traffic, check speeds and read license plates for Guy anese vehicles, as well as track any traffic violations.

On the first day of test

ing, on September 22, 2022, the system was able to re cord almost 10,000 vehicles traversing the Mandela-Ec cles four-lane highway, with approximately 1,500 drivers committing traffic violations.

The digitally obtained information will be trans mitted to the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Rev enue Authority, and a traffic ticket issued and emailed to the driver based on the cus

tomisable parameters.

The license plate recog nition function entails re al-time license plate collec tion, driver and passenger snapshot, and high-powered infrared illumination.

The e-ticketing system forms part of the admin istration’s policy to mod ernise and improve the lives of citizens. It is expected to improve efficiency in the drafting and dispatch of tickets, as well as the

enforcement of penalties and fines.

It will be operational for 24 hours, and is expected to be expanded to many busy areas, removing the need for police officers to monitor traffic and manually write tickets.

The electronic ticketing system will replace written tickets and was introduced in an effort to modernise and transform the Guyana Police Force.

20 per cent of Guyana’s national budget will go towards education ─ President Ali tells UN

Increased investment through budgetary alloca tions in education is one way the PPP/C Administration will be seeking to transform Guyana’s education system.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali, made the disclosure as he chaired the ‘Transforming Education Summit Leaders’ Roundtable which forms part of the 77th United Nations General Assembly high-level week.

The Head of State said education is a core element in Guyana’s transformation. He stated that investments in education are aimed at unlocking the potential of the country’s students to help them realise their aspirations, while enhancing a repository of skills available for national development.

“As part of our efforts to revamp the education system, the government will increase education expenditure to 20 per cent of the national budget and six per cent of the country’s gross domestic product thereby ensuring adequate and sustainable financing for education,” the president told the UN.

In budget 2022 govern ment had allocated $74.4 bil lion towards transforming the education sector with the aim of providing equitable access to quality education. “Guy ana commits to an inclusive education system, one that leaves no one behind. This entails narrowing access and attainment gaps by ensuring that every school aged child in regions is entitled to a sound primary and secondary

education,” he said.

President Ali also re iterated his government’s commitment to provide free tertiary education by 2025.

The roundtable was creat ed so that world leaders can put their minds together to help children recover from the learning loss experienced during the COVID-19 pan demic.

It gives leaders an op portunity to present national statements of commitments that outline bold visions and concrete actions for the trans formation of education to drive progress towards the sustainable development goal and better prepare learners for the future.

President Ali also told the UN that government is actively addressing the

learning loss that occurred during the COVID-19 pan demic. He said the data from the diagnostic assessment in numeracy and literacy is what is guiding the remedial measures. He said, “Among the measures being planned to recover from the learning losses occasioned by the pan demic are accelerated tutor ing services, the creation of a learning platform to bring students back to grade level and an early warning system to identify students at risk of falling behind.”

Guyana, he said, remains committed to achieving the UN’s sustainable develop ment goal number four which speaks to quality education.

He noted that this will be done by introducing more

page

Amerindian Development…

FOCUS ON GUYANA’S FIRST PEOPLE

5M to St. Ignatius to rebuild benab

– promise of President Ali delivered

Delivering on yet another promise, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phil lips handed over a $5 million cheque to Toshao of St. Ig natius, Wilson Lorentino to commence the reconstruction of the village meeting place –the benab.

PM Phillips delivered the cheque on Monday (Septem ber 26, 2022), as he along with Minister of Amerindi an Affairs, Pauline Sukhai participated in the regional heritage celebration in St. Ignatius, Region Nine, as part of the observances for

Amerindian Heritage Month.

Toshao Lorentino stated that the fund is a step in the right direction for the village and it exemplifies the eq uitable distribution of gov ernment resource. “We the villagers of St. Ignatius really want our benab and i know the money wouldn’t do, but it is a start. So, I would like to thank the government. We will now have a new benab.”

With the government’s support, Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock said, “come next year, we will not be sit ting under a tent, we will be

under our benab.”

Dr Ali had committed to providing wholesome de velopment in St. Ignatius. Residents are set to benefit from major roads, bridges and revetment work, to the tune of $210 million. His Ex cellency said contracts have been awarded to complete revetment works at a cost of $130 million and another $80 million to complete the two bridges and commence construction of the road from St. Ignatius Bridge to Stock Farm. “That is $210 million of investment to make your life better, to make your life easier,” President Ali had said.

Project launched to protect women, girls and Indigenous persons in Guyana

The Justice Education Society in collaboration with the Canadian govern ment and the Home Affairs Ministry today launched their ‘Strengthening Justice for Women, Girls, and In digenous Peoples in Guyana’ project.

The project is geared towards promoting equal access to justice for these groups, as well as empower ing them to be less vulnera ble to violence.

It will focus on upskilling justice actors in responding to issues related to Sexual and Gender-Based violence (SGBV) targeting women and girls. Moreover, the project will endeavour to build the capacity of indig enous women and leaders in remote communities where there is inadequate access to justice.

The overall aim is to reduce the level of liberty for severe violence against women while improving access to justice for these vulnerable groups.

The primary beneficiaries

of the project are estimated at over 10,000 women and girls living in indigenous communities in the hinter land.

In delivering brief re marks, Home Affairs Min ister, Robeson Benn, em phasised the importance of developing safe spaces to foster self-sufficiency and success among women, girls and indigenous people. He said, “I think these groups have the most precarious lives in Guyana at the moment. The women, suffering from gender-based violence, and the indigenous people, who are more impacted by pov erty, and lack access to these services to improve their lives and livelihood. Therefore, this partnership is particularly welcoming at this time.”

Minister Benn also high lighted the need for greater empathy, representation and appreciation for women, girls and indigenous peo ples. He said, “This effort, particularly in relation to strengthening justice for women, girls and indigenous

people, will go a long way towards bringing us to a po sition of increasing the peace in Guyana. We don’t intend to increase peace by utilising the strong arm of the law. It requires a big change in policing, a big change in attitude, and a big change totally in the culture of our society. We need to do some introspection on who we are as Guyanese and where we have to go.”

Canadian High Commis sioner to Guyana, Mark Ber man stated that equal access to justice is necessary for inclusive governance. “True equality will not be possible until everyone, regardless of their place in society is able to access full and equal protection under the law,”he said.

The launch was held at the Umana Yana. Attor ney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C., and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas were also in attendance.

$26M water supply system commissioned at Annai

– residents now have access to potable water

Some 400 residents of Annai, North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Taku tu-Upper Essequibo) are now receiving potable water for the first time, with the com missioning of a $26 million water distribution system.

Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal and Regional Chairman, Bry an Allicock attended the commissioning ceremony at the Annai Village Benab on September 15, 2022.

Toshao, Michael Wil liams said the establishment of a potable water source in his community will provide a significant boost to the living standards of residents, who will no longer have to ‘fetch water in a bucket’ from a single shallow hand-dug well that existed years ago. “You know where you come from the farm or come from fishing or whatever, you are tired and you still have to go down the hill with a bucket to fetch… Now with the system, the water is coming straight into your yard…I am not getting the water in my kitchen to my sink and in my shower,” he noted. Williams said with the new develop ment, the village council will now be able to embark on its sanitation project where every household will benefit from sanitary blocks. He said, “this is really a plus for our village.”

During brief remarks at the commissioning ceremo ny, Minister Croal said the

new system will see water coverage in the area moving from 40 to 98 per cent. In addition to the individual households, the school and the teachers’ quarter will also benefit. Minister Croal said since August 2020, the PPP/C Administration invest ed over $200 million within Region Nine to improve the service to the various com munities.

Among works completed so far is the drilling of new wells in Shulinab, Shea, An nai and Culvert City Lethem, Parikawarinau, Katoonar ib, Potarinau, Sandcreek, Rupertee, Aranaputa and Wowetta to provide an im proved level of service and new service to thousands of residents. Upgrades were also done to the system at St. Ignatius.

This year, Minister Croal announced that new sys tems will be put in place in Rupunau, Katoka, Yakarin ta, Sawariwau, Quarrie and Parabara to provide first-time access and improved service to residents. The ministry will also upgrade and ex tend the distribution systems within the communities of Meriwau, Sand Creek, Achi wib, Karadarunau (Krowdar), Masakenari and Shea.

Through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), water supply systems will also be expanded in Surama and Nappi.

The interventions are part of the government’s five-

year strategic plan which aims to provide 100 per cent water access across Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine, and riverine communities. It is also in keeping with the Government of Guyana’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal number six- Water and Sanitation for All.

“And that was what form part of our manifesto, up lifting your quality of life… equally important is to ensure that we have programmes for the hinterland that are advan tageous to you because we must bridge the gap between the coastland and the hinter land,” the minister told the residents.

Under the ministry’s 2023 programme, plans are also in place to expand the water systems in Aranapu ta, Moco Moco, Karasabai, Wowetta, Quiko, Massara, Baitoon, Potarinau, Crash water, Kattur, Tiger Pond, Yurong Paru, Parishara, Kumu, Kaicumbay, Cracra na, Bashaidrun. There will also be the drilling of a deep water well and extension of the water supply system in Deep South Rupununi at Aishalton, Awarewarnau, and Maruranau villages, as well as in Hiowa, Quatata, Shiriri, Katoonarib and Ru pertee villages. Through the Regional Democratic Coun cil (RDC), drilling of new wells and construction of a distribution network will be done in Semonie, Apoteri, Rewa, Fairview, Tiperu and Rukumuta.

$1.5B pumped into hinterland water coverage

I

n its quest to increase hinterland water coverage by 100 per cent by 2025, the government has injected some $1.5 billion into its hinterland water programme since August 2020.

This money has resulted in the drilling of new well systems and upgrades to existing systems in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine. Several riverine Amerindi an communities within the coastal regions are being looked at for upgrades to the systems.

Based on that assess ment, Minister Croal said

the Guyana Water Incor porated (GWI) crafted a five-year strategic plan to guide the hinterland and coastal water programme.

“We have an assessment of the entire country’s level of service and networking that is required to ensure that we have expanded distribution.

Because, while you may have water in a community, it may not be to the entire village or that cluster. So, that is what guides us and informs us as to when we are preparing our budgetary requests,” he explained.

Minister Croal explained

that while the focus is on coverage, an important com ponent of the programme is to ensure residents are re ceiving water of acceptable quality.

Therefore, emphasis is placed on those commu nities that depend on the creeks or rivers for water for domestic use, he stated.

“Many of the riverine com munities, for example, their main source of water is from the river, as the years go by the quality of that water gets bad because of the num ber of mining activities the

PPP/C

DELIVERING ON ‘PLAN FOR PROSPERITY’

Gov’t laying foundation for ICT use in remote patient diagnosis, treatment – Dr Anthony

The PPP/C Government, through the health min istry is laying the foundation for the use of Information and Communications Tech nology (ICT) for the conduct of patient remote diagnosis and treatment in Guyana.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, while addressing a graduating batch of com munity health workers at the weekend, emphasised the need for developing Guy ana’s medical technology.

The minister underscored that the health sector must be improved in order to success fully support the expanding economy. He said, “But while we’re training you as community health workers, one of the things that you would see change over the next couple of years would be what you would be capa ble of doing…You would be capable of doing much more than that. The ministry is going to be utilising a lot of telemedicine.”

The new initiative, known as telemedicine, per mits video or phone con sultations between a patient and the healthcare provider.

“Wherever you would be in one of these health centres or health posts, our aim is to provide you with a piece of equipment… That computer would have, on it, a piece of software that is called soft

ware to register patients or as we call it an electronic record of the patient,” the Minister explained.

Minister Anthony noted that in some remote areas, the initiative would involve the use of a satellite link since the computer will have the capabilities to connect to the satellite for the images to be download ed. “With this computer, it will also have a set of equipment that is internet enabled…They will have cameras, the doctors might say, put the cameras to the patient’s eyes so that we could take a look at the eye…and from that, they will be able to make a diagnosis sitting miles away from where you are but they’ll be able to guide you,” he said.

He spoke about the probes which can be placed on the skin to conduct an ultrasound.Dr Anthony noted that telemedicine is being pi loted in four health centres in Region Nine. He said, “And once we see it work very well, we know that it will work because we’ve seen it work in other countries. We will, then, start using it in different regions.”

At the primary health care level, the minister stated that the intention is to offer a wider range of services,

therefore using this technolo gy would improve the quality of care offered to residents.

In terms of opportunities, Dr Anthony said the minis try is working to get more persons to apply for the reg istered nurses’ programme. He said, “Right now, we can only train about 250 persons a year. This is a three-year programme. But if we want to get more, one of the things we want to do is to use the internet where we can teach you the theory.”

The participants will, then, go to one of the assimi lation centres for the practical sessions of the nursing pro gramme. “So, by doing that, we want to start recruiting as soon as we can get the course up and running…as soon as we can get that uploaded to the internet. We want to start with about 500 to 1,000 per sons in this registered nursing programme,” Minister An thony highlighted.

Further, he disclosed that the intention is for 1,000 persons to be a part of the nursing programme, which means that three years from now, there should be 1,000 registered nurses spread across health institutions in the various regions.

Minister Anthony noted that this is important to fa cilitate the expansion of the health sector.

$10.5M health centre commissioned in West Berbice

R esidents of Number 7

Village and surround ing communities, along the West Coast of Berbice witnessed the commission ing of a new $10.5 million health centre, Wednesday, a demonstration of the PPP/C Government’s commitment to ensuring citizens’ access to primary health care.

Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall said the government has honoured its commitment to the people. “When we took government, one of the things that we have been striving for is to make sure that our people are well educated and even

whilst they are educated, that they receive proper health care. Well, this was one of the clarion calls of people when we were cam paigning, before we got into government, that the health care services, especially at the regional level, that those services were not the best suited to rural people,” the minister explained.

He said the government has invested massively over the last two years to lift healthcare standards in Guyana. Dharamlall, there fore, encouraged residents to monitor their health to lead a healthy lifestyle. “We have an integral role to play in ensuring that there is

optimal delivery of health care services…So, we hope that the facility is going to improve and enhance the lives of people within the villages. We also hope that the services that are going to be provided, that those services are going to meet you practically every day,” he said.

Among the services to be made available to res idents are antenatal and postnatal care, treatment of chronic illnesses, child health, and COVID-19 vaccination. The facility also has a doctor’s office, pharmacy, dressing room, nurses’ room, triage, and vaccination room.

Recreational ground to be rehabilitated at Mocha Arcadia Primary

The Mocha Arcadia Pri mary School will soon benefit from rehabilitative works on the recreational ground in the school’s com pound.

This was announced by Public Service Minister, Sonia Parag during her visit to the school recently. “The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Minister Charles Ramson and myself, we were here on this ground, and one of the issues raised was the need for rehabilita

tion of the school ground. And you would be happy to know that Minister Ramson came with his team to as sess the ground so that they can rehabilitate it in the shortest possible time so that it can become fit for purpose,” she told teachers and pupils of the school.

The ground will be uti lised to conduct sports, as well as recreational activi ties for the entire commu nity.

The rehabilitation is

part of a commitment made by the sports minister and President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, during a recent outreach to the community.

“We have to develop this recreational facility immediately…. We need to develop this facility so that our children can play in a safe way,” President Ali had said.

Some $192 million has been earmarked for infra structural development in Mocha.

179 Lindeners benefitting from special BIT programme

The Labour Ministry through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) launched a special skills training programme, recent ly, in Linden, Region 10, to build human resource capacity, and bridge the deficiencies that exist in the labour force.

Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton spearheaded a twoday engagement in the min ing town to inspect the on going training programmes, where 179 Lindeners are par ticipating in six specialised courses tailored to the needs in the region. “We wanted to focus and get as far as we can with the persons who are needed with specific skills in some areas that are deficient in the country. All of these skill sets have a relationship to a sector,” he said.

The programme com

– part of efforts to build human resource capacity

menced last month and is expected to be completed by December.

Training programmes include motor vehicle re pairs, electrical installation, joinery, auto electrics and electronics, welding and fabrication, air conditioning and refrigeration repairs, heavy-duty equipment oper ators and food preparation.

The programmes have a community development component, which allows trainees to demonstrate and utilise their skills in commu nity building.

Upon completion, per sons will receive an accred ited certificate and licence.

During the visit, the min ister met with trainees from the air conditioning installa tion and repairs courses, who were repairing AC units at a community health centre.

Meanwhile, BIT tech nical officers have recorded an increase in the participa tion of women in the pro grammes, which, Minister Hamilton noted, is a win for the country.

“Females are in the pro gramme, so that is a win for all of us because I have been saying that women have to think outside of the box and they have to move into oth er skills training and other types of jobs,” Hamilton said.

The programmes have also been rolled out in Re gions Two, Five and Six. It is similarly tailored to the geographic needs of the regions.

The ministry also launched the programme in Kwakwani, which has approximately 70 persons benefitting.

PPP/C

DELIVERING ON ‘PLAN FOR PROSPERITY’

Burma gets $64M in road upgrades

Over 16 households in Burma, Region Five and surrounding communi ties are now benefitting from $64 million in road upgrades as works conclude on the Champagne mud road.

Minister within the Min istry of Public Works, De odat Indar engaged a new contractor last month to execute the road works. The minister emphasised the need for the works to be completed in an efficient and timely manner to the minis try’s specifications.

The new contractor, Timehri Contracting was tasked to rehabilitate the thoroughfare measured 964m in length and 12 feet in width in asphaltic con crete.

In 2019, the project was initially tendered but ter minated in 2022, due to the contractor’s poor perfor mance and efforts in com pleting the road.

The completed road works are part of the min istry’s miscellaneous roads project.

Additionally, some nine road works are ongoing in Region Five to be completed before year-end under the miscellaneous roads project. All works are being carried out in asphaltic concrete.

These road projects in cludeLot 62: Rehabilita tion/Construction of Second Cross Street, Number 41 (NoPR). This road is being executed by H&S Construc tion & Maintenance to the tune of $20,253,030. The works began in May 2022 and are 75 per cent com pleted.

Meanwhile, Lot 64: Re habilitation/Construction of First Cross Street, Kingelly (SoPR), is being executed by Romell Jagroop General Construction Services to the tune of $43,317,015 and is 65 per cent completed, while Lot 65: Rehabilitation/Con struction of Parris Street, St. John, is being rehabilitated by same contractor to the tune of $43,317,015 and is 65 per cent completed.

Lot 62: Rehabilitation/ Construction of Second Cross Street, Number 41 (NoPR), by H&S Construc tion & Maintenance to the tune of $20,253,030 and is 75 per cent completed while Lot 64: Rehabilitation/ Construction of First Cross Street, Kingelly (SoPR), by Romell Jagroop General Construction Services to the tune of $43,317,015 is currently 65 per cent com pleted.

On the other hand, Lot

137: Construction/Reha bilitation of De Hoop Line Top Street, De Hoop Ma haica (SoPR,) by K B & B Contractors to the tune of $51,560,260 is current ly 25 per cent completed while Lot 138: Construction/ Rehabilitation of Broom Hall Middle Walk Street, NoPR and SoPR, Broom Hall, Mahaicony, by Build ers Supplies to the tune of $57,409,900 is currently 45 per cent completed.

Also, Lot 140: Construc tion/Rehabilitation of Road Network, Perseverance NoPR, Perseverance, by M&B Construction to the tune of 88,123,900 is 15 per cent completed.

Residents are going to benefit from Lot 141: Con struction/Rehabilitation of Road Network, Shield stown, by ACE Construc tion Services and Invest ment INC to the tune of $100,552,400 and is eight per cent completed while Lot 146: Construction/Re habilitation of Bachelor Street, Rosignol, by T&R Construction Services to the tune of $15,263,060 is 10 per cent completed.

These works are part of the government’s interven tion to enhance the country’s infrastructure for the future.

2,000 homes to be constructed for Region Three families

Some 2,000 families of Region Three (Essequi bo Islands-West Demerara), will benefit from affordable homes, as government accel erates its turn-key housing project to meet the housing demand in the region.

This was announced by Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal during an activity at the Uitvlugt Community Centre on Sep tember 23, 2022. “Very shortly, we will be signing an MOU [Memorandum of Understanding] with anoth er company that will see the construction of a further 2,000 homes being construct ed here in Region Thee,” the minister said.

The construction of these homes will add to the 500

low-income homes to be constructed in the region. An MOU was signed be tween the ministry and Re public Bank Limited (RBL) in July, for the financing of the two-bedroom units which will cost $5.5 million each.

Minister Croal explained that the first 125 homes under that project will be construct ed at Leonora. Works on that project will commence short ly. “There will be a special mortgage lending rate for that programme,” he disclosed.

The minister stated that the investments will provide significant growth and de velopment for the region and its people. “If you have 125 houses to be constructed, the minimum one can expect is that you will have at least

625 persons employed on the construction of those houses.

And, over the period you will see different skill sets and opportunities for those of you in Region Three, wheth er labourers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters will be required,” he added.

Region Three had the second highest demand for housing in the country, with a backlog of approximately 14,000 applications in the Central Housing and Plan ning Authority’s (CHPA) database. Since government took office in August 2020, it has distributed in excess of 4,000 house lots within the region. Some $4 billion is earmarked to develop a further 1,000 serviced house lots in 2023.

Guyana closer to securing local CLE Law School

Afew years after a failed attempt by the former APNU+AFC Government to get approval for a law school to be established here, Attor ney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, last week presented a fresh case to the Council of Legal Education (CLE) of the West Indies.

In a release Sunday (Sep tember 25, 2022), the Attor ney General said the CLE has considered the request for the home-based law school and had immediately penned a letter to the Government of Guyana, through his office, informing it of the consid eration.

In government’s propos al, the law school would be a council’s institution, managed and administered by the CLE.

However, the Govern ment of Guyana will provide the land and buildings as set out in the decision estab lished by the council.

Government was also informed about the criteria and other requirements that must be satisfied for the es tablishment of Guyana’s first law school.

For nearly three decades

Guyana has been trying to establish a law school within its jurisdiction.

In 2017, the then APNU/ AFC Attorney General, Basil Williams, SC, signed a Mem orandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University College of the Caribbean (UCC) and Law College of the Americas (LCA) for the establishment of a law school in Guyana.

This arrangement did not find favour with the CLE and was outrightly rejected since the CLE is the only lawful authority for the adminis tering of legal professional education in the Caribbean region and the MOU was not reflective of CLE’s per mission.

An approval for Guyana would make it the fourth in stitution to be operated by the Council of Legal Education within CARICOM.

The CLE operates three other law schools within the region: the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad – both established in 1973 – and the Eugene Dupuch Law School in the Bahamas which was estab lished in 1998.

The CLE was created by a Treaty Agreement signed in 1971 by Barbados, Dom inica, Grenada, Guyana, Ja maica, Trinidad and Tobago, the University of the West Indies, and the University of Guyana.

Guyana’s case was sup ported by the Hon. Yonette Cummings-Edwards, OR, Chancellor of the Judicia ry (ag) who represented the judiciary and Attor neys-at-Law, Teni Housty and Kamal Ramkarran, both of whom represented the Guyana Bar Association.

This initiative merges into the government’s com mitment to promote Guy ana as an attractive offshore education destination and fulfil its manifesto promise of training Guyanese at every level. This policy will create a skilled workforce reposito ry that will chart the future direction of the country’s development trajectory.

Guyana’s proposed law school is expected to attract students from across the re gion and further afield and will ease the overcapacity which currently exists at the Hugh Wooding and Normal Manley Law Schools.

$640M No. 58 farm-to-market road almost complete

─ a boost in agriculture expected

The $640 million all-weather farm-tomarket road at No. 58 Vil lage, Region Six (East Ber bice-Corentyne) is nearing completion.

The new road measures 6.7 kilometres long and is 20 feet wide. It is being executed by Guy-America Construction Inc under the Public Works Ministry and will provide farmers in the region with better access to their farmlands.

It will add to the already completed No.52 Village farm-to-market all-weather

road.

Combined, the two roads will open up 50,000 acres of prime farmlands, which will present major opportunities in the agriculture sector for farmers in the region.

An all-weather road means farmers will spend less money on the wear and tear of their vehicles when transporting their produce.

It will also significantly reduce the time they would take to get to and from their farmlands.

Works on the farm-tomarket road are two-fold

and are a fulfilment of a commitment by the gov ernment to Guyanese. The first is building transfor mative infrastructure and the second, ensuring there is continued investment in the country’s non-oil sector.

The government has in vested heavily in agriculture since taking office, as it aims to make Guyana the breadbasket of the Carib bean.

Guyana is leading the way in CARICOM as it re lates to boosting agriculture in the Caribbean. The aim is to reduce CARICOM’s food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.

ON ‘PLAN FOR

30 persons receiving training to improve port security

Thirty persons from gov ernment and private mar itime security and port facil ities are being trained in port security and best practices through the newly launched ‘Port Security Workshop’, as part of efforts to ensure the country’s ports function effectively and safely.

The workshop, launched on Monday (September 26, 2022) at the Pegasus Hotel, is a collaboration between the Governments of Guyana and Chile aimed at strength ening ties.

Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill stated that the workshop is time ly and is significant to the growth of Guyana. “We must recognise that port security is just a subset of maritime security a little subset of national and international

security. So, this gathering here this morning might be considered very extremely important, especially in light of where we are as a country and we are going as a coun try. “Guyana is becoming and has become a country that is not just a little country somewhere down in South America but it is a bright spot and the fact that our profile has been elevated our risks have also been elevated. So, we have to ensure that our ports are very safe and today we are emphasising the issue of Port security,” he said.

The one-week workshop being led by Captain Domin go Hormazabal from Chile, focuses on mitigating a series of threats such as drug traf ficking, human trafficking, and other illicit activities that can impede shipping.

To this end, Minister Edghill, extended gratitude to the Chilean Government for its partnership.

Meanwhile, Chile’s Am bassador Juan Pino said his government is willing to support Guyana’s develop ment. “It is a great honour to continue this programme re garding maritime security in Guyana mostly because the country is facing new chal lenges in the future and these challenges must be united to the building capacity for all of you,” he stated.

Currently, the govern ment is keeping track of all activities that occur across the border with an eye out for the smuggling of narcotics, weapons, and other illegal activities which pose a threat to national security and port security in general.

Minister Edghill inspects roads, bridges in Region Nine

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill conducted a series of follow-up visits to in spect rehabilitation works on various hinterland roads and bridges in Region 9.

The minister met and interacted with contractors and assessed the pace and quality of work for the re structuring of 32 bridges from Kurupukari to Let hem. “We’re not getting an office-desk review or a report. This was intended for us to experience the reality on the ground. We have noticed that there has been some deterioration of existing structures at vari ous segments of the roads. We have taken notes of that as well and we have started to address that, “the minis ter stated.

He noted that the inten tion is to repair and forti fy the bridges and roads in the area to facilitate a smoother flow of traffic. He also expressed that certain measures will have to be put in place to ensure the longevity of the structures.

“We have also noticed that as we improve engineering and design, it would appear that users and operators

seem to think that this is an advantage to pack trucks with greater capacity than should be carried. There fore, once these bridges are constructed, we will have to also standardize weight lim its to ensure the longevity,” Minister Edghill explained.

The minister also ex pressed concern at the minimal work being done on these projects and em phasised the need for the process to be expedited. He noted that additional resources are needed to facilitate the completion of the works. He said, “The ministry’s engineers would have to be out here more regularly to give clear in structions and guide this process to accelerate it.”

He stated that within two weeks, construction works should be well un derway. Edghill said, “Con tractors signed contracts with the Government of Guyana to execute projects in keeping with the terms and conditions of their bid, and I am holding them to that standard.”

Many contractors ex pressed that the weather conditions posed a chal lenge for the construction

and rehabilitation works, but committed to establish ing a comprehensive plan to facilitate an expedited process.

The minister also con ducted road inspections along Tabatinga Drive, the Karasabai to Yurong Paru stretch, Central and Deep South Rupununi, Moco Moco and St. Ignatius.

The need for an estab lished drainage plan for Le them was also highlighted.

Minister Edghill was accompanied by the chief engineer for the Minister of Public Works, the Mayor of Lethem, and other represen tatives from the Ministry of Public Works.

In January, the ministry had posted an invitation for bids for the restructuring of bridges on the Kurupukari to Lethem stretch. Over $2 billion was allocated for these projects. The bridges were undertaken in six lots.

In March, contracts were awarded to KP Thomas and Sons constructing Inc, Rim construction, VALs construction, International Imports and Supplies, Con dor Construction Inc, and Theodore Faria General Contracting service.

Black Belly Sheep Project making strides locally

The PPP/C Government’s thriving Black Belly Sheep Project has already begun to massively impact the lives of many Guyanese.

The administration has invested approximately $600 million (US$3 million) to kickstart the programme, with an initial flock of 1,000 sheep expected to arrive here.

Subsequently, some $177.7 million was allocated in the National Budget earlier this year to provide addition al resources to support the promising project.

Scientifically known as Barriga Nigra, the black belly sheep is a breed of domestic animal from the tropical is land of Barbados.

The breed is mainly reared for meat and by-prod ucts that are in high demand.

In past years, the import value of sheep meat and mutton skyrocketed, with Trinidad and Tobago alone importing almost US$18 million in mutton, lamb, and chevon meat combined.

However, as Guyana

strategically moves ahead with its mission to reduce CARICOM’s food import bill by 25 per cent come 2025, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, launched the Black Belly Sheep Project in the Mahaica – Berbice region, in March this year. “We want 20 per cent of those farms to be led by women and 35 per cent of the farms must have youth involvement, that is young people below the age of Thir ty-five. This is part of build ing the future… empower ment, these are the real target and a realistic approach to the involvement of people. so not only must agriculture be on food production, it must be built on erasing biases,” President Ali asserted.

At the time, just about 80 farmers committed their time and resources to the new undertaking, to expand the nation’s livestock indus try, making food security a reality.

Subsequently, on August 4, 2022, a total of 132 black belly sheep arrived on Guy

ana’s shores.

The flock of sheep in cluded 112 ewes and 20 rams which are presently under the direct care and supervision of the Guyana Livestock Development Au thority (GLDA).

Since then, several farm ers and budding agricultur ists welcomed the flagship initiative, as they believe it will tremendously improve the economic livelihood of citizens.

Meanwhile, the remain ing black belly sheep will soon arrive in Guyana to further develop the industry. “I am hoping that by the end of this month… early next month, I am hoping that we have the other set come in to make up the 1000 black bel ly,” Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha revealed.

The project forms part of a variety of initiatives being spearheaded by the adminis tration to bolster production and diversify the economy, even in the face of the lucra tive oil and gas sector.

New squatting areas will not be recognised – Min. Croal warns

Housing and Water Min ister, Collin Croal said that his ministry continues to aggressively tackle the issue of squatting to create wholesome communities and ensure citizens enjoy a better quality of life and therefore, “no new squat ter settlements will be rec ognised.”

“We will not be rec ognising any new ones [ squatting areas], but we recognize what we have met and we will work with those areas,” the minister emphasised.

He made the statement during a recent housing drive at Uitvlugt, Region Three.

Minister Croal said that persons must move away from the idea that they can illegally occupy state lands or any property belonging to another individual, with the view of making it their own. “Whether we are in success [ East Coast Demerara], we

have to do the right thing. Whether we are in Ame lia’s Ward, we have to do the right thing…but we just can’t behave as if we have a God-given right to assume what we don’t own,” he stressed.

The housing minister pointed out that there is a process that must be fol lowed through which per sons can apply for land at the housing ministry.

However, he noted that those who are currently squatting and have been documented by the Central Housing and Planning Au thority (CHPA) will be reg ularised as far as possible.

In other instances, he explained that persons may have to be relocated to other areas, once they fall within an area earmarked for sea defence, roads or other crit ical infrastructure.

He has therefore assured citizens that, “You have a very loving and caring pres

ident and government, so we will work with all areas.”

Since the Government assumed office in August 2020, hundreds of informal settlers in Regions Four and Five have been regularised, while several persons were relocated to developed com munities.

The ministry has now focused its attention on Re gion Three where 45 squat ter settlements were found, many of which will be rec ognised, and go through the regularisation process, Minister Croal highlighted.

“When we’re finished with those 45, we will see over 3,000 persons being able to finally own their own home,” he stated.

The Minister added that the PPP/C Administration has an aggressive housing programme that caters to the housing needs of all citizens and therefore, ‘there is absolutely no need for squatting.’

Race baiting to stir divisions in Guyanese...

this country….you go to predominantly East Indian villages in this country and you would see rapid develop ment, nice roads, nice street lights…but you go predomi nantly the African villages –bad roads, poor drainage, no street lights, no recreational facilities for them… that is the reality of this country.”

UNDERMINING DEVELOPMENT

The PPP/C Government’s effort to advance a develop ment trajectory continues to be dragged down by the Coalition for partisan polit ical purposes, according to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Government, Gail Teixeira, who took aim at the APNU+AFC Coalition, recently.

She said, “At a time when we are taking the trajectory of our country forward; when we are seeing transformation; when the government has given COVID relief; help in the hampers; flood relief; the removal of taxes; the purchase of vaccines for our people; the PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment)… drugs that were not there;

the opening up of housing; and the fixing of roads and bridges. All of this is taking place and all you can do is drag it down to race. That is the only flag you have. The only flag you wave is race.

“…you have stuck loyal ly to your history from 1954 and onwards - of divide and rule in Guyana. That is un fortunate. I don’t accept that the youth don’t know about these things. They are not obtuse…whether the PNC/ RIG/ APNU/ AFC comes to term with past and steps on the road to national unity, you will be found, if you don’t join, left alone….you have a choice.”

Teixeira charged that the PPP/C will push forward with President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s announced One Guy ana initiative, despite the naysayers in the Coalition camp. She said, “The attempt to weaken any embryonic efforts at building a One Guyana will not succeed… efforts at building a ‘One Guyana’- a ‘One Guyana’ for all of us as a people where we will work towards equi table distribution of goods and services; where we will

work for the development of the regions of our country… that is our goal and if you don’t agree with it, I’m sorry. You’re lost.”

In February 2021, Presi dent Dr Irfaan Ali announced the establishment of a ‘One Guyana Commission’, which will be spearheaded by Prime Minister, (rtd) Brigadier, Mark Phillips.

Ali had said, ““An essen tial part of my Government is inclusion. Stop being defined by race; stop being defined by politics. Start being de fined by our one nationality and by our common love for our one country, let us lift it up together and by doing so, let us lift each other and our selves, one people, one na tion, one destiny…I propose to give meaning to my call for one Guyana by requesting the leader of Government business in the National As sembly, Prime Minister Brig adier, Hon. Mark Phillips to introduce the adoption of an Act of Parliament establish ing a One Guyana Commis sion which he will head…. we must move our nation building from abstraction to action and lose not one more

(From back page)

moment in doing it. Let us stand up for our one nation, our one Guyana, let us stand up for what we know in our hearts and in our minds to be right. Let us stand up for one identity, the Guyanese identity.”

President Ali said the work of the Commission will be undertaken country wide to encapsulate the free expressions of all voices, re specting the diversity “from which our oneness springs.”

The Commission will

also address education con cerning Guyana’s history, religion, ensuring equal op portunity, employment and entrepreneurship and insti tutional strengthening of the Ethnic Relations Commis sion.

Political and diplomatic efforts made by PPP/C gov’t to secure licenses for Guyanese fishermen

T he following is a time line of the political and diplomatic efforts made by the Government of Guyana to secure SK fishing licens es for its fisherfolk to fish in Surinamese waters off the Atlantic Coast:

• This issue was discussed at the Presidential level in 2020. Following, at the first meeting of the Ag riculture Working Group under the SDCP, which was convened in Suriname in November 2020, Guyana requested that Suriname issues 150 SK licenses to Guyanese fishermen to fish offshore Suriname.

• In agreeing to the grant ing of the licenses, the Government of Suriname indicated that it would set up a government-owned company to be the business partner of the Guyanese fishermen with which they will sign a Vessel basing Agreement, and which will take care of the registration of the vessels of the Guy anese fishermen. This was in keeping with Suriname’s fishing legislation.

• The Government of Su riname also proposed the conclusion of a Fisheries Agreement between the two countries which would also address the granting of licenses. Guyana con tinued to engage in the discussions with Suriname in good faith with the ex pectation that they would result in a mutually bene

ficial arrangement.

• The Minister of Agricul ture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries of Suriname also requested the names of the middlemen from whom the Guyanese fishermen were renting their licenses.

Further, a number of cri teria were outlined for the formation of the company.

• Guyana complied with all the other requirements of Suriname for the setting up of the company and after some reluctance on the part of the Guyanese fishermen, the names of the middlemen were eventually handed over to the Suri namese Government.

• The Foreign Ministers of Guyana and Suriname also remained in commu nication on the issue. Guy ana’s Foreign Minister wrote to his Surinamese counterpart, Minister Al bert Ramdin on 13 August 2021, reminding him of Suriname’s commitment to issue the licenses.

• The Presidents of Guy ana and Suriname met be tween 17-20 August 2021 in Georgetown and dis cussed the issuance of SK fishing licences to Guya nese fisherfolk. The Joint Communique issued by the Presidents from those dis cussions committed “that both Ministers responsible would work towards the issuance of fishing licences in that category by January 1, 2022, keeping in mind

the established quota on the Surinamese side.”

• For several months, noth ing further was heard from Suriname, and Minister Todd again wrote a letter dated 20 December 2021, to his Surinamese coun terpart, Minister Ramdin, reminding him of the com mitment and urging his intervention in bringing about a resolution of that outstanding matter.

• Minister Todd received a response dated January 6, 2022, from his Surinam ese counterpart in which Minister Ramdin suggested that the Ministers of Agri culture of both countries convene a meeting on Jan uary 13, 2022 in order to reach an agreement. The proposed meeting was nev er convened.

• At the Guyana/ Suriname/ Brazil Tripartite Summit which was held in Surina me, on 20 January 2022, the Presidents of Guyana and Suriname met, and the licenses were again discussed. President San tokhi then indicated that he remains committed to the issuance of SK licenses to Guyanese fishermen.

• Guyana did not receive any further formal or sub stantive communication from Suriname on the is sue.

While the foregoing diplomatic and political initiatives were being un dertaken, Guyanese fish

20 per cent of Guyana’s...

in person tutoring, reform ing the national curriculum, extending the use of ICT in education, increasing access to digital and non-digital educational resources and increasing distant education.

The government, Pres

amount of movement within the river…so, we have been putting more and more sys tems in those areas as well as seeking to tap into the natural flow if they’re spring water as well as using from the mountains,” the minister noted.

In the case of Region Nine, Minister Croal said that some $200 million was expended to improve the water service there. This has

ident Ali noted, has imple mented measures to improve school attendance through the ‘Because we care’ grant, a uniform allowance grant and the implementation of an expanded school nutrition programme to boost class

(From page 14)

room attentiveness, school attendance and performance. Additionally, he said there has been continuous training of teachers with the aim of having 100 per cent trained teachers in schools by the end of the decade.

(From page 15)

resulted in water coverage in that region moving from 40 per cent to 70 per cent.

Moreover, another $270 million to construct several new wells and expand cov erage in several areas has been allocated. The minister explained, “$150 million is part of our 2022 budget and through the support coming from the initiative by Pres ident Irfaan Ali, during his outreach where he made

The initiatives, he said are aimed at providing a better quality of life to the citizens. It is also in keep ing with the Government of Guyana’s commitment to the United Nations Sus tainable Development Goal (SDG) Six- water and sani tation for all.

ermen continued to be harassed in Surinamese waters as they attempted to continue to ply their trade for their subsistence and that of their families. Matters escalated this year when Suriname con fiscated three Guyanese fishing vessels along with

their nets and engines and sold the catch. Following the conclusion of the mat ter, Guyana reached out to Suriname to release the vessels on humanitarian grounds, but there was no accommodation to this effect.

It is evident that the

diplomatic engagement has so far not reaped the desired outcome.

Guyana remains com mitted to good neighbourly relations with Suriname.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

WEEKEND MIRROR 1-2 OCTOBER, 2022 211-2 21 several commitments, we have another $120 million or thereabout that will be pumped into Region Nine.”

COMMENTARY

Guyana continues to demonstrate leadership on the global stage

By Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

Two very important inter national news recently underline the global leader ship Guyana has assumed in education.

First, President Irfaan Ali, appearing as the Head of State at a special UN meeting early in September, assured the UN that the PPP Government is working to wards a minimum of 20% of Guyana’s national budget is committed to education.

President Ali and the PPP government is working to guarantee universal access from nursery to university education and working to

wards free university educa tion by 2025. The President boldly outlined Guyana’s leadership role in ensuring NO Child is Left Behind.

President Ali’s commit ment to education has been detailed in his government’s robust strategy for advanc ing education for all in our country, the CXC, CAPE and Grade Six Exams results have been published. The results tell many stories, but two things stand out. First, in terms of Guyanese students’ performance at CXC and CAPE, Guyana continues to be on the upslope in perfor mances. We still have areas for improvement, but we

are making slow progress in the traditional troublesome subjects. No right-minded person can boast that we have completely resolved our difficulties, over many decades, with English and mathematics. Every CAR ICOM country continues to struggle with English and Mathematics, but Guyana has made gradual improve ment since the 1990s. For sure, from the story of the 1980s and early 1990s, from way down in last position and each year sinking a little lower, Guyana has made sig nificant strides, improving a little each year since the late 1990s to now in English and Mathematics scores.

Overall, Guyana has made rapid strides in im proving scores since the late 1990s at CXC and CAPE. Indeed, for almost two decades now, Guyanese students have emerged as significant players among top-performers at CXC and CAPE. An analysis of the 2022 preliminary results revealed that the overall pass rate at the general and tech nical proficiencies for grades 1 to 3 was 68.5%. The over all pass rate for 2021 was 66.36%. The improved per formance was evident in 20 subjects and remained constant in six subjects. Out standing performances were noted in nine subjects where 90% and over gained ac ceptable grades one to three. Recall in the early 1990s when overall performances were in the 30s and 40s in percentage pass rates. Recall also that English pass rates used to be in the twenties and mathematics in the teens in terms of percentages. For example, English A pass rate in 1991 was 8.5% and Mathematics in 1990 was a mere 15%.

In 2022, however, En glish A pass-rates reached

70% and English B 72.5%, while mathematics still lag at 35% and Addition al Mathematics at 54% in 2022. Significant progress has also been recorded in the science subjects, with Biology reaching more than 80% in 2022. Bear in mind that in almost none of the 33 subjects CXC offers that Guyana ever used to top CARICOM before the late 1990s. Now almost routine ly, Guyana tops more than 20 of the 33 subjects offered at CXC.

Indeed, for most of these years, Guyanese students are not just the top students, but Guyanese students dom inate the top 10 at CXC and CAPE in CARICOM routinely these days. Before the late 1990s, throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Guyanese students appear ing anywhere near the top would be shocking news in the Caribbean. Today, most people accept as norm that Guyanese students will be dominant at the top of CXC and CAPE results. In 2022, Guyanese students domi nated the top performing students in CARICOM. But this was also true in 2021. In fact, this trend started in 1998 and has only inten sified over the years. For some time now, it is almost taken for granted that Guya nese students will dominate CAPE.

The second noteworthy news coming out of recent CXC, CAPE and Grade Six Exams is the spread of students across the country. From the old days when the top 100 at CXC were made up almost exclusively of students from the tradi tional powerhouse schools, like Queens College, Bish op’s and St. Stanislaus, the top 100 students are from schools across Guyana. It is still true that most of the top

schools are from George town and Region 4, but schools in Regions 2,3,5, 6 and 10 are also competitive and schools from hinterland regions are no longer by standers. There is room for improvement in schools in all regions, especially in the hinterland regions, but no longer is a few schools dom inating. The top students in Guyana and in CARICOM for several years now have been coming from Region 2. This means that Guyana’s commitment to education is leading to a reduction in equity. The same apply for Grade-Six exams where stu dents from primary schools across Guyana are appear ing in the top 100, not just Georgetown schools.

Critically, CAPE sub jects are now offered in schools in several regions now. For example, in 2021, it was announced that at least seven new secondary schools will begin preparing students for CAPE. These included for the first time ever Anna Regina Multilat eral (Region 2), West De merara Secondary (Region 3), Annadale Secondary (Region 4), JC Chandisingh and Tagore Memorial (Re gion 6) and Christianburg Secondary (Region 10).

Today, Guyana offers universal education at pri mary and secondary levels. More than half of our stu dents today have access to nursery education. Recently, when the President took his son to a pre-kindergar ten schools, a controversy emerged. It was the first time many persons became aware that there is no public prekindergarten schools in Guyana. This is another area that the PPP government is pioneering in Guyana.

The quality of schools in terms of infrastructure, tech nology and schoolbooks has

also improved. But quality is not merely access to books, to good-looking physical structures, it is also quality teachers. In the 1960s, more than 30% of teachers were trained teachers. The shame ful history of the PNC is that by 1992, this remained al most the same. Today, more than 80% of teachers are trained teachers, with more than 25% obtaining degrees.

All this is possible be cause of new investments in the sector.

None of us should ever forget how the PNC ne glected education in this country. In 1991, the in vestment in education was about 1% of the national budget. This disgrace began to change in 1993. Budget 2022 saw education con trolling almost 16% of the national budget and the President has committed to Guyanese and to the world, going to the UN and placing it on record that this coun try wants to ensure at least 20% of the national budget is committed to education. Recall also that in the years of dictatorship under Burn ham’s PNC, private schools were banned in Guyana. To day, private schools flourish and, therefore, per capita expenses in Guyana has increased enormously.

President Ali has also committed that by 2025, university education in Guy ana will be free. Already the government has increased the annual subvention to UG. But at the same time, more than 20,000 young people in Guyana would have had scholarships at international universities by 2025. President Ali is emerging as Guyana’s Ed ucation President. Guyana’s children and young people can know that their future is bright because our country is in good hands.

New trends to be analysed to determine if COVID-19 is still a pandemic

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony has said that the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) will be conducting an indepth analysis to ascertain if COVID-19 should still be considered a pandemic.

A pandemic is defined as an epidemic of an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, multiple conti nents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of indi viduals.

“The committee will have a report on the global epidemiological status of COVID-19. Over the last couple of weeks, they have noticed a downward trend in infections and hospital isations and deaths. Howev

er, while that is happening, there are also newer variants emerging,” the Minister said.

The minister said re search shows that persons who have been infected with COVID-19 will not be im mune to the newer strains of the virus. “Scientists don’t really know how widespread and pervasive this is, so they have to do more research on that issue,” he explained.

The minister also ex plained that despite the widespread vaccination cam paigns and the fact that a large number of persons have been exposed to the virus, herd immunity is a difficult feat for Guyana. “With newer variants, you get re-infected. The mere fact that people are getting re-infected shows

that it’s going to be tough to arrive at herd immunity. We will have to learn to live with the virus, and get boosted at regular intervals with the boosters that are becom ing available,” the Minister noted.

Moreover, he added, “There are a lot of things the committee would have to take into consideration. The epidemiological situ ation and these new trends that are emerging with COVID. And based on these analyses, if they believe that there is a time to bring an end to the pandemic, they would most likely declare that.”

There are currently over 100 active cases country wide.

Worries over stigma are driving a push to rename monkeypox

(CNN) Since the beginning of the monkeypox outbreak, scientists and activists have pushed for the name of the virus and the disease to be changed to something "non-discriminatory" and "non-stigmatizing."Public health experts have worried that stigma could steer people away from getting tested and vaccinated. A new name can help slow the spread of the disease, they say, but it needs to come quickly.

Globally, nearly 60,000 cases have been identified, placing the name "monkey pox" in individuals' medical files.

The World Health Or ganization's director-gen eral promised in June that a change in the name was coming "as soon as possible," and WHO said it was working with experts to change the name of the virus, its variants and the disease it causes. But that was months ago.

HOW A VIRUS GETS ITS NAME

Typically, the scientist who isolates a virus gets to suggest a name. The naming of the species is the responsi bility of WHO's International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.

Scientists have been call ing this virus "monkeypox" for 64 years.

In 1958, researcher Pre ben von Magnus and his team in Copenhagen, Denmark, discovered two outbreaks of a "pox-like disease" in a col ony of crab-eating macaque monkeys that their lab used for polio vaccine production and research.

The first human case of monkeypox wasn't document ed until 1970. Scientists dis covered a case in a 9-monthold boy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The child recovered from the mon keypox infection but died six days later from measles. After that, cases of the painful disease were documented in West and Central Africa.

Cases in other places were almost all linked to travel, according to the CDC. But in 2018, the agency noted that over the previous decade, more human cases had been reported in countries that had not seen the disease in several decades. This emergence, it said, was a "global health security concern."

The global push for the name change started this year, when an outbreak took off in countries where monkeypox was not commonly found.

NEW NAMES FOR OLD VIRUSES

The naming process had already been underway to

reconsider the names of all orthopoxvirus species, WHO said in an email to CNN, including cowpox, horsepox, camelpox, raccoonpox and skunkpox, as well as mon keypox.

According to WHO tax onomy committee member Colin McInnes, the panel has a mandate to bring "virus species nomenclature into line with the way that most other forms of life are named."

Traditionally, poxviruses were named after the animal in which the disease was first spotted, but that created some inconsistencies, he said.

Monkeypox probably didn't start in monkeys. Its origin is still unknown. The virus can be found in several other kinds of animals like Gambian giant rats, dormice and a couple of species of squirrels.

McInnes, who is deputy director and principal scien tist with the Moredun Group, which develops vaccines and tests for livestock and other animals, studies squirrelpox -which also may be in line for a name change. He has been looking into the feasibility of producing a vaccine against the virus, which can be fatal for red squirrels in the UK. The current species known as "monkeypox virus" and the others would then be renamed to "orthopoxvirus 'something,' " he said in an email to CNN. "It is the 'something' that is currently being debated," McInnes wrote. He said some scientists would prefer that the monkeypox name be kept in order to retain the link to 50 years of published research. Others would like a totally different name.

The WHO committee has until June 2023 to suggest changes.

DOZENS OF SUGGESTIONS

In the WHO 2015 naming conventions, the organization encouraged those who name diseases to avoid places, names, occupations and an imals due to stigmatization.

In August, WHO encour aged people who want to propose new names for mon keypox to submit suggestions to its website. More than 180 ideas have been suggested, some with a wide mix of creative explanations.

Some -- like lopox, ovid pox, mixypox and roxypox -- had no explanation. A handful -- like rodentpox, bo nopox and alaskapox -- may have been facetious.

Johanna Vogl, who sub mitted "greypox," wrote that the name "refers to a pheno typic mark of the disease, greyish blisters and is not associated with human skin

color nor a location, group or animal."

Other suggestions come with more robust scientific explanations. Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency med icine physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an instructor in emergency medicine at Har vard, suggested changing the name to opoxid-22. "While the monkeypox virus causing the current outbreak is not a novel pathogen, I propose that due to its designation as a public health emergency of international concern, renaming it is warranted," Faust wrote in his proposal. He added that although this particular lineage of the vi rus seems to have originated before 2022, using this year may "limit confusion."

Opoxid-22 reflects what's known about the virus while removing "monkey" from the name.

Faust said he was both ered by the inaccuracy of the monkeypox name and the stigma it conveyed. But he said he submitted the name when he was waiting for some other work to fin ish. "Honestly, I was just procrastinating," Faust said. He said that if WHO picked his name, it could help more people seek treatment, testing and care. "This is important," Faust said. "The right name should sound dry, technical, boring, so people aren't afraid to say that they have that problem, right?"

Rossi Hassad, a profes sor of research and statis tics at Mercy College and a fellow of the American College of Epidemiology, submitted a few names in cluding zpox-22, zopox-22, zovid-22, hpox22 and hpi22. His proposal argues that given the uncertainty over where the virus originated, a more general name derived from a zoonosis -- meaning a disease that can be transmit ted from animals to humans -- would eliminate the word "monkey" and be more in clusive. Adding "22" would reflect the year in which scientists learned about this "outbreak with unusual and worrisome human-to-human transmission," the proposal says.

Hassad said he was mo tivated to submit names be cause the word "monkey" can carry a lot of negative connotations. "It has been used in racial and racist slurs against certain groups. I think it will be disingenuous not to recognize the damage that that word has done," he said. "It is also scientifically incorrect. It's a misnomer. If we want to be scientific, we have to be correct."

President

says….

Race baiting to stir divisions in Guyanese society must be condemned

The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antó nio Guterres, on September 20, 2022 condemned hate speeches and the misuse

of social media, which are causing notable damage to society. “Social media plat forms based on a business model that monetises out

rage, anger and negativity are causing untold damage to communities and societies,” Guterres said.

And President Dr. Irfaan

Ali, in his comments on for International Day of Peace, condemned the efforts of those who “manipulate race for their own selfish designs,

including fomenting hatred and division” in Guyana.

He said, “Racism, in all guises and forms, is abhor rent. On this, International Day of Peace, Guyana pledg es its support for efforts to rid the world of the scourge of racism. We condemn the pur veyors of racial superiority and racial prejudice as much as we denounce those who manipulate race for their own selfish designs, including fo menting hatred and division.

“Peace must be premised on not only the absence of conflict but also on the rejec tion of those practices which poison social harmony and create mistrust and division. As such, Guyana calls on all to rebuff those bent on spreading racial discord.

“Guyana has inaugurat ed a One Guyana initiative aimed at promoting a soci ety characterized by greater social harmony. The One Guyana initiative promotes national unity and fosters a more cohesive society, one in which racism has no place.”

PLAYING RACE CARD

The issue of racist rhet oric by the PNCR-led AP NU+AFC Coalition to stir tensions has been condemned repeatedly over the past sev eral months by PPP/C lead ers.

Unsubstantiated and wildly irresponsible claims – all worded along lines to stir tensions among Guya nese continue to be peddled by leaders of the PNCR-led APNU+AFC Coalition.

Leader of the PNCR and the Parliamentary Opposi tion, Aubrey Norton, on June 4, 2022, made irresponsible allegations. “I wouldn’t rule out that they (the PPP/C) gave the instruction to kill this young man so they get something to distract people with…I’ve been in politics long enough to know that when they bring these things to side-track us, we will stay focused…this struggle has to continue,” Norton said, without any evidence, refer ring to the matter where three Guyana Police Officers were charged over the death of Quindon Bacchus on June 5, 2022. Norton also mounted comments about not trust ing the PPP. “We do not trust them…we will continue the political pressure,” he charged.

The controversial David Hinds claimed that the PPP/C government “wants to use East Indian people, in order to put their knees on the rest of Guyana and we must not allow them” among other reckless statements. Hinds used this claim to call for “action” from Afro-Guya nese. Hinds said, “We have to organise ourselves into a big movement…a movement to clean this country….it is our time and we are begin ning to push back….the fight has begun.”

This is not the first time Hinds has made such com ments. On November 22, 2021, Hinds had said: “I think the time has come to defend ourselves…it is time for action…I am also repeat ing my call to undermine the government. I said that in August and I am saying it again. A leader does not have to tell you how to undermine the government. There are many ways…undermine the government and continue to do so.” At the same forum, Hinds went further to call for Indian-owned businesses to be boycotted. He said, “They were enablers and they are enablers….it is your money that is spending on Regent Street that they does take and give to the PPP as contribu tions for elections so they can get into government… undermine the economic partners of the PPP.” Prior to that, while addressing a small group of protestors at Victoria, East Coast Demer ara in August 2021, Hinds said: “In whatever way you can undermine this (PPP/C) government. Undermine this government in whatever way you can. I can’t tell you how to do it, but ‘hint to Bani ba mek Quashiba tek no tice’ (Old African-Guyanese proverb meaning actions to hint something will result in awareness). Undermine this government!”

On June 4, 2022, Coali tion Parliamentarian, Chris topher Jones, speaking to a handful of protestors at Bux ton, said, “Black youngsters go to a commercial bank for a loan and they are denied. An East Indian person, the same age, got the same thing like the young black man, go to the same commer cial bank, but he getting the loan….that is the reality of