Diaspora News - January 18 - 24, 2014

8/13/2019 Diaspora News - January 18 - 24, 2014

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The Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region must not become a Cinderellaprovince

The Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region has become a zone of gross governmental neglect. The Regions min-ing and logging resources have been exploited for over a century and continue to enrich the nation-al treasury. Its physical infrastructure, however, remains undeveloped. Its small, scattered popula-tion is exposed to criminal violence. Its lush environment is under threat of degradation.The economic potential, precarious security and political importance of the Region demand that acomprehensive development plan be designed to develop the material resources and improve thequality of life for residents.

Environment:Reckless mining practices have created a health hazard. Studies funded by theCanadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through the Guyana EnvironmentalCapacity Development Project (GENCAPD) showed that 89 to 96 per cent of the population

surveyed in one village Isseneru had almost double the reference level for humans ofmercury contamination as recently as October 2013. High waters in the rivers and other wa-terways occasionally lead to flooding in parts of the Region. Owing to the floods, cassavaand other staples rot in the ground and create food crises.

Employment:Opportunities for the large number of school-leavers are few. The presence ofBrazilian and other foreign mining companies has hardly provided relief. Qualified youngpeople, in the absence of new investments, seek low-level jobs in the mining and logging in-dustries or migrate to neighbouring Venezuela or other regions in search of work.

Cost-of-living:Household expenses in the Upper Mazaruni are at their highest level ever. Thecost of buying manufactures goods from the coastland is prohibitive. Gasoline sells for$2,800 - $3.000 per gallon at Kamarang making riverine transport and the cost of takingfarm produce to market expensive. The cost of the one-hour aircraft flight from Ogle toKamarang is about $28,000, inflating the cost of commodities.

APNU AT WORK

A WEEKLY SUMMARY OF EVENTS

KEEPING THE DIASPORA INFORMED

January 18 -24, 2014

Vol. 26


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Indigenous issues: The Regions toshaos have resisted the PPPC administration on a widerange of local issues. Toshaos mainly from the Upper Mazaruni collectively expressedgreat displeasure over the conduct of proceedings at the Government-controlled NationalToshaos Council Conference last year. They said that the way that the conference was man-aged undermined their right to freely speak on issues affecting their communities.

Physical infrastructure:The vital 180 km-long Bartica-Potaro trail which was built over ahundred years ago to connect Bartica in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region to Mahdia in thePotaro-Siparuni Region is in dire need of reconstruction. The Parika-Bartica river-boat ser-vice cannot cope with the current needs of the two populous riverine townships. There aremany airstrips but they require regular maintenance.

Public services: There are only three secondary schools in the entire Region. The Wara-madong Secondary School is overcrowded and the staff is insufficient for the estimated 600students. Attainment has been adversely affected by the large number of dropouts from theprimary and secondary schools and of failures at the National Grade Six Assessment exami-nations. The main hospital the Bartica Regional Hospital is underequipped and under-staffed. A river ambulance is needed to service the riverine areas. Hospitals further inlandoccasionally run out of drugs to treat prevalent complaints.

Public security: The frequency of fatal aircraft accidents and boat collisions is disturbing.The prevalence of trafficking in persons and the incidence of armed robberies and everydaybanditry are notorious. The Guyana Police Forces sub-divisional headquarters at Bartica,however, is ill-equipped to respond promptly to violent crimes, especially in the Regionsgold- and diamond-mining districts.

The Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region should not be allowed to degenerate into a Cinderella province. APartnership for National Unity calls for the promulgation of a plan to meet the social, economicand political needs of this important part of Guyanas territory. There should be established, now,a new development authority to harness the Regions economic potential, encourage investmentand, most of all, to protect the people from environmental hazard and criminal violence.

Minister resignsJANUARY 24, 2014 | BYKNEWS| FILED UNDERNEWS-He did a lot of damage- Granger

In a surprise development yesterday, Minister of Local Govern-ment and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, announced hisresignation from the position, effective January 31st.

The announcement came as the National Assembly sat for the

second time for the year.

Persaud, as a Member of Parliament, was not present in the Na-tional Assembly.Several of the Parliamentarians, especially on the Governmentsside, were seemingly caught off-guard.
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A statement from the Minister said his resignation was because of personal reasons.My resignation as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development is based on personalissues presently engaging my attention as well as some additional responsibilities to which I amcommitted.

There was speculation that Persauds resignation is timed to coincide with preparations for Local

Government Elections where he is expected to play a key coordination role.

Persaud was a surprise pick by President Donald Ramotar to his Cabinet, following the November2011 General and Regional Elections.

He did not indicate whether he will be stepping down as a Member of Parliament but made it clearthat he will continue to back the ruling Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

Chief Whip of the PPP/C, Gail Teixeira, said the resignation was a personal one by Persaud. He isstill a Member of Parliament, she said.

Opposition Leader, David Granger, had no clue, but said that Minister Persaud, as the point per-son for local government organs, had done a lot of damage, installing a number of Interim Man-agement Committees (IMCs) throughout the country. Granger was still hopeful that Local Govern-ment Elections, last held in the 90s, can still be hosted by mid-year.

It was a distinct pleasure for me to have served as a Member of the Cabinet. I am extremely grate-ful to His Excellency, Mr. Donald Ramotar, for the confidence he placed in me and I wish to de-clare my fullest support to him and his Government. I pledge to do all that I can to support thePPP/C Government in everything that it is doing to bring greater, happiness and comfort to all ofus as Guyanese, Minister Persaud said in his statement.

According to the statement, Persaud has full confidence in President Ramotars ability to lead Guy-ana to greater heights and bring more opportunities for success to all Guyana.

His Excellencys leadership styles are admired by many and I am always amazed at the ease withwhich he deals with issues, particularly delicate and sensitive issues.Ganga stressed that as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, there were sig-nificant achievements during his tenure. These include strengthening of the Local Government De-partment, centrally and regionally; establishment of a Local Government Department to providesupport to the NDCs and Municipalities; enhancement of relationships with communities acrossGuyana, through constant outreach programmes and visit to villages. There was also significantmovement in the direction of informational technology that resulted in the improvement of theMinistrys communication network.

I am extremely proud that together we, at most times, worked as a team to achieve all that havemade us proud. I wish to thank my colleague Minister, the Hon. Norman Whittaker, PS CollinCroal, PA Chitra Singh, Confidential Secretary Geetanjali Curicca, Chauffeur Vedesh Lall and staffof my Ministry, as well as all in the RDCs, NDCs, Municipalities and CDCs for the support given tome and urged that they continue to work as a team for the good of all Guyanese.


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Ganga, in the statement, insisted that as a member of the leadership of the PPP, he is committed toworking with the party to enhance its chances at the next General and Regional Elections so as toreclaim the majority in the Parliament.

This is so important for Guyanas continued growth and development since no other political par-ty can assure our countrys development other than the PPP.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview yesterday afternoon with Kaieteur News, the Minister ex-pressed gratitude to media workers for the almost two and half years he was minister.

He said that numerous factors would have led to his resignation including a number of future jobopportunities and his desire to spend more time with his family. The Minister did not disclosewhat moves are next. He stated also that it is likely to be in service of Guyana in another field.

The Minister has been in the hot seat, especially concerning the state of Georgetown and late lastyear, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a US$30M recycling plant.

Government abandoned the MoU after revelations that the company may not have had the experi-ence or resources for such a project. The administration admitted that proper due diligence was

not followed.

Accounting reports of NICIL, GuySuCo, GPL should be includedin National BudgetJANUARY 24, 2014 | BYKNEWS| FILED UNDERNEWS

OppositionBy Kiana WilburgA Partnership for National Unity (APNU)s Shadow Finance Minister, Carl Greenidge, says that theMinister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh should provide information to help account for the govern-ance of agencies such as NICIL in the National Budget.

Greenidge is also insisting that detailed accounting arrangements for funds provided to the Guy-ana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) should be treated inlike fashion.

Expressing similar sentiments was Vice Chairman of the Alliance ForChange (AFC), Moses Nagamootoo.

When it comes to NICIL there is an outstanding display of stubbornness tomake full disclosure of the moneys that are not going into the consolidatedfunds. The company, which is headed by Winston Brassington, operates likea sub-treasury to which state assets are directed and it decides how re-

sources from state assets should be spent, whereas these resources should bepart of treasury.

The Company literally contributes to the deformity of the financial system. Itoperates as a mini-elected government by itself and any entity that is the re-cipient of funding from taxpayers ought to be accountable to parliament, ei-ther by way of periodic reports or review by the economic and services com-mittee.
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In addition to this, he said that it is also imperative that the country put in place arrangements toensure that the resources of the state are appropriately and fairly managed as well as distributed.

Greenidge then suggested that the first step in this direction would be to establish acceptablestandards of financial administration and management at the national level.

He noted too that there is a serious need for the discussions on the budget to also cover allmeasures affecting revenue, which include the disposal of state assets and criteria for such action.

Moreover, given the importance of the capital programme in the overall budget, Greenidge assert-ed that it is imperative that there be arrangements for the careful consideration of the major ele-ments of that programme.

The criteria and rationale for the overall programme are missing. The key documents on whichdecisions are based have yet to be seen by any member of the Opposition, let alone by independenttechnical teams, Greenidge said in conclusion.

APNU to sanction Finance Minister over NICIL failures

Kaieteur News, January 23, 2014

Within the next two or three sittings of the National Assembly, A Partnership for National Unity(APNU) will be moving to have Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, sanctioned for his failure toadhere to the resolutions of a motion passed by the House.This was confirmed by Finance Spokesperson for the coalition, Carl Greenidge, who told this publi-cation that the process has already started.

The motion that the House passed, instructed the Finance Minister to take a number of measuresregarding the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and its opera-tions. Reminding that the Government has already made public its position that it is not obligatedto adhere to the resolutions, Greenidge said that it was utter nonsense.According to the parliamentary standing orders, members of the House are bound by the rules,and as such, Greenidge insists that the Finance Minister must reign in the holdings company head-ed by Winston Brassington.

Greenidge said that APNU will be employing a number of strategies this year to deal with NICILand the first wave will come when the House gears to make a prima facie case for his committal tothe Committee of Privileges of the Parliament.

The operations of NICIL have been the source of severe criticism for a number of years to the pointthat it has been described as a rogue company.

NICIL owns and control a number of state entities as well handles government privatizations. Inrecent years it has been involved in a number of controversial large scale investments such as theBerbice Bridge, the Marriott Hotel, the Amaila Falls Access Road and was also pursuing the con-struction of the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Plant. It is now pursuing the construction of a new riv-er crossing over the Demerara River.


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At the last sitting of the National Assembly, Dr Singh tabled belatedly, NICILs annual report for2012.

That report documented that of the $7B in revenue that it earned, only $1B was handed over to theGuyana Government.

According to the 2012 report, NICILs assets in terms of property and equipment were just over$1.4B while it holds another $5B in investments.

Having never collected any dividends from the Berbice Bridge Company Inc, the report disclosedthat in 2012 NICIL sold all of its shares to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) for $950M.By the end of 2012, the company had also invested almost $3B in Atlantic Hotel Inc, which isbuilding the Marriott Hotel in Kingston.

The report also documents that during the year 2012, NICIL also sold all of its shares in the Guy-ana Telephone and Telegraph Company for US$30M.

As at the end of 2012, NICIL received US$25M for the sale with the remaining US$5M payable intwo years.

The report stated that other than Brassington, who has a contract for service with NICIL, therewere no other contracts between the company and any of its Directors.

The Directors for NICIL, at the end of 2012 were Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Head of thePresidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, Sonya Roopnauth, a Director in the Finance Minis-trys Budget Office, Nigel Dharamlall who is also the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Amer-indian Affairs and the Executive Director, Winston Brassington.

In November Greenidge had lashed out at the Finance Minister for failing to comply with the reso-lution which came out of the motion on NICIL that the opposition had voted for.

That motion in the House arose from general concerns about the unaccountability on the part ofNICIL for a variety of actions; how it had taken decisions with Government resources in a numberof projects and also because NICIL was originally established as a holding company which was in-tended to oversee the allocation of assets that came out of the privatization.

It was also responsible for advising on how properties are disposed of but the government instead,uses NICIL to get these lands and distribute them to its friends without having to go through anyproper procedure for vetting or for setting prices or anything like that, according to Greenidge.

State lands are not supposed to be handed out at personal whims and fancies, which is what the

government has been using the company to doThis is the heart of the problem. And so a motionwas passed in 2012 calling on the Government to account for the lands that it has been entrustedwith and to explain the basis upon which these lands have been handed out. It was also asked toensure that the agency brings its accounts up to date and that they hand over the monies and ex-cess funds to the treasury.


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Linden to shut down on Saturday over barren agreements -Solomon

Stabroek News, January 23, 2014Linden will be shutting down on Saturday during a planned visit by President Donald Ramotar asresidents look to express their disgust over the fact that none of the agreements signed in 2012have been honoured, says Region Ten Chairman Sharma Solomon.

Word has gotten to the Chairman that Ramotar is scheduled to visit the Region to attend the open-ing of a Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) office and Solomon says they plan to make themost of the visit.

He told Stabroek News yesterday that all of Lindens important sectors, including the business sec-tor, have signalled their commitment to the undertaking, and added that residents have beenasked to come out in support. Solomon says that he, along with the people of Linden will be await-ing Ramotars arrival, upon which he willpresent the President with a letter.

The letter, Solomon explained, will reiterate the regions dissatisfaction and disgust at the fact

that none of the commitments made by government 17 months ago have been honoured.

In July of 2012, a protest by Lindeners against governments proposal to raise electricity tariffsturned ugly after policemen responded with force leaving three men dead and sparking a riot. Aresidents-led blockade then ensued. By the time an agreement was struck between the governmentand regional officials to bring the unrest to an end the area had been shut down for weeks.

Additionally, several buildings were torched and the cost of living in the region shot up as lanes toand from the capital city were blocked.

Coming out of the agreement were a number of committees, including the Technical Review Com-

mittee which was given the mandate to examine the issue of electricity rates. An Economic Com-mittee and a Land Selection Committee were also agreed upon, and the government committed toallowing the region to have its own Television Station.

Seventeen months and several disputes later though, none of the agreements have come to frui-tion. Government and regional officials are still deadlocked on the appointment of a Chairman tothe Technical Committee following the resignation of former Chairman Narvon Persaud, and, justrecently, the Economic Committee also saw its Chairman resign.

Unlike the Technical Committee though, the Economic Committee is yet to commence its work asthe government has insisted that a replacement Technical Committee chairman be agreed uponbefore the committee begins its work.

For the work of the Land Selection Committee to get underway its complete mandate has to be as-signed and personnel from the Lands and Survey Commission have to be made available. The re-gion has also been told that it cannot receive a broadcasting licence until a court matter challeng-ing former president Bharrat Jagdeos distribution of several licences before he left office comes toan end, Solomon shared.


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Solomon also said that residents of Linden plan to voice their displeasure on more than just theirdissatisfaction about the agreement. Nurses from the Linden Hospital Complex plan to be presentto reiterate their dissatisfaction with the 5% wage increase issued by government last year.

Lindens nurses were among members of the public sector who took strike action after the govern-ment said it could not afford to give a larger increase. Despite such action though, it does not seemas though a larger increase is forthcoming. Workers who argue that they were wrongfully dis-missed by the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI) in November 2009 are also expected to bepart of gathering which will welcome the president when he visits.

Lindens stalled development politically-engineered Granger

Stabroek News, January 22, 2013The governments apparent reluctance to boost development in Region 10 is politically-motivated,according to APNU leader David Granger, who says there is need for a new development plan forthe region.

At a coalition press conference last Friday, Granger charged that the collapse of physical infra-structure, school systems and the spread of poverty throughout the region is a political manoeuvreby the PPP/C administration because it did not enjoy political support from residents in the re-gion. He noted that it was the same for other regions affiliated with other political parties. He stat-ed that there was an apparent erosion of the education sector, with the large number of dropoutsin schools, failures at exams and the deterioration of infrastructure. Some schools still lack run-ning water; classrooms are without lights some are physically unsafe or insanitary and repairs toothers are incomplete, he said.

Employment availability is also meagre in the region even though companies like RUSAL andBOSAI had provided relief, he said, while adding that the government has failed to fulfil its prom-ises of new investments and the materialisation of the proposed school of mining. He proposedthat a river ambulance should be provided to the region to deliver riverine services to areas such asCalcuni, Kimbia, Wiruni and Sand Hills because the region is essentially a riverine one. He alsostated that the collapse of some roads was causing residents to pay higher minibus fares and spendlonger periods commuting.

Granger added that the PPP/C administration had promised to implement a five-year plan whichwould reduce the regions dependency on mining; the plan had targeted the agriculture, infrastruc-ture, and manufacturing, transport and tourism sectors. However, he said, the plan was never fullyimplemented. The Partnership laments, also, that the PPP/C administration has still not imple-mented the essential elements of the 21st August 2012 agreement between the Central Govern-ment and the Regional Administration 17 months after signing it, he stated, referring to the deal

brokered to end the unrest in the town sparked by a plan to increase electricity tariffs and the kill-ing of three men during a related protest.

In light of the situation, Granger said that there was need for a new plan to resume the develop-ment of the region.

APNU MP Renis Morian also said that the government had given an investor that was interested inreconstructing the regions airstrip a royal runabout, causing a pullout on the investors end.


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National flood control master plan needed APNU

Stabroek News, January 22, 2013

Main Opposition group APNU is calling on the PPP/C administration to urgently launch a compre-hensive national flood control plan, saying its current response to monthly flooding is not finan-cially or environmentally sustainable.

APNU sees the development of such a plan and engagement with qualified persons who can assistin its formulation as a matter of urgency, the group said in a press release. In pursuance of thisobjective, Leader of the Opposition David Granger, APNU Deputy Leader and Shadow Minister ofAgriculture Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Shadow Minister for Public Infrastructure Joseph Har-mon met with a number of engineers and civic society members on Monday at the Office of theLeader of the Opposition to share ideas that could inform the said plan.

The group also said that The PPP/C administrations lack of a coherent response to the monthlyflooding is economically and environmentally unsustainable, and the loss of household goods, do-mestic and agricultural equipment, livestock; destruction of farms and homes etc., demand an al-ternative strategy.

Civic society members who attended the meeting were Bert Carter, Terry Fletcher, John Piggott,Anthony Vieira, Horace Nurse, Edward Gonsalves, Jocelyn Dow and Hamley Case, the press re-lease said.

Human Rights body advocates for independent investigation ofPolice Brutality caseChallenges government to foot medicalexpenses


It is the opinion of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) that the Guyana Police Force(GPF) is engaged in a cover-up rather than an investigation of the brutality to Colwyn Harding.This, the body says it has concluded after an alleged eyewitness of the incident came forward anddisclosed that he was asked by some police ranks not to give a statement.

The body voiced that it is therefore calling for the appointment of a respected and independentperson to investigate all aspects of the matter and for vigorous implementation of all the recom-mendations such an investigation might produce. Additionally, it is calling for sustained publicvigilance over any subsequent proceedings while recommending that the Government assume all

costs of medical treatment required for the full recuperation of the young man. The eyewitness,who identified himself as Stephan Joseph Phillips called Muslim, told Kaieteur News that he,along with his 17-year-old son, was detained at the Timehri Police Station from November 14 to 15,around the same time Harding was brought to the station.


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According to the GHRA, the reports of the brutality dealt to the young man extend the perceptionof a supposedly disciplined services being out of control. It said that such efforts at cover-upundermine the credibility of the upper echelon of the Guyana Police Force. The body added thatthe polices efforts to defend themselves against charges of negligence and laxity in responding tothe original allegations of the assault are not convincing. Police officers allegedly present whenthe beatings and sexual assault took place apparently took no responsibility to either stop the as-sault, to assist Harding to get prompt medical attention, nor to report the incident to higher au-thority, it said.

Describing it as a belated scramble, the body pointed out that the investigation by the Office ofProfessional Responsibility (OPR) was only prompted by interventions from the press. In otherwords, extreme physical brutality, an offense which merits years in prison if committed by a civil-ian let alone the allegations of sexual assault was treated as a routine disciplinary incidentwhen involving a police officer.

The GHRA expressed that another reason for the failure to report could be the perception thatsuch reports are unwelcome by superiors. It said that the state of things internally in the GPF, andin the event it is more widespread than it seems, suggest that the institution is beyond internal re-form. Where the vitality and vision for renovation is to come from is unclear, but it seems safe to

say that it will not be from within the GPF or the political party sphere, the body posited. It addedthat it deems calls for the resignation of the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of Home Af-fairs as understandable and identified that bodies such as the Police Service Commission and thePolice Association, which should be channels for re-vitalizing the GPF, are moribund. The onlyguarantee of re-invigorating the GPF with standards of integrity and professionalism is greater di-rect public involvement in decision making at all levels of public life.

The body made reference to an attempt, almost a decade ago, to renovate the GPF as an institu-tion, noting that the opportunity was lost when the watered down recommendations produced bythe Disciplined Services Commission were kicked into the long grass by Parliament.

With respect to the SWAT team, the Human Rights body posited that here is not where priorityshould lie but at instilling respect throughout the Force for the Code of Conduct for Law Enforce-ment Officials and the Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Prisoners. It opined that SeniorPolice officials and politicians responsible for law and order should regularly and publicly promoteand implement these standards. The total silence by senior authorities on these standards send asignal to lower ranks that use of excessive force is no big thing. As such it is calling for a process ofrenovating the leadership of the GPF in a manner which underlines and ring-fences professional-ism from political party interference.


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GFC not informed about Malaysian investment

Stabroek News, January 19, 2014

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has no knowledge of a proposed US$500 million agricul-tural and forestry investment by the Malaysian syndicate, Wee Boon Ping Group of Companies.When contacted a senior official of the GFC said that the commission had no knowledge of the in-

vestment and it was done through the Ministry of Agriculture and Go-Invest. Stabroek News hadreported earlier that Bornion Guyana Inc (BGI) the local subsidiary of the Wee Boon Ping Groupof Companies had begun the first phase of what it envisions will eventually be a US$500 millioninvestment in Guyanas agricultural and forestry sectors covering oil palm, rubber and soya,among other crops.

Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy had told Stabroek News that BGI has been allocated10,000 acres in the Canje Basin to plant rubber. The company has already started its nursery forthe rubber plants, he had said. Stabroek News had learnt that the company plans to establish astate-of-the-art industrial complex by 2017 to produce value-added products based on the com-mercial scale cultivation of 120,000 hectares of rubber, 100,000 hectares of oil palm, 60,000 hec-tares of corn, and 30,000 hectares of cassava.

During 2018-2020, it is envisioned that 80,000 hectares will be cultivated with acacia, rice and as-sorted beans. The 10-hectare industrial complex will include a large laboratory, several plants forprocessing and packaging rubber and food crops, a refinery for processing and refining palm oiland other ancillary infrastructure that will see Guyana producing and exporting a range of pro-cessed, value-added products, according to information provided to Stabroek News.

In setting up the complex, full use will be made of green energy sources. Another major item in theplanned investment is the construction of a pier with warehouse and refrigeration facilities on leftbank Corentyne River to ensure timely movement of large volumes of goods being exported. Thecompany envisages that up to 5,000 people will be employed in nurseries, tending operations inplantations, food processing in factories, rubber and palm oil processing, in support services, andin research.

Chairman of the opposition coalition APNU, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine had said that he will be seek-ing further information on the proposed investment in the National Assembly. Roopnaraine hadsaid that he read the story in the Stabroek News and it is not satisfactory to have to rely on thenewspapers to get the details on such matters.

Last month, Roopnaraine had called on government to come clean on two potentially major agri-culture investments. The two Memoranda of Understanding for large agricultural projects whichwere quietly signed by the government with Indian and Chinese companies raised disquiet as their

terms were not publicized.

Roopnaraine had said that the first knowledge of dealings with the D Y Patil Group and China Pa-per came to his attention through reporting in the Stabroek News. He said that with these MoUswe are of the firm belief that they need to be fully ventilated and brought to the National Assem-bly. Prior to the reportage in the Stabroek News there had been no information from the govern-ment on the details of MoUs clinched with the two companies. In addition, apart from a releasefrom the Government Information Agency (GINA) in April 2012 reporting on the visit of Wee BoonPing Group officials, there has been no word from the government on this deal either.


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APNU calls for renewed development strategy for Region 10


Leader of the Political Opposition faction, David Granger, has made an urgent call for the renewedregional, economic and social development initiative to improve the economy and as well as thequality of life of residents of the Upper Demerara-Berbice Region (Region Ten). This he expressed

at a press briefing yesterday which was held at his office on Hadfield Street, Georgetown. Also pre-sent at the conference was Member of Parliament (MP) and Regional Democratic Councilor of Re-gion 10, Renis Morian.Granger, before highlighting some of the key points to justify his call, firstly noted that the regionis the real gateway to much of the hinterland and indeed the rest of South America.

He then reminded that the regions mining and logging resources have been exploited for decadesand that the agricultural potential of its vast intermediate savannahs is still untapped, while itsphysical infrastructure is undeveloped and its tourism resources are largely unexplored. During hisaddress, Granger expressed his disappointment that the residents continue to remain poor whilstthe Region is rich in resources.

The Opposition leader also expressed his concern for the regions current state, given its economicpotential as well as its strategic importance, and taking into consideration as well that the Peo-ples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration has been so reluctant to implement compre-hensive administrative measures to improve the quality of life for residents of the region. TheMember of Parliament went on to discuss a few topics of interest which he believes should be madethe focal point for the review of the plan to develop the region.

Granger spoke to the importance of educational attainment, the need for an increase in employ-ment opportunities, the unavailability of technicians to operate the equipment at the Linden Hos-pital and a river ambulance for the riverain areas such as Calcuni, Kimbia, Wiruni and Sand Hills.He also spoke to the terrible terrain which continues to make transportation an arduous task forresidents. He said that some schools within the region are physically unsafe as basic necessitiessuch as lights, proper sanitary facilities and running water are not in place. He noted too that evenwith the presence of the Russian Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc and the Chinese Bai Shan Linand BOSAI companies, who have provided slight relief, several labour issues still remain unset-tled.

Granger also made reference to the fact that transport has been severely affected by the withdrawalof the of the Berbice river-boat service which has affected agricultural production and marketing inthe region. He also mentioned several roads, including the Linden-Ituni-Kwakwani roads, whichare currently in a terrible state. The Linden Economic Advancement Fund (LEAF) the succes-sor to the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP) has been starved of funding thereby

depriving many poor people from escaping from poverty, Granger said.

He further asserted, The PPPC administration, seven years ago in 2007, did indeed promise topromulgate a five-year development plan. Its objectives were to be the reduction of the Regionstraditional dependency on mining and the achievement of long-term economic diversification andcollaboration between the state, the private sector and the community. That plan targeted the agri-culture, infrastructure, manufacturing, transport, tourism, information communication technologyand mining sectors.


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APNU, he said, laments the fact that the PPPC administration never fully implemented that plan.The PPPC administration has still not implemented the essential elements of the 21st August 2012agreement between the Central Government and the Regional Administration seventeen monthsafter signing it. It is upon this background that the leader of APNU made a call for a new planwhich he believes is now needed to resume the task of the development of the Upper Demerara-Berbice Region. This call was also supported by Morian, who also later elaborated on the pointsraised by the Leader of the Opposition.

APNU says its being sidelined from Budget consultationWillforce implementation of reforms if concerns not taken on

board

Kazieteur News, January 18, 2014

The opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) says that it remains hopefulthat consultation with government over the 2014 budget would be reached.

However hope is rapidly draining away taking into consideration that it will be presented in March

and budget arrangements and submissions by the respective Ministries would have been done al-ready while no substantial talks between the opposition and government have commenced.

APNU said that its position was that a tripartite Budget Commission be established because of theimportance of the budget, however it didnt happen in 2011 when it was first advanced, in 2012, orin 2013 even though President Donald Ramotar promised to initiate a new process on the first ofJuly last year.

Leader of APNU David Granger expressed that real face to face consultation has not taken placethere has been some engagement but the concerns of APNU have not been taken on board by theMinister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh up to the present time so we cannot expect that in the remain-

ing two months we would be able to cover sufficient ground. The budget is a very complicated doc-ument with three huge volumes like an encyclopedia and it calls for a lot of data, people cannotsimple produce a shopping list and expect that shopping list to be accepted. We have to be giventhe information on which to base our plans. The government has all that information, it has all thetechnicians and I would say we have been sidelined from the process up to the present time.

Granger added that the government is playing a very dangerous game in denying them the op-portunity to contribute meaningfully through the consultative process and feels that the budgetwhich is in its advanced stages of preparation has not incorporated the main concerns of APNU.

According to Granger, while he recognizes the responsibility of the executives for the final prepara-

tion of the budget, there is now a different dispensation in the National Assembly and as such theyhave called for a consultative process so that the majority can have its concerns addressed in thebudget.

The opposition leader said that they will continue to exercise their action to reduce funding in are-as where they feel there is no transparency or the money is not being used for a proper purpose.In the case of the National Communication Network for example we cut the funding because wefeel that the opposition parties do not have adequate coverage, or do not have access with the Statemedia, the Chronicle, NCN, or GINA and many of the positions taken by the opposition is not cov-ered so we cut that.


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It has to do with the will of the PPP-C and their will is reflected in the instructions given to the

key administrators, all of whom they alone appoint, to release persons and equipment seized in

the course of carrying out activities/ investigations closely associated with or actually involving

money laundering.

The Member of Parliament added, Those powers to oversee the administrative or executing agen-

cies (The Guyana Police Force; Customs, The Bank of Guyana, FIU, The Guyana Revenue Authori-ty etc.) and to appoint all their key personnel, should be overseen by civil society and not the PPP-

C alone.

APNU feels strongly that if this is not done nothing will change, and money launderers will con-tinue to operate throughout Guyana without fear of ever being prosecuted.

The tendency of the Executive arm of Government, Cabinet members in particular, to behavelawlessly without fear of reprimand and legal consequences, and the dangers it poses to our funda-mental rights are attributable to the refusal of the PPP-C and the Executive to put in place the fun-

damental rights enshrined in the constitution Independence of the Judiciary; Ombudsman; Ap-pellate Tribunals, Public Procurement Commission; Constitutional offices etc. These problemswill be compounded by strengthening the powers of the Government under the Anti-Money Laun-dering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act.

He noted too that in the face of the failure of President Donald Ramotar to assent to Bills properlypassed by the National Assembly to limit or remedy the above, APNU will not pass any legislationlaid by the Executive.A strong, enforceable Bill should be accompanied by measures to meet our demands for bettergovernance, particularly as it regards fulfillment of outstanding constitutional requirements, in-cluding the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission. The two must go hand in hand.

$1.5B spent in two monthsReturning voted down expendi-ture does not guarantee approval- Granger


Simply returning Financial Papers with expenditure that previously did not gain the support of APartnership for National Unity (APNU) does not guarantee approval.

This is the position held by Leader of the Political Opposition, Brigadier (retd) David Granger,

who said that while the coalition is still to take a definitive position, some of the expenditure re-

turned had been previously voted down as a matter of principle.

He said that the coalitions Shadow Cabinet will meet today and take a decision on how it will be

voting on Thursday.


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Member of Parliament Annette Ferguson presents cheque to Ms. Sharon Harding

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Diaspora News - January 18 - 24, 2014

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