Diaspora News - January 4 - 10, 2014

8/13/2019 Diaspora News - January 4 - 10, 2014

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APNU calls on PPPC to launch a national flood control planA Partnership for National Unity expresses its dismay at the continued failure of the Peoples Pro-gressive Party Civic administration to protect the population from the ravages of repeated flooding.The Partnership calls on the Government to urgently launch a comprehensive national flood con-

trol plan.

APNU has noted with alarm that every month, major floods occur somewhere in the country either on the coastland or in the hinterland. The PPPC administration, however, seems unable orunprepared to implement measures to identify the causes, to notify the populace and to mitigatethe impact of this recurrent hazard. The extent, intensity and frequency are unmistakable. 2013was a year in which significant flooding occurred every month:

January on the East Coast Demerara;February, in sections of Kingston, Georgetown;March, in sections of Uitvlugt on the West Coast Demerara;

April, on the East and West Coast Demerara and the Essequibo Coast;May, at Bartica in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region and St Ignatius in the Rupununi Region;June, at Den Amstel on the West Coast Demerara;July, in Albouystown, Georgetown;August, on the East Bank Demerara;September, at Tuschen, on the West Coast Demerara;October, again in Albouystown, Georgetown;November, in sections of Georgetown and elsewhere; andDecember, in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region and elsewhere.

APNU is concerned that this pattern of monthly flooding continues to incur incalculable personal

losses in terms of damage to homes, household goods and domestic and agricultural equipment,the destruction of farms and the death of livestock.

APNU laments the fact that the PPPC administration has never conducted an inquiry into the cata-strophic Great Flood of January 2005 or of the frequent floods which continue to plague thecountry. The impact of the despoliation, however, cannot be ignored. An Inter-American Develop-ment Bank study reported that, from 1988 to 2006, floods affected 965,000 persons and resultedin more than US$663M in economic damage. The Great Flood reportedly affected 25 per cent ofthe national population and caused economic losses equivalent to 60 per cent of Gross DomesticProduct (GDP) for that year.

APNU AT WORK

A WEEKLY SUMMARY OF EVENTS

KEEPING THE DIASPORA INFORMED

January 4 -10, 2014

Vol. 24


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The study points out, further, that a result of the dynamic interplay between high tides, high rain-fall levels and a network of drainage and irrigation canals, conservancy dams and sluices designedto support agriculture, the coastland, as well as riverine areas and some low-lying parts of the hin-terland, are at high risk to flooding.

It is a well-known fact that Guyanas coastal zone lies near or below sea level. The rate of sea-levelrise in the Caribbean is predicted to be five times greater than the world's average, according to theIDB study. This means that sea-level rise resulting from global warming could significantly in-crease disaster risk in Guyana to levels that threaten the physical and economic viability of thecoastal zone.

Since the Great Flood, the administration has been on a spending spree. It has squandered bil-lions on world cup cricket, the Caribbean Festival of the Arts (Carifesta), a five-star hotel and oth-er prestige projects while neglecting the infrastructure needed to protect the country from flood-ing.

The damaging effects and frequent occurrence of flooding in this country demand more serious at-tention from the government than the usual, annual adhocery and phoney expressions of concernfor the victims. The PPPC administration needs to promulgate aNational Flood Control Mas-

ter Planthat must comprehend the consequences of climate change that are so evident to every-one else everywhere around the world today.

The proposedPlanmust be capable of anticipating the monthly cycle of flooding and of notifyingcitizens early of the onset of extreme weather and the threat of flooding. ThePlanmust strength-en disaster risk management agencies and maintain sea defence and flood protection infrastruc-ture.

ThePlan, most of all, must embody a strategy to protect lives and property from the consequencesof the devastating floods of the sort that have affected our country over the past decade.

FLOODING IN LANCASTER-HOGSTYE/CORENTYNE

On Tuesday 7thJanuary, 2014, a delegation from APNU led by Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, MP, andincluding Dr. Rishee Thakur, visited the NDC at Lancaster/Hogstye on the Corentyne. The visitwas in response to several complaints of sustained flooding in the area including a pieceinKaieteur News, 4thJanuary 2014, "Failed predictions - Lower Corentyne still floods".The following day, 8thJanuary, 2014, another story, of the same "flooding", appeared inStabroekNews. The latter it appears was a response from the Regional Chairman to the previous pieceinKaieteur News, which he felt was unfair, if not without foundation.

The RDC Chairman suggested that his visit to the area could not confirm what appeared

inKaieteuras generalised flooding due to poor if not the absence of maintenance. He suggested,first, that the complaint of "flooding" came from a single person, a Mr. O'Neil Leitch. Second, henoted that the areas under flood waters were "swamplands" and "marsh", marginal at best to thecommunity and, therefore, of little consequence to its health/welfare.

He did admit, however, that while there was some flooding which was only temporary - a coinci-dental combination of the "spring tide" and the "constant rains", that had simply "overwhelmedthe drainage system".


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In addition, he acknowledged that the initial flooding was caused by a dysfunctional pump whichhas since been repaired and now operational. Moreover, the RDC has sent a mini excavator to thearea while the drainage sluice, connected to the out fall channel, was functional, operating at ca-pacity.

Understandably, the Chairman is peeved atKaieteur'sinsinuations of extensive flooding and, ac-cording toStabroek, "slammed" it for "its inaccuracies". "When we come into the ground we arenot seeing what these people are writing,he toldStabroek News. The motive here is to make theregional administration look bad I am here and I am not seeing anything of what is reportedI asked residents about the picture of the flooded area but no one seems to know theplace,Armogan said.

Cursory reflection and a little investigation suggest that the Chairman's inquiry of the flooding mayhave been a bit hurried while his assessment may be equally hasty. First, theKaieteur article sug-gests that the reporter had spoken to at least three named persons: Charles Smart, Patricia Blend-man and O'Neil Leitch. Second, the reporter referenced "residents" at least six times to suggestthat he had in fact spoken to several persons in the community and not just one, as the Chairmansuggests. Similarly, the APNU delegation spoke to more than a dozen persons, including employ-ees of the NDC who confirmed the widespread flooding - represented in theKaieteur article. While

there may be questions of detail, as per the source or real cause of the flooding, there is no doubtthat the flooding was widespread and not confined to a small area in Liverpool and now receding.

APNU delegation is similarly confused by what the chairman means by "swamplands" and"marsh". None of the flooded areas visited were outside the residential community, neither backlands nor foreshore. What we did see were drainage canals without withholding dams that hadlong disappeared while several trenches and drains were overgrown with reeds and brush, quitevisible from the public road, indicating that they had not been cleaned for years.

What they do suggest is systemic neglect and official dereliction well before the present Chairman'stenure. And while we too, under other circumstances, would naturally see marsh and swamplands

the Chairmans designation is revealing. Human beings could hardly be expected to live in suchconditions.

Certainly part of the problem is the absence of an NDC since the passing of the last Chairman a fewyears ago. Ironically, while the Minister of Local Government has seen fit to replace most of theexisting NDCs in the region with IMCs Lancaster-Hogstye has been left to fend for itself. No offi-cial authority to either take responsibility or provide accountability - the best way, it seems, to ex-ercise authority.


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Another section of Mahaica seawall collapses

Kaieteur News, January 5, 2014

Is only when is Election time that politicians does come and promise we all kinda thingsthenthey left we to de mercy of de sea. These are the sentiments echoed by several residents of theUnity, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara community as they continue to brace themselves for a possi-

ble disaster, if the authority that is responsible for the maintenance of the sea defence does not actquickly. Three days after a contractor sealed a sea defence breach at Mosquito Hall, Mahaica, ahuge section of the seawall collapsed a few hundred yards away.

Residents said that the sea defence protecting their community has been neglected and the col-lapse of the section at Unity squatting area is a result of constant undermining.

According to the residents, apart from some spot repairs, there has not been any significant workcarried out to the actual seawall since it was erected decades ago. In fact, several sections of theseawall in the area are showing signs of total neglect, and according to residents, it is only a matterof time before total disaster strikes. Last week a Ministry of Public Works official sought to dispelreports that the sea defence was being neglected. At this time we have to do preventative work un-til the permanent work is approved in the budget, the official told this newspaper.

Meanwhile, the earthen embankment which was

repaired on New Years Day is already showing

signs of collapsing again. This newspaper revisited

the area on Friday and from all indications, it is on-

ly a matter of time before the structure is breached

again. Residents have described the move by the ad-

ministration as being penny wise and pound fool-

ish. This is just wasting a lot of moneythis tem-porary thing wha dey doing hey aint mek no sense.

Because you do it and not even a big tide come, and

it break away, so by spring tide, nothing aint gon

deh hey, another resident observed.

The residents share the view that money can be siphoned off if basic works have to be re-done on aregular basis.

Kaieteur News understands that following the publication of graphic photos of the deterioratingsea defences, Ministry of Public Works officials visited the area, to tek shame out of dem eye, ac-

cording to a few residents.


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Crumbling Mosquito Hall seawallUrgent action required toavert a catastrophic event APNU


A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)s Joseph Harmon, along with other members of the coa-lition yesterday paid a site visit to the crumbling seawall at Mosquito Hall, Mahaica, East Coast

Demerara (ECD), and said that there needs to be an urgent session held to allow stakeholders tocome together and devise a strategic plan of action.

Harmon said that based on observations, there are several sections of the sea defence structure inthe locale that are crumbling and need to be urgently addressed.According to Harmon, should the wall be breached and the coast flooded, it will not be a case ofAPNU, the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) or Alliance for Change (AFC) supporters being affect-ed, all of us will be affected.Harmon said that ever since the budget presentation earlier this year, he had pointed out to theHouse that the amount of money allocated for emergency works was clearly not enough. He saidthat with the monstrosity of an erection that was recently built on the seawall as well as the sand-

bagging exercise earlier in the year on the lower east coast, he is quite certain that the money allo-cated for emergency works has already been utilised.Harmon reported that during the visit, a couple of workers from the Ministry of Public Works wereobserved putting bags with what they said was concrete mix into the gaping hole in the seawall. Hesaid that there were breakages observed at several points along the clearly brittle seawall.

The damage, he said, appeared to have been caused by erosion and high tides.

Harmon reiterated that there must be a special session where they can sit down and structure a re-

sponse to the failing sea defences, while charging that the Government needs to get away from the

mentality that no good suggestions or recommendations could come from the opposition benches.

The coalition, in a subsequent statement to the media, quoted Harmon as saying that the visit was

done at the request of concerned residents, to inspect the crumbling sea defences in the area.

It said that after viewing the gaping holes and the crumbling sea wall, Harmon asserted that what

he had witnessed was the result of systemic neglect and a lack of a structured national plan to deal

with the nations sea and river defences.

The Member of Parliament opined that because of the neglect, the lives of the residents of Mosqui-

to Hall are now in jeopardy and those persons, most of whom are fisher-folk, are now threatened

by the very sea from which they earn their living.We are in a constant battle to protect and maintain the structural integrity of our sea and river de-

fence structures, and to develop sustainable shore management systems to contain the ravages of

the ever encroaching Atlantic Ocean and the PPP/C Administration is not doing enough to safe-

guard the lives and livelihood of the residents of coastal communities like Mosquito Hall, Mahai-

ca.


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Last year, the Alliance For Change (AFC) also called for the firing of the GuySuCo board. AFC lead-er Khemraj Ramjattan said the corporation has failed Guyana miserably and changes should bemade from management downward. It is time to turn the board of GuySuCo on its head since theydo not know what it takes to lead GuySuCo, Ramjattan said. In the 2013 national budget, govern-ment gave the corporation $1 billion to help in the implementation of its modernisation plan; how-ever, the Skeldon Sugar Factory remains a major obstacle.

The life of the current board ended on December 31, 2013 and a new board is expected to be ap-

pointed this month. Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, when asked about whetherGuySuCo Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Bhim will remain in his post, had said that decisionhas not yet been determined. He, however, assured that the new team being considered will help tomove the industry forward and place the corporation in a better financial position.Dr Ramsammysaid the corporation is currently looking at a different business plan. He said all of these issues areexpected to be addressed this year, with the appointment of a new board.

Amid all of its production and financial woes, GuySuCo has been functioning under the guidanceof a board of directors whose term expired in October one that seems not to be capable of turn-ing around the industry. The life of the board was extended to December 31, 2013.

Opposition likely to vote against further money for GuySuCoStabroek News, January 7, 2014

Opposition parties A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC)are unlikely to vote in favour of budget measures for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo)given the continued dismal production and in the absence of a comprehensive turnaround strate-gy. Sugar for 2013 hit a 22-year low, with GuySuCo producing just 186,000 tonnes, falling short ofthe European Union quota.

Following peak production in 2004 of over 300,000 tonnes, the output of the corporation gradual-

ly began to decline over the years. The corporation has been revisiting its yearly targets downwardsevery single year and at every budget presentation for the past five years the Minister of Financehas an assessment of the economy and the non-sugar economy in speaking of the countrys per-formance for the previous year.

Speaking to Stabroek News recently, Chief Executive Officer of GuySuCo Paul Bhim confirmed thatGuyana had not met the EU quota; only 135,000 tonnes of sugar had been exported to the Europe-an market at the end of November 2013.

The corporation had a target of 232,000 tonnes as its minimum production for its internationaland local quotas but this faded into oblivion as GuySuCo slid towards a large deficit.

Bhim had told this newspaper that the corporation would suffer no injury through undersupplyingthe European market since there were no penalties attached to the commercial contract and thatthe local market would not be affected by the shortfall.

The corporation has been plagued by a flurry of industrial relations issues over the years com-pounded by bad weather which reduced days available for work. In addition, the Skeldon factorysperformance has been way below par following its commissioning some five years ago.


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Granger calls for collision-free Parliament in 2014

Guyana Times, January 4, 2013

Opposition Leader David Granger is calling for 2014 to not be a year where government and theopposition parties collide in Parliament, but rather one of cooperation and transparency.Speaking at a press briefing on Friday at his Hadfield, Georgetown office, Granger said the admin-istration should start by respecting the decisions made by the National Assembly as he pointed tothe bills passed, but not assented to. We want President Ramotar to assent to the bills that the as-sembly has passed, we want President Ramotar to implement the resolutions of the National As-sembly, we want good governance, thats what we are fighting for, Granger said.

The opposition leader is also calling for the establishment of a new social contract that will pavethe way for national unity, guarantee human safety and foster economic development growth. Hesaid major sections of society, including the government, political opposition, trade unions, pri-vate sector and civil society should seek an agreement on a broad national programme to acceler-ate growth of the country over a two-year period.

Combined talents

The contract will combine the talents of a wider constituency and simultaneously create conditionsfor social cooperation and economic progress as it fulfils its objective. The three-fold purpose ofsuch a contract would be to reach a broad consensus on the goals of national development; to es-tablish a sustainable institutional architecture; and to create effective policy instruments for theachievement of the objectives of the contract, Granger explained.

Questioned whether the call is a realistic one, the opposition leader said he is more than optimistic.Bearing in mind what the president had to say in his New Years address, he seems to be very wor-ried because he himself acknowledged that there were obstacles to what he calls the transformativeagenda. Well, if he wants to remove those obstacles, let him come to the negotiating table, sitdown with the opposition and let us decide how the country will move forward.

In justifying the need for a new social contract, Granger opined the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration has demonstrated an inability to address issues of national interest,noting that the economic crisis has lowered workers standard of living. Protests by two of thecountrys largest trade unions, the Guyana Public Service Union and the Guyana Agricultural andGeneral Workers Union, have demonstrated how labour relations between the state and its work-ers have degenerated. The ranks of unemployed young people are increasing. Poverty is rampant,the opposition leader noted.

Unimpressive rating

Reference was also made to the World Bank 2014 World Development Report which rated Guyanaas the second poorest country in Caricom. According to the report, Guyanas Gross National In-come (GNI) of US$3410 per capita is unfavourable when compared with The Bahamas, which hasa GNI of US$21,280 per capita. The security crisis has disproportionately hurt the poor. Guyaneseare pained by the surge in serious crimes last year, 2013, representing a seven per cent increaseover the same period in 2012, Granger said.
http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/?p=45028http://www.guyanatimesgy.com/?p=45028


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He added that there was an increase in the number of armed robberies involving the use of fire-arms by 16 per cent while contending that other serious crimes include banditry in the hinterland,murder, piracy, fatalities on the roads and interpersonal violence.

Granger told reporters that the PPP/C administration should start addressing issues affecting Guy-anese by honouring its obligation, noting that tripartite consultations with workers and employ-ers organisations should continue in an effort to promote increased production and productivity.APNU is also advising the government to establish a framework for genuine consultation amongsocial partners and to implement national economic and social programmes, in keeping with theCaricom Charter of Civil Society for the Caribbean Community.

Procurement of drugs a national scandal- Harmon


A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament and shadow Minister of PublicWorks and Communication, Joseph Harmon, has said that President Ramotars recent commentson the issue of shortage and wastage of drugs are totally unacceptable, and a belated recognition

that corruption abounds in the health sector.

I do hope that we are picking the right people for the right jobs We spend billions of dollars eve-ry year to buy drugs yet we are confronted with shortage of drugs at health facilities nationwidemillions of dollars of expired drugs are written off and dumped in large quantities this is totally un-acceptable, President Ramotar had said.

The statement by President Ramotar coming at the end of the year echoes what we in the opposi-tion have been saying for over two years that the procurement of drugs is a national scandal.Harmon said that it is clear that the President has come to the realization that this type of corrup-tion can no longer remain a national secret. Unless Executive attention is placed on corruption

the perpetuators remain emboldened to continue this practice which has the effect to gut the natu-ral resources and the energies of its people of Guyana. The onus is now on the President to take ac-tion against the gutter men of Guyana.

Now that he has picked up the cudgel, the President will be well advised to examine closely theaward of contracts in the mining and construction sectors of Guyana, said Harmon.The Member of Parliament articulated his hopefulness that in 2014 the Executive can work withthe Legislature to ensure that the resources of the country are utilized for the benefit of all Guya-nese and not just a few.

We have no right to be ranked as the second poorest nation in CARICOM (Caribbean Community

and Common Market) by the World Bank. This government has brought us all to shame not onlyin Guyana but abroad.

It is my further hope that all Guyanese in the public and private sector, workers all join with theopposition in fighting for a better life for all and that the heart of the few in the obscenely rich ca-bal will be motivated to free up some of the wealth to the benefit of the majority of poor Guyanese.


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The Minister has to come with a proper proposal. We have been very skeptical of Dr. Anthony andanything that he comes with because he has not been forthcoming with pertinent information justlike the rest of the government. He has not been transparent. We want to see a plan to show howthis editorial board will work and how it will benefit the people and improve the press itself. Hewill not get the money through bullyism

Williams stressed as well that at present there are several local writers who are disappointed in the

way the Press is being managed. The Press is currently being managed by its Editor, Mr. DavidDabydeen. Moreover the Member of Parliament said that Dr Anthony will have to confirm to anaudit of past funds, and if he gets this sum approved for the board he will also have to comply withan audit for that as well.The AFC has a keen focus on him this year, Williams said.

Supporting his comments as well was A Partnership for National Unitys Shadow Minister of Pub-lic Works and Telecommunications, Joseph Harmon. The Minister of Culture cannot expect thatany allocation of funds in the budget will not be subject to the most intense scrutiny. We encouragethe expansion of the Arts and we support the position of Williams as it regards the compliancewith an audit. The Minister must understand that when it involves funding we want transparencyand this proposal he is coming with will undergo careful and intense inspection.

New River Triangle debacleExposure, not hostility, unraveledMURI deal Harmonour natural resources are finite and ifin one generation all are given out what will happen to futuregenerations Harmon


Muri Brasil Ventures Incorporated has blamed its pullout of the Permission for Geographical and

Geophysical Surveys (PGGS) on prejudice and hostility but A Partnership for National Unitys(APNU) Executive Member, Joseph Harmon, believes that it was in fact the scrutiny and exposuresthat resulted in the decision.Commenting on the matter yesterday, Harmon said, there was no hostility on our part or on thepart of the media. He said that it was the exposure of the information that should have been in thepublic domain even before the permission was granted.

Harmon warned too that this level of scrutiny will be applied to all future transactions.He said that this level of scrutiny must be applied to all allocations of such large scale areas of land.According to Harmon, our natural resources are finite and if in one generation all are given outwhat will happen to future generations.

The APNU Executive Member believes that the nation is in fact indebted to the level of scrutinythat was focused on the Muri PGGS. He said that in future the same level of scrutiny will be ap-plied to ensure that there is probity and transparency.

Harmon believes that companies must be thoroughly scrutinized before any such deals are inked,to ensure that they have the capacity to undertake their proposed ventures.As it relates to Muris claim of hostility, Harmon said that it was the same blame game nonsensethat was used when the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric project fell through and the government resort-ed to blaming the opposition.


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Muri Brasil Ventures Incorporated on Saturday last made the announcement that it had pulled outof the PGGS it had been granted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). Thecompany in its announcement said that although the process was legal and transparent, this deci-sion is due to the misinformation, prejudice and hostility to this proposed survey by persons andagencies which are fostering an adverse investment climate in Guyana. The news came just daysafter Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, had confirmed that the Ministry denied permissionto the company for the construction of an airstrip.

Muri had previously announced that it was awaiting permission from the Ministry to build an air-strip to facilitate its aerial surveys. Benn had told media operatives that an application was madefor an airstrip in the New River Triangle area and approval had not been granted. He was adamantthat the refusal of the permission for the airstrip had nothing to do with the imbroglio in the pressover the company and the terms of its agreement. Ever since it was discovered that Minister Rob-ert Persaud had authorized granting the PGGS, several commentators had come out in condemna-tion and called for it to be recalled.

Minister Benn was asked if refusing permission for the airstrip was not a backdoor approach toending the PGGS to which he responded that this was not the case.He said the application had been made long before the disputation in the press over the company

and its PGGS.

Benn said that as it relates to his Ministrys decision, it was a question of whether there is reallyneed for an airstrip in the area and also whether it would present additional difficulties in terms ofsecurity and oversight.

Critics of the PGGS had called it a threat to national security. The Muri debacle had sparked a lividpublic debate as to the Governments policy on mining in the disputed area. The military has tradi-tionally warned against mining in the area but Governments chief spokesperson, Dr. RogerLuncheon had said that the army has no say in making the decision.

E-Governance Project Director comes under Parliamentaryscrutiny


With the governments E Governance Project suffering from extensive delays coupled with the factthat there is to be modification to the design of the project, A Partnership For National Unity(APNU) will be moving to the Parliament to grill Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on the consequenc-es.Several questions have been formally tabled in the National Assembly by APNUs Joseph Harmon,who will be looking to elicit from Hinds, among other things, what the cost overruns related to theproject would be.

He has also formally requested of the Prime Minister to provide the rsum of the Project Director,Alexei Ramotar, as it relates to his prior experience with Fibre Optic Cable installations, designingand managing a project of this complex nature.The party is also looking to find out what salary and allowances Ramotar, the person running theproject, is paid on a monthly basis.


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It was Governments Chief Spokesperson, Dr Roger Luncheon, who recently confirmed that thelaying of the fibre optic cable had to be modified, and that it was years behind schedule.He had explained that this was done to maintain the integrity of the cables.

He explained by stating that the view is that 10 kilometres (km) lengths of the reels of cable wereprobably too long to ensure the integrity at minimal risk, hence shorter lengths are now being ut-lised in some sections. He said that the project has now started to utilise 4km lengths, specifically

in areas where the 10km lengths have been exposed to damage and breakages.Dr. Luncheon said that where the 10km lengths are intact and integrity tested, those will remain inplace, but in other areas where there is a sustained basis for thinking that a shorter length wouldbe easier to secure and maintain its integrity, those are being switched out.

Dr. Luncheon said that as it relates to the stations that are conceived and being developed to prop-agate signals in specific areas, work has gone a very far way in establishing them. He said that theadministration is also looking to have them be provided with the necessary paraphernalia that theyneed and have them ready and waiting to enter into service.

With the project already two years behind schedule, Dr. Luncheon said that the administration islooking to have the project wrapped up this year.The E-Government Project consists of the setting up of a Data Centre, a transmission network andthe data network. The Data Centre, or control centre, is being housed in the compound of Castella-ni House, in the same building that is used for the Central Intelligence Agency.

The Transmission Network stretches from Moleson Creek on the Corentyne Coast to Charity onthe Essequibo Coast. The cable runs from Lethem in the Rupununi through Linden to Georgetown.It consists of a fibre network and microwave network. Fibre will be available from Lethem toGeorgetown, Moleson Creek to Parika, while microwave will be available from Moleson Creek toCharity. From Parika to Moleson Creek, the network allows a fallover from fibre to microwave forall sites.

$$M in municipal fines not benefitting City Hall Mayor Green


While the increased violation of the municipal system by taxpayers has been a common occur-rence, City Hall has been unable to benefit from the millions of dollars paid by defaulters to thecourt, as the money is automatically diverted to the consolidated fund. This issue is being high-lighted as the lack of a standardised Municipal Court takes centre stage.

Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green had told reporters that the establishment a Municipal Courtwould go a long way in aiding the Council to rake in outstanding monies owed by private personsand entities. Green further believes that with the prosecution of those offenders, tax collection maybecome an easier task for the Council with this implementation. In a recent interview with Kaie-teur News, Mayor Green briefly explained how the cash-strapped Municipal authority is unable tobenefit from the present court system even after frequent calls were made to the administration forthe implementation of a Municipal Court.


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The Mayor and City Council is quite conscious that there has been an increase in violation of Mu-nicipal Laws in the city, particularly with regard to the constabulary, public health and engineeringdepartment. But the city does not benefit from the monies collected by the present court systembecause we lack the legal framework to do soWe had desired a Municipal Court, which would re-quire action by the cabinet and the government. The Municipal Court would deal exclusively withour matters, and will allow for incentive to be directly deposited towards the development of theCity.

This will allow us to go after more violators. It will also assist in avoiding time spent by our prose-cuting team in the courts, even as it is today. Beyond that we had asked that a ticket system be in-troduced, hence, for example, a man found littering would be issued a ticket and the money will bepaid directly to us. But that also was not agreed to by Government, Green added.

According to the Mayor, in 1997, the council made appeals to then Chancellor Desiree Bernard andChief Justice Carl Singh to have the issue suitably rectified. Mr. Singh was quite sympathetic andcooperative and today what we have is a court that deals with these matters but it falls short of ourinitial request for a special Municipal Court.

The other issue is that the municipality benefitting from the fines imposed remains unresolved;our effort to have this remedied has not met with the success we desire. The money collected by thecourt, over the years goes into the consolidated fund.

An average of fifteen matters directly related to the municipality engage the attention of a CityMagistrate every week.

While custodial sentences are the standard penalty for burglary offenders, court fines imposed up-on offenders of similar crimes against the city range from $5000 to $50,000. Crimes against themunicipality include unlawful disposal of garbage, break and enter and larceny, unlawful obstruc-tion of the public way, and forbidden soliciting of passengers touting. Judicial Officers have con-

firmed that as a result of court action taken against such offenders, a minimum of $100,000 is col-lected on behalf of the municipality every week. This amount accumulated over a five-year periodis quite significant. It has been 20 years since City Hall has benefitted from the money paid by de-faulters through the court system.

US not budging on democracy project -source

Stabroek News, January 8, 2014

The United States is standing by its position that a democracy project here should go ahead despitethe governments opposition, the most serious diplomatic stand-off between the two countries

since the PPP/C took office in 1992 on a wave of western support for free and fair elections.

The US position on the $300m Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) project was conveyed to theGovernment of Guyana in response to a Note Verbale from Georgetown requesting clarification onan interview granted to Stabroek News by US Ambassador Brent Hardt in which he said the pro-ject would proceed. We did get a response last Fridaybasically repeating what they hadsaidbefore, a source close to the government told Stabroek News yesterday.


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The source said that Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon, who has been thegovernments lead spokesperson on this matter, will be dealing with the issue at his post-Cabinetpress conference today. Diplomatic observers say the government will no doubt have to weigh howit responds to Washingtons latest position.

It was Luncheon who on November 26th last announced that government had rejected the project,which, among other goals, aims to boost citizens engagement with local parliamentarians and im-prove overall governance. He had argued that his government had no input, saying any notion ofconsultation was really just cosmetic. The ruling PPP also expressed concern, saying it believedthe project was implemented in collusion with the opposition to hasten its exit from office.

There is deep suspicion in political circles that this particular project was conceived to bolster thepolitical fortunes of the opposition political parties in Guyana. Small wonder why the political op-position and sections of the media are enamored with the project and have gobbled it up with hun-ger and satisfaction, a statement from the party read. After all, the money tree has now sprungup in the opposition camp to fund trips to the interior of our country, and radio and TV time, inshort, to provide funding for activities of the opposition political parties so that they may havesome political advantage over the PPP.From all indications it appears that we have turned full circle to the extent that we have returnedto the days of the mid 1960s when the AFLCIO funded opposition trade unions and political par-ties to destabilize the Jagan-led PPP government during the 1962-1964 period, it went on to state.

Luncheon has severely criticised the United States Ambassador, accusing him of challenging Guy-anas sovereignty after the ambassador said in the Stabroek News interview that the project wouldgo ahead. The US Ambassador had told this newspaper that there was no truth in the claim thatthe administration had not been consulted and the US Embassy released a series of correspond-ence showing that from the start the administration was actively engaged on the project. Luncheonhad even thanked the embassy for its diligent efforts to inform government. The governmentthen dispatched a diplomatic note to the US State Department and challenged the US Ambassador

to prove that USAID has a right to go ahead with the project here despite governments objectionson grounds of a lack of consultation. It said Hardt violated ambassadorial duties by pushing aheadalthough given a red light by government. However, diplomatic observers say that the US Ambas-sador would not have announced the continuation of the project without Washingtons go ahead.

Opposition figures and non-government groups have accused the government of contriving thecharge of a violation of sovereignty in relation to the US project. They have argued that the projectwould be helpful considering that local government elections have not been held here since 1994.They have also pointed out that when it was in the opposition prior to the 1992 general elections,the PPP invited US intervention in many electoral areas without seeing it as a violation of sover-eignty.

Washington recently took a hardline position on Ecuador. It cancelled aid to Ecuador worthUS$32 million over the coming years after long-running disputes with the government of Presi-dent Rafael Correa.


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According to a US State Department spokesperson, Ecuador recently informed the US Agency forInternational Development (USAID) it could not undertake new activities or extend existing oneswithout an accord governing bilateral assistance. This led to the US decision to cancel the aid. Ourplanned US$32 million in assistance programs for the coming years would have allowed us to part-ner with Ecuadoreans to achieve their own development goals in critical areas, said a letter datedDecember 12 from USAID to Ecuador, according to Reuters. A spokesperson for the US Embassyin Quito said two years of negotiations failed to reach a new agreement.

APNU never received any cash from USAID Project GrangerGovt. lamentations nothing but Cold War rhetoric

Kaieteur News, January 10, 2014A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has not received any cash from the USAID/Guyana Elections and Political Processes (EPP) Fund, Leadership And Democracy (Lead) Project that Gov-ernment has been lamenting over, given the US Government insistence on its implementation.

This was confirmed yesterday by Leader of the opposition coalition, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger

who, in an invited comment, said the only assistance it has received thus far is the facilitation of apublic meeting meant to provide voter education on the holding of local government elections.

Granger told this publication that in October last year, he met with Glen Bradbury, who is theChief of Parties for the International Republican Institute, the body USAID procured to imple-ment the project. At that meeting, Bradbury sought to elicit from the coalitions Leader, the scopeof assistance they would require.

According to Granger, the only assistance required was with voter education, given that APNU didnot have the resources to roll out any wide-scale programme.The Opposition Leader stressed that the education programme is targeting only the Local Govern-

ment Elections.

According to Granger, Local Government Elections is a complex arrangement involving 71 organs,namely the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and six Municipalities.He stressed that there is an entire generation of voters who would not be au fait with the systemwhich is mixed first past the post as well as proportional representation.As it relates to assistance from the project, Granger stressed that the only assistance received wasthe facilitation of the public meeting held at Anna Regina.The Governments lamentation over the project is nothing but Cold War rhetoric, Granger said.

Governments Chief Spokesperson, Dr Roger Luncheon, at a recent press engagement had de-

scribed some of the objections made by Cabinet as it relates to the project. He said that the fourcomponents of the project were analyzed by Cabinet and one contained major activities that cap-tured a relationship between USAID and individual political parties in Guyana.


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This, he stressed, was a source of concern, given that Guyana does not have a public policy by gov-ernment for the support for political parties. He said that there is nothing like that in the law or inpractice and the Americans through the project invited a profoundly sensitive issue.

Dr. Luncheon said that this is something that has not been dealt with by any post-independentGuyana Government and further for us represented a usurpation of our authority.He said that this was drawn to the attention of USAID which was asked to make the overtures andactivities to be a relationship between institutions such as Parliament or the Guyana ElectionsCommission (GECOM) and not parties.

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Documents

Diaspora News - January 4 - 10, 2014