APNU and its SOP findings.

APNU has finally released its ‘findings’ on the Statement of Polls (SoPs) it bullied GECOM into handing over almost four months ago. It was as we had long predicted: the mountain laboured long and mightily and produced a mouse! They found some minor discrepancies, but as Granger had telegraphed earlier, nothing that would have altered the results from even a single polling station!

What else could APNU produce? From the very beginning they used the fig leaf of SoPs to execute the SOPs most familiar to all PNC and the APNU military-top heavy staff – Standard Operating Orders to create the most confusion under the cover of which they might seize power. These SOPs unfolded to its zenith in 1997 when riots truncated two years from the PPP’s term of office. Even before the elections, Granger’s acolyte and ex-GDF officer Malcolm Harripaul had floated the red herring that the PPP was going to rig the elections.
Not being able to manufacture anything of substance to buttress their charge, APNU responded with another old PNC SOP – to bob and weave and create new charges. The complaint now is that private homes were used as “polling stations”. Gasp! This is news? Private homes in areas lacking public institutional facilities have always been used as polling stations. Is APNU suggesting that we now build new structures in these areas for every election? Dolts!
APNU produced figures purportedly showing that in the polling stations in homes, PPP won a higher percentage of votes than their overall average in Region Four. So GECOM actually picked these homes – which in any case like all polling stations had the requisite number of APNU polling agents etc – knowing that they would deliver a majority to the PPP? By what mechanism? Of course, the APNU brain trust is silent.
Even if their numbers are valid, to distinguish correlation from causation is beyond the ken of this lot. If their left eye twitches and then it rains; they’ll conclude their twitching can actually precipitate rain. And they want to run this country! Most likely to run it into the ground once again.

Tarron Khemraj and Sasenarine Singh's disappearing act.

The AFC's economic moguls, Tarron Khemraj and Sasenarine Singh have been banished to the dustbin of political 'wannabees'. The two crafted that party's vaunted 'action papers' and the disappointment with the election loss resulted in their disappearance from the political scene. A source has told Liveinguyana that Khemraj, formerly of ROAR, is also upset with the party's union with the PNC'sAPNU.
Both reside overseas and were waging an anti-PPP campaign using the Kaieteur and Stabroek News letter pages. The PNC's Carl Greenidge and flower vendor Gerhard Ramsaroop are now the AFC's economic point men.

An Assistant Commissioner cannot be the arbiter to decide when and where he follows the rule

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has had reason to remind one of his assistant commissioners about Police Standard Operating Orders. This is a point that needs emphasising. The disciplined forces are our bulwark against anarchy and chaos in our country – as in every other state in the modern world. For its professional function, the rules governing its members are very clear on almost every conceivable contingency.
There is a rule as to how the police force communicates with the public. The assistant commissioner, of all people, must know about the rule. He cannot be the arbiter to decide when and where he follows the rule. If he can, what stops every member of the force from “doing his own thing” as he/she sees fit. Isn’t this the very problem that is plaguing the force right now?
So the assistant commissioner decides that his reason for breaking the rule has a “higher motive”? Maybe it does; but he misses the point completely. It is not within his remit to make that decision. He can make that judgement but the course at that point is to resign and make his feelings known. Maybe it sounds harsh, but Weberian institutional standards are violated at our peril.
That said, coming to the substance of the controversy, the police must give a better accounting of the monies allocated for its use during the elections.

So the “right to representation” is just to place a ‘tick’ on a piece of paper?

Did Rex McKay, SC, actually plead that the case of the legislature violating the constitutionally mandated proportionality principle in constituting its committees, is not justiciable because no fundamental rights of citizens have been violated? So the “right to representation” is just to place a ‘tick’ on a piece of paper?

GECOM expresses concern that APNU failed to inform them of findings after scrutinizing SOPs, as promised

THE Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Chairman, Dr. Steve Surujbally has expressed concern over recent statements made by representatives of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), following the party’s independent verification of the Statements of Poll (SOPs) from the November 28, 2011 General and Regional Elections.
“We are concerned with this statement issued by APNU. We have asked for a report on their (APNU) analysis of the SOP’s, so when we get this we will make a more outlined response,” Dr. Surujbally explained.
The GECOM Chairman made this announcement during an interview yesterday, when he responded to claims made by the Opposition of the Commission’s “failure” to administer and conduct the General and Regional Elections.
During a press briefing held at their Hadfield Street office, on Monday, APNU announced that it found misconduct and illegal acts in the holding of last year’s elections, and suggested the GECOM’s complicity in this “misconduct”.
In response to APNU’s claim, Dr. Surujbally emphasized the Commission’s concern and assured that GECOM will respond.
He said, “We view these statements with concern and we will respond in due course when we have had a chance to see the copy of their findings,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued yesterday, GECOM noted that, at the time that the Commission agreed to make the SOPs available to APNU for scrutiny, the Party had given the undertaking to provide GECOM with the details of its findings.
“Notwithstanding the APNU’s public pronouncements, to date GECOM has received no official documentation on this matter from the Partnership. In view of the serious nature of this matter, GECOM takes this opportunity to give the assurance to all stakeholders that all of the concerns raised by the APNU will be considered extensively at the level of the Commission and its Secretariat in a timely manner. Immediately thereafter, the Commission will make a total and comprehensive response addressing all of the stated concerns,” the release stated.

Opposition, House Speaker collude to make former Burnham soldier, Granger, head of Constitutional Reform Committee

GOVERNMENT continues to voice its disapproval over the manner in which Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Raphael Trotman, and Leader of the Opposition, Mr. David Granger, are conducting parliamentary proceedings. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall is of the view that the insistence of the Opposition and the Speaker of the National Assembly on going ahead with the composition of the parliamentary committees, in light of ongoing court proceedings, is highly objectionable.
The Attorney General explained that the court has not issued an order, neither did the motion filed ask for one, to restrain the Speaker or the Opposition from constituting the parliamentary committees.
“There is no order prohibiting them from constituting the nine-member committees; however comity amongst and between the branches of government would suggest that one would defer to the other…you have a position where the matter is in the court…this precise issue is before the court and the arguments have commenced….yet the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition are moving at breakneck speed, and in complete disregard of the court’s process and the fact that government has sought the court’s guidance on this precise issue,” the Attorney General said.

The Attorney General further explained that government will have to decide what approach it will take if the Opposition continues to violate every tradition and convention known to parliamentary practice.
“Whenever the standing orders do not suit the agenda of the Opposition, they are displaying a proclivity to use their majority to change the standing orders…I do not know how long we can continue down this path; but it is quite unprecedented in Commonwealth Parliamentary practice,” the Attorney General said.
Guyana is a part of the British Commonwealth which has evolved parliamentary conventions, traditions and practices that have developed over long number of years.
“ Parliaments around the British Commonwealth have faithfully upheld these traditions and practices…one of them is that a constitutional reform committee, if the parliament decides to establish one, would be chaired by the Attorney General of the country, as it is a technical legal committee and the Attorney General is the guardian of the Constitution,” Minister Nandlall said.
He said that the Constitutional Reform Committee has been constituted, and the Leader of the Opposition, a former soldier, is the chairman of that committee.
“This is in violation of every tradition in the British Commonwealth…they have gone ahead and made Mr. Granger, Chairman of a technical legal committee… there is no country in the world where a soldier heads a constitutional reform committee,” Minister Nandlall said.

RAMANRINE'S MEDIA FORAY AN ATTEMPT TO THWART INVESTIGATIONS INTO HIS $13M DRAW-DOWN

Assistant Police Commander, Mr. David Ramnarine’s outburst is cleverly orchestrated as a distraction to his benefit, knowing he is the subject of an investigation for demanding a total of $13 million from two businessmen while he served the interior area, E and F Division.

Mr. Ramnarine has since established gold dredging operations in the interior and a grocery store on the West Bank of Demerara. Last year he also purchased two houses.

It is absolutely clear that Mr. Ramnarine is trying to cloud the eventuality or cast doubts about any investigation into these allegations of impropriety. He is setting the stage to cry foul and make claims of victimization on the grounds that he is being target for the controversy he created over elections fund to the police.

It was Mr. Ramnarine who initiated the controversy with claims that his Division had never received any of the $90 million allocated to the police force for elections. Time has proven him as mischievous, conniving and treacherous, since a cheque bearing the signature D. Ramnarine was produced in Parliament confirming he signed for moneys allocated to his Division.

The Assistant Commissioner continues to discredit himself by breaching the Standing Orders of the Guyana Police Force which all members of the force, without exception are obliged to adhere to these orders.

It might just be because of Mr. Ramnarine’s disregard for rules and regulations that interior crimes escalated under his watch as Commander.

The GDF's Credit Union problems date back to Granger's intervention to facilitate Harripaul loan.

The claims of problems in the GDF’s Credit Union go way back. Malcolm Harripaul revealed that when Granger was head of the army, he unilaterally approved a loan even though the ranks in charge of the Credit Union had turned Harripaul down. Harripaul is now repaying Granger by his political support.

In Harripaul’s own words in a letter to SN, (October 2, 2010) he wrote, “I remember well I once went to him (David Granger) with a problem. The credit union had for the second time turned down my application for a loan on the grounds that I did not have sufficient service, although they had twice given loans to another officer who had less service than me. I explained my case to Brig Granger and he was visibly upset. He called the officer on the phone and calmly said, “I have young Harripaul in my office. Could you please bring me his cheque for the loan he applied for? In less than five minutes the cheque was brought.”

A person that has broken every moral rule in pursuit of his personal vendettas questions Clive Lloyd’s decision to head Cricket IMC

Clive Lloyd is a Caribbean icon. Of course, he is human and can err. But surely, if his activities are to be questioned, it must be on the basis of some rational criteria. Yesterday the Freddie Kissoon actually had the gall to question the moral basis of Lloyds’s decision to head the IMC to straighten Guyana’s cricket administration. Yes; the man who has broken every moral rule in the book in pursuit of his personal vendettas announced he would teach Lloyd what “moral obligation in philosophy means”.
His gripe with Lloyd is that he cannot understand the moral basis of Lloyd’s choice, given that the IMC was established by a ‘dictatorial’ government. Now, it could be that Lloyd might just not share Kissoon’s opinion that the government is ‘dictatorial’. There is then no moral dilemma to be surmounted! But Kissoon alone, of course, is judge, jury and executioner of the ‘moral imperative’ in Guyana. The fascist!
But let us say that Kissoon is right (Yeah, swallow hard, and let’s proceed). Is there no moral basis for cooperating with a dictatorship? What about the moral standard of “consequentialism”? Consequentialists hold that choices — acts and/or intentions — are to be morally assessed solely by the states of affairs they bring about. Lloyd could very well tell Kissoon that he believes the IMC will restore order to Guyana’s cricket and the greater number of people will benefit – the Guyanese cricketing public. This satisfies the ‘utilitarian’ variant of consequentialism to boot.
But Kissoon has already declared he does not care what manner of evil the GCB has done! He has no “knowledge of the rights and wrongs of the GCB”. So by exactly what moral standard does he use to judge Lloyd? Just by his opinion? He is now GOD? But let us say he follows the theory opposed to “consequentialism” – deontological ethics. What then? Deontologists say no matter how morally good their consequences, some choices are morally forbidden. They go by the rule – the right precedes the “good”.
Well, isn’t this what Lloyd accepts? The GCB was breaking the fundamental rule pointed out by Justice Chang – it was not even a legal entity! Lloyd’s IMC will correct that anomaly – not by placing all GCB’s assets in private pockets as the GCB did, but by following the laws of Guyana!

REDjet in ongoing discussions for resumption of its operations

REDjet, the Caribbean’s low-fare airline, on Monday said flights remain suspended, but staffers continue to work around the clock to maintain the integrity of its business and to ensure a smooth and efficient transition when service resumes.
In a release, the airline that suspended its operation on Saturday confirms that there continues to be discussions designed to resolve the current temporary suspension of flights. REDjet said that the current service suspension is in no way related to aircraft, employees, and/or its business model. REDjet CEO Ian Burns “REDjet has made arrangements with fellow regional carrier LIAT for the provision of discounted fares for affected passengers. Persons wishing to do so may contact the LIAT Call Centre at (268) 480-5601/ (268) 480-5602 to make bookings by quoting their REDjet booking reference/confirmation number in order to be entitled to purchase a new ticket at a special fare.”
REDjet said too that it will honour its commitment to keep passengers abreast of the status of flights, and encouraged persons to call its call centre and/or visit its website for information.
REDjet announced on Friday that it was suspending all flights, blaming the decision on unfair competition and subsidised airlines in the region. In a statement, its chief executive officer, Ian Burns thanked shareholders, staff, passengers and supporters for enabling the airline to achieve the “tremendous feat of breaking the high fare experience of many Caribbean passengers, while increasing regional travel numbers for the first time in decades”.
“Our aircraft and our dedicated staff are performing extremely well, and we are willing and able to continue to provide affordable transport across the Caribbean and beyond, but we cannot.”
According to him, unlike the heavily subsidised airlines that serve the region, REDjet does not receive any assistance, but was hopeful that the carrier will be given a small part of the state assistance others receive. “Once this happens, our shareholders and staff will do their utmost to see that there is no return to high fares and business as usual,” Burns said.
He added that the airline has seen other carriers drastically cut their fares in an effort to shut down REDjet. “Unlike us, they do not have to be profitable to stay in business.” He said in spite of their subsidised efforts, passenger numbers have continued to rise because patrons enjoy the excellent service delivered at affordable prices.
REDjet prides itself as the Caribbean’s only low-fare airline and offers fares that are, on average, 60 per cent lower than those offered by other carriers on nine routes currently in the Caribbean. The airline operates three aircraft in the MD-80 series, enabling the airline to launch even more low-fare routes across the region. REDjet is privately owned and is based at the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados. It has quickly become a popular airline for consumers offering excellent customer service and operating an all-jet, all non-stop travel for consumers.