The APNU+AFC is a corrupt cabal of racists. They did nothing that benefitted ordinary Guyanese, presided over the must corrupt and incompetent government Guyana has ever had and sought to rig their way back into office. Now in opposition lies and racism is their go-to mantra. Here we expose them ....
The removal of homeless persons from the streets of Georgetown has commenced with a number of those being picked up in buses and taken to homes.
Another aspect of Government’s continuing efforts to modernise the Guyana Police Force and to ensure that the public is served more efficiently was witnessed Friday when the remodelled East La Penitence and Brickdam police stations were commissioned by Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.Following the commissioning of the East La Penitence station, Minister Rohee did the same at the Brickdam station.
At the latter, he explained that Cabinet had given the clearance for consultancy services for the implementation of five areas of the CSP: development and implementation of a comprehensive training scheme for the GPF, institutional modernisation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, design, develop and implement an integrated crime information system, update and implement immigration policies and plans, and monitor and evaluate the CSP.
“The law enforcement related challenge we face demands that policy makers design comprehensive and holistic responses aimed at modernising policing to improve professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness. These remodelled Police Stations are a welcome development and represent a significant investment by this Government in its drive to boost public security,” Minister Rohee said.
He indicated that $170M has been spent in refashioning a first batch of 12 Police stations in Regions 4 and 6 through the CSP, and this year, an additional $145M is being provided by Central Government to rehabilitate police stations in all 10 administrative regions.
The by-then cash-poor conglomerate bankrolled the 2007 election campaign of the Patrick Manning-led PNM party to the tune of some $20 million, according to sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
And while much of CL's money went through a somewhat circuitous route to sundry suppliers of goods and services: from the printing of fliers and tee shirts to tent and maxi-taxi rentals, the bulk of it was applied to direct billings from advertising agencies for media activity, said sources.
Some of it however, was paid directly into the party's coffers. One such payment was made directly to the People's National Movement from the group's insurance subsidiary, Clico, on June 28, 2007, for the generous sum of $5 million. The $5 million cheque, drawn from a Republic Bank-held account at Independence Square in Port of Spain, was endorsed less than a month before the November 5, 2007, vote by Rose Janierre, assistant party secretary and Linus Rogers, PNM elections officer.
The $5 million Clico payout to the PNM's war chest was made at a time when the country's No1 insurance company had already been red-flagged with solvency issues, a statutory fund deficit of close to a billion dollars and what financial observers warned were dangerously excessive levels of inter-party transactions within the group.
He said the Head of State’s presentation to students, lecturers and other top university officials was like a “breath of fresh air”.
President Jagdeo, in a detailed one-hour address, said the current debate for countries like Guyana is about, among other key issues, getting payment for helping to save the planet by preserving standing forests.
This, he said, calls for a “serious lobbying effort” to get deforestation included in the agreement from the United Nations summit on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark in December.
He said the developed world was not doing enough towards reducing the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere that is at the core of the climate change battle.
“Clearly all the proposals on the table will not give you the cuts that you need (to reduce emission)”, he said.
“What we have to argue for, CARICOM, and when I host the Heads of Government here in July, I plan to make this point strongly; in fact we are working on a declaration that will guide our negotiators -- all CARICOM countries -- that that’s the first point they must argue for -- deep emission cuts on the part of the developed world…that go beyond their technical potential to deliver even now”, he said.
He said Guyana and its partners also have to argue for sufficient funds to address deforestation, including adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer.
The President reiterated that Guyana is not seeking compensation from the developed world for preserving its forests but wants payment for its services to the international climate change cause through its model.
He advocated a greater partnership with countries like Guyana from the private sector in the developed world “because we can meet their objectives by tough domestic cuts but also by cheaper sources of abatement which deforestation provides.”
Guyana, he declared, is not very happy with the World Bank-type of institutional mechanism for payments for its forest services to the global cause.
He said: “The World Bank has traditionally been very bureaucratic and many of these countries and institutions are still at a loss to address some of the institutional imperatives for moving this process forward quickly. But we may have to settle on this.”
The President said he has made it clear that without compromising on transparency in the use of the funds, or without compromising on the consultative nature of the process, “these institutions shall not use the traditional bureaucratic approach to disbursing funds for climate change because it simply wouldn’t fly”.
The President said the World Bank and other institutions have “a whole repertoire of aid tools that can’t be used in the 21st century that require radical overhaul (and) reform and we are dealing with that through some other lobbying efforts.”
“This is a development strategy”, he stressed and urged the university to support the debate on the document.
“The whole idea is to make this work for our country. This goes beyond a single government – it’s a long term vision that would outlast many, many governments and we all need to work at this because it can provide a whole range of opportunities for young people.
“It would make that leap to our transformational issues because what we are doing is fixing up things – schools, roads, bridges, etc. We need now a new wave of infrastructure, new industries that can be catalysed by this process”, he said.
“Guyana objects completely to being placed on the Tier 2 watch list...we do not believe that we have trafficking on the scale that should attract the attention of the U.S., the report is inaccurate in some of its assertions: it did not give us (government) credit for all that has been done,” she stated.
At the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, President Bharrat Jagdeo had met with United States President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when he addressed the issue of the US TIP rating of Guyana.
The President had said that despite not having even three documented cases of TIP, Guyana was placed on the Tier 2 rank when it takes 100 documented cases for countries to gain US attention and be placed on this rank. After this discussion, President Jagdeo related that the US President asked Secretary of State Clinton to look into this matter.
The Government of Guyana has recognised that TIP is a crime and an inhumane activity; as such it has passed legislation which is comprehensive and holistic, the Minister said.
However, she added that while the US report states that Guyana has made “significant efforts and much progress in these departments”, it claims that in the area of prosecution and conviction the process is not satisfactory.
“We prosecute every person who can be prosecuted under the Act, who would have committed acts of trafficking; what we do not have is a large number of convictions. We cannot dictate what the Courts do, we do recognise that there are some weaknesses in the entire Judicial System in terms of how long matters take to pass through the system; and in that regard, the government is at present engaged in improving the entire Justice System through the Justice Sector Reform Strategy,” she explained.
This strategy is a large investment which, when completed, is expected to provide great improvements. It deals with the entire judiciary to see how quickly matters can be dealt with, how effective the entire system is, and how user friendly it is.
Several initiatives have been undertaken by Government to combat this crime to ensure that it does not become acceptable in Guyana’s society. These include:
The report recognises all of this as in terms of prevention and protection, and addressing issues of trafficking. We have progressed and all these significant steps have been made to address trafficking. “The one problem that the report has with us seems to be that we have not churned out these massive convictions, we haven’t convicted hundreds of persons and that is because we do not have hundreds of persons to convict; and to do this would mean that we have to manufacture charges to satisfy statistics; and Guyana will not be manufacturing charges against our citizens so that we can satisfy some US statistics that we should not even be on,” she declared.
Minister Manickchand added, “We, on the part of the government, are doing all that we can do. The report is very comprehensive in recognising all the various moves that we have made to prevent TIP, to protect victims, to make persons aware of the circumstances; so we do not warrant a placement on the Tier 2 watch list, because we don’t have trafficking in numbers that are considered significant… so our placement on Tier 2 is puzzling, especially since the report itself can be considered contradictory.”
Addressing the issue of prosecution and conviction which the report recognises as its main reason for placing Guyana on Tier 2, Minister Manickchand reiterated that Government will prosecute anyone found committing this crime and measures have been put in place to make people more aware of the ways of reporting it. She noted that all of these reports are recognised by the US. `
In his address to those gathered in commemoration of the 5 workers killed at Enmore in protest against poor working conditions and other infringements of their rights by the then colonial government President Bharrat Jagdeo waded into the earlier presentation of Guyana Trade Unions Congress (GTUC) President Ms. Gillian Burton, pointing out he finds it very strange that the GTUC President spoke eloquently of what happened in 1948 and then made a quantum lead to 1992, creating a massive vacuum of what happened during those years in between.
He said strange enough, no mention was made of what happened to sugar workers, workers generally, and the people of Guyana, in addition to the country’s economic decline, how difficult the task is today for the government to lift the populace out of the dept of poverty created by the former administration.
“I have not heard of any call of the tear-gassing of people around the country when they struggled for democracy to add that to our calendar of events, or the bauxite workers when dogs were let loose on them in their struggle for their rights as workers,” the Guyanese Head of State queried, drawing the applaud of the large gathering.
Recalling his early days as a teacher during the 1948/ 1992 period, Jagdeo said many of his students had nothing to eat and the times were so tough that families’ mere focus was survival.
“I don’t deny that today many families across our country face difficulties, but to ask a question like are you satisfied today ignores the difficulties that we have had to bring people from to levels where we are now.
“We take over a government and the schools are all in a state of disrepair, hospitals don’t have drugs, equipment, beds etc.
“When you have an inflation rate that is triple digit, then you have a debt that the servicing takes up 94 per cent of your revenue and another 20 per cent of revenue goes to pay public servants - you think for your self - how difficult the task would have been for that government, the incoming government, to start framing a policy that will lift people out of that morass,” Jagdeo put forward.
He said the critics, like Burton, must be objective when they ask that the government be fair and for justice and truth to prevail; they must not be convenient with the truth as they will not be paying a proper tribute to the memories of those who suffered.
The President said no one will be satisfied with his economic status and social well-being because the more people get, they more they want and this is normal human behaviour.
“We will never be able to satisfy everyone of our people’s expectation, especially given where we have started from,” he acknowledged.
But the President underlined that government has made significant strides in this regard, pointing to the construction of the poly clinic in Enmore, the many others on the East Coast Demerara, as well as similar facilities at Diamond, Leonora, Mahaicony, Port Mourant and Suddie.
These, he said, are in addition, to the building of massive hospitals at Linden, Mabaruma and Lethem.
“We have 600 kids who will be coming back as young doctors to staff them, that’s where the money is going today.
“Three miles away from here, another new secondary school is under construction (the Hope Secondary School) for the people who live here, that’s where the money is going.
“If you look at pensions, you would see what has happened for the pensioners, if you look at the water supply system which is still bad, but we have awarded a contract of $132M to interconnect the East Coast.
“We are spending on electricity, we lost many of the old units, but we are spending US$30M so that by September, another 22 megawatt plant will come on stream,” President said.
He said too that the housing sector will be further transformed to ensure as many as possible, if not all citizens own their own home.
“We are setting aside in a matter of weeks $2B to assist those people who can’t get money from the bank because they are too old to start their construction,” Jagdeo said.
He underscored that his government cannot satisfy the expectation of every Guyanese, but promised to spend the money on infrastructure to improve their lives and not any trivial investment as has been the case of the former administration.
The Guyanese Head of State also contended that Burton is out of her mind to think that the government which has ratified more International Labour Organisations (ILO) conventions than any other country in this region is anti-labour.
He said it is unfounded to believe that a government who is so pro-labour will go to parliament to take away workers’ right when the very government passed the Trade Union Recognition Act which was opposed by some member of the GTUC.
That legislation allowed workers the right to chose representation of any union of their choice.
Yesterday marked 61 years since five sugar workers from Enterprise/Non Pariel on the East Coast of Demerara gave their lives in protest of the working conditions on the Sugar estates as was imposed by their colonial masters. The five have since been remembered as the Enmore Martyrs and a monument erected in commemoration of their bravery and a somber service is also held each year on June 16 in their honour.
Scores turned out at yesterday’s remembrance ceremony, among them family members of the martyrs, Head of State, Bharrat Jagdeo, diplomats, politicians and union leaders. It was on this occasion that President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Gillian Burton, sought to instill in those gathered that the current working conditions mirror those that caused the five and others to act in a bid to seek change.
She pointed out that there was unorganized system of employment; there were child labour and harsh working conditions for both male and females, there was a starvation salary coupled with a high cost of living, the non-recognition of marriage between Hindus and Muslims which caused dependants not to be compensated adequately among a whole host of other social ills.
She told the gathering those workers, 61 years later, must measure how far the nation has traveled as it relates to working condition.
However such a suggestion by a cantankerous
In one of our high profile companies DDL, the Chairman is over 80 years of age and even though the company has performed reasonably well during his tenure questions must be asked as to how much longer he can properly continue at the helm given the challenges facing businesses worldwide .I do not believe that he or any body for that matter is indispensable and therefore this company should firmly identify someone to take the reign from him together with a time frame for this. Clearly, this should be done to pre-empt any problem that could arise from his sudden illness, incapacity or god forbid his demise.
In fact it would probably be wise for him to resign as executive Chairman and sit on the Board of Directors for a period of time to assist with a smooth transition and power transfer. It appears that his deputy resides overseas from what has been gleaned in a recent article in the newspapers and this would not augur to well for the company if the Executive Chairman could not perform his duties.
Before year-end, residents on the East Bank of Demerara are likely to be able to enjoy the services of two major commercial banks without having to travel far from their homes. Officials of the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry Ltd. (GBTI) and Demerara Bank, have confirmed that they are establishing new branches at Diamond New Scheme.
MR. DONALD RAMOTAR - (PPP General Secretary):
“I am very shocked to have heard about the passing of Shri Prakash Gossai.
I met him sometime earlier in the month and he seemed to be very, very far away from death and that is why I am so surprised.
I think he would be greatly missed in our country, particularly in the Hindu community in which he was one of the very popular pandits.
Also he would be remembered for his beautiful voice. His lovely singing voice that he had that entertained so many people, Hindus and non-Hindus alike, who enjoyed good singing and a good voice and he had that talent. He was a very talented man.
And more over, I think he was one of the pandits who had a real good grasp of the religion and his interpretation of the various holy books, particularly the Hindu religion, was very enlightening, to hear him developing the different aspects of the Gita, Ramayana and so.
I must say that I will miss him and I think generally he would be missed in our country; and I want to take the opportunity to extend to his family, relatives and friends, my own and my family’s deepest sympathy, and also the sympathy of the PPP on this untimely passing.”
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MR. NEAZ SUBHAN – (Executive Member of the Indian Arrival Committee and Director of the Government Information Agency)
“His death came as a real shock. Personally, I was not aware that he was ill in any way. Patron of the IAC and Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud, called me this morning and I was in a state of disbelieve.
Prakash and I became very good friends over the last few years as a result of the efforts of the IAC in helping to promote Indian culture.
There were a number of commonalities between us, because he was a man passionate about the promotion of his culture which is similar to what we are doing in the IAC.
He became not only a friend personally but a friend of the IAC. He was always there to provide support, to provide guidance; and at a moment’s notice you could have called upon him and be assured whatever it is we are seeking from him in terms of advice or clarification, would have been given immediately.
Being a renowned Hindu priest, he was very strong about his promotion of Indian culture in general, and not only based on religion.
He always complimented and urged the IAC to continue to promote Indian culture beyond the boundaries of religion.
It is for those qualities that he should be remembered, in addition to his being a very humble and approachable human being. Guyana, the IAC, and the Hindu community have lost a friend and a dear son.”
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MR. KOMAL CHAND – (President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union)
“I was very much shocked to hear of his passing because I was one of the persons who saw him off last Friday at the hospital just before he was taken to the airport to receive treatment in Florida. We spoke, he was in a good mood and he looked well; and so I am surprised.
Over the years, his contribution to our culture has been immense. He had a melodious voice and many people liked to listen to his songs and no doubt he has influenced many people in upholding their beliefs.
It is sad; he had much more to contribute to Guyana and its culture and his religion. His passing has robbed us and the many, many Guyanese in the Diaspora.”
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BISHOP JUAN EDGHILL – (Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission)
“I have lost a brother, Guyana has lost a son, and the world has lost a decent human being.
His passing was sudden and shocking. I believe he still had a lot more to offer his generation. He was a light that shone in the midst of the darkness of our country.
A man who showed respect for people, even when there were differences.”
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DR TARA SINGH - (in the United States)
“My vision is blurred; my senses have become numb; my mind is as turbulent as the wind; my intellect is shattered; and my vision is dazed. The sudden death of our beloved Guruji, Shri Prakash Gossai, at a Miami Hospital, defies logic and reason. It questions the very basis of human existence. Why in the prime of his life, when his contribution to humanity has been exponential, that the good Lord snatched him away from us? If Guruji’s death does not rattle our faith, I don’t know what else would!
Shri Prakash Gossai passed away this morning at around 03:00 hrs at a Miami Hospital pending the conduct of an angiogram and needed surgical procedure. The body of the late legend will be flown to New York from Miami for funeral arrangements. Wake will be held at the Bhuvaneshwar Mandir, 86-06 101 Avenue, Ozone Park, NY 11416.
Messages of condolences and shock have been coming into our secretariat non-stop, and from all quarters. Details of Guruji’s funeral will be announced. The Guyanese communities in the USA and Canada, as well as, in ‘Trinbago’ and Jamaica, are in a state of shock and disbelief. He has gone to a higher calling.”
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DR PREM MISIR – (Pro Chancellor, University of Guyana)
Today, Guyana mourns the sudden death of Shri Prakash Gossai.
Undeniably, Guyana and the world have lost a tremendous spiritual leader whose work, character and integrity embodied his concern for the advancement of Hinduism.
Shri Prakash Gossai hailed from Handsome Tree, Mahaica Creek, coming from an active Hindu family, and with parents Pandit Bissoondial and Shrimati Rewti Gossai who laid the foundation for his commitment to Hinduism. It was due to his concern for advancing Hinduism that Shri Prakash Gossai dedicated his whole life to the love and service of God. He exhibited a passion and zeal to uphold Sanatan Dharma, symbolising the importance of service to humanity and the Dharmic way of life.
People will remember Shri Praskash Gossai as a spiritual leader, and the inspiration he bestowed upon the many who crossed his path in Guyana, New York, and elsewhere. His passing, indeed, will create a void, especially, among Hindu folks and others whose lives he touched.
In this time of sadness, I extend condolences to the family and close friends of Shri Prakash Gossai.”
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PANDIT REEPU DAMAN PERSAUD – (President, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha)
The President and Executive members of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha express deep condolences to the family and relatives of the late Shri Prakash Gossai. We are shocked and aggrieved at the sudden demise of Shri Prakash who shared a close association with the President and other members of the Sabha.
Shri Prakash was a very good singer being blessed with a melodious voice and through his bhajans became a household name among Guyanese.
His passion for singing and chanting led him to choose the Ramayan as the Hindu text of choice through which he could promote the teachings of Hinduism. He enjoyed much success in this direction and will always be remembered for his mellifluous chanting of the Ramayan.
Recently in a interview with the media the general secretary of the PPP correctly stated, “I am getting very concerned when I see issues in the press or statements in the press saying that Local Government Elections would not be held in 2009, and it coincides with the attitude that I am seeing, the whole fact that the PNC not wanting to go to the Select Committee, that there seems to be attempts afoot to try to delay the Local Government Elections,” he observed.
Yesterday marked 29 years since Guyanese historian Dr Walter Rodney was murdered after an explosive device was given to him by a government agent under the instructions of Forbes Burnham himself.The killing took place while Rodney and others were on trial for a variety of trumped up political charges, which centered on charges of arson. Independent observers at the trial had asserted that the proceedings were clearly going against the government of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and the trial had been suspended for a two-month period in order to give the government opportunity to "improve" its case. At the same time the government had indicted seventeen people associated with the WPA on a charge of treason. All of this occurred after Burnham had personally vetoed the appointment of Dr. Rodney to a position at the University of Guyana. A representative of Amnesty International present in the court during the preliminary examination on these charges declared that Amnesty International would formally adopt the case as a subject of its inquiry into political repression in Guyana.
“I would say that, in the overwhelming majority of instances, the issues that have been reported by the Auditor General have explanations that in many cases would have been offered by the respective Government Ministries and departments.”
The Finance Minister also stated that what was also regrettable, was that some of the issues were being highlighted sensationally in the media, when, in fact, if one were to understand and examine them properly, one would see that there is no question of impropriety at all.
Minister Ali said that the signing of the contracts is a testimony to government’s actions and commitment to improving the living conditions and livelihood of Guyanese.
He said the administration is investing more than $240M to improve water pressure and flow to the residents of the East Coast Demerara area, which includes installing service connections and upgrades.
