ALLIANCE For Change (AFC) Leader, Mr. Raphael Trotman, downplayed the significance of his rival colleague and current party Chairman, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, at a meeting in Miami last Friday, according to well-placed sources. Trotman and Ramjattan are in a leadership battle following the failure by the party’s top brass earlier this month to honour a rotation agreement that would have seen Ramjattan take over as AFC leader.
Party insiders said Trotman’s faction is insisting that Ramjattan is unsuitable to lead the AFC while the Ramjattan group is accusing the party’s prime movers of alienation tactics.
Businessman Mr. Peter Ramsaroop, who recently resigned as AFC Chief Executive Officer and withdrew his membership of the party, joined Trotman at the Miami meeting with eleven other AFC supporters. Ramsaroop, a week ago, publicly expressed his displeasure at Ramjattan’s leadership.
Sources at the Miami meeting said that Trotman, defending his position of retaining the leadership, argued that while Ramjattan means well, he has not delivered the goods for the party, recalling his miserable performance in his constituency in the 2006 general elections.
Trotman reportedly said that the AFC leadership at this time needs someone who is erudite, logical, practical and realistic to go after the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in 2011.
The sources said he also referred to the numerous embarrassments Ramjattan caused the AFC, including having to apologise in the National Assembly for a grossly inaccurate charge against the government.
According to the sources, Trotman’s comments attracted loud cheers from the small gathering, with some proclaiming, “Let’s go after the PPP with Trotman in 2011’’.
The AFC is leading a bid for an opposition coalition with the larger People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) for next year’s general elections.
Trotman said at a press conference last week that the party’s bid for an opposition alliance was not one of personalities, but of principles and programmes.
He said the programme to take Guyana forward will first have to be outlined and persons will then fit themselves in.
Trotman is a former senior PNCR member and parliamentarian who defected to form his own party, while Ramjattan is a defector from the PPP.
The AFC is now seeking to merge with the PNCR after bitter differences earlier this year, when Trotman accused Corbin of being in secret talks with President Bharrat Jagdeo on a shared governance agreement for the 2011 elections.
Trotman flatly declared then that the AFC was not discussing an alliance with the PNCR, but Corbin said the two parties have had several meetings, discussions and consultations on the issue.
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 ....
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
SKUNT of the day!
Adumbrated Jackass making a SKUNT out of himself on Phagwah day
Our SKUNT of the day is Kaieteur News' Idiot-in-Chief, Adam Harris.
Adam has a long history of servitude and a penchant for bamsee kissing. On a daily basis he dishes out Pee Hen See propaganda and lies at the behest of his master, GLEN LALL.
Glen who moved from selling bora in Stabroek market to being the owner of the Kaieteur News rag and a Regent Street shopping mall in a manner of years, uses Adam to further his agenda as well as to put fear in businessmen who are unable to see eye to eye with him.
Adam is often mistaken by kids for a Gorilla and often puts his mouth in places where it doesn't belong.................Ask Nazima Bugga-beer and Julia Johnson.
'Big Seeds' again tries to prevent Amaila Falls Hydro Project from becoming a reality
Ramon 'Big Seeds' Gaskin has moved, once again, to the High Court to challenge for a second time to quash Government’s decision to award a $15M USD contract to Synergy Holdings Inc. for the design and building of a road from Linden to Amaila Falls to facilitate the construction of a planned 230 KV transmission line.
The motion was filed on the grounds that the decision and award were made in breach and disregard of articles 212W and 212FF of the constitution, the Procurement Act 2003 Act No. 8, and cites the Minister of Public Works and National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) as the respondents.
'Big Seeds', on June 10, through his attorneys Senior Counsel Rex McKay, Fitz Peters, Neil Boston and Christopher Ram, had previously moved to the court for an order directed to the two respondents to show cause why a writ of certiorari should not be issued to quash the decision made by the government to award the Synergy Holdings Inc. the contract.
They had also sought an order prohibiting the Minister of Public Works and Communication and the Executive Director of NICIL from taking any step or further steps in connection with the said contract awarded to Synergy Holdings Inc.
Gaskin had contended that the Government, the Ministry of Public Works and Communication, and NICIL did not conduct the tender process for the Amaila Falls project in accordance with and under the mandatory provisions laid down in the Procurement Act and regulations, and was in breach of the constitutional intendment for transparency and fairness.
That matter was heard by Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on June 15 and June 16, who refused to grant the order that he sought on several grounds.
The Chief Justice had refused to grant the initial order, making reference to, among other things, that the applicant’s primary motive for making the application appeared to have been a genuine disapproval of the personality of the successful bidder.
The Chief Justice had pointed out that Section 30 of the Procurement Act reveals nothing that prohibits a procuring entity from authorising an agency such as NICIL, to act on its behalf.
'Big Seeds' has a history of disruptive behaviour. In the early 90s the PPP/C government was forced to remove 'Big Seeds' as the head of GPL after several protests by workers who alleged racism on his part. 'Big Seeds' was accused of firing only persons belonging to a certain ethnic grouping.
In 2009 he was part of a group that included Christopher 'Cocaine Chris' Ram which sought to destabilize the New Building Society. They were later made to look like the fools they are after account holders refused to buy into their ploy.
The motion was filed on the grounds that the decision and award were made in breach and disregard of articles 212W and 212FF of the constitution, the Procurement Act 2003 Act No. 8, and cites the Minister of Public Works and National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) as the respondents.
'Big Seeds', on June 10, through his attorneys Senior Counsel Rex McKay, Fitz Peters, Neil Boston and Christopher Ram, had previously moved to the court for an order directed to the two respondents to show cause why a writ of certiorari should not be issued to quash the decision made by the government to award the Synergy Holdings Inc. the contract.
They had also sought an order prohibiting the Minister of Public Works and Communication and the Executive Director of NICIL from taking any step or further steps in connection with the said contract awarded to Synergy Holdings Inc.
Gaskin had contended that the Government, the Ministry of Public Works and Communication, and NICIL did not conduct the tender process for the Amaila Falls project in accordance with and under the mandatory provisions laid down in the Procurement Act and regulations, and was in breach of the constitutional intendment for transparency and fairness.
That matter was heard by Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on June 15 and June 16, who refused to grant the order that he sought on several grounds.
The Chief Justice had refused to grant the initial order, making reference to, among other things, that the applicant’s primary motive for making the application appeared to have been a genuine disapproval of the personality of the successful bidder.
The Chief Justice had pointed out that Section 30 of the Procurement Act reveals nothing that prohibits a procuring entity from authorising an agency such as NICIL, to act on its behalf.
'Big Seeds' has a history of disruptive behaviour. In the early 90s the PPP/C government was forced to remove 'Big Seeds' as the head of GPL after several protests by workers who alleged racism on his part. 'Big Seeds' was accused of firing only persons belonging to a certain ethnic grouping.
In 2009 he was part of a group that included Christopher 'Cocaine Chris' Ram which sought to destabilize the New Building Society. They were later made to look like the fools they are after account holders refused to buy into their ploy.
Ramsaroop and Trotman in Florida raising funds for the AFC
Despite what is being said in public Peter Ramsaroop is still in the AFC fold. Evidence of this can be gleaned from the fact that Ramsaroop and Raphael Trotman were spotted together in Ft Lauderdale meeting AFC party groups and raising campaign funds.
On Coalitions in Guyana
Stabroek News: The letter columns and the blogs are full of talk of coalitions between Guyana’s opposition parties, and one or two of the leaders have indicated possible leanings in this direction as well. The models for this new enthusiasm, it seems, are Trinidad, Suriname and the UK, all of which had elections recently and which have – or will have – coalition governments. The first thing to be remembered is that none of these nations is a true political model for Guyana.
A few points to note are as follows:
A few points to note are as follows:
- The case of Suriname is simply not relevant to us, since all governments in that country are coalitions; of necessity they have to be. It has more ethnic groups than here, and there are correspondingly more ethnically-aligned parties too. There is no political party in Suriname which can secure a majority without forming a coalition with some of the smaller ethnic parties, which is why it takes so long to form a government in Paramaribo after a general election. As it is, the wheeling and dealing is still going on there.
- Then there is Trinidad. This seems much closer to us in terms of its constituent ethnic elements, if not its politics. Again, however, there are critical differences, not the least of which is T&T’s Westminster-style form of government which – republican status apart – has been retained more-or-less unmodified since independence. The battle for office, therefore, is particularly intense in marginal constituencies, an altogether different structure from PR and the party list system which obtains here. In addition, the two major ethnic groups there, the Africans and Indians, are numerically speaking very close, while politically speaking there really is a floating vote in the marginals which can decide elections, sometimes in company with members of one ethnic constituency voting for the party of another. In this country, as hardly bears repeating, one ethnic group substantially outnumbers the other, although nowadays not to the extent that on its own it can secure an overall majority, even supposing that all its registered members did in fact cast their ballots for it. Furthermore, in another significant departure from the twin-island situation there is a substantial Amerindian population in Guyana, which if it voted as a bloc would hold the balance of power. However, more than any other non-Indian group the governing party has depended on this one in recent times to give it an overall majority. Any opposition coalition, would require substantial electoral support from the indigenous people too if it were to have any hope of coming to office.
- At the most basic political level what Ms Persad-Bissessar did in Trinidad was to re-join two separate factions of what had once been a unified UNC and add to it the Tobago party. (Her landslide, as opposed to a plain win, came from her personal appeal, among other things, which attracted votes from across various divides.) In fact it has been said that it was the split in the UNC which prevented it from coming into office in the previous election, plus the electorate’s negative reaction to then leader Basdeo Panday. The situation hardly corresponds to what obtains in Guyana, since as things stand a combination of all the current parliamentary opposition parties would not unseat the ruling party. In short, Trinidad cannot be transposed here.
- The second thing which seems to be giving the talk of coalition some traction is the CADRES opinion poll. Polls at best take the political temperature at a specific point in time, and as of now we are probably more than a year away from the election. In the second place, even the best of polls whose integrity is above reproach can simply be wrong (and sometimes very wrong), as both Trinidad and the UK know well. In this particular case the pollster took too little account of Guyana’s demographic profile, no doubt because it is unlike what he is accustomed to elsewhere in the Caribbean where he has carried out surveys. The other important detail about the poll is the fact that 24% of respondents fell into the ‘Don’t know/Won’t say’ category, which even CADRES conceded was significant enough to alter the course of an election. The pollster therefore relied on historical trends to anticipate how this group would behave in an election, a problematic approach given that the AFC has only ever fought the 2006 general election and many of those who refused to state their party allegiance were African Guyanese. Unfamiliar with the details of Guyana’s political landscape, the pollster ventured the possibility that they could be wooed by the AFC; however, the reticence of so many may have been a reflection of the PNC’s leadership controversies, and under certain circumstances they could return to the PNC fold. Furthermore, in the last election the AFC took the largest segment of its votes from the PNCR, so if that situation were to carry over into 2011, how would a coalition of the two help them electorally?
- Finally, with both the PNC and the AFC in considerable disarray, it is a mystery how anyone can be talking about coalitions at this stage, let alone attracting ‘progressive’ elements from the PPP into such a proposed alliance as well. While everyone is saying that programmes are more important than leaders, as a first step it is critical to establish who the real leaders of the individual parties are – and this before there can be any discussion of who should lead a coalition. There can be no negotiations with parties whose internal issues remain unresolved – and that includes the PNC, where Mr Corbin seems inclined to separate the presidential candidacy from the party leadership. There is a perception, for example, that the Opposition Leader will be unable to garner votes and could compromise the appeal of any presidential candidate who is chosen – among other things. In the end, the leadership question in all the parties assumes greater prominence than in some countries because of the power of the presidency. While this is not a matter for the upcoming election, none of them have shown any appetite for a return at some future point to a pre-1980 prime ministerial system, which would be far more appropriate for our circumstances; the lure of power has simply overwhelmed any consideration of what is best for the country.
November 25th will mark one year since Mark Benschop killed his wife's lover.
Joel Fraser
November 25th this year will mark one year since local stage actor Joel Fraser nicknamed ‘Sweets’, 40, who starred in the Maria Benschop production 'Nothing to Laugh About', was murdered at the behest of Maria's ex-husband, Mark Benschop.
Fraser's dead body, with throat slashed, was discovered in a pool of blood around 05:45 hrs on the seawall at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara where he usually meets Maria. It was said that Benschop became aware of the relationship between the two and subsequently lured Fraser to the location where he was murdered by a hit-man. Back then as word began to spread of his involvement Benschop promptly left the country in fright and only returned after being certain that the police were unable to locate 'Buck man', the alleged hit-man.
Acting for more than ten years, Farser sold ground provisions and vegetables at Bourda Market. His bloodied corpse, with his brief pulled down, was found in a lying position.
Most of his colleagues in theatre were shocked at the death of the resident of Laing Avenue, in Georgetown. Benschop's wife is now sleeping with Ron, the owner of the local Haynes store and the man behind the Mori J'von comdey jam
Motion to remove Hamilton Green/Garbage from City Hall defeated
- PNC remains defiant in support of their own
Hamilton Green
Hamilton Green
A no-confidence motion brought against Mayor Hamilton Green failed yesterday after 14 councillors voted against it.
The motion, moved by Councillor Ranwell Jordan resolved to urge the Local Government Minister to instruct the Town Clerk to summon immediate elections for mayor and deputy mayor.
The motion was first moved at the June 14, statutory meeting at City Hall after questions to the mayor about an official trip he made to China were not satisfactorily answered.
At yesterday’s statutory meeting councillors argued heatedly for and against the motion.
Jordan urged his fellow councillors to support the motion stating, “a vote against this motion is a vote against workers of this municipality and citizens of Georgetown.”
Jordan said the id was “prominent” in Green’s leadership and Green has since “eroded democracy and good governance”. He said this was illustrated in the mayor’s response to questions about funding to his trip to China.
Jordan said that the mayor had told the media that it was nobody’s business how the trip was funded. But at a recent press conference, Jordan said, when questioned again, Green said that donations were made by friends who wanted to remain anonymous. And while Jordan admits that this could be possible, he questioned why the mayor did not report it.
The councillor then went on to quote from Chapter 21:08 of the bylaws of the council which states that all monies received by or on behalf of the council shall be delivered to the treasurer who shall deposit them with a bank appointed by resolution by council.
Councillor Junior Garrett, who seconded the motion when it first moved, then rose in support of it. Garrett said the laws must be upheld and adhered to “by all and sundry”. He said the action of the mayor was equal to a criminal act.
“Those funds should have passed through the coffers of the city. [They were] utilised for [someone’s] own benefit…,” Garrett said. “28:01 cannot be changed and we cannot do as we like. No one should be exempt from the laws of this country.”
Further, he said that a vote against the motion “is sending a clear message to taxpayers that we at City Council are lawless”. It also indicates to the staff “that they can do what they want” since the head is doing the same, he added.
In closing, Garrett told his fellow councillors that the time had come to restore the city to its former glory. “History will not forgive you!” he said if the motion was not supported.
In her support of the motion Councillor Patricia Chase-Green said “the time is ripe…we need a change”. She told the mayor, who sat quietly through the address of each councillor, that he should bow out gracefully “than for you to be brought to the depths of a no-confidence motion”.
She added that five years as mayor were more than enough and expressed a hope for the change for the better.
Among other things, whereas clauses in the motion addressed the holding of elections for the position of Mayor but stated that no more than five consecutive years can be served by one Mayor.
Meanwhile, opposing the motion Councillor Oscar Clarke called it “unnecessary” and said it was moved by “selfish objectives and motives”. Clarke said that the laws dictate yearly elections for mayor and deputy mayor but this has been “conveniently disregarded by those who have the authority to do so”.
Clarke told the councillors that they live in a dream world since they demand accountability and transparency but are not prepared to give the same themselves.
Gladstone George who was against the motion also, said: “If this motion is carried there will be total darkness in the city.” He urged his fellow councillors instead to work together to make the council a better place.
And standing by his conviction to “support the mayor right down to the end”, Councillor Hector Stoute told the council that a motion should be moved against the councillors instead since “we have failed tremendously” in the service they should be providing to the city.
Deputy Mayor Robert Williams and Councillor Eon Andrews remained neutral. Williams said a no-confidence vote is in essence a no- confidence vote in the council since the council was in charge. He pointed out that the mayor is merely the chairman of the council.
Williams called for the removal of the no-confidence motion but asked that the resolve to approach the Local Government Minister stay the same.
Andrews meanwhile refused to take a side but suggested that some persons seemed obsessed with personal issues before he suggested a secret ballot which was strongly opposed.
Responding, Green said: “All indications are that this exercise is propelled by a certain amount of selfish silliness which we must not get accustomed to.” To Jordan’s statements, Green said he never said it was nobody’s business when he was questioned.
Jordan interrupted saying that he heard the mayor say it on the television.
“I made it clear that because of the urgency… I took the initiative to organise facilitations. Not one cheque came into my pocket in this visit,” the mayor responded.
Green called yesterday’s proceedings “unfortunate” adding that the movers of the motion had their “own misconception and motives”.
Shortly after, a vote was taken on the motion. Fourteen councillors voted against the motion while 12 voted for it. After the matter was closed, several councillors, upset over the outcome, walked out of the meeting which adjourned shortly after.
Cop fingered in school boy killing charged with murder.
The policeman who is alleged to have fatally shot Patentia schoolboy Kelvin Fraser was remanded to prison yesterday when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson charged with the capital offence.
Quancy John
Quancy John, 30, of 325 Kuru Kuru, Linden-Soesdyke Highway was not required to plead when the charge was read to him by the magistrate. He was expressionless as the charge was read stating that on June 7 at Patentia he murdered Fraser.
He was represented by attorneys-at-law Donald Trotman and Hubert Rodney. Trotman told the court that John has been with the Guyana Police Force for over two years and this was his first appearance in court.
Meanwhile Rodney told the magistrate that while they would not be making a bail application, the defence lawyers were concerned with the dynamics of the case.
He indicated that on June 15 a letter was written to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in which they applied for forensic tests to be carried out on the firearm used in the killing, as well as the clothing of the deceased and John. He added that although the police would have carried out their own investigations into the matter, the defence wanted an opportunity to do their own testing so that they can prepare their case. Rodney also said that he wanted the DPP to indicate to the court whether she will allow independent forensics tests on the firearm and clothing. He said the chain of evidence may be prejudicial to his client.
Did you know?
Did you know that
Who is David Hinds that anti-narcotics agents should be mindful of?
David Hinds
All this nonsense about the searching of W.P.A executive David Hinds at C.B.J Airport needs to stop.
As a matter of fact the W.P.A has become a non-existent, spent political force which now consists of a few disgruntled Rodnite servants who occasionally appear and disappear in servitude to Opposition positions.
Further; what special privilege or rights does David Hinds enjoy that he shouldn't be stopped and randomly searched by anti-narcotics agents at the Airport, a majority of whom are totally unaware of his existence?
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Opposition Political operatives hijack EIU coverage on Guyana
–Finance Minister
MINISTER OF Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh said yesterday it is clear that the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s coverage on Guyana has been hijacked by partisan domestic political operatives.
His observation was in response to both an article and the editorial in the June 25, 2010 edition of the Stabroek News on the EIU’s latest report on Guyana.
Minister Singh went on to say that it was most unfortunate that the EIU, a Unit whose publications have come to be expected to be objective and competently prepared, would allow itself to be misled and misinformed by one or two political aspirants and spokespersons who pose as independent correspondents and commentators. He said that as a result of their being misled, the EIU’s recent reports on Guyana paint a misinformed, distorted, warped, and totally inaccurate picture of economic developments in Guyana.
Given the obvious flaws in the report, Minister Singh is calling on the EIU to take a closer look at the credibility, integrity, and competence of the correspondents and sources used to generate their coverage on Guyana.
He cited as an example of the EIU’s flawed findings its comments on growth in the Guyanese economy. According to the Stabroek News, the EIU report sought to question the growth rate of 2.3 per cent reported by the government for 2009, and arbitrarily and without any technical basis offered a different estimate of growth in the Guyanese economy for last year. The report also attempted to question what was driving the growth achieved in Guyana.
Minister Singh’s response to these queries was that they sounded “suspiciously familiar,” and appear to be “a passive copy-and-paste echo of the whining and griping of a tiny minority of self-appointed and politically motivated analysts who are devoid of any technical basis for most of what they say, and who like to style themselves as independent when they are in fact unabashedly partisan and brazenly hostile to the current administration.”
The Minister went on to say that the basis for the 2009 growth estimate reported by Government is set out clearly in sector-specific detail in his budget speech for 2010, and in the central bank annual report for 2009, both of which are publicly available.
For example, it is public knowledge that sugar production amounted to 233,736 tonnes of sugar in 2009 compared with 226,267 tonnes in 2008, representing growth of 3.3 percent. It is public knowledge that rice production amounted to 359,789 tonnes in 2009 compared with 329,574 tonnes in 2008, representing 9.2 percent growth. It is public knowledge that the gold sector generated total declarations of 299,822 ounces in 2009 compared with 261,424 ounces in 2008, growth of 14.7 percent.
In summary, the Minister stated that the sugar, rice, and gold sectors, all of which continue to be large and dominant sectors in the Guyanese economy, grew by 3.3 percent, 9.2 percent, and 14.7 percent respectively, based on hard and incontrovertible numbers compiled and reported by the respective sectors themselves, not by the Ministry of Finance.
“These numbers are sourced from the sectors themselves and can be verified directly with those sectors. The sugar production numbers are sourced from the Guyana Sugar Corporation, the rice production numbers from the Guyana Rice Development Board, the gold production numbers from the Guyana Gold Board,” the Minister emphasised, adding that “it is nothing short of absurd and dishonest to call into question these numbers, and it is an insult to the integrity of the large number of persons involved in the respective sectors in data collection and monitoring activities”.
Apart from the production data from the large sectors, there are other data sources that reconfirm and validate the growth in output being observed. For example, domestic credit to the private sector expanded by 5.7 percent from $89.3 billion to $94.4 billion, as compiled and reported by the Bank of Guyana, with increased lending for real estate and household mortgages, agriculture, and services.
During 2009, Government increased the ceiling on mortgages granted by the New Building Society by 50 percent from $8 million to $12 million, and the ceiling on loans granted by participating commercial banks in Government’s low income housing programme by 300 percent from $2 million to $8 million, thereby stimulating increased lending for housing construction.
Throughout the world, it is known that increased lending to the private sector by the banking system, and in particular construction activity such as for housing purposes, fuel significant economic activity and bring rapid growth.
These facts are all publicly known, and the attempt by Stabroek News in its editorial to use the EIU report, which is itself misled, to call into question statistics produced by several agencies and involving dozens if not hundreds of professionals across Guyana, is an outrageous and blatant attempt to mislead the people of this country.
“The insinuations made by Stabroek News on the accuracy of the statistics are a shameless assault on the integrity of professionals and functionaries in several agencies throughout our country, including on the private sector,” the Minister added.
Gold production for 2009, for example, was estimated by the private sector gold producers themselves, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association at 300,000 ounces, a matter of public record. So, to call into question the gold production numbers is not only to cast aspersions on the Government agency involved, the Guyana Gold Board, but is also to cast aspersions on the private sector producers in the sector. The same applies to every other sector.
In like manner, the report ignores public pronouncements made by senior members of the private sector who have lauded the collaboration they have with Government, including through the National Competitiveness Council, and instead seeks to insinuate opinions into the minds of members of the private sector.
The Stabroek News editorial actually provides important clues about these sources. The editorial reveals that the EIU report cited a Ram and McRae business outlook survey. This survey is widely known to be politically motivated, highly flawed, and designed to distort the facts and present a negative picture of Guyana under the current administration. The survey is not based on any scientific method, cannot withstand any rigorous scrutiny, and in its own introduction, confesses that it is “not designed to produce statistically valid findings”.
In addition, the main author of that survey and principal of the firm Ram and McRae is a self-confessed partisan politician, having co-authored the political manifesto for the main opposition party that lost the last general elections. Mr. Ram’s professional integrity and technical competence are also currently the subject of much public scrutiny and debate, including as a result of testimony provided by a private sector hotelier during a case currently being heard by the courts concerning Tower Hotel.
MINISTER OF Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh said yesterday it is clear that the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s coverage on Guyana has been hijacked by partisan domestic political operatives.
His observation was in response to both an article and the editorial in the June 25, 2010 edition of the Stabroek News on the EIU’s latest report on Guyana.
Minister Singh went on to say that it was most unfortunate that the EIU, a Unit whose publications have come to be expected to be objective and competently prepared, would allow itself to be misled and misinformed by one or two political aspirants and spokespersons who pose as independent correspondents and commentators. He said that as a result of their being misled, the EIU’s recent reports on Guyana paint a misinformed, distorted, warped, and totally inaccurate picture of economic developments in Guyana.
Given the obvious flaws in the report, Minister Singh is calling on the EIU to take a closer look at the credibility, integrity, and competence of the correspondents and sources used to generate their coverage on Guyana.
He cited as an example of the EIU’s flawed findings its comments on growth in the Guyanese economy. According to the Stabroek News, the EIU report sought to question the growth rate of 2.3 per cent reported by the government for 2009, and arbitrarily and without any technical basis offered a different estimate of growth in the Guyanese economy for last year. The report also attempted to question what was driving the growth achieved in Guyana.
Minister Singh’s response to these queries was that they sounded “suspiciously familiar,” and appear to be “a passive copy-and-paste echo of the whining and griping of a tiny minority of self-appointed and politically motivated analysts who are devoid of any technical basis for most of what they say, and who like to style themselves as independent when they are in fact unabashedly partisan and brazenly hostile to the current administration.”
The Minister went on to say that the basis for the 2009 growth estimate reported by Government is set out clearly in sector-specific detail in his budget speech for 2010, and in the central bank annual report for 2009, both of which are publicly available.
For example, it is public knowledge that sugar production amounted to 233,736 tonnes of sugar in 2009 compared with 226,267 tonnes in 2008, representing growth of 3.3 percent. It is public knowledge that rice production amounted to 359,789 tonnes in 2009 compared with 329,574 tonnes in 2008, representing 9.2 percent growth. It is public knowledge that the gold sector generated total declarations of 299,822 ounces in 2009 compared with 261,424 ounces in 2008, growth of 14.7 percent.
In summary, the Minister stated that the sugar, rice, and gold sectors, all of which continue to be large and dominant sectors in the Guyanese economy, grew by 3.3 percent, 9.2 percent, and 14.7 percent respectively, based on hard and incontrovertible numbers compiled and reported by the respective sectors themselves, not by the Ministry of Finance.
“These numbers are sourced from the sectors themselves and can be verified directly with those sectors. The sugar production numbers are sourced from the Guyana Sugar Corporation, the rice production numbers from the Guyana Rice Development Board, the gold production numbers from the Guyana Gold Board,” the Minister emphasised, adding that “it is nothing short of absurd and dishonest to call into question these numbers, and it is an insult to the integrity of the large number of persons involved in the respective sectors in data collection and monitoring activities”.
Apart from the production data from the large sectors, there are other data sources that reconfirm and validate the growth in output being observed. For example, domestic credit to the private sector expanded by 5.7 percent from $89.3 billion to $94.4 billion, as compiled and reported by the Bank of Guyana, with increased lending for real estate and household mortgages, agriculture, and services.
During 2009, Government increased the ceiling on mortgages granted by the New Building Society by 50 percent from $8 million to $12 million, and the ceiling on loans granted by participating commercial banks in Government’s low income housing programme by 300 percent from $2 million to $8 million, thereby stimulating increased lending for housing construction.
Throughout the world, it is known that increased lending to the private sector by the banking system, and in particular construction activity such as for housing purposes, fuel significant economic activity and bring rapid growth.
These facts are all publicly known, and the attempt by Stabroek News in its editorial to use the EIU report, which is itself misled, to call into question statistics produced by several agencies and involving dozens if not hundreds of professionals across Guyana, is an outrageous and blatant attempt to mislead the people of this country.
“The insinuations made by Stabroek News on the accuracy of the statistics are a shameless assault on the integrity of professionals and functionaries in several agencies throughout our country, including on the private sector,” the Minister added.
Gold production for 2009, for example, was estimated by the private sector gold producers themselves, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association at 300,000 ounces, a matter of public record. So, to call into question the gold production numbers is not only to cast aspersions on the Government agency involved, the Guyana Gold Board, but is also to cast aspersions on the private sector producers in the sector. The same applies to every other sector.
In like manner, the report ignores public pronouncements made by senior members of the private sector who have lauded the collaboration they have with Government, including through the National Competitiveness Council, and instead seeks to insinuate opinions into the minds of members of the private sector.
The Stabroek News editorial actually provides important clues about these sources. The editorial reveals that the EIU report cited a Ram and McRae business outlook survey. This survey is widely known to be politically motivated, highly flawed, and designed to distort the facts and present a negative picture of Guyana under the current administration. The survey is not based on any scientific method, cannot withstand any rigorous scrutiny, and in its own introduction, confesses that it is “not designed to produce statistically valid findings”.
In addition, the main author of that survey and principal of the firm Ram and McRae is a self-confessed partisan politician, having co-authored the political manifesto for the main opposition party that lost the last general elections. Mr. Ram’s professional integrity and technical competence are also currently the subject of much public scrutiny and debate, including as a result of testimony provided by a private sector hotelier during a case currently being heard by the courts concerning Tower Hotel.
Stabroek News installing spyware & malicious software on computers of website visitors.
THE WORLD’S leading Internet search engine and web data giant, Google, has issued a security advisory urging Internet users not to access the Stabroek News website at stabroeknews.com.
According to Michael Jebbs, a security adviser at Google Inc, the company has launched an investigation into the operations of Stabroek News after receiving complaints from a U.S Internet Spyware watchdog and dozens of users in the United States alleging that Stabroek News has been installing spyware and malicious software onto the computers of visitors to their website.
As a result, Google conducted an automatic security investigation and malicious software test of Stabroek News’ website and allegedly found that it was indeed installing malicious content on visitors’ computers.
In the advisory which Google has now published on the Internet, the company says: “Of the 100 pages we tested on the Stabroek News website over the past 90 days, seven (7) pages resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent. (Further) The last time Google visited this site was on 2010-06-25, and the last time suspicious content was found on the site was on 2010-06-25.”
Google also said it intended to completely remove the Stabroek News site from its search results if Stabroek News continues to fail follow-up security tests. The company reiterated that the onus is on the Guyanese authorities to investigate this development, in addition to determining how many computers locally might have been infected with the spyware.
Corporate Internet security giant and software security firm, McAfee, which produces the popular Norton Anti-Virus software suite, has also indicated that they are contemplating releasing an update that would protect over fifteen million users worldwide from accessing the Stabroek News website, out of security concerns.
The type of malicious software purportedly installed by the Stabroek News is believed to be capable of spying on users’ emails and opening up a back door that would allow ‘spybots’ to retrieve the user’s personal information, including credit card details and other content hosted on their computer hard drives.
When contacted by the Chronicle, Internet email lead firm, Yahoo! indicated that they would carry out a test on the site, and would provide a comment at a later stage.
Nonetheless, an Internet security expert with whom this newspaper spoke has indicated that the first step in correcting the problem is a directive by local authorities to temporarily close down the website in question and launch an investigation into the origin of the malicious software(s).
Speaking with this newspaper yesterday, Sunday Editor of the Stabroek News, Ms. Anna Benjamin said that her newspaper’s website was accidentally posted as having malware, and that users of the Mozilla Firefox Internet browser were receiving the notices with the warning.
She said that this was not the case with users of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Benjamin said that the company’s IT personnel were in contact with Google, with a view to rectifying the problem.
According to Michael Jebbs, a security adviser at Google Inc, the company has launched an investigation into the operations of Stabroek News after receiving complaints from a U.S Internet Spyware watchdog and dozens of users in the United States alleging that Stabroek News has been installing spyware and malicious software onto the computers of visitors to their website.
As a result, Google conducted an automatic security investigation and malicious software test of Stabroek News’ website and allegedly found that it was indeed installing malicious content on visitors’ computers.
In the advisory which Google has now published on the Internet, the company says: “Of the 100 pages we tested on the Stabroek News website over the past 90 days, seven (7) pages resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent. (Further) The last time Google visited this site was on 2010-06-25, and the last time suspicious content was found on the site was on 2010-06-25.”
Google also said it intended to completely remove the Stabroek News site from its search results if Stabroek News continues to fail follow-up security tests. The company reiterated that the onus is on the Guyanese authorities to investigate this development, in addition to determining how many computers locally might have been infected with the spyware.
Corporate Internet security giant and software security firm, McAfee, which produces the popular Norton Anti-Virus software suite, has also indicated that they are contemplating releasing an update that would protect over fifteen million users worldwide from accessing the Stabroek News website, out of security concerns.
The type of malicious software purportedly installed by the Stabroek News is believed to be capable of spying on users’ emails and opening up a back door that would allow ‘spybots’ to retrieve the user’s personal information, including credit card details and other content hosted on their computer hard drives.
When contacted by the Chronicle, Internet email lead firm, Yahoo! indicated that they would carry out a test on the site, and would provide a comment at a later stage.
Nonetheless, an Internet security expert with whom this newspaper spoke has indicated that the first step in correcting the problem is a directive by local authorities to temporarily close down the website in question and launch an investigation into the origin of the malicious software(s).
Speaking with this newspaper yesterday, Sunday Editor of the Stabroek News, Ms. Anna Benjamin said that her newspaper’s website was accidentally posted as having malware, and that users of the Mozilla Firefox Internet browser were receiving the notices with the warning.
She said that this was not the case with users of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Benjamin said that the company’s IT personnel were in contact with Google, with a view to rectifying the problem.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Hammie caught with hand in cookie jar and outs a mouth full of MIASMIC MESS in response
GEORGETOWN Mayor Hamilton Green said, Wednesday, that his controversial trip to China, which was the subject of recent debate by City Councillors, was funded by donations from his concerned friends who asked to be anonymous. “I believe the visit was successful,” he reported at a media briefing in the Council Chamber, at City Hall.
According to him, the journey, for which he was accompanied by some municipal officials, did not cost the municipality a cent but will bring tremendous benefits to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC).
He said he did not have the total expended at the time of speaking but gave the assurance that it can be calculated.
Mr. Green had been accused, by Councillors at the June 14 statutory meeting, of utilising money that did not belong to him and warned that action could be taken against him, if information on his visit abroad was not provided.
But he lashed out at his accusers, calling them “yard fowls” and declared he was tired of “stupidity.”
Green also attacked individuals outside the Council, charging that they are holding something against him because they lack facts and logic.
He had previously said the trip was made possible as a result of his influence and facilitation.
“I simply called persons,” Green had explained when responding during the debate.
Guyana not classified as TIP country by INTERPOL
THE world’s second largest intergovernmental organization, Interpol (the International Police) - an organization chartered by 188 nations to investigate organised crime, indicated that Guyana has not been designated as a country involved in trafficking in persons, neither is any Guyanese being sought for any offence related to trafficking in persons by Interpol. In a telephone interview with this newspaper, an information liaison with the body told the Chronicle that trafficking in persons is an international criminal activity vigorously pursued by Interpol. And the organization has no reason to believe nor do they possess any direct evidence of Guyana or Guyanese being involved in human trafficking.
Sources within the local legal fraternity had earlier told this newspaper that Interpol would have been better equipped and empowered to investigate and report on any incidence of international trafficking in persons. And as such, Interpol’s position should supersede any other report accusing any country of entertaining the committal of such offences.
Only Brazil and Colombia were classified by Interpol as countries involved in high levels of human trafficking in South America, while the Dominican Republic was the only country listed for the Caribbean.
Recently, much controversy has been centred on a U.S. State Department report, which arbitrarily placed Guyana at Tier 2 watchlist, a rating generally given by the United States for countries allegedly having high instances of trafficking in persons, out of a three tier system.
While the U.S report is not a U.N sanctioned or universally recognised document, its contents had angered the Guyana Government and the country’s private sector, since all were of the view that the report was arbitrarily compiled without any investigation, merit or supporting evidence.
The Guyana Government is contending that it is always committed to investigate and prosecute any person involved in any form of organised crime, and has called on the United States to provide the evidence of human trafficking.
Nonetheless, Government is intensifying its efforts to monitor and prosecute any person suspected of being involved in human trafficking in Guyana.
Sources within the local legal fraternity had earlier told this newspaper that Interpol would have been better equipped and empowered to investigate and report on any incidence of international trafficking in persons. And as such, Interpol’s position should supersede any other report accusing any country of entertaining the committal of such offences.
Only Brazil and Colombia were classified by Interpol as countries involved in high levels of human trafficking in South America, while the Dominican Republic was the only country listed for the Caribbean.
Recently, much controversy has been centred on a U.S. State Department report, which arbitrarily placed Guyana at Tier 2 watchlist, a rating generally given by the United States for countries allegedly having high instances of trafficking in persons, out of a three tier system.
While the U.S report is not a U.N sanctioned or universally recognised document, its contents had angered the Guyana Government and the country’s private sector, since all were of the view that the report was arbitrarily compiled without any investigation, merit or supporting evidence.
The Guyana Government is contending that it is always committed to investigate and prosecute any person involved in any form of organised crime, and has called on the United States to provide the evidence of human trafficking.
Nonetheless, Government is intensifying its efforts to monitor and prosecute any person suspected of being involved in human trafficking in Guyana.
Friday, June 25, 2010
5 men linked to CN Sharma found with court documents
And in another twist to the CN Sharma rape saga Police are investigating the tampering of Court files related to the carnal knowledge case against the Presidential hopeful and leader of the JFAP.
Five men, two of whom are believed to be linked to CNS channel 6 have been discovered with Court files and a list of names of possible witnesses in the CN Sharma case which is before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Reports are also circulating about a video allegedly containing footage of CN Sharma along with one of his employees contacting witnesses in the matter.
Victims detail of horror at the hands of CN Sharma
-Police statements leaked
What appears to be statements of the victims and other documents pertaining to the CN Sharma rape story was today mysteriously delivered to us by a dark skinned individual claiming to be under the employ of a local NGO.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Benschop pocketed $5M from rape victim pay-off by CN Sharma.
The rapist leaves
court
We have received credible reports which indicate that Mark Benschop raked in almost $5M for himself after facilitating the pay-off of the mother of the girls raped by CN Sharma. It was told to us that Sharma paid all $20M in cash and the hand-over as well as signing of affidavits denying that the incidents took place were all done upon Benschop's request at his East Street office yesterday afternoon. The mother of the victim was also recorded during which she was forced to make false claims against the Minister of Human Services & Social Security and other leading PPP officials.
Benschop, who up to a few days ago could've barely afforded gas for his two SUVs was spotted this afternoon at several South Georgetown watering holes frolicking all and sundry. On numerous occasions prior to this incident Benschop's vehicles frequently ran out of gas and had to be towed away several times. One suffered pump related damages as a result.
Freddie Kissoon/Shit Face gets it wrong AGAIN!
Ms. Gillibrand, this week, was bombarded with e-mails about Mr. Jagdeo’s fascist dictatorship in Guyana. She received letters denouncing Mr. Jagdeo and requesting that she stay away from the event because her presence would lend credibility to Mr. Jagdeo.
Deh right fa throw shit pon your already shitty face............... SKUNT HOLE..........Bharrat deh back in Guyana since 11:30 last night.
Benschop may be obstructing justice in CN Sharma’s carnal knowledge case
POLITICAL activist Mark Benschop may be attempting to pervert and obstruct the course of justice in the CN Sharma carnal knowledge case currently before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Legal observers say this new development is indeed worrying and questioned Benschop’s motive for the claims he advanced yesterday on his website, guyanaobservernews.org, about the mother and daughters who are State witnesses in the CN Sharma case.
Mark Benschop
CN Sharma, who is also Leader of the Justice For All Party (JFAP), was charged with carnal knowledge of a 15-year-old girl.
Benschop wrote on his website that the carnal knowledge case against Sharma “has taken a new twist” when “the mother and her two daughters (all witnesses, and under State protection)” turned up at his (Benschop's office) to say that they have been "threatened" by the police and a Government minister to testify against Sharma.
Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall, said these allegations by Benschop are serious and have grave implications considering his statements implicate a Minister of Government and senior functionaries of the Guyana Police Force in wrongdoing, including the criminal offences of perverting or obstructing the course of justice, conspiracy, malicious prosecution, and using the legal process as a weapon of vendetta against citizens.
Nandlall said he views these allegations with great suspicion, because there are questions begging answers.
“For instance, why was Benschop approached and no-one else, especially in the media, including Channel Six, which would quickly and willingly give this matter prominence in the public arena? What help could they visualize Benschop providing them, unless his accusations of offering reward for lies be retorted to him? Why did they not approach opposition parliamentary parties, nor consult a lawyer, the Bar Association or the Police Complaints Authority?” he questioned.
The Attorney-at–law further questioned why the family did not once again approach Red Thread, the organization to which they took their original complaint?
Nandlall recalled that it was Red Thread which brought the matter to the attention of the Police and the public and initiated legal proceedings against the alleged culprit, and Red Thread is no friend of the Government.
He believes these are relevant questions to serious allegations on legal issues, and the answers to these questions should determine the credibility of Benschop’s assertions.
Nandlall said that in the interest of justice and transparency, these very damaging allegations by Benschop are thoroughly investigated and appropriate actions taken.
“…I am convinced that, apart from those implicated, these allegations can undermine the very foundation of Guyana’s criminal justice system in particular, and law and order, generally, with most dire consequences to the society,” Nandlall offered.
Peter Ramsaroop Peeper Ramsaroop says quit AFC because of ‘undemocratic’ nature
Peter Ramsaroop
Former CEO of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Peter Ramsaroop has cancelled his party membership citing the party’s “undemocratic” nature as the reason for this.
Ramsaroop also criticized Ramjattan for his remarks about not wanting to team up with the PNCR, and opined that this was counter productive to the party. He said that the party was not interested in working with all groups to ensure that the PPP government loses power but that it wanted to be selective in its partnership. The former CEO argued that if the PPP government was to be removed at elections a ‘big tent’ approach was needed.TT, Guyana seek new economic ties
PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad- Bissessar welcomes President of Guyana Bharat Jagdeo to the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair, where they held talks on economic cooperation.
President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday met Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the Office of the Prime Minister in Port-of-Spain. The two leaders discussed a number of issues including strengthening of economic ties between both countries.
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar also promised T&T's assistance to Guyana which is seeking to embark on an aggressive oil and gas exploration later this year. President Jagdeo thanked Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar for the offer, one he said would be taken up if and when these natural resources are discovered. President Jagdeo also reportedly invited Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to attend an upcoming meeting in Guyana of Latin American leaders which he will be chairing. The meeting between the Guyanese Head of State and the newly elected Prime Minister of T&T was reported to be very cordial and lasted for over an hour.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Sharma, Corbin and Ramsaroop- The Three Sex Offenders
These three Presidential hopefuls have one common trait thay have all been at some point in time involved publicly in scandoulous sexual perversions.
Sharma though has continued to prove his guilt with his several attempts to bribe the victims. His son in law and staff were the first to do so on his behalf, they failed.
He then sought out a partnership with Benschop to engage in this dubious act. This will ultimately lead to their fall from grace if they haven't already.
Benschop in Trouble with the Law As Sharma Attempts to Tamper with the Witnesses
According to some legal experts, Mark Benschop has landed himslef in hotwater again this for aiding and abetting CN Sharma, by his actions he has in fact obstructed the course of justice and will most likely be jailed when placed before the courts.
The experts contend that since Benschop facilitated the bribe (G$20 MILLION) which took place at his office, more than likely he will be arrested and placed before the courts to answer for his actions.
Information reaching this site points to Sharma being at the same location with Benschop along with the victims in the case in question. It is their hope that with such a huge amount of money being doled out, the victims will now refuse to testify against him in court
Sharma Just Doesn't Give up
As if it wasn't enough that he is already before the courts charged for rape and his son in law and some of his staff are also before the courts for attempting to bribe the victims, he has now in collusion with non other than former treason accused Mark Benschop in paying out G$20 Million to the victims for their silence in giving evidence. Benschop continues in his blatant attempt at breaking the law and it seems there is no stopping him.
Peter Wickham & Hartley Henry's interventions were designed to sideline Ramjattan-Eric Phillips
Eric Phillips: The AFC also needs to get its house in order before it attempts to forge a Combined Opposition. Khemraj Ramjattan has publicly stated in Guyana and Canada, that he will not be a part of a Combined Opposition. Raphael Trotman wants the AFC to be a part of a Combined Opposition and also badly wants to be the leader or the number two. This has led to a part of the AFC leadership creating purposeful and strategic (so they believe) interventions by the Peter Wickham CADRES Poll prior to the AFC’s last weekend meeting to decide on their rotation principle as well as the introduction of Henry Hartley from Barbados without Kemraj Ramjattan’s agreement.
These interventions were designed to strengthen Raphael’s hands and to create a momentum that would essentially sideline Khemraj. There is nothing sophisticated about this. It is pure hard core politics for Raphael to get his way and to lead the AFC into a Combined Opposition. Henry Hartley is a close associate of Peter Wickham (CADRES poll) and in essence was here to operationalize the poll to Raphael’s advantage. I myself take the poll with a large grain of salt as it lacks credibility in many areas but has enough truths in it to make it seem credible.
The AFC needs to look deep into its soul because the current treatment of Peter Ramsaroop is despicable no different than the treatment dished out to Gomattie Singh. Peter Ramsaroop has brought a large number of ideas to the AFC and unlike many politicians in Guyana, works hard, is experienced in many fields, commits his own capital and time to a better Guyana, and is team oriented. The maximum leaders seem to want no challengers regardless of the contribution made by others.
As I have said in the past, the rotation strategy of the AFC is undemocratic and authoritarian if only the three founder members are the ones to be rotated. This rotation is about acknowledging that Guyana is a racially divided society and not about enlightened leadership. It is a Westminster approach to the race problem in Guyana. The issue is that Westminster is a bad system for Guyana and any Westminster solution is just as bad. Let me also caution the AFC about denial and deception. I was invited by the AFC to a meeting with Henry Hartley. Yes, he is good at what he does. What worried me greatly was the idea raised by him and supported by the AFC leadership at that meeting that Guyana does not have a racial problem.
What the Bloggers say.
The Alliance For Change’s (AFC) National Executive Committee (NEC) will recommend that Khemraj Ramjattan become its presidential candidate at the party’s National Conference in October.
AFC Vice-Chairperson Sheila Holder said on Monday that the NEC would also recommend that party leader Raphael Trotman become the prime ministerial candidate, along with any other person who has been properly nominated in keeping with the party’s constitution. The party also stated that in order to give effect to the decision, Trotman would endorse Ramjattan as the presidential candidate and Ramjattan would endorse Trotman as the prime ministerial candidate.
Here's what the bloggers had to say:
True Guyanese (Smile Don't Worry Be Happy)
says: says: 
says: says: says: says: says: says: 
says: says: says: says:
AFC Vice-Chairperson Sheila Holder said on Monday that the NEC would also recommend that party leader Raphael Trotman become the prime ministerial candidate, along with any other person who has been properly nominated in keeping with the party’s constitution. The party also stated that in order to give effect to the decision, Trotman would endorse Ramjattan as the presidential candidate and Ramjattan would endorse Trotman as the prime ministerial candidate.
Here's what the bloggers had to say:
True Guyanese (Smile Don't Worry Be Happy)
says: wow..two scapegoats absconder from the pnc and ppp teaming up to another failure coming…..all these two guysa looking for is power they don’t have a vision……we need people with vision open minded… as i said,,,,yesu persaud=president,,clifford reis=prime minester,,,deo persaud=finance minister,,,jerry gouvia=minister or tourism,,,joe singh=home affairs,,,carl morgan=education,,,,vidyanand persaud=attorney general,,,ah guh leff d other half fuh lata…..
Napaloo Toanseed says: “parties will be led by Indians”
That these fringe parties will be led by Indians is a well calculated move. The motive is to try and split the PPP support, while the Afro Guyanese will remain loyal to and vote en masse for their PNC. Then some coalition among the PNC and these split groups will remove the PPP.Good move!!!Nice try!!!Indians are well aware of this ploy.They will never crack the door open for a return to the days of PNC brutality and oppression.
Smoke that.
says: Seems to me you like to overhaul old engines. An efficient new engine is always better,productivity is more sincere. Old patriots as they may seem, can manupelate the system for personal gains. Don’t we have fresh minds to take up leadership? AFC? All hungry for power. What can you do for the people and their country? Bring up your manifesto; show your plan,show your action. Allying with opportunists can be sour for the soul….get one Prakash! Uncle John should have told you that burning bridges is no good…he knows what that feels like.
Rodrick (SN, Guyana's Unofficial Tabloid) says: Oh laad! yet another trick from the Opposition. Put an Indian to change face of the party with the intent to steal some of PPP’s Indo votes. Shortly after the election is over, the Indian will step down and the real party’s leader will step up. Clever, but the Opposition fails to realize that people were well aware of this move all along.
says: According to Raj Singh Right?
The AFC’s purpose is to break the cycle of race based politics in Guyana, and to serve all the people with ethics & integrity.
Then tell the Guyanese people what it took why was Ramjattan sidelined until now that the media got a hold of the inner workings of the top boss of AFC.
Tell the Guyanese people why was Gumattie Singh thrown under the AFC bus for Chantal Smith.
Tell the Guyanese people why was Ramsaroop dashed under AFC bus.
Tell the Guyanese people why such a staunch supporter in Freddie Kissoon of the AFC now moving aside to join with Benschop to form a political party.
Since you are talking of ethnicity and race breaking cycle.
Forget the likes of you in the diaspora for you dont count and will never be counted in any AFC party..
All they want from the diaspora is your financial donation.
Ask one Samaroo here on this blog site what is really going on and he will tell you since he is very silent these days on blogging about AFC.He is more staunched than most of you.
says: This party started with deception from the beginning. All tree leaders of the AFC held on to their seats in Parliament while advocating to form a New Party the AFC. This problem between Trotman and Kemraj not surprising they all want just power. Is the people of Guyana come first?
Deonarine says: It took a newspaper advertisement to force the three to call a press conference and honour its founding promise. If these people behaving like this in opposition if they get power it will be hell to play.
Mohamed Z. Rahaman says: Rotation respected…nope.
Trotman & co knew from the reaction over the last couple of weeks that it was political suicide if he did not reverse his initial stance not to honor the agreement to ‘rotate’.
I view having an Indian as head of AFC or PNC, is like what McCain did (and failed gloriously)in trying to one up the Democrats by picking picking a woman for his VP and hoping to gain mass women votes in doing so. So too woudld the AFC and PNC fail miserably.
PPP is still the best party for Guyana and everyone knows it. The fact that Trotman is meeting with Murray, Corbin and those Bajans is sufficient cause for Guyanese to get scared. Wonder where them Bajans and others were during teh brutal Burnham/Hoyte years?
says: Moderator, the devil is in the detail, don’t let the caption fools you
—“AFC executive to back Ramjattan as presidential candidate”—SN bloggers are so taken up by it; they failed to comprehend what the process is. Here is the catch;
Sheila Holder said:
“Our Constitution requires the party’s national conference to confirm and ratify the presidential and prime ministerial candidates of the party and also permits any member of the party, in good standing, to be offered as a nominee for presidential candidate by any of the party groups,”
It is common knowledge that the majority of AFC members and supporters prefer Raphael Trotman as their presidential candidate—this group will nominate him and vote for him, and against National Executive Committee recommended Khemraj Ramjattan. Just you wait and see, comes the party’s National Conference in October.
Cummins says: “Trotman said too that at its launch the party had said that should it win the elections,it would rotate the presidency mid-term”.–the article
Whew!!! Talk about the fun house! Half way up the learning curve it’s time for somebody else to take over. Who said Guyanese are not knowledgeable about their leaders and politics? There is reason why they keep voting PPP. Maybe it has nothing to do with the government’s economic policies or race but everything to do with the alternative.
Rodrick (SN, Guyana's Unofficial Tabloid) says: Cummins,
Part of the reason why “they vote PPP” is because people know the good and bad about that party; thanks to the Opposition for helping folks to get to know the PPP better. But when it comes to PNC and AFC, many people don’t know what to expect from the them. We have yet to see either of these two parties give reassuring proofs that they can better the PPP in tackling issues of education, crime, health, economy, trade and foreign relations; so far its been mostly talk, talk, talk…
I think even the most illiterate person in Guyana will want to vote for a party that has been consistent than others that appear to be shady.
says: Of Course Trotman would say that the Presidency would be his mid-term, after all he did not get into this race to be PM. He is speaking loud and clear for everyone to hear. Does anyone question who is the real leader of the AFC? Who meets with the Bajans/ Who meets with Winston Murray? Who meets with Corbin? Certainly not Ramjattan.
So all this talk about joint leadership in the AFC is just a mirage. Everybody knows who is calling the shots and it’s not Ramjattan. Too bad, he coulda been a contenda on the odda side.
(Comments taken from the Stabroek News AFC mouth piece web site)
Dudus captured, Cocaine Chris still free.
Christopher 'Dudus' Coke
Lalbachan Christopher 'Cocaine Chris' Ram
CHRISTOPHER 'Dudus' Coke — Jamaica's most wanted fugitive — was captured yesterday afternoon in a police dragnet along the Mandela Highway in St Catherine.
The capture of Coke, who is wanted by United States authorities to answer drug-trafficking and gun-running charges, comes just short of a month after he escaped from his former stronghold of Tivoli Gardens in West Kingston when the security forces stormed the community to execute an arrest warrant on him and restore order after gunmen loyal to him barricaded all entrances to Tivoli and launched unprovoked attacks on the State.
Coke was travelling in a car with the Rev Al Miller when he was held at approximately 4:00 pm at a motor vehicle spot check set up by the police who apparently had information that he would be travelling on that road yesterday. However, Guyana's version of 'Dudus', Lalbachan Christopher 'Cocaine Chris' Ram remains free to roam the streets.
Christopher Ram's attempt to block the Amailia Falls Hydro Project derailed by Chief Justice.
Chief Justice (ag), Ian Chang
Acting Chief Justice Mr. Ian Chang, S.C., on Moday declined to issue orders of Certiorari and Prohibition to Management Consultant Ramon Gaskin. Gaskin has set out to prevent Government from awarding a $15M (US) contract to Synergy Holdings Inc., to design and build roads and stream/river crossings for Amailia Falls Hydro Project. The application was refused. The legal team representing the applicant includes Mr Rex Mc Kay, S.C., Mr Fitz L.R. Peters, Mr Neil Boston and Mr Christopher "Cocaine Chris" Ram.
Chief Justice Chang in his decision delivered on Monday, said among other things, "The applicant Ramon Gaskin instituted these proceedings for the prerogative writs of Cetiorari and Prohibition, not as a person who has any direct or personal interest in the award of the contract to Synergy Holdings Inc., but merely as a citizen of Guyana."
"Nevertheless, this court has no doubt that he did not lack the locus standi to institute these proceedings since prerogative writ proceedings are always instituted in the name of the sovereign and the sovereign always has the locus standi to have such writs issued against public authorities including the sovereign's own Ministers acting or threatening to act unlawfully or ultra vires," The Chief Justice said.
He added, "It is noteworthy that while the notice of motion alleges that the award of the contract was made by the government through the Minister of Public Works and Communication and the Executive Director of NICIL, the affidavit in support of the motion contains no evidence to support such an allegation"
"There is no evidence in the said affidavit that the evaluation of the tenders was conducted by either of these officials. Nor does the said affidavit contain any evidence to enable a finding that the award of the contract to Synergy Holdings Inc., was unreasonable or irrational in the Wensebury scene."
"Indeed, there appears to be a disconnect between the orders sought in the Notice of Motion and the affidavit in support of the motion which seems to focus primarily on the issue of procedural non-compliance." "It must be noted that while the affidavit in support of the motion is pregnant with alleged breaches of procedure, it is somewhat lacking in allegations of fact in support of those procedural breaches of law. The evidential deficiency in the affidavit evidence in support of the legal grounds for the application might have stemmed from the fact that the applicant was never personally acquainted with what transpired in the conduct of the entire tendering process," the CJ said.
He added:"The court is unable to persuade itself that the issue of writs of Certiorari and prohibition would be for the public good in light of the importance of the Hydro electric project to public welfare and development of the country. The execution of the project by Synergy Holdings Inc., may warrant close monitoring but the need for such monitoring does not provide a sufficient basis for the exercise of the court's discretion to issue the Orders or Rules nisi of Certiorari and Prohibition as prayed."
AFC member speaks out against intended merger with PNC.
A disgruntled member of the Alliance For Change gives an off camera interview in which he vents his frustration at recent events in the party, particularly, the proposed alliance with the PNC/R.
The AFC's future in serious doubt-Political analysts
THE leadership of the small Alliance For Change (AFC) party moved Monday to stem widespread reports about a serious internal rift that was caused by its not sticking with its intention to rotate the leadership based on an agreed principle. The crisis gripping the AFC emanated from a failure to honour an agreement to rotate the leadership between Raphael Trotman and Khemraj Ramjattan and there were reports of Ramjattan threatening to resign from the party over this issue.
However, political observers said the AFC press conference on Monday created more doubts since it failed to categorically announce Ramjattan as the new leader based on the rotation principle.
Analysts said the infighting is so intense that it jeopardises the future of the AFC, pointing to the departure of two key members, Peter Ramsaroop and Gomattie Singh and others as examples to support their contention.
Sources said the press conference at the Sidewalk Café in Georgetown was clearly meant to downplay reported differences between Trotman and Ramjattan who promised to endorse each other to rotate the leadership.
They noted that the AFC leadership rushed to present a united front at the press conference by putting up the Ramjattan presidential candidacy with Trotman when such a decision was earlier put back to later this year.
They noted too that at least one other senior member, Mr. Michael Carrington, has said that he wants to be considered as the AFC presidential candidate and that the decision should be made by the party.
Signals of deepening disenchantment came also with the announcement Monday that Ramsaroop, the former AFC Chief Executive Officer, had resigned as a party member.
Businessman Ramsaroop told the Kaieteur News he cancelled his membership with the AFC because “they do not support a united opposition which must include the PNC (People’s National Congress Reform).”
He claimed that Ramjattan’s previous stand that he will never work with the PNCR was a slap in the face of good people of the party.
“The AFC on its own cannot win an election…I will work again with the AFC when we all sit at the table, including the PNC, and determine a way forward along with civil society”, he offered.
Ramsaroop, named in a police complaint about planting secret video recording cameras in an apartment he rented to a 19-year-old female, said he does not feel that Ramjattan displays the leadership skills needed to be the presidential candidate and the rejection by the masses over the years puts the AFC now in a catch up position since the intended rotation has been announced.
Asked Monday about his previous expressed concern about the AFC forging an alliance with the PNCR, Ramjattan said: “there are some international factors…I have come around to the position, that if you want, largely, to get the largest block, there must be a larger block than the AFC.”
On how the party intended to deal with the perception that PNCR Leader Robert Corbin may be an obstacle to a successful opposition alliance, Ramjattan suggested that there will always be the perception that certain personalities would be negative for the larger efforts of advancing alliances and felt that the way to go was to negotiate the best set of leaders to work along with.
Trotman said the AFC’s bid for an opposition alliance was not one of personalities but of principles and programmes. He said the programme to take Guyana forward will first have to be outlined and persons will then fit themselves in.
Trotman is a former senior PNCR member and parliamentarian who defected to form his own party while Ramjattan is a defector from the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
The AFC is now seeking to merge with the PNCR after bitter differences earlier this year when Trotman accused PNCR leader, Mr. Robert Corbin, of being in secret talks with President Bharrat Jagdeo on a shared governance agreement for the 2011 elections.
Trotman flatly declared then that the AFC was not discussing an alliance with the PNCR but Corbin said the two parties have had several meetings, discussions and consultations on the issue.
However, political observers said the AFC press conference on Monday created more doubts since it failed to categorically announce Ramjattan as the new leader based on the rotation principle.
Analysts said the infighting is so intense that it jeopardises the future of the AFC, pointing to the departure of two key members, Peter Ramsaroop and Gomattie Singh and others as examples to support their contention.
Sources said the press conference at the Sidewalk Café in Georgetown was clearly meant to downplay reported differences between Trotman and Ramjattan who promised to endorse each other to rotate the leadership.
They noted that the AFC leadership rushed to present a united front at the press conference by putting up the Ramjattan presidential candidacy with Trotman when such a decision was earlier put back to later this year.
They noted too that at least one other senior member, Mr. Michael Carrington, has said that he wants to be considered as the AFC presidential candidate and that the decision should be made by the party.
Signals of deepening disenchantment came also with the announcement Monday that Ramsaroop, the former AFC Chief Executive Officer, had resigned as a party member.
Businessman Ramsaroop told the Kaieteur News he cancelled his membership with the AFC because “they do not support a united opposition which must include the PNC (People’s National Congress Reform).”
He claimed that Ramjattan’s previous stand that he will never work with the PNCR was a slap in the face of good people of the party.
“The AFC on its own cannot win an election…I will work again with the AFC when we all sit at the table, including the PNC, and determine a way forward along with civil society”, he offered.
Ramsaroop, named in a police complaint about planting secret video recording cameras in an apartment he rented to a 19-year-old female, said he does not feel that Ramjattan displays the leadership skills needed to be the presidential candidate and the rejection by the masses over the years puts the AFC now in a catch up position since the intended rotation has been announced.
Asked Monday about his previous expressed concern about the AFC forging an alliance with the PNCR, Ramjattan said: “there are some international factors…I have come around to the position, that if you want, largely, to get the largest block, there must be a larger block than the AFC.”
On how the party intended to deal with the perception that PNCR Leader Robert Corbin may be an obstacle to a successful opposition alliance, Ramjattan suggested that there will always be the perception that certain personalities would be negative for the larger efforts of advancing alliances and felt that the way to go was to negotiate the best set of leaders to work along with.
Trotman said the AFC’s bid for an opposition alliance was not one of personalities but of principles and programmes. He said the programme to take Guyana forward will first have to be outlined and persons will then fit themselves in.
Trotman is a former senior PNCR member and parliamentarian who defected to form his own party while Ramjattan is a defector from the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
The AFC is now seeking to merge with the PNCR after bitter differences earlier this year when Trotman accused PNCR leader, Mr. Robert Corbin, of being in secret talks with President Bharrat Jagdeo on a shared governance agreement for the 2011 elections.
Trotman flatly declared then that the AFC was not discussing an alliance with the PNCR but Corbin said the two parties have had several meetings, discussions and consultations on the issue.
Marriott International Announces First Hotel in Guyana
Marriott International, Inc. announced today that it will open its first Marriott branded hotel in Guyana in 2013. The 160-room Georgetown Marriott Hotel is on track to receive LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is on track to be Marriott’s first LEED hotel in the Caribbean & Latin America. It will operate under a management agreement with Atlantic Hotel Inc (AHI). AHI is currently owned by the Government of Guyana (GoG) as part of a public-private partnership between the Government of Guyana and private sector investors.
“We are thrilled to partner with AHI and the Government of Guyana to open our first Marriott Hotel in the country, representing Marriott’s presence in another Capital city in South America,” said Laurent de Kousemaeker, chief development officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean & Latin America. “This will also be Marriott’s first LEED- hotel in the region, and we are confident that it will play an instrumental role in the continued economic and commercial development of Guyana.”
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Guyana, President Bharrat Jagdeo, said, “Guyana looks forward to a first class branded quality hotel operated by Marriott International. This public-private partnership project will transform the hospitality landscape and can be expected to encourage more travel and tourism development for our nation. The project will be more an integrated entertainment complex ideally located at the corner of the Atlantic Ocean and Demerara River with a casino, night club, restaurant, and boardwalk.”
The hotel’s state-of-the-art architectural and interior design concept will be created by the firm of Urbahn Architects (New York).
According to the company's web site, "Marriott Hotels & Resorts is Marriott International’s flagship hotel brand and are designed to “inspire performance,” by offering services and amenities that encourage guests to function at their peak and meet their personal goals while traveling for business or leisure.
Marriott Hotels & Resorts inspires your best performance during travel, delivering an experience that helps you work and relax in your own way. Marriott’s nearly 500 locations in 60 countries provide genuine care coupled with fresh, classic design, making it the leading choice for travelers and meeting planners. All Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay."
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Hamilton Green FUCKS up AGAIN!!!
-Garbage collectors withdraw service from city
Waste Disposal contractors, Puran Brothers Waste Disposal Service, Cevon’s Waste Management Incorporated, and Crawler and Wheeler Waste Disposal Service, yesterday made good on their threat to withdraw their services from the Georgetown municipality.
Municipal Public Relations Officer, Royston King, confirmed this state of affairs yesterday, even as he underscored that “it is regrettable that to date the council is unable to make the necessary payments to the contractors.”
It was just last week that the contractors had emphasised their concern by stating that they were collectively prepared to suspend waste disposal service in the city.
The contractors are together owed $75M which the municipality has so far been incapable of raising to settle a three-month-old debt.
Last week, the contractors refused a payment of $12M, having collectively asserted that if they accepted the meagre payment it will in no way help to improve their ability to continue to service the waste disposal needs of the city.
The contractors contend that they are in such a financially deprived state that they are currently unable to procure the needful resources, the most crucial being fuel, to continue removing the generated waste.
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