Recent events review Saturday, July 28th to Friday August 3rd
Saturday, July 28
Court allows early hearing of challenge to GECOM Chairman ruling
Taking into consideration the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE), the Guyana Court of Appeal yesterday set October 4th for the commencement of the hearing of the legal challenge to the Chief Justice Roxane George’s decision to uphold the unilateral appointment of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman Justice (ret’d) James Patterson. The LGE are due to be held on November 12th. Following the court’s decision, attorney Anil Nandlall, who filed the application for an early hearing of the challenge on behalf of PPP Executive Secretary Zulfikar Mustapha, said that the date given is acceptable in the circumstances. He noted that the court had clearly recognised the importance of the quick disposal of the matter. Moreover, he said while he would have wanted the case completed before the LGE, his main aim is to have it disposed of before the 2020 general elections. Chancellor (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who heard the matter along with Justices Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud, granted Nandlall’s application yesterday afternoon, after hearing submissions from both sides during the morning hours and on Wednesday. The court also relied on the written submissions that were made. Justice Cumming-Edwards noted that given the importance of the issue, the court had to “fast track” the hearing of the appeal. Nandlall had argued at length that the urgent hearing of the matter is of public importance.
Gov’t gets $7B World Bank loan to upgrade financial management
The Ministry of Finance yesterday signed a US$35 million (almost $7.3 billion) policy-based loan agreement with the World Bank to support the modernisation of the country’s financial infrastructure. According to the program document for the Programmatic Development Policy Credit (PDPC) Project, the series supports Guyana’s reform efforts to reinforce sound financial sector development and to strengthen fiscal management. It says the proposed operation is the first in a series of two operations building on three pillars of policy reforms. “The first pillar supports the Bank of Guyana’s ability to manage financial stress including establishing a deposit insurance scheme. The second pillar supports both regulatory reform for the insurance sector as well as domestic and international payment transactions. The third pillar supports stronger fiscal management through a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) for intergenerational savings, better debt management, and improved public investment management,” it explains. The PDPC, the document adds, forms part of a developing engagement with Guyana spanning financial sector, fiscal, and oil and gas sector management.
Two cops face 38 charges over driver’s exam scam
A total of 38 separate charges were yesterday read against two police ranks, who are accused of trying to help learner drivers cheat the sitting of their theoretical examination. The charges were read against Police Corporals Ryan Gray, 25, of Lot 215 Da Silva Street, Newtown, Kitty, and Shenese Fraser, 31, of Lot 199 Field Seven, Section A, South Sophia, who is the confidential secretary of the Traffic Chief. Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan read 20 charges to Gray and 18 charges to Fraser when they appeared before her in Georgetown yesterday. It is alleged that Gray, on April 12th, 2018, with intent to defraud the public, conspired with persons to commit a misdemeanour; that is to say, he uttered questionnaires, knowing them to be forged, in that they were not written by the persons listed.
Sunday, July 29 Gov’t cautious about borrowing despite growing interest by lenders
Guyana’s expected revenue from oil production has resulted in more interest from multilateral banks, which Finance Minister Winston Jordan believes is demonstrative of a sound economy although he remains guarded about rushing towards every offer. Jordan says that while banks and investors are keen to extend resource envelopes to Guyana, he is in no rush to accept, as is evidenced by his application for US$20 million from a recent Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) four year purse offer of US$900 million, interest-free. “Isn’t that a good thing for Guyana, that more funds coming? And doesn’t that send a nail into the doomsday scenario that this and that is happening? Isn’t that a sign that the economy is healthy enough to accept the money that they are lending you? These banks would not lend you money if you were in trouble,” Jordan said. “But every multinational that we engage, they will have an envelope for you over a specified period so it is not as if they finding money from somewhere and saying ‘Come!’ The envelope has been set,” he added.
Monday, July 30
No full-time oil and gas expert in MNR –Mangal
With less than two years to first oil, former Government Advisor on Petroleum, Dr Jan Mangal says the number of oversight personnel has to be swiftly ramped up to monitor the current operations and before ExxonMobil is given approval for its Liza Phase 2 Development Plan. He said that currently the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has no full-time experienced oil and gas (O&G) professional and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is greatly disadvantaged as it also faces a human resource deficit in specialists for the sector. “Guyana needs O&G professionals with 15-30 years of experience, working internationally for the major companies (XOM, Shell, etc) in high level roles, with experience interacting with governments,” Mangal told Stabroek News yesterday. “We just don’t have the capacity right now. Government needs to do a proper job on analyzing Liza Phase 1 before it approves the Liza Phase 2 Field Development… So when the documents for Liza Phase 2 comes in this year, the people who would have been hired would check against Liza Phase 1,” he added.
Kaituma farmer murdered, son-in-law in custody
The police say they are investigating the murder of Dennis Williams, 67, a farmer of Canal Bank, Port Kaituma, NWD. His 36year-old son-in-law, George Vansluytman is in custody assisting with the investigation, according to the police. Enquiries, the police say, disclosed that about 3 am on Saturday, the suspect and two friends were consuming alcohol outside of the suspect’s home. Vansluytman later allowed the men to sleep in his house. The wife and daughter of the suspect later ventured out to use the washroom and police say that the suspect accused the wife of leaving to see his friends. He began beating his wife who started screaming and her father who resides in close proximity, crossed the river with his boat and rescued and remained with her until the break of day. About 6.30 am on Saturday the father was returning home in his boat when shortly after the suspect allegedly entered a boat powered by an outboard engine and drove over the deceased and his boat causing him to fall overboard. The lifeless body of Williams which bore injuries to the head, was later recovered.
Better Hope man dies in fire
A 65-year-old man died after a mid-morning fire gutted his Better Hope, East Coast Demerara home yesterday. According to information reaching Stabroek News, the charred remains of Fazil Ali, who resided at Bissoon Street, South Better Hope, was found by the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). He was home alone at the time. The police also explained that enquiries disclosed that the deceased was an alcoholic who lived with his common law wife, Anita Loaknauth and his grandson, 15-year- old, Randy Ameer. Sometime around midday, neighbours noticed the smoke and fire issuing from the man’s wooden house and the GFS was subsequently called. They arrived shortly after and managed to contain the fire but were unable to save the man or the house. All of the family’s valuables, important documents and appliances were lost in the fire. His body was reportedly found under the debris lying in a north to south position where the door was.
Tuesday, July 31
Gov’t loses vote on duty-free concessions for FIU workers
Three years into the 11th Parliament, the opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) yesterday won its first vote in the House after two members of the Alliance For Change (AFC) abstained on a motion to grant two employees of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) duty-free concessions for vehicles at 2000-cylinder capacity (CC). The motion, which was brought to the House by Minister George Norton on behalf of the Committee of Appointments, was defeated by a vote of 28 to 26 after Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, both of the AFC, chose to break ranks and abstain on the vote. The 26 other members of the APNU+AFC government present in the chamber, including other AFC members, such as Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, voted in support of the motion. Additionally, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, who was present for the debate on the motion, left the chamber before the vote and returned to his seat after the motion was defeated.
Two dead after Bee Hive collision
A vehicular collision along the Bee Hive Public Road, East Coast Demerara, claimed the lives of two young persons on Sunday. Dead are cousins Satyanand Harripersaud, called ‘Avin,’ 27, of 97 Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara and Vashmi Khemraj, called ‘Shelly,’ 18, of 990 New Area, Canefield, East Canje Berbice, who had been proceeding east along the road in a car, PSS 9153, which collided with another vehicle. Following the collision, which occurred around 10.15 pm, both Harripersaud and Khemraj were reportedly trapped in their vehicle, which landed in a nearby canal. They were both wearing seatbelts and the windows were rolled up. They were subsequently pulled from the vehicle by passersby and rushed to the Mahaicony Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Khemraj reportedly died on the spot.
Felix announces settlement plan for Venezuelan migrants
Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, yesterday said plans are in motion for the setting up of a homestead settlement area for the 260 confirmed Venezuelans, who are occupying areas in Barima-Waini (Region One). The Minister made the announcement during an interview
with the Public Information and Press Services Unit of the Ministry of the Presidency at the end of the third multi-agency coordinating committee meeting held at the Ministry of Citizenship, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown. The announcement marks a major shift in the manner in which the government has been handling Venezuelans who have crossed into Guyana to escape the ongoing economic and political crisis in their country. Several local groups had banded together to provide aid to the Venezuelans and in March this year the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees issued new guidelines on how Venezuelans fleeing the crisis in their country were to be handled. Hundreds of Venezuelans have crossed into Guyana in recent months but far larger numbers have left through Colombia and other countries. Trinidad has also seen a steady flow of Venezuelans across the Gulf of Paria.
Wednesday, August 1
President appoints economist to head energy dep’t
Economist Dr. Mark Bynoe has been appointed by President David Granger to head the soon to be formed Department of Energy (DoE) but his lack of experience in the oil and gas sector has raised questions about his suitability for the portfolio. Minister of State Joseph Harmon yesterday confirmed that Bynoe had been appointed and that he would be taking up the position this week. Sources within government told this newspaper that Bynoe was handpicked by Granger and that even the five ministers the President had delegated to overlook the sector in the absence of the DoE “were left in shock” when Granger introduced Bynoe to them for the first time last week. “He is His Excellency’s choice and no one else had a say in that matter…I can’t answer you as to if the vacancy was advertised or not but I do know that applications were received by some individuals and they were being looked at. It came as quite a shock and, as far as I am aware, the ministers were left in shock when they were told this is the chosen man,” the source said. But according to former Presidential Advisor on Petroleum Jan Mangal, the requirements for the person to head such an integral institution were laid out in a plan that had been compiled during his tenure and which was discussed as recent as March of this year. That plan included that the vacancy be advertised globally so as to get the best person.
Appeal Court refuses Marcus Bisram’s bid for urgent hearing of challenge to judgment
Guyanese murder accused Marcus Bisram yesterday suffered another setback in his bid to prevent his extradition to Guyana when the Court of Appeal refused his application for an urgent hearing of his challenge to a ruling by a local judge and noted that the filing of multiple identical applications on his behalf amounts to an abuse of the court process. Bisram, who is also fighting the extradition order issued in the United States by Judge Peggy Kuo, is attempting to avoid being extradited to Guyana to face a charge over the murder of Number 70 Village carpenter Faiyaz Narinedatt. Justice of Appeal Arif Bulkan yesterday read the 16-page decision constructed by himself and Justices of Appeal Rishi Persaud and Rafiq T Khan SC. Through his mother, Sharmila Inderjali, Bisram filed the motion on February 6th seeking that an appeal filed against the decisions of Justice Navindra Singh, made on November 24th, 2017, be heard urgently, and an order treating the application for an urgent hearing as the hearing of the substantive appeal in question.
Dr Gladstone Mitchell passes away
Prominent Guyanese doctor, Gladstone Mitchell has died two years after retiring. Stabroek News understands that he died in Jamaica after a prolonged illness. The certified obstetrician and gynaecologist (OB/GYN) retired in 2016 at age 79 after 50 years in practice. At the time of his retirement he had told Stabroek News that he suffered a near-death experience in neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago while attending the graduation of his granddaughter, Tobago’s top 2016 SEA student. Born in Linden and raised in Industry, the Queen’s College alum told this newspaper that he always knew he wanted to be a physician. In pursuit of this dream he studied medicine at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica and later underwent specialized post-graduate training in Barbados, at Yale University in the United States and at Hammersmith in the United Kingdom. Mitchell, a four-decade member of the Medical Council of Guyana and former Superintendent at the Suddie Hospital was married to Stella Mitchell and was father to two daughters and one son.
Thursday, August 2
`We had doubts about legality of move’
Alliance for Change (AFC) members Dominic Gaskin and Khemraj Ramjattan abstained from voting for dutyfree concessions for two officials of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) on Monday because they had unanswered questions on the legality of the move. The abstentions have given rise to speculation that they were meant as a sign to the APNU section of the government that the AFC can apply pressure in this manner. The abstentions enabled the opposition PPP/C to defeat a government motion for the first time since 2015. “I didn’t feel that I should support a motion like that, on the grounds that it was in variation of the statutes that gives the power for duty-free concessions to the Minister of Finance and the GRA boss Mr. (Godfrey) Statia,” Ramjattan told Stabroek News on Tuesday evening when contacted. “I just didn’t see the point of the motion. After it was put to the house I didn’t see how it could be used to achieve its intended effect given the law,” Gaskin separately said, when asked for an explanation for his abstention. The motion, which was brought to the House by Minister George Norton on behalf of the Committee of Appointments, was defeated by a vote of 28 to 26.
Albert St man shot after allegedly firing at police
A 21-year-old man was shot after allegedly opening fire on police ranks from a mobile patrol yesterday afternoon at Norton and Chapel streets, Georgetown. Jamal Goriah, a resident of Albert Street, Queenstown was shot once in his left shoulder during the incident which unfolded around 3 pm yesterday. He is currently a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital under police guard. His condition is listed as stable.
Nicaraguan doctor robbed at gunpoint
A Nicaraguan doctor was robbed of a quantity of local and foreign currency and documents yesterday morning after he was pounced on by two motorcycle bandits while walking along Croal Street, Stabroek with a colleague. Stabroek News was told that during the incident that occurred around 10 am, Dr Diong Javier Fuentes Cortis, 56, was relieved of G$5,600, US$1200 and important documents he was carrying in a pouch. Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Police Force Jairam Ramlakhan, in
Granger defends pick for new energy dep’t head
Newly-appointed head of the Department of Energy (DoE) Dr. Mark Bynoe may not have experience in the oil and gas sector but he has the intelligence and ability to find the expert help needed, according to President David Granger. Defending Bynoe’s appointment, Granger yesterday shrugged off concerns about his lack of experience, saying that he is confident that the new appointee could spearhead and complete a search for experts in oil and gas to support him when the DoE becomes functional by early next month. “Well, we had been examining the state of the industry for the last seven months or so, since Cabinet had considered the recommendation by (the) Minister of Natural Resources that petroleum be transferred from that ministry. We had been searching and we decided on a person, who is experienced not necessarily in petroleum, but who has the intelligence and the experience to find the people who are experienced and who could administer that important industry,” he told reporters following the handing over of a report at State House.
Kuru Kururu man found dead at home after suspected burglary
A Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway man was found dead in a pool of blood in his home yesterday morning and the police suspect he was killed during a burglary. The dead man has been identified as Gregory ‘Wayne’ Frank, 46, a legal clerk of Lot 686 Kuru Kururu. Police spokesman Jairam Ramlakhan, in a press statement, said Frank’s body, “with a swollen forehead,” was discovered about 4.30 am yesterday in the living room of his home. The statement said the rear door to Frank’s home was found ajar and the entire house was ransacked.
Timehri youth gunned down in Sophia
A Timehri youth was gunned down in Sophia last evening in front of his friends by a man he had a disagreement with over a month ago. Dead is Ronsley Clarke, 21, of Fire Station Road, who was shot three times about his body in ‘C’ Field, Sophia. The shooting occurred between 6.30 and 7.00 pm. Alisha Thomas, Clarke’s girlfriend, told Stabroek News last night at the Georgetown Public Hospital that she, Clarke and some of their friends were hanging out at the southern end of ‘C’ Field when the attack took place. “Since last night we went on a dance in Sophia and tonight again everybody enjoying themselves at the Iron Bar corner in ‘C’ Field by the Blacka, because is Blacka’s [a shop owner] birthday and everybody drinking and smoking and enjoying themselves and all of a sudden we just see he [the perpetrator] walking slow and chipping coming,” Thomas said. After the man approached the group, he reportedly opened fire on Clarke, “and he just pull out he gun and start laying shots on my boy.”