Recent events review Saturday, August 4th to Friday August 11th

must be a priority, according to oil consultant Dr Valerie Marcel. “Those institutions do risk being populated by individuals who do not have the necessary technical experience but the right political connections. And then once positions are filled, political interference may continue in decision making,” Dr Marcel, who is a Chatham House Fellow and Project Head of the New Petroleum Producers Discussion Group told Sunday Stabroek. “The lessons from other emerging producer countries are that such institutions need to be established as professional, technocratic bodies. Recruitment and procurement should be done through an open, competitive recruitment process,” she added. Marcel believes that in addition, it is important that a strong message be sent from the top leadership about the standards by which the petroleum commission will operate. She said that it is also important to bolster the checks and balances in the new system. Those “checks” she says, can come from the Parliament and the Auditor General. Government has meanwhile assured that not only is the bill to establish the Commission near completion, it has been reworked to ensure its independence. and be given as cash transfers to every single household in this country…,” Dr Thomas last evening told attendees, at an event organized by the Buxton 1st of August Movement which was held at the Friendship, East Coast Demerara Primary School. Further, he added, “I don’t think giving cash transfers to persons are a waste of resources. If you look at the evidence, cash transfers are the single most effective means of combatting poverty.” Under the theme, ‘The Coming Oil and Gas Economy: Prospects for Empowering the Poor and Revitalizing the Village Economy’, Thomas, one of three panelists, was the most vibrant speaker and the one who had more live feedback from participants, who at times interrupted his speech with thunderous applause, as he laid out a plan for cash transfers.

AFC local gov’t campaign won’t damage general elections coalition

The decision made by the Alliance For Change (AFC) to contest the upcoming local government elections alone is not a cause for concern, President David Granger said yesterday, while making it clear that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) respects the decision made by its coalition government partner. “It is my view that both the AFC and the APNU remain committed to coalition politics and this in no way will damage the prospect of our two parties going into the general and region elections as one,” Granger told reporters shortly before he left the Botanical Gardens, where he attended a commemorative ceremony for the 33rd death anniversary of the First Prime Minister and First Executive President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. In a brief interview, Granger stressed that the AFC’s decision would have been a party one. He added that there was an exchange of memoranda and that APNU had drafted its own core principles which were submitted to the AFC for their consideration.

Canefield man murders wife, kills self