The Week-in-Review - September 5 to September 11
Foreign Affairs
Gov’t rejects Venezuela accord on E’quibo claim: The Government of Guyana on Wednesday announced its firm rejection of an agreement by Venezuela’s government and its joint opposition to press their longstanding claim to nearly three-quarters of its territory.
“That agreement is an overt threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana,” the government said in a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry in response to news of the accord. “Guyana cannot be used as an altar of sacrifice for settlement of Venezuela’s internal political differences. While the Government of Guyana welcomes domestic accord within Venezuela, an agreement defying international law and process is not a basis for mediating harmony,” it added, while noting that the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela is properly before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and will remain there for peaceful resolution. Venezuela’s government and opposition representatives reached partial agreement last Monday during talks in Mexico City. Venezuela has sought to claim most of Guyana’s Atlantic waters, which includes the offshore Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil is leading oil production. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Nicolas Maduro government and the opposition coalition agreed that Venezuela has a “historic and inalienable” claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region, the focus of a century-old controversy. Based on an application by Guyana, the ICJ last December ruled that it has jurisdiction to determine the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award on the frontier between Guyana and Venezuela. The Court – the principal judicial organ of the United Nations – also declared that it could address the related question of the definitive settlement of the land boundary controversy between the two territories. Venezuela has chosen not to participate in the case.
COVID-19
Entry to privately-owned businesses now requires vaccination or negative test: Persons who want to enter privately-owned buildings to which the public has lawful access now have to be vaccinated or alternatively will have to show evidence of a recent negative PCR test or make an appointment. This requirement applies to privately-held buildings such as banks, malls, supermarkets, schools and churches. The new measure was gazetted just over a week ago. The requirements of proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test result had previously applied only to state buildings. The extension represents a further tightening of COVID regulations as the government strives to up the vaccination level. The new gazetted order also says that where an employee who works in a public building is unvaccinated and wishes to enter the building that person must present a negative PCR test result taken within seven days of the day. The measure has since been criticized as an overreach by the main opposition APNU+AFC as well as The Citizenship Initiative.
AG denies request to suspend restrictions on unvaccinated: The attorney for the trade unions challenging the government’s COVID-19 vaccination policy was last Wednesday unsuccessful in a bid to secure the temporary suspension of the measures restricting access to public spaces by unvaccinated persons. Attorney Darren Wade’s request was made before High Court Judge Fidela Corbin-Lincoln, who is hearing an application for injunctive relief against the State by three of the trade unions that represent workers in the public service. Specifically referencing what he described as the hardship faced by many who are being locked out of their places of employment and places of worship, and face risk of arrest for breach of the measures, Wade asked for Attorney General Anil Nandlall to give an undertaking for the measures to be lifted, at least until after the injunction proceedings would have been heard. Nandlall, however, said that that would not be possible at the present time. The AG, who is the respondent in the action, described the undertaking sought by Wade as an “onerous” one “on the thin shoulders of the AG, which I cannot give at this time.” The application filed by the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and umbrella body the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), predates the most recent COVID measures that Wade was seeking to have lifted.
Region 10 in shutdown to protest COVID vaccine measures: The residents of Region 10 last Monday staged a shutdown to protest the government’s decree that unvaccinated persons cannot freely access any public building. According to Regional Parliamentarian Jermaine Figueira, the protest would be a resounding success if the government were to respond positively to the legitimate complaint of the people. Figueira told Stabroek News, “I am hoping that good sense prevails and the government recognises the will of the people. Governments are servants of the people. We need the government to recognise that the people do not support a coercive vaccination policy and do not support the idea of being denied access to government services which they pay for. Also the government must recognise that businesses do not support the idea that they must turn away paying customers.” According to the parliamentarian, inoculation must remain a choice and the government must continue to offer free PCR testing to the entire population. Regional Chairman Deron Adams reiterated many of Figueira’s positions, telling this newspaper that the people of Region 10 have, through their protest, delivered a resounding message to the government that they must find innovative ways to encourage vaccination in the region. “We are asking that they reconsider this policy. This attempt to effectively make vaccination mandatory.”
Second dose COVID vaccinations lagging: Saying that there has been a lag in the uptake of the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony last Thursday urged persons to complete their vaccination regime in order to better protect themselves. During his COVID-19 update, Anthony disclosed that as of Wednesday, 327, 519 adults in Guyana had received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while only 171,094 persons have received a second dose. The figure for the recipients of first doses represents 63.8% of the Guyanese adult population, while the figure for the recipients of second doses represents 33.4%. Anthony pointed out that while the number of persons who have received a first dose is significant, the same cannot be said for those that have received a second, especially considering that about 30,000 persons are now eligible to receive their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. “So people take the first dose and are not coming back for their second dose…. If you only get one dose, it doesn’t fully protect you,” he said.
Family alleges negligent operations at COVID hospital after nurse succumbs:
The family of one the latest confirmed COVID-19 fatalities on Friday issued a call for the Ministry of Health to review the operations of the Infectious Disease Hospital at Liliendaal, while alleging that neglect was a contributing factor in her death. According to the family of 56-year-old Vanessa Maynard, they were made aware of staff shortages and inadequate care during her admission at the hospital, including a failure to properly manage her diabetes. However, hospital spokesperson Chelauna Providence refuted some of the claims made by the family about the hospital’s operations although she declined to address the specific case as she was not aware of the specifics as no official complaint had been lodged. Maynard, who had been a nurse at a private hospital, succumbed on Thursday, September 9, 11 days after she was admitted. During a news conference organised by the main opposition coalition APNU+AFC, her family members alleged that from the moment Maynard was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital just after 1 am on August 29, there was no attempt to record her history and decide on a treatment plan. Once transferred to Liliendaal at about 10 pm that night, they contended that no care plan was developed until the next day and even then it was not “comprehensive” or properly communicated among the physicians as different doctors at different times told the family of different medications being used to treat the woman. The family also claimed that the staff to patient ratio was severely skewed, with four nurses reportedly being asked to manage 64 patients, which significantly impacted the care received. But Providence disputed the claim, telling reporters that at no point in time were there only four nurses in the facility. She explained that even when the newest vaccine measures were implemented, the facility had a complement of eight nurses on shift with 19 patients in the ICU. There was no mention of how many patients were in the rest of the facility. Providence, however, stressed that the quota claimed by the family was certainly not reflective of the situation at the facility.
Education
Face-to-face learning resumes at nursery, primary schools: Public schools across the country reopened last Monday for face-to-face learning for nursery- and primarylevel students and the Ministry of Education indicated that there was a high turnout by both teachers and their charges despite some reports of lockouts in some regions as a result new vaccination requirements. The Ministry of Education released data culled from 51% of the nursery and primary schools across Guyana, which showed that 70% of nursery pupils attended school, with 95% of their teachers present, while 65% of primary pupils attended, with 92% of their teachers present. With schools following timetables that allow for each grade to have face to face classes on specific days in order to avoid crowding and to allow for social distancing, the ministry noted that the attendance data does not reflect the entire school population but rather those students who were scheduled to attend classes. In addition, not all schools have been reopened and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand has indicated that some schools will remain closed because teachers have tested positive for COVID-19. At the secondary-level, students 12 years and older are currently being vaccinated in order to facilitate their safe return to face-to-face classes.
Crime
Police record 20% reduction in serious crimes: The Guyana Police Force is reporting a 20% decrease in serious crimes for the year up to September 6, compared with the same period last year, although there has been a significant rise in reports of rape. Murder, rape, armed robbery, robbery with aggravation, break and enter and larceny, larceny from person, robbery with violence, robbery, burglary and kidnapping are the offences which are deemed serious crimes by the police. Director of the GPF’s Corporate Communications Unit Mark Ramotar released the statistics for the periods of January 1 to September 6, 2020, and 2021. For this year so far, the police have recorded
a total of 1,393 serious crimes reports, reflecting a decrease when compared to the same period in 2020, during which 1,742 reports were made. The police noted that all serious crimes except rape, robbery and kidnapping have declined. The statistics show a 19.8% decrease in murder this year. A total of 89 persons were murdered as of September 6, 2020, compared with the 111 murders which occurred for the same period in 2020. Region Nine is the only region which has not seen any murder for the year.
Miner stabbed to death in Kaneville robbery: Police are on the hunt for the perpetrator/s who allegedly stabbed and killed a 36year-old miner during a robbery on Thursday night in Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Nelson Thomas, called ‘Nelo,’ succumbed to a single stab wound to the chest. Guyana Police Force (GPF) spokesman Stan Gouveia confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the killing, which occurred around 9.30 pm. Gouveia said that it is suspected that Thomas was returning home when the suspect/s attempted to rob him and he was stabbed in the process. Family members confirmed that Thomas was robbed of a gold chain he was wearing at the time. Thomas resided at Fourth Field Kaneville with his wife and mother but worked in the interior. He returned home on Thursday to register the birth of his newborn child.
Oil & Gas
Exxon makes oil find at Pinktail well: ExxonMobil on Thursday announced a discovery at its Pinktail well in the Stabroek Block, offshore Guyana, adding to the previous recoverable resource estimate of approximately 9 billion oil equivalent barrels. “The Pinktail well encountered 220 feet (67 meters) of net pay in high quality hydrocarbon bearing sandstone reservoirs,” the company said in a statement. Exxon also announced that in addition to the successful appraisal of the Turbot discovery, the Turbot-2 well encountered 43 feet (13 meters) of net pay in a newly identified, high quality hydrocarbon bearing sandstone reservoir separate from the 75 feet (23 meters) of high quality, oil bearing sandstone reservoir pay encountered in the original Turbot1 discovery well. It explained that this follows the additional pay in deeper reservoirs encountered at the previously announced Whiptail discovery. “These discoveries are part of an extensive well program in the Stabroek Block utilizing six drillships to test play extensions and new concepts, evaluate existing discoveries and complete development wells for the Liza Phase 2 and Payara projects,” Mike Cousins, senior vice president of exploration and new ventures at ExxonMobil, was quoted as saying. “Our exploration successes continue to increase the discovered resource and will generate value for both the Guyanese people and our shareholders,” he added. Pinktail, which was drilled in 5,938 feet (1,810 meters) of water by the Noble Sam Croft, is located approximately 21.7 miles (35 kilometers) southeast of the Liza Phase 1 project, which began production in December 2019, and 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) southeast of Yellowtail-1.
EPA grants permit for US$600M Vreed-en-Hoop shore base project: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted an environmental permit to NRG Holdings Incorporated, clearing the way for the start of its projected US$600 million Vreed-en-Hoop oil and gas shore base development. NRG Holdings Incorporated last Tuesday confirmed that on Monday, September 6, it received an Environmental Permit from the EPA, which paves the way for the commencement of the “Port of Vreed-enHoop Project.” With the issuance of the permit, the company said it will now have to submit an Environmental and Social Management Plan to the EPA within four months. “The Plan will outline the mitigation measures for any impact that the project will have within the proposed area and surrounding communities,” it said in a statement. “The permit also guides the hours of construction, as well as the authorization protocol for use of the land,” it added. NRG Holdings Inc. is a consortium of three local entrepreneurs, comprising gold miner Andron Alphonso, of ZRN Investment Inc; Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohammed, of HADI’S World Incorporated; and Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer of National Hardware Guyana Ltd.
Politics
APNU, AFC accuse Region Four REO of ‘commandeering’ proposals for next budget: Maintaining that they were given short notice to prepare and submit projects for the upcoming 2022 budget, Region Four APNU+AFC councillors last week slammed Regional Executive Officer (REO) Donald Gajraj for failing to inform them in a timely manner and accused him of disenfranchising residents from the process. In separate statements, coalition partners, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) said they were only notified on September 2nd, four days ahead of the deadline for the budget, of the need to submit proposals. He (Gajraj) has given regional councillors such short notice to prepare budget proposals for the community’s development in the most populous region, region 4… This will do a grave injustice to the residents’ consultation in communities in Region 4,” the AFC said in their statement. However, Gajraj in response to the accusation disputed the claims and told Stabroek News that Regional Chairman Daniel Seeram had informed the council since July of the need for proposals on projects to be included in the 2022 budget allocations for the region. While not producing documents, Gajraj afternoon via phone said that minutes of the meeting in question can provide evidence of councillors being informed by Seeram to submit proposals. A separate statement from APNU said that during an emergency meeting by the Regional Finance, Budget and Planning Committee, it was discovered that the Regional 2022 budget was being prepared in the absence of duly elected officers. At the meeting held on September 3rd by the committee, the APNU statement said that Gajraj was not present neither did he send a representative from his office. This resulted in the meeting being cancelled