Paul Cheong re-elected private sector chair
Paul Cheong was yesterday re-elected as Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) when elections were held at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and will serve another term from 20222023.
Ryan Alexander was elected Vice Chairman, Ramesh Dookhoo as Honorary Secretary, and Komal Singh as Treasurer.
Cheong, in his remarks after his re-election noted that the “Private Sector Commission is very optimistic about Guyana’s future, given that the government has already laid the foundation for massive economic growth, expansion of the private sector and the creation of jobs with the plans and programmes outlined in the National 2022 Budget.”
Meanwhile, underscoring the important role of the private sector to the development of a country, the government yesterday pledged that it would continue to partner with the PSC to ensure the holistic development of the country and that the resources benefit this nation’s citizenry.
“My assurance to you today, on behalf of His Excellency the President is that you have in this government, a government that believes strongly, unshakably, unflinchingly and indeed, unapologetically the role of the private sector in the future of Guyana, and you have in this government, a partner committed to ensuring a rapidly growing and a highly competitive, world class, diversified economy in Guyana,” Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh yesterday told the PSC.
Delivering the feature address at the AGM which also observed the organization’s 30th anniversary, Dr Singh said that government sees in the private sector a partner with which its objectives are aligned. “We see the government and private sector not as sitting on opposite sides of the table but on the same side because our objectives aligned,” he said.
It is why the PPP/C government will continue to have its annual Budgets reflect infrastructural and
other programmes to support the private sector, with objectives of the business community doing its part in creating jobs and expanding businesses.
“It can only be a good thing for Guyana. We will
continue to maintain policy frameworks that are conducive to the growth and expansion of the private sector and the creation of jobs, the generation of income and the creation of wealth,” the Finance
Minister said.
And while one of Guyana’s biggest revenue earners will be from its oil economy, the Finance Minister said that the focus will be on diversification of the economy and the private
sector plays an important part. “We will see the level of emphasis being placed on non-oil extractive sectors such as gold and other minerals,” Singh said while emphasising the importance of agriculture and the opportunities it affords.
The Private Sector also came in for praise for its role in speaking out against the derailing of democracy in the 2020 general Elections.
Another magistrate recuses self from Jordan’s case
Principal Magistrate, Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus is now the second magistrate to have recused herself from the former Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan’s misconduct case.
The case was called yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate IsaacsMarcus who recused herself from trying the case.
It was therefore adjourned until June 2, 2022, when Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan will have to assign another magistrate to the case.
On April 29, Jordan appeared before the Magistrate McLennan where she recused herself from trying the matter in order to avoid any claim of apparent bias.
She had then transferred the matter to Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus.
Jordan was charged with misconduct last December in relation to the sale of a prime piece of state-owned property to BK Marine Inc at below market value.