The Week-in-Review - April 11 to April 17
COVID shots being given to persons 18 years and over: In a major development in the battle against the coronavirus, the government has expanded its national vaccination campaign from to cover persons 18 years and older. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Friday said increased calls by the public led to the decision although Guyana is yet to acquire enough COVID-19 vaccines to immunise everyone. “We are trying to immunise as many persons as possible... We think it’s the appropriate time now because we have been getting a lot of calls from the public to reduce the age, so we have gone to 18 years and above. All the vaccines that we currently have in Guyana are being used in the adult population and if we are going to achieve herd immunity it means that we are going to have to get most of our adult population immunised and, in an effort to do so, we have lowered the age,” Anthony explained during a COVID-19 update on Friday. Anthony added that COVID-19 infections have always been highest in adults between ages 20 and 35 and this shows that the virus is more active in this age group although most of these persons have experienced mild forms of the disease, until more recently when the ministry began seeing an increase in the hospitalisation in young adults who were infected with COVID-19.
“Our challenge over the last couple of weeks is that we have seen younger persons coming into the hospital and we have also seen relatively young persons probably between 40 and so forth who would’ve have some amount of comorbidities and they would’ve come into the hospital with severe form of COVID and then die. This is a worrying trend and so we would’ve been examining the data to see how many cases we would’ve had and what we can do about it,” he added.
Investment
Oil and gas shore base forging ahead with US$16M expansion: Hoping to further boost local content as all heavy-lifting and storage works will be transferred to Guyana from the current location in Trinidad and Tobago, the Guyana Shore Base Inc (GYSBI) is forging ahead with expansion as it adds two specialty berthing facilities set to cost some US$16 million. “This is a US$16 million project here, of which I have clarified from the developers is for local contractors and sand providers, transportation…local people are getting that. Those constructions will generate at least 140 full- time workers [when completed]. That is work for Guyanese people,” Minister in the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar told reporters during a site visit last Wednesday. “As you know, heavy lifts have been done in Chaguaramas or Galeota [port] in Trinidad and all of the services associated with it, whether it was transportation, crane services, logistics, brokerage, all done in Trinidad and then put on vessels and then it goes straight offshore. With this development now, it will happen in Guyana at the Guyanese wharf. I am very pleased with what I am seeing,” he added. The Minister visited the GYSBI facility where, after a two-and-a-halfyear construction project was held up by the APNU+AFC government, works have resumed as was planned in 2019. GYSBI is a consortium comprising Muneshwer’s Limited, TOTALTEC Oilfield Services, Pacific Rim Constructors, and LED Offshore. Its current Houston, East Bank Demerara 30-acre property, where operations began in 2017, was purchased from timber company Caribbean Resources Limited in 2014, for US$20 million.
Local investors for major corn and soya bean project:
Local investors are to undertake an agricultural project intended to eliminate the dependence of the poultry sector on imported feed supplies. A Ministry of Agriculture release last week announced that six local companies have joined forces to undertake a “massive project” that could place Guyana on the path to becoming self-sufficient in corn and soya bean over the next few years. The consortium, which consists of Guyana Stockfeeds Ltd, Royal Chicken, Edun Farms, SBM Wood, Dubulay Ranch and Bounty Farm Ltd, along with the Brazilian-owned N F Agriculture, plans to produce soya bean and corn for both the local and the regional markets. Once given the green light, cultivation is expected to commence before the end of the year.
Infrastructure
Overladen truck wrecks part of Pirara Bridge: An overladen truck on the night of April 10 destroyed a section of the Pirara Bridge in the Rupununi and emergency repairs of $25 million are planned, according to Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill. On the night of April 10, a 50-foot section on the southern end of the Pirara Bridge in the Rupununi collapsed, as a truck heading from Lethem was crossing which resulted in the backing up of traffic on both ends. No injury was reported. Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) Private Sector Executive Daniel Gajie said that there was subsequently a collaborative effort between government and the private sector to have the truck with items moved and the damaged area replaced with temporary planks to allow for light crossing. But he lamented that “at the moment, there are several bridges that require critical attention and sections of the road have already begun to deteriorate.”
Politics
Granger says not running from leadership challenge:
The Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is expected to meet “soon” to examine a study to determine how soon the party will host its overdue 21st Biennial Delegates’ Congress this year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, party leader David Granger said on Friday.
According to Granger, the party will not be breaching any of the COVID-19 guidelines to hold the congress. As a result, he said if the CEC decides for congress to be held, it must be done in compliance with the law. “Right now there is enforcement of COVID measures and there are legal sanctions to be applied to persons who assemble in defiance of those measures. So we are not living in a dream world. We are living in a real world and there are laws and we will comply with the laws. But at the same time we have a constitution, the PNC wants to have congress at the earliest time,” Granger explained. He also denied claims that he has been “running” from a challenge of his leadership of the PNC. “…There is no running away from the fact that we must have congress. The only reason we didn’t have congress last year, 2020, which was two years after the last Congress was held in 2018, was because of general elections and it was a decision of the Central Executive Committee to postpone congress,” the former president said.
“I have been in four congresses in the PNC…….I was elected first as presidential candidate. I was elected as leader of the party in 2012 and re-elected in 2014. I was reelected in 2016 and 2018. So I don’t have to run from congress,” he added.
In the court
‘Grey Boy’ freed of Crum-Ewing murder: Regan Rodrigues, called ‘Grey Boy,’ was last Wednesday freed of the 2015 murder of political activist Courtney CrumEwing, after trial Judge Sandil Kissoon upheld a no-case submission made by defence attorney Adrian Thompson. Finding that there was no case for the accused to answer, the judge directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty, thereby discharging a visibly relieved Rodrigues, who was moved to tears. It had been the prosecution’s case that Rodrigues gunned down Crum-Ewing on the night of March 10, 2015 at Third Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. Investigators who testified at the trial, had said that the now former-accused had claimed ownership of the gun, which ballistic testing proved was the very firearm used to kill Crum-Ewing. Rodrigues, however, had denied ever making any such statement to police. It was upon the ballistic evidence that the prosecution’s case rested solely. At the conclusion of a preliminary inquiry (PI) on June 5th, 2017, Magistrate Judy Latchman had also found that a prima facie case had not been established and discharged Rodrigues, ruling that there was no case against him. However, the DPP directed that she commit Rodrigues to stand trial.
Appeal Court sets aside Donald Rodney’s conviction, sentencing: The Court of Appeal last Tuesday set aside the 1982 conviction and sentencing of Donald Rodney for unlawful possession of explosives stemming from the bomb blast that killed his brother, political activist and historian Dr Walter Rodney. The Appeal Court ruled that Rodney’s constitutional rights were breached given the almost 40 years the appeal took to be heard. Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack SC conceded to the fact that the case had spent an unduly long time within the criminal justice system, thereby breaching Rodney’s constitutional rights. In a brief statement following the ruling, Ali-Hack said the decision by the court is in keeping with the law. “It is long overdue and I am obviously relieved and pleased that I have reached the stage where there is no longer a conviction against me,” Rodney told Stabroek News following the decision.
Former Public Health Minister George Norton charged over Sussex St bond: Former Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton was last Tuesday charged with misconduct in public office by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). A release from the Guyana Police Force noted that an audit with respect to the rental of the Lot 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown warehouse facility, and which covered the period 1st July, 2016 to 30th June, 2019 was conducted by the Audit Office of Guyana. Pursuant to the audit, the matter was then forwarded to SOCU, where investigations revealed that in 2016, Norton “unlawfully instructed Trevor Thomas (Permanent Secretary) of the said Ministry not to engage the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) with respect to the tender and/or any submission of any justification for a single source award to Linden Holding Inc. for the rental of the Lot 29 Sussex Street, Albouystown warehouse facility, for storage of pharmaceuticals, in accordance with the Procurement Act. Cap. 73:01”. The release further said it was determined that Norton further instructed Thomas to prepare a Memorandum for him to take to Cabinet for its deliberation on the matter. Thereafter, the release said that Thomas received a copy of Cabinet’s decision awarding a contract to Linden Holding Inc. for the rental of its Sussex Street property
for storage of pharmaceuticals. The release said that Thomas was further instructed by Norton to sign the contract for the rental of the Sussex Street Bond, which he did. The release noted that the Agreement of Tenancy was made on the 20th day of July 2016 between Linden Holding Inc., with its registered office and place of business situate at Lot 1 Brickdam, Georgetown and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, for a period of three years commencing 1st June 2016, at a monthly rent of $12,500,000.
Lawrence, Mingo and Joseph for summary trial over election fraud charges:
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan last Monday ruled that Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Volda Lawrence, Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and APNU+AFC activist Carol Joseph will be tried summarily in the Magistrate’s Court for the election fraud charges currently pending against them. As a result of her ruling, the three pleaded not guilty to the charges and the proceedings against them were adjourned until June 11, 2021, for full disclosure of statements. Attorney Nigel Hughes, who is representing the three accused, had argued for the charges against his clients to remain indictable, which would have seen the court conduct a preliminary inquiry to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for them to stand trial in the High Court. They would not have had to offer pleas unless the matters reached the High Court. Magistrate McLennan however, ruled against his submissions and, as a result, Mingo, Lawrence and Joseph pleaded not guilty to the charges. A date for the beginning of their trial will follow. Lawrence and Mingo were charged with intent to defraud. It is alleged that they uttered a report alleging to be a true declaration of all votes cast in District Four for the March 2, 2020, general and regional elections, knowing that the report was false.
Crime
Man caught smuggling liquor from Brazil – CANU: The Customs AntiNarcotic Unit (CANU) is reviewing the need for further training of ranks after a suspected liquor smuggler released dogs to attack ranks during an operation at Lethem. According to a CANU release, a joint operation with the Guyana Revenue Authority was conducted last Thursday at Lethem and Lyndon Franklin of Lot 470 Tabatinga, Lethem, Region Nine, was arrested for allegedly smuggling goods from Brazil into Guyana. The release said that 30 cases of Blackstone Whisky, nine cases of Blend Seven Whiskey, and four cases of Skarloff Vodka were found in the man’s lorry after he was intercepted. He is expected to be charged and placed before the Lethem Magistrate Court for breaches of the Customs Act. During the operation, the release said, dogs belonging to the suspect were released into the yard and allowed to advance towards ranks after they entered the man’s premises. This resulted in an officer discharging a round to fend off the threat of attack after repeated requests to secure the animals were made. CANU later said it is holistically reviewing the incident to address the need for further training of its ranks to ensure they are able to withstand civilian intimidation.
Linden mother, toddler succumb after poisoning: A young Linden woman has ended her life and the life of her six-month-old son. Twenty-four-year-old Temecia Sampson, of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden, succumbed on Sunday morning, three days after she ingested a poisonous substance, which she also reportedly gave to her two children. Her son, six-month-old son Malique Newton, succumbed the following morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. The woman’s surviving daughter remains hospitalised and she is being monitored. According to a police report, Sampson ingested the poisonous substance and administered it to her children. The report said they were rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex. However, an update by the police stated that Sampson’s son was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital after he began encountering difficulties breathing. Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination conducted on Sampson gave her cause of death as poisoning by ingestion. A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted on Newton shortly.
Mining
Mazoa Mountain faces complete destruction from mining: The Mazoa Mountain, a peak in the Marudi mountain range in the Rupununi, has seen gold mining activities for decades, but its destruction only began a few years ago during a gold rush. Over the years, miners flocked to the area with large machinery to mine for gold, and the influx produced severe environmental damage, which is far from being reversed. The prospecting results from Canadian gold mining firm, Guyana Goldstrike formerly known as Romanex Guyana Exploration Inc., which holds a legal claim over the majority of Marudi, has only exacerbated matters, luring miners to the area in search of valuable minerals. When Premchand Paul first arrived in the area approximately 32 years ago, the mountain was mostly untouched; there was little sign of deforestation and the creeks were flowing and teeming with life. After gold was discovered, an increasing number of persons ventured there in hopes of striking gold, their activity unhindered due to a lack of monitoring systems in Marudi at the time. Paul is uncertain at what height the mountain stood before excavation began but now the peak is gone.