Archives for April 12, 2016
Cabinet Secretary’s responsibilities should be handed to retired public servant – Nagamootoo
Though the political party to which he belongs wants the powers of State Minister Joseph Harmon to be
reduced, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo says he has no indictment against him.
Speaking to the media on Monday Nagamootoo explained that it is not a matter of personalities but rather an issue of government functions.
“I am talking about responsibilities, how to defuse and share responsibilities so that it may not be too cumbersome on one person to handle and juggle many portfolios… and make for the work of Office [of the President] easier and one can concentrate on a specific limited area of functions,” he stated.
Moreover, Nagamootoo declared that he believes Harmon is “honest” and that he has nothing against him.
“This has nothing to do with an indictment of anyone, in particular Minister Harmon. I subscribe to the view also that he is an honest person. I have worked with him. I have nothing about his integrity,” he stated.
Furthermore, Nagamootoo expressed that the role being performed by Harmon should in fact be taken up by a retired public servant.
“The position of the Secretary to Cabinet have always been a position held by a public servant, at most a retired public servant because that is a highly specialised position with specialised duties,” he said, noting that such an individual would possess the desired traits of confidentiality.
“Ideally if you want to think of someone who can hold that position, I would say that I would be a traditionalist, go back to what could happen before the “Luncheon transition” was made, to lump everything in one person,” he stated.
On Sunday following a leadership retreat, the AFC issued a statement, noting that the party believes Minister of State Joseph Harmon has too much power.
In a statement issued on behalf of the party by Press Secretary of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Imran Khan, the AFC said the continuing revelations arising out of the appointment of the Advisor on Business Development, and the issues surrounding it, have their roots in the “concentration of the powers of the office of the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency and the effective Head of Presidential Secretariat in a single person”.
“The responsibilities of each of the above portfolios are substantial and of critical importance to the smooth operations of the Government and would benefit from separate appointments,” the AFC said in the statement.
The party said it has mandated its leadership in Cabinet to have these issues raised and addressed as a matter of national importance.
Guptill confirmed as Guyana Amazon Warriors Captain
– Franchise owner hails New Zealander’s “dynamic personality”
– Coach hopeful skipper can “drive us to success”
Guyana Amazon Warriors have stepped up their preparations for the forthcoming HERO Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season by confirming New Zealand star batsman Martin Guptill as their captain.
Guptill, 29, is the franchise’s marquee player and is currently ranked third in the ICC World T20 batting rankings. The Aucklander enjoys a career average of 34.73 and strike rate of 131.44 from 61 games to date for the Black Caps.
A mainstay in the New Zealand top order across all three formats, he recently featured in his fifth ICC World T20 event in India and was a key figure as his nation reached the semi-finals, scoring 140 runs in four games at an impressive strike rate of 157.30.
This will be Guptill’s fourth season in the CPL overall, and third with the Warriors, having also previously featured for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2015. In 28 CPL games to date he averages 35.7, including seven half-centuries, with a highest score of 90.
Commenting on his selection, Martin Guptill said: “It is a huge thrill and a great honour for me to be selected as Guyana Amazon Warriors captain for the forthcoming CPL season. Guyana is a cricket-rich nation and has produced many outstanding West Indies cricketers, not least Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Colin Croft, Lance Gibbs, Carl Hooper and the great Sir Clive Lloyd, amongst many others. I am conscious of Guyana’s heritage and standing in the Caribbean, and proud to lead the team into battle this year.
“I am really excited about working with a talented crop of emerging local and international talent and we will be working hard to try and be consistent and go one step further and clinch the title which has eluded the Warriors on two occasions. Of course this summer we will also be travelling to Central Broward Stadium in Florida which is a really positive development for CPL as we move into mainland USA. Speaking to some of the players already, there’s already a lot of excitement about this step.
“I would like to thank the owners and coach Roger Harper for inviting me back and we are all focused on giving our wonderful supporters many happy memories later this summer. Providence Stadium is a ground that I have fond memories of playing in and I know that we can count on some big numbers for our games there again this summer.”
Reflecting on the ICC World T20 2016, he added: “I would firstly like to congratulate the West Indies team and management on regaining the World T20 in such dramatic fashion last weekend. Their performances were outstanding throughout the competition and it was a real team effort.
“Personally speaking, New Zealand were disappointed to lose in the semi-finals to England, but we can take a lot of positives and look to build for the next few years as we have a good group of promising New Zealand cricketers coming through. With my team mates Brendon McCullum and Colin Munro signed up, it will be a great tournament for the fans as some of the biggest names in world cricket arrive in the Caribbean.
“West Indies cricket is on a real high. And with the Women’s and Under-19 teams also enjoying international success, I have no doubt that the feel-good factor will continue into the best-ever CPL this summer and beyond.”
Dr Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop, franchise owner of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, said: “I am delighted to welcome a world-class player of the calibre of Martin Guptill back to the team, having been a member of the Guyana Amazon Warriors family for the 2013 and 2014 editions of CPL. Martin’s dynamic personality, coupled with his high level of discipline and work ethic, will certainly be instrumental as a role model to the other team members, especially the younger players on the team. We wish him well and believe that he will be an inspirational figure for the team, on and off the field.”
Warriors Coach Roger Harper added: “I would like to offer my congratulations to Martin on being named captain of the Guyana Amazon Warriors for CPL 2016. I have no doubt that Martin will lead from the front and his professionalism and passion for the game will spread throughout the team and drive us to success. I am excited about working with him as captain.”
To see Guyana Amazon Warriors in action live at #CPL16, purchase your tickets on www.cplt20.com today. (www.cplt20.com)
Revoke appointment of other ‘Ministerial Advisers’ – Tiwari tells President
…Granger says Tiwari does not determine his policy
BY EDWARD LAYNE
Local businessman Brian Tiwari has broken his silence and came out swinging at President David
Granger and sections of the print media, including his cousin, publisher of the tabloid Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, over his appointment as Ministerial Adviser on Business Development to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, which was widely reported in the local press after Kaieteur News reported that the appointment of Tiwari was to advise the Minister of Business and not just Harmon.
Tiwari, Managing Director of construction conglomerate BK International, in a strongly worded statement said based on his business acumen, Harmon’s decision to appoint him was legitimate. Implicitly addressing charges that Tiwari was “opportunistic” the statement asserted Tiwari’s “relationship with Harmon predated APNU, general elections and his appointment as minister”.
Revoke similar appointments
He added he was providing his services pro bono and reminded that several ministers, including Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo have made similar appointments, however, those appointments did not attract any “sustained campaign and public outcry.”
“Maybe in the interest of fairness the President should revoke all of those too and for the very reason given when he acted impulsively in revoking the appointment at a time when Minister Harmon was out of the
country. It may well be that in quieter time the President may have an opportunity to reflect upon the propriety of impulsive decision making,” the businessman said.
Policy
Meanwhile, President David Granger told media operatives on Monday evening that he will not be responding to the businessman.
“I won’t respond to Mr Tiwari and Mr Tiwari does not determine my policy.”
Internal power struggle
Tiwari believes that the fact Harmon is “rightfully perceived as quiet, powerful and influential… is what has provoked the struggle for power, for influence, for turf.”
“The truth of the matter is that a political struggle is underway between various elements in high places and the Tiwari so called appointment is being used by many to achieve their objectives. We strongly believe that when politicians are at war, they must avoid dragging in innocent parties, unrelated to their apparent power struggles,” the statement added.
The businessman also took to task the state-owned Guyana Chronicle and the privately-owned Stabroek News and the tabloid-like Kaieteur News.
Tiwari believes that Kaieteur News focusing much attention on his appointment is part of a personal vendetta of its publisher Lall against Tiwari.
It said Kaieteur News and Guyana Chronicle have been waging their campaign of fabrications uninterruptedly, while Stabroek News fell into the trap with its editorial of April 4,, 2016 repeated the lies being peddled by Chronicle and Kaieteur News.
“As it relates to this issue and others, the Kaieteur News and the Guyana Chronicle have practiced gutter journalism and have taken the posture of the purveyors of fascist propaganda,” Tiwari said.
China trip
Tiwari clarified that his trip to China for private business, which happened to coincide with Minister Harmon’s official visit to the emerging economic super power.
“We acknowledge that they travelled together, but not withstanding this reality, each had his own business to transact. We find absolutely nothing wrong with that,” the statement said. The statement said that BK International and Tiwari are ‘good corporate citizens’, and supporters of the present government, who in the interest of Guyana’s development, have every right to do so.
“BK International will continue to support the Government as it has recently done in the matter of Durban Park development. All Guyanese, all businessmen and all companies have a right to contribute to public projects if they so wish. This is not a crime. This is not corruption. It is called patriotism,” it stated.
Meanwhile, the construction conglomerate asserted that it will continue to firmly support any efforts of the government to counter and/or stamp out corrupt practices which have in the past adversely affected its own operations and threatened its existence.
“If there is evidence of our involvement otherwise, we charge that it be provided openly and publically and honestly,” the statement said.
The appointment of Tiwari back in January 2016 which was made public last month has since attracted widespread criticisms from many quarters.
Harmon and the government were labelled “corrupt” by local transparency watchdog Transparency Institute Guyana Incorporated (TIGI), a label which was quickly refuted by President Granger.
Since taking to office, Minister Harmon has been one of the most proactive and competent ministers within the APNU/AFC administration and has been a target of many, including the Kaieteur News’ vendetta because of his association with businessman Brian Tiwari, the cousin Lall, publisher of that newspaper.
It is also believed that campaign against Minister Harmon was also orchestrated by members of the AFC, the smaller party in the APNU/AFC coalition.