October 18, 2016

Archives for September 3, 2016

Wondering…

 

…about Burnham’s “buy local”

well meaning regular letter writer reacted to a reference about the closure of a raft of manufacturing businesses initiated by the Burnham regime in the 1970’s to make Guyana “self sufficient”. He wondered why the succeeding governments didn’t continue with the drive after Burnham died in 1985.

The question’s very pertinent today since the present government just reminded us they’ll be guided by the “ideology” of Burnham in general and import substitution – “local” products like plantain chips and tamarind balls were mentioned – in particular. So in the interest of heading off “history repeating itself as farce”, your Eyewitness will try to answer the question.

In the 1970’s it wasn’t that Burnham was particularly “brilliant” or “innovative”. The dominant developmental model for poorer countries then was “import substitution industrialisation” (ISI). It was even endorsed by the World Bank since at least it wasn’t the socialist model of the USSR or even the “Dependency Model” of radicals like our own Clive ‘SARA’ Thomas, who insisted that all linkages with the West must be cut! Inserted into office by the US, Burnham wasn’t going to go out too far on the economic limb.

so we had our “bicycle factory”, “refrigerator factory”, “tapir factory”, etc. But if the truth be told, they weren’t really “factories” that manufactured the products, were they? They were all actually entities assembling parts imported from outside. Our input was the labour. How much was our labour going to save on the end product? And with our small market, these were never going to be profitable over time.

Then we had the “milk factory”, “canned juice factory”, “carambola factory”, etc. which all used local products and added value to them. These were actually factories and could’ve gone on to long term successes… but with our markets being so small, it had to have at least been capable of penetrating the Caricom market, which had succeeded CARIFTA. And this was the constraint on all the other “factories”, such as the “match factory” or any other factory we’ll launch in the present: how are we going to get big export markets?

The Far Eastern Countries that succeeded in escaping the poverty trap took a completely different route other than “import substitution”. They looked to the developed countries and made strategic decisions on what they could export to them cheaper than they were producing the items at. That is they identified markets and then created products. And that’s how we have Toyota -a sewing machine manufacturer- becoming the largest automobile company in the world. And Samsung coming from nowhere and dominating in all sorts of electronics.

So what exactly can we export today?

…about cheques and balances

There’s been a great deal of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth by some die-hard supporters of the government who worked their butts off to put the incumbents into office but are now dumbstruck at the venality displayed in just one year. “Where oh where, have we gone wrong after all the criticisms we made of the previous PPP government?”; is their lamentation.

Well the short answer is that they were naive at best, or foolish at worse, to have believed that the AFC and APNU were motivated by anything other than pure self-interest. The bottom line to deliver good governance is to have checks and balances in the structure of government. Give even an angel unlimited powers and no checks and you get a Lucifer -who became the Devil!

In all their actions while in the opposition, did the principles of APNU or AFC EVER display they were interested in checks and balances?

Cheques and balances were more like it! Fedders-Lloyd anyone?

…about the new untouchables

In India the “untouchables” are the lowest of the low. In Guyana it’s the exact opposite. Like the “Gang of Four” at City Hall who can do no wrong.

Even when they break the law AND flout a High Court order!

 

Main witness in Freddie Kissoon case killed in accident

Dead: Osmond Griffith

Dead: Osmond Griffith

The main witness in the faeces-throwing case involving popular columnist Freddie Kissoon was in the wee hours of Friday morning killed in an accident at Line Top, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara. Dead is Osmond Griffith, 40, of D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown.

Reports are that the now dead man exited a car to urinate when the driver of another car, bearing registration HC 4399, lost control and slammed into the parked car, after which it struck Griffith who was reportedly flung some distance and landed on the roadway.

He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

When contacted Traffic Chief, Dion Moore, told Guyana Times that while initial reports had suggested that the man might have lost his life as a result of an accident, they are conducting additional investigations.

Griffith was set to give evidence in the ongoing case before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Kwame McCoy, Jason Abdulla and Shawn Hinds were all charged for assaulting the columnist by throwing faeces on him as he stepped out of Nigel’s Super Market in 2010.

Fidela Duncan, wife of the dead man, told Guyana Times that her husband left home Thursday afternoon at about 16:30h to conduct business with some friends. She noted that afterwards he went for his usual lime at Plaisance, ECD.

According to the grieving widow, she was at home when she received a call informing her that Griffith was involved in an accident and that he was rushed to the hospital. She added that based on reports, he suffered a broken neck and other injuries.

Moreover, she was not aware that her husband had to testify in the Freddie Kissoon case until she was asked about it.

Meanwhile, the Police have arrested the driver of the car responsible for the man’s death and he is assisting with investigations.

 

State assumes affairs of former Top Cop Henry Greene’s estate

The late Henry Greene

The late Henry Greene

The estate of the late Police Commissioner Henry Greene, has been taken over by the State and its administration is now in the care of the Public Trustee.

Legal sources have since expressed surprise at the revelation since it obtains as a result of no persons staking a claim to Greene’s property.

The information, according to at least one lawyer, is puzzling to say the least, since former Chief Justice (ag), Ian Chang, had ordered that the estate of the former Police Commissioner be divided between his reputed wife Gail Stoll and his two children.

Greene’s two children, Troy and Shelda, had moved to the courts claiming millions of dollars in assets from his reputed wife and her Attorney Robin Hunte in 2013 shortly after the Police Commissioner’s demise.

Greene died in 2012, following a horrific car accident, leaving millions of dollars in assets, including several vehicles, holdings in the gold mining sector and several other properties, including a poultry and livestock farm at Kuru-Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

The information relating to the acquisition of Greene’s estate by the State has been officially gazetted and dated Saturday, September 3, 2016.

The notice lists the estates of 18 deceased persons to have their affairs be administered by the Public Trustee’s Office.

According to information provided on the Official Gazette, The Office of the Public Trustee/Official Receiver is headed by the Public Trustee/Official Receiver and is primarily responsible for the administration of the estates of deceased persons. The Public Trustee/Official Receiver may also undertake to do the following: act as the Executor or Administrator of a will; act as the guardian or receiver of the property of a minor or person under disability; and take possession of and administer the estate of any person who is absent from Guyana and who is not fully represented by an Attorney in Guyana and who has left debts unpaid.

The Official Gazette identifies in its publication, the “Estate of Wilfred Henry Greene, also known as Henry Greene, deceased of Lot 52 Essequibo Street, Lamaha Springs, Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

It has further called on “all persons having claims as creditors against the deceased or his/her estate must lodge same at the office of the Public Trustee/Official Receiver, Attorney General’s Chambers, Lot 95 Carmichael Street, North Cummingsburg, Georgetown, within three months from the date of the first publication of this notice.”

The latest publication is the third such.

The Public Trustee/Official Receiver also manages trusts and administers entities in liquidation pursuant to the provisions of the Insolvency Act and also facilitates the payment of monetary judgments and costs awarded by the Court against the State.

 

GWI discovers error in debts collected under fired manager

… now says only $922M was recovered, not reported $1.8B

One day after firing its Debt Recovery Manager, Lear Goring, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) said the monies the unit had managed to recover is close to half of what it had previously announced.

During a press conference on August 10, 2016, it was reported that GWI raked in $1.8 billion in arrears for the period ending July 2016.

This however is incorrect.

According to a missive issued by the entity’s Public Relations Department, “after checks and verification, it was found that the arrears collection figure up to July 2016 is $921,814,791.”

Lear Goring

Lear Goring

The Debt Collection Department was, up until a week ago, ran by a twice convicted and deportee Lear Goring, who was hired by the entity’s Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles.

Goring came to prominence recently when it was discovered that both he and the GWI Managing Director were in fact business partners.

The two are Directors of Atlantic Fuels Inc – a company that obtained a fuel licence under questionable circumstances.

Goring was sent on leave a week ago and officially fired on Thursday following a decision taken by the utility company’s Board of Directors.

Goring was unqualified for the position to which he had been appointed by the GWI Managing Director.

He was also convicted of drug trafficking twice and was deported on both occasions from the United States of

Dr Richard Van West-Charles

Dr Richard Van West-Charles

America (USA).

Publicly available US court documents show Goring was convicted in the early 1990s before being deported to Guyana in 1993. He was also charged with possession and with intent to distribute cocaine in 1995 and he later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 63 months in prison by Judge K M Moore in a Brooklyn, New York court.

He had reportedly used a forged passport to make his way back to the United States.

With regards to Goring’s appointment as Debt Recovery Unit Manager, Dr Van West-Charles had told this publication that Goring had applied for the job, was interviewed and subsequently hired.

He had defended Goring’s employment, pointing to the $3 billion debts owed to GWI and said he needed a person in the position that he could trust.

 

Adventure farmer died of multiple injuries

A post-mortem conducted on the body of 41-year-old Phillip Viveirous, a farmer of Adventure Village, on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, revealed that he died of multiple injuries.

The farmer’s dismembered body was discovered on Monday morning along the highway in the vicinity of Adventure, and Police in E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) were said to be investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

E Division Commander Calvin Brutus, confirmed the results of the post-mortem report on Friday. While information surrounding the death has been sketchy, Police investigators suspect that he may have been run-over by several vehicles.

The gruesome discovery was made at approximately 05:20h by passersby; an unidentified caller alerted the Police of the discovery. The body of the deceased was later identified by his mother, and was transported to the Wismar Hospital Mortuary at Linden. The mother of the deceased reportedly told investigators that her son left his home at approximately 02:00h on Monday for his farm at Adventure and had been consuming alcohol before he left.

Investigators suspect that he might have become tired and fell asleep along the roadway and was then run over. According to Police information, there was no evidence at the scene to suggest that it was a case of hit-and-run, however; the victim’s body parts were reportedly scattered along the road. Several persons travelling along the highway that morning recalled seeing the body on the roadway prior to the fateful discovery; a few indicated that at the time, the victim appeared to be alive.

 

Historic Women’s Development League launches today

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in collaboration with the National Association For Women’s Football (NAWF) will launch the Women’s Development League Football at 11:00h on Saturday, September 3, 2016 at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown.

Charmaine Wade

Charmaine Wade

This is the first Women’s Development League being held since the new executive has been at the helm and will commence on September 17.

The launch will feature the introduction of a patron for Women’s Football and an ambassadorial corps of prospective Match Commissioners and Brand Ambassadors.

The two-month league will realize the participation of thirteen (13) clubs drawn from three-geographically designated districts;

a. District One – North East District comprising Georgetown, West Demerara, Essequibo and Bartica Regional Football Associations

b. District Two – North East District comprising Berbice, East Demerara, East Bank and the Upper Demerara Football Associations and

c. District Three – Rupununi Regional Football Association

The Women’s Development League is designed to facilitate competitive women’s football participation, create public awareness of the sport and to expand the players’ pool.

 

Golfers return to the greens in exciting Massy United Insurance Open

 Branch Manager of Massy United Insurance Lindel Harlequin hands over sponsorship cheque to Golf Club President Oncar Ramroop in the presence of Massy United Claims Officer Vibert Austin (left) and Lusignan Golf Club Public Relations Officer, Guy Griffith

Branch Manager of Massy United Insurance Lindel Harlequin hands over sponsorship cheque to Golf Club President Oncar Ramroop in the presence of Massy United Claims Officer Vibert Austin (left) and Lusignan Golf Club Public Relations Officer, Guy Griffith

The Lusignan Golf Course will see a return in golf today after a hiatus of nearly four months due to continual rainfall which left the ground and access road in poor shape. The event is the Massy United Insurance fourth annual Golf Tournament and it is highly anticipated by golfers since there has been a golf drought.

The open tournament will tee-off at 13:00h and will be played on the open medal play system; First to fourth best Net, nearest the pin, best gross and most honest Golfer prizes are up for grabs, keen rivalry is expected.

This tournament was postponed for almost four months due to incessant rainfall which left the grounds and access road in poor shape. There has been remedial work on the club’s access road through partnership of Macorp, Mohan Jacob, Director for Design and Construction with American based construction company EMR Inc. and the club’s executives. The grounds are also improving.

Branch Manager Lindel Harlequin indicated that “Massy United Insurance is pleased to be involved in promoting Golfing in Guyana.”

Massy United Insurance, (a Barbados based Company,) offers a wide range of general insurance products for businesses throughout 14 territories in the Caribbean. Their A- Excellent A M Best rating gives clients the assurance that they are financially stable and well able to manage various risks and effectively settle claims when the need arises.

Club President Oncar Ramroop, in expressing gratitude on behalf of the Club to Mr Harlequin, said “We are highly appreciative of the good faithful support that we have had from Massy United Insurance in four years of sponsoring tournaments, and we are grateful that Harlequin is also enthused at continuing this great support. We at Lusignan Golf Club are quite delighted that Massy not only provides such support but also offers great insurance coverage to the Club.”

The public is invited to witness the return to the greens free of charge. Tournaments tend to last about 4-5 hours. Tee-off is scheduled for 13:00 h.

 

4 new GPL substations to be built

Several communities are set to benefit from improved electricity distribution with the construction of new substations and the expansion of existing ones.

Acting GPL CEO Renford Homer

Acting GPL CEO Renford Homer

Plans are moving apace to construct new substations in Parika, East Bank Essequibo; Canal Number One Polder, West Bank Demerara; Kuru-Kuru on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway; and Williamsburg, Corentyne, Berbice.

According to acting Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated Renford Homer, “This will bring relief to residents from those communities who for years awaited proper electricity distribution.”

Homer made this disclosure during an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), where he revealed that the substations at Kingston and Sophia, Georgetown; Columbia and Good Hoop, East Coast Demerara; Vreed-en-Hoop, West Bank Demerara; and Number 53 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, will also be expanded to improve service to residents in those communities.Substation at Sophia to be extended

GPL is currently awaiting Cabinet’s approval for the construction of the substations which are expected to commence early in 2017.

“Towards the end of 2017, one or two of those substations should be constructed, in conjunction with the line hardware that is required. We are assiduously working to move forward,” Homer explained.

The construction of substations can run for a minimum period of one year and the company has already started the process, with tenders already out for bidding.

Tenders are open for the expansion of the current substations. “We’re just short of a couple of days of seeing the tenders close, and we have to go through that process of evaluation and have the contract awarded by December,” the acting CEO said.

These substations will assist the power company in improving the level of services offered, Homer said. “We are shortening the lengths of the conductors that feed the various areas, it makes isolation and management easier and it also helps in the reduction of losses,” Homer explained.

GPL has engaged consultants who are knowledgeable in transmission designs, to provide assistance and advice in this regard.

Earlier this year, GPL had disclosed that it planned to upgrade, extend and build substations to improve the overall distribution of electricity countrywide. A total of $543 million has been allocated in the 2016 Budget for the development of substations.

 

Gunmen strike twice at Vreed-en-Hoop businesses in one day

Residents of Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, are now fearful for their safety and their businesses after gunmen robbed two neighbouring businesses in one day.

At about 22:00h Thursday night, two unmasked gunmen went into the Palm Castle Hang Out Spot located on New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop Public Road and robbed the cashier and a customer of a quantity of cash.

Speaking with Guyana Times Christopher Henry, whose father owns the bar, recalled that the two men walked in the bar like regular customers. At the time, there were some customers sitting at a table in the corner and they were held up by the bandits, one of whom was armed.

The armed bandit then went behind the bar, where the cashier was while his accomplice remained at the table.

“(The armed bandit) went into the bar and told the bargirl to lie flat on the ground and he took all the money from the drawer. He came out back and meet the other guy at the table.”

Henry noted that the bandits then put the customers to lie on the ground and even assaulted one of them. “One of the customers get lash in his face with the gun and the other boy, they put he on his belly and he said he lost about $85,000.”

The young man further related that the two perpetrators then went back into the bar, collected two juices and walked out. He said that at the time he was watching the robbery from a CCTV surveillance upstairs.

Henry explained that he happened to pass by the CCTV monitor when he noticed what was happening downstairs. He said that he did not go down because he was unsure how many bandits and if they were armed.

“The whole thing lasted about two minutes but when I see then walking out, I rush out to the veranda and shouted for thief! When they heard me, they ran to the car and drove off heading to Parika side.”

Meanwhile, his father and owner of the popular bar, Pouranand Harricharran, told this newspaper that he was not at home but after his family called and informed him about the robbery, he rushed home.

The businessman stated that the CCTV camera captured the entire ordeal and a copy of the footage was handed to the police. He further detailed that the footage show when the white car, which was heading in the eastern direction, pulled up in front of his premises and two men exited and entered the bar.

He continued that the driver then turned the car to face the western direction and shortly after the two men were seen running out of the bar and into the car before it sped off.

This robbery occurred some 12 hours after a Chinese Supermarket, located two houses away, was robbed earlier in the day. Reports revealed that sometime around 10:00h on Thursday morning, three armed men stormed the premises then taking off with an undisclosed sum of cash from the cashiers and customers.

Guyana Times understands that one of the customers in the supermarket who was robbed of about $50,000 lives between the supermarket and Palm Castle Hang Out Spot, which means that three adjoining neighbours were looted in less than 24 hours.

The victims believe that the same group carried out the daring robberies. “It had to be them,” Harricharran declared to this publication shortly after the robbery.

Police in ‘D’ Division (West Demerara) had combed the area following both robberies but came up empty handed. Nevertheless, investigations are ongoing as surveillance footage from both incidents was handed over for identification of the perpetrators. (Vahnu Manickchand)

 

Toshaos Council calls for increased subvention

Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Joel Fredericks has called on the Government to increase the budget of the Council so that they will be in a better position to fulfil their mandate to Indigenous peoples.

Chairman of the NTC Joel Fredericks

Chairman of the NTC Joel Fredericks

Fredericks stated that the Council has been receiving a subvention but it is insuffiecient. “It is not enough to fulfil our mandate so we would like to see an increase in our budget so that we can function effectively,” he said.

He added that it is the Council’s desire to support the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister by collaborating to address indigenous issues, but “if we are financially strapped, how can we move forward”.

He said the Council has recognised that if they are to move forward, they would need financial support.

Nevertheless, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock stated that the Ministry has allowed the Council the opportunity to manage their affairs, and mandated in the Act, to provide a plan of action for the reduction of poverty and the improvement of access to education in Indigenous communities.

However, he stated that there is a need for Indigenous people to move away from being completely dependent on the Government and “work hard and sweat” for what they want. He said that the people need to initiate ideas instead of decrying the least thing.

In accordance with the Amerindian Act, 2006, the National Toshaos Council was established as a corporate body comprising of all Toshaos in the country.

The functions of the Council are to promote good governance in villages including, investigating matters as requested by a village and making recommendations, provided that the NTC may not investigate any matter which has been referred to the Minister and must ensure that any person involved in the investigation is given a reasonable opportunity to be heard and to prepare strategies and plans for the protection, conservation and sustainable management of village lands and natural resources.

The Council is also mandated to provide advice to the Minister on the protection of Amerindian culture and heritage, including the identification and designation of Amerindian monuments and the impact of legislation or policy on villages and any changes that should be made to such legislation or policy.