Border controversy
Venezuela has nothing to fear from activities in Guyana’s waters -President: Venezuela has nothing to fear from activities within Guyana’s waters, President Irfaan Ali said last week in an apparent response to Caracas’ concerns about a UK warship that is due to anchor off this country’s coast in the coming hours. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has again escalated tensions by charging yesterday that the imminent arrival of HMS Trent is a transgression of the understandings reached in St Vincent and the Grenadines earlier this month to de-escalate tensions between the two countries over their border controversy. The Associated Press (AP) yesterday reported that Maduro ordered Vene-zuela’s armed forces to conduct defensive exercises in the Eastern Caribbean after the United Kingdom dispatched the warship toward Guyana’s territorial waters. In a nationally televised address yesterday, Maduro said that 6,000 Venezuelan troops, including air and naval forces, will conduct joint operations off the nation’s eastern coast — near the border with Guyana, AP said. In a statement yesterday without referring to the expected arrival of the warship or Maduro’s remarks, President Ali offered assurances. “Neither Venezuela nor any other State has anything to fear from activities within Guyana’s sovereign territory or waters. “I have iterated before that we harbour no ambitions or intentions to covet what does not belong to us. We are fully committed to peaceful relations with our neighbours and all countries in our Region. Guyana remains fully steadfast in promoting and advancing peace whilst pursuing national development. “Guyana has long been engaged in partnerships with regional and international states aimed at enhancing internal security. These partnerships pose a threat to no one and are in no way intended to be aggressive or constitute an offensive act against any State. “I wish to renew my best wishes to the people of Venezuela, our neighbours”, the President said. Reuters said that Maduro yesterday declared that the deployment of a British warship to waters off the coast of Guyana breaches the “spirit” of the December 14 Argyle agreement reached between the Guyana and Venezuelan presidents.
Education
New Christ Church Secondary months behind schedule: The completion of the new Christ Church Secondary School is months behind schedule as a novel method for constructions appears to have hit a snag. The project with just over a month left for its full completion is only at its foundational stage and the contractor, BM Property Investment Inc, is said to be responsible for the construction of the sub-structure for the project. Sources close to the project are complaining about the length of time the company is taking to finish that aspect of the project. It was also noted by a source that due to the delay in the works being carried out by BM Property Investment Inc, the entire timeline of the project will have to shift. Explanations have reportedly been given for the delays at this stage, but they have not been accepted since the contractor was told upfront about the scope of the project and what was required. With this delay, the deadline of February 2024 is unlikely and it also remains unclear as to what the Ministry of Education plans to do. Construction of the new Christ Church Secondary School contracts were signed back in June 2023, for $688.1 million with a duration of seven months. Contracts were signed by seven companies with each company being responsible for different lots of the project. This was the first time such a method was being attempted rather than awarding the entire contract to one contractor. Ironically, this was done to speed up the delivery of the school. Lot 1 contract was awarded to BM Property Investment Inc. for the Construction of a Sub-Structure, at a cost of $303,595,000, while Lot 2, the Super-Structure contract was awarded to Zeco Group of Services Inc at a cost of $295,137,706. Additionally, Lot 3, Installation of Electrical Infrastructure & Fixtures contract was awarded to N. Balgobin & Sons Contracting Service & Electrical Supplies for the sum of $41,938,500 and Lot 4, Installation of Plumbing Infrastructure and Fixtures contract was awarded also to BM Property Investment Inc. for $17,600,000. Meanwhile, Lot 5, the Installation of Air Conditioning Infrastructure and Units contract was awarded to A. Ograsein & Sons General Contracting at a sum of $10,745,000. Lot 6, the Installation of Fire Prevention Units contract was also awarded to A. Ograsein & Sons General Contracting at a price of $6,759,000. Lastly, Lot 7, the Masonry and Finishing Work contract was awarded to Pantheon Construction Inc. at a sum of $12,385,800.
Economic
Guyana the exception as minimal growth projected in Latin America and the Caribbean for 2024 – ECLAC report: The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) predicts minimal economic growth in the region for 2024, except for Guyana where it projects more than 25%, fuelled mostly by revenue from the oil and gas sector. The ‘Preliminary Overview of the Economies of Latin America and the Caribbean 2023’ indicates that the region will stay on a path of low growth, which means job creation will decelerate and informality and gender gaps will persist, among other effects. However, Guyana is likely to be spared. “Latin America and the Caribbean remains on a low-growth path, with an estimated year-on-year variation in GDP of 2.2% in 2023. All the sub regions will post lower growth in 2023 than in 2022: South America is set to grow by 1.5% (3.8% in 2022); the group comprising Central America and Mexico by 3.5% (4.1% in 2022); and the Caribbean (excluding Guyana) by 3.4% (6.4% in 2022),” according to the report released on December 14. “In 2024, GDP is projected to grow by an average of 1.9% for Latin America and the Caribbean, maintaining the trend of low growth. All the sub regions are expected to see lower growth than in 2023: projections are 1.4% for South America; 2.7% for the group comprising Central America and Mexico; and 2.6% for the Caribbean (excluding Guyana). “In Guyana, the GDP growth rate is expected to be in double digits in 2023, close to 40% in real terms, as a result of the start-up of offshore oil production.” According to the report, the projections are made at a time when countries of the region have limited fiscal and monetary policy space and little impetus from international conditions. Highlighted also was that low growth projected for the region’s economies in 2023 and 2024 was not just a short-term issue, but reflected the fall in the trend growth rate of regional GDP. While the average trend GDP growth for the period 1951–1979 was above 5% per year, it averaged less than 3% per year for the period 1980–2009, and has averaged 1.6% per year for the period 2010-2024.
Infrastructure
Edghill unhappy with pace of Linden to Mabura Hill Road Project: Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill last week stated that while the “physical progress” of the Linden to Mabura Hill Road Project is currently at 25 per cent, he believes it should have been 50 percent. The minister made this statement during a year-end press briefing held at the Ministry of Public Works’ boardroom in Wight’s Lane, Kingston, Georgetown. He told reporters yesterday that the contracting company Constructora Queiroz S.A. of Brazil now needs to get its act together and expeditiously complete the road project. “They [Constructora Queiroz S.A] got to keep moving, we have to get this project completed on time so in 2024 we expect to accelerate progress in that regard”. The public works minister continued, “When I told you that our expenditure was at 87 per cent, this is part of the shortcomings because we budgeted for more because we anticipated more works being done but the contractor did not perform in the way we expected.” Edghill in an update on the project, informed that 2,835 metres of drains have been completed, as well as 18,960 metres of cement stabilized sub-base, and 16,330 metres of asphaltic concrete. It is expected that the road which is being done in phases, when fully paved to Lethem, will open up massive business opportunities with Brazil. Stabroek News during the question-and-answer segment of the press conference asked the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Public Works, Vladim Persaud, for an update on Alya Construc-tora, a company which was issued a cease-work order by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) for mining laterite without a licence. The Brazilian Company was mining the laterite to complement works on the Linden to Mabura Hill Project.
Mining
Local consortium being formed to work former Troy Resources main mine – Ali: In addition to part of the former Troy Resources mine going to some 50 small miners, the government is in the process of having a local consortium formed to work the main mining pit, President Irfaan Ali announced as he urged local businesses not to be afraid of forming partnerships. “Recently, when we were faced with the challenges of Troy Resources, everybody came and complained. I said, ‘Where is the opportunity in it? Why don’t we get all the small and medium sized miners together. Let’s form a company and let us do this now, with the resources and technical capacity that we have’,” the President told the Private Sector Annual Dinner and Awards last Tuesday. “We have now put together a group and they are working on it,” he added. Asked to expound on the President’s announcement, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat told the Stabroek News that the plan was to have two separate groups work the Region Seven area that the Australian company once occupied. “It’s 50 small miners at Troy working independently and also a consortium is being established to work the main pit at Troy,” he explained. The President was referring to the latter. He further explained that the 50 small and medium-scale miners would “form a consortium.” On October 16, the government announced that the agreement with the Australian gold mining company had been cancelled, with action taken to secure the Region Seven mining site. The announcement followed a report the day before in the Stabroek News that Troy Resources appeared to have abandoned its Guyana operations without abiding by the terms of its agreement (including payment of royalties) and reclamation of the area which was mined at Karouni since 2015. These have a significant cost attached. At the height of its operations, Troy Resources employed hundreds of workers and produced thousands of ounces of gold per annum.
Accountability
Silence continues on Tepui award, Patterson mulling legal action: More than two weeks after it vowed a thorough probe of a controversial pump station contract, the PPC remains silent on the way forward and MP David Patterson is mulling legal action as the next step. For months, he has been pressing the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) due to its inaction on the controversial award of the $865 million Belle Vue pump station contract to the Tepui Group, which does not meet the standard evaluation criteria for bidders. The Member of Parliament told the Sunday Stabroek that he is at his wits end, as the PPC has been evading the subject for weeks. He said he will consult with his attorney on taking legal action against the commission for dereliction of responsibilities and inaction concerning this matter of public interest. Patterson said he learnt that the commission held its weekly statutory meeting which ended without addressing or providing an update on the issue at hand even though on December 4th it had said there should be some movement in around two weeks. “I was waiting for them to respond or to give feedback on the matter but nothing was done. They said 14 days which has elapsed, so I now have to consult with the lawyer and decide on taking legal action,” he told the Sunday Stabroek. According to Patterson, it has been four months since the matter was lodged with the Procurement Commission, which he said continues to drag its feet. The PPC on December 4 in a press release stated that with “regard to the Tepui matter in particular, the commission took note of the matter as one of public interest.” The commission said that during its last meeting on December 1, 2023, having received a copy of the tender proceedings from the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) on or about November 10, 2023, it considered the Report of its Operations Department thereon and decided to put certain matters arising therefrom to the procuring entity – National Drainage and Irrigation Authority – and NPTAB for response by due process. It said that the response would be forthcoming within the next fourteen (14) days. Nothing has been said and Stabroek News tried unsuccessfully to contact the PPC Chair, Pauline Chase. “The commission wishes to assure the general public that no stone will be left unturned in a full and thorough investigation into the matter as is done with all investigations of the commission in the discharge of its constitutional mandate,” the statement of December 4 read.
Electricity
GPL instals five of 17 relief generators: Five of the generators which are projected to boost the Guyana Power and Light’s (GPL) output for the Christmas season have been installed. The Sunday Stabroek last week paid a visit to the utility company’s substation at Columbia, East Coast Demerara and observed several of the generators valued at some US$27 million being connected to the power grid. GPL Executive and Management Committee member, Kesh Nandlall, informed that five of the 17 generators have been installed thus far which means that the utility company will have some extra generation just in time for Christmas Day but not the full 28.9 megawatts. Asked if the generators installed will alleviate the constant power outages nationwide in time for Christmas which is just a day away, Nandlall said that not all the generators will be installed in time for the festive season. “We have a few engines that were connected yesterday [Friday) and today [Saturday], so we want to ensure that we have a sufficient power supply for the holidays So far, we are looking good, the team from Apan and GPL are working assiduously,” Nandlall told this newspaper. He is also optimistic, based on approximation, that five of the 17 generators will now enable GPL’s generating capacity to handle the seasonal peak demand. This was confirmed by Bharat Harjohn, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, who is also in charge of Strategic Operations. “The generators that you see being installed are to assist GPL, with its peak demand for the holidays, and we are working round the clock this evening to ensure that five of the seventeen generators are commissioned,” Harjohn informed.
Crime
Diamond man shot dead in home: A triangular love affair resulted in the shooting death of a Diamond man at his home last Sunday morning and the police are seeking a sole suspect, Muammar Jabbar called ‘Omar Jabbar’, who was released from prison two weeks ago. Dead is 31-year-old Ketezel Bazillo of the new Young Professionals Housing Scheme at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, who was killed at his home, where he lived with his reputed wife and four children aged 12 to 16 years old, following a confrontation. According to the Guyana Police Force, Bazillo’s reputed wife Wanda Jones related that on Friday night she was at home decorating the house, when she called the suspect, Jabbar of Albouystown, and asked him to bring her some KFC Chicken. The police wase told that Bazillo was not at home and Jones allowed Jabbar to stay the night. However, the release said, Bazillo arrived home at about 4:30 hrs and called out for Jones to open the front door. She told the police that she hesitated and Bazillo became annoyed and questioned her timing. The release said she then told Bazillo that Jabbar was in the house. After she refused to open the door, the police said, Bazillo went to the eastern bedroom window where he removed several louvre panes and entered the house through the window. The house is a one-flat concrete structure in a fenced yard. The release said Bazillo confronted Jabbar who pulled out a handgun and discharged a round at him. After Bazillo fell to the ground, Jabbar shot him again, the release said.
Nursing
Hiring from Cuba among measures to deal with nurse shortage – Minister: With a shortage locally as Guyana’s nurses are actively being recruited to work overseas, the Ministry of Health has implemented several measures to combat this including hiring from Cuba, an increase in training of locals, and salary increases. Speaking at the ministry’s end-of-year press conference last week. Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony stressed that the ministry has embarked on several measures in efforts to keep their staff within the system, labelling the shortage of nurses a global issue. He said that while they cannot stop people who are coming into Guyana to recruit the country’s nurses, one of the things they are doing to increase staffing is to “train more people.” He explained, that “with the three public nursing schools that we have, that is Georgetown Hospital, Linden and New Amsterdam, we were only able to train about 200 to 250 nurses per year… We …started a programme last year which is a hybrid programme where we have brought in at least 1100 nurses for training and they have started that training and they have three years to complete that course and while they are doing a lot of the theory online we are bringing them in to do the practicals because we have simulation centres that early next year we are setting up.” According to Anthony, at least six centres will be set up to ensure the nurses in training can carry out their practicals. He said, next year they are hoping to recruit another 1000 – 1200 people for training and as such applications will be opening soon. Anthony further stated, that they also reviewed the nursing assistant programme with the new format expected to be launched in January 2024, and they are hopeful that they can attract at least 1000 people to join the programme. “We would be able to train them within a year and so once we are able to train them and once they have completed the course all of them will be recruited into the ministry so these are two programmes that we have developed to address the issues that we have with nurses”, the Minister said. Additionally, for the first time, 38 people are being trained in a biomedical technician programme and a first batch of 25 health administrators have been trained.
Man shot dead after caught tampering with container: An unidentified man was shot dead last Sunday by a supernumerary constable after he was seen pulling at the padlocks securing a container with fruits and vegetables, property of a Campbellville businessman. The supernumerary constable has since been arrested. Police said the incident occurred around 00:05 hrs between Campbell Avenue and Delph Street, Campbellville, Georgetown. It involved a man (age, occupation and address unknown) and a 31-year-old supernumerary constable employed by Bentley Security Service, who was armed with a Glock 19 pistol and 14 live matching rounds, property of the security firm. Investigations revealed that the constable was on security duty at a prominent business place at Delph Street and Campbell Avenue when he observed a man next to a container belonging to the businessman. The man, who was armed with a chopper, was about 35 feet from where the security guard was standing. He was observed pulling at the padlocks that secured the container. The security guard told police that he called out to the man to desist from trying to break the lock. The guard said the man then began to advance on him aggressively with the chopper in his hand. The guard said he again called on the man to desist but he continued to advance. As a result, the guard said, he drew his firearm and discharged one round in the man’s direction. The man took a few steps and fell to the ground. He was clad in blue short pants, a white jersey, white socks and a pair of red slippers. A black-handle chopper was seen on the ground next to him. The body was examined and what appeared to be a gunshot wound was seen to the left side of his face. Two smoking utensils were found on him, one in his pants pocket and one in his pants crotch.
Tragedy
Linden fire victims died of smoke inhalation – Region Ten police commander says: The aunt and her two nieces who perished in the early Christmas morning fire at a home in Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region Ten, died from smoke inhalation, Regional Commander of Division 10 Superintendent Guy Nurse stated. The Commander also informed that the investigation into the fire was still ongoing as he was awaiting the report from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). Zella Lawrence, 30, Angelique Lawrence, 16, and Ronika Lawrence, 8, all perished in a fire that consumed a two-storey wooden and concrete building owned by Veronica Headley. Onika Lawrence, the grief-stricken mother of Angelique and Ronika, and sister of Zella, yesterday told the Stabroek News that she too was waiting to hear from the GFS on the matter. When asked if the apartment was grilled, she said that the windows, as well as the front and back doors were all grilled. However, she did not know what prevented her children and sister from escaping the fire. This, she also expects to find out from the GFS. Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn expressed deep sorrow as he visited the grieving members of the Lawrence family earlier yesterday. He extended his support and encouraged them to stay resilient during this difficult period. Also expressing concern for public safety, Benn urged citizens to exercise caution, especially during the festive season. His advice included avoiding circuit overloads, never leaving a lit stove unattended, and ensuring that matches and lighters are kept out of reach of children. In addition, he stressed the importance of educating children about the dangers associated with playing with matches or fire.
In the courts
Fraud charges against former ACP Slowe, eight others dismissed for want of evidence: The $10 million fraud charge that was instituted against retired and serving senior police officers in May 2021 was last Wednesday day dismissed by Magistrate Rhondel Weever for lack of evidence, according to one of the defence lawyers. The charges of conspiracy to defraud the Guyana Police Force (GPF) of over $10 million against the nine former and serving officers stemmed from a paid review of the force’s Standing Orders. Those charged were retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul Slowe, former Police Finance Officer Woman Senior Superintendent Marcelene Washington, retired ACP Clinton Conway, retired ACP Claude Whittaker, retired Senior Superintendent (SS) George Fraser, retired SS Michael Sutton, retired Superintendent Mark Gilbert, ACP Royston Andries-Junor, and Assistant Superintendent Marlon Kellman. An elated Patrice Henry, who represented Slowe in the matter, told Stabroek News when contacted that the case was thrown out of court due to the prosecution not providing evidence that would suggest that the nine conspired to commit fraud. He added that the prosecution failed to do disclosure and when they applied to have it done it was denied since the court had already begun the trial. In 2021, the police had alleged that between March 1st 2019 and July 7th, 2020 at the Guyana Police Force Headquarters, Georgetown, Slowe, Conway, Whittaker, Fraser, Gilbert, Andries-Junor, Washington, Sutton and Kellman, conspired together and with others unknown to defraud the GPF of $10,056,000 by paying Slowe, Conway, Whittaker, Fraser, and Gilbert the funds without complying with the proper procedures, purportedly to do a review of the Guyana Police Force Standing Orders. It was noted that the review had already been conducted between July, 2018 and March, 2019 by the Strategic Planning Unit of the GPF. A second charge stated that Sutton, being and performing duties as Finance Officer for the GPF, between July 1st, 2019 and July 31st, 2019, at the GPF Headquarters, Eve Leary, willfully misconducted himself by falsely signing seven payment vouchers as the accounting officer, which he was not authorised to do, enabling Slowe, Conway, Whittaker, Fraser and Gilbert to be paid a total of $1,776,000 without the approval of Daniella McCalmon, the Accounting Officer, and without any reasonable excuse or justification. The accused were not allowed to plead to the indictable conspiracy charge and were granted bail in the sum of $100,000 each. Sutton was granted a total of $200,000 bail due to the two charges against him. The alleged fraud was unearthed during an investigation conducted by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), according to the GPF.
Accident
Driver, passenger killed after speeding car collides with parked container at Le Destin: The driver of a speeding car and a passenger died when the car collided with a container on the parapet alongside the public road at Le Destin, East Bank Essequibo on Christmas Day. Police said the incident occurred at about 06:00 hrs on Monday and involved motorcar #PXX 872, driven by Lechan Mangal (now deceased), 25, of Lot 5 De Kinderen ‘Old Road’, West Coast Demerara. Other occupants of the car were Stephon Anthony Basdeo (now deceased), 26, of Lot 1 De Kinderen ‘Old Road’, and Aubrey Hardy, 27, also of De Kinderen. According to the police, investigations so far indicate that the car (PXX 872) was proceeding east along the northern side of the road at a fast rate when the driver lost control and collided with a container on the parapet. As a result of the collision, the three occupants sustained multiple injuries and were taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital. Mangal and Basdeo were pronounced dead on arrival. Hardy, who sustained head injuries, was admitted to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where his condition was regarded as stable. The bodies were escorted to Ezekiel Funeral Home, where they await post-mortem examinations.
