Alleged teen torture…
Greene admits Police procedures were not followed
“We do not tolerate torture of prisoners and those culpable will be dealt with publicly and placed before the Courts.” Police Commissioner Henry Greene
By Michel Outridge
COMMISSIONER Henry Greene yesterday reiterated that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) does not tolerate torture of prisoners.

Speaking to participants at the Junior Officers Course, he said, nowhere in the Force Standing Orders teaches it, and he read excerpts from the document which deals with care and custody of detainees.

Mr. Greene said, once in Police custody, persons must receive cordial and humane treatment and it does not include excessive use of force.

Maintaining that the GPF does not tolerate that kind of behaviour, he said the Standing Orders dictate that the Police, by virtue of office, have been given certain powers in the detention and arrest of prisoners but must not abuse prisoners, although, for good and sufficient reasons, they can use violence against a prisoner which must be reported and documented.

Greene said, even if violence is used, there is a procedure to be followed in restraining a prisoner if he tries to escape from lawful custody.

As regards confessions, he said a subordinate officer must be present and a handwritten statement should be taken, by an inspector, in the prisoner’s own handwriting at the time of confession.

“We do not tolerate torture of prisoners and those culpable will be dealt with publicly and placed before the Courts,” he assured.

Greene said the recent matter, relating to the alleged torture of a teenage murder suspect, is under investigation and appropriate action will be taken.

He confirmed that two ranks are in custody and four more might be involved, all of whom are attached to Leonora Police Station, West Coast Demerara.

The Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) last night indicated that statements have been acquired from two additional victims, other than the teenaged victim, who claimed that they were beaten by police ranks during the same investigation into the murder of former Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) Vice Chairman, Raminauth Bisram.

In addition, the OPR said statements have been taken from sixteen police ranks and two civilians.

“Medical reports have been uplifted for two of the alleged victims and the investigations are proceeding apace. Charges are expected to be laid shortly,” the OPR statement said.

Greene yesterday said, so far, the injured prisoner who is hospitalised, is yet to identify the ranks he claimed tortured him but there is enough evidence to go to Court.

The Commissioner said, once a prisoner suffers injuries while in custody, he must be examined by a Government Medical Officer (GMO).

“You cannot say that no one knows how a man comes in with no injury and suffers injuries,” Greene said.

He said in the investigations of the murder of Bisram, one man is in prison on remand and three others are in Police custody, including the 14-year-old who is in hospital nursing severe burns in his genital area.

Greene said Police Standing Orders were not followed and it was even reported that the relatives of the prisoners were not allowed to see them when requested and the movement of the prisoners were not documented and authorised.

He said the Police are also investigating the incident in which reporters were blocked from entering the Wales Magistrate’s Court, West Bank Demerara, on the day the Bisram murder case was called and media personnel were not permitted to visit the hospital to see the 14-year-old prisoner, under a claimed order by the Divisional Commander.

Greene spoke about the issues at the opening ceremony of the Junior Officers Course Number 19 at Police Officer’s Mess Annexe, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

He expressed gratitude to the University of Guyana (UG) for the planning and urged participants to use the opportunity as a stepping stone to upgrade their education and acquire degrees and diplomas.

APPLICATIONS
Greene also exhorted ranks of the GPF to make early applications if they desire to pursue studies at UG and not apply at the last moment.

He encouraged the ranks to display a disciplined attitude towards work and set an example to those that they manage.

The course has a dual purpose, to improve the performance of the participants in their present rank and, where applicable, to prepare them for senior positions in the Force.

The stated objectives are:
* to improve the students’ professional competence;

* to upgrade students knowledge in the art of leadership, techniques of good management theories of human behaviour and skills of communication;

* to upgrade participants’ competence in the use of English as a means of increasing the effectiveness of their job performance;

* to enable participants to appreciate their role in the context of the legal framework pertaining to Guyana;

* to enhance the succession plan of the GPF;

* to stimulate the thoughts and energies of the participants;

* to maintain and strengthen formal links among uniformed services in Guyana, thereby creating a formidable spirit of cordiality and brotherhood.

The sessions will start today and end on December 4 with 26 participants who were drawn from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Prison Service (GPS), Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and the City Constabulary.

Brief remarks were also made by Force Training Officer, Assistant Commissioner Clinton Conway and Assistant Superintendent Boyce and Welfare Department Superintendent La Fleur.

Rohee declares justice has to look in both directions
“Justice may be blind but it seems that it now has to look, at the same time, in both directions, that is to say, to the side of the murder victim and to the side of the victims claiming torture. Once deemed a criminal offence and subjected to due process the perpetrators could suffer statutory punishment.” – Minister Clement Rohee
By Michel Outridge
MINISTER of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee told a press conference yesterday that the Administration abhors any acts of torture of prisoners.

He said the recent case of the teenager is being investigated by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

Rohee said, on October 30, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) reported that the murder rate in Guyana was down by 30 per cent and that, comparatively, serious crimes were significantly reduced.

He said that was good news but the bad news was to come the following day, October 31, with the shocking revelation about the beating and torture, allegedly by Police ranks, of suspects in connection with the murder of the former Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) Vice-Chairman, Mr. Raminauth Bisram.

Rohee said, following the unlawful killing, there was the usual emotive outcry from the public and close relatives demanding that the killers be brought to justice.

He said, according to the man’s wife, the murder was carefully planned and the killers were no ordinary robbers.

Rohee said: “Justice may be blind but it seems that it now has to look, at the same time, in both directions, that is to say, to the side of the murder victim and to the side of the victims claiming torture.

“Once deemed a criminal offence and subjected to due process the perpetrators could suffer statutory punishment”.

He explained that, in this matter, it is critical that one side must not be overlooked in favour of the other. Nor must those demanding justice be concerned only with the victims claiming torture, though this demand may be quite justifiable.

“We must not lose sight of the fact that there is still the case of Mr. Bisram who was brutally murdered,” Rohee cautioned.

He said the three in Police custody and the one in prison on remand are the main suspects.

“What is critical is that, in both instances, the murder and the allegation of torture, due process must be followed and, ultimately, the Court to decide,” Rohee said.

COMMITMENT
He added that the Government of Guyana has reiterated its commitment, time and again, to due process.

Rohee said, further, the Government has said time and again, that it abhors torture and that any act so committed is neither centrally directed nor condoned by the Administration.

“For the GHRA to claim that the highest political authorities have justified covering up previous incidents of torture and that ruling politicians have utilised crises situations to encourage responses to equally unbounded cruelty is utter rubbish and a far cry from the truth to which the GHRA has always been a stranger,” he charged.

Rohee said the Ministry of Home Affairs, unequivocally, rejects the use of excessive force as a means of extracting evidence from suspects and wishes to make it clear that there are no ayatollahs of torture within the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.

He said, for those who still continue to harbour such misplaced notions, they should, if they have a sense of history, recall that the PPP, in Opposition and in Government, has always opposed torture, especially when consideration is given to the fact that many of its activists and supporters who suffered never saw the light of day, due to the fact that the People’s National Congress (PNC) dictatorship never allowed a free Press to carry such revelations as is the case today.

Rohee said would-be whistle blowers never risked making such exposes under the PNC regime.

“As regards the claim of an attempt to cover up, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ rejection of this erroneous claim is based on the view that cover-ups betray the law itself. Indeed, such actions only inspire conspiracies against the rule of law and undermines, by deceit, public trust,” he explained.

Rohee said this Administration has never been party to such practices and its opposition to torture continues to be the principled position of the Government and the ruling party.

He said the Ministry of Home Affairs has noted the outrageous claim, by the GHRA, that ranks of the GPF who engaged in torture were given official protection.

Rohee said the Ministry rejects this claim as a total fabrication aimed at misleading the public.

As far as the Ministry is concerned, there are no holy cows in the GPF. Whether they are engaged in acts of impropriety, misconduct or wrongdoings contrary to the laws of Guyana, the Police Act or the Standing Orders of the GPF, such ranks will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

Rohee said the Ministry supports the view of the Commissioner of Police that there are unsuitable policemen who will raise the ire of society with the way they operate and that steps are being taken to root out such ranks when they are discovered.

He said the Commissioner has reminded the public that, during 2009 alone, more than 80 policemen were taken to Court for one corrupt practice or another.

Rohee said, in the case of the investigation into the murder of Bisram, it is clear that the initial investigation into the allegations of the killing were proceeding in the right direction but subsequent events have clearly complicated the process.

He said it is now a case for the Prosecution, Defence Counsel and the Court to determine the outcome.

LIMITS
At the same time, it appears that the investigating ranks went to the outer limits of the permissible, and from all indications, they crossed the line to physical coercion and, instead of applying psychological pressure to the suspect, third degree methods were used which, in today’s context, constitutes an inexcusable wrongdoing, Rohee said.

He said the question now is to find out who did it and to allow due process to take its course.

Rohee maintained that the Police must be allowed to investigate any and all crimes; in fact they must be encouraged to do so.

He said, at all times, exuberant investigators must temper their actions with due consideration to all the relevant facts available at the time, the prevailing circumstances and, above all, the laws of Guyana, the country’s international obligations and the Standing Orders of the GPF.

To do otherwise could only serve to bring the Force into disrepute and cause irreparable damage to the image of the organisation, Rohee said.

He said the Ministry has taken note of the three demands of the group of 25 lawyers and wishes to inform them that:

* charges have been made out against the investigating ranks and the file is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP);

* the establishment of an independent public commission of inquiry into the three areas identified is a matter for consideration at the appropriate level and
* immediate action has been taken, consistent with this demand.

For National Road Safety Month…
New booklet published with guidelines for betterment
By Priya Nauth
MINISTER of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee said yesterday that schoolchildren are important agents for spreading road safety messages to other people.

The members of the National Road Safety Council of Guyana and students with the road safety gear that were presented to their schools at the launching ceremony yesterday. Photos by: Sonell Nelson

He was speaking at the public release of the School Road Safety Patrol Booklet and the start of a series of training workshops for schoolchildren by the National Road Safety Council (NRSC).

The forum, at Guyana Red Cross Building on Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, was among activities to observe National Road Safety Month, under the theme ‘Be Vigilant, Be Wise. Practice Road Safety to Stay Alive’.

The publication, through a collaborative effort between the NRSC and the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department, was printed by Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).

Several vests were also presented to schools by Health Promotion Officer of PAHO, Ms. Nadine Smith.

Rohee, in the feature address to declare the first workshop open, said the involvement of schoolchildren is very important to preventing accidents on the road, as they can encourage their parents, families and others not to drink and drive, as well.

“You, schoolchildren are a very important agent for taking road safety in your schools, in your homes and, wherever you may go to spend time or play with your other friends, you are very important and that is why the GRSC has found it necessary to invite you to this morning’s activity to talk about road safety,” he remarked.

Rohee reiterated that it is important for children to understand the rules and dangers of the road and always be attentive on the road.

He said, to ensure the roads are safe for children, elder persons and road users in general need to be educated because they are a major part of the problem.

Rohee said making better road users is being done through seminars, workshops and messages on television.

“Without educating them, the situation could get worse and so it is all a process of educating the schoolchildren to use the roads better and educating the road users, so that they could also stop the recklessness and the careless manner in which they use the roads,” he stated.

According to him: “Unless we educate everyone, the situation will continue to go from bad to worse and education is the key.”

Congratulating the NRSC for all the work done in educating people on road safety since its establishment, he said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) plays a very important role in enforcing the traffic laws.

DRIVERS
“We have many careless drivers in our country; we have many reckless drivers in our country; we have many discourteous drivers in our country as well and what is most unfortunate is that their reckless behaviour, their discourteous behaviour, their inconsiderate behaviour make an impact on those who are around them,” Rohee said.

Minister Clement Rohee in a jovial mood yesterday during the launching ceremony.

He pointed to the influence on younger citizens and children who use public transportation.

“This is what you call a bad influence in our society and unless we address it, it will spread like a cancer and affect so many people especially the younger persons in our society.”

Rohee maintained that, if the root causes of those types of problem in society are not addressed, the society will be headed in the wrong direction.

In that context, he alluded to the important role of NRSC, the Police Traffic Department, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders in trying to lift standards in society.

“This is very important for our young generation coming up. We have to look at this problem in its totality,” Rohee insisted.

He also acknowledged the role of the media in taking the messages far and wide, adding: “On this question of road safety, I think we have the full support of the media in taking this message forward.”

Rohee said the booklet is, indeed, a commendable effort and encouraged the NRSC to ensure that at least one copy is made available to each school countrywide.

He agreed it is important not only for children but those in the wider society who also have to be educated.

“This booklet is important as a vehicle, as a medium in this educational process,” Rohee reiterated, thanking all those involved in the initiative.

He said he believes the workshops are very important activities during the course of Road Safety Month observance and they will contribute significantly to raising the awareness of the participants to various aspects of road safety.

NRSC Chairman, Mr. Surendra Khayyam, welcoming the gathering, said their objective is to reach out to all road users, particularly to capture young children at school.

He expressed the hope that the knowledge gained by the students will spread to the different schools and across the country.

Representative of the Police Traffic Department, Superintendent John Daniels concurred that the compilation is a guide to all with regard to use of the roads and its launch is when, for the first time, National Road Safety is being observed for one month as compared to previous one week observances.

He said that the booklet was developed in conjunction with the NRSC and it is expected that all will adhere to the rules and principles or the guidelines inside.

FATALITIES
Daniels said the GPF has been able, so far in 2009, to considerably reduce fatalities on the road.

Eighty-three fatal accidents took 95 lives last year but, up to now this year, 93 persons have been killed in 81 fatal accidents.

He recalled that, in 2008, only three children were killed as compared to 15 children this year.

“It is not a case where these children were going from school or probably playing along the road. It was recklessness and carelessness of drivers who failed to adhere to certain rules of the road and certain principles in driving,” Daniels said about the cause of the fatalities.

“We need to understand that the road belongs to all of us, including the children of today – our resources for tomorrow. We need to protect them at all cost,” said the Traffic Officer.

He said it is expected that drivers should behave in a more responsible way and several activities would be staged throughout the month, among them symposia, seminars and traffic exercises which will include enforcement of certain laws against prevalent breaches.

“We will still be looking at the others but we will be focusing on those that are very, very prevalent and, moreso, we will try to reduce the fatalities for the remainder of the year. We would like to keep them lower than last year,” Daniels said.

Assistant Chief Education Officer in the subject Ministry, Ms. Doodmattie Singh endorsed the involvement of students across Guyana in the quest for better use of the roads.

She said, on a daily basis, persons can be seen using the roads in a manner that is not safe for him or her or other road users.

“Unfortunately, many of those persons are our students,” Singh lamented, expressing the Ministry’s gratitude for the compendium.

She said the series of workshops will conclude when personnel in 40 schools would have been trained in the use of the manual.

“I honestly hope that this month of activities will bear fruits and there will be significant improvement in the way we use the road,” Singh said.

New foster care scheme aims to help families
By Vanessa Narine
THE Foster Care Umbrella Sponsorship Scheme (FOCUS) is expected to institutionalise mechanisms for community development, particularly in advancing the economic capacity of families, according to Mr. Alex Foster, President of St. Francis Community Developers (SFCD).

Craft items made by the St. Mark’s Mother’s Union, an NGO supported by SFCD, of Alness Village being displayed.

He said FOCUS, scheduled to be in full swing by next year, is expected to bolster the support his organisation offers to families.

“This programme will provide us with some structure and sustainability because right now as people come in, it is then that we go out to solicit funds to support their needs,” he explained.

Essentially, FOCUS seeks to empower families in crisis so that they can support themselves to grow out of poverty while establishing a sustainable environment for supporting children and their families in Regions Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/Corentyne).

“It will be people assisting other people,” Foster asserted.

Children from the Eversham Community Developers’ playgroup in Eversham Village. The Eversham Community Developers is also supported by SFCD.

He also said that it will provide a better framework for better accountability and investment impact type analysis.

The process, essentially, will see children and families being given an opportunity to explain their unique cases to trained counsellors.

According to Foster, the cases will then be documented; project outreach officers with SFCD will visit the different communities to verify issues and recommend corrective actions; a special committee will review all cases before a final approval is given; and the same will be sent to a donor for assistance or sponsorship.

At the end of the process, SFCD staffers will ensure that the objectives of sponsorship are achieved while the future involvement and intervention of supporters are secured. The sponsors will also be given an opportunity to meet the beneficiaries, he said.

Another group under the SFCD umbrella, the Swing Star Community Developers’ playgroup from Number 58 Village.

Foster said this initiative was not charity but a scheme under which a family is given an opportunity to develop itself.

“It is a hands-on type of approach and in one intervention we want to affect the lives of an entire family by placing them on the road of sustainability,” he said.

The SFCD President explained that, for example, if a farmer approaches the organisation for support in farming he will have to explain his needs and his method of operations.

This will be documented in a case file with a cost attached and sponsors will be solicited to kick start operations.

However, Foster added that the farmer will be held accountable for a number of things such as sending his children to school regularly and providing for the basic needs of his family.

UNICEF Deputy Representative Mr. Rudi Luchmann, left, and UNICEF's Child Protection Specialist Ms. Doris Roos, right, at SFCD headquarters for the opening of the eight Village Care Points in Region Six. At back are other SFCD stakeholders.

He explained that other support networks will be established such as getting the farmer linked with a bank, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and other lending institutions. Training in finance management and business, among other things, will also be facilitated.

FLAGSHIP PROJECT
He noted that the name FOCUS was particularly chosen to reflect that the programme is about one family or organisation sponsoring another family to aid development.

“One party sponsoring another helps to foster a better relationship between the family and their responsibilities towards their children,” he said.

FOCUS is the organisation’s flagship programme since it is the only SFCD project that is geared to generate income, he said.

“In the absence of donor agencies the FOCUS programme will have the ability to generate funds on its own to help sustain SFCD’s programmes,” he said.

Mr. Alex Foster, President of St. Francis Community Developers (SFCD).

Foster explained that an avenue to generate funds is important since the other programmes are service delivery programmes which depend on the generosity of donors.

To this end, in order to avoid setbacks in the advancement of other initiative, Foster noted that FOCUS is integral for sustainability.

The other areas of work undertaken by SFCD include a Nutritional Enhancement programme, the establishment of pre-schools and day care centres, establishment of eight Village Care Points (VCPs) and development of a resource and reference department.

SFCD
Formerly known as St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Youth Club, SFCD was established by 12 young persons in 1986. The NGO has over the years developed and provided leadership in community development and empowerment across race, gender and geographical lines in Guyanese society.

The organisation is the parent body and coordinating office of 22 NGOs in Regions Five and Six.

The entity facilitates a number of services which include counselling, training, advocacy, networking, referrals, Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) services, HIV/ AIDS support services, support to children and families in crisis of affected by HIV/AIDS, group capacity building for organisations, nutritional enhancement programmes and the provision of child friendly spaces as well as remedial programmes for early school leavers.

The objectives of SFCD are to encourage and support educational and moral advancement of residents in target communities; to provide recreational facilities; to reduce the incidence and impact of drug abuse by reinforcing better family lives; to provide skills training opportunities and offer micro-credit schemes for small business ventures; to provide a supporting and enabling environment for persons and families affected by HIV/AIDS; supporting families and children at risk through counselling, legal aid and material assistance; and to support community initiatives, projects and programmes by lending support and leadership, among others.

Foster explained that in keeping with the organisation’s objectives the NGO aims to link donors and needy families for sponsorship in different areas.

CHALLENGES
However, Foster acknowledged that there will be challenges and among those foreseen are: hesitancy of donors in supporting FOCUS since it is a new initiative; getting a cross section of social service providers to buy into the programme; and coping with the diversity of the needs of families who may access support.

In taking a proactive approach to tackling these challenges, he stated that an efficient team will have to be put together to aid the development of effective and practical mechanisms to make FOCUS work.

“We at SFCD are up to the daily challenge. It is a challenge we are willing to rise up to,” he posited.

At the end of the line, Foster said FOCUS will be an institution by itself mobilising resources at national and international levels to support families.

“It will also, hopefully, be a model for other NGOs who can fashion similar programmes to help create an effective referral system,” the SFCD President said.

He added that FOCUS will not only give families in need a new lease on life but will also give them some direction to care for their needs.

“FOCUS will give us a conduit to be more effective as it relates to helping families. It is helping families to help themselves. It gives them a chance,” he said.

Pension books distribution to commence November 16
- Pensioners urged to check notices
PENSION books which will be utilised by pensioners during 2010 will be distributed from November 16, across the country, and pensioners are urged to pay attention to notices in the media to determine where these books can be uplifted.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand made this announcement during a visit to Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) yesterday to witness the signing of contracts for the construction of a Homeless Shelter in that region.

The Minister pointed out that Government is proud of the programme under which over 42,000 pensioners receive financial assistance every month when they attain the age of 65.

“We are very happy that we are able to deliver this programme to pensioners which is to give a financial allowance every month without the pensioner having contributed in any way to the scheme,” the Minister said.

In addition to a pension, pensioners also receive a waiver on their water rates along with free spectacles and medical treatment. (GINA)

Triangular love affair murder accused…
Roxanne Daniels found guilty of manslaughter
By George Barclay
A DEMERARA Assize jury in the triangular lover affair murder trial last night found 23-year old accused, Roxanne Daniels, not guilty of murder but guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter.

Upon application from her counsel, Mr. Peter Hugh, Justice Barrington Reynolds postponed sentence to await a probation report on the accused that is due on Monday November 16, 2009.

The case, conducted by State counsel Miss Zamilla Alli, disclosed that the deceased Mrs. Ayanna Hamilton died from a knife wound inflicted by accused Roxanne Daniels, a girl friend of the deceased’s husband, Joseph Hamilton.

Senior Government Bacteriologist and Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, who performed the post mortem on the dead woman, disclosed that he had found several injuries including incised wounds and abrasions.

But, according to him, death was caused by a single stab-wound which perforated the heart and lung.

The facts of the case as narrated by the witnesses for the prosecution is that the deceased Hamilton was the wife of Joseph Hamilton. They were married in 2005 and lived together at Lot 14 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop along with Joseph’s sister.

Sometime in October, 2007 the marriage broke down. The deceased Ayanna Hamilton moved out of the matrimonial home and proceeded to move in with her mother.

Joseph Hamilton started a relationship with the accused Roxanne Daniels, who would visit his home and spend nights together.

One such night, on January 6, while Daniels and Joseph Hamilton were in bed, there was a knocking at the door which turned out to be Ayanna.

Ayanna answered the door and fighting broke out between the two women, which resulted in the death of Ayanna.’
The jury took six hours to reach the unanimous verdict last evening.

$60M mining dredge sinks in Atlantic off Waini
By Rajendra Prabhulall
A BRAZILIAN owned $60M mining dredge has sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the Waini Coast in the dangerous ‘Iron Punt’ area.

Reports said five Brazilians and a Guyanese, known only as Danny, were on board when the vessel sank.

The owners were towing it with a trawler when they encountered rough waters about 02:00 h last Thursday morning.

It is reported that the Brazilians were operating in Barama River, North West District, but decided to move because Amerindians living along the banks were complaining about pollution of the water.

The dredge had already been towed some 200 miles along Barama River, into Waini River and was in the Atlantic Ocean when huge waves lashed the pontoons which housed the dredging mechanisms and flooded the manholes.

The Brazilians quickly summoned the trawler crew to their rescue as their $60M investment disappeared from the water surface.

They grabbed as much of their personal belongings as possible before the craft went under, taking three big pit bull dogs, of the four that were tied on it.

A subsequent search at the marked point of disappearance failed to locate the sunken pontoons.

President reiterates promise of public servants’ wage increase
QUOTE:“Many countries in the Caribbean can’t pay wages in the public service. They have frozen wages for four years. Some can’t pay their debts. (But) this year there will be a wage increase for public servants (in Guyana).” - President Jagdeo
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo has reiterated the promise of wage increases for public servants, as he spoke about the end results of diligent work over the past few years to create the fiscal space for such opportunities to be realised.

The President said Guyana created a dynamism that today allows the country to stand apart from others in the region by using the smallest amount of its revenue to service debt.

The President’s previous disclosure of a public servants pay increase was made during an interview with the National Communications Network (NCN) on July 21.

While speaking to youths of the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) award ceremony on Saturday last, the President said such an accomplishment serves as a valuable reminder about planning for the future.

“If we don’t plan for that future, we would never be able to deal with the challenges that inevitably come up along the road; challenges that would have severe consequences for our development,” President Jagdeo said.

He said the problems which Guyana’s economy faced in the past were as a result of the previous generation’s inability to shift spending power when the economy was declining.

This, the Head of State said, resulted in an economy where consumption far outweighed spending power and consequently forced the borrowing of money to cushion the effects.

“This generation is repaying that debt…so I say to you, get involved in the debate about defining where we want to take the country; it’s your country; it’s your future,” the President encouraged the youths.

Over the past two years, the world has experienced what President Jagdeo described as the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The recession which resulted in some 40 million job losses, 10 million of which were from the United States of America, 20 million people losing their homes and also saw the stock market being cut by 30 trillion dollars.

In the Caribbean Region, the crisis resulted in 60 percent of Jamaican merchandise exports being lost, Dominica being forced to take an emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Antigua and Barbuda losing over 1,000 jobs from the fallout of the Stanford debacle.

The crisis also resulted in tourism and financial services which are significant revenue earners and job providers in the Caribbean being severely affected by the crisis.

While the real sector in Guyana was affected with the fall in global demand for export commodities, President Jagdeo said Guyana stayed the course and was able to achieve what the recession had made impossible for other economies to accomplish.

In Guyana, many were given resources to build houses, there was no cut in expenditure, more is being spent on the country’s basic social services and according to the President, Guyana’s economy showed growth in instances when most other countries in the Caribbean region showed negative growth.

“Many countries in the Caribbean can’t pay wages in the public service. They have frozen wages for four years. Some can’t pay their debts. (But) this year there will be a wage increase for public servants,” President Jagdeo declared.

These successes, the President said, should be attributed to the hard work over the past years to build the foundation to address the recession by creating the fiscal space and repaying debt. (GINA)

Knight's out: Stanford no longer 'sir' in Antigua
By ANIKA KENTISH, Associated Press Writer
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua – Disgraced Texas financier R. Allen Stanford is being stripped of his knighthood in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda, the head of the government panel that approves the awards said Monday.

The National Honors Committee voted unanimously to revoke Stanford's title for embarrassing the nation by running an alleged Ponzi scheme out of his Antigua-based offshore bank, Chairwoman Jacqui Quinn-Leandro said.

Stanford, once a benefactor of the Antiguan government, is in jail in Texas awaiting charges for allegedly defrauding some 28,000 investors out of $7 billion by selling them what U.S. authorities say were bogus certificates of deposits.

"It's not that we're saying he's guilty, but it's the honor that has been brought into disrepute," said Quinn-Leandro, also a member of Parliament.

Stanford received his knighthood in 2006 from the governor general — the representative of Queen Elizabeth II in the country — and was widely known as "Sir Allen" in the Caribbean nation. Critics have alleged he used the title's prestige to help lure investors to buy CDs from his offshore bank while promising rates of return that were consistently higher than most financial institutions.

A group of investors has filed a lawsuit against Antigua and Barbuda alleging that local authorities failed to adequately monitor Stanford International Bank Ltd. and profited from the fraud. The financier provided loans to the government and became the country's largest private employer, with businesses that included a development company, cricket stadium, newspaper, an airline and two restaurants.

Quinn-Leandro said the six-member honors committee, made up of senators and members of Parliament, voted last month and formally informed Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer of its decision in an Oct. 26 letter, but did not make a public announcement.

All that is required next is for Spencer to forward the decision to the country's governor general for a signature, but that is considered a formality.

Stanford, who was nominated for his knighthood by the opposition Antigua Labor Party, was cheered and booed when he received the award, according to newspaper accounts from the time. Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, who still holds the post, remained seated as he shook the financier's hand during the ceremony and called the honor "most unfortunate."

As a member of the British Commonwealth, Antigua and Barbuda can propose its own knighthoods to the Queen through the governor general, though the honor is considered a local one.