-government, main political parties condemn attack

COMMISSIONER of Insurance and now Judicial Manager of CLICO Life and General Insurance Co. (S.A) Ltd, Maria van Beek was shot yesterday morning in Lombard Street, Georgetown, when a lone gunman fired at her through her car’s window.

Maria van Beek

She ,was on her way to work ,when a lone gunman fired at her, in the vicinity of Jettoo’s Lumber Yard, on Lombard Street, Georgetown, around 08:15 hours.

Despite heavy traffic and incessant rainfall, the gunman escaped on a waiting motor cycle ridden by an accomplice.

Mrs. van Beek’s sister, Optometrist Ms. Dionne Fries, disclosed that doctors had removed a bullet , from in the area , of van Beek’s left breast plate and her condition was considered stable.

Mrs. van Beek’s condition is still being closely monitored by doctors at Woodlands Hospital.

News of the execution style attack, follows her report, two days ago, that CLICO Guyana is insolvent, with liabilities more than assets.

Reporting to the High Court, van Beek ,said CLICO’s financial position revealed that it does not have the resources , to carry on its business and the sale of its assets appears, to be unavoidable, under any foreseeable scenario.

This pronouncement, came as policy holders and other stakeholders ,await the final verdict on the beleaguered firm, amidst widespread speculation.

Meanwhile, family members of Mrs. van Beek, are shocked and appalled at the shooting of the woman.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle , from her Quamina Street, Georgetown office yesterday, Ms. Fries said that the family cannot imagine who would want to shoot or injure her sister.

She posited, that the only conclusion the family can come to is, that it had to do with van Beek’s appointment , as Judicial Manager of the embattled CLICO Insurance Company and possibly a disgruntled customer/policy holder.

However, Fries is puzzled as to why, if indeed her sister was shot by someone in relation to the Insurance Company’s financial difficulties, anyone would assume that the problems , being presently experienced by the insurance company had anything to do with her (van-Beek’s) , since her appointment as Judicial Manager.

Dr. Fries, stated that Van-Beek as the Commissioner of Insurance was simply carrying out her duties,assigned to her office and if anyone should be angry, it should be at the other insurance company , in the Caribbean which invested , CLICO Guyana’s money foolishly.

She added, that a lot people lost money, when the company’s financial position, came to light, some even ranking in the millions, but reiterates, her puzzlement as to why anyone would blame van Beek for that.

Questioned, whether her sister had received any threats ,leading up to yesterday’s shooting, the sister said no, adding that that fact makes the incident all the more shocking and unbelievable to family members.

Dr. Fries, assured that van Beek ,is in a stable condition and the family is relieved and thankful for this.

When contacted yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, condemned the “unwarranted” and “dastardly” act and assured that the police are working assiduously, to capture the person(s) responsible, assuring that certain actions have already been taken by the police.

The Government of Guyana ,in a press statement yesterday afternoon noted with greatest concern, the dastardly attempt on the life of Mrs. van Beek.

The Administration, finds it incomprehensible , that any sane minded person would stoop, to such an act, that would seem to have ,an intention of frustrating ,the work she is doing as the Commissioner of Insurance, the release said.

Police Commissioner, Henry Greene, has assured the government ,that “no stone will be left unturned” during their investigations, the statement said.

“The Administration, condemns this act in the severest manner possible and wishes Mrs. van Beek a speedy recovery”.

“Regarding the work that she (van Beek) is doing as Judicial Manager of CLICO (Guyana), the Government of Guyana continues to stand firmly by its commitment , to protect the interest, of policy holders of the company”, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the ruling People Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), expressed its shock at the shooting, also condemning, the blatant attempt on the life, of Mrs. van Beek.

“We do not know the motive for the attack at this time, however, there are sure to be speculations that could be related to her sterling work as Commissioner of Insurance and as Judicial Manager of CLICO”, the party posited in a media statement.

It also expressed the hope , that the perpetrators of this crime be brought to justice speedily, extending best wishes to van Beek ,for a swift and full recovery as well as to the family, its support and solidarity at this time.

The People’s National Congress Reform, (PNC/R IG) also condemned, the criminal act, and a statement from the party’s Congress Place, Sophia, Georgetown headquarters, said it was shocked , to hear the news and wished van Beek a speedy and full recovery.

It stated, that whether it was an attempted robbery or for other reasons, the Party unreservedly , condemns this act and would urge the relevant authorities , to act with dispatch to ensure that the perpetrator(s) are caught and placed before the courts.

Earlier this week, the Judicial Manager had submitted her report , on the affairs of CLICO Guyana, to Chief Justice Ian Chang, highlighting the assets and liabilities of the company, her activities and findings on the company.

According to the report, which is based on investigations , carried out by Nizam Ali & Company, the company’s liabilities, exceed its assets by $11.9B, and this, President Bharrat Jagdeo, advised on Wednesday at a press briefing, should be viewed as a range and not as an absolute figure.

The van Beek report, suggests that if the company was liquidated, its liabilities would exceed its assets by $11.9B, in a worst case scenario, however, in a best case scenario, the liabilities would be greater than the assets by $8.1B.

President Bharrat Jagdeo had stated that while the report has discounted investment properties by 25% in the latter scenario and 50% in the former and expects to recover only $401M of the $2.1B invested in the group, Government believes much more can be recovered.

He had ,also suggested that the gap could be reduced further by paying the policy holders’ liabilities, in cash and withholding payment to CLICO Trinidad.

He had, also assured that steps are being taken to recover the monies invested in the Bahamas branch and holdings of the CL Financial Group in Guyana.

The financial situation of the company ,came to light after the CLICO Bahamas , was ordered wound up last February, and it was revealed, that it (CLICO Guyana) had invested 53% of its assets in the Bahamas branch, prompting a move to have the company placed under judicial management last February 25.

Although President Jagdeo, had last month presented documented evidence of the investment in the Bahamian branch, and which Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in that country, Hubert Ingraham had confirmed to regional journalist, the Bahamian liquidator, Craig Tony Gomez, while confirming Guyana’s investment, had stated , that it was an inter-company advance rather than a policy, reducing the likelihood of the investment being reimbursed.

This determination , by Gomez, President Jagdeo recently declared, will be challenged by the government.