New GECOM Chair sworn in: Retired Justice of Appeal Claudette Singh was sworn in as the first female chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Monday, July 29th and signaled that the constitution would be her guide. Singh had declined to be considered as a nominee for the post in 2017 but changed her mind when she was contacted on July 26th. “The Leader of the Opposition and the President reposed their confidence in me. They both thought I was the most suitable person and they asked me for the sake of the country. That is why, nothing else,” she told reporters after her swearing in ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency. The former judge added that she did not see the post any differently to any other that she has held. “It makes no difference. I’ve held many positions before. When I was on the bench I was called “Iron Lady,” I was called “the Hanging Judge,” so this is no difference. I’m just hoping to do something for Guyana. There is only one way, in accordance with the law, in accordance with the constitution and nothing else,” she stressed, before adding that she will be “endeavouring to have a free, fair and transparent elections.”
50,000 registered during house-to-house registration: On Monday, July 29th, Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield told reporters that the national house-to-house registration exercise that is being undertaken by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had been able to register over 50,000 persons since its commencement but challenges still plagued the process. He noted that there have been instances where persons have set dogs on enumerators and told GECOM staff that they will not be paid. “We continue to have challenges in operationalising the event. These challenges include, for example, where persons are told that to register is an illegal activity and they are fending them away from participating in the process. We’ve had incidents where dogs are let out on our enumerators in the field. We’ve had scenarios where enumerators are told that they will not be paid and they should no longer participate in the process,” Lowenfield shared.
Gov’t hands out 209 land titles at Mount Sinai, New Amsterdam: Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon and Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Annette Ferguson, on July 31st distributed 209 land titles to residents of Mount Sinai, New Amsterdam at a ceremony hosted at the Berbice Educational Institute, Vryheid, New Amsterdam. A release from the Ministry of the Presidency said that the distribution exercise is part of an overall Government programme to regularise the community and enhance residents’ quality of life.
Crime
Father of six dies in Seeta’s Bar shooting: A father of six was shot and killed early on the morning of July 29th during a scuffle at a city bar and the police force has since issued a wanted bulletin for the suspect, who has been identified as an ex-policeman. Kurt Anthony Duncan, called ‘Devon,’ 32, a popsicle vendor of Lot 192 North Sophia, succumbed to a single gunshot to his chest before he arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital. The shooting occurred around 2.07 am at Seeta’s Bar, located on Station Street, Kitty. Hours after the fatal shooting, the Guyana Police Force issued a wanted bulletin for the suspect, Keon David, 32, an ex-member of the force and also a resident of Sophia.
Guyhoc mechanic shot dead by home invaders: A well-known Guyhoc Park, East La Penitence mechanic was shot and killed in the wee hours of July 27th during a scuffle with two gunmen, who invaded his home in what appeared to be an attempted robbery. Reginald Atherly, 44, known as ‘Reggie’ and ‘Diesel Boss,’ was shot several times about his body, including to his abdomen, during the attack, which occurred around 4 am at his Lot G26 Guyhoc Park home. He was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Crime Chief (ag) Michael Kingston, when contacted for a comment yesterday, told Sunday Stabroek that several persons were being questioned up to yesterday afternoon and investigators were checking the area for possible CCTV footage.
The courts
AG asks court to strike out house-to-house challenge as ‘abuse of process’: Attorney General Basil Williams filed an application last Monday challenging the action brought by chartered accountant and attorney Christopher Ram, who has asked the High Court to declare the current house-to-house registration exercise being conducted by GECOM to be unlawful. Ram’s case is that the registration exercise is in violation of the letter and spirit of the Constitution and the judgment and consequential orders made by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the consolidated cases stemming from the passage of a no-confidence motion against government last December. Williams is arguing, however, that Ram’s challenge amounts to an abuse of process as he claims that the issues complained of have already been dealt with by the CCJ.
GECOM asks Chief Justice to recuse self from hearing house-to-house challenge:
Claiming a likelihood of bias, Senior Counsel Stanley Marcus on behalf of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has asked that Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire recuse herself from hearing the challenge filed by chartered accountant Christopher Ram to the current house-to-house registration. Marcus’ application, filed on Monday, was made on the basis that the Chief Justice previously issued a press release that allegedly contained “certain statements which raise the likelihood of bias” on her part.
First drug treatment court to be set up before year end: The country’s first drug treatment court, aimed at providing alternative sentencing and reducing the rate of incarceration for non-violent drug offenders, is expected to be established before the end of the year. This was disclosed on July 29th at the opening ceremony of a Drug Treatment Court Training workshop, which was held in the Savannah Suites of the Pegasus Hotel. The drug treatment court is expected to be established within the next three months, with the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts serving as the pilot institution.
The Environment
Comply with environmental rules or be shut down, EPA warns businesses: On June 28th, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), by way of newspaper ads, warned 18 businesses that that they face closure for failing to adhere to requirements. The businesses listed included hotels, livestock rearing facilities, sand mines and rice mills, among others, and said that it will be moving to close them for failure to adhere to its Enforcement Notices or uplift finalised Environmental Authorisations. EPA Executive Director Dr Vincent Adams told Stabroek News yesterday that the agency has tried “ad nauseam” to reach the developers of the projects listed, to no avail. “The companies listed are some that have been ignoring our requests. We will take whatever legal recourse at our disposal, whatever penalty, which may result in them shutting down their operations,” he said.
Business
Fly Jamaica in new hands: The Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) reported on June 28th that Fly Jamaica airlines has new owners and they have promised to address ticket refunds and the company’s current debt among other issues, even as plans are on stream to resume operations in Jamaica from September. “The new owners, led by Yann LeProvost of the French-based company W&Y SAS, took over the (reins) on Friday from Guyanese operators [Ronald] and Roxanne Reece, and promised to address issues affecting the carrier, including the payment of salaries, ticket refunds and the payment of outstanding debt,” the CMC report said.
City Council halts construction of Nalco chemical warehouse: The City Council announced last Tuesday, June 30th, that it had halted the construction of a Nalco Champion Guyana chemical warehouse at the John Fernandes Ltd (JFL) Inland Terminal, at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt Georgetown, saying no permission had been granted. The council issued a cease order, while also noting that it received complaints from residents about the construction. “We do believe that the petrochemical bond should not be constructed within that area; it’s also unauthorised work and last Monday, on the 22nd of July, the council would have moved a motion that the proprietor be issued a stop order—the proprietor being John Fernandes–ceasing all works regarding the construction of that petrochemical bond,” Chairperson of the City Works Committee Etika Edwards said.
Chicken shortage to end by mid-August: Guyana’s current chicken shortage will be rectified by mid-August as local farmers have placed adequate supplies of chicken on their farms that will reach production age by that time, the Guyana Poultry Producers Association (GPPA) has said. In a press release issued last Tuesday, the GPPA explained that hatching egg imports have increased and local farmers have enough broiler birds in production to address the shortage within a week or two. “Local farmers have placed adequate supplies of chickens on their farms that will reach processing age in another week or two, which is expected to bring an end to the shortage of local chicken. Since the cause of this disruption has been rectified, this problem is unlikely to reoccur,” the GPPA said.
Oil
Qatar Petroleum takes stake in Total’s Guyana assets: In a further sign of the global interest in Guyana’s offshore oil, Qatar Petroleum on June 29th announced that it had agreed a deal with Total (TOTF.PA) to acquire a stake in the French energy giant’s two oil and gas blocks offshore Guyana. According to Reuters, Qatar Petroleum said it will hold 40% of Total’s 25% participating interest in the Orinduik block, and 40% of Total’s 25% participating interest in the neighbouring Kanuku block. The block’s other partners are Tullow Oil (TLW.L), with a 60% participating interest and EcoAtlantic with a 15% interest. The continued trading of interest in Guyana’s blocks again raises the question of whether Georgetown is aware of the scale of the financial transactions taking place and whether it had extracted the best terms possible.
Society
Caucus of Indigenous Peoples formed: A grouping comprising virtually all the major Indigenous Peoples organisations in Guyana has been formed, and it aims to be a common platform for representation of the issues and rights of Amerindians. The formation of the Caucus of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) was announced last Monday and its 14 members are among the most active of indigenous organisations in the country with representation from all the districts where Indigenous People reside. The 15th member, the Indigenous Peoples Commission – a constitutional body – is an ex officio member. The development is seen as significant as it brings the major indigenous groups on a common platform to represent their issues. In the past, though the organisations have largely common goals, their focus have been different and working collectively was more the exception than the rule. Some of the organisations have in the past also been shunned by the then PPP/C government while others received state support.
