This Week-in-Review Mrach 10th to March 16th

Politics

‘Come right’ Jagdeo tells challengers: Vice President and General Secretary of the PPP/C Bharrat Jagdeo last week told challengers of the governing party that they need to “come right” as Guyana approaches the next general and regional elections in 2025. The PPP/C and its supporters were gathered yesterday at Babu John, Port Mourant, where the yearly remembrance for former president and founder of the PPP/C Dr.Cheddi Jagan was held. Jagdeo, who delivered the feature address, said, “This country can never develop fully, can never meet its full potential unless all of its people benefit from the progress, that is people from every race, every religion.” He stressed that his party remains faithful to national unity pointing out that they are very fortunate to have had the founder of the PPP/C Dr Cheddi Jagan lay out a philosophy that has been maintained by successive leaders of the party. He stated that President Irfaan Ali is the latest in the line of leaders who has done so. Quoting Jagan, Jagdeo said, “We have to remain faithful to national unity and bringing our people across races together.” He said the PPP/C remains committed to this. “We understood that. We have lived that in every single PPP government,” he added. Turning his attention to the challengers of the PPP/C, Jagdeo said that the level of consciousness among citizens must be raised as the dupers are back at work promising the “moon and the stars. You got all kinds, some who are trying to challenge us but they better be cautious. They got to come right. It’s a free country politically, but they may have interpreted our being quiet as a sign of weakness. It’s not so. When the right time comes, we will deal with them.” Jagdeo who also lashed out at the APNU stating that its only tool to mobilize people was “racism”. “They say that they are in favour of Afro Guyanese but Afro Guyanese are some of the worst treated people in the five years they were in office. “They don’t love Afro Guyanese, its elitists, the few of them like some of the ministers were getting all the sweets, they got the scholarships, they got the land, they got the contracts… This is what happened, the people of the country suffered,” Jagdeo said to the crowd which screamed in agreement. In contrast, he said that if one were to look at the gathering and other PPP/C activities then the image was clear, and “that is the worst nightmare for APNU that all of our people right across Guyana in spite of their race they are benefitting from the People’s Progressive Party… That’s a fundamental difference between us.”

Security

Two planes for GDF under US$23.27m credit from India EXIM Bank: Two planes will be acquired for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) under an India EXIM Bank credit as the government here moves to enhance the country’s defence capability. Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh yesterday on behalf of the Government of Guyana, signed a Line of Credit (LOC) Agreement of US$23.27 million, with the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank), for the procurement of two aircraft. Signing on behalf of the Indian EXIM Bank was its Deputy General Manager – Line of Credit Group, Sanjay Lamba. A release from the Ministry of Finance said this agreement had its genesis in President Irfaan Ali’s visit to India’s state-owned aerospace and defence company – Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, in January 2023. High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr Amit Telang, during remarks, said that India attaches great importance to the relationship it shares with Guyana, and the signing of the LOC is just another means of cementing its partnership with Guyana. He pointed out that yesterday’s Agreement is the first ever defence LOC signed with the Caribbean. Singh, while delivering remarks, placed on record Government’s appreciation of India’s support to Guyana. Singh also recognised the EXIM Bank’s instrumental role in facilitating the presence of Indian companies in Guyana, thereby allowing for the expansion of productive capacity in various sectors of the country.  Guyana to date, has sealed eleven LOCs with the Indian EXIM Bank over the years. Singh added, “we want to see more Indian companies doing business in Guyana, we are open to companies from around the world, including of course India, and India is amongst the economies that are at the cutting edge of technology, and we want to receive the benefit of that cutting edge technology.” Singh added that the government is investing heavily in strengthening the capabilities of the GDF, in particular, in some of its specialised wings, such as the Air Corps and the Coast Guard. He further stated that the purchase of the two aircraft is part of the biggest ever investment in the capitalisation of the force thus far.

Oil & Gas

New Hayven arranges US$25m financing for Vreed-en-Hoop shorebase: The New Hayven Merchant Bank (NHMB ) last week announced that it has successfully arranged, acted as collateral, and served as administrative agent for a US$25 million financing facility extended to Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase Inc. (VEHSI). “This financing marks a significant milestone in facilitating VEHSI’s first-of-a-kind oil and gas infrastructure project in Guyana. Collaborating closely with an external financial entity, New Hayven Merchant Bank spearheaded the structuring and deployment of this financing arrangement, tailored specifically to meet the unique requirements of VEHSI’s project. The collaboration underscores New Hayven’s dedication to providing innovative financial solutions and supporting transformative initiatives that drive economic progress,” the company said in a statement. It quoted Floyd Haynes, Founder and Chairman at NHMB as saying, “Our partnership with VEHSI in this landmark project exemplifies our commitment to fueling growth and fostering sustainable development.”  “As Guyana undergoes profound transformation, we are proud to serve as a trusted financial partner, providing tailored financing solutions and expertise to enable businesses to thrive in this dynamic environment.” New Hayven Merchant Bank stated that its commitment extends beyond this collaboration, as it continues to actively engage with other providers of risk capital to deliver bespoke financing solutions and deploy capital across diverse sectors within Guyana. “By facilitating access to capital and fostering strategic partnerships, New Hayven aims to catalyze growth and drive economic prosperity throughout the region,” the company stated. And as Guyana emerges as a pivotal player in the global energy landscape, the bank said that this country now “presents unparalleled strategic investment and development opportunities.”

“New Hayven Merchant Bank recognises the immense potential of the Guyanese economy and remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering businesses operating within the region,” the statement said. The VEHSI facility on the West Coast of Demerara which is sited on  this country’s first man-made island has suffered work delays and the death of a worker. Last month,36-year-old Health and Safety worker Rusbel Jesus Rengel Azocar died on the facility,

Industrial

GTU asks court to order gov’t to negotiate for 2019 to 2023: The GTU last week applied to the High Court for an order of mandamus mandating the government to engage in collective bargaining from 2019 to 2023 and it also wants disclosure of correspondence with the Ministry of Education on the subject. In the latest twist to a confrontation which saw a four-week-long strike by teachers, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) is seeking  a variety of reliefs. It is unclear when the matter will be heard by the court. A related case is due to be heard again on March 20th.  In addition to the order for collective bargaining, the GTU is seeking an order that Saddam Hussain, Chief Executive Officer, and  Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education  be held  in contempt of court for unwillingness and bad faith for refusing to discuss collective bargaining for the period 2019-2023. The union is also praying for an order directing the Ministry of Education to disclose all correspondence, between the GTU and the Ministry of Education, as it relates to the collective bargaining discussions as claimed by the Ministry of Education or in the alternative to disclose whether or not there are any.  It is also seeking a declaration that the GTU has a right to negotiation within the period of 2019-2023. A declaration that the refusal to negotiate for the period 2019-2023 constitutes a breach of the GTU and its members’ right to collective bargaining under article 147 of the Constitution of Guyana, is also being sought. The union has also applied for a declaration that the minutes dated 7th March 2024 of a meeting between the two sides, created a binding agreement. Further, it seeking a declaration that the agreement arising from the minutes dated 7 March 2024, created legitimate expectation. Those minutes could be key as they appeared to suggest that the two sides had agreed to talks on 2019 to 2023.  Hoosein-Outar replaced Hussain as Chief Negotiator at the meeting last Tuesday and declared there would be no negotiations for 2019 to 2023 and this is what triggered the union’s move to the courts. The grounds of the application are based on Article 147 of the Constitution of Guyana, Section 10 of the Judicial Review Act and Part 28 of  the Civil Procedure Rules

GTU, ministry talks collapse: The GTU last Tuesday announced the collapse of talks with the Ministry of Education (MoE) while the latter accused the union of walking out again on the collective bargaining process. Following four weeks of strike action which ended after court-appointed mediation, the way ahead yesterday was not immediately clear but the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) is adamant that it will stay the course. Talks stalemated over the years for negotiations – the union demanding 2019 to 2023 while the government is only prepared to consider 2024 onwards.  At a hurriedly called press conference yesterday morning, GTU President Mark Lyte expressed frustration with the MoE’s refusal to negotiate on salaries for the period of 2019-2023.  The year 2019 marked the end of the last negotiated agreement. According to Lyte, during yesterday’s negotiation meeting between the union and ministry, Permanent Secretary (PS) of the MoE  Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, who was absent for the previous meeting on Thursday, showed up and announced that the MoE will not be negotiating salaries between 2019 and 2023. Hoosein-Outar, who led the meeting as Chief Negotiator, reiterated the ministry’s position that any discussions on salary increases for the previous years would have financial implications and that the budget for 2024 does not have the fiscal space to accommodate retroactive payments. Lyte noted that from the inception of the meetings, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Saddam Hussain played the role of Chief Negotiator, but conceded this position to Hoosein-Outar when she showed up yesterday. No explanation was given by the MoE yesterday on why the PS was absent from the previous meeting. “The first thing we noticed when we got into the room this morning [yesterday], was that there was an additional member on the side of the government in the form of the Permanent Secretary. Mind you, we made it very clear that the Permanent Secretary, being the Finance Officer for the Ministry of Education should have been in the room from the first day… and the Permanent Secretary indicated that the government will not negotiate as agreed on in the last minutes, from 2019… The CEO apologised for his misunderstanding… And also stated he was not aware that he was not the Chief Negotiator.

Business

Republic Bank opens $1.2b facility at Williamsburg: Residents of Williamsburg (East Berbice-Corentyne) can now conduct transactions at Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited’s new $1.2 billion facility which was unveiled yesterday by Head of State Irfaan Ali during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Trinidad-based Republic Bank’s  Chairman Nigel Baptiste and Managing Director Stephen Grell said that the Williamsburg facility, which is the largest of its kind in Berbice, is approximately 14,700 square feet and is geared at providing the highest quality of service in Region Six. Grell informed that the new branch is outfitted with solar energy panels, wheelchair accessibility, a spacious parking lot, and other state-of-the-art facilities. According to Baptiste and Grell, Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited is one of the longest-operating financial institutions here with approximately 186 years in existence in its various incarnations and is working assiduously to deliver efficient and user-friendly services. President Ali in his feature address said that the new branch will complement the growing economic landscape and needs of Region Six. He congratulated the banking institution for its significant achievement and noted its importance, especially since the state and the private sector will be investing billions of dollars towards the economic development of the Berbice region. The President observed that the banking sector here is still old-fashioned even though there is sufficient liquidity to capitalize on. He also noted that several banks are utilising digital platforms to conduct banking services and transactions, and suggested that others follow suit to keep pace with the constant and rapid evolution of technology.

Probe

Probe into fatal helicopter crash ongoing – Edghill: It has been four months since the tragic helicopter crash which claimed the lives of five army men and Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said that the investigation is still ongoing. He told the Sunday Stabroek that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent US government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation still has the black box in its possession. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at a press briefing in February had said that the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority would hold a “read out” of the black box from the crashed Bell 412 Army helicopter. When asked, Edghill said he was in no position to comment on when that activity would be done. He said that Airworthiness Inspector Krishnanand Ramlachana was appointed investigator into the helicopter crash, and once the investigation was completed a report will be submitted. The crash had claimed the lives of Brigadier (retired) Gary Beaton, Colonel Michael Shahoud, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome, and Staff Sergeant Jason Khan. The two survivors were Lieutenant Andio Crawford and Corporal Dwayne Jackson. Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Egbert Field last December had told this newspaper that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Unit, which is an independent branch of the GCAA, was tasked with carrying out the investigation into the crash. He said that while the unit consists of experts from the local aviation authority, it will be assisted by NTSB. Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton had also called for an update on the investigation. The Ministry of Public Works, last year in a press statement said that on December 6, 2023, at 11:20 LST, a Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) message was received by Air Traffic Services at Timehri Control Tower indicating an initial alert of a distress signal by the helicopter.

Crime

Shopkeeper murdered in Eteringbang robbery: Police are investigating the murder of a shopkeeper at Eteringbang Landing, Cuyuni River last week. Dead is Chinese national, Yang Lisong. His wife Wen Shuping was also injured in the attack by   three bandits. Investigations have so far revealed that Lisong  operated a supermarket at Eteringbang Landing. He had arrived here from Guizhou in China. Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum yesterday confirmed to Stabroek News that two Venezuelans and one Guyanese are believed to have committed the act. The three suspects were arrested yesterday and are in police custody assisting with investigation. According to reports, at about 2 pm yesterday, Sergeant Schultz, the S/O in charge of Eteringbang police station received a phone call from a ‘Vanlange’, the owner of the building that houses the supermarket, who reported to him that there was an “incident” occurring at the building. Consequently, ranks at Eteringbang Landing responded, and on their arrival at the supermarket found the entrance locked. Upon venturing to the back, they found Pharrell Adelph, a 19-year-old, attempting to exit the building. He was promptly arrested. When further checks were made by the police inside the supermarket, the ranks found the deceased in one of the rooms lying against a wall, clad in a grey jersey and dark grey trousers. A wound about 13 cm in length was observed to his neck, while his reputed wife was found alive in another room with two small lacerations to her right jaw. A Chinese’s national residing there, Xu Yuanxi, told Stabroek News yesterday that he was not in the supermarket at the time of the incident but as of yesterday he learnt that the incident occurred at about 1:30 pm and the perpetrators took an undisclosed amount of cash. In recent months Eteringbang has seen an upsurge in criminal activity, much of it believed to be associated with the `Sindicatos’ from nearby Venezuela. The area across the Cuyunu River has also seen heightened activity by Venezuelan military personnel. For much of last year, Eteringbang could only be accessed by boat as the airstrip in the community had not been completed.

Police sergeant fatally shot at Karrau: Police Sergeant Alex Vaughn, who was part of a team searching for prison escapee Akeem Wong, was fatally shot last Tuesday in the area of Karrau, Region Seven and detectives are en route to investigate. There was no word on the cause of the shooting. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum last night said, “I can confirm that the rank was fatally shot. However, investigators are en route to the sce ne to determine the circumstances.” According to the Crime Chief, Vaughn, was one of the officers from the specialised Joint Services unit that was deployed in pursuit of prison escapee, Wong. The escapee is the prime suspect in the investigation into the double murder of Nellie Gomes,75, and her son, David Gomes, 49, both of D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, at Saxacalli, Essequibo River. The death of Vaughn will raise more questions about how the escape of Wong was handled by the prison service and the police force. Wong, who was serving a 15-year sentence for rape, escaped from the Mazaruni prison compound on February 15. This means that he has been on the run for 26 days without the authorities being able to apprehend him. Prior to Friday’s murders, there was no public announcement in the search for Wong.

Guard shot dead in Vreed-en-Hoop supermarket robbery: Paul Waterman of Tuschen, a security guard, was shot dead last Monday during an armed robbery at a Vreed-en-Hoop supermarket, according to the police. The police say that Waterman was working with the Sheriff Security Service when three men burst into the People’s Supermarket located at Lot ‘F’ New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara. Two of the bandits were armed with handguns and they held the guard and the proprietor, Ping Xian Lin, a 49-year-old, and his wife, Li Yan Ohen, a 43-year-old, at gunpoint. They robbed the trio and during the act, a scuffle occurred between the guard and one of the gunmen and a shot was fired. Waterman fell to the ground and was relieved of his firearm and phone. The suspects proceeded to rob the supermarket and then made their escape by running north through Evergreen Street towards Best Village.  Waterman was later pronounced dead. The police say that the supermarket was open for business at the time and Waterman was armed with a .32 Taurus pistol with ten matching rounds of ammunition. The proprietor and his wife were robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash, a quantity of Digicel and GTT phone cards, one cellphone and one DVR, the police say. The scene was visited by the Police Commander for Regional Division #3, Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Siwnarine and Regional Detective Officer Assistant Superintendent Jermaine Grant.

Cops hunting prison escapee over Saxacalli murders: Police last week were searching for prison escapee Akeem Wong who is the prime suspect in the murders of David Gomes and his mother Nellie Gomes at Saxacalli, Essequibo River on March 8th. Detectives are investigating the murder of  David Gomes, a 49-year-old driver of D’Urban Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, and his 75-year-old mother Nellie Gomes, also of the same address, which occurred between 17:00 hrs and 20:00 hrs on Friday at Saxacalli Mission on the left bank of the Essequibo River. Investigations also revealed that prison escapee Wong was seen in the area at the location and is allegedly the person who committed the murders. Crime scene technicians processed and photographed the scene and it was observed that both of the deceased were chopped multiple times about their bodies, with both of them sustaining several chops to their heads. The police have been told that the suspect went to victims’  house at Saxacalli and asked for something to eat and directions. The suspect was given something to eat and he also imbibed vodka with David Gomes after which he spent some time at the location. He later armed himself with a cutlass and dealt the man several chops about his body. Nellie Gomes went to his rescue and she was also dealt several chops about her body. The suspect then attempted to wash down the blood but he heard a boat approaching and he ran into some nearby bushes and escaped. Wong is thought to have been wounded by David Gomes in the confrontation. Wong, who was serving a 15-year sentence for rape, escaped from the Mazaruni prison compound on February 15. This means that he has been on the run for 24 days without the authorities being able to apprehend him. According to the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), the escape occurred at around 7.20 am on  February 15th. At the time, Wong along with inmate Gilbert Gill, were working in the fields in the custody of Prison Officer Torres. Wong then requested to defecate which Officer Torres granted him permission to do. However, after around five minutes had passed, Torres decided to check on Wong and discovered him missing. An alarm was immediately raised. The GPS had urged the public to exercise caution and vigilance.

In the courts

Man, 68, gets life in prison for rape of three-year-old: Senior citizen Isiah Hutson, 68, has been sentenced to life in prison for raping a three-year-old. His sentence was handed down yesterday morning by High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon who lamented the tender age of the child, stating that Hutson deserved nothing but the maximum penalty. Justice Kissoon has ordered that the convict undergo counselling for sex offenders, but underscored that it also be specifically tailored for paedophiles. Underscoring the prevalence of rape and sexual offences especially against minors, Justice Kissoon said that it was as equally grave as the most serious offences of murder and treason. He said that the age and vulnerability of the child needed to be considered, even as he stressed that the now eight-year-old as well as her mother must continue to receive psychosocial support from their counsellor. Justice Kissoon said that Hutson must first serve 18 years before being considered eligible for parole. Hutson had been charged with raping the toddler sometime between January and February of 2019. He was 63 years old at the time.