GECOM must ‘come clean’ on ID cards rejection
-- Dr. Luncheon
THE Government yesterday said the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must “come clean” about the reason for its rejection of identity documents, principally previously issued national identification (ID) cards, in the current house-to-house registration exercise.
Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon said rejecting such documentation threatens affected registrants with the “daunting proposition of timing and costs for legal correction.”
He told reporters GECOM has been refusing documents that potential registrants have used for years without any problems, during previous elections, in business, travel, marriages, etc.
The Government had raised the issue before but Luncheon yesterday said the Administration is concerned that GECOM has not sought to address the matter publicly.
The national registration process is being conducted to produce a new National Register of Registrants (NRR) for use, initially, in local government elections and future balloting, for which it would be updated through a continuous system.
The accuracy of the electoral roll, from which the NRR flows, has been a historical problem in Guyanese elections and the main issue in arguments across the political divide, Luncheon observed.
He referred to it as “a scourge that has plagued the politics of Guyana” and said it was on the basis of a possible “total end” to it that the Government’s quarrel stands.
“(GECOM) has to come public and say something to the Guyanese people,” Luncheon reiterated.
The requirements for registering are stated in rolling advertisements GECOM has published in the three daily newspapers but not on the Commission’s website, which has, though, the 2008 schedule for house-to-house registration.
The last notice on the website pertains to the May 22, 2006 closing date for the claims and objections period ahead of the general elections that year.
The existing National ID cards, used as a valid basis for identification in conducting almost any transaction, is not being accepted by GECOM for the purpose of the current exercise and no explanation has been given for it.
The Guyana Chronicle understands that GECOM will have a retreat on March 28 to deal with burning registration issues.
Among other papers not acceptable for the house-to-house registration are baptismal certificates, expired passports, or letters from priests, elders, headmasters, village captains or Justices of the Peace (JPs).
GECOM has said it is only accepting original birth certificates or valid passports; original marriage certificates; original birth certificates in cases of name change by marriage; original deed polls and original birth certificates in cases of name change by deed poll; original naturalisation certificates and original birth certificate/passports in cases of persons naturalised.
GECOM has said photocopies of the named documents are also not being accepted. (Neil Marks)
An appeal…
Renal patient needs US$7,500 for transplant in India
INSHAN (only name), of Lot 192 Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, requires an urgent renal transplant to be done in India but he needs help to raise the necessary cash.
His brother, Omar Hack, of the same address, will donate the kidney to his sibling. who is very ill and bedridden but, for the operation, three persons, including an attendant, have to be in India for four weeks, at a total cost of US$7,500.
Stating that any financial aid is welcome, Hack said they have approached several businesses and, so far, they have promised.
“But we must get the money as soon as possible,” he said, reiterating the appeal.
His brother, he said: “He can only move around for three hours a day and has to be assisted to do almost everything.”
Hack said a medical doctor reported that the single parent patient has been suffering from renal tract calculi for more than 20 years and, currently, has bilateral calculi, which has severely compromised his natural functions.
Hack said the sick man was a clothes vendor who suddenly became unable to work and support himself and two daughters, aged eight and 15 years.
But his sister and brother are helping to care for the girls.
Hack said Inshan’s health is deteriorating rapidly and he can no longer take dialysis treatment.
Persons desirous of assisting can contact Inshan or Hack on telephone numbers 689-8252 or 276-0331. (Michel Outridge)
Luncheon states…
Government not involved in Hinckson prosecution
THE prosecution of former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Officer Oliver Hinckson, on charges of sedition and advocating the commission of a terrorist act, was not “negotiated, discussed or brought to the attention of the Government,” according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon.
The accused, 64, appeared in Court on Tuesday.
Speaking at his weekly post-Cabinet news briefing, Luncheon said the prosecutors did not attract Government involvement.
They must have sat and examined the law and its application in instituting the charges that they felt confident would be worthy of conviction, he posited.
Hinckson was charged following January 31 remarks, in which particulars of the offences said he “advocated to commit terrorism” and “uttered a seditious speech to the public and news media, the purpose of which would bring hatred and contempt to the President (Bharrat Jagdeo) or the Government and promote public disorder.”
Minister Manickchand represents Guyana at Distinguished Washington Roundtable
MINISTER of Human Services and Social Security, Ms. Priya Manickchand participated in the Senior Roundtable on Women's Justice hosted by the Department of State, on Wednesday in Washington, DC.
In honor of International Women's Day, the Department of State, with the participation of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, brought together a small, senior group of judges, legal practitioners, government officials and human rights advocates from around the world to address the growing problem of domestic violence, as well as the challenges women worldwide face in gaining equal access to courts and justice systems.
In addition to Secretary Rice, Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Andrea Jung, Chairman and CEO of Avon Products, Inc. delivered keynote speeches at the Roundtable, according to a statement yesterday from the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown.
Minister Manickchand was selected as one of 17 international invitees based on her work in advocating women’s rights and her overall contributions to the social development of Guyanese society.
The U.S. Embassy in Georgetown said it was pleased to support her participation by funding travel expenses.
Yesterday, the Minister was a featured speaker in a symposium of prominent women leaders working on justice issues in Latin America and the Caribbean at the Inter-American Dialogue, also in Washington, DC.
GHRA statement unfair-- Home Affairs Ministry
-sedition charges against Hinckson were based on DPP advice
Home Affairs Ministry slams GHRA statement on Hinckson
-says sedition charges were based on DPP advice
THE Ministry of Home Affairs has criticized the statements issued by the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) in relation to the sedition charges laid against ex-soldier Oliver Hinckson.
The Ministry said it is shocked and deeply disappointed over the GHRA statement since it is unfair and clearly misinformed over the details surrounding the issues.
“The views expressed by the GHRA in connection with this matter are grossly unfair and misinformed, especially as regards the role of the Guyana Police Force and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to emphasize that Mr. Hinckson’s arrest, detention and subsequent charge was initiated purely as a result of Police investigations.”
The GHRA, in a statement Wednesday, called for the sedition charge against Hinckson to be withdrawn. It said that the act was ‘mean spirited’.
But the Home affairs Ministry, in a statement of its own yesterday, clearly pointed out that the Police acted within the law.
“The Police, therefore, acting in accordance with the law took Hinckson into custody pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions as regards the charges to be laid against him. For the GHRA to claim that the Police acted in ‘a mean spirited’ manner to ‘shut up’ Hinckson is a brazen attempt to bring the Guyana Police Force into disrepute,” the statement explained.
Under Section 17(a) of the Police Act which the Police acted under states, “It shall be lawful for any member of the Force to arrest without warrant any person whom he has good cause to suspect of having committed or being about to commit any felony, misdemeanor, or breach of the peace.”
Further, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that it was only after having sought the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) that the charge of sedition was laid against Hinckson.
The GHRA’s statement also urged that President Bharrat Jagdeo act in a statesmanlike manner by withdrawing the charge against Hinckson but the Home Affairs noted this is clearly asking the President and his Government to act unconstitutionally.
Article 187 (i) (a) of the Constitution of Guyana states that “The Director of Public Prosecutions (referred to in this article as “the Director”) shall have power in any case in which he considers it desirable so to do” - (a) to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court, other than a court-martial, in respect of any offence against the laws of Guyana.”
Further, Article 187 (4) states “In the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by this article, the Director shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.”
The Home Affairs Ministry stated, “No self-respecting Human Rights Organization should call on a Head of State and his Government to withdraw charges that have been instituted as a result of due process and by a Constitutional Authority. Such a call smacks of political interference -- a malpractice of the past and which the GHRA itself opposed under the previous Administration.”
The statement noted that without soliciting the views of the GPF, or the Office of the DPP in this matter, the GHRA acted in a totally irresponsible manner and seeks to undermine the institutions of democracy and to subvert due process for addressing offences committed under the Laws of Guyana.
On March 11, the former army lieutenant was refused bail after he was charged for sedition and advocating the commission of terrorist acts.
The particulars of the sedition charge stated that on January 31, he uttered a seditious speech to the public news media for the purpose of bringing hatred or contempt to the President or the Government, or to promote public disorder.
It was also alleged that on the same date Hinckson advocated the commission of terrorist acts. (GINA)
GWI announces campaign to recover $5.5 billion arrears
GUYANA Water Inc. (GWI) has announced that it will aggressively seek to recover $5.5 billion in arrears from delinquent customers.
According to a release, it would be done through a massive countrywide disconnection campaign starting March 17.
The exercise will be spearheaded by GWI Divisional Offices and overseen by the Customer Services Director.
The release said crews will be visiting all wards of Essequibo, Demerara, Berbice.
GWI said its operational costs are rising daily and it must recoup all outstanding monies in order to keep afloat.
The company said its annual electricity bill is $2.3 billion and continuing to rise, because the current is required to effectively operate the 17 water treatment plants throughout Guyana and that contributes significantly towards the daily expenses.
Every year, in excess of $100M are spent on maintenance of one treatment plant, the release stated.
It said GWI is asking all customers who have balances to make prompt payments at its Customer Services Offices, Post Offices, Republic Bank, Citizens Bank, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) or Bill Express.
GRA disturbed at increasing bread prices
– 0% intended to benefit consumers, not businesses
COMMISSIONER-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority Mr. Khurshid Sattaur said the GRA is very troubled and disturbed at news reaching the authority that one of Guyana’s leading bakeries, Bakewell, has increased its breads and tennis rolls by approximately 20 % effective yesterday.
Bakewell, by way of a flier states that “with the continued large increases in process for flour, electricity, fuel, vegetable shortening, packaging, shipping cost and increases in the cost of imported raw materials and the consequential increase in customs duties payable, etc..” have forced the company to increase its prices.
The GRA in a statement recalled that last week Mr. Sattaur warned of the negative implication of the National Milling Company’s announcement that it will retain its 16 % VAT price even though the government has zero-rated flour with effect from March 1, 2008.
He said while VAT registered bakeries were able to recover the VAT they would have paid to acquire the flour previously when flour was taxable at the standard rate of 16 %, now that it has been zero-rated they will not be able to have any input tax credit for flour and if Namilco indeed increased its flour by 16%, it was likely that all flour-related products would increase as there is no 16 % to be recovered but rather it would be passed on to the consumers, the GRA explained.
“Bakewell’s announcement is testimony to what we had predicted. Reflecting on the situation, one would logically think that it might have been advisable to retain flour as a taxable standard rated item,” Mr. Sattaur said.
He reiterated that intention of zero-rating basic commodities used by the average household including flour was to ensure that consumers are relieved of high prices which were reportedly associated with VAT. “We see now that VAT was removed but yet the prices keep going up. It means that the government’s efforts have failed in this regard solely because of the callous business practices of some businessmen in this country,” he said.
The GRA said it hopes that the government and more particularly consumers are taking note of what is happening and that they will take the necessary actions to ensure that consumers are not swindled.
Mr. Sattaur said, too, that while the GRA has been criticized for defending consumers, the Authority will continue to speak out against practices that are bent on exploiting consumers for personal gain and more so because the GRA seems to be the target when prices increase.
He said while international market values do have an impact, we still believe that some of the prices are unjustifiably increased.
Checks made at other bakeries in the city revealed that prices for bread remained the same and some owners also indicated that there was no intention of increasing their prices, the GRA said.
GRA relaxes drivers licence requirement for eligible head-teachers’ duty free concession
THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) yesterday indicated that it is relaxing the requirement of a driver’s licence for head-teachers qualifying for tax exemption to purchase a motor vehicle which resulted from negotiations between the government and the Guyana Teachers Union.
This announcement was made by the Commissioner-General Mr. Khurshid Sattaur yesterday.
Mr. Sattaur said initially the GRA had required that head-teachers, who were eligible for such exemption as determined by the Cabinet, submit their driver’s licence along with a personal application, recommendation from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Proof of address, their Taxpayer Identification Number, a copy of passport or National Identification card showing name and Date Of Birth, a quotation/invoice of vehicle to be purchased, and a Remission Unit Tax Exemption Application.
“The GRA has been bombarded with queries about accessing these concessions,” Mr. Sattaur pointed out, noting that the process has not been as easy as the GRA expected it to be
He noted that Cabinet has since issued a directive and the GRA will be implementing the directive to grant the exemptions to teachers even though they may not be in possession of a valid drivers licence for a period of eight months.
Mr. Sattaur said, too, that the eight months is a grace period for which those who qualify for the exemption, to obtain their personal driver’s licence.
“It means that they are entitled to uplift their letter once they provide the GRA with the other required information,” Mr. Sattaur said.
He said the GRA is having some ongoing discussion with the Ministry of Education about relaxing some other requirements that may have been satisfied since teachers would have made their initial requests for their entitlement to be processed.
Eligible head-teachers may download the Remission Exemption Application form from the GRA’s website (www.revenuegy.org).
Guyanese, two others freed on drug charges in New York
THREE defendants, a Guyanese included, who the United States had linked to a
Guyana/Caribbean drug ring, were freed recently of all charges against them, according to a Capitol News report out of New York.
The men, Malvin Tyndall – a Guyanese; John Ross Lindsay - a Jamaican; and Colin Lopez -- a national of Trinidad, all of whom were out on bail during the trial, were employees at John F. Kennedy airport.
The men were arrested after being implicated by a co-worker known as Nickey Phillips, as being involved in a ring responsible for placing and removing drugs from Travel Span and Bwee flights.However, according to the report, from records of telephone calls and other available evidence, the jury found that none incriminated the men, and that they were just co-workers of Phillips.
A number of Guyanese are in jails and before the Courts in New York facing charges in relation to drugs.
GWI disconnects, reconnects M&CC over disputed bills
THE Mayor & City Council (M&CC) yesterday expressed “horror and dismay” at the unilateral action taken by Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) over their payments dispute.
The municipality issued the statement after the utility carried out its threat and disconnected water supply to vital places.
However, late yesterday afternoon, GWI Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Karan Singh said the company has ceased all M&CC disconnections and decided to reconnect those entities that were severed.
He said the utility has now agreed to meet with M&CC, once more on Monday, to decide on a timely profitable agreement.
GWI had demanded $50M arrears from the M&CC, as part of $141M due since 2004 but the municipality failed to comply.
The M&CC confirmed that the two sides are still in discussion to find a way forward for resolving the many complex issues in their relationship.
“Of interest, is that GWI has suddenly abandoned the ‘Hi A’ billing system and now makes claims which we deem highly inflated,” City Hall said, noting that Singh admitted to flaws in GWI billing system.
The M&CC statement disclosed that the abattoir, Day Care Centres, maternal and child welfare operations, which accommodate pregnant women, infants and children, were all cut off, as well as the municipal markets and Merr
