Govt intends to inform international partners about PNCR’s misuse of $100M in public funds
THE Government of Guyana yesterday expressed concern about the purported misuse of public funds by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR).

In a statement by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, at the Office of the President, it was noted that information has been provided that the main Opposition Party received $100M from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to pay Opposition party scrutineers and has not accounted for the money over the past four months.

“Information is also available that the Opposition scrutineers are being used to agitate against the Government to protest,” Luncheon was quoted as saying in the brief statement issued by the Government Information Agency (GINA).

On this note, Government stated its intention to inform its international and cooperation partners of this misuse of public funds by the party.

“The Administration intends to ensure that the PNCR accounts properly for its receipt and use of public funds,” it added.

Over the past month, during his weekly press briefing, the HPS has been registering Government’s concerns about the slow pace of the National Registration exercise and the various problems being encountered by citizens when they attempt to get registered.

Registration has been ongoing in preparation for the country’s Local Government Elections.    

Second Army helicopter arrives
GOVERNMENT has once again delivered on its promise to enhance the work of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and this was evident with the much anticipated arrival here of the second Bell 206 helicopter from Texas, United States yesterday.

The first of the promised two choppers arrived on April 2 this year from Costa Rica.

The helicopter, which is at the Army Base Camp Ayanganna, is already fitted with equipment that the other chopper is yet to be fitted with, Commanding Officer of the GDF Cargill Kyte said.

“Well this one is accessorized in comparison with the other…It also has a 300 pound winch that allows us to carry persons who may be injured in a very difficult area,” the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported Kyte as saying yesterday.

He said, “The other will be fitted with a night sun but that kit is not here as yet. It will be done locally, but we ensured that we outfitted this one before it came in.”

The first Bell 206 B3 Jet Ranger helicopter is in operation to aid in crime fight.

GDF officers said that the helicopters fit directly into crime fighting since one of its capabilities is quick reaction to confined areas, an endeavour which was difficult with the previous helicopter.

The new helicopter is a single engine five-seater aircraft which lifts to an altitude of 20,000 feet. It is the most reliable light reconnaissance aircraft of its kind in the world and more economical to operate.

Among its other many capabilities is its capacity to be airborne in less than five minutes and its ability to fly for hours depending on wind direction and other circumstances.

Subsequent to the Lusignan massacre, resident Bharrat Jagdeo had announced government’s intention to purchase two helicopters to improve the army’s air patrols which will aid in the fight against transnational crimes and serve as a deterrent to the establishment of illegal airstrips.

The administration has made several interventions to improve the work of the GDF including in the area of training.

Government has made available in this year’s budget $63M for training of GDF ranks and officers. Last year $46.19M was spent in this area.

Minibus associations agree not to increase fares, public urged not to pay increases
- following meeting with President Jagdeo
FOLLOWING the arbitrary increase in minibus fares and the threats and strike actions by operators, President Bharrat Jagdeo met with representatives and Associations of public transportation yesterday at the Office of the President to discuss the issue and to come to specific agreements.    

President Bharrat Jagdeo meeting with public transport associations at the Office of the President to discuss the public transport operators’ proposed increased fares and issues affecting the operators. Also at the meeting was Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad. (An OP/Sandra Prince photo).

The Associations represented a wide cross-section of the country and included the Road Users Association (RUA) in Berbice, the Skeldon Tapir Association (STA), the Timehri Mini-Bus Association (TMBA), the Mahaica Mini-Bus Association (MMBA), the East Berbice/Corentyne Mini-Bus Association (EBCMA), the General Mini-Bus Association (GMBA) and the Guyana Public Transportation Association (GPTA).

The minibus operators had complained that the continuous increase in fuel prices coupled with the price for spare parts for their vehicles and the high cost of living was having on impact on them and thus, it was no longer feasible for them to operate the various routes using the current fare structure.

However, following meetings previously with Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad, it was agreed that bus fares would not increase unless the price for gasoline reached $1,000 per gallon or more.

This decision did not hold up as some minibus operators staged strike action on Wednesday while some plying specific routes such as Linden increased fares.

Following yesterday’s meeting, Minister Prashad who was also present, explained that after learning about the strike action, Government was assured that buses falling under the GPTA and the GMBA were not on strike and operating as usual.

He reminded that during past meetings, the agreement was that the fares would not be increased.

“Of course the minibus associations have got other concerns with some other things but that’s the agreement that we had and the Government made sure it intervened whenever the price of gas increased. For instance, last year January, the excise tax on gasoline was 50 percent and the excise tax on diesel was 25 percent. Now the tax on diesel is zero,” the Minister said, adding that the tax on gasoline had been significantly reduced as well. 

He noted that operators plying the Linden route arbitrarily increased their fares and a few others were threatening to increase their fares and the option that the Government had, was to resuscitate ‘big buses’ for public transportation.

“After this meeting, the members of the minibus associations voiced their concerns that that would affect them significantly,” the Minister pointed out. 

He explained that the President had decided that this decision would be put on hold until the Associations meet again with him in another few weeks when the issue of spare parts and their prices will be examined.  

It was also decided that an analysis will be done on the cost of various spare parts for the vehicles through the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.   

“I wish to assure the public once more after this meeting that the minibus association and His Excellency, the President, - they have assured the President that there will be no price increase and all these associations, they are not striking and the minibuses will operate as usual,” Prashad posited.  

He also advised the public not to pay any increase in minibus fares and reiterated that the issue is currently engaging the attention of President Jagdeo.           

PNCR used Govt food prices motion for political gains - Teixeira
- Govt defers motion, believes national response required
The People’s National Congress Reform’s boycott of yesterday’s debate on government’s motion dealing with the impact of global food prices is seen as an act to gain political mileage.

Empty benches in the National Assembly following the PNCR’s boycott

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) MP, Ms. Gail Teixeira, in an interview outside the Chambers of the National Assembly, said that it is clear that the PNCR wanted excuses to hold marches and it’s unfortunate that they would use such an issue to do so when government’s continued interventions on the global issue are known.

”I think they (PNCR) wanted a reason to get on the road for quite a while…This is what they felt the action should be, instead of coming to the floor and discussing what interventions they agree and disagree with, and also what interventions they have of their own that they wish to propose,” Teixeira lamented.

The PNCR led a demonstration yesterday around the city, calling on the government to make interventions to ease the burden on Guyanese in relation to the effects of high cost of food. The demonstrators also stopped at the Parliament Building.

At a press conference on Wednesday at the Office of the President, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced a 5% salary hike for public servants, a temporary $4,000 non-taxable payment per month for those earning under $50,000 monthly, and an initiative to keep bread prices from rising.

Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, makes statement on rising food prices

The motion, which was deferred in the House by Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, was seeking for the National Assembly to recognise that the situation requires national action, and sustained efforts and engagement with critical sectors and groups to confront the challenge locally and regionally.

“We in Guyana have done a lot of innovative things that actually no other country in the Caribbean has done, and I think we have to recognise this, and we are a responsible government and we are going to try as much as possible to cushion the impact,” Teixeira assured.

The motion was also seeking for the National Assembly to be provided with the deliberations of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food Prices on a quarterly basis. The committee was set up by Cabinet to review the impact of rising food prices on Guyanese and make recommendations intended to cushion that impact.

Meanwhile, prior to deferring the motion, Minister Persaud made a statement on the global food price surge and responses by the government to cushion the effect.

The Minister pointed out that the administration was aware of the issue since last year and had begun making the necessary interventions.

Guyana’s hosting of the Special Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government which focused on the issue, the pushing of the Jagdeo Initiative on agriculture, across-the-board salary increases of 9 percent, further 5 percent increase for teachers and members of the disciplined services, and a 25 percent increase in the income tax threshold are among the many other interventions.

The Agriculture Minister said it is important to note that the food price situation is a global crisis driven by global factors.

“These factors, such as rising oil prices, increasing demand for food, climate change etc., as I have discussed before, are not within the control of any one government, and are certainly not within the control of the Government of Guyana…The government can only control how we react to the situation and plan proactively as we maintain a vigilant scrutiny of the changing conditions in the world, in order to help to cushion the impact of rising food prices,” Minister Persaud said.

The Minister, against this backdrop, said that the government would like to appeal to all political parties and other stakeholders for support, since there must be a collective and national response to the situation.

“We must refrain from panicking and politicising this global concern. Luckily, Guyana remains food, secure, both in terms of locally produced and imported food. Now is a time for us to work together to combat this challenge as it unfolds, and ensure that our population does not suffer unnecessarily from global rising food prices and cost of living,”  Minister Persaud said.

Several major factors have been affecting the cost of food internationally. These include drought, increased demand in the growing and emerging economies, and the movement away from production for food to production of grain for ethanol.

AK-47 Court Martial
Ross makes unsworn statement
By Wendella Davidson
‘Despite the unfortunate incident in February 2006, a survey conducted in April showed that the entire force was still found wanting in accounting or following the security keys regulation…,’ – Lt Col. Tony Ross

Guyana Defence Force Lieutenant Colonel Tony Ross who is being court-martialed in relation to the disappearance of weapons from the Army’s Base Camp Ayanganna (BCA), yesterday elected to make an unsworn statement from the dock.

Ross, who was the Commanding Officer of the Ordnance Corps at the time of the loss, was on Monday called upon for a defence after no-case submissions on all four charges were over-ruled.

His almost 80 minute presentation to the Court was preceded by Judge Advocate Oslen Small informing the accused of his rights in accordance with Rule 58 of the Defence Rules of Procedure 1977. This was followed by an opening address by Defence Attorney Leslie Sobers, in which he gave a synopsis of the Defence’s approach to counter the four charges against the high-ranking GDF officer.

The charges were instituted in accordance with military law, Section 209 (1) of the Defence Act 15:01, with three accusing him of on or about February 13, 2006, without proper authority, he

* * instructed Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Gordon to establish an arms store for personnel of the Ordnance (Ord.) Corps, an instruction which he knew or was reasonably expected to know he had no authority to issue.

* * gave instructions to have weapon numbers assigned to soldiers of Ord. Corps for the purpose of issuing the weapons to the soldiers;

* * and failed to ensure that the keys to the keys cabinet were booked in at Defence Headquarters Operations Room, a duty which he knew or was reasonably expected to know.

The three charges fall under the statute of conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline contrary to Section 75 of the Defence Act Chapter 15:01.

The fourth and lone allegation of neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline contrary to Section 75 of the Defence Act Chapter 15:01, accuses Ross of:

* * at the Ord. Corps, during the period March 2005 to February 2006, failing to manage an effective booking in/out system for the keys ledger, a duty known to him or reasonably expected to be known to him.

NOT RECKLESS
Ross, in his statement to the Court, acknowledged that he had command, responsibility, and authority for Ordnance Corps, but said while he could not delegate responsibility, he allocated duties in keeping with the Force’s standing orders to his staff to ensure that” the tasks set upon Ordnance Corps were executed professionally.”

Noting that he had command of over five units in the Force and command of the joint Operations troops ( Police/GDF) up until the commencement of the court martial, Ross further remarked, “you do not enjoy these privileges to command these units if you were reckless in your behaviour as deemed by the Prosecution to this Court.”

And in a direct address to the Court’s President, Colonel Jullian Bruce Lovell, Ross requested he, while going through the volumes of evidence, take into account the “limited human resources, at the time, to carry out the mammoth task of the logistic chain to support this Force (GDF).”

The staff comprised two officers, three Warrant Officers, one Staff Sergeant, along with 33 junior ranks, with ranks ranging from Corporal to Private, he said.

On the issue of booking in and out keys, the accused said it was evident that WO 2 Peters, one of his then staff, did not do so physically, adding he believed this was because of the “sensitivity of the area.”

On this note, the accused made reference to the vault at the Finance Office of the GDF, the keys for which “are not booked in but retained by the persons responsible for the vault, because of the same sensitive nature.”

NOT THE ONLY UNIT
On this note, Ross told the Court that Ordnance Corps was not the only unit in the GDF which had problems with the booking of keys.

According to him, “Despite the unfortunate incident in February 2006, a survey conducted in April ( 2006) will show that the entire force was still found wanting in accounting or following the security keys regulation.

“ That is from the Office of the Chief-of-Staff (COS) unto the 2nd Infantry Battalion including the Legal Services Department which consistently proved to this court that the Commanding Officer of Ordnance Corps (the accused) was reckless in dealing or handling of keys in his unit.

“A further key survey in November 2006 showed that there was no drastic improvement in the handling of keys or accounting for them (in accordance) with the SOP (Standing Operation Procedure) dated 1980,” the accused added.

Ross in his statement spoke, too, of the then task of his unit (Ordnance Corps) which included lending support for 2nd Infantry Battalion for its annual camp held during July to August; Exercise ‘Iron Weed’ in August; preparation and hosting of the GDF 40th anniversary March to November 2005; annual Christmas as lunches during November to December 2005, and staging of Operation Watchdog, January to December 2006.

The military court heard too of the accused conducting a familarisation visit to the various departments within Ord. Corps to apprise himself of “the state of readiness and logistic capabilities” of the said unit.

He spoke, too, of being summoned, along with other officers of BCA, to a meeting in the office of then Staff Officer 1, G 3, then Lieutenant Colonel Mark Phillips to discuss the timely completion of first quarter schedules.

it was at that meeting, Ross said, he raised the issue of deficiency of individual weapons for Ordnance Corps.

TWO REASONS
The accused said he raised the issue for two reasons, because “he was the Battalion Commander of the Composite Battalion and was aware of the unit, sub-unit and departments that were without their individual weapons, and as “Battalion Commander at the then time, one of my company (ITD and Signals) was inspected by the COS. During inspection, it became known that the company, along with two others, did not have individual weapons,” he noted.

And according to Ross, “the COS then directed that all soldiers of Camp Ayanganna must be issued a serviceable weapon.”

Detailing further other actions in which he was involved as it relates to discussions about weapons, the accused told the court, “There is nothing in writing that states that requests for weapons must not or should not include names and/or weapon numbers.”

And, in the case of Ord. Corps, a unit that had access to names and weapon numbers, the accused further stated “There is no evidence that indicates in writing that a list was prepared with names of members of Ord. Corps and weapon numbers assigned against those names.

“My actions were merely to ensure the unit under my command is properly organised and that it has the basic ingredients, personnel, equipment and weapons,” the accused added.

Touching on the evidence given by one of the prosecution witnesses, Major Skeete, about when he knew or learnt about the computerisation of the Ord. Corp system, the accused told the Court of the GDF having purchased two programmes in 1998 to manage the system at Ord. Corps-- one dealing with weapons and ammunition inventory, and the other on business management systems, and which had the inventory listings of all other items acquired or issued in the Force.

FAULTY SERVER
The Court heard how a faulty main server caused the system to stop working and that in January, 2006, Skeete “covered the weapons and ammo inventory control system programme on a laptop (computer) and informed me (Ross) accordingly.

“That programme was re-installed on the Monday prior to the Monday the weapons were discovered missing,” according to the accused in his unsworn statement. Because the accused opted to make an unsworn statement he could not be cross-examined by the Prosecution, according to the statues.

Presiding over the court is Colonel Jullian Bruce Lovell, with other members of the panel being Lt. Col. B. Bristol, Lt. Col. Patrick West, Lt. Col. Trevor Blenman and Major Paul Arthur.

Leading the State’s case is State Counsel, Melissa Yearwood-Stewart.

While the other attorney associated with the defence is Lt. Col. (retired)Gregory Gaskin.

When the court-martial resumes this afternoon, the Defence is expected to call two of five witnesses it intends to call in support of Ross’s case.