Guyana Observer News

Dear Editor,
If the PPP thinks this latest nasty act of chicanery will work, it will have another think coming. Let me be absolutely clear on the PPP’s cancellation of Fip Motilall’s epic travesty of a road to nowhere; it was done by the PPP in the hope that the APNU and AFC controlled Parliament would not proceed with the threatened review of the project.
They do not want cameras, lights and action splashed all over public TV when Fip Motilall starts spilling the beans in Parliament.
In my view, this act was an attempt by the PPP to cover up the monumental failures of this project. This act of terminating the project was done to attempt to prevent Parliamentary review of the project.

Dear Editor,
(KN) According to your news article, “Integrity Commission – Government officials complying: Teixeira,” (January 12), Presidential Advisor on Governance, Ms. Gail Teixeira, gave the impression that the Commission is actually functioning the way it was originally designed to, but based on the reporter’s investigations, this impression is not congruous with reality. For example, Ms. Teixeira said all members of the government submit their declarations annually in accordance with the Integrity Act, but the reality is that since Bishop  Randolph George resigned as chairman in 2009, there has been no replacement named and obviously no meeting of the three other Commissioners, whoever they are.

Dear Editor,
(KN) Five years ago, a stock of AK-47 assault rifles disappeared from Camp Ayanganna. The entire country was nervous as the joint services conducted a countrywide investigation and search for the weapons. Shortly after that, a sheep disappeared overnight from the pound at a police station on the Essequibo coast. Even though the disappearance of a single sheep seemed insignificant in comparison to the disappearance to the army weapons, I suggested that both matters ought to have been investigated with similar zest and vigour. (See SN.14-02-2007).

       Donald Ranotar                                        Fip Motilall

(KN) President Donald Ramotar yesterday committed his government to a “constant review” of massive infrastructure projects that the government is set to undertake. “All of these are going to be under constant review,” Ramotar said at a press conference at his New Garden Street, Georgetown Office. The head of state said that large projects are not static. Rather, they are dynamic and need to be examined all the time. The Amaila Falls Hydro Project, the extension of the runway at the Cheddi Jagan international airport, and the construction of a Marriott-branded hotel, are among major projects he intends to pursue. His commitment to constant review of the projects comes following a decision to terminate the US$15.4 million contract to Synergy Holdings to build a road leading to Amaila Falls where a major hydropower project is to be constructed.

-    demand urgent intervention by authorities

(KN) Akawaio Amerindians from the village of the Isseneru in Region Seven are claiming that their rights have been violated and the governance of their village undermined by a defiant miner who is boldly flouting orders by the authorities to cease mining. The village council did not give the permission for the miner in question to extract gold from an area within their titled and demarcated land. In fact, the head of the village, Dhanessl Larson, has declared that other villagers are being prevented by the miner, who has employed over a dozen workers, from even having access to the land where the mining is taking place. Larson and other members of his village council travelled to Georgetown yesterday to vent their frustration, saying that despite their repeated efforts, the miner has refused to comply with their request or that of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to shut down his operation.