While PNC gave themselves 50% raises and support fat cats in cushy govt jobs, the nation's infrastructure continues to fall apart.

– will not work until situation is rectified

Drivers operating in several mining areas across Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) on Monday morning staged a strike to highlight the deplorable condition of the Coomacka access road.

They were joined by schoolchildren and residents from areas including Coomacka, Three Friends, Nottinghamshire, Old England and Yaribo, at Coomacka where their issues were brought to the fore.

Residents also voiced their concerns with regard to the dilapidated state of the road and bridges (one at Coomacka and two at Three Friends). They alleged that they were being neglected by Government, as their concerns have been raised in the media and raised by a Councillor at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), and despite this, the situation remained unchanged.

They also spoke about the school bus that was gifted to the community under the President’s 5Bs initiative, which has not been operable since it was handed over a few months ago.

Many are also casting blame on the RDC, as they claim representatives inspected the road a few times and nothing tangible resulted. One driver, David Adams explained that it was very costly to conduct repairs to his vehicle, given the state of the roadway. He opined that since the road has been neglected by Government and regional authorities, monies for rehab work should be handed over to members of the community to conduct repairs.

“If the Government don’t want to do it, then give us the money and we will elect a body to look after our road. We are getting the short end of the development…,” Adams stated.

Many persons pointed to the high cost for repairs and vowed not to use the road until the RDC or Government rectified the situation.

“As the owner of a private vehicle it cost me $120,000 just to fix my bottom end last week, and this is ridiculous. It is forcing people to move out of the community. And I know it have other private owners that are suffering same way like I do. I know this is one of the things that the Government is going to want to bring up – that we have issues with land and everything else. But that doesn’t mean that a road coming from Linden directly to Coomacka where we have the first Coomacka School, we can have it up to there [cannot be done], as well as going to Yaribo, Three Friends because those are the areas that we have to go to,” Adams continued.

Minibus operator Robert Gentle also expressed frustration over the state of the road.

“The reason for this action here this morning is as a direct result of the road. One hundred years of bauxite mining in this country since last year. Now after one hundred years of bauxite mining, persons who are affected by the extraction of this mineral have no modern convenience. Our road is so terrible that it takes an hour and odd minutes to meet to Linden,” he noted.

Speaking with this publication, one resident explained that some of the affected schoolchildren are preparing to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations, while some have School Based Assessments (SBAs) to submit this week. Drivers plan to continue with the strike action today.

The jackasses praised the PNC govt for flood abatement efforts but the people still suffering. But they suffer in pleasure as they voted for the PNC. 

Region 2 flooding

Large acreages of farmland located in the Pomeroon River, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are currently inundated with six to eight inches of floodwater caused by excessive rainfall and poor drainage.
Many farmers who spoke with this publication related that their lands were currently submerged and the floodwaters were not receding.

Farmers living in both lower and upper Pomeroon are affected and are counting their losses. Currently, cash crops such as pepper, pumpkin, plantain, lettuce, and cucumber are underwater. As such, farmers are forced daily to fill sand bags in an effort to prevent minor breaches along the riverbank.
According to Rose Benn from Marlborough, Lower Pomeroon, her land has been under water for some time now and she has lost a large quantity of cash crops such as cucumbers, watermelons, bora and pumpkins. When asked what may be the main contributing factor to the flooding, Benn said excessive rainfall coupled with poor drainage.
“The high tide did not affect us much this year; however, the continuous rainfall did – water kept accumulating on the lands and those who have poor empolders are facing problems,” Benn related.
The farmer further added that many residents in the Marlborough area were forced to stay indoors during the holidays on account of the flooding. She reported the lower flat of her home was inundated given the intermittent rainfall.
Another large-scale farmer, Vilma Da Silva also reported farmers’ lands were under water. She said many of her colleagues remained under water and their livelihoods were affected.
Cash crop farmers in the Friendship, Hacney, Martindale, and Grant Pomeroon areas are also affected. Most persons living in riverine areas survive on farming.
Farmers related that the trenches, canals and River are swollen. They reported that because of poor drainage water continued to flow into their lands.
This publication understands that pumping is presently ongoing at the Dawa Pump Station. Meanwhile, on the Essequibo coastland, water is receding at a slow pace.
Rice lands are currently under stress given the high accumulation of water. Eight pumps are currently in operation along the coast.
The pump at Charity remains inoperable. Almost every village in Region Two was flooded owing to the excessive rainfall and overtopping. Many persons, especially poultry farmers, have lost thousands of dollars in stock. (Indrawattie Natram)

The people who help to install this government are in hiding with shame on their faces. On GNI, they left one by one from two weeks ago. They have nothing to offer and nothing to brag about this incompetent government. I hope they are not contemplating suicide for their lack of good judgement. 

Imagine dat eh! Since PPP LOST. Road get bruk up, Schools get old and start fo leak, Rivers start overflow...imagine all dat since PPP LOST.

Prince posted:

The people who help to install this government are in hiding with shame on their faces. On GNI, they left one by one from two weeks ago. They have nothing to offer and nothing to brag about this incompetent government. I hope they are not contemplating suicide for their lack of good judgement. 

They quitting GNI.  Some now coming and admitting BJ and the PPP is the best thing.  These people have no shame!

ba$eman posted:

They quitting GNI.  Some now coming and admitting BJ and the PPP is the best thing.  These people have no shame!

Who is this "some" you think you heard say this?

cain posted:

ba$eman posted:

They quitting GNI.  Some now coming and admitting BJ and the PPP is the best thing.  These people have no shame!

Who is this "some" you think you heard say this?

You must shut you rass when big man talk. You must watch, listen and observe to see the guilt falling from their faces. You (Cain) is one of them. The reason you're still here is because you bareface. Time will catch up with you soon. 

ba$eman posted:

Prince posted:

The people who help to install this government are in hiding with shame on their faces. On GNI, they left one by one from two weeks ago. They have nothing to offer and nothing to brag about this incompetent government. I hope they are not contemplating suicide for their lack of good judgement. 

They quitting GNI.  Some now coming and admitting BJ and the PPP is the best thing.  These people have no shame!

They are in hiding and quitting GNI and many are now crawling on their bellies begging King Bharat to save Guyana from the new Afro Dictator.

Cobra posted:

cain posted:

ba$eman posted:

They quitting GNI.  Some now coming and admitting BJ and the PPP is the best thing.  These people have no shame!

Who is this "some" you think you heard say this?

You must shut you rass when big man talk. You must watch, listen and observe to see the guilt falling from their faces. You (Cain) is one of them. The reason you're still here is because you bareface. Time will catch up with you soon. 

Thou speaketh shiteth!

yuji22 posted:

ba$eman posted:

Prince posted:

The people who help to install this government are in hiding with shame on their faces. On GNI, they left one by one from two weeks ago. They have nothing to offer and nothing to brag about this incompetent government. I hope they are not contemplating suicide for their lack of good judgement. 

They quitting GNI.  Some now coming and admitting BJ and the PPP is the best thing.  These people have no shame!

They are in hiding and quitting GNI and many are now crawling on their bellies begging King Bharat to save Guyana from the new Afro Dictator.

Thou also speaketh shiteth.

More incompetence from the PNC, back in PPP time there would have been solutions for these types of situations.

Scores left stranded as bus drivers continue strike at Coomacka

Jan 11, 2017 News 0 Comments

By Jacquey Bourne

As minibus drivers at Coomacka yesterday went on the second day of their strike action, school children, teachers and other class of workers were left stranded in the community and other outlying areas.

Some of the school children stranded on Monday.

The drivers have insisted they will continue their strike action until the road is fixed.
According to one driver and minibus owner Robert Gentle, the reason for their decision to strike is a direct result of the condition of the access road and bridges joining the four communities (Nottinghamshire, Siberian/Old England, Coomacka, Three Friends/Yaribo) commonly known as the ‘mines’.
“We celebrated 100 years of bauxite mining in this country just last year; now after 100 years of bauxite mining the persons who are affected by the extraction of this bauxite mineral have no modern convenience. Our road is so terrible that it takes one hour and odd minutes to meet to Linden. If we are to continue to work under this condition it means one of two things will have to happen.”
Gentle noted that a bus was donated to the community to transport school children but opined that this is the second term of the school year and the bus is still not operational.
“The Government gave us a bus and it make one attempt at a trip in six months. Why? Because the road is bad and when the bus came and stick up and had to get pull out, the bus went and never came back. Now the Region and the Regional Chairman know that this road is in a terrible state because they never send back de bus; but they expect private operators to continue to work under this condition. This is the worse Christmas road in ten years. Now we got a body who says they are going to provide a better life, nothing is better about what is going on in the mines.”
Due to the condition of the roads some children had to repeat a class because they were late and couldn’t write some of the end of term examinations. One female New Silver City Secondary School student said that she wants to go to school but she is forced to stay at home because of the condition of the road and the drivers’ decision to strike. A male fifth former of the same school said he is very upset that he cannot go to school.
“The road has really deteriorated and I am a CXC student and it is very hard when you get to school late. I want the road fixed because I am writing CXC in a couple of months and I have to get to school.”
BRIDGES
In response to the residents’ complaints in front of the Regional Democratic Council yesterday, Regional Chairman Renis Morian said that there are two initiatives in place. He claimed he took photographs of the erosion of the river, the bridges and the road and sent them with letters to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Civil Defence Commission and Maritime Administration Department.
In relation to the road, the Regional Chairman said he had talks with engineers and a hydraulic engineer, based on the volume of water that is flowing through the Coomacka and the Three Friends area.
“…Hence I’m aware that plans are afoot to do work on the road, but what we would have done at the level of the Regional Democratic Council in the short term to alleviate in terms of getting the children to school… there is a contractor who is on the road right now working while we wait the intervention of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. So right now as it is, Mr. Bella is on the road working.”
At that juncture the residents intervened in unison ‘no, nobody ent wukking deh, we just come from deh’. The Chairman continued, saying the contractor left Linden, and again he was interrupted by the residents. However, he concluded by disclosing that the man “got the contract to do the road.”
The Regional Chairman then bluntly refused to answer questions from this reporter.
In the meantime, children are still stranded unless they travel with the BOSAI workers’ bus.

Now that they take over the country, they still trying to blame the PPP for PNC incompetency.

Standoff over outstanding payments…Chinese construction workers squatting in Marriott’s unfinished casino

Jan 11, 2017 News 0 Comments

From the balcony, there is a breathtaking sight of the Atlantic Ocean with ships passing and of the sunlight hitting the crashing waves. It is almost the same sight from about half of the rooms of Marriott Hotel, Kingston. But the view yesterday from the balcony was not from the hotel rooms. Rather, it was from an incomplete shell, adjoining the hotel.
That shell was intended to be converted into a world-class entertainment facility to house a casino and other facilities. The casino was supposed to boost the revenues for the entire facility and allow, based on projections, the hotel to pay the more than US$50M it owes to banks and others. However, almost two years since the hotel was opened, very little has been done to develop the adjacent section.
A new administration, under the Coalition Government, is in place, with a new Board of Directors and management for Atlantic Hotel Inc. (AHI), which owns the hotel, installed in 2015.
That unfinished section is now facing another major problem that has the potential of developing into an embarrassing situation.
A number of Chinese nationals, who came here to work on the hotel’s construction, have moved in and are refusing to leave until their company – Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) – is paid a large sum of monies that they are owed for work done.
The standoff has been ongoing for a number of months now with the Chinese construction workers warned to leave, but to no avail. The matter had been kept quiet, until now.
Yesterday, Horace James, Officer-in-Charge of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), confirmed that the workers are in the annex “illegally”.
NICIL is the state-owned company overseeing investments and owns AHI, the company that owns and put together the deal to build the hotel.
Responding to a number of emailed questions, the official said that he is aware that SCG is owed and that it is for aboutUS$800,000 ($160M). However, SCG officials are reportedly claiming that they are owed between US$4-5M ($800M-$1B).
“They (the workers) were requested to cease their illegal occupation of the site on several occasions. They also received notice from the Chief Fire Officer that their occupation constitutes a fire hazard,” James wrote in response to questions from Kaieteur News.
The official made it clear that no one gave permission for the men, said to be numbering under 10, to move in.
“SCG occupies the site in breach of the contract,” the response from NICIL said.
James also disclosed that he is aware that negotiations to settle the matter have been ongoing.
With the life of the Board of Directors, under Chairperson, Beverly Harper, expiring in December last, Government is moving to put together another one.
In the meantime the Marriott Manager continues to be in charge of the hotel’s operations.
Yesterday, Kaieteur News visited the annex and saw at least four persons in the section that would have housed the casino. There are at least four storeys that have been left unfinished. The area outside of the annex is scattered with construction material and overgrown with bushes.
A number of air-conditioned makeshift rooms were converted to bedrooms for the Chinese workers.
The area has electricity. And there was even, in one corner, a hot water tank and wash sinks.
There were several construction overalls hanging in a corner with the breeze from the Atlantic Ocean coming through an open door leading to the balcony drying them.
Kaieteur News was told that SCG had been applying pressure for the monies, even visiting the East Coast Demerara office of Ansa McAl where Harper had been stationed, to press home their demands.
Since the April 2015 completion of the hotel, SCG would have been obligated to stick around for a year to correct any defects. That period has long since elapsed, in April 2016.
It was reported that former AHI head, Winston Brassington, had ordered monies withheld because of the quality of work.
A hotel worker has disclosed that a section of a wall at the hotel recently collapsed forcing emergency works. Several of the marble tiles have cracked in places, largely because it is of poor quality.
The hotel was heavily pushed by the successive government of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to improve the quality of accommodation in Guyana.
However, the financing structure saw the hotel, in terms of square foot, becoming one of the most expensive in the world.
While the Government of Guyana spent almost US$30M, it is last on the list to receive any returns or profits.
There have been questions to claims by some officials whether the hotel is breaking even.
Government has been hosting a number of events there, but without the casino in operation, officials have been arguing that it will be impossible to pay bills.
Already, Government is in talks with the local banks to hold off collecting outstanding payments.

Mahatma Moss Nagamootoo is trying, one must remember that the people  rejected and vote the corrupt PPP out of office.

Chief posted:

Mahatma Moss Nagamootoo is trying, one must remember that the people  rejected and vote the corrupt PPP out of office.

They got a more corrupt one in exchange.

Chief posted:

Mahatma Moss Nagamootoo is trying, one must remember that the people  rejected and vote the corrupt PPP out of office.

When the recount is done in an honest way and the results are published, you can say that the PPP was voted out of office. Suruj Gadha Ki Lar and Gay Fat Boy prevented a fair and free election in Guyana

Chief posted:

Mahatma Moss Nagamootoo is trying, one must remember that the people  rejected and vote the corrupt PPP out of office.

You folks continue to scream corrupt PPP, however I am still waiting for the jailing of PPP and recovery of state assets stolen by PPP as evidence of this corruption. So far Zero is the count. 

They voted PNC now they get PNC toilet treatment.

Parents protest deplorable state of Ituni Primary School

Jan 13, 2017 News 0 Comments

– selective pupils being taught elsewhere

On Monday, the parents from the small logging community, Ituni, staged a protest over the deplorable state of the primary school in the area.
The school is the Howell Wilson Primary School, but it is more commonly referred

A toilet at the Howell Wilson Primary School.

to as the Ituni Primary School.
On Wednesday, Regional Education Officer, Marcia Paddy, met with the parents and teachers and they reached an agreement, where only the students that would be sitting examinations in the coming months, namely Grades two, four and six would attend school.
The students are being taught in the Ituni Community Library and the Ituni Small Loggers Association building, while the community awaits word of the commencement of the rehabilitation of the school.
The protest on Monday lasted for about seven hours, as parents and some of their children stood in front of the school with placards, some of which read, “Our children are playing hopscotch to climb the stairs, Help!” and “No repair, no school”, among many others.
There have reportedly been countless reports to the Ministry of Education relating to the school being in a deplorable state. However, no response has been given.
Keisha Griffith, the Community’s Development Officer said that the last time repairs were done to the school was about two years ago. She said that this included repainting the school and repairing light bulbs. And although many other issues were raised, nothing was done about it by the Regional Democratic Council, who had repainted and replaced the lighting.
Griffith said that the corridor in front of the school and classrooms is rotten, while the three stairs leading up to the building are all shaking. The toilet facilities remain a huge health concern for parents with only one functioning washroom for an entire school population.
The parents said that complaints were made a year ago about the condition of the school and also before school closed in December 2016, but they did not get any favourable response. The parents said that they have reached a point where protesting seemed their best option.
Chairman for Region Ten, Renis Morian, said that he received reports that the school “walkway” was not stable and has since sent the Region’s Engineer, along with representatives from the Region and the Ministry of Education, and also a contractor to investigate the issues with the school.
Morian also said that the schools were all budgeted for repairs this year especially those schools in the riverine areas like Ituni, Aroaima and Kwakwani. According to him comprehensive works are to be done.

The jackasses in the PNC/AFC bringing Guyana back to the Burnham days of severe foreign currency shortage. Businesses will now suffer. Many business men voted for pnc, now they get their dhall. 

Local banks repeat foreign currency shortage claims

Jan 12, 2017 News 0 Comments

…but Central Bank insists otherwise
Even though the Government and the Central Bank have said since last year that there is no shortage of foreign currency, consumers continue to experience a different reality.

Central Bank Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga

Up to yesterday, local banks informed some businessmen that they are unable to do transactions ranging from US$80,000 to even US$5,000. The excuse given is that there is a shortage of foreign currency within the system.
Inquiries made by this newspaper also showed that the situation remains the same. Some banks are proffering the explanation that they sell the USA currency based on what is brought in by their customers. Such is the case with Republic Bank.
When Kaieteur News made contact with the Camp Street branch, it was told that a transaction of US$30,000 or even US$2,000 could not be done. A supervisor subsequently stated that there is a shortage and that checks should be made at the Republic Bank branch at Water Street. But this too was not successful. Representatives at the branch stated that the amount was not available and that “there seems to be a shortage for some time now.”
The official told this newspaper that checks should be made at a later date.
In other cases, some banks are stating that customers would have to go on a waiting list and the time for their request to be facilitated is not guaranteed. They insist that they cannot guarantee that the waiting list process would result in the transaction being effected within two or three days.
Kaieteur News contacted Central Bank Governor, Dr. Gobind Ganga yesterday about the situation. He insists however that the banks have foreign currency.
“I don’t know what they are going on with, but listen, there is no shortage. All the banks have money. What is happening is that some of them are just holding on to their money. The foreign currency situation has even improved significantly from last year to now!” Dr. Ganga stated emphatically
Another senior banking official at the Central Bank asserted that, “All the banks can provide foreign currency to the consumers, but they are trying to be difficult. Some of them are keeping the money so they can send it to their other branches in the region.”
In addition, Dr. Ganga stressed that there was no reason for concern.
“There is no foreign currency crisis looming in Guyana. The fact is we have a net supply of foreign currency in the system, so there should be no depreciation of the currency by any significant amount. It is not a situation where there is a piling up of demand for foreign exchange at the commercial banks,” Dr. Ganga said.
He even provided details which illustrate that the current foreign exchange reserves held by the Bank of Guyana and the commercial banks were in excess of the 2015 figures.
“Commercial banks have increased their foreign exchange holdings. In 2015 they had a gross holding of US$357M, as of September 2016 it was US$388.4M, and we are expecting the commercial banks to hold approximately US$403M by the end of the year,” Dr. Ganga revealed.
He said, “The (commercial) banks have money… and they have quite a lot, it is not a small amount. The Bank of Guyana had US$598M at the end of 2015, currently we are holding close to US$625M which is much more than last year. You can see therefore that there is an increase in foreign exchange availability from the holdings.”
The BOG Governor said that an increase in the circulation of Trinidad and Tobago and Barbadian dollars in the Guyanese economy has been noticed, and that this indicates that these currencies are being converted into Guyana dollars then used to purchase US currency.

This man got the govt he deserve, the Indian business man build and the pnc destroy.

The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Thursday afternoon demolished a section of a multicomplex building on Sheriff Street, citing an illegal extension at the southern end of the building.

Town Clerk Royston King led the demolition exercise of the Sheriff Street building, which houses Electronics City and fashion stores, along with several other fast-food outlets.

The officers also removed a container, which the Council said was illegally placed at the head of Fifth Avenue, Subryanville, and left for several years.

According to the Supervisor of Building Inspection (acting), Marlon Harris, the extension of the building at the head of Fifth Avenue, Subryanville, was constructed without the permission of the City Council.

He explained that “Notices were served several times to the developer and owner of the property here but they never complied. So the City, in an effort to rectify all the breaches throughout the length and breadth of (Georgetown) has moved to remove the illegal construction there.”

Meanwhile, the Town Clerk and the city officers also highlighted another breach on the northern side of the building, where an extension was built several inches off the ground, to facilitate an outdoor sitting area for the food outlets. However, it was noted that the extension is sitting on the Council’s drainage reserve.

The City workers pointed out excess fat in the drainage system, which they noted is owing to the fact that the grease trap of the building may not be functioning. Harris noted that an inspection will have to be carried out to determine the cause.

Nevertheless, the Town Clerk informed the owner of the building, Shareef Ahmad, that he should take steps to remove the extension. “We would need back this space here… We don’t want to disrupt your nice work so I’m asking you to arrange for your own work people to come here within 24 hours and remove this,” King indicated to the businessman.

However, Ahmad told reporters that he is being victimised. “It is clearly victimising… because what goes to one supposed to go for all; if you drive around the city you will see how many places way over built and they’re not taking any actions,” the businessman stated.