Notes of a journeyman - What would Cheddie say?

Our external public debt increased 11% from June 08 to june 09.

Cheddie Jagan would have said that this "barefaced" government is "impoverishing" this country and our future generations! Children are indebted before they are born.

King Sugar

King Sugar - GuySuCo and the Nation Part I

Excerpt from Sasenarine Singh's letter to Kaieteur News: (Direct Quote)


Reality check No. 1:- 2010 will remain a tough year for GuySuCo.

Let us accept that the best brains in sugar such as Dr. Gopaul’s were integral in designing the TP and thus we must accept this plan has merit in its contribution to the industry. However, does the plan cater for the following which I encourage any journalist to ask Mr. Hanoman the next time he is interviewed?

1. Are there adequate planning systems in place to optimise sugar cane cultivation using selective mechanisation? Mechanisation must be intensified in this industry as more and more of the off-springs of the cane cutter either migrate to other types of work or migrate out of Guyana. How much of the cane is harvested mechanically today and what is the plan for the next 12 months and by when 50% of the cane will be reaped mechanically?

2. Is the mix of cropping and grinding optimally matched? Are there enough cane available in the estates (save and except Skeldon) at the right time to feed the sugar factories? After the Chinese have sorted the teething issues at Skeldon, there is still an overwhelming concern that there are inadequate cane in the ground to feed the new factory. Does the TP cater for a timeline by which this anomaly is sorted and what immediate actions are in train to realise this objective? The Government can take actions such as providing partial bank guarantee in order for the private cane-farmers to secure the required resources to accelerate development and planting of the land. Is this action actively being taken? How much of the newly developed land is now planted?

3. Is the production chain well synchronised? Operations on an estate involve soil tillage, bed preparation, planting, herbicides application, fertiliser application, harvesting, loading, transporting and milling. Does the planning process identify early kinks in the production chain and thus allow for measures to be taken to resolve the issue in a timely manner to ensure that the milling process is not adversely affected?

4. Are there adequate utilisations of their owner-managed machinery? Should this process drive increased levels of equipment leasing (tractors etc) rather than owning? Essentially GuySuCo must own some of its equipment but there is scope for greater leasing of equipment whereby cash resources will only be used when equipment are engaged in productive income earning activities.

5. Is there active engage the workers to get their buy-in of the plans of the industry? GAWU most certainly is not fully on board and quite justifiable so. GAWU firmly believes that the management has under-performed resulting in this state of affairs. However at this critical junction in the industry’s future GAWU has to “give a little”, but when one reads in the national press that an Engineer is costing the industry over $2 million a month, there are no incentives for GAWU to give anything. The industrial relations aspect must be rebuilt since it appears that the employees no longer trust the employer. The sugar union should be brought to the table, along with their skilled accountant (thank you Yog) to assess the cash flow projections for 2010 with full evidence of each figure. The union must be advised of the strategies to increase revenue and reduce cost and what action the management will commit to, if there are significant adverse variances.

6. Is there adequate accountability in the industry? The term of employment for Heads of Estate and other Top Management Officers must be changed to contractual employees with clear performance benchmarks inserted into their contracts. For example, the Skeldon Estate will meet a target of X by 2010 and if not, these are the consequences, if there is no clear justification. No one should be sacred in the industry any more; it should be run like a business if it is to survive.

I said almost a year ago that sugar is Guyana’s blood stream and the haemorrhaging of the industry has to be stopped as it is intrinsically linked to the nation’s future. The evidence reveals that GuySuCo continues to suffer from poor decision making, improperly targeted resources, a mismatch of skills, under-performance of the operating systems and adverse weather. Of all these issues, GuySuCo’s biggest failure is its inability to strike a balance between rewarding hard labour/innovation on the Estates and executives protecting their turf. Weather disruptions can rapidly worsen an already poor financial situation as a result of poor leadership (I am not blaming Mr. Hanoman here; this is more directed at Booker-Tate Management and the previous local management many of whom are still in the system). Unfortunately, the weather was part of the problem, but the weather was not the main problem. It management duh!

Management has to come clean with the workers and slash waste and extravagance at all levels. The culture of investing in world class agronomical practices at all time must be embraced as well as listening to the workers. The industry itself is a reservoir of innovative ideas, but few of these bottom-up ideas see the light of day. Workers are best placed to know what would work best in their local situation but they get neither the resources nor support for their ideas to better the industry.

I think a start was made with the TP but the realities on the ground to date demonstrate that all is still not well at GuySuCo. The onus is on the Board of Directors to find out why the productivity, profitability and prosperity of the industry is not improving.

The management Guru Peter Druker said “Checking the results of a decision against its expectations shows executives what their strengths are, where they need to improve, and where they lack knowledge or information”.

He further stated that “Executives owe it to the organisation and to their fellow workers not to tolerate nonperforming individuals in important jobs.” I trust that members of the Board of Director at GuySuCo are students of Peter Druker.

Merry Christmas to all

What will the PPP be like in 3 years?

The following is pure hypothetical and assumes that Jagdeo is "persuaded" to go for a 3rd term:
1. People cannot call on a person who is unwilling. Assume(?) Jagdeo KNOWS and LEADS the call for his 3rd term.
2. Has carefully manipulated and silenced all potential opposition (both in and out of the PPP).

We have seen that anyone or any company who dare to ‘bad-talk’ Jagdeo, will suffer. For example Navin Chanderpal criticized the 3rd term thingy at Wugar-workers’ Providence Stadium. He was fired.

For the companies, “suddenly” GRA holds up their imports, GRA initiates audits, GRA investigates their VAT books. Then, GPL will 'discover' a dirty connection. Any legal matter languishing in the courts will be suddenly brought forward for hearing. NOW, we are NOT saying that Jagdeo does all of this, it MAY be just an act of God.

However, such companies are also ridiculed and criticized by the HOS.

For some individuals, eg. Geri Goo: at the initial independent thought, the HOS lashes out at him….. Suddenly Geri gets selected for ownership of prime properties. Soon, Geri is seen as his back-pocket. Geri now sits in every committee to guide the private sector into acquiescence and praiseful comments of the almighty.

Ministers and political wannnabees: they are carefully selected and placed in boards and committees and reminded that they are there by the Grace of the big one. Careful comments coupled with careful ridicule ensure that sooner than later they are followers. Those that follow and praise are allocated large budgets, like MOA. Those that prove to be a challenge will be given tasks to fail. They will be given a small budget, a large task and allocated the persons to work with - failure, ridicule, downsize, silence. And if this does not work, set up rumors and email about families etc. Silence. Dead.

So, the PPP is carefully taken care of.

Let’s turn to PPP internal

Congress is manipulated, the executive committee is ‘selected’. The current ExCo members are: Ali Baksh, Komal Chand, Navin Chanderpaul, Clinton Collymore, Bharrat Jaadeo, Roger Luncheon, Zulficar Mohamed, Haripersaud Nokta, Reepu Persaud, Robert Persaud, Ulric Ramanah, Ralph Ramkarran, Clement Rohee, Gail Teixeira, Donald Ramoutar.

Of the above list the only persons that can stand up to Jagdeo would be Komal Chand and MAYBE Navin Chanderpaul, but he’s jobless.

The aspirations of Donald Ramoutar will be shattered. The once mighty and well-liked Gail is reduced to an underling of Jagdeo. We theorize that under Jagdeo’s 3rd term, Gail will become the General Secretary to the party. In addition, Airfan and other Jagdeoites will become more entrenched within the PPP - and more powerful. Rohee will continue to float, Frank will be frustrated, Ralph is history, Moses will retire soon, Navin will shut up.

The wise old heads like Feroze will soon stop emerging from their homes, their minds stuck in the glorious dreams of yesteryear and their freedom of speech removed.
Komal Chand will eventually retire – and like Cheddi, Janet and a host of past greats – he will leave disillusioned and disheartened at what has become of the people he helped to train and grow.

So, for the next three years, we see the content of the exco changing as well as the GS of the party.

To be continued……………..

.....announces the Discovery of a new Element

Our Laboratory has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2 - 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each re-organization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration.

This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

Jagdeo’s intent on Sugar becomes crystallized

The situation at Guysuco gets worse with each passing day. Today the Corporation announced that it may not be able to pay wages this week.

The timing is excellent since a decision is expected from the tribunal in the next week. So this forces their hand.

We wish to opine that the Jagdeo Government is purposely cheating the sugar workers. This industry will close down because of the pitiable economics of the economist Jagdeo:

The PPP Government took 40 MILLION USD in land from the company WITHOUT PAYING A CENT. Those lands were supposed to be sold to raise funds for the company’s new factory.

This jagdeo government seized the lands – the company then had to take bread from the workers’ mouths to fund the new factory and now they can’t find money to pay the wages. Yet the CEO earns double-digit millions per month!

This is the "working class" President that heads Caricom, that tours the world at the sugar workers expense to sell carbon credits. At home they cannot honor their debts, 1000 children will starve next week for a meal and 20,000 workers will develop stress, heart and hypertension problems as they consider their next helpless move.

Yes, a third term! To dig the graves!

Come on economist, pay back the workers the 40 million USD that was stolen from them!

Digicel's copyristmas

Christmas in the air. Digicel telecoms giant has announced it disappointing, puny copyristmas promotion.

Are we mistaken or is the Digicel Christmas program an replica of last year's GT&T promotion..... Lets see:
- They have an on-screen counter.... same as GT&T had last year? Same counters, same approach, same thing.... just packaged a little different. Wonderful copying Digicel! This is disappointing and disgusting! AND the most embarassing thing is that when they (Live on TV) call THEIR OWN SUBSCRIBERS the call goes to voice mail IMMEDIATELY. That is the experience everyday - 50% of the calls I place goes to voice mail!

On top of it all, the entire cash giveaways sounds just like..... GT&T's cash booth promotion last year!!!

Come on digicel, get better. your copyristmas sucks!
Until I see better, I am going blue!

Land share property sale

Information at hand is that the original ‘winner’ of the Duke Street property bid WAS a (PPP) boy from Essequibo who is a dealer in gold and diamonds. His was the highest bid. But we have to assume that the gold was not spreading plus, the bid went in vertically, not horizontally, therefore the property goes to Geri.

On another related matter, the other Promised Land, that huge block at East Coast has been handed to the Edy-do-it-yourself-Buyer.

Jagdeo’s triPPPs part trois

Jagdeo’s triPPPs part trois

(first part was here)

Jagdeo’s trippps are well known – well not really. The trippps are so frequent that no one nowadays really know when he is in country or not. It would be interesting to see the countries that are most frequented by Jagdeo.

It also seems like other ministers can only go on trippps when Jageo is himself on another trippp.

We are not against the President’s trippps. However, we make these observations:
1) The trippps (ab)use our money. Therefore he is accountable to us for the trips. Where he goes, for what purposes and total expense per trip must be disclosed fully for each trip.
2) We the taxpayers fund these trips fully! We need to know the names of those who accompany Jagdeo on these trippps?
3) What is the total number of days that jagdeo has traveled and spent outside of Guyana?
4) Finally, let us compare the answer of the above question on how many days he has spent travelling outside of Guyana to how many days he has spent walking the streets or visiting the farmers or visiting the troubled people of Guyana – whose money he uses for his touring?

I guess that last question may be deemed silly since it is not election time - or no massacre took place, so no need to "walk-about" in Guyana to see its people and to be their at-home president?

Corruption - Those who doubt

We wish to theorize that:

There is absolutely no corruption in Guyana.

Our beloved President does not own any dual properties. He does not lie and is not interested in a 3rd term (please ignore the billboards and ads). He is the representation of all that is Guyana. The embellished words of ethics and honesty could never be better uttered by anyone as good as he does it.

Fact 1: (at least sounds good on paper): Our president is the honest, ethical and dedicated person - on which strength he will win the popular vote to run Guyana for the next term.

Fact 2: Our dear president literally run (and fly) everything in Guyana. He is the President, part-time minister of information, part-time minister of finance, part-time minister of tourism, part-time minister of telecommunications, part-time chief name-caller, part-time Frequency minister, part-time sleazeball-watching, part-time gossip-spreader and most-time tourist.

Conclusion:
If this proves that the president is ethical and honest and everything else.
If he also hold all the portfolio of jobs as described above.
THEREFORE he does everything - no one else does anything.

THEREFORE there is no corruption in Guyana.

Property sales, Guyana for sale – to Geri

Property sales, Guyana for sale – to Geri

Geri Govi is the new ViOdit.

In the past, Viodit “purchased” land in all parts of Guyana making him one of the major land owners in Guyana. Today the PPP is trying its best to take away his land. For example, ViOdit “owned” the land aback of the Blairmont cultivation.

The PPPites – mainly of the jags, want to ensure that he is stripped of that land. So they take it away….. then they got another sucker to buy equipment by offering him the contract to develop the land for GuySuCo…..now that ‘development’ is abandoned.

Objective met…. Land taken away from ViOdit, claimed by GuySuCo….GuySuCo takes bread out of the workers mouth to initiate this contract to develop the land, then abandons it…..

Let’s turn to Geri. He has been like a biblical chief. He has been promised land! Blackoutman repairs the lodge then sells to geri…now geri wants the land next door and the sale is ‘set up’. He cant win the tender so is given the contract based on 'plans'. Congrats geri.

One day this government will change. The cycle will repeat. Then, Geri’s land will be taken away.

Air-fan's bauble

Airman's been going around mouthing off about people who sell and buy the houselots that he allocated. He mouthed about how it's all illegal and the JPs are involved etc etc.

Our question:
Doesn't airman own another house in Turkeyen? How did he buy this that was allocated to GuySuCo workers... yeh yeh yeh, we know. That one was ok to buy because the owner sold. How much did you buy it for?

Maybe we are wrong (that is why we ask). Does airman own multiple properties?

Shame on Guyana Times - SHAME on Dr Ramroop

Thus far we have not commented on Guyana Times. We all know the fantastic handouts that they got from the President.

While they did get all the help from the GoG, they have, in our view kept up a clean front in terms of reporting and bias - although (of course) they do bias heavily toward some ministers (Bert, Fan, etc).

However, following yesterday's (November 11) publication of a ghost writer's letter, we say SHAME ON YOU to Dr. Ramroop and the entire Times' staff.

Our position is that if you hate Freddie then hate away - but stay off from people's family. Guyana Times hit below the belt (to Jadgo's sleezeball) - they insulted Freddie's wife. No way Mr. Ramroop, that is GUTTER journalism. One question though - shouldn't we fire ThaSilva for keeping incompetent people in his employment?

Stereo-typing and homophobia - by the President?

Stereo-typing and homophobia by the President
Nov 6, 2009: Georgetown, Guyana

Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo (part time president, part-time minister of information, part-time minister of finance, part-time minister of tourism, part-time minister of telecommunications, part-time chief name-caller, part-time Frequency minister, part-time sleazeball-watching, part-time gossip-spreader and most-time tourist), made public his public distaste for male-to-male affection.

The president basically said that the Kaieteur News should not employ anyone that was a “man-kisser” (man-kisser - the actual words used by the president).

Is this homophobia? – maybe not. The president will say he was misunderstood.

So we ask: what is wrong with being a man-kisser? We kiss our dad, brothers, sons….. maybe we are misunderstanding him again.

BUT then, we CANNOT understand him – he holds so much positions including
- marriage-faker (not fakir)- pronounces on marriage and domestic abuse,
- ballwatcher (HE said sleezeball, not us)….
- gerrymanddering - that is leading gerry all over the place (If the presi stops, gerry bumps into him).
- corruptishon - leading a team of corrupt people (see sacred cows article below)
- ghosthider - hiding ghosts like Daly yet saying that KN has ghostwriters.

We will continue to analyse with awe the multiple disciplines, the multitasking and the multifaceted work being done by this multi-personality.

Colorado reduces Minimum wage

Just like in Guyana, Colorado state has announced the reduction in minimum wage rate. In Guyana the minimum wage rate is always LOWER than inflation. Thus the real raise paid to workers has been of negative value. Cash wise, the GoG is very rich. The commercial banks are too liquid. There is so much cash around and nothing to do with it.
Even with the above, we continue to give wage increases that is below the inflation rates.

For the first time, Colorado state is actually reducing the minimum wage in that state by approximately G$6.00 (3USc).


Colorado minimum wage to drop as living costs fall
By KRISTEN WYATT, Associated Press Writer Kristen Wyatt, Associated Press Writer – Tue Oct 13, 1:26 pm ET

DENVER – Colorado will become the first state to reduce its minimum wage because of a falling cost of living.

The state Department of Labor and Employment ordered the wage down to $7.24 from $7.28. That's lower than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, so most minimum wage workers would lose only 3 cents an hour.

Colorado is one of 10 states where the minimum wage is tied to inflation. The indexing is thought to protect low-wage workers from having flat wages as the cost of living goes up.

But because Colorado's provision allows wage declines, the minimum wage will drop because of a falling consumer price index. It will be the first decrease in any state since the federal minimum wage law was passed in 1938.

"We can't see that there would be any other option" except lowering the wage, department spokesman Bill Thoennes said Tuesday. He said there will still be a public hearing on the question in early November, though the drop appears inevitable. The lower wage will take effect Jan. 1.

Advocacy groups for the poor have been warning of the wage drop since August, when the consumer price index for the Denver area was released. The index fell 0.6 percent between the middle of 2008 and the middle of 2009, mostly as a result of falling fuel prices.

Other states with adjustable minimum wages have seen their consumer price indexes fall, such as Ohio. But Colorado is one of the few states where the law is interpreted to mean the wage can fall. Other states are planning to keep wages flat.

In Florida, deflation would reduce the minimum wage to $7.21, but the state's minimum wage already matches the federal wage, so Florida workers' paychecks won't change.

Other states with minimum wages that rise with inflation are Arizona, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

Colorado voters approved an adjustable minimum wage in 2006. Supporters of that amendment said they did not intend for wages to fall, but the provision allowing it to fall was crucial to its passage. They have pointed out employers of the estimated 50,000 to 70,000 Coloradans making minimum wage are free to leave wages flat.

Ben Hanna, Colorado organizer for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, said the difference is small but significant for poor workers.

"I can't imagine many employers would see this as an opportunity to lower wages," Hanna said in August.

Creep Reep, NCN and Digicel part III

In previous articles we exposed the relationship between CREEP Reep and Digicel and NCN (See here and here). As each day dawns, Guyanese public is seeing the true (red) colors of the red cell company.

We have seen the Digicel question of the day, biased about the Government.... on November 4, 2009, the digicel's PPP question of the day was "who is the (PPPs) Agriculture Minister."

Each day there is a Digicel question of the day aired on Creep-Reep's-cousin's-NCN. The types of question of course shows the strong bond between the red company and the red government.

NFMU discovers false-teeth

We know everything in this poor country has a political spin. The Minister of Telecoms who we believe is also the president of the country showed how politicized the frequency management unit (NFMU)is.

Our reaction on reading the news was, "NFMU has teeth! Wow!" Alas, sad realization set in as we realize that it is only political teeth.


The stark reality is seen in the following analysis:

1. We have all heard the telephone company complain bitterly about illegal bypass. (Sure the monopoly of GT&T should be broken! and Now - not election year!).

2. We read that the telephone company complain about the bypass business which is, according to sources is about 60million dollars per month. (Dat's big monnnneeeeyyyy).

3. Bypass, according to research can only take place when the bypasser has transmitting equipment at his premises.

So why cant the NFMU find these guys that owns these transmitting equipment? is it 1) Because of the big money involved?
2) Because they are aligned to the PPP/ministers/parliamentarian?

Yet it can go after Benchie because he played MCoy’s tape? False teeth! Rotten false teeth.

There are no sacred cows

There are no sacred cows.
Recently the press has carried many of the Bennn Minister’s mouthings. The most recent repetitive mouthing from him has been “there will be no sacred cows”.
We want to ask the following questions:
1) Mr. Bennn, aren’t YOU a sacred cow? When last did you attend a meeting called by your boss (the PM). You don’t cooperate with your boss. You want his position.

2) Let us present the following SAMPLE picture from our Guyana cowlbum. Can anyone find a sacred cow in the lot? What about those that didn’t make it for the camera?

Braston, Liquibub and security

Braston, Liquibub and security

Guyana times (Oct 25) carried a story on Brasington, the owner of a foreign IT company (blackoutman’s brother).

We are wondering if there is any link of that company and happenings in Guyana. We will provide an analytical base:

1/ The local brasnton is brother to the foreign one that does systems integration and technology consultancy.
2/ The local brasnton is best friend to the Young One that had the contract to do the wireless security for the office of the president and other works for the GoG.
3/ The wireless systems were installed using the combination of local and foreign ‘expertise’.

Any link?

Note that the local Brasnton & Young Co are the primary advisers to Jadgeo on IT matters.

The 20-million dollar question: After the sale of GT&T’s shares, who will “win” the contract to bring in US$20million worth of computers to Guyana?

Any answer?

tick, tock, tick tock

Norman Browne's letter

Posted in Kaieteur Nov 2:

Dear Editor,

It is only a beast that would look into the eyes of a terrified child and calculatingly inflict such an horrendous injury that shocks an entire nation. I cannot find words to describe the emotions that ran through me as I looked at the photo on the front page of Kaieteur News. This is torture of the worst kind.

If anger was part of the emotions overtaking me at that moment. It was because atrocities of this kind are usually committed because the perpetrators of the law fully well know that they can get away with it.

Because the leader of the Main Opposition political party in Guyana has become a toothless, paper waving, white collar, upper class type that has no intention of genuinely representing the Guyanese suffering masses.

He must be made to resign immediately. These things are only happening because Robert Corbin sits in the seat of betrayal. He is incompetent; he is motionless because his leadership has long been compromised.


We wish to add: if the payee is helpless, yes let us curse him, what about the payer? GoG has boasted in the past that it was the paymaster for Corbin. What a payoff. What a waste!.

Election 2011/12 - PNC and AFC concedes

In 2009, almost 2 years BEFORE the next elections, the PNC and AFC have conceded victory to the PPP.

Already the PNC and the AFC have spoken out against the Jagdeo’ 3rd term. They have both publicly stated their opposition to the Jagdeo's 3rd term.

While we are against the continuing of Jagdeo in Power, why should the PNC and AFC both object to the 3rd term? That happenstance is a consideration only if the PPP wins. Are they therefore conceding to a PPP victory and are now squabbling on the PPP’s yielding to Jagdeo’s machinations for his 3rd term?

Finally, if they both accept defeat for the oncoming elections, why have an election at all? Why the expense? Will it be just to decide on how the opposition bench is split between the PNC and AFC?

Is there any power to stop the PPP? Would it take a divine intervention as it did Burnham?

CREEP Reep and NCN

As mentioned in previous posts, Creep reep daman has found a nice way to use telecommunications money to fund the campaign for THE 3rd term.

The PPP needs to ask Daman Persaud how much money his 'sabha' has contracted for - with a telecommunications company. Is the telecoms industry a part of this campaign? Have they no respect for the rule of law? Is it both Digicel and GT&T or one or the other. We need to know.

On top of this all, we understand that the Chairman of NCN is a relative to Daman Persaud (in law). It is alledged that the 'Sabha' gets all its programs done for free on NCN. We would like to know how much money Sabha is paying NCN for ads for the motorcade and how much they are paying for regular hindu programming?

6 Million dollars - DIGICEL contribution to CREEP

At the Digicel sponsored Diwali motorcade, the leader of Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and PPP central committee member made the statement that Jagdeo should run a third term.

Our view is that this is a sad reflection of an old man that is stuck in the past and aiming to re-live his past into the future. We note that no other than his General Secretary (Donald Ramoutar) referred to the third term as 'mischievious' - yet Daman Persaud - a cc member - is opposing him. Obviously Daman Persaud is one of the 'mischievous' characters that are now finding funds for the CREEPs

No word from a PPP that will be fragmenting before the our eyes as people will jockey for positions...

The bottom line is:
1) Repu Daman Persaud sold out the Hindus to Digicel: a 3 yrs' contract for 6 million dollars in their pockets.
2) For that, Digicel gets involved in Hindu Community. Only red puja flags from now.
3) Digicel is now involved with the CREEPs (committee for re-election of the president).
3) Will Digicel now funnel - as they did this time - funding for Jagdeo's third term? Funding for election campaign through the religious organizations?

Surujbally & the Return of the CREEPs

On Aug 8, 2009 the Guyanese head blamed the Guyana Elections' commission for the delay in local Government Elections. GoG blamed Surujbally of, among other things, wasting money. However, Surujbally placed the blame squarely back on the lap of the Government.

It is interesting to note that Surujbally's response was made at a time when there is surmised to be a number of theoretical outcomes of the calls for a third term for Jagdeo.

About a month after Surujbally opens his mouth, his wife who was Marketing Director got fired from GuySuCo. The story behind the firing is itself interesting as the new CEO of GuySuCo seemed to be acting on instructions and locked the goodly lady out from a management meeting - on the excuse that she was late for the meeting. In fact our source says that she followed the CEO to the room as she normally does, being the only female in the meeting. Anyhow, one can only conclude that Nisa Surujbally was fired for a greater sinister reason which we theorize below.

Elections and Third Term
The persons who win the largest contracts from GoG are behind the committee for the re-election of President Jagdeo (CREEP reborn under ppp). Unlike what he says, Jagdeo is interested in 3rd term but they all realize that they cannot amend the constitution to create that possibility. So what can be done?

Create the ripples so that people know that the 3rd term is in the air. Feed the newspapers so that the hue and cry is big (and like everything else) eventually runs out of steam.

Meanwhile, frustrate the elections commission so that local Govt elections does NOT happen. For his stupidity, they fire Surujbally's wife - this is the start of the personality interference. In another few months, Surujbally will have had to take time off to let his wife settle down (maybe in Trinidad again). He will then either wisely take the blame for the delay in local gov elections or will find himself in such a crises that for health reasons he has to resign.

All the above give CREEPs more time - the populace will have by then gotten used to the idea of Jagdeo.

Meanwhile no one within the Party could dare step forward - for the sake of "party unity" - and Frank is silenced by the attacks on his wife, Donald is silenced for party unity sake, Robert is silenced for fear of losing future ministerial portfolio, etc, etc.....

After all the above, GECOM in crisis, PPP in crisis, PNC still a no-go and AFC still 'building' capacity.

AND, PNC is duped into insisting that local Gov’t elections MUST be held BEFORE national elections.

We are then going to have Local Gov’t Elections.... and as part of this election will be a national referendum. The people will vote for the return of the maximum leader.

We're back

Apologies. a necessary hiatus was taken. We are back.

Strike back against phone thieves!

from Imran Khan's blog:

Strike back against phone thieves

A cousin of mine and a friend of hers recently had their mobile phones stolen in Georgetown. It was early evening and they were standing on the street chatting and exchanging phone numbers when a neatly dressed young man walked up and held my cousin’s hand, forcibly removed the phone and then snatched her friend’s phone. He then calmly walked away.

They were left helpless and mildly distraught after what was a slightly traumatic experience. Naturally when one loses a mobile phone, either by theft or otherwise, one tends to be more concerned about the valuable information stored in that phone – particularly the contact details of friends, colleagues and loved ones – than the instrument itself.

In 2005 when I worked with the West Indies team I and several of my then colleagues had our phones stolen in Sri Lanka and we had not known about the need to save our IMEI numbers. Fortunately after a month our phones were returned to us after an intense countrywide search by the Sri Lankan police and army and the offender – an army deserter – suffered a terrible fate.

After the loss of my phone and over the years I received several emails advising that I copy and store my phone’s IMEI number in a safe and secure place in the event I lose the instrument. Ever since I received the first email about this I have been keen on storing the information but thankfully I have not had reason to use it for the purpose intended. I have also forwarded this most useful email tip to others and I am certain that I forwarded to my cousin as well.

Purely by coincidence I came upon her at the very scene of the crime less than five minutes after it occurred. After a quick assessment of the situation it was agreed that there is little sense in going after the thief in the dark of night in a dangerous ghetto area in which he appeared to have entered to make good his brazen escape. We were left with two options. One was to report the matter to the nearest police station. This is Guyana, we agreed that the phones were lost for good and decided not to pursue that course of action.

We could however exact some form of revenge. I immediately asked her for the IMEI number so that we could report it to her network and have them render the phone useless. Unfortunately she did not have the number saved.

You should not make this mistake. It is easy, painless and may come in useful.

To view your phone’s unique IMEI number simply input *#06# on your keypad. The number will automatically show up. Copy it, send it to yourself and select loved ones by email and, as a back-up mechanism, it is also a good idea to write it down in a place where it will be easily accessible. Saving your phone’s IMEI is like a quasi-insurance policy of sorts.

If you suffer the unfortunate experience of losing your phone you should contact your service provider and provide them with the IMEI number. They will be able to use the number to block the handset from being used even if the thief (or new owner) changes SIM cards. The phone will become nothing more than a paperweight.

I have come to realise that many people are aware of the need to save their phone’s IMEI number but, sadly, out of pure negligence they do not save it and some are left bitter and helpless when they lose their prized handsets. If enough people all across Guyana save their IMEIs and phone thieves realise that stealing people’s phones is a worthless petty crime it could lead to a reduction in the incidence of phone snatching which seem to be at an all time high in Georgetown.

The GPL connnundrum and LCDs

GPL is one of the remaining monopolies in Guyana. It is a true monopoly unlike the others like GT&T that the GoG is trying to break up - no one is talking about breaking up the GPL monopoly.

This company is not charging many customers in certain areas for their use of electricity. The rest of the nation has to pay for them all. It has complained that most people steal electricity in one way or another. The owner of the company is the Government of Guyana.

The GoG on the other hand is preaching Low Carbon Development Strategy - yet is spending millions on fortifying the fuel-burning GPL. Can Guyanese for one moment think of the following:
1) GoG champions LCD, yet pollutes Guyana with its GPL
2) GoG champions LCD yet penalizes Guyanese for bringing in newer energy effcient cars - that is, Guyanese are forced to bring in only cars more than 10 years old. They cannot affort the taxes on newer vehicles.
3) Finally imagine this: if the world bodies were to agree to give Guyana money for its LCDs (which is definately not happening), think what woudl happen to GPL, Vehicle usage, oil-exploration, mining etc. All would be banished!

Each Guyanese has been criminalized by the State. Using various means and methods the Guyana Government has virtually caused every citizen of Guyana to become a criminal.We conclude by saying that the GoG criminalizes everyone in Guyana in many ways:
1) GPL
2) The Policemen

And this so-called "working class" government cannot understand that people steal electricity becasue they cannot pay the high rates. Reduce the rates and everyone will pay. You will gain more. Look at what happenned to VAT.

GuyExpo pushed back

GuyExpo 2009 has been pushed back to October 1.

There are any numbers of speculative reasons for this move. The primary one is that Clico is no longer here, so the big sponsor of last year is missing. Who will take up the slack?

Another reason premised is the poor indications for occupancy at the exposition. Afterall, every year it is the same thing, over and over again. No change to the exposition, no change to Guyana, no change to business in Guyana. The only change has been the contractors bank account.

Digicel who has also come into the country, like Clico, blowing hot and red, seems to now be simmering after the poor bimmering. Nothing seems to be happening from that camp as all they are interested in is promoting their own brand - no nationalistic streak there.

With the problems between GT&T and GoG, they (GT&T) may not be too eager to be footballed around as GoG has already branded all GT&T's contribution as a business deal not nationalistic.

Who else? Let's call on....

GuySuCo - the dying goose!

Estates' workers on Strike

Two of the sugar estates have virtually come to a standstill due to the industrial action of the workers.

Strike action is often justified for many reasons, esp since the workers must continue to demand a better living for their families. However, these strives are ill-timed and bad for Guyana. The fact is that the company cannot afford to pay. Yes there is wastage and corruption. The audit department is a waste of time as is most of the middle and senior management. However, this important industry is facing serious cassh problems.

Clearly giving Jagdeo their thumb, the workers have reacted negatively to Jagdeo's speech of last week (he called for workers to work hard). We believe that the sugar workers and all other workers need to be firm and create some sort of pressure because of the huge corruption in the country. However, to strike against their own industry is directly killing the goose that has already ceased to lay the golden egg.


UPDATE - Aug 28, 2009
Strike has ended.
Outcome: $20 increase in per bed rate for obstacles
Fire (lasting fro 5 hours) destroyed approximately 36 beds of cane.

The overall problems continue at GuySuCo. Management, leadership and strategic view...

Kidnapping - again!

Natoo’s daughter kidnapped - caller demands $40M

This is the headline of today's newspapers.

It is with a sense of foreboding and worry that we receive this news today. Oh dear God, let us not drift this way again!

What has happened - our hearts ask!
Is it a slide again to the dark abyss of crime in Guyana? or
Is it to take away all the attention from current goings-on in Guyana?
Is it to change focus from the fraud and corruption being uncovered everyday?
What is happening?

We pray sincerely for the safety and safe return of the young lady.


UPDATE: Aug 28, 2009
The young lady was rescued by a strange lady.
Rescued, but more questions than answers.

As guyana is led to low carbon diversion

As Guyana is led to low carbon diversion, the nation grown despondent and madness prevails - literally.

Our hearts cry out for the battered and killed women who can only be the victims of growing madness within the populace as depression and poverty leads people to drugs and alcoholism.

Kudos to Dr. Ian McDonald for an EXCELLENTLY written article. His article entitled "our corner of this murdering star" is well written about the plight of the battered and murdered women.

So much effort and money is wasted behind the LCDS - which will bring no economic benefit to Guyana. While the lotto and petrocaribe funds are being wasted by the spendthrift Government, the nation bleeds - and goes mad!


Here is a part of Dr McDonald's article:
I cannot escape the terrible feeling that such pitiless cruelty goes beyond brutality and mad violence. An element of pure evil enters the equation

The English poet Thomas Lowell Beddoes wrote a play called Death’s Jest Book which he began in 1828 but which was not published until his suicide in 1849. In this tragedy one of the characters declares the whole world dammed:

Nature’s polluted
There’s man in every secret corner of her
Doing dammed wicked deeds. Thou art, old world,
A hoary, atheistic, murdering star.

The litany of horror that fills the news day after day is endless and numbing.

In our small corner of this murdering star there seems to be no relief. I thought the worst in a lengthening dossier of atrocious domestic crimes was when I read a month or two ago of the torturing, beating and stabbing to death of Sharmin McKay of Bare Root. The man battered her to a pulp, forced kerosene down her throat and stabbed her with a long fork and knife until they broke in her. Blood runs cold.

But such horror soon meets its match in these terrible times. Lately, I have learned of Kathleen Mo-A-Lin who had three children – she was bludgeoned and poisoned to death, her mouth glued shut to prevent her spitting out the poison. Who knows what new horror awaits around this corner of our murdering star?

I cannot escape the terrible feeling that such pitiless cruelty goes beyond brutality and mad violence. An element of pure evil enters the equation. It is easy these days to share the dark and baleful view of the poet/priest John Donne who saw man as sinful through and through even from the first moment of his conception: “There in the wombe,” he wrote in one of his sermons, “we are fitted for workes of darkness, all the while deprived of light. And there in the wombe we are taught cruelty, by being fed with blood…”

Corbin wins PPP celebrates

Corbin has secured his future as the main opposition face to the current GoG.

Another sad day has dawned for Guyana. The winners of this latest hapennning: The PPP and Corbin.

The PNC is once again the most defeatable party at elections. Race will save the day for them once again as it will for the PPP.

Goodbye democracy.

Questions Part II

More questions than answers:
On National Drainage and Irrigation:
1. From the days of the flood 2005, How many D&I contracts were awarded?
2. What companies were they awarded to?
3. In whose names are those companies registered?
4. In whose account did all the payment end up to?

Questions

Questions:

Hopefully Mr. Chris Ram would help.

1. How much money has passed through NICIL over the past 5 years? How is the money accounted for and what were the bank accounts that they were deposited into?

2. What list of expenditures has been used for Lotto Funds for the past 2 years? What accounts were the lotto funds deposited into?

3. What is the NOW balance in those accounts used above. To whom were payments made from those accounts?

President flays GECOM

"With all the staff and the money that we pump into this agency something has got to be wrong..."

So said Mr. Jagdeo. Guyana has consistently had the problem of time-lines. When one sees the Head of State making statements like this, one wonders what kind of manager he is!

Any good manager should be having periodic (weekly or monthly) reports about the progress of critical operations. Elections is always critical!

I am sure that, if and when asked, Surujbally will say that he would periodically update the administration on the lack of progress of the Elections Commission. Yet Jagdeo says this nonsense. And this comes from a man who micromanages Guyana. nothing happens without his say-so!

So, Mr. President your excuse is poor, find another one. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE!

Demise of The Ministry of Health

Pitiable, laughable or crazy?

Following the fire at Ministry of Health, the Kaieteur News of Sunday 19th July 2009 carried a PUBLIC NOTICE that stated: It is with deep regret that we inform you of the demise of the Ministry of Health.

Look at paragraph 2: The LOST experienced....

O my God!

That 20 per cent in GT&T - predictions

The PNC has dared to question the wisdom of the GoG in selling the 20 percent shareholding.

For the next couple of weeks, we will all see the bad history GT&T, the consulting with Hoyte, the pricing etc etc. I predict that Jagdeo and PPP will find NOTHING good to talk about GT&T for the next couple of weeks.

This is the president who said that the people are too negative and focus too much on negatives. He dared Guyana to look for positives.

As far as I am concerned, this is the company that pays millions to the people for social work. I see local faces in their ads. I see guyanese employees.....

But it is all in the hands of God...oh sorry, Jagdeo. The PPP is powerless to stop this. Guyana will lose another 2milion US per year as this dividend will be paid to other shareholders who will buy that 20%.

Thanks! Great Job! Screw this country some more!

What's more to come

What else is in that sleeping man's head? What else is Cheddie and Janet and Burnham and Hoyte telling him to ignore?

We wait with bated breath! BUT, maybe as soon as the license is granted, that threat disappears? Huh?

We know the thieves. The SAD part is that they know that we know but that we cannot do anything about it! (Except talk)

GT&T shareholding in spotlight

The Government has decided to give up its 20% shareholding in GT&T and a number of concerns are being raised in all quarters.

The PNC has questioned the sale of the shares and the Kaieteur news has questioned who will buy the shares as it is opined that the friends of the Government will buy the shares.

The Government, in response to the PNC, attempted to place the telephone company in bad light Here is what the Government said, along with our thoughts:
1) Gog:The annual amount (dividend) paid to GoG fluctuated between 1 and 4 million dollars. The TRUTH: GoG received an average of 2.6 million US$ per year from year 2000.
2) Gog:The shareholder has been prevented from influencing the company. The truth: THANK GOD! The Government would have interfered and bungled everything in their usual style. MORE TRUTH: We suspect the GoG didn't bother to attend meetings and never appointed directors to the board.


It is obvious is that the GoG is very eager to shut this company down - maybe because it was started up under the PNC government and has been a success story for Guyana. The total dividends received by the government more than paid for the sale of the company. Obviously the Government cannot account for any of this money.

The company continues to function without influence of the Government. This does not fit with the Government's plans for control of all telecommunications in Guyana (TV, Newspaper, Radio, Telephone). Maybe Digicel is paying or playing the Piper.

In conclusion, the Government said that it will take the money from sale of shares and put it toward ICT. We challenge the Government to say what it did with the dividends received each year. OR what it did with the company's taxes. GT&T says it pays 15-17 MILLION US dollars in taxes each year....why not invest that in ONE YEAR and get ICT going.

Norton invokes a kangaroo and brings PNC into disrepute

Norton of the PNC has invoked the old PNC god of kangaroo (kangaroo court, kangaroo election, kangaroo everything). He will now be tried by his peers (all kangaroos) in the PNC's kangaroo court. May the kangaroos bless Norton.

Meanwhile, he has vehemently denied that he has brought the PNC into disrepute. This shocking denial comes at a time when the PNC needs no help in being of poor repute. To Norton's credit, teh PNC needs no help to get worse...they are doing so naturally by just being!

Also, Norton forgets when he started the run into disrepute from his days as a creature of Hoyte.

As we commented before, the PNC (always in disrepute) is wallowing in the pits of disgust, dishonesty and disappearance. Their next name change will be PNCD (instead of PNCr). Their future has disappeared. All they will ever be is a bitter part of Guyana's sad history.

Sadly, Guyana loses again.

PNC cannot be diverted to real issues

Corbin's recent statements can be taken as a fact that the PNC cannot be diverted to the real issues facing the nation (PNCR cannot be diverted from real issues facing the nation – so said Corbin).

The PNC seems not to be concerned about what is happening to Guyana. While the PPP cannot account for Millions of dollars, the PNC continues to be obsessed with rigging its internal elections so that Corbin can retain leadership.

A very instructive comment by Corbin reads, "“Sometimes when people don’t understand fully the reasons for strategy and tactics they can arrive at incorrect conclusions"

We can only shudder to think of the inner meaning of this statement as it represent the PPP and PNC. God help Guyana!

utcex2ph7s

utcex2ph7s

PNC falling apart

The PNCR is falling apart at its seams every day. Corbin seems happy with his 300,000 salary plus driver plus security and lifelong pension. He is not going to budge!

Who is the loser?
Norton? Definitely NOT!

The BIG loser is GUYANA!

We believe that PNC's disorganized state and its ridiculous pursuit of its role as OPPOSITION is the cause for Guyana descent into the runaway corruption of the current Government.

Guyana ends up losing again!

Guyana Government cannot account for BILLION$ - Part II

Following our earlier blog in which we were contending that Government misappropriated over 100 million US Dollars in 2007 (cannot give account for it); other reports have been seen about the Health Ministry and Education Ministry financial irregularities.

The overall fraud and irregularities that have been exposed leaves us breathless. Shame on our Government! Shame on our Parliament! Shame on the opposition!

Is it time that we petition international agencies to investigate what is happening in Guyana. Cheddi Jagan cried to the world during the days of dictatorship. Who will cry out now?

Recap of the details on the Min of Education financial irregularities. For the previous blog on the >US$100million see link.
Min of Education: “failure to recover several millions of dollars in overpaid salaries, bank accounts with overdrafts of millions not being reconciled and overpayments to contractors among others.”
The failure to recover the overpaid salaries might be forgiven (though it is not right) since those who left the service also left the country. However:
- $78 million - bank account was overdrawn
- $4.3 million – outstanding ‘transactions’
- $2 million paid for questionable contract for TV ads (who is Ross
Enterprise?) – “All attempts to trace
this firm have been futile.”
- 1,146 teachers allegedly not registered for social security (NIS)
- $32 million overpaid to contractor (who?) for President’s College.
- $2 million paid for text books (to whom?), no books received.
- $23 million spent supposedly for Berbice Campus – no supporting documentation.

Guyana continues to despair as the powers that be continue to sweep every scandal under the carpet – and every of it financial irregularity takes place brazenly. Who will hold them accountable?

The question we have is with all this blatant corruption, why is this nation so silent?

Digicel debt

Digicel Debt placement

New Digicel placement
Published: Wednesday | July 1, 2009
(Taken from another blog)
Digicel Limited (DL), an affiliate of Digicel Group Limited, on Tuesday offered up for sale an additional US$250 million of its 12% senior notes, in a private placement in New York. This will be used partly to finance future unspecificied acquisitions.
The notes mature in 2014, alongside another US$350 million already issued. The debt is guaranteed by 9 of the Irish company's subsidiaries, including Digicel Jamaica.
“We are offering an aggregate of US$160,000,000 of new notes," said DL's offer document.
Denis O'Brien, indirectly owns 95 per cent of our common shares. Denis O'Brien, who also controls 100 per cent of Digicel Group - ultimate parent of Digicel Limited - has since the company's formation in 2001 showed a marked preference for debt to finance the mobile provider, whose holdings extend across the Caribbean and into Central America.
Digicel Debts
Digicel Limited's debts, reached US$1.8 billion at March 31, 2009, or 2.68 times EBITDA of US$676.6 million. A portion of the DL debt, US$75 million, is owed to Digicel Group Limited.
Digicel Limited, a US$2.27 billion operation incorporated in Bermuda, also reported consolidated net profit of US$166 million from revenue of US$1.7 billion.
However, the company also disclosed that subsidiary Digicel Holdings Central America Limited has a big loss of US$176.6 million.
More losses coming
"We may continue to incur losses in the near future," the company said.

Guyana Government cannot account for BILLION$

What is happening in Guyana? Has the PPP Government literally robbed Guyana of billions of dollar$ per year? Can we petition the international agencies as Cheddie did to track these millions of US Dollars?

Look at the accounts of the Government for 2007. Billions of Guyanese dollars cannot be accounted for. Assume the minimum amount of US$100 million is unaccounted for (stolen) in 2007... now multiply that by the number of years PPP is in Government.

Who will help Guyana? Is this country now totally lost?

The Auditor General report for 2007 shows numerous deficiencies and DELIBERATE falsification of accounts.
- Grants received by the Government not recorded. Therefore there is no trace of where the monies have gone or whose bank account deposited into.
- Contingencies Fund abused to pay expenses that do not qualify for such funding.
- $3.1B were drawn from the Fund by way of 115 advances and as at 31 December 2007, sixty-four of these advances totaling $1.459B remained outstanding.
- PLUS over 600 million in liabilities still on the books – add 600m to the 1.459 billion = 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS.
- Understatements in other areas.
- Consolidated Fund overdrawn by 47 BILLION dollars.
- 42 Inactive bank accounts
- The 42 inactive accounts had overdrafts of 686 MILLION dollars
- BILLION of DOLLARS used by the Government in 2007 and cannot be accounted for

Worth repeating: BILLION DOLLARS cannot be accounted for – 100 MILLION US DOLLARS?

Isn't Minister Ashni Singh a qualified Accountant? Well done Ashni!

God help Guyana.

Clico payouts

Clico is in the news again.

Previously we had learnt that Geeta Knight allegedly pocketed $200million through a cover company she had set up to (supposedly) offer security services to Clico.

It appears that the directors have all been involved in FredSookdeoism since they all have been up to one skullduggery or another. One director stood to gain $45million through well-devised schemes.

Our question to be asked: How much of the 1.5 BILLION dollars went to Government friends, unions and associates of the president?

We also note that Geeta Knight remains a member on the GuySuCo board. Question - Is this the same Person whose husband was once the Finance Director and acting CEO for GuySuCo?

Bye Michael Jackson

Thank you for the music!
The best, Earth song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8muMo0fw_M&feature=related

Shiela Holder - Telecoms owner

Sometime ago Shiela Holder called on the Government to take action on the GT&T's monopoly. Here is a parliamentarian who is protecting her own interest.

Like Clinton who said the act is not really the act....Shiela is saying that her family business is the selling of data and voice - but that it is not telecommunications. Furthermore Shiela is saying that when there is no monopoly then there is no need for telecommuncations regulation.

Therefore when the GT&T's monopoly ends in 2010, there will be no need for PUC as far as telecoms is concerned. No wonder Digicel takes GT&T to court! No wonder GT&T wants to get rid of it quicker than a hotplate! No wonder I-net is agitating in parliament to break the monopoly. Watch out Guyana. The days for wild-west telecomms is coming!

Any comments on this Prem?

Here is what Sheila wrote in 2004 in defence of her family's business.
Had the PUC Chairman respected the quasi-judicial role of the PUC in being the facilitator and an honest broker in balancing the scales between the interest of the utility and the rights of the consumer, he would not have made the improper reference to i-Net Communications Inc. in which my husband is an investor and the CEO.
He further compounded the faux pas by erroneously stating that i-Net is a telecommunications company, which the PUC has not gotten around to regulating. Surely the Chairman should know that i-Net Communications Inc. is a Guyanese Company offering competitive computer, broadband and internet services (there are many other companies offering such services in Guyana) and as such does not qualify to be regulated, since in a market economy, only monopolies need to be regulated.

Clico-Knight

A knight in shining armour. Singing-Knights.

Typical scandal except that in Guyana these scandal-makers face no charges or consequences and retain top positions in national boards.

Here is a top executive of a company - sets up a side-company to funnel monies into. Assists in bleeding the original company dry.

And, the knight still a part of the sugar board?

Jagdeo's trippps

“We don’t have any obligation to announce every time the president leaves the country,” said President Bharrat Jagdeo’s Press Liaison Officer, Kwame Mc Coy

Ok kwamy, we cannot insist. We won't ask.

But, as a taxpayer, I am paying for this chap's trippps all the time. His travels are not being funded by the IMF, Worldbank, IDB or whatever - they are funded by ME and other hardworking people in Guyana like me!

So, as a taxpayer, can I ask the Auditor General or Ashni Singh - or Chris Ram - please tell us how much Jagdeo's trippps cost us?

Thank You!

Go Pakistan!

Too bad WI couldn't have made it to the finals. But, the better teams (of the day) won. A lot of people wrote the Pakistani team off. But they have done well. T20 is a lot about variety.

Congratulation to the Pakistan team!

How crowded is Guyana?

Guyana is a crowded country. The emigrant population is creating problems for the Government as the challenge for distribution of land remains a tough one.

The Government is cognizant of this fact - that is why they give out very small houselots. Land given out by the Government can only accommodate a regular size house and maybe an outhouse. Government caters for the outhouse because there is an environmental plan for a non-sewage Guyana in the future. The Hope canal will either spread everything or wash into the ocean after flooding its banks annually.

An analysis of the population density of Guyana gives the proof of how crowded this country is. With 215,000 km2 and 700,000 people we have only 0.3 of km2 per person!So really, this country is too crowded.

No wonder people are leaving in droves. Nothing to do with economic problems or crime or any such negative! There's just not enough land around for everyone!

Are Guyanese so nice?

A few years ago, the Elephant Man called every Guyanese a thief. No apologies from him.
Now, Digicel is bringing him again to Guyana.

Are we such an insensitive nation that those who call us thieves, those who insult our nation, would be foisted on us?

Do we now lack the guts or the moral fortitude to say no to any of this?

And Digicel - is this what you do to Guyana?

Enmore martyrs day - has anything changed?

As usual Jagdeo uses his presidential powers to savagely lash out at anyone who is critical to his rulership or to any who may provide analyses that Jagdeo's leadership (or lack of) is inimical to Guyana’s development. Some time ago he lashed out at the president of the Private Sector Commission (not the current soup drinker). Then a list that includes Yesu Persaud.

More recently he lashed out at Gillian Burton’s suggestion that workers may not be better off today than they were in the past. While Burton’s analysis may have been flawed in its presentation, it does offer some food for thought. Let us answer some questions:

1948: What were the levels of development of Barbados, Trinidad, St Lucia, Suriname, Brazil and ALL other countries in the Caribbean?

1992: what were wages levels comparative to the basket of goods? What could a worker purchase with this wage? Income tax rate? No VAT! Exchange rate was G$190/US$1.

2009: What are the wage levels now comparative to the basket of goods? What can a worker now purchase with this wage? Income tax rate? VAT 16%! Exchange rate is G$206.50/US$1

In 1948 to 1964 saw PPP governance…1992 to 2009 PPP Governance. What is the foreign debt of Guyana in 2009 compared to debt in 1992?

What were Government expenditures then to now?

What was the Presidential travel bill then to now?

Are we really better off?

Riddle of the "seat-stealers"

Riddle riddle riddle
Whoever solves this riddle will win either of the following prizes
1) 15 minutes of free talk on digicel (after you talk for 3 mins)
2) A day's talk for $1/min from GT&T (after you talk for 10 mins)
3) Free breeze from the Guyanese politicians new housing area
4) A blog prize (to be named)


Somebody stole somebody's seat.
The persons who saw it stolen did not report it correctly.
The people who stole it sit in it every week.

Whose seat is it?

Labour may be therapeutic for prisoners

Kaieteur News editorialized the view that labor may be therapeutic for prisoners.
At the risk of being licentious, one wonders if this is in reference to female prisoners being in labor or male prisoners viewing labor pains of women....

Damn these glitzy headlines!

Call Centers in Guyana?

How many call centers are there in Guyana and who provides them with bandwidth?
So far we have found: Qualfon, ATC, NPI.

How many companies we have that sell bandwidth?
GT&T, ENetwork, Broadband, Digicel....

Low carbon strategy for Guyana

The wise persons in Government are working up a Guyanese storm on low carbon strategy.

Anything to change the focus of people from their problems with GPL!

Millions of dollars are being lost through power surges. Hours of valuable work are lost due to long hours of blackout.

While we strategize towards a low carbon future, we are continuously pushing people to buying generators for every home in Guyana - creating untold damage to the environment!

What happens when an island owner runs Power and a roving president runs Guyana?
t-a-l-k t-a-l-k t-a-l-k

We do support such strategy however as we need to care the environment. But, we must proactively care for this Country and take care of its problems that are destroying the environment that we want to care for. Wind, Solar and Hydro have been coming for decades and have not arrived. In the meantime, we lost millions through Fuel imports, carbon emissions and loss of equipment and time. Were we to value this loss, we may well find that it quantifies more than the GoG will get from the people who will 'sponsor' his strategy.

US-based Guyanese missing - let us PRAY

Our prayers are with the family.....

The gentleman is allegedly missing after visiting Buxton.

Let us PRAY that this is not a sign of things waiting to blow up again.

Jagdeo finally admits to the "wrongs" of his Government

Jagdeo has finally admitted that his Government has run down this country. This amazing confession has come finally in answer to calls from everyone for the PNC and PPP to admit to the wrongs they have done to Guyana.

Stabroek's columnist, Kissoon, has quoted Jagdeo's admission in one of his columns:"When we run down our country all the time, then every immigration officer feels that every Guyanese wants to run away.” Obviously Jagdeo is admitting to running down the country.

Is this a hopeful positive beginning of admission to the wrongs they all did to this country? Will Jagdeo continues in this vein? We will wait - but not with bated breath!

Head teachers are still at nursery level

Chief Education Officer says that head teachers are still at nursery level and should learn to embrace. This was done in the presence of Education Minister. Hmmmmmm!

Stabroek News:
Chief Education Officer Genevieve Whyte-Nedd yesterday urged school managers, especially those at the nursery level, to embrace change even as teachers complained of the current curriculum being too taxing for children

Lazy magistrates Billed by Ramson

Ramson has taken first reading of this Bill to parliament.

The bill proposes that a lazy magistrate shall have jurisdiction throughout Guyana. These Lazy Magistrates will be given a clerk each.

These lazy magistrates could only try
- criminal cases where the punishment does not exceed G$10,000
- civil cases where the dispute does not exceed G$25,000

Of course they could transfer cases or adjourn cases.

The question in our minds:
Will Guyana's legal system be better served by this bill?

Prakash Gossai's passing

We are saddened by the passing of Prakash Gossai. (Link)
There are not many persons who have left their domicile in USA to work for Guyana on an almost gratis basis.
Hats off to the Pandit!

How crowded is Guyana?

Guyana is a crowded country. The emigrant population is creating problems for the Government as the challenge for distribution of land remains a tough one.

The Government is cognizant of this fact - that is why they give out very small houselots. Land given out by the Government can only accommodate a regular size house and maybe an outhouse. Government caters for the outhouse because there is an environmental plan for a non-sewage Guyana in the future. The Hope canal will either spread everything or wash into the ocean after flooding its banks annually.

An analysis of the population density of Guyana gives the proof of how crowded this country is. With 215,000 km2 and 700,000 people we have only 0.3 of km2 per person!So really, this country is too crowded.

No wonder people are leaving in droves. Nothing to do with economic problems or crime or any such negative! There's just not enough land around for everyone!

Power for health services!

No power in Guyana; How health services suffer in Guyana:

The acquisition of reliable and affordable power poses a challenge to many health facilities.

- In Guyana the PEPFAR program and the Ministry of Health (MOH) requested USAID assistance in assessing options for improving energy services in health facilities.

- Full service district hospitals located on the coast suffer from expensive, unreliable, and poor quality power.

- District hospitals located in the interior face similar problems compounded by the fact that the power is intermittent, of worse quality, and from a variety of expensive sources.

- Hinterland health centers often have no energy at all.
- The expensive cost of electricity in Guyana makes the long-term operating costs of power intensive health care facilities currently under construction significant.

Full article: Powering health Guyana

Thesis: Donkey-cart Economy

The following is extracted from a letter-writer (Tarron Khemraj) to Kaieteur news
And, the pic is taken from another Blog

The donkey-cart economy has the following characteristics:

1. The production of goods that are at the low end of the global hierarchy of products. In other words, we produce things that people really can do without. Our products are not as special as we would like to believe; not even in CARICOM, let alone the world.

2. Given number 1, it means the income elasticity of demand for the country’s primary exports is small. Meaning as world income (and CARICOM’s income) increases the demand for the country’s products will not rise accordingly. Sugar, for example, is clearly a product that fits the production profile of donkey-cart cart economy. Let’s face it, there is a finite amount of sugar the rich can consume (as a matter of fact, the rich might consume less sugar and sugar-related products as it is one way to stay slim). On the other hand, as the world gets richer we all consume more energy. Therefore, a superior strategy to save the Demerara estates would be ethanol and of course the bi-product of baggasse.

Furthermore, the Jagdeo Administration’s REDD strategy and low carbon development strategy are too narrow and are not likely to impact directly on job creation and industrial development. In addition to the REDD, what the country needs is to develop a bio-energy industrial base with cane sugar as a feedstock for this industrialization. However, the low carbon development strategy should be seen as only one policy measure in a portfolio of industrial policies necessary to raise the welfare of the masses.

3. The production structure of the donkey-cart economy is mainly in the form of low productivity goods and petty services. For instance, immediately after Mr. Hoyte’s ERP the country

stopped producing soaps, toothpaste and similar small consumer items and left it to the local importer in the name of liberalization. The country also destroyed its local plywood making firm and replaced it with a foreign multinational. In a donkey-cart economy it is never a good idea to destroy your manufacturing base no matter how inefficient and trivial it might seem. You have to work with the capitalist class in a industrial policy framework to make the manufacturing base superior.

4. The production structure is made up of products that allow little room for learning by doing, innovation and technological change – the critical ingredients for long-term growth in per capita GDP and higher living standards.

5. Remittances prop up private consumption and create a false sense of success among government officials and the masses.

6. Remittances and underground economic activities indirectly feed foreign exchange into the domestic foreign exchange market from which the central bank (BOG) buys to accumulate foreign reserves (a required target under the IMF’s financial programming). Thus, remittances help to maintain the IMF/WB’s much touted macroeconomic stability (there have been several pro-government letter writers promoting macroeconomic stability as a great achievement). Therefore, a donkey-cart economy can be stable with relatively low inflation (owing to exchange rate stability) as is the case with Guyana. But this notion of macroeconomic stability is narrow, short-term in focus, and does not imply a success on the production/supply side of the economy. This point will take a full academic paper to explicate.

7. The donkey-cart economy imports most of what it consumes. Thus remittances are mobilized by economic actors and are used to make payments for imports of even basic consumer items (some of which we stop producing after the ERP). Therefore, unlike what some IMF/WB literature have argued and have been cited in the local media (see Dr. Prem Misir in SN 02-06-09), remittances are highly unlikely to lead to productive domestic investments in the Guyana context.

8. The donkey-cart economy exports most of its skilled and educated workforce. According to the OECD, Guyana exports 83% of its skilled population (the highest percentage among developing economies). Hence, there is the depreciation of the human capital base, which is a critical ingredient for long-term growth and development. Furthermore, the depreciation of the human capital base also involves the downgrading of the entrepreneurial and risk taking base. Of course, the contribution of human capital to growth (of high quality) is well explicated by endogenous growth theory. Moreover, Guyana is not India and is unlikely to earn the touted brain gain (as Dr. Misir has assumed) as in the Indian case.

9. The government significantly depends on foreign aid and finance from IMF/WB/IDB and bi-lateral aid donors. Even small projects depend on these sources of financing. For instance, the CARICOM building and the Convention Centre were built by grants (with aid-tying I am sure).

10. The government depends on IMF/WB for policy advice and analysis.

Anyone lying about GuySuCo?

Positively untruthful politicians

Who is responsible for the GuySuCo loss of finance from EU? Here is what Ramjattan said in an article in Kaieteur news.
Quoting from Hansard:
Ramjattan: Are we going to get these documents? They are so important that we get them!
Persaud: No, the documents will be provided once we complete the various …..we are engaged in discussions with the EU and some other stakeholders in finalizing ….
Ramjattan: How early?
Persaud: I do not want to tell.
Ramjattan: Give us a projection.
Persaud: I would say some time in the last quarter of 2008”.
The article continues:
Yet when the bubble burst recently concerning the loss of over $1.6 B to GuySuCo as a result of the non-delivery of the Business Plan to the European Union by the March 2008 extended deadline, this same Minister in defence stated that the Business Plan was indeed completed and was in Cabinet as of March 2008 and was given to the EU as of June 2008. This, after the Minister had told us in the Economic Services Committee on 11th July 2008, when he was being questioned, that the Business Plan was not completed.
This Minister was not being truthful, frank or candid to us in the Economic Services Committee. He was bloody lying. His latter position was irreconcilable and contradictory to the one he shared with us in the Economic Services Committee. For this alone he should resign. The loss of that massive sum of $1.6 B under his stewardship in itself is a sufficient other ground. But he would not. In Guyana, under the present PPP regime, this kind of inefficiency may very well realize for this Minister a promotion to the Presidential candidacy for 2011.

Positively good salaries

Who are the "consultants" working with GoG that earn more than US$20,000 per month?
Positive salary!

Corporate Boards

Isn't it time we have a list of who is serving in what boards in Guyana? Let's start listing them.

GuySuCo - Gopaul (Chair), G.Knights (Clico), K. Burrowes, Rajendra Singh, Donald Ramoutar (PPP), J.B.Raghurai, Errol Hanoman (CEO, Guysuco)

NIS - R. Luncheon (PPP), Komal Chand (PPP), P. Cheong, M.Solomon, L. Gossai, C. Dass, E.Welch, D. Miller, P.Martinborough (GenMgr)

NBS -M. McDoom (Chair), Gopaul (GuySuCo), L. Rockcliffe, S.G.Bovell, D.Yhann, S. narine

GPC

PHG

What else?

Guyana never took down a drug lord

Stabroek news says that Guyana has never prosecuted a drug lord
That's positive, ain't it? We never trouble the people that fund our development!
Who are these drug lords?
Look at their contribution to the development of Guyana. Can we do without them?
They fund our election campaigns to begin with (and election coming up)
They own the high new spanking building in and around georgetown.
They fund newspapers and opinion makers.
They own islands in Essequibo
Without them would we have malls and plazas?

They fund ... hey they fund us all who live in Guyana!

After all, Guyana, a poor country, got Prados, Hummers, 5-story buildings, Yachts etc.
So, do we leave our lords alone?