– describes it as inaccurate The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has deemed a recent Audit Report which recommended the dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer Lionel Wordsworth and Senior Engineer, Aneel Chowbay, as mischievous, misleading and aimed at damaging the image of the Authority for personal gains and aspirations.The audit on the NDIA fuel consumption and equipment operations and maintenance, was conducted between May and September. It was completed and submitted to the Chairman of the NDIA Board of Directors on September 26, and carbon copied to President Donald Ramotar.NDIA boss Lionel WordsworthThe report concluded that fraudulent acts were committed by Lionel Wordsworth and Senior Section Engineer (SSE) Mr. Aneel Chowbay, in breach of the Procurement Act 2003.It speaks of conflict of interest and sole sourcing of services such as the supply of fuel and the awarding of contracts to relations of senior NDIA operatives,Clark Griswold Jersey, in breach of national procurement procedures.But in a press statement issued late last night, the Ministry of Agriculture chose to challenge the report and attack its own Field Auditor, claiming that in his capacity as the Field Auditor, he is not performing creditably.The NDIA described the report as unsubstantiated by a person who has a personal agenda, and accused this newspaper of not checking the facts.“The Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) wishes to make clear that the statements contained in the Kaieteur Newspaper article dated Sunday,Chile Soccer Jersey, October 14, 2012 titled “Audit Report recommends dismissal of NDIA boss Lionel Wordsworth and Senior Engineer Aneel Chowbay” are misleading and inaccurate and only represent the interest of someone with a personal agenda.”According to the Auditor’s statement, NDIA sole sourced contractors for the provision of transportation for fuel and lubricants.But the NDIA denied this,Teemu Selanne Ducks Throwback Jersey, explaining that there were 10 pre-qualified contractors for the provision of transportation services arising out of a public procurement process.“Previously, advertisements were placed in the daily newspapers on Sunday, November 27, 2011, Wednesday, November 30, 2011,Cheap Arizona Cardinals Jerseys, Sunday, December 4, 2011, Wednesday, December 7, 2011, Sunday, December 11, 2011 and Sunday and December 18, 2011 inviting contractors to prequalify for provision of those services.“The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) granted approval of 10 prequalified contractors, whose services would be procured in especially emergency type situations. It is to be noted that during the first half of the year, Guyana was experiencing heavy rainfall and prolonged flooding whereby transportation of fuel and lubricants from GUYOIL to numerous coastal and inland locations was essential for the efficient operation of pumps to provide relief to affected areas.”According to the Ministry of Agriculture, from January to July, 2012 when quotations were required for the transportation of fuel and lubricants, out of 10 contractors who submitted quotations, Seeram Civil Engineering and Woodworking Establishment was the lowest, had the relevant documentation from the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) to transport fuel and lubricants along with the required truck making him the most qualified contractor to provide these services.In July, the NDIA noted, an invitation for public bids was placed in the newspapers for the transportation of fuel and lubricants of which Seeram Civil Engineering and Woodworking Establishment was the only responsive bidder. This contract was awarded by NPTAB on August 13, 2012.The Ministry said that the Field Auditor mischievously omitted this fact in his opinionated report.No Breakdown of Internal Control over the Fuel SystemWith regard to the report stating that there was a major breakdown of internal control over the fuel system, the NDIA stated that there is an internal control mechanism in place to monitor the use of fuel at pump stations and other facilities.This is monitored by the mechanical department of the NDIA who would collect the data and submit reports to eradicate any threat of fraudulent activity.The Mechanical Department is mandated to compare working hours of pumps against fuel consumed to ensure there is accountability and value for money. All records are then compiled and presented for audit purposes,NBA Jerseys Store, the NDIA stated.But reports reaching this newspaper have indicated that in the current dry weather the fuel bill is higher than that of the

By Leonard GildarieBecause of the many requests and over time repeating some of the things we have been publishing, I have been asked to consider, again, addressing a number of issues that are foremost among concerns for many new landowners.This week, we will do so and talk about preparing to apply for a mortgage.Building a home, especially with a mortgage, calls for much planning. Continuously, a home builder and his/her family have to be shopping around for the best prices for materials and fixtures, deciding colours and a host of other critical issues that need addressing.While for some, money is no object, for the majority of the working class, every dollar counts.The rule of thumb is that the banks or the New Building Society will be requiring that you come up with a percentage of your total budget.While in some cases it may be cash, a relative may donate blocks,Authentic Arizona Cardinals Jersey, cement, steel or paint. The point is, the bank has to be satisfied that you are contributing. There are a number of ways other than cash that you can manage this.You would need, among other things, a transport or title to the land, a building plan that has been approved by the NDC or Town Council, estimates for the materials, proof of income (whether from an employer or your own business), proof of your contribution, ID and photographs, and more than likely, images of the land.Now, if you are a house lot allottee and have been given a letter from the Ministry of Housing, some of the banks and NBS say that they are willing to accept these, and have measures to expedite the processing of the Transports with the Ministry.Don’t waste time on waiting for the Transport. Start the mortgage application.With respect to the estimates for the proposed building, we spoke of this last week at some length.If you are working with a company,Cristian Pavon Jersey, a letter addressed to the financial institution will suffice, outlining your years of service,Cheap Atlanta Falcons Jerseys, position and salary details. If you own a business, then the banks will be requiring accounts of your business along with registration and other documents verifying this is true.Most of the mortgage institutions will charge a processing fee which is as much as $5,000.I would advise that some money, for legal fees, be set aside. This is payable once the mortgage is approved. This fee for up to $8M can range up to $100,000.Because of the current housing boom, applications are taking up to two months to be approved, depending on the entity.A few bankers have complained that the delay is with the Registry and the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. I must stress that there have been numerous letters in the papers, including from some lawyers, on this matter. I will attempt this week to solicit detailed comments on the situation from both departments.Now, while the mortgage is being processed, there are a number of things that can be done. If you were allocated a piece of land from the Ministry of Housing, more than likely it may be filled with heavy overgrowth like the dreaded “Auntie Desmond”. It may be a good idea to start cleaning the land.Start the application for a temporary electricity meter as well as for a water connection.GWI has been insisting that there must be constant occupation of the land before service connection is made. But this does not stop you from putting in the application.You would need sand, stone and other materials delivered to the worksite. It may be good to find a Canter or a sand truck and have them on speed dial.While building in Parfait Harmonie, I learnt that a number of block makers operated there.Some of the block makers now rent pumps and heavy equipment, and stock pipes,Nike NFL Jerseys China, cement and steel. For me, it saved the worry of arranging transportation, buying and then ensuring that the materials are delivered.In most major housing schemes, several of these hardware store-like operations have sprung up, while providing the key services of transportation. They make their money on the transportation. It worked for me. I called in the evenings,Austin Hooper Falcons Jersey, placed an order for sand and stone and it was delivered next morning. They would bring the blocks and unpack them too.Now, one of the biggest problems in the housing areas over recent years is security. Government has been receiving a constant stream of these complaints. It is a major challenge, with many home builders claiming that they have lost steel, cement, tools and other materials that severely delayed works.It would be wise to start thinking of how to secure the wo

Although a regional standard has been drafted by Caribbean countries, including Guyana, for the compulsory labelling of tobacco packages to emphasise the danger of the product, there yet remains a challenge to implement this measure.This is according to Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who asserted that even today, tobacco remains a major killer around the world. He revealed that for more than five years now Guyana and the Caribbean countries have been working together on creating a tobacco standard through the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), which is headquartered in Barbados.And one of the obligations, he said, is that a single standard for labelling of tobacco products be designed, a move which is required under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which is the only health treaty that has ever been signed by Caribbean countries.“To this day we have been unable to get agreements between countries to support a regional standard for the labelling of tobacco products. It is bad enough that we have failed as countries to curtail smoking, and indeed,Chris Chelios Jersey, the evidence in the Caribbean is that smoking among young people is increasing.”This development, the Minister emphasised,Kurt Warner Cardinals Jersey, is in direct contradiction to what occurs in developed countries where the evidence is that the initiation of smoking is going down.? “We have the exact opposite result; it is increasing,” Minister Ramsammy opined.It was in September 2007 that the respective Governments met and under the Port of Spain declaration,Carlton Fisk Jersey, recognised that chronic diseases represent a major developmental challenge. And according to Minister Ramsammy, it is one of the few health issues that drove the governments of the Caribbean to have a heads of Government meeting to discuss the non-chronic communicable diseases crisis.“At that meeting and in the Port of Spain declaration, we identified tobacco as a major risk factor and a major contributor to the growing emergency of the chronic non-communicable diseases.”As a result, one of the decisions taken is that countries must insist on the labelling of tobacco products so that consumers will know the risk that they are taking.? Included in this decision,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, Dr Ramsammy pointed out, is that the labelling should entail pictorial demonstrations of the danger.“Yet with this as our backdrop we have failed to come to agreements on labelling of these products. Some of us want to do more studies on what the impact of these labels would be, and the truth of the matter is it doesn’t matter what the study comes up with; we have an obligation under the FTCT to have those labels…I am at a loss as to why in the Caribbean we cannot arrive at some consensus around what this labelling should be.”Dr. Ramsammy noted that the controversy surrounding the state of affairs right now is not whether there should be pictorial labels,Nike Boston Celtics Authentic Jerseys, but rather what should be the size. The standards, he revealed, calls for a 50 percent surface coverage on each side of the package. However, it is assumed by some that the Caribbean cannot embrace such a move at this time,NFL Jerseys Cheap Authentic, the Minister lamented.“I am not naming any country, but there are at least four countries that have not yet been able to give a go-ahead….”For this reason, the Minister said that he plans to urge the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) – the Caribbean Regional Body which is tasked with giving the final request for CROSQ – to fully implement the required regional standards for tobacco products. And according to Minister Ramsammy, unless the Caribbean is able to put in place regional standards, it will in fact have to embrace and make use of national standards instead.