APNU Column…A Brave New World?The usual pictures of Bharrat Jagdeo are missing from the PPP/C 2011 Manifesto. Thank goodness, for he has cast a shadow over this country that no-one could have imagined possible in 1997.In addition to the abuse of power by the Presidency and executive lawlessness, Guyanese face corruption, discrimination, growth without employment, capricious decision-making and inadequate levels of investment. The result has been chronic and growing income inequality along with public squalor alongside private affluence.It is in this context that Donald Ramotar’s message in the PPP manifesto has to be judged. Mr Ramotar offers a blueprint that is ‘ambitious, realistic and transformative’. The case is based on the demonstrated capacity of the PPP over the last two decades.Typically, comparisons are made with 28 years of PNC Government but different years are used for comparison and when 1992 is not convenient it is ignored or simply attributed to PPP policies.The allegation that, “we inherited a bankrupt economy…” is restated in many forms. Actually, in October 1992 foreign exchange reserves stood at record levels having exceeded the agreed target in 1991. Real GDP grew by 6.1 per cent in 1991 and this improvement continued in 1992 and 1993 with GDP growing by 7.7 per cent and 8.3 per cent, respectively.The agricultural sector, the mainstay of the Guyanese economy, grew at 16% and 28% in 1991 and 1992, respectively.These are not the indicators of a bankrupt economy.The Manifesto repeats the same ignorant use of GDP figures for which Mr Persaud was recently chastised by Mr Christopher Ram and Professor Thomas. It also falsely claimed that in the post-1992 period we have had uninterrupted positive growth. The PPP is praised for solving the external debt problem but the problem currently posed by a rapidly expanding domestic debt of US$88bn is not mentioned.In this attempt to show how well the PPP has done, no reference is made to how Guyana has fared compared with the rest of the region. In this Manifesto, there is no explicit reference to foreign policy although the programme itself has implications for such policy. The same may be said of governance and economic decision-making. So, whereas the APNU’s Unity Charter and Manifesto give prominence to Constitutional Reform, protection of the Judiciary from the abuses about which Justices Jainarayan Singh and Doodnauth Singh so bitterly complained last year, the PPP/C Manifesto is mum in the mater.The PPP’s philosophy and guiding principles promise to ensure the continuation of the ‘highest standards of accountability and integrity’? ….. ‘going forward ‘ (p5). Unlike the APNU, there is no intention to establish predictable rules governing investment or to implement laws on Government procurement, two of the most grievous areas of corruption and lack of accountability.Eighteen years after Dr Jagan appointed an internal body chaired by Mrs Jagan to investigate such matters there have been endless scams, no report and practically no prosecutions of consequence.Mr Ramotar singled out the following projects as key to his programme:•?? ?hydropower•?? ?the new fibre-optic cable•?? ?a deep water harbour•?? ?an all-weather road to Brazil and•?? ?a Bridge to SurinameEvery single one of these projects is associated with allegations of corrupt transactions and irregularities. Amaila promises to deliver the world’s most expensive power from a hydro facility.APNU has reserved the right to review all the contracts associated with such projects and the last minute agreements being signed with reputable and other investors.The figures on energy the figures are at variance with GPL’s published figures on generation, for example, and in spite of all the PPP’s achievements,Cheap NFL Jerseys, more electricity is available per capita in the rest of the Caribbean than in Guyana.In boasting (inaccurately) about low (30%) transmission losses, no reference is made to the fact that in the LAC region the comparable figure is 13.5%. There is no promise to fix the disgracefully inefficient GPL and its notorious practices such as discrimination in disconnections. Amaila will solve everything!The programme‘This Guyana will be a land of prosperity and opportunity’ (p5) but no new initiatives are proposed to ensure this. The intention is to continue with the Jagdeo mould, flawed as it is.The authors make reference to nation-wide consultation which has informed the strategies it is proposing but the documents on which the strategies are based are in some cases, such as the National Development Strategy, already over 10 years old during which time they have not been implemented. The reason is simple the Poverty Reduction Strategy and National Competitiveness Strategies were fashioned merely to satisfy Donors.Macro-economic stabilityGuyana’s national statistics are a trap for the unwary. The PPP’s ‘re-basing’ of Guya

The removal of homeless persons from the streets of Georgetown has commenced with a number of those being picked up in buses and taken to homes.Yesterday,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, Head of the Presidential Secretariat,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, Dr. Roger Luncheon,Cheap Soccer Jerseys, said that the homeless in the city of Georgetown are being removed to appropriate places for lodging.Those of unsound mind will be taken into care at the mental public health institution, he said.The indigent, on the other hand, he said, will be clothed, housed and fed at the state expense.Dr. Luncheon added that even if the homeless persons leave the place where they are being housed and return to the streets, they will be removed again from the streets.“The exercise is intended to keep the homeless off the streets so even if they were to return they will be again taken off the streets to ensure that they do not remain there,” he said.Some of the homeless will be taken to the East La Penitence facility for homeless persons.According to Dr. Luncheon, the campaign to remove the homeless from the city would be matched by one to enforce the law against littering.As such moves will be taken to rail against the ‘unsightly’ placement of signs and advertisements on the public byways,NFL Jerseys Cheap, on posts and on traffic and telephone columns.Dr. Luncheon said that the practice to have posters pasted on these structures to promote dances, picnics and outings will have to stop.The team that was picking up homeless persons. Included are Minister of Human Services,Cheap MLB Jerseys, Priya Manickchand and Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn “Cabinet instructed its officers that the practice must not be tolerated and must cease.”As such, Dr. Luncheon has issued a warning to the syndicate promoters that there will be aggressive cohesive action taken to abort this behaviour.On June 17, Dr. Luncheon announced that the home for the homeless will cost US$2M to build and will be located at Onverwagt, Region Five.He said that Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, has submitted the design, the quantities, the estimates and the tender documents for the construction of the home.Dr. Luncheon said that the home will not be a prison with ‘cells and electrified wire fences’ but instead persons will be housed on a voluntary basis.According to Dr. Luncheon, the design will include a number of flat buildings with a dormitory type of arrangement.This facility will house more 100 persons, he said, adding that males and females will be in separate buildings within the complex.The complex, he said, will be for long term residence for homeless persons and as such amenities for recreation, medical care and physical work related activities are included in the plan.Persons at the home, he added, will be called upon to partake in the planting of fruits and vegetables along with other agriculture activities at the facility.

A man armed with a cutlass rushed into Roxanne Burnham Nursery School yesterday to commit a robbery, but after not finding what he was looking for dashed out of the building when the terrified children began to scream.The man then jumped over the school fence and made good his escape into the tall bush at the side of the school. But even as he was fleeing the traumatised children were being rushed home by their parents who had raced to the building as word of the incident spread.According to the cleaner at the school,cheap jerseys nfl wholesale, a slimly built man visited the nursery school and enquired from the Headmistress about a child who did not attend the school.She explained that awhile later,Cheap NHL Adidas Jerseys, after the children had settled into the classes,Authentic Jerseys Cheap, the same man returned with a cutlass and attacked a teacher at the door. “He start asking the teacher at the door, where is the Blackberry? Where the laptop deh?“Then she (the teacher) scream and run to the headmistress desk and all of we end up flat on the ground. Then he tell the children y’all don’t mek noise!…Shut y’all mouth and don’t cry.”The cleaner added that another teacher was struck in her head with a cutlass and the attacker then sprayed “bass” in her face.? “He then start tumbling up the teacher bags and deh all round tumbling up the place. When he ain’t get nothing he run out the door”This newspaper understands the teacher who was attacked visited the police station where she gave a detailed account of what occurred,Wholesale Stitched NFL Jerseys, and then she visited the hospital for medical attention.According to parents of the students, the bush at the side of the school has always been a haven for criminals seeking refuge. “If it wasn’t for them bush the man would of get catch…This is not the first time thieves running into the bush and hide. Is every time they thief they running into the bush that is like a jungle. “Residents in the area said that the youth group in the area is willing to assist with clearing the vegetation but needs help from the Mayor and City Council to offset the task.The nursery school has 27 students and three teachers,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, including the Headmistress.

A 35-year-old joiner was nabbed Wednesday when he allegedly attempted to ship 102 grammes of cannabis to the interior via the Ogle Airport.Rawle Blackman appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and was remanded to jail after pleading guilty to the offence.The court heard that on October 17 at the Ogle Airport, Blackman attempted to smuggle the drugs to the Imbaimadai Landing,NFL Jerseys From China, located in Region Seven.According to Oswald Massiah, prosecutor for the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), Blackman presented himself at the airport with a box containing food items including a bottle of peanut butter. He said a name was attached to the box reading “Roy Otto” and the defendant alleged that it was his name.Massiah said a search of the parcel was conducted by CANU ranks and the illicit substance was discovered in a peanut butter jar. The prosecutor said that the defendant defended himself by saying a “Muslim brethren” had given him the box to post to the interior.Massiah said prior to that,China NFL Jerseys, the defendant had given the ranks an address and took them to the location. He however said that when the officers reached the location there was no step leading to the upstairs of the house and it appeared to be abandoned,Cheap Authentic NFL Jersey, “…as if no one had lived there for years.”As a result,Cheap Jerseys From China, the defendant was arrested and charged with the offence of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.Massiah also objected to bail for the accused,Nike Air Vapor Max Flyknit Men, who gave his address as South Ruimveldt. The prosecutor indicated that CANU had not received any fixed place of abode and thus was rejecting any application put forward by the defendant.The court granted the request and Blackman will appear at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on October 23.