Any party distorting Government’s actions will not be consulted
-Dr. Luncheon
Georgetown, GINA, February 06, 2008.
Government is maintaining its position not to engage or consult with any political Opposition or others who have been distorting the administration’s legitimate actions and promoting ethnic division as a result of the Lusignan massacre.
This was reiterated today by Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President.
“In the context of engagement with stakeholders dealing with the massacre, the State’s responses to dealing with stakeholders and their genuine concerns, the administration will not be engaging the political Opposition and those who have already been judged and condemned for their unbalance and their proclivities for supporting and promoting the things that divide us where the issue is concerned,” Dr. Luncheon said.
He further pointed out that the dialogue process between the President and the leader of the main Opposition Party will not be held hostage to these injunctions.
“It is specifically in the context of the administration or the Office of the President or the very President himself engaging with the Opposition on matters surrounding the Lusignan massacre, the security sector responses, an engagement will not be entertained,” he added.
It was also noted that in addition to the letter written by leader of the main Opposition Party to President Bharrat Jagdeo, there may be moves to make the matter the subject of Parliamentary considerations.
Dr. Luncheon noted that Government’s injunction does not apply to Parliament and therefore, “the more likely forum where the concerns of the leader of the Opposition might be addressed in the first instance is likely to be in Parliament.”
He added that this does not recognise any significant motivation by the administration or the Office of the President or the President to meet the Main Opposition Party leader while he engages in such behaviour.
“We have made our concerns clear about the position he has adopted and until we are satisfied that it is redressed and a more balanced and more forceful public presentation is taken by the opposition, the likelihood of a bilateral engagement is slim,” Dr. Luncheon said.
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Dense vegetation clearing exercise will continue
-Dr. Luncheon
Georgetown, GINA, February 06, 2008.
Ongoing actions by the Joint Services to clear the backlands of vulnerable communities along the lower East Coast Demerara of dense vegetation, as part of security efforts, will continue to completion and the security forces will not be deterred.
This assurance was given by Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon, who made the comments at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing held today at the Office of the President.
Dr. Luncheon told media personnel that many aspects of the security sector responses such as ‘Operation Restore Order’ and the dense vegetation clearing exercise were among the issues discussed by Cabinet during its meeting on January 05.
“The much called-for security response was planned and is dedicated to respond to the gut-fear of communities and could, by denying criminals the cover of dense vegetation, limit their attacks on the communities and frustrate possible escape from communities’ policing groups,” Dr. Luncheon pointed out.
He added that Cabinet’s discussions “focused on the media’s negative portrayal of the exercise and its execution by the Joint Services, noting that just after criticising the state for inadequate security responses, elements of the media are now indulging in the promotion of emotions and negatives about the exercise and the Joint Services executing the programme.”
In this regard, it was noted that the administration has undertaken to aggressively promote balanced coverage in the media, both locally and externally as it relates to the Lusignan massacre.
Additionally, the dense vegetation clearing in the backlands will continue while the genuine concerns of those affected by the exercise will be addressed, as arrangements have already been made for compensation and such will be provided.
An intelligence-driven special operation will continue, assisted by responses to the lucrative reward available by the state, Dr. Luncheon said. A $50M reward has been offered for information leading to the capture of Rondel Rawlins also known as ‘Fineman’ who is wanted in connections with several crimes.
Although no definitive position has been mentioned with regard to maintaining clearance of the backlands upon completion of the exercise, the matter has been addressed. Reference was made to the possibility of having farmers, who have been compensated, involved in this process perhaps through the granting of subsidy by the state for them not to cultivate.
The Ministry of Agriculture will shortly convene a meeting with farmers likely to be affected by the clearing exercise from Enmore to Beterverwagting, where discussions on the cultivation of the cleared land in the future may be entertained.
Dr. Luncheon noted that “once the dams are cleared and they can become vehicles for freer access to the backlands, indeed the opportunity will be undeniable that land owners could get into the backlands and engage, not in pockets of cultivation but, maybe even denser cultivation or in converting the area to cane cultivation.”
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Land owners, NDCs need to cooperate to arrive at compensation
Georgetown, GINA, February 06, 2008.
Land owners, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and other local government organs of the East Coast Demerara are being urged to collaborate with the administration to ensure that compensation is provided to those affected by the dense vegetation clearing exercise.
The Joint Services is engaged in clearing the backlands of lower East Coast Demerara communities of dense vegetation, which may provide hideouts and possible escape routes for criminals. This was done after calls by many for such action to be taken.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing today at the Office of the President noted that the first step of the compensation process is the need for documentation to recognise those eligible for the reimbursement.
Evidence is being sourced from leasehold that is maintained by the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission or freehold reflected in payments to NDCs and other local government organs for land and other possession held by those claiming to be affected by the dense vegetation clearing exercise.
Dr. Luncheon said approaches have been made to the NDCs but, the administration has been advised that some elected chairpersons have given instructions to staff at the NDCs to resist giving information about the legitimacy of claims and details of land holding within the various areas.
“This is a most unusual development and I think residents of these NDCs need to be advised that forces are afoot to frustrate the very basis of moving to provide compensation,” he added.
Additionally, other actions will be taken with regard to recording the details of crops whether peripheral or cash crops that have been destroyed or which may end up destroyed in the exercise. This, according to Dr. Luncheon may be done in the form of photography.
It was noted that there have been previous infrastructural projects such as construction of the Essequibo roadway and the Berbice River Bridge that involved similar destruction subsequent to compulsory acquisition of farmlands through which models for compensation were developed and successfully used.
Agencies such as the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and Ministry of Public Works and Communications, which have been responsible for compensation activities in the past, will be involved in the current process.
The Joint Services’ involvement in the exercise is mainly due to their immediate contact with the land owners and is merely to identify person (s) who have land in the backlands and who intends to have compensation.
An office has been set up at the Police Headquarters at Eve Leary for members of the public who recognise that their crops will be damaged or have been affected to initiate the process for compensation.
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NIS Reform Committee final report to be made public shortly
Georgetown, GINA, February 06, 2008.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon has indicated that the final report of the Reform Committee on the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) will be made available soon to stakeholders and the general public.
At the weekly press briefing today at the Office of the President, Dr. Luncheon said this was one of the main issues discussed at Cabinet’s meeting on January 05.
The NIS Board of Directors (BOD) has completed its review of the report from the Reform Committee, which was constituted to examine recommendations from the public consultations that were conducted during the period July to October 2007.
The report was presented to the BOD last December while the Committee’s members were drawn from the Trade Union Movement, Pensioners’ Associations, private sector, Government, the NIS Management and private citizens.
A copy of the report has since been handed over to the NIS while another has been taken to Cabinet. It includes recommendations from the four sub-committees of the Reform Committee that focused on (a) investments, financial management and pensions; (b) benefits and general administration; (c) legislation and compliance; and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and human resources.
Dr. Luncheon said the BOD has considered the recommendations made in the report and has compiled considered opinions for subsequent submission to Cabinet.
The reform process is expected to coincide with the submission of the 2001-2006 Actuarial Report and is expected to provide an array of future interventions destined to move the NIS to a more financially sound position.
The NIS, established over 38 years ago, had never gone through a reform process though many studies were conducted to that effect.
The last Actuarial report had pointed out that given the changing demographics in Guyana, with regard to the aging population, the financial sustainability of the Scheme was at risk.
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PNC/R out to tarnish work of security forces- Home Affairs Minister
Georgetown, GINA, February 6, 2008
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has lashed out at the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Leader Robert Corbin for circulating misinformation and falsification by way of letter which are intended to tarnish the Joint Services.
“I can identify 11 pieces of misinformation in the document (Corbin’s letter). The first piece is that there was wanton destruction of property in the backlands where the joint services are now actively working to mow -out the bushes in the section of that area where the bandits are known to be hiding out… I think it’s not only an exaggeration but falsification,” Minister Rohee said.
PNCR leader, Robert Corbin dispatched a letter to President Bharrat Jagdeo, Commissioner of Police (ag), Henry Greene and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief-of- Staff, Commodore Gary Best in which he made these remarks among others and condemned the damages caused on residents’ properties during Operation Restore Order.
Copies of the letter were also sent to media houses.
However, the Joint Services in a press release stated that 15 houses were searched and where avoidably damages occurred, as part of its policy the army has begun to repair the damages. It also pointed out that in activities where they look for criminals there is often some degree of collateral damage.
Meanwhile, Minister Rohee expressed concern over biased reporting by certain sections of the media with relation to the Joint Services special operation.
He said persons have been calling on the Joint Services to act effectively to arrest the crime situation and now that they have, it’s unfortunate that the security forces are receiving criticisms from certain sections of society.
“When the attacks were made on the people of Lusignan there was a public outcry for the joint services to take action and go after the bandits. Some sections of the media were making the claims that nothing was being done, no strategy, no action was being taken. Now that the joint services have sworn into action, top gear we are hearing that damage is being done to property.”
He said, “All they have done is manipulated the news, they are interviewing people who claim to have their property damaged but not those who are welcoming the activities of the joint services.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn said clearing of the backlands on the lower East Coast of Demerara is critical in the security forces’ effort to capture criminals and noted that the cleansing will help in protecting persons including residents of Buxton.
“Given the nature of the security problem that there is, given the fact that we have to ensure security of all the residents there including the people of Buxton, this is a necessary step. We also have to ensure the security even for the forces that go in the back there, to give them enough opportunity to capture these criminals. So I don’t think anybody should be puzzled about it at this time,” Minister Benn emphasized.
Government is putting the necessary measures in place to compensate persons who will be affected by the move.
“I am aware that steps are being taken to record what there is out there and to make sure that there is a mechanism for compensation and the question of evaluating continuance sustaining livelihood for the duration is also being examined,” Minister Benn said.
The Joint Services have established a desk at the Office of the Commissioner of Police to deal with the issue of compensation to farmers who will be affected by the clearing of the East Coast Demerara backlands.
On February 4 after a decision by the Office of the President, the Joint Services commenced an operation to clear the back-lands on the lower East Coast of Demerara in which criminals are suspected to be hiding out.
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Stakeholders discuss draft Private Security Services Bill
Georgetown, GINA, February 6, 2008
Stakeholders and representatives of private security services, today discussed the draft proposal of the Private Security Services (Regulation) Bill 2007 at an interactive session held at the Guyana National Service (GNS) Complex, Carifesta Avenue.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee who chaired the discussion said it is important to gather the views of those involved in providing security to protect or guard any person or property or both.
“The exercise was mainly to engage in consultation with the stakeholders with the view of gathering their opinions and suggestions on this draft, which was circulated so that we could be guided by the expressions of interest; the views that might be expressed in respect to this document.” Minister Rohee said.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, addressing Private Security Services stakeholders.
The proposed Private Security Service Bill suggests that a designated officer preferably of the Guyana Police Force be appointed. That person will be the Controlling Authority for the purposes of the Act.
However, it was suggested by the Security Services representatives that the Controlling Authority should not be led by one person but by a group of experienced persons.
In discussing some of the labour issues, Minister Rohee said it is the role of the Ministry of Labour to address matters such as the determination of salary and salary scale and these issues should be personal to the agency.
Representatives of Private Security Services discuss draft of Private Security Services (Regulation) Bill.
Minister Rohee said it is important for security services to balance between the strict security requirement of a serious firm and the interest of looking at social security benevolence and other issues which may be because of a person’s predisposition.
It is important to realize the responsibility that is placed in the hands of security guards, and therefore striking the balance is important in terms of the recruitment of staff, training and other related issues, he said.
Other issues that were discussed were the requirement of licence to commence or carry on the business of private security service, the requirements when applying for licences, the cancellation or suspension of licences, the conditions for commencement of operation and engagement of supervisors, permission to use firearms, eligibility for being a private security guard or supervisor and other pertinent requirements in ensuring the standards of the security service are effective.
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