The Culture Digest - Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Ramson backtracks after offensive comment - Guyana sells fifth oil lift for 2021 - CDC preps for heavy floods - Hydropower plant rehabilitation to add 700kW to the nation’s energy mix
Good morning Guyana!
Welcome to the Tuesday, November 30, 2021, edition of The Culture Digest.
Here’s what happened since the last edition. Ramson backtracks after offensive comment…Guyana sells fifth oil lift for 2021…CDC preps for floods during the rainy season… Hydropower plant rehabilitation to add 700kW to the nation’s energy supply.
Top Story
No Role Models?
After managing to offend a good percentage of the nation over the weekend, Charles Ramson Jr. is now backtracking after he lamented a supposed absence of role models in the Black community in Guyana, with particular criticism for APNU, who he claims failed the Black community. (No argument with the APNU failure part.) Nevertheless, some have compared it to racial gaslighting. Because while he criticized the Coalition government for not having made the Black community richer, he neglected to identify the systemic bias in the financial system. Nor did he note any of the other historical issues that go beyond the abilities of one poorly constructed Coalition government to solve.
On Monday, Ramson took to Facebook to try to clarify his statement. (And by clarify, I mean he dropped a "Some of my best friends are Black..." excuse.) He read from a prepared statement and went on to list some of the Afro-Guyanese role models that have shaped his political and legal career (VIDEO) and blame APNU for blowing his words out of proportion. But it would seem like PNC Executive Member Aubrey Norton took the statement personally. He said that he rejects Ramson's version of success, which he deemed corrupt, and he has since announced that he will be starting a financial literacy and entrepreneurship program for party members.
Politics
Fun Fact: According to Opposition Member of Parliament Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, by offering a 7% across the board increase for public servants, the President has, in effect, given himself an increase of $150,000 while providing minimum earners $4,900 before tax.
PAC to vote on shortlist Public Procurement Commission candidates
The Public Accounts Committee has shortlisted eight persons for nomination to the Public Procurement Commission. Out of the eight, the PAC will eventually choose five persons. Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and Opposition Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira said the process appears to be moving forward, and he is hopeful that at the next meeting, there will be an agreement on the nominees for the PPC.
Rupununi residents rail against shady mining deal
Residents of Marudi in the deep-South Rupununi claim that the government did not consult them before signing an agreement with Canadian mining firm Guyana Gold Strike and Aurous Guyana Inc. to commence operations in the area. The community residents say they only learned of the contract at the last minute and want to know exactly what the agreement's contents are. While the request seems simple enough, the government has yet to address their concerns adequately.
Business/National Development
Guyana sells fifth oil lift for 2021
After last week’s oil lift, Guyana received over nine million barrels of oil since oil production started in December 2019. Five million barrels were marketed this year alone. From that, Guyana currently has about US$534 million (approximately GY $112 billion) in its Natural Resources Fund. This money was earned from our nation’s 2% royalty and the proceeds from our 50% of the profit oil.
About DAM time…
The government is looking to rehabilitate the defunct 500Kw Moco Moco Hydropower Plant. The upgrade will add 700 kW of electricity to the grid, but the energy will be cleaner since it will not generate significant greenhouse gas emissions. The estimated capital cost of the 700 kW Moco Moco Hydropower plant is US$2.2 million.
Speaking of things that were a long time coming, students on the Essequibo Coast no longer have to travel to city for GSA practicals after the construction of a $60 million agro-processing plant in Cotton Field.
Health/Public Safety
CDC preps for floods during the rainy season
Seeing as we are expected to have an unusually long and wet rainy season (Thanks to La Nina), the Civil Defence Commission recently hosted an Emergency Flood Preparedness Meeting with Regional and Town Council authorities from around the nation.
Despite the wet weather, some Guyanese are going to have a dry Christmas courtesy of GWI. Just in time for the holiday season, GWI is starting its month-long nationwide disconnection campaign.
Crime
On Monday, 23-year-old Martin Blair was committed to stand trial for the murder of his brother-in-law, Daniel Boutrin.
On Saturday, 16-year-old laborer Amar Dindyal fell from the roof of a rice mill under construction at Vilvorden, on the Essequibo Coast.
On Friday, Raymond Waldron was fined $20,000 for killing a cat.
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