Black Immigrant Daily News

President Dr Irfaan Ali has cautioned investors coming to do business in Guyana that there is no need for them to engage middlemen and lobbyists in setting up operations here, declaring that they could be held accountable if caught in any illegal act.

The Head of State made this remark in light of allegations made during a broadcast done by the US-based VICE News. In an extended video published last week, a VICE News Journalist went undercover and spoke with several persons from within the Chinese community here and they discussed “working the system”.

According to the Journalist, middlemen are allegedly paid money to get projects or other business done.

But President Ali told reporters on the sidelines of an event Wednesday evening that there was no need for investors to be getting involved with middlemen.

“This economy is going to expand. There are going to be more and more carpetbaggers coming in here; more persons claiming to be much more than they are. I am saying this very clearly to the public and to the investors, there is absolutely no need to go through any middleman; there is absolutely no need to engage any lobbyists, and there is absolutely no need for anyone coming to you [with shortcuts in setting up business in Guyana],” the Head of State contended.

He went on to point out that his Government would be going after those who continue to use middlemen to get things done illegally.

“We will have to deal with this situation because if you engage middlemen and lobbyists who want to claim that they have more than what they have, then you are also accountable and liable. Because it means that you are prepared to engage in something illegal. So, I’m warning [investors],” the Guyanese Leader noted.

According to President Ali, he has already instructed Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, to look at ways to further strengthen Guyana’s laws to clamp down on those middlemen as well as those who engage them.

Only last weekend, state-owned China Railway First Group Co Ltd (CRFG), the firm that won the contract to revive the highly-touted 165-megawatt Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), denied corruption allegations made by VICE News.

In addition to shining the spotlight on the Amaila Falls Project – a flagship initiative of the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic regime – the Journalist mentioned being shown a contract between embattled Chinese businessman Su Zhirong and China Railway for a major road project. CRFG had won the contract for “East Coast Demerara Public Road Widening and Improvement Project – Better Hope to Belfield Village” back in 2014.

But according to China Railway, in a statement over the weekend, the news piece is “misleading the public… on the groundless fabrication of so-called factors in an attempt to defame Chinese enterprises here in Guyana”.

The State-run Chinese construction firm solemnly stated that it has never signed any agreement with Su, nor has it conducted any actions that were shown in the footage.“Since its presence in Guyana from 2008, CRFG strictly abides by the laws and regulations of Guyana in conducting its business operations in the country. We express strong indignation on the behaviours that VICE News and Su Zhirong deliberately fabricated stories and spread such untruthful information on the Internet to mislead the public and damage the reputation of our company. We strongly condemn such behaviours of defaming Chinese enterprises,” the company said in the statement.

Already, the Ali-led Administration has criticised the news agency for attempts to paint top Government officials and the country at large as corrupt, specifically accepting bribes from Chinese investors, following the release of parts of the broadcast prior.

Moreover, in addition to the bribery scheme, the broadcast also claimed an alleged elaborate money-laundering scheme within the local Chinese community. On Monday, President Ali told reporters that the “self-confession” in the docu-series warranted a probe by local security forces.

Following on this remark on Wednesday evening, the Head of State explained that he could not instruct any of the security forces to conduct such an investigation, but noted that the onus was on them to look into it.

“I support any investigation into that person [who made the confession]… There is a self-confession where somebody said they are involved in something illegal and any security force or Police force would want to investigate that, but don’t ask me to direct anyone. I am a President that would never get involved in directing anyone. Everyone can rest assured that this President is going to work within the constructs and constraints of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana,” President Ali posited.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Fernando y Juan (nombres ficticios) deseaban ser padres, pero descartaron la idea de una gestación subrogada o adoptar y, aconsejados por su terapeuta, decidieron buscar una mujer que también quisiese ser madre. 

La pareja, que vive en Argentina, encontró a la persona que buscaba en una página de “coparentalidad para hacer un bebé”, tal y como promociona el propio portal, que cuenta con más de 45.000 suscriptores y que conecta a las personas que buscan tener hijos. 

Tras conocerse y después de muchas conversaciones, la mujer se sometió a una técnica de fertilización asistida, uniendo el gameto de uno de los hombres con uno de ella. El bebé nació en junio y este miércoles la Justicia reconoció que el recién nacido tenga una familia pluriparental.

La jueza Myriam Cataldi, del Juzgado Nacional en lo Civil y Comercial Nº 7 de la ciudad de Buenos Aires, destacó “el derecho a la no discriminación con motivo o razón de la triple filiación o poliamor registral filiatorio”.

”El concepto jurídico del interés superior del niño es indeterminado”.”El niño no estaría en este mundo de no haberse recurrido a las TRHA por estas tres personas adultas que desearon fervientemente su existencia; tanto lo quisieron, que no pudiendo hacerlo por otro método”

— Maxi Hairabedian (@MaxiHairabedian) July 11, 2022

En su fallo, Cataldi detalló que los tres entablaron muchas conversaciones sobre la manera de crianza, el funcionamiento de la familia y cuestiones que eran importantes para cada uno.

“Estas íntimas conversaciones favorecieron la conformación de un entramado familiar sólido, puesto que compartían los mismos valores, estilos de crianza y, fundamentalmente, plan de vida”, afirmó. 

También hizo hincapié en que los tres estuvieron de acuerdo en formar una familia con una mamá y dos papás. “Un proyecto familiar donde el hijo o hija crecería en dos hogares distintos, con mucho amor de familia y amigos y amigas de sostén para el nuevo integrante”, apostilla.

La magistrada declaró así inconstitucional parte del artículo 558 del nuevo Código Civil y Comercial, en vigencia desde el 2015, que especifica que “ninguna persona puede tener más de dos vínculos filiales, cualquiera sea la naturaleza de la filiación”. A su juicio, este extremo quebranta los derechos de la Constitución y los instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos.

“La realidad demuestra cotidianamente que no en toda familia existe una figura materna o una paterna, sin que ello obste a que esta pueda brindar el bienestar necesario para el desarrollo de niños y niñas”, justificó.

Único obstáculo 

Tras la sentencia, se emitió la partida de nacimiento del bebé, que tendrá los tres apellidos de los padres, y cuyos documentos de identidad, DNI y pasaporte, ya están en trámite. 

La fiscal Mónica Susana Mauri y el Defensor de Menores, Marcelo Gustavo Jalil, se opusieron a esta triple filiación, pero la inscripción ya había sido admitida. Sin embargo, no se descarta que el caso llegue al Tribunal Supremo. 

Andrés Gil Domínguez, abogado que representa a los padres y a la madre, explicó al canal de noticias Telenueve, que “el único obstáculo que se encontraron [los padres y la madre] fue el dictamen de la fiscal y del defensor de menores que apelarán el fallo, y que desconocen plenamente cómo funciona el modelo constitucional argentino tras la reforma del código”.

El abogado detalló que hay 21 casos en Argentina. “Hubo dos que se resolvieron por vía administrativa antes de la reforma del código civil y comercial y los otros se han resuelto por vía judicial”, apuntó. 

Domínguez hizo hincapié en que la particularidad de este caso es que desde “el momento cero los dos padres y la madre construyeron este proyecto de familia pluriparental basándose en un vínculo socioafectivo”. 

Noticia original RT en Español. 

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The second series of the three-part Crop Over 2022 Central Bank Visual Arts Exhibition will start today, Wednesday 13 at the Queen’s Park Gallery.

Following the first series which ended last week “Questions of Freedom”, the second series “#FutureFRWD” will run until Wednesday, August 3.

The “#FutureFRWD” Exhibit which can be viewed at its opening night event, is intended to encapsulate elements of youth through means of digital, interactive and new media. The night will feature performances and activities like live painting, projection art and a ‘sip & paint’ session.

For this exhibit, young artists both in age and experience were encouraged to express themselves and their identity relative to their connection to ‘nu media’.

`Through 2D, 3D, photography and ‘nu media’ artwork, this showcase seeks to ask its participating artists and viewers a series of questions, like “Are all empowered with the capacity to develop their natural gifts and talents?”; “Are we free to express ourselves?”.

The Central Bank of Barbados “Against All Odds” Crop Over Visual Arts Exhibition was inspired by a recognition of the resilience of

Barbadian people which was displayed through the paintings, prints and other workmanship of local artists.

As a complete body of work, “Against All Odds” was conceptualised to highlight how Barbadian strength of character has been fashioned by hardship and adversity, past and present. The themes addressed in the exhibition include plantation slavery, economic disenfranchisement and global factors like threats of war and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NCF Cultural Officer for Visual Arts, Rodney Ifill served as the producer of the Crop Over Visual Arts Exhibition, assisted by Guest Curator Oneka Small.

After quoting major “acts of emancipation”, from the abolition of slavery to Barbados’ transition to a Republic, it is fitting that the first instalment of the exhibition sought to answer the titular “Questions of Freedom”.

Falling at the beginning of the Season of Emancipation, that exhibition ran from Wednesday, May 25 until Wednesday, July 6.

The final instalment of the exhibition called “Our Land”‘ will be available for viewing from Wednesday, August 10 to Wednesday, August 31. Artists were asked to create pieces that would interrogate how the Barbadian landscape is perceived and measured beyond its aesthetic value, focusing on the manipulation of natural resources and their utilitarian importance.

There are a total of 27 artists featured across the three segments of the exhibition, carefully selected from more than 33 entries.

Some of the artists include the prominent Ras Akyem Ramsay who was a recipient of the 2012 Caribbean Luminary of the Arts Award, the 2010 Lifetime Achievements Award in The Visual Arts and more.

Amidst the more senior artists, however, the works of many emerging artists are also featured including Jamila Greaves, Sian Pamprllonne, Akilah Watts and Shane Eastmond.

As Guest Curator, one of Small’s suggestions was to interview artists and have the information collected used to create artist profiles to be featured in a digital catalogue.

Samples of artwork which constitute one to two pieces per artist will be included in the catalogues, as seen in the first catalogue for “Questions of Freedom”. This will be in an effort to capture what Rodney Ifill describes as the artists’ oeuvre; the progression and trajectory of their bodies of work.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Senior Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh announced that Government has made its second draw down from the Natural Resource Fund in accordance with the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act 2021.

The Minister indicated that pursuant to Section 16 of the NRF Act 2021, a further US$200 million equivalent to G$41.6 billion has been transferred from the Natural Resource Fund to the Consolidated Fund to finance national development priorities. It would be recalled that in May of this year, Government made its first withdrawal of US$200 million equivalent to G$41.7 billion. This brings the accumulated withdrawals to date from the NRF to US$400 million, equivalent to G$83.3 billion.

This transfer was made in accordance with the strengthened legal architecture of the NRF Act 2021. The International Monetary Fund, which recently concluded the 2022 Article IV mission to Guyana in May-June of this year, commended Government on the amendments made to the NRF Act and the staff concluding statement highlighted:

“The recent amendments to the 2019 Natural Resource Fund Act set clear ceilings on withdrawals from the fund for budgetary spending and promote transparency in the management and use of oil resources. Staff praised the authorities’ thorough review of the 2019 NRF Act before making amendments, and the restraint in using any oil revenues before the passage of the amendments,’

The NRF Act 2021 came into operation on 1st January 2022, and as part of the Budget 2022 process, Parliamentary approval was granted for a total of US$607.6 million to be transferred during fiscal year 2022.

The PPP/C Government says it will continue to work aggressively through sound and transformative investments of oil resources from the NRF, utilising these resources in a clear and transparent manner, to the benefit of present and future generations.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Two days after the Police’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) said it had launched an investigation to determine what transpired involving the burning of a teen detainee in the Vigilance Police Station lock-ups on Sunday, advice was given for three Guyana Police Force (GPF) ranks and a civilian to be charged.

The legal advice that has since been received states that Police Constable 25324 Nazier is to be charged with the offence of failing to perform his duties with diligence, contrary to Section 4(e)(ii) of the Police (Discipline) Act, Chapter 17:01, Corporal 18165 Thomas is to be charged with the offence of neglect of duty, contrary to Section 4(e)(i) of the Police (Discipline) Act, Chapter 17:01, while Corporal 20876 Bissessar is to be charged with the offence of omitting to make a necessary entry, contrary to Section 4(e) (viii) of the Police (Discipline) Act, Chapter 17:01.

Meanwhile, Keron Williams, the injured teen’s friend, is to be charged with the offence of Introducing prohibited articles into prison, contrary to Section 54(1)(a) of the Prison Act, Chapter 11:01.

According to the Police, Jahiem Peters, a 17-year-old of Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD), had accused a GPF rank stationed at the Vigilance Police Station of torturing him. As such, the OPR decided to look into his claim.

“The inquiry has so far shown that on July 10, 2022, at around 10:30hrs, Peters was arrested pending an investigation into an allegation of an alleged robbery under arms in which he was recognised as one of the attackers and was assisting the Police with the said investigation,” the statement read.

Peters told investigators that while he was detained, two of his friends were also brought into custody. Police said the teen was sitting on the prisoner’s bench in front of the lock-ups with another male detainee when he, Peters, asked one of them for a cigarette lighter and his friend gave him a lighter.

The other prisoner admitted to seeing when Peters’ friend gave him the cigarette lighter but claimed that he only heard Peters screaming while he was alone in the cell. The Police Officer on duty at the Vigilance Police Station allegedly rushed to the cell and removed Peters while his shirt was still on fire.Peters, who was subsequently questioned by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), claimed that he had been smoking in the lock-ups when he fell asleep and the cigarette caught on his shirt.

Two other civilian witnesses informed the investigators that they heard Peters screaming from his cell while they were at the station and that when the Police on duty took him outside, they saw fire on his shirt.

Meanwhile, the young man stated that he was beaten to say he set himself on fire and what the Police were claiming was not true.The teen had reportedly left his home on the ECD on Thursday and was heading to Georgetown when he, along with two others, was picked up by Police and taken to the Vigilance Police Station.

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