Black Immigrant Daily News

STATEMENT ON ABUSE AND VIOLENCE BY UPP SUPPORTER IN ST MARY’S SOUTH

Violence is often a tool used by the weak, feeble and corrupt-minded. The record must be corrected due to a false narrative published by those who seek to gain political mileage from the very acts they tacitly incubate and foster among their supporters.

Yesterday, we at the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s (ABLP) St Mary’s South Branch hosted our usual weekend buzz activity, which serves as an event to meet, greet, and socialise with the Member of Parliament and branch members.

A positive event suddenly became sullied because of a prominent supporter of the United Progressive Party (UPP) who pull up to our event while they were passing with confrontation, abuse, and physical violence.

He approached our branch, verbally abused and threatened members and constituents present, particularly the women and even assaulted me as the Parliamentary Representative.

His hate and anger then turned to a female constituent some distance away.

In his rage and anger, he rushed over to the woman and became physically violent to the extreme of severely causing damage to her head and limbs.

Egregiously and most deplorable, the UPP supporter did this in front of her children and neighbours.

Members of the community took action to bring him under control until the police arrived.

He was arrested and is now in custody, and the constituent was taken to the hospital for treatment.

From the last update, she is doing reasonably well despite the physical and mental health injuries. I will continue to provide the support needed for a swift recovery.

I, therefore, call on the UPP’s candidate, Kelvin Simon and by extension, Harold Lovell and the UPP leadership to condemn and disassociate themselves from such violent behaviour by their supporters.

Moreover, I call on my constituents, along with citizens and residents across the country, to be mindful, watchful and on guard against those who directly and indirectly associate with and encourage those who preach and act with hate, abuse, and savagery.

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LONDON (AP) — Former British Treasury chief Rishi Sunak was the frontrunner Sunday in the Conservative Party’s race to replace Liz Truss as prime minister. Sunak garnered the public support of over 100 Tory lawmakers to forge ahead of his two main rivals: former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and ex-Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt.

But widespread uncertainty remained after British media reported that Sunak held late-night talks with Johnson on Saturday. Speculation mounted that the pair could strike a deal to unite the fractured governing party after it was left reeling from Truss’ rapid downfall following Johnson’s ouster.

The Conservative Party hastily ordered a contest that aims to finalise nominations Monday and install a new prime minister — its third this year — within a week.

Sunak, 42, was runner-up after Truss in this summer’s Tory leadership race to replace Johnson after he was forced out by a string of ethics scandals. On Sunday, he confirmed he was running again in the latest leadership contest.

Sunak has the backing of at least 124 Conservative lawmakers, according to unofficial tallies compiled by British news organisations. That’s well ahead of the 100 nominations required to qualify.

“There will be integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level of the government I lead and I will work day in and day out to get the job done,” Sunak said in a statement.

Johnson, who has not yet declared if he is running, has public support from about 50 lawmakers so far, while Mordaunt had support from about 23, according to the unofficial tallies.

UK Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC on Sunday that he spoke with Johnson and “clearly he’s going to stand” after flying back to London Saturday from a vacation in the Dominican Republic.

Mordaunt and Johnson — if he confirms he is running — have until Monday afternoon to garner 100 nominations. If all three meet the threshold, lawmakers will vote to knock out one and then hold an indicative vote on the final two.

The party’s 172,000 members would then get to decide between the two finalists in an online vote. The new leader is due to be selected by Friday.

A possible return to power for Johnson, 58, who officially quit only in early September, has deeply divided the Conservatives and alarmed many others. Supporters say he is a vote winner and has enough support from lawmakers, but many critics warn that another Johnson government would be catastrophic for the party and the country.

Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker, a former backer of Johnson and an influential politician within the Conservative Party, warned a Johnson comeback would be a “guaranteed disaster.” Baker noted that Johnson still faces an investigation into whether he lied to Parliament while in office about breaking his government’s own coronavirus restrictions during parties at Downing Street.

If found guilty, Johnson could be suspended as a lawmaker.

“This isn’t the time for Boris and his style,” Baker told Sky News on Sunday. “What we can’t do is have him as prime minister in circumstances where he’s bound to implode, taking down the whole government … and we just can’t do that again.”

But Johnson won the backing of several senior Conservatives, including Nadhim Zahawi, another former Treasury chief.

“He was contrite and honest about his mistakes. He’d learned from those mistakes how he could run No 10 and the country better,” Zahawi said.

Truss quit Thursday after a turbulent 45 days, conceding that she could not deliver on her botched tax-cutting economic package, which she was forced to abandon after it sparked fury within her party and weeks of turmoil in financial markets.

Sunak, who was Treasury chief from 2020 until this summer, steered Britain’s slumping economy through the coronavirus pandemic. He quit in July in protest of Johnson’s leadership.

In the summer contest to replace Johnson, Sunak called promises by Truss and other rivals to immediately slash taxes reckless “fairy tales” and argued that climbing inflation must be controlled first.

Tory voters backed Truss over Sunak, but he was proved right when Truss’ unfunded tax-cutting package triggered chaos in the markets in September.

Dozens among Britain’s 357 Conservative lawmakers have not yet publicly declared whom they are backing to replace Truss.

By SYLVIA HUI Associated Press

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Chief Secretary Farley Augustine. Photo by THA

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine believes this year’s Divali celebrations comes at a time when the nation’s spirit needed to be lifted.

On the Office of the Chief Secretary’s Facebook page on Sunday, Augustine said, “Divali comes as a salve to restore our spirits after recent weeks of hardship for many citizens of our island, and wider country.

“Even as we continue to face challenges from crime, climate change, and other quarters, we find solace in knowing that the forces of good inevitably prevail. Though darkness seems powerful, it concedes to light; despair topples to hope; and ignorance fades in the presence of knowledge.”

Augustine implored citizens to always stay positive, even in the midst of despair.

“This is a powerful message for us to keep in our hearts and minds as a people. It is a crucial reminder that a bright side always exists for us to reach towards, regardless how dire our current situation seems. With this mindset, we refuel our tanks of courage and optimism, strengthening ourselves for the present journey and the one which lies ahead.”

The assemblyman for Parlatuvier/L’anse Fourmi/Speyside said Divali, a Hindu festival, is now celebrated nationally and helps bring the country together.

“More than feeding our spirits with hope and positivity, Divali also contributes to a strong sense of togetherness among our nation. Here is a festival that unites an overwhelming majority of Trinbagonians, where citizens, communities, and the corporate sector, all do their part to mark this sacred occasion alongside our Hindu brothers and sisters. Truly, Divali is a powerful unifier of our people, an example of the light we emit when we transcend our differences.”

He said the holiday is an opportune time for “discussions surrounding areas such as wellbeing and prosperity, which form part of the thematic scope of Divali.

“In order to build the promising future we so deeply desire, we must make a concerted effort to prioritise our personal and communal welfare. This calls for a stronger sense of community, awareness, and social infrastructure, among other factors. When the people thrive, we increase the possibility of creating not only a more prosperous nation, but a happier and more fulfilled one as well.”

As he wished Shubh Divali to the Hindu community and the rest of TT, Augustine urged citizens to “rekindle our light, to ignite the spark in one another, and to pass on the warmth throughout TT.”

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…polling day staff currently being trained

Preparation mode for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to carry out Local Government Elections (LGE) is in full swing, particularly since a date has now been set for the holding of the polls.

In an interview with this publication, GECOM Spokesperson Yolanda Ward explained that the secretariat is currently in preparatory mode. She noted that now that a date has been fixed, the next step will see GECOM advertising for contesting parties to submit their symbols.

“We’re currently conducting training and I think that the next steps will be advertising for symbols of parties contesting elections. But we have started training… for poll day staff,” Ward explained.

PRO of GECOM Yolanda Ward

An important aspect of GECOM’s preparations is training. According to Ward, they have already completed training for election managerial staff such as Returning Officers and further training is ongoing for the more junior staff.

“We would have already conducted training for management staff, which would include Returning Officers and Deputy Returning Officers and so on,” she explained, noting that the polling day staff currently receiving training number in the thousands.

On Thursday, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Nigel Dharamlall, wrote GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, announcing March 13, 2023, as the date for LGE.

According to Dharamlall, Government is committed to upholding democracy and believes that the holding of local polls is an important pillar in Guyana’s democratic political system. It was against this backdrop that the date for hosting the LGE was decided.

Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall

“Please be informed that pursuant to Section 35 (1) of the Local Authorities (Elections) Act, Chapter 28:03, I appoint March 13, 2023, as the day on which elections of Councillors for Local Authorities shall be held,” Minister Dharamlall wrote to Justice Singh.

The Local Authorities (Elections) Act, Chapter 28:03, states that elections are held according to the date set by the Minister. Moreover, it was noted that an order under Section 35 shall be published in the Gazette appointing March 13 next year as the date for the LGE.

Readiness

Earlier this week, Justice Singh had written to the Local Government and Regional Development Minister, advising him that based on GECOM’s work plan, March 13, 2023, was the earliest date that LGE could be held. In fact, the Commission indicated that the elections could be held anytime between March 13 and April 24, 2023.

GECOM Chair (Ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh

The work plan in question was arrived at by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud, who was tasked by GECOM with coming up with a work plan for the holding of LGE. At first, that work plan was supposed to be limited to this year-end. However, that has since had to be extended amid successive weeks of what has been described by the Government-nominated GECOM Commissioners as delaying tactics at Commission meetings.

LGE is constitutionally due every two years in Guyana and was last held in 2018.While the polls were due in 2020, the elections fiasco that played out following the March 2 General and Regional Elections that year resulted in LGE being deferred.

It was only in December last that the Commission finally completed the appointment of a new Chief Elections Officer in the person of Vishnu Persaud. Then, only last month, GECOM appointed Beverley Critchlow as the Assistant Chief Elections Officer (ACEO).

Nevertheless, over the past months, the Elections Commission has been in preparatory mode for the holding of the local polls. More than $750 million has been set aside in Budget 2022 for the preparations to be undertaken by GECOM for the hosting of LGE this year.This money is part of an overall $4.1 billion allocation to GECOM in Budget 2022 and was examined and approved by the National Assembly during its consideration of the 2022 Budget Estimates.

Included in the $783 million for LGE is a more than $300 million increase in “other goods and services purchased”, which jumped from $250.8 million in 2021 to $575.9 million in the 2022 budget.

GECOM only recently concluded its Claims and Objections exercise, which captured more than 3000 new applicants who will be eligible to vote as of October 31, 2022, as well as a total of 18 objections to names on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE). Additionally, there were more than 1800 requests for transfers.

At the last LGE held in November 2018, the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Opposition had secured 52 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs). This followed the holding of the LGE in 2016, in which the PPP/C also claimed the majority of the LAAs.

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the now main Opposition political party, meanwhile remains tight-lipped on its participation in the next LGE and its minority coalition partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC), is yet to communicate whether or not it would be contesting the polls together.

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Police ranks in Georgetown on Saturday conducted a raid exercise at the Stabroek Market square during which they confiscated a quantity of firecrackers from several vendors.

The exercise, which occurred between 12:30hrs and 14:00hrs, was carried out by two Assistant Superintendents, a Detective Corporal and a party of police ranks.

During the raid, several stands were searched for firecrackers and other illegal explosive devices.

This led to the following persons being arrested and the firecrackers found in their possession seized:

1. Alisha Adams, a 31-year-old vendor of Meadowbrook Garden, Georgetown.2. Kishawna David, a 30-year-old vendor of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.3. Shondell Alexander, a 26-year-old vendor of Leopold Street, Werk-en- Rust, Georgetown.

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