Showing posts with label Enmore martyrs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Enmore martyrs. Show all posts

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Stories of the dark - Safdar Ali


As all eyes were on Shadfar Ali, the REO now infamously known for being wanted by the Police.

One B. Johnson and Nanda Kisson were busy writing President Bharat Jagdeo and the Dr. Roger Luncheon about other characters, Sewchand, the Permanent Secretary in the Local Government ministry and Ashford Ambedkar the Deputy REO. As long back as 2008 Johnson wrote President Jagdeo asking him for an investigation into Sewchand.
This Johnson said that he is a staff member of the Local Government Ministry.

In a letter dated 27th May, 2008 Johnson said that it looks like all the contacts recommended by the Sewchand are awarded by the National Tender Board.
He told the President in this letter that a contractor from region 5, one ERROL LALL tendered in the later 2007 for Purain #2 Bridge at Blairmont, but Lall was not the lowest bidder. Johnson said that Lall won the $17 million contract because he was recommended by SEWCHAND.

Johnson went on to say that LALL won the award for the Lusignan Nursery School. Lall again was not the biggest bidder.

Johnson added in that letter to the President that SEWCHAND continues to make several recommendations for contracts to be given out. He listed the purchase of a Low bed for Region 6 and the construction of the Region four RDC office.

Johnson alleges that Sewchand continues to collect quotations and send to the Regional offices and tells them who to buy from.

All this information is in writing to President Jagdeo and yet not one investigation!

In another letter, Nanda Kisson of Nanda Parlour Grocery in Enmore wrote Dr. Roger Luncheon displaying what she described as frustration with the attitude of Deputy Region Four Executive Officer, Ashford Ambedkar.

Kisson said that she was a supplier for the region in 2009 but every time she received her payments he would have to give Ambedkar with 5% of the payment!

Kisson said that one Saturday morning Ambedkar called her and told her that his telephone and electricity would be disconnected is the bills are not paid. Kisson said that

Ambedkar threatened that if the bills were not paid he, Kisson would not receive payments due to her.

Kisson in the letter to Dr. Luncheon said that she borrowed money from her sister and paid the bills.

Kisson in that same letter said that on Christmas Eve day. Ambedkar called her and told her that ‘things brown for the holiday and if nothing na dey’.
Kisson said that she hired a taxi and sent Ambedkar $25000. Kisson told Dr. Luncheon that Ambedkar also requested $35000 in beverages.

The Single parent of Two told Dr. Luncheon that she would be willing to testify if necessary. That letter was copied to the Auditor General, the Local government Ministry and the Public Service Ministry.

To date…

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Enmore martyrs day - has anything changed?

As usual Jagdeo uses his presidential powers to savagely lash out at anyone who is critical to his rulership or to any who may provide analyses that Jagdeo's leadership (or lack of) is inimical to Guyana’s development. Some time ago he lashed out at the president of the Private Sector Commission (not the current soup drinker). Then a list that includes Yesu Persaud.

More recently he lashed out at Gillian Burton’s suggestion that workers may not be better off today than they were in the past. While Burton’s analysis may have been flawed in its presentation, it does offer some food for thought. Let us answer some questions:

1948: What were the levels of development of Barbados, Trinidad, St Lucia, Suriname, Brazil and ALL other countries in the Caribbean?

1992: what were wages levels comparative to the basket of goods? What could a worker purchase with this wage? Income tax rate? No VAT! Exchange rate was G$190/US$1.

2009: What are the wage levels now comparative to the basket of goods? What can a worker now purchase with this wage? Income tax rate? VAT 16%! Exchange rate is G$206.50/US$1

In 1948 to 1964 saw PPP governance…1992 to 2009 PPP Governance. What is the foreign debt of Guyana in 2009 compared to debt in 1992?

What were Government expenditures then to now?

What was the Presidential travel bill then to now?

Are we really better off?