" I first wanted to be a doctor. Didn't want to be merely a specialist and craftsman and cure individual aches and ills. I wanted to cure the ills of society. I want to know that I have served humanity as a human being. All of us want recognition - I am not interested in recognition conferred on the basis of my bankroll. When I would have passed away, I would like it to be recorded that Jagan did his bit in the service of humanity." 1964

A few may thing that it will not be any more, ASJ, and there are others who believe that the PPP/C will again win the next election.

The PPP is definitely out. I agree 40% at the polls is very generous.

Did George Orwell envisioned the PPP leadership and its members when he penned  his porcine Animal Farm Characters? It's too close to be a circumstance of coincidence.

Auditors are major players in Tax evasion – GRA Commissioner

  By Kiana Wilburg Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram and economist Dr. Clive Thomas are of the belief that tax evasion, even in the face of the “shamefaced” attempts by the government to reform the Tax system, is now, more rampant than ever. However, the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr. Khurshid Sattaur, asserted that root of the illegal practice is the executives of major companies who are allowed to live extravagant lifestyles due to the aiding and abetting that takes place between them and their auditors.

Khurshid Sattaur, Commissioner General of GRA

Tax evasion is the method of illegally avoiding taxes one owes and on an aggregate basis, hampers governmental efficiency. While taxation is considered a major tool of economic management, Ram said that

“in Guyana,

there is one law for the rich,

the powerful and the connected

and another for the poor,

the voiceless and the helpless.

The immorality of Guyana is that

one set of people pays the tax

while another spends it.”

Dr. Thomas who also spoke on the issue, said, “Today, the tax system is fractured and, far too costly, burdensome, and inefficient.” Furthermore, the government on its competitiveness website: competitiveness.org.gy stated that since the early 1990s, Guyana’s Tax system has undergone a series of reforms aimed at stimulating investment. In 2000, the government established the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to lead the implementation of the accelerated programme. Several of the most important reforms are in the pipeline. They include, the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Excise Tax. Even in the face of the aforementioned, Ram contended that tax reform in our case has first to deal with tax evasion and administration. Ram said, “This government has been paying lip service to tax reform ever since it came to power. Unless it thinks that imposing VAT on top of high personal tax rates is tax reform, it has done nothing and tax evasion is now worse than it has ever been. “VAT has brought in immoral windfalls, reducing the incentive for reform which the Government has delegated to the National Competitiveness Strategy. So far, that body which is chaired by the President has shown no intention, appetite or capacity to deal with it. “And the GRA is either overwhelmed by the level and scale of tax evasion or is not utilizing the tools and deploying the resources at its disposal to deal with the crisis.” The accountant added, “While laws exist for dealing with tax evasion, resources available to the revenue authority are clearly inadequate to deal with the apparent scale of this practice.”

Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram

He added, “The administrative capability to deal with this crisis must be enhanced by better staffing, training and salaries.” However, contesting these statements was GRA Commissioner General, Khurshid Sattaur.  “While Mr. Ram seems to be suggesting that the GRA has a resource problem, it is regrettable that he does not recognize the tremendous changes that have occurred.” “These include major reforms in the information technology infrastructure, creation of a semi autonomous agency that is outside of the public service, significant reforms in operational procedures that resulted in over 400 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in use and the reform of the actual organizational structure from being a tax type to a functional organization.” He added that Professor Thomas is not aware of the vast improvements that have occurred over the past 13 years in revenue collection. Sattaur said, “Even though I accept that there is room for improvement, it should be noted that ten years ago, the aggregate collection was a mere $50 billion. At the same rate of exchange, it is expected to be in excess of $125 billion by the end of the year and this is achieved despite abolishing six taxes and introducing VAT to replace these inefficient taxes. “In addition, the threshold today is $600,000 per annum compared to probably thirty-three per cent of that years ago and reduction of rates as well. Even companies now pay as low as 30 percent, which is the same rate that individuals pay.” The Commissioner General reiterated his disagreement with the belief purported by the duo that tax evasion is on the increase as GRA has seen a massive increase in the amount of revenues collected. Moreover, Ram on his website (http://www.chrisram.net.) called for more relevant information to be disclosed in public documents. “Principal among these would be the annual report of the Guyana Revenue Authority which the Minister of Finance has failed to table in the National Assembly for some time now. Let us see how much the construction sector, the bauxite sector, the forestry sector, the agriculture sector including rice, sugar and other crops sectors contribute to the national coffers, and how much remissions, rebates and holidays they receive which may amount to billions each year. “We should be able to see how much each region contributes and compare this with their receipts from the central government,” the accountant said. However, Sattaur in response to this said, “There seems to be an agenda to bring down the agency and the government at all cost. GRA is audited by the Auditor General and the findings are laid before the Public Accounts Committee every year.” “If we have to get to the heart of tax evasion, then one would have to investigate the lifestyles of some of these major company executives who are allowed to pander to their luxurious and insatiable appetites from the high level of aiding and abetting that takes place with their auditors. One should ask Mr. Ram. He will enlighten you. That’s why the accounting profession which has a major role to play is silent as they are the main contributors.”

Dem Boys Seh…All dem smart man hiding under Donald shur-jak

The Heist of Guyana got a lot of heads spinning. De taxpayers now understand the scampishness and lawlessness dat was tekkin place right under they nose. People start asking serious questions and all dem smart man who plan de scampishness start panicking. Some ah dem start losing weight like if dem got bad sick. Dem boys see one man walking down de road and dem see he two back pocket kissing. Dem nearly didn’t recognize he and Doctor Leslie. When dem ask he wha happen he start fuh cry. But he tell dem boys that dem got people who deh more bad than he although it ain’t showing. And is true. Brazzy shedding weight like if he stop eating. And that is a man who like to eat. De Rat, de Bees and all de rest of dem kavakamites didn’t expect that all dem schemes woulda come out in de open in this manner. De skin up was so simple that it create an explosion in the people’s minds and expose the true colours of those in charge of all of de country money. When they were preparing their schemes, they were dazzling the nation with mixed-up language. Every day was something new and different. Ask Brazzy, Ashni, Irfaat and Rob de Earth. Dem boys know that when thief man come fuh kick down yuh door, rob or shoot yuh, dem never think for one moment that dem could get ketch. But de old people always seh “Every day bucket go ah well, one day ee bamzee must drop out” De Rat, Bobby along wid de forty chores wha hiding under Donald shur-jak, feel when dem bamzee get expose to de cool breeze. In jail it gun be exposed to dem newfound friends, some of who ain’t see anything fresh fuh a lang time. Talk half and watch how dem getting dizzy.

November 10, 2013 7:14 PM

Breaking News: November 12, 2013: NY Judge rules in Kaieteur News favor in a libel case brought by New GPC (Bobby Ramroop).

Ramroop admits to having items recorded as already delivered to GPHC

Bharrat Jagdeo’s best friend Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’Ramroop, who owns New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC), has lashed out at the Auditor General of Guyana over the discrepancies raised in his 2012 reports. Ramroop yesterday accused the Audit Office of “sloppy fieldwork by junior officials in the Office of the Auditor General.” But the Auditor General found among other things that there were several million dollars worth of drugs still to be supplied by Ramroop. These drugs were part of the more than US$15M worth of drug contracts Ramroop received from the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop

Ramroop admitted this and called on the Ministry of Health and GPHC, “to remove its goods from the corporation warehouses as soon as possible.” In seeking to explain the non supply of the drugs, Ramroop has also conceded that the New GPC is still currently storing a very large volume of items for the Ministry and GPHC which New GPC recorded as delivered. Ramroop said that Contracts, particularly the larger orders, sometimes overlap from a consumption point of view into the following financial year. Hence, it is not unusual that some items are not collected by the Ministry at the end of the fiscal year. However, it is unusual that these items would be recorded by New GPC as delivered. He said that national budgets are approved some time between March and July and hence the quantities being ordered sometimes cater for this overlap. But for more than a decade the budget has been presented in February. Ramroop said that the Ministry receives goods based on their own pre-determined consumption pattern and that means deliveries are staggered throughout the year. Ramroop also claims that contracts are signed at different times during the year, and so for those signed in the later months, deliveries are actually intended to roll over into the following year. On the matter of bank guarantees raised by the Auditor General, Ramroop claims that they are not meant to be valid for the original sum throughout the life of the contract. “As deliveries are made, the risk is obviously decreasing and hence a bank guarantee can be, and is, often renewed for a lesser amount.” In attempting to discredit the Auditor General, Ramroop said that the report appears to have been compiled on the basis of simplistic interactions with junior and non-technical personnel within the Ministry and GPHC administrations and does not take full cognisance of the nature of the supply chain process for pharmaceuticals and related products and the environment in which we operate. Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, made the report public this past week and it has revealed that Ramroop’s New GPC received in excess of $3B to supply drugs to the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Another $1B was spread across more than a dozen local and international companies.

Auditor General Deodat Sharma

Ramroop received the largest chunk of the drugs purchased by Government last year and according to the Auditor General, this was done based on the fact that he was pre-qualified since 2010. This means that in 2010, Ramroop’s New GPC would have been selected to supply drugs to Government without having to go to public tender until that prequalification status expires. Between the Ministry of Health and GPHC, the government spent just over $4B in drug purchases last year.

AFC councillor details widespread corruption within party

WEDNESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2013 15:38 ADMINISTRATOR

Canadian Govt. sees need to fight

corruption in Guyana

The Canadian Government hopes for a reduction in the levels of corruption in Guyana and is looking for a more active public debate on issues of corruption resulting from increased awareness.

Nicole Giles, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana

The Canadian Government feels that there is a broad consensus in Guyana on the need to fight corruption.
This is according to Nicole Giles, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, who said, “One of the best ways to fight corruption is to shed light upon it…by shedding light on the issue of corruption, and the role that everyone can play in fighting it”.
High Commissioner Giles was at the time responding to queries of the High Commission’s involvement with Transparency International Guyana Inc (TIGI) in the erection of two billboards advising “You can Stop Corruption”.
One of the billboards is installed at the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the other at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) on Camp Road.
She said that the Canadian Government is hoping to encourage a more proactive attitude as well as a sense of civic responsibility. “The message ‘You can stop Corruption’ reminds people that their actions have an impact on the rest of society and, hopefully, serves as a reminder that corruption is neither inevitable nor insurmountable”, she said.
According to the High Commissioner, this initiative was funded by Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides resources to support local needs and interests.  The CFLI is intended to address a broad range of issues, including the advancement of democratic principles, she added.
Giles said that CFLI projects are made by the Canadian High Commission or Embassy in each country where Canada is making funds available.
The Canadian Government supports Transparency International, which is active in over 100 countries and is the parent body of TIGI. Transparency International works to increase awareness and reduce corruption, to improve standards of governance, and to strengthen transparency.
“Transparency International and its affiliates work to improve public awareness and pressure for action through publications and media and public affairs campaigns, including through billboards campaigns such as the current campaign in Guyana,” she said.
President of TIGI, Anand Goolsarran, recently said that with the Guyana Government showing no tangible evidence of wanting to fight corruption, Guyana is likely to be rated very low once again on the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
He suspects that Guyana would not improve from its current rating of second from bottom in the Western Hemisphere or Americas. And, if Guyana makes any improvements it would be marginal because the country continues to lack anti-corruption mechanisms such as the Public Procurement Commission, the Integrity Commission, and an Ombudsman.
According to the High Commissioner, “The World Economic forum reports that corruption is widely recognized as a major obstacle to the stability, growth and competitiveness of economies. As such, the fight against corruption is strategically crucial for the success of businesses and promoting prosperity. The Government of Canada supports these findings”.
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, though it did not list corruption as one of the 20 barriers to competitiveness in Guyana, highlighted the need for the urgent establishment of the Public Procurement Commission, which the TIGI and Opposition Parties have been calling for.
According to Giles, in June, at the G8 Summit, Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, emphasized that “Corruption is wrong. It starves the poor, it poisons the system, it saps the faith of people in progress. it wrecks the case for aid. When we see it we should condemn it utterly.”
She noted that Canada is proud of its role as a global partner in fighting corruption both at home and abroad.
Giles stressed, “Corruption is a threat to everyone’s well being – from the people who participate in it, to the people who see it happening around them.  The perception of corruption puts a strain on public confidence and breeds cynicism and civic discontent. No society can afford not to safeguard against the threat of corruption.”
According to Giles, transparency and the fight against corruption are pertinent to economic growth for all countries. “A transparent and open business environment enables open economies and open societies. This environment in turn promotes security and stability both of which are critical components in encouraging investment,” she said.

The Canadian Government needs to understand that the PPP/C Govt is the corrupted entity, how can the poor people of Guyana fight the Government, they can only not go out and vote for them comes election time. But the scared to call elections

The Canadian Govt, the United States Govt, and the British Govt needs to pressure the Guyana Govt. Corruptions are abounds all over in Guyana.

Guyana Government indifferent to

Corruption – US State Department

Government’s apparent ineffectiveness in implementing laws that provide for criminal penalties for corruption by public officials has been highlighted by the United States of America 2012 Human Rights Report.
The report, which was released over the weekend, stated that there remains widespread public perception of corruption involving officials at all levels, including the police and the judiciary.
“The World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators assessed that government corruption was a serious problem,” the report said.
The Guyana Police Force bore the brunt of the report’s assessment, which pointed to allegations of police officers being connected to the drug underworld.
In October 2011 the Guyana Police Force’s Crime Chief submitted a report to the Minister of Home Affairs regarding allegations by a senior officer that many officers had connections to drug dealers.
According to the report, the Minister considered it but has so far taken no action.
In fact, one of the officers against whom the allegations were made is still driving a BMW that reportedly belongs to an alleged drug dealer.
Meanwhile, the report zeroed in on the fact that public officials are subject to financial disclosure laws and are required to submit information about personal assets to the Integrity Commission.
However, although the Prime Minister had stated in June last year that members would soon be appointed to this Commission, it is still not up and running.
On June 14 last year, the National Assembly approved a government motion that members submit annual declarations in keeping with provisions of the Integrity Act, but compliance was uneven, and the Commission had no resources for enforcement or investigations.
The Act sets out both criminal and administrative sanctions for nondisclosure.
If a person fails to file a declaration, the fact can be published in the daily newspapers and the Official Gazette.
Failure to comply with the law can lead to a summary conviction, fines, and imprisonment for six to 12 months.
If property was not disclosed as it should have been, the Magistrate convicting the defendant will order the defendant to make a full disclosure within a set time frame.
The report said that no such publication or convictions have occurred.
When it comes to the Office of the Auditor General, the report was uncomplimentary.
The Office of the Auditor General scrutinizes the expenditure of public funds on behalf of Parliament and conducts financial audits of all publicly funded entities, including donor-funded entities, local government agencies and trade unions and reports to the National Assembly.
However, the US human rights report stated that the effectiveness of the office remained limited since the government may or may not act on the discrepancies noted in its reports.
“Observers noted that recurring discrepancies were repeatedly highlighted in the reports without officials taking appropriate follow-up actions to investigate and resolve the discrepancies,” the report highlighted.
The 2001 constitution called for the establishment of a Public Procurement Commission (PPC) to monitor public procurement and ensure that authorities conduct the procurement of goods and services in a fair, transparent, competitive and cost-effective manner.
However, the government never constituted the PPC despite public criticism of the present system’s ineffectiveness in awarding government contracts in an equitable and transparent manner.
The report stated that under pressure from opposition parties in parliament, the government promised to establish the PPC by June last year, but this has not yet materialized.
A 2011 Access to Information Act, intended to promote transparency and accountability within the government and public institutions, provided for persons to secure access to information under the control of public authorities and for the appointment of a Commissioner of Information.
Again the US human rights report highlighted that so far the government had not issued implementing regulations or appointed a Commissioner.

Guyana most corrupt country in

English-speaking Caribbean

-watchdog body calls for Procurement Commission, new Integrity Commission,

“When desperately needed development funds are stolen by corrupt individuals and institutions, poor and vulnerable people are robbed of the education, health care and other essential services.”- UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon

Four days before the world observes the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day, new rankings have placed Guyana as the most corrupt country in English-speaking Caribbean countries.
According to rankings released yesterday by watchdog corruption body, Transparency International (TI), the 2012 Annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has placed Guyana at a lowly 133 out of total of 174 countries. Guyana managed a miserly 28 points out of 100.
And in the presentation of the Transparency International findings, head of the local chapter, Attorney at Law, Gino Persaud, and Secretary Frederick Collins, both lauded Kaieteur News which has been highlighting corruption in Guyana.
The newspaper has been investigating the various contracts issued under questionable circumstances and examining the numerous projects, many of which were believed to be overpriced.

TIGI officials: From left is Vice-President, Dr. Anand Goolsarran; President, Gino Persaud and Director, Frederick Collins.

The results were released by Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI), the local contact of TI.
TI would have conducted its surveys gauging perceptions to corruption by examining relations in the public sector, the local police, Customs, procurement and doing business.
The index has become a signature tool widely used around the globe to measure the perceived levels of public sector corruption in countries and looked at keenly by investors and multilateral lending agencies.
Denmark, Finland and New Zealand tie for first place with scores of 90, helped by strong access to information systems and rules governing the behaviour of those in public positions.
Guyana tied Comoros, Honduras, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
“This ranking places us at the bottom of the English Speaking Caribbean with only Haiti below us at 165. It is noteworthy that in the Caribbean, Barbados ranks at 15 with a score of 76; both St. Lucia and Bahamas rank at 22 with a score of 71 and St. Vincent and the Grenadines rank at 36 with a score of 62,” TIG’s President, Gino Persaud said during a press conference at the offices of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Waterloo Street.
Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia once again cling to the bottom rung of the index. In these countries, the lack of accountable leadership and effective public institutions underscore the need to take a much stronger stance against corruption.
At the press conference also were former Auditor General, Dr. Anand Goolsarran, who is TIGI’s Vice President; and Director, Frederick Collins.
Persaud, a lawyer, said that the advocacy body will be writing government on the findings of the index.

Integrity Commission…
TIGI listed a number of measures that Government will have to implement to raise Guyana’s rankings. These include the appointment of competent and independent members of the Integrity Commission to scrutinize the financial disclosures of politicians and bureaucrats and with adequate staff and resources to ensure the Commission can adequately fulfill its mandate.
Persaud noted that Prime Minister Sam Hinds in June had promised to have new members of the Integrity Commission sworn within a week.
Among other things TIGI is also calling for the urgent appointment of members of the Public Procurement Commission to regulate government contracts and minimize their involvement; the implementation of modern anti-corruption legislation; implementation of whistle-blowing legislation; the enforcement of existing anti-corruption laws by investigating and prosecuting the corrupt and the strengthening of existing anti-corruption institutions such as the Guyana Police Force and the Financial Intelligence established under the money laundering legislation.
“These institutions are weak and unable to counter serious white collar crime and corrupt activities,” Persaud said in his read statement.
Guyana should also appoint an Ombudsman to address grievances from members of the public; ensure that all public monies are placed to the credit of the Consolidated Fund, and no public expenditure must be incurred without Parliamentary approval.
TIGI also called for all appointments to public offices to be advertised and made with due regard to technical competence, and not loyalty; and for the Access to Information Act passed in Parliament to be strengthened and made operational.
TIGI also called for the strengthening of civil society and for organisations such as the Guyana Bar Association, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Private Sector Commission, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and the Guyana Press Association to become more involved in combating corruption by speaking out against corruption and being proactive within its own membership on tackling corruption and by partnering with us for collective efforts.
“We call on the press corps to be more vigilant in acting as a professional, impartial and responsible watchdog body against corruption.”

Corruption exists
According to Goolsarran, most countries are doing everything possible to “get to the top of the table” of rankings. He urged, as a start, that government accept the index in good faith and do something about it.
The officials drew reference to a judge in Brazil who targeted a number of politicians close to former President Lula and who was the laughing stock of many. The politicians were brought to trial.
Asked to comment on the impact of the findings, Dr Goolsarran said that serious investors use the findings by Transparency International to determine whether they would invest in a country. Many have opted to cancel plans for investment in Guyana.
TIGI is seeking funding now to educate Guyanese and will seek to meet with government and Members of the Parliament to discuss the issue which ultimately affects the way Guyana is perceived.
The TIGI officials refused to be drawn into answering questions whether President Donald Ramotar had done enough to tackle corruption in Guyana.
According to Collins, newspaper reporters and even the Auditor General’s annual report have been indicators of the situation of corruption in Guyana.
TIGI also disclosed that it has been asked by the Minister of Natural Resources to work with his Ministry on mining, an area which has been besotted with issues of corruption and lawlessness in recent years.
According to TIGI, the index demonstrates that corruption continues to ravage societies around the globe. Two-thirds of the 176 countries ranked in the 2012 index score below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean), showing that public institutions need to be more transparent, and powerful officials held more accountable.
According to Huguette Labelle, the Chair of Transparency International, “Governments need to integrate anti-corruption actions into all public decision-making. Priorities include better rules on lobbying and political financing, making public spending and contracting more transparent and making public bodies more accountable to people. After a year of focus on corruption, we expect governments to take a tougher stance against the abuse of power.”
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon has said that corruption afflicts all countries, undermining social progress and breeding inequality and injustice.
“When desperately needed development funds are stolen by corrupt individuals and institutions, poor and vulnerable people are robbed of the education, health care and other essential services. All of us have a responsibility to take action against the cancer of corruption.”
The private sector, too, stands to gain enormously from effective action, he said. “Corruption distorts markets, increases costs for companies and ultimately punishes consumers.”
According to the BBC, corruption was the world’s most talked about issue in 2010 and 2011.

AFC councillor details widespread corruption within party

WEDNESDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2013 15:38 ADMINISTRATOR

Drugs purchase Libel case…US judge

tells New GPC …‘Kaieteur News never

libeled you’

-    Publications were in public interest, not mere gossip

In a huge slap to New GPC in its libel cases filed against Kaieteur News Inc. (Publishers of Kaieteur News’ New York Edition), a Supreme Court Judge in Manhattan, New York, Justice Joan Kenney, ruled that the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC) never established that it was libeled.

Corruption, Lack of Transparency in

Guyana Government-US Report

If Guyanese expect foreigners to do what they refuse to/are afraid to do, then this problem will continue.

Why do we think that foreign govts, which have their own problems, will focus on Guyana?  Think of Obama and his Obamacare problems, the crack head mayor of Toronto, and the numerous problems in the UK, which has had at least two, and maybe more recessions within in the last 5 years.

Govt. inks MoU with ‘Ghost Company’ for US$30M plant

…Owner says company cannot be found, because it do not put ads on internet

By Latoya Giles

The Company, with which Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to set up a US$30 Million recycling plant here, could not be found on any Canadian business registration listings.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon announced the MoU, last week and said that it was a Canadian Company. That Company was later identified as Natural Globe Inc headed by Mohamed Osman.

When Kaieteur News contacted Osman yesterday seeking clarifications about his company and the fact it could not be found registered in Canada, he claimed that it is in fact registered in Guyana.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Collin Croal (right) handing over the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Natural Globe Incorporated’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Osman.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud, also claimed when contacted that the company is Guyanese with a Canadian owner.

Osman, by telephone, told Kaieteur News that his company, Natural Globe Inc, was registered in Guyana five years ago. According to Osman, Natural Globe Inc has a Canadian parent company that has several branches. He was however unable to give this publication a name for this company, only to say that it operates in Ontario, Canada.

Osman said that ‘Mogford Llc’ is one of the branches under that Canadian parent company. It is the one that is working in collaboration with Natural Globe Inc. However a search online also failed to unearth any record of this company, Mogford.

When asked about the fact that none of the companies he mentioned can be found on the internet, Osman then said that they do not do any “internet ads.’ He said that this was because his company “uses innovative techniques which persons could steal.”

Osman in the same breath however, agreed that the “internet” was a great business market place.

When asked about any other countries in which he has operations, Osman said pointed to the Caribbean but declined to name any specific country.

“I have personnel people working there but I can’t mention too much because I don’t want it blown away,” Osman said.

Meanwhile Local Government Minister, Persaud, told Kaieteur News that he could not say for sure whether Dr Luncheon made a mistake by saying the company was Canadian.

According to the Minister, he does not know if the company is registered in Canada, but he knows that it has a Guyanese registration.

Persaud said that the company is being run by a Canada-based Guyanese.

Questioned about whether any investigation was undertaken by the Ministry into the background of and ability of the Company to undertake what it has promised, Persaud responded that government is “satisfied” with all the information which was submitted by the company.

“We just needed a recycling plant which is in keeping with the needs we outlined,” the Minister said. The Minister said that he does not know about the technical capabilities of the company, or about its business in Canada.

Ghost Company Panther Corporation is another Canadian company that had submitted an offer to build a recycling plant but was turned down by Government. This company is headed by Michael Mosgrove who had offered to pursue a US$26M recycling centre locally, complete with curbside pick-up for less than the garbage collection costs today.

Panther Corporation had also offered the government a Bio diesel section to the facility, but was asked not to include that. “I’m very disappointed in how the government has concluded to go with a company that has no proven track record or experience….It’s like you’re giving it to a ghost,” said Mosgrove.

Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday, Mosgrove said that he has read what was reported about the company which signed the MoU and “nothing makes sense.”

According to Mosgrove, it is clear that based on what Mohammed Osman said, “he has no knowledge or experience in recycling.” Mosgrove said, “He (Osman) speaks about a US$30M plant in Guyana that is expected to service  Georgetown, East Coast Demerara and the East Bank Demerara. That plant would probably serve around 250,000 persons which is  nowhere close to being a national provider,” Mosgrove explained.

He said that for any company to invest $30M to service such a small market, “something is definitely wrong.”

Mosgrove also noted that Osman did not indicate any information about the type of systems he would be using. “He (Osman) said he would be making byproducts, but still does not indicate what these byproducts are.”

Mosgrove said another thing that baffled him was the fact that Osman’s company has only ever built a prototype and not a commercial establishment.

“Everything which was said by Osman does not hold merit…it’s more idiotic, but it is unclear why the Ministry did not pick up on this,” Mosgrove opined.

Last year Mosgrove’s Canadian-based recycling company embarked on a project in Jamaica to build the first solar-powered recycling centre representing a multi-billion-dollar investment and the prospect of thousands of jobs being created. The company invested US$26M to construct and outfit a 30,000 square foot modular facility in Retirement, St James. With the approval of the St. James Parish council and the Mayor of Montego Bay, Panther signed an MOU with the Parish. Over the last several months Panther worked with all the parishes to establish a National Recycling Programme. Although it was taking time, there has been great progress with each and every parish.