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So I forming a cutlish brigade wid all dem Internet bad man. Who rolling up to the front line wid me. We gon dig some good chap pon Maduro.
Corruption scandals
We seem to lurch from one corruption scandal to the next without any of them being resolved. In more recent times there were the allegations involving Mr Su which ate up column inches for a few weeks but produced no outcome. This was despite the fact that there were calls from all sides (bar the government) for some form of international investigation, but the powers that be, it appears, were prepared to wait the matter out until it faded back into the twilight. The most that emerged was a statement from President Irfaan Ali that the government would be going after investors who utilised âmiddlemenâ in relation to their businesses.
Middlemen, of course, were not the essence of the issue, but the head of state showed no inclination even for limited action in the affair, such as the mounting of an investigation into the plethora of Mr Suâs investments, which included large-scale logging operations, quarrying, construction, a bulk fuel facility, and mining permits covering 40,000 acres. It should be added that he was also one of twelve investors who had signed MOUs to build hotels.
Of course a limited exercise involving Mr Suâs various holdings would have inevitably led on to the larger questions involving contracts with various Chinese companies in which Mr Su had implicated Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, an allegation which he has strongly denied and in connection with which he has sued for libel. But the authorities in any case seem to have thought they could afford to wait this one out, firstly because the allegations derived from a foreign media entity, and secondly because the companies involved were all Chinese, who one way or the other were unlikely to have made relevant personnel available to any inquiry.
Mr Su and his business dealings had barely disappeared from the news pages when another shady case rolled around. This one was different in character because the source was very much local and the allegations centred on the Guyana Police Force in addition to a Guyanese company. The matter had connections to an even earlier corruption case involving Mr Roger Khan, who was convicted of drug offences not here, but in the United States. True to form, the local aspects of that case were never pursued.
So now we have policeman, Sergeant Dion Bascom, who has alleged a cover-up on the part of the police in relation to the gunning down of Ricardo Fagundes, an associate of Mr Khan which occurred only a stoneâs throw away from State House. The latter subsequently maintained that he was the real target. Mr Bascom claimed a senior officer received $30 million to ensure the case was not pursued, and also named a security guard who worked for a city businessman as being the prime suspect in the murder. Following that Superintendent Mitchell Caesar, who is Deputy Head of the Guyana Police Forceâs Major Crimes Unit, and a businessman Azruddin Mohamed as well as one of his employees, Mark Richmond, demanded through their lawyers that Mr Bascom retract the allegations and apologise publicly or face lawsuits. The police sergeant has stood by his claims.
The issue is whether this case too will be waited out, as seems to be customary, or whether some kind of action will be taken. Mr Mohamed on his side has alleged that Mr Bascomâs story has its origins in the fact that the policeman set up a security service for one of his competitors in the gold industry, as a consequence of which he is very close to that businessman. For their part the police were their usual dismissive selves, acting Commissioner Clifton Hicken referring the media to an investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Whatever else it may be, the OPR is not an impartial body, controlled as it is by the police themselves. In addition to that, however, the Commissioner produced a masterpiece of obfuscation when describing what it was investigating. He said: âSergeant Bascomâs public statements â made while serving as an active member of the Guyana Police Force â is in breach of the Code of Conduct of the Police Force. I have, as a result, ordered an immediate investigation of this matter by the Office of Professional Responsibility. The OPR has submitted the findings of their investigation along with their recommendations which is now before the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal adviceâ.
So is the OPR referring to the Sergeantâs substantive allegations, or a violation of the Code of Conduct? And considering the seriousness of those allegations which any self-respecting police force would want investigated in order to clear itself, why is he conveying the impression that he is more concerned about a breach of the forceâs omerta rules, so to speak, than he is about alleged corruption in his force?
The Commissioner also painted Mr Bascom as compromised, and disparaged what he had to say, an approach which was echoed by Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn: âIt is not without significance that Sergeant Bascom found himself personally compromised during an exercise carried out by the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit and that his public statement immediately followed this matter,â was his view.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum did not deviate from the official approach, although he added one interesting detail that the public was not aware of before. He told a press conference that the GPF had received assistance from an international law enforcement agency in the Fagundes murder probe. âSeveral foreign experts visited the CID headquarters âĶ during the initial stage of the probe and provided valuable assistance to our investigators.â So was that assistance insufficient for the police to bring charges, the public would like to know? And if it was valuable, why were the police unable to follow up on it?
Mr Bascom is inevitably concerned about his safety, and has asked President Ali for witness protection. There has been no definitive answer in that regard yet, but clearly the police force has no concerns about the need to keep him out of danger, because as we reported yesterday he has been told by the GPF to report âimmediatelyâ for duty. The senior echelons of the force are not doing their reputations any good, and given the calls from various quarters in the society for him to be given protection, exposing him by sending him back to work will raise more questions about the police than it answers. Up until this point he was on sick leave.
Their attitude is even more strange given what was said at Vice President Jagdeoâs press conference on Friday, which seemed to suggest a change of direction on the part of the political establishment. He told the media that President Ali had âmade it clear that he has given direction to the police force to have a full and complete investigation, with external support.â He went on to say that he did not know whether Mr Bascom was credible or not, but he had made allegations and these would have to be looked into.
As General Secretary of the PPP, Mr Jagdeo said the party stood with the decisions of the President, and would ânot have its reputation sullied by any individualâ. The ruling party would not condone illegalities by anyone, he insisted.
But that was not all. He also made reference to something which came out first in Commissioner Hickenâs comments, and that was moonlighting on the part of members of the force whereby they provided paid security services on a private basis to businessmen. This apparently is perfectly legal. This raised memories in the public mind of what was once known as the Black Clothes police, a singularly corrupt and violent segment of the force some members of whom gave evidence as witnesses in a US court about their activities during the trial of an American citizen.
âThis practice will have to change,â said Mr Jagdeo. He said that police officers would help escort large amounts of gold, and after the gold is bought the police would be paid. It was a practice, he explained, which had been going on for many years. âWe have to find another safe way of doing this because when this happens, there is a cosiness that develops between elements in the police and these people âĶâ He is certainly not wrong about that, although it might be added that in the past political elements have also had a âcosinessâ with some sections of the force.
The Vice President had nothing to say about witness protection for Mr Bascom, but the President is out of the country, and Mr Jagdeo did say he would make a statement on his return. Perhaps he will address the question then.
If there seem to be indications that this latest corruption matter might be investigated in a real sense, as opposed to the case of Mr Su and the Chinese, it can only be remarked that this time it primarily concerns the GPF. However, as was said in our editorial last Monday, âThe abject policing and runaway corruption that Guyanese have had to put up with for decades persists because there is a continuing unwillingness to professionalise the police force.â It remains to be seen, therefore, whether the Bascom allegations will mark the beginning of a reformed government approach to the matter of policing, or whether it is just a one-off investigation which in and of itself will change nothing. If the latter, we might not have to wait too long before the next corruption scandal materialises.
Hellooooo there!
whtâs cooking today??
place getting cold
Krismus is just around d karna
anybody start planning??
Well i going to cook sone pumpkin, seim n chowmein today
yesterday was bora n aloo curry n fry baigan with chkn
tomoro will do some gilbakka curry as my big daata coming to visit
btw
my niece took me to a WI grocery store in brampton..i think Jas is the name n nearly faint away..i ordered a smal cut of FROZEN gilbaka as my sis was visiting from Cayman Islands âĶ
i got 7 pieces like 3 âx 2 â n i was shocked whn the cashier said $27
ie like $4 a piece..lol
is wha going on??
I dont buy often as hubby n li gal dont eat it..
just me n d big gal pickney ..
so i dont buy it often. Alos itis my hubby who shops, so i have no idea of the price..
If you were asked to use one word to describe the Christian life, which one would you choose? Many of us would pick faith because believing in Jesus is the foundation of Christianity. But did you know that the believerâs life should also be characterized by good works? While we arenât saved by anything good weâve done, genuine salvation always results in a changed life, complete with new thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. Every Christian should be a living, walking example of good deeds.
When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he commended them for their âwork of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christâ (1 Thess. 1:3). Everything we do should be motivated by faith, hope, and love, which are rooted in our relationship with Christ.
So now the question is, What qualifies as good work in the Christian life? Scripture is filled with examples: caring for others, meeting needs, giving our time and treasure, and engaging in activities like worship, prayer, and Bible reading. These are the activities that should characterize us as Godâs children and Christâs representatives in this world.
As we consider the topic of good works, we must remember four important truths. Otherwise we may assume that we are the ones who define whatâs good, what needs to be done, and how it should be accomplished.
First of all, God determines what He wants each of us to do. According to Ephesians 2:10, âWe are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.â Since we belong to Christ, who purchased us with His blood, He has full authority over our life. There are specific tasks we are appointed to accomplish as we walk according to His will. If we think believing in Christ means attending church on Sundays but living as we please all week long, weâre wasting our life. Christians are the people through whom the Holy Spirit is carrying out the work of Christ here on earth. He redeemed us from sin and purified us for Himself so we could be people zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:14).
Second, God equips us for whatever He calls us to do. He âis able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within usâ (Eph. 3:20). In every opportunity God gives and every act of service He calls us to perform, He has already provided whatever we need to accomplish the task before us.
Just consider the many resources the Lord uses to empower us for good works. His indwelling Spirit gives us direction and strength to obey, as well as spiritual gifts that enable us to serve Him. He uses the Scripture to teach, reprove, correct, and train us in righteousness so weâll be adequately equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). And He uses our brothers and sisters in Christ to motivate us toward love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). Even our wealth becomes a tool in His hands when we use it as He desiresââto do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to shareâ (1 Tim. 6:18).
Third, our good works are to glorify God, and not ourselves. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called His followers âthe light of the worldâ and said they were to let their light shine so others would see their good works and glorify the Father (Matt. 5:14-16). But just one chapter later, He warned them: âBeware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by themâ (6:1).
The difference is motivation. Although we should never seek the approval and praise of other people for what we do, our life should stand out and be characterized by good deeds in the midst of a dark, self-centered world. If commendations come our way, we need to remember that apart from Christ, we are nothing. Then we can simply pass the praise on to Him in a silent prayer of recognition and gratitude.
Fourth, God will one day judge our good works. What we do in this life will have a tremendous impact on our eternity. As believers, we will be called before the judgment seat of Christ to account for our deeds (2 Cor. 5:10). Some of our works will be worthless and burned up like wood, hay, and straw in the judgment. But we will be rewarded for the good works done in obedience to God, according to His power, and for His glory (1 Cor. 3:10-15).
Although we donât know exactly what these rewards will be, one thing is certain: They will signify a life of good deeds that glorified and pleased God. Nothing could be more valuable than receiving praise from our beloved Savior. So letâs each spend our life living for Him.
When it comes to good works, remember that these are not just religious activities. Christ takes into account whatever we do that flows from obedience to Himâat home, work, school, church, and beyond. Also, we must resist the temptation to compare our works with the achievements of others. Weâre responsible only for the tasks God has prepared specifically for us.
We speak with Guyanese environmental lawyer Melinda Janki about how sheâs taking on the oil giant ExxonMobil to stop the company from developing an offshore oil field that would turn Guyana into a âcarbon bomb.â Guyana is currently a carbon sink, but Exxon plans to produce more than 1 million barrels of oil a day, which could transform the South American country into one of the worldâs top oil producers by 2030. Janki is suing the Guyanese government and Exxon under the constitutionâs guarantee of a healthy environment to both current and future citizens. Her legal battle is profiled in a new article in Wired, âThe Quest to Defuse Guyanaâs Carbon Bomb,â written by independent journalist Antonia Juhasz, who also joins us. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at https://democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET.
Eheh!!
i now noticed that there is a âSENIORâ member beside LYNN
likei get promoted n i had no clueâĶ
but is who seh me iz a senior?? Lol
soon ayuh guh say im âelderly!!
hehehe
well..
Django âĶthnx for the recognition!!
CHEERS!!
lol
Wow..
December is here..wow, I cannot believe the new yr is a month away
WellâĶHappy December to my GNI family/friends
Baking my black cake this weekend..
I have to set my ginger beer n go shopping for my pepperpot meat!!
I never cooked pork (the fam eats it but I dont) but I was thinking for treating fam with some roast pork..
any recipe tips?? Cain!!!
ps
last yr i tried the ham n it was very good)iused online/youtube recipes)
but it was too much for a family of 3 so hubby said not to do it again
i like to try a new recipe every Xmas ..
any suggestions??
I had a memory of ole days when we held GNI parties on Fridays, we all attended from sun up to wayyyy past sundown. We even left our clothing at the door..boy oh boy those were some happening times.
Amral
BM, Someone is asking abt the Guyanese directory that was on this site
is it still there?
if so why is the link??
thanks
Is the Swamp closing done? Maybe it needs someone more competent to run it.
Anybody ever looked at BIG BOSS..Salman Khanâs show?
last nite he was celebrating abt World Cup ssaying they won all 10 games so far n they r certain of a win in the finals..
well..a shocker!! Aussies beat them!! Wonder wht he will say tonite on the show.
Lol
The Israelites have been stealing the Palestinian's lands for the past 3000 years. It started when Moses led the Jews out of Egypt. Since then The Jews have formed terrorist organizations and what they did to the Palestinians is history.
Adharam Madhuram in praise of the almighty. A Krishna bhajan, listening to this rendition will brighten up your day.
Relax your mind.
Song: Mujhe Kitna Pyar Hai Tumse Album: Dil Tera Deewana (1962)
Artist: Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi
Music Director: Shankar-Jaikishan
Lyricist: Shailendra
Film Star: Shammi Kapoor, Mala Sinha, Mehmood, Shubha Khote, Pran
Congrats to Miss Nicaragua
Miss Universe 2023..1st time ever
WowâĶlil ova a month for xmas !!
the girls r coming on Sat to put up tree
my head is dizzyâĶit seems that just a few months agi, I had to dismantle the tree n put away the decorations
who ready for the holidays?
This morning I was onmy way to the hospital n my hubby had 98.7 radio ..they were playing Christmas songs!!! What a lovely sound to listen to at 630 am..
iT tek me back to Guyana days..
ps
Cain , yuh baking black cake??
i have left over soaked fruits from last year, enough to make a small one
I will bake it this weekend n leave to soak for a month
once tree is up , I have to delve inmy gift boxes n start wrapping my gifts.
PS
i shop all yr âround!! Haha..whn there is a good sale, i buy n put in my gift boxes so whn Christams arrives I hardly ever need to shop..maybe 1 or 2 items
Well since i injured my rt elbow (damaged tendon)last Dec, I havent been cooking a lot esp kneading flour
but i am slowly getting better n last night I decided to make my pizza again after 6 months..
made 2 ..1 veggies n other veggies with smoked turkey scraps..
(roasted the veggies: mushroom, eggplant, zucchini, red/gree/.yelow/orange sweet peppers, broccoli n cauliflower)
seasoned with eschallot n basil leaves..plus halved grape tomatoes n pineapple chunks on top
I also made a crustless quiche using the same veggies (low carbs suitable for diabetics)
Happy Diwali to all who r celebrating!
As a lil kid i looked forward to Diwali..we used to make many many (more than 100)mud diyas (using kadi/caddy, a special kind of mud) n put them to dry on zinc sheets. Then we made coconut oil to fill them n the most exciting thing was to pick the cotton from our neighborâs tree to make the wick. We used to roll out the wicks n then soak them in the oil/diya for an hr before. It was a struggle to keep diyaâs lighting as the strong breeze blew out the fire n we had to get bricks etc to shield the diyas. We used to top up the diyas to keep them burning longer.
it was such a beautiful sight as we didn't have electricity in our villages so u can imagine how the place looked in the dark.
Childhood memories âĶ.
I think my paranoid resolutions are very effective to change the state of things. I think that only a schizophrenic can understand me and other mentally ill people. The truth controls because it knows my feelings before me and can control IT (spirit)--that's why they want to be first in line and jump the line. I am blind because I don't see time and IT. I think the eye flies like time and I must think in reverse when I do things so when I am ready to go back at doing things I know how. This is complicated with anxiety--restricting the memories to act. The test may be afraid to test the eye to know how to negotiate the material world and this is caused by God. God does not want to loose love--an immoral act.
Also, I think the Israelis are wrong to attack Gaza and America should not be supporting them. If the media is not propaganda, I am sorry what the Muslims have to go through there. They should have negotiated for the hostages.
Reverse the order of love. CBA3210.