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Domestic abuse survivor, Indranie Codrington finds empowerment through pageantry Aug 18, 2024 News By Shania Williams Kaieteur News – Survivors of Domestic Abuse often find ways to heal the emotional scars that they sustain as a result of the dreadful ordeals. Some choose therapy and other use more unconventional methods of dealing with their issues. For Indranie Codrington, a 34-year-old single mother of three, pageantry became part of the journey of helping her find herself again. Indranie Codrington Miss Skeldon Universe Guyana delegate Codrington, also known as Ariana Vee, was catapulted in the local spotlight when she was sashed ‘Miss Skeldon Universe’ in this year’s Miss Universe Guyana competition. She told The Waterfalls that when she decided to step into the role, she understood that she was likely to face a lot of public scrutiny, given that she is not the traditional pageantry material. However, the single mom said that the Miss Universe platform offered her a space to build confidence and advocate for survivors of domestic abuse. She went for it and although she was not among the winners of this year’s competition; her journey to the Miss Universe Guyana stage was one of self-discovery and empowerment. Codrington also made history as one of the first sets of moms to participate in the Miss Universe Guyana by virtue of the franchise lifting the restriction for participants. “This gave me an opportunity to relive my childhood dream because I always wanted to do pageantry,” the young woman said.  She related however that her life has been marred by significant challenges, particularly a tumultuous and abusive relationship. Being in Guyana, Codrington moved to the United States with her family at the age of 11.  She later married at the age of nineteen. “My freedom was taken away from me, and I felt my life was over when I was married… It felt like I was living in a dark hole,” Codrington said adding that she often felt powerless. It wasn’t until 2022 that she made the brave decision to leave her abuser. She recalled that it was not easy as she became a single mother of a 13, 10 and seven-year-old.  She also endured financial and emotional difficulties but nevertheless felt a sense of liberation. She says. “I was able to make choices for myself and reclaim my freedom.” This marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life, one characterized by resilience and the pursuit of her long-held dreams. As such, she said being on the stage at Miss Universe Guyana, “I felt like it was my rebirth. I wasn’t aware I had this much strength and resilience. The Miss Universe Guyana contestant not only faced her own fears but public critique. She noted that there were a lot of mean comments by online users about her physical appearance.’ “I don’t believe in body shaming people, all my life I was body shamed that’s a fun fact. So I was prepared to be belittled because that was what I have been all my life by my abuser. And going on the stage in Guyana and being bashed was nothing new to me and that was why I was able to handle it” she added Despite the criticism, Codrington proudly walked the stage and embraced her body. “The pageant made me realized that I am an empowered woman and I have a voice now. Through the pageant I was able to fulfill my dream…I did not go there for publicity or fame; I didn’t try to be this woman that society had this expectation of. I went there as myself to represent myself and my story as an advocate.  As a result, the domestic abuse survivor gained a lot more confidence in herself and her purpose. “I have gained this confidence to walk out on that stage because I want to do something for myself and I finally got the opportunity to do so, I want to be better. Looking at my mother and seeing how much she has sacrificed her entire life and not being able put herself, first has made me feel that I didn’t want to be that person. I wanted to follow my dreams and to be able to be happy even as I look at the responsibilities of my children.” Beyond the platform as a former contestant of the Miss Universe Guyana pageant, Codrington shared that she continues to keep her promise of spreading awareness to domestic abuse in her community. Related Similar Articles

Guyana’s booming construction industry a main attraction for Chinese companies Aug 18, 2024 News International Building Exposition 2024… Kaieteur News – Without a doubt Guyana‘s booming construction industry, has in recent years attracted scores of foreign investors with a number of Chinese construction companies and hardware suppliers setting up shop here. Marketing manager of Qing Jian Group Company [CNQC] engineering and construction limited Xu Haozhan also known as Frank during the International Building ExpositionDuring our visit to the recently concluded International Building Exposition 2024 held at the National Stadium, Providence East Bank Demerara (EBD), the Waterfalls caught up with representatives of Qing Jian Group Company [CNQC] engineering and construction limited—a Chinese company that has been operating in Guyana since 2018. Marketing Manager of CNQC, Mr. Frank Xu Haozhan, said that his company is captivated by the progression in the industry. He noted that “The construction market here in Guyana is booming, it’s like an explosion, very great market… not like in China.” Haozhan explained that in China, the construction industry has been, “facing a sluggish situation” due to a lack of projects. “No more jobs, no more projects coming up, and the government is restricting the expenses to some housing and residential project … so, [it’s] hard.” He said. To this end, the CNQC Marketing Manager expressed his profound happiness working in the construction industry in Guyana, which exposed him to a vast amount of projects and opportunity. Since their introduction to Guyana, Haozhan said some of the project the CNQC engineering and construction limited has constructed the Brickdam Police Station, Luckystar Ware house Project, the Pegasus Hotel, Aiden by Best Western, and few other prominent edifices. The marketing manager noted that, “So far in the whole Guyanese construction market we haven’t found any like … other construction company that has the stability to handle, like … a great magnitude of projects …” He continued, “We bring engineers and workers from china, we also bring in materials and organize and manage it ourselves.” Speaking of some of the challenges that his companies has faced, Haozhan revealed that  at times, there are difficulties in sourcing decorative materials, mainly furniture, in Guyana since the furniture they use are customized. He related “Certain materials are not easy to be sourced here, in the market, sometimes we need to get it via air freight from China, like when it comes to the final stage for the hotel, like Aiden Hotel, like last week. We have encountered a lot of material problems, for example some decoration materials, furniture…” According to him, due to the goods being transported via air freight, sometimes the goods would get damaged, resulting in it having to be reshipped, which can be costly. In those cases, Haozhan said the Chinese company assists Guyanese clients with a tax redemption letter –requesting for the tax on the items to be exempted. Related Similar Articles

Oil disclosures – pulling teeth Aug 18, 2024 Editorial Kaieteur News – Guyanese know less than they should about their oil wealth.  The PPPC Government has been comfortable operating like Ebenezer Scrooge with sharing some of the essentials of their wealth with citizens.  Trying to extract some information from local oil czar Jagdeo about the national patrimony has become torture.  He is Scrooge-like, meaning very stingy when oil disclosures are involved, which should be a matter of routine. The nation has been given the run-around with the rate that ExxonMobil was receiving for the billions of its equity that it invested here.  First, it was money that was difficult to come by for fossil fuel companies, given the bad name that it has earned for its contributions to climate change.  For a time, Guyanese thought that ExxonMobil was borrowing billions to fund its local offshore operations, only for little details here and there to seep into the public domain.  From Jagdeo: ExxonMobil was entitled to a return on its investment.  We agree that is what should be as it is the norm in businesses that are about profit making.  But what is it and why does this have to be such a painful exercise for Guyanese?  The old story from Jagdeo is that there is zero interest charged by ExxonMobil.   Frankly, we have our doubts about the zero interest rate scenario, i.e., unless ExxonMobil is collecting interest under a different accounting label or is lumping it with some other practice to disguise its true nature.  It is, because this is what Jagdeo shared last week when he said that ExxonMobil is ‘making a massive return on its equity investment here.’ Oil reserves have grown to another bone of contention with a hodgepodge of what could only be termed as slick, and less than straight from both ExxonMobil and the Government of Guyana.  It couldn’t be shared with Guyanese because it was not a prime focus, but will be available in due time, which could be years.  Then S&P Global, as reputable as they come in the world of business analysis, said that the reserves have increased from the longstanding 11B barrels to 18.7B.  When the question about the true reserves was put before Jagdeo he underwent a change of heart. The new oil reserves will be publicized within a week.  It is now weeks later and Jagdeo has changed his tune again.  When asked again last week about what the total number of barrels of oil is that ExxonMobil announced through eight new discoveries, Jagdeo resorted to his old ways: there is no change to the reserves.  Guyanese heard this before through ‘substantial but not significant.’ These are the scratchy sounds that have come from Jagdeo in his weekly battles to dodge this question about total reserves.  Other than for CNOOC, a member of the ExxonMobil-led consortium including 746,000 new barrels of oil from one of the announced discoveries in its annual report, and that S&P Global 18.7B total, there has been near total silence.  There were eight new discoveries announced by ExxonMobil but no change to the reserves.  Why go to the trouble then to say anything about new discoveries, even one?  If negligible barrels of new oil were discovered, why rush before the world and call that a “discovery” here and later in seven other drilling sites?  It is obvious that some stretching of the facts is at work, how much will come to light at some time. Still another area of concealment concerns ExxonMobil’s production cost per barrel of oil in Guyana.  Figures have ranged from as low as US$9 per barrel from Hess Corporation’s CEO, John Hess, to as high as US$40 from Bloomberg, the most recognized business media powerhouse in the world.  Meanwhile, ExxonMobil, the repository of Guyana oil secrets, has been sparing relative to the issue of what its breakeven point is for a barrel of oil produced here.  Guyana is in a partnership with ExxonMobil, yet Guyanese grope for meaningful oil information but mostly come up empty handed.  We think that the company is delivering that breakeven detail to the government.  It is a disclosure, another one that should be shared with Guyanese, but is not.  Instead of disclosures with their oil patrimony, Guyanese live with oil darkness. Related Similar Articles

Can private companies be summoned to appear before a parliamentary committee? Aug 18, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom Kaieteur News – The powerful bourgeois class in Guyana, that exerts influence on the political classes in Guyana, must be petrified at the idea that a parliamentary committee can have the temerity, much less the legal right, to summon a private company to appear before it. Imagine the fear, for example, of the members of the class of local contractors, should it be ruled that the Public Accounts Committee can summon them to answer questions about alleged corruption in public procurement. The Standing Orders of the National Assembly do allow for a Sectoral Committee to summon persons – the operative word is ‘persons’. This summons has to be made in accordance with the Legislative Bodies (Evidence) Act. That legislation permits such a summons by a legislative body such as Cabinet, a Special Select Committee or any committee which is so empowered by resolution of the National Assembly. A Sectoral Committee is not a Select Committee nor is it specifically empowered by a resolution of the National Assembly to summon witnesses. However, the Standing Orders are passed by a resolution that this would suggest that the powers to summon witnesses by a Sectoral Committee are sanctioned under the Legislative Bodies (Evidence) Act. Guyana, of course, follows the British Westminster tradition. By convention it was presumed that British Parliament can summon representatives of a private company to appear before it. Parliamentary committees in the UK, it was claimed, have the power to call witnesses to give evidence, which can include individuals from private companies, public bodies, and other organizations. This, it is contended, is part of the committee’s role in scrutinizing government actions and examining issues of public concern. This ability to summon private entities allows Parliament to investigate a wide range of issues, from corporate practices to regulatory compliance, and to hold private companies accountable in matters of public interest. The view about private persons being mandated to give evidence however has recently been called into question. By convention, if a company or its representatives refuse to comply with a summons, Parliament theoretically has the power to hold them in contempt. This could lead to sanctions. However, such powers are rarely exercised to their fullest extent, and in practice, most companies comply with such requests. Just recently tech-giant Amazon declined to attend before a UK parliamentary committee. Part of the difficulty in imposing sanctions on those who refuse to appear before a parliamentary committee in the UK is that the right of parliamentary committees to summon private companies is not explicitly laid out in the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, but it is derived from broader parliamentary powers and practices. The power to summon witnesses, including representatives from private companies, is said to be rooted in the concept of parliamentary privilege. This privilege grants Parliament certain legal immunities and powers that are not necessarily codified in statute but are part of the historical and constitutional framework of the UK. But this too is now being called into question. Like in Guyana, the UK has no specific law that codifies the power to summon private companies. The existing legislation focuses on summoning individuals rather than companies. This opens the door, in Guyana, to legal challenges to any summons issued to a private company. There have been instances, however, where executives have been summoned to appear before parliamentary committees in the United Kingdom.  In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, representatives from Facebook were summoned to testify before a UK parliamentary committee. Also, media mogul, Rupert Murdoch was summoned and did appear before a select parliamentary committee investigating a phone hacking scandal. So there is precedent for individuals to be summoned to appear before a parliamentary committee. Interestingly arising out of the appearance of Murdoch and his son before a parliamentary select committee, a report commissioned by the Constitutional Society argued that that parliamentary select committees lack the coercive powers to compel private witnesses to attend hearings or to punish them for non-compliance. The report highlighted that that witnesses may be misled into believing they are fully protected by parliamentary privilege when giving evidence, which may not be accurate. Additionally, the report criticizes the view that witnesses are obliged to answer all questions posed by committees, when, in the opinion of the authors of the report, they cannot be forced to do so. In Guyana any attempt to summons private individuals and companies is going to be met by a legal challenge. It would be a revolutionary development in local parliamentary practice for private individuals and companies to be summoned. Imagine the implications! The bourgeois class will resist stoutly any such attempt. And the ruling class is hardly like to countenance going against the interests of this class. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) Related Similar Articles

Cleaning Georgetown Aug 18, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, Reference is made to the public notice on the subject of Citizens being urged to get involved in a cleanup exercise (SN 8-16-2024). While this is a positive effort to solve a serious problem in cleaning  public spaces, this is not a permanent solution; for a cleanup project, owned collectively by a community,  is just a one-off event that is not sustainable. Instead, cleaning of a publicly owned space that everyone enjoys is a programmed and managed event that is bookmarked on the local government calendar to occur either weekly, monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually. While growing up in Georgetown, I recall seeing City Council employees who came once per week to cut the grass on the adjacent sidewalk; other employees collected the garbage and transported it to ‘old smokie’; while other employees cleaned and flushed-out the gutters and drains by opening the water hydrants connected to the water system managed by the GS&WC. The GS&WC also managed and maintained the sewage system, clearing blockages and repairing broken pipes. When it rained, there was no flooding; for the water entered the concrete drains, and into the canals around Georgetown, where it was temporarily stored until the kokers were opened, emptying the water into the Demerara River. I remember catching fish in the drains, something that is not known by the young people in Georgetown today. The canals around Georgetown were free of weeds and the forty-feet trench was a place where young boys learned to swim before the Luckhoo swimming pool, owned by the City Council, was built. There were employees from the Ministry of Health who sprayed the environment for flies and mosquitos and other insects, and there was a follow-up inspection by the inspector. The Markets, along with the Botanic and Small Gardens and Sea Wall Band Stand were cleaned. Funding for these public activities came from local taxes collected by the Georgetown City Council and most likely the Central Government. The proposed cleanup projects of public spaces (e.g. the Seawall, street cleaning around Georgetown) that are based on volunteers providing free labor services are not sustainable.  Rather, this is the work of the Government, whose job is to  provide public goods and services using taxpayers’ money to hire workers, provide equipment, cleaning material and transportation services for the disposal of  the garbage.  It would be useful if a record could be made of the citizens who volunteered for the proposed cleanup campaign.  These citizens should be rewarded. Sincerely, Dr. C. Kenrick Hunte Professor and Former Ambassador Related Similar Articles

Civil Society activism is the Hope of Guyana Aug 18, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, Recently, friends have posed the question to me of whether my continued advocacy of electoral reform for Guyana has achieved anything and is it worth the effort. After four years working with the Electoral Reform Group and with another election on the horizon, they want to know what, if anything, has changed for the better. I’m grateful for the questioning. It has forced a personal pause and some necessary reflection. It deserves an answer. I know that underlying the question is the cynical view abroad that nothing will change in Guyana because the political leaders do not want change. They control the governance system and if they don’t want change, it will not happen. After some reflection, my conclusions boil down to two basic considerations. Firstly, electoral reform remains an urgent priority. Four years of increased incomes from the oil industry have not changed that. With the Government completely in control of the national coffers and rule-making and a political opposition widely viewed as emasculated, there is an increased sense of disorder, and living conditions for ordinary citizens that are not getting easier. It is clear that the country needs major institutional overhaul (since government financial resources are not the problem), and that overhaul must start with electoral reform. What we have is a distressed status quo, and for me the choice is simple: either you are in favor of transformative change or the status quo. And if you are not prepared to take a stand to change the status quo, you are supporting it. My second consideration is that civil society is the hope of Guyana. With national elections around the corner, the political parties are already gearing up. While we can expect the political parties to roll out lists of promises – they have already started – the silence on the question of constitutional and electoral reform is deafening. The support to the establishment of the Constitution Reform Commission has been lackluster, with no party giving any idea of their policy directions. It is up to civil society to push a transformative agenda or it will not happen. The Government evidently recognizes the potential of civil society by its not sparing any vitriol in its responses to civil society initiatives or criticisms. Civil society activism is therefore vitally necessary service to this country. So to answer the original question, has electoral reform advocacy achieved anything? It has kept the fire burning regarding the necessary institutional agenda. It remains the best hope of transformation to a more orderly, stable, developing society. It matters not what your political leaning is, people committed to a better Guyana must link up across the social and political spectrum to build change. Who knows how much of a role civil society has played in the establishment of the CRC? Civil society must organize, continue its work and refuse to be silenced. Sincerely, Desmond Thomas Related Similar Articles

GNBS – PURCHASE FOOTWEAR LABELLED ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL STANDARD Aug 18, 2024 News GNBS IN FOCUS Kaieteur News – Footwear is a key part of the dress codes in schools across the country but while parents and guardians purchase footwear to ensure their children comply with these regulations, other factors including comfort, protection and durability are also important. For safety and quality assurance during the back-to-school shopping season, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) encourages consumers to purchase footwear that are in compliance with the National Standard – GYS 9-4:2003 – Specification for labelling of commodities – Part 4: Labelling of footwear. The National Standard outlines the requirements for labelling and sizing system of footwear to ensure quality and safety. It is used by the GNBS to monitor imported or locally manufactured footwear at ports of entry, sales outlets and manufacturers’ warehouses to ensure compliance. To guarantee the effectiveness of this service, the manufacturers and importers are required to register with the GNBS annually and are presented with a certificate. These certificates are displayed at the sales outlets. Adherence to the labelling standard ensures that consumers have accurate and essential information about the footwear they are purchasing, such as the country of origin, manufacturers name/brand, care instructions, and any special features required for the product’s intended purpose. It also provides information on the type(s) of materials used to make the footwear. While the GNBS continues its monitoring exercises, parents and guardians are encouraged to pay close attention to the labelling of items they purchase. This is important as many stores and vendors offer discounts on these items closer to the reopening date for schools. A thorough examination of the footwear can help to save on cost and reduce the risk of injury or discomfort. In addition, buyers can request the importation certificate at the businesses to ascertain whether they are registered with the GNBS. The following are some other useful tips for purchasing footwear, applicable to both adults and children: Choose the size of your new shoes based on the size of your larger foot: Believe it or not, many people have one foot slightly larger than the other. Therefore, you should try on several pairs of different sizes and settle on the one in which both feet feel comfortable. Buy suitable shoes: Children will wear their shoes for extensive periods. As such, the shoes must be comfortable. Also, consider that children are a lot more active and could experience severe discomfort with the wrong fit. We advise you to shop for new shoes in the late afternoon: Towards the end of the day, our feet become slightly swollen. This means that a pair of shoes that fit you perfectly in the morning might feel too tight in the evening. Better to nip this problem in the bud and choose a pair that’ll feel comfortable around the clock! When trying on new shoes, make sure to walk a few steps across a solid surface:Soft carpets can make any shoes feel comfortable. To get a better idea, walk off the carpet and onto the bare floor. Leave space at the front: Better to buy shoes with a little extra room for socks and foot growth over the school year. Know you preferred brands: Some brand names and trademarks provide an indication of quality and reliability. Be sure that you do not choose fake or substandard brands of footwear, which cost more in the end.  The GNBS through its Product Compliance Department is responsible for monitoring sixteen (16) other categories of products. These are Electrical and Electronic Appliances, Weighing and Measuring Devices, Textiles, Garments, Safety Helmets, Safety Matches, Tyres, Gas Stoves, Cigarettes, PVC Pipes, Furniture, Toys and Playthings, Christmas Trees and Decorative Lighting, Cellular Phones, Gold Articles and Electrical Equipment and Fittings. For further information, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp us on 692-4627. Related Similar Articles