October 2019 \ Guyana Diaspora Digest Magazine SPOR IA A D digest JetBlue confirms 2020 flight to Guyana March 2, 2020 Qatar Airways to fly to Guyana Soon Oil Finds is E-Day in Guyana’s waters Foreign Minister tells Guyanese to be patriots A Publication of the Department of Public Information @dpiguyana 2 Diaspora Digest 3 CONTENTS 4 March 2, 2020 is E-Day 29 Georgetown Mayor and City Council 6 Jet Blue confirms 2020 flights to Guyana 30 My Turn - Hon. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo 8 Liza Destiny marks new beginning for Guyana 32 Sod turned for new 1823 Monument at Parade 12 Qatar Airways to fly to Guyana soon Ground 14 Foreign affairs minister tells Guyanese to be 34 Govt activates National Emergency Operations patriots Centre as high tide pound coastal Guyana 17 $250MILLION Children and Family Care Centre 36 Everybody’s connected! - child advocacy centre for all capital towns 38 Education and National Development 18 Recent Diaspora conferences, engagements - Minister Jordan at the IDB’s 60th 42 Indigenous leaders meet for annual conference anniversary celebration - Guyana's Public Health Minister elected 44 'Off to a bright start' Vice-Chair of WHO Executive Board - Guyana-Suriname Ferry service back in business 20 New helicopter taxiway commissioned at Ogle airport 46 Massive Massy Mega opens at Turkeyen 22 Creation of four new towns 49 PM Modi met with the leaders of CARICOM at the UNGA 26 New runwaty for Lethem Airport 50 Guyanese return home from hurricane-ravaged 27 Editorial Bahamas 28 Government of Guyana 52 Guyana continues the strengthen its diplomatic relations globally 4 Diaspora Digest 5 MARCH 2, 2020 IS E-DAY resident David Granger on Tuesday, October 1, 2019 issued two procla- Pmations for the holding of Gener- al and Regional Elections on Monday, 2nd March 2020. The President, by the power vested in him by Article 61 of the Constitution of Guyana, to by proclamation, appoint the day for an elec- tion under Article 60 (2) , appointed 2nd March 2020 as the day on which an election of mem- bers of the National Assembly shall be held. The Constitution at Article 61 states: “An election of members of the National Assem- bly under Article 60 (2) shall be held on such day within three months after every dissolu- tion of Parliament as the President shall ap- point by proclamation.” Similarly, President Granger proclaimed 2nd March, 2020, the same day as appoint- ed under Article 61 of the Constitution for the holding of elections of members of the National Assembly, as the day on which elec- tions of members of the Regional Democratic Councils shall be held. Flashback, March 16, 2015, His Excellency, President David Granger and Prime Minister, Hon. Moses Article 73 (2) of the Constitution states: Prime Minister, Hon. Moses Nagamootoo acknowledges supporters Nagamootoo and his wife, Mrs. Sita “Elections of members of regional demo- converged at Public Buildings to witness the president his Oath of Office. Nagamootoo proudly display their inked cratic councils shall be held and the councils fingers after voting at the 2018 LGE shall be dissolved at such times as, subject to Minister of Social Protection, Hon. Minister of Public Telecommunications, Hon. Catherine Hughes after casting her paragraph (3), the President may appoint by Amna Ally casting his ballot at the last local government election ballot at the 2018 LGE proclamation.” President Granger on 25th September Minister of Public Health, Hon Volda 2019, in his address to the nation, had an- Lawrence casting her ballot at the nounced that after discussions with Chair- last local government election man of the Elections Commission and with his Cabinet, the earliest possible date for the holding of General and Regional Elections will be on Monday, 2nd March 2020. The President’s statement followed Chair- man of the Elections Commission Justice Claudette Singh’s missive to him on 19th Sep- tember 2019, indicating that “the Guyana Elec- tions Commission will be able to deliver credi- ble elections by the end of February 2020”. The Head of State met Justice Singh on 25th September, and discussed the statutory timelines for the upcoming General and Re- gional Elections. 6 Diaspora Digest 7 JetBlue confirms 2020 flights to Guyana uyana is on the verge of adding yet JetBlue’s A321neo aircraft will be sued to another major airline to cement the establish its services in Guyana. It is said to Gconnection with North America. This be 20% more fuel-efficient and can support comes as JetBlue officially announced the longer-range flights. expansion of its non-stop services that will “Inside the aircraft, JetBlue’s award-win- commence April 2, 2020, between Guyana to ning comfort and connectivity will be the New York. focus of the onboard customer experience. According to JetBlue’s blue media web- The A321neo will feature the Collins Meridi- site, Director of Route Planning, Andrea Lus- an seat – which is the widest seat available so mentioned, “Guyana service introduces a for the single-aisle Airbus family of aircraft diverse and underserved destination to the – with enhanced cushion comfort, adjustable JetBlue route map which will benefit both headrests, power connections at every seat leisure travellers, as well as those visiting and the most legroom in coach (b). Inflight friends and relatives.” To this end, the airline entertainment will be powered by Thales said it will be introducing, “a new, low fare AVANT and ViaSat-2 connectivity. With this high-quality choice to travellers in Guyana.” system – featuring 10.1 inch, 1080P high defi- BONUS CONTENT Minister of Public Infrastructure, Hon. Da- nition screens, more than 100 channels of live CLICK TO PLAY vid Patterson welcomed JetBlue’s decision to television with DVR-like pause and rewind enter the Guyana market. “The introduction functionality, picture-in-picture function and Jetblue to non-stop of this immensely popular low-cost carrier more – JetBlue will offer customers expanded will see lower ticket prices to Georgetown entertainment choices in nearly every region services operation in 2020 and provide travellers with an opportunity to the airline flies (c). JetBlue is the only ma- fly on an airline of choice to their favourite jor U.S. airline with seatback entertainment destination. This agreement with JetBlue is screens at every seat on every aircraft,” Jet- timely and comes on the heels of continued Blue media continued. and sustainable growth in several sectors At present, American Airlines, Caribbe- of our economy, including, service, tourism, an Airlines and COPA Airlines operate Guy- mining and oil and gas,” Minister Patterson ana-US route. stated. Images: JetBlue Schedule between New York (JFK) and Georgetown (GEO) JFK - GEO Flight #1965 GEO - JFK Flight #1966 11:55 p.m. – 5:58 a.m. (+1) 7:20 a.m. – 1:09 p.m. 8 Diaspora Digest 9 Liza Destiny marks new beginning for Guyana By Anara Khan “I would like to hope for the Liza Destiny, the partners and the BONUS CONTENT crew, that it will bring us all the good things we anticipate, CLICK TO PLAY not only the profits or return of investment for Exxon and its Liza Destiny partners, but also for the people of Guyana and in particular our officially welcomed children, a better quality of life, sustainable development and HOME STAY everything from which good oil will flow.” This was the view expressed by First Lady, H.E Sandra Granger who was bestowed the honour of being the Godmother of Guyana’s First Lady, H.E Sandra Granger, who was bestowed the honour of first Floating, Production, Storage and Off- being the Godmother of Guyana’s loading vessel (FPSO). She was at the time de- first Floating, Production, Storage livering remarks at a reception hosted at the and Offloading vessel (FPSO). Guyana Marriott Hotel to mark the arrival of the vessel and the final round of preparations for oil production, now just months away. https://youtu.be/GHU3b0S_TCU Along with its arrival, the 120,000 bpd Liza A section of Guyana's first Floating, Destiny FPSO has brought with it good tid- Production, Storage and Offloading ings, hope and an opportunity for a brighter (FPSO) vessel, the Liza Destiny future for Guyana, Director of the country’s Department of Energy, Dr. Mark Bynoe, add- ed. He said the historic arrival of the country’s first floating oil production complex, “heralds a tide of good fortunes which we must ap- preciate for both the magnificent engineer- ing feat that [it] presents and the flood of opportunities and possibilities it presents for Guyana and Guyanese.” “These revenues [from oil production] can be used to help our country to ultimately be transformed positively from an economic de- Continued on page 12 10 Diaspora Digest 11 dan. The officials also hosted a symbolic flag tunity to interact with some of their country- raising ceremony on board, with Sergeant men currently working on the FPSO. Randell Williams, of the Guyana Defence The Liza Destiny arrived in Guyana from Force (GDF) hoisting the Golden Arrowhead. Singapore on August 29, 2019 after being During the tour of the facility, the Guya- converted from a Very Large Crude Carrier nese delegation was also afforded the oppor- (VLCC) tanker ‘Tina’ to its present state. The vessel is twice the length of the Provi- dence Stadium; half the width of the George- town Cricket Ground; has the depth of the BONUS CONTENT Kingston Lighthouse and the capacity to CLICK TO PLAY store some 1.6 million barrels of oil. This FPSO is a significant component of the Liza Phase 1 development which involves Liza Destiny is here! four undersea drill centers with 17 production wells.