propaganda press! state sponsored & negroe free

DEAR EDITOR,
My letter to your newspaper of 10th September, 2008, simply invited the CEO and the Artistic Director of the CARIFESTA Secretariat and the Permanent Secretary to the Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport, all of whom had varying degrees of responsibility and authority over expenditure for CARIFESTA, to make full disclosure on exactly what happened to the very large sums of money expended on the lights and sound and other equipment which failed to be delivered for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Instead of public and transparent disclosure of the facts, we get a letter over a signature published in your newspaper on 13th September, 2008, which, judging from both its tone and content, could have been contrived by the CARIFESTA Secretariat, making a number of extremely disparaging remarks with regard to my motives and slanderous and malicious accusations with respect to my character, which are entirely false.

I should be directing my lawyer to sue your newspaper for libel and inviting your newspaper to prove in court the calumny you have published, rather than respond, but, we know that the justice system provides little or no protection against libel in Guyana, so I have decided to respond.

My wife Gem has already answered the ugly and ingracious attempt to make her a scapegoat. She had nothing to do with the authorising of millions of dollars for contracts which were never delivered on.

Publication of those contracts, who prepared them, who approved them, who signed them and benefited from them is what the public is entitled to know.

Hurling abuse at me will not cover up the truth nor divert attention from the corruption which appears to have taken place.

My wife was offered US$2,000 per month when asked to be the CEO and turned it down. She was eventually paid US$500 per month to serve as Production Manager of the opening ceremony, Stage Manger of the closing ceremony and for planning the production management teams to support the number of productions performed by visiting delegations during the festival.

What the public would like to know is the salaries or fees paid to the Chief Executive Officer and the Artistic Director and, indeed, a number of other senior persons within the CARIFESTA Secretariat.

When the Secretariat announced the hair-brained decision to give away free tickets, I wrote the Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport expressing my concern that a considerable number of important persons in our society deserving of invitations to the opening cococo ceremony had contacted both Gem and myself, pointing out that no arrangements appeared to have been made in this regard.

These were persons, for instance, who had made significant contributions to the development of culture in our society and other persons who were involved in providing appreciable support for CARIFESSTA, all being left out in the cold. I also spoke to the Permanent Secretary about this who explained to me that it was out of his hand.

I did not, at any time as the letter falsely claims, demand for myself and several friends, VIP passes and invitations to the Presidential Box.

In fact, I was invited to both the opening and closing ceremonies to the Presidential Stand, from which, incidentally, one needed a pair of binoculars to see anything on the stage caused by the absence of lighting and the staging of the performances by the Director.

Finally, I have not, nor has the public, been made aware of any litigation, pending or otherwise, preventing those in charge of CARIFESTA from making full public disclosure.

The letter, written, according to its signature, by a “volunteer from USA by CARIFESTA X”, is sufficiently well informed to tell us that Paloma Mohamed has addressed these issues in the only way she could by speaking off the record and writing to the Permanent Secretary because of an investigation which is taking place.

If that is the case, then the Minister should announce that an investigation is taking place, conducted by whom, about what and when we should expect its conclusion. All we have so far is silence.

Too much taxpayers money has been spent and too much already revealed about its mismanagement and even its corruption for this to be hidden from the public or, worse, swept under the carpet, for very much longer.
Kit Nascimento

DEAR EDITOR,
I have seen a thoroughly scurrilous letter in Kaieteur News of 13th September purported to have been written by Ray Watts, described as a “Volunteer from USA for CARIFESTA X”. This letter could only have been written by one or more of the persons in charge of CARIFESTA X.

The letter was prompted by a letter written by my husband, Kit, who, I believe, quite properly called for a public accounting of the contractual arrangements entered into by the CARIFESTA Secretariat for the supply of critical equipment essential for the production of the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival.

Instead of responding to Kit’s appeal for public disclosure by the Artistic Director and the CEO, the letter attacks me personally and sets out to make me the scapegoat for the production failures of the ceremony.

The letter was correct. After I declined the invitation from the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport to serve as Chief Executive Officer, my husband did, on more than one occasion, try to persuade me against taking the job as Production Manager. I regret now that I did.

The letter is also correct in stating that “a Production Manager is the person responsible for the entire show”. However, I was never allowed those responsibilities. Those in charge kept all of the contractual arrangements for supplying the equipment for the opening and closing ceremonies very much to themselves. I was not allowed the authority normally assigned to the Production Manager. I was not even consulted on these matters. I was aware, unofficially, that huge sums were being expended that need not have been.

When I confided this to my husband and told him we were heading for trouble, with none of the essential equipment for sound and light available for rehearsals, and even costumes not ready, he urged me to immediately resign.

He warned me that I would be made a scapegoat.
In fact, my authority was confined to stage management on the day of the opening ceremony. Even in this regard, the Artistic Director intruded. The programme for the closing ceremony lists me as one of the stage managers.

I find it incredulous that I should be attacked for having approached the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport to partner me in the publication of “Guyana Where & What”. This pocket book visitors’ guide was supported entirely by advertising and is distributed free of cost.

The Guyana Tourism Authority made good use of it for CARIFESTA. It is available at the airport and at every hotel and tourist destination in Guyana. Even the Office of the President sent for copies. My proposal to the ministry was to help finance an increase of the planned print run to ensure maximum distribution and availability for major holiday seasons and until May 2009.

Beyond the opening and closing ceremonies, where I did have control, I successfully managed three other CARIFESTA productions: Legend of the Silk Cotton Tree, Pluft, and Shattered Hopes & Dreams.

I remained on the job with the Secretariat because I felt that, in spite of everything, I could at least help avoid what might easily have been a complete breakdown of the opening ceremony production. It appears that my dedication to theatre and to our country’s national reputation being protected may have been misplaced.

Clearly, highly questionable contracts were entered into with regard to the production of the opening and closing ceremonies, and clearly these ceremonies suffered from the absence of professional lighting and sound being delivered. My husband Kit has appealed for full public disclosure. I join him in that appeal.

Gem Madhoo-Nascimento

DEAR EDITOR,
I read with great disgust Kit Nascimento’s self-righteous attack on Dr Paloma Mohamed in yesterday’s Stabroek and Kaieteur newspapers, and I thought that it was just plain wrong.

Many of the statements he made are spurious and designed, I believe, to lead the public away from his own wife’s involvement in the opening ceremony and other productions in Carifesta X, and to vent his personal rage against the administration and the one person he believes made them look good for Carifesta X.

A perusal of the opening programme will show quite clearly that Gem Madhoo-Nascimento was Production Manager of the show.

A production manager is THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE for the entire show! And yet Kit Nascimento conveniently forgot to mention this in his tirade against the Artistic Director.

It is disingenuous of Nascimento not to have disclosed his interest in the issue when he published his letter.
One would imagine that the details of the show which were never before released to the public were provided by his dear wife, and one wonders why she, as Production Manager, didn’t , as he put it, “blow the whistle”? [one would indeed wonder]

Those who know, know what may be informing Nascimento’s ire. It is not any public interest, as he would like us to believe.

It is as it has always been, an unadulterated self-interest and vexation at several personal issues surrounding Carifesta X.

First of all, it is a fact that Gem Madhoo-Nascimento was asked to be Chief Executive Officer of Carifesta but could not reach an agreement for her salary when Nigel Dharamlall, the current CEO, was unceremoniously introduced to the position. She just may have made a better CEO than Dharamlall, but now we will never know. [well now we getting the juice!]

Second, Gem Nascimento had asked the Ministry of Culture for several million dollars in support of a tourist book that she was preparing, and she was reportedly denied this funding. [a crap piece of a 'book' at that. we got copies] She has been nursing this rage for a long time. She was recently on public television venting this.

Third, when Madhoo-Nascimento was asked by the Artistic Director to work as Production Manager for several key productions, Kit Nascimento reportedly told his wife not to do it, but she went ahead anyway. [Kit like he can't control his woman!]

Fourth, Kit Nascimento, during Carifesta, demanded for himself and several friends VIP passes and invitations to the Presidential Box, to which he believed he was entitled, but these were never supplied. [one of our agents did see kit slipping through the back gate of the presidential residence and was not strip searched or shaken down. he is indeed VIP]

We have to wonder why Nascimento, a past Minister of Information under the PNC regime, who knows public service rules, would want to ignore his own knowledge of things in this destructive way.
We are sure he knows that :

1) No Artistic Director has responsibility for spending and accounting

2) The accounting officers in this project are the CEO and PS, with oversight from the minister. In the case of Carifesta X, Colonel Linden Ross, Logistics Director inside the Secretariat, also was a signatory. Gem Nascimento would know this very well. She knows who signs her paychecks.

3) Kit knows that if litigation is pending, then officers potentially involved in the matter may not speak on the record about the issue, and that Mohamed was asked to allow the investigation to proceed before she spoke.

4 That the unwritten code in the theatre is that one never publicly discusses the details of what the audience did not see.

5) Despite all this, Dr Paloma Mohamed has addressed the issue in the way she could. She has written letters and spoken off the record.

The investigation that is occurring is as a result of her letter to the Permanent Secretary on the matter.
I also heard her on radio and saw her interviews on television last week, when she clearly stated that there were failures about which she is unable at this time to go into details because of the investigation that is ongoing.

What more do people want from this young woman?! I am thinking that it’s really time that Dr Paloma Mohamed comes out and publicly identifies these several wolves in sheep’s clothing that she is surrounded by in Carifesta X! I wonder if she even knows who they are?
Ray Watts
Volunteer from USA for Carifesta X

propaganda press conclusion: kit and gem are crooks of the highest order

Message from the Artistic Director ? - Paloma Mohamed (PhD)

All my life I’ve had three great loves: Guyana, the Caribbean and the Arts. Carifesta X therefore provided a unique nexus in which all these loves could be expressed. It has been a privilege to serve my country and the region as Artistic Director. There is nothing that can prepare a person to be Artistic Director of a Carifesta. It has to be a leap of faith and a labor of love. To all those who took that leap with me, I say thank you. This included the students and staff of the University of Guyana, performers, artists and volunteers.

Together with the Chief Executive Officer Nigel Dharamlall, Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, Colonel Linden Ross, Allison Dundas, Ohene Koama, Mark Defreitas, Lennox Canterbury, Carolyn Walcott and those others who represented the core of the Carifesta Secretariat as well as the one hundred and eighty committee members, we created and sustained a thing of beauty, a thing so great as to re-make the personal worlds which we had come to accept.

Many bonds have been made, many tears shed, many moments in which we were tested and burnished will never be forgotten.

In the last few days this little country transcended every division that we have ever known to welcome and host the artists of the region. That we as a nation were able to create a successful festival despite great challenges of time and other resources moves me unimaginably.

There are few things more gratifying than to see whole families walk into a performance space; to hear them talk back to the performers in that most Caribbean of idiosyncrasies, to see my country once withdrawn and almost cowering come alive thumping with expectation and excitement. It was a gift that is priceless the real benefits of which will be seen in many years to come.

We were happy to host the thousand very talented artists and thinkers from the region and Diaspora. It is they who made the festival really live and we can never thank or repay the gifts that the artistes brought to this Carifesta.

We are elated that the expressive arts were to a large extent finally displayed, respected and attained the kind of attention that is so important to respectful treatment of the cultural items in any self respecting society.

The task on an Artistic Director is to plan and support performances and to ensure that the performance side of the festival which is its face is well presented. It is impossible to do this without the highest and most unshakable level of support. This support has come from our Executive Office, countries sending contingents, Ministers of our Government and those of participating countries, Permanent Secretaries CARICOM, friends, strangers volunteering, media, ordinary people who just accommodated, understood and made things happen.

And most things did happen yet there was also much more that we wanted to do. However, in this sprinting journey to beginning and end some things were just not possible. If we failed in any way, then we failed not for lack of vision or labor or planning. We would have failed because of vagaries and complex intricacies.

Never let it be believed that we failed however, to try.

If I am to fall upon the sword for this then I hope I can face this too with the dignity and courage that I know comes from a higher power. [paloma moonlights as a comedienne every other thursday]

When the final curtain falls today it falls upon one of the greatest moments which together as a people and a region we made. Carifesta X was a thing of joy, beauty and light over ten star filled nights when we were greater than we thought we could be.

I truly hope that this transcendental time will be remembered and recreated for many years to come.

So, farewell sweet muse, we have loved you well. [goodbye Paloma goodbye!]

the daily decaires is kicking up again and getting some great propaganda material from the clowns in and around the national treasury of Guyana

Minister of Culture, Dr Frank Anthony, said that all contracts signed for … Carifesta were currently being reviewed, including the one with Swansea. He said though that he was not aware of what the position was with the Swansea contract and told this newspaper that the best person to contact was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Carifesta Secretariat, Nigel Dharamlall.

When reached, Dharamlall said the secretariat was not responsible for dealing with the various contractual arrangements, since those agreements were made between the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the other parties. He said he was aware that all contractual arrangements made with external third parties were being reviewed by the ministry.

Asked specifically about the alleged breach of contract by Swansea and whether that company had been contacted about this, Dharamlall said he was unaware.

However, this newspaper was shown a draft of a letter sent to Duncan alleging that a breach of contract had occurred and asking for compensation. The draft letter was dated August 28 and signed by Dharamlall.

word to brother Kester D, it would take an act of God for you to slide your way back into the good inner graces of the criminal cocaine dictatorial govt of Guyana. so for the love of Jesus, Mary & Joseph just go ahead and tell the world why you were banished from the Carifesta Gospel Super Concert and your thoughts on the issue. you will never get work or gigs on future shows. just give it up Kester D…nice job by the anti-govt outlet LivinGuyana for reporting on this pertinent issue.

do it for the children Kester D, do it for the children or they will be returned to the plantations as slaves.

Kaieteur News: As Carifesta goes into its final day, the fear will grow that after its completion, there will be a hardening of the autocratic instinct.

This has been the pattern since Cricket World Cup 2007. After each major international event, one detects a chauvinistic, arrogant dismissal of any type of accommodating politics from the Office of the President.
The President met with the combined opposition in November 2006.

Cricket World Cup followed three months after and it took a massacre at Lusignan in January 2008 before the President officially met with national stakeholders together in one meeting.

After the Rio Summit and the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Conference, a series of attitudinal displays from the Government took the country further down the path of dictatorship.

One can therefore expect post-Carifesta political bullying. Armed with the success of the event, the illusions and delusions of grandeur will no doubt impact on policy-making.

One suspects with the reconvening of Parliament, Bills will be rushed through with contemptuous disregard for the views of the opposition members.

No doubt the Commissioner of Police will be confirmed. After Carifesta, elected dictatorship will march on.

the dictator president of Guyana bharrat jagdeo has a way about him, he looooves to wine up and get on bad wid he lawless.self. which might be the only thing i respect him for, he’s never pretended to be descent, moral or above the gutter. hes never attempted to hide his lawless debauch’d side and for that we should all feel a sense of national pride cause if some lil girl lookin fuh somethin to wine up pon, she can always count on the commander in chief.

the action was part of a last minute action packed nite put on by the folks at the Caricom Secretariat on middle street. they blocked off middle from main to carmichael and brought in plenty rum, a set and a Guyanese wanna.be Jamaican dj to keep the crowd going.

we’ve been reliably informed that the Trinidad and other foreign delegations finally had enough of toilets not working and water not running and have walked out of the Sophia Exhibition centre aka the grand market

we’ve told you about these gray chittagongs over and over again. first they got rid of the colour coded mess for entrance to sophia because of LOOOOOOOW turnout now they’re just getting rid of tickets period. any mad tom, dick, harry and jane can come and go as they please. which is the way the people like it and the way it should’ve been in the first place. not that we care we just sayin but we glad Guyanese have not been turning up in droves for this low budget disaster production.

dear big man upstairs:

it’s been a while since we last got together. i’ve been well. you know me. you know how i does it. how about you? i hear you lookin a lot better these days. keep it up. ah stop drinking on tuesdays fallin on odd number days. anyways…

today is the opening of curryfesta so please please please james brown god. grant me this one thing. let me see how i can put this. when this curryfesta carifesta is all said and done please spare me and all of Guyana the trouble of cocaine dictator bharrat jagdeo and all his cocaine friends and gray chittagongs talkin ad nauseum about how great and good and glorious this disaster was for Guyana over and over and over a fucking fishin’ gain. some uh dem a’ready linin up wid they scunt schupitness because god both you and i know that hosting a lil fete is not progress or development. you just hosted a fucking fishing fete. you all powerful so make it happen. is not like ah does come an ask fuh much. come christmas ah might need someting fuh dem girls so watch out fuh meh email big bai.

tek it lite

cardinal raganandan

jai shri ram

p.s if lighnin can strike twice in communist olympic ceremonies in peking. i know you got at least one bolt left for the torture lover dougla rohee of i don’t like afro guyanese fame. he seh he is a bloody communist jus lik dem chinese and he got the dead bodies to prove it. yuh gotta do something bout this dougla bastard.

p.p.s did you know Guyana to hell is now a local call? you gotta beat and/or match that or yuh fone will be ringin a lot less. tek it from me.

The Leadership of the PNCR, having reviewed the current situation in Guyana, has seen no reason to change its position on CARIFESTA X as outlined in its Press Statement on April 24, 2008 and subsequent statements on May 23, June 20 and July 4, 2008. Consequently, the PNCR will lend no credibility or legitimacy to the present activities of the Jagdeo Administration and will not participate in any State Sponsored or Ceremonial event for CARIFESTA X.

On April 10, 2008, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) stated that the current political, economic and social environment was not conducive to the hosting of CARIFESTA X. In that statement the Party said,

“Carifesta X is scheduled to take place in August. The Jagdeo Administration therefore has more than ample time to address these critical matters so that the appropriate environment can be created for the holding of this event. The First Carifesta was hosted proudly and successfully by Guyana under the PNC Administration led by Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. The event was created to celebrate, display and promote Caribbean Culture. The Party therefore has a vested interest in ensuring that the event is not misused by the Political Administration or takes place in circumstances in which its cultural essence is tainted by the consequences of the dictatorial policies of the Jagdeo Administration.

Carifesta X must be held in an environment in which the Constitutional right to Freedom of Expression and the right to work are respected by the Government. There must be an immediate end to the suspension of the licence of CNS TV Channel 6; an end to the violation of the human rights of the citizens of Guyana; the release of Oliver Hinckson from Prison where he has been incarcerated on unsustainable charges and his trial being continuously postponed; an immediate short term programme to address the impact of the rising cost of living on the citizens of this country; real progress in addressing the deteriorating security situation; the enactment of Broadcast Legislation to end political control over the media and to establish an Independent National Broadcasting Authority; equitable access by the Parliamentary Opposition Parties to the state own media; and, an end to the Monopoly on Radio.

Any decent Government should find no difficulty in creating the appropriate environment if, indeed, they are anxious to highlight Guyana to the Caribbean and the world.”

The Party also stated that it would remain resolute until the Jagdeo Administration satisfactorily addresses the issues of concern. Regrettably, instead of addressing those concerns, the Jagdeo regime expended millions more than their original secret budgetary allocation of $500M on a massive publicity and PR campaign to market the event.

The reality is that the Jagdeo Administration, without any prior consultation with other Stakeholders in Guyana, including the Opposition Political Parties, unilaterally proceeded with the hosting of CARIFESTA X without addressing those major concerns of the majority of Guyanese. It is also very evident that the Government has no intention of addressing the issues of equitable access to state media, broadcast legislation, the state radio monopoly and the issue of good governance.

In the above circumstances the Leadership of the PNCR will not participate in any state sponsored event for CARIFESTA X.

Meanwhile, we welcome all artistes from the Caribbean and the Diaspora and wish them a pleasant stay in our beautiful country. You can be assured of our traditional Guyanese hospitality even in circumstances where the Jagdeo Regime refuses to respect the human rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution of Guyana.

People’s National Congress Reform

Congress Place, Sophia

Georgetown, Guyana.

Thursday August 21, 2008