VZCZCXRO4964
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DE RUEHGE #0019/01 0472016
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O R 162016Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0207
INFO EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 GEORGETOWN 000019 
 
SIPDIS 
NOFORN 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR  - SEAN WHALEN/WILLARD SMITH 
AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN PASS TO AMEMBASSY GRENADA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/16 
TAGS: PREL PGOV EMIN ECON XL GY
SUBJECT: Pol/Econ Roundup January 28-February 16 
 
REF: 10 GEORGETOWN 17; 10 GEORGETOWN 3; 10 GEORGETOWN 1 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Karen L. Williams, Charge d'affaires, DOS, Exec; 
REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
¶1.      (U) This periodic reporting cable highlights developments 
in Guyana's politics and economy affecting Department strategic 
objectives in country and throughout the Caribbean basin. 
 
 
 
Local Government Elections - STATUS UPDATE 
 
¶2.      (C) Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Dr. 
Robert Surujbally told PolChief on February 9 that GECOM is 
prepared for local elections to take place on the unannounced date 
of April 19, 2010.  He said roughly 433,000 persons were 
registered, 25,000 persons are awaiting registration upon 
submission of valid birth certificates, and that approximately 90 
percent of National ID Cards needed for citizens to vote were 
distributed via 80 plus registration offices.  Surujbally said the 
claims and objections period closed as of February 8, 2010 ensuring 
that "no additional names can be entered unto the National List of 
Registrants."  Legislation is in place, election manuals are 
prepared and GECOM is confident that local government elections 
will take place this year, he said.  President Bharrat Jagdeo told 
Charge that he does not believe local elections will take place 
this year because of opposition party resistance.  COMMENT: Local 
elections have not occurred since 1994.  Several challenges remain 
that could postpone local elections indefinitely.  The GoG has 
neither publicly announced a local election timeline nor launched 
an education exercise to explain the new electoral system.  END 
COMMENT. 
 
 
 
OVERSEAS VOTE UNLIKELY 
 
¶3.      (C) Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran wrote 
in an article entitled "restoring the overseas vote" that Guyanese 
citizens residing abroad have a right to vote under the 1980 
Constitution.  He admitted that the overseas vote was "infamously 
abused in the elections of 1968 and 1973, restricted in 1980 and 
finally abolished for the 1985 elections."  However, speculation is 
rife that Ramkarran, a potential People's Progressive Party (PPP) 
presidential candidate, is making this a political issue to garner 
more votes for the PPP while shifting blame for any potential 
voting mishaps on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).  He 
criticizes GECOM for not establishing registration procedures for 
overseas Guyanese to register to vote in the coming 2011 national 
elections.  GECOM Chairman Surujbally told PolChief that due to 
past "abuses of the overseas vote" GECOM would not create such a 
mechanism and that the opposition parties would never agree to it. 
Ramkarran and others are conveniently using GECOM as a springboard 
to promote their own political interests, he said. 
 
 
 
NEW RIVER TRIANGLE BILATERAL TENSION BETWEEN GUYANA-SURINAME 
 
¶4.      (C) Media has reported deep "concerns" on the part of 
Guyana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Carolyn 
Rodrigues-Birkett regarding a public statement made by former 
Surinamese President Jules Wijdenbosch that he had contemplated 
giving orders in 1999 to Surinamese troops to enter the New River 
Triangle area which Guyana claims is part of its sovereign 
territory.  According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director of 
Frontiers Department Keith George, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett met 
with Surinamese Ambassador on Friday, February 12 to formally relay 
the GoG's "grave concern" over the public statement made by 
Suriname's past president and seek reassurance from the Surinamese 
Government that it does not seek "the use of force" to resolve the 
territorial dispute.  George told PolChief on February 16 that 
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett addressed members of Guyana's National 
Assembly in a closed session on February 15 telling them that the 
"onus is on the Surinamese Government to make a public statement" 
reassuring Guyana that the "use of force" is not a component of 
Suriname's policy towards Guyana. 
 
GEORGETOWN 00000019  002 OF 002 
 
 
NUMERICAL LIMITS ON MISSIONARIES 
 
¶5.      (C) Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee told PolChief on 
January 28 that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has set 
numerical limits on the number of foreign missionaries allowed into 
Guyana.  He said the numerical limit of 15 was negotiated between 
the Mormons and GoG and that that would remain the yardstick in 
determining how many missionaries were allowed into Guyana.  The 
only exception to the rule is Catholics because "they have been in 
Guyana for so long," he said.  Rohee said that he would meet with 
all missionary groups to discuss their plans and intended numbers, 
implying that missionary groups that kept their numbers steady 
would not face problems.  COMMENT:  Rohee's decision on numerical 
limits for missionaries is purely based on what Rohee thinks is 
proper for Guyana and not based on Guyanese law. END COMMENT. 
 
 
 
BRAZILIAN MINERS LEGALLY PRESENT BUT MINING ILLEGALLY 
 
¶6.      (SBU) Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) 
Executive Director Edward Shields estimates up to 10,000 Brazilians 
are mining in Guyana, several thousands of them illegally. He 
attributes much of the country's forest degradation to their 
inappropriate use of mercury and frenetic prospecting. Shields told 
EconOff that most Brazilian miners are legally present in Guyana, 
but are not authorized to work. Brazilians are able to operate 
without significant resistance from Guyana Geology & Mines 
Commission (GGMC) enforcement officers since they routinely partner 
with Guyanese miners, who secure licenses and interface with 
authorities, Shields said.  Mining industry experts believe the 
GoG's new mining regulations (see reftel A) would increase 
enforcement activities against several thousand Brazilian miners 
estimated to be illegally operating in Guyana. 
WILLIAMS