GINA | GOVERNMENT INFORMATION AGENCY

Government’s continuing encouragement to exploit the aquaculture sector, has resulted in another substantial investment. The New Line Aquaculture Farm, which was established three years ago, is thriving in Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara).
Proprietor Mr. Salim Juman Azeez has spent approximately $150M in the venture, which is said to be one of the largest aquaculture ventures in the country, spanning approximately 790 acres of land at Boeraserie. The farm rears Tilapia and Paku for the local and international markets.
The aquaculture farm has its own nursery and hatchery where it develops its own fingerlings. The farm is willing to share and spread its technology with other persons engaged in similar ventures.
The New Line Aquaculture Farm has approximately 28 fishponds of two acres each but only half of the ponds are in operation at the moment. The farm expects to construct an additional 360 ponds within the next 10 years.
As part of the venture a water recycling plant and a processing plant will be established along with facilities to convert solid waste into fish feed.
When completed the farm is expected to provide employment for 500 persons and is capable of producing 100,000 pounds of fish per pond weekly.
Mr. Azeez is presently exploring linking the Kamuni Creek with the Boeraserie Conservancy to maintain water levels during dry spells and the cleaning of the Potosi Channel to improve drainage in the area which is affected during heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, Guyana will receive further assistance with the implementation of a Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) project “Introduction of aquaculture and other integrated production management practices to rice farmers.”
The project was approved for Guyana and Suriname of which the FAO’s contribution is US$392,000.
The project is expected to train rice extension staff to enable them to carry out Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and aquaculture extension work. Several small rice farmers will also benefit from training through the Farmers Field School.
At the end of the project, rice farmers will be able to rear fish in the canals surrounding their rice fields while at the same time, improving their rice yields.
It is expected that the project will start in the second quarter of 2004.

TOP

Bicycle bandits emerge on the lower East Coast

Georgetown, GINA, Monday, March 29, 2004

A new phenomenon of bandits operating on bicycles has hit the lower East Coast of Demerara. In an invited comment, Commander ‘C’ Division, Deputy Commissioner, Edward Wills told the Government Information Agency (GINA) recent trends suggest bandits on bicycles have sought to use roads not easily accessible by vehicles, to perpetrate their crimes.
Wills said the bicycle approach is also used to defeat road-blocks.
The Deputy Commissioner said there were a few robberies over the weekend. He said bandits seem to have shifted attention to predominantly Afro-Guyanese communities. He added that this might be so because of increased security in areas like Annandale, by both the Force and Community Policing groups.
Wills said a review of the manpower spread is under examination.

TOP

CAT scan to be installed shortly at GPHC

Georgetown, GINA, March 29, 2004

The Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), in collaboration with various international and local partners, have been able to introduce a number of services.
Partners include Leeds University and the University of Lancashire, in the Untied Kingdom. One of the benefits coming out of the collaborative relationship is the donation of a CAT scan (CT).
A CAT scan arrived in the country late last year and arrangements are being made to install it at the Public Hospital, Georgetown.
In an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Director of Professional Services, Dr. Madan Rambarran said he expects that the CAT Scan will be installed within the next few weeks.
"This shows that through collaboration with these partners, our health facilities are getting better, and Guyanese can have better health care," said Dr. Rambarran.
Recently, a team of Paediatric Neurosurgeons from Richmond, Virginia, USA were in Guyana and performed nine operations.
"Other teams will be visiting the Hospital during the next few months," Dr. Rambarran disclosed.
A team from Tennessee is expected here in another two months to deal with emergency medicine and cardiac training. On this trip Paediatric Advanced Life Support Training will be conducted and 24 local medical personnel will be trained and certified, added Dr. Rambarran.
He also noted that the Health Volunteer Overseas has an ongoing programme to teach medical students and resident Paediatrics.
Additionally, they will be working along with nurses and doctors in the Accident and Emergency Unit.
Last year, a team from Tennessee was here and an Advanced Cardiac Life Support Training Course was held.

TOP

Children to express views on Corporal Punishment in Art
-NCRC launches “Discipline without beating” art competition

Georgetown, GINA, March 29, 2004

Children countrywide are being given an opportunity to express their views on corporal punishment and to suggest suitable ways of disciplining children in Guyana.
This morning First Lady, Varshnie Jagdeo, on behalf of the National Commission on the Rights of the child (NCRC), in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Education, launched a national art competition at the Umana Yana.
The competition has the theme, “Discipline without Beating.”
Mrs. Jagdeo emphasized, “Hitting children is not an effective means of correcting children.”
She added, “Whipping hurts them physically, mentally and emotionally.”
The issue of corporal punishment in schools has been engaging national interest recently. While some sections of society oppose corporal punishment, others support its being used.
However, the First Lady, who is the NCRC Chairperson advocates that even though corporal is still legal, “Children don’t learn consequences of action.”
She is supportive of the abandonment of corporal punishment and violence against children.
Moreover, Guyana had affixed its signature to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990, which states that it is the responsibility of the state to protect the child.
Labour Minister Dr. Dale Bisnauth stressed the importance of the family in the good upbringing of children.
He too, expressed sentiments against corporal punishment, while acknowledging that children ought to be disciplined.
He referred to discipline as “a process by which standards of social behaviour, acceptable to society at a given time, are communicated and commended to the children of that society.” This, he says is assuming that that society has acceptable standards.
Some of the students who participated in the launching ceremony said “Children should not be beaten because beating is not the answer to disciplining a child.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Education Officer, Mr. Romeo Mc Adam said the Ministry is very concerned about the downward trend that discipline has taken in our society.
To this end, it drafted a manual for discipline in schools. The manual states that corporal punishment should be a last resort as a means of disciplining a student. And when this has to be done, the Headteacher should perform the act minimally.
He noted that children, teachers and parents have roles to play in ensuring discipline among children in the society.
“We do not feel one should use violence to get a message across. We feel very strongly that children should be spoken with and sometimes spoken to,” he said.
Student, teacher and parent relationships are very important, he said, and this could contribute to disciplining without violence.
He expressed disappointment at the behaviour of parents in the society which, he says, has an impact on children’s behaviour.
“We the adults need to change our behaviour and then we can demand of the children that they comply and do like we are doing,” he emphasised.
While some teachers have failed the Ministry in this regard, Mr. Mc Adam said the majority are trying to promote good discipline.
Through drawing and painting, children will illustrate how a child could be disciplined without being beaten, and the consequences of corporal punishment.
Prizes will be awarded regionally and nationally. The closing date for the competition is Monday May 31, 2004.

TOP

Guyana Forestry Commission to host Fourth Meeting of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Continental Forestry in the Caribbean

Georgetown, GINA, March 29, 2004

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) will be hosting the Fourth Meeting of the Ad-HOC Working Group on Continental Forestry in the Caribbean from March 30 through April 1, 2004 at Bamboo Landing, Berbice River.
The Workshop is being organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (Forestry Department, Barbados) and is being hosted by the GFC with support from World Wildlife Fund (Guianas), the Forestry Training Centre and Variety Woods and Greenheart Limited (a forest enterprise).
Participants, primarily decision makers in the forestry sector, are expected from Belize, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana. Field demonstrations will be carried out at the Charabaru District, Upper Demerara River.
The Forestry Training Centre Incorporated is responsible for the technical aspects of the programme: a demonstration of reduced impact logging in Guyana. Reduced impact logging is widely regarded as an essential component of sustainable forest management and its practices must be embraced if any forest enterprise wishes to become certified. Reduced impact logging is compatible with all major environmental initiatives by the Government of Guyana, and particularly the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Reduced impact logging will help ensure that Guyana complies with international treaties and conventions to which it has subscribed.
The Forestry Training Centre Inc. is the result of a partnership among the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Tropical Forest Foundation (Virginia, USA) and the Forest Products Association of Guyana with funding from the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the Department for International Development (DFID).

TOP

Investigation into New Amsterdam death completed

Georgetown, GINA, March 29, 2004

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Rudolph Cummings is to determine if anyone at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) is to be blamed for the death of the wife and child of Phillip Punwasy.
Dr. Cummings will study a report complied by Regional Health Officer in New Amsterdam, Dr. Khalikapersaud.
"We have collected reports from the doctor and nurses who were on duty that night," Dr. Khalikapersaud told the Government Information Agency (GINA).
Punwasy had claimed that his wife and child died at the New Amsterdam Hospital through negligence.
Dr. Khalikapersaud expressed his sympathy to Mr. Punwasy.

TOP

Minister Nokta to visit Region Three this week

Georgetown, GINA, March 29, 2004

A new Health Centre will be commissioned on Wednesday, March 31, when Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Harripersaud Nokta, and a team visit Region Three ( Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara) this week.
The Minister will meet with residents of Fort Island and inspect revetment work done by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Three before moving to Morashee, meeting with residents there, and commissioning the health facility.
The RDC completed the revetment work at a cost of $3.6 M and the Health Centre was completed at a cost of $3.25 M.

TOP

Research centre at Lesbeholden begins operation

Georgetown, GINA, March 25, 2004

Farmers in Black Bush Polder, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) are now receiving technical and other assistance with cultivation from the newly constructed research centre at Lesbeholden.
According to Director of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) Dr. Oudho Homenauth the facility became operational two weeks ago and will be officially commissioned sometime next month. The facility was completed this month with funding from NARI at a cost of $8M.
The building was constructed on a site that was previously used by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to conduct experiments and other research work. The research centre will provide technical assistance to farmers along with seedlings, plants for cultivation and other information needed by farmers to improve their farming techniques in the Region.
The facility is expected to provide jobs for persons in the area and a technical officer will be based at the facility permanently to meet farmers’ needs.
Farmers in the Region are presently accessing a variety of plants and seedlings from NARI’s facility at Number 63 Village.
Similar facilities have been constructed in other Regions to improve farming techniques and provide more options for farmers in cultivating several different types of crops.

TOP

Stabroek News’ claim that CARICOM defers talks on Guyana-Suriname dispute misleading

Georgetown, GINA, March 29, 2004

The Guyana/Suriname maritime dispute received the attention of the Inter-sessional meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) held recently in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Contrary to a Stabroek News headline which read: “Guyana-Suriname maritime boundary dispute: CARICOM Heads defer talks to July” there was no shifting of the discussion. Heads deliberated on the matter during the just concluded Inter-sessional meeting. As such, there could not be any decision to defer the talks which were held.
According to the meeting’s draft summary of recommendations and conclusions under the heading – Guyana – Suriname maritime boundary dispute, the Heads noted the statements of President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana and President Ronald Venetiaan of Suriname on the Guyana-Suriname maritime boundary dispute. The Heads also noted the Guyana-Barbados Exclusive Economic Zone Treaty.

TOP

Amerindian Affairs Ministry commences Leadership Training for Amerindian communities

Georgetown, GINA, March 29, 2004

The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs today began a two- day meeting with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to discuss the content structure and methodology of the Leadership Training programme planned for Amerindian communities.
Through the Technical Cooperation Agreement signed recently by Minister of Finance, Sasenarine Kowlessar and CIDA, the Ministry received a $250,000 US loan for the programme.
The programme will provide participants with the necessary training and educational materials to better manage their communities while Village Councils will be trained in management and administrative skills.
With many Amerindian Village Councils facing accountability problems, the programme is geared to assist in overcoming these problems.
The subject areas for the programme are community development and decision-making, Governance and legal issues, public, administration and accounts, environmental management, broad resource perspective, project management and monitoring and evaluation.

TOP

Eccles Waste Disposal site still under focus

Georgetown, GINA, March 29, 2004

Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Clinton Collymore today disclosed that plans for the construction of a state of the art Waste Management facility at Eccles is still on the agenda of the Ministry though several problems have been encountered recently.
In an invited comment to the Government Information Agency (GINA), the Minister explained that though the $10 M US loan for the site has been compromised by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) due to the fact that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report did not meet the prescribed deadline, the loan may be available for 2005 plans.
The Minister noted that plans are underway to have the intended site at a different location in Eccles which will be even further away from residential and industrial areas .
At scoping meetings held to inform residents about the modern facility planned, residents had protested the building of the facility in their area, stating that the site would devalue properties there and would be ‘unhealthy’ for residents of the area.
Some residents had protested with placards with remarks like ‘no dumpsite in Eccles” and “take it somewhere else’ when representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had attempted to update them on the facility.
Minister Collymore pointed out that plans are underway to move the site eastward instead of the previous westward plan.
He said five more acres of land will be used at the Mandela Avenue site and this 5-acre section will be a demonstration of what the Eccles site would be like.
A public awareness programme is also on to inform and meet residents.

TOP