WORLD CUP 2007 FOR GUYANA
President Bharrat Jagdeo, now at the Heads of
Government meeting in Grenada, has welcomed the decision of the
International Cricket Council that Guyana will be one of the eight
venues for World Cup Cricket 2007.
readmore...
23 Guyanese Muslims for Qaseeda finals
in Suriname
Forty-five men competed today in the senior and
junior Quesada semi-finals for a spot in the finals to be held
in Parimaribo, Suriname on August 22.
readmore...
Hinterland students honoured
Thirty-eight students from Regions One, Two,
Four, Six, Nine and Ten were yesterday honoured at a Hinterland
Students Closing Exercise hosted by the Hinterland Welfare Division
of the Ministry of Education.
readmore...
Guysuco honour “Champion Workers”
of Berbice Estates
The management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation
(Guysuco) honoured four of its Champion Workers along with the
first and second runners-up from the Berbice Estates. The workers
were honoured at a ceremony at Skeldon Estate.
readmore...
Work on sugar modernization project to
start September
- preparatory works already completed
Work on the sugar modernization project at Skeldon
Sugar Estate, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) will
commence in September this year and conclude in 30 months.
readmore...
Hundreds attend annual duck curry competition
King's Jewellery World annual duck curry competition
was held at the National Perk and witnessed by hundreds of local
and foreign participants.
readmore...
WORLD CUP 2007
FOR GUYANA
Georgetown, GINA, July 5, 2004
President Bharrat Jagdeo, now at the Heads of
Government meeting in Grenada, has welcomed the decision of the
International Cricket Council that Guyana will be one of the eight
venues for World Cup Cricket 2007.
According to Information Liaison Robert Persaud, President Jagdeo
is pleased with the announcement, and said it would serve as a
catalyst for preparations for Guyana to co-host this premiere
cricket event with other Caribbean countries.
The Guyanese leader learnt of the good news while at the Caricom
Summit.
Just before leaving home for the Summit in Grenada, President
Jagdeo had visited the site where the International Cricket stadium
is being constructed at Providence on the East Bank Demerara.
The Indian Government had agreed to finance the construction of
the stadium with a capacity of 20, 000.
The other Caribbean venues for World Cup 2007 are Antigua, Barbados,
Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.
Bermuda’s National Sports Centre has been selected as a
back-up venue to host matches in case of emergencies. Bermuda
will also host warm-up games.
World Cup 2007 will see 16 teams playing 51 matches in the competition.
The United States bid for Florida to host World Cup 2007 failed.
TOP
23 Guyanese Muslims
for Qaseeda finals in Suriname
Georgetown, GINA, July 5, 2004
Forty-five men competed today in the senior and
junior Quesada semi-finals for a spot in the finals to be held
in Parimaribo, Suriname on August 22.
Over 1,000 Muslims gathered at the Muslim Youth Organization,
Thomas Lands, Georgetown complex to witness the grand International
Qaseeda Competition in honour of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.
At the conclusion of the competition, 10 seniors and five juniors
were chosen to represent Guyana in the International Quesada finals.
Two weeks ago the female competition kicked off with eight women
selected for the finals. .
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, performing the duties of the President,
said he was impressed with the quality of the participants' recitals.
He pointed out that such recitals bring comfort and peace of mind.
He also noted the importance of preserving one’s culture
and congratulated the organizers of this event for the vision
of preservation.
In these modern times there are many things facing us, and we
need to maintain our culture in the face of many distractions,"
said the Prime Minister.
The Qaseeda is originally an Arabic poetic form predating the
religion of Islam and is still present in various Arabic countries.
In Guyana the Qaseeda Competition is one during which Muslims
from various Masjids countrywide sing songs praising the Prophet
Muhammad.
The six judges looked for voice control and style, presentation
and pronunciation.
President of the Central Islamic Organisation Guyana (CIOG) Fazil
Mohammed said, "It is very important for us to revive our
Islamic culture."
He added that next year the CIOG will be sending persons for six
months to Suriname for Islamic training and learning the Urdu
language. The Qaseeda finals will be hosted in Guyana next year
with Suriname, the United States, Holland and Trinidad and Tobago
participating.
The Gazal and Nazm once formed a vital part of the Guyanese Muslim
culture and experience. Today unfortunately this art form is on
the decline and the CIOG, in an attempt to revive it, started
the Qaseeda Competition in 1999.
TOP
Hinterland students honoured
Georgetown, GINA, July 4, 2004
Thirty-eight students from Regions One, Two,
Four, Six, Nine and Ten were yesterday honoured at a Hinterland
Students Closing Exercise hosted by the Hinterland Welfare Division
of the Ministry of Education.
The ceremony was held at the Young Women Christian Association
(YWCA), Brickdam. At the closing exercise, students performed
songs, dances, skits and poems to the gathering of family, friends
and guardians.
The students completed formal education at the secondary and vocational
levels at several institutions in Georgetown and its environs.
Some of the institutions include Carnegie School of Home Economics,
Government Technical Institute, Guyana Industrial Training Centre,
Burrowes School of Arts and several secondary schools.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues in delivering
the charge to the graduants, told the students that they have
completed their education and could now return to their communities
as role models.
The Minister encouraged students to emulate good values, norms
and behaviour which could earn them respect from members of their
communities and others.
"You have achieved a level of education that even your parents
did not achieve", she said.
Minister Rodrigues noted that their success should be measured
by the obstacles they confront and overcome.
Hinterland Coordinator within the Education Ministry, Edward Jarvis
told students that they are at a point of transition from one
level to another and they are now moving to a more challenging
level.
He noted that the ultimate test the graduants will face is being
able to apply what they have learnt.
Students from the hinterland regions who excelled at the Secondary
School Entrance Examinations (SSEE) are given scholarships to
complete their secondary and technical education in Georgetown.
The Ministries of Education and Amerindian Affairs facilitate
students' studying in Georgetown.
At the end of the exercise, students were provided with certificates
and trophies.
Prices were awarded to the Best Student (Advance), Best Behaved
Student, Best Technical Student and Best All Round Student. The
Hinterland Scholarship programme allows students to gain secondary
level education.
Students, who are assigned to live at specific guardians' homes,
are given monthly allowances by the Hinterland Welfare Division
of the Ministry of Education.
The hinterland scholarship programme has been in existence for
over 42 years. There are currently 203 students on the hinterland
scholarship programme.
TOP
Guysuco honour
“Champion Workers” of Berbice Estates
Georgetown, GINA, July 4, 2004
The management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation
(Guysuco) honoured four of its Champion Workers along with the
first and second runners-up from the Berbice Estates. The workers
were honoured at a ceremony at Skeldon Estate.
The Champion Workers are employed at the four estates in Berbice
- Skeldon, Rose Hall, Albion and Blairmont.
At this year’s Honours Roll, three cane harvesters, a planter,
a slingman and sling chain attendant, a caretaker, welder/fabricator,
tinsmith, mill feeder operator and a junior bookkeeper distinguished
themselves during 2003.
The workers were judged on the number of days they worked during
2003 and the amount of cane they cut and loaded during the past
year.
Those honoured include: Champion Workers Ganesh Rai of Skeldon;
Abdul Razack Hakim of Rose Hall; Fazal Ragasammy of Albion; and
Haroon Rasheed of Blairmont. First Runners-up include: Herman
Kissoon of Skeldon; Ramdowar Rameshwar of Rose hall; Zamin Khan
of Albion; and Daveanand Deolall of Blairmont. Second Runners-up
include: Marlon Welch of Skeldon; Koomar Budhu of Rose Hall; Whaitland
Nelson of Albion; and Miriam Karl of Blairmont.
General Manager of Guysuco Berbice Estates Subby Rampertab congratulated
the workers urging others to emulate their hard work so that they
could achieve the same status for next year. He noted that despite
the challenges in the industry, it has been progressing and urged
that people learn to adapt to changes or be left behind.
He noted that there will be many changes in the industry in the
near future which will enable the sugar sector to move forward.
He stated that the recent announcement by the European Union (EU)
regarding its approach to sugar reform is disastrous to Guyana’s
sugar industry, since the proposed reduction in the price by 22
percent next year and 33 percent by 2007 will significantly affect
Guyana’s sugar industry.
Chief Executive Officer of Guysuco Michael Boast congratulated
the workers for accomplishing such a commendable feat. He noted
that the industry has been progressing and recorded a production
of 302,000 tonnes last year, while in 2002 it was 331,000 tonnes.
This reduction in production was attributed to the long drought
experienced early last year which caused a reduction in the first
crop.
Mr. Boast stated that the factories performed well during the
last year but urged employees to work harder to compete in the
market place. He said in order to survive, the industry must change
its mode of operation and people must adapt to changes. Guysuco
is presently working on a strategic plan to face the new challenges.
The Chairman of Guysuco provided an update on the Skeldon Modernization
Plan. He noted that with the construction of the new Plan, the
industry will be able to survive. He stated that there is a bright
future for the industry but people must work together and be willing
to adapt to the changes.
Also present at the ceremony was Presidential Advisor on Sustainable
Development Navin Chandarpal, who noted that people need to take
past lessons to chart the course for the future. He said the EU
has breached its agreement with African Caribbean and Pacific
(ACP) countries which provides preferential treatment until 2007.
He noted that in order to compete, the industry must work toward
adding value to its primary products.
Guysuco has already been working toward value added products with
the launching of Demerara Gold, a packaged product. The sugar
industry is critical to Guyana’s economy, since it represents
18 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and adds up to
60 percent of the overall agricultural production. The industry
employs over 17,000 workers while 6,000 private cane farmers and
others provide various services.
Mr. Chandarpal noted that the industry cannot survive on just
a few “hard working” employees and everyone must strive
to become Champion Workers in their own right.
TOP
Work on sugar modernization
project to start September
- preparatory works already completed
Georgetown, GINA, July 4, 2004
Work on the sugar modernization project at Skeldon
Sugar Estate, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) will
commence in September this year and conclude in 30 months.
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) and the China National
Technology Import and Export Corporation (CNTIC) signed the agreement
for the project on June 22, 2004 at a cost of US $110M.
Chairman of Guysuco Ronald Ali provided an update on the project
at a recent honours roll function at the Skeldon Estate on Saturday
last. Preparatory infrastructural works for the factory have been
completed and additional acreage of land for sugar cane cultivation
is progressing.
Mr. Ali said the contract provides for the construction of the
new factory, distillery and refinery. Funding for the project
is being provided by the World Bank, the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), and the Exim Bank of China. Guysuco will contribute
self-generated funds and revenue from land sales.
The project represents one of the steps toward modernizing the
local sugar industry to cushion the impact of the increasingly
difficult conditions facing the African, Caribbean and Pacific
(ACP) countries.
Mr. Ali stated that approximately US $25M is being provided by
the Caribbean Development Bank for the agricultural extension
of Skeldon Estate to provide additional supplies of cane.
The project is a significant development in the sugar industry
and is one of the components of the strategic plan to improve
Guysuco’s productivity and reducing costs to ensure stability
and viability of the industry.
Mr. Ali expressed thanks to the Governments of Guyana and China
for their contribution to the project. When completed, the factory
will be able to crush approximately 350 tonnes of cane per hour.
The project also caters for a cogeneration plant, which will utilize
bagasse to generate electricity for the grid in Berbice at a cost.
Wartsilla diesel plants will be attached to provide electricity
to Berbice and will be completed 22 months after the commencement
of the project in September.
Mr. Ali stated that later a refinery will be constructed which
will assist in adding value to the primary product. The factory
will then produce refined sugar which will open new markets and
offer a better price for Guyana’s sugar.
The new factory will produce approximately 120 tonnes of refined
sugar for Caribbean markets. The industry has already started
moving in this direction with the launching of Demerara Gold,
a packaged refined sugar.
Additionally more pumps will be installed to provide assistance
with drainage and irrigation. Mr. Ali urged Government to assist
in this regard, since the heavy rainfall and a long dry season
normally affect the sugar cane crop.
TOP
Hundreds attend
annual duck curry competition
Georgetown, GINA, July 4, 2004
King's Jewellery World annual duck curry competition
was held at the National Perk and witnessed by hundreds of local
and foreign participants.
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds who is performing the duties of President,
was among the many who gathered to sample duck curry from the
twenty-odd contestants.
The duck curry competition, which began three years ago, held
five preliminary sessions throughout the country.
This year's competition started in April last and five contestants
were chosen to move on to today's finals.
Duck curry will be judged by 20 persons who are looking for the
best taste, texture and aroma.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manzoor Nadir and
several senior members of the Government and private sector attended
the competition.
Several other food and beverages were on sale. The Radio Needy
Children's Fund also attended the competition.
TOP
Monday, July 5, 2004