President addresses security, housing, water woes at Diamond/Grove
Georgetown, GINA, November 8, 2004
The Ministry of Housing will today give approval letters to residents of Diamond, Guyana’s largest new Housing Scheme, who are desirous of accessing electricity at their own cost so that the process can start.
This follows an instruction from President Bharrat Jagdeo Saturday when he met them at various points in the community during a walk-about. The President visited several communities along East bank Demerara, Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica).
The Diamond/Grove Housing Scheme was started years ago and has a population of about 35,000 people. Some sections of Diamond already have electricity and roads, while both Grove and Diamond have water supply. To date, the Administration has spent more than $2B to develop the area. The Head of State explained that Government has limited resources and cannot fully develop the area at one shot. Instead the process will be done incrementally.
The Scheme is divided into low, middle and high-income sections, with lots priced from 90,000 to $1.2M. According to Government’s infrastructural programme for the area, electricity will be taken to the additional houses next year, through a loan Government has accessed from the Inter-American Development Bank.
The President instructed Minister of Housing and Water Shaik Baksh to meet residents who are willing to pay for their electricity this morning and sign the approval letters so that they can submit them to the Guyana Power and Light Company. One resident said that there are about 25 persons who are ready to pay for their electricity.
Water supply to Diamond and Grove has deteriorated recently. Some residents are not receiving water but are still being billed by the utility. The President emphasized that customers cannot pay for a service they did not receive. A Guyana Water Incorporated staffer explained that the company has some engineers in the area to fix the problem. He explained that the water lines were damaged when the drainage system in the area was cleaned.
In the interim, the Ministry of Housing and Water will discuss with GWI the option of stand pipes so that residents can access some amount of water.
An issue of pressing concern for residents is security. The said the incidence of crime in the area has risen, with a high level of robbery. They also complained about persons loitering on bridges and of Diamond being used by criminals to escape Police patrols.
Residents say the solution lies in the establishment of a Police Station in the area.
The Head of State said given the area’s population, the idea of a Police station will be considered, but in the interim, Government can work towards establishing a Police outpost.
According to President Jagdeo, the Home Affairs Minister (ag) Gail Teixeira will return to the community to host a meeting with them to address these concerns. She will be accompanied by members of the Guyana Police Force. On the issue of loitering, the President said he will discuss with the Commissioner of Police Winston Felix, the option of increasing Police patrols there. The Head of State urged residents to form a Community Policing Group and the Guyana Police Force will assist them with training.
Within Government’s development plan for East Bank is a second road from Timehri to Georgetown. Recently, the engineers have said that the road will pass through Diamond, with some residents having to be relocated.
The President said should this happen, since the project is still at the feasibility study stage, Government will pay the home-owners affected and provide alternative plots for them. He urged Minister Baksh to, in collaboration with Minister of Public Works Anthony Xavier, meet residents and adequately inform them of the plans and who will be affected. They were informed since last May about the road passing though Diamond, but details has not been forthcoming. Minister Baksh was told to inform the community this week.
Residents also raised concerns about vending on the roadside at Diamond and President Jagdeo said that this must not be condoned; instead, vendors should use the marketplace opposite the Diamond junction, or alternatively, make collapsible stalls.
There are plans to covert a front plot of land in the area into a parking lot and the Housing Minister said vendors may be given a spot there.
Some home-owners built their houses through an arrangement with World Homes Incorporated and have complained about the quality of work done by the contractors.
President Jagdeo said that the Ministry has raised the issue before with World Homes, and World Homes will have to repair such houses at its own cost.
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Guyana to host XX Summit of Rio Group
Georgetown, GINA, November 8, 2004
At the recently concluded XVIII Rio Group Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Guyana was unanimously chosen to host the XX Meeting of the Heads of State and Government in 2006.
According to a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, starting in January 2005, Guyana will be a member of the Troika charged with the coordination and representation of the Group's interest and activities. The other members of the Troika will be Brazil and Argentina.
Guyana represents Caricom on the Rio Group and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rudy Insanally represented Guyana and the Region at the meeting.
Before he left for Rio, Minister Insanally had said that the Summit will look at challenges to multilateralism and social issues including hunger and poverty.
The Minister said that many of these issues, especially the reduction and elimination of poverty, are also high on the list of Guyana’s priorities.
The Permanent Mechanism of Political Consultation and Coordination--the Rio Group (GRIO)-- was created in 1986 in Rio de Janeiro. Members include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay and a representative from Caricom.
At the Cartagena Summit in 2000, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua were allowed to participate in the GRIO as full members and no longer as rotational representatives, which had been the practice up to that time.
The main objectives of GRIO were set out in the Declaration of Rio de Janeiro in 1986 and include
- To expand and systemize political cooperation among member states
- To examine international issues which may be of interest and coordinate common positions on these issues
- To promote more efficient operation and coordination of Latin American cooperation and integration organizations
- To present appropriate solutions to the problems and conflicts affecting the region
- To provide momentum, through dialogue and cooperation, to the initiatives and actions undertaken to improve inter-American relations
- To explore jointly new fields of cooperation which enhance economic, social, scientific, and technological development.
The Rio Group has been recognized as a legitimate and trustworthy interlocutory by other countries including Canada, Japan and India, and by other associations such as Caricom and the European Union.
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Eid-ul-Fitr not a public holiday
Georgetown, GINA, November 8, 2004
The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that Eid-ul-Fitr is not a public holiday.
Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Angela Johnson said that the Ministry is being bombarded with telephone calls about Monday, November 15, being a public holiday.
“We wish to advise Guyanese that Eid-ul-Fitr is not a public holiday,” stressed PS Johnson.
She added that November 12, is a public holiday, when Guyanese will be observing Diwali – the festival of lights.
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Promises made to Black Bush Polder residents being fulfilled
Georgetown , GINA, November 8, 2004.
Less than two months after President Bharrat Jagdeo made several promises to improve the lives of Black Bush Polder residents, many of them are being fulfilled.
On September 17 President Bharrat Jagdeo visited the four Polders in Black Bush: Lesbeholden, Johanna, Mibicuri and Yakusari and made several commitments to residents, including the provision of electricity, road repairs and school supplies.
Last Sunday, the President’s Information Liaison Robert Persaud visited the community and handed over educational toys for the Nursery schools, as well as sports gear, as promised by the President.
He also gave the residents an update on the other promises including electricity for the Polders, repair to the main access road and tubes for drainage. One of the communities in Black Bush Polder was scheduled for electrification at a cost of $67M. The President increased this to $100M so that all four can benefit.
Persaud explained that Under the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme, Yakusari, one of the communities in Black Bush Polder, was scheduled for electrification, and all four would cost $245M, which Government cannot afford. Hence, the President took the decision to ensure all the communities have some level of electricity with $100M and Government will continue the process incrementally.
The Guyana Power and Light’s plan for electricity is expected to kick off in January, latest February 2005, and be completed by June in the same year. However, GPL will have to expand its plan in order to cater for this programme and it will take a little longer, probably until September 2005.
Black Bush is some 22 miles away from the Corentyne coast Public Road, which has electricity.
“Initially only one community would have benefited, but the President intervened and hence, all four Polders will now have access,” Persaud said.
On the issue of repairs to the main access road to the Polders, Persaud said that according to the status report, work was done, as parts were recapped with burnt brick.
The President had also agreed to fund the installation of chutes to assist drainage and irrigation in the area. Each cost $30,000 and 12 are needed. These were purchased and will be installed shortly by the Interim Management Committee, Persaud said.
Four months ago Government gave $25 million for canal cleaning in Black Bush Polder.
An agreement was also reached in September that residents will be hired from next year to do maintenance work for drainage.
On the concerns of classes being left unattended when teachers go off to training school, the President had said the Teaching Service Commission would look into this. The Commission did and has filled six teachers’ vacancies in the communities. Also, the schools libraries were given some of the text books promised.
Meanwhile, Persaud said that these promises being fulfilled are part of the Government’s commitment to improving the life of all Guyanese.
“The People’s Progressive Party/Civic, under our great leader Dr. Cheddi Jagan, taught that we should serve our people. We struggled not for political power or anyone’s personal agenda, but to be in a position to help our people to better their lives and communities and that is why we try our best to assist,” Persaud added.
According to him, there may not be an abundance of resources, but through prudent management, Government tries to meet the citizens’ needs.
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Better Health Care Services for Berbicians
- with the introduction of Ultrasound
Georgetown, GINA, November 8, 2004
Berbicians can now benefit from improved health care services since the new New Amsterdam Hospital commenced operations on November 1, 2004.
The hospital was built with a US$12M grant from the Japanese Government and was executed by Kitano Construction Company.
“This is a clear example of the commitment which Japan has shown with Guyana.” Health Minister, Leslie Ramsammy said yesterday on a visit to the new facility.
The institution is fully operational with state-of-the-art equipment.
Minister Ramsammy said, “We are developing a health sector and we need to build an incentive scheme to encourage persons to join in the development.”
According to the Chief Executive Officer for the Regional Health Authority, Region Six, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, the new hospital will now be introducing ‘Ultrasound’, which the old hospital was unable to offer.
Minister Ramsammy said he is pleased to see the dedication and cooperation of the staff.
“We want to make patients comfortable and for people to feel good about the hospital and the staff,” he said.
Four specialists from overseas are soon to be placed at the institution. A doctor will be on duty 24 hours a day.
A Mental Health practitioner will also be at the hospital shortly
Minister Ramsammy said the Ministry plans to transform the old hospital into a training centre for medical staff.
The aim is to train 1000 persons from all ten administrative regions of the country over the next year.
Plans are also in place for a dormitory facility at the training centre. Post graduate training will be also done at the old hospital.
Some persons will be trained at the Georgetown and the New Amsterdam Hospitals as surgical technicians.
In response to allegations of doctors taking exorbitant sums of money from patients at public institutions, Minister Ramsammy said that all services offered at these institutions are free and he urged patients not to pay any money for services rendered.
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Minister Nokta completes outreach to Region One-more projects to be implemented
Georgetown, GINA, November 08, 2004
Several more projects are to be implemented with Government funds shortly in Region One ( Barima/ Waini) through the Regional administration and other Government agencies.
This was highlighted by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Harripersaud Nokta, as he completed a three-day visit to the Region over the weekend.
Minister Nokta and a regional team including Regional Chairman, Norman Whittaker, visited several Amerindian villages in the Moruca sub-region including Morcupha, Kamwatta, Koko, Manawarin and Waramuri, where the Minister addressed villagers and inspected sites for new building constructions.
The site for a new Primary school at Kamwatta was looked at and residents of the area discussed with the team the idea of changing the old Primary school there into a nursery school as one was needed.
At Koko, residents lobbied for a new nursery school as they pointed out that several of their children were of nursery age.
Minister Nokta, addressing villagers, said that Government is happy to see that many Amerindians are pursuing education and that about 23,000 of the more than 50,000 Amerindians in Guyana are getting an education.
He noted that the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company is in the process of expanding its telephone service to several indigenous communities. Some of these include Orealla, Muritaro, Mabura, Wakapao, Santa Rosa and Kabakaburi.
Regional Chairman, Norman Whittaker informed residents that AMCAR, the Company that buys their cabbage, has already handed over royalties to be paid to the villages to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the money should be handed over soon to the various village councils by the Regional administration.
Minister Nokta explained that Government needs to build several more schools in indigenous areas as the Amerindian population is increasing rapidly. This, he said, is partly due to the better health services being provided by Government.
The Minister also inspected the newly constructed San Jose bridge built at a cost of $4.985 M.
This year, $81M was allotted to Region One for works projects.
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Mahaicony bridge to be completed by Christmas
Georgetown, GINA Monday, November 08, 2004
The Mahaicony bridge in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) will be completed before year end. Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, performing the duties of President, today visited the site and expressed confidence that work would be completed by Christmas.
Prime Minister Hinds spoke with Project Manager, Falk Trampel who said that the Mahaica bridge would be completed by next Easter.
He said that the Mahaica bridge will be completed at this later date as the equipment used to launch the beams is now being used at the Mahaicony bridge and would have to be dismantled and taken to the Mahaica bridge to complete work there.
Four of six beams have been launched to complete the construction of the Mahaicony bridge. The Prime Minister said that the construction is quite an achievement.
The construction work looks clean and neat and that is usually an indication of the quality of the technical work, Mr. Hinds said.
The two bridges, along with several others, are being re-constructed under a US$22M programme. The project is funded by Government through a loan obtained from the Inter-American-Development Bank.
DYWIDAG, a German based company, is contracted to execute the job, with sub-contractors Courtney Benn Contracting Services and DIPCON.
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