New Housing Scheme to be opened in St. Cuthbert’s, April 14
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
A new Housing Scheme is to be officially opened in the lone Amerindian Village in Region Four (Demerara/ Mahaica), St. Cuthbert’s Mission on April 14.
The Food for the Poor Guyana Incorporation, in a release stated that it has been involved in the construction of 20’x 15’ two-bedroom wooden houses free of cost since March last year.
In its continued mission of helping the materially poor and renewing the poor in spirit, Food for the Poor noted that the organisation has built 157 homes to date.
Forty houses have been completed in the Mission complete with Sanitation Blocks consisting of toilet & bathroom, 1 community centre, 2 shallow pump wells as well as 12 400 gallons water tanks.
The entire project cost approximately $45 M and the opening ceremony will take place at 11:00 am on Thursday, April 14.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Reginald Brotherson, will be in attendance during the scheme’s opening.
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Mahaicony Bridge to be commissioned in two weeks
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President Jagdeo checks on progress
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
H.E. Bharrat Jagdeo speaks with residents at the newly constructed Mahaicony Bridge.
The Mahaicony Bridge set for opening within two weeks.
The construction of the new bridge across the Mahaicony River, Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) has been completed.
President Bharrat Jagdeo was told during a site visit yesterday by Minister of Public Works and Hydraulics Anthony Xavier that the bridge will be declared open in about two weeks time. The President was there while in Mahaicony for a community meeting as part of Cabinet’s Outreach to Region Five on April 10.
Under a US $22M "bridges programme," the bridge is being built, along with several others. The project is funded by Government through a loan obtained from the Inter-American-Development Bank (IDB). Sixty-six bridges from Timehri to Rosignol have been identified to be constructed and rehabilitated.
DYWIDAG, a German based company, has been contracted to execute the job, with the sub-contractors being Courtney Benn Contracting Services and DIPCON.
Meanwhile, the Mahaica Bridge, funded also under the bridges project, is almost completed and President Jagdeo said both structures should be commissioned around the same time.
The old structures were used to link the railway line when trains were operational in Guyana decades ago and have been replaced by modern concrete structures.
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Major focus being placed on Community Policing Groups in Region Six
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon meets members of community policing groups at State House New Amesterdam, Berbice
Heightened focus is being placed by Government on Community Policing Groups (CPG’s) in Region Six ( East Berbice/ Corentyne) as part of the Administration’s plans to further develop the Region.
On Saturday last, Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon and PPP/C Member of Parliament for Region Six, Ramesh Rajkumar met with leaders and members of CPG’s.
The meeting involved discussions on problems faced by community policing groups in the Region and took place at State House in New Amsterdam, Berbice.
Reiterating Government’s position on CPG’s, Dr. Luncheon said Government is always willing to give support to develop CPG’s in the country.
He explained that Government provided assistance to buy equipment and uniforms among other necessary equipment for the CPG’s to effectively perform their duties.
During the meeting, members called on Government to intervene on certain matters which involve members having conflicts with residents and requested Government’s permission to form alternative groups.
Responding, the HPS said Government does not have a responsibility to give permission to community members to form CPG’s.
He added that it is the responsibility of community members to ascertain whether the groups are functioning satisfactorily or not.
However, he noted that Government has recognised the contributions made by the CPG’s in the country and is encouraging every community to form CPG’s.
“My focus is on policing groups because it provides a service to the community.” Dr. Luncheon said.
Dr. Luncheon called on CPG members to implement rules and regulations to govern the operation of the groups.
He explained that this serves as a measure to ensure that quality service is provided to the community.
He disclosed that Government plans to form a pool of Rural Constables across the country.
Later in the evening Dr. Luncheon met with CPG members and leaders of Numbers 68, 67 and Corriverton villages at the New Market Primary school in Number 63 village where similar concerns were raised.
Government, since 2002, has been providing budgetary allocations through the Ministry of Home Affairs to purchase equipment, uniform and other necessary equipment for Community Policing Groups throughout the country.
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Pro-activity a good quality in any executive Minister – recommended by COI
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
“Pro-activity is always a good quality in any executive Minister. However, the executive nature of ministerial functions must necessarily circumscribe pro-active conduct by Ministers,” – this was one of the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry.
Set up by President Bharrat Jagdeo on May 14, 2004, the COI was responsible for investigations into Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj’s involvement in extra-judicial killings. The Commission was chaired by Ian Chang with Keith Massiah and Norman Mc Lean as members.
The COI report highlighted the danger which always inheres in the involvement of any Minister of Home Affairs in information-gathering operations on criminal activities.
“Such involvement invariably brings the executive Minister into unhealthy and unholy association with criminals or persons who live on the fringes of criminality. Such persons usually derive a false sense of security from their ministerial association and engage boldly in unlawful conduct in the belief that their connection with the Minister will afford them a level of protection from criminal processes. Inevitably, depending on the nature of their unlawful conduct, the Minister would become tainted by such conduct. It is obvious that Minister Gajraj suffered the same fate by virtue of his close association with Axel Williams for information-gathering purposes.”
The Commission therefore recommends:
- Any Minister of Home Affairs confide such pro-active inclinations in that direction to ensuring that the Police Force implement and maintain an effective system of information gathering on criminal activities embracing the entire country. Should the Police Force fail to do so, that Minister should resist any inclination to personally implement and maintain such a system himself since information-gathering is a necessary Police function and not a Ministerial function. He should, however, proactively cause the necessary administrative or disciplinary remedial actions to be taken.
- The processes which apply to dealing with applications for firearm licences lack uniform application since they are not based on the uniform provisions of the Firearm Regulations. The processes of dealing with such applications seem to vary with the particular attitudes of whoever is the incumbent Minister of Home Affairs and the Commissioner of Police. This makes for inconsistency which will be avoided by adherence to uniform Regulations.
- The Commission recognises that the reason for this undesirable state of affairs lies in the irrelevance of the current Firearm Regulations to present social and institutional realities and the ministerial failure to make the necessary remedial amendments to the current Firearm Regulations. Therefore the Commission recommends that the Firearm Regulations be examined and amended to render them relevant to current social and institutional realities.
- The Commission is aware that the Disciplined Forces Commission had thoroughly examined the Firearm Regulations and had recommended certain amendments thereto. The Commission has noted the relevant recommendations made by that Commission and is of the opinion that they deserve serious consideration with a view to urgent legislative action.
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DDL’s dictatorship of GUYSUCO’s distillery plans ridiculous
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President Jagdeo
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
Among the plans for the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GUYSUCO) modernization project at Skeldon, is the establishment of a distillery plant, but the plans are being blocked by a court action initiated by a local company.
During the Cabinet Outreach in Berbice, President Jagdeo explained that the distillery plant will be funded by the private sector. The project was tendered and the successful bidder was taken to court by the local beverage company Demerara Distillers Limited.
The Head of State expressed hope that the matter will be sorted out soon hopefully.
“We went to a tender process and Angostura has won that tender, but DDL has gone to court to try to block it, which I think is totally ridiculous from the perspective that they want to tell GUYSUCO to whom they should sell the molasses and at what price,” he said.
According to President Jagdeo, the sloth of the judicial system has further compounded the matter.
“It is taking too long. The Courts have to resolve these issues quickly so that people cannot frivolously block development project. And one way or another we have to settle that issue, hopefully it will be done in court shortly,” he added.
The distillery plant is a major investment for Berbice, as is the US$129M Skeldon Modernisation Project, which is expected to create more jobs.
“This (the modernisation programme) would bring a big boost to Berbice because we would have a tremendous ripple effect through the whole of Berbice,” he said.
Berbice is a predominantly agricultural area and sugar is seen as the ‘lifeblood’ of the county. The success of sugar production in Guyana is dependent on this modernisation project.
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Cabinet Outreach …
An opportunity for residents to raise concerns
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
The Cabinet Outreach to Regions Five and Six was aimed at addressing problems faced by residents there, Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy told residents of Number 8 Village, West Coast Berbice yesterday during a meeting at the Village’s Primary School.
The Health Minister said Government is reaching out to communities across the country with a view to bringing solutions to problems encountered by them.
He noted that never in the history of the country have there been such interactive sessions between Government and the people.
He explained that Government recognizes the problems faced by Guyanese and is working to solve the several issues. He added that outreach programmes enable Government to plan strategies and implement plans to avert serious difficulties in the various communities.
Residents expressed dissatisfaction in the operations of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in the area, saying that there is corruption and discrimination.
Minister Ramsammy explained that Local Government is a big issue in the country.
He added that if it is established that specific NDC’s are not functioning properly, they would be replaced by Interim Management Committees (IMC’s).
Residents also expressed concerns about infrastructural development in the village and Minister Ramsammy promised that he would follow-up with the subject and would return with the results.
Accompanying Minister Ramsammy was the Regional Health Officer (RHO), Venus Smart and Regional Executive Officer (REO), Jugol Narine.
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NDC’s now handling garbage collection on East Coast
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
Garbage collection on the East Coast Demerara is now being managed by the various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC’s), according to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Ganga Persaud.
The massive-clean up exercise initiated by Government after the January flood and in which over $23M was spent, has been completed.
As soon as the flood waters had receded on the East Coast, Government, through the Ministry of Local Government had contracted two competent waste disposal operators to assist in the removal of the large amount of garbage accumulated in the areas. Residents were also urged to desist from dumping garbage into the drains and canals as it would contribute to the blocking of the drainage systems.
Several temporary disposal sites were identified and some are still being sought on the East Coast with the intention of locating one site in each NDC.
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President Jagdeo for Sophia, Cummings Lodge tomorrow
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
President Bharrat Jagdeo would return as promised to Sophia and Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown tomorrow.
During his visit to the communities on March 27 to distribute kites to children, residents raised several concerns about the development programme for the former squatter settlements.
In response, the Head of State had promised residents that he would return with various Government officials to address their concerns.
The meetings will be held in the afternoon in both communities.
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Region 4 Administration neglects Greenfield koker
-Cause farmers to loose crops
Georgetown, GINA, April 11, 2005
Minister of Public Works and Hydraulics, Anthony Xavier, Minister of Housing and Water, Shaikh Baksh and the Minister of Public Service, Jennifer Westford speaking with residents on the state of the koker at Greenfield on the East COast Demerara, Region Four.
During a visit to the area today, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Other Crops and Livestock, speaking with farmers of Anns Grove on the East Coast Demerara, Region Four.
Following yesterday’s visit by President Bharrat Jagdeo to Greenfield koker on the East Coast Demerara, four Ministers were tasked with the responsibility to assess the state of the koker and flooding in the area caused by the recent rainfall.
The President was returning to the Capitol City following a successful cabinet Outreach in Regions 5 and 6 when he stopped to visit residents at Greenfield on the East Coast Demerara.
While there, residents explain to the Minister of Housing and Water, Shaikh Baksh, Minister of Public Works and Hydraulics, Anthony Xavier, Minister of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Westford and the Minister of Agriculture, Satyadeow Sawh that they have suffered major losses during the January flooding and. Once again they have suffered losses due to the negligence of the PNCR controlled Region 4 Administration, they told the Minister.
Minister Xavier explained that he would deploy a jet pump to clear the silt from the outfall with a view to getting the water off the land quickly. The canal has also been dug. Presently, there are two pumps working in the area to assist with the drainage situation.
Residents pointed out that several acres of farmlands are under water. Some of them explained that they had to reap their produces before time to prevent loses.
Residents noted that the Regional Administration has neglected the koker for over six weeks. The koker attendant also pointed out that while he made reports to the Regional Administration on the state of the koker, they paid no attention to his report.
The special body is tasked with maintaining Kokers and other outlets.
The special ND&I Task Force headed by Mr. Ravi Narine set up by President Jagdeo in the wake of the January floods to execute emergency work on drainage has awarded a contract to rehabilitate the koker and the other project.
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