Minister Notka for one-day visit to Region Three
Georgetown, GINA, April 27, 2005
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Harripersaud Nokta will on Friday April 29 make a one-day visit to Region Three (Essequibo Islands /West Demerara) as part of a Ministerial Outreach.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Harripersaud Nokta
The Minister will first stop at Parika- Salem Community Centre where he will meet members of the Parika Community Playground Management Committee. The Committee had earlier expressed concern about the condition of the Community Centre and Sports Ground.
The demarcation exercise ongoing on stallholders’ space in the newly- constructed Parika Mall will also be examined. As a consequence, the minister will meet with the Parika-Mora and Hydronie-Good Hope Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC’s) as well as the stallholders’ representative.
The new market is now completed and arrangements are being made for its occupation.
Minister Nokta will also meet with residents of Meten-Meer-Zorg and with leaders of the NIRVANA Group, Meten-Meer Zorg Sports Council and the Tuschen-Uitvlugt NDC.
Meetings will later be held with residents of Cornelia Ida and the Stewartville-Cornelia Ida NDC.
TOP Labour Minister urges better relationship between management and employees for greater productivity
Georgetown, GINA, April 27, 2005
Minister of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Dale Bisnauth said it has now become imperative that Government seek to develop good relationships between management and workers.
Minister Bisnauth addressing participants at a seminar on “Production and Productivity” held today at Transport House, Urqhart Street, Georgetown said, “Government is seeking to have a climate of understanding, friendliness and good relationship at the workplace, in order to facilitate production and productivity. This has been the major objective of Government for decades now.”
Minister Bisnauth added that, Guyana as a developing country has to compete with a market that has become globalized, and if Guyana is to compete successfully with its goods and services then “we have to produce goods and services at a cost that will permit us as a small country to be competitive.”
In satisfying the criteria for keen competition, Guyana’s goods and services have to be of the highest possible quality.
The Labour Minister said that it is due to competition other countries are forming themselves into trade blocks, and since Guyana is a part of CARICOM, it is working desperately to be ready for the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).
The seminar which is being held as part of activities planned for Occupational Safety and Health Month is aimed at fostering a better Management/Worker relationship.
The Minister called on managers to cooperate with workers to make the working environment conducive to the productivity process. It is, therefore, important for both management and workers to enhance the working environment in order to improve this process.
“Whatever we do, we have to ensure that rights of workers are not trampled upon and we do not want them to suffer in terms of incentives which are supposed to be offered to them in the interest of production and productivity.”
Among the main topics discussed at the seminar were Works and Work attitudes as they relate to production and productivity and Termination of Employment and the Severance Pay Act. Similar seminars were held earlier this month in other regions of the country.
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Imminent return of Sir Michael Davies noted by Cabinet
Georgetown, GINA, April 27, 2005
The imminent return of Sir Michael Davies, author of the controversial Parliament Needs Analysis Report, was discussed by Cabinet at its meeting of April 26.
This was said by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon at his weekly post Cabinet press briefing today.
"…Commonwealth's commitment concerning Sir Michael's meetings with the Executive and others, with stated intention of its outcome influencing the conclusion of his findings, was noted by Cabinet" Dr. Luncheon stated.
Cabinet's review of the Parliamentary activities for the week ending April 23, 2005, noted the significantly increasing workload of Parliamentary Committees. These include the Sessional, Special and Selected Committees.
Cabinet also reviewed the Administration's planned Legislative Agenda for 2005, highlighting the financial, health services and natural resources sectors.
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$42.5M Contract awarded for road maintenance
Georgetown, GINA, April 27, 2005
Cabinet at its meeting of April 26, 2005, offered its no-objection to the award of a contract for the Routine Maintenance Management Programme - Main Road Rehabilitation Programme, Phase 11.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon made this disclosure at his weekly post Cabinet press briefing today.
Dr. Luncheon said that the routine maintenance of the Corentyne highway, from New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek will commence shortly.
This contract was awarded in the sum of $42.5 M, and comes under the Ministry of Works ongoing road rehabilitation programme.
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Guyana Elections Commission prepares for 2006 Poll
Georgetown, GINA, April 26, 2005
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is streamlining its operations in preparation for National and Regional Elections scheduled for next year.
GECOM has undertaken several initiatives, which are aimed at identifying and correcting any inefficiency that may exist in the system. Currently, two experts on electoral processes are in Guyana on a fact-finding mission.
The consultants, Mr. Tim Neale and Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, have extensive international experience in the field of electoral processes. Mr. Tim Neale is a "Media and Democracy" expert, and Dr. Afri-Gyan is the Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, and Executive Secretary of the Association of African Election Authorities. Dr. Afari-Gyan has served, inter alia, as consultant for the United Nations and the Commonwealth, giving technical advice and functioning as a technical assessor of electoral processes.
GECOM is also fully prepared to handle any power failures that may occur on polling day. This was made possible through the donation of a Generator Set from the United States Aid Agency (USAID) earlier this month. .
Despite these developments, the main Opposition, PNC/R has been critical of GECOM’s ability to properly conduct the National and Regional Elections scheduled for 2006. The Opposition has questioned the Commission’s preparedness and indicated that various errors may occur in the 2006 polls.
However, the United States Ambassador Roland Bullen noted, “GECOM is responsible for holding elections that can be declared free and fair by internationally accepted standards… no system in the world is 100 per cent accurate and margin of errors within the acceptable standards have never invalidated elections.”
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Administration committed to holding Elections in 2006
Remarks by Parliamentary Opposition discredited - Dr. Luncheon
Georgetown, GINA, April 25, 2005
The Administration remains committed to the successful conclusion of the efforts of the Constitutional body - the Guyana Elections Commission, to have the constitutionally due elections in 2006.
This was said by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, at his weekly post Cabinet press briefing today.
The work of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is progressing with inputs from the Administration, donors and other stakeholders working with the recommendations of the Parliamentary Needs analysis Report in mind.
Dr. Luncheon said, "The interest of the donors is evident by the current visit of Commonwealth specialist to meet with stakeholders."
This statement was in reference to a current visit to Guyana by two Commonwealth experts on electoral processes, who are here on a fact-finding mission. The experts were invited by GECOM, as part of its preparations for National and Regional Elections in 2006.
Over the past months the Main Opposition PNC/R, has questioned the ability of GECOM to properly conduct elections in 2006. Dr. Luncheon stated, "The continuous efforts by the PNC/R, and now the group referred to as the combined Parliamentary Opposition, are also being given prominence in the public domain, but are increasingly being discredited by informed and knowledgeable findings and reports."
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Recovery programme making progress
Georgetown, GINA Wednesday, April 27, 2005
The assistance for rice farmers, who have been affected by the floods, has been fast tracked so that they can be ready to sow before the impending rainy season.
Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon at the Cabinet press briefing today said that $43M has been set aside to provide one bag of seed paddy for each acre of land under cultivation up to 80 acres of land.
To support the rice crop preparation $200M will be shelled out through the Recovery Assistance Programme. This assistance will reach more than 1000 farmers.
The household assistance component of the programme is ongoing. However, the management of information on claimants has had some glitches that are being ironed out.
Dr. Luncheon said that in excess of US$1M has been provided to the recovery effort from the international community. He said that the donor community is slowly responding to the flash appeal issued by Government.
So far four agencies have responded. The United Nations Development Programme, the United States Agency for International Development, the Canadian International Development Agency and the Department Fund of International Development have responded to this appeal to the tune of $800M.
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D&I preparation for May/June rains
Georgetown, GINA Wednesday, April 27, 2005
The Drainage and Irrigation Task Force is working to ensure that the coastal drainage system is prepared for the May/June rains. Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon today at the Cabinet press briefing said that contracts have been awarded for emergency work on the main drainage canals on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara.
Work is also ongoing to stockpile material and equipment to manage the Boerasirie and East Demerara Conservancies in the event of increased rainfall. Contracts have been awarded to maintain the conservancies and its channels.
Drainage and irrigation rehabilitation work will be executed in Regions 3, 4 and 5. The access road to the Conservancy at Cane Grove is also being rehabilitated.
Additionally, disaster management protocols are being developed to monitor the water levels in the conservancy and the opening and closing of the kokers and sluices. Dr. Luncheon said that this protocol will provide a third level of monitoring and supervision to ensure that the sluices and kokers are maintained to operate as expected.
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Government is focused on addressing Gender issues - Minister Shadick tells members at COHSOD meetings
Georgetown, GINA, April 27, 2005
Minister within the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Shadick with CARICOM officials before the commencement of the COHSOD meeting.
The twelfth meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) today opened at Le Meridien Pegasus, Georgetown under the theme ‘Investing in Human Resources with special reference to gender.’
At the meeting organised annually by the Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM), Guyana’s representative, Minister within the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Shadick told the gathering that Guyana takes gender issues very seriously.
She explained that there is still a challenge all over the region of gender equity in social relationships, in the homes and communities. “Many women are taking up positions in places where we can see, but we don’t know at what cost they are doing this, they might be doing it at great costs at home and that is where we would like some of the emphasis to be.”
Minister Shadick made reference to the fact that we have young women out numbering young men in schools and universities even though our population census shows that there is no great disproportion in gender.
The Minister pointed out that one inequity that needs to be addressed by CARICOM is that of women being left to take the responsibility of both parents.
“Too many women are living in poverty and there is no gender equity in that, those are challenges we need to look at carefully since it is not enough that they try to have equity in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and the CARICOM Secretariat.”
She outlined Government’s programmes which are at present being undertaken by the Women’s Affairs Bureau (WAB), the organisation set up by Government to handle all matters relating to Gender equity.
Minister Shadick said the WAB is implementing Regional Women Affairs Committees (RWAC) in the ten Administrative regions in Guyana and it has two supportive organisations set up with aid from the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) to assist in its work- the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI) located on the East Coast Demerara and the National Documentation Centre for Gender and Development, a department of her Ministry.
The Minister said these two organisations are involved in a number of programmes and initiatives to promote gender equity and development in Governance and in workplaces.
Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite supported some of Minister Shadick’s views.
She said she is pleased that this COHSOD meeting is focusing on gender mainstreaming and education in the Caribbean region since this is an issue which needs urgent attention.
“The gender equality in the region is reflective of women’s unrealized potential of integration in the economy, the social and economic cost of violence against women and the losses in human capital or mortality were features of the World Bank report of 2004,” Ambassador Applewhaite said.
Several other topics are expected to be discussed at the three-day meeting. Some of these include the Caricom and Single Market and Economy Status Report, Beijing +10 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Gender characteristics of participation and attainment in education and update on Regional study on Gender Differentials at the Secondary levels of the education systems in the Anglophone Caribbean are also on the agenda.
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WTO Appellate body ruling on sugar challenge expected tomorrow
Georgetown, GINA, April 27, 2005.
The Appellate body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will give its decision tomorrow on the ruling of the Dispute Panel that heard the challenge brought by Brazil, Australia and Thailand against the European Union sugar regime.
Late last year, the EU appealed the decision of the Panel which had ruled in favour of Brazil, Australia and Thailand. The EU appeal was heard on March 7 and 8, 2005.
Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation and CARICOM’s Ministerial spokesperson on WTO matters Clement Rohee, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that it is likely that the Appellate body will uphold the decision of the Dispute Panel but he is not sure if it will address the 1.6 million tonnes of sugar purchased from ACP countries.
The Appellate body was called to determine whether the EU exceeded its reduction commitment given during the Uruguay Round of negotiations not to export sugar beyond a specific amount to the world market and whether the exported sugar was subsidized by the EU through intervention prices from which European beet farmers benefit. This would mean that the EU is guilty of dumping subsidized sugar on the world market, thereby depressing world market prices.
When the Panel ruled in September 2004, it did not pronounce on the Sugar Protocol and the implications of subsidized sugar the EU exports vis-à-vis the Sugar Protocol.
The complainants, especially Brazil, have said the challenge was not directed to hurt ACP countries, but speaking with GINA after the hearings before the Appelate Body, Minister Rohee had said, “Once you go to the heart of the EU Sugar regime, ACP countries, including Guyana, will be affected”.
He noted that the EU is silent on arguments suggesting that even if it stops exporting subsidized sugar, the EU can still afford to pay a ‘budgetary subsidy’. Minister Rohee along with his counterparts from Mauritius and Swaziland argued about the political, social and economic impacts of the ruling and while these are not strictly legal arguments, the Minister said they were well received.
According to the Minister, when the countries were determining the strategy to approach the Appeal, it was agreed that the Governments would be at the forefront of the fight representing the interests of their peoples and their country.
He said this approach made a ‘big impression’ at the hearing of the appeal, that Ministers from developing countries were willing to spend their scarce resources to be present and sit through hours of arguments.
According to the Minister, more than legal arguments are necessary. “It is about law, equity and justice. This is where the scale has to hang”, he said, adding that a strictly legal position without attachment to the socio-economic implications was not enough.
In terms of the EU decision to reform the Sugar Protocol by cutting the intervention price paid to ACP sugar producers by 37 percent, the Minister had noted that should the WTO Appellate decision be in favour of the complainant, it will have implications for the EU sugar reform and implications for Guyana.
The Minister had pointed out that should the Appellate body uphold the ruling of the Panel, it would have implications for WTO negotiations currently taking place.
“The WTO was set up not to disadvantage small, vulnerable and commodity dependent countries but to ensure that all members, irrespective of size of economy, irrespective of their contributions to global trade, must benefit from global trading arrangements,” he had said adding that the role of the WTO was to see how best it can shape the future to ensure that marginalization does not take place.
“Everybody is talking of globalization, but what is the point in talking about being part of the globalised world ... and the body to ensure this does not happen is contributing to it,” the Minister had questioned.
Minister Rohee was one of three Ministers present at the hearing of the Appeal in March this year in Geneva, the others coming from Mauritius and Swaziland.
Guyana had applied for and received enhanced third party status that allowed the country to participate throughout the legal proceedings.
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Post flood recovery update
- Complete relief package for rice farmers
Georgetown, GINA, April 27, 2005
Farmers who lost crops during the flood will receive a $10,000 relief and an additional $10,000 for each acre lost (in Regions 2,3,4 and 6), up to a maximum of 80 acres, along with one bag seed paddy for each acre lost.
The Recovery, Planning and Implementation Secretariat, Office of the President made this announcement to inform farmers of the relief package.
In Region 5, each farmer will receive a $25,000 individual allowance along with the $10,000 for each acre lost. This will benefit farmers who were inundated when water from the East Demerara Water Conservancy was released to ease the pressure and water level on the conservancy dams.
The total of the relief package is $253M and relates to 1,022 farmers and 19,930 acres of rice cultivation lost.
TOP IMC Consultations continues…
Georgetown, GINA, April 27, 2005
Consultations on whether an Interim Management Committee (IMC) should replace the Georgetown City Council today continued at the Rama Krishna Primary School in Kitty.
Minister in the Ministry ofLocal Government and Regional Development, Clinton Collymore met residents of Greater Georgetown to listen to their views and opinions on the installations of the IMC.
Minister Collymore informed the gathering why Local Government Elections was delayed and explained to them the implications of the IMC. Residents were also given an opportunity to express their concerns about the functioning of the Council.
Consultations are scheduled for Albouystown in South Georgetown, Agricola and East Ruimveldt.
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Regional activities launched in observance of Vaccination week of the Americas April 23-30
Georgetown, GINA, April 27 2005
To mark Vaccination Week of the Americas April 23-30, celebrated under the theme “love them, protect them, immunize them,” the Ministry of Health has undertaken a number of regional activities launched on April 24.
The week-long events, April 24-30, will focus on all children but special emphasis will be placed on those children living in hinterland areas and the most vulnerable groups.
The activities in Region one commenced with D.T. vaccination for all males at Mabaruma, Barima and Koriabo on April 23 and again on April 25. The exercise was carried out in Red Hill, Amkar, White Creek, Waima, Kemwatta and Neocol.
There was a television presentation on the n ight of April 23, with Medex Chappel, Budberk and James and for the week there will be an open door vaccination exercise at health centres in Region two, Region six and at the Dorothy Bailey health centre in the Region four.
Health talks to churches and youths groups will be ongoing throughout the week in Region four. To ensure every child has the full dosage of recommend vaccines massive ‘mop up’ exercises are taking place in Regions four, five, seven, and ten.
Adults and children in Region three will benefit from home visits by medical personnel during the week and a school vaccination programme for children within the age groups of zero to eleven months, one year, and three years nine months. There are also home visits being undertaken in Region ten.
In Region five there will be h ealth talks at schools and churches and an outreach at Alrary Creek.
The recommended vaccination schedule is as follows:
Age Group |
Vaccine |
Disease |
At birth |
BCG (Bacille Calmette Guerin) |
Tuberculosis |
2 months |
1 st Dose of Polio (OPV)
1 st Dose of Pentavalent |
Poliomyelitis (Polio)
Diphtheria, Whooping cough, Tetanus, hepatitis B, Hemophillius influenza |
4 months |
2 nd Dose of Polio (OPV)
2 nd Dose of Pentavalent |
6 months |
Dose of Polio (OPV)
1 st Dose of Pentavalent |
12 months |
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
Yellow Fever |
Measles, Mumps and Rubella, Yellow Fever
|
18 months ( 1 year 6 months) |
Booster Polio (OPV)
Booster DPT |
Poliomyelitis (Polio)
Diphtheria, Whooping cough, Tetanus |
3 years 9 months |
Booster Polio (OPV)
Booster DPT
2 nd Dose MMR |
15 – 17 Years |
DT Vaccine Booster |
Diphtheria, tetanus |
Health workers in every country in the Western Hemisphere are targeting millions of children, many in isolated areas, during a historic Vaccination Week in the Americas.
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