France sends congratulatory message on Guyana’s 39 Independence Anniversary
Georgetown, GINA, May 28, 2005
Congratulatory messages on Guyana’s attainment of 39 years as an independent nation continue to pour in.
The latest message addressed to President Bharrat Jagdeo from French President Jacques Chirac reads, “On the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Guyana, it is a pleasure to address to you and to the people of Guyana my warmest congratulations. I express the wish that the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two peoples be further strengthened and enhanced in the future. Please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
The message was signed Jacquese Chirac.
TOP National Assembly continues its work
Several Committees met
Georgetown, GINA, May 28, 2005
Over the past two weeks a number of Committees of the National Assembly met. Among these were the Public Accounts Committee which met last week and again on May 23, to continue to examine the Public accounts of Guyana for the year 2003 together with the report of the Auditor General.
Last Tuesday, there was a meeting of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources. Among the issues discussed were the need to reschedule a proposed visit to Region Nine and Boa Vista, Brazil, the reformatted first periodic report of the Committee, visits to hydromet offices in Georgetown and Timehri and the Region Ten Regional Administration Bauxite Industry, Linmine and Bermine.
On May 25, the Parliamentary Management Committee met to discuss the draft Radio and Television Broadcasting and Photography in the Public Building among other issues.
There was also a meeting of the Standing committee for Constitutional meeting that same day. The Committee looked at the commencement of consideration of Article 160 of the Constitution Electoral System among other issues.
Last week, the Standing Committee to appoint members of Commissions met. They continued consideration on the draft Fifth Report of the Committee. The Committee also held discussions on identifying entities to nominate persons to the appointed members to the Rights of the Child Commission and the Indigenous Peoples Commission.
Also meeting last week was the Sectoral Committee on Economic Services which met on Wednesday, May 18 for consideration and adoption of the draft Report of the Committee.
Last week the Special Select Committee on the Excise Tax Bill No. 4 of 2005 began its work and invited members of the public to make written and oral submissions, while the Select Committee on the Age of Consent Bill No. 22 of 2004 continued to receive oral evidence from members of the public.
The Assembly met on Thursday, May19, and adopted the Report of the Special Select Committee on Geographical Constituencies Seat. The Report provide for the number of seats to remain the same.
TOP
Minister Jeffrey says Ministry working with police on CSEC breach
- CXC preparing new papers, dates
Georgetown, GINA, May 28, 2005
Education Minister Dr. Henry Jeffrey says investigations into the leak of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) papers are continuing and the Ministry is working closely with the Guyana Police Force to ensure those who committed the breach do not get off.
The CSEC Mathematics and English A papers were leaked prior to the examination and while the Ministry was able to recall the Mathematics packages before the exam date, students had already written the English paper.
Today, Minister Jeffrey said he is expecting that within a week new papers will be set for Guyanese students. The papers and the dates for the new papers are being set by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) in Barbados.
Speaking on measures that were put in place to prevent leakage of the papers, Minister Jeffrey said six months ago the Ministry of Education organised for CXC officials to be in Guyana to go through the procedures that should be followed.
A camera was placed in the working room of the exams centre and strong boxes at various police centres.
According to Dr. Jeffrey, more could be done and the Ministry will have to examine what these should be. He said the Ministry is open for suggestions.
There has been a suggestion for couriers to take the exam papers direct to centres, but this would mean that the papers would be in more hands, especially for those papers going to hinterland locations. Such an exercise would also be costly, but the Minister said the suggestion would have to be examined.
“At the end of the day it boils down to people’s integrity. Also to the system in place to facilitate some investigation if there are breaches. The system this time has been able to do that,” Minister Jeffrey said.
He noted that they were able to pin-point the problem and investigate where the breach occurred.
“We will stay very closely with the Police on this for there is no point having a system and when it breaks down, the people who perpetrate this kind of thing can get off scotch-free... An important element is to catch people who do this kind of thing,” he emphasized.
The Minister said he is sorry that the breach occurred. “We have tried to prevent it” he said, reiterating that the Ministry is open to all suggestions to prevent a breach from happening again.
The Education Minister is calling on parents to refrain from the dishonest practice of purchasing papers.
“If there are no buyers there will be no sellers”, he said, noting that it was the students who suffer.
According to the Minister, CXC is not comfortable with the situation. He recalled that last year, the results of some subjects were withheld because of alleged breach also.
The Minister said there is no evidence that any other subject area has been breached.
TOP
East Coast housing schemes being upgraded
Georgetown, GINA, May 28, 2005
Government continues its commitment to develop and upgrade housing schemes in the country and residents are expressing their gratitude and satisfaction for the efforts to improve their lives.
Today, Minister of Housing and Water, Shaik Baksh accompanied by field officers and engineers from the Ministry visited seven housing schemes on the East Coast Demerara.
The Minister led his team to Vryhied's Lust North, Vigilance South, Enterprise Section "C" and Block 11, Good Hope Phase Two, Imax Housing Scheme, Area JJ Industry and Coldigen Housing scheme. While there residents met with the Minister to discuss matters affecting them and outlined several needs which they felt should be addressed.
The main problems which were highlighted were drainage and irrigation, electricity, water, roads and acquiring houselots. They also spoke of the issue of repairing the main access bridges in their respective villages.
In response, Minister Baksh told residents of Vryhied's Lust that Central Government would be providing $22M to pave the roads in the area, and that five culverts would also be rehabilitated.
Minister Baksh said that Government would also install electricity poles in several of the housing schemes.
Observing the massive garbage pile up in the Vryhied's Lust area, Minister Baksh called on residents and Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) officials to cooperate to remove this 'eyesore' out of the main drainage canals.
Meanwhile, in Vigilance South, massive infrastructural road works are ongoing. According to Engineer of B and J Civil Works, Beverley Tapp, the project started last November and it is expected to be completed by mid June this year. She added that the access roads were being done 12 feet in width and the main roads 14 feet wide.
Under the Low Income Housing Development project a number of infrastructural works were outlined for other housing schemes across the country. Diamond on the East Bank Demerara is next to benefit.
Minister Baksh told residents of Imax Housing scheme that Government has also agreed to rehabilitate 16 culverts and clean the drains in the area. Meanwhile, residents of Area JJ Industry were told that Government would be spending approximately $16M to pave the roads in the area.
Government is working at a rapid pace to address the issues of regularization of squatter settlements and land titles for residents in housing schemes. Guyana has approximately 165 squatter settlements.
Recently Minister Baksh visited several housing schemes on the East Bank and East Coast Demerara. He was also in Region Three in the areas of Belle West and Parfaite/Harmonie to update residents on impending infrastructure and other works and to address residents' concerns.
TOP
Prime Minister opens Food and Craft fair
Georgetown. GINA, May 28, 2005
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Executive Director of EMPRETEC, Judy Semple-Joseph, examine pottery displayed by a participant at the Food and craft fair, Guyana Flava 2005, held on May 28, at the Umana Yana, under the auspices of EMPRETEC.
The spirit of entrepreneurship is an essential characteristic all Guyanese should possess for the continual growth and development of Guyana.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds made these remarks during his feature address at the Food and Craft fair, Guyana Flava 2005, held at the Umana Yana today, under the auspices of EMPRETEC.
The Prime Minister noted the important role small and medium size enterprises play in improving the quality of life for hundreds of entrepreneurs across Guyana. “Wherever people live, they must make a living. They must work with the resources at hand to meet their needs. Every entrepreneur, regardless of the size of their enterprise, plays a part in meeting people’s needs,” the Prime Minister indicated.
Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), Geoffrey Da Silva, in his remarks noted that every one has a role to play in the development of Guyana. The general view that only large scale enterprises contribute to the growth of the economy is a fallacy. The trend worldwide indicates that the role small and medium scale enterprises play in the international market is significantly increasing. The Chinese business philosophy of ‘all things are possible’ and ‘nothing is easy’ should be adopted by local entrepreneurs, Da Silva noted.
“Go-Invest and the Government of Guyana will continue to support EMPRETEC in order to ensure this organisation is successful in Guyana, as it has been in Brazil,” Da Silva said.
EMPRETEC is a Spanish acronym meaning, ‘technologically based enterprise’. The internationally acclaimed organisation was launched in June 2003 by President Bharrat Jagdeo, in keeping with Government’s development thrust, and has since trained over 191 entrepreneurs. The programme has been implemented in over 25 countries, primarily in Latin America and Africa.
EMPRETEC seeks to build the core of entrepreneurship with the potential to accelerate growth of the private sector by supporting the development of small and medium enterprises. This support comes in the form of the entrepreneurship training, and a wide range of business development services, as well as technical assistance.
The fair included performances by the National Dance School, fashion presentations, and a wide range of craft, hand made jewelry and sweetmeats.
TOP
Guyana emerge as a leader in the fight for health development
-Minister Ramsammy
Georgetown, GINA, May 28, 2005
“Two premier Health Organisations, The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Pan American Health Organisation, (PAHO) for the first time has chosen an annual feature that highlighted the success and challenges of a particular country and Guyana has been chosen as the pioneering country on both occasions and I think that that should be a source of pride for all.”
This was reported today by Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy at a press conference at the Health Ministry to update the media on his participation at the 58 th World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva.
The Minister also attended the Second Annual President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) meeting in Ethiopia. While at the meeting, the Minister said, “Guyana has been chosen as a flag ship for the implementation of the ‘Three Ones’ that includes a ‘National Coordinating Body,’ ‘One National Plan’ and ‘One Monitoring and Evaluation.’
He said that every country that adopts this agreement has to work as one. All measures and plans taken must be shared among all countries for us to move forward.
He noted that Guyana has been working closely with various countries to combat HIV/AIDS and as a result Guyana has made progress.
At the Geneva meeting, Guyana was among 169 countries, which adopted a Treaty for Tobacco use and its effects after deliberations on the dangers of smoking.
Minister Ramsammy pointed out that he has drafted a motion to be tabled in Guyana’s Parliament to educate especially young Guyanese on the dangers of smoking.
He added that the education programme would also provide provision for smokers who are desirous of quitting but do not have the will power to do so. He said that education would be an integral part of training young people not to be involved in smoking.
Minister Ramsammy noted that the younger generations have to be aware of the dangers of smoking in order for them not to be influenced in the habit of smoking.
He said,” Many places in Guyana would join us because, this is not just addressing the problem through smokers, because smoking affects not only smokers, it also affects everyone who is exposed to smoking.”
“It is very interesting, this does not only hurt us, but it is at the foundation of our human rights issues, because, as you know it is their choice and in no way are we taking away their freedom of one sector of the population, it is addressing that everybody has a choice because, I as an individual, have a choice to not be exposed to second hand smoke.”
However, the Minister said that this is a gradual process. He pointed out that with the initiative taken by his Ministry and through the Presidential Commission on HIV/ AIDS, Guyanese would be educated on the dangers of smoking.
The Minister explained that one of the measures to reduce smoking could be the implementation of higher taxation on tobacco. He noted that the tax on tobacco is already high in Guyana and this could lead to smuggling. He said that many countries have signed an agreement, which will help in the fight against smuggled goods like tobacco.
He stressed that various organisations are understudying the similar problems that many countries are experiencing and Guyana would benefit from the recommendations. During the meeting, he said the European Union (EU) signed a first-phase agreement for $25M Euros with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to assist countries to meet the eight 2015 Millennium Development Goals.
The Minister said that Guyana has been chosen as one of the eight countries to benefit from this Inniative called the ‘EU/WHO Strategic Partnership,‘ that stands for safe Motherhood and Childhood, surveillance and strengthen programmes for Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
The Minister said that the two meetings were very beneficial to Guyana’s health development plans.
TOP
Overseas Charity organisation making Public donations
Georgetown, GINA, May 28, 2005
The New York -based Farook Juman’s Charity Foundation is currently making public donations to Guyanese in various regions.
According to Juman, so far, about three barrels of various household items, food and clothing have been distributed to people in a number of areas in Georgetown.
Today the Foundation distributed food supplies, spectacles and other items to persons who gathered at the Queenstown Masjid. Residents of East Ruimveldt and East La Penitence have already benefited.
Tomorrow, distribution will take place at STVS Channel 4, 206 Almond Street, Queenstown. The exercise will begin at 10:00 hrs. Juman said whatever is available will be distributed. Plans are also in train for donations to be distributed at Enmore and Ogle on the East Coast Demerara.
Juman said arrangements are being made to distribute some of the supplies in Essequibo as well.
According to him, his organisation has been carrying out similar exercises in Guyana for a number of years.
TOP |
