‘Moruca Day opens up area to business’
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President Jagdeo launches first ever Moruca Day
Georgetown, GINA, May 30, 2005
The aquatics segment of Moruca Day 2005
Amerindians and other residents of Moruca, Region One, (Barima/Waini) celebrated their rich culture, talents and heritage through a combination of activities on a single say – ‘Moruca Day 2005.’
It was the first time ever that such an occasion was held in the Moruca Sub-Region, which comprises six communities – Waramuri, Manawarin, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Assakata and Warapoka.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, ‘Moruca Day’ showcased local talents and produce through an exhibition held at the Kumaka Sports Complex. Among the items on display were embroidery, craft, and sculptures. Amerindian dishes were also sold. Residents turned out in large numbers from all the neighbouring villages. Despite the persistent rains, residents braved the inclement weather to make the day a success.
President Bharrat Jagdeo declared the day open, noting that it opens Moruca for business.
“Today is a day of celebration. It is a day when we can look forward to the future and that this activity goes well and into every single year and hope that more people would visit here from outside the Region to see this wonderful culture of our Amerindian people, which we have to highlight,” he said.
The President noted that this rich culture is highlighted annually during the month of September, when Amerindian Heritage Month is celebrated, another initiative of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government.
‘Moruca Day’, the Head of State observed “would help to promote greater understanding, help to generate business and hopefully open up Moruca to many other activities, including Tourism.”
He pointed out that some of Guyana’s more attractive tourist sites are located in Region One, including Shell Beach. Shell beach is home to the famous leatherback turtle.
A Committee comprising representatives from the surrounding communities, with help from the Tourism Ministry, planned ‘Moruca Day’.
The Amerindian Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues, who hails from Santa Rosa, added her congratulations to the Committee and residents for a successful day. She noted that tremendous effort was placed in ensuring that Moruca Day really showcased the culture of the people. Tourism Minister Manzoor Nadir also echoed her commendation, adding that it was another opportunity for the Ministry to work with an Amerindian community to realize its potential.
Mr. Victor Ferreira, a prominent citizen of Moruca, acknowledged that while it’s not the best that Moruca could offer, it was a start of great things and promised that next year’s activities would be better.
“Moruca Village Day is a shortened version of what was formerly celebrated in June. It is totally a different scenario with the inclusion of the outlying villages of Manawarin, Waramuri, Assakata, Warapoka and Santa Cruz,” he said.
Mr. Ferreira quoted from studies done by a son of the region, Vincent La Cruz at the University of the West Indies, while delivering a brief history of Moruca. His studies reveal that Moruca Indians came as refugees from Venezuela, when Simon Bolivar was fighting for Venezuela’s Independence from Spain. Following the political battles in Venezuela, the Indians fled to the then British Guiana to a place called Mariaba, which was later renamed Santa Rosa.
Years ago, a week-long celebration was observed at the Santa Rosa Parish, but many of the young people left the area in search of a better life and the celebrations ceased.
Many residents were happy that the celebrations have restarted. They noted that it is another step in developing Moruca and bringing recognition to this ancient village.
It also offers them an opportunity to showcase the talents of the people of Moruca and find markets for their produce. Importantly, for many, it brought visitors to their area, moving them closer to the wider Guyanese society.
While the rains caused many residents to put aside their displays, it did not cease the revellers from having a good time. Locally made drinks - Piwari and Bambali, Cassiri and the famous Fly were the orders of the event.
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President allocates $20M to Region One
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Farmers’ loan scheme to be established
Georgetown, GINA, May 30, 2005
H.E. President Bharrat Jagdeo addresses public servants and Toshaos at Kumaka, Region One.
Moruca farmers now have some financial reprieve to continue their predominant way of life – farming.
This came from President Bharrat Jagdeo allocation of $20M for a farmers’ loan scheme when he met Toshaos (village captains) on Friday May 27, at Moruca, Region One, for a meeting.
Moruca is a largely agricultural area, but farmers do not have the capital to invest on a large-scale production. While Government, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has encouraged commercial banks to establish offices in the area, there has been no success so far. The absence of a credit line for Moruca farmers has posed many difficulties and even prevented some farmers from replanting.
“I have recognized from travelling across Guyana, especially in the Amerindian and hinterland communities, that many of our people do not have access to credit. They cannot borrow from the banking system, because the banks do not want to come out here and we cannot force them because they are private banks. So we have to find some mechanism to get credit to ordinary people if they want to set up a business,” he acknowledged.
With these constraints in mind, President Jagdeo announced that he was prepared to “set aside $20M to start a credit scheme in this Sub-Region.”
According to the Head of State, the credit scheme will be managed by a Committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the Regional Democratic Council of Region One, Toshaos and prominent citizens from the area.
Residents would be able to access the loans at a low interest rate of five per cent, as opposed to about 20 per cent in commercial lending entities.
“You can all have credit for your productive schemes. This hopefully would make a big difference,” he said.
Each family will be entitled to a maximum loan of $100,000, repayable as decided by the Committee with the annual five per cent interest rate.
Toshaos from the villages welcomed the initiatives and agreed that it would make a big difference in their villages.
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A new awakening for Amerindians has started – President Jagdeo
Georgetown, GINA, May 30, 2005
Even as life continues to improve for Guyana’s indigenous people – the Amerindians- the awakening process had begun since the PPP/C Government assumed Office in 1992.
This is according to President Bharrat Jagdeo in his feature address at ‘Moruca Day 2005,’ in Region One. The President said Amerindians were severely neglected for centuries and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration has been working tirelessly to correct that negligence.
It is in this context that the President spoke of Government’s priorities to improve the lives of Amerindians throughout the country. These include access to education and health care, land rights and legislation to protect Guyana’s indigenous people.
“A new awakening for the Amerindians has to start with many things and for me, that process has already started…Recently we amended our Constitution and created five Rights Commission and one of those is the Indigenous People’s Commission. We are currently working to pass a new Amerindian Act, one of the most progressive in this hemisphere, and we think that we need to go further at the Legislative and Constitutional level to safeguard the rights of the Amerindian people because for a very, very long time they were neglected,” he said.
Outlining his Administration’s priorities in correcting the neglect of Amerindians, President Jagdeo noted that education is uppermost on the list.
“I believe that education is the basis for awakening of any people, in any part of this world and that is why if you ask me what is the biggest priority of the PPP/C Government, I would say educating our children for a better future…Today we have to commit ourselves to ensuring that our children are not as disadvantaged as we were and that they, through education would have a better life,” he said.
Secondary education was only introduced to hinterland regions after the PPP/C assumed Office and many students are now being afforded the opportunities to study at the University of Guyana and other institutions through the Hinterland Scholarship Programme and or overseas via the Guyana/Cuba Special Scholarship Programme.
“Our Amerindian students are integrating in this society and that is what I see as a new awakening - using education to ensure that the neglect of the past will never again persist into the future,” President Jagdeo said.
Attention is also being paid to improved access to health care, with more facilities being built, workers being trained and equipment being supplied.
Another basis for the “Amerindian awakening’ is the issue of land rights. Government began a process of demarcating Amerindian lands in 1995 to give them titles and grant extensions to existing claims. Many communities have already been demarcated, but several others are outstanding.
“We need to settle the land issue so that the Amerindian people in this country can now and forever have titles to their lands so that it can never be taken away from them by whoever manages this country,” he said.
What is bothersome, the President said, is the ongoing efforts by groups to distort the Government’s intentions regarding land demarcation. Correcting misconceptions, the Head of State noted that the intention is to give Amerindians legal ownership and to avoid encroachment on their lands.
It was also the current Administration that established a Ministry to specifically address Amerindian affairs.
President Jagdeo told residents that while his Administration cannot meet their every need, as the country has limited resources, “ I want you to know that every single day we are in Office, we would continue to work hard to improve the lot of our people.”
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Indian Parliamentarians to arrive this evening
Georgetown, GINA, May 30, 2005
Members of the goodwill delegation of Indian Parliamentarians led by India’s Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Ghulam Nabi Azad are due to arrive in Guyana this evening for a two day visit.
During the two days, the delegation, including nine Parliamentarians, will meet President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Reepu Daman Persaud, Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation Clement Rohee, Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran, and Opposition Leader Robert Corbin.
The visit by the Indian Parliamentarians is a goodwill gesture aimed at forging a closer relationship between the people of India and Guyana as well as with the political leadership. The visit will be the first by an Indian Parliamentary delegation to Guyana.
During the visit, the delegation will also visit the new CARICOM Secretariat building and the cricket stadium site.
India has provided substantial financial support for the construction of the stadium. It has also offered to computerize the CARICOM Secretariat.
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“Recognise women for who they are”- Minister Shadick tells Region 10 Gender Equity Workshop
Georgetown, GINA, May 30, 2005
Minister within the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Shadick (centre) Chairman of Region 10 Mortimer Mingo (left) and other regional officials at a Gender Equity Workshop.
Gender equity is all about equal rights for both males and females and it is about time society acknowledges women and their roles, according to Minister within the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Shadick.
Addressing participants at a gender equity workshop opened today under the theme “Gender Equity and Local Governance” at the Regional Democratic Council’s Boardroom in Linden, Region 10, Minister Shadick said, “I think it is time everyone recognises women for who they are, since that is what gender equity is all about.”
The Human Services Minister added that her interactions with women from all strata of society and over a number of years have proven that they want to be recognised equally.
Women have traditionally been held as the weaker gender and for that reason certain roles are not extended to them. This is seen as discrimination against many women.
Minister Shadick said, gender has nothing to do with sex but is really the relationship between a man and a woman in terms of their socialization, and that both men and women should be treated equally.
She explained that society should not speak to women alone on matters relating to gender equity but everyone, adding that socially they are different and have varying needs.
The workshop is a continuation of the gender sensitization campaign to create awareness among men and women in the decision-making process in Guyana. The target groups are RDC Councillors and senior staff, Town Councillors and members of the Regional Women’s Affairs Committee (RWAC).
Chairman of Region 10, Mortimer Mingo, told participants that the theme under which the workshop is being conducted, touches directly on the work of the RDC and this also brings to light efforts to ensure that issues of gender equity become a priority in the region.
He said, it is for that reason the Regional office organised the Regional Women’s Affairs Committee to deal with the issues in an organised and informed manner.
The Ministry, through the Women’s Affairs Bureau (WAB) and the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI) in collaboration with the Caribbean Gender Equality Programme (CGEP) have been conducting the workshops under the theme “Gender Equity and Local Governance.”
Government since last year has been placing significant interest on the empowerment of women across the 10 administrative regions of the country. The workshops are also aimed at increasing women's roles in Local Government and several of these have already been conducted in Regions Two, Three, Five and Six.
Through these workshops, GWLI supplements the work of the Women’s Affairs Bureau, National Plan of Action for Women 2000-2004. The Plan of Action is a multi-faceted and strategic approach to the many issues facing Guyanese women.
While in the Region, the Minister handed over five bicycles to children of the Linden Care Foundation. According to the Minister, the children will be using the cycles to get to and from school since transportation is very costly in that area.
Minister within the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Shadick at the handing over ceremony for bicycles to children at the Linden Care Foundation.
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Motion on Tobacco use to be tabled in Parliament
- To focus on Youths
Georgetown, GINA, May 30, 2005
Bad Habit: Stop smoking now, it endangers your health
Tomorrow is ‘World No Tobacco Day’ to be observed under the theme, “Health Professionals against Tobacco Actions and Answers,” and in an effort to curb the addictive habit of smoking, young people especially will be the focus of Government’s plans shortly, to combat the practice.
Tobacco is the second leading cause of death globally, resulting in nearly five million deaths a year.
Minister Ramsammy said a motion already formulated, is to be tabled in Guyana’s Parliament to educate people on the dangers of smoking
At a recent press conference, Minister Ramsammy said the education programme would make 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 to desist from smoking as they have to be aware of the dangers in order that they are not influenced towards its use.
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.”
Just back from a World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva, Minister Ramsammy reported that Guyana was among 169 countries which adopted a Treaty for Tobacco use and its effects after deliberations on the dangers of smoking.
Evidence shows that smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. Tobacco use is the cause of the majority of lung cancer cases and it has been linked to many other types of cancer, such as cervical and kidney cancer. Other health risks associated with tobacco include heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases; bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory diseases, as well as infertility.
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 the substance is already high in Guyana and this could lead to smuggling. However, many countries have signed an agreement, which will help in the fight against smuggled goods like tobacco, Minister Ramsammy said.
He said various organisations are understudying similar problems that many countries face and Guyana would benefit from the recommendations.
During the meeting in Geneva, 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.
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Guyana to benefit from increase assistance from Canada
Guyana’s Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Anthony Xavier and Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Bruno Picard inking the bilateral agreement.
Georgetown, GINA, May 30, 2005.
Guyana has been selected as the only Caribbean State, among 25 other countries that would benefit from increased assistance from the Canadian Government. This was disclosed by Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr Bruno Picard.
High Commissioner Picard said this has been included in the International Policy Statement, which defines the role that Canada wants to play in the world. While the Canadian Government has identified their relationship with the United States as priority, the Government has decided to concentrate two-thirds of its bilateral assistance to 25 other countries.
Through partnership with these countries, focus would be placed on areas such as macro-economic, governance and other issues, which Canada has been aiding over the years, including health and education, said the High Commissioner.
The Commissioner said great partnership exists between Guyana and Canada, which could improve and strengthen further relationship.
This notion of partnership between the two countries was displayed today, when Guyana's Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Anthony Xavier and High Commissioner, Picard inked the first bilateral agreement on air transport between Guyana and Canada.
The agreement enables the airlines of Canada and Guyana to operate scheduled direct air services between the two countries. Each country may allocate, to its designated airlines, a total of four flights per week for passenger services and three flights per week for cargo services.
The agreement allows Canadian airlines the right to serve Georgetown and Guyanese airlines to serve Hamilton, Ontario.
Minister Xavier said the agreement provides for fair and equal opportunity for designated airlines of both States to operate agreed services on specified route, taking into account their economic activities.
He noted that the arrangement also recognises the importance of international air transportation, and facilitates promotion of trade, tourism and investment, pointing out that with the large Guyanese diaspora in Canada, direct links between the two countries would be of tremendous advantage.
High Commissioner, Picard in his address said this agreement holds tremendous opportunities, not only for the aviation sector but also the tourism sector. It also opens avenues for exporters in air cargo services as well as development of investments for both countries.
He also said that since this allows direct travel between the two countries, it is expected that this would facilitate development of the relationship between Guyana and Canada.
This agreement would be in operation over the next month and according to High Commissioner Picard it is expected that over the next year this partnership would be further developed.
A Previous agreement was signed between Canada and the United Kingdom and became effective on August 19, 1949, when Guyana was a British Colony.
Following Guyana's Independence on May 26, 1966, efforts were being made to have a bilateral with Canada, but without success until now. This was primarily because there were no Canadian carriers to protect in reciprocity. As a result, the then National Carrier, Guyana Airways Corporation, which was operating to Canada since 1987, was given approval under the Advance Booking Charters (ABC) rules.
Following agreeable negotiations, there is now a designated Carrier- Universal Airlines-which will fly from Georgetown to Hamilton and Canadian Carrier from Canada to Georgetown.
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