The ERC launches ‘National Conversation’
Georgetown, GINA, September 5, 2005
The Ethnic Relation Commission (ERC) will be conducting a live television programme (National Conversation) tonight, September 5, from 20:00 to 22:00hrs on National Communications Network (NCN).
The ‘National Conversation’ will feature a number of aspects including inter-religious prayers, presentations by the ERC on cultural and religious diversity and the Commission’s plans to avert possible pre and post elections violence. A special segment of the programme will also be dedicated to receiving calls on various matters of concern to members of the public.
A number of television stations have agreed to broadcast the programme simultaneously on their networks. These include HBTV Channel 9, Halagala Channel 16, NTN 69, MTV 65, GWTV 2, LRTV 10 (New Amsterdam) and NCN radio’s Voice of Guyana (560 am/102.5 FM).
The ERC is encouraging persons to tune-in and take the opportunity to be involved in the national discussion, which will help to bridge the ethnic divide in Guyana.
As part of its ongoing education, awareness and mediation programme, the ERC will also be visiting Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) on September 6-7.
While in the Region, the Commission will visit Vreed-en-Hoop, Zeeburg, Uitvlugt, Parika, Leguan and Wakenaam to hold meetings with NDCs and other members of civil society. There will also be film festivals, complaints desks and round table discussions with various stakeholders.
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Good Hope squatters to meet President on relocation plans
Georgetown, GINA, September 05, 2005
Representatives from a total of 30 families who are part of a squatter settlement at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara are to meet with President Bharrat Jagdeo at the Office of the President on Tuesday (September 6) to discuss plans for their relocation.
The President met the residents on Sunday last during his walk about in the area aback of the newly commissioned ‘Tropical Woods and Wood-processing’ facility at Good Hope.
The residents told the Head-of-State that they are desirous of acquiring titles for the land they occupy, but the President explained that the area might not be suitable for housing as it is quite low. He recalled that during the January/ February flood, the area was severely flooded, even more than other low-lying areas.
“When all other places were almost dry, here had water still,” he pointed out, emphasising that the location may be more suitable for industrial purposes.
Some residents said that they had been living in the area for about 10 years. However, President Jagdeo assured them that no one would push them off the land, and measures would be put in place to have them relocated.
“If you want to pass the land on to your children, you have to get transport. Here you won’t get transport for the land,” he said.
The Head-of-State urged the squatters to form a group and meet with him at his office to discuss the issue. He also told the families that Minister of Housing and Water, Shaik Baksh would be instructed to meet them and discuss plans for land to be allocated for them in a nearby area.
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Fourth Summit of the Americas to focus on delivering benefits of democracy – Minister Insanally
GINA, Georgetown, September 5, 2005
The promotion of the benefits of democracy and how they could be delivered to the people, will top the agenda of the upcoming Fourth S ummit of the A mericas to be held in Mar del Plata, Argentina .
The agenda for the Summit was discussed among Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Rio Group at its 19 th meeting held in Bariloche , Argentina on August 25-26, which was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rudy Insanally.
 The forthcoming Summit of the Americas will be dedicated to studying how the benefits could be delivered to the peoples of the region through greater development opportunities and the creation of employment, Minister Insanally indicated.
“A man or woman without work, without food and basic social services is hardly likely to benefit from democracy,” the Foreign Affairs Minister noted.
He explained that the Rio Group presidential meeting was postponed due to the inability of some Heads of State to attend. It is now likely to be held in late November or early December.
According to Minister Insanally, the Rio meeting saw the convergence of views from the Group and Caricom on a number of issues, among which Haiti, featured prominently.
Minister Insanally said The United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) is largely manned by Latin American countries including Brazil and Chile, and as a direct result there is an interest in the resolution of the Haitian dilemma particularly with the imminence of elections in that country in November.
Among its tasks, MINUSTAH should establish a secure and stable environment, foster democratic governance and institutional development, assist Haiti's transitional government in organising free and fair municipal, parliamentary and presidential elections as soon as possible, strengthen the rule of law and support the country's human rights institutions and groups. MINUSTAH is the fifth UN mission mounted for Haiti since 1993.
“We want to see what the prospects are for a peaceful outcome to the present violence and mayhem that exist in the country, “adding that, “CARICOM is committed to providing electoral support for the elections. We believe that if you have credible, successful elections you may have a turning point in Haiti for the betterment of the people.”
However, the Foreign Affairs Minister said, “Most CARICOM countries still have qualms about the regime in Port- au- Prince.”
The Rio Group Foreign Affairs Ministers at their meeting addressed ways of improving the functioning of the group so as to avoid the proliferation of many meetings.
“It is challenging to satisfy the demands of the international agenda now, the issues are becoming urgent and complex and there are increasingly more meetings called to address them but we have to find some time to rationalise our time.”
Guyana has been selected to host the 20th Meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the Rio Group in 2006. This decision was made at the 18th Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Guyana currently represents the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping in the Rio Group.
In January last, Guyana joined Argentina and Brazil as a member of the Troika which is responsible for coordinating and representing the group's interest and activities. The country's position on the bureau will help to cement links between the English-speaking Caribbean and Latin America.
According to Minister Insanally, this is the first time that a Caricom country was chosen as the temporary secretariat of the Group and 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.
The Minister said this position will allow greater promotion of Guyana as the gateway to the South, and as the chair of the Group in 2006 it will allow for the development of real links with Latin America and a reaching-out to the hemisphere.
The Latin America Permanent Mechanism of Political Consultation and Coordination- the Rio Group - was created in 1986 in Rio de Janeiro.
Today the members are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. The first Ministerial meeting between the European Union and the Rio Group was in 1990.
The purpose of this group is to consolidate political and economic cooperation and foster a more systematic approach to securing solutions to the numerous problems faced by the group's members and to fast-track the process of integration in the region.
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“Parika/ Hydronie market not to be opened until conditions are met”-Minister Collymore
Georgetown, GINA, September 05, 2005
Minister in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Clinton Collymore today said that only when works are done properly at the Parika-Hydronie market, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara), and only when conditions at the facility meet Government’s full requirements, will the market be formally opened.
The market’s commissioning, which was scheduled for Friday last, was postponed following an inspection of the facility the previous day by the Local Government Minister.
He explained that during the inspection, he observed that there is still not a proper drainage system in place and during rainfall, which incidentally occurred while he was there, water was lodging on some low spots on the eastern side of the market.
He noted too, that the amount of space at the market was inadequate and stalls constructed did not meet Government’s requirements.
The Minister pointed out that the type of stalls constructed by stallholders were not acceptable. One stall was constructed in concrete, which does not fulfill the requirement.
“These stalls are supposed to be removable when it is time to close the market,” Collymore contended.
He disclosed that designers and engineers will work on a typical model of the market that will later have to be approved at the highest level before the market is to be formally opened by President Bharrat Jagdeo.
In addition, a higher dam will have to be built to drain all excess water off of the eastern side of the market, which was constructed at a cost of about $58M.
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Computerised training programme for security organisations
Minister of Home Affairs, Gail Teixeira and representative of the United Nations for Crime and Drug (UNOCD) Kamal Kurspahic sign the agreement for a Computer Based Training Programme. (A GINA/Tariq Mohamed Photo)
Georgetown, GINA, September 5, 2005
An agreement for a ‘Computer Based Training Programme’, designed to further strengthen aspects of the security sector and enable related personnel to carry out their duties in an efficient manner was signed today.
Minister of Home Affairs, Gail Teixeira and representative of the United Nations Office for Crime and Drugs (UNOCD), Kamal Kurspahic signed the agreement at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Various departments within the Ministry of Home Affairs and other security-related organisations will have access to the Programme that has 64 modules in which law enforcement officers can work at their own pace to enhance their knowledge in their respective fields.
“I am excited as Guyana is now on board,” Minister Teixeira, adding that this intervention comes at an opportune time since Guyana recently launched its five-year comprehensive master plan which will combat crime and violence.
Nine other Caribbean countries are participating in the UNOCD project, with centres already set up in Jamaica and Barbados.
Training Coordinator, John Irving, over the next few days, will be holding discussions with the various Heads of agencies in order to facilitate what programme would be considered necessary for their respective organisations. Officials of the Guyana Revenue Authority,(GRA) the Guyana Police Force, and the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) were present at the signing, among others.
The Law Enforcement section at the UNODC Regional Centre which is based in Bangkok, Thailand, works with countries in East Asia and the Pacific to assist in their law enforcement needs. This is done initially by conducting needs assessments.
The UNODC then cooperates with the government in question to design and implement projects which enhance and expand agency capacities in these areas.
“We are looking at the managerial support to ensure that this programme can be useful here in Guyana,” Irvin said.
Those present this morning were given a glimpse of how the programme operates.
They were privy to a scenario, where a policeman is guided on how to recognise suspicious items in a car trunk.
The training programme was made possible through funding by the Canadian and British Governments.
UNODC Law Enforcement addresses concerns as drug production and trafficking, money laundering and human trafficking.
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Jeffrey urges teachers to motivate parental involvement in education
Georgetown , GINA, September 5, 2005
Education Minister, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, has urged teachers of Region One (Barima/Waini) to work with parents to heighten their involvement in their children’s education.
The Minister met students of Mabaruma Primary school where he said, “We actually believe that if your parents do not support you strongly, it matters very little how clever, how bright you are. If you do not have good parental support you are not going to do justice to your talent.”
It was to this end, the Minister pointed out, that the theme for Education Month, “Parental Partnership in Education” was selected.
“When we look at the result we find that school management and parental involvement in the schools are the two variables that account for it,” the Minister said referring to the commendable results mainly at the recent Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations.
He encouraged teachers and other education officials in the region to use this month, (Education Month), to start reaching out to parents to get them more involved in the education of their children.
“The school has to become part of the community. It has to or else you would not have the results you want and the community can help in many ways,” he told them.
Speaking specifically to the teachers, he pointed out that they have to be committed to the job in nurturing and producing quality students.
“Today you would gain the respect of the community if you provide results.”
The Minister emphasised the need for efficient schools management as well.
“If the management is slack, … has no vision, …. has no plan but just allows the teachers to come and go when they like, the school cannot make anything.”
Emphasising the importance of teachers he said, “The first thing if teaching is going to take place, is that teachers have to be in the classroom and the second thing is to maintain discipline,” he stated.
Dr. Jeffrey said this is key to maximum school and student performances. He maintained that parents and the general community need to be more involved in all activities of schools.
Thus he suggested that school administrators hold regular meetings and involve parents or Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA’s) when teacher reviews are being done.
The Minister also outlined the move by the Ministry of Education to introduce more school boards to manage schools across the country.
At a meeting with parents he encouraged them to get involved in the schools in their communities and help to move them forward.
This year, Region One students performed well at the CSEC examinations and the Minister commended them for their hard work.
According to the headteacher of the North West Secondary School, Malcolm Marcus, there has been a 220 percent increase of students who gained five subjects with Grades One to Three passes.
He said for the first time this year a student of the school got eight subjects with Grades One to Three.
Minister Jeffrey was in the Region on a four-day visit to meet Regional Education Officials, teachers, students and parents and to inspect schools in the Mabaruma Sub-District.
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Government vigorously pursing youth development
Georgetown , GINA, September 16, 2003
 Youth development programmes, targeting thousands of the country’s youths continue to be the focus of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
The Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme (YEST) operational at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre, Soesdyke/Linden Highway and the Sophia Training Centre, Georgetown have successfully piloted numerous training programmes and to date over 1600 youths have been trained.
This year, another 170 youths will be accepted at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre come September 26, when the new term commences. YEST attracts persons from all the Regions but has realized more Hinterland persons applying since 1998.
Sydney Scott, Director of Training, at the Kuru Kuru Centre said, the momentum of this programme is increasing significantly and it is very competitive.
He noted that this year, 667 persons applied to the Kuru Kuru Training Centre. However, applicants had to undertake an entry level test – Mathematics, English and General Knowledge, thus eliminating unsuitable applicants. The training programme is designed for persons between the ages of 14 and 25.
The facility at Kuru Kuru is a residential one, where youths are taught skills such as carpentry, plumbing and masonry.
Additionally, there is a six-month course at the Sophia Training Centre which is non-residential. This will be completed in October, paving the way for other such programmes to commence .
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