ECLAC team begins Pomeroon’s flood assessment
Georgetown, GINA, February 05, 2006
A nine-member team from the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) visited the flood affected areas of the Pomeroon River Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) in response to government declaring parts of Region Five and the Pomeroon River catchment areas as ‘disaster areas’.
According to the Regional Vice Chairman Vishnu Samaroo the team was in the Region on February 4 to assess the impact of the flood on residents.
“This was a restoration assessment team, I understand that a more technical team will follow based on the suggestions or recommendations of this team,” Samaroo said.
He said that the ECLAC group will also hold training sessions for officials of the region on disaster management. Training will commence on February 6, and personnel from the agriculture, health and welfare sectors will benefit.
Heavy rainfall that started in December 2005 resulted in the riverain areas being inundated. Government launched an appeal for assistance, financial and otherwise for the disaster areas.
The aim is to secure urgent support and assistance with the implementation of the emergency disaster mitigation and prevention programme, which includes the repair of vital drainage structures and the dredging of the four rivers that drain into the sea: Pomeroon, Mahaica, Mahaicony and the Abary.
At his last post-Cabinet media briefing Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Luncheon said he has already had several meetings with the donor community and these will continue to provide regular updates on the flood situation and the level of intervention necessary.
During the January/February flood of 2005, ECLAC, after an assessment concluded that damage to Guyana’s economy was estimated at $93B with the agriculture sector alone suffering about $11B in losses
Flood update - situation in disaster areas improving
Georgetown, GINA, February 5, 2006
The situation in the disaster areas; Pomeroon River and the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary Creeks (MMA) is improving.
Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam)Regional Chairman, of Region Two, Ali Baksh, said the water has receded completely in the Charity housing area, which was severely affected.
“The water level at the conservancy is at a fairly controllable level, there is no breaching or over topping at the conservancy, however, there is water on some farms in the upper and lower Pomeroon areas,” the Chairman said.
He said that the water levels at Capoey, Mashabo and Mainstay Lakes are also at controllable levels.
The Chairman also indicated that the two hydraulic excavators valued at $30M each promised to the region by President Bharrat Jagdeo on January 11, were delivered. These will be permanently stationed in the region to aid drainage and irrigation in both upper and lower Pomeroon.
“We are now waiting on the pontoon and a few more sunny days to commence work in the Pomeroon,” Baksh said.
Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice)Flooding continues in the creek areas and according to Head of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (ND&A), Ravi Naraine, “Government is doing all that is necessary, based on the request of the farmers, to put measures in place to ensure the water drains off the land quickly.”
East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC)At the EDWC, Overseeing Officer, Chagur Bhudu said that the Lama is at 58.10 GD; Mahaica 56.40 GD; Flag Staff 58.35 GD; and Land of Canaan 55.60 GD.
“There is no rainfall today; all the sluices towards Mahaica are closed,” Bhudu said.
He said the Maduni sluice was closed three days ago but the Land of Canaan and the Cunha sluices are in operation.
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2006 Budget provides for underserved areas
- in areas of health, education and transportation
Georgetown GINA, February 05, 2006
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Harripersaud Nokta said that significant allocations are provided for in the 2006 budget for communities that are not adequately served in areas of education, health care and transportation.
During his budget debate presentation in the National Assembly on February 3, Minister Nokta said that many Amerindian communities will see significant improvements this year. An incinerator will be constructed at Mabaruma while a mortuary will be built in Port Kaituma. There will be considerable improvement in health infrastructure and a significant sum has been allocated for building teachers’ quarters.
Millions of dollars will be spent this year to build new roads to link communities such as the Matthew’s Ridge and Port Kaituma.
Minister Nokta said that the Amerindian population is the fastest growing in Guyana and thus far, half of the total population has access to nursery, primary secondary and technical education. Through this year’s allocations, this percentage will certainly increase.
People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament, Donald Ramotar in responding to the main Opposition’s criticisms of the budget, explained that it was drafted under different circumstances.
He pointed out that the declined in production in several key sectors in 2005, particularly agriculture for which significant budgetary allocations have been provided, was caused mainly by the flood in 2005. He noted that in every agricultural economy floods will certainly have a negative impact and for this reason, there was significant loss in sugar, livestock and cash crops.
The loss was however, not as significant as predicted according to Ramotar as he referred to statistics which showed that the 2005 flood had caused three percent decline in the economy when experts had predicted six percent. This slight decline he noted was as a result of good fiscal management by the government.
Additionally, several companies recorded considerable success according to Ramotar, citing Banks DIH which reported an increase in profits for last year, even with the rise in fuel prices from US $10 per barrel to US $70.
He said the fact that government managed to reduce the inflation rate by eight percent is a good achievement.
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Getting a gift of life- cancer patients to start accessing treatment next month
Georgetown, GINA, February 05, 2006
Guyanese cancer patients will have a new lease on life within weeks when they begin benefiting from radiation therapy at the Oncology unit established at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The first patient is expected to receive treatment on March 15.
Persons suffering from cancer previously had to seek medical attention overseas mainly in Trinidad and Tobago which is very costly. However, government has been providing financial assistance through the Ministry of Health for persons afflicted to travel overseas.
Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said that the infrastructural modification of the building and the re-enforcement of the foundation to house the linear accelerator are completed. The linear accelerator is the highest level of technology for radiation therapy for cancer patients.
The services offered will not be totally free. “There will be a level of cost recovery but this has not yet been determined,” Dr. Ramsammy said.
He said government will continue to provide funds to help others who find it difficult to pay for the services.
Indian Oncologist, Dr. Preti Jain, who will be heading the programme, will be in Guyana by February 15. The technicians are scheduled to arrive on February 28 to install the linear accelerator, which is already in the building.
With this new service, all types of cancer will be treated and there will be no need for patients to travel overseas, the Health Minister said.
Cabinet on its outreach to Linden, Region 10 on July 16 approved Guyana offering radiation oncology (study and treatment of tumours) within the next six months.
“I am very pleased with this programme, because it is the first time in the history of this country that it will be provided with State support,” President Jagdeo said then.
Minister Ramsammy signed an agreement with Global Imaging Services of Chicago to provide a comprehensive radiotherapy programme for Guyanese.
The Government will increase activities to promote cancer treatment, but success will depend on all of us developing healthier lifestyles, he said.
"We must recognise that radiotherapy is not the only treatment available, it is only one part of the treatment," he added.
In Guyana, breast, cervical and colorectal tumours are leading cancers among women, and prostate, lung and stomach cancers are the main types among men.
Research shows that more than 20 percent of cancers worldwide are due to chronic infection, mainly from hepatitis viruses (liver cancer), papillomaviruses (cervical cancer), and helicobacter pylori (stomach cancer).
Dr. Ramsammy also said that cancers like these allow for early screening and intervention to avoid development.
" Guyana is preparing to introduce public health screening programmes to test vulnerable populations for these chronic forms of infections,” Dr. Ramsammy said late last year.
Diet and lifestyle are also important areas for intervention and in this regard, Guyana's health promotion strategy will introduce various programmes to encourage people to eat healthier food and to exercise to reduce overweight and obesity which are associated with increased colon, breast, throat and kidney cancers.
Alcohol consumption is also associated with heightened risk for oral cavity, throat, liver and breast cancer, while high salt consumption is related to stomach cancer.
Two of the most common types of cancer among Guyanese women are cancer of the breast and cervix, but the others are not an exception. Women who are likely to develop this type of cancer are those who have had a family history of the disease.
A woman who develops an abnormal growth or lump in her breast should visit her doctor for mammogram or x-rays of the breast while cervical cancer can be detected through pap smears.
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