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Hinterland students to have increased educational opportunities
-$50M allocated for hostel
Georgetown, GINA, February 28, 2008
Significant emphasis continues to be placed by the Administration to develop the lives of Guyana’s first people and allow for their integration into the mainstream of society.
The 2008 budget Staying the Course: Advancing the Transformation Agenda has allocated $50M to construct a new hostel in Georgetown for hinterland students who are undergoing studies at City institutions.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Emile McGarrel said this will facilitate the education of those students from outlying areas who are currently studying at City institutions and staying with guardians and other persons in the City.
It was noted with the new hostel more Amerindian students will have the opportunity to learn new skills and further enhance their education capabilities.
The hostel will house students attending the Carnegie School of Home Economics, the Guyana Technical Institute (GTI), the Guyana Industrial Training College (GTIC), President’s College and some secondary schools in Georgetown.
These students will be guided by House parents and their basic needs will be provided for by the Government through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.
An Amerindian hostel was established on Princes Street, Georgetown to house Amerindians from remote areas who have been referred to Georgetown for medical reasons among others.
It also caters for Toshaos and Community Development Officers who from time to time conduct business in Georgetown.
This hostel takes care of the Amerindians’ general needs until their departure providing meals, laundry and welfare services as well.
The 2008 budget also caters for the continuation of Government’s school uniform and feeding programmes in hinterland areas. Both programmes are Government’s efforts to further enhance the education system especially in remote areas to boost attendance rate, obtain better grades and minimize poverty in the communities.
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President meets with relatives of Bartica murder victims
Georgetown, February 28, 2008
Head of State, Bharrat Jagdeo today met with the relatives of the civilians who were killed at Bartica on February 17 when gunmen went on a robbery and murder rampage in the area.
The relatives met the President at his office at New Garden Street. It is expected that Government will be providing assistance to the victims’ families.
Meanwhile, another meeting was also held with relatives of the policemen who were killed while on duty at the Bartica Police Station during the rampage by the gunmen.
The killings at Bartica took place less than a month following the murder of 11 persons at Lusignan by a gang of heavily armed men. Police believe that some members of the Bartica community were also involved in the crime since the perpetrators seemed familiar with the inside layout of various buildings that were stormed as well as the community.
Three persons in the community have since been arrested by the police.
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Helicopter arrives from Trinidad & Tobago
Georgetown, GINA, February 28, 2008
The Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Government today delivered on its promised to the Government of Guyana to render the necessary assistance in the pursuit of criminal gangs which have been carrying out ruthless killings and robberies.
Today, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) received the Helicopter BO 105 which was offered by Trinidad to assist in providing aerial support in the crime fight.
Following the two massacres at Lusignan and Bartica which has left 23 persons dead the Government of Trinidad offered to render assistance to Guyana in crime fighting.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee held discussions with that country’s Minister of National Security Martin Joseph on the level of assistance that will be provided. It was agreed that the Government of Trinidad will provide Guyana with specialized weapons and a helicopter.
Subsequently, President Bharrat Jagdeo said the security assistance being provided by the T&T government is only temporary as government is in the course of buying similar equipment.
Minister Rohee on behalf of the government expressed deepest gratitude to the Government of T&T for its timely assistance.
In the 2008 National Budget the security and defence sector has been allocated $13.7B, $900M of which will be used for the purchase of two helicopters and other equipment and gear for the Joint Services.
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Job creation – thrust of Budget
- Government assures opposition
Georgetown, GINA, February 28, 2008.
Debate on the 2008 National Budget, which was presented on February 22, commenced today in the National Assembly with attention being given to the budget’s concentration on employment opportunities for citizens.
During the presentation by People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Member of Parliament Winston Murray, who initiated the debating session, Government was asked to outline the budget’s focus on job creation
In response, Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir noted that last year $50M was allocated to ensure more young people especially those who dropped out of school are given another opportunity to acquire a skill and this year’s budget allocated a similar amount.
This will continue through the National Training Programme for Youth Empowerment which targets training of approximately 1, 700 persons during this year. It is expected that meaningful employment will be provided for at least 1000 of those trained.
The PNC/R Member of Parliament also questioned evidence of growth enjoyed by citizens to which Minister Nadir pointed to the $80B increase in savings by Guyanese as outlined in the Bank of Guyana December 2007 Report and the 15 percent increase in money borrowed by the private sector for financing development in the country.
Reference was made to the $52.9B savings at the Bank in 1997 as compared to $131B in 2007. The National Assembly was told that this is evidence that Guyanese are able to save more money and spend more so the economy can continue to grow.
The windfall collected from Value Added Tax (VAT) revenues was another issue raised by the opposition and Minister Nadir explained that this is mainly due to the increased imports of certain items.
He noted that the positive outcome of VAT revenues has enabled the Minister of Finance to add several other items to the list of commodities zero-rated.
During his presentation, PNC/R member Basil Williams stated that the administration has deprived workers of their income instead of increasing the minimum wage while workers’ income is eroding under the high cost of living.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud in response noted that there has been about 600 percent increase in the minimum wage from 1992 to 2007 although the inflation accounted for approximately 200 percent. Reference was made to the minimum wage which was $28, 415 in 2007 as compared to $3100 in 1992
The Minister also pointed out that whole thrust of the Budget is to create more jobs by pursuing increased investments in the trade sector by both the foreign and local private sectors and maintaining a sound macro economic environment.
The 2008 National Budget of $119.3B was presented under the theme Staying the Course: Advancing the Transformation Agenda and reflects the administration’s ongoing programme in the various sectors aimed at improving living standards and further enhancing the physical and institutional infrastructure required to promote growth, create wealth and generate employment.
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Investigations into massacres progressing
-Crime Chief
Georgetown, GINA, February 28, 2008
Investigations into the two massacres in Lusignan and Bartica are progressing, according to Crime Chief (ag) Seulal Persaud.
The Crime Chief made this assertion during the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) programme Law Enforcement and You.
“Since the Lusignan incident five elements of that group have been captured, two in the first case, St. John and the other guy called Bolo, an Ak -47 was recovered which is of great value for evidence ... There have been others who have been arrested but because there is insufficient evidence at this time, had to be placed on bail.”
Seulal added, “In Bartica there are people that we are looking for right now to be arrested …people were in custody, they were questioned based on information that we received and as I indicated because we don’t have sufficient evidence at this time they were placed on bail but those investigations are continuing.”
On January 30, a joint services patrol came under fire in the backdam of the community of Buxton. The patrol returned fire and two gunmen were killed.
Several items including an Ak 47 rifle, four magazines and five- 9 mm ammunition among other items were recovered in the area.
The Crime Chief used the opportunity to clarify statements and misinformation being peddled in certain sections of the media that the Joint Services in their operations are targeting innocent persons.
Seulal explained that the procedures used by the security forces are lawful and are in no way intended to infringe on the rights of any citizen since the ranks only act on information and evidence.
“From the public stand point, there are people, who based on information given to them by members of the media, would tend to believe that this is happening. There are cases where the police arrested people in one operation but the operation was targeted and those people are people who they went for,” the Crime Chief said.
…“That is how we work, with information and evidence so the information will lead to a preliminary interview then if there are reasons to keep them further then we detain them …That seem to appear to sound like wrongful arrest but our mandate is to prevent crime and we don’t have a crystal ball that we look into.”
Seulal said persons must understand that the Joint Services operations are more than just looking for eight to ten men running around with guns and committing crimes. Meanwhile, the Crime Chief is calling on persons to support the security forces in their effort to capture the men and urged that persons desist from making hoax calls which will only put a strain on the ranks.
On January 26 a group of 15 armed men invaded the community of Lusignan killing 11 persons including five children; then on February 17 a criminal gang killed 12 persons in the mining town of Bartica including three policemen.
The Joint Services have been in pursuit of the men under Operation Restore Order. There is a special group of law men whose task is only to hunt for the men.
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Gov’t agencies, forestry stakeholders enlightened on export procedures
Georgetown, GINA, February 28, 2008
The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has been working toward enhancing the export process and this aim was furthered today with the hosting of a workshop to promote greater awareness and understanding of the requirements for exporting forestry products
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in collaboration with the Forestry Marketing Council of Guyana Incorporated held a workshop towards ensuring that the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), the Customs and Trade Administration (CTA) and stakeholders are fully aware of their obligations.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who spoke at the opening of the workshop held today at the Customs and Trade Administration building, Main Street said that it is always impressive when a country’s Gross Domestic Product is steadily escalating but this is only achievable when all stakeholders produce and sell goods and services of a better quality and greater worth.
He noted the timeliness of the workshop which he posited would indeed improve the services while creating more consistent, predictable and quicker processing by all agencies.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud said there were some complaints by exporters of delays in the procedures and subsequently the Ministry through the GFC engaged with the CTA to address this matter and the workshop was decided on.
Stakeholders participated in an interactive consultation, with the objective of sharing ideas, and better improving the system of processing documents to ensure that there are no delays in exports of forest produce, Minister Persaud said.
Commissioner General of the GRA Khurshid Sattaur said not only is it important to ensure there is maximum revenue collection but to demonstrate the highest level of transparency and accountability in executing duties involving all parties- the packagers, exporters and customs brokers.
He pointed out that they are aware that the present customs control applied to goods may not be adequate and are in the process of undertaking major restructuring of the system.
This involves large-scale computerization which will reduce the human intervention in the process. In addition part of this system called the “Manifest Module” which requires the sharing of data on goods moving from one country to another will allow for more effective identification of high-risk traffic.
Head of Finance Department GFC, Edward Goberdan said over the past years exports of forestry products have increased significantly and more markets are now demanding these products from Guyana. 
Therefore, as part of the GFC mandate of facilitating the development of the forest sector and sustainable forest management these issues targeted for discussion are vital in satisfying this mandate he said.
“Export plays a key role in boosting foreign exchange earnings in the country and we certainly would like to see this increasing over the coming years, for this reason the GFC has been working with exporters and the CTA. to enhance the process of exporting,” Goberdan said.
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