Canadian High Commission joins in domestic violence fight
Georgetown, GINA, January 15, 2008
The Canadian High Commission has joined efforts to fight domestic violence in Guyana and today, two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) signed an agreement that would pave the way for them to receive financial assistance.
Margaret Kertzious - Coordinator signs on behalf of Help and Shelter, in the presence of Josephine Whitehead and Denise Dias, High Commissioner Charles Court and Raymond Drouin Counsellor - Development (CIDA)
The venture follows the recent $15M fund President Bharat Jagdeo established that will allow the private sector, religious organisations and labour to intensify the campaign to eliminate domestic violence.
This agreement pledges the Canadian Government’s continued support in mitigating the effects of domestic violence in Guyana;
Canadian High Commissioner Charles Court, Counsellor - Development (CIDA), Canada Fund Coordinator Ann Geer and representatives of Help and Shelter and Airy Hall Development Group in a group photo after the ceremony
Help and Shelter will receive $1,436,000 to acquire four computers and electronic equipment for its hotline numbers while Airy Hall Development Group will receive $1,970,000 for a twelve-month project to train facilitators to work with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.
These agreements will assist in combating domestic violence and providing all necessary support to projects and initiatives of the NGOs.
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Agriculture Minister presents report on Forestry Bill to Parliament
Georgetown, GINA, January 15, 2009
The report from the Special Select Committee of the National Assembly on the Forestry Bill was presented to by Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud during today’s Sitting of Parliament.
The Forestry Bill which was read for the first time in August 2007, debated on and sent to a Special Select Committee, is seeking to consolidate and amend the laws relating to forests.
Members of the committee who included five from Government, three from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and one from the Alliance for Change, agreed to read the bill clause by clause and to allow for wider consultation.
The Special Select Committee at its January 13 meeting agreed that the report should be presented to the National Assembly.
The bill outlines several procedures and requirements under which concessions can be granted for use of lands for forestry operations. The Minister may, by public notice, make an order declaring any area of public forested land to be a state land.
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Many take advantage of affordable vegetables, fruits at GMC
Georgetown, GINA, January 15, 2009
The Ministry of Agriculture’s initiative, through its New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), to make available fruit and vegetables at affordable prices, has been well received as hundreds turned up to make purchases today at the Corporation’s Robb Street location.
This initiative was started last Saturday with farmers from Kuru Kuru, Friendship, Caneville, Canal Number Two Polder and Parika, East Bank Essequibo participating.
According to Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud at a recent press conference, this is part of several interventions being taken by the Ministry of Agriculture to aid farmers who have not been able to market their produce due to the high intensity rainfall being experienced.
A variety of fresh produce were on sale at affordable prices at GMC Robb Street Office, January 15, 2009
The retail fruit and vegetable sale also aimed to facilitate farmers who, in light of the “Grow More” food campaign launched last March, have increased production and to give consumers in the city access to affordable prices.
Minister Persaud at the press briefing acknowledged that during the current rainy season, a disruption in vegetable production has been noted, but while data indicate there might not be a countrywide shortage, an imbalance exists in availability, particularly in the city’s markets.
As such, the Minister had mandated the GMC to work with farmers to bring their produce for sale as consumers were complaining of high prices for vegetables at some markets. The Minister said that this intervention will be temporary and is intended to ensure adequate supplies at all demand points.
To address this problem, GMC has deployed teams to identify locations where supply was not affected, in an effort to make provision for other areas which have seen a temporary dip.
Consumers purchasing fresh vegetables outside the Guyana Marketing Corporation on Robb Street, January 15, 2009
A $100M package, was recently announced by President Bharrat Jagdeo, which will be set aside for post-flood relief for affected farmers for the provision of breeding animals, seed paddy, veterinary supplies, seeds and chemicals as well as facilitating the cost of pumping water from flooded fields.
In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture will be making supplies and resources available as a form of assistance to cushion the overall impact caused by flooding in the agricultural areas.
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National Disaster Coordinator lashes out at Oxfam
Georgetown, GINA, January 15, 2009
Dr. Roger Luncheon, Guyana's National Disaster Co-ordinator is questioning the sincerity and commitment of Oxfam to coordination at the level of the recently operationalised National Emergency Operating Centre (NEOC) of the Civil Defence Commission, in the context of the publication of its grossly inaccurate assessment of the flooding situation in Guyana.
Dr. Luncheon disclosed that within the last two weeks, state and non-state actors have met and have planned activities focusing on sharing information, particularly on assessments of flood affected communities.
Immediately prior to its preparation of the assessment, Oxfam and other involved parties met at the NEOC and there Oxfam deliberately neglected to use the opportunity to advise other participants of their assessment and its intended use.
That particular meeting, Dr Luncheon stated was well attended and saw the sharing of activities including assessments by the various bodies involved in Disaster Responses.
Dr Luncheon stated that, Oxfam thus was, and remains in possession of information that conflicts with aspects of their publicised assessment and that Oxfam’s motive is now suspect.
Oxfam may distance itself from the publication of the report but not its authorship, and therein lies the concern of the Government of Guyana, Dr Luncheon said.
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National Assembly approves $4B supplementary estimates
Georgetown, GINA, January 15, 2009
The National Assembly today approved Financial Paper No. 5/2008 and Financial Paper No. 6/2008 supplementary estimates (Current and Capital) for the period October 10, 2008 to December 31, 2008.
Financial Paper No. 5/2008 totalled in excess of $1.5B while Financial Paper No. 6/2008 was more than $2.4B. The Financial Papers were presented in the National Assembly on January 08 by Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) member Winston Murray questioned the Minister about an account described as training including scholarships. He said that this is not an appropriate head under the charge of chartering an aircraft.
Minister within the Ministry of Finance Jennifer Webster, in response, said that all expenditure related to scholarships is charged with this head including the stipends and cost of transportation.
Another question posed by Murray was whether the charter of an aircraft was to take students in pursuant of their scholarship to Cuba or from Cuba to Guyana. Minister Webster said that the chartered aircraft was to transport the batch of 148 students who travelled to Cuba during the latter part of 2008. The items were ruled to stand part of the estimates and were approved by the National assembly.
Financial Paper No. 5/2008 is for advances made from the Contingency Fund while Financial Paper No. 6/2008 is for supplementary provisions.
The provisions under the current estimates for Financial Paper No. 5/2008 were for the following agencies: the Office of the President, the Ministries of Finance, Public Service, Amerindian Affairs, Agriculture and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
The was used for the chartering of an aircraft for Cuban scholarship awardees, additional costs of Linden and Kwakwani community power, additional expenditure for the maintenance of drainage and irrigation systems in 2008, the Army’s joint and special operations, additional cost for the hosting of Amerindian Heritage Month celebrations and Amazon Organisation Treaty Cooperation (ACTO) conference and for payment of allowances and additional costs for medical students in Cuba.
The capital estimates are for the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Public Works and Communications and Health and are to meet additional costs in completing and financing of capital projects undertaken by the Ministries mentioned.
Among those, are the construction of 300 metres rip rap sea defence at Crane and 600 metres at Sea Spray, West Coast Demerara, enhanced information technology systems, counterpart financing for the commencement of the Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Development (READ) project, completion of the Maburuma Hospital and for the 2008 works programmes for routine maintenance for the transport rehabilitation project.
The capital estimates for Financial Paper No. 6 was for the provision of additional inflows for the electrification programme and for the Ministry of Public Works and Communications to meet additional inflows for road works at West Coast Berbice, Essequibo and West Demerara and New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek.
During July 2008, the National Assembly approved the first Supplementary Appropriation Bill, amounting to some $4.8B in current and capital estimates. The bulk of that money was injected in the Guyana Power and Light to avert an increase in tariffs.
Meanwhile on October 27, Financial papers 3/2008 and 4/2008 totalling $2.8B were tabled in the National Assembly and were later approved.
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East Demerara Water Conservancy Outlets to Mahaica and Mahaicony closed
-levels in conservancy and creeks dropping
Georgetown, GINA, January 15, 2009
The East Demerara Water Conservancy Board has decided to close all conservancy outlets which drain into the Atlantic via the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks. Discharge is only taking place through the Demerara outlets as the levels in the conservancy and the creeks are dropping.
These outlets were opened as a result of water in the conservancy rising to a critical level which could have resulted in overtopping or breaches in the dams. Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud had said that the outlets would be closed once the conservancy reaches a safe level.
According to a Ministry of Agriculture release, Minister Persaud and a team of technical officers will meet with farmers and residents of Mahaica Creek to discuss further assistance as the water continues to recede in those areas. The situation however, is compounded by the current high tides.
Consequently, the Ministry and other agencies continue to have a presence in affected areas to undertake interventions to assist farmers. This includes a post-recovery support programme in the form of seeds, breeding animals, veterinary supplies, seeds and chemicals.
In addition, the Ministry’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) continues to monitor the situation and undertake critical drainage works in areas affected as well as communities that have drained.
Farmers desirous of assistance from the Ministry’s team of Crops and Veterinary Officers are reminded to contact the Ministry’s hotline numbers.
Meanwhile, farmers and residents in low lying communities are advised to take necessary precautions as the rainy season continues.
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Protection of Children’s Bill tabled in Parliament
Georgetown, GINA, January 15, 2009
The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security in its fight to ensure that the rights of children are protected today presented the Protection of Children Bill in the National Assembly.
This Bill seeks to provide for the protection of children generally, children at risk and children in difficult circumstances. It outlines the cases in which protection intervention will be applied.
These include the child:
- is at risk of being physically or emotionally harmed by the action or lack of appropriate action by the child’s parent, guardian, person in whose care the child is left or other persons living in or visiting the household;
- is at risk of being sexually or emotionally abused or exploited by the child’s parent, guardian, person in whose care the child is left or other persons living in or visiting the household;
- is at risk of being physically harmed by a person and the child’s parent, guardian or person in whose care the child is left, does not protect or seek protection for the child;
- is at risk of being sexually abused or exploited by a person and the child’s parent does not protect the child;
- is being emotionally harmed by a person; or injury to another person or other living thing or threatened, either with or without weapons, to cause injury to another person or other living thing, either with the parents encouragement or because the parents do not respond adequately to the situation; or is being exposed to drugs, or obscene printed material or objects.
This Bill is one among five pieces of legislation that the Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand is championing for the protection of children in Guyana.
The proposed legislation states that all relevant factors shall be considered in determining a child’s best interests, including the child’s safety and health; educational and developmental needs; where possible, the child’s views and wishes; the importance of stability and continuity in the child’s care; the continuity of a child’s relationship with his family; geographic and social environment; supportive environment outside the family, including child care and the school environment; the effect upon the child of a delay in judicial or other proceedings with respect to the child; and any issues to be considered where a child is HIV positive or has special needs.
Further, the Bill proposes that upon receiving information that a child is or may be in need of protective intervention, the Director or a social worker will be responsible to carry out this assessment. The official will then determine that if protective intervention is required or not, if to offer support services to the child and family or refer them to resources or investigate further the child’s need.
Minister Manickchand will be responsible for appointing the Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency. At the last sitting of Parliament, the Childcare and Protection Agency Bill was approved.
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