Farmers’ market continues to attract significant turn out
Georgetown, GINA, January 17, 2009
The initiative by the new Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to retail farmers’ produce continues to attract shoppers to the Corporation’s Robb Street outlet.
Today’s exercise saw participation from farmers of various communities including Kuru Kuru, Friendship, Caneville, Canal Number Two Polder and
Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
Consumers purchasing fresh vegetables outside the Guyana Marketing
Corporation on Robb Street, January 17, 2009
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud who today visited the outlet stated that vegetable production has been disrupted due to the extensive rains and while information indicates that there might not be a countrywide shortage, a discrepancy exists in availability, especially in Georgetown.
The Minister said this intervention was aimed at creating markets for farmers and ensuring that vendors do not capitalize on the rainy season by exorbitantly increasing their prices.
Minister Of Agriculture Robert Persaud interacting with consumers at the farmers market.
Minister Persaud remarked that while today’s intervention was restricted to Georgetown, depending on the needs of a community, the new GMC will deploy mobile units in an effort to ensure that consumers have an opportunity to purchase basic commodities at an affordable price.
The GMC introduced this retail outlet last weekend and the initiative has since been attracting a significant number of consumers.
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Agriculture Minister again meets with Mahaica and Mahaicony farmers
-discusses methods of improving drainage
Georgetown, GINA, January 17, 2008
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud yesterday at Baiboo met with farmers of the Mahaica and Mahaicony areas to strategise methods to drain the remaining water off the land.
Residents in these communities faced inundation and government allocated $100M to assist affected farmers in these and other communities
Minister Persaud told residents that his Ministry will negotiate with fertilizer suppliers in that area to determine whether it can be obtained on credit or at a reduced price so as to further assist farmers.
The Ministry will also be sending in an excavator to assist farmers.
Recently some farmers in the Mahaica and Mahaicony areas were given diesel to operate the pumps to drain the land.
He reiterated that the East Coast Demerara is a low-lying area and if farmers are interested in relocating, this will be addressed with the Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali so that they can be assisted.
The East Demerara Water Conservancy Board had decided to close the outlets which drain into the Atlantic via the Mahaica and Mahaicony creeks after water levels in the rivers and creeks began dropping.
The Ministry and other agencies have been active in assisting farmers by implementing a post recovery support programme in the form of seeds, breeding animals, veterinary supplies and chemicals.
Meanwhile the Ministry’s National Drainage and Irrigation authority (NDIA) continues to monitor the situation.
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Acting President congratulates top achievers in Buxton
Georgetown, GINA, January 17, 2009
Acting President Samuel Hinds on January 16 joined the Ambassadors of Buxton Community Development Association (ABCDA) to honour top performers of the community during an achievement award ceremony.
Mr. Hinds was accompanied by leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Robert Corbin, member of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan and Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) Bishop Juan Edghill among other well known individuals.
The award presentation came about after members of the association contemplated ways of promoting a positive image of the community which was at the centre of ‘bad press’ during 2005.
A group lead by Pastor Terry Thomas decided to form the ABCDA to acknowledge members of the community who have graduated from institutions of higher learning.
Pastor Thompson said over the years Buxtonians have been achieving excellence in the academic and sporting disciplines, but many of these positive stories often go untold.
“We thought to have this award to let persons know that they are Buxtonians who excel in different areas of learning,” Pastor Thompson said.
Acting President Samuel Hinds presents a token to Forestry Distinction student of Buxton Keith Austin .
This year’s presentation which was held at the Victory Mission Building at Company Road, Buxton saw 51 persons, mostly youths receiving trophies and other prizes for good performance in the areas of forestry, social work, international relations, business management, marketing and banking.
Awardees had completed courses at the University of Guyana, the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), Government Technical Institute (GTI), and Bible College while others were successful at the CXC and SSEE.
The acting President congratulated the awardees noting that it is “we who must make, Buxton, Guyana and the world a better place.”
He recalled his years as a youth growing up in Mahaicony and always being encouraged and ordered by his grandparents to read and that made him cognisant of events that transported in Guyana and other parts of the world.
Acting President Samuel Hinds, PNCR leader, Robert Corbin, AFC Member Khemraj Ramjatan and Bishop Juan Edghil with the top achievers of Buxton.
He added that the habit of reading later paid off when he entered secondary school and began studying about the history of Britain, Guyana’s former colonial masters.
“I’d like to encourage the awardees to maybe read about the period in history about the agricultural revolution, the start of unions and how Britain and European countries moved from a position where countries move from undeveloped to developed,” the acting President said.
He also encouraged the older members of the community to take up the responsibility of guiding the younger generation by giving of their experience to the upcoming youths.
Similar sentiments were expressed by the PNCR Leader who reminded the gathering of the proud history of Buxton which was bought by the freed Africans after emancipation.
He said the community must be inspired by the valiant efforts of its ancestors who endured the trials of slavery to pave the way Buxtonians today.
He also called on the community members, particularly youths to be inspired by a number of acclaimed men and women who were born in the community.
Since its inception, 215 persons have been credited as ‘top achievers’ for their achievements.
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Gov’t salaries for January to be paid by Monday
Georgetown, GINA, January 17, 2009
Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh today indicated that he had issued instructions that staff in the finance departments of all Ministries and Regions work throughout the weekend to ensure that Central Government and Regional employees, including teachers and public servants, are paid their January salaries by Monday, January 19.
The Minister stated that Government is fully aware that its employees look forward to receiving their January salaries early in the month following expenditure they would have incurred during the Christmas season and, for this reason, it is important that January salaries be paid in a timely manner.
The Minister’s comments came as a number of Ministries and Regions are still in the process of verifying and finalising their January payrolls, following the pay adjustments that were approved and announced by Government in December. These changes include the conversion of the temporary cost of living adjustment into a permanent component of basic salary. This special intervention of $4,000 monthly was paid by Government to public servants, teachers and members of the disciplined services who earn less than $50,000 monthly during the months of May to December 2008, and Government had indicated that this measure would be reviewed at the end of that year.
Minister Singh had explained last month that, in incorporating the cost of living adjustment into the basic salary, Government would gross-up the $4,000 amount that was being received to include PAYE and NIS deductions where applicable, so that when the revised basic salary is subject to PAYE and NIS deductions, the individual’s net pay would be preserved. He had also pointed out that Government’s decision to incorporate the temporary cost of living allowance into the basic salaries of eligible beneficiaries, along with the five percent salary increase that had been granted to such persons in 2008, had the combined effect of increasing the gross pay of such individuals by percentages ranging between 18 and 24 percent.
To illustrate the point, Minister Singh had given the example of a Government employee at the minimum wage of $28,415 in December 2007. In the case of such an individual, after the 5 percent increase is added and the temporary cost of living allowance is grossed-up for employee’s NIS contribution and added on top of this, the revised gross pay becomes $34,055, an increase of 19.8 percent from the December 2007 level.
The Minister had also emphasised that 2008 had been a year of unprecedented macroeconomic and financial challenges, not least the historic rise in commodity prices in the first half of the year, to which Government had responded with numerous interventions at significant fiscal cost. This was followed in the second half of the year by the global financial crisis, the onset of recession in the major economies of the world, and a rapid receding of commodity prices.
These developments brought different and new challenges to the domestic economy, particularly in the case of those productive sectors that export primary commodities and that faced significant reductions in the export prices they receive. In addition, the sugar sector returned a production performance that the Minister described as extremely disappointing.
Against this background, Minister Singh had emphasised that it is most commendable that Government was able to preserve macroeconomic stability, including price and exchange rate stability, maintain overall expansion in the real economy, contain the fiscal deficit, and still implement interventions such as those in relation to public service wages.
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Massive investment projects ongoing in Berbice
- $150M private hospital under construction
Georgetown, GINA, January 17, 2009
Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) has been seeing an increase in economic activities and this is expected to intensify with the opening of the Berbice River Bridge.
Already the Office for Investment (GO-Invest) has been facilitating a number of local and foreign investors with investment agreements to invest in the Region in various projects and industries.
GO-Invest facilitates investors and potential investors with special concessions including the waiver of excise and value added tax and customs duty to help investors get their projects or ideas operational and provides information on the local business environment.
Yesterday, Head of GO-Invest Geoffrey Da Silva and Investment officers from the agency visited the Region to check on a number of businesses and project sites and to meet investors.
Da Silva and team visited several small and large business owners along the Corentyne Coast to see how their operations were progressing. Businesses visited include sawmills, rice milling complex, seafood plants, and medical services project among others.
Head of Go-Invest Geoffrey DaSilva meeting with investors at the new private hospital construction site at Belvedere, Berbice
The construction of a multimillion dollar modern hospital complex at Belvedere is one of the many projects that were facilitated by GO-Invest. The complex is the idea of local investors.
One of the investor Dr. Ryan Anamayah said that the idea was conceptualised as there is the felt need for such an institution in the region. The complex will complement the stock of health facilities in the region and it will also provide new services to residents. The centre caters for 50 beds and will have two fully equipped theatre, labs, pharmacy and x-ray unit.
Dr. Anamayah said that the complex will begin with all modern facilities such as obstetrics, orthopedics and pediatrics and as it develops, more money will be invested to provide additional and special services such as dermatology.
The institution will provide services that are not offered at public hospitals in the Region, including laboratory, diagnostics and imaging diagnostics. There are also plans to have a full time Ultra Sound machine and a computerised tomography (CT) scanner in operation.
Both local and overseas doctors will be employed at the institution and more job opportunities would be created for Region Six residents.
Head of Go-Invest Geoffrey DaSilva listens to concerns of a private cane farmer at Corriverton
Dr. Anamayah said that he was satisfied with the way he was facilitated by GO-Invest and other Government agencies and Ministries to get his project started. This will serve as a stepping stone for other or similar investments in the Region.
Another industry that has been growing in Berbice is seafood. At present, an overseas based Guyanese is in the process of establishing a seafood processing plant “Green Bay Seafood” at No. 65 Village at a cost of about $150M.
The project includes the establishment of an ice factory, a fleet of fishing boats, gas station, supermarket, workshop and canteen.
The company will be exporting its product to international markets, which investor Ramesh Hardial said he has already secured.
Another seafood processing plant at No.66 village was also visited by the GO-Invest team. Only the ice factory is in operation.
Head of Go-Invest Geoffrey DaSilva in discussion with an investor who is in the process of establishing a Sawmill at Brother’s Village.
Da Silva and team also met with a group of private cane farmers at Corriverton to discuss ways of moving their project ahead. This project involves the cultivation of 800 acres of sugar cane to supply to the New Skeldon Sugar factory.
The GO-Invest Head said that the investment agreement will be finalised within two weeks and told the farmers that they will get concession on equipment as Government’s commitment to develop the industry remains strong.
Region Six has been seeing dramatic changes in its landscape over the years as Government continues it focus on building the developmental thrust of the Region.
The Region houses the National Ophthalmology Centre at Port Mourant and a new hospital complex was constructed at New Amsterdam, the New Skeldon Sugar factory and the New Amsterdam to Moleson Creek highway is under construction.
These and other infrastructure will complement investments in the region.
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President Jagdeo meets Greece Deputy Foreign Minister
Georgetown, GINA, January 17, 2009
Head of State Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday met with Deputy Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis where the two dignitaries discussed potential areas for cooperation between the two countries in the economic and other development sector.
President Jagdeo used the occasion to highlight Greece’s role in supporting the interests of the 15 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states in their relations with the European Union (EU), the Athens News Agency reported.
On January 15 President Jagdeo met Greece’s President Karolos Papoulias at the Presidential Hall in Athens and the following day, was presented with the city’s prestigious medal by the Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis as a symbol of respect and friendship.
The simple ceremony occurred at the City Hall, where the two proceeded to discuss matters of mutual interest.
During a special guest dinner hosted by the Greek President, the Guyanese leader was assured of the further strengthening of relations between Guyana and Greece.
Prior to visiting Greece President Jagdeo had travelled to Libya where he met Leader Muammar Qaddafi. President Jagdeo is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad, Ambassador to the Middle East and Greece George Hallaq and President of the Central Islamic Organisation Fazeel Ferouz
During the discussions it was agreed that Libya would send an investment team to Guyana to assess investment possibilities. It was also agreed that Libya would send a committee to open the Libyan People's Bureau in Guyana to strengthen relations between both countries and CARICOM.
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