New homeless shelter fulfills presidential promise
Georgetown, GINA, October 20, 2009
The new homeless shelter, upon which construction will commence shortly at Onverwagt, Region Five, will fulfill a promise first made by President Bharrat Jagdeo during his New Year’s Address to the nation at the start of 2008.
The project’s fruition was first announced by Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, at his weekly post-Cabinet brief on June 17, where he said that during Cabinet’s meeting on June 16, Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn, submitted to Cabinet the design, quantities, estimates and tender documents for the construction of the shelter
After the completion of the tender process, Cabinet offered its ‘no objection’ to the successful bid for the construction of the shelter on October 13.
The new facility, at a cost of $340.8M, is estimated to accommodate over 100 persons, and will be built in a dormitory style with separate quarters for males and females.
The facility will complement the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to rid the streets of night dwellers by providing them alternative accommodation for the night and sensible meals.
The Ministry has already conducted several sensitization exercises in and about Georgetown where street dwellers would usually take up refuge in the nights.
This was done to enlighten them about alternative accommodation which is being provided and to also offer the assistance necessary to re-integrate them with their families and society.
A new night shelter facility was commissioned at East La Penitence that is expected to accommodate approximately 140 persons to aid in this exercise.
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More trained doctors to boost health care system
- deployed to various locations
Georgetown, GINA, October 20, 2009
The Ministry of Health has been deploying fully trained graduate doctors to various locations across the country in an effort to ensure the delivery of quality health care at all levels.
Sixty-four recently graduated doctors have been deployed to various hospitals across the country providing clinical and specialized services on a rotational basis in areas of surgery, medicine and paediatrics. These doctors have also been scheduled to provide services at health centres and health huts in surrounding areas, the Minister noted.
The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation is benefiting from the services of 18 of the doctors who are also serving health centres within the environs of the City. Three doctors have been deployed to the Regional Hospitals in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), Leonora and West Demerara and will also service the health centres in the area.
This, is in keeping with Government’s programme to ensure that quality health care is provided at the community level and to reduce the necessity of having patients travel to the Capital City and other hospitals to seek treatment.
Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran noted that five doctors have been deployed to the Mahaicony Hospital while 16 were sent to the New Amsterdam Hospital. Additionally, 29 final year students returned from Cuba for their final year rotations at the various hospitals and healthcare institutions. These will be graduating next year and it is expected that another 300 final year medical students will be returning in 2011 which will ensure that the healthcare system has a further infusion of fully trained medical personnel in 2012.
Meanwhile, a roving surgical medical team, the product of a public/private partnership agreement, has been providing services to patients in the outlying regions. The seven-man team was dispatched to Mabaruma, Region One (Barima/Waini) last month where in addition to surgeries, approximately 200 patients benefited from this service.
The Minister noted that although the Mabaruma Hospital has not been commissioned, clinical work commenced at the institution months ago and residents have been able to access improved healthcare.
The Mabaruma Hospital, a modern facility, was constructed at a cost of approximately $120M and consists of four expanded wards with 36 beds for in-patients, an X-ray department, operating theatre, delivery room and other supporting departments.
The team of health care professionals from the St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital was headed by Dr. Faucett Jeffrey and included Dr. Rohan Jabour, Dr. S. Kumar, Dr. Galton Roberts, President of the Guyana Medical Association and Head of the Guyana Medical Council, and Dr. Shailendra Persaud, with support from Terry Mohamed.
The team, the Minister said, is currently preparing to visit Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) next month where it will conduct similar activities.
Minister Ramsaran pointed out that there have been indications from other doctors within the private sector who are interested in joining the team to provide services. He stated that there are areas where it is not feasible to have specialized teams stationed due to the size of the population and logistics, and that this effort is to ensure that those areas receive every service available in the health sector.
It also serves as a medium of providing training to staff already working at the institutions, since the team conducts some training courses for nurses, doctors, and medex.
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Suspicious factors surrounding recent Regent Street fire-Minister Rohee
Georgetown, GINA, October 20, 2009
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee today revisited the scene of the October 18 fire at Regent Street, to offer his assessment based on his observations during the outbreak of the fire at which he was also present. He noted that the fire is not only a great loss to the proprietors of the four businesses that went up in flames, but also the persons who were employed there.
Minister Rohee noted that this fire has taken place just over a week after a previous one has roused a lot of comments and suspicions as it relates to whether or not these tragedies could be deemed co-incidental.
The Minister affirmed that he has instructed members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) to carry out thorough investigations in order to acquire the necessary evidence that will facilitate a lucid distinction in relation to the origin of the fire.
The Minister revealed that during the course of the fire, he had observed persons on the scene who were making incriminating remarks that cast serious aspersions on the Guyana Power Light Inc. (GPL) as being responsible for the fire.
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee during the press conference in Regent Street
He said that upon a subsequent inquiry from GPL officials who were present at the time, the whereabouts of the persons in question were unknown. He added neighbours reported that prior to the outbreak of the fire, they heard several loud explosions.
The Minister said that a number of suspicious factors were observed during the fire. He added that trucks were seen running over fire hoses that were being used to transport water to extinguish the blaze.
Minister Rohee is calling on the City Council to work diligently towards demolishing old structures that were identified as possible fire hazards in the city. He is also urging business owners to revamp their fire prevention measures.
The Minister said that his Ministry is pushing ahead with investigations of the Regent Street fires as well as the fire which consumed the buildings that once housed the Ministry of Health in Brickdam.
He said investigations revealed that one of the “intellectual authors” associated with the MOH fire is based overseas. The Minister is calling on local and foreign Law Enforcement Agencies to find these perpetrators. He noted that “the police ought to be much more assertive.”
In relation to the issue of malfunctioning fire hydrants, the Minister said that the service fire fighting and fire prevention provided by the GFS is inherently dependent on the services provided by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). Recognizing the dire need for the installation of new hydrants, the Minister said that city has changed dramatically since the last hydrants were put in place in the 1920s.
He said that the Ministry in addressing this issue, and has imported more water tankers to assist the fire tenders.
On October 18, an early morning blaze claimed four Regent Street stores: Household Plus, Fullworths General Store, Chino’s Variety Store, and Wireless Connections, all located in three buildings between Cummings Street and Orange Walk, Bourda. The fire follows another on October 9, between Light and Albert streets, destroying three buildings and severely damaging another.
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Aquaculture sector advancing
- Tilapia hatchery commissioned at Cove & John
Georgetown, GINA, October 20, 2009
Government’s thrust to develop the aquaculture sector to boost its agriculture diversification drive was supported today with the commissioning of phase one of the tilapia hatchery at the Maharaja Integrated Farm, Cove and John, East Coast Demerara.
The hatchery was commissioned after Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud activated the aerator for the pond where the first set of super male breed stock of tilapia was housed.
The Minister was accompanied by Chico Persaud, Proprietor of the Maharaja Oil Mill, Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Carol Horning and Chief Fisheries Officer Vivek Joshi.
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud activating the aerator at the new Tilapia hatchery. In his presence are Chico Persaud, of the Maharaja Oil Mill, Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Carol Horning and Chief Fisheries Officer Vicek Joshi
The hatchery will help aquaculture pioneers to enter the industry with confidence to rear tilapia and other types of fish.
The new hatchery is one example of the joint partnership involving National Aquaculture Association of Guyana (NAAG), the Ministry of Agriculture and United States Agency for International Development/Guyana Trade and Investment Support project, seeking to promote farm raised seafood as Guyana’s newest crop.
The Maharaja Integrated Farm
The company began when the Maharaja Oil Mills Limited was commissioned in October 1970. Today it is investing in aquaculture, an undertaking that is different from the original ideas of the Company’s founders.
The ponds were constructed on the lands surrounding the oil mill and were historically used for planting rice, raising cash crops and dairy farming but after faced with minor flooding the company decided to do-away with the idea and become integrally involved in the new national interest in aquaculture.
Subsequently a proposal was advanced and the decision to establish a hatchery was taken for the production of Red and Nile tilapia fingerlings. The Ministry of Agriculture’s role in the project involved the provision of an excavator to commence digging of the ponds.
The different species of tilapia are the Mozambique, Nile & Jamaican Red Tilapia.
A section of the Maharaj Integrated Farm
Minister Persaud lauded the Maharaja Integrated Farm management team for satisfying the three most important elements needed in the development of aquaculture; ponds, fingerlings and feed.
Highlighting initiatives undertaken by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration, Minister Persaud said some have been successful through collaboration with the international community.
He said aquaculture in Guyana was built after some discussion with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for it to be included in the agriculture diversification strategy.
“Aquaculture now is a central and important element in our agri-diversification. It is no longer treated as an afterthought, it is mainstreamed in our agriculture diversification project,” Minister Persaud said.
The Agriculture Minister disclosed two major initiatives already in the making that will positively impact on aquaculture, the first being the completion of negotiations with a German firm to develop the type of agribusiness support needed for an aquaculture commodity chain. Such project, Minister Persaud said, will cost $195M and out of that sum $65M will be allocated to aquaculture development in the area of market support, research and business plan development.
Another project was completed about two weeks ago with an Italian investor who is expected to be in Guyana to develop a modern animal health system in which aquaculture will play an important part.
Breeding fingerlings
The Hapas method will be the main technique implemented for breeding fingerlings. It is a process whereby one male fingerling is placed in a Hapas with three females specifically for reproductive purposes. Following this process the Hapas will be taken out of the ponds and the fertilised eggs lodged in the females mouth will be extracted and incubated into fries. Chico Persaud said with this method, the recovery rate is expected to be 100 percent.
“We are approaching this hatchery with as much simplicity as possibility, given the magnitude of aquaculture education in Guyana. The trick to its success, is running water to keep the eggs in motion,” Persaud explained.
It is envisaged that the optimum production of fries is expected to exceed one million per month which will be adequate to supply foreign orders for fingerlings which Persaud explained will take off the excess which local farmers may not be able to rear.
A sectoin of the gathering at the commissioning of the Tilapia Hatchery
Explaining the biological nature of the tilapia, Persaud (Chico) said it was discovered that the male grows larger, heavier and more uniformly than the female due to reproduction activities.
Approximately 16.45 million fingerlings will be produced yearly which will make about 1200 new jobs in the aquaculture and supporting industries.
The USAID Mission Director said much of USAID’s projects is modelled after work done in Jamaica in the 1970s when USAID provided technical assistance and inputs for a start up in the aquaculture industry. This has resulted in Jamaica producing about 6,000 metric tones of aquaculture products.
In Guyana however, with the advantages of abundant water and consistent climate, Horning said Guyana has an even greater potential which she said her organization is willing to work with Guyana to realize.
The fisheries sector contributes about 2 to 3 percent to Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but according to Chief Fisheries Officer Vivek Joshi, the sector has been faced with the challenge of limited resources and over fishing.
Nevertheless, he said, the fisheries sector provides almost 13,000 jobs, with fish holding the reputation as the most highly consumed commodity. In this regard, he said the aquaculture sector provides viable opportunities.
“Aquaculture presents an option for agriculture diversification away from our traditional rice and sugar… aquaculture is also a prime area of development in a low carbon economy,” Joshi said.
The next step
Phase two of the integrated farm will incorporate the aspect of growing crops for the export market and using the waste water from the fish ponds to irrigate these plants. This model of integration is expected to influence Guyanese farmers to follow similar lines of development and realize the benefits of alternative farming methods. The planners envisage a four to six-week completion.
The final phase is still being negotiated but mirrors the first phase in which a breeding programme for sheep and feed-lot for lambs are proposed.
Chico Persaud disclosed that his company will vigorously pursue efforts later on this year to regenerate interest in the aquaculture sector with the main aim of expanding the industry to assist in the diversification of agriculture.
The specific targets he said will be the rice farmers during the rotational crop and as marine fish becomes more scarce and expensive.
History
The earliest known attempts at aquaculture in Guyana can be traced back 100 years to East Indian inhabitants of the Corentyne Coast, with the brackish, salt water species types.
In 1997, Guyana’s National Development Strategy stated that aquaculture development should become a priority because of its potential to positively impact social and economic development by creating jobs and generating income. In the same year, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) specialists visited Guyana and worked with the Fisheries Department to outline proposals for aquaculture development.
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Agriculture Minister inspects Morawhanna port
-dissatisfied over inactivity
Georgetown, GINA, October 20, 2009
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, during a visit to Region One today, inspected the Morawhanna port of entry which will be used as a key port for import and export.
Minister Persaud pointed out that Government made the facility available to a private investor and it is expected to be a support to fishermen since it will be operating an ice factory.
Minister Persaud visited the port after reports were received that it was not functioning in its capacity as an ice processing plant, a situation which is detrimental to the fishing industry in the Region. Minister Persaud expressed his dissatisfaction at the level of inactivity. There is no physical evidence of developmental work ongoing at the facility.
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, examining the facilities at Morawhanna port in
Region One
Government rented out the facility rather than operating it, Minister Persaud said, because the existing facility costs millions of dollars to maintain. The new facility should include a bottling and processing plant among others.
Minister Persaud pointed out that currently the fisher folks are the ones who are mainly disrupted by the inactivity of the port.
He noted that Government is investing a lot in Region One and as such is eager to have the facility up and running. He said a clear timeline is needed from the investors.
Government is set to benefit from the rental of the facility. He pointed out that the provisions for rental are dependent on the scale of the investment.
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Look at agriculture as a business
-Minister Persaud tells Region One residents
Georgetown, GINA, October 20, 2009
Government is placing emphasis on the development of agriculture in Region One. This renewed emphasis is due largely in part to the Morawhanna port which will be used as a key transshipment port for the hinterland regions of Guyana.
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud and a team that included Dr. Oudho Homenauth, Director of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) and Nigel Dharamlall, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs visited Mabaruma; Region One with the aim of interacting with the farmers and young people, given that there is an issue over age, where farming is concerned.
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud addressing Region One residents
Minister Persaud said the Government is trying to reintroduce the Agriculture Programme to stimulate and encourage young people back into the system, noting that it has long term economic viability. He emphasized that the old method of farming is not capable of dealing with social changes, noting that a new form of agriculture is needed for competitiveness as such there will be the implementation of several new technologies.
Minister Persaud urged the residents to see themselves as agri-business people rather than farmers and explained that Government’s Agriculture Diversification project seeks to develop an agriculture business focus in the country.
Recently, 15 communities in the three sub-regions were visited and experts have been identified to be stationed in the region to support the initiatives. He pointed out that the Ministry will be looking at establishing more agents.
Recognizing that the acoushi ant is a plague affecting the Region, Minister Persaud said several machines and a quantity of chemicals were handed over to combat the insect problem, however earlier attempts at eradicating the insects proved futile, as such a large quantity of Fast Act will be purchased and a massive eradication campaign will be launched in three weeks. Minister Persaud, implored residents to sustain the campaign even after the initial exercise.
Minister Persaud interacting with exhibitors during his visit to Region One
He told residents that there will be pumps and other devices sent to the Region to assist them with their drainage and irrigation issues. The Ministry is currently procuring a Hymac to further assist residents and will be collaborating with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to find ways to deal with the issues they are facing.
The Minister pointed out the collaboration that is currently ongoing with developed and developing countries to provide technical support. He noted that the Ministry is committed to the mandate of NARI; to capture, transfer and modify technologies wherever they are.
The Administration is trying to build a region where people do not have to leave to find employment opportunities, a task to which the Government is committed. Further he pointed out that the Morawhanna port will lessen the cost constraints, noting that staff has already been identified to work at the port, which will allow a direct international market.
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