GRA implements new measure to improve transparency
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
In order to promote transparency and to detect false declarations submitted by importers of commercial goods, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has begun examining goods utilising live images which are recorded by GRA’s cameras.
This system became effective on February 8, 2010 and is widely used in many developed countries as it allows for compliance with Customs Law.
It was noted that the system also requires that after payments of the relevant taxes on all entries for which declarations have been made by the importers, an advice in writing from GRA’s Senior Manager, wharves should be issued stating whether the container can be released without conducting an examination or whether an examination has to be performed at the level of 50, 75 or 100 percent before the goods are released.
The Risk Profiling in the Total Revenue Integrated Processing System (TRIPS) is used to determine the level of examination to be conducted.
GRA emphasised that it is committed to working with businesses to ensure that goods are cleared in a transparent and timely manner and to promote compliance with the various customs.
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Crime fighting must be intelligence-driven – President
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
At the opening ceremony of the annual Police Officers’ Conference at the Police Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary today, President Bharrat Jagdeo stressed that the crime fighting efforts of Guyana’s security forces must be intelligence-driven, and highlighted that Government is making the investments to support this position.
“This year we will continue to focus on giving you greater tools. We just passed the anti-money laundering act. We’re going to expand the capacity to go after people who have proceeds from crime and to forfeit these assets. We’re putting in place time limits for judicial decision-making to reduce some of the back-logs in court. We plan to pass legislation on cyber-crime because it is very important that we start looking at that,” the President signalled.
President Bharrat Jagdeo inspects officers of the Guyana Police Force before the start of the Annual Officers’ Conference at Police Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary – February 11, 2010 (OP, Sandra Prince photo)
“We plan to do more training of police prosecutors, to work more closely with the Director of Public Prosecution’s department, improve the governance sector by operationalising the sectoral committee on disciplined forces, stricter licencing of firearms, stiffer penalties for criminals using firearms, (developing) whistleblower legislation, and strengthening the physical capacity (of the police force). We have an aggressive civil works programme to improve the buildings in which you work, and also, there would be a wholesale deployment of ICT-related services,” he further added.
Also, there will be widespread use of close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and the establishment of an intelligence agency, for which facilities are currently being constructed in the Castellani compound.
“The police will have available to them all of these images (from the CCTV cameras). They will be able to analyse the data coming in and then create actionable intelligence not only to solve crime but also to prevent crime,” President Jagdeo assured.
He also addressed concerns raised that the intelligence agency will be used to spy on political opponents and ordinary citizens by underlining that the reason for the establishment of the agency is to assist in combating crime, and providing the tools to the Guyana Police Force that are available to the police forces of the developed world.
President Bharrat Jagdeo delivers the feature address at the Annual Officers’ Conference at Police Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary – February 11, 2010 (OP, Sandra Prince photo)
“We are creating an intelligence agency that will support the police, particularly in their fight against crime. It is normal. If you agree to have an intelligence-led law enforcement effort or to shift the focus to intelligence-led, you have to deliver the tools – legislative and intelligence tools,” he stated.
The President was also critical of political commentators who have complained in the past about the ineffectiveness of the security services but now, find reasons to complain when Government is striving to give the police force the tools to do their job well.
This, he said, highlighted their duplicity as they are unable to see the bigger picture and how important the use of good intelligence would be to combating crime.
Earlier, Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene today reinforced the Guyana Police Force’s pledge to ensure that security permeates throughout the country.
He said that, throughout 2009, the Force continue to provide the service of citizens’ security to the best of its ability, notwithstanding the many challenges that were encountered in the fight against crime and violence.
“We have tried as best as we could to discharge that duty, bearing in mind our objectives stated in the law,” he said.
The Annual Officers’ Conference is being held under the theme “Providing Effective Security through Improved Police Community Relations”.
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Mining without reserves not tenable
…as President tells miners that 100% of Guyana open to mining
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, several Government Ministers and the Commissioners of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) today met with a large contingent of miners to assure them that Government has no intention to shutter mining operations across the country. In fact, the President highlighted that his Administration would like to see the mining industry expand.
President Bharrat Jagdeo addresses a large contingent of miners on the proposed new mining regulations at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) – February 11, 2010 (OP, Sandra Prince photo)
The meeting took place at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), Liliendaal and the turnout of miners to interact with the President and the Prime Minister was more than could be accommodated in the main hall.
The President explained that the suggested new regulations are intended to reconcile the rights of surface (timber operator) and sub-surface (miners) rights holders.
He indicated that the requirement to have miners notify the GGMC of their intention to move to a new mining site is intended to permit the timber operator who has the forestry lease for that piece of land to decide whether they intend to make use of their concession.
The President explained that such a decision would have to be made within one month and if the timber operator fails to make a decision or chooses not to exploit his/her lease, mining will be permitted.
However, where the timber operator decides to exploit the concession, he/she will be given six months to do so during which time mining will not take place. This is the only time when the six-month regulation that has been behind miners’ protests will be necessary, the President said.
Otherwise, mining will remained unhindered. During the one-month notification period, an area equivalent to three hectares would be made available to the miner to continue operating.
“How can a Government that has consistently supported mining want to shut it down?” President Jagdeo asked, pointing to the duty-free concessions given to miners for importing dredges and excavators.
The large contingent of miners listen intently to the President at the miners’ meeting at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) – February 11, 2010 (OP, Sandra Prince photo)
In response to requests from miners to have between 7-10% of the country put aside for mining, the President questioned why miners would only want such a small portion of land when Government is willing to have mining activities all over Guyana, as long as it is done in an environmentally-friendly manner.
Also, he noted that Guyana’s agreement with Norway will not undermine activities in the sector as it has been agreed that Guyana will maintain its historic level of deforestation of 0.3%, which is equivalent to 45,000 hectares. However, mining activities at present only account for 10,000 hectares of deforestation annually and therefore, has much room for expansion.
However, it was noted by Prime Minister Hinds that mining without reserves is untenable and members of the mining communities will have to plan their activities more thoughtfully to ensure that the best use is made out of the forests and that Guyana maintains its historic deforestation rate so as to be able to access funding under the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
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Brazilian Fam-tour to commence March 21
-to forge links with tour operators, investors
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
The Tourism Sector has over the years received significant attention as Government recognises that it is a sector with huge potential for development. This has led to tourism products being further exploited and promoted. The private sector too continues to play its part in investing in the sector.
Guyana is now being ‘touted’ as the hottest tourism destination in the South America.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad today during a meeting with his Brazilian counterparts to finalise plans for a team of Brazilians to commence a Fam-Tour to Guyana beginning on March 21.
While in Guyana, the delegation will be sight seeing and meeting with investors and tour operators.
Possible relations and linkages for investment opportunities between the two countries are expected to be discussed. The Fam-tour is a joint effort by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG)and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).
Minister Prashad said that the visitors during the tour will be exchanging information and ideas for possible investments and will also be showcasing what Brazil have to offer.
“We aim to showcase Guyana in terms of its tourism and business opportunities over the years….and with the completion of the Takutu Bridge this is seen as an increase in trade between Guyana and Brazil…..persons now have a vested interest in visiting the two countries.”
The convoy will leave Brazil on March 21 with a brief stop to be made in Lethem where meetings will be held with the Lethem Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout their stay in Guyana the group will have meetings with investors in Lethem, Linden and Georgetown to further enhance business opportunities.
According to the Tourism Minister, they will also be meeting with major tour operators during their city tour.
A one-day seminar organized by the Ministry of Tourism, THAG, GTA and Go-Invest will be held on February 24 at the Guyana International Conference Center. During the seminar Minister Prashad and head of Go-Invest Geoff Da Silva will use the opportunity to brief the association on tourism and business opportunities in Guyana, while the Brazilian nationals will highlight investment opportunities in Brazil.
“With this Fam-tour to Guyana this will augurs well for the future cooperation between the two countries, enhancing the good relations which Brazil and Guyana already has. This will help expand trade especially in the tourism sector for Guyana,” the Tourism Minister stressed.
Leila King, Managing Director of Maikan Turismo (the tour company) said that this is the first fam-tour to Guyana and there is a high expectation that more investments will come on stream.
“We are here to organise and to get everyone involved so that we will be able to capture more investments out of the series of meetings to be held here in Guyana.”
She noted that these will see more investments, Commerce and Tourism coming into Guyana and Brazil.
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CARICOM Agri Ministers to enhance trade facilitation in produce
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
Guyana will participate at the first Sub-Committee of Ministers of Agriculture of CARICOM to consider interventions to enhance trade facilitation in agricultural produce tomorrow in Port of Spain.
The meeting resulted from a decision that was taken during the Thirty-Second Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Agriculture held in Guyana last year.
At the meeting, COTED mandated that an audit of Non-Tariff Barriers to trade with respect to agricultural produce be undertaken in each Member State including recommended interventions for their removal.
Further, COTED also agreed that the audit be reviewed by a sub-committee of Ministers of Agriculture of Guyana, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. The report will then be considered at the Inter-Sessional meeting of Heads of Government of CARICOM in March 2010. Guyana is being represented by Minister Robert Persaud.
Recently, Trinidad and Tobago concluded a protocol with Guyana that will now allow the trade of 22 agricultural items.
Last year, Guyana's exports of nontraditional agriculture produce grew by 30 percent. Guyana has been pursuing aggressively for greater market access in CARICOM in light of its expanding agriculture sector and aggressive diversification programme.
The region has an import food bill that is approximately US$4 B.
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Guyana Police Force is committed to fulfilling its mandate
-Commissioner Greene
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene today reinforced the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF’s) pledge to ensure that security permeates throughout the country. He was at the time speaking at the Force’s Annual Officers’ Conference, held under the theme “Providing Effective Security through Improved Police Community Relations” at the Force’s Headquarters, Eve Leary.
Commissioner Greene said that throughout 2009, the Force continue to provide the service of citizens’ security to the best of its ability, notwithstanding the many challenges that were encountered in the fight against crime and violence.
“We have tried as best as we could to discharge that duty, bearing in mind our objectives stated in the law,” he said.
Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene delivering his remarks during the Annual Officers’ Conference at the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.
Greene disclosed that 2009 saw a significant reduction in serious crimes by nine percent in comparison to 2008. Murders reduced by 26 percent, robbery under arms by 32 percent, and robbery under arms and other instruments by 11 percent.
“We have worked assiduously along with the joint services and other law enforcement agencies to seek out criminal elements and documented members of gangs so that we can keep track of their notorious activities,” he said.
With respect to the traffic department, the Commissioner said that there has been a significant reduction in road fatalities in 2009. This, he said, is reflective of the hard work by ranks to curb the issue of speeding, one of the most serious traffic breaches to date.
Tremendous success has also been recorded with the implementation of the speed tracking device (radar gun) and the breathalyser device.
In the case of speeding, Greene disclosed that a total 18, 206 charges were made, while the breathalyser device led to 197 drivers being apprehended for Drinking Under the Influence (DUI). Additionally, 375 drivers were charged for driving whilst talking on cellphones, an act that recently became a serious offence.
The Commissioner called on older drivers to lead by example for the younger drivers by adhering to the traffic rules.
He lamented that drivers continue to use the roadways recklessly, risking their lives as well as the lives of innocent people. He noted last year, there were 1,137 recorded breaches of traffic lights, with another 464 for tinted of motor vehicles and 161 cases of failure to adhere to sirens.
“We have carried out analysis of the road situation and we continue to work to realise areas in which we need to improve,” the Commissioner said.
In relation to drugs and narcotics, he said that the GPF has for the first time, managed to file two cases involving drug lords being held overseas and they are about to make another case in this respect.
Additionally the Force has targeted 107 drug houses, since the occasion of the last Officers’ Conference and has executed 3, 698 searches, which led to 251 persons being charged for trafficking cannabis and 83 for cocaine.
“We will continue the drug fight with the legislative branch, so that we could work alongside international agencies to identify drug lords that need to be extradited,” Commissioner Greene said.
With regards to ranks’ behaviour and conduct, the Commissioner said that last year, there were 199 official complaints recorded at the Public Relations (PR) department as compared to 178 in 2008.
“Much neglect is displayed at the level of the station particularly by junior ranks; persons are making reports and ranks do not take action,” he asserted.
There are 144 cases of complaints as it relates to the neglect of duty. The Commissioner said that charges will be issued departmentally, to all ranks who are found guilty of this offence.
Officers and invitees at the Annual Officers’ Conference.
He posited that the Force has heeded the challenges set out in 2008 by Commander-in-Chief, President Bharrat Jagdeo and it remains committed to working to strengthen its capacities in some key areas. These are: crime and criminal activities, drug trafficking, domestic violence, traffic breaches, recruitment and training, public relations, intelligence, Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), and Information and Technology (IT).
He expresses much enthusiasm for 2010, which will see further incorporation of forensic science in boosting crime fighting capacities.
With respect to training and recruitment, there were 368 new recruits in 2009 as compared to 268 in 2008. Thus far in 2010, 243 persons were interviewed and were administered an examination for which they are currently awaiting the results.
The feature address was delivered by the President. Also in attendance were Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, Minister of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Westford, Minister within the Ministry of Finance, Jennifer Webster, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Angela Johnson, Permanent Secretary of the Office of the President, Dr. Nanda Gopaul and other Government officials.
This year, ongoing efforts to ensure security sector reform will be further consolidated with a budgetary allocation of $14.9B.
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GPL appoints community reps to speak on customers’ behalf
- project piloted to improve customer services countrywide
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
As part of the ongoing effort to improve customer services across the country, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) today launched a pilot programme that will see qualified community agents from the company serving as intermediaries between the company and its customers.
At today’s launching at Kingston, some of the agents who will be part of the pilot programme were introduced. They are from New Amsterdam, Crabwood Creek, Charity and Number 67 Village.
The Community Based Customer Services programme is part of the initiative to improve customer services to the extent that it is comparable to international standards according to GPL’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer Iswar Deonarine.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds with representatives from GPL and the Community Based Customer Service agents (standing in background).
The company has pledged to pursue every effort to create awareness about the representatives, who if successful, will see at least one in every Neighbourhood Democratic Council in the three counties of Guyana.
Deonarine said the frequency in complaints by customers about the length of time taken to resolve their complaints will be dealt with by the new programme.
GPL is confident about the competence of the representatives chosen to serve in the respective communities.
“These persons will interface with the customer so we will avoid the customer having to come all the way to GPL offices or to pick up a phone and call and not have their problems resolved,” Deonarine said.
GPL recently launched an emergency and commercial call centre, both of which are equipped with call logging and recording software to monitor dialogue between the community agent and the customer.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who joined the GPL team at today’s launching recalled the aspirations of former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan to develop the company through investment during the era when the electricity resources were poor and generation was weak.
Mr. Hinds said the idea was introduced in order for Guyanese to understand the need for savings, investment and growth.
“I think we have made great progress, we have done a lot to improve generation,” the Prime Minister said.
The community based customer services representative programme joins the list of major initiatives of the company which includes the commissioning of the 20.7 Megawatt Wartsila power plant at Kingston, improvements in the electricity transmission and distribution systems and the implementation of a new state of the art Customer Information System (CIS) which is expected in the second quarter of this year.
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GINA to host open-air Mashramani exhibition at Guyana Stores
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
The Government Information Agency (GINA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport will be hosting an open-air, two-day Mashramani exhibition on the lawns of Guyana Stores Limited, Church Street.
A Lindener viewing the exhibits at GINA,s Mashramani exhibition at the LEAP buildingGina Mash Photos.
The exhibition will be held on February 17 and 18, from 09:00 to 16:00 h (4:00 pm) and is in keeping with Guyana’s 40th Republic anniversary.
Photographs of Mashramani past and present and prominent hallmarks in Guyana are among the many highlights of the exhibition.
GINA’s Research Officer Shaundell Greene with students of the Anna Regina Secondary School during the Agency’s Mashramani exhibitionGina Mash Photos.
Visitors will be given free handouts in the form of booklets, flags, pamphlets and other paraphernalia synonymous to the 40th Republic celebration.
Lindeners collecting booklets at GINA’s Mashramani exhibition at LEAP building.
The exhibition will be the third such event staged by GINA as part of activities to commemorate Guyana’s 40th Republic anniversary. The first was held on February 8 at the Anna Regina Secondary School, in Region Two followed by another at the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP) building in Region Ten.
Students of the Anna Regina Secondary School reading GINA’s “Development Digest” publication at the Mashramani exhibition Gina Mash Photos.
During the lead up to Guyana’s 43rd Independence celebrations in 2009, GINA partnered with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to host an independence exhibition at the same Guyana Stores venue showcasing photographs of the pre and post independence era.
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Birth certificate project for hinterland communities commences
Georgetown, GINA, February 11, 2010
Government has been dedicating resources towards the empowerment of Amerindians, especially those who reside in hinterland communities. To this end, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs has embarked upon speeding up the registration for birth certificates while simultaneously hosting consultations to determine the needs of communities.
Officials from the Ministry visited Region 8 recently to assist in the registration of births.
This process was a collaborative effort, facilitated by the Community Development Officers and Toshaos of the villages. Further the Ministry will be working along with the General Registry Office to ensure that the birth certificates are issued to villagers within a month.
MOAA Project Officer, Shameza David in discussion with residents of Monkey Mountain,Region 8.
The exercise, which saw the birth registration of 372 persons, was conducted in Paramakatoi, Bamboo Creek, Tuseneng and Monkey Mountain, having begun February 3 and concluded on February 7.
Consultations were held in Paramakatoi and Monkey Mountain to determine the needs of the communities which will serve as a guide for the Ministry when planning and executing developmental strategies.
All the Regions will be visited twice and the next outreach is slated to commence on February 17-21 in Sub-Region 2, Region 8. Communities to be visited include Micobie, Tumatumari, Campbell Town, Chenapau, Princeville and Karisparau.
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