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Government mulls construction of new Mahaica market
In an effort to upgrade the working conditions of vendors, the government is mulling the construction of a new market at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.
The project will see collaboration between the Ministries of Local Government and Regional Development and Public Works.
On a recent visit to the community, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall met with stallholders and discussed plans by the government to rebuild the market.
Minister Lall also examined the size of the present building and its current condition.
Some of the merchants opined that the market may have been in existence for over 40 years and suggested that the new structure be constructed at the same location.
The ministries are mulling whether the market will be extended upwards, removed to an alternative location or rebuilt on the existing site.
Once a decision is made on the details, the new market is expected to house those vendors who spill out onto the roadways since the market is filled to capacity with stallholders.
Overseer of the Mahaica Market, Diadat Haridat stated that on Sundays, vendors are also allowed to occupy a street that runs behind the market as well as the main roadway just in front of the market.
The present structure is in a state of disrepair and aged from years of wear and tear.
The new market will enhance the aesthetics of the community, as well as aid in the clearing of encumbrances from government reserves.
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Several new cassava varieties being evaluated in Region Nine
-NARI Director
Director of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Dr. Oudho Homenauth said that Government has recently disbursed mechanical graters and presses to several hinterland communities in Regions One and Nine in its efforts to boost hinterland agriculture.
Dr. Homenauth said that several new cassava varieties are currently being evaluated in Region Nine to examine other uses of tuber apart from the conventional ones. He added that this initiative is to add value to the product.
Additionally, Guyana has joined CLAYUCA, a Latin American and Caribbean Consortium for cassava based in Cali, Colombia and according to the NARI Director technical assistance, improved varieties and appropriate technology will be acquired shortly from the organisation.
In April 2009, NARI began using cassava as a source of feed for poultry after an experimental product was sent to the United States for testing to determine its nutritional value. This was followed by a workshop which was aimed at implementing a strategy to start a cassava enterprise and industry development.
The cassava is sliced into thin pieces along with the skin since it will act as part of the feed then sun dried which will cause it to break very easily. When the slices are completely dried, they are then ground into flour. The feed can also be used as a substitute for corn and rice.
The initiative is intended to diversify commodities aimed at improving income, livelihood and reduce income vulnerability, benefiting small farmers especially in the commodity chain.
NARI is also working with Bounty Farm, its private sector partner in this venture. The initiative is based on an agriculture commodities programme that was launched in Jamaica and is part of a joint initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).
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Food and Drugs Department to increase cosmetics monitoring
The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department has issued an advisory to importers/distributors and manufacturers of cosmetics to get their operations and commodities registered.
The entity stated that importers/ distributors, manufacturers and consumers should make it a priority to understand the difference between cosmetics and drugs, since different regulations apply to each type of product.
The Food and Drug Department will be monitoring the ingredient listings of cosmetics for approved, hypo allergic substances and label claims, since all the information, including a list of the ingredients that the product contains, is located on the container of a cosmetic. All label information is required to be displayed in English language.
The Food and Drug act defines cosmetic by its intended use to alter the appearance of the human body, while drugs are classified as substances intended to treat or prevent diseases or otherwise affect the structure or function of the human body.
However, there are some cosmetics that are considered as drugs and should therefore meet the regulatory requirements for pharmaceutical products, the department stated.
In addition, some products meet the definitions of both cosmetics and drug and therefore must comply with the requirements for both categories.
It is stated in Section 14 of the Food and Drug act, that no person shall sell a cosmetic product that has in it any substance which may injure the health of the user when the cosmetic is used according to its customary method.
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Ministry to up fight against child labour
-Labour Minister
The Ministry of Labour in the coming months will be aggressively pursing its campaign against child labour to eliminate this problem which is being experienced globally.
Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir made this announcement on the National Communications Network (NCN), Region Six during the Ministry’s outreach programme to the region over the period March 10 to 13.
The Minister noted that child labour continues to be a major issue in society and reiterated that employers found guilty of employing children under the age of 15 years will be prosecuted.
While explaining the difference between child labour and child work, Minister Nadir pointed out that persons who are found to be preventing children from gaining an education during school hours will also be prosecuted since there is need for every child to developed fully and to have an opportunity to learn and enjoy a reasonable amount of leisure time.
“If you are going to take your children and deny them of an opportunity from play and recreation and education then you are engaging in child labour so this is very important…We are going to be hyping up our anti-child labour programme even more in the next few months,” the Minister stated.
Child labour occurs when children under 18 years of age are forced to work resulting in exploitation by employers. Children are engaged in paid and/or unpaid employment that is unsuitable for their age.
Through child labour, children are prevented from gaining an education and skills that will lead to adulthood and decent work opportunities. This is seen as contributing to poverty.
In Guyana the minimum age for admission to employment is 15, following the ratification of Convention 138 in 1998. Prior to this, the minimum age for employment was 14.
Over the years, the Labour Ministry has made significant strides to address and reduce child labour. This can be noted through the establishment of the National Steering Committee on Child Labour in 2003 and government’s poverty reduction programme which also targets the elimination of child labour.
Eliminating child labour is also in keeping with the National Convention of the rights of the child which was sanctioned in 1991.
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German visitors enthralled with Guyana’s natural beauty
- first cruise ship for 2010
Government’s programmes to promote Guyana as a viable and new tourism destination have seen more interest from visitors in Europe, North and South America and the Caribbean. The most recent show of interest came from German tourists who joined a cruise that originated in Brazil.
The Vistamar, an Italian cruise ship carrying German tourists docked at the Guyana National Shipping Corporation’s (GNSC’s) wharf on March 11 and was greeted by steelpan music. On board the four-deck ship were 241 passengers and 110 crew members.
Tourists disembarking the Vista Mar, to take an evening stroll around georgetown.
Dagron tours, operating out of its offices on Main Street organized to have Guyana as part of the cruise ship’s schedule. The 12-day tour started on March 4 and the ship docked in Guyana after visiting Brazil and then went on to Tobago, Grenada and Martiniqe after which the passengers will return to Germany on March 16.
The passengers whose first visit it is to Guyana, stepped off the ship to music from a steel pan orchestra as the enjoyed their initial view of Guyana and gave their impression of the country during a tour of the City.
The Vista Mar on the docks at GNSC wharf, steelpaN musicians in the foreground.
The tourists were given the opportunity to see much of Guyana’s Capital City, Georgetown, as they were taken on a city tour in special Coaster Buses. They visited the Parliament Buildings, the 1763 Monument, the Umana Yana, the Walter Roth Museum and the Botanical Gardens where they expressed delight and were very interested in the natural flora and fauna.
Seehafer, tourist on the Vista Mar
“It was just beautiful and we got a little souvenir here and it was just lovely, just great here. I mean a lot of things seem to be going on here and we saw the presidential palace, and the museum and all the schools and different churches so you must have a lot of denominations here in your town and this park is the highlight so far… Actually we wanted to stay in the Caribbean but unfortunately we have to return home but we definitely plan to come back during the fall of this year”.
Raphael Ades, tourist on the Vista Mar
“Starting our tour and they love it, they are very interested they love the nature part of it, like the gardens, they love seeing the harpy eagle and the parrots and the comments up to now are excellent”.
Rubberdt Gryta, tourist on the Vista Mar
“We feel very much welcomed, very warmly with wonderful music from a steel band and everybody is very kind and we can walk free through the city and yesterday evening we didn’t have any problem, everybody was kind, helped us to find out way back to the ship and it’s wonderful to see all of the flowers of the garden city, to see the zoo with all the animals, I think they are at home in Guyana… I am very much interested in nature and we have seen some pictures of the highlands and the savannahs and they must be beautiful”.
Sinnecker, tourist on the Vista Mar
“Very interesting, very different from what we have seen in Europe but I travelled a lot in foreign countries so I am not too surprised… I am interested in rainforest so everybody interested in rainforest knows what Guyana means.”
Dorothea Schmidt, tourist on the Vista Mar
“We feel very interested about the culture and what the people made before and the Indian people especially here… the people are very friendly, we went to the market here and everywhere we went people were all waving and were very happy to see us”.
Jan Michels, tourist on the Vista Mar
“For me this is a really interesting country and I am a biologist so I am mainly interested in the wildlife of Guyana and this is really amazing, the wildlife we can see here. Unfortunately we stay only in the city but also the city is very interesting with its great history with all the different buildings from the former times and I really enjoy it. I like it… I have heard much about it, especially about the wildlife and one day I would like to come here for some weeks and I would like to spend some time in the rainforest and search for certain animals. I am very interested in the freshwater turtle, fauna of Guyana and I would love to come back and spend some more time”.
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Tourism Ministry to embark on financial education programme for consumers – Minister Prashad in Consumers Rights Day Message
As Guyana joins the rest of the world in celebrating Consumer Rights Day today, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad has stated that Government will embark on a programme to promote financial education to consumers. This will raise their awareness so that they can be better equipped to make informed, considered and rational choices in financial services.
“Financial services have a very significant impact on consumers' lives. It is therefore important that consumers make well-informed decisions and feel confident that they are adequately protected if something goes wrong. It is the general belief that the Financial Services sector is lagging behind many other industries, both in terms of customer care and basic access,” Minister Prashad’s message reads.
This year Consumer International has chosen to focus on a theme which addresses the issues of “Our Money Our Rights” and highlights consumer issues in relation to financial services, as it has been concluded that many consumers have little or no access to Financial Services.
According to the message, Minister Prashad stated that he is in full support of a statement by the Director General of Consumers International which says, inter alia, that “Consumers around the world face a range of problems in their dealings with Financial Services providers, from irresponsible lending practices to unfair contracts, abusive charges and advice by salespeople lacking in objectivity”.
It is against this background that the Minister has urged the Consumer Affairs Department within the Ministry to examine the role of the law in the protection of the consumer, in particular the ways in which the law could be used to protect consumers when dealing with the providers of financial services.
In his book, The Consumer: Rights and More Rights, Garcious Senella defined the consumer as “King of all purchases and the King of his taste buds whether those taste buds represent a product or service”. In other words, the consumer is the most important person of a business because it is the consumer, who keeps the business functioning by the exercise of his or her deliberate choice and the right to choose.
According to the message, “Financial products are getting more complex and diverse. As such, consumers are offered a variety of credit and saving instruments, provided by a range of entities from banks and other types of credit institutions. This makes financial products harder to understand and to compare; it also increases the risk of spending on inappropriate products”.
The Minister stated that it is extremely important for the entrepreneur, the salesperson, the service provider, and the public utilities, to respect the consumer, and even more crucially, the consumer’s right to receive value for money.
“Consumers at some point in time will experience poor quality or even unscrupulous practices from business or commercial organizations in general. Knowing their rights in any given situation will help the consumer to deal with misinformed business or commercial organizations. This will enable receipt of satisfaction and quality that one is entitled to in exchange for handing over hard earned cash. Consumers, whether big or small should be compensated for products or services that are of a substandard quality, and should at all time demand this right.”
The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will continue to educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities; especially as it relates to the theme for this year’s celebration “Our Money, Our Rights”.
Consumer awareness programmes have been scheduled for the different regions of the country and in April, a team from the Consumer Affairs Division will travel to Lethem to promote consumer awareness, as the Ministry intends to cover the length and breath of this nation to ensure that consumers are made aware of all their rights and responsibilities.
The Ministry’s Consumer Affairs Division has been actively involved in supporting and promoting consumer rights in all sectors nationally. Consumer International has also been encouraging member states to focus on consumers having access to stable, secure and fair financial services, as it is seen as being important for consumers everywhere, not least in the context of the global financial crisis.
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APA recent workshop deemed undemocratic- Aishalton’s Toshao
The claim of ‘Indigenous leaders calling for hold on LCDS, REDD+ projects’ circulating in the media has been rejected by Toshao Hildebrand James of Aishalton, Region 9.
James told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that he was not part of the workshop, “Indigenous Peoples Rights”, recently conducted by the Amerindian People’s Association (APA) with some indigenous leaders and therefore the organisation cannot make the generalization indicating that all indigenous leaders were consulted on the matter.
He noted that he would have gladly participated in the workshop and highlighted that his non-participation was as a result of not being invited. James stated that only certain Toshaos were invited to the workshop.
This he noted was not a consultation and definitely not democracy. Had it been a democratic process, James argued he would have been invited and given the opportunity to make contributions during the one-week workshop.
He further argued that he was mandated by the people of his community to represent them on certain issues and not the APA. James sees the APA’s move as a “slap on the face” to the National Toshaos Council (NTC), since no one from the NTC was invited to the workshop.
“The NTC is the legal body to deal with issues concerning Amerindians in Guyana and I think they should have at least informed the NTC,” James said.
The Toshao noted that his community was consulted on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and highlighted that even though the strategy may have technical jargon after the consultation many of the villagers understood the document. James said he also conducted other meetings with his community on the LCDS so as to further clear-up any matters of concern.
“Last year when we were at the National Toshaos Council meeting the President clearly told the indigenous leaders that we are free to make our decisions if we want to opt in or not to opt in the system,” James noted.
In addition, James informed GINA that he has in his possession a copy of the second draft of the LCDS and will soon review it and consult his people on its contents.
James contended that the APA is not working towards the benefit of Amerindians in Guyana.
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Tourism Ministry launches 8th Pakaraima Mountain Safari 2010
- Eight-day trip to cover 529 miles
The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) which falls under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism today officially launched their Eighth Pakaraima Mountain Safari at the GTA’s Office, National Exhibition Center, Sophia.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad urged participants and businesses to sponsor various media operatives in order to provide widespread publicity of the event so as to create more awareness, both locally and internationally.
“Without the media we would not get the kind of promotion we need to capture all the exciting moments along the trail,” he said.
The Minister alluded to the Vistamar cruise ship that recently docked at the National Shipping Corporation’s (GNSC’s) wharf which saw about 230 German tourists enjoying what Guyana has to offer.
From right: Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad, Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Indranauth Haralsingh, representative of Air Services Limited, Annette Arjoon-Martin and GT&T representative, Ronetha Exeter
“All this is as a result of our international marketing effort at the World Trade Market in London and the ITB in Berlin that we attracted so many Germans, who are always interested in exploring new destinations,” the Minister said.
He reiterated President Bharrat Jagdeo’s comment that there is a possibility for the establishment of a local airline service in response to the exploitation in the form of exorbitant air fares by the existing airlines, particularly Caribbean Airlines. He added that Guyana is more than capable of managing its own airline service so as to keep air fares at a minimum, thereby encouraging more tourists.
“We are breaking more grounds, there are more facilities, more resorts, better accommodation and we are attracting more local investors. As more people visit our resorts the need for better service increases and we are responding to that,” he said.
The eight-day Safari kicks off on March 27 from the GUYOIL Service Station, Regent Street to Karasabai on the first day, then to Monkey Mountain followed by Kato and ending at Orinduik, covering a total of 529 miles.
A biker fording a river on Safari 2009.
The Ministry of Health will be providing basic medical needs, while Air Services Limited will have an aircraft available on stand-by in the event of an emergency.
Sponsors of the event included: GUYOIL/CASTROL GTX, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company, Geddes Grant Limited and Air Services Limited, which will also be providing t-shirts and caps for the participants and will also be handing out educational items such as books and stationeries to the communities that they will be passing.
Thus far, a total of 18 vehicles have already registered. The Registration fee is $10,000 per vehicle and can be done at the Ministry, GTA or Rainforest Tours.
This adventure trip plays a great role is developing Guyana’s nature and adventure brand destination as it gives more recognition to the country’s potential in these areas.
The beautiful Orinduik Falls, where the 2010 Safari will end
Guyana has been gaining recognition in its unique nature tourism brand and with international agencies such as the ‘Guide to Latin America 2008’ ranking Guyana among the Top 10 Wild Adventures in Latin America, ‘the Independent’ in UK (February 2008) that rates Guyana among the Five Best Wildlife Retreats in the World and the UK ‘Times Online’ (February 2008) which labels Guyana among the Best Adventure Trips for 2008.
The first Safari was the initiative of former Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Harripersaud Nokta as he wanted to bridge that part of the interior where the only means of getting in was by air.
With the advent of the safari, there is now a road which was mapped out by the locals linking Regions Eight and Nine. Nokta had commissioned the local people to establish a link and funds were allocated through the Social Impact Amelioration Programme (SIMAP) to build the road.
The first safari convoy comprised four vehicles and two tractors that travelled from Karasabai to Orinduik Falls.
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President announces Guyana’s plan to further assist Haiti this week
– at conclusion of Regional leaders’ meeting in Dominica
Stressing the importance of doing ‘more than lip service’ to the Haitian people, President Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed that Guyana will be in a position early this week to provide financial assistance to Haiti to assist with budgetary spending.
The Guyanese leader and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Chairman was at the time speaking at a closing press conference of the CARICOM Heads of Government two-day conference in Dominica last Friday where the leaders committed to ‘lead from the front’ with assistance directly to the Haitian Government. This is according to the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
The Haitian crisis took centre stage in the discussions as the CARICOM Heads rapped with presidents of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, Inter American Development Bank (IDB), Luis Alberto Moreno, and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dominique Strauss-Kahn Thursday and Friday in Roseau, Dominica.
Speaking to reporters at the end President Jagdeo expressed the belief that it would be careless to urge the multilateral financial institutions and bilateral donors to respect the sovereignty of Haiti and the Region itself is not leading by example.
Hours following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated the Haitian Capital, Port-au-Prince, on January 12, President Jagdeo organised a meeting of various stakeholders, which included the opposition political parties, religious and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), at the Office of the President to coordinate a national effort by Guyana to render assistance.
A multi-stakeholder committee was formed, chaired by Minister of Human Services, Priya Manickchand, to oversee the relief effort for the CARICOM country. President Jagdeo pledged US$1M toward the effort.
At that time, President Jagdeo had stated that, “Haiti as the poorest country in the western hemisphere is now severely challenged to cope with this tragedy. Haiti needs all countries, including the small developing countries to come to its aid urgently.”
Since then Guyana has sent several containers of donations including items such as rice, biscuits, water, clothing and footwear to the earthquake ravaged country that left about 230, 000 people dead and numerous others homeless.
Many organisations, religious groupings, NGOs and Guyanese citizens have come forward and extended their generosity.
The National Relief Committee has since collected millions, the majority of which came from kind hearted Guyanese.
The committee organised two telethons on the National Communications Network and a television channel in Berbice, while the Women’s Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Human Services in collaboration with other women’s bodies held a walk-a-thon that garnered a significant amount of donations in cash and kind.
CARICOM Heads at the conclusion of the summit agreed on a number of important issues including a call to the international community to show more respect for the Haitian government by providing direct financial assistance to Port-au-Prince, CMC reported.
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Region Three farmers continue to benefit from El Nino interventions
Hundreds of Region Three rice and cash crops farmers continue to benefit
from necessary interventions by government through its agencies to mitigate
the effects of El Nino.
Since the advent of these conditions mid-last year, Region Three, one of the
vulnerable farming communities around the country, has been the recipient of
a significant number of resources and financing from the government as an
ongoing programme initiated by the Ministry to deal specifically with
irrigation needs around the country. In addition, the Ministry through its
outreach programme has interacted with farmers to listen to concerns and
undertake critical interventions.
In accordance with the conservancy water management manual, a conscious
decision was taken by the Ministry's National Drainage and Irrigation
Authority (NDIA) to mobiliSe two pumps at Waramina five-door sluice to pump
water from the Bonasika River to the Boerasirie Conservancy.
At the Two-Mouth location, Boerasirie Conservancy, a stop-off was completed
and two No. 2 Hydro flow pumps were installed to service farming areas from Boerasirie Creek to B-Line in the Canals Polder.
Additionally, an excavator mounted on a pontoon has been deployed to open
several waterways to access irrigation water from swamps within the
conservancy and an irrigator pump was also installed at Ruby intake. This
has been benefitting hundreds of farmers. Major rehabilitation of the
Leonora/Versailles distributary irrigation canal is ongoing while at
Barnwell, the side line was excavated to facilitate pumping of water to rice lands.
An irrigation schedule was also initiated in the region and the Ministry's
Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Rice Producers
Association (GRPA) has been carrying out salinity testing and advising rice
farmers. Rice farmers were also the recipient of vouchers for fertilizer.
In Canals Polder, 120 irrigation tubes were provided to farmers to allow
cash crop farmers, rice farmers and livestock farmers via the NDIA to tap
fresh water.
Just recently, Region Three farmers benefitted from 240 more irrigation tubes as mitigation measures were initiated. As part of the Ministry's Agriculture Export Diversification Project, irrigation needs of farmers from Canals Polder have been satisfied since major canals such as Center Line and B-Line have been rehabilitated. This project is ongoing.
In Den Amstel Fellowship, a canal was dug to supply water to cattle while 33
holding ponds have been excavated at Leguan for this very same purpose. The
Crops and Livestock Department of the Ministry of Agriculture has been
actively involved with livestock farmers in the Region by providing
nutrients and other support. Also the farmers of Den Amstel benefitted from
the distribution of one hundred and 15 irrigation tubes.
Further, excavation works have been carried out around the region inclusive
of Greenwich Park, La Jalousie Middle Walk, Zeelugt, Philadelphia,
Orangestein, Vreed-en-Hoop, Crane, Windsor Forest, Nismes and Windsor Forest
irrigation channels which would boost the supply of irrigation water to key
farming communities.
At Tuschen, excavation was done to facilitate
transportation of cash crops since the water level was low in the area. The
Ruby/Boerasirie distributary dam was also Raised to prevent wastage of
water. An irrigation canal in Parfait/Harmonie has been excavated to supply
water to farmers in the Schoonard area.
Since September 2009, at Wales and Uitvlugt sugar estates, Guysuco has
implemented a re-circulation method by the use of pumps to ensure adequate
irrigation water. The NDIA has been supporting all sugar estates around the
country.
The NDIA working closely with the Region Three Administration, RPA and
farming groups and has supplied and installed a number of irrigator pumps in
areas such as Philadelphia and Ruby to re-circulate water while two tractor pumps are being used to pump water from Parika Main drain into Parika/Ruby distributary.
The Authority has repaired a damaged Good Hope
irrigation intake which was vandalised in December, 2009. Efforts are
being made to rehabilitate the Hague intake which was vandalised on March 13.
Meanwhile, additional resources and equipment has been mobilised to the
region as efforts to mitigate El Nino conditions continue. More than
25 farmers' meetings were held in the region during the past
six weeks to discuss additional measures to address the current El Nino
situation.
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