ARCHIVES FOR JUNE 10 2008
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Joint Services raid at Christmas Falls…
SLAIN GUNMAN IDENTIFIED AS WANTED MAN ‘MUD UP’
By Michel Outridge
THE bandit who was shot and killed at Christmas Falls, Berbice River, on Friday last, during an armed confrontation with Joint Services ranks, has been positively identified as Otis Fifee, called ‘Mud Up’, 21, of Buxton/Friendship, East Coast Demerara, by relatives at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) mortuary.


‘WANTED AND ON THE RUN’
A statement from the Joint Services yesterday confirmed that the man has been identified by relatives as Otis Fifee, called ‘Mud Up’.

A wanted bulletin had been issued for him during February of this year in the wake of the gruesome mass killings at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara and at Bartica.

A police source also told this newspaper that ‘Mud Up’ was wanted in connection with the shooting of ranks in the 2003 crime wave that led to gun battles in the troubled and violence-prone village of Buxton.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s most wanted, Rondell Rawlins, called ‘Fineman’ and his gang may have moved deeper into the jungle and may be carrying fewer weapons, having left behind a cache of high-powered arms and ammunition on Friday when they were surprised by a team of Joint Service ranks, a well-placed source said.

The source added that the specially trained Joint Services team has been trekking the desolate and hostile jungle and surrounding areas since the shootout Friday at Christmas Falls, some 66 miles above Yawakuri River, Berbice River, and is hot on Fineman’s trail.

“We’re making every effort to capture this band of dangerous criminals because we believe that one or more of the gang members may be injured; and if they do not get food and shelter soon, it will be difficult for them to get out of the jungle”, the source reasoned.

When questioned about ‘Fineman’s diary, the source only said that the writings are “very detailed”; the book is in the possession of investigators, and telephone numbers in it are being processed.

The source admitted that the diary mentioned a massacre similar to that at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, and at Bartica, being planned to avenge the killing of Fineman’s sister.

Rawlins’ sister, Marcyn King, was gunned down on March 10 last while on her way home from work.

The Joint Service ranks, assisted by the army’s Bell 206 helicopter, have intensified the hunt for the wanted gang of men which numbered at least five yesterday.

A Joint Service press release on Saturday night said that following the recent arrest of a number of persons and diligent interrogations and enquiries, about 07:00 h the previous day (Friday), a patrol in the Christmas Falls area, about 300 miles up the Berbice River, came upon a camp with a gang of about six persons.

The patrol immediately came under fire and fired back, killing one of the gang members who was since identified.

The other gang members, including notorious wanted men Rondell Rawlins called ‘Fineman’; Richard Ramcharran called ‘Uncle Willie’; ‘Magic’; and ‘Chung Boy’; among others, escaped down a slope and disappeared into the jungle.

Trails of blood found suggest that others were injured.
The gang members were housed in a location with four buildings in a desolate area in the jungle, with food to last several weeks in a large kitchen, along with a gas stove, generator and a solar energy apparatus.

In addition, there were six portable tents, four hammocks, three mattresses, a mini-stereo system, a DVD player, a cell phone, a hand-held radio set, items of clothing, medical supplies and a Bible, all of which were abandoned by the gang.

The fleeing gunmen left behind a cache of arms and ammunition: Three FN Rifles, four shotguns, one .32 revolver, two AK 47 magazines, seven FN Rifle magazines, along with 1,159 rounds of 7.62 x 39 ammunition, 143 rounds of 7.62 x 51 ammunition, 10 rounds .38 ammunition, one round .32 ammunition and thirty six 12 gauge cartridges were found.

The Joint Services ranks also unearthed a diary which provided incontrovertible evidence of Rondell Rawlins planning and executing of the killings at Lusignan and Bartica, and a number of telephone numbers.

Further, checks done have confirmed that the three FN Rifles found were stolen from the Bartica Police Station during the armed attack on that community on February 17, 2008; and the .32 revolver and two of the shotguns have been identified as belonging to miner Chunilall Babulall whose home at First Avenue, Bartica was attacked and robbed during that incident.

Minister Rohee congratulates Joint Services
HOME Affairs Minister Mr. Clement Rohee has said that congratulations are in order for the Joint Services team that raided notorious wanted man Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins’ camp up the Berbice River early Saturday morning and put him and his gang on the run.

‘The fact of the matter is that they managed to pinpoint the exact location of the gang they were searching for…They were able to take down one of them and now they are going after the others’

“And I don’t think that this is premature,” the Minister said in a comment to the media yesterday.

“The fact of the matter is that they managed to pinpoint the exact location of the gang they were searching for…They were able to take down one of them and now they are going after the others.”

Minister Rohee said at one time speculation that the Joint Services didn’t know what they were looking for was very rife, that they didn’t know where the people were and how they were going to find them.

And developments this weekend reinforce what was being said all along, that the operation had to be intelligence led.

“So after painstaking work and a lot of surveillance across the country and in specific regions, the Joint Forces have been able to drill down the quarries and now they are going after them,” Minister Rohee said.

He said the Commissioner of Police has been in touch with his counterparts, alerting them about the current operation, and asking that they use their resources to be on the lookout for persons whose photographs they have and who may attempt to penetrate their borders.

Takutu Bridge a symbol of Guyana/Brazil cooperation, friendship
By Priya Nauth
MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad has described the successful construction of the Takutu Bridge in Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) as a symbol of cooperation and friendship between Guyana and Brazil and will promote tourism opportunities for the countries.

He made this remark during the opening of a workshop yesterday by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce in collaboration with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) on Guyana/Brazil Development Planning at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Director of GTA, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh said that the main objectives of the exercise were to identify the key tourism initiatives that Guyana should pursue with the State of Roraima in Brazil to enhance mutual cooperation and strengthen tourism links over the next five years; and suitable proposals for tourism events that can be observed in an annual or bi-annual basis to celebrate the friendship between Guyana and Brazil.

Prashad said that the workshop is important to Guyana as the Takutu Bridge, joining Guyana and Brazil will be commissioned shortly.

“Thus it is imperative that a joint tourism programme be created between Guyana and Brazil, which also promotes travel between our two countries,” he noted.

The minister said that the Takutu Bridge is one of 335 projects identified by the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IRISA), an initiative of the South American Governments to improve connectivity and infrastructure in the region.

“With the bridge in place Brazil’s goods and products will now have better access to the Atlantic through Guyana’s highway -- I believe that the Highway from Lethem to Linden should be named the ‘Amazonian Highway’. There will also be an increase in visitors from both countries and additionally Guyana will become the gateway to the Amazon,” the minister declared.

He underlined that: “Over the years Guyana has been marketed more as a Caribbean destination, however, there has been a noticeable shift in demand towards nature based tourism, adventure tourism and eco tourism thus Guyana is now being marketed as an Amazon Destination since our tourism product is Amazonia base and we are showcasing Guyana now and we branding Guyana as the Amazon Adventure”.

Prashad noted that Guyana is home to thousands of rare and unique species of flora and fauna with a diverse ecosystem; unique tourism attractions; and unspeakable beauty.

The Amazonia which encompasses 7.5 million square kilometres represents over half of the planet’s remaining rainforests and comprises the largest and most species rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world, the minister informed the gathering.

“Its unparalleled biodiversity constitutes the largest collection of living plants and animal species,” he posited.

“Guyana holds immense ecological and adventure tourism potential and we are proud to be part of this initiative because the future of Guyana’s tourism lies within the realm of sustainable tourism and that is what Amazon Tourism is all about,” he observed.

He asserted that with the world’s rise in green house gas emissions, deforestation and climate changes, global warming is on the upscale.

“In an effort to address global warming, Guyana is one of the few countries in the world to really practice forest conservation. One such example of forest conservation in Guyana is the Iwokrama’s initiative. Iwokrama, the international centre for rainforest conservation is our gift to the world with nearly one million acres of preserved pristine rainforest,” he said.

Lethem Industrial Estate
Prashad said his Ministry is working assiduously to establish an industrial estate in Lethem to accelerate development in the region and is proposing to develop about 70 acres of land located in close proximity to the Takutu Bridge.

Prashad pointed out that the Lethem Industrial Estate holds tremendous prospect in view of the proposed Georgetown/Brazil road link since it will mean a substantial increase in goods traded from Brazil’s northern states and the mushrooming of several businesses along the new highway.

“To facilitate the cross border trade and activities and also the activities of the industrial estate, the Government of Guyana has built a spanking new Multi-Purpose Complex in Lethem. This complex will facilitate the movement of passengers, goods and vehicles through the Lethem port of entry.

The minister also noted that the following government agencies including his ministry will be having offices in the complex: Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana Police Force, Immigration and the Guyana Revenue Authority.

Opportunities
Prashad opined that the bridge will also present opportunities for events such as international rodeos, food festivals and expositions; cultural links; tour operators conducting tours to and from Brazil; and an expansion of the accommodation, restaurants and service sector in the Lethem area.

“This is an exciting project for both Guyana and Brazil. At a time when tourism is seen as a growing industry, it is vitally important that we are able to assist the sector in order to secure greater visitor numbers. The cross border nature of the region is again mirrored in the efforts of this project,” he appealed.

Prashad said increasing visitor arrival from Brazil will be achieved through the implementation of a marketing plan by the GTA to promote the key products of the region, based on the packaging of key products, events and attractions.

“It is appropriate that these tourism initiatives are launched and presented when the bridge would be formally opened…which will provide the opportunity for a number of public and private sector organizations to work together to increase visitor numbers and in doing so, bring substantial economic benefits to people of the Lethem area, the region and Guyana as a whole,” he reiterated.

Discussions on World Bank reform, IMF and UN commence
-- as Commonwealth Leaders converge in London
COMMONWEALTH Leaders, including Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo, yesterday began their two-day meeting in London, England to discuss a number of issues including the reform of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the United Nations (UN).

The meeting was expected to be centred around discussions on practical steps which Commonwealth countries can take to reach the objectives of reform and coherence in global institutions.

Detailed subject areas of the meeting will include international financial institutions, global environmental governance and the United Nations system.

In 2007, during a meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government, Leaders had vowed to establish a small representative group that would undertake the task of lobbying and advocating for the reform of international institutions. The current two-day meeting is the first step since then by the Leaders towards implementing this decision.

Other Leaders at the two-day meeting include Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of Malaysia and Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama of Ghana.

The meeting is being chaired by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown.

On Sunday, before departing for the meeting and while at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, President Jagdeo in an invited comment to the Government Information Agency (GINA) expressed the hope that through the interaction with the group of Heads, they would be able to have a position that the Commonwealth can unite around so that in their lobbying efforts and efforts to make changes in these areas, they could have a more comprehensive and cohesive position on the issues.

He said this is necessary if a space is to be carved for small developing countries, which make up the bulk of the Commonwealth within the financial institutions. President Jagdeo said these countries need to be treated fairly and there should be adequate financial and other instruments to address their concerns.

He had indicated that the meeting would also see Guyana’s offer to make the country’s rainforest available to the rest of the world in return for monetary compensation being a topic of discussion.

“Through the trading of eco-system services, if there is adequate compensation, if there is adequate financial flow to ensure that our people’s development aspirations are not affected and provided it doesn’t affect our sovereignty over the rainforest, we’re prepared to work out an arrangement with the rest of the world,” the President said.

The President’s discussion on the nation’s rainforest came after ‘positive word’ was received last month to the offer of using Guyana’s rainforest in the fight against Climate Change in exchange for monetary compensation.

Such an agreement could mean significant funding for the four countries including Guyana which still have their rainforests intact.

`Governments cannot do it alone’ – James Moss-Solomon
GOVERNMENTS in the Region could not alone invest in agriculture; the private sector needed to get on board, Mr. James Moss-Solomon, Head of the Task Force of the CARICOM Agriculture Investment Forum said.

At the conclusion of the Forum last Saturday, at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), Mr. Moss-Solomon told representatives of the media that the private sector needed to “step up to the plate.”

The private sector’s partnership with the public sector was necessary for growth in the agriculture sector, he said.

The Caricom Secretariat in Georgetown, in a statement yesterday, noted that the Forum was a private sector-driven event and followed the Agriculture Donor Conference held in Trinidad and Tobago last year. The Forum was geared at networking and creating linkages with stakeholders in the regional agriculture sector.

“Agriculture holds so much potential; we cannot ask governments alone to bear the burden,” Mr. Moss-Solomon stressed.

The private sector’s enhanced role in the sector was also the focus of a presentation by Senator Arnold Piggott, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources of Trinidad and Tobago.

Alluding to his country’s private sector-led and -driven mega farms concept, Minister Piggott said that he intended to submit his country’s farm concept template to the Community so that duplication of regional efforts in food production could be avoided.

One of the major outcomes of the forum, Mr. Moss-Solomon said was the fact that more than 150 stakeholders were meeting and talking about the agriculture sector.

He also referred to engaging assistance from Latin America, particularly from those countries that were represented at the Forum.

The Community, he said, could learn from them and they were offering to help. Assistance may be in the area of training in extension services and a technical cooperation arrangement in this regard was possible, he said.

Government denies involvement in purchase of spy equipment
THE Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday issued a release denying claims that the Guyana Government had given approval for controversial Guyanese businessman, Roger Khan, to purchase sophisticated telephonic surveillance equipment from a company in the United States .

Responding to an article published in the Sunday Stabroek News in which it was alleged that lawyers for Roger Khan had made the claim, the release stated that the Ministry, “Rejects outright the claim being repeated in the media that the Government of Guyana authorized the importation by the Roger Khan outfit of the sensitive piece of electronic equipment seized by the Joint Services.”

The release further stated that, “The Ministry of Home Affairs asserts that it did not authorize the importation of the electronic equipment under question nor did it seek any approval of the US Authorities for an export licence for the item.”

It further stated that, “In Guyana, such sensitive electronic items could only be procured and imported for the exclusive use of Law Enforcement Agencies. Such a request by the Law Enforcement Agencies of Guyana would have to be approved by the relevant authorities before an application is made by the Government of Guyana to the relevant American Authorities for approval for the item to be exported to Guyana.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs has since requested the American Authorities to provide it with the records of all such applications made by the Government of Guyana during the period of the operations of the Roger Khan outfit, the release stated.

Roger Khan was arrested late last year in neighbouring Suriname while on the run from local authorities. He was transported to the United States where he is facing multiple charges related to trafficking in narcotics to that country.
NEWS

Home Affairs Ministry donates boat, 4 x 4 to Linden Policing Group
MINISTER of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee last Sunday handed over equipment to the Linden Community Policing Group (CPG) as part of his Ministry’s commitment to boost the crime fighting strategy in the country.

Rohee said that government is encouraging the establishment of Community Policing Groups across the country as they are an integral part of the government’s crime fighting strategy.

The donation consisted of one engine, a speed boat and a 4 x 4 vehicle.

He said government will be providing the necessary resources from time to time to enable them to execute their legal and lawful functions.

Rohee pointed out that despite limitations of the Police Force and the community policing groups they are nevertheless, doing their best to tackle crime and therefore should be congratulated.

Executive Chairman of the Community Policing Division, Andrew Forsythe expressed gratitude for the donations, describing it as timely and pointed out that they will assist in reaching communities in far-flung areas.

Forsythe added that the group will ensure that the equipment is well maintained and used for its intended purpose.

Regional Chairman, Mortimer Mingo said the initiative of having policing groups in the region must be lauded.

“We welcome and embrace the initiative of having policing groups,” he said.

He said for a country to develop, security must be the backbone for stability and citizens must be able to carry out their activities in a law abiding manner.

Meanwhile, on Saturday during a visit to Yakusari Black Bush Polder, Berbice, Rohee handed over the keys, log book and instructions for use of a 4 x 4 vehicle to the Chairman of the Yakusari CPG. This donation was in fulfillment of a promise made to the Black Bush Polder Community.

This was the second contribution made to the CPG, as earlier in the year the group was given a motorcycle to enhance its functions.

The CPG members were encouraged to do preventive maintenance on the vehicle and to ensure it is always roadworthy. (GINA)

New ERGA initiative to strengthen literacy
By Tajeram Mohabir
THE Ministry of Education has embarked on another initiative, the “Early Reading Grade Assessment” (EGRA), to further strengthen literacy at the primary level.

The EGRA is a diagnostic instrument designed to quickly assess the foundation skills for literacy acquisition of pupils in grades one to three.

Education Minister Shaik Baksh, speaking at the opening of a training workshop at the National Centre for Educational Research Development (NCERD), said the programme will be piloted in 60 schools in six of the administrative regions.

These are Region One (Barima/Waini); Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Three (Essequibo Island/West Demerara); Four (Demerara/ Mahaica); Five (Mahaica/ Berbice); and Nine (Upper Takatu/ Upper Essequibo).

Baksh stressed that the programme will supplement several other schemes of the ministry and pointed out that media reports that the Education for All/ Fast Track Initiative (EFA/FTI) is one off and will fail are unfounded.

He reiterated that the EFA/FTI is a continuous initiative with full government support; and as such, there is no room for failure.

Other programmes to address the problem, the minister noted, include the cascade model, the literacy hour and shared reading, a remedial programme for weak grade six students, as well as regular monitoring from the ministry’s inspectorate team to make sure they are properly implemented.

Baksh told the workshop attended by senior education officials and head teachers that the cascade model of learning, recently implemented, has undergone several revisions and he appealed for greater supervision from teachers to ensure its success.

He disclosed that inspectors’ reports indicate that punctuality is a major issue with both teachers and students of the literacy hour and shared reading programme. The minister warned head teachers that in the next academic year, this problem will no be tolerated, and they will be held accountable.

This and the national grade six upgrading programme, Baksh underlined, is not only designed to guarantee access to education, but to produce results of the highest quality, and no effort will be spared in this regard.

He said that the scheme will play an important role in identifying students’ weaknesses at an early stage, and will prevent the carry-over of these to other classes.

Baksh stressed that teachers have an important role to play for the EGRA to be successful, and solicited their full support.

He expressed optimism that the initiative will yield tangible results in the next five years as outlined in the ministry’s national five year strategic plan.

NCERD Director Mr. Mohandat Goolsarran explained that the diagnostic test will be used alongside a similar instrument developed by NCERD to measure the problem.

The strengths of the two instruments will be noted and they will be modified to better gauge the abilities of students.

Senior Education Officer within the Georgetown District, Mrs Bonita Hunter, lamented that illiteracy is a grave concern locally, as many students 15 years and younger are still poor readers and writers.

Mrs. Hunter was also optimistic that the EGRA will change the current situation, given that it will look at the setback at the basic level.

One of the programme consultants, Dr. Jennifer Spraat, lauded the government’s interventions to address the deficiencies at the early stage and pointed out that Guyana is in the vanguard of countries doing so.

She noted that the initiative entails a 15 minute test which has been widely accepted and used in the United States and Europe.

The test consists of eight sections and tests students in the areas of letter, name, knowledge; phoneme segmentation; familiar word identification; simple unfamiliar non-word decoding; passage reading; listening comprehension; dictation and student context interview.

Mechanisms being implemented to facilitate Guyana/Brazil trade
By Priya Nauth
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has noted that with the completion of the Takutu Bridge in Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo), arrangements are now being finalised between the respective sectors of the two countries to put the necessary mechanisms in place to allow for a two-way trade of goods and services and to fully implement the Guyana/Brazil International Road Transport Agreement,” the minister noted.

She made this remark during the opening of a workshop yesterday by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce in collaboration with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) on Guyana/Brazil Development Planning at the Guyana International Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Additionally, she assured that Guyana’s government stands by its commitment to ensure that the Lethem to Linden Road is fully upgraded as both governments have agreed that the completion of the Lethem-Georgetown Road will assist in paving the way for the further expansion of trade and other linkages not only with the neighbouring state but other countries of South America (SA).

“We are all aware of the tremendous potential of Guyana when it comes to tourism, indeed we sometimes underestimate the contribution which the tourism sector could make to our national development efforts; however, recognising and lauding our country’s potential is not enough, we must convert this potential into something tangible,” she urged.

The minister noted that in response to the current global challenges, the Government of Guyana has embarked on a programme to diversify the economy to become less dependent on those traditionally protected markets and modernise certain sectors to make them more competitive in the global market.

She pledged the Government’s continued support towards ACTO and GTA to translate Amazonian 2009 to a meaningful and productive initiative.

“…this joint initiative with Brazil is therefore not untimely,” the minister said.

“It is heartened to know that this workshop will focus to a large extent on promoting co-operation in the area of tourism between Guyana and Brazil and is taking place at the same time when several bilateral initiatives aimed at creating a closer and more dynamic relationships, are beginning to bear fruits,” the minister noted.

She said for example in the area of transport and communication is the International Bridge across the Takutu River which is completed and hoped to be commissioned before October.

“…this infrastructural addition to the landscape of the border not only signifies the excellent relationship we share with Brazil but also is an important ingredient in sustaining the development of the tourism sector and indeed many sectors which we hope to expand,” Ms. Rodrigues-Birkett added.

She noted that in anticipation of the increase activities in the bordering town of Lethem, several measures have been taken by the government to improve services critical areas such as immigration, security and health.

“There are significant benefits to be obtained if we can join together and garner the necessary resources to develop the requisite links which would further strengthen key sectors including the tourism sector, ultimately leading to the benefit of the people of the continent,” she added.

The minister stated that it is not enough to focus only on infrastructure and trade but also cultural contact.

She said without this Guyana’s relationship with the countries on the continent will not prosper.

Rodrigues-Birkett urged them to develop a sense of kinship amongst their people who though geographically close to each other have been kept apart by the forces of history, language and culture.

“…let us commit to alter this so-called separate existence by breaking down the barriers that have kept us apart and by building bridges that will bring us together,” she said.

“Perhaps it is time for us in Guyana to seriously consider a second and even a third language…we are already witnessing increased levels of people contact especially between our bordering communities and this must be encouraged and guided so that maximum benefits could be derived from these interactions,” the minister alluded.

“The increased level of cooperation with Brazil which we have witnessed in recent years is a demonstration of the importance which we view our relation,” Rodrigues-Birkett insisted.

Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) Tourism Coordinator, Mr. Donald Sinclair said the group seeks the promotion of a local and a bi-national dialogue aimed at managing and enhancing the tourism outcome and the consequences of the soon to be opened Takutu Bridge linking Guyana with Brazil through the State of Roraima.

“This morning workshop aims to promote the integrated and sustainable development of the region of the Amazon,” he said.

Sinclair noted that similar workshops were held during last week with tourism officials and actors in Boa Vista and Regions Nine and 10.

He outlined: “I have observed on both side of the border… a clear consensus of expectations regarding the tourism possibilities and the results attached to the Takutu Bridge”.

“Your recommendations this morning will be a critical input into fashioning our own preparedness and readiness to ring full advantage from what the Takutu Bridge is going to offer and more important to manage the changes and the development implicit in the Takutu Bridge,” he added.

He noted that this project is critical under the context of Destination Amazonian Year; and Guyana’s involvement in ACTO and Destination Amazonian Year 2009 initiatives are means of strengthening the country’s continental identity.

“We are the only English-speaking country in South America…so language learning will have to be a priority if our participation in any continental initiative is going to be meaningful,” the Coordinator pointed out.

President of GTA, Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh said that the bridge creates access both for travel and trade and opens doors for opportunities and challenges while tourism can benefit tremendously.

“The construction has a lot of potential for tourism and already the Ministry and GTA has made changes to its tagline, we are promoting Guyana as Guyana -- the Amazon Adventure and the Takutu Bridge also makes us virtually the gateway to the Amazon” he noted.

Investment forum raised awareness of agriculture’s possibilities
GREATER awareness by investors of the opportunities in the agriculture sector, and the ability of investors and entrepreneurs to interact face to face has been hailed as two of the important outcomes of the CARICOM Agriculture Investment Forum.

The two-day Forum wrapped up Saturday afternoon at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) with a press conference hosted by Mr. Robert Persaud, Minister of Agriculture of Guyana, Mr. James Moss-Solomon, Head of the Forum Task Force, and Ms. Desiree Field-Ridley, Adviser, Single Market and Sectoral Programmes, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.

Some 150 persons including two Heads of Government -- President Bharrat Jagdeo, Lead Head of Government with responsibility for Agriculture in the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ministers of Government of CARICOM, investors, multilateral financial institutions and commercial bankers and other officials participated in the Forum.

A statement from the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown said twenty-five projects ranging from food production to ethanol production were presented to investors.

Hailing the historic meeting a success, Minister Persaud said that for some stakeholders, the Forum was “eye-opening”, particularly when they considered the number of viable opportunities that were available in regional agriculture.

The success of the Forum suggested that it be held more frequently, he said. Mr. Moss-Solomon had earlier suggested that the Forum may morph into an annual event.

On Saturday last, bankers and financiers pointed out that government guarantees, crop Insurance, export credit and tax and other concessions, and the removal of cross border barriers to trade in agriculture were factors they considered important when making investments in agriculture.

Adequate infrastructure and research were also factors that financiers said were important in alleviating the challenges associated with funding projects in the sector.

In an open interactive morning session to deal with available financing for agri-business projects, the multilateral financial agencies as well as commercial banks placed on the table the steps they were taking towards boosting the sector, their considerations and the challenges they faced.

The farmers, entrepreneurs, investors, bankers and other participants later considered the finer details of investment in the sector during cluster sessions.

Ms Field-Ridley said that meetings with regional agencies are being planned as a follow-up to the Forum.

Investment in agriculture was one of nine key binding constraints identified under the Jagdeo Initiative.

The Jagdeo Initiative ‘Strengthening Agriculture for Sustainable Development’ is a strategy to alleviate some of the binding constraints to the development of the sector and to create the enabling environment which will encourage a resurgence of investment in agriculture thus facilitating the transformation process.

Creating contacts among the major stakeholders in the regional agriculture sector was the key expectation from the two-day Investment Forum that is themed ‘Investing in our future: Agri Business is Good Businesses’.

Several local and regional entities engaged in the agriculture sector exhibited their products on the ground floor of the Conference Centre.

9/11 changed face of ACHCPS challenges
- says Director of Prisons Dale Erskine
By Wendella Davidson
THE current challenges facing the duly registered Association of Caribbean Heads of Corrections and Prisons Services (ACHCPS ), headed by Mr. John Rougier, Commissioner of Prisons, Trinidad and Tobago, is rooted in the 9/11 disaster.

“It was when the security environment of the world transformed in a most dramatic manner as we noted that criminal enterprises became more organized, ruthless, fearless, influential and global,” Director of Prisons, Dale Erskine remarked yesterday at the opening ceremony of the association’s annual conference.

According to him, “Governments of the respective countries responded in a strategic and robust manner by developing and energizing interdiction and prosecutorial capabilities, noting too, that the successes of other law enforcement organizations in such areas have a profound effect on our penal system as we experience an increase in prison populations characterized by more violent, socially and medically challenged inmates.”

Inmates now require more specialized interventions to meet security and social needs, meanwhile tasks that are becoming increasingly daunting as the expectations of stakeholders become higher and more importantly, resources allocations do not match those expectations.

“ We therefore believe that the newly registered ACHCPS will be given the appropriate platform in a strategic way to highlight the overwhelming challenges faced by penal systems in the Caribbean.

“ We strongly believe that we can no longer be considered at the back-end of the criminal justice system and be viewed as the step child institution; but as a legitimate child that needs attention and not as an after-thought,” the head of the Guyana Prison Service said.

On this note, he quoted Mr. Nick Brooke, Prisons Adviser to the Caribbean, as saying, “There can be no sustained security stability in the Caribbean unless prisons systems are given the adequate resources to sustain the successes of the other law enforcement agencies.”

Brooke, who was also in the audience, according to Erskine, has been of excellent support to the penal systems in the Caribbean, and too, has over the years been advocating for the formation of the ACHCPS.

“ We believe that the time is appropriate for the ACHCPS to be involved and benefit from formulation of security strategies of the Caribbean that will allow its criminal justice systems to be responsive in a comprehensive manner to the constantly evolving criminal security threats.

“The responsibility for prisoners’ reformation and security is not solely the remit of the prisons, but the community at large has an important role to play in this regard, since over 99 per cent of prisoners return to their communities and communities must be prepared to continue in their rehabilitation and integration process. We must all be involved,” he added.

In addition to Rougier, other heads attending the conference are from Dominica, St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Belize, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos; Antigua and host Guyana.

They will over five days discuss issues including review of the challenges and successes of the penal institutions within the region; establishment of a regional training facility; adapting to progressive standards of treatment and training of persons detained in prisons and correction centres in the Caribbean; prisoner rehabilitation and reintegration; procurement of materials for effective prison management, security and maintenance, and the future of ACHCPS, and seek practical and innovative solutions.

Meanwhile, Erskine announced a security managers course, targeting prisoner officers and a representative each from the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force, is being held simultaneously with the conference.

The course aims at equipping participants with the skills and attitudes to manage the security environment of the prison in a more structured and holistic manner.

It is being conducted by Mr. Kenny Prime Rose of the United Kingdom.

Viewpoint by David de Groot
“Where there is frustration because no obvious avenue change presents itself, impatience becomes the driving sentiment and inevitably people look for shortcuts.”

The foregoing words can be found in the second paragraph of the Sunday Stabroek Editorial of June 1, 2008, and any clear thinking reader will conclude that they represent a high degree of dubious presumption and in the final analysis is provocative, which may be interpreted as a gist for national discord. They are plainly words of wickedness and sinister intent.

I am particularly disturbed by the opening four words “Where there is frustration” and it is compelling to ask: Where is this frustration taking place and what is the frustration all about? Similarly I ask: What is the change that the editorial is referring? Is it a change from the status quo of a practicing democracy to the pre-1992 dictatorship? More is needed to be said of the impatience and people looking for shortcuts. Clearly the Stabroek News people are privy to some sinister move that is afoot for them to suggest that impatience is abroad and inevitably people will look for shortcuts, really a sinister perceived scenario including anarchy, suffering, bloodshed and bitterness. These people at Stabroek News have me quivering as they see Guyana as a Ravaged Nation existing at the moment.

Alas, there is yet hope for the Stabroek News to come face to face with reality. Is has deliberately chosen not to accuse neither of the two major political parties of being racist, instead adopted to palliate and wrote: “The lesson is, however, That any government which is associated primarily with ethnic group will be seen as lacking legitimacy by a significant portion of the opposition.” But surely the Stabroek News must be aware which of the two major political parties embrace the kith and kin philosophy. Its credibility will of necessity attract intense security. Palliation is not the answer; the guilty party to racism must be boldly identified and condemned. The consistent action of patronizing the PNCR by deliberately associating the PPP with whatever violation is being established in support of a completely indefensible accusation is most reprehensible and instead shows bias against the PPP. There is indeed resentment, impatience and frustration taking place in Guyana, but it is directed towards the PNCR. The policy of creating disaffection and generally trying to promote unrest in the country is clearly going against the grain of the majority of straight thinking Guyanese.

The policy of the Stabroek News to refuse to openly condemn these anti-national ploys of the PNCR, cannot help in creating the desired stability
EDITORIAL