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‘Fine Man’ gang reportedly involved in
HIJACKING DRAMA ON JUNGLE TRAIL
14-year-old alleged gang member captured
- Two gunmen killed
- Two AK-47 rifles, ammunition recovered
JOINT Services ranks yesterday managed to capture presumably the youngest member of the Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins criminal gang - a 14-year-old boy who has since confessed to investigators that he is part of the notorious criminal network led by ‘Fine Man’.

The teenager, who reportedly told investigators his name was ‘Dwane’, was captured in the interior by Joint Services ranks closing-in on the heavily armed and dangerous gang of fugitives.

Sources close to the operation told this newspaper the teenager admitted being part of the fugitive gang, although he has so-far denied ever seeing ‘Fine Man’ in person.

And the Joint Services last night confirmed that two gunmen were shot and killed by ranks during an exchange of gunfire in the Goat Farm area, Berbice River.

The joint services, in a statement last night, said: “Ranks of a Joint Services team encountered two armed men in the Goat Farm area, Berbice River, between Aroima and Kwakwani.

“There was an exchange of gunfire during which the two men were shot and killed. Two AK47 rifles and a quantity of ammunition have been recovered.”

It is not clear whether the two gunmen were part of the Rawlins’ gang, or whether there is any links.

The Joint Services said they are working on information that others are in the area and are combing the area in pursuit at this time.

Meanwhile, following his capture in the interior yesterday, the teenager was grilled by Joint Services ranks there before being flown to the City under security escort last night.

Up to press time last night, the teenager was said to be under tight security undergoing intense questioning.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that the teenager was arrested along a trail a few miles from Kwakwani.

He was arrested hours after a reported hijacking incident in the interior, believed to have been carried out by armed members of the Rawlins’ gang.

‘Fine Man’ is Guyana’s most wanted criminal, with a $50M bounty on his head since the Lusignan massacre in January this year.

CONFESSED:
The teenager, who reportedly confessed that he hails from the troubled and violence-prone village of Buxton, East Coast Demerara has since confessed to being a part of the notorious criminal gang headed by Rawlins.

He reportedly gave the names of other members in the gang who were hiding out in the jungle.

The teenager also told investigators that when they encountered the Joint Services team two Friday’s ago in the dense jungle, some 300 miles up the Berbice River, the gang split-up and managed to elude the security dragnet set-up to capture them.

Security officials have been tight-lipped yesterday with information on the incident hard to come by, even as rumours circulated that ‘Fine Man’ lieutenants were shot in an encounter with the joint services.

HIJACKING:
In a brief statement yesterday, the Police confirmed the hijacking incident, noting it received a report that at about 04:30 hrs yesterday morning, “a number of armed men stopped a mini-bus which was en-route from Aroima to Linden in the Aroima Trail.”

“The armed men robbed the passengers, the exact items are yet to be ascertained, after which they took the passengers out of the vehicle and ordered the driver to take them to an unknown destination,” the Police said.

According to the Police, the driver was later released.

“Subsequent upon information received, the police arrested a male of African descent at Ituni, Upper Demerara. He is alleged to be a member of the notorious Rondel Rawlins called ‘Fine Man’ gang which had been intercepted by the Joint Services on Friday, June 6, 2008, at Christmas Falls, Berbice River,” the Police release said.

“He is currently in custody and investigations are continuing,” the release added.

CLOSING-IN
The Joint Service, in a press release two Saturdays ago, 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 as ‘Mud Up’.

The other gang members, including ‘Fine Man’; 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.

SHOCKING ARSON ATTEMPT AT NATIONAL CULTURE CENTRE
- explosives found, major damages averted
AN explosive device was found on the stage of the National Cultural Centre, Homestretch and Mandela Avenue around 21:30 hrs last night, as members of the Guyana Fire Service were investigating a mysterious blaze in the historic building.



This Adrian Narine composites photo shows the device and the damaged curtain.

The shocking discovery was made as the firemen were in the process of breaking the stage area to determine the origin of the fire which destroyed a significant portion of the ‘draw’ curtain.

It was pointed out by someone close to the NCC that the material used for the curtain is fire resistant, and this may have helped in lessening the damages done.

From all indications, the fire at one of the main venues of activities for the upcoming CARIFESTA X, was meant at disrupting the staging of the event.

But Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony who was among the scores of persons including artistes at the scene, in an invited comment, said nothing will stop Guyana from staging CARIFESTA X.

He added that the necessary repairs to the damaged section would begin almost immediately and the authorities will go back to the drawing board to review the security situation ahead of the mega event.

A security guard on duty at the site reported that when he took over duty earlier in the evening, the entire building was secured. The guard said he was shocked after news of the fire broke to find that the back door to the structure was wide open.

The firemen, however, responded promptly and managed to avert a major disaster.

The National Cultural Centre, the premier auditorium for cultural presentations in Guyana, is located on Homestretch Avenue, D’Urban Park, in Georgetown.

It rises 62 feet (19 m), is 240 feet (73 m) long and 115 feet (35 m) wide, and seats about 2,000 people.

Its stage is 48 feet (15 m) deep with an orchestra pit, and has a 72-foot (22 m) wide and 20-foot (6.1 m) high opening.

The Centre is decorated with a chandelier made of local woods over the main staircase, and a Dennis Williams mural, entitled "Memorabilia 11".

After the destruction of the Assembly Rooms, the auditoriums of Queen's College and St Rose's High School were mainly used for major cultural presentations, but these were clearly inadequate venues for ambitious theatre.

The idea of establishing a National Cultural Centre can be traced back to 1951 when a foundation stone was laid on the site that now houses the Bank of Guyana building.

The decision to erect the Centre was made early in 1971 and Guyanese architects were invited to submit designs for the building in a competition held that year.

From the four entries received, the design submitted by Norris Mitchell Associates was selected.

It was hoped that the building of the Centre would be finished in time for the first Caribbean Festival Creative Arts (Carifesta) which Guyana hosted in 1972.

However, this was not to be. The unfinished structure was used anyway, with the aid of three large canvas tents to complete the roofing, and coconut palm fronts as walls. The Jamaica National Ballet was the first group to perform there, as part of Carifesta 72.

After many delays the National Cultural Centre was officially opened on 16 May, 1976.

It is one of the main venues for the upcoming Carifesta 2008 event, to be staged here for the second time in August. (Wendella Davidson, with background info from Wikipedia encyclopedia)
NEWS

Berbice Correction
On page 12 of our Sunday, June 15, 2008 edition we reported in the article captioned: “Bigger, better Berbice Expo in the works” it was stated that all the booth space has already been taken up.
Instead it should have read all the food booths have been take up.
We regret the error.

Remembering the Enmore Martyrs [Part II]
by Moses V. Nagamootoo
I was moved when Consul-General Evans spoke. I was touched that here was a product of the bauxite environment, an Afro-Guyanese - a “Black man” talking about the Enmore Martyrs as if Enmore Martyrdom had become a part of the Black struggle.

In fact, it is the other side around. Not that Enmore Martyrdom had become a part of the Black struggle; it is that the Enmore martyrdom had inherited from the Black struggle. It was a projection of the struggle that had started in the slave plantation.

It was a refinement of the struggle that placed it on a higher plane. The Enmore Martyrs had radically placed the struggle as a fire on top of the mountain so that everyone could now see. For that their life has been shed. But not in vain.

Some people talk about the radicalisation of politics in Guyana. They tend to go back in order to create stereotypes of people like Dr. Jagan --that they were communists when they came on the scene. (Hence, they say, the reason for the suspension of the Constitution in 1953 in Guyana, was to get rid of the communist and the government).

But let me say this: It is not Dr. Jagan or people like Martin Carter or any one of those leaders of that time who had said that "we were red". The colour of their struggle had not been dictated by them. The colour of their struggle was what anyone who wanted to be a credible leader in 1948, 1949 or 1950, had to don.

Burnham came from England in 1949, but he had to, if he wanted to become a successful politician, embrace the Enmore Martyrs, embrace the struggle of labour against capital, the people against the plantocracy.

Every one of the leaders in the Caribbean islands, starting with Uriah Buzz Butler, were revolting against the plantation in 1930's (they used to call it the hungry 30's); all throughout the Caribbean they had revolts, rebellion and strikes of workers. Everyone of the leaders before Jagan in the 1930's had promised that the first thing they would do was to nationalise sugar, to expropriate the sugar industry from the colonialist.

That was said by a conservative like Adams (Sir Grantley Adams) who worked later on with the British. He put into his manifesto in one of the early elections, 1935/36 or thereabouts, the nationalisation of sugar which was the first priority of a labour government. That was said by Norman Manley and Bustamante in Jamaica when they formed a Party. They all ran to form People's parties. All the parties were named “peoples parties”, and all these parties inscribed in their manifesto: that they would get rid of British domination of the sugar industry.

So the politics was left, the colour of it was red. People inherited slogans from the British. The British Labor Party was talking about Fabian Socialism. And when the people of the Caribbean sided with Britain, sided with the axis against fascism in 1939 to 1945 (Second World War) they were fighting with the Soviet Union, the Red Army of the Union, against fascism, for freedom and democracy.

That is why people in the Caribbean wanted freedom; they wanted democracy. That was what they fought against Hitler for. That was why the British told them, "Join the army; join the British. Let us get rid of Hitler and let us build a new land of freedom and democracy!”

So you have to link 1948 with this antecedent of ideology. That ideology was not invented in Guyana. People didn't choose overnight to become red. Red was the dominant colour and any politician who wanted to succeed had to embrace some redness on his banner.

Today, on the anniversary of the Enmore Martyrs, I think we have to be humble to this beginning of struggle. We have to humble ourselves to recognise that the martyrs were not great academicians. They did not sit down in a school and plot the course of history and the course of struggle. One thing they had was a desire for change. One thing they had that we are lacking in this period is that they crossed the line.

They were told by the masters not to get past the fence. But they went into the compound and they were shot while they were trying to escape. Today we have a golden opportunity; but nothing happens in history unless you cross the fence. You could be martyred but you can only be martyred once. In Guyana today, we need to look at the example of the Enmore Martyrs, and we need to cross the fence. That is where we have to make history; to be bold and courageous and take our future in our own hands.

After Dr. Jagan died, Sam Hinds and I went to Linden. He made a speech that I will always remember. I'll share with you some of that. He was speaking especially to Black people in Linden, and he said that, "When I joined Dr. Jagan in 1990 and decided to become a candidate, people said: the coolie will use you; that you will not become Prime Minister." He said that he became Prime Minister. He said that, "In seven years of my life I have become more than I've ever wanted to be and more than I have ever dreamt of becoming. I became the Prime Minister and I became the President of Guyana."

He said that he was gratified and humbled because for him to become President some good Indian people, like Moses, Reep and others, had to step back to make way for him since they had been in struggle for many, many years.

He said, "I have crossed the line. I have met people here of good faith. I have met people here who are decent. I have met people who did not see colour as the pre-eminent factor in leadership and I have crossed the line. Why can't you?"

The fact is that the Enmore Workers sacrificed and led the first blast that made the empire (British) tremble. The world became so conscious of the brutal nature of the British colonial masters that they sent a Commission to inquire into conditions of the plantocracy. I think it was Boland after 1948. They came to Guyana as the world became sensitised as to the nature of exploitation in the colony.

However, the fact that Indian workers sacrificed to pave the way for what we have inherited now in Guyana, does not mean that Indians must have pre-eminence, does not mean that they must become number one in leadership; but that the struggle of continuity would require that we share.

The slave struggle, the indentured labourer struggle in the plantocracy and the struggle in the bauxite industry -- all theses struggles must converge into producing the best among Guyanese, irrespective of race, to take the struggles of the slaves and sugar workers forward.

The fact that Evans from Linden is referring to what we call the primal blast in the freedom struggle in Guyana --the Enmore Martyrdom -- is showing the emergence of a new consciousness in Guyana where Black bauxite workers are prepared to recognise the significance of Indian sugar workers in the struggle for freedom. And that is the kind of consciousness we have to promote in Guyana -- a non-racial consciousness --one that is profoundly based on the understanding of our history.

In 1979, when the bauxite workers were on strike in Linden and the leaders were imprisoned by a Black government and they were tear gassed in their cells, sugar workers were part of the movement to collect food from the sugar belt. They were sending the food to Linden to help the Black workers.

In fact they went on a strike in the sugar belt. They crippled the sugar belt in order to pressure the bauxite industry to deal with the demands of the bauxite workers. That is the kind of example that we need to look at when we reflect on the Enmore Martyrs, because Enmore Martyrs must not only become a talking point for sympathy: "The poor worker died; they shot the workers; they lost their lives…"

In fact, it is not now become an occasion for mourning. Their sacrifice should become to us a kind of mandate or command that 'you could remember us or you ought not to remember us unless you do the things we had desired to be done, to secure for workers a better environment and a better society'.

It would therefore be a happy culmination of the struggle of the Enmore Martyrs if we can build a society in Guyana in the post 1992 period, that holds out partnership, that holds out the multiracial, multicultural attitude and non-racial consciousness.

Essentially, people said that the PPP is a "Coolie" party; that it was born out of the Enmore struggle, the sacrifice of five Indian workers. That was why it had taken the PNC government 12 years to recognize the Enmore Martyrs after they got into government. We from the PPP were going to the cemetery year after year; we had to seek police permission to go there to place wreaths on the graves of the Enmore Martyrs; we had to seek permission to hold meetings in Enmore.

They (PNC) defiled the memory of the Enmore Martyrs because they felt it was a bad example if Indians were to be brought up on a pedestal of respect and honor in Guyana. So the PNC had seen the Enmore Martyrs as only recognising the bravery of Indians and therefore, for racist reasons and political reasons, ignored them. It took many, many, years before the first recognition was given to the Enmore Martyrs in 1976. And therefore, the fact that we have come beyond the 'race thing' must teach us that Enmore Martyrs and their sacrifice were never meant to be a struggle where one race predominates or where one race considers itself pre-eminent.

Today, we have a government that can tell the labour movement: "tell us what law you want and we will give it to you." We have today a Trades Union law under which recognition of a trade union almost becomes an automatic thing once 50% of the workers in a poll decides that they want a particular union. It is their choice. The workers must have the choice of their own union.

We have a situation now where we have almost made into a law that henceforth, since 1992, the wages of workers shall not trail behind inflation…Anyone who works today for less than $18,000 a month (now $35,000) is not required to pay taxes.

You are taken off completely from the tax burden; so that you free up people from paying from the little they receive. And we make it up also; in order to make the wages important we decide to increase the allocation of social services in 1992 from 8% to 18% of the budget this year (1997).

We have taken more money to spend in health, to spend in education, to spend on pension, so the workers don't have to dip into their pocket to pay for these services. The services are available free and we are trying to improve the quality of the services.

Therefore, you see that it is because of the spirit of Enmore, because of the pledge Dr. Jagan has made to Enmore that this government as a labour government, as a red government, as a government of the working people, it cannot do anything else in memory of Enmore than to improve the lot of the working people.

That’s why we celebrate today. It is an occasion to celebrate because the dreams of the Enmore Martyrs are becoming true. They are being actualized. These dreams have become a flame for future generations to be guided by a beacon as to where we have to go. We all have to go up to that mountaintop. We all have to go up to that red flame of struggle and achievement.

[Taken from an Address by Mr. Moses Nagamootoo, then Guyana’s Minister of Information, in New York on June 16, 1997 at Commemoration Function by the Guyana Festivals Committee of New York].

80 graduate from Sophia youth programme
MORE than 80 students graduated at the 16th Certificate Award Ceremony of the Sophia Training Centre (non-residential) at Sophia, Georgetown, last Friday, from a six-month Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme that covered several technical and vocational areas.


BEST COOK’: Best graduating trainee in Catering, Christopher James, receives his award from Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Mr. Keith Booker.
The students were trained in either one of the following areas: Catering; Office Administration and Information Technology; Refrigeration and Air Conditioning; Welding and Fabrication; Handicraft; and Masonry.

“Today (last Friday) is a very significant day in the lives of these young people who would have spent their time here involved in training and learning a new skill to fit them for life or to commence on a path in life,” Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Mr. Keith Booker noted during his feature address.

“This is not the end of your life…it is the beginning of a path and you have made a decision to learn a particular skill to help you set yourself for life,” Booker observed.

He urged the graduates to value the skills acquired and observed that there is much potential in them for the development and growth of the nation.

The Permanent Secretary charged the trainees to further improve their skills and ascend to the highest possible level of endeavour.

“I want to see you as being a new breed going out there on a journey…a journey that will take you to very high heights if you are prepared to continue,” Booker noted.


Handicraft work done by students on display last Friday at the 6th Graduation ceremony of the Sophia Training Centre Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme.
The Permanent Secretary also urged their parents to continue to support the children in pursuing their ambitions.

Senior Training Officer, Mr. Dennis Gillis, in his overview of the programme organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, that sought to provide semi-skilled training to vulnerable and unemployed youths between the ages of 16 and 25.

He noted that in some cases, trainees had completed secondary school but could not find employment, so they joined the programme to learn a skill and enhance their marketability.

The initiative also provided participants with the basic skills to seek employment, start their own small business, or pursue further studies.

The Training Officer noted that 106 students enrolled for the programme including four part-timers, but 23 withdrew because of financial difficulties, employment, reluctance to adhere to the school’s code of conduct and peer pressure.

Gillis also pointed out that in the handicraft programme, males dominated.

He said that the students were also introduced to the Basic Entrepreneurial Education to inspire trainees to become business persons and develop entrepreneurial ambitions. In this area, seven projects were successfully undertaken.

During the course, he said, trainees were exposed to 65 per cent practical work and 35 theory.

The training officer pointed out that as part of the practical, the trainees served one-month internships in both public and private sector organisations including Guyson’s Engineering LTD, Wieting and Richter, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, the Water Chris Hotel and Bar, and the National Insurance Scheme.

“The work orientation and exposure have given the trainees a valuable stimulus in boosting their confidence, and it has also made many trainees much more responsive to further training,” Gillis posited.

Complementary subjects such as Basic English and Mathematics; Health Education and Family Life Education were also part of the training, he added.

Christopher James was adjudged the best graduating student in Catering; Alison Edwards copped the position in Office Administration and Information Technology; Romando Sugrim for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning; Omesh Kryshundayal for Welding and Fabrication; Seon Coates for Handicraft; and Alpha Fletchman topped his class in Masonry. (Priya Nauth)

Shortage of judges hit judiciary
A shortage of judges has hit the country, as reports from legal luminaries recently revealed Chief Justice Ian Chang is finding it difficult to find judges to assign, a senior counsel remarked.

Of the current judges, Justice Claudette La Bennett is on leave; Justice William Ramlal, and Justice Jainarayan Singh are all on leave, while Justice Roxanne George and Justice Rishi Persaud are to go on leave shortly.

Judges who are already assigned are Justice Brassington Reynolds, Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes, Justice James Bovell Drakes and Justice Winston Patterson.

An official from the Registry of the Supreme Court confirmed that there is a serious shortage of judges.

Alfro Alphonso Group opening new fish processing facility
ALFRO Alphonso Group of Companies will soon commission a state-of-the-art fish processing facility at Charity waterfront, on the Essequibo Coast.

The Manager, Mr. Balgobin (only name stated) told the Guyana Chronicle, last Friday, that the operations will be powered by their two huge ‘Caterpillar’ generators.

He said catch would be purchased from across Essequibo Coast and Pomeroon and, eventually, countrywide and create employment for many persons, especially women.

Balgobin said, situated close to Pomeroon River, the new factory has very good facilities for boats to offload.

It is located on the lower floor of Cassica Ice House and boasts storage and wash bays as well as blast and holding rooms.

The seafood products to be produced and packaged there would carry the brand name ‘Cassica Sea Foods’ and include ‘Snook’ steaks, whole gutted ‘Banga Mary’, filleted ‘Banga Mary’, whole gutted and filleted ‘Butter Fish’, ‘Grey Snapper’ cuts, whole gutted ‘Red Snapper’, ‘Trout’ steaks and filleted ‘Trout.’

The latest Alphonso enterprise will open additional markets for the fishing industry on Essequibo Coast, Balgobin said.

The Alphonso Group is already involved in gold and cooking oil production and has the only television station in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).

In Region Two…
Rice crop at various stages of harvesting, sowing
HARVESTING of the Autumn rice crop in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) is progressing at various stages because all the planters did not sow at the same time.

Reports indicate that, while reaping is continuing elsewhere, most of the fields in the South of Essequibo Coast have already been sown.

Farmers within the Bush Lot, Anna Regina and Henrietta areas are

ploughing and preparing plots and others in the extreme North of the coast are doing similarly, having finished the harvesting that is ongoing at Maria’s Delight.

The targeted acreage for the next planting is expected to increase above the previous 32,500 acres, as vast expanses of land, that were abandoned for several years, are now being cultivated again, industry officials stated.

Meanwhile, Member of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Mr. Cornel Damon has appealed to the Rice Producers Association (RPA) to help the farming community acquire fertiliser at reasonable prices.

He said the current cost of that input is unaffordable and the issue is one that could be addressed at resumed meetings between millers and farmers.

Charity Marketing Centre wharf reconstruction starts
GOVERNMENT has started reconstruction of the Charity Marketing Centre wharf on the Essequibo Coast.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited last Friday, B.K. International workmen were driving greenheart piles into the Pomeroon River bed with machines mounted on a huge pontoon in the water.

The old structure, erected more than 20 years ago, has been completely demolished and will be replaced with better facilities for loading farmers’ produce for export to the Caribbean and beyond.

Government has already spent millions of dollars on the development of Charity as a township, including for drainage, all weather roadways, installation of lights at the ends of the main road, a new farmers’ stelling, a new sluice, an open air market tarmac and car park.

ETI lecturer found dead with poison nearby
LECTURER at Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI), Mr. Rudolph Pearce, 25, was found dead early Sunday morning, on an abandoned roadway at Hoff Van Aurich, Essequibo Coast.

Residents who discovered his body said a plastic bottle containing a liquid suspected to be poisonous was nearby.

The deceased, a past student of ETI, started lecturing there, on agricultural machinery, after graduating from the institution.

He lived with his parents and other siblings at Annandale, a village neighbouring Hoff Van Aurick and was described as very quiet and dedicated to his work.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

Health Ministry honors 176 blood donors
-Guyana moves from 20% to 55% donation mark
HEALTH Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has hailed the contributions of voluntary donors and encouraged them to continue their good work.

“Let’s continue to be good Samaritans. It is one of the good things each one of us can do whatever our status, race or political affiliation”. These words of encouragement were given by, Dr. Ramsammy to voluntary blood donors during the World Blood Donors’ Day award ceremony.

The Ministry of Health last Saturday honoured 176 voluntary blood donors at the Umana Yana, Kingston for their sterling contributions to the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) over the past year.

The ceremony, held under the theme “Give Blood Regularly” was attended by the

Country Representative of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Kathleen Israel, NBTS Director Clement McEwan and other officials who joined in the celebrations of Guyana’s significant 60 percent blood donation achievement mark.

Dr. Ramsammy said Guyana has moved from a 20 percent donation mark to over 55 percent which is a tremendous achievement and shows Guyanese are committed to save lives.

He said Guyana has been listed in the books as one of the countries not generous in giving blood but today this has been proven wrong. The Minister said by 2009, the Ministry is hoping to achieve its 100 percent target, and he is confident that the target will be achieved because of the committed donors.

“Donating blood allows us to do something meaningful, whether its one unit or 20 units in our lifetime. The simple act of generosity lasts forever in somebody’s life,” Dr. Ramsammy said.

It was noted that giving blood truly saves lives in a world where pregnancy, poor nutrition, infection, surgery, accidents among others existed and blood is needed.

Minister Ramsammy said people are willing to donate blood and the Ministry has not been disappointed when persons are asked to give a donation, whether during an emergency or not. However, the Minister pointed out that his Ministry has failed to reach out to people in every part of country which is at present being reviewed.

The Health Minister said despite this failure Guyana has worked hard to achieve its success ensuring safe and fast blood to the recipients.

He said this success could not have been possible without the partnership of several agencies such as faith-based organizations, schools, corporations and most importantly, the local citizens.

“International organisations have played a major role in the development of the Guyana blood donation drive providing resources and funds, which I express my gratitude to the Government and its people of the United States of America,” Minister Ramsammy said.

It is hoped that World Blood Donor Day will create wider awareness of the importance of voluntary blood donation and encourage people to become regular blood donors. The day is also designed to celebrate and thank those individuals who voluntary donate their blood without any reward, except with the knowledge that they have helped to save lives.

The NBTS was established within the Ministry of Health to technically oversee all blood services in public institutions at regional levels. NBTS provides assistance with blood transfusion services to both public and private institutions throughout the country.

The Health Information System tracks the percentage of healthy volunteer donors which currently numbers approximately 25,000 persons. During 2007, over 7,094 units of blood were collected nationwide including regional and private hospitals of which 5,475 units were collected by the NBTS. (GINA)

At workshop opening…
Prashad emphasises importance of tour guides to CARIFESTA
By Priya Nauth
MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad yesterday emphasised the importance of tour guides to promote the local product and showcase it as the ‘Amazon Adventure’.

He said their role is of paramount importance in every tour and it is almost impossible to think of an organised one without their presence.

“Also, in individual tourist visits organised by the tourist himself, a lot of times, apart from the use of the written book guides, we see the individual tourist seeking the help of a tour guide.

“The success of a tour depends a lot on the capacity, knowledge, skills and professionalism of the tour guide,” Minister Prashad reiterated at the opening of a five-day workshop, being held at Ocean View International Hotel, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.

He noted that tour guides are representatives of the cities, regions and countries in which they belong and help travellers understand the culture of the region visited and the way of life of its inhabitants.

“They have a particular role to promote the cultural and natural heritage whilst helping to ensure its sustainability by making visitors aware of its importance,” Prashad remarked.

Delivering the feature address, he said the programme is timely and an important contribution to human resources development in the industry and improving the quality of services in the sector.

The training is being conducted by Ms. Judy Easley of Canadian Executive Services Organisation (CESO).

“The Guyana tourism industry is rightly considered to be a priority sector that will form the foundation of the development of our national economy in the years ahead. Currently, tourism continues to contribute significantly to the employment and the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of Guyana,” Prashad pointed out.

He said: “In the recent years, the number of international visitors to Guyana has grown immensely, hence growth in tourist arrivals will lead to enhanced livelihoods for many people via increased employment opportunities and the creation of a fertile environment for small and medium businesses.”

“I believe that this training programme will prove to be a great benefit by helping to develop the human resources of our industry, especially as we approach the Tenth Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (CARIFESTA X). These five days will certainly groom the trainees to provide a quality tour guide service to the thousands of visitors expected for CARIFESTA X,” Prashad stated.

He lauded the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) for the initiative and vision in putting together the project to chart a tourism development course for Guyana.

Prashad said, even though the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has mounted courses in the past, “we want to ensure that we continue with these training sessions.”

He said GTA is also conducting training on hospitality and front desk management.

“We are running three such courses and we are gearing resort owners and hotel owners to make sure that the staff is fully equipped to handle the influx of tourists that will be here during CARIFESTA,” Prashad explained.

He said similar programmes will be executed throughout the country by Easley and noted that participants in the current one included persons from tour operators and private individuals with an interest of becoming tour guides.

Secondary education access to further improve
-- $512M school underway at Hope
SEVERAL new secondary schools are being constructed around the country as the administration moves closer to achieving its goal of universal secondary education for all Guyana’s children.

The Bartica Secondary will be completed soon and the Mahaica Secondary school is moving apace.

During a recent visit by Minister of Education Shaik Baksh, it was observed that construction of the new Mahaica Secondary school at Plantation Hope, East Coast Demerara which started in January is on schedule.

The Minister promised to return in a few months to ensure that the construction continues in earnest. The completion date is January 2009 and it is expected that students will begin occupying the building soon after.

About 1000 students from Mahaica to Cove and John will be accommodated at the $512M state-of-the-art school.

“This is all in the Basic Education Access and Management Support (BEAMS) project to ensure that we receive universal secondary education within the next 5 years,” Minister Baksh said.

He noted that this school among others are incorporated into the education strategic plan, to make certain that every child coming out of the primary school has access to a sound secondary education.

The school complex will include departments for administration, library, computer lab, multi-purpose laboratory, food and nutrition, clothing and textile, home management, technical drawing, agricultural science, electrical workshop and classrooms.

The complex will consist of five buildings totalling approximately 46,000 square feet and built of reinforced concrete.

Several other schools have been built and rehabilitated under the BEAMS project. The Aurora Secondary on the Essequibo Coast and the Diamond Secondary on the East Bank of Demerara have been completed.

Secondary schools that have been rehabilitated include the Bladen Hall Multilateral, North Ruimveldt Multilateral, Lodge Community High, Charlestown and Tutorial High. GINA)

‘Stay in School’ campaign launched
-- another effort to curb child labour
IN observance of World Day against Child Labour, EDUCARE in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and UNICEF last week launched the “Stay in School Campaign” to combat the scourge against child labour in Guyana

During a ceremony held at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh said it is important that children remain in school and explained that the Ministry will be spearheading programmes to highlight the importance of education in Guyana and children remaining in school.

The Education Minister said Guyana has performed well in ensuring that children are enrolled in the school systems noting that, “We have satisfied the UN millennium development goal…We have done a good job countrywide to get children in school.”

Minister Baksh pointed out that one of the challenges faced in dealing with children is getting them to remain in the school system to complete their primary and secondary education.

Children within the rural communities and the hinterland areas are mostly affected since they are exploited by unscrupulous employers who encourage them to stay away from school to support their economic activities. This, he said will be looked into by his Ministry.

“The law said that children must remain in the school system until they are 15 years. I am supporting the new education legislation which is almost completed…we want to increase the age range from 15 to 16 years. As long as children remain in the school system they will get a secondary education…we have to encourage children to complete their secondary education,” Minister Baksh asserted

The Education Minister stated that his Ministry will ensure that universal secondary education is promoted across Guyana.

He said a number of interventions have been taken by his Ministry and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to introduce programmes within schools to ensure a more class friendly approach within the educational environment.

Minister Baksh said these objectives can only be achieved with the involvement of parents whom he said must play an important role in ensuring that their children attend school.

Deputy Chief of the Consular Section, Embassy of the United States of America, Jennifer Noisette said that the United States government supports Guyana in its efforts to eradicate child labour.

She told the students that education plays a significant role in shaping persons lives around the world and urged that they enjoy the opportunities of being at school.

In attendance at the ceremony were EDUCARE’s Guyana Director, Ed Denham and Head of Child Protection, UNICEF, Doris Roos.

25 venues in Georgetown and its environs to host CARIFESTA activities
GEORGETOWN will be the hub of activities for the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) X, which will feature 10 days of more than 100 cultural events during the period August 22 to 31.

Approximately 25 official venues in Georgetown and its environs have been selected for various features of CARIFESTA.

Among the most prominent of venues is the Guyana National Stadium at Providence which was constructed with support from the Indian Government to host Cricket World Cup (CWC) in 2007.

The venue will once again be the centre of attention as it will host the symbolic opening ceremony for CARIFESTA on August 22 that will feature impressive performances and appearances by the participating countries from the Caribbean and Latin America.

Among the many performances outlined by Artistic Director attached to the CARIFESTA Secretariat, Paloma Mohamed, will be a 100-piece Steel Orchestra, a 500-member youth choir and a choreographed presentation by 1000 youths.

The cultural presentation will be witnessed by over 15,000 people who will also see the world class centre stage that was obtained by government at a cost of US$605,519.