Gunmen rob Fidelity Investments
Workers at Fidelity Investments, High and Drysdale Streets, Charlestown, were terrified yesterday when armed bandits entered the business premises, held employees at gunpoint and took away some $600,000 from the cashier.

Fidelity Investments deals exclusively in the importation and distribution of cement.

The Managing Director of the business concern, who does not wish to be named, said that around 10:30 hrs, he was up in his office attending to a customer when a member of staff came running up the stairs, almost breathless, and stated that they had just been robbed.

The ordeal ended very quickly the employees related – lasting for just about four minutes. They recalled two men entered the building, ordered about five staffers outside the cashier’s cage to keep quiet and get down on the floor. Nervous and fearful for their lives, the staff complied.

As they lay on the floor, the men turned their attention to the cashier, Mark Rose, in the cage. They knocked on the glass, forced their way into the cage, and holding him at gun point, demanded that he hand over whatever cash he had.

The manager recalled that a customer had just moments before paid in the sum of $600,000 to the cashier and the men took away all of it.

The men also took away a cellular phone from security guard Oreth Walters.

Then proceeding with caution, witnesses said, the men, holding their weapons cocked, backed out of the yard and got away in a car.

Not a shot was fired during the robbery and no one was hurt.

Police are investigating.

President to hold talks with British PM shortly
- says positive word received from UK on rainforest offer
EMPHASISING that Guyana’s offer to place its rainforest in the battle against climate change is not only open to the United Kingdom (UK) but also to other countries, President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday disclosed that following ‘positive word’ from the UK, he will be meeting privately with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown next month where he hopes the matter will be further discussed.    

The President made this disclosure to the Government Information Agency (GINA) at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri yesterday - on his way out to Brazil yesterday afternoon.

He was at the time commenting on his recent visit to New York where he participated in a Conservation International (CI) press conference where he reiterated Guyana’s resolve to participate in the fight against Climate Change through the preservation of its rainforest in exchange for monetary compensation.

Only back from his New York visit on Wednesday, President Jagdeo was preparing to depart Guyana for Brazil to hold discussions with several leaders of the South American community.  

The President noted that Guyana has, for some time now, been arguing about the impact of deforestation on climate change and how this has been underestimated.

“The Kyoto Protocol does not provide positive incentives for preserving rainforests. We are hoping that that will change and we’re lobbying for that to change and we hope that by 2012 when the new framework would be developed, that there’d be some market-based incentives for the preservation of rainforests. That means the awarding of some carbon credits which could be traded,” he added.

The Guyanese Leader believes that in the future, this could mean significant sums of US dollars for countries like Guyana which still has its rainforest intact to continue doing so. Guyana is one of four countries in the world with intact rainforest.

“Preservation doesn’t mean that we’re giving up sovereignty over the forest. It doesn’t mean that we will not continue to log, but these will have to be done in a sustainable manner as we are doing now,” the President underscored.

On this note the Head of State expressed satisfaction that CI, being a major international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has given its standing on the issue, as he referred to the forum in New York two days ago.

“They managed to get a significant amount of mainstream US press - NBC, ABC, New York Times, News Week, many other large magazines were there,” he pointed out.

He noted that though reputable Hollywood actor Harrison Ford was unable to attend the press conference, he arrived subsequently and he and the Guyanese Leader were able to have a lengthy discussion on the matter and the role that the actor can play in promoting the initiative.

“In fact he has already done some videos which will be shown, urging people to preserve the rainforest and to assist these countries that have rainforest in the development path,” the President said.

It was pointed out that because of the actor’s celebrity status and international profile, he would no doubt be attracting more international attention to the issue.

The conference in New York was aimed at starting a global awareness campaign on the vital and often overlooked role forests play as an immediate and cost-effective solution for climate change.

The President along with actor and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of CI, Harrison Ford; Chairman and CEO of CI, Peter Seligmann; and the President of CI, Russ Mittermeier hosted the event. The campaign is being held under the theme ‘Lost there, felt here’.

Ballistics test results revealed…
Spent shells found at Durey Lane murder matches those in attack on Culture Ministry, Police H/Q
THE Police last night revealed the results of the ballistics examinations that have been conducted on the twelve 5.56 x 45 calibre and the nine 7.62 x 39 calibre spent shells found at the scene of the murder of Arjune Narine which occurred last Wednesday night at Durey Lane and Middleton Street, Campbellville.

The tests have revealed that the twelve 5.56 x 45 spent shells match four spent shells found at the scene of the murder of Internet Cafe Owner Lennox Drakes who was shot and killed on January 08, 2008 in Church Street, Georgetown.

They also match two (2) spent shells found at the scene of discharging of loaded firearm on February 12, 2008, in the Buddy’s Pool Hall Car Park area on Sheriff Street; and five (5) spent shells found at the scene of the attack on Police Headquarters, Eve Leary on January 25, 2008.

The Police also disclosed that the nine 7.62 x 39 calibre spent shells found at Arjune Narine’s murder scene match two spent shells found during the discharging of a loaded firearm on February 12, 2008, in the Buddy’s Pool Hall Car Park area on Sheriff Street.

Ballistics examinations have also been conducted on the twenty one 5.56 x 45 calibre spent shells found at the scene of the attack on the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport at Quamina and Main Streets on May 16, 2008.

They have revealed that the twenty one spent shells found at that scene match spent shells found at the scenes of the murder of Arjune Narine; the murder of Lennox Drakes; the discharging loaded firearm at Buddy’s Car Park and the attack on Police Headquarters.

Magistrate chides Prosecution in Hinckson gun, ammo case
MAGISTRATE Gordon Gilhuys yesterday chided the Prosecution in the Oliver Hinckson firearm and ammunition case, for continually seeking adjournments.

“They are tardy in what they are doing. They are never ready,” the magistrate observed, telling Police Inspector Robert Tyndall, prosecuting, that he must be prepared to work.

Magistrate Gilhuys criticised the Police after the Prosecutor indicated that he could not produce the exhibits in Court yesterday.

Ex-Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant Hinckson, 64, of Lot 167 Meadow Brook Gardens, Georgetown, is jointly charged with another ex-soldier, James Gibson, with illegal possession of a gun and ammunition.

Particulars of the offences said, on June 6, 2006, in an Aubrey Barker Street, South Ruimveldt house, also in the city, the defendants had a .380 pistol, 12 matching bullets and twenty-six 12-gauge shotgun cartridges without licences for them.

Tyndall called two witnesses and said he has two more to call.

The first of those to testify yesterday, Police Inspector Carlton Charles was followed by Police Sergeant Eon Jackson.

The case was adjourned, to May 30, after Tyndall said he would have the exhibits on the next occasion.

The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the sedition and conspiracy to promote public disorder charges against Hinckson also did not continue yesterday, due to the absence of Special Prosecutor Sanjeev Datadin.

The lawyer assigned by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was in the High Court and Magistrate Gilhuys told Defence Counsel Nigel Hughes he had no alternative but to postpone the continuation to May 30, as well.

It is alleged that, last January 31, Hinckson advocated terrorism and made a seditious speech to the public and news media, the purpose of which was to create hatred and contempt and promote public disorder.

Before adjourning, Magistrate Gilhuys instructed an officer who was in Court to return a cellular phone that had been taken from the accused and report on the matter the next time.

Response for technical theatre courses overwhelming
- Minister Anthony
MORE than 1,500 applications for the certificate in technical theatre training courses were received by the CARIFESTA X Secretariat, surpassing the targeted amount of two hundred and fifty.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony, made the disclosure on Tuesday at the Guyana Teachers Union Hall, Vrymans’ Erven, New Amsterdam , where the CARIFESTA caravan was taken to allow Berbicians to have an insight of the mega festival scheduled for August 22 to 31.

The Minister, while acknowledging that there is a dire need for theatre trained technicians, he was overwhelmed at the response.

He said the Ministry cannot at this moment conduct training for all the applicants, but promised that subsequent training sessions will be held before the  year is through.

Minister Anthony said, too, that the six to eight weeks programme, consisting of sixteen modules, have also attracted persons from Berbice.

He said following a successful completion, persons would  receive proper certification that would enable the holder to obtain a job in the specific field.

Anthony added that oversees personnel are utilised as facilitators, in addition to which participants would receive a stipend to assist with their transportation.

During the month of April, advertisements were carried in the media for persons interested in being trained in Technical theater.

The subject areas are lighting, sound, stage management, properties management, set design, set construction, set dressing, costume design, costume management, make-up, hair, production management, front house management, directing and acting. (Jeune Bailey Van-Keric)

As special COTED opens
CARICOM maps way forward for regional agri framework
By Wendella Davidson
THE Jamaican government wants to make use of Guyana’s expertise in the growing of rice, while Guyana can benefit from areas in which Jamaica has skills and competence, Jamaica’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr Christopher Tufton disclosed on Wednesday last.

He was at the time addressing the opening of the 27th Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Agriculture, at Le Meridien, Pegasus, at which his colleagues from the CARICOM region, including Guyana’s Robert Persaud, Minister of Foreign Trade (Guyana), Dr Henry Jeffrey; CARICOM’s Deputy Secretary-General, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite and Assistant Secretary-General Trade and Economic Integration, Ambassador Irwin La Rocque and other senior CARICOM officials, as well as representatives of regional and international institutions were present.

“We want to collaborate with Guyana for expertise in the growing of rice in Jamaica. Similarly, in those areas where we possess the skills and competencies such as fruit, tree crops, growing of vegetables and poultry production etc., we are also willing to cooperate,” he said, noting that as the region strives to restore production capacity, regional cooperation is going to be important.

Noting that some of the production initiatives will require significant capital outlay, the Jamaican minister said similar capital is required to install critical infrastructure relating to food health and safety, research and irrigation.

Within this context, Dr Tufton said Jamaica welcomed the donor’s meeting held

last year, and looks forward to the upcoming CARICOM Agriculture Investment Forum scheduled for June 6th and 7th here.

The forum, Ambassador Applewhaite has said earlier, will provide a space for dialogue between potential investors, financial institutions, Member States, promoters and other stakeholders.

This activity which, she posited, is but one step in the direction of ensuring that the region is able to produce what it eats in adequate amounts, and eat what it produces, will showcase business opportunities in the Caribbean.

It will also provide investors with screened projects which have great potential, she added.

Minister Tufton also called on the region to urgently begin to build its research capacity, as the driver of agricultural production and productivity.

“We simply must find better ways and more efficient ways of growing crops and livestock to satisfy our food needs,” he said, adding that Jamaica, on behalf of CARICOM, has already taken the initiative to conclude an MOU with the Spanish Agency for International Development for the establishment of a Regional Centre of Excellence for Advanced Agricultural technologies at Bodles, Jamaica.

The intention is that this centre will lead the charge in restoring the region’s vastly eroded research capacity and focus on practical research surrounding concrete issues affecting agricultural production, processing and food storage.

This facility is expected to promote collaboration among various suppliers of inputs, as well as academia, to provide answers and solutions to regional problems in agriculture, he added, and urged his COTED colleagues to buy into this project, as any sustained thrust to deal with food security must begin with strong research and development.

“Soaring commodity prices have now forced many governments to rethink their agricultural strategy. Production plans which were shelved when food was cheap are now being dusted off, as the dynamics have shifted to cause such things as the growing of rice, corn, soya and sorghum to become once again feasible.

“Similarly, in Jamaica, we are seeking to restore our dairy industry, which is not only a critical source of protein, but also the sad victim of misguided liberalisation policies in the past.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Applewhaite has commended the Caribbean Poultry Association (CPA) for efforts to find alternative inputs into the production of animal feed, the results of which can go a long way in reducing the cost of poultry and poultry products.

She also hailed the Caribbean Agri-Business Association (CABA) for its efforts in promoting increased public and private sector involvement in food production.

 “The challenges that confront the Caribbean Community must, of course, be addressed by both regional and national measures; however, the imperative of a CARICOM regional approach cannot be overstated.

CARICOM Member States, she added, had an opportunity at the meeting yesterday to map the way forward for a regional framework for agriculture as well as other measures that can contribute to ensuring food security and sovereignty in the region.

Johnny P, son robbed
Armed bandits on Wednesday night pounced on popular South Ruimveldt businessman Johnny Pires (known and Johnny P) and his son John (Jnr) just outside their business premises at Aubrey Barker Road and Kaikan Street, robbing them of a licensed pistol and ammunition, an undisclosed sum of local and foreign currency and a cellular phone, among other things.

The Guyana Chronicle was unable to reach the elder Pires for a comment. However, John (Jnr) recalled that around 9:45 hrs he and his father had just finished locking up their grocery store when they were robbed.

Police are continuing their investigations.

Food Security strategies for Guyana
By Mohammed Irfaan Ali
GUYANA is endowed with abundant natural resources such as fertile agricultural land, minerals, expansive fishing grounds, forests, water resources and a talented work force. The country is in a formidable position to ensure that the Guyanese population is provided with adequate and affordable agriculture products.

Global rising food prices and acute shortages in some countries were observed in 1974. After 34 years in 2008, this phenomenon has again manifested itself. The causes for food prices to increase globally are based on many factors. These include an increase in the demand for food with countries such as China, India, Brazil and Africa with rapidly growing population and a greater per capita income.

Also, because of the rapidly escalating price for oil which has increase by over 100% compared to a year ago, many food producing countries have diverted agriculture crops particular cereals to the production of cheaper forms of energy, such as bio-fuel.

Then there is the issue of climate change with floods and dry seasons that impact on production for staple products such as rice, wheat and corn.

All countries in the world are affected by these and other factors thus resulting in rising food prices.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) since its formation and while in government was always cognisant of the need to make Guyana the food basket of the Caribbean.

Recently, President Bharrat Jagdeo extended Guyana’s willingness to provide its vast agriculture land resources to CARICOM countries under the Jagdeo Initiative.

This initiative aims to reduce significantly, the large import bill of over US$3 billion and further ensure food security and sustainability in the Region.

The Jagdeo initiative, as the programme is known, provides a blue print for immediate food production and sustainability.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan also held closely the vision to make Guyana a model country for agriculture production.

He advocated new agriculture schemes such as Black Bush Polder, Tapacuma project, the Greater Canje, West Berbice and East Demerara (MMA) projects utilizing the Hutchinson plan for comprehensive drainage and irrigation.

It is during the PPP’s administration that the country became a large exporter of rice, sugar and food for local consumption.

Government Response
The 2008 budget caters for more than $2.8 billion for drainage and irrigation to address the issues of widening and rehabilitation of drainage relief canals, effective management of the water retention system of the conservancies, construction of additional pumping stations, dredging of outfall channels and related activities.

The objective is to create the infrastructure that would foster increase agriculture production, increase yield and promote agricultural diversification.

Under the PRCSSP program in excess of 8000 Acres of new farm lands have been opened up in Region 2 and 3. Areas including Aliki, Lanaballi, Berri Bissiballi, Morashi, Pomeroon and Bethany Supenaam Creek has benefited from capital injection of in excess of $950 million.

In addition, under this program a revolving fund was developed with in excess of $350 million being disbursed to project beneficiaries primarily farmers. In order to improve the quality and marketability of our produce to meet Regional and international specification a state of the art packaging and storage facilities was constructed at the approximate cost of $90 million.

Transportation cost has always been an issue for farmers in determining cost of production and eventual retail prices to consumer. In recognizing this, Government has expended in excess of $600 million in farm to market access roads under this program alone.

The development of our dairy and meat industry is also crucial in approaching the issue of food production holistically; therefore the capital injection of in excess of $100 million in the development and expansion of cattle pastures is also laudable.

The PPP administration has also initiated the “Grow More Food” campaign which is aimed at encouraging farmers, urban communities, producers of fisheries and livestock, present and potential investors to increase food production to satisfy local and international demands.

To this end, the government established an Inter-Ministerial Committee on food and prices which is chaired by the Minister of Agriculture.

As part of this campaign, some 600,000 packets of seeds and 150,000 units of planting material will be distributed.

In addition, hinterland communities will have free distribution of achousi ants control chemicals and baits to support their agriculture drive.

Other initiatives include the launching of countrywide consultations on food prices, continued engagement and interaction of stakeholders and sectors to build national support for all interventions.

In parliament there will be a motion on food prices to build national consensus on the way forward for food production.

Government is focusing on food security for food deficit regions particularly the mining communities in Region 10.

Resources will be provided to the Region Ten Farmers Association which is dedicated to make the region self sufficiency in food production.

Government is accelerating support for land leases in areas like Dallawalla and West Watooka where large areas of fertile land are available for cultivation. It is anticipated that the LEAP programme will provide additional support particularly finance from LEAF for the farming community.

Guyana is self sufficient with poultry products which is a tribute to producers in this sector.

Government will facilitate the production of corn, sorghum and cassava as local inputs for the stock feed for birds and animals.

The increase price of poultry is a reflection of the price of raw materials which has increased as much as 300 % over the last three years. Guyana has the opportunity to be a major supplier of poultry products to Barbados and Trinidad since there are well established shipping arrangements and short time to these destinations.

One of the major factors that has an impact of food security is the price of diesel and gasoline. The government made successive reductions of taxes on fuel. Presently there is no tax on gasoline and kerosene. There has been a large reduction in the tax on diesel from 17% to 7%.

Since 2007 government made several interventions which have contributed to cushion the rise in the cost of living and the price of food items.

There is zero rating of basic food items when VAT was implemented. Government is presently spending about $200 million to minimize the increase in the price of flour and free importation of this product.

Government has entered in the distribution of flour and rice at various centres at about 30 % less than vendors’ prices. Billions of dollars are spent on absorbing the escalating cost of water from GWI and electricity from GPL thus allowing more disposable income for the venerable and poor especially our pensioners.

In addition in excess of 11,000 public sector workers would benefit from direct Government intervention in cushioning the effects of rising food prices with the payout of 5% increase in salary retroactively from January and a special allowance of four thousand Dollars for workers earning below fifty thousand dollars per month.

The joint effect of these two initiatives would cause the Government approximately 2.8 Billion using end of year figures 2007 as the baseline.

Guyana’s self sufficiency from local food production is assured with government’s interventions and management systems.

Farmers and consumers are benefiting form the proactive measures and strategic plans which are being implemented.

The future for farmers and others in food production is assured from rapidly increasing incomes and an improved standard of living.

Government will take all measures to ensure that food on the table is affordable and adequate.

Guyana is also poised to be the bread basket of CARICOM.

Government’s enlightened policy for the agriculture sector will advance the growth of the entire economy and ensure sustained food security for Guyana.

Shot carpenter fights off his attacker
Chandra David Parag, a carpenter of No. 2 Village, East Canje, is a now a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital, nursing bullet wounds after being shot during an attempted robbery at Cumberland, Canje, Berbice, on Wednesday.

A police report said that Parag had withdrawn a sum of money from a bank earlier in the day, and had returned home in a motor vehicle around 12:15, when he was confronted by a man armed with a handgun. The man discharged a round, hitting Parag in his left arm, then demanded the money from him.

But Parag refused and the man discharged another round hitting him in his left hip. The wounded man struggled with his attacker, and finally the would-be robber abandoned the idea and escaped on a motorcycle driven by an accomplice.

Parag sought help and was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was admitted.

Police are investigating.

GECOM exposes media to national registration process
THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), on Wednesday last, conducted a media tour to highlight the nature of editing and encoding of applications for registration to the dispel disparaging comments in the media that the process in those two sections are moving at an unsatisfactory pace and cannot be concluded as planned.

GECOM Public Relations Officer, Mr. Vishnu Persaud, in a release said the Editing Section of the registration process began working with 23 staff members on January 14, 2008 but this was later increased to 65 persons on April 14 to deal with the accumulated number of completed field transactions.

To date he disclosed that the structure of the Editing Department consists of five supervisors, two assistants to supervisors, one receiving clerk, 29 editing clerks, 25 verification clerks and three batching clerks.

Mr. Persaud pointed out that the functional responsibilities of the staff are inherent in their job titles and emphasised that the staff strength in the Edition Section was strategically increased on April 14 or 101 days from the commencement of House-to-House Registration.

“ GECOM wishes to emphasise that any delay in the editing of registration transactions of the registration process would be linked to the multi-tiered quality control measures that are being used to ensure that all of the pertinent details of applicants for registration are accurately documented,” he declared.

The official acknowledged that errors were being discovered via the editing process during the initial stage of the House-to-House Registration exercise but the number now is being significantly reduced with the result being an acceleration of the process of editing registration transactions.

He said that the Registration Department is confident that the editing of transactions will (logically) conclude very soon after July 4, 2008, which is the deadline for accepting applications for registration.

Turning his attention to Encoding Section, Mr. Persaud noted that the registration process commenced work there with 30 staff members on January 28, 2008, and that number was later increased to 100 persons in a two shift system with 50 staff on April 14 to accelerate the work in that section.

He said that of the 50 persons on one shift, 12 are involved in data entry (encoding) while another 12 are involved with the separate entry of the details of registrants already inputted by the initial 12. The Public Relations Officer explained that this double entry system is geared to ensure that registrants’ particulars are accurately inputted or in other words, there are not only the original checking of the incoming data being carried out, but a second check as well, so as to add certitude to the final data entry into the system.

Mr. Persaud stressed that three persons are assigned the responsibility of taking remedial action with respect to any errors that may be detected as a result of the use of the double entry system. He pointed out that six persons are involved in electronically scanning and inputting photographs, fingerprints, and signatures. One staff he added is responsible for the printing of manifests for rejected transactions and queries while six are responsible for receiving documents from the editing section and to carry out the required separation and verification of the various categories of information such as application for registration, fingerprint forms and photographs.

The senior GECOM official made clear that the two shift system that was introduced 101 days from the commencement of House-to-House Registration was a conscious decision because GECOM was convinced that it was not necessary to have too many editors/encoders at the beginning of the process.

“Secondly, it must be noted that, in terms of inputting of registrants’ particulars, 12 staff per shift hold this responsibility while another 12 persons carry out consecutive entries of the said particulars to promote accuracy. The other members of staff on each shift are tasked with the responsibilities which are crucial to the unquestionable patency of the new National Register of Registrants Database (NRRDB),” he underscored.

Mr. Persaud stressed that it is necessary to point out that the number of transactions edited as at May 18 is 209,151 while the number of transactions encoded stood at 130,250 on the same data base.

He said that these figures indicate that the number of transactions edited moved up by 130,467 from the April 14 to May 18 while the number of encoded transactions moved up by 91, 919 for the said period due to the implementation of the two-shift system.

The official underlined that the pace of encoding will be further improved with the introduction of a third shift since last Monday thereby significantly narrowing the gap between this exercise and editing.

He further emphasised that the multi-tiered editing system which commences at the level of the Cluster Offices and concludes in the Encoding Section via the double entry verification system is geared specifically to ensure thoroughness pertaining to the registrants’ accurate data capture.

“Naturally, the inherent need for this to be done is aimed at the creation of a new and indisputable NRRDB from which commonly acceptable Voters’ Lists for future elections could be derived. It is extremely unfortunate that, while the fundamental focus of the Commission is accuracy, this thoroughness is being willfully misconstrued as ‘slothfulness’, Mr. Persaud affirmed.

Sunday night robbery victim still critical
ASHISH Bhairo (no address given) was robbed by two men and left bloodied outside Georgetown Football Club, on Regent Road, Georgetown, last Sunday night.

The victim was still in a critical condition at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) yesterday where he is a patient in the High Dependency Unit (HDU).

He had already lost a lot of blood from stab wounds on his chest when an ambulance from the hospital conveyed him to the inst