ARCHIVES FOR JUNE 25 2008
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IDB willing to help gov’t reduce impact of oil prices on electricity sector
THE Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has assured the Government of Guyana that it is willing to support the implementation of projects to reduce the electricity sector’s dependency on oil which has been facing a global price hike.

Crude oil surpassed US$100 per barrel at the beginning of this year and at the end of the first quarter, the price was in the vicinity of US$117 per barrel. By early May, oil prices exceeded US$125 per barrel. It subsequently hit an all-time high of near US$140 before dropping to just under $US135.

With this continuing rise, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) is forced to buy its fuel at a price determined by that market. It pays US$100 a barrel on Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and US$172 a barrel for diesel.

Resident Representative of the IDB, Marco Nicola, assured Prime Minister Samuel Hinds of the Bank’s support during the opening of a training session on electrical standards in Guyana on June 23.

He said that the recently approved technical co-operation on bio-fuel and alternative generation, as well as the interests expressed by the Bank’s private sector division in participating in the hydro initiative, is a clear signal of willingness to continue supporting the electricity sector.

Nicola said the Bank’s current focus in the electricity sector is reflected in the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP) and the power sector support programme which it recently approved.

The most important aspect of the UAEP programme, Nicola said, is the expansion of the national grid to provide 30,000 new connections to unserved housing areas along Guyana’s coastlands. To date, 12,100 have been connected with project funds.

He explained that the electrification programme, which comprises solar, wind, and diesel systems, is being constructed in hinterland settlement demonstration projects.  

The Bank is the longest supporting partner in the country’s electricity sector and has developed close co-operation since the 1980s and 1990s, through supporting the generation capacity improvements to expansion of the grid and governance of the sector. (GINA) 

Minister Persaud reports…
Strict monitoring prevented flooding despite heavy rainfall
STRICT monitoring of drainage structures along East Coast Demerara has prevented flooding in light of heavy rainfall over the past couple days, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said yesterday.

He reported that an inspection at Greenfield and Hope outfalls revealed that three inches of rain fell on the coast in the past 24 hours, although the recorded amount was much higher in some areas.

Persaud said the drainage systems can handle a maximum of 1.5 inches of water over 24 hours but the situation could become critical if it goes above that level.

He said, up to yesterday morning, water accumulation was in some places, including Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara and Greenfield, Cane Grove and Hope along the coastline but, by afternoon, it had receded.

Persaud told the media that was possible because all the sluices and drainage pumps were in operation, except the pump at Kitty, Georgetown.

However, all assurances have been given that the latter will begin functioning today, he said.

Persaud disclosed that the sluice at Hope outfall has not been operating to full capacity due to a build-up of sediment at the mouth.

He lamented that his ministry had made arrangements, with Courtney Benn Construction Company, to have the area cleared six weeks ago but the work is yet to commence.

Persaud said he has since spoken to Managing Director Courtney Benn, who assured him that the machinery to do the clearing will be available in a week’s time.

The contractor has already signed the contract for the job which the ministry was hoping would have started before the mid-year rains, the minister explained.

He said the level in the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) is manageable and, to date, no major problem was detected.

The Hydrometeorological Service has predicted above normal rainfall this month and, as such, the ministry also heightened supervision of koker and pump attendants to ensure they discharge their duties in a timely and efficient manner, Persaud pointed out.

The weather forecasting agency predicted, too, that between two and 15 millimetres of rainfall, with intermittent showers, is likely across Guyana in the next three to four days but Persaud said that prediction is not definite as it depends on the very active Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).

Taxi-driver will be buried in wedding suit
A 39-year-old taxi driver returning to the city after completing an airport run, was early yesterday killed in a collision between his motor car HB 2268 and a minibus at Supply on the East Bank Demerara.

Dead is Carlton Lynch, of 10 Paradise, East Coast Demerara. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Lynch who suffered injuries to the head and other parts of the body, was the sole occupant of his motor car at the time.

Others injured in the collision were: driver of the minibus Hassan Inshanally, 47, of Garden of Eden, also on the East Bank Demerara, Hazrat Ally, 43; Yunis Inshanally, 15; Yusuf Baksh, 42; and Abdool Razack, 63 years. They were rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where they received first line treatment before being transferred to the Georgetown Hospital.

Reports said there was much fog in the area as Lynch travelled through Supply on the way to the city, and this led to the collision between his motor car and a minibus PDD 8880 proceeding in the opposite direction

Lynch operated his taxi from the hire car base outside the main gate of the GPHC ’s Accident and Emergency Unit on New Market Street, and was well known in that area.

Meanwhile, his wife Yonette, a teacher of Paradise Primary School, and other relatives at their Paradise home were inconsolable yesterday. His wife, sobbing as she spoke, related that he had left home very early to take a passenger to the airport and was returning home enthusiastic about many things – including uplifting his suit and other things her mother had posted from overseas for the wedding of his brother Gordon on Saturday.

The widow said that instead of wearing the new suit to take his brother to church, he will now be buried in it.

WTO-proposed cut of MFN rate could be detrimental to rice industry
- Minister Jeffrey says as support being mobilised at ACP level
Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Dr Henry Jeffrey, yesterday expressed concern that the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) recently proposed cut of the Most Favoured Nations (MFN) rate for rice would result in Guyana and Suriname having less of a preference to sell rice in the European market, and this would pose a difficulty to the rice industry.  

Explaining that Guyana and Suriname were the only rice-producing countries during the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries’ negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Minister Jeffrey related that Guyana has been writing to a number of countries expressing concern over the issue, and mobilising support so that a strong case could be made at the WTO level.

Referring to the not so recent sugar saga following the preferential price for sugar from ACP countries being slashed by the European Union (EU), the Minister said, “There appears to be another difficulty now in the sense that it is being proposed at the WTO that the European MFN rate be cut from about 65 Euros to 16 Euros,” he stated.

The Minister pointed out that if this proposal is implemented, rice producing countries can be in ‘some serious trouble down the road’ given that the countries are currently attempting to restructure their rice industries.

“We are running a programme indeed that has been partly financed by the Europeans and therefore it’s a bit problematic for us. We’ve been trying to work with all our partners. I’ve spoken to the Indian Minister of Trade….the Brazilians…sent a letter for this to be raised at the G4 meeting. I’m just out of Ethiopia where I raised the matter and I became part of the ACP resolution to the WTO on tropical and preference-related products,” he related.

Minister Jeffrey noted that representatives at the regional negotiating machinery level have been working with their counterparts in Geneva and Brussels to try to determine the Europeans’ position on the matter.

The Foreign Trade Minister pointed out that tropical products are supposed to be treated to deep cuts, while preference-related products are not. He noted that goods such as rice were treated as products coming from countries that enjoyed long traditional preferences.

“The WTO had said that they should work to try to maintain those preferences for as long as possible, to ease these countries, as they restructure themselves to become part of the general world…but the proposal is that if a product is on both lists, it should be given a tropical product-treatment,” he explained further.

Husk rice, which is sold to the Europeans are on both lists of products-tropical and preferential; however, the Minister is arguing that this rice is the only rice that is on the preferential list.

“That’s another issue that we’re also quarrelling about, that all rice should be on the preference list. Husk rice is the only rice on the preference list, but it’s also a tropical product and therefore subject to deep cuts; and these cuts could be as much as 85 percent; but the number they are talking about is about 65 percent,” he stated.

Minister Jeffrey says Government’s proposal sent to the WTO and the proposal being worked on in Geneva is that rice be treated like bananas since that commodity, although a tropical product, has also been enjoying long traditional preferences.

“So, we’re saying that it should be treated like bananas and put on what the WTO would call an ‘x’ list, that ‘x’ list products are treated specifically….it wouldn’t be subject to the overall cuts,” he asserted.

The Minister believes that though rice may be currently ‘riding high’ on the market, the industry is in for a long haul should the WTO proposal be followed through.        

Ruling in Sharma’s television licence suspension today
AT ten o’ clock this morning , High Court Judge William Ramlal is expected to deliver his ruling relative to the action by C.N. Sharma seeking to have his Channel 6 suspension licence restored.

Among other things, Sharma had asked the court to find that the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, who had acted as the Minister with responsibility for communication when his (Sharma’s) licence was suspended, had no authority to do so.

Sharma, represented by Mr. Nigel Hughes, said that the President enjoyed no immunity of suit whenever he acts in contravention of the fundamental right of the citizen to secure protection of the law as guaranteed by Article 144 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

On April 14, 2008, the Applicant filed a Notice of Motion seeking various Orders and Declarations against the President in respect of the President’s suspension of his Television Licence.

At the hearing of the matter on April 15th, a point was raised by Attorney General, S.C. on behalf of the President that the Motion herein was not maintainable, in that it sought to challenge a decision taken by His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo who was immune from suit under the Constitution. Thereafter, submissions were laid over by both the Applicant and Respondent on this issue.

Attorney-at-law for the Respondent, Anil Nandlall, also laid out Additional Preliminary Submissions surrounding a further submission; that none of the relief sought by the Applicant should be granted for various reasons.

Among other things, the Attorney General had said that the immunity prescribed in Article 182 of the Constitution of Guyana is total immunity, both in the President’s official capacity as President and in his private capacity, and covers his term in office as well as the period when he is out of office.

The A.G. had also pointed out that under the provisions of Article 182 of the Constitution, the President is not personally answerable to any court for the performance of the functions of his office, or for any act done in the performance of those functions and no proceedings, whether criminal or civil, shall be instituted against him in his personal capacity in respect thereof, either during his term of office or thereafter.

The Attorney General had respectfully submitted that the Motion before the Court is not maintainable, in that it seeks to challenge a decision taken by His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo who is immune from suit under the Constitution of Guyana and as a result, the Motion should be dismissed.

On the other hand, Mr. Nigel Hughes, representing the Applicant, had asked the court to declare that the suspension of the applicant’s broadcast licence by the Minister responsible for telecommunications on the 11th day of April, 2008, is a breach of the applicant’s right to secure protection of the law as guaranteed by Article 144 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

The ruling this morning will decide whether the point taken by the Attorney General, will succeed or not. (George Barclay)
NEWS

President Jagdeo celebrates with Guyanese in Toronto
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo joined thousands of Guyanese and Canadians at the 13th annual Guyana Festival in Toronto during the last weekend, organised to commemorate the 42nd Independence anniversary of Guyana. His Excellency was accompanied by Dr. Frank Anthony Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport and Rajnarine Singh, Guyana’s High Commissioner to Canada.

“I am delighted to see so many of you here today and wish to thank you for your continuing support for our country,” said President Jagdeo as he declared the festival open. “Our Country continues to make great progress although we do have some challenges from time to time. Security is one of those challenges, not only for Guyana but all of the Caribbean.”  The president said that a significant influence on the level of crime in the region is linked to the criminal deportees that are sent back into the region. “These criminals bring with them a level of sophistication that is unknown to our police force. In so many ways our Police force was caught flat-footed,” the president told the audience who shared his concerns about crime in Guyana.

The Flag Raising ceremony was attended by all levels of Canadian Government, the Diplomatic Community and several specialized agencies in Toronto. Some of the dignitaries in attendance include:

Hon. Jim Karygiannis, MP for Scarborough-Agincourt; Hon. Bas Balkissoon, MP for Scarborough-Rough River; Toronto City Councillors Derek Lee and Michael Thompson; Consul General of Jamaica, Ann Marie Bonner: Consul General of Trinidad & Tobago, Mr. Michael Lashley;  Consul General of St. Lucia, Ms. Mtonya Deterville;  Hon. Consul General of Suriname, Dr.William A. Basztyk;  Ms. Jenny Gumbs – Consul General, Grenada, Ms. Cristobelle Reece, Consul, Barbados; Deputy Police Chief, Tony Warr; Superintendent Robert Clarke, Toronto Police Service - 42nd Division; Staff Superintendent Ben Lau and Superintendent Frank Fernandes, Toronto Auxiliary Police Service; Director of St. John Ambulance, Dr. Benson Lau.

President Jagdeo also met with a group of business persons on Saturday evening. He encouraged them to look at investments in Guyana and to take advantage of the opportunities which Guyana has to offer. “CARICOM has a $3M food import bill. At the same time Guyana is the largest producer of food in the region. Put these two together and you have a significant number of business opportunities,” he said.

The Festival brought to a close the month-long program in Canada organized to commemorate the 42nd independence anniversary of Guyana. The celebrations commenced on May 24, with the Guyana Awards (Canada) Gala, and continued with the Guyana Heritage celebrations spanning five provinces and involving thousands of Guyanese and Canadians.

The committee promised a Taste of Guyana and delivered a fabulous weekend of activities including: softball, soccer and dominoes’ competitions; practise of their kite-making or face-painting; shopped the tradeshow for the finest piece of authentic Amerindian craft; feasted on the best duck-curry and peas-and-rice in town; an experience of the uniqueness of a Guyanese interfaith service or just hang out with thousands of Guyanese at the Independence Lime, where they met old friends for a ‘Guyanese gaff’.

Each year, the Festival creates a unique feeling of Guyana as thousands of Guyanese converge in total exhilaration over this inimitable event of total belonging and nostalgia. The 13th annual festival was no different.

For the 4th year in a row, the committee expanded on the theme “A Taste of Guyana ”, making the Festival an exposé on Guyanese Heritage and Culture in Canada. With performances by several celebrated Guyanese artists, the three-day Festival proved to be of unmatched entertainment.

Business Conference
The three-day Festival commenced with a Business conference on Friday, June 20, hosted jointly by the Guyana Independence Committee and the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce, under the theme: Exploring for Oil in Guyana-- the implications for your investments. Consul General, Danny Doobay, provided the attendees with an overview of the economic situation in Guyana, followed by the main presentation by CGX Energy, the Canadian exploration company exploring for oil in Corentyne.  CGX President, Kerry Sully, told the audience that his company had just concluded a new arrangement for 3-D seismic studies of their concessions and expects to begin drilling in late 2009. The company’s stock, he said fell $2 after the Repsol abandoned their drilling efforts last week in neighbouring Suriname.  The conference, sponsored by the Laurentian Bank of Canada, who also provided a brief outlook on the Canadian economy and the services provided by the bank.

The events of Saturday and Sunday at L’Amoreaux Community Centre were highly entertaining and included three top-class Cultural Shows, sponsored by Moneygram.  The Cultural Shows, a sold-out affair each year, was again a big hit again this year. The show featured a theatrical presentation directed by Luther Hansraj under the theme “Porknockers”.

There was also an exciting Dominoes Tournament that went late into the evening while a thrilling soccer tournament saw the touring New York team lost to a local Canadian team.

A softball tournament was organized this year including three teams from Canadian Softball league and the Ontario Softball League and a masters’ team. The teams played two games on Saturday with Canadian Softball League taking the trophy with an easy victory over Ontario Softball League in the finals on Sunday.  

 The Festival Committee has placed overall emphasis on including the Youths, who patronize the festival by the thousands, in other activities to keep them involved in the Guyanese Heritage. Youth coordinator, Nicole Brown, engaged the younger kids in face painting, kite making and a variety of other activities

Thousands of patrons enjoyed the ever-popular Independence Lime, a big al-fresco revelry.  The Saturday afternoon Lime is a place where you are guaranteed to meet people you have not seen for some time.

The Trade Show began on Saturday and continued throughout the weekend at the L’Amoreaux Community Centre, with participation from 13 companies from Guyana. The Exposition showcased Guyana and Guyanese products, with some of Guyana’s finest products on display.  In addition, there were arts and crafts sale, featuring authentic Amerindian and Guyanese crafts and gift products.  Several tourism companies were also on hand to promote Guyana’s magnificent eco-tourism products. (GINA)

New Skeldon estate will be jewel of sugar industry
MINISTER of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud, has attested that Skeldon Sugar Modernisation Project in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) will become the jewel of Guyana’s sugar industry.

Addressing farmers at the Skeldon Primary School last Saturday, when the minister and a team visited the region, he noted it will be the single largest factory within the region, boosting the most modern facilities.

He also noted that some difficulties are being faced with the project, primarily with land preparation by Guysuco, and also the private cane farmers who have been unable to reach the required level of cane production.

fact, 30 per cent of the sugar cane will have to come from the private cane farmers so that we can get the 1.1m tonnes of sugar cane to give us 110,000 tonnes of sugar as part of our plan…but there are slippages there and likewise there are slippages in terms of the overall production across the country,” Persaud pointed out.

Persaud said the changes have resulted mainly from climate change and weather, costing close to 70,000 tonnes of sugar.

this point in time, had it not been for that and other factors…our production level should have been close to 390,000 tonnes of sugar per annum,” he informed the gathering.

The minister also disclosed that the factory is going through testing and is expected to be formally commissioned sometime in August.

He said, “We are waiting to have the quantity of cane to put it in the new factory so we can have it going through some weeks, so that we can say that it is living up to its capacity; but the difficulty continues to be an adequate and full supply of cane,” he reiterated.

He said a five-year agreement with private cane farmers to supply sugar cane was done, and land titles were given to farmers.

&…they have received that land title for the specific purpose of cane cultivation,” he stressed.

However, Persaud warned that any farmer who uses the land for would have the lease suspended.

need to recognise that there are some difficulties that we are facing and we need everyone to be onboard and everyone to support us in this regard,” Persaud appealed.

The minister further observed that the completion of the Berbice River Bridge will intensify economic opportunities.

Also, the minister added that there are other industries that will be set up in the region, including ethanol production.

Tractor operator killed while ploughing
POLICE are investigating the death of a Corentyne, Berbice, tractor operator which occurred on Monday.

A report said Poolandai Ramotar, 35, of Number 47, assisted by Arjune Persaud, 35, was ploughing a water filled rice field when the vehicle overturned and pinned the former below, about 14:30 h, in the backlands of Number 55.

Police said help was sought from other persons and Ramotar was taken from under the machine and rushed to Skeldon Hospital, on Corentyne, too, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Teachers must ensure that children are in school
Headteachers throughout the country, especially in Georgetown, have been urged to make every effort to ensure students are in school during teaching hours.

This challenge was thrown out recently by Education Minister Shaik Baksh who underscored that the issue is the primary responsibility of the school administrators and teachers, and not the school’s welfare officers.

He explained that the welfare officers will only step in at the request of the headteacher when there are other problems.

However, he pointed out, in cases where staying away is a habit for some students, then a report should be made to his ministry, and depending on the situation, a welfare officer may be assigned.

The minister said more welfare officers have been employed, and more will come on board in September, to ensure that order, discipline and decency in the learning environment is maintained.

Baksh acknowledged that there are challenging problems in the system, but assured that his ministry will make every intervention at the level of the school, the Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) and the community, to have these resolved.

The ministry has recently intensified its truancy campaign, and at a recent forum, Region Two Chairman Mr. Alli Baksh had called for the School’s Welfare Department to institute charges against parents who are not sending their children to school.

It was reported earlier that there are many pupils in the Kaibouri Creek area and the Essequibo Coast who do not attend school.

B.K. International off-loads heavy duty equipment
Machinery off to Berbice for Phase Two construction
By Wendella Davidson
B. K. International at around 08: 20h yesterday began off-loading 47 pieces of heavy duty machinery, bought at an auction price of US$1.3M, from one of its vessels, the ‘Gloria T’, at the E.C. Vieira wharf, Plantation Houston, East Coast Demerara.

The vessel, manned by Guyanese Captain James Rogers, moored alongside the wharf at approximately 18:05 h on Monday, after a return journey from Houston, Texas, United States, where it uplifted the ‘used’ equipment bought at a Ritchie Brothers auction.

The Chronicle learnt that it is the first time in 15 years that a Guyanese vessel flying the ‘Golden Arrowhead’, this country’s national standard, has entered US waters.

BK’s Managing Director Brian Tiwarie, who was observed spearheading the off-loading exercise of the massive road-building equipment, including loaders, lube truck, hot oil tank, paver, stripper, asphalt dump and water trucks, and Waldon broom or road sweeper, estimates the local market value of the shipment to be in the vicinity of US$10M.

He said almost immediately some of the equipment will be sent to the Corentyne for immediate use on the 40 kilometres Phase Two rehabilitation works of the Berbice Highway leading into Moleson Creek.

BK International, in partnership with K. Nauth Consortium, is executing the works for a contract price of US$15M. A new asphalt plant which BK recently acquired from India has been sent to a location at Tarlogie, Corentyne, Berbice.

Tiwarie has expressed gratitude to the Unites States Government for granting visas to the US to Guyanese crew members of the ‘Gloria T’.

He is ever grateful, too, to the management of E.C. Vieira for the use of the wharfing facilities at short notice, and to the administration of Guyana Maritime Inc. (GMI) for the training afforded the crew of ‘Gloria T’ prior to their departure.

The B.K. Managing Director disclosed his willingness to assist in the training of local seafarers by loaning the agency a vessel and a tug boat, whenever the need arises.

Captain Rogers, schooled in Scotland for Chief Mate certificate and Guyana for his Masters certificate, told reporters Monday night he felt “great” at successfully sailing the ship to the United States and back.

The former Transport and Harbours employee, who said he served on a number of local ferry vessels, such as Lady Berbice, M.V. Pomeroon, M.V. Mazaruni, M.V. Barima, M.V. Malali, M.V. Lukanani; M.V. Makouria, among others, thanked Tiwarie for placing the confidence in him.

He noted that while he has been to the US on numerous occasions as a seaman, it is his first trip as ‘Master’ of a vessel.

In addition, it was also the first visit to the US for most of the 10-man crew.

Rogers recalled departing Guyana on May 9 with a trans-shipment of sand which he discharged at Port Rio Hina in the Dominican Republic, then on the Huston, Texas.

The return journey took approximately 16 days.

Despite having a few rough days at sea, Captain Rogers considered the overall journey as being an excellent one.

Need for Walk-in Voluntary Unpaid Blood Donors
THE Ministry of Health is responsible to ensure there is safe and adequate blood supply for those in need of blood transfusion. The goal of the Ministry of Health is to maintain a weekly buffer stock of 144 units of blood. As of this time, we have less than the required quota.

Under the circumstance, the Ministry, thru’ its National Blood Transfusion Service, is seeking Walk-in Voluntary Unpaid Blood Donors on a daily basis at its location within the compound of the Georgetown Public Hospital at Lamaha and East Streets, everyday from 8.00 am to 7.00 pm. This will significantly help us to restore the daily buffer stock.

If you are 17 years or older, weigh 110 lbs. or more and are healthy, then you are eligible.

Be a Good Samaritan. Make a difference. Give a “gift of life”. Donate blood today and save lives.

GNBS certifies Medical Centre Laboratory
THE Georgetown Medical Centre Laboratory (Prashad Hospital) at Thomas and Middle Streets, Georgetown became the fifth local medical laboratory to be certified by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

Handing over the certificate was Executive Director of GNBS, Dr. Chatterpaul Ramcharran who noted that the Laboratory has met the national standards and general requirements for the operation of such a facility.

This laboratory working relentlessly and diligently over the few years, they were able to implement a quality management system in this operation addressing the requirements of this national standard,” he observed.

Dr. Ramcharran said various aspects such as training of personnel, calibration and accuracy of equipment, environmental conditions and record keeping is important in a quality management system.

?ll these aspects are very important in developing and instituting a quality management system,” he reiterated.

I am very pleased to say that this laboratory now has the quality management or quality assurance system in its operation and this is indeed vital to ensure that the results coming out of this laboratory are accurate, reliable, consistent and results which doctors and medical personnel can use to diagnose or treat ailments or diseases,” Ramcharran noted.

These laboratories must be certified and have an operating quality management system…,” he exhorted.

He commended the staff of the medical institute and GNBS who have worked diligently to develop the system, policy manuals and procedural manuals and other relevant materials.

The Executive Director urged the institute to ensure that they continue to maintain the system that has been implemented noting that is very important and relevant.

“You must maintain the system to ensure that those results are indeed maintained, accurate, reliable and honest,” he pointed out.

“We have reached a stage now, you have crossed a very important barrier or milestone and this is a tremendous achievement for the Georgetown Medical Centre to achieve this certificate,” he observed.

The Executive Director explained that it is a mandatory requirement that all medical laboratories must be certified by the GNBS.

He said the laboratories are given a period of one year and with effect from January 1, 2009, if all laboratories are not certified by the GNBS then the Ministry of Health Standards Department will take enforcement action by closing them down.

Dr. Ramcharran said the GNBS is working with both the public and private sector laboratories to provide some guidance and work towards this achievement.

He noted that the certificate will last for a year after which it will have to be renewed and during the year officers from the GNBS will visit the laboratories to ensure the system is maintained and if not, corrective actions will be taken.

He urged all laboratories to come onboard and put systems in place to be certified.

Director of the hospital, Dr. Santosh (only name) said that the institute has recognised the importance of the certification and noted its tremendous achievement.

He assured that the hospital laboratory will maintain its standards in coming years to deliver better health care to the public.

The other laboratories that are certified are the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Laboratory, Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital Laboratory, Eureka Medical Laboratory and Sigma Laboratory - New Market Street Branch. (Priya Nauth)

GAWU expresses condolences to families of murdered miners
THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has expressed its heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and friends of the miners who were massacred at their camp in Lindo Valley, up the Berbice River.

In a press release yesterday, GAWU stated that this latest atrocity highlights the decadence to which some have descended into and the miners were working-class souls laboring for an honest living in a challenging environment.

“GAWU still believes in the goodness of the greater majority of Guyanese. The union is outraged by this sinister development in our hinterland. We have lost members and relatives on the Coast. We can therefore share the pain of loss, grief and suffering,” it noted.

“Another dark blot has strained our society but we are confident that justice, however delayed will be served. Our immediate wish is for the apprehension of the perpetrators whoever they might be,” the statement added.

“With them are their collaborators who offer food, medicine and shelter. They too will meet their just ends,” the Union said.

Materials for soya bean production expected from Brazil
By Priya Nauth
MINISTER of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud, said at the weekend that the first set of planting materials is expected today from Brazil for the start of large scale soya bean cultivation in Guyana.

He made this disclosure during a meeting with farmers at the Skeldon Primary School when the ‘Grow More’ Food Caravan moved to Corentyne, East Berbice/Corentyne, (Region Six), part of intensified efforts to encourage farmers and producers of food to increase output in light of the rising demand for food both regionally and internationally.

A quantity of seeds and planting materials were also distributed during this ongoing exercise.

The minister and a team, including General Manager of the New GMC, Mr. Nizam Hassan; Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Drainage and Irrigation Authority, Mr. Lionel Wordsworth; and Regional Chairman, Mr. Zulficar Mustapha, interacted with the farmers and residents on various issues.

Persaud explained that in the United States, the entire soya bean industry, as well as corn, is under stress.

And so it could be useful for us to become involved in soya bean production.

Persaud said that the governments of Guyana and Brazil have engaged in discussions over the past month and the land and farmers for the project have been identified, while technical works have commenced.

He said the ministry has embarked on various programmes to diversify the agriculture sector, and referred to the global food situation.

is becoming one of the scarcest commodities and one of the most expensive commodities,” the minister noted.

if you look around the world, some of the difficulties that are appearing…may just present themselves for us to make use of, and realise that long-held vision of a modern and a very competitive agriculture sector that serves as the ‘food basket for the region’,” he attested.

need to develop a very balanced and diversified approach to agriculture…and we want to look at other crops and livestock that we can develop at the level we have been able to develop rice and sugar,” the minister explained.

to climate change and other factors, there are severe pressure on agriculture production…resulting in loss of food production,” he observed.

He stressed that even some of the leading rice producers are experiencing difficulties.

The minister said farmers in Guyana can fill the gap created by strategising and ‘thinking big’, while utilising the vast resources and experience and the culture of the people in agriculture.

Persaud noted that the recent international assessment on knowledge and technological issues in agriculture report put together by 400 scientists concluded that farmers will be the most important category of people living on earth because they are responsible for a great deal of the biodiversity, including our land and water system.

the farmer today is one of the most important groups of individuals in our society,” he emphasised.

I want us to position ourselves so that we can develop our agriculture system and empower and facilitate our farmers to make full use of those opportunities, and that is what we are embarking on, and that is what we are seeking to do all cross the country,” he said.

Persaud encouraged farmers to make use of the new opportunities presented and target not only the local market but CARICOM and other international markets and to put together their resources to capitalise on the new and emerging markets.

He said there are already increasing interests from North America, and an investor from the Middle East, who has a base in one of the Caribbean islands, will be shifting to Guyana to supply the United Kingdom market.

Persaud also informed residents that close to 130 new agriculture projects were recently approved.

He said that technical officers from his ministry are deployed constantly in the area to support the regional officials and farmers.

will be encouraging you and positioning you to make those changes, and I want our farmers to think in that direction,” the minister charged.

During the interactive session, farmers expressed several concerns, including crops being destroyed by cattle and the high cost of fertilizers.

The minister advised that by October this year, 3000 hectares of pasture would be made available to cattle farmers at Number 52 to 74, while additional pastures will be opened at Kokrite Savannah.

With regard to the increasing price of fertilizers, Persaud noted that it is not unique to Guyana, since across the world the price of fertilizers has increased by close to 150 per cent over the last three crops, and this is driven by increased fuel prices.

have already removed all the taxes and duties that are applied on fertilizers and other chemicals,” he added.

Persaud also noted that recently government provided $30M to the Rice Producers Association to help cushion the price of fertilizers to rice farmers.

Also, he said, efforts are being made to purchase fertilizers directly from companies.

The minister observed that Guysuco this year will be spending $600M more on fertilizer and chemicals.

Wordsworth updated the farmers and residents on the drainage and irrigation work and maintenance in the region and upcoming plans to enhance this.

Guyana observing Fisherman’s Day June 29
FISHERMAN’S Day, commemorating the Feast of St. Peter, Patron Saint of Fishers, will be observed on June 29.

The Ministry of Agriculture has planned a series of activities for the observance in most Caribbean territories, as well.

A release said, in Guyana, the day is set aside to recognise the contributions of fisher folks to the local economy and national development.

The programme being hosted by the ministry, under the theme ‘Fisheries and the Challenges of Climate Change - Being Prepared’, will include discussions by the various stakeholders in the sector and a mini-exhibition, followed by the annual ‘Satyadeow Sawh Memorial Domino Competition’, the release stated.

ACP's ‘development’ warning to WTO
- plea of Guyanese envoy
By Rickey Singh    
AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN and Pacific (ACP) sugar exporting countries have blended pledged cooperation with a strong warning to the World Trade Organisation over required consensus for "trade as a genuine development tool" for disadvantaged economies of the developing nations.

In telegraphing the message on behalf of the ACP's Consultative Group on Sugar, Guyana's Brussels-based ambassador, Dr Patrick Gomes, who chairs the Group, said:

"In our view, all WTO members have a shared responsibility to ensure that trade is treated as a genuinely development tool. Failing that the ACP's Consultative Group will find it extremely difficult to join a consensus in the current Doha Development Agenda..."

Ambassador Gomes, was at the time addressing the just-concluded 11th European Sugar Conference in Brussels on the topic: "Impact of Preference Erosion on ACP sugar industries in the WTO's Doha Development Agenda and Challenges of Diversification".

Speaking against the backdrop of the European Union's controversial renunciation of the Sugar Protocol, ahead of negotiations for the regional Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) between the 78-ACP states and the 25 EU countries, ambassador Gomes noted:

"A fundamental principle of the new sugar (marketing) arrangements under the EPA is that no ACP country should be worse off. It is, therefore, important that both parties put in place the related implementation measures to ensure that this objective is fully achieved."

He reminded the meeting that by accepting the new sugar arrangements within the context of the EPA and in the wake of the European Commission's renunciation of the ACP-EU Sugar Protocol, some ACP member countries (including the Caribbean) "have made huge economic and trade sacrifices...."

Indeed, argued ambassador Gomes, "It was  not an easy decision to terminate a model North-South international and inter-governmental trade arrangement with a strong development dimension.

"This", said Gomes, "required taking a bold political decision in the face of WTO-required compatibility to modernise and restructure our sugar cane industry to be globally competitive and for adaptation to conditions of preference erosion..."  

The sugar reform required by the EU, as ambassador Gomes disclosed, would cost ACP sugar exporting countries permanent annual loss of some US$392 million in direct export earnings once the 36 percent reduction in prices has been phased in and becomes effective from 2009.

Kwakwani youth identified among mining camp dead
THE youth whose burnt remains were among those discovered at the Lindo Creek mining camp, has been identified as 17-year-old Nigel Torres, of Kwakwani Jeep Landing, also along Berbice River.

His mother, Yonette Torres told the Guyana Chronicle Monday that her son left home with a close family friend to work at the location and help her support his nine siblings.

&to think that he is no more is very difficult to believe,” the woman lamented during a telephone interview.

She said the place where they live is a very desolate, small farming community and jobs are scarce there.

So, although her son was in search of work, he was hesitant to leave home.

He was a vibrant gardener and planted a small kitchen garden when he was at home, less than a month before,” she explained.

The woman said she learnt of the tragedy from fellow church members who visited her home on Sunday after they heard the dreadful news.

Since I heard that my son was killed, I am in so much grief, because he was such a quiet, enterprising youth who wanted to help me in the home,” Torres lamented.

She and her husband are fisher folks and they try to make a living from fishing to maintain their children and Nigel’s death is truly a blow to the household, the woman said.

Torres added that she still does not know how her son met his death but is hoping for some form of closure.

Damaged circuit breaker causes temporary GPHC power cut
SPARKING wires and burning cables, resulting from a damaged main circuit breaker and supply service connection, forced a temporary disconnection of electricity to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Monday morning.

As a result, some buildings in the compound were without power for about 30 minutes.

A release said the area where the problem originated is where the new in-patient wards would be located when work now in progress is finished.

The sections of the complex which were affected included the surgical block in the northern part that houses Wards A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2.

But operations at GPHC and its internal network were not disrupted and everything was normalised after swift repairs, the release stated.

The statement said at no time was there a fire on the surgical block or any other building. But, as a precautionary measure, Guyana Power & Light (GPL) and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) were summoned.

Also a crew from Cummings Electrical had been on the scene before power was restored.

Meanwhile, the GPHC Administration has assured that measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence of such a situation.