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'STOP IT!'
- Rodrigues slams opposition, calls for end to stigma against Amerindians
By Neil Marks
AMERINDIAN Affairs Minister, Ms Carolyn Rodrigues, yesterday slammed opposition Parliamentarians for referring to state provisions to Amerindian communities as “handouts”, saying such utterances further drives the stigma attached to Amerindian people.

‘We must stop that and stop it today!” Rodrigues declared during her presentation to the National Assembly in defence of the 2008 national budget. Witnessing the debate was a large group of hinterland students on a city tour.

“Why do we refer to it as handouts when we give to Amerindian communities, and when we give to other communities it is not called handouts?” she charged.

She further knocked the opposition for suggesting that the Amerindian people live in oppression. “Freedom is what we know…freedom is when we can send our children to school,” she stated.

Rodrigues, an Amerindian herself, was sharp on her heels as she picked apart the arguments of the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) – from a bridge crossing and a student’s hostel to cassava bread and outboard engines.

However, it was the claim by PNCR Member of Parliament (MP), Ms Volda Lawrence that cutting the 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on cassava bread, farine, and casareep, would not significantly affect the life of Guyanese that Rodrigues said “hurt the most.”

She said these items are primarily associated with Amerindians, and by cutting VAT on these items, the government was looking to create economic opportunities for Amerindians.

She displayed a brochure of North West Organics, an organisation of Amerindians producing organic products for sale. She said the products of North West Organics, such as casareep, are being sold on supermarket shelves.

&#xI hope it was an innocent mistake,” she said of Lawrence’s suggestion, and at this juncture, the Speaker, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, had to ask the House to “cool it, cool it”, as members on both sides of the benches slew remarks at each other.

Rodrigues’ other arguments were sharp as she picked up specific claims by the opposition.

She first snapped at speculation that the bridging of the Echilebar river, which separates Regions Eight and Nine, has not yet commenced, when in fact, the project contract was awarded last December at a cost of $10M.

The Amerindian Affairs minister also called a list of contractors from hinterland regions, putting to rest claims that hinterland projects are often outsourced to contractors from outside the region.

She did admit that transportation problems have forever plagued the hinterland regions, but said the government was moving ahead with its aim to ease the transportation woes of hinterland residents.

She said five more All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) will be given to the mountainous Potaro/Siparuni region this year, adding to the five which were given earlier this year.

Rodrigues also announced plans to acquire two boats to help communities in the Berbice river get their produce out to New Amsterdam, as the smaller boats cannot do the job.

Several other communities will receive boat and engines – the sort of items the opposition called “handouts.”

Turning to another PNCR Member of Parliament, the minister lashed out at Mr. Anthony Veira for suggesting that the government bunk the project to build the $50M students’ hostel in Georgetown to accommodate hinterland students on scholarships at city schools.

She said the building would accommodate all the students together and help the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to institute additional classes for them, since this is not now possible given that the students have to be housed at various locations.

Referring to questions about how many of the students from the hinterland are attending Bishop’s High School and other top schools, Rodrigues posited that many of them were in fact at President’s College and doing well.

Further flooring the arguments of the opposition, she said many parents in the hinterland have chosen not to send their children to the city but have chosen to send them to schools built in the hinterland.

Rodrigues said her Ministry has had discussions with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to extend scholarships to those who excel in sports, “if their parents want to send them.”

She noted, too, that some 7, 111 hinterland children benefitted from the government’s uniform programme last year, while the school feeding programme has seen an improvement in school attendance.

Also, she noted that 70 teachers from regions One, Seven, eight and Nine are currently studying at the teacher’s training centre at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara, while a further 200 are being trained in the various regions through a distance programme.

Minister Rodrigues then went on to trump up the achievements of the government in providing titles to the lands that Amerindians have for ages lived on and off of.

In 2007, she said eight Amerindian communities received “absolute” grants to their land, and with the 24 issued in the last three years, the total amount of communities to receive such grants now amounts to 96.

Nine other communities have made claims to have their grants, she added, noting that the budget has allocated $40M to continue the demarcation programme.

She said around the world, indigenous land claims has been a thorny issue, and while Guyana does not claim to have the prescription to settle land claims, she said other countries can certainly learn a few lessons.

$200M more for Scrutineers
- thanks to intervention by Office of the President
THE Office of the President yesterday announced that it was increasing the sum dedicated to the scrutineering exercise for the national house-to-house registration to $300M.

This means that there has been an increase of $200M.

The Office of the President said it decided to re-examine the issue and make available the additional sum in response to claims by Scrutineers that their payment reflect what was committed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

GECOM has contended that it had complied with the legal and administrative arrangements associated with the appointment and payment of Scrutineers, by providing for the appointment of one Chief Scrutineer for the whole of Guyana, and an Assistant Chief Scrutineer for each Registration District and one Scrutineer for Registration Division and any Sub-Division by each political party.

The law provides for the appointment of Scrutineers as part of the registration process and that they are all legally entitled to inspect and make copies of documented information pertaining to registrants, in their respective Registration Divisions or Sub-Divisions.

The political parties were responsible for appointing their respective Chief Scrutineers and inform GECOM accordingly.

The appointed Chief Scrutineers were then informed of the number of Scrutineers to be appointed by their respective parties relative to the existing number of Divisions/Sub-Divisions.

The days/hours worked by Scrutineers are tabulated by the Assistant Registration Officers and Registration Officers of the respective Registration Districts and certified by the respective Assistant Chief Scrutineers and Deputy Chief Scrutineers of the said Registration Districts.

Accordingly, these data are forwarded to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance then makes monthly lump-sum payments to the two Chief Scrutineers, who are responsible for paying the respective Scrutineers accordingly.

GRA outraged at Namilco’s abuse
- says prices of additional zero-rated items being monitored
THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), together with the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, over the next few weeks will be monitoring the prices of the additional zero-rated items to determine whether VAT registrants have removed the 16 percent VAT from those items.

Commissioner-General of the GRA, Mr. Khurshid Sattaur said: “The GRA is aware that many VAT registrants may not have had adequate notice from the GRA of the additional items and were perhaps unable to adjust their systems in time for the Saturday (March) 1, effective date of implementation since the GRA’s efforts to properly sensitise the public was constrained by factors beyond our control, and as the public would know the order had to be gazetted before the final legal position could have been communicated.”

However, he said businesses should have taken note of the Minister of Finance’s announcement in the National Budget which made reference to the items and which was also widely publicised.

He said, the initial draft order which did not include all of the items now zero-rated was published in the print media to provide VAT registrants and consumers with some amount of knowledge of the items.

“Additionally, we have been utilising the electronic media to broadcast the additional items. But by and large, most VAT registrants would have received a copy from the newspapers, while those VAT registrants for whom the GRA could access email address - were sent electronic copies via their email while others were delivered.”

He further added that prior to the list being extended to include roti-mix and self-rising flour, staffers of the Tax Advisory and the Compliance units were out in the fields visiting VAT registrants and informing them of the intended changes.

In the regions, staffers were obtaining prices prior to March 1 and continue to do so as well.

Mr. Sattaur said that as soon as a reasonable assessment of the implementation of the additional zero-rated items is done nationally and the Authority has a better understanding of what is happening, if the amendment is not yielding the intended benefit the GRA will be forced to publish the names of devious businesses.

“While on one hand we are happy to see, from an initial survey the GRA conducted, that the 16 percent has been removed from most of the items, the GRA is bothered as to why the 16 percent has not been removed from all of the items at least by March 3,” Sattaur contended.

Checks at several city supermarkets have revealed that prices for cheese, for instance, have remained the same.

This is very worrying since the law has been amended for the VAT to be removed in order that consumers receive the benefit,” Mr. Sattaur said.

VAT registrants have nothing to loose as they have been recovering all of their input taxes. It is the same way that they will now recover the VAT they paid on the items which have now been zero-rated, he argued in a statement issued yesterday by the GRA.

“What they need to do is pass some of their benefit on to consumers that is the rationale behind this move by the government,” the GRA head posited.

DISAPPOINTED WITH NAMILCO:
Meanwhile Mr. Sattaur said the GRA is very disturbed and strongly disapproves of the recent statement published by the management of the National Milling Company that it will increase its flour by 16 per cent.

&In zero-rating flour, the concerns of Namilco were a main consideration. The government was concerned about rising prices of food items including that of flour and therefore further zero-rated these products. On the other hand, Namilco, which calls itself a caring company is choosing to pocket the relief which is being offered and intended to give relief from the effect of high prices paid by consumers,” he emphasised.

&Already VAT registrants are benefitting from relief of all of their input taxes as readily as they make sales. We do not see these benefits being passed on to consumers. The GRA, therefore, views such a move as a selfish and unconscionable act that deserves to be condemned and thwarted by all righteous Guyanese,” Mr. Sattaur said.

The GRA head also said those businesses that use flour as their main ingredient in the manufacturing process will continue to recover the VAT on any other standard rated inputs into their operation.

However, since flour is now zero-rated, there will be no VAT to recover on flour. Therefore, if indeed the company increases its flour prices in line with the 16 per cent VAT rate, then bread and all flour-products will increase since there will be no VAT to be recovered.

In turn, businesses are likely to pass on those costs in their prices to consumers, he clarified.

&When we speak out against the irresponsible practices of local businesses, the GRA is heavily criticised, but it is this very kind of practice that leads us to take such strong positions.”

&Further, it is exactly the kind of practices by businesses that make the government and the GRA apprehensive of instituting further reform measures such as zero-rating additional items or even reducing the rate of the tax since there is no guarantee that the consumers will benefit,” Mr. Sattaur stressed.

He said the move by Namilco has borne out the GRA’s position that even if the tax is reduced, businesses will not pass on the benefit to consumers contrary to claims that a reduction in the VAT rate will bring relief to consumers.

The GRA maintains its position that the introduction of VAT should have resulted in reduced prices since it replaces six taxes which had higher rates than the 16 per cent now applied and it is a shame that businesses would use the VAT system to exploit consumers.

&If only businesses are prepared to pass on the benefits to consumers we would have a more vibrant economy that would be prosperous for businesses and consumers alike,” he said.

The Commissioner-General is therefore urging consumer bodies to get on board and intervene to ensure that consumers exercise and enjoy their rights in a free market system.

&In the market, the consumer is king. He can choose what he buys and where he buys,” the GRA head said.

Five held in East Coast murder
FIVE persons are in custody following the brutal murder Tuesday night of 46 year-old Jairam Balgobin of Pigeon Island Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara.

Police said Balgobin’s body bore marks of violence to his neck and face.

His sister, Hansrani Balgobin, 41, told the Guyana Chronicle that her brother’s throat was slit with a cutlass about 17:00 hrs on Tuesday afternoon by a man who is known to the family.

?I was in bed about (23:00 hrs) when three policemen came to my house and asked me questions about my brother,” she cried.

The woman said that the ranks even asked if her sibling was a thief.

She added that her brother was a labourer employed at a chicken farm but was in the habit of imbibing heavily.

&#xspite being this way, he was not a troublemaker,” she explained.

Mrs. Balgobin pointed out that her brother used to live with her, her six children and husband but did odd jobs around the neighbourhood and insisted he was not a thief.

?The policemen told me that my brother was chopped on the shoulder and he had to get surgery before they left, but I did not know he was killed until later,” she cried.

Balgobin was murdered at a house he frequents at Success Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara, a short distance from where he lived.

At the time of his demise, Balgobin and a group of people who reside at the premises were reportedly arguing over money when he was chopped and got his throat slit.

Scottish teacher died from multiple injuries
A post mortem examination on the body of Scottish teacher, Pamela McCarroll, revealed that she died from multiple injuries as a result of a fall.

The young woman, a volunteer attached to Project Trust, died tragically when she fell on Monday while rock-climbing at Tutuwau Falls, South Central Rupununi.

The 18-year-old had a stint of one year in Guyana as a teacher attached to St. Ignatius Secondary School, Lethem, and was expected home in August this year.

Her lifeless body was flown to the city in a body bag to the Lyken Funeral Parlour about 16:00 h on Monday.

Police said the teacher and a friend went rock-climbing about 14:00 h Monday when she fell and sustained injuries but was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Lethem Regional Hospital.

McCarroll was one of 5,500 volunteers to twenty-five countries annually and is widely respected as one of the most experienced and professional gap year organisations in Britain.

McCarroll’s body will be flown to her homeland for burial.

Guyana has taken note of Latin America developments
- Foreign Minister Insanally
THE Guyana Government has taken note and has been receiving general information on the recent developments in Latin America, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Rudy Insanally said yesterday.

He had been asked, by the Guyana Chronicle, for a comment on local concern about happenings in neighbouring Venezuela.

News reports, three days ago, said Venezuela President Hugh Chavez ordered troops to his country’s border with Colombia and activated the Air Force and Navy, following a Colombian raid on Ecuador that killed several FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels, including one of its top leaders.

Reminding that the 20th Summit of the Rio Group will convene in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic, tomorrow, Insanally said it is possible the issue will be discussed there.

He said it would be useful for Guyana, with President Bharrat Jagdeo in attendance, to hear from the parties concerned who are also members of the grouping, before commenting.

Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador are part of the Rio Group which was established in 1986 and has a membership of 20 Latin American States, among them Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

Thousands of Guyanese live in Venezuela, with which Guyana has cordial diplomatic relations. (Wendella Davidson)

President Jagdeo assents to Firearms (Amendment) Bill
THE administration’s commitment to curb the use of illicit weapons has been further demonstrated with President Bharrat Jagdeo’s assent to the Firearms (Amendment) Bill.

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee made this disclosure Tuesday during his presentation in the National Assembly on the debate of the 2008 National Budget.

“President Jagdeo has already assented to the Firearm (Amendment) Bill. After the approval of its estimates, I intend to sign the Order bringing into force the provisions of the Act and making them effective in respect of penalties for being in possession of illegal firearms. The nation must take note,” Minister Rohee said.

The Bill was passed in the National Assembly stipulating increases in fines and penalties for persons who are found in possession of unlicensed firearms. One of the penalties is the refusal of bail for persons who are charged.

The amended Firearms Act stipulates that any person who purchases, acquires or has any firearm or ammunition without holding a firearm licence in force at the time, will be fined between $50,000 and $100,000. If found guilty, a fine between $150,000 and $500, 000 together with imprisonment for 10 years will be enforced.

The Firearms (Amendment) Bill was last revised in 1993, having been enacted in 1940.

Minister Rohee told the members of the House that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has confiscated a number of illegal weapons.

“Last year the Police seized a total of 144 firearms. For this year, a total of 20 firearms have been seized. We support the Police in their ongoing campaign to haul in these illegal weapons,” Minister Rohee asserted.

During the period 1 January to 8 November, 126 illegal weapons were seized.

Meanwhile, still speaking on the issue of weapons, Minister Rohee called for the Leader of the PNCR, Robert Corbin, to make a comprehensive statement on the guns that were issued by the army to the PNCR Ministry of Mobilisation during the 1970s and which were not returned.

I believe that it would be a good gesture if the Hon. Member Mr. Corbin was to assure this Honourable House that immediately after this Budget is passed, he would make the much anticipated, comprehensive statement to the nation which he had promised to make on the matter. The nation needs to know what happened to the weapons,” Rohee asserted.

Somebody is desperately trying to get this very important matter of the unaccounted weapons off the radar but it would not go away so easily,” he declared. (GINA)

Construction of modern US$4M lab on schedule
By Sahodra Rampersaud
CONSTRUCTION of the modern US$4M laboratory in Guyana is on schedule with completion slated for June 2008.

Briefing the media following a tour yesterday by Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Guyana, Ms. Karen Williams, Chief of Party of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Guyana, Dr. La Mar Hasbrouck said at the end of the project the three-story building will house the laboratory, as well as the Genito Urinary Medicine (GUM) Clinic and hopefully serve as a hub for the Caribbean.

“Our role really is to help construct the facility and help the Ministry in identifying staffing and training needs and then to back off and hand this over to the people of Guyana and then support it from a technical level…this will not only be a centre of excellence for Guyana, but the Caribbean Region as well,” he said.

The National Reference Laboratory is being constructed with funding from the United States Government under President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief at Thomas and New Market streets (GPHC Compound).

The 1500 square metred structure is expected to be handed over to Guyana on July 4, 2008.

Minister Ramsammy acknowledged that the laboratory will not have the capacity to conduct every test necessary, particularly those that are not cost effective and for these Guyana would continue to rely on the CDC.

However, he noted that it will certainly improve the array of services being offered at present by the Georgetown Public Hospital laboratory.

Among these improved capacities would be the ability to determine the common types of poisons used in murder cases.

“That’s the function of a public health lab as opposed to say GPHC lab, which is exclusively a clinical lab. The National Reference Lab is for high end type of services. We will determine all the different laboratory functions we need in our country,” Minister Ramsammy said.

He further explained that the National Reference Laboratory will be a lead lab for the network of labs including the Food and Drug laboratory at the Ministry of Health.

Commenting on the staffing needs, Minister Ramsammy said the actual laboratory work requires about 30-40 persons to work under a management team of skilled persons.

“We recognised that a laboratory at the level we are talking about we don’t have persons in country with the experience and so whilst the construction is being competed, we will provide training and exposure to these individuals, he said.

The CDC will provide support to mentor the person to be in charge of the lab when it is completed.

He also disclosed that graduates from the University of Guyana would be included in the staffing.

Ten GDF soldiers injured in crash, two hospitalised
TEN Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers were injured yesterday when an Army vehicle and a truck collided on Supply Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

Two of them were admitted patients at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where all were rushed after the 07:40 h accident.

The others were treated and sent away following the admission of Kevin Washington, 21, of Lot 88 David Rose Street, Bagotville, West Bank Demerara and Kenny Vallet, 20, of Lot 215 Non Pariel, East Coast Demerara.

The rest who suffered minor injuries are Jermaine Whyte, 22 of Lot 69 Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge and Damon Thom, 19, of Lot 16 Howes Street, Charlestown, also in the city; Travin Hilliman, 30, of Lot 21 Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara; Kevin Maynard, 28, of Lot 82 Bagotville, Selnor Narine, 20, of Lot 69 Parika, East Bank Essequibo; Kester Alli, 19, of Lot 10 Perth, Mahaicony, another East Coast Demerara village; Dularam Sooklall, 31, of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice and 33-year-old Mark Alexander (no address given).

Women stabilising an insecure world
(By Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU-Commissioner for external relations and European neighbourhood policy, and Margot Wallström, vice president EU Commission, responsible for institutional relations and communication)

THE role of women in promoting peace and security is increasingly acknowledged, with UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women and Peace and Security as a crucial reference point, though much still remains to be done at all levels to implement this resolution.

On the eve of the International Women’s Day, more than 50 international women leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss the role of women in stabilising an insecure world.

As we write this, in the spring 2008, it is hard to imagine a world without war. Every day, we hear reports of new conflicts, of escalating tension and violence. And in any situation of insecurity, from war to health threats to climate change, women are often disproportionately affected because of their traditionally more vulnerable position in the society.

80 percent of the world’s refugees are women and children. Sexual violence and rape are prevalent in regions of war as well as in refugee camps. We cannot talk about the role of women in conflict resolution without acknowledging this terrible reality.

At the same time, we need to remember that women are also key actors promoting peace and stability.

Security cannot be effectively discussed or achieved without the involvement of women.

Women’s participation is crucial not only in the more traditional “hard” security spheres like war efforts, peace-building, post-conflict reconstruction and counter-terrorism, but also countering “softer” human security threats such as global epidemics, psychological health during and post-war, and the emerging concerns of climate change and environmental degradation.

Today (March 6), more than 50 women leaders from all continents will meet in Brussels on invitation of Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner to discuss about "Women: stabilising an insecure world".

Female heads of states, ministers, and heads of international organisations, business leaders, and civil society activists will discuss the twin themes of security and women's empowerment.

This international conference for women political leaders builds on recent initiatives including the meeting hosted by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last September in New York and the International Women Leaders Global Security Summit last November, hosted by the Council of Women World leaders where Commission vice-president Margot Wallström is chairing the Council Ministerial Initiative.

We believe the key to a stable world is sustainable development. It is about stabilising an insecure world and finding the right combination of economic growth and social progress, while at the same time caring for our planet.

Without education you cannot have social stability. Yet there are currently around 100 million children not getting any education at all – and more than 70 million are girls. That we have to change.

Another important instrument to stabilise the world is the UN Resolution 1325 on Women’s Role in Peace building and security that links gender equality to global security and acknowledges the importance of women’s voices in building lasting peace.

This resolution is a milestone on the road to more gender-sensitive peace processes and security policies. Though the implementation of the resolution is a long-term political process it must receive more attention throughout the EU and in the various member states, in particular among decision makers in the fields of foreign, defence, security and development policy. Since the adoption of the resolution in 2000 awareness of the importance of including women in peace and reconstruction process has grown. Yet implementation of its mandate remains sporadic and ad hoc.

Women make a difference, in part because they adopt a more inclusive approach toward security and address key social and economic issues that would otherwise be ignored.

Women can make peace agreements and post-conflict efforts more viable, effective, and practical by engaging in a wide variety of actions, including but not limited to participating in peace talks; rehabilitating children associated with armed groups; convening people across conflict lines to discuss common concerns such as access to clean water; and advocating budget priorities that emphasize social services rather than military expenditures.

Women also have a great deal to offer to the planning and execution of weapons collection, demobilization and reintegration programs. Women’s organisations are very active at the community level in both disarmament and reintegration initiatives.

Whether persuading fighters to disarm, collecting weapons or providing psycho-social assistance to former combatants, women’s civil society groups such as ProPaz in Mozambique or Dushirehamwe in Burundi are attempting to address the proliferation of small arms as well as the impact and needs of former combatants.

But despite the general consensus to protect and empower women, they remain marginalized in decision-making, peace-building and peacekeeping operations. Under-representation of women in politics still persists worldwide, including in Europe. Only six percent of ministers worldwide and 10 percent of parliamentarians are women. And we all know that the famous "glass ceiling" is still in place, be it in politics or economy.

Baring women from full participation at the decision making levels are significant barriers to achieving Resolution 1325’s goals. There is also a widespread problem of simply viewing women as victims and not recognizing their potential as active participants in the process of building a more stable and secure world.

GCAA/workers issue in the balance
THE Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) yesterday said the outstanding payment to its workers is being negotiated and apart from a few workers who reported ill, the rest resumed duty and operations went on as per normal.

According to sources, the workers are awaiting word from the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) whether to embark on further industrial action.

The Guyana Chronicle made several attempts to contact the union on the status of the issue but efforts proved futile.

The GCAA Air Traffic Control (ATC) staff at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and Ogle Airport staged a “sick-out” on Friday last after Transport and Hydraulics Minister, Robeson Benn, allegedly suspended the payment of outstanding monies to employees.

Its technicians joined the ATCs on Saturday as well as on Sunday and this newspaper understands that the two sets of workers resumed duties yesterday.

The money issue between the GCAA management and workers started last year after it was discovered that employees had not been paid their correct salaries since 2003.

Guyana’s birdwatching trip a success
- according to international tour operator
Eagle Eye Tours, a Canadian tour operator that specialises in worldwide birdwatching trips, recently completed its first group tour to Guyana.

The tour that took place from January 10-20 was added to the company’s roster of destinations after co-owner and tour guide, Richard Knapton, came to Guyana as part of a birdwatching product familiarisation trip sponsored by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Guyana Trade and Investment Support (GTIS) project Birding Tourism Programme.

The North American participants spent eleven days in Guyana, with birdwatching stops at Georgetown Botanical Gardens, Iwokrama Field Station, Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, Surama Village, Rock View Lodge, Wowetta Village, Karanambu Ranch, Kaieteur Falls and Shanklands Rainforest Resort.

Mr. Knapton, who has led tours to more than 20 countries in his 20 years spent as a guide, led the group along with several Guyanese birdwatching guides.

Reflecting on the recent trip, Knapton said that Guyana may not have the same number of species as other South American countries such as Ecuador and Peru, but “there are superlative groups of birds in Guyana, with standouts like the Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock and Harpy Eagle.”

Knapton also added that, “many birdwatchers want to see Guiana Shield species…and this makes Guyana a highly competitive [birding] destination.”

Of the birds seen in Guyana, he said his clients were very pleased with the variety of species they saw on their trip, with too many highlights to list.

Knapton also pointed out that many were pleased to see such healthy populations of Macaws in the interior, as “it’s an indication of pristine forest that is unfragmented.” Continuing on this note, Knapton added that, “One of the real beauties of Guyana is to fly south over the forest and see it unbroken from horizon to horizon.”

is extremely reassuring,” he said.

Mr. Knapton first came to Guyana in November 2006 on a familiarisation trip with several other international tour operators and media.

When asked if this had an impact on his company’s decision to create a tour to Guyana, he said, “Absolutely. It’s our policy to be [personally] familiar with a destination.”

Eagle Eye Tours began designing and selling a Guyana tour immediately after the trip, and while the normal turnaround time to advertise and sell a new destination is one year, Knapton reports that he was very pleased with how quickly the Guyana tour sold out.

Noting that Eagle Eye has already received interest in their next Guyana tour planned for January 2009, he said this “speaks volumes for the destination.”

And then clarified by adding, “There is a darn good chance of Guyana becoming a hot Neotropical birdwatching destination.”

The Birding Tourism Programme is receiving support from GTIS, a joint project of the Government of Guyana and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

WPO advocates day of reflection on March 8
THE Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), an arm of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP), has issued a call for all Guyanese to commemorate March 8 (Saturday) as a day of reflection and commitment, when Guyana joins in the observance of International Women’s Day.

A WPO release said it is a day to draw attention and raise awareness of the struggles for women’s rights and equality and celebrate the achievements that have been gained to date.

It said many have used this platform to demonstrate their desire for improved living and working conditions and overall democratic transformations, as well as international solidarity, peace and social progress.

The release said the WPO, since its inception, has dedicated March 8 as a day to specifically focus on the plight and achievements of Guyanese women.

&Dr. Cheddi Jagan, late Leader and Co-Founder of the PPP and Cde. Janet Jagan, President of the WPO and also Co-Founder of the party, realised that there could not be democracy and development without the full and equal participation of women in every aspect of life – political, economic, social and cultural.

&This paradigm has since guided and inspired the WPO to work for the betterment of our people and specifically our Guyanese women and children.

&We are also conscious of struggles and challenges of our sister organisations across the globe and to whom we extend our unconditional support and solidarity,” the statement said.

It further noted that the recent massacres at Lusignan and Bartica have brought to the fore many new challenges, including the need to protect, at all cost, women and children from further tragedies of this nature.

&The healing of the family survivors and overcoming the psychological trauma will probably be a lifelong process. The WPO would like the grieving families and friends to know that their entire membership stand by them in this most trying time.

&They also wholeheartedly support the initiatives of the Ministry of Human Services in providing counselling and other forms of assistance to those affected.

&As we commemorate March 8, we must also take cognisance of the advancements of Guyanese women over the years. According to 2002 statistics, over fifty per cent of the Guyanese workforce are women; females made up sixty-five per cent of UG graduates in 2002; forty-six per cent and forty-three per cent of our judges and magistrates, respectively, are women. Many more examples could be cited, including women holding high level positions in the Legislature, Judiciary and the executive arms of government,” the WPO pointed out.

Nevertheless, many challenges remain, the statement said, declaring that the large percentage of female-headed households (29.5 per cent) is alarming and brings to the fore many economic and social issues.

&So, also, are the issues of violence against women and the spread of HIV/AIDS. While the Government programmes, such as the national consultation on ‘Stamp it out’ and NAPS are doing commendable work, it is imperative that all Guyanese join to rid our society of the scourge of disease and violence.

Attitudinal change is the single most important factor which will bring success to any intervention,” the statement said, reminding of the day of reflection on achievements and challenges and urging a commitment to become an active part of the process for continued transformation, peace and social progress in Guyana.

During Budget debate…
Nandlall gives details of US$25M justice modernisation plan
THE Government of Guyana and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have entered into two loan agreements for the modernisation of the Justice Administration System.

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Anil Nandlall gave details of it Monday, during debate on the 2008 National Budget in the National Assembly.

He informed Parliament that the main objective of the US$25M programme is to enlarge the investment climate and rights enforcement in this country, through improved Public Sector governance.

Nandlall explained that, in order to achieve this higher order objective, the scheme is reflective of the identified three main pillars in the Justice Sector Reform Strategy (JSRS) namely:

* strengthening the accountability and administrative efficiency of service delivery in the justice system;

* enhancing linkages and coordination within the justice institutions and

* improving access to justice.

Nandlall said, towards those aims; the process has been organised into two components:

* a policy based one supported by a policy based loan of US$15M and

* an investment and technical support one supported by an investment loan of US$10M.

The investment aspect will help to implement policy reform and support initial capacity building activities in justice sector institutions, he pointed out.

Nandlall noted that the aim of this strategy is to assist in improving the accountability, efficiency and accessibility of Guyana’s justice sector and activities will focus on a number of policy reforms, including legislative and administrative elements.

He said, too, that a number of benchmarks have been identified and they would constitute the basis for the release of the two tranches of finance for it.

Nandlall told the House the investment and technical support part will fund actions that will bolster the achievement of the reform benchmarks, which would be directed to the operational improvement of the leading justice institutions.