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President Jagdeo appeals for S.A. peace
-- Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela end conflict
COLOMBIA, Ecuador and Venezuela ended a dispute yesterday shaking hands at the Rio Group Summit at which President Bharrat Jagdeo called for peace after a week of troop buildups that also saw several countries cutting ties with Colombia.

“(An) important prerequisite for development is peace and good neighbourliness in our region. In fact it was one of the reasons why the Rio Group came into being,” President Jagdeo said in an address to the summit in the Dominican Republic capital city Santo Domingo.

“We must all therefore recommit ourselves to these ideals and act accordingly – and I do hope that this spirit pervades this meeting, President Jagdeo said amidst fears that the border trouble could dilute discussions of the grouping.

Leftist Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa stood up and shook hands with his U.S.-backed Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe just before saying: “This incident that has caused so much damage would be resolved.”

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who had blamed the United States for the crisis as he sent tanks to the border with U.S.-ally Colombia, joined in shaking Uribe's hand vigorously, applauding loudly and smiling broadly.

The resolution of the dispute, which erupted on Saturday when Colombia raided inside Ecuador to kill a commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, was a surprise ending to the summit.

The handshakes were broadcast live on television across Latin America in response to a special request from summit host Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez, news agency Reuters reported.

The conflict was expected to escalate as earlier Uribe and Correa clashed at the meeting.

Chavez asked Uribe to set aside their differences and work together for peace.

“Let us move far away from war and work for peace,” he was quoted by a Dominican Republic news report as saying, after denying funding the FARC guerrilla.

President Correa began his turn at the Rio Group Summit calling the crisis a "gravely serious problem facing the Latin American region," but Fernandez stopped him short and suggested instead a vote on allowing new members.

“The region lives in a situation of extremely serious emergency and must be dealt with at length," he said, and began showing maps of Colombia´s military incursions.

Correa had called his conservative Colombian counterpart a liar after he accused him of links to guerrillas.The crisis had spread across the region with leftist allies Venezuela and Nicaragua joining Ecuador in cutting diplomatic ties with Colombia, while Venezuela and Ecuador poured troops to their borders against the strongest U.S. ally in the region.

The Rio Group is a political mechanism integrated by 20 countries including Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. Guyana had expressed intention of becoming a permanent member of the grouping.

President Jagdeo said Guyana’s hosting of the XIX Summit of the Group last year brought Latin America and the Caribbean, long divided by different languages and separate histories, much closer than they have ever been to the goal of integration.

Mr. Jagdeo said the Dominican Republic’s choice to focus attention on the question of energy, natural disasters and the disastrous impact which these can have on our development as a right move.

“In the face of spiraling oil prices, we have no option but to find ways and means to lessen the financial and societal burden which we now bear. We should join forces to develop and invest in an energy infrastructure that would advance the objective of regional energy integration and regional energy security,” Mr. Jagdeo charged.

He called for greater promotion in the use of cleaner and innovative technologies that would reduce the harm now done to our fragile environment.

The Guyanese leader noted that Caribbean and Latin American countries are now more vulnerable to natural disasters, with some small islands of the Caribbean and some countries in Central America regularly devastated by hurricanes.

“As a low-lying coastal state, my own country is particularly prone to frequent flooding which whenever it occurs, takes a disastrous toll on our economy,” Mr. Jagdeo told the meeting.

The floods of 2005, which devastated the coastland, saw the country loosing the equivalent of 60% of GDP, the President said. He said Guyana would be pleased to participate in the Working Groups set up to address these challenges of diverting badly needed resources for development to emergency disaster spending.

Mr. Jagdeo touched too on poverty, saying it remains unacceptably high.

“Much more remains to be done in all the major social sectors – such as education, healthcare and for our children’s welfare.

“It is therefore incumbent on us, both at the local and regional levels, to generate new policies and programmes of cooperation aimed at addressing these issues.

“Commitment must be translated to specific action,” Mr. Jagdeo said.

Security Sector Reform Action Plan moves apace --Police complete first training programme
POLICE officers from the various Police divisions have completed the first training programme under the British funded Security Sector Reform Action Plan (SSRAP).

The training was facilitated by Mr.Tod O'Brien, a consultant from the British government’s National Policing Improvement Agency.

"What you are doing is a vitally important job. You are the interface between the Police Force and the public", Deputy British High Commissioner Malcolm Kirk told Police ranks at the closing of the three-day training seminar.

Participants for the seminar were drawn from the Guyana Police Force Operations Room at Brickdam, B Division (Berbice), C Division (East

Coast Demerara), D Division (West Demerara), E Division (Linden), G Division (Essequibo) and the Force Control Unit at Eve Leary.

Twenty-six ranks were trained.

In his short address, the Deputy High Commissioner noted that the training was the culmination of efforts by the British High Commission and the Government of Guyana to implement recommendations outlined in the SSRAP.

According to Kirk, the training session will not be the end of the process but at sometime in the future an assessment will be made to

determine whether the training had “taken root”.

Mr. Obrien reminded the participants that the only thing standing between them and greatness was themselves.

In addition to the training, the units were also provided with communications equipment to enhance their operations.

Computers are being installed at the Brickdam Operations Room and very soon it is envisaged that a public education campaign will be launched to educate persons on the importance of the 911 police emergency telephone number.

Also present for the closing was Commander of A Division Assistant Commissioner Welton Trotz who expressed appreciation on behalf of the entire Police Force for the training and equipment provided.

He said efforts would be made to bring the other divisions on par with the Brickdam station.

He reminded the participants that they are there to serve the public and when persons call they expect help and advise.

"You have been trained and you are able to respond," Trotz said.

It was noted that many ‘crank’ calls are placed by persons to the 911number and according to the Assistant Commissioner legislation will soon be tabled in the National Assembly to address this.

Hinckson, Massay still detained
THE two former Guyana Defence Force officers (GDF), Oliver Hinckson and Dorian Massay, whom the Police detained early Wednesday morning from Hinckson’s Meadowbrook, Georgetown home, were still in Police custody up to press time last night, according to attorney-at-law, Gregory Gaskin.

The two men, according to Gaskin, a retired GDF Lieutenant Colonel and one of several attorneys looking into their interest, were still being questioned by the Police, who up to last night had not laid any charges against them.

Cabinet Secretary and Secretary to the Defence Board, Dr Roger Luncheon, in responding to a query about the detention of the men at his weekly press-briefing on Thursday, had said that it is no secret that many of the (criminal) gangs have benefited from the presence of former members of the joint services.

Luncheon who said he believed that Hinckson and Massay were being held in relation to criminal matters for which they were wanted by the Police, made mention of the late Linden ‘Blackie’ London, a former soldier who was killed in a guest house in Eccles, during a shoot-out with the joint services, though he said he was not making any links.

He said too that there are other ex-servicemen who the Police want in relation to criminal charges and that once their whereabouts are known, they too would be arrested.

Hinckson and another ex-soldier James Gibson began making headlines when they were detained on June 6, 2007 during the heightened search for the 33 AK- 47 and five pistols that were stolen from the Camp Ayanganna arms store in 2006.

The GDF had issued wanted bulletins for the two men who were subsequently arrested at 115 Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt.

At the time of their arrest the Joint Services were also searching private homes for then wanted Roger Khan, who is now in a jail in New York, awaiting trial on several charges in relations to importing cocaine into that country.

Hinckson and Gibson were subsequently jointly charged with possession of a .38 pistol and 12 matching rounds, along with 27 12-guage shotgun cartridges allegedly found at the Aubrey Barker premises.

Hinckson got into more controversy after he made scathing remarks at a press conference hosted by Mayor Hamilton Green.

Massay, a little-known-of GDF officer came to prominence when he found himself on the other side of the law while studying at the prestigious Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in London.

Once Massay arrived home, the Army subsequently parted ways with him.

Violence against women increasing
- Human Services calls for national action
THERE is increasing incidence of violence against Guyanese women and girls, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security said yesterday and called for national action across all divides to confront the problem.

The Ministry’s statement comes as Guyana joins the rest of the world in observing International Women’s Day.

“The reality is that our women and girls are becoming increasingly vulnerable in our society today,” the Ministry stated, noting that violence against women and girls are particularly reprehensible when committed by employers, partners and even relatives.

“The time has come to break through those walls of silence and turn legal norms into reality in women's lives,” the Ministry stated.

“That means, society as a whole must take responsibility and work for enduring change in values and attitudes,” the Ministry added, pointing out that governments and international organizations must operate in close partnership with social services, voluntary and professional organizations, private sector and the broader public.

“It means we must all, women and men, work for a transformation in relations between women and men at all levels of society,” the Ministry stated, calling for women to make a change.

“Let us not give up hope. We still have a battle ahead. We have to make a difference,” the Ministry stated.

As Guyana observes International Women’s Day, the Ministry said Guyanese must pause and reflect “on our achievements, our disappointments and our failures.” It said much attention must be given to gender issues from all sectors and there must be a commitment from all.”

The Ministry said the social upliftment and economic justices for women, especially at the "grass roots" level, must be resolved.

“It is also an opportunity to unite, network and mobilize for meaningful change,” the Ministry stated.

“Until women and men work together to secure the rights and full potential of women, lasting solutions to the world's most serious social, economic and political problems are unlikely to be found,” the Ministry added.

Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon on February 25, 2008 launched a global campaign to end violence against women, counting on advocates of government, civil society and the UN to carry the message around the world.

The Ministry called on Guyanese to work towards this commitment, saying far too often the crimes go unpunished and the perpetrators walk free.

“Let us help to reach our destination to end violence against women and girls everywhere,” the Ministry stated.

“Let us commit and recommit ourselves in 2008 to work together as a people of a nation to bring about the changes we would like to achieve and the goals for a better future.”

CARICOM heads open Bahamas meeting
- SG Carrington calls for unity to combat crime
UNITY of purpose and action is essential not only in the quest to maximise the Community benefits for its citizens, but also to surmount the serious threat crime posed to regional societies, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Mr. Edwin Carrington said yesterday.

Delivering opening remarks at the Nineteenth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM at the Sheraton Cable Beach Hotel, Nassau, The Bahamas, the Secretary-General stressed that time was not on the Region’s side, particularly with regard to safeguarding the security of the Community and to achieving the goal of a Single Market and Economy in the agreed timeframe.

Recalling the unity that was evident among Member States in the successful staging of Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 in the Region, Mr. Carrington charged Heads of State and Government “and all of us to put our shoulders to the wheel and redouble our efforts and to take our integration arrangements to a higher level. And time is not on our side.”

Some of the key agenda items of the Meeting are recommendations on the operationalisation of the CARICOM Development Fund (RDF) and the Regional Development Agency (RDA), proposals on the alleviation of the high and rising cost of living, and suggestions on the way forward regarding future external trade negotiations.

Mr. Carrington said that he hoped the lessons learnt from the recently concluded negotiations for the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM and the EC would strengthen the Region as it moves towards upcoming new negotiations.

In his remarks, the Secretary-General also specially welcomed the Conference of Heads of Government Mr. David Thompson, Prime Minister of Barbados and Mr. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize.

Twelve of the fifteen members of the Conference of Heads of Government are attending the Inter-Sessional meeting.

Also attending the meeting are Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, who will be bidding farewell to the leaders as his term expires later this year, and the Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Dr Jacques Diouf.

The Inter-Sessional is the last in a series of meetings which began last Thursday 28 February in Jamaica with the Reflections Group on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) concluded with the European Union (EU) and continued in Nassau from Monday with Meetings of the Councils for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and Finance and Planning (COFAP).

Among the items on the agenda are the establishment of the Single Economy and in particular the start of operations of the CARICOM Development Fund, including the Regional Development Agency, on which the Leaders will receive recommendations from the COFAP following Thursday’s meeting of that council.

Other matters relative to the operations of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy which will engage the attention of the Heads of Government include the Free Movement of Skills and hassle free travel.

The Leaders will receive recommendations from COTED on Poverty and the Cost of Living including the list of food items upon which the Common External Tariff could be adjusted in order to have an effect on prices in the Region. Preparations for the proposed Agriculture Investment Forum to be held later this year will also be considered.

Crime and Security will feature prominently in the discussions including a review of the Security Legacy of the Cricket World Cup 2007 which was staged in the Caribbean.

Internationally, developments related to the conduct of External Trade Negotiations, with emphasis on the implementation of the EPA, is on the agenda with the results of the meeting of the Reflections Group and the COTED informing the discussion.

The direction of future negotiations will be looked at in the light of the experiences with the EPA.

A draft programme for this year’s follow-up to the 2007 Conference on the Caribbean held in Washington D.C., USA will be presented to the Heads of Government.
The proposed venue for the follow-up Conference is New York.

GUYOIL loses fuel worth $millions in Providence fire
A FIRE at its Providence, East Bank Demerara bulk terminal, yesterday led to GUYOIL losing fuel worth millions of dollars.

But prompt response, by the Guyana Fire Service, to the call shortly noon, averted what could have been a major catastrophe.

Officials refused reporters entry to the compound and declined to speak to the media. However, Minister of Labour, Mr. Manzoor Nadir, whose portfolio includes Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), gave a briefing on what happened.

He said an initial assessment revealed that there was some negligence on the part of workers doing remedial work on fuel lines.

Nadir said there had been a minor spillage sometime previously and welding was being done near to where some fuel remained in an open drain.

Flames from the welder’s torch ignited fumes emanating from the water and caused the blaze, he explained.

According to Nadir, the damage was “not too extensive.”

He said, though, that the other issue of concern surrounded major works being undertaken without the warranted presence of a lot of back-up firefighting materials.

However, that requirement was not met and it constituted a serious breach of OH&S procedures, the minister pointed out.

Nadir said that the firefighters and GUYOIL staffers did a really good job of containing the flames and put them out within about 25 minutes, effectively preventing the conflagration from spreading.

Officials of MACORP, a Caterpillar company East of GUYOIL, declared that the situation could have been avoided if more care was exercised and they called for OH&S inspectors to check and ensure the relevant standards are met.

They claimed there is a strong likelihood that the spilled fuel remaining in the drain could lead to the contamination of nearby Demerara River and create other hazards.

Minister Nadir said inspectors would carry out an inspection, as it is important that more attention be paid to safety.

He implored workers to take safety procedures seriously and lamented that, in many places, people issued with protective gear do not always wear them.

Nadir, who was one of the first persons to arrive at the GUYOIL scene, said he was travelling along the East Bank and quickly diverted course on seeing smoke billowing upwards.

Witnesses said the spilling which took place at GUYOIL before yesterday resulted in at least 90 barrels of fuel accumulating in the drain and employees were retrieving it by pumping back into the main when the sparks from a welding torch started the fire.

MACORP had evacuated its staffers and removed merchandise from its compound while firefighters battled to extinguish the flames.

City Hall presents $1.9B budget
THE Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) yesterday presented a $1.9B budget to run the capital city this year, with major allocations to the City Engineer’s Department and the City Constabulary.

Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Council’s finance committee, Mr. Robert Williams, presented the budget under the theme, ‘Strategic positioning of the Mayor and City Council for major improvement in the delivery of services to the Citizens of Georgetown within limited financial and other resources for 2008.’

The City Engineer’s Department received an allocation of $538M, while the City Constabulary was budgeted the next highest amount of $360M. For solid waste management $307M was allocated, while the Public Health Department was allocated $190M. The Town Clerk’s Department was allocated $312M and the City Treasurer’s Department $90M. For the upkeep of the city’s markets $152M has been budgeted.

Addressing the media at City Hall, Mr. Williams underscored the objectives of the financial plan as being:

* the provision and administration of services which promote and enhance the health, security and well-being of the citizens of Georgetown;

* the pursuance of an attractive, safe and healthily environment in the city;

* the mobilisation of financial, human, legal and other resources in pursuit of those objectives and as far as possible, engaging the collaboration of the citizens in these activities;

* the consideration and implementation of decentralisation in the latter half of this year.

He explained that the budget is in keeping with the mission of the M&CC and its objectives, and assumes the maximum revenue collection, human resource capacity and timely procurement of materials and supplies.

Williams noted that maximum revenue collection is high on the agenda for 2008.

The collections to be focused on include all property taxes budgeted for the year

2008. He said the Council will also pursue new revenue sources to broaden the council’s revenue base.

He further alluded that the Human Resources Capacity serves to determine the level of services and facilities to be provided for 2008 and pursuance of the capacity by:

* assessing the ability of the current staff to deliver on the agreed services and reassigned accordingly;

* examining the availability and utilisation of competent or skilled staff to deliver quality service to citizens;

* examining the percentage of contractual private arrangement that exist and to determine if council is getting value for money;

* examining the Industrial Relations climate and the level of partnership and/or ownership of the process to deliver the services while existing conditions of service will be reviewed in the context of the new approach.

Meanwhile, the procurement of materials and supplies will be further examined to ensure the following:

* there are monthly programmes of work agreed upon two weeks in advance;

* all materials and supplies are in place at least one week before work begins;

* the pursuance of better relationships with contractors and the utilisation of the line of credit to the maximum;

* the procurement of materials for councillors to execute projects in local communities.

“A major ingredient in all of this is our ability to sell our programmes and projects to the citizens in a way that can engender buy-in and support; public awareness and public communication are the pillars for such achievement,” he emphasised.

Sale of Licences begins Monday
THE Licence Revenue Office and other regional offices will begin the sale of Trade, Miscellaneous and Annual Revenue Licence on Monday, March 10, 2008, the Guyana Revenue Authority announced yesterday.

Among those who will be required to have their licences taken out or renewed are:-

(1) Gas Station Owners

(2) Cargo Vessel owners

(3) Money Lenders or Pawn Shop Licence owners

(4) General Shop/Internet Café/ Lumber Yard owners

(5) Cinema owners

(6) Ball and Dance promoters

(7) Video club owners

(8) Butcher Shop owners including market butcher shop owners

(9) Market drug store owners

(10) Motor vehicles and motor cycles owners

Director of the Licence Revenue Office, Mr. Whentworth Tanner, said these licences will be sold at the prescribed rate, which remains the same as that of last year.

A grace period of three months which ends on June 10, 2008 is given to those who are required to have these licences.

Persons who fail to comply and observe the established grace period will be subject to penalties based on the category under which they fall. This penalty may be up to 45% of the Licence fee price.

Applicants are reminded that they MUST have their Taxpayer Identification Number before any of the above mentioned transactions can be processed.

According to Mr. Tanner persons who are in possession of their TIN would be able to have their transactions completed within a short period. However depending on the demand of persons without TIN, those persons may not be required to complete their transaction immediately.

He is urging persons to present their TIN certificates or produce their TIN number to the officer for speedy processing.

GRA intensifies efforts to fight tax fraud
- new procedure for trailer licences
THE Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced that applicants for trailer licences and persons requiring copies of allegedly lost drivers’ licences and certificates of registration will now be subject to new procedures including thorough verification.

The Authority yesterday said that the new procedure, which took effect on February 25, is part of its steadfast efforts to stamp out tax fraud and other illegal practices of some vehicle owners.

The procedure will now be concluded at the end of five working days, said Mr. Whentworth Tanner, Director (ag.) Licence Revenue Office. This, he said, is to facilitate a thorough verification exercise before re-issuing the documents.

As it relates to the application process for persons desirous of registering trailers, Mr. Tanner said, applicants are now required to submit their application in writing which must be addressed to the Commissioner-General stating therein, the intended purpose of the trailer. A letter of recommendation from a recognised and related agency, based on the intended use of the trailer must accompany the application.

For example, if the vehicle is intended to be used to transport sugar cane, then the Guyana Sugar Corporation must verify that the applicant is a legitimate applicant.

Similarly, if it is to be used in the rice sector, a letter of recommendation from a recognised miller or the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) must accompany the application. This requirement is intended to authenticate the applicant’s claim as the GRA intensifies its efforts to combat the illegal use of registration numbers.

According to Director of the Licence Office, there have been several discrepancies in the past whereby persons were using the registration of trailers on illegally imported motor vehicles.

This new procedure is also part of the LRO’s database sanitisation process.

Mr. Tanner has in the past expressed concerns about the prevalence of counterfeit documents and steps are moving apace to have the network system between the LRO and the Guyana Police Force fully implemented to easily intercept those involved in this illegal act.

NCW says women must take closer look ‘in’ themselves
THE National Congress of Women (NCW), the women’s arm of the People’s National Congress Reform, says women must take a closer look into themselves, “rather than at ourselves.”

“As mothers, sisters, daughters, women, we must look closely at our roles in families and in society,” the organisation said in a press statement to mark International Women’s Day.

“We must examine the contention that single mothers are to blame for dysfunctional societies while reminding ourselves that many single mothers have produced children who are worthy citizens,” NCW stated.

In saluting women, the NCW endorsed the United Nations theme for International Women’s Day 2008 – “Shaping Progress - through Investing in Women and Girls”.

It said the theme aims to inspire women and girls across the globe to look beyond their appearance – to look into themselves rather than at themselves.

It aims to make women aware of the fact that actions speak louder than appearance. By embracing this theme, women all over the world could truly celebrate IWD 2008 by reflecting on their collective and individual achievements while making plans for a better failure.

The organization adopted “Women Arise” as sub-theme for the international observance.

“Women Arise must give us the impetus to overcome difficulties which now abound in our society, through more introspection and emulation of the virtues of courage and determination in our quest for change and a better life,” the NCW stated.

The women’s organization noted that International Women’s Day 2008 comes at a time when Guyana is reflecting on the recent tragedies of Lusignan and Bartica.

“The National Congress of Women prays that the Almighty will strengthen everyone to cope with what has happened in this dear land of ours,” the organization stated.

“Even as we ask for God’s guidance we must condemn those heinous acts and hope that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

“We support the Joint Services in their quest to find those involved, but we must remind them that as they go about their search for the perpetrators, they should remember that the Human Rights of all citizens must be upheld,” the NCW stated

“For the women of the world, the Day's symbolism has a wider meaning: It is an occasion to review how far they have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development. It is also an opportunity to unite, network and mobilize for meaningful change.”

CARICOM calls for stronger commitments
THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) says there is a need for strong actors and even stronger commitments by the stakeholders to confront the ills facing women and girls.

In a message to commemorate International Women’s Day, the Secretariat said violence still remains a major cause of concern for women and girls and boys, with estimates showing that worldwide one in five women become a victim of rape or attempted rape and one in four women have been beaten or abused or will be during their lifetime.

“To achieve traction on issues such as violence against women, the prevalence of HIV and AIDS among young women, poverty and representation in decision-making bodies there is a need for strong actors and even stronger commitments by the stakeholders,” the Secretariat stated.

It said the facts are that women as a group generally have a higher incidence of poverty than men and within the CARICOM region, women’s participation in Parliament.

The Secretariat said this year’s theme “Investing in Women and Girls” reiterates the commitments made since 1995 on financing gender equality and the empowerment of women, a Millennium Development Goal.

“It has been asserted and it remains no less true that women’s empowerment is fundamental to the achievement of equality, development and peace,” the Secretariat stated.

To achieve that, it requires identification and mobilisation of resources from all sources and across all sectors, CARICOM stated.

The Secretariat said that it is essential then that adequate resources are provided to support the implementation of gender sensitive policies and programmes at the regional, national and local level that leads to a realisation of gender equality and empowerment of women.

“Addressing women’s inequality in employment, unequal access to productive assets and increased time burdens due to women’s unpaid work can help accelerate economic growth and pro-poor growth, “ CARICOM stated.

Budget proposals include for aggressive tourism promotion
-- Prashad
MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad said Thursday that the 2008 National Budget reflects the thrust and expectations of the people and provisions to boost the tourism sector.

Speaking during debate on the financial measure in the National Assembly, he said it would also pave the way for a better economy and country as a whole.

According to him, aggressive steps will be taken to build on the 2007 gains and to improve weak areas.

“There must, therefore, be careful assessments of opportunities for competitive advantage and aggressive positioning for growth, as we attract tourists from various parts of the world,” Prashad asserted.

He said the country’s tourism product continues to evolve and marketing strategies are being altered to reflect it as more culturally enriching and nature friendly.

Prashad said a large sum of money allocated in this year’s Appropriation Bill will go towards enhancing promotion and marketing.

He reported that there were improvements last year, in the roads network; completion of the four-lane highway; street lighting; installation of traffic lights; renovation and improvement of capacity at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to process passengers; construction of the National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara and upgrading of Ogle Municipal Airport, East Coast Demerara, among other things, to enhance visitors’ experience.

Prashad said Guyana is now on par with the other Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) countries, which have already implemented the Management Information System for Tourism (MIST).

That having been installed at CJIA and Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Trinidad and Tobago and Belize are still to make the transition, he said.

The MIST identifies visitors, non-nationals and overseas-based Guyanese who pass through the country for the first time, he explained.

About tourist arrivals, Prashad said it increased 18.1 per cent last year, over 2006, surpassing any other year in the country’s history.

He also told the House that, in December, when there was an influx of tourists, 51 additional flights came here and underscored that the number of new visitors was significantly greater, as a result of Guyana’s successful hosting of, among other events, Cricket World Cup (CWC) matches, the Rio Summit and the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting.

Prashad said: “I want to make it clear that the record breaking visitors’ arrival is as a result of confidence placed in Guyana when it hosted the Cricket World Cup, as well as our successful marketing initiatives.

“Through the international media, Guyana’s name and image were publicised to millions of people around the world.”

He said other initiatives were the organising and coordinating of Guyana’s historic roundtable conference ‘Moving Guyana’s Tourism Forward’ at the Guyana International Conference Centre, to brainstorm innovative ways of propelling the country’s tourism drive and realise its potential for becoming a major economic pillar.

That conference, Prashad revealed, attracted 200 participants, also from across Guyana and springboarded the aggressive promotion of this country locally and internationally, through new undertakings.

He informed that a direct outcome of the conference was the launching of the Private Sector initiative, by Rainforest Tours, Kaieteur National Park and Air Services Ltd, which made a visit to Kaieteur Falls affordable for most Guyanese.

“2007 set an all time record for arrivals at Kaieteur Falls, with a total of 4,512 visitors versus 2,754 in 2006, a 64 per cent increase,” Prashad stated.

He said the period for the incentive package will be renegotiated and extended, so that more Guyanese can see the majestic beauty of Guyana through the same kind of offer that was not subsidised by Government.

Prashad assured that, this year, too, deliberate efforts will be made to market Iwokrama and special packages would be offered by local tour operators to make visits there more affordable.

Rainforest Conservation
Guyana, no doubt, is serious about preserving its standing rainforest and has made representation and continues to lobby other nations to support the call for this country to be given credit for it.

Minister Prashad said the rainforest preservation will boost the eco-tourism product which places emphasis on Guyana through the Amazon adventure.

Prashad also talked about the Support for Competitiveness Programme and said a major accomplishment of it was meeting all 26 of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) conditions precedent to the first tranche disbursement stipulated in the loan contract.

He said the latter was disbursed in December 2007 and a project execution unit was established for implementation.
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