Political climate encouraging
Says OAS Assistant Secretary General
By Chamanlall Naipaul
Assistant Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Ambassador Albert Ramdin says he is encouraged by the political climate here as there is a general atmosphere of cooperation and collaboration and a growing awareness of the need to resolve issues through the process of dialogue.

Mr. Ramdin, who is currently on a visit to Guyana, made this disclosure at a press briefing at Le Meridien, Pegasus, Kingston, Georgetown.

However, he observed that the dialogue process needs to mature, but results are materialising, pointing out that more can be done but it would take some time.

“We don’t expect things to happen overnight,” the Ambassador reiterated.

He emphasised that peace and calm are prerequisites for economic and social process which is the objective of all societies.

On the issue of the 2006 national elections, the Ambassador indicated that it was a positive development and with respect to the looming local government elections said the OAS welcomes the agreement reached among the political parties and the government to have a new voters list compiled through a house to house registration process.

Mr. Ramdin also assured that the OAS is willing to provide assistance to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as it prepares for the elections, as part of the international contribution.

The OAS is currently engaging GECOM to determine the areas of support it could provide to the elections body, he disclosed.

He also informed reporters that the OAS will be providing technical support to Guyana’s Parliament in the form of Information Communications Technology.

He noted that while the OAS is basically a political organisation, it also pays attention to development issues and the challenges they pose, such as the question of poverty reduction, offering that democracy, development and security are inter-related.

The Ambassador indicated too that the OAS is paying keen attention to developments surrounding bio-fuels, which are gaining momentum, and that was a major factor in its participation in the bio-fuels forum recently hosted in Guyana.

Noting that the bio-fuel concept is not a new one, but has been in an experimental stage over 20 years ago, Mr. Ramdin said it has gained momentum because of the impact of escalating oil prices on the economies of many countries, and the Caribbean needs to grab the opportunity being provided by the possible development of a bio-fuel industry in this region.

However, he cautioned that there has to be a balanced approach to its development, so as not to pose a threat to food security in the region, and the private sector should be engaged early, as bio-fuel production is a complex one as it encompasses technology, finance and impact on the environment.

Touching on the issue of government entities withdrawing advertisements from the Stabroek News newspaper, Mr. Ramdin expressed optimism that it could be resolved through good communication, but reiterated that the OAS is committed to the principle of the media doing its job unhindered as it is an important element in any society.

M&CC to clear garbage backlog over four days
THE Mayor & City Council (M&CC) will, over the next four days, clear the backlog of garbage that accumulated on Monday and Tuesday when none was collected because of a payment dispute with the contractor.

An official of the Solid Waste Department, confirming that the service resumed yesterday, said supplementary collection to alleviate the pile-up will continue until next Monday.

He advised residents who have a great deal of refuse to allow collectors entry to their premises for the purposes of removing the receptacles, emptying and returning them.

As the disposal continues on schedule, those areas which are cleared once weekly will be targeted tomorrow and Saturday while other residents should put out their receptacles as usual, he said.

A crisis had developed last weekend when contractor Buddy Hassan, of Crawler and Wheeled Tractor Spares, stopped collecting because he claimed arrears of $137M and garbage was neglected Monday and Tuesday.

But the resumption yesterday followed a compromise arrived at during a Monday meeting, at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, convened by the subject Minister, Mr. Kellawan Lall.

Consequently, Hassan was paid an advance on his claim and the accounts are to be reconciled pending efforts to source funding to pay the agreed amount.

Pursuing 'Dark' Tourism
- Minister Prashad goes to Jonestown
MINISTER of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Mr Manniram Prashad last weekend led an eight member team on a “fact finding mission” to Jonestown, which lies in the jungle, about seven miles southwest of Port Kaituma in Region One.

Jonestown, founded in the mid-1970s by the cult leader, Jim Jones, is well known all over the world for the mass murder and suicide ordered by Jim Jones who himself was among the slain, numbering over 900 men, women and children. Following the massive tragedy, the area was abandoned and today Jonestown is totally deserted.

After taking a detailed tour of Jonestown, Minister Prashad remarked that Jonestown, if reconstructed, can be a major tourist attraction in Guyana.

“It is no secret that Jonestown reminds us all of the death of thousands”, Prashad said, “but we should not continue to be ashamed; we should remember what happened and take measures aimed at preventing us from repeating the past.”

He further commented that now is not the time to get involved in the “blame game” but that together “we should work to educate our people and allow others who suffered as a result of the loss of loved ones and friends to visit the site if they so wish.”

While walking through the thick forested area, representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and Mr. Harripersaud Nokta, Coordinator of Hinterland Projects, and the others of the visiting team were shown what was described as “Jim Jones Keyboard.” Minister Prashad stopped at the keyboard which showed signs of aging.

While the visit to Jonestown evoked what the visitors described as strange feelings, out of the grave came beauty. Mr. Harripersaud Nokta picked a handful of flowers which he trimmed to fit a vase. After placing the flowers in the small container with water, Mr. Harripersaud Nokta said, “I am taking these flowers to remind me of Jonestown.”

Some of the remains at Jonestown belonging to Jim Jones which Minister Prashad had a look at, included parts of his tractor, truck, and a corn mill.

During the visit, Minister Prashad also looked at the spot where Jim Jones had his personal dwelling erected, and the area where the cyanide was consumed by the residents. The place where the bodies of the victims of one of the world’s greatest tragedy were found is now described by many as the “arena of death.” Some persons were afraid to walk through the “arena of death” which showed some signs of vegetation because of the cyanide, but Minister Prashad showed no signs of fear as he walked along the path and encouraged those with him to follow.

Minister Prashad and the members of the fact finding team in a reminiscent mood stood at the Port Kaituma airstrip where congressman Leo Ryan and four reporters were gunned down.

Following his visit to Jonestown, Minister Prashad met with the residents of Port Kaituma and its surrounding villages, and members of the business community to hear their views on promoting Jonestown as a tourist attraction.

The residents said that they believe that Jonestown would be a place that people from all around the world will pay to visit. They added that the first question visitors to Port Kaituma ask is, “Where is Jonestown?” Those from the business sector commented that they believe that if Jonestown becomes a major tourist attraction, then additional economic activities in region one will be further stimulated. (

New machine readable passports issued
The Guyana Police Force yesterday commenced issuing machine readable passports to members of the public, at the Central Immigration and Passport Office, Camp Road, Georgetown.

The new passports were officially launched on July 13 last. Since then, the police said, the Immigration Department has received a total of 1,308 applications for the new passports.

The Police added that the cost of a new machine readable passport is $4,000, and processing time is a period of twenty one days, after which they are issued to the applicants. Application forms cost $200, and are available at the Central Immigration and Passport Office.

The Immigration Department has said that forms will also be made available at Immigration Offices in Berbice and Essequibo.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force has noted the concerns of members of the public, especially from the outlying areas, in relation to having to travel to Georgetown to apply for the new travel documents.

Guyana poised for significant bio-fuel future
– Prime Minister 
The high-level hemispheric seminar on expanding bio-energy opportunities in the Caribbean concluded at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal yesterday on a note of optimism expressed by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.

In his closing remarks Mr. Hinds reaffirmed Government’s position of moving towards ethanol production, a point which was well articulated by President Bharat Jagdeo and reiterated by Head of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) Suresh Narine on Guyana ’s draft policy on agro-energy.

“We are purposefully moving forward in this sector and I think with some feelings of enthusiasm,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister considers the seminar a noteworthy and educational experience for many including himself who became more cognisant of pursuits by other regions in the direction of bio-fuel.

He noted that agro-energy is an advantageous initiative which must be seen in the context of “making a living”. He referred to numerous plans for investment from stakeholders seeking leases for land to produce large volumes of crops for bio-fuels to meet the US and EU markets.

The seminar which commenced on August 6 with key presentations by Head of State President Bharrat Jagdeo and President of the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB) Luis Alberto Moreno featured a dialogue on the organisation and preparation of a regional agro-energy strategy.

The general consensus among stakeholders was the recognition and acknowledgement of a regional approach as a mechanism to address the benefits of bio-fuels to the Caribbean .

It is also hoped that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) inked for the establishment of a Caribbean Action plan would be signed by other CARICOM member states.

Government has already taken into consideration a decision to push ahead with the production of agro-energy. The establishment of an ethanol plant in Guyana has been under discussion and it is hoped that the US$169M Skeldon, sugar modernisation factory will be the first enterprise to utilise ethanol.

Several pioneering countries producing ethanol were able to reduce their dependence on fossil fuel. According to a United Nations (UN) study, Guyana could save US$5M in imported gasoline by investing US$6.5M in an ethanol production plant.

The IDB President said ethanol and bio-diesel production are expanding on a massive scale, attracting billions of dollars in investment and generating thousands of new jobs.

The two-day seminar was a collaborative effort of Government, the Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme (CREDP), the Inter-American Institute of Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the IDB (GINA).

NARI to start major projects soon - transfer of modern technology high on agenda

Government, as part of its commitment to further develop the agricultural sector continues to invest in improved technology development and transfer through its research arm, the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI).  

Since its ascension to office, the administration has undertaken various programmes and policies that encourage improved research development for better agricultural practices and increased production. The importance of this area is highlighted in several important policy documents including the National Development Strategy and the ‘Jagdeo Initiative,’ which identifies and defines critical constraints to agricultural repositioning and development in the region. 

In this regard, focus continues to be placed on the development of technology that could be easily adopted by farmers to aid their activities, and at present several major initiatives are being finalised for implementation shortly. 

Director of NARI Dr. Oudho Homenauth said they are working with Cuban officials to develop an appropriate design for a plant nursery that can easily be adopted and which will contribute to improved vegetable seedling production. Farmers have been encouraged to establish their own plant nurseries and have been guaranteed NARI’s support to help them develop such technology.

In addition, there are plans to promote the use of green/shade house that includes some of the most modern farming technology such as drip-irrigation. This is intended to promote year-round production and ensure that farmers are not affected by rainfall or the dry season. An experiment on the green/shade house has proven successful at NARI’s Mon Repos farm and focus is being placed on transferring the practice to farming communities across the country.

Another initiative which NARI will be embarking on shortly is promoting the cultivation of Jatropha (Physic Nut), which can be used as feed stock to produce bio-diesel. The initiative seeks to encourage cultivation in the mostly mined-out areas such as those in Linden . The cultivation of Physic Nut in Guyana has been tested at Mon Repos and has been used to produce bio-diesel at the Institute of Applied Science and Technology’s (IAST) plant, Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara.

NARI is also currently working with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) to experiment with the cultivation of sugar cane in the Intermediate Savannah at Ebini. This project is intended to test the cultivation in the area and to provide necessary information that may be required by possible Ethanol investors.      

Other experiments which are being undertaken by NARI with support from the Poor Rural Communities Support Services Project (PRCSSP) have proven successful with the cultivation of peppers, pumpkins, plantains and pineapples at Bethany, Region Two (Pomeroon/Charity) and at Hogg Island and La Harmonie, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara. Under the PRCSSP, major drainage and irrigation works were carried out in these areas and have opened up more lands for agricultural activities. NARI has since been involved in the development and transfer of appropriate technology that encourages farmers in these areas to cultivate crops, which are outlined in Guyana ’s agricultural diversification thrust. The crops being promoted in these areas are known as the 4ps (pepper, pumpkin, peas, and papaya) which have been identified as the initial crops to lead the diversification thrust forward.  

These activities are part of government’s approach to agricultural development through the promotion of a market-driven production so that farmers’ produce can be assured available markets. Through the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (NGMC), research is done on available markets and types of products on demand, information which is then shared with NARI and other agencies that are involved in research development for farmers to cultivate these crops and tap into these markets with help from GMC.

Region Eight planning Amerindian Heritage Month activities
Regional Executive Officer of Region (Potaro/Siparuni) Ishwar Dass has indicated that the Regional Democratic Council will assist with the planning of activities in celebration of Amerindian Heritage Month in September.

Among the activities in train are the preparation of a benab at Campbelltown, a craft exhibition, a church service on the first Sunday in September and a Mahdia Day.

The decoration of Regional buildings and a grand fun-day on September 10 where male and female teams from Micobie and Princeville will participate in competitive cricket and football matches are also part of the plan.

The region has already held its preliminary pageant to select a representative for the Miss Amerindian Pageant. The competition was held in Paramakatoi and all the villages participated.

In 1995, the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan designated September as Amerindian Heritage Month to showcase and promote Amerindian culture and its contributions to Guyanese society.

The observance in September has received recognition from various Amerindian groups. On September 10, 1957, the first Amerindian Parliamentarian Mr. Stephen Campbell of Santa Rosa , Moruca, was sworn-in as a Member of Parliament. (GINA)

Joint Services must not forget their past officers-Chief of Staff
-“Buy a Brick” project for rest house launched
Members of the Joint Services yesterday launched a “Buy a Brick” project to raise funds to erect a veterans’ hospice, an initiative by Chief of Staff Brigadier General Edward Collins.

In his address to members of the Joint Service held at Camp Ayanganna , Collins said the Force must not forget the contributions of past officers who had given their youth to the people of Guyana .

We recognize that some of the veterans who have served in the Force years did not make it in life so to speak, so rather than having them in The Palms they can live in this rest house,” Collins said.

The sod was turned in 2005 for the veterans’ hospice in the Services Housing Scheme, Lamaha Springs.

The rest house which will serve past Joint Services Officers, will be open to doctors, nurses and officers serving in the Force.

The Joint Services received a donation of Canadian $2000.00 from retired Warrant Officer Gordon Winter.

Gov’t continues to invest substantially in sea defence
- Chief River and Sea Defence Officer
Government’s commitment to strengthen the country’s sea defence has realised improvement in many areas that were previously vulnerable to sea level rise and other activities affecting the coastal shore.

This statement was made by Chief River and Sea Defence Officer George Howard, who noted that the administration has expended approximately $15B on sea defence improvement over the past 15 years. This represents expenditure of about $1B annually.

A report done in 1990 indicated that there were approximately 40 kilometres of critical sea defences that needed urgent upgrading. The investment made since then has addressed more than 30 kilometres of the areas identified. Howard also noted that the investment made on sea defences has impacted positively since there is less failure of structures. Several years ago, there were about 42 failures in one year, which have reduced significantly since then. However, he pointed out that there can be no complacency.

Government continues to invest in sea defence improvement in areas across the country with local resources and with support from several international agencies such as the European Union (EU) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Currently, construction of four kilometres of ‘rip-rap’ sea defence in Regions Two and Three is nearing completion under the 8th EU Development Fund (EDF) through which approximately 20M Euros is being invested in Guyana’s sea defence improvement. The construction valued $3.6B targets areas such as Columbia/Capoey, Taymouth Manor, Hague/Cornelia Ida, Meten-Meer-Zorg /De Kinderen.

According to Howard, there are savings from the initial project and these will be used to construct an additional 650 metres of sea defences at Blankenburg/Sea Spray, West Coast Demerara. This project represents the largest single investment being made in sea defence improvement in the country. 

Under the 8th EDF there is also a socio-economic and public awareness component that seeks to sensitize citizens on the importance of the sea defence structures and mangroves, which is the coastland’s first line of defence. This component is being implemented by the University of Guyana at a cost of $28M. Another component targets the provision of technical assistance for improved sea defence management. In this regard, the local sea defence unit is benefiting from the services of a technical consultant who has already drafted a terms of reference policy for Guyana ’s sea defence.

In addition, Guyana will benefit from further sea defence strengthening under the 9th EDF for which funding is expected to be approved shortly. This project is estimated to cost Euros 17 and will include construction of two kilometres of sea defence in critical areas and maintenance of approximately 20 kilometres of additional structures.

Under a Guyana/CDB-funded project, sea defence construction is ongoing at Profit/Foulis, West Coast Demerara. The initial works targeted under this project was completed but due to the rapid erosion of the area’s sea defence, an additional 650 metres are being upgraded and are scheduled for completion by December 31, 2007. (GINA)

Toddler hit by sand truck on life support
TODDLER Mohammed Rasheed has been on life support in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) since being hit by a sand truck on Anna Catherina Public Road, West Coast Demerara, Tuesday.

Two years and seven months old, he suffered bruises about the body and other injuries to the head, neck and right leg.

His worried grandmother, Bibi Nesta Kalim, who explained how the accident happened, told the Guyana Chronicle he lives with her and husband Mohammed Kalim, who works on a sand truck at Anna Catherina.

She said, Tuesday morning, after Kalim left for work, she was going to buy fish in the village and took the boy along the walk. She was holding his hand throughout the journey but, on returning home, she let go of him briefly to open up the gate.

At that instant, she heard a sand truck approaching on the road and he, probably believing it was the one on which his grandfather works, darted away from her and ran in the direction of the vehicle calling out:“Daddy! Daddy!”

It all happened quickly and, by the time she dropped the fish and ran after him, he was on the road, the woman lamented.

She said the driver spotted him and swerved but the child was still hurt.

The man at the wheel assisted in taking the injured child and his relatives to West Demerara Regional Hospital where he received emergency treatment prior to being transferred to GPH and conveyed there by ambulance.

Three Mahdia accident victims discharged from hospital
THREE of the persons injured in the Mahdia road accident, that claimed the life of 38-year-old businesswoman Bibi Balkissoon on Sunday, were discharged from Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) on Monday.

They are Arnold Alexander, 51, driver of the ill-fated land cruiser and Balkissoon’s two children, 13-year-old Akeem and Tanisa, 11.

The fourth person hurt in the mishap and air-dashed to the city for emergency medical treatment at the same hospital, Adrian Jumman remains a patient.

He was in the tray of the vehicle and suffered a compound fracture to his right leg.

Balkissoon and her four children were among eight persons travelling from Mahdia on the way to Omai when the vehicle developed problems and toppled down a hillside, about 13:30 h, some three miles from Tiger Creek, also in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni).

Balkissoon, sitting next to an engine in the tray of the cruiser, was pinned under it and died instantly.

Her 13-year-old son, Akeem impulsively jumped out and hit a tree, injuring his back.

His eleven-year-old sister, Tanisa is suffering injuries to her left hand and left leg.

Their two other siblings, 12-year-old Seon and Keon, five, who sat in the front seat with the driver, were treated at the Mahdia Hospital and sent away.

Relatives yesterday confirmed that the dead woman’s body has been brought to the city and is awaiting a post mortem examination before burial.

The woman had been taking her children to spend some time at a business place she owns at Omai.

Another road fatality
A 34-year-old West Demerara woman was killed on Tuesday, in a motor vehicle accident on the new Road Public Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara around 19:15 hours.

Dead is Helina Deonarine of 153 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara.

Police said that Deonarine had just disembarked from a minibus and was attempting to cross the road from behind the bus when she was struck down by motor car HB 3260, driven by Thesslon Tappin.

The woman was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Tappin was taken into custody, and is assisting police with their investigations.

CCWU hosting another HIV/AIDS awareness workshop
CCWU (Clerical and Commercial Workers Union), in collaboration with the Government of Guyana and the World Bank, yesterday began hosting another HIV/AIDS awareness workshop for employees under the theme ‘Healthy Bodies and Minds for Workers’.

CCWU HIV Project Coordinator, Mr. Sherwood Clarke said the main focus was on stigma and discrimination and development of workplace policies.

He said the objectives were to:

* reduce HIV/AIDS risk behaviour of targeted workers and families;

* increase awareness and use of available HIV/AIDS workplace services;

* reduce the level of stigma and discrimination against workers living with HIV/AIDS and

* increase knowledge and skills for monitoring HIV/AIDS workplace policies.

Clarke said the union extended its initiative to other unions so as to spread the message of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Guyana and stop discrimination.

The unions have the responsibility to protect the members always and all unions should be concerned about HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Put your commitment to HIV/AIDS,” he told the participants.

Clarke encouraged unions to have a clear understanding on HIV/AIDS matters so that workers can be comfortable and be assured they would not be discriminated against.

At the end of the two-day exercise, a feedback process will be conducted to glean what it has achieved within the Guyana HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Project, he said.

Region Four reports on completed projects
THE Regional Administration in Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) has reported that all capital and current projects in the education and agriculture sectors for 2007 are being completed on schedule.

Regional Executive Officer (REO), Mr. Shafdar Alli said a great deal of emphasis was placed on agricultural undertakings largely because of the rainy season and several miles of canals, drains and trenches were rehabilitated to minimise instances of serious flooding.

He said there was also much activity in education, with the maintenance and repairs of school buildings, compounds and sanitary blocks.

Alli said schoolchildren will be in safer buildings and enjoy better facilities as a result of the successful completion of identified tasks.

He acknowledged, though, that the road programme has been somewhat unsuccessful to date, adversely affected by prolonged inclement weather.

But Alli assured that they will be finished as soon as the rainy season ends.

GT&T rejects Stabroek News comments
In a press release the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company strongly rejects the comments published in an article in the Stabroek News of August 7th, 2007, in which statements by the contractor for the Berbice River Bridge suggest that GT&T’s fiber optic cable, still planted at the location, is part of the cause for the undue delay in the construction of the approach road.

The release stated that the company is amazed at the suggestion made because at the onset of the project, the company engaged the Bridge Road Contractors in discussions about identifying where the facilities were and about relocating them to avoid the possibility of damage.

GT&T identified the location of the facilities to the agents of the Project in order to protect the telephone service of its customers. The agents then advise the telephone company that they would not affect or be affected by the road workers.

However, first in their excavation work they damaged the cables in De Edward Village disrupting service to Cotton Tree and Sir James areas.

New Supenaam stelling moving apace
CONSTRUCTION of a new ferry stelling at Supenaam on the Essequibo Coast aimed at significantly reducing the travelling time for passengers using the Transport and Harbours ferry, continues apace.

The $574M Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)-funded project being built under the Community Services Enhancement Programme and located about two miles north of Supenaam, entails the construction of a ferry terminal complete with an administrative building, an asphalted car park, a roadway leading to the terminal, and a wharf to facilitate the roll-on, roll off system of vehicles. Landscaping will complete works on the facility.

Contacted yesterday, Pertab Persaud of the Ministry of Local Government, in his capacity as project coordinator, said BK International Inc., headed by Mr Brian Tiwarie, which was awarded the contract, has completed the roadway as well as works to some 95 per cent of the administrative building which will comprise a wooden pile foundation, concrete frame and floor slab, wooden roof frame covered with aluzine sheeting, and aluminum framed protectovent windows.

The tedious aspect of the project is the construction of the wharf that will project 400 feet into the Essequibo River.

It will be a reinforced concrete frame supported on land by wooden piles and over water by reinforced pre-cast concrete piles.

According to the project specification, the decking will be of different sizes of pre-cast concrete slabs sealed and covered with insitu concrete slabs, along with a metal protective handrail along the perimeter.

On completion, the project will have in place 365 piles of which 50 will be of timber and on land and the remainder of concrete.

In excess of 200 of the concrete piles will have to be driven with access from the seaward side of the project, BK’s Chief Engineer, Mr. Garfield Barrow explained to the Chronicle yesterday.

He said 21 of the timber piles as well as 42 of the concrete ones are already in place.

Persaud yesterday said too a pontoon laden with piles for that aspect of the project is on its way to the site from the BK’s Linden Quarry where they are being manufactured. Driving of these concrete piles should commence in earnest by Friday, he added.

The project has an initial deadline date of September, but according to Persaud it should be substantially completed by December.

Executed Kaieteur News pressmen remembered at memorial service
NATIONAL Media and Publishing Co. yesterday held a memorial service to commemorate the five Kaieteur News pressmen who were executed by gunmen a year ago at the Eccles, Industrial Site, East Bank Demerara printery.

During the sombre observance, at the Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown newspaper office, relatives of the slain men sat among their colleagues, surrounded by photographs of the deceased displayed in the building being renovated and extended.

The proceedings began with prayers and continued with the singing of hymns, poetry recitation and remarks by Kaieteur News Publisher, Mr. Glen Lall, among others.

He pledged to erect a monument to the five murdered employees when construction at the present site is completed.

&I will never forget Eion, Chetram, Richard, Mark and Shazim,” Lall said of the named men, choking back tears.

He also vowed to keep printing the newspaper in remembrance of the quintet killed August 8, 2006 while on the job.

Lall said, since the killings, he has a renewed sense of purpose and will continue to work against all odds for the development of this country.

He said he would have opted out of the business a long time ago but wants to fulfill God’s purpose and the pressmen’s sacrifice is the reason he is continuing.

Lall said the company was forced to move the pressroom to Saffon Street because of fear and the memories of what took place at Eccles but the deaths can never be compared to the accomplishment of the edifice in which the gathering took place.

Kaieteur Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Adam Harris reflected on the fateful night when he received a telephone call at home on his day off about the tragedy.

He remembered the victims fondly and how moved he was when he saw their bloodied and lifeless bodies lying on the ground.

Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud, Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Robert Corbin and President of Guyana Press Association (GPA), Mr. Denis Chabrol also spoke at the forum.

Only one of the six pressmen survived the slaughter at Eccles, by hiding in a locker room after the shooting murder of Eion Wegman, Chetram Persaud, Richard Stewart, Mark Maikoo and Shazim Mohamed.

The men were ordered to lie face down on the ground and shot in the head by a gang of 10 gunmen who invaded the plant.

Drawing chooses first winners of Breeze sprees, baskets
BRYDEN and Fernandes yesterday held the first drawing for the ‘Breeze Spree like Madness’ promotion that offers 18 shopping sprees and similar number of community spree baskets.

The winners of the baskets are Venessa Soobryan, Zenia Carter, Sonia Richmond, Sophia Nauth, Deodat Preetam and Yanitra Raghubir.

Those who won the sprees are Stacy Christiani, Sharon Williams, Jewwie Miranjie, R. Moses, Jasmin Ramjag and Hesterine Longhome.

The baskets are each valued at $15,000 and the sprees will be hosted at chosen supermarkets on August 13, September 10 and October 15, this year.

Customers are eligible to enter the competition by writing their names, addresses and telephone numbers on slips of paper and putting them in envelopes with two empty ‘Breeze’ packets, of any size and variant, before depositing the entries in boxes provided at identified supermarkets.

Other drawings will be done on September 5 and October 10.

GT&T laments continued vandalism, service disruption
GUYANA Telephone & Telegraph Company (GT&T) yesterday reported that vandals have damage more of its cables and disrupted telecommunication services in various parts of the country.

A press statement said 400 Corentyne, Berbice telephone subscribers were without service last night because 215 feet of cable was cut and removed from Number 77 Village.

GT&T said the utility learnt, on Tuesday morning, that another span was stolen from Albert and Croal Streets, Georgetown, affecting another 200 customers.

In addition, GT&T said, over the past month, other customers were deprived of service at La Grange and Nismes, West Bank Demerara, Industrial Site, also in the city, Kaneville and Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara and Line Path and Skeldon, in Berbvice, too.

The statement said vandalism has a negative impact on the provision and development of services countrywide and, with every such act, GT&T is forced to replace cable with what had been identified for some other place and redeploy technicians from one productive area and expend funds which could be used to quicken the pace of telecommunication development.

GT&T emphasised the need for public support in the maintenance of telecommunication services and the cooperation of members of every community to be vigilant and protect the facilities provided for their use and benefit.

JAMZONE SASHING
THE nine finalists for the Miss Jamzone Beach Pageant were sashed with the names of their sponsors Tuesday evening at Le Meridien Pegasus. Here, they pose for Chronicle photographer Adrian Narine after the ceremony. The pageant is billed as the main event of Sunday’s Summer Break at Splashmin’s Fun Park and Resort and is a production of

Hits and Jams Entertainment in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism.

Suriname ferry crossing…
Work resumes on fair-weather road to South Drain
WORK to build a fair-weather access road leading to the Canawaima ferry terminal, at South Drain, in Suriname, has resumed, much to the relief of commuters from both sides of the Corentyne River.

Unfavourable weather conditions had slowed the progress but, unlike what happened previously when the thoroughfare was rendered impassable during the rainy season, the portion completed before was traversed without great difficult by vehicular traffic.

This is according to a report by a Surinamese director of Canawaima Management Co. J.V. (Joint Venture) Board.

He reported at a meeting in Guyana, late last month, according to the Guyanese Director/Secretary, Mr. Ronald Charles.

Charles said his Suriname counterparts expressed optimism that, once the rains abate, continuation of the project would accelerate towards the 2009 completion.

The 32 kilometres route passes through a farming area and facilitates traffic from South Drain, the Suriname berthing port for the m.v. Canawaima, a $233.4 M state-of-the-art vessel.

The ship can convey 20 passenger cars, cargo and other people, between South Drain and Moleson Creek, on the Guyana side, in less than 30 minutes.

But the roadway is a vital link between the two neighbouring countries and contributes to the economic development and opening up of the western part of Suriname.

The 13.2 million euros European Commission-funded undertaking will not only increase the movement of people and goods but bolster tourism, trade and opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation, Suriname officials concurred.

Both sides anticipate that travel from Brazil, Guyana and Suriname through French Guiana will be much easier and Charles said, once the roadway is finished, the ferry can revert to the original two trips from either berth daily.

Meanwhile, some regular commuters between Guyana and Suriname are lamenting the lengthy wait they have to endure at New Amsterdam ferry stelling.

en route from Suriname.

They have suggested that vehicles with proof of having come from Suriname be granted priority crossing and, preferably, the first trip should originate from the Guyana side instead of Suriname as obtains presently.

Reading is Fun-Fulfilment of Community Outreach Obligation
-Dr. James Rose
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr. James Rose says that the ‘Reading is Fun’ programme is one of the University’s initiatives to fulfil its outreach obligation to interact with the community. He also emphasized the importance of reading and urged the children to continue to improve their reading skills, a release from the University said.

He made these remarks at the closing ceremony for the fifth ‘Reading is Fun’ programme held last Friday in the Caribbean Research Library Reading Room, Turkeyen Campus.

The three-week programme was organised by the Turkeyen library for 39 children between the ages of 9-12 from the Sophia area.

Shelisa DePradine was adjudged the most outstanding student, while Ade-kemi Craig, Jennifer Alexander, Fabuioula Breedy, Crystal Bowen, Shebiki Peround, Brandon Welch and Bradley Gebre Welch were all placed in the outstanding student category.

The most improved students were Patrick Goodluck, Shannon Williams and Denisha Bishop. Each student was presented with a certificate of achievement, while special prizes were given to the outstanding students. Certificates of appreciation were also given to resource persons from the University and representative from the donor agencies. Jessica Anthony, top student of the 2007 National Grade Six Assessment assisted with the distribution of certificates and tokens of appreciation to participants, the release disclosed

In addition, Ms. Zeya Ramnauth, Public Relations Officer of Courts Guyana Incorporated distributed haversacks to all the children.

Meanwhile, as part of the University’s initiative to encourage reading among young people, the participants were encouraged to register for membership in the Turkeyen Library Ready is Fun Book Club. The club was launched in October, 2006 and will recommence next month, the release stated.

NEW ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION NETWORK FOR SOUTH GEORGETOWN
A special project to significantly upgrade the power distribution system in areas south of the city center is underway, the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL), announced yesterday.

In mid July, teams of polemen, linemen and other skilled and semi-skilled workers moved into North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and began an extensive exercise to rebuild the entire power distribution system in the area.  They are relocating the power lines and structures from the alleyways and backyards to the road reserves, GPL stated.

According to the utility, the project is being executed by a contracted power line construction firm.  As the workers complete the construction of each section by installing new poles, new power lines, new transformers and pole top components, they are also installing new connections for each customer at the front of their homes.

The network is being rebuilt street by street, and as each street is complete, the lines are energized and consumers connected immediately.  In this way, power supply is disrupted only for very short periods, the company said.  

The workers are also simultaneously breaking down and recovering the old networks from the alleyways. 

The location of the power distribution networks in unkempt alleyways in South and North Ruimveldt, Festival City, Meadow Brook Gardens and areas further west, has been mainly responsible for the high incidence of customer emergencies in those areas, GPL noted.

Dense overgrown vegetation, large trees, swampy conditions and unkempt drainage canals had made it extremely difficult for GPL’s technicians to maintain the distribution system at the standard that exists in other wards of the city, and to repair many nighttime emergencies.   These conditions also rendered the networks more susceptible to inclement weather, the power company cited.

GPL’s Network Operations Manager, Godfrey Bellamy, said that the target customers will benefit tremendously from the system upgrade.  He listed the main objectives as:

* Reducing the recurrence of wires sparking at the pole connections

* Allowing GPL to ‘actively’ maintain the networks which would now be readily accessible at the roadside

* Ensuring that customers receive a far more stable power supply from a sturdier network 

* The likelihood of power outages due to kites tangling with electric wires at Easter time would also be reduced.

To date, more than 2, 000 residents have already had their service wires replaced and new connections made at the front of their homes at no cost to them since GPL is shouldering the entire cost of this system upgrade. 

However, consumers living in the catchment area are being advised to have their meter circuits rebuilt at the front of their homes in advance of the arrival of the network construction teams to their street.  Their connection to the new network would take even less time.

A similar exercise had commenced in the South Ruimveldt/Roxanne Burnham Gardens/Shirley Field Ridley Square communities more than a year ago, but it had to be put on hold. 

The project began again in July 2007 in the North Ruimveldt/Festival City ward.  GPL’s Operations Engineers estimate that this first phase will conclude in October 2007.  The second phase will begin almost immediately and will include those sections of South Ruimveldt, Roxanne Burnham Gardens and Shirley Field Ridley Square which were not completed in 2005.

This current phase encompasses Well Road, Kaikan St., Tamarind St., Iguana St., Church St. and the area north of Church Street.  Congress Drive and Rosa Drive are also included.  The second phase will complete North Ruimveldt then move westward to South Ruimveldt up to Shirley Field Ridley Square, and northward to Meadow Brook Gardens and North East La Penitence.

All consumers who have not been connected to the new networks in their neighbourhood are being asked to visit the GPL Commercial office at Main St., Georgetown to have their accounts regularized.

International Day of the World's Indigenous People
Message of Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Rodolfo Stavenhagen, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, on the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People.

As we celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People on 9 August this year, the focus of attention for many of these most marginalized peoples will be the decision that is due to be taken in the next days by the United Nations General Assembly in relation to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Declaration establishes international human rights standards for the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples and was adopted in June 2006 by the Human Rights Council, the principal human rights intergovernmental body of the United Nations. It has been 20 years in the making. Its contents are drawn from the experiences of thousands of indigenous representatives who have shared their anguish and their hopes.

As we stand at the brink of this historic decision by the General Assembly, it is the time to call upon member states of the United Nations to join as one and adopt the Declaration and thereby establish a universal framework for indigenous peoples’ rights, social justice and reconciliation.

The adoption of the Declaration by the Human Rights Council should be seen as providing impetus for renewed efforts by the international community to address the pressing concerns of the world’s 370 million indigenous people, including perhaps the most urgent issue of all: poverty and marginalization.

World leaders committed themselves in the year 2000 to realizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and in particular reducing poverty by half, by the year 2015. There has been progress towards meeting these commitments but as we reach the mid-point for the realization of these goals, there is increasing evidence that indigenous peoples are largely overlooked in these global efforts. They remain among the poorest of the poor, with little reference to them in the reports on implementation of the MDGs.

While the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is a celebration of humankind’s diversity and richness, it needs also to serve as a reminder of the continuing exclusion indigenous peoples face. Halfway to the 2015 deadline for the MDGs, and with the impending adoption of the Declaration by the General Assembly, it is time to call upon States and the international community to reach out to indigenous peoples and ensure that they also benefit from the pledge made by Heads of State at the turn of the millennium.

The Bio-fuel Issue
The opening of the first Caribbean Summit on Bio-Energy Opportunities was one which seemingly augured well for the future of Guyana's energy situation.  The comments of IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno regarding Guyana's potential of sourcing at least fifty percent of our energy needs from locally produced ethanol were heartening.  With the sugar industry facing a clear and present danger from EU price cuts, and with oil prices skyrocketing in recent years, bio-fuel represents a potential double-boon for the Guyanese economy.

Still, there are attendant issues related to the production of bio-fuel.  Like any new technology, the production of bio-fuel will not be cheap or trouble-free, particularly in the beginning stages.  Innovation, particularly in as technically sophisticated an area as producing cost-effective bio-fuel is concerned, has to necessarily be underwritten by massive investment. 

With global players like the US, the EU and Brazil able to inject a greater amount of development funds into research that will ultimately benefit their economies, we have to find a balance between attracting foreign direct investment into the industry and developing an economically sustainable energy regime for Guyana.

Our bio-fuel industry will not develop in a vacuum.  While the alternative energy industry is relatively new, it is still an industry never-the-less and will be subject to the effects of competition as it develops.   

Then there is the problem of limited growth.  Guyana's potential for expansion of our ethanol production is constrained by the size of our coastal region, which provides the only suitable land for large-scale sugarcane farming.   

As a corollary, it is also conceivable therefore that the growth and expansion of our own bio-fuel industry will impact negatively on both our conservation efforts as well as our food security. 

Recently, Brazil, which has vast swathes or arable land that it has dedicated to ethanol production, came under fire from the EU for what Europe charges are unsustainable production policies.  As EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson stated:

"Europeans won't pay a premium for bio-fuels if the ethanol in their car is produced unsustainably by systematically burning fields after harvests. Or if it comes at the expense of rainforests."

Finally, the world is in a fuel crisis precisely because of the culture of consumption which has dominated the global agenda for decades.  According to US geophysicist Marion King Hubbert, the man who created the Hubbert Peak Theory,

"Our principal constraints are cultural. During the last two centuries we have known nothing but exponential growth and in parallel we have evolved what amounts to an exponential-growth culture, a culture so heavily dependent upon the continuance of exponential growth for its stability that it is incapable of reckoning with problems of non-growth."

Exploitative consumption of our natural resources is not a prerequisite for economic advancement or intellectual progress.  Pre-industrial empires were built upon water, wind and fire and the philosophical foundations of today were established thousands of years before the advent of either the Internet or the Sport Utility Vehicle.

In the event of any future oil energy crisis, it is those economies which are less dependent on this culture of blind growth, and its necessary corollary of rabid consumption, which are going to best cope with what may well be an inevitable, sustained global recession.

Within the larger picture, the world has to move from a culture of unbridled excess, or even bridled excess for that matter, to one that takes into account the fact that the resources of the world are ultimately finite.

With specific reference to Guyana the transition and finally adaptation to bio-fuel production and use, is not a panacea for our economic ills.  It has to be considered within an overall development paradigm that also includes and stresses on better management of our natural resources, conservation of our natural environment, diversification of the national economy, a focus on the retention and recruitment of human skills, and investment in information and communication technology.

Four men accused of Grove knife robberies remanded
MAGISTRATE Hazel Octave-Hamilton yesterday refused bail to four men accused of knife robberies and remanded them to prison until tomorrow.

The Court upheld an objection to their pre-trial freedom by Police Inspector Desiree Griffith, prosecuting, who said one of a trio on a joint charge, Kevin Ketwaroo, 17, of Lot 459 Grove Housing Scheme, also on East Bank Demerara, allegedly committed the offence while he has other cases of a similar nature pending.

Ketwaroo, Alston Henry called ‘Boy’ and Eldon Sampson are charged indictably with allegedly robbing Tolsidai Jaimangal, at knifepoint, of four gold bangles and a gold chain with pendant, all valued $148,000, at Grove, on August 2.

Defence Counsel Adrian Thompson made application for Ketwaroo to be tried summarily but Griffith said she was not willing to proceed accordingly until Friday, after she would have received more advice from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The Prosecutor said Henry, too, also has other matters in Court.

The fourth man denied pre-trial freedom on a robbery under arms charge, 19-year-old Gewan Naipaul Mohamed (no address given) pleaded not guilty to having been armed with a knife, robbed Annette Bess of gold jewellery worth $60,000 last July 21, at Grove, as well.

His case was transferred to Providence Court, East Bank Demerara, for the same date as that of the other prisoners.

‘Very lucky’ rape accused freed at Berbice Assizes
THE Bath Settlement rape accused, indicted at the Berbice Assizes, was freed yesterday when the 11-member jury found him not guilty of the offence.

“Consider yourself very lucky,” Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards told Bharrat Gowkarran also known as Vijay and ‘Crank’, before telling him he was free to go.

The jurors had deliberated for about one and a half hours before returning their unanimous verdict.

Earlier, Gowkarran, who conducted his own defence, contended that the Prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, as the evidence adduced contained several inconsistencies and discrepancies.

He said the Police did not lift any fingerprints from the alleged crime scene and no identification parade was held.

Gowkarran also pointed out that, while the investigating cop testified that the victim wore cream underwear, the girl herself said the colour was green.

The accused added that she claimed the incident occurred between 8.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. but her father said he returned home at 8 p.m. after the assault.

Consequently, if the attack did occur when she stated, it might have been by someone else, Gowkarran said.

The case of the Prosecution, presented by State Counsel Satyesh Kissoon, was that the 12-year-old had been at home with three younger brothers when she was awakened by noise.

The testimony said, on looking outside, she saw some boys standing next to a koker and went back to bed. Then she felt someone holding her neck and recognised it was the accused.

She was removed from the bed which she shared with her brothers and taken to another where the forced sexual intercourse took place, before the accused left the house through a rear window, she reported.

The child’s father, with whom she and other siblings live, returned home at 8 p.m. and found his daughter in the hallway crying and, after being told what transpired, he made a report to Blairmont Police Station.

Haslington murder case again adjourned early
THE Haslington murder case at the Demerara Assizes was adjourned early again yesterday when a juror sought permission to go to Kitty Police Station.

The number 10 member of the jury was allowed after he told Justice of Appeal Ian Chang, presiding, that the Police wanted to see him about a land issue.

The proceedings, which were stalled when Defence Counsel Hukumchand requested to visit the crime scene the day before, will not resume until tomorrow because the lawyer was excused to attend another Court today.

On trial is Donald Marks called ‘Dano’ who is indicted for the unlawful killing of Shelly Hartman, whose limbless body was discovered aback of Haslington, East Coast Demerara, on December 7, 2004.

Meanwhile, the star witness for the Prosecution is still being cross-examined and is to resume her oath at the continuation.

The woman’s identity is not being made public for security reasons.

Lindener admitted to local Bar
ATTORNEY-AT-Law, Mr. Maurice Travis Wishart was admitted to practice at the local Bar Tuesday afternoon by Justice Claudette LaBennett.

The former President’s College (PC) student, who graduated from University of Guyana (UG) before proceeding to Hugh Wooding Law School, was previously inducted to the Trinidad and Tobago Bar in 2006.

His petition was presented to Justiuce La Bennett by other attorney-at-law Mr. Raphael Trotman, who recounted the successes of Wishart, a Lindener, from his days at PC through UG and Hugh Wooding.

Wishart is currently on contract as a social research assistant with the Trinidad and Tobago Judiciary but told his admission Court his main desire is not only to be a full participant at the Guyana Bar but to bring his experience from the twin island republic to the Guyana landscape.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Audie Wishart of Linden had special thanks for his UG tutors who gave him a solid foundation in the field.

Global warming will affect rice production
Recent field studies conducted at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have confirmed predictions from theoretical studies that global warming will make rice crops less productive. Combining a quarter century of climate data collected at IRRI with yield trends in adjacent fields over the past dozen years, researchers further discovered that simulation models underestimated the problem by half because they overlooked the pernicious effect of high minimum nighttime temperatures.

The study reported in PNAS that the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, found that rice yields at IRRI declined by 10% for every 1ºC increase in seasonal mean minimum temperature. Temperatures are projected to rise globally by 1.5-4.5ºC in the coming century - or 3 to 9 times more than in the past century. Global warming thus threatens to erase the hard-won productivity gains that have kept the rice harvest in step with population growth.

The study recorded that the mean minimum nighttime temperature during dry season at IRRI has risen since 1979 by 1.13ºC, or 3 times the 0.35ºC rise in mean maximum daytime temperature. This difference is an expected consequence of increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.

The researchers speculate that the greater sensitivity of rice yields to nighttime temperatures is due to increased maintenance respiration, which forces the plant to divert more energy to maintaining metabolic functions as opposed to producing greater biomass and grain yield.

The results of this study highlight the need for greater fundamental understanding of the effects of night temperature on physiological processes governing crop growth and yield development.

The challenges for Guyana therefore, is to first test this hypothesis and if found true to get the resources needed to develop new rice varieties that can still yield well despite any increase in temperatures in rice growing areas.
Bissasar Chintamanie

Impressed by the administration
Please permit me to reply to Mr. Donald Kumar’s extremely prompt response to my letter to the editor (KN, 05/08/2007 - “Is Guyana an improving investment environment?’), albeit my initial piece was not good enough to earn a spot in the Kaieteur News letter column.

First, I would like to address the direct question posited by Mr. Kumar: “As a Third World country, is Guyana an improving investment environment?” Instead of accusing me of ‘shamelessness’ and being dishonest, Mr. Kumar should be reminded that I did state that the stats in question do not paint the most superb picture of our investment environment.

But at the same time, in an effort to join the trend of castigating the Government for every single policy it seeks to implement, he should not lose focus of the developments that have been achieved in this sphere. Only a few months ago the Support for Competitiveness Project was signed for implementation between the Government of Guyana and the IDB. The main objectives of this project are to enhance Guyana’s competitiveness and to achieve higher levels of private investments and exports by improving the environment under which businesses operate. If this is not a major step by the Government to boost our investment environment, then I do not know what would be!

Moreover, the Ram and Mc Rae 2007 Guyana Business Outlook Survey revealed that the Guyanese Business community has expressed the highest level of optimism for the economy in five years. Mr. Christopher Ram is no sympathizer of the PPP/C Government, hence would Mr. Kumar accuse him of “massaging the data’ to provide the results that the ‘masters of Freedom House” require? I certainly do not think so!

Mr. Kumar cautioned that “if they do not catch the big tax dodgers and our citizens do not feel obligated to pay their fair share of taxes, then Guyana remains corrupt”. Is the gentleman not contradicting himself? On the one hand he praises the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index that excludes completely any consideration of tax evasion while on the other hand he is saying that catching tax evaders is critical. I think one would be living in denial not to accept the glaring evidence of progress by the PPP/C administration’s efforts to widen our tax base. Is this not hard evidence of an improved investment environment?

Mr. Kumar asked, “…when last has she spoken to a contractor who attempts to get a contract...?” Sir, I do not think there is any country in this world that could be considered a corruption free environment. However, if he knows of contractors who have evidence that members of the PPP/C administration are corrupted I have some very important advice for him and those contractors. The Government, in 1997, established an Integrity Commission whose members are distinguished and respectable religious leaders of our society, people with high moral authority. Under Section 28 of the Integrity Commission Act (1997), citizens have the right to lodge complaints to the Commission if they have reasonable grounds to believe that persons in public life have breached the Code of Conduct of the Commission.

I would like to urge Mr. Kumar to either put up the evidence he has against ‘a certain Regional Chairman’ and the PPP’s “big wig comrades, some of whom sit on the EXCO…” or to surcease making unsubstantial accusations.

Furthermore, the PPP’s Executive Committee has 15 members, including the President. I think it would be most appropriate for the DPP and Guyana Police Force to use him as a witness in seeking to undercover and prosecute the culpable members of the EXCO who he claims “has made millions at the expense of the people”?

But at the same time I am not sure whether Mr. Kumar is non-existent since I failed to find his name on the 2006 Official List of Electors. Either he was below the legal voting age in August 2006 (then I must commend him for his interest in Guyana’s political and economic affairs at such a young age) or is the gentleman one of those persons that he erroneously accused me of being?

In addition, the Transparency International that Messers Ramjattan and Kumar have so much confidence in, has an Integrity Pact to help fight corruption in public procurement. Mr. Kumar can probably advice those contractors to advocate for and uphold the pact, which would essentially state that neither the contracting agency nor the bidders would pay, offer, demand or accept bribe or get involve in collusion in obtaining or executing contracts. Violations here would attract sanctions such as denial of contracts, forfeiture of bid/performance bonds, blacklisting of contractors and in the case of the public officials, criminal actions. After all there is an old idiom, it takes ‘two to tango’.

For my questioning third world data collection capacity, Mr Kumar felt that he had to ‘excuse me’ and urge me not to ‘go back there’ since I was grossly inaccurate on that score. He assured readers that the Strengthened Statistical Bureau is now in a position to gather data on all the issues in question and that Mr. Ramjattan’s have access to them.

I think in his zeal to excoriate me he completely missed my point. I was referring specifically to the surveys cited by Mr. Ramjattan, which were done in the 2004- 2006 period. Let the readers be informed that the strengthening of the Bureau of Statistics (BOS) is still an ongoing project. The IDA’s Public Sector Technical Assistance Credit (PSTAC) which provided human resources skills and equipment was only completed in 2006/2007 while the IDB’s Strengthening Statistics & Social Policy Analysis Teaching & Research was approved in the second half of 2004 and is still in its implementation phase. So I cannot see how a strengthened BOS aided the World Economic Forum’s 2005 – 2006 survey.

In closing, I would like to state firmly that I am impressed with the efforts under the PPP/C’s administration to strengthen the BOS and hence data collection and research in Guyana. Mr. Kumar can now be assured that it would be impossible for the facts and figures to disappear to make the masters of Freedom House look good.
Vedya Looknauth

Cannot please people all the time
I was deeply disappointed with Kaieteur News Column ‘Peeping Tom’ dated July 30, 2007.It was outlined that the government’s decision to increase teachers salary was not done out of a goodwill but stemmed from a massive back-pay to be paid to public sectors workers this year.

Can the Government catch a break? The government has been criticised on many occasions in the media for not doing enough for teachers across Guyana. They have been blamed for the migration of teachers and failing to recognise teachers’ contribution as an important dimension of the education sector.

Now that the President has opted to give an increase of salary to teachers, his decision is met with much discontentment.

I guess you cannot please people all the time.
Anthony Singh

Gov't has effectively managed enormous debt
I am responding to Berkeley Van Bowen’s letter of July 30, 2007 in the Stabroek News.

The external debt in 1992 was US$2.1 billion and not US $2.1 million. The PPP/C government effectively managed this enormous debt with write-off and with HIPC involvement.

Debt write-offs are not automatic; they are based on the fulfillment of stringent conditionalities, including having macroeconomic fundamentals in place. It took 7-8 years for Guyana to reach financial viability.

I will deal with “importation” in a separate letter.
Gavin Persaud

Investments have increased under PPP/C
I was stunned by Mr. Vijay Singh’s letter in Stabroek News dated July 31, 2007 captioned “Another Investor gets the boot”. Mr. Singh’s letter outlined that the PPP/C does not see the importance of investments with the aim of creating wealth for Guyana.

But I beg to differ with such a statement. Under the PPP/C in 2004 they were 75 new investments. To add to that, in 2005 investments rose to 139. These investments together totaled US $40 to $60 million and created over a thousand jobs.

If the government was not interested in investments as Mr. Singh’s claims in his letter, well certainly the figures would not be as it is. In conclusion, I would like for Mr. Singh to name that potential investor that received the boot.
Kimberly Singh

Removing a glaring anomaly
At long last legislation has been passed to remove a glaring anomaly in the administration of our judicial system.

When the Office of the Chancellor was created, the regulation wasn’t made that the Office of the Chief Justice would be made responsible to the Chancellor.

Consequently we had the strange situation where the Chancellor although responsible for the administration of the Magistracy, the Chief Justice was not responsible to the Chancellor although he was now the head of the judiciary.

There is nothing sinister in the passage of the recent legislation to remove this anomaly or that would pollute the streams of justice.

The only other country that has a Chancellor is the United Kingdom, and he is also a member of the cabinet and sits in parliament.

In Guyana however, our Chancellor is not a member of the cabinet nor does he sit in parliament.

With the passage of the recent legislation making the chief justice responsible administratively to the Chancellor, as is also the magistracy, the administration of our justice system is strengthened and will become more efficient.
John Da Silva

I beg to differ
I was stunned by Mr. Azam Deen’s letter in Stabroek News dated August 6, 2007, captioned “Afraid to come to Guyana because of crime”. Mr. Deen blames the present administration for the crime situation. He, also, added that Guyanese should not wait on government to stop crime.

But I beg to differ with such a statement. Under the PPP/C in 2006, US$4B was allocated by the Budget to the Guyana Police Force. There was $US10M for the Citizens’ Security Project; also, the creation of 600 Neighborhood Policing Unit and let’s not forget the establishment of the National Drug Master Plan. These are social infrastructures that take some time to become institutionalized, never mind becoming effective.

In light of these facts, I ask the question: is the government showing a lack of interest or concern in stopping crime? I think not. But we must recognize that today’s crime in Guyana has significant links with the Caribbean; in other words, crime in this country has become regional, and therefore, we need to have a regional crime fighting force. CARICOM already has recognized this, and did establish a crime task force.
Kimberly James

Nonsensical arguments
I refer to the almost hysterical letter of Anand Daljeet published in the Stabroek News of Tuesday 7th August 2007 and headed “The President is attacking his critics.”

In his letter the writer uses ridiculous and nonsensical arguments to attack or belittle the sterling accomplishments of the country made under President Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP/C administration.

His criticisms fly in the face of the obvious progress of the country under the administration of President Jagdeo and his government and the favorable comments of the international financial institutions and foreign governments.

As a citizen, I would rather listen to them than to local opposition politicians and those who speak or write on their behalf.

President Jagdeo has a well-respected image not only in Guyana but also around the world.

His accomplishments are numerous and significant, in the face of many difficulties which exist, not only in Guyana but also in neighboring and other countries. For instance, crime is not a singular-country problem anymore; crime is regional; macroeconomic fundamentals are in place, and health, education, and housing services for the good of each Guyanese, are enormous.

Among his uncertainties, he claims that the President has a new strategy to silence his critics; never in the history of our country was the media so free to express their views against a government as they are now.

For example, one of the most critical if not the most critical of the media is the Kaieteur News and they are receiving a substantial amount of government advertising, much to the chagrin of others.

The brayings of Anand Daljeet and others like him cannot detract from these accomplishments. Mr. Daljeet, if you want an update on the progressive development of Guyana, tell me, as you seem to be well behind the times in grappling with the fast-paced growth of this country. If that’s the case, then I will gladly make the update available.
Alicia Martin

Sarwan describes King as 'one of his worst coaches'
… aggressive and vocally abusive
By Ron Fanfair
TORONTO, Ontario (CMC) – West Indies cricket captain Ramnaresh Sarwan has issued some stinging comments about former coach Bennett King, describing the Australian as “one of the worst coaches” he has ever had.

King quit his job as West Indies coach when the team exited the 2007 Cricket World Cup (CWC) after a disastrous run in the Super-8 stage in April, and Sarwan did not think much of his work.

”He’s one of the worst coaches I have had,” Sarwan said.

“The coach was not as open as I would have liked and he was definitely not firm enough,” added Sarwan, who spent a week in Canada where he had specialised treatment on his injured shoulder.

The 27-year-old Sarwan implied that King was unable to get the best out of some players because his interaction with them was too aggressive.

“He was also very aggressive and vocally abusive to certain players to the point where he even threatened them. Obviously, this made those players very uncomfortable,” Sarwan said.

Cognisant of the need to improve relations between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), Sarwan telephoned new board president Julian Hunte last week to congratulate him.

“We had a very good conversation and he’s looking forward to us getting together,” said Sarwan.

“It’s vital that the board and the players get on the same page and I am very encouraged that Mr Hunte has asked the WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine to become a non-member director. That’s a step in the right direction and it shows a commitment on the part of the board to work closely with the WIPA.”

When he meets with Hunte, Sarwan intends to suggest that West Indies teams participate in a training camp prior to international engagements.

“Our preparation leading up to this year’s World Cup was not good and it hurt us,” Sarwan pointed out.

“I think it’s absolutely critical that we get together for a 10-12 day camp in either Trinidad & Tobago or Barbados which in my opinion have the best practice facilities in the region.

“I also think it’s important that we get a coach, manager and trainer in place for the long-term.”

The contract of David Moore, who replaced King as interim coach after the World Cup, expires on November 30 while Strength and Conditioning coordinator Bryce Cavanagh quit in the middle of last year’s Pakistan series and has not been replaced.

Former West Indies wicketkeeper Michael Findlay was appointed manager for the just concluded England tour.

Averaging 38.76 in 67 Tests with just nine centuries, Sarwan acknowledges that he needs to become a consistent scorer.

“I can say that I have robbed myself of close to 1 500 runs in the past three years,” said the talented batsman who became the youngest West Indian first-class cricketer at age 15 years and 245 days old when he represented Guyana against Barbados in a Red Stripe Cup match in 1996.

“I know that I have to get my average to around the late 40s or even to 50 which would be great.”

“I recently spoke to Australian captain Ricky Ponting who told me that I should concentrate on my batting when I am at the crease. He said he does not think about his role as captain when he’s batting. That made sense to me because if you make runs, everything else will fall into place and make your job as captain that much easier.”

Sarwan says he intends to bat at number three when he returns to the line-up.

“It’s a position I have done well in and it helps to get players into the right position and force opposing bowlers to face left-right combinations more frequently,” he added.

“I also believe I can control the game and have much more of an impact from that position,” he said.

T&T, Guyana and Barbados suffer losses at CBC championship
CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (CMC) – Puerto Rico rushed to their second consecutive win at the Caribbean Basketball Championship (CBC) with a dominant show against Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday.

The Puerto Ricans dismissed T&T 93-67 in their Group B match, while other English-speaking teams Guyana and Barbados also slumped to losses against Spanish opponents.

The Dominican Republic thumped Guyana 99-76 in Group A and Cuba outgunned Barbados 93-69 in Group B.

In surging to a 2-0 record, the Puerto Ricans, who had flogged British Virgin Islands (BVI) 107-56 in their opening game on Monday, dominated the first half 56-37 as Larry Ayuso scored 11 points.

They extended the lead in the third quarter for a 73-49 advantage entering the last frame.

Angelo Reyes led Puerto Rico with 17 points and 12 rebounds followed by Peter John Ramos with 14. Carlos Arroyo, Larry Ayuso and Filiberto Rivera netted 11 each. Jose Juan Barea had 10 points and eight assists.

For Trinidad and Tobago, Julius Ashby recorded the best stats, collecting 15 points and eight rebounds. Steven Lewis sank 14 and Wilfred Benjamin shot 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Cuba opened their campaign with a 24-point victory over Barbados although they trailed 21-27 at the end of the first quarter.

Stung by the Barbadians’ bright start, the Cubans changed gears and outscored their opponents 24-9 in the second quarter to lead 45-36 at the half.

They moved further ahead 71-55 after three quarters and coasted to a clear win in the end.

Allens Jemmot led Cuba with 22 while Henry Simon had 17.

Pearson Griffith and Andre Lockhart had 16 each, and Akeem Marsh shot 15 for Barbados, who had opened Monday with a narrow 69-68 victory over T&T.

Dominican Republic also kicked off their campaign with a huge win -- 23 points over Guyana.

They were in charge from early, leading the first quarter 29-13 and stayed clear 50-29 at the half and 77-51 after three quarters

Guyana outscored DR 25-22 in the last quarter but Franklyn Western (26), Elpidio Fortuna (18) and Ivan Almonte (15) were strong in scoring, backed up by Michael Martinez with nine points, 12 boards and eight assists.

For Guyana, Gordon Klaiber had 18 and Sean Powell 15.

The top two teams in each group will advance to the semi-finals on August 11 with the final set for the following day.

The best three teams will qualify for the CentroBasket tournament.