ARCHIVES FOR MAY 13 2008
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Public Works Ministry, Police Force, M&CC committed to
EASING CONGESTION
As new parking arrangement takes effect
By Priya Nauth
THE new parking arrangements for mini-bus and hire cars operating in and out of the City became effective yesterday and while some operators are dissatisfied with the layout, they are being urged that failure to comply with the new system will result in legal action being taken against them.    

This point was re-emphasized by Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Mr. Robeson Benn who inspected the parking facilities in the City and discussed the new arrangements with operators and commuters.

He noted that the Ministry of Public Works and Communication is taking a proactive approach to relocate minibus and car parks along the Avenue of the Republic to ensure efficient and proper management of public transport and roads in that section of Georgetown.

Minister Benn last Saturday met with Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green and members of the City Council along with representatives of the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department and the Ministry of Public Works and Communication at his office when they discussed relocation of the minibus and car parks between Croal and Robb Streets (routes 41, 44 and 63).

Benn, along with Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Mr. Kellawan Lall, also held a meeting on Friday last with City Hall officials and the issue was raised.

Benn said fundamentally the discussions started since last November  along with site visits for relocation of minibus parks around the general area of the Stabroek Market.

The overarching purpose for engaging in this exercise is to implement congestion mitigation measures at the intersections. It is also necessary because of a court order issued to the joint defendants, the Town Clerk, The Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General.

The order sought the ‘disestablishment and removal of the said minibus and car parks.’

“We have been working on the issue of making the minibus and other parking locations more efficient. This would be a short-term intervention over the next month or so to get properly organized,” Benn said.

Subsequently, medium and long-term arrangements will be considered and interventions will be taken to make public transportation in Georgetown safer and more efficient.

Benn indicated that what is important right now is to implement a westward shift of the minibus and hire car parks from the Avenue of the Republic to a location in the Stabroek area.

DISAGREEMENT
However, the minister yesterday vented his ‘disagreement’ over the privatization of the Stabroek bus park by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

Addressing a media conference inside City Hall, Regent Street and Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, Benn said, “We are not in accord with that arrangement…we have been having discussions since last November with operators of the bus services, and their representatives, along with the other stakeholders, and have made at least four or five field visits; and walking around, we have pointed out the areas, we had our draft documents and the way the areas should have operated was clear.”

&We are still at a loss to understand how an association or persons purporting to be minibus operators union or something…could have been given this area without referring it to the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, and also to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police,” he said.

&My understanding of the law is that the usage and assignment of parking areas in the city, particularly for public transportation, have to be accorded to by the Ministry of Public Works and Communication, and Home Affairs, and the Police Traffic Department,” Benn reiterated.

&No agreement could stand in the absence of a non-objection or agreement of those agencies,” he contended.

&If there is an intention or a willingness somehow by the Council to go ahead with this assignment that is made…this contract it has, it would be indicating that over all of these months, the Ministry of Public Works and all the other agencies who were there sitting, with representation from M&CC, that we were acting and negotiating and discussing in bad faith,” the minister asserted.

According to him, this is a matter that needs to be “cleared up and dealt with”.

&#The position of my ministry and so far as I am aware, the position of the Commissioner of Police and others is that they do not accord…that there is an objection to the assignment that was made by M&CC to some organisation purporting to be a minibus association,” Benn said.

“We can’t have these things mushrooming out of the ground like this…after we spend a lot of effort and energy on that matter; so this is a matter which I hope we can resolve amicably over the next day or so,” he urged.

However, the minister insisted, “…we are going ahead with plans as we know it”.

Benn observed that the problem of decongestion of public transportation has been there for a long time and there has been some degree of confusion and unwillingness.

But they will stick with it, along with the cooperation of the M&CC and with the enforcement of the Guyana Police Force, particularly the traffic branch.

Meanwhile, Mayor Green yesterday said the issue raised by the minister may be one of legal interpretation, except that the park was established in 1982 and in 1991 the Council applied to the government and got permission to use it as a source of revenue, and from then began to charge a fee to persons using the park.

&…last year after intense discussions, the council accepted a proposal from the Georgetown Parking Company that they will manage the park for a fixed fee. When we looked at the proposal it made sense, and the Council accepted it because it would have brought in more money for us and we would have been relieved of the burden of management of the facility,” he attested.

&And there is where we stand…at the meeting we proposed additional facilities for parking because the bottom line is consistent with the report you received; unless you provide more space you are unlikely to solve the problem,” he said.

Green said a contract was signed and was expected to become operative May 1, 2008.

He said discussions were held to solve the problem of congestion which is facing most urban centres in the world today.

&…we stand at all times ready and anxious to cooperate with the state agencies to ensure the objectives of removing congestion and irritation to the city are dealt with, so we have worked very assiduously on this question,” he said.

The mayor noted a business group had moved to the High Court and secured an injunction which required the appropriate agencies to remove the minibuses from a section in High Street and the Court ordered that the minibuses be removed.

Green said some proposals were made and the Council had a certain level of objection, because it was not satisfied then that those recommendations made sense.

The mayor said that a meeting was held on Saturday last and he thought a consensus was reached.

&I made it very clear in that meeting that whatever was done would not compromise the commercial operation of the existing Stabroek Market car park,” he noted.

In keeping with an order of the court to remove the minibus parks from the Avenue of the Republic, a release said that the minibus parks have been relocated as follows:

Buses plying Zone 40 (Kitty/Campbellville), Zone 45 (Main Street/Lamaha/GPHC), and Zone 48 (Sophia) will park on the western side of Stabroek Market Square, between Croal Street and Brickdam; buses plying Zone 41 (Guyhoc/South) and Zone 46 (Lodge) will park on the southern side of Croal Street, between Avenue of the Republic and Cornhill Street.

Buses plying Zone 44 (UG/Industry) will park on the southern side of Regent Street, between Avenue of the Republic and Hincks Street, and on East Street, between New Market and Middle Street, where a new bus park has been established.

Buses plying Zone 47 (East/West Ruimveldt) will be parked on the western side of Longden Street, between America Street and Croal Street, and on the southern side of America Street, between Avenue of the Republic and Longden Street.

Buses plying Zone 63 (Georgetown/Moleson Creek) will now park on the northern side of Commerce Street, between Avenue of the Republic and Hincks Street.

Buses plying Zone 50 (Georgetown/Rosignol) will park on the southern side of South Street, between Avenue of the Republic and Hincks Street.

Buses plying Zone 44 (Georgetown/Mahaica) will now park on the southern side of South Street, between Water Street and Hincks Street, and on the northern side of Commerce Street, between Water Street and Longden Street.

Yesterday, some bus operators protested against the relocation of the parks.

President meets with religious Leaders
-discusses global food crisis, Guyana’s initiatives
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday met with Leaders and representatives of religious groups throughout the country at the Office of the President to discuss the role they can play in dealing with the food crisis being experienced around the world and how they can assist in Government’s agriculture drive.

Following the meeting, religious Leaders explained that the President had sensitized them to the situation around the world and noted that Guyana has been trying to deal with it in its own way which was working well so far.

He urged the Leaders not to panic as the country is well equipped to deal with the crisis provided that Leaders of communities and organisations act responsibly and assist communities through sensitization measures as well as encouraging them to grow more food.

He also urged that they encourage persons to ‘go back to the land’ and try their best to avoid wastage.

Some Leaders noted that the meeting was very fruitful and expressed their   willingness to assist in the situation.

They also commended the President for his work and sharing his knowledge of the various worldwide issues especially as they relate to the global food crisis and how the world has to respond.

President Jagdeo and his administration have been urging Guyanese to grow more food with Guyana and the rest of the world faced with high food prices and a rising cost of living resulting from rising fuel prices and other factors.

China quake kills nearly 9,000
By Ben Blanchard
CHONGQING, China (Reuters) - China's most devastating earthquake in three decades killed nearly 9,000 people in western Sichuan province (yesterday) and razed 80 percent of the buildings in one county, initial estimates said.

The 7.8 magnitude quake struck in the middle of the school day, toppling eight schools in the region.

Chemical plants and at least one hospital were flattened, trapping many hundreds, state media said.

Rescuers were still cut off from the epicenter in Wenchuan, a county of 112,000 people about 100 km (62 miles) from the Sichuan provincial capital Chengdu, Xinhua said.

The death toll was expected to rise significantly.

More than 7,000 of the dead were in Sichuan's Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, where 80 percent of the buildings were destroyed, state media and Xinhua said.

"We are doing everything we can, but the roads are blanketed with rocks and boulders," Xinhua quoted Sichuan Deputy Party Chief Li Chongxi as saying.

Most phone lines in Wenchuan were down and a website for the region's Aba prefecture said the quake had cut several major highways and communications were largely severed in 11 counties.

"The road started swaying as I was driving. Rocks fell from the mountains, with dust darkening the sky over the valley," a driver for Sichuan's seismological bureau was quoted by Xinhua as saying near the epicenter.

Beichuan, part of Sichuan's Mianyang city about 160 km from capital Chengdu, has a population of 161,000, meaning about one in 10 residents were killed or injured. 

About 900 teenagers were buried in the rubble of a collapsed three-storey school building in the Sichuan city of Dujiangyan.

Local villagers had helped dozens of students out of the ruins and cranes were excavating the site as parents looked on, Xinhua said.

CRYING FOR HELP
"Some buried teenagers were struggling to break loose from underneath the ruins while others were crying out for help," the agency said.

Hundreds of people were trapped under collapsed schools, factories and dormitories in Shifang in Sichuan, Xinhua said, including several hundred trapped under two collapsed chemical plants.

Some 80 tonnes of highly corrosive liquid ammonia had leaked in Shifang forcing the evacuation of 6,000 people, it said.

Hundreds of people were buried under rubble in a collapsed hospital in Dujiangyan.

Troops had begun pouring into the region with sniffer dogs, life detection equipment, and some firefighters carrying explosives to blow up rocks piled on the roads, state television said.

Landslides had cut off three major rail lines leading to Chengdu, stranding 31 passenger trains and 149 cargo trains, Xinhua said, but no casualties had been reported. 
NEWS

Body of security guard found
POLICE are investigating what appears to be the murder of a security of Rampoor Settlement, Corriverton, whose body was found about 05: 45 hours yesterday in the guard hut at the Skeldon Modernisation Project with marks of violence to the head.

According to a report by the police the security guard Mahendi Hussein is 65 years old and a piece of wood suspected to be the murder weapon has been recovered.

A man has been arrested and is in police custody assisting with the investigations.

At Berbice ICU commissioning…
Ramsammy announces more national health care advances
By Jeune Bailey Van-Keric
MINISTER of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has announced that Guyana will have its first kidney transplant done here by next month and the state-of-the-art ophthalmology centre at Port Mourant, Corentyne, will be opened in July.

He made the announcement at the commissioning of a multi-million-dollar intensive care unit (ICU) at New Amsterdam Hospital, also in Berbice, commissioned a multi-million-dollar intensive care unit (ICU) last Friday.

Ramsammy told the gathering, including health care personnel, Rotarians, members of the diplomatic community and representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), that the ICU outside of Georgetown, reiterates the call, to service clubs, other associations and churches, to assist in achieving the national goal of health for all.

He reminded that, despite one’s standing, political affiliation or ethnicity, illness sees no barrier.

Ramsammy observed that, while the country may not be blessed with an excessive number of health workers, the existing ones are dedicated and work beyond the call of duty and citizens should appreciate their efforts

He pointed out that the health sector has improved over the years, with open heart surgery and dialysis being done locally.

Ramsammy said patients should not pay for services at public health institutions and clinical audits will be conducted at privately owned facilities so as to ensure that they charge patients reasonably for what is delivered.

After the ICU was commissioned, a plaque was unveiled by the minister and President of New Amsterdam Rotary Club, Mr. David Armogan, followed by a tour of the place, during which Ishmael Ibrahim, 48, of Line Path, Skeldon, at Corentyne, too, was seen receiving treatment for renal failure.

Ibrahim was the second patient admitted to the ICU, after Victor Johnson, who succumbed to heart failure.

The facility will enable the institution to treat critically ill patients who were previously transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) and it was equipped through the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam.

The need for the ICU was first identified two years ago, when Dr. Ramsackal joined the staff of the Regional Hospital as an intern and recognised that the quality of medical care there could be enhanced by such an establishment.

He put the proposal to the Board of the Regional Health Authority and its Chairman, Armogan requested that his Rotary Club undertake the project.

Speaking at the Friday function, Armogan said the Rotarians gave their full support to the venture that would benefit a wide cross-section of people residing on both sides of Berbice River.

He said a list, of needed medical supplies and equipment, was prepared by Ramsackal and discussed with Judge Majeed, a Guyanese Rotarian in Florida and attorney-at-law Jim Cisseran, who were both holidaying in Guyana.

Armogan had disclosed before that the requirements were acquired with assistance from Eon Gallie Rotary Club of Florida and Rotary International, from South West Medical Corporation, also in the United States (U.S.).

The shipment to Guyana, that cost US$33,720.99 and included a wide range of gadgets, were all cleared from Customs with the help of Minister Ramsammy.

Armogan told the Guyana Chronicle Friday that the room housing the ICU was modified to accommodate additional facilities and the donated things were installed by the Health Ministry.

A specially trained staff of eight will operate the ICU.

Trade Ministers call for strong development component in CARICOM-Canada negotiations
MINISTERS of Trade of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have reiterated the need for a strong development component, and a structure that caters for political involvement in the upcoming negotiations with Canada.

CARICOM and Canada are soon to begin negotiations for a Trade and Development Agreement and, to this end, a Technical Working Group is to meet shortly to finalise the Region’s Negotiating Brief which will be presented for approval at a Special COTED prior to the first negotiating session with Canada which should take place before the end of July.

According to a statement from the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, the Assistant Secretary-General Trade and Economic Integration (TEI) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, said that during “fruitful” discussions at the Twenty-Sixth Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Trade in Antigua and Barbuda on Saturday last, Ministers stressed that any negotiations with Canada must have a strong development component.

The Ministers, he said, also recognized and agreed that there was need for the negotiating structure to allow for political engagement between CARICOM Ministers and their Canadian counterparts on the negotiations.

At the day-long meeting on Saturday, a paper was presented on the Region’s position on the upcoming mini-ministerial of the Doha Development Round. A Technical Working Group is to meet urgently to refine the Community’s Negotiating Brief and to highlight the Region’s core areas of interest.

With regard to CARICOM-U.S. Trade Relations, the Ministers reiterated the need for the U.S. to extend the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA). In that regard, the Ministers recognized the efforts being made by Congressman Charles Rangel, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives.

During the Conference on the Caribbean last June, President George W. Bush and Congressman Rangel made a commitment to CARICOM to work on the extension of the CBTPA.

The COTED also discussed the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between the U.S. and CARICOM.

Ministers also agreed to the prioritization of the scheduling for External Trade Negotiations. Based on the requests and commitments to engage in trade negotiations on the one hand, and capacity limitations at the national and regional levels on the other, the Ministers agreed on the completion of outstanding negotiations before taking on board new ones.

EPA to be signed in July
THE Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Commission (EC) and the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) is to be signed in July 2008.

At the Twenty-Sixth Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) which wrapped up in Antigua and Barbuda last Saturday, Ministers considered possible dates for signing and the provisional application of the Agreement and reported they were in consultations with the EC on the subject.

A statement from the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown said the EPA negotiation was concluded last December and Member States of CARIFORUM are in the process of reviewing the text prior to signature.

The COTED held discussions on what needed to be in place for implementation of the EPA.

The CARICOM Secretariat said it has prepared a road map outlining in broad terms what needed to be done, and the focus is now placed on the commitments at the level of Member States.

The Ministers also agreed on the need to identify national coordinators to move the process forward.

Sanata Textiles was put to public tender, but no bidders
-- President Jagdeo
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo has cleared the air on speculations that surrounded the privatization of Sanata Textiles Complex Industrial Site, Georgetown to Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. (QAII) for the establishment of a multi-purpose investment complex.

The President said several comments and articles published on the issue about transparency in relation to such activities, particularly by the Kaieteur News, do not have merit since a public tender was out.

“There was a public tender from what I gathered, for the facility. If you have one look at the facility you should see the state that the buildings are in, abandoned...So the privatization unit went ahead, recommending; I gathered it is $50M per annum (that government is getting),” the President explained. 

Head of the Privatisation Unit, Winston Brassington has confirmed that the amount payable is denominated in US dollars and is currently set at US$0.24 cents per square foot and that this is adjusted upwards periodically based on the rate of inflation measured by the US CPI. 

“If the lease rate is to be paid in Guyana dollars, it will be paid at the exchange rate in existence at the time of payment.  So we are protected against both exchange rate changes of the Guyana dollar (depreciation) and US inflation changes.” 

“Further, the lease rate for Eccles Industrial Estate is 1 (one) Guyana dollar per square foot.  So we have a situation where our lease rate is at least 50 times more at Sanata vs. Eccles,” Brassington explained.

President Jagdeo, meanwhile, said the government always has ‘clawback’ provisions in place and this is also the case with the Sanata deal.

“We have a few others we are working on. We always have clawback provisions if things don’t go well, if the investments don’t take place. This is always the standard thing. We don’t have anything to hide,” the Guyanese head of state declared.

The privatization of Sanata has taken the form of the issuance of a 99-year lease to the company at a substantive rental of approximately $50M per annum.

The Government, through National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL), has implemented strict guidelines for the execution of the project.

The investor foresees an overall investment of US$30M and the creation of 1,200 jobs of which 600 new permanent jobs will become a reality by the end of 2008.

The President, in emphasizing on the issue of transparency, said this was not the case during the People’s National Congress (PNC) time in office, pointing out a few deficiencies.

“I can point out some politicians, he (Winston Murray PNCR member) doesn’t want me to speak much but who got shares (even Ministers) in some of the State-owned properties that were privatized at that time.”

QAII is the parent company of the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corp (NGPC) which was established after the privatization of NGPC.

After a challenging start, this company was successfully returned to profitability by the investor.

In the process, the future and prestige of the world famous Limacol, Ferrol and other household brands have been restored.

In 2006, the Chinese government formally donated the equipment and raw materials from the G&C Sanata Textiles mill in Georgetown to the Guyana Government and the then Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation Mr. Clement Rohee had promised that investors will be invited to take over the company.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations some three decades ago, Guyana and China have enjoyed excellent and productive relations, with Guyana benefiting extensively from the Technical Co-operation for Developing Countries programme, medical brigades, cooperation programmes, and the services of a mushroom cultivation expert, among other expertise and programmes. (GINA)

Efforts underway to increase Guyana’s life expectancy rate by 2011
GUYANA has turned a corner and the country’s life expectancy rate has begun to increase and work is being done to raise the population’s life expectancy rate to 70 years by 2011, according to Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.

“In the 1970s and 1980s Guyana’s life expectancy was reduced to the low 60s…At the end of 2007 our life expectancy has reached 68,” Dr. Ramsammy said during the recent commissioning of the Intensive Care Unit at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.  

“It means that we have to continue to ensure that people living with HIV get treatment and live longer,” he said, citing this as one of the factors affecting life expectancy.

The Health Minister has instructed that people living with HIV no longer have to wait until their CD 4 count is reduced to 350 to get treatment. Treatment will be started earlier.

“This will make Guyana the first developing country to remove the restriction on placing people on treatment and therefore, keep people alive longer and so have a chance of increasing our life expectancy,” Minister Ramsammy said.

Additionally, every child with HIV will automatically be placed on treatment.

Efforts to increase the life expectancy rate will also be made in the procurement and supply service. “The supply chain people have been instructed that supplies for certain diseases must never be short,” he said.

He said in 2007 government spent $1.9B on acquiring medicines and supplies. The most requested and supplied drugs were anti-infectives (drugs that fight infection) and amoxicillin was the number one medicine supplied. “Last year almost $90B was spent on the procurement of amoxicillin,” Minister Ramsammy said.

After anti-infectives, the next most frequently supplied medicines were those for diabetes, hypertension, cardio vascular illnesses and HIV.

Minister Ramsammy said Region Six along and other regions have to play their role in improving the indicators for increased life expectancy rates and ensuring health for all. 

Home Affairs Minister meets Timehri CPG members
THE role of Community Policing Groups (CPGs) in the fight against crime was reiterated on Sunday when Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee met members of the Timehri CPG at the Timehri Primary School.

Members raised several matters of concern to them, including the lack of support from, and the slow response by the police when reports are made to the Police Station.

Another issue highlighted was the need to have access to a vehicle for patrols, since it was pointed out that the distance required for them to cover was too large to traverse on foot.

Minister Rohee told the group that he has had complaints about the lack of co-operation of the Police from other groups and urged that the relationship between the Police and CPG has to be improved since the only persons to benefit from this conflict are the criminals.

Government views the CPGs as vital in the crime fighting strategy and takes seriously anything that seeks to hinder the functioning of the groups.

He alluded to the resources being made available to CPGs by Government as evidence of Government’s commitment to ensuring that these groups are functioning properly.

The Ministry, he said, has recruited a CPG Coordinator with whom the Group’s concerns should be raised. The Police ranks have been instructed by the Commissioner of Police of what their relationship with the Police should be and it is expected that they follow the instructions of the Commissioner.

The Minister expressed concern about Police stations being locked up and lights turned off at nights since the public should have 24 hours a day access to the Police.

Ranks of the Guyana Police Force present at the meeting also expressed concerns about the character of some of the persons in the Group.

Minister Rohee advised that if there are CPG members with questionable character, they should advise the President of the CPG and should launch an investigation and have the matter settled.

There are over 200 active CPGs in Guyana whose main function is to complement  the work of the Police by patrolling and providing information to the Police about suspicious activities in the various communities.

Government over the last three years has made vehicles and weapons available to the groups. Several groups were also trained to use firearms and in routine Police duties.  (GINA)

Support from Guyanese in Diaspora for Carifesta X encouraging
– Minister Anthony
OVERSEAS-based Guyanese are supporting the call for them to return to their place of birth and make invaluable contributions to the Caribbean Festival of Arts (Carifesta) X in August.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony -- who is chairman of a committee spearheading activities for the hosting of the mega festival said responses in this regard have been favourable.

The minister said he recently received reports from Canada about a female individual of Guyanese/Chinese ancestry who is a skillful actress and plans to perform a play.

The Minister said while this feature promises to be interesting invitations will be extended to other overseas stakeholders who possess similar talents that can entertain the Carifesta audience.

“The response from the Diaspora has been tremendous. We have established chapters in the United States of America, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The chapter in the U.S. is working overtime because of the number of people who say they will be coming,” Minister Anthony said.

The festival this year will feature both regional and international, participation as more than 22 countries from the Caribbean and Latin America, Indonesia, Morocco and Austria have confirmed their participation.

Carifesta X will be the first to feature countries outside of the Caribbean region which is symbolic of the festival’s growth, Minister Anthony said.

Austria’s contribution will include an illuminated project of the St George’s Cathedral and the presentation of a collection of indigenous objects among others.

Through the hard work of all the stakeholders involved Minister Anthony said Guyanese should look forward to a “very exciting, successfully staged” Carifesta.

At present over 300 persons are volunteering their services in the various planning committees while volunteers in excess of 2000 will be offering their services at the various sites when the festival kicks off.

“A lot of Guyanese businesses, craft people, artistes, writers, poets and musicians from all these different groups will be working with us. It’s going to be an exciting period and everybody has their own role to play,” Minister Anthony said.

Carifesta was officially launched on April 23 with a stunning cultural show in the capital. Momentum in the preparation effort has since been building according to Minister Anthony.

Some 2000 delegates are expected to participate in the event which will be hosted in various parts of the country showcasing their unique cultures during the period August 22 to 31.

Hundreds of visitors will be part of the Carifesta audience and according to Minister Anthony will grasp at Guyana’s “wonderful hospitality.” (GINA)

Arthur Chung in hospital
FORMER President of Guyana, Mr. Arthur Chung was admitted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on Sunday at 18:45h.

A statement from the hospital yesterday said Mr. Chung is resting comfortably.

Mr. Chung, 90, became President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana in 1970.

Security guard, 65, murdered
THE police are investigating the murder of security guard Mahendi Hussein, 65, of Rampoor Settlement, Corriverton, whose body was found about 05:45h yesterday in the guard hut at the Skeldon Modernisation Project.

The body bore marks of violence to the head, and a piece of wood, suspected to be the murder weapon, has been recovered by the police.

A man has been arrested and is in police custody assisting with investigations.

Conflict in signing dates for EPA in Barbados
By RICKEY SINGH in Bridgetown
THERE is to be a further delay in the proposed signing in Barbados of the Caribbean region's Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU), originally expected before June 30.

Conflicting dates offered by the European Commission (executive arm of the EU) and the Barbados Government keep pushing back the signing ceremony to either mid or late July.

To the EU's recent proposal for a July 14/15 date, Barbados counter-proposed either July 21 or July 23. A compromise date for the historic signing ceremony is now likely to be discussed at this week's two-day 5th Conference of the EU and Latin America and Caribbean Summit scheduled to begin on Friday, May 16 in Peruvian capital, Lima, the Chronicle learnt yesterday (Monday).

Delays in necessary approvals by the complex EPA text, translated into the relevant national language of 25 EU member states, as well as the 15 CARIFORUM countries (CARICOM plus Dominican Republic) have contributed to the signing ceremony that was previously proposed to take place before June 30, the original date when the provisional application of the trade and economic development accord was supposed to take effect. 

While the EPA, initialled in Barbados on December 16 last year, remains a source of controversy among some governments, the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) -- which led the CARIFORUM negotiations with EC officials -- preliminary arrangements have begun for some forty (40) Heads of Government or their delegated representatives (Foreign or Minister for International Trade) to participate in the series of bilateral arrangements for the EPA signing ceremony, possibly at the Barbados Hilton.

CARICOM's Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) discussed at its 26th Special Meeting on Saturday (May 10) a proposed "road map" of EPA implementation arrangements that need to be in place before application of the accord kicks in. 

Even at this late stage, however, there continues to be calls from well-known regional economists like Dr Havelock Brewster and Dr Norman Girvan for governments to make use of the recurring shifting dates for the signing ceremony for a more critical assessment of the EPA with a view for adjustments to perceived weaknesses in the existing text.

Some CARICOM states are reported to be still pouring over the voluminous text, aware that once signed it becomes a binding accord between them and the EU.

Any adjustment to the text initialled last December between officials of the CRNM and EC, will require prior approval of all EU countries, ahead of formal notification to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of this, the first comprehensive EPA to have been negotiated from an originally envisaged six such regional accords. 

Five injured after Land Cruiser topples down hillside
By Shirley Thomas
FIVE persons, three of them gold miners, were injured Sunday when the Land Cruiser in which they were travelling from Kurubuna, along Demerara River, to Georgetown, toppled down a hillside.

The vehicle developed mechanical problems about two miles before reaching Sherima crossing in the Essequibo River.

As a result, Ronald Dodson, 67, of Lot 239 Blueberry Hill, Wismar; Floyd Yorrick, 26, of Lot 74 Sparendaam Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara and Joseph Isaacs (no address stated) were admitted to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

Dodson fractured his skull among other injures while Yorrick was hurt on the head, feet and hands and is likely to lose some fingers.

Meanwhile, Isaacs suffering similar injuries, was reported in stable condition yesterday.

The two others, who suffered less serious injury and were treated and discharged, are Leslyn Perry, a woman and another man whose only given name is Kevin.

One of the victims recalled that they set out from Kurubuna around 15:30 h on Saturday and were forced to stop and overnight at 14 Miles, Potaro.

They resumed the journey early the next morning but around 04:00 h, as they were proceeding down the hill, the brakes on the Land Cruiser failed and the driver lost control, causing the mishap.

He said they were rescued by a passer-by whose vehicle transported them to Bartica Hospital, Mazaruni, where they were rendered first aid before being transferred to the GPH.

UK Guyanese commemorate Indian arrival 170th anniversary
A special programme to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the Arrival of the East Indians in Guyana was held last Saturday by the Guyanese Diaspora in the United Kingdom. The event was organised by the Caribbean Islamic Cultural Society and the Caribbean Hindu Society. The large audience which included a broad representation from the Guyanese, West Indian and British communities were treated to Indian and West Indian music and songs by Guyanese, Faizul Ali and Group; poems by Doris Harper of Carifesta fame, and an inspiring, informative and education talk on the origins of the Indo- Caribbean People by renowned Guyanese Professor Dr. Clem Seecharran.

Fraternal greetings were delivered by Mr. Arun Kumar Choudhary, First Secretary, Indian High Commission. Unfortunately, the High Commission of Guyana was unable to attend or send a representative but a message was sent which was read during the event.

Mohamad Rashied, President of the Caribbean Islamic Cultural Society, said “that he was very pleased to see the large gathering and that it was truly a wonderful event in that it did not only provide entertainment, but it also provided the opportunity to inform and educate not only the younger generation but some of the older ones as well and in some way help them to reflect and re-connect to their roots.”

LEAF Fund Manager to participate in Indian competitiveness programme
THE Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association Limited (GMSA) said it welcomes Guyanese participation in the Small Business Development Programme in India.

The GMSA in a release said, the association congratulates, Fund Manager of the Micro-credit Scheme of the Linden Economic Advancement Fund (LEAF) Ms. Valerie Adams-Sharpe on the acceptance of her nomination to participate in the Eight Commonwealth Small Business Competitiveness Development Programme to be held in India from June 8 – 13, 2008.

The release said LEAF is a component of the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP).

&#xThe GMSA had recommended Ms. Adams-Sharpe to participate at the India forum, anticipating that the SME community in Region 10 would further benefit from the exposure she would gain. Ms. Sharpe has experience in Micro Credit Financing and works extensively with SMEs, particularly women in the region” it noted.

&#xThe GMSA expects that the SME Sector would be like an incubator from which forward-looking dynamic and globally competitive firms will emerge. The association has expressed commitment to fully support the creation and development of SMEs in Guyana and to continue to work very closely with LEAP in this regard,” the release stated.

The Association extends their best wishes to Ms. Adams-Sharpe for her successful participation in the programme and for her continued interest and activity in sharing the experience for the benefit of the SME Sector, it concluded.

CAPE deferral ONLY applies to T&T
THE Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has said that the deferral of the 2008 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) applies to Trinidad and Tobago ONLY.

A release from CXC said the deferral of the CAPE does not apply to the other CXC Participating Territories, where the sitting of the CAPE will continue as timetabled.

“The Council and the Ministry of Education in Trinidad and Tobago are working with law enforcement authorities to fully investigate the circumstances which led to the decision to take this action in Trinidad and Tobago.”

“The Council further wishes to assure the public that it is doing all within its powers to maintain the integrity of its examinations and work in the best interest of students,” the release stated.

Rising food prices…
Minister Persaud appeals for IICA help in crisis
By Tajeram Mohabir
AGRICULTURE Minister Robert Persaud yesterday appealed to the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to support the local ‘Grow More’ food campaign which is aimed at cushioning the effects of rising

prices.

He made the appeal at the IICA annual accountability seminar in Hotel Tower, on Main Street, Georgetown.

The forum was attended by several senior officials of the ministry and IICA sought to highlight its 2007 achievements.

IICA Representative in Guyana, Mr. Ignatius Jean said the major 2007 achievements were the coordination of a regional biofuel seminar and a local agro-tourism workshop to formulate a regional plan for the sector.

He said IICA also partnered the Guyana Dairy Development Project to promote the manufacture of products; worked with the Ministry of Agriculture in formulating the swine industry revitalisation plan; trained Lake Mainstay area farmers in the cultivation of pineapple for export and hosted a painting and hydroponics competition, among other ventures.

During the programme yesterday, Mr. Christopher Warui spoke on the Kellogg Pineapple Project with Lake Mainstay residents while Dr. Hector Munoz, another IICA expert, made a presentation on the role of technology transfer using the hydroponics system for commercial production.

Persaud lauded Jean’s contribution in promoting rural agriculture which has positively impacted the lives of residents in those places.

He said, even though IICA’s input in the local agriculture arena is minuscule compared to the ministry’s work programme, the former has performed creditably in developing specific target groups, particularly in the areas of plant health and the propagation of certain technologies.

One notable example, the minister underscored, is the agency’s work with Amerindians at Lake Mainstay, in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), on the cultivation of pineapple for export to Europe.

However, the minister pointed out that the global food crisis has presented Guyana with massive opportunities to, once again, return to being the breadbasket of the Caribbean and secure a larger share of the region’s $3 billion food import bill.

He estimated that the imports might increase to about $7 billion by year end and said Government has already engaged the private sector and several non-governmental agencies to expand the ‘Grow More Food’ initiative, which is to ensure the availability of adequate supplies at an affordable price while, at the same time, boosting regional exports.

Persaud said the Administration is also making significant investments in the rice and sugar industries to strengthen its competitive advantage on the international market and take the sectors to another level

The minister exhorted IICA to encourage its 34 Member States to share their knowledge and experience in addressing the growing food crisis.

He disclosed that, in another three weeks, Guyana will be hosting a regional investment conference and strategies to alleviate the situation will be a top priority on the agenda.

Persaud said, too, that the region’s Ministers of Agriculture will be meeting in Georgetown to address that and other related challenges.

UWI and IDB join the fight against Non Communicable Diseases
THE University of the West Indies (UWI) has received the approval of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for a technical assistance grant in the amount of US$650,000 to undertake a project to establish research and surveillance programmes for Non Communicable Diseases (