HIV/AIDS fight a success story
--Dr. Ramsammy
By Priya Nauth
MINISTER of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has lauded the HIV/AIDS fight in Guyana positing that it should be considered a success story.
He made this pitch at the opening of a five-day workshop, which was held at the Guyana Labour Union’s (GLU Camp Street headquarters, for the training of counsellors yesterday, under the theme ‘Prevention and Control-- the way forward to tackle HIV/AIDS.
The workshop is part of the efforts of the GLU in executing a Guyana HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control sub-project for the Government of Guyana funded by the World Bank.
He said this programme adds another facet in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
?I believe Guyana a poor country has responded in the fight against HIV/AIDS in a comprehensive and innovative way... Guyana must be considered a success story in whatever standard in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” he observed.
?… and I challenge anyone to dispute the fact that we are a success story in the fight against HIV,” the minister asserted.
He offered that Guyana has demonstrated unequivocally that it is possible to confront a scourge like HIV even in a poor resource setting.
Dr. Ramsammy observed that Guyana has succeeded in mobilising financial resources even prior to 2002 when the donor community and technical agencies provided little to none in terms of resources.
But in 2001, the government announced universal access for anti-retroviral drugs for those living with HIV, using its scare resources recognizing the enormity of the challenge, he explained.
According to Dr. Ramsammy, with the resources through the World Bank and other global funds and collaboration with other governments the HIV trend in the country has been reversed.
He observed that today most young people and workers have knowledge of HIV/AIDS and prevention.
?We have come a long way,” the minister posited.
He informed the gathering that in a study, before the year 2000 among pregnant women, showed that up to seven percent were tested positive and at the end of 2007 the prevalence was 1.4 percent.
Similarly, a survey in 2001 among commercial sex workers showed between 45-48 percent were positive and in 2006 the prevalence was approximately 25 percent and in minors prior to 2001, various studies showed that between seven and 11 percent of that mobile community were tested positive while in 2006 it was 3.9 percent.
He noted that for pregnant women who were positive and gave birth, around 38 percent of the babies tested positive.
Dr. Ramsammy said only 5 percent of the babies are tested positive for HIV today.
Another stride, he said, is that today there is the capacity to test the baby from the first week the baby is born while formerly the waiting period was 18 months.
?…this is an outstanding and tremendous success story”, he said.
‘Second stocktaking report’
The Health Minister said the ‘second stocktaking report’ which was published by UNICEF, WHO and UNAID talked about universal access goals for children and women.
He explained that in 2005 four Ps were established, which became universal access goals for 2010.
Dr. Ramsammy said the report disclosed that only three countries in Caribbean are on track to meet the 2010 goals.
He explained that by the end of 2006 there should be providing 48 percent of mothers with prevention of mother to child management and treatment and 80 percent by 2010.
Dr. Ramsammy asserted that at the end of 2006, access and testing of women were being provided at the rate of 65 percent.
Eighty-seven percent of women received prevention of mother to child service at the end of 2007, he noted.
Rejecting the unfavourable claims by some organisations, without naming them, that Guyana is not on track in the HIV/AIDS fight, he declared: “Guyana has by more than two years reached our target… we are on track for 2010 and any other such report is false,” he pointed out.
?I believe these organisations have done a disfavour to the hardworking health workers, participants of non-governmental organisations and unions who see fighting HIV as a national obligation and we have met our obligations and we demand that recognisation from the international community” he stressed.
*s Minister of Health, I stand on behalf of the people of this country and say that those organisations must correct that wrong statement immediately”, he announced.
?When we bear the burden of fair criticism for the things we do wrong… we must also be given an opportunity to gloat when we do things well and we fight against HIV well today, even if we did not do so in the past,” the minister lamented.
Business coalition
Dr. Ramsammy also disclosed that in about one and half months from now, Guyana will be launching its ‘business coalition’ in the fight against HIV which will become part of the global business coalition.
?Our workplaces are now becoming the focal point in the fight...we have to stop HIV,” he urged.
He noted that Guyana has one of the best workplace programmes in the Caribbean and Commonwealth.
He acknowledged that one of success stories is the leadership role the trade union movement has played in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
?They are playing a positive role in the fight against HIV…step out with pride because we are not going to permit HIV to win the battle,” he charged.
Dr. Ramsammy lamented that few countries can really present a front where the trade union movement shows such leadership in the fight against HIV and that this country stands highly in rank in this respect.
Another plus, he said, is that Guyana has voluntary counselling and testing throughout the country.
The minister also encouraged that the some 20 persons that will train as counsellors should become trainer of trainers to ensure that the union has the capacity to provide counselling and testing wherever workers are available.
He informed the workshop that the government has provided assistance with the funding from the World Bank, which concludes at the end of this year. However, he assured that his Ministry will ensure that the resources necessary to sustain these programmes will be provided.
With this in mind, he said, in a few weeks, Guyana will be submitting a proposal to the Global Fund to ensure that workplace programmes will sustain beyond 2009 to at least a minimum of 2015.
*s a union you represent not only the workers but also their families,” he also reiterated.
He pointed out that HIV only represents one of our many threats to our people’s development, adding that another is the fight against tobacco which is the only killer substance in the world that is legalised.
Dr. Ramsammy expressed his hope that the union will join and take leadership in ensuring that public places become ‘smoke-free zones’.
?I believe all public places in our country should be smoke-free zones,” he advocated.
The minister explained that there is not a law for such except that all health facilities must become smoke-free zones and this will take effect on May 1 this year.
Additionally, the Health Ministry has also declared that all schools should be smoke-free zones.
Among other problems too, he said, are healthy eating and exercise.
The minister mandated the GLU to stage at least one health walk and join the Ministry in meeting the ‘million miles’ challenge.
He said that more than 60 percent of Guyanese do not meet their daily recommendation of fruits and vegetables.
Alluding to food, he posited that Value Added Tax (VAT) is not the cause for rising cost of food prices and urged that people must not allow themselves from getting distracted from the real reasons such as climate change effects and rise of oil prices.
?…this workshop is one of the building blocks for social re-engineering in our country,” Dr. Ramsammy exhorted.
Guyanese Professor David Dabydeen and Annette Arjune win Sabga awards
. . . Keep good company for success - Ansa Mc Al Foundation Chairman
NEWSDAY (Trinidad) - Ansa Mc Al Foundation Chairman Dr Anthony Sabga told recipients of the 2008 Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence that the secret to success is to first believe in oneself and “then act with determination, perseverance and integrity” to achieve one’s goals.
He said this was an attitude he adopted while observing his father in action.
The gala award ceremony was held on Saturday night at the Trinidad Hilton, Port-of-Spain.
Sabga advised the laureates and those who seek success to keep good company. “The quality of people with which you associate, mirrors your own quality,” he said, adding, “aside from that, the knowledge and the inspiration you absorb from your friends and colleagues help to mold your future.”
He explained that his 70 years in business has been rewarding due to the people he associated with. “I have found pleasure and success with everything I have done,” he said, as he welcomed the laureates into the ANSA McAL foundation family.
Guyanese Professor David Dabydeen received the Award for Excellence in Arts and Letters; Barbadian businessman, James Husbands won the Award for Excellence in Science and Technology and Guyanese Annette Arjoon and Claudette Richardson-Pious were joint-winners of the Award for Excellence in Public and Civic Contributions.
The laureates received a gold medal, a citation and TT$500,000.
Arjoon and Richardson-Pious gave back to Sabga in a show of appreciation for their awards.
Arjoon’s work as founding Secretary of the Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society (GMTCS) led to the establishment of the Amerindian operated North West Organics, a company which provides the natives with a means of income to afford food other than hunting turtles for their meat and eggs. She has also lobbied Guyana’s government to impose a partial ban on trawler fishing in the areas around nesting beaches during the nesting season.
GMTCS, has also been instrumental in the Guyanese government decision to identify Shell Beach, the main Guyanese turtle nesting area, as a protected area. Addressing Sabga’s failed desire to turn Pigeon Point Beach Resort into a National Park, Arjoon after receiving her award, dedicated the conservation of Shell Beach to Sabga.
She invited him to come to Guyana to assist in the development of the beach into a National Park.
Sabga, in an interview with Newsday on Sunday, expressed his delight at the invitation. “It is not a remote possibility,” he said, “anything to upgrade the concept of one Caribbean identity is foremost in my mind. What is in Pigeon Point may not be in Guyana but Guyana has its own unique features.”
Sabga went further to hint that the next Caribbean Awards may be held in another island. “We have to do what we can to keep the Caribbean united,” he said. When accepting her award, Richardson-Pious presented Sabga with a scaled replica of the award winning “Bashy Bus”, developed by Richardson-Pious through her NGO, Children First.
The bus is a mobile HIV testing and counselling clinic staffed by youth which goes to inner city and rural locations in Jamaica. Her organisation assists children who struggle with poverty, abuse, abandonment, exploitation and malnourishment and extends its services to their families.
Coordinator of the awards’ Regional Eminent Persons Selection Panel, Michael Mansoor stated that the award is not an “end of life” offering dedicated to what the individual accomplished.
However, he said it provides an opportunity to encourage the laureates to foster and nurture their life’s work and passion.
Omai mining site closure agreement inked
-overseas based Guyanese signals interest in location
By Wendella Davidson
A DECLINE in the price of gold on the global market prompted Omai Gold Mines Limited to close its operations, a top official of the company said yesterday.
According to Human Resources Manager of the company, Norman Mc Lean of the 3.8 million ounces of gold which Omai produced, two million ounces, representing more than half of the amount, was sold at a price ranging between US$250 and US$300 per ounce.
He said that scenario where the drop in gold prices on the world market resulted in the company finding it uneconomical to continue, was the most significant factor which affected OGML which throughout its operation had as its thrust “mining with the environment in mind.”
The closure plan, as agreed to by the relevant parties, includes that the site will not be restored to its natural state but left as “after use” meaning infrastructure such as internal roadways, landings, barge, airport, airstrip and access road, power plant distribution and mines site facilities, along with the gyratory crusher and the aggregate plant, will be retained at the location.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who has responsibility for the mining sector, said the government will shortly be inviting companies and or groups in the business of mining to re-evaluate and submit proposals on the underground mining possibilities at the Omai site.
Hinds made this disclosure yesterday, at a news conference hosted at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) office to formally sign a joint document and announce the closure plan of the mines site.
It is anticipated that the proposals would be submitted by mid-August, with a further six weeks for the government and the Geology and Mines Commission to review the decision made on the way forward.
According to the Prime Minister, already an overseas-based Guyanese has signalled an interest in the location.
He noted too, that during one of those low periods, the company had even considered placing the operations under “care and maintenance”, which meant “mothballing and kept it going” in the hope of starting when the price increases.
Under the termination of the Mineral Agreement and relinquishing of the Mining Licence agreement, OGML which over the 14 years of existence invested capital US$253M in the project and produced approximately 3.8 million ounces of gold from its surface At that time it is expected that a full and complete Certificate of Compliance will be issued.
The Omai site was likened by the Prime Minister as a significant event from which many lessons could be adapted with a view to improving knowledge in mining, adding that the operations also offered the opportunity for Guyanese labour to be utilised.
Chairman of GGMC, Mr. Ronald Webster in noting that mining requires a huge financial investment, thanked OGML, for maintaining access which was critical to the area, adding too, that the company’s presence also aided the quality of life in the area.
Remarking on the enormous potential for mining in Guyana, the GGMC Chairman said the importance is not that the Closure Plan no longer includes a “return to nature”, which would have meant that the roads, the airstrip and other things would have been no longer available, but that it leaves behind an infrastructure for future development.
On this note Mr. Webster warned that GGMC will take very serious steps against persons who have been entering the property illegally and cause damage which can affect the reclamation process.
Commissioner of GGMC, Mr. William Woolford, who in association with OGML began from the negotiation stage described the experience as a “quite a unique”, “fantastic” and “unforgettable” one, as he has seen OMGL demonstrate that a mine of that magnitude could be built in a year and a half with proper organisation.
The site had been explored by Golden Star Resources Limited led by David Fennell and culminated with Cambior Inc establishing OGML in 1991. The mine, the first large-scale cyanide operation in Guyana was opened on March 11, 1993 by the late President, Dr Cheddi Jagan.
City Council faces looming financial crisis
By Sarada Singh
CITY Mayor Hamilton Green in responding to a looming financial crisis which may soon plague the municipality, charging that the government has failed to allow the Georgetown Municipality to widen its revenue base.
At a press conference yesterday at City Hall, Green claimed that the government has so far failed to allow the Council to widen its revenue base resulting in the municipality grappling with the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) company and the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) to retrieve outstanding revenue.
“As you are aware for a number of years the Council has attempted to explain the gap between our revenue and our expenditure and at each budget presented since 1994, we have made the point that the gap is widening and therefore despite our best efforts, we have today taste what was the inevitable and which we anticipated last year October when this issue was addressed,” Green claimed.
He further pointed out that the City is faced with a crisis whereby the revenue base is grossly inadequate to deal with compulsory services including communication services which cost approximately $1 M per month, fuel at $ 2.8 M per month, electricity at $10 M per month, garbage collection/disposal $20 M per month and water at an average cost of $ 0.5 M, noting that a constant dialogue is established with GPL and GWI.
Meanwhile, he also stated that the Council is responsible for several activities which include the maintenance of law and order, collection and disposal of waste, street lighting, control of animals, public health, bridges and parapets.
According to Green, the existing revenue from taxes is $G 1.4 billion while the current minimum expenditure is $ G 1.9 billion and does not include critical capital works. However, as repeatedly pointed out the revenue based on assessed value obtained in the year 2000 is still being collected in 2007 which is against the background of inflation, Green posited.
As such, he disclosed that the municipality have stepped its effort to collect outstanding sums which he attributed is constrained by the slothfulness of the judicial system, lack of vehicles and the economic reality of some sections of society.
The Mayor said government had advised in 2001 that no municipality would be allowed to raise taxes.
“In the meantime, we are still awaiting word from the government on our revenue proposals including, a container taxes. Also, we are in discussion with the private sector to enter into partnership in investment and development as part of the management and operations as some of their facilities such as markets, cemetery and parking,” Green remarked.
In addition, he noted that a letter was inked to the Local Government Minister outlining why the Council cannot remain viable while a request for Government’s assistance was made to provide certain services such as, a subsidy or Day Care Service at a total cost of $54 M, payment to GPL for street lighting at the cost of $84 M and additional lamps and repair those that are not functioning at a total value of $20 M.
According to Green, while he is optimistic that the matter is being favourably considered, the municipality will continue, with its limited human, material, and financial resources to maintain some level of equity and service to citizens.
This problem, the Mayor said, has incapacitated the Council since garbage contractors have withdrawn their services from the City because of financial challenges. As such, the municipality is urging its citizens to dispose their garbage between the hours of 7:00 am and 4:00 pm at the Le Repentir landfill site.
