Special ‘COHSOD’ opens in Georgetown with regional spotlight on children
Advancing the agenda on children
‘Let us go beyond identifying good intentions and truly commit ourselves to fulfill the promises we make as leaders, as politicians, as implementers of services, as parents, by indeed implementing the actions which our children need to develop their full potential and be guaranteed protection from violence, exploitation and global environmental threats...’ - Surinamese President Mr. Ronald Venetiaan
By Neil Marks
VICE Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Professor Nigel Harris, says a meeting in Georgetown addressing issues affecting children in the Caribbean presents an opportunity to truly “advance the agenda” in a region where action plans still leave children vulnerable to destructive influences such as violence and disease.
One of the key issues the meeting focused on is comprehensive child legislative framework that takes into consideration sexual abuse, domestic and institutional violence, and discrimination because of living or being affected by HIV.
Professor Harris called for concrete action in addressing the issues on the table. His charge came as young child performers delighted key decision makers in song and dance at the opening ceremony of the special meeting of the Council on Human and Social Development (COHSOD), an organ of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Professor Harris said the meeting was designed to act as a “balance sheet” in determining how the region has advanced the agenda in implementing commitments made in conjunction with the 2002 United Nations Special Session on Children.
Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee, said child development and protection are at present being discussed in the preparation of Guyana’s child protection bill.
He said the objectives which have been set for the meeting, including the development of a three-year action plan will lead to an increased awareness amongst stakeholders and would bring about more focused attention on critical issues relating to the development and welfare of children, “who are the future leaders of our region.”
Professor Harris underscored the need for CARICOM to urgently address the ambiguity which exists in the free movement of skills across the region, wherein children of those who move to work face difficulties in accessing educational and health facilities and other social services.
CARICOM Secretary-General, Mr. Edwin Carrington, said preparatory work has commenced in drafting a protocol on contingent rights to be accorded to spouses, children and other dependents of persons who have moved for work. Carrington said foremost among these rights are the rights to services such as education and health care.
“Our citizens need to be confident that they are not putting their dependents at a disadvantage with regards to such essential services. The single market is stultified if such rights are denied,” he declared.
In a message delivered at the meeting, the President of Suriname, Mr. Ronald Venetiaan, the CARICOM Lead Head on Youth, Culture, Gender and Sport, said children’s issues are a fundamental and crucial part of all national and regional policies.
“They cut across sectors, and each decision we make, even when we debate economic and political issues, affects the situation of children to a greater or lesser degree,” Venetiaan said in a statement read by his Minister of Education and Community Development Mr. Edwin Wolf.
“How many of us have successful ‘early head start’ programme, effective teenage pregnancy prevention programme, or legislation abolishing all forms of violence against children.
“Are we waiting for them to become adolescents or adults to learn how their most important rights were ignored, and to hear how they grew up as abused and violated children, surviving in a world that would not listen to their voices?” Venetiaan questioned.
“Let us go beyond identifying good intentions and truly commit ourselves to fulfill the promises we make as leaders, as politicians, as implementers of services, as parents, by indeed implementing the actions which our children need to development their full potential and be guaranteed protection from violence, exploitation and global environmental threats,” the Surinamese leader said.
Minister Rohee noted in his presentation that the CARICOM Secretariat has shown leadership in the role it has provided to several regional initiatives such as the Regional Early Childhood Development Working Group and the Task Force on Child Rights and Child Protection, among others.
He said it is anticipated that from this meeting will come a consensus on issues and the strategies for tackling them will lay the basis for the mainstreaming of child development and protection programming into national development programming as a core strategy for poverty reduction, for strengthening human resource development and for tackling crime, violence and other social problems.
“This is indeed a commendable approach that must be supported by all stakeholders,” Rohee stated.
Among other things…
Special coin, stamp to commemorate Carifesta X
By Tajeram Mohabir
A SPECIAL coin and a stamp are being issued to commemorate Guyana hosting of the tenth Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (Carifesta X).
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, who made the announcements recently, said the currency is being made through collaboration with the Bank of Guyana.
The design is finished and it has already been sent for minting, he said.
According to him, Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) has designed, for the printing, the stamp issue to mark the return of the festival to Guyana, after 36 years and his ministry, through the Carifesta Secretariat, is producing several memorabilia to herald the occasion.
He said, maybe within a month, the Carifesta Shop will open and have, for sale, t-shirts, caps and a whole host of other things.
Meanwhile, with 156 days before the August 22 to 31 show, the National School of Dance has commenced training of teachers and students to perform, Anthony told reporters at a press briefing in the Main Street, Georgetown Carifesta Secretariat.
He was speaking about more plans and preparations and, in attendance also, were Chairman of the Literary Arts Committee, Mr. Petamber Persaud and a visiting Venezuelan delegation, led by the Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Dario Morondy.
Anthony said there will be a cultural extravaganza, featuring participation by 1,000 Guyanese children, at the opening of the mega event.
The National Park will be the centre of most activities, mainly the interactive ‘Youth Village’ and, the ministry, in partnership with a foreign agency, is working to bring a number of educational/entertainment groups, from around the Caribbean region, to grace the occasion.
They will convene several workshops with locals and perform at shows throughout Guyana, the minister said.
Anthony said his ministry will, soon, initiate a regional children’s art competition and the winners will be afforded the opportunity to visit this country during Carifesta X.
He disclosed, as well, that the Allied Arts Department of the Education Ministry will stage a drama contest among schools and the best performance will be showcased in the Youth Village.
CARIFESTA’
The minister said the second edition of ‘Talk Carifesta’ will be broadcast shortly on the National Communications Network (NCN) and copies of the recording would be available at the broadcaster and the Carifesta Secretariat.
However, persons desirous of keeping abreast of the events as they unfold can visit the web site www.carifesta.net for the latest information.
He said, in an effort to create the Carifesta fever and keep the spirit alive, his ministry will introduce ‘Carifesta Hour’ on 98.1 hot FM, featuring the music of the participating countries.
In addition, Anthony said a regional film festival will be hosted every Saturday evening, between 19:00 h and 21:00 h, leading up to Carifesta X.
Persaud explained that this aspect of the cultural explosion consists of eight sub-areas, namely a book fair, literary parade, book launches, book signings, reading, book caravan, book competitions and publications.
He said the core objectives of the Literary Arts Committee are to:
** formulate innovate ways for renewing interest in and evoke an appreciation for literature and capture and sustain it;
** make reading pleasurable;
** encourage emerging writers and writings in the region;
** create a climate that will benefit all aspects of the literary arts and
** plan a regional book fair every other year, alternating with the hosting of Carifesta.
Persaud said the book fair will be on the ground floor of the National Library, which is the venue for the exhibitions, launchings, sales, literary reading and all other related activities.
will be encouraging unpublished manuscripts, because it is difficult to publish in Guyana and there are a number of them in desk drawers or on computers just wasting away,” he pointed out.
He said the booths to be used for exhibiting will range in size from 10 feet by 10 feet to 20 feet by 10 feet but would be extended if necessary.
Persaud said the objective of the literary parade is to promote and market literature and that will be done by about 100 children colourfully decked out in costumes, marching from different locations to the National Library.
are looking to have at least one book per day launched… I know that there will be more than one each day and that augurs well for books and literature in our country,” he stated.
Persaud said, the National Library aside, reading exercises will be conducted at Linden, New Amsterdam, Anna Regina and Bartica and the institution’s bookmobile will be used to take storytelling, poetry and fiction to youth groups city wide while renowned literary icons are honoured.
He said the book competitions will feature two segments. In the first, the 10 best books and 10 best writers of the region as well as the 10 best Guyanese books and 10 best Guyanese writers will be selected.
The committee is still pontificating on the other segment of the rivalry that would elaborate on poetry, Persaud said.
He said the Carifesta Journal will be revived to encapsulate all the 2008 activities and an anthology of writing, comprising short fiction, poetry and drama from participating countries and the Guyana Classic would be published.
Persaud promised that at least five of the Guyana Classic’s 25 unpublished collections will be publicised.
Ambassador Morondy, who spoke through an interpreter, said his government sees Carifesta X as a uniting forum and is eager to participate.
The diplomat said the Venezuela presentation will be colourful after visits to all local Carifesta venues to grasp an understanding of the various events and determine its delegation size.
Carifesta is the region’s roving, multidisciplinary, mega arts festival which attracts a wide range of creative artists from various Caribbean and Latin American countries.
Carifesta was the culmination of the idea that started in 1970 when participants at an Artists and Writers Convention in Guyana complained about the absence of an outlet to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Region and at the same time give recognition to its outstanding artists and art forms.
Luncheon leads PRSP consultation discussions on governance
THE Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) consultation on Governance and Security was held yesterday at the Umana Yana in Georgetown. Leading the discussions was Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.
In his discussions, Dr Luncheon pointed out that several areas had been highlighted during the consultation for the 2001 – 2006 period.
These included administration and issues to do with transparency and accountability. In this regard, legislation had been enacted to deal with the ambiguities and to repose statutory responsibility in individuals and agencies to overlook these matters.
He pointed to the Public Procurement and Tender Board Act which gives oversight to a number of persons holding Constitutional offices with Parliament as the final oversight body.
The HPS acknowledged that there will always be concerns as to whether management of public funds could be greater enhanced and the PRSP consultations were meant to address those issues.
With regard to public administration, Dr. Luncheon said that some of these issues were already addressed beyond what was recommended at the consultations.
The creation of autonomous and semi-autonomous agencies were meant to make their service delivery more efficient.
Dr Luncheon said, too, that in the area of political administration, it was made mandatory for all public officers and Government functionaries to declare the assets of themselves and their immediate family.
The issue to be resolved is the manner in which this declaration should be made and what should be done with it. This, he said, is an issue that could be decided by these consultations.
The need for Parliamentary reforms was also raised at the last consultation.
The steps taken so far included the strengthening and creation of Parliamentary Committees, Rights Bodies and Commissions and giving them oversight into the management of several functions of the State.
He acknowledged that all that was recommended was not achieved but said that the changes to be realised was a ‘work in progress’. There was an identified need to have civil society more involved in the work of the State and efforts will be made to address that.
Addressing the gathering, trade unionist Carvil Duncan acknowledged that progress was taking place in the society.
These benefits, he said, will be felt as communities begin to reap the rewards in the various social sectors.
Joseph Hamilton, of the PNCR, who attended in his capacity as a citizen, expressed concern that the impact of the developments were not being felt in the communities since there may be a disconnect between the consultations and the ‘ordinary citizens’ and they may not be seeing immediate progress.
He suggested that community leaders be used to convey development plans to communities.
Presidential Adviser on Governance, Ms. Gail Teixeira, in her contribution stated that several safety net programmes that were implemented by Government were not being accessed by the intended recipients since they did not know about the programmes. She suggested that funding should be provided for sensitizing persons about these programmes.
Additionally, surveys should be done on a regular basis to determine the effectiveness of government services and programmes.
She also suggested that contracts for works in communities should be posted up in public places in the communities so that persons could see the scope of works and be the watchdogs of the government.
In wrapping up the discussion, Dr Luncheon admonished that the role of law in conflict resolution and creating the conditions for poverty eradication should never be overlooked. He said that the recent incidents in Lusignan and Bartica have proven that there is a “mobilizable” force which could contribute to the development of Guyana.
The PRSP consultations started in January and should have been completed in three weeks but the massacres in Lusignan and shortly after in Bartica caused them to be delayed. (GINA)
At Demerara Assizes…
Stepson killer to serve 15 years for manslaughter
FIFTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Frederick Hinds, who inflicted 32 incised wounds with a cutlass on his stepson, Gavin Adams, 24, was yesterday sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for the manslaughter.
Justice Brassington Reynolds imposed the custodial penalty after the mixed Demerara Assizes jury disagreed on a murder verdict but found the convict guilty of the lesser count, in the proportion of 11 to one.
For the Prosecution, State Counsel Judy Latchman and Fabayo Azore led evidence that the prisoner was packing to leave the home of his reputed wife, Lilowatie Adams, on July 6, 2003, when he picked up a cutlass and inflicted chops on her son.
Hinds had also turned the weapon on the woman and she suffered wounds about the face and body, causing him to be indicted, as well, for wounding her with intent.
Defence Counsel Compton Richardson contended that Hinds was defending himself from an attack and he laid emphasis on the different dates in the post mortem report.
Before sentencing Hinds, the judge alluded to the nature of the act by the killer who exhibited a lack of trust in the family at whose home he lived for some time.
Justice Reynolds said he took into account the manner in which the prisoner dealt with his stepson and reputed wife, having looked at Hinds throughout the trial. (George Barclay)
