Regional Authorities to expedite dam maintenance programme
- to support harvesting of current rice crop
IN an effort to assist rice farmers with harvesting of the current crop, Minister of Agriculture, Robert M. Persaud, has formally requested Regional Authorities in rice producing areas to expedite all dam maintenance programmes.
This intervention was made in response to frequent reports of poor access dams which are affecting harvesting activities during this current rice crop. These reports were verified during Minister Persaudxs recent visits to Regions Three and Six.
A bulldozer and a tractor with roam plough have been deployed by the Regional Administration in Region Two and are being used to repair access dams in various rice growing areas. Workers of the community drainage and irrigation enhancement project and farmers are assisting to carry out the upgrading works.
In Regions Three and Four, the Administrations are continuing their routine maintenance programme in collaboration with farmers while in Region Five, the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary\Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) and the Regional Administration are working with various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and farming groups to effect repairs to dams.
At present, graders and tractors with ploughs are being used in the programme while several farmers have been contracted to assist with maintenance.
The Region Six Administration has already commenced grading of access dams in Black Bush Polder, one of the regionxs main rice growing area, while the clearing of drains and shaping of dams are ongoing with the Number 52-74 area.
The Region is also exploring the possibility of sourcing an additional bulldozer to commence works in Crabwood Creek.
The maintenance of dams was seriously affected by unseasonal heavy rainfall experienced over the past few weeks as a result of the La Nina weather condition. Framers are being urged to cooperate with all local government authorities to assist in their efforts to improve access dams.
PNCR Region Four Councillors refuse to support motion condemning criminality
- McCoy suspended
By Sarada Singh
PEOPLExS Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor Mr. Kwame McCoyxs motion condemning the Lusignan massacre was yesterday rejected by opposition councillors who subsequently left the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) statutory meeting in protest.The motion raised was in condemnation of the Lusignan massacre where eleven people, including five children, were brutally gunned down by an apparent terrorist gang. The motion also called for the unequivocal support for the efforts of the joint services and the Governmentxs national Security Action Plan.
It further calls for the RDC and Councillors to help promote and foster good community relations in Region Four.
The incident was caused as McCoy continued to reiterate his position on the issues citing various references, one of which entailed the United States (U.S.) report on narcotics which the opposition councillors deemed irrelevant to the issue at hand and as such, he was subsequently suspended from the meeting.
However, the disruption lasted for not more than five minutes as the opposition representativesx returned and the meeting resumed.
The meeting, which was also attended by two Alliance For Change (AFC) councillors, chose to dissociate from the issue surrounding the proposal.
Mr. McCoy, speaking to the Guyana Chronicle during the disruption, said the behaviour of the main opposition councillors is a clear indication of the PNC agenda of saying one thing and doing another.
They seem to give their sympathy but then on the other hand, all their actions give comfort to the criminal elements in our society and this is a development we need to watch and we need to judge the records of the PNCR and see how responsible we are on these important national issues, he lamented.
McCoy, earlier in his address at the meeting convened at the Providence Community Centre Ground, noted that the horrific incident has caused tremendous shock, grief and anger among Guyanese from all ethnic groups and strata of society.
The incident has attracted views, ideas and opinions from a wide cross section of the society, including religious, social and political groups, he underscored.
The PPP/C Councillor also expressed sincere condolences to the families of the victims on behalf of the Region Four RDC.
He stressed that the PPP/C Region Four Councillors categorically condemn that and similar acts of criminality.
The RDC is being called upon to give its full and unequivocal support to the joint services including their effort to clear the backlands on the lower East Coast Demerara (E.C.D) and overall effort to capture these criminals, McCoy said.
In addition, he appealed to the public and RDC colleagues to condemn all those who condone and justify criminal actions and implored that they instead undertake to promote, foster and build good community relations.
McCoy, who later hosted a media briefing at the PPPCxs Freedom House headquarters, said an agreement was made for a consensus meeting to be held with the opposition after the adjournment, for the clarification of certain terms that were unclear in the motion. He, however, pointed out that after the adjournment, the opposition bluntly refused to meet.
Following the adjournment, the PNCR then claim - as though they were making mockery of the council - that they were not interested in going to any consensus meeting and they refused,x McCoy posited.
In brief remarks, Region Four Geographic Member of Parliament, Mr. Neil Kumar, said the issue has become xa trendx from the opposition members, acknowledging that the meeting was supposed to be held last month but was postponed due to a bomb scare.
Mr. Kumar also strongly condemned the suspension of the PPP/C Councillor.
Army court martial continues
Birch grilled by defence
By Wendella Davidson
STAFF Sergeant Rudolph Birch, the Prosecutionxs third witness in the court martial of the State versus Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lieutenant Colonel (Lt. Col.) Tony Ross, yesterday spent close to two hours giving evidence and subsequently being cross-examined by lead Counsel for the Defence, Leslie Sobers.
Birch, who retired from the Army in 1994, has been in their employ as a Reservist on a contract basis and is optimistic of being re-embodied again come April 1, 2008.
Sobers, yesterday, grilled him on aspects of his testimony, in particular in relation to what he heard during a conversation, as compared to what he had said during a Summary of Evidencex hearing convened earlier.
The Summary of Evidence, though not exactly similar, can be likened as to a Preliminary Inquiry conducted in a lower court (Magistrate Court) to determine whether a xprima faciex case is made out against an accused person and it requires a trial before a judge and jury.
Ross, is the first high-ranking GDF officer to be charged in relation with the disappearance of 33 AK-47 rifles and five pistols from the Camp Ayanganna arms store in 2006.
Lt. Col. Ross, in accordance with military law, Section 209 (1) of the Defence Act 15:01, is charged with three counts of xConduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline contrary to Section 75 of the Defence Act Chapter 15:01x and a lone count of xNeglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline contrary to Section 75 of the Defence Act Chapter 15:01.
Particulars of the allegations against Ross are, that on or about February 13, 2006, without proper authority he:
* * instructed Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Gordon to establish an arms store for personnel of the Ordnance Corps, an instruction which he knew or was reasonably expected to know he had no authority to issue.
** gave instructions to have weapon numbers assigned to soldiers of Ord. Corps for the purpose of issuing the weapons to the soldiers.
** failed to ensure that the keys to the Keys Cabinet were booked in at Defence Headquarters Operations Room, a duty which he knew or was reasonably expected to know.
** at the Ord. Corps, during the period March 2005 to February 2006, failed to manage an effective Booking In/Out system for the Keys Ledger, a duty known to him or reasonably expected to be known by him.
Led in his evidence-in chief by State Counsel, Melissa Yearwood-Stewart, Birch told the Military Court that up to mid-January he functioned as the Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant and had responsibility for procuring equipment, issuing of kit, equipment and all stores to soldiers of the GDF, bring the stores ledger up to date and in the absence of the Officer Commanding, Stores, oversee the staff.
Birch said too, he was required to adhere to any instructions given, from time to time, by his commanding officer.
At that time he shared an office in the Operations Room in the then Ordnance Store of Base Camp Ayanganna, with another soldier Lance Corporal Joseph, who at the time held the rank of Private.
The store has since been converted to the base for 5 Service Support Battalion, the witness told the Court.
Joseph who had responsibility for issuing keys to various department heads as well as selective personnel of the Ordnance Store at Base Camp Ayanganna, was supervised by one Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) Gordon.
Asked what the office contained, Birch said, it housed State Boards and had a canister on the wall which contained the keys for all departments of the Ordnance Store, including Operations Room, Expeditory Office as well as Clothing, Accommodation and Expendable Stores, a Cutting Shop, a Tailor Shop and a Bond.
However, even though the canister is locked, the key was never removed.
It was around late November 2005, Birch said, that he made a check of the Keys Ledger, going as far back as October, as a result of a conversation he had with Joseph.
The witness said he observed that the keys to the bond were not being booked inx and brought this to the attention of the Officer-in-Charge of the bond, WO2 Peters.
Birch said it was the xnot favourablex response from Peters which caused him to approach the accused (Lt Col. Ross) and tell him of his observation. Ross promised to have a word with Peters.
At this point, the witness identified a book which was produced in court as the Keys Ledger which he had perused and it was admitted as Exhibit B.
Asked by the Prosecution why he approached the accused, the witness said it was because the conversation was not favourable, and he knew that it is a daily requirement for the keys to be booked in.
Asked about his presence at the meeting, Birch recalled it was in late January or early February and the purpose was to discuss the training year and personal weapons to be allocated.
Others present were the accused, WO2 Gordon, then WO2 Peters, WO2 White, Capt. Rodney and S/Sgt Birch.
He recalled the accused telling WO2 Gordon
You are to get up a manual roll and give it to WO2 Peters ( then Officer-in-Charge of the bond); allot weapon numbers alongside the names of the soldiers so that they could be their personal weapons; establish an arms stores and WO2 Gordon is to ensure that is done.
Continuing, the witness said, he was aware that the weapons (to establish the bond) was coming from the bond.
At the start of the cross-examination, the Defence sought to establish the embodiment and re-embodiment status of the soldier, who is currently on retirement leave but has been offered re-embodiment by the current Base Commander, Lt. Col. Bristol.
Birch admitted under cross-examination that it was after the accused who had his (Birch) office removed from the Operations Room to the Stock Control Office which was located in the lower flat of the Main Stores building.
And while the witness had the comfort of his own office in the Operations Room that not longer obtained on account of the relocation, as the new location was an open areax.
Birch agreed with a suggestion by the Defence that the relocation was not something for him to jump about, adding that it was the COs decision and while he was not happy he could not do better.
Probed about his observation on the irregularity, the witness said he only observed the lapse with the keys for the bond.
At this point, the line of questioning sought by Sobers to elicit from the witness what he heard the accused tell WO2 Gordon, was objected to by the Prosecution.
And, on the interjection of Judge Advocate, retired Judge Oslen Small, xout of abundant cautionx, Sober rephrased his question, asking the witness whether the accused had a conversation with WO2 Gordon and certain things were said which he did not repeat during the Summary of Evidence
Asked why he omitted to give a xcrucial piece of evidencex during the xSummary of Evidence, that of his telling the accused after he had being questioned by one Commander Flores that he did not say to Commander Flores that he (Birch) had spoken to the accused, Ross said to him xthat is not a problemx.
Birch, however, admitted that he was given the chance to speak freely, yet he failed to tell then everything.
However, as the Defence continued its cross-examination, the witness maintained that what he said during the xSummary of Evidencex was in relation to the questions he was being asked.
And as the Defencexs line of questioning continued, the witness maintained that he did hear the accused tell WO2 Gordon to establish an arms store.
He agreed with the Prosecution though that even though the accused had instructed that weapons numbers be written down and that this be done on a nominal roll, he would have had to seek permission to so do.
Also, that the accused did not issue instructions for weapons to be physically handed out to soldiers, and that the keeping of the keys by Peters would have allowed him to have access to that for the secured areas, as all the keys were on one bunch.
The court martial which is presided over by Colonel Jullian Bruce Lovell, with other members being Lt. Col. Patrick West, Lt. Col. Trevor Blenman, Lt. Col. Brian Bristol (Base Commander, Camp Ayanganna) and Major Paul Arthur, will reconvene on Tuesday next, March 25.
The Prosecution will either call to the witness stand, WO2 Gordon or Colonel Lawrence who was overlooked for the top GDF position when former Chief of Staff, Edward Collins retired from office
Project to improve diabetic foot care begins at GPHC
CANADIAN diabetic foot specialists will train local health professionals in techniques of diabetic foot care in an effort to stem foot ulcers which has become a pandemic.
A release from the (GPHC) said the $22 M ($7 M local counterpart funding) year-long project will bring Canadian diabetic foot specialists to Guyana to train local health professionals in the techniques of screening, education and foot care, which have been proven to prevent foot ulcers.
GPHC said like many countries, Guyana has been deeply affected by the worldwide pandemic of type II diabetes.
The press release said between six and nine percent of the adult population is afflicted by this disease, which is the third leading cause of death.
It added that the complications of diabetes - foot disease, visual impairment, kidney problems and accelerated risk of heart attack and stroke - cause a large amount of suffering and premature death.
One of the most important is diabetic foot ulcers. This problem is the single most common reason for admission to a surgical bed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, representing 10 percent of all admissions. Diabetics are 15 times more likely to suffer an amputation than the general public, the release said.
The release noted that foot ulcers precede amputation in 85 percent of cases. xPreventing the development of foot ulcers in diabetics and more effective treatment of those that do occur are important measures to improve the health of the people of Guyana, the release added.
The statement added that in line with the Ministry of Health's recommendations for diabetic care, the GPH opened a Diabetic Foot Centre in September 2007. GPHC said the hospital has been awarded G $15M from the Canadian Cooperation Fund (CCF), a branch of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to further improve diabetic foot care.
As well these specialists will introduce enhanced methods of ulcer management, including the use of devices to reduce the pressure on the patients' feet. This is an important component which is necessary for ulcer healing, it said.
GPHC added that technicians at the facility and the Ptolemy-Reid Rehabilitation Centre will be trained in these techniques. The result will be enhanced, sustainable capacity to improve the lives of people with diabetes.
A press conference to announce the opening of this important project will be held today at GPHC.
Officials from the hospital, Ministry of Health, CCF and the newly appointed Canadian sub-contractors for the project will be available to answer questions from the media and public.
Patrons at Brazilian restaurant robbed at gunpoint
POLICE are hunting for two men who relieved patrons of the Brazilian Restaurant located at Charlotte and Alexander Streets, Georgetown, on Monday last.
According to police about 15:25 hours, four patrons were having a meal when two bandits entered the restaurant and at gunpoint robbed them of a quantity of jewellery and cash, along with a cell phone and escaped.
Pillion rider killed in motor cycle crash
A man is in police custody assisting with investigations
