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ARCHIVES FOR MARCH 24 2008

Over 100 children taken off the streets between March/December 2007
MINISTER of Human Services and Social Security, Ms. Priya Manickchand said over 100 children were removed from the streets of Georgetown and other parts of various regions up to December last under the special campaign “Mission Child Protection” which came into effect on March 9 last year.

According to the minister to remove children off the streets is to remove them from risky and vulnerable situations.

In a recent interview with this newspaper, Ms. Manickchand, she highlighted some of the many programmes and challenges for child-protection, which were undertaken by the Ministry as it relates to providing care and support for vulnerable children. She noted that plans are afoot to further advance those developments.

A Child-Care Centre was established by the Human Services Ministry to provide care and meet the children’s demand as well as improve their living standards. Most of the children removed from the streets during the campaign were re-integrated with their families while 38 are still in the Ministry’s care.

The Minister noted that no specific age policy is in place in removing children from conflict situations. At present, there are 51 children ranging from four to sixteen years at the centre and all of them are attending school. She pointed out that some of the children came out from very tough conditions and expressed her satisfaction that they have been showing improvements.

Meanwhile, the Human Services Ministry will this year place major emphasis to begin a foster care programme and establish a Mission Child Protection Unit. The minister said this year a Child Protection Services Unit will be crafted as an umbrella body to deal with all issues relating to child protection.

Manickchand said with support of the 2008 Budget, the Ministry intends to start a foster care programme and to finalise the regulations and minimum standards for orphanages so as to ensure that the children who are in the programme are in a child friendly environment. (Nathalene DeFreitas)

National economic survey to begin soon
ENUMERATORS who will be involved in the National Economic Survey of Business Establishments, scheduled to begin shortly, have been urged to ensure that they conduct the survey professionally and that their work generates information that is accurate and which represents a total picture of economic activity in Guyana.

This was emphasised by Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, during his remarks at the recent closing session of an eight-day training workshop held at Regency Suites, Hadfield Street, Georgetown, by the Accounts Division of the National Bureau of Statistics. The activity started on March 10 and included participation of approximately 70 enumerators from across the country.

The minister noted the importance of the survey to the rebasing of the national accounts, which will allow for more accurate measuring of economic activity conducted in Guyana. The survey will also allow for the capture of key economic and social indicators which constitute a critical element of the mandate of the Bureau of Statistics and the Government in measuring economic and social activity.

The current base year of the country’s national accounts is 1988, some 20 years ago, since when there have been dramatic changes in both the global and domestic economy, as well as other aspects of social development.

Dr. Singh emphasised the dramatic changes that have occurred in the domestic economy over the last twenty years, including the introduction of comprehensive policies that led to the liberalisation of the economy and the return to a market based economy, an extensive privatisation programme that has seen a number of former public enterprises being placed in the private sector, and the reinvigoration of private entrepreneurial initiative. The Minister asserted that these have led to the emergence and growth of a number of new sectors in today’s economy which were non-existent twenty years ago. Among these, Minister Singh highlighted the information and communications technology, tourism and hospitality sectors, and a number of other non-traditional sectors, all of which did not exist twenty years ago but now have significant visibility and are widely believed to be growing rapidly. These have completely transformed the economic landscape relative to twenty years ago. Reference was also made to technological advancements realised since 1988 such as developments in information and other technology, all of which have transformed the operations of businesses in most productive sectors of the economy.

He explained that while, in an ideal world, some may argue that the national accounts should be rebased as frequently as every year, it is recognised that the process is very comprehensive and costly. Thus, it is unlikely that small countries such as Guyana and others in the Caribbean can conduct surveys on this scale very frequently. Instead, a more acceptable interval between base years has to be applied. Minister Singh indicated that a commitment has been made at the regional level to conduct regular surveys at least to base year 2000. In Guyana’s case, the rebasing would be done to base year 2006.

Dr. Singh also highlighted the recent Household Income and Expenditure Survey that gathered extensive data on household consumption which will be used in conjunction with the data gathered from the National Economic Survey to enable Guyana to rebase its national accounts to base year 2006.

External support from agencies such as the United States Bureau of Census, Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC), CARICOM Secretariat and Trinidad and Tobago’s Central Statistical Office, and the efforts of the management and staff of the local Bureau of Statistics, were also acknowledged. (GINA)

Government has recognised the impact of climate change
--Persaud assures Linden residents
By Sarada Singh
AGRICULTURE Minister Robert Persaud delivering brief remarks at the Linden Constabulary Hall on the occasion of World Meteorological Day yesterday assured the gathering that government has recognised the impact of climate change and has undertaken several measures to deal with the issue.

He noted that climate change is causing a major shift in our way of life, be it at home, in the field or at work.

As such, he exhorted that people have to learn to adapt to different residential locations because of the changing weather patterns. “We have to modify our cropping pattern, our technologies and much more,” he stressed.

Citing a recent example the minister referred to the overtopping on the East Coast where 90% of the population is located and approximately 85% of the activities take place.

Persaud yesterday met with residents of Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) to commemorate the occasion under the theme, “observing our planet for a better future”.

This year’s observance was held under the theme, “Observing our planet for a better future,” and featured the launching of an ozone activity booklet entitled, “Save our sky” provided by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) which encompasses a compilation of several natural hazards around the world.

According to the minister the situation on the East Coast emerged from the current La Nina condition associated with easterly gusty winds combined with the low pressure system in the Atlantic that is generating wave action causing abnormal swells and excessive high tides affecting the Caribbean.

Persaud also advocated the support of farmers/loggers during this period by complying with the relevant authorities whenever advisories are being issued in ensuring the safety of every individual.

More so, he noted that some $13.5 M has been allocated for the well-being of farmers in the Region.

The minister added that the process of getting the entire sector to understand and prepare for the fallouts caused by climate change on agriculture will have to be accelerated. “Nations such as ours must intensify lobbying of those responsible for the greatest contributions to global warming and climate change causing them to change their attitude. They must recognize that they have a moral obligation to help the countries that are affected most by global warming, countries like ours that lie below a rising sea level and with limited resources to defend ourselves against damages caused not by us but contributed by others with greater economic wealth,” Persaud said.

“We also in Guyana, are now confronted with and are experiencing an inconvenient reality,” the minister pointed out.

Chief Hydromeoteorological Officer (ag) Ms. Bhaleka Seulall noted that this year’s theme is by no means a casual occurrence referring to the year that has elapsed since the previous World Meteorological Day where a number of crucial events have occurred, all of which have strongly emphasised the vital and unprecedented relevance of global observations.

She added that the provision of weather, climate and water-related information is essential to support the socio-economic activities, such as agriculture, transport, mining, energy production, aviation and water resources management, all of which are crucial for the growth and development in any country.

Ms. Seulall also appealed to the Guyanese community to contribute a few minutes of their time so as to ensure that the Hydrometeorological Service can effectively expand the weather, climate and water database which will ultimately aid in improving weather predictions both locally and internationally.

“We should begin to act locally and think globally,” she acknowledged.

World Meteorological Day celebrates the convention of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) which was entered into force on March 23, 1950, a date that is celebrated annually by the meteorological community.

Joint meeting of security chiefs mulls regional response capacity
CARICOM Standing Committees of Commissioners of Police and Military Chiefs which met in Guyana from March 19 - 21, 2008, in an extraordinary joint session reviewed the current crime and security environment in the Region. As articulated in the opening remarks by Co-Chairs of the Meeting, Commissioner Trevor Paul and Brigadier Edmund Dillon, both of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as by Ms. Lynne Anne Williams, Executive Director of CARICOM’s Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), the meeting was mandated by CARICOM Heads of Government at their 19th Inter-sessional Meeting held in The Bahamas from March 7 – 8, 2008, a release from the Guyana Police Force said.

It added that Heads of State requested that the Meeting identify critical national and regional anti-crime and security priorities, and brainstorm options for policing and security responses considered necessary to achieve a reduction in crime and violence in the immediate and short term, even as the Regional Crime and Security Strategy is updated for consideration at the political level. Among the general issues reviewed were the proliferation, trafficking and use of firearms and drugs; kidnapping, murders, gangs and maritime piracy. The outcomes of this meeting, including the possibility of introducing a regional response capacity and the enhanced use of technology to support law enforcement, will inform the Crime and Security discussions due to take place at the CARICOM Meeting of the Council of Ministers responsible for National Security and Law Enforcement, to be succeeded by the Special Summit on Regional Security, both scheduled to take place in Trinidad and Tobago in April, 2008.

In attendance were security chiefs from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Associated States of Anguilla and Bermuda. Delegates also included the Chairs of the CARICOM Standing Committee of Chiefs of Immigration and of the CARICOM Standing Committee of Comptrollers of Customs; the Chair of the Regional Information Technology Sub-Committee (RITC); Crime and Security Programme Coordinator of the CARICOM Secretariat; and Directors and other senior officers of the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC), Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre (RIFC) and the Regional Security System (RSS).

The Commissioners of Police and Military Chiefs reiterated their pledge of full support to the local security chiefs in their current crime fighting efforts.

Guyana represented at Costa Rican forum for young agricultural leaders
TWO Guyanese, Dr Devon Dublin and Mr. Selwyn Anthony will represent this country at the First Forum for Young Leaders in Agriculture which gets underway today at the Costa Rican headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

The March 24-29 forum will field 90 participants from 34 countries and among those expected to attend the opening ceremony are Minister of Agriculture of Costa Rica, Javier Flores Galataza; Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Guatemala, Mario Aldana; Ambassadors of member countries of IICA posted to Costa Rica, as well as the Ambassador of Spain in Costa Rica, an associate member of IICA, a release from IICA Representative in Guyana, Dr Ignatius Jean stated.

Guatemala is currently serving as the Chair of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture., a governing body of IICA.

The young leaders will during the forum be coursed in the areas of valued-based leadership, systemic thinking and the use of Agro-Matri tools and conflict resolution.

It is expected that at the end of the week, participants will have explored the various scenarios for the future of agricultural policy, production and trade.

The participants will also have reinforced their overall view of agriculture and rural life in the context of a globalised world, as well as sharing knowledge and experiences with their counterparts.

On the final day, the young leaders will seal their commitment to sustainable development and rural life in the hemisphere in what will be called the “2008 Declaration of Young Lin the Americas,” the release added.

Director General of IICA, Dr Cheston Brathwaite in explaining said that “Agriculture is and will continue to be crucial to our countries. The challenges they must face, however, are increasingly complex. The problems of the 21st Century are vastly and different from those in the previous century, and new tools are needed to face them, especially, leaders with an ability to act in situations in a constant flux.”

“Agriculture, today, is in no way limited to primary production. It has to do with poverty, climate change, trade, nutrition, trans-boundary disease control, food society… We need an entire generation of new leaders who are able to face the challenges that require multi-sectoral response,” he added.

Dr. Dublin is a veterinarian with the Ministry of Agriculture and a lecturer at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), while Anthony is a former Farm Manager and lecturer at the GSA. He was also past president of the Guyana Forum for Youth in Agriculture and served too, as Vice-President of the Caribbean Agricultural Youth Forum (CAFY).

Guyana needs the spiritual qualities of Easter - President Jagdeo
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo, in his Easter message, has said that if ever the country and people needed the spiritual qualities of reconciliation and forgiveness associated with Easter, it is now, given the unsavory events of recent months.

“This has resulted in bitterness, rage, and anger among our people. But our people are standing together at a very difficult juncture in our history, and continue to withstand the temptations of our adversaries,” the President said, in obvious references to the recent massacres which claimed 23 innocent lives.

“For our nation to enjoy sustained peace and prosperity, these unwholesome trends must be reversed, restrained and restricted. What better time for this process to begin, than during this Easter season,” Mr. Jagdeo said.

He said however that the forgiveness and reconciliation that the Easter message brings, comes with a price, that price Christ was willing to pay.

“If the message of forgiveness is to become a reality in our nation, each and every individual must be willing to pay a price. Let’s give ourselves, our time, our energy to achieve this reconciliation and forgiveness,” the President stated.

The Head of Sate observed that though Guyana, in recent times, has been going through a challenging period, the commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a time when many will lean on the hope of a Saviour who died for the salvation of mankind.

“The message and meaning of the Easter celebration bring hope. It is a message of self-sacrifice that brought reconciliation and forgiveness for all mankind,” Mr. Jagdeo said.

He noted that for Christians, the story of the Easter celebration is the foundation of their faith which promises eternal life and represents the most important event on the Christian calendar. “The Easter festival demonstrates the power and love of Christ to remove all our sins forever, and to receive us back into his world.”

“Even as we join with Christians in unity to celebrate this important part of their faith, let’s remember that there are many lessons that we as a nation can embrace, even as we try to come to grips with some of the challenges of our nation,” the President urged.

He noted also that Easter is traditionally a time for family get-together.

“We must never underestimate and under value the importance of the family in the nation’s development as strong families symbolise strong communities, hence a strong nation. It is the family where respect for life and law is first instilled,” the President stated.

“And so on this Easter, let us make a commitment as a nation to continue to build strong family units. For not to do this, opens our nation to spiritual and moral decay. And Easter reminds us of the true path to follow.”

The message of Easter is that ultimately the people will triumph - PNCR
THE PNCR wishes to extend Easter greetings to all Guyanese of the Christian Faith and members of the Christian community throughout the world on the occasion of the celebration of one of the most important events in the Christian calendar. The festival of Easter commemorates the death of Jesus Christ and the celebration of His Resurrection. This festival in its symbolic significance and secular relevance contains an important and powerful message.

In the judgement of the PNCR that message says to all Guyanese who have the future of this nation at heart that it does not matter what difficult conditions or circumstances the nation has to navigate, the people will ultimately triumph once they have enough faith in God and are inspired by a vision of the future through intelligent, courageous and God centred leadership. In other words the dream of a united and prosperous Guyana may appear on occasion to be crucified by the many problems the nation faces from time to time. However, that dream is always resurrected by the faith, energy, innovation and courage of the Guyanese people.

It only remains for the People’s National Congress Reform to wish each and every Guyanese, who celebrate this event regardless of religious persuasion or ethnic background, a joyous and fulfilling Easter.

Battling the angry waters of the sea
Unless we free ourselves from the shackles of intellectual backwardness and face the reality of an ever challenging world with an understanding of global changes and patterns, history will condemn us for our very actions.

But the government cognisant of the changing world around us is trying its best, putting together all resources at its disposal to deal with these situations in the interest of all Guyanese.

However, while the government’s undivided attention is with the entire Guyanese population, there are those among us, who, because of their insatiable appetite for power, will stop at nothing to keep the people in abject ignorance. Indeed J.G. Holland was so correct when he said: “God give us men. A time like this demands strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands! Men whom the lust of office does not kill, men who possess opinions and a will, men who love honour, men who cannot lie.”

Remember the late great Jamaican Reggae singer, Bob Marley, “who de cap fit let them wear it.”

Late last week, Guyanese experienced severe over-topping of sea water, along our coastland due to unusually high spring tide. It is not because of charm that we are below sea level, and because of the over-topping, several villages, especially along the lower East Coast were flooded.

But the people of these villages noted with a great deal of gratification, swift action by the government to avoid any major disaster. Some homes were flooded, and we sympathise with those people who suffered losses or damage to household items.

We in Guyana are not in this predicament alone. During the same period some islands in the Caribbean also experienced unusually high tides and the people of some of these islands were put on the alert. Over in the United States of America, unusually high rivers overflowed and in some instances broke their banks causing very severe flooding in several cities across the US.

Observers on the East Coast are loud in their praise for government in its quick response with the necessary machinery and man power to drain the excess water off the land. They also recognised the presence of Agriculture Minister, Mr. Robert Persaud and Hydraulics Minister, Mr. Robeson Benn who took a hands-on position, and carefully monitored the situation.

We note with concern the fact that many people along the East Coast and several other villages along our Coastline have built houses on or very near the reserves. Because of this whenever there is over-topping or breach in our sea defences, these people are quickly flooded out. Also because of their presence on the reserves, in the event of an emergency, it is very difficult to carry out necessary drainage and irrigation works.

Most experts and other officials are of the view that those people who live so perilously close to the sea defences in Guyana should be relocated to other areas where it is both better and safer for them.

The people are mindful that in its 2008 budgetary allocation for sea defence and drainage and irrigation, some $2.2B will be spent to continue construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of sea defence structures. The government will also continue with the shore zone management system in Regions Five and Six, and the implementation of a pilot project for Mangrove regeneration protection at Mon Repos, one of the areas on the lower East Coast recently hit by the over-topping of the sea. We note with interest that the government will this year also spend some $3.7B on drainage and irrigation across the country. Some $50M will also be spent on the Conservancy Adaptation Project which will develop a hydraulic engineering foundation critical for flood control management.

The people note with satisfaction the government’s haste in shoring up the country’s sea defences as is evidenced along the lower East Coast especially, where there are hundreds of tonnes of boulders along the dykes to facilitate remedial works.

It is necessary for us to move quickly to help reinforce our sea defence systems because of the global warming phenomenon and other factors that influence rising sea levels.

A Shady US Guyanese Immigration Officer, a Green Card, and a Demand for Sex
By Nina Bernstein
NO problems so far, the immigration agent told the American citizen and his 22-year-old Colombian wife at her green card interview in December. After he stapled one of their wedding photos to her application for legal permanent residency, he had just one more question: What was her cell phone number?

Isaac R. Baichu, 46, an adjudicator for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, was arrested after he met with a green card applicant at the Flagship Restaurant, a diner in Queens. He is charged with coercing oral sex from her.

The calls from the agent started three days later. He hinted, she said, at his power to derail her life and deport her relatives, alluding to a brush she had with the law before her marriage. He summoned her to a private meeting. And at noon on Dec. 21, in a parked car on Queens Boulevard, he named his price — not realising that she was recording everything on the cell phone in her purse.

“I want sex,” he said on the recording. “One or two times. That’s all. You get your green card. You won’t have to see me anymore.”

She reluctantly agreed to a future meeting. But when she tried to leave his car, he demanded oral sex “now,” to “know that you’re serious.” And despite her protests, she said, he got his way.

The 16-minute recording, which the woman first took to The New York Times and then to the Queens District Attorney, suggests the vast power of low-level immigration law enforcers, and a growing desperation on the part of immigrants seeking legal status. The aftermath, which included the arrest of an immigration agent last week, underscores the difficulty and danger of making a complaint, even in the rare case when abuse of power may have been caught on tape.

No one knows how widespread sexual blackmail is, but the case echoes other instances of sexual coercion that have surfaced in recent years, including agents criminally charged in Atlanta, Miami and Santa Ana, Calif. And it raises broader questions about the system’s vulnerability to corruption at a time when millions of non-citizens live in a kind of legal no-man’s land, increasingly fearful of seeking the law’s protection.

The agent arrested last week, Isaac R. Baichu, 46, himself an immigrant from Guyana, handled some 8,000 green card applications during his three years as an adjudicator in the Garden City, N.Y., office of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the federal Department of Homeland Security. He pleaded not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges of coercing the young woman to perform oral sex, and of promising to help her secure immigration papers in exchange for further sexual favours. If convicted, he will face up to seven years in prison.

His agency has suspended him with pay, and the inspector general of Homeland Security is reviewing his other cases, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Prosecutors, who say they recorded a meeting between Mr. Baichu and the woman on March 11 at which he made similar demands for sex, urge any other victims to come forward.

Money, not sex, is the more common currency of corruption in immigration, but according to Congressional testimony in 2006 by Michael Maxwell, former director of the agency’s internal investigations, more than 3,000 backlogged complaints of employee misconduct had gone uninvestigated for lack of staff, including 528 involving criminal allegations.

The agency says it has tripled its investigative staff since then, and counts only 165 serious complaints pending. But it stopped posting an e-mail address and phone number for such complaints last year, said Jan Lane, chief of security and integrity, because it lacks the staff to cull the thousands of mostly irrelevant messages that resulted. Immigrants, she advised, should report wrongdoing to any law enforcement agency they trust.

The young woman in Queens, whose name is being withheld because the authorities consider her the victim of a sex crime, did not even tell her husband what had happened. Two weeks after the meeting in the car, finding no way to make a confidential complaint to the immigration agency and afraid to go to the police, she and two older female relatives took the recording to The Times.

Reasons to Worry
A slim, shy woman who looks like a teenager, she said she had spent recent months baby-sitting for relatives in Queens, crying over the deaths of her two brothers back in Cali, Colombia, and longing for the right stamp in her passport — one that would let her return to the United States if she visited her family.
(NEW YORK TIMES)

Rice now US$680 per tonne
World supplies of rice have reached a 25-year low. It is so bad that the Philippines failed in its attempt to procure rice this week, a transaction that is usually straight forward.

The current average price offer for rice is now US$680 per tonne, 40% up on the January rates. Why is this situation happening? Rice production is being outpaced by population growth for more than a decade in most of Asia. Eyeing dwindling stock, most Asian countries have place restrictions on exports and more curbs are exported. Thus the amount of rice available for trade is reducing and becoming relatively thinner.

What is the impact for Guyana? We have to focus on and produce for our CARICOM market. We have to stay the course since the US cannot afford in the medium term to continue to subsidise their rice farmer.

Prices are increasing and this is good news for the farmers.

However, this is bad news for the local consumers, and the initiative started by the Ministry of Agriculture and New GMC must be deepened to cut out the profit element of the middle man.
SASENARINE SINGH
Manchester, UK
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Keep up the good work
I want to thank you for the great job you are doing with this newspaper. You provide us with the much needed connection to our motherland. For that and more, I thank you. I know my fellow Guyanese living outside of Guyana share the same feeling.

You and your staff are keeping us united even though we are thousands of miles away. You should be proud of the work you are doing because I am proud of you.
SANDRA SHIVDAT
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Solving GWI’s billing problem
It is not very difficult for the Guyana Water Inc. to solve the problem of estimated bill readings not corresponding to actual water meter readings.

Let’s suppose that a water meter was attached to a domestic customer’s supply sometime in 2005 (The customer does not remember exactly when). For two plus years the customer continued to receive bills requiring him to pay the fixed rate of $8,900 per year with which he complied. No readings were ever taken by meter readers during the two plus years. All bills received before the attachment of the meter were paid.

On February 13, 2008, he received a bill with an estimated reading at January 1, 2008 of 2,123 cubic metres that, after deducting previous payments, required him to pay $81,546. Immediately, the customer checked his meter and observed a reading of 362 cubic metres. He made a query at the nearest GWI office. On February 18, 2008, a meter reader came and took a reading of 364 cubic metres. The customer’s household therefore used on average 0.4 cubic metres of water daily, that’s equivalent to 1.8 barrels. The customer’s wife insists that the daily use is less than 1.8 barrels and that perhaps the meter is “running too fast.” Having great respect for measuring instruments, the customer replied that they will have to abide by the meter readings.

Thirty days later, on March 19, 2008 the customer checked the meter, which gave a reading of 376 cubic metres, thereby confirming that the average daily water consumption is 0.4 cubic metres. If this daily consumption average holds true, then it means that the water meter was attached about 905 days before February 13, 2008, and that would have been sometime around August 22, 2005.

GWI charges the customer $60.90 per cubic metre of water. So from the time of attachment of the meter to February 18, 2008, when the first official meter reading was taken, the customer would have had to pay $22,168. Upon checking receipts for bills paid between May 30, 2006 and August 27, 2007, the customer found that he paid $22,444, which is $276 (= 4.5 cubic metres) in excess of the amount actually consumed up to February 18, 2008. If he maintained his average daily consumption, the customer was therefore covered for payments up to 11 days after February 18. So as at February 29, 2008, the customer owed GWI nothing. On March 18, 2008, fearing unwarranted disconnection while GWI sorts out itself on his overestimated bill, the customer paid the fixed rate of $8,900. He is covered for 146 cubic metres of water, hopefully to last for 365 days until February 28, 2009.

It is therefore a simple matter for GWI to correct wrongly estimated bills. Let me summarise. First, established the date when the meter was attached. There should be a record of that date in their system. Second, send a meter reader to take a recent reading. Third, determine how much the customer actually paid for the period from the date of the meter’s attachment to the date of the recent reading. Fourth, calculate the sum he should have paid based on the cost per cubic metre. The difference between the two figures will then tell whether he has underpaid, overpaid or paid exactly. This procedure requires no more mathematical and accounting knowledge higher than third form level.

Also, GWI personnel should be taught to read meters properly and to interpret meter readings correctly. The black numbers on the white background are whole numbers of cubic metres and the white numbers on the red background are decimals. For example, a reading of 00362548 means 362.548 cubic metres and can be rounded off to 363 cubic metres. GWI needs to ensure that meters are read at least once per year and stop the dubious (and illegal?) practice of (over) estimating bills. If this cannot be done, then they should revert to the old GUYWA system of payments by categories: domestic, commercial, industrial etc.

The honest customers who have been wrongfully disconnected must be reconnected without cost. Those customers who have tampered with their meters, bypassed their meters or have no meters, I commend them to the tender mercies of GWI.
M. XIU QUAN-BALGPBIND-HACKETT
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Practice of receiving Holy Communion
Vatican Archbishop, Albert Malcolm Ranjith, should be commended for expressing his recent desire that Catholics "abandon" the practice of receiving Holy Communion in the hand. Numerous priests have complained about finding "sacred hosts" under pews and in prayer books due to abuses of this practice. Presently, the practice of receiving Holy Communion directly from the priest on the tongue is the church’s norm though it is widely rejected. St. Thomas Aquinas and Pope John Paul II have both stated that only the priest, who stands as an intermediary between God and the people, should touch the sacred host because only his hands are especially anointed for this task at his ordination.

Communion in the hand reflects an immanent spirit of paltry familiarity with Our Lord. This is in keeping with a secular mentality that hails the ordinariness of "going along with the crowd" a priority because it allows one the conveniences of not having to defend any principles or risk losing any self-esteem. One needs only to blend in with the masses like sheep. In his poem "The Hollow Men", T.S. Eliot describes this insignificance of humanity as "shape without form, shade without color, paralyzed force, gesture without motion." Such a life may provide one with a safe and comfortable existence but it is for this very reason that it cannot be the motivational principle behind the church’s pastoral initiatives and commitment to evangelization which requires true disciples of Christ to go against the grain imposed by false modernity.

Communion in the hand is one such concession to modernity. It does not reflect authentic individuality or diversity but rather was introduced "abusively and hurriedly" as an ecumenical gesture to Protestants and others who do not believe in the "Real Presence".

In light of the theological implications and all the many serious abuses that have occurred with the sacred host I hope Catholic bishops, priests, and laity will follow the Vatican’s new initiative in making the practice of Communion in the hand a thing of the past.
PAULl KOKOSKI
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Lack of understanding of food security
Anil Sylvester’s letter under the caption, ‘Guyana enjoys food security’ is misleading and signals a lack of understanding of what food security is about. I am certain that Mr. Anil Sylvester means well for Guyana and I am glad that he has an interest in Guyana’s food security. Therefore my response is not to criticise him, but only to bring about a better understanding of Guyana’s (and global) food security situation.

From his letter it can be assumed that if a country produces and export food, then that country has food security. In his letter he said “I am however pleased to see so many products from Guyana on the supermarket shelves in Toronto. This proves that my homeland Guyana enjoys food security”.

Sir, I wish that Guyana and the rest of CARICOM can attain food security very soon. In this regard our own Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Robert Persaud, and others are giving a lot of time and effort. However I must say that increased productivity and the export of food products by any country should not be taken to mean that that particular country has food security. Two commonly used definitions of food security come from the UN’s Food and agriculture Organisation (FOA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA):

* “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” (FOA)

* “Food security for a household means access by all members at all times to enough food for an active healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum (1) the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food, and (2) an assured ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” (USDA)

I would like to add that food security exists when there is unhindered access by the population to food, by socially accepted means and there is the absence of fear that the accessibility will not be there in the near future.

Further, we now have to consider how the production of alternative fuel will impact on the availability and access to food.

Besides Air and Water, food is the most basic necessity of life required by all humanity to lead healthy and productive lives. Poor people in developing countries have to spend a large portion of their income on buying food. Many are not able to buy enough food so they remain hungry or malnourished.

With projected increase in world population to an average of 7.8 billion people by year 2025, the situation of food insecurity may increase, particularly in the developing world where more than 80% of the population increase is expected to occur. (Rosegrant et al.2002)

Once population grows and the demand for food increases, then the need for food production also increases. To this end to fully understand the global food situation we must recognise the impact of water and how it affects food production.

As population and economies grow, its demands for food are outgrowing the earth’s natural capacities to provide food and water. Evidence of these excessive demands can be seen in collapsing fisheries, shrinking forests and expanding deserts etc. Nearly all environmental trends affect food security.

Food security is not only dependant on increase productivity, but also includes the proper management of our global water resources also. (In another letter I will dwell on the topic of water management.)

Another factor that is important in food security is that all people at all times have the physical and economic abilities to access the basic food they need. Hence the need for the International Community, governments, citizens and businesses to make sure that there is a reduction in unemployment and making sure there is equitable distribution of available resources. To do otherwise will only cause insecurities.
PANDIT CHRISHNA PERSAUD
Secretary, Guyana Harijan Sansad
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Putting differences aside
I am a Guyanese of African descent, and have lived in Guyana all my life. Something struck me at this year’s Phagwah celebrations which I must share with my fellow Guyanese.

Never before have I seen so many of my African brothers celebrate this Hindu festival, side by side with the Indian brothers. I myself was caught in the colourful celebration.

I want to call on all Guyanese not to wait on religious festivities before we come together. We must continue living together as one people with one Nation and One Destiny. We must not entertain those who only want to divide the people of this wonderful country on racial grounds.

I am sure about one thing, and that is if our political leaders cannot bring the people together (and it looks very much so), then our church leaders should play a more active role to achieve this goal.
Ivan Roach
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Quick response saves the day
I am a resident of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara. Last Thursday we had a situation in the village which was beginning to take on frightening proportions, but quick response by the Guyana Sugar Corporation averted what could have been .a major disaster.

During the spring high tide which lashed the country’s coastland last Thursday, one of the kokers at Anna Catherina on which repairs were being carried out, could not endure the force of the rising sea water, and buckled under pressure.

Water was soon rushing through the broken koker and was beginning to fill trenches and canals in the area when GUYSUCO moved in and started taking measures, and indeed averted any chances of flooding in the village.

At one point of time the rushing sea water was beginning to threaten the cane cultivation in the area, but round-the-clock work by GUYSUCO workers who stood to their task, quickly had the situation under control, and by the time of the next tide all the flood waters were drained off the land.
The koker has since been fixed and everything is back to normal.
GRATEFUL RESIDENT
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Energy Conservation Days
As the price of oil rises further towards the US$125 per barrel of oil, Guyana and the wider world may need to introduce measures to contain the use of energy. One measure would be to introduce Energy Conservation Days as was done in the 1970s by the UK. I envisage that the energy use can be reduced by about 30% if governments act wisely and restrict the number of days per week that electricity is on from 7 days per week to 4 days per week.

Unless America and Europe take the lead in this conservation drive the rest of the world would not follow as they would not understand the need to reduce the amount of electricity used by every country.

This would mean that Guyana and the wider world would need to reduce spending on ICT for the moment until the energy needs of all countries can be stabilized.

The IMPACT of a reduction in Energy usage would create the prerequisite for a reduced consumption of fossil fuels which will lead to a decrease in the current level of pollution and global warming. We can already see the effects in Guyana with flooding and prolong periods of drought.

We need major World Powers to act to contain Global Warming before a Critical Stage is reached that would prevent us from acting in the best interest of people as opposed to the self-interest of the few.

I suggest the Major Third World Powers such as India and The African Union place a hold on the development of more pollution power plants.

I am sure there could be an investment climate that can be developed by North America and Europe to reward countries for NOT creating more pollution on Planet Earth.

In the mean time, I suggest Guyana take a stand on this issue and reduce the amount of electricity that is consumed.

We in Guyana must understand that the Europeans and Americans did not just jump to the age of electricity and computers. They went through an age of mechanization.

In Guyana, we should opt to introduce this age of mechanization without high-tech industries as high-tech industries would create a shortage of skills in Guyana. As an example, it has been highlighted recently that the BMWs that Guyana bought for the CWC 2007 needed specialist equipment and personnel to operate them

I believe that the Americans and Europeans need to create cheaper mechanized sources of food that would mean the closure of industries in the First World by creating mechanized industries in the Third World.

I would hate to think what a rise in the price of oil to US$200 per barrel would do to the First World economies leading to many having to retrench scientists from a high-tech industry to the lo-tech mechanized industry to help to maintain a continuous production system.

How do we move from an energy hungry civilization to one less dependant on oil? We need to stand back and realise that oil have its uses. But it also creates problems unheard of 30 years ago.

Sacking 10,000 scientists in America may not derail the economy of that country, but it does send a strong message that America is serious about Global Warming. This may have a compound effect as it would cause Europeans, Chinese and Indians to restrict research work.

I believe that 10,000 Scientists can use their redundancy monies to invest in mechanization in Guyana and the Third World thereby giving them an income as well as creating employment in the Third World (about 50,000 jobs).

As Guyanese we need to shun development that requires too much technical personnel and money. We need to go through a phase of mechanization first before we can understand and become ICT literate.

In fact I am of the opinion that Guyana needs to close the loss making GPL (which loses about G$50B per year). That G$50B can be used in the farming industry to create mechanized farming methods that would not put people in Guyana out of work.

If people do not understand the economics of Global Warming then by the time people do come around to the Global Warming phenomenon it may be too late.
SEAN BRIGNANDAN