ERC begins annual meetings with constituents today
THE Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) will be hosting annual meetings with its various constituents, from today through April 8, at its Peter Rose and Anira Streets, Queenstown, Georgetown Secretariat.
The aim is to report on its work since 2007 and solicit views/suggestions which can contribute to enhancing its role in improving harmony and good relations in Guyana, a press release stated.
The release said, during the exchanges, the ERC will also seek to find out what are the perceived needs of its constituencies and civil society partners for the fostering of harmonious relations in the country.
It explained that, at similar gatherings in 2007, the different representatives exchanged ideas and made recommendations on the way forward for the ERC, in light of the failed motion, tabled in the National Assembly on May 10, 2007, for the renewal of the terms of the commissioners.
The statement said, in addition, the ERC presented the findings from five areas of commissioned research, namely the award of academic scholarships; public procurement as it relates to fairness and openness; an assessment of whether there is any discrimination in the award and distribution of economic opportunities locally; employment practices in the public and private sectors and trade unions and equitable land allocation.
The statement said the ERC continues to perform its mandate functions in the areas of public education and awareness, investigation, conflict resolution and research
After the massacre…
Thousands show positive sign at Bartica regatta
THE mining community of Bartica was transformed into a scene of merriment last Saturday as thousands of people converged there for the annual regatta weekend.
The incident free show was punctuated by blaring music around the sea wall area after being declared opened by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad.
He commended the Regatta Committee and Chairman of Region Seven
(Cuyuni/Mazaruni), Mr. Holbert Knights, for their sterling effort in organising the event that was planned months before the recent massacre that killed 12 persons.
Prashad, while tendering his sympathy with the survivors, maintained that life must go on and remarked that their mood reflected a positive sign for development.
He told the gathering that Government stands ready to support the region, which is at the gateway to the interior, for ever improving the image of the spectacular water sport.
Prashad remarked that standards for the boat races have been consistently better over the years and attracted more overseas visitors.
He lauded the sponsors, as well, for willingly participating and promised they will get nothing less than the maximum value for their advertising dollar.
Shortly after Prashad spoke, he accompanied Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Robert Corbin and the nine Miss Bartica Regatta contestants on the ‘Lap of Honour’ to signal the start of the programme.
Bartica Regatta 2008 power boat racing, at the Golden Beach Circuit, included 11 races in 25hp to 40hp; 75hp to 90hp and 115hp to 225hp categories, for prizes of both cash and trophies.
Prashad presented a laptop computer to Knights, for handing over to Miss Bartica Regatta 2008, Feano Richards.
Chief Judge of the contest, Designer Sonia Noel said the Sunday judging was a difficult task, because all those contesting were gorgeous.
She congratulated the designers who outfitted the beauties and declared that the pageant was indeed a success, considering the large turnout.
CARICOM to appoint special envoy for children
THE CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) has agreed, in principle, to the appointment of an envoy for Caribbean Children.
A release said the agreement was reached in Guyana, at the recently convened 12th Special Meeting on Children and the announcement was made by COHSOD Chairman, Belize Minister of Community Development and Transportation, Mr. Peter Martinez, at the conclusion of the three-day caucus.
He said, at the Guyana International Convention Centre, it was decided that the emissary be selected from a slate of nominees by CARICOM Member States and appointed by the Conference of Heads of Government.
Martinez explained that the delegate would be a distinguished person of sufficient legitimacy and credibility within the Caribbean, to be able to help Member States mobilise programmes towards the care and development of children.
The person would act on behalf of the CARICOM, to champion the cause of children in the region, he said.
Themed ‘Building a Region Fit for Children’, the conference was attended by regional and international stakeholders, including Ministers of Government, civil servants, child advocates and regional private sector officials.
Government Ministers at the COHSOD were urged to nominate suitable persons, in accordance with the stipulated selection criteria, in time for them to be presented to the Conference of Heads of Government in July, the release said.
The COHSOD also proposed the development of a CARICOM Kids Website that would create a virtual knowledge network for children of the community.
In addition, the COHSOD endorsed the approach set out for the establishment of the website and asked Member States to make available relevant resources to secure the efficient operation of this tool for regional integration and strengthening of a Caribbean identity, Martinez said.
He said the discussions surrounded progress towards the attainment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the subsequent establishment of a revised regional framework of action for children.
GPSU endorses international fight against racial discrimination
GUYANA Public Service Union (GPSU) has said it fully endorses the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
A statement said GPSU also commits itself to the fight against racism, ethnicity, discrimination and xenophobia.
GPSU said everyone must fearlessly “bring forth, to attention, such experience or knowledge of persons who have been victims of any such situation or information on persons who practice or contribute to this issue.”
It also issued an invitation to all peace loving and decent citizens, who have an interest in abolishing these issues, to join in the struggle.
“As Guyanese, let us continue to work as one people with one goal to achieve one destiny,” the statement added.
Eradicating workplace racism key trade union movement challenge
- ITUC
THE International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has reiterated the need to eradicate racism and xenophobia.
On the eve of the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the ITUC also insisted that every effort must be made to promote respect for diversity, particularly within the workplace and unions.
In a release, it said discrimination based on race, colour or ethnic origin is an insidious and changing phenomenon, difficult to quantify and combat.
“Racist practices, based on a ‘hierarchisation’ of human groups according to their biological differences have largely been replaced by cultural racism,” the release observed.
It added that this new type of racism is accompanied by more covert forms of discrimination, fuelled by the belief that the values of certain groups have no place within the dominant cultural environment.
The release said eradicating racism in the workplace is a key challenge facing the trade union movement within the context of ever greater worker mobility, especially among workers from ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, concentrated in certain regions of the world.
It acknowledged that recent years have seen an increase in the discrimination facing these workers, such as unequal access to the labour market, unequal pay, moral harassment, job insecurity etc, undermining the solidarity between workers.
“Racism and xenophobia are major factors in the growth of the decent work deficit,” said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder.
According to him, eradicating these problems forms an integral part of their campaign for decent work.
Ryder said, during the international seminar aimed at developing a trade union strategy to fight racial discrimination and xenophobia, held by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the ITUC in Geneva last December, representatives of trade union organisations undertook to play a key role in defending and protecting the rights of those affected by racism and xenophobia.
They said they would implement a global programme to fight those ills, driven by an overarching awareness-raising campaign targeting every level of the trade union movement.
Ryder said, this year is set to be a decisive one, with the assessment of the action programme adopted in 2001, at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban (South Africa).
“It is essential that workers’ concerns be fully integrated within the review process,” he stated.
Jockey still critical after Sunday mishap
RANDOLPH Jainarine also called ‘Horseman’, of Lot 28 Annandale West, East Coast Demerara, was still in a critical condition last night, after suffering injury at a race meeting last Sunday.
The 28-year-old jockey remained unconscious in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), following the injury during a meeting at Habbibullah Race Track, Number Nine, West Coast Berbice.
Relatives told the Guyana Chronicle he might have been kicked out of his saddle by an opponent, causing him to suffer trauma, swelling to the head, bleeding from the brain and nose, among other things.
The mishap occurred late Sunday afternoon and the injured man was rushed to Fort Wellington Hospital, also at West Coast Berbice, before being transferred to the GPH.
Jainarine is a carpenter/mason but his number one hobby is horse racing and he has been riding for more than half his lifetime, winning many trophies over the last 14 years, his relatives said.
They reported that his wife, Tajmatie, to whom he was recently married, is hysterical and they are fearful for the safety of her unborn child.
Demerara Bank US$2M loan first from IDB group
THE Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) yesterday approved a US$2M loan to Demerara Bank Limited.
A release said the transaction is expected to have a significant demonstration effect and help the borrower start diversifying its sources of funding and also represents the IIC’s first such lending to a financial intermediary in Guyana.
The release said the bank will use the money to launch a programme that will provide Guyanese companies with medium and long term financing in U.S. dollars.
Mr. Rodrigo Navas, IIC Investment Officer said, in the current world and regional economic environment, improving access to suitable credit for small and medium enterprises is essential.
This is especially important in Guyana, where long term foreign currency financing for such businesses is not available, he said, adding that, for financial intermediation to benefit private sector development, financial institutions first need access to longer term sources of funding.
The release said Demerara Bank expects that, at least ten small and medium size entities will benefit over the life of the loan.
The IIC is a multilateral financial institution which is a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) group and provides financing (in the form of equity investments, loans, guarantees and other instruments) and advisory services to private enterprises in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Unidentified body found on Canal No.2 roadway
THE body on an unidentified man of East Indian descent was found lying on the roadway yesterday at New Anglet, Canal No. 2, WBD at around 02:00 h.
According to a police report the body is currently at the West Demerara Regional Hospital mortuary awaiting a post mortem.
The deceased appears to be in his mid-thirties, about 5’2” in height, dark complexion and was wearing a blue vest, black pants, black shirt and was barefooted.
The police is requesting that anyone who has information that may lead to the identification of the deceased is asked to make contact on the following phone numbers:-
225-6411, 225-2700, 226-2917, 226-4585
Standards Corner
THE GUYANA NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS AND TRADE
A MANUFACTURER or service provider wishing to offer his goods or services to a customer outside of his national boundary usually does so with the expectation that the customer would have confidence that the exporting company will live up to its obligations and supply a quality product which is reliable and meets the customer’s requirements.
Rarely is the customer or importer able to visit the production facilities to determine, first-hand, whether or not the exporter is able to satisfy his specifications and further, a one-time visit is unlikely to leave the customer satisfied that he will continue to receive reliable goods or service over an extended period of time. Instead, this challenge is addressed through conformance to established procedures which are used internationally to determine quality. For example there is the strategy of supplier’s declaration or third party or independent certification can be used.
While the customer may employ a third party to visit the facilities and scrutinize the process and product from time to time, (and this is done on occasions) this is often much too expensive an option for most parties. The answer to the above situation lies in the adoption of internationally or regionally recognized product standards and/or quality management systems (such as the ISO 9000 QMS). The manufacturer can also opt for product certification where if he meets the requirement of national standards and has requisite testing facilities, can qualify for the use of the National Standards mark on his product.
Manufacturing products to standards recognized by the customer gives the latter the full assurance that he will receive a reliable product performing to his specifications and which he can confidently market to his own customers. Similarly, a service provider’s certification as being ISO 9000 compliant is a great marketing tool for assuring customers of the quality of the product or service they may expect from that particular company.
Increasing numbers of companies are recognizing the value of providing the customer with the assurance inherent in compliance with recognized product standards and by developing and implementing an ISO 9000 quality management system. More recently, customer demands have resulted in other management systems such as the ISO 14000 environmental management system and the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point primarily for food handling and protection processes), assuming greater importance in satisfying the customers’ requirements.
A management system documents a company’s system, policies, procedures and parties for producing a product or service. Compliance with the system’s specifications provides the customer an objective third party assessment that the management system has all of the necessary components, as contained in the international standards, and that it is consistently applied.
Where does the Guyana National Bureau of Standards fit in?
The GNBS which was established under the Standards Act Number 11 of 1984 was set up to “improve the quality of goods and services in Guyana through the process of standardization.”
The Standards Act provides for the preparation and promotion of standards in relation to goods, services, procedures and practices locally. As set out in its act, the main objectives of the Bureau include the promotion and encouragement of Standards implementation for the improvement of the quality of goods and services produced or used in Guyana and the promotion of quality control in industry.
The GNBS has also established a technical assistance programme under its national conformity assessment programme which has been specifically set up and is geared towards providing industry with the necessary guidance in pursuance of international certification.
Companies desirous of receiving such assistance can contact the Conformity Assessment department which can be reached on telephone numbers: 219- 0062, 219-0065 or 219-0067.
