Takutu Bridge key to hinterland tourism
--a vital link to integrating countries in the Guiana shield
THERE’S a certain buoyancy in the air now that the Takutu Bridge linking Guyana with its southern neighbour Brazil is nearing completion, and speculation is rife as to the wealth of tourism opportunities it will bring Region Nine seeing as it will serve as a main artery for the entire Guiana Shield. 

As Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad, who was in the area recently to check on the bridge’s progress noted: “This Bridge is a tremendous boost for tourism. We are part of the Amazon, and we will be promoting Amazon tourism, ‘Guyana the Amazon adventure’.”

Further, he sees the completion of the bridge as complementing the development of corridors through Linden, Berbice, over to Suriname and into French Guiana, ending in Amapa.

The bridge, which is being built across the Takutu River, will offer easy access to Guyana from the entire South America. Over-land trips can be offered to tourists from Guyana to Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia , Peru and Ecuador, Minister Prashad said.

Construction of the 14-metre wide bridge is being funded by the Brazilian Government while the job proper has been undertaken by the Brazilian firm, Arte Leste out of the State of Parana. Besides being made entirely of reinforced concrete, it is supported by four piers and comes complete with pedestrian walkways.

A building to accommodate the Customs and Immigration offices among others which are required at a port of entry has already been established.

Minister Prashad noted that given the anticipated increase in traffic between the two countries, a regularised system will have to be put in place when the bridge becomes operational. It is expected to be completed by July.

The Lethem Industrial Estate is housed across the road from the Immigration office. At present, Digicel is the sole occupant. However, the other telephone company, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and other businesses from the Lethem area have also applied for plots.

Minister Prashad said the only problem with the Industrial Estate at present is that the government is not yet in a position to allocate the plots of land, as a value has not been determined. However, work is actively being done to remedy the situation.           

“As a result of the development that is taking place in the Lethem area with the Takutu Bridge and the investment opportunities, efforts will be made to fast-track the process to get the estate up and running in order to keep up with the development of the area.”

The important link that the Takutu Bridge will provide will aid in moving the country’s tourism progress at a much faster rate. The tourism potential of the Rupununi region can now be realised since the Kanuku and Pakaraima Mountains, the sprawling savannahs, the water falls and the flora and fauna of the area will now have the attention they deserve, he said.

Minister Prashad noted that, “Guyana is ready and we are open for business. This link could not have come at a better time for us, in the history of the development of our country... With all the new businesses and the development in Lethem, Guyana is on the move.”

The bridge was initially scheduled to be completed in January 2008, but delays in the process occurred on three occasions during 2007, one being over-topping on the banks of the Takutu River during the May-June rains.

Construction on the bridge restarted earlier last year after being halted for a long period since its 2001 commencement.

The construction of a one-mile access roadway by the 6th Battalion of the Brazilian Army is also ongoing.

The Takutu Bridge is one of 335 projects identified by the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA), an initiative by South American governments to strengthen the networking and transit capacity of the countries involved.

Media can build or break fight against HIV
- Minister urges responsible reporting
By Sahodra Rampersaud
THE media plays a critical role in the fight against HIV and in this context, media practitioners through their coverage of related issues can impact positively or negatively on people’s lifestyle’s choices. This is particularly important in Guyana where about 12,000 of its more than 700,000 strong population are living with HIV to ensure that the transmission of the virus is significantly reduced.

This is according to Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who was at the time addressing participants at the opening ceremony of a workshop for journalists and media practitioners hosted Friday by the Info for Life project. Info for Life is a media group that contributes to the fight against the epidemic through a live television programme addressing various issues on Thursday evenings on NCN, Channel 11.

Minister Ramsammy noted that the programme has impacted positively on the fight against HIV and that the local media has been very active in terms of highlighting stories about HIV and spreading information and awareness.

“This constant highlight of issue speaks well of [our] country, but our coverage sometimes contribute to stigmatization of the disease without which ultimately leads to discrimination and therefore we continue to build our capacity so that we not only have the eagerness to report, but that we report accurately,” he said.

The Minister said there are many success stories to be told of the local HIV programme, including the strides being made in reducing transmission from a pregnant woman to her unborn child. He also noted that, unlike some countries, Guyana offers free treatment for every person living with HIV, including the 136 children who are doing so at present.

“You have the tools that can protect the whole population,” the Minister told participants, who included students from the University of Guyana Communication programme.

The workshop, according to Ms Desiree Edghill, who is one of the facilitators, will focus on stigma and discrimination, reporting HIV related issues in the media, the language to use to avoid stigmatization and a glossary of correct terms. The largely interactive three-day workshop would also ascertain how much participants already know and try to build on that.

On this note, Lecturer at the University of Guyana Communications Centre, Dr. Paloma Mohammed gave the participants some helpful hints, which included keeping their stories simple, clear and colourful to sustain people’s interest and effectively communicate the desired messages.

Coordinator of the Workshop, Andrea Joseph, a journalist attached to NCN also urged participants to make the most of the workshop, as it helps to continue the fight against HIV.

Info for Life is funded by a US$13,000 grant from the Ministry of Health through contributions of the Civil Society Component of the World Bank Project.

Guyana praised for people investment policy
GUYANA came in for high praise Wednesday from United States Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Mr. Thomas Shannon for the advances it has been making with regard to seeing to the needs of the vulnerable in our society.

Addressing the issue of the Millennium Challenge Threshold Programme during a joint press conference with President Bharrat Jagdeo at the Office of the President, Shannon said what Guyana has accomplished is indicative of the kind of advances it is making in the very important area of people investment.

“What we have learnt over time is that for democracies to be successful, they must deliver the goods and benefits and  services to the poor, the most vulnerable members of society, and to do that they have to invest in their own people and we  are seeing that here in Guyana,” Shannon said, adding:

“We want to find a way to help the Government of Guyana to meet these very important demands and challenges and so we look forward to advancing the threshold programme with an eye towards successfully completing the compact.” 

Accompanying Shannon during the visit to Guyana to hold talks with the Guyanese leader was United States Navy Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, Admiral James Stravridis.

President Jagdeo said that not only was he pleased that Guyana had qualified for funding, in the sum of US$6.7M, under the ‘Threshold Programme’, but that it had also met the criteria required for such qualification. 

“There are 17 indicators that countries are judged on, and you have to be somewhere equal to, or above, the peer review countries. And we are pleased that in 16 cases, we are equal or above peer review countries,” President Jagdeo told the media.

He noted that the only area in which Guyana had lagged behind was in its fiscal situation, or the size of its budget deficit.

“As I’ve explained to the U.S. Government, this is transitory; it is part of our rebuilding programme; our economic programme; and we hope that the … money that we got through the threshold programme will assist us in strengthening the capacity of the revenue agencies to collect more and to do their work more efficiently and also to have better expenditure control so that we hope that soon we’d be able to qualify for the compact,” the President said.

Describing the current relationship between the United States and Guyana as excellent, the President expressed his gratitude to the U.S. government for its tangible support in a number of areas besides the threshold programme, such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has made a huge difference in the lives of people.

“I have always said that it was visionary on the part of the U.S. Government, particularly President Bush, to take the lead in this very vital area. HIV and AIDS have been ravaging people across the world,” the President said, adding that there are a number of other programmes with which the U.S. has been assisting Guyana, especially in relation to the Private Sector, which he said is seeing tremendous economic development and growth.

“We’re pleased that those programmes have been helping people directly on the ground at the enterprise level to build capacity and to produce more efficiently. This is important, especially in a country that saw its Private Sector decimated in the period when the State controlled everything. And we’re very grateful for that, because it is assisting us in rebuilding an entrepreneurial class, which is so vital to the long-term economic development in our country,” President Jagdeo said.

In relation to the PEPFAR programme, Mr. Shannon noted Guyana’s success in dealing with HIV/AIDS.

“Guyana has done a spectacular job and has established itself as a source of best practices in important areas such as supply chain management and prevention of mother- to-child transmission and Guyana is to be congratulated for that, and so we are very proud to be working with Guyana on such an important issue,” he said.

Guyana became eligible for the ‘Threshold’ programme in November 2005, and in 2007 signed a US $6.7M Millennium Challenge Corporation Grant so as to help support the implementation of a number of fiscal reforms here, such as the Value Added Tax (VAT) and developing ways in which to assist and educate taxpayers, as well as assist Government to better plan and control spending.

The programme is intended to assist countries in addressing specific policy areas.  The countries’ improvement is indicated by their scores on 17 policy indicators in three categories— ruling justly, investing in people and encouraging economic freedom.  

Spread the message!
Region Three urged at Carifesta meet
WITH just five months to go before Guyana again plays host to the Caribbean’s largest cultural show, the Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (CARIFESTA) X, stakeholders countrywide are being urged to get themselves in gear for the momentous event.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony accompanied by a team of officials from the Carifesta Secretariat and the CARICOM Secretariat met with Chairman of Region Three Julius Faerber, other regional officials as well as stakeholders from the Region to discuss plans for the event. That meeting was held on Friday at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) office on the West Bank of Demerara.

Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and Ten have been earmarked to host various features of the festival and will be sensitised about their roles and responsibilities so that they are well organised. 

Minister Anthony said the intention of the sensitisation campaign is for the Regions to form Carifesta Committees responsible for organising the various activities.

A number of venues in Region Three have already been earmarked and were assessed the very day by the Minister and his team. Those venues include community centre grounds at Uitvlugt and Cornelia Ida on the West Coast, and Goed Fortuin and the Joe Vieira Park on the West Bank.

“We need to prepare these venues, to make sure that they are of good quality and standard because a number of countries will be coming and will be performing in your region. I am sure they will return with a good impression of your region,” Minister Anthony said.

The Region will also be expected to engage in a number of promotional activities in the run-up to Carifesta by hosting of a mobile film show that will showcase films produced in the Caribbean.

Minister Anthony proposed that the show be presented at some of the popular locations in the Region such as car parks, to heighten awareness and encourage more people to become involved.

The Region was also urged to gear youths in the school system for the festival, as they too may be given an opportunity to showcase their talent. Winners of the Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival, which is billed for April, will be part of Guyana’s presentation at Carifesta.

This will be among the many promotional activities that will be engaged and will also aid in the talent search which is ongoing, Minister Anthony explained.

“If you know people with good talent, encourage them to be part of the event. We want them to be part of the national and regional presentation for Carifesta,” the Minister said.

Folk music is one aspect of Guyana’s culture which Minister Anthony is optimistic will make an impact for Carifesta and which, efforts will be made to enhance its vibrancy.

He said the launching of a folk song competition will be launched to aid in this promotion and encouraged persons from the region to participate.

Carifesta X will be held in Guyana during the period August 22 to 31 and will be featuring more than 100 events in the performing, literary, visual and culinary arts, grand market, fashion, community festivals and symposia.

Minister Anthony said the successful hosting of the festival will augur will for culture and tourism in Guyana as it will encourage visitors to appreciate and return to Guyana.