Courtesy of Indo Caribbean World, Toronto, Canada.
Issue of July 31
By Romeo Kaseram
Toronto - The Consulate General in Toronto is emphasizing fund-raising as well as caution and
accountability in its drive to get help for the estimated 33,500 persons affected by floods in
Guyana. So said Consul General, Geoffrey Da Silva, earlier this week.
Da Silva has been attending and advising meetings by concerned groups since the national
emergency developed in Guyana. Last weekend he was present at meetings held by a number of
groups to discuss the situation, as well as at the picnic put on the local Mahaica body. Mahaica is
one of the severely affected areas in Guyana.
According to Da Silva, his office has been instructed by Guyana's foreign affairs ministry, and
the Guyana Relief Council (GRC), "to emphasise fund-raising." To this end, he said the Toronto
Consulate "will be accepting donations for flood relief."
Said Da Silva: "What we want to do in Canada is to set up a system that is accountable. We want
the monies raised to go where it can be promptly used, and be able to trace how it was used."
Additionally, "We have to be cautious on all accounts. At the Consulate we have to be able to
answer questions being asked (by donors) as to how the money is being spent."
Donors to other local organizers should insist on knowing how their gifts are being handled here,
to whom it is going, and where and how it is being used in Guyana.
Members of the community willing to help can get in touch with the Consulate and the staff will
provide further instructions on how to go about helping the homeland, he said. The Consulate's
number is 416-494-6040.
"What we're doing is looking for financial donations which can be applied, and traced" to where
it will make the difference, he noted. One organisation in Guyana doing such work is the GRC. It
is "providing food directly, and handling the funds; it is an organization that is reliable,
accountable, and with a good reputation and record," he said.
Donations can be made to an account which has been set up by the Guyana government at the
Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry: CIFA 122087, GBTI, Georgetown, Guyana. Da Silva said
that as of last week this account had already reached (G) $7 million.
He also indicated that the Calgary Guyanese Association has donated (Can) $3,500, which will
be put to work in Guyana this week.
Meanwhile, local food stores and distributors are watching the fallout from flooding crisis
closely, particularly in the wake of the losses to crops and livestock suffered by farmers in
Mahaica and Mahaicony.
"Our businesses here will be affected due to the diminished supply of produce coming from
Guyana," George Prasad, owner of the Scarborough food store, G. Prasad Caribbean Oriental
Specialty Foods Inc., told Indo Caribbean World last week.
Prasad also operates Carib Impexco Import & Export, and imports agricultural produce for
wholesale on a weekly basis.
"We cannot get enough produce now. We get most of out Mahaica," he said. "It will mean the
rule of economics will kick in, with the availability of goods, the supply, not being able to meet
the demand. It means prices will be going up," he said.
"Right now we pay high prices, and with the floods we will be paying even higher prices," he
added.
And on the Guyana front, senior agriculture minister, Reepu Daman Persaud told the House of
Assembly on July 26 that the government set up a National Disaster Relief Committee under the
Civil Defence Commission immediately following the start of the crisis. A National Emergency
Operations Centre (NEOC) was then set up at the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School in
Georgetown.
Said Persaud: "The NEOC has been procuring food items in bulk with the help of well-established charities and NGOs such as the Salvation Army and the Beacon Foundation." The GRC has been assisting with the packing of food items, he added.
There was also "considerable assistance" from various inter-governmental organisations and
friendly governments, Persaud said.
Among them are: the United Nations Development Programme; the Organization of American
States; and the government of Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and United States.
So far, overseas pledges and donations are at an estimated (US) $465,000, Persaud revealed.
Georgetown - The floods which have affected an estimated 33,500 persons in Guyana do not present a serious threat to health at this time.
So said Reepu Daman Persaud, senior agriculture minister, in an address to the House of Assembly in Georgetown on July 26.
Persaud said Guyana "must count (itself) fortunate that... the situation does not yet represent a
health crisis" at this time. He added that services provided by the health ministry in the affected
areas "have been with the objective of preventing the spread of communicable diseases, and
putting in place measures to respond to any outbreak."
He indicated that most of the ailments reported so far have been minor, and include skin
conditions, respiratory infections, and diarrhoeal diseases.
However, there remains a major concern over the potential for health problems which may arise
after the flood waters recede.
As a result, the government is taking steps be to "guard against the contamination of potable
water, and to ensure the control of insect vectors." Spraying of the affected areas will also be
necessary.
Persaud indicated too that the health ministry, while under "trying circumstances," was coping
well with the situation. As well, regular visits were being conducted to the areas "in addition to
the intensification of surveillance and health education activities."
Help, support, and pledges were also coming from various organizations, he said. Among the
groups are the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization, the Guyana
Medical Association, Mercy Hospital, the Medical Arts Centre, the Beacon Foundation, and
Mike's and Atlantic Pharmacies.
And besides this assistance, as well as those of the government, Persaud said Guyana had
"witnessed the outpouring of efforts by many non-governmental organizations and...
individuals."
Said Persaud: "In this time of emergency, it is indeed gratifying to observe the fervour with
which persons, who from all walks of life, and regardless of race, religion, or political
persuasion, have rallied to the plight of their brothers and sisters... it is true to say that hands
have indeed been united across Guyana."
Meanwhile, the flood waters in three of the seven affected regions in the country are now
receding, and the authorities are looking at reviving the economies there, Head of the
Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, said on July 23.
Luncheon told a press briefing that while the authorities anticipate the need to maintain food
supplies to the locations where conditions are improving, "the greater issue now is revitalising
the economies."
In the other regions where flooding persists, more aggressive efforts and coordination of supplies
to the disadvantaged families will continue, he said.
Luncheon said people are managing with whatever stocks they have, and the authorities
recognise harvesting of new crops would erase threats to their livelihood and would like to see
them replanting as soon as possible.
He explained that the Emergency Operations Centre, located at North Ruimvelt Multilateral
School, Georgetown, has been coordinating aid, along with the Guyana Relief Council, and
helping other civilian and charitable bodies that have been going primarily to Regions Four and
Five with aid.
Comprehensive figures on the loss of livestock are not available, but information from Mahaica
and Mahaicony in Regions Four and Five indicates the loss of hundreds of cattle and calves. Last
week officials were still considering the evacuation of animals. As well, the National Diary
Development Programme was distributing feed and medicines.
(With files from Guyana Information Service.)
Georgetown - The most seriously affected areas have been Mahaica and Mahaicony, where farmers have suffered losses of their crops and livestock. Other affected areas include: Morawhanna; Aroima and Kwakwani; Omai to Upper Demerara River; East Bank Berbice; Upper Corentyne; Middle and Upper Mazaruni; Kailkan Village on the Cayuni River; Chinawying and Haieka Villages; Prima Village; Philippai; Jamaica Village; Enachu Village; Nappi, Parishara, Karanambo, Moco Moco, and Achiwuib (all in Region Nine); Coomacka, Three Friends, Malali, Muritari Bootaba, and Kurupukari (all in Region Ten); Pomeroon; the St. Cuthbert's and St. Francis' Missions.
Georgetown - The relief effort for Guyana's flood victims last week received a significant boost when the International Red Cross donated (US) $238,000 (G $33.7 million).
The announcement was made by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on July 25.
This contribution brought total donations to (US) $465,000.
In this sum are emergency cash grants from the United Nations system, including the UNDP, and the United Nations International Children's Fund, at (US) $60,000; the Organization of American States, $20,000; the United Kingdom, $76,900; and the European Union, $70,000.
The UNDP also announced that the services of two logistics experts from the UN were expected to be made available to the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
Meanwhile, Guyana's President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, last week said he plans to solicit help from Jimmy Carter, former US president, to continue the national flood relief scheme.
At a meeting at the Little Biabu Primary School, Dr. Jagan said he intends to enlist Carter's help in acquiring assistance to repair broken down infrastructure.
"I intend to approach all of them directly (the heads of international aid organizations) and to seek the assistance of... Carter..." he said.
He added his government has also mounted an urgent comprehensive programme to try to guard
against a repeat of the crisis that wiped out rice, other crops, and livestock, and has put the
livelihood of more than 25,000 residents in jeopardy.
As well, the government is also looking at the urgent desilting of the outfalls of the Abary,
Mahaica, Mahaicony and other key rivers to help drain the flood waters faster off the land.
And as relief continued, EOC head, Colonel Harry Hinds, last week said their efforts have
shifted to the Amerindian residents in the coastal and hinterland areas.
"Reconnaissance flights in the southern savannah region of Guyana have shown most of the Amerindian villages under as much as five feet of water. Amerindian villages like St. Cuthbert's and St. Francis in coastal riverain areas in Demerara are inundated," he said.
About 7,000 thousand Amerindians are said to be affected by the flooding.
"We have already started ferrying relief supplies to communities in the Rupununi area (some 180 miles South of the capital)," he revealed.
Relief for more than 1,000 families were dispatched to Amerindian residents in Region One at the Northern tip of Guyana on a pontoon supplied by giant South Korean/Malaysian logging company, Barama, which operates a five million acre concession in the area.
The weekend also saw renewed tropical rains causing severe flooding in two new areas, and the water also returning to already hard hit coastal and rural districts, a government spokesman said.
Rice growing areas on the coast at Black Bush Polder, about 48 miles east of Georgetown, and
the Amerindian community of Apoteri in the central Guyana jungle were reported to be under
water.
Presidential spokesman Dr. Roger Luncheon also said there were reports over the weekend of flooding at New Amsterdam, Guyana's second largest city, which is located about 67 miles east of the capital.
Georgetown - Farmers in Region Six last week estimated damage and losses due to flooding at
more than (G) $54 million.
Heavy losses have since been reported on farms at Mara, East Bank Berbice, Dageraad on the
Berbice River, Crabwood Creek, Corentyne and Banim, Canje River.
Chairman of the Mara Citizens Development Committee, Bhupaul Jhagroo, said about 250 acres
of cash crops, rice, and other produce owned by some 70 farmers were damaged by high tides
and incessant rainfall in June and July.
The lack of an effective drainage scheme was also responsible for the loss of 60 head of cattle,
he said.
According to Jhagroo, farmers had to abandon preparation of another 125 acres of land for
cultivation due to the floods.
At Dageraad, high tides and a breach in a dam destroyed eight acres of mixed crops. Reports
from Crabwood Creek indicated farmers had lost five acres of cabbages, which were under
water.
Reports also indicated about 35 head of cattle and 30 calves died in Banim, Canje River, from the eight-foot deep water in the savannahs.
By Peter Jailall
Georgetown - The rain is incessant. It starts pouring around 3 a.m., and sometimes continues all
day. It rained and rained on July 25.
One believes the weatherman here, with reports showing a predictable pattern: abnormal and
heavy rainfall expected. Take Linden, for example. In June the area recorded the highest rainfall,
at 21.4 inches, since 1920.
If we're tired with the rain, and anxious about its continued presence, Mother Nature is doing
quite the opposite. In fact, Guyana has broken out into an ironic green, with grasses towering in
the many yards of frustrated households: the ground is too damp for maintenance, as weeding
cannot be done for the softness of the earth.
In the flooded areas of the country, daily we watch the level of the water that has brought so
much frustration, anxiety, financial losses, and the threat of disease.
A pattern has emerged that is as predictable as the weather: there is a daily movement, as the
water flows out to the Atlantic; then, it returns with the tide, as if rejected by the sea; as if nature
is playing a cruel game, saying, 'See how powerful I am' as it pushes up over the river banks and
upon the land again.
Water, water, everywhere. The cycle is discouraging. It comes down from the sky each morning,
drains out to the sea by the afternoon, and is pushed back inland in the evening.
Fortunately, there have not been casualties. But there have been losses. A cow was seen floating down the Mahaica River last week.
What has helped is the support. Victims are gratified that the government, business, and overseas
agencies have been donating generously. Those benefiting come from Region Two, Four, Seven,
and Nine.
The government has targeted 2,500 families per week for food aid donations. By the middle of
last week, supplies had been sent to over 1,000 families. Food hampers, which are being
prepared for shipment in the Upper Demerara River, include basics as rice, flour, sugar, salt,
peas, soap, margarine, and cooking oil. One hamper can feed a family of four for about two
weeks.
The donations have been coming in too.
Last week a Japanese NGO donated (G) $2.8 million for the effort. The Canadian government, represented here by High Commissioner, Simon Wade, donated (Can) $10,000 to the Guyana Relief Council.
Kayman Sankar has donated 200 bags of rice. The government of the United Kingdom has given
50,000; the United Nations' Development Programme, (US) $50,000; the European Nations,
(G) $10 million; the Organization of American States, (US) $20,000; and the United Nations'
Children's Fund, (US) $10,000.
Government officials have also been at work. On July 24, President Dr. Cheddi Jagan visited
Little Biabu up the Mahaica River, an area where the water would not leave.
On that visit, Dr. Jagan told residents about the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Project, and the
efforts his government made in the 1960s to build a dam when Phase One of the project started.
The project was scrapped in 1990 by the then-People's National Congress government.
Dr. Jagan said a dam was needed to regulate water during flooding and drought. Such a dam, he
said, would prevent the build-up during the rainy season; in the dry, it would keep out salt water
flowing in from the Atlantic.
Additionally, he told residents there was urgent need for diversification for agriculture in the
region. If it is reclaimed and irrigated, it would open up over 200,000 acres of arable land for
cultivation, he said.
As well, Dr. Jagan reminded the farmers present that they were busy for just 26 days during the
harvesting of rice, a situation brought about through mechanization and less labour intensive
cultivation. He urged them to think about diversifying their efforts into fishing and the rearing of
land prawns.
The assurance was also given that his government will provide essential foods for victims of the
floods. Rice farmers were also promised new seeds for their next crop by the Rice Producers
Association.
Meanwhile, as a nation we are stronger in this adversity through our love of this homeland, and
the gratifying response here, and from abroad, to this predicament.
And along with the thousands of victims who saw the water rise past their doorsteps, into their living rooms, and through the back door in the kitchen, we are all tired, but patient; we are waiting, hoping for the best; and for a break in the weather.
(Peter Jailall is now doing community work in Guyana.)
Georgetown - Guyana's First Lady, Janet Jagan, was flown to Trinidad and Tobago's Mount
Hope Medical Complex on July 28 for further treatment of a heart condition, the Trinidad
Guardian reported on July 29.
With her in Trinidad are a medical specialist, a trained critical care nurse, and a family member.
A hospital source told the Trinidad Guardian on Sunday that Mrs. Jagan was in a satisfactory
condition.
Mrs. Jagan was being treated for a heart complaint caused by fever at the St. Joseph Mercy
Hospital in Georgetown.
Doctors there were trying to stabilize her condition, but she later developed complications,
Stabroek News reported on July 26.
She was admitted to the Georgetown hospital on the evening of July 24 after becoming ill at her
State House residence, and the decision made later to fly her to the top facility in Trinidad.
Early last week Mrs. Jagan was present at a number of public functions. In 1991, she collapsed
at the opening of the 24th Congress of the People's Progressive Party, and was diagnosed to be
suffering from atrial fibrulation (heart palpitation).
Earlier this year she underwent eye surgery in Canada, reportedly after complications, and continued electricity failures in Georgetown.
Georgetown - A top player in the Guyana Democratic Party, the new kid on the block in
Georgetown, has said the principle of co-leadership within the party will ensure that no one
leader dominates the political life of the country.
This was the reassurance from Nanda Gopaul, one of the two leaders of the GDP. The other is
former finance minister in the People's Progressive Party/Civic government, Asgar Ally.
Gopaul, former trade union leader, was speaking to the media last month following the
Georgetown launch of the GDP.
Gopaul added that Ally will be the party's presidential candidate in the upcoming elections. He
also indicated Ally will step down, and he will take to the hustings for the next.
He also made it "absolutely clear that Ally would... rule this country in accordance with the
Constitution, and not in accordance with the party."
And added that his role as Ally's Prime Minister will see him administering Guyana in keeping
with the Constitution, which might be amended during the GDP's term in office.
In commenting on the racial composition of the GDP leadership, Gopaul said the two major
political parties, the PPP/Civic and the Peoples National Congress, used the race card to keep
their political support.
Said Gopaul: "The GDP will not insult the Guyanese people by pretending that by having a black
Guyanese and an Indo-Guyanese as party leaders (it) would guarantee honourable non-racial
politics."
The GDP's position, he said, was that the Guyanese voters "will assess the programmes (of the
party) on merit and on whether it offers... economic security, and not by the race or colour of
who leads the party."
The Guyanese people were not looking for racial formulae from political parties, he continued, "but for economic and social formulas which guarantee them peace, economic security and prosperity in the future."
Georgetown - Senior finance minister, Bharrat Jagdeo, last week denied claims by Asgar Ally
that the People's Progressive Party/Civic government had signed an agreement with the
International Monetary Fund to corporatize Guyana Electricity Corporation, and "ultimately to
dispose of it completely."
Ally is the former finance minister with the PPP/Civic. He made the claim on July 22 at an
Embassy Club luncheon while referring to the government's plan to relinquish 60 percent of
GEC.
Ally added that the undertaking to dispose of the utility completely was agreed with the IMF in
April.
Jagdeo denied the claim on July 26, while providing a copy of the IMF agreement for the media.
He noted that the commitment made to the IMF for the corporatization of GEC dealt with giving
the utility a share structure and operational procedures similar to corporate bodies.
"It does not entail any transfer of ownership," he said.
In the document, the government simply announced its intention of privatizing GEC along the Bolivian mode, he added.
Georgetown - Leader of the Working People's Alliance (WPA) Rupert Roopnarine has said
authorities in French Guiana have asked for notarised copies of the charge against the accused
killer of historian, Dr. Walter Rodney.
Former army sergeant Gregory Smith has been charged by the Director of Public Prosecutions
Ian Chang with the June 1980 killing of Rodney, a former leader of the WPA.
"I was told by the Attorney General that the French judge will have to determine if there is sufficient evidence to make out a case for Smith's extradition from French Guiana," Roopnarine said.
Georgetown - The United Force (TUF), the Working People's Alliance (WPA), and the People's National Congress (PNC) have denied plans are being made for a possible merger.
"It is garbage and irresponsible reporting," said Kit Nascimento of a Catholic Standard report
that stated he had organized a weekend retreat for the leaders of the three opposition parties.
The report appeared in the July 21 issue of the Catholic Standard, and stated that a retreat,
arranged by Nascimento for the opposition leaders, had been cancelled due to a lack of interest
by TUF and the WPA.
TUF leader, Manzoor Nadir, subsequently said he had received no invitation to a retreat for
discussions on a possible merger.
All there had been, he said, was a hint about the three leaders meeting, "to get to know each
other better." There had been no concrete discussions, he added.
Nadir was also firm in his response on a merger, saying that as long as he was leader of TUF, the
party would not be part of any alliance to contest the elections.
The WPA also indicated it had not known about a proposed merger.
In a statement to the press, the party said it had "received no invitation to a retreat or other event
for the purpose of merger talks." Additionally, "It is also in a position to say that none of its
co-leaders has been invited to any such discussions, tentative or otherwise."
PNC general secretary, Dr. Kenneth King, said he knew of no plans for a retreat, or of discussions about a merger.
Georgetown - Bad weather continues to affect national registration for the upcoming general
elections, with last week seeing a target shortfall of 8,436.
Officials of the National Registration Centre (NRC), which is conducting the exercise, indicated
that last week's target of 55,140 had not been met, with 46,704 completed.
Since the registration exercise began more than a month ago, 176,154 of a projected total of
194,300 persons have been interviewed.
"It must be noted that (last week's) shortfall, and the period to date was largely due to the
inclement weather conditions," Commission of Registration, Stanley Singh, said on July 25. "It
is the view of the administrators of the field exercise that the process will be on even ground
within two weeks of favourable weather," he added.
Eight of Guyana's ten regions have been affected by flooding due to unusually heavy rains, high
tides, and poor drainage.
The NRC has said additional scrutineering problems, muddy dams, and inaccessible roads have contributed to the shortfall in targets. The registration deadline is October 31, which officials are optimistic they will meet.
Indo Caribbean World
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Publisher: Harry Ramkhelawan.
Editor: Romeo Kaseram.
Next Issue: August 14