Vol. 4 No. 3 NOVEMBER 1996

A Monthly Publication of the Embassy of Guyana, Washington DC, USA.

RECENT CHANGES IN GUYANA'S CABINET

President Cheddi Jagan marked the fourth anniversary of his inauguration as Head of State on October 9 by announcing two new appointments to his Cabinet and changes in some ministerial portfolios.

Ambassador 'Sash' Sawh has been recalled from Caracas to take over as Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and private business executive, Mr Anthony Xavier has been appointed Minister within the Public Works and Communications Ministry.

Other appointments in an anniversary press statement from the President were:

• Mr Moses Nagamootoo as Information Minister

• Mr Harripersaud Nokta as Regional and Local Government Minister.



• Mr Clinton Collymore as Minister within the Ministry of Regional and Local Government.

The President said the appointments were intended to strengthen his team of Ministers and "significant adjustments" are earmarked for the Health, Trade and Finance ministries to help ministers carry out their functions.

"It is my hope that these changes and others to be made in due course will assist in promoting the general well-being of the people of Guyana by providing more efficient and

timely services", the President said.

The return of Nokta to the Local Government portfolio is not a change but a switch, because this was his responsibility under Regional Development before it was assigned to Nagamootoo as Local Government last year.

Nagamootoo was first Information Minister before he resigned to continue law studies at the University of Guyana. He returned to the Cabinet after graduation last year as Senior Local Government Minister and later was also reassigned responsibility for Information.

Xavier was a member of the Interim Management Committee appointed by the PPP/Civic Government to run the affairs of Georgetown before the country returned to democratic Local Government and Municipal elections, after some 20 years, in 1994.

He is also a top member of the John Fernandes shipping firm.

Sawh was a leading member of the Guyanese community in Canada which helped the international lobby to return Guyana to democracy at the October 5, 1992 general elections.

President Jagan said he has been working over the past four years with Cabinet colleagues "who have performed exceptionally well in their service to the nation."

He said the main thrust of his administration "has been to stabilize the economy and achieve growth rates which would generate more resources to improve the living standards of the people."

"We are still on that road. The Government has put in place many plans that will, in the next year, bring even more positive results."

"To accomplish this with satisfactory results, we will need to mobilize all necessary resources, both human and financial", the President said.

FIRST WOMAN CHIEF JUSTICE IN GUYANA

Ms Desiree Bernard who was appointed as a Judge in 1980 and a Justice of Appeal in 1992 made history for Guyana and the Caribbean when she was officially sworn in as Chief Justice by President Jagan on Friday October 25, 1996.

President Cheddi Jagan was loud in his praise for the contributions of Chief Justice Desiree Bernard. Commenting on Ms Bernard's dedication and sterling contributions both within her profession and in other areas of development. The President said, "She should be congratulated and I am happy she is the first woman to be appointed as Chief Justice in Guyana and the Caribbean."

Dr Jagan expressed the view that more women should be empowered and explained that this is one of the aims of the Government.

The President further explained that Ms Bernard was not appointed earlier because she was overseas on official business.

Speaking on the "This Week with the President" TV program, the President explained that according to a survey conducted in all the Parliaments of the Commonwealth, Guyana has a very high rating of women in Parliament.

Justice Bernard also sits on the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, and was a member of the Guyana Delegation to the Caribbean Conference on the Rights of the Child in Belize in October.

Guyana and US to Review Deportees Issue

Guyana and the United States are to review the controversial deportees issue, the Guyana Information Services (GIS) announced on October 8.

The agency said this was agreed on when Charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Guyana, Mr Hugh Simon met Senior Home Affairs Minister, Mr Feroze Mohamed. According to the GIS, Mohamed and Simon agreed to "review the question of criminal deportees to Guyana with a view to reduce anxieties among Guyanese communities over the threat they pose."

The growing number of deportees shipped back here from the US after serving jail sentences for cocaine and other drugs running convictions there has alarmed local Police.

Officials said the upsurge in the number of convicted criminals of Guyanese origin deported from the US has coincided with an escalation of certain types of violent crimes and American-style car hijackings and other offences.

Sources said the laws in Guyana should be changed to deal with the deportee phenomenon, including closer surveillance.

Another possibility is reviewing the criteria for Guyanese who become residents of other countries to maintain their Guyanese citizenship, making it more difficult for convicted criminals to be deported to Guyana on the grounds that they are originally Guyanese, a top source said.

Simon "expressed interest in boosting the technical capabilities of Guyana's crime-fighting forces." Meanwhile, the Charge d'Affaires of the US Embassy presented a ballistics microscope to Commissioner of Police, Mr Laurie Lewis, on October 23.

The microscope is for the recently reactivated ballistics unit of the Local Police Force from the US Department of Justice, through its International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program.

Army Officer Charged With Stealing Windows

The second-in-command of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Colonel Godwin Macpherson, has been charged with stealing 13 windows valued at 323,000 Guyana dollars.

Colonel Macpherson was released on $50,000 bail after he appeared before Chief Magistrate K Juman Yassin.

The Colonel and three other army officers appeared in court recently, to answer various charges stemming from a year of investigations into alleged overspending by the army in the amount of $287 million.

They would be informed later when they have to reappear in court.

Army Finance Officer Colonel Alan Lewis, who is due to retire shortly, has been charged with conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor by falsifying 50 sheets to pay soldiers $58,000. He was released on $150,000 bail.

Colonel Macpherson was sent on extended leave earlier this year after Chief of Staff, Brigadier Jules Singh, returned from a one-year leave of absence in the United Kingdom and found evidence of massive overspending. Macpherson, a British-trained officer, was later interdicted from duty despite an appeal to Command Chief of the GDF, President Cheddi Jagan.

New Housing Scheme at Enterprise

President Cheddi Jagan has expressed his satisfaction with the recent launching of a US$2.7 million Housing Scheme in Enterprise.

Speaking on the "This Week with the President" TV program Dr Jagan said, "I am happy this has come to fruition."

Under the Government of Guyana (GOG)/Venezuela Investment Fund (VIF) Housing Project 243 houses will be constructed.

The President noted that this is only one of the initiatives taken by the Government in its drive to provide basic needs for the population.

The Guyanese leader explained that with the large number of applicants from the capital city, in relation to the land available there, emphasis should be placed on condominium type housing which makes it possible for purchasing apartments and for housing more people on the same area of land.

In an effort to minimize financial strain through mortgage payments and taxes, Dr Jagan announced that Government has waived some of the taxes.

The President also noted that the houses are built in such a way that this can be extended later, and the materials used are to a large extent fire proof.

A factory capable of constructing prefabricated houses on a large scale is expected to be built in Guyana to meet the demand for houses and also for export to other countries.

Govt Says: GT&T's "Phone Sex" Business is Immoral

President Cheddi Jagan and Trade Minister Michael Shree Chan have both slammed the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) for its "dirty" audiotext services.

The Ministry also debunked alleged claims by GT&T officials that the Government was scheming to bring in another phone company.

He disclosed that at least five international telephone companies have indicated interests in offering telephone services to Guyana.

The Minister, however, referred to the contract agreement which gave GT&T a virtual monopoly over the local telephone service and makes it difficult for any competition to be accommodated for the next 25 years.

GT&T has now been rated "a world leader" in the phone sex industry by the Washington Post and is expected to earn over US$100M from which no dividend is paid. The Minister noted that this is damaging the country's image.

Mr Chan said that GT&T was assured of 15% returns and this obviated the need for any phone sex enterprise. Chan acknowledged the entire audiotext service was not all sex and that it provided other forms of service. A determination is therefore being done to ascertain what part of US$100M to be earned comes from phone sex.

President Jagan commenting on GT&T phone sex fiasco, strengthened the claim that GT&T was undermining public morality.

He pointed out that the company should behave as a good corporate citizen "and if it does not have a social conscience" the Government would be forced to invite takeover bids.

Modernizing Region Five Water Supply

A major scheme with several components, to modernize the water supply system in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), is nearing completion.

The last phase, to lay some 60,000 feet of pipeline at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice and its environs, should be finished, ahead of schedule.

It is being funded by the Social Impact Amelioration Program (SIMAP) at a cost of $45M and is part of the Guyana Water Authority grid.

The conduits being laid will be connected to a recently installed submersible pump at Bush Lot well and link that community with the rest of West Berbice.

That would enhance the flow to 7,000 households in the immediate vicinity of the source.

Residents of Golden Grove and Lovely Lass, to the west and Number 22/Bel Air, to the east, will enjoy the facility for the first time in 25 years.

Among other things accomplished in the process are the replacement of old mechanically driven surface pumps - at Bush Lot and Willemstad - with electrically operated submersible ones and the installation of a larger and more powerful unit at Rosignol.

The full benefits of new mechanism at Bush Lot will be realized as soon as the fresh pipes are in place.

GUYWA completed the same exercise between Tempie and Kingelley and from Little Abary to Fellowship and consumers in those areas are now being invited to apply for connections. Preparations are underway to install a submersible pump at Kingelley and that will completely modernize delivery in West Berbice.

Kingston Power Station's Life Expires in Year 2000

Consultants have told the Guyana Electricity Corporation that its old power generating sets at Kingston have a remaining life-span of only four years.

The Kingston units are over 36 years old and were purchased by a previous PPP Government. This development came as tests and checks were being carried out on the second post-1992 new 11-megawatts power station Garden of Eden, East Bank of Demerara.

The PPP/Civic Government installed the first post-Independence power station in 1994, given the fragile and run-down state of the generating sets.

The situation at GEC came in for focus at an extra-ordinary press conference called by President Cheddi Jagan that dealt with major issues of concern.

Guyana Wins $300,000 Award in Green Mining Suit

The international arbitration tribunal has rendered "a unanimous award that is total vindication of BIDCO, LINMINE and BERMINE in the arbitration brought against them by Green Mining."

Green Mining filed its demand for arbitration with the International Chamber of Commerce in July 1992, seeking US$17.2M under mining and equipment sales contracts that it had with GUYMINE.

The arbitration was held on May 6 and 7, 1996, in Washington, DC, before a panel of three arbitrators. Ex-Minister of Finance Carl Greenidge and ex-BIDCO Chairman Charles Crawford testified before the arbitrators.

Presenting the case on behalf of the Government entities were Messrs Paul Reichler,(the Guyana Government's legal representative in Washington), Rex McKay and Joe Smouha.

The final award directed Green to pay the attorneys' fees incurred by BIDCO, LINMINE, GUYMINE and the cost of the arbitration, which amounted to about $300,000.

City Street Repairs Advance

Repairs to several more city streets are to commence almost immediately, following the signing of a $60M agreement between the Government and the Trinidad road construction firm, Dipcon Contracting.

The streets, Middleton, William, John, Craig, Garnet, Dennis, Durey Lane, Delph, Seaforth, Austin and Pike Streets and Campbell Avenue in the Newtown/Campbellville area, fall under Lot III of a three-phase work program being executed with funding from the Inter-American Development Bank.

Signing the accord on October 12, Local Government Minister Harripersaud Nokta pointed out that in addition to IDB funding, the ministry will, for this year, spend about $80M to renovate urban roads and drains.

The RALI firm of contractors has been given the project to repair Alexander Street in Lacytown, Brutus Street in Agricola, Independence Boulevard, Cummings Street, Duncan Street, West Front Road, Foot Path Aubrey Barker Road and Princes Street.

In addition, minor repairs have commenced on 21 miles of roadway in Georgetown for which the Ministry has responsibility.

Central Government also recently approved some $28M to fund maintenance works on six vital roadways in Georgetown. The roads identified for maintenance were Lamaha Street costing $4M, Hunter Street to cost $6.8M, , Independence Boulevard at a cost of $5M, Croal Street to cost $4M, Brutus street to cost $4M and Alexander Street, Kitty which will cost some $4M. Ramon Bros, Inc. will repair Lamaha Street while J. Tapp will tackle Croal Street.

Maintenance works have already commenced on some of these streets. The Maintenance component comes at a time when Central Government is executing a massive road rebuilding program for Georgetown which will cost more than one billion dollars.

$32 Million Spent on Region 4 Rehabilitation

The Region 4 Administration has spent over $32M in a massive overhaul of its drainage and irrigation systems. A total of six thousand rods of trenches on the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara have been reconditioned at a total cost of $3.5M, while drainage and irrigation trenches from Cane Grove to Garden of Eden have been weeded and cleaned costing the administration $4M.

Outfall channels at Victoria and Belfield have been excavated, while the sluice at Golden Grove has been rehabilitated. All these works were done at a cost of $6.6M.

Meanwhile, the much needed transformers for the operation of the Victoria and Golden Grove pumps have been purchased and installed to the tune of $3.5M.

More than $6M spent on the construction of a relief structure and regulator at Craig; three new sluice winches along with accessories were acquired costing approximately $3M, and revetment works totaling over 800 at Cane Grove and Golden Grove were done at a cost of $7.7M.

Mass Support For Lethem Road

Residents of some 16 villages in the Rupununi have applauded the proposed completion of the Lethem Mabura road, hailing it a major factor for development of the region.

However, residents who currently occupy lands said they do not want to be disenfranchised following the opening up of the road, which they perceived will attract new settlers.

Prime Minister Sam Hinds, who accompanied other Government officials to a public forum in Lethem recently urged villagers to view the project in a positive way, reminding them of the exorbitant prices they pay for basic food-stuff.

He reiterated that the road to Lethem can bring development in many ways and referred to earlier assistance from the Demerara Timbers Limited logging firm in building the stretch from Mabura to Kurupukari.

Auditor General's Report Fourth Time Early

The Government's policy of transparency and accountability was again transformed into action with the timely presentation of the Auditor General's Report on Public Accounts for the fourth consecutive year.

The accounts on all Government expenditure was absent for ten years when the PPP/Civic administration took office.

Minister of Finance Bharrat Jagdeo received the report from Auditor General Annand Goolsarran and cited it as a clear realization of the Government's commitment toward ensuring accountability and transparency.

The Minister added that the administration has consistently been taking various steps to enhance its capacity to be accountable to the people of this country. He also noted the consistency of early presentation of the Auditor General's Report was one such mechanism.

GT&T Secures Internet Equipment

GT&T has secured most of the equipment it needs to provide the platform for the introduction of the Internet information superhighway to Guyana, a senior company official said.

The equipment should be installed and operational by December 1, the official said, adding that companies interested in becoming Internet service providers have been speaking with GT&T on the "ground rules."

Prime Minister, Sam Hinds, has already sent invitations to firms expressing a desire to provide the service and letters of interest have already been received by Government

Implementation of the service would require capital investment of between US$20,000 to US$25,000.

Investors are examining the feasibility of offering the service there in light of the fact that some international organizations and businesses have already made arrangements with Internet service provider CaribSurf in Barbados and a company in Trinidad and Tobago.

Growing Canadian Business Interest in Guyana

Trade between Guyana and Canada has increased substantially over the past four years and many opportunities are available for further expansion, new Canadian High Commission to Guyana, Mr Alan Bowker has said.

Speaking at the ceremony where he presented his letters of credence to President Jagan, Mr Bowker said, "trade between our countries is almost four times what it was in 1992. There are many opportunities for continued expansion of two-way trade which can only be to the mutual benefit of Guyana and Canada."

Noting the growing interest in Guyana by Canadian business community, Bowker said his Government welcomes Guyana's interest in exploring a foreign investment protection agreement in the near future.

Canadian interest is evident in Guyana, particularly in the area of gold mining. Earlier this year, President Jagan visited Canada and the giant mining firm, Placer Dome indicated it was interested in further investment in Guyana.

"Canada and Guyana are preparing to address the breath-taking challenges of the next century. We must adjust to profound political, economic, social and cultural change, and to the impact of globalization in many areas," he said.

GEC Privatization Gathers Steam

An investors seminar held recently with potential buyers of the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC) has brought the electricity company closer to private participation.

Investors representing more than ten international power firms attended the one-day session, which was addressed by Prime Minister Sam Hinds.

Following the meetings, the actual private participation in the GEC is scheduled for the first quarter of 1997. Assisting the Government in putting the privatization plan is the Price Waterhouse accounting firm.

The seminar reflected the unique approach by the Government to ensure any privatization arrangement is transparent and open for public discussion.

Members of the public and representatives from interested agencies participated in the exercise.

Guyana and Dominica are to develop technical cooperation programs for joint research in agriculture, forestry, mining and the environment, the Guyana Government has announced. The two CARICOM countries signed an agreement to this effect during the meeting in Jamaica of the CARICOM Ministerial Committee on external negotiations.

The 20^th anniversary Medal of Honor awardees presentation, organized by the Guyanese Community Council of USA, was held in Brooklyn, New York on September 29. Medals were presented in the areas of Public Service, Community Service and Business.

To make more financial information available to the private sector, the Bank of Guyana has set up a Foreign Exchange Billboard. The aim of the Billboard is to increase the business community's access to information pertaining to the exchange and interest rates. The Billboard provides information on the exchange rate for the United States and Canadian dollars and Pounds Sterling.

The issue surrounding the admittance of UG Law Students into the Hugh Wooding Law School was raised on October 21 by President Jagan at the 9^th Meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, conducted by teleconference between Georgetown and St John's, Antigua and Barbuda.

The Agatash Primary School, Essequibo River was recently repaired by the Government's project execution agency, SIMAP, to the tune of $1.2M. Meanwhile, construction of the new Wellington Park Primary School, East Berbice is near completion.

The Canadian High Commission handed over a Community Resource Center to the Community-Based Rehabilitation Unit at Port Mourant, Corentyne. The center was constructed at a cost of $1.4M and is part of the Canadian Government assistance to Guyana.

The Regional Administration and residents of Mara, East Bank Berbice, have both expressed concern about the slow pace of road works being carried out on the East Bank of Berbice road. As a result, those monitoring the works will be taking up the complaints to the relevant agency.

To expedite the development of housing schemes on Essequibo coast, $6M from the poverty reduction program has been allocated to Region Two for the development of new low-cost housing areas. According the Region Two Chairman $1.5M of the sum will be used to develop 500 more house lots in Onderneeming. Another $500,000 will be used for the development of 160 house lots in the Pomona area, while $1M will be spent in La Belle Alliance. For the establishment of a new housing scheme, about $2.5M has been earmarked for Jib in the Paradise area.

Bell Vue, West Bank, Demerara, has been the latest area to receive new pipelines. These new pipelines will replace existing ones to improve potable water supply in the area.

The rehabilitation of the 630-foot Corriverton port of entry is progressing rapidly. The PNC administration had leased the wharf to the Alesie Group of Company in 1991, but due to the lack of maintenance over the years, it fell into a total state of disrepair. The Government, repossessed the wharf and put it under the control of the Guyana Rice Development Board. The GRDB has plans to construct a huge storage bond at the port of entry, to facilitate the storage of cargo rice for export.

Courts Ltd. has launched an inter-school debating competition on HIV/AIDS. The launching took place at the Ministry of Health. Documents relating to the competition were handed over by Courts Managing Director Keith Coltart to Health Minister Gail Teixeira.

MEDSTAR Company Limited, of Lamaha Street, Georgetown has been awarded a contract for the supply of full cream milk powder to health centers. The Social Impact Amelioration Program (SIMAP) said the deal is effective from September 19 through December 31. The beneficiaries are pregnant and lactating women, children between 6 and 23 months and malnourished and others from two to five years old. To benefit from the program, mothers and children must be registered at the clinic in their districts.

The regularization and resolution of Guyana's squatting problems were expected to be assisted through the Caribbean Human Rights Settlements Program and a tripartite linkage. Guyana has joined a segmented study tour involving Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines on squatter regularization and upgrading. This saw a four-man team technical delegation in Guyana for an on-the-spot assessment of Guyana's squatting problems.

The Foreign Ministers of Venezuela, Dr Miguel Angel Burelli Rivas and Guyana, Mr Clement Rohee have met to review the state of discussions on the controversy between the two countries. In reviewing the situation, the Ministers noted that relations between the two countries are good and are improving in a number of areas.

An agreement, paving the way for Guyana to receive an additional US$4.1M, the equivalent of G$574.4M, under the fourth program of the Basic Needs Trust Fund, has been signed between the Government of Guyana and the Caribbean Development Bank. The entire project is valued at US$5.1M, of which the Guyana Government will contribute US$1M. The grant will be used to continue the financing of community-based projects.

New Chancellor of the Judiciary, Mr Cecil Kennard took the oath of office recently from President Cheddi Jagan. Mr Kennard who was Chief Justice, succeeds former Chancellor, Mr Aubrey Bishop, who has proceeded on retirement.

The Government is widening the scheme to recognize the contributions of Guyanese at every level. The President, said that Government is committed to recognizing Guyanese from all levels of society and their contributions to Guyana. He said that not only those in the top brackets are being considered for awards but a new category has been introduced by the Government He explained that those who have died and those residing overseas are also included.

The Byderabu Nursery School in Bartica was recently constructed with funding from the Canadian Government. The Nursery school was built to the tune of $2M from a grant and is part of the Government's ongoing assistance to Guyana, according to the Canadian High Commission.

All six volumes of the draft National Development Strategy (NDS) will be printed shortly in preparation for a national discussion on the Government's proposed vision to take the country into the 21 century. Before printing of the entire document started, Minority Leader Desmond Hoyte received the first five chapters of the document, in keeping with an agreement made at an Atlanta Meeting hosted by the Carter Center.

The Police Force's fight against drugs continues unabated. Recently, the narcotics squad invited the press to accompany it to witness the dumping of 32 kilograms of cocaine in the Demerara River. The dumped 'coke' had a street value of US$144,000, the equivalent of approximately G$21M.

Guyana's case for eligibility for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) multilateral debt reduction initiative received "strong support" at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting in Bermuda and the IMF Annual Meeting in Washington, which were both held recently.

Prime Minister Sam Hinds and GEC officials gathered at the Kingston GEC compound to witness the arrival and installation of four more new Wartsila Diesel generators. The generators are part of the electricity improvement plan being implemented by GEC, including the expansion of the Kingston power station.

Recently, Minister of Labor, Human Services and Social Security, Dr Henry Jeffrey who also has responsibility for water, traveled to Vergenoegen on the East Bank of Essequibo for the commissioning of water works in the area, where he urged citizens to ensure they preserve and protect the new facility.

Nine new winches are being purchased for sea sluices along the Essequibo Coast. These will replace aged components on the sea sluices. About $5 million are being expended to carry out this important purchase.

Public lending for the first six months of this year has surpassed the overall figure of $670M for 1995, growing 10 times bigger than what it was in 1992.

The Region Four Administration has spent over $38M to rehabilitate 19 buildings and construct two nursery schools. The high schools at Covent Garden, Golden Grove, Annandale and Soesdyke were upgraded at a cost of $6.6M .

About $2.7 million will be spent by the La Grange/Nismes Neighborhood Democratic Council to carry out various development works. Approximately $1.2 million will be spent to excavate four miles of trenches, while another $800,000 will be spent to rehabilitate the La Grange community Center and about $200,000 will be spent to fence the playfield.

A contract has been awarded for the clearing and excavation of 165 acres of virgin farm lands for cash crops in the Bush Lot area, Essequibo Coast. Plots will be made available for the cultivation of cash crops and will be distributed to the more needy sections of the population.

The Guyana Relief Council continues to deliver assistance to victims of fires, doling out help so far for the month of October to 21 families. Mattresses, stoves, food items, clothing and kitchen utensils were some of the items distributed.

In an ongoing effort to boost health services and to ensure the regular supply of medical drugs, Region six authorities have approved the construction of a medical drug-bond in the Fort Canje Hospital compound. Plans are also afoot for the acquisition of a vehicle to facilitate linkage between the drug bond and the health departments.

Strathspey, Vigilance and Bladen Hall, East Coast of Demerara are communities like scores of others that are flowering from the country's recent economic advances along with support from the Government. Some of the development projects include upgrading of the area's primary school, installation of electrical wiring at the Bladen Hall Multilateral School, digging of the main trench and main canal at Strathspey and Vigilance, rehabilitation of the sea defence in the communities, and installation of 200 rods of pipelines.

Exports of non-traditional produce such as fruits, vegetables, ground provision continue to climb. The 1995 report of the new Guyana Marketing Corporation showed that exports of non-traditional produce last year doubled that of 1993. In 1993, 2,107 tonnes were exported, while last year 4,662 tonnes were exported.

Rice farmers in Region Six have hailed the planned establishment of a Research Station at Lesbeholden, Black Bush Polder. The station is expected to focus its research efforts in the areas of plant breeding, agronomy and plant pathology.

Major development projects completed in Regions Two and Seven were handed over to the communities by the Government's project execution agency, SIMAP. These projects included the construction of bridges at the Wishi Kabra, the Walaba , the Caria Caria , the Calipa and the Sari Papa Creeks. Meanwhile, excavation works have commenced on the proposed new Parika Marketing Center.

The Guyana Broadcasting Corporation, commissioned a state-of-the-art studio on wheels, which is expected to boost it's live coverage of outside events. The van has among other equipment, a complete studio to house five persons and vehicle talk back lines.

Owners of television stations have been urged by government to begin the process of regularizing their operations. The National Frequency Management Unit will oversee the arrangements.