Cheers and fireworks as Guyanese usher in 40th Independence Anniversary

The dawn of Guyana's 40th Independence Anniversary was met with loud cheering at the National Park on May 25 at midnight as ranks from the Guyana Defence Force hoisted the Golden Arrowhead.

Thousands of Guyanese from all walks of life thronged the National Park to join in the celebration of yet another milestone for Guyana.

Members of the Guyana Defence Force opened the night's celebrations with the guard of honour for President Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.

Members of the “World Harmony Run” ran around the tarmac and passed the “harmony torch” to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Anthony Xavier.

The runners, who hail from Australia and the United States, travelled to Guyana from Barbados where the Harmony Run had been conducted.

The Minister later handed over the torch to a Surinamese, who will be taking the torch to Suriname where the run will continue.

Calypsonians entertained the audience with renditions of famous Guyanese calypsos.

Highlighting the different aspects of Guyanese culture, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports entertained the audience with a grand cultural display on the park's tarmac.

Exhibiting Guyana's culture in the form of interpretive dancing, hundreds of students from various schools around Guyana took to the tarmac.

Ethnicity, farming, scholars, foods, folklore and other aspects of the cultural makeup of Guyana were some of the aspects the dances portrayed.

The main event of the night occurred at about five minutes before midnight when ranks from the GDF began hoisting the Golden Arrowhead.

Cashew nut, soya bean cultivation getting Brazil hand

With lucrative markets available for cashew nuts and soya beans, technical agreements to be implemented from May 22 to boost cultivation and production were signed between Guyana and Brazil.

It is expected on completion of the programmes that both cashew nut and soya beans will become "significant contributors to Guyana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)," the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) stated.

The agreements signed on May 10 will provide for the improvement of the varieties of cashew nuts and soya bean materials; establishment of a nursery and fields; irrigation; integrated pest management; and processing and commercialization over an eight-month period.

Cashew nut trees are grown in the Rupununi Savannahs, and soya beans cultivated in the Intermediate Savannahs have yields of 2,500 kg per hectare.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Brazilian researchers visited NARI and areas earmarked for cultivation in the Intermediate and Rupununi Savannahs.

Signing for Guyana were representatives of the government and NARI, and for Brazil were representatives of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency.

At the signing, Oudho Homenauth, Director of NARI, noted that the programmes will "significantly increase Guyana's agricultural diversification and food security programmes and employment opportunities for many persons in the savannah areas."

Guyana, Brazil working to reduce trade imbalance

Both Guyana and Brazil are making efforts to reduce the trade imbalance between them, through the advancement of the bilateral Partial Scope Agreement (PSA), Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Mr. Clement Rohee said on May 30.

According to Rohee, the two sides are in discussions to make Bom Fin a port of entry into Brazil for Guyanese products and Brazilian Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Arthur V.C. Meyer said workshops on exporting to Brazil will be held soon to ensure that Guyanese businesses enjoy more favourable trading.

Both Rohee and Meyer spoke at the first meeting of the administrative commission for the PSA held at the Ministry of Foreign Trade in Georgetown.

The commission will serve as the regulatory body to monitor the effective implementation of the PSA.

Rohee said the gathering is a major and very noteworthy step in the promotion of trade and functional cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.

He said the process includes the construction of the bridge across the border Takutu River, scheduled to resume later this year, for making trading easier.

He also said that the Guyana private sector is “ready and rearing” to take advantage of the pact.

Ambassador Meyer acknowledged that the physical stumbling block to increasing the two-way trade is the Takutu Bridge and said the problem will be rectified soon.

He said they have received a request for rice to be considered a priority beneficiary product of the PSA scheme.

Progress on proposed Guyana-Venezuela road link

The fifth Guyana/Venezuela Technical Committee on the proposed road link has resulted in an agreement on the terms of reference for the execution of the feasibility studies and environment impact assessment.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guyana, reporting on the two-day meeting, stated that discussions under the committee are aimed at examining the feasibility of establishing a road link between Guyana and Venezuela under the aegis of the Integration of Regional Infrastructure of South America (IIRSA) process.

Financing for the studies, the ministry stated, has been provided by the Andean Development Corporation, one of the financial institutions which supports projects under the IIRSA process.

It was agreed that the Caribbean Development Bank would be involved in the disbursement of funds and procurement procedures.

In this regard, representatives of both countries proposed to meet jointly at the technical level with the Caribbean Development Bank during June to discuss the terms of reference for the execution of the feasibility studies and the financial issues with regard to these studies.

The feasibility studies are expected to address the economic, environmental and social impact of the proposed road link with Venezuela.

Technical consultants in Guyana for EU rice project

A team of technical consultants which has been awarded the contract for the technical assistance component of the European Union (EU) rice competitiveness programme arrived in Guyana to commence work.

Under the programme, 11.7 million euros will be spent to execute several activities aimed at developing the local rice industry. Apart from the technical services component, a financial facility will be established to provide working capital and investment in the industry. Other components include repairing pumps at Dawa and Golden Fleece, Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam), and training of farmers and other stakeholders.

Team leader George Murray and institutional strengthening expert Graham Garrod from a Belgian consultancy firm will be based in Guyana for the next two years.

On May 18, the team paid a courtesy call on Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Other Crops and Livestock (ag), Harripersaud Nokta who reaffirmed government's commitment to the rice industry and pledged the Ministry's support for the continued development of the sector.

He pointed out that issues such as drainage and irrigation, productivity and research development are of great importance to the overall improvement of the industry.

Grim AIDS report on Guyana

A new global report on HIV/AIDS has painted an even grimmer picture of the epidemic in Guyana, pointing to the need for a better response in fighting the disease which is already the leading cause of death among the crucial 25-44 age group.

“High HIV infection levels among men and women seeking treatment for other sexually transmitted diseases and the rising trend in officially reported HIV infections underscore the need to improve Guyana’s AIDS response,” the 2006 UNAIDS report on the global epidemic stated.

The report added that in Guyana “serious epidemics have been observed in urban areas.”

It stated that while expanded counselling and testing services, along with the provision of antiretroviral regimens have reduced mother-to-child transmission of HIV in some countries, like the Bahamas, evidence of similar progress is not yet visible in Guyana.

AIDS has become the number one cause of death in Guyana among people aged 25–44 years, and national HIV prevalence stands at an estimated at 2.4 percent, the report stated.

At the launching of the Public/Private Sector Partnership Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS, Secretary to the Presidential Commission on HIV/AIDS Dr Frank Anthony stated that some 18,000 persons live with HIV/AIDS in Guyana.

He said very few of those infected with the disease may not know they are, and estimates suggest that some 3,600-4,000 may need treatment but only 1,200 are on the recommended medication.

The 2006 UNAIDS report notes that only half of the men and women known to have HIV/AIDS are on the requisite anti-retroviral treatment.

Guyana ranks as the country with the second highest HIV/AIDS population in the Caribbean – second to Haiti.

New gold zone at Aurora

Guyana Goldfields Incorporated has reported discovery of a new gold zone at Aurora, in the Mazaruni River.

The Canada-based mineral exploration company said it has received assay results from the first four drill holes in the Marupa area located about three kilometres north of the Rory's Knoll gold zone.

The Aurora exploration and drilling programme, the company stated, is being carried out under the direction of Mr. Augusto Flores IV, a qualified person who has reviewed the exploration results.

Guyana Goldfields is primarily focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits in the Guiana Shield of South America.

The company said it holds advanced exploration projects in various stages of development and has been operating in Guyana continuously since 1996.

Berbice bridge contract signed

The Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) on May 17 signed a contract with Rexroth Bosch/Mabey Johnson to design and construct the long-awaited US$38 million bridge over the Berbice River.

The selected contractor, according to the BBCI, is a consortium of two European firms which was picked from a shortlist of three international firms which submitted technical and financial bids in response to the issue of tender documents in August 2005. The project is expected to be completed in one and a half years.

Bosch Rexroth is a US$43 billion company based in Holland with its headquarters in Germany. It is the leading technological group in systems and engineering with operations in 18 lines of business worldwide. One of the company's agents was involved in the rehabilitation of the retractor span on the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

The Mabey Group of Companies is a major British engineering organization specialising in bridging, steel fabricating and construction products. The group is a world leader in the design, manufacture and supply of prefabricated modular steel panel bridges. Mabey and Johnson also hold the exclusive and perpetual licences over the intellectual property rights of the company that built the Demerara Harbour Bridge. This company currently builds 1,500 bridges around the world each year.

The bridge is to be built north of Rosignol, from D'Edward Village on the west bank across to Crab Island and then to the east bank of the river.

The 1.55 km bridge will float on 39 pontoons anchored to the heavy sediment of the riverbed by a sophisticated offshore tested anchorage system. The bridge would be 12 metres high and will provide limited clearance for barge transportation and a retractable gap of 70 metres will enable sea going vessels to pass through.

New US$67,000 vet lab to enable poultry exports

A veterinary diagnostic laboratory costing over US$67,000, expected to be officially opened this month, will test for bird flu and other poultry diseases, making way for poultry exports.

The laboratory which is located in the compound of the Ministry of Agriculture, has already tested 900 samples from 12 different farms for Avian Influenza or bird flu during a test of the facility. The testing was done with the commercial flock (edible poultry and eggs) and all proved to be free from bird flu.

Patrick DeGroot, president of the Guyana Poultry Producers Association (GPPA), in giving a history of the facility said that in early 2003 they completed phase one of the Canadian International Development Agency funded project, Caribbean Programme for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC), to improve the local poultry industry. This led the way for additional funding for phase two.

Indian firm to do manganese and iron exploration

The Government of Guyana and the Essar Group of India recently signed a memorandum of understanding for manganese and iron exploration in Regions One and Nine.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds who holds the mines and mineral exploration portfolio signed for the government while Director of Essar, P.R. Dhariwal signed on behalf of the Indian firm.

If exploration activities are successful, the manganese industry would be rejuvenated at Matthew's Ridge, which was named after F.P.F. Matthews, a government geologist who first discovered manganese in the area in 1951. The GGMC has also been pushing independent iron exploration studies in several districts across Guyana.

The deal, facilitated by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), establishes a collaborative relationship among the agencies involved for advancing exploratory studies.

The country has several known occurrences of manganese and iron. Manganese is primarily found in Matthews Ridge and Pipiani in the North West District of Region One while iron occurrences are concentrated in the Pomeroon Head, South Rupununi and mid-Demerara areas.

Steel and iron making has accounted for most manganese demand, at present in the range of 85-90 percent of the total demand. Among a variety of other uses, manganese is a key component of low-cost stainless steel formulations and certain widely-used aluminium alloys.

Government has undertaken to assist, support and facilitate the proposed investment through the relevant agencies in order to facilitate expediting the operation.

Guyana's first surgical post graduate diploma programme launched

Guyana's first ever surgical post-graduate diploma programme was launched recently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The programme which began in April is a collaborative effort between the hospital, the University of Guyana and the Canadian Association of General Surgeons. Accredited by the University of Guyana, the programme will run for 30 months and will be delivered by the GPHC and the Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS).

Funding for the initiative will be shared by the GPHC and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Director of Medical and Professional Services of the GPHC and programme Coordinator, Dr. Madan Rambarran, said this is another step in training being undertaken by the institution to enhance the quality of services offered to the public.

As part of the programme, students will spend two years training at GPHC and six months at outstation settings in river bank communities.

Dr. Rambarran said the idea is to develop a cadre of community based surgeons to function at health centres in far flung locations of the country.

Baramita/Matthews Ridge road ends 100 years isolation

The 100 years isolation of remote Baramita, in Region One (Barima/Waini), ended recently with the completion of a 45-kilometres (21miles) road linking it to Matthews Ridge, both in North West District.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Harripersaud Nokta made the announcement on May 16 during a press conference at his ministry in Kingston, Georgetown.

He said the establishment of the new route is in accordance with the government’s policy to link isolated places to those in the mainstream.

Nokta recalled that, prior to the construction of the roadway, access to Baramita, inhabited mainly by Carib Amerindians, was either by chartered aircraft or a walk through rough terrain.

In addition, because of its geographical location, Baramita could not have been reached by any waterway and that caused severe hardship for the population of about 1,800, since the cost of goods and services was very expensive after they were delivered by aircraft.

Baramita farmers could also not have marketed their produce elsewhere as it was not feasible to use air transport for the purpose and they, therefore, engaged only in subsistence farming while earning their livelihood mostly by working in the gold mining and forestry industries, Nokta explained.

He said, apart from making accessibility to Baramita cheaper and easier, the road would help stimulate and diversify economic activities and create employment for improving the living conditions of villagers.

122 actions to enhance Guyana's competitiveness

Guyana's National Competitiveness Strategy (NCS) outlines 122 actions and planned activities to enhance national competitiveness which will be implemented by existing and new programmes and regular activities of various government agencies and private sector actors.

President Bharrat Jagdeo hosted a summit on private sector development recently during which more than 300 public and private sector leaders came together to brainstorm ideas to create a prosperous Guyana. Nine action teams were formed to enhance the NCS in key areas.

Representatives of the private and public sectors were selected to coordinate follow-up activities from the summit and support the action teams to take the next steps in strengthening their action initiatives and implementing them.

The draft policy paper on implementing the NCS states that a number of programmes are already working to support the achievement of the NCS objectives.

Key among these include Guyana Trade and Investment Support Programme, the Commercial Court Programme, the Agricultural Support Services Programme, the Linden Economic Advancement Programme, EU Support to the Competitiveness of Rice Industry in the Caribbean , private sector support programmes and infrastructure projects.

The new programmes include the Support for Competitiveness Programme funded by the IDB, and the Agricultural Diversification Programme, also supported by the IDB.

Volunteers getting first aid training in 21 flood-hit areas

UK charity Oxfam recently launched a series of workshops to train volunteers in first aid and HIV/AIDS issues in 21 flood-affected communities.

The series of 21 workshops is aimed at creating awareness and empowering the focal persons and volunteers in 21 Disaster Preparedness Committees on First Aid, through the introduction of a Community First Aid Guide along with practical first aid training from the Guyana Red Cross. The volunteers have also received training in gender and HIV/AIDS issues, according to an Oxfam media release.

These activities are part of Oxfam's continuing efforts to mitigate the impact of the 2005/2006 floods through its “Support for Food Security, Livelihoods Recovery and Disaster Preparedness” project, funded by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department.

This part of the disaster preparedness component of the project aims to build the capacity of community members through training of volunteers and focal persons to work in their respective communities.

The 21 disaster preparedness committees, which were formed from elected persons and volunteers in Oxfam's initial disaster preparedness and response workshops, will work to ensure that immediate and appropriate action is taken at the community level in the event of floods or any other disaster. Their main objectives are to reduce risks and mitigate the impact in event of any emergency or disaster.

Special unit monitoring rainfall daily

A special monitoring unit has been established and is receiving daily reports from various regions, as the current rainy season intensifies.

Acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Other Crops and Livestock, Harripersaud Nokta, has indicated that the monitoring unit comprised officials of the Ministries of Agriculture and Local Government and so far there has not been any alarming report.

“We are constantly in touch with the regions to get updates on the consequential effects of the heavy rains,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, several West Coast Berbice villages are benefiting from drainage work being done with the equipment that arrived in the country earlier this year through a soft loan agreement between the Governments of Guyana and Italy.

The shipment of agricultural machinery has been provided to improve the drainage and irrigation (D&I) system particularly in Region Five, which comprises the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) scheme.

General Manager of the MMA/ADA, Aubrey Charles said excavators are presently clearing internal drains at Belladrum, Bush Lot and Number 40 and 41 Villages. Another will be deployed to commence work at Woodley Park.

The MMA/ADA is also raising the embankments along the primary drainage canals. This is part of the Authority’s 2006 work programme which received an allocation of $87.1 million.

Israeli group engages government on ethanol talks

Guyana has caught the attention of a group of Israeli and Spanish investors who are engaging government on the possibility of producing ethanol in Region Six.

The group, Tanacama Ltd., began discussions in November last and returned recently to continue the negotiations with the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation. The group is hoping to establish a pilot ethanol plant in the Canje River Basin, Region Six. Should the interest be realized, then some 10,000 hectares of land would be cultivated with sugar cane using Israeli technology with fertilizers and irrigation systems buried in the soil and the building of a factory.

The initial capacity of the factory is expected to be 80 million litres annually and the investors are hoping to increase that amount 10-fold within a decade.

Ethanol is in huge demand across the world and if feasible, this investment could augur well for Guyana, a country that depends largely on private capital.

The size of the investment is expected to be in the vicinity of US$100 million.

Guyanese celebrate independence in Caracas

Guyanese in Caracas commemorated Guyana’s 40th independence anniversary when they gathered at the Guyana Embassy on June 3. Tributes were paid to the memory of assassinated Minister of Agriculture Sash Sawh who served as Ambassador to Caracas during 1993-96. Ambassador Odeen Ishmael, in a short address, spoke of the significance of independence to Guyanese residing abroad.

• Leading private companies and public sector bodies on May 30 signed on to a major initiative with a United States’ sponsored HIV/AIDS reduction and prevention programme to help protect employees in the workplace though a variety of education and training initiatives. The Public/Private Sector Partnership Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS was commissioned under the patronage of U.S. Ambassador Roland Bullen.

• Guyana Water Inc. has embarked on several projects to improve supply along Essequibo Coast. The utility said the systems between Airy Hall and Riverstown and Charity and New Road will be upgraded and, eventually, the entire distribution network across Essequibo Coast will be enhanced to provide effective and efficient service.

• The R H Hotel a 26-room, two-storey facility, opened its doors in the mining community of Mahdia on Independence Day. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manzoor Nadir who attended the opening ceremony said it was a shrewd investment by young proprietors Roger and Shirene Hinds. The minister noted that the investment was timely since Mahdia would be the main stopover for overland tours to the Kaieteur Falls.

• Chairman of Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Mr. Alli Baksh has announced that two village offices will be constructed at Bethany and Mashabo, two Amerindian communities. He said funding for the projects will be provided by central government to meet the $2 million expenditure. Baksh said Mashabo will also benefit from a solar energy project.

• A group of 29 individuals left Guyana for India on May 27 as part of the Kids First Fund Heart 2 Heart Programme. The group included 14 children and 4 adults who need open heart surgery.

• Work on a US$3.5 million all-inclusive tourism and hospitality facility next to the cricket stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara has begun and is due for completion by the end of the year. The facility, which is the brainchild of overseas-based Guyanese, Beverley Arthur and businessmen George Smith and Charles Cush, will be used to accommodate visitors to Guyana for the Cricket World Cup matches.

• Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Mr. Manzoor Nadir recently spearheaded a team on a visit to the Lighthouse in Kingston. The Lighthouse recently underwent renovation aimed at preserving it as one of Georgetown's heritage sites. Built in 1830, the structure towers 103 feet in the air and remains one of the last structures built with brick in the 19th century. According to history, this lighthouse is the second built in Guyana. The first one was made of wood and built by the Dutch on the very spot in 1817. This present structure was built by the British and put into operation on June 1, 1830. It has been in service ever since.

• Fifty water pumps valued $5 million were handed over on May 19 to the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) for its hinterland programme aimed at providing some 80 percent of the communities with potable water by next year end. The donation was made by Food for the Poor at their Festival City, Georgetown office.

• Plans are under way to extend the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme, initiated by the government to hinterland communities, such as Port Kaituma, North West District, in Region One (Barima/Waini) and Mahdia in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni). Under the Hinterland Electrification Programme, it is envisaged that a number of generation and distribution systems will be developed.

• The Pan American Health Organisation has commended Guyana for incorporating the purchase of pentavalent vaccine into its national budget, hailing it as a landmark achievement. During a recent visit to Guyana by officials of the Global Alliance on Vaccine and Immunisation, they noted that immunisation coverage of children under one year in Region One (Barima/Waini) increased from 53 percent in 2004 to 83 percent last year.

• Residents of Bath New Housing Scheme recently received energy saving bulbs through the Bath/Hope/Waterloo/ Experiment Community Development Committee (CDC). The exercise, done in collaboration with the Guyana Power and Light and the Cuban government, aims to help residents conserve electricity. A team visited homes and replaced the existing 110-volt bulbs with the energy saving type, free of cost.

• The Dental Health Unit at the Fort Wellington Hospital is benefiting from the addition of new staff members and a newly constructed building that will increase the comfort of both staff and patients.

• Achievements in the local dairy industry were highlighted on May 23 when several partners hosted a presentation and product-tasting session at the Ocean View International Hotel, Liliendaal. Speakers from various organisations including the Guyana Dairy Development Programme (GDDP), Partners of the Americas, the Ministry of Health, Moogoodies Food Company and International Technology Transfer Expert made presentations on milk supplementation studies that they have carried out.

• Health centres around the country are being transformed to create a friendlier environment for youths seeking testing and counselling on HIV/AIDS and other health concerns. The Ministry of Health has so far remodelled 12 health centres and hopes to convert all by 2010.

• Guyana's $6.9 billion shrimp export market to the United States, representing over half the country's export revenue earnings, was recently certified for a sixth consecutive year.

Credits: Stabroek News, Chronicle, Mirror, Kaieteur News, GINA

Compiled and edited by Evangeline Ishmael