Guyana Focus
First of 2 parts
From outright optimism to absolute pessimism in a span of less than three years: that’s the story of Guyana’s struggling sugar industry which was once the back-bone of the country’s economy.
The bitter-sweet reality is that the industry has been plagued by declining production since 2008, much to the disappointment of industry and government officials who until last year had high hopes for the future of the industry once known as “king sugar”.
To say that the “king” is dead would be premature, even though President Bharat Jagdeo made such pronouncement last September. The truth is: the government expected more from sugar after pumping more than US$250 million into the industry over the past 10-years.
To put things in perspective, sugar was expected to be the main driver of economic growth in 2009, following a poor 2008 when production fell from 266,000 tonnes in the previous year to 226,000 tonnes. But in 2009, production increased only marginally to 234,000 tonnes. And in 2010, production fell even further to 221,000 tonnes.
At the crux of the matter is the fact that the government was wildly optimistic that its modernization efforts launched way back in 1998 as part of a 10-year plan would lead to a dramatic increase in production. But when the 10-year plan finally materialized twelve years later with the commissioning of the modernized Skeldon factory in September 2009, sugar was still in trouble.
The embarrassing thing is that at the commissioning of the Skeldon factory, hope and wild imaginings were rampant. It was expected that the factory would become fully operational in 2011, producing some 500,000 tonnes of sugar annually for export and that total industry production would increase to 1.2 million tonnes annually. Jagdeo had even loftier dreams, and is reported in the local press saying, this has “to be done now, not 2011.”
He added: “Success is when we start making money in GUYSUCO, enough to cover all our cost and to contribute to the treasury of this country - that is when we can say we have success. This is just a building; it’s a modern, useful tool representing a serious commitment on the part of the government and the importance of the industry to our people and to our country. We all have to make it work.”
So you can imagine the President’s frustration when production is less than half of his expectations. And to make matters worse, the Skeldon factory, since its’ commissioning, has experienced severe mechanical problems and has never been fully functional.
Jagdeo showed his frustration almost exactly a year later when commissioning a water treatment plant in the vicinity of the Skeldon factory. Rather than sticking to his agenda, he diverted his attention to sugar and is reported saying the “the sugar industry is in trouble.” Referring to the malfunctioning Skeldon factory, he said if it “doesn’t work well the sugar industry is dead….it’s dead. It’s as simple as that…”
The problem is: sugar production is not about what the President believes or thinks. Production cannot be increased on his or his officials’ whims and fancies. The reality is: barring its mechanical problems, capacity at Skeldon cannot be maximized without adequate sugar cane production. Evidently, acreage under cultivation is not sufficient to meet production targets.
It is anticipated that some 15,000 hectares would be brought into production in time for 2012 and not earlier as anticipated. Of this hectarage 30% is expected to be cultivated by private farmers.
But according to a 2009 GUYSUCO report, the land development programme at Skeldon for private cane farmers and new estate lands has been hamstrung by bad weather for two successive years. Incidentally, this is the same land that was expected to be brought to cultivation to allow the Skeldon factory to maximize its capacity.
Let’s not forget, GUYSUCO had 10 years to make preparations for the launch of the Skeldon initiative. Its 1999-2008 strategic plan was designed to turn the industry around. Its main objective was to reduce the unit cost of sugar through a combination of initiatives, including: concentrating on increasing production in the lower cost areas of Berbice; maximizing use of good quality land; and developing larger processing facilities which can benefit from economies of scale and modern technology.
During Phase I, it was planned to construct a new factory at Skeldon, expand operations at Albion, and close the Rose Hall estate. In Phase II, GUYSUCO planned to establish a new factory on the west bank of the Canje River, expand the Blairmont estate and consolidate operations in Demerara. In addition, the corporation proposed to diversify the industry by constructing a distillery and a refinery to produce special sugars. With the Skeldon factory completed only in 2009, it is evident that GUYSUCO has not achieved many of its objectives set out more than 10-years earlier. What this tells us is that while sugar might remain viable, management should be accountable for its problems.
In the country’s 2011 budget presentation, Finance Minister, Ashni Singh, lamented that sugar production targets were elusive because they were premised on the expectation that acreage under cultivation and productivity gains would materialize. However, the industry’s turnaround objectives were hampered by “less than favourable weather conditions, complicated industrial relations, and the need for greater improvements in managerial efficiency and effectiveness.”
Evidently, sugar faces substantial problems and cannot be turned around on a whim. Management of GUYSUCO has either underestimated the problems of the industry, failed to take proactive steps to fix them or more than likely has been too complacent. Now, it is a little too late to meet expectations of the government – at least in the near term.
Perhaps, those who are pessimistic about sugar should take out their frustrations on management, rather than planning the industry’s funeral.
permit at CJIA
Georgetown — A sign informing visitors to Guyana that they could obtain a driver’s permit at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) was unveiled last Thursday in the arrival hall of the airport at Timehri by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad.
This latest development will provide awareness to tourists and locals of Government’s initiative to provide tourists with hassle-free accessibility to a driver’s permit, free of cost.
Minister Prashad said that although it is already in place, many visitors have been enquiring about obtaining a driver’s permit at the point of entry. He said that most countries have the policy at various ‘rent a car’ outlets, however, there is no official car rental service available at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and tourists entering the country would usually go to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to obtain a driver’s permit.
The Minister said that people have been complaining about the long lines and the hassle they have to go through in order to get it.
He added that sometimes people just visit for a weekend and this process makes it easier for such visitors.
Minister Prashad explained that a visitor needs to present his/her driver’s licence from their country of origin; complete an application form; and depending on the class of vehicle that person is allowed to drive in their country, a permit will be issued for a similar licence in Guyana.
The permit will be valid for one month and is renewable for up to three months.
“We want to make sure that people come to our beautiful country and from the airport, they can rent a car and explore and enjoy our country,” Minister Prashad said.
“As a result of this initiative of issuing drivers’ permit free at the airport on arrival, we expect car rentals to mushroom in this area,” Minister Prashad said and he urged persons to take up the challenge. He added that the service will also be available at the Ogle International Airport, and possibly at Moleson Creek and the Takutu bridge Crossings.
The Minister said that the information regarding the issuing of drivers’ permit for visitors would be disseminated both locally and internationally including to foreign missions, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), hotels, resorts, tour operators and other stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry, and details can be found on GTA, CJIA and GRA websites.
He expressed hope to see more satisfied visitors entering the country as Government continues to strive to improve services in the country.
Georgetown — The United States Government has denied reports that circulated in certain sections of the local media that it had asked the Guyana Government to arrest Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse during his visit here last year.
According to the local embassy, “The U.S. did not request Guyana to arrest President Bouterse last year.”
The Embassy stated “President Bouterse is the democratically-elected president of Suriname, and we respect the results of free and fair elections.”
Bouterse made his first overseas trip as President to Guyana in September last year. He followed up this with a second visit in November.
The embassy said it respected the outcome of last May’s general election that saw Bouterse’s Mega Combination and smaller parties entering into an accommodation which eventually made him the duly elected President of the country. The embassy added “We look to maintain our good ties with Suriname.”
The embassy's announcemt was apparently in response to an editorial which appeared in the last Thursday’s edition of the Kaieteur News (KN) stating that “President Bharrat Jagdeo would have effected the arrest on the basis of a request in keeping with an extradition agreement between Guyana and the United States.” The issue first surfaced earlier last week when President Jagdeo reportedly declared that Guyana will not arrest Suriname’s Head of State Desi Bouterse whenever he visits the country.
Jagdeo reportedly said that he had rejected the request and told the mission that they could perhaps contact other countries that might be willing to do so. He did not name any mission which asked him to detain Bouterse.
The Guyanese leader reasoned that Bouterse was democratically elected by Surinamese and Guyanese had no place in saying who it should do business with.
According to KN Jagdeo made the statement in response to a question posed by an Officer of the Guyana Defence Force at the opening of the Annual Officers’ Conference at Army Headquarters, Camp Ayanganna last week.
The query was prompted by recent revelations that Bouterse had links to convicted Guyanese drug lord Shaheed Roger Khan and had clandestinely visited Guyana on several occasions for rendezvous with Khan, KN reported.
Bouterse, who was convicted in absentia by the Netherlands for drug trafficking, was returned as President of Suriname last year following General Elections in the neighbouring Republic, KN added.
Georgetown — Airline sources have confirmed that low cost airline REDjet which had announced its startup in October last year is gearing to get off the ground soon.
It promises air tickets for the Caribbean from US$9.99 which would make it the cheapest airline in the Caribbean. It is expected to initially offer service to Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica and later expand across the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States.
The airline has two MD-82 jet aircrafts which are fitted with 149 seats and powered by two JT8D-217A engines.
The US$9.99 fares exclude government taxes and charges, and will be available through the company’s website, call centre and retail locations.
The privately owned company is incorporated in St Lucia but its corporate offices are situated in the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados, where it will open its first aircraft base with its initial two aircrafts.
Sources state that the company could add another aircraft by the end of the year.
Georgetown — Dr Rahul Jindal, prominent US-based kidney transplant surgeon, has completed the screening of six potential kidney transplant patients at the Balwant Singh Hospital last Saturday. This is in preparation for an inaugural series of transplant operations to be done at the private facility.
New York-based Guyanese business tycoon, George Subraj of Zara Realty, will once again foot the bill of these delicate operations. Mr Subraj did the same for the first such operation in Guyana which was carried out in 2008 by Dr Jindal’s team of medical personnel.
Dr Jindal, who is attached to the Walter Reed Medical Centre in Washington D.C., United States pointed out that the medical condition of potential patients must be reasonable stating, “We cannot do the surgery if they are too old or too young or if they have medical problems so that we have to correct these problems before we can do any surgery.”
Laboratory tests and x-rays have already been done for the potential candidates and some of them may be eligible for the implantation of peritoneal dialysis catheter in anticipation of an operation.
Kaieteur News (KN) reported Dr Jindal saying that he intends to carry out an initial transplant operation at the facility as early as late April or early May depending on the logistics. He added that it will take a while before he can put together a team that will have to consist of another surgeon, an anesthesiologist, nurses and other health professionals to assist the process.
Georgetown — Plans for the bridge across the Corentyne River seem to be moving apace when technical and political officials of Suriname visited a likely site at South Drain in that country last Wednesday.
Currently, the proposed location is from South Drain in Suriname to Parrot Island in the Corentyne River and then to mainland Guyana.
Guyanese technical personnel are due to visit the Suirnamese and Guyanese sides this month.
According to demerarawaves.com (DW), ahead of that joint visit, Suriname’s Public Works Minister, Ramon Abraham led a team of officials including representatives of the Dutch engineering firm, Ballast Nedam to the site last Wednesday. Ballast Nedam has been contracted to build the bridge.
Starnieuws reported that Suriname wants to sign agreements in 2011, with a view to finishing construction in 2014.
Ballast Nedam will conduct a study on the design, construction and financing of the bridge.
The Dutch company has previously bridged the Coppename and Suriname Rivers.
Currently, the Canawaima Ferry with facilities for ferrying vehicles, service the route across the Corentyne River.
Several smaller crafts also ply the route and over the years several lives have been lost as people made the 'back track' route to Suriname.
Georgetown — Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) is set to shortly introduce direct flights from Georgetown to New York according to the state-owned Government Information Agency (GINA).
This was disclosed by Chairman of the airline, George M Nicholas, at a press conference held at the Exclaim Media office located at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, last Friday, following a meeting held earlier in the day with Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo. Vice Chairman Mohan Jaikaran was among other CAL officials at the meeting.
Chairman Nicholas said that the new direct flights will be code-named “The Spirit of Guyana,” and will be flying the Guyana to New York route thrice weekly. He added that the airline is also proposing a Guyana based Caribbean Airlines flight to service to some of the domestic and regional destinations.
Nicholas was quoted in the media as saying: “In the meeting with the President, we did commit that three times a week we will fly a 737 Next Generation aircraft from New York to Guyana directly…[and] because we have the dream of one Caribbean Airline, it will be called the ‘Spirit of Guyana’…”.
According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), among issues the President raised with CAL officials during their meeting was the inordinately high cost of airfares for commuting between Georgetown and New York. In response to that Nicholas told reporters at the briefing: “We will have a better rate on direct flights, and our intention is to have one Caribbean Airline that services all of the Caribbean destinations… Caribbean Airlines will work with every Government, where possible, to bring the price of air travel down.”
President Jagdeo also brought to the Chairman’s attention his concern about the treatment of passengers while in-transit in Port of Spain. To this Nicholas responded, “We are going to look at changing the in-transit, so that it is similar to the conditions in Barbados, where there is no double or triple checking of goods… It will be a true in-transit service.
“We apologize for the experience of Guyanese in Trinidad and Tobago, and we will address that when we return there.”
With regards to regional travel Nicholas said the recent partnership with Air Jamaica “… has doubled the size of Caribbean Airlines overnight, and we seek to go further into the Caribbean as we saw just yesterday the transaction involving US$200 million.”
He said CAL will also be seeking to market Caribbean tourism destinations through the travel experience, noting “We are not just filling seats, but selling destinations has become part of the job; we also sell the destinations.”
Currently, Delta Airlines flies directly from Georgetown to New York. Guyanese have been looking forward to another similar service.
Georgetown — Three persons were killed over the past weekend in various bloody encounters.
The latest to die was Charles Caesar, of Albouystown, who was found slumped in his car in Perry Street, Tucville, last Sunday night by area residents. It is believed that he was the victim of a shooting.
Police said that the victim, who is in his twenties, bore suspected bullet wounds. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was pronounced dead. Caesar’s body was positively identified shortly after midnight by a sister and two friends.
Another person slain over the weekend was Nandalall William, 52, of De Kinderen Village on the West Coast of Demerara. who died at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, last Saturday just hours after he was beaten with a piece of wood by his 24-year-old stepson in an apparent family dispute.
And the third person to die over the weekend was Lionel Bhola, 34, of Strathspey, East Coast of Demerara, who died Sunday at the Georgetown Public Hospital from abdominal injuries sustained during an altercation at around 12:15 am on Saturday. According to reports Bhola, a carpenter, was in Devi’s Sports Bar on the East Coast of Demerara when he attempted to intervene during a bar fight and was wounded in the abdomen. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
According to Kaieteur News fifteen persons have been slain during the month of January this year.
Georgetown — Leon Benjamin, 17, a student of Hope Secondary School, is in critical condition at the Georgetown Hospital following injuries sustained during a gang attack by other youths last Thursday.
Benjamin is presently a patient in the Hospital’s High Dependency Unit, suffering from severe head injuries and at risk of being paralysed in his entire left side.
According to reports, Benjamin, a fifth form student was involved in a fight with some other teenagers over two girls from his school when he sustained the injuries.
Kaieteur News reported an eyewitness saying that Benjamin ended up in a trench during the fight and while in the trench he was hit twice in his head with a piece of wood. He was rescued from the water and taken to hospital.
Acting upon information, police have since arrested one suspect who admitted to being involved in the fight with the injured teenager. The other perpetrators are still at large
Georgetown — A 40-year old man was arrested last Thursday for allegedly sexually molesting a 10-year-old girl at her residence at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD) while her mother was not at home. He was charged with carnal knowledge and was expected to appear to answer the charges yesterday.
According to reports, the child was taken to have a medical examination, which confirmed that she was sexually molested. During the course of the investigations of the matter the police learnt that the man told the 10-year old child that he normally did the same to his two daughters.
The man’s 15 and 12-year-old daughters were also questioned and taken to have medical examinations last Friday which also confirmed that they were sexually molested. Kaieteur News reported that a source explained that “the girls had vaginal and anal sex as well”. The man was also expected to face charges relating to the sexual molestation of his two daughters aged 12 and 15.
According to Kaieteur News the man was held by irate villagers, who “thrashed” him and then handed him over to the police, after the mother of the child reported the matter at the Providence Police Station.
Georgetown — A 25-year old secondary school teacher was last Thursday arraigned on a charge of carnal knowledge allegedly committed on a female student.
Ronald Forde, a trained teacher was charged indictably for the offence and denied bail. He was remanded in custody until March 2 when the case will come up again.
Forde was a teacher at the Fort Wellington Secondary school for the past seven years. It is alleged that he had sexual intercourse with one female student knowing that she was under 18 years old.
According to reports the teacher had lost his mobile phone and when it was found, video recordings of himself and an identifiable female student having sex were seen on the instrument.
Several other students have reportedly complained about the teacher’s sexual advances.
Education Minister, Shaik Baksh said that the teacher could be interdicted by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) once he would have been charged.
Georgetown — Robin Akeem Holder who is a suspect in an armed robbery that took place at the Serenity Bar located at Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge, two Mondays ago, is under heavy police guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) with a bullet lodged in the left side of his face. He was reportedly shot by the victim of a robbery that he was allegedly involved in.
However, Holder is claiming that he is wrongfully accused and is also the victim of robbery.
Two Mondays ago armed bandits stormed the bar which is operated by Joan Williams and held up her customers at gunpoint while demanding cash and jewelry.
Orin Hudson, the co-owner of the bar, told the media that a man, who was later identified as Robin Akeem Holder, walked into the bar and ordered a beer. He said that Holder left and returned some minutes later with a gun and demanded that Williams hand over her jewelry. He said Holder and another man took away his two cell phones, his gold rings, chains and watch along with about $20,000 in cash.
After relieving Hudson of his jewelry, the gunmen then demanded that he go into a back room. Hudson said that during this time he pulled out his licensed firearm and fired several shots in the direction of the two bandits.
Holder was reportedly struck in the face, while his accomplice was shot in the shoulder.
The police were later summoned and they detained Holder. The police said that a .32 Special Taurus revolver and gold jewelry were recovered from Holder.
Georgetown — A policeman was sent to jail for four years by Magistrate Judy Latchman, after he was found guilty of allowing a prisoner to escape.
According to the police, Constable Eon Edwards was on duty at the Sparendaam Police Station lock-ups in 2007 during which time Vijay Harripaul was detained on allegations of simple larceny. The prisoner was discovered missing from the lock-ups when checks were made by Edwards’s superior and the Constable claimed that the prisoner had escaped.
However, Harripaul was subsequently recaptured and told police that he had paid Constable Edwards $5,000 to secure his freedom. Edwards was subsequently charged with allowing the prisoner to escape.
In court, Harripaul, who was used as a prosecution witness, disclosed that he had paid Edwards $5,000 to secure his freedom.
The court believed his story and Constable Eon Edwards was sentenced to four years imprisonment.
Georgetown — The Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) hosted an interfaith service and “Night of Remembrance” last Thursday at Lusignan for persons who were slain during the Lusignan and Bartica massacres of 2008.
Head of the IAC, Neaz Subhan, told the gathering that this was the third night of remembrance, held in honour of those who died innocently at the hands of vicious and murderous individuals. He stressed that the IAC “is aware of the excruciating pain that the families have experienced” and that is why the organization “believes that the massacres should not be forgotten”.
In the wee hours of January 26, 2008, gunmen staged an unwarranted surprise attack on the Lusignan community resulting in the deaths of 11 residents and injury to several others. The gunmen continued their shooting spree and again on the night of February 17, 2008 they invaded sections of Bartica and slaughtered 12 individuals.
The following persons were killed during the senseless shooting that night in Track “A”, Lusignan Pasture: Shazam Mohamed; Clarence Thomas; his son, Ron, 11; daughter, Vanessa 12; Mohandai Gourdat, 32; her two children: Seegobind, four years old, and Seegopaul Harilall, 10; Shalem Baksh, 52; Rooplall Seecharan, 56; his daughter, Raywattie Ramsingh, 11; and his wife, Dhanrajie, called Sister, 52. Many of the victims were gunned down while they were asleep in their beds.
Injured during that attack were Howard Thomas, 19, Nadir Mohamed, 48, and Roberto Thomas, five.
Roberto who was critically injured has made remarkable recovery and his survival seems to herald a promise and a hope of great good emerging out of such horrifying acts of evil.
Subhan said that the monument which the IAC had proposed two years ago to be erected in the office area of the community policing group (at Lusignan) as a symbol for those who lost their lives on that tragic morning would be erected “very soon”.
Among the speakers at the ceremony were Prime MInister Sam Hinds, Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) Bishop Juan Edghill, PPP's General Secretary, Donald Ramotar and PNCR’s Dr. Richard Van-West Charles.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds emphasized that the nation is stronger for having survived, after being tested with the massacre which occurred in Lusignan and then in Bartica a few weeks later followed by the Lindo Creek murders.
Georgetown — Chinese companies are getting ready to invest over US$1 billion in various projects in Guyana. This was disclosed by the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Yu Wenzhe, at a recent luncheon organized by the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association held at the Regency Suites Hotel in Georgetown.
Ambassador Yu said that to date, the total investment from China in Guyana in the field of mining and forestry is worth over US$100 million and other investment projects currently in the pipeline are worth more than US$1 billion. He noted that trade between Guyana and China is growing steadily, pointing out that for the first 10 months of last year, this bilateral trade amounted to US$80 million, representing a 14% increase.
The ambassador said that though the trade volume decreased by 20.9% in 2009 because of the international financial crisis, the economic and trade cooperation showed strong resilience against the slow recovery of the world economy and has recorded a fast rebound, out stepping the pre-crisis level. He went on to say that business exchange and contact between the two countries has increased, citing the attendance at the 2010 Guangzhou Trade Fair as an example, when a Guyanese delegation of 34 entrepreneurs attended the fair — a 180 per cent increase in comparison with the previous year.
“I am confident that with China-Guyana friendships and our concerted efforts, our business cooperation will reach a new height,” the ambassador declared. He added, “The Chinese Government will continue to encourage and support Chinese entrepreneurs to come to Guyana looking for business and investment opportunities.”
He concluded by saying, “I firmly believe that with our joint efforts, the China-Guyana trade and investment cooperation will enjoy an even brighter future.”
Georgetown — As debates on the 2011 Budget continued in Parliament, Opposition Parliamentarians have called for more to be done to promote the interest of Afro-Guyanese, including enabling them to utilise their backlands for agriculture.
Aubrey Norton, from the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), said he would have liked to see the 2011 Budget offer more in terms of drainage and irrigation that would enable African villages to utilise their backlands for agriculture. He has urged that action be taken to promote the interest of Guyanese of African descent within the framework of inter-ethnic equity.
Speaking in the context of the United Nations designation of this year as the International Year for People of African Descent, Norton said now that the United Nations has recognized the rights of all people of African descent to their ancestral lands, he beseeched the House to promote and protect the rights of African Guyanese to their ancestral lands.
Another PNCR Member Deborah Backer also knocked the government on issues related to people of African descent, stating “I am amazed that the Honourable Minister (of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh), in his three-hour presentation could not find one sentence to say one thing about that outstanding recognition that is due to people of African descent, as is due to many other ethnicities.”
She added that she was amazed that there is no allocation or subvention to any African organization. She said that the PNCR expects that in keeping with the ruling party’s way of doing things, there would be some “handout” during the year when the government would call in the media for photo opportunities.
Meanwhile the government recently launched a year-long series of activities to mark the International Year for People of African Descent with President Bharrat Jagdeo promising that his government will remove obstacles to the development of people of African ancestry wherever these are found.
Among the activities planned for the observation this year are visits by African cultural groups to Guyana and vice versa, diplomatic representation at the African Union, masquerade competitions, debating competitions, various fora including a caucus of African professionals and on ancestral lands, fashion displays, plays and dramas, food fairs, workshops on boat building and the coconut industry, the establishment of African leadership clubs for youths, and tours of villages bought by freed African slaves
Georgetown — The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) has arrived in Guyana to film a 10-part series entitled ‘Serious Explorers’, retracing the footsteps of Sir Walter Raleigh.
Last week Minister of Tourism, Manniram Prashad, made this disclosure during an interview at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, CJIA, Timehri. He stated “This TV series, which focuses on adventure for kids, is an award-winning one, having won the British Association of Film and TV Awards and will be aired in October 2011 on BBC 1 in the UK.”
The TV series will be aired in over 150 countries around the world and is estimated to reach an audience of over 60 million viewers. With such wide exposure Minister Prashad noted that the series will serve to boost Guyana’s image and destination awareness.
The team will be in the Waini River on Friday of this week on board the sail boat ‘Scaramouche’.
Filming will be done in the Waini, Kaieteur, Rupununi, Mahdia, Mt. Roraima, Suruma, Rupununi, Rewa, among other locations.
According to Guyana Chronicle (GC) the BBC is fascinated by pristine ‘Guyana – the Amazon Adventure’, and by its environmental stewardship; and after the three-part series, ‘the Lost Land of the Jaguars’, which gave Guyana tremendous exposure, they will be back again to share Guyana’s story, secrets and beauty with the world .
Minister Prashad said that this would provide amazing coverage for ‘Destination Guyana’ and will help to create more demand for the Guyana tourism product.
“This BBC series will also help to strongly position and promote Guyana as a must-see and unique tourism destination. It will provide excellent PR and help to build our brand and image as the hot new destination,” he insisted.
The Minister also disclosed that ICON Films (commissioned by ANIMAL PLANET) will also be in Guyana in the month of February to film a two-hour documentary on Monster Rivers, featuring the Essequibo River, wildlife, the Rupununi, Kaieteur, and Iwokrama, our indigenous peoples and our culture.
“Again this will be beamed to a worldwide audience,” he announced.
In July and October last year, Minister Prashad held discussions with Expedition Leader, Mr. Ben Major, about the exploration to retrace Raleigh’s search for the fabled “El Dorado – the City of Gold.” The team which includes eight youngsters, ages 12 to 15, will mimic Raleigh’s journey and sail across the Caribbean from Trinidad and Tobago to the coast of Guyana, in sail boats. They will then trek in virgin rainforest, explore the Guyana wilderness and experience the life of the local indigenous peoples.
During this adventurous five weeks, they will also learn about the country’s rich history and diverse culture, and footage will be shot at several prime tourist attractions.
The ‘Serious’ BBC TV series is an observational documentary series broadcast as part of their children's programming.
Georgetown — President Bharrat Jagdeo was due to leave last Sunday for India to finalize a deal to establish a specialty hospital in Guyana to perform heart, cancer and other surgeries on patients.
Addressing new house-land owners at Dazzel Housing Scheme, the president said the agreement for the undisclosed soft loan would include the hospital being manned by a team of Indian experts.
When the institution is in operation, in addition to serving Guyanese, it would be targeting, nationals of sister Caribbean countries (Caricom) as well as of North and South American nations to receive cheaper specialized medical treatment. The health care facility will offer invasive heart surgery, hip replacement, invasive cancer surgery and cancer radiation therapy.
“We expect that if that comes to Guyana… we have a lot of general medical practitioners but we need a lot of specialists and specialty hospitals so rather than having to send people across the Caribbean and pay a fortune… we can do it here cheaper,” president Jagdeo was quoted as saying by the state-run Government Information Agency (GINA).
Exact details about the loan were not immediately available, but at least GUY$150 million have been set aside in the 2011 national budget to begin preparations and designs for the 150-bed surgical hospital.
Guyana already has an Ophthalmology Centre in Port Mourant which is available to Surinamese.
Eight new hospitals have been also built across the coastland and Linden.
At least 300 doctors who are being trained in Cuba are expected to return home later this year, and by 2013 the number of doctors is expected to increase to 900.
Georgetown — Visitor arrivals at the Kaieteur National Park reached its highest since 2007, when it had reached an all time high following Guyana’s hosting of the ICC World Cup Cricket tournament.
The number of arrivals to the world renowned Kaieteur Falls reached 4,253 last year compared to its all time high of 4512 which was achieved in 2007. Compared to previous years, the number of visitors had dropped to 3,317 in 2008 but rose to 4,032 in 2009.
For the past nine years the Park has been experiencing its best turnouts during the months of July and August. Between 2001 and 2006, visitors were just more than 2,000 per year but the numbers have grown significantly since 2007.
According to a press release from the National Parks Commission this increase in arrivals at the park reflects its growing attraction as a popular tourist site given Guyana’s heightened international profile.
Shyam Nokta, Chairman of the Kaieteur National Park Commission said “This is clearly a reflection of the mounting interest in Guyana which has been boosted by the country’s role in initiatives to combat global climate change and protecting the environment.”
The release added that Guyana is also becoming more attractive as a tourism destination with the government continuing to partner with private stakeholders to develop the product.
The Kaieteur National Park is a central attraction in Guyana’s rich blend of natural beauty and its flora, fauna and wildlife have been attractions for tourists.