Guyana Focus
As the quest to unseat the ruling PPP/C heats up, race - the traditional election year card - is taking center stage on some campaign platforms, albeit in a more subtle manner by some antagonists opposed to another potential victory at the polls by an Indian-dominated party.
Questions of power sharing, marginalization of the black segment of the population and racial equality are being posed in an effort to foster resistance to a democratically elected single-party government. In all likelihood, the single party that might very well emerge victorious at the general
elections due later this year is the PPP/C.
Contrary to government pronouncements and apparent increased commitment, Guyana's agriculture sector has headed southbound since 2000. Production in all sub-sectors, with the exception of rice, poultry, shrimp and coffee has on average declined significantly over the past decade.
This is particularly troubling given strategic initiatives to diversify non traditional agriculture and government aspirations to become the region's main food supplier. Evidently, increased budgetary commitments to the sector, accompanied by higher levels of foreign investments have not had the desired impact on production levels.
Incidentally, Guyana's focus on non-traditional agriculture has been on and off the agenda of the current and past governments for more than three decades. However, since the early 2000s, the emphasis on agriculture increased in the wake of higher food prices and concerns about food security.
Following years of neglect, during which budgetary allocations to the sector were substantially reduced – relative to the sector's economic importance - Guyana's President Bharat Jagdeo began to openly advocate the push to agriculture. He opened the doors to other Caribbean territories to exploit Guyana's agricultural resources with the aim of reducing food insecurity and poverty in the Caribbean.
Since 2005, the country's agricultural diversification initiatives have supposedly benefited from billions of dollars in budgeted funds to develop and expand non-traditional agricultural sub-sectors. The primary focus of these initiatives was on promoting the production of export grade fruits and vegetables. They were supported by plans to train farmers on maintaining good agricultural practices, marketing, post-harvest management and agribusiness planning.
The government also proposed to increase the availability of storage and transportation facilities – the shortage of which has led to substantial post-harvest losses in the past. The ultimate aim was to establish a Guyana brand for the country's products on the international market which was expected to be achieved through the Agricultural Export Diversification Program.
Last year, Geoff Da Silva, Head of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) announced that investments in the agriculture sector have more than doubled over the two previous years – indicating that that there is a growing focus on large scale projects as opposed to typical small scale projects which account for about 85 to 90 % of the projects in the sector. He also said that the country's "Grow More" Campaign has been the driving force behind increasing production – a development that has been substantiated by a myriad of press reports.
Ironically, growth of non-traditional agriculture is merely an illusion if one were to rely on official statistics reported by the Bank of Guyana in its 2010 Annual Report.
According to the Bank of Guyana, which uses 2000 as the base year, production of basic food crops, including coconuts, cassava, plantains and other ground provisions has been below 2000 levels for all crops in each year since then, with the exception of 2003 when coconut production was 6% higher than in the base year (See Table 1).
Output of fruits and vegetables has also experienced a sharp slump since the turn of the century. Production of bananas, mangoes, pineapples and citrus fruits has been below 2000 levels in each year, except for bananas whose output was 8% and 43% higher than in the base year in 2002 and 2005, respectively; pineapples whose production was 40% and 20% greater in 2001 and 2010, respectively; and mangoes whose production was 25% greater in 2001 (See Table 2). In the case of cereals and legumes, eschallot, hot peppers and bora, output has been below the base year for all crops, except for bora whose 2010 production was 2% greater than in 2000 (See Table 3).
Production was lowest in all sub-sects in 2008. During this year, output of coconuts, cassava, other ground provisions and plantains was 32.9%, 9.2%, 13.8% and 11%, respectively, of 2000 production. For fruits, output was 24.7%, 31.6%, 41.2% and 38.6%, respectively, of base year production. In the case of cereals and legumes, eschallot, hot peppers and bora, output was 10.8%, 7.3%, 30.6% and 33%, respectively, of 2000 production levels.
Coffee experienced the sharpest increase in production, albeit from a low base of 15 tonnes in 2000. Output rose steadily from 2000 to reach a peak of 636 tonnes in 2004 before declining sharply to 23 tonnes in 2008. Shrimp production has also been relatively strong during the 2001–2010 period. Output was above the 2000 level in six of the ten years, almost doubling in 2007 and 2008.
The most sustainable increase in production has been in poultry meat, which is the only sub-sector whose production was above the 2000 level in each of the ten years since 2001. In fact, since 2003, output levels have on average doubled, reaching a high of over 27 thousand tonnes in 2009, compared to 11, 769 tonnes in 2000 (See Chart 1).
Evidently output levels in non-traditional agriculture have on average declined over the past ten years, raising doubts about the viability of the government's initiatives.
Georgetown — A 22-year-old miner was stabbed to death last Saturday during an argument with a friend at a house in First Dam, Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara.
Vernon Ronaldo was found slumped in a chair after sustaining a gaping wound that left his intestines protruding. A police release said that Ronaldo and another man were drinking when an argument broke out during which Ronaldo was stabbed. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The stabbing is said to have occurred at around 5:00 am.
Ronaldo's attacker fled the scene but was subsequently caught on the Soesdyke/Linden highway and brought back to the scene of the murder by a member of the Community Police Group. It is reported that the assailant confessed to the killing which stemmed from an unpaid financial transaction.
Five held in drug bust
Georgetown — Three Guyanese and one Venezuelan were charged for allegedly trafficking in almost 150 kilogrammes of cocaine with an estimated street value US$5 million (G$1B). A fifth accused, Terry James, 20, of Cuyuni, said to be the boat captain, was not arraigned because he was hospitalized.
Guyanese Clinton Collier, 34, of South Ruimveldt, Deonarine Singh, 41, of Friendship, East Bank Demerara and Randolph Singh, 32, of South Ruimveldt and Venezuelan, Luis Alberto Garcia all pleaded not guilty and were refused bail when they appeared before Chief Magistrate, Priya Beharry last week. They will return to court on June 20.
They were charged with being in possession of 149 kilogrammes, 638 grammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Police Prosecutor Vishnu Hunte told the court that the men were caught with the cocaine on Batavia Island on June 9. The illicit substance, he said, was concealed in four plastic containers that were in a boat. He said police also found clothing and personal documents on the accused.
Batavia is located some eight kilometres up the Cuyuni River and about 24 kilometres south of Bartica.
Georgetown — Ishwar Chand, a city businessman, was tied up, beaten and robbed by two armed men at his Subryanville home two Tuesdays ago. Foreign currency and electronic appliances were also taken from the home.
According to reports the two gunmen attacked the businessman at around 8:00 pm while he was parking his vehicle in his yard. According to Kaieteur News (KN) after the men attacked Chand they forced him into his house where they proceeded to beat and tie him up. The ordeal lasted for close to three hours during which time the two gunmen were joined by a third man who was being addressed by the first two as 'Bossman', KN reported.
The men reportedly spent at least an hour and a half ransacking and searching through Chand's entire house as they maintained telephone contact with their 'Bossman'.
Georgetown — Taxi-driver, Ron Van Sertima, 34, was shot to the left shoulder and mouth around 1.40 am last Monday at Bel Air Promenade, Georgetown.
According to the police the victim was hired by a man and a woman along Sheriff Street to be taken to Prashad Nagar but while on the way the man pulled out a handgun and demanded that Van Sertima stop the car and hand over his valuables. The police added that Van Sertima attempted to drive off when he saw the gun and was shot by the man. The couple then exited the vehicle and escaped.
The taxi-driver is said to be in stable condition.
Georgetown — A fragmentation grenade was thrown at the home of a well-known sawmiller at Crane, West Coast Demerara two Sundays ago.
According to Kaieteur News (KN) the device was hurled at the businessman's home shortly after midnight resulting in damage to the front door and some windows. No one was injured.
Police officials said that this incident is the most recent attack on the businessman's properties. The businessman told police that he believes he is being targeted by a former employee, whom he fired about six weeks ago, following thefts at his sawmill.
Meanwhile police said that the former employee has alleged that a relative of the businessman and other men abducted him last month claiming they were arresting him for a robbery. The former employee claimed the men pushed him into a vehicle, took him to a sawmill, and beat him into a state of unconsciousness then stripped him naked and dumped into a trench in West Bank Demerara.
The police is reportedly seeking legal advice in connection with the men's allegations.
Georgetown — Mark Singh the nephew of Mrs Sharanie Doobay and Shakir Mohamed Singh, a taxi driver, were charged with the murder of Mrs Doobay. They were remanded after Singh admitted to the killing of the woman.
Singh, accompanied by his accomplice, Mohamed, led police to a trench in Stone Avenue, Campbellville, where the murder weapon, a hammer, was recovered. The claw hammer was wrapped in a black plastic bag and dumped in a trench, just a corner away from the Doobays' residence.
Singh, of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, and Shakir Mohamed, of Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, were alleged to have beaten the woman to death with the hammer.
Mrs Doobay was discovered dead in her home on May 24 last by her husband, Dr Ramsundar Doobay.
Georgetown — Presley Drepaul, a remigrant, was attacked, shot and robbed by four masked men, three of whom carried firearms two Thursdays ago. Drepaul was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he is in a stable condition.
Drepaul, of Don Robin Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, lives at the house with his two brothers-in-law, Ramesh and Ganesh Singh, and his sickly father-in-law Baney Singh, 75. The occupants of the house stated that they were aroused by a loud noise and persons running in the house at around 11:15 pm. Drepaul was in his bedroom when his door was kicked open and he was confronted by one of the intruders. Drepaul reportedly grabbed the intruder's gun and a scuffle ensued.
Drepaul managed to push the bandit outside into the hall but at the same time another bandit armed with a gun came up and shot him in his right shoulder. The bandits then proceeded to beat him and take away his jewellery, five gold bands, four gold chains, and two cell phones valued at around $4.8M.
The attackers made their escape through the front door and into the backlands
Georgetown — Delroy Mannie of Pomeroon and Kevin Williams of Vryhied's Lust, East Coast Demerara were denied bail when they appeared in court last Wednesday to answer charges of possession of firearm and ammunition, and possession of narcotics. The duo pleaded not guilty to the charges.
It is alleged that on June 8, at Millie's Hideout, Linden, they had in their possession an unlicensed 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun with five live matching rounds and 4,062 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
ambassador for forest basins
Georgetown - Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo has been appointed roving ambassador representing the interest of the world's three largest forest basins - the Amazon, the Congo and the Borneo-Mekong basins.
Heads of state and ministers from countries in these forest basins signed a declaration to this effect on the final day of a week-long conference in Brazzaville. The declaration recognizes the need to protect their forests in the fight against climate change but it stopped short of agreeing on a formal structure for co-operation, Kaieteur News (KN) reported.
"(The governments) agreed to adopt concrete steps to promote dialogue among their countries. They mandated their relevant ministers to meet and prepare an action plan on co-operation on sustainable management of forests," the joint declaration said.
Before the announcement, Brazilian Minister of Environment Izabella Teixeira told Reuters the summit was a chance for very different countries with similar forestry concerns to talk. "It's very important that we see the different cultural aspects but I really believe we can work together," she said.
Jagdeo has earlier in the day delivered a speech warning developed countries that poorer nations could abandon attempts to conserve their natural resources if funding issues weren't resolved.
The summit focused on how countries could access an estimated $4 billion pledged by richer countries to help tackle climate change through the United Nations REDD+ scheme, which aims to create financial value for carbon stored in forests.
The Congo, Amazon and Borneo-Mekong basins make up 80 percent of the world's equatorial forests, and are home to two thirds of the world's land-based biodiversity and 300 million people, many of whom rely on the forests to survive.
Halting deforestation in the three regions, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the world's forest held carbon, is seen as crucial to the fight against climate change.
to commence in August
Georgetown - Spanish oil giant, Repsol, has announced plans to commence drilling for oil in Guyana in August or September this year. It would be the deepest offshore well in Guyana reaching depths of more than four miles down. This was disclosed by Repsol's Country Manager, Giancarlo Ariza as he addressed the mid-year dinner of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) last Wednesday at the Pegasus Hotel, in Georgetown.
The US$110 million project is expected to last six months and would be the first offshore drilling in Guyana in 10 years. Repsol will be using the Atwood Beacon jack-up drilling rig which is currently doing works offshore Suriname.
The company plans to sink a high pressure/ high temperature well 107 miles away from Georgetown in the 3,735 sq km Georgetown Block near the border with Suriname. Drilling should have started in May but, according to Ariza, bad weather and other reasons caused the rig to be delayed off Suriname.
Repsol has so far spent US$30 million on the project on various seismic and geological studies but Ariza told the gathering of business executives that there was no certainty that oil would be found in commercial quantities.
He said another US$17 million is being spent on purchasing goods and services locally such as catering, fuel, transportation, radio communications, ports, aircraft, medical and the storage of pipes.
Sixty one percent of the employees would be Guyanese and 39 percent expatriates.
Repsol came to Guyana in 1997 through YPF Guyana, its Argentinean subsidiary.
railway system in Guyana
Georgetown - A railway system would be re-established from Diamond, East Bank Demerara, to Mahaica, East Coast Demerara. This was disclosed by President Bharrat Jagdeo at the One Stop Shop activity held last Thursday at the National Stadium, Providence where about 1,000 persons were awarded with house lots in the new housing development at Eccles, East Bank Demerara.
The re-establishment of the railway system is being undertaken to offset the expected increasing traffic congestion on the East Bank Demerara in light of the housing and commercial expansions in the stretch, Presdent Jagdeo said.
Other improvements earmarked for the transportation sector are the extension of the four-lane road from Providence to Timehri and an alternative road to be constructed from Mocha, East Bank Demerara to Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
The President also said that Government would be accessing more land from GuySuCo to expand housing stating that this is not an election gimmick as two years ago Government purchased the land from GuySuCo for $4B and it is now being distributed as such. He added that Government would be acquiring more land from the entity. It was disclosed that in the first phase of the project Government is seeking to establish 10,000 house lots.
The overall project will lead to the creation of jobs for the increasing population as a shopping mall would be constructed and three call centres are expected to set up businesses in the area. In addition a new modern airport would be constructed. The area is also expected to benefit from additional secondary schools to facilitate children attending learning institutions close to their homes. The district already has a hospital at Diamond.
Guyana was the first country in South America to establish a railway system. The first section, from Georgetown to Plaisance was opened on November 3, 1848 and this was later expanded to Rosignol. A section was also established from Vreed en Hoop, West Coast Demerara to Parika.
The PNC government scrapped the railway in 1972 claiming it was uneconomical to run and citing road transport as a cheaper alternative. But that turned out more expensive especially with the escallating cost of fuel.
settlement of border dispute
Georgetown - Suriname will be pursuing actions, based on international laws, to explore the possibility of a "friendly settlement" of its claim to the New River Triangle area in the county of Berbice.
The De Ware Tijd online news recently reported that Bouterse is quoted as saying so to the National Assembly.
Suriname expects the issue over the disputed land will feature for discussion during a future parliamentary sitting.
The New River Triangle dispute between Guyana and Suriname dates back since 1840 when Robert Schomburgk surveyed the then British Guiana's borders using the Corentyne River as the border.
He sailed up to its source, the Kutari River, in order to delineate the boundary. However, in 1871, Charles Barrington Brown discovered the New River, which he deemed the true source of the Corentyne. Thus the New River Triangle dispute was born.
knighted by Queen
Georgetown - Guyanese born author, Theodore Wilson Harris, who has been residing in the United Kingdom since 1959, has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth, the honour coinciding with Her Majesty's birthday celebrations this year.
Wilson Harris, as he is more commonly known, is a prolific author who has written fiction and non-fiction. He was recognized for his contribution to literature and joins an elite list of Guyanese who have been similarly honoured.
Harris' first published novel was Palace of the Peacock (1969) was followed by 23 others with The Ghost of Memory (2006) being his most recent.
The 89-year-old Harris, one of Guyana's best known writers, was born in New Amsterdam, British Guiana. He attended Queen's College then pursued studies in land surveying. He started working as a government surveyor in 1942, rising to senior surveyor in 1955.
His intimate knowledge of the Guyanese interior and the Amerindians was used in the creation of many of his stories.
Harris was a regular contributor of stories, poems and essays to Kyk-over-Al and was part of a group of Guyanese intellectuals that included Martin Carter, Sidney Singh, Ivan Van Sertima and Milton Williams.
His first publication was a book of poems, Fetish (1951) under the pseudonym Kona Waruk, followed by Eternity to Season (1954) which announced Harris' commitment to a cross-cultural vision in the arts, linking the Homeric to the Guyanese.
OMAI gold mines
Georgetown - Mahdia Gold Corp, a Canadian company, has officially acquired the renowned Omai gold property.
The company revealed last month that they have been "awarded the world class Omai goldmine by the Guyana Government." A company release stated that the concession covers "highly valuable ground" and that there may be "possible additional deposits according to reports and data collected during the previous operation of the mine."
The release added that "Mahdia Gold Corporation will be working very closely with the Guyana Government to interpret the data and better understand the science so as to develop a successful and productive forward plan for further exploration and development of the OMAI concession."
The release further stated that there is historical data which suggests that there are still significant gold deposits on the site. Further exploratory drilling into the bottom of the open Fennell pit suggested that there could be an additional deposit of 1.4 million ounces of gold still available for mining by the company; data which was derived from just one pit while the other areas on the mining concession still remain to be evaluated.
The company stated that they will be partnering with a "world class mining engineering company" to undertake the evaluation of the remaining deposit.
Over a period of 13 years the mine had produced some 3.7 million ounces of gold when the gold prices were approximately USD$300 per ounce.
put up for sale
Georgetown - The historic St Barnabas Church, which was built in 1884 as a place of worship for the district of Bourda, has been put up for sale by the Incorporated Trustee of the Anglican Church.
St Barnabas Church has been part of the historic legacy of the Bourda District in Georgetown for over a century. It has undergone some improvements over the years as a steeple and a Chapel of Corpus Christi were added in 1926. It is situated next to two other significant landmarks in the Bourda District, namely, the Bourda Cemetery and the Bourda Market.
The Bourda Cemetery was the first cemetery to be established in Georgetown and was privately owned by Joseph Bourda, as part of Plantation Vlissengen. Many of the tombs there date back to the early 19th century and many prominent people of the colonial era such as John Patoir, William Booker and the Bagots were buried there. The National Trust says that Bourda Market was originally built in 1880 but was reconstructed in 1902 to accommodate a growing number of vendors and shoppers.
According to Kaieteur News (KN) the National Trust of Guyana has not shown an active interest in the preservation of the building, and has in fact made it clear to the Anglican Diocese that it is in no way able to contribute financially to the upkeep of its church buildings.
The country's most famous Anglican Church – St George's Cathedral – has also not benefited from any contribution from the National Trust with the last modest contribution being made years ago, KN reported.
The owners of the building stated that several factors are responsible for it opting to sell the building, one being that vagrants have taken over the compound of the church, which occupies three lots. This has led to low membership and attendance at church services.
escape from NA prison
Georgetown - Four dangerous criminals who were under special watch at the New Amsterdam Prison escaped from the facility last Saturday.
The prisoners are Kevin Narine, who was serving nine years for robbery under arms and has several other matters outstanding in the Magistrates Court; Rickford La-Fleur, who was remanded for two counts of murder and two narcotics offences; Vinood Gopaul, committed for murder and Vijay Seenarine committed for carnal knowledge.
The four prisoners who were located in Cell No. 2 of the No 1 Landing made their escape at around 2:30 am. Early reports indicate that they escaped by cutting the floor board and wending their way through the double floor then scaling the fence.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory to the public that all efforts are being made to recapture the men. In the meantime it has established a Board of Inquiry to investigate the breach that led to their escape. The Board comprises Major General (retired) Norman Mc Lean; Mr. Cecil Kilkenny DSS - former Director of Prisons and Mr. Sheik Asween – Prison Trade Instructor.
Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar
Greater Toronto Area - Because your home may well be your largest asset, selling it is probably one of the most important decisions you will make in your life.
And once you have made that decision, you'll want to sell your home for the highest price in the shortest time possible without compromising your sanity.
Before you place your home on the market, here's a way to help you to be as prepared as possible.
To assist homesellers, a new industry report has just been released, called "27 Valuable Tips That You Should Know to Get Your Home Sold Fast and for Top Dollar." It tackles the important issues you need to know to make your home competitive in today's tough, aggressive marketplace.
Through these 27 tips you will discover how to protect and capitalize on your most important investment, reduce stress, be in control of your situation, and make the best profit possible.
In this report you'll discover how to avoid financial disappointment or worse, a financial disaster when selling your home. Using a common-sense approach, you will get the straight facts about what can make or break the sale of your home.
You owe it to yourself to learn how these important tips will give you the competitive edge to get your home sold fast and for the most amount of money.
Order your free report today. To order a FREE Special Report, visit jb27sellertips.com or to hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report, call toll-free 1-866-475-9215 and enter 3023. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW.
Grace Soda has evolved to become the new Grace Famous IslandSoda. Our roots are in the islands, our flavours are inspired by its people and this summer Grace invites Canadians to Refresh Yourself, Island-style.
Whether you are a fan of Pineapple, Ginger Beer, Kola Champaign or Grapefruit – or you want to discover new exotic flavours, you're certain to enjoy a uniquely Caribbean soda experience with Grace Island Soda. Inspired by their roots in the island, GraceKennedy is sharing not only the exotic soda flavours enjoyed the world over, but also the language of the people. Beneath each cap of Grace Island Soda, consumers will find a message. Each message is different and written in Patois or Patwa, a distinct language used mainly by Jamaicans. Those that enjoy the 10 exciting flavours, can log on to www.gracemessageinabottle.com to discover the meaning of the Patois sayings.
For those that want to share their own message in a bottle, GraceKennedy encourages consumers to share their own colourful sayings from the islands. Stefan Atton, Marketing Manager for GraceKennedy (Ontario) Inc. said: "Our team of Jamaican Patois experts will select the 10 most worthy sayings each month. A lucky winner will receive soda for a month (36 bottles) and who knows, your message could end up under the cap of your next Grace Island Soda."
Beauty of the Caribbean culture is often expressed with the beauty of the language spoken by the Caribbean people. Jamaican Patois, known locally as Patois (Patwa) or Jamaican, and called Jamaican Creole by linguists, is anEnglish-lexified creole language with West African influences spoken primarily in Jamaica. The language developed in the 17th century, when slaves from West and Central Africa were exposed to, learned and nativized the vernacular and dialectal forms of English spoken by their masters: British English, Scots and Hiberno English. Jamaicans themselves usually refer to their dialect as patois, a French term without a precise linguistic definition.
One such saying is, "Every mikkle mek a mukkle." Translated, "Every Little Bit Counts".
Lucky Lankage, President of GraceKennedy Ontario, said: "We at Grace Island Soda would like to share with fellow Canadians our language through some of the colourful and sometimes puzzling, yet timeless sayings from the islands in Patois. We hope that some of these phrases and sayings will become popular in our daily usage in Canada. Like a bottle washed up on a seashore, with a message tucked nicely inside, we invite you to open up your bottle of Island Soda and enjoy your gift in a message in your bottle."
Island Soda has also introduced two new exciting flavours: Green Apple and Lemon Lime. The rest of the flavours remain unchanged said Gary McFarlane, Operations Manager. It is the same Grace taste with a splashy new look. Island Soda now comes in an easy to carry 12 pack.
To learn more about the Message In A Bottle contest and to see a complete list of sayings under the caps, log on to: www.gracemessageinabottle.com.
About GraceKennedy
GraceKennedy is one of the Caribbean's largest and most dynamic corporate entities. The company started in Jamaica in 1922 as a small trading establishment and wharf founders. Today, the GraceKennedy group comprises a varied network of some 60 subsidiaries and associated companies located across the Caribbean and in North and Central America and the United Kingdom.