Guyana Focus
during PPP tenure
Over its 19 years in power, GDP growth has fluctuated but has remained relatively strong, averaging about 5% annually over the past five years. Inflation has been relatively benign during the entire term, averaging about 6% annually and falling significantly in recent years. The truth is, barring a few weak years, which is typical for all economies, Guyana's economy has performed relatively well under the PPP/C administration. Incidentally, the base year used for calculating inflation was changed from 1970 to 1994 at the end of 1993, concealing the staggering increase in prices Guyanese experienced during the 1970-1993 period, during which the All Items Index rose from 100 to 13,283.
It was during much of this period that it was illegal for the population to consume most foreign goods, leading to shortages and because of high prices, starvation among the poor.
In reality, although the introduction of the Value Added Tax just over two years ago resulted in an increase in prices, the PPP/C has been able to minimize the impact of inflation to the benefit of the population at large. According to the IMF in its March 2010 Staff Report: "Inflation has been contained at lower levels than in other Caribbean commodity exporters."
On the political front, political conditions have been relatively stable since the death of Hoyte in 2002 and the subsequent defeat of the PNC/R at the 2006 general elections, which were incidentally the most peaceful ever. However, signs of disaffection are currently emerging as the country prepares for general elections later this year. Improved political conditions have resulted in a rebound in economic growth (See Part 1). Some credit must be given to President Bharrat Jagdeo for taking a tougher stance, albeit sometimes deemed arrogant, in dealing with issues pertinent to the development of the country.
For the better part of its term in office, the PPP/Civic remained in bed with the IMF, a phenomenon that was unimaginable prior to attaining power. Under IMF direction, the government accelerated the pace of economic and structural reforms. It also strengthened the financial sector; improved the legal and regulatory framework; reformed the judicial system; introduced constitutional amendments; restructured the public sector; and established a regulatory framework for the insurance and securities sectors. Privatization initiatives were also concluded, resulting in most public enterprises being placed in private hands. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of reforms remains questionable.
From the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, Guyana benefited enormously from the two IMF/World Bank backed programs – the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) which allowed it to put substantial infrastructure in place to facilitate development. The programs were designed to reduce the debt burden of poor countries like Guyana, taking them to a level of sustainability if they adhered to certain conditions, including maintenance of a good track record of economic performance.
But during the more than a decade of participation in these programs, the IMF effectively dictated development policies, leaving the government at its mercy. In fact, the government enjoyed the ride because the HIPC Initiative and PRGF were predicated upon a poverty alleviation strategy which was a pre-condition for enhanced debt relief from international financial institutions. As well, funds were made available to run the country, giving the government a false sense of security that its economic management was sound.
While total external debt declined from $2 billion when the PPP/C assumed office in 1992 to under $1 billion due to more than US$1 billion in relief and forgiveness, there has been an incremental increase in new debt in recent years indicating that debt remains a serious problem. To make matters worse, domestic public debt has doubled under the PPP/C administration. Nonetheless, the IMF stated in March that debt ratios have improved - supported by debt relief, bringing external debt within the regional range, while domestic debt is low relative to the Caribbean average. However, it cautions that public debt is still at high levels, requiring the country to maintain a course of prudent policies.
In reality, over the past 19 years Guyana has benefited enormously from debt relief, grants and technical assistance aimed at supporting sustainable economic growth. The resulting cash flow has supported massive infrastructural works in areas such as roads and bridges; and improvements to health care, education, water, housing, and social sectors.
However, the "ribbons of development" have not been accompanied by a transformation of the productive capacity of the economy, leaving the country dependent on its vulnerable traditional sectors – although attempts to diversify away from traditional sectors are beginning to have a marginal positive impact. As well, the country has not seen the anticipated level of private or foreign investment that typically follows the scale of its infrastructural improvements.
Although the PPP/C has put in place the infrastructure such as roads and bridges and enhanced the institutional framework to support development initiatives, it has only in recent years sought to address issues pertaining to the country's productive infrastructure. It has recognized the vulnerability of the country's traditional economic base and is pursuing plans to take a more sensible approach to diversification by sticking to areas in which the country has a core competency and some degree of comparative advantage.
Among the new growth areas being currently pursued are bio-fuels, fisheries, non-traditional agriculture, tourism, agro-based industries, information and communications, housing, garment manufacturing and petroleum.
Besides its internal problems, several exogenous factors have also fuelled the move to a more broad-based economy, including the loss of a significant portion of preferential treatment for exports (for example, sugar to the European Community and the US market); traditional primary product markets taking advantage of cheaper imports from lower-cost or subsidized producers (for example, rice in Caricom); shifts in demand for primary products resulting from growth in the use of substitute products (for example, sugar and bauxite); changes in global consumption patterns; and the vagaries implicit in world demand and supply for primary commodities.
Incidentally, the absence of a formal development plan, compounded by a weak strategic vision, has also contributed to problems of direction in the economy. The National Development Strategy developed in the 1990s has merely gathered dust on the shelves of policymakers, with no formal implementation plan, a lack of funding, and moreso, a lack of conviction and support to proceed.
The country's Low Carbon Development Strategy has attracted positive international attention but is not necessarily aligned to the country's development goals, although Norwegian funding and political gimmickery gives it an aura of importance. It is believed that if implemented in its current format, it will stall more profitable development initiatives, particularly in the natural resources sector. Yet this politically motivated strategy remains a major government initiative.
For now, the PPP/C has good intentions but its approach to the country's development has not embodied a cohesive and consistent approach which would lend the government a whole lot more credibility.
Georgetown — The deadline for the completion of the European Union-funded (Euros 17M) programme to reconstruct 1.6 kilometers and rehabilitate approximately 18 kilometers of sea defence across the coastland will not be met. This was disclosed by Geoffrey Vaughn, Chief River and Sea Defence Officer, Ministry of Public Works.
The 23-month contract which was awarded to contractor BK International in 2009 was supposed to be completed on October 21, 2011. The symbolic ground breaking event between the Government and the European Commission was held in November 2009 at Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara and the project commenced in January 2010.
The contractors have written the Government seeking an extension on the contract duration, citing several reasons for its inability to meet the deadline, including the delay in accessing duty free concessions, changes in certain designs and heavy rainfall. An evaluation was reportedly done and reasons for the extension were identified.
The Government of Guyana has since written to the European Union (EU) seeking to extend the deadline to February 28, 2012 and is awaiting a response from the EU. The project is financed under the Ninth European Union Development Fund (9th EDF).
According to Kaieteur News Vaughn mentioned that the programme has 33 sites, and with the anticipated new deadline, each site will have its own deadline within the new time frame. The programme is currently 65 percent completed, with the reconstruction aspect being 90 percent completed, while the rehabilitation programme is 55 percent completed.
Vaughn noted that if the contractor fails to complete the project within the new duration, another evaluation would be carried out but more than likely the company will have to pay for liquidated damages.
Georgetown — President Bharrat Jagdeo last Friday instituted a four-month ban on CN Sharma's CNS Channel Six for a programme that was aired four months ago in which Anthony Vieira, former PNCR parliamentarian, made allegedly slanderous statements against Bishop Juan Edghill, Chairman of the Ethnics Relations Commission. The commentary in question was aired on May 4, 2011.
The decision was communicated to Sharma at a meeting with President Jagdeo, who also holds the portfolio of Minister of Information.
The suspension came on the advice given to the President by the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB) regarding Veira's commentary. The ACB had originally recommended an eight-month suspension, Sharma said, but Jagdeo said that he was being "lenient" by cutting the recommended suspension time in half.
Bishop Edghill has also filed a motion against both Sharma and Vieira seeking more than $50M in damages. His lawyers Anil Nandlall, Euclin Gomes, and Manoj Narayan, in their motion had stated that the "Bishop" had suffered "tremendous embarrassment, distress and ridicule" by the commentary.
CNS TV Channel Six is regarded as the country's most watched television station and this ban would render it off the air during the elections season.
According to reports President Jagdeo said the matter was beyond Sharma and Edghill adding that "The contents are reprehensible to our constitution." The President said the contents of the programme infringed significantly on the conditions of the licence under which Sharma operates.
Meanwhile the opposition coalition A Peoples Partnership for National Unity (APNU), civil society and the Alliance For Change (AFC) last Monday collectively began planning to pressure the government into lifting the ban on the privately-owned television station. The television station is regarded as a major outlet by the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR)/ APNU and the AFC to get their message across to the nation.
International press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders has condemned President Bharrat Jagdeo's suspension of CNS TV6 ahead of the upcoming elections calling it an appalling move.
This is seen as a move geared to diffuse tensions between the two countries which have resulted from Guyana's submission for an extended continental shelf to a limit of 150 nautical miles from the 200 nautical mile outer limit of the exclusive economic zone of coastal states.
According to Venezuela's eluniversal.com online news Guyana, in the agreement, said that it recognizes the right of the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to present its views to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).
Announcements were made last Thursday by the two countries that an emergency meeting has been set up in Trinidad, a neutral territory, for a meeting to reduce rising tensions, especially by Venezuela's opposition parties and a number of fringe groups.
"For its part, Venezuela recalled its legitimate right to sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Atlantic Front. Both foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the Geneva Agreement," the agreement stated.
The text of the document highlights that "several issues of mutual interest, including Good Offices," were reviewed, eluniversal reported.
They expressed their satisfaction "at the superb relations developed between the two countries and reiterated their commitment to maintain this level."
"They recognize the historical level they have reached in bilateral relations, characterized by respect, fraternity and solidarity.
"They agree that now Guyana and Venezuela develop cooperation projects in diverse areas, and strengthen their integration into mechanisms such as the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), Petrocaribe, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Clacs), with the conviction that the ties that unite them overcome their legacy of divide inherited from colonialism."
Georgetown — Two Guyanese in Canada were among three persons found guilty of conspiracy to induce people to enter the United States illegally.
Judge William McCarroll made his ruling last Friday in St. Stephen provincial court against Mohamed Habin Yusef of Scarborough, Ontario, his sister-in-law Savita Singh-Murray, and Ravindra Hariprasad.
The judge also ruled that the Crown did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a fourth accused, retired pharmacist Vaughn McCluskey, took part in the scheme.
Justice McCarroll also turned down the motion by federal crown prosecutor Monica McQueen to take the three convicted persons, no longer presumed innocent, into immediate custody. They each put up C'dn$10,000 cash bail. Singh-Murray and Yusef signed over their own homes, and Hariprasad his father's home, as sureties, their lawyers said. Singh-Murray has a husband, children, home and job in Charlotte County, Wilson said.
As soon as McCarroll delivered the verdict, Randall Wilson, lawyer for Singh-Murray, moved for an entrapment hearing.
Patrick Hurley, defence lawyer for Yusef and John King, defending Hariprasad of Scarborough, Ontario also made similar motions on behalf of their clients.
With their knowledge of immigration, the three convicted people posed a flight risk, McQueen argued. However, if the court rules that the RCMP entrapped them, nobody could give them back the days in jail, McCarroll ruled. He scheduled December 13 and December 14 for the entrapment hearing. He released the three defendants on the same bail conditions that they have lived under since May 2009.
McCluskey, Singh-Murray, Yusef and Hariprasad were arrested by the RCMP on May 13, 2009 and charged with conspiring to induce or encourage people to enter the United States illegally between May 5, 2007 and May 11, 2009.
The RCMP laid the charge under a section of the Criminal Code making it illegal to use Canada to break the laws of another country. The court could sentence them to up to 10 years in prison.
Evidence at the trial indicated that a young woman from Guyana stayed at McCluskey's apartment in June 2008. On December 4, 2008 Yusef and Hariprasad delivered Janet and Ijaz Nabi, a married couple from Guyana, to two undercover RCMP officers acting as truck drivers in the Toronto area. The Ontario Provincial Police stopped them in a set up traffic check.
This investigation began after Lloyd Laking of McAdam, told the RCMP in October 2007 that Singh-Murray offered money to smuggle people from Guyana into the United States. The RCMP agreed to pay him $75,000 as a civilian agent.
Singh-Murray, Yusef and Hariprasad all come from Guyana.
There was a conspiracy and probably all four defendants took part in it, McCarroll ruled.
McCluskey "was probably a conspirator," McCarroll said, but he could not say this beyond a reasonable doubt.
"It is my impression that he was simply a dupe in all of this," the judge said, referring to Laking's plan "to get rich" and, on Singh-Murray's part, "in furtherance of her human smuggling scheme."
Stabroek News reported the president saying he received a letter from the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Dr Steve Surujbally advising that the Final List of Electors was ready.
It is widely believed that elections will be held towards the end of November. The elections are constitutionally due before December 28, 2011. Parliament is in its last sittings after deciding to work through its recess. The opposition has opted to boycott this session of parliament.
The ruling PPP/C officially launched its campaign last Sunday at Albion, Corentyne, Berbice. Neither the PPP nor the APNU has announced their prime ministerial candidates as yet. Meanwhile the Alliance for Change (AFC) has already announced that party leader Raphael Trotman will be their prime ministerial candidate to Khemraj Ramjattan their presidential candidate. The United Force is still embroiled in a leadership dispute and is yet to name its presidential and prime ministerial candidates.
GECOM has said that November 14 is the earliest possible date by which it would be ready for the polls. Nomination Day will automatically fall 30 days before the election date when it is eventually revealed.
Georgetown — Puroshotam Nauth, 49, a businessman from Foulis, Enmore was shot and robbed of some G$8M last Monday by bandits in a daring highway robbery.
Police spokesman Ivelaw Whittaker said on Monday that Nauth was attacked around 7.45 am by two men, one armed with a handgun on the Railway Embankment at Lusignan, ECD.
"Investigations revealed that Purushotam Nauth was in a mini-bus along with the driver Somal Persaud, 40, of Non Pariel, ECD when two motor-vehicles sandwiched the mini-bus, forcing the driver to stop. A man exited from the front vehicle and another armed with a firearm, from the rear vehicle and they held up the two occupants of the mini-bus," Whittaker said.
He said the perpetrators then took away a bag containing $8M from Nauth who was shot to his right shoulder in the process, after which the robbers escaped in their vehicles.
Teen duped into prostitution
Georgetown — A 16-year-old recruited from Guyana under the guise that she was spending the summer vacation in Jamaica was forced to work at a night club there performing dancing and sexual acts after her recruiter, Hermelinda Parker, a Jamaican, allegedly told her that she had to work to pay for her living expenses and plane ticket.
Parker, the former proprietor of a Nightclub at St Andrew in Jamaica, has been charged jointly with her husband, Anthony Parker, and her daughter, Liz Scantleburry, with the offence of trafficking in persons, when they appeared recently in a Jamaican court. Parker was held on September 1 shortly after she returned from The Bahamas.
According to reports the Jamaican police, acting on a tip received in September last year, carried out a sting operation at the club and arrested a number of people.
Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Lisa Palmer Hamilton, told the court that Hermelinda was facing about five charges of trafficking in persons. She said young girls were recruited from abroad and forced to work at the club.
Palmer Hamilton said the Guyanese girl was told that two immigration officers would assist her when she landed at the airport in May last year. Justice Lennox Campbell asked whether any immigration officers had been charged in connection with the matter.
Palmer Hamilton said an immigration officer was found in possession of passports belonging to some of the complainants in the case and he has been arrested and charged.
The other accused in the case will have their case mentioned on December 14.
Georgetown — Zenola Blair, 40, of Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, was stabbed last Friday evening by a man with whom she had a relationship. Zenola was at work in the Sugar Stores at the Blairmont Estate last Friday at around 8:30 pm, when she was approached by Colin Fraser, a fitter/machinist at the same estate, who said that he wanted "to talk" to her.
Zenola said that Fraser, of D'Edward Village, West Bank Berbice, was armed with two kitchen knives, one of which was a chopper, which he used to chop her. She suffered injuries on her back and left thumb which was cut when she tried to defend herself.
Fraser, an ex-cop, reportedly then used one of the knives to slit his own throat. He collapsed while trying to run out of the building.
Both individuals were severely injured.
The couple had been together for quite some time, but had separated recently.
Georgetown — A 15-man gang of armed bandits raided the gold mining community of Piari in the Puruni River last Sunday night wounding at least five persons in a violent attack that lasted close to three hours.
The gang escaped with raw gold and about $30 in cash during the melee.
Kaieteur News (KN) reported that the gang opened fire indiscriminately, while relieving the terrified miners, many of whom were at the Piari Landing where a number of shops are located. The men had also robbed several mining camps along the Puruni River, hours before the Piari Landing attack, according to the paper.
The police in the interior reportedly received word about Sunday night's incident at around 1:00 am Monday and commenced their journey into the area five hours later. According to a source, they have so far recovered a few spent .32 ammunition shells.
Georgetown — Political activist and commentator, Ramon 'Rambo' Gaskin was chopped and robbed last Saturday afternoon when armed men invaded his home in Dennis Street, Campbelville.
According to reports three men, one armed with a handgun, another with a cutlass and the third with a long gun invaded Gaskin's home and robbed him of GUY$50,000. Two visitors of his were also robbed of cellular phones and gold and diamond jewellery. Gaskin said one of the men held a gun to his head, demanding money and other valuables and when he told him that he had nothing another one began chopping him. The incident occurred at around 4:30 pm.
Gaskin received nine stitches to his left arm and two to his head following his attack.
The intruders entered through the front door while he was entertaining two guests.
Georgetown — A 50-year-old woman pastor of Better Hope South, East Coast Demerara, was allegedly attacked and raped on the Seawalls by her "regular" 27-year-old driver, also of Better Hope. The incident allegedly took place on April 19 last. The woman claimed that the man was under the influence of alcohol at the time. She said that after the incident she became distraught and her daughter noticed it and forced her to relate the incident to her.
The disappointed woman said the "abuse" has caused her much pain since she is a pastor and always lived a "pure" life. She also stated that the mother of the accused cursed her in front of the entire neighbourhood causing her to remain in her home most of the time since rape was a "stigma".
The accused, who works for "One Love Taxi Service," reportedly had numerous brushes with the law, and was frequently in 'police matters'.
Georgetown — Epson English, 30, a miner of Akawani, in the Lower Pomeroon River, sustained four chop wounds at the hands of two of his brothers-in- law, last Saturday, following an argument which stemmed from a family grievance. One of his brothers-in-law is in custody. English is presently nursing his wounds at the Oscar Joseph Hospital.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident the same evening, a 24-year man of St. Monica's, Upper Pomeroon River, inflicted a chop wound to his father's neck almost severing his head. Police said the father and son were celebrating at a birthday party when an argument erupted between them over the type of music being played.
The 42-year-old father is now a patient at the Suddie Public Hospital.
Georgetown — A Guyanese scam artist who bilked US charities of $160,000 by concocting a fictitious story of losing a son in the 9/11 terror attack on the World Trade Center will be deported to Guyana after serving less than half of his maximum sentence.
Cyril Kendall, 61,of Queens, New York, who was convicted of the largest 9/11 swindle, will soon be getting out of prison, after the state Parole Board granted his release from the upstate prison just two days after the country observed the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. A condition of his freedom requires he be booted out of the country, an official at the state Parole Division told The Daily News. While no date has been set for Kendall's release, he is expected to be turned over soon to federal immigration authorities for deportation back to his native Guyana, the official said.
He was sentenced in August 2003 to serve up to 20 years in prison, but The Daily News reported he has been approved for early release from the Fishkill Correctional Facility.
Kendall was convicted of grand larceny and fraud after cheating several charities of benefits, including grief counselling for himself and burial funds for a son prosecutors maintained never existed. He claimed his youngest son, Wilfred, 29, was killed in the terror attacks while attending a job interview on the 91st floor of the north tower.
Kendall, the father of 12, presented the charities with a photograph of his dead son and a birth certificate. Investigators later determined the photo was of Kendall at a younger age and that the birth certificate was a forgery.
His biggest target was the American Red Cross, which was bilked of $119,000 – the most fraudulently obtained by a single individual.
Kendall has yet to pay back a dime of the pilfered funds, a Red Cross spokesman said.
While considered the lowest of the low, Kendall's scam wasn't original. He was among 22 people arrested in March 2002 for falsely filing death certificates for nonexistent family members and collecting $759,565 in charitable funds, according to the Manhattan district attorney's office.
Georgetown — The issue of security cooperation between Guyana and the US was discussed when the new American ambassador in Georgetown, Brent Hardt met with members of the Private Sector Commission's (PSC) Governance and Security Sub-committee two Mondays ago. Matters relating to the upcoming election and trade were also discussed.
According to demwaves.com Committee Chairman Captain Gerry Gouveia said that the government's publicly stated concerns about the level of cooperation received from the US was raised.
"We heard statements coming out of the government that the US is not cooperating with Guyana in information sharing and the ambassador did assure us that he met with the president and they're looking at all those issues … but sometimes these things take time," Goveia said.
According to Gouveia, Hardt pointed out that there are protocols to be followed when requesting information and even then it will take time, demwaves.com reported.
Guyana has signed on to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative with the US under which it is to receive assistance to boost capacity to counter the narco-trade, money laundering and help strengthen citizen security. However, the administration has often criticized the sloth in information flow from the US as it relates to combating drug crimes in particular in Guyana, demwaves.com noted.
Gouveia also said the matter of the bureaucracy surrounding the issuance of business visas was also raised and they were given assurance that the embassy was streamlining the system to benefit all.
"One of the important issues was the issue of when people want to go to the United States, the issue with lining up outside the embassy for visas; if businessmen want to take their staff to trade shows they need to have a system to facilitate business which is different from visitors' visas," Gouveia said.
He added that they were told that the embassy is making the system efficient for everybody rather than having a separate system for business people and one for visitors' visas.
The two sides also discussed the US government's support for the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB).
The US government through USAID has given the EAB a US$217,000 grant to support its efforts to monitor Guyana's general and regional elections which are constitutionally due by December 28.
Georgetown — Six Guyanese sailors who were arrested two Saturdays ago after their vessel, 'Vicky B', was intercepted in St Lucia waters were each slapped with ten drug related charges. According to news out of St Lucia the six, if convicted, could face a minimum of 10 years imprisonment each.
According to Kaieteur News (KN) the men were not required to plead to the indictment and were not represented by an attorney when they made an appearance in court last Friday in St Lucia. The charges were instituted against Noel Persaud; Narine Cheecharran; Selwyn St. Claire France; Tandu Satesh Ramkissoon; Hardatt Sookram and Calton Rushel Sam, KN reported.
The men were charged with possession of cocaine; possession of cannabis; possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking; possession of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking; importation of cocaine; possession of cannabis; possession of one 12 gauge shotgun; possession of 15 rounds 12 gauge ammunition; possession of 35 live rounds of 9mm firearms and possession of five live grenades, KN noted.
The ship 'Vicky B' is reportedly still in the custody of the St. Lucian authorities. According to VP Voice, a St Lucian newspaper, the vessel was intercepted on Saturday September 24, 2011 at about 10:30 pm, by law enforcement officials six nautical miles off Soufriere. It was reported that a search was conducted and police uncovered several items including 30 kilos of cocaine, 46 kilos of cannabis, one 12-gauge shotgun, 15 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition, 35 rounds of 9mm ammunition and five military explosive grenades. These items were concealed in a compartment at the extreme front of the ship.
low income women
Georgetown — The Avon Community Help Fund (ACHF) and the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) are targeting poor and uninsured women in a GUY$500,000 project to fight breast cancer.
The project is part of activities to mark the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness month and will be providing free mammograms to the first 100 high-risk, uninsured and low-income women depending on screening results.
A statement from the ACHF said "The GRPA will provide free medical services that will provide free clinical screening for 100 women and based on the results of this examination make recommendations for the patients to benefit from the free mammograms at a reputable hospital". Mammograms usually cost at least GUY$8,000.
GRPA's Programme Director, Sheila Yaw-Fraser said at least 15 women visit her organisation monthly for breast examinations. The ACHF says it hopes that the pilot project will provide much needed information on the way forward with similar projects.
It has been reported that a high percentage of breast cancer cases are recorded in the 40-49 age group and 50-59 age group.
The Breast Cancer Awareness Committee of the ACHF says its 6th annual breast cancer awareness activities in October 2011 will include major community outreaches to take information to ordinary women who would not normally access information about breast cancer awareness. It is asking community leaders to mobilize the women in their neighbourhoods to come and use the free services being provided on breast cancer awareness.
The ACHF said that a Breast Care exhibition at the National Library, targeting secondary school students who are doing research on breast cancer, will provide information on the risk factors for breast cancer, detection methods, breast cancer treatments and surviving breast cancer.
In an effort to reduce the risk of breast cancer, the fund recommends reducing alcohol use, exercising on a regular basis and consuming a proper diet including more fruits and fresh vegetables and limit the consumption of red meats.
Georgetown — With the posting of a new US ambassador in Georgetown after two years, talks on the setting up of a Drug Enforcement Administration office in Guyana could be rekindled.
Speaking to demwaves.com newsline Dr Roger Luncheon said, "We haven't had an ambassador in about two years. Maybe we're reading too much in such a step but I want to believe that between Wikileaks and the airing of differences and opinions about this issue the presence of an ambassador again, the interest would be rekindled."
Ambassador Brent Hardt was sworn in last month as the new US government representative to Guyana and took up his post this month, replacing Ambassador John Jones whose tour of duty had been cut short in 2009 due to ill health.
According to information revealed in Wikileaks, Jones' predecessor, Roland Bullen, in 2006 had called for the urgent setting up of a DEA office. At the time the ambassador had reportedly said that Guyana was heading for narco-statehood.
The cable was dispatched on May 24, 2006 to, among others, the US Secretary of State, DEA Headquarters in Washington, demwaves.com reported.
"The level of narco-trafficking influence on the political, judicial and economic systems in Guyana creates ripe conditions for the emergence of a narco- state," he told his principals as well as counterparts in Trinidad, Suriname and Venezuela, demwaves.com noted.
The American envoy believed that a DEA presence in Guyana would significantly improve the US government's ability to fight drug trafficking in Guyana.
Other cables also noted the rise of convicted drug dealer Roger Khan and the possible tainting of government officials by the narco-trade, specifically Police Commissioner Henry Greene whose US visa was revoked based on information gathered by the DEA, demwaves.com stated. However, Greene has since denied any involvement with drug trade.
Guyana has made several requests dating back as far as 1995 for the setting up of a DEA office. The Guyana authorities have often criticized the US for its sloth in rendering security assistance, particularly as it relates to drug interdiction efforts.
Security cooperation appears to be a priority for Ambassador Hardt who in a recent meeting with private sector representatives said the matter had arisen during his meeting with President Bharrat Jagdeo this month, demwaves.com added.
Georgetown — Principal of the Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha Academy), Guyanese-born Mackran Singh, is to receive the National Honour of Order of Distinction in the Rank of Officer (OD) on National Heroes Day, October 17, for his contribution to education in Jamaica. This was revealed by the Jamaica Information Service News (JISN).
"To be recognized in this way by this great nation is a very humbling experience. I feel proud and I am grateful to the Sisters of Mercy for offering me the privilege to serve in this noble institution," Mr. Singh told JISN during an interview.
The Guyanese national, now a naturalised Jamaican, received his tertiary education at the Universities of Guyana and Bordeaux in France, in 1974 and 1976 respectively. In 1974, he travelled to France, on a government scholarship, to pursue his Masters Degree in Comparative Literature. He has also done studies in education and business administration.
"I passed with distinction for the first degree, and I was the second best graduating student. I was awarded the Vice Chancellor's Medal and several other prizes for performance at university," Mr. Singh recalls with great enthusiasm.
To him, teaching is a noble profession and he remains very passionate about his profession.
He started his teaching career at the tender age of 17, at the Sheet Anchor Anglican All Age School in Guyana. He was recruited in 1983 by Sister Bernadette Little, Principal of Alpha at that time, to teach French and rose to become Principal in January 2001, breaking the tradition of female principals at Alpha.