| Medical relief remain Government’s priority
Georgetown, GINA, February 12, 2005
Government continues to reach out to flood affected residents trying to bring medical and other relief to them.
Today, Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy visited Bachelor’s Adventure and the Enmore Haslington communities on the East Coast of Demerara.
The aim of the Minister’s visit was to highlight the Doxcycline treatment and ensure persons are taking the measures to prevent any further case of Leptospirosis.
The first stop was at the Wesleyan Church at Bachelor’s Adventure where he distributed Doxcycline pills to residents.
The Minister explained to them how the pill should be used and the importance of taking the pill.
He urged all the parents to keep the children out of the water, since they are most vulnerable to diseases and infections, which are lurking in the water.
Members of the church have established a soup kitchen in an effort to provide food to persons affected by the flood and who are staying at various shelters in the villages.
According to Cynthia Peters, a volunteer the kitchen serves more than 600 persons daily.
The second stop was at the Georgetown Public Hospital, Enmore Poly Clinic where the staff has been working around the clock for the past week getting the clinic back in operation.
Nafeez Yohan, a nurse at the clinic said staff started to attend to patients since Wednesday last and work has been ongoing since.
She said all the services which are being provided at the clinic, are of no cost to patients.
Residents expressed their gratitude to the Government for bring relief to them at a time when it is most needed.
“I must say, the government is doing a good job. I agree that everyone cannot be met at the same time but the President and his Ministers are trying their best to bring relief and we accept that.” Cheryl Mc Pherson a resident of Bachelors Adventure said.
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Minister Jeffrey responds to criticisms of the school- spraying process
Georgetown, GINA, February 12, 2005
Minister of Education, Dr. Henry Jeffrey today responded to a number of criticisms levelled at the Ministry over the past week, including criticisms by the main Opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), especially regarding the spraying of schools after the flood.
The Minister said that he believes the PNC/R is searching for an issue to criticize. He feels the party attempted to latch on to the question of Government’s involvement in the distribution process. When this did not work, the issue of schools was chosen, he said.
Minister Jeffrey stated that the party and others at first said that some students of Bygeval Multilateral School maybe became ill as a result of the chemical or spray used at the school, but when it was discovered that the school was not sprayed, the party is now calling on all schools to be sprayed.
He reiterated that Bygeval and other schools in Region Five were not sprayed because they were not closed. The schools were not closed since the Region was minimally affected by the flood and as such the schools were not flooded. This, he said was highlighted in the media weeks ago.
“Together with the Ministry of Health and the help of UNICEF, we developed a check list of protocol for what should be done in the schools and with the help of these organisations we called and put together some professional organisations and fumigation companies. These are the people we took to do that job.”
He further said that what should be used for spraying was subsequently decided upon. Health and Education officers were also sent with the companies to ensure that the job was properly done.
“If you have these officials involved and they can’t determine when a school is fit to be open, well then, we’re in a very bad state. What is taking place at so many schools, it would seem that if there is a problem, it’s a community problem and more than a school problem and I think that most people have come to that conclusion,” Minister Jeffrey contended.
He reminded that all the students who visited the hospital with complaints were examined and the Ministry of Health believes that there is no real problem with them.
Regarding the protest outside the Ministry of Education by the Red Thread organisation, Minister Jeffrey concluded that the organisation did not listen and therefore may not have heard or seen the public notices by the Ministry on the status of the Secondary Schools Entrance Examinations (SSEE) and the CXC Examinations. SSEE has been pushed back to May 12 and 13 while the Ministry has sought an extension for the submission of CXC SBA’s.
“I said of that protest that if you want information, you should ask for it,” Jeffrey said, noting that there was no real need for such a protest when the information on what is being used to spray schools and the status of schools’ exams are easily obtainable.
In terms of teachers being briefed on what should be done if a student complains of feeling unwell, the Ministry said that there is no need for teachers to be briefed since Head teachers, teachers and district officers already know what should be done as it is a part of the school system.
“You don’t have to be briefed on that. You try to get medical attention; you contact the parents of the children. That is what you do in the school process. That is there as part of the protocol,” the Minister reiterated.
Minister Jeffrey said he has faith in the officials put in charge of the situation at schools and believes that things will improve. He also feels that the main Opposition seems to be questioning the bureaucracy of the officials who have over 50 years of experience, especially those of his Ministry.
“In the case of education, when we have seasoned bureaucracy of 50 years experience, they are saying that that bureaucracy without the Minister, can’t even clean a few schools to put children in?” he asked.
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Minister Ramsammy refutes claims of medical teams discriminating
Georgetown, GINA, February 12, 2005
Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has dismissed all criticisms made by some members of the media and the main Opposition party, the PNCR that there is discrimination by the health teams which are providing relief to flood-affected persons.
The Minister said he wants the public to know that from day one of the flood his teams were rendering medical assistance to persons in all the areas where it was needed.
He said his Ministry has provided support to everyone, everywhere despite race, religion, colour or political background.
He said for the coming weeks the priority remains that of providing medical assistance to every person who needs it.
He said that it is unconscionable for anyone to say that the health teams are discriminating.
The Minister added that he would not let anyone distract his efforts, since he does not intend to pick a fight with anyone.
However, he is calling on all citizens especially media operatives, not to mislead the public even if they are critics of the Government.
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Residents praise President Jagdeo for clearing Sussex Street koker
Georgetown, GINA, February 12, 2005
Residents in surrounding areas of Charleston and Albouystown are grateful to the Government for making the Sussex street koker operational at a crucial period when South Georgetown was flooded due to heavy rainfall.
Realising the plight of these residents, President Jagdeo on January 19 visited the Sussex Street area and ensured the clearing of the koker, which had not been cleared in 20 years.
The Head of State instructed that any obstruction to the process be removed. This included the structure illegally established by Toolsie Persaud Limited (TPL) on the Government’s reserve. This was greeted with loud applause by residents.
However, on February 10, TPL in a paid advertisement captioned “The Sussex Street canal –the real story’, give an historical background of the koker.
An excerpt of the statement is as follows: “About G$10M of Toolsie Persaud’s installations and equipment on the southern reserve was unnecessarily demolished in an effort to accelerate the clearance of the outfall which will continue. No attempt was made by any Government or City Council official to contact Toolsie Persaud.”
GINA staff spoke to several residents who expressed their views on TPL’s statements.
Diane Cort who has a stall at East La Penitence Market commented: ”If there was a need and people lives are involved, I really don’t see that as being unreasonable.”
She added that she was grateful with the clearing of the koker because the water receded quickly and normalcy was restored.
“The land is the property of Government and if they think it was wise to demolish any structure it is for the welfare of Guyanese. Did you see Albouystown and those areas? Something had to be done to get the water off quickly,” claims Shawn Persaud.
Troy Israel agrees with him. He added that kokers are vital in the drainage and irrigation of any community and for many years the Sussex Street canal was blocked.
“This made many areas susceptible to floodings and I was there when President Jagdeo instructed any structure blocking the canal be removed. You see TPL is a business so they would think otherwise – but people’s lives were involved,” pointed out Israel.
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President Jagdeo keeps his promise to Strathspey residents
Georgetown, GINA Saturday, February 12, 2005
The damaged Friendship pump station that is affecting the water supply in several East Coast Demerara villages is expected to be back in operation by next Monday.
The electrical panels at the station were damaged after being submerged in flood water.
President Bharrat Jagdeo visited Strathspey yesterday where residents have been affected and promised to ensure that a black tank from Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) was installed until the pump stations are repaired.
The promise was fulfilled today and Minister of Housing and Water Shaik Baksh, who visited the area, said that in addition to the tank, water will be supplied by trucks on a regular basis.
Minister Baksh also visited the Haslington pump station where GWI employees are working to repair the pump. Area manager Asquith Hamilton said that the pump will be back in operation by this afternoon.
Even as work continued to ensure that there is a potable supply of water Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Robeson Benn was also on the East Coast working to ensure that pumps are re-deployed to areas of need.
He said that lower areas such as Enterprise and Buxton are still under a few inches of water and the goal of the exercise is to move the water off the land as quickly as possible.
Benn visited the workshop where a pump is being assembled to be installed at Buxton North where a small pump is already in operation.
The East Coast of Demerara was severely flooded after there was more that 60 inches of rainfall on the coastland from December 24, a new record for this period.
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Government will finance emergency measures to save crops
- President Jagdeo assures during visit
Georgetown, GINA, February 12, 2005
Farmers along the Mahaicony and Mahaica Creeks were today given the assurance of President Bharrat Jagdeo that Government will stand the expenses for them to try to save their crops.
This, the President said, will take the form of supplying fuel to operate pumps and the hiring of machinery to assisting in building the infrastructure.
The Head of State gave the undertaking when he visited several communities along both Creeks to have a first hand look at the flood situation there and see how Government can further help.
Among the communities the President visited are Perth Village, Mortice, Gordon Table, Mora Point and Washclothes along the Mahaicony Creek and Joe Hook, Grass Hook and Little Baiboo along the Mahaica Creek.
“Government will pay if you can hire equipment to help farmers to save their cultivation. We would also supply fuel to operate pumps in areas where pumps can work. Just ensure that you keep good accounts and can verify that persons indeed used the help,” President Jagdeo told residents at Mortice, along the Mahaicony Ranch Road.
This offer was repeated at all the meetings and the Regional Executive Officer of Region Five Jai Narine was tasked by the Head of State to immediately start preparing the list of farmers and their needs.
President Jagdeo assured that the monies will be provided to the Region to ensure that farmers’ needs are supplied.
At various communities, farmers began seeking machinery to build dams to protect their crops. The problem however, is that there is limited equipment available immediately. The Region was told by President Jagdeo to assist farmers in sourcing equipment.
The President told farmers that Government’s focus on the East Coast flood situation is not because the Mahaica/Mahaicony areas are less important, but rather it is a matter of saving lives on the East Coast.
He noted that Government will be providing various forms of assistance to farmers who have lost their produce, whether it is rice or cash crops, but at present, the focus is on getting the land drained.
At the end of the visit, the President observed that Mahaica Creek communities are the worst hit as they were unable to save any of the crops. The cash crops there were completely destroyed. The rice lands are under deep water and strenuous efforts are ongoing to save what is left of the crop.
President Jagdeo sympathized with the farmers and their families on the tremendous loss and reiterated that Government will provide other forms of assistance, if the farmers need it.
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