| Government’s decision contained lepto’ outbreak – PAHO Director
Georgetown , GINA, March 12, 2005.
Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Dr. Mitra Roses Periago has commended Guyana and the Ministry of Health for preventing outbreaks of diseases during and after the flood.
The PAHO Director, who is in Guyana on a short visit, along with Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Director of the PAHO/ WHO Office in Guyana, Dr. Bernadette Theodore Ghandi, hosted a media conference today at the NCN – Television studio.
According to Dr. Roses, the flood was a tremendous disaster and it would have a huge impact on the country’s economy.
“The Government and the Ministry of Health responded quickly to the needs of the people,” Dr. Roses said.
Dr. Roses explained that for every disaster certain diseases are characteristic and in floods, some of the most common are gastrointestinal, hepatitis and leptospirosis. She said in Guyana’s case, the people were put on the correct treatment which was consistent enough to control various diseases.
According to the PAHO Director, the manner in which leptospirosis is transmitted makes it hard to prevent, but the local health system was able to detect early symptoms and treat suspected cases with urgency.
Adding, Minister Ramsammy said the decision of the Health Ministry and the Government was to provide an ‘across the board’ type of prevention. He said it was against this background, that advisories were issued from as early as January 15, urging persons to stay away from the floodwater and to boil water for drinking.
According to the Minister, there was no way to determine which disease would become prevalent. He said the Ministry had to await a strong indication of what it was dealing with before administering treatment including preventative treatment.
According to the Health Minister, there were some 250 cases the GPHC was dealing with as ‘suspected’ leptospirosis cases. He said tests, similar in nature to DNA testing, were being conducted by the Centre for Disease Control to confirm whether these were in fact leptospirosis.
According to the Minister these tests will not only confirm whether the patients were suffering from leptospirosis but also the kind of leptospirosis bacteria. This information will be useful for monitoring and planning in the future.
The Minister used the opportunity to once again thank PAHO for the assistance given during and after the flood.
According to the Minister, PAHO is a partner with the Ministry of Health and if one should look for an example of how PAHO and the Ministry of Health in a country should work, Guyana is a prime example.
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President to announce farmers’ recovery package mid-week - visits East Coast
Georgetown, GINA, March 12, 2005
As Guyana recovers from the disastrous floods, President Bharrat Jagdeo will unveil an assistance package for farmers by midweek.
The President made this announcement at Paradise, on the East Coast Demerara today. Accompanying the President were Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Minister in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Clinton Collymore.
According to President Jagdeo, by Wednesday, the package to help livestock and crop farmers recover from their losses will be in place.
Responding to residents query for assistance, President Jagdeo said “Do not worry, you will get assistance for livestock,” adding that seeds will also be made available to the farmers for replanting.
Government is working on setting aside the money to fund the package he said. Within a month’s time, farmers will have the assistance. After the package is announced, house-to-house assessments will be conducted and the assistance given the assiatnce. President Jagdeo suggested that the assessment will be done publicly and residents agreed. This will ensure transparency, as farmers will be able to verify each other’s losses, thereby hopefully ensuring a fair distribution process. A preliminary assessment was already conducted.
The President said that the livestock to be given to residents through the assistance package will include livestock of an improved breed, that those that perished in the flood. The ministry of Agriculture has begun work on this and is moving to import animals from other countries, including sheep from Barbados.
Meanwhile, one resident told the President of the extreme hardships she face wit her animals, which she rear for a livelihood, since the floods, including diseases. The President in response, promised to have a veterinarian from the Ministry of Fisheries, Other Crops and Livestock, visit her farm and check the animals, as well as others in the community, at a time and date to be decided by residents.
Residents thanked the President for these interventions, especially with the livestock, as there is much livestock rearing done in the community.
Paradise was one of the severely affected areas on the East Coast and most residents were in shelters during the flood, having abandoned their homes and farms.
Reflecting on the actual floods, many of them said they were given no assistance provided by Government, particularly with regard to cleaning agents that were given to the Buxton/Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council for distribution.
“They had people there who would point you out and say you not from here and this is not for you and take it to other villages,” one villager recounted.
The Head of State explained that relief for Paradise was also coordinated through the Wesleyan Church.
Meanwhile, Minister Collymore is expected to revisit the area to meet residents, with a view to further assisting them through the Government’s recovery programme.
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Martyrsville residents urged to form CDC - President assures funds for basic infrastructure
Georgetown, GINA, March 12, 2005
As the recovery efforts intensify to restore the country after the floods, President Bharrat Jagdeo is urging Martyrsville residents to will resuscitate their community group and work on a recovery plan, to which Government will contribute.
The President made this commitment during a visit to the area today. He was accompanied by Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Minister in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Clinton Collymore.
Martyrsville is one of the new Housing Schemes aback of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara. It was significantly flooded and was one of the last communities to be drained.
The Head of State identified that the main access road is in a deplorable state and residents affirmed that when it rains heavily, children are unable to attend school.
They also requested assistance to clean the main drainage canal. They also made representation for an alley (pathway) to be created so that sections of the community would be accessible, as they have to use neighbours’ yards at present.
Residents also told President Jagdeo that they did not receive garbage bags distributed for the extensive after-flood clean-up campaign.
The President undertook to help and noted that assistance will be channeled through a Community Development Committee, when it is resuscitated.
“Revive the CDC. Get a list of names and what is to be done. I will send someone in to work with you and ensure that you get money to improve the area – the drainage, alleyway, and fix the road,” he told residents.
It was subsequently agreed that Minister Collymore would return to the community and meet residents on Wednesday at 16:00 hrs (4pm) at the corners of Third and Fourth Streets Martyrsville, Mon Repos. The Minister will return with garbage bags for distribution. At that meeting, the projects will be further discussed and a date for commencement set.
While in the community, President Jagdeo urged all parents to send their children out to schools, as the schools have now been cleaned and reopened, particularly the Mon Repos Primary School. Residents told the President of some teachers telling parents that the schools are not ready for reopening, causing the children to remain at home, even weeks after the floodwaters have drained.
The President confirmed that headteachers have made similar complaints and called on teachers to desist from such behaviour.
“Please get the children back to school, some teachers are thinking it is a holiday. It is not. The children need to return to classes,” he said.
Another issue raised with the President was the high electricity bills being sent to residents by the Guyana Power and Light Company. He replied that if the power is consumed, persons will have to pay, but if there are errors, then they can seek redress through the Prime Minister’s Office, which has responsibility for the sector.
Residents of Block Eight Mon Repos also asked President Jagdeo to assist in providing electricity to the area. He said it will be done, but not in this phase. He noted that it is not a matter of financial constraints, as Government took a US$25M loan to electrify unserved communities throughout the country, but the programme is being executed in phases.
“Eventually, everybody will get electricity,” he said.
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More housing development -85 more low income houses commissioned
Georgetown, GINA, March 12, 2005.
Government housing drive was given a further boost when eighty five houses have been completed and are ready for occupancy in Block 8, Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, Region Three.
Minister of Housing and Water, Shaik Baksh who declared the houses opened today said that Government “would continue to provide development in the housing drive.” The Minister pointed out that there are various plans and programmes on stream to improve all housing areas throughout the country.
According to Minister Baksh, “squatters settlement will be regularized,” adding that “this is a gigantic task but it is progressing continuously.”
The houses were constructed by a private sector agency, Ramesh Chandnie Samlall (RCS).
Minister Baksh in addressing the large gathering said this action is an indication of Government’s success in the housing sector.
The Minister said he “is proud that the partnership between the Government and private developer is moving forward.”
He said that “there would be programmes to ensure that all housing areas throughout the country benefit from improved quality of electricity, water supply and improve drainage systems.”
The Minister congratulated RCS construction company for their cooperation and joint effort in the housing drive in Guyana, adding that the partnership in development could push the development process.
Meanwhile, proprietor of RCS Enterprise, Parmanand Samlall said his “company is committed to making people feel comfortable.” He noted that his “company is pledging to build houses of the best standards and this trend will continue.”
Mr. Samlall also assured occupants that his “company stands committed to provide any assistance to persons who have entered the houses and encounter any problems.”
Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), Ms. Myrna Pitt said “an initial twenty house lots were allotted to RCS to construct houses.”
However , “in a six month period, the company successfully completed the projected., prompting the Ministry of Housing to allot an additional twenty lots for the construction of low income houses.” This phase was highly successful.
One hundred lots were warded to RCS to be completed in a one-year period. Eighty five of those houses are completed.
RCS was awarded over one hundred house lots to construct a number of low income houses. To date, RCS has constructed over one hundred low income houses.
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