Government allocates millions to cater for needs of Moruca residents
-President’s promises fulfilled
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues handing over of the new tractor and trailer to the Regional Executive Officer, Region One(Barima/Waini) Ishwar Dass, while Moruca residents and village councilors looks on.
Georgetown, GINA, June 19, 2005.
President Bharrat Jagdeo has kept his promises to residents of Moruca, Region One, during a visit last month, to provide money and equipment to meet the needs of the community.
During a two-day visit to Moruca on Friday last, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues handed over a new tractor and trailer to the village and $35M to the Regional Democratic Council.
Most of this sum will be spent on the improvement of educational facilities at various schools in the region.
According to Minister Rodrigues, $11M would be used, in addition to the $6.5M allocated in the budget, to construct the Santa Rosa Secondary School dormitory, while $8.5M will be used for the construction of the Haimarakabra Primary School and $4.5 M to build the Waikrebi Primary School.
In addition, $4.5M will be used for the rebuilding of the Kwebanna Health Centre and $1.5M for the construction of the Haimarakabra Health Hut, while $1M will be used by the Waramuri Village Council to rehabilitate the Para bridge and $5M for works to be carried out on the Kumaka/Kwebanna road.
Village councils of Waramuri, Santa Cruz, Waikarebi, Manawarin, Chinese Landing, Kariako and Kokerite have each been allocated $1M. However, the money would not be released until the various Councils submit their works proposals.
Meanwhile, more funds were made available for further development of the educational sector in Moruca. Minister Rodrigues disclosed that $500 000 have been allocated to each of the following schools: Santa Rosa Nursery, Waramuri Nursery, Karaburi Nursery, Kamwatta Primary, Warapoka Primary, Karaburi Primary, Saint Nicholas Primary, Santa Cruz Primary and Waramuri Primary.
She advised that the schools should revise the list of items requested and identify those that are priority, so that the purchase could be made with the funds allocated. “We are not going to tell you what you may purchase or not. You must decide what is necessary for your schools at this time,” she said.
In addition, Santa Rosa Primary and Secondary Schools have each been allocated $1.5M.
The Minister also held meetings with several community women’s groups, which have each been allocated $250, 000 to cater for the further expansion of their activities. The various groups were asked to identify their priorities.
Meanwhile, each youth club in the sub-region has been each allocated $250, 000 to provide facilities and initiate projects.
The Minister held meetings with the various village councils in the Moruca sub-region and held discussions with community members on the establishment of a Board for a credit programme in the Moruca sub-Region. The Board would include one member each from the churches, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the Regional Administration, the women’s organisation and the business community.
The Board appointed would serve for a period of two years and would be responsible for approving loans and making recommendations for trustworthy borrowers.
The credit scheme would allow residents in the area to access finances at low-interest rates for economic ventures to improve their lives and their communities.
During his visit to Moruca last month, President Jagdeo held meetings with several groups and committees to discuss the needs of the people of that region.
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President to launch massive training project for disadvantaged youths
Georgetown , GINA, June 19, 2005
President Bharrat Jagdeo will tomorrow launch a skills training project targeting thousands of underprivileged early school leavers and other ‘out-of-school’ youths, at Banks DIH Ltd, Thirst Park Plant, at 16:00hrs.
The three-year project is aimed at training youths in a number of trades and skills, at the end of which they will be able to gain employment and to access further technical training.
Building and engineering trades and other industrial crafts and skills will be some of the major areas in which youths will undergo training.
This massive project is in addition to many others initiated by Government to enhance youth development and create employment.
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President’s College to be renamed
Georgetown , GINA June 19, 2005
Government is considering the renaming of President’s College after the late president Linden Forbes Burnham.
The move is aimed at ascribing recognition to the late president who was credited with founding the institution.
The disclosure comes at a time when there is public discussion about the institution.
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CGX- oil drill moves to Hermitage
Georgetown , GINA, June 19, 2005
ON Energy, a subsidiary of CGX Energy is moving its operations to Hermitage, Berbice after concluding drilling at the Yakusari well, one of the four top prospects identified for oil exploration.
Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Robeson Benn said the Yakusari well is being plugged and abandoned after drilling activities reached a total of 2,901 feet. There was a one in seven chance of discovering oil and gas at the Yakusari hole, after seismic and geochemical surveys.
The other sites identified for the exploration programme are Palmyra and Albion in Berbice.
‘Sampling and well-logging tests on the well have not yielded results to warrant any development activities,” Benn said, adding that the site is being ‘made safe and decommissioned’.
The GGMC Commissioner said, “I remain cautiously optimistic about our chances of finding commercial deposits of hydro-carbons on the Coast.”
ON Energy, a subsidiary of CGX Energy plans to invest US$5.2M in the entire operation. It started drilling on Independence Day with the spudding of the first well at Yakusari, Black Bush Polder.
Dr. Edris Dookie, Director of ON Energy had earlier cautioned that this exercise is very high risk and the possibility exists that there may not be significant hydro-carbon deposits.
Meanwhile, several other companies have expressed an interest in exploring other sites in Guyana including SADHNA Petroleum, a Trinidadian company and Ground Star Resources.
Commissioner Benn said today that the GGMC is in the process of concluding discussions with both companies with respect to their permits. SADHNA Petroleum has indicated interest in exploring a site adjacent to ON Energy’s at Yakusari.
Ground Star Resources is interested in a Petroleum Prospecting License for the Takutu Graben in Region 9. The Exploratory License will span four years and the three-phase operation is estimated to cost US$5.4.
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