Radiotherapy cancer treatment by year-end
- Ramsammy
Georgetown, GINA, October 16, 2005
Guyanese living with cancer will soon benefit from radiotherapy treatment. This assurance was given by Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.
According to Minister Ramsammy, the Ministry of Health has signed an agreement with Global Imaging Services of Chicago to provide a comprehensive radiotherapy programme to Guyanese.
"Equipment, including a linear accelerator, has been purchased and we expect to provide services before the end of the year.
"As we observe cancer awareness 2005, there is much that we can do to prevent cancer. The Government will increase activities in this respect, but success will depend on all of us developing healthier lifestyles," he said.
The Minister also pointed out that the Government of Guyana is working very hard to improve the treatment and care services for persons living with cancer.
"We must recognise that radiotherapy is not the only treatment available, it is only one part of the treatment. While we have made little progress in this area, we have advanced in other areas," he added.
Dr. Ramsammy also stated that by the end of 2005 Guyana will add radiotherapy to the overall treatment programme.
In Guyana, breast, cervical and colorectal cancers are leading cancers among women, and prostate, lung and stomach cancers are the main types among men.
The Minister noted that more than 20% of cancers worldwide are due to chronic infection, mainly from hepatitis viruses (liver cancer), papillomaviruses (cervical cancer), and helicobacter pylori (stomach cancer).
Dr. Ramsammy also said that cancers like these allow for early screening and intervention to avoid development.
"Guyana is preparing to introduce public health screening programmes to test vulnerable populations for these chronic forms of infections," he said.
Diet and lifestyle are also important areas for intervention and in this regard, Guyana's health promotion strategy will introduce various programmes to encourage people to eat healthier food and to exercise to reduce overweight and obesity which are associated with increased colon, breast, throat and kidney cancers.
The Minister further stated that efforts are being made to make people more aware of the dangers of alcohol in regards to cancer risk.
Alcohol consumption is also associated with increased risk for oral cavity cancer, throat, liver and breast cancer, while high salt consumption is associated with stomach cancer.
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ACP/EU Parliamentary team pays courtesy call on President Jagdeo
GINA, Georgetown, October 16, 2005
President Bharrat Jagdeo was today paid a courtesy call by the joint Parliamentary African, Caribbean and Pacific and European Union (ACP/EU) delegation in Guyana on a sugar fact-finding mission.
Accompanying the ACP/EU team was Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation and the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Ministerial Spokesperson on Sugar, Clement Rohee.
Leading the team, which met the President at State House, was Co-President of the EU Parliaments delegation for relations with ACP states, Glenys Kinnock and Sharon Hay Webster.
Kinnock is a member of the Committee on Development and Cooperation, which is the Parliament’s Committee on international development and relations with the Third World.
The team yesterday visited the Albion Sugar Estate, Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) where they were given a holistic picture of what sugar means to the country’s economy and social fabric.
President Jagdeo has been very instrumental in the fight against the European Commission’s (EC) proposed 39 percent cut in preferentially traded sugar.
When the proposal was made public on June 22 last, the Head of State empathically stated that his Government will not give up on the sugar industry and courageous action must be taken to safeguard the industry.
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Kinnock- “I have always agreed with the ACP’s position”
- The cuts are too big and the time scale too short
GINA, Georgetown, October 16, 2005
The European Commission’s (EC) proposal, to reduce subsidies it pays sugar producers by 39% under the Sugar Protocol (SP) as a reformation mechanism, from the inception of its revelation, has been deemed by Guyana as potentially catastrophic.
“I have always agreed with the ACP position. I have always said the cuts are too big and the time-scale too short. You cannot maintain the level of support for your workers that you need,” said Co-President of the EU Parliaments delegation for relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP/EU), Glenys Kinnock
Kinnock is a member of the Committee on Development and Cooperation, which is the Parliament’s committee on international development and relations with the Third World.
Pointing out the contradiction Kinnock asked,” If there is no future for sugar, why is it that Brazil, Thailand and Australia are investing in sugar?
Brazil, Thailand and Australia, which brought the case against EU subsidisation of sugar to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), they deemed the heavy subsidies for sugar as unfair and a depressant of the commodity’s world price.
Leading Guyana’s diversification thrust of the traditional sugar industry is the US$164M Skeldon Modernisation Project. Commenting on the efforts whilst on a field visit to the Albion Sugar Estate Region six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) yesterday, where the modernisation project is taking root, Kinnock said Guyana’s commitment to making the sugar industry sustainable is evident
“I can see how much constructive activity you are engaged in and it is not right for people in Europe to say that in some countries there is not enough being done to deal with the future,” Kinnock said.
Describing herself a ‘friend of the Caribbean’ Kinnock said her advocacy for Guyana’s cause in Europe will be stronger because of her first-hand experience of how the price cuts would severely affect the livelihood of thousands directly and indirectly linked to the industry.
She recognized that the proposed 39% price cut will affect more than those directly linked to the industry.
“ All of your messages will be taken back with us. It makes us much better at fighting in your corner…I promise you I won’t forget I will take the memories and the words of the people back to Europe as ammunition on your behalf,” Kinnock said emotionally.
Trade rather than aid has always been described as the best ladder out of poverty and if the price cut goes through Guyana’s developmental agenda will be severely obstructed.
The EU Parliamentary Co- President said, “ You don’t want to be sitting around waiting for handouts from Europe. What you want is the dignity that jobs give you in an industry that you are familiar with.”
President Bharrat Jagdeo has reiterated time and again that Guyana is not against the reformation of the sugar regime but the cuts are too deep and the time frame too short.
He said what Guyana needs is time to follow through successfully with its modernisation of the industry and diversification in other areas such as co-generation.
Lobbying efforts have managed to mitigate the price cuts but once again it augurs well only for the local industries of Europe, with the agriculture committee of the EU Parliamentary report now suggesting a 25 percent cut.
She said this has made many of the sugar producers in Europe happy, “the reality is that they are going to get compensation up to the level of 60% and support for their refineries, currently you have nothing at all. We have to find some way of ensuring that similar compensation are available to you.”
Kinnock commenting on the upcoming WTO meeting in Hong Kong said, “ I think that sugar is what cotton was in Cancun in the WTO, a litmus test about how serious we are as Europeans about our commitment to development.”
Speaking optimistically abut the ACP chances in Hong Kong Kinnock said, “ I think the ACP has a very powerful voice and if you go to Hong Kong prepared to fight, which I have no doubt you will, then you can see quick changes. Sugar will not be on the agenda until next January. There is still time to fight against, in my view a fundamental injustice.”
“There is no good in us talking in noble terms about making poverty history if simultaneously we’re talking about devastating thousands of livelihoods in countries which have a dependence on commodities which we ( Europe) are responsible for making you dependent on,” Kinnock concluded.
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Unusually high tide breaches sea defence at Leonora
Georgetown , GINA, October 16, 2005
Unusually high tide in the Atlantic Ocean, according to an official and fishermen in the area, today resulted in a sea defence breach at Sea Spray, Leonora West Coast Demerara.
Chief Sea and River Defence Officer in the Ministry of Public Works and Communications, George Howard, disclosed that Senior Superintendent of Works in the Sea and River Defense Division of the Ministry, Doodnauth Lochan, was immediately dispatched to the site to assess the situation. Lochan is responsible for sea and river operations on the West Coast Demerara.
Howard said that the failure of the four sections of the ‘wave wall’ resulted in an almost 300 metres or 100 feet breach.
“The tide was definitely higher than predicted. It is now the October Spring tide, and the water level was very high. It even resulted in water coming over the sea-wall between the Russian Embassy and Ocean View Hotel,” he pointed out.
Howard noted that there is supposed to be another high tide tomorrow and another, even higher, on Tuesday. This, he said, needs to be taken into consideration during the assessment.
Flooding has occurred as a result of the breach and Howard remarked that the sea defence officials are looking to ensure that drainage and irrigation in the area is adequate and materials required to commence emergency works as soon as the tide recedes, are on site.
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