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Gov’t launches another project to improve security
-Close Circuit Television Cameras countrywide soon

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

The administration has taken another step to implement strident measures to tackle crime with the implementation of Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) will be implemented shortly across the country in selected areas.
            Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon today made this announcement during his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at the Office of the President.
            “Close Circuit Television 24 hours a day, seven days a week, can do for us what it has been doing for the rest of the world for security purposes. The bombing in the subways in London, CCTV made an important contribution to the solution. Who did it, when and how it was done, and the security sector has not lost sight of that,” Dr. Luncheon said.
            The Cabinet Secretary said government has offered duty-free concessions to the private sector for the cameras and noted that the administration will play a vital role in ensuring that they are implemented in public areas.
The HPS said the effort will be collaborative in that the private sector will focus on business places, individuals, in their own homes and the government more on public security building, shows, football games and the Main Street Lime.
“The possibilities are untold. I think that it’s a well considered step that the security sector has contemplated and moving aggressively to implement,” Dr. Luncheon said.
In response to a question as to whether the cameras will be installed mostly in government places Dr. Luncheon said that they are mainly for the protection of the public.
 “I would hesitate to recognize that CCTV at government departments is indeed what is the ideal we are looking for. Here we are speaking about CCTV monitoring the roadways and events…where 24 hours a day one can view what is happening in areas of high crime density and in areas where there might be economic targets. So it not to put in place a robust protection of government facilities. This is not the intention; it’s public protection,” Dr. Luncheon emphasized.
The administration has been placing major emphasis on security which is evident with the large amount of money being allocated to the sector and the improved performances of the law enforcement agencies. Last year $9.3B was allocated for the security and defence sector.
The administration, along with international donor agencies, is working on several other major security programmes which will further improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies.
Some of the programmes include: the implementation of several aspects of the National Drug Strategy Master Plan (NDSMP), Citizens’ Security Programme, the Crime Stoppers Programme and the four-year Security Action Plan between the United Kingdom and Guyana.
These projects will in the long-term significantly enhance security.

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Kuru Kuru students benefit from workshops on Non-Violent Communication

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

The Kuru Kuru Training Centre on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway has been one of the leading institutions under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport which provides training opportunities for youths desirous of a second chance to acquire education.
The Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (YEST) programme offered at the institution has been a major benefit to students from across the country who undergo the ten-month residential programme.
Recognising that the students are from all walks of life, priority has been given to educational programmes that promote and improve social cohesion.
Each year new batches of students benefit from workshops focusing on Non-Violent Communication (NVC) facilitated by Consultant Desrey Howells, a United Kingdom (UK) based Guyanese.
Howells has been conducting NVC workshops at the Kuru Kuru Centre for some time and also extends her services to the students of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) at Onderneeming on the Essequibo coast.
A three-day workshop was recently held for the present batch of 170 students, the dorm supervisors and ancillary staff.
In 2005 an HIV/AIDS peer counselling programme started through collaboration with the Ministry of Health which sought to help students become advocates for HIV/AIDS prevention by influencing their behaviour patterns and enhancing their knowledge.
The programme is an ongoing feature of the institution which will now include a component on substance abuse.
The programme will educate youths about the negative consequences of substance abuse and the stiff legal penalties which can be faced for illegal drugs.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony who disclosed the Ministry’s intention to include substance abuse training said it will help the students to learn about the negative impact of substances such as cigarettes and alcohol on the human body.
The YEST programme commences in September each year with students aged 16 to 25 undertaking training in business study, carpentry, electrical installation, joinery, masonry, motor mechanics, plumbing, welding and fabrication.
Over 140 students completed the 2006-2007 YEST programme, equipped to confidently venture into the world of work. Encouraging reports have been received about students, particularly from the hinterland who completed the programme and are now ambassadors for their community.

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Diamond Secondary School - another commitment to Universal Secondary Education

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

Government’s commitment to Universal Secondary Education in Guyana will be taken a step further with the commissioning of the state-of-the-art secondary school at Diamond, East Bank Demerara shortly.
            Diamond is one of the largest housing schemes in the country and has been rapidly evolving.
The new $368.8M school which occupies 3.9 acres of land comprises a laboratory, library, clothing and textiles, home management, visual arts, food and nutrition, woodwork and technical drawing departments.
An entrance examination was held in December at the National Centre for Education Resource and Development (NCERD) for Grades seven and eight students to be admitted to the school when it opens. These are students who obtained 475 marks and above at the 2007 Grade Six examinations and the 2006 Secondary School Entrance Examinations.
            The new school which is built to accommodate a student population of 1000 is regarded with great optimism by residents of the Diamond community which houses more than 5,000 families. However, the impact of the institution will go beyond its own borders.

            The school is expected to serve neighbouring communities such as Kaneville which is rapidly developing. About $250M has been spent to develop roads and drainage in Kaneville.
The Diamond Secondary School under the Basic Education Access Management Support (BEAMS) programme is one of the many basic social services which government has made available for Diamond. The new East Bank Demerara Regional Hospital is another such example.
            The Diamond Secondary School is inclusive of many investment projects which Government has made in the two communities. This amounts to some $2B.
Under the BEAMS programme, schools at Bladen Hall, Lodge, Charlestown, the North Ruimveldt and Tutorial High schools were built and rehabilitated in 2006. Projects under BEAMS also include secondary schools at Bartica, and Aurora.
            The Wisburg Secondary School and the Linden Foundation, in Linden both constructed under the United Kingdom funded Department for International Development (DFID) Guyana Education Access Programme (GEAP) is also the realization of Government’s vision for Universal Secondary Education.

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Cabinet gives ‘green light’ to contracts for social, security sectors

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

Cabinet at its January 10 meeting gave the ‘green light’ for contracts for works to be undertaken in the Finance and Works sectors.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon today at his post-Cabinet media briefing revealed the contracts agreed to by Cabinet.

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12 new schools completed in 2007
-new health centres also built

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, as part of its capital works programme last year, built 12 new schools at a cost of $132M and completed the extension and rehabilitation of 11 others at a cost of $297M.
            Additionally four new health centres were constructed, laboratories rehabilitated and several quarters for doctors and nurses were refurbished.
            Through the improvement of the infrastructure, Government hopes to enhance children’s knowledge and elevate the level of delivery of health care services.
            Over $500M was expended by the Ministry to construct several new roads and to carry out repairs to roads in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine to improve access to remote communities.
            Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Kellawan Lall said, though these projects are not ‘eye catching’ they affect the lives of several thousands of Guyanese daily. The schools will see more of the nation’s children accessing a higher level of education since accommodation is provided for trained teachers nearby.
            These projects were undertaken in collaboration with the Ministries of Health, Amerindian Affairs, Education and Finance. It is part of Government’s drive to improve the social services offered to persons living in remote communities. 

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President announces grant, 50 new computers to train farmers on IT
-during launch of Farmers’ Magazine

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

Addressing a large number of farmers at the Buddy’s International Hotel, East Bank Demerara today during the re-launch of the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association’s (GRPA’s) Magazine “The Farmer”, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that he will be providing 50 computers and a grant for the GRPA to put in place a programme to allow for farmers to become acquainted with information technology and the use of the internet.
            Commending the GRPA for the re-launching of the magazine, the President explained that it is a significant achievement for the GRPA, noting that it will provide vital information for farmers so that they can better their farming practices and their livelihood.
            The President urged that a programme be established for farmers to learn the use of the modern device-the computer-to equip them with the knowledge on how to increase their production and to be aware of what is happening in markets around the world. He also suggested that the computer be used for online editions of the magazine.
            “We want to ensure that every farmer knows how to use the computer,” President Jagdeo said, adding that it is necessary for farmers to also diversify their crops and Government will provide assistance in this regard.
            “This is a big programme we’re working on-the diversification programme-with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO),” the Head of State explained.
            President Jagdeo told the farmers that agriculture is a big issue in the Region and recalled that at last month’s 12th Special Meeting of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government, the Heads have elevated the Jagdeo Initiative on Agriculture on their agenda.
            He said he recognised that the support by Government towards the agriculture sector is not the same in several other countries in the Region like it is in Guyana and that much focus was not placed on regional food security and growing food security bills.     This is why he requested that he be responsible for the agriculture sector in the Region. 
            “Today, I am pleased to say that the Region has accepted our plan. We have succeeded in doing that. We have to be optimistic. We have to work with the markets we have,” he told the farmers.
            The President however stressed that several markets are hugely subsidized.  
            “We have to over the next few years dismantle these subsidies,” he contended. 
            The President pointed to the greatest challenge facing the sector which is Climate Change and noted that the farmers need to take this challenge into consideration, noting that many have already seen the patterns and the problem causes much worry for the policy-makers.
            “I am sure they are magnified at your level,” the Head of State said, as he explained that large developed countries have been emitting a lot of green house gases and countries like Guyana feel the brunt of the effects.
            President Jagdeo said if the agricultural sector is to be a viable one in the future or in the next 50 years, farmers need to be aware of the problems and measures need to be taken to address these.
            On this note, he cited the need for farmers to be educated on worldwide market operations, thus, the need for Information Technology familiarization.
            The President disclosed that in a few days, it is expected that the monopoly held in the sector by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company should be broken.
            The Farmers’ Magazine was launched by the GRPA some years before but its production was not sustained. It includes stories on farming activities and farmers, Government’s input in agriculture and additional activities in the sector. 

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Local Government Ministry faces difficulties from postponed elections

Georgetown GINA, January 10, 2008

The postponement of Local Government elections is creating difficulties for the smooth functioning of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Minister Kellawan Lall revealed at a press conference hosted at the Ministry yesterday.
            Minister Lall said that many of the elected officials on the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and 6 Municipalities are no longer there; some have left the job, migrated or died.
            This resulted in the Ministry intervening in some NDCs by replacing nine Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and one Municipality with Interim Management Committees.
Other bodies have been functioning relatively well but they all face problems with resources. The Minister lamented that only half of the persons who are required to pay taxes to Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and Municipalities are fulfilling their obligations. This resulted in these bodies not being able to provide the quality of service they should.
Citizens however, were demanding more services and better facilities from the Councils. The Ministry this year will be meeting with the Chairmen of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils to examine other mechanisms that could be adopted to encourage more persons to pay their taxes.
Lall said that 70 percent of the money collected by NDCs are expended on administrative costs to manage the Councils.
With the enactment of the new ‘Pounds Act’ several NDCs will benefit from additional revenue since new Pounds will be built in different localities.
Each NDC receives a subvention of $ 3M annually from Government while Municipalities are given $5M. Georgetown receives an annual subvention of $20M.    

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Government remains unshaken on its death penalty position
-Dr. Luncheon

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon said the administration’s position on capital punishment is no secret and noted that many calls will come and go for countries like Guyana to abolish death penalty.
            “This administration is not seized with any imperatives to pursue a national discourse about the preservation of capital punishment on the books. The position of this administration is well known.”
He said, “I want to believe that those calls for abandonment of it would continue to be made as often as countries and States that are committed to capital punishment continue to enforce it. It’s the kind of world we live in…some States would hang and some would not hang...We don’t live in a world that is free of crime.”
Recently, Death Watch International, a United Kingdom based group called for Guyana to abolish the capital punishment legislation.
In December 2007, the recently reconstituted Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy held its first meeting which has set the stage for the council to resume examining issues surrounding prisoners who are still on death row.
Under the Constitution of Guyana the body is required to get a written report from the trial judge of the case of a person who filed for an appeal, together with any other information derived from the record of the case or elsewhere as may be required to be taken into consideration at a meeting of the council.
After obtaining the advice of the council, a designated Minister expresses his independent deliberate opinion to the President as to whether he should exercise any of his power in relation to the appellant.
Under Article 188 (A) of the Constitution the President may grant to any person concerned in or convicted of any offence under the laws of Guyana, a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions.
The President can also under Section 188 (B) of the Constitution grant any person a respite, either indefinite, or for a specified period, of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence.
There are approximately 31 inmates at the Camp Street prison on death row. However, no executions have taken place since 1997.
            Inmates on death row are housed separately and are isolated from the general prison population under the strictest security system at the institution.

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Gov’t working to finalise second Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
-March 2008 proposed timing for review of final document

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

Government after considering the status report from the Secretariat responsible for the Poverty Reduction second Strategy Paper has agreed for works to begin to allow for the 2008-2012 paper to be finalised.
            Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon today made this disclosure and noted that public consultations on the paper will commence on January 17.
            “The final round of consultations is to further address issues related to implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper number two and subsequent developments. Cabinet has been intimately involved in the ongoing community outreaches and has noted that output.”
            He said, “Cabinet had earlier endorsed the plan to conclude the poverty reduction strategy paper number two preparation by having a national encounter by the end of March 2008 for the review of the final document.”
The timeframe proposed would not extend beyond January 2008 during which consultations in the ten administrative Regions would be undertaken, with Cabinet Ministerial participation.
            In December 2000, government’s Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP) was accepted by the Boards of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a comprehensive public participation process to finalise the PRSP was then conducted until October 2001.
The process was based on a plan which focused on facto-face consultations and which was developed and adopted by large sections of civil society and the donor community.
The consultations were very successful with active participation by a large cross-section of the population.
Dr. Luncheon said Cabinet has noted the feedback from the 82 community outreaches or pre-consultations conducted by the Regional PRSP Committees in 2007 and noted that specific areas will take centre stage during the upcoming consultations.
“Consultation on specific thematic areas would also be held addressing areas such as education, rural development, gender, governance, security, social protection and health,” Dr. Luncheon said.
Many of the issues and recommendations from the public consultations held in 2001 have been incorporated into the PRSP. In addition, through prioritization of recommendations, the consultations have assisted in the sequencing of programmes and reallocation of resources.
Consultation Schedule, Regional Consultations

Consultation Schedule, Thematic Consultations

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Health Ministry intensifying mental health programme

Government, GINA, January 10, 2008

Mental health has been identified as one of the five leading causes of morbidity globally and the Ministry of Health in 2008 will be intensifying its mental health programme with training playing an integral part in addressing mental health issues.
            A major partner, the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) today presented to Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy a projector, camera and computer to be used in the training aspect of the programme.
            “It was recognised that one effective way of combating many mental health issues is through proper education. We have already incorporated into the Medex programme a module for training in mental health and provisions are underway for other health-care personnel to be trained,” Minister Ramsammy said.  
            He pointed out that the Ministry will in 2008 be diversifying its efforts to all the regions so that medical personnel will be able to address the issues of mental health and its effects and identifying depression which is one of the major causes of many mental health disorders and complications. It is also one of the leading causes of suicide especially in the Caribbean.
            “One of the disorders that we have neglected is depression. It would mean healthier lives for many people if our health-care workers are able to determine and diagnose cases of depression. We have treatment available and many people would be able to get help it they are diagnosed,’ the Minister added.
            The Ministry has been partnering with several agencies to address the issue of suicide in Guyana. This includes the establishment of a National Suicide Committee which was launched in 2007.    
             Additionally, rehabilitation programmes are being implemented throughout the country. A Substance Use Dependency programme has already been implemented at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). 
            According to the Health Minister, intensifying training and the implementation of support programmes have marked two significant pillars towards the delivery of better mental-health services.          
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Child Protection programme to get more assistance
 -President allocates additional $14M to Human Services Ministry

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

President Bharrat Jagdeo today allocated $14M to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to expand its facility which provides shelter, meals and other amenities for 38 children currently being protected by the Ministry. 
            The President said the allocation will be made available immediately to the Ministry and will go towards expanding several sections of the facility including its   dining area.
            Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand stated that the Child Protection exercise commenced in March, 2007. She explained that several of the children have since been re-integrated into their families while others have been attending school.    
            President Jagdeo also promised that he would be making available computers for the children to occupy their time.            
            Meanwhile, as it relates to juveniles who have committed crimes, the President proceeded to the Sophia Skills Training Centre where he inspected several areas within the compound of the centre and requested that a plan and design for the construction of a building that would serve as a holding centre for juveniles passing through the Court system and who should not be placed in prison facilities, be submitted. 
            The President instructed that the design be submitted before the 2008 Budget is announced so that the project could be included. He was accompanied by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand, Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony.      
            The Ministries of Human Services and Social Security, Culture, Youth and Sport and Home Affairs are collaborating on this project to construct the new facility since it has been recognised that the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) at Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast which houses such juveniles is overcrowded.  
            While in the compound, President Jagdeo inspected the various areas of the Skills Training Centre where youths were involved in catering and other classes.
             
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Major improvement for City’s water, sewerage system

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

The Ministry of Housing and Water along with the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is taking a proactive approach towards enhancing the water distribution and sewerage system during this year.
            Under the Georgetown Water Supply rehabilitation programme funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Government benefited from a debt write-off of US$356.4 M.
            Minister of Housing and Water Harry Narine Nawbatt said recently Parliament approved a supplementary provision of $1.353B of which $600M has been earmarked for the improvement of the water supply system in Central Georgetown which aims at repairing leakages and maintenance requirements.
            The balance of $735M has been identified for the sewerage rehabilitation programme.
The Government and the IDB have agreed to the cancellation of the total amount for eight different operations. This included cancellation of US$ 11.949M from the Georgetown Water Supply and Sewerage Programme ll. As a result of this action, the Government and the Bank agreed to reconstruct the project.
             The revised Programme ll will now cost $17.76M of which $14.76M will be contributed by the IDB and $3.0 M by the Government of Guyana.
            Minister Nawbatt said after Severn Trent’s contract was terminated DFID conducted an audit and the investigation proved that there were some difficulties with funding and as a result it had been halted.
            At present discussions are ongoing and it is expected that before the end of January provision of funding from DFID would restart.
            GWI has also been working on addressing 42 tasks that were identified after an audit report was done.
            So far, over 80 percent of those areas have been completed and the others will be completed during 2008, Minister Nawbatt informed.

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Several TIP consultations held during 2007

Georgetown, GINA, January 10, 2008

The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security held several seminars during last year to heighten the public’s awareness of the issue and ways of recognizing and preventing it.
During the Ministry’s consultations on the sexual violence Paper “Stamp it out”, Javed Shaddick, Technical Officer of the TIP department held several sessions with residents to increase their awareness on the prevalence of TIP.  The sessions were held mostly in hinterland Regions since it is recognized to be most dominant among Amerindians
             He said that he is happy that the consultations were well done and many persons turned-out to the sessions.
            “During that period of time, more people were made aware of the issue and hopefully it will ease the amount of exploitation in the country,” Shaddick said.
            Shaddick explained that Amerindian girls are brought to work on the coast and are usually promised a certain wage or salary, but are short changed while some are forced into prostitution. 
It was noted that during the year, apart from the consultations more emphasis were placed on training personnel in the various Regions to recognize  cases of TIP.

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