Early warning system to prevent incursions
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008
Foreign Affairs Minister Rudy Insanally said that Guyana and Venezuela are working to establish an early warning system to prevent an incursion similar to that which happened in November last year.
Guyana had made a formal protest to the Venezuelan Government, the incursion when a detachment of Venezuelan soldiers destroyed two pontoons in Guyana close to the Venezuelan border on November 15, 2007. Venezuela had issued as apology to Guyana and is now working to ensure that there is no recurrence of an intrusion.
With regards to the claim for damages by the owners of the pontoons Insanally said that he was unaware if any claim was made. None was made through his Ministry, he said. If and when a notification for a claim is received by his Ministry the Attorney General would be contacted to advice on how to proceed.
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Muslim fraternity holds prayer service for families of Lusignan victims
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008
Yesterday, the Al Faisal Fraternity (FAA) hosted a programme in honour of the families of the Lusignan victims at the Betterhope/Vryheids Lust Jamat on the East Coast of Demerara. In attendance were relatives of all five families, prominent Guyanese, and members of the community. 
Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission, Bishop Juan Edghill addresses the gathering at a prayer service in remembrance of the slain Lusignan victims.
In wake of the recent tragedy this was another forum where calls for peace and unity rang out. Canadian based Sheik Faisal Abdul Razack of the Canadian Islamic Forum said, “Muslims of Guyana must have peace, security, and harmony.” He noted that these issues are always important when a country is faced with a tragedy.  Sheik Faisal Abdul Razack of the Canadian Islamic Forum addresses the gathering at the Betterhope/Vryheids Lust Jamat.
There was also the call for togetherness during this time of grief.
Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission, Bishop Juan Edghill said, “We may have theological differences, difference of views, but we are one human family, and when the human family is affected we are all affected.” This is important in order for the country to move forward, he said.
“L-11 must be a lesson for Guyana. Guyanese must stop ignoring one another and start taking time to understand one another,” he said. 
Persons gathered at the Betterhope/Vryheids Lust Jamat.
Other speakers at the service included Neaz Subhan, Director of the Government Information Agency, and Roshan Khan of RK’s Security Services.
The Lusignan shooting incident by criminal elements left 11 persons dead including five children.
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Civil Aviation Legal Enforcement Course Concludes
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008
Today, the four-day Transport Canada Civil Aviation Legal Enforcement Course sponsored by the Regional Aviation Safety Oversight System (RASOS) concluded at the Grand Coastal Inn, East Coast Demerara.
The course provided training for the Inspectors and other authorized persons within the Civil Aviation Authority to allow them to investigate breaches and enforce sanctions on offenders where the safety of civil aviation activities are jeopardized or where civil aviation activities are conducted in such a way that they jeopardize or interfere with the smooth flow of other activities or areas such as the environment, individuals health or well being or the economy.
Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn addresses persons at the closing ceremony of the Civil Aviation Legal Enforcement Course.
Some of the Canadian trainers included Captain Gregory Fox, Superintendent J.R Pollock, Acting Regional Manager Patrick Carriere, and Civil Aviation Safety Inspector J.D Gaudry.
Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn had stated that the Civil Aviation Industry in Guyana is faced with many challenges such as weather, pilot training, and maintenance.
“The reason we are having this type of course is because we have acknowledged that the oversight system is weak, enforcement is weak, and the laws and the regulations have to be upgraded in pretty sharp order.”
However, the Minister acknowledged that although faced with many difficulties, “The industry has built up itself substantially on its own efforts and it has a system that works fairly well with interest in making sure there is safety and sustainability.”
Participants of the Civil Aviation Legal Enforcement Course
The training received from this course will help aviation officials to be better able to regulate and monitor civil aviation practices in Guyana.
At the opening ceremony on Tuesday, Minister Benn noted that, “Government is committed to the development of Civil Aviation in Guyana; we will support the enforcement activities of the Authority because we recognize that the industry even as it grows, must do so in an orderly manner.”
Today he reiterated Government’s commitment to the improvement of the civil aviation industry in Guyana.
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Considerable efforts made to cushion impact of world market price for oil- Finance Minister
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008
Consumers in Guyana only faced a six-percent increase in the price for oil at domestic pumps as the administration took remarkable efforts to cushion the effect of the rising world market prices for the commodity on consumers.
This was related to Members of Parliament yesterday by Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh after Alliance for Change (AFC) Member Sheila Holder questioned him on government’s efforts to put measures in place to ease the effect on consumers.
Minister Singh said the measures put in place by government was needed to ease the impact on domestic consumers.
“Over the period from January 2007 to February 2008 the FOB price we were paying for imported gasoline increased by 66.8 percent. The consumers in Guyana only faced a six percent increase in the price at the domestic pump. This dramatic cushioning effect was made possible by government’s lowering of the excise tax rate on gasoline,” Minister Singh said.
In January 2007 government imported gasoline at US $68.83 per barrel and by November 2007 importation was US $100.01 representing an increase of 73.3 percent relative to January 2007.
“Over the period from January 2007 to February 2008 the price at the pump in Guyana at the petrol stations for gasoline moved form $755 to $800 per gallon, an increase of six percent,” Minister Singh pointed-out.
Guyana, like many other countries, has in recent times been experiencing an increase in prices for some commodities locally which is largely due to price increases on the world market.
The is a global phenomenon as countries are being affected and Governments are working to find ways of ensuring that consumers do not feel the full brunt of the price increases.
“Over the course of last year, we have progressively reduced the rate of tax applied to gasoline and diesel so much so that the standard rate of 50 percent on both products currently stands at 17 percent in the case of gasoline and 10 percent in the case of diesel,” Minister Singh said.
The Government, in the face of these global pressures and development, continues to be proactive in exploring ways of mitigating the impact of these changes on domestic consumers. This is reflected in the opening of the market to the importation of flour and chicken to force prices down.
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Gov’t will ensure affected farmers receive compensation in a timely manner-Agri Minister assures National Assembly
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008
Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud during the February 14 sitting of the National Assembly gave assurances that efforts are being made to ensure farmers of Buxton/ Friendship receive their compensation as soon as possible.
The Minister who was responding to a question posed by the Leader of the People’s National Congress\Reform(PNC/R) Robert Corbin said while this is the intention of government it will have to be done through the procedures put in place.
Corbin requested clarification from the Minister about the process to pay planters, whose cash crops were destroyed when the Joint Services moved to clear the backlands of dense vegetation on the lower East Coast of Demerara which includes Friendship/Buxton.
Minister Persaud said he had urged the claimants to fill out the relevant forms as soon as possible, so that their claims could be verified by the Joint Services which will be followed by the relevant payments being made.
The Minister was also asked to provide information on the level of compensation that would be granted for vegetation with long life such as coconut and mango trees.
“The mechanism that we are using to facilitate such compensation has been tried and tested …It was used in the building of the Berbice River Bridge approach road and the Essequibo Coast highway…There is a schedule of all the cultivated crops and this would be passed to a farmers’ committee first,” Minister Persaud asserted.
The Joint Services is engaged in clearing the backlands of lower East Coast Demerara communities of dense vegetation, which may provide hideouts and possible escape routes for criminals. This was done after calls by many for such action.
A desk has been set up at the Vigilance Police Station for those whose crops will be damaged or have been affected to initiate the process for compensation.
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Bahamian Opposition Leader pays courtesy call on President Jagdeo
-impressed with President’s enthusiasm about Guyana’s economic future
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008
Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister of the Bahamas Honourable Perry Galdstone Christie today paid a courtesy call on President Bharrat Jagdeo at the Office of the President.
The Opposition Leader after holding talks with the President said he was impressed with His Excellency’s eagerness to build more on Guyana’s economic position, despite the challenges faced by the Region.
 His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo meets with the Honourable Perry Gladstone Christie, Opposition Leader and Former Prime Minister of the Bahamas
“We spoke about the challenges here in this country … Given the challenges Guyana has been able to produce well-trained persons around the world,” Mr. Christie said.
They also spoke about the President’s upcoming attendance at the CARICOM Meetings that will be held next month in the Bahamas which will provide another opportunity to have further discussions.
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Army to receive $1B to up air patrols –President Jagdeo
-gov’t ready to receive suggestions from political parties on security
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will receive $1B this year to purchase helicopters to improve its air patrols which will aid in the fight against transnational crime and serve as a deterrent to the establishment of illegal airstrips.
President Bharrat Jagdeo who made the announcement today said the funds will be facilitated through the 2008 National Budget which will be presented on February 18 in the National Assembly.
The Head of State said while government is committed to fighting crime and pouring the necessary resources into the security forces, Guyanese must understand that sacrifices will have to be made to assist in this regard.
“This year we just put in the budget close to $1B to buy a few helicopters with spotlight and a whole range of equipment, but the money is limited too. … I can understand sometimes the frustration but, people have to make sacrifices if they want security they cannot say to me they want 50 roads and then spend money on helicopters too,” the Head of State asserted.
Government had explained that the National Budget will reflect provisions for other areas which the United Kingdom/Government of Guyana security action plan and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Citizens’ Security programmes would not cover.
This will be facilitated through the Guyana Police Force’s capital projects budget and some of the provisions are expected to take care of the marine wing of the force to tackle piracy. More high powered weapons will also be purchased.
The security and defence sector received a record high budgetary allocation of $9.3B in last year’s budget.
Meanwhile, the President in response to calls by opposition political parties for government to present a comprehensive security plan has made it clear that his government is open to suggestions for the current plan.
“We are open to any new suggestions that are not part of the security plan. We are not getting the suggestions, what we are getting from the opposition is a new security plan. There is one that they have seen and it has several points, so we are prepared to add new things.”
He said, “It’s not the new plan on paper we need. We need the physical people, more people in the security forces. We need better intelligence but intelligence just doesn’t drop from the sky.”
Government’s anti-crime strategy is fitted into its comprehensive security plan that will serve to enhance the work of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) through government’s financial support, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Citizens’ Security Programme and the Government of Guyana/United Kingdom Security Reform Action Plan (SSRAP)
Several aspects of the SSRAP will be implemented be month-end. Among these are the establishment of a new and expanded criminal intelligence unit that will be fully furnished and equipped with a communication system and commencement of training of local police officers. A British expert is expected in the country by month - end to begin the training aspect.
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Government will not have any talks with criminals-President
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008
President Bharrat Jagdeo today said that his Government will not be having any dialogue with the criminals who perpetuated the brutal slaying of eleven persons, including five children at Lusignan on January 26 in response to suggestions by some sections that maybe this should be done.
The Head of State was at the time responding to questions during a special interview at the Office of the President with officials of the National Communications Network (NCN).
“Let me make it clear. I don’t know what the people who are urging us to have dialogue with the criminals want us to say to them. Should I say to them that we will forgive you for the killings in Lusignan? We will forgive you for all the other killings? The killing of the eight people in Agricola? The killing of so many others if you come in peacefully? Should I say that to them?” the President queried.
The Head of State said he is not going to say anything of the sort since they (the criminals) have to pay for what they have done.
“And we’re going to hunt them down and make them pay for what they did, so I don’t know, the people who are urging us to talk to these criminals, what they want me to say to them?”
President Jagdeo suggested instead that those making the call for such talks should themselves try to have dialogue with the criminals.
“I urge them to do that to see if they can broker some arrangement with these criminals out of the goodness of their hearts that they would stop killing people. I don’t subscribe to it for a moment. I think we have to go after these people and get them,” the Head of State said firmly.
Asked about the intelligence capacity of the Joint Forces to capture the criminals, President Jagdeo said that should these persons who may be in contact with the criminals know where they are, they should tell the security forces.
“That has been the problem. Not that we don’t have the capacity to engage but it is the intelligence on where they are. Now another group I’ve seen has said that these people are insurgents that they are fighting for a cause,” the President stated.
The President said that the issue is not about politics, race or religion, but about the decent people in every race and in every religion and in all political parties against criminals.
“So, when they say that it is an insurgence fighting for a cause for power sharing, I wonder how serious these people could be because if they…maybe that is why many of them stayed quiet when the same criminals killed eight Guyanese of African descent in Agricola because how could these insurgents be fighting for an African cause and then slaughter eight persons there?” he asked
Recalling that one person was even beheaded during the Agricola killing, President Jagdeo again queried how such gruesome killings could be for the said cause. “So it clearly runs counter to what they are suggesting. On one hand, I see many of them coming up and linking this to insurgency, everybody in the newspapers… but they are not answering the Agricola question. How is it that these insurgents fighting for an African cause would slaughter eight persons there?”
The President then recalled further that the most wanted criminal who is believed to be heading the gang of killers had said that the reason he is killing people is not for any cause but is because someone had his girlfriend which counters what several others have been saying in the media that the killings are linked to an insurgence.
“So clearly, these people, the so-called insurgency proponents are looking for any opportunity. They would use even the most vilest of crime to pursue a particular cause.. So you see the contradictions there and unfortunately the news media has been inundated with these people, these voices,” the Head of State contended.
He concluded that most of what is being heard and seen in the media are not the voices of decent Guyanese but propagandists.
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Further interventions to help farmers of Mahaica, Mahaicony Creeks
-in light of heavy rainfall
Georgetown, GINA, February 15, 2008.
Government is pursuing additional interventions to help cattle, cash crop and rice farmers of the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks in Region Five, deal with the current excessive rainfall situation.
The intense rains being experienced mostly in the upper reaches of the Creeks have contributed to increased water levels that have resulted in water accumulation in some farming areas.
Previous interventions have since been made to help protect several acres of rice under cultivation especially in the Mahaicony Creek while teams of various officials of the Ministry of Agriculture have been monitoring the situation.
Farmers and residents were today consulted on the situation by Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, who visited the Creeks to conduct further assessments and determine additional interventions that could be made. He was accompanied by several personnel from the Regional Administration and the crops, livestock and drainage and irrigation departments of the Agriculture Ministry.
At Mahaicony, it was agreed that the priority is cattle and efforts will be made to identify high lands where the animals particularly calves could be relocated while supplements to maintain them at the location will be provided by the Ministry.
Farmers suggested a plot of private land that could be used for this intervention and it was decided that the owner will be contacted by the Ministry’s staff to put the arrangement in place. Requests were made to the Ministry for medications for farmers to treat the animals, most of which have been relocated to the backlands. Minister Persaud said arrangements will be made for some supplies to be delivered soon.
With regard to rice, efforts are continuing through the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) to save several acres in the Mahaicony Agricultural Development Scheme (MARDS).
Two pumps have been deployed and are working to discharge excess water from the area while several private farmers who are pumping water from their fields in other locations have been given assistance with fuel supplies.
It was noted that veterinarians and other officials from the Ministry will return to the area to monitor the situation and the implementation of the various initiatives.
Among the long-term interventions to alleviate the risk of flooding in the area include current empoldering of 18, 000 acres of land south of Jugdeo Canal to First Savannah along the right bank of the Mahaicony River. These works, which will be completed during this year, also include installation of flood control structures that will open-up more lands for agricultural activities.
During the meeting at Mahaica Creek, farmers were told that the Ministry will provide assistance to those severely affected in the form of planting materials and possibly manure to help farmers re-cultivate their lands.
It was noted that the upper reaches of the Creek is most affected including areas such as Joe Hook and Grass Hook, where residents have been given the option of relocating due to the geographical location which is classified as a catchment area.
Farmers requested further visits from the veterinarian and it was decided that the Ministry will ask the Region Four veterinarian to provide service to the Mahaica Creek. This will enable the officer stationed in Region Five to focus more on the Mahaicony and Abary Creeks, where there are more cattle.
Another issue that was highlighted at Mahaica was the vandalism of drainage and irrigation structures, which is now affecting farmers. Minister Persaud noted that this is a serious problem and urged that farmers be more vigilant to protect the necessary infrastructure that is in place to aid their agricultural activities.
He noted that replacement and repairs to structures and facilities that have been vandalized requires significant resources.
It was announced that rehabilitation of the Perth/Biaboo canal, which was requested by cash crop farmers for them to access their farms, will commence in the dry season while maintenance of the area’s drainage and irrigation channels will be finalised shortly.
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