Gov’t to spend $1.5B to improve justice sector
-$50M to complement ongoing work to reduce backlog of cases
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008
This year the administration will be placing major emphasis on reforming the justice sector as part of a comprehensive approach to fighting crime and has allocated $1.5B to the sector to achieve this objective.
Three hundred and three million dollars ($303M) will be spent under the US$10.2M Programme for the Modernisation of the Justice Administration System which is aimed at improving the efficiency of service delivery in justice sector institutions, enhance linkages and improve access to justice.
The administration, cognisant of the issue of backlogs of civil and criminal cases over the years, has allocated $50M to aid in this regard.
The US$10.2 M programme will also complement the ongoing work to reduce the backlog of cases in all levels of courts and the delays in the management and adjudication of cases through the design and implementation of new case flow management procedures.
In the justice sector, an average of 7,000 civil cases and another 300 criminal cases are filed each year in the legal system.
The 2007 budget allocated $1B for the justice sector of which $130M was earmarked to begin the modernization of the Justice Administration Programme.
Meanwhile, to complement the latter improvements, $20M has been budgeted for the construction of a new Magistrate’s Court at Charity, Essequibo. This will allow for extended hours of service through a permanent location, thereby enhancing access.
The Legal Aid Clinic will also be expanding its services to improve access to justice particularly for the more vulnerable. This will be done with the support of the Government.
Government will continue to work towards implementing its Justice Sector Reform Strategy (JSRS) which sets out the government’s approach for systematically dealing with the challenges currently facing the sector; a policy framework for strategic coordination and reform, accountability and monitoring mechanism to take the reform forward.
The strategy is also geared towards ensuring that safety, security and access to justice is available to all, as the administration seeks to enhance public confidence in the justice system.
The JSRS was prepared on the basis of an extensive consultation exercise involving all the institutions in the justice sector, as well as other stakeholders including civil society and the private sector.
On June 22, 2006 the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced the approval of a US$25M loan for the modernization of the Justice Administration System in Guyana.
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Abandoned houses at Mocha could serve as a haven for criminal
residents call for action to be taken
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008.
Residents of Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara have called on Government to take action against the large number of abandoned houses in the community, which they believe can serve as a hide-out for criminals.
The issue was raised by residents during a farmers’ meeting on February 23 with Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud.
The residents explained that over the years several houses were built in the area, which is a vast agricultural community, and subsequently the buildings were abandoned by their owners.
The issue has since become a serious security concern since it is believed that criminals could seek refuge in the houses not only because they are abandoned but due to their distant location in the farmlands.
Calls were made for action to be taken to repossess the lands from the owners and dismantle the houses or allow other persons to occupy the buildings.
Residents expressed grave concern over the situation and made reference to an earlier incident where one of the houses was used as a hide-out for two runaway teenagers from West Coast Berbice.
Minister Persaud advised that a meeting be held with the owners of the houses, the Community Policing Group, the Police and Ministry of Home Affairs to address the issue.
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2008 Budget will allow for improved health services
-Minister Ramsammy
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008
Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy believes that the 2008 National Budget will significantly propel the administration’s thrust of improving the quality and efficacy of services that will be provided to citizen.
Minister Ramsammy who was speaking during a Budget discussion programme on the National Communications Network (NCN) said the foundation and necessary interventions for an improved health sector has already been made but the quality of services will be the focus this year.
“We have to look at the quality of the service we provide. The 2008 budget allows us to focus on quality of services and in terms of our people, focus and we must be a friendlier service. Overall I think the 2008 budget does provide the foundation on which we can continue the transformation of our society,” Minister Ramsammy said
This year, $12.1B has been allocated to the health sector with capital expenditure being $3.3B and current at $8.8B.
Minister Ramsammy said government will be placing a lot of emphasis to ensure there are not shortages of medicines and other commodities. Over $2B has been allocated for this purpose.
“Last year we had an allocation of approximately $1.7B in the health sector for medicines and commodities but the demands exceeded $4B…This year we have gotten more than $2B to supply medicines and commodities, so we will be in a better position to avoid shortages, and that is a very important thing,” Minister Ramsammy said.
Government will be spending $1.2B to complete the new modern Linden hospital and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) inpatient facility.
Health services will be offered in modern new hospitals in Lethem and Mabaruma as well as the Suddie, Leonora and Mahaicony Hospitals which have been reconstructed to accommodate comprehensive diagnostic centres.
“It continues the vision of the government in particular in terms of the social sector, improving the lives of people and addressing the social needs. I am happy that we continue to sustain the high investment in their social sector,” Minister Ramsammy asserted.
For the operation and maintenance of the GPHC, $2.8B has been allocated. This includes $91M for the upgrade of the electrical and water supply systems.
Over 70 graduates from the Guyana/Cuba collaboration will arrive in the country this year to complete their final year of studies.
In addition, five new postgraduate trained surgeons will become available for assignment to the regional hospitals.
It is expected that there will be the recruitment of a new class with a minimum of 250 undergraduate nursing students this year, in addition to the 633 students currently in the Nursing School. The dentistry training programme with the University of Guyana will take in another batch of ten students this year. Ten nurses and five doctors will be trained in anaesthesia and this will expand the surgical capacity of the GPHC and of other hospitals in Guyana.
The budget also caters for the provision of manufacturing and distributing sprinkles, ( a micro nutrient) to 44, 000 beneficiaries namely children and pregnant women.
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GPL receives $21.2 M to increase reliability and efficiency
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008
The 2008 budget has allocated $21.2 M to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to increase its reliability and efficiency through a more effective power generating capacity and an upgraded transmission and distribution network. This is an effort to promote Government’s short-term policy in the area of energy and power generation.
With this funding, GPL will acquire an additional 20 megawatts of generating capacity utilising the more economical heavy fuel oil, and upgrade the transmission line between Skeldon and the No. 53 Village power station to allow full utilisation of the power generated by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco).
Other initiatives to boost efficiency include the implementation of a new customer information system, continuation of the meter replacement programme, and introduction of new metering technology.
Focus will also be placed in the area of hinterland electrification. Demonstration pilot projects which began in 2007 will be completed and assessed to determine lessons learnt that would assist the implementation of additional projects.
An amount of $220 million has been provided to purchase a diesel electrification system for Port Kaituma, construct distribution systems for Orealla and Siparuta, and install solar panels in hinterland communities.
In 2007, government spent over $3 billion to improve electrification in unserved and underserved areas and on upgrading existing systems. This amount financed acquisition of 10 megawatts of additional generating capacity at a cost of $777 million, procurement and installation of 361 computerised meters that can be read remotely, replacement of over 8,300 defective meters, and removal of 13,000 illegal connections.
Additionally, $863 million was spent on the Guysuco Skeldon power plant which started exporting in excess of four megawatts of power to the national grid using generators powered by heavy fuel oil.
The 2008 budget is a record high of $119.3 billion, which is 19.3 percent higher than the 2007 budget. It is the continuation of the ongoing task of transforming the economy, developing the country, and improving the lives of Guyanese.
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24th Session of Guyana/Cuba Joint Commission Opens
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008
Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Dr. Henry Jeffrey and Vice Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Investment and Collaboration of the Republic of Cuba, Mr. Orlando Requeijo Gual, opened the 24th Session of the Guyana/Cuba Joint Commission on Economic, Technical and Cultural Cooperation in the Main Conference Room at Takuba Lodge today.
This two-day meeting will see discussions aimed at finalizing a work programme for bilateral cooperation for the 2008/2009 fiscal year. Issues to be discussed include medical cooperation, cultural exchange and sports, agriculture, maritime cooperation, education, trade and energy. 
Members of the Guyana and Cuba delegations at the Opening of the 24th Session of the Guyana/Cuba Joint Commission.
Present were the Guyanese and Cuban delegations. The Guyana delegation comprised representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Health, Public Works and Communications, Agriculture, Culture, Youth and Sport, Foreign Affairs, Education and others. The Cuban delegation was led by its Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Francisco Marchamte.
“Under the auspices of these commissions Guyana has been able to source technical and human resources for its agricultural, health, education, culture, sports, and other sectors,” Minister Jeffrey said.
The public health sector has been the main beneficiary of Cuban cooperation in Guyana. Vice Minister Gual said, for over 20 years a Cuban Medical Brigade has provided services in Georgetown and other communities. There are at present 122 Cuban doctors in the country as part of the Comprehensive Health Programme. Six others have come under the Miracle Mission Programme under which a total of 5,118 operations have been carried out to date.
Minister Jeffrey added that recent Cuban interventions also include the state of the art ophthalmology centre at Port Mourant and four diagnostic and treatment centres. In 2007 three Cuban specialists provided technical assistance in taxidermy, meteorology, as well as the preservation and restoration of the Guyanese National Archive. 
Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Dr. Henry Jeffrey opens the 24th Session of the Guyana/Cuba Joint Commission. From left to right. (Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri. Ramsaran, Minister Jeffrey, and Vice Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Investment and Collaboration of the Republic of Cuba, Orlando Requeijo Gual)
Every year Guyanese students pursue studies in Cuba in the fields of medicine, odontology and engineering. During the 2006-2007 academic year, 276 Guyanese students graduated, 184 from the tertiary level and 92 from the high school level.
Vice Minister Gual said during the 23rd Session of the Intergovernmental Commission held in November 2006 in Havana, there was the adoption of a Working Programme for other sectors such as education, agriculture, and culture.
Additionally, the Cuban government awarded the country an almost $1.5 M debt write off at the 23rd session.
Minister Jeffrey expressed profound gratitude to the Cuban Government for the significant contribution it has made to Guyana.
“I anticipate that this 24th session will be as fruitful and productive as all the others,” he said.
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National budget addresses immediate, long-term needs – Minister Singh
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008
The National Budget which was presented on February 15 is intended to satisfy both the immediate and long-term needs of all Guyanese according to Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh.
Minister Singh emphasised this fact during an interview with Programme Manager of the National Communications Network (NCN) Martin Goolsaran.
The $119B for 2008 addresses six areas which seek to fulfill Government’s commitment to developing the country by transforming the economy and improving the lives of all citizens.
Minister Singh explained that the budget was structured in this way so that it is not viewed in isolation from several of the other substantial policy programmes.
“The budget speech is a finite set of documentation that is presented in the Parliament… In each major sector government has very substantial policy positions. They are captured in policy documents like the national Health plan, action plan for sugar etc. so it’s important that the budget be seen as an augmentation of various other policy documents,” Minister Singh noted.
The Minister in his February 15 presentation alluded to six priority areas. These include responsible management of the economy, acceleration of infrastructure development, sustained investment in the social services, assisting the most vulnerable, fast-tracking the justice sector reform and stimulating greater investment, job creation and economic growth.
“The first thing to note is that the Budget is crafted in a way that would ensure that we continue to maintain the macro-economic stability that is so important to all of the objectives that we are pursuing,” Minister Singh said.
Among the highlights of the budget is the zero-rating of a number of additional items to add to the list of zero-rated items under the Value Added Tax (VAT) regime.
Some of these are wheaten, barley and plantain flour, oats, sago, dried chick and pigeon peas cheddar cheese, cassava bread, casareep, farine, locally produced peanuts and cashew nuts.
The 25 percent increase in the income tax threshold constitutes a significant leap compared to past years, Minister Singh said.
“If we were to look back as far as the year 2002, the income tax threshold was $18,000 per month. It’s now $35,000. So if you were to measure over that period you would witness an almost 94 percent increase in the threshold from 2002 to 2008,” Minister, Singh said.
The obvious implication of this leap Minister Singh explained is increased take-home pay and the reduction of taxes paid by all taxpayers.
Continued investment in the social sectors for the benefit of all Guyanese and assisting vulnerable groups are also noteworthy. Increases have also been made for old-age pension and public assistance.
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Heightened focus on quality of service through local government organs
- Minister Lall
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Kellawan Lall has indicated that more attention will be given to enhancing the quality of services being administered through the various regional administrations and other local government organs.
The Minister made this statement during a television interview with the National Communications Network (NCN) on the 2008 National Budget, which was presented in the National Assembly on February 22.
It was noted that the total allocation to the Local Government Ministry for 2008 is approximately $15B, which represents a 17 percent increase over the amount provided for last year.
The increase, the Minister explained caters for the “tremendous rise in cost of various supplies” and is important, especially since the Ministry is involved in numerous maintenance and construction works.
The Minister made reference to the $870M allocation for agricultural development through the local government system in which emphasis will be placed on enhancing extension services so farmers can be better positioned to expand their activities.
In the area of education, the Local Government Ministry was allocated $7.5B which will be used to continue the maintenance and construction of buildings while the health sector to be administered through the regional administrations was allocated $2.5B.
Overall, approximately $13B will be spent through the Local Government Ministry to improve the quality of services and way of life of residents.
In addition to the allocation to the Regional Administrations, resources collected in the form of rates and taxes by the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) will be spent to carry out other improvements in the communities based on the NDCs individual budgets.
The NDCs are also granted an annual subvention by Government totalling approximately $3M each while rates and taxes are collected by the various municipalities, which are given small subventions by the Ministry.
The Budget also caters for a $1B investment in continued infrastructural advancement with more focus on hinterland areas, as the administration remains committed to reduce the cost of living by improving the transportation linkage in these communities. This will enable residents to access goods and services at lower costs and provide them with a better quality of life.
Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, who was present during the interview, pointed out that this year’s allocation of $13.7B to the security sector caters for improvements in various aspects.
One of the areas to be given attention is equipping and expansion of Community Policing Groups (CPGs) through which resources have been made available based on a decision that was taken after a meeting with President Bharrat Jagdeo and residents following the Lusignan massacre.
It was decided that CPGs will be set up in areas where there are not any in existence while those already formed will be equipped with various pieces of equipment including weapons to make them more effective on the ground.
This year’s allocation to the security sector further caters for construction of a Juvenile Holding Centre at Sophia, Greater Georgetown and enhancing security at the country’s five prison locations.
In addition, there will be continued modernisation of the Guyana Register Office to ensure better service to the public while attention will be given to addressing some of the constraints facing the Guyana Fire Service.
The 2008 National Budget of $119.3B reflects the administration’s ongoing programme in the various sectors targeted at improving living standards and further enhancing the physical and institutional infrastructure required to promote growth, create wealth and generate employment.
It was presented by Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh under the theme Staying the Course: Advancing the Transformation Agenda.
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Infrastructural development to be further boosted this year
upgrading of several hinterland roadways targeted
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008.
Government will be investing more resources during this year to continue its infrastructural development programme with focus on rehabilitation of urban and rural roads such as Santa Rosa to Kwebanna, Agatash, Katoonarib to Rupununi Bridge and Blueberry Hill.
The 2008 National Budget caters for an allocation of approximately $6.2B to sustain the ongoing roads and bridges improvement programme and to extend the development to more communities.
Approximately $1.7B has been budgeted for rehabilitation and maintenance of the urban and rural roads in all ten Regions which includes other areas such as Henrietta, Leguan, Stewartville, Friendship, Enmore, Bush Lot and Fyrish.
Other expenditures on road construction include a $1.8B allocation for completion of Lot 1 of the New Amsterdam/Moleson Creek project from the New Amsterdam stelling to Number 36 Village and the commencement of Lot 2 from Number 37 Village to Moleson Creek.
In addition, approximately $857M has been allocated for the rehabilitation of 54 bridges along the Timehri-Rosignol corridor. This amount will be spent on widening road shoulders, improving traffic lighting at selected areas on the East Bank, widening intersections to create additional turning lanes, and road striping and marking, all aimed at enhancing road safety.
One of the country’s main bridges’ projects, construction of the Berbice River Bridge, is scheduled for completion in 2008 with a further $980M budgeted to complete the access roads.
In addition, work on the Takutu Bridge will be completed by mid-year officially bridging the Guyana/Brazil border. It was noted that further analytical work will be undertaken towards the construction of a highway from Linden to Lethem.
Also, recognising the importance of weight control as part of the road and bridge maintenance programme, $160M has been allocated to purchase four fixed platform vehicle weight scales and five additional portable scales. The fixed scales will be installed at Lethem, Wismar, the west side of the Berbice Bridge, and the west side of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, while the portable scales would be deployed as required to safeguard the structural integrity of the roads and bridges network.
The investment in infrastructure during this year is a continuation of the improvements undertaken in this area over the years in keeping with the administration’s commitment tp continued progress.
Last year, almost $9B was spent to construct, repair and maintain roads and bridges in various areas and complete the East Bank Demerara four-lane road and undertake substantial completion of Phase 1 of the New Amsterdam/Moleson Creek road project. In addition, 33 kilometres of roads were upgraded at Bartica, Charity, Parika and Supenaam while 24 kilometres of paved roads at De Hoop and Mara Road were re-constructed. These and other roads and bridges projects have enabled improved access to thousands of acres of agricultural lands and have increased opportunities for farmers.
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Big push for livestock, aquaculture and apiculture industries
Georgetown, GINA, February 25, 2008.
Agricultural diversification will be given greater boost during this year with more interventions by Government to help realise the potential existing in the livestock, small-ruminant, aquaculture and apiculture industries.
This was highlighted by Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh during his presentation of the 2008 National Budget on February 22, during which he outlined activities underway to develop these areas, as part of Government’s interest in “accelerated diversification of the economy.”
It was noted that improved breeds of cattle and swine, acquired during 2007, will be multiplied and distributed while there are plans to source more small ruminant stocks for breeding and distribution.
Improved breeding stock has been given much attention in recent years particularly through the Ministry of Agriculture, which has led several initiatives, some in collaboration with private farmers, to import various types of animals for breeding purposes. There have been successes with Brangus cows and various breeds of sheep and goats.
Another intervention underway to boost the livestock sector involves the provision of partial material to 130 individual farmers and eight farmers’ groups for resuscitation of 300 acres of pasture in seven regions. This assistance will be administered through the National Dairy Development Programme (NDDP).
Additionally, the budget caters for a $35M allocation toward the establishment of a new laboratory at the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). The facility will consolidate all of the pest and disease management and quarantine services and provide training to farmers and agricultural researchers and students.
With regard to aquaculture, a tilapia hatchery will be established by Government while fish farmers will be trained to enable them to practice scientific and sustainable aquaculture.
There will be increased efforts to revitalise the beekeeping industry, which has been identified as another potential area in which there have been growing interest across the country.
These activities are in keeping with Government’s commitment to agricultural diversification which will be given a major boost this year with launching of the US$20.9M Agricultural Export Diversification Programme.
Key components of this project will result in the promotion and consolidation of agri-businesses, support for the implementation of agri-business plans, construction and equipping of an abattoir and strengthening agri-business export and facilitation services.
Additionally, it targets improving effectiveness of the animal and plant health and food safety units under the Ministries of Agriculture and Health and the establishment of three agri-business clusters in the areas of fruits and vegetables, livestock and aquaculture.
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