Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_01_21_2023

30 Parfaite roads identified for rehabilitation

- D&I woes in Ruby to be addressed

IMMEDIATE interventions to address the concerns and improve the lives of residents in several Region Three communities are underway, with major plans to improve drainage and irrigation in Ruby, East Bank Essequibo, and rehabilitate 30 roads in Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Thursday, led a team of government officials and private sector stakeholders

to Ruby, Parfaite Harmonie and Tuschen, where he engaged residents on several major projects being rolled out.

Residents raised concerns about the deplorable state of roads, poor drainage and irrigation and the need for improved communication with local officials.

At Ruby, an agriculturalbased community, President Ali told the residents that Guyana is poised to becoming a major food hub within

the Caribbean region and the Ruby backlands, along with several other communities, are earmarked to become major production sites.

According to the headof-state, the vast lands in the community can be used for the production of high-value crops.

This will also see the farmers in the community earning much more for their produce.

Hundreds of Lindeners flock ‘Men on Mission’ job fair

Pre-fab school in Tuschen being built to address overcrowding

THE construction of a multi-million prefab primary school at Tuschen in Region Three has commenced and is anticipated to be completed within the next two months, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has said.

This was revealed, on Thursday, during a walkabout exercise in several communities along the West Coast of Demerara.

The school, according to the Head- of- State will address the issue of overcrowding in schools across the region.

“One of the big problems that we have here now is the existing schools cannot take on

the number of students. So, they have a two-shift system for the students and we are trying to resolve that in a way that will create history in this country,” he said.

According to infor-

mation provided by the Ministry of Education, some 250 pupils are attending classes under a shift system.

“We are trying to build an 8,000 square foot school in less than

two months so this is a big task and we are managing this directly in a project management formula and we are hoping that in two months we can have a brand-new school,” he added.

President Ali noted that engineers will be adapting a new construction method that will see the facility being completed in two months’ time.

“We are hoping that once all goes well [in] two months we will have this project up… if this model works, we will use this model to extend schools around the country and have emergency buildings set up,” he said.

The engineers and

three male washrooms, three female washrooms, two washrooms for persons with disabilities, two staff washrooms, one headteacher’s office, a staff room and a kitchenette.

To ensure that the facility is operable within the shortest time, works have already commenced to supply the necessary furniture and other supplies for the school.

“One of the things that we are doing simultaneously, we have the communities in the hinterland making the furniture so the combination furniture is made by the village councils. Toshaos, they are getting the wood, very sturdy

have to get the children in a school so that is why there is this urgency.”

He added, “What we have in some of these communities … is a high level of Venezuelan migrants and they too have to be supported in the school system. So, it’s putting a lot of strain on the school system in this region...”

The facility, he said will also create a ripple effect in the community with regards to job creation, infrastructure and other development.

“With this project we are bringing together the community labour, different agencies to work on a one stop kind of solution.”

Ongoing construction works for the pre-fab primary school at Tuschen (Delano Williams photos)

construction workers will be working two eighthour shifts to complete the project.

“This is monumental task. It’s testing our engineering capabilities; it’s testing our labour force capabilities…but this is how we have to work moving in the future. We have to increase our productivity.”

Once completed, the building will have two main sections, one to house the administrative staff and teachers and the other for the pupils.

The compound will feature 11 classrooms,

hard wood furniture. So, when the school is completed, the furniture will be ready,” he added.

The president noted that the government is cognisant of the negative effects overcrowding in the schools can have on learners and it is for this reason, the government is exploring new methods of construction.

“We are moving very quickly on this because it’s a chronic problem here. If we have to go through the normal project cycle, a project like this will take two and a half to three years …We

He added: “We also know that there is further growth and we have to build beyond that … it helps us to centralise services, like security services because we are living in a different environment. Every school has to have recreational facilities, sanitary facilities and then we have to build transportation network around these hubs.”

With funding from the World Bank two new schools – a primary and a secondary, are also on the cards for the region.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, speaking to members of the media at the construction site on Thursday

30 Parfaite roads identified for rehabilitation - D&I woes in Ruby to be addressed

IMMEDIATE interventions to address the concerns and improve the lives of residents in several Region Three communities are underway, with major plans to improve drainage and irrigation in Ruby, East Bank Essequibo, and rehabilitate 30 roads in Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Thursday, led a team of government officials and private

sector stakeholders to Ruby, Parfaite Harmonie and Tuschen, where he engaged residents on several major projects being rolled out.

Residents raised concerns about the deplorable state of roads, poor drainage and irrigation and the need for improved communication with local officials.

At Ruby, an agricultural-based community, President Ali told the residents that Guyana is poised to becoming a

major food hub within the Caribbean region and the Ruby backlands, along with several other communities, are earmarked to become major production sites.

According to the head-of-state, the vast lands in the community can be used for the production of high-value crops.

This will also see the farmers in the community earning much more for their produce.

“In the horticulture

industry, you know, one of the things about these communities, you have large lots. How can you capatilise on these lands to be more productive, to bring in more income? How can we bring in the Ministry of Agriculture maybe to help in the capital equipment and create ponds?” he questioned.

Further, President Ali committed to addressing issues surrounding drainage and irrigation,

infrastructure and water access which were raised by the residents.

Meanwhile, during a subsequent visit to Parfaite Harmonie, President Ali told residents that the rehabilitation works on 30 roads in the community had started.

He disclosed that, over the next two to three weeks, a team will assess the area to identify other roads in need of repair.

The community, he

added, will also be involved in the works.

“What we want to do is work with the contractors in the community in building back these roads as concrete roads. So, in the next few weeks, you will see a lot of work going on.”

President Ali reminded residents of the ongoing works to build the new four-lane highway from Schoonord to Crane.

Millet production to benefit local farmers

President Ali says

THE Government of Guyana has offered some 200 acres of land in Guyana to India for exclusive millet production, and President Dr. Irfaan Ali says that local farmers will play a major role in this venture.

The Head of State made this revelation on Tuesday during a press conference hosted at State House, where he spoke on the positive outcomes of his recent

seven-day visit to India.

Millets are a highly varied group of smallseeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food.

During his time in India, Dr. Ali offered 200 acres of land for millet production in honour of the United Nations declaring 2023 as the year of the Millet.

Millets are a group

of small-seeded grasses grown around the world as cereal, the grains are usually ground into flour to make various foods.

During the conference, President Ali highlighted that millet is a new product that India is using that is highly nutritional and adds not only nutritional value but is suitable for diabetics and also serves as a replacement for high-carb types of grain like rice.

He went on to say that the production of

millet can open Guyana to a bigger market as an exporter of these types of products, as he added that India has a very large diaspora.

“So, one of the things that we can utilise is that the power of that diaspora, the market that exists for millet with India pushing this. So, we’re looking to see how we can collaborate and how we can work together in terms of the production of millet here in Guyana,” the President said.

When the Guyana

Chronicle asked President Ali how soon these 200 acres are to be identified, he noted that the authorities had already begun looking at suitable areas for this production.

He noted, too, that they will be bringing together local farmers to see how those 200 acres can be used experimentally, while India will provide support with the technology for the production.

Adding to this, the Head of State clarified that the lands would

provide an entire ecosystem around it, including planting for production and even processing for products that can be derived from millet.

While in India, Dr. Ali had asked the Indian Minister of Agriculture to send a team of experts to set up millet farms in Guyana, even as he noted that assistance would be provided in producing and promoting grain in the Caribbean and Latin America.

-

A road in Parfaite Harmonie (Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar photo)

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, gives residents of Parfaite Harmonie the assurance that their concerns will be addressed during a visit to the community on Thursday (Office of the President photo)

Anti-abortion groups marching in US capital to cheer fall of Roe

ANTI-ABORTION

rights activists in the United States are marching in the capital to celebrate the fall of Roe v Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that had guaranteed access to the procedure for decades across the US.

The annual “March for Life” rally on Friday afternoon in Washington, DC, brings together antiabortion rights advocacy groups, conservative legislators, religious organisations, and others who call themselves “pro-life”.

The gathering comes just days before the nation, on Sunday, also marks exactly 50 years since the US top court issued its

Roe v Wade decision in 1973, making access to abortion a constitutional right nationwide.

But unlike previous marches that ended at the Supreme Court building, this year’s route will conclude outside the US Capitol – a reflection of the anti-abortion rights movement’s new priorities after the country’s top court overturned Roe in June 2022.

Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, said in a statement before Friday’s event that “with Roe now behind us”, the group would continue “to advocate for common-sense protections

at the state and federal level”.

“This is a historic year to be marching for life, because for the first time in 50 years, we are not merely mourning the Roe v Wade decision, but celebrating its overturn,” Emily Yocum, executive director of Orthodox Christians for Life, also said in advance of the march.

The US Supreme Court’s conservative majority overturned Roe v Wade in June of last year, allowing Republican-led states to swiftly enact abortion bans and restrictions. Human rights advocates slammed the reversal, saying millions of people would no longer have access to the procedure and warning that Black and low-income communities would be the

hardest hit.

But right-wing and religious groups celebrated the move as a major victory in their years-long effort to roll back abortion rights in the United

States – and many have now set their sights on even tighter restrictions, including curbing the use and availability of abortion pills.

The renewed push

amidst the uncertainty created by the end of Roe. This month, the US Food and Drug Administration said it would allow pharmacies to sell abortion pills for the

comes as US President Joe Biden’s administration has sought to boost abortion access

first time in a move welcomed by rights groups but slammed by Republicans. (Al Jazeera)

People participate in the March for Life rally in front of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC on January 20, 2023 (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

CARPHA encourages enhanced vigilance, vaccination against COVID-19, Influenza

ALMOST three years since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the Caribbean Region and the COVID-19 outbreak was designated a pandemic, COVID-19 cases are still occurring in our communities.

In light of this, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is encouraging Ministries of Health to maintain surveillance of severe acute respiratory illness; hospitalisations and deaths, PCR testing and gene sequencing of severe hospitalised cases; and hospital intensive care to avoid deaths.

The Agency is also urging the general public to safeguard against the

spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses through personal responsibility, that is practising cough etiquette and mask wearing according to national protocols.

CARPHA Executive Director, Dr. Joy St. John, pointed out that many of the new sub-variants of Omicron have been circulating in the Caribbean region since last year, as

evidenced by the gene sequencing results from samples submitted by Member States to CARPHA.

Dr. St. John stated, “We are aware that more people are self-diagnosing through the use of rapid antigen tests and so the accurate incidence of COVID-19 is hard to assess”. She added, “There is reduced reporting of hospitalisations and death due to COVID-19. However, other viruses like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have resulted in hospitalisations in the latter half of 2022.

Dr. St. John also stated, “As we resume economic activity and school post Christmas, and commence

various festivities, it is critical that people protect themselves using the measures emphasised during the pandemic, including good hand hygiene, social distancing, mask wearing in crowded spaces, get tested when having symptoms and more importantly, get vaccinated or boosted”.

It is noteworthy that internationally, especially in northern countries, the flu season has been particularly harsh with hospitals being overwhelmed with cases. Regionally, there has also been a rise in influenza and other respiratory viruses, which can lead to severe illness (and in some cases death) in the old, very young and other

vulnerable groups. COVID-19 hospitalisations still occur and persons are still dying. However, the rates are substantially reduced from the peak of the circulation of the delta variant.

CARPHA is assuring the public that WHOapproved vaccines for COVID-19 and influenza are proving effective at preventing severe disease, hospitalisation and death.

There is much disinformation circulating about vaccines, COVID-19 in particular, and how they work. Factual, easy-to-read information is available at this WHO resource Vaccines Explained. (CARICOM Today)

30 Parfaite roads identified for...

FROM PAGE 3

P reliminary works have begun on the highway, with many acres of land already being cleared and other infrastructure being put in place.

“This will bring tremendous ease; we are hoping, by June next year, that this new fourlane highway will be completed, connecting Crane to Schoonord,” he said.

Once completed, the project will see the construction of 4.1 kilometers of a dual carriageway reinforced concrete road with an emergency lane as well as 2.4 kilometres of road rehabilitation and upgrade.

It will also feature two roundabouts, 11 reinforced concrete box culverts, 36 prestressed bridges, and road signage and mark-

ings.

The highway will pave the way for more job creation as the project will facilitate the expansion of the agricultural sector, making room for processing facilities as well as manufacturing and the

construction of industrial complexes. Additional works to be conducted in the community include the construction of a $1.4 billion water treatment facility, the extension of the school to accommo -

date the growing student population, as well as investments in the health centres.

Welfare Enhancement

THE continuous efforts of the government to improve the welfare of all Guyanese will be further extended and strengthened by the 2023 national budget, which was presented under the theme, “Improving Lives Today, Building Prosperity for Tomorrow.”

The programmes and strategies being described are intended to provide citizens with a number of advantages and advancements. And it is obvious that the lives of citizens were the main consideration in the formulation of policy. Budget 2023 is welcomed in this regard and has many positive things in store for the country. Additionally, the government must be commended for its pro-development agenda, which foresees a bright and pros-

perous future for all.

Every aspect of national life has received support from the largest budget in history, which shows that careful consideration and effort have been put into making sure that every Guyanese man, woman, and child benefits from and enjoys the economic development that is taking place. The emphasis has also been placed on ensuring equitable and sustainable development, greater access to resources to improve citizens’ well-being, and improved attention to promoting safety and security.

Furthermore, the establishment of a solid, resilient, and diverse foundation makes it obvious that the future will be exciting, and employees and regular citizens have taken note of the various initiatives intro-

duced by Budget 2023 to increase discretionary income, make Guyanese goals more attainable, and guarantee the safety of everyone.

This does not regard the tax threshold in isolation but instead takes into account a number of other efforts made and sustained by Budget 2023. The improvement in the income-tax threshold in light of the adverse macroeconomic environment is a noteworthy development.

Notably, the freight rate calculation for imported goods has been expanded, and the benefits of this alleviation will be distributed to regular citizens. The extension of the exemptions from excise duty on fuel works in a similar manner to lessen the full impact of rising fuel prices. Together with

the income-tax adjustment, the two measures total several billion dollars.

There is no doubt that Guyanese have achieved significant gains when taking into account improvements to the education grant, old-age pension, public assistance, reduction in duties on vehicles, and other factors. In addition, support for the electricity and water sectors to maintain tariffs despite rising operating costs is a serious measure aimed at reducing the cost of living.

In addition to those steps, investments in social services, housing, water, and healthcare improve overall well-being. Similar to this, the sizeable infrastructure reserves we keep will significantly help to reduce infrastructure deficits. When taken

as a whole, Budget 2023 offers a wide range of advantages and significant profits. It offers unlocked resources that will enhance our quality of life and fortify Guyana.

The budget for 2023 aims to enrich the lives of Guyanese citizens and concretely realise the government’s objective of a “One Guyana” by enhancing today’s quality of life and fostering future prosperity.

According to Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, oil will continue to support Guyana’s economic expansion. This year, the real gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 25.1 per cent, and Guyana would have one of the top five economies with the highest growth in 2023. However, he pointed out that Guyana’s non-oil

economy is also anticipated to grow admirably at a rate of 7.9 per cent.

136 lifts of crude are anticipated, with 17 being reserved for the government of Guyana, according to Dr. Singh. In 2023, it is anticipated that this will result in deposits of US$1.406 million in profit oil and US$225.2 million in royalties to the Natural Resource Fund.

In 2023, the Payara project is anticipated to arrive from Singapore soon, and the Prosperity floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel will depart for Guyana. And when it does, the second half of the year will see an increase in crude output capacity from 360,000 bpd to 580,000 bpd. ExxonMobil operates every project.

Response to criticisms of Budget 2023 old-age pension increase

Dear Editor, I HAVE noted some criticisms regarding the size of the oldage pension increase proposed in the 2023 budget. Some of those commenting negatively are bent on stirring up confusion, while others are trying to score cheap political

points. While it is commonly understood that a large percentage of our senior citizens utilise their old-age pension for daily living, it is evident that the government is implementing the best measures possible at this time.

We ought not to put aside or ignore the other measures implemented by the government which benefit our senior citizens, especially those which target essential services such as light and water.

Lest we also forget that while in wealthier and more developed

countries such as the US et al, senior citizens have to fund their healthcare and pay out of their pocket for treatment for life-threatening illnesses, those in Guyana enjoy access to free healthcare.

Added to that, the 2023 budget’s multibillion-dollar allocations

to the health sector will allow for an upgraded health system & quality care with special emphasis placed on care for senior citizens.

Undoubtedly as time progresses, with careful planning & increased economic activity, the government will enhance the

current provisions for our senior citizens. However, in the meantime, the government deserves our commendation for what it is currently doing to improve the life of its citizens.

Yours truly, Alvin Hamilton

The unifying power of sports

IT is extremely heartening to know that President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has called on the prestigious Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to consider Guyana for cricket investment and development.

President Ali certainly has the development of sports in Guyana at his heart. The President, while on his official visit to India, expressed his strong plea for cricket development in Guyana, at the 2023 Global Investors Summit.

Geographically, Guyana is ideally situated at the top of Latin America and at the bottom of the Caribbean.

It cannot be denied that our great achievers in sport have put our country on the world map. Sir Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and the likes of the boxing greats like ‘Six Head’ Lewis are only a few of our country’s great achievers in sport.

Guyana can certainly be

the conduit and the strong link with North America. Sport is more than a business; it is a unifying factor that brings nations together.

Investments in sport will bring greater national participation and will lead to healthier lifestyles.

Sport is important to mankind from the cradle to the grave. Sport for leisure, entertainment, amateur or professional sport is also a business.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the best example to be recognised as sport as a business. The IPL is today the most lucrative and most popular outlet for the game of cricket.

With the IPL, the world’s best cricketers –who had seldom made the kind of money earned by their counterparts in other professional sports- became millionaires. The owners of the franchises, who included major companies, Bollywood film stars and media

Sports View

moguls bid for the best players around the world in auctions.

This new approach to cricket was also able to expose the young Indian players to play and gain experience as they played competitively with the best players in the world.

Cricket has been a unifying force in the Caribbean since the West Indies be -

DeSinco Limited donates hygiene supplies to health sector, several organisations

came the fourth test – playing team in 1928. Sir Garfield Sobers is recognised as the best all-rounder to walk onto a cricket field.

While Rohan Kanhai’s stroke playing, particularly his “reverse” sweep established him as one of the most attractive batsmen; however, it is the West Indies’ lethal fast bowling

By Neil Kumar

in the 1970’s and 80’s that made them the premier team in world cricket.

Politicians: Many politicians from multiple political parties have held different positions in the BCCI.

It cannot be denied that it was our then President, Bharrat Jagdeo’s direct intervention that enabled Guyana to get a world-class

cricket stadium. We must never forget that none of the colonial masters ever helped us to get a proper sport facility.

Today, we must give our unflinching support to President Ali as we strive as a nation for the further development of sports in our “One Guyana”.

AS part of efforts to support Guyana’s preparedness and response in the fight against COVID-19, DeSinco Limited has donated more than $4 million in hygiene supplies to the country’s health sector and several organisations located in Georgetown.

In a press release, the company said that the beneficiaries were the Eccles and Industry Health Centres, the Ministry of Health’s Rehabilitation Services, the

Men’s Group of the Nazareth Church and North Ruimveldt and the Sophia Community Development Association (SOCDA).

Among the items donated were Beep hand sanitisers and Lifebuoy soap.

The company’s Pharmaceutical Manager, Ulex Fung, stated that “At DeSinco we believe in using our brands as a force for good. Lifebuoy has been a brand that is committed to

promoting healthy lives and well-being through proper sanitation practices, and our partners at BEEP also share the same passion.”

The release added that DeSinco is pleased to partner with the Guyanese community and will continue to build partnerships and team up with the public and private sectors to provide lifesaving assistance especially through this challenging time.

DeSinco on Friday donated a quantity of hygiene supplies to the Eccles Health Centre (DeSinco photo)

High Court grants bail to man awaiting trial for murder

AFTER spending the last seven years on remand for the murder of Linden businesswoman Shevon Gordon, 32-year-old Asdino Bowen, was, on Friday, released on $750,000 bail by High Court Judge Simone Morris-Ramlall, pending his trial for the crime.

In May 2015, Bowen of Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden was remanded to prison for the murder of Gordon, who was gunned down outside of her house on April 4, 2015, at One Mile Block 22, Wismar, Linden during a robbery.

She was also relieved of a bag containing money and her son was also wounded.

Following a preliminary inquiry (PI) at the Linden Magistrate’s Court, Bowen was committed to stand trial in the High Court in

May 2017.

However, the PI was reopened in April 2019. The following year, Bowen was again committed to stand trial for murder.

His attorneys from Dexter Todd and Associates Law Firm filed an application for bail pending trial in the High Court on December 16, 2022.

In a release, the law firm said that despite being committed to stand trial for murder since 2020, Bowen’s name never appeared on the Criminal Assizes Session in the High Court.

“The State in their defence to the application indicated that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had made a second request for a reopening of the Preliminary Inquiry of Mr. Bowen but there was no indication on any docu-

ment of whether that was done.

“While the State did indicate in their defence that the presiding magistrate at the time confirmed that he did reopen the preliminary inquiry for the second time, there was no evidence to prove same,” the release said.

According to Bowen’s attorneys, the State high-

lighted that they were “awaiting word” on the reopening of the PI as well as depositions from said reopening.

As a result, Justice Morris-Ramlall, on the first hearing of the application, did not accept that answer from the State nor did she grant Bowen bail on that occasion.

The judge instructed

counsel for the State to get all the necessary information needed and file a supplementary affidavit in defence highlighting why Bowen’s name was never on the Criminal Assizes Session as well as the absence of all the relevant information concerning his PIs.

“In their Supplementary affidavit in defence, the

prosecution indicated that the Clerk of Court perused Mr. Bowen’s file and found that the second preliminary inquiry was opened in June 2021 and that the file was uplifted on January 4, 2023, to compile the depositions of the preliminary inquiry. This highlighted that Mr. Bowen was never indicted for murder, a very important aspect for the process,” the release said.

On Friday, the judge ordered that Bowen be released on 750,000 bail with the condition that he must report to the police every Friday until his trial for murder in the High Court is completed.

The judge also agreed with the defence lawyer that the constitutional rights of the accused are infringed upon by this delay.

‘We would never walk away from our commitment’

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has reaffirmed that the Government of Guyana is progressively working to address the adjustment of salary scales for teachers, which he said will come at an appropriate time.

During a press conference on Tuesday, the President said that they “are looking at salaries in a holistic way and in a phased manner.” He added that his government will never walk away from the commitment it has made to teachers.

In December, he announced that several categories of public servants will get salary increases.

The salary scale of health workers has been increased, resulting in over 5,000 persons benefitting from a dis-

posable income of over $1.5 billion annually. Additionally, ranks of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Defence Force have benefitted from a $1 billion annualised increase to their salaries.

“...the categories (of public servants)...will be made at the appropriate time. One thing you can rely on in this government is that we never ever walk away from our commitment,” he said.

According to the President, the government is working to address several anomalies with wages in the public sector.

“Everything is done in a very holistic way. We have to understand the functionalities of the economy and every category of workers will

be addressed,” he said adding: “We are starting from critical areas where there are great anomalies. That is how we have started and we are progressing well.”

Meanwhile, Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday, during a live interview on social media, upbraided the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, who had said that $94 billion was allocated in the 2023 budget but there were “no wages and salaries announcements” for the teachers.

“… We budgeted for wages and salaries in 2023… it is just that the announcement will not be made now, it’s done towards the end of the year,” Jagdeo said.

- President Ali assures teachers, says salary increase is guaranteed

Flashback: Teacher Joycelyn Joseph, during a lesson with her nursery children during the COVID-19 pandemic (Delano Williams photo)

Asdino Bowen

DEAD: Shevon Gordon

‘Heads’, alleged accomplice charged with murder of elderly Black Bush couple

TWO men were, on Friday, charged with the brutal murder of Black Bush Polder residents Subnauth Budraj called “Bull boy”,67, and his wife Sarasuatie Devi Budraj, 59, and were remanded to prison.

Harichand Persaud called “Heads”, 22, and Emanuel Whittington called “Gaza”, 27, appeared before Magistrate’s Rabindranauth Singh at the Albion Magistrate’s Court.

They were not required to plead to the indictable charge and were subsequently remanded to prison until February 7. The matter was transferred to the Mibicuri Magistrate’s Court.

The accused allegedly murdered the couple in their Lot 26 CZ, Yakasari, Black Bush Polder home, on January 17, during a robbery.

The couple lived alone and operated an off-licence liquor store in the lower flat of the building.

According to reports, neighbours were alerted to a fire at the couple’s home after they heard a loud explosion followed by smoke and flames emanating from the house. As a result, they quickly formed a bucket brigade and managed to quell the fire before the firefighters and the police arrived.

At the scene, Sarasuati’s nephew, Satesh Persaud re-

lated that he received a call around 04:15 hours about the fire.

He said he immediately contacted another aunt and went to the scene.

Persaud recalled that when he arrived, the residents were already tackling the fire with buckets of water and had the situation under control. He did not see his aunt and uncle, and moments after he began making enquiries about their whereabouts, he was told that they were both dead.

Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle that soon after the police arrived, ranks entered the premises where they found the couple. His aunt was in a pool of blood on the floor with a knife protruding from her neck. Her entire left hand was burnt. Her husband was found a short distance away with gaping wounds on his neck and other parts of his

body. He was covered in blood.

According to Persaud, the entire house was ransacked and most of the valuable items were missing. The lower flat which houses a bond, was badly damaged.

Diligent work by police led to the arrest of seven persons including the two accused, hours later. One of the accused during interrogation reportedly confessed to the crime and implicated the other.

He reportedly told investigators that they never intended to kill the couple. However, during the robbery they recognised them. It was then decided that they would kill them both and set fire to the building to cover their tracks and reduce their chances of being captured.

The suspect claimed that he used a gas bottle and pieces of paper to start the

fire which quickly spread through the lower flat.

Regional Commander Shivpersaud Bacchus told the media that jewellery, phone cards, cash and other items belonging to the

couple were recovered at the home of one of the suspects.

A post-mortem examination revealed that Subnauth died as a result of inhalation of smoke,

shock and hemorrhage, a fractured skull and burns, while his wife died as a result of shock and hemorrhage, a stab wound to the neck and burns.

Subnauth and Sarasuatie Budraj

Environmental & Technical Solutions Inc. officially launched

- to cater to hazardous waste for local oil and gas sector

HAND-IN-HAND Group of Companies, in collaboration with Tiger Rental out of Trinidad and Tobago, has come together to launch a new company, that is set to treat hazardous waste in the local oil and gas sector.

The new company, En-

vironmental & Technical Solutions Inc. (ETS), was launched on Thursday evening at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown.

At the launch, General Manager Shane Singh revealed that ETS was established in August of 2022,

with a 100 per cent Guyanese workforce, and has the vision to provide equal opportunity for all Guyanese.

Singh revealed that his journey started some years ago with the Tiger Group, and following some discussions, they partnered with the Hand-in-Hand Group

of companies to launch this company.

He added that the company will provide a variety of services and will be known as Guyana’s premier hazardous waste management company. To this end, he stated that they have invested in state-ofthe-art technology to collect, transport, treat, and dispose of various waste streams.

“Some of these include equipment to manage various streams of wastewater, waste oils, drilling fluids, contaminated soils and solids and by-products from vessel tank cleaning and spill response clean up,” he said.

Meanwhile, since its

establishment last year, he noted that ETS has been working closely with Esso Explorations Guyana Limited, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, here over the last year and has been awarded a five-year contract to support their waste disposal needs.

Further, ETS Director, Denis Latiff, told the gathering that the company is the most advanced and experienced waste management company in Guyana, as it comes with the experience of one of its parent companies, Tiger Rentals, which has been operating in Guyana since 2011.

Also delivering remarks at the event was Hand-inHand Executive Director,

Keith Evelyn, who stated that as the group of companies explored its options to enter the oil and gas sector, they sought partnerships and were excited to find a partner in Tiger Rentals for this venture.

“This launch sends a message to the persons who crafted local content, the persons who are overseas that it can be done and it has been done,” he said while adding that it must also send a message to prospective investors that despite the fact that one company may have no experience in oil and gas, there are centres of excellence that can be shared and made available to partnerships.

(From left) General Manager, Shane Singh; Director, Denis Latiff and Hand-in-Hand Executive Director, Keith Evelyn (Adrian Narine photo)

India delegates Fisheries Assessment Scientist to CRFM Team

HIGH COMMISSIONER of India accredited to CARICOM Secretariat based in Guyana, Dr K J Srinivasa, has announced that the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) has received a new fisheries assessment scientist on its technical team from India, under its Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) expert scheme.

Dr. Pranaya Kumar Parida, who holds a Ph.D. in Fisheries Resource Management from India, with more than 18 years of experience in Fisheries Research, Teaching and Extension, was recruited by India to assume a three-year tenure with the CRFM, through the longstanding Cooperation Programme between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Government of India under its ITEC programme.

Dr. Parida will assist the CRFM and its Member States with fisheries assessment studies, statistical analyses of commercially exploited marine fish stocks, as well as the formulation of fisheries management plans and advice for decision-making.

He will also provide training to fisheries biologists, data collectors, and data managers in CRFM member states and at the CRFM Secretariat. He will be based at the CRFM Office in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Dr Parida has published more than 35 international peer-reviewed research papers, ten popular articles, and two books. He has been awarded a design patent and has filed another four patents as a co-inventor.

Dr. Parida previously served as Assistant Professor (Fisheries Resource Management) at the College of Fisheries, GADVASU, Ludhiana. He has furthermore conducted over 50 training programmes for farmers, students from different universities, and government officials from different states of India.

High commissioner, Dr K J Srinivasa, stated that this deployment was another addition to its flagship Development partnership programme, which forms a major pillar of India-CARICOM relations. India has been contributing to various projects in the region’s

countries in areas such as Infrastructure, Transport, Healthcare, Solar Energy, Agriculture, IT etc. under its ITEC Programme designed for skill development and capacity building to support the region’s developmental goals which include the deputation of such experts.

He also underlined India’s willingness to work with CARICOM nations on future projects of their interest and priorities. High Commissioner Dr Srinivasa urged all member countries to use Dr Parida’s expertise in fisheries.

According to Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism: “The recruitment of Dr. Parida to assist with stock assessment studies is expected to provide critical data and information on the state of our fisheries, enabling CRFM Member States to enhance the way they manage the region’s fisheries resources. Through this engagement, the CRFM will continue to work towards strategically improving the sustainable development and management of the living marine

Model Arbitration Bill to be enacted this year

IN keeping with its stated commitment to create a modern platform for arbitration as an effective method of settling commercial and other disputes in Guyana, the Government of Guyana will enact a Model Arbitration Bill this year.

The government will continue in 2023 to offer capacity building by training and education to familiarise stakeholders with the concept, operational value and benefit of arbitration in the context of the impending legislative framework.

The Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, in furtherance of the Government of Guyana’s mandate, in 2022, wrote all relevant stakeholders and circulated The Impact Justice Model Arbitration Bill, 2022 for review and requested comments on the

same.

This Model Arbitration Bill incorporated the key provisions of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Arbitration and was approved by the CARICOM Secretariat for implementation by member States in the region.

The Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean Project (IMPACT Justice) is a multi-country regional justice sector reform project funded by the Government

of Canada, and is implemented by the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados, through its Project Director Professor Vilma Newton, who provided invaluable guidance and support to ensure that Guyana, one day, becomes a modern arbitration hub.

In this stead, and in keeping with the objective to educate, train, and build capacity, which formally

resources of the CARICOM and CRFM Member States. The CRFM Secretariat is very grateful for the generous support being provided by the Government of India in making the services of Dr. Parida available to the CRFM Member States.”

Dr. Pranaya Kumar Parida

‘It’s a three-card trick’

coalition, but they are still together in Parliament.”

WHILE it might seem like the real deal to some, Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, is warning citizens not to buy into the Alliance For Change (AFC)’s departure from the coalition, calling it a publicity stunt.

On February 14, 2015, the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) entered into a coalition, based on an agreement known as the Cummingsburg Accord. The coalition campaigned on this Accord, and went to the electorate for approval on May 11, 2015 and March 18, 2016.

Recently, the Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, confirmed that the

relationship came to an end in keeping with his party’s promise to part ways with the APNU when the agreement came to an end.

“We did a withdrawal as part of the [Cummingsburg] Accord,” Ramjattan had said in a telephone interview with this publication. According to Ramjattan, the party had made the decision early last year to leave the coalition.

However, the Vice President, during a live interview which was broadcasted on social media, said the departure is nothing but a publicity stunt to clean its image since the AFC cannot stand on its own and needs the APNU.

“So, we have the infamous statement by Ramjattan

that they are now breaking off from the coalition formally because the accord has come to an end. That accord they had, you could have taken it in its entirety and thrown it in the toilet and flushed it down and it would not have mattered to this country.

“It was a three-card trick for the country. It represented the PNC (People’s National Congress Reform) dominance in the coalition… the sucking up attitude of the AFC is more apparent through the practice of the last government,” he said.

According to a clause in the accord, the Prime Minister [senior member AFC Moses Nagamootoo] would chair the Cabinet. Article 106 (3) of the Guyana Constitution expressly states that such responsibility should reside in the President, and rightly so, given that the office holder is the supreme executive authority. This means that he or she is head of the executive branch of government.

Against this background,

Dr Jagdeo said this was never done by the Nagamootoo, who was instead given the role as Minister with Responsibility for Public Information and was tasked with overseeing the state media agencies.

The Vice President added that instead of speaking out against these breaches of the accord, the AFC said nothing.

“… They should have said ‘hold on wait a minute, you breached the accord and we need to address it at this point in time because that is

not what we told the electorate of the country.

“But their analogy and their lust for power, the corrupt cabal that was the AFC, made them hang on. ANPU could have walked the PNC all over them or thrown them in a pig sty and they wouldn’t have complained because they just want to hang onto power,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

He added, “So when Ramjattan says that the accord has come to an end, the accord never even started. They say that they are no longer formally part of the

According to the Vice President, Ramjattan thinks, “he’s gonna fool the people of this country,” while adding that the party has lost practically all of its support on the ground.

“The only way that they could probably regain some of their support, is if they distanced themselves from the PNC because there’s a group of people in this country that will never do anything associated with the PNC.

“So, this is a tactic to fool people, don’t be fooled. The AFC will never walk away from the coalition in substance. On paper, they will do it and publicly they will say it due to people, but in substance, they are nothing without hanging onto the PNC,” he said.

Dr. Jagdeo explained that when he heard the news of the split a few months ago, he thought it was a joke and did not pay mind to the news.

“I just thought what a joke and really you have to be extraordinarily stupid to believe anything that they say once again as they tried to reinvent themselves,” he added.

Model Arbitration Bill to be...

FROM PAGE 11

commenced in the year 2022, the Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs, in collaboration with IMPACT Justice and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Caribbean Branch, Young Members Group, held a Workshop on ‘Drafting Arbitration Clauses: Practical Workshop’, on the 5th and 7th April, 2022, via the Zoom Platform.

This Workshop was extended to all attorneys at law through the Bar Association of Guyana, the Berbice Bar Association and also to the Private Sector Commission, inviting interested persons within those organisations to participate, where upon completion the participants received certification.

The objective of the ‘Drafting Arbitration Clauses: Practical Workshop’ highlighted the relevance of including arbitration clauses in contracts and to provide an introduction to the drafting of enforceable arbitration clauses. This workshop was offered free and sessions were conducted

by arbitration experts in the Caribbean, Ms. Shan Greer assisted by Ms. Kimberley Williams.

This was followed by another workshop on “Roadmap to Implementation of a New Arbitration Law for Guyana and other CARICOM countries” held during 16 May, 2022 to 9th June, 2022, which resulted from a similar collaboration between Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs and IMPACT Justice.

This workshop produced more expansive and tailored arbitration training for members of the Judiciary, The Bar Association of Guyana, private and public sectors, civil society and media.

This second workshop’s objective was to build national capacity and enable participants to understand the purpose of arbitration and to familiarise them with the intended legal framework. This workshop on “Roadmap to Implementation of a New Arbitration Law for Guyana and other CARICOM countries” was

facilitated by internationally renowned Caribbean arbitrators, Barry Leon and Professor Anthony Diamsis of the University of Ottawa and distinguished Guyanese arbitrators based in Europe, Mr. Calvin A. Hamilton of Arbitra International and the President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, Caribbean Branch, Mr. Miles F. Weeks.

In this new year, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall established an Arbitration Unit, as various stakeholders selected and sent their respective nominees who would be their representatives on the Arbitration Unit, which comprises members from the Attorney General’s Chambers, The Bar Association of Guyana, Private Sector Commission and Berbice Bar Association.

This Arbitration Unit will liaise with the judiciary and key stakeholders at periodic intervals, as this initiative is part of the Government of Guyana’s declared intention to create a modern infrastructure for the arbitra-

tion and conciliation of commercial disputes in Guyana. The inaugural meeting of the Arbitration Unit is fixed for February 6, 2023.

In addition, plans are in place as The Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs, in collaboration with ROLE UK, will embark on an inperson arbitration training workshop, for a duration for five days, for attorneys at law in the public sector to take place by the end of March, 2023, with emphasis on The Impact Justice Model Arbitration Bill, 2022.

In addition to concentrating on the Arbitration Bill, during this first workshop of 2023, other areas, such as Investment Arbitration, would be made a topic to raise awareness of advancing international arbitration practice throughout the region. The Impact Justice Model Arbitration Bill, 2022, received resounding endorsement across the Caribbean and was approved as a CARICOM Model Bill.

-

VP Jagdeo says as he urges citizens not to buy into AFC’s exit from coalition

Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

Health infrastructure to be transformed this year – Dr. Anthony

A HOST of infrastructural development is expected to be seen in the health sector this year, including the establishment of several new hospitals and major upgrades to existing facilities.

The sector will, this year receive $84.9 billion as its budgetary allocation.

During a panel discussion, on Thursday, on Budget 2023, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, said the allocation was in keeping with the President’s vision of creating a worldclass healthcare system in Guyana.

“In the health sector, we have had that oppor-

tunity to provide a better quality of health care. In the public sector, we have more than 420 different facilities and we feel that some of these facilities, especially at the hospital level, are not enough, and one of the discussions that we have had is how do we improve hospital facilities,” he noted.

This year, construction will commence on the six new regional hospitals in various parts of the country, the contracts for which were awarded last year.

“We have also allocated money in this year’s budget to do substantial improvement in the hinterland hospitals.

So Lethem, for example, will have a major upgrade. In Mabaruma and Moruca, you will see us upgrading the hospitals there as well as in Kamarang and Kato. We will be building a new hospital at Mahdia…we will be improving that hospital as well, and while we are doing all of that we will also do a brand-new hospital at Bartica,” the health minister disclosed.

Emphasis will also be placed on the new referral hospitals, and a 256-bed maternal and child health hospital with the capability to do pediatric cardiac surgeries and other specialty services, and care for

patients.

“We want to aim to be a world-class provider of health care services; the only way we would be able to do that, we have to build more level five hospitals,” the health minister pointed out.

Apart from building physical infrastructure, there will also be upgrades to keep medical records electronically.

“Later this year, we will start putting in the infrastructure to do electronic health records. We will be going to parliament to address the legislation, and to make sure people’s records are held properly and confidentially. So, you

would see a total rollout of systems that will allow for faster access of records, but at the same time you must maintain people’s privacy with these records,” he added.

Work will also be done to have digital medical imaging like CT scans, mammograms, teleradiology, telepathology, and teleophthalmology, which will be linked to the interior of Guyana. Primary healthcare will also see some changes in protocols and the introduction of newer, more effective medication for common diseases in Guyana. (DPI)

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony

Guyana has job opportunities for you

- Minister Todd tells CARICOM

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Hugh Todd, on Friday, said that there are a number of work opportunities available in Guyana for CARICOM nationals.

The minister was at the time being interviewed by Antigua’s 104.3 NICE FM.

“Guyana has been blessed and the stars are now aligned,” he said before adding that Guyana’s ability to rebound from the tough election period in 2020, has created more acceptance from the rest of the community.

He said that in terms of job options, agriculture is a major sector.

“The president has made it very clear that the diversification of the sector is what will drive sustainability for us going forward. There is a lot of emphasis on oil. Oil is a finite resource, yes attracting a lot of attention globally but we want to make sure… the diversification of sectors that we have already,” he explained.

He noted that in all the sectors of Guyana, there are opportunities for Caribbean nationals.

“You know the Caribbean Certificate which

allows for free movement of skills and people, any national within the region can apply for jobs here in Guyana and there is a vast number of jobs within the sectors as well as the service sector because we want to push our eco-tourism product,” he said.

Minister Todd said that Guyana has a growing service sector and if the Caribbean Region is looked at, it is predominantly driven by services.

“…especially tourism, so I think there is a lot of space and opportunity for persons within the tourism sector to now

nationals

bring some of their skills to Guyana because we need more people,” Minister Todd related.

Minister Todd shared that if a CARICOM national has a certificate in vocational skills, a bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree, a master’s, or even a Ph.D., they can apply for the certificate and the process is “seamless”.

“[Persons] can apply for a certificate through Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When you enter the port…you are able to find work… and become part of the labour market,” Minister Todd added.

Hundreds of Lindeners flock ‘Men on Mission’ job fair

HUNDREDS of Linden residents, particularly young people, on Friday, explored the myriad of employment opportunities and skill-building programmes that were available to them during a job fair hosted by Men on Mission (MOM).

The job fair, which was held at the bus park at McKenzie, is just one of the many ways the initiative, which is the brainchild of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, is giving back to the Guyanese society.

MOM aims to uplift young men who are exposed to many societal ills, such as drug abuse, domestic violence, gang violence, and other violent crimes.

The intention is to provide them with guidance

and counselling, recreational and fitness activities, and create economic empowerment through temporary employment schemes.

Dozens of local and international employers had booths set up at the event, ready to recruit skilled individuals, with dozens of vacancies opened for the eager patrons to apply to fill.

Businesses from the construction industry, hospitality industry, and even the health sector had booths at the employment fair.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) also took advantage of the opportunity to do some recruitment.

Since many local companies, particularly those in the construction industry, are now struggling with la-

bour issues, the job fair not only benefitted job seekers but also businesses.

Chetram from Chetram Brothers Sammill stated that the event presented possibilities that were abound for the candidates.

He encouraged those who attended to sign up for jobs that peak their interest, whether it was in accountancy, construction and labour or even customer service.

“We (Chetram Brothers Sawmill) are interested in hiring at least over 150 persons,” he said.

The fast growing call centre, Midas BPO, was also at the job fair.

Many were drawn to the booth for several reasons which included the financial offers and abundant job vacancies.

According to a repre -

sentative of the call centre, 100 vacancies were available.

Caribbean Concrete, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and the Linden Hospital Complex were among the other entities represented at the job fair.

Many individuals were thrilled with the display of businesses and the project in its entirety.

Residents who came to the job fair were elated and said that they were seizing the opportunity at hand by signing up at multiple agencies.

The job fair did not only offer employment opportunities, but it was also

a chance for the residents of Linden to be informed about the operations of various entities.

For instance, in addition to providing health information, the Ministry of Health also used the opportunity to hold a vaccination drive.

The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) was at the job fair and presented opportunities such as farming training.

Since the agriculture sector is not only an important pillar of our economy, but one that is rapidly growing, individuals were encouraged to grasp the opportunity.

Minister of Foreign Affairs being interviewed by Antigua’s 104.3 NICE FM

CDB President: LCDS testimony to Guyana’s commitment to balancing development with environmental protection

By Tamica Garnett

NOTWITHSTANDING making the most out of its oil and gas industry, Guyana is still headed in the right direction as it pertains to championing environmental preservation, given the country’s focus and work on its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.

This was according to President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr. Hyginus ‘Gene’ Leon, in his remarks on how Guyana and the wider Caribbean is striking a balance between exploiting its natural endowments, particularly oil and gas, and its need to champion lower-carbon emissions to reduce the effects of climate change.

“The fact that [Guyana] has a low carbon [development] strategy suggests that means they are in the right direction,” Dr. Leon commented in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday.

He went on to say: “The issue of a balance does not have right or a wrong. You have to establish where you are, your initial conditions and where you want to go. Then you end up with how do I get from where I am to where I need to go? Where Guyana needs to go is very simple, it’s to a point where the people of Guyana will have more prosperity than they had yesterday.”

Dr. Leon noted that even though Guyana’s oil discovery comes at a time when there is a call for the scaling back of fossil fuel production, it does not

negate the needs of Guyana’s economy nor erase the fact that many developed countries have already had their chance to fully exploit their resources without hindrance, and even continue to do so amidst calls for scaling back.

“It just happens that Guyana’s discovery of oil is coming at a time when the world is occupied, with saving the planet. Hundreds of years ago, there was a planet to worry about, but everybody did whatever it was in the name of growth without any regard to the planet.

“Guyana today finds itself where countries were 100 years ago with needs to develop, except that they [other countries] didn’t have constraints, but Guyana finds itself with a constraint internationally which says we need to reduce fossil fuels because of what it is doing to the planet,” Dr. Leon noted.

The oil and gas industry in Guyana, and several other oil producing nations in the Caribbean are currently driving growth in the region.

However, with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other low-lying countries in the Caribbean region receiving the worst impacts of climate change, questions have been raised about the production of fossil fuels by smaller countries.

With over 11 billion barrels of oil discovered so far offshore, Guyana, over the past few years, has faced questions over its aggressive oil production against the backdrop of being a champion

of environmental preservation.

However, with much of the revenues garnered from its oil and gas industry being injected into the diversification of its economies, as well as being invested into the development of renewable energy sources, the country has hit back about not just its rights, but also its need to benefit from its national patrimony.

Moreover, with SIDS and low-lying countries like Guyana contributing the least to carbon emissions, while developing countries are doing little to cut back on their emissions or oil production, or supply financing to climate change affected nations, developing countries are left in a precarious position to find ways to fund much needed climate resilient infrastructure.

“That place of having a Low Carbon Strategy tells me that one of the goals Guyana is looking to achieve is a green future for the people as defined in the development strategy. It’s not just that they want the country to be prosperous, it’s that they want them to be prosperous with an environment that is still reasonably safe,” Dr. Leon said.

He added: “The government has said even if they have fossil fuel, they have embraced a low carbon strategy, which means they are not relying 100 per cent on the hydrocarbons.

“They may have to make a choice, not right or wrong, how fast they want to develop but equally how they are going to de-

ploy those funds with what efficiency towards getting to that place.”

The fact that Guyana is a huge net carbon sink given that its forest stores 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon, even with the development of its oil and gas industry the country remains a net zero carbon contributor.

The sheer scale of Guyana’s forest has allowed the country to begin selling its carbon credits specifically designed for the voluntary and compliant carbon markets for successfully preventing forest loss and degradation – a process known as jurisdictional REDD+.

In December, Guyana signed a multi-year agreement with Hess Corporation for at least US$750 million.

“In the same way, Guyana is facilitating

countries through the Amazon in terms of being a carbon sink and can afford to sell carbon credits to allow others to continue to develop their oil. Guyana, therefore, equally has the right to use and do their own carbon sink usage to allow them to begin that process of growth,” Dr. Leon said.

Also speaking on this point was the CDB Director of Projects, Daniel Best, who noted that while the CDB cannot assist countries with their oil and gas sector, given its commitment to the Paris Agreement, the CDB can, however, advise countries to utilise their wealth to develop renewable energy sources is in line with the CDB’s framework.

“Utilising hydrocarbon benefits to drive the energy tran-

sition in other spaces is justified. The fact of the matter is we can use these benefits to drive the renewable energy future that we are seeking to live,” Best noted.

He went on to say: “Financing projects that are anchored in hydrocarbon production, that would not be aligned with what we are seeking to do. But at the same time what we are seeking to do within our energy sector strategy and policy is how we can support countries in utilising their natural endowments to drive the energy transition.

“Oil will create wealth in Guyana, now how can we turn that into sustainable livelihood and form an alliance on renewable energy and climate change. That is at the crux of the matter.”

Kuru Kururu schools receive smart TVs, mathematics kits

THE Ministry of Education on Friday delivered four smart televisions and mathematics kits to schools in Kuru Kururu on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway, fulfilling a promise that was made a day earlier by subject minister, Priya Manickchand. The televisions will be connected to the Guyana Learning Channel, so that learners and teachers could benefit from the programmes aired daily (Ministry of Education photos)

Safety management systems to be established for tourism operators

- GTA director

TO ensure better safety for travellers and tourists, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) will soon begin the roll out of safety management systems.

programmes related to the use of the systems will be held.

in the country,” he said adding:

This is according to GTA’s director, Kamrul Baksh, who on Wednesday, on the sidelines of an event, said that a holistic plan is in the works to reduce the risk of accidents and fatalities in the industry.

“We understand that there is inherent risk in the industry based on nature activities, [such as] the hiking and boating and so forth and we need to have systems to mitigate unfortunate incidents and to reduce that level of risk,” Baksh told this publication.

A series of training

“What we need is to have comprehensive safety management systems deployed in the operations of businesses. On that note, we have put together several proposals that are awaiting implementation,” he said.

Additionally, the GTA will be partnering with BrinsJen Systems Development Specialists, a local firm, to further advance the management systems.

“We have a private consultant here, BrinsJen. They are specialists at developing safety management systems and they have started to work on several safety management systems for tourism operators

“We had a very good conversation a couple weeks ago and they are keen to work in partnership with us to ensure that more and more businesses have a better

and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, to urge persons to only use approved tour operators.

The minister, in a statement, had emphasised that persons should ensure that their tours and tour operators

are approved by the GTA.

A list of approved operators can be found on the ministry’s website (mintic.gov.gy/approved-tour-operators) and the Guyana Tourism Authority’s Face -

book page.

“Tours that are unregulated and not approved by the authority many times do not have the necessary safety systems and protocols in place,” she said.

safety culture within their businesses.”

In October of last year, Gladstone Haynes, a New York Police Department (NYPD) veteran officer, disappeared while swimming at Orinduik Falls in the North Pakaraimas.

Later in November, an American tourist Thomas Carsten Jr drowned following a fishing expedition in the Rupununi River near Apoteri in Region Nine.

The two incidents have prompted Minister of Tourism, Industry

A tour guide leads an expedition in Region Nine (Delano Williams photo)