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Friday June 25, 2021

GPSU WANTS GOVERNMENT TO SUSPEND USE OF VACCINES NOT APPROVED BY WHO

SENIOR FINANCE MINISTER URGES IDB TO RAMP UP PRIVATE SECTOR LENDING IN GUYANA

GUYANA REMOVES HAITIANS FROM LIST OF THOSE WITH AUTOMATIC LANDED PERMIT

Friday June 25, 2021

GPSU WANTS GOVERNMENT TO SUSPEND USE OF VACCINES NOT APPROVED BY WHO

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) is calling on the Government to suspend the use of any vaccines that are not approved for usage by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to some concerns raised by the body.

Guyana currently

used three sets of vaccines–Sputnik V, Oxford, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm.

However, only Oxford, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm are approved by the WHO for usage.

The call came at a Press Conference today the GPSU President of the

Guyana Public Service Union, Patrick Yarde, lauded the effort to contain the virus with the use of vaccines and other mechanisms.

However, with the growing concern over the vaccines that are not approved, the Government should insist on using that are.

Patrick Yarde said that from the evidence proposed by reputable bodies, it should give the Government some idea of how to move forward knowing the concerns.

“The Evidence today from the CDC (Center for Diseases Control) is that several people who got both doses and got

infected, died. So, it is clear that the vaccines, regardless of what help they may provide some people did not help others. That is very clear, and we don’t feel anyone should decide who will live or die. The individual being vaccinated should have a say.”

Mr. Yarde said, also, that the Government must take a position with the WHO by not approving the Sputnik V vaccine for usage.

He said that is quite disappointing knowing that certain members sit and the board of the WHO and are in decisionmaking positions in Guyana and have not acted accordingly.

He also emphasized growing concerns with

information at hand.

The Government should take a better approach in the matter and not use those vaccines.

“Enlightened people will have an open mind, and take an approach in dealing with any situation in a manner that is based on information and consequences.

And, you must bear in mind, fundamentally, that these vaccines got emergency approval. It is clear that there were doubts,“ Mr Yarde said.

Sputnik is said to be a Russia-made vaccine and has been approved in many countries for emergency use due to their findings while those vaccines were on trial.

SENIOR FINANCE MINISTER URGES IDB TO RAMP UP PRIVATE SECTOR LENDING IN GUYANA -as Demerara Bank

disburses IDB’s US$7M Trade Financing Facility

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh

Five private sector enterprises received financial support through Demerara Bank’s access to the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Trade Financing Facility (TFFP) Program during the Bank’s Disbursement ceremony at its Corporate Head Office on Camp Street.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni

Singh, in recognising the IDB’s efforts, urged the Bank to continue and expand its support to Guyana’s private sector in this regard as the country undergoes its current remarkable transition towards economic prosperity.

Demerara Bank was incorporated by the IDB into its TFFP in 2020 thereby later allowing for the opening of a line of credit to be used for short

-term international trade finance transactions to support local small and medium enterprises.

Through the facility the bank is now able to diversify its network of partners and offer trade finance products for imports and exports including loans and guarantees.

Alluding to this support, Minister Singh said it could not have come at a timelier period than the current, when the country is on the verge of an economic turn-around, despite the current challenges of a flood coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are a resilient country and we are going to get past the flood…Once we get past this, we need to come together, Government, the financial sector, the domestic private sector and indeed our valued development partners to consider how to ensure

we realize this aspiration we have.

The disbursement of this US $7M from the IDB to Demerara Bank represents an example of what we can achieve through partnership.”

Also speaking at the event was IDB’s Country Representative Sophie Makonnen who noted that the IDB in considering the support, recognized the need for diversification in Guyana’s economy and the fundamental need for small business growth

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and small business support as well as increasing their capacity.

This, in turn, it was noted, would not only in turn assist in job creation but also in growth in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Founding Chairman of the Board of Demerara Bank, Mr. Yesu Persaud, whose idea it had been for the establishment of a local bank upon his return to Guyana many years ago, alluded to how his idea came to fruition

after much difficulty in accessing a license at the beginning.

Mr. Persaud, however referred to the many achievements the bank has had since then and how it has weathered all storms to become one of the most successful financial institutions in the country.

As part of its support, funding from the TFFP will also be directed towards the Agriculture and Mining sectors in Guyana.

Friday June 25, 2021

Guyana removes Haitians from list of those with automatic landed permit

As the Government of Guyana continues to have a growing concern about the nontracing of thousands of Haitian nationals who would arrive in Guyana,

President Irfaan Ali has made the decision to impose visa restrictions on those trying to come into Guyana.

In past, Haitians were given an automatic six-

month stay following an order that was made by then President, David Granger. He officially listed Haitians on the list of those nationals who do not require visas to

come to Guyana.

That requirement has now been revoked.

President Ali has officially gazetted an order which will see Haitians now having to seek a visa before entering Guyana.

“This order must be cited as Immigration (Revocation) Order 2021…..The Immigration Order 2019 is revoked” the order said and later signed by the President in the Official Gazette of Guyana on June 2.

The Order came as the Government continues to worry about the growing number of Haitian nationals entering Guyana and after their

six months could be located.

While some could be found in hotels, and other places in their large numbers, some could not be found at all.

It is suspected that the Haitians do form part of the trafficking ring.

Smugglers use Guyana as a hub to traffic the said persons to other countries or would keep them in Guyana.

That theory has been so far debunked by others who believed that the Haitians would usually come here to travel to French Guiana and Brazil where there are large Haitian Settlements.

Back in January 2019,

Granger had signed an order which amended Schedule II of the Immigration Act, Cap. 14:02, by adding Haiti to the list of other Caricom member states.

Prior to the amendment, the Act had facilitated the six-month automatic stay to other Caricom member states including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Montserrat, Grenada, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago etc. al.

The act also notes that the basis of the entry of Haitians and other Caricom countries is limited only to certain categories of persons.

Two fires strike again in Georgetown

An early morning fire in the Durban and George Streets area has now left over 20 persons homeless and some others without a job. The fire completely destroyed a double lot building and scorched the Elegant Jewellery Business.

It is suspected to have been caused by arson.

Reports by the Guyana Fire Service indicated that the fire would have started just around 1:45 this morning at a building in the area that housed

occupants ranging from tenants to business owners.

One occupant, Kevin Phillips, who owns a Vulcanizing and Scooter Shop claimed that at the initial stage of the fire he saw two men riding away from where the fire started.

This, according to him, gave him the impression that fire was deliberately set by someone.

“I was sleeping around 1; 00 am, and I heard my dogs keep barking all the time. I decided to

check what was wrong by looking throw a small vent in the wall and I saw persons riding away from the side of the yard.

They mounted their bicycles and rode away from the side of the yard and as I heard them leave, I heard the neighbour saying “Fire, fire”.

“She right next door to me. From my window I could see on my steps.

So, I open my window to see where the fire is, not knowing it’s the side of the building that I’m

occupying,” Phillps noted.

Philips said that they tried to contain the fire but those efforts were futile.

The fire continued to spread to various sections of the building leaving little to nothing in its wake.

“We try to contain the fire but we couldn’t have contained it. We try to save something which we didn’t get to do really.

Everything burn. We do sell electric bicycles.

“All of them burn. We also have people who credit our bicycles to sell.

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All of that burn in the fire, along with all my equipment, millions of dollars,” Philip added.

A number of Venezuelans who also occupy the building said that they also lost everything and don’t know what’s the next step forward.

Haimchandra Persaud, Divisional Officer (DO) explained that the fire services received a call early this morning around 1:45 am and quickly four fire tenders went into action. They came from Campbellville, Alberttown and West Ruimveldt.

Mr. Persaud said that by 3:00 am they had it under control. They managed to prevent the blaze from completely destroying the jewellery building nearby.

He noted that the Guyana Fire Service cannot conclude at the time that it was indeed arson until the full investigation is completed.

“Well, initially the person who was occupying the building where the fire started indicated that he saw two persons exiting

the premises after his neighbour called out that there was a fire.

“But we cannot conclude. We still have to confirm that information and the investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire,” Persaud explained.

The area that the fire destroyed is said to be a double house lot, which houses a large number of non- Guyanese migrants and a vulcanizing shop.

In close proximity were houses, which had to soaked in order to prevent them burning leaving more homeless.

In past week Georgetown has been plagued by three fires that would have completely destroyed homes and a School.

The fires left many homeless in the time of the COVID-19 Pandemic and some students having to be placed in other buildings to facilitate their exams.

And another fire broke out in Tucville, North East La Penitence this morning. It destroyed a home and a repair shop.

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