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Thursday March 31, 2022

GUYANA MUST STOP BEING A PRIMARY PRODUCER—SAYS MINISTER BHARRAT

RAMESH DOOKHOO ACCUSES TRINIDAD COMPANIES OF MANIPULATING LOCAL LAWS

GPHC PERFORMS ITS FIRST-EVER LAPAROSCOPIC BARIATRIC SURGERY

Thursday March 31, 2022

GUYANA MUST STOP BEING A PRIMARY PRODUCER —SAYS MINISTER BHARRAT

Minister Bharrat

Guyana remains one of the most investment attractive nations in recent times when it comes to the newly found oil and gas. However, other sectors, such as the extractive still continue to struggle even decades and in order to ensure that the economy is balanced drastic changes are needed in the area of having byproducts produced in Guyana.

This was noted by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, during the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) luncheon, on Tuesday.

At the luncheon, it was indicated that while the Oil and Gas Sector is seeing a boom in its development much is needed to improve the other sectors that have

been around for decades.

Power generation; the cost and the reliability of it, our infrastructure is also being questioned.

Access to capital is another area–the expertise, technology, skill set.

“These are all challenges that we faced over the years. They have been inherent to us to get into value-added products as opposed to

exporting raw materials,” Minister Bharrat said.

Minister Bharrat was speaking on the issue of having value-added products in the natural resource sector. It was explained that Guyana will benefit tremendously in the oil and gas sector.

However, the benefit will come with backlash if we become heavily dependent on the sector to continue to pump

revenue in the economy and further cause the country to suffer from the Dutch disease.

This, Minister Bharrat said, should be avoided if the other sectors such as the extractive sector are built up to ensure that we only not benefit from the raw product being exported but also by having byproducts to pay us.

The Minister said too much time is spent to export “our raw materials and buy them back in the form of byproducts at an expensive price and that has to stop.

“We haven’t truly realized our potential in the value-added sector and this is across all sectors; the agriculture sector, we export cherry and then we buy back the juice. That’s a fact and we have been doing that for years now.

“We export the logs and then we buy back the fancy furniture; we export our raw gold we buy back refined gold.

We export our bauxite and then we import the aluminium products and we have been doing that for decades.”

Minister Bharrat said that the game-changer will be power generation.

That will open doors for development in the areas in which Guyanese can benefit.

President of the GMSA, Rafeek Khan, said that the forest will in the future be Guyana’s saviour in terms of having a balanced economy. We need to focus on developing it.

“Our forest will be generating revenues for every single sector regardless of whether you are manufacturing, you are producing food, or you are producing a building product or construction product,” Mr. Khan added.

Guyana has been exporting raw materials for years and has not been benefiting from the value-added products that are sold to us

RAMESH DOOKHOO ACCUSES TRINIDAD COMPANIES OF MANIPULATING LOCAL LAWS accusing the Trinidad and Tobago Private Sector Companies of manipulating the law to suit them.

Throwing his take on the issue with trade with the twin island republic, Ms. Dookhoo used the opportunity at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) luncheon to call out the companies seeking to manipulate the laws of Guyana.

“We are here to embrace you on our terms.

Don’t be disrespectful of us; don’t be disrespectful of our laws. You have some more deadly local content laws than we have and already we are seeing foreign company Guyana’s Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Dookhoo making their staff Just a few months in the law, Chairman Guyana’s Private Sector members shareholders after the Local Content of the Trade and Commission (PSC), in the company and Legislation was placed Investment Committee of Ramesh Dookhoo is doing other things, other info@guyanapostonline.com

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manipulative things to qualify for the local content register,” Mr. Dookhoo said.

The LCL was geared to give Guyanese more opportunity to benefit from the oil and gas by having regulation in which companies are by law mandated to follow regulations in term of a percentage of Guyanese Labour and Services provided, along with many other stipulations.

Since then, T&T Companies have been vocal about the bill being used to deter investment and foreigners from benefiting.

That notion is continuously being shut down by the Government by insisting that the law is there to protect the economy and also to ensure that Guyanese

directly benefit from its own resources.

Mr Dookhoo said that Companies have found a way around the law and that stricter measures are needed, such as one where the secretariat is given the powers to investigate these companies.

“The authority given to the local content secretariat has to be deeper; it has to associate with the Companies Act of Guyana and they must have more authority to investigate companies,” Mr. Dookhoo added.

Mr. Dookhoo said there is no way that the companies must was more respectful.

They have hindered the exportation of some goods from Guyana and for years they has been blocking some goods.

Thursay March 31, 2022

GPHC PERFORMS ITS FIRST-EVER LAPAROSCOPIC BARIATRIC SURGERY

Dr. Ramcharran As the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation continues to advance medical care and to lead medical innovations in Guyana, it recently recorded another “first” for Guyana.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, is proud to join with the Board and Management at the GPHC to extend congratulations to the Department of Surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for recently successfully completing the first-ever laparoscopic bariatric surgery in Guyana.

The lead surgeon in this record-setting and milestone achievement was Dr. Hemraj Ramcharran, an advanced laparoscopic surgeon.

Dr. Ramcharran is one of several surgeons who are promoting Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) at the GPHC and in Guyana.

It should be noted that while this is the first laparoscopic bariatric surgery done in Guyana, open bariatric surgery has been done previously.

It should also be noted that this same team was responsible late last year for another “first”.

Late in 2021, the same surgical team completed the firstever laparoscopic adrenalectomy surgery.

Three patients benefitted.

One was a patient with a condition called pheochromocytoma, info@guyanapostonline.com

leading to uncontrolled blood pressure.

The second patient was one with gallbladder cancer, needing special surgery known as cholecystectomy and hepatectomy. The third patient had a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Dr. Kishore Persaud led this third surgery.

These are conditions that have led to rapid deterioration in a person’s health and early death. The surgeries gave the patients another lease on life.

While grateful to Dr. Ramcharran for his leadership in completing Guyana’s first laparoscopic bariatric surgery, the Minister of Health and the Board recognize that a surgery like this requires a team. The Minister and the Board extend congratulations to the whole team at the GPHC. “We look forward to further achievements in laparoscopic bariatric surgeries at GPHC and in Guyana. The Ministry of Health, Board and Management stand ready to support the doctors, nurses and other relevant staff as they consolidate the GPHC’s leadership in teaching, research and medical innovations.”

Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery is a form of weight-loss surgery offered to persons who are obese and cannot lose weight by non-surgical

means. Obese persons are those persons with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. This form of surgery is performed using a small camera or laparoscope.

There is no longer cut (no long incision) that is made to enter the stomach. Laparoscopic bariatric surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique that involves removing or limiting a section of the stomach and rearranging it.

Persons who have had a laparoscopic bariatric surgery eat a lower amount of food, which helps weight-loss.

The surgery restricts the ability to eat large amounts of food.

The laparoscopic bariatric surgery was performed at the GPHC on February 17, 2022.

The 32-year patient (TS) came to the hospital as an obese patient.

Having determined that the patient did not benefit from traditional, non-surgical weightloss methods, it was recommended that the patient was a good candidate for bariatric surgery.

The patient has recovered well and is losing weight, as predicted by the medical team. After six weeks, the patient has already benefited from a weight-

loss of forty pounds.

The expected outcome for this patient is that he will weigh only half of his pre-surgery weight in six-months and only onethird of his pre-surgery weight in one year.

This is dependent on Mr. TS following medical advice and adhering to certain behavioral changes. The Ministry of Health, the Board, management and staff at the GPHC wish Mr. TS well and assures him that we will provide all support he needs to ensure that this lifesaving procedure leads to a healthier and more productive life.

Minister Frank Anthony also joins the Board and Management of the GPHC to extend congratulations to the entire team that is responsible for Guyana’s first-ever laparoscopic bariatric surgery. In addition to the Team Leader, Dr. Hemraj Ramcharran, congratulations are extended to members of his surgical team: Nurse Roenita Grant, Dr. Zoilo Leon, Dr. Adikar Ramjoo, Dr. Delon Ramnarine, Dr. Bibi Hussain, Dr. Drohinauth Singh and Dr. Fiaaz Hassan.

The laparoscopic bariatric surgical team received critical support from the Head of the

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Surgical Department, Dr. Navin Rambarran and Ms. Djamilsa Lambert (Nutritionist), Ms. Karina Gonzalez (Psychologist), Dr. Kishore Ramdass (Internal Medicine Specialist), Dr. Yaquelin Ricardo (Endocrinologist), Dr. Andres Segura (Anesthesiologist), Dr. Yogeshwar Ethwaroo (Cardiologist).

The Minister of Health, the Board and Management are very grateful to the entire surgical and support team that have recorded a very significant “first” for the Georgetown Public Hospital and for the health sector in Guyana.

Obesity is a major problem in Guyana, with more than half of the population either overweight or obese. Obesity is often accompanied with serious co-morbidities, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, etc.

Obesity is a global health problem. More than 650 million people around the world are obese and more than 42 million children under five are also obese.

While nutrition and lifestyle changes are often frontline treatment options, surgical interventions have become an important

option when nonsurgical options fail. In the developed countries, bariatric surgical interventions have already been established as popular options for persons who are obese.

However, bariatric surgical intervention to treat obesity is not yet routine in developing countries, with only a handful of developing countries offering this option. In this regard, the health sector of Guyana has made a tremendous step forward.

The weight loss programme at the GPHC is now preparing itself to add laparoscopic bariatric surgery as a routine service to help people who might need surgical intervention as their only option for treating obesity.

Minister Frank Anthony has promised that while every effort is being made to ensure high-quality basic service is provided to every citizen, he is also mindful that certain highlevel, tertiary healthcare interventions become available for the citizens of Guyana.

Several innovations have already become a part of the health sector.

This latest innovation at the GPHC is testimony that Guyana has the talent to provide first-world health care.

Thursday March 31, 2022

Drunk driver causes four-vehicle smashup at Vreed-en-Hoop

Serious road incidents operate recklessly on continue to plague our the road causing major roads, with no sign of injuries and even death. it slowing down soon.

This time, a drunk Drivers continue to

driver who allegedly made a U-turn on a public road caused a four-car smash-up on the Vreed-

Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, and officials from the Ministry of Finance met with a high-level World Bank team led

by Country Director for the Caribbean, Lilia Burunciuc, and new Resident Representative of the Bank, Dilletta Doretti.

The meeting, which was held on Wednesday, served as an opportunity for dialogue on the Government’s economic objectives and

Dr Singh placed emphasis on diversified economic growth, highlighting the desire for an increase in the private sector footprint of the IFC (International Finance Corporation).

He alluded to a number of developmental projects in the agriculture sector which hold potential such as the corn and soya bean agriculture initiative.

The Senior Finance Minister further welcomed the Bank’s

en-Hoop Public Road, West Coast Demerara last night leaving several injured, including a 15-year-old girl.

Reports are that the incident occurred at about 22:00 hours. The vehicles were, PTT8247 owned and driven by 35-year-old Kemraj Narine of 15 Phoenix Park, West Bank Demerara; PLL797 owned by Dexter Clarke; PYY131 owned and driven by 41-year-old Marlon Ferguson of Lot 11 Coverden, East Bank Demerara; and HC5103 owned and driven by 41-year-old Satyanand Singh of Lot 1 Canal # 2 West Bank Demerara.

It was explained by the Guyana Police Force that motorcar PTT8247 was stationary on the southern side of the Vreed-en-Hoop Public Road W.C.D facing west.

It then made a U-turn into the lane of motorcar HC5103 causing a collision.

HC5103 then collided with motorcar PYY131 which was proceeding west on the southern side of the road then into motorcar PLL797 which was stationary on the northern parapet of the said road.

As a result of the collision, the driver and occupants received injuries to their bodies.

They were assisted by public-spirited citizens and rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital in a conscious state by ambulance where they were seen and examined

by Dr. Duncan who treated and sent them away except for one 15-year-old (a student of the West Demerara Secondary School and of Pouderoyen WBD) whose condition is regarded as serious.

A breathalyzer test was conducted on all the drivers and 174% micrograms were found in the system of the driver of motorcar PTT8247.

Finance Minister holds discussions with World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean, Resident Representative Diletta Doretti

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priorities and potential opportunities for World Bank support through its assistance and lending programmes.

Key priorities discussed included Guyana’s Low Carbon Development agenda, human capital development and opportunities for partnership between the Government and the financial institution in other areas in line with its expanding and evolving capacity.

continued investment in human capital development as well as Guyana’s Low Carbon Development agenda.

World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean Lilia Burunciuc re-affirmed the Bank’s commitment to working closely with Guyana in promoting economic and social development.

The new Resident Representative Diletta Doretti noted that Government has a

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clear strategy and expressed enthusiasm at being able to support the administration’s development priorities on behalf of the World Bank.

In August 2021, the Vice President responsible for the Latin American and Caribbean Region of the World Bank, Carlos Felipe Jaramillo and team made a two-day visit to the country where they met with Government and visited a number of

project sites.

During that visit, the Bank re-affirmed its commitment to Guyana and assessed areas for further opportunities for expanded partnership in pursuit of the country’s national development goals.

The visiting World Bank team included Judith Green, Regional Manager, Caribbean region (IFC) and Javier Suarez, Programme leader for the Caribbean.