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Kaieteur News
National Veterans’ Trust to be established Minister of State Joseph Harmon has indicated that the government intends to establish a National Veterans’ Trust. He made the declaration during an address on Sunday at the annual Remembrance Day observance held at the Guyana Veterans Legion, Coghlan House, Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown. The Minister delivered the remarks on behalf of President David Granger, who is a patron of the Guyana Veterans Legion. “ R e m e m b r a n c e D a y, which has been set aside to recall the end of hostilities and to honour the memories of those who perished during the world wars, is a continuous reminder that World War I was one of the deadliest conflicts in human history,” Harmon reflected. He also said that while the end of World War I in November 1918 did not bring about an end to wars, Remembrance Day should be a moment of reflection on the ravages and futility of wars along with the colossal waste of human resources and material and the socioeconomic consequences that followed. “It is also a day when we reaffirm our commitment to a world free of conflict, a world where differences are settled peacefully and without resort to threat or use of force. This is also a day for us to be reminded of our duty and obligation as a grateful nation, to show meaningful support and a life of
dignity for military veterans,” he said. The Minister then called on the Guyana Veterans Legion to be resolute in ensuring that the welfare of veterans receives its “justified and maximum attention”. He further asserted support for the veterans by reminding them that they are not alone in the quest for a dignified life, pointing to the P r e s i d e n t ’s r e s o l u t i o n , called a National Veterans Commission, which was piloted in November 2013 through the National Assembly. The Commission, tasked with examining the conditions and circumstances facing veterans and the Defence Forces aims to make recommendations to ensure their health and welfare. “ … Wi t h i n a s h o r t space of time, we would be advised as to the government’s position on these recommendations,” Minister Harmon said. Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Veterans’ Legion, retired Lieutenant Colonel George Gomes spoke of the history of Rem e m b r a n c e D a y, e v e n while appealing to government and overseas missions to “please help us do better for our veterans”. He said that there are 15 survivors of World War I as he pointed to Mr. Benjamin Durant who will be celebrating his 100th birthday on Thursday, November 15, 2018 and Mr. Gerald Stewart who recently turned 97
years old. Referencing the Commission of Inquiry, Lieutenant Colonel (rtd) Gomes expressed gratitude to the President for establishing it, as veterans across the country stand to benefit from recommendations. “Remembrance observances continue to be a significant time in Guyana.” Meanwhile, in his address, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Greg Quinn said, “In being here we do not honour war or death, but rather, we commemorate those who have given their lives in the service of our respective countries…their bravery was key in securing the allied victory. These men fought thousands of miles from their homelands for a country they have never been to, but for a purpose they believed in.” The British envoy said that the Government of the United Kingdom, through the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League would be providing additional assistance to 7,000 veterans and their widows in 30 commonwealth countries, including Guyana. “Our servicemen and women continue to protect us in difficult and dangerous situations. Many of us here have lost friends, colleagues and family members in service and it is important that we honour their memories. They have not died in vain,” the High Commissioner said.
Tuesday November 13, 2018
Guyana team in Qatar for World Health Innovation Summit A four-member ministerial delegation of health officials is in Doha, Qatar for the 2018 World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH). An invitation to the summit was extended to Guyana’s Public Health Ministry by Minister of Public Health of the State of Qatar, Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari. The summit is being supported by the Qatar Foundation and was founded by Her Highness of Qatar, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, to improve global health by developing an evidence base for innova-
tive healthcare policy. It is also meant to serve as a platform for leaders impatient about the current pace of change in healthcare. The event will feature keynote speakers, plenary sessions, a ministerial roundtable discussion, and the WISH hub, which will showcase some of the world’s most exciting healthcare innovations. The topics in focus, this year, include Anxiety and Depression, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Design in Health, Eye Health,
Healthcare in Conflict Settings, Islamic Ethics and Palliative Care, Nursing and Universal Health Coverage, Role of the Private Sector in Healthcare, and Viral Hepatitis. The summit will commence today, and will last two days. Guyana’s Delegation includes Junior Minister of Health, Dr. Karen Cummings; Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Campbell; General Medical Officer, Dr. Ryan Campbell; and Chief Nursing Officer, Linda Johnson.
UK delegation to spearhead talks on abolition of death penalty The abolition of capital punishment is being brought to the fore for discussion with the aim of moving towards abolition. The discussion in this regard is being spearheaded by a delegation of international experts currently here in Guyana until Friday. The delegation was organised through the support of the European Union and the British High Commission in Guyana. Saul Lehrfreund, Co-Executive Director of The Death Penalty Project of UK is being joined by Randy Susskind; Deputy Director of Equal Justice Initiative of the US and Surinamese parliamentarians the Hon. Ms. Krishnakoemarie Mathoera and the Hon. Mr. Patrick Ciciel Kensenhuis. The international delegates will be supported by prominent Guyanese lawyer Nigel Hughes, who will provide expertise on the death penalty in Guyana. Although Guyana has not carried out any executions since 1997, death sentences continue to be imposed, and there are currently 17 people on death row. Guyana’s continued retention of capital punishment marks it as an outlier not only within the region, as it is the only South American country that still has the death penalty, but also on the global stage, where a majority of the world’s nations have now abolished capital punishment. The death penalty was
Mr. Saul Lehrfreund, Co-Executive Director of The UK Death Penalty Project. imposed on Guyana through British colonial rule. Since then the UK has rejected capital punishment and today is vocal in advocating for global abolition. A combination of factors were behind the UK’s decision to abolish the death penalty in 1965, including a recognition that the punishment disproportionately affects the most marginalised and vulnerable members of soc i e t y a n d , i m p o r t a n t l y, could not be imposed without error, arbitrariness and cruelty. This was made clear by several high-profile executions which raised concerns that the innocent, mentally disabled and vulnerable were being executed. Wrongful convictions remain a distressing reality
wherever the death penalty is imposed, it has been noted. In 2016, at least 60 death row prisoners were exonerated around the world. The inevitability of error in capital sentencing will be a recurring theme throughout the delegation’s presentations. In particular, attention will be drawn to the experience of the US, where for every nine people executed, one death row prisoner has been exonerated. Meetings will be held with policymakers and key stakeholders including senior government ministers, members of parliament, the Bar Association of Guyana, criminal law practitioners and human rights advocates. A public lecture will also be held today at the National Library in Georgetown to promote debate and increase understanding of key human rights issues relating to the use of the death penalty in Guyana. The Death Penalty Project is an independent legal action charity housed and supported by London legal firm Simons Muirhead and Burton LLP. For more than 30 years, The Death Penalty Project has worked to promote and protect the human rights of those facing the death penalty. The Equal Justice Initiative [EJI] is a non-profit organization based in Alabama, United States. EJI is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. It is expected that these initiatives will help to bring Guyana on board the abolition of the death penalty movement too.