Wednesday October 03, 2012
Kaieteur News
Gandhi’s peace work recognized at anniversary ceremony Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green amongst special invitees offering floral tributes to Gandhi’s statue on his 143th birth anniversary.
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$315M bid submitted for Mon Repos vet lab Bids were opened yesterday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), under the Ministry of Agriculture for the rehabilitation of the veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara. With an Engineer’s Estimate of $288, 097, 865 the bids opened were:
Meanwhile, bids were tendered for the Guyana Defence Force for the construction of a parking lot, Base Camp Ayanganna. The Engineer’s Estimate is $6,485,525 with the bids opened:
Under the Supreme Court of Judicature, bids were opened for the rehabilitation of Blairmont Magistrate’s Court in West Berbice, Region Five. The Engineers Estimate is $9,537,990 and the bids were: The High Commission of India celebrated the 143th birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi yesterday at the Promenade Gardens, Middle Street, Georgetown, where floral tributes were offered. Attending the event were Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds; City Mayor, Hamilton Green; Member of Parliament, Ronald Bulkan and President of the Indian Commemoration Trust, Dr. Yesu Persaud, among others. Gandhi (1869-1948), known more popularly as “Mahatma”, according to India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Puran Mal Meena, was an apostle of nonviolence, and an architect and father of the nation of India. He said Gandhi was subjected to all forms of violence and racism in his lifetime. His spirit to fight injustice through non-violent means was also inculcated by peace activists, Nelson Mandela and Dr Martin Luther King Jr. which offered a new perspective on peaceful protest. Mayor Green noted that the teachings of Gandhi must not only be regurgitated on the anniversary, but the true teachings must be adopted to enhance the lives of citizens. “Gandhi left behind a legacy of non-violence…are we heeding his call? These
ceremonies will be sterile and in fact useless, unless when we leave here after paying respects, convert our philosophy from violence to non-violence.” According to Green, the newspapers show that violence is even being perpetuated by the state apparatus and that it has reached a level that even those who are suppose to protect are violating that trust. “I recommend that the High Commission collaborate with the University of Peace Studies, Universal Peace Federation so that we can inculcate into the minds of our young people, the value of non-violence…so that we bequeath our succeeding generations a life and world that is kinder and more loving following the path of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.” Representing the People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNC/R) and Leader of the Party, MP Ronald Bulkan said Gandhi was a great person that played an important role in the Indian independence movement. The MP noted that Gandhi developed the talent of nonviolent agitation which he called Satyagraha, and his efforts were instrumental in India gaining its independence.
Meanwhile, according to the Prime Minister, Gandhi has also inspired Guyanese in his efforts to protect without distinction of as to race, colour or creed which are the fundamental basic rights of every woman, man and child. “Lessons leant from Mahatma Gandhi’s approach to social changes are no less relevant in today’s world where the absence of peace in many troubled parts of the world creates immense suffering to human kind. Today more than ever there is a great call for non-violence and continued dialogue to sustain peace, unity and brotherhood… key elements for sustainable development.” The ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in its message said that Gandhi’s entire life was dedicated towards the struggle to liberate people from physical and mental oppression. “The People’s Progressive Party remains committed towards further building Guyana by continuing to embrace the policies of Mahatma Gandhi that will benefit all Guyanese, regardless of race, colour or creed.”
Thieves fail to cut through safe with $5M at Mahaicony Post Office Thieves, using a welding torch, failed in their bid to cut into a solid steel safe containing over $5M at the Mahaicony Post Office yesterday morning. They had already cut a hole into the steel but apparently ran out of time, which led to an abandonment of their mission. The target was the cash that was earmarked to make pension payments, and investigators believe that the thieves are fully acquainted with the movement of cash by the Guyana Post Office Corporation. Reports reaching this newspaper stated that the money was secured in the vault on Monday afternoon. Yesterday when the Post Mistress turned up for work she found that the place was
not how she had left it. Upon closer examination, she discovered that someone had attempted to torch their way into the safe that held millions of dollars in cash. The matter was immediately reported to the police. Police believe that the thieves operated between 01:00 and 04:30 hours yesterday. Residents living in close proximity to the Post Office reported hearing dogs barking incessantly around that time. The thieves gained entry by breaking open the back door of the partially dilapidated building. They left behind a piece of tarpaulin, which investigators believe was used to block out the light from the welding torch. “This place old, if you see
how the flooring rotten,” one Mahaicony resident told Kaieteur News. This newspaper was told that the facility has no security guard. Only recently in the wake of a rash of high-profile burglaries, the Guyana Post Office Corporation had indicated that they had started the implementation of new security measures to deter bandits at its district offices. The GPOC has been hit by a number of burglaries, one of which was committed at the Beterverwagting Post Office, from where bandits carted off $5.7 million after torching two safes. Gunmen had also ambushed a car transporting cash for the corporation and had escaped with millions of dollars.