NEWS
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
CIOG calls for release of Guyanese fishermen from Venezuela – says Venezuela in violation of international human rights
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ith Venezuela currently illegally detaining two Guyanese fishing vessels and their 12-man crew, a number of organisations have made calls for their release. The latest to make such a call is the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG). In a statement it issued on Monday, the CIOG called on Venezuela to immediately release the fishermen, who are presently being kept captive on their boats in the Venezuelan port of Guiria, as well as their vessels and catch. In their statement, the CIOG noted that such actions violate international law. Additionally, it was pointed out by CIOG that Venezuela’s recklessness has a humanitarian aspect,
which cuts to the heart of whether these fishermen will be able to sustain their livelihoods. “The arrest of the twelve fishermen represents thus far a reckless action undertaken by Caracas threatening Guyana’s sovereignty and hindering economic activity of innocent civilians of Guyana. These fishermen should not be made collateral damage or used as scapegoats by the Maduro regime.” “The action taken by Caracas is a violation of international human rights law, regarding the right to livelihood and the prohibition on arbitrary arrest and detention. The CIOG, therefore, echoes its demand for the release of the 12 fishermen, their catch, and their boats. Guyana is a peaceful
country where all are welcomed including citizens of Venezuela,” CIOG also said. Moreover, CIOG noted that should Venezuela release the fishermen and their property, it will be viewed as a positive gesture and can be used as a basis to resume dialogue between the two countries. “The Central Islamic
Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) stands firmly behind the Government of Guyana in ensuring the preservation of our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” CIOG said in its statement. On January 21, two Guyanese-registered fishing vessels and a 12-man crew that were operating off the coast of Waini Point in
Guyana’s EEZ were intercepted by the Venezuelan naval vessel, Commandante Hugo Chavez GC 24, which was illegally traversing Guyana’s waters. The Venezuelans boarded the vessels and the captains were instructed to chart a course to Port Guiria where they were detained and are being kept to this day. The men have since been brought before a Venezuelan court and reports indicate they will be kept in custody for some 45 days pending an investigation. Since then, however, a number of countries have condemned Venezuela’s actions and urged the Spanishspeaking country to release the fishermen. Last week, the OAS Permanent Council met to discuss, among other things, the
tensions between Guyana and Venezuela. During the Permanent Council’s virtual meeting, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the OAS Riyad Insanally informed the Council about the recent actions of Venezuela. A number of countries on the Council took a firm stance against Venezuela, including the US, Canada, Trinidad, Brazil, Antigua and Barbuda and Belize. The Permanent Council is one of the two main political bodies of the OAS, the other being the General Assembly. The Permanent Council keeps vigilance over the maintenance of friendly relations among the member states and, for that purpose, effectively assists them in the peaceful settlement of their disputes.
new approaches to education delivery to be successful. At times, some parents found it challenging to navigate these platforms. It is in this context that the Minister of Education Priya Manickchand urged social media users to be kinder, less harsh and judgmental and less insensitive. “Think twice before laughing at, mocking or poking fun at other social media users at this time,” the Minister said.
Manickchand urged users not to be bullies but the best version of themselves and to utilise the forum for upliftment. The campaign, which runs for an indefinite period, will use engaging and interactive posts to have discussions with users on the platforms on the issue. Also, short videos, sharable graphics, short animated videos and wallpaper graphics will be used for the advancement of the campaign.
NWD miner stabbed with MoE launches “Be Kind” campaign to scissors during argument tackle cyberbullying on social media
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Barabina Hill, North West District (NWD) miner is now hospitalised after he was stabbed with a pair of scissors by a carpenter during a confrontation on Sunday. The injured man was identified as 27-year-old Myial Benjamin. Based on reports received, the now injured man was imbibing with the 25-year-old at Barabina Hill when an argument erupted. It was at that time, the suspect armed himself with a pair of scissors and dealt the
STABBING victim one blow. Benjamin was escorted to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, where he was examined by the doctor on duty
and admitted in a stable condition. Police ranks have since located and arrested the suspect.
GTT donates 1500 reusable masks to Region 9 villages
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he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) recently donated 1000 reusable masks to the Mayor and Town Council of Lethem Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) and an additional 500 to Nappi Village with the aim of flattening the COVID-19 curve. GTT’s Chief Marketing Officer, Orson Ferguson visited the community to make the donations. He indicated the importance of ensuring everyone remains safe during these unprecedented times and highlighted GTT’s myriad of actions in supporting this effort. “We continue to do all that is necessary to ensure everyone has the means to be masked up. The distribution of masks is just one way that GTT contributes to combating COVID-19; we have also donated hygienic hampers to several healthcare organisations and continue to provide doctors and nurses with a free mobile plan on a monthly basis. Our nation’s education sector has also received our support, as we joined the effort to support online learning,” Ferguson shared.
GTT Chief Marketing Officer Orson Ferguson hands over the donation to Deputy Mayor of Lethem, Debra King
Receiving the donation on behalf of the Council was Deputy Mayor Debra King, who expressed gratitude to GTT for the timely donation. “These masks will be allocated to Council members who will then have the responsibility to further distribute to the residents of the municipality of Lethem. We have engaged many organisations like GTT since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, and are continually grateful for each contribution,” Deputy
Mayor King said. She added that GTT’s donation would assist the ongoing efforts of the municipality to provide masks to residents. In the 30 years of GTT’s existence, the company continues to contribute to the development and well-being of communities – their contributions throughout the current pandemic continue to reflect this commitment as they live out their corporate theme of “togetherness”.
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he Education Ministry has launched a new campaign titled “Be Kind” which seeks to address the upsurge in unkind behaviours being meted out to Guyanese. The primary targets of the “Be Kind” campaign are children, teachers, and parents who have had harsh experiences due to COVID-19 and its impact. The campaign aims to promote the development of emotional intelligence of children, teachers, parents, and all Guyanese through education and kindness. It also aims to celebrate and amplify the power of kindness through education. The MoE is cognisant that the advancement of emotional intelligence is critical in helping youths prepare for the difficulties they face as youngsters today, and as grown-ups tomorrow. Therefore, developing a culture of graciousness and kindness can create a ripple effect that has a far-reaching impact on their families, communities, and country. Recently, the Education Ministry observed that some persons on social media have been unkind to others with what they say and the actions they take while using the platform. At a time when schools are closed for the majority of the school population due to the coronavirus pandemic, teachers, parents and students have had to find new ways to ensure learning continues. Towards this end, teachers started using Zoom, WhatsApp, Edmodo and other similar platforms to engage children while they are at home. This meant that parents have had to play a more integral role in their children’s education for these
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