Church opposes casino gambling in Grenada

Church leaders in Grenada have restated their objection to casino gambling after Swedish developers Zublin confirmed resubmitting a controversial tourism development project rejected by the government last year. The Conference of Churches had vigorously objected to the multi-million-dollar project in 2010 on the ground that it included a casino. However, in a newly released statement, the churches said they are no less opposed to the revised project, which also includes a new cruise ship jetty and a four-star city hotel. “All available evidence shows that casino gambling is associated with…

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2011 will be a Mash to remember

With many memorable concerts and events under its belt, including the “Machel for Mash” show which some believe was the highlight of the 2010 Mashramani festivities and one of the best concerts ever, Hits and Jams is truly a tour de force of the local entertainment world. No one can dispute that the Hits and Jams Entertainment team has the capability to deliver on its promise to provide the highest level of entertainment for the Guyanese public, which is anticipating a superb programme of activities for the observance of Guyana’s…

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“Vanilla” ready to give up Road March Crown

– still promises magnificent performance Local soca singer Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts has finalised her plans for Mashramani 2011, and she is promising Guyanese a magnificent performance for this year’s Mash Road March competition. This is in spite of her saying that she wants to relinquish the crown to her colleague and friend, B52, aka “Lil Man”. “I’m quite sure B52 has talent, and that is why I think he deserves the crown,” the singer, who won the competition in 2007, 2009 and last year, said. She nevertheless urges “Lil Man”…

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Lindener wins junior Calypso competition

Lindener Diana Chapman, exerting passion and energy that captivated the audience at the Mackenzie Sports Club, sang her way to victory at the 2011 Junior Mashramani Calypso competition in Linden on Saturday, January 29th. The runner-up at last year’s competition beat off a strong challenge from a field of thirteen with her song ‘Bring back Brer Anansi’. Defending champion Tennicia De Freitas, who sang “Can’t take it no more”, also won over the energy of the crowd, but not exactly that of the judges, as she had to settle for…

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28 groups to cash in on first set of small farmers’ loans

The Agriculture Sector Development Unit (ASDU) is currently preparing 28 farmers’ groups based in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and Ten, to access funds from the newly-established Gy$220 million Small Farmers’ Group Financial Facility. The unit expects that the first set of funding should be ready for disbursement sometime in March. Some of the activities for which the groups are seeking funding include food processing, such as production of sauces, jams and jellies; and livestock development, mainly pork production and sheep and goat rearing. The applicants include the Pomeroon…

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Health minister says strides made in reducing maternity deaths

`Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy has vehemently defended health workers amidst criticisms that they have been at fault for the increase in maternity deaths last year. Speaking in the National Assembly last week during the National Budget debate, Ramsammy said that tremendous strides have been made in the reduction of maternal deaths since 1992; and although 2010 was a setback, government would continue to minimise such occurrences. Ramsammy said that 57 pregnant mothers died in Guyana in 1991, with a maternity mortality ratio (MMR) of about 32 per 10,000 live…

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Conservation International Guyana – Teaching communities to care for nature

Nature is integral to our survival, but it is constantly being depleted because of the increasing commercial activities of our time. Conservation International Guyana (CIG), a non-profit non-governmental organization active for more than 20 years, is linking human development with the conservation of the earth’s living natural heritage in order to correct the problem of depletion. CI imagines a healthy and prosperous world in which societies are forever committed to caring for and valuing nature for the long term benefit of people and all life on earth; as such, their…

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Dealing with the circumstances – John ‘Slingshot’ Drepaul

Soca and calypso singer John ‘Slingshot’ Drepaul was born at William Street, Kitty, Georgtown and grew up at No 63 Village, Corentyne. Slingshot lived on his own in a beach house at No. 63 Beach, from age 13, with no assistance from his family. His stepmother, Etwaria Masidas, had put him out of the family home to fend for himself. Rising above such adversity, he was determined to succeed and make something good out of life for himself. “Playing music, being in bands and entertaining were never my life’s ambition.…

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Home Affairs Ministry, THAG in security pact

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee believes that there must be adequate security measures in place to protect tourists in light of the rapid growth of the tourism sector. Rohee made these remarks on Wednesday, January 26th, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Home Affairs Ministry and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana. Rohee explained that the Home Affairs Ministry has recognised the contribution the tourism industry is making to Guyana’s development, and by extension developing the tourism sector. As a result, he explained, this development…

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Ramsammy blasts int’l bodies over ‘wrong’ data

By Ariana Gordon  Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy lambasted several international health organisations on Thursday, January 27th, for what he believes to be their disregard for the work of public health workers in Guyana when they compile reports using wrong data. Ramsammy was especially addressing reports on maternal and infant mortality. Speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop on Maternal and Child Health at the Regency Suites, Hadfield Street, the health minister debunked statistics produced by the Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and the United Nations…

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