2011 – Page 38 – Guyana Times International

Govt. disburses Gy$37.2M to Region Nine flood victims

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Close to 2000 households have so far benefited from government’s monetary assistance to Region Nine residents who were severely affected by floods earlier this year. So far, over Gy$21.7 million has been disbursed to residents in North Rupununi and another Gy$15.5 million in South Rupununi districts. The recipients from Karasabai and other villages in the North Rupununi District were among those selected through a collaborative effort by the regional administration, the village council, the Amerindian Affairs and Agriculture ministries. The recipients received Gy$20,000 each. The Amerindian Affairs Ministry continues to…

Agri Ministry unveils National Food, Nutrition Security Strategy

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

The Agriculture Ministry, on Saturday unveiled the National Food and Nutrition Security Strategy, one day before Guyana joins countries the world over to observe World Food Day. The strategy provides a 10-year road map linked to current and future policies shaping Guyana, ensuring that people have access to affordable and nutritious food three times a day. This is not being done in isolation, Persaud said, noting that it is part of the vision of building a modern agriculture sector. While admitting that there are still challenges confronting the sector, Guyana,…

Hinterland Electrification Programme enters second phase

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

One hundred and eighty-four hinterland communities where the majority of households are still without any form of electricity are now one step closer to receiving solar home systems. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) release, the first batch of 11,000 systems earmarked for free distribution has begun to arrive in Guyana. This intervention is a key priority identified within the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and will usher in the second stage of the Hinterland Electrification Programme (HEP). The HEP was launched in 2005 when the government sought to…

Gy$46M approved for construction of core homes

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Government will be building an additional 300 core homes for poor Guyanese in different areas. This is in addition to similar houses being built in Regions Five and Six through similar initiatives. Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, told a news conference last week that Cabinet has approved the construction of these houses in Westminster, West Bank Demerara and in Lusignan and Nonpareil, East Coast Demerara. Luncheon said, “This initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Water to supply homes to the clearly indigent members of the Guyanese…

Gy$7M computer training programme launched in Leguan

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Thirty students of Leguan have commenced classes in computer technology on Monday when the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) launched the Gy$7 million “Leguan Information Technology Project”. The project, funded by the government of Guyana in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is being executed by the Finance Ministry through BNTF. The project provides for the installation of two AC units (24,000 BTU), 15 computers, and one printer along with back-up systems that are linked into a network. Classes are being held at…

Corruption on the decline at customs – Sattaur

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

By Michael Younge Guyana Revenue Authority Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur said that corruption at the semi-autonomous state agency is on the decline, crediting this to the many operational and structural changes made at the revenue body over the years. He made the comment during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International on Tuesday at his Lamaha Street Office in Georgetown. Sattaur explained that the changes in the organisational, operational and structural pillars of the GRA are largely responsible for the decline. He was adamant that the new systems that were…

1500 pregnant women to benefit from Gy$5M nutrition programme

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Fifteen hundred pregnant women throughout Guyana will benefit from a Gy$5 million nutrition programme of the Health Ministry. Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy told scores of Amerindians from villages such as Akawini, Kabakaburi, Baracara, St Monica and Karawab in both Upper and Lower Pomeroon, during a meeting over the weekend, that the ministry has developed a programme which seeks to provide pregnant women, once registered, with three vouchers valued altogether at Gy$18,000. Dr Ramsammy said the vouchers will be given to women at the various health centres so that they…

Autumn rice crop to surpass target

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

– average yield pegged at 28 bags of paddy per acre By Michael Itwaru President of the Rice Producers Association Leekha Rambrich is optimistic that by the end of the current autumn crop more than 400,000 bags of paddy would have been reaped, surpassing the national target since farmers are expecting very high yield per acre. Preparations for the crop had commenced in early June, with farmers sowing paddy as late as August. This extended crop was due to harsh weather at the start of the year. Rambrich recalled that…

Miss Guyana India 2011 contestants promise to rock pageant

October 20, 2011September 26, 2012 TIMES INT'L

The nine contestants vying for the title of Miss Guyana India were on Friday evening sashed by their sponsors at the Pegasus Hotel poolside. The girls, decked in their matching gold and blue outfits, promised that come October 28, they will rock the Pegasus Hotel. On Friday evening, Artie Deodat was sashed as Miss Ishara Dance Troup; Varsha Arjune as Miss Regal Stationery; Umadevi Bux as Miss Lux Entertainment; Tahirih Boodhoo as Miss S Boodhoo; Hashana Komal as Miss Kamarang Inc; Katherina Roshana as Miss RK Group of Companies; Sandiya…

Our water woes are a thing of the past

October 20, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, I must say the government of Guyana continues to deliver its services to the citizens of the country in a timely manner. This time, it is the people of Cummings Lodge who are the recipients of a Gy$101 million well station, which was commissioned recently by Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali. I was told that the new facility will not only improve water services to the residents of Cummings Lodge, but also the people of A, B, C, D and E Fields Sophia who have been experiencing…