July 2013 – Page 11 – Guyana Times International

Guyana to ratify ILO domestic work convention by monthend – Dr Gopaul

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Members of the Caribbean Workers Network Steering Committee have left Guyana optimistic that the country will be the first in the Caribbean to ratify the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Convention, Number 189, to protect domestic workers. According to a ministry release, representatives of the six-country network were in Guyana for their annual planning meeting, and on Monday paid a courtesy call on Labour Minister Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul before departing. Important convention The minister told the group, which included an ILO representativePaula Robinson and representatives of Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago,…

Guyana optimistic about HIV fight

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

By Svetlana Marshall As some international donors prepare to withdraw or reduce their financial support for AIDS programmes in the Caribbean, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Shamdeo Persaud said the Health Ministry will depend heavily on the National Assembly to approve funds to keep afloat critical HIV/ AIDS programmes in Guyana. The United States President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) is currently in its transitional stage, Dr Persaud said in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International. PEPFAR is designed to preserve the lives of persons suffering from HIV/…

Visionary thinking…

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

… in housing The building boom on the coast is fulfilling a lot of dreams. For a society that began with most of its people forced to live in hovels – “the yards” and “bound quarters” – owning your own home is more than having a “shelter”. It’s the opportunity to live with a modicum of dignity in your own “castle”. But for too long that had been just a hope and a wish. Back in 1972 the then government – with the best of intentions we’re sure – launched…

Ramotar urges political will to achieve regional food security

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Guyana’s President, Donald Ramotar has issued a call for political, entrepreneurial, and popular will to achieve food security in the Caribbean region, noting that food security, as a primary policy objective for the region, must be embraced by all stakeholders. The president emphasised the need for “a binding political undertaking by decision-makers at the highest level, both regionally and within individual national jurisdictions that regional food security is an objective to be pursued with single minded zeal. In addition, the region’s private sector must also be recruited to the view…

U. S. discusses support for Guyana’s environmental sector

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud on Monday met with U. S. Environmental Representative Alain Norman and U. S. Embassy Economic and Commercial Officer Jeffrey S Barrus to explore the possibilities of American support for Guyana’s environmental sector. The meeting explored the possibilities of support in the areas of technical assistance and environmental science. More specifically, there were several thematic areas that the minister and the U. S. representative discussed such as clean energy, and the management of waste, water, and protected areas. Norman was very enthusiastic to learn…

Countdown to PPP’s 30th congress

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) National Congress Committee Chairman Clement Rohee said final arrangements are being made to host the party’s 30th congress. The congress, he said, will help shape the future of the party and allow members to critique the work of its leaders, in efforts to improve the party’s overall standing. Rohee noted that groups are meeting and fulfilling the constitutional criteria for the selection of delegates and observers. According to him, members from various constituencies across the country will be allowed to send resolutions on localised or…

HIV testing should be mandated

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, The Annual Scotiabank Regional HIV Testing Week was held recently through its Bright Future Programme, and I am glad that this HIV campaign and awareness emphasis is not diminishing. I think that HIV tests must be mandated at regular intervals and for about as many people as possible. HIV/ AIDS is still a very serious health issue. Urgent measures should always be undertaken to arrest any bad situation long before it gets out of hand. I refer readers to a study in Dominica conducted by the U. S.…

Guyana’s success in mining must be highlighted

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, Guyana has scored well in sustainable mining and it is very noteworthy to grasp the reality here. It is that Guyana fared well even though the country has the largest extractive sector in relation to production and people when compared with Suriname and French Guiana. It really feels good to me that Guyana is on record as having the least impact, among the three countries, on forest degradation and potential for pollution. Guyana has come a far way indeed. What is important is that the evaluation came from…

Very proud of the way Guyanese immigrants celebrated America’s independence

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, Guyanese Americans joined in celebrating America’s independence from Britain on July 4 -an event that occurred on this day in 1776. With the holiday falling on a Thursday, many people, including Guyanese Americans, took the Friday off for an extended weekend, spending it as a mini-vacation. Many travelled with families with the holiday period considered one of the busiest in the year. Although people had fun for the period, the meaning of the day should not be lost during the celebrations at beaches, resorts and places of entertainment.…

The end of an era

July 12, 2013 TIMES INT'L

We’re done. High school days are officially over. There’s no turning back the clock. Trust me – I tried. Even though I still fit perfectly into my third form tunic, I was still stuck in 2013 instead of being teleported back to 2009. I’ve had the best seven years of my life at Queens College. It’s just been two days since my last day ever at Queens and already the past seven years are being bathed in that warm, nostalgic glow. I always assumed that I’d have to be at…