2013 – Page 80 – Guyana Times International

Guyana has much to celebrate in HIV/AIDS fight, says PANCAP head

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

The National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) on Tuesday commenced a two-day national conference for Persons Living with HIV (PLHIVs), with speakers urging infected persons to take ownership of their own lives. The conference, which targeted approximately 50 peer support group leaders from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and 10, was held at the Regency Suites, Georgetown. The aim is to deliberate on the quality of social support services provided through the national HIV care and treatment programme, to identify the gaps, and to make recommendations on how to improve…

Jury convicts Guyana-born man of killing adoptive mother

September 20, 2013September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

The Sun Sentinel is reporting that a Broward jury on Tuesday convicted a Pembroke Pines man of the murder of his adoptive mother, rejecting a defense claim that he had consensual sex with the victim and then passed out while someone else killed her. Gerard Lopes Belmonte, 23, was found guilty of second-degree murder after jurors deliberated for five hours Tuesday. He faces a maximum of life in prison when he’s sentenced on October 10. The verdict ended a one-week trial that devastated the victim’s family. Lopes was Natalie Belmonte’s…

New era for Amerindians

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, joy of owning personal homes was evident as some families from Manawarin, Region One received keys to their new homes as part of the Housing Ministry’s Hinterland Housing Pilot project. So now some of these individuals and their families are free to move from very poor dwelling conditions into well constructed three-bedroom houses, while the others who were living in very remote areas can now move closer to access basic services such as education and health. Home ownership comes with responsibilities as such they (the owners) will have…

The Guyana – Suriname collaboration will help in maintaining law and order

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Surinamese National Army have renewed their commitment to combat trans-border crimes. I hope that both sides will stick with this collaborative effort. Arrangements are likely to fall into place within the next six months when the anticipation is that the militaries through the GDF Coast Guard and the Surinamese Navy can move into visible operation in the Corentyne River. Now, I firmly believe that this partnership can really be effective to combat piracy, human trafficking, trafficking of drugs and firearms and…

Patience and hard work paying off at Skeldon

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, It is very relieving to see that the level of sugar production being delivered at the Skeldon Sugar Factory indicates that the upgrade works done on the facility by Bosch Engineering are bearing fruit. This was exactly the pronouncement that came from the agriculture minister, who also made mention of the fact that the factory is beginning to work as anticipated. But I still do not rule out a few teething and labour problems, however, we must not allow set-backs to cause us to fight and attack one…

TT’s new security minister revisits 21st-century policing initiative

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

The 21st-century policing initiative instituted by former Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs has merit and some of its components will be incorporated into the Police Service, according to TT’s National Security Minister Gary Griffith. Griffith told TT media that he intended to meet with acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams as soon as possible to discuss the measure. The initiative met with much criticism from the Police Service and Social Welfare Association, which complained that owing to the shift system, its members were being made to work beyond the stipulated 40…

Grenada’s church leaders warn against IMF

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Church leaders have urged the Grenada government to resist any attempt by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to increases taxes and cut social services, as the island grapples with attempts at turning around a sluggish economy. The Conference of Churches Grenada in a recent statement, said that it is deeply concerned about the prevailing socio-economic situation in the country and any attempt to impose additional taxes on the Grenadian population should be resisted. Officials from the Washington-based financial institution were in Grenada to conduct an assessment of the economic situation,…

Mountains, first week and public busses

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

By Anu Dev Well I’ve survived my first week of actual schoolwork! Can I still say schoolwork? “University work” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Sure it’s only supposed to get even more intense from now, but for now I’m just relieved to have made it through my first week. I’m also still adapting to living in Trinidad. Over here I’m definitely seeing why they came up with the phrase “as changeable as the weather”. It’s really lovely dressing to deal with the morning’s heat and then coming…

Hinds urges promotion of Guyanese literature

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

Promotion of Guyanese literature is necessary to capture the culture and diversity of Guyanese writings. This is the view of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who was speaking at the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry’s 2013 Edgar Mittelholzer Memorial Lecture held at the Umana Yana on Tuesday evening. The 2013 Edgar Mittelholzer Memorial Lecture included the guest speaker, Professor Jane Bryce, professor of African literature and cinema. Also, speaking at the lecture series was Al Creighton who noted that modern Guyanese literature may be divided into two periods: pre-independence and post-independence.…

Lil bit water and no wood is no good

September 20, 2013 TIMES INT'L

De whole country gon need a lotta prayers soon – from crusade to jhandi to reading to any kinda prayer in any religion. And all dem people who does go to chuch – don’t matter which chuch – gon have to pray fuh Guyana. Too much of pubic language goin on in public places. Old people done warn a long time already that people mustn’t wash dem dutty linen fuh de public to see. But no body ain’t listenin. At this rate, if women coulda get pregnant wid talk, all…