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PNCR says Govt. 10% salary increase vindictive, disrespectful to teachers Aug 24, 2024 News Kaieteur News – The People’s National Congress (PNC) has once again called out the government on the salary increases offered to the teachers. On Friday, the party released a statement calling the 10% increase signed between the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education disrespectful and vindictive. “The People’s Progressive Party’s offer to the Guyana Teachers Union of a 10% increase on teacher’s salary is ridiculous, disrespectful, vindictive and a reflection of the disdain that the regime has for teachers and other public officials.” On Wednesday, despite objections from a section of its General Council as well as rank and file members, President of the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU) Dr. Mark Lyte signed a multi-year agreement with the government accepting the 10% percent pay hike for teachers and a slew of other benefits none of which accorded with the demands of the union. “It must be recalled that both Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali demanded that the APNU+AFC government pay teachers 50%. They made this demand under the then government before the discovery of oil, claiming that the then government could afford it. Now when there is oil the said government is contending that they cannot afford to pay teachers 50% increase. This is the level of hypocrisy, disdain, vindictiveness and trickery that Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali are meting out to the hard working teachers of this nation,” the PNC said Friday. Furthermore, the party said that “the so-called package delivers little or nothing to teachers and is a mere smoke screen for concealing the fact that the government is unprepared to treat teachers fairly.” “When it is recognised that the infrastructure budget is $666B and the main fund for PPP corruption, then it is obvious that the PPP is deliberately impoverishing our teachers and have no interest in improving the quality of their lives,” the PNC noted. Meanwhile, just last week the Opposition party said that it supported the GTU’s rejection of the proposal. “The PNCR fully supports Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and all teachers in rejecting the PPP government’s insulting proposal of 10% salary increase for 2024, 8% for 2025, and 9% for 2026. Jagdeo’s claim that the union’s rejection results, from GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald’s attempts to derail the union politically is politically hypocritical and comical. It is the same Jagdeo in 2018 who, as opposition leader, stated that teachers should be given 40% – 50% salary increases for the year. Now that the PPP is in government, with access to vast oil resources, its hypocrisy is on full display in its treatment of the nation’s teachers with its meaningless proposals of 8% – 10% salary increases.” Furthermore, the party said that as the next government, it intends to ensure that “the teachers receive compensation retroactively and that all public servants enjoy livable wages across the board. The nation’s human resources are our most valued asset, and as the next government, our policies will reflect that.” Related Similar Articles

No clarity from Govt. on Guyana’s actual oil reserves Aug 24, 2024 News Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo One week later… Kaieteur News – One week after Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat held a press conference to provide updates on the sector, the government is yet to clarify what is the actual figure of the country’s oil reserves. Bharrat announced that the country’s reserve has moved up some 600M barrels putting the current reserves at 11.6B barrels. This disclosure comes two years and eight new discoveries after the last reserve update. It is important to note that earlier this year Exxon’s partner in the Stabroek Block China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) released its 2023 annual report which stated that the Lancetfish discovery has averaged some 100 million tons, which is equivalent to 746 million barrels of oil. This publication has reached out to the minister on multiple occasions and he is yet to respond to inquiries, opting instead to read the messages and leave them there. Calls to the minister have also gone unanswered. Turning to chief policymaker in the sector, Vice President (VP) Bharat Jagdeo for clarity, but he said: “You had an opportunity there to deal with all these things…so let me just say on reserves. On the reserves we have…I told you that there is a submission that Exxon makes to us. The submission showed a minimal increase from the last quarter…” Jagdeo went on to say: “we have gone out to contract someone to do an audit of these reserves. So we saw what Exxon submitted and we are going to do an audit of the reserves. So that we can get the full picture and this will be a technical audit by hiring consultants to do that. So the issue has come up we are addressing it all the other issues we will deal with at that level.” The oil minister revealed last week that a contract was awarded to a French company to conduct an the of Guyana’s reservoir saying that, “ he said it is something that should have done a long time now, “but I’m happy that we’re going to start this soon.” Earlier this year, the Ministry of Natural Resources issued Epression of Interest for “Consulting Services for Conducting Petroleum Resources and Reservoir Audit.” This process had initially attracted three proposals, Egyptian company Stratoil Energy Services, French company Beicip Franlab, and DeGolyer & Mac Naughton Corp (D&M) of Texas, USA. The ministry’s advertisement stated that the Government of Guyana (GoG) has received financing in the amount of US$20 million from the World Bank (WB) towards the cost of the Guyana Petroleum Resources Governance and Management Project (GPRGMP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds to pay a consulting firm to provide advisory services, technical support and training and capacity strengthening services to the GoG. Related Similar Articles

CDB launches knowledge exchange lab to advance gender equality in Caribbean Aug 24, 2024 News Kaieteur News – Recognising the critical need for a collaborative platform to advance gender equality in the region, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has launched the Gender Equality Knowledge Exchange Lab (GEKEL) in partnership with the UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean. The Lab is designed to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing on gender equality among partners in the Bank’s client countries, including national gender machineries, governmental and non-governmental organisations, civil society, the private sector, academia, and youth organisations. In a press release CDB said the initiative is a key component of CDB’s broader commitment to promoting capacity-building, technical assistance, and financing across the Caribbean to achieve gender equality and enhance sustainable development. The Lab is rooted in CDB’s 2019 Gender Equality Policy and Operational Strategy, serving as a crucial platform for bringing together diverse stakeholders to address challenges and develop solutions to promote gender equality. A central feature of the Lab is its quarterly online peer-to-peer knowledge exchange sessions, facilitated by CDB in collaboration with UN Women Caribbean, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women. These two-and-a-half-hour sessions provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss specific topics across various sectors and explore innovative solutions. Participants can also request customised training during these sessions. The Gender Equality Knowledge Exchange Lab was piloted on 18 September 2023, following the flagship Gender Seminar at CDB’s 53rd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in Saint Lucia. The pilot session attracted over 50 participants from 19 Caribbean countries and focused on implementing national gender focal point systems, showcasing regional and global best practices. The positive response from participants, who expressed strong interest in continued training through a coordinated network on gender equality themes, led to the formal establishment of the Lab. On 24 July 2024, in conjunction with GEKEL’s official launch, CDB and the UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean held a second training session on Gender Mainstreaming in Trade Policy. Facilitated by the International Trade Centre (ITC), the training brought together 99 trade officials, policymakers, and representatives of national gender machineries from across the region. The session focused on the policy environment for women in business and trade, as well as strategies and options for integrating gender considerations into trade and trade-related policies. During the training, CDB’s Vice President of Operations (Ag.), Mrs. Therese Turner-Jones, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to empowering women and promoting gender equality in the region, stating: “By bringing together key stakeholders, we can identify solutions to the challenges hindering gender equality in trade and develop policies that promote inclusive and equitable growth.” UN Women Caribbean Representative, Ms. Tonni Brodber, emphasised the importance of inclusive policies, stating: “This is not just about women, it is about understanding where the women and men are in trade and how best we can understand the trade policies and develop policies and practices that can serve women and men, highlight their successes and importantly not block their opportunities.” “Public procurement accounts for 12% of the Caribbean’s GDP, but less than 5% of public tenders go to women-owned businesses. Helping women become more competitive in trade and in public procurement is a big part of what we do at ITC and is the reason why we partnered with UN Women to launch the Global Campaign on Gender-Responsive Public Procurement. I call on Caribbean countries to join our campaign to leverage sourcing as a driver of gender equality,” said Ms Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of ITC, during her opening remarks at the webinar. To date, the Gender Equality Knowledge Exchange Lab has trained 150 individuals, underscoring CDB’s ongoing efforts to promote gender-inclusive and sustainable development in the Caribbean. Related Similar Articles

Team Mohameds builds salon to support single mother  Aug 24, 2024 News Tamira Benjamin, along with her child and Businessman Azrunddin Mohamed Kaieteur News – The Mohameds in their effort to support small businesses, has constructed a salon for a single mother whose dream is to own and operate a hair and makeup business. The 21-year-old mother, Tamira Benjamin from Coomacka Mines, Region 10, is now in the process of stocking her new business while continuing to serve her clients. Previously, she offered house calls to clients as far as Linden, but now they can enjoy her services in the spacious, newly built salon. “Mr. Mohamed wished her continued success and encouraged her to expand her services to clients across the region,” Mohamed stated in the press release. Related Similar Articles

NAREI, CAPA inked MoUs to expand agricultural interventions Aug 24, 2024 News Kaieteur News – The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Caribbean Agricultural Productivity Improvement Activity (CAPA) on Thursday signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that ensure continued success and expansion of key agricultural interventions locally. The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Caribbean Agricultural Productivity improvement Activity (CAPA) inked two Memoranda of Understanding CAPA, a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC), is dedicated to improving agricultural productivity and market efficiencies across the Caribbean. The two new memoranda signed on Thursday at the Grand Coastal Hotel, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, extend the list of official collaborators in Guyana to three. During the ceremony, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha noted that the MoU provides a structured framework that will support the nation in achieving its 25 by 2025 food security goal. He said the $5.3 million initiative will help stakeholders in the industry by promoting the use of market-driven agricultural practices and technologies. The minister explained that it would also give them easier access to domestic and regional markets.  “We are working to have a level playing field in the Caribbean, although we are having international agencies helping us to boost the capacity…and to improve production and productivity, we are also working from the technical side to improve trade relations between member state so that we can satisfy the demands of our market,” Minister Mustapha stressed. The focus on increasing productivity, building buyers’ capacity and improving farm-level extension systems speaks directly to the core of Guyana’s national agenda for agricultural development. Minister Mustapha believes that the new pact will embrace an integrated approach across the entire agricultural value chain, improving the capability of suppliers, extension workers, processors, wholesalers and even regional development partners. “We are moving in the right direction. In order to achieve sustainable growth, we must first equip our farmers with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive global market,” the agriculture minister emphasised. According to him, the project also introduced the use of bees’ starch and innovative products designed to extend the shelf life of produce, underscoring the dedication to integrating new technology that can reduce post-harvest losses and increase the value of agriculture output. Meanwhile, USAID’s Project Management Specialist Durwin Humphrey underscored that the MoU is a critical step towards building a strong coalition aimed at leveraging the strengths of partners. He was adamant that the collaboration would reduce duplication efforts, create synergies, and strategically deploy resources to address some of the pressing issues of local producers. Humphrey said USAID looks forward to the real impact of this structured mechanism over the next few months. (DPI) Related Similar Articles

Coverden residents set face against oil & gas waste treatment plant Aug 24, 2024 News The Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated located at Coverden – seeking legal advice to challenge venture Kaieteur News – Residents of Coverden East Bank Demerara (EBD) have raised staunch objections to a decision to have an oil and gas waste treatment facility built in the community. The residents have been up in arms after reading in the press last week that an agreement was signed by the Senior Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh for the $214M waste treatment plant. The agreement was officially handed over by Guyana’s Chief Investment Officer, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated, (PWSI), Mahendra Jettoo. The residents have since noted that PWSI waste facility is a highly hazardous and dangerous operation and no assessment has been done to determine the risks to the health and wellbeing of residents; risks to the environment, air, soil etc.; and the community. Following a meeting on Wednesday, the residents issued a statement explaining that they are planning protests outside of Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated Oil and Gas Waste Treatment Plant at Coverden EBD.  The community group is also in the process of seeking legal advice in relation to Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated, Go-Invest and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “…there is no way of determining how these risks would be managed, compensation for residents and the community, etc. As such, as residents of Coverden, we are saying in the strongest of ways, that we do not want this or any oil and gas waste treatment facility or the storage of Radioactive materials and Industrial Radiography Devices in our community,” a statement issued on behalf of the residents said. The community members outlined among their concerns the fact that the government would sign an agreement with PWSI, a new company that has no experience, expertise, or competency in managing oil and gas waste or an oil and gas waste treatment facility. “We are also surprised to learn that Mahendra Jettoo, is the Chief Executive Officer for this oil and gas waste treatment facility because Mr. Jettoo was the landlord for previous developers for the waste treatment facility, Global Oil Environmental Services (GOES), an American company, and JAPARTS Guyana, the local partner,” the statement added. According to the residents, the move was even more concerning since in 2021, the Global Oil Environmental Services (GOES), applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval to construct and operate an Oil and Gas Waste Treatment facility for the transfer, storage, treatment and disposal of Exploration and Production at Coverden, East Bank Demerara. That partnership was with JaParts Guyana and the EPA issued a public notice about the proposed facility, and some of the residents from Coverden filed ‘Letters of Objection/Appeal’ to the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB). The Investment Agreement was handed over today by Chief Investment Officer, Dr Ramsaroop to CEO – Professional Waste Solutions Inc. (PWSI) Mr. Mahendra Jettoo. The residents noted to that approval was eventually given to GOES but was not given to Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated, which is a new company to operate an oil and gas waste treatment facility in Coverden.  As such, the residents are raising several questions as to what was the approval process followed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated, (PWSI) to operate Oil and Gas Waste Treatment Facility in Coverden. The group queried “What was the approval process followed by GO-Invest for the allocation of $214M to Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated, (PWSI) to operate Oil and Gas Waste Treatment Plant at Coverden? Why were no consultations done with residents of Coverden and Professional Waste Solutions Incorporated, (PWSI) about the Oil and Gas Waste Treatment Plant being operated in the community?” According to the residents, there is no way of determining how these risks would be managed, compensation for residents and the community, etc. As such, the residents of Coverden, have condemned the project in the strongest terms “We are saying that we do not want this or any oil and gas waste treatment facility or the storage of radioactive materials and industrial radiography devices in our community,” the statement said. Meanwhile in response to the concerns raised by the EPA in a statement issued on Tuesday said that new company is essentially operating on the permit granted to GOES.  The EPA said that GOES was then issued an Environmental Authorization for five years valid August 2021 to July 2026. On July 12, 2023, the EPA received an application to transfer the Environmental Authorization from GOES to Professional Waste Solution Inc. (PWSI), citing the following reason: “GOES suspended operations at the current location in January 2023. However, since the permit is still valid for three additional years, Professional Waste Solutions Inc.is desirous of recommencing operations at the current location, especially since some of the infrastructure, already in place, will remain intact.” The EPA said that it processed the application for transfer in keeping with the Environmental Protection Regulations, and issued an Environmental Permit (Transferred and Modified) to PWI.  The Agency took into consideration that, while the project is now under transferred ownership, all of the elements generally remain the same, with some improved process and technology.  “All safeguards are captured in the transferred and varied permit, as the Agency wanted to ensure that impacts are not significant and, importantly, that the permit holder can meet their obligations in accordance with the Act,” the EPA said. Related Similar Articles

Several injured after car crash at UG road  Aug 24, 2024 News Kaieteur News – A car accident that occurred Wednesday evening on Rupert Craig Highway and University of Guyana Access Road East Coast Demerara (ECD) has resulted in several persons being injured including a child. Police reported that the accident on August 21,2024 involved motor car PMM 6481 driven by Rohit Balgobin,25, an electrician of Better Hope ECD, and  motor car PRR 3591 driven by Danraj Chatrupaul, 31, a taxi driver of  Second Street Lusignan. At the time of the accident Chatrupaul’s vehicle was carrying two passengers: 33-year-old Ashley Kamaldeen and her 7-year-old son, Julian Kamaldeen, both from Cummings Lodge, ECD. According to police reports, Balgobin was traveling east along Rupert Craig Highway at a high speed. As he approached the intersection with UG Access Road, he attempted to turn in a southern direction and entered the path of Chatrupaul’s vehicle that was proceeding west along the highway. This led to a collision between the two cars, causing significant damage to the vehicles. All individuals involved sustained injuries and were taken and admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for treatment. Investigations are ongoing. Related Similar Articles