Guyana tops regional sugar production figures

Jamaica has emerged as the second largest sugar producer in the Caribbean for the current year.

Year to date data show Guyana as lead producer, with 221,836 tonnes, followed by Jamaica 154,361 tonnes, Belize 118,811 tonnes and Barbados 14,854 tonnes.

The current year-to-date figures indicate total exports of  300,484 tonnes, with the European Union accounting for 90-per cent of  total output.

Guyana has been the lead exporter for the current sugar crop, followed by Belize and Jamaica.

Karl James, Chairman of  the Sugar Association of  the Caribbean, said on Tuesday the group was optimistic, that when the final report for the 2013/14 crop is compiled, it will show improvement over the previous two years, both in production and export.

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Guyana tops regional sugar production figures

Guyana authorities question several following discovery of semi-submersible vessel

Self-Propelled Semi-Submersible (SPSS) vessel

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Tuesday September 9, 2014, CMC – The Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) says it has questioned seven people in connection with the discovery of a Self-Propelled Semi-Submersible (SPSS) vessel last month.

“These semi-submersible vessels are built for one reason and one reason only and that is to transport drugs, mainly cocaine. This vessel was more than like going to Europe or Africa not the US…the camp itself has been there for at least five months based on the materials found,” said CANU head, James Singh.

Singh gave no further details about those brought in for questioning, but the authorities believe that the vessel, discovered hidden in a swamp in the Waini River, North West District, was constructed here, given that the odometer reading indicated that the vessel travelled for only three hours.

“This is based on us sharing information with experts, persons who have seized vessels like this before… this now moves us beyond just trans-shipment,” Singh said.

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Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said the SPSS which is now stored at the Coast Guard Base in Ruimveldt underscores the difficulties law enforcement authorities have in dealing with the illegal drugs trade.

He said that the SPSS is similar to those used by drug smugglers in Latin America and that at the request of the government, experts from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are assisting local law enforcement officials in their investigations.

“Drug traffickers use rivers, waterways and territorial sea very frequently to conduct their nefarious activities…we hope that this kind of work will continue on the part of the law enforcement agencies with the help of the GDF (Guyana Defence Force),” he added.

Members of the Task Force on Narcotic Drugs and Illegal Firearms recently completed the final draft of the country’s new National Drug Strategy Master Plan which has since been presented to the Cabinet for its approval.

This plan outlines the strategic, tactical and institutional objectives of the Government for the 2013-2017 period with regards to the fight against drug trafficking.

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Guyana authorities question several following discovery of semi-submersible vessel

Guyana, Suriname among countries with World’s highest suicide rates

WASHINGTON D.C., United States, Friday September 5, 2014, CMC –Two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have some of the highest suicide rates in the world, according to figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO).

It said that in the Americas, the average estimated suicide rate is 7.3 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is lower than in other WHO regions and lower than the global average of 11.4 per 100,000.

“However, Guyana has the highest estimated suicide rate for 2012 in the world, and Suriname has the sixth-highest.”

The WHO said that data from the Americas show that suicide rates first peak among young people, remain at the same level for other age groups, and rise again among older men.

(Credit: WHO)

According to the WHO first global report on suicide prevention published on Thursday, more than 800,000 people around the world die from suicide every year – around one person every 40 seconds.

The WHO report titled “Preventing suicide: a global imperative” seeks to make suicide a top priority on the global public health agenda.

It has been launched a few days before World Suicide Prevention Day is observed on September 10.

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The report noted that an estimated 75 per cent of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.

“Unfortunately, suicide all too often fails to be prioritized as a major public health problem,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan.

“Despite an increase in research and knowledge about suicide and its prevention, the taboo and stigma surrounding suicide persist, and often people do not seek help or are left alone. And if they do seek help, many health systems and services fail to provide timely and effective help.”

The report notes that, globally, rates of suicide are highest in people aged 70 years and over. In some countries, however, the highest rates are found among the young.

The WHO noted that suicide is the second-leading cause of death in 15- to 29-year-olds globally.

In general, more men die by suicide than women. In countries of the Americas, rates range 2 to 6 times higher for men than for women.

It said pesticide poisoning is one of the most common methods of suicide, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and accounts for one-third of cases globally.

“The relatively high proportion of suicides by firearms in high-income countries is primarily driven by high-income countries in the Americas, where firearms account for 46 per cent of all suicides; in high-income countries outside the Americas, firearms account for only 4.5 per cent of suicides.

“Evidence shows that limiting access to the means of suicide can help prevent such deaths, as can a commitment by national governments to the establishment and implementation of coordinated plans of action,” the Who reported.

“The most important message is that suicide can be prevented, especially if we identify people at risk and intervene early,” said Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, chief of the Mental Health Unit at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for the Americas.

“People who have attempted suicide are at higher risk of attempting it again, he noted, making it important for health personnel to provide follow-up of such cases, with family and community support.”

The new WHO report identifies a series of measures that can help prevent suicide, including creating national strategies for suicide prevention; restricting access to the most common means of suicide, including pesticides, firearms and certain medicines and providing medical follow-up for people who have attempted suicide.

In addition, the WHO is advocating that countries should incorporate suicide prevention as a central component in health services, identify and treat mental health and substance abuse disorders as early as possible and that there should also be responsible reporting on suicide by the news media.

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Guyana, Suriname among countries with World’s highest suicide rates

Two gay sex workers murdered in Guyana

File photo (Credit: caribbean360 / bigstock)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Sunday, July 20, 2014, CMC -

The suspect in the murder of two homosexual sex workers early Sunday morning, committed suicide hours later in the day by setting himself afire.

Samuel Bristol, 31, doused himself with gasoline and set his body on fire outside the Bourda Post Office in Georgetown.

Before succumbing at the Georgetown Hospital, Bristol, confessed to the murders and said he had nothing to live for.

The two homosexual sex workers were stabbed to death on the streets of Georgetown in the early hours of Sunday, allegedly by Bristol, the spurned lover of another.

The body of Jason John was found in Leopold Street and that of Carl Sinclair was found just over a block away in Lombard Street. Both were lying in pools of blood.

Bristol, the ex-lover of five years with a colleague of the gay men, all commercial sex workers, had reportedly earlier thrown gasoline on his former partner and attempted to set him alight in the vicinity of Georgetown’s landmark St George’s Cathedral.

But, eyewitnesses say, that other sex workers intervened and halted Bristol in the act, and he fled.

Bristol reportedly later attacked John and Sinclair with a knife in Leopard Street, where John died. Though wounded, Sinclair fled but the man caught up with him in Lombard Street an dealt the sex worker several more stabs, killing him at that location.

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Two gay sex workers murdered in Guyana

Guyana offshore oil exploration faces setbacks

Guyana’s offshore exploration for oil in areas being contested by neighbouring Venezuela is being faced with setbacks. (file photo)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Thursday July 17, 2014, CMC – Guyana’s offshore exploration for oil in areas being contested by neighbouring Venezuela is being faced with setbacks.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud in making this revelation said this is linked to the expulsion and temporary seizure of the Malaysian seismic research vessel, RV Teknik Perdana, by Venezuela’s Navy last year.

Persaud in responding to questions from the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, on Monday said Guyana is now depending on an eventual resolution in its favour.

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“However, we are engaged in the companies who might be affected and we have remained optimistic that those matters will be resolved in a manner that will allow us to continue and proceed with those activities,” he said.

Concerning activities outside of that particular zone “where we had difficulties with Venezuela, those activities have not been hampered in any way, and they in fact are proceeding apace,” the Minister said.

Persaud also stated that applications are being processed for additional companies interested in oil exploration and this information will be shared with the committee.

The Minister also revealed that the Esso Exploration initiative in collaboration with Shell is on stream and the companies have commenced work.

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Guyana offshore oil exploration faces setbacks

Guyana celebrates Independence - country committed to regional unity

Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar says his country must continue to take the lead in promoting regional unity and work within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to strengthen the bonds of integration.

In his message to mark Guyana’s 48th anniversary of independence on Monday, Ramotar said the country is marking the milestone of its political history in a world that has grown more complex, more interconnected, but, unfortunately, one which still remains very unequal between the developing South and the developed North.“International relations today are still dominated and determined by a handful of rich countries.  Many of the institutions established, particularly the international financial institutions mostly geared to serve the interest of the most rich and powerful countries.”He said developing countries have to manage the affairs of their states in a great disadvantageous situation and this is reflected in the growing inequality in relation to access to resources and the huge income gap between the rich and poor countries of the world.Ramotar said that the richest 85 persons in the world are worth more than the poorest 3.5 billion persons and that almost a half of the world’s wealth is owned by just one per cent of the population.“The struggle, therefore, for socio-economic justice and a more equitable world, continues.  One of the major issues is the need to democratise international relations. It is patently evident that the vast majority of countries in the world and by extension the peoples of those countries do not have enough influence on international politics and economics.”Ramotar said the situation demands that Guyana continues to build greater solidarity among the developing world while it works in alliance with those developed countries interested in genuine partnership.

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Guyana celebrates Independence - country committed to regional unity

CCJ orders Guyana to repay millions to Suriname company

Guyana has been ordered by the Trinidad based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), to repay more than US$6.04 million to a Suriname-based beverages company over an environmental levy it imposed on the importation of non-returnable beverage containers.

The CCJ ruled that the government also repay to Rudisa Beverages any further tax paid from October 25, last year to the date of the judgment.

The Suriname-based company, whose products are imported into Guyana and distributed through CIDI Distributor, the other co-claimant, claimed that the environment levy under the Customs Act of Guyana did not contain any exemption in relation to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) goods.

It said that the environmental tax had the effect of raising the cost price on each imported container by GUY$10  and that no similar tax is imposed on local producers of non-returnable beverage containers.

It also argued that under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC), which governs the regional integration movement, the imposition of the levy must be regarded as an import duty.

The CCJ heard that the effect of the environmental tax was first raised with the Council on Economic Trade and Development (COTED) by Suriname in a series of meetings spanning the period 2001 – 2012. COTED concluded that in so far as it applied to CARICOM goods the levy was in breach of the RTC. Guyana, in turn, committed itself to take the necessary action to eliminate the discriminatory effect of the environmental tax. In 2013, the Guyana government brought legislation to the National Assembly to amend the Customs Act but the proposal was rejected.

During the trial, Guyana admitted that the tax was inconsistent with its obligations under the RTC but noted that the legislation to rectify the discriminatory effect of the environmental tax was rejected by the National Assembly.

The Court also ordered that the Claimants were entitled to a repayment of the tax which had been paid by them and collected by Guyana and therefore ordered that the claimants be repaid the sum of US$6,047,244.47 together with such further tax paid from 25th October 2013 to the date of the judgment.

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CCJ orders Guyana to repay millions to Suriname company

Guyana ruling party ready for general election

Guyana president, Donald Ramotar (Credit: caricom.org)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Friday June 27, 2014, CMC – President Donald Ramotar Wednesday signalled that his People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is prepared for a general election if the opposition goes ahead with its threat to move a motion of no-confidence in his administration.

The PPP/C does not hold a majority in the 65-member national assembly with the opposition parties – A Partnership for National unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) – holding one seat majority.

AFC Vice Chairman Moses Nagamootoo told the privately-owned Stabroek Newspaper that a no-confidence vote by the opposition could come before the Parliament soon.

He said one of the reasons for considering a no-confidence motion was the fact that government has already spent GUY$4.5 billion (one Guyana dollar =US$0.004 cents) of the GUY$37.4 billion which had been cut from the GUY$220 billion budget for the fiscal year 2014-15.

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But as he addressed the Annual General Meeting of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramotar said that his administration was not afraid of facing the electorate. The last election was held here on November 28, 2011.

“We do not take threats. If the opposition wants to pass a no-confidence bill, let them pass it and we will be ready to deal with the consequences of that,” he said, adding “when I say I am going to do it, I am going to do it. I wouldn’t even say it.”

In his address, President Ramotar also responded to a call for a date to be named for the long overdue local government elections.

United States Ambassador to Guyana Brent Hardt has dismissed government’s latest excuse for not holding local government elections saying it was time Guyanese directly elect their representatives at the local level.

“To my mind, it’s a constitutional requirement, it’s a legislative requirement and there is at this point no obstacle to the holding of local government elections so I would just urge government to set a date, move forward as soon as possible and give people that ability to have effective local governance and start to transform the country,” he told the Guyana-based Demerara Waves Online News.

But President Ramotar, in an apparent reference to United States practice of listening to the phone calls of people worldwide, said such actions were undermining democracy.

“What undermines democracy is when you listen to everybody’s telephone calls and read their emails and ban them from having collective bargaining in their own country in different parts of North America and Europe,” he told the business community.

Ramotar said that while he was eager for local government elections there were some uncertainties in the body politic reiterating that the lack of local government elections meant that his administration was undermining democracy.

The last Local Government elections were held on August 8, 1994 with the ruling PPP-C winning 80 percent of the Councils.

But for various reasons, the Local Government elections planned for 1997 did not materialise and the National Assembly deferred the 1997 elections to one year later. Since then, numerous obstacles have impeded Local Government elections even though the government in 2004 had named the month of October as the month for the polls.

In January 2013, a joint statement issued by the United States Ambassador D Brent Hardt, the United Kingdom High Commissioner Andrew Ayre, his Canadian counterpart David Devine and Robert Kopecky, the European Union diplomat here, recalled that during the 2011 national elections “one issue on which all political parties were in full agreement was the need to hold local government elections.”

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Guyana ruling party ready for general election

Guyana police seeking Jamaican in probe of another Jamaican"s death

Friday, January 24, 2014 | 2:08 PM    

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Guyana police were searching for a 36-year-old Jamaican as they continue investigations into the death of a Jamaican woman, whose body was found in a hotel room earlier this week.

Police say they want to question Anthony Lloyd Neville Morrison in relation to the death of Beverley Anesta Gardner, whose body was found in a room of the New York Car Wash and Hotel on Wednesday.

The woman reportedly arrived in Guyana a few weeks ago and checked in at the hotel with her partner who has since disappeared. 

Jamaican passports belonging to Morrison and Gardner were found in the hotel room where her body was discovered.

The police said an autopsy would be performed on the body later Friday.

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Guyana police seeking Jamaican in probe of another Jamaican"s death

Barbados, Guyana maintain their unblemished records

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) — Barbados and Guyana have maintained their unblemished record in round three of the West Indies Women T20 tournament in Grenada yesterday.

Barbados thrashed St Vincent and the Grenadines by four wickets at Tanteen playing field, while Guyana demolished host Grenada by eight wickets at Progress Park.The Vincentians were unable to build a competitive total and found themselves struggling on 81 for six when the overs ran out.Sheree Ann John (15) and Crystal John (10) were the only batsmen who survived to take their score into double figures.The Bajans lost six wickets on the chase but were always in control as Shaquana Quintyne 20 not out guided them safely to 82 in 17.2 overs.Kyshona Knight contributed 16 before she was trapped lbw.At Progress Park, Grenada also found the going tough as Guyana prevailed to post their third straight win.The Grenadians, batting first, was only able to muster 66 for 7 in their 20 overs as their second straight defeat loomed.The most impressive Guyanese bowler was Phaffiana Millington with 3 for 6 from her 4 overs.Opener June Ogle continued her run spree with an unbeaten 29, while Shamaine Campbelle scored 16, as the visitors cruised to 67 for two in 15.3 overs.Meanwhile, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have scored their second straight victory following opening round defeats.Jamaica scored a crushing 49-run win over St Lucia at Progress Park, while Trinidad and Tobago hammered Dominica by 10 wickets at the Tanteen playing field.A powerful half-century from Stefanie Taylor brought Jamaica to 108 for the loss of one wicket in a match reduced to 15 overs because of rain.Taylor counted seven boundaries in a 46-ball top score of 61 not out, while Shanel Daley hit two fours while adding 38 not out.St Lucia stumbled to 59 for four in their 15 overs with Paulina Francis scoring 13.In the other game, Trinidad and Tobago bowlers were ruthless, as Stacy Ann King, Kirbyina Alexander and Alisa Mohammed ran through the Dominican innings which collapsed for 38 runs.King took 3 for 7 from 4 overs to be the leading wicket taker, while Alexander and Alisa Mohammed picked up two each.Trinidad and Tobago raced to victory reaching their target of 39 without loss off 5.5 overs in less than 25 minutes.Amanda Samaroo was not out on 13 and Selene O’Neil unbeaten on 18.

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Barbados, Guyana maintain their unblemished records

Victories for Jamaica, Guyana in Under-19 cricket

JAMAICA coasted to a convincing 10-wicket win over Leeward Islands on the third and final day of the third-round match in the Regional Under-19 tournament at EGSC Molineaux here yesterday.

The ruthless Jamaicans dismissed Leeward Islands for 185 in their second innings after they were asked to follow on after a first-innings score of 142.Fighting half-centuries from Avier Christian (51) and Jeremiah Louis (53) added some respectability to the Leewards second innings, as they plummeted from 18 without loss to 28 for three.Fabian Allen rocked the Leewards’ top order, snatching four for 47, and Christopher Powell took three for 40, preventing the Leeward Islands batsmen from settling down.Openers Odaine McCatty and Leroy Lug knocked off a Jamaican victory target of 24 runs in less than five overs.Earlier, Jamaica had declared their first innings at 304 for nine.Over at Conaree, Windwards squandered an opportunity to come from behind and beat Guyana, who romped to a 140-run win.Guyana, resuming the final day on 42 for three, soon plunged to 70 for five.However, Tagenarine Chanderpaul hit an unbeaten 66 from 136 balls, which contained eight fours to provide the stability Guyana required.Larry Edward grabbed five for 37 to lead the Windwards’ fightback, which left them needing 237 runs for victory.However, the batsmen did not have the fighting spirit and collapsed to 96 all out.Keone George top scored with 30, while the second highest score was from Taryck Gabriel, who made 19.Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai (4-20) and Vishoa Narayan (3-9) led the Guyanese to victory.Earlier, Guyana had declared at 334 for nine in their first innings.And, at Warner Park, Barbados escaped with a draw in their third-round clash against Trinidad and Tobago.Chasing 194 to win, Barbados seemed to be playing for a draw at the tea break.They were crawling along at 80 for three after 37 overs.But some quick wickets after the tea interval gave the Trinidadians a glimmer of hope as Barbados were wobbling on 120 for seven with seven overs remaining.However, an unbroken eighth-wicket partnership between Jofra Archer (13) and Jerome Jones (7) ensured Barbados a draw, as they closed on 134 for 7.Jamaica’s victory has virtually moved them out of sight at the top of the table on 31.5 points, while Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago have 22.9 and 22.1 points, respectively.Leewards are on 18.7 points, Guyana, 12.5, and Windwards, 7.7 points.

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Victories for Jamaica, Guyana in Under-19 cricket