Manickchand announces NGSA results
June 28, 2012 By
- Graham’s Hall, Mae’s tie for top spot
By Vahnu Manikchand Photos by leroy smith
Michael Bhopaul – Graham’s Hall Primary: 547 marks
A male student of Graham’s Hall Primary and another of Mae’s School have tied for the top position at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination.
Ramesh Ghir of Mae’s and Michael Bhopaul of Graham’s Hall Primary each scored 547 marks, Education Minister Priya Manickchand announced in the National Assembly on Wednesday. The rest of the top 10 performers scored marks ranging from to 541 to 546.
The highest possible mark at the examinations was 563. Though a complete analysis of the results has not been disclosed, an elated Manickchand said that out of the 17,138 candidates who sat the NGSA, 32 of them were placed in the top 10.
The third place was taken by Rawletta Barrow of Success Elementary School with 546 marks. Angel Moonilall of Success Elementary and Talicia Sukhraj from Mae’s, both scored 543 marks each. The sixth position was shared by Ashandai Liverpool of Tucville Primary School and Roshawn Cummings of Success Elementary, they both obtained 542 marks.
Ramesh Ghir – Mae’s: 547 marks
Meanwhile, the eighth position was taken by Isaiah Carter, Ria Khan and Anthony Singh, all of Success Elementary School and also Surendra Gocool of Kawall Primary School. They all secured 541 marks each.
Tied at 12th position are Reanna Khan of Success Elementary School; Farah Chin of Marian Academy and Alyssa Nurse of Mae’s, who scored 540 marks. Leonardo Gobin of Patentia Primary School; Naaresshta Maraj of Dharmic Rama Krishna and Sarah Garrido of Green Acres Primary School, all obtained 539 marks, grabbing the 15th position. Whilst Onecia Adams of Green Acres Primary and Joshua Mortley and Reuel Sugdeo, both of Success Elementary School, along with Latonya Darrell of the New Guyana School, all grabbed the 18th position, gaining 538 marks each.
Ten candidates obtained 537 marks, namely Sydney Fraser of the New Guyana School; Jeevan Dalip and Alyssa Baksh of Mae’s; Cheri Frank of School of the Nations; Brandon Samaroo and Samanthra Scott of Success Elementary School; Anopa Ramdial of Zeelugt Primary School; Atiqah Roshandin of the Academy of Excellence; Kimberly Prasad of Taymouth Monar Primary School and Jelena Arjune of Green Acres Primary.
Rawletta Barrow – Success Elementary: 546 marks
The remaining seven students: Ridel Da Silva of Green Acres Primary; Michael Persaud of ABC Academy; Keron Smith and Adiaha Gomes of Success Elementary School; Ricardo Singh of Providence Primary School and Johnette Facey and Vishal Jack of Mae’s, all scored 536 marks.
It was also revealed that 271 candidates from schools in Regions One, Two, Five, Six, Seven, Nine and 10 are eligible for entry into President’s college (PC). Guyana Times International contacted the two top achievers, who were overjoyed at their achievements.
Bhopaul, an aspiring doctor of South- East Cummings Lodge, Georgetown, told this newspaper that he did not really expect to top the examination, although adding that he worked hard and is overwhelmed with the shocking news.
The young man also said that he had studied really hard and prayed too, adding that his success was a result of the great support from his parents, brother and teachers.
Ashandai Liverpool
His is advising those who aspire to gain success to study hard. The young man’s overjoyed mother related that her son’s achievement was not a surprise to her since she has always known that he was destined for greatness and his achievement is testimony to this. The proud mother added that her son is a willing child that would help around the house.
However, she did not let him do much since she wanted him to focus on his studies. She noted that he has always worked really hard and was never seen idling.
Meanwhile, Ghir, the son of Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramesh Ghir, related to this publication that he wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and become the CEO of the CJIA.
Angel Moonilall
The lad added that he is very elated and ecstatic about being awarded the top spot, adding that he was a bit skeptical when he first heard the news. He said he is happy about his achievement, and noted that his sister topped the country two years ago. The young man also said that he always wanted to attend Queen’s College because his sister goes there.
The young man revealed that the only reward he wants is a gaming system. The elder Ramesh Ghir disclosed that his son’s achievement is unbelievable, pointing out that with hard work, dedication and persistence, anything can be achieved.
Talicia Sukhraj
The CJIA CEO praised his wife for her devotion to their son’s education interest since he was unable to do so because of his work. Ghir noted that after an exam, parents can only anticipate how their children will perform. He feels his family is blessed since both of his children have now been top achievers in the NGSA.
NEW GPC delivers value for money
June 28, 2012 By
Procurement of drugs highly transparent – Ramsammy
- Former Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Former Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy has said the administration has consistently benefited from procuring medical supplies and pharmaceuticals from approved and prequalified suppliers, as compared to a process of tendering out which has resulted in unreliability, delays and other problems related to quality.
Dr Ramsammy was at the time speaking during the Television Guyana’s (TVG- 28) “Current Issues and Analyses” talk show (The CIA), where he reiterated government’s “satisfaction” with the current systems in place for procuring medical supplies and pharmaceuticals from various reputable and “competent” companies.
He belaboured the point that the Health Ministry is not responsible for choosing companies that qualify or that should benefit from any given contract as this was the responsibility of the National Tender Board. Dr Ramsammy said the process is transparent and highly competitive, explaining that there are a menu of other things that must be considered when selecting companies to supply services, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals to the health sector, apart from price.
The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the Health Ministry procure more than 2000 various items through different entities to meet the needs of the local health sector. The minister disagreed that more efficiency, expedience or benefits could be derived from procuring supplies through an item by item tender arrangement or process when compared with the well-recommended prequalification exercise.
“We would have to do thousands of tenders on an annual basis,” he admitted, explaining that this would be “cumbersome” and “impossible”. The current prequalification binds suppliers to provide and meet a clear schedule of requirements; it guarantees reliability and allows government to save millions of dollars. This exercise, according to Minister Ramsammy, also allows government to ensure that the highest standards are maintained and the health of the nation is not compromised.
Companies that qualified had to have warehouse storage capacity, cold storage facilities and paper work completed on the agency from which their supplies would be procured, which in turn had to have international certification.
In addition, the local suppliers had to have passed some eight categories of scrutiny and requirements. Dr Ramsammy disclosed that only the NEW GPC met all the criteria, with the most important being warehouse and cold storage facilities.
“We at the Ministry of Health, the Georgetown Public Hospital and health centres… do not have the capacity to store all of the supplies that we request or procure on an annual basis,” he said. He said that the process of prequalifying companies was important in this regard.
“In order for me to qualify you, I have to know where you are getting your supplies from,” he argued, explaining that serious problems were encountered.
“We don’t want to buy medicine from companies that are manufacturing fake medicine. In the last five years, out of the 74 times that we went into the private sector to test malaria medicine, 54 times they failed… so we have to be careful,” he warned.
He also said that good manufacturing practices are important. Among the list of entities that form part of the prequalified suppliers are the NEW GPC, which has been producing medicine since 1919, and the Medfarm Co. These entities prequalified on the fact that they are local manufacturers of medicine, so automatically they are part of the group of entities to be considered.
“The government of Guyana through a Cabinet decision decided that if there are medicine manufacturers in the country, they will automatically qualify as prequalified suppliers, but they are not automatically qualified to supply because that will be dependent on the price they offer,” he rationalised.
Dr Ramsammy said another list of companies form part of the prequalification group under the “international” ranking, which includes PAHO, IDB, UNICEF, WHO, UNDP and the NEW GPC after meeting all of the requirements to benefit from large contracts.
“For anyone to say this (process) wasn’t transparent is being wicked and is misrepresenting the truth,” Dr Ramsammy asserted, as he said that apart from the prequalification process of acquiring medical supplies, the administration engages in public tendering, and few companies meet the minimal standards set.
He was adamant that all entities are offered the opportunity to become part of the prequalified group, but if they fail to meet the requirements set, there can be no compromise in certain areas which are critical to safeguarding the nation’s health.
The issue of pricing
Dr Ramsammy said that the decision to select a supplier is also about government saving monies, getting value for money, ensuring reliability and accessing warehouse and storage facilities.
To his mind, the NEW GPC as both a prequalified supplier and an entity that competes for contracts fairly, offers all of the aforementioned services to the Guyanese public while most times facing or “absorbing losses”. “We have a system that has worked for us,” Dr Ramsammy explained, stating that an assessment of the lowest tenders is made as well as assessments of individual items. He admitted that there may be a few cases where some prices appear high, and could be sourced for cheaper prices, noting that this was tricky because when attempts are made to do so, problems arise.
“If someone won the contract to supply 300 items… and out of that list we have withdrawn about three items because the prices were high and they could indeed be sourced through another competitor and we approach that company they sometimes refuse,” he said.
The NEW GPC however has consistently delivered, offering and rewarding the government with discounts after larger bulk purchases are made, which benefits the public treasury.
The former health minister also said when the International Pharmaceutical Agency had won a contract to supply anti-retroviral drugs for the country, but failed to honour the contract time and suffered delays; it was the NEW GPC that provided the same drugs in the interim until the IPA was able to deliver.
Guyana has also successfully procured items through the prequalification and other methods at between 20 to 30 per cent less than the International Average Reference prices.
Dr Ramsammy said that this speaks volumes about the tendering process, noting that government procures supplies at affordable rates, considering the value for money it receives, especially in the case of NEW GPC as he dismissed several malicious reports from the Kaieteur News.
Dr. Desrey Fox hailed as true Guyanese patriot
June 28, 2012 By
Dr. Raquel Thomas-Caesar
An inaugural lecture organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to honour the life and work of the late Minister within the Ministry of Education Dr. Desrey Ceasar-Fox was held on Monday at the Umana Yana, Kingston. The event which attracted a number of prominent persons reflected on Dr. Fox’s many accomplishments and her passion for the development and preservation of Amerindian languages.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds in delivering brief remarks spoke of the work the late minister did and, much of which is part of the country’s rich history. Mr. Hinds stated that more can and will be done by Government to promote Amerindian Heritage and language as it was a passion of Dr. Fox. “We are very proud of her achievements….Guyana has had a great loss with her demise,” he said.
Dr Fox succumbed to her injuries after she was involved in an automobile accident in December 2009.
Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira stated that the lecture which is the first of many was important as it allowed persons to reflect on the important achievements by Dr. Fox. She added that while there is important work which was started by Dr. Fox and which needs to be completed, called on the students and lecturers of cultural linguistics and anthropology to continue her work.
At the time of her death, Dr. Fox along with Teixeira and Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett was in the process of translating the National Anthem into the nine Amerindian languages. Thus far, only six have been completed and the Presidential Advisor on Governance, committed on behalf of the Government to ensuring that the remainder are completed and, in a timely manner.
“It is very important for our people to have and respect the different languages in Guyana, and we have and must preserve them regardless of their kind and creed,” she said.
The lecture which is now an annual event in the Ministry of Culture’s calendar of events also saw an in-depth reflection on the life of Dr. Fox by Director of Training, Iwokrama, Dr. Raquel Thomas-Caesar. Dr. Thomas-Caesar described the late leader, as a remarkable person who fought for what she believed in and carried herself with great humility.
“I can safely say that Guyana lost a great treasure…Dr. Fox had so much passion in life and for her heritage…she felt that more needed to be done and as such, she embarked in the preservation of Amerindian languages at the University of Guyana,” she said.
According to Dr. Thomas-Caesar the work of Dr. Fox continues to have a tremendous impact on the development of Guyana as she will be remembered for her many contributions to academic, sports and the political arena.
Ministers of Amerindian Affairs and Foreign Affairs, Pauline Sukhai and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett respectively were also present at the event to celebrate the life of Dr. Fox with her many relative, friends and well wishers.
Born on January 2, 1956 at Waramadong Village, Region 7, Desrey Clementine Caesar attended the Waramadong Primary School, and the Campbellville Government School and then briefly the Georgetown Seventh-Day Adventist Academy. She was awarded a nursing scholarship in 1973 and was a trained midwife at the Georgetown Hospital School of Nursing. She married a few years later.
In 1977 she joined the University of Guyana (UG) as a junior researcher attached to a special project referred to as the Amerindian Languages Project. She continued serving within this unit until it evolved into the present Amerindian Research Unit.
The focus of her research was cross-cultural, resulting in data being collected and analyzed on a wide range of Amerindian issues and situations in Guyana such as their pre-history, present history, spirituality, demography, geography, rites and rituals, kinship networks, language, music and general aspects of their way of life.
She secured a Master’s of Arts in Environmental Anthropology from the University of Kent at Canterbury, in the United Kingdom in 1997, then a PhD in Linguistics from Rice University, Houston Texas in 2003 and a Master’s of Arts in Linguistics at the same University in 2003. She also obtained a B.Sc Sociology from the University of Guyana.
She was the Curator of the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology and lectured in Linguistics and Amerindian Studies at UG and taught special courses at the Universities of Oregon and Rice.
Haier Guyana opens US$2M assembly line
June 28, 2012 By
A representative of Haier’s Latin America division takes a look at the parts ready for the assembly of a laptop with one of the technicians
Haier Guyana is not concerned with the human capacity, but rather the high cost of electricity locally, a top official of the company said last week Friday as they opened a US$ 2 million assembly line at its Industrial Estate, Ruimveldt complex.
Brian James, of Haier Guyana, stated that it is the cost of utilities that may interfere with the company’s ability to keep costs low. James noted that “the cost of electricity is one of the highest here”. He continued that Haier’s Chinese delegation was sufficiently pleased with the work of the Guyanese technicians, so they “are not concerned with the ability to produce quality”, James stated.
James noted that the assembly line will operate 24 hours, and the Guyana Power and Light Inc’s inability to provide consistent and regulated power was one of the reasons that the company decided to ensure that it equipped the building with solar power as well as a generator.
James stated that the assembly line and the building’s utilities bills are bound to be high; however with Haier’s focus on ecology, the company remains committed to addressing the power consumption and output with its own technology.
It was said that the company will be accumulating solar energy for at least eight hours a day. This energy will then help to alleviate the cost of electricity used by the company. Haier will be assessing the output of energy as well as the energy consumption on which GPL will be notified.
James noted that the assembly line, which will be responsible for assembling 10 laptop components, will help keep the prices of products as low as possible. James said that Haier “will be retaining some of the money here instead of sending it away… the duty and taxes we hope to save on”.
He continued that currently imports are subjected to 20 per cent duty at Customs and an additional 16 per cent VAT. He told Guyana Times International that “the near 40 per cent could mean a compounding savings in the base price of products”, because assembly in Guyana will cut that cost completely.
James also stated that Haier will be looking into expansion across the Caribbean and will also be venturing into the Brazilian market. He stated that “we are looking at Brazil because Brazil and Guyana have a partial scope agreement… the market in Brazil is much larger than the Caribbean”, and this would assist with trade relations.
James noted that the Brazilian market is open for business and Haier Guyana can expect to benefit from good trade relations. He said that the partial scope agreement was revised and as a result Guyana and Brazil trade relations can continue to move forward, but local business expansion is critical to the agreement’s success.
The Haier Assembly line will have the capability to produce 200,000 laptops and monitors and 150,000 television sets a year. The replica One Laptop Per Family project assembly line was engineered to be eco-friendly with minimal power consumption.
Haier representatives also noted that the assembly line will be mostly man powered and 70 technicians will be responsible for the putting together of all products. The assembly building will also house the components and the finished products ready for sale. Different stations were designed to ensure quality products including burn stations that will test all electrical components for faults and assess durability.
Windies players “at home” in America
June 28, 2012 By
The West Indies team during a warm up session yesterday
Fort Lauderdale, Florida –Richie Richardson believes cricket in the United States could be in for “something special” this weekend when his West Indies face New Zealand to bowl off the Digicel Series.
The former West Indies captain, now Team Manager, is expecting to see a lot of “familiar faces” in the crowd when the West Indies embark on their American journey. The home side is feeling “quite at home” among West Indian fans in Florida as they prepare to face the Black Caps in back-to-back Twenty20 matches on Saturday and Sunday at the Central Broward Regional Park.
The Windies arrived in the United States late on Monday from chilly London and had their first full training session on a hot Wednesday morning at the match venue. Several West Indians who live in South Florida were on hand to see the team go through their paces under Head Coach Ottis Gibson.
After the training session, Richardson said the team was relaxed and ready for this historic weekend. “It is great to see the game coming to America. We are delighted to be here and as a team we are looking forward to the matches this weekend. In our camp everyone is geared up and excited. We have been very impressed with the facility – the practice pitches have been good, the outfield is in immaculate condition and the players are quite comfortable,” the former West Indies captain said.
“This is an ‘open’ stadium and that is good for the game as the crowd will be able to move around freely and enjoy the matches at the weekend. We are hearing that the tickets are going fast so we hope for a lot of runs and some good cricket as we try to boost the game in this part of the world.” Richardson, a West Indies hero, played 86 Test matches and 224 One-Day Internationals in an outstanding career which spanned 1983 to 1996. He joined the West Indies as Team Manager in January 2011.
He noted that the players have interacted well with the fans and have felt the warmth and appreciated the well-wishes. “There are a lot of West Indians here and they are backing us to do well. They have made their homes here in the United States and you can tell they have West Indies in their hearts. As a team we really appreciate the kind words and we really want to win for them this weekend,” Richardson said.
“People might not know it, but cricket is pretty big over here and this is a wonderful opportunity to win over more fans to West Indies cricket. This could be an added dimension to the game and could start something new.”
SQUADS West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Samuel Badree, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith. New Zealand: Ross Taylor (captain), Martin Guptill, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Andrew Ellis, Daniel Flynn, Ronnie Hira, Tom Latham, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Rob Nicol, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.
Ramdhani siblings dominate competition
June 28, 2012 By
Priyanna Ramdhani and Ambika Ramraj in contest in the Female Singles
Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani dominated the 2012 Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Under-15 Junior Badminton tournament and were crowned the competition’s male and female Triple Crown winners.
The tournament concluded on Monday at the Queen’s College auditorium. In the female singles, Priyanna Ramdhani outclassed Ambika Ramraj in straight sets 21-7, 21-10.
Ramdhani was by far the star of the evening. She covered the court, and timed and placed her shots almost to perfection. It was evident that Ramraj was frustrated with the skills on the other side of the net.
Ramraj’s desperate attempts to fight her way back into the game were futile as she kept hitting the shuttle into the net and out of the court.
In the Male Singles, Narayan Ramdhani, like his sister, was too good for Cecil Abrams, thrashing him 21-12, 21-10. The match started with both players looking for the advantage as the momentum shifted back and forth. But minutes into the first set, Abrams found it hard to keep up with opponent who ran away with the rest of the game.
The Male Doubles players in action. To the left of the net are Narayan Ramdhani and Jonathan Mangra
In the other finals Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani powered their way to a victory in the Mixed Doubles against Jonathan Mangra and Ambika Ramraj with scores of 21-7, 21-6.
Then, Narayan Ramdhani and Jonathan Mangra cruised their way to a comfortable win in the Boys Doubles against Cecil Abrams and Darnell Benn. The sets score line read 21-11, 21-12.
Priyanna Ramdhani and Ambika Ramraj defeated Nadine Jairam and Arian Kayume in the Female Doubles after the losing pair had given the winners a tough time in the first set and completely lost focus in the second set. They went on to win 21-17, 21-8.
Daesrath to make debut for Canada
June 28, 2012 By
By Ravendra Madholall in Toronto
Jeremy Gordon
Thirty-year-old former Guyana skipper Damodar Daesrath is set to make his international debut for Canada in the forthcoming ICC Intercontinental limited-overs tournament in Scotland.
The Berbician expressed great pleasure to be a part of the combination in the North America lineup after he became a citizen recently.
Daesrath, who captained Guyana in seven First Class games, told this publication yesterday that he has been waiting on this opportunity since he has taken up residence in Canada five years ago.
He said he is anxiously looking forward to making maximum use of it. The right-hander, who played first-division cricket for Berbice’s Young Warriors, declared that his hard work and commitment to the game finally paid dividends, having learnt of his inclusion in the national side to compete against some of the ICC Associate teams.
“I [am] extremely delighted to be named in Canada’s senior team for the first time and I am eager to go out there and make a big impression for them as early as possible; having known about my selection, I thought I have justified it after my outstanding performances in Canada,” Daesrath mentioned.
Daesrath, who plays for Brampton Masters Cricket Club in the Toronto Elite cricket competition, has also enjoyed success since he has been a consistent scorer.
Damodar Daesrath
He also proved his allround capability by picking up wickets with his gentle medium pace. “I love playing cricket in Canada; the standard is very good and I can truly compare it to inter- county cricket tournament in Guyana which I think is very competitive; I have been captaining Brampton Masters for the past two years and it is always wonderful to play among some international cricketers including Canada skipper Rizwan Cheeman whom I think has good leadership skills especially in the one-day version; so I think we should do well in Scotland next month,” Daesrath, who played for West Indies Under-15, revealed.
Cognisant of the fact that Canada’s cricket is still languishing at the bottom of the ICC table, Daesrath nevertheless feels they can make a big impact against the other affiliates. Canada will open their campaign against host Scotland on July 4.
“It will be a challenging experience for my first outing with Canada but I think I am prepared and equipped to meet the high demand on the international scene. Yes, Canada’s cricket has been ups and downs but we have improved game by game and another exposure like this should bring more confidence to the side,” Daesrath reckoned.
Meanwhile, his Brampton colleague and Canadian-based Guyanese fast bowler Jeremy Gordon is back in the team. Gordon, also from Berbice, made his debut for Canada last year in the annual WICB Regional T20 tournament that was played in the Caribbean.
Gordon subsequently missed the ICC T20 Qualifier owing to personal reason, but is raring to go again in the red and white attire. He briefly stated that he wants to do well in Scotland and relishes the opportunity of representing Canada at the ICC level.
Supporting the rights of the deaf
June 28, 2012 By
By Venessa Deosaran
Former president Bharrat Jagdeo discusses disability issues with Walcott at the launch of the Disability Act Sensitisation Workshop last year
For more than eight years, the Support Group for Deaf Persons has continuously provided a platform for deaf persons to be heard.
Director of the group, Leon Walcott said it developed as a result of a partnership effort between the Guyana Community Based Rehabilitation Programme (GCBRP) and the International Deaf Children Society of the United Kingdom.
Walcott is also the editor of ‘Hopeful Steps’ the official newsletter of the GCBRP. The group is an important part of the GCBRP and was established on June 4, 2005, where eight persons met at the St Stanislaus College on Brickdam to plan activities to help spread deaf awareness.
The director joined the disability movement in 2001 and brought to it the same enthusiasm that he has with his other professions.
It may be coincidental that since Walcott has come on board, there has been increased awareness of the disability movement in Guyana, especially where issues relating to deaf persons are concerned.
He himself was born with peroneal muscular atrophy, which causes the muscles to waste away. It has now left him unable to walk unaided and partially paralysed in one hand.
He was also born with an excessively curved spine which has limited him to a wheelchair. He can very well relate to the difficulty others like him have to face on a daily basis.
In 2002, he joined GCBRP, the largest disability organisation in the country. Since then he has been giving motivational talks and helping to facilitate workshops aimed at assisting persons with disabilities.
Walcott in his mobilised wheelchair leading the group for Deaf Awareness Week 2010
“My desire is to improve the lives of persons living with disabilities. When the group started we had our first deaf awareness day later on in 2005 and since then we have had various deaf awareness activities. What has become a norm is the deaf awareness week which is observed during the last week in September. We generally focus on the schools countrywide. We maintain contact with all these schools. We have been getting good support from the business groups. We have seen a heightened awareness in recent times and we appreciate this,” Walcott told Guyana Times Sunday Magazine . The group provides training in sign language, organizes leadership training programmes, helps deaf persons to have better access to educational, health, social and other services, increases the number of deaf advocates, supports the empowerment of deaf persons, and promotes fellowship, friendship and academic achievement.
Walcott stated that the group includes relatives and friends of deaf persons. It helps to develop the leadership potential of deaf persons, teaches them social skills, trains them to be self advocates, provides a forum for fun and recreation, encourages and promotes communication, language development and basic sign language within the family, provides regular contact with positive deaf role models, gives families insight into deafness and deaf awareness and enables the deaf child to develop confidence and self esteem. The group arranges lectures, gatherings, workshops and activities for the deaf.
Walcott is thankful to the various media houses for lending support to deaf awareness. He is also grateful to the former president Bharrat Jagdeo who fast-tracked the Disability Act which is very instrumental to deaf awareness.
Since 2008, the Support Group for Deaf Persons has implemented a community based deaf awareness action project on the East Bank of Demerara in partnership with USAID which has been very fruitful.
The group is currently implementing a ‘Train the Sign Language Initiative- Advancing Deaf Education’ in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
There is much more Walcott said that needs to be done for the deaf, and so he is urging all those who can help to join in advocating for the deaf and contribute to their development. (Taken from Guyna Times Sunday Magazine)
Women empowered through economic self-sufficiency
June 28, 2012 By
By Venessa Deosaran
Female entrepreneurs and workshop coaches following the conclusion of Venture Out! programme last year
The ‘Venture Out for Women Programme’ officially started in 2008 as an initiative of EMPRETEC Guyana with a strategic focus for the development of entrepreneurship among women.
The programme is intended to target mostly women who are small and medium scale business owners. It was the brainchild of Managing Director, Judy Semple-Joseph. In 2010, the programme saw collaboration between EMPRETEC Guyana and Republic Bank Limited with the first group of women entrepreneurs in Regions Two, Four, Nine and Ten respectively. To date, approximately 300 participants from those regions participated in this programme where each region benefited from one set of training activities in one full day or two half-day sessions within a specified community.
This programme is designed to provide women in the respective regions with the relative tools/machinery to become fully empowered and assertive in their goal of getting out of poverty. This empowerment exercise is done through mentorship and coaching which is intended to help build self-confidence among participants thereby promoting entrepreneurial awareness and determination.
It is expected that the development of this entrepreneurial spirit will promote positive linkages in the community such as sound business practices and an increase in their standard of living.
The main aim of the programme is to enhance the quality of life of the participants through increased knowledge and skills through a mentorship programme done by successful peers. Some of the benefits upon successfully completing this programme include: self confidence and empowerment; greater entrepreneurial awareness; knowledge of good sustainable business practices; opportunity for increased income generation; enhanced exposure and networking and opportunity for improved livelihood and empowerment thus promoting an increased standard of living.
The programme was implemented with a series of simple motivational and business support activities to stimulate within women in identified regions their interests and build their individual capacities.
It is divided into two parts: ‘motivation/empowerment exercise’ which is primarily facilitated through a mentorship and coaching exercise designed to fit the individual needs of the participants and ‘business support exercise’ which is geared towards providing practical business knowledge to participants that is relevant in business decision making.
Women listen carefully during a workshop
