The International Trade Centre (ITC)’s Supply Chain Management Programme (SCM) has earned an important international quality management standard certification, ISO 9001:2008.According to a release from Ms. Judy Semple-Joseph,Wholesale Jerseys 2017, Managing Director, EMPRETEC Guyana,Cheap Soccer Jerseys, the prestigious and widely implemented standard from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) validates the SCM Programme’s commitment to quality and reinforces the effectiveness of its quality management system.Ms. Semple-Joseph points out that ITC’s Modular Learning System in SCM delivers training,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys, through local partner institutions [in Guyana through EMPRETEC] to business people and professionals on the management of sourcing,Wholesale China Jerseys, making, moving and storing of products from the source to the point of consumption.It is highlighted that participants can select from a comprehensive 18 modules, take exams and gain internationally recognized professional certification. Every year, approximately 4,000 individuals are trained on an average of six modules each,Wholesale Baseball Jerseys 2018, with over 5,000 module examinations taken. The 2012 Programme in Guyana commences on July 9.“The ISO 9001 certification is significant to ITC’s Supply Chain Management Programme in that it benefits our own practices and the delivery of our services,Jerseys NFL China,” said Patricia R. Francis, Executive Director of ITC. “It provides external validation that we have in place rigorous processes and it enforces discipline on us to continue to not only adhere to these processes, but to improve them where necessary. This directly translates to benefits to our clients as we maintain a high level of quality and efficiency.”To maintain the ISO 9001:2008 certification, the programme will be audited on a consistent timetable in accordance with ISO schedules.The SCM Programme is delivered in 60 countries through partnerships with more than 100 partner institutions. For more information on ITC’s Supply Chain Management Programme, interested individuals cab visit http://www.intracen.org/trade-support/supply-chain-management/.ITC is the joint agency of WTO and the United Nations and is devoted to helping small and medium enterprises in developing countries become more competitive in global markets and thus speed up sustainable economic development and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

…Five-year-old transaction placed on books ahead of 2015 electionsAn investment is expected to yield justifiable returns. The larger the investment the larger the return, but the National Communications Network (NCN)—cash strapped as it is—has done precisely the opposite? by having on its books an investment of almost $200M. The investment represents spending on a project for which the only beneficiaries are the residents of the now infamous Pradoville II.Information coming to light reveals that the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), the parent company of NCN, spent $188M to remove the transmission tower.That tower was relocated from Sparendaam, East Coast of Demerara (ECD) to La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.The money was however charged to NCN’s account as an investment. The money is part of an almost $300M that was spent by NICIL, in order to prepare the 15-acre tract of land transforming it into an exclusive residential community.The financial transaction initiated by NICIL, headed by Winston Brassington, has since formed part of litigation to repossess the entire 15 acres now home to a high end community,Nike NFL Jerseys China, and to several former ministers and senior government functionaries.The investment represented in NCN’s accounts has since been coming under scrutiny given the state of affairs with the company’s financials and its claim to be owed several million dollars; monies which it is yet to recover.This publication understands that NICIL’s Board of Directors approved the decision to develop the land at the behest of the then Cabinet, and in the process would have had to have the transmission tower relocated.Winston BrassingtonIn order to mask the transactions, NICIL, increased its share contribution/equity holding in the television station.With the money now being represented in NCN’s books as an increased shareholding, it was then written off as an investment.That investment has since however attracted the attention of the authorities which are now questioning the transaction since there are no tangible benefits to NCN in order to justify the $188M in its books represented as an investment.This publication understands that the dubious financial transaction was only represented in the NCN books in February, some five years after the decision to remove the tower and the money having already been spent. The recording of the transaction in NCN’s books also came just weeks before the recently concluded General and Regional Elections.The house lots, developed in the Pradoville II community, complete with infrastructure, were sold below market value to former President Bharrat Jagdeo,Supply Authentic NFL Jerseys, several ministers and Government officials and friends.There is no evidence that the house lots sale was advertised or what procedures were used in the allocations of the parcels of the ocean front properties.Other beneficiaries included Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, and former Head of the Private Sector Commission (PSC),China Jerseys Cheap, Ramesh Dookhoo.The DPP has sweeping powers and holds an independent office.Former Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford; former Natural Resources Minister, Robert Persaud; Compton Bourne, former Head of the Caribbean Development Bank and UG Chancellor; Ghansham Singh and Kamini Parag-Singh and Florrie Loretta Ramnauth? also received house lots.Singh is said to be the son of former Labour Minister, Dr. Nanda Gopaul. They also paid just over $1.5M.Ali-Hack and her husband, Moeen ul Hack, a top figure in the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), paid $1,488,744 for a piece of land. The Certificates of Title were prepared in 2011.Dookhoo, a Banks DIH executive,Cheap Jerseys From China, was a former Chairman of PSC as well as the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI). He reportedly paid $1,502,500 for his plot with his title prepared in 2010.Also benefitting was Lisaveta Ramotar,Discount NFL Jerseys, daughter of former President Donald Ramotar. She paid $1,515,000.Former Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee; former GWI boss,Wholesale Jerseys China, Shaik Baksh and former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, also received lots, paying just over $1.5M each.So too did former Army Chief, Rear Admiral Gary Best and sacked Chief Executive Officer of the embattled Guyana Sugar Corporation, Dr. Rajendra Singh.Also named in the list were Andrew Bishop, a Presidential Advisor in the former administration and former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission.Safraaz Khan and George Hallaq, said to be the country’s former Middle East envoy, and a company

By Abena Rockcliffe Even after grilling the government on the nitty-gritty in relation to the affairs of numerous agencies, the opposition, not satisfied with the answers given, yesterday moved to slash estimates allocated to three state-owned agencies: GPL, NCN and GINA.Just like last year, the allocations set aside in 2013 for the National Communications Network (NCN) -$81,337,000 and Government Information Agency (GINA) – $135,858,000, were reduced to $1 each.? However, the capital funding remains as provided for by the government with NCN having $65M and GINA $13M.Allocations set aside for Guyana Power and Light Inc.(GPL) have been cut almost directly in half,Wholesale MLB Jerseys 2018, as the Minister of Finance had provided 10.2B and that was reduced by 5.2B,Wholesale NFL Jerseys Online, leaving a subvention of $5B for the company.As a result, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds hinted that Guyanese should brace themselves for more blackouts. He stated that with the cut in effect, GPL would be having a hole of about 20 per cent in what it requires to sustain itself. Hinds explained that that will most likely result in reduced purchases of fuel and transformers.The Prime Minister told the house that the cost at which electricity is provided in Guyana is mostly as a result of the “situation”, which he explained, is the cost of petroleum.In an attempt to point out that Guyana’s situation, as it relates to electricity rates, isn’t unique, Hinds compared it to those of Caribbean islands. He said that most Guyanese may see it as an irregular comparison since the earnings of an average person in Guyana is not the same as those in countries like Barbados, but he told the House that “the fact is, when we go to buy things we pay the same price as anybody else”.A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Shadow Minister of Finance, Carl Greenidge, told the Prime Minister that his party wants to be assured that GPL is addressing the issue of tariff levels and that it is addressed seriously. He said that APNU would like to see a plan which seriously addresses the capacity of the company to deliver tariffs in line “with our capacity to pay.”Alliance For Change (AFC) Vice- Chairman Moses Nagamootoo noted that even though his party was trying hard to understand the explanations given, they just weren’t clear enough, neither were they good enough.Hence both opposition parties voted for the hefty reduction in allocations for GPL.In the case of NCN and GINA, the opposition was adamant that the entities are not being administered professionally, especially as it relates to equal coverage for both the government and opposition.In addition,NFL Jerseys From China, the absence of the investigative report on the financial irregularities of NCN played a major role in the decision to cut its subventions.Greenidge said that the opposition had sought to engage the government in an exercise intended to extract, from the agency, a commitment to survey its work with a view to making? it more professional and by way of an audit, look into its finances. However,Cheap Authentic Jerseys, according to Greenidge, those attempts were failed ones.The Prime Minister sought to point out that just the night before Greenidge’s presentation was aired on NCN,Cheap NFL Jerseys, which was an indication that progress is being made.Alliance For Change MP Catherine Hughes told the house that since March 2012, the AFC wrote to NCN’s Chief Executive Officer with specific requests regarding the party’s right to reply to arguments put forward by the government that were aired on NCN, as well as equitable coverage.She said that as recent as a month ago, the AFC wrote requesting availability of time and had indicated a willingness to pay. She said that up to last night, the party had still not received a response.APNU member Basil Williams sought to support Hughes’s point and noted that “when the Honourable Attorney General chooses to go on NCN and rant and rave, we should get a chance to respond.”As the grilling continued, AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan questioned NCN’s income and so did Hughes.In response to both,NFL Jerseys Clearance, Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill informed the house that NCN made a total of $557M last year; stating that advertisements alone raked in some $288.9MAPNU’s Joseph Harmon then asked what became of the investigation and if any action is being? or will be taken against those found to be involved in fraud, to which Edghill responded that a commitment was made that the report and a conclusion of its review will be released by the end of this month.

Leadership at the school level is crucial if the Ministry of Education is expected to truly intervene in the unacceptable practices that are rampant in some schools. According to Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh,NFL Jerseys Outlet, although the Ministry has a dynamic group of people who are leading the way forward, the respective schools must lend to the process.He explained that since leadership in the schools is very important, Principals or Head Teachers of schools must also be leaders in the Ministry’s fight to stamp out violence, sex,Cheap Jerseys China, drugs and the entry of weapons in the school system. “The teachers have a key role. They cannot disconnect themselves from what is taking place,Nike NFL Jerseys China,” the Minister asserted. However, he noted that the home also has a role to play as it is an undoubtedly a difficult task to bring about order and discipline in schools that accommodate in excess of one thousand.“We need to do whatever it takes to restore order and discipline but we have to take on the? past and confront the challenge to ensure that our children learn and come out of the school system as educated persons; if not we will be failing them.”As such the Minister stressed that parents must also make a contribution in mentoring,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, counselling and instilling values in their children. The onus, he said, is also on the parents to ensure that their children, go to,NFL Jerseys From China, and stay in schools.“Too many parents are abdicating that responsibility and that is giving rise to what is taking place in the school system. The schools will be there to help and we have many measures and programmes in place.”But according to the Minister there is an urgent need for the media to take note of the efforts of the Ministry. He lamented the fact that over the last three months there have been about eight editorials apart from dozens of articles about violence in the school system. “It seems as though we are not getting across our message to the media. The responsible media has a role to play. I have made the point that some of the media houses are sensationalising the violence in the school system. It is not that there is no violence but there has not been an increase.We have not said that there is no violence but compared to the rest of the Caricom countries such as Jamaica and Trinidad, Guyana has not got that…and I have quoted the statistics to prove that. I have made the point which the media have not reported that it is a concern of the Minister and the officers of the Ministry that one single case of violence is of concern to us and we will act.”Already, the Minister said that measures are being taken to ensure that violent incidences are minimised and perhaps eliminated altogether from the school system. In fact the Minister revealed that the Ministry has zero tolerance to violence in schools across the country. “We have a zero tolerance for violence, the use of drugs, the bringing in of weapons, whether knife or ice pick, and a zero tolerance to sex abuse in the school system.”And according to the Minister, he will ensure that should evidence of such actions be uncovered, the sternest of actions will be taken. “When we take this action I don’t want the parents to come running to the Ministry and appealing. You have to take action now in the home…”According to the Minister,Cheap NFL Jerseys, it was just recently that a public forum was held to promote safe schools, acceptable behaviours and public values in schools, which saw the attendance of scores of persons. The forum, he said, was instrumental in soliciting a number of prescriptions and strong recommendations and the way forward for the school system. Those recommendations, the minister said, are currently being taken into account and efforts are being made to formulate an overarching strategy to deal with the situation.