By Abena RockcliffeWhether the Board will agree is another matter, but for Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) the 2011 distribution of radio licenses and the annual licensing fee that poses as a burden to most broadcasters are two things that need urgent review.Consumer advocate,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, Leonard Craig, was appointed about a month ago to chair the all important GNBA.Craig is known for taking on telecommunication companies like GTT and Digicel,Cheap Jerseys Store, and representing himself before the Public Utilities Commission.Craig noted that even though there is “much to be done” he is settling in nicely.Kaieteur News asked a ranged of questions,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, amongst which were questions about the “criminal and unfair” distribution of radio licenses back in 2011.Craig said, “Criminal is not the word I would use but there seems to be forms of arbitrary decision making where that (the distribution) was concerned. Wherever that is detected it is a matter for the board to correct but, I, in my sole authority, cannot do so.”GNBA Chairman, Leonard CraigEven as he admitted that he cannot make any decision on his own, Craig vowed to take the matter to the Board. “It is a matter that was well ventilated in the media yet there are many who still feel aggrieved.”Craig said that he hopes that the licences of all radio broadcasters will be reviewed on a case by case basis. But before this review happens, Craig wants basic benchmarks to be set.He said that in this regard, he hopes to call a conference for broadcasters. At such a forum, existing broadcasters will set the benchmarks themselves. Craig indicated that when the benchmarks are set, those very principles will be used as a guide for the board to determine the next steps.The Chairman indicated that the Board has not met since its appointment. This, he explained, is due to the fact that all members are not immediately available for some reason or the other. However, Craig said that the Board is likely to meet sometime within the next two weeks. “I do not see it going past two weeks from now.”Craig told Kaieteur News that the Board will also address outstanding radio applications. He said, “That is something that will be defiantly brought to the attention of the Board.”He said, too, that the Board will most likely seek to put mechanisms in place to ensure that there is fair play.Broadcasting feeCraig also indicated that he wants a review of the fee set for broadcasters. Broadcasters currently pay an annual licencing fee of $2.5M.In 2013,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys, a PPP Cabinet decided that the annual licence fee for all licenced broadcasters, radio, TV and Cable, will pay either 3.5 % of their gross income or $2.5M yearly.The Chairman said that he met with most broadcasters individually and many are asking for a review of the fee.He said that based on that, “I have no choice but to bring this to the Board’s attention; as to how they will deal with it is still left to be seen.”Craig said that he wants the Board to make all decisions in accordance with the law. “But whatever changes the Board proposes, I will be bold enough to implement all of them.’Six broadcasters had initiated a court action after being told that they were required to pay the $2.5M fee. The broadcasters were CNS Channel 6; HBTV Channel 9; RBS Channel 13; HGTV Channel 16; MBC Channel 42 and SKAR Channel 102. Chang had ruled that the imposition should not have applied to existing broadcasters.“The court holds that regulation 3 of the Broadcasting Regulations 2013 is valid to the extent that the minister has fixed a grant fee of $2. 5 million on first-time broadcasters but is invalid to the extent that the minister has purported to fix a percentage of 3.5% of gross revenue of the previous year for existing broadcasters,” the Chief Justice ruled.GNBA is the regulatory body tasked with overseeing the operations of radio and televisions stations in Guyana. Established three years ago, the body was under immediate pressure after news came out that former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, before ending his two terms in office in 2011, approved several radio and cable television licences for mainly friends and his party members.In so doing, he sidelined applications from several prominent media houses including Kaieteur News, Stabroek News, Capitol News, HBTV Channel Nine and CNS Channel Six.This was despite a standing agreement for no new licences until new broadcasting regulations and the GNBA were in place.Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, received one with multiple frequencies. Also receiving a similar number of frequencies was The Mirror

…compared to those in institutional care The vacant look on their faces as you walk through the corridors of the Palms Geriatric Home tells the story in its entirety—these seniors would much prefer to be at home than in a ‘home’ with strangers. But the most daunting revelation is that the majority of our senior citizens living in institutional care homes tend to die quicker than those living in their own homes.This is according to Chief Executive Officer of the Essential Care Agency Abbigale Loncke, who in an interview with the Kaieteur News, opined that most of the elderly people living in the care homes die faster than those living in their own homes, because there is an absence of familiarity with the environment, dependence on others and loneliness.Loncke’s organization offers in-home services for elderly people, especially for those living with non-communicable diseases and terminal illnesses. The organization, which is just over a year old, has extended its services beyond Georgetown to Berbice, and soon to Linden.Loncke stated that elderly people are more comfortable in their own homes because they can see their families and interact with them on a daily basis,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, and they are given some sort of independence that makes them feel more relaxed.“Studies show that our elderly people who are provided with home care in the comfort of their own homes live longer because they are in their niche with their loved ones. That brings a joy no one can take away…they get to be sociable with those they are familiar with, as opposed to living in a place with strangers,” she said.According to a study published in the 2013 Age and Ageing journal, seniors living in care homes died quicker than those living at home. The study was conducted on 10,000 care homes and 350,000 people living in the community between the ages of 65 and 104, in England and Wales. The discovery was startling—in one year 26% of the care home residents died compared to just 3% of those who remained in their homes and live independently.Abbigale LonckeNonetheless, Loncke stated that for some seniors it is not about living with their families, but more so, about living in their own space,Cheap NBA Jerseys, where they are familiar.“Imagine you are eighty years old and for your whole life you have been doing your own thing, in your own surroundings and then someone comes and tells you that you have to go and live in a home with strangers… where people will tell you what to do, and when to do it… when to get up, when to sleep— that will drive anyone crazy,Cheap NFL Jerseys,” she declared. “It will deteriorate your health and you will die faster.”According to the National Development Strategy 2001-2010 report, chapter 26, senior citizens almost unanimously expressed a preference for remaining in their own communities and homes rather than live in either public or private institutions.The strategy indicated that some 20 years ago, part of the value system of Guyana was the respect for the elderly and a widespread acceptance of the need to care for elderly parents and other relatives. However, that has changed as society developed.It states that: “today, given the dispersal of families, many elderly people live alone, with all of their children overseas, and there is a lack of services to fill the gap. Across different social strata, they face loneliness, due in part to this disintegration of the family structure, but also to the dearth of facilities which can provide them with opportunities for participating in recreational activities and for social interaction.”So far Loncke’s Agency has employed over 200 nurses and caregivers to provide home-based care for the elderly. Being the first of its kind in Guyana, the organization has extended its service to Berbice, where it provides services for the elderly, disabled and children.The agency also offers physiotherapy and services to pregnant women in need of care, along with specialty care for persons living with HIV or Cancer. Nevertheless, the bulk of clients are pensioners. Loncke stated that more and more children are requesting their services to care for their elderly parents at home. This demand has spread to Linden, where the agency will be opening a branch in February 2016.But with the demand came an almost crippling challenge—most of these seniors do not have the fiscal means to solicit home care services.“It’s saddening to see these people in need of care and not being able to get it,” Loncke said. Her agency has, therefore, started to create payment packages based on the family’s budget or that elderly person’s budget.“We try to accommodate everyone. So if it’s just one hour a day or half an hour, we will provide the care, because we understand how critical it is for our elderly people to dwell in comfort,” she

– Govt. officialA senior official of the People’s Progressive Party has confirmed that a decision has been taken to merge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, currently headed by Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Burkett, and the Ministry of Foreign Trade,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic, which up until December 31, 2008 was headed by Dr Henry Jeffrey.The decision is in light of the fact that the existence of the two ministries has long been considered duplication.Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-BurkettFormer Foreign Trade Minister Dr Jeffrey officially cleared out his desk last month-end, after he reportedly failed to conclude an agreement with Cabinet over his future.This newspaper understands that a proposed ambassadorial posting to Suriname was not agreed to by Dr Jeffrey.He advanced his preference of a local posting, but this did not find favour with the powers that be.This newspaper was told that the former minister causally went into his office and cleared it out, as he said his goodbyes to his former employees.Dr Henry Benfield Jeffrey did his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom.He graduated with his BA (Hon) in Politics from the University of Warwick. He did his Master’s of Science at the University of Loughborough, where he specialized in Development Studies.He graduated from University College, Cardiff,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale, Wales,NFL Jerseys Supply, with his PHD in Management Philosophy.He began his career in the academic sphere serving as lecturer and Principal of Kuru Kuru Co-operative College in Guyana from 1975 to 1978.During the period 1984 to1986, he performed the duties of temporary Lecturer at the University College, Cardiff at Wales.Dr Henry JeffreyRecently, there have been several movements in the Cabinet.In 2007, former Minister of Foreign Affairs,Agustin Marchesin Jersey, Minister Dr Rudy Insanally,Wholesale Jerseys, resigned, and Rodriques-Burkett was seconded from the Amerindian Affairs Ministry to act as head of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.This led to the appointment of a technocrat, former Parliamentary Secretary Pauline Sukhai,Cheap NFL Jerseys, as the new Amerindian Affairs Minister.Following that reshuffling, Minister of Housing and Water, Harrynarine Nawbatt, was reassigned as Guyana’s Ambassador to Brazil.Last week, PPP/C Member of Parliament Irfan Alli was appointed Minister of Housing and Water.