ECLAC unveils growth proposal…By Abena RockcliffeGuyana is slated to buy into the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)’s proposal for growth in Latin America and the Caribbean as stated in its latest publication titled “Structural change for equality, an integrated approach to development.”As the document was launched for the first time in the Caribbean yesterday at the Guyana International Conference Centre, President Donald Ramotar expressed that he thinks his government is “on the right path” as it invests in structural change and by extension human development since “investing here is really investing in development and investing in our future”.Structural change, according to ECLAC,Cheap NFL Jerseys China,? means implementing qualitative transformations in the production structure of the region’s countries, in order to strengthen knowledge-intensive sectors and rapid growth in external and internal demand,Jerseys China, thereby increasing the number and quality of jobs, boosted by new technology paradigms.President Donald RamotarRamotar stated that Guyana can identify easily with the theme of the publication. “This is so because much of what we have achieved over the last two decades had to do with making important structural changes.”The president said that an important feature is the high degree of uncertainty and volatility that exists in national and economic relations. New issues, he said, have forced themselves on our stage such as climate change, questions of food security and decline of preferential markets and transnational crime,Nike Air Max 95 Womens Sale, as he mentioned a few issues faced by his government “as we try to go forward.”Notwithstanding,MLB Jerseys From China, the president said “these challenges must always see us examining and re-examining our policies and being ready to make changes as the situation demands.”In this regard, Ramotar acknowledged that ECLAC has done excellent work in the Caribbean to help countries keep focused on the most import aspects of development.“We always argued that it is impossible for us to have sustained economic and social development unless we have a strong democracy and that is one of the things that have been central in our activities, constantly trying to strengthen our democracy to deepen it and to try to make it irreversible. We have also done a lot in trying to prepare and strengthen our institutions… a lot of our work, early on, and even now we continue to try to strengthen institutions in our country and to establish the legislative framework for these changes and keeping the structural changes in place.”This,Cheap China Jerseys Authentic, he said, is particularly true, as it relates to issues of protecting fundamental human rights and privileges.“These move to the core of providing equal opportunities to the most vulnerable in Guyanese society. I will say with some satisfaction that we are succeeding, our economy is now broadening out from the three pillars that it has historically, and as has been seen over the last few years, we have managed to minimize the effects of the international financial and economic crises that have affected so many in the world.”Ramotar said that the aforementioned is very important, as when an economy begins to slow it is the ordinary people, the poor, who suffer the most.He pointed out that the budget has seen a major shift in emphasis as its focus is no longer on administration, but on strengthening human capital.“We spent 30 percent of our budget on the social sector.”He stressed that the weapon to fight against poverty and equality is education.The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, noted that Latin America and the Caribbean as a group has recorded the fastest average growth in the last decade and resisted the effects of the global financial and economic crises better than other regions of the world.She said that there have been various viewpoints on the reason for this progress; for example progressive social equality, aimed at the poor investment in education, democratization, market policies and “some even say that it is the particular ideology of most of the governments elected during that period that resulted in the progress.”What is clear, she noted, is that there has been a paradigm shift from the last 30 years.ECLAC Director, Diane QuarlessEquality, she noted, is part of the policy all over the world especially in Latin America and the Caribbean.? According to the Minister, Guyana is not an exception “we have recorded positive growth for most of the last decade. Reduced poverty, increased active peer education and improved infrastructure.”Notwithstanding these developments, Rodrigu

By Abena RockcliffeTomorrow the National Assembly will be presented with a Bill that seeks to amend the Former PresidentsFormer President, Bharrat Jagdeo(Benefits and Other Facilities) Act of 2009 which provided unlimited benefits to all former presidents of Guyana.Passage of this new Bill will force former President Bharrat Jagdeo to either curtail his lifestyle or foot a large percent of his bills. The new Bill specifies some conditions under which the capped or limited benefits of a former president may be enjoyed. However, the new Bill has nothing to do with and will not touch the pension offered to former presidents.The Act of 2009 allowed former presidents to have uncapped benefits. Jagdeo has been the only former president to really benefit from this provision.Since Jagdeo demitted Office in 2011, the state stood all expenses for his water, electricity and telephone services. The state paid for all the former president’s maids, his gardener and his security. Jagdeo got unlimited use of state vehicles which had to be maintained and fueled by the state.Last year, Former Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh,Wholesale Jerseys, in responding to a question posed by former A Partnership for National Unity parliamentarian Desmond Trotman, said that Jagdeo racked up in excess of $45M on transportation, security and electricity bills within 27 months..The figures provided by Dr. Singh, represented the money the State spent for Jagdeo’s transportation, security and electricity from the time he demitted office in December 2011 up to February 2014.Jagdeo’s total electricity bill for the duration amounted to over $9.8M. His average monthly billMinister of Finance,Cheap Jerseys USA, Winston Jordanwas $365,766 at the time.For transportation, Jagdeo utilized over $15.2M. The State spent over $20.3M for Jagdeo’s security over that 27-month period, an average of $752,649 monthly.The number of vehicles and guards provided to the former President were not provided.The monthly health expenses/claims met for Jagdeo and his dependents during the specified period were not provided.Former Presidents will now be given $25,000 per month for electricity, a further $25,000 for water and another $25,000 for telephone.With this new provision, former presidents will be given $300,Authentic Baltimore Ravens Jersey,000 per year for electricity which is less than Jagdeo’s current monthly electricity bill.The new Bill states that former presidents will be given services of personal and household staff, including a gardener but, the total number of such staffers cannot exceed three persons.There will be a limit of $200,000 per annum for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by a former President for himself and his children below the age of eighteen years and his spouse provided that the money was not spent on medical attention and treatment obtained abroad or at private health facilities in Guyana, and were available in Guyana at government institutions.Former President, Donald RamotarFormer presidents will be given full time personal security, not exceeding two persons including those at the place of residence.Former presidents will also be entitled to the provision of not more than two motor vehicles owned and maintained by the State; toll free transportation; and an annual vacation allowance equivalent to the cost of two first class return airfares provided on the same conditions applicable to judges of the Supreme Court of Judicature.However,Cheap Jerseys, even with the benefits being capped, the new Bill states that “A former President shall cease to be entitled to the benefits and other facilities provided under section 3, if the former President engages in business, trade or paid employment or is convicted of a criminal offence for which a term of imprisonment is imposed.”Jagdeo is presently before the court for charge for which if he is found guilty of, he can be fined $100,000 and jailed for two years.When contacted yesterday, former President Donald Ramotar said that he is yet to make a decision as to if he will continue to work as he is “very busy” at the moment,Cheap Arizona Cardinals Hoodies, looking at “other things.”Ramotar said that he currently has two security guards and one state vehicle. Therefore, he will not have to give up anything after the Bill is passed.However,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, according to reports, Jagdeo currently has more than one state vehicle at his disposal and retains more than two security guards.The new Bill takes into account the fact that former Presidents are eligible for a pension which i

Although they will be outnumbered by the proportion of officers from the Guyana Police Force, the City Constabulary has a vibrant plan to police the city streets over the holidays.At least this is according to Chief Constable,cheap jerseys from china, Andrew Foo,Cheap Nike Air Max 90 Mens Trainers, who revealed that in keeping with its mandate, as outlined by the Municipal and District Council Act 28:01, the Constabulary has formulated plans to intensify its enforcement efforts of the city bylaws.Monitoring of the activities of roadside vendors, though an illegal practice,Cheap Stitched Jerseys, will be paramount among the tasks of constabulary officers.According to Foo, although the bylaws provide for the city pavements to be free of all encumbrances, the policy of the council over the years has taken into consideration the social and economic aspects of the itinerant vendors.As such, persons have been allowed to operate on the pavements. “The work therefore of the constabulary in this regard would be to regulate those persons and to ensure that the pavements are not completely taken over by vending activities,” Foo said.As a result, Constabulary Officers will be on a mission to ensure that no additional vending operation overwhelms the city pavements. And it is anticipated that on occasions, members of the constabulary will be forced to regulate and even remove some vendors, Foo noted.“If we don’t regulate, you would find a situation where all of the pavements and even the roadways,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, every nook and cranny, is taken over with vending activities.”The vending situation, Foo admitted, is a major challenge to the resources of the constabulary which currently has a complement of 178 sworn officers,Cheap Jerseys, 100 shy of its ideal manpower strength.Although there are security guards attached to the Constabulary who are charged with securing the 39 locations of council, enforcing of the bylaws is carried out by an Enforcement Unit.Due to the limited capacity, Foo disclosed that there are mainly about 12 persons that are allotted at one time to the Unit to patrol the city.“Our numbers would not allow for the sort of visibility you would see in terms of officers from the Guyana Police Force. They have the numbers and so they have persons planted at almost each and every corner in the city.”In the past, Foo said that the Constabulary had the strength that could allow for officers to be on static beats and foot patrol, stressing that the current situation does not allow for that reality.But in recognition of the fact that the festive season will bring with it an increase of criminal elements at some of the prime shopping areas including the municipal markets, the Chief Constable revealed that an additional number of ranks have been committed to boosting the security arrangements.“We have placed a small number of ranks in plainclothes on the streets and around the markets. They are also working to ensure that the stallholders who are legal tenants of the council are given a certain degree of protection.”It is expected that at least 100 of the 178 sworn officers will be committed to bolstering the security of the city over the coming days. Mobile patrols will also be increased around the city,Authentic Jerseys Cheap, Foo disclosed. The Constabulary has a total of four vehicles but only two are currently operational, Foo said, even as he revealed plans to have the others up and running shortly.

At 88-years-old,NFL Jerseys Wholesale From China, Rictor and Hilda Edwards, may be the oldest living twins in Guyana, contrary to a report on another set of twins from West Demerara.It turned out that the previous twins fall far short of this claim by more than three years.?The twins Rictor and Hilda Edwards pose with their respective daughters Natalie McDonald and Rosaline Mc Pherson.The brother and sister from the village of Hopetown, West Coast Berbice, celebrated the milestone yesterday and although they have their separate families,cheap jerseys, their bond is so strong that they even live next door to each other.Born to Emanuel Edwards and Rosaline McAlmont, the duo was the third set of children for their parents and has spent all of their lives in Hopetown.When this newspaper visited the Edwards twins yesterday, they were in the midst of preparation for a special birthday service. It was obvious that Hilda and her brother Rictor still share a special relationship.“We can’t separate; we born so. We have to live so until death,Jerseys NFL Wholesale,” Hilda blurted out when asked about the relationship with her brother.They are the only surviving children for their parents.?Rictor, a carpenter by profession,Cheap Jerseys For Sale, fathered three children while his sister doubled his output.He told this newspaper that there was nothing unusual about his growing up as part of a twin.But he admitted that although he and his sister got along fine during the early days of their lives, she was the more forceful.“We used to fight and she used to beat me up. She was strong,” Rictor said.But that was before Hilda arrived to share the interview. This newspaper was warned that she is a thoroughbred and she sure lived up to her label.“I disgusting yes,” she boasted.“My mother used to tell me that I am the bigger one because I born first. When I born, I lie down on the bed long before he born,Cheap Jerseys From China,” she added.Hilda told this newspaper that her relationship with her brother runs deeper than most bothers and sisters.“When things bad, I does go and borrow he money and tell he I gone pay back, but I never give he back. I does burden he. Me nah had man,Cheap Jerseys From China, so he had to help me and me children,” she said to peals of laughter.Rictor just sat and smiled in acknowledgement.He pointed out though that not being repaid by his sister brought no hard feelings among them since he would still come to her assistance if the need arises.And as if she wanted to show how much more forceful she was than her brother, Hilda explained that Rictor was a sickly baby.However, she had to admit that at their present age, she is the weaker one.“He want to kill me but is all two ah we going together,” she stated to laughter from family members who were present during the interview.“She gone dead before me,” Rictor retorted.According to Hilda, she did not expect a birthday party although their off-springs and other relatives have been celebrating the date for the past 10 years.“I tell me daughter things bad but I am glad that God has spared our lives to reach 88. Everyday I pray,” she said.The twins’ relationship with each other has rubbed off on their off-springs with everyone claiming to be one happy family.The entire community is proud of the twins, since according to residents they have brought further recognition of the village which is known for its strong African roots.