By Leonard GildarieA $220M credit programme targeting small farmers countrywide was launched yesterday as Government unveiled plans to revamp an industry even further with more training and financing.Almost $180M of the fund which is a collaborative effort between Guyana and the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will be given out in grants to groups involved in the production of plantains, pumpkins,Cheap Jerseys China, peppers, pineapples, tubers, small ruminants and swine.Farmers and others yesterday at the Regency Hotel at the launching of a $220M credit facility for small farmers.However, the fund, to be disbursed under strict loan-like conditions by the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED),Cheap Jerseys, will only work with farmers who have banded into groups in Regions Two,Cheap Jerseys Online, Three,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, Four, Five Six and Ten.Financing, studies have shown, remained one of the major hurdles for agricultural development in Guyana with local banks shying away from an industry plagued with uncertainties. A prohibitive high interest rate remained another major turnoff.During the launching at Regency Hotel, Hadfield Street, which saw scores of farmers turning up, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, disclosed that the programme is part of the larger one to strengthen the industry.Later this year, Government will be rolling out a similar programme to target medium scale farmers involved in the non-traditional agricultural sector. Other programmes are coming to focus on the hinterland regions.TariffsHighlighting the growing importance of agriculture in the region, Persaud warned that financing remained a major problem for especially small farmers globally with a demand of up to $100B annually required for the industry.However, financial institutions and other agencies only managed to come up with a depressingly low $2B.Regionally, with the food import bill at a staggering, undesired $4B, there seems to be little progress to do something about the situation. While food imports are ridiculously easy, authorities in some member countries of CARICOM are slow to remove the burdensome non-tariff barriers or taxes that are stymieing exports to neighbouring countries.On the other hand, Guyana seems to be one of the few countries taking steps to move in a food security and food sovereignty direction.But local farmers, if they want to compete, will have to change their tactics and adjust their operations to meet the demands of the 21st century with new technologies,Cheap NFL Jerseys, training and a professional approach to managing part of the mandate.According to Minister Persaud, there is not a problem of land in Guyana. There is an estimated 300,000 acres on the coastlands and another two million acres in the Rupununi area, without fear that the country’s forests will be encroached on.Genetic improvementsHe made reference to the defunct Guyana Agricultural and Industrial Development Bank (GAIBANK) which was established to lend to the farming community of Guyana but the funds were misused, forcing the institution to now close.Pointing out that Government overtime had sought to find financing through different programmes for farmers, Persaud said these include the $1.6B European Union rice project that was managed by the Guyana Bank For Trade and Industry,The official urged for farmers to continue exploring ways to get involved in cooperatives and groups as it would strengthen their possibilities in competing both locally and internationally. Later this year, Government will be rolling out more support programmes including $260M on genetic improvements for small animals.The credit facility is part of the US$6.9M Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Development project (READ) launched a year ago and expected to conclude in 2014.READ specialist, Khemraj Tulsie, yesterday explained that already several groups in the designated regions have been benefitting from the project and can now apply for funding. In addition to improving organisational functioning, farmers’ groups will be given help to build their capacity and for specialised training.Almost $40M of the fund will be available in a loan format, should the group need to boost their capital, he said.Low interest rateIPED’s Chief Executive Officer, Ramesh Persaud, acknowledged the difficulty financial institutions face in an industry besieged by many uncertainties. These include bad management, disease, weather, outdated farming practices and poor infrastructure.However, IPED has not shied away and almost 45 per cent of its lending portfolios has been dedicated to the agricultural sector for small entrepreneurs.He too called for f

By: Attorney Gail S. Seeram,Cheap NFL Jerseys, Detention has become more prevalent for undocumented individuals in the United States.? If an undocumented individual is detained by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE), then applying for a bond is an option.Getting a person released from an immigration detention facility is a complicated matter.? At the very least, it is more difficult and time-consuming than getting a person released from a state jail after arrest on criminal charges.Nevertheless, if your loved one is in ICE detention, do not assume he or she will be deported, and do not lose hope. Of course,Cheap China Jerseys, because every detainee’s case is different,Cheap Jerseys NFL China, it is advised that you consult with an experienced immigration attorney.Who is not qualified for an immigration bond and is thereby subject to mandatory detention? The Immigration and Nationality Act lists specific categories of criminals who are subject to “mandatory detention.”? The categories include: persons not lawfully admitted who have committed an offense covered in Section 212(a)(2) of the Act,Cheap NHL Jerseys China, which includes crimes involving moral turpitude, controlled substance violations, drug trafficking, prostitution, trafficking in persons, and money laundering.Also, persons lawfully admitted who have been convicted of multiple crimes involving moral turpitude,China Cheap Jerseys, an aggravated felony, a drug crime (except for simple possession of small amounts of marijuana), and certain firearms offences.Who grants the immigration bond and who determines the dollar amount? Immigration bonds are granted either by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or by an immigration judge.? Either party sets the bond to ensure the immigrant’s appearance at future court proceedings.? So, for example, if ICE sets a bond of $5000, and the detainee’s family posts that amount at an ICE field office, then the person will be released.? ICE will return the $5000 if the ex-detainee shows up for all his court hearings.? If he misses a court hearing, then the $5000 will be forfeited.In any case, the immigrant or his attorney can also request a bond from an immigration judge.? Depending on the region of the country where the person is detained, requesting a bond hearing may be the fastest way to get a person released from immigration detention.? Once a formal request for a bond is made, the immigration court will calendar a bond hearing.At the bond hearing, the judge will set a bond amount after making a determination of whether the detainee is a flight risk or danger to persons or property.? The immigration judge considers many factors,Wholesale Jerseys, on which evidence may be presented by either party.? These include the immigrant’s family and community ties to the United States, length and seriousness of criminal history, financial stability, history of immigration violations, length of residence in the United States, and history of appearances before courts.Even at bond hearings, you or your attorney may be able to negotiate a bond amount with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.When an agreement as to the bond amount is reached, the immigration judge will often accept this number.

A wide selection of Guyanese fruits and vegetables and other agro products is on display at Agro Fest – Barbados’s premier exhibition of products and services in the agricultural sector.Barbadians and tourists flocked to the first night of the three day show held at Queen’s Park on the outskirts of the capital Bridgetown. Many of them stopped at the attractive displays at the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) booth,Adidas NHL Jerseys China, according to a report from the Guyana Consulate in the island.? On hand were GMC Marketing Officer, Hadoc Thompson,Wholesale Jerseys China, and Guyana’s Honorary Consul Norman Faria. They answered questions about the availability and quality of products from Guyana and the trade of such items between Guyana and Barbados.Faria thanked the organisers – the Barbados Agricultural Society in conjunction with the island’s Ministry of Agriculture – for inviting Guyana to participate.Last year,China NFL Jerseys, as in previous years,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic, the Guyana booth was widely visited and hundreds of promotional pamphlets were distributed.“The presence once again of the GMC underscores the willingness of Guyana to give Barbadians a choice of a wide selection of good quality,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, reasonable priced and readily available fruits and vegetables and processed items,” Faria stated in a press release.Guyana is using the exhibition to promote Guyana as a place for Bajans to invest.This is the sixth Agro Fest being held in Barbados.Apart from the Guyanese booth, there are approximately 260 exhibitors.Last year, an estimated 50,Wholesale NFL China Jerseys,000 persons attended the exhibition and organisers are expecting an even greater number this year, Faria stated.

Two small children left at home alone perished at around 06:15 hrs yesterday in a fire that destroyed their family’s shack at Dazzell Housing Scheme,China Adidas Hockey Jerseys, East Coast Demerara. Julius De Clou, six, and his four-year-old brother,China NFL Jerseys, Josiah, were reportedly asleep when the blaze – which is believed to have been caused by a lighted kerosene stove – ravaged the structure.The children’s mother, 27-year-old Ashona Letlow,Wholesale NHL Jerseys, had left to go to a nearby house to iron a school shirt. The woman had taken her one-year-old son with her. By the time she returned, the fire had already consumed the one-bedroom building, located on the reserve between the communities of Bare Roots and Dazzell Housing Scheme.Ms. Letlow confirmed that she had used her kerosene stove shortly before the fire but told Kaieteur News that she put it out before leaving home.But this newspaper was told that firefighters who examined the scene are certain that the stove caused the blaze. According to a source, the fire started in an area near the stove. Firefighters reportedly observed that the wicks were up,Cheap NFL Jerseys, indicating that the stove was still on when the fire started.“With one lighted wick, there’s enough vapour to cause a fire,” a source said. Residents stand around the burnt-out shack Kaieteur News understands that Ms. Letlow told firefighters that she had got up to prepare meals, had put out the stove, and then gone to her mother’s house to do some ironing. She reportedly said that the six-year-old was awake at the time.Investigators do not believe that any of the children tampered with the stove.Police took Ms. Letlow in for questioning after the children’s remains were retrieved from the gutted building.The deaths plunged residents of the two small East Coast Demerara communities into a state of shock.Many residents delayed going to work to either get a glimpse of the children’s remains or to offer some sort of comfort to their mother.Struggling to remain calm, Ms. Letlow told Kaieteur News that she had gotten up early yesterday morning and prepared her husband’s lunch for him to take with him to the La Bonne Intention (LBI) sugar estate where he is employed as a cane harvester.According to Letlow,Cheap NFL Jerseys, Julius, the older of the two boys, had also woken up and after seeing his father Vivian De Clou off to work around 04:30 hours, the child went back into bed with his little brother.Realizing that daylight had already come upon her,Stitched Jerseys, Letlow took her one-year-old baby with her over to her mother’s house to press one of Julius’ school shirts. She claimed that she had already extinguished the stove and was certain that nothing else was alight in the house when she left.But as she was returning home, alarm bells rang out in her head when she saw smoke coming from her little shack, and there was no sign of her two children.“I see de smoke and I drop me baby and start holler out fuh me nephew. By time dem neighbours come out, de whole house done catch,” the grief-stricken mother recalled.It was one of the neighbours who picked up Letlow’s baby, but the other residents could do nothing to save her two other sons from the inferno.Her sister, Tamika, who lives nearby, also could not control her emotions at the scene.However she recalled that after seeing the smoke, she rushed to the scene and frantically enquired from the children’s mother where they were.“When she tell me dey in de house, I run and fall down,” Tamika told this newspaper. She said that neighbours who had rushed to the burning shack, heard screams coming from within, but by the time the smoke cleared, the children had already perished.“By the time dem done throw water, they see de two boys done dead.”The children’s father got the grim news while he was still at work.“At around seven o’clock, the wife of one of the cane harvesters called to say my house burn down and my children dead.” Mr. Letlow said he was too devastated to go to the scene until the bodies had been removed. “I couldn’t face it (so) I went to my family in Georgetown.”According to Letlow, he later spoke with his reputed wife, who explained that she had left the house to iron some clothing. The father revealed that another son, aged three, died from gastroenteritis in 2005.

By Kiana WilburgWith a number of competitive fast food restaurants popping up on a regular basis,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, someOne of the fine dishes at Pegasus’ El Dorado Restaurantquestion whether the days for fine dining in Guyana are numbered. But a visit to just a few of the quality restaurants on any given evening would prove that the aura of fine dining in Guyana will never lose its appeal.The term ‘Fine Dining’ brings to mind all kinds of images, from crisp white tablecloths to waiters in tuxedos. But in Guyana, fine dining takes on a cultural twist with classy nuances of sometimes western or Asian influences.Fine dining, just as the name suggests, offers patrons the premium in food, service and atmosphere. It is also the highest priced type of restaurant a Guyanese entrepreneur in this line of business can operate.Fine dining restaurants in Guyana are also are full service restaurants, with some offering specific dedicated meal courses. The d?cor of such local restaurants features higher-quality materials,Wholesale Hockey Jerseys China, with a calming “atmosphere” desired by the restaurateur.The staffers are usually highly trained and often wear more formal attire. Unlike what takes place in other parts of the world, Fine dining restaurants in Guyana operate on a relatively smaller scale and generally have a single location.But each restaurant offers a different style, personality and ambience. Here is a look at some of the fine dining gems in and around Georgetown.THE GRAND COASTAL HOTELThe deluxe setting, flawless service, and preponderance of fine cuisine are all distinctThe welcoming ambience of the stylish dining room at the Silhouette Restaurant.features to be noticed when dining at the Grand Coastal Hotel. Located along the lazy stretch of road leading to Le Ressouvenir on the East Coast of Demerara, this location attracts a fashionable crowd. Its great service is evidence of outstanding management behind the wheel of the entity which carries two dining areas.Patrons can relish their meals in an enclosed air-conditioned dining space,China Jerseys, the dress code for which calls for elegantly casual attire. The next option is an outdoor courtyard overlooking the hotel’s inviting pool. Its boosts an accommodation capacity of 60 people in a dining setting, and 100-200 people in a cocktail/event setting. There, all types of clothing are permissible.But the food at the Grand Coastal Hotel is what impresses the most. Their Chicken breast stuffed with a broccoli and cream cheese filling,Discount NFL Jerseys, topped with a white wine sauce, served with rice pilaf,Wholesale Authentic NFL Jerseys, is surely the new gold standard. It’s well worth its price tag.Other entr?es are equally as memorable. These include the Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo, Fettuccine tossed in a creamy Alfredo sauce and topped with succulent Cajun shrimp and onions, served with garlic bread and the Tomato Basil Penne tossed in a rich tomato and basil sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese, and served with garlic bread.Desserts are also delicious.THE EL DORADO RESTAURANT AT THE PEGASUS HOTELDining at the El Dorado Restaurant which is housed in the Pegasus Hotel is a soothing experience.? With an ambiance that oozes elegance, this exquisite little candlelit spot offers its guests a slice of the European experience.It features an outstanding Italian menu in an upscale and sophisticated atmosphere.Grand Coastal’s outdoor courtyard provides the perfect setting to relax for dinner.Its executive Chef Paul Hamilton and his team have put together a superb selection of authentic Italian dishes to tempt the most discerning palate.The quintessential romantic couples can often be found there enjoying a hearty Minestrone Genovese with freshly-made Italian breads, the Ricotta Ravioli Gratin, Fettuccine Carbonara or Aged Angus Rib Eye steak,while finishing off their meal with fine Tiramisu or Amaretto Pear Tart and an Italian Kiss, one of the restaurant’s? specialty coffees served with homemade biscotti.Reservations for a slice of this Italian heaven are always recommended.THE SILHOUETTE RESTAURANTA clandestine second-floor location at Lot 3 Sandy Babb Street, Kitty makes the Silhouette Restaurant feel like a true intimate find in a modern setting. The restaurant produces amazing Caribbean and International cuisine, and boasts phenomenal service and impeccable presentation.Food apart, the focus at the Silhouette will embrace all of the various protocols associated with dining out. Mannerly staff, wonderful treatment of guests, correct table settings,Adidas NHL Jerseys China, fine wines and a la carte menus will be common f

NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – All road work in East Berbice /Corentyne has been put on hold. This is as a result of inclement weather. Chairman of Region Six, Zulfikar Mustapha, said that tomorrow, Tuesday,Cheap Jerseys From China, the Administration is scheduled to meet with all contractors in the region to deal with a number of issues,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, among them road works.Mr. Mustapha disclosed that the Regional Superintendent of Works is currently in the field inspecting preparatory work done by the relevant contractors before the rain stepped in. “Because they would have to do corrective work before they continue to do the other work on the road.”Among those projects affected are the Cumberland Primary School Road; Fourth and Fifth Streets at John’s in Port Mourant; Fyrish Nursery School Road, and First Street in Bush Lot. In April, Kris P. Jagdeo, of Number One Road, Fyrish, was awarded the $2.7 million contract to transform the Cumberland Primary School Road,Cheap NFL Jerseys, which is also called George Southerland Street, into an all-weather chip-seal one.This was the first contract to kick off the 2008 Capital Expenditure projects. The eight-foot wide Cumberland Primary School Road is to be scarified before bauxite capping is placed. Following this, two layers of stone and the same amount of bitumen and sand would be added.The finished product should have a five-year life span if used as advised. Over head barriers are to be placed, and only vehicles weighing five tonnes and less would be allowed to traverse.The Fyrish Road Nursery School Street was the next.? Yunas Civil and Building, of Alness Village, was awarded this job to the tune of $7.4 million. Since then, a number of other contracts were awarded. These include Grant 1805 in Crabwood Creek, Number Sixty-Five Middle Walk,Jerseys China Wholesale, Yakusari Primary School Road, and Joanna Primary School Road.“These contracts, put together,Cheap Jerseys Online, would cost the Regional Administration over $20 million.” The Administration indicated that some work would be done on the Number Fifty-Three Village Community Centre Road, Manchester Middle Walk, Whim Middle Walk and Gibraltar Branch Road. These contracts are to be awarded shortly.The Regional Chairman said,China Jerseys, “We are far ahead in our work programme. There seems to be a break in the weather and we are preparing to continue the road work.” The Administration boasted that more attention would be placed this year on maintaining existing structures, especially roads.The $85 million budgetary allowance for the Public Works sector this year is to be used on the construction of bridges, to upgrade community roads, and on land development, mainly to enhance existing housing schemes.**