By Abena RockcliffeIt seems as if the electorate would be deprived of the benefit of Presidential debates in the run up toAPNU+AFC’sDr. Rupert Roopnarinenext month’s General and Regional elections. This is because of the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) refusal to partake in Prime Ministerial debates which is the coalition’s (A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change) only requirement for its participation in the Presidential debates.Dr. Rupert Roopnarine of APNU+AFC told the media yesterday that the coalition is very much interested in participating in Presidential debates. However,Wholesale Jerseys Online, he said that the coalition also wants a Prime Ministerial debate.The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has undertaken to facilitate the holding of the Presidential debates and this was agreed upon by the two major political forces—PPP and APNU+AFC.Dr. Roopnarine told the media that the coalition met with the PSC and informed them that while APNU+AFC is enthused to participate in Presidential debates, such participation is based on the holding of Prime Ministerial debates.“We (APNU+AFC) will be happy to engage in Presidential debates,Cheap NFL Jerseys,? but those debates must come after Prime Ministerial debates…but we haven’t heard from the promoters (PSC) of the debate as to whether this is something that has been accepted. We have said that we are prepared, providing that it (Presidential debates) is preceded by Prime Ministerial debates.”When asked if APNU+AFC would refrain completely from debates if Prime Ministerial debates arePSC Chairman,Ramesh Persaudnot on the table,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, Dr. Roopnarine responded with uncertainty.“What I can tell you is that if we get an answer that says there will be no Prime Ministerial debate then we will have to reconsider our participation in the Presidential debate. I don’t rule it out but it would present a new situation,” said Dr. Roopnarine.The politician said that APNU+AFC places a great deal of importance on the holding of Prime Ministerial debates as the importance and significance of the Prime Minister is also immense.“We must understand the importance of the Prime Minister…it is also a case of shared authority so we want to ensure that the Prime Ministerial candidates get a chance to express themselves,Cheap Jerseys,” said Dr. Roopnarine.David Patterson, who was also a member of the panel addressing the press conference at which Dr. Roopnarine spoke, added, “The Prime Minister is a heartbeat away from being the President so in the interest of completeness we should hear from them as well.”When Kaieteur News spoke to the Chairman of the PSC, Ramesh Persaud yesterday,Wholesale Jerseys, he indicated that the PPP has since signaled that it is not willing to partake in Prime Ministerial debates.Judging from what was conveyed by Persaud, little is known as to whether any of the debates will beAPNU+AFC Presidential Candidate David Grangerheld. He said that APNU+AFC will now have to say if it will go ahead with the debates.Persaud also indicated that the Commission compiled a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and sent it to the PPP and APNU+AFC. He explained that the MOU is a draft and can be altered. But basically the present content of the MOU surrounds the rules of the debates, suggested venue,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, time frame and possible topics.Persaud refused to divulge further specifications on the MOU and said that he will not do so unless it has been signed by both parties.He noted that the only communication the PSC had with the political parties on this issue since the MOU was sent, was acknowledgment of receipt.Elections are to be held in 30 days.Guyana has been changing quite a few things on the political scene to match-up with the policies of certain developed countries.For instance, there have been amendments to the constitution barring a President from holding office for more than two terms.? That was patterned after the United States of America (USA).Debates are big as well in the USA whenever there are elections.During presidential elections in the United States, it has become customary for the main candidates (almost always the candidates of the two largest parties, currently the Democratic and the Republican Parties) to engage in debates. The topics discussed are often the most controversial issues of the time, and arguablyPPP Presidential Candidate, Donald Ramotarelections have been nearly decided by these debates. Candidate debates are not constitutionally mandated, but it is now considered a de facto election process. The debates are targeted mainly at undecided

Guyana has joined 18 other countries in the region with the capability to trace the origin of illicit firearm following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding yesterday at the Ministry of Home Affairs.United States of America Ambassador to Guyana, John M. Jones, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,Wholesale Jerseys China, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) representatives David T. Johnson and Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that grants the government of Guyana access to eTrace, an electronic system used to trace illicit firearms.(From left) U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Representative, David T. Johnson, Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee and US Ambassador John Jones, sign the MOU, in the presence of Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues (right) and Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Elisabeth Harper (background).Also present were Orlando Blanco of the ATF, Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; and Director of Foreign Affairs, Elisabeth HarperAfter the signing, Minister Rohee explained that Guyana has already selected a team of local Joint Services ranks to monitor the eTrace. He said that the members of the team have already proven themselves to be above reproach, when asked whether the team members would be subjected to polygraph.Minister Rohee added that Guyana already has a relationship with both Brazil and Suriname in this regard. There is a suspicion that most of the weapons coming to Guyana originate in Brazil.Mr Johnson said that the programme was some time in the making and coming as it does, adds Guyana to a list of 30 countries worldwide with access to eTrace.He said that in the United States, every manufacturer has a number. He can easily be traced by eTrace which also affords the authorities to determine the buyers.In the event that weapons originating in the United States end up in the wrong hands the seller can easily be caught and prosecuted, Mt Johnson added.The MOU establishes conditions of the partnership between ATF and law enforcement authorities in Guyana regarding policy and procedures for the access and use of eTrace services.eTrace is a paperless firearm trace submission system that is accessible through a secure connection to the World Wide Web.According to the US Embassy, the Internet application provides the necessary utilities for submitting, retrieving,Cheap NFL Jerseys Store, storing and querying firearms trace-related information, allowing for the systematic tracing of firearms recovered from crime scenes.Analysis of firearms trace data can assist in the identification of firearms trafficking patterns, as well as geographic profiling for criminal hot spots and possible sources of illicit firearms.Participating law enforcement agencies with access to the internet can acquire 24/7 real time capabilities to electronically submit firearm trace requests, monitor the progress of traces, retrieve completed trace results, and to query firearm trace-related data in ATF’s? database.The eTrace system is specifically designed to trace firearms manufactured in the United States of America.If however, the weapon recovered is from another country, local law enforcers could store the data on the database for comparison with future findings.The signing of this MOU is part of an ongoing effort to combat firearms trafficking in the region, consistent with the December 2007 joint CARICOM-U.S. Initiative on Combating the Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons and Ammunition.Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee told media representatives covering the signing that Guyana has already selected a special team of Joint Services personnel, who he described as the best in firearm technology locally, to work with the programme.ATF is a law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Justice dedicated to preventing and fighting violent crime.The US Embassy stated that the agency has processed more than 300,Wholesale Adidas Hockey Jerseys,000 crime-gun trace requests in fiscal year 2008, including traces from 58 countries.The other countries in the region that have eTrace capabilities include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,Authentic MLB Jerseys Online, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Mexico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.? Several Caribbean police forces signed e-Trace agreements on March 31, 2009. Seven Central American states signed the same MOU in December 2008.

A man who is no stranger to the law was nabbed with a quantity of marijuana by police.According to information,Wholesale Jerseys USA, about 08:00 hrs the police were on the hunt for a number of bandits who had earlier committed a robbery in New Amsterdam during the night when they encountered a man who was making arrangements to transport a quantity of marijuana to Georgetown.The police were in a desolate area when they overheard a certain conversation on the phone. They subsequently saw the known individual throwing something over the fence. The police retrieved the parcel and moved in and confronted the man who denied knowing anything about the drugs.The premises were searched and the police subsequently checked beneath the car when they retrieved four parcels hidden there. The man was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.The substance was tested and weighed and found to be 6 Kg of marijuana.A release from the police stated that about 08:00hrs yesterday,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, police ranks conducted a search on a house at Cummingsville,Adidas Hockey Jerseys Cheap, New Amsterdam,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, where 6 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) were found.

Suriname authorities carting off a quantity of alcoholic beverages from a supermarket on Wednesday.(Dewaretijd) Suriname – Authorities on Wednesday seized a large quantity of alcohol and cigarettes from several supermarkets. It is reported that the items may have been smuggled from Guyana.No taxes were believed to have been paid,Cheap NFL Jerseys, media reports quoted District Commissioner Laksmienarain Doebay as saying. Officials were unable to immediately give a value to the seized goods. Doebay acknowledged that smuggling is rampant between the two countries.Over time,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys, several seizures were made after supermarkets were unable to prove taxes were paid. Goods were brought into Suriname via the so-called “backtrack route”Authorities are now promising more clampdowns,Cheap Jerseys, the newspaper said.Carrying out the control are Suriname’s Ministry of Trade and Industry,Jerseys From China, police Customs authorities,Jerseys NFL Cheap, soldiers and the local governing board service.