Twenty-eight Guyanese youngsters are now better musicians following their graduation from the Republic Bank Limited (RBL) Right Start Music Literacy: Pan Minors Programme.The just over two dozen students graduated on Friday during a simple ceremony held at Tipperary Hall in Buxton, East Coast Demerara. A number of officials, both from RBL and the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport were present.The Buxton community is no stranger to music. The Buxton Pride Steel Orchestra are the reigning School Band champs in the annual Pan-O-Rama competition for two consecutive years. In fact, that very orchestra was formed as a result of the music literacy camp. This recently concluded programme marks the fourth of its kind.The class began with 30 but was whittled down to 28, and the successful students received certificates of participation from the Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry.During brief remarks, Minister Henry said that the Ministry is pleased to partner with the community and RBL, the main sponsor of the programme.The programme’s participants pose with their certificates following the graduation ceremony. With them is Minister within the Education Ministry, Nicolette Henry (seated, left)Additionally, Minister Henry explained that the programme seeks to promote and develop the steel pan art form while providing youths with an opportunity to develop self-discipline and the spirit of team work. The workshop also introduced its participants to the basic elements of music theory and teaches them the basic skills required to play the steel pan, while enhancing their playing technique.While presenting his report on the camp, Fitzroy Younge,jerseys nfl wholesale, one of the programme’s instructors, said that the students learnt to play five songs during the programme. Further, the students were drawn from schools including President’s College, Lancaster Secondary, Ann’s Grove Secondary, Buxton Secondary and Gibson Primary schools.Younge stressed that the programme was a tremendous success and is an indication that the art form will never die. He added that it is also a mechanism of bringing the youths in the community closer together.Just last week, Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine lauded RBL for its investment in music literacy in Guyana. The music literacy programme was launched early last month and RBL donated $1.3M to the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport.Republic Bank has long been touted for its contribution to pan music in Guyana. For a number of years,Jersyes From China, the bank has been hosting the annual Republic Bank Mashramani Pan-o-Rama Steel Band Competition while it launched the music literacy programme several years ago until its “Power to Make a Difference” initiative.The recently concluded camp in Buxton was the fourth of sixth being embarked upon during the holiday season. These camps were scheduled to be conducted in Regions 3, 4, 6,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, and Georgetown. Along with Tipperary Hall, other venues such as the Berbice High School, the Bishops’ High School,NFL Jerseys From China, and the National School of Music partook in the activities.According to the Education Ministry,Jerseys Cheap NFL, about 155 students are expected to have benefited from the month-long music programme at its conclusion.

Former Commissioner of Police, Laurie Leyland Lewis passed away quietly at his East Coast Demerara home around midday yesterday. He was 71.Lewis who served as Commissioner of Police for 11 years,Cheap Air Max 90, from 1990 to 2001, was suffering from a prolonged illness. He was battling diabetes which eventually led to renal failure,Nike Shox Men Clearance, and he was in and out of hospital within the past year.His wife Jennifer confirmed that he died around 12:45 hours yesterday.Laurie Lewis being greeted by President Donald Ramotar at the opening of the Police Officers’ conference earlier this year.His son, Laurie Jr., told this newspaper that he last spoke to his father yesterday morning.“Before I left the house he was sleeping, but then I got a call later that he had died.”The former Commissioner could be best remembered for his sense of humour and his love-hate relationship with the media.Lewis, who is so far the second longest serving Commissioner of Police in the country’s history, had once described his 11 years as the Top Cop as the “hardest years of my life.”He held the unique distinction of working as the Top Cop under five Presidents,Wholesale Authentic China Jerseys, as well as serving two separate political regimes.He was appointed Commissioner of Police in 1990 by the late Desmond Hoyte,wholesale nfl jerseys, who at the time was heading the People’s National Congress government,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, and he left in 2001 under the government led by Bharrat Jagdeo.

Almost one-fifth of the estimated global total of persons living with disabilities; or between 110-190 million,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, encounter significant difficulties, according to the United Nations (UN).The UN stated that persons with disabilities make up an estimated 15 per cent of the world’s population.The agency further noted that a quarter of the global population is directly affected by disability, as caregivers or family members.On Saturday last, Guyana joined the rest of the world in commemorating International Day of People with Disabilities under the theme ‘Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development.’The UN General Assembly in its most recent resolution 65/186, seeks to convene a High-Level meeting on disability in 2012, with a view to strengthening efforts to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of development efforts.According to the resolution,Cheap Nike Air Max 1, the proposed meeting will strengthen efforts to ensure accessibility for an inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of development efforts.More specifically, the High-Level Meeting is expected to review the progress made towards the implementation of programmes and policies related to persons with disabilities within the framework of existing Millennium Development Goals, including accessibility and full inclusion of persons with disabilities, including in the work of the United Nations.The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is both a human rights treaty and a development tool, provides an opportunity to strengthen developmental policies related to the implementation of internationally agreed development goals,Soccer Jerseys China, such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), thereby contributing to the realization of a “society for all” in the twenty-first century.This year, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs requested the input of its partners and the general public for suggestions on a theme for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2011. Many responses were received from both,Cheap NFL Jerseys, the UN system and civil society.Almost seven percent of the Guyanese population suffers from a disability of some sort, representing approximately 50,Cheap Soccer Jerseys,000 individuals, according to the National Commission on Disability.The UN further noted that persons with disabilities encounter many disadvantages in their societies and are often subjected to stigma and discrimination. They remain largely marginalized, disproportionately poorer, frequently unemployed and have higher rates of mortality. Furthermore, they are largely excluded from civil and political processes and are overwhelmingly voiceless in matters that affect them and their society.Experience shows that when persons with disabilities are empowered to participate and lead the process of development, their entire community benefits, as their involvement creates opportunities for everyone with or without a disability.

A Dominican national who told the court she came to Guyana on vacation and over stayed her time was on Friday remanded to prison after she appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer to the charge of forgery.It is alleged that between April 14 and October 26,Wholesale Stitched Jerseys, at Georgetown she conspired with others to commit forgery.She arrived in the country on April 14 and was granted a one-month stay and instead remained for three months.She forged an immigration stamp on page seven of her passport SE3374751. Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves objected to bail citing to the gravity of the charge and the penalty attached.He told the court that it’s likely that the defendant would not return to court for her trial because she is a Dominican national.The 26-year-old who resides at Lot 620 East Ruimveldt pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to her by the magistrate.She will make her next court appearance on November 11.