Government has agreed to put systems in place to ensure locals are given first preference to jobs in state-owned projects.Following a meeting Thursday between a team led by Prime Minister Sam Hinds and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) at the Critchlow Labour College, a joint statement was issued yesterday.The issue of locals being given first preference came to the fore a few weeks ago after revelations that the construction of the US$51M Marriott-branded hotel involved mostly Chinese workers.Government and Union officials during the meeting on ThursdayGovernment later explained that the contractor, Shanghai Construction Group,Wholesale Cheap NFL Football Jerseys, had the discretion under its contract to hire its own workforce. They also said that a skills shortage in Guyana and language barrier posed challenges, forcing the decision to hire Chinese workers.The issue had sparked protests by unions and saw Government claiming that the Chinese, who have been financing a number of large government projects,Cheap Jerseys Outlet, were being targeted.According to the joint statement yesterday by Government and GTUC, it was agreed at the meeting that rules and systems be put in place that “citizens at all times be given an opportunity to be employed in appropriate jobs before consideration be given to foreigners”.The administration, in the statement,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic, reiterated its position that in the absence of sufficient appropriate skills, the issue must be looked at within the context of Guyana’s national policy of training and education to meet the expected quality that exists at the international level.Also at the meeting Thursday were GTUC’s General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis; President Norris Witter and members of the affiliates of the GTUC, and accountant/columnist Christopher Ram, who is an advisor to the GTUC.During a PowerPoint presentation, head of the Atlantic Hotel Inc. (AHI),Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, the state-owned company overlooking the construction of the hotel, Winston Brassington, “detailed accounts of efforts to achieve transparency,holesale NFL Jerseys, information sharing, the financial structure, the involvement and arrangements by the various entities involved in this project; the likely outcomes as it relates to the securing of about 350 permanent jobs as a result of the Hotel and its entertainment center inclusive of its nightclub and its casino,” the joint statement said.Also there were representatives of the private sector.“GTUC has stated that while the request for the meeting was made by the Prime Minister and Leader of the Government Business in the House, there are other issues of concerns that are grounded in rights and the rule of law and are equally important to be raised during subsequent discussions amongst which, outstanding industrial relations issues at BCGI/RUSAL and the restoration of the subvention to the Critchlow Labour College.”GTUC acknowledged that while it has concerns regarding the manner in which the decisions related to the construction of the Marriott Hotel were arrived at, it also recognises that the project cannot be stopped at this juncture.“As such, it would like to see arrangements be put in place to avoid a recurrence of the issues that gave rise to the denial of the rights of the citizens of Guyana to work, and be equipped the requisite skills to compete.”A proposal was also made to develop capacity in construction management and expanding the available pool of skilled and semi-skilled workers in Guyana.

Persons who dare to undertake construction work within the confines of the city of Georgetown without due approval, could be subjected to immense loss, as the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown has engaged a campaign to arrest such undesirable practices. At the municipality’s most recent statutory meeting, councillors have expressed concerns about the state of affairs.It was revealed that some persons are doing construction works without the requisite permission of the City Engineer’s Department.? Some business owners are extending their building beyond the boundary and in some instances on council’s reserve.According to a municipal official, often is the case that persons bent on ignoring the bylaws,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, opt to undertake operations over the weekend with the expectation that the municipality will not be in a position to halt such operations, given the Monday through Friday operation of the Engineer’s Department.And according to Deputy Mayor, Robert Williams, even officials within City Hall could come under fire if they are found guilty of aiding such practices without following the specified procedure.According to Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis,Cheap Jerseys Online, “The council wants to remind citizens that permission must be obtained from the Engineer’s Department before construction of any kind can be done.”Further,NFL Jerseys China, she noted that the department is empowered by the Municipal and District Councils Act to demolish any construction that is deemed illegal. Reports are that a city business is currently under scrutiny for undertaking illegal construction.According to the Municipal and District Councils Act, “No person shall commence any building operations in the city unless he has given notice in writing of his intention so to do the City Engineer on a form provided by the Council for that purpose and otherwise complies with the provisions of the by-laws.”The Act also states that “no person shall erect a new building or alter or add to any existing building or alter or add to any existing building or execute any structural work to any building unless he shall lay over with such notice a plan of the new building or of the alteration or additions to the existing building or of the structural work for approval by the City Engineer.”In addition, the Act states that “no building or part thereof shall be erected over any thoroughfare except with the written permission of the Council and then only upon such terms and conditions as the council may prescribe.”The position of every new building,Supply NFL Jerseys Factory, its proposed use and its line of frontage shall be approved by the Engineer’s Department before any building operations are commenced.The municipality just revealed that the council is set to enforce stringent measures to ensure the payment of property taxes before any construction or expansion of any property in the city is undertaken, according to the Deputy Mayor.He explained that if an individual applies for permission to undertake any form of construction, persons will first have to ensure that the payment of taxes for that property is honoured.“This is the first time that this is going to happen…This measure has been taken where it concerns compliance before a property is sold but we are going to be more rigorous when combing the official gazette and appearing before the courts on the procedure of properties and offer objections where and when necessary.”Further,Cheap Jerseys From China, the municipality is seeking to prevent property from being changed over to another person’s name if the property taxes are not paid in full. “It is a series of initiatives that we are taking to bring in much needed funds…” Williams ascertained yesterday. Notwithstanding, the municipality is gearing to take a judicial approach to address the problem of non-payment.Some 15 property owners are currently being targeted by the municipality. They are likely to be placed before the courts shortly.

The Schools’ Welfare Department will be taking 14 parents from Mosquito Hall, Riverview,Cheap Soccer Jerseys, Unity and Lancaster, in Mahaica, Region Four, to court for abandoning the responsibility to educate their children.According to a statement from the Ministry of Education,China Jerseys Online, the Department last month had taken 17 parents in the Upper Corentyne area, Region Six, to court for the same offence. These parents were ordered by the Magistrate to ensure that their children attend school within a two mile radius of the community they reside.The department,Wholesale Jerseys Cheap, in a campaign conducted in the Mahaica area last Friday, apprehended 38 truants. According to National Truancy Campaign Co-ordinator, Yvonne Arthur, among the lot were three cases of children who never attended school and another of child labour.She also said that there was one report of a child who was allegedly burned with “hot oil” by a relative. That matter, Arthur said, is in the hands of the police.The National Truancy Campaign Co-ordinator said that the employer of the child will also be placed before the courts and the parents of the children who never attended school were counselled on the importance of educating their children.They were also issued warning letters and letters to visit the Placement Unit in the region to obtain a school for their child.The parents of students who did not attend school for a considerable period of time also received similar attention.According to the statement too, Arthur has underlined that her officers will be following-up these matters and will closely monitor these students’ attendance as well as their performance in the classroom.She noted that some of the truants will be referred to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Probation, Child Care and Social Security Departments for assistance.Arthur also called on Head Teachers to make available to the School’s Welfare Department the names of students who regularly absent themselves from school.She stressed that a child can still be enrolled at a school even though the latter does not have a birth certificate.The former Chief Schools’ Welfare Officer explained that while the child is in school, the parent can be advised by a Schools’ Welfare Officer on the way forward to acquire the legal document.The Truancy Campaign Co-ordinator was able to locate most of the truants from a list supplied by her officers and managed to apprehend a few other through the assistance of members in the communities in which the campaign was held.Education Minister Shaik Baksh had earlier announced that his Ministry will take a tougher stance against truancy and negligent parents will be placed before the court.He explained that his Ministry is moving in this direction because efforts to talk to parents of truants about the importance of educating their children were ineffective.Truancy, he said,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, is a problem in Region Six and other parts of the country and stern action has to be taken to ensure these children not only attend school but receive a proper education and become productive citizens in society.The Minister said, too,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, that the Government is providing free uniform, text books and other forms of support to students and all parents and teachers must honour their responsibility to support and educate these children.

Attorney-at-law Robert Simels will appear before Judge Dora Irizarry on Tuesday where the trial against him for witness tampering in the case in the US Government against embattled Guyanese businessmen Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan will commence.Simels,cheap jerseys from china, along with an associate of his, Arienne Irving,China Jerseys Free Shipping, and Khan, were all indicted on September 19 for attempting to “eliminate” the main witness against Khan.Recent revelations based on an undercover operation saw charges being laid against Irving, Simels and Khan. The attorney and his associate had managed to secure bail to the tune of US$3.5M and US$500,Wholesale NFL Jerseys,000 respectively.Simels also had recently indicated to Judge Irizarry in a motion that he would sever all contact with Khan purposely to focus on his own defence.There are now rife speculations that Khan’s remaining attorneys may abandon him, given that they were all recruited by Simels.If convicted, Simels faces as many as ten years in jail. The developments already threaten to push back the start date for Khan’s trial, which was slated for early November. Simels’s lawyer, in an earlier statement,Nike Air Vapor Max Flyknit, had said that he plans to fight the accusations levelled against his client.Simels was arrested just over two weeks ago and accused in an 18-page federal complaint of paying an alleged ‘Phantom Squad’ member US$1,000 for the hit, which also included strict orders not to kill the witness’s mother.Khan allegedly told Simels that the case against him hinged on one man — identified in court papers as “John Doe No 1.” Simels wanted to “eliminate” and “neutralize” the witness, authorities said.He allegedly told a government informant at one point that, “Obviously, any witness you can eliminate is a good thing.” The feds said that on June 19, 2008, Simels met with the government informant in his Manhattan office and handed over a US$1,000 down payment for the hit.The two were reportedly caught on tape, according to the federal complaint, with Simels saying, “Here’s $1,000 to get started.”When the undercover informant said, “No problem,” Simels replied, “All [Khan] says is be careful. He says don’t kill the [witness’s] mother.”During the brief conversation, Simels also said, “Well, [Khan] would like as much pressure being put on [John Doe No. 1] as possible.”The authorities revealed that a five-month investigation, which involved a confidential source who was cooperating with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) against Khan,Cheap Sports Jerseys, Simels and Irving, eventually led to the indictment.