The fifth national Week of Testing was, on Wednesday, launched in Linden, at the Linden Care Foundation, Casaurina? Drive.And Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who delivered the feature address,Wholesale Adidas Hockey Jerseys, told the gathering of residents and students that by the end of this year, more than 36,Cheap Jerseys USA,000 HIV tests will be done.Among others in attendance were Regional Health Officer Dr Pansy Armstrong, Dr Shanti Singh and senior executives of the Linden Care foundation, including its Director Basil Benn.Dr Armstrong noted that voluntary testing and counseling services were offered in the Region from 2005.She said that is the policy of the Ministry of health and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat to reach to all high risk groups.Armstrong said that since the programme started in the region over 15,000 persons have been tested; and those who were positive were enrolled in the care, treatment and support programmes.She added that there is now hope for those tested positive as through the programme persons living with AIDS can now have a better quality of life, they can live longer,Wholesale Cheap NFL Football Jerseys, and some of them are actively employed, and therefore able to provide for themselves and families.“Most of all, primary care health workers have been trained to be actively involved in the care treatment and support programme, and a large percentage of the staff of the regional Hospital and two district hospitals-Kwakwani and Upper Demerara have been trained in varying activities of care treatment and support.Voluntary counseling and testing services are available at four health centres and three hospitals.Prevention of mother to child transmission services are offered at ten health centres and all three hospitals.Youth friendly services where youths from different communities are involved in peer education are offered at five health centres and the chest clinic offers services in management and prevention of tuberculosis.The prevention of mother to child transmission started in 2003 and so far more than 2,000 pregnant women have been tested.Those positive along with their babies have received treatment and eighty six infants have been placed on breast milk substitutes, since the introduction of the PMPCT programme, Armstrong disclosed.Dr Shanti Singh “Do we want to know?” reiterating what was asked by Mr. Basil Benn Director of the Linden care foundation, in his opening remarks. Directing her question to several students in the audience, she asked, rhetorically, “Do we as students want to know more about HIV?”Dr Leslie Ramsammy said he was extremely happy to come to region ten to launch the 2011 National Week of testing. He added that the region has played a significant role in advancing the fight against HIV and in fact plays a pivotal role in the victory being crafted against HIV.“You,Cheap Jerseys For Sale, my sisters and brothers, should be convinced at this time, and I hope I do not have to persuade you. Together with our sisters and brothers across the country that Guyana will not allow HIV to defeat us.”LINDEN CARE FOUNDATIONIn 2001 The Linden Care Foundation emerged from the Regional Aids Committee, controlled by the Regional Administration, to a non-governmental organization to work in a more dynamic way to deal with the various activities / issues aimed at preventing and reducing the incidences of infection of persons with HIV/AIDS and STI’s from person to person.Since its inception it has managed several projects aimed at sensitizing young people about the dangers of being infected with HIV.It has since expanded its operation to include The Care and Support initiatives for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Recently a network of persons living with HIVwas established. The care and support programme has a family centered focus and the care offered is holistic in its approach.Through it s prevention programme the LCF conducts outreach activities in the riverain,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, mining and logging communities in region 10.

…says strength of economy his biggest achievement …seeks ‘stability’ in ParliamentWith a Parliamentary clamp on spending in some areas, and the Parliamentary agenda having no firm foot, President Donald Ramotar’s first year in office has been less than smooth.But investment prospects have him breathing optimism for his next year in office and beyond.President Donald RamotarPresident Ramotar is looking to mega operations in the gold, bauxite and manganese to solidify the strength of the economy and keeping it on the growth path.“We have kept out economy going in a hostile and unfriendly international environment…and in a local situation where we have not been getting the full cooperation of the other political forces within the society.“So that is a remarkable achievement by any standard,” Ramotar told Kaieteur News in an interview.Ramotar said that Reunion Manganese, which is developing an area near an abandoned mine at Matthews Ridge,Cristopher Toselli Chile Jersey, could begin commercial operations next year.In September 2010, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Reunion Manganese Inc., was awarded by the Government of Guyana four prospecting licenses (PLs) to conduct exploration and development activities for manganese in the North West District of Guyana.The PLs cover an area of 45,729 acres and are centered in and on the abandoned manganese mine at Matthews Ridge and Pipiani which was operated by a subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation from 1962 to 1968. In excess of 1.66 million tonnes of manganese concentrate were shipped from the mine site during that period.In addition,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, he is looking to the commencement of operation of the Aurora mine by Guyana Goldfields which is estimated to hold over six and a half million ounces of gold.Ramotar said he is pinning hopes too on new bauxite operations at Bonasika, where a feasibility has confirmed the economic viability of an operation based on sequential mining of two bauxite deposits over a mine life of 36 years, and the construction of a washing plant facility, a sintering plant,Wholesale Jerseys, and load out facilities,? at Sand Hills.Ramotar is optimistic that these projects, together with continued growth in other sectors, could help sustain the economy.Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted that Guyana recorded another year of robust growth in 2011 supported by favorable external conditions, lifting foreign direct investment and low inflation.Following general elections in November 2011 the political situation, though largely stable, became more complicated, “but investor interest has remained strong and confidence generally positive.”Real gross domestic product grew by 2.8 percent in the first half of 2012, particularly driven by strong performances in such sectors as mining and quarrying, wholesale and retail trade, and transport services,Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic, and notwithstanding a shortfall in sugar production,Florida State Seminoles Jerseys, the Ministry of Finance had reported.For the first half of 2011, export earnings grew by 9.2 percent to US$582.1 million,2014 Olympic Team USA #44 Brooks Orpik White Stitched NHL Jersey, compared with the US$533.2 million registered in June 2011. This primarily reflected higher export receipts from the mining sector.Ramotar said that dealing with the combined opposition, which holds the majority in Parliament, has been an “uphill struggle,” but “we’ve still been getting good investments.”He said that the opposition seems to have become “intoxicated” with its one-seat majority in the House.“Instead of working together so that we can accelerate the country faster, they seem more interested in digging in their heels trying to get control,” he stated.“It has not been easy working in the Parliament, largely because they wanted to grandstand and show some of their hardcore supporters that they have some power,” he added.However, Ramotar hopes for more stability in the coming year.“I think that hopefully this first year in parliament we can settle down to work together.”

The Ansa McAl Trading group yesterday launched its fifth PENTA Color Shop. The new paint shop is located inside the Safeway Security building, 153 Regent and Oronoque Streets,Wholesale China Jerseys, Bourda.Public Relations Officer for the company, Darshanie Yussuf, said that the expansion of PENTA is in recognition of the burgeoning demand for paints and paint products.Mr. Eon Caesar, yesterday at the opening.She explained that the market is fuelled by the current boom in construction and AMTL has willingly taken up the challenge in an effort to provide both quality and affordability to new and existing homeowners at this new and convenient location.This location is well situated in Georgetown yet sufficiently away from the hustle and parking problems that consumers face further along Regent Street.She said that the color shop is owned and operated by prominent businessman and Rotarian, Eon Caesar, and will offer the full range of quality PENTA paint products to the market. Yussuf said that the “Safeway Penta Color Shop” will have the capability of supplying paints in custom, customer-determined colours in an interactive facility.This will enable persons to upload photographs of their buildings and rooms and actually paint them using various colours in a virtual environment before purchase.She said that it would be ably supported by the famous high quality PENTA shelf colours,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, wood finishes,Cheap Jerseys NFL China, textured coatings and other PENTA products at very affordable prices.This is the fifth addition in the line of Penta Color Shops with the others being located at A. Ally & Sons, New Amsterdam, Berbice; Imam Bacchus & Sons, Anna Regina, Essequibo; Sankar Auto Colour,Authentic NBA Jerseys Cheap, Sheriff Street, Georgetown and at AMTL’s Head Office,NFL Jerseys China, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara.Businessman Ian Caesar said that he was happy to partner with Ansa Mcal. He said that his company and staffers are there to assist the homeowners with whatever service they may require. He urged everyone to come out and support the company which he says will have the most competitive prices.

Barama Company Limited’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Clement Ooi has revealed that after being granted 1.6 million hectares of forests, the Malaysian-based company has plugged over $25B into Guyana during the last 20 years.The company’s head was at the time addressing hundreds of workers and other invitees during a ceremony marking two decades of operations by the entity.Barama staffers, including CEO Clement Ooi (with guitar), entertaining invitees.The ceremony which was held at Barama’s sprawling sawmilling and veneer factory operations at Buck Hall, located along the bank of the Essequibo River, saw some 35 employees being honoured for serving in excess of 15 years with the company.Included among the invitees were bankers, regional officials and private sector representatives.After GT&T, the company is longest foreign investor present here and the largest one in the forestry sector, handling both sawmilling and processing operations.It has evolved into the “single largest interior road developer, and a pioneer of a sustainable management model under the consultancy of the Edinburgh Centre for Tropical Forest.”It also has the largest wood kiln-drying facilities in this part of the region, owning one of the largest marine fleets and hiring over 1,000 workers.According to Ooi, over $400M is being paid in taxes and fees annually, directly and indirectly by the company with local goods and services industries earning approximately $2B.In addition to several engagements in the social arena, Barama has established over 2,200 kilometers of roads in the northwest region of Guyana,Jerseys NFL Cheap, creating “massive opportunities for the hinterlands, primarily the mining sector.”Also addressing the gathering was the People’s Progressive Party’s Presidential candidate Donald Ramotar, who promised that if elected, his government will be more than willing to work with any company that creates employment and training opportunities for its most prized assets.He rolled out a wish-list for local businesses, which included companies taking steps to introduce more value-added products and services which will be “important for us to maximize earnings” and improving the lives of Guyanese.According to Ramotar, he grew up in Karia Karia, a mainly farming community not far away. Buck Hall,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, he recalled, was mainly dense foliage which has now been transformed into a massive complex with endless possibilities on the horizon.Barama workers yesterday at Buck Hall during the company’s 20th Anniversary celebrations.Accompanying Ramotar for the event was Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, whose portfolios include forestry.According to Persaud, the PPP/C administration on taking office in 1992 had reservations on a number of deals done by the previous government, regarding the concessions and other details. However, instead of interfering, government had sought to put measures in place to protect Guyanese and ensure the country benefits.Barama today, he said, represents an outstanding example of government’s commitment to investments and providing an “enabling environment”.“Not only has Barama brought about changes in technology, forestry practices and value-added products with its plywood manufacturing, but there is evidence that it is constantly in a re-tooling mode,” Persaud asserted.MORE VALUE-ADDEDHowever, he warned that while recognizing the role of extraction,Wholesale Stitched Jerseys, Guyana would be more interested in downstream, value-added activities.He assured that the government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is geared to boost the sector and would in no way hamper activities.As a matter of fact, he noted, the operators are under-producing and not cutting enough logs in keeping with minimum requirements.Already, Guyana’s practices in ensuring legal logging and other forestry activities are done in keeping with international best practices has grabbed the attention of the FAO, the ITTO, and other similar organizations who are using this country as a model.The agreement with Norway for Guyana’s forest services will see US$250M with US$70M already transferred to an account. This will represent almost five-fold, the earnings of the forestry sector activities this year which is projected to earn US$45M.President Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds were scheduled to attend, but pulled out because of pressing matters.According to officials yesterday, Barama is currently working to add another drying facility and has boosted plywood production by 50%, since suffering a major setback in October last year in which a boiler went down,Cheap Jerseys USA, forcing the company to cease operations and send home over 270 staffers.Yesterday, the Buck Hall veneer fact