Chairman and Shadow Labour Minister of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU),NFL Jerseys Cheap, Basil Williams,Cheap Jerseys From China, has said that the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has legal grounds to seek recourse over the arbitrary five per cent increase that was imposed on public servants by government.Basil WilliamsHe however contended that taking legal action is not the problem but to whom should legal action be taken since according to Williams there is no Industrial Court like those in other Caribbean countries where union matters can be addressed.Williams added that an industrial court would be imperative to address union matters. Those matters would not be bogged down with general matters in the Court system, as well as be encumbered by the sloth that is attached to the judicial system.The Public Service Appellate tribunal which was established for some time has become dormant for over the years, he said. “We have been calling for them to reconstitute that body so that appeals by public servants can be fast tracked to that body instead of the court system.”According to Williams, the government is bound to honour the collective bargaining agreement reached with the union but for 13 years the government “has been observing that agreement in the breach.”“Legal recourse could be had for breach of certain terms and conditions like that and the collective bargaining agreement provided that the agreement makes conditions for that of course.”According to Williams the five percent wage increase that the government has been imposing since 2000 has essentially kept the public servants on the bread line. “A living wage the PSU has determined should be around $124,000. We are nowhere close to that. The public servants have the right the nurses, the teachers, the policemen, prison offers,Cheap Stitched Jerseys, firemen,Cheap Adidas Hockey Jerseys, they have a right to a decent life.”The shadow Minister of Labour said that under this present system the expectations of workers and young people are abysmal. He said that they cannot expect to own a motorbike, a small car,Cheap Jerseys USA, go on a vacation or pursue a higher education.“We have to do something for our young people and something for the workers as well.”APNU leader David Granger said, “If we are invited by the union and the conditions are right we will join the workers in the protest. We have had meetings with the GTU executives and we were informed that there are no strikes yet, just protest action on the streets, but we are in full support.”

– pledges fight against corruption, cronyism, crime, poverty and dictatorship? ?By Abena RockcliffeThe coalition A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) yesterday launched its “people’s manifesto” at the Stabroek Market? Square in the midst of the afternoon rush in that vicinity.APNU+AFC Presidential candidate, David Granger addressing the gathering.Coalition officials made it clear that the choice to hold the event at that venue was birthed out of a desire to reach out to Guyanese from all walks of life as opposed to just the privileged. Of course, it was pointed out that the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic launched its manifesto at the taxpayer-funded Marriott Hotel,cheap jerseys nfl wholesale, a place where “many of us don’t have ‘gangzee’ to go.”The document launched was described as a plan to turn Guyana back into a country that all can be proud of. It was labeled a “people’s manifesto” as it was inspired by the people, for the best interest of the people.The manifesto includes a 100-day plan as well as a five-year plan which the coalition boasts will be used to eradicate the major ills of the Guyanese society.A glimpse of the document revealed plans to establish an Integrity Commission, carry out a number of investigations into contracts crafted for numerous controversial projects suchAPNU+AFC Prime Ministerial candidate hands out a copy of the coalition’s Manifesto.as the Marriott Hotel, Amaila Falls Hydro Project, Skeldon Sugar Factory and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project.The coalition committed to constitutional reform under which separation of powers will be a must. Plans for the youth and women are also reflected in the manifesto.Addressing the gathering, APNU+AFC Presidential Candidate David Granger said that Guyana is “a land of six peoples but is one nation”, while “APNU+AFC is a force of six parties but stands as one coalition”. He said that that one strong standing coalition will show Guyana a new form of governance and remove six dreadful things from society: poverty, crime,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, corruption, cronyism,Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys, disunity and dictatorship.Granger said that the manifesto has strategies to win a fight against such ills.Starting with poverty, Granger said that too many Guyanese are living in poverty and noted that that is not the case as a result of Guyana being a poor country “it is just that the PPP is thieving too much…We have more resources than any other country in Caribbean, but the PPP wants to take all.”? He promised that a government of National Unity will minimize poverty.Granger then turned his attention to disunity and noted that it has prevented development for many years in Guyana. He told supporters and curious onlookers that the coalition is a representation of what Guyana will be under a government of national unity “unified.”He pledged to remove dictatorship as well as cronyism.“When the president has a fibre optic cable to lay, who does he give it to?” Granger asked. The crowd responded, “His son.”The Presidential hopeful then said that an APNU+AFC government will ensure that projects are not handed to friends and family but to “efficient, competent, engineers and contractors, ‘down with cronyism.’”Granger said that dictatorship will be addressed through meaningful constitutional reform.Turning his attention to corruption, Granger said that it is eating away at the heart of good governance in Guyana. He promised that a coalition government will stand firm against corruption and ensure that it pays better wages and salaries to public servants so that they would not be forced into corrupt practices.He also pledged that the coalition will take the necessary steps to reduce crime in Guyana and assured that the manifesto properly addresses this.Meanwhile,Jerseys Cheap China, Prime Ministerial Candidate Moses Nagamootoo spoke of the restoration of open and accountable governance, should the coalition secure a victory at the upcoming elections.“This is what underlines this document… it includes policies and programmes that we would adopt to bring about an open society,” Nagamootoo said in his brief remarks to the crowd of supporters.”We have not copied anyone here. We are original,Cristopher Toselli Chile Jersey, we have ideas that can take this country forward and resolve the problems of corruption, problems of crime and low wages and take care of the many jobless.Copies of the manifesto were handed out to?a number of groups and organizations.Representatives of sugar workers,NFL Jerseys Cheap, women, vendors, veterans, miners a

The European Union has joined a number of other countries which continue to push its no-tolerance stance on illegal logging and Guyana is considering the possible trade implications and the establishment of a voluntary partnership agreement (VPA) with that bloc that can see financial assistance coming for a number of programmes.Following initial meetings this year between the European Union and the Government of Guyana,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, several Amerindian leaders met yesterday in a two-day workshop at the Guyana International Centre, East Coast Demerara, to discuss the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (EU-FLEGT).The EU-FLEGT Action Plan sets out a programme of action that the forms the EU’s response to the problem of illegal logging and the trade associated with timber products.In 2002, EU hosted an international workshop to deal with illegal logging. EU published its first proposal for a FLEGT action plan in May, 2003.The action plan sets out a range of measures that aim to combat the problem of illegal logging that include support to timber producing countries, activities to promote trade in legal timber, better public procurement policies and the problem of conflict timber, among other key issues.Yesterday, 19 Amerindian leaders of the National Toshaos Council were among the several stakeholders that met to discuss the implications of the EU measures to curb global illegal logging and how Guyana can continue to hold on to that market which last year alone was worth over $800M.FearsAt the closing ceremony of the workshop yesterday, it was acknowledged that there fears and questions from the Amerindians over EU-FLEGT.The Amerindians have three months to say whether they want to be part of the EU VPA.According to Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, while Guyana has not committed to signing any agreement with the EU since consultations are still being carried out, the country has been in preparation for a while now to meet international requirements.Already, Guyana is in line to meet US’ requirements of the Lacey Act, which spells out how timber being exported to that country has to be shipped.According to the Minister,Cheap Jerseys, the past two days can be considered a major stepping-stone in the pathway of determining the next step in Guyana’s engagement with the EU FLEGT.“As part of our commitment to consultation, the main purpose was to share information and better inform local stakeholders about EU FLEGT as we explore Guyana’s possible engagement in EU FLEGT with an aim of entering into a Voluntary Partnership Agreement.“The forest sector in Guyana is of tremendous importance not only as a contributor to the timber and forest products sub sector but also in the fight against climate change.”Persaud pointed out that the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Government of Norway outlined a cooperation framework over the next five years.“This interaction is consistent with our commitment contained in the MoU is the commencement of a formal dialogue with the European Union on its Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) processes and the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA).”$800M marketGuyana’s total forest products export value to the European Union in 2009 was US$4.55M and for half-year 2010 it was US$3.35M, already doubling corresponding 2009 half year total of US$1.5M.In 2010, January to June period, the total export value to the EU accounts for approximately 14 per cent of Guyana’s total forest export market in terms of value.? The 14 per cent accounted for dressed and undressed lumber, piles and a small amount of split wood.There has been no logs export to the European market for 2010 so far, the Minister said.Although not being the top two market regions for Guyana, for which the Caribbean region and the Asia/Pacific markets mainly are the main market leaders, the European market has always been a steady and stable destination for Guyana’s forest products exports.“Although this market does not take off the majority of the volumes of forest products produced, it represents an important niche market for Guyana forest products exports.”So far, Persaud argued, Guyana has in place modernized forest legislative framework that reflect the thrust of the forest sector as the country moves into new areas of work including Guyana’s work on the LCDS, REDD+ and sustainable forest management as a whole.“The Guyana Forestry Commission’s work has been on forest law enforcement and legality to ensure compliance at both the national and international levels. We put a lot of premium on ensuring that the benefits from forest resources utilization flow to the right beneficiaries, preventing unfair competition between illegal and legal produce,Jerseys NFL Wholesale, maintaining a low rate of deforestation and

– explains interventionDirector of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack, has refuted allegations that she tried to influence the way Magistrate Yohhanseh Cave was conducting the preliminary inquiry into the murder of former Agriculture Minister Sash Sawh and three others.The DPP, in a letter responding to the allegations, informed that she did not interfere, but admitted that she did intervene in the matter, since her office is vested with constitutional powers to intervene in any criminal matter, whether public or private.According to the DPP, her office is responsible for all criminal matters.“When the Director of Public Prosecutions intervenes in a criminal matter, the Director of Public Prosecutions is carrying out the constitutional function which the Director of Public Prosecutions is appointed to do. The Director of Public Prosecutions is therefore acting lawfully,” she said in her letter to this newspaper.Magistrate Yohhanseh Cave had expressed his concern in open court, stating that the Director of Public Prosecution had attempted to direct him on the subject of his adjournment of the matter.The issue stemmed from Cave adjourning the PI while the late Minister’s brother, Omprakash Sawh, was being cross-examined by defence counsel James Bond.The late Minister’s brother and his wife had returned to Guyana to facilitate the continuation of the Preliminary Inquiry.However, they had indicated that they would not be in the country for any extended period, and therefore the court should seek to have their testimonies and cross-examination within a specific time-frame.The Magistrate had adjourned the matter to a date last week and the witness, Omprakash Sawh, had indicated that he would be unable to make the appointment since he was required to be back in the United Kingdom where he resided at the time.The Magistrate had urged him to make other travel arrangements since the work of the court was not dependent on his position.According to the Magistrate, he then received a telephone call from the Director of Public Prosecution requesting that he reconsider the date for the continuation of the PI so as to facilitate the witness.At the time of the adjournment, Omprakash Sawh, who happens to be one of the prosecution star witnesses, was being cross-examined by James Bond, counsel for accused David Leander.Magistrate Cave became upset and indicated that he will be taking up the matter with the Chancellor of the Judiciary, since the DPP should not try to influence the way he carried out his work.But explaining her side of the issue, the DPP said that she was first contacted by Magistrate Cave in January 2009 at the Chambers by phone.She said that the Magistrate informed her that the case is not getting anywhere, and that he understands that the police are making arrangements for the relatives of the deceased to come to Guyana to testify.According to the DPP,NFL Jerseys Supply, the Magistrate went on to say that their evidence is formal, and it is a waste of money to bring them to Guyana to testify.But,Wholesale Jerseys, despite the views of the Magistrate, arrangements were made for the witnesses to come to Guyana to testify.The DPP said that one of the witnesses is Omprakash Sawh, who was present at the scene and saw two of the bandits whom he described in his statement to the police on April 27, 2006,China NFL Jerseys, six days after the murders.“The witness himself was a victim, having also being shot at by the bandits whom he described. The witness is not formal and is a main witness for the prosecution,” the DPP pointed out.The witness was granted one week’s leave from his job in England to come to Guyana to testify.The Court was so informed and the witness commenced testifying on Monday February 9, last.But, according to Ali-Hack,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, the Magistrate then adjourned the matter to Wednesday, February 11, 2009, despite the Police Prosecutor requesting that the matter be continued one day earlier and the Magistrate being told that the witness was only here for the week to testify.The reason why the matter did not continue on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 is that Counsel for the accused could not be present.On the Wednesday the matter was adjourned to the following Tuesday, February 17,NFL Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, 2009 despite the Police Prosecutor again requesting that the matter be adjourned to Thursday, February 12, 2009, so that the witness could continue testifying. And again the adjournment was granted at the request of Counsel for the accused.“At this point I was contacted by the Police Prosecutor. Having been informed of what was happening by the Police Prosecutor on his cell phon