Newly appointed Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ms. Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas hit the ground running today, meeting with heads of the Disciplined Services.
PS Thomas interacted with Commissioner of Police (Ag) Nigel Hoppie; Director of the Guyana Prison Service, Mr. Gladwin Samuels and Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Marlon Gentle. Project Manager of the Citizens’ Security Strengthening Programme Dr. Clement Henry was also part of the engagement.
Prior to that meeting, the PS interacted with employees of the Home Affairs Ministry.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ms. Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas today meeting with several heads of the discipline service.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Bishram Kuppen meeting with staff.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ms. Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas today meeting with several heads of the discipline service.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Bishram Kuppen meeting with staff.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ms. Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas today meeting with several heads of the discipline service.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Bishram Kuppen meeting with staff.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ms. Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas meeting with staff of the Ministry.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ms. Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas meeting with staff of the Ministry.
Newly appointed Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ms. Mae Toussaint Jr. Thomas meeting with staff of the Ministry.
Ms. Thomas holds a Diploma in Accountancy from the University of Guyana and a Certificate in Project Management. She previously served as the Assistant Accountant at the Office of the President.
Meanwhile, newly appointed PS in the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Bishram Kuppen recently met with the staff at the Ministry.
Mr. Kuppen is a former two-term elected Councillor of the Mayor and City Council. He previously served as a Corporate Management Officer at an international company abroad for many years and is a former officer of the Guyana Defence Force.
Youth mentorship, creation of employment opportunities, and creating spaces for social cohesiveness in Albouystown and Charlestown are most important for Councillor Heston Bostwick as he works assiduously to ensure residents in his constituency are comfortable and productive.
Also, on his 2019 agenda, is the construction of a ‘Night-care Centre. Acknowledging the fact that many persons work the night shift, especially single mothers who are employed with security firms; Bostwick said the centre would serve the dual purpose of providing care for their children while creating employment for residents in the constituency.
Councillor, Heston Bostwick
Bostwick explained, prior to 2015, he had the privilege of mentoring youths from the two communities through a programme hosted in July-August when schools closed for the holidays. To date, many have taken his teachings and successfully applied them to the management of their own small businesses, while others have higher education. During the mentorship programme, the youths benefited from educational tours, training in craft-making and masonry. Several skills training course were held to address the issue of youth unemployment.
From 2016 to present more than 500 students have benefitted from the mentorship programmes which saw them being gainfully occupied. Bostwick said this emphasis on youths has been further boosted as the community of Albouystown now has an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Hub for the benefit of the youths.
On the healthy side of things, Albouystown has seen the rehabilitation of its Health Centre in 2016. Bostwick explained, “the health centre is now adequately staffed with the necessary personnel, offers more services and is equipped with a pharmacist which is of great assistance to persons in neighbouring communities”.
With regard to the environment, the community of Albouystown was affected by flooding and post-2015, the frequent desilting of drains has had a positive impact on the environment.
The councillor opined that one way to ensure the area is litter free, as garbage would often lead to the blockage of canals, is the return of regular visits by sanitary officers. “I would advocate for that; persons see it as their right to litter and not to keep their surroundings clean. Having a reinforcement of the littering bylaws, we will definitely see the restoration of the garden city – Georgetown.”
Councillor Bostwick fully supports the City Mayor’s call for citizens to pay their rates and taxes. “Before my tenure is up as councillor, I would like to see at least 75% of the residents in Albouystown and Charlestown pay their rates and taxes.” He noted that the revenue garnered will assist with further developments in the communities.
– other interventions on stream to address social issues
DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Residents of Constituency 11 will soon have the benefits of an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Hub and other interventions to address issues affecting the respective communities.
Constituency 11, Councillor, Yvonne Ferguson.
Areas in this constituency include, North East La Penitence, East La Penitence, Alexander Village, Yarrow Dam, Riverview, a section of Calendar Street and Independence Boulevard.
Councillor for the constituency, Yvonne Ferguson disclosed that a youth club, ‘Influential Millennium’ has been formed to address issues confronting youths in the constituency. It facilitates, vocational training and distribution of bursary grants to children who sat the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination.
The group also donated laptops and bicycles to several students to ensure they get to complete assignments and make it to school daily.
Councillor Ferguson noted too that her priority areas include high school drop outs, teenage pregnancy, infrastructural development and security.
Security, she highlighted is one of the major issues the constituency faces and as Councillor, she has encouraged residents to “be their neighbours keeper.” Thus far, several criminals have been caught and handed over to the police. This, Ferguson said has led to a reduction in crime in these areas.
Plans are on stream to reach out to the Ministry of Education and the Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport for representatives to have talks with the youths.
The Councillor also plans to invest funds into lighting, road repairs and drainage and irrigation when she receives her $5M grant from the Mayor and City Council (M&CC).
─ Youth mentorship, health, security, and infrastructural development are priority areas
By Kipenie Jordan
DPI, Guyana, Friday, May 31, 2019
Youth mentorship, health, security, and infrastructural development are a high priority for Denroy Tudor, Councillor of Constituency 14, Ruimveldt Industrial Estate – South Ruimveldt Gardens. Tudor explained that since he took office, a community office has been opened to deal with the aforementioned areas.
Councillor of Constituency 14, Denroy Tudor.
“At the community centre, we are training young people, to learn various trades, because we have realised that the community is so much more than just drainage and defective lighting, we are looking at the social aspect,” he stated
Coupled with vocational skills training and the establishment of an ICT hub, the constituency representative explained that the idea is for extra-curricular activities, such as book clubs, sport clubs, music and dance classes, to be explored as a way of helping youths to be more active in their community.
On the issue of security, Tudor said, as a former member of the South Ruimveldt Gardens Community Development, and Policing Society, he was able to share how security issues can be dealt with.
“We endeavour to meet with the commander of ‘A’ division and more so the sub-divisional commander. We are looking to develop a similar sort of programme, within the constituency so that persons feel a bit more secure.”
Other projects to be undertaken by Tudor and his team are the installation of 100 lights throughout the constituency paying specific attention to the lighting of Caneview Avenue and the erection of a bridge between South Ruimveldt Gardens and Roxanne Burnham Gardens.
He also anticipates the rebuilding and renaming of the Festival City Health Centre to the Diagnostic Centre, which will offer more services, thereby preventing the surge of patients from South Ruimveldt to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).
The issue of violence and crime, mostly among youths, is a sore point for the residents of East Ruimveldt. As councillor for Constituency 13, Trichria Richards today explained that she has collaborated with Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, to get the playground up and running in East Ruimveldt.
“I find that the youths are more responsive to sports, so through the coaches for the football teams, I’ve been working with them, so that they can have a different outlet instead of going to violence and crime” she disclosed.
Lights have been installed at the ground, and a committee established to ensure that the youths have access to the facility.
Councillor of Constituency 13, East and West Ruimveldt, Trichria Richards.
Additionally, Richards has undertaken several projects in these areas and plans to have many more done with the interest of the residents at heart.
On her agenda for 2019, focus will be placed on addressing the issues of drainage and irrigation, youth mentorship, road repairs in the East La Penitence Market and squatting.
Moving forward, the Councillor plans to engage the new Minister with responsibility for Housing, Annette Ferguson to find a solution to squatting, which has been ongoing, for a number of years, in several areas in the constituency.
Drainage works are ongoing at the Trench Road Canal, East Ruimveldt, Fire Station Canal, West Ruimveldt, as the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has garnered assistance from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to complete the works.
Several self-help community cleaning projects have been completed with the assistance of community leaders on Sundays. Richard has reached out to the Ministry of Communities for assistance in rehabilitating the East Ruimveldt Market, which is estimated to cost $40M.
The market, she noted, has been in a deplorable state for many years.
With the help of the Communities Ministry, Richards has been able to secure grants totalling $19.2M for more development in her constituency. The money will be used for rehabilitating the East Ruimveldt and West Ruimveldt Community grounds and two bridges on Laing Avenue.
– 19-year-old councillor plans to return Georgetown to its golden days
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, December 1, 2018
“I decided to run [for councillor] because I wanted to be the change that I would like to see and if I, one youth could get up and be the change, it could spark a ripple effect so that other young people would be inspired to get up and be the change that they want.”
Ayodele Roache being sworn in as a Councillor.
Those were the words of 19-year-old Ayodele Roache who, on Friday last, was sworn in as a Proportional Representation (PR) Councillor to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council. She is also the youngest member of the council and represents the Alliance for Change.
According to Roache, she is representing the youth voice and called on other young people like herself to “be the positive change” needed and take up the mantle of leadership. She advised they learn from past mistakes and create better ideas to lead the country forward.
During her tenure, she plans to focus on developing three areas – creating more opportunities for youth entrepreneurship, security and the development of green spaces around the city.
Roache is of the opinion that by tackling these three areas, she can reduce some of the incorrect stereotypes associated with today’s youth.
Additionally, she plans on working with the council to address the issue of garbage collection and restoring Georgetown to the Garden City she often heard spoken of whilst growing up.
“I look forward to working with the council to see what their approach is; then give my input and see how best we can find a solution for proper garbage collection and solid waste management to restore this city to the green city I heard…. So that all the other municipalities around Guyana could follow suit,” the young lady stated.
Roache, along with 29 other councillors, will officially being duties on January 1, 2019.
There seems to be no end in sight for the stand-off within the Region Five, Regional Democratic Council (RDC) between Regional Chairman, Vickchand Ramphal, PPP, and Regional Executive Officer (REO), Ovid Morrison.
When Region’s RDC monthly statutory meeting was called on October 19, it lasted no longer than five minutes with the APNU+AFC councillors walking out of the meeting, followed by the Clerk of Council, who is also the Regional Executive Officer.
Vickchand Ramphal, Regional Chairman, Region Five.
The meeting had been called to order at approximately 10:02 AM, by the Chairman, and the Clerk led in prayers after which the National pledge was recited. The next item on the agenda was announcements, and members presented reasons for those absent. Then, Councillor Abel Seetaram took to the floor; he announced that in the wake of the Chairman’s failure to present to the house, a report querying his dealing with a correspondence pertaining to the fifty thousand dollars housing rebate, at an earlier meeting. Members of the Coalition would not be sitting in at any meeting until such time as Chairman Ramphal presents to members his report on the issue.
Following the announcement made by Councilor Seecharran, REO Morison the Clerk of the house rose and addressed the chairman, stating that since Chairman Ramphal had not yet presented the report of his findings from the investigations he was supposed to have conducted, he, Morison, will not attend meetings unless Chairman Ramphal presents his report to the house as promised.
It all began back in April this year when at the statutory meeting of the RDC, Councillor Abel Seetaram, reported to the Council, a situation where machinery which was assigned to the Region, under the Regional Executive Office’s (REO) supervision, was allegedly diverted to do unauthorised works for the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Bath Neighborhood Council, NDC. Councillor Seetaram also informed the House that he had reported the allegation to the REO, who sits as Clerk to the RDC, and that the REO had visited the area in question and had conducted some investigations. The Regional Chairman, however, in response to the Councillor’s report said that he would want to see evidence to support what the Councilor was reporting. Subsequently, when Councilor Seecharran attempted to have Chairman Ramphal make a decision on the matter, the Regional Chairman said in order for him to make any pronouncement on the matter he would have to see photographs, and that he himself would conduct an investigation and report to the house.
The statements made by Chairman Ramphal, caused REO Morison, Clerk of the house, to caution Chairman Ramphal, that he could not continue to sit in the meeting where his credibility was being challenged, without defending himself. To which Ramphal responded saying that Mr. Morison could leave the meeting if he so desired.
Morison promptly left, and on his way out declared that he would have to get a written apology from the Chairman. The public servants who would normally attend such meetings also followed the REO through the door.
Subsequent RDC meetings have been ephemeral, and not allowing the Council to deal with any matters. There are a number of committees: Agriculture, Works, Health, Finance, and Education to name a few, which would meet and report to the Council with recommendations which may be derived from policies adopted by the administration. However, the executive arm of the Regional Administration continues to function and so works are being carried out where necessary.
According to Chairman Ramphal, as a result of the present situation within the RDC works to be conducted may be done so without due scrutiny which could foster corruption.
When asked whether he knew of any case of corruption, or whether he suspected corruption in any area, Chairman Ramphal declined any further comment on that issue. However, he admitted the present impasse is denying the Region the kind of service to which it is entitled. Despite this, he was not willing to say whether he would be prepared to extend the olive branch to the other side of the house.
REO Morison, in an invited comment, said that he is prepared to withdraw his demand for an apology from Ramphal, but he is adamant that the Chairman must present to the house the findings of his independent investigations into the allegations that machinery was diverted to carry out unauthorised works.
Great strides have been made in Region Seven to improve knowledge and recreational activities for youths, according to Region Seven Councillor, Hazel Allicock.
During an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Allicock said that the Byderabo Multipurpose Complex was commissioned by the Bartica Interim Management Committee (IMC) under the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in 2014. This facility is equipped with a computer laboratory, a library, an indoor gaming facility, and a small volleyball court.
The Byderabo Mulipurpose Complex in Bartica
Councillor Allicock explained that the facility is now being fully utilised, and the intention is to ensure that youths in and around the Bartica Town have enough activities to occupy their spare time, thereby decreasing opportunities for involvement in unlawful activities.
There is a youth group and recently formed women’s group in the village of Byderabo, Allicock said, and both groups meet at the centre on weekdays and help children with Bible and craft classes. “Parents not only lend children books, but help them with their homework and that is a great big step for us here,” Allicock noted.
He expressed gratitude to the mayor and town council, and Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan for collaborating and making the facility a reality.
In February, Commander of “F” Division (Lethem, Bartica and other Interior Locations) Ravindranauth Budhram and a team of police officers launched a literacy programme aimed at developing the reading and comprehension skills of the students in the region.
A section of the library in the Byderabo Mulipurpose Complex
Commander Budhram explained that there are several initiatives that are on-going to tackle youth involvement in crime. Four hundred (400) books and a computer printer were donated to the centre, and residents of the community dedicated one hour of their time, five days per week, to teach and help children with reading and other subjects.
Commander Budhram said that apart from the literacy initiative in Region Seven, another programme, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Programme is ongoing. In this programme, police officers go into the schools and educate the students on the dangers and consequences of using drugs. He explained that all the initiatives are aimed at educating and enlightening youths in the Region, to deter their involvement in criminal activities.
Meanwhile, Mariska Bell, speaking on the benefits of the recreational facilities said that in the afternoons, “I come and work out with the children help them to read. Most of them are weak in maths and so far I notice them catching on.”
The computer lab at the Byderabo Mulipurpose Complex
She works mostly with Grade Six students, in Mathematics and English. She highlighted that, since she started working with the children they have improved and shown an interest in learning.
Oneil Decam, a 17-year-old youth, who uses the centre, said that, “everyone here is nice, and everything is working very well,” while noting that, “to be able to learn from the computers has enabled me a lot.”
A form one student, 12-year old Ashely Jairam has been visiting the centre since it opened, she helps younger children to read and play games, her favourite game is table tennis.
A six-year-old student, Lisa, said that she goes to the centre every afternoon to read and do her homework, and “I also bring my sister to learn.”
