Camp Groomes blast

Soldiers sent overseas for treatment to return Sunday

The last two of four Guyana Defence Force soldiers sent overseas for treatment following last year's tragic explosion at an ammunition depot are preparing to return on Sunday.

Lance Corporal Samuel Archer and Private Calvin Lewis had been admitted to the San Antonio Burns Centre in Texas, along with two others, for treatment for second and third degree burns received during the explosion at Camp Groomes, Linden-Soesdyke Highway, on December 18. Privates Joslyn Ross and Kerwyn Wilson returned recently.

Four soldiers were killed and 11 injured in the explosion. Seven of the injured were treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital, while the four who suffered the worst injuries were flown to the US for treatment.

Archer and Lewis had to undergo skin graft procedures at a burn centre. Lewis, in particular, had to be admitted immediately into intensive care when he arrived in the US because of his extremely weakened state, as the wounds were making him susceptible to other infections. He also suffered an eye injury for which he underwent an ophthalmologic procedure.

The men were subsequently transferred to the Brooks Army Medical Centre in Miami to recuperate.

The recommendation for overseas treatment for the four came from visiting premier Burns Specialist from the US Army, Lieutenant Colonel Leopoldo Cancio, a member of the three-man team from the US Southern Command.

The force will retain all of the GDF soldiers who were injured in the blast.

Meanwhile, the army is still trying to source the equipment to commence investigations into the cause of the explosion.

The GDF has acquired the necessary skills in ordnance training for the investigation, with assistance from the US army.

This newspaper understands that a team is ready to undertake the task and a training exercise is continuing for others in the force

GAP-WPA name two female MPs

Shirley Melville, community activist of Lethem, and Sheila Holder, consumer activist, will be the two parliamentarians for the GAP-WPA.

A press release from the coalition also said that the names of the GAP-WPA representatives on the Regional Democratic Council of Region One, Seven, Eight and Nine have been handed into GECOM. GAP-WPA says in local administration it will be pushing for community-friendly, all-party government. It will argue that the party with the largest number of votes should hold the post of chair and that all parties chair the main committees. The REO and Deputy REO should be appointed by consensus.

CARICOM calls for return to normality in Guyana

Urges parties to commit to genuine dialogue

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government are deeply disturbed by the events currently taking place in Guyana.

CARICOM Chairman, Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur, in a statement, called for a return to normality in Guyana and said that the community stood ready to assist Guyana overcome the present difficulties.

Arthur said that the situation in Guyana had engaged the attention of the 13th meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM held at the Sherbourne Conference Centre in Barbados last Tuesday. It was decided at that meeting that the community should express support for the newly-elected government of Guyana as it sought to carry out the mandate entrusted to it by the electorate.

In recognising the legitimacy of the government led by President Bharrat Jagdeo, the statement said that the CARICOM Electoral Observer Mission to Guyana had advised CARICOM that a genuine effort was made by the Guyana Elections Commission to hold elections which were free, fair and transparent.

Fully endorsing the report of the observer mission, the statement said that the mission's report noted that the poll was orderly and in compliance with established procedures and was conducted in an atmosphere free of intimidation or fear.

Noting that reports indicated a deteriorating social and political situation characterised by outbreaks of violence, damage to property and loss of life, the statement called on all parties to abide by the results of the polls and to urgently commit themselves to a process of genuine dialogue with a view to resolving any differences. The Heads said: "We do not believe that wanton violence, the destruction of property and the endangering of life can serve to create an environment which can foster economic development and the political and social stability necessary for the Guyanese people to achieve their full potential."

Seditious talk show hosts, station owners should be prosecuted -Nadir

The United Force leader Manzoor Nadir warns that a race war would be the result if the government does not take steps to protect Indian Guyanese.

Nadir said while a couple of Africans are being robbed, the Indian community is suffering the brunt of the African hatred. They need protection and if it means two soldiers on each street corner let it be done.

He recalled that back in the 60s, 176 people died in race riots. He told Stabroek News it was high time errant talk show hosts and the television station owners were prosecuted under the criminal laws of sedition.

Meanwhile, leader of ROAR Ravi Dev, echoing fears of a race war, said "things are drifting." He noted that in rural areas both PPP/C and PNC/R supporters were being mobilised with Indian vigilante groups patrolling villages on the West Coast.

"They (the government) have to bring out the troops." But he added, "I do not think they trust the troops. That is why they have not brought them out."

He remarked that the talk show hosts have been conducting incitement to the highest level. Dev asked why people were so prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt that their comments were not to be taken literally. That was for a judge and jury to decide, he pointed out.

Bishops George and Singh condemn 'evil plan to destroy'

Say leaders must show great urgency in dialogue process

Bishops Randolph George and Benedict Singh have declared that it is now a matter of great urgency for Guyana's political leaders to move the process of dialogue forward and genuinely try to rescue the nation which they described as tottering on the brink of destruction.

Bishop George, Bishop of Guyana, and Bishop Singh, Bishop of Georgetown, in a press release yesterday called on political leaders to "urge their supporters to respect the rights of their fellow Guyanese of whatever race or religious background."

The release noted that following the PNC REFORM vigil on Wednesday evening there was another fire in Water Street which destroyed a business premise.

The Bishops pointed out too that there was also an attempt to set fire to St George's Cathedral.

"This vicious attempt to destroy a building which is not only a place of worship but also our most cherished National Heritage Building points to the extent to which things have gone out of control. We are now not dealing with political rhetoric but with an evil plan to destroy," the release emphasised.

The Bishops contended that the political leaders and others who encourage subtly destructive action and racist remarks on the television "must take a large share of responsibility for what has happened to date and which now has our people living in a state of great tension."

They urged all Christians as well as all men and women of good will to make today's Good Friday, April 13, a day of prayer and reflection on ways in which "we can all work for the good of each and every one, in whatever sphere of life we happen to be employed."

Cabinet sworn in

President reminds of duty to the people

President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday urged his newly sworn-in ministers to remember they were servants of the people with a duty to help create a better life for all Guyanese.

The 17 ministers were sworn in at the Office of the President yesterday afternoon. Jagdeo mentioned that talks were still ongoing with candidates for the four remaining positions: Tourism and Industry; Attorney General/Legal Affairs; Foreign Affairs; and Economic Planning and Development. These are expected to go to non-members of Parliament commonly known as technocrats. Jagdeo said he was happy with the Cabinet but was not pleased at the restrictions of not being able to choose more than four technocrats as previous presidents had been able to do. Meanwhile, he urged ministers to at all times look for wide consensus in creating policy. He said he expected high performances from his cabinet and would be reviewing the appointments from time to time.

Among those being sworn in yesterday was Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, Clement Rohee, who issued a statement which read in part: "I am taking a break from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I've had enough of the critics and cynics of the ministry under my stewardship. I hope they will maintain the same degree of scrutiny as regards my successor as they did with me. Whoever my successor is they will inherit a first-class ministry."

Rohee said of his new position, which will still be in the same building: "It is not my first love but I'll give it my best." He said the first priority would be to get a clear definition of the new position and then to concentrate on the imminent establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) due to be implemented by 2006.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Reepu Daman Persaud, said the first priority would be passage "as quickly as possible" of the constitutional reforms which would give more powers to the legislature.

New Minister of Education, Dr Henry Jeffrey, saw the retention of teachers as a vital immediate task. He acknowledged that with salaries low this would be difficult. Dr Jeffrey said he hoped to create a national consensus around education and to set up a review and advisory committee to assess policy and its implementation. He was also interested in concepts of lifelong education. As for extra lessons he said he was not convinced that it was something one could ever get rid of. There would always be parents looking for an advantage in the scramble for the top schools. This had been going on for decades, he noted. But it was important that schools provide a satisfactory level of education within school hours.

Minister of Housing and Water, Shaik Baksh, said he would be working on reducing the backlog of applications for land titles and increasing infrastructure for housing schemes. He said negotiations were well underway for a US$32 million loan from the IDB to electrify schemes countrywide. He once again refuted all charges of discrimination in the distribution of house lots saying that the process was transparent and all Guyanese from all regions had benefited from the programme.

Minister of Finance, Saisnarine Kowlessar, said he had the rather pressing matter of a national budget to prepare. He was silent on any particulars but said he would like to have as much consultation with interested parties even with the short time period. He hoped that a budget should be presented within a month to six weeks of Parliament reconvening.

Jagdeo mentioned that Parliament could be reconvened by the end of April or early May.

New Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, said he would try to speed up reforms to the Ministry of Health, which had been slow in taking off. These included changes to the structure of regional health authorities. Amongst his immediate priorities was an initiative to acquire inexpensive but crucial drugs from India for the fight against HIV. He was also interested in promoting preventative medicine where persons are made aware of the benefits of healthy living avoiding alcohol and tobacco. Dr Ramsammy said he hoped to meet soon with the Guyana Medical Association despite the adverse comments made about his appointment.

Dr Dale Bisnauth, who has taken up the Ministry of Human Services, Social Security and Labour said he would be looking at modernising work practices and examining the security net through which people fall into destitution.

Minister of Local Government, Harripersaud Nokta, only hoped that local elections could be at last held by the end of the year.

Minister of Public Service Management, Dr Jennifer Westford said she would look to maintain a constant dialogue with public servants at all levels so that each side could understand the other.

Ministerial appointments are: