Region Eight women latest WOW beneficiaries
Since its official launch in June 2010, the Women of Worth (WOW) micro-credit scheme has significantly changed the lives of countless single mothers in Guyana, providing them with the necessary wherewithal so that they could elevate their economic circumstances, and improve the lives of their children and by extension add to the advancement of Guyana.
This scheme, which is the result of an agreement made between the Government through the Finance Ministry and the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), was today extended to Region Eight.
Addressing the women at launching ceremony at the Mahdia Community Center, Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir said that the introduction of a single parent assistance programme and the development of a micro-credit scheme was a promise by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in 2006.
The led to the development of single parent database of about 33,000 people, primarily women who registered in 2008.
These persons requested different forms of assistance; 1100 working single parents were beneficiaries of daycare vouchers, 1800 women requested to be trained in various disciplines of which 800 were recipients of such training by the end of 2010 and this micro-credit scheme which has seen the disbursement of 813 loans (a total value of $164M) thus far.
In 2010, Government passed the Fiscal Enactment (Amendment) Bill which amended the Income Tax Act and the Corporation Tax Act, to give effect to a waiver of tax on income of a designated small business lending company derived from loans provided to a small business in a manner specified by agreement.
It allows for the establishment for small business lending programmes with designated small business lending companies (licensed financial institutions) and permits the exemption of income tax or corporation tax from the income that is earned from the lending companies on the loans granted under the programme.
As a result, GBTI can now offer this loan plan at a low rate of interest of a mere six percent per annum and, for sums over $200,000 there is a six-month moratorium of repayments and sums under $200,000 a three-month moratorium on repayment will be granted.
The maximum period for repayment is 24 months and no collateral is required for the access to WOW financing.
“This is how we thought we could make a greater contribution towards you realising your dreams and there is not a woman in Guyana who cannot achieve what she sets out to do,” Minister Nadir posited.
He stated that the Ministry has the capacity to assist the various women’s group in the region with regards to training in Information Technology, cosmetology, and catering among others. He explained the possibility of having trainers from the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute (GWLI) visit the region to work with them.
GBTI Credit Manager, Sheliza Shaw said that the WOW loan provides a medium through which the bank is able to assist single parent mothers in overcoming the difficulties they face in their daily lives in raising their families and in elevating themselves out of poverty. GBTI is targeting over 5000 women under this programme.
“No equity is required on your part and the bank provides 100 percent of the amount you need to establish, upgrade or expand your small business,” Shaw said.
Business Development Manager, WOW Secretariat, Wemyss de Florimonte, explained that the scheme is extended to single women who have children (biological or otherwise) and are between the ages of 18 and 58 years.
Regional Chairman, Region Eight, Senor Bell urged the women to make full use of the opportunity and pledged the support of the regional administration to ensure that the programme is successfully implemented.
Since the bank does not have a branch in Region Eight, it will be partnering with the Post Office so as to facilitate the repayment process.
Additionally, GBTI will be working out ways and means through which women from remote areas in the region can benefit from the programme.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Kaieteur News report on Amaila Falls misleading
-Prime Minister
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on Friday defended the Government’s position with respect to the statements made by the Kaieteur News about the sale of the Amaila Falls Hydropower project by Fip Motilall to Sithe Global.
Mr. Hinds added that the action by the newspaper is one aimed at harming the people of Guyana with its inuendos, as it relates to corruption and the development of Guyana.
“They wanted to create corruption and to be really flippant about it and I felt that this was really harmful to our people because many of them do not have the experience in these sorts of matters on how large projects get done,” he said.
He added that while it was Government’s aim to clarify the misconception in Thursday’s edition of both the Kaieteur and Stabroek News, the papers seem to still have gone out of their way to distort and mislead the public since they were bent on creating mischief as the article boast varying errors.
Among the errors was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which showed that the contracts between the said parties were inked in 2006, when according to Mr. Hinds this was only signed in 1998 when Mr. Motilall began work on the study for the development of the Amaila Falls project.
Government has been over the years implementing measures aimed at improving the electricity situation in Guyana and one such, initiative was to resort to Independent Power Produce (IPP), to increase generation.
This however, did not materialize, according to the Prime Minister, as the many proposals brought forward by companies were costly.
“So you see the 2006 MOU was for the IPP which did not materialise. But the Kaieteur News either they don’t understand anything that is not simple or they purposely set out to distort and mislead the public,” Prime Minister Hinds said.
Since the mid 1980s, the Amaila Falls project has been recognized as an interest site for development and as such, Motilall and his partner SYNERGY continued to proceed to refine the project.
The Prime Minister however, indicated that efforts are apace to close the project before the end of 2011, since a lot of finance is involved and is regarded as the largest one in Guyana’s history.
-Prime Minister
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on Friday defended the Government’s position with respect to the statements made by the Kaieteur News about the sale of the Amaila Falls Hydropower project by Fip Motilall to Sithe Global.
Mr. Hinds added that the action by the newspaper is one aimed at harming the people of Guyana with its inuendos, as it relates to corruption and the development of Guyana.
“They wanted to create corruption and to be really flippant about it and I felt that this was really harmful to our people because many of them do not have the experience in these sorts of matters on how large projects get done,” he said.
He added that while it was Government’s aim to clarify the misconception in Thursday’s edition of both the Kaieteur and Stabroek News, the papers seem to still have gone out of their way to distort and mislead the public since they were bent on creating mischief as the article boast varying errors.
Among the errors was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which showed that the contracts between the said parties were inked in 2006, when according to Mr. Hinds this was only signed in 1998 when Mr. Motilall began work on the study for the development of the Amaila Falls project.
Government has been over the years implementing measures aimed at improving the electricity situation in Guyana and one such, initiative was to resort to Independent Power Produce (IPP), to increase generation.
This however, did not materialize, according to the Prime Minister, as the many proposals brought forward by companies were costly.
“So you see the 2006 MOU was for the IPP which did not materialise. But the Kaieteur News either they don’t understand anything that is not simple or they purposely set out to distort and mislead the public,” Prime Minister Hinds said.
Since the mid 1980s, the Amaila Falls project has been recognized as an interest site for development and as such, Motilall and his partner SYNERGY continued to proceed to refine the project.
The Prime Minister however, indicated that efforts are apace to close the project before the end of 2011, since a lot of finance is involved and is regarded as the largest one in Guyana’s history.
Agri. Minister calls Granger’s statement on sugar industry ‘inadequate’
-says Opposition does not have country’s interest at heart
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud has expressed disappointment with recent statement made by Presidential Candidate for the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Brigadier David Granger, emphasizing that his recent statement speaks of inadequate and poor economic understanding of Guyana’s reality.
Granger at a recent luncheon organised by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), while outlining his party’s intention for the future of Guyana stated that once elected it would seek to privatise the sugar industry.
The subject Minister, said that the recent statement confirms the Opposition’s perspective on matters of interest and clearly shows that they do not have the country’s or the sugar industry’s interest at heart.
“There are challenges facing the sugar industry globally which we are also experiencing. But, both from a trade and weather standpoint it is not wise to shut it down and I think this should remind Guyanese of how concerned they are about the welfare of sugar workers and the many thousands of Guyanese who depend directly or indirectly on this industry,” he said.
The sugar industry currently accounts for 16 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and according to Minister Persaud, the many benefits of the industry to the wider cross section of society, cannot be discounted.
Government continues to invest in the sugar industry, to maintain its stability, to prevail, diversify and develop despite constraints and detractors that may arise from time to time.
-says Opposition does not have country’s interest at heart
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud has expressed disappointment with recent statement made by Presidential Candidate for the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Brigadier David Granger, emphasizing that his recent statement speaks of inadequate and poor economic understanding of Guyana’s reality.
Granger at a recent luncheon organised by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), while outlining his party’s intention for the future of Guyana stated that once elected it would seek to privatise the sugar industry.
The subject Minister, said that the recent statement confirms the Opposition’s perspective on matters of interest and clearly shows that they do not have the country’s or the sugar industry’s interest at heart.
“There are challenges facing the sugar industry globally which we are also experiencing. But, both from a trade and weather standpoint it is not wise to shut it down and I think this should remind Guyanese of how concerned they are about the welfare of sugar workers and the many thousands of Guyanese who depend directly or indirectly on this industry,” he said.
The sugar industry currently accounts for 16 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and according to Minister Persaud, the many benefits of the industry to the wider cross section of society, cannot be discounted.
Government continues to invest in the sugar industry, to maintain its stability, to prevail, diversify and develop despite constraints and detractors that may arise from time to time.
Livestock farmers receive further boost
-approximately 100 breeding animals distributed
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud on Friday during a simple ceremony spearheaded the distribution of approximately 100 breeding animals, part of the Ministry’s Breed Enhancement Programme to development the livestock industry.
The ceremony which saw the participation of scores of livestock farmers from across the country, was held on the lawns of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
Minister Persaud said that the ongoing exercise is part of Government’s effort to promote greater efficiency in the livestock sector, with the aim of boosting production and productivity to tap into the growing regional and international markets.
“We are the only country within CARICOM that can be considered sufficient in this regard. But we now have to move to the next level and in doing so requires us to make that transformation and changes that we are going through.”
Minister Persaud is however, adamant that with the implementation of hydropower processing can be done, since the market returns would be greater than that of raw and unprocessed meat products.
As significant investments continue to be made to ensure that advanced technologies are implemented within the agriculture sector, the ‘Animal Health Bill’ will be presented to the National Assembly shortly.
The Agriculture Minister stated that this, coupled with the soon to be constructed State-of-the-Art laboratory is part of implementation to modernize the sector.
“Cabinet has also agreed to transfer 10 acres of land at Coldingen for the construction of a state of the art abattoir which would also include a meat processing facility. Our existing facility at Georgetown is inadequate. If we are to become a lead exporter we need to have the type of facility that is certified by both US and European standard,” he said.
In this regard, US$1M has been earmarked for the construction of the facility with assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the private sector.
Genetic stocks such as embryo and semen have been sourced to further complement the programme which has been reaping significant benefits for small and large scale livestock farmers, who have been benefiting over the years.
“Our goal is to have livestock at the level that we have rice and sugar in terms of income and its contribution to national development and opportunities to our people and that is where we are heading in the long term, Minister Persaud lamented.
Chairman of the Board, Patrick DeGroot while encouraging farmers to heed advice from technical officers with respect to proper animal husbandry, said that over the years the Government can boast of having a structured breeding programme.
Government has been fostering the development of the agriculture sector, through the formation of programmes and policies to benefit the lives of its populace.
Chief Executive Officer of the GLDU, Dindyal Permaul; Chief Livestock Officer, Dr. Dwight Waldron and Director of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Dr. Oudho Homenauth were also in attendance.
-approximately 100 breeding animals distributed
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud on Friday during a simple ceremony spearheaded the distribution of approximately 100 breeding animals, part of the Ministry’s Breed Enhancement Programme to development the livestock industry.
The ceremony which saw the participation of scores of livestock farmers from across the country, was held on the lawns of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
Minister Persaud said that the ongoing exercise is part of Government’s effort to promote greater efficiency in the livestock sector, with the aim of boosting production and productivity to tap into the growing regional and international markets.
“We are the only country within CARICOM that can be considered sufficient in this regard. But we now have to move to the next level and in doing so requires us to make that transformation and changes that we are going through.”
Minister Persaud is however, adamant that with the implementation of hydropower processing can be done, since the market returns would be greater than that of raw and unprocessed meat products.
As significant investments continue to be made to ensure that advanced technologies are implemented within the agriculture sector, the ‘Animal Health Bill’ will be presented to the National Assembly shortly.
The Agriculture Minister stated that this, coupled with the soon to be constructed State-of-the-Art laboratory is part of implementation to modernize the sector.
“Cabinet has also agreed to transfer 10 acres of land at Coldingen for the construction of a state of the art abattoir which would also include a meat processing facility. Our existing facility at Georgetown is inadequate. If we are to become a lead exporter we need to have the type of facility that is certified by both US and European standard,” he said.
In this regard, US$1M has been earmarked for the construction of the facility with assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the private sector.
Genetic stocks such as embryo and semen have been sourced to further complement the programme which has been reaping significant benefits for small and large scale livestock farmers, who have been benefiting over the years.
“Our goal is to have livestock at the level that we have rice and sugar in terms of income and its contribution to national development and opportunities to our people and that is where we are heading in the long term, Minister Persaud lamented.
Chairman of the Board, Patrick DeGroot while encouraging farmers to heed advice from technical officers with respect to proper animal husbandry, said that over the years the Government can boast of having a structured breeding programme.
Government has been fostering the development of the agriculture sector, through the formation of programmes and policies to benefit the lives of its populace.
Chief Executive Officer of the GLDU, Dindyal Permaul; Chief Livestock Officer, Dr. Dwight Waldron and Director of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Dr. Oudho Homenauth were also in attendance.
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