There is so much I learned from my years in Guyana, but the lesson which had it’s biggest impact on me - my life, my career - was that youth are absolutely vital to creating and sustaining positive change. Today I read an article from Starbroek News (online) that reminded me of this lesson:
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National Children’s Conference
Posted By Staff On November 16, 2008
Stop the violence, children say
It was only three words ? stop the violence ? but when 120 Guyanese youths raised their voices to say enough is enough and “we can’t take it any more” it played like a chorus blasting from the Convention Centre at the Ocean View Hotel where the National Children’s Confer-ence wrapped up after two full days of youth empowerment.
From the soft-spoken to the outspoken the youths assembled to say how tired they are of being neglected, physically abused, sexually molested, forced into early labour and left unprotected, among other things. They spoke directly to President Bharrat Jagdeo.
“Mr President, we need more social workers to investigate what is happening with us across the country, we need harsher penalties for child molesters, we are asking you to drop food prices and please, stop the violence!”
Rueshanna Boyce of St Rose’s High School captured their feelings in a gripping address on the opening day of the conference, which was organized by EveryChild Guyana in collaboration with Unicef and the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
“If you love us will you hurt us, will you keep us away from school? Will you abuse us and cause us hurts and pains and will you allow us to be victims of child labour? We are loitering on the streets; we are being physically or sexually abused by a stepfather, grandfather, grandmother and worse our own parents… it is obvious that these very adults who should be protecting us children, instead, protect the family’s image,” Boyce said.
Of major concern to the nation’s youths is their protection. The issue of child protection was a recurring one during the two-day national conference, which drew children from across the country. The children pointed to their parents and teachers as their immediate protectors, but singled out government and their communities as important factors in child protection.
In her address to the conference, Boyce said that children are expected to rise above waking up to violence in the homes, being cuffed, kicked and screamed at, even hearing that they are dunces and good for nothings, and still feel good about themselves. She said that while some put up with it, others leave and live on the streets. But more importantly, she said they are making poor choices.
Where are our mentors? Boyce asked the question as did a host of other children who found the courage to speak up during the conference after initial moments of silence. They unanimously agreed that it is right to first seek out mentors in the home and at school and in their communities.
They are also looking around for role models. The children hope they can find Guyanese with integrity, caring spirits, love in their hearts and intelligence to fill these positions. Their optimism is ripe and according to one child, “we need more role models other than mommy.”
Guyanese youths are also calling on the government to make additional provisions in the budget that will give them greater access to education, health care and social services. As they wrapped up the conference and started to present individual views, they called for a stronger education programme and more schools in the less fortunate areas.
“We need more schools in regions nine and ten and not just that, but also better programmes that will allow children there to have the best education,” one child said while onstage articulating what he and his group of peers wanted to see happen.
Even the police were considered. The children said they hope for a police force that is more responsive to them, and they would also like to see more honest police officers. They called on members of the Guyana Police Force to stop taking bribes and for them to investigate matters more thoroughly before making arrests. Though this evoked laughter among some adults in the room, the children noted that they were being very serious.
The conference was aimed at empowering children across the country to speak out on issues affecting them and to stand up as advocates for child protection. Some of the children Stabroek News spoke with are eager to go back into their villages and speak out on the issues.
Omattie Seaforth, County Director of EveryChild Guyana, had noted that the compelling factor for the children’s conference is the high incidence of violence and abuse that is perpetrated against children in the Guyanese society. She said that the idea behind the conference was that children would leave with a clear understanding of child protection issues and how to safeguard themselves.
Seaforth said she had hoped that the children would bring their dreams, hopes, fears, challenges and enthusiasm to the conference, in the spirit of bringing alive the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Human Services Minister Priya Manickchand, who spoke at the opening of the conference, re-affirmed her commitment to have legislation in place that protects the nation’s children. She said that children’s rights must be respected, but urged the youths to know what those rights are.
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http://www.stabroeknews.com/news/national-children%E2%80%99s-conference/
Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons to fill the position of Program Manager – Education for an international agency. Position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate has been identified. Applications received after October 6, 2008 will not be considered.
See the attached .pdf for more info.
program.pdf
(caribbeanworldnews.com)
Guyana’s first president, Arthur Raymond Chung, has died. He was 90 years old.
A statement from Guyana’s Office of the President said he had been ‘ailing for some weeks now.’
Chung, a former high court judge, served as president from 1970 to 1980, when the office changed from one that was largely ceremonial to one which held executive power.
After his retirement, he withdrew from the national spotlight, dividing his time between England and Guyana.
Chung was also the first Guyanese president of Chinese descent.
QUEENS, NY- The 2nd Annual Friends & RPCVs of Guyana Fundraiser, (http://guyfrog.org) will be held on Friday, July 18th at 8:00 pm to Midnight. The fundraiser will be hosted at Liberty Express Restaurant & Bar, 120-12 Liberty Ave, South Richmond Hill, Queens, NY. A raffle will be held during the event, which will include prizes with all proceeds going to the organization. The event will be featuring reggae, soca and chutney music from DJ Sparber.
Friends and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Guyana (FROG) was created in 2007 as a non-profit organization that connected former RPCVs with each other, with the greater development community and with new opportunities. To date, over 470 Volunteers have assisted in the areas of health, education, community development and information technology in the small South American country. Today, FROG strives to build on the work done while Volunteers and continue helping Guyana.
“As a majority of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers will tell you, the desire to continue working towards the development of those in need remains strong long after their service is complete,” says FROG Chairman Timothy Delaney, RPCV Guyana 2003-2006. This desire can especially be seen in the many men and women who had the opportunity to live and work in Guyana through Peace Corps.
Earnings from the event will help the organization fund projects in Guyana through groups such as Peace Corps, volunteer agencies, Guyanese non-profits, and other organizations working towards development in Guyana. At this time FROG depends entirely on funding from events such as this one, and other grassroots sources.
(via caribbeannetnews.com/)
Guyana’s ministry of health has called on residents to remain alert as a result of 12 confirmed cases of dengue fever in region nine, Lethem, close to the Guyana-Brazil border.
Health minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said over the past month there have been a number of reported cases of fever in the region nine area.
“Over the last four weeks the Ministry has noted the increase of reported fever cases from Region 9, especially Lethem, and investigation revealed that these cases were not due to malaria. A test for dengue fever confirmed that some 12 cases were as a result of recent infection with the dengue virus and were among persons in and around Lethem,” the minister said.
The minister added that cases occur sporadically in Georgetown and all the coastal regions but more so in the Lethem area of Region 9 and the public has been advised that care must be taken to avoid mosquito bites.
“The Ministry is recommending the use of mosquito nets and, if possible, insecticide treated nets must be used, especially by pregnant women and children under 5 years. Everyone should sleep under a net,” a release from the health ministry outlined.
According to health officials, the use of insect repellents can prevent mosquito bites if used as recommended and residents are being urged to use protective clothing, especially while being outdoors at night, and to avoid dark colours since they attract mosquitoes.
(via stabroeknews.com)
Guyana is seeking further assistance from the Indian Government in such areas as training, bio-fuel and agricultural development, food security and health and the two have begun crafting their work programme for bilateral co-operation over the next two years.
The two sides met yesterday for the fourth Session of the Guyana–India joint commission at the Ministry of Foreign Trade boardroom. Declaring the session open, Foreign Trade Minister Dr. Henry Jeffrey and head of the Indian Delegation, Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs, Anand Sharma commented on the good relations existing between the two countries. Indian High Commissioner S.K. Mandal was also part of the delegation.
Sharma said the session would also be used to review the state of engagement between the two countries and noted that it would cover areas of interest in which Guyana could share India’s expertise.
He said both sides would also consolidate their commitments.
(via ap.google.com)
Guyana is tackling the soaring price of food in markets by sending citizens to their gardens to grow their own.
President Bharrat Jagdeo said Thursday the government would give seeds — mostly rice — in rural communities, hoping that people will sow them on idle land and in gardens in the small South American nation.
“I don’t want to say that everyone should become a farmer because not everyone is cut out for that, but when the economics are right you can do anything,” said Jagdeo, who did not reveal the cost of the program.
Indian communities would get seeds for a special variety of rice suitable for the hilly communities where many life.
Isolated protests have broken out over rising food costs in Guyana, where chicken costs 50 percent more than it did last year. Rice prices have risen 80 percent. U.N. officials have expressed alarm about food price rises worldwide.
(via wdpusa.org)
On Friday, March 7, 2008, the worshipping community came together in large numbers to pray for and with the women of Guyana. Though late winter storms led to the postponement of some services, WDP 2008 was highly successful.
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Guyana this year, 2008, is a country on the brink of chaos and anarchy as its inhabitants, especially the voiceless working poor, live in constant fear of violence from criminals who kill, maim and destroy with impunity as they walk and stalk the land at will. The institutional forces of law and order visibly appear incapable of dealing with heavily armed and highly trained criminals and bands of criminals who are intent on creating mayhem in the society.
Within the past three weeks, 20 civilians, one soldier and three policemen have been killed. In the early hours of the morning of January 26, a band of about 20 heavily armed gunmen in execution style slaughtered 11 residents, including five children, in their homes in therural coastal village of Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara, and injured several others. A day or two earlier, a young soldier of the Guyana Defense Force (the Army) was killed in an encounter between the army and criminals in Buxton, the village that borders Lusignan. Then, on the evening of February 16, right across on the western side of the country in the interior mining township of Bartica in the County of Essequibo, a band, reportedly of about the same number and armed in the same way as in the previous slaughter at Lusignan, invaded and rampaged the township unhindered, and brutally slaughtered 13 persons including three policemen in the Police Station and injured several others.
“Living in a society of terrifying unknown,no one knows what will happen next or to whom it will happen or where it will happen,” was the saddened cry of someone writing to one of the national papers. The people pray silently and openly for relief from the violence and other misdeeds of “man’s inhumanity to man” and the resulting conditions that degrade the sanctity of human life and human living.
Please intensify your prayers with and for the traumatized people of these communities and of all Guyana for God’s wisdom to provide new understanding to those with the responsibility to find effective ways to urgently and quickly bring relief from the heavy burden of the current evils that beset the citizens of Guyana. Prayer has become more desperately needed not only on March 7th, World Day of Prayer, but ongoing, for as long as possible, until peace, harmony and security are restored to this once beautiful Guyana. “When all voices are joined together in one united voice, what a powerful voice it will be?” Please help the people of Guyana by raising your voices in prayer with them and for them in their pleas to the Most High for relief, even if such relief resides in miracles.
