“With a large percentage of the national health budget dedicated to the procurement of drugs and health supplies and with one company holding such an unfair monopoly, the PNCR is calling for an independent investigation so that the people of Guyana can get a full understanding and a full accounting of how and where their health dollars are spent.”The country’s two main opposition parties are stepping up calls for a full investigation into the country’s drug purchasing system, yesterday demanding the intervention of President Donald Ramotar.The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) said that failure to address this particular issue is continuing to rob the treasury of badly needed,Air Max 98 Gundam 2018, scarce resources.President Donald RamotarMeanwhile,Jerseys Wholesale, the Alliance For Change (AFC) also said that it is awaiting the reconvening of the National Assembly in October, at which time top executives in the Health Ministry and other related agencies will be called before a special investigative committee to answer questions.Billions of dollars are being spent every year by the government to buy drugs and other medical supplies. However, there have been concerns expressed that only one company was getting the bulk of the contracts.There were questions asked earlier this year about the price being paid by government for the drugs. In some cases, the prices quoted were way above what it was retailing for from the manufacturers.According to the PNCR, on June 21,NFL Jerseys Outlet, the party had called for the immediate formulation of an independent Commission of Inquiry into the procurement practices of all companies that supply the government of Guyana with pharmaceuticals. PNCR said that it had made specific mention of the role of the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (New GPC).The party, which forms a significant part of the coalition body, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – the main opposition in the National Assembly – at that time also called for the special commission to be given investigatory and subpoena powers and to be able to make recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecutions to pursue criminal charges, if necessary.Sham investigations“The result of the PNCR call was a sham investigation launched by the Ministry of Health and the New GPC calling on the Auditor General of Guyana to do a ‘value for money’ audit. The PNCR demands new investigations, convinced that earlier attempts were unsatisfactory. Today, the problems in the procurement systems still persist.”AFC Leader, Khemraj RamjattanThe PNCR said that the Opposition Leader and new Leader of the party, Brigadier (rtd), David Granger,Cheap Jerseys From China, described corruption in Guyana as being on an industrial scale. He had urged for a purge of corruption at all levels of government.The party noted that former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, recently admitted that corruption had become a monstrosity under the PPP/C government.“If we are looking for corruption, look at the mother of all scandals…we must look at the executive branch. Today, because the investigation the PNCR called for back in June was not done, corrupt practices associated with this critical area of our health delivery system continue to put patients at risk and rob the national treasury of scarce financial resources,” Granger said.PNCR made reference to highlighted incidents where drugs were sold to government at seemingly exorbitant prices. Following the publications of these earlier this year, Kaieteur News was sued by New GPC.The party insisted that a probe in June by Minister of Health,NFL Jerseys Wholesale, Dr. Bheri Ramsarran,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, into drug procurement will not be enough to calm the anxiety of Guyanese, especially given the PPP’s track record of corruption.“With a large percentage of the national health budget dedicated to the procurement of drugs and health supplies and with one company holding such an unfair monopoly, the PNCR is calling for an independent investigation so that the people of Guyana can get a full understanding and a full accounting of how and where their health dollars are spent.”Meanwhile, Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, disclosed that his party, which together with APNU forms the combined opposition in the National Assembly, will be utilizing the Economic Services Sector Committee in Parliament to investigation the drug purchases.“This is the committee in which we can bring these matters up for discussions…and demand that the Minister of Health and the Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Hospital come before us so we can i

More than 160 residents of Dazzell Housing Co-operative Society received land titles last Sunday. The action came more than six years since the formation of the Co-operative. Addressing the recipients and invitees at the handing over ceremony,Cheap Jerseys Store, Minister of Housing and Water,Cheap Jerseys China, Irfaan Ali, said that the journey to development has just begun.Ministers Irfaan Ali and Manzoor Nadir join the recipients of the landtitles.Ali said that it was a special day not only for the community but for him because of the many struggles the society endured to reach that point.He reminded the gathering of the previous society that corruption and other irregularities stymied the development of the community. The Minister said that he is committed to ensuring the remaining members receive there titles by June 2010.According to him,Wholesale Baseball Jerseys 2018, with development there must be sacrifices and some amount of displacement. Residents must be accommodating.He said that the community has about 800 members. Only 600 have regularised their status in the area.For the remainder that have not regularised themselves, he said that they are squatters. He implored them to come forward and talk to his Ministry. “No matter what the circumstances, the Ministry will try to assist.”He said this is necessary since with every piece of infrastructure that is placed in the community the equity value goes up and with every squatter that takes up residence, conversely it goes down.The Minister told the gathering that the community has gone through rapid changes over the last five years. However, he said that he will be the first to admit that Government needs to make rapid investment in the scheme to change the infrastructural landscape of the area.To loud applause he added that government has already approached the Basic Needs Trust Fund for assistance in developmental work in the area.He was cautious,Wholesale China Jerseys, telling them that they should not expect development instantly but see it as continuous and incremental.Speaking in the capacity as President of the Co-operative, Clive Nurse, Deputy Chief Labour Officer at the Ministry of Labour,NFL Jerseys From China, said that he was pleased to be associated with the society.Recalling that he took over as President of the body at a time when it was in a sad state of affairs and persons pessimistic about its success,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic, he said that six years later the community has received something from its country.He said that he listened to horror stories of persons paying monies for house lots under the previous co-operative and never received a square foot of land. Such stories drove him to take up the mantle to fix what was a situation common to many co-operatives across the country.He is hopeful that in a few years time all members will have their living status regularised so that the community can receive the development that it deserves.He called on the community to unite and move its development forward. The community of Dazzell Scheme has been in existence for over ten years and has close to 1,000 households there.

… stands at US$1.7B in March 2012Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni SinghAFC’s MP, Moses NagamootooGuyana’s total public debt at March last year was a whopping US$1.7B, slightly less than the US$2.1B at 1992 when the government assumed office.Over the years, the government, through lobbying efforts and other economic measures, had secured several debt write offs to the tune of nearly 75 per cent of the total debt which had grown significantly because of the unpaid interest charges.Based on questions from Member of Parliament, Moses Nagamootoo of the Alliance For Change,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, the smaller of the two parties in the Opposition,Jerseys From China, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh on Thursday released figures on Guyana’s debts.Nagamootoo had asked a question seeking the total public debt- both local and foreign- in the US and Guyana dollars equivalent, as at September 30, 1992.According to the Minister, at September 30,NHL Jerseys From China, 1992, it was US$2,087.99 M (US$2.09B). At that time the exchange rate for the US dollar was G$126. The debt was equivalent to G$263,086M.This contrasted to March 31, 2012 when total public debt stood at US$1.743B at an exchange rate of G$204 to US$1. This was equivalent to G$355,580M.Since assuming power in 1992, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has succeeded in getting some of its biggest debts written off by the US, Russia, Europe, Canada China and Libya.This was to the tune of hundreds of millions of US dollars. The figures would suggest that Guyana has been borrowing more. In addition to several roads and sea defence projects,Wholesale Stitched Jerseys, government is also paying back for the Skeldon Factory and a host of other initiatives.According to Minister Singh, the total public debt stock at December 31,Cheap NHL Jerseys China, 2010 stood at $312,180.26M at an exchange rate of $203.50 for US$1.“The amount of $338,432.786M cited in the question, is sourced from the central government statement of the public debt as included in the report of the Auditor General for the year ended December 31,Authentic Jerseys Cheap, 2010.”The Minister said that because the statement relates to the Central Government, the amount shown would have included debts owed by the Central Government to other public sector agencies, principally debentures issued by the central government to the Bank of Guyana. It would have excluded debts owed by the Bank of Guyana and other parastatal agencies.As at December 31, 2010, the total public debt stock stood at $350,574.81M…at an exchange rate of $203 to US$1.

Three murder trials got underway yesterday with two of the cases already attracting a voir dire (a trial within a trial). Three prosecution witnesses gave evidence before Justice Navindra Singh who is presiding over the case involving Latiff and Arif Mohamed.They are accused of on March 2008,jerseys nfl wholesale, murdering Jairam Balgobin, called ‘Bark’ at Success Squatting Area.Mulchand Parbhu, a police officer gave evidence of reportedly holding a confrontation with another witness and one of the accused pertaining to the offence. Devika Parbhu also gave evidence. Her information was in relation to the number one accused, Arif Mohamed, allegedly coming to her with a wound.Colin Ross, a police officer, tendered the Post Mortem report of the deceased and read it out in court.The witnesses were cross-examined by Attorney-at-law Peter Hugh. The state is represented by prosecutors Dhanika Singh and Konyo Thompson.Thompson, in her opening address, asked the jury to be fair, just and impartial after listening to the presentation of the prosecution’s case.Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire is presiding over the case of Kenise Glasgow, who is accused of murdering nine-year-old Christie Sookra. The child was reportedly shot dead during an alleged break and enter attempt at her home on August 28, 2004.State prosecutors Rondel Weaver and Natasha Barker are representing the state, while Attorney-at law Basil Williams is representing the accused.Before Justice Dawn Gregory,Marshon Lattimore Jersey, the case of Mortimer Melville and Jevon Ismond is being heard. At least five witnesses have taken the stand on behalf of the state which is represented by prosecutors Renita Singh and Diana Kaulesar.Attorney Hookumchand is representing Mortimer Melville,Wholesale Jerseys From China, while lawyer Compton Richardson is representing Ismond.Wazir Alli, brother of the deceased,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Nasir Alli,Wholesale Jerseys USA, took the stand and testified to taking his sibling to the hospital after he was reportedly shot four times in August 2007. Alli’s wife also took the stand along with three police witnesses. Due to an oral statement taken by one of those officers a Voir Dire has commenced.The allegation against the men is that at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, the number one accused entered Alli’s wife’s shop and asked for items which the shopkeeper said she did not have. The accused reportedly left returning later with his companion.Both the accused were reportedly present when Alli was allegedly shot four times during a robbery. At the time,Air Max 97 Silver Bullet Mens, Alli was said to be drinking with family and a few friends. They were all robbed, reports said. The man succumbed to his injuries while at the hospital. The offence is said to be a felony-murder meaning that the murder was committed during the robbery.All the cases are expected to convene this morning.