Although the impact of stigma and discrimination still has a dire impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS, the health sector has been able to make inroads among some key populations. However, self-stigma has been noted as a major factor in addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS.This disclosure was made by Head of the Ministry of Health’s National AIDS Programme Secretariat,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, Dr Shanti Singh,NFL Jerseys China, who recently revealed that evidence indicate that stigma and discrimination against HIV-infected persons has been significantly reduced.Dr Shanti SinghAccording to Dr. Singh, the Biologic and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (BBSS) for Commercial Sex Workers and Men who have Sex with Men (MSN) populations has shown that almost 80 and 85 percent of female workers and men respectively were tested for HIV.Her enlightening remarks were forthcoming as she addressed a stakeholders’ forum which was intended to discuss the findings of the HIV/AIDS Programme Sustainability Analysis Tool (HAPSAT).The meeting came as a result of collaboration between the Ministry of Health’s National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) and the Heath Systems Strengthening programme (HS20/20), which is funded by USAID.Directly linked to stigma and discrimination is the level of awareness and knowledge among 98 percent of female workers and 100 percent of men who have sex with men, who are aware of HIV and AIDS, Dr Singh disclosed.“On the flipside, while it is shown that knowledge is high, only three percent of the MSN population were willing to buy from an infected vendor while 30 percent of the female commercial sex worker population felt that people living with HIV should be quarantined…55 percent felt that the HIV status of a family member should be kept a secret.”As a result Dr Singh has underscored that while stigma and discrimination still exist to some extent, it is clear that self stigma is a major problem.? As such she recommended the need for a comprehensive and holistic approach to addressing this challenge even as she pointed out that the issue of the coordination of the response to HIV/AIDS must also be examined. According to Dr Singh, while it is the National AIDS Programme’s mandate to coordinate existing programmes, in the interest of coordination it has also taken on the role of implementing the Global Fund Grant, a major donor to the HIV/AIDS response.Just recently, Acting Secretary General of the Caricom Secretariat, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, revealed that Global Fund had directed just under US$30M to aid the fight against HIV/AIDS even in the face of dwindling financial support.This grant funding, according to her is expected to be advanced in two phases and will support a strategic regional approach to help develop the systems needed to deal with those persons who are most at risk,Wholesale Stitched Jerseys, including and especially young persons. She revealed too that the funds will be used in the area of prevention and to support an environment of treatment.According to Dr Singh “our role as the coordinating body is dependent on all of our partners and stakeholders working with us. It is important that you work with us and allow us to coordinate in an efficient manner.”Nevertheless, she noted that the local HIV/AIDS response has come a long way, adding that regular programme reports are generated on a timely basis by the National AIDS Programme, a move which she deemed important for sustainability.Further, she disclosed that the Programme has the capacity to lead the generation of key required international and local reports such as the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS) Report, the Presidential Commission and NAPS Annual Report, Quality of Care Report, HIV/DR (Drug Resistance) Report, Early Warning Indicators Report, among others.“We have also developed the capacity to contribute to other reports such as the Millennium Development Goals Report, Dr Singh noted.However,Wholesale Football Jerseys, she revealed that there is still the need for one unified set of indicators and for one clearing house for available information.As a result, she disclosed that work is ongoing with UNAIDS to possibly bring on board the Country Response Information System (CRIS).? She added too,Wholesale Jerseys, that “as the economic situation dictates and does the movement of the donor community intensively towards value for money, integration and health system strengthening has become more acute.”For this reason,China Jerseys Cheap, Dr Singh noted that the HIV prevention efforts and particularly HIV education has to be mainstreamed in local sensitisation and training efforts.“This

Workers within the transport sector are now more aware of their basic rights as some of them were privileged to be a part of a seminar that dealt with such rights.On Wednesday last,Cheap NHL Jerseys, the International Transportation Federation,Cheap Jerseys From China, in collaboration with the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers’ Union, facilitated a seminar that concluded on Friday.The seminar was held under the theme “Strengthening collective bargaining capacities,” and attracted participants from the Transport and Harbours Department and the Maritime Association.Facilitators for the seminar included Carvil Duncan of the Guyana Labour Union,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, Eon Andrews of the Minibus Association, and Patricia Wintz of the Guyana Public Service Union.Among the issues dealt with during the seminar were understanding industrial relations, scope and framework of collective bargaining, collective bargaining strategy and practices, preparing group for role play, and key issues affecting transport workers in a global economy.President of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers’ Union,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, Clairmont Pearson, said that from all indications the seminar was well received by the participants.He added that the participants were most appreciative of the fact that most of the issues raised were dealt with effectively.“The participants expressed concerns over some basic yet fundamental issues they are faced with daily,Cheap Jerseys, these include not being provided with safety gear by their employees, and allowances,” Pearson explained.According to Pearson, the participants have already indicated their willingness to take part in other such events, which they deemed to be very enlightening. As such, Pearson noted, this seminar marks one of many to come.Next on the agenda for the union will be HIV/AIDS and the stigma and discrimination that are associated with the disease.“This is one area we would like to address soon,NFL Jerseys 2018, and plans are already underway for a seminar which would deal with HIV/AIDS,” Pearson pointed out.

By Zena HenryFormer University of Guyana lecturer and Kaieteur News columnist Frederick Kissoon presented evidence yesterday in the Bharrat Jadgeo libel suit case to justify claims he made in a Kaieteur News article – that the former Head of State exercised ideological racism while functioning as President.Freddie Kissoon holds up a copy of his research paper which he referred to during his testimony.Kissoon claimed that the findings were documented in a research paper he had prepared, entitled “Ethnic Power and Ideological Racism-Comparing Presidents in Guyana”, and which he had presented to the Annual Conference of the Guyana Historical and Research Institute in June 2010.The former president is suing Kissoon, the National Media and Publishing Company,NFL Jerseys Supply, publishers of Kaieteur News, and Editor-in-Chief Adam Harris for over $10M, claiming libel in a Kaieteur News article published two years ago.Kissoon appeared before Justice Brassington Reynolds at the High Court and was the only witness of the day. Questioned by one of his lawyers, Nigel Hughes, Kissoon testified that in his research,NFL Jerseys China, he made comparisons of Jagdeo to past Presidents who served Guyana, in particular,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham.Kissoon said he compared the former Presidents’ exercise of power in relation to ethnicity.? Those aspects related to employment practices, composition of white collar class workers in public service; land allocation, state concessions in a wide range of areas and personalized attitudes towards national stakeholders.Kissoon later explained that in studying “Ideological racism: the manifestation,” he zeroed in on the “Composition of the hierarchy of a number of essential state co-operatives and concluded that there is a graphic manifestation of ethnic pre-dominance within a comparative context of time”.He said when compared, over time, he saw a great shift, in a number of Afro-Guyanese presence being replaced by Indo-Guyanese; to assume a complete ethnic replacement. His conclusion, he continued, was that he did not see this trend of ideologically-driven employment practices in the Burnham and Jagan presidencies that would allow him to describe the two former presidents as ideological racists.The plaintiff’s lawyer, Bernard De Santos, objected when Hughes sought to have Kissoon relate certain aspects of his research document. The objection was overruled, since the Judge noted that there were at least 65 pages of evidence, and he would like to be specifically led to what needs to be considered.As the proceedings continued, Kissoon noted via his research, that of all important state sectors pivotal to the life of the Guyanese nation, fundamental institutions listed were headed by Indo-Guyanese. The document highlighted 78 names of top hierarchy officials governing various organizations; of the 78, he said none was Afro-Guyanese. Those organizations he related, when asked, included the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Judiciary,Wholesale Authentic Jerseys, the Registar and the Chief Magistrate.The National Communications Network’s entire hierarchy, Kissoon explained, was “captured” by East Indians and his information source was the annual meetings of state companies and some information in the public domain. He made the same observation,NFL Jerseys From China, when speaking about the Guyana Sugar Corporation, that the head of the organization is East Indian, as is the Deputy Head, as well as the managers of all the estates.On the issue of divestment of state companies, Kissoon said that of the seven officials of the Privatization Board, only one was Afro- Guyanese. In the divestment of state properties, Kissoon said he studied the ethnic make-up of the purchasers and found that only one out of 45 was Afro-Guyanese.For industrial estates,Wholesale Jerseys, Kissoon showed that state land allocated for manufacturing activities was granted to 13 businessmen, of whom only one was Afro-Guyanese, and he received the smallest plot of land -1000 acres. The largest land allocation was 36,000 acres.For Government concessions from 2003-2008, Kissoon said his research showed that of the 285 companies that received Government money, 15 were owned and run by Afro-Guyanese.The Kaieteur News columnist stated that his research proved an installed rise of young Indo-Guyanese into strong, managerial positions. Those installations, he said, (list of names provided) came by virtue of blood relation or political affiliation.That information, Kissoon said, was gathered through published reports of the particular institutes where