TAP! TAP! Tap dancing the turn around plan!

Tap dancing seems more descriptive of GuySuCo TAP (turn around plan). Every year they come up with a new plan (blueprint, strategy, Business plan...you name it...like the movies..names and names), that is, 'till they realize they were dancing their way through a self-created maze. So they aptly named the last one, TAP.

Lets look at the art of dancing in the TAP.

While Guysuco is pretending that it is a worker oriented company that cares about the well being of the thousands of Sugar workers, these workers must remember a couple of things. Everyone knows about the low wages and salaries, harsh working conditions and refusal of the company to address several issues affecting workers.

But, workers must now remember PAGE 4 of the much talked-about Guysuco Turn Around Plan (2009-2013).

Int his plan, the Company proposes the transfer of community and health centres to the Government! Yes the government who already cannot pay its nurses and doctors much less care and run some of the community centers it has under its wings.

It is more than likely the heavily subsidized Sugar Company is trying to ease itself of some of the financial strains and at the same time accumulate some finances.

We know about the sales of lands to friends and family (oh NICIL!) and the disposal of Hermanston House and other so-called "non-performing assets"(one wonder if they had an opportunity to sell human beings too, what would happen)

But back to the ‘transfer’ of these centers to the Government. How is this exactly in the interest of the workers?

Let's point out a few things first, Nowhere in the Government's 2010 Budget (under the Culture Ministry) has sums been allocated for the operating and runs of ANY Community Centre, government or otherwise. A measly $25 million has been allocated for just a few youth oriented Training Centers and none of those are related to Guysuco.

We are sure that with this plan being presented in 2009, the government’s move to ‘help’ Guysuco out would have been calculated as catered for in the 2010 budget. (fishy)

There is no budgetary allocations for the take over or operations of new centers in the Budget under the Health Ministry either!

Now the never-in-tune Minister Bheri Ramsarran wanted to fool the country when said that the Government is ‘taking away’ the Health Centers from Guysuco.

GAWU was quick to tell public that it never had any discussion about the government ‘take over’ of the health centers and that Ramsarran’s statement was ‘factually incorrect, and misleading’ (GAWU SAID that).

GAWU put over perfectly what we want to ask the government in that statement, it said that it “wonders whether the pressure of work, the already challenging state of government health services or an outright intention to undermine the two unions (NAACIE and GAWU) credibility is responsible for this false figment of the Minister’s imagination”

We wonder when the dancing will stop and the turn around of Guyana will start.

It pays to have friends

Pharmaceutical baron turn media Mogul Dr. Bobby Ramoop may never speak publicly, as a matter of fact he will never avail himself to the media or such agencies to be questioned. We would not respect any interview he gives to Times Tv or Guyana Times but Dr. Ramroop as a ‘major’ player needs to open his mouth.

The man rose to fame as a major player in his company, the new Guyana Pharmaceutical Company, a company known for the local producing medical supplies and medication but also receiving shady contracts from the Health Ministry (the same Company that produced ARVs that saw the watchful eyes of the US Government pulling its funds from that Project forcing us to seek ARVs overseas)

But, Dr. Ramroop’s bread is well buttered, a friend of a President and close confidant, the man could close his eyes and breathe money. The well known ‘indian elite’ is also noted for receiving a ‘sweetheart’ deal, better known as the Queen’s Atlantic Deal, a series of unlawful concessions for Ramroop’s Company.

These deals might have been backed dated to when Ramroop acquired the Sanata Textiles Property but who is checking?

But will Dr. Ramroop ever speak publicly?

Reports are that he was once cornered for an interview by a Former Stabroek News Senior Journalist but told her that he would grant her an interview when she leaves that Newspaper.

Ramroop may never be able to explain how he single handedly acquiring billions of dollars in contracts from the Health Ministry?

He may never be able to explain why he and Eddie Boyer continue to fight Robert Badal over the East Bank Demerara Property

He may never venture to explain the Queen’s Atlantic deal and how he got duty free concession to import pieces of equipment that are still to be used.

And what about explaining this telephone company and Commercial bank, Ramroop is now touted be behind??

It pays to have friends.

Demise of The Ministry of Health

Pitiable, laughable or crazy?

Following the fire at Ministry of Health, the Kaieteur News of Sunday 19th July 2009 carried a PUBLIC NOTICE that stated: It is with deep regret that we inform you of the demise of the Ministry of Health.

Look at paragraph 2: The LOST experienced....

O my God!

Power for health services!

No power in Guyana; How health services suffer in Guyana:

The acquisition of reliable and affordable power poses a challenge to many health facilities.

- In Guyana the PEPFAR program and the Ministry of Health (MOH) requested USAID assistance in assessing options for improving energy services in health facilities.

- Full service district hospitals located on the coast suffer from expensive, unreliable, and poor quality power.

- District hospitals located in the interior face similar problems compounded by the fact that the power is intermittent, of worse quality, and from a variety of expensive sources.

- Hinterland health centers often have no energy at all.
- The expensive cost of electricity in Guyana makes the long-term operating costs of power intensive health care facilities currently under construction significant.

Full article: Powering health Guyana