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Guyana is ideally placed to become a ‘solar state’ -President Granger tells world leaders at Summit in India

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#Guyana, March 13, 2018 – Georgetown – President David Granger said that Guyana’s ‘green’ development thrust is not merely about environmental and economic security, but that it is also about energy security.  Speaking at the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Founding Conference and Solar Summit, which was held yesterday in New Delhi, India, the Head of state told world leaders about Guyana’s strategic equatorial location, which puts it in an ideal position to become a ‘solar state’.

“Its [Guyana] strategic location in the Tropic of Cancer, and a mere 6.8 degrees north of the Equator, makes it suited for solar energy generation. It enjoys an average of 12 hours of daylight, all year round, with consistently high levels of solar insolation,” he said.

President Granger told the high-level forum that Guyana’s low population density of 3.5 persons per km2 and the fact that many of its hinterland communities are small and isolated make solar energy a necessary response to the challenges of its demography and geography.  He explained that the development solar energy generation options, by reducing the negative effects of the use of fossil fuels, will ensure improved air and water quality while mitigating the adverse effects of climate change.

“Guyana has begun to transition to increased solar power generation and use. Solar farms are being planned and established. Solar-powered street lights are being installed and Government buildings are increasingly being equipped to use solar energy.  Incentives are being offered to encourage this transition to solar technologies.  Guyana has the physical conditions for increasing generation but needs technologies to develop capacity in the solar energy sector.  Much more needs to be done in other fields such as education, communication, transportation and housing,” the Head of State said.

In this regard, he called on the ISA to ensure that sun-rich states such as Guyana, have access to the necessary solar technologies.  The President also urged this international body to ensure that small states benefit from investment, innovative technologies, photovoltaic infrastructure, information-sharing and the dissemination of scientific and technological data.

He said that the ISA represents a leap forward towards ensuring that solar power becomes more accessible and more affordable to more people.

“Small states are limited not only in size but usually, also, in human resources, technology and capital.  Small states need support in the form of investment, innovative technology, infrastructural photovoltaic systems and capacity-building in order to close the technological gap with larger and richer states.  The International Solar Alliance, from the start, should support the energy ambitions of the small, sunbelt states by promoting investment-financing mechanisms for solar technologies,” President Granger said.

He pointed out too, that the ISA must promote information-sharing and technology transfer relating to solar energy and capacity-building in the solar energy sector.

Guyana signed and ratified the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance on January 30, 2018.  The President described the ‘Alliance’ as an essential element in ensuring energy, economic and environmental security.

The ISA Framework Agreement was launched on November 30, 2015. It is an action-oriented international and inter-governmental organisation that aims to maximise the harnessing of solar-energy potential, modernise energy systems, universalise access to energy, accelerate economic development and alleviate poverty.  This Solar Summit was hosted jointly by the Governments of India and France.

On February 27, President Granger received a formal invitation to the summit from Indian High Commissioner, Mr. Venkatachalam Mahalingam and Ambassador of the French Republic to Guyana, Mr. Antoine Joly.

Release: DPI

 

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CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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