Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh today met with the Bankers Association of Guyana as part of the Finance Ministry’s ongoing engagement with the private sector.
Members of the association were updated on several issues including the anti-money laundering bill that is under consideration in the Parliamentary Sub-Committee, work being done on financial sector legislation including legislation for the licensing of money transfer agencies; and the status of developing a Credit Bureau as part of the National Competitiveness Strategy. Read the full story

Another stride has been made to improve the level of local health care with the opening up of a new family health clinic, at Suddie, Region Two.
During a visit to the Region today by Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy and representatives of the National Aids Read the full story

A team of 12 persons including attorneys from the Caribbean and Guyana; representatives from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Ministry of Labour and Human Services and the Guyana Police Force are currently participating in the second Commonwealth Programme Legislative Course being held in Guyana on writing of laws.
The 12 -week course which began on June 2 is being held at the National Centre Read the full story

The long awaited bridge across the Berbice River is closer to becoming a reality as construction is moving apace towards its September deadline.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds Firday paid his second visit to the bridge since the beginning of construction and was accompanied by his wife Yvonne Hinds, Site/Installation Manager Henny Muskins, members of the Works Services Group and the Berbice River Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI). Read the full story

The compilation of data on the performance of the economy for the first half of the year has begun and preliminary data suggests that the economy has performed in a satisfactory manner.
The Ministry of Finance is currently in the process of requesting and receiving preliminary data from Government sectors.
Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh said, “Notwithstanding the many well known challenges that were faced by countries such as ours and were certainly faced by our domestic economy, we Read the full story

Another milestone is set to be achieved tomorrow in the country’s health sector as 18-year-old Munesh Mangal of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara is set to undergo a kidney transplant at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy visited the teenager and his 41-year old mother Leelkumarie Nirananjan Mangal,  who is his donor this evening at the High Dependency Unit (HDC) of the hospital where they were  both resting after undergoing dialysis. “This is an anxious time for all of us, kidney transplant has never been done in the country and as far as I am aware it is the second of such in the Region,” Minister Ramsammy said.
Munesh was diagnosed with end stage renal failure last October while a patient at GPHC’s clinic and it was then that the mother decided to undergo preliminary tests to determine her chances as a possible donor to her son. After numerous tests, she was confirmed a positive match. She said it is a privilege for her to be able to give her child one of her kidneys.
Minister Ramsammy said that it is a very difficult surgery and for it to be done in Guyana is almost unbelievable. He noted that over the last several years the GPHC has been transformed with incredible achievements bringing it to a world class hospital.
Some of the achievements recorded by the hospital are hip replacement, eye surgery, radiation therapy and in October 2007 the first open heart surgery was preformed.
It was noted that many kidney problems result from diabetes and patients in the past did not have an option locally once it was determined that dialysis could not work.
Kidney transplant is a surgical procedure involving heterotopic placement of the donor kidney into the iliac fossa of the recipient. It has emerged as the preferred means of renal replacement therapy for patients with end stage renal disease of any etiology.
Tomorrow’s surgery will be performed by a team of local and overseas doctors, and  is expected to last eight hours. The overseas medical team is being led by Attending General Surgeon at the Brookdale University Hospital, Indian-born Dr Rahul Jindal and includes Dr Edward M. Falta (Transplant Surgeon of the Walter Reed Army Medical Centre (WRAMC), Washington), Dr Melenie Guerero, (Pulmonary Care Physician), Laura Owens (Transplant Coordinator) and Dr Arthur L. Womble attached to the Athens-Limestone Hospital, Athens, Alabama.
The team of surgeons arrived last Thursday and has since met the local supporting team of doctors, nurses and technical and administrative staff who have been actively involved in the procedure to fine tune all details for the surgery.
The local team includes Dr. Ravi Purohit (Surgeon),  Dr. Ramsundar Doobay (Consultant, Internal Medicine), Dr. Anita Florendo (Registrar, Internal Medicine), Dr. Vivienne Amata (Anaesthesiologist), Dr. Pheona Mohamed-Rambaran (Laboratory Director), Mr. Delon France (Medical Technologist) and Dr. Wilson (Radiologist).
Minister Ramsammy commended the overseas medical team for volunteering their services to conduct this surgery. “We are grateful to the team of doctors who have made this possible and to the Guyanese who have contributed financially to enable the team to come to Guyana,” Minister Ramsammy said.
The Minister noted that the hospital has chosen an encouraging couple to perform the historical surgery, since they are both positive and have the right frame of mind.
Minister Ramsammy added that this new development will augur well for the future of the health sector.

Following the recent increase in mini-bus fares by the Guyana Public Transportation Association (GPTA) on Monday which was not sanctioned by government, commuters are being advised not to pay additional fares pending the outcome of an agreement between Government and the Association.
Minister of Finance Ashni Singh is expected to meet shortly with members of the Guyana Mini Bus Association on the issue. Read the full story

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds departed Guyana today for the fifth Petro Caribe Summit of Heads of State which will be held in Maracaibo, Venezuela.
The summit scheduled for July 13, will be attended by other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government and will be addressed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
The summit follows on the discussions at the previous meeting held in Cuba in December 2007 and is expected to explore methods of supplying stability and energy security for member states. Read the full story

As the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) countdown continues, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has reported that 29 countries will be participating in the mega event and that incoming flights have been fully booked up  to the week before the event.
At his weekly press conference to update the media on CARIFESTA preparations, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony indicated that the CARIFESTA Secretariat is now looking to add additional flights “to accommodate those who did not get a chance on the booked flight but want to come.” Read the full story