Black Immigrant Daily News

Dear Editor,

Hats off to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, as indeed it is commendable that “Govt. (is) taking (a) hands-on approach to rid (the) city streets of vagrants…”

Even as I perused the news on this, I took sharp offence as regards “…accusations made by Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine, (saying that) too little is being done to address this protracted dilemma.” I therefore think that I need to voice a response.

First, Mayor Narine is way out of order in “describing the vagrants as “social rejects.” Maybe that is how loathsome they are to him, and others who use them for cheap labour. What Guyanese need to know is that “Homelessness (according to the UN) is a profound assault on dignity, social inclusion, and the right to life. It is a prima facie violation of the right to housing, and violates a number of other human rights in addition to the right to life, including non-discrimination, health, water and sanitation, security of the person, and freedom from cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment.” So, Narine’s deeming them as ‘rejects’ is the very defeat of anything he would ever want to do for them. In fact, he has already started playing politics with this issue.

I say this because he has vehemently and publicly “…expressed his dissatisfaction at the manner in which the Government has been handling the current issue.” His claim is that “…the City Council has not been receiving any help from the Government to initiate a proper plan to remove homeless individuals from the streets of Georgetown”.

However, I cannot give credence to Mayor Narine, and with good reason, too. For example, as I go back to January of this year, I note that the press highlighted that “Town Clerk Candace Nelson chided (the) City Mayor Ubraj Narine for stating that the Central Government did not provide a subvention for last year, even as she provided details on how the allocated Gy$30 million was spent.” This was necessary, as Narine was claiming that President Irfaan Ali had ignored his request for the subvention, and Ms. Nelson had to dispatch a letter (of memory) to the Mayor to upend his false claim.

At this juncture as well, more credibility destruction for the Mayor was advanced by A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) as, “…on the issue of the subvention, and stopping short of calling him a liar, the statement released was that “When you stand to represent a position, your stand ought to be grounded in truth, especially if you’re seated in a seat of authority and example. I say this again and again, the problem with City’s Government isn’t the employees, but rather the very governance.”

Now, I do agree with Mayor Narine that “…the Capital City Georgetown has been faced with them (homeless/ vagrants) for many decades,” but a reminder is timely here. It is that Mayorship from 1996-2015 was under Hamilton Green. During 2015-2018, Patricia Chase-Green held the post, and since 2018, Pandit Ubraj Narine himself took over. Yet nothing was achieved nor done in this regard. In fact, Mayorship of Georgetown and the City’s governance, even when the PPP/C was not in power, never manifested an acceptable level of performance.

I recall that in September last year, the shocking reality was that “After taking office, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) Government had launched an audit into City Hall, targeting both the financial and operational makeup of the municipality.” Why? It was because, for the year before, there was no accountability for the $300 million Restoration Fund which was contributed to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council for the restoration of the dilapidated City Hall Building.

I suggest that the Mayor and City Council under the aegis of Ubraj Narine do what the Minister of Human Services and Social Security suggests. This means that the “…Mayor, too, puts his hands to the wheel…do his part, and get involved in this…(as) the Ministry is already doing its best to ensure that people are not on the streets.”

After all, Minister Persaud and the Government she represents are very much aware of the prevalent problem of homelessness in Georgetown. According to her, “The Ministry is very cognisant of this problem… and wants to ensure that people who are homeless have a safe space.”

In this regard, I remind all that the Public Night Shelter at East La Penitence, Georgetown can now accommodate even more persons following the completion of significant infrastructural works on the facility. A new wing was added to the facility at a cost of over $5 million, while the interior and exterior of the existing building were significantly enhanced.

Editor, let’s bear in mind that the homeless aren’t to be viewed as individuals of less value, or as nuisances. Many of them are simply unfortunate victims, and happen to find themselves without homes under circumstances that they cannot control. Let’s remember, too, that catering for the homeless is not tantamount to solving the problem, as no authority can force anyone to take advantage of provisions. As the Minister detailed, “It’s not prison, we can’t force people to stay there…the best efforts will be made to help persons in a situation of homelessness, no matter their age, ethnic background or gender.”

Yours truly,H Singh

NewsAmericasNow.com

Black Immigrant Daily News

Los senadores Carmelo Ríos Santiago y Migdalia González, radicaron el Proyecto del Senado 896 el cual crea la ‘Ley de Remedios Civiles para la Protección de Animales’ para así establecer remedios civiles como medida para combatir el maltrato, la crueldad, el abandono y el abuso animal en la Isla.

“El maltrato a los animales es un asunto serio y un problema social que ha ido en incremento. Comprende comportamientos que causan dolor innecesario o estrés al animal. Los mismos pueden ser desde la negligencia en los cuidados básicos, hasta ocasionar la muerte. Por otro lado, la defensa de los animales se basa en un principio de tolerancia y respeto hacia la vida, tanto humana como no humana”, según establece la Exposición de Motivos de la medida.

El objetivo de la pieza legislativa es proveer un remedio de naturaleza civil para la protección y el trato digno de los animales, adicional a los remedios criminales disponibles, e independiente de los mismos. Mediante esta nueva Ley se permitiría que cualquier persona, aun aquella que no sea el guardián o poseedor de un animal, fungir como demandante para velar por su protección.

Cuando, a juicio del Tribunal, en una demanda jurada o apoyada por una declaración jurada, se aleguen hechos específicos que establezcan claramente que haya ocurrido un acto de crueldad, abandono o abuso contra un animal, el Tribunal podrá emitir una orden de custodia provisional, de así solicitarlo el demandante, otorgándole el derecho de proveer el cuidado apropiado al animal.

“Los animales son parte de nuestro entorno, son seres vivientes que merecen un trato justo y digno. Estos animales no tienen voz propia ni manera de reclamar sus derechos, por lo que, con la aprobación de esta medida, estamos otorgándole esa voz a través de personas que, preocupadas por sus mejores intereses, están dispuestas a defenderlos. Los actos de maltrato animal no tienen justificación, aun viniendo de su guardián”, expresó Ríos Santiago.

La orden de Custodia Provisional dispondrá la celebración de una vista dentro de 10 días, contados a partir de la fecha en que se expida dicha orden, para que la parte demandada muestre causa por la cual no debe expedirse una orden de interdicto preliminar en lo que se ventilan los derechos de todas las partes. Dicho término podrá prorrogarse si el Tribunal determina la existencia de circunstancias extraordinarias antes de que expire el término de la orden previa.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

ROZENGEUR / Gerold Rozenblad Je zou Paramaribo gerust het moderne Babylon kunnen noemen. Volgens mij is nog nooit eerder in

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Present Weather: Cloudy skies

Winds: A moderate breeze of 13mph from the south

Temperature: 28°C / 83°F           Humidity: 85%

Sea Level Pressure: 1013.5mbs or 29.93″

Sunset: Today, 6:21 pm                  Sunrise: Tomorrow, 5:58 am

Weather Forecast Valid until 8 am Tomorrow  

Winds: South-southeast at 6 to 14 mph becoming variable or calm in some places tonight. 

Seas: Less than 1.5 meters or less than 5 feet  

Weather Forecast for St. Kitts & Nevis:  

Weather today: Partly sunny this morning becoming locally cloudy this afternoon with a 60 percent or moderate chance of showers a 20 percent or slight chance of  late afternoon thunderstorms  

Weather tonight: Mostly cloudy this evening with a 60 percent or moderate  chance of lingering evening showers with a reduction in clouds and showers as the night progresses  

As Tropical Storm Earl continues to move further away from the  federation, the risk for flash flooding has been significantly reduced.  

Eastern Caribbean Forecast: Tropical Storm Earl is forecast to slowly move  away from the area today and tonight; however, weak spiral bands, coupled with a moist and unstable environment, will maintain cloudy to overcast skies with  occasional showers and the possibility of thunderstorms over the Virgin islands and Puerto Rico with gradual improvement expected tomorrow; Meanwhile, a slightly  unstable environment, a lighter wind flow and higher daytime temperatures could trigger localize afternoon cloudiness over the Leewards and islands further south  today. 

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