Guyana stiffening anti-race crime laws

GEORGETOWN — Guyana is stiffening its racial hostility laws to deal with offenders, including media talk-show hosts, who contribute to aggravating racial hatred in this member state of the Caribbean Community where race is often used as a political weapon.

Before leaving for Jamaica to participate in today’s 40th independence celebrations, President Bharrat Jagdeo presided over an extraordinary session of his cabinet to consider amendments to this multi-racial, multi-religious country’s Racial Hostility Act.

When President Jagdeo (who arrived here yesterday) was in Jamaica last week for Emancipation Day celebrations, there were rumours of a coup to topple his People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration on August 1.

But with the army and police declaring their “readiness” to deal with such an eventuality, the day passed without incident, and governing and opposition parties as well as cultural groups participated in a range of activities to mark this year’s Emancipation Day celebrations.

Following the extraordinary cabinet meeting, a government statement disclosed that the Racial Hostility Act would be amended to broaden the scope for the courts to effectively deal with offenders by publication of pamphlets, films, photographic materials or audio and visual tapes.

Within recent times, unsourced publications have been distributed to stir up racial animosity and the government and representatives of civil society organisations as well as the police commissioner, Floyd McDonald, have found it necessary to condemn the spread of race hate and incitement to violence on privately-owned television stations.

A set of legislative measures was considered by President Jagdeo and his cabinet colleagues for review, in addition to the Racial Hostility Act. These included the Criminal Law (Offences) Act; Evidence Act and Prevention of Crimes Act.

The proposed amendment to the Racial Hostility Act also provides for a person who suffers damage of the type contemplated by the Act to proceed to enforce his or her right in any of the nation’s court.

The draft amendment to the Criminal Law (Offences) Act is intended to serve as a deterrent to those who are inclined to commit acts of violence, including destruction of property.

The amendment to the Evidence Act proposes to add disc, tape, soundtrack or other device in which sound or data are embodied, any film, negative, tape or such other device, as admissable evidence in a court of law.

With a view to more effectively monitor criminal deportees, the proposed amendment to the Prevention of Crimes Act seeks to introduce legislation that allows for Guyanese convicted of certain crimes in foreign countries and deported to Guyana to be under the vigilance of the security forces as they consider essential in the maintenance of law and order.

Guyana to ship sugar to Jamaica

GEORGETOWN — The Guyana Sugar Corporation has confirmed that it was now working on an order to export some 10,000 tonnes of sugar to Jamaica in accordance with a request received from the Jamaica Cane Products Sales Limited for delivery either next month or in early October.

Guyana is also expected to make a further shipment of some 5,000 tonnes to help meet a shortfall in Jamaica’s sugar production this year.

Manning hints at media sale

PORT-OF-SPAIN — In the face of a controversy over claimed censorship of news at state-owned National Broadcasting Network (NBN), Prime Minister Patrick Manning has indicated that his government was considering privatisation of the network.

Just last week, Manning was forced to deny a statement by the acting head of news, Verne Burnette, with the journalist being commended by the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) for going public “on a matter of principle” with his charge.

The prime minister, in disclosing the findings of an auditor’s report on NBN, said that the network needed an injection of some TT$35 million (TT$6=US$1) “immediately to prevent it from insolvency”.

“Now,” he said, “the government has to decide whether to keep NBN or sell it. I could tell you right now the pendulum is weighed in favour of disposing of NBN. It is of no strategic importance to the government of Trinidad and Tobago.”

The auditor’s report has recommended that NBN sells its radio station at Abercromby Street, and Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) at Maraval Road.

Manning said that the future of NBN could be determined as early as within a month by cabinet on the basis of a report to be submitted to Public Service Minister Lenny Saith.