PRESS BRIEFING
Wednesday, 30 June 2004

AGENDA

1. FLOOD REPORT 2004

2. ELECTORAL SYSTEMS EXPERTS: LOCAL GOVERNMENT

3. BERBICE RIVER BRIDGE:UPDATE

4. NEW HORIZION 2004 HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMME

NEW HORIZION 2004 HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMME

The level of cooperation between Guyana and America military is exemplary.

The New Horizion 2004 Humanitarian programme has seen excavation works continuing at all three construction sites, two of which are in Sophia, the Health Centre and the Rehabilitation Clinic, and one in Timehri, the Nursery school.

The Medical Outreach programmes have started in Mahaicony and will be moving to Itacha Village soon.

The military authorities have also provided inputs into the rehabilitation of the inner ring road to Timehri, linking the Guyana Defence Force Air Corps and the old fire station bordering the racing circuit.

The exercise continues and is expected to conclude in September 2004.

BERBICE RIVER BRIDGE
Government is continuing with the implementation of its proposal on the Brbice River Bridge Project.

The option selected and the site have both been agreed upon.

A floating bridge and crossing just off the Canje Bridge on the right bank of the Creek have been adopted as the preferred options.

Arrangements are being made so as to initiate work on the preparation of the designs and bid documents for the Civil works components of the project.

Work will also have to be done to put together the necessary “Consortium” which has been identified as the likely financing mechanism for the construction of the Bridge.

ELECTORAL SYSTEM EXPERT
Electoral System expert Mr. KaRe Vollan of Denmark is in Guyana and has been providing advice to the stake holders on the specifics of the proposed Electoral System for Local Government Elections.

Mr. Vollan met with the President, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development and members of the Bi-partisan Task Force on Local Government Reform and political leaders.

Their efforts to arrive at a mutually agreed upon electoral model for Local Government Elections continue since the Constitutional Reform Process mandated changes to the existing system, to include participation of individuals and groups other than political parties all before the next Local Government Elections.

Mr. Vollan’s services would be available to the stake holders until Wednesday, June 30, 2004.

FLOOD REPORT 2004
The rainy season is coming to an end and expectations are that the water levels in most of the reported flooding areas on the Coast will continue to recede.

The Flood Control Committee reported that as of June 28, 2004, the situation in Regions 2, 3,6 and 7, there weren’t any reports of flooding.

High levels of water remained in the drainage channels and were under control by the working sluices/pumps in those areas.

The main Water Conservancies all remained sound despite being at their high level water mark, close to capacity.

In the Hinterland Regions, the over-tapping of riverbanks continued and some bridges in these Regions were rendered impossible by the high waters.