Health

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Marijuana Commission has recommended the decriminalising of marijuana possession, but the Alliance For Change (AFC)- one of Guyana’s governing coalition partners- says it does not want penalties to be removed altogether from the law books. Hours after CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque announced in Jamaica that the Commission has recommended that marijuana possession should no ...

Abdul Kadir, a former People’s National Congress (PNC) parliamentarian and former Mayor of Linden,  died in a United States (US) prison, eight years after he was convicted on terrorism charges. He was 66 years old. Relatives confirmed that Kadir  died at Thursday morning at a prison medical facility after complaining of feeling unwell. Kadir, born Michael Seaforth, was arrested in ...

The Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) team assessing the claims of mercury exposure at GGMC has found no threatening levels of mercury at the complex. Last Saturday the WHO/PAHO team orally briefed the Ministers of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, and Public Health, Volda Lawrence, on their findings. “The team did say though they are not here to ...

Students, teachers and coaches in Region Six were today educated on sexual harassment in sports at the New Amsterdam Town Hall, auditorium. Leading the team was Minister of Social Cohesion Dr. George Norton, Assistant Director of Sport, Melissa Dow-Richardson and Attorney-at-Law, Leslyn Charles. Charles told the audience that sexual harassment is a serious issue and most times the act is ...

Experts from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) have begun inspecting the headquarters of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and Guyana Gold Board for traces of mercury that have sickened several employees in recent months. GGMC Commissioner, Newell Dennisson confirmed that the inspectors began work on Wednesday and continued on Thursday. “Their work started upon their arrival yesterday (Wednesday) ...

Government-run schools will no longer be allowed to shun adolescent mothers and will, instead, be required to abide by a policy that provides for their reintegration into the school system to continue studies, Minister of Education Nicolette Henry said. “Policies are not optional so if you do get an opportunity to go through the policy, you would see that it ...

General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Amna Ally was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital on Monday, ahead of her departure for overseas medical attention. Government’s Department of Public Information said Ally, who is Minister of Social Protection, went to the Georgetown Public Hospital on Monday after “complaining of feeling unwell”. She is due to leave Guyana ...

Although Guyana has the single largest number of Indigenous Indians in Latin America and the Caribbean, a recent United Nations-sponsored study has found they are doing poorly in the areas of birth registration and accessing secondary education compared to national averages. Guyana’s indigenous population is about 76,000. The study on Indigenous Women and Children, which was officially handed over by ...

After an almost three-year hiatus the National Ophthalmology Hospital at Port Mourant, East Berbice-Corentyne is once again functioning. Laser cataract surgeries as well as those for normal cataracts are currently being done. Region Six’s Director of Regional Health Services Jevaughn Stephen,  noted however that the operations have not yet fully resumed. “Work has not picked up to the full pace ...

The Guyana Civil Servants and General Workers Union (GCS&GWU) is seeking international help to ascertain whether a mercury clean-up at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) building  has been done properly before they move back in. The union says it has asked the Pan American Health Organisation, United States embassy, United Nations Development Programme and the Organisation of American ...