Closing Channel 6 is way of trying to shut up poor people

Stabroek News – April 14, 2008

Dear Editor,

We are writing this early on Saturday morning to strongly condemn the decision by the President to close down Channel 6.

Closing down Channel 6 is a way of trying to shut us up as poor people. Mr. Sharma’s station gave poor women and men a voice. Poor people are suffering and the Voice of the People was our main avenue for expressing this. Day after day people have been telling the stories of our suffering on Channel 6 and we never heard anything back from the President but as soon as a poor woman said something threatening in her frustration he suddenly got interested. How sad!

The lives of poor women are under threat every single day. Look at the burdens of the economic situation. Look at all the violence around us. We the poor people are the ones facing this every single day of our lives. We have no protection whatsoever.  

GUYWID congratulates Ministers Rodrigues-Birkett, Sukhai

Guyana Chronicle – April 14, 2008

GUYANESE Women in Development (GUYWID), a non-governmental organisation working in the interest of the development of women in Guyana, has joined in congratulating Ministers Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Pauline Campbell Sukhai, on the occasion of their appointments to head the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Amerindian Affairs respectively.

A press release issued by the organisation last Thursday said:

The appointment of Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ms. Pauline Sukhai as Minister of Amerindian Affairs is indeed heartening and inspiring to all Guyanese. Both women of humble backgrounds add to the many other examples of how far Guyanese women have come, and the recognition they have gained as equal partners in the development process.”

“Just a few decades ago, Guyanese women, led by the indomitable Mrs. Janet Jagan, fought for and won the right to vote, and to be elected. As the first woman to be elected to the Legislature in the 1950s, and to become the first female minister of government, Ms. Jagan paved the way for many others to follow.”  

Cane Grove women in empowerment programme

Guyana Chronicle – April 14, 2008

SOME of the women of the Cane Grove community have formed a group aimed at advocating their empowerment.

To this end, they met in a workshop last Thursday at the Irene Madray Recreational, Arts and Resources Centre in Cane Grove, Mahaica.

The women’s group, comprising mainly housewives and single parents, discussed various issues relating to women empowerment and equality.

Founder of the centre, Dianne Madray, who facilitated the workshop, explained that after listening to the mothers of some of the children who use the centre, she recognised the need for such a group in the community.

Madray explained that one of main aims of the group is to bring together women to share ideas, experiences and concerns, and to help them empower each other.