Order for yellow taxis: Is it an amendment to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act?
“Not because I say so it’s so.” This phrase used by Dr Ptolemy Reid when addressing members of his party is indelibly printed in my memory. Much concern has been expressed over the order that taxis should be painted yellow by August 2010. Criticisms are made in private, but public statements are few. A report [...]
Our money, our rights
‘Our money, our rights’ was the theme chosen by Consumers International for World Con-sumer Rights Day 2010. We show you how to protect yourself in some measure. A firm selling financial products and services has to follow certain rules and standards laid down by the law and the relevant financial regulators. These are designed to [...]
The liquid of life
Monday March 22 was recognized internationally as World Water Day. Stabroek News carried messages from Guyana Water Incor-porated (GWI) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The theme for this year is ‘Clean Water for a Healthy World.’ There’s a pledge published and I take this opportunity to bring it to the attention to all consumers. [...]
We have a right to be heard
The theme selected by Consumers International for World Consumers Rights Day is ‘Our Money – Our Right.’ Do we always have a right? Forty-eight years ago the former USA President, John Kennedy, on March 15, declared that consumers have 4 basic rights – the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to [...]
Consumers should pay attention to physical fitness – Part 2
Last week we published the first part of an article on physical activity and health, and this week we reproduce the second part. It is from the January Nos 1 & 2, 2001 issue of Nyam News, a publication of the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute. “Benefits of physical fitness “Research has shown that many [...]
Consumers should pay attention to physical fitness
I came across the January Nos 1 & 2, 2001 issue of Nyam News, a publication of the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute. It dealt with physical activity and health. Here it is: Physical activity and health The decade of the 90s has seen tremendous progress in the area of fitness and health. Numerous research [...]
There are no avenues for girls in sport
An alarming situation has developed in Guyana where young teenage girls who are not involved in sports are seeking entertainment in sexual activities. They are absent from school and found in company with young men; they hang around nightclubs with the hope of being picked up by older men. They sneak from their homes while [...]
Legislation to tackle money-laundering
Anti-Money Laundering And Countering The Financing Of Terrorism Act 2009 Passed by the National Assembly on April 30, 2009 and signed by the President on August 14, 2009. The Explanatory Memorandum of Bill No 18 of 2007 is set out below. “This Bill seeks to provide for the prevention of money laundering, combating the financing [...]
Consumers need to make more use of mediation
A landlord refuses to allow her tenant to install a meter in his apartment. The GPL bill covers both the landlord and tenant’s use of electricity and the bill is approximately $12,000 monthly. The landlord pays $1,000. And the remainder has to be paid by the tenant. This is certainly not a happy situation. One [...]
Little regard for elderly persons
The collapse of CLICO has left a number of senior citizens with the problem of maintaining their former standard of living. Staff members who had retired from the company received pensions to which they had contributed. You can imagine their shock when they went to collect their monthly pensions in March 2009 and were informed [...]
The explanatory memorandum to the National Insurance Bill
Last week we published the provisions of the National Insurance and Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2009. This bill contains an Explanatory Memorandum. Explanatory Memorandum This Bill amends the National Insurance and Social Security Act (Cap.36:01). Clause 2 inserts a new section into the Act, which provides that the General Manager must submit annual contribution statements [...]
The provisions of the National Insurance and Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2009
The National Insurance and Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2009 has been approved by the National Assembly and has to be signed by the President before it becomes law. These are the provisions of the bill: AN ACT to amend the National Insurance and Social Security Act. Marginal Notes A.D. 2009 Enacted by the Parliament of [...]
It is important to plan balanced meals
Vitamins are important for health. Information on vitamins is found in cook books. Caribbean Cookery by Winifred Grey gives information in concise form:- “Vitamins protect us against deficiency diseases. The body only needs small amounts of each vitamin, and they are only present in foods in small amounts. “When scientists first discovered vitamins they were [...]
Consumers should submit their view on the Court of Appeal (Amendment) Bill to the select committee
The Select Committee of the National Assembly on November 22, 2009 in a newspaper advertisement invited written submissions from consumers, dealing with the Court of Appeal (Amendment) Bill 2008. It seems that many consumers do not read advertisements or rely on the internet for newspaper information. Mr C M Llewellyn John, well known lawyer/politician, submitted [...]
Consumers International: Recommendations on climate change
Climate change is a key issue today. Consumers International has made some recommendations on Climate change and energy. In their update of October 14 this year, Consumers International recommended action for consumers, businesses and governments. Here they are:- Consumer organisations must: . Help consumers define, understand and act on climate change. There is an ‘obesity [...]