Month: February 2011

Govt mulls US$50M upgrade of CJIA- hopes to make Guyana hub for international traffic

TIMES INT'L

By Ravena Gildharie The Guyana government is currently exploring possibilities for significant upgrade of the country’s main port-of-entry, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at Timehri. Although there has not been any official evaluation of the planned developments as yet, industry sources estimate the cost of extension at between US$50 million and US$100 million, depending on the exact scope of works. The upgrade will include expansion of the existing runway to approximately 10,000 feet to accommodate larger aircraft landing, and the extension or possible construction of a new terminal building.…

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Business sector has confidence in economy

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, Just under one week after the country’s budget had been presented, the giant manufacturing company Banks/DIH Limited announced a massive Gy$3.2B investment scheme which will further accelerate growth in the company. We welcome the announcement, which was made by the company’s managing director and chairman, Mr Clifford Reis, while addressing the 55th annual general meeting of the entity. Banks/DIH, now a billion-dollar company, was born from a merger between Banks Breweries and D’Aguiar Bros (DIH) Ltd in 1969 with a share capital of Gy$4,140,000. We recognize that the…

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Bharrat Jagdeo’s outstanding legacy

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, President Bharrat Jagdeo’s legacy as a highly successful leader is assured. It is rather unfortunate that a newspaper chose to carry a one-sided assessment of this great man’s tenure as president. The article used a flurry of negative terms and did not provide concrete evidence to support its claims. Furthermore, it ignored the fundamental parameters that are universally used to assess a leader’s legacy. Guyana’s gross domestic product (GDP) has increased significantly under Jagdeo’s leadership. GDP is a leading indicator of change in a country’s economic development. According…

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200,000 mangrove seedlings to be planted this year

TIMES INT'L

Some 200,000 mangrove seedlings are to be planted this year to bolster sea defences in the Coastal Zone. In areas such as La Belle Alliance and Lima on the Essequibo Coast; Victoria and Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara; and Numbers Four, Five, Six and Seven villages, West Coast Berbice, and at Cromarty and Wellington Park on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice, these mangrove seedlings would be planted. These areas are part of the Mangrove Protection and Regeneration project, which aims to provide immediate first line defence against flooding and…

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Amerindian development

TIMES INT'L

There is no doubt that Guyana’s indigenous peoples have experienced numerous improvements in the quality of life they live. Efforts are currently being made by the administration and a few non-governmental organizations to provide the necessary support to assist in sustaining the livelihoods of Amerindian communities. This has indeed been one of the main challenges indigenous peoples face on a daily basis. The National Secure Livelihood Programme, a government initiative carried out in collaboration with Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO) International, is a fine example of how the government and NGOs…

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China to plug Gy$2.5B into laptop programme

TIMES INT'L

Government has announced that China will be plugging Gy$2.5 billion into supporting purchase of the first 27,000 laptops under the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative. This was revealed in the National Assembly on Tuesday, February 1st, as parliamentarians began to consider the estimates of the 2011 National Budget. Some Gy$4.3 billion is set aside to purchase the ‘Lenovo’ laptops, as disclosed by Minister within the Finance Ministry, Jennifer Webster, who was grilled by several members of the opposition, including People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Members of Parliament Volda Lawrence…

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Govt not satisfied with youth policy document

TIMES INT'L

Government has announced that it was forced to discard a draft National Youth Policy (NYP) document after the text was found to be substandard. Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony, during the recent budget debate, told the National Assembly that the NYP will be further delayed, as the document did not meet the required standards. Dr Anthony said despite government having got assistance from the United Nations Development Programme to hire a consultant to prepare and upgrade the current youth policy, the work was not done properly. According…

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Opposition missed chance for serious debate – finance minister

TIMES INT'L

By Reuben Stoby Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, wrapping up the budget debate for 2011 in the National Assembly on Wednesday, said that the members of the opposition missed a perfect opportunity to contribute in a more meaningful way to the budget debate, as they chose to divert from serious issues that would have made for a better debate. According to Singh, the opposition members were also “inconsistent and incoherent” in their presentations, which showed that there was disunity among them. “The budget debate provides…

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CJIA now issuing drivers’ permits to foreigners

TIMES INT'L

Foreigners visiting Guyana will now benefit from the issuances of drivers’ permits which will allow them to operate vehicles in the country for specified periods. The Tourism Ministry, in collaboration with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), launched the service at Guyana’s main airport – the Cheddi Jagan International — on Thursday. Issuance of the driver’s permit is free of charge; and will be valid for one month, but can be renewed if necessary. The foreigners will, however, only be allowed to drive a vehicle which was specified on their valid…

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Caribbean Airlines to better promote Guyana’s tourism industry

TIMES INT'L

Guyana’s tourism sector received accolades from Chairman of the Board of Directors of Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL), George Nicholas, who underscored the potential of Guyana’s tourism products. He noted that CAL has agreed to ‘sell’ the country with more consistency as one of its main regional destinations. Speaking with Guyana Times International following a news conference last Friday, January 28th, Nicholas said this is his first visit to Guyana and he is already impressed with the hospitality and ‘energy and commitment’ demonstrated by President Bharrat Jagdeo. He is convinced that…

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