Month: January 2012

30,000 house lots to be distributed over the next five years – Minister Ali

TIMES INT'L

By Michael Younge The Ministry of Housing is hoping to distribute around 30,000 house lots within the next five years as government continues to fast track the development and modernisation of the country’s housing and construction sectors. This disclosure was made by Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, during an interview with this newspaper recently. Ali said that his team is prepared to work towards ensuring that the target as envisaged by the ministry be reached and probably surpassed. He did say that special emphasis will be placed on…

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Domestic violence

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, Just recently, I read through, yet again, the story: “Woman knifed to death by husband.” This is so matter-of-fact these days. The pressing and haunting question comes back all the time: “Why men violate women?” Just this month alone, three women have been murdered on the West Coast of Demerara; one found in a cemetery, and two in their homes. The latest victim is Rochelle McDonald, 33, of Lot 70, Boodhoo’s Scheme, Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara. The woman, who hailed from Enmore, East Coast Demerara, was found dead…

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Displaying/selling expired goods-expose the evil

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, Guyanese simply like to sit back and wait for deliverance- at least too many times. I think here of all the hassles they put up with, simply because ‘hard-headed’ minibus operators are bullying them. The same kind of trespass is meted out to them in many supermarkets; they are fooled or bullied into buying expired items. So this must be exposed. The incident took place in Region Two, where thousands of dollars worth of expired food items were dumped and burned by officers from the Public Health Department.…

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A democratic pact

TIMES INT'L

Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon has lamented the inability of the opposition parties- the APNU and the AFC- to follow up with the government’s offer to be part of a Tripartite Committee (along with the government) to discuss some level of consensus on governance policies. This tripartite initiative was the government’s response to the new dispensation occasioned by its securing the Executive with a minority and the combined opposition having a majority in the Legislature. This newspaper is on record as being quite sceptical of the government’s magnanimity, which we…

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AFC wants tripartite meeting to discuss 2012 budget

TIMES INT'L

Even as a meeting to discuss tripartite issues has been scheduled for later this week, the Alliance for Change (AFC) on Wednesday called on President Donald Ramotar to summon a meeting under the tripartite arrangement to examine and discuss the 2012 budget. The party in a statement to the media said it has already informed the Office of the President of its principals to be on the budget committee and is now awaiting the call from the OP to get down to the business at hand, noting that the budget…

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Sithe Global hoping to seal financing deal with IDB soon

TIMES INT'L

By Christopher MaCkintosh   Sithe Global, the U.S.-based company entrusted with building a US$ 840 million hydropower station here is hoping by June to tie up a loan deal with the Inter American Development Bank (IDB)-the last major financier of the project. But the developer has warned that delays in accessing the funds could drive up costs, especially since Western powers are pressuring China to appreciate its currency. Speaking at a news conference on January 24, Chief Executive Officer of the New York-based company, Bruce Wrobel said the main reason…

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EU to fund Gy$615M hydro system at Kato

TIMES INT'L

In its efforts to promote the use of sustainable and climate friendly energy, the European Union (EU) approved a project for the development of a Micro-Hydropower System on the Chiung River, Kato in Region Eight, Guyana. In a statement, the EU said the financing agreement for the project has since been dispatched by the EU delegation in Guyana to the Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, who acts as the National Authorising Officer (NAO) for the EU funded programmes in Guyana. A public signing ceremony to officially launch the project…

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Laboour Minister to tackle brain drain

TIMES INT'L

– mulls revising rules governing scholarships  By Michael Younge   Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul while speaking with Guyana Times International during an exclusive interview said he believes that if the clause is revised, more benefits and value as well as a higher commitment to nation building would be derived from the students who receive training at the expense of the state. He was at the time responding to questions about his plan for reducing the alarming level of brain drain while creating an environment in which Guyana’s skilled and semi-skilled…

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Ramotar underscores GDF’s role in maintaining national security

TIMES INT'L

  Security is one of the most important factors tied to the social and economical development of every country. This is the view of President Donald Ramotar who told officers at the Guyana Defence Force’s Annual Officers’ Conference on January 19 that there have been many changes within the military world, noting that as society develops, the challenges in the field will increase. “Traditionally, the military was fundamentally concerned with securing the borders of a country. That role has not changed. Indeed, it has remained the principal and fundamental duty…

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Radio licences were granted in accordance with Broadcast Act – Dr Luncheon

TIMES INT'L

Amid the furore regarding the recent issuance of radio licences, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon explained that not just any individual could be granted a radio licence. This facility is reserved for those who must be deemed fit, proper and financial sufficient. The Cabinet secretary made this remark at his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday at the Office of the President, while responding to a question regarding the criteria used to issue radio licences. “I want to believe as you pointed out, if the Guyana National Broadcast Authority was…

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