Year: 2012

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) last Friday announced that former President Bharrat Jagdeo is to take on two roles within the organisation – IUCN High Level Envoy for Sustainable Development in Forest Countries and IUCN Patron of Nature. IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefevre said: “I am delighted to welcome President Jagdeo into the IUCN family. For many years, he has been a powerful and articulate advocate for climate justice across the world, and he correctly identified a long time ago that developing countries can…

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in collaboration with the Guyana Help the Kids (GHTK) on March 16 commissioned the refurbished Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the hospital. The occasion was attended by First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar; Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran; GHTK founder Dr Narendra Singh; Culture Youth and Sports Minister Dr Frank Anthony and several overseas-based donors. Dr Ramsaran said the Health Ministry has a zero tolerance approach to prenatal, post-natal and infant mortality. He stressed that the Health Ministry and the GPHC are working collaboratively to…

By Michael Younge Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally said there is no need for a drastic reform of the elections body, and dismissed calls for his resignation as baseless. Dr Surujbally said he has no difficulty resigning his post as head of GECOM, if at some time, there is some factual reason or due cause shown as to why he should pursue this path. The GECOM chairman was at the time speaking during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International. His comments come on the heels of…

Lawyers representing the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) last Friday argued that government’s move to the High Court to determine the composition of the parliamentary Committee of Selection has no place there. The comments were made during the opening arguments at the first hearing of the constitutional motion brought against APNU Leader David Granger and AFC Leader Raphael Trotman, regarding the composition of the committee. Granger is being represented by Senior Counsel Rex McKay and Basil Williams, while attorneys Nigel Hughes and Roysdale…

Several years after Guyana had announced it was starting up a crime Stoppers’ programme, the initiative is yet to get off the ground. Former Police Commissioner Winston Felix said the programme is a necessary component to reduce crime in Guyana, however, the “six years of gestation to get the programme operational” have severely crippled its momentum. He also noted that the Police Security Industry Partnership (POLSEc), formally known as the Eyes and Ears Initiative headed by the Home Affairs Ministry and the various private security firms, was just as necessary…

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is still poised to meet its sugar target and its bulk export demand in markets in Europe, North America, and the Caribbean. Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said despite the challenges faced in the industry, coupled with the recent strike action taken by workers, things are well on stream. He explained that the first crop will be met based on the good performance of the factories, and improved turnout from workers during the past few weeks. The agriculture minister expressed satisfaction in the way the…

By Michael Itwaru The police in Guyana are hunting for a United States citizen who allegedly killed his Canje Canefield reputed wife before fleeing the scene Tuesday night. Dead is Bibi Shameana Deen, called Sharmela, of Lot 1071 New Area Canefield Settlement, East Canje, Region Six. The body is awaiting a post-mortem at the New Amsterdam Hospital in Berbice. When this publication visited the home of the deceased, the property was tightly locked and a crowd of neighbours, friends, and relatives stood consoling the youngest brother of the deceased, Mohamed…