Month: January 2013

Court to rule on Rohee’s no-confidence motion challenge on Friday

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Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on Friday is expected to make his preliminary ruling on the lawsuit challenging the opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion against Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee. Attorney General Anil Nandlall had challenged the motion naming David Granger in his capacity as Opposition Leader and Speaker of the House Raphael Trotman as respondents. The motion said that Resolution Number 18 passed in the National Assembly on Monday, July 30 is unlawful, violates the doctrine of separation of powers, and is null and void as well as unconstitutional.  It also…

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Western diplomats urge no more delays in local gov’t elections

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The Western diplomatic community in Guyana on Wednesday said 2013 should be a watershed moment for the people of Guyana – the year they can elect local government officials.  The diplomats also said that while the people of Guyana are familiar with the reasons offered for repeated delays in holding local government elections, there is no valid justification for further delay. In a statement signed by United States Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt; UK High Commissioner Andrew Ayre; Canadian High Commissioner David Devine and European Union Ambassador Robert Kopecky,…

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Guyana prepares for international negotiations on mercury ban

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The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry on Tuesday held a stakeholder consultation in the ministry’s boardroom, as part of preparations to guide the delegation that will be represent Guyana at the fifth session of the Inter-Governmental Negotiation Committee in Geneva, Switzerland, from January 13 to 18. The session was aimed towards the preparation of a legally binding instrument on mercury use. A team comprising representatives from the ministry, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) will represent Guyana at these meetings…

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Guyana’s food security intact

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Dear Editor, The agriculture minister has said that, if Guyana wants to enhance its economy and ensure food safety, producing meat of better size and quality is vital. According to him, the way forward is that high quality genetics be utilised, as it will enable local scientists to produce better breeds of animals that are of international standard. There are many advantages of modern genetics, and this field of study is not in infancy anymore. It goes back to as early as 1939, when the first animal, a rabbit, was…

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GuySuCo not all that hard to fix

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Dear Editor, I keep asking myself why do employees go on strikes? The truth is that workers go on strike for different reasons: to get improvements where they work, for more money, for shorter working days, to stop their wages going down, because they think their company has been unfair, or when they are being used for political reasons. The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) situation probably encapsulates all of these factors. Currently, there are many views when it comes to what can be done to promote the local sugar industry…

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The fight against cocaine

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Dear Editor, I am reading about some master plan to fight the trafficking of drugs in Guyana and I have a feeling that it will be most futile. This crossed my mind when I read the headline, “Rose Hall shop owner remanded for cocaine possession.” It appears that this shop owner is known for these kinds of practices. Cocaine stimulates the cells of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems. The feeling of stimulation that comes from cocaine use is due to its activation of nerve cells in the brain that…

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Be original

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“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation” – Herman Melville To say I was incredulous after reading an article in the papers detailing Palm Court’s plans for a “majestical ball” drop to usher in the New Year, would probably be the understatement of the year, I think. I was kerfuffled! Of all the ways to celebrate the New Year, of course we have to imitate the Times Square extravaganza? We don’t have the imagination or creativity to come up with our own Guyanese idea of…

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WoW project to be expanded this year

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In excess of Gy$16 million was pumped into the Women of Worth (WoW) micro loan programme in 2012 with hundreds of persons benefiting from the initiative. Human Services and Social Security Minister Jenifer Webster made this disclosure on Monday during a press conference at her Stabroek office, Georgetown. According to Webster, 977 loans were distributed to women across the country giving them the opportunity to establish businesses or expand businesses of their own. Webster said the ministry has big plans for the programme this year, noting that it will be…

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Bai Shan Lin officials meet President on large scale industrial plans

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Bai Shan Lin Forest Development Inc., the Chinese wood processing company operating in Guyana is looking to move ahead with haste on its large scale industrial plans among which is a wood economic and trade park in Guyana. Whenze Chu, Chairman of the China Forest Industry Group Company Ltd, the parent company of Bai Shan Lin Forest Development Inc. that engages in timber harvesting, sale and processing, on Wednesday met President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud for talks in this regard, along with…

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Public hospitals to offer abortions soon – CMO

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By Samuel Sukhnandan Guyana’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Shamdeo Persaud said the Health Ministry is currently discussing a plan to introduce abortion in the public health system. Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud Dr Persaud in an interview with Guyana Times International on Tuesday, said discussions among health officials and support groups have commenced, and if all goes well, the initiative could be introduced soon. “Since the act was passed in 1995, there has not been any of our public health facility that offers those termination services routinely. We…

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