– following recommendations of Auditor General’s Report, other inquiries By Kristen Macklingam The services of four top officials from the Mayor and City Council (MCC) have been terminated following a recent report by the Auditor General’s Office, Minister within the Local Government Ministry Norman Whittaker said. Those dismissed are City Treasurer Anthony Meredith; Town Clerk Yonette Pluck; City Engineer Gregory Erskine and head of the Solid Waste Management Unit Hubert Urling. The minister told Guyana Times International on Wednesday that the report revealed many irregularities which include failure to adhere…
Read MoreMonth: January 2013
Georgetown Chamber welcomes announcement of security reforms
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Wednesday said it views very favourably Monday’s announcement by Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee on the proposed implementation of strategic plans for the improvement of our security agencies. “Our private sector members have identified the security situation as a significant barrier to doing business in Guyana and this timely intervention places substantial focus on reducing this impediment. A safe and secure environment attracts capital, encourages growth, and helps to improve conditions that contribute to the overall quality of life of…
Read MoreChinese being updated on Guyana’s business laws
By Whitney Persaud and Leana Bradshaw Chinese Association executive member Brian Yong A top executive of the Chinese Association in Guyana has given assurance that efforts are being made to ensure Chinese business owners are aware of the laws and regulations under which they operate. Executive member Brian Yong explained that efforts are being made to ensure that the Chinese businesses become aware of the rules and legal obligations that they must follow once they operate in the country. “These people are here because they want to make a living…
Read MoreGuySuCo to mechanise on grander scale – Dr Ramsammy
Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said he was disappointed that the sugar industry has failed to meet its target for another year, contending that while he does not want to blame anyone, the industry would have to make fundamental changes and shift its operational thinking to turn things around. He said for 2013, mechanisation in the industry will take place on a grander scale as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) grapples with an unstable workforce and poor weather. “It’s about fundamental changes that the industry will have to make… the…
Read MorePressure mounts on Parliament to speed up local gov’t reforms
By Pushpa Balgobin Captain Gerry Gouveia There is a generation that is lacking knowledge of local government elections and that is a severe detriment to the future; this was the consensus of many local community leaders and educators throughout Guyana. Jennifer Khan, a primary school teacher stated that she herself has never voted in a local government election and she is educating generations of children to “think this is normal in society.” She stated that last year’s national election was a time to teach her students what governance was and…
Read MoreNew Drug Strategy Master Plan being drafted
-Guyana’s drug fight commendable The Home Affairs Ministry is currently working on the formulation of the National Drug Strategy Master Plan 2013-2018. At present, an Inception Report, which will inform the consultative process and the design of the plan, has been completed. This document will be taken to Cabinet shortly for its approval after which the Ministry will move swiftly to advance the consultative process with a view to completion of the Master Plan within six months. In the interim, the Ministry and its sub-agencies are guided by the collective…
Read MoreClimate change, a reason to manage natural resources – former Dominican agriculture minister
Atherton Martin, a conservationist and former agriculture minister in Dominica, said climate change should be forcing Caribbean countries to take a hard look at how they are managing their natural resources, lest they eventually disappear. “What the climate change principles tell us is that basically when your natural resource systems are debilitated, weakened or destroyed by climate change, your economy is thereby destroyed,” he told IPS. But all is not bleak. Martin believes climate change could potentially benefit the Caribbean in two ways: Firstly, by forcing a change in mindset…
Read MoreHistory must unite; not divide
The Caribbean has a proud history of rebellion against inhuman ‘peculiar institution’ – slavery. It is important to note that this rebellious spirit in the service of justice and equality was not only waged in the early days and only by recent arrivals from the African continent. During the lead-up to the emancipation of slavery in British colonies on August 1834, when the emancipation movement had already gained a head of steam in England, there were three great rebellions by Creoles i.e. native-born slaves in the Caribbean – in Barbados,…
Read MoreOpposition stance on security reform “regrettable”- Minister Rohee
In the wake of the combined opposition’s refusal to cooperate with government on a Clement Rohee-led Security Strategy, the Home Affairs Minister deemed their position “regrettable.” A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) pledged their support for reforms in the sector but not under Rohee who is embattled by a no-confidence motion over his handling of national security. Several hours after the 33-seat combined opposition made their positions known, the Home Affairs Minister lashed back, saying the opposition has no grounds to stand on and…
Read MoreRamotar urges political compromise in 2013
The President’s New Year message follows: Fellow Guyanese, a Happy New Year to you all wherever you are in Guyana and in the diaspora. I hope that this new year will bring more prosperity to you in all of your personal and professional endeavours. I urge you to re-commit yourselves in achieving all of your goals. As we bid goodbye to the year 2012, it is customary to reflect on the year gone by. For us, it has been a year of challenges and also positive developments. In the face…
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