Month: April 2013

The Alliance for Change (AFC) will remain an independent party, according to its leader Khemraj Ramjattan, as he responded to coalition questions posed by Guyana Times International. “At times, AFC’s views will be identical to the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and we will support initiatives of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) if we share the same view, but we will remain independent,” he explained during a telephone interview on Saturday with this newspaper. Ramjattan’s comments come on the heels of recent calls by the APNU for post-election coalition.…

Rupununi, Region Nine residents  have expressed disappointment in A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Sydney Allicock, following a statement he made during the budget debate, that the Rupununi is the most backward place in the Caribbean. On a visit to Lethem, Allicock apologised for his remarks, according to a report carried in the Sunday Chronicle. Wowetta senior councillor Bertie Xavier expressed dissatisfaction over the statement made by Allicock, who himself is a Region Nine resident, a release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. “We have seen…

University of Guyana Vice Chancellor Dr Jacob Opadeyi said the time has come for Guyana to have its own professors in areas of export production in which it specialises. He noted that although Guyana is known as the food basket of the Caribbean and produces the best rum in the world utilising practical expertise, persons are lacking the theoretical and academic qualifications. Dr Opadeyi pointed out that Guyana is noted for its rice, rum and sugar production and yet has no qualified professor of agricultural economics or professors of rum…

The national budget is an extremely important tool that affects the life of every citizen, and its presentation is looked forward to, because of the relevance it has to everyday life. This is the view of Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, who made the remark while speaking at a community meeting in Rose Hall, Region Six where discussions were centred on the developmental projects included in the budget. “It is important that the citizens of our country understand what the national budget contains, and how it is of relevance to…

By Bhisham Mohamed and Indrawattie Natram – Tragedy struck last Saturday night at Buck Hall, North West District (NWD) when a truck turned turtle after it rolled down a hill, killing at least four persons and injuring eight in the process. The accident occurred about 23:00h. The dead were identified as Aubrey Evans of Supenaam, Essequibo Coast; Richard Doobay, 33, of Riverstown; Pamela Solomon, 41, of Sophia and George Persaud of Berbice. They were reportedly pinned by the heavy-duty truck and were severely burnt by the fuel which poured out…

The Sorrel Pilot Project, aimed at exporting the high in demand fruits to overseas markets and providing much needed revenue to rural communities, has been expanding rapidly across the country. Child psychologist Dr Faith Harding, who is the mastermind behind the project, told Guyana Times International on Monday that the results of sorrel harvests in the initial target community have created a ripple effect and have seen an explosion of similar projects in rural areas. She revealed that there are now sorrel farms in Corriverton, Berbice; Moraikobai, Mahaica, Region Five;…

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Vice Chairman Dr Rupert Roopnaraine in assessing the 2013 national budget said it failed to address key problems in the ailing sugar and electricity industries among other sectors. While addressing the Parliament on Monday, he campaigned for government to establish long-term developmental plans while tackling key problems that plague the country. “There is no overall sense of the Finance Ministry developing and rationalising options, selecting best options according to clearly articulated criteria and then proposing priorities,” he contended. Dr Roopnaraine said if such a…