February 2014 – Page 16 – Guyana Times International

GDF private accused of murdering ex-boyfriend’s mother remanded

February 7, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Twenty-six-year-old Abiola “Abby” Jacobs was not required to plead to the indictable charge when she appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in Court One. Jacobs is accused of murdering Donna Taylor at her Lot 1617 Public Road, Agricola home on January 31. Taylor was found with her hands tied behind her back and her throat slit a short distance away from her home in a clump of bushes. The accused was unrepresented by defence counsel and stood silently while the charge was read to her. She was subsequently remanded until…

Proposed changes to ERC for House vote next week

February 7, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Committee on Appointments Chairman, Dr George Norton is expected to present a report in the National Assembly on Monday relating to the reorganisation of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). Dr Norton told Guyana Times International on Wednesday that the report will entail plans to add three more members to the legal structure of the ERC. He explained that the committee is moving to increase the number of appointees from seven to 10, and so include a representative from an Afro-Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese and Amerindian group. That new category will be referred…

Revenue boss reports dramatic increases in tax collection at Guyana-Suriname border

February 7, 2014 TIMES INT'L

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has reported a dramatic increase in revenue collection at the notorious smuggling hotbed of the Guyana/Suriname border, with tax collection moving from approximately Gy$7 million to a whopping Gy$25 million weekly. But it is still to hone in on a port at Line Path, which GRA chief Khurshid Sattaur admitted was problematic. Sattaur said the increase in revenue was made possible after GRA put several new systems in place, plugging numerous loopholes that for years helped a number of Corentyne businesses to prosper. He noted…

Engaging the citizenry

February 7, 2014 TIMES INT'L

In any democracy citizens expect public institutions to be transparent and accountable. Hence, institutions such as the parliament, government ministries, the courts, law enforcement agencies etc. must always strive to engage the various stakeholders in the society as to how they can be more open, transparent and accessible to the public. Too many times, public institutions operate with a high degree of secrecy and away from public scrutiny. The end result is that, in addition to ordinary citizens being denied an opportunity to direct probing questions to those in authority,…

Rainstorm to hit Guyana’s coast, massive flash floods expected

February 7, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Extreme rainfall is expected to hit Guyana today (Thursday) and can result in massive flash floods across the country, the Agriculture Ministry has warned in a release on Wednesday. The ministry, in collaboration with the hydrometeorological service, has indicated that there is a 70 per cent chance that this can happen. The high intensity weather pattern, which is presently over the Atlantic, continues to develop, and as a result, Guyana will experience rainfall of 45 to 80mm over a 24-hour period, the ministry predicted. Regions Three to Five and northern…