August 2014 – Page 11 – Guyana Times International

Gov’t scraps new Birth Certificate rule for passport

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

The Home Affairs Ministry on Wednesday announced that it was scrapping the policy for new applicants for passports to have new Birth Certificates following intense pressure from members of the public. The Ministry; however, said that because of the need to do extensive background checks on applicants, the usual five-day processing time might be extended. In a release, the Ministry said with the introduction of the machine-readable passport system, there was a requirement by the Ministry that the Guyana Police Force would implement an arrangement where members of the public…

ECD girl crowned Miss Emancipation 2014

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Franale Latoya Holder, 22, who hails from the East Coast of Demerara was on Saturday evening crowned Miss Emancipation Queen 2014 in Guyana by the House of Sanae at a simple ceremony at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown. This gem of a young woman can be described as one with an abundance of aspiration, inspiration and talent as she confidently makes her journey to her success. The beautiful young lady, through her courage, vibrancy, intelligence and talent, aspires to become a professional musician and has already embarked on her career.…

Rohee dismisses PNCR sabotage claims

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has dismissed outright claims by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) that it tried to sabotage that party’s 18th Biennial Congress held over the weekend. At the party’s weekly press conference on Monday, General Secretary Clement Rohee said there were more pertinent things to be dealt with than seeking to interfere in the politics of the main Opposition party. “We have other interests to pursue, our party’s interest, so why would the PPP want to… We must be a very influential and powerful party to…

Miss Guyana World helps fight against domestic violence

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Reigning Miss Guyana World Rafieya Husain last Thursday presented a cheque to Help and Shelter to assist in the fight against domestic violence in Guyana. In a simple handing over ceremony, Help and Shelter Coordinator Margaret Kertzious expressed gratitude for the donation and said it will help continue their efforts in eradicating domestic violence and giving support to victims. Kosher also said that more young people with passion like Husain are needed in this fight. Husain, whose platform at the local pageant was initial signs of domestic violence, noted that…

AFC continues to attack the Finance Minister

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, The Alliance For Change (AFC) continues its personal attack on Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh with its recent unsubstantiated complaint to the acting Police Commissioner of illegal spending by the Minister and other senior Government officials of some Gy$4.5 billion claimed not to have been approved by the National Assembly. This is yet another nefarious approach by the AFC to gain cheap political points by misleading and misinforming the Guyanese populace. Embarrassing to note, the AFC has in its armoury a bench of lawyers; however, one will question…

We are being bamboozled by no-confidence motion

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, The whole sordid affair that took place over the weekend at the PNCR Congress serves as a reminder that our political leaders are failing the people and are afraid to embrace the tenets of what true democracy is all about. How else could one describe the internal jiggery-pokery and shenanigans to subvert a democratic process that took place at Congress Place or the ruling Government’s brazen unwillingness to call a date for crucial democratic local government elections? Now we are being bamboozled and distracted by a “No-Confidence” motion.…

Urgent need to pass the AML bill

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, Government must be commended for establishing the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). This unit it is reported, will be “dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of suspected financial transactions”. The initiative to establish this agency within the Guyana Police Force forms part of Guyana’s obligation to comply with non-parliamentary recommendations as advanced by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) through its Mutual Evaluation Report of 2011. A major criticism regarding the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) is that it does not have the authority to arrest and prosecute…

ANSA McAL is dodging the issue

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, I would like to comment on the article “ANSA McAL questions exclusion from drug supply pre-qualification… says facilities not checked during evaluation process”. I am a Guyanese who spent some time in Trinidad and was employed in a pharmacy, as I am now, that I am back in Guyana. First, I would like to say that over in Trinidad, the bidding is controlled by the National Insurance Property Development Company Limited (NIPDEC), with which all prospective suppliers have to register. Their registration form asks for the “nationality” of…

Discrepancy in report on Walter Rodney’s body – Roman Catholic priest

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

Roman Catholic Jesuit Priest, Malcolm Rodrigues on Thursday said there was a contradiction between an official media report and the state of Walter Rodney’s body as a result of a bomb-in-walkie-talkie explosion 34 years ago. He told the Rodney Commission of Inquiry that a radio station had reported at 6 AM on June 14, 1980 that Rodney’s face was disfigured beyond recognition as a result of an explosion on June 13, 1980. Rodrigues, however, said when he went to Lyken Funeral Parlour he saw Rodney’s face intact but his lower…

Guyanese students witness launch of space rocket

August 4, 2014 TIMES INT'L

– at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana A group of science students from Guyana got to witness the launch of an Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into space of an Ariane 5 ES rocket from Europe’s Spaceport, Centre Spatial Guyana is in Kourou, French Guiana. Historically, what they witnessed was the last of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ATV project, with the launch of ATV- 5 on Tuesday en route to the International Space Station. Named after the Belgian scientist who formulated the Big Bang Theory, ATV Georges Lemaître is the…