Year: 2014

– says “I was in Belgrade when Rodney was killed” By Alexis Rodney Former Commander of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and now Opposition Leader, David Granger said he was not fearful of the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry into the killing of Dr Walter Rodney, stating that he was on travel duties overseas when the incident occurred. Granger, the leader of the People’s National Congress (now Reform) under whose administration Rodney was killed, is seen as a key witness in the incident. It was widely alleged that then…

The ABC countries, along with a number of civil society organizations in Guyana, have reiterated their call for the holding of local government elections this year. The opposition recently approved a bill for local government elections to be held by August 1, 2014, but People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee said while his party was ready for Local Government Elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was not. PPP-appointed commissioners of GECOM have advised the party that the commission has yet to establish boundaries and provide voter education about…

Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail Teixeira said the Government of Guyana is awaiting the return of U.S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt to fix a date to commence talks on the stalled US$1.2 million Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) governance project. Ambassador Hardt is currently out of Guyana on official duties. On February 13, Teixeira had said the Donald Ramotar Administration had agreed to meet with the U.S. during the week of February 17-21, but 18 days after that press conference at the Office of the President, the parties are yet to…

The political unrest in Venezuela has created quite a stir, but there is no plan by the government to bring Guyanese in the Spanish-speaking neighbouring country home, as they have made no such request. Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett in a recent interview told Guyana Times International that the government is monitoring the situation through its embassy in Caracas. Some 30,000 Guyanese are living in Venezuela, and their relatives in Guyana are concerned about their safety following weeks of opposition-led disturbance. A few days ago, sister Caribbean Community (Caricom) nation Trinidad…

The impasse on the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) (AML/CFT) Bill continued on Wednesday as parliamentarians yet again fail to reach a consensus on the vital legislation which would avoid the blackening of the country’s image internationally. According to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, the Chief Parliamentary Counsel (CPC) Cecil Dhurjon has failed to complete the draft for the proposed amendments from the opposition parties. Dhurjon told the members that he was having some difficulty drafting the amendments for the bill because the…

Despite media reports that Crime Chief Seelall Persaud is tipped to replace Leroy Brumell as Police Commissioner, President Donald Ramotar has yet to consult with Opposition Leader David Granger as is constitutionally mandated. However, unlike the Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Judiciary appointments, the President is not required to agree with the Opposition Leader’s choice. Former Opposition Leader Robert Corbin had opposed the appointment of Henry Greene as the police chief, but then President Bharrat Jagdeo confirmed him as Commissioner,  albeit two years after he was appointed to act.…