Year: 2014

BY SAMUEL SUKHNANDAN   Canadian oil company CGX Energy Inc said the legal arbitration it has brought against Repsol was a last resort after efforts to redress its “transgression through dialogue” did not work. “CGX maintains that it is imperative it protects the rights of its shareholders, many of whom are Guyanese, both locally and in the diaspora, in terms of the Georgetown licence,” the company’s general counsel Michael Galego told Guyana Times International in a recent interview. Explaining the details of the dispute between his company and Repsol, CGX…

The opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is calling for better working conditions for members of the Guyana Police Force, saying this will inspire ranks to better perform their duties with diligence and integrity. At the party’s weekly press conference, its chairman, David Granger highlighted rising road fatality figures, pointing out the recent death of Chief Librarian Gillian Thompson. He said the force is “badly under strength, with some 200 officers leaving every year. “We are calling for increased enforcement so that we can save more lives. We…

There were smiles on the faces of many of the 26 young patients on Christmas Day, when President Donald Ramotar accompanied by his daughter Lisa Ramotar, along with Chief Executive Officer Michael Khan and other officials visited the Paediatric Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital. The president and his daughter delivered gifts and kind words to the young children who are being treated for ailments ranging from burns and broken limbs, to cancer. The head of state said he was happy to be able to visit the children who were…

The Rights of the Child Commission (RCC), sponsored by UNICEF, participated in an international workshop – Adolescent and Youth Civic Participation held in Brasília, Brazil on December 10-13. According to a release from the RCC, the event was part of the self-managed activities of the Global Human Rights Forum. Approximately 130 participants from 12 different countries attended the international workshop: adolescents, young people, policymakers, leaders of social movements, student leaders and other stakeholders developing programmes and policies aimed at ensuring the right to participation of young people. The first day…

Work on the four-lane extension road project being undertaken on the East Coast and East Bank highways is expected to be fast-tracked next year. While there have been some delays owing to several issues encountered by the contractors, the work should be completed by the first quarter of 2014 at the latest. This is according to an official of the Public Works Ministry. Stern warning According to the official, most of the issues that were brought to the attention of the Work Services Group (WSG) of the Public Works Ministry…

Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang has thrown out a case brought by the owner of BM Soat Auto Sales at Success, East Coast Demerara (ECD) against the Public Works Ministry on the upgrading of the four-lane road from Better Hope–Mahaica (ECD). According to a Public Works Ministry release, Justice Chang on December 20 dismissed the matter as “illegally misconceived”. The delays have cost the public purse tens of millions of dollars. “There are no legal impediments stopping the Ministry of Public Works from proceeding to demolish the illegal structure. The…

The local mining sector is set to benefit from new technology in 2014, geared at cutting down the use of mercury, Natural Resource and Environment Minister Robert Persaud said. He told Guyana Times International that the sector will receive a great boost with the introduction of more trained personnel and equipment. “We’ve looked in terms of introducing better technology and new technology to improve the recovery and less impact on the environment, more in terms of training in this regard.” The minister said discussions are currently underway with the Amerindians…

Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali has taken the Kaieteur News to task regarding an article published on Christmas Day headlined “Eccles to Providence hijacked by private developers”. Speaking at a press conference on Friday at his ministry’s Brickdam, Georgetown office, Ali said the news report is riddled with lies and designed to paint the Donald Ramotar administration in a bad light. The minister contended that the report sought to create a picture that government sold most of the land from the Eccles to Providence, East Bank Demerara, to private…