Dear Editor, Growing up, it was almost impossible to escape the blathering noises about the ‘rigged elections’ in the 1980s and before. Many times, conveniently, those seemingly redundant avowals began to sink in as pure hogwash. The reason was simple. I did not exist in that epoch, why be bothered by such confabulations. However, things took a melancholic turn. History repeated itself. The famous Karl Marx warnings came alive: “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.” Never in my wildest imagination had I envisioned that the generation of…
Read MoreYear: 2015
Exxon Mobil oil find: Granger says set-up of Sovereign Wealth Fund now crucial
By Alexis Rodney With exploration company Exxon Mobil announcing that it has discovered oil during its drilling in the Stabroek Offshore Guyana, President David Granger said it becomes even more important for his administration to set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) A SWF is defined as pools of money derived from a country’s reserves, which are set aside for investment purposes that will benefit the country’s economy and citizens. The funding for a Sovereign Wealth Fund comes from Central Bank reserves that accumulate as a result of budget and…
Read MoreUnanswered questions
Shrouded in controversy, the 2015 elections results were announced last Saturday placing the APNU+AFC coalition in the seat of government. The new government is beginning to take shape with the appointment of ministers and other top government officials. The general situation in Georgetown and its environs seems to be getting back to some sense of normalcy. Georgetown literally ground to a halt during the week of elections. School children, especially those sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Exams, were affected. Businesses also took a beating as there was a feeling…
Read More‘Significant’ oil find in Guyana
…US oil giant Exxon Mobil confirms Days after announcing its discovery of hydrocarbons, oil and gas giant ExxonMobil is now reporting the discovery of oil-bearing rock in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. The United States-based oil company said the Liza-1 well has encountered more than 295 feet of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs. The well is the first on the 6.6-million acre Stabroek Block and has been drilled to 17,825 feet. It was drilled by ExxonMobil local subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd. ExxonMobil’s President, Stephen Greenlee said he was…
Read MorePresident Granger unveils Cabinet
… Nagamootoo sworn in as PM, several Ministries merged, renamed By Alexis Rodney Veteran politician Moses Nagamootoo was on Wednesday sworn in as Prime Minister and First Vice President of the David Granger-led Administration. His swearing in preceded the official appointment of some 15 other Cabinet Ministers as part of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition Government. Nagamootoo is now tasked with the chairmanship of the Cabinet. In his capacity, he will hold a liaison and supervisory role of the entire Cabinet to work around the…
Read More4th of July Fireworks in New York City set for East River again
According to a release from the Mayor’s office, the 39th annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks will once again ignite the skyline over New York City from the East River with the nation’s largest Independence Day pyrotechnic display. The show will begin at approximately 9:20 PM on the Fourth of July from 2 locations on the East River in Midtown and within the South Street Seaport historic district. Brave, the theme of this year’s show, will fire more than 40,000 pyrotechnic shells during a 25-minute synchronized display. Designed in collaboration…
Read MoreElections were free, fair and credible – Private Sector Commission
By Gomatie Gangadin Five of the 14 local observers, which were accredited for Monday’s General and Regional Elections, have given thumbs up to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for the hosting of what they described as “free and fair elections”. The five local observer missions comprising of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB), the British High Commission, the United States Embassy and the Canadian High Commission have all given GECOM thumbs up for the recently held National and Regional Elections. Speaking at a press conference at…
Read MoreStabroek News, Kaieteur News peddle lies about NEW GPC
… as Govt seeks to keep pharma supply chain intact In a banner headline Saturday, the Stabroek News screamed, “Over Gy$2B speeded up for NEW GPC INC – no drugs supplied yet”. It was a clear effort to smear the NEW GPC, the company which had emerged as the only one of the seven bidders in 2014 to fulfil the World Health Organisation/Wor-ld Bank inspired National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) criteria to become pre-qualified to supply pharmaceuticals to the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.…
Read MoreThe Guyana Constitution should be replaced
Dear Editor, Chief Justice Ian Chang is expected to rule on the challenge (filed by a few voters) of the Presidential Term Limit Bill. I will be most surprised if he rules that the bill is “constitutional”. And whichever way he rules, rest assured that there will be a challenge. Voters were never consulted by the constitution and never gave their assent to it. For me, and indeed a majority of people I spoke with since 1978, the Burnham constitution is unconstitutional. It should have been dumped twenty two years…
Read MoreUS Embassy congratulates Guyanese for poll conduct
Dear Editor, The US Embassy congratulates the Guyanese people on the democratic process that was observed in last Monday’s elections. It was heartening to witness the enthusiasm with which Guyanese voters participated in the electoral process which will ultimately choose their next government. The Guyana Elections Commission has once again done a credible job in ensuring that this critical election day phase of the process was free and fair. It dealt effectively with the challenges posed by high voter turnout and community exuberance in a manner that has ensured the…
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