Dear Editor, Last night, I was at the airport to pick up my wife, I saw facing the arriving guests a very large billboard advertising BaiShanLin International Mall. As the Chairman of MCG Investments Inc, the owners of the Giftland Mall, I am concerned and I am kindly publicly requesting from the Finance Ministry and the GRA Commissioner, who I do not hold accountable in any way, the details of these two mentioned investments which were concluded before their control of these two Government departments. For the record, Giftland Mall…
Read MoreYear: 2016
Behaviour of Minister Ramjattan is despicable and unacceptable
Dear Editor, I write in relation to Khemraj Ramjatan’s recent ranting in the press in response to a statement made by former Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee. It is with great disgust that citizens of Guyana and the international community at large had to witness Ramjattan responding to Rohee by stating that he can “haul his ***”. I sat at my desk wondering if Ramjattan was inebriated as he appeared or just plain crazy. Behaviour of this nature from a Minister of Government and a Vice-President is despicable and…
Read MorePresident should show compassion by forgiving woman who allegedly made FB posts about him
Dear Editor, I have noted with concern the recent headlines as it relates to a lady being charged for allegedly posting threatening remarks against President David Granger on her Facebook and WhatsApp social media accounts. Clearly, the keystone cops and medieval justice system that prevail for the most part in Guyana are way out of their league in this specific matter. The charge is being laid under the “Racial Hostility Act” but the alleged crime itself is one that has its origins in cyberspace and there is no existing cybercrime…
Read MoreGlobal Fund multimillion-dollar fraud findings: Probe to be launched soon – Dr Norton
BY DEVINA SAMAROO Government will soon launch an investigation into findings of a multimillion-dollar fraud in its malaria programme, which is funded by the Global Fund International Organisation. Following complaints of mass irregularities in the Global Fund malaria grant in Guyana, the international organisation commenced an investigation into the matter, covering the period January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015. According to the findings of the investigation, there were complaints of fabricated data in relation to the distribution of bed nets, malaria surveillance activities and associated fraudulent expenditures, including ‘per…
Read MoreUN’s prohibitionist approach with illicit drugs demonstrates impotency
Dear Editor, The UN held a special session, the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on Illicit and Illegal Drugs between 16 April and 19 this year. The session was called in recognition of the increasing health and economic burdens posed by the growing problem of illicit drug use and drug dependency in the world. The illicit and illegal drug use problem has morphed into an enormous tragedy affecting individual lives in millions of families and threatening the economics and security of families, communities and countries around the world, with…
Read MorePharma Procurement muddle
“Sole sourcing” is the procuring of supplies without any bidding process to ensure that the most competitive prices are secured. In the less than one year it has been in office, the APNU/AFC government has repeatedly “sole sourced” pharmaceuticals – the sin it had falsely criticised the previous regime of practicing. Previously in our health sector, medicines and medical supplies were procured through two mechanisms: open bidding and bidding by pre-qualified suppliers. The latter was recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Bank for comprehensive country purchases so…
Read MoreMini-unrest at Grove/ Diamond Police Station
…Prisoner starts fire after being denied cigarette A prisoner who is in the lockups at the Diamond/Grove Police Station, East Bank Demerara (EBD) allegedly started a fire today after he was denied the request of having a cigarette from an officer. Reports are that the fire began sometime around noon on Thursday when the man asked a female rank on duty if she would allow him the opportunity of having a cigarette which he wished to smoke. According to a relative of another prisoner, the officer denied him such, and…
Read MoreResponse to CPL ticket sales in US very encouraging – organisers
KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Caribbean Premier League organisers say the initial response to ticket sales for the Florida leg of the Twenty20 tournament have been encouraging and point to a successful hosting of the matches there. Six games in the CPL will be played at the Lauderhill Stadium in Fort Lauderdale from July 28-31, marking the first time fixtures have been carded outside of the Caribbean region. “What’s interesting is that we went on sale with tickets [approximately two weeks ago] and already we’ve sold close to 5,000 tickets. That’s…
Read MoreGuyana’s rice farmers plead for more assistance from Govt
In the face of the tremendous challenges that rice farmers countrywide have experienced as a result of the El Niño conditions which have resulted in them suffering major losses, they are yet to receive assistance from Government. This information was revealed to Guyana Times International by rice farmers who are yet again calling for assistance. Farmers related to this publication that the General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and representatives from the Rice Producers Association (RPA) visited a number of rice farmers in Leguan and Wakenaam (Essequibo)…
Read MoreWoman who jumped off Harbour Bridge receiving psychiatric treatment
The 38-year-old woman who was rescued yesterday after she plunged into the Demerara River in an attempt to end her life due to “spiritual problems” is presently receiving psychiatric treatment. However, at this point in time it is unclear as to whether or not charges will be laid against her for committing an act which would have harmed/killed her. Meanwhile, police officials are yet to determine in which jurisdiction this incident took place and who is responsible for deciding whether or not charges should be laid. Reports are that the…
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