Month: August 2017

While Government has announced a further delay in passage of the Juvenile Justice Reform Bill, to be laid in the National Assembly, Child Rights Advocate Nicole Cole is urging Government to work expeditiously to ensure that the Bill is presented in Parliament by the new deadline. Cole, who sits on the Rights of the Child Commission (ROCC) representing the Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC), expressed disappointment that the Bill has not yet been laid in Parliament when Government had earlier promised to have it presented this month. “We have…

– reportedly beaten with a spade A 53-year-old father of one is now dead after he was beaten with a spade at the Potaro Backdam, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), following a drunken argument. The 35-year-old suspect is in custody assisting the Police with their investigation. According to reports, Mohabeer Gangadeen Kooblall of GAC Old Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, was imbibing at Potaro Backdam with his coworker when an argument ensued. F Division (Interior locations) Commander, Senior Superintendent Ravindranauth Budhram told this publication that during the argument, the suspect picked up…

Finance Minister Winston Jordan has refuted claims that a buyer has been identified for the Skeldon Sugar Factory by stating that that information is simply not true. “There is no confirmed buyer as such,” he said. “This (sale) has to be done in a very transparent process, because this Government prides itself on accountability and transparency.” Jordan told a media conference on Monday that he has heard about a lot of unsolicited interest in the sugar factory, but he reiterated that there are no confirmed buyers as yet. “Those people…

-man had travelled via Guyana A High Court judge has called on Parliament to revise immigration laws to more clearly define the powers of Immigration officials in handling illegal immigrants and refugees. Justice Carol Gobin made the call last Friday as she ordered the immediate release of Nigerian Henry Ekwedike, who was unlawfully detained while applying for permanent residency through his Trinidadian wife after living in Trinidad for almost a decade. Gobin said: “The challenges posed by increased illegal immigration, human trafficking and a phenomenon which we may well anticipate…

– but closure of Skeldon Energy Inc., other factors lower projections The 2017 Mid-Year Report presented to the National Assembly by Finance Minister Winston Jordan has revealed that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has a metaphorically long and winding road ahead of it. In particular, it can expect a decrease in revenue because of two principal reasons, being (1): the Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI) was inoperable during the first crop of 2017; and (2): the sugar production target was reduced because of inclement weather, strike action from sugar workers, and…

Liberalisation of Guyana’s telecoms sector Government continues on a mission to fully liberalise the telecommunication sector, announcing plans to set up a telecommunications authority to monitor this new industry in keeping with legislative requirements and regulations. The Finance Ministry’s Mid-Year Report recently stated that negotiations with the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) are expected to be completed by the end of the year, and thereafter the authority would be established. The report also relayed that the requisite regulations have been published for comments. During installation of the Public Utilities…

-aims to inspire elderly folks to exercise President David Granger, on Thursday, received a courtesy call at State House from Mr. Ashraf Ali, a US-based Guyanese, whose passion is swimming. This 71 year-old has swam across the Demerara, Berbice, Essequibo and several other rivers and lakes. His greatest feat thus far is swimming seven miles from Guyana to Suriname, using the route traversed by the Ferry, which operates between the two countries. During the meeting, President Granger told Mr. Ali that after hearing about his accomplishments at such an age,…