Year: 2017

Months after it took office in 2015, the coalition Government had announced that it would facilitate a US$50 million, 25-megawatt wind farm project at Hope Beach on the East Coast of Demerara. But with intense criticism about a party-affiliated investor being behind the project, such talk eventually died down. According to well-placed sources, however, negotiations to bring the wind farm to fruition are going strong. In an interview with Guyana Times International, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Juan Edghill made it clear the Party remained concerned about the…

As the public outcry continues over the seemingly fast-tracked redundancy of hundreds of Rose Hall Estate workers, their representative body, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has criticised the move of Government through the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), calling the actions “unkind”, “cold” and heartless”. GAWU on Monday contended that workers were caught off-guard by letters in light of an announcement by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon that the Estate would not be closed until next year. It was recognised that no alternatives were in place for the…

Amidst constant heckling from the Government side, Opposition parliamentarian, Dr Frank Anthony during his 2018 Budget Debate speech on Tuesday, described the 2018 Budget as one that is lackluster and has nothing tangible to offer Guyanese. The former Culture, Youth and Sport Minister said Budget 2018 is an offensive one, telling the Parliament the budget is a representation of the tiredness of the Government. “This lackluster budget offends everyone. In just 2.5 years, four budgets latter, the (Finance) Minister seems tired and the Government seems tired. They badly need a…

A Diamond, East Bank Demerara man was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for indecently assaulting a seven-year-old girl. Anansuaruddin Khan was charged for the offence in July, and his trial came to an end on Wednesday. Magistrate Judy Latchman handed down the sentence at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The 36-year-old man was told that the Court believed the evidence presented by the prosecution and as such, he was found guilty as charged. The charge had stated that between June 1 and June 30, 2017, in Georgetown, Khan indecently assaulted the…

Adrian McKenzie was on Tuesday sentenced to spend the next 12 years of his life in prison for unlawfully killing his mother. This sentence was handed down by Justice James Bovell-Drakes at the High Court in Georgetown after the accused was declared medically fit by Government Psychiatrist, Dr Bhiro Harry. The specialist had, however, highlighted in his report that the self-confessed killer had a history of mental challenges for which he received treatment. McKenzie, an electrician by trade, had pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, admitting that he…

Touting Budget 2018 as “fundamentally flawed”, Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, said that the Coalition Government continues to fail the economy while engaging in unhealthy competition with the Private Sector. She added that the government is yet to bring substantial investment to stimulate the dwindling economy. “You have created unfriendly environment for investors, by closing down the concessions of Bai Shan Lin…you chase away Barama. You are sending a message to the world that Guyana does not want you to come here, that we don’t want foreigners here and you…

As investigations continue into the brutal death of Richard Ishmael Secondary School teacher Kescia Branche, whose battered body was found at the corner of Princes Street and Louisa Row, Georgetown, Police are encountering hindrance by the lack of DNA testing being conducted locally. Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was recently questioned over the status of the lab’s readiness for DNA testing, and he responded by saying that the necessary infrastructure is still not in place at the forensic lab to conduct these tests. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a material that…

The three men charged with killing 22-year-old Dewaun Baksh of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), on New Year’s 2016 were all committed to stand trial in the High Court when they appeared at the Leonora Magistrate’s Courts on Monday. Rocky Lallu, 28; Dhanraj Goberdhan, 30; and Abdool Hussain heard that a prima facie case was made out against them, and as such, they will stand trial in the High Court before a Judge and jury at the next sitting of the Demerara Assizes. On January 1, 2016, at Greenwich Park,…