Year: 2017

While describing as unlawful and unconstitutional the recent decision taken by President David Granger to unilaterally select someone of his choice to head the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), outspoken economist and political commentator Ramon Gaskin has said that on that basis alone, he is confident the parliamentary Opposition would win the battle against ‘dictatorship.’ He maintains that the Constitution says the GECOM Chair has to be picked from a list presented by the Opposition Leader, and unless there is no list presented, the President cannot himself pick someone. “The Constitution…

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Police from G Division (Essequibo Islands and Coast) have unearthed 168 grams of cannabis from the house and yard of a Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast resident during a raid on October 21. The house of 29-year-old Sherville Clarke was visited by Police ranks who found a quantity of seeds and leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa (ganja) under a mattress. When Police approached Clarke, he attempted to escape. A search was also carried out in the yard next to the bathroom and a black plastic bag was found which contained 17…

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A New Amsterdam family has claimed to be now living in fear after a person who had allegedly perpetrated acts of terror against them was recently released from police custody, and is allegedly continuing to terrorise the family. Tractor operator Marlon John, in a recent interview, told this newspaper that he saw the suspect leaving his premises last Wednesday evening. That was the same night when arson was carried out at his home at Lot 852 Glasgow New Housing Scheme, Greater New Amsterdam, Berbice. John, 35, observed that the suspect,…

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Many questions still abound over the appointment of retired Justice James Patterson to the helm of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), including ‘Did he lie on his Curriculum Vitae (CV)?’ Another proffered question is whether the President acted callously since the timelines presented to the nation do not add up. Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Wednesday raised the queries and pointed out that on the CV provided for the post of GECOM Chairman, it was pointed out that in 1987, Patterson had served as the Chief Justice of Grenada. Jagdeo…

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As time draws closer for Guyana becoming an oil producing country, certain mechanisms are being put in place to prepare for this new industry and one example is a plan to develop an onshore oil facility. In an effort to get this started, Government has resumed dialogue with its eastern neighbour – Suriname – to look at the possibility of developing a joint industrial centre that will hopefully service both countries. Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman told Guyana Times International on Monday that Government plans to make preparations for a…

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After years of delay, the appointees to the Local Government Commission (LGC) were on Monday sworn in at State House by President David Granger, who reiterated that the move reflects his Administration’s commitment to good governance. However, the operationalisation of the body comes 19 months after the historic return of Local Government Elections in Guyana, and it ends a lengthy back and forth between Government and the Opposition over the non-functionality of the constitutional organ. The Commission’s members are Mortimer Mingo, Clement Corlette, Marlon Williams, Jo Ann Romascindo, Andrew Garnett,…

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The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Monday filed an injunction in the High Court to rescind President David Granger’s unilateral appointment of retired Justice James Patterson as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on the grounds of unconstitutionality. Former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall described the unilateral appointment not only as unconstitutional but illegal, null, void and of no effect. Nandlall said the PPP is also seeking a declaration that Justice Patterson is not qualified to be appointed in provision with Article 161-2 of the…

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Human skeletal remains were discovered in a clump of bushes in the compound of an abandoned school at Vryheid Road, Savannah Park in New Amsterdam on Monday morning. The discovery was made by a contractor who had gone to carry out repair works to the school building, which had not been used since 2015, when the school was moved to another location. Over the past two years, the building was vandalised and the compound taken over by thick vegetation. Several rib bones and parts of limbs seemed to be missing…

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday between the University of Guyana (UG) and the Natural Resources Ministry for the disbursement of a G$100 million philanthropic education grant for the year 2017-2018. The Faculty of Technology, the Faculty for Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Geology Department of the University of Guyana will see a significant boost following the signing of that MoU. Vice Chancellor of UG, Professor Ivelaw Griffith said the process started several months ago, where the Natural Resources Ministry made a commitment to invest in…

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US-based oil exploration – Hess Corp – one of the ExxonMobil partners developing the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana has this past year sold off a large portion of its asset base in order to focus on its long-term development of its Guyana assets. The company has executed some $2.7 billion in oilfield sales this past week as part of its strategy of giving up steady production to help fund what could be one of the world’s biggest discoveries into the next decade. The oil explorer with operations on five continents…

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