January 2018 – Page 18 – Guyana Times International

Mixed reviews for APNU/AFC’s Govt

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

The People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition continues to receive a plethora of mixed reviews about its overall performance and governance of the country since assuming executive office back in May 2015. Political analyst, Dr David Hinds during an interview with this newspaper said after careful analysis, he is unable to say with a good conscience that the coalition Government has performed exceptionally well since winning those elections. He said even though there has been no “discernable shift” from the approach of…

Wasting Guyana’s scarce resources

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, In an article on the above-referenced subject which appeared in the news media on December 29, it was reported that the Minister for Public Infrastructure (MPI), David Patterson, told reporters at his end-of-year press conference that a multi-disciplinary team has been meeting with ExxonMobil to review identifiable onshore sites for the storage and distribution of natural gas expected to be produced as a by-product from oil-fields being developed off Guyana’s Atlantic Coast. This action is another example of Minister Patterson putting, “the horse before the cart,” with ill-conceived…

EBD man placed on G$150,000 bail for scrap metal licence fraud

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

A Timehri Hill, East Bank Demerara (EBD) resident appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday to answer to a fraud charge. Standing in the prisoner’s dock, Nelson McKenzie denied the charge that between June 20, 2017 and October 7, 2017 in Georgetown, he defrauded and forged a scrap metal export licence purporting it to be a genuine document. The popular hotel manager was accused of making the document appear as though it was filed on behalf of the Avinash Scrap Metal Dealers. In court on Wednesday, the prosecution objected…

Democratic gains were challenged in 2017 – PPP

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

The Parliamentary Opposition has said the dawn of a New Year offers an opportune moment for reflection on successes and failures, an assessment of strengths and weaknesses, the charting of relevant courses for personal advancement, and the move forward for the collective prosperity as a nation. In reflecting on 2017, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has said Guyanese faced many challenges as the country’s democratic gains were challenged and the areas where other gains were made saw setbacks. However, the resoluteness of “our people proved unwavering, demonstrating that the spirit…

Psychological effects of closure begin to take toll

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

…as 2 dismissed sugar workers commit suicide Two sugar workers who were issued dismissal letters by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) have committed suicide. Reports are Ramnarase Bissesar of Inner Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara, ingested a poisonous substance on December 28, 2017, having received his dismissal letter. The second person, Joseph Mohabir, a Field Superintendent, was reportedly found hanging in his bedroom on Old Year’s Day. He too was among the workers who were dismissed by GuySuCo. Bissesar reportedly returned home around 14:00h after he visited some friends and told…

Power company promises Guyanese better services in 2018

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

Despite acknowledging that there has still been no noticeable improvement in its customer relations, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated has said that it will work harder this year to improve its efficiency, though the company is still faced with several major issues. GPL Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Technical), Elwyn Marshall, said notwithstanding these challenges; GPL has managed to perform commendable in 2017 and could only improve from thereon. “Credit must be given to the hard-working staff, especially those in the transmission and distribution sections who have been forced…

594 GDF ranks, officers promoted

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

While they may not have gotten their customary year-end bonus, a number of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ranks and officers can go into the new year with smiles, as President David Granger has approved the promotions of 35 officers and 559 other ranks. The announcement was made by Army Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Patrick West, who noted that the promotions were in accordance with Part III, Section 16 of the Defence Act 15:01 of 1977. He further noted that the promotions are with effect from January 1, 2018, except for two ranks…

Exxon contract shows a lack of responsibility and care for the citizens

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, The recent release of the Exxon contract shows a lack of responsibility and care for the Guyanese people and the environment. Firstly and most importantly this nonsense about no taxes for Exxon because they stuck by us is the most absurd form of reasoning I have seen in the business world. We are doing business with them and they came to Guyana with the expectation to do business in an environment that requires taxes to be paid. An extension of 10 years on the agreement is already a…

CJIA expansion project to be completed in 2018

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

Government had initially announced that the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project would have been completed by 2017, but this deadline has been further extended to the last quarter of 2018, due to several challenges that were encountered. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CJIA, Ramesh Ghir, made this disclosure at the Public Infrastructure Ministry’s press conference held recently. Ghir said a slippage during the extension of the south-west runway was part of the challenges that caused this deadline to be extended. “Towards the extreme south-west, where we are transitioning…

Sliding into Dystopia

January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 TIMES INT'L

The word “Dystopia” was coined in the mid nineteenth century as an antonym to Sir Thomas Moore’s 16th century “utopia”, that place where everything was perfect. In the intervening three hundred years, history, unfortunately had graphically demonstrated that even with the rationality of the Enlightenment in Europe, the human condition could still be made worse by leaders: dystopian. With half of its term behind it, the PNC-led APNU/AFC government has made a mockery of all its high sounding promises in their 2015 Manifesto. Rather than the promised “good life”, citizens…