November 2018 – Page 3 – Guyana Times International

Petroleum expert says chances of Coalition Govt being re-elected very slim

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

Former Presidential Advisor on Petroleum to Guyana, Dr Jan Mangal says a lot of what the coalition Government does now and how it plans for the future, particularly as it relates to the oil and gas industry, will determine whether or not it can be re-elected to office. However, Dr Mangal believes that the Government’s chances are low based on a number of factors. His comments come in light of the recently-concluded Local Government Elections (LGE) which saw the coalition performing poorly as compared to the main Opposition party. “The…

Shocked that Scotiabank is pulling out

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, I was astounded when I read an online article from a prominent news establishment that Scotiabank has sold its local operations and will be exiting the Guyana operations. I am astounded because as a long-time account holder of this Bank, I would have expected to be informed by the Bank before this information reached the public domain. I would hope the arbitrary transfer of my account to the sold bank is not a done deal without any consultation with me. Your respectfully, Shamshun Mohamed

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it. It is alarming to know that one in three women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner. According to the United Nations (UN), only 52 per cent of women married or in a union freely make their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use and health…

High Court trial for bus conductor accused of raping school girl

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

The Route 40 minibus conductor, Ashel Williams, who is accused of engaging in sexual penetration with a 14-year-old schoolgirl appeared on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman, and was committed to stand trial in the High Court. The indictable charge against Williams detailed that on October 7, 2015, while in the vicinity of Plum Park, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, he raped the 14-year-old schoolgirl. The conductor is currently on G$300,000 bail. It was previously reported that on October 7, 2015, the accused carried the teen to a…

Guyana’s debt spikes by 4.4% in one year

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

– debt to foreigners account for 74.3% of total debt Guyana’s total public debt has been increasing over the last three years; going from G$317.7 billion in 2015 to G$344.9 billion in 2017. Of this amount, almost 75 per cent is owed to foreigners. This is according to the Public Debt Annual Report of 2017, recently released by the Finance Ministry and made available to Parliament. According to the report, in one-year Guyana saw a 4.4 per cent spike in its debt. At the end of 2016, the total public…

Cyclist killed after colliding with container truck

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

A pedal cyclist met his demise on the Houston Public Road on Wednesday when he collided with a container truck, registration number GWW 7629, just outside Parc Rayne in Rahaman’s Park, Greater Georgetown. He was identified as Seeram Seecharran of Lot 16 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Guyana Times International understands that at the time of the accident, it was raining. However, the now dead man reportedly darted across the road ahead of oncoming traffic. Reports stated that the container truck collided with him before swerving and coming to a…

Mamaguy….

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

…Budget These PNC types are so transparent…but then, when something’s in your genes, it HAS to be expressed! Genotypes and phenotypes and all that!! Take the Budget Winston Jordan just read out in Parliament over a stupefying five hours!! Your Eyewitness doesn’t have to say he “told you so” on the PNC’s priorities: every Tom, Dick and Harilall predicted they’d be spelling out it’s a “bigger and better” Budget, stacked with handouts for its supporters!! But, as all Guyanese should know by now, bigger isn’t necessarily better – it’s how…

‘Life hard’

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

…says Berbice woman who lost her husband, son and brother By Andrew Carmichael The woman who lost her son, husband and brother in 2016 when they were murdered at Cookrite Savannah in Black Bush Polder, Berbice, benefited from assistance from the Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey Arya Samaj on Friday. The New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission has as its motto: Dedicated to helping children, seniors, victims of gender-based violence, and other individuals who are living in dire poverty. The organisation’s aim is for the beneficiaries to be healthy, educated…

Offer horizons to the poor

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

In Guyana, if nothing else, we should at least have the grace to avoid belittling the poor because of the circumstances of their lives. After all, we all came, in the words of Martin Carter, “from the Nigger Yards” – whether we were of African, Indian, Chinese, Portuguese or even Amerindian origin. The last were also not spared the scorn of not being white. But yet, from each group, there were many who clawed their way out of their degradation through sheer determination and grit, to assert their humanity. We…

Budget 2019: What it means for the ordinary man

November 30, 2018November 30, 2018 TIMES INT'L

The analyses of Budget 2019 are ongoing and soon the G$300 billion odd package will be debated in Parliament. Unfortunately, if the past were to be a guide, there will be little or no room for any meaningful change that may be proposed by the Opposition due to the Government’s majority in the National Assembly. The Opposition has already branded the budget ‘visionless and disappointing’, while the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), having noted that some money will be coming back into the hands of consumers, has expressed…