Year: 2018

NY authorities taking tough action against underage drinking

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New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the results of joint efforts by the State Liquor Authority and the Department of Motor Vehicles to combat underage drinking and has pledged to take tougher action against those found to be involved in breaking the law. According to a release from the Governor’s Office, during this enforcement effort in the months of August, September and October, SLA sent underage decoys to 506 establishments, citing 141 for illegal sales to minors. In addition, DMV investigators arrested 271 people under the age of…

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Heavy rain fails to dampen NY Diwali celebrations

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By Dr. Vishnu Bisram Heavy rains throughout Tuesday (continuing from Monday) including showers well into the evening did not put much of a damper on the Diwlai celebrations in the Big Apple. The heavy showers did affect the lighting of deyas outside of homes and in the public arena in the greater New York area. However, Guyanese and other Indo-Caribbeans and nationals from other countries decorated the exterior of homes with electronic lights that flickered through the darkest night of the autumn when Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, is…

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How the vote will go

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The Disciplined Forces just voted in the LGE. While the turnout was light – as it usually is at LGEs – the pattern will follow historical trends — as will the vote on Nov 12 — and cleave along ethnic lines. The AFC will be wiped out. Those who rail against this tendency foist on the general Guyanese population an awareness of politics and its nuances, and an integration of that knowledge into their political behavior, which investigators have found absent in even the most highly “sophisticated” populations in the…

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Opposition bemoans slothfulness of SOCU in dealing with allegations against Min. Patterson

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General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Bharrat Jagdeo is again questioning the slothfulness of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) having publicly committed to question Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson over the sole sourcing of a G$148 million Demerara Harbour bridge contract. Jagdeo on Wednesday said the PPP will be re-fling private criminal charges against several Government Ministers. The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) had flagged Minister Patterson for requesting from Cabinet that the contract be sole sourced, instead of being processed through the Procurement Board as the law…

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The Berbice Bridge fiasco is nothing but an elections gimmick

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Dear Editor, It has happened just the way we predicted weeks ago, that is the Alliance For Change (AFC) David Patterson riding into Berbice as the knight in shining armour. He has, as it were, came to the rescue of the hapless citizens of Berbice; or is it? I think differently, I see this as another election gimmickry to again somehow squeeze votes out of Berbicians. This tactic was tried in the lead up to the 2015 General Elections when Nagamootoo and Ramjattan fooled Berbicians into voting for them with…

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Getting murkier…

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…in sugar divestment Your Eyewitness was thrown for a loop when he learnt DDL pulled out of the bidding for Enmore Estate at the last moment. When DDL discovered the production from the three “grinding” estates couldn’t supply them with enough molasses to produce their world-class rums, they worked with the SPU to restart the Enmore operations to supply the rest, didn’t they? What did they learn? Now, no matter how you slice it or dice it, DDL’s a very well-run outfit, and it behooves the SPU – if no…

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Bring in the United Nations Now!

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Dear Editor, We have witnessed the recent chaos on Nomination Day, with it, the many justified ensuing Court battles, which the circumstances signal are likely to continue at the highest judicial decision making authority. The continued disappearances of the Chief Executive Officer at key events and activities during the preparation for the Disciplined Services balloting, clearly points to the realities of the trial and error approach, and much heightened incompetence. On Monday October 29th, 2018, the Secretariat’s CEO, Mr. Lowenfield, held a briefing with the Political Parties in preparation for…

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Court orders retrial for man accused of killing friend

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The Appeal Court of Guyana on Monday overturned the decision of Justice Navindra Singh, who sentenced Redrick Alexander, called “Bumpy”, to 56 years in prison after a jury of his peers found him guilty of murdering his friend, Carl Thomas, known as “Dog”, back in November 2010. Alexander’s sentence had been handed down in April 2014 after a murder trial in the High Court. However, he appealed the verdict and the corresponding prison sentence imposed upon him. When his matter came up for hearing, his attorney, Nigel Hughes presented arguments…

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Early Childhood Development Centre opens in Linden

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An Early Childhood Development Centre has officially been opened in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice). One of several opened in various regions across the country, the centre is an initiative of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA). The doors of the centre were officially opened on Monday to facilitate its first intake, though it had been commissioned some time ago. This facility has the capacity to cater for 45 children aged between three months and six years, but it currently has a little more than 20 children already…

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Guyana’s economy being mismanaged by APNU/AFC – Ali

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Guyana’s performance on several economic indices is cause for worry. From the state of the foreign reserves to its ranking on Human Development Indices, former Minister and economist Irfaan Ali believes that the country was being mismanaged on a serious scale. Commenting on the economic health of the country, Ali pointed to tax collection and the contraction in various traditional economic sectors. When it comes to the increased tax collection, Ali noted the effects this has had on ordinary families. “Since taking up office in 2015, the Government has failed…

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