Satiricus was confused, which, his friend Harry had once assured him, was his default position so he shouldn’t worry. But as he slouched towards the Back Street Bar, he wasn’t worried as much as he wanted to know what was going on. He’d just read about the indefatigable Attorney General Moustache Man “decriminalising” obeah and witchcraft. “I didn’t even know “Obeah” was a crime,” said Satiricus to the fellas, the moment he’d taken his seat and grabbed his beer. “Na Burnt Ham bin legalise obeah?” asked Cappo, with a grimace.…
Read MoreYear: 2018
The bitter reality of a sweet industry
…miniaturising sugar: Guyana’s historically largest agricultural enterprise Ironically, just over a week ago, as “Agriculture Month” was launched, the nation had to grapple with the fact that all a mother could do was cry when her children woke in the middle of the night asking for some food. We heard that she would give them a cup of water because that is all she can afford to do, but she is just one of thousands of persons so affected and the common cause – the closure of several sugar estates…
Read MoreBridge…
…and Berbice votes Now that the dust may be settling over the proposed toll increases for the Berbice River Bridge crossing by the BBCI, maybe we can begin to see a way out of the miasma. But even before we get to that we’ve got to clear up some misconceptions on the financing and control of the Bridge. These have been thrown around in the past and may clouding some folks’ judgement. For those of us who aren’t in the finance world, it might be useful to remember it’s the…
Read MoreGuyana seeking visa-free travel status to 26 European countries
Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge has expressed his disappointment over the approach taken by representatives of the European Union in dealing with Guyana being left out from those Caribbean countries that have been granted visa-free entry status to the 26 countries in Europe that fall under the Schengen Area. Back in 2015, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines joined Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados and St Kitts and Nevis as Caribbean countries granted visa-free travel to Schengen Member States and associated countries. According…
Read MorePragmatic multiracial politics
08With the funeral rites about to be read over the AFC at the LGE, there are once again calls for a “multiracial” party. Now, what is a “multi-racial” party? Is it one in which the leaders are drawn from all or most of the various racial/ethnic blocs that constitute our polity? Is it one that has members drawn from all the various groups? Do the proportions have to roughly mirror the population, or will any assorted agglomeration (like APNU/AFC) do? Or does it mean that the interests of all the…
Read MoreNew procurement, debarment laws being drafted
… Commission optimistic for year-end approval The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) is optimistic of having new procurement and debarment legislation approved by year end, after the conclusion of a report by a consultant who reviewed the draft laws. This was communicated during a consultation exercise on Monday at Regency Suites, Georgetown. At the exercise, PPC Chairperson Carol Corbin provided an update on what the Commission has been up to. She related that they were advised in May of 2018 that a consultant was appointed to review the Procurement Act, propose…
Read MoreSoesdyke man remanded for allegedly exposing genitals to woman
A Yarrowkabra man found himself answerable to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday and was remanded to prison after he reportedly exposed his genitals to a woman. Mark Phillips, 46, is however denying the allegation put to him by the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. It is being alleged that on October 13, at said Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway he exposed himself to the woman. According to the facts of the matter, Phillips is reportedly in the habit of making sexual advances to the Virtual Complainant (VC). He allegedly groped her and…
Read MoreTrumped up…
…charges by Nagamootoo It’s obvious Moses Nagamootoo’s lost whatever journalistic integrity Janet Jagan might have drilled into him when he’d served under her at the Mirror for donkey years. He’s now been reduced to a journeyman hack-apologist for the PNC Government he boasts he helped put into power. In his latest column in the Chronic, “TRUST AND THE TANGLED TIMES”, he predictably took the opportunity (created by him awarding himself a column while he yanked those of David Hinds and Lincoln Lewis!) to throw shade at Bharrat Jagdeo! This time,…
Read MoreParika Market: Guyana’s farming depot
By Lakhram Bhagirat While growing up I would always hear my grandmother, who was a vendor at the Bourda Market in Georgetown, talking about the bargains at the Parika Market, East Bank Essequibo. She would boast about the freshness of the produce, as well as the great bargains one would receive. I mean that alone was enough to grasp the attention of everyone she spoke to. She, in my mind, was the unpaid spokesperson for the vendors operating at the Parika Market. I remember my first visit to the Market.…
Read MoreRural Constable faces Court over teen’s murder
Rural Constable Tony George, attached to the Community Policing Group (CPG) at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, on Monday found himself before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, facing a charge of murder committed on Ricardo Singh. Murder accused: Tony GeorgeThe charge alleges that the 28-year-old George murdered the 15-year-old Singh of Diamond, East Bank Demerara on July 9, 2018, in the vicinity of the Soesdyke Public Road. According to Police Prosecutor Simone Payne, the victim was with several friends at a wedding house at Soesdyke, EBD on July 9, when an…
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