Businessman tells CoI he lost almost G$30M

…due to ‘incompetence’ of City Hall An operating restaurant franchise in Guyana has reportedly lost close to G$30 million in just over three years after several proposals were not responded to by City Hall, which they said could have be easily resolved if a bribe was given. Chief Executive Officer of Camex Restaurants Incorporated, Terence Campbell, testified on Wednes-day at the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into several applications that were submitted to the City Engi-neer’s Department at the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) as it relates to properties in Georgetown.…

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Juvenile courts to be established throughout Guyana

Government has plans to construct courts throughout Guyana that will specialise in juvenile justice, with one likely to be set up in Georgetown and another next year in either Berbice or Essequibo. This is according to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who was the keynote speaker at a sensitisation workshop on the Juvenile Justice Bill on Monday. Ramjattan noted that an analysis of the cost involved will have to be done. But the plan is to have these special courts spread throughout Guy-ana, but in a phased manner. “We want…

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“My aim is to produce functional and meaning citizens,” says Sir Lloyd Thomas

By Lakhram Bhagirat Every teacher has his or her goals when they join the profession, the aim to mould and impart knowledge to make their students worthy citizens and that has been the goal of Lloyd Thomas from the beginning Born and raised in Kwakwani, Berbice River, Thomas is a 29-year-old Spanish, Theatre and Performing Arts teacher at the St Joseph High School. Education is and has always been a priority to Thomas and his family as, he explains, education is viewed as the gateway out of poverty. He notes…

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Albion Estate workers protest 75% wage reduction

A group of enraged workers attached to the Albion Sugar Estate in Berbice on Wednesday protested their employer, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), for its decision to reduce their earnings for canal cleaning by some 75 per cent. The workers expressed great frustration over the wages, having observed that to clean a four-foot canal, they are being paid G$56 to clean each rod. One of the operators, Gopaul Singh, told Guyana Times International that the workers are being of-fered less money even though they are cleaning wider canals. “The rate…

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Guyana to send new shipment of rice to Panama

Days after reports surfaced that Panama had rejected some 20 containers of rice from Guyana, another shipment is expected to leave these shores soon for that country. This was related to Guyana Times International by President of the Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association (GREMA), Rajindra Persaud, following a meeting with rice millers held at the John Fernandes head office on Water Street, Georgetown. Persaud said that in approximately two weeks’ time, Guyana would be required to resend some 20 containers of rice to Panama, since the last shipment had…

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Efforts must be made to strengthen laws to prevent electoral fraud in Guyana

Dear Editor, Electoral fraud is the illegal interference with the process of an election. It can occur at any stage of the electoral cycle, sometimes even in the pre-electoral stages, where some Governments interfere with the planning process of the elections. In a narrow election, a small amount of fraud may be enough to change the election results. Even if the outcome is not affected, the revelation of fraud can have a damaging effect if not punished, as it can reduce voters’ confidence in democracy. At a recent press conference,…

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Guyana’s Opposition very concerned about rising national debt

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has long complained about the coalition Government’s excessive borrowing, and has said repeatedly that if the David Granger-led Administration does not curb this practice, serious repercussions could result to the local economy. This point has been further emphasised by PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo when he said recently that Guyana’s debt is a major concern for his party. An economist by profession, Jagdeo has said that from all indications, the coalition does not seem to be taking seriously calls for it to lessen its…

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The burden of alcohol abuse

By Jainarine Deonauth MA Over the past week, the issue of alcohol and the massively damaging effects it is having on individuals and communities has once again been brought to the fore. It was reported in the media a few days ago that, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), alcohol kills a whopping three million people worldwide each year — more than AIDS, violence and road accidents combined. It was stated that men are particularly at risk. WHO’s Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018, published recently, presents…

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Three Singles to Adventure by Gerald Durrell

The phrase ‘procreative expletive’ in the book Three Singles to Adventure’ by India-born British naturalist, zookeeper, and conservationist Gerald Durrell hooked my attention, in the first instance, due to a local video that had gone viral recently leading to the courts, and I further say not on that matter. That phrase was there when I first read the book in the late 1960s (macaw on cover; there were umpteen cover designs by various publishing houses issued down the ages) as it was present when the book was first published in…

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Political parties, politicians must be held accountable for electoral offences – Jagdeo

… as names of 51 backers who said they never signed AFC’s list removed … over 151 disputed names still remain as deadline for changing passes There must be some electoral offence committed by people, political parties or politicians if they use the names of others without their authorization, fraudulently or with intent to mislead them. These were the remarks uttered by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary and Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo at his weekly press briefing on Thursday, when he addressed the issue of the names of…

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