Dear Editor, The public health system has been plagued with a plethora of problems, ranging from shortages of drugs and medical supplies to prolonged waiting time for patients at outpatient and even emergency departments. Very often, patients’ frustration, disappointment and anger are usually directed at the doctors and nursing staff, many of whom are not responsible for the mismanagement that occurs on a daily basis. The doctors themselves are frustrated with the system, and have made known their concerns about drug shortages, equipment failure, and inadequate and untimely laboratory results…
Read MoreYear: 2018
Alcohol abuse
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 a comprehensive picture of…
Read MoreCar ploughs into rice field after swerving from cow in airport run
A Parfaith Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD) man is lucky to be alive when he ended up in a rice field after he swerved from a cow in the area on Thursday morning. The man, David Carrington was reportedly returning from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in the wee hours of Thursday when the accident occurred. This publication was informed that Carrington was proceeding home when a cow dashed across the road and ended up in his path. In an attempt to avoid a collision, the man swerved but…
Read MorePolice actively seeking husband who allegedly murdered wife in Berbice
By Andrew Carmichael Police in Berbice have launched a manhunt for the husband of Chandrawattie Williams, also called “Geeta”, whose body was found in her home on Tuesday evening by her 13-year-old son. Reports are that Williams’ body was found at about 18:00h with suspected stab wounds in her Bath Squatting Area, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) home. The dead woman’s brother Dharampaul Mohan on Wednesday told Guyana Times International that his 13-year-old nephew received a phone call from his father who reportedly told him to go to the…
Read MoreVivekananda in Chicago, 2018
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi left India for South Africa in April 1893, and made quite a name for himself after he evolved the technique of “satyagraha”, or peaceful civil disobedience, from Hindu principles and took it back to India. But a month later in that same year, another young man who had made as great an impact in his native land as Gandhi left India for Chicago, USA. His name was Swami Vivekananda, and the name for himself and for Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions at Chicago on Sept 11,…
Read MoreWho is willing to stand up and speak out against this injustice?
Dear Editor, It is awful to see, on a daily basis, the vicious assault on sugar workers. This assault started almost immediately after the May 2015 elections. APNU/AFC promised “change”, and among the changes they promised was that greater security and respect would be extended to sugar workers, including an annual 20 percent increase in wages and benefits. Some sugar workers, though skeptical, placed their destiny in Moses Nagamootoo, Ramjattan, and others in Region Six and Five, and provided some of the critical votes that APNU/AFC needed to take over…
Read MoreCity Hall CoI hears of alleged infractions made by Town Clerk
BY RUPADAI SEENARAINE Current and former employees of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) appeared in their numbers at the Critchlow Labour College on Monday to testify on the first day of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that was launched into the non-payment of benefits and issues surrounding other financial resources at City Hall. Headed by Retired Justice Cecil Kennard, the CoI is seeking to investigate the nonpayment of benefits, a rejected no-confidence motion that was filed against Town Clerk Royston King by Councillor Sherod Duncan, contracts that were awarded…
Read MoreMore drugs, improvised weapons unearthed at Lusignan Prison Holding Bay areas
One week after a number of prohibited items were discovered in the Lusignan Prison on the East Coast of Demerara, yet another set of contraband items was unearthed following a raid on Monday. Reports are prison authorities raided the Lusignan facility between 12:02h and 14:50h on Monday which led to the discovery of 14 cellphones, 15 SIM cards, one tattoo machine, five pairs of scissors, 48 improvised weapons, 85 grams of cannabis, $3040 in cash, a quantity of chargers, one knife, one chopper, and a quantity of razor blades. These…
Read MoreDeath of Lindener in viral rape video of teen now treated as murder, not suicide
The autopsy conducted on the body of 41-year-old Sherwin Apple, whose body was found at the Kitty Seawall one day after leaked videos went viral of him and another man allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl, has revealed that he was murdered and did not commit suicide as was earlier reported. Apple, also known as “Yellow”, was found lying face down in the mud in the vicinity of Selena Resort on Tuesday morning. It was suspected that the clothes vendor, formerly of William Street, Kitty; and Silver Town, Wismar, Linden, had…
Read MoreAquatic species are being affected by high mercury levels in Kaituma River
Five months after water supply was sourced from alternative means for affected residents, an investigation into mercury contamination of the Kaituma River, North West District (NWD) has confirmed the preliminary test that the mercury levels were too high for consumption. In the final report submitted by Environmental Officer, Tamara Gilhuys, it was recommended that complaint officers ensure sample points at and near pump station are included in their routine water quality monitoring. The report further outlined that the environmental division should “lead investigations to ascertain the status of rivers or…
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