…PPP Berbice supporters claim they were fooled into signing APNU LGE forms Supporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) are claiming that they were tricked into signing forms which put them as candidates for the A Partnership for National Unity team to contest the November 12 Local Government Elections (LGE). Seven persons have reported this to the party’s regional office in New Amsterdam. According to them, the incident occurred at the Plegtanker/Koortbradt NDC on the East Bank of Berbice. Omesh Kumar is one such person. According to him, he did…
Read MoreYear: 2018
Barber accused of assaulting, mocking differently abled man charged
A 24-year-old barber was on Monday hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on charges of assaulting and making mockery of a man who is differently abled. Kevin Sugrim stood before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman and denied that he unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm on Colin Sett-Mayer while in the vicinity of Kitty, Georgetown on April 22, 2018. Another charge read to Sugrim stated that also on April 22, 2018 at the same location, he also un-lawfully wounded Jeremiah Williams with intention to cause him actual bodily harm. The…
Read MoreAvoiding single source procurement will curb wastage of public funds, says IDB
A key Inter-American Development report (IDB) has recommended that countries in the region, including Guyana, implement a number of measures aimed at improving public procurement. The report, titled ‘Better spending for better lives: How Latin America and the Caribbean can do more with less’, has identified poor procurement practices as a contributor to wasted public funds. The feasibility study for the new Demerara River Bridge, now marred in controversy and being investigated by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), was a sole-sourced contract. Among IDB’s recommendations for countries in the…
Read MoreGRA says over $5B collected in tax amnesty as deadline draws closer
As the deadline for the second and final phase of the tax amnesty granted by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) draws closer, GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia has disclosed that billions of dollars have been collected as of the end of August. Speaking with reporters at the sideline of an event on Wednesday, the tax chief said the GRA has managed to collect over $5 billion so far and this figure may increase. He also reminded that this is the last extension that will be granted to the amnesty, while…
Read More“Life is about making yourself happy,: says Charles Gilkes
By Lakhram Bhagirat At 72, Charles Gilkes now he spends his days reminiscing on the golden days of his youth and keeping up with the current affairs of the country. He explains that he is particularly interested in the developmental boom that is on Guyana’s horizon. “We have so much oil and is a good thing I can listen to the news. I am very happy about how the country will develop from all the oil money. I am following it very closely and it will be nice when we…
Read MoreMajor ICT upgrades for Guyana
By Jarryl Bryan Agreements signed last Saturday with the People’s Republic of China would allow for concessional funding for the Information Communication Technology (ICT) and other sectors, as Guyana hosted the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister on a State Visit. The signing took place at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre following brief bilateral talks with Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. While one agreement was for a concessional loan between the two governments, another was for “economic and technical cooperation”. Speaking on the agreements, Greenidge…
Read MoreEntirely new GuySuCo Board appointed from the one advertised, gazetted
Months after Special Purpose Unit (SPU) Head Colvin Heath-London was tipped to become the new Chairman of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and subsequent to a notice published in the media naming him and several other persons as members of the new Board, those names have been discarded for an entirely new board. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon announced officially the new members of the Board for the now downsized Corporation. Harmon told the media earlier this week at his post-Cabinet press briefing that Cabinet recently granted its approval of…
Read MoreBroken-hearted
Satiricus was so disconsolate he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep after the CPL Finals. He was trudging towards the Back Street Bar to drown his sorrows with the fellas. How many times would he have his hopes raised, and then dashed on the rocks to be shattered into shards? He knew he was getting a bit dramatic, but he couldn’t help himself. For the fourth time in six seasons, his beloved Warriors had reached the finals, only to go down in defeat. “Wha’ wraang wid yuh black tong, bai?”…
Read MoreRegion 3 RDC commissions $77M education complex
The Region Three Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Tuesday commissioned a $77 million education complex at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Bank Demerara. The cost takes into consideration the $43 million building; a $17 million cold storage; a $12 million generator room (with generator installed and configured) and the driveway and open bond for $5 million. The new complex replaces the old education building which was gutted by fire in 2009. As a result of the blaze, many documents were destroyed, and offices displaced. Speaking at Tuesday’s commissioning ceremony, Senior Project Officer, Communities…
Read MoreJungle Cowboy
by Petamber Persaud The book ‘Jungle Cowboy’ first published in 1972 was in 1999 reissued as ‘All the Cowboys were Indians’, a title that sits well with the current celebration of Amerindian Heritage Month in Guyana, an annual event held during the month of September initiated by President Cheddi Jagan in the late 1990s, setting aside a whole month to honour the contributions of our indigenous people. Apart from the adventures of Brock, ‘All the Cowboys were Indians’ celebrates the indomitable spirit, skill and knowledge of the ‘Indians’ – in…
Read More