Dear Editor, Great, courageous and selfless leaders are those willing to confront the material anxieties of their people as the occasion arises. There is a great anxiety in Guyana as to the good life for the ordinary man as promised by the government. After three and a half years in office, the Government has spent some GYD$1.1 trillion in four consecutive budgets since 2015, and it is clear that the benefits are not trickling down to the poor and the working class. Thus, it was not surprising that the results…
Read MoreMonth: January 2019
Court rules ex-sugar workers must get severance with interest
A determination in the matter involving the retrenched Wales, West Bank Demerara sugar workers was made at the High Court on Wednesday, with a ruling urging Government to pay dismissed employees their severance benefits with interest. This decision comes some two years after many of the workers refused to take up work at the Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara Estate. The workers were contending all along that under the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA); they could not be compelled to travel 22 miles from their point of origin…
Read MoreGuyana, Brazil to address cross-border TIP
Stemming from a two-day joint training session with 21 language interpreters from Guyana and Brazil, the two countries will develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will seek to address cross-border Trafficking In Persons (TIP) among others. This was announced by the Public Security Ministry on Monday. “This collaboration between Guyana and Brazilian counterparts was successful as was evident after discussions at the Guyana Frontier Committee and Consular Cooperation Meetings where the team agreed … for consideration be given to developing a Memorandum of Understanding between the countries in responding…
Read MoreJordan admits Govt’s shares in Guyana Stockfeeds sold below market value
On the heels of calls by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall to have Government’s sale of its shares in Guyana Stockfeeds Inc (GSI) to Robert Badal investigated by Police, Finance Minister Winston Jordan has confirmed the shares were sold below market value. The shares were sold at $25 each in a deal passed through the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). Minister Jordan told a section of the media on Tuesday that his Government opted to sell off the shares since it was not receiving profits from GSI. The…
Read MoreOpposition MP lashes Govt for ‘squandering’ tax payers’ dollars
Budget 2019 debates kicked off on Tuesday with Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Frank Anthony taking the Government to task for breaches to the procurement laws, the shady deals it has been entering and wastage of taxpayers’ dollars. In his presentation, Dr Anthony noted that Guyana has not been getting value for money. He pointed to the Auditor General’s 2017 report, which found 13 contracts totalling G$91.4 million were awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to Caribbean Medical Supplies. These contracts did not go through…
Read MoreAffected Fly Jamaica passengers being refunded— source
As inconvenienced and frustrated passengers complain of not being refunded their tickets’ cost by Fly Jamaica Airways, a source has refuted those claims by saying that passengers are being refunded. A representative who spoke with Guyana Times International just recently said, “All the flights that were cancelled or (passengers who) were affected are having a total refund. If you want to cancel from us because you need to book another carrier, I am not sure how they are gonna go about doing that, but they are free to come into…
Read MorePPP’s Manickchand says very proud of stewardship of education sector
…Minister Henry says G$10,000 grant under PPP was “an elections gimmick” Former Education Minister and People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) Priya Manickchand has decried the coalition Government for returning some G$ 2 billion to the national Treasury, which she said could have been used to pay G$15,000 in subsidies to students, referencing the G$10,000 grant that was removed by the current Government. This was discussed in her presentation to the National Assembly as the 2019 Budget Debates entered its third day, but current Education Minister Nicolette Henry…
Read MorePresident Granger’s chemotherapy to end by May 2019
President David Granger on Tuesday morning left Guyana, accompanied by his wife, Sandra Granger, for his second round of chemotherapy in Cuba. Prior to his departure at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the President said that the Centro de Investigaciones Médico Quirúrgicas (CIMEQ) has drafted a schedule of treatment, which will run until May 2019. “In my first visit, I had not only the biopsy but a series of tests and examinations and I also had my first cycle of chemotherapy. I now have to return for succeeding five…
Read MoreRBL’s takeover of Scotiabank should not be allowed – economist
The sale of Scotiabank’s operations in Guyana to Republic Bank should not be allowed, according to former Presidential Advisor, economist Ramon Gaskin. Gaskin believes that the sale to Republic Bank would only allow that banking institution to dominate the local banking sector in Guyana, which could be unhealthy for the financial sector. The Trinidad-based Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) said it had entered into an agreement to acquire Scotiabank’s banking operations in nine Caribbean countries. It said banks being acquired were located in Guyana, St Maarten, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda,…
Read MoreMore oil discovered offshore Guyana
The future of an oil industry in Guyana seems even more promising with another oil discovery offshore Guyana announced by US oil giant ExxonMobil. The company’s 10th discovery was announced Monday by Director for the Department of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe, who expressed satisfaction with the way things were going. He revealed that the discovery was made at the Pluma-1 well. It has increased the estimated recoverable resource in the Stabroek Block to more than five billion oil-equivalent barrels. The Pluma-1 well is located some 27 kilometres (17 miles) south…
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