…says privatization proceeds from sale to repay bank loans As part of plans to temporarily reopen two sugar estates, Government has now made a decision to borrow between over $15 billion which it hopes to repay over the next three to five years. Finance Minister Winston Jordan said Wednesday that that money will be used specifically to fund the operations of the Skeldon and Enmore sugar estates, which is likely to reemploy some workers.
Read MoreMonth: January 2019
ECD woman charged for killing husband
The mother of three who reportedly stabbed her reputed husband to death at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was on Wednesday, slapped with a murder charge. Melissa Playter appeared before Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. It is alleged that Playter killed Victor Roberts on December 2, 2018 at Lot 41 Prince William Street, Plaisance. The unrepresented woman was remanded to prison and the case would continue on January 17, 2019. Reports are that the 38-year-old man was reportedly stabbed to the chest by his reputed…
Read MoreVision: A critical element
The life of the 41st President of the United States of America (USA), George HW Bush, is being globally analysed following his death on November 30, 2018. Inevitably, it generally takes death for such discussions which often become outlets for platitudes. That aside, there are a number of things about former US President Bush that have been spoken about glowingly long before his death. Despite being a politician with its unfortunate stereotyping, the decency, as embodied by the character traits he exhibited publicly, has always been a high point that…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: OCTOBER – Teachers’ wage impasse ends
After more than one month since a nationwide teachers’ strike was called off, the government has finally agreed to increase the salaries of teachers by 12 percent for 2016 and eight percent for 2018. This was disclosed on Friday at the Education Ministry’s 26 Brickdam, Georgetown Office following a six-hour long discussion between Education Minister, Nicholette Henry and the Executives of the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU). The minister revealed, “What we have proposed essentially is in so far as 2016 in concerned, we finalized at 12 and eight percent respectively…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: APRIL – Criminal charges filed against 3 more Govt minsters
The Opposition moved to the courts and filed charges against three ministers in the coalition Government in relation to the controversial D’Urban Park project. These private criminal charges were filed against Finance Minister, Winston Jordan; Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson and Public Service Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, as the attorney and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill as an applicant. The charges against the ministers alleged breach of the Procurement Act, in relation to the expenditure of $906 million in public funds to…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER – BBCI moves to High Court to reverse Govt’s takeover
The Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) has turned to the High Court in an attempt to retake operations of the facility, which the coalition Government took over earlier this month. In a statement on Thursday, the BBCI said both Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and Attorney General Basil Williams have been served with notice of the legal challenge it has mounted. The application is set to come up for hearing on December 5 before Justice Gino Persaud.
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: JUNE – DDL Chairman calls for more attention to manufacturing sector
…says local exporters must lift standards With Guyana’s Balance of Payment position showing a US$69.5 million deficit last year, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) Chairman Komal Samaroo made a charge for more emphasis to be placed on developing the manufacturing and export sector. Samaroo was at the time addressing persons gathered for the launch of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s business magazine. The business executive warned that, with the global market as competitive as it is, more needs to be done to lift local standards. He noted that to…
Read MoreExxonMobil discovers more oil offshore Guyana
…as Trotman to stripped of responsibility for oil…dept of energy to be created under Ministry of the Presidency ExxonMobil has discovered oil in a new well offshore Guyana. This announcement was made during Cabinet’s discussions where it was also disclosed that Government plans to strip away the responsibility for the oil sector from Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman. Immediately following the conclusion of Cabinet discussions, Trotman informed the media that he would in the coming months no longer have responsibility for the oil sector, a role he has faced much…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: AUGUST – Police probing Public Infrastructure Ministry’s procurement breaches – SOCU
The Parliamentary Opposition People’s Progressive Party has written to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), asking that the procurement breaches in relation to the award of consultancy contract to Dutch company, LievenseCSO, for the feasibility study and design of the new Demerara River Bridge be investigated; and SOCU has responded, informing that the issue is engaging the attention of the Guyana Police Force. Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira wrote to SOCU head Sydney James on August 15, requesting that the procurement breaches be investigated “with a view to instituting criminal…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: AUGUST – Judicial appointments – CCJ President urges President, Opposition Leader to resolve deadlock
…says non-appointments a “serious concern” Justice Adrian Saunders, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), is calling on Guyana’s political leaders to urgently resolve their issues and appoint a substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary and a Chief Justice for Guyana’s courts. He has said this current impasse has implications for the proper running of the Guyana courts. Following a session of interaction with the private sector at the Pegasus Hotel on August 2, Justice Saunders told reporters that the delay in making these substantive appointments of key judicial personnel…
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