…legitimacy Reacting to a stinging critique of the PNC under Granger degutting of the Foreign Service, one long-standing defender of Burnham, Bacchus, took offence at the former PPP Minister of Foreign Trade’s comment: “Those of us who lived through the Burnham dictatorship would easily discern the similarities in the diplomatic gallivanting and opportunistic forum shopping between the then Burnham dictatorship and the extant Granger caretaker administration.” The interlocutor – the wife of a prominent trade unionist – retorted, “There was no “diplomatic gallivanting” of the Forbes Burnham administration. His foreign…
Read MoreMonth: December 2019
Guyana Police ramping up efforts to curb rising road fatalities
With the high instances of road death recorded in recent months, Police Commissioner Leslie James is of the belief that motorists and other road users need to change their attitude for there to be a reduction in minor, serious and fatal accidents. Guyana’s road carnage has increased in recent time, with as many as 12 persons losing their lives within seven days. While the Police Force has a major role to play in keeping the roadways safe, the Top Cop said the attitude of motorists is a major factor. “This…
Read More“Bruckup” awaits sentencing for 2017 nightclub murder
Shawn Harris, called “Shawny” or “Brukup”, a mason formerly of Lot 40 Bougainvillea Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and Lot 131 Pike Street, Kitty, was on Monday found guilty of the murder of Sunil Singh, who was knifed to death during a row outside the Blue Martini Nightclub in 2017. Harris had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on February 5, 2017, he murdered Singh. However, he was convicted of same before Justice Jo Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court after deliberations by a 12-member…
Read MoreIndian, Ghanaian election experts to arrive early January – GECOM Chair
In a bid to boost its technical and oversight capacity to hold elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will be taking on two advisors with experience in running elections in India and Ghana, courtesy of the Commonwealth Secretariat. This is according to Chairperson of GECOM, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, during a press briefing. She explained that the two men will serve as Senior Electoral Advisors to herself and the Secretariat. The advisors are Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan and Dr Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi. Dr Afari-Gyan is a Ghanaian academic, political scientist…
Read MoreBritish firm paid US$300,000 to audit US$460M Exxon pre-contract costs
Having finally secured someone to audit ExxonMobil’s cost oil claims, Energy Department Director Dr Mark Bynoe has announced that the company, IHS Markit, has already begun its work. Bynoe made the announcement during a press conference at the Department of Energy’s new office in Brickdam, Georgetown on Monday. He explained that the contract, to the tune of over US$300,000, will be for a four-month duration. “The contract for the firm to complete the cost recovery audit, the historical cost, was signed. The contract was awarded to IHS Markit and the…
Read MoreMinibus driver, conductor in viral video face several charges
A minibus driver and conductor who were caught on video endangering the lives of their passengers on November 15, 2019 were slapped with several charges and appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court. Jermaine Waldron, 27, the conductor, of Haslington, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Trevin Bobb-Semple, 28, the driver, appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore. Bobb-Semple denied the charges of operating a tinted motor vehicle; untidiness; failure to control said motor vehicle; breaching the condition of his road service licence; and dangerous driving. He was placed on G$100,000 bail and his…
Read MoreExxon, BP & Shell among traders vying to sell Guyana’s oil
…Energy Dept defends secrecy The Energy Department has released the names of the traders it invited to vie for Guyana’s oil, though details of the negotiations are likely to be limited until they are concluded as the Department said the “commercial sensitivities” of the companies must be respected. This was explained by Energy Department Director, Dr Mark Bynoe and newly contracted Crude Marketing Specialist, Virginia Markouizos. The pair were asked why the Guyanese public only became aware of plans to sell Guyana’s crude using the on the spot method, through…
Read MoreGuyana ups preparations for ICJ’s oral hearings in border controversy
Oral Hearings on jurisdiction in the case of the long-running border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela are set for March 23, 2020, but Guyana will be the only country participating in this legal process. This is according to Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, who recently told the media that both parties (Guyana and Venezuela) were required to submit a response signalling their participation in the proceedings but to date, only Guyana has done so. “Meaning that if they intend to be participating with the exercise,…
Read MoreNo need to sell Guyana’s share of profit oil directly
Dear Editor, The response by the Department of Energy to grave concerns expressed about the invitation to select petroleum companies to Guyana for face-to-face meetings is disingenuous. There is no need to sell Guyana’s share of profit oil directly. The share should be sold by the operator and should fetch the same price as the operator’s share. The price garnered for ExxonMobil’s share will be declared publicly to its shareholders and is a transparent, trusted and audited process. ExxonMobil cannot and will not lie to its owners (shareholders) and is…
Read MoreLinden youth awaits sentencing after being found guilty of 2 rape counts
Twenty-five-year-old Keon Lawson of Wismar, Linden was found guilty on two counts of rape by a 12-member jury before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Sexual Offences Court of the Demerara High Court. As such, he is expected to return to court on January 6, 2020, for sentencing. The first charge read that between November 1 and 30, 2014, in the county of Demerara, he engaged in sexual activity with a six-year-old girl. The second read that on October 6, 2017, in the county of Demerara, he engaged in sexual activity…
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