Earlier this week, a barge crashed into the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), putting it out of operation for over 36 hours. Thousands of commuters, including school children who normally use the facility, were left with no choice but to use water taxis at the old ferry stellings at Vreed-en-Hoop and Georgetown. Chaos ensued and worsened by the fact that the accident occurred on the first day of the new school term. This is not the first time the bridge has been rammed by an oceangoing vessel, resulting in much inconvenience…
Read MoreYear: 2019
Shifting the narrative…
…on constitutional treachery Lincoln Lewis enjoys running with the hares and hunting with the hounds. But as is inevitable in these matters, when it comes to the time for the kill, he’s forced to show his hand. So with elections now appearing (rather dimly) on the horizon, he came out defending Granger and the PNC with one of the most vicious and lowdown attacks on Opposition Leader. He defends Granger’s delaying elections by shifting the narrative to the “responsibilities” of the Opposition Leader. Using the Constitution, he shows that the…
Read MoreEnvironmental awareness in schools’ curriculum proposed
The Department of Environment on Wednesday handed over a series of proposals to the National Centre for Educational Research Development (NCERD) to introduce environmental topics in the current school curriculum. Since October last year, a team of specialists would have converged to examine the current syllabus used from Grades One to Nine and ways in which these topics can be incorporated into daily lessons. Four areas were mainly targeted, namely: agriculture and forestry, biodiversity, climate and land geography in subject areas: English language, social studies, agricultural science and integrated science.…
Read MoreMan charged for wife’s murder 21 years later
A man, who was evading Police for the past 21 years for the murder of his wife, was hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday. Philbert Thomas, 46, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly and was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on September 5, 1998 at Cubacalli, Waini, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini) he murdered Viola Thomas. According to Police information, Thomas allegedly murdered his then 23-year-old wife, a resident of Cubacalli, Waini, North West District, during a fun day in 1998. It…
Read MoreSpeed boat handed over to Prison Service
The Guyana Prison Service on Tuesday received a speed boat which will aid in the transportation of inmates from the Mazaruni Prison in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). At the handing over ceremony at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) wharf on Lombard Street, Georgetown, Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels told the media that the boat will play a critical role in transporting prisoners to and from the prison, especially for medical attention. GNIC constructed the boat which cost just over G$10.9 million. Meanwhile, Samuels added that with the addition of the…
Read MoreOld debt lands driver in court for attempted murder
A taxi driver who allegedly stabbed a man who owed him G$2000 was hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday. Morris Carter, of Lot 20 Durban Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse. The charge detailed that on August 27, 2019 at Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown, he wounded Matthew Gilbert, with intent to commit murder. Carter was represented by Attorney-at-Law Adrian Thompson, who in a bail application, informed the court that the incident occurred at a wash bay, where his client was washing his car. He claimed…
Read MoreIrfaan Ali was right regarding the state of the economy
Dear Editor, Messrs Rennie Parris and Yonnick David in a missive in another paper (Aug 29) described PPP’s Presidential candidate Irfaan Ali as an “amateur” (?) for his mid-year review of the economy. I do not know the two gentlemen and their backgrounds and whether they study economics. I did doctoral studies in economics and other disciplines and taught economics and the social sciences for some 35 years. I also regularly conduct NACTA surveys in Guyana, most recently in early August to gather peoples’ views on the economy. Irfaan is…
Read MoreMisdirection…
…in elections Over the last nine months, your Eyewitness has watched with alarm as the PNC launched its rear-guard actions to remain in office against all odds. The odds, however, were set for players who obeyed the rules of the game and the PNC has consistently reminded us over its sixty-year existence that they don’t give a hoot about rules. Our Constitution, of course, embodies the rules from which all other rules flow in governing this country, but the PNC flaunted its cynicism to the nation and the world when…
Read MoreThe indigenous and Nature
An Enduring Organic Relationship Indigenous culture, unlike others, is a process of accommodation with nature. Their concern for ecology and the environment, and the balance of nature, is part of their belief system. Ecology is woven seamlessly into the fabric of their culture. Everything in the forest and the surrounding area has a role to play in the overall scheme of things and nothing is wasted. They live in harmony with nature and do not adulterate the landscape or endanger plants or wildlife. One example: they once hunted fish for…
Read MoreIndian companies to bid for Guyana’s remaining oil blocks
As Guyana prepares for oil production early next year, having had successful discoveries in several blocks offshore, companies in India are eagerly awaiting the opening of a new licensing round to scoop up oil blocks in the country. Guyana is expected to have its second oil licensing round in the first quarter of 2020. India had first expressed interest in Guyana’s budding oil and gas industry last year when a high-level Ministerial delegation, which included Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, met with Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra…
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