Residents of the Barima -Waini Region 1 turned out in their numbers in support of the Coalition rally in the Mabaruma Township, on Wednesday. In her remarks Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Karen Cummings said that the Coalition is the only viable option to continue moving Guyana forward. “Our track record in just five years speaks for itself. The many achievements were realised through the hard work, dedication and commitment of a government that truly cares for the wellbeing of all Guyanese,” she noted. Of major significance the Minister said,…
Read MoreMonth: February 2020
Man found dead hours after boasting about being rich
Police in Linden have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of an unidentified man who was discovered on Monday evening at the Prosville Squatting Area, Wismar, Linden. Initial reports indicated that the man, who was of Indian descent, was found in an unconscious state and was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) where he subsequently succumbed. He was reportedly bleeding from his nostrils at the time of the discovery. Enquiries disclosed that at approximately 17:00h on Monday, the now dead man visited a food shop situated…
Read MoreLINDEN – The birth place of Mashramani celebrations
By Utamu Belle The Mashramani celebration started when the Junior Chamber – Jaycees – of Mackenzie (a community that now constitutes part of Linden), who had been organising the country’s Independence celebrations since 1966, sought to have a ‘carnival-like’ festival to commemorate British Guiana gaining its Republican status in 1970. Chaired by popular West Indies cricketer the late Basil Butcher, the Jaycees Republic Committee was formed. It included members such as Jim Blackman, who was named Deputy to complete the task owing to Butcher being selected to the WI team…
Read MoreReflecting on cultural obliteration
By Ravi Dev One of the biggest festival in the Hindu calendar was commemorated this week– Maha Shivratri. My family stayed up all night to offer the prescribed oblations to the “Shiva Lingam” (literally the “sign of Shiva”), which signifies his formless existence that pervades the entire creation. And which will eventually subside into his being until it is projected into another round of creation, sustenance and dissolution lasting billions of years. But what occupied my mind between the four sets of oblations (“praharas”) was how little even Hindus know…
Read MoreCommonwealth Observer Mission calls on President Granger
President David Granger, on Wednesday, received a courtesy call from Head of the Commonwealth Observer Mission currently in Guyana, and former Prime Minister of Barbados, Mr. Owen Arthur at the Ministry of the Presidency. President Granger expressed confidence in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in its preparations for Monday’s General and Regional Elections. “I have every confidence that the elections will run smoothly,” the President said. Mr. Arthur, who was accompanied by Mr. Martin Kasirye, Dr. Tres-Anne Kramer and Ms. Sonali Champion, said the Commonwealth Observer Mission is pleased with…
Read MoreCaricom supports Guyana in border controversy case
The 31st Inter-Sessional meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in the Caribbean Community (Caricom), concluded on Wednesday last in Bridgetown, Barbados, with several decisions pertaining to Guyana being taken at the meeting. One of the most important ones was the decision for Caricom to reaffirm its support for Guyana and its recourse to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve its border controversy with Venezuela. “Heads of Government noted that the International Court of Justice has scheduled a hearing for the week of 23 March 2020, at…
Read MoreGolden Jubilee: Guyana Celebrates 50 years as a Republic
Guyana is a melting pot of cultures and every celebration takes on some part of that melting pot. It is no different with Mashramani since it is a time to showcase our unity as a people and truly live as “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”. This year, Mashramani is being observed under the theme, “Guyana Together; Reflect, Celebrate and Transform.” Mashramani is an Amerindian word which means “celebration after hard work”, and is usually observed on February 23 in observance of Guyana’s Republic status, which was achieved on that…
Read MoreOne, one…
…SNAFU build rigging Anyone with the slightest familiarity with Guyanese elections – starting from the one that led to independence in 1964 – would know that even so-called “rational” changes in elections arrangements can be Trojan Horses for gaming the said elections. The 1961 elections had been supposed to deliver independence, but the winning PPP wasn’t approved by the West. So, the FORM of the elections was changed from “first-past-the-post” to “Proportional Representation” to ensure the latter’s ouster!! Changes to accommodate a national register and the overseas vote in 1968…
Read MoreBunty Singh is Jubilee Chutney Monarch
After 10 incredible performances, the score sheets saw Berbician, Bunty Singh gaining the lead to once more ascend to the throne of Chutney Monarch. The final of the 2020 Republic Jubilee Chutney Monarch competition was hosted in front of an energetic crowd at the Better Hope Community Centre Ground on Saturday last. As the first contestant to take the stage, Bunty’s performance sizzled with creativity and brilliance. The charming delivery of his hit song, “She want me to be she Raja,” managed to set the bar quite high for his…
Read MoreSugar workers step up protest action over retroactive pay hike
Hundreds of sugar workers mounted a peaceful protest outside of the Ministry of the Presidency on Tuesday, calling for their salary increases to be retroactive as of January 2019. This comes in light of a deadlock between GuySuCo and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) with regards a consensus for sugar workers’ salaries to be retroactive. At the protest line, GAWU’s General Secretary Seepaul Narine stated that the Union wants the increase offered by GuySuCo to be retroactive from January 1, 2019. “We had the meeting with them…
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