Year: 2020

Golden Jubilee: Guyana Celebrates 50 years as a Republic

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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…

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One, one…

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…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…

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Bunty Singh is Jubilee Chutney Monarch

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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…

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Sugar workers step up protest action over retroactive pay hike

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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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Billions spent but Guyana faces medicine and medical supplies shortage

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Dear Editor, Unbelievable – APNU/AFC has no plans to address the broken medicine and medical supplies disaster that Guyana faces today. Hundreds of thousands of Guyanese have suffered from the lack of availability of medicines and medical supplies and APNU/AFC has totally ignored this life and death issue in their manifesto, not a single word. Two days ago, I met a woman struggling with her walking stick outside of the Leonora Hospital. She complained she just left the pharmacy where she was told there is no metformin, a critical medicine…

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High-level Commonwealth team in Guyana to observe polls

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A high-level delegation from the Commonwealth Secretariat, led by former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur, has arrived in Guyana and is urging all participants in the upcoming General and Regional Elections to be true to their commitments for free and fair elections. This is according to a statement released by Arthur on Monday, announcing his arrival as the Head of an Observer group team of 11 persons from across the Commonwealth. This includes Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and the Pacific. “They bring a wealth of experience from across the…

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You got the ‘good lie’ from the coalition Government

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– Phillips tells Parika farmers Residents of Parika and surrounding communities on the East Bank of Essequibo were on Monday informed of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) plans to revitalise the Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) economy. While at the same public meeting held in Parika, Prime Ministerial Candidate Mark Phillips reminded supporters of the draconian measures put in place by the incumbent coalition. He noted that in 2015, the APNU/AFC promised to support farmers but instead raised the taxes and fees for land and irrigation. “How can you help…

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US implements new laws for Caribbean green card holders

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The United States has implemented new laws for Caribbean and other foreign nationals who are permanent residents or green card holders, according to a CMC report. According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), green card holders who failed to admit that they are immigrants, when filing their income tax returns, or who failed to report some of their income, could result in deportation. Caribbean men, between 18 and 25, who also failed to register with the US Selective Service, could also be deported, USCIS said. According to…

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Some useful advice for the next government

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Dear Editor, General Elections are now very near. Given the troubled history of elections and their aftermaths in Guyana, Guyanese at home and abroad may be worrying. I share their concern and I make a call for all to keep the peace. There should be a firm commitment not to resort to violence. A number of new parties have sprung up. That can only be good for democracy, so I wish them well. However, the trend so far has been that, come Election Day, mini-parties evaporate like drops of water…

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Court throws out Ferguson’s application to muzzle Guyana Times

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Justice Gino Persaud on Tuesday denied an application by Government Minister Annette Ferguson to muzzle Guyana Times and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. The Minister had sought an injunction from the High Court to prevent Jagdeo from making statements regarding her acquisition of lands and to restrain Guyana Times from reporting or further publishing anything on the matter. The unsuccessful injunction was filed in January. In handing down the ruling, Justice Persaud noted the importance of leaving freedom of speech unfettered especially in an elections period. Additionally, he pointed out that…

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