The decision of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to drastically slash polling places for the upcoming General and Regional Elections is being described as a bad one, one which the Elections Secretariat will now have to review. This is according to Opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj, who confirmed that following a statutory meeting on Tuesday, the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, has agreed to look into the concerns raised over the issue. “What this has resulted in in some areas is concentration of polling stations in one location. Concentration…
Read MoreYear: 2020
Bilingual education programme in Wapichan communities promising
By Lakhram Bhagirat Our cultural identity is one thing we should all be proud of. It is the very fibre of our being that shapes us to go on and do tremendous things with our lives. The absence of our cultural identity leaves us feeling disconnected and forever wanting, so when we are taught to embrace that culture then we are forever in tune with our identity. It is this very principle and the fact that the Wapichan people are losing their sense of culture that led to the development…
Read MoreRevenues earned from oil will be used to strengthen traditional sectors
…Ali tells thousands at Bath rally PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday said that the revenues Guyana will earn from its budding oil and gas industry will have to be used to strengthen other traditional economic sectors such as agriculture. He was emphasising what has been described as the “Dutch Disease” which has stagnated growth in other petroleum-producing countries that neglected other sectors. Addressing thousands of supporters during a massive rally at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, Ali gave a bravura performance as he succinctly outlined plans of…
Read MoreMeagre salary increase offered to sugar workers insulting
Dear Editor, With elections on the horizon, sugar workers, for the first time since 2014, have been offered a raise in pay. The timing of the increase is very suspicious, though the sugar workers, over the last few years, have been fighting tooth and nail for an improvement in their pay. Undoubtedly, the substantial increase in the cost of living has eroded workers’ living standards. Just consider that at the current increase offered, a sugar worker would be required to cut approximately two (2) tonnes of cane to carry home…
Read MoreBlairmont Estate workers down tools for pay hike
Operations at Blairmont Estate came to a standstill on Wednesday after workers took protest action over the meagre pay hike proposed by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). The workers, according to the Guyana Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU), contended that any pay increase ought to be retroactive to January last year. The workers pointed out that the discussions between the GAWU and the GuySuCo originated from the Union’s 2019 claims. It is apposite to note that agreements arising out of discussions on non-wage matters, which also comprised the Union’s claims, saw…
Read MoreWarden jailed for smuggling ganja into Camp Street Prison
A prison warden, who was caught with cannabis in a bag at the Camp Street Prison, Georgetown in June 2019 was on Monday jailed for three years after sufficient evidence was found against him when the trial concluded at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The ruling was handed down by Magistrate Rondel Weever against Cleon Webster. Webster, 22, of Golden Grove, West Coast Berbice, initially denied the charge when it was read to him during his first court appearance. The charge stated that on June 14, 2019, at Camp Street Prison,…
Read MoreJoint Services must examine the facts carefully before they vote
Dear Editor, The Joint Services are about to cast their ballots later this week in what is called the “mother of all elections.” It is called the mother of all elections for the simple fact that much is at stake here; you are talking about a country that is now an oil-producing state and everyone wants to be a part of that oil wealth. It is also important to note that we have a Government that, from all indicators, is on its way out but sadly refuses to respect all…
Read MoreCarter Center assesses status of Guyana’s electoral preparations
In a detailed press release, the Carter Center has commented on the country’s electoral preparations and has made recommendations for wide distribution of tabulation procedures. See full statement: Introduction The Carter Center first became involved in Guyana in the early 1990s at the invitation of President Desmond Hoyte and since then has been dedicated to the advancement of democracy in the country. These elections will be the fifth that The Carter Center has observed in Guyana since 1992, reflecting an ongoing commitment to the consolidation of democracy and a desire…
Read MoreGuyana now equipped to test for coronavirus
By Jarryl Bryan With help from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Guyana is now one of the few Caribbean countries equipped to test for the coronavirus at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory in the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) compound. This was confirmed by PAHO representative, Dr William Adu-Krow when asked by this publication on Wednesday on the sidelines of the commissioning of refurbished quarters for GPHC staff. According to Adu-Krow, a PAHO Virology specialist arrived in Guyana on Monday and has since brought staff in the local…
Read MoreNo funds to prosecute defaulters, says Chairman of Integrity Commission
It has been just over a month since the Integrity Commission published a list of public officials who failed to declare their assets in 2019. Under the laws of Guyana, they are required to declare their assets to the Commission by June 30 each year and as such, if any public officer fails to comply with the Commission, they can be fined G$25,000 and imprisonment for a period of not less than six months. However, Integrity Commission Chairman Kumar Doraisami, in an exclusive with Guyana Times International on Tuesday, stated…
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