2020 – Page 28 – Guyana Times International

Grandfather accused of raping granddaughter charged

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 TIMES INT'L

The man who allegedly raped his six-year-old granddaughter while watching pornographic videos is expected to make his court appearance during the week after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended that charges be instituted. According to Police Commander of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Superintendent Yonette Stephen, the file which was sent to the DPP’s office for advice was returned with the recommendation. The 54-year-old man was released on station bail after the matter was reported to the police by the child’s mother earlier this month. Based on reports received, the child…

Man confesses to torturing, killing hotel owner, worker

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 TIMES INT'L

A resident of Number 65 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), has confessed to the torturing and killing of the owner of the Sun Splash Beach Resort and his handyman while implicating another man. The confession was made over the weekend and ranks of the Major Crimes Unit are on the hunt for the accomplice. On December 27, 2019, the badly decomposed bodies of 59-year-old Harry Prashad, a handyman of Number 65 Village, Corentyne, and 68-year old Vivekanand Brijbassi were discovered in the balcony of Sun Splash Beach Resort…

Guyana must have strong Local Content Policies – Jagdeo tells Bartica

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 TIMES INT'L

Guyana has already begun oil production, even without critical pieces of legislation being put in place. One such piece of legislation is the Local Content Policy – which would guarantee the locals a fair fight for services in the oil and gas sector. According to the Leader of the Opposition and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, under a PPP/C Government, those critical pieces of legislation would be given prominence. He was at the time addressing a large gathering of supporters at Dino Square, Bartica, Region…

Fire guts District Ultra Lounge at Giftland Mall

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 TIMES INT'L

Millions of dollars went up in flames on Tuesday after a fire of unknown origin completely gutted the popular party spot, District Ultra-Lounge, located at the Giftland Mall, Pattensen, Greater Georgetown. The blaze reportedly started at about 13:25h inside the nightclub which caused an emergency evacuation of the area which is known as “The Strip”. When Times International arrived at the scene, patrons and business owners were seen assembled in the parking area as firefighters contained the blaze. Owner of the entertainment spot, Sean Major during an interview with the…

Minimising corruption, unethical behaviour in GPF

January 31, 2020January 31, 2020 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan hit the nail on its head when he recently called for tougher scrutiny of recruits to weed out corrupt ranks in the Guyana Police Force (GPF). According to a daily newspaper article, the Hon Minister in response to a report that a member of a specialised section of the GPF was fingered in an armed robbery on the West Coast of Demerara, stated,” All rogue elements must be forced out. We must strengthen the vetting system (for recruits) …. but we still…

GECOM has responsibility to ensure changes to RLE verified – Jagdeo

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 TIMES INT'L

…urges APNU to do ‘field work’ to ensure no disenfranchisement Leader of the Opposition and General Secretary of the Peoples’ Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, said they are very much concerned over the decision by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to make changes to the Revised List of Electors (RLE) at such a late stage in the process for preparation for General and Regional Elections. Jagdeo was at the time addressing reporters at his Church Street, Georgetown Office during his weekly press briefing. The former President said that GECOM has…

Region 10 to see new wave of wealth, prosperity under PPP/C govt – Ali

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 TIMES INT'L

…outlines PPP/C’s strategy to move region forward People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday addressed the issue of creation of new wealth and a new wave of prosperity for the people of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) before hundreds of supporters at the Lieu Ken Pen Square in Linden on Sunday. Outlining the PPP/C’s strategy to move the region forward, Ali emphasised that his party has already delivered to the people of the region and can stand up to its track record. He said Region 10 has…

Driver, porter remanded over cocaine, ganja in fertiliser truck

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 TIMES INT'L

Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Monday remanded the driver and porter who were nabbed by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks on a fertiliser truck in which a large quantity of cocaine and ganja was unearthed. Remanded were 24-year-old Randy Chester and 45-year-old Christopher Garraway. The men were arrested on Thursday last in a fertiliser-laden truck destined for Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne) along Mandela Avenue, Georgetown. On Monday, they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and both denied the charge which stated that on January 16, 2020 at…

Promoting Exclusive Breastfeeding in Guyana

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 TIMES INT'L

By Safraz Hamid The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding of newborns up to 6 months of age. The health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are extensive: for the newborn, breastfeeding lowers the risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, allergic diseases, and long-term morbidities such as diabetes mellitus and obesity; for the mother, breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, promotes bonding with the newborn, and provides a natural form of contraception. Despite these health benefits, only 33% of newborns in Guyana are exclusively breastfed in the first…

Citizens Bank invested $629M in local agriculture – Chairman

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 TIMES INT'L

Chairman of Citizens Bank Limited, Clifford Reis, on Tuesday said that the commercial institution has invested over $600 million into the local agriculture sector and will continue to support small farmers. His comment was made after a shareholder enquired at the Bank’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday whether provisions are made to finance innovators in the agro-process sector. In response, Reis disclosed that Citizens Bank has invested some $629 million into the agriculture sector to benefit mostly small farmers. “The [banking] agro sector, I think is more involved with…