Category: News

Weak governments create instability, and are a big obstacle to progress

TIMES INT'L

  Continued from last week We began to see a change in the 1985 General elections. By that time, Forbes Burnham had died. His successor, Desmond Hoyte, began to make some reforms which gave the hope to some that the elections would have been free and fair. The reforms included some relaxation on the press, in that period the Stabroek News was born. He also abolished overseas voting, a method used extensively by the Burnham-led PNC to rig elections. As a result, seven parties contested the poll. They were: PPP,…

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Chemical spill at GNIC facility forces temporary shutdown

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A chemical spill at the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) wharf on Lombard Street, Georgetown, Wednesday morning forced a temporary shutdown of the facility. In updating the media on the issue, the GNIC said that the spilt substance is “Rheduce”, a chemical which is non-hazardous, non-toxic and harmless to human and marine life. Rheduce is used as a thinner and conditioner in the RHELIANT thermally-stable, flat-rheology drilling fluid system. It works to disperse solids in the mud without requiring dilution or changing the synthetic-to-water ratio. Meanwhile, GNIC explained that the…

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Crab catchers found alive in Suriname

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The four crab catchers who were reported missing after going on a crab-catching expedition in neighbouring Suriname have been found alive. The police were asked to get involved after relatives made reports that the men were missing while their boat was found abandoned. The crew of four crab catchers had been away for one week when relatives went in search of them. They were initially expected back in two days. They left the shores of Guyana on December 1, for Nickerie, Suriname, and were expected back the following day. The…

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Jamaican wins Caribbean Impact Award in New York

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(Jamaica Gleaner) Jamaican public relations practitioner and media relations specialist Lyndon Taylor is one of the recipients of this year’s Impact Awards in New York, presented by Caribbean Life and Schneps Media for outstanding contribution to the Caribbean diaspora community. Taylor was among a group of Caribbean-American individuals honoured recently for having made significant inroads in the development of their newly adopted home or towards improving the quality of life of those in their homeland. Taylor is employed to Finn Partners, the public relations agency for the Jamaica Tourist Board…

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Guyana’s Private Sector to set up working group to advance discussions on local content legislation

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The Private Sector Commission (PSC) will soon be establishing a “Multi-Stakeholder Working Group” inclusive of civil society, labour unions, and political parties in an effort to broaden discussions on local content legislation in light of numerous concerns being raised countrywide about the lack of a local content policy and repercussions of such. According to the Council of the PSC, recent calls for legislative protection that were made by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) as well as the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) have gone unanswered and…

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Improved infrastructure needed to develop agri-tourism – Reg 2 businessman

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Using agriculture as a way of attracting tourists to various destinations in Guyana might sound like a plan, but some stakeholders might have differing views on how it can be achieved. In Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), there is one such individual who believes that key infrastructural and utility services must be developed before such initiatives can materialize in his community and wider region. During a media visit organised by the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), owner of Barakatt Lumber, Edward Barakatt explained that there are many aspects of infrastructural development…

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Communities need to take more active role in battle against HIV/AIDS – PANCAP Director

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As Guyana joined the rest of the world in observing World AIDS Day on Sunday, the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and Aids (PANCAP) is rallying its efforts to place much-needed emphasis on the need for communities to be involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). World AIDS Day was observed on December 1, and this year’s theme is “Communities Make the Difference”, in recognition of the contributions of communities to the AIDS response globally. The advocacy of these social units has brought about…

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Former Jamaican PM says major adjustments needed ahead of Guyana’s oil boom

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From tackling inflation to ensuring everyone gets an opportunity to prosper, former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson-Miller, has delivered sound advice for local authorities as they prepare for the oil boom. Simpson-Miller was at the time delivering the feature address at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) annual awards ceremony on Thursday night at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown. Simpson-Miller was the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica, serving from March 2005 to September 2007 and then again from January 2012 to March 2016. As someone…

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PPP promises to advance Constitutional reform with input from citizens

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As constitutional reform under the current coalition Government has hit a brick wall, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in its 2020 election manifesto has promised that if elected to office, it would advance constitutional reform with the input of the citizens themselves. In its manifesto, the Party noted the importance of ensuring that the people participate in something as critical as revising the supreme law. The Party referenced the constitutional reform it piloted in the late 90s-early 2000s as an example of the process that is needed. “We are aware…

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ExxonMobil Guyana supports 7th STEM Conference

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As part of its ongoing commitment to the advancement of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, ExxonMobil Guyana teamed up with the Volunteer Youth Corps (VYC) Inc to stage the Seventh STEM Conference at the Ramada Hotel in Georgetown last Saturday. Under the theme “Present Innovators, Future Creators,” the event brought together 400 students from 11 secondary schools in Georgetown. These schools have been actively implementing the STEM after-school programme facilitated by VYC Inc. ExxonMobil Guyana made a contribution of some G$20 million to support these activities, which are…

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