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…
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Bunty 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…
Read MoreHigh-level Commonwealth team in Guyana to observe polls
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…
Read MoreUS implements new laws for Caribbean green card holders
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…
Read MoreYou got the ‘good lie’ from the coalition Government
– 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…
Read MoreCourt throws out Ferguson’s application to muzzle Guyana Times
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…
Read MorePress body flays GECOM over slow release of information
The Guyana Press Association (GPA) criticised the slow manner in which information of public concern pertaining to elections is being released by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to the media. In a statement on Wednesday, the GPA, which is headed by journalist Nazima Raghubir, noted that GECOM must be held accountable for not clarifying misinformation and accusations made with the urgency it requires. “The GPA is dissatisfied with the lack of timely information from GECOM, and slow response to matters of national interest relative to the pending General and Regional…
Read MorePAHO chief calls on Caribbean countries to intensify COVID-19 preparedness
The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr Carissa F Etienne, on Wednesday urged Caribbean and other countries in the Americas to intensify their plans to prepare and respond to COVID-19, given the appearance of cases of new coronavirus disease in the region of the Americas. According to PAHO, the Ministry of Health of Brazil confirmed the country’s first case of COVID-19 on February 26. The patient is a 61-year old man who recently returned from travel to Italy, where an outbreak of the virus has been ongoing…
Read MoreDuo remanded over 27kg cocaine hidden in boat
Two men who were recently intercepted and arrested by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) with some 27 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a boat’s bow were arraigned at the Wales Magistrate’s Court. Thirty-five-year-old Latchman Sankar, known as “Jack”, and 47-year-old Muneshwar Dusrajh, known as “Bonny”, denied the charge when they appeared before Magistrate Crystal Lambert on Wednesday. Particulars of the charge stated that on February 22, 2020, at Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), they had in their possession 27.866 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. The men’s…
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