Category: Top Stories

…over 70% of applicants denied …7506 permanent visas issued last year Even as authorities maintain that there is nothing to worry about regarding United States visa policies, a significant decline in the number of visitor visas issued by the US Embassy in Guyana was recorded last year. According to a visa summary provided by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, a total of 4923 visitor visas were approved by the US Embassy in Georgetown during the 2018 Fiscal Year, which runs from October 2017 to September 2018.…

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…Integrity Commission Chairman points to “clear conflict of interest” Junior Minister of Communities with responsibility for the housing sector, Valerie Patterson-Yearwood is coming in for harsh criticisms over revelations that her husband, Godfrey Yearwood was given three contracts in 2017 to construct houses for the CH&PA. Minister Patterson-Yearwood has since insisted that she was unaware her husband was bidding for the projects and that she had no input in the process. But the Integrity Commission Chairman says the public cannot take her word for it. “The only way you can…

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Police ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters on Wednesday turned up at the Office of the Opposition Leader, after Bharrat Jagdeo returned from his overseas trip. While he was not arrested, he was questioned about statements allegedly delivered at Babu Jaan and directed to President Granger and PM Nagamootoo. This would presumably mean that the two high officials had to have filed a complaint against Jagdeo, thus giving credibility to claims that Police action against the opposition leader was politically directed.During an annual memorial service March 10, 2019…

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…Opposition Leader slams Govt MPs for blatantly ignoring court’s decisions on dual citizens …PPP’s Odinga Lumumba to give up US citizenship With Parliament expected to be reconvened at any moment after the ruling of the Appeal Court recently, persons are questioning whether dual citizens will return to the chambers. When it comes to the Government, however, it will be business as usual for the dual-citizen Members of Parliament (MPs). When contacted by Guyana Times International, Government Chief Whip Amna Ally stated that all MPs on the Government side would be…

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A 73-year-old man on Monday swam across the Berbice River. The swim was to raise funds for free classes for children in East Canje, Berbice. Ashraf Ali called “Conqueror”, a pastor, had previously swum the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers. Monday’s adventure is the third time he swam the Berbice River. Ali, who grew up in East Canje, but now resides in the US, has been trying to assist children to receive a better education and as such free lessons are being offered to students of that community. Recently, computers were…

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) would not be attending the sittings of the National Assembly when it reconvened in the near future. According to Jagdeo in the announcement on his social media page, he wishes to “place on record that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will not attend any sitting of the National Assembly”. This, according to Jagdeo, will be in effect while the appeal of the Appellate Court’s ruling on the no-confidence motion is pending at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).…

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Guyana has thus far benefitted from more than $15.6 billion (US$75 million) directly from the oil and gas sector. This was disclosed by Director of the Energy Department Dr Mark Bynoe as he addressed residents of the Albouystown community on the oil and gas sector at the Heavenly Light World Outreach Centre, on Saturday. The statement has debunked the notion being peddled that Guyana and its citizens are going to be ripped off and will receive little or no benefits from the production of oil and gas which is just…

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-FITUG says of Govt’s refusal to abide by provisions of no-confidence vote  The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has spoken out against the move made by Government to ignore the constitutional provisions of a no-confidence motion describing it as one of the country’s worst constitutional transgressions. The umbrella trade union body said it cannot ignore the many concerns being expressed at this time regarding what will be the state of play following the March 21, 2019 constitutional deadline regarding the legitimacy of the coalition Government. “For its…

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has restated his party’s position that after March 21, 2019, the Coalition Government will be deemed illegal and will be treated as such. He also accused the administration of conspiring with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to rig the next general and regional elections which was constitutionally due by March 21 2019, following its defeat via a no-confidence vote last December. According to Jagdeo, the move to replace the current voters’ list through House-to-House registration is the reason for his claims that there are plans to…

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By Vishnu Bisram The Prem Bhakti Mandir in Queens, New York, was packed to capacity for the fifth annual chowtaal sameelan. The event was hosted by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha USA Praant. Some fifteen organizations and Mandirs participated in the chowtaal singing accompanied by drummers and the clinging of jaals (cymbals) and dantaals. Each chowtaal group sang at the top of their voices. Each group had a minimum of ten participants with some as large as twenty. Every member of the Chowtaal group sang and beat jhals (cymbals) while…

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