Category: Top Stories

…as downsizing of Guyana’s sugar industry picks up pace With less than three months left for the end of this calendar year, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has already started the process of downsizing the sugar industry. The first move will take effect on November 11, 2017, when some 250 sugar workers attached to the East Demerara Sugar Estate (Enmore) will be officially made redundant. This is according to General Secretary of the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU), Seepaul Narine, who told Guyana Times International on Wednesday that…

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that US$17 million in state funding has been awarded to four supportive housing projects in New York City, Erie, Steuben and Oswego counties. According to a release from the Governor’s office these developments will create 147 units of housing for homeless families and individuals with funding from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. “Every New Yorker deserves a safe, decent and affordable place to live and we are building supportive housing developments across the state…

Outspoken political commentator and attorney, Christopher Ram, has questioned Government over its reluctance to appoint several constitutional service commissions, stating that the time has come for these important organs to be given new life to serve the interest of the Guyanese public. Ram, who was part of the audience at the recently concluded 2017 Guyana Business Summit, posed a question to Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan: Why has Government not made any concerted effort to appoint the many constitutional commissions, which include: Police Service, Teaching Service, Public Service, Local Government, Integrity,…

…new minimum wage now G$60,000 up from G$55,555 After a long delay and back and forth negotiations with the workers’ union, the Government of Guyana has announced new wage increases for 2017. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon at a post-Cabinet press briefing on Thursday said the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has been informed of the “final offer”. The new minimum wage is now G$60,000 up from G$55,555. The increases announced are as follows: Eight percent for those earning between G$55,555 to G$99,999; six percent for those earning G$100,000 to…

…as Private Sector cries “what we don’t want is an overtaxed sector” The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has not been privy to any planned reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) when the Budget for 2018 is presented in six weeks’ time. The bombshell was dropped on Thursday on the final day of ‘Business Summit 2017’ when GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia on Thursday formed part of fiery discussion panel on ‘Taxation’ in Guyana and was joined by vocal social activist and Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB),…

…Jagdeo tells Diaspora in Canada Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is currently on an outreach to the Canadian Diaspora where he told the overseas-based Guyanese about the hardships facing the country. Jagdeo was at the time joined by Danny Doobay, former Honorary Consul General to Canada, Mani Singh of the Association of Canadian Guyanese (ACG), and Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali. The activity, which was hosted by the ACG, heard the Opposition Leader’s dim report on the Guyana economy, which is being compounded by a rapid loss of jobs across traditional…

…deadline is October 13 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday reminded New York State residents that this Friday, October 13, is the last day to register to be eligible to vote in next month’s general election. Applications must be postmarked no later than October 13 and received by the New York State Board of Elections no later than October 18. New Yorkers can easily apply to register to vote, or change their enrollment information, by using the state’s online voter registration application service on the New York State Department of…

…mother of alleged mastermind charged for taking dead woman’s money One week after they allegedly murdered two elderly women during the course of a robbery, three Albouystown men were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday, charged jointly for the capital offence of murder. The alleged mastermind, Christopher Imran Khan, 25, along with Steven Andrews, 26, and Phillips Suffrie, 23, are accused of killing 87-year-old Constance Fraser and 75-year-old Phyllis Caesar between October 2 and 3, during the furtherance of a robbery. Although they…

…Jagdeo urges Granger to abide by High Court ruling and move ahead in appointing GECOM Chair Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo has urged President David Granger to abide by the High Court ruling and proceed in naming a Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) without any further delays. At a news briefing on Thursday, Jagdeo questioned the reason why the President wants to meet with him again next week to discuss the appointment of a Chairman of GECOM, and said that it is time the Guyanese leader abide by a…