Dear Editor, Press reports state that massive amounts of oil have been discovered in Guyana, and foreign company ExxonMobil has been contracted to explore and carry out the extensive operations to market the “black gold”. While ExxonMobil is spending tens of billions of dollars in the exploration process, concerns are being expressed by Guyanese within and outside of Guyana about the arrangement between the Government and ExxonMobil. The latest came from Nigel Hughes, an outstanding attorney and Director of Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA). Two prominent and highly qualified…
Read MoreYear: 2017
Many unanswered questions on SOCU and law books
Dear Editor, Recent reports in the print and electronic media indicate that the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) which has been doing an excellent job so far, applied to the court for a warrant to search the home of the former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall for among other things 15 Commonwealth Law Reports. SOCU alleged that Nandlall is unlawfully keeping those books. Relative activities after then left me wondering – wondering why SOCU applied in open court for the warrant. Wondering why the application for the search warrant was not…
Read MoreSomething is definitely wrong when persons with degrees are robbing banks
Dear Editor, A 25-year-old with a degree in agronomy was shot to death on Tuesday as he attempted to rob Republic Bank’s Water Street branch. What a tragedy that our young people, even those with tertiary qualifications, are resorting to this type of activity. Seventy per cent of Guyana’s population is made up of persons 35 years and younger and it is no secret that feelings of hopelessness and despair are increasingly engulfing our youth. We have one of the highest youth suicide rates in the world. What an indictment…
Read MoreGuyanese in NY urged to mount fight to keep sugar estates alive
Dear Editor, A group of Guyanese nationalists paid glowing tribute to the Enmore Martyrs last Sunday afternoon at the Liberty Palace in Richmond Hill, New York. The Enmore Martyrs incident refers to the cold-blooded murder of several sugar workers during a strike on June 16, 1948. The workers were subjected to inhumane working and living conditions, causing them to take industrial action to force management to improve working conditions. And the British Government ordered troops to open fire on the protesting workers, killing five and injuring scores. The dead were…
Read More‘A breakdown in moral values in society’
…says prominent religious leader on recent attempted bank robbery A prominent religious leader in Guyana has indicated that the recent foiled bank robbery which involved young educated professionals points to a breakdown in moral values in society, and this incident should be used to inspire greater dialogue in communities and homes across Guyana, as the trend of crime and violence may have shifted. Bishop Juan Edghill said the event was frightening because while in the past, communities were profiled and particular individuals were profiled as criminals, in what played out…
Read MoreU.S.-based Guyanese celebrate 4th July
By Dr. Vishnu Bisram Guyanese Americans celebrated the 241st anniversary since the declaration of America’s independence last Tuesday with a variety of festivities. It was a family fun day with many choosing it for outing in the park, or beach, or some kind of entertainment or for relaxation. It was a day off from work as it was a public holiday with virtually all businesses, except for essential services, closed. It was a most enjoyable day for the Guyaunese American population as indeed it was for other ethnic groups. July…
Read MoreSkewed policies in a new socio-political paradigm
Overtly, Guyana currently has a new socio-political paradigm being promoted and seemingly aspired to by Government functionaries, with ‘social cohesion’ being one of the primary planks on which the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) campaigned pre-election in 2011 and 2015. Subsequent to their attaining office, however, a new reality has been discerned, which is the discernment of a seemingly rampant vendetta against perceived People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) supporters, especially in the entrepreneurial– socio-economic sectors, tantamount to economic genocide. Without considering – seemingly without caring, about the…
Read MoreGuyanese authorities awaiting extradition hearing
…murder victim’s U.S. papers were being processed at the time of his death Two days after the New York Daily News reported that the alleged mastermind behind the November 2016 Corentyne murder, Marcus Brian Bisram, was nabbed in New York, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has indicated that the Guyana Police Force is yet to be formally informed about the arrest. Blanhum told Guyana Times International that while they had previously submitted a formal extradition request along with the relevant documents for the suspect to be brought to Guyana for trial,…
Read MoreSelf-harm initiative to further reduce suicide prevalence – Mental Health Unit Director
Mental Health Unit Director, Dr Util Richmond-Thomas said that owing to the alarming number of self-harm cases, the decision has been taken to launch “The National Self-Harm Surveillance” project come July. “If we can get the majority of self-harm and depression cases treated, we can drastically reduce the suicide rate,” the Director was quoted as saying in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA). Self-harming cases are also known as non-suicidal self-injury. Dr Richmond-Thomas explained that in Region Three (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands) alone, 93 self-harm cases have already been…
Read MoreExxonMobil contracts Dutch company to install, operate floating base
ExxonMobil, the US-based oil giant gearing for production offshore Guyana, has handed a major contract to a Dutch based company to install and operate its floating producing and storage base for its Liza oil field in Guyana. The company — SBM Offshore –made the official announcement on Monday saying under the contract it will construct, install, lease and operate a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO). This follows completion of front-end engineering studies and the final investment decision on the project by ExxonMobil, according to the company. The FPSO…
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