2017 – Page 130 – Guyana Times International

Guyana Govt sounds land repossession warning to private developers

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has warned that it will soon repossess lands from those private developers and house lot beneficiaries, who have breached their agreements. This comes as the CH&PA moves to pave the way for the development of more low- and middle-income housing solutions for Guyanese. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CH&PA, Lelon Saul, said the Authority is set to go after those developers who acquired vast tracts of lands under the previous Administration, but have since failed to develop them. “We are currently engaging…

Essequibo rice giant Kayman Sankar sells off properties

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

Kayman Sankar, a popular rice company, has sold a number of properties including Essequibo Coast and Blairmont, Berbice rice lands less than three years after the Kayman Sankar passed away. Sankar was acclaimed as Guyana’s most successful rice farmer/miller, who rose from poverty to become a millionaire and a household name on the Essequibo Coast and Guyana as a whole. The late rice miller’s son, Beni Sankar, confirmed to Guyana Times International on Wednesday that several properties were sold, pointing out quickly that the decision to sell had nothing to…

Alleged wife abuser gets 4 years for guns, ammo, cocaine possession

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

A taxi driver of Campbellville, Georgetown, will now spend the next four years of his life behind bars after pleading guilty to trafficking 11.363 kilograms of cocaine and the illegal possession of three unlicensed guns along with matching ammunition. Trevor Rodriguez appeared before Magistrate Annette Singh on Tuesday. Rodriguez was on Independence Day (May 26), busted with the illicit drug and weapons when Police descended on his home following a report of domestic violence. On the day in question, Rodriguez had threatened to shoot his wife, Amanda Rodriguez, who, in…

Detained Haitian nationals in Guyana could be allowed to stay

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

…after businesspersons agree to sponsor work permits The Haitian nationals detained in Guyana for suspected human trafficking are expected to be released very soon, since a group of businesspersons is initiating the process to have the adults granted their work permits so they can remain in Guyana. Fifteen Haitian nationals (eight children and seven adults) who were detained by the immigration authorities last month can now breathe a sigh of relief since a group of businesspersons will begin the formal application process to have them granted the permits. The businesspersons…

Irate man shoots another for “interfering” with wife

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

Police in Georgetown rushed to Norton Street, Wortmanville, on Wednesday afternoon following the discharge of a gun in the area. According to information reaching this newspaper, the incident occurred about 15:00h. The shooter has been identified as “Yankee” and “Cuzz” of Norton Street and West Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Eyewitnesses related to this newspaper that the suspect had opened fire on another Norton Street resident, Troy Brandt, accusing him of “interfering” with the mother of his child. The woman, who also lives on Norton Street, had gone to the shop with a…

Leaders should work towards creating a modern elections commission

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, An impending visit to Guyana by a major delegation from the Trinidad Energy Chamber prompted an article in the Trinidad Guardian (June 9, 2017) captioned “Guyana: trouble again?” The article focused on Guyana’s turbulent electoral history, and culminated in the following manner: “Oil revenues should start to flow from 2020. And 2020 is also election year. Stakes are high.” Linking investor interest in oil and gas to Guyana’s threadbare electoral system captures what is at stake between the leaders of Guyana’s two major political formations in Monday’s meeting,…

Much more needs to be done to attract tourists to Guyana

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, For me, Guyana is a really extraordinary country but one that is neglected for various reasons. The majority of the blame I personally put on the Administration that got elected by the people of Guyana to govern properly. Some tried and some got stymied by others and, in the end, Guyana suffers tremendously. Every country tried various methods to develop itself, utilising what is available locally and the most successful means; that is rapidly increasing its tourism. From all indications and my humble opinion, Guyana does not seem…

Roopnaraine’s ouster a slap in the face of WPA

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, I am both puzzled and appalled at the firing of Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and the reasons given. The spin is that Dr. Roopnaraine has not been fired and that his ouster from Education is simply a Cabinet reshuffle in which he has assumed other responsibilities. This is simply kerfuffling and insulting the Guyanese people. The fact that this happened on the day Guyana is observing the death anniversary (the murder anniversary) of Dr. Walter Rodney, a genuine Guyanese patriot and hero, the founder-leader of the WPA and a…

Political optics in reassignment

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

According to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency, Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has been “transferred” to a department that is being created within the Ministry of the Presidency to “oversee” the public service, which is presently within the remit of Minister of State Joseph Harmon. For a senior Minister, in one of the most critical ministries in Government, to be made a “department head” cannot be seen as anything less than what it is – a demotion. The question is “why”? The State-owned Chronicle suggested the move…

That Oil Contract

June 16, 2017 TIMES INT'L

The adamant refusal of the PNC-led APNU/AFC coalition to release details of the oil production contract it negotiated with the ExxonMobil-led consortium is more than troubling; it is frightening. This obdurate stance comes in the face of calls by a wide swathe of civil society organisations – including the local Transparency International (TI) body and the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) – and not only the Political Opposition, the PPP, but a member of the coalition body that makes up APNU – the WPA. At a minimum, one can say the…