Year: 2017

A visiting four-member team of geologists from the Chilean technical agency Sernageomin on Monday paid a courtesy call on President David Granger at State House. In Guyana to conduct technical geological surveys and field work to assess the conditions within Guyana’s mining sector, this visiting team comprises Project Manager Dr Juan Pablo Lacassie, Jaime Barrera, Laura Mateo Rio and Mariela Santana. The team’s presence in Guyana and the research they will conduct would significantly help to contribute to the overall improvement of the sustainable development of the country’s extractive industries…

…President says nominees still being reviewed President David Granger has denied reports that he prefers to appoint Justice Claudette La Bennett as the next Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). He also denied reports that he intends to reject the second list of nominees submitted some two weeks ago by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo for consideration for the post. According to the Head of State, he is still in the process of reviewing the nominees and therefore has not made any decision on the matter. “I have received the…

…as Govt splits more contracts to avoid public tendering The Guyana Government is being accused of cheating the bidding system by splitting pharmaceuticals contracts below the stipulated limit to bypass the transparent process of public tendering in order to award contracts to favoured suppliers. Records show that some G$4.4 billion has been collectively awarded for the purchase of drugs without public tendering by handing out multiple contracts valued less than the limit to preferred suppliers. In some cases, suppliers have received more than 10 lesser contracts in just one day…

Ryan Van Lange, of 69 First Street, Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD), has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he murdered his cousin-in-law, Jason Ramatar on May 31, 2015. A 12-member mixed jury was on Monday empanelled to hear the case in which eight witnesses are expected to testify. The State contends that the accused and the victim were present at his wife’s birthday party the day before the night in question. Hours later, in the wee hours of May 31, 2015, Van Lange killed Ramatar by way of stabbing…

One of the suspects accused of intercepting a Qualfon minibus and robbing several of the company’s employees was on Monday morning hauled before the Court of Magistrate Judy Latchman, charged with the offence. Appearing before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts in a dishevelled state was Quincy Clarke, a 29-year-old mason of West La Penitence, Georgetown, who was slapped with 11 counts of robbery under arms. It is alleged that on May 12 at North East La Penitence, Georgetown, while in the company of others and armed with a gun, the accused…

A prominent Sophia entrepreneur and his accomplice were on Tuesday afternoon brought before the court of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a joint charge of attempting to bribe a Police Officer. The charge read that Kemendra Ragubeer and Anil Persaud on May 12, 2017 at Brickdam Police Station corruptly uttered a sum of G$500,000 to Police Constable Jerrol, as inducement to release Michael Ragubeer from custody. The duo denied the charges, with both entering not guilty pleas. The elder Ragubeer’s lawyer, Glen Hanoman maintained that his client was told to…

After it was first revealed that President David Granger used a chartered plane to fly to The Bahamas on a State visit, a senior Government official was reported in sections of the media to have promised details on the chartered flight would be provided. That was late last month. More than two weeks later, Government has yet to release to the public details of how much of taxpayers’ money was expended on the trip. And, according to Transparency Institute Guyana Incorporated (TIGI) Head, Dr Trevor Thomas, if questions are raised…

– arrest warrant issued for biker Steven Vieira As investigations continue into the G$550 million cocaine bust at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, Tazim Gafoor and his son, Nazim Gafoor remain in custody, and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has issued an arrest warrant for ace biker Stephen Vieira. Speaking with Guyana Times International on Wednesday, acting Head of the Unit, Major Michael Atherly confirmed that the wanted biker left the country after the discovery of the drugs. As such, he noted that an arrest warrant was issued for his arrest.…