Satiricus always enjoyed the long Easter weekend. He always thanked the Church Fathers who decided — of all the days in the week — to pick the day on which Jesus was crucified to be a Friday. How could they know? The calendar hadn’t even been formed! Knowing that Jesus rose three days later, Easter then had to fall on a Monday. And voila!! “Good Friday” to “Easter Monday” wrapped around the weekend to give the fellas ample time to bend their elbows at the Back Street Bar! “OK Sato!…
Read MoreYear: 2017
Art as a ‘path of expression’
Overseas-based Guyanese artist Suchitra Mattai’s artwork examines the general themes of identity and globalization through landscape. Mattai was born in Guyana and also grew up here, but migrated to the US as a child. She now lives and works in France. The artist received an MFA in painting and drawing, and an MA in South Asian art, both from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. She has exhibited her work in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, DC, Minneapolis, Denver, Austin, Berlin, Germany, and Wales, United Kingdom. Her paintings have appeared in the…
Read MoreDesigner Apparel
Sonia Noel Designs offers chic collections of styles for any occasion. One of the designer’s most applauded pieces is her versatile scarf. Dubbed the “convertible scarf”, these bespoke designs can be transformed from simple styles to statement pieces. Locally, regionally and internationally, Noel is famous for her sophisticated, versatile designs that can be worn from the beach to the ballroom. Recently, the designer celebrated 20 years in the fashion industry and will be releasing stylish designs in celebration of her milestone. Visit Makin’ Style Boutique by Sonia Noel at the…
Read MoreMarginalised groups in Guyana anticipating referendum on LGBT rights
Following a commitment made by the Granger Administration, marginalised groups in Guyana are anticipating a referendum on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights. Responding to a petition submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on the matter of human rights violations against young persons in Guyana, the coalition Administration pledged to work to address issues of discrimination against marginalised groups. In its documented response, seen by this newspaper, the Government said the issue of repealing of laws that criminalise homosexuality was brought to the attention of the…
Read MoreMiner fined, jailed for ganja trafficking
A gold miner was on Tuesday morning slapped with a three-year jail sentence, and ordered to pay a whopping fine of G$3.2 million by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Eon Simpson pleaded guilty to the charge, which stated that on April 13, 2017 at Itaballi Police Checkpoint (Region Seven – Cuyuni-Mazaruni), he had in his possession one kilogram of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. The unrepresented man readily admitted to the offence, explaining that he was driven to traffic the…
Read MoreThe last ship
The SS Ganges was the last ship to bring Indian indentured labourers to British Guiana. It arrived in Georgetown on April 18, 1917 with 437 men, women and children destined for various plantations. The ship had left India just four days before the Abolition Act was signed in the Indian Parliament on March 12, 1917. After sailing from Calcutta with 124 persons, or just over a third of the labour contingent, it then docked in Madras to pick up the rest of the indentured workers before setting sail for the…
Read More16-yr-old dies after slamming into utility pole
A West Berbice farmer is now dead after he and a neighbour crashed into a utility pole following an Easter Monday drinking spree. Dead is 16-year-old Dave Kumar Williams of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB), who was the pillion rider of the motorcycle that crashed. The rider, Leon Norton, 21, also of Bath Settlement, was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital in critical condition and subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. In a statement, Police said that about 05:30h on Tuesday Williams died while receiving treatment at the…
Read More‘Educational Exchanges’ Russian Government provides invaluable opportunities for Guyanese
Every year since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Guyana in 1970, the Russian Government provides scholarships to Guyanese for studies in Russia. More than 100 Guyanese, including doctors, engineers, politicians and diplomats, have graduated from the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN). In 2016, two Guyanese received Russian Government scholarship to study medicine in RUDN. This year another two scholarships were granted – one focused on oil and gas studies, a prospective Guyanese industrial field. The Ministry of Natural Resources of Guyana will designate a group of…
Read MoreSARA…
…and betrayal While your Eyewitness won’t pretend to being a man of the cloth, he was yet taken aback when the Minister of Natural Resources gave, as the reason for shutting down the debate on the SARA Bill, the explanation that it was “Holy Thursday”. No, your Eyewitness wasn’t upset about mixing religion and the state – even in this highest bastion of the state – following the faux pas of the Headmistress of CHS. Your Eyewitness knows from whence the breeze blows in THIS administration!! Wasn’t David chosen to…
Read MoreBritish Guiana in 1913
By Peter Halder The year 1913 was propitious for British Guiana. Sir Walter Egerton was the British governor. For the first time, the head of the British sovereign appeared on British Guiana postage stamps. The first map showing the Corentyne River as the boundary between British Guiana and Dutch Guiana (Suriname) was published. The population of the colony reached some 300,000 and the population of Georgetown was 58,000. The Amerindian population was 13,000. Sugar, known as ‘Demerara Crystal’, continued to be the major export. In 1913, the first airplane flight…
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