City Hall’s restoration could cost up to G$1 billion

The European Union (EU) on Monday handed over a detailed restoration plan for the deteriorating City Hall. The work is estimated at US$4.3 million (GY$894 million), but the National Trust of Guyana has cited a high figure –G$1 billion. It is expected that work will be done on three buildings City Hall owns. The Comprehensive Restoration and Conservation Management Plan for City Hall came under a G$64 million European Union- funded project which was formed out of collaboration between the Georgetown Mayor & City Council (M&CC) and the National Trust…

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Preserving our literary heritage

The Enemy Within by Petamber Persaud (Extract of interview with Oliver Hinckson, December 24, 2007, Georgetown, Guyana. Hinckson won the Casa de las Americas Literary Prize in 1978 for his first novel Enemy Within. It was reported in the local press that Hinckson passed away recently.) PP: You are now part of a group of significant Guyanese writers who have won the Casa de las America Literary Prize; writers like John Agard, N. D. Williams, Fred D’Aguiar and recently Mark McWatt. How does it feel to be part of that…

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Free enterprise…

…and defending it Appearing before the bi-partisan Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, an Exxon management team, headed by its country director, became quite offended when asked by one PPP member to comment on perceptions that the oil giant might be financing local politicians. “Hogwash!” he exploded. Now you, dear readers, would know your Eyewitness is a die-hard free enterprise partisan. So he doesn’t have much patience with those who thought the Exxon fella was rude!! Hey…do free enterprise proponents have to take brickbats and even flagellate themselves?? Lobbying politicians…

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State must lead way on local content blueprint – Govt MP

ExxonMobil’s appearance before the Parliamentary Natural Resources Committee last Friday saw the oil company being grilled about local content and corporate social responsibilities. However, while the company has been doing work in this regard, it was a Government Member of Parliament who noted that the state must take the initiative on providing a local content framework. ExxonMobil Country Manager Rod Henson related that, during the first quarter of 2018, Exxon used 227 local companies, with US$14.1 million going into the economy. He stressed that regardless of the size of the…

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Star witness: Daughter recounts brutal murder of mother

…in January 2015 Romona Sanasie, the daughter of murdered Atlantic Gardens’ businesswoman Patricia Sanasie, testified before a 12-member jury on Tuesday that she put her hand to a hole in her mother’s neck in a bid to stop her from bleeding to death on the night of her demise on January 12, 2015. Richard Stanton, formerly of Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown, is accused of executing 43-year old Patricia Sanasie at her East Coast Demerara home. In giving her evidence-in-chief for over three hours, Romona Sanasaie told the court via Skype…

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Cops still hunting prison escapees

It is now one year since remanded murder accused Cobena Stephens escaped from the Camp Street Prisons in Georgetown after that facility had been set on fire. It is also almost one year since convicted murderer Paul Goriah escaped from the holding area of the Lusignan Prisons on the East Coast of Demerara. Both men are still on the run, and according to Prison Director Gladwin Samuels, the hunt is still on for them. Stephens, 26, also called “OJ,” formerly of Lot 82 Gopie Street, Middle Walk, Buxton, was on…

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More Venezuelans crossing Guyana’s border in search of food

Over the past weekend, Guyana has seen an influx of the Warrau tribe from Venezuela entering the country through its Amakura River (Region One) border. Overwhelmed by a growing economic disaster back in Venezuela, a group, consisting of more than 50 persons, including pregnant women, children and young babies, came in search of food, medical and other services. According to the group that had an interpreter, they only came to Guyana in search of food because they are usually hungry. They added that they are also in need of medical…

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The economic potential of CPL

It has now been confirmed that Guyana will host seven of the T20 matches in the 2018 Edition of CPL, including two of the playoff games. The historic announcement that Guyana was given the opportunity to host playoffs was made on Wednesday by CPL’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Pete Russell. Now in its seventh year, the CPL has been truly established as one of the leading T20 leagues in the world, and compares favourably with the likes of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Australian Big Bash League (BBL).…

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Snake oil…

…on gas power Now that we in the Caribbean are moving closer to legalising ganja, we’ve got to be on the lookout for some Government flunkies jumping the gun and puffing on spliffs while pontificating!! Case in point is Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, who keeps making statements that clearly aren’t grounded in reality. Remember him promising the new Demerara Harbour Bridge by 2020?? Everyone had a good snicker at that, since that would’ve given him only 2 years. And unless he was planning on another floating pontoon structure,…

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Reconstruction of St Rose’s High to commence soon after demolition of old building

Demolition works at the St Rose’s High School on Church Street, Georgetown commenced on Monday with the tearing down of the aged wooden section and other relevant adjoining areas of the building, which was in a state of disrepair. When Guyana Times International visited the site, workers were busily breaking down sections of the building and clearing the area to make room for the construction of the new structure. While some parts of the building will be saved, this exercise will take approximately four weeks to complete before moving on…

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