Year: 2018

Motion to grant duty-free concessions for FIU officials defeated

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…as empty Govt seats shift power balance By Jarryl Bryan The coalition Government has held a one-seat majority since 2015, but in a series of unprecedented events in the National Assembly on Monday, its own motion was defeated when a division of votes was called. This was as a result of the absence and even abstention of several Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Government side, which ultimately doomed the motion to grant duty-free concessions to two Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) officials. The Opposition argued that the motion, in Social…

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Toshao Whanita Phillips Aims to Transfrom Santa Rosa

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Santa Rosa is considered to be the largest Amerindian village in Guyana with a population of 7000 plus people. The village is inhabited predominantly by the Arawak people and located in Region One (Barima-Waini) on the Moruca River some 29 kilometres from the mouth. However, despite being the largest and most populated Indigenous settlement, Santa Rosa has its issues, which can be fixed with the right type of leadership and according to the newly-elected Toshao, Whanita Phillips, that is her main mission. Phillips is a mother of six, and the…

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High drama in National Assembly

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…as MP Harry Gill sent to Privileges Committee over letter to editor Monday’s sitting of the National Assembly got underway with Opposition parliamentarian Harry Gill being reprimanded for a letter to the editor he wrote which was published in Monday’s edition of sections of the media. The letter alleged bias in the Speaker of the National Assembly’s decisions. According to Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, the letter was brought to his attention by an unnamed person. He pointed out that the Speaker can only be challenged through a motion. Dr Scotland…

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Child rights activist pleased with Court ruling

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A recent Court of Appeal ruling which overturned the decision of former Chief Justice Ian Chang in relation to amendments to the Sexual Offences Act of 2010 has been welcomed by Women and Child Rights Commissioner Nicole Cole, who says she is wholly heartened by the ruling which was handed down last week, and that the decision taken by the Court is synonymous of a progressive society. “This ruling is absolutely brilliant for us as a society that would like to be seen as progressive, prosperous, and humane; that seeks…

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Untouchable…

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…PNC big ones Your Eyewitness isn’t the least surprised that the powers-that-be decided no charges would be laid against Simona Broomes for her actions at the Amazonia Mall in Providence. After all, as she pointed out early in her public life – when she insisted on ignoring the Police and leading a “trafficking in persons” (TIP) raid in Bartica that rounded up 29 foreign women, whom she shipped to Georgetown. Rather than being reprimanded for breaking the law and entering private property without a warrant, the Minister was allowed to…

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Modern-day shackles

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On Wednesday, Guyana joined with other countries in various parts of the world in celebrating Emancipation. For the slaves, the road to freedom was long and arduous, they, having been kept in bondage and forced to endure inhuman conditions as unimaginable atrocities were meted out to them. But freedom did dawn, with the expectation that the mental and economic shackles would be forever banished. Unfortunately, over time, the shackles manifested themselves differently, as others are still being forced into situations that enchain them from opportunities for advancement. Obviously, this can…

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No action taken by Cabinet on Diaspora policy

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…months after meetings held in NY, Georgia, Toronto A policy to have overseas-based Guyanese contribute to their homeland has been languishing before cabinet. According to Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, this is due to priorities and a bit of ‘absentmindedness’. The policy in question is the Diaspora Engagement Strategy, especially important considering the current development of the oil and gas sector. But according to Greenidge during a press conference on Monday, cabinet is yet to have a look at the strategy. “That paper has been before cabinet for the longest…

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‘Take a closer look at our country!’

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…Guyana Govt tells writer of NY Times article on oil sector The Guyana Government has noted its extreme disappointment with an article written for the New York Times by Clifford Krauss, entitled “The $20 Billion Question.” It has since responded to several of the inaccuracies and the writer’s depiction of Guyana, its people, and their way of life. In a statement issued by the Finance Ministry on Sunday, it said that it would not address what it described as the “laughably simplistic and selective description” of Guyana. The Ministry said…

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75,000 young New Yorkers to be placed in summer jobs this year – NY Mayor

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Mayor Bill de Blasio and DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong have disclosed that the 2018 Summer Youth Employment Program is expected to provide jobs for up to 75,000 young New Yorkers. According to the Mayor’s Office, under the de Blasio Administration, the number of available positions for young people between the ages of 14 and 24 has more than doubled. SYEP, launched in 1963, is the nation’s largest summer youth employment initiative, and provides up to six weeks of entry-level experience at worksites in all five boroughs. “This summer, 75,000 of…

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CPL 2018: Australia’s Steve Smith to join Barbados Tridents

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The Barbados Tridents have announced that Australian batsman Steve Smith will join their squad for the 2018 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which will run from 8 August to 16 September. According to CPL, Smith will replace Shakib Al Hasan who is no longer available for the tournament. Smith has played 64 Tests, 108 ODIs and 30 T20 Internationals for Australia and is currently the number one ranked Test batsman in the world. With more than 3000 T20 runs, including a century and 11 fifties, Smith brings a huge amount…

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