2019 – Page 129 – Guyana Times International

CDC opens oil spill planning and readiness assessment workshop

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) on Wednesday opened an oil spill planning and readiness assessment workshop aimed at finalising the Contingency Planning and Implementation of the Oil Pollution Preparedness Response and Cooperation (OPRC) Convention for key public and private players in the local oil and gas sector. The workshop was held at the Roraima Duke Lodge. This is the second workshop to be held; the first being in March at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) to provide stakeholders with a detailed understanding of the National Oil Spill Response Contingency…

President says steps will be taken to restore image of SOCU

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

…following damning fraud findings President David Granger on Wednesday said there would be no dismantling of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), although an audit has found a slew of financial irregularities and internal fraud at the agency. An audit was ordered into the operations of SOCU by Police Commissioner Leslie James in February following claims of grave mismanagement, which included the misuse of its operational fund. On Wednesday, the President gave his reassurance that steps would be taken to restore the image of the Unit. In that regard, he…

Guyanese miner shot by Venezuelan during money dispute

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

A 31-year-old Guyanese miner is now nursing gunshot wounds after being shot twice by a Venezuelan, to whom he owed money. Injured is Teon Moffatt of Haslington Village, East Coast Demerara (ECD). Reports are the incident occurred at Arau Mountain top, Wenamu River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Tuesday about 17:00h. Guyana Times International was told that Moffatt was heading to his camp when the suspect approached him and blocked his path. According to reports, the Venezuelan man demanded raw gold equivalent to G$15,000, which Moffatt allegedly owed him. However, Moffat…

Journey to Highbury

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

An Indentured Immigrant’s first Home Two hundred and fifty labourers had sailed from Kolkata (then Calcutta) India on The Whitby to arrive in British Guiana on May 5, 1838. Four died along the 96-day journey. Highbury, their first point of entry, is a small village at the culmination of an annual trek by those commemorating the arrival of East Indians in Guyana. According to some accounts, many of those who returned to India after their indentureship period at Highbury had ended, returned with substantial wealth; paving the way for the…

History Through The Lens

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Arrival Day celebrates contribution of all races – Granger

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Arrival Day was commemorated on Sunday with the unveiling of the long awaited $160 million Palmyra Monument in a ceremony wherein President David Granger saluted not only the arrival of East Indian migrants, but the arrival of all races to Guyana. At that commissioning ceremony, attended by Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, HE Venkatachalam Mahalingam, Granger hailed the diversity of Berbice, and the contributions of all races to the development of Guyana. “Arrival Day celebrates the contributions of all of our peoples – Amerindians, Africans, Asians and Europeans. Our nation…

Move to honour convicted terrorist has stained Guyana’s image

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, APNU/AFC’s motion in Guyana’s Parliament honouring Abdul Kadir — a man convicted of conspiracy for terrorism against America — was severely, rightfully and broadly blasted in and out of Guyana. The Guyanese people’s position to APNU/AFC is, “Speak for yourself”, not for the people of Guyana. The Opposition PPP has distanced itself from the Parliamentary motion. The Private Sector Commission and other organisations have chastised APNU/AFC for passing the motion praising Kadir for being a “great man”. The letter columns and social media postings have been dominated by…

US Ambassador’s vehicle involved in accident

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

The vehicle of US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, was involved in an accident at Lamaha Street, Georgetown on Sunday morning, but the ambassador was not in the vehicle at the time. Guyana Times International was told that the ambassador’s driver and a security officer were the only occupants of the vehicle at time of the accident. There are no reports of serious injuries being sustained by anyone involved in that accident.

Ram calls for full probe following Adams-Yearwood’s reassignment

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Political commentator Christopher Ram is of the firm belief that a full probe should have been ordered into the former Housing Minister, Valerie Adams-Yearwood, who was stripped of her responsibility of the housing sector following revelations that her husband received Government contracts. Ram in an invited comment told Guyana Times International, “I think that the Government is playing musical chairs but that has been the style and mode of operation for this Government”. He was at the time making reference to the fact that a number of Ministers have been…

Transformational projects

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019 TIMES INT'L

The Government continues to bask as it slowly completes a few projects which were envisaged and commenced by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration just prior to the May 2015 General Elections. Despite serious accusations of not delivering the initial intended expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the Government takes credit for the new structure now in place as it has done with the Indian Arrival Monument. Nothing is wrong with this or any Government continuing developmental projects and policies started by its predecessor. Since benefits are intended…