Author: TIMES INT'L

Guyana’s Private Sector calls on CCJ to give early decision on no-confidence appeal

TIMES INT'L

One day after the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) filed its No-confidence Motion appeal at the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court (CCJ), the Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Wednesday called for the court to expedite the matter in an effort to put to rest the political uncertainty facing the country. The PSC said on Wednesday it had discussions with local and international businesses which expressed reservations in investing as the uncertainty continues. It claimed that there has been a reduction in Government and Private Sector contracts linked to the uncertainty. “The Commission…

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Mining accounts for 85% of deforestation rates in Guyana – Trotman

TIMES INT'L

Mining activities are accounting for 85 percent of Guyana’s deforestation and degradation rates while logging is responsible for 2.5 percent. This is according to Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, who noted that despite these numbers, Guyana continues to maintain a low deforestation rate. “It shows that we are striking a good balance between mining and forest operations and rather forest conservation. So under our agreement with Norway in 2017 we certainly recorded the lowest rates which is historic. So Guyana has been pointed out, as recording good figures, good stewardship…

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Guyana, UK ink trade agreement

TIMES INT'L

With Brexit expected to legally take place on March 29, Guyana has signed a pact with the United Kingdom (UK) to secure its trading relations with the British country after it leaves the European Union (EU). Guyana’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, David Hales, signed the CARIFORUM-United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the Guyana Government on Friday last. UK’s Minister of State for Trade Policy of the Department of International Trade, George Hollingberry, signed on behalf of his Government. The signing,…

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‘Judicial adventurism’

TIMES INT'L

The Appellate Court’s panel of three justices: Chancellor Edwards-Cummings, Justice Rishi Persaud and Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes, in a 2-1 split decision — with Justice Persaud dissenting — surprised many objective observers by reversing the holding of the High Court that the 33-32 vote in favour of the NCM in the National Assembly was valid. What occasioned the surprise was the rationale offered by the two justices for their decision. They accepted the arguments offered by the Grenadian attorney for the Government that, unlike the passage of “normal” legislation, that of…

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Preparations in full swing for CARIFESTA XIV

TIMES INT'L

The experts responsible for advising technical officers and Ministers on the hosting of CARIFESTA are currently meeting in Trinidad and Tobago. The 27th Meeting of the Regional Cultural Committee (RCC) began on Wednesday with an opening ceremony at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Center in Port-of-Spain, and will continue until Friday March 29 2019, according to a release from the CARICOM Secretariat. Preparations for CARIFESTA XIV, which is being held in Trinidad and Tobago 16 – 25 August 2019 will be a major agenda item. Trinidad and Tobago Minister of…

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Guyana Govt promises to regularise squatting communities country-wide

TIMES INT'L

The Government is working to regularise squatting communities across the country in collaboration with the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL). According to the Department of Public information (DPI), During a recent visit to the Durban Backlands squatting community Minister of State, Joseph Harmon highlighted the importance of regularising neighbourhoods such as this. “The Central Housing and Planning Authority has already started to regularise a number of communities but we have a far way to go. This project is…

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Finding ‘Scriptology’, Redefing ‘Leo’

TIMES INT'L

by Petamber Persaud (Excerpt of an interview with Dr. Manu Chander, Georgetown, Guyana, March 2019. Chander is a Visiting Fulbright Fellow. Chander’s publications include ‘Brown Romantics: Poetry and Nationalism in the Global Nineteenth Century’.) PP: Very often when I’m asked about my Country, Guyana, I would direct the person or persons to our literature because our books since Raleigh’s book [The Discovery of Guyana] in 1596 to Evelyn Waugh’s books to Hudson’s Green Mansions even down to Rahul Bhattacharya [The sly company of people who care] acted as a sort…

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Telephone giant GTT taps into Guyana’s oil and gas sector

TIMES INT'L

As Guyana prepares for first oil early next year, local telecommunications giant GTT has readied itself to tap into the nascent oil and gas industry by providing critical data transmission services to leading companies in the sector using its multimillion-dollar sub-sea fibre optic cables. GTT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Justin Nedd noted that companies in various sectors locally were getting ready to benefit from the vast fortunes expected to be generated from the petroleum industry and GTT was no different. In fact, he disclosed that GTT has already started providing…

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Difficult questions now arise in relation to dual citizens

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, Our 11th Parliament may best be at an end whatever the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) may yet rule on the majority that would have been required for the successful passage of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) last December. A number of potentially difficult questions are now before us beyond the question of the majority required. We may be in a puddle that is of our Government’s own making. The coalition Government raised two questions on whether the vote of Charrandas should even have been recognised (which would have…

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