TIMES INT'L

Lethem Airport set for major upgrade

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Lethem has been earmarked as the next major transport hub in the country, and according to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, the money has already been allocated for the project. Speaking at a public meeting at the Amerindian Hostel in Lethem, Region 9 on Friday evening, Minister Patterson said the facility will bear similarity to the Eugene Correia International Airport at Ogle. “Four million U.S dollars [GYD $834M] has been allocated to bring Lethem up-to-standard” noted Minister Patterson. The upgrade will include a new runway, new terminal and indoor…

The illegitimate Natural Resources Fund

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

President David Granger has just signed the “Natural Resources Bill”, which is the name of our “Sovereign Wealth Fund” and which arguably deals with the most important issue since the granting of our independence. The fundamental question is how are the funds that would be generated from our oil reserves be utilised to deliver the greatest benefits to Guyanese of this and following generations. But just as arguably, while the President might have signed the Bill, he did not sign it in law. The substantive contents of what should be…

Our Nation Symbols

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Another…

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

…PNC/AFC democratic breach? It’s a fact of life that in the elections season, incumbent governments will try to get away with slipping in some campaigning and pass it off as “just doing our (official) job, man”!! When in the Opposition back in 2011 and 2015, the PNC/APNU and AFC really went after the then PPP Government for the practice – ranging from the G$10,000 coupons they’d distributed for years to handing out some All-Terrain Vehicles to a couple of Amerindian villages! But the practices of the PPP look like playing…

Steven Ramphal crowned Guyana’s Chutney King

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

The Anna Regina Community Centre Ground came alive on Sunday night as hundreds flocked the venue to support their favourite artistes vying for the National Chutney Monarch 2019. After some excellent performances, Steven Ramphal was named the winner for his tune, “Rang Ke Baare” followed by the 2018 Chutney Monarch, Bunty Singh, who performed “Pholourie”. The third spot was won by former Chutney Monarch, Pooran Seeraj with “GT Ladki” and rounding off the top spot was Arjit Singh who performed “Ring on the Lukanee”. An elated Ramphal was lost for…

Celebrating Mashramani 2019

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Guyana is a melting pot of cultures and every celebration takes on some part of that melting pot. It is no different with Mashramani since it is a time to showcase our unity as a people and truly live as “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”. This year, Mashramani is being observed under the theme, “Celebrate Mash 49 With Victory In Mind.” Mashramani is an Amerindian word which means “celebration after hard work”, and is usually observed on February 23 in observance of Guyana’s Republic status, which was achieved on…

GECOM Chair sides…

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Guyana is on the brink of a constitutional crisis after the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman, Retired Justice James Patterson used his deciding vote and sided with Government Commissioners to pass a motion that new elections could not be held in 90 days as constitutionally mandated. This decision was made during a meeting of GECOM Commissioners on Tuesday at the Commission’s Kingston, Georgetown headquarters, where they put three issues in relation to elections preparation to a vote. The first being elections cannot be held in 90 days; the second issue…

Race and slavery

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

Some would dismiss the ubiquity of race and racism but these constructs, arising out of a European 18th century discourse that ran parallel with the European conquest of the rest of the world and especially with the justification of African slavery, but these are still omnipresent. As we wrote last week, race and racism, are part and parcel of the “Western Enlightenment,” imposed as one weapon in the European arsenal of imperialistic conquest even as it spoke loftily of ‘freedom and equality and democracy. Notable names such as Hume, Kant…

Judge orders AG to ‘get your house in order’

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

…as appeal for stay of execution is halted Given the national importance of the challenges to the no-confidence case, stakeholders have been calling on the Judiciary to ensure the matter is fast-tracked. However, defects in the summons filed in the Appeal Court by Government to stay last month’s High Court rulings on the no-confidence resolution means Attorney General Basil Williams will have to refile one of the summons in the matter. This was the order handed down by Justice Rishi Persaud in preliminary proceedings on Wednesday ahead of the overall…

‘More tension in Coalition camp’

February 22, 2019February 22, 2019 TIMES INT'L

…WPA’s overseas chapter threatens to leave PNC-led APNU The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has come in for heavy criticism from the Diaspora chapter of one of its five partners – the Working People’s Alliance (WPA). In a statement on Friday, the WPA Overseas Associates (WPAOA) has stated that the party would leave the APNU alliance if steps are not taken to have a more inclusionary partnership. The five-party APNU consists of: majority members PNC, the WPA, the Justice For All Party (JFAP),…