Author: TIMES INT'L

After more than one month since a nationwide teachers’ strike was called off, the government has finally agreed to increase the salaries of teachers by 12 percent for 2016 and eight percent for 2018. This was disclosed on Friday at the Education Ministry’s 26 Brickdam, Georgetown Office following a six-hour long discussion between Education Minister, Nicholette Henry and the Executives of the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU). The minister revealed, “What we have proposed essentially is in so far as 2016 in concerned, we finalized at 12 and eight percent respectively…

The Opposition moved to the courts and filed charges against three ministers in the coalition Government in relation to the controversial D’Urban Park project. These private criminal charges were filed against Finance Minister, Winston Jordan; Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson and Public Service Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, as the attorney and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Juan Edghill as an applicant. The charges against the ministers alleged breach of the Procurement Act, in relation to the expenditure of $906 million in public funds to…

The Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) has turned to the High Court in an attempt to retake operations of the facility, which the coalition Government took over earlier this month. In a statement on Thursday, the BBCI said both Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson and Attorney General Basil Williams have been served with notice of the legal challenge it has mounted. The application is set to come up for hearing on December 5 before Justice Gino Persaud.

…says local exporters must lift standards With Guyana’s Balance of Payment position showing a US$69.5 million deficit last year, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) Chairman Komal Samaroo made a charge for more emphasis to be placed on developing the manufacturing and export sector. Samaroo was at the time addressing persons gathered for the launch of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s business magazine. The business executive warned that, with the global market as competitive as it is, more needs to be done to lift local standards. He noted that to…

…as Trotman to stripped of responsibility for oil…dept of energy to be created under Ministry of the Presidency ExxonMobil has discovered oil in a new well offshore Guyana. This announcement was made during Cabinet’s discussions where it was also disclosed that Government plans to strip away the responsibility for the oil sector from Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman. Immediately following the conclusion of Cabinet discussions, Trotman informed the media that he would in the coming months no longer have responsibility for the oil sector, a role he has faced much…

The Parliamentary Opposition People’s Progressive Party has written to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), asking that the procurement breaches in relation to the award of consultancy contract to Dutch company, LievenseCSO, for the feasibility study and design of the new Demerara River Bridge be investigated; and SOCU has responded, informing that the issue is engaging the attention of the Guyana Police Force. Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira wrote to SOCU head Sydney James on August 15, requesting that the procurement breaches be investigated “with a view to instituting criminal…

…says non-appointments a “serious concern” Justice Adrian Saunders, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), is calling on Guyana’s political leaders to urgently resolve their issues and appoint a substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary and a Chief Justice for Guyana’s courts. He has said this current impasse has implications for the proper running of the Guyana courts. Following a session of interaction with the private sector at the Pegasus Hotel on August 2, Justice Saunders told reporters that the delay in making these substantive appointments of key judicial personnel…

…although economy grew by 4.5 % Despite the economy growing by 4.5 per cent in the first half of 2018, the traditional sectors, such as sugar and rice, have seen decline in their performances, with contractions of 30.6 and 3.8 per cent respectively. This was revealed in the Finance Ministry’s Mid-Year Report 2018, which was laid in Parliament on August 8, and which focuses on the state of the economy and performances of various sectors. Finance Minister Winston Jordan admitted that the gold sector also suffered a decline of 9.1…

…commits suicide in abandoned house An East Bank Berbice man was found hanging from a rafter under an abandoned house at Glasgow Village, moments after he killed his wife and daughter. The double murder was witnessed by the couple’s 11-year-old son. Dead are Dindamattie Behari, 37, a housewife; her daughter Surujdai Khan, 20; and their killer, Jainarine Seetaram, 41, also called “Radoo” all of Lot 1078 Glasgow, New Housing Scheme, Greater New Amsterdam, Berbice. Behari’s body was found in a hammock, while her daughter died on her way to the…