Author: TIMES INT'L

Bridge takeover sends negative signal to potential investors

TIMES INT'L

…Guyana’s Opposition Leader Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has expressed his disapproval of Government’s recent move to take over the operations of the Berbice River Bridge and said it could also create a negative image for Guyana to potential investors both locally and abroad. “This issue about nationalisation and taking over private property, we don’t agree with it because we are seeking similar models to construct other bridges, hydro power and everything else,” Jagdeo told reporters on Wednesday at his weekly press conference. The Opposition Leader questioned whether there is enough…

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Huge influx of Venezuelans being managed effectively

TIMES INT'L

– Guyana’s Foreign Minister Citizenship Minister Winston Felix on Monday commended the efforts of the National Multi-Sectoral Coordinating Committee in managing the influx of Venezuelan refugees, successfully averting potential crises that are symptomatic of migratory activities. This Committee comprises various Government agencies and international bodies such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); International Organisation for Migration (IOM); Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Taking into account that the influx of migrants was a relatively novel challenge that the Government was faced with, the Committee’s…

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NY authorities taking tough action against underage drinking

TIMES INT'L

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the results of joint efforts by the State Liquor Authority and the Department of Motor Vehicles to combat underage drinking and has pledged to take tougher action against those found to be involved in breaking the law. According to a release from the Governor’s Office, during this enforcement effort in the months of August, September and October, SLA sent underage decoys to 506 establishments, citing 141 for illegal sales to minors. In addition, DMV investigators arrested 271 people under the age of…

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Heavy rain fails to dampen NY Diwali celebrations

TIMES INT'L

By Dr. Vishnu Bisram Heavy rains throughout Tuesday (continuing from Monday) including showers well into the evening did not put much of a damper on the Diwlai celebrations in the Big Apple. The heavy showers did affect the lighting of deyas outside of homes and in the public arena in the greater New York area. However, Guyanese and other Indo-Caribbeans and nationals from other countries decorated the exterior of homes with electronic lights that flickered through the darkest night of the autumn when Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, is…

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How the vote will go

TIMES INT'L

The Disciplined Forces just voted in the LGE. While the turnout was light – as it usually is at LGEs – the pattern will follow historical trends — as will the vote on Nov 12 — and cleave along ethnic lines. The AFC will be wiped out. Those who rail against this tendency foist on the general Guyanese population an awareness of politics and its nuances, and an integration of that knowledge into their political behavior, which investigators have found absent in even the most highly “sophisticated” populations in the…

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Opposition bemoans slothfulness of SOCU in dealing with allegations against Min. Patterson

TIMES INT'L

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Bharrat Jagdeo is again questioning the slothfulness of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) having publicly committed to question Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson over the sole sourcing of a G$148 million Demerara Harbour bridge contract. Jagdeo on Wednesday said the PPP will be re-fling private criminal charges against several Government Ministers. The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) had flagged Minister Patterson for requesting from Cabinet that the contract be sole sourced, instead of being processed through the Procurement Board as the law…

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The Berbice Bridge fiasco is nothing but an elections gimmick

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, It has happened just the way we predicted weeks ago, that is the Alliance For Change (AFC) David Patterson riding into Berbice as the knight in shining armour. He has, as it were, came to the rescue of the hapless citizens of Berbice; or is it? I think differently, I see this as another election gimmickry to again somehow squeeze votes out of Berbicians. This tactic was tried in the lead up to the 2015 General Elections when Nagamootoo and Ramjattan fooled Berbicians into voting for them with…

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Getting murkier…

TIMES INT'L

…in sugar divestment Your Eyewitness was thrown for a loop when he learnt DDL pulled out of the bidding for Enmore Estate at the last moment. When DDL discovered the production from the three “grinding” estates couldn’t supply them with enough molasses to produce their world-class rums, they worked with the SPU to restart the Enmore operations to supply the rest, didn’t they? What did they learn? Now, no matter how you slice it or dice it, DDL’s a very well-run outfit, and it behooves the SPU – if no…

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Bring in the United Nations Now!

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor, We have witnessed the recent chaos on Nomination Day, with it, the many justified ensuing Court battles, which the circumstances signal are likely to continue at the highest judicial decision making authority. The continued disappearances of the Chief Executive Officer at key events and activities during the preparation for the Disciplined Services balloting, clearly points to the realities of the trial and error approach, and much heightened incompetence. On Monday October 29th, 2018, the Secretariat’s CEO, Mr. Lowenfield, held a briefing with the Political Parties in preparation for…

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Court orders retrial for man accused of killing friend

TIMES INT'L

The Appeal Court of Guyana on Monday overturned the decision of Justice Navindra Singh, who sentenced Redrick Alexander, called “Bumpy”, to 56 years in prison after a jury of his peers found him guilty of murdering his friend, Carl Thomas, known as “Dog”, back in November 2010. Alexander’s sentence had been handed down in April 2014 after a murder trial in the High Court. However, he appealed the verdict and the corresponding prison sentence imposed upon him. When his matter came up for hearing, his attorney, Nigel Hughes presented arguments…

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