-says budget tailored along neo liberal, pro-business lines In a candid assessment, Audit firm Ram and McRae have called out the recently presented 2019 budget for having little to no provisions for the poor, women and gender issues and other critical matters like the Berbice Bridge, now headed to court after government took it over. In its annual publication of Budget focus the firm which was founded by anti-corruption advocate Christopher Ram, acknowledged the provisions in the budget for people with disabilities, the employed and self-employed and Finance Minister Winston…
Read MoreCategory: News
YEAR IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER – Govt nationalises Berbice River Bridge
… “this is a slap in the face to all private-public partnerships – BBCI Vice Chair … no respect for rule of law, constitutional rights of citizenry – former AG The Government of Guyana has snatched control of the Berbice River Bridge on Monday in an apparent effort to nationalise the structure, which was financed mainly by private investors. In a surprise move on Monday, the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led Government said that in accordance with the powers conferred upon Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson by Sections 4 (1) and…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: DECEMBER – ExxonMobil makes another oil discovery offshore Guyana
The future of an oil industry in Guyana seems even more promising with another announced oil discovery offshore Guyana by United States oil giant, ExxonMobil. The company’s 10th discovery was announced by Director for the Department of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe, who expressed satisfaction with the way things are going. He revealed that the discovery was made at the Pluma-1 well. It has increased the estimated recoverable resource for the Stabroek Block to more than 5 billion oil-equivalent barrels. The Pluma-1 is located some 17 miles (27 kilometers) south of…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: MAY – President, PM, ministers boycott Cheddi Jagan centenary stamp launch
At the launched of the commemorative stamp to mark the 100th birth anniversary of former President Dr Cheddi Jagan, there was a no show at the event that was organised to launch the item at the Ministry of the Presidency. Some close relatives of former President Dr Cheddi Jagan and staff of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre were the only ones present for the launch of the commemorative stamp. Public Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes had announced that the GPOC would be issuing commemorative stamps to celebrate the former President’s 100th…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: OCTOBER – Police kill bandit after ECD robbery
An Agricola, Greater Georgetown man was shot dead by Police on November 1 while trying to escape after robbing a taxi driver and a cattle farmer. Dead is 27-year-old Melroy Solomon, called “Souce Mouth”, of Titus Street, Agricola. According to Police reports, about 10:50h on Thursday, a taxi driver was robbed of his 212 motor car and personal items at Seventh Street, Foulis, East Coast Demerara (ECD) by two males, who hired him to purportedly go to an ECD destination. The matter was reported, and the stolen vehicle was intercepted…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER – PPP records massive wins countrywide with over 45,000 votes more than APNU, AFC combined
Despite some challenges at some Local Authority Areas (LAAs), People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo said on Tuesday his party still managed to prevail during the 2018 Local Government Elections (LGE). According to Jagdeo, they secured massive wins countrywide with more than 45,000 votes than the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) combined.
Read MoreGovt collects over $1B in environmental tax
…no concrete plans outlined for usage of fund The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has managed to rake in close to $1.2 billion in environmental taxes as of the end of last year, ever since its implementation on February 1, 2017. This is according to Commissioner-General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia, who told this newspaper that companies are generally compliant with this relatively new tax.
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: APRIL – Drug shortage forces doctors, nurses to sit-in at Skeldon Hospital
Doctors and nurses at Skeldon Hospital staged a sit-in and refused to see patients. Their drastic action came as a result of shortages of drugs and lack of basic equipment for them to carry out their duties. Since they had no tools to down, the staff at the Accident and Emergency Unit simply refused to see patients who turned up at the facility.
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER – Fly Jamaica crash-lands at CJIA after encountering hydraulic issues
-10 passengers hospitalised – firefighters arrested for theft A Boeing 757 aircraft operated by Fly Jamaica crash-landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, in the wee hours of Friday morning thus resulting in at least 10 people being medically examined. The airplane carrying 118 adults, along with two infants and an 8-member crew, took off from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at about 02:10h but after sometime, the aircraft encountered hydraulic problems and as such, returned to Timehri where it crash-landed. The aircraft was destined for…
Read MoreYEAR IN REVIEW: NOVEMBER – Govt’s chances of re-election low – petroleum expert -says oil revenue should be used towards developing Guyana
Former Presidential Advisor on Petroleum to Guyana, Dr Jan Mangal says a lot of what the coalition Government does now and how it plans for the future, particularly as it relates to the oil and gas industry, will determine whether or not it can be re-elected to office. However, Dr Mangal believes that the Government’s chances are low based on a number of factors. His comments come in light of the recently-concluded Local Government Elections (LGE) which saw the coalition performing poorly as compared to the main Opposition party.
Read More