Category: News

The second review of the local content policy is expected to be completed by the first quarter of next year. This is so according to Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, who made the announcement while addressing a recent forum at the Pegasus Hotel. “There is currently a second draft local content policy framework being reviewed and consulted on. We’ve also recently completed a terms of reference for a consultancy to complete the local content policy based on consultations and a draft, also an implementation plan depending on whether or not legislation…

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Residents of the Island of Leguan, in the Essequibo River, are complaining bitterly about the sudden hike in speedboat fares due to the lack of a regular ferry service. The normal fare from Parika to Leguan is about G$500, but residents are now being forced to pay as much as G$1,500, depending on the number of passengers in the speedboat at that time. According to residents living on the island, the ferry service has not been working to its normal schedule for the past six months, and passengers have no…

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The newly re-constituted Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) on Wednesday continued its meetings with stakeholders. The body met with representatives of the Indigenous, East Indian and African Guyanese constituents at Herdmanston Lodge, Georgetown to get a firsthand account of issues confronting members of the various groups. According to the ERC in a statement, during the engagements, important concerns were raised and suggestions offered with commitments to work together in promoting harmony and good relations across the country. The ERC said it is in the process of spreading and fostering awareness of…

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…call for REO’s removal By Lakhram Bhagirat Farmers of Canal Number One Polder, West Bank Demerara are now counting their losses, incurred from their farms having been inundated for almost three weeks. They contend that the flooding could have been avoided had the Regional Authorities paid attention to their pleas for help. Eighty-seven-year-old farmer Dharamdeo Singh, speaking on behalf of a group of farmers in L’Esperance, Canal Number One Polder, said their farms have been under water for over three weeks, and they had made representation to both the Canals…

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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — A new research report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) cautions that climate change is expected to significantly reduce fisheries globally by 2050, including in the Caribbean. The report also advises countries to build a more sustainable and resilient sector through climate adaptation and mitigation strategies that can protect marine species, as well as strengthen fisheries production, food security, revenues and fisheries governance. Titled ‘Impacts of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture: Synthesis of current knowledge, adaptation and mitigation options’, the…

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As Guyana’s foreign currency reserves continue to deplete daily, there are no signs of this changing anytime soon, especially with the G$30 billion syndicated bond that was recently secured by the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to assist with revitalisation of the cash-strapped Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). This is according to Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, who told a news conference on Wednesday that when the spending of the G$30 billion bond begins, it…

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Acknowledging that it may sound like a low number, Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes disclosed recently that slightly less than 40 per cent of Guyana’s population has Internet connectivity. She made this admission in the National Assembly as she defended the frequent statements in the public domain regarding Guyana’s fledgling Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector. “I know in the press, I’ve been carried talking about our drive to provide connectivity. We’ve connected all the Ministries at this point in time. Over 150 government agencies, over 195 schools and we’ve created…

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…Opposition Leader says of SARA’s Deputy Director Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Wednesday said the he was unclear whether he should refer to Aubrey Heath-Retemyer as the Deputy Director of the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA) as he may very well be “squatting on the job”. Jagdeo made this remark during his weekly press briefing when he was posed with a question in relation to the comments Heath-Retemyer made about the Judiciary that saw him (Heath-Retemyer ) receiving considerable flack, most recently from the Guyana Bar Association. Asserting that…

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The High Court decision which held that President David Granger has the legal power to unilaterally appoint retired Justice James Patterson as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is being challenged in the Appeal Court, where the first of several hearings commenced on Wednesday. Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall appeared before the court on behalf of People’s Progressive Party Executive Secretary and Member of Parliament Zulfikar Mustapha, in whose name the challenge was mounted against a ruling handed down by Acting Chief Justice Roxanne George. On June 8, 2018, Justice George…

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By Jarryl Bryan In the wake of an influx of persons from neighbouring countries, the Guyana Government has admitted that while data is collected from immigrants crossing Guyana’s borders, authorities carry out only limited tracking of such immigrants afterwards. This was outlined by Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, who noted during a press conference on Monday that there is a Cabinet-vetted policy guideline currently in place to establish how immigrants are to be treated. Immigrants, upon entry, must fill out an arrival card that details their country of origin and…

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