A half-year ago, repeating the need for a governmental stimulus of the economy, we discussed in this space the latter’s evident choice between “guns and butter”. The phrase “guns or butter” entered the lexicon as a trope for signalling the tendency of some political leaders to focus their energies and their nation’s spending on the military (guns), rather than on the needs of the civilian population (butter). The Nazi-militarised Government was particularly fond of the phrase, as its officials scoffed at the production of “butter”. It entered economics as the…
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US-based Guyanese sending $$ back home may have to pay 2% tax
…to help fund Trump’s border wall Guyanese and other Caribbean nationals residing in the United States of America who send remittances to family back in their home countries could soon find themselves contributing to the cost of the construction of the Mexican border wall — a key commitment of US President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign. According to a report in the Jamaican Observer, a United States congressman is proposing that an amendment be made to the US Electronic Fund Transfer Act to impose a fee for remittance transfers to certain…
Read MoreMarginalised groups in Guyana anticipating referendum on LGBT rights
Following a commitment made by the Granger Administration, marginalised groups in Guyana are anticipating a referendum on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights. Responding to a petition submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on the matter of human rights violations against young persons in Guyana, the coalition Administration pledged to work to address issues of discrimination against marginalised groups. In its documented response, seen by this newspaper, the Government said the issue of repealing of laws that criminalise homosexuality was brought to the attention of the…
Read MoreMiner fined, jailed for ganja trafficking
A gold miner was on Tuesday morning slapped with a three-year jail sentence, and ordered to pay a whopping fine of G$3.2 million by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Eon Simpson pleaded guilty to the charge, which stated that on April 13, 2017 at Itaballi Police Checkpoint (Region Seven – Cuyuni-Mazaruni), he had in his possession one kilogram of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. The unrepresented man readily admitted to the offence, explaining that he was driven to traffic the…
Read More16-yr-old dies after slamming into utility pole
A West Berbice farmer is now dead after he and a neighbour crashed into a utility pole following an Easter Monday drinking spree. Dead is 16-year-old Dave Kumar Williams of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice (WCB), who was the pillion rider of the motorcycle that crashed. The rider, Leon Norton, 21, also of Bath Settlement, was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital in critical condition and subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. In a statement, Police said that about 05:30h on Tuesday Williams died while receiving treatment at the…
Read More‘Educational Exchanges’ Russian Government provides invaluable opportunities for Guyanese
Every year since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Guyana in 1970, the Russian Government provides scholarships to Guyanese for studies in Russia. More than 100 Guyanese, including doctors, engineers, politicians and diplomats, have graduated from the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN). In 2016, two Guyanese received Russian Government scholarship to study medicine in RUDN. This year another two scholarships were granted – one focused on oil and gas studies, a prospective Guyanese industrial field. The Ministry of Natural Resources of Guyana will designate a group of…
Read MoreNew Ombudsman to be appointed soon
Minister of State Minister Joseph Harmon has announced that Government will be making moves to fill the post of Ombudsman by month-end. “We’re still in the process of identifying that person, and we believe that by the end of April we will be in a position to make that announcement,” Harmon told reporters at his most recent post-Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency. This pronouncement by the State Minister comes months after he had said that Government would have appointed a new Ombudsman within the first quarter…
Read MoreEducation Minister opposes hike in UG fees
…calls for review The University of Guyana (UG) Council has decided to hike student tuition fees at Guyana’s premier public education facility, but the Education Minister has signalled his opposition to the move. In a recent interview with this publication, Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine declared that he is not in favour of the hike. He indicated that there is need for the decision to be reviewed, and has promised that he would speak with the MoE’s representatives on the UG Council. “Anything that makes life more difficult for children…
Read MoreHigh drama as “Grey Boy” charged again for Crum-Ewing’s murder
Regan “Grey Boy” Rodrigues, the prime suspect in the execution of Courtney Crum-Ewing almost two years ago, was remanded to prison after stirring an hour-long drama in the Police Outpost at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday afternoon. Upon arrival at the courts, Rodrigues refused to enter the courtroom and opted to remain in the outpost area, creating a racket as seemingly powerless armed officers stood nearby, withstanding his tantrums. Magistrate Judy Latchman went downstairs in a futile effort to persuade him to attend the hearing. It was only upon…
Read MoreEdghill says Govt not serious about fighting corruption
– cites lagging debarment apparatus, Integrity Commission While Guyana has a Public Procurement Commission (PPC) and a Bid Protest Committee, effective measures for debarring contractors are still lacking. If the Government were serious about fighting corruption, it would have brought legislation to make this a reality, says Opposition Member of Parliament and former junior Finance Minister, Juan Edghill. He said that since the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) falls under the purview of the Ministry of Finance, then the responsible minister ought to bring this legislation. “If this…
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