News – Page 661 – Guyana Times International

“We cannot have rapid economic development without energy” – President

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Officials of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) on April 2, escorted President Donald Ramotar on a tour of three of the generating stations critical to the delivery of electricity on a daily basis to the Demerara grid. According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), visits were made to the Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara, and the Kingston Wärtsilä power plants and the Sophia Sub-station, with Chief Executive Officer Bharrat Dindyal, GPL’s Chairman Winston Brassington and board members among others elaborating on their functions. The tour was one which…

Deportee reintegration programme failed to take root – U.S. ambassador

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

The U.S.-backed International Organisation for Migration (IOM) programme to help resettle criminal deportees in Guyana did not produce the desired results, United States Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt said. “The programme took a while to begin and they just didn’t take root as we would have liked them to,” Hardt told Guyana Times International in a recent interview. In June 2008, Guyana signed a cooperation agreement which allowed for the (IOM) to implement immigration programmes in Guyana. The programme, which was deemed a pilot and received funding from the…

Suriname insurance giant opens branches in Guyana

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Suriname’s largest insurance company, Assuria NV launched two insurance services in Guyana last Saturday, Assuria Life (GY) Inc and Assuria General (GY) Inc – the first transborder financial services venture between Guyana and Suriname. President Donald Ramotar and Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh were among those in attendance at the launch at the Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown. The head of state, who joined Assuria NV Suriname Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Stephen Smit in toasting the business’s entry into the market, said Assuria’s actions could only aid the further promotion of regional…

Prisoners flee Leonora lock-up while officers sleep

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brummel said investigations have been launched into the escape of two prisoners from the Leonora Police Station on Sunday, April 1, and a similar incident in Berbice last week. “We cannot let this become prevalent,” Brummel told junior officers at the opening ceremony of the Junior Officers’ Course number 22 held at the Police Annexe at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary on Monday. He said that two on-duty police officers, one a corporal and the other a constable, were asleep when the two men escaped. “They grabbed…

Chinese firm buying gov’t ‘s GT&T shares for US$30M

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon said that government is selling its 20 percent shareholding in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT &T) Company for US$30 million to an Asian Chinese enterprise. The decision was made on Wednesday, April 4 during a Cabinet sitting. Dr Luncheon said that the decision was taken following analysis of the trends of the stock markets. He said that consideration was also paid to the historical trends of the shares. The party to which the shares are being sold had conducted due diligence…

Budget facilitates continuation of hinterland development

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

The transformation of the economic and social landscape of the hinterland is set to continue as reflected in the 2012 Budget presented under the theme “Remaining on Course, United in Purpose, Prosperity for All”. The budget presented by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh last Friday outlined continued hinterland interventions in health, education, water, electricity among others. Education Over Gy$ 1 billion has been allocated to sustain the National and Hinterland School Feeding programmes, even as the school uniform support is set to continue. The hinterland will benefit from the Gy$…

U.S. ambassador hosts reception for sport fishing enthusiasts

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

United States Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt last week hosted a reception at his residence for visiting sport fishing enthusiasts, travel writers, corporate sponsors, government of Guyana officials, and other local stakeholders seeking to develop a sport fishing industry in Guyana. This new initiative, which is coordinated by the United States Agency for International Development/Guyana Trade and Investment Support Project (USAID/ GTIS), aims to bring together the government of Guyana, U. S. investors, the Amerindian Committee for Rewa, and communities along the Rewa River to develop an inland fisheries…

Security, justice sectors get over Gy$18B in 2012 Budget

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Government had budgeted just about Gy$ 18 billion to improve the security and justice sector this year, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh announced in his budget presentation last week. Singh said the security of every resident is of paramount importance to government. The expectation of every citizen to a safe community and a just and secure environment must be met. In this regard, the effective interconnectedness of our security and justice sectors is critical to the meeting of this expectation. During 2011, more thanGy $15.3 billion was expended on improving…

Russia to write off Guyana’s debt

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

Guyana is expected to benefit from the long promised debt relief from the Federative Republic of Russia as announced by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh during his presentation of the 2012 National Budget last Friday. The debt write-off will represent 100 per cent of Guyana’s outstanding debt to the Russian Federation to the tune of US$ 0.3 million. “Pursuant to the decision taken by the Russian Federation in 2006, to grant additional debt relief to eligible debtor countries, we have advanced negotiations to the stage where Guyana is expected to…

Congressman Ackerman announces retirement

April 5, 2012 TIMES INT'L

By North American Correspondent Queens Congressman Gary Ackerman, a friend of Guyanese Americans who supported the call for the restoration of democracy in Guyana in 1992, announced last week he will retire from Congress after three decades of service. Ackerman has made a significant contribution to the United States during his time in office and the Guyanese community in particular is appreciative of his service as they are among the beneficiaries of the laws he championed. Ackerman at one time represented parts of Richmond Hill where the bulk of Guyanese…