News – Page 775 – Guyana Times International

Cruise ship docks at Port Georgetown

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Passengers explore the country The MV SAGA Pearl, one of the world’s largest cruise ships and the first to docked in Guyana for the year 2011, arrived in the wee hours of Sunday morning and docked at the Guyana National Shipping Corporation Limited’s wharf at La Penitence, Georgetown. Most of its 350 occupants left on shuttles, either to see Guyana’s majestic Kaieteur Falls or to just drive around the city, see historic sites and enjoy Guyanese patronage. The ship has approximately 268 crew members. Louis Fischer Dowding, who…

Manickchand hopes paper committal encourages reports on rape

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Human Services and Social Security Minister Priya Manickchand has lauded as an ‘incredible’ step towards justice the first paper committal to accelerate a rape case. She expressed hope that the new sexual offences law would pave the way for speedier trials, without the victim or defendant having to wait years before justice is served. The minister said the presence of the paper committal would instill confidence in the judicial system and embolden rape victims to come forward and report their cases without being fearful. In an interview with this newspaper,…

Holder hospitalised for intestinal blockage

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Prime Ministerial Candidate of the Alliance For Change party, Sheila Holder, is currently a patient of a city hospital, being treated for an intestinal blockage. It is unclear whether her current illness is related to the surgery she had undergone last year. Initial reports had suggested that Holder was suffering from food poisoning, but in a telephone interview with Guyana Times International, the veteran politician confirmed she was suffering from an intestinal blockage. This is commonly known as bowel obstruction, and is a mechanical or functional obstruction of the intestines,…

Presidential candidate race alive and well – PNCR

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

…Clarke says town hall meetings are rejuvenating The People’s National Congress Reform says the ongoing town hall meetings which form the basis for the selection of its presidential candidate are creating a rejuvenation of the party in the eyes of many Guyanese. PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke made this disclosure amid public speculation that some of the five nominees would back out. He told Guyana Times International that the newly-adopted process is living up to its purpose, as the created hype is now forcing some of the nominees to petition…

Private sector biggest benefactor of trade finance facility – GBTI CEO

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited (GBTI), John Tracey, said the local private sector would be the biggest benefactor of the new trade finance facility launched on Wednesday night, February 3rd. In collaboration with the International Finance Corporation, the GBTI launched the trade financing pact at a ceremony held at the Pegasus Hotel. “This trade facility would benefit the customers more than the bank; and, as such, the local business community should take full advantage of the facility,” Tracey told the gathering at the…

Citizens Bank to open branch in Linden

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Residents of Region Ten may soon benefit from an additional banking facility as Citizens Bank hopes to open a branch in Linden in May. This announcement was made by Chairman of the Board of Directors of Banks DIH Ltd, Clifford Reis, who was in Linden recently. Reis said the bank is awaiting the necessary approval to open a branch in Linden, and the financial institution is earnestly working to meet its deadline. The former Quik Serv building on Republic Avenue, Linden is currently being remodelled to accommodate the banking facility.…

AFC promises to make UG major research institute

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

During the official start of its elections campaign, the Alliance For Change (AFC) party made a stop at Guyana’s premier tertiary education institution — the University of Guyana. There, the party made known its conviction that, through research, UG students could play a more meaningful role in the country’s development. The party’s plan of action includes making the university a major regional research institution. Speaking on the issue, AFC’s prime ministerial candidate, Sheila Holder, said the university “should be looking at solutions to our problems”. This was reiterated by party…

Guyanese rally in support of religious harmony

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

The importance of interfaith harmony to the development of a nation was emphasised on Thursday as scores of Guyanese from various religious groups marched through the streets of Georgetown in observance of the United Nations-designated Week of Interfaith Harmony. Leading that route March, which started at the Bank of Guyana at midday on Thursday, were acting President Samuel Hinds and heads of several religious organizations. The activity culminated two hours later at the Promenade Gardens with cultural performances from the Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Baha’i groups, among others. Public Relations…

GT& T losing some Gy$ 7.5M a month on landline services

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) has disclosed that it is losing some Gy$7.5 million monthly on its landline services. This disclosure is a further hint that expansion plans in regard to landline services could be taken off the company’s agenda. Speaking at a press conference at the company’s headquarters last Friday, February 4th, Yog Mahadeo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GT&T, disclosed that the company could actually be losing more, since the losses are in the vicinity of Gy$50 to Gy$80 per landline per month, and GT&T…

First set of psychiatric nurses being trained to boost mental health programme

February 11, 2011 TIMES INT'L

Eight nurses within the health sector – two from the Georgetown Public Hospital and six from Berbice – are the first set of nurses in Guyana being trained to become psychiatric nurses through a course being run by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the University of Dalhousie and the Nova Scotia Ministry of Health in Canada. During an interview with Guyana Times International, Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy disclosed that the nurses are going to function as first responders to persons with mental health illnesses at the hospitals…