Tour boat with two dozen capsizes
A pleasure trip to Marshall Falls, Mazaruni River turned into terror yesterday when the boat capsized after the propellers got entangled on a wire rope that was securing a dredge to shore, throwing the two dozen passengers into the rapids and leaving one man missing. The search for Haimchand Manram called ‘Uncle Ray’, a farmer [...]
Pilot tells relatives there was poor visibility, lighting -report
As investigators arrive here to probe the Caribbean Airlines (CAL) crash-landing, Fareed Dean, the Trinidadian pilot has reportedly told relatives that poor visibility due to heavy rainfall resulted in the aircraft over-shooting the runway at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). Dean insisted he did his best to prevent the loss of lives, a relative [...]
Some toshaos opposing Norway aid resolution
Some toshaos are not happy with aspects of a resolution calling on the governments of Norway and Guyana to intervene to expedite the release of funds from the two countries forests’ partnership and were upset further by an attempt to openly list the names of those who did not sign on. Sources say that proceedings [...]
Education, land among priorities for Toshaos
Amerindian leaders from across Guyana have gathered for the five-day National Toshaos Conference. Stabroek News spoke with several of them on their expectations of the conference, which is being held under the theme ‘Consolidating and expanding frontiers for Amerindian development.’ Councillor of Haimacabra, in Region One, Alonso Cornelius hopes to have a successful conference. He [...]
Vaitarna peppered with questions over proposed Rupununi logging
The operations of start-up logging company, Vaitarna Holdings Private Inc. (VHPI) will have to be in line with forest conservation strategies, says Deputy Commissioner of Forests Tashreef Khan and many questions were asked of the Indian company on Thursday in the Rupununi. The company wants to start logging in the concession it took over from [...]
Lethem residents: Move key facilities from flooded area
Relocation of key facilities from flood-prone areas is a plan that should be implemented urgently, Lethem residents say. In the wake of the biggest flooding seen in years that swept through the Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) community earlier this month, residents identified the power station, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) earth station and [...]
Increased environmental damage caused by mining boom
The gold rush over the past years has not been a glittering one for the environment, with many new miners unaware of proper mining practices and others continuing to operate as they had done in the past. The increased number of operations has seen a corresponding increase in environmental damage, says Rickford Vieira, the World [...]
Gov’t ramps up Region Nine aid, cash for families
Government yesterday began the third phase of recovery efforts for flood-affected communities across Region Nine, with a focus on food and food production for the agriculture-dependent indigenous villages in the sprawling savannah region. Preliminary reports say that over 1,000 acres of farmland were flooded and over 90,000 pounds of crops were lost,
Vergenoegen
At times it seems an ancient place slowly marking the passage of time under the shade of giant trees until modernity pushes its face out to proclaim its presence. Its peace is only shattered by the whine of vehicles racing on the highway that passes through the village. On the surface, Vergenoegen on the East [...]
Joe Singh worried over gold smuggling
Up to this week, gold declarations totalled 106,000 ounces—about a third of the target this year—but Chair-man of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Board of Directors Major General (rtd) Joe Singh expressed worry that some of the production is being smuggled out of the country. The figure should be higher if everything is [...]
Illegal mining widespread after freeze on leasing
A frozen land allocation process has resulted in widespread illegal mining, while the response of the Guyana Geology and Mines Com-mission (GGMC) has been hampered by the fact that it only has 41% of its required staffing, mining officials said yesterday. Since late 2009, lands normally offered for mining have not been made available through [...]
Gov’t sidelines AFC push for campaign financing reform
The government yesterday used its majority to send a motion by the AFC on campaign financing to a special select committee, after effecting an amendment that MP Sheila Holder said gutted it of its original intent. The motion, moved by Holder, saw some raucous debate as government speakers defended the record of the administration, following [...]
Police shooting at Windsor Forest melee under probe
Several persons remain in custody and the Police Office of Professional Responsibility has launched a probe of the Monday night Windsor Forest incident in which three persons were struck by pellets, including an overseas-based Guyanese who is in a serious condition at a city hospital. Police said that they were forced to open fire after [...]
Tuschen
Every weekday hundreds and hundreds of persons stream out, heading for the city, returning in waves at night. “Yuh going town” or “Stelling?” is the query that all minibus operators have to answer, because for many the final destination is their jobs in Georgetown. In the mornings most – except those with queasy stomachs – [...]
Easier terms for Indian company in forest deal
The company that took over the Simon and Shock International Logging Inc (SSI) forest concession enjoys easier terms than the original holders. Vaitarna Holdings Private Inc. (VHPI), a subsidiary of Coffee Day Limited of India, last year acquired the State Forest Exploratory Permit (SFEP) for 391,853 hectares