Marcelle Thomas

While the effects of COVID-19 have hampered expansion plans for the over $1 billion Santa Fe mega farm in Region Nine, including a venture into Agri-Tourism, the company is currently focusing on food production and growing its cattle herd as it awaits changes that will come in light of the pandemic.

Two days before the March 2nd polls, the David Granger-led Cabinet approved the agreement for the sale of land at Ogle earmarked for an ambitious Caribbean Marketing Enterprises Inc.

The Guyana Police Force and its Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) yesterday received three files from Attorney General Anil Nandlall for the investigation of leases for several acres of prime state lands at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara which were done without any valuation, public advertisement or Cabinet decisions.

While China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC) is maintaining that it has completed 97% of works on the US$138 million Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill yesterday said the government’s records show a vast difference with less than half of the agreed 17,000 square metres covered under the original agreement completed.

Following a setback due to the global pandemic, the $4 billion Tropical Orchard Products Company (TOPCO) being spearheaded by the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) is set to take off early next year, giving farmers a market for large quantities of cherries, guava and other fruit produce.

The PPP/C will not accept the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) Act in its current form and will either repeal or amend it sometime early next year, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharat has said.

Chief Investment Officer Peter Ramsaroop says Guyana’s lead agency in the steering investments is being revamped to cut bureaucratic red tape.

Former Chief Executive Officer of NICIL, Winston Brassington will head government’s Gas-to- Shore Task Force (GSTF); a body that will report on the most viable options for the project, anticipated to start next year, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat yesterday said.

The  COVID-19 pandemic has deferred the opening of the US$100M Pegasus Hotel expansion projects from December of this year to May of 2021 but hotelier  Robert Badal is confident that the entity “will hold its own” and be the inspiration needed for local investors.

An addendum to the Liza-1 Production Licence, which was never made public, was signed last year by former President David Granger and paved the way for environmental upgrades for the Liza-2 project and subsequent major improvements to the recently approved Payara licence.

Facilitating access to cheap electricity was among key issues for possible assistance when head of America’s development bank, Adam Boehler and a team of investment officials met yesterday with Guyana’s private sector.

On its long-held promise to address the decriminalisation of small amounts of marijuana here, the PPP/C government will soon begin public countrywide consultations on the matter, Attorney General Anil Nandlall yesterday said.

Following the ending of the telecommunications monopoly, three licensed service providers yesterday signalled expansion plans, including bringing 5G services here, even as Attorney General Anil Nandlall reminded that the new operating regime will ensure “true fees, charges and taxes” are paid to the state.

In his belief that Guyana can be a model developed economy in Latin America and the Caribbean in the next five to ten years, newly-elected Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President, Mauricio Claver-Carone says that he will do all possible during his tenure to facilitate achieving those goals in a transparent and sustainable manner, benefitting all Guyanese.

While saying that political parties have to address needed reforms to avoid a repeat of the impasse that occurred after the March 2nd elections, United States Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch has emphasised the importance of civil society’s input in inclusive governance, which she said would be supported by Washington.

The Petroleum Production Licence granted to Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) for its Payara project allows for flaring for up to 60 days upon the startup of the operations while allowing it free rein to undertake and submit its own research studies on the effects of the release of reservoir water.

The Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C government yesterday inked the licence agreement for ExxonMobil’s US$9 billion Payara project in the Stabroek Block,  its first major oil & gas agreement since it took office on August 2. 

Twenty-nine companies on Tuesday responded to government’s retender for Request for Proposals (RFPs) to market Guyana’s share of oil from the Liza Destiny FPSO, and while ExxonMobil again did not submit a proposal, its partner in the Stabroek Block – Hess – was one of eight new companies vying to win the contract.

Talking up the benefits of the United States’ corporate investment portfolio, United States Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch has said that oil major ExxonMobil operates in line with its international standards, which Guyana should prioritise in all investments after doing its due diligence.

The maritime pact signed this month for joint patrols between Guyana and the US will see personnel from the two countries being placed on each other’s vessels.