Zoisa Fraser

Saying that proper labelling of alcoholic beverages is an effective strategy to encourage responsible drinking, Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) country representative Dr William Adu-Krow recently disclosed that this is among the recommendations listed in an alcohol control policy, which was handed over to the Public Health Ministry several months ago.

Special Assistant at the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), Eric Phillips on Wednesday tendered his resignation after being officially informed that his private activities amounted to a “serious conflict of interest”, which, if ignored could have adverse effects on the organisation’s work.

Despite credible information that Haitian nationals are being smuggled from Guyana to Brazil, Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix says he wants to see the evidence “How are we confirming that?

By Zoisa Fraser Guyana Police Force ranks are currently under investigation for allegedly taking bribes from Haitian nationals journeying from Linden to Lethem, from where they are being smuggled across the border to Brazil.

By Zoisa Fraser Following his reinstatement after a wrongful dismissal almost 10 years ago, Police Superintendent Simon McBean reported for duty yesterday at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.

By Zoisa Fraser Almost 10 years after being wrongfully dismissed from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Simon McBean was yesterday reinstated by the Police Service Commission (PSC) and he will retain the rank of Superintendent for the time being.

As the police prepare to send a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice on a sexual misconduct complaint against a senior airport manager at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the facility is being accused of trying to victimise and humiliate his accuser.

Declaring the process used to unilaterally appoint Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to be “flawed” and unconstitutional, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) yesterday said President David Granger had no authority to introduce new eligibility requirements and should have given reasons for rejecting the 18 candidates submitted to him by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

With overwhelming support, Khemraj Ramjattan yesterday won the leadership of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and was also endorsed as the party’s choice to be the prime ministerial candidate for governing coalition at the next general elections.

Ahead of tomorrow’s National Executive Conference (NEC), where top positions in the Alliance For Change (AFC) are expected to be keenly contested, Executive Member Imran Khan yesterday claimed he and his wife have been threatened by a “thug” associated with a senior party official but up to press time there was no indication that a formal complaint had been lodged.

While insisting that legal action will be taken against those public officials who have failed to file declarations of their assets and liabilities, Chairman of the Integrity Commission Kumar Doraisami says that he is unsure if President David Granger is non-compliant and will have to make checks to verify his status.

Co-founder of Red Thread Guyana and former executive member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Andaiye, AA, lost her battle with cancer on Friday and was yesterday remembered as a revolutionary, who fought hard to protect the rights of citizens and particularly women and children.

Specific information from several “whistle-blowers” is what sparked an investigation close to a year ago into the issuance of about 20 oil exploration licences here, and with only a desk review done thus far, the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) has seen no evidence of irregularities yet.

It is time that government honours its commitment to promote transparency and accountability by taking “decisive” action against ministers who breach the Code of Conduct guidelines, President of the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) Troy Thomas says.

Even as sports betting service Superbet says it has been working tirelessly for almost two years to clear the roadblocks preventing the issuance of its licence to operate, its General Manager Shrikant Kisoensingh was yesterday grilled by police about the legality of the operations.

Over two months after moving to the Supreme Court to strip seven ‘Pradoville 2’ land allottees including former president Bharrat Jagdeo of the ownership of the plots they controversially obtained in 2010, the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) has filed two more matters.

Even as he denied refusing to cooperate with Guyana Police Force auditors looking into the financial records of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), an Alberttown businessman yesterday said that the unit’s head, Assistant Commissioner Sydney James, still owes him for the rental of two of his vehicles.

While disclosing that just under 900 foreign nationals have been granted Guyanese citizenship since he took office in 2015, Citizenship Minister Winston Felix says the law was followed in each case and he has dismissed the recent claims by the opposition of corruption as unfounded and mischievous.

An audit of the financial records of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) has uncovered serious irregularities, including the falsification of records, and it has recommended immediate transfers and a fraud investigation of several of the discrepancies, sources say.

The disagreements over what constitutes a majority for a no-confidence vote (NCV) and the indecisiveness over the implementation of the provision barring dual citizens from serving as Members of Parliament (MPs) are evidence of the urgent need for another round of constitutional reform, according to political analyst and executive member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) David Hinds.