Guyana News

-warns of significant losses due to smuggling The Demerara Tobacco Company Limited (DEMTOCO) has announced an after-tax profit of $2.27 billion for 2023 while noting a “significant” rise in cigarette smuggling which it estimates could cost the local economy some $1 billion annually.

-was to have been completed in July, 2023 By Antonio Dey Completion of the Bamia Primary School has missed another deadline and Region 10 Chairman Deron Adams yesterday again expressed his dissatisfaction at the delay in finishing the building.

-in wake of over 40 meetings being cancelled because of absence of gov’t MPs Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira yesterday defended the performance of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)  and argued that while government agencies are being reviewed and are guided by the Auditor General’s reports for the period under which the APNU+AFC was in office, attention must be paid to the number of violations committed.

Colours of India – the clothing store famous around Guyana for its Indian clothing and accessories was yesterday completely destroyed by a sudden fire leaving the owner with millions of dollars in losses.

Forty-year-old Orlan Roberts who sexually assaulted an 11-year-old as she slept, was on Thursday handed a life sentence and a firm rebuke by High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon. 

A Kilcoy, Corentyne fisherman is now on trial before Justice Priya Sewnarine- Beharry at the High Court in Berbice for the murder of his friend, Alexander Yhap at Kilcoy, Corentyne in 2020.

Police conducted an eradication exercise yesterday in Bartica and Fort Nassau, Upper Berbice River, where they discovered illegal firearms and destroyed thousands of cannabis plants valued at some $295 million.

An autopsy performed by government pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh on the body of Shawn George, the 52-year-old man who was stabbed to death during a scuffle on Wednesday night, has disclosed that he died as a result of multiple stab wounds.

Vera Florence Venture of Lot 72 Cave Street, Queenstown, Esse-quibo, in Region Two, is now the village’s oldest person having celebrated her 100th birthday on Thursday.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal yesterday conducted an inspection at Golden Grove-Block 13, East Bank Demerara and said that infrastructural work for the housing scheme there should be finished next month.

Police in Regional Division #2 are investigating the wounding of Indeo Miguel, a 24-year-old miner who resides at Karawab, Pomeroon.

Amillo Carter, a 21-year-old vendor, was charged on Thursday with burglary.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Whiptail Development Project does not indicate any link between the proposed project’s activities and tsunamis, a release yesterday from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated.

The Guyana Veterinary Association is joining its sister associations and colleagues around the world in celebrating World Veterinary Day today under the  theme “Veterinarians as Essential Health Workers”.

Minister in the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar this morning berated several delinquent contractors for delayed roadworks.

-following Tepui scandal The opposition APNU+AFC yesterday called for a probe of the national tender board and the procurement system in the wake of the scandalous award of the Belle Vue Pump Station contract to Tepui Inc.

-call for governmental, NGO intervention A delegation representing six Amerindian villages convened a press conference at the Herd-manston Lodge yesterday to raise the pervasive issue of violent sexual crimes within their communities.

Ramps Logistics Guyana (RLG) has once again found itself before the courts on allegations of making a false declaration to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) which claims that it inflated by billions, the price of a quantity of oil-well equipment imported on behalf of ExxonMobil Guyana.

PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo at his weekly press briefing yesterday said that some 3,000 people are expected to participate in the party’s upcoming congress which is expected to be one of the largest to date.

-calls for action from gov’t, police The Georgetown Chamber of Com-merce and Industry yesterday expressed its deep consternation and outrage over the inadequate management of road usage by heavy-duty trucks and the lack of action from the relevant authorities to address the continued reckless behaviour of their drivers.