Guyana News

As the public protest over the metered parking system entered its seventh week, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure yesterday pointed out that meters were placed along streets that do not fall under the City Council.

USAID’s General Development Office Director, Ted Lawrence, and Guyana’s Attorney General, Basil Williams, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will govern an impact evaluation of USAID’s Youth Empowerment Services (YES) programme.

By its constant and excessive allegations, the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) has succeeded in polarising society and presenting the impression that it lacks the political judgement and skills needed to succeed in its mandate.

A fuel supplier was yesterday granted bail by a city magistrate after denying fraudulently converting over $2 million in fuel.

A team from Norway met with Minister of Natural Resources (MNR) Raphael Trotman on Wednesday but a press release issued by his ministry yesterday on the meeting made no mention of the controversial Amaila Falls Hydro Power Project (AFHP) which the public has been expecting answers on.

On March 10, a team from GAICO Construction and General Services Inc.

Bandits during the wee hours of Thurs-day robbed the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary-Agriculture Development Authority (MMA-ADA) at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice of an undisclosed amount of cash and several computers.

Police Constable Joshua Ali was yesterday charged with a) Breach of Condition of Provisional Licence and b) Driving under the Influence of Alcohol.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) today issued a warning about imposters.

Amid widespread concern that the Rose Hall and Skeldon estates are to be shut down,  Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo yesterday stated that the sugar industry will not be closed but that some factories would be shuttered to improve its prospects.

  The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has been told of Cabinet’s recommendation to suspend the parking meters project and will now consider what steps to take even as Robb Street businesses yesterday implored the President to intervene, citing plummeting sales.

Former Minister of Health Dr. George Norton has jumped to the defence of his successor Volda Lawrence admitting that up to when he left office in early January this year there was a shortage of drugs and he could see the need for the recent $605M emergency supply procured.

Representatives of Chinese company Hong Kong Golden Telecom Limited (HKGT) recently put forward a proposal regarding the payment of the outstanding US$5 million for the sale of government shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) and this will be studied by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Board and government before a final decision is made.

Citing damage to key arteries, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) yesterday said that the government will crack down against overloaded mining trucks on interior roads.

A Charlestown resident, who was on trial for having 106 grammes of cannabis in her possession for the purpose of trafficking, was yesterday sentenced to just under  three years’ imprisonment and fined $159,000 by the court.

‘D’ Division Commander Leslie James yesterday said that the police have launched an investigation into reports by two men that they were beaten by residents of Canal Number One, who accused them of stealing rearview mirrors and that a “determination would be made soon.”

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has mounted a stout defence of the government’s planned State Assets Recovery Bill, arguing that the civil retrieval envisaged is an action against property, not the person, and does not include a penal sanction.

Two men yesterday appeared in the Reliance Magistrate’s Court where they were remanded over the one-year-old murder of Caitanya Kishundyal, 21, of Lot 28, First Street, Swamp Section, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne.

A Brazilian pastor who was remanded to prison after being charged with causing the death of a motorcyclist, made his second appearance in court yesterday to plead to his charge.

Two families were left counting their losses yesterday morning after a fire of unknown origin completely destroyed a Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo house they had been renting for several years.