Category Archives: Guyana Parliament

GUYANA: Amerindian Association unfazed by Jagdeo’s attacks


…says will continue to monitor policies, decisions that affect the lives of indigenous peoples

Feb 22, 2023 – Kaieteur News – Against the background of recent attacks on the organisation, by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) said it is unfazed by the action of the government official, reminding that it has a responsibility to monitor the policies and decisions that particularly affect the lives of indigenous peoples in Guyana and will continue to do so.

Last week during a meeting with Amerindian leaders, Jagdeo lashed out at the organisation for its criticisms of government’s handling of the carbon credit sale initiative it has embarked on.  The APA is not the only organisation that has criticised the initiative. In responding to Jagdeo the APA said the VPs vilification of the organisation is a continuation of the attacks by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall. “However, the APA remains resolute in its objective of ensuring that indigenous peoples’ rights are protected and respected by all. The APA also wonders why the organisation is being used as a scapegoat and distraction, and why the real issues are not being addressed.”  Continue reading

GUYANA: Economic Forecasts -“Rice is done with. It can’t pay.” – Commentary

 By February 4, 2023

For example in his 2022 budget speech, Minister Singh projected that the sugar sector would “grow by 11.8 percent, as GuySuCo will begin to recover from the onslaught of the 2021 floods, with the aim of producing almost 65,000 tonnes of sugar. Similarly, the rice growing subsector is forecasted to expand by 25.1 percent in 2022.”

What actually happened? Sugar declined by 18.9% to 47,000 tonnes while rice was estimated to have grown by 8.1% (although the use of the word estimated suggests some uncertainty over that figure).          Continue reading

GUYANA: Georgetown and Silica City – Commentary

By January 29, 2023

Our own Georgetown was both a planned city and grew haphazardly. It was planned in the sense that in 1781 the British selected the site for a town, building a fort somewhere near the museum – although no one is sure exactly where it was − and deciding that the seat of government would be on the strip of land which ran south from the Brandwagt or Dutch signal station, around where Stabroek Market now stands.        Continue reading

GUYANA: EDUCATION: GTU’s McDonald paints grim picture of school system

…cites hungry children in classrooms, underpaid teachers, violence among students

Coretta McDonald, GTU General Secretary

By Zena Henry – Jan 27, 2023 – Kaieteur News – Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) and General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) Coretta McDonald called for better treatment of the country’s teachers as she withheld support for the 2023 budget when the debates continued on Thursday.

McDonald told the National Assembly that budget 2023 perpetuates underpaid teachers and hungry children in classrooms, adding that the education system is plagued by violence in schools and the burning of the learning institutions. “Education in crisis,” the MP and union leader said. She told parliamentarians that every day schoolchildren are being found with various weapons when their bags are searched, children are sitting in classrooms hungry and don’t know where their next meal is coming from while in and out of schools, students are fighting teachers, parents are fighting teachers and students against teachers.        Continue reading

GUYANA: Cabinet approves G$60,000 minimum wage for private sector employees – Pres. Ali

June 16, 2022 – https://newsroom.gy/

After two years of discussing an increase in the minimum wage of private sector employees from G$44,200 to G$60,000, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday evening announced that it has been approved by the cabinet. This increase to G$60,00 is approximately US$300 per month at the exchange rate of 200-1.

“Cabinet has agreed with the recommendation of the tripartite committee and that is, we are in support of the minimum wage, that is, the $60,000…” President Ali said while addressing the 74th commemoration of the Enmore Martyrs.

The minimum wage was increased to G$44,200 in 2017 from G$35,000.              Continue reading

GUYANA: Commission of Inquiry into 2020 elections to open next week – President Ali

– President to empanel commissioners Tuesday

Jun 17, 2022 —Kaieteur News

In what can be seen as an about-face decision, President Irfaan Ali announced on Thursday that next week Tuesday, he will be naming the persons to sit on an international panel to inquire into the chaotic 2020 General and Regional elections.

Ali made the announcement while wrapping up his speech at the Enmore Martyrs’ Commemoration Service. “In honour of these martyrs and all Guyanese who fought relentlessly to ensure that our country did not go down as an undemocratic state…we will have an international CoI into the last elections.

Not a review…we promise, particularly your President promise a CoI and I say to all of you before dawn on Tuesday, your President will name the members of that CoI and those who sought to subvert democracy… the COI will set the truth from the untruth…” Ali declared.              Continue reading

GUYANA: Letter to the Editor: Election Malpractice Cases – By Eusi Kwayana

 Letter to the Editor: Election Malpractice Cases

By Eusi Kwayana

Something has gone wrong in the Criminal Justice System of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

During the impasse following Guyana’s 2000 General Elections, the entire world was effectively alerted to a perceived plan or plots to steal the election and give the victory to the wrong List.

The returning government (PPP) will claim that because of its vigilance the plot to steal the elections failed, though narrowly, because the perceived plotters were caught red-handed. The suspects were roundly denounced; exposed and criminal charges were made against them.          Continue reading

GUYANA: Ali, Norton engage in ‘tit for tat’ over meeting on constitutional appointments

President Infaan Ali

GUYANA: POLL: Funded by the US government’s National Endowment for Democracy – three articles

US poll finds political representation on major problems generally poor; youths don’t see a future in Guyana

A United States (US)-funded opinion poll conducted earlier this year shows that cost of living, unemployment and the coronavirus are the biggest problems among Guyanese but elected representatives are not doing sufficient to address them.

The poll, which was conducted for the International Republican Institute (IRI) between January 4 and 24 through face-to-face interviews in the homes of 1,500 Guyanese adults 18 years and older across based on the 2012 census, shows that a mere 2 percent of Guyanese were concerned about the oil sector and 4 percent about crime and security.        Continue reading

GUYANA: Parliament: Norton finally elected leader of opposition

…Volda Lawrence replaces Nicolette Henry as coalition fills vacant seats

Aubrey Norton Takes Oath

Apr 14, 2022  – Kaieteur News – People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) stalwart, Aubrey Compton Norton was on Wednesday elected Leader of the Opposition (LOO) several months after he won the headship of his party, which gave him a mandate to take up the post previously held by Joseph Harmon.

He was sworn in as a Member of Parliament first, before being elected the LOO during a meeting of the members of the opposition. Norton’s election has come 77 days after Harmon, tendered his resignation with immediate effect, late January.

After being appointed, Norton was also unopposed for the post of Opposition Leader and was bestowed with the position.

Also appointed to the National Assembly yesterday was People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member, Ms. Volda Lawrence, who is replacing former Education Minister, Dr. Nicolette Henry.          Continue reading

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