Guyanese Online18 May 2015 20:33 – Written by Zena Henry – Demerara Waves – Comments
Expressing his non-acceptance of the 2015 results, Ramsammy on his Facebook page claimed that the “ Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the International Observers seemed more concerned about expediency of an early release of results than ensuring the integrity of the elections and securing the democratic rights of citizens.” Continue reading
Jagdeo denies links to Roger Khan, death squad
Thursday, 30 April 2015 – Written by Denis Scott Chabrol – Demerara Waves
Jagdeo at News Conference
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday denied knowing convicted Guyanese drug lord, Roger Khan or being part of any death squad.
Speaking at a news conference at the headquarters of his incumbent People’s Progressive Party, Jagdeo broke his silence on the widely held view that he had been associated with Khan who is serving an extensive jail term in the United States for cocaine trafficking. “I never met Roger Khan,” he said.
“Roger Khan was never my friend. In fact, he was friendlier from my intelligence reports with some of the names I mentioned before,” he added.
GuySuCo on track to meet annual target
With four weeks left before the crop closes, Government says it is confident that the 216,000-tonne sugar target
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
originally set for this year will be reached. As a matter of fact, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy says the country is likely to meet the 200,000-tonne mark by next week.
Last year, the industry fell to a 23-year low of just 187,000 tonnes. But with a better than expected first crop, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) had earlier this year confidently revised the target upwards to 219,000 tonnes.
“We have enough cane in the fields, and therefore once we have the right weather, I have no doubt that we will be able to meet that target. I am hopeful that by the end of next week we will surpass the 200,000-tonne target mark,” Ramsammy said in a Government-released statement. Continue reading
| Trinidadian team expected in Guyana shortly to finalise agriculture land deal | |||
| Published on November 20, 2014 – Caribbean News Now | |||
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GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) — Trinidad and Tobago’s agriculture minister is expected to lead a delegation to Guyana before the end of this month, with the hope of finalising the agriculture land deal between the two Caribbean nations.
According to Guyana’s minister of agriculture, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, his ministry is currently working out the dates for the delegation to travel and meet. During that meeting, it is expected that the two ministers will conclude where the visiting team’s interests are, and will allow for both countries to decide on the locations for the land. “The land will most likely not be at one location, given the fact that the location of land will depend on the crops they are interested in,” Ramsammy said. Continue reading |
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UPDATED: Ramsammy denies ‘60,000 hectares’ claims by Indian group
– says it was given 60,000 hectares in Canje Basin
Photo : Dr Leslie Ramsammy Min. of Agriculture
AUGUST 29, 2014 | BY KNEWS— |ndian conglomerate, Ajeenkya DY Patil, says that it has been provided with a 99-year lease on 60,000 hectares of land located in Canje Basin for a mega-farm. The Government of Guyana will provide tax holidays, waive import and export duties, and provide exemption from local taxes, the company said on its website.
The Ministry of Agriculture had initially stated that it had given approximately 10,000 hectares of land in the Canje Basin to the group for “mega farming”. There have been no announcements by Government of these new arrangements.
The company said it was also able to acquire the rights to not only what is above the ground but below, a significant allowance, as it could pave the way for even mining to taking place in the concession. Continue reading
Rice paddy field
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Thursday August 7, 2014, CMC – The Guyana government says repeated high rice production levels have brought many challenges ranging from lucrative markets to the capacity to store large amounts of paddy.
Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said the government has been making major investments in the rive sector over the past three years in the area of drying and storage.
But that other challenges such as millers’ inability to pay farmers in a timely manner, the need for energy efficient management at rice mills, and for more emphasis on value added rice production were confronting the industry. Continue reading
Under the September 6th MoU signed by Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy and his Trinidadian counterpart Devant Maharaj, land will be leased by private investors from Trinidad “for the pursuit of agricultural production, including agro-processing, and generally in providing a facilitative environment and the necessary support to attract such investments”. Continue reading
NOVEMBER 4, 2013 · STABROEK NEWS – EDITORIAL
Amid the political stalemate, rampant crime, the squalor of the city and the dire state of the sugar industry the news about rice output has provided welcome relief.
Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Based on information provided to the Government Information Agency by Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, rice production so far this year has reached 514,000 tonnes, zooming past last year’s record of 422,000 tonnes, which until October 21st was said to have been the highest yield ever in Guyana’s history. The minister noted that the production figure is approaching 522,000 tonnes which would be 100,000 tonnes more than was produced last year.
Ramsammy further told GINA that the production levels seen are not a result of increased acreage of cultivated rice, but as a result of higher yields. He said that the government once strove to surpass five tons per hectare, and said that with improved strategies farmers are consistently reaching and surpassing this figure. Continue reading
Is the Skeldon Factory a White Elephant?
JANUARY 21, 2013 | BY KNEWS | EDITORIAL
One down to earth description of an ‘optimist’ is a person who returns home, finds his back door broken into and thinks a surprise party has been arranged for him. The new Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy is definitely an optimist. Since assuming his portfolio a year ago he seems determined to ignore the reality on the ground as it relates to the Skeldon Sugar Modernisation Strategy (SSMS).
Last October, asked whether the US$200 million dollar investment – the largest in the history of the country – might be proving to be a ‘white elephant’, the Minister retorted indignantly: “”I don’t know…what is a white elephant, because this seems like a factory that is meeting its potential.” He could have turned to the ubiquitous (if sophomoric) Wikipedia which would have informed him:
“A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost (particularly cost of upkeep) is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth. Continue reading
The Government wants to exploit racism and is trying to divert attention from the issues of corruption that are taking place, that’s the view of the Alliance for Change.
The Government has been blaming the AFC for organizing the unrest at Agricola, where a number of people were reportedly robbed by elements in the community.
At a press conference today, AFC leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, said, that the party was not involved and strongly condemned the action. AFC Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, believes that the Government is trying to use violence to stir up hatred. Continue reading
