News

President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday hesitated to talk about the political future of Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall if he is charged with rape of a 16-year old teenage girl last December. “As President, I have to deal fairly with what is before me. What is before me is that the minister proceeded on leave to allow that (investigation0. Now, ...

President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday said preparations were being finalised to hold a  Commission of Inquiry into the fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory that claimed the lives of 20 children. “We are finalising the TOR (Terms of Reference) right now,” he told reporters. He plans to meet with the team under the leadership of Retired Major General Joseph ...

The Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) on Monday denied that the 16-year old girl, who has complained that Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall allegedly raped her, was prevented from having a private lawyer. “At no time was the child denied additional or private legal representation,” the agency said days after Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd said publicly that the CPA had prevented counsel ...

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Monday announced that a “comprehensive” anti-drug addiction programme including treatment services at clinics, rehabilitation centres and the training of drug addiction specialists. He made the announcements at a public forum to mark the United Nations-designated International Day against Illicit Trafficking and Drug Abuse under the theme “People First: stop stigma and Discrimination, strengthen Prevention”. ...

Well-known Guyanese lawyer Nigel Hughes on Monday defended his decision to defend People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) government minister, Nigel Dharamlall in a rape allegation by a 16-year old schoolgirl, arguing that his priority is to ensure that the system works fairly for the complainant and the accused. “We have to ensure first of all you protect the person who ...

The Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Coast Guard and Air Corps are undergoing major upgrades as part of an integrated approach to counter illegal activities, patrol the country’s borders and move troops and equipment, a well-placed source said Monday. The latest addition is the Beechcraft King Air 350, which was seized in 2017, and fully-refurbished at a cost of US$2 million ...

Surgeons at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) have removed a very rare “human tail” from a 10-day old baby, the tertiaty health care institution said Sunday. The successful surgery was conducted on the boy on June 18, 2023 by a medical team led by Chief Neurosurgeon, Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi. The GPHC said the surgery included the reconstruction of the spinal ...

Two agents of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) are to be fired for their alleged theft of several pieces of diamond from a Surinamese man who was allegedly caught with an illegal firearm in his possession, CANU Head James Singh said. “We are preparing their exit from the unit since the police are going to institute charges,” Mr Singh told ...

Guyana’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Hack on Saturday recommended the scrapping of jury trials for murder accused in the interior regions, and offences such as money laundering, trafficking in persons and cybercrime because of the technical nature of the evidence. She called on the Guyana government to amend the legislation to allow for judge-only trials as reasons should ...

Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Judge, Jacob Wit on Saturday expressed concern about the protracted delay in accused persons on bail and on remand awaiting trial, prompting him to recommend the establishment of a pre-trial Chamber in Guyana to address the worrying trend. “Regionally, the delays are such that they are simply unacceptable. In some persons, accused persons are on ...