News

Samuel Sukhnandan In light of a rapidly changing global environment and an increasing demand for government services, efforts will be made to modernise and professionalise the public sector, Minister of Public Service Ms. Sonia Parag has said. Ms. Parag told News Talk Radio 103.1 FM/Demerara Waves Online News that the new government plans to provide efficient benefits now and in the future for ...

by Samuel Sukhnandan Former Health Minister Volda Lawrence has claimed that politics played a major role in the increased cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Guyana because certain persons had not cooperated fully with the David Granger-led  administration. Ms Lawrence who appeared on the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) live social media programme on Tuesday gave ...

by Samuel Sukhnandan President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday announced that newly-appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd has tested positive for the deadly COVID-19 virus and that all members of his Cabinet would now have to be tested and work remotely. The Guyanese Head of State said he has since advised Mr Todd to inform all individuals ...

Guyana has asked Canada for help in reviewing the Payara oil field project before government approves the development plan to allow for ExxonMobil to issue its Final Investment Decision (FID), President Irfaan Ali said Tuesday. “We are in the process of engaging an international expert to do that review on the work that has been done so far,” he said. ...

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) on Tuesday welcomed the re-establishment of a Ministry of Labour and has already urged Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton to tackle several burning issues. “We look forward to a good, meaningful, and productive working relationship with the Minister. Now that we have a return of a ministry it is therefore our expectation that the ...

The National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), the holding company for government’s assets, will be asked to return the closed sugar estates to the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) which will be reopened after a review is done, Agriculture Minister Zulficar Mustapha said Tuesday. “In terms of the timeframe for reopening the closed sugar estates, first of all GuySuCo ...

United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn on Tuesday said his country would hold the newly-elected People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-led administration accountable on good governance issues in much the same way as that European country pressed for a declaration of accurate election results. He said the posture by the UK, United States and Canada has remained consistent ...

Minister of Agriculture Zulficar Mustapha on Tuesday said he has asked the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to provide details about 1.5 tons of cocaine that German authorities said were found stashed in a sacks of rice from Guyana. Mr. Mustapha expressed concern that the drug find would taint the image of rice, one of Guyana’s main exports. “I am ...

Deputy Head of Guyana’s Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, Lesley Ramlall on Tuesday said local drug agents have launched a major investigation into Germany’s bust of 1.5 tons of cocaine  in a consignment of rice that German authorities said originated in Guyana. Mr. Ramlall said he has already asked the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for records of all rice shipments to Europe ...

Authorities in Hamburg have found over €300 million worth of cocaine in a cargo ship container, Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle reports. The massive stash, which has an estimated street value of around €300 million ($353 million), was hidden between sacks of rice in the container which came from Guyana, local newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt reported. Hamburg authorities discovered 1.5 tons of cocaine ...