Politics

Opposition parliamentarian Nigel Dharamlall is convinced government parliamentarians are not as honest about their feelings toward budget 2017 as they are letting out. The MP believes a lie-detector test would help to set the record straight. Dharamlall proposed lie-detector test for the government parliamentarians were among a list of recommendations he made for correcting the budget he called a “national ...

With 17% of $250B in budget 2017 allocated to the education sector, Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine announced in the national assembly a new medical school for the University of Guyana as well as ten new counselling rooms in secondary schools. The schools identified include Cummings Lodge, Richard Ishmael, St. Mary’s, Lodge Community, South Ruimveldt, Tutorial High, Dolphin Secondary, East ...

“Shocking”, “unconscionable”, were the words used by Opposition MP Priya Manickchand to describe Budget 2017. “Brace yourself Guyana, these are the things that are going to come,” Manickchand said in her description of the 2017 budget. The MP Opposition told the National Assembly during her address on the budget that the budget has caused “distress and worry and fear in ...

The heated exchanges in budget 2017 debates have already started with Opposition MP Joseph Hamilton taking to the floor to denounce what he called a “poisonous” budget presented by Finance Minister Winston Jordan, which would cause “sufferation and murderation to Guyanese people.” “It is the first death announcement budget read on national television,” Hamilton said in his presentation noting that ...

The  2017 budget debates begin Monday in the National Assembly, and arriving parliamentarians were greeted by a long line of PPP protesters led by several MPs including Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. “It’s bad economics that many of the measures in the budget are not in keeping with even what the government says its goals are. These measures run contrary to ...

As Guyana’s government and opposition parliamentarians prepare to begin a week-long debate on Monday, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has urged Guyanese to stop complaining about the budget and “get busy”. “So what are we to do, complain about the VAT on water and electricity and do nothing else, or complain and get busy preparing? The Government of Guyana ...

President David Granger said he bestowed Guyana’s highest national award on Barbados’ Prime Minister, Freundel Stuart earlier this year as a reward for that Caribbean leader’s support on the  border controversy with Venezuela. “Prime Minister Stuart was forthright in telling the Venezuelan Vice President (Jorge Arreaza) that the decree had to be withdrawn so the award was a reward for ...

Minster of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine Friday night collapsed at a reception in honour of visiting Prince Harry. “During the outdoor event Dr. Roopnaraine experienced a brief episode of syncope (commonly referred to as  a ‘fainting spell’). The conditions were hot and, Dr. Roopnaraine was at the time also dehydrated,” government said in a statement. “Medical attention was rendered to ...

Britain’s Prince Harry arrived in Guyana Friday afternoon to a red carpet welcome and immediately embarked on several official activities, only slightly smudged by a small group of protesters who called for an apology for British colonialism and slavery. Greeted by Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge and Britain’s High Commissioner, Greg Quinn; the fifth in line to the British throne ...

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday shifted blame from Finance Minister, Winston Jordan to President David Granger for an “offensive” budget and offered to meet with government to remove the bulk of taxes on the backs of Guyanese. “We are prepared, if such a process is initiated, we are willing to collaborate with the government to share our ideas to grow ...