Gaulbert Sutherland

A boat captain is missing and feared drowned after pirates forced him and his crew into the waters off the Venezuelan Coast in a vicious attack on Thursday.

Faced with eviction today, some Parika, East Bank Essequibo vendors, most of whom are women, are appealing to the authorities to re-consider their decision.

– Oslo will not use Guyana’s forest gains in its targets – ambassador US$30 million in forest protection money from Norway is still months away and Oslo will not treat any avoided deforestation or degradation of Guyana’s forest as contributions to its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, Norwegian officials said.

Jobs are scarce in the Rupununi. A majority of the mainly Amerindian population farm but markets for produce are scarce too.

The five nominees proposed by the National Toshaos Council (NTC) and Amerindian organisations to sit on the Indigenous Peoples Commission (IPC) were approved by the National Assembly yesterday.

The bound body of a 57-year-old woman was early yesterday morning pulled from the charred ruins of her Sophia home.

– as El Nino scorches Rupununi Government is purchasing Brazilian peanuts to boost the upcoming crop in the Rupununi.

-until resolution of land issues Indigenous leaders are calling on government and international agencies to shelve policies related to projects like the LCDS, REDD+ until free, prior and informed consent guidelines for land use are in place.

Joycelyn’s chips “Chips, chips, chips,” Joycelyn Ambrose peeks into the bars and shops of Mahdia, coaxing people to buy the plantain chips and mangoes that fill the basket she lugs.

-60 without jobs, arson suspected Fire yesterday destroyed the ND&S Furniture Store and its factory at La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara leaving millions in losses and 60 employees jobless.

The ND&S Furniture Store and its factory were today gutted by a fire of unknown origin that raged for hours as firefighters were severely hampered by lack of water.

Blue water sparkles in the sunlight as machinery sounds faintly in the distance.

-huge agri losses projected With El Nino now forecast to last until mid-April and the next rainy season, months away, the agricultural sector is facing a potential $3 billion in losses.

– stricter rationing ahead, citizens urged to conserve A water shortage looms as levels in the conservancies are at an all-time low and citizens could face stricter water rationing with Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) already reducing water flow in the city during off-peak hours.

-talks to continue on several issues While miners will still have to give notice of their intention to mine, they will be given an initial three hectares where they can begin operations before permission is granted for them to work other areas.

Should regulations such as six months’ notification before mining can commence be implemented, larger miners can survive but the small miners would not, veteran miner, Patrick Pereira warned prospectors at Port Kaituma yesterday.

The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) yesterday slammed newspaper ads that it said were distorting environmental issues and it also called for solidarity to ensure what it said was the “survival” of the mining industry.

Amid a row between the government and miners over a six-month notice period, the associations representing prospectors and foresters have agreed there is no real land use conflict between them.

– mining body forces out McLean Facing protests in Bartica over a proposal that would see a six-month delay before mining can commence, government yesterday announced the deployment of a ministerial team to meet with miners and residents of the community today.

Barticians plan to shut down the community on Monday in protest at a government proposal for six-months notice before mining can commence but Minister of Transport, Robeson Benn says that this is “misguided” and restated that the administration will do nothing to impair the industry.