Marcelle Thomas

As Sheriff Group is preparing for the opening of its US multi-million dollar hospital at Leonora on lands formerly owned by convicted fraudster Edul ‘Ed’Ahmad, preparatory works have already begun for a US$200 million  facility at Houston.

Hess Corporation, one of the partners in Guyana’s lucrative offshore oil block, yesterday announced the purchase of US$750m of this country’s carbon credits over 10 years and 15% of the monies will go to Indigenous communities.

In spite of major setbacks since it began in late 2012, the development of the Windsor Estates gated community at Providence, East Bank Demerara, is a success story says owner/developer Danny Sawh, as 80 per cent of the property owners defied the criticism that the homes would be too expensive for Guyanese to afford.

Following repeated complaints about cement dust pollution and the health toll it was taking on residents at Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched an investigation into the ready-mix concrete operations of Forrester’s Concrete.  “The dust is terrible and like it has given me sinus and breathing problems,“ 65-year-old Sita Foo told Sunday Stabroek from her home as she pointed to areas that have to be swept and sprinkled with water everyday so as to keep the cement residue from spreading.

Georgetown and London yesterday signed a trade and technical partnership agreement, with President Irfaan Ali leading his government’s team during technical discussions with a delegation headed by UK Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jonathan Knott.

Guyanese-American building contractor and developer Danny Sawh plans on investing about US$350 million into the transformation of 100 acres of former Ogle estate lands into a luxury waterfront gated community with a built in lagoon surrounded by state of the art residential properties, green spaces and a commercial area.

As it announced that the auctioning of some 14 offshore blocks will not take place until next year, government yesterday disclosed that the new model oil and gas Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) will see big changes such as the upping of royalty from 2% to 10%, corporation tax of 10% and a  limiting of the amount of blocks for companies.

Last week’s theft from a private jet at CJIA was a major security breach that will lead to closer scrutiny by aviation bodies and blame trading has already begun as tighter measures should have been in place since June this year.

Hoteliers Dee and Michael George have purchased the historic Herdmanston Annexe on Lamaha Street, formerly owned by GuySuCo, and will add it to their hotel business while preserving elements of its colonial architecture.

The United Kingdom yesterday said that from November 9th, holders of Guyanese passports will be allowed visa-free entry for up to six months for business and leisure.

The government is looking for a consultant to help it craft a bill that will end time-consuming preliminary inquiries (PIs) in what will be a major reform of the criminal justice system here.

Jamaican businesswoman Kareema Muncey is returning to Guyana with plans to partner with locals to expand her well known Home Choice Enterprises (HCE) brand.

John Fernandes Limited (JFL) has declined to accept a refund cheque from the Beterverwagting/ Triumph Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) which was a down payment for the sale of 143 acres of land which the NDC wants to repudiate.

Global food and beverage conglomerate Nestlé has pulled its local franchise distributorship from both M Beepat & Sons and Distribution Services Limited (DSL) and given it to the Trinidad-headquartered Massy Distribution in a deal that sees the two local companies losing over $3 billion in sales annually.

Jamaica can assist Guyana with ensuring that its food exports to the US gain accreditation for entry, according to the island’s Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Aubyn Hill.

As she testified before the United States Congress last Wednesday, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley made a plea to policymakers to reexamine regulations on correspondent banking in the Caribbean made to counter terrorism and money laundering as they have made the region globally uncompetitive.

Guyana’s burgeoning oil revenues and robust forecasts of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth have resulted in the European Union (EU) making the decision to decrease  funding to the country.

Promising the creation of some 50,000 jobs by 2025 when he campaigned for the Presidency in 2020, President Irfaan Ali yesterday said that he believes the figure will be long surpassed before that time and he said that a comprehensive national development plan is being worked on.

President Irfaan Ali yesterday commissioned the rehabilitated Burnham Boulevard in Mocha Arcadia and pledged support for a series of improvements including repairs to the Barnwell Road, an announcement greeted with broad approval from residents.

As it awaits licensing by regulators here, the Ghanaian-headquartered Fintech company – Ezeepay – has announced that it will be establishing a presence here and has already advertised for management positions.