Guyana News

After managing to elude law enforcers for almost two years, Farok Baksh, who was wanted by the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) for allegedly trafficking almost 325 pounds of cannabis and cocaine in a boat at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara in 2018, was arrested by the police on Friday.

Up to the middle of last week, the Small Business Bureau (SBB) said only 10% of applicants for COVID-19 relief had met the criteria to receive financial aid and urged the remainder to submit all the required information in order to speed up the processing of their applications.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) says it is appalled by the report submitted to GECOM today by Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield saying that the recount of votes from the March 2nd general elections does not provide a credible or verifiable basis for a result.

The PPP today slammed a report submitted to GECOM by Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield on the March 2nd recount of votes as ultra vires and in excess of his authority.

A female resident of the Palms Geriatric Home who is 105 is among three residents of the home who have recovered from COVID-19.

 Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield today delivered his report to GECOM Chair Claudette Singh on the 33-day recount of votes and sources tell Stabroek News it says that in each district it cannot be ascertained that the results meet the criteria of free and fair elections.

While suggesting that comments by regional leaders on Guyana’s elections process have been “premature” and “reckless,” caretaker president David Granger last night urged that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) be allowed to do its work and once again pledged to abide by whatever declaration it makes.

Owen Arthur, the head of the Commonwealth Observer Mission to the March 2nd elections, yesterday repudiated the attacks which have been levelled against Vincentian Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves by APNU+AFC election agent Joseph Harmon over a statement about the recount of votes.

Executive member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Dr Rupert Roopnaraine yesterday maintained that any declaration coming from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on the March 2 elections should be respected.

Ahead of today’s 40th anniversary of the death of co-founder Walter Rodney, who it maintains was assassinated by the then governing PNC, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) yesterday recommitted itself to the quest for a Guyana that is based on ethno-racial, social and gender equity.

Almost four months after being found guilty of trafficking over five pounds of cocaine, Joy Jacqueline Caines was yesterday sentenced and fined for the crime by city magistrate Dylon Bess.

Police have launched an investigation into the alleged brutalisation of several members of a Grass Field, Enmore, East Coast Demerara family on Tuesday by members of the force who were responding to a noise nuisance report.

Guyana has recorded a new positive COVID-19 case, taking its total number of cases to 159, according to the test results released yesterday by the Public Health Ministry.

Influenza vaccines are now available in Guyana as international health authorities continue to urge that vaccinations for the seasonal malady continue during the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Following reports of wildlife being traded from Mabaruma, Region One, during the closed season, the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) has launched an investigation, according to Commissioner Alona Sankar.

The following is a statement by persons who are lobbying for the return of Guyanese stranded abroad because of COVID-19.

Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd and Guyana Goldfields Inc (GGI) today announced that they have entered into a binding arrangement agreement  pursuant to which Zijin will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Guyana Goldfields for cash consideration of C$1.85 for each Guyana Common Share, valuing Guyana Goldfields at approximately C$323 million.

The APNU+AFC coalition has expressed surprise at incoming Chair of CARICOM, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves after he declared on Wednesday that the Community is expecting the winner of Guyana’s elections to be declared in accordance with the results of the National Recount.

Guyana has received US$35 million for the second of the five lifts of one million barrels of oil that it is entitled to this year, a figure that is about US$20 million less than what it received for its first cargo due to a drop world market prices.

The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has reported a 13% hike in rice exports between January and May this year when compared to the same period last year.