News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A small Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard vessel pointed its weapon at a US military helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, two US defence officials told Reuters yesterday, an action they described as “unsafe and unprofessional.”

The prosecution yesterday closed its case against Mark Thompson, who is accused of murdering Brazilian miner Jose Rodriguez De Oliveira over six years ago.

1 1. Introduction 1.1 Mr. Speaker, I rise to move the motion for the approval of the Estimates of the Public Sector and the Budget for the Financial Year 2017 and, in doing so, I wish to indicate that Cabinet has recommended that the National Assembly proceed upon this motion, pursuant to Article 171, Paragraph 2, of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

While Finance Minister Winston Jordan was delivering his budget today it was also being communicated by sign language under a Ministry of Finance initiative.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan today announced that the Value Added Tax (VAT) will be dropped from 16% to 14% but it will also now be applied to electricity and water.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan today announced an increase in the income tax threshold from $660,000 per annum to the greater of $720,000 or one-third of an employee’s gross salary.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan this afternoon reiterated that radical reorganisation of the sugar industry is required but he made no announcements of any decisions in relation to estates.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan today said that provision has been made in the 2017 budget for Mabaruma in Region One to have a 400-kilowatt solar farm.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth this year is expected to be 2.6% compared to the originally projected 4.4% when budget 2016 was presented earlier this year, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said today while presenting his budget for 2017.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said in a tweet today he would end the United States’ “deal” with Cuba unless a better one was made, reflecting his campaign pledge to reverse President Barack Obama’s moves to open relations with the Cold War adversary.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela’s bolivar currency has depreciated an unprecedented 60 percent in a month against the U.S.

Ranks of the Guyana Police Force say they are making stringent efforts to apprehend a male suspect, who indiscriminately discharged several rounds from a handgun, in the vicinity of a popular gas station, located on the East Coast of Demerara.

The police today said that a male domestic violence suspect who assaulted and tried to disarm an armed police constable, was early this morning shot to his right elbow, at Diamond, EBD.

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – China has approved a 247-billion-yuan (US$36-billion) railway plan to improve transport links between the capital Beijing, the port city of Tianjin, and the neighbouring province of Hebei, part of plans to integrate the three areas into a mega-city.

Former President Donald Ramotar yesterday called on the government to set up a Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the D’Urban Park construction project.

-land for workers on the tableBy Shabna Rahman With the 2017 budget to be presented today, a major announcement is likely on the way forward for sugar with GuySuCo Chairman Dr Clive Thomas telling Stabroek News on Friday of a possible rationalisation of the industry to four estates.

Following allegations of misconduct and lawbreaking levelled against police at the Springlands Berbice, Precinct, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan on Saturday assured residents in the county that thorough investigations will he conducted.

The delayed review of the financial model of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP) is expected to be completed soon even as Oslo awaits details on Guyana’s much touted plans for a “green economy.”

A regular weekend hangout at the popular Wings and Things Bar on Mandela Avenue on Sunday morning, halted with the shooting of one of the area’s residents, following an altercation between him and another patron.

Chief Justice (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards on Friday ruled that the Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) had provided sufficient evidence to support its decision to deny entry into the country of a container of condensed milk from Malaysia.