– Finance Minster declines to take postDr. Maurice OdleFinance Minister,Cheap Jerseys From China, Winston Jordan has declined to take up the appointment as the Chairman of NICIL. As a result,Cheap NFL Jerseys, Dr. Maurice Odle,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, a respected economist,Cheap NFL Jerseys, has been appointed as the new Chairman. He is also the Chairman for the Tax Reform Committee which was formed two days ago by the Finance Minister.According to Jordan,Authentic MLB Jerseys Online, Dr. Odle has served in various positions at the United Nations and Caricom with distinction. At Caricom,Wholesale China Jerseys Free Shpping, he was the economic advisor to the CARICOM Secretary General.The Finance Minister has no doubt that the economist will do the same in his new posts.

President David Granger says that it is vital that the Guyana Trade Fair and ExpositionPresident David Granger during his address.(GUYEXPO) place more emphasis on the local manufacturing sector to help revitalise the economy, which has too long now, been dependent on the exportation of raw material.The Head of State made these remarks at the launching of GUYEXPO 2016 at the Sophia Exhibition Centre on Friday last.This year’s event will be held from May 12 to May 15, under the theme “50 Years: Guyana means Business – Promoting Enterprise, Driving Productivity.”In his address to a packed auditorium, which included First Lady,Cheap China Jerseys, Mrs. Sandra Granger, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the private sector, the President noted that GUYEXPO must showcase Guyanese businesses and provide the environment for networking that will lead to expansions and the further investments needed to rev up the economy.As he stood at the podium,Wholesale Jerseys, he spoke of an occasion on the campaign trail when he sat on the bank of the Berbice River and saw barges upon barges of raw lumber traversing the waterways, which filled him with “great trepidation”.He went on to say that for too long now, Guyana has been dependent on the “six raw sisters” – raw sugar, raw rice, raw bauxite,Cheap Football Jerseys, raw gold and diamonds, raw timber and raw fish – and unless this changes, the economy will not grow or expand.“We are still a raw economy and we have not really evolved from those six sisters. I do believe that GUYEXPO has to play a part in transforming and changing our economy”Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, delivers his remarksHe continued that the exhibition should be used as the forum for value added; “for moving raw logs to high quality furniture, for moving bauxite into alumina, for moving gold into jewellery and for moving fish into products that can be taken to the hinterland to feed children”.He said the Private Sector, which sees itself as the engine of growth, must not only be committed to just buying and selling,Wholesale Jerseys, but must also be committed to adding value to Guyanese products; to revitalising the Guyanese manufacturing sector.For this to happen, he explained, Guyanese, especially producers, must come up with innovative ideas to diversify the economy.“We have to become innovative. Our economy is essentially and fundamentally unchanged and over the last 100 years we have not created a new economy. We have independence and no new economy. Our economy is still based on the exportation of raw materials. We need to be innovative. We need to use our intelligence; we need to use science and technology to produce products, but products of high quality,”The President also spoke of the importance of safety and security for citizens and investors.“We need to assure investors that this country is safe. We need to give them the assurance that their investment will be protected by an efficient magistracy and judiciary. We need to assure them that there is a Police Force, a Defence Force, who will assure that their properties are not burnt; assure them that there is a National Assembly that will pass laws that will be enforced; that when bills are assented to, they are signed,” he said.Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, during his address said that GUYEXPO 2016 is well aligned with the objectives of his Ministry, as well as the economic development priorities of the government,holesale NFL Jerseys, and is designed to nurture and promote business growth and development in Guyana.“One of the areas of focus for the Ministry of Business is on the development of micro and small enterprises, this level of enterprise accounts for almost 30 percent of our country’s GDP and employs tens of thousands of people.”The Minister said that many businesses have the capacity to develop beyond the small business level and GUYEXPO presents the opportunities for this kind of growth.A section of the gathering at the launch of GUYEXPO 2016.“Even for small businesses with lower growth potential, GUYEXPO provides opportunities for income generation due to the sheer volume of persons attending the event. This year, we look forward to a particularly large GUYEXPO.”With a significant number of exhibitors expected from the micro and small business sectors, the minister assured that efforts will be made to encourage these entities to bring to the event, high standards of products and services.“Speaking of standards, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, which falls within the responsibility of the Ministry of Business, has a critical role to play, supporting businesses by developing appropriate standard

If the trend continues, this year’s murder figures seem destined to surpass those of 2012 and rival some of the years of the infamous crime wave. Figures released by the police’s Criminal Investigations Department have revealed that there were 130 murders as at last month, four more than the corresponding period last year.Already, there have been at least three murders so far for this month,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, which would make the figure even more worrying.? Significantly, murders committed during robberies under arms,Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale, showed a 110% increase over last year’s figure; 21 in 2013 as against 10 in 2012.And while recent execution-style killings have been a cause for alarm, police records show that so far this year the number of such incidents up to November month end is half of what obtained for the same period last year. So far this year, the police have only recorded four executions.Most of the murders (48) occurred in Georgetown and its environs,China NFL Jerseys, followed by the interior with 33.East Coast Demerara and Berbice, with 18 and 16 respectively, accounted for the other significant amounts of murders.This year’s murder figures stack up similarly with those of the dreaded crime wave which occurred between 2002 and 2008.In 2002, the year of the infamous jailbreak, there were 142 murders, a figure which was topped by a wide margin in 2003, which had 206 unlawful civilian killings. One hundred and thirty one (131) persons were murdered in 2004; 120 in 2005 and 150 in 2006.In 2007 the murder figure was 115, while in 2008, 157 persons were murdered in Guyana.The 2008 homicide rate soared primarily because of the mass killings at Lusignan, where 11 villagers were slaughtered; Bartica,China Jerseys, where 12 were slain, and Christmas Falls, where eight miners were murdered and their bodies burnt. These figures were compounded by the fact that there were several sensational murders which remain unsolved to this day.Meanwhile, the police figures revealed yesterday showed an overall increase of five percent in serious crimes at the end of November 2013 in comparison to the same period in 2012.According to the police, the total number of reports of serious crimes made between January 01 and November 30,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, 2013, was 3,690 compared to 3,Wholesale Jerseys China,522 for the same period in 2012.At the end of November 2013, robbery under arms overall has increased by seven percent, with 1,038 reports compared to 971 for the same period in 2012.The statistics indicate an increase of 16% in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms; and a seven percent decrease in armed robberies where instruments other than firearms were used by the perpetrators.Again, this year’s armed robbery figures bear a striking similarity to those between 2005 and 2008.A look as far back as eight years ago showed that the police investigated 995 armed robberies in 2005; 1,119 in 2006; 1,084 in 2007 and 1,228 armed robberies in 2008.

Officers from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) met with contractors and sub-contractors in Linden last Wednesday to “enlighten them” on tax obligations in the profession, including the procedure for obtaining a TenderManager of the GRA’s Tax Advisory Services Section, Naresha Bobb-Semple,Cheap Jerseys From China, speaking to a gathering of contractors in the boardroom of the Linden Enterprise NetworkCertificate of Compliance.A Tender Certificate of Compliance which is now valid for six-months, instead of three months, is one of the key documents required for contractors operating in that capacity solely or as a partnership when bidding for a government contract.In obtaining the document,Cheap NFL Jerseys Stitched, the applicant must be in possession of a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and ensure all returns are filed and taxes paid.Manager of the GRA’s Tax Advisory Services Section, Naresha Bobb-Semple, who led the discussion along with Tax Specialist, Deslyn Bess, and Communications Officer, Fabian Clowes, used the occasion to offer advice on best practices, especially for newcomers to the profession.According to GRA, she expounded on the importance of maintaining books and records and preparing income and expenditure statements so as to corroborate claims for expenses incurred directly on the business or through sub-contracting.“The responsibility of contractors in capacity as employers to remit Pay As You Earn (PAYE) on a monthly basis and ensure the NIS contributions of their employees are treated as a deduction was also addressed. Brochures, booklets forms and other reading materials were distributed to the contractors, who were at the time gathered at a forum hosted by the Linden Chamber of Industry Commerce and Development at the Linden Enterprise Network Building Republic Avenue,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, Linden Region Ten. Sub-contractors and those aspiring were also present.”Those who are involved in construction were advised on the application of Value Added Tax (VAT) to cement.“The VAT Act provides for the zero-rating of “a supply of locally produced sand, stone,Soccer Jerseys From China, concrete blocks, plywood,Wholesale Jerseys, lumber or similar materials of a type and quality used for construction,Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping, but not including items containing imported materials, except in the case of concrete blocks and plywood.”

By Brushell Blackman“It is a disgrace for the Minister of Labour to sit idly by and allow this foreign company (RUSAL) to trample on the rights of workers in this country.”This is the view of People’s National Congress Reform leader, Robert Corbin,Authentic Adidas Hockey Jerseys China, who expressed the sentiment at his Party’s weekly briefing at Congress Place, while addressing concerns raised by citizens, at the treatment meted out to bauxite workers by the Russian company.A little over a month ago,NFL Jerseys China, a number of workers were dismissed after they engaged in industrial action against the company, seeking increased wages and improved working conditions.Corbin believes that the Russian company wants to embrace “an anti-worker strategy”, similar according to the PNCR Leader, to what occurred in Guinea.Corbin informed that only recently one of the company’s officials at its Guinea operation was expelled from that country. He added that it had emerged that the company was adopting horrid labour practices in that country. Guyana’s Minister of Labour,Wholesale China Jerseys, meanwhile,Cheap Jerseys 2018, came in for serious flak for his non-intervention in the local issue. Corbin emphasized that the government should end its selective approach in matters of this nature. He drew reference to swift intervention of the administration in the recent sugar workers’ and post office employees’ strikes.He opined that what is even more disturbing is that, instead of government serving as the mediator in the issue,China Jerseys NFL Wholesale, it has jumped on the bandwagon of RUSAL and is “selling out the bauxite workers” in the process.The main opposition party expressed outrage at non-recognition of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB& GWU) by RUSAL. Up to the time of the strike, the union represented the interest of the workers. The PNCR also called on the company to honour Collective Labour Agreements and the laws of the country.The party said it intends to pursue the matter vigorously with the government, which is a signatory to a number of International Labour Conventions.Heaping scorn on the non-recognition of the workers’ union,Cheap China Jerseys, Corbin said that such an act is unlawful, since there is an existing Trade Union Recognition Bill.The party said that it hopes that trade unions will not allow the matter to drift by. It believes this can take root and set a dangerous precedent for other companies who may feel that it is proper to trample on the rights of workers.The PNCR is urging RUSAL and the government to observe Industrial Relations norms and practices and reinstate the dismissed workers. The reluctance to embrace such a move can only be seen as unlawful and vindictive, the party said.

Whether there are or aren’t cost overruns for the $3.6B Hope/Dochfour Canal which is now heading toward its sixth deadline, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon and Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, have differing opinions.Dr Ramsammy was recently asked if there are major costs overruns on the Project. “The macro structure is completed. There is some associated work to be completed but there are no cost over runs.”He said that the associated work has to do with backfilling and operator building for the project. Commenting on the failed deadlines, Dr Ramsammy retorted that Courtney Benn, one of the contractors on the project,Wholesale Jerseys, requested an extension. He added that the quality of work thus far is “excellent.”He also stated that the Ministry was faced with two decisions,Cheap NFL Jerseys Stitched, either terminate the contract which would have caused more extensive delays and cost over runs or choose to the route of extension of the deadline at “no cost.”But Dr. Luncheon who was asked about whether Cabinet was updated on the reasons for the delays of the project and the likelihood of cost overruns, yesterday said that he is aware that the project is on its sixth deadline,Cheap Jerseys, and that a series of “ponderables” delayed it.He said that Government is now looking at a 2015 second quarter deadline and “of course there are cost over runs.”Dr. Luncheon said, though, that he would not be able to qualify the overruns sustained. They would be calculated when the project is finished and the defects liability is invoked, he added.The Head of the Presidential Secretariat explained,Cheap Jeseys NFL, “Contractors have failed and therefore there are penalties in the defects liability. When the project is completed and you go into the defects liability it is at that point in time where this netting off takes place.“There are expenditures that contractors and consultants would have to bear. Let us assume that there is $10 worth of overruns and you can recover $6 then you have a $4 overrun. It might be a big sum or a small one but it all depends on what you can recover.“However, once you have expenditure that cannot be recovered and funds need to be made available you cannot expect to have project delay because millions are outstanding. The value we are left with,Discount NFL Jerseys, the treasury will have to meet the costs.”Last year, Dr. Ramsammy had reportedly explained that there are several aspects of the Northern Relief Channel at Hope/Dochfour, East Coast Demerara that have to be completed before the canal could become operational.He had said that the Head Regulator aspect, which was constructed by BK International, is complete.As it relates to the state-of-the-art wrench, Dr. Ramsammy noted last year that since the completion of this component was dependent on a delayed aspect of the overall project, the Agriculture Ministry made some modifications.These included an adjustment to the system originally intended to open the doors of the Head Regulator. The new system, for which the wrench is required, will allow for easier opening and closing of the door. After months of delays, Ramsammy confirmed last night that the wrench is finally here and in place.Additionally, there have been concerns raised by local letter writers on the Hope Canal Project. Charles Sohan, in his latest letter, published in the Kaieteur News,Cheap NFL Jerseys, said that the Hope Canal project which is the brainchild of former President Jagdeo and Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud, is not only ill-conceived but hurriedly put together without any feasibility study.The Hope Canal project has been deemed to be one of the largest infrastructure programmes in Guyana’s history. It has been purported that the relief channel would have the capacity to withstand floods greater than that which occurred in 2005.It is being constructed to ease the pressure of water on the East Demerara Water Conservancy at times when the conservancy reaches its maximum capacity. The canal would release he excess water it into the Atlantic Ocean, via the sluice.The eight-gate sluice to release the water is being constructed by Courtney Benn Construction.