The Culture Digest - Friday, December 3, 2021
Jordan catches a case, pulls a Mingo - Something Stinks at St. Roses - Ghana’s Vice President to visit Guyana - Exxon is free to dump 3.7 million barrels of discharge per day into the ocean
Good morning Guyana!
Welcome to the Friday, December 3, 2021, edition of The Culture Digest.
Here’s what happened since the last edition. Jordan catches a case and pulls a Mingo…Something Stinks at St. Roses… Ghana’s Vice President to visit Guyana this weekend… Exxon is free to dump 3.7 million barrels of discharge per day into the ocean.
Top Story
Jordan catches a case and pulls a Mingo
It looks like Nandlall was not bluffing when he said that the government was investigating Winston Jordan. On Thursday morning, SOCU arrested Jordan on accusations of misconduct in public office. Jordan believes the government is trying to intimidate him as he has been highly critical of them since leaving office. Soon after being arrested, he began to have heart problems and was escorted by his lawyers to a health center for treatment. (Sounds pretty Mingo-ish, but okay.) The cops also brought in Brian Tiwari of BK International for questioning concerning one of the corrupt transactions Nandlall is accusing Jordan of having committed. Nandlall accused Jordan of giving Tiwari the Friends, Family, and Foreigners discount on the State’s largest wharf facilities located at Kingston, Georgetown. The location was valued at approximately US$40,000,000 but was sold for US$500,000. However, the government handed over the title to Tiwari after he only paid US$100,000. Harmon said his party would provide Jordan with the best legal representation they can provide. (But for his sake, he better hope it's NOT Basil Williams, I wouldn’t trust him to get me out of a parking ticket.) Nevertheless, he is expected back at SOCU today.
Something Stinks at St. Roses
The children of St. Roses High School are seemingly dealing with endless plagues. After a year and a half of dealing with the Rona, the adolescents have been forced to return to in-person classes. Due to the ongoing construction of a new academic building at the school, it’s far too loud for the children to pay attention to their studies. But to make matters worse, they have to do so while being ankle-deep in their own excrement. Sewage pours into the one building in the compound from a damaged chamber, and the children can do nothing but pray that GWI or the Ministry of Education decides to do something to help them. Nevertheless, the Head of the School Board has since demanded that the children have virtual classes until the sewage and noise problems are solved.
Business/National Development
Jagdeo is seemingly doing damage control after Ramson's "no role models" flop. Yesterday, his PR arm made sure to put on Facebook that he had just met with 35 Black Guyanese businessmen for the expressed purpose of discussing investment opportunities.
The government preparing to spend $136 million to build an 800m asphalt road in Lima Sands, Region 2. Kaieteur News says that comes to about $170,000 per meter! (So we paving streets with gold now?)
Speaking of multimillion-dollar road infrastructure, the Housing Ministry will be building the Sheriff-Mandela Avenue Roundabout for $146.7m.
Politics
Exxon is free to dump 3.7 million barrels of discharge per day into the ocean
Kaieteur News reminds us that due to the government's lack of proper regulations for the oil industry, Exxon will be free to dump over 3.7 million barrels of discharge from their vessels every day into the ocean.
The Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, will be coming to Guyana for a three-day visit this weekend. Jagdeo said that the visit would allow for the exploration of opportunities between the private sectors of both nations, in multiple industries, not just oil.
Bonus? Ba-humbug!
Bad news for public servants who were let go or quit in 2021. The Ministry of Finance announced that while the retroactive salary increases will count from January 2021, only those on December 2021 payroll will receive the bonus.
Health/Public Safety
The United States just spent US$555,000 to renovate the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard Training Center in Kingston. Murika!
Vaccine Update
Adults:
First dose: 402,142 or 78.4% Second dose: 280,637 or 54.7%
Teens:
First dose: 29,329 or 40.2% Second dose: 20,539 or 28.2%
In other news...
Get ready for another No Bridge Weekend as the repairs on the Demerara Harbor Bridge are only about halfway done.
Crime
Two boys ages 15 and 17 have been arrested and charged with breaking and entering and larceny of a cellphone store at Corriverton, Berbice. The two were remanded to the Sophia Juvenile holding center until January 6.
26-year-old Laborer Yelbies Alaxis Carrero Valesques was released on $20,000 bail after being charged with robbing a housewife at gunpoint on November 24. His next court date is January 10, 2022.
20-year old Junior Gathers has been charged with discharging a loaded firearm on three men. Gathers was released on GY$450,000 bail. He'll be back in court on March 17, 2022.
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You’re all caught up with your news (and history) for the morning. You’re welcome.
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