Ed Ahmad and Jagdeo

GOVERNMENT remains optimistic that the Berbice Bridge tolls would be lowered this week, even as the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI) and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure are to yet to ink an agreement.Subject minister David Patterson told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that while the agreement has not yet been signed, he is hopeful this will be done in the new week, thereby allowing for the lowering of the bridge tolls.
“[It] has not been signed, BBCI have submitted their comments and version back to us over the weekend,” said Patterson.
The minister said the comments and version of the agreement submitted by the BBCI are currently being reviewed by his ministry. Asked if the agreement is likely to be signed before the end of this week, Patterson replied, “I would hope so.”

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More than a decade after being appointed as acting Chief Justice of Guyana, Justice Ian Chang will be proceeding on his retirement leave on December 15.
The acting Chief Justice will be on leave before his official retirement begins on February 27, 2016. The government has commenced the hunt for a new High Court Judge to be appointed to the position of Acting Chief Justice as the substantive Chief Justice Carl Singh continues to act as Chancellor of the Judiciary.
Attorney General Basil Williams told reporters on Monday that a meeting is planned for Wednesday between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to discuss the substantive appointments of a Chancellor and a Chief Justice.
When asked about the government’s nominees for the position, Williams was unwilling to release names.
Mr. Chang has been acting in the CJ’s position since 2000 after Chief Justice Carl Singh started to act as the Chancellor of the Judiciary.
The Attorney General told reporters that a sitting High Court Judge would have to be appointed to act in the position when Chang proceeds on leave before the substantive appointments can be decided upon.
Before the person is appointed; consultations will need to take place between the President and the Leader of the Opposition as is mandated in the constitution.
The substantive appointments in these two high-ranking positions in the judiciary, have been hanging in the balance for years following disagreements between past Presidents and Opposition Leaders on who should occupy the post.
The Attorney General said the government remains committed to its elections promise to break the deadlock over the appointment of a consensually agreed Chancellor and Chief Justice.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) says it has joined with the rest of the world in the observance of International Day against Corruption.“The PPP takes the opportunity of the occasion to recommit itself to the fight against the scourge of corruption and graft and calls on all Guyanese to be vigilant against corruption and corrupt practices which seems to be rearing its ugly head in the country,” the party said in a release.
According to the PPP, which was recently described by Ralph Ramkarran as one of the “most corrupt governments” in post-independence Guyana, corruption attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape whose only reason for existence is to solicit bribes. “One consequence of such an aberration is the stunting of economic development and the overall good and prosperity of the citizenry as a whole,” the party which only recently was swept from office on an election campaign that heavily focused on fighting corruption.

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