Daily Archive: Friday, March 16, 2007

It’s the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 Opening Ceremony in Trelawny, Jamaica this past Sunday, I mean.

The five men who were charged for allegedly being involved in the attacks on four homes at Black Bush Polder made another appearance yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

When the essential services of two large para-statal corporations – Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and Guyana Power and Light (GPL) – were seriously threatened, the Administration moved to deal decisively with the scourge of vandalism.

Plans are underway for Travel Span GT Inc. to offer regular scheduled flights to Canada later this year according to the airline’s General Manager Mark De Freitas.

Stabroek Business has been reliably informed that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is seeking to have delinquent ministers of government, other members of Parliament and advisers to comply with regulations that require them to pay national insurance contributions for themselves and their employees.

Few issues have exposed the limitations of the Georgetown City Council’s capacity to effectively administer the affairs of our capital more than its handling of the issue of street vendors.

NULL

I have written many columns in the past on the need for technology infusion in our private and public sector.

Last time we saw that the term e-governance is used to refer to the application of information technology in enhancing citizen participation in government and that this focus on the citizen’s role in the process of government distinguishes e-governance from e-government which is concerned primarily with automating the delivery of governments services.

The Board of Directors of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has rejected a proposal by the defaulting security company, United Associates Security & Domestic Services (UAS&DS) for the liquidation of a debt of more than $40m due for payment of arrears of employee NIS contributions.

One of the principal organizers of the 2007 Linden Town Week has told Stabroek Business that this year’s event will be seeking to emulate the inaugural 2006 Town Week programme by placing emphasis on community-based and cultural activities as well as tourism-related and commercial ventures.

Local private sector businesses are yet to take advantage of funding available under the Caricom Trade Support (CTS) Programme established by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Trinidad and Tobago to provide support for regional businesses seeking to enhance their competitiveness in the wake of the January 1, 2006 introduction of the Caricom Single Market (CSM).

Development Finance Lim-ited South America (DFLSA) says it hopes to create 3000 micro and small enterprises in two years and finance more Guyanese businesses.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone N

Notes 1 – Interim results 2 – Prospective EPS: earnings per share for 12 months period to the date the latest financials have been prepared.

The Guyana Japan Karate Association (GJKA) for the 35th year will be graced with the presence of 9th Dan Black Belt Master Teruyuki Okazaki who will conduct the grading exam of the 4th-1st Kyu at the YMCA today from 5pm.

Chief instructor in Canada and Guyana, 7th Dan Black Belt Frank Woon-A-Tai is to meet with President Bharrat Jagdeo to discuss the construction of a local karate college.

Georgetown trounced East Bank by a whopping 153 runs in the third round of the Diamond Fire and General Insurance inter-association under-19 limited overs cricket competition at the Diamond Community Centre ground yesterday.

Second-half goals from Sherwin Bailey and Orin Squires within 13 minutes piloted Kitty `A’ to a 2-0 win against their counterparts from Sophia when the Camptown Football Club/Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s Super 6 inter-block tournament continued on Wednesday at the Campbellville Community Centre ground.

Ascension Community High School of Georgetown defeated West Demerara’s L’aventure Secondary School by 22 runs in a semi-final encounter of the Ministry of Education/Guyana Cricket Board/National Sports Commission secondary schools cricket competition on Wednesday at the Demerara Cricket Club ground.

The Guyana Hockey Board of Control (GHBC), in an effort to secure a Pan American ranking, is expected to send senior male and female teams to the Caribbean Champion-ships in Trinidad and Tobago in June.

Dear Editor, I looked forward with great enthusiasm to the anticipated colourful opening ceremony for the ICC World Cup 2007.

Dear Editor, It has been almost a year since I last wrote about our continued butchery of the English language.

Dear Editor, A recent letter in the Guyana Chronicle of 2007-03-08, congratulating the Women’s Army Corps on their 40th Anniversary, advised them to be “Our Helens of Troy”.

Dear Editor, Congratulations to the West Indies for winning their first world cup match against Pakistan in the WI.

Dear Editor, Congratulations to Mrs. Doreen de Caires on receiving the US Secretary of State’s Award for International Women of Courage.

Dear Editor, When the annals of Guyana’s political history are written, if the account of what transpired is accurately and objectively recorded, many reading it will pause at the name Eusi Kwayana and observe, “it is remarkable that throughout a period when individual and group egos seem to dictate the course of actions of most political leaders, one such as this was around in Guyana”.

Dear Editor, I write as President of the Guyana Islamic Forum for Education, Peace and Religious Solidarity.

Dear Editor, I have been reviewing the coverage of the Stabroek News reporters of the recent fires in Guyana and I believe that the way the stories are reported the brave men and women of the Guyana Fire Service are treated unfairly.

Dear Editor, There exists among us, it would seem, an attitude of what can only be calmly described as an ‘unconcern’ for the prospect, the possibility of our dear land of Guyana being reduced in size, conceding a few hundred square miles of coastland territory to the Atlantic Ocean and destroying our capital.

Dear Editor, Tacuma Ogunseye’s opinions on the PNC Symposium on Mr.

Police in Berbice were up to press time last night searching for three prisoners who cut a lock on a moving van and jumped out onto the Canje Bridge while being escorted from court to the New Amsterdam Prison.

Armed bandits on Wednesday evening robbed Trinidad beverage giant, Ansa McAl Trading of some $5M cash and relieved a security guard of his weapon during a daring attack at the company’s Public Road, La Penitence main office.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has disowned the AK 47 rifle unearthed during a search of a house at 190 Church Street on Wednesday.

Following closely on the heels of the establishment of a branch at Lethem, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has set up its eighth branch at Providence in the Buddy’s International Hotel building.

Maintenance work on the Georgetown seawall from Vlissengen Road to Fort Groyne in Kingston by the Sea Defence Board has already given the area a clean, new look but the project faces the challenge of keeping the area free from vagrants and garbage.

The first team of Cuban medical experts who will man the Diagnostic and Treatment Centre at Diamond, East Bank Demerara arrived yesterday.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has taken measures to enhance the TRIPS software that has been operational since January in an effort to protect state revenue and root out persons attempting to swindle the Customs Department.

The Enforcement Division of the Customs and Trade Administration (CTA) is preparing to prosecute those nabbed in the $70 million bust, which included vehicles and liquor seized from the MV Lady Kimberly.

Police on Wednesday night nabbed three men who were part of a six-man gang that was about to rob a Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD) business, having already tied up the watchmen.

The National Assembly yesterday passed three bills to enable security assistance to Guyana during the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007.

Drug companies’ targeting of hapless consumers whose only concern is getting well was the main topic of discussion at a one-day symposium convened yesterday under the theme, ‘Unethical Drug Promotion’.

Local authorities may have had no idea that Guyanese businessman and popular motor racer Peter Morgan was on the United States’ wanted list since for Guyana, access to such information is provided on a need-to-know basis, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said yesterday.

Managing Director of Guyana Publications Inc, Doreen de Caires yesterday received the US Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage award for her work as a businesswoman, media pioneer, and defender of free speech.

Fourteen-year-old Rosetta Dummett has succumbed to the massive head injuries she sustained in an accident on Saturday afternoon.

The Amerindian People’s Association (APA) and the Akawini Village Council are protesting what they call an “exploitative” logging agreement that they were made to sign with a company calling itself Interior Wood Products Inc (IWPI), which is a sub-contractor to Barama Company Incorporated.

Cropper Primary School at Albion, Corentyne received a computer and printer after they requested the equipment during a February 22 visit to President Bharrat Jagdeo at the Office of the President (OP).

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has extended the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Excise Tax (ET) transitional arrangement timeframe for motor vehicles to May 31.

Today, he is a very distinguished psychotherapist in the UK treating celebrities in their favourite ‘rehab’-the Priory Clinic in South West London:the Hilton of the ‘Hello’ classes.

The local prison rehabilitation programme will soon expand to include cosmetology and barbering courses among others following a donation of

Baroness Amos has been awarded three accolades.In just over a week she was voted the most powerful black woman in the UK, by the New Nation Newspaper was awarded Peer of the Year by Dods political publishers and next week will be awarded a “Trailblazer in Diversity” award at The 2007 Chief Diversity Officers Forum to be held March 20-22, in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Two Associate Professors attached to American University in Washington DC, USA, in a recent interview with Stabroek News noted that the war in Iraq has had and will continue to have serious and long lasting economic effects on the global economy.

Government officials on Saturday visited Merriman’s Mall, La Penitence Market and the Toolsie Persaud site at Water Street to determine what improvements can be made to these vending sites.

Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan on Tuesday swore in Prakash Gossai as a Commissioner of Oaths and Justice of the Peace, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

The United States Embassy says it will not be scheduling any visa appointments when Guyana will be hosting the Cricket World Cup matches.

Thirty-three schools participated in the annual Regional Science, Mathematics and Technology fair in Region Two last Friday, which saw Lima and Anna Regina (nursery), Riverstown and CV Nunes (primary) and 8th of May, Anna Regina Multilateral and Cotton Field (secondary) winning the top prizes.

Scotiabank Guyana yesterday donated $415,000 to Help and Shelter to support their work on behalf of women.

Four men were last night arrested following a police chase in Alberttown during which the ranks fired four shots in the air.

Scotiabank Guyana has commissioned a mural at the Everest Cricket Club ground as a gift to Guyanese in celebration of the Cricket World Cup.

The Guyana Consumers Association says it will be working with the government to eliminate the practice of the marketing of low quality and dangerous drugs here.

Just about 60% of the tickets for the six Super Eight matches at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara have been sold.