Daily Archive: Sunday, February 15, 2009

Taking their toll:  external shocks and the Guyana economyIn last week’s column I had introduced the first of eleven economic shocks/challenges that rocked the Guyana economy in the second half of 2008.

Anxiety grows in meLet me make another trawl in the deep sea of reading which lies all around us and see what bright catch comes up.

– US prosecutor The prosecution in the Peter Morgan drug case has argued that his three pre-trial motions should be rejected, claiming it has evidence linking the defendant with cocaine delivered in the UK and Canada and with Roger Khan as well as other Guyanese in whom the US has expressed an interest.

The new tourism market is becoming more segmentedAcross the Caribbean, governments and the tourism industry are developing new strategies and initiatives aimed at trying to offset the fall in visitor arrivals that most nations expect from April onwards as a consequence of the global economic crisis.

Explanatory Memorandum for the Integrity Commission ActWe have already noted that the Explanatory Memorandum of a bill gives reasons for the introduction of a new bill.

Alliance For Change (AFC) leader, Raphael Trotman yesterday said he hopes President Bharrat Jagdeo meets the man who said he witnessed the murder of eight miners at Lindo Creek and wants justice but is very fearful for his life, and that he provides the man with the highest security.

A gun-toting ‘customer’ and an accomplice yesterday morning forced their way into Nichols Shipping Company, located behind the New Court Yard on Main Street, and after holding up two employees, escaped with the parcels, cellular phones and US$3,000 ($600,000).

What’s in a word?History teaches that, in times of crisis, ingrained prejudices can, by themselves, make all the difference between success and ruin.

Just one week after they were in a spot of bother over a decision to say which race must be run off on a particular day, the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) has found itself again in a spot of bother.

Professor Charles Denbow, September 30, 1945 – February 10, 2009Dr Charles Egerton Denbow, CD, DM, FRCP, FACP, FACC, Professor in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Mona, died on February 10, 2009, aged 63.

– law should be repealed, SASOD says The recent arrest and conviction of seven men for cross-dressing have prompted calls for the repeal of the colonial-era laws, which rights groups say are being used to selectively discriminate against transgender persons.

The track and field season got off to a terrific start yesterday as the Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) hosted the second scheduled Development Meet for the year on the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) calendar of events at the Eve Leary Sports Complex Ground.

Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary General, famously remarked a decade ago “You can do a lot with diplomacy but, of course, you can do a lot more with diplomacy backed up by fairness and force.”

Banns or licence and registration required, or officiating priest liable to prosecutionThe question of the legality of religious-only marriages has once again been thrust into the limelight in the wake of the revelation by former consort of President Bharrat Jagdeo, Varshnie Singh, that their “marriage” was never registered.

A ton of softball action will unfold today at the Perseverance Beach, Essequibo Coast when the seven-a-side, six-over softball champion-of-champions tournament bowls off at 10am.

The ‘where’ and the ‘what’ of genital wartsBy Dr S Dash, MD (Consultant Gynaecologist) Genital warts, also called condylomata, are a common infection of the female reproductive tract.

– were shortchanged last year, Yarde says President of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Patrick Yarde said government has made no clear statement on the fate of public servants this year though provisions are set out in the 2009 budget and according to him the administration was not entirely honest during its handling of the payouts last year because “there were allocated funds left over”.

-Pagon scores third first class tonfending champions Jamaica led by Donovan Pagon’s third first class century, along with a patient 97 from David Bernard jnr.,

Eye ailmentsContinued Sty I might have mentioned before that the great designer was at his/her constructive best when the eye was being put together. 

A 30-year-old man attached to the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission is now dead after succumbing to injuries received when a tree fell on him. 

By Tony Cozier in Antigua Like some neglected, forgotten old uncle suddenly invited to a function at Government House, the Antigua Recre-ation Ground (ARC) was being hastily prepared yesterday for its unexpected return to the limelight as a Test match venue.

The spirit of the ageI’ve studied, alas, philosophy, Law and medicine, recto and verso, And how I regret it, theology also, Oh God, how hard I’ve slaved away, With what result?

Charlestown Secondary School females along with Bishops’ High School (BHS) and Government Technical Institute (GTI) rallied to easy wins in this year’s Ministry of Sport Mashramani Inter-Schools Basketball Tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Following concerns expressed by Chairman of Region Seven, Holbert Knights, over the alarming increase in crime in Bartica, the police say that with the help of the army they are doing everything they can to bring the situation under control.

Leather sculptor Norman Vieira says a great deal of his work was stolen a few days ago and he is asking craft shops in the city to keep an eye out for his unique pieces.

Caribbean Airlines under the slogan ‘The Warmth of the Islands’ spread some more warmth in the rugby fraternity on Friday when they again partnered with the union through the presentation of two tickets at appreciable discounts.

A prized possessionUnlike the gentle Ian I am not qualified to pass judgement on the economic consequences of the recent flooding.

Shopping for that special someone in Fogarty’s yesterday. (Photo by Jules Gibson)This section of the Cummings Lodge road shows signs of advanced erosion which if not checked can pose a difficulty to accessing the community.

Putting some sense in the 2009 BudgetIntroduction The National Assembly has the most unenviable task of making sense of the 2009 Budget presented last Monday in the National Assembly.

– Kanhai named MVP Grant House was crowned champion of the Mackenzie High School (MHS) inter-house basketball tournament which concluded Friday at the MHS basketball court.

Dear Editor, January 2 marked the 40th anniversary of the death of my father William Norton, along with four other policemen and two civilians who were murdered during the Rupununi Uprising in 1969.

The fire which claimed the lives of four family members in New Amsterdam at the end of January produced a number of comments on our website about safety in homes surrounded by grillwork.

The Guyana Chess Federation will host a seven round swiss system tournament beginning today at 10 am at the YMCA in Thomas Lands.