Daily Archive: Friday, March 13, 2009

-van Beek defends performance Commissioner of Insurance and Judicial Manager of CLICO (Guyana) Maria van Beek yesterday defended her handling of CLICO (Guyana)’s problems and announced that the processing of some claims will resume.

Gunmen attacked and robbed three employees of over $100,000 cash and other items at Hotel Tower on Wednesday night, police said in a press statement yesterday.

Years of physical abuse and threats yesterday ended tragically for a 34-year-old woman when she was stabbed to death by her former reputed husband, minutes after she left her home for work.

After seven hours of deliberation a jury yesterday delivered a unanimous verdict pronouncing Richard Reid guilty of murdering Michael Rodrigues in September 2002.

-says he knows nothing about them A 27-year-old man charged with the Lusignan and Bartica massacres was not required to plead to several counts of murder when he appeared yesterday before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

The government was scheduled to present to Parliament yesterday nominations for the Child Rights Commission, one of six promised Constitutional Commissions, exactly one year after the much-publicized Stakeholder Agreement was signed.

A 42-year-old father of three was yesterday not required to plead to the charge of murder when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon yesterday said  he is sure that the police have some evidence to prove that the surveillance equipment they have in their possession is that which was seized from drug accused Roger Khan.

What should’ve been a fun holiday outing ended in misery for friends and relatives of a 26-year-old woman who drowned at a highway resort on Wednesday.

A 32-year-old woman yesterday pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and uttering a forged document when they were read to her by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

A 27-year-old German national yesterday pleaded guilty to the charge of trafficking in narcotics when it was read to him by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Regional central bank governors are to provide CARICOM Heads of Government with proposals by the end of this month on how the community can tackle the effects of the international financial and economic crisis.

An 18-year-old Guyana Defence Force (GDF) recruit was yesterday not required to plead to two counts of robbery under arms when they were read to him by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

A father of five was yesterday not required to plead to the charge of attempted murder when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

…after mothers neglected them Several West Demerara children have been placed in alternative care after their mothers were found to have neglected them.

The Pomeroon Women’s Agro-Processors Association on Saturday commissioned an agro-processing facility at Charity to produce value-added products.

Help and Shelter says it has received $3M from the government to rewire and repair its Homestretch Avenue office that was damaged by fire in December.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Bernard Madoff pleaded  guilty yesterday to orchestrating the biggest investment  fraud in Wall Street history and was jailed to await a sentence  that could keep him in prison for the rest of his life.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) says payment of duties and taxes will only be accepted in cash, personal and manager’s cheques and not third party cheques.

Kings and Royals rule supreme A new champion will be crowned this year after defending champions Courts Pacesetters made an exit from the 2009 Next Level Entertainment Basketball tournament as the Linden teams ruled supreme on night four.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Scientists have shown for the  first time that it may be possible to “read” a person’s mind  simply by looking at brain activity.

Alpha and Pele to square off in final showdown – GDF and Camptown to compete for third Only one action packed evening is now left to be witnessed in the 14th annual Mayor’s Cup competition following the conclusion of the semi-finals last Wednesday at the Georgetown Football Club ground where Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United and Pele came out victorious against their opponents.

DALLAS, (Reuters) – A federal judge has granted  the U.S. government’s request to indefinitely freeze the assets  of Texan financier Allen Stanford, whom regulators have accused  of running a massive Ponzi scheme.

Scheme may now get the clout it seeks to go after defaulting businesses As the amount owed to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) tops half a billion dollars, a usually reliable source has told this newspaper that “some recent movement has taken place to implement some of the recommendations contained in last year’s NIS reform report to forestall any problems similar to those affecting CLICO (Guyana).

ZURICH, (Reuters) – Blacklisted tax havens Andorra  and Liechtenstein relaxed their strict bank secrecy rules yesterday in the face of a global crackdown that looks set to  force top offshore centre Switzerland to open up soon.

SYDNEY, Australia,  CMC – West Indies qualified for the Super Six stage of the ICC Women’s World Cup despite a 47-run loss to Australia at Drummoyne Oval yesterday.

BAGHDAD,  (Reuters) – An Iraqi reporter who hurled  his shoes at former U.S.

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Hamstrung by the loss of key players but inspired by their surprise win over Barbados, Windward Islands are confident of grabbing full points from Combined Campuses and Colleges in their 10th round WICB Regional four-day match starting today.

Page One Comment By Analyst This newspaper has already taken issue with the suggestion that has been made  in some quarters that media reporting on the current CLICO (Guyana) and Hand-in-Hand matters is somehow deliberately designed to compromise the country’s financial infrastructure.

Business Editorial This is not the first editorial that we have written on the issue of employer delinquency as far as the timely payment of employee NIS contributions are concerned.

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, (Reuters) – Six high-risk  prisoners escaped a Canadian jail last summer after spending  four months chipping a path to freedom with nail clippers and  other makeshift tools, according to a government report  released yesterday.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dr Frank Anthony wants the National Sports Policy to be approved in parliament by September.

Dear Editor, As the son of a rice farmer, who has planted rice for many decades myself, I believe that the time has come when we all need to take stock of the way in which we treat farmers and in particular, rice farmers.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistani police clashed yesterday with black-suited lawyers and opposition activists  after the launch of a cross-country protest rally in defiance  of government attempts to stop it.

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese Foreign  Minister Yang Jiechi talked yesterday of ways to lift the  faltering world economy and agreed to work to prevent further  military confrontations at sea.

-Seeram Eight matches, five losses, two draws and one abandoned. This is the script for host Guyana who are in sixth position on 20 points and will be facing the fifth place Leeward Islands with 43 points in a 10th round clash of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) sponsored Regional four-day competition at the Albion Sports Complex from today.

In order to enhance public understanding of national and global financial issues and institutions and the various ways in which they impact on society, Stabroek Business has asked Hand-in-Hand Group CEO Keith Evelyn to contribute a series of articles on these issues.

Dear Editor, About a month ago, a few strangers entered the Vryman’s Erven Secondary School in New Amsterdam where I work.

The Guyana Cricket Board selectors yesterday named 30 players who will be involved in trial matches in order to select the Guyana team to compete in this year’s regional Under-15 tournament.

Media representatives and the Private Sector Commission (PSC) could meet shortly to discuss ways in which they could work together to ensure more reliable public access to important information of a business and financial nature. 

Dear Editor, Red Thread’s drop-in/outreach centre for women and children who are in violent situations has being compiling reports from the two daily newspapers,  Kaieteur News  and Stabroek News, about incidents of abuse meted out to women and children.

(Trinidad Express) – CL Financial’s crisis will force Government to borrow more this year to sustain its rescue of the cash-strapped conglomerate.

The Guyana Youth Business Trust (GYBT) is aiming to almost double the value of loans disbursed to enterprising young Guya-nese this year and to significantly increase the number of young people who will benefit from those loans according to the Trust’s Manager Everton Joseph.

Dear Editor, Silence of the Lambs?  While Caricom leaders remain silent, probably because of tactful diplomacy and their disgust and shame in relation to one of their colleagues, President Jagdeo continues his wanton and unwarranted attacks on the Caribbean Regional Negot-iating Machinery (CRNM) and its competent officials.

(Trinidad Guardian) – Two men were murdered within a 24-hour period, bringing the total murders for the year, up to late on Wednesday to 114.

Host club Netrockers and Amelia’s Ward United registered victories when the Netrockers Football Club Town Week Under-19 football tournament got underway at the Bayroc Community Centre Tuesday.

Floods hit Suriname Reports from Suriname say heavy rains are flooding some areas and forcing businesses and schools to close.

GASCI Summary of Financials Session 294 March 09, 2009  Notes 1 – Interim results 2 – Prospective EPS: earnings per share for 12 months period to the date the latest financials have been prepared.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  CMC – Embattled West Indies fast bowler Daren Powell will play his first WICB Regional four-day match of the season as Jamaica seek to further thwart Barbados’ title hopes when they meet at Kensington Oval today.

-Team selected but waiting on ratification Shamain Campbell’s XI won the final Under-19 trial match organized by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), when they defeated Marina Bridgemohan’s XI by 25 runs at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground on Wednesday.

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will tomorrow urge US President Barack Obama to open talks with leftist governments in Venezuela and Cuba and make aid and development the focus of his Latin America policy.

(Bernd Debusmann is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed  are his own)    By Bernd Debusmann  WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) – It’s no longer in print but  you can get it over the Internet and $1.99 (plus shipping and  handling) buys you a well-preserved copy of DOW 36,000, a book  that has become an emblem for really, really wrong forecasts.  

Dear Editor, As the debate over who is the father of this nation continues, my view on this matter is that for me the father of Guyanese is the Almighty God, God of the Universe.

MHS and LTI to clash in basketball final today The Mckenzie High School (MHS) and the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) will go head-to-head today at the Mckenzie Sports Club hardcourt in the final of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports-sponsored schools’ basketball tournament.

Final preliminary round action takes place today The seventh and final round of action in the Demerara zone of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Gafoors-sponsored first division 2020 cricket competition will take place today at various venues from 14:00hrs.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Investigators expect to  uncover more fraud involving gold in a recession that has  already exposed several Ponzi schemes and other crimes, law  enforcement officials with the U.S.

Parliaments of the past -and Air Force One at Timehri!? Perhaps two Parliament-related incidents, quite disparate – and, to me, most unfortunate –prompted me to pen this piece.

(BBC) – Liat’s owners are congratulating themselves for keeping the airline in Caribbean hands and out of Sir Allen Stanford’s.

Let’s face it: the excitement and tension of the final session of the Fifth Test Match at the Queen’s Park Oval on Tuesday, which saw the West Indies denying England a series-levelling victory, could in no way have equalled the thrill we would have experienced had the West Indies actually won the game.

Dear Editor, Indeed I am shocked at the extent of electricity theft in Guyana as reported in the print and electronic media.