Daily Archive: Friday, July 10, 2009

–rape definition expanded, gender-neutral The long promised Sexual Offences Bill which proposes a comprehensive overhaul of the current archaic law was tabled in the National Assembly yesterday following sustained calls for urgent reform of the legislation.

–cut woman’s neck with knife Guyanese Munilall Sarjoo was last month slapped with a sentence of 30 months and a ten-year weapons ban when he appeared in the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Canada after being found guilty of aggravated assault and weapons possession.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officials yesterday discovered approximately two kilos of cocaine in a package addressed to a Brooklyn, New York address.

By Ayanna Blair Walter Aaron, a 37-year-old local singer, was yesterday further remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton accused of arranging for two Canadian women to travel to Canada after they had allegedly swallowed a quantity of cocaine pellets.

After a contentious debate, the National Assembly last evening unanimously supported the AFC’s motion which urged the government to make all possible diplomatic and legal efforts to protect the rights of Guyanese nationals in Barbados and other Caricom states, ensuring there is no discrimination on the basis of nationality.

-raise questions about low carbon strategy The influx of illegal Brazilian miners in parts of the Hinterland and the manner in which they conduct their operations is of major concern to some stakeholders in the local mining industry.

Rain ruins new-look Windies debut, nine debutants in match (Digicel) A second rain interruption ended play in the First Digicel Test at Arnos Vale at 3:20 pm yesterday, shortly after the tea interval.

GSL completes 38 matches over weekend The Guyana Softball League organized a total of 38 matches in the Mike’s Pharmacy 15-Overs Softball Tournament over the past weekend in the Under-15, Over-40, Open and Female Categories across the country.

Commander of ‘B’ Division, George Vyphuis and other senior ranks entertained members of the Berbice media at a social gathering yesterday as part of the activities to observe the 170th anniversary of the Guyana Police Force.

-counsel alleges ‘malicious prosecution’ A man accused of using a gun to rob another man of two gold chains and a gold ring was ordered yesterday to be kept in police custody when he appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

ROME, (Reuters) – Tyson Gay said he was unfazed by  the threat Olympic champion Usain Bolt posed to his 100 and 200  metres titles at next month’s world athletics championships.

PORT OF SPAIN, (Reuters) – Talks between the West  Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the players’ union ended after  just 23 minutes yesterday when the board refused to negotiate  while the players remained on strike.

Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday ordered that an alleged chain snatcher be remanded to prison shortly after he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

The Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) and P and P Insurance Brokers are hosting their annual Summer Camp from Monday in keeping with their aim to encourage more youth to participate in sport.

No.54 Village man fined $10,000 for noise nuisance A resident of Number 54 Village, Corentyne pleaded guilty to a charge of disturbing the peace when he appeared at the Springlands Court yesterday and Magistrate Krishndat Persaud fined him $10,000.

The Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) has selected three female teams, Toucans, Night Hawks and Harpy Eagles, to compete in the Female Mini League which is scheduled to run from July 13 to July 15 at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.

-Vice-Chancellor Carrington The benefits of the country’s low carbon initiative will only be fully realised if it is led by new knowledge that research at the University of Guyana can provide and recently installed Vice-Chancellor Lawrence Carrington adds that the private sector can benefit from such research by “structured investment”.

L’AQUILA, Italy, (Reuters) – Leaders from rich  nations at the G8 summit in Italy will commit $15 billion over  three years to spur agricultural investment in poorer countries  and combat hunger, a final draft statement seen by Reuters said.

GUATEMALA CITY, (Reuters) – Guatemala’s top security  official will quit this month, forcing President Alvaro Colom  to fill the post for the fourth time since he took office in  2008 as he battles drug gang violence.

Tonight,  Uitvlugt Masters from West Coast Demerara will play the Floodlights XI in the Wellman Master Cup Tournament which is being sponsored by Mike’s Pharmacy at the National Park Tarmac under floodlights.

Agrees ‘ appropriate measures, incentives’ to woo private sector participation The financial and economic cost of high dependency on extra regional food imports and mounting concern over the region’s food security has  finally galvanized Caribbean Community (CARICOM)  member countries into a comprehensive reassessment  of the significance of the region’s agricultural sector.

A case would appear to have been made for  an urgent and thorough investigation into claims of likely sabotage of GT&T’s Americas 11 cable on Thursday July 2, the same day on which the 30th Caricom Heads of Government Summit was due to begin in Georgetown.

A 19-year-old girl who allegedly laced her parents’ food with sleeping tablets in order to stage her own abduction so she could  benefit from a ransom was on Wednesday remanded to prison when she appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

INDIANAPOLIS, (Reuters) – Michael Phelps broke the  100 metres butterfly world record by clocking 50.22 seconds at  the U.S.

KABUL, (Reuters) – A Chinese firm started work on a  copper deposit in Afghanistan yesterday, part of a  multi-billion dollar project and the first major foreign  investment of its kind in Afghan history, an official said.

MOSUL, Iraq,  (Reuters) – Bombs in Baghdad and  northern Iraq killed at least 50 people yesterday, police  said, underscoring doubts about local forces’ ability to keep  Iraqis safe after U.S.

DALLAS, (Reuters) – The Dallas Mavericks acquired  four-time All-Star forward Shawn Marion from the Toronto Raptors  in a multi-player, four-team trade, they said yesterday.

An 18-year-old boy who is accused of stabbing a man with a scissors, resulting in him being hospitalized, was remanded to prison  by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

The contrast is stark.  Guyana covers a geographic space of 83,000 sq.

The July 24-27 Berbice Expo and Trade Fair organised by the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce is expected to attract overseas private sector participation, according to Chamber President Bhigroog Poonai.

BERLIN, (Reuters) – A group of companies from Europe  and northern Africa will meet in Munich on Monday to map out  concrete steps for a series of large-scale renewable energy  projects worth 400 billion euros ($560 billion) over 40 years.

-even though complainant falls on knees and begs for him At the Springlands Court yesterday, Magistrate Krishndat Persaud sentenced a labourer to six months imprisonment when he pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife even as the woman begged for him to be spared.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Police Force is responding to a letter published in the Stabroek News of February 10, 2009, under the caption ‘Some Essequibo cases involving mothers seeking support are stalled because of no returns of service in the case jackets,’ a copy of which was forwarded to the Commissioner of Police.

NUERBURGRING, Germany, (Reuters) – Formula One  drivers should be allowed to emulate MotoGP riders and celebrate  in front of the fans on the track after races, world champion  Lewis Hamilton said yesterday.

Hururu loggers told a team spearheading sub-national consultations on Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) that they were concerned that supporting the Strategy may jeopardize their livelihoods, when the latest round of meetings were hosted on Monday in the riverain community.

DETROIT, (Reuters) – The Detroit Pistons have  appointed Cleveland Cavaliers assistant John Kuester as their  new head coach, the NBA team announced yesterday.

Fifty-eight-year old Radyah Escorce who died on July 1 after being hit by a motorcycle was said to have sustained a fractured skull along with a broken neck and arms.

L’AQUILA, Italy,  (Reuters) – A G8 summit made scant  progress towards a new U.N.

-College of Regulators to coordinate info sharing Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government have agreed to seek financing from International Financial Institutions (IFI’s) and multilateral development banks to strengthen the capacity of regional financial institutions to perform what they say is a crucial developmental and stabilization role.

Dear Editor, The articles in the press over the last week with respect to a 38-year-old patient, Nalini Shivram, revealed a desperate woman in a desperate situation. 

GENEVA,  (Reuters) – Some Central American countries  are experiencing more gun killings now than during their civil  wars and face serious security threats from firearms in civilian  hands, the Small Arms Survey report released yesterday showed.

GPL has started to upgrade and convert its network’s frequency in several parts of the city and has warned customers that they may need to convert their equipment from 50Hz to 60Hz to avoid failure.

– Re-elected PSC Chairman The protracted delay in the implementation of wide-ranging tax reforms remains “a matter of acute frustration for the private sector” and the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is targeting the end of 2009 as “the outside time frame” for arriving at a common position with government on tax reform, re-elected PSC Chairman Captain Gerry Gouveia told Stabroek Business yesterday.

Dear Editor, Minister Persaud’s July 6, letter to Stabroek News titled ‘Low carbon strategy makes it clear that areas already allocated for sustainable forestry will continued to be harvested’ in response to letters from Eric Phillips and articles by Stabroek News and Kaieteur News provokes some serious thought.

CARDIFF, (Reuters) – Australia captain Ricky Ponting  and opener Simon Katich scored unbeaten centuries during a  second wicket partnership of 189 on the second day of the first  Ashes test against England yesterday.

Dear Editor, We are surprised at Mr Sherwood Lowe’s comments advocating a different system for lecturers and researchers at the University of Guyana.

Students from two communities in regions one and seven are set to benefit from tutoring from a batch of 10 volunteer Canadian teachers.

HAVANA, (Reuters) – Brazil said yesterday it would  give Cuba up to $300 million in credits to start rebuilding the  island’s port of Mariel, better known as the site of a 1980  Cuban exodus to the United States.

BARCELONA, (Reuters) – Thor Hushovd has always  relished tough finishes and rainy conditions, both of which  helped the Norwegian snatch his seventh Tour de France stage win  in Barcelona yesterday.

The July 2 disruption of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) Americas 11 cable at Bath, West Coast Berbice was very likely the work of saboteurs, a well-placed company source told Stabroek Business earlier this week.

Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said President Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds met on Wednesday with officials from Caribbean Airlines to discuss the airline’s airfare structure and its customer service.

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) recently favoured first-time miners in its award of properties at an auction and lottery at the Girl Guides Pavilion.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica,  (Reuters) – The two rivals for  power in Honduras started a dialogue through a mediator yesterday, but there was no face-to-face meeting or breakthrough  to solve the political crisis sparked by last month’s coup.

CARDIFF, (Reuters) – Australia opener Simon Katich  battled to his first century in seven tests against England yesterday with a steely resolve fuelled by the bitter  disappointment of losing the Ashes four years ago.  

I must commend the Ministry of Legal Affairs for instituting a system of lay magistrates to deal with small offences.

(Reuters) – List of players who have scored 11,000  test runs after Australia’s Ricky Ponting became the fourth  batsman to reach the landmark on the second day of the first  Ashes test against England in Cardiff yesterday:Player                                  Country                      Span                    Runs 1.

Dear Editor, The stray cattle nuisance continues to be a serious problem for the Suddie Hospital compound.

…at Second WTO Trade Policy Review Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir on Wednes-day underscored Guyana’s commitment to building what he called a “socially just market economy” as a player in regional and international trade while  deepening and strengthening a raft of economic reforms.

Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud has refuted suggestions that the consultants contracted to survey the site for the Hope Canal – to relieve the pressure on the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) – discovered faults with the proposal for the site.

LONDON, (Reuters) – It may have had one of the  wettest premieres in memory this week, but that did little to  dampen critics’ enthusiasm for “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood  Prince”, the sixth film in the blockbuster franchise.

HOUSTON, (Reuters) – The Houston Rockets were the  perfect place to help raise his game to another level, forward  Trevor Ariza said on Wednesday after signing a multi-year  contract with the team.

Dear Editor, Was the Guyana Chronicle sending a message to its limited audience when it gave prominence to the news article, ‘Gonsalves backs removing term limits for Caricom leaders,’ (July 8)?

President Bharrat Jagdeo recently met with Caricom Development Fund (CDF) CEO Ambassador Lorne T McDonnough and Legal Counsel Arden Warne for a briefing on the operations of the Fund.

KINGSTON,  (Reuters) – Jamaican reggae and dance hall  star Bounty Killa was arrested on assault and other charges yesterday for an altercation with an off-duty policeman nearly  two years ago.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela is taking dozens of radio stations off the air and putting stricter rules on cable and satellite television, a minister said yesterday, part of President Hugo Chavez’s battle with private media firms.

Magistrate Ann McLennan issued arrest warrants for two Linden drivers who failed to appear in court on Tuesday to answer to charges for traffic offences.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 311’s trading results showed consideration of $29,037,474 from 270,615 shares traded in 15 transactions as compared to session 310 which showed consideration of $600,980 from 47,140 shares traded in 5 transactions. 

(Antigua Sun) A 50-year-old Commonwealth of Dominica national who pleaded guilty to remaining in Antigua after the expiration of a permit is to be removed from the state, while a 24-year-old Jamaican has opted to leave voluntarily instead of being deported.

Sir John Sawers has been ‘outed’ by his wife on Facebook, the social networking website, as a normal man, who appears to enjoy the company of his friends and family, including the occasional game of beach Frisbee.

-How they go free -What? Jhandi Flags in Bridgetown? You – and my editor must believe me.

TCI election plea The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands has restated his call for Britain to allow the territory to hold general elections.

A Rupununi Club is among three others that have been declared winners of the ECOCLUB.com

The Culture ministry says it will be hosting its annual Children’s Taxidermy Summer Camp at the Guyana National Museum.

Dear Editor, I said it before, but this young artiste is indeed living up to expectations.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States continued  its strong defence of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a late 2-0  victory over Honduras in their group match on Wednesday.