Daily Archive: Saturday, July 18, 2009

A huge fire sparked by channa bombs completely destroyed the Ministry of Health’s main building at Brickdam and an annex early yesterday morning, devouring decades-old records, vehicles and a string of key divisions in a major blow to the health sector.

President Bharrat Jagdeo condemned yesterday’s early morning fire that led to the destruction of the Head Office of the Health Ministry and announced a $25M reward for information leading to the arrest of the arsonist/s Speaking at a press conference at the Office of the President, Jagdeo disclosed that from information he had received from the Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene and Fire Chief Lawrence David the fire appeared to be a deliberate act, since “they had found a number of incendiary devices in the compound”. 

Part of a rotten ceiling of one of the chambers of the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s court fell yesterday on Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Persid Edmond along with bat droppings, causing her to suffer sneezing and eye irritation.

PNCR Leader Robert Corbin said he found nothing that was said at a recent party meeting to be unacceptable and contrary to the party’s objectives or bordering on “racial statements”, even as he has hesitated to comment extensively on the reason for the resignation of Mervyn Williams.

Harold Dey, who had murdered his girlfriend Samantha Gordon at their home on the Corentyne on March 9, 1998 and failed in a suicide bid before fleeing to the interior where he married and fathered a child prior to being held in September 2005, was yesterday sentenced to 10 years jail.

-four officer cadets handed over to police Four Officer Cadets of the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Standard Officer Cadet course No.

– some departments relocated Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has declared that his ministry is operational despite the fire that completely gutted its main building and an annex at Brickdam early yesterday morning.

`An important innovation of the Bill is shifting the burden of proof away from the victim onto the accused by a new definition of rape’ The Executive Committee of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has lauded the tabling of the Sexual Offences Bill 2009, and said that if the bill is passed in its current form, “Guyanese will benefit from the most enlightened legislation in the Caribbean.

-police investigating Two cutlass bandits were said to have robbed two men of $1.6M at Ruby, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) yesterday and the alleged victims as well as two others are in custody assisting with investigations, police said last evening.

Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall yesterday said he is yet to receive any correspondence from the major international donors on local government reforms.

Murder accused David Leander also known as ‘Biscuit’ and David Zammett who was on Thursday rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) after reportedly being poisoned, appears to be recovering.

A team from the Ministry of Health, which was in Region One (Barima/Waini) within the past few days to provide support to personnel stationed there in the light of a recent gastro-like illness, has returned to Georgetown to conduct analyses on samples taken.

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Veteran batsman Travis Dowlin narrowly missed out on a maiden Test century as West Indies struggled against Bangladesh’s spinners on the opening day of the crucial second Test yesterday.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 17, CMC – Left-arm spinner Totaram Bishun grabbed a seven-wicket haul to undermine the Windward Islands as Guyana eyed first innings points on the opening day of their TCL Group West Indies three-day Cup match at Sabina Park on Friday.

“A night that supposed to cascade with the sounds of soca and calypso, a night of merriment changed to the pulsating shots … on February 11, 2007, at Espanade Ground , New Amsterdam, where policeman Micah Cort was killed.”

Guyanas girls team sent out a stern warning to their opponents when they completely demolished Bermuda 5-0 in the team semifinal of the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) junior championships in Barbados.

By Iana Seales Move over Michael Younge and that other girl who barely featured after last year’s Model Search, there’s fresh attitude and two hot new bods on the catwalk.

Culture Box The headlines in the entertainment pages these days are all too familiar, an endless parade of fashion hit makers, those trying to make it in the business and a string of models still largely unprepared for the catwalk.

– “The best is yet to come” Guyana’s Leon ‘Hurry up’ Moore has moved three places up the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) world rankings to number seven and the fighter believes that the best is yet to come.

The Guyana Association of Scrabble Players (GASP) will continue its workshop this Saturday at the Carifesta Sports Club, following  its launch last weekend.

Tastes Like Home Hi Everyone, I haven’t made or eaten chicken salad in ages.

Dear Editor, The public should be advised as to status of the case where the government has taken Mr Yassin, the owner of Guyana Stores to court for failing to pay the outstanding balance owed on this prize property.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The West Indies Cricket Board has maintained its tough stance against striking players, warning them Tuesday they had breached their agreements while moving to suspend payment to those on retainer contracts.

Dear Editor, Having read both the letters from Ms Mangal (‘Musical chairs in the passport office’ SN, July 12) and from the GPF Public Relations and Publicity Officer, Mr Whittaker (‘Improvements are being made at the passport office building’ SN, July 17), I am delighted that the police have agreed to change the system of musical chairs to one of calling out of numbers instead. 

On Wednesday next, the APSARA dance group is doing a revamped performance of its successful show last held on May 23.

KINGSTON, Jamaica,  CMC – Akeem Saunders and Hayden Walsh stroked half-centuries to bolster the Leeward Islands’ batting against Jamaica on the opening day of their third-round TCL Group West Indies Under-19 match yesterday.

COLMAR, France, (Reuters) – Tour de France riders  Oscar Freire of Spain and New Zealand’s Julian Dean were shot at  with air guns during yesterday’s 13th stage from Vittel to Colmar,  their teams said.

DIRECTV and Cityvibe’s exclusive concert series on Channel 999 continues this weekend with James Blunt.

Dear Editor, The opposition media in Guyana is bordering on an excess of bias against the PPP/C government.

Randy La Fleur aiming for more than just  ‘one night’ By Tiffny Rhodius “Experience, my imagination, how creative I can get when I write… I want people to get the message of my music,” says Randy La Fleur a promising R&B singer who goes by his initials RL.

TEHRAN, (Reuters) – In apparent defiance of Iran’s  supreme leader, a powerful cleric declared the Islamic Republic  in crisis after a disputed election, and tens of thousands of  protesters used Friday prayers to stage the biggest show of  dissent for weeks.

LONDON, (Reuters) – James Anderson, whose abundant  natural talent has been sometimes undermined by a fragile  temperament, gave England a glimpse yesterday of a first victory  over Australia at Lord’s since 1934.

Dear Editor, I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Labour for a job well done in regularizing standards in workplaces and ensuring that workers receive the benefits they are entitled to.

Education minister takes firm stance against foreign students (Antigua Sun) – A stern warning has gone out to non-national parents who may be pondering getting their children into the school system next term.

QUITO, (Reuters) – Ecuadorean President Rafael  Correa never received funds from Colombian rebel group FARC,  his government said yesterday as he sought to refute the  content of a video aired on Colombian television.

GSL donates softball equipment to Berbice Berbice received a quantity of wickets, bats and balls from Mike’s Pharmacy to assist them in their preparation for the Guyana Softball League (GSL) Kiddy Care Softball Tournament geared to attract the under-15 level of cricketers.

Jamaican International recording artiste St Matthew will be the main attraction tonight as the Heavenly Light World Outreach Ministry concludes its youth conference with a gospel-event billed as the “Ready Back Concert”.

We regret that the letter captioned ‘What are the Saturday hours for post offices?’

Dear Editor, Guyanese political discourse needs a new group of thinkers and writers if a culture of democracy is to prevail and, without which the past shall continue to hijack the future.

Vasco hold Netrockers to 2-all draw First division club Netrockers were surprisingly held to a 2-2 draw by a young and inexperienced Vasco line-up when the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) Stag B-League continued on Thursday at the Bayrock ground.

(Trinidad Express) – Haitian priest Fr Enel Almeus will not be excommunicated from the Catholic Church for having sex.

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – Former CBS News anchor Walter  Cronkite, whose authoritative delivery of news events from the  John F.

JAKARTA, (Reuters) – Seven foreigners were among  those killed in the bomb attacks on two luxury hotels in  Indonesia’s capital, the Jakarta Post newspaper reported last night, citing a police official.

Zaheeda Samdally will be the captain of the recently-selected Demerara female cricket team as  the Demerara Cricket Board’s (DCB) Female Mini-league concluded on Wednesday at the Police Sports Complex ground, Eve Leary.

(Trinidad Express) – Police Constable Dave Burnett has temporarily escaped the hangman’s noose because of a glaring error committed by the judge who presided over his trial.

Forty years ago today three American astronauts were drifting purposefully towards the moon, on the verge of making history.

Dear Editor, We do not know how many more or who else may spring forth to be deemed a phenomenon in this our 21st century.