Daily Archive: Sunday, November 1, 2009

– detectives arrested In a case that has sparked outrage, a 15-year-old boy has been left physically scarred after enduring days of horrific treatment at the hands of police, who are accused of burning of his genitals.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) and a group of lawyers yesterday condemned the torture of a teenage murder suspect by the police and while calling for justice urged the public to confront this violence.

The Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) efforts to combat smuggling were boosted yesterday with the arrival of three state-of-the-art surveillance boats.

-relatives Although a Coroner’s Inquest was unable to find who was responsible for the death of Buxtonian Donna Herod, relatives say the government should assist in raising her children since the jury concluded that she died during a police operation.

Historian Dr Melissa Ifill says important archival materials are no longer being presented to the National Archives due to a lack of confidence in the institution’s ability to preserve records, and that a lack of funding and adequate staffing has affected the res-toration work of the archives.

– but concerns about sustained enhanced literacy, numeracy linger The seven-year Basic Educa-tion Access and Management Support (BEAMS) programme which brought about much reform in the local education system has been touted a success even as consultants express some reservations about sustained improved literacy and numeracy.

Twenty persons are now homeless after a late afternoon fire completely destroy-ed a six-apartment building in Hunter Street, West La Penitence, Georgetown.

Government is moving to set up a credit reporting industry that would allow creditors to access reliable information about potential debtors.

– data shows deaths rising Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy said chronic diseases continue to pose a serious problem to public health everywhere, but the investment has been very poor. 

As investigations continue into a million-dollar Money Order fraud at the Guyana Post Office (GPOC) Corporation, the union representing workers in this sector has threatened industrial action if the management of the GPOC does not retract statements made in a recent press release.

Business Page Introduction If everything goes according to plan and the new Kingston Power Plant finally comes into operation within the next week or two, Guyanese can expect a reduction in the spate of blackouts that for the better part of 2009 have been plaguing the business sector, torturing households, arousing tempers and making any planning almost impossible.

The dossier on government’s human rights abuses, which is being compiled by the joint opposition, is almost completed and the parties will meet this week to finalize the document.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) facilitated a one-day capacity- building training workshop for journalists on Friday with the aim of strengthening their skills.

Rain and not performance determained which teams would advance to the semi-finals of the President’s Cup limited overs competition after all four matches were washed out yesterday.

A Gardener’s DiaryOne of the greatest literary pleasures of my childhood was reading the story Robinson Crusoe written by Daniel Defoe.  Robinson

Al Creighton’s Arts On Sunday The National Dance Company (NDC) of Guyana celebrated the achievement of yet another milestone with the performance of its 2009 major dance production titled Pearl .

REPORTS out of Guyana from the opening matches of the President’s Cup (presumably Julian Hunte’s rather than Bharrat Jagdeo’s) have made dismal listening and reading.

– Chris Patten is a former EU Commissioner for External Relations, Chairman of the British Conservative Party, and was the last British Governor of Hong Kong.

Pet Corner – continued Over the past few weeks, I have been making references to the malformation of the jaws which result in an incongruence of the teeth in the upper and lower jaws, simply put: an incorrect bite.

The view from Europe As the weeks pass, it is becoming ever more clear that if the region is to find a viable short to medium-term way out of the recession it needs to have a far clearer long-term understanding of tourism’s place in driving and sustaining future Caribbean economic activity.

-Guyana to host Rugby Sevens tournament in 2010By Marlon Munroe The Central American and Caribbean Sports Organisation (CACSO) yesterday signed an agreement with three major international organisations appointing Guyana as the host of the  21st Central America and Caribbean Games Rugby Sevens Tournament.

Joseph Chin emerged the winner of the Spads Inc. Cup sponsored two-day handgun tournament held recently at the Timehri Rifle Ranges.

Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong -Anonymous.

BOSTON, (Reuters) – The Boston Celtics blasted the Chicago Bulls 118-90 on Friday to maintain their unbeaten start to the new NBA season.

Consumer Concerns Teachers who did not attend the opening day of school for this new school year on September 1, 2009 and did not on the same day submit an excuse for non-attendance were informed at the school that their names would not be on the paylist for September, 2009.

Health – A weekly column preparedd by Dr. Balwant singh’s Hospital Part 2 Dr Anirban Banerjee (MS,MRCS) – Consultant SurgeonScreening of breast cancer Screening is a strategy used in a population to detect a disease in individuals without signs or symptoms of that disease.

Dear Editor, As part of my research, I had the privilege of reading Ravi Dev’s article “The Ethanol Option” of December 2008. 

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – High profile Trinidad and  Tobago Cricket Board president Deryck Murray lost his bid for re-election yesterday when he was swept from power in a stunning upset following elections at the annual general meeting.

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s election rival, Abdullah Abdullah, will announce today whether he will take part in next week’s disputed run-off vote, as Western diplomatic sources said he was leaning toward pulling out.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – All seven Republicans on the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee plan to boycott next week’s work session on a climate-change bill, an aide said yesterday, in a move aimed at thwarting Democratic efforts to advance the controversial legislation quickly.

Dear Editor, I too have always held Dr. Randy Persaud in high regards because in my estimation he has in the past demonstrated a sense of what justice is.

Guyana and the wider world CARICOM and the G20 In my column last week I was at pains to acknowledge the astounding rise of the G20 grouping of countries to the undisputed lead position in international efforts to contain the global economic recession, financial crisis and credit crunch.

Ian On Sunday Whenever you hear that a Committee has been set up, reach for your worry beads.

Santos and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were the latest two teams to enter the quarterfinal round on Friday night at the Tucville playfield after defeating their opponents in the first round of the NAMILCO Football Festival which is organized by Fruta Conquerors.

Dear Editor, In your report on Friday October 30, 2009, to wit, Police visit Corbin for info on alleged Roger Khan murders you commented that (quote) “Selman recalled that in a full-page advertisement in the local newspapers, Khan had announced that he was carrying out these killings in collaboration with the security forces-to which the police force has not issued a denial to date.”

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela said on Friday it had arrested eight Colombians and two local residents suspected of paramilitary activities on the border between the two feuding South American neighbours.

Dear Editor, There is a thin red line between the burdens of being in the government as against those burdens faced by opposition forces because governing this country is not an easy task, even in the best of circumstances, and therefore, we all have to work together, in facing new challenges.

Latin View By Andres Oppenheimer MADRID — One of the pleasant surprises I found during a visit to Spain last week — in addition to “vegetable barbecue,’‘ a dish that I hadn’t noticed in my previous trips here and is now offered in most restaurants — is a new trend to officially modernize the Spanish language and make it much easier to read and write.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Barack Obama said yesterday this week’s positive job and economic growth figures proved that his big spending efforts to stimulate the economy were working.

All societies need men and women of vision; people who can lift their eyes to the horizon and assimilate the larger contours of a landscape rather than studying only the earth beneath their feet.

This policy statement appeared in the first edition of the newspaper on November 21, 1985 A newspaper represents the interests, outlook (and prejudices) of those who own and control it.

By Brendan de Caires Towards the end of his life, despite failing health and a workload that would tire men half his age, David de Caires decided to repair the Camp Street Avenue.

By Isabelle de Caires My earliest memories of my father are of him reading in his beloved Berbice chair in his study.

An edited version of the feature address at the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association Annual Dinner and Awards for Media Excellence held on November 26, 2004, at the Hilton hotel, Trinidad.(Excerpt)

(Excerpt from a speech in Antigua, May, 2002) There is no Freedom of Information legislation in Guyana.

Excerpt from a speech at a Commonwealth Press Union conference in Edinburgh, 1992, after receiving the Astor Award I speak as a relative novice, having plunged in at the deep end with little editorial experience five-and-a-half years ago when we started a weekly newspaper in Guyana.

 (Excerpt) At Stabroek News, we did our best to cover the events of the day (1997 election and its aftermath) as accurately as we could, given the exigencies of the situation.

(Edited excerpt from a presentation to a MATT symposium, April 12, 1996) First of all, let us have no illusions, the problems you have with the government today are nothing new.

(Remarks at the commencement of the Second Special Consultations on the Caricom Single Market and Economy at Sam Lord’s Castle, St Phillip, Barbados, November 20-21, 2000) Perhaps because of the still bitter experience of the failed federation of the West Indies, or perhaps because of the strong underlying insular and parochial attitudes that persist, the leaders of Caricom have consistently refused to consider or discuss any form of political union, even one that falls short of federation.

A great patriot has passed away Dear Editor, I join with the rest of the writers to express my condolences to Mrs.