Daily Archive: Friday, December 4, 2009

High-flying New York lawyer Robert Simels was today sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for attempting to tamper with a witness in the Roger Khan drug case.

…sentenced in New York to time served Ex-soldier David Clarke who was set to be a key witness against Roger Khan is now a free man in the United States.

A bill for assistance from other countries in crime matters will enable the government to seek information on the drug cases against Roger Khan, David Clarke and others, PNCR-1G MP Debra Backer asserted yesterday.

Police at Linden have detained a man suspected to have been involved in an early morning hit and run accident at Kairuni, along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway which left 32-year-old Earl Abrams dead.

-Reon King, deputy meet the press By Marlon Munroe Cricket Development Officer (CDO) of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Reon King and his deputy are aiming for holistic development of the sport and an array of tools will be employed including video analysis.

With a sugar vessel delayed and ongoing cash flow problems GuySuCo announced last night that its ability to pay wages for the current week has been “affected”, but said efforts are being made to find alternative arrangements.

By Rawle Toney Defending male and female champions Hikers and G.C.C

–after several told to report for duty by Rusal Workers of the Aroaima-based Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) took their protest action to Linden yesterday after a number of workers were told that they were to report for work today.

The government has begun the formal proceedings to postpone local government elections until next year.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The 400-metre world record holder Michael Johnson believes Usain Bolt should seriously consider running the one-lap event.

-GB&GWU acceptance of retrenchment option questioned Urgent mediation efforts are underway in an attempt to restore a condition of normalcy at the predominantly Russian-owned Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) where a strike that has closed its operations at Aroaima and Kwakwani has escalated into a dramatic move by the company to de-recognize the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU), the bargaining agent for most of the company’s 500-odd workers.

MOGADISHU, (Reuters) – A suicide bomber disguised as  a veiled woman killed at least 19 people including three Somali  government ministers yesterday at a medical graduation  ceremony in a Mogadishu hotel, witnesses and officials said.

Air travel between Georgetown and Toronto will benefit from an immediate and significant boost with the introduction of a weekly, all-year-round service between the two cities, Stabroek Business has learnt that the new Sky Service flight which will employ a leased 757 jet is being provided by Sunrise International Travel, a Guyanese-owned, Toronto-based Travel company.

–Dr Compton Bourne tells businessmen By Iana Seales CDB President Dr Compton Bourne has called for a change in the existing relationship between the University of Guyana and the business community saying that critical private sector investment is lacking at the campus.

The F & H Printing Establish-ment /Muslim Youth Organization (MYO) Inter-Jamaat ten-over Softball Competition continued over the weekend with nine scheduled matches at the MYO ground and the National Park, where Farm ‘A’ team was a force to be reckoned with and convincingly crushed their opponents.

Albion’s first Test player and the ninth player from the Ancient County to play Test cricket, 57-year-old Sew Shivnarine, as he is popularly called, was honoured last Saturday for his contribution to cricket.

The PNCR and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA)  yesterday came out in support of the striking workers of RUSAL Bauxite Company of Guyana (BCGI).

The various upbeat public pronouncements by Caribbean Community Heads of Government and by CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington at the recent Commonwealth Business Forum in Port-of-Spain regarding the preparedness of the region to strengthen business ties with the rest of the Commonwealth raises some interesting questions about what we can realistically expect to derive from the forum.

MOSCOW, (Reuters) – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir  Putin weighed into a fierce national debate on the legacy of  Soviet leader Josef Stalin yesterday, calling for a balanced  assessment and saying he was not all good or bad.

Expenditure at the Palms Geriatric Institution lacks transparency and accountability while the buildings and facilities were in a state of deterioration and disrepair, an audit has found.

As the curtains are coming down on year 2009, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has already secured two major sponsorships for the new year from Tenelec Inc.

SINGAPORE,  (Reuters) – A U.N. carbon-payment scheme  aimed at saving forests in poorer nations could push some  species to extinction unless it is designed to spread  investment across many countries, a study released yesterday  shows.

Mexico is to provide scholarships for 10 Guyanese following the formalizing of a programme with Guyana.

(CMC) BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, West Indies plunged out of the first ever CLOBI Cup International Masters Twenty20 cricket tournament Wednesday night when South Africa beat them by 10 runs at Kensington Oval.

Making service orientation a national culture By Jacquelyn Hamer Perfecting the practice of giving service requires both a level of technical training in the methodologies associated with the delivery of the particular service and, equally important, a disposition towards giving service.

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – India set a goal yesterday  for slowing the growth of its greenhouse gas emissions, the last  major economy to offer a climate target four days before the  start of U.N.

Even though the Christmas holidays is one of the peak periods for Linden farmers, some will not be able to capitalize by increasing their output because of limited rainfall, seed availability and low consumer spending.

ABUJA, (Reuters) – Nigeria’s “culture of corruption”  contributed to the crisis which led to a $4 billion bank bailout  earlier this year, with bank chiefs too cosy with powerful   politicians, central bank chief Lamido Sanusi said yesterday.

In our editorial published on Tuesday, December 2 under the caption ‘Misrepresenting police conduct,’ reference was made to incidents of attempted rape and rape which had occurred at ‘B’ Division Headquarters in New Amsterdam and at the Springlands Police Station, respectively.

The Kuru Kuru Training Centre (KKTC) on the Linden Highway which provides skills training to youths is now for the first time receiving electricity on a 24-hour basis.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Virender Sehwag flayed Sri Lanka’s  attack to hit the second fastest double century and put India in  control of the third and final test against Sri Lanka yesterday.

Dear Editor, When our President visited the Rupununi in September for the opening of the Takutu Bridge much work was hurriedly done on infrastructure in and around Lethem, such as roads.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – India’s Virender Sehwag said he  knew a big score was within his grasp in the series after  thumping an unbeaten 284 in the final test against Sri Lanka on  Thursday.

-road safety council The phasing out of the importation of used vehicle tyres into Guyana as part of a wider lobby both to enhance road safety and to gradually reduce the environmental hazards associated with the disposal of tyres has the support of both the National Road Safety Council and sections of the private sector according to the Council’s Coordinator Romona Doorgen.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – R&B singer Beyonce led the  field of Grammy contenders with 10 nominations on Wednesday,  closely followed by teen country sensation Taylor Swift with  eight, and both will compete for coveted album of the year.  

The Little Diamond family that was terrorized by four armed men early Monday morning in their home is not satisfied with the police response and believes the investigation into the robbery is not being taken seriously since police, according to them, have not acted on a “solid tip”.

PANAJI, India, (Reuters Life!) – An unusual Indian  film that casts 68-year-old Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan as  a 13-year-old school boy, with his own son playing the lead,  has the world’s most prolific film industry buzzing.  

Some of those injured in the Hunt Oil Road, North Rupununi accident on Monday required specialized services resulting in them being transferred all the way to the city.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday his government may target more banks for state intervention, sparking investor jitters two days after his government shut four private banks.

Dear Editor, Please permit me to respond to GHK Lall’s letter ‘Hold your friends close and your enemies closer’ (SN, December 3).

PARIS, (Reuters) – Twice grand slam winner and former  world number one Amelie Mauresmo, who will be remembered as much  for her elegance on the court as her incapacity to prevail in  her home major, announced her retirement yesterday.

“Big time” bribery and corruption is not unique to the conventional public and private sectors.

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) – The Honduran Congress voted on Wednesday not to allow the reinstatement of ousted President Manuel Zelaya, a move that closes the door on his return to power after he was toppled in a June coup.

PANAJI, India, (Reuters Life+ACE-) – What does it take to  make a movie?

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) yesterday launched a unique initiative which will benefit 100 Guyanese youths by empowering them to be agents of change at the community level.

Dear Editor, With reference to Dr Joey Jagan’s letter captioned ‘A pollster cannot be taken seriously if he is a political commentator’ (SN, December 2), Joey said that a pollster could be biased if he or she made political commentaries (when not conducting polls). 

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 332’s trading results showed consideration of $1,975,377 from 217,428 shares traded in 7 transactions as compared to session 331 which showed consideration of $1,157,967 from 48,000 shares traded in 8 transactions. 

LONDON, (Reuters) – Amir Khan will fight with a  challenger’s mentality when he takes on tough New Yorker Dmitry  Salita in the first defence of his WBA light-welterweight title  in Newcastle tomorrow.

Two attendants at a Strathspey Gas Station were attacked and robbed of almost $1M on Wednesday afternoon by a man armed with a handgun.

LIMA, (Reuters) – Two people were killed and eight  were injured in a shootout yesterday as Peruvian police  tried to arrest a suspect for attacking a mining project owned  by Chinese company Zijin, police said.

OECD enforces new tax measures The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says it is now moving to the enforcement phase in its crack down on tax havens.

PHILADELPHIA, (Reuters) – American Bernard Hopkins  returned to the ring after a near 14-month absence to score a  unanimous points decision victory over Mexican Enrique Ornelas  in a non-title light-heavyweight bout on Wednesday.

Dear Editor,  I have been reading the blogs in response to the letter by GKH Lall, in SN, December 1, captioned, ‘Ask not what Guyana can do for you,’ and thought I would react.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Emboldened by emergency  measures that helped pull Brazil out of a brief recession,  President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is intervening more  aggressively in the economy and betting on big government.

Frankly Speaking… By  A.A. Fenty So why this “American” bias today? Partly because last year at this time most Guyanese were basking in the aftermath of Barack Obama’s victory in the US Presidential elections.

Guyana is not, strictly speaking, a banana republic. Yes, we have had our fair share of authoritarian rule, electoral fraud, plantation economics and endemic corruption, but we have been spared the anarchy, bloodshed and political instability of coups d’état and revolutionary movements.

CONAKRY, (Reuters) – Guinea’s junta leader Captain  Moussa Dadis Camara was wounded in an attack yesterday by his  own soldiers, including the officer implicated in the Sept.

Dear Editor, It is my belief that a country’s education system can get nowhere without a proper plan for dealing with the indiscipline of learners.

(Trinidad Express) – A University of the West Indies mathematics professor was shot and robbed on Tuesday night, after being ambushed by two bandits just as he and his wife arrived at their St Augustine home.

The Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC)  has advised that items being sent to overseas destinations in time for December 25 should be posted on or before December 11.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Swiss-based Sauber will take  departed Toyota’s place as Formula One’s 13th team next season,  the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in  a statement yesterday.

(Prepared by the Guyana marketing Corporation and published by Stabroek News Business as a public service)