Daily Archive: Sunday, December 20, 2009

– says they had gun A man was shot dead and another injured by an off-duty police officer who was said to have been moonlighting as a bouncer/security guard at a city night spot.

– for stiffer drug penalties The stiff jail sentences recently handed down by Barbados to Guyanese drug traffickers highlight the fact that those found guilty here never get more than five years and PPP MP and attorney Anil Nandlall says the current law must be revamped to permit sterner penalties where warranted.

-Sharma Broadcaster CN Sharma is accusing the government of being prejudicial in its treatment of his application for a radio signal, ignoring him within recent months since a court ruling on the state monopoly on radio while also “showing little regard for my television business.”

In an attempt to galvanize support against the Court of Appeal Amendment Bill which is currently before a Select Committee the PNCR has again made its objections public, saying in a statement last week that the legislation creates a new sentence of life imprisonment without conviction.

-denies delays Caricom says that it is working with the European Commission (EC) to expedite access to funding for the region, while denying that any sloth on its part has held up regional programming or prevented member states from accessing funds.

A 16-year-old is now nursing a chop wound in the Georgetown Public Hospital after she intervened in an argument between her parents.

– consultants The consortium of consultants charged with determining the best design for the much debated Hope Conservancy Relief Channel has so far determined that the construction of a shallow outfall channel and a high crested weir (dam) would be the best option.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony said government plans to boost the infrastructure of the Kuru Kuru Training Centre and to introduce more programmes in the coming year.

After a wait of more than five decades residents of Old Kara Kara and Rainbow City in Linden have received titles to the land where they reside.

Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy yesterday said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the shipment of H1N1 flu vaccine is now expected in Guyana early next month.

As the mining industry faces external threats, it will be focusing on three core issues in the future: the development of green/clean mining technologies, better declaration and enhancing regulatory mechanisms.

When Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Private Melika Scotland recently became the first local female paratrooper, it was bittersweet news for retired Staff Sergeant Beverley Somerset, who had been repeatedly denied from participating in the course almost three decades ago.

Thirty-three officer cadets from the disciplined services, including a member of Belize’s army, were promoted to the rank of ensign at an official ensigncy parade held on Tuesday last at Base Camp Ayanganna.

Christmas is a time of joyful preparation. Over the centuries this has tended to become the shining-up and decoration of homes, the stocking up of food and drink for family and friends, joining in the merry round of parties.

I hope that by now readers would have realised that Norway can in no way be looked upon as Guyana’s Santa Claus.

Brightening prospects Introduction Today’s column draws heavily on the Business Outlook Survey 2010, an annual survey which Ram & McRae has been carrying out for sixteen years.

“He was everything you would want in a person.” That’s how one of his friends remember the late Colin Wiltshire, 74, who passed away at a hospital in Trinidad Friday night of pneumonia.

Vitamins are important for health. Information on vitamins is found in cook books.

Perth, Australia: The West Indies are on the verge of losing the third Test at the WACA in Perth and thus losing the series 2-0 but the script is not nearly as depressing as those facts might convey.

The Ministry of Health recently certified its first batch of Medical Laboratory Technicians in a graduation ceremony held at the Georgetown Club on Camp Street.

—-says Tony CozierAnyone who has followed Sulieman Benn’s career, not least those who play against him in Barbados club cricket know that the beanpole left-arm spinner is no saint.

There are some plays in the  corpus of Guyanese drama that need to be seen. 

It’s Christmas time, the season of goodwill and reflection, so we’ll take time off from the more stodgy issues of diseases and their cures.

By Marlon Munroe On a cold Enmore night, Sunburst Camptown and Riddim Squad in their debut Kashif and Shanghai tournament, sizzled in scoring emphatic victories over East Coast teams Ann’s Grove and Buxton United respectively.

The local Lady Jaguars last evening scored a 2-1 win over archrivals Suriname at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground in Linden to finish second in the Guyana Football Federation (GFFF) International Women’s Goodwill tournament.

Fresh flower arrangements always add an elegant touch to any decor, and with a choice of the right colours can really convey the feel of the season.

The travelling extravaganza known as the 20th Kashif and Shanghai Football tournament will head to the ancient county of Berbice today with two hometown teams on show at the Blairmont Community Center Ground.

CHICAGO (Reuters) – For many years, diabetes  experts assumed that the closer they could get a diabetic  patient’s blood sugar level to what is considered normal, the  better.

The Guiana Times News Magazine 1946-1966 By Nigel Westmaas‘Guiana Times does not sell propaganda it sells news carefully analysed and served up in a tasty way.’

Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Ernest Hilaire will be the guest speaker at the annual awards ceremony of the Guyana Cricket Board later this month.

Obituary Desrey Clementine Fox, née Caesar, Minister in the Ministry of Education and former Curator of the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, died on December 11, 2009, aged 54.

An accident at the Cove and John, East Coast Demerara (ECD) Police Divisional Headquarters on Thursday saw several persons being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The national cricketers will take a break for the Christmas holidays on Wednesday afternoon following the conclusion of the first three day practice match organized by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – UN climate talks ended  with a bare-minimum agreement yesterday when delegates  “noted” an accord struck by the United States, China and other  emerging powers that falls far short of the conference’s  original goals.

And the band entertained:  If the hectic shopping got to be too much for anyone yesterday there was the option of stopping to enjoy some Christmas music on Regent Street, compliments of the City Jammers Steel Orchestra.

Cozier on Sunday You can usually get a pretty fair inkling of the way a sporting team is faring from its demeanour in its off duty time, away from the stresses of the battles, on the field and off it.

TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran’s judiciary has charged  three jail officials with the murder of three pro-reform  Iranians detained after the disputed June 12 presidential  election, the students news agency ISNA reported on Saturday.

In all sizes and colours: This young man selects a pair of boots from the wide variety available at this stall at Regent and Wellington streets yesterday.

The Guyana Relief Council (GRC) recently assisted eight families who suffered losses due to fire and it advises persons in need that though its office is closed for the holiday season they can still access help.

The distinctive National Schools Chess Cham-pionship that was held last weekend for the second year in succession sent an unambiguous message to the organisers and sponsors of the tournament.

A Gardener’s Diary I expect everyone reading this column will be familiar with mistletoe. 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US Senate Democrats  reached a compromise  yesterday with the last holdout senator  that secured the 60 votes they need to pass a broad healthcare  overhaul sought by President Barack Obama.

Stuffed toys galore:  A pavement vendor at Regent and Camp streets laid out a stunning array of stuffed toys for the season and caught the eye of many a shopper yesterday.

Jorge G Castañeda, former Foreign Minister of Mexico (2000-2003), is a Global Distinguished Professor of Politics and Latin American Studies at New York University.

PERTH, Australia, CMC – Shane Watson’s screaming celebration of Chris Gayle’s wicket yesterday has earned the all-rounder a fine of 15 per cent of his match fee in the current third Test match between West Indies and Australia.

Dear Editor, I was pleased to read John Tracey’s most instructive response in SN December 17, 2009 to Kenrick Hunte’s of December 14, on the matter of the viability of agricultural development banks.

– GMC Guyanese are being urged to shop local by the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) since these commodities offer a more affordable and healthier alternative to imported products.

CULIACAN, Mexico, (Reuters) – Mourners trickled into  a palatial chapel in the heart of Mexican drug trafficking  territory yesterday to pay their respects to late drug lord  Arturo Beltran Leyva, shot dead by security forces this week.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) celebrated the start of the Christmas season with hundreds of children as well as army ranks and civilian employees at its traditional children’s Christmas parties.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict yesterday  put his wartime predecessor Pope Pius XII, accused by Jews of  turning a blind eye to the Holocaust, back on the road to Roman  Catholic sainthood.

Garden of… All sorts of blooms – artificial of course — on sale on Regent Street yesterday as Christmas shopping in the city neared fever pitch.

Dear Editor, I have been watching and loving the game of cricket for nearly seventy years.

In a matter of months there will be a general election in the United Kingdom.

CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) – A fine century  by Hashim Amla put South Africa in control of the first test  against England at the close on the fourth day yesterday.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – A Brazilian toddler is making  a good recovery after surgery to remove the first of 31 sewing  needles pushed into his body by his stepfather in a cruel act  that has enraged locals, the hospital said yesterday.

Dear Editor, I wish to refer to Dr Kenrick Hunte’s article entitled ‘Guyana’s agriculture is in a downward spiral’ dated December 14, in which he argued that  agricultural output for several sub-sectors had declined during the period 2000 to 2008.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Heavy snowfall blanketed the  US East Coast  yesterday, disrupting public transport and  air travel, and hampering holiday shoppers on the last weekend  before Christmas.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago senior cricket selection panel Dudnath Ramkessoon has urged the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to re-consider the use of pink balls for the forthcoming regional first-class season.

The latest strategic plan for the University of Guyana on which we reported last week, in its generality really doesn’t tell us anything which we didn’t know already and which earlier reports hadn’t also identified.

Christmas shoppers thronged downtown Georgetown yet again yesterday and the Rotary Club of Georgetown Central sold eatables at Camp Street to offer them sustenance and to raise funds as well.

Health By Dr Neeraj Jain, MD, DNB, MNAMS (Consultant Ophthalmologist)What is squint?

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has increased its staff at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport in order to cope with the increased number of holiday travellers.