Daily Archive: Tuesday, January 5, 2010

The housing authorities yesterday morning swooped down on a group of squatters who attempted to settle on state land close to the cane fields aback Anna Catherina, just days after a spring tide felled some of their homes and flooded their yards.

An eight-year-old Guyanese boy died yesterday in Suriname after he set himself afire with a firecracker but his father is not happy with the explanation for his death and plans to approach authorities in the hope of triggering an investigation.

-Prime Minister Prime Minister Samuel Hinds has said that a final draft of the Broadcast Bill is currently being reviewed before it is tabled in Parliament and he is rejecting claims that the administration has downplayed a High Court ruling on broadcast licences.

The Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) has sacked over 130 casual workers to regularise its employment system–a move that sparked a protest yesterday by the ex-employees who deemed their dismissals unfair.

The Guyana Bauxite & General Workers Union (GB&GWU) has written to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) asking it “to commence a public inquiry into charges of discrimination” against Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) employees and the union.

The Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) has instituted disciplinary action against 21 employees for negligence in the $1million Money Order Fraud which was discovered late last year.

Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerritt assumed the Chairmanship of the Caribbean Community on January 1, 2010 and is expected to serve in this position until June 30.

Bail payments at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court were delayed for hours yesterday because of a reported directive from the Ministry of Finance, resulting in the detention of a string of persons who were arraigned.

MUMBAI, India,  CMC – Rising West Indies fast bowling star Kemar Roach is among eight players from the Caribbean who will find out today if they have been successful in securing berths in the Indian Premier League auction later this month.

– claims Jamaican journalist The selection of the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) team for the forthcoming West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) first-class tournament has been challenged in a Jamaican newspaper.

-Chand The current negotiations between GuySuCo and GAWU over the payment of the Annual Production Incentive (API) to sugar workers is likely to go to conciliation under the chairmanship of the Labour Ministry.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Without a four-day title in three years, regional one-day kings Trinidad & Tobago will seek to rectify their recent lack of success when they leave for Jamaica today to face Combined Campuses and Colleges in the opening round of WICB first class matches starting Friday.

As the investigation of the murder of Edward Winfield continues, three persons, including his girlfriend, have been detained while the home of his mother was searched by police.

-police ID suspect Hours after being shot to the head by an unknown assailant, Bascal Johnson succumbed early yesterday morning.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Leeds United were handed a tough  FA Cup fourth round tie away to Tottenham Hotspur after Sunday’s  momentous victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

SINGAPORE,  (Reuters) – Iran can book their place at  the 2011 Asian Cup finals, ease the pressure on coach Afshin  Ghotbi and give Bryan Robson’s Thailand a boost with a win over  Singapore tomorrow.

A 72-year-old pedal cyclist died two days after she was involved in an accident with a motor cyclist on New Year’s Day on Main Street, New Amsterdam.

DOHA,  (Reuters) – Roger Federer was proud to regain  his world number one status last year and wants to stay top of  the rankings for as long as he can, he said on Monday.

Police have arrested and since released three persons on station bail in connection with the fatal chopping of an Albouystown resident on New Year’s Eve.

City residents yesterday morning experienced disruption in their water supply because of an electrical failure at Guyana Water Inc’s (GWI) Shelter-Belt Water Treatment Plant on Vlissingen Road.

JOHANNESBURG,  (Reuters) – South Africa’s World Cup  stadiums could change the image of Africa forever, or stand as  spectacular monuments to extravagance and waste in a country  still struggling to spread the fruits of majority rule.

CLEVELAND, Ohio,  (Reuters) – Ronald Murray landed a  three-pointer with 56 seconds remaining as the Charlotte  Bobcats snapped the Cleveland Cavaliers’ seven-game winning  streak with a 91-88 victory on Sunday.

Teddies Diaper distributed hampers to seven mothers who gave birth to babies on New Year’s Day at hospitals across the city.

Ansa McAl Trading continued its tradition of ushering in the New Year by presenting mothers who gave birth to the first babies of 2010 with hampers.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Jockeys and trainers will be  offered training in dealing with the media and paid appearance  money as part of a campaign by British horse racing to widen the  appeal of the sport.

CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) – Seamers Morne Morkel and Dale  Steyn took three England wickets each to lift South Africa on  the second day of the third test yesterday.

The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) urges all workers to join unions in 2010 to participate in the struggle for betterment.

DHAKA,  (Reuters) – Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed his  sixth one-day century to inspire Sri Lanka to a comfortable  seven-wicket win over hosts Bangladesh in the first match of the  Tri-Series yesterday.

DUBAI (Reuters) – Dubai opened the world’s tallest structure in a glitzy ceremony meant to put a brave face on crushing debt woes, leading some to wonder whether the tower is the emirate’s crowning glory or its last hurrah.

The Justice For All Party (JFAP) urges Guyanese to embrace justice and conservatism to ensure the future health and happiness of the nation.

Dear Editor, One of the basic tenets of collective bargaining is that the parties bargain in good faith. 

(BBC) Australia’s bowlers salvaged some pride with seven late wickets on day two but Pakistan still looked strong in the second Test with a lead of 204 runs.

Three women including a manager at Household Plus appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday following a brawl at the Regent Street store last week which was reportedly triggered by a dispute over rugs.

MADRID (Reuters) – An unidentified hacker briefly hijacked Spain’s official website for its presidency of the European Union, inserting a large smiling picture of comic character Mr Bean, an official said yesterday.

Dear Editor, My previous response (KN, January 1) to Annan Boodram’s letter (SN, December 31, 2009) on Rodney, Jagan, the WPA and the PPP sought to draw attention to the ethno-racial context and implication of his conclusions.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said instability in Yemen posed a global threat and pledged yesterday to plug any holes in US security procedures after a Christmas Day airline bombing attempt.

KAPALUA, Hawaii, (Reuters) – For the second year in a  row, Tiger Woods will be a notable absentee from the early part  of the PGA Tour schedule but this time it is entirely due to  self-inflicted wounds by the world number one.

Seventeen-year-old Junior Allen was remanded to prison yesterday when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Roberston on a simple larceny charge and according to the police, break-ins and petty crimes in the East La Penitance area have decreased since his detention.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Threats against US judges and federal prosecutors rose almost 12 percent in fiscal 2008, the government said in a report released yesterday hours before a man opened fire with a shotgun in a Las Vegas courthouse.

Dear Editor, To put things in their proper perspective, I would like to provide a background to the article appearing in the 2010-01-01 edition of the Stabroek News, entitled ‘Government proposes six months notice before any mining’.

-non-performing loans dropped from $725m to $580m Demerara Bank Limited (DBL) registered an after tax profit of $818m – 10% above last year’s figure – while loans and advances jumped by 29.85% over 2008.

CHAGUANAS, Trinidad, CMC – Top Trinidad and Tobago flyweight boxer Ria Ramnarine battled to a unanimous points decision over young Colombian Paulina Cardosa in their non-title bout on Saturday night.

HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba denounced as “anti-terrorist paranoia” new US security measures for air travellers from the island and 13 other countries, but passengers waiting to fly from Havana said yesterday thorough checks before heading to the United States were nothing new. 

By Peter R. Ramsaroop, MBA Introduction Every year I write a New Year’s letter to the President.

BEIJING,  (Reuters) – Men’s and women’s world singles  champions Wang Hao and Zhang Yining have both been knocked off  the top of the world table tennis rankings by younger Chinese  compatriots.

Sixty Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officers and 423 other ranks have been promoted effective January 1, the army said yesterday.

BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombian guerrillas have entered into “an unholy alliance” with Islamic extremists who are helping the Marxist rebels smuggle cocaine through Africa on its way to European consumers, a US official told Reuters.

PPP General Secretary Donald Ramotar has dismissed criticism that the governing party lacks the political will to implement the necessary reforms for the security sector and is urging that crime not be made a political issue.

Dear Editor, With an election less than two years away and with a shocking lack of quality candidates, it is no wonder political dinosaurs like Messrs Ramkarran, Nagamootoo and Ramotar are emerging in the press as possible PPP leadership candidates, and President Jagdeo is beating the unconstitutional third-term drum.

Dear Editor, Happy New Year to all. I have noted the letter by Minister Robert Persaud (SN, 1.1.2010) and his attempt to shed further light on some of the issues I have previously raised as it relates to Guyana’s LCDS. 

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, CMC – New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has given the West Indies Under-19 cricketers a major pep talk before their ICC U19 World Cup campaign.

– José Manuel Barroso is President of the European Commission. by Jose Manuel Barroso BRUSSELS – Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, the contours of world order are still in the making.

(Jamaica Observer) Eleven persons died by the gun, including three by police bullets, in the first two days of the New Year, as the Grim Reaper set a blistering start to 2010.

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) says the past year was difficult for workers, particularly those within its membership, but it cited the case of workers in the mining sector noting that their rights were trampled upon in 2009.

A minibus loaded with passengers and plying the Sophia route dips into a deep crater, the result of a long ignored pothole, on Dennis Street yesterday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A third uninvited guest made it into a White House state dinner in honor of the Indian prime minister, but there is no evidence the person had contact with the president or first lady, the Secret Service said yesterday.

PERTH, Australia, CMC – Western Australia were left sweating on the fitness of West Indies captain Chris Gayle ahead of their must-win clash with New South Wales Blues, after the Jamaican superstar was forced to abort training yesterday because of a sore side.

Unless you’ve got your head stuck in a bucket, you’ve seen the seawall in Georgetown on Sunday evenings.

Dear Editor, It is quite ironic to watch how a decent group started by many decent people like the late Minister Sash Sawh has now turned into a basic tool of the PPP/C, namely, the Association for Concerned Guyanese (ACG) based in Toronto Canada.

Two commercial sex workers ended up in court yesterday before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson jointly charged with assault following a fall-out over a client.

The unease which some native Surinamers feel about the increasing intrusion of Brazilian miners into their country exploded into serious disorder including arson, assault, rape and robbery in the towns of Albina and Papatam on Christmas Day.

BAGHDAD – Iraq said yesterday it would launch lawsuits in US and Iraqi courts against a US security firm accused in the 2007 killing of civilians in Baghdad, rejecting a US judge’s decision to throw out charges.

Skerrit: ‘not business as usual’Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has warned his incoming cabinet ministers not to expect their job to be an eight to four one.

This tree collapsed on Peter Rose Street, Queenstown some time before 5.30 am yesterday.