Daily Archive: Wednesday, April 14, 2010

-health ministry probe launched The grandmother of Sangeeta Persaud, the 14-year-old who died after an ‘exorcism’ last month, is maintaining that the girl was prodded, squeezed and palmed during the ceremony, while Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy has said an investigation of the case is underway.

-robbery suspected A taxi driver was shot three times yesterday during a bizarre mid-afternoon attack along Princess Street, Lodge.

Parika vendors are still refusing to return to what they have dubbed “the ghost town hall of stalls” and are playing a game of hide-and-seek with the Neigh-bourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in their struggle to make a living.

-Auditor General finds Over a thirteen year period, the government has spent over $3 billion of the proceeds acquired from the Guyana Lotteries Company without parliamentary consent, since money was never deposited into the Consolidated Fund as legally required.

The Ministry of Health is moving to address homophobia in the public health sector by focusing on training and the promotion of a manual designed to eliminate existing barriers to care offered to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered (GLBT) communities.

A Guyanese deportee has been refused a visa to attend his wife’s funeral in Canada.

-drivers The area along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, where Kuru Kuru farmer Rudolph Joseph was killed on Sunday, did not have reflectors before the accident.

-witness threatened The failure by police to make a prima facie case against Gladston Blair, also known as ‘Cross Eye,’ resulted in his acquittal yesterday.

A second businessman held in connection with the murder of salt fish exporter Rajendra Motilall Sonilall was released from police custody yesterday.

The United Nations has designated 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent and the government of Guyana plans to announce a national programme to celebrate the contributions of people of African descent to the country.

-marijuana, shotgun seized Anti crime operations by the police in Berbice yesterday led to the arrest of three people and the recovery of a shotgun and marijuana.

Davanand Rambarran of Vriesland, West Bank Demerara yesterday pleaded not guilty to trafficking in narcotics when he appeared before Magistrate Nayasha Williams-Hatmin at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court.

Yurong Paru recently commissioned its village shop and a newly-built Village Council office, both of which were constructed with funds from its $1M annual Presidential Grant.

The young woman who was allegedly responsible for the death of a Lethem resident after the vehicle she was driving struck him down on February 19, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and was granted $75,000 bail after she pleaded not guilty.

The Ministry of Agriculture last Saturday dispatched a quantity of supplies to Region Nine to assist communities that have been severely affected by the prevailing El Niño phenomenon.

Two students of Bush Lot Secondary School, in West Berbice, were presented with laptop computers after they were successful at an essay competition sponsored by the Aditya Kids Trust Fund Foundation.

-in protest of neglect The University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS) has called on the student body to demonstrate its frustration with the persistent neglect of issues facing students by boycotting all economic activities on the Turkeyen campus today.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored his 11th One-Day International century to lead West Indies to a massive 208-run win over Canada in the Jamaica Cricket Festival yesterday.

-British journalist to present dossier on ‘back room’ dealings Virtually on the eve of the staging of June 11 to July 11, 2010 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup Football Tournament in South Africa, the spotlight will fall once again on the dark clouds of corruption that have long hung over the world’s most popular sport.

By Marlon Munroe Now that the former British, Commonwealth and European middleweight champion, Howard Eastman has been remanded to prison until April 30 following a trafficking in narcotics charge, the Eastman/Wayne Harris bout is in limbo.

The Preliminary Inquiries into the charges against four men, accused of involvement in the February, 2008 Bartica massacre, has been shifted to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

(Cricinfo)Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan have filed official appeals against the punishments handed out to them by the PCB last month.

Two men, who allegedly robbed the Esso Gas Station of over $3M in cash and items at gunpoint last week, were remanded to prison yesterday.

Compton Henry, also known as ‘Worm bait’ was fined $50,000 by Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Christianburg Magistrates’ Court yesterday, after he was found guilty of simple larceny.

As preparations  heighten for the second edition of the Hugh Ross Classic (HRC) Bodybuilding & Fitness Championship, the organisers have received a further boost  to ensure a well run competition with the financial support of three business entities.

Udesh Ragubar, the two-year-old Edinburgh, East Bank Berbice boy suffering from a heart defect, underwent open heart surgery at the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) Monday afternoon and he doing well in recovery.

“It was a close finish,” newly crowned 1500m gold medallist Jevina Straker said of her feat at the recent Junior Carifta Games.

Dear Editor, Following what the Guyana Police Force has described as an “inconclusive” autopsy, the intervention of the Ethnic Relations Commission in the sordid affair of the death of Sangeeta Persaud seems to be yet another attempt to cover up an ugly and dastardly episode that is clamouring for investigation and transparency.

Republic Bank Guyana has appointed two new general managers. Patricia Plummer, who the Bank says exemplifies career banking, was appointed General Manager for Credit, effective March 22, 2010. 

With just three months remaining before the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) this week trimmed the national women’s squad to 19 players in preparation for the regional event.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US President Barack  Obama pressed for bold, swift sanctions on Iran yesterday but  acknowledged China has concerns about the economic impact and  said negotiations are difficult.

Dear Editor, I had applied several times on behalf of poor residents in my community and also for members of my church for birth, death and marriage certificates, but the wait is very long.

(Trinidad Express) The election date is still in Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s backpocket.

– Dr Aaron-Parris elected  first VP of CNA Guyana’s national U-16 team began their Caribbean Netball Association (CNA) Under-16 Championship by defeating Bermuda and playing to a draw against St.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Georgia said yesterday it  had foiled the attempted sale of bomb-grade uranium on the  black market in March, the latest in what it said was a series  of such cases over the past 10 years.

-Nadir Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir told a workshop on strategic planning that the private sector should consider establishing flexible work hours, particularly for female employees, in order to boost productivity.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – A court in Brazil has  sentenced a rancher to 30 years in prison for ordering the  murder in 2005 of US-born nun Dorothy Stang, who lived in the  Amazon region and opposed the destruction of the rain forest.

Dear Editor, The Ministry of Finance, the President, all political parties and competent authorities must immediately rectify the very scandalous situation with regard to outstanding payments to workers who worked very hard every day including Saturdays and Sundays in the recently concluded Claims and Objections exercise conducted by the Guyana Elections Commission.

HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s unity government has  suspended and will review rules forcing foreign-owned firms in  Zimbabwe to sell a majority stake to local people, a spokesman  for Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said yesterday.

Memorex XI carted off the Sunny Boy Milk Powder T20 softball trophy after beating rivals Ariel XI by 14 runs in the final last Sunday at  Everest Cricket Club ground.

Dear Editor, I must congratulate Mr Trotman on a well written letter but one designed to dodge issues and claim innocence of any political dimorphism on his part (‘The AFC did not join the “Third Force platform” and therefore could not be responsible for its collapse’ SN, April 10).

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A US judge yesterday  ordered a rural Mississippi school district to comply with a  nearly 40-year-old order and halt long-disputed practices that  led to racial segregation in its schools.

CARACAS (Reuters) – A Venezuelan website that has  poked fun at leftist President Hugo Chavez for two years has  become a roaring success on the Internet, where its authors set  up their satirical blog to avoid censorship.

(Cricinfo)  Kieron Pollard finally lived up to his bumper signing with a brutal innings that undermined what, for the most part, had been a spirited performance from Delhi’s bowlers, and confirmed Mumbai’s place in the final four.

MADRID (Reuters) – Spanish intellectuals and trade  unionists yesterday protested against the indictment of a judge  who launched an inquiry into some 100,000 killings committed  during Spain’s Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship of  Francisco Franco.

US First Lady’s in Haiti The First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, is making an unannounced visit to Haiti.

(Cricinfo) Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, has denied any involvement in the “match irregularities” that Essex Police are investigating, following allegations that are believed to centre around a televised Pro40 game during the last English season.

Dear Editor, The discussion initiated by Mr Norman Browne and enjoined by Ms Sheila Holder of the AFC, who defended her party’s position not to engage in street protests or demonstrations as part of its political strategy to take advantage of the frustration and anger of Guyanese at the government, is most welcome.

Almost two decades since the effective collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, the United States and  Russia, now much reduced in physical size and geopolitical outreach, have signed an agreement designed to continue their original pursuit, first agreed between President Reagan and President  Gorbachev in December 1987, of a persistent reduction of nuclear weapons.

Part 1 Introduction Some time ago Mr Mike Persaud suggested on the Stabroek News blog (SN, Sep 2, 2009) that I write a column on the Guyana foreign exchange (FX) market.