Daily Archive: Friday, July 29, 2011

The President’s guards – eight of them we are told – took leave of absence from watching His Excellency’s back to run wid a lil hustle pon de side.

President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said that he has been friends with mortgage fraud-accused businessman, Ed Ahmad for around 15 years but would not condone any wrongdoing.

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – Usain Bolt defied blustering  winds today to record his first victory in three attempts on  Swedish soil with victory over the 200 metres in the Stockholm  Diamond League meeting.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 29 (Reuters) – Pele continued his  long-running feud with Ricardo Teixeira when he was unveiled on  Friday as the face of Brazil’s 2014 World Cup after the  Brazilian FA chief had snubbed him ahead of Saturday’s draw for  the qualifying competition.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. House approved a  Republican deficit plan today that has no chance of  becoming law but could pave the way for a last-ditch bid for  bipartisan compromise to avert a crippling national default.

The New York Post today reported that real estate broker Ed Ahmad who has been charged with mortgage fraud has been denied permission to travel to Guyana.

(Trinidad Guardian) The murder toll continued to rise, after two men were gunned down at Desperlie Crescent, Laventille, yesterday. Police

(Trinidad Express) The Integrity Commission has cleared Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of any breach of the Integrity in Public Life Act when she stayed at the private residence of her friends Ralph and Maureen Gopaul last year.

(Trinidad Express) Exactly one week after the bodies of Vonetta Haynes-Reyes and her sons Makasi and Malik were found at their La Horquetta home, a 23-year-old neighbour of the victims has been detained by police in connection with the murders.

PARAMARIBO – The United Nations (UN) has donated about US$1 million to Suriname to better protect its natural resources such as Bigi Pan (Nickerie) and the mangrove-forests before the coast of Coronie and Saramacca.

Bollywood actress and reality TV star Shilpa Shetty is scheduled to appear at the Chutney/Bollywood/Filmi segment of Jamzone.

(Barbados Nation) Barbados’ speedy response to an ultimatum from FIFA, the world governing body, could allow it to escape without any sanctions.

The long-delayed Broadcasting Bill was yesterday passed in the National Assembly, where it was condemned by the main opposition PNCR-1G as a travesty of justice, but received support from the AFC.

A woman travelling from Guyana to the US was on Wednesday busted at New York’s JFK airport with 17.5 kilos of cocaine stashed in her luggage, in El Dorado rum and in food cans.

Eight persons, including two women are in police custody following a shooting at the Hogstye, Corentyne backdam around 5 pm on Wednesday which left a farmer dead and his younger brother seriously injured.

Some toshaos are not happy with aspects of a resolution calling on the governments of Norway and Guyana to intervene to expedite the release of funds from the two countries forests’ partnership and were upset further by an attempt to openly list the names of those who did not sign on.

A suspected burglar was early yesterday morning fatally shot while fleeing from police a street away from his own home, at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara,.

Police have released the co-owner of Guyana Sandport Inc, who was held with presidential guards and others who allegedly stormed the East Bank Demerara facility and damaged a conveyor belt early Tuesday morning.

A mesmerizing spell of left-arm spin bowling from Trinidad and West Indies Under-19 player Derone Davis of 7-25 on the final afternoon propelled Trinidad to an impressive 73 run victory over hosts Guyana, at the Everest Cricket Club ground, yesterday.

Nigel Adams was yesterday slapped with more embezzlement charges, stemming from a fraud at the Accountant General’s Department of the Finance Ministry.

The seven persons accused of the $7M Bel Air Gardens robbery were yesterday further remanded to prison by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) launched its Road to London Olympics project at a small ceremony on Wednesday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and heard a plea for an initiative to stop boxers jumping ship.

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Reigning champions Jamaica lost their final group match against the United States Virgin Islands 86-61 on Wednesday – but still advanced, along with their opponents to the semi-finals of the Caribbean Men’s Basketball Championship.

The Harpy Eagle flight cage at the Zoological Park, Georgetown is set to finally become a reality, with the award of the contract for its construction.

MIAMI,  (Reuters) – Tiger Woods, who has missed the  last two majors because of leg injuries, will return to  competition at next week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in  Akron, Ohio, the former world number one said yesterday.

The Leeward Islands held on for a draw against defending champions Windward Islands in their rain-marred third round match in the WICB Three-day Under-19 tournament at the Bourda ground yesterday.

By Bobby Walker The corner of Camp and Middle streets stinks and GWI says years of oily discharge from Church’s Chicken has created a blockage and the sewage has backed up, something the fast food business denies.

Jamaica continued their dominant showing in the West Indies Cricket Board three-day under-19 tournament when they defeated Barbados by nine wickets at the Enmore Community Centre ground yesterday.

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has said that no forceps were used in the delivery of a child, at the centre of a newspaper report that suggested that the hospital erred in the procedure.

Cliffton Dowden yesterday denied that he was responsible for an office break-in and theft, telling acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine- Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court that he was given the stolen items to sell.

NOTTINGHAM, England, (Reuters) – England  captain Andrew Strauss has promised no repeat of the “silly”  jelly-bean incident that occurred the last time his team met  India in a test match at Trent Bridge four years ago.

The Buxton Youth Developers (BYD) of East Coast Demerara now has a place to conduct educational and recreational activities thanks to the Canadian High Commission and the Rotary Club of Georgetown, which have funded the construction of a multipurpose building, bleacher, and sanitary block to aid the group in its endeavours.

Dear Editor, I welcome the selection of Irwin LaRocque to be the new Secretary-General of Caricom.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) yesterday donated US$48,053 ($9,658,653) to the Rights of the Child Commission, for a birth registration survey and the crafting of a strategic plan for the Commission.

Long distance queen Alika Morgan has seemingly returned to good form, copping two victories in the three-stage marathon held in Trinidad and Tobago last weekend.

Dear Editor, One would have thought that with the building, two years ago, and three subsequent renovations, of the much touted state-of-the-art hospital at Lethem, the many health-related issues would have been solved.

One hundred and eighty-six female single parents and 169 students yesterday graduated with skills in six occupational disciplines, which it is envisaged will make them marketable in society.

SHANGHAI,  (Reuters) – Ryan Lochte became the first  swimmer to break a long course world record since controversial  polyurethane swimsuits were banned last year while James  Magnussen ended a far longer Australian wait at the world  championships yesterday.

KILLARNEY, Ireland, (Reuters) – Jeev Milkha Singh  eclipsed the big names in yesterday’s Irish Open first round with  an exhilarating eight-under 63, but the Indian player’s feats  failed to overshadow U.S.

A week has passed and Rozena Razack, who was struck down on Lamaha Street, has not yet regained consciousness.

Dear Editor, The recent allegation of executive high-handedness in the withdrawal of the popular television show ‘Keeping them honest’ from CNS 6 clearly shows that freedom of expression which is a pivotal part of our democracy is now under assault by the government that should be protecting such.

NOTTINGHAM, England, (Reuters) – England  paceman Chris Tremlett is a fitness doubt for the second test  which starts today while opponents India will be without  their number one swing bowler Zaheer Khan.

Dear Editor, I respond to Mrs Doreen de Caires’s letter in SN of July 28 (‘Isabelle and Brendan de Caires once worked at SN’).

At a lecture on “Democracy and the Role of Free, Fair and Transparent Elections in the Nation Building Process,” at Corriverton on Wednesday, a participant raised the issue of only one radio station operating in Guyana.

Potential local home owners are being offered an opportunity to view a model home created by Guyanese manufacturer Bulkan Timber Works which, according to the company’s Managing Director Howard Bulkan, has, up until now, been marketed primarily in other Caribbean territories.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Urgent efforts to avoid an  unprecedented U.S. debt default hit another snag yesterday  when some rebel Republican lawmakers refused to back a budget  deficit plan proposed by their own congressional leaders.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – National Basketball Association (NBA) officials and locked out  players are expected to meet in New York next week as they try to resolve the contentious labor  dispute threatening the upcoming season.

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) is partnering with Starr Computers to make what the latter’s Chief Executive Officer Mike Mohan anticipates will be “a significant information technology input” at this weekend’s Building Expo, scheduled to open today at the National Stadium, Providence.

A recently developed Science and Technology Master Plan proposes merging science with technology, with the aim of improving the country’s research and development capacity, the Education Ministry has said.

Dear Editor, With reference to the UG Registrar’s rebuttal of my warning that the law programme could lose its accreditation, reported in KN of July 26, I am amazed and seriously perturbed at Mr Alexander’s cavalier and dismissive treatment of such a tremendously traumatic issue to every present and future holder of the UG LLB degree.

NALUT/BENGHAZI, Libya,  (Reuters) – Libya’s rebels  say their military chief was shot dead in an incident that  remains shrouded in mystery and may point to deep divisions  within the movement trying to oust Muammar Gaddafi.

Budding Relationship In this the third discussion about the village of Victoria, one of the many rural communities facing grave economic and social challenges, an effort is made to highlight a few issues aimed at promoting and solidifying its development. 

STOCKHOLM,  (Reuters) – Jamaica’s Usain Bolt will be  doing his all to make it third time lucky when he races the 200  metres at the Diamond League meet in Stockholm today having  lost on his previous two outings in the Swedish capital.

Dear Editor, It was with a sense of irony that I read a letter in your newspaper by the Vice President of the Essequibo Cricket Board, Mr Fizul Bacchus in which he called on the Berbice Cricket Board to concentrate on the development of the game and not to waste time to challenge the elections of the Guyana Cricket Board (Articles on proceedings of Guyana Cricket Board AGM are misleading’ SN, July 21).

A man and a woman who allegedly robbed a man of his gold chain were refused bail by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine- Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Dear Editor, Several leading legal luminaries and politicians have called for the replacement of the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice. 

The Second Forum on Donor Co-ordination and Aid Effectiveness was asked by the acting Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite to start looking for ways “to leverage traditional assistance” that will be of advantage to the regional private sector.

When you meet Arlene Ross for the first time she does not strike you as being a hard-nosed entrepreneur, who weighs risks, crunches numbers and spends much of her time travelling hundreds of miles by air – sometimes as often as once a week – to acquire stock and explore new ventures.

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – Ronaldinho scored a  hat-trick as Flamengo overcame a three-goal deficit to beat  South American champions Santos 5-4 away in an extraordinary  Brazilian championship match.

SEOUL,  (Reuters) – As many as 132 food inspectors  will be deployed to prevent any food contamination during the  world championships beginning in the South Korean city of Daegu  at the end of next month, local media reported yesterday.

KUALA LUMPUR, (Reuters) – The AFC went into lockdown  yesterday in the wake of their president Mohamed Bin Hammam  being banned for life by FIFA, with security refusing to allow  Reuters entry to their headquarters ahead of an executive  committee meeting.

Relatives of Basmattie Anantram, 46, are beginning to lose hope as six weeks have passed since she went missing.

The strengthening of relations between Berbice farmers and actual and potential regional and international commodity markets is one of the positive outcomes of the Berbice Expo, now in its seventh year, according to Vice President of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce Leekah Rambrich.

Dear Editor, Guyana’s effort to expand economic and political ties with the Middle East received a boost on Monday after the Saudi Cabinet approved the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries at Non-Resident Ambassador level, and authorized the Foreign Minister or his deputy to sign the related protocol, according to the Saudi Islamic News Agency.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 418’s trading results showed consideration of $1,578,400 from 67,720 shares traded in 11 transactions as compared to session 417 which showed consideration of $1,650,177 from 62,452 shares traded in 11 transactions. 

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – The first major World  Cup milestone on the road from Soccer City to “Soccer Country”  will be reached tomorrow when the draw for the preliminary  round of the 2014 finals takes place in the home of five-times  world champions Brazil.

Conceivably, the Consumer Affairs Act of 2011 can significantly address the relationship between sellers and buyers in the local commercial culture and there is every reason why presidential assent should be hastened and full and effective implementation realized at the earliest possible time.

Dear Editor, On Friday, July 22, the Kwakwani community witnessed the signing of a $83M contract to upgrade the water supply system.

The newest regional airline REDjet finally touched down at Piarco International Airport yesterday afternoon, following weeks of negotiations with Trinidad’s authorities, who had initially denied it permission to land.

GUATEMALA CITY,  (Reuters) – The uphill struggle of Guatemala’s ruling leftists to field a candidate puts the  military establishment on the verge of regaining the presidency  just as probes into the country’s brutal civil war begin.

Business Cartoons

Crumbling defence: A section of a crumbling river defence at Wakenaam.

Norway, a country comparatively unknown to most Guyanese, has in the past couple of years become relatively more familiar because of its interest in the preservation of our rainforest.

NEW YORK, (Reuters Life!) – A New York City  hospital has stopped asking many patients to dig out health  insurance cards and fill in endless forms, instead identifying  them by scanning the unique lattice of veins in their palm.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Scientists have found a flu  “super antibody” called FI6 that can fight all types of  influenza A viruses that cause disease in humans and animals and  say their discovery may be a turning point in the development of  new flu treatments.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska,  (Reuters) – Alaska scientists  have discovered the fossil of a rare, prehistoric marine  reptile that is likely the most complete remnant of the  creature ever found in North America.

 KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistani  selectors rested some of their key players for next month’s  tour of Zimbabwe and included three uncapped players in the  touring squad yesterday.

Politikles

Regulars would have read my frequent offerings on the themes of Corrupt Practices, Bandit Businessmen, New Values From The Cocaine Reality, the Power of Perception and sundry and varied related issues.

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda announced on Saturday that the ECCB has assumed control of the ABI Bank after it had encountered difficulties conducting its normal operations due to an inadequacy of liquid assets.