Daily Archive: Friday, December 2, 2011

REDjet has announced the launch of its service to St Lucia.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The country’s two main political parties this morning signed off on the formats for their debates leading into general elections.

The heads of the diplomatic missions of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom say they hope that all Guyanese respect the democratic outcome as expressed in Monday’s elections and they said the outcome has offered an historic opportunity for Guyanese.

  President-elect Donald Ramotar is to be sworn in tomorrow at State House.

VISAKHAPATNAM, (Reuters) – Virat Kohli compiled  his eighth hundred in one-dayers and with able support from  Rohit Sharma took India to a comfortable five-wicket victory  against West Indies in the second one-day international today.

The PPP/C won the presidency at Monday’s general elections with just 34.98% of registered voters.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Another artiste linked to popular Jamaican entertainer Vybz Kartel is facing criminal charges in relation to one of the cases brought against him.

A Caribbean Airlines plane with some passengers en route to Guyana made a controlled emergency landing yesterday in Jamaica after departing The Bahamas.

(Barbados Nation)  Barbados’ newest knight Sir Errol Walrond says the time has come for Government to end the discrimination against men who prefer to have sex with men and women who have sex with women.

(Trinidad Express) Jack Warner’s continued presence in the country’s Cabinet amid allegations of bribery is believed to be an integral element in the perception of corruption in Trinidad and Tobago being at its all-time worst.

(Trinidad Express) The United States Embassy is looking into the matter of an ex-US soldier being identified in an alleged conspiracy to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and three Government ministers.

(Trinidad Express) A man who allegedly kidnapped a woman on November 5 at gunpoint from her home in Tunapuna, and for whom the police have been searching, yesterday walked up to a 25-year-old resident of the area and shot him dead.

GENEVA, (Reuters) – United Nations High  Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called today for  the international community to take action to protect the  civilian population in Syria from “ruthless repression” as the  country slides into civil war.

The incumbent PPP/C has won enough votes in the general elections to keep the presidency, but will lead a minority government after opposition groups APNU and AFC got enough support to scrape a one-seat advantage in the National Assembly.

GECOM Final Results (General)

Faced with running a minority government for the first time in Guyana’s history, president-elect Donald Ramotar says he is prepared to work with all political parties to take Guyana forward.

The Guyana under-17 cricketers under the guidance  of Coach Gavin Nedd stepped up their preparation for the regional under-17 tournament next week in Trinidad and Tobago, with a day of extended net sessions at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground, Bourda yesterday.

Upset with the results of Monday’s presidential election and amid claims of rigging, hundreds of APNU supporters thronged Public Buildings last evening even as leaders of the three main political parties met inside and committed to remain in contact to discuss issues of concern.

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally yesterday defended the delay in the announcement of elections results, while announcing plans to pursue an electronic-voting pilot project as part of preparations for local government polls.

The 7th Diamond Mineral Water International Hockey Festival has been shifted from the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) to the National Gymnasium after permission was granted on Wednesday to the Guyana Hockey Board by the Director of Sport Secretariat and the Guyana Volleyball Federation.

With the local gold industry already having predicted that production is likely to top 300,000 ounces for the third time in successive years, miners are anticipating another good year in the face of successive forecasts of continued price rises through 2011 and up to the end of next year.

The United States is to join Canada in helping to fashion new regulations and policies to govern the management of the oil and gas sector in Guyana, according to US Ambassador Brendt Hardt.

Two weeks after the National Schools Athletics, Swimming and Cycling Championships, there are lingering memories of the problematic 51st edition of the event but the scintillating  performances of  some athletes have boosted the status of this pre-eminent event.

Following a meeting held in the Committee Room of Parliament Buildings yesterday afternoon, three Presidential Candidates who contested Monday’s elections issued a joint statement in which they agreed to further meetings on issues of interest to the people of Guyana.

Justice Brassington Reynolds was yesterday forced to adjourn the Bharrat Jagdeo libel suit after his lawyer  and the chief witness failed to turn up.

By Emmerson Campbell Now that the powerlifting season is over, the main focus for lifters in the year ahead is to improve their overall lifting poundage and eclipse their performances in 2011.

Guyana is one of several Caribbean food exporters that will benefit from a 500 pounds Special Assistance Programme available through the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA) under the European Union’s 10th Regional Private Sector Development Programme to help companies prepare for new, more demanding food safety requirements which exporters to the United States will be required to satisfy under the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FMSA) scheduled to come into force in January next year.

Seven persons are now homeless after a fire of unknown origin destroyed their Lot 24 John Street, Werk-en-Rust home yesterday and an occupant had to be treated at the hospital for burns.

VISAKHAPATNAM, India, CMC – West Indies will be looking to rebound from their nail-biting on The YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium has gained a reputation for high-scoring and the pattern is expected to continue. Teams

Digest Even though the waiting might be over, Guyanese will still need to digest the implications of the election results for themselves and the country as a whole. 

After some semblance of normalcy returned to Georgetown during the morning hours, businesses did another swift shutdown yesterday afternoon when the elections results were announced.

While there is no certainty that the prices for agricultural commodities will remain stable during the Christmas period, retail price levels released by the New Guyana Marketing Corporation a week ago might well tempt consumers to purchase and store to guard against the eventuality of price increases.

HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC — Former national team captain Clay Smith, who received no votes in this week’s Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) presidential race, says he feels betrayed by his own club but will “take it on the chin and move on”.

Dear Editor, Indiscipline among some senior Berbice cricketers has been rising over the last few months and it was with great satisfaction that I read in the media that the Albion Cricket Club has taken the lead in tackling this sad situation.

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) is offering significant reductions in outbound international rates to all destinations, effective from December 1.

BRISBANE, (Reuters) – Daniel Vettori helped steady New  Zealand’s innings at 176-5 after Australia’s inexperienced  bowling attack had earlier threatened to skittle the tourists on  the rain-curtailed opening day of the first test yesterday.

GENEVA,  (Reuters) – Syria is on the cusp of  civil war as rebel soldiers and others take up arms against the  government of President Bashar al-Assad, the top U.N.

DHAKA, (Reuters) – All-rounder Shahid Afridi  took five for 23 and then made 24 not out to lead Pakistan to a  five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first one-day  international in Dhaka yesterday.

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – Brazil’s government  ordered Chevron Corp yesterday to shut one of its   wells in  an offshore field where the oil company has come under intense  scrutiny following an accident at another well that spilled  thousands of barrels of oil.

(Trinidad Express) – A billion-dollar loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will be used to help develop sustainable energy and waste water projects and help with relevant technical assistance programmes in Trinidad and Tobago.

PALENQUE, Mexico, (Reuters) – If you are worried the  world will end next year based on the Mayan calendar, relax:  the end of time is still far off.

Dear Editor, If I had an opportunity to write a letter to the new President of Guyana, I would say the following.

Magistrate Sueanna Lovell yesterday remanded a Brazilian national when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to answer to the charge of uttering a forged document and conspiracy to commit a felony.

CHICAGO,  (Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug  Administration issued new guidelines to medical device makers  developing a potentially revolutionary device for type 1  diabetes, saying they should speed its delivery to patients.

Setting aside what is widely believed to be a cultural shift in the region which, in recent years, has manifested itself in a declining interest in agriculture, the Caribbean faces other challenges in what would now appear to be a more than token effort to rekindle interest among the populations of the respective states in looking to the land.

(Trinidad Express) A man described by police as an ex-United States of America soldier was one of four other persons served with detention orders signed by National Security Minister John Sandy on Wednesday.

Dear Editor, Another Annual Kashif and Shanghai football extravaganza will dawn upon us at a time when our Golden Jaguars are creating history en route to Brazil for the World Cup.

A 40-year-old labourer who allegedly assaulted a woman because she did not allow him into her bedroom was yesterday placed on $20,000 bail after he appeared before Magistrate Sueanna Lovell at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said it would be “offensive” if she does not travel to Venezuela on the invitation of President Hugo Chavez.

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – Ex-Brazil striker  Ronaldo has taken a top role in organising the 2014 World Cup in  his country and is looking to iron out disagreements between the  government, FIFA and the local organising committee (LOC).

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of  small shopkeepers went on strike across India yesterday to  protest a government decision to allow foreign retail giants  like Wal-Mart Stores Inc to enter the country’s $450  billion retail market.

NEW YORK – China’s economy is now taking its next great leap forward: parts of its manufacturing sector are now moving up the value-added chain and out of the country. 

What is going on here? At left an incredulous GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally gestures for security help after the man at right ascended the podium uninvited and declared that he was King of Kings.

Dear Editor, December is upon us and even though at the time of writing this letter the results of the general elections are not yet declared, some Guyanese have already started preparing for the upcoming festive season hoping that it will not be ruined.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 436’s trading results showed consideration of $1,742,013 from 141,792 shares traded in 7 transactions as compared to session 435 which showed consideration of $4,742,153 from 117,204 shares traded in 21 transactions. 

BRASILIA, Dec 1 (Reuters) – Brazil moved aggressively to  shield its economy from the euro-zone debt crisis on Thursday,  taking a flurry of measures to boost consumption and investment  in Latin America’s biggest country.

Dear Editor, Recently the ‘spit press‘ has taken centre stage and caused anxiety in the nation through a series of unsubstantiated rumours which I dare not repeat.

The King of Kings? Security had to be called in to escort this man from yesterday’s press conference held by the Guyana Elections Commission at the Pegasus Hotel after he took to the podium uninvited and declared: “I am the King of Kings”. 

If one has the ability and will to be objective, to learn from negatives and positives, and to be fair in applying experiences for a better future, there is so much to take away from Monday’s polling and the aftermath, up to yesterday.

At a time when cynicism about the motives of politicians in general abounds in Guyana, it would perhaps come as no surprise that the credibility of politicians in other parts of the region is also being seriously questioned.

(Barbados Nation) The ‘Talk That Talk’ singer says her year keeps on getting better, after being nominated for four Grammy awards at the industry event on Wedneday.

Business Cartoons

MIAMI, (Reuters) – The World Bank is allocating $255  million for Haiti’s post-earthquake reconstruction over the  next 12 months, including support for education, agriculture  and disaster risk management, the bank said yesterday.

Nothing should stand in the way of a country’s holding of general elections.

Politikles

GECOM this morning released the final results of the general and regional elections.