Daily Archive: Friday, December 16, 2011

(Trinidad Guardian) Soft ball cricket, an art of the sport developed in Guyana is now big among Caribbean nationals living in New York.

ST. JOHNS, Antigua, (Reuters) – Two men convicted of  killing a Welsh couple honeymooning on the Caribbean island of  Antigua were sentenced today to three consecutive  life sentences in prison.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations  said today it was investigating allegations of  assault and attempted homicide by peacekeepers in Haiti, the  latest charges of misconduct to be leveled against the  blue-helmeted force.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Grammy-winning R&B singer  Etta James is terminally ill, her live-in physician said in an  interview this week that confirmed reports of the singer’s  fading health.

Candidate at the recently concluded general elections, Desmond Trotman has moved to the courts challenging the constitutionality of the controversial benefits bill which was passed by the Jagdeo administration and signed into law in 2009.

Businessman Gerry Gouveia has written APNU presidential candidate David Granger over two noisy demonstrations by the coalition outside one of his properties in Kingston saying that he is extremely disappointed that such disorder and disrespect was being allowed.

The police say they are investigating the death of porter Clive Chisholm, 43 years of Tucville, Georgetown, which occurred at about 1700h yesterday at the Haag Bosch Landfill Site, Eccles, EBD.

(Barbados Nation) A total of five ruling party Members of Parliament (MPs) have now responded publicly to Tuesday’s front page article in THE DAILY NATION that listed them among a group of 11 seeking an “urgent audience” with Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to discuss his leadership.

(Trinidad Express) Nine private sector/civil society groups have written to Planning and Economy Minister Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, expressing concern that the request for proposals (RFP) and tendering process for the development of Invaders Bay is still on.

(Trinidad Express) State carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL) and Internet shopping delivery company E Zone are teaming up to enhance CAL’s express small package service, JetPack, into a more “inter-Caribbean service”.

(Trinidad Express) The remains of businessman Naail Ali were found in a shallow grave off Orange Grove Road South, Tacarigua, yesterday, police believe.

  Office of the President (OP) press officer Kwame McCoy was this morning placed on self-bail after he was arraigned on three charges, including two separate counts of assault.

The European Union has urged the speeding up of major sea defence works that it is financing here, warning that Guyana risks losing money.

(Trinidad Express) Violence continued yesterday morning in Laventille, with the shooting death of a 24-year-old man whom the police described as “well known to them”.

US cricket captain Steve Massiah has had his passport confiscated in the US over mortgage charges in a case linked to that of Guyanese and New York businessman Edul Ahmad.

AMSTERDAM, (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of  children have been victims of sexual abuse by the Roman Catholic  Church in the Netherlands since 1945, an independent commission  said today, criticising what it called the church’s cover-up  and cultural silence.

By Zoisa Fraser and Johann Earle While Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has offered no comment regarding abuse allegations levelled against Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said that an investigation has been launched into the complaint by a woman.

In a nod to the novel parliamentary configuration thrown up by this year’s elections results, the government and the opposition are to exchange lists of priority issues.

A 21-year-old man, who was on trial in the High Court for the murder of a 14-year-old girl four years ago, was yesterday found not guilty of both murder and manslaughter but was returned to the Camp Street prison where he is serving another sentence.

A Princetown, Corriverton father who allegedly murdered his daughter by inflicting several lashes to her head with a nail-filled piece of wood was refused bail when he appeared at the Springlands Court yesterday.

A new head of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is expected to be named soon and the mining regulation body will over the coming months be restructured to further enhance its functions.

Paul Meusa and Chelsea Edghill are the new mixed doubles champions in the 2011 National Table Tennis Championships after battling to a 3-2 win against Trenace Lowe and Joel Alleyne.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) says that it has come across “inconsistencies and anomalies” in its verification of Statements of Poll provided by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and said it should be ready to present its report to the public today.

Young and upcoming boxing star Imran ‘Magic’ Khan believes he can do Guyana proud at the 2012 Olympics once his Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) training camp stint in Cardiff, Wales from February 18 to March 10 goes well.

Three women, who allegedly fraudulently converted in excess of $48M from Telecom Solutions (Guyana) Inc.,

(This is an abridged transcript of Rahul Dravid’s speech at the Bradman Oration on Wednesday in Australia.)

A 50-year-old father of nine yesterday pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and was sentenced to four years imprisonment and fined $30,000 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

A 49-year-old father of eight who allegedly had 37.4 grams of cannabis along with 4.3 grams of cocaine in his possession was yesterday remanded to prison at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court.

Dear Editor, The newly appointed Junior Minister in the Ministry of Finance has recently, we read, resigned his prestigious and well-paid position as Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission, and many Guyanese taxpayers are now wondering if he would also resign his equally prestigious position as Chairman of the Board of the Guyana Post Office Corporation GPOC).

Antigua, CMC – Sir Vivian Richards has condemned the West Indies Cricket Board for their handling of their dispute with batting star Chris Gayle.

President Donald Ramotar has said that the Government of Guyana values its partnership with USAID and expressed deep appreciation of the invaluable role played by the US Government in  developments in the local economy.

Dear Editor, President Ramotar has stated to the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce at their dinner in December 2011 that Guyana is well poised for major advances including the hydro project. 

“From all indications the bike man set me up.” This was the conclusion drawn by Trevor Smithet, victim of Five Star Backdam’s latest armed robbery and brother of the latest murder victim.

Devendra Bishoo and Subrina Munroe copped the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) male and female Cricketer-of-the-Year awards respectively when the Board held its 15th annual awards ceremony at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Wednesday evening.

The Government of India has embarked on an initiative which would allow persons to share their thoughts and perception of India by participating in the ‘India Is’ global video contest.

Bettencourt’s Diner yesterday opened the doors to its newest business venture the ‘Bettencourt’s TGI Grill and Lounge’ located at 62 Brickdam, Georgetown.

The Courtyard Mall on Robb Street all decked out for

Action in the 22nd annual Kashif and Shanghai tournament continues this evening with a double-header at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground from 18:30hrs.

Dear Editor,   Amid the din and dissonance of the recent election campaign, people of different hues, individually and severally issued one resounding cry for change.

The Mayor and City Council in a press release yesterday said that Cevons Waste Management has been experiencing mechanical difficulties with its fleet of collection trucks, resulting in irregular pick up of garbage in some areas of the city.

The 2011 Guinness-in-the-Streets final which kicked off on November 5 at the Albouystown basketball court with 32 teams divided into eight groups of four will  conclude  this evening with Back Circle and West Front Road facing off in the finals at the National Park Tarmac The two finalists for the 2011 Guinness Greatest-in-Da-Street Football came from Group G, which also included East LaPenitence and Plaisance.

BAGHDAD,  (Reuters) – U.S. forces formally ended  almost nine years of war in Iraq yesterday with a modest  flag-lowering ceremony in Baghdad, while to the north flickering  violence highlighted ethnic and sectarian strains threatening  the country in years ahead.

Dear Editor, Sowing of the present crop commenced over two months ago in Region Two, although red rice infestation somewhat affected the last crop yield and grades.

(Trinidad Express) Two houses and a car were firebombed on Wednesday night as gang violence erupted on the streets of Beverly Hills, Laventille.

BEIRUT, (Reuters) – Russia offered the U.N.  Security Council a new, stronger draft resolution on the  violence in Syria, lifting Western hopes of U.N.

Dear Editor, Your Monday the 12th edition reported that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad apologized to Cuban President Raul Castro because the Cuban President and his delegation were denied the request to stay at the Hilton Hotel which is an American-owned hotel.

A 37-year-old minibus driver was yesterday placed on $300,000 bail after he appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer the charge of fraudulent misappropriation.

CENTURION, South Africa, (Reuters) – Graeme Smith  scored a half-century but fell late on as South Africa made a  confident reply after dismissing Sri Lanka for 180 on the  opening day of the first test yesterday.

LONDON, CMC – In his typically witty style, Tony Cozier had just one wish after he was made an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club.

(Trinidad Express) Trinidad-born journalist Davan Maharaj has been appointed editor of the Los Angeles Times.

Brian Tiwari Jr (right), of BK International receives the GCCI’s President’s Award from

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a US$280M loan to finance the third phase of a project that will improve the living conditions of low-income residents of the Brazilian city of Manaus through urban, social and environmental improvements.

GENEVA,  (Reuters) – Homosexuals and transgender  people in all regions face discrimination and violence,  including killings, rape and torture because of their  orientation, and risk the death penalty in at least five  countries, the United Nations said yesterday.

Dear Editor, Reference is made to Mr Seelochan Beharry’s  ‘Those born here are Guyanese first and foremost‘ (SN, Nov 18) in which he attacks me for holding on to my identity. 

LONDON, CMC – Usain Bolt and training partner, compatriot Yohan Blake have been nominated for two the Laureus World Sports Awards.

PARIS, (Reuters) – A French court sentenced  flamboyant Marxist militant Carlos the Jackal to another life  prison term yesterday for bomb attacks that killed 11 people  nearly three decades ago.

Neil Sukhlal Chief Executive Officer of Impressions Advertising and Printing Agency receives the award for

(Jamaica Gleaner) The big green machine being ridden by recently crowned champion jockey Andrew Holness has surged into the lead, gaining six percentage points in the past month, as the party most likely to win the December 29 general election.

Dear Editor, The value of prevention can be summarized in the old adages: ‘Prevention is better than cure’ or ‘A stitch in time saves nine.’

Dear Editor, APNU protested the delay in the elections and rightly so.

Dream makeover! Andrew Weekes (second from right) at his Courts Whirlpool Dream Makeover presentation on

PARIS, (Reuters) – A judge found former French  president Jacques Chirac guilty on Thursday of misusing public  funds, making him the country’s first head of state to be  convicted since Nazi collaborator Marshal Philippe Petain in  1945.

(Jamaica Gleaner) FLORIDA, United States: The Jamaican whose job for more than two decades was to watch – up close – the world’s best cricketers at work has painted a damning picture of the recent crop of West Indies players and administrators.

CANBERRA, (Reuters) – India’s bowlers took a hammering and paceman Ishant Sharma failed to complete six overs as a Chairman’s XI rattled up 398 for six declared on the first day of the tourists’ opening match in Australia yesterday.

Most people are familiar with the definition of politics as the art of the possible.

Oh  me. What am I doing, eight days before Christmas Day, exploring the post-election day goings on still?