Daily Archive: Monday, March 26, 2012

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation says that three Guyanese convicted of conspiracy to smuggle people into the United States have been sentenced in New Brunswick, Canada to time behind bars.

LILLE, France, (Reuters) – Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was placed under formal investigation today by authorities looking into a suspected prostitution ring in the French city of Lille, his lawyer said, following a day of questioning by judges in a closed courtroom.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama said today he was suspending trade benefits for Argentina because of the South American country’s failure to pay more than $300 million in compensation awards in two disputes involving American investors.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba, (Reuters) – Pope Benedict landed in eastern Cuba today for a three-day visit to showcase improving Church-state relations and push for a larger Church role at a time of change on the communist island.

(WICB) GROS-ISLET, St. Lucia — Darren Sammy said it was important for his side to quickly switch from the 50 overs to Twenty20 mode, as they prepare for the first Digicel Twenty20 International against Australia on Tuesday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground here.

LONDON, (Reuters) – A gas cloud has encircled Total’s Elgin Franklin platform in the North Sea after failed attempts to shut a problematic production well caused a leak, an RMT union official said, based on eyewitness accounts from workers on nearby rigs.

At about 1500h. on Saturday March 24, 2012, the police say they conducted a search on a camp at Powis, Five Star Backdam, North West District, where they found an unlicensed .32 pistol with eight .32 rounds.

The West Indies Cricket Board is seeking legal advice on a letter from counsel for Guyana’s Attorney General, Anil Nandlall instructing that the shares of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) be transferred to the Government of Guyana.

Questions are being asked about why  a senior Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad (BASS) officer is still stationed in the area despite being ordered transferred after being implicated in trying to “set-up” a senior Customs officer.

(de Ware Tijd) BENZDORP ─ A criminal Brazilian gang is raiding the hinterland aiming their criminal activities at Chinese shopkeepers.

(Jamaica Observer) New York, USA — The lawyer representing convicted Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke is standing by controversial statements alleging complicity between United States (US) authorities and the Jamaican government in bringing charges against, and subsequently extraditing, his client.

The Associated Press is reporting that four persons died when their small plane crashed yesterday shortly after taking off from a tiny airport in the Bahamas en route to Florida.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Almost two years after the Professor Alvin Wint-led Sugar Industry Enquiry Commission concluded its examination of the local sugar industry and made recommendations for its improvement, nothing has been done in terms of implementation.

WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Standing less than six feet tall and with a short bustling run-up, Vernon Philander is not the prototypical fast bowler yet his accuracy, late movement away and surprising pace has catapulted him into the record books.

(Barbados Nation) William Layne says he was a tough Supervisor of Insurance when he essentially shut down an insurance company in the mid-1990s because it was not meeting its statutory fund obligations.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns was awarded 90,000 pounds ($142,800) damages today in his British High Court libel action over an accusation on Twitter of match-fixing which he said questioned all his achievements in the game.

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – Six players from a South African rugby club are feared dead after being swept out to sea during a post-practice ocean swim, officials said today.

Angry residents of Kumaka in the Mabaruma Sub-Region have expressed concern about the state of ongoing revetment works there as the Aruka River continues to threaten the area.

Former audit office head, Anand Goolsarran has described former attorney general Charles Ramson’s advice on lotto monies not being paid into the Consolidated Fund as “very flawed” and said had he still been auditor general he would have disagreed with the advice and hoped it would have been reconsidered by Ramson.

Vulnerable persons are expected to benefit from a humanitarian village that will be constructed at Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne by the New Jersey Arya Samaj and its Guyana Chapter, the Guyana Central Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission.

President Donald Ramotar says that he is not prepared to rule out any probe into investment deals, including the Queens Atlantic Investment Inc (QA11) transaction, even as he vouches for his Government’s transparency.

During the tenure of Ronald Gajraj as minister of Home Affairs many items needed by the Guyana Police Force were procured through the ministry instead of through the force following consultations between the commissioner of police and his senior officers, according to former police commissioner Winston Felix.

A father of two  was initially placed on $60,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday to answer a charge of unlawful assault against his daughter.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport in partnership with the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), and Non-Governmental Organisations launched a three-year strategy on Friday to encourage the involvement of more youths in community volunteerism.

Devon Duggin was fined $15,000 on Friday for threatening his nephew.

The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) hosted its first Farmers’ Exchange Programme/Field Day at a five-acre plot in Wakenaam on Thursday to showcase crops cultivated from its 10 new rice strains and improved management practices.

The Georgetown and Consumer Affairs Commission has been tasked with administering the Competition and Fair Trading Act (CFTA) and the Consumer Affairs Act to foster a fair business environment and protect consumers.

Banks DIH Limited on Thursday presented a refrigerator to the Bartica Day Care and Drop-In Centre run by the Regional Women’s Affair Committee of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), the company said in a press release.

GROS ISLET, St Lucia,  CMC – A valiant West Indies fought to the end but their dreams of beating Australia in a one-day series for the first time in nearly two decades, ended in disappointment with 30-run loss in the fifth and final match here yesterday.

Brian Singh and his relative Julianne Avela  will have to pay $5,000 each as costs for wasting the court’s time when they appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday on charges resulting from a family fracas.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  CMC – Combined Campuses and Colleges, chasing 321 for victory, reached 162 for eight at the close on the third day of their final round Regional Four-Day match against Jamaica at 3Ws Oval here yesterday.

President Donald Ramotar has lauded late president Dr Cheddi Jagan’s ability to communicate “the most sophisticated of dialogues” to the masses, in his feature address at the launching of a publication of speeches Jagan made during his tenure as a Member of Parliament.

ORLANDO, Florida,  (Reuters) – Tiger Woods ended his two and a half year drought on the PGA Tour when he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational by five strokes yesterday, sending a warning signal to his rivals ahead of next month’s Masters.

KARACHI,  (Reuters) – Bangladesh have reacted too late in trying to have the result of the Asia Cup final overturned, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief operating officer said yesterday.

Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali says although 98% of the coastland population enjoys access to water, Guyana is also known as a country that wastes this natural resource and there is urgent need to change this practice as water needs increase globally.

DAKAR, (Reuters) – Senegal’s long-serving leader Abdoulaye Wade admitted defeat in the presidential election, congratulating his rival Macky Sall, a move seen as bolstering the West African state’s democratic credentials in a region fraught with political chaos.

After sitting out last week-end’s final round of matches hoping for favourable results, a 71-run victory by Barbados over the Windward Islands on Saturday confirmed Guyana’s progress into the semi-finals of the West Indies Cricket Board’s 2011/12 Regional Four-day competition.

Dear Editor, There has been a call from high-up for the disciplining of senior police officer David Ramnarine for exposing certain practices in the Guyana Police Force, and for claiming that his constitutional rights trump the Force Orders.

A man who reportedly fell off a motorcycle near a Brazilian restaurant in Georgetown succumbed on Friday and police are investigating the matter.

SEOUL, (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama issued a stern warning to North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme yesterday, saying its provocations and pursuit of atomic weapons have undermined security.

Linden’s Shane Webster had 21 points Saturday evening as Linden came out victorious over Georgetown at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) in the Kelvin Lawrence memorial basketball game.

Guyana’s sprint queen Alisha Fortune made her debut run for the 2012 season yesterday producing a phenomenal 11.6s performance to blow away a field consisting of mainly juniors at the Guyana Defence Force ground, Camp Ayanganna.

While the opposition cannot add to the National Budget set to be delivered by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh on Friday, Leader of the Opposition David Granger says with the new dispensation in Parliament an avenue for real debate had been created.

LONDON, (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged yesterday to investigate why a senior Conservative party fundraiser offered exclusive access to him in return for donations of 250,000 pounds ($400,000) a year.

Dear Editor, I read with considerable interest of the commendable offer of my colleague Mr.

ANTIGUA, Guatemala,  (Reuters) – Guatemalan President Otto Perez on Saturday set out a raft of proposals to tackle rampant drug-fuelled violence in Central America, including decriminalization of narcotics or establishing a regional court to try traffickers.

LEON, Mexico,  (Reuters) – Pope Benedict at a huge outdoor Mass yesterday condemned drug trafficking and corruption in Mexico, urging people to renounce violence in the country where a brutal war between cartels has killed tens of thousands of people.

(Trinidad Guardian) Financial projections for Trinidad and Tobago’s agricultural sector reveal a potential gold mine for farmers and related industries.

WELLINGTON,  (Reuters) – Martin Guptill and Daniel Flynn battled hostile pace bowling to guide New Zealand to 65 for no loss at the close of play on the third day of the final test against South Africa at the Basin Reserve yesterday.

Dear Editor, I left Guyana one day after hearing the following message: “I promise to be a fair and just President; to govern in the interests of all; to ensure that the legitimate aspirations of our people are respected; and the resources of this Great Land of Guyana benefit all of our people”  – President Donald Ramotar – December 3, 2011.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environ-ment says setting up a global outfit to provide consistent technical and financial support is crucial to forest conservation efforts.

SEOUL, (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama said yesterday that time was running out to resolve Iran’s nuclear stanoff with the West.

(Jamaica Observer) The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) has forged ahead with a raft of recommendations for Parliament on political campaign finance legislation despite its own declaration that no such law exists that cannot be flouted.

By Iva Wharton Motor cycle ace Stephen Vieira, better known as the local `Valentino Rossi’ is racing to get fit in time for his participation at Sunday’s upcoming meet at the South Dakota Circuit.

Dear Editor, The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) welcomes the commitment of the Guyana government to host consultations on issues related to matters of law reform on sexual orientation and gender identity, as part of its obligations to report back to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process on these and other recommendations by September 2012.

Magistrate Sueann Lovell on Friday remanded a man to prison when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer a charge of burglary.

MUMBAI,  (Reuters) – Irrfan is probably India’s most successful export to Hollywood, having tasted success with experimental roles in several critically acclaimed films such as “Slumdog Millionaire” and “A Mighty Heart.”

President visits Amaila Falls access road:

MUMBAI,  (Reuters) – Sachin Tendulkar, who will turn 39 next month, is in no hurry to retire and the prolific Indian batsman has refused to rule himself out of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Dear Editor, In view of the elections irregularities that were recently highlighted by APNU’s verification team, I want to lend my voice to the numerous calls for timely reactions to APNU’s claims from GECOM’s chairman —Dr.

(Trinidad Guardian)United National Congress (UNC) members came out in full support of incumbent chairman Jack Warner and resoundingly voted in his favour.

Professor Neil Lancelot Whitehead, 3/19/56 – 3/22/2012- born Harrow, London died peacefully surrounded by family in Madison, Wisconsin – he was 56 years old.

 (Reuters) – Luol Deng’s buzzer-beater in overtime gave Chicago a 102-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors at the United Center on Saturday as the Bulls earned their fourth consecutive win and their NBA-leading 40th of the season Deng made a put-back shot for the Bulls as time expired after James Johnson blocked C.J.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez said yesterday he had started radiation treatment in Cuba, where he could also meet Pope Benedict in the latest high profile development as the president tries to fight off cancer and win re-election.

Politikles

Access road: A section of the

This week we asked the man and woman in the street of their expectations of the budget which is scheduled to be presented on Friday.

There has been various reporting in Guyana that has called into question how government offices manage public funds.

LOS ANGELES,  (Reuters) – Post-apocalyptic action movie “The Hunger Games” opened with a staggering $155 million at U.S.

Remains of a Timehri fire disaster: Lot 334 Timehri Hill approximately two months after a range house was gutted by a fire of unknown origin leaving

Dear Editor, I  promised my friends Budhoo and Sandra that I would petition the press on their behalf concerning the poor conditions existing at the fisheries complex at Meadow Bank, hoping that something will be done to alleviate the conditions there.

Considering the billions of taxpayers’ and donor money that is poured into public sector infrastructural projects and given the entrenched concerns about the poor quality of work across the board, one can expect the government to come under intense scrutiny in the 10th Parliament over how it assigns contracts, monitors work and claws back money from errant contractors.

(Trinidad Guardian) As the strike at Trinidad Cement Ltd enters its fifth week, the Claxton Bay-based cement producer is being pushed closer and closer to the brink of financial collapse, which could throw thousands of workers on to the breadline, disrupt the country’s construction drive and an important part of its manufacturing sector and lead to tremors among the country’s financial institutions.

(Trinidad Express) The son of San Fernando East Member of Parliament Patrick Manning said his father is expected to be back in the country in a month’s time.