Daily Archive: Friday, April 6, 2012

HAVANA,  (Reuters) – Bells rang from Roman Catholic churches throughout Havana today to remember the death of Jesus Christ as Cubans celebrated a holiday on Good Friday for the first time in more than half a century.

(WICB) BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Feisty West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo said he was ready for what he believes could be a career-defining battle against Australia’s batsmen in the Digicel three-Test Series.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – Every day, around 1,600 U.S. citizens of Latin American extraction are reaching 18 years of age – voting age – and adding to the fastest-growing segment of the American electorate.

(WICB) BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Narsingh Deonarine said he has returned to the West Indies team a different man from the one who left two years.

Twelve CARIFORUM (CARICOM plus the Dominican Republic) firms will have the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to prospective investors, distributors and retailers in London during the upcoming Olympics.

In letters in today’s newspaper Help and Shelter joined others calling for the immediate removal of Police Commissioner Henry Greene from office and activist Karen de Souza pointed out that there had been no response to complaints about him to the Police Service Commission and the Police Complaints Authority.

(Reuters) – A New Jersey man who survived accidentally shooting a 4-inch ( 10-cm) n ail into his heart while trying to clear a jammed nail gun said today he feels like he won the lottery.

NEW YORK/MOSCOW,  (Reuters) – Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer caught in an undercover sting by U.S.

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Five people in southern China have been charged with intentional injury in the case of a Chinese teenager who sold a kidney so he could buy an iPhone and an iPad, the government-run Xinhua News Agency said today.

COLOMBO,  (Reuters) – A double strike by off-spinner Graeme Swann in the penultimate over of the fourth day put England within reach of victory in the second and final test against Sri Lanka today.

SANFORD, Fla., (Reuters) – “Shaken Baby Syndrome” was cited today in the defense of George Zimmerman, the Sanford, Florida, man who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in a case that has sparked a widespread public outcry.

BAMAKO,  (Reuters) – Mali’s desert Tuaregs proclaimed independence for what they call the state of Azawad today, a secession bid swiftly rejected by its African neighbours and foreign capitals from Paris to Washington.

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wept and asked God to spare his life during a pre-Easter Mass yesterday after returning from his latest session of cancer treatment in Cuba.

Millions of dollars worth of groceries were early this morning destroyed in a fire at the Stabroek Market Bazaar, which is believed to have been caused by a faulty power pole.

(Trinidad Guardian) Former Red House hostage Mervyn Assam said there were rumours that insurrection leader, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, always harboured ambitions to lead Trinidad and Tobago.

(Trinidad Guardian) Leaders of the People’s Partnership (PP) Government will meet for a third time next Wednesday to try and resolve simmering issues, Congress of the People general secretary Nirad Tewarie has said.

(Barbados Nation) United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay wants Raul Garcia freed immediately.

LILONGWE, (Reuters) – Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has died after a heart attack, medical and government sources said today, although few of his countrymen mourned a leader widely seen as an autocrat responsible for a stunning economic collapse.

In a few days, Guyanese would know the outcome of Henry Greene’s position as Commissioner of Police following the court ruling that he should not be tried in a rape matter against him.

Along with the Ashes battle between cricket’s oldest adversaries England and Australia since 1882, contests between Australia and West Indies historically have  been the second most anticipated, publicized and riveting in the game’s history, ever since the “Sir Frank Worrell” Trophy tag was bestowed upon the two rivals during that legendary 1960/61 tour down under.

Group stage action in the Linden leg of the 2012, Guinness Greatest of the Street Futsal competition continued on Tuesday evening at the Silver City Hard Court with six of the eight fixtures producing results.

The Government has sold its 20% shares in the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph company to a Chinese company for US$30M ($6B), Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon announced yesterday.

Work on the Kumaka revetment in the Mabaruma Sub-region has stalled for the second time this year and loads of earth, which were packed into the area, were last evening falling into the nearby Aruka River.

A car said to be speeding on the Vreed-en-Hoop Public Road last night struck down and dragged a destitute man several feet away where he subsequently died.

A 43-year-old labourer of Edinburgh Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice was yesterday stabbed to death around 9:30 am.

A West Bank Demerara man is nursing injuries to his face suffered at the hands of three armed robbers who on Wednesday evening invaded the Best Village home of his employer, terrorized two other workers and made off with over $4M in local and foreign currency along with the home owner’s gun.

Guyana’s 2012 budget proposals have outlined plans for supporting the development of the country’s small business sector through the Small Business Bureau established under the 2005 Small Business Act.

The government has begun deliberations under Article 225 of the Constitution in relation to the ethical issue of Commissioner of Police Henry Greene’s admission that he had sexual relations with a witness in a matter under investigation, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said yesterday.

The announcement by Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh at the reading of the national budget last week that the electricity tariff in Linden would be increased resulted in street protests by residents yesterday morning.

Government continues to ‘talk up’ the dominant role which the extractive industries  are poised to play in the Guyana economy with Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh using his 2012 budget presentation to outline the positioning of those industries as major contributors to what he described as the country’s “economic transformation over the next five years.”

Many readers  probably would have heard of motor racing champions Mark Vieira and Andrew King but not of Winston Stoby who broke the 74kg Master’s M2 deadlift record (265.5kg) at the sixth annual Caribbean Powerlifting Championships in St.

In the section of his 2012 budget presentation that deals with small business, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh has signaled what now appears to be government’s readiness to activate the provisions of the Small Business Act.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon yesterday said that the recent discharge of the treason case warrants a challenge but stopped short of saying whether one would be mounted.

National female cricketers are elated at the announcement that there would be equality for both sexes in the sport.

Suriname Airways

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The way has been paved for opener Chris Gayle’s selection to the West Indies team but uncertainty over his actual return and grave concerns about his role in a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the West Indies Cricket Board, continue to hover ominously over the deal reached.

CGX Energy says that there is “nothing new” to report from the operations in its 100 percent operated licence at the Eagle well off the Corentyne Coast as it approaches the end of its drilling campaign.

Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang yesterday overruled the preliminary objections raised in the parliamentary committees’ case and will next Wednesday hear arguments on whether a constitutional breach has occurred in the numerical make-up of those committees.

By Neil Barry The 2012 edition of the Brainstreet Under-15 Tournament rounded off the week with keenly contested cricket in the city.

Scrutiny In the last few days, the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) has come under intense press scrutiny for a financial decision that it made about generators used in its operations.

Dear Editor, Help & Shelter wholeheartedly agrees with the Guyana Human Rights Association, APNU, Red Thread and all those who regard the acting Chief Justice’s ruling in the Henry Greene matter a travesty and joins in the calls for the DPP to appeal the ruling and for Mr Greene to be immediately removed from office.

Police say they have five men in custody assisting with investigations after six men were robbed in a holdup and relieved of a quantity of raw gold, US$1,000, one cell phone and a quantity of imitation jewellery in the Wenamu River, Cuyuni on Wednesday.

Ulric Ceres is upbeat about the prospects for the growth of Guyana’s air cargo service industry.

CHENNAI, India, CMC – Kieran Pollard’s gentle medium pace helped Mumbai Indians to an eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the lucrative Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

Dear Editor It has come as a surprise to most Guyanese to learn that the Government of Guyana signed major contracts a month or so before the last general elections in a foreign country committing huge sums of money for three projects.

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Kevin Pietersen hit a swashbuckling and eventful 151 to brighten England’s prospects of a series-levelling victory in the second and final test against hosts Sri Lanka yesterday.

Notice has been served that APNU MP Carl Greenidge will move a motion in Parliament for the repeal of the controversial former presidents’ benefits act but without prejudice to the payment of benefits.

AMSTERDAM,  (Reuters) – The Netherlands slammed as “totally unacceptable” a vote by lawmakers in its former colony Suriname granting amnesty to the suspected killers of 15 opponents of President Desi Bouterse 30 years ago.

By B.A. Barrington When you talk with ordinary residents of New Amsterdam and its environs you get a sense of growing unease over economic conditions in the community.

Hot and crossed: Cross buns on sale yesterday at

 This is the first in a series of three articles on Performance Management Practices prepared for The Stabroek Business by the Mersu Caribbean Consulting Group, a Trinidad and Tobago-based Image Management, Public Relations and Business Consulting Group  By Averil Williams    The current global recession has forced companies worldwide; to take a step back and utilize their analytical lenses to relook the way performance management is handled, and to enhance the methods that are used in conducting business.

BEIRUT/UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday that Syria’s conflict is deepening and attacks on civilian areas show no sign of abating, despite assurances from Damascus that it has begun withdrawing troops under an international peace plan.

Dear Editor, I was not the least bit surprised at the report of the Electoral Assistance Bureau with regard to the votes of the indigenous peoples at the last General Election.

AUGUSTA, Georgia, (Reuters) – World number three Lee Westwood grabbed the first round lead at the Masters yesterday, once again showing he has the skill set to deal with the unique challenges of Augusta National.

Cartoon

The country’s top  cyclists will return to the West Demerara roadways on Sunday when national cycling coach Hassan Mohamed and Banks DIH Limited team up to pedal off the Powerade 50-mile road race.

Dear Editor, The following letter was delivered to the offices of The Police Complaints Authority, the Office of Professional Responsibility and the Police Service Commission on March 30.

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – Venezuela’s government says it has cut the murder rate in the capital Caracas and is launching two new organizations to combat a crime wave that is worrying voters ahead of this year’s presidential election.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, (Reuters) – The U.S. Coast Guard opened fire yesterday on a derelict Japanese fishing vessel washed out to sea by last year’s devastating tsunami in a bid to sink it and eliminate a threat to navigation, a spokesman for the agency said.\

Look, regard this as a most elementary, Primary Grade three “commentary” on National Budget 2012 – related issues.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 454’s trading results showed consideration of $2,586,742 from 213,324 shares traded in 10 transactions as compared to session 453 which showed consideration of $1,059,385 from 78,653 shares traded in 10 transactions. 

Politikles

President Donald Ramotar is expected to attend the 6th Summit of the Americas (SOA) in Cartagena, Colombia, on April 14-15.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The St. Catherine Police are now questioning a 44-year-old man of a Harbour View address in Kingston, following the attack on the life of his girlfriend, Jody-ann Gray, a 28-year-old broadcaster and journalist yesterday.

(Barbados Nation) After pumping more than $23 million into Almond Village in the past 12 months, Neal & Massy’s board of directors rejected any proposal to put in millions more to upgrade and capitalize the faltering hotel group.

(Trinidad Express) Former Trinidad and Tobago cricket captain Rangy Nanan is on the road to recovery after suffering a stroke on Saturday.

(Trinidad Express) Petrotrin chairman Lindsay Gillette said yesterday the multi-billion dollar World Gas To Liquid (GTL) plant would be dismantled and sold as scrap iron.

(Trinidad Express) Groups of angry, barebacked men from Mt D’or, Champs Fleurs, yesterday squared off against heavily armed police, following the killing of 27-year-old Atiba “Happy Feet” Duncan by police.