Daily Archive: Friday, June 29, 2012

(Jamaica Gleaner) Jamaican sprint superstar Yohan Blake produced a thrilling run to win the men’s 100m final at the JAAA/SVL Jamaica Senior National Championships tonight.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Actress Katie Holmes has filed for divorce from her superstar husband Tom Cruise, ending a six-year marriage that produced one daughter and captivated celebrity watchers worldwide.

(Reuters) – The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has unanimously recommended filing formal doping charges against U.S.

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada,  CMC – A shocking batting collapse sent West Indies A tumbling to a disappointing 108-run defeat in the second one-dayer here today, allowing India A to level the three-match series at 1-1.

The Ministry of Agriculture today said that the Hydrometeorological Services have examined the global models and are advising that these global models indicate the emergence of El Nino (dry) conditions by the end of summer.

Chief Executive Officer of the state broadcaster, NCN, Mohammed Sattaur has resigned and the Programme Manager, Martin Goolsarran has been suspended for eight weeks following investigations into financial irregularities at the company.

TORONTO, Canada,  CMC – Former Guyana skipper Damodar Daesrath is set to make his international debut for Canada in the forthcoming ICC Intercontinental limited-over tournament in Scotland.

(WICB) Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Chris Gayle flashed his characteristic smile this morning as he embraced several West Indies fans at the Central Broward Regional Park.

In a statement issued this afternoon, former GT&T CEO Yog Mahadeo said he was proud of the direction the company took under his tenure and publicly stated his support for Major General (Rtd) Joe Singh and Sonita Jagan who have taken over.

Yog Mahadeo, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), has resigned amidst a scandal over payments made by the company.

NEWARK, N.J.,  (Reuters) – Grammy-winning singer Lauryn Hill pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, today to three counts of failing to file federal income tax returns.

(Trinidad Guardian) A pregnant mother, expecting twins in September, screamed and cried yesterday after she was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment for abandoning five of her young children.

The police say they are investigating the murder of labourer Reyad Khan, 17 years, of Block ‘Y’ Golden Grove, EBD which occurred at about 1920h last night at 17th Street, Diamond, EBD.

(Jamaica Observer) A Guyanese man, who was caught with 21 pounds of cocaine in an X-box game and packets of biscuits during a stopover in the country, was yesterday slapped with a five-year prison sentence in addition to a J$1.5-million fine, which if not paid will see him spending another five years in jail.

(Barbados Nation) Prime Minister Freundel Stuart last night revealed he has a vested interest in CLICO not only as the head of Government but also as an investor in the collapsed company, and that his administration continued to pursue a resolution to the debacle.

(Barbados Nation) Ten years after controversy first arose over an alleged FBI probe of Barbados public officials, the issue was resurrected late last night in the House of Assembly.

(Barbados Nation) Chris Gayle has been granted special dispensation to accommodate his selection to the West Indies team for Twenty20 Internationals.

(de Ware Tijd) THE HAGUE/PARAMARIBO – The Netherlands will start to lobby France and the United Kingdom to strip Suriname’s Ambassador in Paris Harvey Naarendorp, a suspect in the December murders trial, of his status.

(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – In order to prevent a gang of killers and robbers from fleeing from French Guiana to Suriname, authorities have sent police and military reinforcements to the Eastern border.

Police on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) are investigating the murder of a 50-year old woman whose body was found buried in an unfinished bathroom of a house at Melanie North last evening.

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), the contractor for expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri has received no word from the government about the review of the World Bank’s debarring of its parent company China Communications and Construction Company (CCCC), company officials said yesterday.

“July 1 will be a symbolic day that the government will never forget Region 10 for,” Regional Chairman Kuice Sharma Solomon warned as he addressed residents of Linden who turned out yesterday to protest the imminent increase in electricity rates.

President Donald Ramotar says that the planned Marriott Hotel is not going to put any hotel owner out of business, noting that Guyana would need many more rooms added to the stock of hospitality service providers.

The father of Shamar Success, the 11-year-old child who drowned after a swim in the Atlantic Ocean, was yesterday moved to tears when he collected his son’s results for the National Grade Six Assessment (NSGA) and saw that he had secured a place amongst the country’s top performers.

Twelve-year-old Ricardo Singh of Providence Primary who placed 32nd with 536 marks in the National Grade Six Assessment said he felt “very good” about his success.

Three Guyanese, who were passengers on the Caribbean Airlines flight that crash landed and split in two at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri (CJIA) last year, are suing the airline for damages for their injuries, medical expenses and loss of earnings.

Government is moving to change the law to give persons in common-law unions for five years the same privileges as a widow or widower, where their partner has died without making a will.

The family of the elderly Hardai ‘Kuntie’ Singh, who died after being trapped in her home during a fire on Wednesday night, believes that there was foul play in the woman’s death and wants a thorough investigation.

An 18-month prison sentence was yesterday meted out to a robber who claimed he snatched a woman’s chain to make “fast-money” to feed his three children.

The home of well-known businessman Salim Azeez was gutted by an early morning fire at Canal Number Two, on the West Bank of Demerara yesterday.

AFC MP Trevor Williams has rejected suggestions that he deliberately absented himself during Monday’s crucial vote by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on appointments in the Auditor General’s Office, in order to allow government members to get their way.

Feeling fit and healthy, two-time Commonwealth 400 metres medallist Aliann Pompey is on course to end a creditable career with her final run at the 2012 Olympics in London starting from July 27.

By Frances Abraham University of Guyana (UG) staffers and students on Wednesday staged protests for urgent action to be taken to address the conditions at the Turkeyen Campus, including the replacement of the current University Council.

Executive members of the Bartica Passengers Speed Boat Owners Association have accused a member of forging a letter to have his boat licence replaced and continuing to operate his boat despite being told that his vessel has been deemed illegal.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal suffered a stunning loss at Wimbledon yesterday, stopped in his tracks by unknown Czech Lukas Rosol who played the match of his life to cause one of the biggest upsets in grand slam tennis.

The trial of murder accused Sherwin Barnwell continued yesterday with two previous witnesses being recalled for cross-examination by the defence.

WARSAW,  (Reuters) – Italy’s Mario Balotelli scored two superb first-half goals to steer his team to a 2-1 victory over favourites Germany yesterday and into the Euro 2012 final where they will meet holders Spain.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand yesterday said that a decision had been made not to renew the contract of the Director of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development, Mohandatt Goolsarran.

By Emmerson Campbell Lightning is set to strike tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall when national light heavyweight champion Kwesi ‘Lightning Struck Assassin’ Jones takes on Kelsey George in a six-round affair in the 24th edition of the Guyana Fight Night Pro Am card.

A 14-member team including seven former Caribbean junior champions has been selected by the Guyana Squash Association to represent Guyana at the 30th Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Caribbean Junior Squash Championships in Jamaica from July 20-26.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon on Wednesday announced that Cabinet has given its support for the Bank of Guyana (BoG) to introduce a $5,000 bank note.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates,  CMC – Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has tipped West Indies as favourites to win the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka later this year.

Efforts by Guyanese exporters to secure structured and reliable markets for locally produced goods in Canada will continue to be challenged by inadequate and unreliable air transport services and the need for local exporters to meet certification standards for food imports, according to Chairman of the Trade and Investment Committee of the  Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Clem Duncan.

LONDON, (Reuters) – David Beckham has been omitted from Britain’s Olympic soccer squad in a blow for the former England captain’s dreams of crowning his career in style.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Top seed Maria Sharapova survived a scare to reach the Wimbledon third round where she was joined by her biggest rival for the women’s title Serena Williams yesterday.

Even as the banking sector elsewhere in the region appears to be forging ahead with preparations for compliance with the new United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA) there remains an inexplicable silence in Guyana on just how commercial banks will respond to the new law.

(Reuters) – New Zealander Alan Isaac took over as the eighth president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday on a two-year term before the post becomes titular.

The Business Cartoon

By Iva Wharton Without knowing the fundamentals of playing football, all that the females in Mabaruma, Region One, are doing is ‘kicking ball’ since they lack the technical and tactical knowledge of the game.

Dear Editor, I refer to the recent action by the Auditor General who supplied 11 names to the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament of persons in the Audit Office who were acting, to be confirmed.

Cash prizes, trophies and champion jerseys will be up for grabs when the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) in collaboration with Roraima Bikers Club pedals off the 9th edition of the CARICOM ‘Wheat-Up’ Cycle Road Race on Monday (CARICOM Day).

Sincerity Recent news reports indicated that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday ended up approving staffing appointments and promotions of persons working in the office of the Auditor-General (AG). 

Local public and private sector entities seeking cost-saving energy solutions are expected to be among the invitees to a breakfast seminar being hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago-based firm Energy Dynamics Ltd on Wednesday July 4 at the Pegasus Hotel.

Dear Editor, Ms Lurlene Nestor lives in America and so does David Hinds.

Dear Editor, I have been a DSL customer with GT&T Emagine Broad Band since August 23, 2010.

In the June 21 issue of the Stabroek Business we published an article (Women In Business) on The Gift Centre proprietrix Doris Lewis in which we gave her husband’s first name as John.

The French-owned company Amazon Caribbean Guyana Ltd (Amcar Guyana Ltd) is mulling an investment in the cultivation of around 3,000 acres of heart of palm to consolidate raw material supplies in order to satisfy the demands of what the company’s owner and Chief Executive Officer says is a growing demand in France.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court upheld President Barack Obama’s healthcare law yesterday in an election-year triumph for him and fellow Democrats who championed the most sweeping overhaul since the 1960s of the unwieldy U.S.

Dear Editor, There are some ever-widening potholes on a section of the One Mile Bartica-Potaro Road, in the area of the Bartica Housing Scheme.

Dear Editor, Expounding on Mr Leslie Gonsalves’ letter, ‘The people of Region 10 will stand strong to improve the conditions of life,’ (SN, June 27), I wish to say that Lindeners are mostly a combination of those born in the community after Alcan (Canada) launched Demba in 1925, and those who left different parts of Guyana decades ago to seek work and take up residence in the community.

TORONTO, (Reuters) – Research In Motion Ltd delayed the make-or-break launch of its next-generation BlackBerry phones until next year, in a devastating setback to the once-dominant technology company whose sales are crumbling.

(Trinidad Newsday) State-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) is looking for sale for four of the nine brand new ATR-72-600 turbo prop aircraft it ordered last year.

ANSA McAl yesterday launched their Mackeson 3-on-3 Smooth Moves Basketball competition at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and the live action is expected to tip off in three weeks at venues countrywide.

Dear Editor, I’m a father and grandfather and I have raised males and females and have a clear idea of the arena of parenthood, of fears and expectations, of managing with a limited budget, and sacrificing to deal with expensive demands.

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – Italy and Spain, battling searing market pressure in the euro zone’s widening debt crisis, held up agreement on measures to promote growth at a European Union summit yesterday to demand urgent action to bring down their borrowing costs.

Lynette Mangar’s love affair with fashion and fabrics goes back to her childhood days of fine clothing turned out by her seamstress mother out of silks, organza, chiffon, tulle and calico.

GRACE ROAD, England,  CMC – Ramnaresh Sarwan top-scored with 39 but Leicestershire’s losing slide in the Twenty20 Championship continued on Wednesday with a narrow four-run defeat to Yorkshire.

The impeachment of a president is often cited as proof that, in a functioning democracy, everyone is accountable and absolutely no one is above the law.

Stock market update GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 465’s trading results showed consideration of $1,869,750 from 89,470 shares traded in 5 transactions as compared to session 464 which showed consideration of $3,009,806 from 44,102 shares traded in 12 transactions. 

Dr C:  When music mattered more (?)       During the last fifteen years of my professional existence, there have been two or three Public Education Programmes which I was privileged and pleased to participate in but which still managed to cause me anguish.

Dear Editor, Re the Stabroek News editorial of May 5, it has been established that with respect to one assertion, the editorial was inaccurate (Harry Hergash ‘Indian-Guyanese have been keen on education since the 1920s and 1930s‘ (SN, May 10) and M A Bacchus, ‘Keen on education since the 1920s and 1930s (SN, May 8)).

Politikles

On May 11 this newspaper published an editorial on the new Food Safety Modernization Act, signed into law by US President Barack Obama in the hope that both the Government of Guyana and the private sector would be reminded of the need to take action to address what is in fact the most sweeping reform of US food safety laws in more than half a century and, more importantly from our vantage point, probably the most formidable threat ever to access to the US market for local exporters.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was found in contempt of Congress yesterday as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives sanctioned the nation’s top law enforcement official for withholding some documents related to a failed gun-running probe.

NEWARK, New Jersey,  (Reuters) – U.S. college player of the year Anthony Davis was taken with the number one pick of the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets yesterday at the Prudential Centre.

(Trinidad Express) Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) president Roland Sutherland yesterday criticised conglomerate Ansa McAl for violating the Industrial Relations Act which left over 100 workers on the bread line.