Daily Archive: Monday, January 28, 2013

The Home Affairs Ministry today signed a contract with the United Kingdom-based Capita Symonds firm for consultancy services for the Guyana Police Force in keeping with the Security Sector Strategic Plan which was unveiled by the government on December 31 last year.

NEW YORK,  CMC- CONCACAF has announced that it is exploring a number of measures designed to combat match-fixing and corruption in football.

SANTIAGO,  (Reuters) – Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s cancer-stricken president, made his presence felt at a regional summit on Monday with a flowery letter from his sickbed in Cuba that was laced with literary references and calls for Latin American unity.

Former Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson (right) today paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds who is performing the functions of President.

ST.GEORGE’S, Grenada,  CMC- Reigning World and Olympic 400 metres champion Kirani James is Grenada’s sports personality of 2012, copping his fourth consecutive title at the weekend.

(Reuters) – Sri Lanka prevailed in a rain-hit thriller to clinch the second and final Twenty20 international against Australia and seal the series 2-0 today.

AMSTERDAM,  (Reuters) – Dutch Queen Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, announced she was abdicating in favour of her son, Prince Willem-Alexander, who will become king on April 30.

A few days after the Muslim community celebrated Youman Nabi, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, devotees met at the Guyana International Conference Centre for more reflections and a presentation by renowned Islamic scholar Moulana Siddique Ahmad Nasir on the life of the “Messenger.”

Six months after the death of ‘India’s first superstar’, the central government honoured Rajesh Khanna with one of India’s highest civilian awards on the eve of the country’s 64th Republic Day, according to Reuters.

A young performer at the Muslim Youth League of Guyana’s celebration of the birth of the Prophet Mohamed on Saturday at the Umana Yana.

Lanterns being lit at the National Park yesterday at the fair in observance of the Chinese New Year.

The European Parliament’s agriculture committee on January 23rd , 2013 voted to maintain until 2020 the European Union’s national beet sugar production quotas which means that the dedicated allotment for sugar from Guyana and other ACP countries will continue up to that period instead of ending in 2015 as originally envisaged.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States warned Antigua and Barbuda today not to retaliate against U.S.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has agreed on an immigration reform plan that would provide a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States but only after borders are better secured.

(Barbados Nation) The war of words between two of the island’s telecommunications providers is heating up, with Digicel accusing competitor LIME of trying to block its entry into the landline market and declaring that it will not be bullied by the telecoms giant.

(Barbados Nation) A debt of approximately B$200 million owed by the Barbados Government to the University of the West Indies – most of it to the Cave Hill campus – has started to have a negative impact and ripple effect on several operators within the business community.

(Trinidad Express) Former national calypso monarch and Road March champion Penguin died yesterday at his home following a stroke, which was only one in a succession of illnesses he suffered in recent years.

DAKAR, (Reuters) – Islamist fighters fleeing Mali’s ancient Saharan city of Timbuktu as French and Malian troops closed in set fire to a South African-funded library there containing thousands of priceless manuscripts, the city’s mayor said today.

Surrounded by her grandchildren sitting on the lone bed in her half-built home in Parishara, Region Nine last week Eunice Stephen cried for her daughter, Rosalind Stephen, 33, who died two months ago during childbirth.

Government is not considering an amendment to the Amerindian Act at this stage despite calls by some indigenous groups for action to be taken in light of a recent court ruling that upheld a miner’s right to continue with operations on lands within the Isseneru village.

A collision involving a car and a tractor towing a trailer, which occurred yesterday morning on the Friendship Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD), has left the tractor’s driver dead, while the other was said to be too intoxicated to even give a statement.

Four Guyanese were jailed on January 21st in St Vincent and the Grenadines over the possession of burglary tools.

Residents of the Essequibo River island of Wakenaam yesterday made public their dissatisfaction with the current ferry service being provided by the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) to the community.

No one has been charged with the Christmas morning shooting of Quason Paul, who has maintained he was hit by a bullet fired by the police while he was assisting the victim of a robbery.

A 13-year-old boy was brought out of the Arimu backdam in Region Seven on Saturday night so ill with malaria that he is now hospitalized at the Bartica Hospital.

Five years on, physical wounds have healed for the survivors of the 2008 Lusignan Massacre but the memories remain and while some have forgiven the criminals who attacked the community that January night, it is not so easy for others.

There are no insuperable obstacles to the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission and government needs to understand that because of its minority status in the National Assembly, it has lost its capacity to have a majority on the Commission, says former House Speaker, Ralph Ramkarran.

CANBERRA, Australia,  CMC – Captain Darren Sammy says he expects West Indies and Australia to pick up from where they left off in the Caribbean last year, when they played to a thrilling 2-2 tie in a similar five-match one-day series.

Relatives of Safraz Sattaur, the 16-year-old boy who hanged himself on January 4th after he was allegedly threatened by three welfare officers from the Ministry of Education are distraught that the ministry appears not to be taking action on the matter.

Dru Bahadur is the new president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) after the body held its elections yesterday at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) pavilion.

Yves Ferreira, head of regional representation for the Caribbean at the European Investment Bank (EIB), on Friday visited Guyana for a series of meetings with various stakeholders to seek to identify lending opportunities in the private and public sector.

Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth has been appointed the new Executive Director of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) with effect from January 2, 2013, a release from the Board of Directors said.

Malteenoes Sports Club notched up a six-wicket victory and the Police Sports Club won by the same margin on the second and final day’s play of the Georgetown Cricket Association/Hadi’s World Incorporated first division two-day competition yesterday.

US Ambassador, D. Brent Hardt on Friday, presented to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, a Toyota Prado Land Cruiser to be used by the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), a release from the Embassy said.

CANBERRA, Australia,  CMC – West Indies captain Darren Sammy is predicting a return to form for talismanic opener Chris Gayle during the upcoming five-match one-day series against Australia.

While it was expected that Guyana’s Super50 squad named for the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board’s Regional limited overs competition would contain a great number of the players who participated in the recent Caribbean T20 competition the fact that some seven players from the T20 squad are in the Guyana 13-member squad for the Regional Four-Day Competition must be cause for concern.

President of the Colts Basketball Club Michael Singh won the presidency of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) on Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The development of female football, clinics for under 11 and under 13 players and other developmental programmes are on the cards of the just elected executive of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA).

CANBERRA, Australia, CMC – West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson said yesterday the Caribbean side needed to make the most of  tomorrow’s warm-up clash with the Prime Minister’s XI, as they prepare to face Australia in a five-match one-day series starting later in the week.

Richard Ishmael Secondary compliments of Roneldo Dover hat trick crushed an insipid Central High 5-0 in the latest round of the Milo U20 school tournament played at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Dear Editor, I recall Dr Bheri Ramsaran in observing International Day of Persons with Disabilities last year, speaking of the need to promote awareness of disability issues as well as secure the fundamental rights for individuals with all forms of disabilities.

US defence secretary Leon Panetta last week announced that the US military has officially lifted the ban preventing women soldiers from fighting on the frontline.

MELBOURNE,  (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic became the first man to win three successive Australian Open titles in the professional era when he beat third seed Andy Murray 6-7 7-6 6-3 6-2 in a battle of attrition yesterday.

(Trinidad Express) Raymond Ramnarine, leader of the band Dil-e-Nadan, has claimed the title of 2013 Lotto Plus Chutney Soca Monarch.

Dear Editor, Internet campus-wide is indeed a necessity for all students on campus.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) Dr Roger Luncheon announced that Cabinet has green-lighted several diplomatic appointments, at his post-Cabinet press briefing held at the Office of the President on Wednesday.

MUMBAI, India,  CMC – Group B matches in the Women’s World Cup involving Pakistan have been moved from Mumbai following threats by right wing Hindu nationalist group Shiv Sena.

Introduction As I was about to prepare Part II of my article on the 2011 Auditor General’s report on the Ministry of Finance, three media reports on the procurement of drugs and medical supplies for the Georgetown Hospital and the Ministry of Health caught my eye.

Dear Editor, Brazil has been deploying the latest satellite imaging technology for some years now to protect the country’s pristine rainforest. 

MUMBAI, India,  CMC – Shemaine Campbelle says she is content with her new role at number three and will be hunting more success in that position when the Women’s World Cup bowls off here this week.

(Reuters) – A nightclub fire killed at least 233 people in southern Brazil yesterday when a band’s pyrotechnics show set the building ablaze and fleeing partygoers stampeded toward blocked exits in the ensuing panic.

Dear Editor, In ‘Does the PPP really have a fear of the PNC?‘

Dear Editor, The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dr Nanda Gopaul must be commended for his initiative to come up with a national minimum wage for the nation’s workers, in particular private sector employees, a significant number of whom are not unionized and are therefore left at the mercy of employers who at times are inclined to take advantage of their non-unionized status and pay them way below what is considered fair and reasonable.

URIBANA, Venezuela,  (Reuters) – A prison riot in southwestern Venezuela killed 61 people, a hospital official said yesterday, although the government has refused to give an official death toll in the bloody standoff that highlighted chaos in the country’s jails.

SANTIAGO, (Reuters) – Five years ago during the closing speeches of a summit in Chile, Spain’s king told Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to “shut up” in an exchange that epitomized the fruitless meetings between Europe and Latin America at the time.

(Reuters) – Washington’s Emeka Okafor dominated inside as the improving Wizards stunned the Chicago Bulls 86-73 to record their fifth straight home win on Saturday.

By Maya Trotz Dr. Maya Trotz is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida.

SANTO DOMINGO,  (Reuters) – At least eight people were injured, mostly by gunfire, during a dispute between rival factions competing for control of the Dominican Republic’s leading opposition party, officials said yesterday.

Dear Editor, I refer to an article published on page 30 of SN 23-01-13 captioned `Golden Jaguars FIFA friendly match could be off’ with the sub headlines `Financial constraints cited’, `Wilson Lauds recent GFA Congress’. 

JEREMIE, Haiti,  (Reuters) – The smooth black asphalt of National Road No.

KARACHI,  (Reuters) – Pakistan have added pace bowlers Tanvir Ahmed and Rahat Ali to their side in South Africa before the first test starting on Feb.

Now that 10 persons have been confirmed dead in the horrendous January 22nd, 2013 collision of boats in the Mazaruni River, the Ministry of Public Works and the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) have an uphill battle to convince the public that there is effective regulation of riverain traffic.