Daily Archive: Tuesday, February 11, 2014

An independent third party expert has been requested to examine the project bringing the terrestrial fibre-optic cable from Brazil, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds has said.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) today said it is concerned at the continuing delay in Guyana’s progress towards implementing recommendations to address deficiencies in its anti-money laundering regime.

ALGIERS, (Reuters) – A military transport plane carrying relatives of members of the armed forces crashed in eastern Algeria on Tuesday, killing 103 people, the private Ennahar TV station reported, citing “informed sources”.

(Trinidad Express)  “CALYPSO King of the World” Slinger Francisco, better known as the “Mighty Sparrow”, yesterday said reigning Soca Monarch Machel Montano is mistaken, and in fact he (Sparrow) is the “happiest man alive”, referring to the title of Montano’s hit song.

CALIFORNIA (Reuters) – Shirley Temple Black, who lifted America’s spirits as a bright-eyed, dimpled child movie star during the Great Depression and later became a US diplomat, died late on Monday evening at the age of 85, her family said in a statement.

(Trinidad Express) Fifty-two-year-old father of five, David Smith, has been placed on TT$400,000 bail with surety clerk of the peace approval.

The Guyana  Securities Council has filed legal action against Managing Director of Caribbean Container Inc (CCI) Ronald Webster seeking to cancel the transfer of shares of CCI to another company controlled by Webster who is also the chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

A 78-year-old US citizen and a 38-year-old Guyanese model were yesterday refused bail after they were separately charged with trafficking in cocaine that was concealed in achar.

Lethem and neighbouring communities lost power and water over the weekend, resulting in the temporarily closure of six schools.

Last minute efforts to have the Anti-Money Launder-ing Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) (Amendment) Bill re-introduced and passed in the National Assembly yesterday failed, prompting yet another agreement by committee members to meet tomorrow to conclude work – one day before FATF’s plenary concludes.

APNU’s newest front bencher, Shadow Local Government Minister Ronald Bulkan received a blistering baptism in the National Assembly last evening as he gave his presentation on the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2014, which seeks to postpone local government elections to December 1st 2014, or a date before.

By Desilon Daniels Despite the efforts of 4 fire trucks, a Grove mother of three suffered millions of dollars in losses following an afternoon fire which destroyed her home of 18 years.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC- Ashley Nurse wrecked the Leeward Islands with a six wicket haul that set the stage for Barbados to march into the semi-finals of the NAGICO Super50 tournament at the Queen’s Park oval here yesterday.

Culture Minister Dr Frank Anthony yesterday said that the ministry was not in a position to assist power lifting champion Gumendra Shewdas who was found guilty of a doping infringement last year because the ministry was not aware of the hearing.

Dr Karen Cummings was yesterday sworn in as an APNU MP to replace Debra Backer, while fellow coalition member Basil Williams was made Deputy Speaker.

Two men who were being sought in relation to the gunning down of local fashion designer Trevor Rose were arrested over the weekend, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said yesterday.

To commemorate its 20th anniversary of supplying power to the national grid, Wartsila Operations Guyana Inc.,

The electricity supply to Port Kaituma has been restored but power outages are continuing approximately every hour.

Attorney Nigel Hughes has opted not to comment on the apparent incomplete purchasing arrangement made in 2006 with owner of Mae’s School saying that the matter is engaging the attention of court.

Kuru Kuru and Philadelphia Primary Schools topped their respective zones while Craig and Diamond Primary Schools recorded victories in latest round of matches of the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Festival.

Former West Indies Test batsman Ryan Ramdass said that he is hungry for the opportunity to once again represent Guyana at the highest level and is using his stint with the Trinidad and Tobago based Clarke Road United team to reinforce his chances.

A woman, who is a key witness in a trafficking in persons (TIP) case, and her child have been missing since last year October and her relatives believe that she may be in danger as the last person she was seen in the company of was the person she is set to testify against.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand yesterday promised to investigate reports of students of the Santa Rosa Primary School are being forced to fetch water, while telling the National Assembly that it is the Local Government Ministry that is responsible for the day-to-day operations involving education in the regions.

A Laing Avenue woman now stands accused of drug trafficking after cocaine was found in her suitcase at the Ogle International Airport, where she was due to board flight to Barbados.

George Bulkan shot an impressive net 63 to win the Citizens Bank Players Cup and pilot his team Underdogs to victory in the GT Beer Team Challenge in the Banks DIH Limited/Citizens Bank Inc.

The Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) says that it rescued some 29 women and girls who were being trafficked in 2013 but that only a few cases reached the courts.

A 19-year-old Corentyne man was yesterday slapped with six robbery under arms charges when he appeared in the Whim Magistrate’s Court and was remanded to prison.

Commissioner of Information Charles Ramson, who was sworn-in last July, is being paid a salary of $1.2 million per month, according to Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who also disclosed yesterday that there have been no applications received yet for information.

Guyanese born Winston Leslie Fitzgerald Phillips yesterday appeared in a Barbados court charged with having cocaine and cannabis aboard a cement boat that he was the captain of.

A Brazilian national, who police say robbed the same Lethem store twice in a month’s time, was remanded to prison after denying multiple charges of armed robbery yesterday.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC- West Indies Under 19s scored a comprehensive nine wicket victory over Afghanistan Under 19s yesterday in a warm-up game ahead of the ICC under 19 World Cup here.

Australian High Commis-sioner to Caricom Ross Tysoe (AO) urged 22 returning Caribbean scholarship holders from Australia to maintain their Australian and international networks as they take their place as future leaders in their areas of expertise, at an alumni workshop held on January 24 in Port-of-Span, Trinidad.

The file on the police’s investigation into the murder of Kwakwani miner Orin Ferreira is at the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), according to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho stoked up his war of words with Manuel Pellegrini yesterday, questioning the Manchester City manager’s sums and calling on the Chilean’s talismanic midfielder Yaya Toure to be suspended.

Guyana is seeking to increase its rice exports to Jamaica, after local paddy exports replaced US supplies last year.

Weeks after Stabroek News reported on a planned major investment by a Malaysian company questions have been raised about how the project was facilitated with key agencies seemingly being left out of the process and questions are soon to be asked in Parliament about it.

Transport Minister Robeson Benn made it known that both plain clothes and uniformed police officers will be the norm at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport until the government is satisfied that there is no longer an airline threat.

(The Sports Xchange) – Rookie guard Victor Oladipo scored 23 points and sparked a fourth-quarter turnaround, leading the Orlando Magic to a 93-92 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Indiana Pacers.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Chelsea, inspired by a hat-trick from Eden Hazard, beat Newcastle United 3-0 at the weekend to go top of the Premier League while Arsenal were thrashed 5-1 by Liverpool.

NAIROBI, (Reuters) – An Arsenal fan in Kenya stabbed a Liverpool supporter to death on Saturday while they were watching on television as the Merseyside club beat the Londoners 5-1 in the Premier League, said a local police chief.

Dear Editor, As Lethem has been growing, and as more households and businesses and institutions, such as the new hospital, have come on line, the demand for electricity has been growing. 

Dear Editor, Almost exactly three years ago you published the letter below and I now wish to state passionately that nothing was done by the administration concerned to remedy that contentious matter.

The three persons detained in connection with the alleged sexual molestation of a five-year-old girl have been released on station bail even as police on the West Demerara continue to probe whether it was also a case of child neglect.

(Cricinfo)Gurunath Meiyappan, the son-in-law of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president N Srinivasan, has been found by a court-appointed committee to have indulged in betting and passing on information during IPL 2013, as alleged, and has been proved to be the team official of Chennai Super Kings.

(Reuters) – “Self-interest” and “short-term deal making” will prevail over cricket’s long-term health following the recent structural reforms in the International Cricket Council (ICC), the global players’ association said yesterday.

Dear Editor, I have been coming to Guyana for the last five years or so.

WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The United States said yesterday it would take India to the World Trade Organisation to gain a bigger foothold for US manufacturers in its fast-growing solar products market, adding another irritant to an already strained relationship.

Dear Editor, I have been covering international cricket for the past two decades and I know for a fact that regional cricket tournaments are treated as trial matches for international cricket.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – The Pakistan government dismissed the country’s cricket board yesterday and appointed an ad-hoc committee to run the sport.

Dear Editor,     The Bartica United Youth Development Group (BUYDG) is calling on the three political parliamentary parties to urgently sort out their differences and work in good faith in the interest of all the citizens of Guyana to complete the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Bill (AML/CFT) before the deadline (February 13).

LONDON, (Reuters) – Axed England batsman Kevin Pietersen has agreed a deal to play for Surrey in this year’s English county season having been jettisoned from the national team set-up for good.

TUCSON, Arizona (Reuters) – A Mexican citizen who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the 2010 shooting death of a US Border Patrol agent in a late-night gun battle near the Arizona border was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in federal prison.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A former Guatemalan army commander convicted of covering up his role in a massacre during that country’s bloody civil war in order to gain US citizenship was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison.

WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Jesse Ryder and Doug Bracewell have been dropped from the New Zealand squad for the second test against India starting on Friday as punishment for going on a late-night drinking session on the eve of the first test in Auckland.

Dear Editor, Over the past years many tall buildings have been erected in the city and other parts of the country.

The Marian Academy annual blood drive on Saturday secured 168 units of blood for the National Blood Transfusion Centre, a little below its record breaking 202 units last year but providing a not insignificant boost for the blood bank.

Dear Editor, I write to correct an egregious attack on my character by Mr M Maxwell: ‘Guyana does not need the expansion of its ethnic competition …’ in which he stated that I defend “ethnic supremacy” (SN, Jan 31). 

(Reuters) – Former world number one Rory McIlroy will play at the Scottish Open for the first time in five years in July intending to emulate Phil Mickelson’s unique 2013 achievement.

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A Brazilian television cameraman was pronounced brain dead by surgeons at a Rio de Janeiro hospital yesterday, four days after a firework lit by a protester struck him in the head.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union agreed yesterday to launch negotiations with Cuba to increase trade, investment and dialogue on human rights in its most significant diplomatic shift since Brussels lifted sanctions on the communist-ruled country in 2008.

If the ruling African National Congress (ANC) is widely favoured to be returned to office after      South Africa’s general elections scheduled for May this year, the political party once revered for its sustained struggle to bring an end to the apartheid regime in South Africa has plunged to considerable depths from the pedestal upon which it had been placed by the international community.