Daily Archive: Tuesday, April 1, 2014

SANTIAGO,  (Reuters) – A major earthquake of magnitude 8.2 struck off the coast of Chile today, triggering a tsunami that hit the northern part of the country, but the government reported no deaths or serious damage.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Eight previously unreleased songs by the late Michael Jackson will be part of a new album, “Xscape,” the singer’s estate and Sony Music Entertainment’s Epic Records said on Monday.

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – Venezuelan troops dispersed opposition demonstrators with tear gas today and blocked anti-government activist Maria Corina Machado, recently stripped of her seat in the National Assembly, from reaching the legislature.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand was this afternoon banned from speaking during the 2014 budget debate by Speaker of the House Raphael Trotman for refusing to apologize to APNU MP Jaipaul Sharma.

AFC MP Dr. Veerasammy Ramaya on Monday took aim at government’s proposed 5% increase in old age pension.

MIRPUR, Bangladesh,  (Reuters) – Holders West Indies sailed into the World Twenty20 semi-finals after Dwayne Bravo’s power-hitting and Samuel Badree’s lethal spin bowling fashioned their comprehensive 84-run victory over 2009 champions Pakistan today.

(Jamaica Gleaner) A Jet Blue flight which had just taken off from the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston was forced to turn back and make an emergency landing last evening.

Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge yesterday took the government to task for failing to hold consultations with the opposition on the budget for a third consecutive year and he issued the first warning that the huge subvention for the sugar industry had to be adequately justified.

Saying that the proposed $220 billion budget seeks to bring balance in income distribution and the national “pie of wealth,” Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali pilloried APNU’s Shadow Finance Minister Carl Greenidge for criticising the estimates for spending this year but not offering any concrete alternatives to improve the lives of citizens.

Tiffany Clarke, who was accused of murdering her lover Sonobia James at the Red Dragon Night Club in February 2011 was yesterday freed by Justice Navindra Singh in the High Court after a jury returned a verdict of not guilty in her favour.

Guyana on Thursday abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution which declared as invalid, Crimea’s Russia-backed referendum which resulted in its declaration of secession from Ukraine.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC- A blistering half century from West Indies allrounder Kieron Pollard brought Mumbai Indians to the brink of victory over Darren Sammy’s Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League yesterday.

APNU MP Ronald Bulkan says budget 2014 is another tool to be used by central government to subvert and undermine local authorities so that it can micromanage these jurisdictions from the capital.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Title-holders West Indies have already had some big games in the World Twenty20 Championship but none bigger than today’s do-or-die clash with Pakistan.

Repeated assessments have revealed that there is a “low prevalence” of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) here, according to Human Services Minister Jennifer Webster who says that given the potential impact it has on the safety and human rights of citizens, strategies and programmes have been developed to combat it.

David Harpaul, 38, of Rose Hall Town, who was shot when gunmen opened fire in the backlands on January 30 killing two colleagues, died at the Georgetown Public Hospi-tal (GPH) on Sunday.

A new survey that will, among other things, provide crucial data needed to identify the trends of neonatal mortality, was unveiled on Wednesday.

A scintillating 125 off 43 balls from opener Shimron Hetmyer set up a colossal 123-run win for Universal Solutions Bermine against Blairmont in the final of the Port Mourant Cricket Club (PMCC) 15/15 cricket competition held at the Port Mourant Cricket Ground, Berbice on Sunday.

Three stevedores were yesterday remanded to prison after denying allegations that they stole over $2.5M from a King Street business.

(Reuters) – Sri Lanka breezed into the World Twenty20 semi-finals after left-arm spinner Rangana Herath destroyed New Zealand in a 59-run romp in Chittagong yesterday.

Students of Cotton Tree Primary School who were spared physical injuries over one month ago when their tour bus exploded after they exited are still having nightmares.

In preparation for the upcoming Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) under-19 tournament, 33 players from Georgetown have been invited to a two-day training session to be held at the Demerara Cricket Club Ground from 3p.m.

East La Penitence resident Orlando James will be spending the next three years in jail after being convicted of possession of marijuana, which police found hidden in the crotch of his pants.

The three local pugilists that competed in St. Lucia’s three-night Goodwill Tournament, Ron Smith (69kg), Delon Charles (56kg) and Bert Braithwaite (64kg) were on the podium when the tournament concluded on Sunday.

Alpha United, on Sunday overcame the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 2-1 when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Premier League continued  at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda.

The Police say they are pursing all possible angles in their investigations into the murder of Enmore taxi driver Roopchand Darshan who was found slumped over the steering wheel of his car on Friday night.

Dear Editor The cartoon in the Sunday Stabroek of March 30, highlights the inability of the government to fulfil its commitments to dealing with domestic violence.

While President Donald Ramotar says that the $226M allocated for the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) in this year’s budget is to improve its efficiency, Opposi-tion Leader David Granger says it is not enough and he will be lobbying for an increase when the estimates are debated next week.

Dear Editor, I have had the pleasure of visiting the Science, Mathematics and Technology Fair which was recently hosted by the Georgetown Department of Education and held at Queen’s College (QC), under the Mission Statement of ‘Providing Solutions for the 21st Century.’ 

Tournament hosts Fruta Conquerors led by a Dwayne Lawrence double, crushed Pouderoyen FC 3-0 when the Namilco sponsored One Love Knockout Festival continued on Saturday at the Uitvlugt Community Centre ground on the West Coast of Demerara.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee,  was mum yesterday on former PPP stalwart, Ralph Ramkarran’s contention that former President Bharrat Jagdeo was aiming for a new term in office and this was a direct challenge to President Donald Ramotar  and the party.

The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has named a nine-member squad to represent the Golden Arrowhead at the 43rd CARIFTA Games in the French island of Martinique in mid-April.

Dear Editor, The problems of racism and prejudice are not easy to discuss and even harder to solve.

A murder accused, found guilty of attempting to smuggle 12 ½ grammes of cannabis into the Camp Street Prison, was sentenced to a three-year jail term yesterday.

(Trinidad Express) Controversial pastor Vishnu Lutchmansingh, who claimed he had inherited several billion dollars from an American businessman in 2003, shot and killed his brother, ran over his nephew with his car, set fire to his house, and then shot himself to death afterwards.

Dear Editor, The problems of racism and prejudice are not easy to discuss and even harder to solve.

By Delvon Mc Ewan Arch rivals Demerara and Berbice yesterday ended the first round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Igloo Ice Cream two-day U15 tournament with first innings points from the President’s XI and Essequibo respectively.

(Trinidad Guardian) The People’s Partnership Government has suffered another blow, this time with the resignation of Tourism Minister Chandresh Sharma.

Riddim Squad outhustled Santos 3-1 when the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) National Premier League continued at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda on Sunday.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) joins with the family, friends, colleagues and associates of the late Deborah Backer in mourning her passing.

Days after trying to rob a young woman, a Grove man found himself blaming alcohol for his actions while apologising to his intended victim.

The Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) amassed 116 points and emerged winners of the relay championship they hosted  Sunday at Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.

CONAKRY,  (Reuters) – Guinea faces an Ebola epidemic on an unprecedented scale as it battles to contain confirmed cases now scattered across several locations that are far apart, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said yesterday.

Dear Editor, I saw a letter in Stabroek News from the Public Relations Officer at NIS on March 23, 2014 headed ‘NIS payments will be made once claimant clears up queries.’

President Donald Ramotar stressed government’s commitment to maintain press freedom gains as he delivered the feature address to mark the launch of Berbice’s first radio station on Saturday night, in Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam.

Autopsies performed yesterday on the bodies of four-year-old Odacia Cadogan and her sixteen- month-old brother Jabar Cadogan who died last Thursday after they were allegedly fed poison by their mother, found that the cause of death was due to insecticide poisoning.

Doctors and ambulances were at the ready at Parliament yesterday. During last year’s debate on the budget, one MP fell ill and had to be rushed to the hospital.

Dear Editor, In this small society a mother poisons offspring, a father incinerates his trapped family, and males (mainly males) routinely intimidate and batter partners. 

THE HAGUE,  (Reuters) – Judges at the highest U.N. court ordered Japan yesterday to halt whaling in the Antarctic, rejecting its long-held argument that the catch was for scientific purposes and not primarily for human consumption.

The first annual Grassroots foundation inter-ward knockout tournament commenced yesterday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda with an exciting doubleheader.

Dear Editor, The sad state of politics in Guyana has its origins deeply rooted in the design and structure of the two major political parties.

Joyce Lewis and Yvonne Adams both lived alone, Lewis in North Ruimveldt and Adams in Linden.

Defending champions St. George’s Secondary defeated Christ Church Secondary 3-0 to clinch their spot in the final of the Milo/Petra Organization U20 football tournament following play Saturday at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Last Tuesday, we began a series of articles on the presentations of key speakers at the University College of the Cayman Islands Caribbean Anti-Corruption Conference that was held on 19-21 March 2014.

Politikles

BEIJING,  (Reuters) – China has charged former senior army officer Gu Junshan with corruption, state news agency Xinhua said, in what is likely to be the country’s worst military scandal since a vice admiral was jailed for life for embezzlement in 2006.