Daily Archive: Tuesday, September 16, 2014

The commencement of a series of meetings at City Hall in support of the Leader of the Opposition’s call for local government elections was disrupted after Town Clerk (ag) Carol Sooba ordered the gates locked.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States announced today it will send 3,000 troops to help tackle the Ebola outbreak as part of a ramped-up plan, including a major deployment in Liberia, the country where the epidemic is spiraling fastest out of control.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – R&B singer Robin Thicke said he was high on painkillers and alcohol in 2013 when “Blurred Lines” became a hit, and he exaggerated his contribution to writing the song, according to court papers filed on Monday.

With no response from the President to his request for the naming of a date for local government polls, Leader of the Opposition David Granger was yesterday unprepared to give specifics on his next course of action.

Akeem Edwards, the convict accused of stabbing a fellow prisoner to death at the Mazaruni Prison remains in custody pending charges as police and prison officials wrap up their investigations.

The Public Works Ministry has launched a daily bus service to transport commuters in an out of Georgetown, free of charge during peak hours, although the move was met with skepticism by some travellers.

Residents who took part in a protest at Letter Kenny Village on Sunday night could face charges for their participation in the night’s dramatic events, including the torching of a car.

A fisherman who allegedly broke and entered the house of his former employer was on Monday granted bail when he appeared at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.

Though there have been some leads following the release of an image of the shooter involved in the Delicious Chinese Restaurant killing, the police are yet to apprehend a viable suspect.

Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield says there is no place for political activists within the ranks of the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom), which has embarked on a series of training programmes to ensure the availability of trained personnel for either registration or election activities.

In the light of quickly increasing cases of Chikungunya within the region, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) is ramping up its efforts in dealing with the epidemic.

Colwyn Harding was rushed to Georgetown Hospital on Sunday night with his intestines protruding but owing to concerns about his safety at the institution his mother removed him yesterday.

A single gunshot wound killed Orlando Fredericks, 22, who died on Saturday evening shortly after he was suspected of participating in a robbery.

More than one week after a five-year-old girl was kidnapped by her mother from the Cropper Primary School on the Corentyne while in protective custody, her whereabouts are still unknown.

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Shiv Chanderpaul’s second half-century of the match and third in as many innings, propelled West Indies to a massive lead and left Bangladesh with a Herculean task of saving the second Test.

Junior star cyclist, Michael Anthony pedaled his way to the podium in this year’s Bigi Bergi four-stage Tour of Suriname road race over the weekend.

Some 400 exhibitors are expected to show their produce and services for four days next month when GuyExpo is held at the Sophia Exhibition Site.

WBC CABOFE light welterweight champion, Clive ‘The Punisher’ Atwell was ringside Saturday night for Jamaica’s Sakima Mullings’ round two, TKO victory over Derrick ‘Lights Out’ Richmond.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee yesterday downplayed the significance of the protest by Letter Kenny, Corentyne residents over the frequent number of road fatalities.

Three witnesses testified yesterday at the start of the preliminary into the murder charge against Vindra Seeram, who stands accused of drowning his wife, Shelly Persaud, in a bucket of water at their home in June.

A taxi driver was yesterday fined $50,000 for stealing electricity. Narine Sanassie, 47, pleaded guilty to a charge that he fraudulently diverted electricity to his

By Delvon Mc Ewan Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) was the only team to record an outright win as four games ended in draws when the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) division one and two matches continued over the weekend at venues in the city.

Dear Editor, I refer to Dr Hinds’ letter to the editor in your Monday, September 15, edition entitled ‘No-confidence motion should be used as leverage for constitutional reform and a general political solution.’

The Umana Yana, the historic benab that served as a leading centre for cultural events in the city, which was destroyed by fire on September 9, was up to date in its state of fire preparedness, according to Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Alfred King.

BEIJING, (Reuters) – The head coach of China’s all-conquering men’s table tennis team has warned Olympic and world singles champion Zhang Jike to knuckle down at the Asian Games or risk throwing away his chance to defend his gold medal at the Rio Games.

The man accused of murdering 21-year-old Rafael Danns called ‘Singh’ of Grant Anna Regina, Lower Pomeroon River was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Charity Magistrate’s Court.

MADRID, (Reuters) – The United States romped to their fifth basketball World Cup title after overcoming an early deficit to overwhelm the tournament’s surprise package Serbia 129-92 in a one-sided final on Sunday.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Police Force is responding to a letter to the editor published in the Stabroek News on Monday September 15, 2014, under the caption ‘Brutalised by police’ and which was written by one Deon Gherow.

Autopsies have not yet been conducted on the two persons who perished in an early morning accident at the Rockstone Junction on Sunday.

Dear Editor, I must admit that I am borrowing the term ‘lifestyle issues’ from the cities of several developed countries, whose mayors and police commissioners have sought to maintain the laws against offences which include playing loud music without due consideration for neighbours; urinating in public; time limits for dances and other public recreational occasions; curfews on the sale of alcohol at public events; and curtailments on smoking in public environments.

GENEVA (Reuters) – More than 700 people fleeing Africa and the Middle East may have drowned in shipwrecks in the Mediterranean over the last week, bringing the death toll this year to almost 3,000, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said yesterday.

(Reuters) – Tiger Woods has yet to swing a golf club since missing the cut at last month’s PGA Championship but said yesterday his recovery from a back injury was progressing well and that he anticipated a full playing schedule next year.

The results of Region Ten’s secondary school students at this year’s Caribbean examinations were not as good as last year’s.

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is to repair the non-functioning garbage collecting machinery of the Mayor and City Council, which will then be used to clean up Georgetown under the $1 billion ‘Clean up my Country’ programme.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Suspended off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has withdrawn from the national Twenty20 championship to work on his bowling action with former Pakistan tweaker Saqlain Mushtaq.

Dear Editor, When I read the report that ‘Gov’t hands over Surendra probe to police’ (Stabroek News, September 13, 2014) I wondered whether similar action will be taken in respect of the NCN probe.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The US military struck an Islamic State target southwest of Baghdad, US Central Command said yesterday, in an expansion of the Obama administration’s campaign against the militant group that has seized large swaths of Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

Dear Editor, I believe that illiteracy is one of the most important crises facing Guyana, and I believe a two-parent home is the single most important ingredient in producing successful pupils and eradicating illiteracy.

Commuters walk near one of the 44-seat buses yesterday. (Photo by Arian Browne)

BISSAU (Reuters) – Guinea-Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz has dismissed the head of the country’s armed forces, according to a decree read on state radio yesterday.

Kingston, Jamaica – New chairman of the West Indies selection panel, Clive Lloyd, believes loyalty should be the order of the day as players contemplate decisions to either represent the West Indies against England or play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) next April.

BOGOTA (Reuters) – Leftist guerrillas in northeastern Colombia killed two contractors working on a pipeline for the state oil company, Ecopetrol, military sources said yesterday.

Sterling Products Limited (SPL) has introduced 13 youth to the world of work in a recently completed two-month work study programme.

Dear Editor, In an article published on Sept 7 in KN, Guyanese born Sir Ronald Sanders who lives and works in the Caribbean seems to be out of touch with reality as he is of the opinion that in order to stem the decline of the tourism industry in the English-speaking Caribbean, there is a new opportunity for growth which lies in attracting large numbers of visitors from what he considers a lucrative Chinese tourism market, particularly at the higher end, that is just waiting to be tapped.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Syrian military’s air defences would face retaliation if Syria attempted to respond to US airstrikes that are expected against Islamic State targets in Syria, senior US officials said yesterday.

Gros Islet, St Lucia – West Indies batsman Leon Johnson admitted he had been hesitant to ask for a review after he was given out for 66 on the opening day of the second Test against Bangladesh in St Lucia, and said the uncertainty cost him a chance to score a century on Test debut.

Gros Islet, St Lucia – Kemar Roach has set a high target for himself after completing his first five-wicket haul of the year.

The Office of the Attorney General will be utilising the Law Revision Commission, established under the Inter-American Development Bank Modernisation of Justice Administration Project, to correct the various omissions in the Revised Laws of Guyana.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – NATO’s top military commander said yesterday that Russia appeared to be following some of the same “hybrid warfare” script in dealing with the former Soviet republic of Moldova that it used before annexing Crimea and intervening in eastern Ukraine.

Dear Editor, Even as I seek to refrain from having to respond to the seemingly endless criticism surrounding the Guyana Football Federation and its incumbent President Mr Christopher Matthias, I now feel compelled to respond because much of the criticism borders on a misrepresentation of the facts as these relate to football and its development and what has occurred over the years.

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff is running almost even with her main rival, Marina Silva, in a likely second-round runoff in the October presidential election, a poll published yesterday showed.

Reinforcement of the Mosquito Hall seawall with the use of giant boulders on Saturday.

After being found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm on another man, a 26-year-old man was yesterday jailed for 9 months by Magistrate Sunil Scarce.

Neat fit! Transporting a gas cylinder in a baby stroller at Buxton East Coast Demerara on Saturday.

SYDNEY/SUVA (Reuters) – When voters in Fiji head to the polls tomorrow for the first time in eight years, they will be voting not only for a leader, but also testing the success of one of their military junta’s key justifications: ending a history of ethnic conflict.

Dear Editor, This has relevance to your editorial (Sept 12) and news report (Sept 9) on the Scottish vote for independence from the United Kingdom.

NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The debut of a livery car service providing women drivers for female passengers in the New York City area has stalled over lack of a sufficient number of drivers, the founder of the service said yesterday.

West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons stroked an unbeaten half-century to lift Mumbai Indians to a convincing nine-wicket win over Southern Express on Sunday, and keep alive the Indian Premier League giants’ hopes of a spot in the main draw of the Champions League Twenty20.

It is easy to understand why Education Minister Priya Manickchand would not want the media to dwell on the fact that a survey conducted by her ministry indicates that just 32 per cent of our children between Grades One and Six are reading at their respective grade levels.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Jamaican authorities have blocked the importation of electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes with liquid cartridges or replacement liquid cartridges.

LONDON (Reuters) – British lawmakers say the government is doing a worse job of reducing air pollution, preventing flooding and protecting wildlife than it was four years ago, according to a report published today.

By Peter Sutherland LONDON – On both sides of the Atlantic, anti-immigrant politics are undermining democracies and damaging lives.

A taxi driver was remanded to prison yesterday on a charge that he was one of the two men who invaded a woman’s home and robbed her at gun-point.

Keeping the cool: This man was tasked with stabilizing a refrigerator being transported at the back of a pick-up truck at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara on Saturday.

Dear Editor, When the Scots go to the polls in two days time’ to decide whether to become independent from the UK, one of the deciding factors could be energy.