Daily Archive: Friday, October 31, 2014

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The West Indies Cricket Board will have to cough up nearly US$42 million in order to stave off a lawsuit from the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI), stemming from the abandoned tour of India earlier this month.

MOJAVE, Calif., (Reuters) – A suborbital passenger spaceship being developed by Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic company crashed during a test flight today near the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, killing one pilot and seriously injuring the other, officials said.

Amid a raging row over who has the authority to convene Parliament, the Speaker  today said that the Mace, the symbol of the authority of the office of the speaker was stolen but the Clerk later said that it had been taken for cleaning and would be returned shortly.

The body of the late Navin Chandarpal will depart Memorial Gardens and Crematorium (Le Repentir Cemetery) Sunday (an earlier version of this news item had listed the day as Saturday) at 8:45 hrs for Freedom House (Robb Street, Georgetown) where a Memorial Service will be held between 09:00 and 09:30 hrs, a press release from the family today said.

The police say they are investigating a fatal accident that occurred at about 0530h.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall should resign or be removed over the statements he made in a conversation with a Kaieteur News (KN) reporter, the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) and the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) said in a joint statement this morning.

(Trinidad Express) Guyana-born attorney Odai Ramischand was yesterday housebound, but “not intimidated”, following an attempt on his life in the car park of a supermarket near his Maracas, St Joseph home.

A Canadian company has bought the historic Hotel Tower on Main Street in a US$8M deal and yesterday announced plans for rebranding even as the Ministry of Labour initiated legal action to get the previous owners to pay the over $5M owed to workers.

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – The feuding parties in the ongoing West Indies cricket dispute will meet in in Trinidad today, in another effort to resolve the bitter impasse.

Skipper Vishaul Singh stroked a match-winning century while Vice-Captain Steven Jacobs chipped in with a defiant half-century, remarkably piloting their team to a massive come-from-behind two-wicket win over the Leon Johnson-led XI.

MONACO, CMC– Jamaican discus thrower Traves Smikle has been suspended for two years for using a banned substance, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), has announced.

Kaieteur News publisher Glenn Lall has voiced doubts about the investigation of alleged threats to him and the newspaper’s staff by Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, while the police force yesterday announced that it had been trying without success to interview him about his complaint.

LONDON, CMC- Former West Indies head coach Ottis Gibson has been appointed as a bowling coach for England on a temporary basis.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC- Salvaging West Indies’ next scheduled tour – to South Africa – would be the first priority at next week’s board meeting of the Internal Cricket Council (ICC), top cricket official Wally Edwards has said.

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan has called the Clerk of the National Assembly’s refusal to convene Parliament as requested by the Speaker an act of insubordination.

Items recovered from the home of Gregory Smith, the main suspect in Dr Walter Rodney’s bomb blast death, were capable of detonating explosive devices.

WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Aggressive top-order batsman Jesse Ryder was passionate about rekindling his international career after he was thrown a World Cup lifeline by being named in a New Zealand ‘A’ team for one-day matches in the United Arab Emirates next month.

(Trinidad Express) Ramnaresh Sarwan has arrived in Trinidad and Tobago and will get a workout this weekend in T&T Cricket Board three-day practice match bowling off today at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva from 10 a.m.

Cyon ‘Picture Boy’ Collier was yesterday found not guilty of the murder of Chandrapaul Persaud, who was shot to death in an armed robbery at Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, in 2006.

President Donald Ramotar yesterday met diplomats, security, aviation, medical and private sector officials, umbrella religious groups, non-governmental organisations and trade union bodies to discuss Guyana’s preparedness for any possible Ebola outbreak.

Golden Jaguars Head Coach Denzil Thompson is thrilled to incorporate the new techniques and skills he learnt when he participated in the premier ‘FIFA’s Fitness Programme in Football- the first regional course in CONCACAF’ which was held in Fort Lauderdale, USA earlier this month.

The Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Stag Beer Futsal tournament will officially kick off tomorrow at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Mandela Avenue with eighth fixtures.

Indigenous leaders have been urged to be accountable and remain committed to their responsibilities in the face of continuing challenges.

Jermaine Carroll, who is accused of causing the death of six-year-old Joseph Quallis by dangerous driving, was yesterday fined $50,000 after pleading guilty to driving the car accused of hitting the child down while it was uninsured.

The fourth edition of the Guyana Softball Cup was officially declared open last night by the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), Bourda.

Almost a year after President Donald Ramotar launched the US$5 million Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) Micro and Small Enterprise Development and Building Alternative Livelihoods for Vulnerable groups (MSE) Project, funding has now been cleared for beneficiaries under both the loan and grant components.

Defending first division champs Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) overcame Old Fort 5-4 to register their win in the GT&T National Indoor Championships on Wednesday at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

Industry pressures arising out of what is now a pattern of falling gold prices is threatening to create further differences between privately run small and medium-scale gold mining operations and the state-run oversight body, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.

Through the sponsorship of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), the Golden Arrowhead will be represented in nine disciplines at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Veracruz, Mexico from November 14-30.

A taxi driver is now hospitalised after he was injured during an accident on Wednesday involving a Ministry of Agriculture vehicle.

Cecil Adolphus, 17, broke both his neck and his spine in the accident that claimed his life last week, according to an autopsy.

OUAGADOUGOU, (Reuters) – Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaore said yesterday he would stay in power at the head of a transitional government until after elections, rejecting opposition calls for him to step down immediately following a day of violent protests.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 587’s trading results showed consideration of $898,243 from 37,000 shares traded in 13 transactions as compared to session 586’s trading results, which showed consideration of $564,267 from 19,100 shares traded in 8 transactions.

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – India’s universal health plan that aims to offer guaranteed benefits to a sixth of the world’s population will cost an estimated 1.6 trillion rupees ($26 billion) over the next four years, a senior health ministry official said.

Shanella Webster is one of four players who excelled at the Lusignan Golf Course (LGC) on Saturday, exactly a week before the commencement of the Guyana Open International Golf Tournament.

Two 2014-model Kia Rio sedans are among the prizes up for grabs in the Guyana Lottery Company’s new $38M “Best of the Best” Promotion.

Last Saturday the Guyana Marketing Corporation took advantage of the fine weekend weather and the convenience of the Main Street Avenue to stage yet another street fair in collaboration with small enterprises in the art and craft and agro processing sector.

Dear Editor, Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Isaacs, continues to operate in excess of his powers in blocking the convening of the National Assembly.

SEOUL (Reuters) – As South Korea’s population rapidly ages, makers of consumer goods from washing machines to packaged foods and pet products are increasingly targeting people like Lee Dong-soo, who is 34 and lives alone with his cat.

A vagrant, accused in the theft of a rabbit and a bicycle, was remanded to prison yesterday after he could not produce a fixed place of abode to a city court.

Dear Editor, I noted in your newspaper, an article published on October 27, 2014 captioned `GRA Head says bought salvaged Prado at auction’, for which a similar article was previously carried by another newspaper captioned `Auditor General should investigate Sattaur’s vehicle…GRA boss imports Prado for $1.5M’.

Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) second division and under-13 competitions will continue this weekend with 11 matches scheduled for venues around the city.

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – The Swedish government officially recognised the state of Palestine on Thursday and said there were signs European Union states would follow its lead.

(Barbados Nation) – People travelling along the ABC Highway can now see the advertising signs at night, thanks to solar electricity.

(Reuters) – Younus Khan’s prolific bat continued to torment Australia as he struck his third successive test hundred to put Pakistan in a commanding position on day one of the second and final test yesterday.

BEIJING, (Reuters) – China says it has captured 180 people suspected of committing economic crimes as part of an aggressive anti-corruption campaign targeting suspects who have fled abroad, state news agency Xinhua reported.

A welder, accused of stealing a gold chain during a hold-up, was remanded to prison by Magistrate Judy Latchman after she was told that he allegedly threatened to cripple the victim.

Dear Editor, I am privy to some encouraging stories, as shared by citizens recently, on a common experience that originated from a rather surprising source.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, (Reuters) – The San Francisco Giants beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday behind a stunning performance by Madison Bumgarner to win their third World Series title in five seasons.

(Trinidad Express) Carnival 2015 is on. Both Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism Dr Lincoln Douglas and National Security Minister Gary Griffith said on Wednesday there were no plans to cancel or postpone Carnival celebrations 2015 despite the threat of Ebola.

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – Ukraine, Russia and the European Union signed a deal yesterday that will see Moscow resume vital supplies of gas to its ex-Soviet neighbour over the winter in return for payments funded in part by Kiev’s Western creditors.

Over the weekend, the Omni Auditorium at Broward College, Broward County, Florida will host one of the single largest creative contingents ever to travel from Guyana to the United States.

Dear Editor, Very few people can put up with folks who think the world about themselves and very little-if any of others; folks who foolishly think the world spins for them alone.

The Houston Community once again, after more than three decades, has the benefit of a useable community centre ground thanks to the combined efforts of the PPP/C government, the private sector and the residents of the community, a release from the community said.

BOGOTA, (Reuters) – A Colombian environmental charity will launch a carbon trading platform in mid-2015 to companies at home and abroad seeking to voluntarily offset emissions, it said on Thursday, as projects in the Andean nation to cut greenhouse gases intensify.

Dear Editor, To Cde Indra, the children and the rest of the family, we the close comrades and friends of Navin express our collective deep grief and sense of loss by celebrating the life of this extraordinary human being, Cde Navin Chandarpal.

After we had finished speaking with Juliana Hughes on Monday she had to ready herself to travel to Florida the next day to participate in the Guyana Trade, Tourism and Investment Expo 2014.

PARIS, (Reuters) – Briton Andy Murray continued his recent resurgence when he qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals by reaching the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters with a 6-3 6-3 win against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov yesterday.

(Reuters) – Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook yesterday became the most prominent American corporate leader to come out as gay, saying he was trading his closely guarded privacy for the chance to help move civil rights forward.

Two gunmen escaped after stealing over $50,000 from Bettencourt’s Diner on D’urban Street last night.

VAUGHAN, Ontario, (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper unveiled C$26.76 billion ($23.89 billion) in family tax cuts and benefits over six years on Thursday, which will start flowing to voters over the coming year as the country gears up for an election next October.

The report `Police’s failure to arrest Gregory Smith was improper, says Crime Chief’ published in our October 23 daily, erroneously stated that PNCR attorney Basil Williams walked out of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry.

Contrary to the report by Tony Cozier, on Wednesday, of an “official forecast that the storm clouds hanging over West Indies cricket are beginning to lift,” based on a joint statement issued by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and representatives of the West Indies team, following Sunday’s emergency meeting in Jamaica, we are not that sanguine about the prospects of clear skies ahead.

Dear Editor, I am not an attorney, a constitutional expert, a politician or a current or former member of the National Assembly and therefore do not seek to pronounce on matters of the Assembly.

The decision to use this column to address the GRIF-funded US$5 million LCDS Micro and Small Enterprise Development and Building Alternative Livelihoods for Vulnerable groups (MSE) Project was taken two evenings ago and only after the Editor of the Stabroek Business had told the writer that this week’s issue of the newspaper would contain some revelations on the project.

All Smiles! Guyana and the region’s CSEC top student, Elisa Hamilton receiving her award from the Ministry of Education from President Donald Ramotar at the National Cultural Centre yesterday.

(Jamaica Observer) KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Supreme Court has ordered journalist Cliff Hughes to pay former Prime Minister PJ Patterson J$12.5 million in damages resulting from defamation to his character.

Many would appreciate that I often endeavour to “try something a little different “when numerous other contributors zoom in on the socio–political, socio– economic or hot current issues of the day.

Business Cartoons

For the past several weeks, I have been seeing pink fabric wrapped around the trees on Camp Street.

Politikles

Earlier this week a sizeable group of Guyanese travelled to Florida to participate in an event that puts on display a range of fashion clothing, craft and agro-processed foods to promote Guyana and locally produced goods to the international community, more particularly in North America.

PARIS, (Reuters) – Injured Formula One driver Jules Bianchi remains in a critical but stable condition, the Frenchman’s family said on Thursday.

President Donald Ramotar chats with a group of Amerindian Leaders at a reception hosted yesterday by the Head of State at State House.

The four students who topped the region at this year CSEC exams.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – An Indian director is hoping her new film will throw a spotlight on gay rights in a country where homosexuality remains taboo and little progress has been made on repealing a colonial-era law banning gay sex.