Daily Archive: Thursday, January 8, 2015

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa conceded defeat to his opposition challenger last night after a presidential election, ending a decade of rule that critics say had become increasingly authoritarian and marred by nepotism and corruption.

The United Kingdom today maintained pressure on the Ramotar administration to recall Parliament saying it was concerned at its continuing suspension.

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged today $250 billion in investment in Latin America over the next 10 years as part of a drive to boost resource-hungry China’s influence in a region long dominated by the United States.

More than a month after Aishalton schoolteacher John Adams said that he was slapped by presidential guards during a public meeting with President Donald Ramotar, the Aishalton Village Council has acknowledged that the incident took place.

Even though the government has accepted that general elections have to be held soon it continues to spend big, announcing the clearing of $876m in contracts including $235.9 million for the construction of a maternity ward at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

A Bartica miner was stabbed to death in a mining camp at Arimu Backdam, Cuyuni River on Tuesday night.

The Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) is currently engaged in a “crucial” fingerprint cross-matching exercise of its existing National Register of Registrants (NRR) and new applicants, as it prepares to produce the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE).

President Donald Ramotar is to deliver an address to the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conference today in India after which he is expected

Nine-year-old Javier Anderson who was diagnosed with cancer last year, but remained positive throughout, died around 13:00 hrs on Tuesday at the Georgetown Public Hospital Paediatric Ward with his mother by his side.

A 19-year-old Mahdia resident was yesterday remanded to prison over the New Year’s Day murder of Mahdia miner Andre Britton who, before being stabbed to death, had upbraided some young men for throwing firecrackers into his yard.

The man accused of killing 41-year-old Seibert Moore after an altercation was yesterday remanded to prison after being arraigned with the capital offence at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Trinidadian firm, Agostini’s Limited has acquired a 40 % stake in local distribution company DeSinco Limited.

The captain and two crew members of the MV Delta Dies, bauxite ship which was busted with some 192.4 kilos of cocaine remained in custody yesterday as authorities continue to investigate the huge find.

A car which was being driven by a policeman burst into flames yesterday morning after it encountered mechanical and electrical failure while being driven along Home-stretch Avenue.

Relatives of Ryan Couchman, the robber who was fatally shot by a policeman in plainclothes on Sunday night at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD), are disappointed with the police response to their queries and believe that there is more to his death which is being left unsaid.

Arguments began yesterday in the High Court in the matter of the Conservatory Order sought by APNU to put a stop to any “unauthorized and illegal spending” by the government until a hearing of the substantive action.

Half centuries from Royston Crandon and Captain Chris Barnwell along with a scorching 44 from Steven Jacobs backed up by some lethal bowling, enabled the Guyana Jaguars to thump Vishaul Singh’s XI by 106 runs in the first of two 50-overs-a-side practice matches played at the Everest Cricket Club Ground yesterday.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment has established a Wildlife Management Steering Committee to support enforcement of the regulations against the illegal hunting and trading of wildlife.

Guyanese businessman Ed Ahmad, who pleaded guilty to criminal charges in a US court and is awaiting sentencing, has begun making forfeiture payments as ordered by the court last month with the deposit of US$28,662 into the Seized Asset Deposit Fund.

St. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC– West Indies Under-19s head coach, Graeme West, says their participation in the NAGICO Super 50 tournament is part of a long-term build-up for the next ICC Under-19 World Cup next year.

A platoon of GDF Special Forces was flown into Mahdia from Timehri yesterday to join the ground search for the missing Britten Norman Islander that lost communication with Air Traffic Controllers on December 28, 2014, a release from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority said last evening.

A Beterverwagting (BV) man who has been in and out of the courts since 2008 was yesterday remanded to prison after he was charged with three counts of armed robbery and refusing to cooperate with the police.

WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Off-spinner Mark Craig helped New Zealand complete a remarkable turnaround in the second test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday as the hosts surged to a 193-run victory, and 2-0 series sweep, at the Basin Reserve.

For the past three weeks, residents and vendors of Charity, Pomeroon have been subjected to a pungent, growing pile of garbage just a few steps away from the busiest part of the village.

Fast work by the ‘B’ Division police led to the arrest of a couple who are suspects in the robbery of a vegetable vendor which occurred yesterday morning at Adventure, Corentyne.

(Reuters) – The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Russian center Timofey Mozgov in a trade with the Denver Nuggets, the National Basketball Association teams said yesterday.

BARCELONA, (Reuters) – A subdued Fernando Torres helped Atletico Madrid to a 2-0 win over local rivals Real in the first leg of their King’s Cup last-16 tie yesterday in his first start since his return to his boyhood club.

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is urging the PPP administration to fill other constitutional posts so that citizens can exercise their rights, while applauding the recently appointed Ombudsman, former High Court Judge Winston Moore for his rulings.

Two friends were yesterday remanded to prison after they appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry charged with robbing another of a quantity of valuables and cash.

Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) President Collis Gifth said he feels his association was marginalized as no player under the entity’s umbrella was selected for Guyana’s upcoming international engagement against Barbados.

An 18-year-old man was yesterday refused bail when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry accused of unlawfully wounding another on New Year’s Day.

One of the country’s top dominoes player and organizer Lyall Gittens will this Sunday stage a dominoes competition with over $350,000 at stake.

Arrest warrants have been issued for four men who were charged with driving under the influence of alcohol but failed to appear in court.

Dear Editor, Let me first thank Mr. Devanand Bhagwan for bringing to management’s attention his encounter/experience at CJIA’s Departure security screening point on December 24, 2014 in the letter in SN of January 7, 2014 headed `Lapse in security at CJ International’.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Fast bowler Sohail Khan earned a surprise recall to the Pakistan squad for the World Cup while selectors omitted senior players Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal from their final 15-member list on Wednesday.

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Sri Lanka have included pace spearhead Lasith Malinga in their 15-man squad for the Cricket World Cup despite concerns over his fitness after ankle surgery, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.

A Jamaican national who allegedly tried to leave Guyana with a quantity of cocaine through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri was yesterday charged in a city court.

Dear Editor, My attention has been drawn to a report in the press, that I have “ruled” that Mr Freddie Kissoon has been wrongfully dismissed by the Council of the University of Guyana and that I recommended that Mr Kissoon be compensated.

(The Sports Xchange) – – -A 16-4 run spanning the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters was the difference for the Phoenix Suns, who opened a four-game road trip with a 102-96 win over Milwaukee.

Dear Editor, During my last visit to Guyana in August of 2014, I was confronted by several persons who told me that they were very much aware that I had a lot to say about what is happening on the social and political front of our nation.

By Jeff Trotman   Vendors of the Mackenzie Municipal Market have been commended for their vigilance in stopping worm infested wood from being used in the recent $11M rehabilitation of the market.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC- Two former Barbados captains have been named in a 14 man squad to defend their title in the NAGICO Super 50 tournament which will be played from next week Thursday in Trinidad and Tobago.

On January 11, at 1.00 pm, New York-based, Guyanese-born Muslim scholar Shaikh Safraz Bacchus will feature in a programme celebrating Youman Nabi at the Anna Catherina Islamic Complex on the West Coast of Demerara.

Dear Editor, I refer to a very misleading letter in the Stabroek News of 6th January, 2014 written by Mr.

Dear Editor, The anguish I experienced was so profound that it is almost indescribable on reading the second paragraph of your editorial, captioned aptly ‘Unfamiliar boundaries,’ and dated December 14, 2014.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Steve Smith completed his fourth century in as many matches yesterday as Australia compiled a daunting first innings total in the final test against India.

PARIS/REIMS, (Reuters) – Police are hunting three French nationals, including two brothers from the Paris region, after suspected Islamist gunmen killed 12 people at a satirical magazine yesterday, a police official and government source said.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Australia stand-in captain Steven Smith has called on his bowlers to be patient on the benign surface at the Sydney Cricket Ground after completing his fourth test century in as many matches against India yesterday.

Dear Editor, I write to congratulate President Donald Rabindranauth Ramotar on his invitation as the Chief Guest at this year’s 13th Annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Global Indian Conference).

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has urged voters to back “the devil they know,” and hand him a third term when they go to the polls on Thursday, rather than an “unknown angel” who promises to root out corruption and political decay.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Despite a series of interventions by local authorities, Jamaicans, including students, applying for visas to enter the United Kingdom are likely to be barred by a Home Office visa clampdown in the United Kingdom.

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Former Indian minister and former United Nations diplomat Shashi Tharoor may be questioned by Delhi police after they opened a murder investigation against “unknown persons” following the death of his glamorous wife.

RABAT, (Reuters) – Morocco’s king has sacked the country’s sports minister after heavy rain flooded a soccer stadium and disrupted a Club World Cup quarter final, state media reported  yesterday.

Dear Editor, I am 82 years old and have been a resident of Region Eight for over sixty years now.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – A White House official yesterday denied that the Cuban government was resisting freeing some of the 53 people listed for release as part of a thaw in U.S.-Cuba

Introduction: Stabroek News has invited the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change to submit a weekly column on governance and related matters.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Scientists have discovered a new antibiotic, teixobactin, that can kill serious infections in mice without encountering any detectable resistance, offering a potential new way to get ahead of dangerous evolving superbugs.

HARARE, (Reuters) – Zimbabwe have recalled several players to their squad for next month’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand marking major changes from the list for the Bangladesh series in November.

One need not wait for the Guyana Police Force’s dissemination of its annual statistics to come to the conclusion that 2014 was a tragic and bloody one for many road users.

Dear Editor, In the November 15-21, 2014 edition of The Economist magazine an article was published on Guyana on page forty-four.