Daily Archive: Friday, February 20, 2015

A teacher and six students of the Augsburg Primary School died by apparent drowning earlier this afternoon after the vehicle they were travelling in ended up in a trench at Burma Road, Mahaicony.

President Donald Ramotar today announced that former President Bharrat Jagdeo will chair a new National Economic Council (NEC) to accelerate the modernization agenda and also help with the preparation of the PPP/C manifesto.

The police say that investigations are being conducted into the circumstances surrounding the death of pensioner Surspattie Singh, 74 years, of Henrietta Village, Essequibo Coast, whose body was found in her home at about 0730h.

At about 2330h. last night, the police say that two men armed with a handgun and a cutlass entered a mining camp at Cassawini Backdam, Barima River, NWD, and held up Randradin, 57 years, of Port Kaituma, NWD, and Aaron Ramkarran, 37 years, of Johanna Cecelia, Essequibo Coast, and demanded gold.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Former West Indies Players’ Association president (WIPA) Dinanath Ramnarine says opener Chris Gayle has received a “discipline letter” from the West Indies management staff.

WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Tim Southee produced a brilliant spell of swing bowling for career-best figures of 7-33 before Brendon McCullum plundered an 18-ball half-century as New Zealand destroyed England by eight wickets in their World Cup Pool A match today.

Miners yesterday slated the government for not keeping promises made to support the sector saying that the authorities are only playing politics while disseminating “false information” about concessions given to miners.

Airmax Vulcanizing shop owner Randolph Singh had returned to Guyana from New York a few days prior to his death to recover from an illness and according to persons close to him his execution has come as a shock as he had no known enemies.

The APNU and AFC coalition has chosen to use both symbols from the two forces for the upcoming May 11th general elections and were up to late last night ironing out agreements pertaining to the name they will use for the campaign.

Maintaining that the record of his testimony during his magistrate’s court trial for possession of explosives was flawed, Donald Rodney yesterday showed investigators the scene of the explosion which killed his brother Dr Walter Rodney on June 13, 1980.

Logging company Vaitarna Holdings Private Inc (VHPI) on Wednesday advertised for sawmill operators indicating that it was close to setting up a sawmill.

DNA testing found a near perfect match in the biological samples which police said they extracted from the body suspected to be that of murdered teen Neesa Gopaul and her mother, Bibi Sharima-Gopaul.

Kitty is now reeking due to the decomposition of the 30-tonne sperm whale that washed ashore there last December.

A proposed visit by President Donald Ramotar to Mocomoco in Region 9 was denied by the village after residents were given just over a day’s notice.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Former West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons is to be appointed the new head coach of the embattled Caribbean side, and is set to take over following the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Local drug agents are in contact with their counterparts in Brazil following the discovery of a large quantity of marijuana and the arrest of four persons including two Guyanese nationals in the neighbouring country, CANU Head James Singh has confirmed.

Number three-ranked Colts got their campaign off to the perfect start, crushing Linden unit Bankers Trust Falcons 98-68 when the second annual Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) ‘Road to Mecca’ National Club Championship continued on Wednesday.

Bidders who did not prequalify to supply drugs to the health sector for 2014 to 2016 have been formally notified, according to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Leslie Cadogan.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has lamented the problems it faces trying to ease the traffic congestion around its Camp Street HQ and said the situation has been compounded by the unwillingness of members of the public to pay a fee and employees disregarding a lot set aside for them and parking on the streets and parapets.

Dear Editor, The present impasse at UG has it’s genesis in the consistent failure of the current government to address problems that have existed before, or that have emerged since 1993.

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, CMC- Two teams, considered highly unpredictable and dangerous, West Indies and Pakistan, clash in a potential cliffhanger in the 10th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup here at the Hagley Oval this evening local time.

Dear Editor, Representatives from the United Minibus Union including Mr. Eon Andrews, the union’s President, met with a team from the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, headed by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Derrick Cummings to discuss fares and other minibus transportation related matters.

A hire car driver of Linden was yesterday refused bail when he appeared in a city court charged with stealing over $7M worth of items.

Dear Editor, Attorney General Anil Nandlall has regaled the media with a verbose statement on the decision by acting Chief Justice Ian Chang in the case brought by opposition leader David Granger challenging the legality of the spending of $4.6 billion and programmes expressly disapproved by the National Assembly during the 2014 budget debate.

High tides last evening resulted in water flowing several inches across the road at St.

A cobra is at its most dangerous when provoked and backed into a corner.

Dear Editor, I must confess that I find it very challenging to respond to a letter authored by former Assistant Chief Labour Officer, Mr D Sookdeo (‘Ministry of Labour should avoid a perception of bias in disputes,’ SN, February 17).

Half-centuries from Man-of-the-Match Junior Sinclair and Brandon Mangal helped pilot Berbice to a 83-run win over the GCB President’s XI in yesterday’s third round of the ongoing U15 Inter-County 50 over tournament.

Newly-appointed Non- Resident Ambassador of Uruguay, Ana Maria Bombau Zappettini, presented her Letters of Credence to President Donald Ramotar yesterday, and vowed to continue the good relationship that exists between the two governments, GINA said.

Deputy Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase-Green has moved to the High Court in an effort to block the acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba from administering the rental of spots for vendors along the route for the annual Mashramani Day parade.

Dear Editor, It is with a great deal of sadness that I read in your Saturday edition of the passing of veteran trade unionist Leslie Melville in the USA.

Dear Editor, For the past few days I was bombarded with queries concerning a news item on television in Linden, where it was said that I told a government minister at a public meeting that Kwakwani had no problems.

Fruta Conquerors FC’s inaugural Massy United Insurance Company sponsored U-15 League will feature 12 Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) clubs, the Tucville unit said yesterday at the official launch held at the GFF boardroom in Section-K Campbellville.

A minibus conductor was yesterday imprisoned for four months after he admitted to stabbing another man after a row about a man touching his buttocks.

A sharper focus on value-added production and discussions with stakeholders on the formulation of a new log export policy are amongst the priorities for the forestry sector identified in the five-year (2015-2020) – strategic plan promulgated by the Forest Products Development and Marketing Council of Guyana (FPDMC).

HAVANA, (Reuters) – Nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives met Cuban Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel yesterday, marking the first time Cuba’s heir apparent to power has received an American delegation.

Dear Editor, I have tried my utmost to refrain from writing since I wanted others to take up the mantle and expound on the many ills that are facing the citizens of this nation.

It will take some time for the full impact of the closure of its Caribbean operations by the American cosmetics giant Avon to be felt in the Guyana economy, but amongst the vendors, mostly women, who have, for years, sold the company’s cosmetics goods from their living rooms, in small makeshift stores and even from pavements, the end of Avon’s operations in Guyana appears to have brought with it a sense of shock and bewilderment.

A family of five lost their home of 15 years on Wednesday morning after it was engulfed by flames in a fire that is suspected to be of electrical origin at Port Mourant, Corentyne.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama yesterday urged countries to tackle violent Islamist militancy around the world and rejected as “an ugly lie” suggestions that the West was at war with Islam and embroiled in a clash of civilizations.

Following two weeks of inactivity, the 2015 cycling season continues tomorrow at the National Park with an 11-race programme.

Slingerz FC and Western Tigers will contest the finale of the Mayor’s Cup Knockout tourney following semi-final wins over Pele and Fruta Conquerors respectively on Wednesday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground, Bourda.

  LONDON, (Reuters) – Senior Western officials accused Russia on Thursday of redrawing the map of Europe by force and posing a threat to the Baltic states.

By Dale Beresford It comes as no surprise to me that in the wake of three serious workplace accidents in coastal Guyana in about three weeks neither the Ministry of Labour, the private sector nor the trade union movement have issued a substantive statement on these accidents.

(Jamaica Gleaner) A senior official at the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) is among more than 70 public-sector employees expected to be hauled before the court in a fresh crackdown by the Corruption Prevention Commission (CPC) on public servants accused ignoring their responsibility to file statutory declarations on time.

Dear Editor, It was in the early 1980s after the assassination of Dr Walter Rodney during the Burnhamite dictatorship that the PPP was debating whether to confront or have dialogue with the ruling PNC.

The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) recently completed the resurfacing of the main access road and Third Street at Granny Field, Cane Grove, Mahaica.

Dear Editor, Guyana remains unprotected from movements in the oil price as a result of our policy-makers failing to successfully diversify our energy sources over the last 50 years.

Haibing Zhou, who admitted to entering Guyana illegally, was yesterday fined and ordered deported.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC– Coach of the struggling Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Gus Logie, is to be called into a meeting with the country’s cricket authorities to discuss their participation in the current WICB Professional League.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – School districts in 14 New York counties have agreed to stop inquiring about the immigration status of prospective students and their guardians, the state attorney general said yesterday.

LIMA, (Reuters) – Two Peruvian naval officers are on trial on charges that they spied for Chile, Peru’s defense minister said yesterday, chilling relations between the two Andean countries that had been improving diplomatic ties.

Given its focus on targeting poor families in coastal and rural communities seeking to secure sustainable livelihoods, the Partners of the Americas shade house farming initiative has attracted considerable attention across the country.

More sandbags would have been needed to keep the Atlantic Ocean out during the high tide yesterday afternoon.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 603’s trading results showed consideration of $4,327,173 from 58,745 shares traded in 27 transactions as compared to session 602’s trading results, which showed consideration of $4,552,359 from 147,915 shares traded in 21 transactions.

Debris was washed over the seawall from yesterday’s high tide.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan security officials yesterday arrested Caracas metropolitan mayor Antonio Ledezma, an opposition leader and fierce critic of President Nicolas Maduro, witnesses told local media.

(Reuters) – Sean Williams ensured Zimbabwe would not become the first top tier side to lose to United Arab Emirates when his counter-attacking half century secured a four-wicket victory in their World Cup clash in Nelson on Thursday.

Dear Editor, Permit me to showcase another NCN broadcaster with a purpose to entertain, educate and inform the Guyanese listening public.

ATHENS/BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – Germany rejected a Greek proposal for a six-month extension to its euro zone loan agreement yesterday, saying it was “not a substantial solution” because it did not commit Athens to stick to the conditions of its international bailout.

There were some revealing stories to be told this week by persons, mostly women, involved in the marketing of Avon products here in Guyana following the announcement by the American company that it was closing its distribution operations in sixteen Caribbean countries, including Guyana.

SAN SALVADOR, (Reuters) – El Salvador’s government yesterday returned 14 leaders of the country’s main street gangs to a maximum security prison in an attempt to curb murders of police officers after a truce between two rival criminal groups began to unravel.

Politikles

Water Street outside the City Constabulary Training Complex was flooded by yesterday’s high tide.

Dear Editor, The recent advances in information technology are becoming central to the process of socio-economic development in many countries worldwide.

Gold Prices for the three day period ending Thursday February 19, 2015

-Are Banks allowed to be naughty?I spared myself a day or two before finally deciding that I would dare offer a reminder–comment to the populace, generally, and to African-descended Guyanese specifically that February is usually deemed African History Month.

Business Cartoons

Few of the hundreds of local small producers in the food, drink and condiments subsectors turned up at last month’s seminar on packaging and labelling, though they needed to be there if they were to become aware of just how far away they are from realizing their dreams of lucrative overseas markets.

Following the St Kitts and Nevis general election on Monday, conducted in an atmosphere of calm, with a high voter turnout, Tuesday was a day of extreme post-electoral uncertainty and tension in the twin-island federation.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Businessman Cornelius Robinson has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 14-year-old Westmoreland schoolgirl Sontoya Campbell.

Roraima Airways CEO delivering a lecture at a careers guidance session at the School of Nations earlier this week.