Daily Archive: Friday, April 10, 2015

Human Services and Social Security Minister Dr Jennifer Webster has tendered her resignation to President Donald Ramotar due to health reasons.

(Trinidad Express) Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has said she is very concerned about the threat of terrorism, not only for her country, but for the entire Caribbean region.

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has dismissed an application by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) to raise domestic rates for some of its services and may consider an investigation of the company’s asset base due to suspicions that it may be inflated.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Former Australia captain Richie Benaud, the celebrated ‘voice of cricket’ in the commentary box, has died at the age of 84 after battling skin cancer.

A lorry transporting 59 cane harvesters toppled into a sideline drain yesterday at Albion, Corentyne, leaving nine of them hospitalized.

Ballers secured the first win in the opening group night of the inaugural Guyana Beverage Company Busta Football championship, defeating Durban Street by a 6-5 score line last evening at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground.

The national 15s rugby squad will wing out to Trinidad and Tobago today on a quest to exact revenge and retain the NACRA 15s Southern Zone title.

A judge has denied a request by Guyanese pilot Khamraj Lall to lift imposed travel restrictions to allow him to accompany his teenage son on a five-month long race car championship series in the United States, although he will be allowed to attend two race events in New Jersey, where he has been confined.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Sir Curtly Ambrose, the Antigua and West Indies fast bowling icon, will launch his autobiography in his homeland, this weekend.

Kevon Critchlow, the father of the infant who died a day after being vaccinated at the Plaisance Health Centre (PHC), was yesterday charged with storming the facility with members of a funeral procession and threatening two nurses.

Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Dr Steve Surujbally has welcomed the Electoral Assistance Bureau’s (EAB) planned test of the Revised Voters List stating that Gecom is ready to assist the process.

(Cricinfo) Chennai Super Kings’ best discipline backfired. Their famed blueprint – keeping wickets in hand to tuck into the final five overs – was foiled.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Devendra Bishoo announced himself ready to play in next week’s opening Test match against England with a six-wicket haul on the opening day of the West Indies two-day warm-up match here Wednesday.

Director of the Imam Bacchus & Sons conglomerate Samad Baksh on Wednesday said that his company has come under attack since he mounted the APNU+AFC platform last Saturday at Anna Regina.

Shakir Mohamed, who is on trial for the murder of Shewraney Doobay, showed investigators where to recover a claw hammer that was believed to have been used in the fatal attack, a police witness testified yesterday.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Test captain Denesh Ramdin believes the ongoing camp in preparation for the England series will be a huge benefit for the fringe players involved in the set up.

“Everything in Guyana closes early,” says Giftland President Roy Beepat. And, on holidays, he asks, “How many times can you go to the creek?”

Dear Editor, I ask your readers to consider the definition of nepotism (one element of corruption) which includes ‘the practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives and friends.’  

Andrew Ridley walked out of a city courtroom with a brilliant smile yesterday after he was found not guilty of two charges of armed robbery.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Arsenal are still playing catch-up to Chelsea but the in-from Gunners will be ready to pounce if the leaders suffer from some end of season yips, manager Arsene Wenger said yesterday.

(Reuters) – More than just prize money and medals will be in the offering in two of the most popular relays at next month’s IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas.

By today, a revised Code of Conduct for political parties will be disseminated and hopefully, by mid next week, the parties will sign on to it, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Dr Steve Surujbally says.

Dear Editor, In my humble opinion, the chances of the APNU+AFC coalition winning the next election will be enhanced if presidential candidate Brigadier (rtd) David Granger can erase the haunting spectre of LFS Burnham, lurking in the background.

The police say they are investigating a report of alleged fraud at the Deeds Registry and the Supreme Court Registry, Crime Chief Leslie James disclosed yesterday.

A team effort by Demerara gave the host a lead of 35 runs at the end of the second day of their opening fixture against Essequibo in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-19 inter-county fixture.

Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang on Wednesday made a new order debarring the government from any disbursement of funds secured from two recent Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loans until a further order by the court.

  Dear Editor, In a preview to its manifesto pledges for the upcoming general and regional elections, the PPP stated in relation to governance and more particularly local democracy, inter alia, the following: “We remain committed to inclusive and participatory governance … We are committed to holding as early as possible Local Government Elections (LGE) to address all issues of local democracy, and expand the collaboration between local government bodies and community development groups.”

AUGUSTA, Georgia, (Reuters) – Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods dominated the build-up to this week’s Masters but it was exciting American Jordan Spieth who produced the fireworks in a gripping opening round at Augusta National yesterday.

After investigations in Mahdia, Region Eight, a team from the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons has said its findings about people trafficking in that area contrasts sharply with those of the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) featured in a recent edition of this newspaper.

  Dear Editor, In an article entitled ‘A Soupy Nomination Day, Jah Rastafari!’

Dear Editor,   I have sent several letters to Kaieteur News and also to Stabroek News but both newspapers refuse to print my missives in their letter columns.

Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and Transport Sports Club (TSC) will clash in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Brainstreet Under-15 finals on Sunday after scoring convincing victories against their respective opponents, Malteenoes Sports Clubs (MSC) and Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO).

Former state witness Aszim Shivgobin is now facing a perjury charge after his admission that he lied during testimony caused the collapse of the state’s case against accused cop killer Salim Bacchus.

  Dear Editor, It seems time for a splurge of sugary mouthings about the named national industry by all and sundry, political personalities in particular, who feel compelled to make renditions which may sound sweet to the ear.

Quincy Bowman, who was found on a bridge on Monday near the old Busta Factory in Festival City, North Ruimveldt, died of a single gunshot wound to his head, his brother Andrew Bowman said on Wednesday.

LONDON, (Reuters) – England’s former Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan has talked up his credentials of a role at the England and Wales cricket board following the departure of managing director Paul Downton.

Corentyne businessman and President of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce Abraham Subnauth has told Stabroek Business that the strengthening of trade ties between Guyana and Suriname could serve as a catalyst for the creation of a genuine single market in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

A jury is likely to return a verdict today in the matter for which Michael Powley is on trial for the murder of Vishwanauth Narine called, “Buddy.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (Reuters) – Double Olympic sprint silver medalist Yohan Blake is targeting a podium finish at this year’s world championships in Beijing after recovering from hamstring surgery, though his management team still have no definite date for his return to competition.

Dear Editor, Since the announcement of May 11 and the formation of APNU-AFU coalition I’ve heard and observed so many twisted tongues, turncoats, two faces, bare-facedness and forked tongues, as well as so much naked hypocrisy to spin you dizzy and confusing you about what to believe in.    

LONDON, (Reuters) – Scoring hundreds and doubles hundreds could force the England selectors into recalling controversial batsman Kevin Pietersen, Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart told Reuters yesterday.

On Monday when Stabroek Business visited the area of the Stabroek Market Wharf where a section of the roof had collapsed more than a week earlier, flattening a few stalls in the process, other vendors were still trading in the shadow of the havoc, seemingly indifferent to the danger of the rotting roof raining down on them.

Dear Editor, Stabroek News article, ‘GGMC defends mining claims for Baishanlin director -says he’s now citizen,’ (April 9), which featured aspects of an internal GGMC report that sparked an uproar, should spur Guyanese to vote in droves on May 11 for the PPP to leave office so the next government can do a forensic review of the Baishanlin deal and a host of others struck by the PPP regime.

Container down: An unpinned 40-ft container fell off the bed of this truck as it turned from Broad St into Saffon St yesterday.

Efforts are underway to revive the local coconut industry, which has huge potential for growth despite the challenges facing it.

MADRID, (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo headed his 300th goal for Real Madrid in a laboured 2-0 La Liga victory at neighbours Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday that kept the gap on leaders Barcelona down to four points.

Dear Editor, My dad died just over two years and the process for my mom to get his NIS benefits was smooth and relatively easy.

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA, (Reuters) – The U.S. and Cuban foreign ministers met in Panama yesterday, a U.S.

By Valrie Grant Managing Director GeoTechVision Whether you are operating a small business, a large regional enterprise, a government department or a utility company you certainly will need information and in most cases information that has location attributes – that is, ‘where?’

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso expects to end his Formula One career at McLaren, the 33-year-old Spaniard said, confirming that the team he joined from Ferrari at the end of last season was likely to be his last.

Dear Editor, On Monday, the headline read: ‘PPP/C pledges to up corruption battle’ (SN, April 6).

KINGSTON, April 9 (Reuters) – President Barack Obama waded into a hot topic in Jamaica on Thursday when he was asked for his views on pot, an item close to the hearts – and minds – of many people in this Caribbean nation famous for its local “ganja” crop.

Negotiations on wages between the University of Guyana’s negotiating team and representatives of the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana Workers’ Union (UGWU) will continue on April 13, 2015.

Even in a business suit Roopnarine Singh resembles a schoolboy only now beginning to contemplate the challenge of the CXC examinations.

Bus topples: Guyana Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Mark Ramotar was involved in an accident near Vlissengen Road and Lama Avenue last night.

ORLANDO, Fla., (Reuters) – Direct flights between Orlando and Havana will begin on July 8 operated by a company hoping visitors to the top U.S.

As June, the traditional ‘month of brides’ approaches, couples and families as a whole, will be preoccupied with wedding plans.

Dear Editor,  The work of the police in Region 2 is severely hampered because of a shortage of vehicles.

More than a week into April – Occupational Safety and Health Month – little if anything has been heard from either the government or the private sector about plans to commemorate what, in Guyana’s particular circumstances is an occasion of considerable significance if only because of our own less than stellar record on the issue of workplace safety and health.

Sexual orientation (how one identifies sexually, in terms of who they are sexually attracted to) and behaviour are important elements of health and wellbeing.

Business Cartoons

Whichever government is elected by the people of Guyana on May 11, it will undoubtedly face a huge challenge in working towards national reconciliation and tackling burning issues such as crime and corruption.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – It is one of science’s enduring mysteries: what caused the worst mass extinction in Earth’s history.

Gold Prices for the three day period ending Thursday April 9, 2015

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – England will now turn their attention to Monday’s start of the opening Test against West Indies, after their two-day tour match against a St Kitts and Nevis Invitational XI finished in a draw here yesterday.

Dear Editor, The Panama Canal is being expanded. It is the largest project at the canal since its original construction in 1881 – 126 years ago.

(Prepared by the Guyana Marketing Corporation and published by Stabroek Business as a public service) The New Guyana Marketing Corporation has agreed to provide us with the above information which we will publish on a weekly basis subject to receipt.

Sideswiped: A Route 40 Kitty/Campbellville minibus travelling along Church Street slammed into a Professional Guard Service truck that had crossed Wellington Street last evening.

Politikles

KINGSTON, (Reuters) – President Barack Obama yesterday unveiled a major clean energy partnership at a Caribbean summit where he sought to reassert U.S.

Entrepreneurship is no longer quite what it used to be. The high streets have long begun to surrender themselves to sectors which, not too many years ago, used to be no more than hobbies and the contemporary entrepreneurs who had once ‘dabbled’ in these pursuits as no more than hobbies are now doing brisk business out of vastly expanded demand.

As I wrote and promised three columns ago, today’s very brief piece is another contribution from me to GECOM’s and the political parties’ Voter Education process and efforts.

Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (left) and President Donald Ramotar (second from left) at the Caricom USA Summit in Kingston, Jamaica yesterday.