Daily Archive: Thursday, July 23, 2015

Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence visited Rev. Dorothy Morris M.S.,

As the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) continues its preparation for the conduct of Local Government Elections, several staff members participated in a Refresher Photography Training Programme today, which included an element for fingerprinting, GECOM said in a release.

The Ministry of Education today congratulated the students and teachers of the Abram Zuil Secondary School, Essequibo for winning first place at the recently held Sagicor Visionaries Challenge Regional Competition in Tampa, Florida.

The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) is advising businesses and residents in low lying areas to take necessary precautions, including moving furniture, equipment and valuable resources to higher ground and placing of sandbags, a release from the NEOC said today.

Indicted Guyanese pilot Khamraj Lall who has pleaded guilty to bulk cash smuggling on the island of Puerto Rico has now been charged with drug trafficking, according to a Rochester, New York publication, the Democrat and Chronicle.

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall at a press conference this midday admitted to hiring a man currently in police custody for the Courtney Crum-Ewing murder as his personal body guard but said he fired the man four days later after being informed that he was giving out information about their whereabouts.

Self-confessed death squad member Shawn Hinds has admitted that he was hired to kill journalist and television talk show host Ronald Waddell back in 2006 but said that two policemen included a now retired senior cop beat him to the task.

A transgender sex worker was shot dead in the wee hours of yesterday morning at Quamina and Carmichael streets where he usually carried out his trade.

The Guyana Police Force will be asked to investigate what appears to be illicit transactions involving the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Administration) of the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) and a member of the company’s board, who paid themselves millions of dollars.

The PPP last evening denied any part in the killing of activist Courtney Crum-Ewing on March 10 this year and called on the police to release the findings of their investigation into this matter.

Contending that the matter was not properly before it and was one with wider implications for the Guyanese public and the telecoms sector throughout the region, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has declined to address the question of whether GT&T’s telecommunications monopoly here is illegal.

Self-confessed death squad member Shawn Hinds was not wanted by police in connection with the slaying of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said yesterday even as he revealed that a second person has been questioned for this killing and is now in police custody.

A 19-year old student of the Government Technical Institute died yesterday after he was apparently run over by a truck at Agricola.

The members of the Public Infrastructure Task Force have been identified, according to Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson who yesterday revealed that Major General (rtd) Joe Singh will head the force that is expected to address drainage and irrigation reform throughout the country.

Despite startling revelations that could land well-known politicians and former senior policemen in hot water, Minister of State Joseph Harmon yesterday said that government was not prepared to grant amnesty or protection, to confessed ‘death squad’ member Shawn Hinds.

Government would not say if it has plans to retain the services of Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur but that this would be decided by the forensic audits that are being conducted and various agencies when treating with senior officers.

Essequibo school, Abram Zuil Secondary, won the top price at the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge regional finals held recently in Tampa, Florida with their ‘Paddy Husk Particle Board’ project.

The Government has reached a deal with the Surinamese beverage company, RUDISA Inter-national NV, to pay a sum lower than the present US$7.72m which accumulated following an award by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) against Guyana last year over an environmental tax.

President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Wycliffe “Dave” Cameron revealed that new government of Guyana yesterday confirmed their support and willingness to sit with the WICB as well as the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) in order to resolve the current state of cricket in the country.

The national female football team known as the Lady Jaguars in preparation for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Olympic Qualifiers lost to a Georgetown U17 select team by 2-4 yesterday at the Leonora Sports Facility in West Demerara.

A Colombian national was arrested yesterday as he attempted to withdraw money from a city ATM using a fake ATM card, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed.

Joseph Kaladin was yesterday cleared of unlawfully killing his brother after a jury unanimously found him not guilty of the manslaughter charge.

National 400m record holder Winston George qualified for tonight’s 400m final at the ongoing Pan American Games in Canada.

President David Granger is leaving for Washington today where he will address a hemispheric conference on defence and security matters and is also expected to meet US State Department officials, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said yesterday.

Two fishermen, who police say were involved in a break-and-enter at a warehouse where they stole 135 containers of engine oil worth $2,217,680 were yesterday granted bail by a city magistrate after both pleaded not guilty to the charge.

TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Jamaican sprinter Sherone Simpson and Trinidadian shot-putter Cleopatra Borel both struck gold, as the Caribbean nabbed the headlines at the 2015 Pan American Games here last night.

TORONTO, Canada, CMC – St Lucia were celebrating their first-ever Pan American Games gold medal after veteran Levern Spencer won the women’s high jump as the Caribbean swept the podium spots in the event at the ongoing showpiece here yesterday.

The trial of Colin Bess, who has been charged with raping a 12-year-old child will commence this morning at 9 before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the High Court, in Georgetown.

Dear Editor, I write in reference to a letter in the July 18 edition of the Stabroek News, titled, ‘Instead of a cash payment to parents, give breakfast to schoolchildren.”

The Overseas Medical Mission Team (OMAT) has for more than two decades provided invaluable medical service annually to hundreds of Linden and Region Ten residents – this year is no exception.

MANDEVILLE, Jamaica, CMC – Shahid Crooks and Ramone Francis stroked half-centuries as Jamaica beat Guyana by five wickets, to make a winning start to the Regional Under-19 Championship here yesterday.

Dear Editor, Recent TV clips showed a very enthusiastic ‘Fire Chief’ commenting vociferously on the conflagration which engulfed business properties at the south-eastern corner of Robb and Camp streets, and which did not leave the Republic Bank building opposite unscathed.

(Reuters) – Darren Mattocks and Giles Barnes scored first-half goals to propel Jamaica to an upset 2-1 victory over the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals in Atlanta yesterday.

Cabinet on Tuesday approved expenditure of $13.4 million for the hosting of the Inter-Guiana Games scheduled for August which will include Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana competing in various sport disciplines, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said yesterday.

Dear Editor,   On Sunday July 19, a few residents of East La Penitence were invited to a community meeting at East La Penitence primary school.

Guyana will begin their quest to retain their West Indies Cricket Board Regional Under-15 title tomorrow when they square off against Trinidad & Tobago in the first round played at the Albion Cricket Club Ground, Berbice.

The Mayor and Councillors of the city of Georgetown through the office of newly appointed Town Clerk Royston King will be inviting the Auditor General’s office to conduct an audit into the financial operations of the city.

Dear Editor,   This afternoon I received a phone call from farmers saying that there is a serious infestation of paddy bugs in their rice crop which is in the anthesis or blooming stage.

The Hand in-Hand Insurance group has collaborated with the Rotary Club of Georgetown to host its inaugural internship programme for high school students.

DUBAI/WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Iran’s pragmatist government tried yesterday to sell its nuclear agreement with world powers to hardliners at home, just as a U.S.

(Reuters) – Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah scored half-centuries to give their team hope of taking a first-innings lead over South Africa on the second day of their opening test at Chittagong yesterday.

Twenty vendors at Bourda Street will have to be relocated temporarily to facilitate the demolition of the Bedford Building, the City Council said in a statement yesterday.

Dear Editor, In reply to the letter sent to you by the NIS trying to explain the delays in issuing a document in a timely manner (‘There is a procedure for requests made to NIS,’ SN, July 20):As stated in my first letter, I did submit my request in writing.

BUJUMBURA, (Reuters) – Burundi’s leading opposition politician called on President Pierre Nkurunziza to hold talks with rivals and form a national unity government after a disputed election, saying it could help avert a new conflict in the poor African nation.

Dear Editor,   The Stabroek News of March 11, 2015, published a letter captioned ‘Case study done on East Canje road speed limit’ by Messrs Dennis Pompey, Chairman; Earl Lambert, Secretary; and Colvern Venture, Treasurer of the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC), and was in response to letters written by me enquiring about the rationale used for fixing the speed limit on the East Canje road at 50 Kph.

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – A brisk 95 from opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad after a fine display from the bowlers gave Pakistan an emphatic seven-wicket win and their first one-day international series win against Sri Lanka in nine years yesterday.

A plea that he smokes cannabis to cure his blindness on his doctor’s recommendation failed to move the court and a man found himself sentenced to six months community service as well as a $3,000 fine yesterday.

Dear Editor, In a letter titled ‘Almost all solar home systems projects were subject to a process of open international bidding,’ in the Stabroek News on July 20, former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds stated “The Amaila Falls project as it was developed by the PPP/C administration remains the most attractive electricity generation project for Guyana.

National cyclist Alanzo Greaves continues to make waves since returning to the US circuit following his second place finish at the National Championships.

YANGON, (Reuters) – China has lodged a diplomatic protest with Myanmar after a court in the southeast Asian nation sentenced 153 Chinese nationals to life imprisonment for illegal logging.

A construction worker was yesterday sentenced to 4 months in jail after a city magistrate found him guilty of stealing an electronic tablet from an 11-year-old child.

Dear Editor,   The time has come for Guyanese both local and in the diaspora to invest in tax-exempt bonds for infrastructure.

BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – The front-runner in Argentina’s presidential election campaign is unnerving investors with his silence over the country’s notoriously inaccurate inflation reporting, while the second place candidate says data transparency would be a top priority.

SAN ANTONIO, (Reuters) – Even as immigration remains a hot topic in the U.S.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will stage its annual two-day National Novices Championships over the weekend at the East Ruimveldt Community Centre.

In an effort to assist those communities severely affected by the heavy rainfall during the period July15th to July 16th, Food for the Poor (Guyana) Incorporated (FFP) recently donated a range of items to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), a release from FFP said.

Dear Editor, I worked dedicatedly at Albion/Port Mourant sugar estate for 37 years, but am unable to receive my rightful NIS old age pension because the Scheme calculated my pension on the basis of 953 contributions rather than 1,731 contributions.

ATHENS, (Reuters) – Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras contained a rebellion in his left-wing Syriza party to win parliamentary approval yesterday for a second package of reforms required to start talks on a financial rescue deal.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The White House said yesterday it was in the final stages of drafting a plan to close the U.S.

PRA LOUP, France, (Reuters) – Chris Froome emerged unscathed from a treacherous 17th stage of the Tour de France yesterday, retaining his lead while Alberto Contador lost a lot of ground and Tejay van Garderen abandoned the race.

Dear Editor,   Businesses and citizens alike should be prepared for a significant downturn in our economy over the next 12 months which has already started.

(Trinidad Guardian) Two Muslim leaders were released from the Central Police Station, Port-of-Spain early yesterday afternoon.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Global health experts called yesterday for the creation of a $2 billion vaccine development fund to feed a pipeline of potential new shots against priority killer diseases like Ebola, MERS and the West Nile virus.

Attorney General Basil Williams recently received the US Embassy’s Economic & Commercial Officer Frisco Mc Donald and International & Law enforcement Coordinator Leon Carr at the Attorney General Chambers.

ZURICH, (Reuters) – Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, who failed in an attempt to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in May, says Blatter should not be handling the reform process at world football’s scandal-hit governing body and that the task should be left to his successor.

(Reuters) – Campbell Soup Co said it would stop adding monosodium glutamate (MSG) to its condensed soups for children and increase its organic offerings as part of a broader strategy to cater to changing consumer tastes.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Effective August 17, financial institutions in Jamaica will be required to transmit relevant financial information to Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) – the competent authority – on persons who reside permanently in the United States (US) or persons who earn a substantial amount of their income from or within the United States.

 Cartoon

Dear Editor,   I read with great surprise and felt baffled, that a man of the calibre of Mr GHK Lall should recommend hiring Dutch consultants to address the flooding in Georgetown for the following reasons: 1) The government needs to hire a director and support staff to prepare a business plan and Terms of Reference for a hydrology/water resources consultancy firm to do a feasibility study.

The coalition government through the Ministry of Education has announced that it will discontinue, indefinitely, the ‘Because We Care’ $10,000 cash grant that was instituted last year October by the former administration.

(Reuters) – Wimbledon champions and world number ones Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams head the field for the men’s and women’s events at this year’s U.S.

Politikles

(Trinidad Express) The United States government has moved in on corruption-accused Jack Warner.