Daily Archive: Friday, August 14, 2015

At about 1245h. today, the police said that during efforts to arrest a suspect who is wanted for questioning pending enquiries into a matter of an armed robbery and murder, the police had cause to discharge rounds which accidentally damaged the window of a building at Meadow Brook Gardens, Georgetown.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., (Reuters) – An auction at Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion showed the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll remains as popular in death as he was in life.

HAVANA, (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry declared a new era in relations as he celebrated restored diplomatic ties in Havana today, but he also urged political change in Cuba, telling Cubans they should be free to choose their own leaders.

A high-voltage clash between GPL Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bharat Dindyal and his deputy which also drew in Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has led to the ending of the CEO’s stewardship as of today.

Government’s Director of Public Information, Imran Khan today issued a statement announcing that Chief Executive Officer Bharat Dindyal’s tenure with GPL will end today.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Steven Smith will take over as captain of the Australian test team following the retirement of Michael Clarke after the fifth Ashes test against England, the country’s cricket board said today.

With 20 Grade One passes, Victoria Najab, of the privately-run Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) in Region Three, is the unofficial top performer at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

Two cousins are now dead following an accident on the Lima Public Road, Essequibo Coast at around 01:15am yesterday.

Two remand prisoners on Wednesday night managed to get down from the top flat of a building in the compound of the New Amsterdam Prisons with bedsheets before jumping over a perimeter fence outfitted with razor wire and up to press time they were still on the run.

The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) is suing the government over its dismissal of 1,972 Amerindians previously employed under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP), which it contends was a discriminatory and unlawful decision.

A woman is now dead after she was struck off a motorcycle at Eccles by a driver who fled and left her and her injured companion on Wednesday night.

ST.JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC- A ruling by the Supreme Court in India aimed at shaking-up the administration of cricket there should give fresh momentum to moves for radical changes to the operations of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Charles Wilkins, former chairman of the governance committee for West Indies Cricket has said.

Though the country’s pass rate in the core subjects of Mathematics and English continue to languish below 50% at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Edu-cation Certificate (CSEC) examinations, a marginal improvement in the performance of students in these and several other subjects has been recorded.

The APNU-AFC coalition administration on Monday used its maiden budget presentation in the National Assembly to signal its intention to place small business development on the front burner of the country’s economy.

US-based Guyanese businessman Ed Ahmad is to be sentenced in New York for mortgage fraud conspiracy on January 15, 2016, according to court information seen by Stabroek News.

Hospitals were on alert last evening for patients seeking treatment for gunshot wounds after two bandits came under fire as they rode off after robbing a woman of a bag of money on Main Street.

President David Granger’s address in July to a rice forum at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre appeared designed to lift spirits in a sector that has had to absorb the shock of Venezuela’s earlier announcement that Guyana could no longer rely on that country’s rice market under the PetroCaribe Agreement.

The Government of Guyana has reaffirmed its commitment to making Guyana an “Education nation” and it is against this backdrop that Minister of State Joseph Harmon met with China’s Ambassador to Guyana Zhang Limin yesterday.

By Zhang Limin, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana   This year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The Petra Organization and Banks DIH Limited partnered to launch the inaugural GT Beer Futsal Tournament yesterday at the Conference Room at Thirst Park, Banks DIH.

About forty boys from Victory Valley, Wismar, Linden recently received gifts and are now in a football camp which also aims to help their general development.

One of the issues in Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s 2015 budget presentation that has raised a fair measure of public comment is the announcement that government is allocating $300 million to an urban restoration exercise in the capital.

Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali-Hack and Justice of Appeal Yonette Cummings will participate in a Regional Cybercrime Workshop for Judges and Judicial Officers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, August 26th-28th.

Retrieve Raiders and Victory Valley Royals clinched their berths in the semi-final round in the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA) u-23 tournament, downing Bankers Trust Falcons and Block 22 Flames respectively on Wednesday.

It is probably about two weeks (or thereabouts) since Mr. Royston King, the new Town Clerk, publicly announced that he would be giving priority attention to the rehabilitation of the collapsed section of the Stabroek Market wharf – and while that exercise is going on – the relocation of at least some of the vendors who are now displaced.

Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang yesterday announc-ed that he will give a ruling on the court’s jurisdiction to hear the opposition PPP/C’s challenge to APNU+AFC technocrat ministers Winston Felix and Keith Scott sitting in the National Assembly.

Alpha United Head Coach Wayne Dover said while he anticipates a very competitive Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League, the expectation and objective for his charges is to emerge successful at conclusion of the tournament.

The Jamaican, Bahamian and Trinidadian athletes have arrived for the sixth staging of the Boyce/Jefford Track and Field Classic this weekend in Linden.

COUVA, Trinidad, CMC- The battle for supremacy in the WICB Regional Women’s Super-50 tournament reaches a crucial point with the fifth and final round of matches to be contested in Trinidad today.

HAVANA, (Reuters) – Retired Cuban President Fidel Castro celebrated his 89th birthday yesterday with two of his country’s closest leftist allies from Latin America, a day ahead of a historic visit by the U.S.

(Barbados Advocate) Bridgetown, Barbados – Overcast skies provided the backdrop as friends and family said their farewells to one of the most prominent names in Barbados’ cricketing history.

By Valrie Grant, Managing Director GeoTechVision The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) in July 2011 (ECOSOC resolution 2011/24) as the official UN consultative mechanism on Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM).

KOHLER, Wisconsin, (Reuters) – Dustin Johnson, so often the nearly man in recent majors, took advantage of relatively calm early conditions to seize a one-shot lead in the opening round of the 97th PGA Championship yesterday.

While welcoming the government’s plan to provide $23B to the rice sector to ensure payments to farmers, former president Bharrat Jagdeo has questioned the source of the funds.

Ron ‘Andel’ Forde, accused of killing sex worker Noel Wilson Luthers, called ‘Nephi,’ was yesterday arraigned in a city court for murder.

By Marilyn Collins Marilyn Collins is a retired Director of the Government Food and Drug Analyst Derpartment   The Ministry of Public Health has placed emphasis on iron deficiency anaemia during this year’s observance of “Nutrition Awareness Week”.

Dear Editor, It was reported in SN of August 12, that Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan has requested the Inter-national Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) to conduct an independent review of Guyana’s Financial Sector Assessment Programme and that this is likely to be carried out in 2016.

After being slapped by her partner, Judy Ross set his house on fire with him inside, a city court heard yesterday.

Republic Bank Ltd (RBL) of Trinidad and Tobago yesterday suspended the sale of all foreign currency at its branches.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Justin Gatlin will run for the United States in Beijing but to much of the athletics world he might as well appear in a vest bearing a giant syringe such is his position as the tangible manifestation of the sport’s wretched doping past.

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG, (Reuters) – For many in the ranks of China’s wealthy, the shock devaluation in the yuan is a cause of regret – that they hadn’t moved more money offshore sooner.

The recently commissioned official enquiry into accidents in the mining regions in Guyana including mining pit cave-ins that result in loss of life is unlikely to serve any remedial purpose except the authorities are successful in enforcing rules and regulations that change key aspects of the operating culture in the mining sector, an experienced mining sector employee has told this paper.

Dear Editor, There have been a considerable number of views offered about increases in pay to both parliamentarians and public servants at this juncture.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s popularity fell to 24.3 percent in July, hurt by voracious inflation and shortages of goods ranging from spare parts to shampoo, according to respected local pollster Datanalisis.

General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis has told the Stabroek Business that while labour is buoyed by the confirmation announced in Monday’s budget presentation that the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) will have its annual subvention which was removed under the previous political administration restored, it provides the College with a challenge to ensure that the subvention “converts into various forms of training for young people that can strengthen the pool of resources available to take the economy and the country forward.

GALLE, Sri Lanka, (Reuters) – Centuries by opener Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohli earned India a handy first innings lead before their spinners dismissed both the Sri Lankan openers to put the tourists on top of the first test at Galle yesterday.

Government in reviewing the financial position of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and the fact that the year will come to an end shortly, made a decision that no subsidy would have been included in the 2015 budget for it, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said on Wednesday.

TIANJIN, China, (Reuters) – Two huge explosions tore through an industrial area where toxic chemicals and gas were stored in the northeast Chinese port city of Tianjin, killing at least 50 people, including at least a dozen fire fighters, officials and state media said yesterday.

Dear Editor, An interesting legal issue has arisen in the tiny state of St Kitts/Nevis where lawyers have filed a suit in the courts to block the Attorney General from removing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from office.

(Trinidad Guardian) Two minors were remanded into prison custody on Wednesday after they appeared in court charged with the unlawful killing of an 11-year-old boy who was shot dead while they were playing with a loaded shotgun. The

Dear Editor, I applaud Pastor Wendell Jeffrey (I don’t know him) for his no-nonsense letter in SN on August 11 delineating his perplexity regarding the government’s remigration programme.

(Trinidad Express) Tragedy struck the Seecharan family again on Wednesday when Sherry Ann Seecharan was found dead.

Employees in both the public and private sector workplaces in Guyana continue to be victims of inhospitable working conditions and have their rights as workers transgressed on account of flagrant disregard for constitutional provisions and rules that have been created to protect them,” Minister in the Ministry of Social Protection Simona Broomes has told the Stabroek Business.

LONDON, (Reuters) – FIFA delivered what amounted to a rebuke to Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho yesterday amid reports that he has banned the club’s first team doctor Eva Carneiro following her treatment of an injured player in a Premier League match.

The TT$500 million National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) in Port of Spain has to be completely shut down, says Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Dr Lincoln Douglas, the Trinidad Express reported last night.

ASUNCION, (Reuters) – An 11-year-old rape victim gave birth in Paraguay yesterday after being denied termination of her pregnancy by doctors and judicial officials, stoking the debate over abortion in the overwhelmingly Catholic country.

Two employees in the agriculture sector are to undergo training in India as part of the Govern-ment’s efforts to develop the sector.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Mo Farah is set to defend his world 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles in Beijing against the backdrop of the most difficult and chastening season of his career.

Dear Editor, Reference is made to your August 12, 2015 edition under the article captioned ‘Jagdeo blames Skeldon sugar project failings on Booker Tate’s “incompetence”’.

BANGKOK, (Reuters) – The ouster of a powerful political rival less than three months before a landmark election in Myanmar was dramatic confirmation of President Thein Sein’s desire for a second term in office, analysts said.

Santa Aratak has been selected to host this year’s Heritage Village Celebration.

(Trinidad Express) The Atlantic coast of Tobago may be battling waves of sargassum seaweed, but the Caribbean side of the island is all rays of sunshine, clean sandy beaches and clear waters for visitors, claims Tobago’s Secretary of Tourism and Transportation Tracey Davidson-Celestine.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 628’s trading results showed consideration of $1,830,101 from 31,637 shares traded in 14 transactions as compared to session 627’s trading results, which showed consideration of $6,012,888 from 82,274 shares traded in 8 transactions.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Venezuela’s top diplomat in Washington said that after five months of quiet diplomacy, relations between the two adversaries were still tentative, with no real rapprochement yet after a decade of hostility.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Fifteen state attorneys general petitioned a federal court in Washington yesterday to block new U.S.

Dear Editor, While polling in Trinidad in the critical St Joseph constituency, I met Uncle Lenny Lall, who, in addition to relating his opinion on the upcoming elections in Trinidad, had an interesting story to tell of his work experience in Guyana and about Guyanese hospitality after he realized I am Guyanese.

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Doping cases in athletics need to be dealt with quicker and cheats punished with tougher sanctions, IAAF vice president Sergey Bubka said yesterday with his sport confronted by allegations of hundreds of suspicious past tests.

Today I’ll appeal to even my regular readers – as well as the curious casuals – to bear with this brief Sunday–School/Bible –lesson– like “lesson” intended to capture the element of the concepts implicit in my wordy lead caption.

The Correia Group of Companies, which includes Trans Guyana Airways (TGA), yesterday announced that the company has selected two more of its employees to join the company’s Overseas Pilot Training Programme.

Dear Editor, Hardly a day passes without an embarrassing soap opera-like episode in Guyana, but at the end of the day regardless of where the blame falls, the only people who are suffering are our hard-working Guyanese men and women, not to mention our large youth population which is caught in this acid-like blame game.

The victim of a larceny attempted to have the charge against the suspect in the crime dismissed on Wednesday.

MARACAIBO, (Reuters) – As dawn breaks over the scorching Venezuelan city of Maracaibo, smugglers, young mothers and a handful of kids stir outside a supermarket where they spent the night, hoping to be first in line for scarce rice, milk or whatever may be available.

Thousands of miles may separate the metropolitan capitals where gold prices are set from the remote Amerindian communities in the interior of Guyana like Sebai, but the impact of decision-making in the metropolis on communities like Sebai could hardly be starker.

GUATEMALA CITY, (Reuters) – Guatemalan President Otto Perez scraped through a vote in Congress yesterday to strip him of immunity from prosecution, avoiding the embarrassment of being investigated over corruption scandals that have felled various senior officials.

The 2015 Miss Jamzone Inter-national Pageant delegates, yesterday paid a courtesy call on President David Granger and Minister of Tourism, Cathy Hughes, at the Ministry of the Presidency, GINA said.

Dear Editor, We learn little things from our environment and nature every day once we pay attention.

Dr Rudi Webster, the renowned sports psychologist and former West Indies cricket team manager, has, in a recent article, ‘The WICB: over-managed and under-led’, provided some telling comments on the afflictions of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) amidst some illuminating insights into the difference between management and leadership.

A man was on Wednesday charged with failing to complying with a High Court order and attempting to defraud another man after he sold a vehicle that was at the centre of a legal dispute.

The Heavenly Foods Soul Vegetarian Restaurant is probably the first fully vegan eatery in Guyana.