Daily Archive: Thursday, December 17, 2015

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, (Reuters) – The United States and Cuba have agreed to restore scheduled commercial airline service for the first time in more than five decades in a deal allowing 110 round-trip flights a day between the former Cold War foes.

The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) has added its latest batch of trained teachers into the education system, GINA said.

Guyana Revenue Authority Commissioner-General Khurshid Sattaur has been sent on leave, a statement from the board’s Chairman Rawle Lucas said today.

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, (Reuters) – The United States and Cuba have agreed to restore scheduled commercial airline service between the two countries, the two countries said today, the first anniversary of the Cold War foes’ announcement they would normalize relations.

ZURICH, (Reuters) – The Swiss Justice Ministry has frozen millions of Swiss francs related to world soccer body FIFA, a spokesman said today, confirming a media report.

GENEVA, (Reuters) – Burundi is on the verge of civil war because of a campaign of political repression in which at least 400 people have been killed and almost 3,500 arrested, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and the business community yesterday expressed concern at the move by the David Granger administration to suspend the Standing Orders to allow three bills to go through the entire parliamentary process at today’s sitting of the National Assembly.

A test drive ended tragically yesterday afternoon when the car was involved in a head-on collision with another motor vehicle on the Experiment, West Coast Berbice (WCB) public road.

A 36-year-old resident of Farm, East Bank Essequibo died at the Georgetown Public Hospital yesterday after he was struck to his head around 8:30 pm on Tuesday.

A pedal cyclist died on Tuesday morning after he was struck down on Monday evening in an alleged hit-and-run while riding on the Good Hope Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

A gold miner was remanded to prison yesterday by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he was charged with the murder of a Brazilian.

A coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Alberto Grant and Paul Bascom, who were fatally shot by police, is expected to commence in the New Year.

GEELONG, Australia, CMC – West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has promised a fightback from his team when they face-off against Australia in the second Test match bowling off Boxing Day in Melbourne.

Guyana and Norway have committed to continuing their forests protection partnership which ended this year and further talks will be held next month even as both sides await a study on the contentious Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), the flagship project of the first agreement.

The beleaguered US$110M-plus Skeldon factory has recorded its highest ever annual production since its commissioning in 2009, producing 39,153 tonnes of sugar so far.

MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC – All-rounder Dwayne Bravo has taken aim at the West Indies Cricket Board, accusing them of failing to properly develop the game in the Caribbean.

HOBART, Australia, CMC – Former Test captain Darren Sammy said this week West Indies cricket was facing “difficult times” following the heavy defeat to Australia in the opening Test last week but he is hoping the embattled unit can be at least competitive in the remaining games.

Government is still awaiting documentation from Baishanlin and in the absence of this, has been unable to decide on whether to grant the two-year extension requested by the company to fulfill its obligations.

The education system is in a state of crisis, President David Granger says, arguing that fully trained career teachers were key to reversing the decline.

PARIS, (Reuters) – Suspended European soccer chief Michel Platini will not attend tomorrows FIFA ethics committee hearing in protest at what he condemns as a political process designed to prevent him running to lead the world governing body, his lawyers said yesterday.

With another reported death in neighbouring Trinidad, Minister of Health Dr George Norton yesterday assured that Guyana stands ready to treat any cases of the highly contagious H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, along with three other viruses which have been affecting countries worldwide including Brazil.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC- Jamaica Scorpions head coach Junior Bennett is again lamenting his team’s inept batting performance following their 117 run defeat to Guyana Jaguars in the WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) on Monday.

MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC – All-rounder Dwayne Bravo says he is still committed to playing for West Indies but was forced to quit Test cricket because of the poor treatment meted out to him by selectors.

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is working with a private developer to construct bus sheds across the city.

Addressing a full room, Minister of Health Dr George Norton yesterday hailed the efforts being implemented to end the prequalification process for medical drug supplies in favour of open bidding but he acknowledged that the present system will have to continue in the interim.

CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) – South African cricket authorities have charged an unnamed “intermediary” with attempting to fix matches in the country’s recently completed domestic Twenty20 competition.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Australia have recruited former India player Sridharan Sriram to help their team prepare for the conditions they will face in the World Twenty20 in India early next year, Cricket Australia said on Wednesday.

Three men were yesterday remanded to prison after appearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at a city court on separate charges of cannabis possession for trafficking purposes.

Even as the life of the current Board of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) comes to an end later this month, government yesterday stated that mining in Guyana is in a terrible state and needs to be cleaned up.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Serena Williams added to one of the longest resumes in sports by collecting the Sportsperson of the Year award from Sports Illustrated, becoming only the third individual woman to claim the honour since its 1956 inception.

Dear Editor, In the article captioned ‘Deplorable conditions and poor care at the Drop-in Centre’ (SN, December 14) your reporter erroneously wrote that the Drop-in Centre was started in 1999 in a building “aback of the Sacred Heart Church.”

(The Sports Xchange) – Highlights of Tuesday’s National Basketball Association games: -Cavaliers 89, Celtics 77 LeBron James scored 24 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their third straight game, 89-77 over the Boston Celtics.

Dear Editor, Wesley Kirton is the latest of many Guyanese – individuals and entities, at home and abroad ‒ who have called for a national conversation on suicide.

Nomination Day for local government elections (LGE) will be on January 26 next year, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has disclosed.

When Cabinet met on Tuesday of this week over $1B in contracts were given its no objection in addition to the approval for the shipping out of 42 containers of scrap iron even as it examines the scrap trade.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Brazil’s former soccer chief is having trouble fulfilling part of a $15 million bond package he agreed to in exchange for staying out of jail pending a trial on charges that sprung from the U.S.

Police have recovered a car that was stolen from taxi driver Colin Clarke, who was found dead almost two weeks ago.

Dear Editor, I am not an engineer; I have served as a construction supervisor commonly known as a Clerk of Works, and I have worked in most of the newly established housing schemes around the country, from Linden to Tuschen to Belfield on the East Coast.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – A controversial secret congressional vote that stacked an impeachment committee with opponents of President Dilma Rousseff was found legitimate yesterday by the Supreme Court justice who suspended proceedings against her last week.

A taxi driver and a labourer accused of breaking and entering Corner Kick Sports Bar were yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with the crime at a city court.

MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC-Barbadian fast bowler Miguel Cummins is set to make his test debut after he was named as a replacement for the injury pacer Shannon Gabriel in the ongoing Test Series against Australia.

AMSTERDAM, (Reuters) – A motion of censure against Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte over the handling of a 15-year-old deal with a convicted drug trafficker failed narrowly in parliament last night after almost the entire opposition backed it.

Dear Editor, I support and endorse almost all the points made by Mr Rashleigh Jackson in a letter captioned ‘Clean hands doctrine’ (SN, Dec 15).

Dear Editor, It is good to see the public servants being remembered with a gift of cash this Christmas.

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa, (Reuters) – Opener Alex Hales failed for the second time as England ended day two of their warm-up match against a South African Invitation XI on 99 for three yesterday.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Two senior Venezuelan officials facing U.S. drug trafficking charges are accused in an indictment of taking payments from narcotics traffickers and alerting them to drug raids, according to a person with knowledge of the case.

AMSTERDAM, (Reuters) – Nicaragua violated Costa Rica’s sovereign territory by establishing a military presence in parts of a disputed waterway, and must compensate its neighbour, the United Nations’ highest court said yesterday.

“Watch out!” was the cry heard by a city clean-up campaign worker right before he suffered several chops to the arm.

Dear Editor, Rice is in crisis. The cost of production is high.

Minister of Governance with responsibility for Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman on Tuesday toured the ship, Fugro Americas which has been contracted by ExxonMobil for geophysical surveys of the offshore area where it found oil earlier this year.

(Reuters) – U.S. and Cuban officials said yesterday they had made important headway in a months-long effort to restore scheduled flight service between the countries after half a century of confrontation.

(Jamaica Gleaner) People’s National Party (PNP) Central Westmoreland Member of Parliament (MP) Dwayne Vaz has buckled under pressure from a wave of stinging public criticism and has “categorically and unreservedly” apologised for his offensive utterances on a political platform in Mount Salem, St James, last week.

Powerlifting has been proudly putting Guyana on the sporting map especially in the last decade and corporate entities are beginning to take notice.

Delon Lanferman of Alpha United and Pele FC’s Jumane Somerset will depart local shores today to participate in the 2015 Caribbean Football Union (CFU)/MLS Combine in Curacao.

Gafoors gives for the season:  In a demonstration of the spirit of giving for the Christmas season, Gafoors donated a total of $2M to seven non-governmental organisations on Tuesday.

BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – Argentina said yesterday it was lifting its currency controls and would allow the peso to float when markets open, setting the stage for a sharp devaluation, following vows by new President Mauricio Macri for reforms to spur economic growth.

Dear Editor, The residents of Kwakwani are indeed happy and proud that our school basketball team returned home victorious after the recently concluded National Schools Basketball Championship.

(Trinidad Express) A teenager who refused to heed her parents’ advice to change her lifestyle, was found burnt, along with a friend, in the back seat of a car in Chaguanas on Monday night.

News that an inspection done on Tuesday morning showed signs of cleanliness at the Hadfield Street Drop-in Centre was indeed welcome.

GBTI makes charitable donations: The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry last week extended Christmas cheer by donating $1 million to nine local charities.

Politikles

(Trinidad Express) Police continue to question four suspects following the murders of PC Russell Ramnarine, 24, and university student Avery Keshwar, 22, on Monday morning in Aranjuez.

(Suzanne Garment, a lawyer, is the author of “Scandal: The Culture of Mistrust in American Politics.”

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will bring the curtain down on its calendar of activities for 2015 on Saturday with the staging of another Pepsi/Michael Parris U-16 Boxing Championships.

Dear Editor, On an almost daily basis we are treated to reports of very violent crimes being committed in our country.

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