Daily Archive: Thursday, January 14, 2016

President David Granger told Parliament today that 2016 presents a new opportunity for Guyana to “hasten economic development” by diversifying the traditional sectors and getting into more value-added enterprises, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency said.

The Police today said that four Linden men are wanted for questioning in relation to the armed robbery of Antonio Jardine and Trevor Jardine at Mabura, Linden Highway on November 21, 2015.

Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton says that the first case of the zika virus has been detected in Guyana.

High tides continue to pound the seawall along the city. This photo was taken this morning on the East Coast Highway at Turkeyen, just west of the road leading into the University of Guyana.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – Winning tickets in the nearly $1.6-billion Powerball lottery were sold in California, Florida and Tennessee, officials said today, leaving at least three people to split the record-setting jackpot.

Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and current PPP/C Members of Parliament Gail Teixeira, Irfaan Ali and Nigel Dharamlall have been questioned by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in relation to the findings of the forensic audit into government’s holding company NICIL.

Two teenagers accused of a gruesome fatal chopping of a Bush Lot, Berbice couple appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with murder and were remanded to prison.

Town Clerk Royston King yesterday announced that the city council would no longer allow new vendors to trade on Georgetown’s pavements and vendors who do not adhere to regulations would be permanently banned from selling on the city’s streets.

Even as the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) is under fire over a botched intelligence operation that resulted in three deaths, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NICIL, Marcia Nadir-Sharma has filed a complaint with the police of being constantly followed by unknown men.

The post-mortem examination on the body of the Helena, Mahaica woman that was found partly decomposed in a trench on Sunday, revealed that she died from drowning but she was also found with several hits on her head and the case is now being treated as one of murder.

At yesterday’s commencement of the trial into her daughter’s killing, Carol Kennedy recalled seeing the accused, Jermaine Maynard reaching for a gun with which he shot Carlisa Matthews to the back of her head.

Tucville resident Winston Cramer was yesterday found guilty of causing the death of Lennox Allicock as a result of dangerous driving but sentencing has been deferred until the presentation of a probation report.

A new arrangement has been hammered out between Region One (Barima-Waini) and the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) to ease major water woes at the Mabaruma Hospital.

Mohamed Chan, the husband of Land Court judge Nicola Pierre, yesterday testified that the violent attack at their home occurred hours before he was scheduled to travel to Miami and the bandits took the money set aside for the trip.

Spanish oil company Repsol has asked for more time to do exploratory work on its Kanuku block offshore Guyana before drilling, the Ministry of the Presidency announced yesterday.

Visiting Falkland Islands representatives are optimistic that the new APNU+AFC coalition government will stand with them in their fight for self-determination, unlike the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP) administration.

Residents of Diamond, East Bank Demerara remain dissatisfied with the condition of several roads in the community that have been in a deplorable condition for a long time.

Mayor Hamilton Green on Monday said that the City Council was not responsible for the mutilating of trees on Brickdam though the contractor told Stabroek News he had been contracted by the city to do that task and had been at it for 21 years.

A 13-year-old schoolgirl of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo ended her life on Tuesday, leaving a suicide note behind.

An autopsy performed on the remains of French national Mocbel Robert Lois Bozier yesterday revealed that he died as a result of a gunshot injury he sustained to his head and from all indications the case is being treated as suicide.

Director of Sports Christopher Jones said yesterday the National Sports Commission (NSC) is committed to providing grants to all sports associations once they are properly structured and possess a long-term developmental plan for their respective disciplines.

Stephen Martindale, the miner arrested on Monday for allegedly having an unlicensed gun in his possession at Arangoy, Mazaruni, appeared before a city court yesterday and was granted bail.

The Windward Islands Volcanoes defeated Guyana Jaguars by two wickets in their fourth round, Group B game of the Regional Super50 competition at Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts, here yesterday.

Following ongoing discussions with Minister within the Ministry of Education Nicolette Henry, National Sports Commission (NSC) Director Christopher Jones said the possibility exists that the policy of the Community Development Project funding could be altered.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings yesterday told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the number of cases of gastroenteritis  in Baramita in the north west has risen to 80.

Water utility, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), is exploring the possibility of recycling the sludge which remains after the treatment of water.

A North Sophia man who was last September fined for stealing from his father, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with stealing machinery from his uncle and was fined.

Guyana’s lone Inter-national Stadium located at Providence, is expected to be officially renamed by May according to Director of Sports Christopher Jones who confirmed the move yesterday during talks with local media operatives at the National Sports Commission’s Home-stretch Avenue location.

A 35-year-old construction worker from the East Coast of Demerara took his own life on Monday.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Kraigg Brathwaite’s disciplined, unbeaten half-century helped Barbados Pride overcome a few stumbles as they beat ICC Americas by four wickets to climb back into the race for a semi-final spot in the Regional Super50 here yesterday.

Dear Editor, The Ministry of Public Health has recently sent out a news bulletin stating that it will be continuing its fogging exercise as a means of vector control.

The Ministry of Business yesterday held a one-day training session for small scale business owners, GINA said.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States will expand its program helping the thousands of people fleeing violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, U.S.

ADDIS ABABA, (Reuters) – The Ethiopian government has cancelled plans to set up a new economic zone around the capital, the state broadcaster said yesterday, after weeks of protests against the move that opponents said would displace farmers.

Dear Editor, Sugar production in Guyana is generally considered an unprofitable line of business at this point in time, particularly when it is common knowledge that the price for sugar is less than half of what it costs to produce a unit of the item.

Broadcaster and Editor-in-Chief of Capitol News, Enrico Woolford is a member of the Commonwealth Observer Mission for the January 22 general elections on the Pacific Ocean archipelago of Vanuatu.

Dear Editor, The security and first line of defence of a family are the very members of that family, buffered by the culture and individual and collective consciousness of that unit.

SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korea warned North Korea on Wednesday that the United States and its allies were working on sanctions to inflict “bone-numbing pain” after its latest nuclear test, and urged China to do its part to rein in its isolated neighbour.

A driver is in custody at the Parika Police Station for allegedly stealing an excavator belonging to BK Construction Company on Monday evening.

Dear Editor, In today’s Stabroek News there is a letter by Khemraj Tulsie that I just have to comment on.

Floyd Beckles was on Tuesday remanded to prison on a charge of assaulting his ex-girlfriend after a city court heard that he had abused her on previous occasions.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The diminutive prehistoric human species dubbed the “Hobbit” that inhabited the isle of Flores apparently had company on other Indonesian islands long before our species, Homo sapiens, arrived on the scene.

Dear Editor, I would like to encourage all Guyanese to say “well done” and “thank-you” to the men and women in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) when exemplary police work has been accomplished.

Paula Waterman, the 4-year-old who was injured in an accident along Mandela Avenue on Tuesday continues to battle for her life in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

ELDORET, Kenya, (Reuters) – Kenyan two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat wants $1 million dollars to be retrospectively awarded to her as the rivals who pipped her to two lucrative World Marathon Majors series titles have since been banned for doping.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States is hunting down international criminals who launder money through real estate deals, with the Treasury Department ordering title insurance companies to report the identities of people paying cash for high-end properties in Miami and Manhattan.

ZURICH, (Reuters) – World soccer body FIFA said yesterday it had fired Secretary General Jerome Valcke, a move that comes amid alleged corruption involving World Cup ticket sales and a number of swirling scandals at the sport’s governing authority “The FIFA Emergency Committee decided, on 9 January 2016, to dismiss Jerome Valcke from the position of FIFA Secretary General with immediate effect,” the Zurich-based organisation said in a statement.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Three Venezuelan opposition lawmakers gave up their seats yesterday to try to defuse an acrimonious power dispute between President Nicolas Maduro’s government and the newly opposition-led National Assembly.

A man is in custody assisting with investigations into the murder of Brazilian national, Josimar Pereira Silva who was killed during a robbery in September, last year at Mowasi Backdam, Mahdia.

Dear Editor, I make reference to Mr Nowrang Persaud’s letter in your January 12 edition captioned ‘Wages data in GuySuCo report were not manipulated or misrepresented in any way’.

DUBAI/WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Iran freed ten U.S. sailors yesterday a day after detaining them aboard two U.S.

Dear Editor, I believe that local government elections are an opportune time for the youth of this nation to stand up as a single unit and take up leadership positions in their communities.

A Kingston labourer was remanded to prison after he pleaded not guilty to charges of armed robbery when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

SCARBOROUGH, Tobago, CMC – Left-hander Evin Lewis struck his maiden regional one-day hundred as title Trinidad and Tobago Red Force put themselves on the verge of a semi-final spot with a dominant seven-wicket win over Jamaica Scorpions in the Regional Super50 here yesterday.

(Reuters) – IAAF president Sebastian Coe says there has been no cover up of Russian doping cases despite the latest leaked documents appearing to show that officials of athletics’ governing body were discussing how to suppress news of positive tests.

CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA, (Reuters) – The United States criticized the government of the Caribbean island nation St Lucia on Tuesday for failing to prosecute police accused of keeping death-lists and killing suspected criminals during a misguided campaign to attract tourists.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Selectors have picked a strong West Indies Women’s side for next month’s tour of South Africa and the Twenty20 World Cup which follows in March.

A labourer, who had initially denied a charge of breaking and entering, on Tuesday changed his plea and was fined $100,000 by a city court.

NAYPYITAW, (Reuters) – Myanmar election winner Aung San Suu Kyi will not press for an immediate change to the constitution that bars her from becoming president, and will instead appoint a ceremonial head of state, a senior official in her party said yesterday.

(Trinidad Express) The cost of borrowing continues to climb. The country’s largest bank, Republic Bank Ltd (RBL) advised by newspaper advertisement yesterday that its TT dollar Prime lending rate has been increased to 9.5 per cent up from 9.25 per cent per annum, effective January 11, 2016.

Dear Editor, There is a burning issue which the Guyana Elections Commission needs to answer as local government elections draw near.

Need to go higher? Even the extension that had been erected on top of the East Coast seawall was overtopped yesterday during the spring tide.

A Happy New Year to the readers of the column. As the Bar Association looks towards 2016 we hope that this Column will be published with greater frequency and reliability.

SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – Sydney Thunder are desperate to tie West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell to a new contract before the Big Bash season ends, after the player’s massive impact with the franchise during the current campaign.

Dear Editor, A number of writers have expressed their outrage regarding the series of events that culminated in a high-speed chase by individuals claimed to be linked to SOCU, and the ensuing death of civilians.

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – Test cricket must adapt to survive in the face of the ever-tightening squeeze from shorter, more lucrative, forms of the game, both England and South Africa’s captains said yesterday.

There could be no contradiction in stating that all policyholders in this country are aware that quality education has been proven to be the panacea for many of society’s ills.

Dear Editor, I refer to a letter by Christopher Ram (‘Treatment of Sattaur by persons from the GRA is not acceptable’ SN, January 5).