Daily Archive: Monday, February 15, 2016

A 16-year-old Eccles, East Bank Demerara resident is Guyana’s second confirmed case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

The competition was far more challenging than previous years”, this was the observation of one of the returning judges, Mitra Ramkumar, according to a release from Roraima Marketing.

(Reuters) – Rapper and fashion designer Kanye West, who says he is $53 million in debt, has asked Facebook Inc’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg to invest $1 billion into his “ideas.”

At about 1900h. last night, the police say that Nathan Martin, 14 years, of Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, was among a group of friends on the roadway at Saffon Street, Charlestown, when he was shot to his abdomen by a man armed with a firearm.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Survival drama “The Revenant” was the top winner at Britain’s biggest movie awards yesterday, taking the best film prize and honours for leading actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Alejandro G.

President David Granger on Friday reiterated his call for a “social contract” amongst all players on the national stage to move the country forward.

The virtually bankrupt Women of Worth (WOW) programme will be resuscitated with new stringent measures and the rebranded project will also target men, Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence announced last week.

According to Minister of National Security Khemraj Ramjattan the six pages which make up the protocols for the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) have been “drafted’ and will be made public.

A taxi driver of Lot 24 La Belle Alliance Housing Scheme is Essequibo’s latest road fatality after his car careened into a trench at Reliance.

Despite the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) sending tankers of water to assist the residents of Diamond Housing Scheme and Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, persons are still forced to seek elsewhere for supplies.

The harvester stood forlornly in the flatlands, encircled by tufts of dead, brown grass and shrubs in a field that once gleamed with golden, ripening paddy in the shadows of the Kanuku Mountains.

From last August to the present, the backlog at Land Registry has been significantly reduced, according to Attorney-General Basil Williams, who said on Thursday that the focus this year will be on capacity building.

As it awaits the rollout of the government’s social service programme for vagrants, the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) has stopped using sprinklers to disperse homeless persons from around its environs.

As consideration of the 2016 Budget estimates begins there is speculation over who will replace People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarian Dr Clive Jagan who tendered his resignation last week due to illness.

The driver of the car that collided with a motorcycle at Annai, Region Nine last Thursday resulting in the death of three persons is out on bail and relatives are questioning why he has not been charged.

Private farmers who supply cane to the Wales Sugar Estate are at their wits end to find an alternative means of earning a livelihood as they don’t believe that taking cane across the coast to the Uitvlugt estate is feasible.

Faced with criticisms from his predecessor that the new government is not doing enough for Amerindians, Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock on Thursday said there is less political interference while efforts are being made to upgrade schools and critical infrastructure.

The upcoming local government elections will cost $1.3B, according to Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, who says it is an investment in good governance.

A Guyana Defence Force soldier is now critical at the Georgetown Public Hospital after he was struck down by a speeding car on Saturday morning.

A police officer attached to the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) was interdicted after he was accused of sexually molesting a teenager.

The woman who was seriously injured in a crash at Providence, East Bank Demerara on Thursday is recovering.

A miner was yesterday fined $50,000 for stealing from his boss.

A Mahaicony miner, accused of fraudulently converting money given to him to purchase mining machinery, was yesterday granted bail by a city court.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Underdogs West Indies Under-19s stunned favourites India by five wickets in a low-scoring final of the ICC Youth Cricket World Cup to crown themselves World champions for the first time in their history here yesterday.

From: Allan La Rose In Houston, Texas Compliments of GFF, Colours, Isotonix and Oasis Water   Guyana’s Lady Jags footballers kept their hopes alive of qualifying for the semifinals of the CONCACAF final round Olympic qualifiers with a hard fought come from behind 2-1 victory against Guatemala at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas yesterday.

Dear Editor, I am grateful that the Minister of Finance found time in his closing address of the Budget debates of  2016 to focus on my presentation in those debates.

Dear Editor, The support given on any issue to a group or individual, government or non-governmental, is premised on upholding and respecting laws, international conventions, charters, time-honoured principles and the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens/workers.

Captain Leon Johnson cracked an unbeaten hundred yesterday while spinners Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo sliced through the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force batting order as the Guyana Jaguars piled up a 302-run lead heading into today’s final day of round six of the 2015/16 PCL Regional Four Day tournament at the Providence National Stadium.

The University of Guyana Wolves and the Yamaha Caribs recorded contrasting victories when the Guyana Rugby Football Union/Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Limited 15s league continued last weekend at the National Park.

Dear Editor, President Granger has laid out a clear vision of our nation’s future, one where our motto of One People, One Nation, One Destiny can truly apply; a nation of law-abiding people with an equitable system of justice, and a clean, orderly society with opportunities for a good life for all.

Half Mile Bulls and Retrieve Raiders secured contrasting wins when the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA)/104.3 POWER FM Mash Championships commenced on Saturday.

Jason Ray-Khalil successfully defended his Open championship while Samuel Ince-Carvahal claimed the Category-A crown when the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) sanctioned Bounty Farm Ltd Handicap Squash Tournament concluded yesterday.

Dear Editor, One wonders what explanation there must be for the powers that be at the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) of LBI/Better Hope on the East Coast of Demerara to neglect the cleaning and clearing of the overgrown bushes, tall grass and accumulated silt that have blocked the drains and canals of the villages from LBI to Better Hope on the East Coast of Demerara?

Powerlifting has a brand new executive and Ed Caesar will be at its helm.

The UG Wolves ended the unbeaten run of the Pepsi Hornets and the Caribs gained   a walk-over victory against the Police Falcons when the GRFU/GTT 15s league continued this past weekend at the National Park.

Dear Editor, The 2016 national budget speech argues that this budget seeks to address inequalities and discrimination with a heavy emphasis on increased taxes/licences and tax collection, especially from the persons who are categorised as “self-employed”.

Mae’s Secondary sealed their berth to the knockout round dismantling Charlestown Secondary 5-0 when the 4th Annual Milo Schools u-20 Football Championship continued yesterday at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Dear Editor, This is in reference to the article captioned, `Nagamootoo says suffered major disqualifications’ (SN Feb 10), which said that while in the PPP he suffered these disqualifications because he is/was “not Hindu” and he was/is “not a communist ideologue or Soviet educated Marxist/Leninist”.

Dear Editor Like many Guyanese, at home and abroad, I was elated at the outcome of the May 2015 elections.

Michael Anthony Saturday won his second race of the 2016 cycling season in fine style winning the feature 35-lap event of the 25th annual R&R International multi-race programme.

Dear Editor, A wide range of matters is carded for discussion when Caricom heads of government meet tomorrow and Wednesday at the 27th Intersessional meeting in Belize, ranging from the Zika threat, climate change, banking, financial services, CSME, and other areas.

ECATEPEC, Mexico, (Reuters) – Celebrating Mass for more than 300,000 people in one of Mexico’s poorest and most dangerous cities, Pope Francis yesterday took a swipe at the country’s rich and corrupt elite.

NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall grabbed his first-ever 10-wicket haul in first class cricket to inspire Leeward Islands Hurricanes to an 85-run victory over Jamaica Scorpions and their first win of the Regional first class championship here yesterday.

Blood drive: Marian Academy held a blood donation drive on Saturday.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Republican lawmakers and presidential candidates hardened their positions yesterday on blocking a move by President Barack Obama to fill the Supreme Court seat left by the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, a lifetime appointment that would help decide some of the most divisive issues facing Americans.

Simone Leid is an International Development Consultant from Trinidad and Tobago and Founder of The WomenSpeak Project – a community-building forum that seeks to build the capacity of individuals and organisations in the Caribbean to advocate around issues related to discrimination against women in all forms.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Haiti’s lawmakers selected an opposition senator who served as interior minister under former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide as interim president yesterday, in a move aimed at filling a power vacuum threatening stability in the Caribbean nation.

Dear Editor, The Sunday Stabroek editorial of February 14 2016 captioned `Zoos and petting zoos’  was pointed as it was appropriate.

WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Brendon McCullum’s dismissal in the final over of the day put Australia firmly in control of the first test in Wellington yesterday as New Zealand were reduced to 178-4, still 201 runs behind the tourists’ mammoth first innings of 562.

The general debate on the 2016 budget is now over. It was to be confined to the financial and economic state of the country and the general principles of Government policy and administration, as outlined in the Finance Minister’s budget speech and in the Estimates.

BEIRUT, (Reuters) – Sunni politician Saad al-Hariri said on Sunday Lebanon would never be an “Iranian province” hostile to Saudi Arabia, and attacked Shi’ite Hezbollah’s role in the Syrian war in a speech reflecting regional tensions.

(Reuters) – India gave themselves a boost before next month’s Twenty20 World Cup at home as Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed four wickets in their series-clinching nine-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the third and final Twenty20 international yesterday.

For their 9th anniversary, Digicel Guyana spent the week leading up to February 14th donating to several orphanages and children’s homes around the country. 

(Trinidad Guardian) Port-of-Spain Mayor Raymond Tim Kee is expected to tender his resignation today.

Dear Editor, Thank you Isabelle de Caires for stoking the debate on the most urgent and compelling national issue of the closure of Wales estate.

(Reuters) – Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic to repeat as the NBA Slam Dunk champion on Saturday after both impressed with gravity-defying displays of athleticism and imagination.

(Jamaica Observer) Ash Wednesday was no ordinary holiday for friends and relatives of Lansil Gregory, 71, and his 74-year-old wife Corita, who had gathered to clean the couple’s rural Manchester home.

This week we asked members of the public to share their views on the government’s announcement of plans to close the Wales estate by the end of the year.

Dear Editor, On Saturday morning I was walking on Brickdam road outside the St Andrews Church when I saw a homeless man sitting on an object.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Thousands of people and lion mascots swarmed the weekend opening of a “Make in India” drive to attract foreign direct investment, pitched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “the biggest brand that India has ever created”.

As the 50th independence celebration will undoubtedly lead to sobering and introspective reflections on how poorly placed the country is after five decades as a free nation we mustn’t unnecessarily add to this burden by unthinking behaviour.