Daily Archive: Friday, April 1, 2016

                    Supporters and others thronged City Hall on Friday for a glimpse of the new council which was sworn in.

NEW YORK, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – When actress Gillian Anderson chose to appear in a new movie about a Nepali girl who is unwittingly sold by her impoverished parents to an Indian brothel, her decision had nothing to do with the part, she says.

The new councillors of the Mayor and City Council posed for a photo following their inaugural meeting today at City Hall.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon’s recent visit to China was in relation to an outstanding sum to the Guyana Government for the purchase by a Chinese company of 20% of the shares of the phone company, GT&T.

As expected, Patricia Chase-Green was this afternoon elected the Mayor of Georgetown.

(Trinidad Guardian) Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus said yesterday she suspected that over 5,000 people have lost their jobs in the last seven months as T&T continues to go through economic challenges.

President David Granger says he personally rescinded the controversial appointment of Brian Tiwari as business advisor to the government as he did not believe that he was needed.

Former president Donald Ramotar yesterday said that neither he nor the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was ever close to convicted cash smuggling pilot Khamraj Lall and that all meetings and dealings with him were strictly on a business level.

Two men were shot during an attempted robbery in front of a popular Regent Street store at midday yesterday.

The opposition yesterday criticised government for stealthily revoking a waiver of the Value Added Tax (VAT) on heavy-duty capital equipment, which the Rice Producers’ Association (RPA) called the “death knell” of the local industry.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered bauxite mining company Bosai Minerals to clean up waste oil that was “inadvertently” released into the surrounding waterways including the Demerara River earlier this week and said the company will be fined.

A West Ruimveldt resident was yesterday granted his release on $300,000 bail after he denied driving in a dangerous manner and ending the life of another man.

Guyanese nationals residing in the United States who plan to travel home for the celebration of the nation’s Golden Jubilee of Independence in May 2016 are concerned about crime here, the New York committee overseeing planning stated yesterday.

A security guard, who police say was found with an illegal firearm and ammunition last year, was yesterday found not guilty of the crime by Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

Malcolm Ferreira, who won the Albouystown/ Charlestown seat on March 18 on the Team Legacy ticket has denied that there was any deal with the governing APNU+AFC.

Edward McCollin, who was charged last December with possession of a rifle and ammunition, was found guilty and sentenced to five years in jail yesterday.

The Police Constable who was found last Saturday with an unlicensed pistol and 15 rounds was yesterday charged and remanded to prison.

An Albouystown couple died on Wednesday after an apparent suicide. Fazil Mohamed, 65, and wife, Bibi Mohamed, 55,of Lot 8 James Street, Albouystown, were rushed to the Woodlands Hospital after they reportedly consumed a poisonous substance.

Four persons, who the police alleged had an unlicensed revolver and ammunition in their vehicle in July last year, were yesterday freed of the charges after a no-case submission was upheld by a city court.

MUMBAI, India, CMC – West Indies crushed the hopes of a billion Indians when they produced a magnificent run chase to stun the home side by seven wickets and clinch a place in Sunday’s final of the Twenty20 World Cup.

A Three Mile Secondary School student drowned on Monday at Dog Point, Bartica while he was on a fishing trip.

MUMBAI, India, CMC – West Indies Women stormed into their first ever final of a Twenty20 World Cup when they outplayed New Zealand Women by six runs in the second semi-final of the 2016 edition at the Wankhede Stadium here yesterday.

An elderly woman narrowly escaped death on Tuesday, when her neighbour’s plum tree crashed into her house and pinned her in her bathroom.

(The Sports Xchange) – It wasn’t easy, but the Golden State Warriors earned an impressive franchise record on Wednesday.

A woman who allegedly made death threats to President David Granger has been arrested and taken into police custody.

President David Granger told the Annual General Meeting of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) that the country’s recently held first municipal elections in more than two decades had paved the way for a reappraisal of the contributions that our towns and communities can make towards the creation of economically powerful regions across the country.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Leeds United striker Souleymane Doukara has been banned for eight matches for biting an opponent, the English second-tier club and the Football Association said yesterday.

Vendors are continuing to speak out against the size of new stalls at the Merriman Mall, which they say have forced them to scale back their businesses as they endure cramped conditions.

Sugar workers are today expected to receive 2.72 days’ pay as the Annual Production Incentive (API) for last year’s output.

(The Sports Xchange) – The playoff chase wouldn’t have died if the Dallas Mavericks lost at home to the lowly New York Knicks on Wednesday.

The first thing you discern about the Gouveia siblings, Gerry (Jnr) and Kevin, is the consummate ease with which they handle questions about their vision for Roraima Airways Inc, the company which was created ‘from scratch’ by their father, Captain Gerry Gouveia, which, he says, will inevitably pass into the hands of his two sons.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Australian spin great Shane Warne has blamed his country’s latest World Twenty20 failure on selectors, criticising the decision to tinker with the lineup and not playing Aaron Finch and John Hastings in matches.

Two persons are in custody for questioning over the murder of Lance Corporal Kevon Payne, who was gunned down on Tuesday night, a police source confirmed yesterday.

By Valrie Grant Managing Director, GeoTechVision Athletes have long relied on their coaches.

A tailor from Great Diamond went missing on Tuesday after he left home to conduct business in the city.

(Reuters) – Ambitious English county Somerset snapped up formidable Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardede yesterday to partner explosive West Indian opener Chris Gayle for the domestic Twenty20 season.

By Robert Skidelsky LONDON – In recent decades, economics has been colonizing the study of human activities hitherto considered exempt from formal calculus.

Dear Editor, Transgender persons in Guyana face grave levels of discrimination, harassment and humiliation and social exclusion in their daily lives.

A Tabatinga resident was yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with possession of just under 10 grammes of cocaine that was found in his yard.

MANAMA,  (Reuters) – McLaren’s Fernando Alonso was ruled out of the Bahrain Grand Prix yesterday after revealing he had broken ribs and suffered a lung injury in a crash in Formula One’s Australian season-opener on March 20.

Dear Editor, I am fully aware that the law often works in mysterious ways, and that justice is only occasionally one of the wonders it performs.

FAO, ITTO, CABI hosting key April 12-14 forum in Port of Spain A two-day forum jointly organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO), the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) will address several key issues relating to forestry management in the region.

The City Public Health Department is cautioning consumers against purchasing coconut water in recycled bottles.

Dear Editor, Though somewhat disappointed I’m not in the least surprised that Mr Samuel Wright, leader of the Linden 2025 team at the just concluded local government elections was not even accorded a fleeting chance of being considered for Mayor of Linden. 

MUMBAI, India, CMC – Semi-final hero Lendl Simmons has warned England that West Indies are not a “one-man show” but says the Caribbean side must now play well in Sunday’s final if they are to win the Twenty20 World Cup.

Gold Prices for the three-day period ending Thursday  March 31, 2016

(Jamaica Gleaner) The divestment of the Government’s assets in the sugar industry to Chinese investors was expected to result in a turnaround in the fortunes of the ailing sector in Jamaica.

Order and Discipline FC, Black Pearl FC and Sophia Wolves secured contrasting victories when the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Division-1 League commenced on Sunday at the Eve Leary ground.

Dear Editor, I am hoping that the National Democratic Councils go into action as quickly as possible to carry out their duties.

JOHANNESBURG,  (Reuters) – South Africa’s top court ordered President Jacob Zuma yesterday to pay back some of the $16 million of state money spent upgrading his private home, in a stinging rebuke that hits the scandal-plagued leader financially and politically.

Serene: Horseback riding in the town of Lethem this week. (Keno George photo)

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 661’s trading results showed consideration of $332,956 from 9,522 shares traded in 6 transactions as compared to session 660’s trading results, which showed consideration of $10,472,966 from 480,630 shares traded in 13 transactions.

GENEVA/CHICAGO, (Reuters) – Researchers around the world are now convinced the Zika virus can cause the birth defect microcephaly as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can result in paralysis, the World Health Organization said yesterday.

Following the conclusion of the FIFA International Window, the League Finale section in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Beer Elite League will resume on Sunday April 3rd at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ground.

Dear Editor, The Certificate of Election issued by a Returning Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) in Region Six to Ms Gumattie Kumar, elected councillor of the Ordnance/Fort Lands #38 NDC in Cumberland, Canje which has been stamped and signed by the officer, contains spelling and punctuation errors (copy provided).

Dear Editor, I write this letter with some trepidation. I’m extremely disappointed with the current government.

About 2200h. on Tuesday, the police say that miner Dalton Emanuel, 19 years, of Yarakita, NWD, was involved in an argument with another man at Yarakita, during which he was stabbed in his abdomen with a pair of scissors.

(Reuters) – Long-hitting Dustin Johnson, seeking his first PGA Tour victory of the season, stormed into a share of the early lead with a scintillating eagle-birdie finish to the opening round of the Houston Open yesterday.

(Trinidad Guardian) An elderly T&T national resident in Canada, who has been returning home every winter for the past several years, was tied up, gagged and beaten to death at his Upper Bournes Road, St James, home sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Emanating from my brief paid-up membership but years-long support of and for the People’s National Congress (PNC) – 1973 to around 1996 – I was one under–35 who admired Leader Forbes Burnham and wondered about the brash, ubiquitous, once-powerful Deputy, Hamilton Green.

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, (Reuters) – Brazilian prosecutors yesterday charged Joseph Safra, the world’s richest banker, in connection with an alleged scheme to pay bribes to government officials in return for waiving tax debts.

As was made clear in Wednesday’s editorial, President Barack Obama’s visits last week to Cuba and Argentina could be said to have had as their overriding objective the “normalization of relations” between the USA and those two countries.

President David Granger’s perspective on the implications of a stronger local democratic framework for the advancement of Guyana’s economic fortunes and for the welfare of the people of Guyana was set out in an absorbing even if somewhat unconventional presentation to the Annual General Meeting of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

Politikles

(Reuters) – China’s Anbang Insurance Group Co said yesterday it has abandoned its $14 billion bid for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc, paving the way for Marriott International Inc to buy the Sheraton and Westin hotels operator.

Business Cartoons

Samsung Craze:  Guyanese are becoming used to relatively quick and easy access to the latest in telecommunications gadgetry.

Athalyah Yisrael’s entrepreneurial ambitions extend way beyond the modest children’s entertainment facility which she owns and operates and the challenges, she says, have been sufficient for her to be grateful that the beginning of April marks her second year in business.

SAN SALVADOR, (Reuters) – El Salvador plans to boost prison security and deploy more troops in the streets to battle a rising wave of gang violence that has pushed murder rates to record levels, President Salvador Sanchez Ceren said on Wednesday.