Daily Archive: Saturday, December 16, 2017

President David Granger today upped the ante against `lifestyle’ or non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by agreeing to Chair a commission on what he said was a pressing problem.

A Brooklyn, New York  man was convicted of manslaughter yesterday for shooting a Guyanese high school girl who authorities said he wanted to date.

(Trinidad Guardian) Soca superstar Machel Montano and music producer Kernal Roberts have won their appeal against their convictions for assaulting a group of friends at a nightclub, almost a decade ago.

By December 29, approximately 4,000 employees across the sugar industry will be without a job, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) says.

While stating that he is deeply concerned about the significant gap in the appointment of a substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice, President David Granger yesterday said that he is working to have this issue resolved at the earliest opportunity.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland yesterday disallowed a motion by  PPP/C MP Irfaan Ali to adjourn the budget deliberations in order to facilitate a debate on the controversial US$18 million ExxonMobil signing bonus.

Police Commissioner (acting) David Ramnarine yesterday said that cops should not have entered Parliament Chambers on Monday in an incident which triggered a clash with PPP/C MPs and he said important lessons have been learnt.

As the sun set yesterday the National Assembly approved the proposed $267.1 billion Budget for 2018 after having considered the estimates for the Ministries of Education and Finance on the final day of examination.

While describing Attorney General Basil Williams SC as a hard worker, President David Granger yesterday said that the dismal performance in court matters involving the government is as a result of the poor representation which dates back to the previous administration.

The decision by Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, who earlier this year approved the By-Laws for metered parking in the city, was yesterday declared null and void by the High Court.

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and the National Toshaos Council (NTC) met on December 8 to discuss areas of possible cooperation and a Memorandum of Understanding is to be drawn up.

Wicketkeeper batsman Anthony Bramble narrowly missed out on converting his maiden first-class century into a double whilst propelling the Guyana Jaguars to 417 all out on day two in their day/night encounter against the Leeward Island Hurricanes at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The contracts for three presidential advisors will not be renewed and they have since been offered executive positions, President David Granger revealed yesterday.

Michael Alphonso, Demetrius DeAbreu and Mohryan Baksh were amongst the winners, when the Farfan and Mendes Junior Skill Level Squash Championship, continued on Thursday at the Georgetown Club Facility, Camp Street.

Will champion Sparta Boss secure an unprecedented ‘three-peat’ of titles, or will Gold is Money finally ascend to the throne, when the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Georgetown Championship, concludes tonight at the Demerara Park Tarmac.

Gun-toting bandits yesterday carted off approximately $200,000 in cash from the Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara Post Office after holding the postmistress at gunpoint.

Guyana’s four-member team of boxers have all progressed to the medal round of the Caribbean Development Boxing Tournament which concludes tonight in St Lucia.

Three men were yesterday charged with robbing a minibus driver and several passengers at gunpoint of cash and valuables at McDoom, East Bank Demerara.

A man was yesterday remanded to prison after he was accused of robbing two men last Tuesday while being armed with a gun.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is set to stage its Extraordinary Congress today from 10:00am at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue.

Dear Editor, I refer to yesterday’s article in the Stabroek News under the caption ‘Greenidge says he advised  against disclosing the bonus’ and wish to comment as follows: At the time when Mr Christopher Ram alleged that the government received a signing bonus of US$20 million from ExxonMobil, there was no indication of the purpose for which the money was paid.

Dear Editor, Whether one is male or female is not only a biological fact, it assigns one to membership of one of two social groups, known as ‘gender’.

Witness exciting go-kart rivalry tonight when the Caribbean’s best transform the GT Motorsport Track into their personal shifting battleground for supremacy. 

A 30-year-old taxi driver was early yesterday morning relieved of his motorcar and other valuables at Diamond, East Bank Demerara by a man and woman posing at customers.

Dear Editor, Reference is made to a letter published in the Thursday, December 14, 2017 edition of Stabroek News, under the headline, `Demerara River Bridge, Ministry of Citizenship digitising of records among projects that raise serious concerns’, and written by Opposition MP, Juan Edghill.

The police were on Thursday granted additional time to detain the five men who were arrested in relation to the murder of Qualfon employee Ranella Benfield, whose body was discovered in a cemetery at Triumph, East Coast Demerara.

NK Ballers will battle Silver Bullets, while Hard-knocks will oppose Spaniards in the semi-final round of the New Era Entertainment/Mohamed Enterprise Futsal Championship, following quarterfinal wins on Thursday.

Former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall on Thursday criticised the allocation in the 2018 budget for the Ministry of Legal Affairs for the payment of special prosecutors and expressed belief that these monies are part of a discretionary fund that could be used for various purposes.

Stabroek News apologises for a statement in our editorial of Thursday, December 14, which suggested that some government MPs were involved in the fracas in Parliament on Monday.

Guyana is being well represented, by a fifteen strong contingent comprising of members from the Dorado Speed Swim Club and the Swim Academy Sea Otters, at the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) 2017 Invitational which is being held at the National Aquatic Centre in Couva.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – Congressional Republicans yesterday unveiled the final version of their dramatic U.S.

TORONTO, (Reuters) – Canadian police said they were investigating the mysterious deaths of the billionaire founder of Canadian pharmaceutical firm Apotex Inc, Barry Sherman, and his wife, Honey, who were found dead in their Toronto mansion yesterday.

Dear Editor, There has been some controversy about the appropriate location for the Indian Immigration Memorial Monument which the Indian Government has already kindly donated to Guyana.

ZURICH, (Reuters) – Brazilian soccer chief Marco Polo del Nero was banned for 90 days by FIFA on Friday while he is investigated over possible unethical conduct, world soccer’s ruling body said in a statement.

Dear Editor, I am appalled at the explanation given by President David Granger with respect to the non- transparency and unaccountability of the US$18,000,000 signing bonus from ExxonMobil to Guyana.

The sum of $19.4 million has been allocated towards the purchase of river ambulances in 2018 to serve Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice  (Region 10).

Abeni Sullivan has been making strides as a designer in the fashion industry for some time now.

LIMA,  (Reuters) – Lawmakers in Peru’s opposition-ruled Congress filed a motion yesterday to impeach center-right President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on grounds he was morally unfit to lead after he resisted calls to resign over alleged corruption.

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Left-handed opener Devon Smith struck his 33rd first class hundred and the fourth of an already phenomenal season, to once against prop up Windward Islands Volcanoes on the opening day of their day/night seventh round clash with Jamaica Scorpions.

Hi Everyone, Are you stressing about the upcoming Christmas meal? Trying to determine what to make?

Dear Editor, The recent revelation made in parliament by the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, about his government receiving a signing bonus from the oil giant, ExxonMobil was kept a secret for over one year.

BEIRUT,  (Reuters) – With the map of Syria’s conflict decisively redrawn in President Bashar al-Assad’s favour, his Russian allies want to convert military gains into a settlement that stabilises the shattered nation and secures their interests in the region.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Stroke-maker Shai Hope has been named to replace injured all-rounder Marlon Samuels in the West Indies Twenty20 squad to face New Zealand, despite having not played a T20 in two years.

President David Granger has reaffirmed Guyana’s support for The Bahamas in their reconstruction drive following the recent catastrophic hurricane season.

BRUSSELS,  (Reuters) – The European Union agreed on Friday to move Brexit talks onto trade and a transition pact but some leaders cautioned that the final year of divorce negotiations before Britain’s exit could be fraught with peril.

I don’t think I have ever considered ageing to be a difficult and unglamorous aspect of life.

Dear Editor, Being a Guyanese it’s not seldom you see a string of Green iguanas tied up in the most inhumane way, awaiting a buyer to be the next meal or pet for a loved one.

PERTH, (Reuters) – Jonny Bairstow kept his head with a fine century for England but Steve Smith showed a captain’s poise to guide Australia to 203 for three at the close of day two of the third Ashes test on Friday.

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved US$29 million in funding to Antigua and Barbuda and US$65.5 million to the British Virgin Islands (BVI)  to aid recovery efforts after the passage of hurricanes Irma, Maria and Jose in September.

TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – A brilliant spell of left-arm spin bowling from Jomel Warrican topped a defiant half-century from Denesh Ramdin to give Barbados Pride the upper hand over Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the Regional 4-Day Championship on Friday.

Dear Editor, The PPP/C needs to regroup and rethink its strategy.

SAN SALVADOR,  (Reuters) – Gang life in the poor Central American country of El Salvador is hard, but for a dozen former members of the feared 18th Street Gang, building a new life outside is no less difficult.

(Trinidad Guardian) Three days after PC Richard Babwah was killed during a shootout with bandits, another officer was shot under similar circumstances in Marabella.

Last week’s column on “A Ghost Story” had me thinking about representations of loneliness on screen.

Two years after a hard-fought campaign successfully ensured that the US government would treat the Internet as a utility, the US Federal Communications Commission has reversed its stance on net neutrality.

Hecklers, offensive statements that go against the nature of national unity, a surprise appearance by a Santa Claus, secrets exposed around oil bonuses – haven’t the Guyanese people been betrayed enough?

Ego is back this Christmas with his hot new single “Santa”.