Daily Archive: Saturday, December 28, 2019

Three Trinidadian showbusiness figures and a film director with Trinidad roots have been recognised by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth in her 2020 New Year’s Honours List.

(Jamaica Observer) DAVINEE Smith, like most Jamaican children, enjoyed his Christmas meal on Wednesday, played with toys, and posed for photos with family members and friends – making use of the time off from school.

(Jamaica Gleaner) For 35 days between October and earlier this month, Clayon Elliot made the 149-kilometre trek from his home in York Town, Clarendon, to the Grandiosa Hotel, in Montego Bay, St James to attend classes in event production.

(Trinidad Express) A Mayaro woman who was doused with kerosene and set on fire by a relative, died on Friday.

(Jamaica Observer) Investigators probing the kidnapping of baby boy Nyear Frank in October say, while there are no leads as to the whereabouts of the child, who is now three months old, they are actively trying to find him and those responsible for his disappearance.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Emancipated! That’s how Samantha McKenzie felt as she bared her soul and body to the night sky over New Kingston’s Emancipation Park in the last minutes of Christmas on Wednesday, disrobing herself at the foot of the iconic Redemption Song monument.

MOGADISHU,  (Reuters) – At least 90 people were killed and dozens were wounded when a bomb-laden vehicle exploded at a bustling checkpoint in the Somali capital Mogadishu today, an international organisation working in the country said, in one of the most deadly recent attacks.

(Trinidad Guardian) A mir­a­cle. That’s the on­ly way to de­scribe what oc­curred on Box­ing Day at the San Fer­nan­do Gen­er­al Hos­pi­tal (SFGH) when a 75-year-old man came back from the dead.

President David Granger and Ministers of the Government yesterday met with the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh SC, and the six Commissioners and promised Government’s full support towards the body’s work in ensuring “free, fair and credible elections” on March 2, 2020.

President David Granger has issued the Proclamations for the dissolution of Parliament and the ten Regional Democratic Councils on December 30, 2019.

The decomposing bodies of a Canadian hotelier and his worker were found yesterday afternoon in the man’s hotel at Number 63 Village, Corentyne with the two apparently tortured as body parts had been hacked away.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – England-based sportswear company Castore will become the official team kit partner for all representative West Indies teams after signing a three-year deal with Cricket West Indies.

Corwin Cooper, the 27-year-old man accused of fatally striking an elderly woman with his car two days before Christmas, was placed on $500,000 bail after being charged for driving under the influence of alcohol and causing death by dangerous driving.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Johnny Grave said yesterday that while match fees for the West Indies players which are due next year, have not been paid, all other payments for its players are up to date.

The long-awaited process to select a prime ministerial candidate for the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for the March 2nd, 2020 General and Regional Elections could have begun yesterday.

Central High School which was located on Smyth Street, Georgetown, as of September 2019, was merged with St.

Storm Bird trampled the opposition and galloped away with the spoils of the feature ‘Metro Mile’ event of the Boxing Day horse race meet staged at the Kennard Memorial Turf Club.

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday disputed figures from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that 10,329 first-time registrants were verified during the recent verification exercise.

Anthony Adams and his squad will come out blazing against Leon Johnson’s men when the first three-day warm-up match commences today at the National Stadium Providence.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has extended its heightened holiday scrutiny in the city beyond the confines of central Georgetown.

A century from former Guyana youth opener Robin Williams ensured Bachelors a four-wicket win over Married Men in the Lusignan Community Centre Cricket Club’s traditional Boxing Day T20 clash Thursday.

The National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue will be the battleground this evening where Sparta Boss will oppose Leopold Street and Rio All-Stars will battle Bent Street for places in the final of the inaugural Dragon Stout Community Cup Street-ball competition.

Winners Connection and Topp XX battled their way into the semi-final round of the Upper Demerara Football Association [UDFA] year-end competition Thursday at the Mackenzie Sports Club [MSC] ground, Linden.

Dear Editor, I refer to a letter from Charles Sohan in the December 13th 2019 edition of Stabroek News captioned `Aquaculture will not return GuySuCo to profitability’.

A new champion will be crowned in the Guyana Football Federation [GFF] Super 16 Championship after Santos whipped holders Den Amstel 3-0 in the quarterfinals Thursday at the Georgetown Football Club [GFC] ground, Bourda.

Dear Editor, Kindly permit a response to Mr. Rick Dalgetty’s letter `The Archives can be appropriately named after Rodney’ (SN Dec 4, 2019).

MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) – Liverpool’s resounding 4-0 win at second-placed Leicester City on Boxing Day sent them 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League but Juergen Klopp’s side have no time or inclination to bask in their success.

Continuing his criticism of government over its alleged maladministration of the burgeoning petroleum industry, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said that World Bank approval does not justify the sale of Guyana’s oil in breach of the country’s procurement laws.

MEERUT/LUCKNOW, India, (Reuters) – India deployed thousands of police and shut down mobile internet services across many cities yesterday to control protests against a new citizenship law, with flashpoint Friday prayers passing largely peacefully.

MELBOURNE,  (Reuters) – Australia’s pacemen struck twice to leave New Zealand vulnerable at 44 for two on day two of the Boxing Day test after Travis Head scored a sparkling century to put the hosts firmly in command.

Dear Editor, It is unfortunate that Mr. Shashi Tharoor could stoop so low to demonize India’s PM Narendra Modi on so many fronts in his article `Narendra Modi’s second partition of India’ (SN December 24th).

The Minister of Finance Minister,  Winston Jordan has filed a lawsuit for libel against Kaieteur News and its editor Adam Harris.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – The Brazilian army stepped up patrols on the border with Venezuela yesterday, a day after picking up five deserting Venezuelan soldiers amid rising tensions between the two countries.

HINDU NAGAR, India  (Reuters) – When the young woman limped toward shopkeeper Ravindra Prakash, pleading for help on a dark and foggy morning in the northern Indian village, her body was so charred that he thought she was a witch.

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s decision to return to AC Milan and Italy for what may prove to be the final chapter of his storied career will provide a fascinating twist in the tale of a Serie A season that has been anything but rewarding for the “Rossoneri” so far.

Dear Editor, It is called ‘Customer Service’ with a recklessness that makes nonsense of the true meaning of the concept and actual practice. 

Aubrey Mann, one of the founding members of the once famous Mischievous Guys Band, has not been heard from for some time.

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) has hailed the performance of the forestry commission in meeting the benchmarks for disbursal of the final tranche of payments from Norway under a bilateral deal and it also lauded the retiring Commissioner, James Singh.

SANTIAGO,  (Reuters) – Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, whose government has been rocked by riots over inequality, ignited a fresh wave of anger after claiming that “many” videos on social media of police abuse of demonstrators were “fake news,” and unrest was being fomented by foreign governments.

A Stabroek businesswoman was left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses after her shop was broken into during the wee hours of Boxing Day.

(Jamaica Observer) The US$452-million port modernisation project is moving towards completion in Kingston, and it is already remaking Jamaica’s major port.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Flamboyant all-rounder Deandra Dottin is poised for a return to West Indies colours after being named in a 21-member training squad for a pre-ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup camp next month.

Dear Editor, I would like to know if NIS pensioners will benefit from the recent increases announced by the Government?

A lot of focus has been on the food for the season but equally important are the drinks; they put the finishing touch to all the gatherings and celebrations.

A man who said that frustration led him to attempt to rob another man was sentenced to two years behind bars when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Britain has recognized its film-directing and cricketing stars in the New Year’s honours list, with a damehood for Olivia Newton-John and knighthoods for Sam Mendes, Steve McQueen and cricketer Clive Lloyd.

(Trinidad Express) Men pretending to be police officers stormed the home of Joseph Persad at Borde Narve Village near Princes Town shortly before midnight.

Dear Editor,  How will I remember 2019?  I pondered this question for several days and then it hit me I will  remember 2019 in its dying days as oil came. 

(Reuters) – Heavyweights Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder took to Twitter yesterday to hype their highly anticipated rematch at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand next year, after a draw in 2018 allowed Wilder to retain his WBC heavyweight title and left scores unsettled.

I think I managed to maintain my 2019 resolution as it relates to fashion consumption fairly well.

Referred to as a home away from home by many, the Coffee Bean Cafe and Eatery recently celebrated nine years of existence.

JAKARTA, (Reuters) – Two Indonesian police officers have been arrested in connection with an acid attack on a senior investigator with the Corruption Eradication Commission that left him partially blinded, police said yesterday.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Investors can buy telecommunications company Digicel bonds at roughly 30 per cent cheaper than in January this year as downgrades put pressure on prices.

Dear Editor, As the year 2019 comes to an end there are a number of events that will be etched in the collective memories of Guyanese and for that matter peoples all across the globe. 

MOSCOW/MONTREAL, (Reuters) – The Russian Anti-Doping Agency sent a letter to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) formally stating that it disagrees with the decision to ban Russian athletes from major sporting events, RIA news agency reported yesterday, citing RUSADA head.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) exemplifies the spirit of togetherness that is the hallmark of family and community. 

The Cave Shepherd Marathon, which closed the curtains on this year’s Barbados Run Series, saw Paul Schmidt, a runner and doctor from Germany, finishing as champion at a time of 2 hours, 30 minutes and 59 seconds.

Fourteen ranks were promoted “on the spot” by Commissioner of Police Leslie James at the annual Region Three Police Christmas Breakfast.

Luka Doncic scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and distributed eight assists in his return to the lineup after missing four games to help the Dallas Mavericks hold off the visiting San Antonio Spurs 102-98 on Thursday.

In 2016 the Oxford English Dictionary’s editors chose ‘post-truth’ — which edged out ‘Brexit’ and ‘alt-right’ — as their word of the year.

WINDHOEK,  (Reuters) – Two former ministers and four others accused of taking bribes to offer fishing rights in Namibia’s biggest corruption scandal will see in the New Year from custody after a court dismissed their urgent release application yesterday.

Greta Gerwig’s new film, the literary adaptation “Little Women,” feels weighed down by its history.

A Brazilian miner, who was apprehended at the border at Lethem after immigration officers discovered that there were several forged arrival and departure stamps in his passport, was fined when he appeared before a city court yesterday.

(Trinidad Guardian) The 24-year-old man who was killed on Christmas Eve day in Port of Spain went to purchase a van as a Christmas gift.

Raphael Hintzen, who was previously jailed for robbery, was ordered to serve a three-year sentence last week after he admitted to charges of illegal possession of a pistol and ammunition.

Dear Editor, Reference is made to `Citizenship Initiative still open to elections coalition, says ‘inclusivity’ key’ (SN Dec 25).

The mother of a young man who was the victim of a hit and run on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway that left him with broken feet and a dislocated hip, is calling on the police to conduct a thorough investigation.