Daily Archive: Sunday, May 3, 2020

A senior Canadian government official this evening called on President David Granger to “immediately approve” the return of the Carter Center to monitor the recount of votes from the March 2nd general elections that is due to begin on Wednesday.

The recount of votes from the crisis-ridden March 2nd general elections is expected to finally get underway on Wednesday, GECOM agreed today.

Pressure is mounting on the Guyana Government to permit the return of the Carter Center to observe the recount of votes with the UN Resident Coordinator here, Mikiko Tanaka adding her voice.

T&T’s archaic Education Act of 1966 could be one of the reasons why Ministry of Education officials are now seeking advice from the Chief Personnel Officer and Attorney General on how teachers can be made to account for their work while at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Jamaica  Observer) “I’VE totally given up on going home.” Those were the words of a Jamaican woman aboard the Caribbean Princess cruise ship now headed to the Dominican Republic, instead of Ocho Rios, after the captain announced that the Jamaican Government was not in a position to accept the Jamaican crew members.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The novel coronavirus which has been sweeping the globe and crippling economies as it unleashes a deadly assault had brought Cheryl Burnett face to face with scenarios that she never imagined would have unfolded in her lifetime.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) today urged that the authorities take steps to ensure that the Carter Center is able to return to observe the recount of votes from the March 2nd general elections.

(Reuters) – Billionaire investor Warren Buffett on Saturday said the United States’ capacity to withstand crises provides a silver lining as it combats the coronavirus, even as he acknowledged that the global pandemic could significantly damage the economy and his investments.

 (Reuters) – Roche has won emergency approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an antibody test to determine whether people have ever been infected with the coronavirus, the Swiss drugmaker said http://pdf.reuters.com/htmlnews/htmlnews.asp?i=43059c3bf0e37541&u=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20200503:nGNE71pdqt

(Trinidad Guardian) Two international relations experts agree that the US has no justifiable reasons to impose sanctions on T&T.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) continues to fight on the ropes for the safe return of the four boxers stranded in Cuba.

The name Cherry-Ann Fraser oftentimes flies under the radar or gets lost in Guyana’s most recent sporting catalog, but she is easily one of the leading women in sports locally. 

Following another series of meetings, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is expected to meet today to finally set a date for the start of a recount of the votes cast at the March 2 elections.

The Carter Center last evening said that it has been unable to secure permission from the Government of Guyana for an observer to travel into the country on Monday to observe the recount of votes for the March 2 national elections.

LONDON, (Reuters) – The United Kingdom’s COVID-19 death toll rose 621 to 28,131 as of May 1, just short of Italy which has so far had the world’s second most deadly outbreak of the disease after the United States.

In an attempt to return to cricket, Cricket West Indies (CWI) and England Cricket Board (ECB) are exploring the possibility of using bio-secure venues for their three-Test series in July.

SEOUL, (Reuters) – After weeks of intense speculation about the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the country’s official media said he had attended the completion of a fertiliser plant, the first report of his appearance since April 11.

The economic impact of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) has devastated sports all over the world in a little over two months.

“It’s very stressful being unemployed. I ain’t getting assist from nowhere I was unemployed… about a month now.

Samuels Morris, the country’s latest novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) victim, was a diabetic who was “very ill” and was admitted to the public hospital in a “bad shape.”

MANAUS/RIO DE JANEIRO,  (Reuters) – Inmates at a prison in Manaus, a Brazilian city deep in the Amazon that has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, briefly took seven prison guards hostage yesterday, the local prison authority told Reuters.

-hopes the GFF will provide funding to affected clubs Frank ‘English’ Parris, Vice-President of traditional football heavyweight and Elite League member Santos Football Club says that the current Covid-19 pandemic will have a substantial financial impact on the operation of the club.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – A Supreme Court judge issued an injunction yesterday suspending for 10 days a move by Brazil’s right-wing government to expel Venezuela’s 30 diplomats and consular staff.

With no pre-existing health conditions and for someone who lives a fit and healthy lifestyle, businessman Karan Mehra initially thought that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was not a threat to him until he developed symptoms and ended up in an isolation facility for 33 days.

One day after he was given the all clear to leave isolation following his negative Covid-19 result, businessman Sean Ramrattan opted to donate his plasma to help “persons in worst case scenarios.

Following a highly publicized round of 16 section, the quarterfinal zone in the inaugural iBet Supreme FIFA 20 ‘League of Champions’ eSports Championship, will kick-off tonight with the respective opening legs of the two match series.

“This will force me to close down. I can’t continue. I will have to move and open somewhere else where I don’t have to pay rent because right now to be honest, I can’t afford to pay the rent,” said a single mother who operates a hairdressing salon.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Legendary West Indies wicketkeeper, Jeffrey Dujon, believes the remainder of the year will be an “economic write-off” for sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and says any lingering hope by authorities that cricket can resume in coming months was empty optimism.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – A prison riot in the western Venezuelan state of Portuguesa has left at least 46 people dead and 60 injured, according to a rights group and an opposition lawmaker.

Several buildings designated for the isolation and quarantine of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients have been completed and another is under construction as villagers have moved to prepare the Moruca sub-district to treat cases.

Introduction This column appears at the start of only the fifth month of the infant life of Guyana’s petroleum sector.

                                                Sonnet 55 Not marble, nor the gilded monuments Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme; But you shall shine more bright in these contents Than unswept stone, besmear’d with sluttish time.

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – There have been 4,970 new cases of the novel coronavirus in Brazil and 421 deaths over the last 24 hours, the health ministry said yesterday.

Police are investigating the theft of mattresses and other furnishings from a building that is being refurbished for use as a COVID-19 quarantine facility in Lethem, according to Commander for Region Nine Superintendent Keithon King. 

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne is bracing for “heaps and heaps of cricket” once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, the prolific top order batsman said yesterday.

Autopsies yesterday found that a fractured spine and drowning were among the causes of the deaths of the victims of last Tuesday evening’s boat collision in the Upper Berbice River. 

By Ken Corsbie As tributes to Michael Gilkes are written, I have been astonished at the volume and range of his work.

(Reuters) – England’s two-match test series in Sri Lanka, which has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been rescheduled for January next year, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) CEO Ashley de Silva has said.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s Prince Harry is helping “Thomas and Friends” celebrate their 75th anniversary by introducing a special episode which features the cartoon trains as well as some members of the royal family.

A definite part of the writer makeup that surfaced in me very early in my youth is my fascination with certain words not in everyday use but carrying interesting shades of meaning or colour. 

Dear Editor, Looking beyond the official declaration of the National and Regional elections held on March 2, I wish to offer some comments on elections and governance generally, and specifically in relation to Guyana.

PARIS,  (Reuters) – Bill Beaumont has been re-elected as World Rugby chairman by beating Argentine Agustin Pichot in the first round of voting and called for unity amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the sport’s governing body said yesterday.

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The United States and Britain are among the countries worst hit by the coronavirus and have faced criticism for their handling of the pandemic.

By Hon. Mde. Louise Esther Blenman, Justice of Appeal, The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Both Guyana and the Caribbean have lost one of its most brilliant and fecund minds.

Dear Distinguished Caricom Observer Team: Messrs Cynthia Barrow-Giles, John Jarvis and Sylvester King.

Dear Editor, I have just learnt that even before the recount begins, Alli and Harmon of APNU+AFC have declared their intention to hide treachery from the world by seeking to ban cellphones and deny cameras at the recount.

 By Aubrey Armstrong The late Paterson “Pat” Thompson’s life (1931 – 2020) spanned three (3) eras of the life of the Caribbean, so I have titled this tribute a “Life in three Acts”.

LUSAKA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – To deal with drier conditions brought by a shifting climate, farmer Pamela Nyirenda last year shifted to growing drought-hardy cassava, among other new water-sipping crops such as groundnuts and cowpea.

Following its closure to international commercial flights as part of COVID-19 measures, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is beginning to feeling the impact financially.

Most people are aware of the physical benefits of exercise and also possibly know that its health-related benefits reduce the risk of chronic conditions.

My 87th Birthday has come and gone. I hear old Sam Beckett’s pessimistic shout: “We breathe, we change!

ROME, (Reuters) – Sassuolo are set to become the first Serie A side to re-start training following the coronavirus shutdown after saying their players could use the club’s facilities from tomorrow on an optional basis. 

Dear Editor, Recounting all the ballots using the SOPs for Region 4, is all that’s needed to complete the tabulation for Guyana’s March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, in a manner that meets the requirements of the Representation of the People Act and rulings made by the Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire.

Dear Editor, Guyana lost Billy Braithwaite, a sports enthusiast who wore many hats drawing on a wide array of skills.

WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Companies are under growing scrutiny for how they treat their workers during the coronavirus crisis, but with health, safety and costs on the line, some may not know what steps to take.

(Trinidad Guardian) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has slammed Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for attempting to tarnish Trinidad and Tobago’s reputation in an attempt to convince the United States to levy sanctions against the country.

This is a time when most of us are finding new hobbies, whether it is cooking, gardening, or reading.

The Public Procurement Commission (PPC) is continuing to blacklist contractors over the supply of false information and it remains hopeful that the penalty will deter others bidding for state contracts from breaching public tendering regulations.

(Reuters) – The National Football League (NFL), the only major American sporting league so far largely unaffected by the coronavirus outbreak, says it is on course to begin its season on time in September.

(Reuters) – Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden yesterday voiced his support for the U.S.

(Reuters) – For a glimpse at how Disney recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, look no further than Shanghai, where the entertainment giant has staged a limited reopening of Shanghai Disney Resort.

2002: Long Island, New York. Frank Tassone, a high-school superintendent, impeccably dressed in a fancy suit, preps for an evening assembly meeting with parents of Roslyn High School.

So far, in our introduction to chess, we have named the chess pieces and examined how the Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King and Pawn are moved.

(Trinidad Guardian) Yesterday marked 20 years since the death of cultural icon Sundar Popo.

An East Coast Demerara man was yesterday arrested after he was caught trying to smuggle a parcel containing contraband items into the Lusignan Prison.

Dear Editor, Passengers who were unable to return to their respective countries when the curfew/lockdown had commenced, are being assisted by their respective Governments to return to their destinations.

MUMBAI (Reuters) – India’s film industry, purveyor of song-and-dance spectacles to millions, will take at least two years to recover financially from the coronavirus pandemic, which is threatening big-ticket projects, putting at risk tens of thousands of jobs.

(Reuters) – Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he hopes La Liga returns “soon” and it will be the leagues and federation that decide when after the government began easing coronavirus restrictions.

(Trinidad Guardian) If T&T returns to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), this could actually help T&T’s economy, according to former NAR finance minister Selby Wilson.

Dear Editor, Mr Paul Harris’ cartoons, in my opinion, have done the most to hit home the point that senior GECOM officials have fixed the counting – rigged at the point of counting SOPs – to favour their communal leader, Mr David Granger. 

On Thursday a fireworks explosion at the GDF base in Timehri killed three soldiers and injured two others.

Another person has been admitted to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Intensive Care Unit (ICU), according to the latest Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) COVID-19 update.