Daily Archive: Sunday, February 14, 2021

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) today said that five of its ranks stationed in the North West District are the subjects of a police investigation into an allegation of rape.

Two persons died today after the car they were in smashed into a utility pole on Homestretch Avenue just after midnight.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – It is still Donald Trump’s Republican Party – at least for now.

As had been expected, Guyana will be celebrating its 51st Republic Anniversary on February 23 differently due to COVID-19.

 (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Myanmar for a ninth day of anti-coup demonstrations today, as the new army rulers grappled to contain a strike by government workers that could cripple their ability to run the country.

DHAKA,  (Reuters) – A second-string West Indies team under stand-in captain Kraigg Brathwaite completed a 2-0 series sweep against Bangladesh with a dramatic 17-run win in the second test today.

(Trinidad Guardian) The furore continued on Saturday over the murder of Andrea Bharatt, as angry words and rage-filled posts were heaped on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for not attending Friday’s funeral which culminated with a motorcade and candlelight vigil in the capital.

(Trinidad Guardian) An internal police investigation has been ordered into the deaths of criminals Joel Balcon and Andrew Morris, two of the prime suspects in the murder of 23-year-old Andrea Bharatt who was kidnapped on February 29 and her body found six days later dumped off a precipice in the Heights of Aripo.

Western Scientific, a Trinidadian company debarred by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for fraudulent practices, and the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (NGPC) received the lion’s share of contracts for over $5 billion in pharmaceuticals and medical supplies sales over the past four months, documents have revealed.

The partnership between Guyana and the United States to combat illegal fishing has seen a positive start and Washington says it will continue to pursue regional cooperation as seen in the recent Operation Southern Cross.

Amidst concerns over potential side-effects, a recent survey has found “moderate support” among the general population for COVID-19 vaccination and the need for accurate information to be shared on the subject in order to build trust.

City Engineer Colvern Venture has approached the High Court for protection from the Mayor and Councillors who have publicly declared their intention to dismiss him from his post despite not actually having the power to do so.

Former Minister of Finance Winston Jordan has said the government’s proposed 2021 national budget lacks a comprehensive plan to chart Guyana’s economic recovery from COVID-19.

President Irfaan Ali yesterday announced an initiative to foster cohesion among communities along the East Coast of Demerara as part of his administration’s drive to unify citizens.

A total of 24 persons lost their homes yesterday morning after two apartment buildings at Castello Housing Scheme, in Georgetown, were destroyed by an electrical fire.

Government has allocated a total of $25.6 billion for the construction and upgrading of roads and bridges this year.

While trumpeting plans for hydropower and natural gas, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh on Friday announced that government will put $2 billion into the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) to clear inherited arrears even as it works to position the company to meet expanding demand on the national grid.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) yesterday praised the government’s proposed 2021 national budget, saying it contains sufficient fiscal measures and public investment programmes to encourage the growth of the private sector while lowering the cost of living for the ordinary Guyanese.

The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) has welcomed the measures announced for the manufacturing and services sector in the government’s proposed $383.1 billion national budget, while saying that they are in line with many of its own recommendations.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – One of Test cricket’s greatest ever captains, Sir Clive Lloyd, has described West Indies’ victory over Bangladesh in Chattogram last week as one of Test cricket’s greatest ever results.

Cricketers from Essequibo are set to participate in two T20 tournaments beginning today with the resumption of the South, Central and North T20 tournament.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday reported 26 more COVID-19 cases.

West Indies senior women trio, Shabika Gajnabi, Shemaine Campbelle and Sheneta Grimmond have teamed up with the Berbice Cricket Board to sponsor a 40-over women’s tournament later this year.

The fifth Bel Air Rubis-sponsored U-15 cricket development programme was launched yesterday at the Enmore Community Centre.

After being hospitalised in New York for over two weeks with COVID-19, attorney Jerome Khan is warning persons to take the virus seriously.

A chance, somewhat unpleasant encounter with a government official in a hair salon, later became an opportunity for Ayo Dalgety-Dean to start working in the area of child rights in Guyana and today she heads a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which is known for working with children, especially those who are sexually abused.

Sandy Jackman never expected to become a survivor of a hate crime.

National youth cricketer Nigel Deodat on Thursday last received $100,000 worth of cricket gear from the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club and Star Sports.

A family of seven were left counting their losses yesterday morning after a fire, suspected to have been caused by a mosquito coil, destroyed their Dazzell Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara home.

Founded in 2017, the Girl Build Girl Foundation is an offshoot of a self-empowerment platform presented by Gabriella Chapman when she competed at the Miss Bartica Regatta Pageant that year and won.

Two houses at Shell Road, Kitty, were gutted by an early morning electrical fire.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Rahkeem Cornwall’s second five-wicket haul in Tests earned West Indies a significant 113-run first innings lead, but the Caribbean side then lost three wickets in the final session to leave the second Test against Bangladesh an open affair on the third day here yesterday.

Photos of scrumptious looking pastries, cakes and snacks available from Carol’s Kitchen are posted to Facebook, along with testimonials from customers who appreciate being able to order authentic Guyanese dishes for shipping or pickup in North America.

While a local probe continues into the discovery of 11.5 tonnes of cocaine, unearthed by authorities in Belgium from a container of scrap metal that originated here last year, Five Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) container scanning specialists were fired earlier this month for misconduct.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate acquitted Donald Trump yesterday in his second impeachment trial in a year, with fellow Republicans blocking conviction over the former president’s role in the deadly assault by his supporters on the U.S.

A taxi driver was carjacked on Friday night when he was tricked into making a drop to West Ruimveldt by a man who posed as a desperate customer.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall said West Indies will be gunning for a lead in excess of 400 on today’s penultimate day, with the hope of winning the second Test and securing a series sweep over Bangladesh.

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – The first 100,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine arrived in Venezuela yesterday.

Dear Editor, In light of the recent article, “Commissioners disassociate themselves from ERC letter,” published in the February 10th, 2021 edition in the various print medias, I wish to further highlight some disturbing issues within the Ethnic Relations Commission, all of which contradicts with its mission and purpose to serve and unite the Guyanese people.

In 1920s Harlem, two childhood friends have a chance reunion. Irene, our mixed-race protagonist, is the wife of a black doctor.

WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called Donald Trump “practically and morally responsible” for his supporters’ deadly attack on the Capitol, only moments after voting to acquit the Republican former president on an impeachment charge of inciting the melee.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The White House yesterday called on China to make available data from the earliest days of the COVID-19 outbreak, saying it has “deep concerns” about the way the findings of the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 report were communicated. 

Luka Doncic scored a career-high 46 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 36 as the host Dallas Mavericks won their fourth straight game, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 143-130 on Friday night.

(Trinidad Express) A man who posted a message on social media, following the death of Andrea Bharatt, has been reported to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s (TTPS) Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) by Police Commissioner Gary Griffith.

Dear Editor,   When President Irfaan All announced the second cash grant for public servants there was reason to rejoice from those at the bottom of the food chain – NDC workers.

Acts of Kindness Family visiting, cousins from the old days, hadn’t been back for forty years, refugees from the bad days of nothing in the shops, fear of always being below, no future for the children, they with gifts, brought back memories, then it was bare food my wife didn’t have; now it was a tablecloth wonderfully embroidered and, for me, bottles of Niagara wine.

An Upper Corentyne taxi driver was on Friday busted with a quantity of smuggled fish and shrimp at Number 77 Village, Corentyne.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela yesterday released 12 Pemon indigenous people who had been detained more than a year ago for an assault on a remote military post on the country’s southern border with Brazil, the leader of a nongovernmental human rights organization said.

Dear Editor, I like some things in the 2021 budget.  There is much to cheer in it, and I applaud the PPP government for the positives, some of which were expected.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Top seed Ash Barty recovered from an early wobble to defeat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2 6-4 in the third round of the Australian Open yesterday, while Alex De Minaur fell to Fabio Fognini in a mixded day for the host country.

(Trinidad Guardian) Farmer Nappy has won the 2021 International Soca Monarch with his song “Backyard Jam”.

By Nikita Blair When I saw the cover of The Deep by Rivers Solomon, my mind immediately bounced back to the 2013 Animal Planet docufiction Mermaids: The Body Found.

A Tucberg Park, New Amsterdam man is now in police custody after police carried out a search for arms, ammunition, narcotics and stolen articles at his home on Friday evening and discovered a quantity of cannabis.

The body of a 25-year-old minibus driver, who allegedly drowned during a midday outing on Thursday at the Blue Lake, Kara Kara, Linden, has been recovered.

With one day of games left to be played in the delayed 2020 National Chess Championship, World Chess Federation (FIDE) national master Taffin Khan was on Thursday leading the scores with 5½ points after six games.

(Reuters) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had administered over 50 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of yesterday morning and delivered about 69.9 million doses.

Last Update: 693. 99                            Movement: 0.03% Current Update: 693.81                     YTD Movement: 0.28% The Lucas Stock Index fell 0.03% during the second period of trading in February, 2021.

By Richard Kuhn The SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates fast. That’s a concern because these more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2 are now present in the U.S.,

Introduction In today’s column I continue my summary appraisal of the adverse impacts of the 2020 general crisis, as I have defined this phenomenon, on Guyana’s infant oil and gas sector.

(Reuters) – Opener Rohit Sharma smashed 161 while India’s other top-order batsmen fell cheaply, helping the home side build to 300-6 on the opening day of the second match against England at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium yesterday.

(Jamaica Observer) Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith informed the Senate on Friday that progress is being made in discussions with United States authorities on Jamaica’s request for new protocols to protect Jamaican seafarers detained under the Shiprider Agreement.

The public is hardly interested in the details of budgetary explanations and analysis and for many like myself, I find going through figures to be sheer drudgery.

In a long life I have read the books and been taught the deeds and studied the scholarship and seen the art of the famous in many great countries of the world.

Dear Editor, This is in reference to your news reports on the Corentyne coast drowning; it is a senseless loss of lives.

It was on January 7th this year that President Nicolás Maduro issued a decree purporting to establish a new maritime territory designated ‘Territory for the development of the Atlantic Façade’ incorporating our territorial waters, EEZ, continental shelf and land west of the Essequibo River into Venezuela.

I have no problem wearing a mask or social distancing or observing any measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.