Daily Archive: Wednesday, April 6, 2022

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States targeted Russian banks and elites with a new round of sanctions today, including banning Americans from investing in Russia, in response to what President Joe Biden condemned as “major war crimes” by Russian forces in Ukraine.

The Guyana Government today wrote the Chair of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Dela Britton expressing concern at what it said were numerous reports of the poor quality of public telecommunications services.

LVIV, Ukraine/DUBLIN, (Reuters) – Artillery pounded key cities in Ukraine today, as its president urged the West to act decisively in imposing new and tougher sanctions being readied against Russia in response to civilian killings widely condemned as war crimes.

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – In 2020, Mahinda Rajapaksa won elections to become Sri Lanka’s prime minister, serving under his brother and president Gotabaya.

OUAGADOUGOU, (Reuters) – Burkina Faso’s former president Blaise Compaore was sentenced to life imprisonment for complicity in the 1987 murder of his predecessor Thomas Sankara in a coup, a military tribunal ruled today.

ISLAMABAD,  (Reuters) – Pakistan’s top court could rule tomorrow on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s move to block an opposition attempt to oust him, a step his critics say is unconstitutional and has touched off political turmoil.

(Trinidad Express) It’s a lie. That was Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley response to claims from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar that Government was spying on people in all walks of life, including politicians, its own members, the media, members of the business community, trade unionists and members of the judiciary, businesspersons, and journalists.

Representative of the APNU+AFC List of Candidates, David Granger has written to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) advising it to extract the names of Aubrey Norton and Volda Lawrence to fill the two empty seats in the National Assembly.

As the probe into the theft of supplies from the Minis-try of Health’s (MoH) drugs bond at Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) widens, director of the facility, Cecil Jacques, and several other staffers were yesterday taken into custody for questioning by police.

ExxonMobil has selected a planned US$600 million Vreed-en-Hoop shore base established by NRG Holdings Incorporated – a consortium of local business persons –  to support its offshore oil operations, sources say.

After a two-year hiatus, the ceremonial opening of the criminal assizes returned to the High Court in Demerara yesterday morning and heard a renewed call by the Bar Association for confirmed appointments to the top two posts in the judiciary and the recomposing of the Judicial Service Commission.

Popular city street-food vendor, Debra Salikram, died yesterday morning following an accident on La Penitence Public Road, Georgetown.

A rank who was probing the rape complaint of 18-year-old Tonika Calder, who later died by suicide, was charged with criminal negligence earlier this year but the matter was thrown out by a magistrate at the Vigilance court because the charge  was ruled as “bad in law,” according to sources.

Experienced campaigner Nicolette Fernandes remains Guyana’s lone representative in the individual section of the PanAm Senior Squash Championship in Guatemala following defeats to teammates Ashley Khalil and Mary Fung A Fat in the women’s pool yesterday.

On the heels of obtaining government regulatory approvals for its Yellowtail well and the announcement of its US$10 billion Final Investment Decision on that project, US oil major ExxonMobil is now seeking approval for a fifth development, at the Uaru+ well.

MUMBAI, India, CMC – A dashing knock by West Indies batting star Shimron Hetmyer went in vain as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Rajasthan Royals by four wickets in the Indian Premier League here yesterday.

Dear Editor, I found myself in this strangest of positions, that of agreeing with Guyana’s head of state, on something he said recently that was not just accurate, but had an uncustomary ring of truth about it (“Contractors can’t find workers -President” -SN April 5). 

Months after the announcement of training for 6,000 Guyanese from the Barbados tourism and hospitality sector, those opportunities are yet to be realized and Minister Oneidge Walrond told this newspaper that it is still a work in progress.

Acting Commissioner of Police  Clifton Hicken yesterday told police inspectors that the force will be seeking to increase its human resource capacity with diversity being a key aspect of its recruitment drive.

Dear Editor, Will Hindus be ever able to regain the sanctity of the Holi festival? 

Dear Editor, After seeing quite a few people sharing a very attractive poster and news media informing the public of the reopening of the Guyana Zoological Park and Wildlife Rescue Centre, out of curiosity, I decided that I would visit the very first/opening day to see changes.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is expected to re-advertise for applications to fill the vacant posts of Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO) and Assistant CEO, according to opposition-nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander.

Dear Editor, Reference is made to the SN editorial (April 4) about accountability in relation to allegations against a Minister.

Two men have been charged and remanded to prison over the robbery of a Kimbia, Berbice family.

Dear Editor, After over two years without a substantive high commissioner – Hamley Case departed in January 2020 – the UK diaspora is playing a ‘Where’s the HC?’

President Irfaan Ali accepted the letters of credence yesterday appointing Liselle Blankendal as the Ambassador of the Republic of Suriname to Guyana, the Office of the President said yesterday.

The Golden Jaguars were drawn in group B of League ‘B’ in the Concacaf Nations League, after the official draw was conducted on Monday in Miami, Florida, USA.

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) will stage the DeSinco Trading Limited Junior Chess Championship Qualifiers from April 9th -12th at the National Stadium Providence from 9:00am.

Dear Editor, Sixteen hundred part-time jobs in government agencies were announced in two regions, as part of  efforts to cushion the rising cost of living. 

The body of the Corriverton fisherman who allegedly fell overboard on Sunday was yesterday morning discovered in the area where the incident happened in the Corentyne River in the vicinity of Orealla Village.

LVIV, Ukraine,  (Reuters) – The United States and its allies yesterday prepared new sanctions on Moscow over civilian killings in northern Ukraine, which President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described as “war crimes” demanding commensurate punishment.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Friday commissioned a smart classroom at the Christianburg Secondary School.

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) in collaboration with Cricket West Indies (CWI) will conduct Coaching Education Development Events today and tomorrow from 09:00 hours to 17: 00 hours at the La Bonne Intention Cricket Facility.

Dear Editor, In a letter carried in the press yesterday, UK-based Aubrey Norton strongman, Norman Browne issued a call for APNU+AFC parliamentarian, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley to provide a breakdown of her party’s membership.

MEXICO CITY,  (Reuters) – Violence against the press in Mexico rose to unprecedented levels in the first half of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s administration, up 85% from the first half of his predecessor’s term, according to a report published yesterday.

COLOMBO,  (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa revoked a state of emergency late yesterday after dozens of lawmakers walked out of the ruling coalition, leaving his government in a minority in parliament as it struggled to quell protests amid the country’s worst economic crisis in decades.

(Reuters) – Cuba is struggling to cover a fuel deficit as imports from Venezuela and other countries remain below historical levels and global prices boosted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine make purchases almost unaffordable, according to analysts and data.

Dear Editor, As many of you would know, after more than two decades as a Central Banker, I literally walked out of the Bank’s doors without notice and eventually joined the Private Sector Commission, first as its technical/economic specialist, and for the last eight years of my tenure, as its Executive Director.

Says Charwayne Walker Congratulations are extended to head coach Jamal Shabbazz and team for the outstanding performance at the just concluded Courts Classic Tri-Nation Tournament.

Ten new COVID-19 cases were recorded by the Ministry of Health out of 800 tests that were conducted as of yesterday.

(Trinidad Express) A 15-year-old school girl died at the Couva District Health Facility yesterday afternoon, after she was allegedly beaten by a male relative.

By Dr Bertrand Ramcharan Director of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia, 1992-96 Author: Contemporary Preventive Diplomacy, Routledge, 2020.

LIMA,  (Reuters) – Peruvian President Pedro Castillo yesterday afternoon lifted a curfew order following widespread defiance on the streets, as protests spiraled against rising fuel and fertilizer prices triggered by the Ukraine conflict.

Dear Editor, Black Stalin of calypso fame sang a great calypso some years ago called ‘Bun Dem’.

Two weekends ago celebrations erupted across the Caribbean as the West Indies defeated England in the Third Test at St George’s in Grenada, to win the series 1 – 0, and secure the first lien on the Botham-Richards Trophy.

LONDON, CMC – West Indies white-ball captain Kieron Pollard has been snapped up by London Spirit as their number one pick for the second edition of the Hundred starting in August.

A Linden labourer was on Monday charged with trafficking a quantity of ecstasy in Wismar, Linden, Region Ten.

ISLAMABAD,  (Reuters) – Pakistan’s Supreme Court adjourned until today a hearing to decide the legality of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s blocking of an opposition bid to oust him, a dispute that has led to political turmoil in the nuclear-armed country.

(Reuters) – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday said the Football Union of Russia (FUR) had withdrawn its appeal against soccer’s world governing body FIFA as well as the Polish, Swedish and Czech Republic Football Associations.

BRASILIA,  (Reuters) – A dinner between Brazil’s Workers Party (PT) leader Gleisi Hoffmann and 30 businessmen on Monday ended with two pieces of information well-received by the latter: The party will work with central bank chief Roberto Campos Neto and there is no thought of controlling fuel prices if former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wins the October election.