Daily Archive: Friday, February 15, 2008

CAMBRIDGE – At this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, the buzz was about Asia’s growing power.

I bought the “rival” Kaieteur News this past Sunday. Two features made me instantly divert from what I really intended to emphasize today.

Two men were on Wednesday remanded on separate charges of break and enter and simple larceny when they appeared before Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Two women who live in the same building were yesterday brought before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on charges of unlawful assault and threatening behaviour.

A 45-year-old man was remanded for the alleged indecent assault of a minor yesterday when he appeared before Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

A month before he was caught, the trader Jerome Kerviel worried that his supervisors at Societe Generale would uncover a secret profit of one and a half billion euros which he had made in fraudulent trades.

Chief Executive Officer of DIGICEL’s Guyana operations Mark Linehan has told Stabroek Business that last Sunday’s launch of the company’s GSM cellular service at Mahdia reflects the company’s conviction that the creation of a competitive environment in the telecommunications sector offers more choice to Guyanese consumers while providing greater opportunity for the economic advancement of the country.

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company is expecting that the much-anticipated talks with the Government of Guyana which are expected to conclude with the termination of the monopoly which the company now holds in the local telecommunications sector will proceed in an atmosphere of professionalism and cordiality.

Long before the February 12 on-line issue of The Economist magazine reported on the Lusignan massacre of January 26, countries around the world would have already learnt by one means or another of the dastardly act.

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On Thursday January 31, I found myself in a business meeting in the United States trying to explain the events of the Lusignan horror.

Overview: In modern times, the only times Governments are involved in private sector operations and revenue generation, other than taxes, are in the few remaining socialist, communist, or dictatorial countries.

The first ever Caribbean Tourism Summit scheduled to take place in Washington from June 21 – 25 offers an outstanding opportunity for Guyana to refine its understanding of the challenges and potential of the tourist industry and to revalue its approach to the development of the sector according to a senior tourism sector official.

The Managing Director of Top Brandz, one of the larger distributors of imported beverages and household items has told Stabroek Business that the company has no interest in distributing “questionable brands” or products that cannot withstand the scrutiny of whatever health and quality standards testing they are exposed to prior to distribution in Guyana.

The $275m in fines imposed on several loggers by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) for breaches of its regulations are yet to be paid and according to an informed source in the forestry sector the loggers are likely to move to the courts to challenge the fines.

With the English speaking Caribbean having received more than 6 million tourists in 2007, the marked upsurge in violent crime appears – at least up until now – to have done little to diminish the popularity of the region as a tourist haven.

Notes 1 – Interim results 2 – Prospective EPS: earnings per share for 12 months period to the date the latest financials have been prepared.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone N

“I don’t like to make predictions to be honest with you, I just let my riding do the talking, but I am looking at breaking the track record on Sunday,” Canadian Super Bike champion Kevin Graham told Stabroek Sport.

Top Guyanese lady golfer Christine Sukhram placed a creditable fourth in the prestigious Carnation Ladies Golf championship held at the St.

The Pepsi Cup National Under-17 Inter-Association competition continues this weekend with three matches at three venues around the country.

The Guyana Defence Force yesterday issued a statement condemning the suspension of its football team by the Georgetown Football As-sociation.

Defending champions Georgetown and East Bank Demerara, recorded easy wins as action in the NALICO/NAFICO-sponsored Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) At the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Georgetown easily defeated West Demerara by 160 runs to complete their second successive victory which virtually guaranteed them a spot in tomorrow’s finals.

The twinning of Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) could augur well for both clubs, according to secretary of RHTY&SC, Hilbert Foster.

The Guyana Squash Association’s Bounty Farm Mash Handicap Squash Tournament which started last Monday has begun to heat up with players already qualifying for the quarterfinal matches.

Dear Editor, I refer to a letter of complaint dated 2007.09.10 by Mr Baliram Persaud of Lot 19, Section B, Suddie Village, Essequibo Coast made to the President and copied to the Minister of Home Affairs, the Commissioner of Police and the Divisional Commander ‘G’ Division.

Dear Editor, It is not clear to me what Father Malcolm Rodrigues mean that the government should negotiate with the Lusignan killers.

Dear Editor, The recent blitz involving the demonisation of persons as well as the “distortion” of the views and positions of non-government personalities on NNCN, the Non-National publicly owned Network, was disgusting,offensive, and vulgarly partisan.

Dear Editor, The cheerful smiles and without any distance between them in the photograph in SN of Wednesday 13th between the Australian Prime Minister and Opposition leader is a timely reminder for our leaders to emulate, meet, greet and embrace despite their respective divergent views.

Dear Editor, I refer to Mr. Kamal Ramkarran’s letter captioned “Disappointed that a serious newspaper would dabble in gossip” (08.02.14).

Dear Editor, Fr Malcolm Rodrigues has spoken truth to power. The wisdom and the bell-like clarity of his logic is a summons to be heard and acted upon with the utmost urgency.

Dear Editor, There is an increasing number of people who are either seeking compassion for murderous bandits or are attempting to rationalize the slaughter of innocent women and children by exploiting imaginary political grudges.

Dear Editor, It is refreshing to see a respected Christian leader such as Father Malcolm Rodrigues, make socio-political statements in times of uncertainty and tension.

Dear Editor, So, “Obama is glowing and has enormous momentum” .

Dear Editor, Mr. Paul Kokoski’s letter captioned “the proper use of genetic science requires moral reflection” (08.02.07) should not condemn outright the new techniques of genetic science that can possibly improve the quality of human life.

Dear Editor, The Alliance for Change column of Sunday February 10, 2008 titled “Cut the crap

Dear Editor, We are guards employed by the United Associates Security and Domestic Services (UASDS) in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and are very perturbed by some developments here To begin with, we are constantly receiving our salaries very late and for January 2008, we have not been paid although it is the end of the month.

Dear Editor, The ex-Minister of Home Affairs recently commented on the sophistication and political linkage in certain criminal activity.

A Joint Services operation near Alness, Corentyne yesterday recovered the army’s AK 47 rifle which went missing last year December and two men were nabbed in what sources say was a deal to sell the weapon for $80,000.

A speeding army patrol vehicle slammed into a car yesterday morning sending soldiers and their weapons crashing to the road.

Unhappy with a resolve clause, government MPs yesterday voted against a request for the suspension of the Standing Orders to allow a motion in the name of Opposition Leader Robert Corbin on the Lusignan massacre to proceed, resulting in PNCR-1G members boycotting the rest of the sitting.

Government MPs had the House to themselves yesterday to speak on the Lusignan massacre after a PNCR-1G boycott and a sharp exchange between the Speaker and the Minister of Home Affairs captured the spotlight.

Buxtonians yesterday described the actions of the government towards the community as “wicked” and called for an immediate end to the harassment of youngsters by soldiers and the destruction of their farmlands.

Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD) police on Wednesday night intercepted a boat and found 13.6 kilograms of ganja in a bag in the vessel and one man has since been held as investigations continue.

A man died on the Essequibo Coast yesterday morning after his motorcycle crashed into a minibus.

The Leonora hospital and treatment centre, West Coast Demerara, is expected to open within the next three weeks and most of the 14 newly-arrived Cuban medical practitioners will serve there, according to a release from GINA.

The Ministry of Education is to draft a national policy to help learning institutions deal with crises and to employ permanent resources to address social issues in the school system in the aftermath of the Lusignan massacre.

Clico on Wednesday launched its 2008 marketing campaign by donating 15 computers to 15 schools and handing over $250,000 each to four social institutions.

(Antigua Sun) A 30-year-old man is currently a patient at the Edward’s Ward at the Holberton Hospital where he is nursing severe burns to both legs.

A government minister has issued a strong warning about the penalties for statutory rape.

The mother of missing Alpha Hotel owner Roselaine Hall is contending that someone who is close to her daughter should be made to answer for her whereabouts.

The police were still on the hunt up to press time last night for a gunman who threatened two women with a firearm at Riverview Sea Dam, Ruimveldt before opening fire on several ranks on Wednesday night.