Daily Archive: Tuesday, February 3, 2009

– plans ‘aggressive’ collection after $600M revenue shortfall in 2008 Chairman of the city’s Finance Committee, Deputy Mayor Robert Williams yesterday presented a $2B budget for expenditure for the capital this year, while announcing that City Hall would aggressively pursue revenue collection.

– female cop under close arrest A teenage accused murderer escaped from the Turkeyen Police Station some time on Sunday night and his absence only became known when checks were made of the lock-up early yesterday morning.

– Benn says action ‘unlawful’, hints employees could face dismissal The ongoing strike action by aircraft controllers forced the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to be closed for a second night last night and Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn late last night deemed the strike unlawful and hinted that the workers could be fired if they did not immediately return to work.

English potatoes, in short supply in and around Georgetown since early last week grew even scarcer over the weekend and the retail price has shot up.

– victim’s relatives Relatives of Vanburn Allicock who was fatally stabbed by a colleague at a Sand Hills, Demerara River poultry farm two weeks ago are calling on the relevant authorities to act swiftly to bring the perpetrator to justice as they have learnt that he is planning to leave the country.

The University of Guyana’s (UG) Centre for Communica-tions Studies (CCS) will benefit from a US$300,000 grant over the next three years, following the signing of a Memorandum of Under-standing (MOU) between the university and the University of Ohio last Thursday.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud told a workshop convened to address weed management that the issue is critical as weeds can impede efforts to maximise food production thereby affecting livelihoods.

Guyanese men are more likely to commit suicide; this is according to statistics compiled by the Ministry of Health during the five year period 2003-2007.

The Georgetown Public Hospital has relocated several of its departments to facilitate construction work.

There is enough information to form the basis for a report on the crushing to death of a Guyanese worker in Barbados, Guyana Honorary Consul in that country, Norman Faria says.

Dear Editor, Cricket fans around the region will be anxiously monitoring the upcoming England-West Indies  (WI) Test and One Day International Series since our home team is in the rebuilding process.

President Bharrat Jagdeo is calling for a world body to be set up to restructure global financial governance.

Dear Editor,I would like to comment on Mr Donald Ramotar’s letter (‘There is no evidence of the “massive corruption” of which GuySuCo is being accused,’ Sunday Stabroek 1.2.09).

Winston George, who had a kidney transplant on Sunday, was conscious yesterday and according to his wife he gave her “a wave and a high five” as he lay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation yesterday; his donor was also doing well.

Dear Editor, I travelled a few times by speedboat from Supenaam to Parika and then I crossed again from Vreed-en-Hoop to Georgetown.

– promises major expansion within 2 years A French gold mining company is looking to begin production at the Marudi Mountain area in the Rupununi by November 1 and has committed to major expansion of production capacity within the next two years.

Dear Editor, I have read with interest the numerous letters and articles written about the proposed design of the relief structure(s) for the EDWC.

An alleged gold band snatcher was yesterday shot by a policeman who chased him after he reportedly snatched the band from a woman and ran away.

Dear Editor, Since Obama’s accession to the American presidency, comparisons are made with his politics and style of leadership on the one hand, and what prevails in various parts of the world on the other. 

Barticians are in for smoother rides as patching potholes has started; while the contracting company H Nauth and Sons said a culvert that collapsed recently was not part of the original contract, but it agreed to fix it after it was asked.

The regional Community Council of Ministers was expected to scrutinize and later approve the 2009 budget and work programme of the Caricom Secretariat yesterday as part of its deliberations on issues within Caricom.

Dear Editor, The list of beneficiaries of “Revenue loss” granted by the Government of Guyana in 2007, which was published in the Guyana Chronicle on January 25, 2009, shows that the Asian loggers continue to benefit from a waiver of import duties, even while they declare no taxable earnings year after year, employ only a small number of Guyanese at the lowest paying jobs and export our prime hard and heavy timbers at the lowest prices worldwide for comparable woods, an indication of under-reporting of FOB value; contrary to Customs law.

– as boxers sign contracts for S&S Promotions Heat Wave boxing extravaganza National middleweight champion Howard `The Battersea Bomber’ Eastman says he is looking forward to a rematch with William Joppy on home turf.

With the Coach of the Year award going to former Alpha United coach Wayne Dover, 2008 Senior and Junior Sportswoman,  Alika Morgan is questioning why her coach has not been recognized for his yeoman services to athletics in Guyana.

A US$6.8 million Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Development (READ) Project, touted as one which will strengthen food security and develop the agriculture sector, was officially launched yesterday at the National Agricultural Research Unit (NARI) Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.

Dear Editor, At a recent meeting with Caribbean and Latin American heads calls were made to lift the trade embargo against Cuba by the United States.

Alesie Guyana Ltd has denied a claim by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) that the company owes rice farmers.

-says Chetram Singh President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Chetram Singh says that the GCB would not be able to allow a Georgetown-representative team to play in the annual Inter-County competition.

Dear Editor, Maybe it is a case of divine intervention or politics as usual.

Dear Editor, I refer to Mr Christopher Ram’s ‘Integrity Commission on shaky ground’ in Sunday Stabroek of February 1, 2009.

Cops still seeking taxi driver More than two months after the partly decomposed body of Creavone Thorne was discovered in a Thomas Lands trench, the police are still looking for a taxi driver who may aid in the investigation.

An ex-police officer who allegedly kidnapped a 13-year-old girl was remanded to prison yesterday when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.

– replaces annual relay fair President’s College, through its Physical Education Department,  will run off an eight schools basketball tournament over the next three days, starting today.

A security guard who was attached to the Tom & Jerry Fun Park admitted to a charge of simple larceny and was fined $50,000 by Magistrate Tejnarine Ramroop last week at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court.

The Richard Latiff organized six-overs, seven-a-side tapeball competition  which was scheduled to start last Sunday has been pushed forward to March 8 at the National Park Tarmac, Thomas Lands, Georgetown.

Dear Editor,I read a news report in the Trinidad Express (February 2) in which a Trini had a chance encounter a year ago with then presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The idea to convene  the Guyana Police Force’s Conference for Inspectors and Sergeants held last month under the theme “Frontline Management: a Catalyst for Hastened Reform, Effective Partnership and Professional Policing” was refreshing.

Dear Editor, Thank you, blogger Macushi Piyasang, for suggesting that I write a book.

A seven-a-side six-over softball knock-out competition will be played at the Cullen Beach, Essequibo Coast on February 15 with the winning team set to take home a beautiful trophy and $20, 000.

Ian Deary is Professor of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh.

A 28–year-old man who is accused of robbing another man of a cell phone, while using personal violence was granted $75,000 bail yesterday when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Miner Andrew Paul De Abreu recently donated some 20 office chairs to the Guyana Police Force to be used in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eve Leary.