Daily Archive: Friday, March 27, 2009

People know each other well on the Pomeroon River. Travelling mostly in boats, some of the children even paddle to school, almost everyone waves to each other in passing.

Twenty-one-year-old Ryan Hescott who is accused of discharging a loaded firearm at a policeman and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition pleaded not guilty yesterday to all three charges when they were read to him by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

-wanted man in custody One of the men who was shot last Sunday on Main Street yesterday appeared in court charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and was refused bail by acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.

The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is awaiting test results from the US on the nutritional value of a cassava poultry feed before starting a trial of the experimental product at the end of April.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The US Securities and  Exchange Commission accused Caribbean-based Millennium Bank and  its Swiss parent of running a $68 million Ponzi scheme that  misled investors about high returns on certificates of deposit,  the SEC said yesterday.

President Bharrat Jagdeo and Jordan’s King Abdullah II explored the possibility of agricultural trade and held talks on boosting cultural and diplomatic relations during their first meeting in the Jordanian capital Amman on Wednesday.

-also wants security deposit introduced The Public Utilities Commission will today be holding a public hearing to consider an application by the Guyana Water Inc (GWI) for tariff consolidation, and the tariff rate for the various categories is expected to be one of the main issues to be discussed.

There has been a notable strengthening in regional and national capacity to evaluate, monitor and plan for climate change and related impacts, especially in Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Belize, a recent CARICOM meeting stated.

The Guyana Red Cross Society Children’s Convalescent Home on Tuesday received a donation from the Guyanese American Nurses Association in Miami.

The New Thriving Restaurant is set to open an opulent new eatery on Main Street today.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) says it is still ironing out some kinks in the recently introduced Licence Revenue Office Man-agement Information System (LRO/MIS) and asks for the public’s patience when obtaining road licences.

A 26-year-old Alexander Village man was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) last night after he was stabbed by one of two men who robbed him.

-chairman warns about illegal contracts Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette says that the region’s Procurement Tender Administration Board is no longer functional since its term has expired.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud has urged the MMA/ADA Board to engage farmers on topical issues in order to inform their work and drive production.

An 18-year-old prisoner, who sustained a minor head injury during a fight with a fellow inmate at the Georgetown Prisons, was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) last evening.

A life support machine is now the means by which 6-month-old Selena Rambarat, who was injured when an ex-lover attacked her mother on Monday morning, continues to cling to this world.

An auto dealer is wanted by police for questioning in relation to `Obtaining by False Pretence’.

-ophthalmology hospital to open in April As the National Ophthalmology Hospital prepares to start operations next month the 79th batch of Mission Miracle patients assembled on Tuesday at Ramphal House to register for departure to Cuba for eye surgeries.

A 46-year-old confectionary vendor yesterday received a sentence of community service and a fine of $10,000 after pleading guilty but offered an explanation to the charge of possession of narcotics when it was read to her by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

–Home Affairs Ministry lambastes courts Two alleged Jamaican drug traffickers who failed to appear in court for their trial may have fled the country after being granted $150,000 bail in the High Court and the Home Affairs Ministry yesterday said that there was no special reason to justify their release.

–shooter still at large The three Guyanese, who were held following the gunning down of 18-year-old Trevor Baird in Cayenne, French Guiana on Saturday, were released by investigators on Wednesday but the shooter remains at large.

The main opposition PNCR has endorsed the findings of UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues Gay McDougall, calling it a clear reflection of the views of the people of Guyana in general and the Afro-Guyanese community in particular.

BOSTON, (Reuters) – A US pension fund that is  one of the world’s largest money managers threatened yesterday to divest from Sudan-linked holdings within a year in  protest against human rights abuses in Sudan’s Darfur region.

West Indies’ spring tour of England could be severely undermined after it emerged five senior players are threatening to withdraw from the series to play in the IPL.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Chris Gayle believes it is important for West Indies to win the third One-day International against England today at Kensington Oval.

UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) – A reserve currency  system based on an IMF unit instead of the US dollar, a  proposal floated by China, could be phased in within a year,  Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said yesterday.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – U.S. and European officials  proposed strict new financial rules yesterday to stabilize  the economy and curb the type of risk-taking that nearly  wrecked the banking sector and set off a global recession.

-bigger 2009 target could be reduced based on market assessment Despite the prevailing global economic crisis and lower output last year, the commitment of the Chinese bauxite company Bosai to setting up a US$1bn alumina plant here remains undiminished and the company’s feasibility study is scheduled for completion in September, according to information reaching Stabroek Business.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Languishing bottom of the seven-team standings, Guyana will be going all out for maximum points in order to stall Trinidad & Tobago’s progress in their 12th round WICB four-day championship today at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Dear Editor, In its story of March 26, 2009 ‘35% scheme man says he’ll make good’ SN reported that the operator of the ‘vegetables for export’ scheme stated, “They will be repaid,” thereby appearing to admit the existence of a scheme.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Two of the most respected  US newspaper publishers, The Washington Post Co and The New  York Times Co, are embarking on new cost cuts in the face of  dramatic declines in advertising revenue.

Massiah hits century as TSC snatch first innings points Georgetown led by an attractive 106 from Shaun Massiah, Transport Sports Club (TSC) were able to snatch first innings points from Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) when the two met in the first round of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Cummings Electrical/Raymond Panday Memorial Second Division competition.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Chronicle has provided us with comic relief with its manufactured news story that ‘[Hillary] Clinton shares Guyana’s position on drugs trafficking,’ (March 26), by trying to draw a parallel between Ms Clinton’s charge of America’s “insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade,” and President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent lambasting of America as the ‘biggest law enforcement failure” against drug trafficking.

Dear Editor, When Mr Jad Rahaman operated his tour company at the Barakara Resort in the Mazaruini River, he painstakingly kept the nature trail that leads to the Barakara Falls (opposite the resort) in a clear and clean state.

Berbice wicketkeeper/batsman Delbert Hicks was selected the 2008 Cricketer-of-the-Year for his club Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) and will be honoured  when the 18th annual awards ceremony is held at  J.C.

Next month’s Summit of the Americas in Port-of-Spain will present the first and, perhaps, the most important opportunity to lay the foundation for a long-term relationship between the Caribbean and the new Obama administration in the United States.

KHARTOUM, (Reuters) – Unidentified aircraft  attacked a convoy of suspected arms smugglers as it drove  through Sudan towards Egypt in January, killing some 30 people,  two senior Sudanese politicians said yesterday.

West Watooka and Sunrise Sports Clubs demolished Genesis XI and Nottinghamsire SC respectively last Saturday in the Berbice and Linden zones of the Guyana Softball League (GSL) organized Trophy Stall 15-Over Countrywide Softball Competition.

Rawle Lucas is a Guyanese-born Certified Public Accountant and Assistant Vice-President of the Lending Services Division.

Dear Editor, While in Guyana in the mid-1990s, I asked the mother of a 9-year-old schoolboy why she found it necessary to send her child to costly after-school private lessons. 

BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – A US Justice Department  crackdown on European online gambling companies violates U.S. 

ORLANDO, Florida, (Reuters) – The Orlando Magic  took a big step toward claiming the No.

Dear Editor, It is with great disappointment that I read the article in Sunday Stabroek titled, ‘Move towards national reconciliation to combat race problems -UN expert says.’

Speaking recently in her capacity as the state-appointed Judicial Manager of the embattled CLICO, Ms.

GENEVA, (Reuters) – International commerce risks  being strangled by a gradual build-up of restrictions that could  undermine policies to revive the world economy, the head of the  World Trade Organisation (WTO) said yesterday.

DENVER, (Reuters) – High-ranking Olympic officials  have blasted the U.S. Olympic Committee for dragging their feet  on negotiating a new revenue-sharing agreement.

SEOUL, (Reuters) – North Korea said yesterday  that if the international community punishes it for next  month’s planned missile launch it will restart a nuclear plant  that makes weapons grade plutonium.

Dear Editor, We wish to apologize for the delay in getting a response to your readers, in time for your publication of their letters.

(Jamaica Observer) – Minister of National Security Trevor MacMillan is awaiting a report from the Jamaica Defence Force regarding an incident in which soldiers allegedly assaulted a civilian during an operation by security forces in St Andrew on Wednesday.

The Roraima Group of Companies is using its most recent acquisition, the Roraima Duke Lodge to stage the country’s first ever “Wedding Expo” and the company’s Chief Executive Officer Captain Gerry Gouveia told Stabroek Business that apart from the role that the event will play in helping to popularize Roraima’s recent multi-million dollar acquisition, its “other major significance” is that it will enable the marketing a of number of small and medium-sized businesses  in the wedding and entertainment sectors.

Dear Editor, In the Stabroek News article captioned ‘Guyana open to partnership in drugs war –President’ in the March 19, 2009 edition, the President stated in a speech delivered to Guyana Police Force’s annual officers’ conference that Guyana wants partnership status in the war on drugs.

HARROGATE, England, CMC – Guyana’s world squash star Nicolette Fernandes is encouraged by her solid return to the sport but is a trifle disappointed she fell short of title success.

NAPIER, New Zealand, (Reuters) – Ross Taylor and  Jesse Ryder combined for a record 271-run partnership to help  New Zealand recover from a disastrous start and reach 351 for  four at the end of the first day of the second test against  India yesterday.

(Trinidad Express) PORT-OF-SPAIN – An injunction barring the CL Financial Group from transferring or disposing of its assets of the subsidiary, Clico, has been extended further to April 8 by Justice Judith Jones.

Dear Editor, Over the years from PNC era to now I’m convinced, supported by overwhelming evidence, that the Guyana Police Force motto ‘Service and Protection’ is blatantly false − nowhere near its target.

Providing a viable option for enterprising youthsBy Enid ThomProject CoordinatorMentor Model to Develop Young Entrepreneurs The mentoring model is a youth entrepreneurship development programme adapted by the Guyana Youth Business Trust (GYBT) from the Prince’s Trust in the United Kingdom where the focus of the programme was on  targeting disadvantaged youths and helping them find decent work. 

EU takes aim at US ban The European Union said Thursday that US laws restricting online gambling contravene World Trade Organisation rules.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Hugh Gore believes that the disparity between the fees being paid to West Indies players for international appearances, and the fees given to players in first-class cricket in the Caribbean is disgraceful.

Dear Editor, The law now says vehicles working as public transportation should not have stickers, although some say that nice religious words are ok.

American justice, Guyanese status … And Tom’s “VIP” Visas Without much doubt, the Roger Khan Drugs trial in New York, USA and the revocation of our local Supreme Court Registrar’s US Visitor’s Visa stimulated me to record some observations, old and new.

This car ran off the West Coast Berbice public road on Monday around 8 am.

Responding to our editorial of February 13, 2009 (‘The Grand Old Men of Guyanese diplomacy’), Mr Frank Fyffe, one of SN’s regular correspondents, seems to suggest that our praise for the intellect and accomplishments of Sir Shridath Ramphal, Rashleigh Jackson and other luminaries of the foreign service was perhaps misplaced.