Daily Archive: Saturday, April 25, 2009

Firefighters managed to contain a mysterious fire which gutted the building of West Half Fashion-Fabric World, located at Regent and Light streets, late yesterday afternoon.

A security guard attached to Roshan Khan’s Security Service (RK’s) was discovered dead along Second Street, Diamond New Housing Scheme late last night.

An early morning collision yesterday between a passenger boat and another vessel in the Demerara River has left a goldsmith in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

The owners of a hardware store at Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice were shocked when they woke up yesterday morning to discover that their store had been broken into and approximately $2.7M in cash and items stolen.

-may face manslaughter count A 32-year-old minibus driver who allegedly hit down and killed a senior citizen whose body was later found at Turkeyen was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.

Twenty-nine-year-old Keith Cox who was severely burnt by his girlfriend with hot oil to his face and other parts of his body while asleep is still a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where he continues to recover.

–gunshot victim still hospitalised Sixty-year-old Winston Andrews of Prashad Nagar who was shot in his abdomen and robbed of his car containing $1.3 million on April 14, is still a patient in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

A fifty-two-year-old man, who allegedly chopped his uncle several times about his head and body after a heated argument between them, was remanded to prison yesterday when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

– as MPs visit Georgetown Hospital Members of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services (PSCSS) of the National Assembly yesterday visited the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) and received a host of complaints from patients who had been waiting there for long hours.

The two men who were held in the Maria van Beek shooting were yesterday placed on a second identification parade but were again not identified.

Businessman Roshan Khan has secured an injunction from the High Court barring the owners of Starlite Drive-in Cinema from making excessive noise during certain hours of the night, and particularly next weekend when a chutney show is expected to come off at the venue.

Two Luisgnan residents appeared in court yesterday charged with the illegal possession of a quantity of ammunition that was found in a house earlier this week.

Faizul Ousman, the man who allegedly attacked the mother of Selena Rambarat causing the six-year-old to sustain a fractured skull, was apprehended by police late Thursday night, relatives of the child said.

Two days after she allegedly stabbed her stepfather to death during a row at their Plaisance home, a 17-year-old schoolgirl appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with murder.

Counsel for Judicial Manager of Clico (Guyana), Maria van Beek says the attempt on her life has affected her work in relation to the company, and she has requested additional time from the High Court to complete a report.

Surviving security at the Summit of the Americas In a sea of unending body searches, security scanners and barricades, a lone comfort zone existed at the Fifth Summit of the Americas: the stylishly designed media centre that offered a contrasting feel of air-conditioned numbness and the warmth of an attentive staff.

… on  Inter- GUiana Games opening day Guyana got off to a prolific start in track and field when the 42nd Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) kicked off yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary as  they left their rivals from French Guiana and Suriname trailing in  their wake.

– calls for policy implementation The PPP has voiced its concern over the continuing domestic violence in Guyana, stating that though the government “has made many gains” in the area “it is also true to say that the problem continues to persist”.

Camptown, Ann’s Grove advance One champion stood tall while another crumbled at the conclusion of matches on the second night of the second annual Bakewell Buxton Stars- organized, Mackeson Stout/Digicel-sponsored Sweet 16 football tournament played at the Plaisance Community Centre ground on Thursday night.

–some relief expected early next month An alternator failure in January and a main bearing malfunction in March, both on machines at the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Garden of Eden facility, along with a series of mechanical failures, are the cause of the power outages that have been plaguing the city and its environs.

Guyana trampled by French football invasion Guyana’s male and female football teams withered to embarrassing defeats at the hands of the French Guiana teams when they contested in the Football Championship of the 42nd Inter Guiana Games on day one at the Ayanganna Ground yesterday.

Police are yet to apprehend the bandits who robbed and shot taxi-service dispatcher, 18-year-old Emmett Sauers at D’Urban Street on Thursday night.

Deficient football prep caused first day humiliation It was evident that failure to prepare had prepared Guyana to fail when the female and male football teams went down to French Guiana on day one in the Inter-Guiana Games (IGG) football championship which was played at the Guyana Defence Force ground yesterday.

The Guyana Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths to Affidavits Association is calling on the public to assist with enhancement works at the Institute for the Blind.

Some robust batting from Vishnu Ramjeet (80) and Krishna Deosarran (59), followed by controlled spin bowling from Narvan Singh, enabled Lusignan Cricket Club (LCC) to defeat Central Essequibo by 73 runs in their semi-final clash of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Gafoors-sponsored nationwide first division 20/20 competition yesterday.

The PPP will have discussions with the immediate family of the late former president Janet Jagan as it seeks to ensure that her memory endures as that of her “husband, the indomitable leader, Cde Cheddi Jagan.”

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) yesterday disassociated itself from the upcoming DJ Stress 20/20 cricket festival which is scheduled to be held at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on Labour Day.

The successful staging of the Guyana Music Festival (GMF) last week was a welcome reminder that the arts are still alive in Guyana; the scores of youthful performers giving hope that this will continue in the future.

Dear Editor, It is not surprising that the Time Limit for Judicial Decision Bill 2009 was unanimously approved in Parliament. 

DURBAN, (Reuters) – Ravi Bopara blasted his way to  a half century to help the Kings XI Punjab beat the Bangalore  Royal Challengers by seven wickets at Kingsmead yesterday for  their first victory in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).

Culture Box Why oh why? Recently, for a while at least, the daily commute had become a little more bearable; notwithstanding the ‘four-in-a-row’, the jet-like speeds, the sudden stops and close encounters with those who think that a bath once a week is quite fine.

Tastes Like Home Hi Everyone, Breakfast we can forego, mid-morning snack, tea and dinner we can miss or have something light, but not lunch.

Dear Editor, I have read the latest letter by Ms Marcia Nadir-Sharma/NICIL in the Stabroek News edition of  April 18, 2009 (‘NICIL does not have a real voice at AGMs of Guyana Stockfeeds Ltd’).

(Reuters) – Indian Premier League result and  standings yesterday. Kings XI Punjab beat Bangalore Royal Challengers by seven  wickets Standings                                         P      W     L     T    NR    PTS Deccan Chargers                          2          2      0      0     0        4 Delhi Daredevils                          2          2      0      0     0        4 Mumbai Indians                          2          1      0      0     1        3 Rajasthan Royals                        3          0      1      1     1        3 Chennai Super Kings                 3          1      2      0     0        2 Kings XI Punjab                           3          1      2      0     0        2 Bangalore Royal Challengers 4          1      3      0     0       2 Kolkata Knight Riders                3          1      1      1     0       2 * T denotes tied, NR no result Playing on Saturday (GMT) Mumbai Indians      v Deccan Chargers, Durban          (1030)   Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders, Cape Town (1445)

DUBAI, (Reuters) – Australia produced a disciplined  all-round performance to beat Pakistan by six wickets to level  the five-match series 1-1 yesterday.

“A labour of love for arts,” is how the producers of the well known annual Nrityageet aptly describe the production which will celebrate 30 years when its dancers take to the National Cultural Centre stage on May 2 and 3 in commemoration of Arrival Day.

MONTPELLIER, France, (Reuters) – American Lance  Armstrong has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the French  Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) over a random test conducted last  month, the AFLD said in a statement.

Dear Editor, Dr Prem Misir’s response to the Sunday Stabroek’s editorial of April 19, 2009 captioned ‘State of anarchy?’

Dear Editor, My heart goes out to the relatives of Mr Leroy Bobb whose body was dumped in Turkeyen.

Stepping in where others fear to tread, Gem Madhoo-Nascimento will produce and direct For the Love of Aidana Soraya, a play which probes the realms of interreligious marriage, at the National Cultural Centre next month.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Dallas Mavericks guard Jason  Terry has won the Sixth Man Award given to the best player in a  reserve role, the NBA said yesterday.

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – A strain of flu never seen before has killed up to 60 people in Mexico and also  appeared in the United States, where eight people were infected  but recovered, health officials said yesterday.

It will be a trip down memory lane when a group of men, members of a band in Guyana some 35 years ago, come together for just one night in Toronto, Canada to give patrons a taste of what they dished out musically in their young days.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, (Reuters) – Deron Williams  drained a last-second jumper to give the Utah Jazz an 88-86  victory over the Los Angeles Lakers yesterday, breathing new  life into their playoff series after two heavy defeats.

Dear Editor, My husband and I have a safety deposit box at Republic Bank, Water Street.

HOUSTON, (Reuters) – If Texas billionaire Allen Stanford ever wanted to make a low-profile departure from the  inner sanctum within his lavish Houston headquarters, there was  a private exit through his personal bathroom.

LONDON, (Reuters) – England all-rounder Andrew  Flintoff will miss next month’s test series against West Indies  after returning from the Indian Premier League to undergo knee  surgery, the England and Wales Cricket Board said yesterday.

PRETORIA, (Reuters) – South Africa’s ruling ANC was  set to fall just short of the votes needed to keep the  two-thirds parliamentary majority that would allow it to change  the constitution and further strengthen its hold.   

The 13 professional women vying for the fifth Ms Renaissance title on October 24 will be revealed tomorrow at the Umana Yana.

Dear Editor, I am appealing to fellow Guyanese to eradicate negative thinking and make way for the positive, especially when it comes to the leader of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).

(Trinidad Express) – No economic growth and more job losses this year.

KINGSTON (Reuters) – Reggae legend Bob Marley’s “One Love” topped a list of Jamaica’s 100 best songs over 50 years that was unveiled on Tuesday by a panel of musicians and cultural officials associated with the University of the West Indies.

Dear Editor, The well known educational pioneer, Shri Shruti Kant, head of the famed Guyana Oriental College (GOC), passed away recently in Toronto.

– US receiver HOUSTON (Reuters) – Records show the assets of Stanford International Bank were vastly overstated, leaving only a fraction to pay investor claims, the receiver in charge of Stanford’s operations and assets said in a court filing on Thursday.

With the aim of making sure that the future of basketball is bright, the Maccabees basketball club along with the newly formed Everything Basketball promotion, launched a school’s clinic on Thursday at the St Stanislaus College basketball court.

BAGHDAD, (Reuters) – In a second day of major  bloodshed in Iraq, two female suicide bombers blew themselves up  outside a Shi’ite Muslim shrine in Baghdad yesterday, killing 60  people, police said.

Dear Editor, Mr Royston King’s letter about impediments to improving the city’s drainage was quite interesting (‘There are several impediments to improving the city’s drainage,’ SN 22.4.09).

ST LOUIS, Missouri, CMC – World-rated Guyanese Nicolette Fernandes was knocked out in the first round of the Racquet Club International Squash tournament on Thursday, beaten by the fourth seed Miranda Ranieri, of Canada.

Every now and then, Hollywood gives us a film which continues its great classic tradition of championing those in all levels of the working class.

GENEVA (Reuters) – Fresh efforts and funding to tackle malaria in recent years have brought the goal of eradicating the deadly disease within sight, health experts said yesterday.

ASUNCION, (Reuters) – Paraguayan President  Fernando Lugo, a former Roman Catholic bishop, offered a public  apology yesterday, hoping to defuse a scandal over claims from  three women that he fathered their children.

The Guyana Overseas-based Women’s Football Programme is set to kick-off in June with the national team participating in a four-team tournament hosted by the Turks & Caicos Football Federation, according to a release from Colin Baker, president of the Guyana Sports Development Foundation.

(Jamaica Observer) – Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) flooded the streets of the Corporate Area on Thursday, and in addition to their riot gear, brought along garbage trucks and tractors to clear blocked roads amid rumours of planned protests against tax increases.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Finance chiefs from the G7  powers said yesterday the global economy may be pulling out of  the depths of a recession although recovery was not yet  assured, and they pledged to make certain big financial firms  are sound.

Dear Editor, We refer to the letter signed by the Director/  Secretary of the New Build-ing Society (NBS) published in yesterday’s edition of your newspapers.

Come tomorrow, rising local singer Clifton `Passion’ Adolphus will launch the music video to his newest song, “Abusive” which features Walter `Ballys’ Aaron who has also been on the local entertainment scene for some time now.

Caribbean category for US census A Bill calling for Caribbean nationals to have their own origins category on the US Census form has been introduced to the House of Representatives.

Next Tuesday at 1 pm on DIRECTV Channel 999, Episode Six of Iconoclasts features actor/environmentalist Cameron Diaz and 2006 Technology, Entertainment Design (TED) award winner Cameron Sinclair.

Queens taking on Heroines in first match The Corriverton Queens are set to take on the Crabwood Creek Heroines in the first match of the Bier and Prakash Singh Memorial/Vishnu Super Store softball games set for the Crabwood Creek Cricket Ground tomorrow.

This Robb Street pavement could soon be overrun by grass.

– Jeffrey D. Sachs is Professor of Economics and Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

Dear Editor, Several months ago, while watching a good movie at the Castellani  House, a group of dogs were heard fighting; the noise did not last too long and moved off to another location.

Washington has spent the last week debating the government’s decision to publicise the Bush White House’s torture memoranda.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A California judge on Thursday threw out two pesticide lawsuits against Dole Food Co and other companies by plaintiffs claiming to be banana farm workers, citing a “pervasive conspiracy” by plaintiffs’ attorneys and Nicaraguan judges.