Daily Archive: Thursday, July 30, 2009

President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday challenged drug trafficker Roger Khan to “speak whatever he knows” about his connections here and who he was fighting for saying that he is not afraid and or worried about anything Khan would reveal.

Under pressure to clear his name, Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy yesterday distanced himself from the allegations raised in a US court about his connections to drug trafficker Roger Khan calling the claims “absurd” and charging that the witness was trying to frame him.

A vehicle belonging to former Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen was driven to a Meadowbrook house on the night that channa bombs used to set the Ministry of Health building alight were being made President Bharrat Jagdeo has said, a claim Holder-Allen dismissed as “total nonsense”.

Selwyn Vaughn, a professed former member of confessed drug trafficker Roger Khan’s “Phantom gang” yesterday said that he had provided a safe house in Agricola for the infamous Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins.

Difficulties with accessing birth certificates, public assistance and transportation were among the issues affecting their communities which toshaos brought to the fore yesterday when their national council meeting continued at the convention centre at Liliendaal.

A Guyana-born Brooklyn, New York man was gunned down on Tuesday night in front of his two-year-old son.

-will skip Parliament The Alliance For Change (AFC) yesterday said that revelations in a US court over the killing of Ronald Waddell point to a clear crisis of governance and it called on the police commissioner to discharge his obligations in investigating that murder and that of boxing coach Donald Allison.

Special Constable Dennison Benjamin  who stole  a camera, a DVD player and US$20 from the home of Magistrate Chandra Sohan  on the Corentyne was sentenced yesterday to  four years, six months after he pleaded guilty to three charges of larceny from a dwelling house.

The New Building Society Limited (NBS) and its Chairman, Dr Nanda Gopaul, have sued the publishers of Kaieteur News and Christopher Ram for alleged libel contained in the July 27th edition of KN.

The Chief Executive Officer (ag) of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth has denied that he was involved in any negotiations for purchase of property which was owned by John Willems as alleged in an article in yesterday’s edition of Kaieteur News (KN).

A woman accused of having a quantity of cocaine in her possession was yesterday remanded to prison when she appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Archie Poole, who was arrested on Monday, several days after police announced he was wanted for questioning in relation to the Ministry of Health fire, will remain in custody as long as police need him to be.

-toxicology tests to be done Police yesterday said the cause of death of murder accused David ‘Biscuit’ Leander is undetermined and now hinges on the results of toxicology tests.

–new strains of corn, soybean being developed The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) and the Iowa-based M S Technologies, LLC/Stine Seed Company yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which is expected to boost local research in seed development.

Over the next week and a half, President Bharrat Jagdeo will be out of the country on official state business.

The country continues to do well economically in spite of the global financial crisis, President Bharrat Jagdeo has said, stating that its performance on the revenue side was encouraging.

– Moore down for NABA title clash The latest boxing news to hit the streets is that national female bantamweight champion Shondel ‘Mystery Lady’ Alfred will fight for her first world title when she faces Canadian Corinne Van Ryck De Groot for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) bantamweight title.

Another man accused of setting the Ministry of Health on fire was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

-says Joe Chapman The local basketball has  been plunged into a state of mourning following the death of long serving President of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF)   retired Col.

STANFORD, California,  (Reuters) – Serena Williams  has won three of the last four grand slam titles but is still  number two in the world, behind Dinara Safina, who has won none  of the big four events of tennis.

–childcare agency launched President Bharrat Jagdeo says his administration will get tough on prosecuting child abusers, persons accused of trafficking in persons and also domestic violence, declaring yesterday that he has called on law enforcement officials to “pay greater attention to these issues”.

Alpha and Victoria Kings blank out opponents Alpha United and Victoria Kings have progressed to the semi finals on the East Coast Demerara Reunion Knockout Football Tournament after contrasting victories over their opponents at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Ground on Tuesday night.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Back on the seniors tour after  nearly winning the British Open, self-styled ‘old fogey’ Tom  Watson says he is happy to have eaten his own words.

The 30th Regular Meeting of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government convened in Georgetown earlier this month can hardly be said to have taken place under the most convivial of circumstances.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Mediator Sir Shridath Ramphal has embraced the presence of a facilitator in the fierce dispute between West Indies players and the board that led to a boycott of the current Bangladesh series by the region’s top flight players.

Education Established forty-six years ago in inappropriate premises, with inadequate staffing, insufficient funding and unsatisfactory laboratory and library facilities, the University of Guyana has underperformed because it is still underdeveloped and under-resourced.

(BBC) Pakistan will welcome back Shahid Afridi for the one-day series against Sri Lanka, which begins in Dambulla today.

Security Community policing has the potential to contribute measurably to human security and public safety.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – West Indies selectors on Wednesday named a 13-man squad without pacer Nelon Pascal for the third and final Digicel One-Day International (ODI) against Bangladesh tomorrow in St Kitts.

A delegation from the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services will be visiting the National Insurance Scheme’s offices in Berbice on August 3 as part of the Committee’s mandate.

Education By Cleveland Sam Over the last two weeks the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has honoured just over 100 persons from across the region who are dubbed “Members of the CXC Class of ’79.’

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – In spite of their double-series defeat to little-rated Bangladesh, the makeshift West Indies squad has received staunch support from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) ahead of the St Kitts leg of the current series.

ROME,  (Reuters) – Michael Phelps retained his 200  metres butterfly world title and smashed his own world record yesterday to reassert his authority after a tough 24 hours.

Politics Forbes Burnham’s death nearly twenty-four years ago created a chronic crisis of confidence in the leadership of the People’s National Congress.

Society No other poor Caribbean country can equal Guyana’s extraordinary record of destruction of government buildings by arson.

GuySuCo CEO Errol Hanoman has corrected a report in Tuesday’s edition of the Stabroek News in which he was quoted as saying “GuySuCo is not young-people friendly”.

BIRMINGHAM, England,  (Reuters) – Heavy rain left the  Edgbaston outfield covered in pools of water yesterday, just  one day before the start of the third Ashes test between England  and Australia.

Education Address to the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association by Professor Lawrence Carrington, Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2009 Thank you for this opportunity to speak to your association so soon after my appointment to the University of Guyana.

ROME,  (Reuters) – Seven times Formula One world  champion Michael Schumacher will replace injured driver Felipe  Massa at Ferrari if he passes a fitness test, the team said yesterday.

BIRMINGHAM, England,  (Reuters) – Australia do not  have the same aura about them as recent dominant teams from Down  Under, England captain Andrew Strauss said on Wednesday.

Dear Editor, US President Barack Obama’s comment on the incident leading to the arrest and handcuffing of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates by a police sergeant in Cambridge, Massachusetts dominated the US TV networks last week and prompted an editorial in SN Saturday July 25, 2009 – Much ado about nothing.

Book Review Paulette Bybie and Denise Symmons Infusing Climate Change into the schools curriculum is one of the important challenges that the country’s education system will have to confront in the years ahead as Guyana, the region and the international community as a whole seek to pay greater attention to the impact of Climate Change on life as we know it.   

Dear Editor, Within days of its announcement of its acceptance of Southcom’s assistance in investigating the Ministry of Health fire, the Guyana government through Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee and Police Commissioner Henry Greene, informed the public that it had been determined that the alleged firebombing of the health ministry was orchestrated and implemented by political elements bent on creating confusion in the society.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Democrats broke a logjam in President Barack Obama’s drive to revamp the costly U.S. 

-as One-day tournament starts KINGSTON, Jamaica,  CMC – New TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Three-day Cup champions Jamaica clash with limited overs title-holders Trinidad and Tobago in a grudge match when the One-day tournament starts today.

Sport Is the decision by The West Indies cricket to ‘down tools’ a mercenary attempt to hold the game itself to ransom?

KHARTOUM, (Reuters) – A Sudanese woman facing 40  lashes for wearing trousers in public made her first appearance  in a court packed with supporters yesterday, in what her  lawyer described as a test case of Sudan’s decency laws.

Tranportation Guyana, the land of many waters, will always be a challenging country to traverse.

(Barbados nation) – There is a backlog of up to 6,000 Caribbean nationals seeking immigrant status in Barbados.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Batting legend Brian Lara will play his first regional Twenty20 match when he leads a Trinidad & Tobago side against a West Indies XI in a charity match next month.

Dear Editor, After reading the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) document, I am satisfied that this idea will not fly in its current form.

Historic edifices Lennox J Hernandez The St Francis De Sales Anglican Church at Kamarang is nestled in a picturesque setting of trees with a grand view of the mountain ranges on its west. 

(BBC) – It appears that the protracted dispute between management and pilots of regional carrier LIAT could be resolved soon.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. Attorney General Eric  Holder warned yesterday of increased “radicalization” of  Americans in recent months, two days after seven people were arrested in North Carolina for allegedly plotting attacks overseas.

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – West Indian fast bowler Kemar Roach and captain Floyd Reifer have both been fined for breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second One-day International against Bangladesh yesterday at Windsor Park.

Dear  Editor, When will the Eccles/Ramsburg NDC ask the developer/businessman to fix the reinforced concrete roadway which he destroyed whilst filling his land with over 500 tons of white sand.

MIAMI,  (Reuters) – The U.S. Coast Guard yesterday called off its search for up to 67 Haitian migrants  missing from a wooden sailboat that sank off the Turks and  Caicos Islands, saying they were presumed lost at sea.

DAKAR, (Reuters) – Attacks on press freedoms in  Gambia are the worst in West Africa, a press watchdog said yesterday amid mounting criticism of the country’s case against  six journalists charged with sedition and defamation.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) has confirmed it no longer plans to bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Dear Editor, Has the government done more harm than good in opening a national visual health facility in Region Six?

Entertainment Charmaine Blackman talks about her years as a public entertainer with a sense of quiet but intense pride in her accomplishments.

Only a part of the squatter-filled Skull City can be regularized, according to Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali.

ATLANTA, (Reuters) – About half the U.S. population  should get vaccinated against H1N1 influenza but pregnant women  and healthcare workers should be at the front of the line, U.S. 

Dear Editor, I would like to commend Leon Moore and Lennox Allen on their recent convincing victories.

The Inter-American Development Bank yesterday approved a US$800 million supplementary loan to Venezuela for the completion of the Manuel Pilar (Tocoma) hydropower project in the Lower Caroní River Valley.

The final Demerara Distillers Limited-sponsored chess tournament for the year will be played this week-end.

Sport Bangladesh will doubtless celebrate its first ever victory in a test series without much concern for the fact that the landmark has come at the considerable expense of Caribbean pride and the exposure of our own cricket to further, unbearable humiliation.

The minute US President Barack Obama opened his mouth last week and said that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting someone when there was already proof that the person was in his own home, hundreds of anti-Democrat and anti-Obama bloggers and commentators put their feet in it along with his.