Daily Archive: Friday, November 27, 2009

– as company fires some workers By Cathy Richards Negotiations between the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) and management of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) came to an abrupt standstill yesterday when the union received word that the company was issuing letters of dismissal to employees.

-crime conference agrees Incarceration should be a last resort for first time offenders, according to participants at the just-concluded national crime prevention conference, which also supported initiatives to promote the social development of young people to prevent involvement in crime.

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has directed the Police Commissioner Henry Greene to take strong action against all police ranks involved in the two recent cases of misconduct, including the attempted rape of female juvenile while in custody.

-boy was chained, locked away A woman of Shieldstown, West Bank Berbice was arrested on Wednesday following reports that she was abusing her eight-year-old nephew while he was in her care.

The Persons with Disabilities Bill 2009, touted as being transformational to the lives of the differently abled in the country, was last evening sent to a special parliamentary Select Committee after debate.

Prompted by the complaints of parents, the Home Ministry has launched a campaign against the sale of pornography in public places.

Republic Bank (Guyana) has recorded an after-tax profit of $1.8B for the financial year, $262 million over last year’s figure.

-police Police yesterday continued investigations into the brutal murder of local actor Joel Fraser, who was found with his throat slit on Wednesday.

Explosive devices were hurled at a Sophia home yesterday but quick action by residents averted a major disaster.

The Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited yesterday launched its Customer Care Initiative at its Promenade Court head office, New Market Street.

Faced with increasing incidents of violence in schools, the government is examining heightened security as well as the introduction of counselling as part of schools’ curriculum, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said yesterday.

The PNCR in extending greetings on the special occasion of Eid-ul-Adha has expressed the party’s hope that Guyanese will use the occasion to reflect on its significance to the benefit of the nation.

Cabinet has offered no objection to several road rehabilitation contracts, including to seven awards valued $278M to the interior road programme.

The threat climate change poses to small island states is the focus of a new song commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Caricom Secretariat.

University of Guyana staff resumed duties yesterday after the worker’s union and the university administration reached a deal.

-Luncheon The police force’s investigation of allegations of the torture of a teen boy and two other prisoners would be made public by next Tuesday, according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon.

A porter was yesterday charged with lifting a quantity of jewellery off a six-year-old boy.

A woman accused of a stealing $2.3M in cash and jewellery from her employer was yesterday remanded to prison.

Brisbane, Australia:Half centuries from opener Simon Katich, captain Ricky Ponting and Michael ‘Mr.

A labourer accused of carnally knowing a ten-year-old girl was remanded to prison when he appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Ten outstanding senior citizens with a combination of 420 years of service to Guyana were honoured by the three cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth Sports Club (RHTYSC)  as part of their personal development programme.

JAMIE PANDARAM, Sydney Morning Herald: “Not to say the Windies aren’t capable of taking 20 wickets over five days but sustaining pressure is an art they have yet to master.

LIVINGSTON, Guatemala (Reuters) – Descendants of African slaves who fled to Guatemala two centuries ago honored their ancestors yesterday in a wild celebration of a culture threatened by mass migration to the United States.

MILAN (Reuters Life!) – Giorgio Carbone, elected prince of the village of Seborga whose colourful language earned him the title “Your Tremendousness,” has died at the age of 73, ANSA news agency reported on Wednesday.

KANPUR, India, (Reuters) – Indian fast bowler  Shanthakumaran Sreesanth grabbed six wickets on his comeback to  leave Sri Lanka facing an innings defeat in the second test yesterday.

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose government is often criticized for dragging its feet on global warming, will attend UN talks next month in Copenhagen designed to find a successor to the Kyoto climate change protocol.

A 34-year-old fast bowler, returning to Test cricket after two years, and a 19-year-old debutant lit up Dunedin’s University Oval on a windy day, at the end of which New Zealand were better placed in the first Test.

– says procedures must be driven by transparency — will engage Customs on any chamber  member corruption-related concern Simplification and transparency of systems and procedures within state agencies that provide important services can go a far way towards reducing the level of corruption in the relationships between those state agencies and the people seeking their services.

ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua is being treated in Saudi Arabia for acute pericarditis and the vice president has assumed presidential powers in his absence, Yar’Adua’s spokesman said yesterday.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in conjunction with the sport’s world governing body FIFA on Wednesday ended their Referees Assessors Programme (RAP) with a closing ceremony at the National Library.

– business sector cautious, spending power may not be there A lacklustre start to the accustomed pre-Christmas consumer spending has left both the downtown business community and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) cautious as to whether or not the commercial sector can recoup some of the ground lost in a year which saw a significant reduction in disposable income among working class Guyanese.

At the end of the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca), Muslims throughout the world celebrate the holiday of Eid ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice).

It is pretty clear from Transparency Internation-al’s 2009 Global Report on Corruption that the taking of bribes and kickbacks by politicians in developing countries is a well-established and institutionalized practice.

ASUNCION (Reuters) – Paraguay’s leftist president accused political rivals yestersday of trying to destabilize his government by spreading rumours that he fathered yet another child when he was a Roman Catholic cleric.

We’re open! Staff at the new Mario’s pizza establishment celebrating opening day on Wednesday before serving their first customers.

The Muslim Youth League (MYL) said Eid-ul-Adha is a time for Muslims to learn the value of self-denial by sacrificing much loved things to God Almighty.

Without compromising the security of the tournament, cricket fans  can rest assured that security for next year’s ICC World Twenty20 West Indies 2010 tournament will reflect an appreciation for the Caribbean way of celebrating.

West Indies female cricketer Shemaine Campbell starred with both ball and bat as Rose Hall Town Bakewell (RHTB) under-17 team crushed Number 70 by 152 runs at the Number 70 ground in the quarter finals of the Leslie Amsterdam Memorial tournament in Berbice.

The PPP said it welcomes the AFC’s support of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) as the Guyana delegation prepares to head to the UNFCCC summit in Copenhagen.

OSLO (Reuters) – Norway accused Tehran yesterday of confiscating the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to human rights campaigner Shirin Ebadi in 2003 and said freedom of expression was under “great pressure” in Iran.

We require writers to give their real name, full address and a contact number when sending letters to be considered for publication.

The second annual Holy Family Bible Study Youth Developers organized Inter-Church/Schools Indoor Futsal Tournament kicks off tomorrow at the National Gymnasium at 9am with a number of matches to be contested.

Hans-Werner Sinn is Professor of Economics and Public Finance, University of Munich, and President of the Ifo Institute.

Regulatory and enforcement bodies and their enabling role in a culture of good customer service Jacquelyn Hamer Last week I dealt briefly with the Consumer Protection Act, the fact that it is yet to secure presidential assent despite its passage in the National Assembly some years ago and – as a consequence of the absence of any meaningful mechanisms to safeguard consumer rights – we are stuck with a regime of vendor/customer relations that is not only replete with injustices but in which there is little if any recourse for aggrieved customers.

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – The political party of former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide will be barred from legislative elections scheduled for Feb.

A number of doctors who accomplished significant achievements during the course of the year were on Sunday honoured by the Institute of Health Science Education of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) at a special Awards banquet.

The Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) urges the nation to pause and reflect on the noble lessons of the prophet Ibraheem as Muslins celebrate Eid-ul-Adha.

Dear Editor, ‘…by November 5 blackouts will be a thing of the past…’ Did I dream that up or is it an extract from a statement by a manager of GPL?

MUMBAI – The risk of militants striking again in India worries many investors who fear that a second attack similar to last year’s Mumbai raids could shake what has so far proved to be a resilient economy.

(BBC) – The Vincentian government suffered a major defeat on Wednesday, in its bid introduce a new constitution for the country.

The Caribbean has tuned out. For the first time in half a century, a West Indies Test series in Australia cannot be heard on the radio in the Caribbean.

By Rawle Lucas Origins Some of the young members are among the 44 percent of Guyanese who are not in the labour force. 

The AFC said the nation should embrace the values inherent in the Muslim “Festival of Sacrifice”, Eid-ul-Adha.

Dear Editor, There is a wonderful new group of people gathered at points along the information superhighway. 

By Elaine Burns Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are of huge importance to the global economy, representing over 95 per cent of businesses worldwide and even more than 99 per cent of the business sector in countries such as Belgium, Greece, Italy and South Korea.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Andy Murray faces an anxious few  hours to see if he has sealed a semi-final spot in the ATP World  Tour Finals after overcoming Fernando Verdasco 6-4 6-7 7-6 in  his final round-robin match yesterday.

WASHINGTON (AFP)  — President Barack Obama sent greetings on Wednesday on behalf of the United States to pilgrims performing the annual hajj in Saudi Arabia, and to Muslims worldwide celebrating the Eid-ul-Adha holiday.

Dear Editor, I was extremely moved and impressed with the presentations done by staffers of the United States Embassy to students of various schools in Guyana for International Education Week (IEW).

Leader of the Justice For All Party (JFAP) Chandranarine Sharma is extending Eid-ul-Azha greetings to the entire Muslim Community.

MANAUS, Brazil (Reuters) – Brazil will not recognize the winner of this weekend’s election in Honduras as a legitimate president, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said yesterday, setting the stage for a potential showdown with Washington.

GAZA (Reuters) – In the days leading up to Eid al-Adha, Zaid Khadar would usually be buying new clothes for his children and stocking up on traditional foods to celebrate one of the most important dates on the Muslim calendar.

The Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman and the Board of the Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanages join Muslims across the globe in remembering the “eminence and virtues” of the Prophet Ibrahim this Eid-ul-Azha.

HOUSTON,  (Reuters) – Jason Kidd moved into second  place on the NBA’s all-time assist list as the Dallas Mavericks thumped Texas rivals the Houston Rockets 130-99 on Wednesday.

Dear Editor, There is a butcher who operates a small business in Kitty, but he does not live in the area.

Juan Bautista Alberdi, the 19th century Argentine liberal intellectual, based a fair bit of his thinking on the political and economic development of Argentina on the dictum, “to govern is to populate.” 

ACP group demands compensation A deal to end Europe’s long-running trade war over taxes on banana imports might not come before World Trade Organisation talks in Switzerland next week.

Frankly Speaking…          By  A.A. Fenty — and corruption, carnage and cricket Okay, yes this is my annual, seasonal lament.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 331’s trading results showed consideration of $1,157,967 from 48,000 shares traded in 8 transactions as compared to session 330 which showed consideration of $885,706 from 77,234 shares traded in 5 transactions.