Daily Archive: Monday, January 25, 2010

(Trinidad Express) She did it! Excoriated as a weakling incapable of leading and hiding a drinking weakness, Kamla Persad-Bissessar proved last night she had the political strength to beat two political legends.

A mangrove regeneration project undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works and Communications along the East Coast of Demerara foreshore in the vicinity of Mon Repos has been declared successful but residents in the area have disputed this.

The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) supervisor who was on duty when 50 pounds of cocaine slipped past officials at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri on January 12 has been sent on leave as authorities intensify their investigation into the incident.

A speed-boat loaded with cargo collided with a ‘farm boat’ in the Essequibo River yesterday and quick action by a passing boat saw the rescue of the occupants of the ‘farm boat’.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – U.S. soldiers and  Brazilian U.N. troops handed out food and water in one of  Haiti’s largest slums yesterday amid criticism that aid was not  getting to earthquake victims fast enough.

President Bharrat Jagdeo has called on men to be confident and to define themselves.

-says US$1m waste water treatment plant non-negotiable The high tax levelled on Banks beer in comparison with the rest of the Caribbean  as well as the continuing problem of uncustomed smuggled beer into Guyana remain major concerns, Chairman of Banks DIH, Clifford Reis says.

-says it is biggest hindrance to development Guyana is among the five countries in the region ranked as “repressed” in the Wall Street Journal/Heritage Foundation 2010 Index of Economic Freedom, which – like last year – lists “oversized government” as the biggest barrier to the country’s development.

– Courts Pacesetters failed in their bid for revenge against Ravens while the Linden and Georgetown U-23 teams entertained It was supposed to be the night when Courts Pacesetters would exact revenge on Ravens for their 17-point defeat in last year’s Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Open Knock-out tournament but instead Courts Pacesetters were handed another sound whipping.

The “agony days” is how some residents of South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara refer to the Great Flood of 2005 and they pray those days never come again.

Several persons have come to the aid of Latchmin Soman, the 21-year-old mother of three of Anna Catherina Sea View, West Coast Demerara whose plight was highlighted by Stabroek News after spring tides affected several households in the area two weeks ago.

FOURSQUARE, Barbados, CMC – Leaders Jamaica were within sight of another victory after Nikita Miller bowled them to a 263-run, first innings lead over Guyana in the WICB regional first-class championship yesterday.

Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony and a representative from the International tennis Federation (ITF) will be the guest speakers at the February 8 annual general meeting of the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA).

– but much work lies ahead in order to advance the sport’s development The decision by clubs to return most of the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) executives to office is an indication of the confidence of the clubs in those officials to chart a new course for the sport.

– GCF hoping clubs submit lists for ratification soon Richard Charles sprinted to victory in the juvenile 10-lap cycle race on Saturday at the National Park circuit which ended up being the day’s feature event in the Ricks and Sari-sponsored event after the more prominent cyclists were unable to participate.

BEIRUT, (Reuters) – An Ethiopian Airlines plane with  90 people on board crashed into the sea minutes after taking off  from Beirut in stormy weather early today and the airline’s  chief executive said there was no word of survivors.

Dear Editor, The headline screams in the FT of January 22, 2010, ‘Sugar crisis worsens as Indonesian tender fails.’

Twenty participants have been certified as level one table tennis umpires after completing a Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) two-day seminar over the weekend at the Malteenoes Sports Complex.

Dear Editor, In an editorial which appeared in SN of January 21 attention was drawn to the faulty construction of septic tanks which has resulted in the recent deaths of two children.

GUATEMALA CITY, (Reuters) – The United States has  requested the extradition of former Guatemalan President  Alfonso Portillo on money-laundering charges, authorities said  yesterday as they searched for him at several of his  properties.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, (Reuters) – The Orlando Magic squandered a big lead against Charlotte on Saturday but scored the first 11 points of overtime to beat the scrappy Bobcats 106-95.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago used a superb maiden century from Justin Guillen to stage an amazing fightback against Barbados on day three to give themselves a chance of victory in their third-round WICB First-class match yesterday.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud told a recent workshop aimed at resuscitating the coconut industry that steps are being taken to support farmers and he cited a $4M pledge for a coconut water plant on the East Coast.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – A 5.1 magnitude earthquake  struck off the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe yesterday at a  depth of 42.2 miles (67.9 km), the U.S.

Dear Editor, Every time I read about or listen to the utterings of individuals who have had the opportunity to attend a university (especially those who have majored in the humanities) I try as best as I can to evaluate and balance their point of view by juxtaposing it with that of the thoughts expressed by profound Barbadian writer George Lamming on the question of education and the intellectual.

The fire that destroyed the Ministry of Health building on Brickdam last July has been blamed for the salary woes of Region Nine Malaria Control Programme (MCP) worker, Roland Xavier, who has not been paid for last year.

Dear Editor, Readers of SN would recall that for years I was trying to get a response from NIS on a personal matter.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan cable providers,  responding to government orders, stopped showing a station yesterday critical of President Hugo Chavez that the left-wing  leader pushed off free-access television in 2007.

Region Two rice farmers were recently urged to be proactive regarding management of water in light of El Nino while the Ministry of Agriculture has been implementing measures to ensure proper management and equitable distribution of water across the rice belts.

(ICC) Sri Lanka outsmarted South Africa by 146 runs to set-up a semi-final against Australia  which defeated host New Zealand by 62 runs in the other quarter-final of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2010 yesterday.

In The Diaspora By Anil Persaud Anil Persaud is a historian with the International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam.

Dear Editor, In his January 11, 2010 letter titled ‘There are many instances where government has created roadblocks to personal development,’ Mr Lewis tells us something we already know: roadblocks to personal economic development are par for the course and our rulers since independence (PPP and PNC) have practised ethnic economic marginalization to varying degrees.

CAVE HILL, Barbados, CMC – Spinners Shane Shillingford and Rawl Lewis grabbed four wickets each as the Windward Islands swept aside Combined Colleges & Campuses (CCC) and surged to a nine-wicket victory inside three days of their third-round WICB Regional first class match yesterday.

Living here again, a week doesn’t go by without someone asking what has struck me about life in Guyana compared to life outside. 

DUBAI, (Reuters) – Iran’s crackdown on opposition  protests following June’s disputed presidential election was a  “human rights disaster”, U.S.-based

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – “Titanic” just hit an  iceberg named “Avatar.”

(BBC) Australia produced an excellent all-round display to beat Pakistan by 140 runs in Sydney and take a 2-0 lead in their five-match one-day series yesterday.

By CCN senior journalist Andy Johnson(Trinidad Express) CCN senior journalist Andy Johnson spent five days last week in Haiti, embedded with a contingent of the members of the Jamaica Defence Force.

With each passing week, the Jagdeo administration continues to lower the bar as it relates to ethics in government business and standards in public life.

Dear Editor, I always admired Mr Eusi Kwayana’s simple but effective writing style and have grown to respect his seemingly firm grasp of important aspects of our contemporary political history.

To mark the observance of men’s week, we asked the man and the woman in the street if they thought men are living up to their responsibility in the home and in society.

The new asphalt plant at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara, is providing approximately 900 tonnes of asphalt per week and has been satisfying the many road projects around the country.