Daily Archive: Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Dear Editor, Miners are seeking tiny fraction of the forest for direct mining.

Lloyd Roberts, a double murder accused whose case was discharged yesterday, was re-arrested for questioning into the murders of political activist Ronald Waddell and former boxing coach Donald Allison.

A few hundred residents of the mining town of Mahdia in Region 8 rallied yesterday against the contentious proposal for six months notice before mining can commence saying that it would “destroy” the community.

There will be no more alcohol-laced shows at the Albion Sports Complex as the management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) wants to preserve the ground for cricket and other sports.

Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh on Monday disclosed that export earnings for the country during last year contracted by 4.2 percent to US$768.2 million due to external price factors but gold brought in more than double what the traditional champion, sugar earned.

Caricom Heads of Govern-ment pledged to “explicitly recognise and clearly articulate the role of youth in Caribbean development” on the occasion of a Special Regional Summit on Youth Development held in Suriname recently.

-find two families in desperate circumstances In an effort to ensure that the impoverished are properly taken care of, President of the East Canje Lions Club, Devin Sookraj drove around the area on Saturday to seek them out.

Health officials and other emergency teams are still providing help for devastated Haitians and since the horrific earthquake hit Port-au-Prince on January 12, more than 300 persons from eleven CARICOM (Caribbean Community) countries and associate members have so far been involved in the response.

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh has projected a 4% growth in gold declaration this year to 311,816 ounces, significantly less than the industry’s target of 500,000 ounces.

-Caribbean risk and monitoring entities pitching in The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) and the Caribbean Institute for Hydrology and Meteorology (CIMH) is focusing on helping Haiti provide sound areas to resettle some survivors of the January 12 earthquake before the hurricane season begins.

Digicel customers now have the opportunity to get free weekend calls and credit following the company’s launch of  its D’ Free Zone Combo which it dubbed as an “exciting new promotion”.

The Ministry of Culture says Trinidad and Tobago music arranger Rishi Gayadeen recently participated in a workshop with local musicians to help boost their sound, in time for the Mash Chutney contest.

A former Guyanese footballer, who absconded in 1987 when the then national team had visited the United States, will more than likely be home for good more than twenty years later, after years of a legal battle to have his status legalized came to an end earlier this month.

The Ministry of Labour inspected operations at two cooperative societies in Region Six over the weekend as it pushes ahead with plans to achieve cooperative reform.

Twenty-year-old Ronald Evans of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s for allegedly indecently assaulting a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old.

By Rawle Toney Just when one thought that the roller-coaster ride that is the Shondel Alfred/Corrine De Groot rematch had stopped it has gained momentum which has resulted in a bit of history set to be created.

Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton yesterday sentenced a man to four years imprisonment after ruling that she had found him guilty of selling a quantity of cocaine to a police constable.

Newly appointed West Indies cricket coach, Ottis Gibson is to receive a pay package close to US$350,000 annually.

A 16-year-old student of an East Coast Demerara Secondary School was up to press time in police custody after a firearm was found in his bag but the teen is saying that he found the weapon.

After the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Kashif & Shanghai (K&S) organisation announced their plans to host two benefit matches to assist the Haitian Football Federation (HFF), promoter Kashif Muhammad said yesterday that he is satisfied with the preparations.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds applauded the Guyana Relief Council (GRC) for its work when he declared open its 16th anniversary photo exhibition on Monday at the National Library.

West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Julian Hunte is looking forward to a “successful delivery” of the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 West Indies 2010 tournament, according to a release from the tournament’s corporate communications manager Gayle Alleyne.

A man who beat his ex-wife with a walking stick and was fined $10,000, protested to the court last week that he was in fact a victim of domestic abuse.

Guyana and West Indies all rounder Narsingh Deonarine of the Albion Cricket Club is slated to receive the Berbice Cricket Board Cricketer-of-the-Year award on February 14 when the BCB hosts its third annual awards ceremony in the compound of the New Amsterdam Technical Institute.

LONDON, England, CMC – Jamaican Stoke City forward Ricardo Fuller was arrested this past weekend following an “incident” at the JFK night club in Staffordshire.

One of two gunmen who robbed a businessman at Agricola Public Road of over $200,000 in valuables was arrested and will be charged shortly.

Dear Editor, I have been reading with great disbelief the reports in the press that the Guyana government is planning to erect a building on the lawns of Castellani House to house a new intelligence agency.

Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday ordered that one man be remanded to prison while she granted another bail in the sum of $20,000 when they appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing gold jewellery from women in separate incidents.

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN, (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack  Obama said yesterday the international community was moving  “fairly quickly” toward imposing broader sanctions on Iran, as  the Islamic Republic defiantly expanded its nuclear programme.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Manchester City made ground in the  battle for fourth place in the Premier League yesterday but  looked a long way from Champions League material as they  struggled to a forgettable 2-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers.

Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton yesterday ordered two men to pay fines of $30,000 each as well as serve three years imprisonment after they  admitted having quantities of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Dear Editor, I was happy to read about President Jagdeo’s concerns about the poor state of medical care in Guyana (‘Jagdeo urges value for money in health facilities,’ SN, February 1).

QUITO, (Reuters) – South American countries will  create a $300 million fund to help quake-shattered Haiti,  regional leaders said yesterday after Haitian President Rene  Preval appealed to them at a regional meeting.

VANCOUVER, (Reuters) – Canada will protect funding for  Olympic athletes despite expectations of a “tough” federal  budget to be introduced immediately after the Vancouver Games,  the country’s sports minister said yesterday.

Dear Editor, Avatar. It blew my mind. I had no interest in seeing this movie, even though persons who saw it told me it was great.

WASHINGTON/DETROIT, (Reuters) – The spiraling crisis  at Toyota Motor Corp deepened yesterday as the automaker said  it would recall thousands of Camry sedans as well as nearly  half a million new Prius and other hybrid cars to fix steering  and braking problems.

ROTTERDAM, (Reuters) – Top seed Novak Djokovic  advanced into the second round of the World Indoor Tournament yesterday when his Ukrainian opponent Sergiy Stakhovsky withdrew  with knee problems while trailing 6-2 4-1.

KINGSTON, (Reuters) – Inmates in a Jamaica prison  rioted overnight after guards tried to crack down on drug  trafficking, injuring 36 prisoners and nine officers,  authorities said yesterday.

Dear Editor, The dismal performance of Guyana’s National Cricket Team in the current regional competition should come as no surprise.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Guyanese Lennox Cush and Jamaican Carl Wright delivered pivotal batting performances for the USA to stun Scotland while fancied Ireland crashed to defeat in yesterday’s opening day of the ICC World Twenty20 qualifying competition.

Veteran trade unionist Lincoln Lewis has criticised the government for the lack of consultations with relevant stakeholders before the 2010 budget was unveiled on Monday.

Dear Editor, I hold no grouse against our President for his recent visit to Iran soliciting potential fiscal aid and touting for much needed investment for our country.

Jason Montgomery, the Australian shot during the robbery a month ago at Safraz’s Bar, was taken off his flight in London for urgent medical treatment.

NAGPUR, India,  (Reuters)  India found their number  one ranking under threat after South Africa orchestrated their  first defeat on home soil in almost two years yesterday.

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – India has postponed the launch  of its first genetically modified (GM) vegetable, saying it  would adopt a cautious approach and wait for more scientific  studies on the impact of the new variety of eggplant.

Dear Editor, The present crop of rice has been seriously affected by salt which came in from the irrigation water taken directly from rivers in Region 2.The

NEW YORK, (Reuters Life!) – Beer drinkers now have a  good excuse to order another round — the brew may help keep  bones strong, a study has found.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Facing anger at a major  shortfall in electricity supply, Venezuela President Hugo  Chavez promised consumers and businesses big discounts for  slashing energy consumption, but ordered fines if they do not  comply.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud is currently attending a meeting in California, USA on how GIS can be used to support monitoring in the implementation of the LCDS.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The Los Angeles Lakers  pulled together to win their second straight contest without  Kobe Bryant with a 101-89 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on  Monday.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced yesterday a change in the Twenty20 International schedule for the Digicel 2010 home series schedule against South Africa.

The Ministry of Agriculture recently approved $4M for the purchase of fuel for Region Two farmers to ensure that they can access irrigation water during the arid El Nino weather.

Dear Editor, While the government’s new proposed regulation requiring a six-month notification period signals a move in the right direction, there is legitimate concern that the government has failed to engage in a careful analysis of it before recommendation or implementation. 

(Jamaica Observer) Dozens of Air Jamaica staff and informal commercial importers (ICIs) on Monday staged a protest outside the Air Jamaica building in downtown Kingston over the Government’s plan to sell the airline to Trinidad-owned Caribbean Airlines.

OTTAWA, (Reuters) – Canadian police said yesterday  they are looking at reopening cold cases of slain women after  having laid murder charges against the commanding officer of  the country’s largest military air base.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Chris Paterson will become the  first Scottish player to win 100 caps when he turns out at fullback against Wales on Saturday.

The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs recently handed over a tractor/trailer valued $8.2 million to Yakarinta, Region Nine to help boost agricultural production.

-GM tells Parliament committee The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has taken measures to deal with employers who submit contributions with just last names and no NIS numbers, according to Acting General Manager Doreen Nelson, who said that for years this has been a sore point which has contributed to employees’ contribution records not being correct.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Fuel shipments to Haiti’s  Varreux main tanker terminal have resumed after emergency  repairs on the facility damaged in last month’s earthquake, the  operator and a U.S.

(Trinidad Express) Fresh from his address to the nation, embattled Sport Minister Gary Hunt visited a school in Moruga on Monday, but brushed off calls for him to resign over the TT$2 million flag he commissioned at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Dear Editor, I write to applaud the NY-based Guyanese for their generosity in rising to the occasion to assist our Haitian brethren when calamity struck last month.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters Life!) – Actor Louis Gossett  Jr, best known for his Oscar-winning role as the tough drill  instructor in “An Officer and a Gentleman”, said yesterday he  was fighting prostate cancer.

Every so often China chooses to remind the rest of the world of its insistence that Taiwan is an integral part of the People’s Republic and that it will tolerate no other designation from the international community.

By Tony Cozier Changes will be made and he will make them himself, Chris Gayle vowed after the West Indies’ second heavy, successive defeat to Australia in the five-match ODI series in Adelaide yesterday.

(Jamaica Gleaner) As part of a wider initiative to determine how many legal guns are in the hands of Jamaicans – police, licensed firearm holders and gun dealers – National Security Minister Senator Dwight Nelson has ordered an islandwide audit.

Dear Editor, I have noted all of the responses and personal attacks directed at me in the last days and put it all down to the usual political drivel.