Daily Archive: Thursday, October 14, 2010

The National Assembly unanimously passed legislation tonight which allows non-capital punishment for various categories of convicted murderers, but the death penalty remains on the books.

The World Bank today approved a US$4.2M ($840M) credit for improved teacher education here.

–280 workers may be laid off Around 280 workers at the Land of Canaan operation of Barama Company Limited are expected to be made redundant tomorrow as the company shuts down its operations after negligence on the part of four workers resulted in its boiler being irretrievably damaged.

The Caricom Free Movement of Skilled Nationals could result in an increase of human trafficking in person in Caribbean countries.

The decomposing body of the man found with a bullet wound in the head in a South Sophia canal was today identified as that of Devon Simpson, 34, of Kara Kara, Linden.

The USS Iwo Jima is bringing health care to Latin America and the Caribbean and will dock here between October 18-26, the US Embassy here says.

COPIAPO, Chile, (Reuters) – Chile’s 33 newly rescued  miners recovered from their ordeal today while also  pondering the celebrity status they have gained following a  more than two-month entrapment deep under a remote desert.

(BBC) A report by the Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has highlighted a continuing picture of disadvantage, under-achievement and denial of opportunity, among Britain’s Afro-Caribbean community.

…shotgun weapon of choice, citizens have role Gun-related violence in Guyana has evolved into a serious epidemic but it is the responsibility of all citizens to tackle this issue and not lay the burden at the feet of the police, Roxanne Myers, the co-chairman of Partners for Peace and Development says .

Three Guyanese, including a well-known city barber, were recently arrested in New York following a Drug Enforce-ment Administration (DEA) sting which had its genesis in a three-month surveillance after a cooperating witness (CW) was arrested with cocaine.

Sixteen wholesale buyers of flour have reported the National Milling Company (NAMILCO) to the Competition Commission for allegedly giving preferential prices to some clients, which they say is in contravention of the Competition and Fair Trading Act.

– region looks to year-end completion Seventeen businesspersons have already applied for spots at the Belvedere Industrial Site on the Corentyne, which had been developed with roads, a concrete bridge, drains and electricity a few years ago.

Maxwell Thom was yesterday sent on his own recognizance after answering an assault charge before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

-$9m in damage since 2007 Vandalism, damage from accidents and maintenance were the explanations offered for traffic lights that were not functioning around the city by the Electrical Engineer within the Traffic Department of the Ministry of Works.

“Jah Bless” and a Cannabis leaf inked on the forearm of the decomposing body discovered in a South Sophia canal on Tuesday may have led to its identification.

Vision Guyana Chairman Peter Ramsaroop has launched a campaign for a tax deduction for working-class families, saying it would ease the tax burden and stimulate the economy.

-warrant issued for alleged accomplice One of two men accused of maliciously wounding another was yesterday placed on $50,000 bail when he appeared before acting    Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine–Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The Wismar man who was shot by a police officer is beginning to question when he will have his day in court as he now feels frustrated over the sloth of the police in taking the perpetrator to court.

-Housing fund details still being worked on President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union Colin Bynoe says the union will be looking to ensure boarding school teachers who live in are properly compensated under the new wage deal to be discussed with government to replace the 2006-2010 wage package agreement.

A man who allegedly snatched a woman’s handbag was on Tuesday remanded to prison though he argued that he had dogs to feed.

A man who allegedly had a quantity of cannabis in his possession was yesterday remanded to prison when he made his appearance before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

A man arraigned on charges of robbery and attempted murder was yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of $300,000 when he appeared  before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The Ministry of Housing says 380 Region Three residents have been given house lots at Tuschen as part of its $2B investment in the area, when the ‘One Stop Shop’ initiative was held at the Uitvlugt Community Centre on Tuesday.

The report on the trawler explosion that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Orlon Munroe is still under review by the Works Minister although it was submitted to him nearly three months ago.

Local boxers ink contracts for November 6 card; Judah, O’Neil and London addedLocal boxers signed their contracts yesterday at the Princess Hotel amidst sweeping changes to the original roster.

Local rifle shooters Mahendra Persaud and Ransford Goodluck finished just outside of the medals on the penultimate day of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India yesterday.

– but climb in IRB world rankings After being defeated without scoring in their previous three rugby Sevens matches of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the national rugby Sevens team delivered an improved performance as they went down to Tonga 14-21 in their final game of the tournament on Tuesday.

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – India and England slugged it  out in the ring for the honour of being second best to Australia  yesterday as Delhi prepared for another security lockdown to  usher in the end of the Commonwealth Games.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Dr. Kofi Annan will give the keynote address at the official opening of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) Tenth Annual General Meeting scheduled from October 31 to November 2 in St.

The highly anticipated Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) Nigel’s Supermarket Junior Classic Tennis Tournament will begin this Saturday at the Pegasus Hotel Tennis Courts.

As part of its preparations for participation in next year’s CARICOM Basketball Championships, the national female basketball team will travel  to Antigua where they will compete in the 11th Annual Gillian Brazier Basketball Shoot-Out for females from November 24 – 28.

The Ministry of Health is partnering with pageant coordinators, fashion designers and other persons in this field to heighten breast and cervical cancer awareness this month.

Two armed bandits pretending to be job seekers robbed unsuspecting construction workers at Schoonord backdam, West Bank Demerara yesterday afternoon.

The Oasis water company yesterday made a timely donation to the Fruta Conquerors football club which is to assist in the refurbishing of the Tucville playfield ahead of their annual Namilco Football Festival which is scheduled to commence later this month.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Title-holders Trinidad and Tobago will begin their quest for a hat-trick of titles when they face Combined Campuses and Colleges on the opening day of the WICB Regional one-day championship today.

A prisoner serving a sentence at the Camp Street Prisons was yesterday handed a three-year jail sentence  and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 for having a quantity of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Dear Editor, Permit me to comment on the Chief Labour Officer’s statement refuting a claim by the Guyana Bauxite & General Workers Union that he was “a no show” at a scheduled meeting on October, 7, 2010.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud and a six-member delegation from the Republic of Congo discussed the importance of developing the capacity for value-added timber products and product development during a meeting aimed at deepening cooperation ties between the countries.

RALEIGH, North Carolina, (Reuters) – Former 400  metres world champion Antonio Pettigrew died in August of an  antihistamine overdose, a state autopsy report said yesterday.

BANGALORE, (Reuters) – Debutant Cheteshwar Pujara  struck a sparkling 72 as India thumped Australia by seven  wickets in the second and final test yesterday to sweep in  the series and consolidate their world number one status.

Dear Editor, Regardless of how one feels about the Clico mess in the Caribbean, and I have no financial interest in it, the governments of Guyana and Trinidad must be applauded for addressing the issue head on in finding a solution to what is an intractable problem. 

Dear Editor, Being a bicyclist, I find it very easy not only to observe the blatant traffic violations by every category of commuter on our roads, but also the litterbugs, potential pickpockets, paucity of road traffic signs, potholes, road encumbrances, overgrown/clogged canals/ drains, etc.

The Ministry of Agriculture’s ASDU on Monday signed a $275M contract to complete major drainage works in Region Six and to boost drainage structures in regions three and four.

A comprehensive skills/vocational training programme for youths in the Agricola/McDoom area on the East Bank of Demerara was launched on Friday.

Dear Editor, I am a resident of Melanie Damishana on the East Coast of Demerara and I wish to air my displeasure with regard to a drainage structure that was rebuilt a number of years ago.

DUBAI, (Reuters) – The International Cricket Council  (ICC) has not found any “compelling evidence” of corruption  against any player or support staff in the Sept.

-Agri Ministry says in reply to GHRA Technical work by local and overseas engineers recommended that the East Demerara Water Conser-vancy’s (EDWC) relief channels be supplemented to avert catastrophic flooding, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) argued on Monday.

(Jamaica Gleaner) – The government has yielded to calls for a commission of enquiry into the handling of the extradition request for ousted Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.

Dear Editor, Please permit us to express our appreciation to the Police Force on the West Coast Berbice for their quick action in apprehending sheep thieves on Sunday, October 10, 2010.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Despite heavy rains here recently that caused widespread flooding, cricket officials here has declared the country ready to host the West Indies Cricket Board Regional one-day championship which bowls off today.

COPIAPO, Chile, (Reuters) – All of Chile’s 33  trapped miners were rescued from deep underground in a special  capsule yesterday as an extraordinary two-month survival  story many call a miracle triggered wild celebrations.

(Jamaica Gleaner) – The Court of Appeal has granted former Matthew’s Lane strongman, Donald ‘Zeeks’ Phipps leave to go to the UK based Privy Council.

Eleven members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Band Corps completed the historic first Grade Three Music Course to be conducted by the army.

BEIRUT, (Reuters) – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  used a visit to Lebanon yesterday to assure the government  that Iran would stand by Beirut in confronting what he called  hostilities from neighbouring Israel.

Overseas-based Guyanese long distance runner Ronville Gravesande won the 30th running of the Continental Fifth Avenue Mile held on September 26 in New York City.

Dear Editor, As decision day 2011 draws nearer, the field of want-to-be presidents keeps growing.

Police in Berbice are in a better position to fight crime after they acquired a bulletproof vehicle – the first of its kind in the division – that offers maximum protection.

Scenes from Tuesday’s African Maafa Day observances at the seawall.

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, (Reuters) – All 50 U.S. states  launched a joint investigation of the mortgage industry yesterday, a move some experts fear may slow sales of  foreclosed homes and threaten the recovery of the fragile  housing market.

MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters) – Once an oasis of calm, Mexico’s richest city has become a central battleground in the country’s increasingly bloody drug war as cartels open fire on city streets and throw grenades onto busy highways.

Over 35 teams are expected to take part in the second annual Inter-Corporation Dominoes tournament organized by Next Level Dominoes Club and billed for the end of this month at the National Gymnasium.

CANCUN, Mexico (Reuters) – Hurricane Paula dumped rain on the Caribbean resort of Cancun yesterday as it moved away from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula toward western Cuba.

-ITTO The implementation of Guyana’s log export policy has proven to be successful so far, the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) said in its latest bulletin.

Four months ago, three children between the ages of five years old and one year old were removed from their parents’ home and taken into the care of the state after signs of physical abuse – being burned in the face – were discovered on one of the children; their father was subsequently charged and is currently before the court.

-Household Plus, MACORP sponsors There will be back-to-back tournaments this weekend as the local golf season heightens ahead of the premier event on the calendar, the Guyana Open championships next month.

Dear Editor, Battered nation syndrome. I have never witnessed a nation so seemingly content with the battering, pillage, abuse and victimization by its politicians as Guyana.

OSLO, (Reuters) – Hopes for a deal on climate change  at U.N.