Daily Archive: Monday, April 18, 2011

Operations at the recently opened Good Hope/Supenaam stelling on the Essequibo Coast were this afternoon halted after part of the structure collapsed under the weight of a vehicle.

The Georgetown Public Hospital in a release today said that its Occupational Safety and Health Officer has said that the type of cockroach that has plagued the Female Medical Ward is the German species, which did not originate there but was brought into the hospital.

At about 1700h yesterday, Tikaram Persaud, 61 years of Triumph, ECD, was on a farm at Triumph, ECD, when he heard what sounded like a gunshot and was injured to his right foot, the police say.

(Digicel) Kingston, Jamaica: With just three days to go to the first match in the much anticipated Digicel Series 2011, www.digicelcricket.com

A man was fined $35 million and jailed for four years while his alleged accomplice was refused bail, when they appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton today charged with possession of and trafficking in over 50 pounds of cocaine.

The army today said that a Colombian national was shot dead at Eteringbang in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) and a soldier has been taken into custody.

A 27-year-man is in an unconscious state at a private city hospital after he was shot and badly beaten during a scuffle with another man.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Jamaica joins the rest of the world in marking today as the International Day for Monuments and Sites.

(De Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – In the coming years, the government wants to increase Suriname’s productive rice fields systematically to 150,000 hectares in 2020.

(De Ware Tijd) THE HAGUE – Suriname has lost part of its history with the dearth of former Ambassador Max Vegelin van Claerbergen (84), says Dutch Parliamentarian Harry van Bommel.

KABUL, (Reuters) – An insurgent killed two people  in the Afghan Defence Ministry today in the third attack on  security installations in four days, with the violence likely to  raise questions about military transition plans due to start  this year.

The Board of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guy-suco) cannot be blamed for the state-owned company’s woes say PPP Presidential Candidate, Donald Ramotar – a longtime board member.

Charges are expected against the two men, who were held following a 25-kilo cocaine bust in Berbice three days ago,  a senior Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) source told Stabroek News yesterday.

Barbadian Health Minister Donville Inniss on Saturday acknowledged that his ministry’s active enforcement of a policy which restricts a non-national’s access to free medical attention at public health institutions will impact those with unregularized residency status.

The lifeless body of a 33-year old man was yesterday discovered along the Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) Public Road, a short distance from a temple where he was residing.

A 36-year-old woman is now hospitalized after she was burnt on Monday last at her Canal #2, West Demerara home.

The family of murdered miner Andy Whyte is dissatisfied with the way police have handled the investigation, while saying the only suspect in the case was released without proper questioning.

-‘The Hammer’  humbles River Plate to progress to next round of CFU club c/ships Alpha `The Hammer’ United claimed its first victory in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) club championships when they defeated River Plate FC in a thrilling encounter at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground, Bourda yesterday.

Residents of Craig on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) have reservations as regards river revetment in the area which is nearing completion while the authorities express satisfaction at the work being undertaken.

By Treiston Joseph Police Progressive Youth Club (PPYC) walked away with their second straight victory at the Under-23 Games hosted by the Athletics Association of Guyana at the Eve Leary Sports Club Ground yesterday.

Commercial call centre Qualfon is confident that with improvements in the local telecommunications sector it will be able to expand operations and strengthen partnerships with the relevant stakeholders.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Pakistan open their tour of the Caribbean today, when they face a University of the West Indies Vice Chancellor’s XI at Mindoo Phillip Park.

A body of a 46-year-old Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara man was discovered slumped over a log near a koker on Friday morning.

The East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) has identified 32 players for preparation for the 2011 cricket season.

Two men were arrested for questioning into the January murder of Goedverwagting watch vendor Paul Samaroo just over a month ago but their subsequent release has left relatives fearful that the perpetrators will never be caught.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider will return home from London and withdraw his application seeking asylum status from the British Home Office following his allegations of death threats from a match fixer.

Mumbai, (Reuters) – Yuvraj Singh’s all-round  brilliance was not enough in the end as Delhi Daredevils humbled  Pune Warriors by three wickets for their maiden win in the  Indian Premier League yesterday.

The Essequibo Coast businessman who was shot during a robbery on Regent Street on Thursday has been discharged from hospital but a bullet is still lodged in his body.

Dear Editor, I refer to Dr. Luncheon’s letter in yesterday’s Sunday Stabroek touting his govt’s OLPF programme.

The preliminary inquiry (PI) into the murder of 29-year-old Lusignan resident Bridgette Gangadeen was adjourned on Friday without an explanation.

A single-mother with six school-aged children and earning less than $50,000 a month, Mortlyn Benjamin and her family may be ideal candidates to benefit from the government’s One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) initiative.

The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) and the Guyana Basketball Officials Council (GBOC), four-day International Basketball Federation (FIBA), pre-certification clinic concluded yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Dear Editor, The early morning fire that destroyed the Christianburg Magistrate’s Court and offices on April 12, 2011, consumed the oldest and most historical building in Linden and probably Guyana. 

AMMAN, (Reuters) – Syrian security forces opened  fire on protesters at a funeral yesterday, witnesses said, and  an announcement that President Bashar al-Assad would lift  48-years of emergency rule failed to quell fury on the streets.

“I want to go home, but I have no home, nowhere to go,” a tearful Bibi Ahbeda Alli said from her bed at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), where she has been for four months.

Central Executive Officer of Caribbean Cargo Shipping, Franklin ‘Bobby’ Vieira has donated two trophies towards the ongoing Len’s Craft Optical/Sunburst Orange Juice Under-15 football tournament being played in Georgetown.

Dear Editor, The Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) consists of four associations, namely the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA), the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB), the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association (EBDCA) and the West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA).

In the fight against Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), tobacco use, which is one of the risk factors, is still at an alarmingly high level, Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy told the 21st Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Human   and Social Development (COHSOD) which opened here on Friday morning.

ORLANDO, (Reuters) – The Atlanta Hawks exploded  offensively in the middle two quarters to beat the Orlando Magic  103-93 in their NBA playoff series opener on Saturday.

ABUJA, (Reuters) – President Goodluck Jonathan  secured election victory yesterday as votes were tallied from  around Nigeria, fuelling anger in the mainly-Muslim strongholds  of rival Muhammadu Buhari.

Dear Editor, Permit me to respond briefly to Joey (Jagan)’s letter which appeared in your paper on April 16, captioned ‘Franklin not in a position to make allegations against Ramsaroop.’

Dear Editor, I saw this coming a long time now. I wrote about this subterfuge.

HAVANA, (Reuters) – Cubans mostly welcomed  President Raul Castro’s call at a Communist Party congress this  weekend to limit the terms of island leaders, saying yesterday  it would bring new blood to the government the Castros and  their aging colleagues have ruled for 52 years.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and USAID Mission Director Carol Horning lauded the success of the farm established at Hararuni as a model they hope will be replicated in other villages.

TEHRAN,  (Reuters) – An Iranian military commander  has accused German engineering company Siemens of helping the  United States and Israel launch a cyber attack on its nuclear  facilities, Kayhan daily reported yesterday.

Brian Hackett, Scotia Bank Branch Manager is the new  president of the Lusignan Golf Club following elections held Saturday at the Clubhouse at Lusignan  Village, East Coast Demerara.

AJDABIYAH, Libya, (Reuters) – Libyan rebels  scrambled to defend their eastern frontline outpost of Ajdabiyah  yesterday after fighting on the coastal highway towards the oil  port of Brega occupied by Muammar Gaddafi’s troops.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, a team of agriculture officials and Region Two Chairman Ally Baksh visited several communities in the Upper Pomeroon Friday where interactions focused on improving agricultural services to the residents of the various communities.

Colin Rickards is an author, journalist, broadcaster and Caribbeanist with long connections to Guyana and its authors.

Dear Editor, The 2011 elections campaign has unofficially begun; David Granger with his meetings in PNC strongholds, and Donald Ramotar in the PPP’s.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The West Indies Players  Association (WIPA) has questioned the omission of batting stars Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shiv Chanderpaul for the limited overs series against Pakistan and has cautioned the West Indies Cricket Board over its youth selection policy.

(Jamaica Observer) Wide-eyed, jubilant spectators flocked streets and sidewalks along the route from May Pen in Clarendon to Linstead, St Catherine on Saturday, waving and shouting as the bright yellow, green and black coaches swept past them for the official test run of the Jamaica Railway Corporation’s (JRC’s) new train service.

It is ironic in many ways that need not be elaborated that Surinamese President Desi Bouterse last week admonished his police force not to behave like “Hitler’s Gestapo” and warning that those responsible for barbaric actions can expect severe sanctions.

This week we asked the man and the woman in the street if they can use a computer and if they are interested in the One Laptop Per Family initiative Interviews by Tiffny Rhodius, photos by Frances AbrahamShay Culley, private sector employee ‘Yes I can use a computer.

Old Enough

Goat Race

A number of Amerindian communities on Thursday received donations to the value of $9.8M from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to help improve the lives of the residents, a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – Sugarcane grown to power  Brazil’s cars and trucks as an alternative to climate-warming  fossil fuels has a beneficial side effect: it also cools the  local air temperature, scientists reported yesterday.

(Trinidad Guardian) Sitting in their Macoya apartment, a worried-looking Dinesh Chand Jatav, left, and his friends Jagdish Mali and Babulal Jatav, right, want to return to India after claiming they were part of a human trafficking ring for 17 months orchestrated by a Tunapuna businessman.

Gros Islet, St Lucia – Pakistan Team Manager Intikhab Alam believes that Umar Akmal, the dashing right handed middle order batsman can become a darling of the West Indian public.

Dear Editor, I refer to a letter in the Stabroek News written by Christopher Ram under the caption ‘Serious questions remain about the LCDS including the wisdom of putting Norway funds into the Amaila project’ in its issue of April 11.