Daily Archive: Sunday, March 18, 2012

SAN JUAN,  (Reuters) – Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney swept to a big win in his party’s primary in Puerto Rico on Sunday, bolstering his position as front-runner in the race to determine who will face Democratic President Barack Obama in the Nov.

(Reuters) – West Indies beat Australia by five wickets today to record their first one-day international win over their old rivals since 2006 and tie their five match series at 1-1.

(Trinidad Express) With Barbados and the Windward Islands recording victories today, T&T will want to enhance their third place standing by taking an outright win off Guyana.

(Jamaica Observer) A group of 10 United States Congress members wants to find out whether the Antigua & Barbuda Government breached international treaties in the entire saga that led to the fraud conviction of Texan billionaire R Allen Stanford.

(Barbados Nation) A day after low-cost carrier REDjet announced the immediate suspension of its flights, one of its primary regional competitors moved hastily to pick up the slack – as Caribbean officials expressed strong disappointment over its seeming demise.

The search continues for varieties of potatoes and onions that can be grown commercially and at a competitive cost here.

(de Ware Tijd) NIEUW NICKERIE – The purchasing price of a 79 kilo bale of paddy plunged yesterday to SRD 72, the advisory price of the Rice Organ.

(Barbados Nation) I understand there is some interim report of a forensic nature on CLICO.

(Barbados Nation) Stranded REDjet passengers yesterday demanded their money back as two competing regional airlines immediately moved to pick up the slack caused by the sudden suspension of services by the Barbadian-based low-cost carrier.

(Jamaica Observer) A young, reformed gangster who said he committed his first murder when he was 14 years old confessed that during his days as a member of the Fatherless Crew he was contracted to kill Parliamentarian Dr Omar Davies.

(Trinidad Express) Transport Minister Devant Maharaj was yesterday sympathetic to the employees and customers of low-fares carrier REDjet but was unsympathetic to the airline’s plea for financial assistance from regional governments.

(Trinidad Express) National carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has not paid its promised US$5 million (TT$30 million) to the Prime Minister’s pet project, the Children’s Life Fund.

Masked gunmen walked into a bar at Old Road Eccles, East Bank Demerara on Friday night and riddled a businessman with bullets.

Uitvlugt is a West Coast Demerara village located in Region Three about 20 minutes away from Vreed-en-Hoop.

Geotechnical engineer and groundwater hydrologist Charles Ceres says that Guyana’s Olympic-size swimming pool could have been built for one third of the money spent.

The lifeless body of a 20-year-old woman was yesterday morning pulled out of a trench, a short distance from her Nismes, West Bank Demerara home.

While many businesses are searching for space to set up shop or expand in or around the capital city, at least one prominent Georgetown-based business is shifting its operations to an area on the East Bank Essequibo as part of a planned modern community and commercial development venture.

Asking women to forgive the church for the times when it failed or moved too slowly to address their plight, Roman Catholic Bishop Francis Alleyne said yesterday that the church needs to do more to address the scourge of domestic violence and he admonished men not to misuse the scriptures as a justification of violence towards women.

The National Assembly on Thursday passed a motion approving the government policy outlined in President Donald Ramotar’s inaugural parliamentary address, despite claims by the opposition that he failed to address the most important national issues.

Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh said government welcomed and was pleased at Thursday’s rulings by Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman in Parliament.

Eight years after he was found floating in a trench at Fyrish backdam, Corentyne, relatives of cattle rearer Fitzroy Cort are far from satisfied with police investigations into the matter as there are still more questions than answers.

The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2012, with Local Government Minister Ganga Persaud saying that the PPP/C administration remains committed to holding local government polls as soon as possible.

The Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) has explained that in accordance with its strict safety policy and maritime guidelines the MV Kimbia on Wednesday had to return to the Goods Wharf after setting sail for Kumaka, when one of the generators on the vessel failed.

Although Khemraj Lallbeharry’s relatives knew he was depressed and that he had a drinking problem, his death by hanging came as a shock to them as no one suspected that he was suicidal.

The 2011 National Sports Awardees were honoured in glowing tributes and a commitment from Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar to provide all necessary assistance for the development of sports with greater emphasis on tapping into the hinterland communities.

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) is now in a position to assess its quality management system and provide for further customer satisfaction after aspects of the company’s operations were granted ISO certification.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Fit-again West Indies opener Adrian Barath stroked an accomplished, unbeaten half-century to spruce up his preparation for the Australia Test series and put Trinidad and Tobago in a strong position against Guyana here yesterday.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) took disciplinary action against eight officers – including three terminations and three dismissals – for engaging in bribery for the release of a container without the payment of the relevant taxes.

The recent resignation of PPP/C Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) Commissioner Moen Mc Doom will see the position being filled by Attorney Jaya Manickchand.

A father and his three sons were last Friday charged under the Hijacking and Piracy Act after an engine they had in their possession was positively identified as one stolen during a piracy attack last month.

Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry registered a profit of $1.3B for 2011 – up by 15% over 2010’s figure – and in the report to be presented to shareholders next month, the Bank’s Chairman says that the new parliament configuration presents a model for enhanced cooperation.

By Emmerson Campbell Simeon ‘Candy Man’ Hardy, the WBC CABOFE welterweight champion is more than anxious to step in the ring against Mark Austin since he read the remarks made by Austin’s trainer in a Stabroek Sport publication two days ago.

The attempts to build a Guyanese film industry continue. The latest contribution in this long-running saga is the new film A Jasmine for A Gardener directed by Mahadeo Shivraj and released in Georgetown last week. 

When President Barack Obama welcomes Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at the White House on April 9, both leaders will say that their countries’ bilateral ties are better than ever, and growing steadily.

Destruction of the Ball of the Femur (Aseptic Necrosis) Aseptic Necrosis of the head (‘ball’) of the femur (that part of the thigh bone which fits into the ‘socket’ of the hip bone) is due to impaired blood supply to that ‘ball’.

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) says it is concerned that overt attempts are being made by the Alliance for Change (AFC) to undermine and discredit GAWU’s historic and current representation of the nation’s sugar workers.

A lean clean government which is transparent in its actions and accountable to the nation is what new Alliance For Change (AFC) parliamentarian Dr Veerasammy Ramayya hopes the new dispensation in the National Assembly can achieve in the next five years.

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – West Indies captain Darren Sammy was unusually candid in his assessment of his side’s performance after witnessing yet another shocking batting collapse in the opening One-Day International against Australia here Friday.

The coming 10 weeks hold more significance for West Indies cricket than any other period in the recent past.

BARA, Pakistan, (Reuters) – Villagers found 14 bullet-ridden bodies scattered around the Bara area of the northwestern Khyber tribal region near the Afghanistan border yesterday, as Pakistani security forces step up military offensives against militants.

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – West Indies’ embarrassing defeat to Australia in the first One-Day International here Friday, left some fans at the Arnos Vale Stadium vociferously calling for the return of talismanic opener Chris Gayle.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Western Bureau – In response to the sudden suspension of all flights by low-budget carrier, REDjet, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has put in place measures to rescue stranded passengers across the region.

By Shashi Tharoor NEW DELHI – April might be the cruelest month, but, for India’s major political parties this year, March is fairly brutal.

Relatives of a 16-year-old girl who was found hanging from a tree at Kumu Village, Rupununi last month, say that they are convinced it was staged to cover the real cause of death and are calling on the police to conduct a thorough investigation.

The Caribbean America Domes-tic Violence Awareness (CADVA) last weekend wrapped up its two weeks of activities with the hosting of a one-day exhibition at the Pegasus of paintings depicting domestic violence.

A good idea, although previously ignored, always bears repeating.  Here is one: Guyana should officially set about taking advantage of the very substantial unused resource this country has in the Guyanese diaspora sitting in the developed world.

Women of Itaballi Landing on the Essequibo River have appealed to the Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA) to help to train young females in the community so they could find jobs and help others get ownership of their mining claims.

The Brazilian Porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) or Porcupine is a spiny, arboreal, nocturnal creature and in the North Rupununi has been noted for having a preference for palm forests.

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Two explosions struck the heart of Damascus yesterday, killing at least 27 people in an attack on security installations that state television blamed on “terrorists” seeking to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

EZjet is advising passengers who plan to travel to the US over the Easter holidays to book now as its low cost charter service between Guyana and New York is almost fully booked for April.

The US$2 million Sacred Heart Church insurance scam case was yesterday adjourned for a week after the court was informed that a Constitutional Motion in the High Court which sought to prohibit criminal prosecution in the lower court, was scheduled to be heard later in the day.

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Windward Islands were fighting back against Combined Campuses and Colleges but the sixth round Regional Four-Day encounter remained fairly open at the close of the second day here yesterday.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sang, danced with his daughter and vowed yesterday to win a presidential election this year, a day after returning from what he said was a successful operation to remove a second tumour.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan authorities said yesterday that 11 members of an investigative police unit were suspected in the fatal late-night shooting of a Chilean diplomat’s teenage daughter while she was riding in a car with her brother.

Dear Editor, Please allow me to respond to a letter by the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs in the press on 12-03-15 and other articles on 2012-03-16 regarding statements made by me arising from the $90 Million elections fund allocation to the Police.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment has mandated the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to provide guidance and technical support to the Guyana Women Miners Association so that they can benefit equally from the opportunities in the sector.

The orchid (Orchidaceae) is the most diverse family of plants. According to Paul Thomas of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, more than 28,000 species of orchid are known to exist.

It appears two life-sized erasers have relocated from the classrooms of New York’s Medgar Evers College Prep School.

So much begins with parents. So much continues in the training grounds.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has not authorised any person other than the prescribed officer at the ministry and the immigration officer at the airport to collect fees chargeable for the issuing of visas, extensions or work permits.

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has proposed allowing member countries to tap loans in case they need to respond to natural disasters, the multilateral lender’s president said yesterday.

What exactly did Caricom Heads of Government agree to in respect of the Caricom Secretariat when they met in Paramaribo?

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – CMC – Wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Dowrich narrowly missed on his maiden first class century when he stroked ha career-best, unbeaten 95 as Barbados took command of their sixth round Regional first-class match against the Leeward Islands at Kensington Oval here yesterday.

Dear Editor, I wish to correct two false assertions made in the Stabroek News edition of March 17th, 2012 under the headline  `Engineers report slammed VIKAB, BK over bungled Supenaam Stelling’.

Waiting for the hammer to fall: For Parika vendors who have

Introduction I trust that there is no ambiguity whatsoever in the minds of readers as regards my opinion of the four traditional or standard goals of taxation, which I introduced in last week’s column (raising revenue; reducing income and wealth inequalities; politically facilitating stakeholder representation in the tax regime; and altering relative prices of goods and services in order to reward-punish economic choices).

By Iva Wharton There was a surprise, though not unfamiliar name among the list of players who participated in the recent Bounty Farm Handicap Squash tournament at the Georgetown Club.

(Trinidad Express) Using a skeleton staff of strike breakers and managers, Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) has restarted the factory and resumed the production of cement.

Dear Editor, REDjet’s suspension of flights is unfortunate and perhaps disheartening given the history of airline failure to which Guyanese have been subject.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China put rare public pressure on ally North Korea over the reclusive state’s plan to launch a long-range rocket which is raising tension in the region and could scupper a recent aid deal with the United States.

Cultural policy and more particularly the preservation of the nation’s material heritage was one area which none of the political parties had much to say about prior to the election, and with all that is going on in the political field currently they certainly have not applied their minds to the matter since.

Sunday Cartoon

Introduction Today’s column concludes the review of the Auditor General Report on the audits of the ministries, departments and regions for the year 2010.

Dear Editor, I refer to a letter written by Mr. Timothy Jonas, President of the Guyana Bar Association (`It is time to confirm both the acting Chief Justice and the acting Chancellor’ SN, March, 6, 2012).

This week persons at the Ministry of Education’s Science, Mathematics and Technology Fair held at Diamond Secondary School spoke about how the initiative has benefited them, what they have learnt and what can be done to improve the exhibition in the future.

Overseas-based Guyanese writer Deborah Barocas, while on a recent visit here, presented a copy of her first book Guyana’s Tasty Exotic Foods of Six Peoples to

NOUAKCHOTT/TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Mauritania arrested Muammar Gaddafi’s ex-spy chief, Abdullah al-Senussi, after he arrived on an overnight flight, officials said yesterday, triggering a three-way tussle for his extradition.

Leaders Alpha United should face a stern test from Rosignol United this evening at the Georgetown Football Club ground in one of five matches of the Guyana Football Federation Super League tournament.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The Independent Commission of Investigations has launched a probe into the 24th shooting death for this month following the killing of a woman in Cassava Piece, St Andrew on Friday.