Daily Archive: Thursday, March 29, 2012

OTTAWA,  (Reuters) – Canada plans to eliminate a backlog of stale immigration applications by skilled workers, in a potentially controversial move designed to enable immigrants whose skills are in greater current demand to enter the country faster.

Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang this afternoon overturned the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions to have Police Commissioner Henry Greene charged with rape.

Police say that at about 1440h on March 27, 2012, ranks of a roving police patrol conducted a search on a shop at Butterfly Landing, NWD, during which an unlicensed .38 Colt revolver with 6 rounds was found.

(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – Airline SLM has spread its wings to the world’s largest aviation market, China, and has appointed an official general sales manager.

The Guyana Revenue Authority today said that on March 23, 2012 its enforcement arm seized $15M of uncustomed alcohol at Mahaica and five persons were arrested.

(Jamaica Observer) Popular bush remedies, or ‘bush teas’ widely consumed in Jamaica and other Caribbean nations have been found to be potentially harmful in recent scientific studies and appraisal by the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, St Andrew.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says a bombshell autopsy report on the body of Dianne Gordon, the 45-year-old Cassava Piece resident killed by the police two weeks ago, has added some urgency to its probe.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Accusing the Permanent Secretaries Board (PSB) of attempting to muzzle the Office of the Contractor General (OCG), head of the oversight body, Greg Christie, on Tuesday rebuked the board for trespassing on the lawful authority and jurisdiction of his office under the Contractor General Act.

(Barbados Nation) Government is planning to construct a modern, state-of-the-art holding facility for the Immigration Department.

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Major Bruce Munroe, his wife Carol Ann Munroe and ex-soldier Leonard Wharton were yesterday cleared of treason, after acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry ruled that the charge laid against them was bad in law as it lacked the relevant particulars.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman says that at a Committee of Selection meeting on March 7, there was an agreement that the Parliamentary Management Committee (PMC) would not be among those committees that would be changed to reflect an Opposition majority.

The Guyana Sugar Corpora-tion Inc. said yesterday that it fired nine employees attached to the Enmore Sugar Factory who were found to have  stolen several items from the LBI factory.

Two gunmen last evening invaded a salon at First Street, Campbellville and escaped with cash and jewellery; renewing calls by residents for streets lights and nightly police patrols.

A former jockey fears for his life after he was soundly beaten by several members of a family that he once rode for on Monday afternoon.

Youths of Victoria, on the East Coast of Demerara are expected to benefit from a $1.7 million greenhouse project funded by the Canadian High Commission to empower them and foster job creation in the area.

Vocal residents of Adventure, Corentyne were able to prevent a contractor from removing truckloads of soil from the earthen embankment along the outfall channel on Tuesday.

While Presidential Advisor Odinga Lumumba is still to be charged over a polling day incident during which a presiding officer was injured, elections watchdog the Electoral Assistance Bureau (EAB) is calling for rules for parties’ operatives to be clearly outlined and enforced.

What is believed to be a foetus was found dumped in the vicinity of the Berbice Car Park, at Hinck Street, Georgetown early last evening.

A Rupununi man who  admitted assaulting his wife  was ordered by Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday to pay a fine of  $15,000 or serve two weeks in prison and she also put him on a bond to keep the peace for one year.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  CMC – Out-of-form batsman Darren Bravo has been released from the West Indies Twenty20 squad for the second and final game against Australia tomorrow.

A Guyanese woman managed to smuggle over six pounds of cocaine through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timheri but was later nabbed at the JFK Airport, in New York.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Trinidad and Tobago will be boosted for their Regional Four-Day semi-final clash with Barbados this weekend, with four international players returning to the 13-man squad announced earlier this week.

Secretary General of the Caribbean Forum (Cariforum) of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of nations, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque yesterday said that three financing agreements signed with the European Union (EU) at a value of €83.1M must trickle down and meet the needs of ordinary people.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Monday granted  former members of the Guyana Cricket Board special leave to appeal the decision by the Minister responsible for Sport Dr.

A man was on Tuesday night shot by police during a confrontation at Beaver Street, North Ruimveldt and has since been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

A man was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Whim Magistrate’s Court to answer to charges of felonious wounding and the discharge of a loaded firearm with intent.

A man was yesterday remanded to prison after allegedly chopping off the right thumb of his wife who is a Special Constable attached to the Guyana Police Force.

The legality of the appointment of acting Police Com-missioner Leroy Brumell is in doubt as there was no required consultation on it between President Donald Ramotar and Opposition Leader David Granger, but Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon yesterday said that anyone with objections can move to the courts.

By Emmerson Campbell A 12-member team of male and female powerlifters left Guyana yesterday morning for St.

By Emmerson Campbell “I thought Guyana did extraordinarily well given that it was their first time in the Hong Kong Sevens World Series; this was the first time they competed with the top 24 teams in the world.”

Attorneys for Opposition Leader David Granger have opted not to file an affidavit in answer to the Constitutional Motion that seeks to contest the composition of key parliamentary committees and are preparing to argue that there was no constitutional breach.

Region One Chairman Paul Pierre installed an Interim Management Committee (IMC) comprising 13 members on Sunday, following the dissolution of the Port Kaituma, Arakaka, and Matthews Ridge (Matarkai) Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

It’s just 72 days before Guyana’s Golden Jaguars kick of their opening third round match of 2014 World Cup Qualifiers against CONCACAF powerhouses Mexico at the world famous Estadio Azteca (venue of the 1970 and 1986 FIFA World Cup finals).

Relatives of Bibi Shameen Khairoodin, 45, who was found dead in her home at Canefield, East Canje on March 20 were relieved yesterday that her alleged attacker, Ramdhanie ‘Prak’ Persaud – her husband – 

By Iva Wharton Mark Vieira like to make history at South Dakota.

Two detectives yesterday testified at the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the charge against Bibi Sharima Gopaul and Jarvis Small for the murder of 16-year-old Neesa Gopaul.

Work Force of the Desmond Vibert Stable won the feature event on Sunday at the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facilities (RCMTC&SF) in collaboration with the Ituni and Phoenix Lodges annual one day horse race meet.

Eight-year-old Shomari Wiltshire played with the skill and court sense of a seasoned campaigner in defeating Mahendra Khusial on the opening night of the Toucan Industries sponsored Kool-Aid squash tournament at the Georgetown Club Tuesday.

Residents of Kumaka in the Mabaruma Sub-Region are expected to picket the offices of the regional administration over concerns about revetment works and other projects in Region One.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The Obama administration’s top courtroom lawyer made an impassioned plea yesterday for the Supreme Court to save President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, capping three days of historic arguments that left it unclear how the nine justices would rule.

President Donald Ramotar is optimistic that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) would eventually agree to finance the Amaila Hydro Project, since in the long run the project would have national benefits and make a positive impact in regional efforts to combat climate change.

The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) will examine recommendations to lessen the effects of the rising cost of fuel and commodities on the region’s economies at its 34th meeting, which starts today.

The Berbice Cricket Board/Hand-in-Hand limited overs cricket competition in West Berbice got off to an exciting start with five matches  played across grounds in Region Five.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Former Barbados captain Ryan Hinds has been released on bail after appearing in court here Monday to face charges of rape.

The roof of the George Walcott Lecture Theatre (GWLT) has been the only issue from a list of concerns about conditions at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus to be addressed, a month after the end of protest action by workers, staff and the student body.

RIO DE JANEIRO,  (Reuters) – Doctors yesterday said cancer treatments had successfully eliminated a throat tumour from Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, dispelling immediate fears over the health of the popular former president and prompting his cautious return to Brazil’s political debate.

OTTAWA, (Reuters) – The Canadian government says it is taking action to try to ensure that immigrants with foreign professional credentials are actually qualified to work in their chosen fields in Canada, with the screening to be done before they arrive.

A 44-year-old man was sentenced to three months in prison for assaulting his mother when he appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) mauled Airbenders 6-0 but Hikers maintain the lead in the John Fernandes Insurance Second Division Hockey league.

A woman who appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton on a charge of larceny was placed on $30,000 bail yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

By Emmerson Campbell After staging a successful five-a-side Easter football  tournament last year, the Victoria Kings Football Club and Healthy Choice Promotions yesterday launched this year’s 11-a-side Easter Cup Football Tournament at the Upscale Restaurant and Sports Bar.

HAVANA, March 28 (Reuters) – Pope Benedict called for an end to the U.S.

Dear Editor, Mr Anil Nandlall, following his appointment to the dual positions of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs has embarked upon his duties with an admitted zeal and determination to set many things right. 

The Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) Public Relations Office on Tuesday denied that attendants from one of its ambulances refused to transport Wayne Matthew’s body to the hospital.

(Reuters) – Australia’s decision to block Huawei from bidding for work on its $38 billion national broadband network has less to do with the Chinese telecoms firm itself and more to do with a growing concern that foreign countries – particularly China – are stealing the country’s governmental and commercial secrets via the Internet, security analysts and researchers said.

Dear Editor, I appeal to our medical practitioners, specifically doctors, to manifest more decency, kindness, understanding, and humanity when they deal with the sick, especially the terminally ill.

Dear Editor, We are writing this open letter to all Parliamentarians as they prepare for budget day on Friday, March 30, 2012.

Small operators in the forest products sector were urged at a recent awareness session  to  begin using kilns as an integral part of their manufacturing operation.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Field trials are under way in England of a genetically modified (GM) wheat that strikes fear into aphids and attracts a deadly predator to devour them, providing an alternative to the insecticides now used to control the crop pest.

Starr Computers Inc

The Guyana Power and Light says that at 6.22 pm on Tuesday, power to the entire West Demerara was interrupted as a result of someone trying to retrieve a kite that had become entangled in the primary mains in Canal No.1.

Dear Editor, I saw an article in the Kaieteur News edition of March 26, 2012 titled ‘Govt.

AUSTIN, Texas,  (Reuters) – U.S. authorities filed criminal charges yesterday against a JetBlue pilot who screamed over the radio, pounded on the door of the cockpit and was tackled by passengers during a chaotic flight from New York forced to make an emergency landing in Texas.

Tomorrow our leaders gather in the polished Parliament to pontificate about a national budget to build this country over the next year.

Budget 2012

BAGHDAD – Arab foreign ministers called yesterday for a U.N.-backed peace plan for Syria to be put into action after President Bashar al-Assad agreed to the proposal, which urges an end to violence but does not demand the Syrian leader step down.

Since the introduction of the 16% Value-Added Tax (VAT), through which the government earns billions in revenue annually, the PPP/C administration has presented a series of austere budgets, which offer virtually no relief to the poorest of the poor in the country.

Terrorist attack

Dear Editor, For over two decades and half St Cuthbert’s Village Council has been malfunctioning.

Part One This article is the first of a two part series that will deal with the use of the British Emergency Detention Bill and its impact on the development of the Preventive Detention Act, 1966 in Guyana.

(Trinidad Express) Trinidad Cement Ltd (TCL) general manager Satnarine Bachew has again reassured customers that cement is being produced at the company’s Claxton Bay facility despite a five-week strike involving most workers.

(Barbados Nation) Government is to step up its efforts to preserve historic buildings.