Daily Archive: Saturday, April 14, 2012

Forced on the defensive over the detaining of Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan at a US airport twice, Washington has asserted it was not a case of racial profiling or a pattern, according to Gulf News.

CARTAGENA, Colombia, (Reuters) – Haiti’s foreign minister Laurent Lamothe said he could be fully approved as the country’s new prime minister within 30 days, potentially ending a political stalemate that has threatened to limit reconstruction after the 2010 earthquake.

CARTAGENA, Colombia,  (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama tried today to convince skeptical Latin Americans that Washington has not turned its back on them, but ruled out a drug policy U-turn that some in the region want.

At about 1000h today, police said that Stanley Persaud, 37 years of Soesdyke, EBD, was walking along Regent Street, Georgetown, when he was attacked by a man armed with a knife and who took away his gold band valued at $260,000and escaped on a bicycle.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez will not attend this weekend’s regional summit in Colombia and will instead fly straight to Cuba to continue being treated for cancer, his foreign minister said today.

CARTAGENA, Colombia, (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama stressed today the “great promise” for business growth in the Americas, seeking to play up the economic heft of the region he has paid little attention to in his first three years in office.

(Jamaica Observer) President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Sir Dennis Byron says he welcomes the move towards unanimity between Jamaica’s main political parties on accepting the regional institution as its final appellate court.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Mobile operator Digicel Jamaica says that about 120 of its local staff or 10 per cent of its workforce could to take-up its ‘voluntary separation programme’ announced Thursday.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Absolutely nothing could dampen the spirits of 12-year-old Shemar Pringle.

Former Commissioner of Police and now APNU MP Winston Felix yesterday accused the PPP/C government of hiring drug lord Roger Khan to help it fight crime and he fingered Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee in interference in police matters, including attempting to prevent an arrest.

Nigel Hughes, attorney for the woman who accused Police Commissioner Henry Greene of rape, says he will be writing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for statements that were gathered during the investigation in order to pursue private criminal prosecution.

By Iva Wharton Sport Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, last night told the National Assembly that the government would be focusing on number of developmental projects for 2012 among them the construction of a 25-metre warm-up pool to supplement the 50-m pool currently at Pattensen.

Golden Grove resident Hilbert ‘Brights’ Mayers was electrocuted yesterday morning while apparently trying to remove an illegal connection that he had set up to steal power from a nearby school for the differently-abled.

Guyana’s Jessica Stephenson, Thursday night won a gold medal in the 200m breaststroke event of the XXVII Carifta Swimming Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.

Former parliamentarian Nellie Charles, 78, was one of several persons who were rescued from a William Street, Kitty house which yesterday afternoon razed by a fire started by children playing with matches.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) yesterday apologised for the actions of “inexperienced” Coast Guard ranks who spotted the body of 11-year-old West Ruimveldt drowning victim Shamar Success on Wednesday but failed to aid in its recovery.

(Cricinfo) Having emulated his technique, Darren Bravo has now sought to channel Brian Lara’s mental approach to building a major innings against Australia.

Three men were yesterday charged with multiple counts of armed robbery stemming from recent attacks on Guyanese returning from overseas.

(Reuters) – A misfiring Derrick Rose forced the Chicago Bulls to rely on their bench but they still managed a 96-86 overtime win over the Miami Heat on Thursday to stay in the driving seat in the race for the Eastern Conference title.

By Neil Barry The highly-favoured Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) side will face a stern examination at the hands of the unbeaten University of Guyana team from today when the semi-finals of the Noble House Seafoods second-division, two-day competition commence at the DCC ground, Queenstown.

APNU member and new parliamentarian Ronald Bulkan has signalled that the national budget will have to undergo serious cuts to eliminate spending.

By Jairo Rodrigues Sixteen-year-old Calais Peterkin had been wowing audiences in her church and school for quite some time before the rest of Guyana had the opportunity to hear her powerful voice at the recent GT&T Jingle and Song competition.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Donovan Pagon and Brenton Parchment hammered half-centuries but discarded West Indies left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn’s five-wicket haul kept Barbados in the contest, on the opening day of the Regional Four-Day final here yesterday.

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Deborah Backer of APNU has called on government to strengthen the Guyana Defence Force to better defend the country’s territorial integrity, saying Guyana might have already become an oil producing nation if this had been done.

(Cricinfo) Shakib Al Hasan had sat out Kolkata Knight Riders’ first two matches much to the disappointment of his fans in Bangladesh.

The justice system remains “broken” despite the $4 billion spent in the IDB-funded four-year Justice Sector Reform Strategy Programme and this is “a clear case of no value for money spent,” attorney Basil Williams said as the debate on 2012 budget continued in the National Assembly yesterday.

We are now into the 6th week of GT&T’s Feel the Beat Dance Competition and it appears that the dancers are getting a lot more serious in terms of bringing it. 

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Captain Darren Sammy is convinced West Indies will learn from Wednesday’s three-wicket loss to Australia in the opening Test and bounce back strongly in Trinidad.

Hi Everyone,When Easter comes around many homes come alive with the fragrance of spices – in the cakes, buns, cookies and fruit breads that are the order of the day.

Health Minister Dr Bheri Ramsaran has welcomed recent statements by APNU MP Dr George Norton on permitting abortions at public facilities like the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), saying that the issue could be further examined.

Dear Editor, The year 1994 will live in Guyana’s history as one of honour. 

The Hadi’s nationwide male and female softball tournament organised by the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) has reached the quarter final stage in the male over-40 category.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has a new executive at the helm and high on its agenda is to lobby the government to overhaul the current tax regime for businesses.

The Scene Cartoon

Dear Editor, President Ramotar is reported to have recently told Barticans that their community should be elevated to the status of a township soon.

(Reuters) – Latin pop singer Marc Anthony has filed for divorce from singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, ending their seven-year marriage.

It’s down to the final 16 teams of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited 10/10 nationwide softball cricket competition.

Police yesterday said that the man that was operating the merry-go-round that 13-year-old Dexter Marshall, of Two Friends Village, East Coast Demerara, was riding when he was electrocuted has been arrested.

The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) yesterday disclosed that some of its customers on the East Coast of Demerara have not paid bills in three years, as it announced intensified service disconnection activities there.

Dear Editor, I wish to draw to your attention the lawlessness displayed by the Stabroek Market vendors selling in the morning hours behind the fire station.

By Neil Barry The Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO)  secured victory over Queen’s College in a close low scoring encounter at the GYO ground yesterday in the latest round of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)  Brainstreet-sponsored Under-15 competition.

Guyana Fashion Weekend (GFW) will this weekend begins country wide audition for the Guyana model search and designers’ portfolio, a press release from the fashion exhibition Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sonia Noel has said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Veteran West Indies left-hander is steadily continuing to make his way back to the top of world cricket.

Dear Editor, The road lane demarcation on the East Bank Highway between the Harbour Bridge and the Vieira turn has been obliterated, and poses a clear and present danger to all users.

(Reuters) – Yvonne the German cow evaded helicopter searches, dodged the hunter’s gun and even eschewed her calf and best friend for a life on the run.

Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman reminded Members of Parliament that while it is anticipated that the 2012 budget debates would be “lively and fiery,” they should be respectful and tolerant of each other during the process.

(Reuters) – Beverly Hills police said on Wednesday they had closed their investigation into the death of singer Whitney Houston in a hotel room bathtub two months ago after concluding no crime was committed.

Two staffers of the Parliament Office will spend two weeks in the United Kingdom undergoing training in parliamentary democracy, under the joint sponsorship of the British Government and the Government of Guyana, Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman announced on Thursday.

How to reuse plastic bottles

CARTAGENA, Colombia, (Reuters) – Washington should turn back to alliances with neighbours in Latin America rather than focus on faraway conflicts like Afghanistan, Colombia’s president said yesterday before welcoming U.S.

The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) will hold its first 15’s trial game at the National Park today at 16:00 hrs in preparation for the Rugby World Cup 2015 NACRA Caribbean Regional Qualifier.

Dear Editor, I have followed the ongoing discussion following the decision of the Honourable Chief Justice in the matter involving the Commissioner of Police. 

The semi-final games of the Victoria Kings/Healthy Choice Easter Cup tournament involving BV United versus Buxton Starz and Victoria Kings versus Golden Grove failed to kick off last weekend due to inclement weather and will be played tonight at the Victoria ground from 19:00hrs.

WASHINGTON/BRASILIA,  (Reuters) – Former Colombian finance minister Jose Antonio Ocampo yesterday withdrew his candidacy for World Bank president, leaving two candidates in a race that he said had turned highly political.

Pamela Arthur is a teacher by profession who has a passion for designing.

The High Court hearing on the composition of the National Assembly’s Com-mittee of Selection was yesterday adjourned due to the absence of Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who said that he had to prepare for his presentation in the National Assembly later in the day.

Dear Editor, Every day we all read in the newspapers about members of Parliament accusing the government of lack of transparency.

Journalist, food writer and food stylist Cynthia Nelson’s Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cookbook last year copped the prize of Best First Cookbook at the Jamaican national level of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

project, titled “Preserving our Mangroves,” at the National Science, Mathematics and Technology fair

Dear Editor, It is time the people of Guyana stand up to demand that there be no budgetary allocations or subventions for the National Communications Network (NCN) as this entity is used purely as a propaganda machine for the PPP/C.

BEIRUT, (Reuters) – Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad shot dead five protesters after Friday prayers, activists reported, while the government said an army officer was killed as violence marred a ceasefire brokered by international peace envoy Kofi Annan.

The venue, Lorna Mayers’s residence, Graham Street, Plaisance. The discipline – dominoes.

The body of a missing Moraikobe, Mahaicony River resident was found yesterday morning, police reported.

East Ruimveldt Secondary mauled Central High 13-1 while Charlestown Secondary brushed aside St.

Dear Editor, Attending a session of the National Assembly debate on the Budget 2012 was a disappointing experience.

Vincent Vandenburg, the man accused of fatally stabbing Edinburgh Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice labourer Junior Edwards, was arraigned on a murder charge yesterday.

A model hydro electric power plant on display

BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – A baby declared stillborn and then later found alive by her parents at a morgue in Argentina was in critical condition yesterday after taking a turn for the worse overnight, a hospital official said.

“(Reuters) – Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has teamed with country sensation Taylor Swift on a new song for his upcoming third album, though details were scant as the “Boyfriend” singer keeps fans guessing.

Grace Foundation a non – profit non-governmental organization with strong basketball linkages will stage a walk-a-thon tomorrow.

MADRID, (Reuters) – Spain yesterday threatened Argentina with retaliation if it nationalised oil major Repsol’s YPF operation, raising the stakes in a long-running row over production at the Argentine unit.

The effects of the dismissal of the advice that a charge of rape be brought against Police Commissioner Henry Greene continue to ripple throughout the country and even beyond its borders.

15-foot anaconda that weighs approximately 50 pounds

The Ansa McAl beverage company yesterday presented prizes to the three persons that were judged winners of the annual Smalta Kite Flying competition.

Politikles

Dear Editor, With regard to your news item titled ‘CAL Chairman resigns‘ (SN Apr 5), credit must be given to Mr George Nicholas for accepting responsibility for what he interpreted as criticism of his leadership of Caribbean Airlines and tendering his resignation. 

As the 35-nation Summit of the Americas gets underway in Cartagena, Colombia the United States faces a long overdue reckoning on its War on Drugs.

(Barbados Nation) This month end is going to be a sad one for 500 staff members of Almond Beach Village in St Peter but, as a group, the employees and management team are expected to walk away with approximately Bds$14 million in severance and other compensation.

(Barbados Nation) Former minister of social transformation Hamilton Lashley thinks it is time to take the PetroCaribe deal being offered by Venezuela as a means of getting Barbados out of its current economic energy crisis.

(Trinidad Guardian) Police reports of rape, incest and other sexual offences have gone up by 100 per cent in 2012.