Daily Archive: Wednesday, April 25, 2012

(Trinidad Express) Racial tension continues to be an issue in Trinidad and Tobago, two of the country’s business leaders have suggested.

The combined Opposition tonight voted against two allocations totalling $527 million for the Guyana Elections Commission saying that the necessary reforms must be made and if they are, APNU and the AFC would support a supplementary appropriation to get the money back.

The joint opposition last evening voted to chop proposed budgetary allocations to the Office of the President by a whopping $345.

(Trinidad Express) A historic move was made yesterday by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as she announced that legislation will be brought to the Parliament to remove the British Privy Council as this country’s final appellate court and replaced with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)—with respect to criminal matters.

The combined opposition this evening voted to cut $150M from the Office of the President’s proposed budgetary allocations for contracted employees.

ROSEAU, Dominica,  (Reuters) – In what was almost certainly his final innings in the Caribbean, Ricky Ponting provided a crucial half-century as Australia built a lead of 310 runs by the close of the third day of the final test against West Indies.

Following a gruelling session that saw Minister in the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill facing a barrage of questions the opposition banded together and excised the budget allocations for state TV, NCN and GINA in a historic move in Parliament today.

(Barbados Nation) Class is permanent, form is temporary! It is really downright disgraceful the way the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the selectors have treated former captain Ramnaresh Sarwan.

(Trinidad Express) The unemployment rate in Trinidad and Tobago has fallen.

(Trinidad Express) Shouts of jubilation echoed through the streets of the capital city yesterday morning as TV6’s Crime Watch host, Ian Alleyne, led a group of supporters from the Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court to Express House after being granted bail on four charges.

(Trinidad Express) Attorney General Anand Ramlogan says he is using his own resources, rather than the resources of the State, to litigate his cases against Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.

(Jamaica Observer) Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding has emerged from the shadows with a lawsuit against embattled Florida-based Jamaican law professor, David Rowe.

(Jamaica Gleaner) A senior member of the Government has declared the administration will not allow the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) to be a stumbling block in the engagement of private entities as the state moves to take advantage of investment opportunities.

(Jamaica Gleaner) At least 12 American Airlines passengers who were scheduled to depart the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston to Miami, last evening refused to board the aircraft which had mechanical and electrical problems earlier today.

(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – “After a somewhat false start, we’ve debated the bill seriously,” a visibly pleased Speaker of Parliament Jennifer Geerlings-Simons said immediately after the passing of the Stalking bill with 32 unanimous votes.

Despite two separate meetings, the government and the opposition yesterday struggled to reach consensus on proposed budget measures, including lower taxes, and APNU and the AFC warned that they would proceed with planned cuts in the administration’s spending if there is no resolution.

Photos by Anjuli Persaud Staffers of government agencies that face budget cuts proposed by APNU and AFC yesterday took to the streets to protest the move, while the state-run National Communications Network (NCN) warned that it would have to scale back its operations to save on costs.

Police accidently shot a Corriverton businessman around 11:15 am yesterday at No 77 Village while trying to arrest a man who was beating and trying to attack persons with a cutlass.

With the retirement of Henry Greene, acting Police Com-missioner Leroy Brumell is now the most senior rank in the Guyana Police Force (GPF), but an informed source says he may not be confirmed in the post, for which Crime Chief Seelall Persaud is believed to be the favoured choice.

The Office of Climate Change (OCC) yesterday warned against opposition-proposed cuts of its 2012 allocation saying important projects like the installation of solar panels in the hinterland would be at risk along with the country’s leadership position on green growth.

Lethem and neighbouring villages in Region Nine were last evening without power after the two main generators operated by the power company malfunctioned.

Former national footballer Collin Mickle who appeared yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court accused of stealing a Mercedes Benz worth $2 million was  remanded by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine–Beharry.

CEO of Cara Lodge and Suites and Head of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Paul Stephenson is recovering at a private hospital in Trinidad after suffering a heart attack.

Former PNCR General Secretary Aubrey Norton yesterday said he has not been approached to fill the vacancy among the opposition-nominated commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom).

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Brittle batting returned to haunt West Indies yesterday as they suffered a now familiar collapse to leave Australia in control of the third and final Test at Windsor Park.

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) will launch an internal investigation into how a young man died from oral hemorrhaging and a blood clot to his brain at the institution, days after extracting a tooth at a private dentist.

GAWU says that sugar workers from GuySuCo’s seven estates yesterday  staged protests in response to the tabling of motions by APNU and the AFC  in the National Assembly to debar the government from providing, among other things, $6B in subsidies to GPL.

By Emmerson Campbell Charlton Skeete will enter Friday night’s matchup with CABOFE bantamweight champion Elton ‘Coolie Bully’ Dharry as the heavy underdog.

Estimated spending for the regional administrations was last evening approved in the National Assembly, where opposition MPs urged the Local Government Ministry to consider key interventions to issues affecting the regions.

A Bosai Mining Company security guard was up to press time last evening in police custody after he allegedly shot a man who was acting suspiciously at the Coomacka Mines, Linden location, during a scuffle.

Merle Jordan who was found dead with wounds to the head at Dalgin, Linden Highway last Friday died as a result of multiple injuries according to a post-mortem examination which was performed yesterday by Pathologist Dr.

The day was April 21st, 1965. It was the final day of third test of the 1964/65 series for the  Sir Frank Worrell Trophy between the West Indies and Australia captained by legends Sir Gary Sobers and Bobby Simpson respectively at the Bourda Oval, Guyana.

The Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) has scheduled rehabilitation works on the Vreed-en-Hoop, Region Three and Stabroek, Georgetown stellings for this week.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is encouraging persons to visit its Tax Sites or to utilize the ‘Drop Box’ facility to submit their Income, Property, Corporation and Capital Gains Tax Returns which are due on or before April 30.

A man from Cullen, Essequibo was yesterday remanded on  a firearm possession charge when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Timehri Neighbourhood Market stallholders are at loggerheads with government over their relocation, with the vendors demanding compensation while Transport Minister Robeson Benn says they will not be paid and are to move by Monday.

APNU leaders say the coalition was forced to accept the increase of the old age pension to $10,000 as a trade-off during negotiations with government last week.

The PPP/C on Monday called on all “patriotic Guyanese” to reject “purveyors of division” and to support attempts being made to attain political consensus along political lines.

In the wake of budget cuts proposed by the opposition, the Private Sector Commis-sion (PSC) yesterday urged consensus in Parliament over projects that will benefit from the Low Carbon Develop-ment Strategy APNU and the AFC have proposed to effect budget cuts that could total as much as $20 billion and they target government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and  the Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL), among other sectors.

Vice-president of Alpha “The Hammer” United Football Club, Steve Ninvalle said  that his club is seeking clarification from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) as to whether the club will advance to the next round of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) club championship.

Malaysia’s largest multifaceted company, the Wee Boon Ping Group of Companies, has signalled its interest in partnering with Guyana on a sustainable operation in the forestry sector and its chairman paid a courtesy call on President Donald Ramotar recently.

(Reuters) – Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace has been suspended seven games for delivering an elbow to the head of Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden, the National Basketball Association (NBA) said yesterday.

Contractors have until May 15 to submit bids for the construction of the specialty hospital planned for Liliendaal, Tarachand Balgobin, an officer attached to the National Procurement and Tender Board-Ministry of Finance announced on Monday.

Dear Editor, It is good income tax relief is being given to twenty-one thousand employees, mostly those earning in excess of the public sector minimum salary, but what about those employees already exempted from income tax by virtue of their depressed wages, such as security guards, domestics, waitresses, shop assistants, pump attendants et al, who barely earn enough to cope with the continuous increase in the cost of living. 

Two Farmer to Farmer Programme volunteers, through Partners of the Americas, will be producing a video for Guyanese farmers demonstrating the different ways to monitor and control the Carambola Fruit Fly.

By Emmerson Campbell Gatorade will be the official sports drink of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) under-16 competition which will box off in May, August and December.

A man who allegedly intended to commit passport fraud was yesterday placed on $100,000 bail when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

By Neil Barry Another thrilling chapter in the historical rivalry between Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) and the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) was written last weekend when MSC defeated DCC on their home ground despite losing first innings points in the Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA) Heroes Cup first division competition.

Dear Editor, I see dark clouds gathering and hovering like the insidious dust over the town for an impending storm – God forbid – as once again residents are getting the creeps with the chorus of an electricity increase being sung by government officials.

By Neil Barry Everest defeated the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) Ladies by 53 runs at the Muslim Youth Organization ground on Saturday in the Georgetown Cricket Association’s Brainstreet Under-15 competition.

Dear Editor, I had decided not to say anything public about the appalling, though not surprising, politics of the APNU and the AFC over the last few days.

Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has said that with mining and oil exploration offering new economic opportunities, there is urgent need for a heightened level of security to ensure public safety.

Dear Editor, On Sunday, April 22 at approximately 23:00 hrs, I observed a very disturbing and disgusting sight.

KOLKATA, India,  CMC – Left-handed West Indies stroke-maker Darren Bravo may take no part in the lucrative Indian Premier League when the current Australia series ends in the Caribbean.

Floodlights will oppose Success Masters in the final of the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) Hadi’s sponsored nationwide softball cricket tournament.

Latin America and the Caribbean and European Commission Directorate of Development and Coopera-tion Jolita Butkeviciene says Guyana has lived up to expectations and has taken the lead in the Caribbean in implementing aspects of the Economic Partnership Agree-ment (EPA).

The Private Sector Commis-sion (PSC) on Monday met with representatives of Real Development Solutions, which is conducting a labour market assessment aimed at equipping 800 at-risk youth with skills to enter the work force.

Dear Editor, With respect to the Industry main road between Greater Georgetown and the East Coast which was recently thinly resurfaced with bitumen, though I am grateful for the slight improvement, I am peeved that it was not done to the full satisfaction of the several thousand local residents, taxpayers, pedestrians and drivers who use it at all hours of the day and night.

Dropped by the West Indies selectors for the current third test between the West Indies and Australia, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo will get back to the drawing board today when he participates in the Universal DCD Club and Universal Solutions-sponsored T20 tournament at the Blairmont Community Development Centre ground.

Dear Editor, The media has fired quite a few salvos at Clement Rohee for his “kicking ass” expression regarding members of the Guyana Police Force.

JERUSALEM,  (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced support yesterday for the first time for Palestinians to establish a contiguous state, saying their future country should not look like “Swiss cheese”.

The first round of French presidential elections has been disappointing, though not entirely unexpected, for President Nicolas Sarkozy and his party, the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

MCALLEN, Texas,  (Reuters) – U.S. authorities accused two dozen top bosses of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel, including leader Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, of murder, money laundering and racketeering while shipping tons of illicit drugs into the United States.

Garbage

Dear Editor, Your editorial of April 23 and the news of the unhappiness of ‘Operation Rescue UG’ at the lack of progress reminds me very much of a stage in (West) German history during my lifetime.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – A phone-hacking scandal that has rocked Rupert Murdoch’s media empire piled more pressure on British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday with the revelation that one of his ministers gave News Corp executives highly sensitive details to help a controversial merger.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Another embarrassing incident surfaced involving U.S. personnel and prostitution in Latin America yesterday, as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that Marines had been punished after allegedly injuring a prostitute in Brazil in December.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – West Indies star all-rounder Stafanie Taylor says she had two major goals in mind as she prepares to take on Sri Lanka Women in a home series over the next three weeks in Barbados and Trinidad.

What took place in Linden over the proposed increase in the electricity rates for the community is truly astonishing. 

(Trinidad Guardian) The award of a TT$.5 billion contract to the China Jiangsu International firm is a “worrying sign” for Government senator David Abdulah.

(Trinidad Guardian) Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh says he intends to take the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) to court concerning the 1,700 unfilled teaching vacancies in schools.