Daily Archive: Wednesday, June 27, 2012

DONETSK, (Reuters) – Spain’s ‘Tiki Taka’ passing was off-tempo at the Donbass Arena but the holders, unable to hurt Portugal in 120 minutes of stalemate, broke their hearts in a penalty shootout to reach the final of Euro 2012 on Wednesday.

BEIRUT,   (Reuters) – Gunmen stormed a pro-government Syrian TV channel headquarters on Wednesday, bombing buildings and shooting dead three employees, state media said, in one of the boldest attacks yet on a symbol of the authoritarian state.

WASHINGTON/LONDON, (Reuters) – U.K. bank Barclays will pay $453 million to U.S.

Ramesh Ghir of Mae’s Primary and Michael Bhopaul of Graham’s Hall Primary have tied for the top place in the National Grade Six Assessment examination, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand announced at Parliament this afternoon.

(Jamaica Observer) Incarcerated Matthews Lane don, Donald ‘Zeeks’ Phipps lost his appeal against a double murder conviction in the Privy Council yesterday.

The Guyana Government today denounced the latest installation of the US State Department report on trafficking in persons here which said that Georgetown was not doing enough.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Digicel Jamaica has commissioned its new 4G mobile service and is marketing the service to subscribers as the ‘Surf, Stream and Share’ plan.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The European Union is to spend 10 million Euros on a major initiative aimed at curbing drug smuggling in the Caribbean.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The European Union is warning that it is running out of patience with Jamaica and seven other CARIFORUM countries which have failed to cut import duties for products coming from Europe.

(Trinidad Express) In one of his first official acts as National Security Minister, Jack Warner today instructed and supervised the demolishing, by soldiers and police officers, of the Highway Re-route Movement’s protest camp in Debe.

(Barbados Nation) Tax relief • Value Added Tax (VAT) rate remains at 17.5% • Allowances will continue to be taxed • The 50% increase in excise duty on fuel remains but a review downward is promised if oil rises above US$95 per barrel.

(Barbados Nation) A father’s dream to be at his son’s graduation yesterday ended tragically  Monday night   when he was  gunned down outside  his home.

(New York Daily News) A Guyanese man was nabbed at Kennedy Airport with something singing up his sleeve — nine live finches bound for their shot at stardom.

(Trinidad Express) Police arrested a 14-year-old boy yesterday after he reportedly gave his classmate a plastic soft drink bottle of Lanate to drink during their lunch period at their school in Blanchisseuse on Monday.

(Trinidad Express) A mother who failed to report to the police that her nine-year-old daughter was being sexually abused in her home, was sent to prison for nine months yesterday.

(Trinidad Express) The sun rises again for former prime minister and United National Congress (UNC) founder, Basdeo Panday.

BELFAST (Reuters) – Britain’s Queen Elizabeth shook the hand of former IRA guerrilla commander Martin McGuinness for the first time today, drawing a line under a conflict that cost the lives of thousands of soldiers and civilians, including that of her cousin.

A 54-year-old joiner of Good Faith, Mahaicony lost his life and two other men sustained injuries after the vehicle he was driving slammed into a parked truck, GJJ 4906, around 10 pm on Monday at Novar.

The Congress of the International Press Institute yesterday heard how the Guyana Government had discriminated against Stabroek News in the placement of advertisements and the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Anand Persaud called for state ads to be handled by a professional advertising agency.

A University of Guyana (UG) lecturer is facing allegations that he fondled one of his students during a private tutoring session on Monday evening at the Turkeyen campus.

The Alliance for Change (AFC) is calling for a review of the acting Auditor General’s decision to promote a number of persons at the Audit Office, since the party is dissatisfied with the actions of the government members of the Public Accounts Committee at the last meeting on Monday.

A woman, who allegedly doused her wayward 12-year-old daughter with a pot of boiling water, was yesterday remanded to prison when she appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Whim Court.

A man was yesterday fined $15,000 for slapping his ex-partner, while his allegations about the sexual abuse of his stepdaughter prompted a court to order an investigation.

APNU MP Joseph Harmon is asking government to give a figure for its advertisement campaign on the opposition budget cuts on the state-owned National Communica-tions Network (NCN).

Days after the announcement of the re-appointment of University of Guyana (UG) Chancellor Professor Compton Bourne, new reports have surfaced that he has indicated plans to step down.

Unknown persons early yesterday morning attempted to torch another building controlled by executed Pest Co boss Mohammed Baksh, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle has confirmed.

Indian company, Sharpooji Polonji, which constructed the Providence Cricket Stadium several years ago, is among five companies that have bid to construct the Specialty Hospital at Liliendaal under a line of credit from the Indian government.

A 27-year-old taxi driver was said to be in a critical state at the Georgetown Public Hospital last evening after his face was disfigured by another man during a row at a shop at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara.

Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran yesterday said that his ministry and personnel at the Dr CC Nicholson Hospital were “pained by the experience”  in a report first carried in Monday’s edition of this newspaper that a barber had to deliver a baby since there was no staff at the aforementioned hospital.

The Government of Guyana has signed an agreement with Anadarko Guyana Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation a US based company to undertake exploration in the deep waters of Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

There are concerns about the conditions at the $427.5 million Leonora Technical and Vocational Institute, including non-functioning workshops and exposed wires in classrooms, but both the Education Ministry and the institution’s administration maintain that it is properly functioning.

The Small Business Development Finance (SBDF) trust is calling for government’s assistance to support the urgently needed creation of small-scale intermediate industries in rural areas across the country.

The man accused of the 2010 murder of taxi driver Trevor Kissoon was yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with the capital offence at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The Ministry of Culture says six sub-committees have been set up to manage Guyana’s contributions and to co-ordinate activities for the different disciplines expected to be showcased at the second Inter-Guiana Cultural Festival set for August 23.

Twenty-four representatives participated in a one-day training programme hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Water for companies participating in the 2012 Building Expo.

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is investigating two recent aircraft incidents in the hinterland, in which concerns were raised about the actions of the pilots.

A 27-year-old taxi driver was said to be in a critical state at the Georgetown Public Hospital last evening after his face was disfigured by another man during a row at a shop at Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara.

A police witness in the murder trial of Sherwin Barnwell yesterday testified that he did not cordon off the scene of the crime because he did not want to obstruct traffic.

By Iva Wharton The Business School was all business yesterday as the eliminated Queen’s College from the Digicel Schools football competition with a 2-1 victory.

The Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union (GB&GWU) says it is awaiting the reissue of letters for arbitration proceedings to begin between the union and the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI).

Agricola resident Leyland Leo, charged with possession of a narcotic and ammunition, told a court on Monday that he was confronted about the items while on the toilet.

By Iva Wharton Organising Secretary of the Norman Singh Turf Club Compton Sancho said yesterday that the advent of Digicel into the horse racing industry was a fillip for the sport.

Three teams on Saturday booked quarter final places in the Kalden Organisation’s Inter Ministry/Corporations seven-a-side football competition following matches at the Banks DIH Limited Thirst Park ground.

Police in Linden are on the hunt for a man who escaped their grasp following a high-speed chase in Linden yesterday midday.

An ailing basketball league suffering from a lack of fan support should spring back to life when the organizers stage their All Star weekend this weekend.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Rafa Nadal needed a few games to adjust his sights for grasscourt combat at Wimbledon but Serena Williams quickly found her range as the two former champions moved safely into the second round  yesterday.

Dear Editor, Now that it has been made public that a woman had to give birth to her baby in a barber’s shop because the Dr C C Nicholson Hospital in Nabaclis, ECD, could not be accessed and the midwives were unavailable, one would like to politely ask the Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran this question: What are the opening and closing times of the three health centres on the East Coast of Demerara, ie, Industry Health Centre, BV Health Centre and Lusignan Health Centre?

Headmaster of the Mackenzie High School (MHS) Gary Roberts took a leap of faith when he reintroduced Clothing and Textiles under the Home Economics Department but things worked in his favour.

Dear Editor Corruption is probably the most debated topic in the world to date.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud said government plans to make changes to the environmental regulations to appoint wardens to tackle littering, when he kicked-off a community clean-up exercise on Saturday in several city wards.

University of Guyana student/athlete Elton Bollers enhanced his growing reputation by winning the sprint double at the Morvand Jets/Mustang Games in Trinidad and Tobago last week-end.

Guyana’s Winston George produced a late surge in the final of the Invitational men’s 400m to finish second behind Grenadian Bralon Taplin at the Sagicor National Championships in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad last weekend.

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad declared yesterday that his country was at war and ordered his new government to spare no effort to achieve victory, as the worst fighting of the 16-month conflict reached the outskirts of the capital.

A three-day basic academic instructional television (TV) script writing workshop for secondary school teachers who teach Literature (English B) at the Caribbean Secon-dary Education Certificate (CSEC) level, organized by the Multimedia Unit of the National Centre for Educa-tional Resource Development (NCERD) which is responsible for the Guyana Learning Channel, concluded recently with the various participants receiving certificates.

Dear Editor, I read Ms Lurlene Nestor’s tribute to Gregory Gaskin in your newspaper and I couldn’t agree more (Gregory Gaskin was an inspiring individual,’ SN, June 22).

BERLIN (Reuters) – Wolfgang von Schwarzenfeld’s sculptures in a Berlin park were meant to promote world peace, but the 79-year-old German now finds himself at war with a Venezuelan tribe which accuses him of stealing a sacred pink stone known to them as “Grandmother”.

The Anna Catherina Islamic Complex (ACIC), Muslim Youth League (MYL) of Guyana and the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman in association with the Nasir Foundation Inc is hosting a special programme featuring Canada-based Muslim scholar Shaykh Faisal Hamid Abdur Razak at the ACIC on Thursday, July 5.

Dear Editor, Region 10 has had enough of suffering, bullyism, marginalisation, discrimination and deprivation and the current Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is saying, ‘no more.’

The Ramdhani siblings, Narayan and Priyanna, dominated the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) sponsored, junior badminton tournament which ended on Monday at the Queen’s College courts.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The UN Security Council agreed yesterday to publish a controversial document that implicates Rwanda’s defense minister and several top military officials of backing an army mutiny in the east of neighbouring Congo, council diplomats said.

Dear Editor, On Wednesday, June 20, I watched a discussion with Minister Irfaan Alli, Gerry Gouveia and Clinton Urling, where they were promoting the Marriott hotel and all the benefits it would bring to Guyana.

A man was yesterday sentenced to four years imprisonment after he was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Albion Magistrate’ Court.

Thirty-seven-year-old local sprint queen Alisha Fortune produced an exceptional effort to capture a bronze medal in the women’s `B’ class 200m final at the Sagicor National Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad which ended on Sunday.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations wants an African Union force hunting fugitive warlord Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) to be fully equipped by December, according to a UN strategy due to be presented to the world body’s Security Council today.

Dear Editor, The undermentioned I am certain, will raise questions in certain sections of our community.

By Emmerson Campbell Guyana’s sporting teams’ lack of international experience continues to plague them at the highest level and has resulted in defeats for two of its national teams in recent international encounters.

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada,  CMC – West Indies A have made six changes for their three-match one-day series against India A starting here today.

Dear Editor, I am constantly badgered by a close acquaintance to briefly write about the benefits derived from a national census. 

SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao wrapped up a tour of resource-rich Latin America yesterday by offering $10 billion in credit for infrastructure projects and calling for a joint push to combat protectionism.

A car crosses the new Cemetery Road bridge, complete with rails.

Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo granted a 53-year-old father of two $75,000 bail when he on Monday appeared in court charged with possession of narcotics.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Political ads exalting Vene-zuela’s socialist President Hugo Chavez as second only to God have offended opponents and added further controversy to an already spicy election campaign.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, CMC – Embattled West Indies touched down here Monday to begin preparation for their two historic Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand.

Dear Editor, With regard to AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan’s prediction that unless Linden residents continue getting subsidized electricity then there might be unrest, this would neither improve the AFC’s image nor is it fair for all poor Guyanese.

Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo sentenced a 24-year-old man to three years jail after he admitted that he had a quantity of

Georgetown businessman, Pulcharran Sukhdeo, recently donated four receptacles to the Mayor and City Council to be placed around the city with the hope to achieve a cleaner environment.

Notwithstanding the present stagnation in the area of political reform, I believe that our political parties are on the cusp of major restructuring and that John Maynard Keynes was perhaps correct when he claimed that: “The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood”, for even today, notions like “democratic centralism” and “party paramountcy,” rooted as they were in autocratic political cultures that are either dead or in their death throes, are still being used to explain contemporary issues.

DONETSK,  (Reuters) – Hugo Almeida will start in attack for Portugal in today’s Euro 2012 semi-final clash with Spain in place of the injured Helder Postiga as coach Paulo Bento is forced into his first change of the tournament.

The election of Mr Mohammed Morsi marks Egypt’s third attempt at choice of a governance regime in that country in the post-World War Two period.

Dear Editor, With regard to the Budget cuts, I think that the opposition is doing a wonderful job. 

Politikles

A Hampshire, Corentyne man pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court after a community policing group (CPG) caught him red-handed with the drugs in his hand.

(Reuters) – Coca-Cola Co’s namesake soda sold in several countries, including Brazil and Kenya, still contains a high level of a chemical linked to cancer in animals months after it made changes to the drinks sold in California, a US watchdog group said yesterday.