Daily Archive: Friday, July 6, 2012

Amid mounting pressure and the prospect of street protests, the Antigua government yesterday announced that it had set up a ministerial sub-committee to consider a request by the opposition Antigua Labour Party (ALP) for a probe into the controversial Chinese built US$47M Wadadli Power Plant.

Two motions will be moved in Parliament on Thursday, July 12 honouring the service to the National Assembly by former long-serving members Reepu Daman Persaud and Robert Corbin, according to the Order Paper for the session.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Former Nightclub operator Hermalinda Parker was today granted bail in the sum of J$3 million with sureties on human trafficking charges.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates,  CMC – Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara has knocked veteran West Indies left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul off the top of the International Cricket Council’s Test batting rankings.

(WICB) Kingston, Jamaica — Dwayne Smith gave West Indies fans a taste of what he is capable of on Thursday as he joined Chris Gayle in a boundary-hitting blow-out against the New Zealand bowlers at Sabina Park.

(Barbados Nation) He still has another six months before he takes over as chairman of CARICOM, but Haiti’s President Michel Martelly already has plans to ensure that under his leadership his French island becomes fully integrated into the 15-member grouping.

The PNCR today said that APNU leader David Granger received the most group nominations for the post of party leader to be decided at the upcoming congress.

Just days after he was elected as Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Yog Mahadeo today tendered his resignation, the latest shock connected to a shake-up at GT&T which also saw him quitting his post there as Chief Executive Officer last Friday.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Andy Murray consigned one of Wimbledon’s long-standing statistics to the scrapheap when he became the first Briton to reach the All England Club men’s final in 74 years with a 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-5 win over Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga today.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Guyana last year was estimated at US$165M, according to the World Investment Report for 2012 up from the US$154M the previous year but far below neighbouring Suriname which pulled in US$585M.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Pop star Rihanna has sued her former accountants for mismanaging the singer’s finances, including claiming they earned huge commissions from concert tours that resulted in her losing millions of dollars.

Zola Efuru Maison graduated with Honours with a Bachelor of Arts Degree  in Education and also gained the President’s Award at the University of St Maarten, Netherlands Antilles on the 16th June, 2012.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – A battle over a $1 billion stake in RUSAL, the world’s top aluminium producer, comes to London next week, as two billionaire magnates go head-to-head in one of the largest ever commercial disputes to be fought in a British court.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Six-times champion Roger Federer produced a vintage display to beat defending champion Novak Djokovic 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3 in the Wimbledon semi-final today.

(Jamaica Observer) QUITO, Ecuador — A senior United Nations representative has raised concerns about the high level of impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of sex crimes in Jamaica and other countries in the region, describing sexual violence against children as one of the worst forms of human rights violations.

Keith Burrowes says he is considering stepping down as Head of the Implementation Committee for the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) Commission of Inquiry recommendations, citing continued difficulties in the implementation of the recommendations he had made as Commissioner and the welter of financial irregularities there.

(Jamaica Observer) Jamaica will have to endure harsh, unpopular measures if it’s to get a new, more desirable economy, says the World Bank.

(Jamaica Observer) Four people were yesterday shot, two fatally, by gunmen at a house on Sunrise Crescent in Kingston.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – West Indies defied rain to make a winning start to their One-Day International series against New Zealand here yesterday, cruising to an easy nine-wicket win on the backs of explosive unbeaten half-centuries from Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle.

Heavy winds early yesterday morning left several persons in West Berbice without shelter,  millions of dollars in losses and at least two persons suffering injuries.

A spring tide and heavy rainfall yesterday left sections of New Amsterdam under several feet of water.

A Corentyne man was shot to his leg and his overseas–based mother was savagely beaten by three bandits who attacked their Bengal, No.

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) says it has been overwhelmed by reports from stakeholders of damage caused by “increasingly irresponsible mining in Guyana’s rivers and tributaries” and this is what has led to a cessation of approvals of river claims.

Joel Persaud was yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with the murder of 51-year-old Gangaram Bharrat, whose body was found buried in a shallow grave in the his backyard on Tuesday.

Immediate Past Chairman of the Private Sector Commis-sion (PSC) Ramesh Dookhoo last week challenged President Donald Ramotar to tackle corruption “at the top” in order to send a clear message to all that there would be zero tolerance for such practices.

Lawyers for the defence in the $10M libel suit brought against columnist Freddie Kissoon and the Kaieteur News newspaper yesterday signalled that they would field more than a dozen witnesses to prove that former President Bharrat Jagdeo was an “ideological racist.”

Police have been called in to do a criminal investigation of City Hall’s operations, after a recent probe suggested major fraud, including an inflated payroll and payments to front companies.

Trayon Moore, the alleged accomplice in a failed robbery bid that resulted in the death of bandit Randy Morris, was yesterday granted $1M bail after his lawyer expressed concern about his medical condition.

Former president of the Guyana Football Federation, Georgetown Football Association and Pele Football Club, John Yates, yesterday gave props to the corporate bodies sponsoring school football tournaments, but said more needs to be done to develop the game and urged that they collaborate.

Sherwin Barnwell, who was on trial for murdering Nohar Bahadur, was acquitted yesterday after Justice Franklyn Holder upheld a no-case submission in the High Court.

Bartica Secondary School student Daryl Joseph placed first in the inaugural one-day Malta Supreme Rapid Chess tournament held on Sunday last at the Bartica Secondary School.

A 53-year-old father of seven, who apparently fell asleep while riding his motorcycle as a result of medication he was taking, died on the spot when he rode into the back of a parked lorry at New Hope, East Bank Demerara on Wednesday.

Police Constable Kelvin Liverpool yesterday took to the stand and testified as the trial into the July 12, 2011 $7M Bel Air Gardens robbery continued at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Virginia,  CMC – Stephen Ames had one of his best days on the links this season, carding a two-under 68 in the opening round of the US$6.1 million Greenbrier Classic here yesterday.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) yesterday ordered an inquest into the death of suspected burglar Ryan ‘Budram’ Ramkarran who succumbed to manual strangulation and blunt trauma to the head.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Women boxers have claimed an early victory at the 2012 Olympics by knocking out the last all-male sport but the battle for sex equality at the Games rages on, and not just among women – male synchronized swimmers are also demanding equal rights.

(Reuters) – Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham has been suspended one game for “confrontational and provocative behaviour” near the end of last week’s loss to San Jose, Major League Soccer (MLS) said yesterday.

Sixty-two students, who completed their secondary, tertiary and technical education under the Hinterland Scholarship Programme, graduated on Wednesday.

Guyana’s annual rice production is set to exceed 400,000 tonnes for the second time in its history and according to Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) General Manager Jagnarine Singh the projected landmark is owing to a combination of circumstances, including the emergence of new, more productive varieties of paddy in recent years, the application of improved technology to the industry, significant improvements in drainage and irrigation and a more aggressive approach to rice cultivation on the part of the country’s 8,000-odd rice farmers.

PARIS, (Reuters) – Olympic champion Usain Bolt has pulled out of the Monaco leg of the Diamond League later this month, his coach said yesterday.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Injury-prone West Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor has been snapped up as one of the overseas signings for the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League despite having not played international cricket in two years.

Within a matter of weeks the way will be cleared for local small businesses to become members of the 122-year-old Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), a move that will help bring an end to the age-old complaint that the major business organizations in Guyana continue to be insensitive to the concerns of the private sector.

Minister of Works Robeson Benn says that Government sees no reason why China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) should not go ahead to execute the Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion since the issue over which its parent company was sanctioned had nothing to do with CHEC per se.

This is not the first occasion on which this newspaper has commented on difficulties relating to access to information on matters of business and the economy, which ought correctly to be placed in the public domain.

The Environmental Protec-tion Agency (EPA) will soon pronounce on the Cane Grove Rice Mill, at Mahaica, as it nears completion on a monitoring exercise of the company’s operations after complaints about dust emissions.

Dear Editor, I refer to the article in your publication of Stabroek News dated Sunday, July 1, 2012 captioned ‘Pepper sauce cocaine probe in limbo – Canada ignored request for information, says CANU’ and wish to note the following: Specifically as it relates to the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) not receiving assistance from the relevant Canadian officials, it should be noted that in this case no request for information was made by the Ministry of Home Affairs (on behalf of CANU) to the Canadian authorities under the mutual legal assistance mechanism as established by the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act No.

ZURICH, (Reuters) – Soccer’s rulemakers and its governing body FIFA bowed to pressure yesterday when they finally approved the use of goal-line technology and agreed to allow Muslim women players to wear a headscarf.

Dear Editor, Fifty years ago, the last United Kingdom Director of Prisons, Mr Ronald Aitken, submitted a plan for a new prison in Guyana with the estimated cost to the then government.

LONDON, (Reuters) – A dream semi-final pitching two of the game’s greatest ever players against each other is likely to be a tasty warm-up act for many of the fans in Centre Court today as home favourite Andy Murray bids to reach a maiden Wimbledon final.

The Rotary Club of Stabroek, Georgetown inaugurated its new President and Board of Directors for 2012-2013, at a ceremony hosted last Wednesday at the Georgetown Club.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Former England batsman Mark Ramprakash, widely regarded as one of the most gifted stroke players of his generation, has retired from all forms of cricket.

By Rawle Lucas Reluctance Guyanese are going through a catharsis brought on by the new distribution of political power and a growing sense that their new found influence will eventually break down the stone wall of corruption that was built under the previous administration. 

Dear Editor, The departure of Ralph Ramkarran from the PPP severs the last personal link the party had with its formation in 1950, or even further back, to 1947 with the Political Affairs Committee (PAC).

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport said several staff members recently participated in “specialised, professional enhancement courses” to better serve the Department of Culture and the nation.

(Reuters) – England off-spinner Graeme Swann will miss the remaining two games in the one-day series against Australia in order to rest an elbow injury.

Dear Editor, I presented a letter to the Stabroek editor on June 26 dealing with the subject of the editorial published on June 28.

The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) is calling for the resignation of Guyana Power and Light Company (GPL) boss Bharat Dindyal, accusing him of anti-union practices and saying that differences were irreconcilable.

A Surinamese firm, Hurricane Steel is in Guyana for this weekend’s Building Expo and hopes it can generate interest in its pre-fabricated buildings in local housing and other areas of the construction sector.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistan will host Australia in three one-day cricket matches and three Twenty20 games in its “home” series in the United Arab Emirates from Aug.

Dear Editor, Wealth stolen from the people is openly masqueraded in a PPP Guyana with no consequences.

Creating a modern, technically capable and efficient city is critical to an enhanced business culture in Georgetown, Chairman of the 2010 Commission of Enquiry into the operations of the Mayor and City Council Keith Burrowes told Stabroek Business in an interview earlier this week.

The Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Tuesday completed the signing of 25 contracts for the first phase of infrastructure works in the region, including a $7.2M contract for the construction of a health post at Wyling, Upper Mazaruni. 

Dear Editor, I write to applaud EZjET for its plan to introduce direct service between Toronto and Guyana.

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) hosted its last capacity-building workshop on ‘Damage Assessment’ on Tuesday ahead of “Operation Flood Gate 2012,” which will test the national response system and the national and regional disaster plans that have been put in place.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Serena Williams produced another staggering display of serving to reach her seventh Wimbledon singles final with a 6-3 7-6 victory over Victoria Azarenka yesterday.

After 63 years of pursuing a routine of rising, dressing herself and going to the office, Gem Morgan-Eytle appears not to know how to turn off this protracted habit.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, performing the functions of President, on Wednesday handed over a large soaking tank to the Guyana Arts and Crafts Producers Association, to boost efforts to revitalise the local craft industry using bamboo, a plant that grows profusely in Guyana.

GENEVA, (Reuters) – The United Nations’ main human rights body for the first time said people had a right to freedom of expression on the Internet and called yesterday on all states to protect it.

Dear Editor, I refer to the letter captioned ‘That homosexuality is neither a pathology nor mental illness has been recognized internationally and in varying political contexts’ (SN, July 3).

A local safety and health consultancy is collaborating with a Trinidad and Tobago counterpart to create a comprehensive service entity aimed at applying solutions to safety and health challenges in both the public and private sectors.

ST QUENTIN, France, (Reuters) – Andre Greipel silenced the doubters with his second back-to-back bunch sprint victory in the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race yesterday.

(Reuters) – American great Michael Johnson believes Usain Bolt can lower his 100 metres world record from 9.58 to 9.4 seconds and has also suggested two years is not a long enough ban for drug cheats.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 466’s trading results showed consideration of $4,175,786 from 263,203 shares traded in 15 transactions as compared to session 465 which showed consideration of $1,869,750 from 89,470 shares traded in 5 transactions. 

Dear Editor, Two letters published in SN, namely, ‘Cultural industries sustain the identity of the nation’ (May 4) by Mr Barrington Braithwaite, and the other ‘Why are Deonarine and Fudadin waiting for visas?’

What the Dickens has come over me today?  Daring to be overtly political? 

Most of us will recall the exultation we felt at the exploits of the Jamaicans at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in winning six gold medals, five of them in the sprints, with the magnificent Usain Bolt leading the way, with gold in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay and the unprecedented feat of setting world records in all three events.

The body of Guyanese Roxane Jones – also known as Roxane Gilbert – was found in her four-wheel-drive vehicle last Saturday in Australia in an area  popular with people for walking, motorbike riding and fishing near Gladstone.

BEIRUT – In what would be the most high-profile defection from the inner circle of the Syrian leadership, Manaf Tlas, a friend of President Bashar al-Assad and a brigadier in his Republican Guard, was reported yesterday to have fled to Turkey.

(Trinidad Guardian) Approximately 5,000 people have been waiting for cataract surgeries for the past three years.

(Trinidad Express) Last July, Canute Douglas was given a new lease on life.