Daily Archive: Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The Guyana Government tonight expressed regret at the loss of life in protests at Linden today over the increase in power tariffs and said that a full probe of events will be convened as soon as “sufficient calm” returns to the mining community.

GUATEMALA CITY,  (Reuters) – Belize is studying a plan to decriminalize possession of small quantities of marijuana, joining other Latin American nations that are trying to find novel ways to battle drug trafficking.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC-Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago demolished new opponents to continue their domination of the Americas Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) Championship in Port of Spain Tuesday night.

Protests over an increase in Linden power tariffs took a tragic turn tonight with three people dying and a fire raging in the Linden Secretariat compound.

Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang this afternoon rejected the ex-parte application by Attorney General Anil Nandlall for the restoration of the $21 billion cut from the budget by the National Assembly, but ordered that Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh be allowed to withdraw monies from the Consolidated Fund, as is necessary, for the functioning of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC).

St. John’s, Antigua – West Indies have today named the following provisional 30-member squad for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 to be staged in Sri Lanka in September.

MUMBAI,  (Reuters) – Rajesh Khanna, one of the Indian film industry’s first home-grown screen idols, died  this morning, his family said.

(Reuters) – Kevin Pietersen was left out of England’s provisional, 30-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today.

(Trinidad Guardian) T&T’s revenue has declined by TT$10 billion over the last four years because of the global economic recession, says Finance Minister Larry Howai.

(Jamaica Observer) The lotto scam task force is now conducting operations at the premises of two PNP councillors in St James, including the deputy mayor of Montego Bay Michael Troupe.

(Jamaica Observer) The Clarke family has expressed satisfaction with yesterday’s ruling by the director of public prosecutions (DPP) that murder charges be brought against three soldiers for the 2010 shooting of their loved one, Keith Clarke, during the hunt for former Tivoli Gardens don Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke.

Lindeners turned out in large numbers this morning for the first of a five-day ‘shutdown’ of the town as the protest over the imposition of a hike in electricity rates gathered steam.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Nestlé Jamaica Limited has spent close to US$8 million to invest in expanding and upgrading its Supligen production line at its Bybrook plant in Linstead.

MELBOURNE,  (Reuters) – Australia named the following 30-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in Sri Lanka in September and October.

(Reuters) – India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has been named in a preliminary 30-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup, raising hopes of a return to international cricket after undergoing cancer treatment.

(Barbados Nation) A Standard & Poor’s “junk status” downgrade of Barbados’ economy drew sharp criticism from the Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Delisle Worrell, yesterday, while the Opposition called for his head and for Prime Minister Freundel Start to call a general election.

BEIRUT,  (Reuters) – Assef Shawkat, brother-in-law of President Bashar al-Assad, was killed in a bomb attack which targeted a meeting of Assad’s top security and military officials today, Hezbollah’s al-Manar television and a security source in Syria said.

EZjet Air Services Inc yesterday launched their newest route, a non-stop flight from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri (CJIA) to Toronto, Canada with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sonny Ramdeo saying that they hope to partner with other carriers.

A porter delivering fuel was yesterday stabbed to death at 14 Miles, Issano, during an altercation with two men.

New Registrar of Deeds Azeema Baksh-Singh was appointed although she did not have the qualifications sought by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), in vacancy notices published in November of 2010.

Passengers, who were affected by the collapse of regional airline REDjet, will soon receive their ticket refunds as the authorities  have moved to a private bank to secure the  bond lodged by the airline.

Samwattie Arjune, the woman who was allegedly hit in the head with a rolling pin by her reputed husband Deninauth Maiko, yesterday requested a dismissal of the charge when the case was once again brought before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

Bids were opened yesterday for the rebuilding of a prison block at the Camp Street jail, which is part of the Guyana Prison Service’s Strategic Plan to have modernised and more humane facilities for inmates.

Linden residents are being challenged to “march fearlessly against injustice” as they continue their power hike protest action which today  is expected  to trigger a shutdown of the entire town for the next five days.

Just hours after arriving home from Canada, a woman along with her two children were attacked and robbed by three bandits while entering their yard at Meadowbrook Gardens early Saturday morning.

Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail Teixeira yesterday said that the government is ready with its list of nominees for the Public Procurement Commission and accused the opposition of holding up the selection process.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall says that he is preparing a response to the UN petition filed by Trade unionist Lincoln Lewis, who has accused government of promoting racism and discrimination against persons of African descent through a recent editorial published in the Guyana Chronicle newspaper.

The parliamentary Standing Com-mittee for Constitutional Reform yesterday agreed to complete the work started on outstanding issues, including bringing into operation the human rights commission and reforming the electoral system.

Guyana’s junior national squash team was scheduled to depart this morning  en-route to Jamaica for a chance to compete for their eighth-straight title at the Caribbean Area Squash Association’s (CASA) Junior Squash Championships which will be held from July 20th -27th.

Aubrey Rodney who is accused of hammering and stabbing his common-law wife, Sharon Howell, was yesterday allowed to post bail after the court lifted a previous order requiring him to lodge his passport as a precondition.

For the second time in two months, national youth cricket teams have departed these shores for regional competitions grossly underprepared.

Staff members of the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) are calling on the facility’s administration to address its critical state, saying that they are fed up working under potentially dangerous conditions.

By Emmerson Campbell The cliché “good things come to those who wait” must have been the mantra for Kwesi ‘Lightning Struck Assassin’ Jones because the local light heavyweight champion’s patience has paid off.

Reigning ladies champion Aruna Ramrattan and her partner Leyland Leacock  got the better of the lively team of Shawna Gentle and Gavin Lewis  in claiming a 6-3  6-7 (8-6)  6-3 win in the mixed doubles of the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Open lawn tennis tournament when matches continued on Sunday evening at the GBTI Recreational Centre, Bel Air.

Detective Sergeant Phillip Bowman and Police Constable Harold De Veira 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.

Emphasising that the Region Eight Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has no say in the employment of the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Minister of Local Government Ganga Persaud says he is awaiting a report on a no-confidence motion filed against Ronald Harsawack before considering what action to take.

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Mystery off-spinner Sunil Narine has praised the input of head coach Ottis Gibson, following his five-wicket haul which fired West Indies to a 20-run victory in the final One-Day International against New Zealand on Monday.

Fitness Express has come onboard to support Guyana’s newest Olympian, Winston George,  by supplying the track and field star with Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion Probiotic protein powder and a bottle of Musclepharm Creatine to aid in the enhancement of the sprinter’s performance.

Days after reports of a multi-million dollar boat scam within the Guyana Police Force surfaced, Commissioner Leroy Brumell remains elusive.

BASSETERRE, St Kitts,  CMC – Head coach Ottis Gibson says West Indies’ win over New Zealand in the recent one-day series is one to “cherish” but said his side was already looking ahead to the two-Test series starting later this month.

Joseph Quamina was yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with the July 13 Guyhoc Park gunpoint robbery involving a gold chain valued $500,000.

LUCERNE, Switzerland, (Reuters) – World 100 metres champion Yohan Blake showed he was in good heart to challenge compatriot Usain Bolt for Olympic sprint dominance in London by clocking 9.85 seconds to win at a meeting in Lucerne  yesterday.

The girl who was allegedly raped by Leon Doris testified yesterday at his trial, which heard that she met him while he was a conductor on a bus.

(Reuters) – Delta Air Lines Inc said it was taking new steps to ensure the safety of food it serves and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it began a criminal probe after what appeared to be sewing needles were found in sandwiches on four flights from Amsterdam to the United States.

MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) – Kobe Bryant, the face of the U.S.

Fourteen-year-old Leota Eastman, who was struck down by a car while riding her bicycle in the vicinity of Company Road, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Saturday, is showing signs of improvement as she remains a patient of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Hospital, a relative of the child told this newspaper yesterday.

Dear Editor, Permit me to offer a few comments in response to the editorial titled ‘Mr Rohee and public scrutiny‘ (SN, July 17). 

The New Amsterdam Town Council is calling on citizens to be vigilant after several recent incidents of vandalism, including the destruction of the unused $19.2M abattoir.

SEOUL,  (Reuters) – North Korea’s young leader promoted a new army marshal after sacking his top general in what a South Korean official report said was a bid to impose authority on a military that has been the backbone of his family’s long rule over the isolated state.

Dear Editor, We, the police pensioners would like to congratulate Mr Leroy Brummell on his promotion to Deputy Commissioner of Police, also acting Commissioner of Police.

(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – Corrupt policemen in Guyana seem to have targeted Surinamese drivers.

(Trinidad Guardian) Parliament is expected to be  delinked from the  Public Service Commission (PSC) by the end of the current term in 2015.

Dear Editor, Guyana Power and Light (GPL) had decided to inform residents by notice before cutting electricity supplies for late payments. 

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Officials of HSBC Holdings Plc pledged to a U.S.

PAU, France, (Reuters) – The Tour de France was rocked  yesterday when Luxembourg’s Frank Schleck, third overall in last year’s race, was pulled out of the 2012 edition after failing a dope test for a diuretic.

The Pan American Health Organ- isation (PAHO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative Dr Beverley Barnett has praised the Medicine Extended Programme (Medex Programme), which facilitates access to basic quality health services across the country.

The Forest Products Association elected its Executive Committee to serve for the 2012-2014 fiscal year, at its 60th AGM held at the Hotel Tower last Wednesday.

(Trinidad Express) Tobago’s 369 fishing boats are being fitted with GPS (Geographic Positioning System) and wireless radio sets free of charge by the Tobago House of Assembly  (THA).

Dear Editor, A close examination of the governance and management policies and structures at the University of Guyana would reveal their inadequacies for the effective leadership and management of this nation’s premier educational institution.

TORONTO, (Reuters) – Two people were killed and 23 injured when a Toronto street party ended in gunfire late on Monday, raising fears of violent retaliation in Canada’s largest city.

THE VALLEY, Anguilla, CMC – Former NBA star point guard Gary Payton, nicknamed “The Gloveman”, has returned here for the second straight year to conduct the four-day Anguilla Sports Foundation Camp.

(Jamaica Gleaner) A parliamentary committee is to be established to suggest ways to greater involve the Diaspora in Jamaican affairs.

Carl Greenidge, one of the two frontrunners in the race to be leader of the PNCR, has expressed some concern about the process leading up to voting at the party’s upcoming Biennial Congress, but he is confident that it will be addressed within the party.

The question I want to consider here is what can be done to improve internal democracy in the political parties in Guyana?

Dear Editor, It is important to note that successive leaders of the PNC and PNCR have served as both party leader and president or opposition leader.

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that Germany could become a laughing stock if it fails to overturn a district court ban on circumcision that has enraged Jews and Muslims.

(Reuters) – New Zealand named the following 30-man preliminary squad yesterday for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in Sri Lanka in September and October.

Comment so far on the 33rd meeting of the Conference of Caricom Heads of Government has not suggested that there was much consideration of the effect, or effects, of the current economic crises plaguing countries in the region, in particular Jamaica, once, along with Trinidad & Tobago, considered a key lynchpin of the regional integration system.

(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – The state plans to collect more revenues from gold miners by increasing the so-called royalty from one to three percent of the price per gram of gold.

– Jagdish Bhagwati and Arvind Panagariya Jagdish Bhagwati is Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and Professor of Economics and Law at Columbia University.

BEIRUT – Syrian rebels said they shot down an army helicopter yesterday as they battled government forces backed by air power and artillery in the fiercest fighting to hit Damascus since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad erupted last year.

Dear Editor, I attended a meeting of members and supporters of the PNCR, which was held on Thursday, June 28, 2012, at the Bagotville Community Centre.

The deteriorating Uncle Eddie’s home for the elderly received a much needed injection of funds from the organizers of the just launched 2012 Miss Guyana African Heritage Pageant.

(Trinidad Express) Nearly a quarter of a million Caribbean citizens are HIV positive, though AIDS-related deaths have declined by almost 50 per cent in ten years, UNAIDS has said.