Daily Archive: Thursday, July 26, 2012

HAVANA,  (Reuters) – Cuba adopted a new tax code this week and said it would loosen regulations on some state companies while turning others into cooperatives, as one of the world’s last Soviet-style economies moves in a more market-friendly direction.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – All eyes turn to London on Friday for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, an exuberant journey from Britain’s idyllic pastures through the grime of the Industrial Revolution and ending in a contemporary world dominated by popular culture.

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) today ordered Digicel Guyana to pull all advertisements featuring the new lowered international calling rates which the company had instituted following a decision by Justice Rishi Persaud in a case against the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T).

(Reuters) – Former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam has been provisionally suspended by soccer’s governing body only a week after his life ban for bribery was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

(Jamaica Observer) KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Labour and Social Security Derrick Kellier says over 13,000 workers will be participating in the Canadian and United States overseas employment programme this year.

(Jamaica Gleaner) A high-end technical team is to be flown into Jamaica from Russia next month to hammer out wrinkles at the United Company (UC) RUSAL-operated Ewarton Alumina Works in St Catherine, according to Mining Minister Phillip Paulwell.

(Trinidad Express) People’s National Movement (PNM) youth speaker Joshua Hamlet has called on his party to take a firm stand against the discrimination towards this country’s growing lesbian, gay and transgender community.

(Trinidad Express) The police are not afraid to investigate their line minister Jack Warner.

Three persons including a pregnant woman were killed this morning after the car they were in was involved in an accident at Friendship, East Bank Demerara.

(Trinidad Express) Even in the face of more damning evidence released by Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) judgment that reversed FIFA’s ban on former FIFA vice-president Mohamed Bin Hammam, Minister of National Security Jack Warner has remained silent on the issue.

(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – Although China is an important partner in financing the government’s big plans, Suriname will not borrow from that country without thinking.

BEIJING,  (Reuters) – China has prosecuted Gu Kailai, the wife of deposed Chongqing Party chief Bo Xilai for intentional homicide, state media reported today, adding she and a family employee poisoned British businessman Neil Heywood.

The government has put “on hold” the hike in electricity tariffs for Linden from July 1 after coming under swingeing pressure from the community that culminated in a series of protests including one on July 18 in which three men were fatally shot by the police.

A week after three men were slain in Linden during protests against an increase in electricity tariffs, the main opposition APNU drew over a thousand persons in demonstrations of solidarity in the capital city and to push for the resignation of Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.

Acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell yesterday assured that a full-scale investigation is ongoing to determine responsibility for the fatal shooting of three protestors at Linden last Wednesday, even as residents locked off the township to vehicular traffic as they continued to protest against higher electricity tariffs.

Trinidad-based pathologist Professor Hubert Daisley yesterday revealed that the three men killed during the protest in Linden last week, were all shot through the heart with what appeared to be bronze-capped rounds.

Government while expressing condolences on the death of three men during the police’s armed response to the Linden protesters on July 18 said that a call for the removal of Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee  will achieve nothing but prejudice the outcome of the commission of inquiry into the incident.

NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Sunil Narine fought back for West Indies in the final hour with two late wickets – including Martin Guptill – in the first Test against New Zealand  here yesterday.

Digicel Guyana has implemented its announced rate reduction for overseas calling, although the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which is responsible for regulation, was not informed of the move.

A team of diplomats from the US, Canadian and British missions is expected to meet residents of Linden tomorrow morning, Regional Chairman Kuice Sharma Solomon told a mammoth crowd last evening.

Hockey players will battle over the next four days in the Annual Noble House sponsored Goals Galore Indoor tournament at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

August 9 has been set as the tentative date for the ruling in the Neesa Gopaul murder preliminary inquiry (PI).

The Demerara Harbour Bridge yesterday reopened to light traffic and is expected to facilitate heavy-duty vehicles by this afternoon.

Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee has told the National Assembly that the 20.8 million Chinese water cannon was bought to minimize the use of lethal force and limit injuries and loss of lives.

The man accused of causing the death of Alwyn Carlos Thomas as a result of dangerous driving was yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of $400,000 when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

After taking down Trinidad and Tobago by a 3-2 margin yesterday, Guyana’s girls team is just one team victory away from winning Guyana’s seventh consecutive girls team title at the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Team Championships at the Liguanea Club Jamaica.

A petition to appoint a new University of Guyana (UG) Council was yesterday presented to the National Assembly and the unions representing academic staff and workers urged that a Guyanese resident be appointed as Chancellor in the short-term.

Bermuda’s boys’ team stopped Guyana on their way to back to the final of the boys’ team event on the penultimate night of the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Team Championships at the Liguanea Club Jamaica.

Managing Director of Caribbean Containers Incorporated, Ronald Webster is the new Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

The Guyana Public Service Union said yesterday that it views what occurred last Wednesday in Linden as “tantamount to murder and attempted murder” when police opened fire on protestors killing three of them and causing injury to at least 20 others.

ATHENS,  (Reuters) – Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was withdrawn from the London Olympics  yesterday after causing an uproar at home for a tweet slammed as racist, the Greek Olympics team said.

AZAZ, Syria, (Reuters) – The Syrian army turned its forces on Aleppo yesterday, ordering an armoured column to advance on the country’s second biggest city and pounding rebels there with artillery and attack helicopters, opposition activists said.

CARDIFF,  (Reuters) – A major diplomatic incident marred the first day of competition at the London Olympics  yesterday when the North Korea women’s soccer team walked off after the South Korea flag was mistakenly displayed before their match against Colombia.

Albion Estate workers yesterday agreed to end a nine-day-long strike over better pay for cutting ‘over-run’ cane.

SEOUL,  (Reuters) – North Korea’s new young leader, Kim Jong-un, is married, state media said on Wednesday, putting an end to speculation over the relationship with a woman seen at his side during recent events.

NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Off-spinner Sunil Narine said  yesterday he was forced to make some quick adjustments which led to his three-wicket haul on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand.

The Mayor and City Council will meet with stakeholders tomorrow in its chambers to discuss measures to be put in place to curb the improper disposal of garbage around Georgetown.

AURORA, Colo.  (Reuters) – The man accused in the movie theater massacre at the opening of the new “Batman” film mailed a notebook detailing his plans to a psychiatrist at his university before the attack, Fox News reported yesterday, as the first funeral was held for one of the 12 people killed.

Jorge Medina, CEO of Machinery Corporation of Guyana Limited presented a cheque for $150,000 to the Cheshire Home for disabled persons on Friday.

Dear Editor, I grew up in La Grange village and have been using the Demerara Harbour bridge from my early childhood.

A Kwakwani basketball team returned home last Sunday after a successful week-long development basketball tournament in Antigua.

Relatives of the porter who was stabbed to death nine days ago at 14 Miles, Issano, are calling on the police to intensify their investigation since the case already appears to have gone cold.

LONDON/PARIS, (Reuters) – The world’s first vaccine against dengue fever, being developed by French drugmaker Sanofi SA, protected against three of the virus’s four strains in a keenly awaited clinical trial in Thailand.

Prosecution witnesses Sergeant Herbert Henry and Inspector Wright yesterday testified at the continuation of the trial into the July 12, 2011 $7M Bel Air Gardens robbery.

Headquarters were seemingly on their way to yet another title after increasing their lead over their opponents at the annual Track and Field  Athletics Championships at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary yesterday.

Dear Editor, The more things change the more they remain the same.

Dear Editor, The problems faced by the population at Linden have not been looked at conclusively by the media nor by the several commentators to date.

BASSETERRE, St.Kitts, CMC-Barbados, Leeward Islands and Trinidad and Tobago registered outright wins on the second day of their two day third round matches in the WICB under-15 Championship yesterday.

TWO KM BENEATH WELKOM, South Africa, (Reuters) – One of South Africa’s biggest gold firms has taken the drastic step of banning all food underground to cut supply lines to gangs of illegal miners used to staying deep in the mines for months on end, threatening lives and official production.

The dental boat Lady Janet was deployed last Wednesday and Thursday as the Ministry of Health and the Suddie Public Hospital undertook a medical outreach in several districts in the Pomeroon River.

All Opposition Members of Parliament were dressed in black yesterday in observance of the National Day of Mourning.

LONDON, (Reuters) – HSBC has been fined $27.5 million in Mexico for lax controls in its anti-money laundering systems, a week after a scathing U.S.

Guyana’s Junior Jaguars face an uphill task to advance to the next round of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-17 World Cup qualification tournament but could secure their first win against minnows British Virgin Islands (BVI) at the Haseley Crawford Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago today.

Dear Editor, I am a concerned relative of Budram Persaud who has been in prison for the last six years.

Competition is rife in the provision of dialysis treatment in Guyana, with the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital recently advertising drastically reduced rates of $12,000 per session.

The community of Haslington, on the East Coast Demerara, welcomed its first centenarian when Beatrice Inez Thomas celebrated her 100th birthday on Tuesday.

Dear Editor, After massive public outrage and condemnation of the barbaric action which took place at Linden, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee on Sunday, July 22, came out and laid blame squarely at the feet of members of the Guyana Police Force for the deaths and serious injuries.

All the players on the Guyana Badminton Association team which is competing in the XXI Pan American Junior Badminton Championships in Alberta, Canada lost their singles matches yesterday.

For the second consecutive year, a Santa Rosa beauty outshone other contestants to emerge victorious in the Miss Moruca Expo 2012 pageant, held over the weekend as part of the seventh annual Moruca Exposition.

Donations continue to pour in for this week-end’s Hugh Ross Classic bodybuilding show at the National Culture Centre.

Dear Editor, Long before the elections, the Budget presentation and the subsequent debate, I as a citizen of the country residing in Region Two made an application for a laptop through the Government of Guyana One Laptop per Family programme.

(Jamaica Gleaner) The Government has taken a major step toward making the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Jamaica’s final appellate court.

A section of the protesters who assembled in front of the Public Buildings yesterday.

The North American Regional Powerlifting Championships (NARPC) got underway yesterday in the Grand Cayman Islands with Guyana being represented by a lone lifter and one official.

Dear Editor, Another Friday evening – this time of two sundowners, followed not long after by coffee brewed deliberately to restore my mind from an overwhelming sense of fragmentation: –     The sight of groups of adults, children (unarmed) disarmingly protesting against powerlessness and darkness, and the tragic intervention of ‘pelleted’ weapons aimed to fragment lives.

Central Government in this country so pervades every nook and cranny of our society, that we see big government as the answer to our problems.

(Trinidad Express) The Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) has refused a TT$1 million cheque from the government for Emancipation celebrations as it was not enough.

JOHANNESBURG,  Jacques Kallis has been omitted from South Africa’s one-day squad for the series against England so he can rest before the World Twenty20, Cricket South Africa said yesterday.

On Monday when the Demerara Harbour Bridge failed, this newspaper interviewed two vendors trapped on the East Bank Demerara with perishable items which they were taking to the West Demerara and East Bank Essequibo to sell.

(Jamaica Observer) KINGSTON, Jamaica — Government has approved a contract worth over J$800 million to China Guangzhou International Econo-mic Technical Cooperation, Trinidad and Tobago Limited, for construction work at the University of Technology (UTech).

Dear Editor,    History and experience have taught us that a responsible government must express a moral obligation to uphold values and lead with honour, dignity and fairness.

Cartoon

Central Government in this country so pervades every nook and cranny of our society, that we see big government as the answer to our problems.

CARTAGENA, Colombia, (Reuters) – Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos rejected accusations that leftist FARC guerrillas are making a comeback, describing recent attacks as a last-gasp effort to grab headlines that did not pose a threat to economic prosperity.

The police barricades that were removed by protesters yesterday who forced their way in front of the Public Buildings.

(Trinidad Express) West Indies and national cricketer Dwayne Bravo was injured in a car crash on the Uriah Butler Highway, near Chaguanas, yesterday afternoon.

(Trinidad Express) Distasteful. That was how the wife of former parliamentarian Kelvin Ramnath described the tribute paid to her dead husband by former prime minister Basdeo Panday during yesterday’s funeral service.

(Trinidad Express) Thirty-five members of staff were rushed to the Port of Spain General Hospital yesterday following a toxic scare at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.