Daily Archive: Thursday, October 25, 2012

HAVANA,  (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy hit Cuba with a surprising jolt today, slamming the island with winds that reached 110 miles per hour (177 kph) and leaving a trail of destruction, especially in the historic city of Santiago de Cuba.

(Reuters) – Top trainer Emanuel Steward, a former amateur boxer who worked with several world champions and was also a respected television commentator, died in a Chicago hospital today aged 68.

Guyanese-born linguist Indranie Shah, half of the famous Indranie and Nadira Shah dancing troupe died last evening following illness, her sister Dr Seeta Shah, Director of the Guyana Learning Channel confirmed.

The police have issued a wanted bulletin for Mark De Abreu for questioning in relation to the Ricardo Rodrigues murder.

Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Ronald Webster today expressed grave concern at what his commission has described as `dogfighting’ in the National Assembly and says if the situation continues there could be a “lockdown” of parliament.

The police say they are investigating the murder of Herman Ramnarine, 56 years of Lima, Essequibo Coast, which occurred at about 2015h yesterday.

EZjet founder Sonny Ramdeo has stepped down from his post as Chief Executive Officer to remove any doubt about the “viability” of the airline in the wake of a lawsuit by his former employer accusing him of embezzlement.

MELBOURNE,  (Reuters) – Banker Jacquie Hey broke more than a century of male exclusivity when she was unanimously voted onto the board of Cricket Australia (CA) today.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell today endorsed Barack Obama in his bid for re-election, citing the Democratic president’s efforts to wind down the war in Afghanistan and tackling terrorism.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Well-known crime fighter Terrence Bent, who heads the Kingston Western Police Division, was yesterday shot by unknown assailants.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Hurricane Sandy barrelled into Jamaica yesterday and left hours later with damage estimated at several billion dollars in its wake.

(Trinidad Express) A letter was sent to the Prime Minister six months ago, calling for an investigation into allegations of corruption into several mega-construction projects, president of the Joint Consultative Council for the Construction Industry (JCC) Afra Raymond has said.

(Trinidad Express) Communication Minister Jamal Mohammed yesterday came under fire for attacking TV6 and the Express under the veil of a personal and private opinion.

HAVANA,  (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy, strengthening rapidly after crossing the warm Caribbean Sea, slammed into southeastern Cuba early today with 105 mph winds that cut power and blew over trees across the city of Santiago de Cuba.

*Video shown of policeman loading shotgun contrary to rules *Calls from Rohee number to Seelall Persaud queried *Storage of private dealers ammo at TSU to be checked Investigations have found no evidence that members of the Guyana Police Force are responsible for the deaths of three men shot on July 18 at Linden, Crime Chief and Deputy Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud told the commission inquiring into the shootings yesterday.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EZjet Air Services Sonny Ramdeo is facing a civil suit in the United States filed by his former employers, who are accusing him of devising a “sophisticated scheme of fraud and deception” to embezzle some US$5.4M from their coffers.

Golden Jaguars in must win match against hosts St. Lucia tonight From Emmerson Campbell in St Lucia Despite winning Tuesday’s game 2-1 against Curacao Guyana’s Golden Jaguars find themselves in a must-win situation if they are to be one of the two teams advancing from Group Two to the next round of the Caribbean Football Union Cup competition.

By Iva Wharton Barring any upsets Bishops’ High School (BHS) and Queen’s College (QC) table tennis teams are set for a second showdown when the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) and Digicel annual Schools tournament concludes at the National Gymnasium.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Canada-based Guyanese Muneer Hussain, who was found partially naked in the vicinity of the Blankenburg seawall at 6.30 pm on Tuesday.

Guyana has been ranked 114th out of 185 countries assessed in terms of ease of doing business, maintaining its score of 114 from the 2012 assessment, according to the World Bank’s Doing Business 2013 report released on Tuesday.

The final group of athletes to represent the South Georgetown District (Number 13) at this year’s National School’s track and field championships will be determined today as the decisive Champion-of-Champions track meet gets underway at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary.

-Persaud Some mining operations in the Port Kaituma area will be closed down after they were found to be contaminating the community’s water system, according to Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud.

While “gross negligence” has been found at the mining operation at Aranka, Cuyuni, where three persons died in a mining pit cave-in earlier this month, there is no one to hold responsible as the operator was among the dead.

By Iva Wharton Young boxer Richard Williamson has replaced Elton ‘Coolie Bully’ Dharry on the Redemption Card scheduled for Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

-Brumell promises investigation Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud yesterday said that he has received reports of police ranks shaking down miners in the Cuyuni area and acting Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell has promised an investigation.

Former president Bharrat Jagdeo has been elected to serve as the first president of the Assembly of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in Seoul, South Korea where ceremonies establishing it as an international organisation took place.

The Darts Association of Guyana is hosting the Darts National Championship on November 3 and 4 at the CCWU Sports Bar.

Guyanese Queens district leader, Albert J. Baldeo, a two-time candidate for the City Council there surrendered to federal authorities in New York yesterday morning to face corruption charges, according to reports.

Government is continuing consultations with Trinidad’s ANSA McAL to select lands to plant sugarcane for a multi-million dollar ethanol project and the intermediate savannahs are also being looked at.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the West Indies Players Association, Michael Hall, says WIPA cannot be blamed for the delay in issuing retainer contracts to senior cricketers.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil,  CMC- Olympic 100 and 200 metres champion, Usain Bolt, appears to be having second thoughts about competing in long jump events as he had earlier suggested.

Bids for the construction of a long awaited alternative access road for the Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara were opened on Tuesday by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  CMC- Sir Wesley Hall, the former West Indies fast bowler and cricket legend, was presented with the insignia of Knighthood Tuesday after being named in the Queen’s birthday honours list in June.

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company on Tuesday renewed its commitment to sponsor the national indoor hockey championships which got underway yesterday at the National Gymnasium.

-GWI The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) said yesterday that water woes being experienced by residents of Dazzel Housing Scheme, Paradise were attributable to operational difficulties at the Bachelor’s Adventure Well Station.

With the national junior chess championships completed the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) will stage the qualifying tournament for the national senior chess champions beginning Saturday at the Kei-Shar’s Sports Club, Hadfield Street.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC-Barbados’ Minister of Sports, Stephen Lashley, has suggested that the Caribbean host an annual International Cricket Camp.

With the national junior chess championships completed the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) will stage the qualifying tournament for the national senior chess champions beginning Saturday at the Kei-Shar’s Sports Club, Hadfield Street.

Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh on Monday brought to the National Assembly orders confirming an amendment to the Value Added Tax (VAT) schedule on a number of items used for renewable energy purposes and to tariff rates for exports in compliance with Guyana’s obligations under the Cariforum’s Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) as he had outlined in his budget presentation earlier in the year.

De Sinco owner Frank De Abreu was yesterday still in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Hospital following an accident on Sunday.

– at Special COTED meeting A Special Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) Meeting on Agriculture last week agreed that action must be taken to address the bottlenecks in transporting produce within the region as it strives to achieve food security and to strengthen the linkages between agriculture and tourism.

KINGSTON, Jamaica,  (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy battered Jamaica with ferocious winds, waves and rain yesterday, knocking down trees and power lines across the Caribbean country as it cut a path toward Cuba and the Bahamas.

The Rotary Club of Stabroek on Wednesday presented three awards to persons who have demonstrated excellence in vocational service, working tirelessly to meet the needs of their communities, when it celebrated Rotary International’s Vocational Service month of October.

GBTI Annual Impromptu Speech Competition The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI)   says St Joseph High School is the first to advance to the second round in its Annual Impromptu Speech Competition for Secondary Schools which started on Tuesday.

Dear Editor, As a result of the fallacious letter penned in the Guyana Chronicle of Monday, October 15th, 2012, headlined `Robbing Guyanese law students of opportunities’, I feel that a response is warranted to give a clear picture of the situation at the University of Guyana and what was said by the learned Head of Department (Law) Mr Sheldon A.

Alcohol and a few swear words landed two men before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday on charges that they assaulted each other.

Selwin Lewis called “Selly” is wanted by the police for questioning in relation to Trafficking in Person.

Dear Editor, I listened with astonishment to the question and comment directed toward Mr Desmond Trotman MP at the Linden Commission of Inquiry. 

SEATTLE,  (Reuters) – “Millennium bomber” Ahmed Ressam, whose original 22-year prison term was deemed too lenient by a U.S.

KHARTOUM, (Reuters) – Sudan said yesterday that an Israeli air strike had caused the huge explosion and fire at an arms factory in Khartoum that killed two people, but Israel’s defence minister declined to comment.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – A sex scandal gripping Britain’s BBC deepened yesterday with claims that a paedophile ring had existed involving some of its stars, as its former director general said his handling of the case shouldn’t stop him becoming the boss of the New York Times.

Dear Editor, Just as in previous post election violence, Linden and Agricola have generated a flurry of claims, counterclaims, and shrieking from the political principals. 

Government Pathologist Dr. Vivekanand Brijmohan yesterday submitted the post-mortem report for Dameon Belgrave to the Guyana Police Force, which was then handed over to the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

You can tell a lot about a society from the types of buildings it produces.

Despite that cynical gloom that shrouds this nation in languid apathy, one detects a wonderful sense of aliveness, of energy and a zest for life among Guyanese.

DUBAI, (Reuters) – Iran’s judicial authorities have again denied a request by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to visit Evin prison where his top media advisor is serving time, Iranian media reported yesterday, in another sign the president’s power is on the wane.

Dear Editor, I write to commend the organizers of a candle light vigil held Sunday evening to remember and to pray for the departed souls of the four teenagers (Two Trinis and two Guyanese) who lost their lives in the horrific Long Island crash.

The continuation of two trials was yesterday postponed because the presiding judge, Justice Diana Insanally, had to make an appearance at the Court of Appeal.