Daily Archive: Saturday, January 12, 2013

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Windward Islands eliminated Leeward Islands from the Caribbean Twenty20 when they dealt the struggling side their fourth straight defeat here today.

(Jamaica Observer) MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – An eight year old girl, Imani Green, was shot and killed in Duncans, Trelawny Friday night.

The Guyana Prison Service this evening said that a murder accused was found hanging in the New Amsterdam Prison this afternoon.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela’s cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez is recovering in Cuba and is not in a coma as some have rumored a month after surgery, his brother, Adan Chavez, said after a visit to Havana.

(Jamaica Observer) KINGSTON, Jamaica – Three men were shot and killed by the police along Acadia Drive in St Andrew mid-morning Saturday.

Amid increasing demand for byproducts, the Ministry of Agriculture is to hold a conference for the coconut industry on Monday.

HOBART, Tasmania,  CMC – Kemar Roach’s Brisbane Heat booked their spot in the Australian Big Bash semi-finals on Saturday with a crushing eight-wicket win over Hobart Hurricanes.

PARIS, (Reuters) – France will pursue operations in Mali to prepare a subsequent African-led intervention to oust Islamist rebels and will step up anti-terrorist security measures on its own territory, President Francois Hollande said on Saturday.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – A spectacular Derone Davis hat-trick triggered yet another humiliating Barbados batting meltdown as Combined Campuses and Colleges hauled themselves off the bottom of the Caribbean Twenty20 standings with a sensational win here Friday night.

OTTAWA,  (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed in a meeting with native leaders on Friday to pay more attention to their demands, trying to mollify an aboriginal protest movement that has threatened to blockade roads and railways across the country.

(Jamaica Observer) Attorney General Patrick Atkinson says that uncontrolled media releases from the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) will only serve to hurt Jamaica’s reputation internationally.

Ruling on one of several battles between the executive and the legislature, acting Chief Justice Ian Chang yesterday found that Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee as an elected member has a right to speak in the National Assembly although it does not appear to be enforceable by the court.

A male prostitute was found dead yesterday morning with stab wounds about his body on an open lot behind the Carnegie School of Home Economics, at Durban and High streets.

President Donald Ramotar yesterday said that he would have to seek legal advice on whether he should assent to opposition-piloted legislation such as the proposed amendment to the President’s Benefits and Other Facilities Act.

The government has moved to the court for payment of the US$1.54M guaranteed by the Hand and Hand Insurance Company in the event of the failure of Fip Motilall’s Synergy Holdings Inc to fulfill its contract to construct the Amaila Falls road project.

Canadian gold mining company Guyana Goldfields has pushed back the date for the expected start of production at its Aurora mine and also announced several new revisions in its updated feasibility study including a reduction of the cost to build the mine as it scaled back plans.

President Donald Ramotar does not believe that it is too late for meaningful budget consultations and he has directed Minister of Finance Dr.

The Office of the President (OP) yesterday presented a report of all privatisations done by the Privatisation Unit and National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) over the years 1993 to 2012.

The annual Banks Beer Cup knockout football competition will continue this year, president of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Vernon Burnett said yesterday at the presentation ceremony to reward winners of the second annual tournament which concluded on New Year’s Day at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Bourda ground.

WPA Executive Dr David Hinds is standing by his criticism that opposition coalition APNU failed to pursue a unity government over the last year.

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad – Guyana batting stalwart Shivnarine Chanderpaul says he’s excited and looking forward to today’s showdown against Trinidad and Tobago.

Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green says that local government elections is imperative if any progress is to be made in restoring the city to its former glory as the absence of polls is effectively holding back domestic as well as international assistance.

Former West Indies opener Sewnarine Chattergoon hit an impressive century as Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Berbice closed the second day of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) senior four-day Inter-County match against the President’s XI at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground on 267-3.

President Donald Ramotar says government wants to hold local government elections and the process is ongoing to put in place the necessary conditions.

A man, said to be of unsound mind, was yesterday electrocuted near the Stabroek Market, after he tried to pick up an energised cable.

Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony yesterday awarded two Phase Two Sub Lot contracts to Bholonauth Contracting and Engineering Services and Howard’s Construction for the completion of the boundary fence and the ticket booths at the Track and Field facility at Leonora.

(Reuters) – Guard Wesley Matthews buried successive three-pointers to cap a stunning late rally as the Portland Trail Blazers stunned the NBA champion Miami Heat with a tense 92-90 win on Thursday.

President Donald Ramotar yesterday said government is doing its best to trace the origin of the gold stolen from a Guyanese boat in Curacao last November.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and his brothers Adnan and Umar have been axed from the Pakistan squad for the three-test tour of South Africa beginning next month.

A third suspect, who returned to the Cayman Islands on Thursday morning, has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Guyanese Hemerson Raymond Gonzalez, who has been missing since last December.

Mark Gobin, the driver accused of the Mandela Avenue accident which claimed the life of six-year-old Kellon Europe in August last year, was yesterday arraigned on a death by dangerous driving charge.

Local golfers will tee off from noon today in the first tournament of 2013 a Memorial one in honour of the late former professional player and coach Basil Sukhram at the Lusignan Golf Club course.

Five Guyanese who were held in St Vincent and the Grenadines last year October pleaded guilty on January 4th,  2013 to having tools which could be used to commit burglaries.

The Georgetown Cricket Association/Noble House Seafoods second division two-day competition resumes today with four matches to kick start the new year. 

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, (Reuters) – Hashim Amla plundered yet another century to lead South Africa to a commanding 325 for four on the first day of the second and final test against New Zealand at St George’s Park yesterday.

More than three months of investigations into allegations of the selling of counterfeit tickets by a Region 2 councillor for the ‘Essequibo Nite Event’ have yielded no findings, and former councillor Archie Cordis says the person suspected of carrying out the fraud is currently executing her duties at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) as if nothing ever happened.

So driven is she to create, that there is never a waking moment when Collette Jones-Chin is not writing, telling stories, acting, drawing or painting.

President Donald Ramotar yesterday announced that he planned to discuss the findings of an audit into alleged financial improprieties at the National Communications Network (NCN) with the persons involved before saying what decisions will be made.

LAUSANNE, (Reuters) – The director of Switzerland’s laboratory for doping analysis has denied allegations that he once told disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong how to avoid being detected for EPO.

My editor knows that I put Soca and Dancehall in front of every genre of music man can think of, everything else is too profane, too stupid or too annoying.

Dear Editor, I have noted with sadness the press statement attributed to the Attorney General (AG), Mr Anil Nandlall, in connection with the December 28, 2012 decision of the High Court, in a case brought against the government in relation to the constitutionality of the mode of deposit and use of the Development Fund of Guyana (Lotto funds).

A man who was allegedly found with marijuana during a police search on his person was yesterday remanded to prison.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Guyana overcame an indifferent batting display with a gutsy bowling performance to stun Barbados by 42 runs, and post their second win in the Caribbean Twenty20 at Queen’s Park Oval here Thursday night.

Hi Everyone, Think of this week’s column as one of those dishes you prepare with scraps of ham left over from the holidays.

Dear Editor, There has understandably been some degree of unease among the APNU faithful over my criticism of the coalition on a ‘Plain Talk‘ television programme aired on Sunday, January 6.

Guyana’s light heavyweight champion Kwesi ‘Lightning Struck Assassin’ Jones and former CABOFE cruiserweight champion Shawn ‘The Sniper’ Cox will headline the 27th edition of the Guyana Fight Night Pro Am card set for January 25 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

A dredge operator was yesterday remanded to prison after being accused of a choke-and-rob attack at the Five Star Backdam.

COLOMBO,  (Reuters) – Sri Lanka faced a possible constitutional crisis yesterday  after its parliament voted to impeach the chief justice, disregarding rulings from the Supreme Court that the process was illegal and threatened judicial independence.

Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry granted $100,000 bail to a man accused of stealing a quantity of clothing from two hucksters, when he yesterday appeared in court to answer the charges.

Starting tomorrow, Pandays’ Cinemas will offer Bollywood films on Sundays and again on Wednesdays at 2 pm and 3.30 pm respectively.

ST.JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC- The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) says it’s confident, Otis Gibson, will stay on as regional head coach though his contract with the team ends in March.

Dear Editor, Please allow me to comment on the contents of an article in the Stabroek Business of Friday January 4, titled ‘Security service provider concerned over practices in sector,’ which quoted Mr Ian Caesar, head of Safeway Security.

  New Chutney Monarch Roger Hinds, who performs under the name ‘Young Bill Rogers,’ received the $600,000 prize from Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport Alfred King in the presence of Convenor of the National Chutney Competition Neaz Subhan yesterday at the Ministry of Culture.

PARIS/BAMAKO,  (Reuters) – Malian government troops drove back Islamist rebels from a strategic central town after France intervened yesterday with air strikes to halt advances by the militants controlling the country’s desert north.

Dear Editor, It is highly unacceptable for the facts of King, Gandhi or Mandela’s exploits to be misrepresented. 

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC-A much-anticipated top-of-the-table clash between defending champions Trinidad and Tobago and arch-rivals Guyana will be played to a packed Queen’s Park Oval when the Caribbean T20 tournament climaxes its Port-of-Spain leg  tonight.

OTTAWA,  (Reuters) – Aboriginal protesters blockaded the main entrance to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office yesterday and some native groups threatened economic disruption as part of a campaign to force Ottawa to address native grievances.

Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran yesterday met a team of doctors from the George Washington University Hospital in the United States, with which the ministry hopes to establish a relationship that will see improved clinical care and health education in the country.

England held their nerve to edge out India by nine runs in a stirring opening one-day international yesterday.

Suriname’s Ambassador to Guyana Dr. Manorma Soeknandan has ended her eleven-year posting, proud of the good relations between the two countries and optimistic about the state of diplomacy, the Government Information Agency (GINA) has reported.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed yesterday to speed up the handover of combat operations in Afghanistan to Afghan forces, raising the prospect of an accelerated U.S.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) wishes to acknowledge the Guyana Chronicle’s January 10, 2013, article which was published under the caption, ‘AFC member raises pensioners complaints at RDC meeting.’

(Trinidad Express) More than 400 females were raped at gunpoint and/or gang raped over the past ten years in this country, a report from the Medical Research Foundation (MRF) has stated.

Sixteen competitors vying for the title of Guyana Chutney Monarch 2013 walked onto the stage of the National Cultural Centre on the night of January 5, but it was Roger Hinds who grabbed the winnings with his song “A Chutney for my Larki”; making history as the first local calypsonian ever to enter and win this competition.

The Ministry of National Resources and the Environment and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) joined other stakeholders to discuss plans for growth, security and health in the mining sector, at a luncheon held on Wednesday.

(Reuters) – Ben Affleck’s Iran hostage drama Argo, Lincoln star Daniel Day-Lewis and Zero Dark Thirty‘s Jessica Chastain were among big winners at the Critics Choice Movie Awards on Thursday, taking honours for best picture, actor and actress, with Affleck nabbing the prize for best director.

Alpha United President Odinga Lumumba yesterday made good on his pledge to Buxton United to hand over the remaining $400,000 to them on completion of their dream run of the 23rd Kashif and Shanghai Tournament on New Year’s Day.

(Trinidad Express) In an effort to not burden the Trinidad and Tobago consumer who is now faced with a 9.5 per cent increase in the price of cement by Trinidad Cement Ltd, Government plans to approach Caricom for a relief of the 15 per cent duty on cement imported from outside the region.

Dear Editor, One has two options in dealing with a letter from the Public Relations Officer of Guyana Water Inc, Mr Timothy Austin, captioned ‘Residents of No 53 Village do receive treated water‘: either ignore this response from an official who is clearly unfamiliar with the operations at the grassroots level, or correct his assumption.

(Reuters) – Influenza has officially reached epidemic proportions in the United States, with 7.3 percent of deaths last week caused by pneumonia and the flu, the U.S.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Another three U.S. soldiers were docked pay and reprimanded over their roles in the Secret Service prostitution scandal in Colombia last year, the U.S.

Hospitality establishments and operators have been reminded that the extremely competitive nature of the hospitality industry demands that there is ongoing investment in human resources development.

Dear Editor, A BBC story of a Sri Lankan maid who was beheaded by Saudia Arabian authorities caught my attention.

How on earth does a man slash his wife’s throat, stab her multiple times and still walk the streets afterward?.

SYDNEY, Australia, CMC-West Indies cricketers will warm-up for their five-match One Day international series against Australia with a game against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra on January 29 local time.

(EUR) Beyonce has revealed that she has been working with crew of hip-hop heavyweights on her forthcoming new album.

For Guyanese living abroad there are times when reports from home read like a litany of bad news; a succession of depressing accounts of domestic abuse, violent crime, political wrangling, inefficiency and corruption.

(Reuters) – The US Department of Homeland Security urged computer users to disable Oracle Corp’s Java software, amplifying security experts’ prior warnings to hundreds of millions of consumers and businesses that use it to surf the Web.

(Barbados Nation) There has been a major shake-up at one of Barbados’ biggest conglomerates.

(Trinidad Express) Saif Khan was knocked down and killed on Wednesday night as he tried to run across Eastern Main Road in St Augustine in an attempt to flee from bandits.