Daily Archive: Thursday, December 25, 2014

(Trinidad Guardian) National Security Minister Gary Griffith is maintaining that figures on the number of illegal immigrants from Guyana and those deported are facts and not perception.

Midnight night mass in New Amsterdam. (Photo courtesy of Leon Suseran)

President Donald Ramotar offers word of comfort to a child on Christmas day (GINA photo)

(Trinidad Express) NO billboards can be erected on State land without the permission of the Works and Infrastructure Ministry.

Government has released $2.1 billion to pay rice farmers who have oftentimes complained of being paid late by millers with rice production this year reaching a record 633,000 tonnes.

An elderly Corentyne woman burned to death yesterday afternoon after a fire of unknown origin razed her Manchester Village house.

By Jeff Trotman A BOSAI apprentice serviceman was crushed to death in the East Montgomery Mine around 8.45 am yesterday.

For West Coast Berbice (WCB) families this Christmas has now become a season of mourning for their loved ones who died on Wednesday as a result of two separate accidents.

An unidentified woman jumped off the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) yesterday, plunging to her death in the murky water of the river, sometime around 1 pm.

One hundred passengers, who were scheduled to travel to Guyana with Dynamic Airways will not make it home for Christmas this year after they were left stranded at the John F Kennedy (JFK) Airport yesterday morning.

Rosignol teen Yonette Branche was in the backseat of her father’s car on Tuesday night when it collided with a parked Canter truck on the Public Road at Number 29 Village, West Coast Berbice as they were on their way home from the city, killing her in the process.

Weeks after being shot to the head at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, taxi driver Ramesh Persaud spotted the alleged gunman in a Parika drugstore and pursued the fleeing suspect for miles until the man was caught by police.

The Vishwanauth brothers will be spending this Christmas in prison having been refused bail when they appeared in court yesterday charged over an altercation that ended with a third man beaten unconscious.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has taken a decision to allow certain types of motor vehicles to be modified and registered in the ‘B’ series for use in providing public transportation.

Thirty years ago in the Stabroek Market – as Christmas drew near and there was usually a noticeable shift in the air – it was not so uncommon to hear jolly cries of “Merry Christmas!”

Though Corina Jeffers and her family of Stewartville, West Coast Berbice are Christians and badly want to be part of the Christmas celebrations, they would not be able to because of poverty.

Flouncing, bouncing, and quick-stepping turns; the ringing of bells, the pounding of drums and the delightful yells of children: Christmas time is coming and, with it, masquerade will return in its full glory.

The current practice of grading the internal roads of Port Kaituma with just red loam poses a threat to the safety of residents who traverse the roadways which usually deteriorate with heavy rainfall.

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, CMC – West Indies enter the Boxing Day Test against South Africa here tomorrow seeking a major turnaround, and are hoping their previous success at St George’s Park can propel them.

While most of us will be celebrating the Christmas holidays with friends and family, a number of persons will have to put such feting aside, at least for a few hours, and report for duty.

BRIDGETOWN Barbados, CMC – All-rounder Darren Sammy has been named to replace Kemar Roach in the 15-man One-Day International squad to face South Africa next month, in another twist in the ongoing selection saga.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 side’s campaign in next month’s CONCACAF Championship has been thrown into doubt, following a decision by the Ministry of Sport to pull out of partially funding the trip.

With funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development recently launched the Clean Green Guyana Campaign which seeks to replace plastic bags with reusable bags for grocery shopping.

On Christmas Day, while others celebrate the holiday with their families, Dr Vivekanand Bridgemohan is a lifeline for those too ill to be home for the special day.

It what can described as another chapter in their recent rivalry, Slingerz FC will oppose Den Amstel in the finale of the Vitamalt/Aqua Mist sponsored West Demerara Football Association Knockout Cup tomorrow at the Den Amstel ground from 20:30hrs.

Turfites get ready, the stage is set for the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) grand horse race meet which is scheduled to run off tomorrow at the club’s track at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice.

Eighty-eight-year-old Meldy Smith who was born and grew up in Wakenaam recalled that Christmas in her days was wonderful but now she is unable to celebrate because “I don’t have money.”

(Reuters) – Australia’s chirpy opening batsman David Warner has described his team’s mental battles with opponents as banter, not sledging, and says he has no plans to curb the exchanges despite things getting lost in translation occasionally.

  Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday remanded Anthony Franklyn to prison after he denied the charge of armed robbery.

Dear Editor, The resumption of diplomatic relations between the USA and Cuba, which was long overdue, is a most welcome development.

Orin Samuels and Godfrey Edwards were both admitted to $40,000 bail on a wounding charge when they appeared in a city court yesterday.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbados captain Gabriella Lopez muffed a penalty late on as Barbados were frustrated by Grenada and held to a 1-1 draw in a women’s international friendly here Tuesday night.

Police are reviewing video footage which captured bandits robbing a Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara car dealer of $2 million and other valuables on Tuesday afternoon, according to ‘C’ Division Commander Christopher Griffith.

Dear Editor, Our company, Superior Shingles & Wood Products Inc. (SSWP), has plans to develop a 10-acre, timber processing depot approximately 40 miles along the Linden-Lethem (Mabura) road.

WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – Final preparations for the World Cup loom large over the upcoming test series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, which starts at the Hagley Oval tomorrow, with seven one-day games to follow the two matches in Christchurch and Wellington.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – India’s attempts to get under Australia’s skin in the second test “backfired” on the way to defeat at the Gabba, according to paceman Josh Hazlewood.

Dear Editor, Much has been said and written about the non-payment of salaries to nurses at the City Hall.

The number of chikungunya cases are decreasing across the East Coast Demerara, as health centres continue to see fewer patients with the symptoms.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistan leg spinner Yasir Shah is determined to make an impact at next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand having been inspired by the great Shane Warne.

The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) says Youmun Nabi will be celebrated on January 4, 2015 and the month of Rabbi-ul-Awwal will commence on Wednesday December 24.

On December 22, Blue CAPS made a donation of $45,000 to the Colwyn Harding Support Group to help offset the costs associated with his hospital stay and medical expenses, a release from the group said.

Dear Editor, Shoppers and those preparing for Christmas in the city were greeted with heavy rainfall on the eve of Christmas Eve, and if this continues we can be certain of a wet Christmas of torment.

Copa Airlines’ city ticketing office staff has donated a hamper of food, clothing and books to the Guyana Red Cross Society.

HONG KONG/BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chen Zhenggao, a member of the Communist Party’s elite Central Committee, clearly has enemies.

Georgetown Football Club (GFC) team manager Faizal Khan believes the elevation of younger players to the senior ranks alongside the hard-work deployed by first team coach Vurlon Mills, are the main reasons behind the club’s rise in 2014.

MOSCOW, (Reuters) – Russia’s central bank offered yesterday to help leading exporters refinance foreign debts next year, expected to be one of the toughest of President Vladimir Putin’s 15-year rule for the economy due to Western sanctions and a plunge in oil prices.

A man who previously spent five years in prison on a similar charge was yesterday remanded to prison after he was slapped with three separate charges relating to armed robbery and possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Dear Editor, My visit to Georgetown, the capital city of this country, on Tuesday, was absolutely horrible.

(Reuters) – A white policeman shot dead a black man brandishing a gun at a suburban St.

(The Sports Xchange) – In their first meeting since headlining one of the NBA’s highest-profile off-season trades, Andrew Wiggins outshone Kevin Love by scoring 27 points but Cleveland took the spoils, pulling away late in the third quarter to rout Minnesota 125-104.

A nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is often made to resuscitate patients who are at death’s door and it is for those circumstances, nurse Christabelle Fitzpatrick has to forsake the gathering of relatives at a Christmas dinner or other holiday festivities.

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has announced a revised schedule that will be implemented from January 15 to February 4, 2015.

Dear Editor, Celebrating the Christmas season years ago is etched in the minds of Guyanese nationals settled in North America.

Dear Editor, The workers from the new IMC of Anna Regina have been complaining about not receiving their wages/salaries, increases and retroactive payments for quite a while.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) came out a unanimous winner in 2014 after jabbing several obstacles to score victories both inside and outside the ring Fighting against the lack of sponsorship, a formidable and perennial opponent, the GBA was still able to stage all of its local competitions which were scheduled for the year and collaborated with the GOA to pull off a highly successful four-nation Goodwill International tournament which was a shot in the arm for regional amateur boxing in February.

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – “The Interview,” the provocative comedy that triggered a devastating cyberattack on Sony Pictures, went straight to U.S.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) came out a unanimous winner in 2014 after jabbing several obstacles to score victories both inside and outside the ring Fighting against the lack of sponsorship, a formidable and perennial opponent, the GBA was still able to stage all of its local competitions which were scheduled for the year and collaborated with the GOA to pull off a highly successful four-nation Goodwill International tournament which was a shot in the arm for regional amateur boxing in February.

Sweet sales: Checking out perfumes on Regent Street last evening.

Guyana was born a broken nation forty-six ago. We gained Independence in a state of emergency – proclaimed during the bloody 165-day strike by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union, the trade union partner of the People’s Progressive Party.

(Trinidad Express) Regional media icon, Grenada-born Leslie Pierre was a stalwart who would be remembered for his fight for press freedom.

Politikles

(Reuters) – A technician at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may have been exposed to the deadly Ebola virus due to a laboratory error, the New York Times reported yesterday, citing federal officials.

Cartoons

Dear Editor, The festive season of Christmas and New Year is once again with us.

Losing 2012 finalists Riddim Squad will faceoff with Pele FC from 21:00hrs in the marquee quarterfinal matchup of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Banks Beer Cup today at the Georgetown Football Club ground.

Dear Editor, Lincoln Lewis continues a dangerously flawed interpretation of the constitution.

Regent Street was made into a one-way zone (East to West) yesterday to facilitate shoppers.

Someday at Christmas we’ll see a land With no hungry children, no empty hands One happy morning people will share A world where people care – Stevie Wonder – Someday at Christmas Today many will sit at overburdened tables and overindulge while many have nothing, or not nearly enough.

– And their funding comes from? I had touched upon my lead subject a few columns back, writing during a vacation abroad.

VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) – Pope Francis ushered the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics into Christmas yesterday, urging them to allow God to enter their lives to help combat darkness and corruption.