Daily Archive: Tuesday, March 17, 2015

The police have released two young men who were held in connection with the murder of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing after investigators failed to find concrete evidence implicating them.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has confirmed that President of the United States, Barack Obama will be heading to Jamaica for a short visit.

The police say they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Tinesa Benn, 22 years, of Charity, Essequibo, whose body was found on the roadway at Charity at about 0615h.

At about 0130h. today, the police say that vendor Walter Drakes, 46 years, of Smyth Street, Georgetown, was riding a bicycle along Croal Street when he was held up by a man armed with two cutlasses.

(Trinidad Express) The Ministry of the Attorney General paid some $353.7 million to attorneys and other consultants between June 2010 and October 2014.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – South Africa have a chance to finally shed their reputation as one of the most mentally fragile teams in international sport when they take on Sri Lanka in what should be a tight World Cup quarter-final tonight.

A market vendor was fatally stabbed during the wee hours of yesterday morning outside a popular bar in Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice.

Just days after reporting other employees for stealing chickens, a poultry farm manager was found dead on Sunday in his cabin at Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway with suspected stab wounds.

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee became visibly agitated yesterday when pressed by the media as to why no one from his party had challenged former president Bharrat Jagdeo’s comparison of his lifestyle to that former presidents Cheddi and Janet Jagan, much to the disappointment of their daughter Nadira Jagan-Brancier.

Clifford Crum-Ewing yesterday urged all to put their differences aside and ensure that his recently slain son’s activism was not a wasted effort.

Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran says that monies cannot be transferred from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to the housing authority as the government has been seeking to do for the last two months.

The PPP is urging the Guyana Elections Commission to publish polling station locations to allow persons to familiarize themselves with where they will go to cast their votes on May 11.

The ruling People’s Progressive Party has said that the role it played in poverty reduction has led to 73% of Guyanese proclaiming they were “happy” in a recent Latin American Public Opinion Poll.

Story and photos by Roger Wong Although there has been significant transformation in most of the small villages along the East Bank Essequibo, some residents have been complaining about the unacceptable condition of the road which has been adversely affecting them.

The Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) and Ministry of Education Welfare Office are looking into complaints of truancy and neglect in the Vryheid’s Lust community.

The APNU+AFC coalition yesterday met Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud to discuss security concerns in the run up to the much anticipated general and regional elections to be held on May 11.

The Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday accused the presidential candidate of the APNU+AFC coalition of “conveniently ignoring” the good work that the government had done in the security sector.

Fresh off the inaugural hosting of the West Demerara edition, the third annual Guinness Greatest of the Streets East Coast of Demerara tourney was officially launched yesterday at the Banks DIH Limited Boardroom.

As University of Guyana (UG) workers threaten to return to industrial action if their salaries are not paid by Thursday, the student leadership has called on both the unions and the administration to honour their resumption agreement and ensure they do not take any decision that further disadvantages students.

Man-of-the-match Davendra Bishoo ended with seven wickets while Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored an unbeaten half-century as the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League (PCL) four-day match between Guyana Jaguars and the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force ended in a draw.

More than two weeks after teenager Ryan Sooklall was shot to death while at a shop at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), police yesterday issued a wanted bulletin for a suspect.

A porter was sentenced to jail yesterday after admitting to breaking and entering a home and stealing approximately $470,000 in electronics and personal items.

Quason Roberts, who was found guilty of armed robbery including a carjacking, was yesterday given a second chance.

The Golden Jaguars senior men’s setup has received a shot in the arm as England-born and based pair Matthew Briggs and Neil Danns have committed their international future to Guyana.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Litter Enforcement Unit will clamp down on the commercial zone of central Georgetown, for the next two weeks.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Windward Islands Volcanoes survived a scare as their ninth round match against Barbados Pride finished in a draw on the final day at Kensington Oval here yesterday.

A man was yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment after admitting that he had cannabis.

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Captain Devon Thomas agonizingly missed out on three figures as bottom-of-the-table Leeward Islands Hurricanes broke their eight-game losing slump to beat Jamaica Franchise by four wickets here yesterday.

Dear Editor, I refer to Sunday Stabroek editorial of March 1, 2015, paragraph six of which reads as follows: “Just to put things into context, in a letter to this newspaper in 2011, the Prime Minister wrote: ‘The records would show that the coverage for medical care was another discretion extended humanely, and provided to every single former president.’

A Georgetown Public Hospital cleaner is now before the courts after being accused of stealing US$1,000.

KARACHI, (Reuters) – Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan is doubtful for the World Cup quarter-final against hosts Australia on Friday after suffering a recurrence of a hip injury.

Dear Editor, It is said by the experts in the field of crime-fighting that the first 24 hours are crucial.

A vendor was yesterday granted bail after pleading not guilty to a charge of simple larceny.

Lesha Singh, Baoxing liu and Abosaide Cadogan were early category winners when the Guyana Badminton Association Trophy Stall annual age group singles tournament commenced Saturday at the Queen’s College Badminton Courts.

Dear Editor, I have delayed as long as I possibly could before penning this letter.

The trial of the two men accused of the fatal Mashramani night mob attack on Kumar Mohabir commenced yesterday before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury at the High Court.

A man yesterday pleaded guilty to raping a nine-year-old girl when he appeared before Justice Franklyn Holder at the High Court.

Dear Editor, In his comments appearing in the letter column of Stabroek News on March 10, regarding the letters of Ms Shivanie Rampersaud and Mr Sharma Solomon on Phagwah, Mr Devanand Bhagwan mentioned, among other things, that, “Holi (Phagwah) is a cultural celebration, not a religious one,” and, “there is little religious significance in the celebration of Holi.”

(The Sports Xchange) – LaMarcus Aldridge recorded 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists leading Portland to a 113-97 win over Toronto.

It was the night of Friday the 13th. The venue was the National Cultural Centre (NCC), the event was the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) recognition ceremony for the nation’s top athletes, administrators and media personalities but in full campaign mode government officials also used the opportunity to highlight the People’s Progressive Party’s role in providing sports facilities for the country’s sportsmen and women.

Charles Austin, who allegedly stole jewellery and other valuables from a woman who was said to be his former partner, was yesterday cleared of a simple larceny charge after he offered compensation.

Dear Editor, Like US-based Guyanese political activist and commentator, Dr David Hinds, (`Since when did calling on people not to retaliate become incitement to violence?’

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s march towards becoming the longest-serving leader of Israel could be halted today in an election that has exposed public fatigue with his stress on national security rather than socio-economic problems.

WELLINGTON, (Reuters) – New Zealand will not be shelving the aggressive game that has taken them through the pool stage at the World Cup unbeaten despite the stakes now being that much higher in the knock-out rounds, batsman Kane Williamson said yesterday.

Dear Editor, We were stunned and saddened by the news of the assassination of Courtney Crum-Ewing, and although we did not know him personally, the shock and grief we felt were great.

APNU+AFC presidential candidate David Granger says he has no links to the June 13, 1980 death of political activist Dr Walter Rodney as at that time he was on military duty in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba and the United States renewed talks on restoring diplomatic relations yesterday, this time amid secrecy and with the longtime adversaries differing sharply over Venezuela, Cuba’s closest ally.

Dear Editor, An article which appeared in your Sports pages on Thursday, March, 12, with respect to the AAG’S selection of a team to participate in the Carifta Games 2015 over the Easter weekend in St Kitts refers.

APNU+AFC presidential candidate David Granger says the Rupununi is “a zone of neglect” where the absence of reliable transportation and proper communication adversely affects the standard of living of its residents.

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian prosecutors formally charged the treasurer of the ruling Workers’ Party and 26 others with corruption linked to state-run Petrobras yesterday, in the latest blow to President Dilma Rousseff from the widening scandal.

Seasoned campaigners, Eon Bancroft and Dennis Thomas along with Glenroy Smith emerged victorious during the two-nation tournament this past weekend in Cayenne, French Guiana.

Taxpayers can no longer use the parking facility opposite the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Headquarters on Camp Street, a GRA press release issued yesterday said.

A 40-year-old mother was yesterday released on $40,000 bail after she denied converting a quantity of clothing entrusted to her to her own use.

History was created as Guyana overcame a 14 deficit first half deficit to defeat Bermuda 59-56, sweeping their international series 3-0 on Saturday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue.

(Reuters) – France, Germany and Italy have agreed to follow Britain’s lead and join a China-led international development bank, dealing another blow to US efforts to keep Western nations out of the new institution, the Financial Times said today.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Huge demonstrations against President Dilma Rousseff over the weekend will make it harder for her to fix Brazil’s finances and repair the economic damage from a corruption scandal at state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA.

Dear Editor, It is inconceivable that after more than twenty years of competition, Essequibo still does not participate in one of the premier football tournaments in Guyana.

Much of the public response to the arrival by APNU and the AFC at an agreement that the two will contest the May 11 general elections as a coalition has had to do with the recurring theme of change, transformation that goes beyond simply the replacing of one political party in office with another; one that has the far greater, more worthwhile ambition of replacing an old and debilitating political order.

Dear Editor, This is in response to Mr Devanand Bhagwan’s ‘Phagwah is a cultural rather than a religious celebration’ (SN, March 10).

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has a stern message for the younger generation about their political priorities: care more about climate change, and less about legalizing marijuana.

An ex-convict was sentenced to jail again yesterday for stealing a bottle of rum.

Politikles

(Reuters) – It was Pakistan’s last roll of the dice that saw them throw Sarfraz Ahmed into the role of opener at the World Cup and the gamble looks to be paying off.

BOGOTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Colombia’s criminal gangs pose the biggest threat to Colombians and are responsible for human trafficking, rights abuses and for forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes each year, the United Nations said.