Daily Archive: Saturday, August 22, 2015

At about 2030h. last night, ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch arrested two female Guyanese passengers who were on an outgoing flight at the Ogle International Airport after 1 kilogram 372 grams and 976 grams of cocaine, respectively, were found in their possession.

Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo last night dismissed the proposed national budget as flawed and after promising a “fresh approach” in the way the opposition would conduct itself he led a walkout by opposition parliamentarians to virtually end the budget debate.

Rejecting former president Bharrat Jagdeo’s criticisms of the proposed 2015 budget as nonsensical, Finance Minister Winston Jordan early this morning told the National Assembly that the public’s reaction has been positive and encouraging.

Fired GPL CEO Bharat Dindyal was scathingly criticised in an evaluation done last year by the board of the utility, which said that he was blameworthy for poor project and asset management which among other things had seen 10 generating sets written off in the past few years.

After being renovated at the cost of millions, the historic Red House was leased by the former government to a private company for 99 years at a rate of $1,000 per month, according to State Minister Joseph Harmon, who said state funds were still used to pay the staff afterward.

The Lady Jaguars got their Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Olympic Qualifiers off to the perfect start, crushing St.

Corentyne residents yesterday staged a demonstration along the Number 45 Village Public Road to protest a recent upsurge in criminal attacks, including the murder of farmer Pamela Kendall, who was killed during a home invasion.

Defending men and women team champions Guyana sealed their place in the semi-final round, defeating Bermuda yesterday in their respective final group fixtures when the Caribbean Squash Association Championships Team Tourney continued yesterday.

President David Granger yesterday said it is impossible to reverse the deterioration in national security after just three months in office.

ZURICH, (Reuters) – FIFA’s independent ethics committee is probing “many” cases of suspected corruption, is accelerating its investigations and expects life bans for all but minor offences, according to a source familiar with the matter.

While defending its decision to limit the consideration of the budget estimates to three days, the government yesterday passed a motion to extend the hours for the sittings on each day.

LONDON, (Reuters) – England crumbled meekly to 107 for eight in reply to Australia’s 481 to put the touring side firmly on course for victory in the final Ashes test after a dramatic second day at The Oval yesterday.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) yesterday voiced concern over the “many” recent dismissals in the public sector, while State Minister Joseph Harmon maintained that those let go were doing party work but were being paid by government.

GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC –The Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) has expressed concern about the state of a deal with the CANOC Broadcasting Incorporated (CBI) for the coverage of next year’s Olympic games in Brazil.

Following multiple power outages that affected hundreds of thousands served by its Demerara and Berbice grids on Thursday, the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) yesterday said “unknown faults” from its West Bank distribution system were to blame.

Although the PPP/C has taken the new administration to task for the discontinuation of the $10,000 cash grant programme for parents of children in public schools, Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman last night presented evidence that the former government never intended to continue payouts this year.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, CMC – W Connection’s poor run in the CONCACAF Champions League continued on Thursday when they crashed to a 4-0 defeat to Deportivo Saprissa.

As 100 days since the government took office nears, Minister of State Joseph Harmon says he would give the coalition government a grade A for its efforts in implementing its 21-point action plan.

Christobel Ariantze Hughes, who was 84 at the time of her demise, lived a fulfilling and inspiring life before her untimely death at the hands of a drunk driver last week.

All-rounder Ryan Hinds yesterday defended his absence from the Guyana Jaguars team ahead of the upcoming Professional Cricket League (PCL), saying that he requested a copy of his contract to be sent before he left his job to come.

JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC- Trinidad and Tobago cricketer Jason Mohammed has been slapped with a two match ban for showing dissent to an umpire’s decision earlier this year.

The police file on the charge against Regan Rodrigues, the man accused of murdering political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing, is still not completed, police prosecutor Neville Jeffers yesterday reported.

Former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee on Thursday criticised the government’s decision to implement a stricter immigration policy, while saying that the administration is sending mixed signals to foreign nationals.

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Teenager Ghirmay Ghebreselassie claimed the first title of the Beijing world championships for Eritrea last night, easing clear of his rivals over the final six kilometres to win the men’s marathon.

Several topics were discussed during the two-day Inter Guiana Games (IGG) meeting in Suriname last week.

Dear Editor,   If there is a single public issue in which Ram & McRae and I have devoted consistent interest it is in matters pertaining to the budgets of the public sector.

An ambulance that was transporting a young patient in a critical condition was abandoned at the Supenaam Stelling on Monday after a loading clerk refused to let the vehicle on board the ferry.

Saxophonist Courtney Fadlin will be featured at this year’s Emancipation Jazz and Soul concert, which will be held tomorrow at the Georgetown Club.

Celebrated Kathak dancer Namrata Rai and renowned Tabla drummer Pandit Udai Mazumdar will take the stage today at the Indian Monument Gardens, at Camp and Church streets, Georgetown.

Former members of the Guyana National Service (GNS) are hosting their second reunion, which will begin today.

Dear Editor,   The new government deserves the time and space to do its job, each of which has been afforded.

Dear Editor, In her presentation to the nation’s Budget debate in Parliament on the evening of August 20, 2015, opposition PPP Member of Parliament, Ms Gail Teixeira, erroneously claimed that the Guyana Consulate in New York has been taken over by the APNU Group in New York.

GREENSBORO, North Carolina, (Reuters) – Tiger Woods roared back after over a year in the wilderness to tie for the Wyndham Championship lead on Friday and then said he didn’t expect it would take so long to return to a position that used to be second nature.

(Reuters) – Roger Federer and Andy Murray advanced to the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open in contrasting fashion yesterday to set up a rematch of their Wimbledon clash.

Once its impending amnesty on interest accumulated on owed property taxes is over, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) says it will take defaulters to court to clear outstanding debts.

Seon Anderson, who is accused of attempted murder, told a city court on Thursday that he was being wrongfully charged with something that happened while he was out of the country.

Dear Editor,   From the interactions I have had with Mr Hydar Ally in his capacity as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, I cannot but classify him as a humble person with a strong respect for people, who is not manipulated by arrogance.

(Trinidad Guardian) West Indies coach Phil Simmons has not turned his back on the senior players and has been negotiating with them to return to the Test team.  West

Dear Editor, For some years past the name of Juan Edghill was probably better known than the organisation of which he was then Chairman.

SAO PAULO, (Reuters) – The vice president of Brazil’s TSE electoral authority yesterday asked for an investigation of President Dilma Rousseff’s 2014 re-election campaign, citing evidence that it may have been financed with money from a corruption scheme at state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA .

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Retiring home hero Kumar Sangakkara featured in a brief rebuilding act in his final test as Sri Lanka reached 140-3 in reply to India’s first innings total of 393 on day two of the second test yesterday.

BEIJING, (Reuters) – In-form American Justin Gatlin should beat Usain Bolt to win both the sprints at the world championships but it would be foolhardy to write off the Jamaican, three-times world 100 metres world champion Maurice Greene said yesterday.

Dear Editor,   As a regular reader of your letter column, I have been following most of the letters written by Hamley Case on Unamco.

(Reuters) – Fears of a China-led global economic slowdown drove Wall Street to its steepest one-day drop in nearly four years yesterday and left the Dow industrials more than 10 percent below a May record.

GUATEMALA CITY, (Reuters) – Prosecutors sought to impeach Guatemalan President Otto Perez yesterday over a corruption scandal that led to the arrest of his former vice president, deepening a government crisis ahead of presidential elections next month.

BEIJING, China, CMC- Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell has brushed aside suggestions reported to be coming from their American rivals that they can outrun Jamaica in the relays at the 15th edition of the IAAF World Championship in Beijing this weekend.

Dear Editor,   Stabroek News’ commendable editorial captioned ‘FIFA’s arrogance’ (August 11) apart from being insightful about the modus operandi of the organization, also exposes the lack of foresight on the part of those tasked with the responsibility of normalizing the state of local football.

Dear Editor, Over the past months, I have been involved in numerous conversations about the rising crime rate.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – U.S. oil prices dived again yesterday, threatening to dip below $40 a barrel for the first time since the financial crisis and notching their longest weekly losing streak since 1986, as a drop in Chinese manufacturing rattled global markets.

BEIJING, China, CMC-Trinidad and Tobago’s already weakened men’s 4x 100 metres relay team has been dealt a double blow on the eve of the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China.

Dear Editor,   Your August 16 paper carried a statement reported to have been made by Ms Pauline Sukhai, former Minister of amerindian affairs that she was entitled to her $2.1M dental treatment at the public’s expense, and her illogical conclusion that Indigenous people did not object because her party, the PPP, won the hinterland regions in the last elections where most Amerindians reside.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Voting in parts of Haiti’s capital and some rural areas will be re-run after violence and voter intimidation disrupted elections this month in the impoverished Caribbean country, election officials have announced.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Former England fast bowler Chris Tremlett has retired from all forms of cricket due to injury problems, he said yesterday.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Malala Yousafzai, the youngest person ever to win the Nobel peace prize, has another reason to celebrate after posting a string of top grades in her GCSEs, a set of important exams faced by British teenagers.

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – A Mexican government auditor yesterday exonerated President Enrique Pena Nieto and his finance minister from any wrongdoing over purchases of homes from public contractors, but opposition lawmakers poured scorn over the bid to lay the scandal to rest.

Politikles

Dear Editor,   Most Guyanese and Caribbean nationals are supporting the Democrats in the United States and would like to see another Democrat in the White House after Barack Obama demits office in January 2017.

If a quarter of the food wasted each day could be given to people who need it, there would be more than enough to feed every malnourished person on earth, according to the UN.

LONDON/NEW YORK, (Reuters) – A Swiss criminal investigation into corruption at the world soccer body FIFA has hit some roadblocks, according to U.S.