Daily Archive: Sunday, October 18, 2015

The Mayor and City Council is set to utilise the services of contractors, along with its regular drainage staff, to maintain its current effort, of improving the drainage in Georgetown, GINA said today.

A toddler is dead and a 12 year old girl hospitalized after a man discharged rounds at an Eastville Housing Scheme, Lusignan house earlier this afternoon before later escaping.

The Guyana Trades Union Congress has written the government calling for the reinstatement of collective bargaining and it cautioned the administration to be judicious in the way it handles the public outcry over the 50% hike in salaries for Cabinet ministers.

Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan has gazetted November 10 as the official holiday for the Hindu festival of Diwali.

(Trinidad Guardian) In a massive bust yesterday, detectives from the Human Trafficking Unit swooped into a club in Penal and arrested 22 female nationals from the Dominican Republic, believed to be victims of a human trafficking ring.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – The Indian Cricket board will invite bids for two new teams for the Indian Premier League (IPL) to replace the suspended Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings for the next two editions, it said on Sunday.

HAVANA, (Reuters) – The Cuban government on Saturday denied what it called an “irresponsible and unfounded” report that it had sent troops to Syria in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Guyana’s economy de-clined by 2.5% in the first half of 2015 when compared with the same period in 2014, according to the Ministry of Finance’s Mid-Year Report but Minister Winston Jordan is optimistic of a recovery by the end of the year.

Down in Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara sits a ‘little rose’ whose towering coconut trees can be spotted a distance away.

A family was harassed and robbed of about $6 million in cash and jewellery after two bandits invaded their house last night through a window by removing two louvre window panes.

There are no immediate plans to continue the just-concluded gun amnesty, according to Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, who says plans are underway for a major crackdown to get more illegal weapons off the streets.

Retired army chief-of-staff Gary Best yesterday confirmed that he is living on property located in the controversial Pradoville 2 Housing Scheme, where the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) has said lands were “grossly undervalued” and sold below market value to members and associates of the former government.

With ongoing litigation and no 2015 budget allotment, government is making provisional arrangements should the Ministry of Public Infrastructure have to assume responsibility for the Haags Bosch landfill on the East Bank Demerara.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has called for the Mayor and City Council to end its “discriminatory and ill-judged” ‘name and shame’ anti-littering campaign, and for media houses to cease reporting same.

The New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (NGPC) has been paid twice under the APNU+AFC government in relation to a US$6.7 million (approximately $1.4 billion) which the former PPP/C government had cleared weeks before the May 11 general elections.

Introduction Last week’s column wrapped-up the series of nine successive contributions arguing for the adoption by Guyana and Caricom, of the United Nations (UN) Post-2015 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as their long-term planning and policy frameworks.

For the first time Guyana has produced the region’s top Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) performer in Cecil Cox, of Queen’s College, who in 2013 was adjudged the region’s best science student at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examinations (CSEC).

Difficulties in finding financing has stymied the start of construction of Canadian company’s First Bauxite Corporation’s mine at Bonasika.

Early concerns The early concerns that the Guyana economy has slowed down and that the growth for 2015 would at best be sluggish remain valid even after a round of salary increases.

Commander of police ‘A’ Division Clifton Hicken was elected President of the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) yesterday, defeating former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Christopher Matthias for the post.

St Angela’s Primary recorded the largest margin of victory to date in the fourth annual Courts Pee-Wee Under-11 football event, dismantling School of the Nations 10-0 in their final group fixture yesterday at the Thirst Park ground.

Recent returnees to the homeland may not know this, but longtime dwellers who have endured through successive Guyanese governments will tell you that finding the person responsible for a particular aspect in the various departments set up to serve us is an almost impossible task.

A woman said to be a known drug dealer operating on the Essequibo Coast was yesterday arrested after police found a large quantity of cocaine at her Perseverance home.

A man is now dead after he was struck down by a speeding car on his way home.

After over two years, tests conducted on DNA samples have ruled out the suspects in the rape and murder of Millicent Prince-Cummings.

Today we begin a new chapter of canine maladies, viz, those which are associated with the oral cavity.

A structure being erected at the corner of Robb and Camp streets where a Chinese General Store was reduced to ashes in July will be an addition to the Teleperformance call centre located opposite.

Kishaunna King was a high-school dropout with no sense of direction.

Almost $1.3 billion was spent on the housing and water sectors during the first half of the year, according to the Finance Ministry’s mid-year report.

In the face of the current arid conditions countrywide due to the El Niño weather phenomenon, President David Granger on Friday said the government’s challenge is making agriculture more resi-lient.

The National Dance Company of Guyana, in the performance of ‘E-Majin,’ for Dance Season 36, directed and choreographed by Vivienne Daniel, celebrated not only a product of 36 years of dance in Guyana, but demonstrated dance as a work of the imagination.

There are several green sauces that are used as condiments and can sometimes double as marinades.

Detectives are hoping to soon wrap up additional investigations into the disappearance of $600 million from the former Ministry of Public Service as requested by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said on Thursday.

A little over a week ago the British parliamentarian, Sir Eric Pickles – a cabinet member until May of this year and a former Chairman of the Conservative Party – told the London Guardian that the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, was determined to have the BVI and the Cayman Islands adopt public registers of beneficial ownership either “through legislation, guidance or naked pressure”.

By Tony Cozier As hope continues to rapidly fade for the revival of West Indies cricket, indeed for its very future, a series 53 years ago offers a glimmer that all is not yet necessarily lost.

Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson has instructed that all roads in West Ruimveldt be upgraded.

John Lewis Styles celebrated its 12th Anniversary on October 10th 2015 by donating a total of $1m to seven charities, a release from the company said on Friday.

Rawlyn Crum-Ewing remains hospitalized as doctors are awaiting a puncture on his heart to heal after he underwent surgery for stab wounds he sustained during an attack on Thursday night.

OPATOVAC, CROATIA/LJUBLJANA (Reuters) Migrants streaming across the Balkans reached Slovenia yesterday, diverted overnight by the closure of Hungary’s border with Croatia in the latest demonstration of Europe’s disjointed response to the flow of people reaching its borders.

Dear Editor, Two recent articles in Stabroek News refer to presidential immunity: ‘AG to seek civil action over Pradoville 2 – says Jagdeo immunity open to question’ (SN 16 October) and ‘Ex ministers should be held liable over Pradoville 2 land – State Assets Recovery report’ (SN 15 October 2015). 

GALLE, Sri Lanka, (CMC) – West Indies crumbled to a pathetic innings and six run defeat to Sri Lanka inside four days in their opening test at the Galle International Stadium yesterday.

Dear Editor, Any first year student of the Criminal Justice System would know there are at least two philosophical perspectives that inform our positions on crime control.

DUBAI (Reuters) – Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said yesterday it was studying an invitation from the United Nations to attend talks aimed at ending a war between a Saudi-led coalition and Houthi militiamen who control much of the country including the capital.

Dear Editor, As a former staff member of the CARICOM Secretariat I am saddened to witness the decline of the little influence this body had in regional and international affairs.

CONAKRY (Reuters) – Guinea’s electoral commission yesterday declared President Alpha Conde winner of an October 11 election to give him a second five-year term.

(ICC)- It was the perfect advertisement for Test cricket. The first Test between Pakistan and England looked as if it would end in a high-scoring draw, but Adil Rashid proved to be the unlikely hero, turning the game on its head to give the visiting side a sniff at victory on the fifth and final day.

(Reuters) – Zimbabwe have banned controversial batsman Mark Vermeulen from all cricket activities for what the board described as “repulsive remarks that reflect racism, prejudice and plain ignorance.”

Dear Editor, If what is being articulated by some representatives of the Hindu community were to be realized, then, for the first time in Guyana, there could be two celebrations for Diwali on different nights.

Many companies in Japan have a special room for their employees which is called, in free translation from the Japanese, a “letting off steam and bile” room.

Child’s play: Children in Hubu, East Bank Essequibo put an empty half-drum to good use, devising a roll in the barrel game.

SEOUL (Reuters) North Korea yesterday rejected the idea of resuming talks to end its nuclear program, saying previous such attempts ended in failure, and reiterated its demand that Washington come to the table to negotiate a peace treaty.

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian troops backed by Hezbollah and Iranian fighters made advances yesterday in their offensive to retake territory around the northern city of Aleppo from insurgents and jihadist fighters, a monitoring group said.

Allamanda prefers a rich soil and plenty of water during the hot/dry days.

A child frolicking in a canal at Hubu, East Bank Essequibo, from where some residents are now sourcing their water due to disruptions in their Guyana Water Inc (GWI) service.

Dear Editor, I must part company with His Excellency President Granger on this pay issue.

The old-fashioned teachers’ brigade will be savouring an ‘I told you so’ moment, while the One Laptop per Family (OLPF) aficionados would no doubt feel somewhat chagrined.

Neither pace nor spin could contain the eruption over the salary increases by ministers of the government, to themselves.

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) –West Indies Women succumbed to Pakistan Women by six wickets despite a patient half century from Merissa Aguilleira in their first One Day International (ODI) at Gross Islet on Friday night.