Daily Archive: Thursday, December 3, 2015

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Pamela Anderson is the last person to pose nude for Playboy magazine, closing a more than 60-year tradition that has seen women ranging from Madonna to Kim Kardashian and Cindy Crawford strip off for the glossy men’s publication.

On December 3rd the Social Work Department of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC) observed International Day of Persons with Disabilities by hosting a Foot Care Workshop for the Diabetic patients of its Amputee Clinic, a release from the centre said.

President David Granger and the Members of the Defence Board; Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo;  Minister of State, Joseph Harmon; Attorney General, Minister Basil Williams and Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, were today presented with the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Commemorative 50th Anniversary Medal.

The Ministry of Education yesterday commissioned a $30.8 million Nursery School in Cummings Park, Sophia.

The body of missing taxi driver Colin Clarke was found today in a trench at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara and it is suspected that he was robbed of his car and murdered.

President David Granger, today, met with the SEA Manager of Tullow Oil plc, John McKenna, who was introduced to him by British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, to discuss exploration opportunities, GINA said.

Two engineers attached to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) on Wednesday rescued a stranded flamingo from the Essequibo River, GINA said yesterday.

ZURICH, (Reuters) – Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) named Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, acting president of CONCACAF, and Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay, the head of CONMEBOL, as the two FIFA officials arrested in Zurich on Thursday.

BLOEMFONTEIN, (Reuters) – South Africa’s “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius was found guilty today of murdering his girlfriend, in an appeal court ruling that could see him sent back to prison for up to 15 years.

Ahead of Venezuela’s parliamentary elections this weekend and the busy Christmas shopping season, government yesterday announced that it had launched Operation Dragnet, a massive countrywide anti-crime and counter-terrorism operation.

Bauxite workers will once again see no taxes levied on their overtime wages as government yesterday announced the reinstatement of their ‘no tax to overtime’ policy that was removed under the PPP/C administration in 2007.

The Board of the state-owned Guyana Chronicle yesterday fired the newspaper’s General Manager Michael Gordon and Editor Mark Ramotar with immediate effect citing weak management and poor circulation numbers.

Government yesterday announced that cabinet has approved the title of state land at Tucville to the Uncle Eddie’s Home, where the senior citizen facility is located.

Contracts to a total value of around $1.5b were announced at the Ministry of the Presidency yesterday and they include large sums for text books and roads and $39.8m for the Police Mounted Branch Stables.

The coach of an Agricola under-16 football team was yesterday remanded to prison after he pleaded   not guilty to a drug charge at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Effective December 1, the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI) now has Rev Compton Meerabux as president and Christopher Ram as its first vice president.

Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman has ordered Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Rickford Vieira to proceed on leave with immediate effect.

The driver who was involved in last week’s fatal crash which claimed the life of 17-year-old Travis Bollers, yesterday turned himself into police in the company of a lawyer, Traffic Chief Superintendent Dion Moore confirmed.

Magistrate Judy Latchman yesterday announced that the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the murder of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing will commence on January 27, 2016.

Bartica businessman Eon Ferrier, who is before the court on a charge that he fraudulently converted $120M from Mohamed’s Enterprise given to him to buy gold, last month secured a court order to have the magistrate who was originally hearing the case show proper cause for his decision to recuse himself.

Former attorney general Anil Nandlall has asked that government produce the evaluation report, which, he noted, would showcase that Fedders Lloyd was disqualified from the previous bidding process in relation to the controversial speciality hospital.

Former health minister under the PPP administration Dr Leslie Ramsammy has called on Guyana and by extension the Caribbean community to repeal laws that “stigmatize, discriminate and criminalize” the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

At yesterday’s continuation of the trial of Balram Singh who is accused of murdering taxi driver Bhomeshwar Sukhdeo, Lance Corporal Desmond Johnny recalled photographing the scene.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon yesterday confirmed that government has appointed 30 persons across the Diaspora to promote Guyana, but only after he was questioned by members of the media during the post-Cabinet press briefing.

The whereabouts of taxi driver Colin Clarke are still unknown and police are trying to use surveillance footage to ascertain whether the vehicle he was last seen driving had crossed the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB).

The body of the Kumaka, North West District woman who died last Wednesday after giving birth to her 13th child at Salem Backdam, Parika, East Bank Essequibo, was transported to her home yesterday for burial.

Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Sugar Corporation Errol Hanoman remains mum on the state- owned company’s foreseeable plans which will be influenced by the still unreleased Commission of Inquiry (CoI) report into the industry, while noting that talks are set to continue with the main sugar union over the Annual Production Incentive (API).

A Tucville housewife and three of the four teens accused of carjacking and armed robbery were on Tuesday placed on $150,000 bail for each count.

Whenever Norma Adrian visited the La Grange Police Station to make reports against her husband, she was often met with either accusations—“Wah yuh do he?”—or

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Not a single West Indies player has made it into the International Cricket Council’s Test or One-Day International team-of-the-year for 2015.

(WICB) ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – With the increased demand for information regarding the value of cricket events to the Caribbean economy, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) commissioned an economic impact evaluation on the 2015 England tour of the Caribbean.

A Bartica miner was yesterday fined $80,000 and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to stealing a car battery.

BRISBANE, Australia, CMC – West Indies legend Courtney Walsh believes the pink ball is the future of Test cricket could work wonders in the Caribbean.

The New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation was last week bestowed with the Guyana Manu-facturing and Services Associa-tion’s (GMSA) President’s Award for export achievement this year.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Usman Khawaja is on track to recover from a hamstring injury in time for Australia’s traditional Boxing Day test in Melbourne, where they face West Indies in the second test, the batsman said on Wednesday.

The Guyana National Shipping Corporation (GNSC) on 2 November, 2015, donated $200,000 towards City Hall’s drive to return Georgetown to a Garden City.

LONDON, (Reuters) – IAAF President Sebastian Coe said yesterday he was the right person to clean up athletics and make it responsible and accountable in the wake of a doping crisis that has embroiled track and field.

Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Richard Van West-Charles, on November 26th, met with residents of three communities within New Amsterdam to address their concerns regarding the water service upgrades being implemented in the area.

SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor has become the latest Caribbean player to sign up for Australia’s inaugural Women’s Big Bash League, after Sydney Thunder announced yesterday it has secured her services for the tournament which bowls off Saturday.

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo says President David Granger should have gone to the climate change summit currently ongoing in Paris and Guyana has lost momentum because of the lack of clarity in the APNU+AFC government’s climate policy.

(Reuters) – Vladimir Klitschko wants a rematch against Tyson Fury to try to regain his world heavyweight boxing titles, he said yesterday.

Dear Editor, I refer to Mr Anil Nandlall’s letter (‘The government cannot avoid the provisions of the Procurement Act’ SN, December 1)) in which he sets out in extenso the provisions of the Procurement Act in order to “prove” that I was wrong in defending the government’s action by signing an MOU with Fedders Lloyd without another tender process, and asserting that such a process was to Guyana’s disadvantage.

BRISBANE, Australia, CMC – Left-hander Darren Bravo was nearing a half-century as he led a West Indies fightback on the rain-hit opening day of their four-day tour match against a Cricket Australia XI here yesterday.

Dear Editor, In recently saw a picture in the Guyana Chronicle which shows sand weighing around 1800 lbs per square foot that has been dumped by the owners of Celina Atlantic over the existing sea defences below, to continue their illegal expansion of the resort.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Governance, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment held a public consultation and an exhibition of biodegradable alternatives to Styrofoam.

Dear Editor, I read Narissa Deokarran’s letter complaining about severe pollution fumes (‘NDC will not deal with health hazard of air pollution’ SN, Nov 30) and saw your follow-up report in ‘Lusignan resident seeking relief from neighbour’s fireside fumes’ (SN, Dec 2).

(The Sports Xchange) – Washington guard John Wall scored a season-high 35 points, and coach Randy Wittman’s seat cooled ever so slightly after the Wizards’ impressive 97-85 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

Traffic Chief Superinten-dent Dion Moore says ranks are wrapping up their investigations into a fatal accident on Duncan Street on November 10 after which the matter will be engaging the attention of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Dear Editor, That Carifesta X would come up for an enquiry is no surprise.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MPI) is currently monitoring the Celina’s Atlantic Resort (CAR) as it awaits the possible approval of an injunction it applied for last month to stop all work at the site.

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Australia captain Steven Smith and New Zealand paceman Trent Boult made the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) test as well as one-day international team of the year announced on Wednesday.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., (Reuters) – A man and a woman suspected of taking part in a shooting attack that killed 14 people and wounded 17 at a Southern California social services agency yesterday died in a shootout with police hours later, authorities said.

VIENNA, (Reuters) – The U.N. atomic watchdog yesterday issued a report strongly suggesting Tehran had a nuclear weapons programme for years, but, in a sign of the shift in ties since Tehran’s deal with major powers in July, Washington said it was not concerned.

(The Sports Xchange) – Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant heard the cheers on Tuesday in Philadelphia but it was the 76ers who gave the home fans a real reason to roar.

Dear Editor, Sectarian violence is more pronounced in the Central African Republic where there are deadly clashes between Christians and Muslims.

Members have been appointed or reappointed to the Guyana Gold Board, the Sea and River Defence Board and Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

Dear Editor, Over a year ago (November 12, 2014), you were kind enough to publish my letter relating to the over payment of my income tax through the PAYE system.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – The retirement of Mitchell Johnson, coupled with the injury cloud hanging over Mitchell Starc, will force Australia to dig deep into their pace reserves during the home summer but ready-made left-arm replacements are in short supply.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Britain’s parliament voted yesterday to launch bombing raids against Islamic State in Syria, supporting Prime Minister David Cameron’s case that the country needs to help destroy militants who are “plotting to kill us”.

Motor Vessel Lady Northcote yesterday set sail for Port Kaituma, Region One, months after it was docked for major repair works.GINA

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – South African speedster Dale Steyn will miss the fourth and final test against India with a lingering groin injury that has limited his participation in the four-match series to a solitary contest in the series-opener in Mohali.

RIYADH, (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia will let divorced women and widows manage family affairs without approval from a man or a court order, a state-aligned newspaper said on Wednesday, a major step to lift some of the legal powers men hold over female relatives.

Dear Editor, GTT is providing free wifi to churches, and other places will soon get that service.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – The speaker of the lower house of Brazil’s Congress opened impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff yesterday, deepening a political crisis as the economy nosedives.

Dear Editor, Santa Claus came early to Guyana this year. He came in October to play special host to two prized political children: one had laboured in vain and the other dissipated scarce natural resources.

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Not content with an unassailable lead in the four-match series, home captain Virat Kohli promised India will be “ruthless” against South Africa in the final match beginning at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium today.

One month ago today, a one-hour-old baby born to Akiem Balgobin and Phoulmattie Ramjattan at the Georgetown Public Hospital, fell, reportedly off of a cot, at the hospital while under the care of a nurse or nurses in the hospital’s Maternity Unit.

Dear Editor,   Advance payments should not be asked for from ExxonMobil, and are unlikely to be obtained in an environment of battered oil prices, which the recent International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast claims will stay low for quite some time.

Bus shed! One of the several bus sheds that are being installed around the city.

MADRID, (Reuters) – Spain’s Constitutional Court blocked a Catalan secession drive yesterday, deepening confrontation and adding to political uncertainty in Spain before this month’s national election.

Cartoons

Two months ago, the Guyana Bar Association wrote the Registrar of the High Court and the Commissioner of Police advising that action be taken against the use of touts to procure legal business for attorneys-at-law.

Politikles

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – “May the Force be with you” vs.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan police have determined that the Nov. 25 murder of an opposition activist during a campaign rally for the upcoming congressional vote was the result of a gang dispute and not linked to politics, the interior minister said yesterday.