Daily Archive: Thursday, April 21, 2016

(Reuters) – Prince, the innovative U.S. music superstar whose songwriting and eccentric stage presence electrified fans around the world with hits including “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry,” died today in Minnesota.

At approximately 13:09 hrs today, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) says its Drug Enforcement and Goods Examination Units along with the Port Control Unit (PCU) were in the process of examining a consignment of 5/8 inches of plywood destined for Florida in the United States of America when upon closer examination, anomalies were detected within the consignment.

Former President Donald Ramotar today rebuffed claims by the APNU+AFC administration yesterday that US$5m in outstanding payments from a Chinese company for shares in GTT had been paid over prior to the May 11th general elections.

(Trinidad Guardian) “A barrel of peppers is worth more than a barrel of oil in T&T.

Government has obtained documents which show that the US$5M thought to be outstanding from the sale of GT&T shares was collected prior to President David Granger taking office and efforts are underway to detect the money trail, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman says.

According to Joint Services attorney Selwyn Pieters, it was not Deputy Director Gladwin Samuels who ordered the door to Capital A closed on March 3 when a fire killed 17 prisoners, but a subordinate officer, who gave the instruction after prisoners began rioting.

At the height of proceedings yesterday, President of the Guyana Bar Association Christopher Ram withdrew the group’s participation from the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the prison unrest after declaring that he had “had enough” with how the proceedings were being run.

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow yesterday sentenced a man to 14 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to killing his mother-in-law in 2005.

Guyana and India yesterday signed a US$1 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the setting up of an Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Centre of Excellence in Guyana, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency said.

Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman yesterday defended government’s continued engagement with controversial logging company Baishanlin saying that a “do wuh you want with me” scenario is not happening and the firm will be taken over by a Chinese state-owned company.

With the fourth edition of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (HCPL) T20 tournament less than two months away, the local Guyana Amazon Warriors players continued their pre-camp training session at the Studio 53 Gym yesterday.

Tears flowed freely yesterday as the bodybuilding fraternity and the loved ones of Fiona Harris paid their last respects at her home going ceremony.

Guyana will dish out US$1.5M (approximately $300M) to host the finals, semifinals and four other matches in this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 series, according to Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman who said yesterday that it is a good investment particularly for the country’s economy.

MUMBAI, India, CMC – West Indies big-hitter Kieron Pollard fired for the first time in the new Indian Premier League season, blasting a cameo to propel Mumbai Indians to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore here yesterday.

The police yesterday arrested the father of Simone Hackett’s child  in connection with her knifing to death in Cummings Lodge.

An adapted version of the Ministry of Education’s language curriculum for deaf students was launched yesterday  and training of teachers by regional experts is underway.

A 25-year-old waitress was stabbed about her body yesterday afternoon allegedly by her common-law husband and doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) were up to press time preparing her for emergency surgery.

Guyana’s first 2019 World Rugby Qualifier match will kick off on Saturday when the national 15s team tackle Barbados at the National Park from  16:00hrs.

A man who was accused of attempting to kill a former policeman had the case against him dismissed yesterday by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Beleaguered regional governing body, the West Indies Cricket Board, has once again pushed back on growing calls for its dissolution, claiming yesterday it had “lived up to its promises” and urging the region to “trust the process”.

NEW YORK, CMC – Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt says he is targeting a sub-19 seconds run in the 200 metres and has cast doubt over whether he will wind up his illustrious career following the Rio Olympics in August.

Guyana-born Alex Bunbury said while the establishment of the Alex Bunbury Sports and Academics Academy (ABSAA) is his main focus, he would not rule out the possibility of serving as the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director on a temporary basis.

Five persons including characters known to the police are in custody as investigators continue to probe the killings of Mohamed and Jamilla Munir, who were burnt to death in their Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo home on Sunday night.

With the support of Canada, a research trial on several varieties of Irish potatoes to determine their suitability for local conditions is underway, a release from the Canadian High Commission said yesterday.

Lakeraj Fredericks, who is accused of the 2011 murder of Clifton Bonus, will have to face a retrial after the jury could not decide on a verdict at the conclusion of his trial at the High Court on Monday.

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece, (Reuters) – The Rio Games will be safe for athletes despite concerns over polluted water, the head of the International Olympic Committee said yesterday.

Cabinet is not the forum for inter-party discussions and the AFC’s concerns regarding the powers of Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who is a member of APNU, is likely to be discussed at a high-level inter-party summit.

Three years after his first trial ended in a hung jury, murder accused Rondell Bacchus appeared before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday for the commencement of his retrial into the 2008 murder of scrap iron dealer Akbar Alli.

BRISTOL, England, CMC – Leeward Islands Hurricanes batsman Chesney Hughes stroked his eighth first class hundred to ensure a draw for Derbyshire on the final day of their County Championship match against Gloucestershire here yesterday.

A 19-year-old was yesterday fined by a city magistrate after being charged over cannabis he was going to “experiment with”.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – South Africa’s reluctance to play day-night test cricket is based on Australian feedback from their first match with the pink ball against New Zealand, Proteas captain AB De Villiers has said.

Dear Editor, I have been disturbed, along with other Guyanese, to see our President lending his prestige to a company that produces some of the alcohol that is daily damaging lives in so many ways.

A 53-year-old man was on Tuesday  granted bail after being charged in a city court with unlawful wounding.

Multi-million dollar tenders were opened on Tuesday for major school works and other projects.

Coordinator of the Annual Mayor’s Cup Football Championship Lennox `Mulling’ Arthur said that preparation for the long standing event is going according to plans and that he envisions a very exciting championship.

Xtra Energy and Extra Orange Drink became the latest sponsor to throw its support behind the Boyce and Jefford Organization by affixing their name to the organizers Five-a-Side Football Challenge.

Xtra Energy and Extra Orange Drink became the latest sponsor to throw its support behind the Boyce and Jefford Organization by affixing their name to the organizers Five-a-Side Football Challenge.

Dear Editor, On Monday 4th April, 2016, I left my work place, braving the weather travelling about eight miles to get to the Bartica Post Office.

PEDERNALES/QUITO, Ecuador, (Reuters) – Ecuador will temporarily increase some taxes, sell assets, and may issue new bonds on the international market to fund a multi-billion dollar reconstruction after a devastating 7.8 magnitude quake, a somber President Rafael Correa said yesterday.

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has been mapping semi-precious stones and with declining prices globally for gold and other metals, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman says the development of these “neglected” minerals can boost the livelihood of many people.

SYDNEY,  (Reuters) – From trimming menus in staff canteens to cutting back on soap and washing detergent at worker camps, the global mining industry that once lavished perks on employees is scrimping like never before as a brutal downturn engulfs minerals markets.

A sublime Sheldon Hope 75th minute strike secured a deserved 2-2 result for Riddim Squad against league leaders Western Tigers  when the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Stag Beer League continued on Tuesday at the Georgetown Football Club in Bourda.

Dear Editor, I travelled to Guyana from JFK early last month to conduct a survey relating to the local government elections and contemporary issues.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – Anti-slavery crusader Harriet Tubman will become the first African-American on the face of U.S.

A Kuru Kuru resident was on Monday remanded to prison after being charged with having a kilogramme of cannabis for trafficking.

Dear Editor, In the April 20 edition of the Guyana Chronicle an article titled, `Finals Finally!’

National squash player Ashley DeGroot, Beau Fernandes, John Maikoo and Lloyd Fung-A-Fat were among the winners when the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) sanctioned Ansa McAl Lucozade Handicap Squash Tournament commenced at the Georgetown Club Facility on Tuesday.

BRASILIA,  (Reuters) – Beleaguered Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will travel to New York in a bid to rally international support against her impeachment, leaving behind a Cabinet paralyzed by political crisis as another minister defected yesterday.

TORONTO,  (Reuters) – Canada’s Liberal government will introduce a law in spring 2017 to legalize recreational marijuana, it said yesterday, fulfilling an election pledge and following several U.S.

Dear Editor, First of all, I wish to say a big thank you to the two young men, who jumped into the Demerara River to save the woman on 19 April, 2016 who attempted to take her own life.

OSLO,  (Reuters) – Norway violated mass killer Anders Behring Breivik’s human rights by keeping him in a “completely locked world” after being sentenced for killing 77 people in twin attacks in 2011, a court ruled on Wednesday.

Rosignol United and Paradise Invaders battled to a scoreless result when the Berbice Football Association (BFA) West Berbice League continued Sunday at the Rosignol Sports Ground.

Politikles

Cartoons

Dear Editor, When you read “Ian on Sunday’ published every Sunday in Stabroek News, you are transmitted to another universe, away from the double-dealing and necessary politics of the day, the cut and thrust of everyday life in Guyana, to a special place for introspection on the meaning of life and its challenges.

On Tuesday, a jury found Mr Kevin Rankin not guilty of sodomising and murdering his two-year-old niece nearly three years ago at Haslington, East Coast Demerara.

TEGUCIGALPA, (Reuters) – An anti-graft mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Honduras said on Tuesday it will investigate a multi-million dollar corruption scandal that has dogged the president of the Central American country, Juan Orlando Hernandez.

HONG KONG, (Reuters) – Hong Kong all-rounder Irfan Ahmed has been banned for 2-1/2 years for failing to disclose approaches made to him to engage in corruption, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday.

Minister in the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry, who has responsibility for the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, yesterday inspected the route for the May 26 Jubilee Parade.

FLINT, Mich., (Reuters) – Three Michigan state and local officials were criminally charged yesterday in an investigation into dangerous lead levels in the city of Flint’s drinking water, and the state attorney general said there would be more charges to come.