Daily Archive: Tuesday, November 29, 2016

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC- West Indies batsman Darren Bravo is taking legal action against the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) after he was dropped from the squad before the recently concluded tri-nations One-Day series in Zimbabwe.

The police say they are investigating a fatal accident which occurred about 0455h.

A 28 year old fisherman of Number 60 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, is assisting the police with the investigation in the death of his friend, 25 year old Ravi Kumar Sharma, a labourer of the said Village, whose body was found in his yard about 0600h this morning, with multiple lacerations about the body.

The tail section of a Fly Jamaica plane was knocked off by a Caribbean Airlines craft this morning.

PORT-AU-PRINCE,  (Reuters) – Haitians have chosen banana exporter Jovenel Moise as their next president, provisional results released by the election council on Monday showed, with the political novice winning a majority and avoiding a second round runoff.

BOGOTA,  (Reuters) – Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense, heading for the biggest game in their history, were on board a plane carrying 81 people that crashed in Colombia killing 76 people, police said on Tuesday.

In an effort to reduce inequality and tax avoidance as well as increase disposable income, the government plans to increase the income tax threshold from January 1, 2017.

Value-Added Tax (VAT) * Reduction in the rate of VAT from 16 per cent to 14 per cent * Increase in the VAT threshold from $10 million to $15 million.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth this year has been 2.6% compared to the originally projected 4.4% following a downswing in key sectors, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said while delivering the $250 billion 2017 budget yesterday in the National Assembly.

“Immensely ominous for the future of country,” were the words used by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo describe the 2017 Budget presented by Finance Minister Winston Jordan to the National Assembly yesterday.

Government will be delivering on a promise to reduce the 16% Value-Added Tax (VAT) but will also be applying the tax to monthly electricity and water bills exceeding $10,000 and $1,500, respectively.

He entered the Parliament Chambers to loud cheers and desk thumping by his colleagues some of whom grabbed his hand as he passed, even as he momentarily had one hand in midair giving the impression that something good was in store, but when he concluded, perhaps even some of Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s colleagues might have agreed with an opposition heckler that it was a ‘three-hour death announcement’.

Titles for Toronto Toros,  Bal Was Ers Pepsi Hikers, Toronto Toros and Bal Was Ers were all crowned champions of their respective divisions when the curtains came down on Sunday night on the 13th Annual Guyana Hockey Board/Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Tournament at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan has managed to secure funding from the Ministry of Communities specifically to pay garbage collectors contracted by the Mayor and City Council monies.

Inflation for the 12-month period up to October 2016 was 1.1% and the rate at the end of the year is expected to be 1.3% while next year’s projected figure is targeted at 2.5%.

Guyana’s Table Tennis team copped the Gold and Bronze medals in the 2016 Joola Championships held this past weekend at the Gaylord National Resort’s Conference Center, Maryland, USA.

Guyana’s six-man weight lifting team which competed at the Barbados Independence Invitational returned home yesterday with nine medals, three being gold.

Government has set aside close to $1 billion in the 2017 budget for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, which will include a large-scale solar farm at Mabaruma, according to Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who also announced plans to grant a range of tax exemptions for clean energy and recycling ventures.

Residents of Enterprise Gardens, East Coast Demerara are fed up with the unhygienic environment they are forced to live in as a result of a resident feeding stray animals on a daily basis, and are calling on the relevant authorities to intervene immediately.

Vehicle Workshop were crowned the new Banks DIH Limited Inter- Departmental Softball Cricket Champions, on Friday, when they upset the highly favoured Distribution/Workshop by five runs at the Thirst Park ground.

tie breaker to decide title From Donald Duff in New York Tie breaks will decide the 2016 International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Chess Championship, after the 12th and final game of the series between defending champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Russian challenger Serjey Karjakin, ended in yet another draw, at the Fulton Market Building, South Street Seaport, Manhattan, New York, yesterday.

The first phase of the long-awaited Linden to Lethem road project will commence next year, Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced yesterday.

Face Jamrockerz in the final Guyana clinched their berth in the final of the Jamaica Tri-Nation Invitational Basketball Series, mauling the Jamaican National U21 unit 71-32 on Sunday, at the Jamaica National Indoor Sports Centre.

Dear Editor, On Monday, October 17, 2016 I informed the relevant regulatory and enforcement agencies of the serious degradation being done to the banks of the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers between Tumatumari and Omai as a result of irresponsible gold dredging activities.

Reform of the constitution is years away despite a manifesto promise by the APNU+AFC administration of swift changes.

Fast-bowler Ronsford Beaton said he’s disappointed that he is not playing in the ongoing Regional 4-Day tournament, but hopes his recent limited overs form will help build a strong case for a national recall ahead of next year’s Regional Super 50 tournament.

Government has earmarked $43.1 billion or 17.2% of the proposed 2017 national budget for the education sector, where it hopes to provide “quality education across all levels.”

Dear Editor, The Forbes Burnham Foundation joins most of the nation and the progressives of the world in paying tribute to El Presidente Fidel Castro, Commandante.

Dear Editor, I recently went to a Republic Bank ATM to make a deposit, and after punching in my transaction request I did not receive an envelope in which to place my cash deposit.

Two police constables who allegedly provided security to businessman Marcus Brian Bisram—said to be the mastermind in the murder of carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt—are currently under close arrest.

MOHALI, India,  (Reuters) – Ravindra Jadeja led India’s strong lower-order batting display with a career-best 90 before spin partner Ravichandran Ashwin wrecked England’s top order to put the hosts firmly in charge of the third test on Monday.

Dear Editor, I have noticed what I believe, were misleading comments and insinuations made by Mr Gobin Harbhajan, in his letter which appeared in the November 18, 2016 Stabroek News (‘It was the PPP which ruined the sugar industry…’). 

PPP/C MP Juan Edghill on Friday appeared before the Privileges Committee of Parliament and used the argument of fair comment to defend statements he made in the House about the quantum of controversial salary increases awarded to APNU+AFC ministers last year.

Dear Editor, On Wednesday, November 23, 2016, I received a message from GTT at 1.16pm saying “Due to a mobile network system upgrade, customers will be unable to buy data from 6 pm today to 8 pm.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Both Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Leeward Islands Hurricanes were left frustrated after rain, resulting in an impaired outfield, forced the abandonment of the final day of their third round game in the Regional Four-Day Championship here Monday.

The two drivers involved in the fatal Sherriff Street collision, which resulted in four-year-old Ambeka Providence losing her life in September, were yesterday charged separately with causing her death and each granted their release on $400,000 bail.

A man was yesterday charged with robbing the home of People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee of over $3.5 million in jewellery and cash.

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – A wet outfield forced the abandonment of the penultimate day of the day/night third round game of the Regional Four-Day Championship between Windward Islands Volcanoes and Guyana Jaguars at the Darren Sammy National Stadium here Monday.

Dear Editor, I viewed the debate in the National Assembly concerning the D’Urban Park and was shocked when I heard the Minister of Public Infrastructure reveal to the nation that the then PPP/C government spent $179M on the D’Urban land.

(Reuters) – Ross Taylor ended a poor run of form to score his 16th test century and bat New Zealand into a potentially series-winning position at the end of the fourth day of the second test against Pakistan at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday.

Dear Editor, Late last week I was privileged to share a session at the Pegasus with the Caribbean American Domestic Violence Awareness (CADVA) group. 

Orin Arthur and Uree Varswyk, who are jointly charged with murdering security guard Wilfred Stewart during a raid at the Sterling Products Limited (SPL) offices at Providence in 2014, were yesterday committed to stand trial for the crime.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s bolivar currency has depreciated an unprecedented 60 per cent in a month against the US dollar on the black market to trade at nearly 3,500 yesterday, according to the widely-tracked web site DolarToday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has shifted millions of dollars in funding for Philippines law enforcement away from police drug control programs, State Department officials said yesterday, since the start of the country’s bloody crackdown on drugs this summer.

The Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC) amputee clinic held their “Amputee Day of Sports” recently at the National Park according to a media bulletin from the PRRC.

As the police continue their investigations into the 2012 Double Day Hotel pool murder of Sideek Juman, the High Court yesterday granted the police more time to keep two of the three men who were arrested in custody.

Dear Editor, It is a sad situation that our young people are faced with under the present APNU+AFC coalition government.

HAVANA (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of Cubans, some wrapped in red, white and blue national flags, paid final respects in Havana yesterday to Fidel Castro, who led a leftist revolution, ruled for half a century and resisted the United States throughout the Cold War.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – There were precious few sparks on a drama-less final day as the third round game between Jamaica Scorpions and Barbados ended in a dull draw at Sabina Park here Monday.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday rolled out a new youth empowerment initiative, with the goal of reducing youth involvement in crime and violence through prevention.

Dear Editor, Barbados will on Wednesday November 30 join Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana in celebrating its golden jubilee as an independent nation, and the 166 square mile country started activities since January to mark the occasion.

BRASILIA (Reuters) – Leftist opponents of Brazil’s President Michel Temer sought yesterday to have him investigated and impeached for his alleged role in pressuring a former culture minister to approve a property development.

Setting aside the recent and apparently ongoing row between the Police Commissioner and his high-ranking subordinate there are quite a few other matters of pressing public concern that have to do with the functioning of the Guyana Police Force.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A small Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard vessel pointed its weapon at a US military helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, two US defence officials told Reuters yesterday, an action they described as “unsafe and unprofessional.”

By D Alissa Trotz Alissa Trotz is Editor of the In the Diaspora Column I was up at 12.34 am on Sunday morning when I received word that Fidel Castro, 90 years old, had died in Havana.

COOPERS or vat makers are still around and some people still go for the wooden water con­tainers.

Cavaliers 112, 76ers 108 (The Sports Xchange) Kyrie Irving scored 39 points, Kevin Love had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and LeBron James also had 26 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for this third triple-double of the season.

The prosecution yesterday closed its case against Mark Thompson, who is accused of murdering Brazilian miner Jose Rodriguez De Oliveira over six years ago.