Daily Archive: Wednesday, November 30, 2016

BRASILIA,  (Reuters) – Youths protesting against austerity measures aimed at restoring fiscal discipline in Brazil burned cars and smashed windows of government buildings with rocks yesterday as lawmakers debated a 20-year cap on federal spending.

The government will continue to offer concessions to gold and diamond miners and intends to work closely with all the stakeholders, while ensuring adherence to declaration, tax, and environmental obligations.

See a detailed review of the 2017 budget by accounting firm Ram and McRae in tomorrow’s edition of Stabroek News.

(Trinidad Guardian) Four-year-old Jenice Figaro, who reportedly died after eating a meal of fries, was in fact beaten to death, an autopsy found yesterday.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Philip Morris International , the world’s largest international tobacco company, could eventually stop selling cigarettes, its chief executive told the BBC on Wednesday, as it launched its alternative product IQOS in the UK market.

Investigations are currently underway into an incident at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, where the tail section of a parked Fly Jamaica plane was knocked off by a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) craft as it was pulling into the apron yesterday morning.

A Number 60 Village, Corentyne man was chopped to death after a dispute with another man at his home on Monday night.

A Diamond man is now dead after an early morning accident along the Soesdyke Public Road that also left his car split in two.

During the presentation of the 2017 Budget on Monday, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan revealed that of the 14,386 students who wrote the 2016 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) only 14% or 2,014 students were able to achieve a passing grade in Mathematics and less than 50% achieved passes in English.

Three days after he was struck down on a pedestrian crossing in front of the Wellington Park Primary School, a seven-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening.

The Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) yesterday called on the Government of Guyana to withdraw the proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) on the consumption of electricity and water.

The radical re-organisation of the sugar industry is a matter of urgency, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said on Monday, even as he stressed that the economy continued to feel the “drag of dismal output” by the sector.

Devindra Ruplall was yesterday cleared of his drinking partner’s murder after a jury found him not guilty of committing the capital offence as well as the lesser count of manslaughter.

Tenders were opened yesterday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) for the feasibility study and design for the construction of a bridge across the Demerara River at Wismar, Linden.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) yesterday underscored that importers of food and drugs must be ready to produce a Health or Free Sale Certificate to frontline officers at Customs Excise and Trade Operations.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has accused the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of a lack of commitment to the tripartite committee that was set up to deal with the development of the city, including revenue generation.

Shameer Mohammed, the driver accused of causing the accident that claimed the life of Wavel Sabsook, also known as ‘DJ Bashment,’ had the charge against him dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

A 17-year-old yesterday faced a murder charge when he appeared before a city court.

A notice of appeal was on Monday filed to contest the ruling by Chief Justice (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards to uphold the decision by the Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) to deny entry of a container of condensed milk from Malaysia into the country.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has urged the Mayor and City Councillors to re-examine the feasibility and impact of implementing parking meters in Georgetown.

There will be four new Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in 2017, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan announced in his budget presentation on Monday.

While promising a speedy trial, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Monday once again refused to grant bail to the two women charged with offering a bribe to a policeman investigating the murder of Number 70 Village carpenter Faiyaz Narinedatt.

The two suspects in custody in relation to the 2012 Double Day Hotel murder are likely to be charged today.

Sparta Boss taken to penalty kicks Camp Street All-Stars were the story of the night, as the ‘Lot 12 unit’ crushed Railway Kitty 3-1 when the 7th edition of the Georgetown Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Football Championship started on Monday.

Guyana is working closely with its regional and international partners in response to banking threats and the possibility of de-risking, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan said on Monday.

Boxers representing the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) made a clean sweep at an international tournament held in Suriname on Saturday.

LA UNION, Colombia/ CHAPECO, Brazil,  (Reuters) – A plane carrying Brazilian top-tier soccer team Chapecoense to the biggest game in its history crashed in the Colombian mountains after reporting an electrical fault, killing 72 people, authorities said on Tuesday.

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes has assured field officers of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) that she will  improve their working conditions, GINA reported.

Dear Editor, This 2017 Budget again exposed that the Minister of Finance, Mr Winston Jordan, is not up to the job of rebalancing Guyana’s growth poles to ensure that we secure a growth rate of more than 5% in 2017 and beyond. 

Two labourers were yesterday charged with stealing a little over $80,000 in lights from the Gafoors building at Houston.

Dear Editor, In a time of super salaries and pensions for government workers, there is the story of Omkar Persaud whose family is still looking for money for surgery for him (Kaieteur News, November 29).

Sachin Singh and Sherfane Rutherford combined to help Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) hammer arch rivals Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) by 10 wickets, thus cementing a spot in the final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/ New Building Society Second Division 40 overs competition.

Kevon Jawahir cracked an unbeaten 150 and snatched 10 wickets, steering Blairmont Cricket Club to a massive 235-run win over Bush Lot in the only first round match of the two day first division cricket competition for teams in Berbice.

Trinidad-based Republic Bank Ltd on Monday inaugurated its first trade mission in Guyana in hopes of developing new corporate relationships and opening markets across the region.

Dear Editor, In the area of electricity charges, the apparent attempt of the budget to assist the poor seems to have been undermined by the attachment of 14% VAT to electricity charges that exceed $10,000.

GROS ISLET, St.Lucia, CMC – No play was possible Tuesday, the final day of the third round match between Windward Islands Volcanoes and Guyana Jaguars in the Digicel Regional 4-Day Tournament.

Dear Editor, I refer to the pointless letter from Leonard Craig, the former Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcast Authority (GNBA)  (‘Definitions of broadcasting across the globe…’ SN, November 28). 

President of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce Deleep Singh is relieved that the ramp on the Supenaam Stelling in Essequibo, which was damaged when the MV Sabanto crashed into it in July, has finally been repaired.

Rum producers from across the Caribbean will meet in Guyana today and tomorrow to discuss challenges faced by the sector in a very competitive global environment.

DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC– Four West Indian cricketers made small contributions as their franchises registered mixed fortunes at Shere Bangla National Stadium in the Bangladesh Premier League here on Tuesday.

Dear Editor, The 2017 budget is a disaster for those languishing at the bottom of the food chain.

A mechanic, who allegedly shot at another individual, was yesterday released on $150,000 bail after denying the charge in a city court.

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.

Dear Editor, The 2016 budget was about beckoning the ‘good life’, and we saw what happened: a rising cost of living, the drastic decline of rice and sugar production, contraction of the manufacturing sector, a decline in the livestock sector, a decline in the forestry sector, a decline in construction, rising unemployment especially among youths, rising crime, a wage freeze in the sugar industry, a paltry wage increase in the public sector, increased taxes and a reduction in the real growth of the economy to 2.6%.

Two men were yesterday granted bail on separate robbery charges when they appeared before a city magistrate.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Police Force is responding to an article in yesterday’s edition of the Kaieteur News under the caption ‘The police at Aurora Station need to arrest this man’.

(Reuters) – Joe Root’s determination and Haseem Hameed’s grit were not enough for England as India won the third test by eight wickets inside four days to go 2-0 up in the five-match series on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Public Health on Friday hosted a Health Fair and Exhibition at D’Urban Park as the last activity in observance of World Diabetes Day 2016 The event saw several organisations coming out in support, including the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), Guyana Diabetes Association (GDA) and the Lions Club D’Urban Park/South Georgetown.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Violent protests erupted in Haiti yesterday as losing candidates rejected the preliminary results of an election that indicated banana exporter Jovenel Moise would be the next president.

BOAT builders are a dying breed in Guyana, but Peter Mendonca, the Bissoon brothers, Sona, Mohan and Narine and their Father Chaitram say that they intend to make the trade their career.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – President-elect Donald Trump yesterday chose a former Goldman Sachs banker and a billionaire investor to steer economic policy in his administration and a fierce Obamacare critic to dismantle President Barack Obama’s signature heathcare programme.

LONDON, England, CMC– Sprint super star Usain Bolt says he is pleased with the work done by producers of a new documentary which chronicles his rise to iconic status.

Dear Editor, The APNU+AFC government was elected on a promise to the Guyanese people inter alia, to ‘restore the rule of law.’

A teen was yesterday sentenced to 18 months in jail after he pleaded guilty to a wounding charge.

Almost simultaneously with the last breath of Fidel Castro, the incoming president of the United States has indicated the basis of his attitude to the Cuban regime by announcing (or rather, tweeting) that “If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the US as a whole, I will terminate the deal”.

Dear Editor, It seems to me the more things change, the more they are getting worse.

The charge against Uttanpad Sewnarine, the man accused of stabbing the mother of his child upwards of ten times in front of her Kitty home, was on Monday withdrawn after the victim refused to give evidence in the matter.

HAVANA,  (Reuters) – Cuba’s leftist allies and Washington’s top diplomat in Havana joined a sprawling throng of Cubans at a rally yesterday to commemorate Fidel Castro, the man who built a Communist state on the doorstep of the United States.

(Reuters) – Neil Wagner ripped through Pakistan’s tail with three wickets in six deliveries to help New Zealand dismiss the visitors for 230 and secure a 138-run victory on the final day of the second test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday.

‘Equity thus depending, essentially, upon the particular circumstances of each individual case, there can be no established rules and fixed precepts of equity laid down, without destroying its very essence, and reducing it to a positive law.