Daily Archive: Thursday, April 27, 2017

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board president, Azim Bassarath, has made clear his displeasure at a stand at the Brian Lara Stadium being named after Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – The son of Venezuela’s pro-government human rights ombudsman has stunned the country amid major protests against the leftist administration by publicly calling on his father to “end the injustice.”

Former Attorney-General Anil Nandlall was today charged with fraudulently converting over $2 million in law reports that were the property of the Ministry of Legal Affairs.

(BBC) One of India’s most well-known Bollywood actors Vinod Khanna has died aged 70, his hospital has confirmed.

Relatives of the passenger who collapsed and later died onboard a Caribbean Airlines, New York-bound flight, BW 526, necessitating an emergency stop at the San Juan Airport in Puerto Rico, will identify his body before it is returned to Guyana for burial.

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – United Airlines said on Thursday it would offer passengers who volunteer to forfeit their seats on overbooked flights up to $10,000 as part of the carrier’s efforts to repair the damage from the rough removal of a passenger.

General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) Lisaveta Ramotar yesterday broke her silence on the investigation at her agency, and for which she was sent on administrative leave, asserting her innocence of any wrongdoing.

Officers from the police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday questioned Deeds Registrar Azeema Baksh as they commenced an investigation into allegations that she had made fraudulent payments to herself of over $4 million and waived revenue due to the registry.

The Enmore Neighbour-hood Democratic Council (NDC) has sued top officials of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) and the Attorney General over the seizure of its computers on April 6th and is seeking over $5m in damages.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF), yesterday retained the Balram Raghubir Inter-Services T20 tournament after defeating archrivals the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) by four wickets at the Police sports club ground, Eve Leary.

Declaring Guyana “the best prospect for investment” President David Granger spent part of his visit to the United Kingdom on Tuesday attempting to convince foreign investors to bring their businesses to this country.

Colours Boutique, the official distributor of sporting apparels Joma and Patrick, signed Junior Sportsman of the Year Kaysan Ninvalle as a brand ambassador yesterday during a simple presentation at the entity’s Robb Street headquarters.

Guyana ranked at 127 out of 188 countries on the UN’s Human Development Index (HDI) as of 2015, an increase of 17.9% from 1990, but Minister of Finance Winston Jordan cautioned that this is nothing to be celebrated, but rather, it simply serves as a reminder that harder and smarter work must be done to “conquer the scourge of poverty”.

A chef who was caught at the Cheddi Jagan Inter-national Airport (CJIA), Timehri trafficking over 500 grammes of cocaine, was yesterday sentenced to three years in prison, and fined $1.4 million, after he pleaded guilty to the charge of drug trafficking.

Swag Entertainment, Good Fellas, Future Stars and Cherokee Park sealed berths to the round of 16 when the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Linden edition continued at the Mackenzie Market Tarmac Tuesday.

Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma has opposed a statement made by the Guyana Public Service Union’s (GPSU’s) attorney, claiming that the AG’s office is responsible for its accounts not being audited for the past 12 years.

After more than four hours of deliberation yesterday, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) selected a committee to renegotiate the contract between the City and Smart City Solutions (SCS), with Councillor Malcolm Ferreira of Team Legacy as its Chairman and Councillor Noella Chow-Chee of APNU+AFC, as the Vice-chairman.

The cream of the nation’s wheelsmen along with casual riders will have a chance to compete for lucrative cash prizes on Sunday when the second annual Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day gets underway at 10:00hr at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary .

The cane cutter, who allegedly chopped off the hand of a police constable on Sunday, was yesterday charged with attempted murder and remanded to prison when he appeared before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

British Minister of State, Baroness Anelay has announced that she will be visiting Guyana from May 1-3, 2017 as part of a three-country tour, which includes Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Disgraced former football supremo, Jack Warner, has launched a US$40 million countersuit against continental governing body, CONCACAF, and FIFA Council member Sunil Gulati, for “persistent defamation of character.”

-prosecution closes case The prosecution yesterday closed its case against Lennox Wayne called `Two Colours’ and Melroy Doris, who are accused of murdering Lusignan beautician, Ashmini Harriram.

If the number of female athletes (seven) and the high level of competition seen in the male segment at the just concluded Novices Bodybuilding Championships said something, it must have been “local bodybuilding is on the rise.”

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Barbados brushed aside Windward Islands to take control of the Women’s Regional Super50 while Trinidad and Tobago kept Jamaica winless, following the fourth round of the competition here yesterday.

Twenty-one persons were rescued from a sinking vessel in the Essequibo River yesterday morning, after the boat began taking in water.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Captain Jason Holder has urged his struggling batting line-up to improve, especially in the first innings, as West Indies chase an important series-levelling victory against Pakistan in the second Test starting Sunday in Barbados.

Neville Smith, a detective from the New York Police Department (NYPD), who is accused of being the drunk driver behind the wheels of the vehicle which was involved in the fatal accident that claimed the life of Guyanese, Vanessa Raghubar was charged with criminally negligent homicide during a brief hospital arraignment yesterday, officials said.

An autopsy examination performed by pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh yesterday, on Mark Ifill who was fatally stabbed on Tuesday afternoon, revealed that he died as a result of punctured lungs.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Batsman Roston Chase and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph were two of the biggest movers in the latest International Cricket Council player rankings released yesterday, with both achieving career-best positions.

Several weeks after Toshao Lenox Shuman of St. Cuthbert’s Mission was cleared of wrongdoing at the level of the village council, he is expected to make an appearance today at the at the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court to answer a charge of public indecency.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – West Indies speedster Shannon Gabriel will part with half of his match fee after being found guilty by ICC match referee, Chris Broad, of deliberately bumping Sarfraz Ahmed during the just-concluded opening Test against Pakistan.

Dear Editor, I write in response to your editorial `KSM Investments factory’ (SN April 21, 2017) and acknowledge the concerns raised in regards to the enforcement of the National Building Code and the monitoring of the quality of building materials used in the construction sector.

Several farmers of Region Five protested yesterday, at the Regional Executive Officer’s (REO) office, in Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice, against the REO’s proposal to repossess land currently occupied by them.

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) new constitution moved a step closer to reality on a dramatic afternoon in Dubai as cricket’s Full Members exercised their collective will to outvote the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

(Reuters) – U.S. businesses would reap a windfall if President Donald Trump’s plan to cut corporate tax rates and slash taxes on cash parked overseas becomes law, but it was unclear whether they would stimulate a surge in investment and job creation in return.

Sugar workers say they were denied their rights to go ahead with a public march on Tuesday afternoon that the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) organized over government’s plan to close the Enmore estate.

Dear Editor, It is nothing surprising for me when Pope Francis comes up with innovative ways to reach out to people especially with his down to earth message of love and unity.

Cabinet has given its ‘no-objection’ to $150M in rehabilitative works for the drainage and irrigation systems in priority areas of Georgetown ahead of the May/June rains.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – India failed to submit its squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy by the Tuesday midnight deadline and, as it tries to thrash out a better revenue deal with cricket’s governing body, the world’s richest board has not ruled out boycotting the tournament altogether.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – West Indies have been slapped with a fine for slow over-rate, adding to the pain of their seven-wicket defeat in the opening Test against Pakistan here Tuesday.

Dear Editor, I refer to an article in the Stabroek News of Tuesday, April 25th, 2017, captioned `APNU councillor tables motion aimed at sanctioning gross misconduct against Mayor.’

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The Trump administration said yesterday it aimed to push North Korea into dismantling its nuclear and missile programmes through tougher international sanctions and diplomatic pressure, and remained open to negotiations to bring that about.

CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) – A South African pact with Russia’s Rosatom to build nuclear reactors was deemed unlawful by a High Court on Wednesday, casting fresh doubt over the country’s energy plans.

(BBC) Surrey and England all-rounder Zafar Ansari has retired from cricket at the age of 25, saying he has “other ambitions that I want to fulfil”.

Dear Editor, Minister Joe Harmon recently announced that a White Paper detailing government’s future plans for the sugar industry will be laid in the National Assembly.

Dear Editor, It is with great sadness that I learnt of the passing of Munilall, former national cricketer and one of the leading batsmen  of his time at the senior level, what was then known as Case Cup.

Magistrate Judy Latchman was forced to adjourn her court, due to uncontrollable outbursts and interruptions from Regan Rodrigues, the man accused of murdering political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing, during the testimony of Police Assistant Superintendent Mitchell Caesar, as the recently re-opened preliminary inquiry into the murder, continued yesterday.

(IPL) The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) yesterday surged to the top of the VIVO IPL 2017 standings on the back of a clinical seven-wicket win over Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS).

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – Venezuela said yesterday it was withdrawing from the Organization of American States, deepening the diplomatic isolation of the socialist-run nation that is already out of step with Latin America’s steady shift to the right.

BERKELEY, Calif.,  (Reuters) – Conservative commentator Ann Coulter said she had scrapped plans to speak today at the University of California at Berkeley in defiance of campus officials, who had barred her original engagement this week out of concerns about inciting violent protests.

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO,  (Reuters) – Brazilian Senators, two dozen of whom are being investigated for corruption, pushed through a bill yesterday that many prosecutors and judges say curbs their ability to carry out probes, mainly those targeting the politicians themselves.

Dear Editor, We read today that GTT announced that work is well underway to apply the latest generation of networking technologies and equipment to its broadband network.

(The Sports Xchange) – Lou Williams scored 10 points during an opening burst in the fourth quarter, and James Harden finished with a team-high 34 points as the Houston Rockets rallied for a 105-99 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night to claim their Western Conference first-round playoff series in five games.

Two Port Mourant men are now nursing chop wounds to their heads and fingers, after a chopping incident on Monday afternoon.

The United States Embassy is happy to share information about the requirements for minor children traveling to the United States.

Dear Editor, City Hall is one of the most beautiful buildings in Guyana if not in the wider Caribbean.

ASUNCION, (Reuters) – Paraguay’s lower house of Congress yesterday rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed for presidential re-election, ending a month-long political crisis that aroused violent protests.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – A prison riot in Venezuela’s eastern state of Anzoategui has left at least 12 people dead and 11 wounded, a spokesman at the Prisons Ministry said on Wednesday, the latest incident in the crisis-hit country’s overcrowded and violent jail system.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – President Donald Trump is considering issuing an executive order to pull the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement, senior administration officials said yesterday, although the timing of the action is uncertain.

STUTTGART, Germany, (Reuters) – Former world number one Maria Sharapova made a winning comeback to the tour yesterday following her 15-month doping ban, beating Italian Roberta Vinci in straight sets in the first round of the Stuttgart Grand Prix.

A part of the structure which is being built to support the Indian Arrival Monument at Palmyra, Corentyne, collapsed on Tuesday afternoon.

A report last week that Guyana was moving to draft a strategic plan for elderly care was welcome news, especially the knowledge that said plan would ensure that seniors’ rights are respected and upheld.

Glance at any map of the Caribbean and one cannot but notice the distinctive arc of the small islands elegantly sweeping the blue sea.

Nykose Gritten, the Laing Avenue man who police say was shot last week during a gunfight with cops, was on Tuesday charged with the armed robbery of a vendor and was remanded to prison.