Daily Archive: Wednesday, May 31, 2017

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Discarded two-time Twenty20 World Cup-winning captain, Darren Sammy, has blamed West Indies’ recent travails in the one-day format on the controversial eligibility rule which has robbed the Caribbean side of its senior players.

An agent from the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) was among four persons who were denied bail at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of trafficking in 84.9 kilos of cocaine.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – President Donald Trump will follow through on a campaign pledge to pull the United States out of a global pact to fight climate change, a source briefed on the decision told Reuters, a move that should rally his support base at home while deepening a rift with U.S.

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Twenty20 World Cup star, Johnson Charles, stroked a half-century but was the only bright spark as Afghanistan opened their limited overs tour of the Caribbean with a 12-run victory over the WICB President’s XI here Tuesday night.

KABUL, (Reuters) – A powerful bomb hidden in a sewage tanker exploded in the morning rush hour in the centre of the Afghan capital on Wednesday, police said, killing at least 80 people, wounding hundreds and damaging embassy buildings.

A Queens, New York woman tried to block federal immigration officers from arresting her Guyanese husband yesterday morning, prompting a standoff when neighbours  started ripping into President  Donald Trump, law-enforcement sources said, according to a report in today’s New York Post.

The nearly two dozen persons held for alleged illegal mining in the Kaieteur National Park (KNP) were yesterday afternoon released from custody and although they maintained their innocence, they were served with summons to attend court in July to answer charges that they acted in contravention of the Protected Areas Act.

Trevor Rodrigues, the man held last Friday after a police search of his Duncan Street, Campbellville home unearthed a little over 25 pounds of cocaine as well as handguns and ammunition, was yesterday charged with drug trafficking and unlawful possession of munitions.

An Adelphi man died yesterday midday after the tractor he was operating in a rice field located at the backlands of New Forest, Canje, Berbice, toppled, submerging him in the mud and pinning him to his death.

Minibus driver Kevin Farrell was yesterday sentenced to three years in jail after being found guilty of causing the death of his conductor after a crash along the Herstelling Public Road last year.

Five persons, including well-known motorbike racer Stephen Vieira and race car driver Nazim Gafoor, will today be charged over the almost 85 kilos of cocaine that were unearthed in dressed lumber at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, almost three weeks ago.

A building contractor was yesterday remanded to prison after he was charged with the D’Urban and Smyth streets accident that claimed the life of cricket coach Daniel Richmond and left another person clinging on to life.

Just before 8 last night,  two men,  one of whom was armed with a shotgun,  robbed the GST-Super-market at Chateau Margot, East Coast Demerara.

The Final Report from the infrastructural assessment carried out by the Guyana Defence Force Engineers’ Corps and the Guyana Water Incorporated in wake of the recent flash floods in Regions Seven and Eight is expected to be handed over to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) today.

An attempt by Lethem Mayor Carlton Beckles to hoist a proposed regional flag as part of Independence celebrations without the approval of the Regional Demo-cratic Council (RDC) of Region 9 has seen both parties calling in the police.

A Mahaica, East Coast Demerara housewife was last week placed on bail after being charged with attempting to bribe a police officer on May 20 following the arrest of her husband.

National awards should be conferred on ordinary citizens making notable positive changes in their communities and not just the “elites,” according to Working People’s Alliance (WPA) executive Dr David Hinds.

Is the Champions Trophy even watchable without West Indies in it?

Andre Gouveia, the Vene-zuela-based Guyanese who was shot three times along the border between Guyana and Venezuela on Saturday, says he was the victim of a gang of robbers who tried to chop off one of his hands Gouveia, 34, a miner, was admitted as a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) after being transferred from a health facility in Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), where he first sought medical attention after the shooting.

Dozens of small miners from various mining syndicates from around the country yesterday staged a protest outside of the Guy-ana Geology and Mines Commission Headquarters, while claiming that they were still being treated unfairly by the agency.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – England have never won a global 50-over tournament but they will not get a better chance to end their long wait than in this year’s Champions Trophy on home soil.

Sea defence breaches have resulted in the flooding of Bartica, which Mayor Gifford Marshall says will be spending some $3 million to correct the broken infrastructure and to assist with the cleaning up.

MADRID, (Reuters) – Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale said yesterday he regretted rushing back from ankle surgery earlier in the season and admitted he was not fully fit for the Champions League final against Juventus in his home city of Cardiff.

LONDON, CMC – Reggae Boy Garath McCleary says Reading FC will use the disappointment of losing Monday’s Championship playoff final to Huddersfield FC, to bounce back even stronger next season.

Henry Hinds, a process foreman at the Wales estate, received severance payments three months ago and failing to secure another job, has decided to invest the money in fixing his car to work taxi.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority’s (CH&PA) opening of tenders for the Construction of Duplexes in Onderneeming in Regions 2 and 3, Perseverance in Region 4 and Experiment in Region 5 at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) was yesterday postponed.

HONG KONG, (Reuters) – Kong Linghui, one of China’s best-known table tennis players and now head coach of the country’s national women’s team, is facing a HK$2.55 million ($327,000) lawsuit over a gambling debt to a luxury hotel in Singapore, according to a Hong Kong court writ.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) will be using data collected during the Housing Solutions 2017 and Beyond Expo to inform future housing developments, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the agency Lelon Saul said on Monday.

PARIS,  (Reuters) – World number one Andy Murray defied expectations that he would struggle at this year’s French Open by beating Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov 6-4 4-6 6-2 6-0 in the first round yesterday, but day three at Roland Garros still served up plenty of other upsets.

Both drivers involved in the accident that claimed the life of businessman Derek Mangal remained in custody yesterday, according to Traffic Chief Dion Moore.

T&T’S Dexter St Louis and Anthony Corbin stayed on course to reach the main draw of the men’s doubles competition at the Llebherr 2017 World Table Tennis Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany.

PARIS, (Reuters) – Maxime Hamou was banished from the French Open yesterday after the French player kissed and cuddled a TV journalist following his first-round exit, the French tennis federation (FFT) said.

(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)

India’s campaign for Champions Trophy has begun under a cloud of discontent within the dressing room with the captain, and possibly a few other senior players, expressing a lack of confidence in their head coach.

The residents of Molsen Creek, Corentyne are pleading with the authorities to fix their main access dam which is presently in a deplorable state.

(Reuters) – The Golden State Warriors are so flush with talent they can unseat the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals even if they are not firing on all cylinders, TV pundits said yesterday.

Dear Editor, Later today, a small percentage of the country’s lawyers will assemble in the High Court for the annual general meeting of the Guyana Bar Association whose membership excludes lawyers employed by the State.

PANAMA CITY, (Reuters) – Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, who spied for the United States before his drug trafficking and brutality triggered a U.S.

The Board of Directors of the Caribbean Develop-ment Bank (CDB) last week Monday approved a grant of $161 million, the equivalent of GBP603,000 (1GBP = $268) to fund a feasibility study and designs for the rehabilitation of the coastal and river infrastructure in the Georgetown area.

BAGHDAD,  (Reuters) – Two car bombs and a suicide bomber killed at least 35 people in Baghdad and in a city to the west, and wounded more than 100 in Tuesday attacks targeting the late-night crowds typical of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, security sources said.

Dear Editor, We, the former heads of state and government who have signed declarations of the Democratic Initiative of Spain and the Americas (IDEA-Democrática), respectfully address the Honourable Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organiza-tion of American States, in order to express publicly our concern regarding the breach of constitutional and democratic order, as well as the systematic and generalised violation of human rights that is currently taking place in Venezuela under the government of Nicolás Maduro and its armed forces.

The Ministry of Public Health is moving to set up a new procurement department, which would be responsible for contract management, including ensuring that suppliers deliver drugs after they are paid, according to Permanent Secretary Collette Adams.

Dear Editor, The nation would recall that on May 9, 2017, a Kaieteur News headline stated, ‘Over 200 persons blacklisted from leaving Guyana -SOCU.’

LONDON,  (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party risks falling short of winning an overall majority of seats in parliament in a national election on June 8, The Times newspaper said yesterday, quoting research by polling firm YouGov.

In an effort to continue its developmental programme, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has appointed a Schools’ Development Officer (SDO) and a Youth Development Coach (YDC).

CARACAS/NEW YORK, (Reuters/IFR) – Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s statement that it never transacted directly with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro when it bought $2.8 billion of bonds for pennies on the dollar was dismissed by the country’s opposition yesterday as an effort to “put lipstick on this pig.”

  Residents of Albouystown/ Charlestown can once again access medical services from the Albouystown Health Centre, which was declared open on Monday by Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence.

GENEVA, (Reuters) – Tobacco growing causes “massive harm” to the environment through extensive use of chemicals, energy and water, and pollution from manufacturing and distribution, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday.

Dear Editor, Since 2015, the framers of the National Mental Health Action Plan (NMHAP) 2015-20  have been talking about shifting towards a community- based mental health care model instead of institutionalised care.

VICTORIA, British Columbia,  (Reuters) – The two parties set to take power in Canada’s Pacific province of British Columbia vowed yesterday to block Kinder Morgan Inc’s plans to expand an oil pipeline, setting up a fight with energy-rich Alberta and the federal government.

An autopsy has confirmed that Lusignan handyman Narine Singh died from blunt force trauma consistent with a fall.

LONDON, (Reuters) – South Africa have been buoyed by Monday’s one-day international win over England at Lord’s and the side will go into this week’s Champions Trophy with confidence, said coach Russell Domingo.

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said yesterday he is trying to convince U.S.

(Reuters) – England will learn from their early collapse in Monday’s one-day international defeat to South Africa at Lord’s, captain Eoin Morgan said ahead of their Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh tomorrow.

(Trinidad Express) Good news on gas is on the horizon. The Express understands British Petroleum (BP) has had success in its exploration of two wells — Savannah and Macadamia.

Dear Editor, My recent letter about servant leadership in Guyana and the need to find a win-win solution for Guyanese taxpayers and GuySuCo was turned into a magnificent masquerade by a letter written by the bosses of GAWU.

Last Thursday, hundreds of students from Mabaruma in Region One came together to participate in a rally, aimed at raising awareness for youth suicide and suicide prevention.

(Reuters) – An unprecedented third straight NBA Finals clash between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors may highlight the league’s lack of parity but will be a ratings bonanza nonetheless, say sports industry analysts.

In ‘Under the PPP/C Guyana had the fastest growing economy in the region’ (SN: 22/05/2017), former president Donald Ramotar presented some isolated truths, but the story he wove around them was essentially false.

Dear Editor, Guyana’s has a proud football history; ask any of the old players and members for Pele, Santos, Camptown, etc, and they will all tell you how proud and excited they were to play and be a part of football. 

MEXICO CITY,  (Reuters) – Mexico’s top diplomat Luis Videgaray said yesterday that Venezuela is no longer a functioning democracy, one day before foreign ministers from across the Americas are due to meet to discuss the crisis gripping the South American country.

The Minister of Finance made it clear that a reduction in the VAT rate would require that the list of taxable items be expanded.

BRASILIA, (Reu-ters) – Brazilian Presi-dent Michel Temer must respond within 24 hours to federal police questions about his alleged involvement in a sprawling political graft probe, a Supreme Court judge ruled yesterday, a source with direct knowledge of the investigation told Reuters.

Tomorrow, Thursday, June 1, the eighth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy begins in London, England with Bangladesh taking on the hosts at the Oval.