Daily Archive: Friday, June 23, 2017

(Reuters) – Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane compiled an opening partnership of 132 for India against West Indies before rain washed out the first one-day international in Trinidad today.

In the wake of government’s  approval of its production licence, ExxonMobil today advertised for a range of services as it ramps up operations to draw oil from the huge Liza well offshore in 2020.

LONDON, (Reuters) – A fire that killed at least 79 people at a London tower block started in a Hotpoint fridge freezer, and the outside cladding engulfed by the blaze has since been shown to fail all safety tests, London police said on Friday.

The local paper and paper container manufacturing company Caribbean Container Inc (CCI) has announced that with effect from the end of June it will be suspending the operations of its Paper Recycling Plant and reverting immediately to imported paper as the primary raw material for its box manufacturing facility.

Approved in April this year, Guyana and the World Bank yesterday signed a US$13.3M loan agreement which will see a major focus on maths  teaching and the training of 6,500 teachers.

In a bid to minimize inundation from heavy rain, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has so far spent over $120 million on ensuring that drains and canals are properly cleaned, Town Clerk Royston King said yesterday.

The police have launched an investigation into Wednesday afternoon’s fatal attack inside in the New Amsterdam Prison and three inmates were yesterday identified as the alleged attackers.

President David Granger has declared that there is more to the militarisation of a state than the mere appointment of persons with military service to public posts.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Estranged West Indies left-hander Darren Bravo has accused Cricket West Indies of not affording him due process, in the decision to axe him from the Tri-Series tour of Zimbabwe last November and bar him from future selection.

The six former Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) members, including two opposition parliamentarians, who were charged with failing to record entries for funds amounting to over $250 million in the agency’s general ledger, were yesterday allowed to plead to the charges.

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has ruled that the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) shall be able to continue to offer its “Get More Pay Less” promotion until August 2017.

The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) officially launched the 2017 edition of the National Senior Championship, yesterday at their head-office in Alberttown.

KAZAN,Russia(Reuters) – Alexis Sanchez became Chile’s all-time leading scorer when he grabbed an early goal in their 1-1 draw against Germany at the Confederations Cup on Thursday.

President David Granger on Wednes-day said that he is actively looking at ways to have some of the female juveniles offenders being held at the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) on the Essequibo coast reunited with their families.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, (Reuters) – Australia fought back to draw 1-1 with Cameroon in the Confederations Cup on Thursday, a result that further dents both countries’ hopes of progressing in the eight-team tournament in Russia.

Patricia Amanda Ronald, the woman whose partially decomposed body was found on a dam at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD) during last week, died from drowning, according to the results of an autopsy.

OAKHAM, England,CMC – Head coach Vasbert Drakes says the challenge for the struggling West Indies Women will be to find confidence, as they desperately search for winning form ahead of opening game of the ICC Women’s World Cup next Monday against reigning champions Australia Women.

The United States Department of State intends to convene an annual meeting with Caribbean leaders as part of efforts to increase institutionalized engagement for more effective coordination.

With over 80 persons from both the public and private sectors responding to the National Procurement and Tender Administration’s (NPTA) call for additional evaluators of government contracts, the agency yesterday announced that payment will be upped from $3000 per contract.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – West Indies are not taking any comfort from coaching controversy overshadowing India’s trip to the Caribbean, as they look to turn the tables on the powerhouses in the opening One-Day International of the five-match series bowling off here today.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Revenue Authority wishes to respond to a recent letter from Sase Singh in the Stabroek News and Kaieteur News captioned ‘Why has the GRA’s Annual Report for 2015 not been laid in Parliament?’

LONDON,(Reuters) – Afghanistan and Ireland will join the ranks of full test-playing nations after receiving the backing of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) conference on Thursday.

Dear Editor, I am flummoxed by the PPP’s sudden urge to go after APNU and AFC MPs for failing to submit constitutionally required declarations to the Integrity Commission for the period 2001 to 2015 (‘PPP/C to pursue private charges against PNCR, APNU MPs who flouted integrity law,’ SN, June 22).

LONDON,(Reuters) – Afghanistan and Ireland will join the ranks of full test-playing nations after receiving the backing of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) conference on Thursday.

Guyana will soon begin rolling out its electronic payment system, scrapping its old paper method, as it yesterday formally clinched a US$6M loan from the World Bank.

Dear Editor, Since it was revealed that the Government of Guyana was previously renting a five bedroom house for $500,000 per month for Minister Broomes, along with covering unlimited VAT inclusive electricity consumption, I believe the people of Guyana would like to know and ought to know which other ministers are or were getting houses rented for them, and what is or was the rent.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday  he did not make and does not possess any tapes of his conversations with James Comey, after suggesting last month that he might have recordings that could damage the former FBI director.

LONDON, (Reuters) – The top seeds have been scattered but Marin Cilic and Sam Querrey continued the charge of former winners at the Aegon Championships on Thursday as they reached the quarter-finals.

SBM Offshore yesterday  announced that ExxonMobil has formally confirmed the award of contracts for the next phase of the Liza project in Guyana.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – The Supreme Court handed a setback to the Trump administration yesterday by making it harder for the government to strip immigrants of U.S.

Swift action by a Community Policing Group (CPG) on Wednesday night led to the arrest of a driver who was moments before involved in the robbery of a Kuru Kururu labourer at Mon Repos on the East Coast of Demerara.

(Reuters) – Britain’s Johanna Konta crashed out of the Aegon Classic in the second round on Thursday, suffering a 6-1 6-3 loss to impressive American Coco Vandeweghe at the event in Birmingham, England.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) refers to a letter titled ‘GuySuCo is inviting sugar workers who feel misled to meet with management’ which appeared in the June 21, 2017 edition of Stabroek News.

Local Content So far, these columns have taken a narrative approach and it was intended that once all the information was placed on the table, some analysis, both critical and policy directed, could be undertaken.

Dear Editor, I was given a prescription by my doctor to buy 3 jars of Sudacream to heal my incision after I underwent a surgery at the Suddie Public Hospital over two months ago.

(Reuters) – Former world number one Victoria Azarenka’s return from maternity leave was cut short by young Croatian Ana Konjuh at the Mallorca Open on Thursday.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Republicans yesterday unveiled legislation that would replace Obamacare with a plan that scales back aid to the poor and kills a tax on the wealthy, but the bill’s fate was quickly thrown into question as several senators voiced skepticism.

Dear Editor, On November 27, 2011, the day before the general and regional elections this newspaper afforded me the privilege of publishing the last of several letters leading up to that election condemning the performance of the last administration.

(Reuters) – Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt will run the 100 metres at the Herculis EBS meeting in Monaco on July 21, two weeks before his final world championships appearance in London, organisers said on Wednesday.

Paddy production for the first crop this year is up by 26% over last year although exports are down over the same period.

Things may be ‘looking up’ for the agro-processing sector as the Guyana Marketing Corporation’s Robb and Alexander streets Guyana Shop seeks to promote a wider range of local spreads, spices and sauces in an effort to secure greater traction on the local market for small and medium-scale producers.

JOHANNESBURG/CAPE TOWN,  (Reuters) – South Africa’s top court ruled yesterday that secret ballots may be held for motions of no confidence in parliament, a potential blow to the tenure of beleaguered President Jacob Zuma who said such a vote would be unfair.

Dear Editor, The APNU+AFC regime has been propagating the lie to say that they inherited a bankrupt economy.

LONDON, (Reuters) – England paceman Stuart Broad suffered an injury scare ahead of the four-test series against South Africa when he left the field with a heel problem after bowling just one over for his county Nottinghamshire against Leicestershire on Wednesday.

The governments of Guyana and Colombia on Wednesday  signed an `Agreement on Mutual Exemption of Visa for Holders of Ordinary Passports’, a release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said yesterday.

By Karen Abrams and  Leon Caleb Watching the youngsters put the finishing touches to the arrangements for Guyana’s first National Robot Exhibition which takes place at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall tomorrow, Saturday June 24, we are inclined to reflect on the impact that the STEMGuyana project has made on the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands of Guyanese youngsters. 

BOGOTA, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Children living in hundreds of orphanages in Haiti suffer sexual and physical abuse and some are trafficked into orphanages for profit, according to a charity founded by “Harry Potter” author J.K.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – A justice at Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court has delivered to the country’s top prosecutor the bulk of an investigation into allegations that Presi-dent Michel Temer took bribes in exchange for political favours doled out to meatpacker JBS SA.

The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE)  will be prioritising applicants for the September 2017 intake as it expects to have far more applicants than places.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 726’s trading results showed

CANCUN, Mexico  (Reuters) – The Organization of American States failed on Wednesday to issue a formal declaration condemning Venezuela’s government for its handling of the political and economic crisis in the South American country, despite a last-minute push by Mexico and the United States.

Dear Editor, Like the rest of the world Guyana has been changing, as indeed it must, to avoid being left behind in the globally competitive environment.

MANCHESTER, England,(Reuters) – The English Football Association has ended its sponsorship deals with betting company Ladbrokes and confirmed it was ceasing all commercial agreements with gambling firms.

In the months ahead, the Amerindian community of Quarrie, situated in the Rupununi Savannah, will be embarking on a journey of economic transformation.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Chris Froome will have the benefit of a formidable Team Sky support crew as the Briton seeks a fourth Tour de France victory next month.

Rice farmer and President the Essequibo Paddy Association Naith Ram says that the transformation in the fortunes of Region Two rice farmers in the wake of the disappearance of the PetroCaribe agreement with neighbouring Venezuela has been nothing short of dramatic.

LISBON,  (Reuters) – A Portuguese judge has ruled that corruption and money laundering charges brought by prosecutors against Angolan Vice President Manuel Vicente were valid and all suspects in the case, which has angered Angolan authorities, should stand trial.

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – Venezuelan troops yesterday fired what appeared to be rubber bullets at protesters as they attacked the perimeter of an airbase, and a demonstrator was killed, bringing the death toll to at least 76 in unrest since April.

Dear Editor, I watch the news often but was shocked and flabbergasted when I saw the recent behaviour of Minister Raphael Trotman in Parliament.

The Ministry of Education yesterday notified all School Administrators, DCEOs, ACEOs, REDOs, DEOs, School Boards and Headteachers across the country that any exams scheduled for Monday June 26, 2017 be rescheduled.

GASCI Summary of Financials Session 726 June 19, 2017

As a nation, we are approaching the point of possibly becoming a major producer of oil and gas producer, though just how big a player we will be can only be determined with the passage of time in circumstances where our understanding of the industry, its dynamics and its complexities is worryingly limited.

Gold Prices for the three-day period   ending Thursday June 22, 2017

NEW YORK,(Reuters) – The Philadelphia 76ers selected University of Washington guard Markelle Fultz with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday, bolstering the team’s young core by adding the 19-year-old playmaker.

UNITED NATIONS,  (Reuters) – The United Nations General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice on Thursday to give an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Britain’s separation of the Chagos archipelago from Mauritius more than 50 years ago.

HAVANA, (Reuters) – The liberalization of marijuana laws is fueling drug trafficking but Cuba will not follow the trend of loosening restrictions on marijuana, a government official said yesterday.

Dear Editor, There has been significant negativity surrounding the elevation to the demanding position of Minister of Education (ag) of Ms Nicolette Henry. 

-Miss Guyana World: The Wright choice! A few readers took time to mention that they appreciated last Friday’s shorter format; I’ll try again today.

The eastern side of the Bagotville, West Bank Demerara  access bridge will now be closed to vehicular traffic after sections of the brigde started to sink last evening.

In his 2017 budget speech Finance Minister Winston Jordan assured the nation that government would be prioritising mental health and also training more professionals in this area.

Chief Executive Officer of local company Swiss Machinery, Harold Beharry, has told Stabroek Business that tomorrow’s One Stop Diesel Expo being staged at the Georgetown Club represents a direct service to key areas of the Guyana economy since it targets equipment and machinery that is critical to the operations of important sectors.

(Prepared by the Guyana Marketing Corporation and published by Stabroek Business as a public service)

The government on Wednesday presented $1M cheques to 13 secondary schools under the National Endowment for Science and Technology (NEST) programme to boost STEM (Science, Techno-logy, Engineering and Mathematics) education delivery.