Daily Archive: Tuesday, November 7, 2017

The ex-husband of Babita Sarjou and another man were today both committed to stand trial for her murder.

  President David Granger, this morning, said that the Government of Guyana welcomes the $10M donation from ExxonMobil Guyana and their partners Hess and Nexen towards this country’s relief effort for Caribbean countries affected by the devastating storms during the current hurricane season.

ZURICH,  (Reuters) – Former Namibian sprinter Frankie Fredericks was suspended by the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday after being placed under formal investigation in France in a probe into allegations of vote buying to win the 2016 Summer Olympics for Rio de Janeiro.

First Lady,  Sandra Granger on Saturday encouraged children gathered on the lawns of State House, New Amsterdam, East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six) to stay in school and to pursue every opportunity to learn in order to fulfil their potential.

(Trinidad Guardian) Police are now hunting for the driver who never stopped after he ran into Kimchan Roopnarine and Patricia Ali in Penal on Sunday night, killing them on the spot.

The People’s Republic of China yesterday formally handed over vehicles and other equipment worth a total US$2.6 million to the Guyana Police Force, as part of its continued support for the government’s crime fighting strategies.

A husband and wife were yesterday granted self-bail, after they were accused of attempting to smuggle just over four pounds of raw gold, worth an estimated $14.6 million, out of the country.

A National Insurance Scheme (NIS) employee was yesterday charged with causing the death of biker Ronaldo Jaundoo, following a collision at James and Barr streets, Albouystown, last week.

A 22-year-old Duncan Street, Bel Air man is currently being questioned by police in connection with the discovery of teacher Kescia Branche, who was found unconscious on the side of the road in the vicinity of Princes Street and Louisa Row, Georgetown, on Sunday morning.

Former Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) Dr  Steve Surujbally has advised his successor Justice James Patterson to push for the introduction of electronic voting and to resuscitate talks to commence an elections management course at the University of Guyana.

A Kitty resident was yesterday charged with causing the death of a 61-year-old cook during a hit and run in July.

A De Willem, West Coast Demerara resident drowned on Sunday morning, after he and his friends went for a swim in the ocean, near the De Willem Koker.

A Williamsburg, Corentyne man yesterday appeared before the Albion Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder after the neighbour he is accused of chopping multiple times succumbed to his injuries two Sundays ago.

A female guard has been taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting of Sophia resident Jamal Munroe and the police are pursuing several other suspects, including her son, who is alleged to have been the shooter.

The High Court yesterday threw out a $125 million defamation suit that was filed by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall against his successor Basil Williams SC due to the failure by his attorneys to adhere to strict timelines set by the court.

Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran SC has successfully represented Trinidad High Commissioner to India, Dave Persad, in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) in London, United Kingdom, in the case of Dave Persad (Appellant) v Anirude Singh (Respondent) which was heard on June 21.

President David Granger’s unilateral appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission is undemocratic and has been compounded by his refusal to provide reasons for the rejection of nominees by the Opposition Leader, according a lengthy statement from Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI).

Shareef Bacchus, who was charged with fatally stabbing a fellow fisherman in July, was yesterday committed to stand trial for murder.

James McKenzie, the driver of the Route 40 bus whose windows were reportedly refitted with dark tinting after they had been stripped off by police, was charged last Thursday.

Yesterday morning, the Ministry of Education launched The Model Safe School Programme (MSSP) Training and Competition in the auditorium of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).

A Linden gold miner has been charged with stealing over half million dollars in valuables during break-ins in the town.

The Guyana Court of Appeal yesterday varied the death sentence imposed upon Janaite Lall for the 2007 murder of his brother, Daveanand Sookdeo, imposing instead a 20-year prison term, with remission of some 10 years for time served.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Three-time reigning champions, Guyana Jaguars, are already beginning to pull away from the pack, after just two rounds of the 2017 Regional Four-Day Championship.

Central government and regional authorities continue to face difficulties in the purchase and distribution of drugs and medical supplies across the 10 regions, according to the Auditor General’s Report for 2016.

Ariel Speedboat successfully retained the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association (GFSCA) Guyana Cup Seven title on Sunday evening after defeating Boots All Stars by three runs in a last over thriller played at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground.

SYLHET, Bangladesh, CMC – West Indies opener Evin Lewis lashed a half-century as Dhaka Dynamites rebounded from their opening day defeat with a convincing 65-run victory over Khulna Titans in the Bangladesh Premier League here Sunday.

The University of Guyana last evening launched its Psychology programme, which, for the first time, will allow students in the Social Sciences to pursue Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree courses in the discipline from next year.

Land preparation and development has commenced at Plantation Prosperity, East Bank Demerara, which has been identified for the relocation of squatters from Lombard and Broad streets, Georgetown, according to Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Chief Executive Officer Lelon Saul.

A 24-year-old Rose Hall Town hire car driver was yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined $61,200 for possession of cannabis when he, along with his father and brother, appeared at the Albion Magistrate Court.

Despite failing in their quest to return with medals from the Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships, the five young local teen riders would have gained valuable experience and exposure following the event this past weekend in Barbados.

The national cricket selectors have made one change to the surging Guyana Jaguars 13-man squad for their third round encounter against second place Leeward Islands Hurricanes which begins Thursday at Warner Park, St Kitts.

After the last shot was fired at the Commonwealth Shooting Federation (CSF) championships which ended yesterday at the Belmont Shooting Centre, Brisbane, Australia, Guyanese riflemen Lennox Braithwaite and Mahendra Persaud were in the top 10 of world-rated shooters.

Mabaruma, in Region One, will benefit from a mini wharf, which will bring relief to residents and boat operators who are using the current wharf which is expected undergo repairs shortly.

Berbice police have so far placed four persons from different villages in Canje under arrest in connection with the recent robbery on a beer garden located at Number 65 Village, Corentyne during which over 20 patrons were robbed of cash amounting to a total of $1M.

ZURICH, (Reuters) – India’s football federation (AIFF) has been reminded by FIFA that it cannot be influenced by legal or political inference from inside the country, the global soccer body said.

The management of The Guyana Annual is appealing to artists to make submissions for its 2018 edition, as the closing date for its competitions draws near.

LAHORE, Pakistan,  CMC – The proposed historic three-match Twenty20 series between West Indies and Pakistan scheduled for later this month here, is now unlikely to come off before after March next year.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – England’s pace spearhead James Anderson is keen to bowl with the pink Kookaburra ball in the day-night warm-up game in Adelaide to gain an experience which he believes will come in handy in their Ashes campaign against Australia.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Australia paceman Mitchell Starc fired an ominous warning to England ahead of the Ashes series with a hat-trick for New South Wales on the second day of a Sheffield Shield match yesterday.

Dear Editor, Last week Guyanese at home and abroad were treated to the sight of the opposition holding up placards and loudly disrupting the President’s address in parliament, to protest what they see as his unilateral appointment of Justice James Patterson as the new GECOM Chairman.

RIYADH,  (Reuters) – A campaign of mass arrests of Saudi Arabian royals, ministers and businessmen expanded yesterday after a top entrepreneur was reportedly detained in the biggest anti-corruption purge of the kingdom’s affluent elite in its modern history.

Dear Editor, After reading a letter in Stabroek News  on Friday,  November 3rd 2017 entitled:- `Gov’t should halt HPV vaccination programme, there are better options’, I am obliged to reply to the authors in their own interest and in the interest of the public.

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas, (Reuters) – A former U.S. serviceman who shot 26 worshipers to death during Sunday prayers in Texas was embroiled in a domestic dispute with his in-laws and had sent threatening text messages to his wife’s mother before the massacre, officials said yesterday.

(The Sports Xchange) – For the second time in three days, it took until the mid-fourth quarter for Madison Square Garden to come alive.

BRUSSELS,  (Reuters) – European Union states will today bring forward a discussion on plans for a tax havens’ blacklists after newly leaked documents revealed investments by wealthy individuals and institutions around the globe, officials said.

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – Sri Lanka have dropped batsmen Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva from the squad for the three-test series in India, starting next week, while fit-again all-rounder Angelo Mathews has returned from injury.

Dear Editor, Much has been said about our protest in the National Assembly during the address of the President on Thursday, November 2.

Dear Editor, GECOM Chairman: “You have won the General Elections of 2020.

Pele clinched their first win in the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) 2017/2018 Senior League edging home side Georgetown Football Club (GFC) 1-0 Sunday.

BEIRUT,  (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia accused Lebanon yesterday of declaring war against it because of aggression by the Iran-backed Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah, a dramatic escalation of a crisis threatening to destabilise the tiny Arab country.

Dear Editor, It has been reported that UTT (University of Trinidad and Tobago) is facing serious financial difficulties and may not be able to operate beyond January 2018.

Guyana’s women’s team battled to a scoreless draw with Puerto Rico (PUR) when the Central American and Caribbean Games 2018 Hockey Qualifiers continued yesterday.

BOGOTA,  (Reuters) – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, in response to his name appearing in a trove of leaked documents about offshore investments, said he left a company registered in tax haven Barbados before taking a ministerial post with a previous government.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will bring its curtain down on the 2017 domestic season with the National Open championships from November 27-30.

By Mark Leonard LONDON – Over the last few weeks, media around the world have been saturated with stories about how technology is destroying politics.

Dear Editor, Ever since President David Granger at his 7th meeting with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to discuss the naming of a Chairman of GECOM announced that he had so chosen Justice Patterson, the PPP has raised fears of electoral rigging never mind it was the PPP in 1962 which was the first to introduce rigging at the PPP Congress where it padded the electoral list with one hundred WPO members in order to prevent Hindu intellectual Balram Singh Rai from becoming Chairman of the PPP.

TEPIC, Mexico, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Shaking off its climate change “pariah” status alongside the United States and war-torn Syria, Central American nation Nicaragua took the plunge and joined the Paris Agreement to tackle global warming before U.N.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Monday he probably would not keep his holdings in a shipping company with business ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle and that he had fully and properly disclosed investments.

Not least among the challenges of holding political office is the sense of unease that is often felt by the office holder about being constantly in the public limelight and as a consequence, being almost always open to public scrutiny and to the mix of adulation and criticism that attends the occupancy of political office.