Daily Archive: Wednesday, January 3, 2018

President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo today met at State House in relation to the posts of Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice.

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – Brazil’s state-controlled oil company, Petroleo Brasileiro SA, said today  that it has agreed to pay $2.95 billion to settle a U.S.

(ESPN) Colin Munro became the first batsman to make three centuries in T20 internationals as he laid the foundation for New Zealand’s battering of West Indies by 119 runs in their final match of the tour at Mount Maunganui.

Commander of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit Motie Dookie, who was placed under close arrest after he was reportedly caught with 30 cases of smuggled whisky, should be dismissed from the force, according to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.

The Guyana Gold Board has recorded total gold declarations of 652,000 ounces for 2017, which is below the target of 720,000 ounces.

The sugar union GAWU yesterday stated that the administration needs to say without further delay when severance payments will be made to thousands of worker laid off at the end of December, arguing that the uncertainty had created despondency and two suicides have occurred.

A West Coast Berbice man is now dead after being struck by a minibus while trying to cross the Bath Settlement Public Road on Sunday evening.

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was crowned the inaugural Guyana Football Federation (GFF) ‘Super 16 Year-end Classic’ champion, dismissing Grove Hi-Tech 2-0 on Monday, at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.

Botofago was crowned the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA)/GT Beer Football Champion, routing tournament favourite Net-rockers 4-1 in the finale on Monday at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground, Linden.

Lethem contractor Hutashan Ram Singh, also known as ‘Seon Singh,’ who is charged with conspiracy to enable the landing of an illegal aircraft in the Rupununi, was yesterday released after being granted $1 million bail by a High Court judge.

Georgetown (GT) Police sealed their final’s berth in the GT Beer Berbice 8-aside Football Championship, edging Monedderlust on penalty kicks in their semifinal matchup, on Monday.

A La Grange, West Bank Demerara man succumbed yesterday to injuries he sustained in a collision along the Meer-Zorgen Public Road on New Year’s morning.

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand,  CMC – West Indies batting coach Toby Radford believes conditions in New Zealand have been behind Chris Gayle’s muted performances on tour but has backed the superstar opener to come good.

A young businessman from Baramita, North West District died after losing control of his All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) on New Year’s night.

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand,  CMC – Any hopes West Indies entertained of rebounding to win their three-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand were dashed when rain wiped out the second match here New Year’s Day.

Floodwater accumulated in yards at Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara after intense rainfall over the past week has started to slowly recede and residents are anxious to begin their clean up.

Despite a recommendation that vendors be removed from the Charity Marketing Centre, which is on the verge of collapse into the Pomeroon River, many are continuing to sell at the site as they say they have not yet been notified by the Charity/ Urasara Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Australia captain Steve Smith suggested Mitchell Starc would be back to spearhead their pace attack against England on Thursday and brushed off concerns about his own fitness on the eve of the fifth and final Ashes test on Wednesday.

Dear Editor, In an article which appeared in the news media on Dec 29, it was reported that the Minister of Public Infra-structure (MPI), David Patterson, told reporters at his end-of-year press conference that a multi-disciplinary team has been meeting with ExxonMobil to review identifiable onshore sites for the storage and distribution of natural gas expected to be produced as a by-product from oil fields being developed off Guyana’s Atlantic Coast.

A teacher was yesterday morning robbed of $1.2 million in cash in front of her Alberttown, Georgetown home.

Dear Editor, I beg to differ with Christopher Ram in his negative depiction of the Stability of Agreement clause in the Petroleum Agreement as “[s]trangling future governments” (Part 29 of his ‘The road to first oil’ series).

DUBAI, (Reuters) – Iranian authorities are concerned that nationwide unrest will undermine the clerical establishment and want to stamp out the protests quickly, senior government officials say.

CAIRO, (Reuters) – A group of Egyptian soccer players have formed a team for one-legged players, hoping to start league for disabled players in the country.

CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) – India’s long winning streak in test cricket is under threat in a quick-fire three match series against South Africa this month, where their status as the top ranked nation in the format faces a stiff examination.

The final report on the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Education Sector has not been submitted and its absence has delayed negotiations on teachers’ salaries and conditions.

SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korea yesterday offered talks with North Korea next week amid a standoff over its weapons programmes, a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he was open to negotiations but that his country would push ahead with “mass producing” nuclear warheads.

Dear Editor, Reading about road fatalities and seeing someone actually lying dead in the street are two different experiences.

KINSHASA, (Reuters) – The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Congo yesterday condemned a crackdown on protests against President Joseph Kabila as “barbarism”, escalating a confrontation between the government and one of the country’s most powerful institutions.

A senior citizen was killed early yesterday after she was run over by a car while making her way to the Bourda Post Office to uplift her pension.

SYDNEY,  (Reuters) – Even with the series beyond them and Ashes already returned to Australia, England will be desperate to back up an encouraging performance in Melbourne and secure a consolation victory in the fifth and final test in Sydney this week.

Dear Editor, One of the failures of the coalition government has been the continuation of the Jagdeo/PPP policy of the police condoning rum abuse and noise nuisance.

City Solid Waste Director Walter Narine has been accused by two of his employees of pressuring them to take responsibility for reportedly damaging a councillor’s vehicle although they say they have no knowledge of any accident.

TEGUCIGALPA, (Reuters) – Honduras’ murder rate fell by more than a quarter in 2017 to 42.8 killings per 100,000 people, the security ministry said on Tuesday, attributing the decline to a government onslaught against drug traffickers and gangs.

(Reuters) – Former world number one Andy Murray’s lingering hip issues forced him to withdraw from the Brisbane International on Tuesday with the Briton admitting he was unsure whether he could recover in time for the Australian Open later this month.

Dear Editor, The much heralded local government elections were touted to be the changing point for residents in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, and the dawn of a new beginning.

Dear Editor, During the festive season I hosted family from the Rupununi, including three kids.

Roopnaraine Persaud, a councillor of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has proposed that the council consider the establishment of a mini used oil re-refinery to bring in much needed revenue as well as preserving the environment.

UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) – The United States is withholding $255 million in aid from Pakistan because of its failure to cooperate fully in America’s fight against terrorism, U.S.

CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) – Africa will crown its best soccer player tomorrow but the electors have a tough choice in deciding between the three candidates for the 2017 African Footballer of the Year award.

(Reuters) – A U.S. government panel rejected Ant Financial’s acquisition of MoneyGram International Inc over national security concerns, the companies said yesterday, the most high-profile Chinese deal to be torpedoed under the administration of U.S.

Leading PNCR Region 10 official Sandra Adams died suddenly yesterday morning.

Dear Editor, In the present political climate in Guyana it is very difficult, if not impossible, to claim objectivity when assessing the performance of either the government or the opposition.

(Field Level Media)  DeMarre Carroll made the go-ahead free throws with 34 seconds remaining and the Nets knocked off the Orlando Magic 98-95 on Monday night in Brooklyn.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Police Force is responding to an article in last Sunday’s edition of the Kaieteur News under the caption ‘More than a week later…Rape accused yet to be charged despite DPP’s recommendation’.

SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – Barbadian seamer Jofra Archer’s brace of wickets proved vital as Hobart Hurricanes earned their first points of the Australian Big Bash with a nine-run victory over Sydney Thunder.

LIMA,  (Reuters) – At least 36 people were killed in Peru on Tuesday when a bus collided with a truck and careened off a cliff along a sharply curving highway north of the capital, Lima, the country’s health ministry said.

At a brief dedication service yesterday, the staff and ministers of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) gathered in the ministry’s compound to pray and make declarations for the improvement of the public health sector, a report from the Department of Public Information (DPI) said.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan authorities arrested a National Guard soldier over the weekend and accused him of shooting a pregnant 18 year-old during an incident that local media described as a melee over scarce pork.

A clothing vendor was robbed at gunpoint at his stand at the corner of America and Longden streets on Monday night.

As the region rebuilds after the devastating hurricanes over the past two years, Haiti’s President and incoming Caribbean Community (Caricom) Chairman Jovenel Moїse says it is doing so with the aim of creating the first “climate resilient” region in the world.

On Monday, Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence, accompanied by senior officials of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, (GPHC) along with Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd representative, Hollis Kellman visited the GPHC’s New Year babies.

Dear Editor, Shortly after President Brig David A Granger became President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, to the surprise of many he announced that his vision was to establish a Public Service College to produce professional and unbribable public servants.

OFER PRISON, West Bank, (Reuters) – Israel indicted a 16-year-old Palestinian girl on Monday on charges including assault for punching an Israeli soldier in the face two weeks ago, an incident which made her into a hero for Palestinians and was seen as humiliating by right-wing Israelis.

(Field Level Media) San Antonio didn’t need Kawhi Leonard to beat New York when the teams met five days ago in Texas, but the Spurs were happy to have him back Tuesday night in a 100-91 win against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – The Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch for the fourth Ashes test has been rated “poor” by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after last week’s drawn clash between hosts Australia and England saw only 24 wickets fall over five days.

LONDON,  (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Hollywood stars including Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain and Natalie Portman have backed a campaign against sexual harassment called Time’s Up as donations flood in for a multi-million dollar legal fund to fight abuse cases in the workplace.

Dear Editor, In the first instance up to today no one, repeat, no one, has said anything to me.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – Television host Hoda Kotb was named the new co-anchor of the NBC News “Today” show on Tuesday, replacing former co-host Matt Lauer several weeks after the longtime anchor was fired for inappropriate sexual behaviour, according to a network statement.

(Reuters) – Wall Street’s major indexes were higher on the first trading session of 2018 on Tuesday, driven by gains in technology and consumer discretionary stocks, setting the stage for another robust year for equities.

`Bundle of joy’ hampers: ANSA McAL Trading Limited heralded the New Year by sharing “Bundle of Joy” hampers to all babies born at Georgetown Public Hospital on New Year’s Day.

Dear Editor, Strict racial voting dominates Guyana’s modern era politics; each of two substantially large racial groups voting for its ethnic leader at the head of two ethnic parties.

(Field Level Media)Damian Lillard outdueled Isaiah Thomas in a battle of returning All-Star guards on Tuesday night, but Thomas’ team had the last laugh.

Dear Editor, This month marks the 68 years since the formation of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

(Trinidad Express) A Chase Village mother of two is the first woman killed this year.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch said yesterday he will not seek re-election in November, opening the door to a potential Senate bid by Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate and one of the party’s harshest critics of President Donald Trump.

LOS ANGELES,  (Variety.com) – In a battle of box office heavyweights, Luke Skywalker just managed to hold off Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the world rang in another year.

Last Saturday, 30th December, one of Canada’s largest and most prestigious newspapers, the Montreal French-language publication La Presse, rolled out its final print weekend edition (Canadian weekend newspapers have traditionally been sold on Saturdays), in the 133 year history of the newspaper.

The ancient Greeks, considered the progenitors of modern democracy, referred to the rule of one person as ‘tyranny’ and particularly in countries with weak institutions, modern presidentialism and prime ministership quickly morph into one-man autocracies in which the single leader, to whom access is limited, surrounds himself with a retinue of fawning, usually self-seeking, followers (Foley, Michael (2000) The British Presidency,  Manchester University Press, and Poguntke, Thomas and Paul Webb (2005) The Presidentialization of Politics,  Oxford University Press).

(Reuters) – Jordan Spieth’s victory in last year’s British Open had boosted his self-belief, convinced him to ignore any critical nay-sayers and gave him the confidence to become ‘the man’ in golf in 2018, even if Tiger Woods was planning a comeback.