Daily Archive: Monday, July 2, 2018

(Jamaica Gleaner) The dismantling of the prohibition of marijuana in its totality across member states is a key recommendation contained in the report of the CARICOM Regional Commission on Marijuana 2018, which will be reviewed by heads of government at the 39th conference of the regional body to be held in Montego Bay, St James, from July 4-6.

Caribbean Airlines today advised that effective June 30, 2018 following a directive to airlines from the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA), new carry-on baggage restrictions are in effect for all passengers flying to the United States of America. 

ST JOHN’S, Antigua,  CMC – West Indies selectors today named a 13-man squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh starting here Wednesday.

ExxonMobil Foundation, the philanthropic arm of ExxonMobil, today announced US$10m ($2b) in funding for  Conservation International and the University of Guyana (UG) to train Guyanese for sustainable job openings and to expand community-supported conservation.

An investigation has been launched following the death of Bagatram Jailall, a prisoner in custody at the Leonora Police Station at about 5:30 this morning.

(Trinidad Guardian) Police are investigating what they described as another gang-related murder that took place just after midnight yesterday in Morvant.

Political analyst Ralph Ramkarran says it is now time for a third party as both the PPP and the PNCR have failed to deliver a government of national unity.

The creation of a National Oil Company (NOC) will be “a disaster” for this country warns former Government Advisor on Petroleum, Dr.

It is no shame if Amerindians decide they want to form a party that speaks to their interests, says political activist and commentator Dr David Hinds.

The increasing cases of smuggling into prisons across the country has left Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan angered.  “…You get angry at what’s happening, you feel a sense of despair but really it just goes to show the quality of some of our prison officers that allow that to happen”, Ramjattan told reporters on Friday when questioned about his thoughts on the situation.

A contractor who was hired to construct a horse stable at the Lethem Police Station by the Ministry of Public Security has abandoned the works.

History was created on Saturday as Guyana secured International Basketball Federation (FIBA) AmeriCup 2021 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers championship, defeating Antigua and Barbuda 83-70 at the Anthony Nesty Sports Hall, Suriname.

Government recently introduced five financial bills in Parliament with the hope of having them passed just in order to satisfy World Bank conditionalities for a US$35 million loan, says Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo.

MOSCOW,  (Reuters) – Hosts Russia beat Spain 4-3 on penalties thanks to two saves by their goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev yesterday to advance to the World Cup quarter-finals and send thousands of ecstatic Russians to the streets to celebrate.

Residents of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara  are continuing to decry the condition of their roads and are calling on the relevant authorities to `stop neglecting their community’.

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia, (Reuters) – Croatia showed none of the spark that marked their romp through the group phase but still did enough to edge Denmark in their round-of-16 clash yesterday and ensure they will take on Russia in the World Cup quarter-finals next weekend. 

Minister of State Joseph Harmon will lobby his colleague ministers and representatives of government to keep the current Demerara Harbour Bridge at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD) even after a new crossing is built at Houston also on the EBD.  “Two bridges are better than one,” the Department of Public Information yesterday quoted Harmon as telling attendees at a function to mark the 40th Anniversary of the bridge, which was held at the Umana Yana.

Defending champions Alex Arjoon and Mary Fung – A – Fat retained their individual male and female titles when  the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) Banks DIH – Rainforest Waters Senior National Championships concluded at the Georgetown Club Squash Courts, yesterday.  

Eighteen year old PSL wheelsman, Cortis ‘Chappy’ Dey got the better of We Stand United’s Andre Hicks to take the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) National Road Race Championship in the senior category on Sunday in front of a jubilated crowd.

Prominent businessman Yesu Persaud has bowed out of the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED) which he founded 32 years ago.

Guyana’s female national hockey team clinched second place behind Trinidad and Tobago in the Barbados Hockey Federation (BHF) 2018 International Women’s Hockey series which concluded yesterday after drawing 1-1 with the host in their final encounter. 

Two Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo residents who allegedly beat and robbed a couple during a home invasion in their village two weeks ago  were charged on June 24th and released on bail.

Dear Editor, The Mayor and City Council continues to express worry about the condition of many of its roads in different sections of the city.

Tucville, Chase Academy and Buxton earned quarterfinal berths when the ExxonMobil U14 Football Championship continued Saturday at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Following months of upheaval over mercury emissions, the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) is aiming to resume normal operations tomorrow at its new location in Queenstown, Chairman GHK Lall says.

Dear Editor, Drivers across the country continue to be victimised by  traffic ranks of the Guyana Police Force especially in Regions Five and Six.

Over $2.6B was granted in loans last year by the Institute of Private Enterprise Development Limited (IPED), an increase of approximately $400M from 2016, despite 241 less loans being issued, its annual report for 2017 said.

TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Aggressive half-centuries by Nicholas Pooran and Brandon King helped the West Indies B to a thrilling two-wicket victory over the Montreal Tigers when the Global T20 Canada competition continued.

Dear Editor, At Mora, a village located in Moruca, Region 1, the youths are eager to learn leather craft as a skill. 

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Former West Indies wicket-keeper Jeffrey Dujon wants to see a myriad of pitches being prepared in the Caribbean to help properly prepare West Indies batsmen.

MEXICO CITY,  (Reuters) – Leftist outsider Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador won Mexico’s presidential election handily yesterday, exit polls showed, setting the stage for a government that will inherit tense relations with Washington and the scrutiny of nervous investors.

Two Corentyne men were on Thursday found guilty at the High Court in Berbice of raping a now 25-year-old man back in 2015 at Williamsburg Village, Corentyne.

SPIELBERG, Austria,  CMC – Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was forced to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix yesterday following a Mercedes strategy blunder and tyre problems, allowing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to take an unexpected victory.

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will be working closely with the communities surrounding the Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt estates to ensure a better performance for the second crop, Corporate Communications Manager Audreyanna Thomas says.

MUNICH/BERLIN,  (Reuters) – German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer offered his resignation to party colleagues late yesterday, party officials said, escalating a row over migration with Chancellor Angela Merkel that threatens her fragile government.

Dear Editor, Elections positionings are flying fast and furious; all kinds of developments are coming from every direction, and the hour is still young. 

Dear Editor, I will stay away from the debate about whether the Guyana Prize for Literature Committee is functioning effectively, and whether past judges should participate.

Over 150 young artists took part in this year’s British High Commission’s child art competition, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).

PARIS, CMC – While the Jamaican trio of Shericka Jackson, Ronald Levy and Fedrick Dacres all copped gold medals at the Paris Diamond League event on Saturday, Yohan Blake finished down the pack in the men’s 100m.

PARIS,  (Reuters) – A French gangster is on the run after being sprung from jail by heavily armed gunmen and escaping in a helicopter that landed in the prison grounds, the justice minister said yesterday.

Fifty-nine graduates of the Sophia Training Centre were on Friday urged to choose change in order to grow.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – A key moderate Republican U.S. senator said yesterday that she will not support a nominee to fill a soon-to-be-vacated seat on the Supreme Court who would overturn a landmark legal ruling that supports a woman’s right to abortion.

(Reuters) – Three-time NBA champion LeBron James has agreed to a four-year $154 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agency said yesterday.

The Guyana Police Force yesterday morning held a Drum Head Service to kick off its 179th anniversary celebration, at the Tactical Services Unit drill square, police headquarters at Eve Leary and heard a call for its officers to rediscover their values.

(Trinidad Express) Brian Lara Cancer Treatment Centre may soon have to pay millions of dollars in compensation to the widow of businessman Ricardo “Smokey” McKenzie after the High Court on Saturday found it was negligent in its duty of care towards him seven years ago, which resulted in his death just months later.

Dear Editor, When I first saw the video of my friend and colleague, Charles Ramson Jr declaring his intention to contest for the PPP Presidential Candidate, I was very disappointed in the choice of words used to justify his candidacy.

ANKARA,  (Reuters) – Mounting pressure from the Trump administration combined with discontent among many Iranians at the state of the economy are rattling the Islamic Republic, with little sign that its leaders have the answers, officials and analysts say.

(Trinidad Guardian) Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon on Saturday admitted that there are major issues affecting the smooth running of the Immigration Detention Centre in Aripo, chief among them being the repatriation of detainees who have been there for several years.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, July 1, CMC – Although the West Indies are rated lower than Bangladesh in the ICC’s Test rankings, Jeffrey Dujon expects the home side to win the upcoming Test series.

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI,  (Reuters) – Eleven members of a family were found dead in India’s capital yesterday, most of them hanging from the ceiling of their home, blindfolded, gagged and with hands tied behind the back, with police unable to offer any concrete explanation about what happened.

Dear Editor, I found Dr. Mark Devonish’s letter (SN June 29th) interesting for two reasons: Putting down one candidate (Charles Ramson) and promoting another (Vindhya Persaud).

Residents of the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara were yesterday called upon to speak out against domestic violence.

(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has called for a rejection of conversations about anti-Muslim policies in this country.

Questions posed by Members of Parliament to Ministers of the Government continue to elicit interesting answers and this mechanism should be utilised to the fullest in the public’s interest.

PARIS,  (Reuters) – Simone Veil, a former magistrate and Holocaust survivor best known in France for legalising abortion in the 1970s, died on Friday.

The National Sports Commission has extended congratulations to the Guyana National Senior Men’s Basketball team on their  historic win of the 2018 Caribbean Basketball Confederation Championship Tournament, held in Suriname.

By Alessandra Hereman Alessandra Hereman is a young transgender woman who is studying at the University of Guyana “It is not our differences that divide us.

With CARICOM Day being celebrated today, this week on What the People Say we asked persons, ‘What does CARICOM mean to you?’

Dear Editor, The declining performance of students in the critical subject area Mathematics at the recent National Grade Six Assessment Examination is worrying.

On 26 June 2018, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) issued a media release under the caption ‘CCJ Rules Two Terms only for Presidents of Guyana’.