Daily Archive: Saturday, December 1, 2018

A desperate search is underway tonight for a woman, her husband and their two infant children.

Ram and McRae’s budget focus has excoriated controversial statements made by Minister of Public Health and Chairman of the PNCR Volda Lawrence that public sector jobs will go to PNCR persons.

WASHINGTON – He was president for only four years, but George H.W.

The problematic issue of sexual attacks against visitors to the island, inside the walls of local hotels, again came to the fore recently when Asif Ahmad, the British high commissioner to Jamaica, said that British nationals, including children, have also been victims.

(Jamaica Observer) A fight over money charged to swim in the popular Caymanas River in St Catherine is said to be at the heart of the killing of six men in the Caymanas Bay community within 72 hours.

(Washington Post) George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States and the father of the 43rd, was a steadfast force on the international stage for decades, from his stint as an envoy to Beijing to his eight years as vice president and his one term as commander in chief from 1989 to 1993.

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up to investigate the administration of City Hall has found that Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and Town Clerk Royston King “are not working in the best interest of the city” and has recommended that several officers, including King, be disciplined for abuse of office and other violations.

APNU councillor Pandit Ubraj Narine was elected Mayor of Georgetown when the new council was sworn in at City Hall yesterday, with fellow APNU councilman Alfred Mentore selected as his deputy.

The payment of the remaining 50% of severance to ex-sugar workers, which commenced around the country on Thursday, will help to ensure a “merry Christmas,” some proclaimed yesterday after receiving their cheques.

Add another National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championship trophy to the cabinet of Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani (District 10).

State Minister Joseph Harmon yesterday declined to say whether government has spoken to Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence about controversial statements she made recently at the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Region Four District Conference, while noting that it is up to the party to address the matter and take action if necessary.

Fugitive murder accused Troy Thomas was yesterday committed to custody to await extradition to the United States.

A sedate century from the Guyana Jaguars captain and a five-wicket haul from their most seasoned spinner, Veerasammy Permaul highlighted the final day’s play of the Guyana Jaguars’ final preparation match ahead of the Cricket West Indies Regional Four Day tournament.

Tower Suites co-owner Shervington Lovell has been extradited to the United States, just over a month after his arrest in Jamaica.

Arleigh Rutherford has returned to the helm of the Georgetown Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association  (GCUSA) with the promise to build on the foundations set.

President David Granger will undergo further treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma when he returns to Cuba next week, according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who yesterday said Cabinet has not discussed the possibility of him not being able to continue occupying office.

(Field Level Media) Kyle Korver scored 14 points off the bench, 12 of those on 3-pointers, in his Utah debut last night, helping the Jazz overpower the host Charlotte Hornets 119-111 to win a second straight to start its three-game trip.

(Field Level Media) Blake Griffin had 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and the host Detroit Pistons extended their winning streak to four games by defeating the Chicago Bulls 107-88 yesterday.

The newly elected Georgetown Mayor and City Council should be allowed to assess the ongoing payment problems with the city’s two largest garbage disposal contractors and decide if government should be approached for help, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said yesterday “I think that from today, you would have new management at the City Hall and, therefore, I believe it is not only right that they be given an opportunity to wrap their minds around this problem and if, in their deliberation and their contemplation, there is a requirement for additional help, I would leave that call to be made by the council,” Harmon said during his post-Cabinet press briefing.

Government has ordered the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd (NICIL) to take legal action to recover the outstanding US$5 million from Hong Kong Golden Telecom Limited (HKGT) for the purchase of government shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).

(Field Level Media) Kyrie Irving scored 29 points and six other Celtics scored in double figures as the Boston Celtics defeated the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 128-95 last  night.

Focus on Guyana’s National Budget 2019 represents the twenty-ninth edition of this Ram & McRae annual publication which highlights, reviews and comments on the major issues surrounding and raised in the National Budget.

The agricultural sector has been allocated $17.1 billion in the 2019 national budget to ramp up diversification to take advantage of available resources and to build economic resilience, while prioritising food safety and security, improved infrastructure, new value chains and value-added industries, Finance Minister Winston Jordan has said.

(Field Level Media) Joel Embiid scored 16 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as the host Philadelphia 76ers dismantled the Washington Wizards 123-98 on Friday.

Budget Speech 2019, the fourth presented by the current Administration, lasted approximately four and one half hours, testing the stamina not only of the Minister of Finance but the membership of the National Assembly and his audience.

The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the non-governmental organisation, Visit Rupununi, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing to strengthen linkages between Region Nine (Upper Essequibo/Upper Takutu) and the national and international communities to market the Rupununi’s tourism products.

In this section, we set out, without analysis or comments, the key takeaways from the Minister’s review of 2018 and his projections for 2019.       2018                 ■             Growth in Real GDP of 3.4% compared with an initial target                                 of 3.8%.                  ■             Inflation at a rate of 2.0% compared with an initial target of 2.4%.                 ■             The Central Bank rate of the Guyana Dollar to the US Dollar at                                 October 2018 was $208.5 compared with $206.5 in 2017, a                                 change of $2 or 1%.                 ■             Average market commercial bank mid-rates for the US Dollar                                 depreciated by 0.02% to $212.61 at September 2018.                 ■             Overall balance of payments deficit of US$180.7 million com                                 pared with US$69.5 million deficit in 2017, worsening by 160%.                 ■             Decrease in merchandise exports of US$45.2 million or 3.1%                                 during 2018, to US$1.39 billion.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – The Force India name will disappear from Formula One next season, after 11 years of competition, with the British-based team entered as Racing Point F1 on a list published by the governing FIA yesterday.

In this section, we summarise, review and comment on the economic and financial performance of the Government for the still incomplete 2018 year.

Days after she was brutally chopped by her partner following an argument at Swan Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Melicia Andrews’ condition has improved significantly.

(Reuters) – Deontay Wilder weighed in 44 pounds lighter than Tyson Fury on Friday but still had no doubts he will knock out the Briton in their WBC heavweight world title fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Dear Editor, The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs is currently awaiting an audit of the Progress Report for its flagship youth programme, the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS) following a request which was approved to conduct same.

Kevin Verwayne, who in 2014 was sentenced to 78 years behind bars for the murder of his spouse Farida Ramdeen, whom he drowned, is appealing what he contends to be an excessive sentence.

DHAKA, Bangladesh,  CMC – Opener Shadman Islam struck a half century on debut while captain Shakib-al-Hasan notched his 24th but West Indies shared honours on day one of the second and final Test here yesterday.

Targets Overall real growth is projected at 4.6% in 2019. The following graph presents the percentage of contribution to GDP at 2006 prices by various sectors:Source: Estimates of the Public Sector The primary industry groups are addressed separately below.

Dear Editor, Talking without thinking?  A rush of blood to the head? 

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates,  CMC – West Indies star Sunil Narine slammed a half-century for Bengal Tigers but Chris Gayle’s Kerala Knights still managed to beat them by seven wickets in the T10 League here yesterday.

A known fraud accused was yesterday sentenced to 36 months in jail after being found guilty of defrauding an auto sales company of vehicles worth a total of $26.3 million.

Two years ago Aziza Cooke decided to share what would have been years of pouring her heart out in poetry, and has been touching the hearts of her readers.

Hi Everyone, Do you like Garlic Pork but quiver at the thought of its aggressive acidity?

BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – The United States, Canada and Mexico signed a North American trade pact yesterday, with President Donald Trump brushing aside concerns that he could face difficulties getting the deal through the U.S.

COLOMBO,  (Reuters) – Batsmen Lahiru Thirimanne and Sadeera Samarawickrama have been recalled by Sri Lanka after a year out of the side for next month’s two-test series in New Zealand.

Dear Editor, By now it should be clear that Scotiabank Guyana and eight other Caribbean territories have been bought/acquired by Republic Financial Holdings Ltd, a Trinidad-based company and the transfer/integration is being held back by regulatory requirements and consensus.

A labourer was yesterday fined a total of $30,000 after pleading guilty to three charges of theft.

Two men were yesterday remanded to prison after they were accused of breaking into two homes and stealing over $400,000 in cash and other items.

I’m going to be 30 years old next year. Just publicizing that fact feels awkward.

NEW DELHI,  (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of Indian farmers and rural workers marched to the Indian parliament in the capital, New Delhi, yesterday in a protest against soaring operating costs and plunging produce prices that have brought misery to many.

Dear Editor, I wanted to bring to your attention a situation that has arisen with Fly Jamaica after the recent  crash landing in Guyana. 

(Field Level Media) Dwight Howard underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy on Friday to alleviate a muscle injury near the buttocks, the Washington Wizards announced.

Dear Editor, This year, International Day against the Elimination of Violence Against Women and 16 days of activism are being observed under the theme “Orange the world: #HearMeToo”, which acknowledges women and girl survivors of violence and those speaking out and taking action.

“I feel honoured and blessed to be the new Miss Berbice I’m a Big Deal queen because I will take this opportunity… to impact young women’s lives in Berbice,” former Tutorial Academy Secondary School student Rameshwarie Devi Jairam said.

CARICOM is calling for a seat on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a means of having its concerns properly represented.

TOKYO,  (Reuters) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) put planning for the Tokyo 2020 boxing tournament on hold yesterday in a move that could see the governing body AIBA frozen out of the Games over a governance dispute.

The Ministry of Public Health has refused to address concerns about the licensing of health care facilities for this year, saying instead that processing of applications for next year has begun.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker will appear before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee in January, when a new Democratic majority expects to begin ramping up House oversight of the Trump administration.

It is an often repeated story that a prominent businessman donated the sum of one hundred million dollars to the 2015 elections war chest of the Coalition.

(Trinidad Express) Petrotrin workers in Santa Flora, Pointe-a-Pierre and Point Fortin have formed human barricades, and are refusing the leave the compound.Workers

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – India batsman Prithvi Shaw has been ruled out of next week’s first test against Australia after the young opener injured his ankle while fielding during a tour match in Sydney on Friday, according to the country’s cricket board (BCCI).

Dear Editor, The statement by Volda Lawrence that “The only friends I got is PNC, so the only people I could give work to is PNC’ refers.

Artistes in Direct Support presents the 26th edition of ‘The Flame and the Ribbon’, a packed program inclusive of a play, song and dance at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) this evening in commemoration of World AIDS Day.

Guyanese will be given the opportunity to experience the festive season in a different form when ‘Christ-mas at the Promenade’ is held on December 16; it promises to cater for all categories of Christmas lovers with well-known composer, comedian and singer Dave Martins set to play a big part.

Earlier this week President Trump’s former lawyer pleaded guilty to giving false statements to congress about his client’s ties to Russia.

There is one thing that the new iteration of “Robin Hood” does better than anything I’ve seen this year.

While in many parts of the world theatre practitioners can live off their talents, it is not so in Guyana.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – British science and universities minister, Sam Gyimah, quit Prime Minister Theresa May’s government on Friday, the sixth minister to resign in protest of her proposed Brexit deal with the European Union.

(Reuters) – Marriott International Inc said yesterday that hackers accessed about 500 million records in its Starwood Hotels reservation system in an attack that began four years ago, exposing personal data of customers including some payment card numbers.

(Field Level Media) Magic Johnson believes the Los Angeles Lakers’ trajectory is pointed up.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Police Force is responding to an article in Thursday’s edition of the Kaieteur News under the caption “Ogle airport trace robbery….

Radio devices found in two vehicles intercepted by the police during the course of the week are not linked to the Guyana Police Force, Public Relations Officer Jairam Ramlakhan said yesterday.

The current balance projects a surplus of $19,017 million, an increase of $1,408 million or 8% over revised 2018.

Analysis of expenditure Introduction Properly executed, the Policies and Targets are reflected in the allocation of available funds via the various Ministries and other Budget Agencies.

Widely regarded as an invention of Continental Europe, and its paternity in 1954 attributed to France, VAT is an indirect tax collected mainly by businesses but borne by consumers.

In this section we consider the measures announced by the Minister, analyse them, evaluate their impact and discuss the extent to which they provide useful economic benefits to stakeholders.

The annual drumbeat of bigger Budgets has appeared to have some inherent virtue.