Daily Archive: Wednesday, June 19, 2019

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (TUC) today issued a statement saying that the government, the opposition and all of society are bound by yesterday’s rulings by the CCJ on the motion of no-confidence and the appointment of the GECOM Chairman.

SOUTHAMPTON, England, (Reuters) – Afghanistan look in disarray on and off the field at the World Cup with coach Phil Simmons’ Twitter outburst today  revealing signs of troubles within the team.

GENEVA,  (Reuters) – Evidence suggests Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman and other senior Saudi officials are liable for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a U.N.

(Jamaica Observer) There has been a drop in skin bleaching among students attending schools in western Jamaica since Irwin High decided to take a stand against the problem more than a year ago.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) yesterday ruled that the no-confidence motion brought against the David Granger-led APNU+AFC administration was validly passed with the votes of 33 members of the 65-member National Assembly last December, thereby compelling the resignation of Cabinet and the holding of general elections.

Declaring the process used to unilaterally appoint Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to be “flawed” and unconstitutional, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) yesterday said President David Granger had no authority to introduce new eligibility requirements and should have given reasons for rejecting the 18 candidates submitted to him by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

In light of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) finding that last December’s no-confidence motion against the ruling APNU+AFC government was validly passed, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday declared that the opposition would not accept a delay in the holding of elections beyond the next two to three months.

Retired Justice James Patterson is not yet sure of how he should respond to a ruling from the Caribbean Court of Justice that his appointment as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was unconstitutional.

Sonia King, the woman who was charged with suffocating her eight-year-old son just over three years ago, admitted to the crime yesterday and now awaits sentencing for manslaughter.

After spending months on remand in a Trinidad jail for a crime he did not commit, a Guyanese man, after a case of mistaken identity, was recently released after a High Court Judge found that the police had linked him to the decades-old crime based on his name alone.

In a joint statement, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union yesterday called for all sides to respect the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) issued yesterday upholding the December 21, 2018 motion of no- confidence.

Neville Forde, one of two men charged with the 2017 murder of Sophia bread vendor Andre Melroy Alexander, yesterday learned that he will have to face a retrial after a 12-member jury failed to arrive at a unanimous verdict at the conclusion of his trial.

Kacey Chapman, one of three men jointly charged with illegal possession of guns and ammunition, was yesterday told he would have to lead a defence to the charges, while his two co-accused were freed by a city court.

MANCHESTER, England, CMC – West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick has urged the struggling side to remain united in the face of a difficult World Cup campaign, warning it was not the time to “look for excuses”, ahead of their key clash with New Zealand here Saturday.

Lenox Shuman, leader of the Labour and Justice Party, has called for Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice James Patterson to resign.

TAUNTON, England, CMC – Captain Jason Holder has dismissed suggestions the balance of the West Indies contributed to their seven-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in a critical fixture here Monday.

A total of 138 mining blocks were last Friday distributed during a mining lottery held in Bartica, the third of its kind to be rolled out by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission.

MANCHESTER, England, June 18 (Reuters) – Eoin Morgan rewrote the record books on Tuesday, clobbering 17 sixes – the most in a one-day international innings – in a blistering century as England crushed Afghanistan by 150 runs in their World Cup match at Old Trafford.

Cabinet has taken note of the award of several multi-million dollar contracts under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, including one for repair works to the Parika Ferry Stelling.

TAUNTON, England,  CMC – With West Indies facing a do-or-die fixture against New Zealand on Saturday, marquee batsman Shai Hope has called on his teammates to dig deeper and find a way to win the vital contest.

President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Hilbert Foster has expressed concern over the non-selection of local players in the West Indies A team for the upcoming India A series. 

President David Granger yesterday said he will “accept, and abide by” a Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling which upheld the validity of the December 21 no confidence vote but stated that elections cannot be held before the conclusion of house-to-house registration.

Gavin Lewis on Monday evening produced a stellar effort in the men’s category of the ongoing GBTI/GTA Open competition to dispose of defending champion Anthony Downes in the quarterfinal at GBTI’s Lawn Tennis Court and facilities, Bel Air, Georgetown. 

(Jamaica Gleaner) Discharged from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) eight years after a motor vehicle accident left him visually impaired, Rohan Dwight Brown has defied the odds by successfully re-enlisting, and today he occupies the post of detective inspector.

Management of the Cheddi Jagan Inter-national Airport (CJIA), has announced that a senior manager has proceeded on leave due to the commencement of a police investigation into an allegation of sexual misconduct made this week.

Attorney-at-law Christopher Ram, following the rulings of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the four appeals against government, is of the belief that elections can be held within 60 days, even with a “proper Claims and Objections exercise”.

SANTA PONSA, Spain, (Reuters) – After two weeks enjoying the delights of Mallorca it was time for business for Maria Sharapova yesterday as she launched her comeback from a six-month injury lay-off in style.

Dear Editor, Mr. Donald Singh’s letter in the June 16, 2019 edition of the Guyana Chronicle is captioned `It should be clear to the public that TIGI is now pushing an agenda’.

The Guyana Postal and Telecommunication Workers Union (GPTWU) is moving to legal action against the Government of Guyana, in a bid to bring closure to a decades-long battle for pension owed to retirees of the Guyana Telecommunications Corporation (GTC) and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).

The city of Georgetown and its surrounding environs, will take center stage on July 12th, when the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Georgetown Championship officially commences.

(Reuters) – New Zealand will focus on their own game and not be motivated by the prospect of ending South Africa’s chances of progressing at the World Cup when the two sides meet at Edgbaston today, fast bowler Trent Boult has said.

Dear Editor, Please permit me to share my recent experience with persons allegedly acting on behalf of the Guyana Water Inc.

June Alexander, the 10-year-old student who succumbed at a city hospital just days after she was seriously injured following an incident at the Regma Primary School in Linden, died as a result of blunt trauma to the head triggered by blood vessel malformation.

Tenders were yesterday opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administra-tion Board for the rehabilitation of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch Administrative Building on Camp Street and a consultancy for Go-Invest which attracted bids of around $75m.

(Reuters) – Roger Federer began his preparations for next month’s Wimbledon Championships with a 7-6(1) 6-3 victory over unseeded Australian John Millman in the opening round of the Halle Open yesterday.

Dear Editor, Having heard President Granger’s address following the CCJ ruling, it is extremely important for us as a nation that the following points in response are made as we digest today’s events: first, President Granger says, on the one hand, that he respects the ruling of the CCJ and the Constitution but then, on the other hand, he says he will not set an election date before November.

(Jamaica Observer) The five Jamaican fishermen picked up by United States Homeland Security investigators in September 2017 off the Haitian coast were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute some 613 pounds of marijuana, according to an affidavit filed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Jesus Pertierra.

In addition to new leaders, delegates at the biennial National Conference of the Alliance For Change (AFC) last Saturday also voted on representation on the party’s Executive as well as its youth and women’s arms.

SAN SALVADOR,  (Reuters) – El Salvador President Nayib Bukele ruled out negotiations with criminal gangs yesterday and vowed to go after their finances in a bid to reduce violence in the Central American country.

Dear Editor, Allow me to begin this letter by expressing my gratitude to Prof.

MANCHESTER, England,  (Reuters) – Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib defended spin spearhead Rashid Khan after the 20-year-old bore the brunt of Eoin Morgan’s record-breaking assault in their World Cup loss to England yesterday.

(Reuters) – South Africa’s World Cup meeting with New Zealand today will assume the importance of a “quarter-final” as they look to keep alive their slim hopes of reaching the latter stages of the competition, batsman Quinton de Kock said yesterday.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) yesterday said that it looks forward to an early consensual agreement between the President and the Leader of the Opposition on a new GECOM Chairman.

VATICAN CITY,   (Reuters) – A Vatican document today said the Church should consider ordaining older married men as priests in remote areas of the Amazon, a historic shift which some say could pave the way for their use in other areas where clergy are scarce.

Dear Editor, In a letter to SN of 15th May 2017 after Minister of Natural Resources Hon.

Dear Editor, Now that the CCJ has ruled that the government has been brought down by a no confidence motion and that the appointment of the GECOM chair was not in accordance with the constitutional provisions, the most urgent requirement is for President Granger to meet with the Leader of the Opposition to discuss a date for general elections and a replacement candidate for GECOM Chairman.

VALENCIENNES, France, (Reuters) – Marta’s second-half penalty sent Brazil into the last 16 of the women’s World Cup with a 1-0 win against Italy yesterday that ensured they finished as one of the best third-placed sides.

It is now 28 years since Food for the Poor (Guyana) Inc.

(Trinidad Guardian) A 12-year-old boy screamed in agony as he hugged and ca­ressed his moth­er’s body af­ter gun­men shot her dead in San­ta Cruz on Tuesday.

(Reuters) – Federal authorities seized 16.5 tons of cocaine worth more than $1 billion from a ship in Philadelphia in one of the largest drug seizures in U.S.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Venezuelan oil subsidiary PDV Caribe is demanding that the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) pay a minimum of US$50 million (J$6.5 billion) in core share value as compensation for the forcible takeover of its 49 per cent stake in the local refinery, Petrojam.

Atlantic CC registered another win in the ongoing 2019 USA Clement Busta Lawrence Premier League at the weekend on the back of a number of strong performances by their cadre of Guyanese players. 

(Trinidad Newsday) An argument between siblings over a television remote turned fatal when an 11-year-old girl died by suicide after she was sent to her room by her mother.

Dear Editor, The first thing that I will say about the CCJ’s decision is that it is Solomonic. 

Cabinet has given its no-objection to the awarding of eight Region Ten contracts, valued in excess of $200 million, at a recent meeting, Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency Joseph Harmon has disclosed.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan abandoned his quest for the top Pentagon job on Tuesday as reports emerged of domestic violence in his family, plunging the leadership of the U.S.

On Monday West Indies cricket fans received a harsh reality check on the status of their team in the current hierarchy of international one day cricket when Bangladesh inflicted a sound thrashing in their fifth round encounter at the 2019 ICC World Cup.

Dear Editor, The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has finally rendered its long awaited ruling on the two critical constitutional matters pertaining to Guyana: The no confidence motion was validly passed and elections must be held within ninety days; and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair was improperly appointed. 

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – Bolivia scored their first goal in five games but it was not enough to give them their first Copa America point as Peru came from behind to win 3-1 in their Group A game in Rio de Janeiro yesterday.

My first memory of the kind of substantial blackouts that have recently returned with a vengeance was in 1976, on my return from Cuba after attending the first Guyana/Cuba Joint Commission meeting that was headed on the Guyana side by Senior Minister Desmond Hoyte.

Multi-million dollar contracts have been awarded for the upgrade and rehabilitation of more than a dozen roads in regions 2, 5 and 6 as well as in Bartica in Region 7.

BRASILIA,  (Reuters) – Brazil’s Senate yesterday overturned a decree signed last month by right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro that drastically expanded the number of people allowed to carry weapons in public.

(Trinidad Express) A humiliating defeat.   This is how Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is describing the move by Government to delete the controversial clause 7 to the Freedom of Information Act.