Daily Archive: Friday, May 15, 2020

Guyana’s de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Karen Cummings has told the US Ambassador here that it may not be possible for the Carter Center and an advisor of the International Republican Institute (IRI) to oversee the recount of votes from the March 2nd general elections.

Cricket star Christopher Gayle will no longer have to face a CPL disciplinary committee over his rants in three videos he posted over his departure from the Jamaica Tallawahs after he agreed to issue a statement yesterday in which he said he realized how portions of his comments could be viewed as damaging to Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament.

Donald Sheriff is wanted by the police in relation to the murder of Keron Nicholson between 2020-03-08 and 2020-03-17 at Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

The sugar union, GAWU today said that it and GuySuCo have reached an interim agreement on increased pay for sugar workers.

Prison authorities this morning reported that a convicted prisoner, Rei Joseph, jumped the fence of the New Amsterdam penitentiary at 6.51 am and was recaptured at 7.10 am.

MUMBAI,  (Reuters) – Amazon Prime Video, Amazon’s streaming service, will screen several new Indian films originally meant for theatrical release this month, sparking protests from cinema owners as the novel coronavirus outbreak upends Bollywood.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Britain’s parliament on Wednesday that his government moved swiftly to protect the country’s vulnerable care homes.

(Jamaica Observer) The health authorities last evening reported that Jamaica had recorded no new positive cases of COVID-19 for the first time since early March when the first case was reported.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Although elated on Wednesday about returning home after being stranded overseas because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, quarantined Jamaicans have been crying out for hunger as they lambasted conditions at a St Ann hotel.

(Jamaica Gleaner) If she was allowed to have her own way, Mildred’s (not her real name) husband would not have travelled to Canada on the overseas farm work programme this year as he has been doing for the past 19 years.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday called for the Declaration of Results from District Four to be discarded since its contents have been “discredited”.

Sentenced to a total of 37 years back in 2015 for raping a young girl on three occasions, Linton Pompey yesterday had his sentence reduced to 17 years after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in a majority judgment found it to be severe.

Guyana’s COVID-19 cases have officially increased by one to 114 following a positive confirmation through testing at a private institution.

Day nine of the National Recount ended yesterday with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) having completed the processing of 54 ballot boxes bringing the total number counted to 421 of 2,339.

A COVID-19 test done on one-year-old Mikhel Wong-Singh, who died at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) almost two weeks ago, has found that he was negative despite exhibiting symptoms of the virus.

A family that says it has occupied what the Mayor and City Council has referred to as a city reserve for over 50 years is now facing eviction by the new lessee, former national cricketer now businessman Lennox Cush.

The Covid-19 restrictions have left businesses facing revenue crises, causing them to operate on overdrafts, as they try to stay afloat and John Lewis Styles is one of those.

Given the deadly coronavirus pandemic and measures including stay-at-home orders to stem its spread, the Commercial Registry has announced an extension of its closure, which has prevented the completion of many transactions, including the registration of bills-of-sale.

Clinical trials for treatment of positive COVID-19 cases are currently underway at Guyana’s main COVID-19 treatment facility, the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr.

The former cane cutters of Wales estate are finally being given the remainder of their severance payments.

The CARICOM  Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) has called for the adoption of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers.

Dear Editor, As I read the news yesterday, I was taken aback at what I would describe as the forthrightness in the press, that is, of the Organisation of American States (OAS) with reference to the report by the former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Mr.

Underlining that Cricket West Indies (CWI) has been in a cash flow crisis on a recurring basis, a November 2019 review by financial consultants PKF has also homed in on poor governance by the board and questionable monetary transactions while recommending a series of changes to enable accountability and transparency.

Approximately six to eight requests for flights to transport oil and gas sector workers into Guyana by ExxonMobil have been granted approval by the National COVID-19 Task Force, according to Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Director General Egbert Field.

(Jamaica Observer) Brandon King and Nicholas Pooran, two of the Caribbean’s rising batting stars, say they ultimately dream of playing Test cricket for West Indies, despite so far only representing the regional side in white-ball cricket.

Dear Editor, On the afternoon of May 13th it came to our attention that Akola Thompson, a customer at our store, left a public review on our Facebook page claiming she was racially profiled at our business on May 9th.

Faced with the likelihood that international tourist traffic may not return until next year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is considering tapping into the domestic and regional market to ensure the survival of the tourism sector.

Dear Editor, The twists and turns of Guyana’s elections of March 2nd have been dizzying with furious passions and a series of unending intrigues.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – The financial health of Cricket West Indies (CWI) has been described by its president Ricky Skerritt as being in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which has prevented competition in the sport. 

The National Insurance Scheme yesterday said that it has introduced an amnesty on the payment of interest on contributions owing at January 15, 2020 to May 15, 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. 

CHICAGO/SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Global coronavirus deaths passed 300,000 yesterday as infections approached 4.5 million, according to a Reuters tally, with the United States responsible for more than a quarter of all fatalities.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad,  CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) has cancelled the remainder of the local cricket season which had already been curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dear Editor, I have an old aunt who is very interested in politics.

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) continues to ramp up its readiness to house and care for COVID-19 patients even as the number of cases continues to rise.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. Senator Richard Burr will step aside as chairman of the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee, after the FBI seized his mobile telephone in a major escalation of a probe of his stock trades before the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In recognition of the brave medical personnel on the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus, the Rotary Clubs of Guyana will be hosting a tribute today at 1 pm.

Dear Editor, Various media outfits continue to disseminate statistics related to the existence of COVID-19 in Guyana.

 (Reuters) – A closely watched coronavirus vaccine being developed by scientists at Oxford University appears protective in a small study of six monkeys, promising findings that led to the start of human trials late last month, U.S.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  CMC – Although acknowledging failing a fitness test, former West Indies opening batsman Kieran Powell has lamented being left out of the squad and in the dark about why he continues to be omitted despite credible performances on the field.

The Transport and Harbours Department (THD) has issued a reminder of the travel restrictions on ferry services to and from the Essequibo Islands.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) says it’s preparing for the roll-out of the country’s World Cup campaign while decisions are being taken by the sport’s continental and world governing bodies on the timing and qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dear Editor, It has been explained ad nauseam that Gecom is an independent and autonomous body.

CHICAGO, (Reuters) – Over a third of patients treated for COVID-19 in a large New York medical system developed acute kidney injury, and nearly 15% required dialysis, U.S.

(Trinidad Guardian) Although several regional territories are concerned over the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) move to administer the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam (CAPE) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in July, although COVID-19 response may still be a major issue for some countries, senior CXC officials say it will go on as planned.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Stressing a focus on rebuilding, the Jamaica Tallawahs have retained only four regional players for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, including batting star Andre Russell who recently publicly criticised the franchise.

The auditing of ExxonMobil’s US$460 million pre-contract costs had to be extended without cost to the auditing firm due to the current COVID-19 restrictions delaying the process, Department of Energy (CE) Director Dr.

Dear Editor, It is with sad disbelief that I read that the first Region 9 Coronavirus victim had illegally entered our country from Brazil and has exposed many of our vulnerable Indigenous Communities to the virus.

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Brazil and Mexico yesterday reported a record one-day rise in new coronavirus cases, just as leaders of both countries intensified attempts to reopen their economies even as the spread of the virus in Latin America is seemingly gathering pace.

“Unwaged housework is the productive labor without which there would be nothing else: no other labor, no workers, no economy, no society.”

“I have never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an election,” Bruce Golding, Head of the OAS observer mission to the March 2 election told the OAS Permanent Council the day before yesterday.

Gold Prices for the three day period ending Thursday May 14, 2020 Kitco is a Canadian company that buys and sells precious metals such as gold, copper and silver.

With the global sporting industry especially football expected to suffer a financial crunch during this current Covid-19 pandemic, Golden Jaguars Football Captain Sam Cox opined that smaller nations such as Guyana might require financial assistance from their respective Governments to ensure stability of their respective programmes.

(Trinidad Guardian) Twenty-one T&T nationals who had found themselves on the outside looking in when borders closed at midnight on March 22, returned to this country yesterday.

(Barbados Nation) Family members have identified the three people who were shot and killed at River Land, St Philip early yesterday morning.

Dear Editor, In his highly acclaimed book titled ‘The Speed of Trust’, Steven Covey opens with the following incontestable proposition: “There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team,            family, organisation, nation, economy and civilisation throughout the world – one thing which, if removed, will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love. 

OTTAWA/TORONTO, (Reuters) – Canadians should accept the world will change even if a vaccine is found and the coronavirus pandemic ends, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday, urging people to adjust to a new normal that will require modified behaviour.

A 27-year-old seaman who is accused of fatally stabbing Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD) resident Marlon Peters during a quarrel over a cellular phone last weekend was charged with murder yesterday and remanded to prison.

(Re)-Count me out! I noticed, just recently, that the accomplished singer-composer-columnist, Mr Dave Martins returned to the issue of this country’s diversity welcoming its positives for what is sometimes a fractured society.