Daily Archive: Monday, May 18, 2020

(Jamaica Gleaner) The government has granted approval for the 1,044 Jamaican ship workers aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship to disembark.

(Trinidad Express) POLICE have responded to a grisly crime scene where one of their retired colleagues and his wife have been brutally killed. 

The National COVID-19 Task Force today agreed on the return of dozens of Guyanese stranded overseas as long as public health conditions are met among other things.

(Jamaica Star) What started out as regular day last Monday for 21-year-old farmer Daniel Logan and his spouse, Mizira Mitchell, changed drastically in a matter of minutes after he was forced to deliver their second child on a dirt track.

(Trinidad Express) Fifteen year old Anushka Balkissoon was found on Sunday night, and has returned to her family.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Jamaicans are found everywhere, and they tend to add flavour to life as they are currently doing in New York, the epicentre of the USA’s COVID-19 outbreak where there are nearing 1.5 million confirmed cases.

The police are investigating the murder of a 68-year-old security guard, whose partially nude body was discovered in the Le Repentir Cemetery early this morning and a suspect has since been arrested.

 (Reuters) – Moderna Inc said today its experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced antibodies that could “neutralize” the new coronavirus in patients in a small early stage clinical trial, sending its shares up 25%.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Prime Minister Andrew Holness has asserted that there would be a “serious” breach of good faith if Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines intends to sail to Jamaica without notice or approval.

(Trinidad Guardian) Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte has confirmed that his resignation from Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s led administration was a result of professional conflict on policy positions.

Legendary West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding has expressed concern over the use of funds referred to in a reported Cricket West Indies (CWI) audit, asking whether past players received US$500,000 from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which presented that gift to CWI.

Former West Indies pacer Reon King is leading the charge for Caribbean bowlers to improve themselves in hope of capitalizing on ‘a lot of cricket’ that is available.

Bodybuilding champion, Kerwin Clarke is one to adapt to challenges in and out the gym.

Following the conclusion of the Virtual Coaches Clinic Series hosted by FIBA Americas Friday, national basketball coach Junior Hercules declared that such courses are beneficial to the overall development of the national programme.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is scheduled to meet on May 28 via teleconference and, chief among the items on its agenda, will be the T20 World Cup.

Sixty ballot boxes from the March 2nd general elections were recounted yesterday – the highest daily total since the exercise started 12 days ago – and the tabulated result for District One was signed off by all parties even as GECOM continues to wait for the COVID-19 task force to approve more work stations to speed the process up.

President David Granger yesterday said that his APNU+AFC government will accept the Guyana Elections Commission’s declaration of the result of the March 2nd General and Regional Elections.

ROME,  (Reuters) – The start of full training at Italy’s professional soccer clubs has been postponed from today as they continue to wrangle over the government’s medical rules for dealing with the coronavirus.

BARCELONA, (Reuters) – Spanish soccer has edged closer to returning after a long pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic after La Liga president Javier Tebas confirmed clubs in the top two divisions will begin training in groups of up to 10 players from today.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) President, Ricky Skerritt yesterday denied that there had been any cover-up of a damning audit report of the board under his predecessor which raised concerns about money-laundering and other transgressions and  said a series of recommendations are already being implemented.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – The Premier League hopes “Project Restart” will move a step closer to becoming reality today when clubs hold an emergency meeting to vote on a return to group training amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has registered an after-tax profit of $1.48b for the year ended December 2019, a rise of 2.59% over the 2018 figure of $1.44b.

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Champions Bayern Munich scored a goal late in each half to beat promoted Union Berlin 2-0 on their return to the Bundesliga on Sunday after more than two months out due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and protect their four-point lead at the top.

Silvercorp Metals Inc and Guyana Goldfields Inc yesterday announced that they have entered into an amending agreement to the deal entered into previously and announced on April 27, 2020, pursuant to which Silvercorp agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Guyana Goldfields by way of a court approved plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act.

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump praised the return of live golf yesterday, dialing into a televised broadcast of a two-on-two charity skins match between top players on the PGA Tour, the first event of its kind since the coronavirus lockdown.

A New Amsterdam woman died on  Saturday evening after she was  struck down by a motor car along the Fort Canje Public Road.

(Reuters) – Cricket’s return should not be a priority while the country is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, England fast bowler Mark Wood has said as he questioned whether everyone involved in a match would be safe.

A protest on Saturday morning by the PPP/C outside of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calling for the return of Carter Center observers was dispersed by the police who cited the emergency ministerial order on COVID-19 measures.

With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to affect the Caribbean, Central and North American regions respectively, local confederation Concacaf, has opted to suspend the 2020 men’s U20 competition scheduled for Honduras from June 20th-July 5th until further notice.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – The most important data for the U.S. economy right now are the “medical metrics” around the coronavirus pandemic, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said last night in broadcast remarks where he outlined the likely need for three to six more months of government financial help for firms and families.

Dear Editor, Apart from making Guyana win top spot in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest count of election votes on both an absolute and per capita basis, GECOM’s conduct of the recount has not been short of clownishness.

Dear Editor, A recent comment by US Congressman Hakeem Jeffries was covered by several news outlets  in the Caribbean.

The National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) has denied a request for a relief flight to repatriate citizens of United States who are stranded here due to the current COVID-19 restrictions on air travel.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Oliver Frederick Clarke, a quintessential media tycoon, Caribbean luminary, humanitarian and banker who had an almost inexhaustible list of accolades, died Saturday at his home at 9:45 p.m.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has extended heartfelt condolences to the family of Dat Nagalla Jnr.,

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s firing of the State Department’s top internal watchdog “could be unlawful” if it was intended to retaliate against one of his investigations, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said yesterday.

Dear Editor, Now that the fraud in Clairmont Mingo’s declaration for District 4 is being revealed before the eyes of the world, I could not help but note that at Saturday’s press conference outside of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, APNU+AFC candidates Amna Ally and Roysdale Forde stated that there “was systemic fraud that has been taking place in these elections” and cast the blame on GECOM.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica Tallawahs will be in search of a match-winning wrist spinner in the upcoming Caribbean Premier League draft.

(Barbados Nation) A statement issued through the Barbados Government Information Service yesterday announced that the curfew imposed to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been extended until May 31, 2020.

KABUL,  (Reuters) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah signed a power-sharing deal to end a months-long political stalemate, Ghani’s spokesman said yesterday, a step that could smooth efforts to end the country’s long-running war.

The Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) has raised its voice against the blacklisting of several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states by the European Union (EU). 

Dear Editor, I would like to respond to a few points in the Editor’s Note in relation to my letter that was published in the Stabroek News on May 15, 2020 and titled ‘OAS ought to be more sensitive with how it is treating with Guyana’s elections’.

ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Former Cricket West Indies vice-president, Emmanuel Nanthan, has said there was no financial impropriety regarding a US$134 200 transfer to Cricket West Indies from a sponsor two years ago, which had been targeted for cricket development here.

(Trinidad Guardian) After surveying 148 executives in T&T and the Caribbean in April, HRC Associates in collaboration with the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce has found that almost one third of the CEO’s are expecting staff severances in the coming months.

An Adelphi Village, East Canje, Berbice sugar worker, was injured after a truck he was returning home in toppled along the Tain dam on Thursday afternoon.

SAN SALVADOR, (Reuters) – El Salvador’s attorney general yesterday challenged a decree by President Nayib Bukele, who declared a state of emergency the previous evening to extend coronavirus measures without approval by congress.

It seems that the agents of APNU+AFC at the national recount of votes – a number of de facto ministers among them – have taken the opportunity of entering the manufacturing sector and not in a good way.

Dear Editor, I thought that the incendiary Chris Gayle-Ramnaresh Sarwan dispute was over.

(Trinidad Express) Two brothers are suspected to have drowned at a pool at a quarrying site in Valencia.

(Reuters) – NBA great Michael Jordan’s autographed match-worn sneakers from his rookie season fetched a record $560,000 in an online auction, Sotheby’s said https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/the-one-mjs-air-jordan-1s/michael-jordans-game-worn-1985-player-sample-air?locale=en

What has transpired in this sister Caricom country since the March 2, 2020 election has basically been a circus, and it is indeed a shame that up to this stage a credible count of the votes has not been completed.

Marsha Hinds is an advocate and the President of the National Organization of Women of Barbados.

The Ministry of Public Health’s COVID-19 mobile testing unit will be stationed in the community of South Ruimveldt today to screen residents between 9 am to 3 pm, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Vehicle PWW 7851 was said to be speeding along Regent Street when another car coming from Albert Street drove into its path.

BBRASILIA, (Reuters) – Wearing a face mask, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro posed for photographs with children plucked out of a crowd of supporters yesterday, disregarding public health advice aimed at containing one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks.