Daily Archive: Sunday, May 24, 2020

Only 75 ballot boxes were recounted today for a total of 1,124 out of 2,339, according to GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj.

The long-awaited $959m Port Kaituma Regional Hospital was commissioned today by de facto Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence.

HONG KONG,  (Reuters) – Hong Kong police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands who, in defiance of curbs imposed to contain the coronavirus, gathered today to protest against Beijing’s plan to directly impose national security laws on the city.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – India’s sports minister today said any decision to allow the Indian Premier League to go ahead this year would be taken by the government, not the Indian cricket board, and would be based on how well the country has contained the novel coronavirus.

ZURICH,  (Reuters) – First indications of the effectiveness of a potential vaccine against coronavirus may be available in the autumn, the head of the GAVI vaccine alliance told a Swiss newspaper, forecasting a long road from there to broad availability.

(Trinidad Guardian) As medical personnel at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (POSGH) prepared to resume elective surgeries on Friday, they were delayed for a few hours more after a wild monkey was found in the operating theatre.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Sharon Hollister* is thankful her 15-year-old son has completed another month without having a run-in with the law.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Three weeks after a probe revealed that most local private hospitals were unregistered, The Sunday Gleaner has learnt that the island’s private ambulance service is operating without oversight, putting members of the public at risk.

Even with favourable markets, large scale mining of minerals here has suffered major setbacks due mainly to health restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and this has left hundreds without work.

With one week left in its original 25-day timetable for the recount of votes from the March 2 polls, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) still has 1,290 ballot boxes to count, an impossible endeavour in the remaining time.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday slammed the National COVID-19 Task Force for a lack of leadership and for not providing guidance on the reopening of the economy.

Although residents of Masakenari, in Region Nine, are grateful to the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MoIPA) for its recent donation of food supplies, Toshao Paul Chekema has said it will not be enough since it is only the beginning of the rainy season and most of the villagers’ crops have died after being inundated for a few days.

A 39-year-old man succumbed at a city hospital on Friday afternoon, almost a day after he was stabbed while allegedly trying to disarm his brother at their Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home.

The NBA confirmed yesterday that talks are underway with Disney to restart the season this summer in Orlando, Fla.

Guyanese musician Derry Etkins has died during recovery from a minor surgery.

Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Head-coach Junior Hercules has said that the ongoing World Association of Basketball Coaches (WABC) Online Clinic Course focuses on creating a winning mindset for seasoned coaches aiming to compete at the professional levels.

Former Guyana Under-17 vice-captain, Andre Seepersaud is working relentlessly towards securing a spot in the Guyana side for the Regional Under-19 tournament, tentatively set for later this year.

With the COVID-19 outbreak cancelling traditional Independence Day activities, some Guyanese youth have suggestions for celebrating the day safely.

The woman who has been arrested after the fatal stabbing her common-law husband at Mabaruma, in Region One, on Friday afternoon had been the prime suspect in the disappearance of her father in 2017.

Guyana’s CrossFit stars, Dillon Mahadeo and Delice Adonis expressed disappointment at being unable to compete at the Reebok CrossFit Games, but the pair is prepared to take all the steps necessary to return to the event next year.

Seeking to meet a demand from customers while keeping workers off the breadline during the pandemic lockdown, some city cafés have resumed operations by introducing curbside pickup and delivery services.

A child alone with an alcoholic parent, a ‘little old lady’ who just wanted something to eat and pensioner who wanted assistance in accessing her diabetes medication were among the over 200 calls received by the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) for the month of April.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many businesses uncertain about the future but hoping for the best.

Knowing that giving up is not an option, every day many health care workers show up to do their part as the fight continues both against the spread of COVID-19 and to treat those who are infected.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Two people from two Premier League clubs have tested positive for the coronavirus after a second batch of testing, the Premier League said yesterday.

The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Ten is calling on the Ministry of Social Protection to provide counselling for families affected by COVID-19 stigma.

LONDON, CMC – Kieron Pollard’s contract with English county Northamptonshire has been cancelled by “mutual agreement”, amidst the ongoing uncertainty owing to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

There has been uproar in our society about why, despite there being an information overload on the novel coronavirus, that most men still seem to be overlooking safety precautions by not wearing masks, not practicing social distancing and “liming” when they should be at home.

(Reuters) – Tyson Fury said he was eager to give British boxing fans what they want by fighting Anthony Joshua for the undisputed world heavyweight title but he said the duo must focus on their immediate opponents to make such a match happen.

By Shaquawn Gill A Guyanese Ohio University graduate is using animation to bring awareness to the social issues surrounding brain drain in an effort to encourage people to stay and return to assist in building their home country.

With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, official Independence Day celebrations, including the flag raising ceremony, are going to be observed virtually.

The Guyana Carnival committee is set to host a virtual masquerade parade on Independence Day, May 26, after its planned celebrations were scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Reuters) – Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen claimed victory in a virtual sprint competition, The Challenge of Stars series, yesterday.

‘Seven years ago, Afeena Aliyah Mootoo professionally entered the makeup industry after she was recommended by a friend to her first client.

For a second consecutive day, the Public Health Ministry yesterday announced that the latest round of testing has not yielded any new COVID-19 cases.

Female cycling in Berbice has been given a much-needed boost with the formation of a club targeting female cyclists.

Seeking to use his talent to provide humanitarian support during the COVID-19 pandemic, designer Bernard Ramsay has launched a t-shirt project to raise funds for several homes for the elderly.

The Guyana Post Office Corpo-ration (GPOC) has announced that old age pension payments for June, 2020, will begin on Thursday, May 28, 2020, at all post offices countrywide, the Department of Public Infor-mation (DPI) said on Friday.

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Borussia Dortmund scored a goal in each half through Raphael Guerreiro and Achraf Hakimi to beat hosts VfL Wolfsburg 2-0 yesterday for their sixth straight Bundesliga win to stay on the heels of leaders Bayern Munich.

Dear Editor,                                                        Allow us, once more, to discuss and place COVID-19 into perspective, as it relates to the local reality in Guyana, as we learn from press reports and other sources.

“I really don’t know what will happen when all of this is over.

HONG KONG/BEIJING,  (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry branch in Hong Kong dismissed concerns that its proposed national security laws for the city would harm foreign investors, hitting back at “meddling” countries as Beijing’s ties with Washington soured further.

BARCELONA, (Reuters) – Spanish soccer’s top flight division La Liga can return to action from June 8 after being disrupted by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said yesterday.

Dear Editor, Recent revelations regarding the Ministry of Education’s plan to stage the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) in about two months, have caused concern among parents and teachers.

One thousand hampers have been donated to several organisations and communities in Guyana by the Jay and Silvia Sobhraj Foundation in an effort to provide relief to persons affected by the coronavirus disease pandemic. 

The Mouse’s Tale                                                      “Fury said to a mouse         that he met in the     house, ‘let us both go to law    I will prosecute you – Come I’ll                                        take no denial:                                     We must have                                 a trial; For        really this   morning I’ve nothing to do.’

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC – Windward Islands batsman Desron Maloney starred as La Soufriere Hikers thrashed Botanic Garden Rangers in the second match of the inaugural T10 Vincy Premier League here Friday.

A young woman is picked up before sunrise by a driver and travels from her home to her office.

Dear Editor, The Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) recently posted online the closed seasons for wildlife in Guyana.

Kupanda Sisters Inc., a united States-based non-profit organisation founded by a Guyanese, has partnered with the World Literacy Foundation to launch a pilot programme to boost literacy through the provision of tablets to 20 students of Sophia Primary School.

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – Americans excited about what for many was their first big break from coronavirus shutdowns flocked to beaches and outdoor areas yesterday, snarling roadways and forcing some closures on the Memorial Day weekend that signals the start of the U.S.

(BBC) Pace bowler Chris Woakes says he would be happy to see Alex Hales return to the England side.

Dear Editor, While I expected a response from the PPP/C to President David Granger’s interview on Mark Benschop Radio, moreso his expressed interest in a new form of governance, I must confess that the response came earlier than I anticipated.

A 57-year-old miner is currently nursing second degree burns to more than half of his body which he reportedly during a mining accident at Partang Back-dam, Upper Mazaruni River.

(Reuters) – The first tanker from a flotilla of five Iranian fuel cargoes reached Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone yesterday, according to vessel tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Bowlers looking at resuming test cricket after the novel coronavirus lockdown will require two to three months of preparation to avoid injuring themselves, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said.

Over 500 businesses have already applied to benefit from COVID-19 relief grants from the Ministry of Business through the Small Business Bureau, according to de facto Minister of Business Haimraj Rajkumar.

Last week, we addressed the motions of castling on the Kingside and Queenside.

Dear Editor, With atypical speed, GECOM Chair Claudette Singh distanced herself from the unfortunate statement by (GECOM) Commissioner Sase Gunraj that purported to convey the Chairman’s views on the recurrent, outlandish claims by the APNU+AFC and its spokespersons such as Aubrey Norton and James Bond.

(Reuters) – The University of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine trial has only a 50% chance of success as the coronavirus seems to be fading rapidly in Britain, the professor co-leading the development of the vaccine told the Telegraph newspaper https://bit.ly/2LQTNos.

As part of the recent commemoration of International Day of the Nurse, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) has gifted 88 nurses and 25 doctors the opportunity to enjoy fine dining or recuperation at one of Guyana’s tourism destinations.

I have been re-reading a book of great beauty given to me as a gift by my wife: A River Runs Through It, by Norman Fitzroy Maclean.

BRASILIA,  (Reuters) – Indigenous organizations in Brazil protested on Friday against the inclusion in a bill on emergency assistance to tribes in the coronavirus pandemic of a paragraph authorizing Christian missionaries to remain in indigenous communities.

Introduction There is one outstanding feature of the 2020 general crisis and its impacts on the crude oil market that remains to be assessed in this series of Sunday columns, before I can fruitfully turn to evaluate its likely specific impacts on Guyana’s infant (five-month old) oil and gas sector.

PARIS, (Reuters) – French Open director Guy Forget said he was working hand in hand with tennis authorities to make sure the dates of the claycourt Grand Slam tournament and those of the U.S.

The south of Guyana is particularly vulnerable to the spread of the coronavirus, not just because of the regular traffic from Georgetown, but also because it is wide open to traffic from Brazil.

Dear Editor, While all Guyana watched twenty-year-old, Second Lieutenant (2Lt) Desmond Roberts of the Guyana Defence Force raise the Golden Arrow Head at the historic flag raising ceremony ushering in Guyana’s Independence fifty-four years ago on May 26, 1966, at the National Park in Georgetown, Guyana, not many people knew that twenty-year-old, Officer Cadet Fairbairn Liverpool, of the Guyana Defence Force had a similar distinction of carrying the Golden Arrow Head down the Aisle at Westminster Abbey and present it from the altar to the diaspora in London, England to a fanfare of trumpets on the same day.

LONDON, (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resisted calls yesterday from opposition parties to sack senior adviser Dominic Cummings after he travelled 400 km (250 miles) to northern England while his wife showed COVID-19 symptoms.

I have to declare that in the midst of all the high-tech life we’re enmeshed in these days, right in the very heart of it, like sitting in an airport lounge in North America recently, my mind, seemingly on its own, will take charge of me, like a tap on the shoulder, and send me back to some crystal clear memory (I’ve mentioned some of them before) that  ends up slowing me for a few minutes, literally not moving, reliving what once was, photographs of life in some reservoir somewhere, some of them very old, but all of them crystal clear and sometimes suggesting music.

While the political atmosphere is still heavily laden with gloom, it was somewhat lifted by President Granger’s statement last week that the Government will accept ‘any declaration’ made by GECOM pursuant to the recount.

LONDON (Reuters) – Children have milder COVID-19 symptoms than adults and the balance of evidence suggests they may also have lower susceptibility and infectivity than adults, scientists advising the British government have said.

SAO PAULO (SciDev.net) – Simultaneous dengue and COVID-19 epidemics could lead to the collapse of Brazil’s health system, scientists are warning.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A previously unreleased version of 2017 superhero movie “Justice League” by director Zack Snyder will debut on the HBO Max streaming service in 2021, executives said on Wednesday, in response to a years-long campaign by fans.

LONDON (Reuters) – Stuck at home with the kids? Meryl Streep, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Cate Blanchett may be able to help.

LONDON (Reuters) – With lockdown measures more relaxed, social lives are slowly becoming possible.

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – From collapsing supply chains to power grabs by populist leaders, the coronavirus pandemic has revealed how a crisis can swiftly ramp up wider security risks – a clear warning as climate change looms large, security experts warned on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Astronomers have gazed into what appears to be a planetary maternity ward, observing for the first time within a huge disk of dense gas and dust surrounding a newly formed star a planet in the process of being born.

BOGOTA (Reuters) – This time there are no lights, cameras, dressing rooms or the hundreds of people who usually crowd a film shoot.

In many countries, gyms, and fitness centres are cautiously beginning to reopen.