Daily Archive: Wednesday, July 1, 2020

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados,  CMC – Legendary former West Indies batsman Sir Everton Weekes has died.

After a marathon six-hour hearing, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) today said it will rule on Wednesday at 3 pm on an appeal related to the March 2nd elections brought by PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo and PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali.

At a press briefing at the US State Department today, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he has instructed his Department to have all of those who undermine Guyana’s democracy held accountable.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) convenes a full hearing of all matters associated with the appeal by Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali of the decision by the Guyana Court of Appeal which sought to assert that the word “valid” has to be used to determine the votes cast for the purposes of the election of a President.

ADDIS ABABA, (Reuters) – At least 50 people were killed in Ethiopia’s Oromiya region in protests following the fatal shooting of a popular singer, a regional spokesman said today, laying bare splits in the prime minister’s political heartland ahead of next year’s polls.

While President David Granger has endorsed the controversial move by Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield to discard 25% of the votes cast at the March 2 polls, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) could still rectify the situation.

Two separate private criminal charges have been filed against Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield by members of the PPP/C and The New Movement (TNM) over his controversial decision to seek to invalidate over 115,000 votes from the March 2 polls.

Sir Shridath Ramphal, with support from several international lawyers, yesterday morning argued at a historic hearing  before the World Court that it has the jurisdiction to decide that the Paris Award which settled the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela is valid and binding.

With no sign of financial assistance from the Government despite pro-mises by caretaker President David Granger, the management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is currently engaged in discussions to begin layoffs, a source close to the corporation told Stabroek News yesterday.

MANCHESTER, England, CMC – Jermaine Blackwood’s struggles with the bat continued but reserve Joshua DaSilva shone with an unbeaten half-century on a rain-hit day two of the four-day ‘inter-squad’ warm-up match here yesterday.

Up-and-coming West Indies paceman, Chemar Holder, is enjoying the comfort of having experienced fast bowlers at his disposal ahead of a potential Test debut.

A total of 1,700 persons are expected to benefit as the Government of Guyana has commenced the distribution of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Public Assistance Vouchers across the country.

What do you do if you are a professional boxer and the gyms in your city/state are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic?

During a broadcast on Monday on Benschop Radio, President Granger brazenly adopted the Chief Election Officer’s fraudulent jettisoning of 25% of the votes cast on March 2nd.

The gesture by the West Indies cricket team to wear a Black Lives Matter emblem on the collars of their shirts during the upcoming Test series against England represents a largely significant move not only for the movement itself but also for the Caribbean side which would have experienced the wrath of racial outbursts in the past. 

The Public Health Ministry yesterday announced that 10 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.

The 13th stage of the ongoing 60X ISOL Remote Shoot Virtual Competition highlighted strong competition among three of Archery Guyana’s members in the Recurve 30m category.

The Guyana Manufactur-ing and Services Association (GMSA) yesterday expressed concern over a shortage in molasses and restated a  call for urgent action to safeguard the sugar industry. 

With FIFA officially suspending the  September International match window due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Lady Jaguars remain ranked 88th following the official release of the updated world rankings system.

(Reuters) – England captain Joe Root will miss the first test of their three-match series against West Indies to attend the birth of his child, with Ben Stokes set to take the reins in his absence, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said yesterday.

The three active novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Region Nine are asymptomatic, according to Regional Executive Officer Carl Parker.

Dear Editor, David Granger, still our country’s serving President, finally came out from behind the shadows on a staged Benschop radio interview to commit himself and his governing party to accepting and embracing their plan to remain in government illegally.

(Reuters) – Coach Misbah-ul-Haq has left no stone unturned in his preparations but Pakistan still look decidedly undercooked for their three-test series against England in August-September.

Guyanese cook Maurice Gordon, known as ‘Tripee,’ who founded the Tripee’s Caribbean Restaurant in New York, lost his battle to the deadly coronavirus in the United States of America last month.

Dear Editor, It is now clear that we are witnessing a crawling or slow-moving coup d’ etat.

LAHORE, Pakistan, (Reuters) – Six Pakistan cricketers, including former captain Mohammad Hafeez, have been cleared to join rest of the team in England after returning a second negative result in COVID-19 tests, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said yesterday. 

(Trinidad Guardian) Police have advised that all roads leading in and out of Port-of-Spain have been cleared and are now debris-free, following protest action earlier today.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – New U.S. COVID-19 cases rose by more than 47,000 yesterday according to a Reuters tally, the biggest one-day spike since the start of the pandemic, as the government’s top infectious disease expert warned that number could soon double.

Photos by Orlando Charles The Guyana Society for the Blind (GSB) is appealing for supplies, including food, cleaning products and face masks, for distribution to the blind and other persons with disabilities who are in need of help during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Dear Editor, What is an allegation? The Oxford dictionary defines it as a claim that someone has done something wrong but this accusation is typically made without verifiable proof.

(Jamaica Star) For 12 years, 67-year-old Roy Barnes says that he was unable to walk freely.

A 26-year-old police constable has now been missing for more than a week with family members and the police having little to no knowledge as to his whereabouts.

The Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO) yesterday announced that Montserrat has successfully reapplied and has been accepted to rejoin the regional doping body. 

HONG KONG, (Reuters) – Security was tight near the heart of Hong Kong’s government district today only hours after new security laws came into force and as the city marked the 23rd anniversary of the former British colony’s handover to China.

Dear Editor, Mayor Ubraj Narine should focus on the numerous problems plaguing the City Council instead of venturing out on the propaganda trail and postulating on legal matters for which he is immensely unqualified.

The recently gazetted order of a 10 % increase in property taxes by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was a decision of the previous council, says Mayor Ubraj Narine adding that the administrative arm of the then council failed to have it processed.

(Trinidad Express) “A well-orchestrated plan to destabilise the country” but it failed.

(Jamaica Observer) RELATIVES of Latoya Monte, the 34-year-old woman who was fatally shot during an alleged confrontation with the police moments after 6:00 pm on Monday in the Kingston 10 area, are insisting that she was murdered, contrary to information released by the constabulary.

The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a deal with guard JR Smith to add him to their roster for next month’s season restart in Orlando, Fla.,

BOA VISTA, Brazil,  (Reuters) – Brazil’s military delivered protective supplies and medicines yesterday by helicopter to isolated Amazon indigenous communities bordering Venezuela and tested frightened members for COVID-19.

BRUSSELS,  (Reuters) – Belgium’s King Philippe expressed deep regret yesterday for the “suffering and humiliation” inflicted on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during its 75-year period under Belgian rule.

Dear Editor,   In Mr Christopher Ram’s letter published in your newspaper on June 13 2020 (`A movement once famous for its values and Rodneyite principles is now deeply involved in an attempt to rig 2020 elections’) he quotes me as being concerned about Brother Tacuma Ogunseye’s alleged involvement in the “violence” on the lower East Coast.

Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) has now officially recorded 37 cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

(Jamaica Observer) Four Jamaican missionaries stranded in Río Abajo, Panama, are seeking the Government’s assistance to return to the island, as they struggle to stay afloat in the Spanish-speaking country despite support from the Jamaican consulate in Panama City.

(Trinidad Express) An Acting Senior Superintendent of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), has been charged with malicious damage.

MANCHESTER, England, CMC – Rain forced the abandonment of the opening day of the West Indies’ final ‘inter-squad’ warm-up contest here Monday.

As the elections saga /drama continues to unfold, its by-product of emotional strain has begun to have significant effects on our personal relationships.

SYDNEY, (Reuters) – Australia and Zimbabwe have agreed to postpone three one-day internationals in August because of the difficulty of putting on the series while the new coronavirus pandemic continues, Cricket Australia (CA) said yesterday.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – A study of coronavirus infections that covered almost everyone in the quarantined north Italian town of Vò found that 40% of cases showed no symptoms – suggesting that asymptomatic cases are important in the spread of the pandemic.

Two days after the suspected arson carried out on the vehicle of TV News reporter Travis Chase, further information surrounding the fire is yet to be made known to the public.

Dear Editor, As usual, I am already looking ahead and moving on to the challenges before us. 

Mingo’s attempt to manipulate the election was a failed last minute improvisation by the PNC.

(Trinidad Express) A pregnant woman, who was among street protestors yesterday, was shot, and has died at hospital.

(Jamaica Gleaner) It was George Williams’ first Sunday as a free man, and his family made certain that he had a hearty dinner and experienced the warmth and togetherness of being at home in Ewarton, St Catherine.

(Trinidad Guardian) The bullet which pierced the third floor of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs’ building, “landed” when third-floor staff was all present but it may have been aimed at an office higher up in the building.