Daily Archive: Wednesday, July 15, 2020

In strong language, CARICOM Chairman Ralph Gonsalves today said that  the entire world knows that a small clique is trying to hijack Guyana’s elections.

-urges declaration of result without further delay   Canada today strongly regretted the extended delay in declaring the election results from the March 2nd general elections and says it is prepared to use all “tools at our disposal” to hold accountable those who prevent it.

A 74-year-old man who died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Sunday has been confirmed to have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today announced visa restrictions on individuals undermining democracy here and said that the Granger administration must respect the results of democratic elections and step aside.

(Jamaica Star) A man, who is allegedly of unsound mind, is in police custody after he allegedly stabbed his mother to death in Bottom Town in Clarks Town, Trelawny, on Tuesday morning.

Chief Justice Roxane George today said that oral arguments will begin on Friday afternoon, July 17 at 2 pm on the latest challenge to the declaration of results from the controversial March 2nd general elections and arguments should conclude around 5 pm and a decision could be handed down by Sunday.

The Chief Justice Roxane George hears a court challenge filed to block the attempt by Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) retired Justice Claudette Singh to declare the winner of the March 2nd polls using the results of the national recount process.

GENEVA,  (Reuters) – Some gold, diamond and bauxite mines in the Venezuelan Amazon are largely controlled by criminal gangs who exploit, beat and even kill workers, a United Nations investigation has found.

BRISTOL, England,  (Reuters) – A sculpture of a Black protester with her fist raised in the air has been erected in a stealthy night-time operation in place of a 17th Century English slave trader whose statue was toppled by anti-racism demonstrators in the port city of Bristol.

(Trinidad Guardian) Relatives of Gary Layne, who was found dead in the holding cell of the Arouca Police Station on Sunday afternoon, are calling for a full probe into what happened, as they claim he would never do harm to himself as he had his five-year-old daughter “to live for.”

(Jamaica Gleaner) The decision by the Trump administration not to go forward with deporting international students who do not attend in-person classes has been welcomed by the Jamaican community as well as students studying in the United States.

A court challenge has been filed to block the attempt by Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) retired Justice Claudette Singh to declare the winner of the March 2nd polls using the results of the national recount process, The new legal action, brought by Tucville resident Misenga Jones, contends that Singh can only make a declaration from the report submitted by the Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield and that neither she nor the Commission can dictate to him what his report should contain.

A 19-year-old man was yesterday afternoon knifed to death after a scuffle ensued at a shop in Dazzell Housing Scheme, Enmore, on the East Coast of Demerara.

As the 2020 Elections drag on, de facto President David Granger appears to be slowly shifting the goalpost of what exactly it would take for him to concede.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday described as an “abuse of court” the most recent legal challenge filed against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

An early morning fire, suspected to be an act of arson, yesterday destroyed the upper part of a building at Wismar, Linden which housed the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) office.

With more services being allowed to operate, the Giftland Mall has partially reopened.

Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield has once again failed to submit the report requested by the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Over 300 prisoners have been released as part of efforts to reduce the size of the inmate population in the overcrowded prisons across the country in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels said.

Ramzan Mohammed Shaw, the driver involved in the accident that caused the death of Carson Inniss at Dundee, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, on July 5, was on Monday asked to post a total of $560,000 bail after being faced with four charges, including causing death by dangerous driving.

Dear Editor, This is in response to the SN letter of June 24 last, written by Desmond Trotman, government-nominated GECOM Commissioner and WPA member, in which he stresses, amongst other things, that he is not party to a course of rigging the March 2020 elections especially as he was appointed by President Granger, also leader of APNU, shortly after the WPA (which allied itself to the PNC to form APNU) publicly stated it would not condone election rigging; this timing somehow transposes the WPA position to that of the President. 

Dear Editor, Based on what transpired in the last twenty-four hours in Guyana, a few points must be made: It is now trite that GECOM’s extensive adjournments and late hour meetings facilitate further mischief and delay.

Eight new cases of the novel coronavirus were yesterday recorded in Regions Two, Four, Seven, and Nine, as cases continue to spike throughout the country.

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – In a stunning reversal of policy, the Trump administration yesterday abandoned a plan that would have forced out tens of thousands of foreign students following widespread condemnation of the move and pressure from colleges and major businesses.

The National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) is moving ahead with the phased reopening of the country and is likely to see public servants returning to work, Director of Operations at its Secretariat Mark Archer has said.

Dear Editor, Help & Shelter offers its solidarity and support to Akola Thompson and the other women who have courageously come forward to expose the domestic abuse they suffered at the hands of Ruel Johnson. 

(Jamaica Observer) USAIN Bolt’s return to competitive track and field could be closer than ever after his former coach, Glen Mills gave an indication that the double sprint world record holder might have walked away from the sport prematurely.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – President Donald Trump yesterday ordered an end to Hong Kong’s special status under U.S.

Dear Editor, There is a clear conflict between the Chairman of GECOM and the Chief Elec-tion Officer who are supposed to work together and have been doing so until recently. 

LONDON, (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered Huawei equipment to be purged completely from Britain’s 5G network by the end of 2027, risking the ire of China by signalling that the world’s biggest telecoms equipment maker is not welcome in the West.

A former policewoman is now awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of dousing her now ex-boyfriend with a corrosive substance.

West Indies head coach, Phil Simmons is adamant that batsmen must score centuries while crediting their month-long camp for the victory in the first Test on Sunday over England.

Dear Editor, APNU+AFC supporters have descended on the State House for the second time in a week to engage their leader, without regard to Covid-19 restrictions.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – More than 200,000 Brazilian people and groups will next week kick off a 5 billion-pound ($6.3 billion) lawsuit against Anglo-Australian miner BHP in Britain over a 2015 dam failure that led to Brazil’s worst environmental disaster.

Following the sitting of the NGSA, parents have said that they would like timely updates on the Education Ministry’s plans for the new school year.

Dear Editor, The political crisis in Guyana stemmed from the successful passage of the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Government in Decem-ber, 2018, wherein a national election should have been held within three months therefrom as stipulated by the Guyana constitution.

About eighty per cent of the oil spilled from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Kingston power complex has been mopped up as the utility company continues to work closely under directives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

CHICAGO,  (Reuters) – Moderna Inc’s experimental vaccine for COVID-19 showed it was safe and provoked immune responses in all 45 healthy volunteers in an ongoing early-stage study, U.S.

MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said his team deserved an apology, after their two year UEFA ban from European football was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) — a verdict he called a “good day for football”.

(Reuters) – Tiger Woods makes his long-awaited return to competitive golf at the Memorial Tourna-ment in Dublin, Ohio this week and no golfer will feel the impact of the strange new spectatorless world created by COVID-19 than the 15-time major winner.

Following a match winning 95 against England in the first Test on Sunday, West Indies middle-order batsman, Jermaine Blackwood marked his return to the longest format with a performance he describes as testimony to hard work.

Dear Editor, I note the Ministry of the Presidency’s response to my earlier Statement.

Emmanuel Kant, the eminent 18th century German moral philosopher, believed that there was only a single ‘categorical imperative’ in the moral realm: ‘Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.’

(Field Level Media) Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes said he is “doing well” after testing positive for the coronavirus.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – An underwhelming Chelsea boosted their chances of a spot in next season’s Champions League, overcoming a slow start to beat relegated Norwich City 1-0 at Stamford Bridge yesterday.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – England off-spinner Dom Bess said he feels “dangerous” ahead of the second test against the West Indies which starts at Old Trafford tomorrow.

LONDON,  CMC – Captain Jason Holder has amassed the highest rating points by a West Indies bowler in two decades as he closed in on the number one spot in the International Cricket Council’s bowling rankings, after leaping one place to second following his outstanding showing in the first Test against England.

Businesses along Regent Street continue to express grave concerns about the massive negative effect the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) coupled with the prolonged electoral imbroglio, continue to have on the day-to-day operation of their businesses.

(Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday lambasted California’s two largest school districts for making students learn from home for the upcoming term in the face of the resurgent coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the resumption of local football, Golden Jaguar U20 International Lionel Holder, revealed that he continues to train in a structured weekly manner in an effort to maintain his physical conditioning.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley is advocating for reparations for the region as well a “Caribbean Marshall Plan” to address the economic decline the region faces as it confronts the deadly combination of the negative impact of the COVID 19 pandemic and the inherent social and economic disparities that continue to stymie the region’s development.

On Sunday, the West Indies cricket team completed a fine four-wicket victory over their English hosts in the First Test at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.