Daily Archive: Sunday, October 25, 2020

Following the August 2nd declaration of results of the March 2nd elections, Guyana has been removed from the Commonwealth’s watch list after fears had arisen that a rigged result was in the making.

LONDON, (Reuters) – U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said today it would be clear whether a COVID-19 vaccine was safe and effective by early December, but that more widespread vaccination would not be likely until later in 2021.

 (Reuters) – A team of entomologists in full-body protective gear vacuumed Asian giant hornets out of a tree in Washington state on Saturday, eradicating the first nest of the so-called murder hornets found in the United States.

SEOUL, (Reuters) – Lee Kun-hee, who built Samsung Electronics into a global powerhouse in smartphones, semiconductors and televisions, died today after spending more than six years in hospital following a heart attack, the company said.

(Jamaica Gleaner) It was the afternoon of Friday, October 17, 2014 when Joan Martin was at home in the United Kingdom (UK) with a church sister and her phone rang.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond yesterday said that she renounc-ed her US citizenship before she was sworn in as a Member of Parliament (MP) on September 1st, although she did not state whether the certificate of renunciation was received before that date.

After more than three years of construction, the $245 million Dr Yesu Persaud Clinical Education Centre was yesterday officially handed over to the government with emphasis being placed on the role it is expected to play in improving the country’s current level of primary health care in the coming year.

For the second time for the month, police yesterday afternoon cleared blockages off the West Coast Berbice Public Road, where fires were also lit after residents protested one again over the murders of cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday revealed that two more persons have died after contracting COVID-19, while 34 additional cases were confirmed yesterday.

Following a setback due to the global pandemic, the $4 billion Tropical Orchard Products Company (TOPCO) being spearheaded by the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) is set to take off early next year, giving farmers a market for large quantities of cherries, guava and other fruit produce.

In a major statement on the political situation here, United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Mikiko Tanaka has said that given the slim margin in the legislature between the government and opposition, parliamentary decision-making should entail consensus building and compromise so as to be inclusive of all sides.

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha yesterday promised drainage and irrigation (D&I) services to private cane farmers in the Upper Corentyne area, as he sought to encourage them to return to cane cultivation.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Sport, Jermaine Figueira, has slammed the government for its failure to appoint the members of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

The opposition APNU+AFC has taken issue with a Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) decision to hire a lawyer to represent the Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield for the elections petitions cases instead of allowing him to select his own representation.

With remote learning being forced upon parents throughout the world because of the novel coronavirus, many are still adjusting to their new roles in the education of their children.

Once a pastor’s wife, Carlotta Boodie is well aware of how rampant domestic violence is in the faith-based community and of the fact that many times victims are not given the support they need.

West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd could potentially stake a claim and fulfill his dream of playing Test cricket.

Faced with a petition for her removal due to the disruption of mining activities, the toshao of Campbelltown, in Region Eight, has said the village council has acted on the guidance of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), which found the operations unsafe.

Audreyanna Thomas, whose services as Communications Officer were recently terminated with immediate effect by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), has launched a programme to assist persons like her who have been let go from public sector agencies in recent months.

 photos: Joanna Dhanraj After seven months of being closed to the public as a result of COVID-19, resorts have been given the go-ahead to reopen once they follow prescribed protocols, including ensuring that they have ventilated areas for socialising, as well as sanitisers and sinks always available.

Lindener Letecia Allicock is looking to ‘clean up’ with her natural body scrubs and lotions, which she recently put on the local market to great reviews and requests for more from customers.

President Irfaan Ali yesterday recognised the achievements of Guyanese businessman Andrew Mendes, who was officially presented with the 2020 Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship.

Following the recommendation of the independent review team, the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) has created an online portal to expedite the handling of reviews and queries from students who wrote the 2020 July/August Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

2020 has been dedicated to the commemoration of 100 years since the termination of the system of indentureship in the Caribbean.

A Police Constable attached to the Fort Wellington Police Station died yesterday after he crashed into a parked trailer on the Fellowship Public Road, at Mahaicony.

ABUJA/LAGOS, (Reuters) – Nigeria’s police chief ordered the immediate mobilisation of all force resources yesterday to try to control the worst street violence in Africa’s most populous country in two decades stemming from protests against police brutality.

Former Cricket West Indies boss, Wycliffe “Dave” Cameron believes that cricket has suffered a lot due to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic.

“I don’t have no more fight in me. Before, I felt like I was going to die.

CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez abandoned the Spanish ambassador’s residence in Caracas yesterday to flee the country, more than a year after seeking refuge there to escape house arrest, his party said.

Now that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing capacity in Guyana has been boosted, Minister of Health Dr.

President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle, has warned that the Caribbean needs to be “extremely careful with its modus operandi” after concerns were raised over a possible breach of International Boxing Association (AIBA) election rules ahead of the Congress in December.

Dear Editor,  Once again, the issue of dual citizenship has surfaced in Guyana as it relates to serving in the National Assembly.

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination’s Spectrum Film Festival, which celebrates films by and about queer identities, is running virtually for the month of October.  

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio/DALLAS, Pa.,  (Reuters) – President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden gave starkly contrasting messages yesterday about the coronavirus pandemic, taking their campaigns for the White House on the road to swing states where COVID-19 cases are surging again.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Football’s world governing body, FIFA, yesterday hailed the Trinidad and Tobago Court of Appeal decision to squash a recent High Court ruling against them, in the controversial case brought by the embattled country Football Association.

The Rotary Club of Georgetown Central has donated outdoor workout equipment to the National Park in George-town. 

Like many, I have lost tremendous physique gains due to the current circumstances.

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) held its nerve in a low-scoring encounter to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 12 runs in Match 43 of the Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Dear Editor, Firstly, let me note with some appreciation that my resignation from the NICIL Board improved GHK Lall’s grading of me, by several notches; as he agreed with my condemnation of the inhumane treatment of the untitled residents of Success as stated in Stabroek News dated October 10, 2020.

KUMBA, Cameroon,  (Reuters) – Gunmen stormed a school in Cameroon yesterday and opened fire indiscriminately, killing at least six children and wounding about eight more in a region where separatist insurgents operate, officials and parents said.

(Trinidad Guardian) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has announced adjustments to the COVID-19 restrictions, including a full return of public servants to work from tomorrow, and the reopening of gyms, places of worship, cinemas and members’ clubs with some caveats.

Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony and Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Lilian Chatterjee recently discussed the possibility of developing an application (App) that will track COVID-19 patients or persons who have been tested here for the disease.

As if we weren’t stressed enough before the pandemic, now it’s doubly worse and people find themselves more anxious and more stressed out.

Dear Editor, I refer to the editorial titled, `Unifying the people’ (SN October 23). 

Dear Editor, The current increasing rate of infection due to the Coronavirus will continue to negatively impact the economic activity in each region and reduce the level of employment throughout the country.

(Trinidad Guardian) The impact of COVID-19 on the countries of the region has been likened by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to a heart attack.

Today’s featured game pits Ratmir Kholmov against previous world chess champion David Bronstein.

Works Minister Juan Edghill, who has been performing the duties of Finance Minister, yesterday said the ministry and budget agencies are working to address the delay in the payment of salaries to workers at some government agencies.

RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – Brazil has registered 432 additional coronavirus deaths over the last 24 hours and 26,979 new cases, the health ministry said yesterday.

Dear Editor, As I reflect on the letter, I wrote last week on ‘Time to up the struggle’ (SN October 18),  aiming to encourage our people to stay strong, fight weak systems and educate themselves in this season,  I thought – how can a people get up and fight when emotions of low esteem and self-confidence are running high.

(Trinidad Guardian) Another woman has been killed in a domestic violence dispute and police say her husband has confessed to the murder.

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has promoted Orson Ferguson, its Vice President of Customer Experience, to the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). 

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – England’s test captain Joe Root considers India’s Virat Kohli as currently the most complete player around and said he expects England team mate Jos Buttler to soon replicate his limited-overs dominance in test cricket.

By Dr Rudi Webster In the last few years, Shai Hope has been one of the outstanding batsmen in One Day Internationals, but in Test cricket, his batting has been way below accepted international standards.

The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has raised the minimum age of eligibility for house lot applicants to 21. 

Nitish Rana, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy starred as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by 59 runs in Match 42 of the Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

With the exception of the period between 2011 and 2015, the political space in this country has always been occupied by the PNC and PPP alone, no matter what letters have been tacked on to their party abbreviations at one time or another.

Last Update: 647.64                               Movement: 0.00% Current Update: 647.64                         YTD Movement: 6.87%LUCAS STOCK INDEX The Lucas Stock Index (LSI) remained unchanged during the third period of trading in October 2020.

This column, which is actually aimed at collaborative work with musicians in general, I owe to my wife Annette Arjoon-Martins, who has been beating the drum, several years now, for taking care of the magnificent natural environment that is Guyana. 

Introduction Last week’s column ended with an observation that is so revealing I repeat it as the title for today’s column.

Last Thursday, two elections petitions, which were filed after the elections results were declared on August 2, were heard before the Chief Justice.

(Reuters) – Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has effectively accepted the three-time champions are out of the playoff race in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) and is already looking forward to next year’s competition.

Nothing can compare with the beauty and warmth of life at home.

BOGOTA, (Reuters) – In a warehouse near Bogota’s airport, behind a heavy cold storage door, sit boxes upon boxes of lifesaving vaccines for everything from yellow fever to polio, awaiting transport to the furthest reaches of Colombia.

NEW YORK/SEOUL (Reuters) – A zombie drama, a TV series about a supernatural nurse and one about an antisocial children’s book author helped turn South Korea into one of Netflix’s biggest sources of growth in the international markets, a source familiar with the matter said.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – In 2006, he shocked the world with his scathing cultural satire of the United States in “Borat.”

NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – British broadcaster and leading naturalist Sir David Attenborough has said that the coronavirus pandemic threatens the fight against climate change by distracting people from the gravity of environmental dangers.

(Thomson Reuters Foundation) – As the frequency and ferocity of extreme weather events from wildfires to floods grows, the U.S.