Daily Archive: Thursday, December 24, 2020

(Trinidad Express) A Chaguanas man who was beaten after he defended his mother in an altercation, has died.

Eureka Medical Laboratories Inc today warned about COVID-19 test results being faked.

Former President and Leader of the People’s National Congress Brigadier David Granger has expressed condolences on the passing of Colonel Ulric Pilgrim, former Commander of the Guyana Defence Force, who died after a long illness in the USA.

SANTIAGO, (Reuters) – The first 10,000 doses of a 10-million order of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine reached Chile today with inoculations of health workers in the hardest hit sectors to begin immediately.

The Consolidated Fund showed an overdraft of close to $79 billion when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government took office in August of this year.

As of August 31, 2020 the total indebtedness of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) was $72.5b and its cost of production was above the price of all markets it sold into.

During 2019 the Government of Guyana made nearly $200 million in overpayments on four contracts, including for the Leguan Stelling, an increase over the $166 million overpaid in 2018 on 157 contracts.

The opening of Demerara Bank’s eighth branch at Mahaica is in alignment with the strategic focus and position of the government.

The police last evening recaptured a prisoner following his brief escape from the Lusignan Prison during the wee hours of yesterday morning.

Former APNU+AFC Parliamentarian Charrandass Persaud was yesterday welcomed as an observer at the 14th Sitting of the 12th Parliament hours after members of the Opposition berated him for daring to show his face.

As many sports disciplines look to leave a horrid 2020 in the dust and step into a new era, veteran cricket fanatic, Shaun Massiah, has given his input on moving cricket forward.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC yesterday forwarded to Commissioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie a special audit done by the Auditor General’s Office on the controversial rental of a Sussex Street bond under the former APNU+AFC government.

(Jamaica Observer) Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett yesterday slammed those behind a social media post that claimed taxpayers’ money had been used to pay for an ad in Times Square, New York, wishing him happy birthday.

West Indies last played a One-Day International (ODI) almost a year ago – February, 2020 to be precise – against Sri Lanka.

The Audit Office is repeating a call for government agencies to move to paperless accounting as the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for it to complete the verification of projects in outlying Regions and at several ministry departments where staff rotation limited the scope of the audit.

Former West Indies batting coach, Toby Radford, has taken a jab at the administration of West Indies Cricket over the years as he believes investment has led to teams going ahead of West Indies.

There were two more deaths yesterday and the Ministry of Health (MoH) confirmed forty-two new COVID cases taking the total number of confirmed cases to 6,258.

Armed bandits stormed a Providence home in the middle of yesterday afternoon, tying up three persons who were in the house at the time before robbing them of their valuables.

At 35, Elton Dharry (24-6-1, 14KOs) has managed to carve out an impressive legacy in his boxing career.

(Trinidad Guardian) After sharing that he was a troubled parent on March 24, two days after shutting Trinidad and Tobago’s borders with a daughter stuck in New York, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is now insulted by the insinuation that she was given preference to return home for Christmas.

Paul George scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half, and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers 116-109 on Tuesday in the season opener for both teams.

More than two months have passed since gold mining operations were halted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) at Campbelltown, in Region Eight and residents have grown impatient with the Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai as they say they are being denied their livelihoods.

LIVERPOOL, England, (Reuters) – Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial struck late goals as Manchester United claimed a scrappy 2-0 victory over Everton at a bitterly cold Goodison Park yesterday to set up a League Cup semi-final with rivals Manchester City.

Minister Oneidge Walrond was yesterday sworn in as a technocrat member of the National Assembly in keeping with a commitment made to the High Court by Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC.

KINGSTON, Jamaica,  CMC – Former Jamaica Scorpions coach Junior Bennett said Nkrumah Bonner is poised to make his Test debut for West Indies on the Tour of Bangladesh next month.

Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony on Tuesday announced that antigen tests for COVID-19 are now officially in use across the country.

Dear Editor, On Tuesday 15 December 2020, Dr. Luis Fondebrider of the Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (EAAF), whose visit to Guyana to offer a preliminary assessment in relation to the murders of Isaiah and Joel Henry and Haresh Singh was co-ordinated by the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), gave a  public lecture and presentation at the Brickdam Cathedral on the EAAF’s work worldwide.  

An additional three dozen children in vulnerable communities are now able to access online learning following a GTT donation. 

(Jamaica Observer) Jamaican health authorities have stepped up monitoring of people who arrived in the island from the United Kingdom (UK), prior to those who landed on Monday, amidst the announcement of a ban on incoming flights from that country.

Kyrie Irving scored 26 points and Kevin Durant added 22 in three quarters as the Brooklyn Nets took control early and cruised to a 125-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night in the NBA’s season opener at New York.

Dear Editor, I read with great interest Guyana’s pursuit, through the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, to be recognized as an arbitration hub in the Caribbean and Latin America.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump vetoed a bipartisan defense policy bill yesterday and raised the prospect that the United States could face a government shutdown during a pandemic, stirring new turmoil in Washington as he headed to Florida for Christmas.

Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) in a release yesterday reported on a number of incidents that resulted in service interruptions in the Demerara and Berbice areas.

COLOMBO, (Reuters) – England’s two-test tour of Sri Lanka next month is likely to go ahead despite concerns about a highly infectious new coronavirus variant identified in Britain, according to a media r eport.

Dear Editor,  The PPP/C has been in office for more than 23 years but it has never done anything about the chronic and widespread alcohol problem which has ripped lives apart in this country.   

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – Tennessee emerged alongside California yesterday as an epicenter of the latest COVID-19 surge even while more than 1 million Americans have been vaccinated as U.S.

The Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Prison Service on Tuesday conducted a joint search at the Lusignan Prison where a number of contraband items were unearthed.

RIO DE JANEIRO,  (Reuters) – Brazilian researchers said yesterday the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech is more than 50% effective based on trial data, but again withheld full results at the company’s request, raising questions about transparency.

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Australian spinner Nathan Lyon is expecting an Indian comeback in the second test at Melbourne this week after the tourists were skittled for 36 on their way to losing the first test by eight wickets in Adelaide.

Dear Editor, It is commendable that His Excellency is planning to improve the housing of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Officers and provide them with an opportunity to improve the standard of living of their families via house lots and bonuses.

Dear Editor, The letter of Reichler and Sands raises an issue of English and one of Arithmetic.

The National Assembly yesterday, by a majority vote, supported a motion which recognises the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic while pledging to support the needed resources  to bring relief to Guyana, which could possibly include a Corona Virus Immunization bill.

Fugro has received a contract award from Petronas for the provision of positioning services for an exploration programme in Block 52, according to Rigzone.

(Trinidad Guardian) Although some citizens fear the COVID-19 vaccine is a ploy by global authorities to alter the human genome, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley says he will be first in line for the inoculation when the drug reaches Trinidad and Tobago.

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Ajinkya Rahane is a “bowler’s captain” whose calm leadership will come in handy in India’s bid to bounce back in the four-test series against Australia, seamer Ishant Sharma said.

BRUSSELS,  (Reuters) – Britain and the European Union appeared close to clinching a long-elusive trade agreement yesterday, raising hopes that they were now set to avoid a turbulent economic rupture on New Year’s Day.

(Trinidad Express) Over $10M in Cultural Relief Grants were distributed to local artistes and creatives just in time for Christmas.

The Auditor General has launched a special investigation into the Sustainable Livelihood Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) following the Ministry of Social Protection’s inability to properly account for the spending of its $250 million budget.

SYDNEY,  (Reuters) – Australia opener David Warner will miss the second test against India this week because he left a biosecure bubble to receive treatment for a groin injury that would have ruled him out of the match in any case, Cricket Australia said  yesterday.

ADDIS ABABA,  (Reuters) – Gunmen killed more than 100 people in a dawn attack in the western Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia yesterday, the human rights commission said, as residents described fleeing the latest deadly assault in an area bedevilled by ethnic violence.

Dear Editor, Within the last month, there has been a spate of domestic violence against women and children  in Guyana.

BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – Argentina has granted emergency approval for use of Russia’s Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine, the South American country’s health ministry said in a statement yesterday, becoming the third country after Russia and Belarus to approve the vaccine.

Schlumberger Oil Field Services Guyana yesterday donated over $1.8M to the Dorothy Bailey Health Centre to assist in the painting of the building.

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – Aiden Markram must first cement his place in the side before he can realise his dream of captaining South Africa, though the opening batsman feels refreshed ahead of a two-test home series against Sri Lanka that starts on Boxing Day.

PALM BEACH, Fla., (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday granted pardons to former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former adviser Roger Stone, sweeping away the most important convictions under the long-running Russia election probe.

Dear Editor, President Ali, do you support capital punishment? The Trump administration has resumed federal executions after a 17-year hiatus.

MEXICO CITY,  (Reuters) – Mexico plans to begin inoculating health workers against COVID-19 today with the arrival of the first vaccines, as the government battles a sharp surge in infections that has pushed hospitals to their limits.

Tomorrow is Christmas Day. It is a sacred, religious holiday meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but in reality, it is a huge commercial event, a time of the year when businesses make their largest sales.

It may very well be the oldest and tastiest surviving savoury sauce in this part of the world, but Guyana is the only country where the rich, dark, intensely flavoured indigenous concoction is so seamlessly integrated into our cuisine, consciousness, and Christmas culture.

BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona did not consume alcohol or illicit narcotics in the days before his death, an autopsy released yesterday said.

SYDNEY,  (Reuters) – Prominent U.S. lawmakers warned a Pacific ally that China risked undermining the security of a sensitive undersea cable project if a cut-price, state-backed bid wins a tender process overseen by development agencies, a letter reviewed by Reuters shows.

Dear Editor, On the occasion of the death anniversary of former President Desmond Hoyte my friend Francis Quamina Farrier posted a photo of the Hoyte’s residence on North Road, Bourda which is now a museum dedicated to the life and memory of the late President.

(Trinidad Express) A father of three was gunned down near his home on Tuesday night.