Daily Archive: Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo was unsuccessful in his application to set aside the $20M default judgment he had been ordered to pay former government minister Annette Ferguson who had sued him for libel.

President Irfaan Ali today  instructed the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall SC MP to “immediately review all service and maintenance contracts within the sphere of the Government of Guyana and the entire State structure, in relation to drainage pumps, sluices, kokers and drainage and irrigation”, a statement from the Office of the President said.

The Ministry of Public Works today informed that Eastern Airlines LLC has advised that it is withdrawing scheduled air services to Guyana and as such its bond will be liquidated to cover liabilities to passengers.

President Irfaan Ali today expressed sadness at the passing of Lennox Canterbury, Former Director of the Mash Secretariat.

BENGALURU,  (Reuters) – The Taj Mahal reopened to the public today as India, still reeling from a disastrous second wave of the pandemic, pushes to lift restrictions in a bid to revitalise its economy.

BEIJING,  (Reuters) – Striking a blow for China’s so-called vaccine diplomacy, state media have mocked the United States for calling attention to its donation of 80 vials of COVID-19 vaccines to Trinidad and Tobago.

(Trinidad Guardian) Nine more people have died from COVID-19 in this country, bringing the national death toll to 686 lives lost, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Health.

(Trinidad Express) The body of San Fernando fisherman Andrew Volman washed ashore yesterday morning, two days after his fishing vessel was attacked by pirates and he was thrown overboard at gunpoint.

(Trinidad Express) Local East Indian singer Jamie Ramkissoon has died from the Covid-19 virus.

“Some days all me and my husband eat is bare rice.

A crucial statutory meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) scheduled for yesterday was cancelled after two opposition-nominated members requested permission to attend the funeral of long-time PNCR member Winston Bentham.

The National Assembly has removed APNU+AFC MP David Patterson as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) following the passage by majority of a motion laid by Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira.

While the majority of communities in Region Eight have not been severely affected by the countrywide flooding, roads have suffered extensive damage making travel very difficult to some of the remote villages, Regional Executive Officer (REO) Peter Ramotar says.

The opposition APNU+AFC yesterday asked for an explanation on due diligence of the purchase of  Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines, following government’s revelation in the National Assembly on Monday night that the jabs were procured from Dubai’s Sheik Ahmed Dalmook Al-Maktoum who has been linked to the sheltering of a wanted Pakistani national and Norwegian fraudster.

Seven more COVID-19 fatalities were yesterday recorded, increasing the death toll for the month so far to 39.

Canada’s High Commission here is contributing to a programme to assist vulnerable Venezuelan migrant women and girls.

Over 90,000 persons have been fully inoculated against the COVID-19 virus even as Minister of Health, Dr.

The standout bantamweight  who has been fighting his whole life for this moment, was successful in punching his ticket to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan this summer via the ranking system. 

The court hearing the trial in the 2017 murder of Cayenne-based clothes vendor Purcell Moore, was told that the accused—Kelvin Persaud and Selwyn Dawson—were seen fleeing the scene after the shooting.

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) president Wayne Forde said yesterday that the National Training Centre at Providence is close to being completed adding that lighting is to be installed by October.

Dear Editor, This is an Open Letter to the Guyanese Government and Opposition.

Guyana’s Devin Permaul will be heading to Paris, France this weekend for the 2021 archery Olympic final qualification tournament.

A letter in the June 10th edition of Stabroek News regarding the deplorable condition of Dasrat Street, Triumph Front Lands, has caught the attention of Region Four Chairman, Daniel Seeram, who says that aggregate works will commence on the road this week.

Dear Editor, True, the main public reaction to RUSAL’s recently-touted plan to upgrade its bauxite-mining operations in Guyana would dwell on the company’s contempt for good labour practices and its workers, and on its arrogance in relating to the government (SN Editorial, June 15th). 

President of the Guyana Football Federation yesterday stopped short of saying that the federation will continue with head coach Marcio Maximo in the wake of the team’s dismal showing in the recent World Cup Qualifiers.

The Ministry of Health has emphatically denied claims that a COVID-19 patient at the Infectious Diseases  Hospital at Liliendaal was not fed for four days.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – Former President Donald Trump pressed the Justice Department during his waning weeks in office to join his failed effort to overturn his election defeat based on his false claims of voting fraud, but its leaders refused, with one decrying the “pure insanity” of the claims, documents released yesterday showed.

Dear Editor, I read with interest a piece on June 15, 2021, in your newspaper with respect to the Guyana Bar Association’s position on the taking of DNA samples by cops.

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine has reiterated the need for businesses operating in the city to pay their fair share of taxes, while saying that the municipality is currently receiving a quarter of what it needs to function.

Jason Holder knows only too well where to lay the blame for the West Indies’ first test defeat by South Africa.

Dear Editor, The National Assembly of Guyana should move swiftly in finalizing the Natural Resource Fund (NRF 2019) Act in order for it to become operationalized.

LIMA,  (Reuters) – Peruvian socialist candidate Pedro Castillo claimed victory in the presidential election yesterday after clinging on to a narrow lead as the lengthy vote count ended, although his right-wing rival pledged to fight the result and has yet to concede.

A murder accused who escaped from the Holding Bay at the Lusignan Prison last April was yesterday sentenced to 18 months in jail.

(Reuters) – The World Test Championship (WTC) should be held every four years on the lines of the World Cup in the shorter formats of cricket, batting great Sachin Tendulkar told Reuters yesterday.

SANTIAGO,  (Reuters) – Dozens of sea lions seeking to escape a pack of hunting killer whales in southern Chile on Saturday surprised a fishing boat by trying to board it en masse instead.

Dear Editor, Two weekend news stories stirred to thinking and writing. 

Sentenced to 60 years back in March after being convicted for the 2016 murder of his brother-in-law, Les Charles Critchlow has lodged an appeal to his conviction and sentence, arguing that he did not have a fair trial.

(Reuters) – New Zealand have a long history of producing world class cricketers and making it to major tournament finals, and the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) decider against India presents another opportunity for them to finally reign supreme.

CANBERRA/LONDON,  (Reuters) – Britain and Australia announced a free trade deal yesterday which the British government hailed as an important step in building new trade relationships following its departure from the European Union.

NORTHAMPTON, England, CMC – Out-of-favour West Indies star, Carlos Brathwaite, produced another steady, if not spectacular all-round performance, as his Birmingham Bears won their third on the trot with a 55-run thrashing of Northamptonshire here yesterday.

Dear Editor, We would like to bring to the attention of the President of this country and his ministers that they must not be of the opinion that they own the votes of their supporters.

A Ruby Backdam, East Bank Essequibo man was yesterday charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

(Reuters) – New Zealand have cleared captain Kane Williamson and wicketkeeper BJ Watling to play in the inaugural World Test Championship final against India, while retaining Ajaz Patel as specialist spinner in their 15-man squad.

BUDAPEST,  (Reuters) – Hungary’s parliament approved a government proposal yesterday to donate state-owned land to a planned Chinese university in Budapest, despite opposition criticism and a recent protest that accused the government of cosying up to Beijing.

A man was yesterday sentenced to two years in jail after he was found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition without being a licensed firearm holder.

Dear Editor, This is a response to a letter in Stabroek News of June 13, 2021, entitled `Ivermectin is an unproven drug not to be used for treatment of Covid-19’ by Dr Jacquelyn Jhingree, PhD.

MANAGUA, (Reuters) – The Organization of American States (OAS) yesterday expressed alarm at what it called the deterioration of the political climate and human rights situation in Nicaragua, condemning the jailing of opposition candidates and demanding guarantees for free and fair elections later this year.

(Reuters) – Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were both named in India’s 15-man squad for the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, which begins on Friday.

Dear Editor, In reference to the letter, ‘SN editorial supporting legalisation of same sex relations unfortunate’, published on June 14, I would like the author or anyone, to clearly discuss using sound research what exactly is being referred to as ‘traditional values and practices’.

A security guard was fined and bonded to keep the peace on Monday after she admitted to using abusive language toward her son’s girlfriend.

Sixteen-year-old Vishwanauth Doodnauth, who was hit down by a minibus in a hit-and-run just over a week ago at Mon Repos Public Road, has been discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital and is at home recovering.

NEW YORK,  (Reuters) – New York is lifting all state-mandated coronavirus restrictions after reporting that 70% of the state’s adults have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday.

Kawhi Leonard recorded 31 points and seven rebounds before exiting with an apparent injury, and the Los Angeles Clippers notched a 118-104 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night to tie their Western Conference semifinal series at two games apiece.

(Trinidad Guardian) A public register of sex offenders will not carry their names but their locations – plus it won’t carry information on those already convicted and imprisoned for sex offences.

The badly decomposed body of an elderly woman was on Sunday found along a trail at Perseverance Backdam, North West District, where vultures were feeding on it. 

Japan has made approximately US$1m available to boost Guyana’s National Flood Early Warning System, the Ministry of Agriculture said yesterday in a release.

Dear Editor, I, Rae Bobb, am calling on the Government of Guyana, President Irfaan Ali, the Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Veterinary Board of Guyana and the Humane Society International on behalf of the animal welfare activists of Guyana.

This Friday most of the eyes of the cricketing world will be focused on the commencement of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final between India and New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl, in Southampton, England.

By  Felipe Larraín and Pepe Zhang SANTIAGO – Once a peripheral presence in Latin America, China has become one of the region’s most important partners.

BOGOTA,  (Reuters) – Colombian protest leaders yesterday said their organizations would temporarily suspend anti-government demonstrations which have caused political and economic upheaval during the last six weeks, but warned the fight for solutions to a range of social and economic demands will continue.

Trae Young collected 25 points and a career-high-tying 18 assists to fuel the host Atlanta Hawks to a 103-100 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Dear Editor, The call by a legal body for the withdrawal of the DNA Bill has my support.

By Dr Bertrand Ramcharan Seventh Chancellor of the University of Guyana The world has changed and is changing still, before our very eyes.