Daily Archive: Wednesday, June 30, 2021

 (Reuters) – Bill Cosby was freed from prison and returned home today, less than two hours after Pennsylvania’s highest court overturned his sexual assault conviction, saying he never should have faced charges after striking a non-prosecution deal with a previous district attorney more than 15 years ago.

The Guyana Police Force says that Member of Parliament  Annette Ferguson was arrested by ranks at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown today pursuant to a  report received against her in relation to a Cyber Crime allegation.

The World Bank today approved US$6 million ($1.2b) in additional financing for the Guyana COVID-19 Emergency Response Project to support affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and ensure effective vaccine deployment in Guyana.

NEW DELHI,  (Reuters) – Indian Oil Corp IOC.NS, the country’s top refiner, has made its first purchase of Guyana’s Liza light sweet crude as it seeks to diversify its crude purchases, a source familiar with matter said.

 (Reuters) – Who of the traditional bulls predicted a rally that saw oil prices doubling in the last eight months?

SANTO DOMINGO,  (Reuters) – Dominican Republic authorities arrested a former attorney general yesterday over accusations of diverting public funds to a political group that backed the Dominican Liberation Party, (DLP) during his term that ran until August.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Angola has accumulated around $1 billion in debt to western oil companies operating its oilfields, with the bill prompting the African country’s recently launched sale of stakes in its flagship offshore blocs, three industry sources told Reuters.

(Barbados Nation) Fifteen thousand more Barbadians will have the opportunity to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

(Trinidad Express) Beloved Woman Police Officer, Vernessa Stoute, lost her battle with the Covid-19 virus yesterday.

Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield, Deputy Chief Election Officer Roxanne Myers and Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo were yesterday faced with two joint charges of conspiracy to defraud voters at last year’s general and regional elections.

Glaston Henry, a brother of Joel Henry, one of the two West Coast Berbice (WCB) cousins who were brutally murdered last September is among four persons charged with the murder of Haresh Singh in September last year.

While government has extended the deadline for submission of bids for the New Demerara River Bridge by two months, it is not relenting on having the project completed in two years and this position was emphasised to bidders at a pre-bid meeting on Monday.

Quincy Chase, who allegedly fatally stabbed his brother last Friday at Cummings Street, was yesterday remanded to prison on a murder charge.

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire SC has ruled that the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) unlawfully terminated a number of agreements regarding the lease of previously shuttered estate lands.

The man accused of killing Shane Blake, who was shot in his chest at Apaiqua Landing, Middle Mazaruni River, last Tuesday, was yesterday charged with murder.

The members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament have been invited to a meeting on Friday to select a new chair following the removal of David Patterson from the post.

A 53-year-old Brazilian national, owner of the Regent Guest House, has died.

BOSTON,  (Reuters) – Activist investor Engine No. 1 spent roughly US$12.5 million to win three board seats at Exxon Mobil Corp, less than half its original budget, for the year’s biggest and most closely watched corporate contest, people familiar with the number said.

First Lady Arya Ali yesterday launched an ‘Adopt-an-Orphanage’ initiative with a view to improving the welfare of vulnerable children.

The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) yesterday said that it  is concerned at recent attempts to import food, drugs and cosmetics into Guyana, circumventing applicable Food and Drug regulations, especially regarding labeling and shelf-life/expiry dates.

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – West Indies repeated their batting mistakes from last weekend’s loss with another happy-go-lucky approach, as they slumped to a one-run defeat to South Africa in the third Twenty20 International here yesterday.

The construction of the six-storey, 140-room, Courtyard Marriott Hotel at Timehri does not warrant an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced after reviewing and screening the developer’s application.

A University of Guyana student is now counting losses that include his final year project after he was robbed in the early hours of Monday at his Cummings Lodge residence.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday recorded two new COVID-19 deaths which has pushed the nation’s fatality toll to 468. 

National left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie continued his fine form in the Caribbean Fest 40-overs-a-side tournament Sunday with a sensational century and four-wicket haul to lead Galaxy Cricket Club to a 180-run win over Bronx Cricket Club.

Guyana Defence Force personnel are to benefit from army, naval and air force training courses offered by the Government of India with Lieutenant Coast Guard Derrick Johnson being the first recipient of a Naval scholarship.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) is scheduled to send a five-member outfit to Guadalajara, Mexico from July 11-19 to be a part of the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Youth Qualifier.

The miner who died on Monday afternoon after a mining pit caved in at Black Water Backdam, Cuyuni River is yet to be identified.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), the local governing body, Saturday illustrated provisional plans to its membership for the possible resumption of local play during a workshop staged at the National Training Centre, Providence.

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony says that the public criticism and call for the suspension of the use of the Sputnik V vaccine has caused setbacks in the country’s COVID-19 inoculation programme.

Guyana’s only local telecommunications provider E Networks Incorporated, yesterday presented boxer Keevin Allicock with a sponsorship cheque of G$250,000 ahead of his departure to the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Dear Editor, Last week, a scene Guyanese are au fait with, uncannily replayed itself as if choreographed by an unseen hand.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has endorsed and commended the efforts of the Guyana Police Force and reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate to advance peace and security in Guyana. 

Dear Editor,  Mr Sherwood Lowe seems to be advocating that the Government should spend more now and worry about the National Debt later in his letter `Our large political parties have not shown much big match temperament’ (SN, 29th June 2021).

West Indies women’s senior and `A’ teams are set to battle their Pakistan counterparts in the first T20I today in Antigua and both teams are hyped for their showdown.

The excavators that are supposed to clear the vegetation and silt which has been preventing effective drainage in the Abary River in Region Five should be deployed within two weeks as the machines are currently being used to execute similar works in the Mahaicony River, according to Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha. 

(Reuters) – New York City’s first attempt at ranked-choice voting descended into confusion yesterday when the reported number of votes cast in the mayoral Democratic primary suddenly surged by more than 140,000 and election officials abruptly erased results that had been posted on the official website.

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Guyana (UG) with the aim of bridging the gap between industry and academia.

The Golden Jaguars will head into the first round of the Concacaf Gold Cup Qualifier on Saturday on a positive note after they defeated Bermuda 1-0 Tuesday in their second warmup match in Florida, USA.

Dear Editor, I note E.B. John’s letter `Not unreasonable for TSC to be expected to show some initiative in relation to teachers’ pay anomalies’ in SN of June 29.

SURFSIDE, Fla.,  (Reuters) – Search-and-rescue efforts stretched through a sixth day yesterday at the site of a collapsed Florida condominium complex where at least a dozen people died and 149 more remained missing amid fading hopes of finding anyone else alive.

Dear Editor, As the debate continues on whether the proposed ‘Regional Joint Support Team’ security unit will add value to the current development agenda of Guyana; my concerns are particularly in relation to business, investment, and human development – youth development, women, and the family.

“upskill and earn,” was one of the messages delivered on Monday by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr.

BOGOTA,  (Reuters) – Colombia will launch plans in September to develop the production and use of hydrogen as a long-term clean energy source, the Minister of Mines and Energy said yesterday, while voicing hope this year’s oil and gas auction will be successful.

GONDAR, Ethiopia  (Reuters) – Tigrayan forces said they had Ethiopian government troops on the run around the regional capital Mekelle yesterday after taking full control of the city in a sharp reversal of eight months of conflict.

Dear Editor, There has been a recent exchange, between Former President Ramotar and Freddie Kissoon, in the letter columns.

CARACAS,  (Reuters) – Venezuela will allow a coalition of major opposition political parties to field candidates in upcoming elections, the head of the electoral council said yesterday, as the opposition and government prepare to enter into a negotiation process.

Kishon Alexander, who was found guilty of an armed robbery attack on a vendor, was on Monday sentenced to nine months in jail.

JOHANNESBURG, (Reuters) – South Africa’s highest court yesterday sentenced ex-president Jacob Zuma to 15 months in jail for failing to appear at a corruption inquiry, as Zuma appeared to run out of options in his battle to escape prosecution.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Tennis great Serena Williams limped out of Wimbledon in tears yesterday after her latest bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles crown ended in injury.

MOSCOW,  (Reuters) – Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 is around 90% effective against the highly contagious Delta variant of coronavirus, its developers said yesterday.

The Ministry of Labour yesterday said that it is probing the death of a truck driver last week at the John Fernandes Limited wharf.

CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC – Australia arrived here late Monday for their eight-match white-ball series against West Indies, marking their first tour of the Caribbean in six years and their first bi-lateral limited overs series against the home side in nearly a decade.

Dear Editor, The suspended commission was emboldened by the ruling of the court and in a show of defiance has cast itself above a presidential order.

(Reuters) – Joe Root celebrated his 150th one-day international appearance with an unbeaten half-century as England claimed a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their series opener at Chester-le-Street yesterday.

BARCELONA, (Reuters) – Argentina’s Lionel Messi has yet to agree on a new contract with Barcelona, the club where he has spent his entire career, and his 21-year association with the Catalans could come to an end at midnight  if no new deal is reached.

GLASGOW, (Reuters) – Artem Dovbyk netted a dramatic winner in stoppage time at the end of extra time as Ukraine squeezed past 10-man Sweden 2-1 at Hampden Park yesterday to book a Euro 2020 quarter-final clash with England.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro yesterday issued a broad 120-day ban on unauthorized outdoor fires as the country suffered its worst drought in decades ahead of the annual burning season in the Amazon rainforest.

LONDON, (Reuters) – Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane struck late goals as England reached the Euro 2020 quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Germany at Wembley yesterday, their first knockout victory over their old rivals since the 1966 World Cup final.

Although Guyana is still without second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, the Minister of Health is still encouraging persons to go for their first dose as it does provide some protection against the COVID-19 virus.

By Jeffrey D. Sachs NEW YORK – Where did COVID-19 come from?

Whilst the West Indies were reverting to familiar ways (pre the last six months) last week Sunday, collapsing for under 200 like a set of bowling pins for the fourth time in as many innings in the Second Test against South Africa, in St.

Trailing for the first time all night and staring at elimination in the series, the Los Angeles Clippers knew exactly what to do.