Daily Archive: Friday, January 19, 2024

The report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the deaths of 20 children last year after a fire at the Mahdia Secondary School female dormitory was today handed over.

(Jamaica Gleaner) Investigators probing the death of Melissa Silvera have charged her husband, Jolyan, with murder.

KAMPALA, (Reuters) – Leaders of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries today denounced Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire there, during the annual summit of the 120-member bloc.

GAZA, (Reuters) – Palestinian doctor Hani Bseiso faced an agonising decision when his teenage niece was wounded by Israeli shelling of her Gaza City home: amputate her leg or risk her bleeding to death.

(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has said no to a state of emergency (SoE).

(Trinidad Guardian) While he understood the demands and risks of having his son join the Police Service, Bobby Harrinarine says he did not expect him to meet his demise so soon.

The Surinamese police have published a bulletin in their search for Desi Bouterse, publishing his photo and description, according to the NL Times.

An application for proof that ExxonMobil has lodged a US$2 billion guarantee which is intended to indemnify Guyana against an oil spill and associated perils, is being resisted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the oil company, which are contending that the court has no jurisdiction to so order.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday announced that the Government of Guyana is currently in conversation with Bell to procure four new helicopters in its bid to strengthen the country’s defences.

By Antonio Dey Public Accounts Commit-tee (PAC) Chairperson and Member of Parliament (MP) Jermaine Figueira and MP Juretha Fernandes are requesting that the Auditor General treat the construction of the controversial Bamia Primary School as a matter of public importance.

The US$300m Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase Inc (VEHSI) facility on the West Coast of Demerara which encompasses this country’s first man-made island has suffered work delays but it is not expected to affect the current contract arrangement with ExxonMobil or delay offshore works, sources say.

The forestry sector in Guyana has shown a significant recovery since the current government took office, according to Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh and he said that two large-scale investments are expected this year.

A total of $129.2B of the 2024 Budget has been allocated towards the healthcare sector and a large chunk has been assigned to the paediatric and maternal hospital in Plantation Goedverwagting.

The Corentyne man who is the owner of the three pit bulls that attacked and killed Latchminen Permaul at Hampshire Village, Corentyne during the wee hours of Tuesday remains in police custody, Com-mander of Region Six Shivpersaud Bacchus confirmed yesterday.

With local Agro Processors having reportedly created 130 new agro processed products last year, comments elicited by the Stabroek Business from Agro Processors in Regions Four, Five, Six and Ten suggest that the sector is looking to the Ministry of Agriculture to allocate a generous portion of its multi-billion dollar 2024 budget allocation to facilitate continued growth in the sector.

Junior Heywood known as ‘Larry’, who was wanted by police for the murder of Otis Andey Haimchand at Haslington New Scheme, East Coast Demerara, was arrested yesterday in Bartica, Region Seven.

The general public is being notified  that all licences, permits, and certificates are being pro-cessed and uplifted at the Fire Service Headquarters located on Homestretch Avenue, George-town (next to Cliff Anderson Sports Hall).

Evidence that increasing numbers of unemployed and underemployed Guyanese are seeking out either full time or part time income generating options in the micro and small business sectors would appear to have largely influenced the decision by government to allocate almost G$800 million to a “Small Business Fund” and the operations of the Small Business Bureau, respectively, in the 2024 Budget.

The police yesterday issued a wanted bulletin for Delon Kellman over the rape of a child under 16 years.

The Bank of Nova Scotia in Jamaica has extended its opening hours to accommodate customers inconvenienced by challenges at its Automated Banking Machines (ADM’s) BMs.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – There is “no way” to solve Israel’s long-term security challenges in the region and the short-term challenges of rebuilding Gaza without the establishment of a Palestinian state, U.S.

A vendor (name unknown up to press time) was shot twice last night by two men on a motorcycle on Broad Street, Charlestown, Georgetown.

YANOMAMI INDIGENOUS LAND, Brazil, (Reuters) – Brazil is losing the upper hand in its battle to save the Yanomami Indigenous people, who are dying from flu, malaria and malnutrition brought into their vast, isolated Amazon rainforest reservation by resurgent illegal miners.

Thanks to the efforts of Food For The Poor (Guy) Inc (FFTP), two children from the hinterland have been afforded life-changing surgeries to correct a congenital condition.

(Reuters) – Josh Hazlewood finished with a nine-wicket match haul as world champions Australia crushed a depleted West Indies by 10 wickets inside seven sessions of the opening test in the two-match series at the Adelaide Oval today.

OSLO,  (Reuters) – Three permits given by the Norwegian government to develop new offshore oil and gas fields were found to be invalid yesterday because their environmental impact was not sufficiently assessed, in a ruling that could set a precedent for new fields.

The Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development (Iwokrama) has retained its Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC™) Certification for Forest Management following the annual surveillance audit in October 2023.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince was on lockdown yesterday, as flaming barricades across several neighbourhoods forced residents to shelter in place or return home in the latest flare-ups in chronic gang violence plaguing the Caribbean country.

An intelligence-led operation was conducted around 15:35 hrs yesterday during which Police ranks searched a dredge camp at Frenchman Backdam, Upper Demerara River, and found a shotgun.

On Wednesday 17th January 2024, Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) officers conducted a search on an outgoing passenger at the Eugene F.

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Mexico and Chile expressed “growing worry” yesterday over “an escalation of violence” after several months of war between Israel and Hamas in a referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over possible crimes.

Stakeholders within Guyana’s legal fraternity on Wednesday received the Criminal Bench Books for Magistrates and Parish Court Judges in the Caribbean, Volumes One to Three.

IQALUIT, Nunavut,  (Reuters) – Canada yesterday formally gave the giant Arctic territory of Nunavut control over its reserves of gold, diamonds, iron, cobalt and rare earth metals, a move that could boost exploration and development.

A Trinidadian expert in the operation of cranes has joined the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) team to investigate the workplace fatality at Tepui Group Inc and provide recommendations.

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE/ WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI,  (Reuters) – The U.S. launched new strikes against Houthi anti-ship missiles aimed at the Red Sea yesterday, as growing tensions in the region’s sea lanes disrupted global trade and raised fears of supply bottlenecks that could reignite inflation.

Dear Editor, It is an oxymoron when you hear Guyanese and their leaders say that they cannot feed themselves because food is unaffordable in Guyana, a country blessed with abundant natural resources and a vast expanse of fertile land spanning over 83,000 square miles.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday approved a stopgap bill to fund the federal government through early March and avert a partial government shutdown, sending it to President Joe Biden for final approval.

On Tuesday, 16th January 2024, Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) officers conducted an operation in the East Ruimveldt area where they observed a male carrying a bulky salt bag.

Dear Editor, The beat goes on!  Three thousand dollars increase revealed for old age pension in trillion dollars budget unveil.

ISLAMABAD,  (Reuters) – Pakistan said it used killer drones and rockets to strike separatist Baloch militants inside Iran yesterday, in a retaliatory strike two days after Tehran said it attacked the bases of another group within Pakistani territory.

On Tuesday, 16th January 2024, Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) Officers conducted an eradication exercise in the St.

Police ranks from Regional Division #6, Special Branch and members of the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) conducted an intelligence-lead raid  earlier this week at the home of Jagdeo Ramdass of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, during which they found suspected ecstasy, cocaine and marijuana.

BRASILIA, (Reuters) – The vaccination records of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro are false, the country’s comptroller general’s office said yesterday after an investigation regarding the alleged tampering of information on his COVID-19 vaccination card.

Dear Editor, According to The Associated Press, “Hamas gunmen attacked a music festival, killing at least 260 people and abducting others.”

The sixth season of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League will officially commence on Sunday, February 25th, at the National Training Centre in Providence.

CHANCAY, Peru,  (Reuters) – In September, a group of Brazilian farmers and officials arrived in the Peruvian fishing town of Chancay.

GASCI (www.gasci.com/telephone Nº 223-6175/6) reports that session 1054’s trading results showed consideration of $33,234,347 from 112,233 shares traded in 45 transactions as compared to session 1053’s trading results, which showed consideration of $15,355,747 from 46,362 shares traded in 29 transactions.

Former Western Tigers head coach Calvin ‘Fluman’ Allen, as well as goalkeeping trainer Travis ‘Zoti’ Bess, have signed on with Elite League outfit Anns Grove for the impending 2024 season, which is slated to commence on February 25th.

The Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) has commended the allocation of G$4,6B in the 2024 budget for the sports sector, which is the highest in the history of the fraternity.

Former world-rated Guyanese boxer Raul Frank has been inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

The Regional Four-Day Cricket Championship is scheduled to kick off on February 7th and conclude on April 20th, with defending champion Guyana, due to the unavailability of the National Stadium in Providence, set to play all their matches overseas.

The Olympic Solidarity Archery Coaching Course, which falls under the auspice of the Guyana Olympic Association and Olympic Solidarity, officially commenced on Tuesday at the National Racquet Centre in Woolford Avenue.

If concern over food insecurity in the Caribbean has triggered a region-wide initiative aimed at altering the region’s food security bona fides, a recent report emanating from the World Food Prograqmme points to the fact that the region’s challenge is a microcosm of a wider, and in some instance, a much more acute dilemma associated with food scarcity in other parts of the world.

The inaugural ‘Georgetown versus the Rest’ Street-ball championship will kick off on January 23rd at the Back Circle Tarmac in East Ruimveldt.

The Guyana Harpy Eagles four-day trial match faced yet another day of abandonment as heavy rainfall on Wednesday night and yesterday morning saw the Meten-Meer-Zorg Community Ground inundated.

Kenrick Ewart Hazel turned 100  on January 6, 1924. According to the Ministry of Human Services, he is originally from New Amsterdam, Berbice and is currently residing on the East Coast of Demerara.

OTTAWA, (Reuters) – Police in Canada are investigating a series of extortions and related crimes that they believe are orchestrated by a suspect in India and involve criminals in Edmonton, Alberta, targeting the region’s affluent South Asian people.

Dear Editor, It is just over one hundred days since the Middle East once more erupted into violence.

For all the furore over threats of likely food insecurity in various parts of the world, including the Caribbean last year, world food prices actually fell over the just concluded calendar year, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says.

By Edoardo Campanella CAMBRIDGE – Over the past three years, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine exposed the vulnerabilities stemming from deep global economic integration.

It is altogether unsurprising that the country’s agriculture sector has been allocated the enormous sum of $G97.6 Billion from this year’s overall budget allocation for the execution of the various assignments that fall under the Ministry’s portfolio.

Parliament is at the centre of our democracy, or at least, that is the theory.

AT the risk of stating the obvious, small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) are vital to the Caribbean economy.

The year in tourism – A phoenix moment Reprinted from the Jamaica Gleaner Published: Sunday | January 7, 2024 Janet Silvera – Senior Gleaner Writer The year 2023 stands as a testament to the resilience and collaborative efforts that fuelled the remarkable recovery of tourism in Jamaica.

(Trinidad Guardian) Vehicle traffic congestion imposes a direct economic burden of roughly 1.37 per cent of annual GDP on T&T.

China has, over several decades, been ceaseless in its quest to strengthen relations with the Caribbean.

The real significance of Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley’s presentation on Wednesday, January 10, regarding the role that his country will play in shoring up the region’s overall food security bona fides, going forward, is significant from two perspectives.

The 2024 edition of the East Coast Mash Cup Football Championship will commence on February 2nd at the Golden Grove Community Centre ground.

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), an umbrella organisation representing organised labour in Guyana has offered its opinion on the recently announced Budget 2024 crafted under the theme “Staying the Course: Building Prosperity for All.”