Guyana News

– 30 parties, groups may contest The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is “well on track” in its preparations for upcoming local government elections, which could see up to 30 parties and groups contesting, Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally said yesterday.

– to be sentenced in May The 52-year-old Guyanese woman who was indicted late last year by authorities in Texas on charges of conspiracy and alien smuggling in connection with the attempt to illegally move four Indian nationals into the United States, pleaded guilty on Tuesday and faces a possible three-year sentence.

Slamming the government for not doing enough to improve the lives of Guyanese,     PNCR Parliamentarian Basil Williams then joined with the rest of his party in walking out of the House as Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy rose to speak.

Following his successful angioplasty at the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) CN Sharma was expected to be released from hospital yesterday after doctors cleared him for a discharge.

After appearing in court last month charged with defrauding four persons of their money in a visa scam, Simone King also known as Diane De Nobrega was yesterday charged with eight counts of fraudulent conversion in a motorcar scam.

– court hears A 26-year-old farmer was remanded to jail by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson after pleading not guilty to breaking into the dwelling house of Sean Day.

Government MPs Dharamkumar Seeraj and Parmanand Persaud have slammed criticisms from the opposition parties regarding the absence of consultations for Budget 2010.

The Alliance for Change (AFC) has registered its disappointment and frustration with the High Court ruling which threw out its election petition, but the party said it intends to respect the rule of law and the judgment.

PNCR parliamentarian Amna Ally has called on the authorities to implement measures to improve the education system, making a renewed call for the authorities to release the annual subventions for the Critchlow Labour College.

Four persons, including a woman who is the number one defendant, were on Tuesday placed on $200,000 bail each by Acting         Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson for allegedly breaking and entering Ram’s Pharmacy and stealing over $6M in pharmaceuticals.

A Wismar Housing Scheme man was yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment and fined $10,000 for possession of marijuana at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground for the purpose of trafficking.

Police at Linden are on the hunt for a Lower Kara Kara Mackenzie, Linden man who was sentenced to six months imprisonment after a simple larceny case against him was tried in his absence.

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Eight American missionaries left a Haitian jail yesterday after a judge signed an order freeing them, but two of their colleagues were detained for further questioning on charges of kidnapping children.

The Children’s Mashramani Competition and regional events are in full swing with events planned for Friday and Saturday concluding with the national Costume Band and Float Parade on Tuesday.

A man who allegedly pretended to be a customs officer and obtained money on the pretext that he could clear a car from the wharf was ordered in absentia at the Christianburg Magistrate’s Court to repay the sum of $350,000 or serve two years in prison.

TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran’s supreme leader accused the United States yesterday of war-mongering and of turning the Gulf into an “arms depot,” hitting back at US accusations that the Islamic state was moving toward a military dictatorship.

– court told A 28-year-old man was yesterday charged with unlawfully wounding his father-in-law who had intervened in a disagreement he was having with his wife.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Critics of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez worry that the main remaining TV station opposed to the socialist leader will water down criticism of the government now that its news director has quit.

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a financial and aid package of nearly half a billion dollars yesterday to assist quake-hit Haiti, as he became France’s first head of state to visit the former French Caribbean colony.

A 33-year-old porknocker was placed on a bond to keep the peace for two years after his wife, who he was charged with assaulting told the court that she did not want to prolong the matter.