News

NAIROBI, (Reuters) – Kenya is losing a third of its state budget – the equivalent of about $6 billion – to corruption every year, the country’s new anti-graft chief told Reuters, saying his agency was badly short of staff and modern equipment to tackle the problem.

-throwing of tear gas recalled Although unable to identify who started the deadly fire that killed 17 at the Camp Street prison, two inmates yesterday testified that it was the alleged assault on fellow inmates by officers that led to the unrest that preceded the blaze.

In what will arguably be the biggest showdown of the Georgetown contests, Friday’s election for constituency 14 will pit social activist Mark Benschop against APNU+AFC’s Sherod Duncan, businessman, Saiku Andrews of Team Legacy and three others.

The third accused in the gunning down of Regent Multiplex mall owner Ganesh Ramlall was yesterday brought before a city court and charged with the murder.

A Sparendaam youth was found dead with three stab wounds along the East Coast Railway Embankment on Wednesday night.

A 25-year-old man was yesterday sentenced to three years in jail after a jury found him guilty of wounding another man, whom he had shot.

The opposition yesterday reiterated its objections to ministers being allowed to sit on key parliamentary oversight committees, saying that it would not bode well for transparency and accountability as they could face potential conflicts of interest.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Sharpe-Patterson visited Perseverance, East Bank Demerara on Wednesday where she discovered vandalism of the turn-key homes which have already been allocated, GINA said yesterday.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) yesterday retracted statements made by Head of Project Coordination Fitzroy Corlette on Wednesday that there was to be a restriction and not a ban on used tyre imports.

The second retrial of Calvin Bailey, who is accused of murdering his 18-month old son, commenced yesterday morning before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a 12-member jury at the High Court, in Georgetown.

Sadeeka Leona Odie, who was caught attempting to transport cocaine in achar onto a flight to the United States, was sentenced to four years imprisonment on Wednesday.

The Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) met with television broadcasters on March 3rd and discussed ratings for shows, “lewd” music videos and the question of licence fees.

While the troolie palm roof of the Umana Yana is completed, Wai Wai workers from Rupununi, Region Nine, yesterday bemoaned the delay in the payout of their wages.

Following a protest by residents from some East Bank Berbice communities, a high level Guyana Water Inc.

A barber was yesterday sentenced to almost five years in jail and fined over $36 million after being found guilty of drug trafficking.

Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul has deemed the statements given by four of the accused in the robbery of Justice Nicola Pierre and her family to be admissible at their trial.

The APNU+AFC Cabinet should be making a public comment on the findings of the Commission of Inquiry into the death of Dr Walter Rodney as soon as next week.

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes on Monday joined 15 other mines ministers in Toronto, Canada for the inaugural global summit on the sustainable development of communities.

“A guide to the rights of women” booklet was launched by the Social Protection Ministry on Monday at Parliament Building, GINA said.

A Guyhoc man, who was charged with allegedly robbing two persons of more than $100,000 in cash and valuables, was yesterday granted bail by a city magistrate.