GNN Online Newspaper - FEB 17, 2016

Wednesday February 17, 2016

geneva agreement observes 50th years; venezuela reaffirms right to essequibo

Pardoned prisoner back in jail

Eccles man wanted for narcotics tradfficking Police have issued a wanted bulletin for 33-year-old Kennard Stephen De Jonge of Lot 59 BB Eccles Park, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

He is wanted for questioning

in relation to possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking on February 2, 2016 at the Cheddi Jagan International A i r p o r t .

Anyone with

information that may lead to the arrest of De Jonge is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 2251111, 227-2128, 227-1149, 2256411, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest

police station.

The police say all information will be treated with strict confidence.

AFC condemns vicious attack on activist The Alliance for Change (AFC) has condemned the vicious attack on a citizen who was posting campaign material in Georgetown on Monday evening a d v e r t i s i n g “Team Benschop.”

“The Alliance For

Change unreservedly condemns this brutal and barbaric attack in the midst of the campaign for Local Government Elections.

All candidates for Local Government Elections should be permitted to campaign unhindered, free from fear and intimidation

in every square inch of

Guyana. We have come too far as a country to even flirt with the return to the dark days of election violence,” the party stated.

The AFC in a statement said from earlier reports Iqbal Rahim suffered serious injuries and is urging

that the matter be reported to the police.

It added that law enforcement officials should be allowed to conduct a probe into this incident and appropriate action should be taken after this investigation has concluded.

Opposition awaits apology from Trotman on sharing out of productive forest statement An apology from Minister of State Raphael Trotman and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo may not be forthcoming with regard to statements the Minister made that the past administration “sharing out” Guyana’s productive forest, as they are maintaining their positions.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is insisting that Minister Trotman must apologise for the statements he initially made in the National Assembly.

It says that in the absence of an apology and a full retraction, it will be seeking an independent investigation into the claims made by Minister Trotman.

“Pending the outcomes

of this investigation, the PPP will have no choice but to support Norway in suspending the Guyana-Norway partnership in order to preserve its integrity in the long-term interests of Guyanese citizens,” the opposition said.

The PPP said that Minister Trotman and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo both lied about the PPP/C government’s 100% giveaway of Guyana’s productive forest and “they must apologize to the people of Guyana.”

Minister Trotman had told the National Assembly during the budget debates that, “We were met with an alarming situation where we discovered that 100% or all of our productive

forest was allocated by the past Government.” adding that there “is nothing left.”

The following day, Prime Minister Nagamootoo took evidence to the House that supported Trotman’s statement.

The opposition is holding out that Trotman and Nagamootoo’s statement is a lie.

It also claims that the “lie” undermines the Guyana-Norway partnership and Guyana’s international reputation.

The PPP claimed that it has written to the Government of the Kingdom of Norway expressing its concern at the APNU+AFC Government’s “attacks on the integrity of the Guyana-Norway partnership on climate

change and forest.

The PPP believes that the new government is seeking to tarnish its “excellent track record and stewardship on forest conservation, sustainable forest management and climate change.

According to the Party, the statements also deliberately question the integrity of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the Guyana-Norway partnership for which forest conservation is a key pillar and the Amaila Falls Hydropower project is a flagship project.

The opposition is calling on Minister Trotman to state whether he consulted with any professional staff within his Ministry before making the

Minister Raphael Trotman

announcement.

The party explained that about seven million hectares have been allocated for concessions, less than 38% of Guyana’s forest or about 55% of the State Forest Estate.“Of the seven million hectares, about five million hectares are allocated through large concessions. Of the five million hectares, about 2.8 million hectares of large concessions were allocated by PPP/C Governments between

1992 and 2015, and about half of the large concessions were issued by the PNC Government before 1992, including the current largest concession for Barama at 1.7 million hectares,” it explained.

According to the opposition, the PPP/C Government allocated approximately 15% of Guyana’s forest to large concessions and close to half the State Forest Estate remains unallocated.

Quality of Health Services to be standardized

Minister Karen Cummings

of inequality in Guyana.

“This year’s budget will greatly assist in the realisation of this important goal. Every health post, health center, district and regional hospital, will be adequately staffed with competent human resources and be sufficiently stocked with the required pharmaceuticals and medical supplies,” she explained.

The Minister pointed out that regardless of the nature, any obstacle to achieving the goals outlined will be removed with alacrity,” Cummings assured.

Meanwhile, a senior management team from the Ministry of Public Health is expected to engage Regional Health Officers and Regional Executive Officers shortly to ensure that efforts are combined to achieve the goal of delivering the best quality health care to citizens.

“We are currently building capacity in all the regions so that it will not be necessary for patients to have to travel to Georgetown for medical care. With the new standard treatment guidelines, the quality of health care services provided in each region

will be enhanced and unquestionable.”

The 2016 National Budget makes provisions for the upgrading, rehabilitation and maintenance of a number of regional health facilities with the aim of improving access and services provided to residents of the respective regions.

The Ministry of Public Health was allocated $28B in the 2016 National Budget to execute its current and capital work programmes.

the West Demerara Highway, $40M for provision of studies for the Guyana- Brazil Land Transport Link and Deep Water Portas part of an IDB funded project, $62M for the provision of bridge access for the Corentyne River Bridge Access Road, $1.7B for the completion and rehabilitation of hinterland roads and payment of retention, $1.3B for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of sea and river defences under the CDB funded project.

Minister in the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings disclosed that the Ministry is seeking to standardise the quality of health care services at all

its health care facilities throughout Guyana.

This disclosure was made during the recently concluded budget debates in the National Assembly.

Minister Cummings told the House that the Ministry of Public Health is determined to provide the best quality of universal health care, and to narrow the gaps

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure’s budget was on Tuesday approved in the House.

Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson in defending his Ministry’s allocation indicated that $150M provision for the Demerara Harbour Bridge will be utilised to effect critical maintenance works on the structure to add life to it.

He further indicated that they are no cabinet papers prepared which speaks to an increase of the current toll structure at the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

Questioned further, Minister Patterson indicated that $72M allocated under Infrastructural Development will see the illumination of unlit areas such as Calcutta, Phoenix and Sophia to name a few. “Everyone has to get lights in their area…that is my responsibility and I discharge it fairly and equitably…no citizen should be in darkness,” Patterson stated.

Responding to assertions made by

the Opposition’s side of the House that Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice was stripped of street lights, Minister Patterson asserted that from Woodley Park to Bath Settlement there are a total of 56 lamps along the main access road which provides levels of illumination. Further, the lightings available for Bath is similar to that which exists for Linden, he said.

The allocations that were approved this evening confirms to the administration’s stated objective of providing quality infrastructure along the coastland and in the hinterland.

Projects to be done in the hinterland are aimed at bridging the income gap that exists and to provide proper farm to market roads which will see producers accessing more markets for their produce.

One hundred and fifty million dollars was budgeted for the Rehabilitation of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, $72M for the provision of highway lighting and pedestrian sidewalks,

rehabilitation of roads in various communities and payment of retention, $1.1B completion, construction and rehabilitation of roads and drains in urban areas and payment of retention, $1.1B for provision of upgrading of the Highway- this is a project being done with financing from China Exim Bank for East Coast Demerara Minister David Patterson $350M for provisions rehabilitation of highway and $1.2B for for dredging, spares bridges and payment provision for studies, and and docking of of retention, $1.4B rehabilitation vessels, $223M for for completion, upgrading of roads as the completion and construction and part of an IDB funded project, $2.3B for

Ministry of Public Infrastructure Budget approved

Today marks 50th Anniversary of the Geneva Agreement Today marks 50th Anniversary of the Geneva Agreement on the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy.

In a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was not a coincidence that the 50th anniversary of the Agreement is occurring in the same year of Guyana’s 50th independence anniversary as the Geneva meeting represented the last failed effort by

Venezuela to prevent this country’s independence.

It was noted that the Agreement is worth commemorating since it is part of the founding instruments of Guyana’s freedom noting that “Guyana would be free with its borders intact.

That is why the Geneva Agreement is worth commemorating. It is part of the founding instruments of Guyana’s freedom.”

The Ministry said “the

Geneva Agreement was concluded between Britain and Venezuela.

Guiana only became a full party on attaining Independence. That is what the Agreement was all about – Guyana’s Independence.

Until then, Venezuela had indulged in an argument with Britain to maintain the state of colonialism in British Guiana until the boundary with Venezuela was changed.

The Geneva Agreement

ended that unBolivarian argument.”

Guyana is currently seeking juridical settlement on the ongoing border controversy noting that all other options have been exhausted as relates to the border controversy.

The Statement said “Guyana is cooperating fully with the Secretary General in the context outlined. What the Geneva Agreement offers Venezuela is

the opportunity to establish that the 117 year old Award – accepted, demarcated and respected by Venezuela for over 60 years is a nullity.”

It further stated that the Agreement brings closure to Venezuela’s baseless contentions.

The Private Sector C o m m i s s i o n (PSC) says it is disappointed with the continuous delay in the tabling of the telecommunications legislation to liberalize the sector.

The Commission, in a

statement said while it welcomes the fact that the government has announced its commitment in favour of the prompt liberalisation of Guyana’s telecommunication sector to be concluded

before the end of this year, it is still worried that no moves have been made in that direction as yet.

The PSC is calling on the government

to establish and announce specific timelines for when the liberalisation is going to begin and the specific processes that are going to be involved in this exercise.

“The fact is that Guyana’s economic advancement and growth is being seriously handicapped by the country’s limited access to bandwidth and affordable high speed connectivity. The PSC looks forward to a Telecommunications Bill that will ensure unrestricted

and unfettered competition by our telecommunications providers,” the PSC said.

It said the absence of high speed affordable connectivity has left Guyana behind the rest of the world and, indeed, the rest of the Caribbean.

“It prevents domestic and international investment in the creative innovation of ICT services and the employment and productivity that this investment will produce in every sector of the economy.”

The Private Sector said it believes that technology driven, knowledge based industries must be the cornerstone of this country’s future and the Commission is ready and willing to work with and support the government, in every way it can, to accelerate the establishment of an ICT sector that will bring the country and the economy into the 21st century.

Both GTT and DIGICEL are supportive of the liberalisation of the sector.

PSC wants Telecommunications legislation laid soon

Former Magistrate Gilhuys back in the spotlight At t o r n e y - At - L a w Gordon Gilhuys has been released on station bail after he was arrested for allegedly attempting to obstruct the course of justice Tuesday morning.

Gilhuys, a former Magistrate, was arrested in Linden after he allegedly attempted to force a police officer stationed at the Mackenzie Police Station to

make adjustments to a statement made in a rape allegation against his client by contacting the victim’s mother.

He believes that he was wrongfully arrested as he was acting in the capacity of an officer of the law.

The matter was reported by the officer and an investigation was launched, after which he was arrested.

Gilhuys denied

the allegation and he was placed on $10,000 station bail.

The file is to be sent to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

Back in 2008, Gilhuys was under investigations for an incident in which he shot a police officer in the chest Both charges were and accidently dismissed as the DPP shot a football so recommended. player in the shin.

Months after the

incident, Gilhuys public interest by was sent off on early the Judicial Service retirement from the Commission (JSC). magistracy in the

Venezuela Reaffirms its Right on the Essequibo Caracas, Feb 17 (Prensa Latina) The analyst of international issues, Laila Tajeldine expressed today that Venezuela has an irrefutable legitimacy regarding its right over the territory of Essequibo, and the story comes along with that claim.

The specialist made the approach Wednesday when there is 50 years of the Geneva Agreement (Switzerland, February 7, 1966), which regulates the demand for sovereignty over Essequibo Guyana, located on the left bank of

the Essequibo River, from its source to its mouth in the Atlantic Ocean.

This is the Pact of greatest political importance hold between this South American country, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to resolve the dispute over the border between Venezuela and the then colony of British Guiana (now Guyana).

Speaking to media, Tajeldine affirmed that the country also has documents that verify the authenticity and legitimacy of Venezuela

Ranks of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) this morning around 5:30 hours raided the home of a local businessman and seized computers and gadgets claiming that they were investigating money-laundering.

Former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall told reporters at a press conference today that a team of about twelve ranks from

SOCU swooped down on the businessman’s Kitty premises, blocked the roads, searched and seized primate documents, and devices belonging to his children and grandchildren.

He did not reveal the name of the man.

The SOCU team, according to Nandlall, subsequently descended upon the businessman’s Regent Street office, located between Camp and Wellington

Streets in the vicinity of a filling station.

“This is a man who has never been charged for any offence,” his Lawyer Nandlall told the media.

Twenty year old Joshua Joseph was today sentenced to eighteen months in prison

by Magistrate Ann McLennan for escaping from lawful custody where he was held for robbery under arms and break and enter.

The Court heard that Joseph escaped from the Brickdam Police Station on February 13, 2016.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the

Court that Joseph was being escorted by police to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court when he behaved in a disorderly manner. He said Joseph shoved and fought with the officer who was guarding him and other prisoners and fled.

He was subsequently arrested on 15th February at the Stabroek Market area.

Joseph, in his defense told the Court that

he was wearing old clothing and had wanted to appear in Court properly dressed. He added that the handcuff opened when he fell.

He pleaded not guilty breaking and entering the dwelling place of Osa Omaree on January 19, 2016 and stealing one 21-inch Sharp television, one laptop computer, one gold chain and one pair of gold earrings with a

over the territory: What we have to do is to begin to carry out regular actions through the peaceful solution of conflicts, she noted.

In her view, the treaty

Officiating figure-, the specialist insisted that what was expressed in the document is very clear.

The Secretary General of the United Nations established what is called the Good Officiant, a person responsible for bringing close the parties involved in the conflict and bring them to a solution, even to become transmitter of of positions, stated Tajeldine.

In this regard, the analyst lamented that the work of that figure has been interrupted over the years

due to the deaths of the persons exercising such functions, which has led to the halt in the pace of negotiations to resolve the bordering dispute.

However, we must concentrate on the Geneva Accord of 1966, which is the way that really opens the way for a solution to the conflict, we must implement what is said there to bring the parties closer, she assured.

Nandall believes that the search may have been politically motivated and is more than likely abuse of power granted to SOCU under the

Anti-money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act (2015).

In this regard, the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is calling on the government to remove SOCU from the remit of the Ministry of the Presidency PPP/C Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira wants the Government to provide an explanation for SOCU’s appearance under the Ministry of

the Presidency, adding that it contradicted the AML/CFT act.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said in the National Assembly that steps will be taken to remove SOCU from the remit of the Ministry of the Presidency.

However, Nandlall questioned why it was there in the first place.

total value of $123,000.

Joseph and 21-year old Kester Mc Phoy also pleaded not guilty to a joint charge of robbery under arms

which stated that on February 3, 2016, armed with a knife they robbed Felicia Walton one gold chain.

The Court heard that

Joseph was one of the persons who had been pardoned by President David Granger.

represents a valid instrument to resolve with the Cooperative Republic of Guyana Essequibo matter; and although there are other ways- such as the Good

SOCU raids home of businessman, PPP/C says “political directions”

Anil Nandlall

Pardoned prisoner back in jail

Almost $7B approved for Ministry of Communities

The Ministry of Communities’ 2016 spending of nearly $7 billion was cleared after the House ironed out the particulars of the allocations provided for the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and the 71 local democratic organs, more specifically the newly gazetted towns of Bartica, Mahdia and Lethem.

The Opposition requested clarification from the Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan as to the amount remaining on the InterAmerican Development Bank’s (IDB) loan, which financed the

landfill. Also called into question, was the name of the contractor currently managing the operations of the landfill and the means by which the 2016 operations of the dumping ground will be funded.

Minister Bulkan, going into details explained that though the IDB funding for the landfill came to an end in 2015, an amount totaling US$2.5 Million of the loan was not expended.

The Minister told the House that, now that the IDB disbursement has ended, the project will be carried out by Central Government, hence an allocation of $427 Million was made

under the Ministry of Communities’ 2016 current programme to fund the landfill 2016 operations.

The Minister also cleared up the issue of the contractor at the site by confirming that the contract with BK International was terminated and that Puran Brothers is now executing the responsibility of managing and operating the landfill on a temporary basis.

The Minister also cleared the air on the CH&PA Housing Funds.

He confirmed that funds have not been transferred into the consolidated fund and that the monies from the CH&PA Fund are being used to finance the activities of the agency.

A total of $6.748 Million was approved by the House for the Ministry of Communities for 2016. Of this sum, $1.431Billion will cover the implementation of current programmes, while $5.317 Billion

A US$3M agreement to rehabilitate the Cunha Canal was today inked between the Government of Guyana and Norway. It forms part of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy’s adaptation initiatives.

The grant to Guyana is being provided by the Norwegian Government under the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), in partnership with the World Bank.

This project is an important intervention which addresses adaption to climate change. As such works will improve government’s ability to manage water resources in the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC).

The proposed physical works for the Cunha Canal will include its widening, rehabilitation of the former outlet structure, re-routing the canal to re-establish its original alignment, and construc-

tion of a bridge on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) public road where the canal intercepts the road. Rehabilitation of the canal will increase its discharge capacity and contribute to reducing the risks of the embankment overtopping.

Signing on behalf of the Guyana Government, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan said that from the standpoint of his government, the project represents one small column in the way of greening the economy. Whilst all countries are susceptible to climate change in various ways, in Guyana flooding is due largely to its low-lying coast and unfortunately because of the history of its development which sees significant majority of its citizens living along the coast.

It is hoped that substantial progress in the particular area of ‘green-

ing’ Guyana and helping to adapt to climate change will now be seen.

Whilst the project was signed by the Minister of Finance it was handed over to Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder as his Ministry will be executing works with supervision by the Office of Climate Change and the Ministry of the Presidency.

Sophie Sirtaine, World Bank’s Country Director, Caribbean Country Management Unit Latin America and the Caribbean Region, said that the project is extremely useful for Guyana.

“Your susceptibility to climate risk is exceptionally high especially in the coastal areas, therefore the rehabilitation of the canal is a very laudable endeavour that the government is embarking upon with us (World Bank)…

It’s helpful not only because it supports the

Minister Ronald Bulkan

will cover capital p r o g r a m m e s .

Key projects and programmes to be rolled under the Ministry’s capital programme include the $401 Million in subvention to municipalities and Neighbourhood D e m o c r a t i c Councils (NDCs).

Prompted, Minister Bulkan explained of the total subvention, the sum of $146M will be provision for the nine Municipalities whilst the $248 Million will support the 62 NDCs. He told the House that the Fiscal Transfer Act was used in determining the level of transfer that will be made to each individual local democratic organ.

Other initiatives funded under the capital project include the Solid Waste Management P r o g r a m m e ($319.390 Million) and the Community Infrastructure Improvement Project, (CIPP) ($1.076 Billion) which targets the completion of projects

in Regions 2, 4, 5 and 9, the construction and rehabilitation of community roads in Regions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 and the rehabilitation and maintenance of community infrastructure including drains, bridges and parapets.

There is also a provision of $40 Million to support community driven entrepreneurial interventions under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) Project, $200 Million for the Georgetown Restoration Programme, $195.4 Million for the completion and upgrading of water supply in hinterland regions and $585.863 Million for the improvement of coastal water supply. The latter would see investment made in the completion of wells, water treatment plants and distribution mains at Esau and Jacob, Port Mourant, Eccles, Timehri, Wakenaam and Number 66 to 69 Villages. The drilling

of wells at Lima Sands and Noitgedacht as well as installation of transmission and distribution lines from Hubu to Naamless are catered for.

Meanwhile, a sum of $150.293 Million covers the completion and upgrading of distribution network in Linden, $79 Million was provide for water distribution and treatment plants, transmission mains and institutional strengthening under the Linden Water Supply Rehabilitation Programme, $226.1 Million covers the intervention for sewerage and water supply systems under the urban sewerage and water programme whilst $2 Billion provides for water supply system, sanitation and institutional strengthening.

An amount of $40 Million covers housing subsidies for selected hinterland communities in Regions 1 and 9.

Gov’t inks US$3M agreement for Cunha Canal rehabilitation

Minister of Finance Winston Jordan handing over the agreement to Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder in the presence of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

economy but ….it is also extremely helpful for the wellbeing of the population,” Sirtaine explained.

Ninety percent (90%) of Guyana’s inhabitants live on the narrow coastal plain, which represents 10 percent of the country’s area. This area of reclaimed lands, much of which lies below sea level, is crucial to the economy of the country, supporting the ma-

jority of the population including the nation’s capital, Georgetown, and a large part of Guyana’s agricultural economy.

The Cunha Canal is a network of waterways which links up with the EDWC, a water storage system that provides regional agricultural lands with irrigation water and urban areas with drinking water. In addition, during times of heavy

rainfall, this system provides regional drainage and flood control.

The Cunha Canal is located on the western side of the EDWC and discharges into the Demerara River. Around 1990, the canal was diverted from its original alignment to a smaller discharge channel.

Brazil military fight mosquitoes, flower pot to flower pot

The Brazilian military men surrounded the white bucket Monday and moved in -- the Zika-transmitting mosquito larvae didn’t stand a chance. Naval

officers and seamen in spotless, crisp uniforms had advanced on a flower pot in the suburban Rio house, meeting no enemy.

Their next objective, a potted fern, was also

enemy-free.

But in the bucket of water at the back of the house, the servicemen and an employee from the health department in Sao Goncalo, a seaside suburb

of Rio de Janeiro, came face to face with Brazil’s dreaded foe: larvae of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

After verifying the identity of the dots wriggling in the water, the sanitation worker dumped them on the ground to perish in the 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) sunshine.

In President Dilma Rousseff ’s declared war against Zika and mosquitoes, Brazil had just notched up a tiny victory.

“The goal today is to educate the public that everyone needs to take responsibility... and

A growing number of studies suggest that pregnant women who eat at least three servings of fish per week can positively impact their child’s overall brain function, but at what cost?

A recent study published in the JAMA Pediatrics has found that women who eat the recommended three servings of fish a week during pregnancy increase their child’s risk for obesity.

“High maternal fish

intake during pregnancy also was associated with an increased risk of rapid growth from birth to two years and with an increased risk of overweight/obesity for children at ages four and six years compared with maternal fish intake while pregnant of once a week or less.”

A research team led by Dr. Leda Chatzi, from the University of Crete, gathered data from 26,184 pregnant women and their children every

two years until each child turned 6. All pregnancies ended in single deliveries and occurred between 1996 and 2011 in Europe and North America.

Fish consumption varied by which country pregnant women were from. For example, women from Belgium consumed a relatively small amount of fish at 0.5 times per week while women from Spain ate fish 4.45 times per week.

Women from Massachusetts

consumed, on average, one to two servings of fish per week.

Both the FDA and EPA recommended that pregnant women eat two to three servings of fish per week back in July 2014.

Children born to mothers who reported the highest level of fish consumption during pregnancy were between 14 percent and 22 percent more likely to be overweight or obese by the ages of 4 and 6 compared to children

to investigate possible breeding sites,” said Commander Carlos Alexandre Souza de Lima, resplendent in his white uniform on the normally unremarkable residential street.

Across Brazil, some 55,000 other members of the navy, army and air force, plus 310,000 health workers, were deployed on that same mission, with some four million properties in their sights during a campaign that began Saturday and runs through Thursday.

With no vaccine against Zika, Brazil’s main strategy is to attack

the mosquito itself.

That might sound near impossible in a tropical country of 204 million people, but the involvement of the military is seen as giving Brazil at least a fighting chance.

Officials insist that ultimately only the public, not the military, can win this war. To prevent mosquitos means eradicating standing water and clearing up garbage, which rain can quickly turn into a perfect breeding site.

(Adapted from MSN)

born from mothers with the lowest amount of fish consumption.

Fears over mercury contamination have caused a lot of pregnant women to become wary of fish, however, some

doctors say pregnant woman shouldn’t neglect the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, which are essential to fetal development.

(Adapted from MSN)

Eating fish while pregnant could increase your kid’s obesity risk

Baby born with partial skull surpasses another childhood milestone a pacifier— surpassing another unexpected milestone, his family told Fox 5 Atlanta.

Jaxon Buell, who is 17 months old, was born with microhydraencephaly, a developmental abnormality marked by incomplete brain and skull formation. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), scientists don’t know what causes the condition nor have they found a cure.

The Orlando boy born with a partially formed When Jaxon was born, doctors told his parents, skull who has made headlines for defying Brandon and Brittany Buell, that he likely the odds has successfully begun sucking on wouldn’t hear, walk, talk or emote. But as Jaxon

has aged, he has started to defy those odds.

His plight, which his family has documented on his GoFundMe page Jaxon Strong, has also garnered a support system worldwide.

“We keep waiting for it to kind of disappear and Jaxon be a ‘flavor of the week’— but [the media attention] is not going away,” Brandon told FoxNews.com in December. “It is surreal, it’s humbling” (Fox News Health)

Venezuela’s Assembly vows to overhaul country’s foreign policy, restore image overseas One of the many goals of the revamped National Assembly in Venezuela is to restore the country’s blemished image in the U.S. and the rest of the world, where 16 years of Chavismo rule practically have redrawn the foreign policy canons.

Angel Medina, a lawmaker with the new opposition majority, said partisan and ideological bias have been at the center of all the decisionmaking in the last

decade — including diplomatic appointments and all consular maters.

“In Miami we have the most dramatic case,” said Medina, who serves as vicepresident of the Foreign Relations Committee.

“More than half a million of [Venezuelan exiles] live there but the government shut down the consulate four years ago,” he said, adding, “They now have to drive more than 10

hours to New Orleans to vote or complete any paperwork.”

Medina said that diplomatic authorities worldwide mistreat the more than a million Venezuelans living overseas because they are deemed political opponents.

He said that although according to law only the executive branch has jurisdiction over the opening or closing of consulates, the Assembly

Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, yesterday issued a call for the establishment of organised protocols to treat with the Zika virus across the CARICOM region.

The Prime Minister made this call to his fellow CARICOM leaders during the First Plenary

Session of the 27th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Belize.

Rowley made the point that this country fully supports the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and is aggressively treating with the issue of Zika, with a view to eliminating

the mosquito which carries the virus.

The urgent public health issue of the Zika virus and the eradication of the aedes aegepti mosquito, which carries the virus, also made its way onto the conference’s agenda’s with CARPHA Executive Director Dr James Hospedales also addressing

the

Led by its Leader Andrew Holness, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) flexed its muscle during a mass rally in Stony Hill in West Rural St Andrew on Monday night as it took aim at the People’s National Party (PNP).

“I am unstoppable; the JLP is unstoppable,” declared Holness.

It was a night when the PNP’s president, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, its campaign director, Dr Peter Phillips and

general secretary, Paul Burke were primary targets.

Phillips had the biggest bull’s eye on his back with JLP platform speakers, taking pot shots at the man who has served as minister of finance and planning for the past four years.

“The People’s National Party is a desperate organisation,” declared Holness. “But we are up and we are going to stay up, up, up,” as music and Labourites with noisy

vuvuzelas reacted.

“All of this smokescreen to sully the name of my wife’s family shows the hypocrisy of the PNP, that it is the main orchestrator of gutter politics,” he declared.

Holness claimed that for the first time, real issues are being introduced on the political campaign to which the PNP had no answers.

Holness suggested that while not all Jamaicans will be rich, no one in Jamaica has to be poor.

people no longer taking such talk. “The mother of the poor is now the grandmother of the poor and rendered irrelevant,” charged Holness.

“They want you to be poor so they can control you ... we want to create wealth and “All the PNP talked for prosperity.” prosperity in your life. about for 10 years is Declaring that ‘Mama So we have already how it loves the poor. P’ now stands for defeated the ideology The poor don’t need ‘Mama Poverty’, of poverty,” he added. lovers, sympathisers, Holness said, “You (Adapted from the Gleaner) or pity. What the poor notice the PNP don’t Jamaican need is a deliverer talk about poor and a champion because the young

plans to discuss the matter with President Nicolas Maduro in the foreseeable future.

According to Oscar Hernandez, a renowned international affairs expert, before Hugo Chavez took office in 1999 some 70 percent of Venezuela’s ambassadors were career diplomats.

Now the number has reversed and most high-ranking officials representing Venezuela around the globe are

former government senior officials, retired generals or relatives of political figures.

Chavez’s daughter, Maria Gabriela

Chavez, was appointed second ambassador to the United Nations in 2014.

(Adapted from Foxnewslatino)

T & T Prime Minister calls for Zika protocols in the Region

session, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne presented on the issue of corresponding banking and the implications of the de-risking or de-linking of foreign banks to smaller banks operating in the CARICOM region.

Jamaican Opposition confident of ousting gov’t conference.

During

yesterday’s

Wife beat husband with bat because he didn’t get her a Valentine’s present

An Ohio woman was charges by police who arrested on assault said she attacked her

husband and knocked him unconscious because he failed to buy her a Valentine Day’s present.

Kimberly Hammond, 46, had been drinking, her husband told Washington County Sheriff ’s deputies.

She scratched and

hit his face during an argument, and then allegedly grabbed a mini baseball bat and hit him in the back of the head, the husband said, according to authorities.

He was knocked unconscious, and his wife continued

to beat him as he came in and out of unconsciousness, deputies said.

Hammond said she was angry because her husband forgot to get her a Valentine gift, according to deputies. A breath test showed she had

a blood-alcohol level of .221, deputies said.

She was arrested Sunday on assault and domestic violence charges. It was not clear whether she had posted bail or had been arraigned. (MSN)

conductive fluid back and forth, generating power as a result. Users simply plug their device into the in-sole charger and away they go.

According to the creators, the current prototype is capable of producing up to 10 watts of power per square metre, with typical smartphones only requiring around 2 watts. However, the researchers theorise

that the technology could potentially generate anything up to 10 kW of power.

Other than allowing consumers to do away with cables, the researchers say energy harvesting footwear could be used by the military to enable troops to power equipment without having to rely on cumbersome batteries. It could also be used in underdeveloped

countries to provide power in areas without access to a local grid.

(Adapted from MSN)

Sole power: New battery technology can charge your smartphone as you walk Scientists in the US have developed a new charging technology capable of harvesting power through movement.

The technology, created by engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, can be inserted into footwear and used to power mobile devices on the fly, or stored for later use.

The concept employs a

“bubbler” device that contains no moving parts and instead consists of two flat plates separated by a small reservoir of conductive liquid. One of the plates contains tiny holes that create pressurized gas.

When these come into contact with the other plate, they collapse.

The repetitious movement of these bubbles forming and collapsing moves the

For six years, a building supervisor in Spain quietly collected a $41,500 salary from his local government without showing up for work. And he would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for him getting an award for his 20 years of loyal service.

Joaquín García, 69, was recently fined $30,000 for the extended paid vacation from a water treatment plant in Cádiz -- the maximum penalty government officials could deliver, the BBC reported.

According to deputy

mayor Jorge Blas, it wasn’t until Garcia was due to be recognized for his hard work in 2010 that authorities realized his office was sitting vacant.

“I wondered whether he was still working there, had he retired, had he died? But the payroll showed he was still receiving a salary,” Blas said. “I called him up and asked him, ‘What did you do yesterday? The month before, the month before that?’ He didn’t know what to say,” he added.

Garcia’s water company coworkers thought the plant was being overseen

Man skipped work for 6 years; no one noticed until he won an award

by local authorities because they hadn’t seen Garcia in so long. Garcia’s attorney, speaking on

his behalf, reportedly blamed bullying at his workplace for his absence. He also said

there was no work to do.

People close to Garcia told El Mundo that he dedicated himself

to reading philosophy instead and that he did not report the bullying out of fear that he could be fired. Garcia retired after the allegations came to light, though he denies wrongdoing.

In the end, a court sided with the government, recently ordering him to pay the five-digit fine.

Garcia has since petitioned to the deputy mayor not to pay the fine and to have the judgment reviewed, The Local reported. ( Ya h o o / H u f f p o s t )

Former French President, Sarkozy placed under investigation in campaign funding Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was placed under investigation on Tuesday in a scandal over irregularities in his 2012 re-election campaign finances, the Paris Prosecutor said, dealing a

serious blow to his hopes of running again in 2017.

Sakozy, 61, was questioned all day by magistrates at the Paris financial prosecutor’s office before being notified that he was under investigation

for “suspected illegal financing of an election campaign for a candidate, who went beyond the legal limit for electoral spending”.

The move is a prelude to a possible trial though it does not

lead automatically to prosecution.

However it means the leader of the conservative opposition Republicans party is likely to be tied up in legal proceedings for months to come, making it hard for him to stand

in a centre-right primary in November ahead of

next year’s presidential election.

(MSN)

Faced with a cash shortage in its so-called caliphate, the Islamic State group has slashed salaries across the region, asked Raqqa residents to pay utility bills in black market

American dollars, and is now releasing detainees for a price of $500 a person.

The extremists who once bragged about minting their own currency are having

a hard time meeting expenses, thanks to coalition airstrikes and other measures that have eroded millions from their finances since last fall.

Having built up loyalty among militants with good salaries and honeymoon and baby bonuses, the group has stopped providing even the smaller perks: free energy drinks and Snickers bars.

Necessities are dwindling in its urban centers, leading

to shortages and widespread inflation, according to exiles and those still suffering under its rule.

In Raqqa, the group’s stronghold in Syria, salaries have been halved since December, electricity is rationed, and prices for basics are spiraling out of reach, according people exiled from the city.

“Not just the militants.

Any civil servant, from the courts to the schools, they cut their salary by 50 percent,”

said a Raqqa activist Within the last two weeks, the extremist group started accepting only dollars for “tax” payments, water and electric bills.

In the Iraqi city of Fallujah, fighters who once made $400 a month aren’t being paid at all and their food rations have been cut to two meals a day, according to a resident.

The account of the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that inhabitants

can only leave the city if they pay $1,000 — a sum well beyond the means of most in the Sunnimajority city that was the first in Iraq to fall to Islamic State in 2014.

IS is also allowing Fallujah residents to pay $500 for the release of a detainee, the family in Fallujah told the AP, saying that they believed the new policy was put in place to help the group raise money — a system akin to bail.

(Adapted from MSN)

Pope Francis, who is usually calm and accommodating with his admirers, clearly lost his temper with a person who pulled on him so hard that he fell onto a child on a wheel chair.

Video footage showed that while the pope was walking at the edge of a crowd in an stadium, he stopped to greet children who were sitting.

Two arms reached out to grab him and the person would not let go, even after the pope lost

his balance and his chest was pressing on the child’s head.

Aides and security men stopped the pope from falling to the ground. After he returned to an upright position, his face turned angry.

He looked at the person, raised his voice and said twice in Spanish: “Don’t be selfish!” It was not clear if the person who pulled the pope was a man or a woman. (MSN)

IS faces budget crunch, killing perks and slashing salaries

Pope loses his cool in Mexico

Wednesday February 17, 2016

Simmons dismisses Test series, CPL clash as conflict

West Indies coach Phil Simmons says that there is no conflict between the upcoming Test series against India and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 Tournament happening at the same time in the Caribbean.

The centrally retained West Indies players have not been allowed to be drafted for the 2016 CPL T20 tournament because

the Indian Test series in the region, will clash with the tournament in July and August.

Speaking on the matter Simmons said: “There is no conflict there, or no choice, the players have been retained for the Test series, they know that and they will play the Test matches.”

Looking at the West Indies next international assignment which is

the World T20 in India, the former West Indies all-rounder said he was very happy going in as one of the favourites.

“The tournament should be brilliant. A bit disappointed that we not going in as one but we will be going in as two and looking to finish the tournament by winning and getting back to the number one position in the rankings.”

The West Indies will be missing three big name players in T&T’s Keiron Pollard (injured), Sunil Narine (not yet ready with his remodelled bowling action) and Darren Bravo (who opted out to focus on Tests) but Simmons is still confident: “We are in a good position going into the tournament as one of the favourites and we will be giving it a good shot.

We seem to be producing players for everybody around the world and this says of the talent we have at our disposal in our squad. Look at Carlos Brathwaite, another one who just came out the system and has been fetching big money for his services.”

Simmons added that the experience of his players in the Indian Premier League will

work very well for his unit. “Anybody who has played IPL will be a huge advantage for us.

Knowing the conditions is always a great help and they will be expected to make a contribution to the plan.” (Adapted From the Trinidad Guardian)