GNN Online Newspaper - JAN 14, 2016

Thursday January 14, 2016

PRESIDENT ADDRESSES PARLIAMENT

President appeals for cooperation for Economic independence

Mosquito borne Zika virus recorded in Guyana -PAGE 4

Student attempted suicide -PAGE 6

Region One students get bicycles, shoes and books

The First Lady smiles, as Minister Ally hugs a Hosororo Primary School student who displays her new shoes

Thirty students of Region One (BarimaWaini) received bicycles, while more than 500 received shoes and other school gear, yesterday under President David Granger’s ‘Boats, Buses and Bicycles’ (‘three Bs’) initiative aimed at ensuring that all Guyana’s children are able to attend school.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally and First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger

presented the bicycles to students of the North West Secondary School. The bicycles were donated by a citizen from Essequibo.

Meanwhile, students from the Mabaruma Primary, Hosororo Primary, Koberimo Annex, Barabina Primary Schools along with children in the surrounding areas of Wainaina, Coomacka and Mabaruma Settlement, received

shoes, books and clothing to equip them with the necessary kit they need for school.

Additionally, in fulfilling a promise, which was made to the residents of Wainaina late last year, Minister Ally handed over a brush-cutter to the residents to assist them in ensuring that their surroundings are well kept.

“His Excellency is a very passionate President when it comes to

This shy First Former of the North West Secondary School holds on to her brand new, pink bicycle as First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, places a comforting hand on her shoulder

education and he wants to see every child in school. He wants to see every child gaining equal access to education and he wants to ensure that the inequalities that exist are reduced.

With the many rivers in this region, there is no doubt this region will also be beneficiary of boats,” Ally said.

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, in brief comments, charged the

students to take care of the bicycles, noting that it must serve to strengthen their resolve and drive to pursue their education.

“This is to ensure that children get to school, that you don’t get to school tired, that you can access an education because Guyana needs educated, enlightened persons to take it forward.

We are hoping that you can see and dream and do so in our country

to drive us forward,” Mrs. Granger said.

To date, five boats, a number of bicycles and hundreds of pairs of shoes have been handed over to school children in several communities across the country.

The President is also expected to commission a number of buses this month. (Adapted from the MOTP)

time to implement.

Further, the IAC stated that it is heartened by the recent emergency meeting convened

by President David Granger with some members of his Cabinet to discuss the suicide spate. “While this is commendable, we believe that there is an urgent need for the necessary infrastructure to be established,” it added.

The statement alluded to the organization’s cognizance of the related challenges, including the inadequate number of Psychologist available, the government and related NonGovernmental Organizations (NGO) face in trying to mitigate incidents of suicides.

“However, we remain

firm in our belief that a declaration of ‘National Priority’ would aid in boosting current efforts and presents an opportunity for attracting additional local and international support,” the group said.

It reminded that given the continual and seemingly growing impact suicide has on families, communities and the country as a whole, Guyana can ill afford such loses in its human resources.

“This further underscores our request for a swift declaration and calls on civil society to lend support to this call,” it stated.

The IAC also repeated its call on all social and religious organization

to intensify their efforts to provide guidance and counselling where necessary to aid it the mitigation of this social ill. It noted that it “remains in readiness to work with the Administration and civil society through meaningful engagements in helping to deriving useful mechanisms with regard to suicide.”

The group advise that those who may, for whatever reason, contemplating or would have already, unfortunately, develop suicidal tendencies, to seek assistance where and if possible.

IAC repeats call for swift intervention on suicide

The Indian Action Committee (formerly Arrival) (IAC) says it is repeating its call for suicide to be declared a National Priority.

In a statement today, the Indian advocacy group noted that recent incidents of suicide further highlight the tragic consequences of what it describes as a “social scourge that continues to plague our society.” There has

been four reported deaths by suicide and six attempts over the last six days.

According to the IAC, the declaration of ‘National Priority’, if realized, “would bring a much needed sense of priority which in turn would necessitate the provision of the crucial human, technical and financial resources to educate and mitigate on the

circumstances that would propel people to end their lives.”

It lamented that is labored in the past for the declaration to be made. However, it pointed out that its request to the current government “has been positively received with an encouraging followup.” The organization noted that given the seemingly unabated trend, it believes it is

Suriname Carrier applies to join local aviation sector Suriname flag carrier, Fly Allways airline, has applied to begin schedule operations to and from Guyana to Suriname, Barbados and Boa Vista, Brazil.

Notice published in local newspapers by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said the airline is requesting a two-year license beginning from 1st February, 2016.

The GCAA is inviting persons to make representation or offer

objections on behalf of the airline to do so by going into the GCAA’s head office on High Street where a copy of the application by the airline (except the financials) is available for inspection.

The airline is hoping to offer flights between Paramaribo and Georgetown and Georgetown and Bridgetown will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and flights between Paramaribo

and Georgetown and Georgetown and Boa Vista are scheduled for Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Currently, Suriname Airways offer twice weekly flights between Guyana and Suriname from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) while Trans Guyana Airways offers twice daily flights from the Ogle Airport between Guyana and Suriname and LIAT offers daily flights from Ogle to Barbados.

Commercial and Land Registry closed for commissioning The Commercial and Land Registry will be closed for business from 8:30 hours 13:00 hours on Friday (January, 14, 2016) to facilitate commissioning of the two registries.

According to a state-

ment from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the registries will be commissioned tomorrow at 9:00 hours at the old site where the New Building Society was stationed at High and Commerce Streets, Georgetown.

The Registry was expected to be moved last year, under the former administration as plans get on stream to modernize the justice sector.

was the reason for the problem but we are awaiting the response to be sent back to the region to determine the way forward.”

Ashley said “we only had one death of an 11 month old child on December, 27, 2015. However to

date, there is no other casualties as relates to the situation.

They are taking steps to keep it under control. They are holding educational sessions with the residents and the school children for them to understand sanitation and hygiene and how to assist those affected.”

The Regional Chairman said visits are being conducted to each village where residents are given things to treat their water and are also being shown how to go about doing so.

Baramita, which has a population of about 3000 and 20 satellite villages, has

one Health Center, which is manned by a Community Health worker, a medic and a doctor.

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the digestive system. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites found in water, food and animals. It causes a combination of diarrhoea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, and headache.

Dehydration may occur as a result.

Gastro cases increase Junior Public Health Minister Dr Karen Cummings has confirmed that the number of cases of gastroenteritis has risen to 80 in Baramita, Region, one.

Dr. Cummings, through Government Information Agency (GINA), said: “There is a technical team on the ground, assessing the situation and working to keep it under control” which “comprises one doctor, one Medex and one Environmental Health Officer.”

Region one chairman Brentnol Ashley had recently told GNN that regional

Health workers and other personnel are working to contain the outbreak by conducting several educational sessions and visits to villages to aid in improving the sanitation in the region.

He said “the senior

Minister Dr Karen Cummings

environmental health officer has been carrying out tests of the various possible water supply that the communities have to ascertain whether the water is the cause of the problem, which it is assumed that this

Mosquito borne Zika virus recorded in Guyana The Ministry of Public Health has been informed of one case of the Zika virus in Guyana by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago.

This was confirmed

by Minister of Public Health; George Norton during his address to the National Assembly this afternoon where he informed the house of the recent development.

He noted that on January, 12, 2016, the Ministry of Public Health was informed by CARPHA

Laboratory that it has detected the presence of the zika virus in a sample of blood from Guyana.

He further stated that the blood sample belongs to a 27 year old Female whose address has been given in Rose Hall, Corentyne and the Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara.

The symptoms of the Zika virus he added is fever, rash and conjunctivitis.

On Tuesday, Guyana’s Ministry of Public Health said it is conducting fogging in several communities to ensure

that the population is protected from the vector borne disease while urging “pregnant women and children sleep under a mosquito net”.

Neighboring Brazil have recently recorded two deaths and 3,530 suspected cases of microcephaly (abnormal smallness of the

head, a congenital condition associated with incomplete brain development caused by the Zika virus) in newborns, according to the latest epidemiological report of the Ministry of Health.

Additionally, US Health authorities confirmed in Texas one case of Zika virus. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Researchers have found the strongest evidence so far of a possible link between a mosquito-

borne virus and a surge of birth defects in Brazil, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Zika is spread by the same Aedes mosquito that can carry dengue and chikungunya. Puerto Rico reported its first case of Zika two weeks ago, and 13 countries in Latin America have also seen infections.

Brazil is experiencing the largest known outbreak of Zika.

Aaron Hing the 23 year old God Brother of British teen Dominic Bernard, and Stayman George, also 23, were this afternoon remanded to prison.

They were charged for the murder of the 18 year old teenager.

Magistrate Judy Latchman read the charge to two accused.

The two were the only ones charged

today jointly for the murder. The Guyana News Network (GNN) understands that three other suspects are expected to be charged tomorrow.

The police, having waited extensively today, eventually received advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to charge the two with the capital offence.

They were not required to plead to the indictable charge.

The men were charged hours after journalists had gathered at the court to witness the appearance of those accused of the crime.

The court heard that the two reportedly murdered the British teen hours after he arrived in Guyana in October last year.

reduce interest rates, help to lower the overall costs of borrowing and significantly reduce processing times for loans to the Small and Medium

Enterprise Sector, as well as for all Guyanese.

Two charged for murder of British teen

Stayman George

Aaron Hing

Credit Reporting Amendment Bill expected to pass this evening The Credit Reporting (Amendment) Bill 2015 – Bill No. 13 of 2015 was considered in committee clause by clause and passed without amendments.

The bill will now be read for the third time and passed as printed when Parliament resumes later this evening.

The Amendments to the Credit Reporting Bill will allow for mandatory participation in Guyana’s Credit Bureau.

On December 17, last, Finance Minister

Winston Jordan presented, for the first reading, the Credit Reporting (Amendment) Bill No. 13 of 2015.

When it is passed, it will create a more enabling legal framework to support the delivery of credit reporting services in Guyana.

According to the World Bank /International Finance Corporation, credit reporting systems are vital to strengthening financial infrastructure and ultimately access to finance.

CreditInfo previously stated that the Credit Reporting Act are necessary to create a legal framework which enables a credit bureau to operate effectively in the market, ensures that lenders, borrowers and the economy as a whole benefit from efficient credit reporting industry and improves Guyana’s rating in World Bank’s Doing Business Report.

I nt e r n at i o n a l l y, CreditInfo is regarded as a leading service provider for credit information

and risk management solutions worldwide, and has developed numerous products and services from official and customer information sources to facilitate best practice decision-making in credit risk management.

C r e d i t I n f o ’s comprehensive line of credit reports will be in widespread use throughout the credit and lending sectors of Guyana, and are expected to significantly increase access to credit,

President appeals for cooperation for Economic independence

President David Granger has appealed to the National Assembly to cooperate for the pursuit of economic independence as Guyana observes 50 years of Independence.

During his address to the National Assembly this afternoon, the President

said the Executive and Legislative branches, together, can continue to pursue policies which emphasize economic openness and competitiveness.

In this vein, he urged collaborating saying “let us come together to realise the objectives of

this grand project. Let us together to ensure that 2016 will be Guyana’s glorious year of ‘national renaissance.’ Let us together to grasp the opportunities that this year provides for us – to recapture the spirit of Independence and to secure ‘a good life’ for

generations to come.”

The Head of State noted that in 2016, the government aims to redouble its effort to eradicate poverty while committing to promoting sustained economic growth with enhanced distributive justice so that inequalities are reduced and opportunities are increased.

In this regard he said the administration have reconfigured its cabinet. The Ministry of the Presidency has been reconfigured to combine the offices of the President, VicePresident and Prime Minister and Ministers of State, Citizenship and Social Cohesion.

President Granger says “this combination enhances governance and, especially through

the Office of the Prime Minister, manages the government’s business and legislative agenda in the National Assembly.”

Highlighting that 2016 presents the challenge of renewing the ‘Independence Covenant’, he noted that it will be devoted to the rebirth and the renewal of the promise of economic independence and resilience, taking Guyana on a path to progress.

He further stated that “political Independence was neither the work of one person nor one party nor was it a sudden event. It was a process that took place over a long period of several decades…

Political Independence did not come easily or cheaply. It came only after decades of distress, distrust and,

tragically, deaths. Let us not now dwell on the pain of the past but look with faith to the future.”

He pledged that the coalition government will continue to place emphasis on greater connectivity between coastland and hinterland and between rural and urban areas. He also committed to ensuring investments in internal transport infrastructure, expansion of communications infrastructure to improve access to those areas where natural resources are located, green energy, combating climate change, better access to public services, diversification and more investment into a skilled workforce.

Four wanted for Mabura robbery Devon Stephen

Jevon Scott

Alex Croal

Ronald Rodney

The Police this afternoon issues wanted bulletins for four men for questioning in relation to robbery under arms which were committed on Antonio Jardine and Trevor Jardine on November 21, 2015, at Mabura, Linden Highway.

The Police stated the wanted men as Devon Stephen called ‘Water Dog’ or ‘Water Cat’, Jevon Scott, Ronald Rodney (Agla) and Alex Croal.

All are of African ethnicity and are from Linden. Stephen, Scott and Rodney are from One Mile, Wismar, while Croal is from Blue Berry Hill, Wismar.

The Police are asking anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the four men, to contact telephone numbers 444-3406, 444-3274, 444-3512, 226-9941, 225-6411, 911 or the nearest police station.

Student attempted suicide The Guyana News Network (GNN) understands that a student of the Central High school was this morning rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after allegedly attempting sui-

cide in the school.

According to reports, the student reportedly took a razor blade and slashed her wrist at least six times.

GNN was able to confirm from the school that the incident was reported to the Minis-

try of Education who is dealing with the matter.

The student is said to be in a semi-conscious state.

More is subsequent posts.

Embattled Iwokrama Chairman allowed to travel to Guyana for meetings him permission with a direction that he will make himself available for investigation as required.

“The accused (Pachauri) is permitted to travel, as per his itinerary as stated above, subject to furnishing of one local surety of Rs four lakh to the satisfaction of this court and upon furnishing an undertaking that he will make himself available to the investigating officer as per her requirement upon service of notice on him by the IO,” the court said.

While seeking permission, Pachauri’s lawyer, Ashish Dixit, said his client has been fully cooperating with the probe and he would

make himself available as and when required by the Investigating Officer (IO).

The police opposed his plea on the ground that Pachauri had failed to give satisfactory answers to their questions, but the IO affirmed that he had joined investigation. In its order, the court noted that Pachauri has cooperated in the probe and complied with the conditions imposed on him when he was granted permission to travel on earlier occasions.

On February 13, an FIR was registered against Pachauri on charges of sexual harassment under IPC sections 354, 354(a), 354(d) (molestation) and 506

(criminal intimidation).

He had also stepped down from United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change after the case was lodged against him.

Pachauri has been allowed to travel abroad by the court on seven occasions,

including the latest.

During the pendency of the trial, he has travelled to various countries to attend global meets and conferences on environmental issues, including USA, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Bolivia, Kuwait, Somalia, France and Saudi Arabia.

Iwokrama was established

A representative of the Guyana Police Force demonstrates how the police use the direct feed from the Demerara Harbour Bridge for monitoring while Minister of Public Infrastructure, Honourable David Patterson, looks on

The Demerara Harbour Bridge Company today commissioned its wireless link with the Criminal Investigation Department of the Guyana Police Force in an effort to better monitor traffic and fight crime.

The commissioning took place at the CID Lab, Eve Leary during a simple ceremony which saw the attendance of Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; Minister within the Ministry, Annette Ferguson; and General Manager of DHBC, Rawlston Adams. Also present

were senior representatives of the GPF, including Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, and Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum.

The project saw the erection of a 100ft tower at Eve Leary which links the bodies. This tower, Mr. Adams added, was installed in November 2015.

According to Adams, the establishment of a wireless link with the Police Force was one that had been in the works for more than a year. He said that he had been approached by Superintendent Phillip Azore in

2014 to extend the Demerara Harbour Bridge’s feed.

In 2015, Azore’s idea was initiated and work began on the project in 2015. By early December 2015, the project was completed.

Minister Patterson said about $3M was invested by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure towards the wireless link.

Meanwhile, Crime Chief Blanhum said thus far, the police would have recorded successes thanks to the use of DHBC’s footage. He explained that the wireless link would allow live ac-

New Delhi (The Asian Age) : An India court has allowed TERI Director, General R. K. Pachauri, who is facing sexual harassment allegations from a former woman colleague, to travel later this week to the United States and Guyana to attend meetings.

Pachauri is more known as the Chairman of the Board for the Iwokrama, being installed in November 26, 2012.

Metropolitan Magistrate, Shivani Chauhan, allowed Pachauri’s plea seeking permission to attend conferences in California till January 16, and then in Guyana till January 21. The court granted

TERI Director, General R. K. Pachauri

in 1996 and dedicated as a place for research “to develop, demonstrate, and make available to Guyana and the international community systems, methods and techniques for the sustainable management and utilisation of the multiple resources of the Tropical Forest and the conservation of biological diversity”.

The Iwokrama rainforest is located in the geographical heart of Guyana. It comprises 371,000 hectares of forest (1.6% of Guyana’s landmass and 2% of Guyana forests).

Police can now monitor traffic, crime from Harbour Bridge cess to cameras strategically placed on both ends of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

Mr. Blanhum further expressed hope that the Police Force’s partnership with DHBC would be a continued one and he thanked Mr. Adams for the support given over the years.

Additionally, Commissioner Persaud said that the wireless link went beyond the monitoring of crime; the feed, he said, would also aid the police in its traffic monitoring and traffic control.

‘Die Hard’, ‘Harry Potter’ films actor, Alan Rickman, dies British actor Alan Rickman, who played the role of Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films and portrayed memorable villains in Hollywood movies, has died aged 69, his agent said on Thursday.

Rickman got his big acting break appearing the Broadway version

of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” in the mid-1980s before making his first major film appearance in “Die Hard” soon afterwards.

That was to be the first of many performances as a villain, including the Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.” In addition

to the Potter films, he starred in “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”, “Truly Madly Deeply”, and “Love, Actually”.

In a statement his family said he had died after a battle with cancer. (Yahoo)

Boy battling cancer wants to be famous People from around the world are helping to fulfill the final wish of an 8-yearold Rhode Island boy who’s battling a rare type of cancer.

Dorian Murray, of Westerly, has gone to Walt Disney World and has met New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.

But Dorian tells WPRI-TV the one thing he still wants is to become famous.

Murray’s family is trying to make his wish come true after learning the cancer he’s had since age 4 is no longer treatable.E Thousands of people from France to Hong Kong have been posting

photos of themselves on social media holding signs with the hashtag “DStrong” after his family posted the slogan on Facebook and Twitter.

Dorian’s mom, Melissa Murray, says she hopes her son’s wish draws attention to pediatric cancer. (Fox News)

Strong signs Brazil birth defects are tied to Zika virus - CDC Researchers have found the strongest evidence so far of a possible link between a mosquitoborne virus and a surge of birth defects in Brazil, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The health agency said evidence of the denguelike Zika virus was found in the placentas from two women who miscarried and the brains of two newborns who died. Those who

were born had small heads, a rare condition known as microcephaly.

“The evidence is becoming very, very strong of the link between the two,” said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of mosquitoborne diseases at the CDC. Finding the virus present in brain tissue is “very significant,” he said.

Petersen warned that the link is not yet definite and said that a team of CDC investigators is

traveling to Brazil in a few weeks to conduct more studies and learn what risks face pregnant women. “It’s possible that there may be some other co-factors involved.”

Zika is spread by the same Aedes mosquito that can carry dengue and chikungunya. There are no known cases of people contracting the virus in the U.S. mainland, though it has been seen in returning travelers. Puerto Rico

reported its first case of Zika two weeks ago, and 13 countries in Latin America have also seen infections.

Brazil is experiencing the largest known outbreak of Zika, so it’s possible that a rare birth defect simply didn’t appear in previous smaller outbreaks, Petersen said.

Brazilian health authorities have said there’s no question Zika is behind the birth defects.

The Health Ministry

said late Tuesday that 3,530 babies have been born with microcephaly in the country since October. The number was less than 150 in 2014.

Now the government

finds itself with a growing number of children with mental retardation concentrated in one of the poorest regions of the country in the northeast.

(Fox News Health)

WHO Declares Recent Ebola Outbreak Over

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced an end to the latest flare-up of the Ebola virus in Liberia, a milestone that marks the first time since the epidemic began in 2013 that there have been no known cases of the disease in West Africa.

It said, however, that it was too soon to declare an end to the epidemic that

killed more than 11,300 people out of 28,600 cases. More flare ups are expected because the virus can persist in survivors for up to a year and be transmitted through sex and perhaps other means.

“All known chains of transmission have been stopped in West Africa,” the WHO said in a statement.

The news was a potential turning point in the fight against a disease that began in the forests of eastern Guinea in December 2013, spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone, and at its height in October 2014 sparked global fear about the disease.

There were cases in seven other countries including Nigeria, the United States

and Spain, though almost all deaths were in the three West African states.

Governments and international health organizations joined local health workers to combat the disease and new cases dwindled due to public health campaigns, an effort to trace and isolate potential sufferers and the safe treatment and burial of patients and victims.

Thursday’s declaration comes because it is 42 days since Liberia’s last Ebola patient tested negative. The country had previously declared itself virus-free in May and September of 2015 but each time a fresh cluster of cases appeared. (Huffpost)

Brazil police to charge mining firms, execs with environmental crimes Brazil’s Federal Police said Wednesday it would charge three miningsector companies, including Samarco and Vale, and seven executives of those firms with environmental crimes in connection with a deadly tailings dam breach last November.

Samarco is the owner of the Fundao tailings dam that collapsed on Nov. 5 of last year, causing an avalanche of waste water that buried

several hamlets in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, left 17 dead and two missing and contaminated a 650-kilometer (403mile) stretch of the Doce River and a section of the Atlantic coastline.

Vale, the world’s largest iron-ore exporter, coowns Samarco in a 50-50 joint venture with BHP Billiton, but Brazilian police have not filed charges against the Anglo-

Australian mining giant.

Police also filed charges against engineering company VogBR, which said in a report last year that the tailings dam was stable.

Samarco CEO Ricardo Vescovi and other executives of that mining JV are facing criminal charges, as is the VogBR engineer who signed off on the tailings dam stability study.

The investigation is ongoing and more

charges could still be filed against companies or individuals, the Federal Police said.

Police in Minas Gerais are still investigating the companies’ role in the 17 deaths and the material damage caused by the avalanche, which Brazil’s federal government has described as the worst environmental disaster in the nation’s history.

President Dilma Rousseff ’s administration thus far has handed

down fines against the mining companies, while the Brazilian courts have frozen assets of Vale and BHP Billiton to cover the payment of damages

to those affected by the disaster. (Foxnewslatino)

by the Government to interfere in the work of the independent Police Service Commission in the process.

She said the Government had committed breaches in the process and there was a provision in one of the orders to select and appoint a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie announced the approval of the new legal notices relating to the qualification and selection criteria orders

during a post- Cabinet news conference last month but the orders were only brought to the Parliament on Monday.

She said the orders were made on December 14, 2015 and published two days later but not brought to the Parliament until this month.

In seeking to explain the reasons for the Opposition’s move she said the Standing Orders provide for “the statutory instruments, which is required to be laid in Parliament shall be submitted forthwith

to the Clerk (of the House) for laying on the table simultaneously with its submission for publication.“ The former prime minister said from the date the orders were approved “they became law and would remain so unless negatived within 40 days which are allowed for that purpose.” She added that the public never saw those notices until this year. (Adapted from the Trinidadian Guardian)

T & T Opposition moves to block appointment of Top Cop The Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago has initiated steps to prevent moves by the Government to appoint a Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar also said once the new list of items with a 12.5 per cent VAT rate is published in legal notice the Opposition would also seek to nullify it in Parliament.

She said one of the reasons for the move against the orders was

due to the unjust and undue delay in notifying the Speaker of the coming into effect of the

orders before it was laid in the House. She said another reason was due to the apparent attempt

Jamaican Trelawny police yesterday recorded their first murder for 2016 when an elderly woman was chopped to death by a machete wielder, said to be of unsound mind, in the southern parts of the parish yesterday morning.

The deceased has

been identified as 75-year-old farmer Violet Rowe, a resident of Top Litchfield, Trelawny.

The alleged machete wielder also inflicted wounds to his sister and a male member of the normally quiet farming community.

They were both admitted to hospital.

Police reported that shortly after 9:00 yesterday morning, the accused man’s sister went to his house to take him to hospital for treatment when he chopped her with a machete, after which he fled to the street.

According to the police, Rowe, who

Kamla Persad-Bissessar

75-year-old Jamaican woman chopped to death was walking along the road, was attacked by the machete wielder and was chopped all over the body.

Shortly after, police said, the accused man used a farming fork to stab a man with whom he came The accused was in contact shortly subsequently held after attacking the by the police and elderly woman. taken into custody.

Trelawny recorded 23 murders last year.

(Adapted from the Jamaican Observer)

Dad kills 3 year-old son fearing losing his girlfriend who dislikes children A New Jersey man was charged with murdering his three-year-old son, allegedly killing the child because he feared the boy

was getting in the way of his relationship with his teenage girlfriend, prosecutors said.

Little Brendan Creato

A Kentucky man is facing charges after authorities say he stole another man’s farm animals and then offered to return them on the condition that he’d have sex with him.

Rodney Brown, 25, was arrested Monday on charges of promoting

prostitution, theft by unlawful taking, and thirddegree terroristic threatening, authorities said.

That follows the Monticello man allegedly stealing 25 roosters, a goat, rooster pens and other tools, WKYT reported citing a

Palestinians say Israel has severely curtailed gas supplies to the occupied Gaza Strip this winter, fueling a major disruption to ordinary life for most families and exacerbating the harsh impact of the cold weather.

Tholfikar Sweirjo, a member of the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s committee in Gaza, told Al Jazeera the amount of gas

entering Gaza has been decreased by at least 50 percent since early December.

“People are suffering from the shortage ... especially because a lot of cars had been converted to use gas instead of petrol due to the high prices of petrol,” he said.

Sweirjo accused Israeli authorities of causing this gas shortage to intensify pressure

was found dead on October 13, less than a mile from his dad’s apartment, where he had been dropped off a day earlier. His father, David “D.J.” Creato, Jr., reported the toddler missing around 6 a.m., telling a 911 operator that he had woken up to find his son was missing.

“The door was locked.

I guess he unlocked it and left,” he continued.

The child’s cause of death is still undetermined, but medical examiners reportedly found he died of “homicidal violence,” prosecutors said.

Brendan’s brain showed a lack of oxygen before his death, indicating causes such as drowning, smothering or asphyxiation. He also had a fresh bruise near his collarbone, investigators said.

Investigators reportedly did not believe that Brenden went to that area on his own, as the boy’s socks were clean despite the muddy surroundings.

There were no signs of forced entry at the home, where Brendan slept on a love seat nine feet from his dad’s bedroom, she continued.

The boy’s father was arrested on Monday and charged with first-degree murder and seconddegree endangering the welfare of a child, officials said. Prosecutors

allege that Creato killed his own son after his 17-year-old girlfriend had told him she disliked children and “issued an ultimatum to him,” saying it was either her or him.

She had written a series of “unbelievable” blogs in which she described her “strong dislike of children.”

After the girl went away to college, she repeatedly threatened to break up with Creato, who had allegedly become jealous of a boy that she was talking to at school.

The pair is still reportedly communicating.

(Adapted from MSN)

Man holds animals for ransom, demands sex: Cops Dec. 21 arrest report.

According to the Wayne County Sheriff ’s Office, Brown also threatened to harm the man if he reported his demands to police.

(Huffpost)

Gaza faces harsh winter after Israel cuts gas supply

on Gaza in a bid to push people against Hamas, the group that governs the strip.

He also said the amount of gas

allowed into the Palestinian territory is only 15 percent of what is needed normally.

Ramy Abdu, director of the Euro-

Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor who is based in Gaza, told Al Jazeera more than 20 percent of households in

the strip do not have any gas, as well as hospitals and schools.

Abdu said a shortage of electricity has worsened the crisis, since people have to rely more on gas. “Over the last 10 years, Israel has imposed a blockade that has made life in Gaza miserable to humiliate and subjugate the people,” Abdu said.

(Adapted from Al Jazeera)

Islamic State launches militant assault on Indonesia’s capital Islamic State militants launched a gun and bomb assault on Indonesia’s capital today marking the first assault on the Muslim-majority country by the radical group, but five of the seven people killed were the attackers themselves.

It took security forces about three hours to end the siege near a Starbucks cafe and

Sarinah’s, Jakarta’s oldest department store, after a team of around seven militants traded gunfire with police and blew themselves up.

A police officer and a Canadian man were killed in the attack, which - with the attackers took the death toll to seven. Seventeen people, including a Dutch man, were wounded.

Two of the militants were taken alive, police said.

Jakarta’s police chief told reporters: “ISIS is behind this attack definitely. The drama played out on the streets and on television screens, with at least six explosions and a gunfight in a movie theater.

Police responded in force within minutes.

Indonesia has seen attacks by Islamist

militants before, but a coordinated assault by a team of suicide bombers and gunmen is unprecedented and has echoes of the sieges seen in Mumbai seven years ago and in Paris last November.

The last major militant attacks in Jakarta were in July 2009, with bombs at the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels.

Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population, the vast majority of whom

practice a moderate form of the religion.

(Adapted from MSN)

home, officials said.

Firefighters responding to a blaze in Rock Falls found a husband and wife and three of their children dead on the second floor of the home.

The victims were identified as Patrick Five members of Wednesday when an Hopkins, 61; his a northern Illinois early morning fire wife, Mary Hopkins, and their family were killed swept through their 49;

children, 24-yearold Maggie, 16-yearold Donovan and 13-year-old Katie Jo. “They were a good, loving family that cared very much for each other,” said Monsignor Thomas Dzielak of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Rock Falls. “The parents were very good people, and

the children were all well-liked at school.”

Autopsies are pending, but McDonald says the victims likely died of smoke inhalation.

The fire, which also killed three dogs, is believed to have started in the living room, fire officials said.

Rock Falls is

about 110 miles west of Chicago.

It took firefighters nearly a half-hour to bring the blaze under control, allowing a search of the second floor. All five victims were dead when they were found in their bedrooms.

(Adapted from MSN)

of tourists in the historic centre of Istanbul, killing at least 12 people, including 10 Germans.

Davutoglu said on

Wednesday that the attacker was an ISIL member who had entered Turkey from Syria as a refugee. ISIL has not

claimed responsibility for the attack. (Al Jazeera)

Five family members killed in house fire

Turkey army bombs ISIL in response to Istanbul blast Turkish ground forces have heavily shelled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) positions in response to a suicide attack blamed on the group that killed at least 12 people in Istanbul, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said.

Davutoglu said on Thursday the Turkish

army fired some 500 times on ISIL targets in Iraq and Syria over the last two days, killing nearly 200 ISIL fighters.

It was not immediately possible to independently verify the toll.

“After the incident on Tuesday close to 500 artillery and tank shells were fired on Daesh positions

in Syria and Iraq,” Davutoglu said, using an Arabic name for ISIL. “Close to 200 Daesh members including socalled regional leaders were neutralised in the last 48 hours. After this, every threat directed at Turkey will be punished in kind,” he told an ambassadors’ conference in Ankara.

Davutoglu also said that Turkey will carry out air strikes against ISIL if necessary. On Tuesday, a suicide bomber blew himself up among groups

Thursday January 14, 2016

2016 awards set for May

Anonymity is one of the major differentiation factors that will come into play for the hosting of the National Sport Commission’s 2016 awards ceremony, which will be held on May 7.

Being held as part of the country’s Golden Jubilee, the ceremony usually awards the best

sport men and women as well as associations and journalists in the sport business and according to director of sport Christopher Jones, there there will be anonymity in the selection, “No one individual knows who will be an awardee until the day.

So on the day of itself,

confirm who is the individual that would win the sport awards,” confirmed the Director.

Guyana and West Indies spin bowler Veerasammy Permaul is the reigning Sportsman of the Year, while track athlete Cassie George won the Sportswoman of the Year as well as the Junior Sportswoman of the Year awards.

Motor racer Kristian Jeffrey received the runner-up Sportsman those envelopes will make the decision to of the Year award, while be opened and if there be selected shortly. squash player Akeila received “They will not be Wiltshire are four nominees in that particular area collectively identified the runner-up Junior that one individual individuals but will be Sportswoman award. will be identified individually identified The runner-up Junior only when that individuals and based Sportsman award went envelope is opened.” on the amount of votes to Shemron Hetmyre, This he says will be for an individual or while track athlete upheld as several association, a different Jason Yaw collected systems have been group will actually be the Junior Sportsman put in place with the people who put of the Year award.

Fortune panellists who will those together and Alisha

won the runner-up Sportswoman of the Year award while the The Guyana Rugby Football Union was adjudged the Most Improved Association award, the Sports Association of the Year award and the Sports Team of the Year award.

Stabroek News’ Orlando Charles and Emerson Campbell won the best photographer and print journalist awards respectively, while Guyana Television Channel 28’s Avenesh Ramzan won the Best Sports Journalist (non-print), GRFU’s President Peter Green won the Male Sports Personality award and National Rugby coach Theodore Henry won the Sports Coach award.