Caribbean Airlines cancels flight after computer on plane malfunctions
November 20, 2008
Some one hundred and fifteen passengers were seriously inconvenienced and forced to remain in Guyana yesterday, after a Caribbean Airlines flight was grounded owing to the malfunction of a computer on board the plane.
General Manager of Caribbean Airlines, South America, Carlton DeFour told Stabroek News that flight BW424 to JFK in New York with a stop in Trinidad was scheduled to leave the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri at 12:30 pm yesterday, but had to be cancelled when problems developed with a computer on the plane. Read more
Is there a conspiracy to prevent soca/calypso music from making it?
November 18, 2008
Dear Sir:
Based on what I read on BBC Caribbean News, Nov 17, 2008, Popular Barbadian and Caribbean calypsoian John King thinks there is an international conspiracy against that popular Eastern Caribbean music genre. However, I personally believe that soca/calypso will break into the international music market, when the Eastern Caribbean countries unite as one strong force as a trading bloc.
In order for soca/calypso to constantly make the billboard chart, Eastern Caribbean countries must promote the music as an industry. Trinidad & Tobago alone cannot be the only Caribbean country Read more
Drug trade on the rise in Guyana, says crime chief
November 18, 2008
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Despite managing to seize some 60 pounds of cocaine and more than 74,000 pounds of marijuana this year, tackling the drug trade remains one of the major hurdles for Guyana’s law enforcement agencies.
This is the word from the head of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Seelall Persaud who Friday last revealed that at the end of October, police had destroyed more than 50 ganja fields’ totalling 44-1/ 2 acres, which amounted to more than 33,000 kilograms of marijuana. Read more
Miss Guyana Sari Pageant left something to be desired
November 18, 2008
The recently concluded Miss Guyana Sari Pageant, 2008, held on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at the National Park was an embarrassment. My first question to the Diwali Committee members is why was alcohol allowed and sold in the park? The contestants and the general public were made to understand that no alcohol consumption would have been allowed in the park on the night of the pageant!
Secondly, what were the criteria for the selection of judges? And why weren’t the judges introduced to the contestants? Probably right after the introduction of the contestants would have been a good time to introduce the judges. I can understand that a lawyer was selected to judge the pageant. Read more
The problem in Guyana lies with the existence of ethnic parties which are committed to ethnic voting
November 18, 2008
I refer to Mr Hamley Case’s letter ‘Inspired by Obama Guyanese should seize the day’ (SN 15.11.08) dealing with the lessons learned from the American elections and applying them to solve Guyana’s political problems.
The lessons from Obama’s election victory are simple.
(1) He never appealed to race to win votes. He ran mainly an issues-based campaign.
(2) The overwhelming majority of approximstely 115 million voters decided they wanted “change,” as in change from the Republican to the Democratic party. (They were tired of the Bush war; deregulation (responsible for the financial meltdown); lack of an energy policy; need for universal health care, etc.)
(3) The great fear was that the majority of the American voters would not be able to overcome their racial prejudices and vote for an African-American candidate. But they did with flying colours. This process was helped immensely by the brilliance of candidate Obama himself – always calm and cool as a cucumber; always right on the issues; always presenting the arguments in a non-threatening way; always appearing confident and knowledgeable, etc. Read more
Defence
November 16, 2008
INTRODUCTION:
Our military has not been modernised in decades. Their mission has been recently changed to crime-fighting instead of building a military for the current times, such as protecting our borders.
As we enter the last few years of this decade, it is time we come to grips on the future of our nation from all aspects of political, social and economic perspective. We are all aware of the nagging claim Venezuela has on key portions of our country that is affecting our economics, and as I have said before, contributing to the growing poverty in our nation while holding us hostage. We continue to have border disputes with Suriname. Read more
Where are all the men in the fight against HIV/AIDS
November 16, 2008
By Royston King
I AM not talking about those few men who appear in television advertisements, or the very few who volunteer to do community work. I am talking about the men in our local communities who are supposed to be making a big difference in the lives of our children; our young men and women and their partners; men who have a responsibility to provide the moral and spiritual rudder, for families, communities and our society. Where are these men? Read more
What Obama’s victory hasn’t changed
November 16, 2008
While the election of Senator Barack Obama does suggest that American politics has withstood the Bush years better than many had feared, his margin of victory in the popular vote – six percentage points – should give pause to anyone who believes radical change is coming to Washington any time soon. Six points is far from a landslide given that Obama ran against a party that led the country into two major wars (after deceitfully inventing premises for one of them), made torture into an official policy and mismanaged the economy into the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Obama’s margin seems even narrower if you consider that his campaign possessed an overwhelming financial advantage, and the man himself displayed surer political instincts than any nominee since Bill Clinton. Even so, 55 million voters, many of them swamped by political attack ads and months of shallow TV coverage, were prepared to consider the McCain/Palin ticket as a serious alternative despite their chaotic, clownish often farcical ill-preparedness in the final weeks of the campaign. Read more
Jamaica to buy more rice from Guyana
November 15, 2008
Published on Tuesday, November 11, 2008
By Oscar Ramjeet
Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent
Email: oscar@caribbeannetnews.com
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Jamaica’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Karl Samuda has said that his government will buy more rice from Guyana as of next year.
Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Karl Samuda. Samuda, who was in Guyana over the weekend, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to purchase 60,000 tonnes of rice from Guyana next year. Read more
Calypsonian Black Stalin gets honorary doctorate from UWI
November 15, 2008
Published on Monday, November 3, 2008
By Oscar Ramjeet
Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent
Email: oscar@caribbeannetnews.com
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Well known calypsonian Leroy ‘Black Stalin’ Calliste, immortalised for his ‘Caribbean Man’ calypso, was conferred with an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies (UWI).
He was the third calypsonian to have received an honorary doctorate from the UWI. The others were Slinger Francisco (the Mighty Sparrow), and Hollis Liverpool (Chalkdust).
The Trinidad Express stated that ‘Stalin’ urged young and upcoming calypsonians to remain dedicated to the art form and to work hard because, he said, “Hard work pays off”. Read more
When a government is unprepared, people die
November 15, 2008
INTRODUCTION
It has been over a week since a U.S. private plane disappeared in our jungle. What I found criminal is that it took over 24 hours before the Ministry of Transport got involved. With the international community paying close attention to this incident, one would have thought that an immediate response would have been launched.
This incident alone has grave effect on our economics, since this is a major foreign investor pumping large sums of dollars into a Uranium project that has positive implications for our nation. This lack of immediate response can affect future investments if companies feel we do not have adequate resources for contingencies, or even care. Read more
Trinidad PM threatens to take the media to court
November 15, 2008
Published on Monday, November 10, 2008
By Oscar Ramjeet
Caribbean Net News Special Correspondent
Email: oscar@caribbeannetnews.com
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, is hopping mad with the media and has threatened to go to court about allegations made against him in the press.
He told newsmen that he would not hesitate to visit media houses and complain if he disapproves of the content they produce.
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Manning. AFP PHOTO The Trinidad Guardian reported that Manning said, “I have taken a personal decision and that decision is that if ever I am aggrieved by anything the media does in the future, I am going to the courts.” Read more
President of Guyana assures CARIFESTA workers will be paid
November 15, 2008
President of Guyana assures CARIFESTA workers will be paid
Published on Tuesday, November 4, 2008
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo during a press conference on Saturday urged local Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) participants to bear with the Administration as accounting procedures are finalised. He assured that by the end of this week, this process should be completed and they would receive their payments.
The president was responding to queries on the issue, which has been in the public domain for some time now and which has seen some of the festival’s participants protesting for their payments, which they claim they have not received from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, though the event has concluded over two months now. Read more
Chanderpaul’s hundred in vain as Pakistan clinch series
November 15, 2008
ABU DHABI (AFP): Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit a fighting century but couldn’t stop Pakistan winning the second day-night international by 24 runs here on Friday, securing an unbeatable 2-0 lead.
The 34-year-old left-hander notched an unbeaten 107 — his ninth one-day hundred — but failed to get much support at the other end as Pakistani bowlers kept it tight to dismiss the West Indies for 208 in the 49th over.
Pakistan were also restricted by some disciplined deliveries by Jerome Taylor (3-38) and Daren Powell 3-50, with the team eventually bowled out for 232 in 49 overs on a slow Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch.
The third and final match is on Sunday. Read more
Courts Caribbean lights up on Main Street in Guyana
November 15, 2008
COURTS ushered in the Christmas season last evening by hosting its 8th annual Christmas Concert and tree lighting ceremony along with the Stash of Cash Promotion in the avenue outside its main branch on Main Street in the city.
The theme this year was “Give a Gift this Christmas from Courts” and was hosted by television personality Ms. Wanita Huborn.
Minister of Social Security and Human Services Ms. Priya Manickchand, ceremoniously lighted the tree by using an imaginary green button placed in her hand by Courts representative Howard Lorimer. Read more