December 22-25, 2014 
Monday 22
Former world-rated boxer arrested for non-payment of ‘child support’
FORMER world title boxing contender Howard Eastman was arrested and taken to court for owing $276,000 in affiliation fees (Child Support). The money is owed for the maintenance of a  child birthed to  Ms Yuless Grosvenor, who shared a common- law relationship with the once internationally recognised boxer. Eastman appeared in the New Amsterdam Magistrates Court before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, after he was arrested for not paying the weekly sums of $3,000 as agreed. In court, Eastman told the magistrate that he had no money to pay. However, Grosvenor, who was also present in court, said she had $50,000 to pay for him. She later disclosed that the two had since reconciled and had a second son. Eastman, who had not paid the affiliation fees for 92 weeks, is expected to return to the Reliance Magistrates Court on January 14.

359 more trained teachers join education system
TEACHER training is a major area of focus for the Education Ministry (MoE), and the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) yearly turns out large numbers of graduates. At its 80th graduation ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre, 359 more persons were certified as trained teachers. The ceremony, held under the theme “21st Century Pedagogical Transformers”, saw the graduates gaining certification in three categories: the Associate Degree in Education, the Trained Teacher’s Certificate, and the Teacher Upgrading Programme.

Paradise pump up and running –to be commissioned in early 2015
THE Paradise pump is one of the new pumps that the Ministry of Agriculture added to boost drainage capacity in 2014. It has a pump capacity of 200 cuft/sec, and is of benefit to 4,500 acres of land, both residential and agricultural. Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy explained that though completed the pump has not yet been commissioned. He said that thus far, the ministry has only had one occasion to use the pump, and that was a few weeks ago, when the country experienced about two to three days of heavy rains.

Tuesday 23
Former magistrate slams her car into parked pick-up
FORMER magistrate, Hazel Octave Hamilton slammed the Toyota Aventis she was driving into a parked Hilux open-back pick-up on the Good Hope Public Road. Hamilton hit the vehicle that was parked on the shoulder of the road opposite a bar as she was heading east along the carriageway. Asked if she was under the influence, one police officer said that he could not confirm this. The former magistrate’s badly damaged car was being placed on a tow truck even as the pick-up truck which belonged to a popular city businessman remained on the scene, as the businessman was entertaining acquaintances at the bar across the road.

24-hour electricity will transform lives of Leguan, Wakenaam residents
THE island communities of Leguan and Wakenaam, in the Essequibo River, are now experiencing a 24-hour power supply thanks to the upgrades done by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Company. The historic transition was formally acknowledged when President Donald Ramotar declared operational the rehabilitated power station serving the islands. “Now we expect to hear that the children of Leguan and Wakenaam are challenging the rest of the country in producing top students as well, because we are now investing in you. Indirectly, it might be said, but you will be having 24 hours electricity to study,” Ramotar said. He also urged that students look less at soap operas and turn to the Learning Channel.

No evidence to proceed with charges against Attorney General – DPP
THE Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack recommended that no charges be filed against the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, in the controversial private conversation between him and a senior Kaieteur News reporter. The 19-minuute recording of the conversation on October 25 last, between the Attorney General the senior Kaieteur News reporter, Leonard Gildharie, a former schoolmate of the Attorney General, was released days after. The release was done by publisher of the Kaieteur News, Mohan Lall, also known as Glenn Lall. He subsequently made a report to the Deputy Police Commissioner, Mr. Balram Persaud, premised on the contention that the contents of the recording indicate that his life, the lives of his family and staff members, were under threat.

Boat captain missing in Essequibo River mishap
THE captain of a boat powered by two outboard engines is feared missing after the vessel capsized in the Essequibo River. The missing man’s name has been given as Patrick Reynolds, 65, of Big Hope Essequibo. According to the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), six other persons who were in the ill-fated boat besides Reynolds when it went down were subsequently rescued and taken safely to shore by a passing vessel. They were all reportedly travelling from Itaballi to Teperu, on the Essequibo River, when the incident occurred. Both MARAD and the Bartica Police are investigating the incident, and trying to locate another vessel which allegedly caused the vessel to capsize.

Charge against Lloyd Singh dismissed
MAGISTRATE Fay Mc Gusty has dismissed a charge made out against Lloyd Singh, CEO of the International Pharmaceutical Agency (IPA) at Camp Street, Georgetown, wherein he was accused of breaching the Labour Ordinance by not paying the proper wage to an employee. Singh had been charged with breaching the Labour Act by having failed to pay to Anthony Hazel the sum of $120,000, being wage or salary owed to him on a monthly basis.

Wednesday 24
JAGS Aviation turns things up a notch –adds US$4M ‘Skytruck’ to growing fleet
JAGS Aviation, a member of the BK Group of Companies, took possession of a new PZL M28 Skytruck cargo and passenger aircraft, which has been described as “a game-changer” for the local domestic aviation sector. The twin-engined  M28 Skytruck, acquired at a cost of US $4M, touched down at Ogle International at 12.53 hours  to a traditional water salute by the Guyana Fire Service. The arrival of the M28 Skytruck now makes it the largest aircraft operating out of the Ogle International Airport, and the second aircraft acquired by JAGS Aviation for commercial operations in the domestic aviation sector in recent months. JAGS Aviation, a subsidiary of BK International Group of Companies, was launched as an airline in August last when it received its first aircraft, a brand new Cessna Grand Caravan 208B EX.

Guyana, Brazil working on developing hydro-power plants here
COOPERATION continues to be strengthened between Guyana and Brazil as consultations were recently held with the private sector and residents in the Upper Mazaruni on the development of hydro-power plants in the Upper and Middle Mazaruni areas. This is according to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett. “We are at a stage of feasibility studies, and what we are currently working on is a Treaty with Brazil on the sale of energy,” she said. Brazil will be submitting a draft treaty shortly, which the Ministry will be looking at with the prime minister and also other expertise, because this is the first time Guyana will take part in such a project as well.

CARLSBERG Beer/Southland International says… ‘Happy Holidays’ after a ‘Golden Fiesta’
A NEW beer has taken our entertainment fraternity by storm for 2014 and left tons of fans hooked on its ‘Golden Magical Experience.’ And this was made possible by Southland International Inc., who brought the very smooth and satisfying beverage to the local shores. With a superb launch earlier this year at the 704 Sports Bar and Lounge (Lamaha Street, Georgetown), the Carlsberg fever was unleashed. Then soon on the heels of this mega event, came their official Launch Party which featured the International Chutney Star, ‘KI’ out of Trinidad.

Thursday 25
Another Bosai employee crushed to death
THE family of Bosai Bauxite Company employee Bertram Pollard of Wismar Housing Scheme, Linden is now in mourning after the apprentice was crushed by a heavy duty truck. This newspaper understands that the incident occurred on the morning of Christmas Eve and is the second death to happen on the Chinese run company’s compound, dating three weeks back when another employee was found murdered. Bertram’s suffered similar faith like the Bosai workers who were crushed last year when a 767 truck ran over their pick in a mining site.

Rajkumar is Meten-Meer-Zorg CC Cricketer-of-the-Year
VINOD RAJKUMAR was named the Meten-Meer-Zorg Cricket Club’s Cricketer-of-the-Year, when the club held its 2014 Presentation Ceremony and Dinner at its West Coast Demerara based pavilion. On the same night, Seymour Evans copped the Best Batsman award even as 17-year-old Levroy Miggins was voted Best Bowler-of-the-Year for the club, whose president Troy Khan delivered the feature address and said he was happy to see joy on the faces of the players. Sheldon Alexander picked up the All-rounder-of-the-Year award, wicketkeeper batsman Adrian Johnson was voted Emerging Player-of-the-Year, with all-rounder Travis Mohammed collecting the Teen Player-of-the-Year award.

Four dead in two separate accidents
FOUR persons have been confirmed dead in two separate accidents in Berbice. One of the accidents occurred around 21:00 hours on Tuesday on the No. 6 Public Road, West Coast Berbice, which resulted in the death of  Deva ‘Pash’ Jeinarine, 35, of Bath, WCB; and Rakesh Sukdeo, 33, of Bush Lot, WCB.
Investigations have revealed that Jeinarine was driving motor car PMM 8763 along the roadway allegedly at a fast rate of speed, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a lamp pole.
Jeinarine, and Rakesh Sukdeo who was a passenger in the car, received injuries and were taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Chaitram Mangru, 27, of Bush Lot Village, WCB, who went to render assistance to the injured persons, came into contact with a live electrical wire and was electrocuted. Meanwhile, the police are investigating a fatal accident that occurred the same Tuesday on the No. 29 Public Road, WCB, which resulted in the death of Yonette Branche, 16, of Mc Kenzie Street, Rosignol, West Bank Berbice (WBB). Investigations have revealed that the driver of motor car, PLL 4691, was proceeding along the roadway, allegedly at a fast rate of speed, when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a parked motor canter. Yonette Branche, who was in the motor car received injuries and was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The driver is in police custody assisting with the investigation.