Monday 1
Alleged drug addict disarms policeman, shoots neighbour then kills himself
A MIDDLE-aged East Bank taxi driver said to be a drug addict, relieved a policeman, who happens to be his cousin, of his firearm, shot his neighbour, then turned the weapon on himself.Dead is Samuel La Fleur, 46, of 193 Back Street, Prospect, East Bank Demerara. The injured neighbour is Onica Lyttle, 32, who received a gunshot wound in the back. The incident stemmed from an argument earlier in the day between La Fleur and his mother.

Current rice crop pegged at over 630,000 tonnes
–export heading for 500,000 tonnes
THE Ministry of Agriculture has not yet released its targeted rice production for 2015, but Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, said that he does not foresee that the 2015 production will be less than 600,000 tonnes. Guyana’s rice production for the first time surpassed 600,000 tonnes, a record that was broken on October 27 with just under 86 per cent of the crop harvested.
Ramsammy said in 2015 the industry is expected to sustain this production, despite the fact that the prices offered for rice and paddy in this second crop were not as high as those offered in the first crop, and certainly below those offered in 2013.

Over 600 graduate from IDCE
WHAT started out with over 600 applicants who sought to further their education through the Institute for Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE), saw a remarkable achievement Saturday by a majority of these individuals, when they graduated at the 38th annual graduation exercise, which was held at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus. Students graduated in the areas of Industrial Relations and Management; Early Childhood Development; Early Childhood Education; Supervisory management; Marketing Management; Academic Upgrading; Mathematics, English Language, Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts and Office Administration; Proficiency in Mathematics and English Language; Introduction to Social Work; Care of the Elderly; and Sign Language.

Tuesday 2
Rohee: ‘Direction of the winds’ indicates early general elections
THE possibility of a move to early general and regional elections in Guyana is increasing, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee said. “With how the winds are blowing, it looks like we are headed for another general election,” he said. His comments follow the disclosure by President Donald Ramotar that an announcement on the way forward, following the much talked about November 10 prorogation of Parliament, can be expected shortly. “I do not intend to recall the Parliament and prorogue it again. Very soon, I will be making an announcement on the way forward,” Mr. Ramotar said.

Radio Needy Children’s Fund marks 60th Anniversary
RADIO Needy Children’s Fund (RNCF) last Friday celebrated its Diamond Jubilee (60th Anniversary) with a gala fund-raising dinner at the Guyana Pegasus Hotel. There were many expressions of gratitude to members of the organisation (past and present) who have shown commitment and dedication and continue to do voluntary work in service to the nation’s children. And in her welcome address, Chair of the RNCF, Mrs. Molly Hassan, also expressed gratitude to all partners and friends for their continued support towards the organisation. “Reflecting on this our Diamond Jubilee, the board of RNCF is proud of its achievement – none of which could have happened without your support,” Mrs. Hassan said.
She continued: “We at RNCF wish to express our profound gratitude to all our partners and friends who would have contributed towards the execution of our programmes, and look forward to your continued support for the years to come.”

Police fete almost 400 Tiger Bay children
CLOSE to four hundred children were feted by the Guyana Police Force as the ‘A’ Division under Divisional Commander Clifton Hicken continues to roll out Christmas parties to various communities in the city and outskirts. The young ones in Tiger Bay performed dances, poems, songs, acrostics and other cultural displays for police ranks and other special invitees. The day’s planned event in Tiger Bay was carried on despite incessant rain as the celebration for the children became a grand party.
Senior police from ‘A’ Division, parents of the children and some members of the Brickdam Police Station Management Committee were thrilled at the children’s spectacular show.

Wednesday 3
Dialogue rejected…
Objectives of prorogation lost – Dr. Luncheon
THE prorogation of Parliament on November 10 and its objectives have been lost, according to Dr. Roger Luncheon, who added that there is now no value in prolonging prorogation. “This is the time to look at alternatives,” the Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS) said. His comment follows Tuesday’s acknowledgment of President Donald Ramotar’s invitation for dialogue – the intent of the prorogation – by Leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Brigadier (rtd), David Granger.
The Opposition Leader in his response was emphatic in his assertion that there will be “no talks” with the current sdministration, unless the November 10 prorogation of Parliament is lifted.

BIT graduates 78 in Bartica
THE Government over the years has been working to ensure that all Guyanese have a chance to be trained in some aspects of work. In this regard, the National Training Programme for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE) and the Single Parent Training Programme, administered by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) have been providing a good opportunity to persons to qualify themselves with varying skills. The work force is empowered annually by skilled persons who have undergone training under BIT. Last week 78 persons from Bartica, Region 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), graduated in several disciplines: engineering (29), building construction (5), health services (8), information technology (16), and home economics (10), while 10 single parents completed training in catering.

Gov’t appoints new Bank of Guyana Governor, Deputy Governor
THE Government of Guyana announced the appointments of Dr. Gobind Nauth Ganga as Governor of the Bank of Guyana (BOG), and Mr. Leslie Glen as Deputy Governor with effect from November 8, 2014.
Dr. Ganga was appointed by President Donald Ramotar and Mr. Glen by Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh. The appointments of Governor and Deputy Governor come on the heels of the passing of the previous Governor, Dr. Lawrence Williams earlier this year. Dr. Ganga holds an MA and PhD in Economics from the University of Manitoba, and a BA in Economics and Administrative Studies from the University of Winnipeg, Canada. Mr. Glen, meanwhile, has an MS in Monetary Economics from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and a BS in Economics from the University of Guyana. He has been serving the Bank of Guyana since 1980 in several key positions. During the period 1997 and 2006, Mr. Glen was Chairman of the National Clearing House in Guyana.

Thursday 4
PPP apologises for wrongfully labelling Shaquille Grant
THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has noted the call for an apology by the mother of Shaquille Grant concerning a statement issued in the name of the Party in which Shaquille Grant was wrongly deemed a “criminal.” A clarification was sought at the weekly press conference of the Party where the PPP general secretary, in response, had promised to ascertain the veracity of the contents of the statement.
The Party has since done so, and has determined that there was no justification in describing Shaquille Grant as a criminal. In the circumstances, the Party offers an unequivocal apology to the mother of Shaquille Grant for this unfounded assertion, and for any hurt and harm caused.

CAHFSA to stimulate intra-regional trade in ‘agri’ products
THE Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) will drive greater CARICOM trade in food and agricultural products, giving impetus to the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) as well as increase the Region’s share of the global trade in these products. CAHFSA will ensure a harmonised regional approach to intra-regional trade in agricultural produce, agricultural health and food safety. This announcement came on the heels of a meeting of the Board of Directors of CAHFSA at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat from November 17-19, 2014.

CARREX to be fully operational by year end
THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Rapid Alert System for Exchange of Information on Dangerous (non-food) Consumer Goods (CARREX) is expected to be completely operational at the national and regional levels by the end of 2014. Representatives from national standards bureaux in CARICOM are being trained at a Regional Workshop in Suriname on matters relating to the CARREX and consumer product safety. The Community Strategic Plan 2015-2019 identifies, among other areas for priority focus, the accelerated implementation of the CSME, building competitiveness and unleashing key economic drivers to transition to growth and to generate employment and the development of human capital.

Friday 5
Magistrate Chandra Sohan appeals indefinite suspension by JSC
MAGISTRATE Chandra Sohan is appealing his indefinite suspension, a decision handed down by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). The suspension followed a complaint to the JSC by a virtual complainant (female), whose case relative to a domestic violence charge, was being heard by Sohan.
The JSC, in the last few weeks, has been taking firm action over the behaviour of professionals in the judiciary. Only last week, Sparendaam Magistrate Alex Moore was suspended by the JSC, also indefinitely, after allegations of inappropriate behaviour by an East Coast Demerara businesswoman. Moore and several other magistrates have come in for criticism by both members of the public and organisations, the most recent coming from the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
UG launches first newspaper
FIFTY years after its establishment, the University of Guyana (UG) recently launched its first newspaper, Splash, with the motive of capturing “a bit of everything” at its two prestigious campuses at Turkeyen and in Berbice. The newspaper aims to target a daily scope of the campuses activities as well as a synopsis of the neighbouring Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) students’ life. Reasonably priced at $100, ‘Splash’ is a bi-weekly publication that will provide a platform for airing students’ voices to help in heightening its current standard. ‘Splash’ was ideally an online media entity with the mentioned motive birthed by recently graduated law student, Sherod Avery Duncan.

Police arrest ex-cops believed to be ‘cop’ bandits
POLICE managed to apprehend two suspects believed to be the men who have been donning police uniforms and perpetrating armed robberies on persons travelling to and from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). Sleuths in ‘A’ Division reported that acting on information, they raided a dwelling house in North Ruimveldt in which they found items and other articles, including documents belonging to robbery victims; consequently, the men were taken into custody.

Saturday 6
Opposition ‘stingy’ with words but spend hours ‘cussing-out’ – Dr Ramsammy
AGAINST the backdrop of a “two-sentence” rejection letter issued to President Donald Ramotar by Opposition Leader, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, has posited that “the question on the minds of many Guyanese is what makes these politicians so stingy with their words when they spend hours at a time “cussing out” the President, the Ministers and the Government.”
Ramsammy’s remarks came subsequent to a two-sentence statement issued by the Opposition Leader, refusing to engage in any form of dialogue with the President on matters of national interest.

PSC chairman slams Kaieteur News for putting words in his mouth
CHAIRMAN of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Persaud, was yesterday quoted a Kaieteur News article, headlined ‘Stop attacking citizens who identify corruption,’ as saying “Stop the attacks, character assassination and vilification of citizens who have identified corruption as a serious problem that needs urgent and radical state intervention to stem its disastrous consequences for economic development.”
However, Persaud took the popular social media site, Facebook, to make it clear that he never said those words to the embattled daily’s reporter.
In actuality, the comments attributed to him were actually part of a call from Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI), following the release of the 2014 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report from Transparency International (TI).

Annai Secondary wins 2014 CC-LCDS Secondary Schools Quiz
ANNAI Secondary School from Region 9 (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) emerged champions of the 2014 Climate Change-LCDS Secondary Schools Quiz which was broadcast on the National Communications Network (NCN) over the past three weeks. The Quiz was organised by the Office for Climate Change, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and NCN. It featured 16 secondary schools drawn from all 10 regions of Guyana with veteran broadcaster and Quizmaster, Dr. Rovin Deodat moderating. Covent Garden Secondary School on the East Bank Demerara and Annai Secondary School contested the final.

About 100 individuals up for GPF promotions
ASSISTANT Commissioners, senior superintendents, superintendents, deputy superintendents, assistant superintendents, cadet officers and inspectors are all in the lineup of police ranks being considered for promotion by the Police Service Commission (PSC). The list was submitted to the PSC by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), but was returned to the GPF for some additional details as requested by the PSC, and has not yet been returned to the PSC, although that is expected to be done shortly. Commissioner Persaud said the list submitted would address the present vacancies within the Guyana Police Force.

Food vendor shot during robbery attempt
A FOOD vendor was shot, injured and hospitalised when he was confronted by a lone gunman at Ketley Street, Charlestown. The police reported that Vincent Ramkissoon, 48, of Canal No. 1, West Bank Demerara, was attacked by a man armed with a firearm in an apparent robbery attempt at Ketley Street, Charlestown. Ramkissoon was shot to his left foot by the perpetrator who escaped after residents came out and accosted him. He was admitted to a hospital.

Stray Catchers very active in police ‘A,’‘B,’‘C,’ and ‘D’ Divisions
THE Home Affairs Ministry (MoHA) reported that a total of 198 animals had been impounded in ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C’ and ‘D’ Police Divisions during the month of November 2014. The Georgetown Unit accounted for 38 animals, comprising 16 cows and 22 goats. The Berbice Unit accounted for 161 animals, comprising 31 horses, 95 cows, 11 goats, and 24 sheep. A total of nine animals were impounded in ‘A’ Division, 161 in ‘B’ Division, 10 in ‘C’ Division, and 23 in ‘D’ Division. Training sessions were held for stray catchers in order to address the following issues: Conduct and Appearance on Duty, the Pounds Act, the Cattle Stealing Act, and the Roads Act. The MoHA has also advised cattle owners to ensure that their animals are branded, so as to facilitate their redemption after they had been impounded.