Young Jamaican pilot sets two world records

"They told me I was too young. They told me I didn't have enough money and that I couldn't do this, that I don't have the wisdom, the strength or the experience. They told me I would never come back home."

Twenty-three-year-old Jamaican-born Barrington Irving Jr. (centre), who has set two world records by being the first person of African descent and the youngest person ever to fly solo around the globe, is greeted by his parents, Rev. Barrington Irving (left), his mother Clover (second left), brothers Christopher and Ricardo. Irving arrived at the Opa-Locka Airport in Miami yesterday morning to hundreds of cheers from onlookers, the media and dignitaries who came out to welcome him

Safe and sound! Standing tall on the tarmac of the Opa-Locka Airport in Miami yesterday, Barrington Irving, the world's youngest and first black man to set two world records by flying solo around the globe, responded to all those who didn't believe in him.

JFK terror plot probe

Georgetown businessman being sought

A Guyanese businessman whose office was allegedly used as a meeting room by the JFK airport terror plot suspects is being sought by the police and agents of the US Federal Bureau of investigation, informed sources have reported. The Stabroek News newspaper says it understands that the man, who has an office on Avenue of the Republic, had meetings with the FBI informant as well as the other alleged players in the plot to blow up fuel tanks that feed the JFK Airport in New York.

Brown pledges change as British Prime Minister

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah arrive at 10 Downing Street in London yesterday. Brown replaced Tony Blair as Britain's Prime Minister and promised changes after a decade of Labour Party rule marred by a lack of trust in the government since the Iraq war. – Reuters

Gordon Brown replaced Tony Blair as Britain's Prime Minister yesterday after years of waiting, and promised sweeping changes in style and policy to restore trust in a government damaged by the Iraq war. Queen Elizabeth asked the long-serving Finance Minister to form a government after Blair resigned at Buckingham Palace on a day of ceremony and emotion that ended an era in British politics. Blair, Prime Minister for a decade, signed off by answering questions in Parliament for the last time, giving an emotional performance that brought one minister to tears and the assembly to its feet.

Lt Col faces court-martial over stolen AK-47s

Lieutenant Colonel Tony Ross of the Guyana Defence Force faced court-martial proceedings on Monday for his part in the theft of 30 AK-47 rifles and five pistols from the GDF storage bond at Camp Ayanganna, Thomas Lands. Ross, who was commander of Ordnance Corps during the period the weapons were stolen, is the first senior officer to be charged. Fourteen weapons have been recovered so far. Warrant Officer John Peters, who was also court-martialed and found guilty on two counts of negligence of duty, was sentenced to 12 months in army jail.

TRAVELSPAN INCREASES NON STOP SERVICE TO TRINIDAD AND GUYANA

TravelSpan is pleased to announce the addition of a Boeing 757 aircraft to its summer schedule; this lease is with Ryan International Airlines Inc. Ryan International Airlines has been in operation since 1988, providing scheduled and non-scheduled cargo and passenger charter airline services with the US Postal Services and the US Military as its main customers. Ryan International Airlines operates flights between the United States and Ireland working with Hammond Tours. Ryan Air is a part of the Rubloff Development Group.

IMPACT ON ST. LUCIA

EDWARD HARRIS AT LARGE!!!

WHAT"S NEXT FOR ST. LUCIA???

While St. Lucia awaits the resumption of duties by The Right Honorable Sir John Compton, current Prime Minister of St. Lucia or the appointment of a new Prime Minister, it cannot be business as usual under the present conditions. The question remains: What’s next for St. Lucia? Honorable Stephenson King, Acting Prime Minister is doing his best to keep the ship of Government on course in spite of the billowing waves from time to time. In the first six months in the life of the administration there were several eventful moments. Firstly, the sudden illness of the Prime Minister, secondly the relieving of the portfolio of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and thirdly, the most recent development between the Minister of Urban Development and the Comptroller of Customs.

Cloud hangs over Housing Minister's future

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC - Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King says last week's arrest of Housing Minister Richard Frederick has caused his position in the Cabinet to come under review. King was speaking on the weekend, after arriving from Washington where he along with other Caribbean Community leaders met with US president George W. Bush. "It's far too early to say what action would be taken as there is an investigation taking place and the fact that no charges have been laid does suggests that we can't rush ahead and jump to conclusions based on mere suspicions," he said.

IMPACT ON JAMAICA

Davies under fire - Finance Minister says selection process for public sector health scheme was flawed - Ministry is at fault

After coming under intense pressure from the unions representing the 67,000-strong public sector workers, the Finance and Planning Ministry, according to one union representative, has confessed that the selection process was flawed and that the more than $2 billion, Government Employees Administrative Services Only (GEASO) Health Scheme may have to go back to tender a third time. Despite having the resolute backing of Contractor General Greg Christie, who insisted that the ministry's recommendation and the subsequent National Contracts Commission's (NCC) endorsement were done with probity and transparency, Hopeton Henry, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre yesterday that Dr. Omar Davies admitted that the process was skewed.

Jamaica's electronic voter ID system ready - Director of Elections

Director of Elections, Danville Walker has expressed confidence that the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) can successfully roll out its new electronic voter identification system during the next general elections. Speaking at a recent Think Tank session, Walker noted that the EOJ has been conducting ongoing simulation exercises to ensure that the system runs effectively on Election Day. "We have done our experiments and pilot testing of the electronic identification of voters using their finger prints. We did one in the St. Andrew Eastern constituency during the Local Government election and also when the by-election was held in West Kingston," he explained.

Jamaican police to improve security for politicians

Jamaican police will increase security for high-ranking politicians at public rallies after a member of parliament was slapped in the face at a meeting on Sunday night, police said on Monday. MP Keith Knight was assaulted by a supporter of a political rival who walked onto a platform during a public rally in the central Jamaica town of Bog Walk. An angry crowd turned on the assailant and beat him before he was rescued by police. The Jamaican police information unit said on Monday that security for public officials would be stepped up in advance of national elections that are required by the end of October. Some political analysts expect Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller to call the vote by mid-August.

Highway carnage

Five dead, 13 injured in St Ann crash

CARL GILCHRIST, Observer staff reporter

OCHO ROS, St Ann - The driver and four of his passengers were killed and 13 others injured yesterday afternoon when a Toyota Hiace minibus plying the Brown's Town to Ocho Rios route slammed into a truck along the Llandovery main road here in St Ann.

IMPACT ON BARBADOS

Boost for Barbados sugar restructuring plan

The planned restructuring of the sugar industry in Barbados is likely to receive a boost in the form of technical assistance from the governments of China and Mauritius, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Erskine Griffith, who has cited the development of suitable varieties of fuel cane, technology transfer in the area of water management, and a potential market for sugar exports as among the possible areas for technical cooperation.

Think twice!

Neal & Massy wants no part of Barbados Shipping & Trading (BS&T) if local shareholders are "seduced" by the $7 per share offer floated by its Trinidadian archrival Ansa McAl.
Arthur Lok Jack, chairman of Neal & Massy and a heavyweight in the Trinidad private sector, said his company did not want to be a minority player in BS&T if it fell into the hands of the Norman Sabga-controlled Ansa McAl. Neal & Massy has almost 15 million shares in BS&T, or 23 per cent of the company. Lok Jack arrived in the island yesterday to meet with the BS&T board and offer Neal & Massy's proxy to chairman Sir Allan Fields to vote on its behalf at the shareholder meeting today.

Oba a Pan Am pick

by PHILIP SPOONER

IT TOOK the selectors of the Amateur Athletics Association (AAA) close to two hours to decide whether or not Obadele Thompson should be in their team for the Pan American Games. Eventually, the decision was made that the island's greatest runner should be in the squad to make the trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the games which run from July 13 to 29. He was among 13 leading track and field athletes named on Monday night. Overall, 40 athletes will be representing Barbados in 11 disciplines. The Olympic bronze medallist, who was married earlier this year to American superstar Marion Jones, accepted the invitation to attend his first Pan Am Games, but it is left to be seen if he will ultimately make the trip. Speaking on Monday night, he too seemed a bit surprised that he was named in the team. After struggling with various injuries and ailments last year, he returned to training in January. The build-up has been slow and at times painful.

IMPACT ON GUYANA

GUYANA FOLK FESTIVAL SYMPOSIUM BRUNCH THEATER

Favorite Guyana Dishes and an international cast of multitalented musicians

An invitation is extended to all to attend the Fundraiser for Sympos-ium 2007: "Roots of Spirituality" a Brunch with the sounds of gospel. This year the Guyana Folk Festival team will be graced by an international cast of multitalented musicians who will entertain with songs and music that reflect the spiritual roots of our community. The audience will be thrilled during the traditional brunch of Guyanese favorite dishes by the gospel renditions of Danny Coakley, the classical compositions of Beth Anderson, the uplifting voice of Janelle Brathwaite and the resonance of song of Trenton Mack.

GFF 2007 CALLS FOR NOMINATIONS

The Guyana Cultural Association of New York 2007 Awards ceremony will take place in Brooklyn, New York on Wednesday, August 29, 2007. Drawing on the Bicentennial of the abolition of the trade in African captives (the Atlantic Slave Trade) and the later political independence of Guyana from Britain in 1966. The Guyana Cultural Association Awards will recognize the achievements of individuals and entities in cultural development. We plan to acknowledge the contributions by youth, business leaders and organizations. Accordingly, we invite nominations for our three categories of awards. One each for a youth, aged up to 25 years, a business person and eight persons or organizations in the cultural and creative sector.

Lemonade stand helps save 8000 acres of Guyana's rainforest

PORTLAND, Ore., June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Cub Scouts from Takoma Park, Maryland recently raised enough money selling lemonade to protect a section of rainforest in Guyana more than six times the size of their hometown. The project was based on a suggestion by Scout Alex Rice's father, Dick, chief economist at Conservation International, which has an innovative agreement to lease 200,000 acres of rainforest in Guyana. CI pays the government what it would have received had the area been logged.

Young 'Guyanese Mafia' in UK gets new member - Gharry Eccles

By John Mair in London

He's just forty. Yet he is already the managing director of the British arm of US multinational firm Wrigley which makes chewing gum and more. The business world of the UK and further afield is now an oyster for Gharry Eccles. He has already achieved much -- the chairmanship of the Confectionery Trade Association in the UK and business community in South West England for starters. The game is on for this son of the diaspora. Eccles was born in London of Guyanese parents in 1966. John Kalamadin and his wife had come from British Guiana to the motherland some years before in search of a better life.

Merai facing three charges of wrongful confinement

Senior policeman Steve Merai Monday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate's Court charged with three counts each of wrongful confinement and wrongful restraint of three men on separate occasions in April. Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys released Merai on self bail after he denied the allegations. Another police constable, Leyon Lindo, had also appeared before the magistrate on May 25, to answer to similar charges and he too was placed on self bail.

Guyana, others could benefit from US deportee reintegration programme -Gonsalves

By Miranda La Rose

Monday, June 25th 2007Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are likely to benefit from an expansion of the US-supported pilot reintegration program for deportees in Haiti, Chairman of Caricom Ralph Gonsalves has said. He described it as an important policy statement by the US administration. The issue of deportees being sent back to their country of origin without any support from the country of deportation has been a major source of concern for a number of Caricom countries, particularly, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. The pilot program in Haiti is currently funded by a US$1M grant channeled through the International Organization for Migration. The program includes resettling deportees in the communities through counseling, skills training and with funding for micro-enterprises.

Montserrat plays down talk about possible lawsuit from Guyana

The Government of Montserrat has played down talk about a possible lawsuit by rice farmers in Guyana. Guyana’s Agriculture Minister Robert Persuad on Friday told Associated Press journalists that Guyanese rice producers are threatening legal action against Montserrat and St Vincent and the Grenadines. He claims Montserrat and St Vincent and the Grenadines regularly buy rice from several Asian nations and the United States, without levying mandatory import taxes. Persuad said that they have instructed Guyana’s rice export board to take their trade dispute to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice, the highest judicial body for the region.

Freed murder accused sprints out of court and attracts police bullets

Chaos erupted at the Christianburg Magistrate's Court Wednesday, after a police constable shot at a murder accused, who had sprinted from the court compound. The police constable had no way of knowing that the accused, Denzil Higgins, had just been freed on the capital charge. The constable had only minutes before brought the prisoner in handcuffs to the court, and was unaware that the case against the accused had been dismissed. Fortunately, none of the bullets hit the fleet-footed prisoner, who up to late last night had not even made contact with his relatives.

IMPACT ON TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

Trinidad attorney joins team to investigate Chief Justice

Trinidad and Tobago's President George Maxwell Richards has appointed Senior Counsel Reginald Armour as Counsel to the Tribunal that has been set up to enquire into the question of removing the Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma from office for misbehavior contrary to Section 137 of the Constitution. Armour's role as Counsel to the tribunal is that he should make and render all necessary assistance and advice to and representations on behalf of the said Tribunal. Armour is the son of Ruby Lakhan Armour, of Mon Repos, San Fernando and the grandson of Dr Reginald Fitzroy Armour of Princes Town.

Woman hopes to walk again after surgery

Allison Rampersad is in recovery after finally undergoing surgery on her leg on Tuesday. The limb did not have to be amputated

AFTER 19 months on a hospital bed, Allison Rampersad is finally seeing hope of walking out on her own her two legs. The 30-year-old Moruga woman who has refused to allow doctors to amputate her leg following a mystery illness finally underwent another surgery in the hope of saving her leg. Although Rampersad has not yet fully recovered, San Fernando General Hospital Medical Director Dr Anand Chatoorgoon said: "She had the surgery on Tuesday. She did well. The doctors did not have to amputate the leg, which was the greatest concern."

Witness found sitting in court again

The court will today decide if the Saada Singh kidnapping enquiry will be aborted for a second time for the same reason-a State witness, still to be called, who sat in court and heard the evidence of other witnesses. Last September, Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington pulled the plug on the enquiry after hearing the evidence of 21 witnesses over two years. He ruled that the enquiry was tainted by the presence of a witness who sat in the San Fernando First Magistrates' Court, when he was still to be cross-examined. A fresh enquiry began last month before San Fernando Second Court Magistrate Armina Deonarinesingh.

Ex-soldier to face fraud charges in US

A Sangre Grande man who served with the United States military has agreed to be extradited to the US, where he is wanted on charges of trying to cash in on a life insurance policy on his wife who is not yet dead. Ingerberth Baird, 38, who was once a permanent resident of the US and served in the military service until he returned to Trinidad and Tobago in June 2002, appeared before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls in the Port of Spain Eighth Magistrates' Court Wednesday on four fraud charges.