Police Queen, Keriann Thomas to represent Antigua and Barbuda at Miss OECS 2022

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Antigua News Room

Ms. Police Queen, Keriann Thomas to represent Antigua and Barbuda at Miss OECS 2022

After a brief hiatus on the regional and international pageant circuit, due the robust COVID-19 pandemic, Antigua and Barbuda will grace the stage at a regional pageant, set to be held in Dominica next month.

21-year-old Keriann Thomas will carry Antigua and Barbuda’s flag as she represents our twin island state at the Miss OECS Pageant to be held in Dominica on November 5, 2022.

Talent Incorporated Limited, a non-profit performing arts and events production organization, headed by Gilbert Laudat, and also synonymous for the production of the Hal Jackson Talented Teen, the Miss Antigua Teen Pageant and the National Song Contest, among others, secured the exclusive rights to submit a delegate to this show.

The Executive Body decided to select   Ms. Thomas because of her level of preparedness, (having successfully captured a title just a month ago), and her ability to stand toe to toe with other regional beauties.

Ms. Thomas, who is the reigning Ms. Police Queen, and a constable in the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, has started comprehensive and intense rehearsals to prepare her for the big night.

This is the first time in the history of pageantry here in Antigua that a police officer is the national delegate in an overseas ‘civilian’ pageant competition.

This accomplishment would not have been possible had it not been for the blessing and overwhelming support of the Deputy Commissioner of Police of RPFAB.

Her preparation team, led by Creative Director for Talent Incorporated Limited Ckhuerckh Vhann-Kellte, is confident that she will receive the training that is required to steer her to victory. Mr. Vhann-Kellte is also the designer of her competitive wardrobe for the night of competition.

The Miss OECS Pageant 2022 will be hosted under theme “The Caribbean- A Tropical Utopia” and will feature five competitive segments:  National Cultural Costume, Swimwear, Performing Talent, Evening Gown and Interview.    Ms. Thomas and her delegation departs for Dominica on November 1.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP

NewsAmericasNow.com

Three people robbed at gunpoint, by five masked bandits, in daylight hold-up in Grays Farm; Police are investigating

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Antigua News Room

Three people were robbed of their valuables by five gunmen in broad daylight, and the Police are now investigating the incident, which took place in the Grays Farm area.

Reports are that a Christian Street, Grays Farm, woman and two of her friends were robbed of their phones and cash at gunpoint by five men with hoodies covering their faces.

Further reports are that the trio – two women and a male – were walking from east to west on Christian Street when they were held up by the crew, who demanded that they hand over their money.

One man is described as being of a slim build and very tall, while the others are also said to be of a slim build, but short in stature.

According to reports, the tall bandit was armed with a shiny gun, as was another of the gang, who pointed the weapon at the three pedestrians.

The tall bandit made the demand for money while the other four searched the three victims; they took a large sum of money and a Samsung Galaxy cell phone from the Christian Street woman.

The bandits relieved the male victim of two cell phones and took cash from his girlfriend before they escaped in a southerly direction.

The matter was reported to the Police and a search was carried out in the area for persons fitting the description of the five men.  However, neither they nor the items were found.

This offence reportedly occurred at about 1:30 p.m. on October 8.

Meanwhile, Theon Lincoln of Bendals was fined for drug possession in the All Saints Magistrates Court.

Lincoln appeared before Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel-Edwards on a charge of possession of 28 grammes of cannabis.

He pleaded guilty and was fined $1,400, which has to be paid within four months, or, in default, he will serve six weeks at His Majesty’s Prison.

Lincoln, 31, was arrested and charged after officers found him with the illegal drug on October 1 in Carlisle.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP

NewsAmericasNow.com

MPs for flood-hit areas invite Sinanan to visit

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

Davendranath Tancoo –

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan has been invited by several UNC MPs to visit their constituencies in order to see firsthand the problems of flooding, landslips and/or bad roads plaguing residents.

The invite came during a near five-hour grilling of the minister on Monday during the House of Representatives’ Standing Finance Committee meeting on the budget.

With UNC MPs challenging whether enough new water pumps and floodgates have been provided to protect their constituencies, Sinanan successively got invitations to visit from Oropouche West MP Davendranath Tancoo, Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein and St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen.

The sitting was characterised by Sinanan’s often telling MPs they were raising issues under incorrect sub-item headings. But they persisted.

Sinanan promised Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh to “send a team today,” to deal with his pothole concerns, to which Indarsingh replied that teams had already visited, but to no avail.

Sinanan promised, “It will be dealt with expeditiously.”

Ameen lamented poor communication by ministry staff with MPs, such that repair workers often visited the wrong areas, causing more delays. She said she has seen many culverts cleared along highways, but without channels being clear, rainwater run-off had nowhere to go. One such area, she said, was the Blue Waters plant at Trincity.

Tancoo lamented deaths on the Solomon Hochoy Highway, prompting Sinanan to say he would install rumble strips at dark and high-risk spots.

Chaguanas West Dinesh Rambally pleaded for traffic lights at Bejucal Road, under an incorrect budget line item. Sinanan conceded that the road had changed from an agricultural road to conveying many trucks.

Hosein called for more gully-sucker machines, to which Sinanan replied that El Socorro Road was on the list to be cleared.

Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George often had to rein in debate as she called on MPs to stick to line items.Moruga/Tableland MP Michelle Benjamin called for more traffic wardens to help traffic flow in her area. Sinanan admitted to 221 vacant positions, promising recruitment soon.

Tancoo noted a budget allocation of $100,000 for 221 wardens, adding, “The maths not ‘mathsing.’” Sinanan replied that hiring is a gradual process. He also explained there was a high turnover among traffic wardens, as many saw this as a mere stepping-stone to other jobs. He hoped to boost the existing 650 complement by 100 more in the new fiscal year.

Sinanan said the ministry’s focus had been on a major programme to desilt rivers. He said the Diego Martin, Maraval and St Ann’s Rivers were intended to have been paved, but this had to be delayed until the dry season in January, so desilting was done instead.

“We put the money into clearing the watercourses, for a quick run-off.”

With the allocation for landslip repair growing from $6.7 million to $12 million in 2021 and 2022, to $80 million for 2023, Sinanan boasted of having maintained connectivity between affected areas.

He said it was very expensive to fix landslips, and asked MPs to imagine having to fix 300 landslips for $10 million each. He hoped to look at natural techniques for landslip prevention.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Budget $$ for Public Administration, President approved

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

Minister of Public Administration Allyson West

THE Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives approved expenditures of $911,700,000, $17,884, 670 and $333,682,220 respectively as it concluded its fourth day of deliberations on the 2022/2023 budget on Monday.

The committee held its fifth and final day of meeting on the budget on Tuesday. The House later approved the budget.

The Senate begins its debate on the budget at 10 am on Wednesday.

Under its standing orders, the Senate cannot vote on money bills (such as the budget) or deliberate on such bills in their committee stage.

By law, the House and Senate are required to approve the budget before the end of October, when the current fiscal year ends.

Before the approval of expenditure for her ministry, Public Administration Minister Allyson West promised it would continue to focus on improved public-service delivery and enhance the capacity of the public service during fiscal 2023.

West said in keeping with the directives of the Prime Minister, the ministry has been seeking to implement and enhance digital technology in different aspects of its operations.

Earlier in the meeting, on Monday, Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles-Robinson said there was an allocation of $1 million in the budget for the Public Administration Ministry to look at the development of a work-from-home (WFH) policy. She added that her ministry and the Public Administration Ministry are collaborating on this, so she could not give a timeline as to when such a policy might be implemented.

But she said, “For us, this is an important exercise.”

The PNM offered the implementation of WFH policies for the public and private sectors as one of its campaign promises in its 2020 election manifesto.

On March 9, then leader of government business in the Senate Clarence Rambharat said a sub-committee comprising permanent secretaries and heads of department of different ministries and the Personnel Department were looking at the issue.

At a news conference on September 26, after Finance Minister Colm Imbert presented the budget, the Prime Minister said the public sector was not ready at this time for a major WFH policy. Dr Rowley noted that some private-sector entities have WFH arrangements.

Before the committee approved expenditure for the Office of the President, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Brian Manning said these funds would allow the office to continue to provide support services to President Paula-Mae Weekes.

Responding later in the meeting to a question from Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the Office of the President will hold a public awareness programme to enhance the public’s knowledge of its roles and responsibilities in fiscal 2023.

Hosein asked if this initiative would be rolled out in schools or generally to the public.

“Both,” Imbert replied.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Probe into misconduct, gang claims at Siparia West Sec

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

News

Education Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly – JEFF K MAYERS

THE MINISTRY of Education says allegations of misconduct towards a student by a member of staff at Siparia West Secondary School is “being addressed, according to established protocols.”

The ministry issued a statement on Tuesday, saying its School Supervision and Management Division (SSMD) and police are handling the matter.

It also said the school principal, a representative of the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) and a school supervisor said they had no knowledge of gangs after recent reports of attacks on students by schoolmates.

“The procedures and protocols for investigating matters of this nature are very specific, in the interest of protecting students.”

It said an investigation into the alleged inappropriate behaviour towards a student began on September 20, when it was reported to the ministry.

“A report was then made to the community police, and the student, along with SSMD personnel, met with the principal,” the statement read.

“The student’s parents were asked to come into the school, and on September 28, 2022, the staff member in question met with the principal, vice-principal, and subsequently, on October 7, 2022, with officers from the Child Protection Unit, along with the student, parent and SSSD personnel.”

The ministry said in such matters of a sensitive nature, it “must follow all the protocols and procedures.

“The relevant reports from the principal and school supervisor have been received and are being treated with urgency.”

The ministry’s statement comes after a news report published on Tuesday alleged that four complaints had been made to the school about a teacher sexually harassing female students.

Two days earlier, a Penal mother publicly appealed to Education Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and police to deal with purported gangs at the same school after schoolmates allegedly beat her two sons, one of whom was left unconscious after being hit with a chair. The other is reported to have pretended to be dead or unconscious to stop the attack.

NewsAmericasNow.com

US$120M IsDB loan approved for resurfacing of Soesdyke-Linden Highway

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: INews Guyana

After several months of waiting, the US$120 million loan that the Government had sought for resurfacing the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, has been approved by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Earlier this year, the Government had announced that they were awaiting approval from the IsDB for a loan to resurface the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. During a visit to the mining town of Linden on Monday, President Dr Irfaan Ali provided an update on this loan. He informed residents that this loan was approved only a few days ago.

President Dr Irfaan Ali

“What I’m doing today is what I’m doing across the country. We are going to people, meeting people, listening to people. Because one of the important pillars of the Government now, is to ensure that we deliver what the people want and we understand what the people want… the Linden-Soesdyke Road, we’re repaving that entire road. The loan has been approved, a few days ago,” the President revealed during his discussions with the residents.

Earlier this year, a team from the ISDB visited Guyana on an appraisal mission for the loan request. The IsDB team was led by Atiq Ahmad, Lead Global Transport Specialist – Economic and Social Infrastructure Department, General Directorate for Global Practices & Partnerships of the IsDB.

On the Government side, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill was joined by his Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Vladim Persaud, Dr Tarachand Balgobin, Director of the Project Cycle Management Division at the Ministry of Finance and Patrick Thompson, Chief Transport and Planning Officer. During the meeting, the IsDB team was introduced to their local technical counterparts from the Ministry of Public Works.

At the time, Minister Edghill had reiterated the importance of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway Project and assured the visiting team there is already an accountability system in place to ensure this project is executed efficiently.

Already, the Government, through the Public Works Ministry, is looking to pre-qualify contractors for the upgrade of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. In an advertisement on Friday, the Ministry stated that the Government of Guyana applied for financing from the IsDB toward the cost of the project and intends to apply part of the proceeds of this financing to payments under the contract for the reconstruction of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

The Ministry’s work services group (WSG) will be prequalifying contractors for the upgrading of the existing 72.43km two-lane, single-carriageway, and rural arterial highway. The scope of work entails milling of existing asphalt surface course, application of varying pavement structures above the milled sections of pavement inclusive of asphalt, sand asphalt, and sub-base; full-depth pavement reconstruction in certain sections, construction of two roundabouts along the alignment, sidewalk extensions to nine multi-span bridges, drainage work, and utility relocation, and installation of roadway lighting.

The tender document stated that prequalification will be conducted through prequalification procedures specified in the Islamic Development Bank’s guidelines for Procurement of Goods, Works, and Related Services, and is open to all bidders from eligible source countries, as defined in the guidelines.

Interested eligible applicants may obtain further information from and inspect the prequalification document at the Ministry’s Kingston, Georgetown office. A complete set of the prequalification document may be uplifted by interested applicants on the submission of a written application or email.

Applications for prequalification should be submitted in sealed envelopes and delivered to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board, Ministry of Finance, by November 23, 2022.

The upgrade to the highway is part of several key plans that the Government has outlined for the Upper Demerara-Berbice region.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Ex-employee confesses to KN robbery

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: INews Guyana

millions in stolen cash recovered

Armed robbery suspect and ex-employee of Kaieteur News, Ryan Wharton, who was arrested on Monday and further questioned by investigators, has since confessed to being the mastermind behind the armed robbery at the Kaieteur News establishment in the early hours of Monday morning.

Full statement below:

Wharton claimed that while he used to work with Kaieteur News,  in the year 2021, he got to know Joshua Junor, a 35-year-old security guard who is employed with Kaieteur News and of Lot 223 Middle Road La Penitence (and who alleged to be one of the victims of the robbery) and they became friends.

After he left the job, Wharton told Joshua that they could “thief money” from Kaieteur News and Joshua reportedly agreed. On 2022-10-09, at about 11:00 hrs, Wharton said Joshua came to his home with his motorcar, along with Ivor Belingie also known as ‘Wildlife’, a  25-year-old unemployed man of  Back Circle, East Ruimveldt and they made plans to rob Kaieteur News.

Wharton asked Belingie if he had a gun and Belingie said no. He told Belingie that he will provide him with a gun and that they will rob Kaieteur News and they all agreed.

Joshua Junor and Ryan Wharton then left, after which he called a friend Harry Stongster, a 36-year-old taxi driver of Hyde Park, Timehri on his cell phone and told him about the plan to rob Kaieteur News and Harry agreed to go with them.

After that, Wharton said he called his cousin Lemuel Grant of Charlestown and asked him to borrow his Spacio and Grant lent him the vehicle.

Wharton said he proceeded to change the number plate on Grant’s vehicle and replace it with a fake number plate HC 5152. At about 23:00 hrs, on the said date, Harry Stongster came to his home with a motorcar and Wharton gave Harry a phone number for Belingie and told him to call Belingie and pick him up at Back Circle in East Ruimveldt, which Harry did.

Shortly after, Harry returned with Belingie whom he gave his unlicensed 9mm pistol and they proceeded to Kaieteur News, in the Spacio vehicle which he (Wharton) drove.

On arrival, Belingie held Joshua Junor and two others at gunpoint, as they had planned, while Wharton and Harry went up to the Accounts Department where he knew the safe was located. They pushed open the Accounts office door, and broke off a padlock on a desk drawer. Wharton along with Harry then lifted out the safe which was under a desk and put it in the back seat of Grant’s car. Then he along with Harry and Belingie drove to his home, where they opened the safe with a grind handle,  hammer, and a chisel in an office under the house, and removed a large sum of cash, a firearm,  ammunition, one holster,  magazines, and firearm hand grips, from in the safe.

They then parted (divided) the money into four.  Belingie collected Joshua’s share after which he took off his clothes, hat, and boots. The others did the same and then Wharton burnt the clothes – and the vehicle’s fake number plate – in front of his house.

At that point, Harry and Belingie left with the ‘safe’ to throw it away. Wharton then placed the firearm, ammunition, magazines, holster, and the firearm grips into a black strap haversack and he gave his friend Collis Heywood, a 40-year-old self-employed resident of Tucville to keep for him.

Security officer

He then placed his share of money into a plastic bag,  along with his cell phone, and at about 05:30hrs  the following morning, he took the money and phone to his child-mother Lorilee Garraway and gave it to her to keep,  after telling her that he won the money from Superbet.

After his confession, Wharton proceeded to take detectives to the home of Collis Heywood, where Collis was contacted and he handed over the bag containing one .32 Taurus pistol, 209 live .32 rounds of ammunition, 71 live 9mm ammunition, five 9mm magazines, two .32 magazines, one pistol (Glock) case, one holster,  three hand grips. The said firearm is the property of Glenn Mohan Lall, the owner of Kaieteur News.

The ranks then went to Ryan Wharton’s home where a search was conducted and the grind handle, the hammer and the chisel were found in an office at the bottom of Ryan’s house.

Contact was made with Wharton’s child-mother, Lorilee Garraway, and she was questioned and subsequently handed over the cash to the ranks. She claimed the said story which Ryan said about her. The money was checked and it amounted to three million, five hundred thousand dollars (Guyana Currency).

Harry Stongster was arrested at his home and he admitted what Ryan Wharton had said about him and he handed over two million, six hundred and sixty-seven thousand nine hundred dollars (Guyana Currency) and six hundred and eighty-five dollars (US currency), to the police ranks. The same was also lodged.

Efforts were made to locate Bilingie and Joshua Junor but without success, so far.

Meanwhile, Harry Stongster took the investigating ranks to a trench at Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt Garden where the safe was recovered. The safe was photographed and lodged.

Contact was also made with Lemuel Grant, a 23-year-old clerk at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Stores Department and of Russell Street Charlestown,  who claimed that his mother Sharon Grant is the owner of the Spacio motor vehicle (number PPP 5379) and that Ryan Wharton did borrow the car from him on the 9th October 2022, and he returned it on the morning of the 10th October 2022. The car was seized and lodged.

Ryan Wharton, Harry Stongster, Collis Heywood, and Lemuel Grant are presently in custody.

The total amount of cash recovered is six million,  four hundred and six thousand, six hundred dollars ($6,406,600) along with six hundred and eighty-five dollars in US currency (US$685).

Investigations are in progress.

NewsAmericasNow.com

Dust haze causing visibility issues despite rains Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Barbados News

60 per cent chance of a thin layer across the island on Wednesday, October 12

Loop News

45 minutes ago

NEWYou can now listen to Loop News articles!

Dust haze will continue to be an issue for persons in Barbados for another 30 hours possibly.

A layer of moderate Saharan dust haze remained across the island last night, October 10. This layer of haze also affected the northern portions of the Caribbean island chain in varying degrees.

Today, October 11, in spite of a flash flood watch as a tropical wave affects the island, the Barbados Meteorological Services is advising that a layer of moderate dust haze will reduce visibility across the marine area and to a lesser extent across the island. This has an 80 per cent chance of being realised.

As for tomorrow, October 12, an alert remains for citizens, residents and visitors to be aware of a possible layer of slight dust haze persisting and remaining visible across the island. This forecast has 60 per cent confidence.

Related Articles

More From

Entertainment

The Bajan watched the October 6 debut with some of his cast members

Barbados News

The photos were taken from a video recording being circulated

Barbados News

The island-wide fladh flood warning has been discontinued however the persistent rains over the past days have damaged one roadway to the point that urgent, emergency work has to be conducted by the&n

NewsAmericasNow.com

Verdachte verwondt twee politieagenten

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: De Ware Tijd Online

PARAMARIBO — Een woordenwisseling tussen een taxichauffeur en zijn klant leidde tot de aanhouding van de 27-jarige verdachte Royshan M.  Twee politieambtenaren moesten daarbij slagen incasseren,

NewsAmericasNow.com

L’association des Chambres de Commerce et d’Industrie d’Outre-mer passe sous présidence réunionnaise

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Martinique FranceAntilles

Pierrick Robert de la CCI de La Reunion succède à la présidence de l’association à Carine Sinaï-Bossou de la CCI de Guyane.

L’ACCIOM qui regroupe aujourd’hui onze Chambres de Commerce et d’Industrie (Iles de Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, Mayotte, La Réunion, Nouvelle-Calédonie, Polynésie Française, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, Wallis et Futuna) a ete créée en février 2011 dans l’objectif d’assurer la concertation entre les CCI d’Outre-mer, favoriser les échanges d’expérience et mener des actions sur des thèmes communs aux régions ultramarines.  

Concentrer les actions

Son but est d’en faire, enfin, une force unifiée de propositions auprès des autorités pour faire évoluer l’environnement législatif, règlementaire ou administratif des économies ultramarines.

Le nouveau bureau a annoncé sa volonté de concentrer les actions de l’association autour du traitement des difficultés des entreprises, la transmission et la reprise d’entreprise, les enjeux de compétence et de formation, l’accompagnement à l’internationalisation des entreprises, la fiscalité et la formation des prix. 

√ Voici le nouveau bureau. Présidence : Pierrick Robert, CCI de La Réunion, vice-Présidence : Carine Sinaï, CCI de Guyane, trésorier : Mohamed Ali Hamid, CCI de Mayotte secrétaire : Angèle Dormoy, CCISM de Saint-Martin.

NewsAmericasNow.com